Outfit of the day: fighting the fashion funk

Glasses: Old Navy
Necklace: Mayagüez Fleamarket
Shirt: Old Navy
Belt: The 80s via my mom
Skirt: Cabo Rojo fleamarket
Tights: No clue.
Shoes: La Defensa

So this is one of my first outfits after my fashion slump confession. I think it feels like I'm trying too hard. But! At least this means I'm trying, right? And that's what counts! No? Cookie?

Lately, most of my outfit have some floral infusion. Be it a shirt, skirt, tights, or accessories, I just want to be covered in flowers! I think it's quite funny since less than 2 years ago the only flowers I wanted had to be in vases. Now, I see a floral print and cannot help but gravitate towards it.

In retrospect, the shoes may have been too much. But the only other high heeled oxfords I have are black and I didn't want to wear black that day. :/

The morning of our discontent.

The morning of the statement tights outfit, what I ended up wearing was not what I started out with. I was originally going to try for a louder outfit, but it just didn’t work. I changed my top half around twice, which is not a lot, but drove Damián nuts. (Sorry Damián, I am going to bring this up!) I wanted something to accentuate my waist in this outfit since I was wearing a sleeveless cardigan that wasn’t very tailored. He doesn’t like me wearing belts. And then he drops the bomb,

You’re just going to work. It’s not fashion.

And so I whirled my head at him aghast. What? What did you just say to me, sir?

I know he meant well, but here’s the thing. How many of us have gone through shitty moments at work and all that’s getting us through is good fashion, good friends, and a jelly donut? Sometimes we need to look good for ourselves, not just for our job. It’s for our well-being. A peek at our amazing shoes, crazy tights, or yummy details on our top or bottom can help distract us from a lousy day. I know that for many people it’s just clothes, but for a great deal more, clothes can make or break a mood. Even my boy isn’t exempt from fashion: he loves his Calvin Klein!

So, bottom line: next time you see your significant other struggling to look fab, don’t tell them it’s just work or clothes. To them it may mean a whole lot more and could make a difference in how they present themselves to the world. To them, a crappy outfit may bring them down. So help them figure it out. Just make sure that if you’re running out of time, be tactful! ;)

Thankful

To everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving, I hope you had a very happy one full of family, friends, and love. But, to everyone! Everyone who reads this blog, thank you! Thank you for stopping by, reading, and leaving comments. I hope you all have lovely, lovely days!

As for me, I am thankful for everything. For you, for my family, my boyfriend, my dogs, my friends. For all the opportunities and the missed chances because you learn from everything. To those who celebrate Thanksgiving, it has to be celebrated all year long. We can't wait for just one day to be thankful for all we have. And then go on a consumerrific "holiday" the next day.

Let's all be thankful!

Outfit of the day: Statement tights.

A short while ago, I commented on Arash's blog. He’s a UK-based image consultant that I stumbled upon while browsing IFB. They were showcasing his article on statement tights. He really broke it down to the basics of how to wear tights, specially ones with print, and how they bring an entirely new spin to the outfit.

I, for one, adore tights. I had to take them out of my bureau and buy one of those closet organization drawers (the large ones). They command an entire drawer, but honestly, they are escaping out because they are just too many. I don’t mind. Tights are one of life’s simple pleasures. They’re relatively inexpensive and can make a spring/summer outfit wearable in fall/winter.

On Arash’s blog, he mentioned that to wear busy tights, you have to tone it down on the rest of the body. Reading his post encouraged me to bust out of my fashion slump, even if just a little, to wear one of my recent tights purchases. I may or may not have mentioned it on the blog, but I have a soft spot for argyle print, so when I saw a pair of argyle tights on the Forever 21 website, I rushed out to get them instore. Alas, they had either not arrived or already sold out. But all was not lost. I wandered into Payless and spotted this pair and we’re in love. They’re warm and yummy and they’re argyle. Damián doesn’t know yet.







They key to wearing busy tights is to keep it neutral on the rest of the body. That’s not to say you can’t make it interesting. I’m wearing different neutrals (black, navy, and gray), but they’re also different textures, so they add more tactile and visual interest in the outfit. And, very important, they keep me warm!

I know some people say that you shouldn’t mix brown and black/blue and black, but I don’t care. Some people also say that I shouldn’t wear a belt! But I say wear what you want. As long as you’re happy with your outfit, that’s all that matters.

Keepin’ it real (there will be poop)

Sorry for the radio silence, everyone. I had no internet! But...

Guys, guys, GUYS. (Well, maybe that should read everyone, everyone, EVERYONE? I digress.)

