Five things you may not know about me

1. One of my legs is longer than the other. It's so bad that I'm supposed to wear a lift in my shoe, but I don't. You can kind of tell by the way I stand:

evidence: that right knee is lower and it's usually always bent to compensate!

2. Although I love gaudy and whimsical jewelry, I hardly ever wear dangly earrings. I usually just rotate between a pair of silver studs, pearls, or diamond studs (all gifts from Hubs).

I'm just crazy about Tiffany's!

3. I know that I am in desperate need of both a manicure and a pedicure but I rarely paint my nails. I don't like the upkeep. Also, from looking back at my senior portraits, I've decided that on me, French tip acrylic nails creep me out... but French tip toenails are worse!

You will never see a French tip toenail on this site. You may see toenails that need cutting or toenails that need polish, though! In this case, here's a broken toe (from last winter).

4. I own a pair of fake Uggs, and I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I do wear them in public in the winter. I got them at Texas Thrift, and I wore them on set when we filmed I Didn't Come Here to Die.

Don't judge me! At least I don't wear these with skirts or Nike shorts!

5. I strongly believe that this is the best video blog I have ever made:

bonus fact: I hum Molly Tomato's song when I'm thinking.

This wasn't a weird blog tag or anything like that. I just realized that it's been a while since I've revealed quirky things about myself. If you have anything you'd like to ask me, you can always do so via my Formspring!

A story about how I gave up trying and finally found my style aesthetic.

I remember my childhood as being magical and fun and full of wonderment and creativity. I didn't have a lot of friends because I dressed like a weirdo and I didn't shower very often, but I was oblivious to that. I read books all day, I made costumes, and I danced constantly. It was amazing. Middle School was a little less fun, but I finally met more people and made a few friends. I rode my bike all over town and had my first kiss, so I look back at those years with a lot of joy, too. But then there was high school. BLAH! High school!

Wrong, John Mellencamp. WRONG.

I hated high school. I always felt like a wallflower. No matter how hard I'd try to be noticed, I wound up feeling like I was an invisible ghost most days. I was super self-conscious about my clothes. I was tall, but skinny, so I bought things that were either too big or too short. I was always way behind the trends and unable to afford what all the well liked kids were wearing. Even though Seymour, Indiana was a small town (literally: hometown hero John Mellencamp wrote the song "Small Town" about Seymour), the kids really cared what you looked like. Here's some examples of high school journalism at its best, compliments of my sophomore year yearbook:

My senior year, I finally took Sophomore Angel Ho's enlightening advice to "wear what I feel". What I felt was a pull toward the old and the vintage, the desire to NOT blast brand names across my chest, and I finally started shopping at thrift stores because I wanted to, not because I had to. It took me 17 years to finally find my sense of style, but I don't think I've looked back or worried about fitting in ever since.

And the kids from high school? We're all friends now thanks to Facebook, and I'm pretty sure I'm the only one with a fashion blog... but I'm also pretty sure they still think I dress like a weirdo!

Comment of the Day: those excerpts from your yearbook are PRICELESS. i was pretty awkward in high school, too (um, i had a PERM. and went to high school from 2000-2004! what was i THINKING?!) and even though i believe style is an always evolving thing, i'm much more secure in mine now and dress for myself rather than others. good advice, angel ho, good advice. - mariel

Indiana Adores Austin

Hi, there. My name is Indiana Adams and I live in Austin, Texas. I'm an actress and writer who just so happens to love fashion and home furnishing.

I grew up in Seymour, Indiana and went to college first in Kankakee, Illinois at Olivet Nazarene University where I studied religion, then I transferred to California State University Monterey Bay where I studied film and writing. My senior capstone project was a prototype for an entertainment, fashion, craft, and design magazine for women. I had always hoped to land a job working as a style or design columnist for a local weekly or indie publication, but since relocating to Austin in 2006, my acting schedule has kept me preoccupied.

I've been blogging since 1999 at various sites, and one day last winter, I came up with the idea to combine my love for blogging with my love for fashion and decor. I hope to offer something unique: a style blog where I don't have to use an objective, reporter's tone. I want to write exactly how I talk to my best friends. My aim is to write candidly and to not shy away from humor... because let's face it: sometimes fashion and decor is ridiculous!

You should know that I have been into shopping for as long as I can remember. I blame my mother: my first walking toy was a push cart!

Decor and fashion have always been a part of my life. I rearranged and redecorated my bedroom once every two months for my entire childhood, and in the second grade, I clearly remember wearing outrageous costumes to school, thinking it was perfectly acceptable since the people on MTV did it. It's no wonder kids in my small, rural town thought I was weird!

I started Adored Austin in the summer of 2009 as a place where I could synthesize and share style trends: good and bad. I also wanted to have a place to highlight local shops and independent artisans and to promote fashion related events in Austin.

I think clothing and home decor are important, and I think some people feel silly admitting this. What we wear and how we decorate our surroundings affects our moods and influences how others view us. Through these mediums of fashion and decor, we can silently express ourselves and honor our nostalgia. If you think you'd be interested in partnering with Adored Austin, see my partners page for more information.