Chromachord

Hopefully, by Next Week...

2011-08-18T10:40:00.003-04:00

Apologies for not keeping up with the 21 day challenge or regular posting. Things have been a little hectic around here what with work proposals, freelance work, C25K training, and other things. We've just found out today that one of our co-workers passed away. It was sudden and we are still all in shock.

Will be back soon. Just need a bit of time.

Peace and love to you all!

To Quote Bob Marley...

2011-08-15T16:49:00.002-04:00

“You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She’s not perfect - you aren’t either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break - her heart. So don’t hurt her, don’t change her, don’t analyze and don’t expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she’s not there.”

- Bob Marley

via Rachel Reports Life

Kayla's 21 Day Challenge

2011-08-05T17:20:00.000-04:00

Kayla from Freckles in April has come up with a little blogging challenge. For 21 days, she will issue prompts and the bloggers following the challenge will do their best to do said fashion prompt. While I haven't done a blog challenge before, I think I'm really up for this one. Perhaps it's the element of surprise, never knowing what that prompt may be.

Intrigued? Visit Freckles in April and read the 21 Day Challenge post.

Won't you join? It does seem like a terribly good bit of fun. Hope to see you there!

This Is Mi Puerto Rico: Humacao

2011-08-05T14:37:00.001-04:00

My boyfriend Damián and his cousin Lucas love taking pictures. I love taking pictures too, but they will wake me up at 4:00 AM to take pictures of birds. This was one of those occasions.

We drove over to Humacao to a reserve there. It wasn't long before the rain came down on us. Even with the rain, it was such a nice day. Got to commune with nature, breathe fresh air, all in all, get away from the hubbub of city life. Everyone should do it every once in a while.

All images in post were taken by me. Do not take without permission.

I Wouldn't Mind...

2011-08-04T07:46:00.001-04:00

This dress! Isn't it gorgeous? Short in front, longer in the back, with a little sheer business going on...perfect for summer or "winter" with some leggings. I'm seriously liking this puppy. Made by Peeko Apparel and coming in at $89.00. Maybe a little steep for me right now, but I love the idea, how just utterly fantastic it looks.

Drop by Peeko's Etsy page and check out her other stuff!

All images in this post belong to Peeko Apparel.

Rules or Happiness?

2011-08-03T07:42:00.003-04:00

This corgi is happy. Are you this happy? (Image via Corgis Everywhere!)

It started out innocently enough. The other day, Sally at Already Prettymade a post on styling tricky accessories. I was wearing my red pants that day, and, in PR, it's not common to see girls in bright pants. Or, at least, I don't tend to see them.

In my comment, I included my red pants, adding that while some people may argue against them because they draw attention to the size of my hips and butt, they make me quite happy. So what should I do? Follow the rules or follow my happiness?

This all got me to thinking about all the things many of us postpone or simply ignore because they just "don't follow the rules". I have too many friends who haven't studied what they like, wear what they want, or say what they think because it is out of the norm. I even dated a guy who was studying medicine because "that's just what the firstborns do" in his family. He desperately wanted to study literature or history.

If we start imposing limits on ourselves in something as basic as clothes (because, let's face it, we need protection from rain, sun, and temperature, so clothes are a basic need; why not have a little fun with them?), what else will we limit ourselves upon? I'm not telling you to go start a revolution, but I am telling you to find a way to express yourself and find ways to state your truth and be happy. As long as you respect yourself and others while you're at it, you should be fine.

Just think about it. How many things do you hold back on? You might start off with that shirt because maybe it's too bright and you'd be too shy to wear it out. Then maybe you realize you might not want to do something you really like because, wow. Not a lot of people do it so it must be embarrassing. What next? I know it may sound a bit...hyperbolic. But think about it. How much are we limiting ourselves because of supposed rules and worries over what people may think?

At the risk of sounding corny, as far as we know, we only live once. We don't know what happens after that. So why not make it a good one, full of happiness and little to no regrets. Say yes to happiness! Wear your favorite color, even if others think it's loud. Travel alone, even if people say "it looks bad" for a woman to travel by herself. Shave your head, go backpacking across Europe, volunteer to teach in Peru if that's what you like. Just follow your heart and be safe.

Genghis demands your happiness. Otherwise, he will hit you with this stick.

How do you say yes to happiness?

Caskibaches (Or, I'm Officially a Vintage Reseller?)

2011-08-02T07:21:00.001-04:00

A couple of Sundays ago, I had the pleasure of selling at the Caskibaches fleamarket at Executive Manolo in Santurce. Let me tell you, it was fun! Everybody was so nice, I sold some vintage, second-hand, and jewelry made by me. I also scored some stuff as well! An Ikea lamp that I'd been craving for a while, a old globe, and some lovely Trinkets necklaces made by Nydia López.

A little slow at the start.

Trinkets' corner.

Terekes' corner.

Friendly sellers!

Executive Manolo's mascot.

My little corner at Caskibaches.

While there, La bella y las bestias and The Bee's Knees did their own musical thing. Unfortunately, I don't have pics of them as I was too busy jammin' along and saying hello to old friends who are leaving island soon.