Having pets is not for the faint of heart.

You always run the risk of them getting sick or hurt. Yes, I’m being extreme. On the lighter side, there’s always the chance that they will eat your shoes, clothes, furniture, and body parts, among other things. But one thing is certain. One thing is unavoidable.

At any given point in your life as a pet, particularly dog, owner, there will be poop.

I do wish that it is merely “oh, I am taking my dog on a walk, which means they will relieve themselves” type of poop. Not the type of poop Damián and I have experienced last night. Dear Freddie Mercury, the poop we have experienced last night.

Don’t worry. There are no pictures. Of the poop, at least.

Arriving home from work, I was ready for another day of packing, cleaning, and organizing. I was also ready to see my dear Genghis’ face to cheer me up after a stint in traffic, when I saw some shapes on the floor behind him. “Oh, no,” I thought. “He tore something up again,” I continued, out loud.

Well, he didn’t tear anything up. Except our nostrils.

When I opened the door, that stench came at me with the force of a 9.2 megaton bomb. Deities were invoked as I turned on the light, and saw that the shapes I made out in the dark were, in fact, poop. Lots of it. I tiptoed around as I tried to check Genghis for poop. But he’s too fancy for that. He was actually all, “Please, mummy, do take me away from the poop. It stinks!”

So I put him in the terrace to commence Operation Clean-Up (OCU). But then I realized that I couldn’t commence OCU because I had nothing to start it with. You see, we cleaned our apartment so we could leave most of our cleaning supplies at the new place so we can enable it for our impending arrival. We honestly didn’t account for a doggy doodoo episode. I called Damián and explained the scenario. The good man stopped at the pharmacy and picked up our weapons. Then he came home and armed himself.

We looked like this.



Lessons here? Don’t ever run out of cleaning products. Ever. Don’t underestimate your tiny bundle of furry love. They’ve got some terrifying things up their sleeves for you when you least expect them. And never, ever underestimate the smell of poo. I thought I could handle it, but I ran away gagging upon commencing clean-up.

We are just so thankful we don’t have carpets. Nor will we ever, after this episode. Word.

PS. The mop broke at one point. :(

Hi, I'm cute.

At least, that's what it looks like he's saying, right?

Everything's going to the dogs.

Ever since I can remember, I would ask my parents for a dog. Everyday. Every single day! I'd beg, plead, promise to feed, bathe, and brush the dog (or dogs, I wasn't going to reject multiple canines). All this to no avail. The parental units didn't want to get dogs. Specially after the death of their beloved German Sheperd Savage, just a mere 6 months after I was born. They wanted to spare me the pain they went through when they lost him. So, no dogs were allowed. I had fish (one of them was suicidal: he kept jumping out of the fish tank until we weren't able to save him), chickens, and ducks. I had a cat for 2 weeks and then they found it another home.

However, I hadn't given up though. I still asked my parents for a dog everyday. Until I gave up. 13 years (well, not 13 years exactly....more like 10) of asking had taken their toll so I gave up. And then Chewy showed up.

He sneaked into my father's workplace and dad found him in the morning. Chewy (short for Chewbacca) has now been living with us for 14 years. He's an old grumpy butt, but we love his old grumpy butt. 2 years after that, this later lady arrived. Meet Maya.

She came to us during Hurricane Georges passing over Puerto Rico. At first, she would stand in front of our house and wait for us to go pet her. Then she would start sneaking in until she disappeared one day. My mother felt so bad that she swore to take care of her if she returned. And so Maya showed up and stayed home forever. With the exception of those occasional times she'd escape to chase chickens down the road. Yay!

We'd thought we were done with being dog adopted, but we were a couple short. One day at school, I saw this little one about to get run over and took her home. I fully meant to find her a place. I just didn't know (secretly wished it, though) that it would be mine. This is Patch.

Finally, one day, I got home and this little one was waiting by the door. You may know him! This little red devil is Genghis.

You may have noticed that I said dog adopted, not adopting dogs. I mean that. The dogs showed up and chose us as their family. We sort of had no say in the matter. We couldn't say no. Not that we really wanted to :) I mean, how could you wanted to dismiss them?

Independent Fashion Bloggers weekly link line-up

Part of the Independent Fashion Bloggers (IFB) community awesomeness is this weekly round-up of interesting and thought-provoking links. (Holy barnacles, that's a lot of hyphens.) As part of the community (a very lurky part), I'm very glad that IFB does this. It just further distances the idea many people have that fashion is solely vacuous and egotistical. There's some serious stuff going on there! Even if it is mostly in the blogosphere.

