gilded.butterflies: Wild Thing

After a morning of chaos and worry, a day spent soaking up the peacefulness of nature was greatly appreciated. As a newbie to the Austin scene, I hadn't yet been to the Barton Creek Wilderness Park. It did not take long to fall in love with the place, though. Within moments of walking onto the roughly beaten path a sense of comforting isolation swept over me. The dense trees, roots rippling through the dry dirt, offered me privacy and quiet from the urban noise just outside the parks border. I decided to abandon the path for a little adventure, and after a few near slips and falls (this was an impromptu trip and my ballet flats weren't exactly traction-friendly) I reached a perfect wading area of the creek. Sunlight was flirting with me from behind its leafy branch lashes, peeking through and out coyly to kiss my cheeks and nose. It was absolute perfection.

The beauty, and often the humor, of being a fashion fiend is that no matter the setting or the circumstances, you are always thinking of outfits. As I sat at the edge of a rapid little waterfall and dipped my hot pink pedicured toes into the cool stream, all I could think of was how great it would be to go back there when the weather cooled down and cozy layers would be appropriate. As my surroundings so often do, this wild wooded park began to flicker a spark of creative fire in me. Visions of rugged, fuzzy flannels and chunky knit sweaters began to prance around my imagination. I started thinking of driving out to my family's farm to snag my hiking boots stashed in the drawer under the bed upstairs. Though I'd only ever worn them for practicality's sake while hunting, suddenly they sounded so trendy and desirable. Backpacks that hold a load and serve a look were etched onto my need-to-buy-when-I-get-a-few-bucks list! And in order to better fit the organic persuasion of my forest, I figured a watch would be a step closer to natural than my iPhone for the purpose of telling time. So now I will wait for the air to chill and the leaves to crackle so that I may run back to my new sanctuary. The coquette sun and the majestic trees will keep me company as I break in my newly inspired aesthetic.

Take a peek after the jump!