Heart It Right Now

It's been far too long since I've made a post but with senior year comes an extremely busy schedule, however I will try my best. Since I've last posted fall has come and gone and winter (well at least in California) is almost done, so before spring comes here is a list of things that I'm obsessed with right now:

-my new Valentino studded bag (I read that studs are out for 2013 and was appalled, studs are never out)

-Ellie Goulding's new album Halcyon and Metric's most recent album Synthetica

-watching Friends from the very beginning because I just got all seven seasons for Christmas

-black nails (yes I know that's not very "transition to spring" but I always love black nails) I'm very into the the nail art trend that's happening now but every time I go to get my nails done I end up getting simple, black nails (something to work on in this new year maybe?)

-reading Lessons From Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris because I always feel like my lifestyle needs tweaking

-finding the perfect iPhone case for spring (I've been scouring Etsy since the black/floral one I was in love with is no longer being sold at Madewell)

-trying to desperately catch up on my fashion magazine reading before I start my second semester of senior year in a few days

Outside Lands Outfits

I recently went to Outside Lands in San Francisco. I know when most people think of big festivals they think of Coachella however Southern California is much warmer than the foggy Bay Area, so the attire is a little different. This is how I decided to stay comfortable yet fashionable throughout three days of great music.

Day 1:

The first day is always a trial and error day, you get the feel of what everyone else is wearing, what the weather will be like and the comfort level you will need for the next two days. I started my three days with colorful cutoffs, a neon orange belt, worn converse and a black crop top.

 I also added silver and brown leather jewelry.

 Day 2:

The second day I would have to say was my favorite outfit with bright red jeans, a pink collared top, red lipstick and skull and cross bracelets.

Day 3:

The last day I really wanted to be comfortable to move and dance with my friends so I chose liquid leggings, a big graphic t-shirt and Dr. Martens.

Reflection: FIT Precollege Programs

        I've finished my three weeks at FIT for precollege programs and I overall had a good time. I realized that the major I was thinking of taking in college is in fact the right major for me, and that FIT is a great school. Not all moments were great, I was exhausted most of the time and doing homework during the summer is never fun, but it was important for me to come and realize what a great school FIT is. FIT has a million resources, great staff, connections etc. 

         This summer is a scary period of time, it's finally hit me that this college thing is not a joke and that these places that I've looked at very well could be my home for the next four years. That's a big deal. And then there's the worries about "what if I don't get in?" It's terrifying to think that the school you've fallen in love with could feel differently about you. However, the more information I figure out, the better and I have faith that I'll find my way whether it be at FIT or not. 

"Stop and Smell the Roses"

I recently read a blog post on inspiration; the author was questioning how to find it, and how often she has time to. I feel I struggle with this topic all too often as well. However being at FIT this summer has really opened my eyes to opportunities to observe. The fashion industry moves fast but it also can’t function properly without taking moments to "stop and smell the roses". I’ve learned that inspiration is everywhere and taking time to discover people, places, and things can give you a lot of information. Not many people feel they have the time but we move too fast and I know that I would personally benefit from stopping once in a while to take it all in. 

(I made this collage for an FIT project but I forgot how therapeutic collaging is.)

Another Summer, Another Experience

Since I had such a wonderful experience at Parson's precollege program last summer, I decided to try FIT's this summer. FIT is my top choice for college and I wanted to make sure that the school and major I'm looking into are right for me. So I just finished my first "week" (mon-thurs), I'm staying in NYC right now and taking fashion merchandising as well as fashion forecasting classes for three weeks total. The first week was interesting, getting to know my professors, meeting people in my classes and learning about the fashion industry from a new perspective. It was mostly laid back and in both classes we got out of the classroom often and took pictures of street style as well as window displays in order to figure out what trends are happening now. I've never done that before and it was really cool to observe everyone. I think I'm really enjoying the classes, it makes me giddy and anxious at the same time about college, especially since I hope to come study at this school. The one thing that isn't quite ideal about this situation is that it's very hard to make friends because they don't provide housing so some people take one class and then go home, many people don't live too far away, so the only opportunity for social interaction can sometimes be the classroom and you can't start friendships when you're listening to a lesson. But regardless of that I look forward to seeing what the next two weeks have in store.

My fashion merchandising class walking the Highline.

Essential Items: Stripes

It doesn't matter if they're on pants, a shirt, or shoes. It doesn't matter if they're horizontal or vertical (although we all know what's more flattering), thick or thin, the bottom line is: stripes are a good investment.

Summertime and the Living isn't Always Easy

A new season and yet another fashion crisis to overcome. For teenagers summer is one long weekend and it's casual wear all season. As you may have read before, dressing casual isn't my forte, and what makes it even trickier is most of the time plans aren't officially made until after I've picked my outfit. So how do we stop ourselves from resorting to a t-shirt, cut-offs and flip flops everyday? There's not one simple answer but I've found that if you pick one piece of clothing or an accessory to focus on, the rest of your outfit can be more laid-back. For example, you might wear a pair of cute patterned shorts with a plain t-shirt, and sandals, maybe even a ring or two, so the shorts are your focus and everything else complements them. During summer you don't want lots of clothes or accessories weighing you down so the motto is definitely less is more, in the sense that one accessory, rather than three is a good idea, and many times you won't need a jacket. Of course every situation is going to be different and sometimes you are going to have to go home and change, but if you stick to wearing outfits that you don't mind doing cartwheels in then you might be able to avoid it.