Here's this week's line-up. Enjoy!

When fashion teaches you a lesson

Edited by: Marie Denee of The Curvy Fashionista

As fashion bloggers, we are often the ones sharing and giving advice about fashion. But what happens when fashion turns the table on us and teaches us a lesson or two? From learning how to be thrifty, coping through a crisis, or the economy, these fashion bloggers took a cue from fashion's lessons and turned them into a delicious and delectable read- and I have rounded these up for you...

Links à la Mode: November 18th

• Almost Sober Mag: Pull It, Push It and Come Back When You Proved It: Direct experience from a newly established independent publisher: a week as a fashion editor.


• Beyond Fabric: On the relation between Body Language and Fashion Photography


• Dedicated Follower: To Write Love on Her Arms - I join the movement and write love on my arms in honor of a lost friend.


• Exiled from the City: Throughout the past few years, there has been a paradigm shift in consumer variables and the function of fashion.


• For those about to Shop: Society must take some responsibility for the dangerous obsession to be thin.


• Freeda Style: "Appropriate Attire" Are ALL the old rules of fashion dead? Or should some survive?


• Haute World: Grace Kelly Exhibition: How a royal style icon can teach us a lesson in thriftiness.


• Heathers Design Blog: Musings on fashion now and fashion then, based on the exhibit "Fashioning Fashion" at LACMA.


• Independent Fashion Bloggers: Self-Promotion 101: It's not about you


• LivLux Mag: ComfortZones: Even Fashionistas get insecure when trying new styles.


• Make the World a Prettier Place: History of Fashion: The New Look (1947)


• Miss Vinyl Ahoy: I've read some negative comments about the 30 for 30 challenge, and wanted to explain more of what it is and why people should care about it, from my POV.


• Modesty Theory: Welcome to Hijabi Fashion Week- showcasing the style of Muslim women for various occasions.


• Oh My Massila: Reflections on the crossroads between fashion and feminism.


• Previously Owned: The tale of the "00s" Vintage and the mockery of the consumer... Are we becoming victims of the mass media?


• RetroChick: Why Fashion isn't Frivolous


• Return to Sender: Sometimes life gets in the way of fashion. How I Survive A Crisis


• Searching for Style: Fashion 101: Who Owns What. The lowdown on the big fashion conglomerates and the companies they own.


• Socialite Dreams: Sparkly, glam shoes are a must have for the holidays! Twinkle Toes: The Holiday Shoe Guide


• Taste and Style: Keep Being YOU.


• The Curvy Fashionista: How to determine quality in plus size fashion

SPONSOR:

Shopbop Boots:KORS, Joie, UGG, Coclico, Frye, L.A.M.B, Hunter, Frye, DV, Ash, & 12th St.

Washington, Washington...

Six foot eight, weighs a fucking ton! Ok, sorry. No, not here to discuss the viral video. But! As you may well be aware, Damián and I went to the DMV (District, Maryland, and Virginia are) in September. We also took a short day trip to Philadelphia as well. Never really showed you guys the pictures, so I wanted to share some of them with you here.

The Philadelphia pictures are unavailable since Damián hasn't given them to me yet...they're on his computer, even though I took the pictures! The nerve of some men. No, but really, we're packing everything up so we can get the hell out of Dodge as soon as possible. So, a promise is a promise and I will post those pictures as soon as possible!

Old Navy Leather.

So yes. Several years ago, Old Navy release some leather hoody jackets, but I never got to see them in person, they sold out so fast. I don't know if they did leather again until now, but I'm liking what I see. So far, it appears that the styles are women only, but I'm really liking them.

I haven't seen the one available in-store in person yet (the motorcycle jacket and bomber jacket are online exclusives), so I can't tell you if the leather is supple or not. However, the reviews on Old Navy's website are all positive and several have commented on the suppleness of the leather. At only $199, if they are that good, then they might be worth the money. I for one, am drooling over the taupe one with the ruffles. It just seems so elegant. I can see it with delicate dresses, workwear, and jeans on the weekend. I will be keeping an eye out for you, my pretty!

All images belong to Old Navy. If you are interested in any of the jackets, here are the links:

Buckle-trimmed leather jacket

Motorcycle jacket

Ruffled leather jacket

Do you slump?

And by that I mean fashion slump. Do you have times when you just don't care about what you wear? You might've even been wearing the same jeans and shirt for two weeks and it doesn't give you an ounce of grief. You don't try to make an outfit, you just stick your hand into the closet and are at the mercy of random picking.

You. Don't. Care.

Right now, I'm in a fashion slump. I do care, but I just can't be arsed into trying. And it all can be boiled down to one thing: stress. Stress has caused me to eat a lot therefore gain weight and not fit into my old clothes. Stress has made me sleep in, just stick my hand in the closet, and run with what I got. Stress has also made me into a disorganized pile of goo, but Damián would argue that I'm disorganized most of the time anyway. Grr. But, the biggest problem is that it's not stress' fault. It's my fault for letting stress win. So now, I'm fighting back.

I've made Damián promise to make me work out, even when I'm feeling lousy. The one exception has been on a particular stressful day dealing with the the neighborhood burglary stress that Damián just let me sit it out. But for the most part, I've made an effort to be more active. It's helped me so far, I'm not as out of shape as I was before, but I still have a long way to go.

The next step is to try and bring it up a notch in regards to fashion. But should I? Should I force myself to pick outfits when all I want to do is sleep? Or should I just ride it out until one day I woke up with the fashion sass again? I don't know.

What would you do?

To grad or not to grad (school)?

On 10.10.10. I crossed off a very important bullet from my life list. I graduated. I finished my Master of Arts in English, after three and a half years. Well, four, thanks to the system-wide strike. I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to me and how much that ceremony reflected the culmination of a long while’s trials and tribulations.

I am finally graduated. Twice! From the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, better known to us locals by its acronym: RUM. Why yes, we do have drinking tendencies, thankyouverymuch. We are one of the few schools that can boast about being right next to a brewery! Anyway, I am now a third generation Colegial, as my grandfather and both parents attended the school. It seemed only natural that I go too.

I started my Masters Degree not necessarily because I wanted to, but because I needed to. I had been offered a job as an editor for a relatively high profile journal and I needed to be enrolled to work. Oh well, why not? It’s not like I had something to do anyway. I had planned in coursing graduate studies, but this had happened in one fell swoop. This degree wasn’t necessarily the one I wanted (it is mostly education based; I got away with focusing on literature), but it could help me get where I want (writing & editing).

So I did it. Was it wrong? Probably. Do I regret it? No, not one bit. Even though you can ask everyone that ever knew me throughout my MA tenure that I hated a good chunk of it, what I enjoyed was even more. My MA research took me to Oxford and Harvard, it gave me a chance to sit down and make myself write. It made me find my own voice and stick to it, no matter what. After all, it was my project that was going to determine if I graduated, not some fool who didn’t want to let me go on.

Which is why I bring to you some dos and don’ts of graduate school. These are just a few that I’ve lived by; I’m sure there are other perhaps even more helpful guides. These are just my two cents. I think a handy guide might’ve helped me avoid massive disasters, but then I’d be different. I wouldn’t be the same. Faults and all, I’m happy this way, and this experience has given me many things to remember.

First of all, do it because you need it. I don’t mean need it for a job; I mean need it for yourself. You’ve got to do it because you’ve got a fire in you that won’t be satiated until you get this done. Don’t do it for money or because you think you should. That ‘s just going to guarantee you years of pain. And excessive eating and drinking.

Second, do it on something you enjoy. Really enjoy. Otherwise, you will regret it. You will be living, breathing, eating, dreaming, screaming about this subject for at least two years of your life, so it’d better be something you’re fond of.

Third, have fun. Above all, have fun. You’re starting out on a whole new adventure. Of course, you have to take your grades seriously (graduate degrees demand a continuously high GPA), but don’t let it consume you. Go out for drinks or dinner with your friends from class. Make fun of the library website. Play scrabble during that one boring class you all loathe. Above all, build memories that you’ll be fond of in the future. It’s going to be better to recall that than whine for life about Ms. Carruther’s lame copyright and plagiarism jokes.

Fourth, things will get odd. If you choose to continue your graduate degree in the same school where you pursued your Bachelors, things will get awk. Or as my friend Zeynep says, shit got awk. People you’ve known for the last years may suddenly change and become assholes who will cut your throat for an assistantship. The people you used to loathe? They may become your best friends. Some will stay the same, but the pressure to live and let die in a highly competitive academic environment may get to some people’s heads. Stick it out, things will get better!

Fifth, always remember. You don’t have to do this. If you start it out and then realize it’s not for you, quit while you can. As some would say, cut your losses. Take the time to re-evaluate your decision. Why are you doing it? Why didn’t it work? Is it just this program that you’ve chosen or do you simply desire not to proceed with graduate or post-graduate studies? Whatever your feelings are, make sure to listen to them. Starting a graduate program doesn’t mean that you have to finish it or follow through. Specially if it’s something you’ve realized you abhor.

Finally, this too shall pass. If you’re feeling fed up with your project, professors, classmates, whatever, but you still care about what you’re doing, take a deep breath. Count to five. Punch a pillow. Go for a jog. Hell, eat a Twinkie if you have to. Just relax. If you know that graduate studies are for you, this is just a blip in the radar. Focus on something else for a while until you get back into your groove.

I hope I helped some of you decided whether or not graduate school is for you. It's not a choice for everyone; it's something that required deep thought and consideration. But once you know it's for you, you've got a great thing going on!

10.10.10 Graduation

10.10.10 was a heady day. Not only was I lucky enough to attend a friend's wedding, but I had some gradumacating of my own to do. Yes, I am finally done. I am now a Master. Of Arts in English (and Education) at least. It was a long and funky journey with it's ups and downs, but it was worth it. I have so many experiences and friends that wouldn't have been gained if I didn't pursue this, so I don't regret it. A post on grad school will be up soon, but for now, I want to share some pictures of the day.

I'm not going to lie, I cried. I know a lot of people don't care about commencement, but it represented so much for me. The end of a chapter, the start of something new. How did you guys feel upon graduation?

Moving on out!

Good news! We've found a place. Hopefully, we will be moving there soon. Now for the piles of paperwork, boxes, and sundry that have to be done in order to get the heck out of our old place. That said, finding the new place has me all worked up. I'm energized! I am fantasizing about what we can do to the new place. Also, I am combing through my closets for things to keep, sell and revamp. I already have a neat (well, not so neat) little pile of stuff to rework. I also have a pile of fabric meant for dresses and skirts. We'll see how soon I get to that, since now I'm all excited about reworking what I've got.

Just wanted to share the good news with you all. I'm so excited about this! Also very nervous. Can't wait for the next couple of weeks to fly by!

10.10.10 A Wedding

Not my wedding, mind you. It'll be awhile before that ship sets sail. But! Friends Charlenne and Josué got married on that auspicious day and Damián and I were happy to be a part of it.

Getting to the wedding was quite a mess since my graduation ceremony was that very same day! A mere hours apart! So there was a lot of rushing around to get there on time, but we did. And so we had a mellow afternoon watching two friends marry. And took pictures, of course.

Sassy bride!

Once again, many congratulations to the bride and groom. Thanks for inviting us to share such a special day with you! And nothing but the best for you both. :)

When will I get my ducks in a row?

So I finally changed the blog layout a little. Okay, a lot. This is a temporary change until Damián can properly work the code and make it look nice. I just make the design. Anyway, since our image hosting went kaput (I have no idea why), we'll figure it out later. For now, simple is the way to go. I need to twiddle around with the font though because this one is driving me batty.

In other news, I'm trying to get myself together due to a series of situations that have been going on lately. As some of you may know, Damián finally moved in with me! The process has been great, but it sort of feels like an endless vacation since I get to have him around the whole time. (This isn't a bad thing! :) Unfortunately, this awesomeness has been marred by work woes (stress, drama) and one other thing: crime.

You see, I don't know if I've told you guys before, but ever since I moved in I've had problems. A little less than a week into the move, someone tried to break into my apartment. Less than three months later, my neighbor's car had it's wheels/rims stolen and I had to call 911 because she had hit herself and passed out from the shock. Yes, I planned to move out, but I wanted to wait for the contract to expire so I could keep the security deposit. Well, this week it's all come to a head. The straw the broke the camel's back, definitely.

I received a call at work from my neighbor, which caused my immediate concern. If she has anything to tell me, she usually waits until we coincide while arriving home. Her calling me in the middle of the work day? Not a good thing. Her apartment had been broken into and that was not all. A neighbor tried to stop the burglars and was met with a gun to his face. Fun. So now we are officially freaked out. Being in and leaving the apartment is an exercise in strength and bravery because I'm honestly in a constant state of panic. This was heightened last night when the downstairs neighbor told me to never be alone outside since the burglars have not been caught and they are still scouting the neighborhood for possible criminal opportunities.

Now, I know this isn't the usual optimistic (perhaps even materialistic) fare for this blog, but I've been processing all of this and neglecting myself the simple pleasures I once enjoyed. I just wanted to let you all know what's going on so you don't feel left out or forget this little corner of the web. Hopefully we'll find a place to move out soon and we'll be able to relax. Hopefully.

Stay safe everyone.