Executive Manolo is a store in the Santurce area of San Juan. They have their own vintage resellers, Terekes, and their own new designs (I may be itching for one of their shirts). They also have concerts! So be sure to swing by Executive Manolo or visit us all at the next Caskibaches (which I'll be sure to mention here). We'll be waiting!

I Wouldn't Mind...

2011-07-29T07:35:00.001-04:00

This dress from JulyS on Etsy. Priced at $59.00, it seems like a deliciously soft option for these nasty summer days. The small open back at the bottom provides a neat cool factor, both in the literal and figurative sense.

JulyS is run by 3 ladies that design and make everything in the shop. They have tons more goodies! Visit them here.

All images in this post belong to JulyS.

Santuario de Animales San Francisco de Asís: A Visit

2011-07-22T07:22:00.001-04:00

I know that my blog is usually about unicorns, rainbows, thrifted finds, and puppies (with the occasional feminist/academic rant thrown in for good measure), but I'd like to get serious for a second. If I sound too preachy, forgive me, but this is very important to me and I'd like to share it with you.

Ever since I was a wee little girl, I wanted a dog. In fact, I remember begging my parents for one, but no chance. Perhaps it's better that it happened like that because when I was 13, a dog wandered into my father's workplace. He became our first rescue, Chewy. Two years later, Maya broke into our home and our hearts. In college, I saved a puppy from being run over. She became Patch, our youngest until I moved to the metro area and came home one day. Genghis was at my apartment door, expecting me, looking like he was about to say, "About time you got here! I'm your new dog!"

My family and I love animals. If I could, I'd adopt more dogs, but there is no more space. That is why I try to donate and/or dedicate time to spreading the word about animal shelters and charities. SASFAPR, also known as the Santuario de Animales San Francisco de Asís, is specially close to my heart as it is in my hometown. A no-kill shelter, SASFAPR is run by Dellymar Bernal, an incredible woman who dedicates her time and gives all of her heart to these animals.

A short while ago, I visited the shelter to donate some things, and I took some pictures. Dellymar walked a group of visitors around the locale, explaining to us what they do and introducing their tenants.

They serve over 300 animals. Their facilities are quite small, and currently, they do not have water or power, as the land's contracts were not renovated by their benefactor. But they make do with what they have, and are hoping to soon move out to a bigger, better facility, with more room for the cats and dogs.

Maintaining the shelter is a hard endeavor. They help animals heal, spay, and let's not forget the costs of feeding and cleaning after over 300 animals. However, every person there is a volunteer and they do it out of love. Love for these animals and the hope that they will soon find forever homes. If you live near the area, and desire to donate they need the following:

(Newspapers, clorox, cleaning agents, treats, dry and moist food for cats and dogs, mops, buckets, scoopers, disposable gloves and surgical masks, 33 gallon trash bags.)

Please help. Adopt, donate, or sponsor one of these lovely creatures today. They will be forever thankful. And you will be all the more awesome for it. Visit SASFAPR's webpage here. Or drop by their Facebook and ask how you can help make a difference.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please pass it on!

EBEW: Thrift

2011-07-21T07:15:00.001-04:00

Yay! Thrift! Let's do this!

I've got a whole lot of outfit going on here...in retrospect, I would've done it a little differently. But I still like the principle. Dresses and blazers are two of my favorite things, but they don't necessarily always work well together. And that belt is throwing the outfit off. Had it been another dress...or maybe another belt...

Oh well. The point of dressing up is experimenting. There will be successful outfits and there will be some not-as-successful ones. Like I've said before, the point is always to try!

Everything in this outfit is thrifted. Blazer, dress, belt, and shoes, all thrifted. Total cost of my outfit? A whopping five dollars. Yup, you read right. $5.00! I've already worn the blazer to death, and the dress is usually worn blazerless, but with a belt, when I'm on the west side of the island. And the shoes have seen their fair share of action too...found them at the fleamarket for $2.00! And they're Nine West, score!

I'd like to thank Jentine and Everybody Everywhere for making this happen. I think that, not only do we get to see each others thrifty styles, we also promote thrifting. And thrifting is good for the Earth, the wallet, and the soul.

Keep thrifting!

On the Subject of Weight

2011-07-15T12:01:00.000-04:00

Weight is a very personal subject matter. Whatever you do or don't do to your body is a highly individual decision that shouldn't be influenced by society. Friends and/or family are the only ones that I believe have some say on the matter, particularly if you are in a dangerous situation caused by your weight. But, other than that, I don't think anyone should intervene.

My problem is that many blogs/people/media outlets feel it's their business to go around policing people's bodies, in particular, their weight, shape, and size. Apparently, being a certain size is only acceptable in certain situations. And most of these situations are hypersexualized or highly fetishized. In the end, you're not being loved or accepted for yourself. You're being tentatively welcomed in by molding into their notions of what is acceptable in weight, shape, and size. If you don't concede, fit in, you can ship out.

I think I am particularly sensitive to this because my teenage years were spent with a couple of extra pounds on. While I am tall and many people would argue that the weight wasn't that visible, it was visible enough for some people to poke fun at. I didn't enjoy it, but I didn't give the matter much thought, as I honestly considered high school just a pit stop for a greater time in life. What really annoyed me, in the years to come, were the concepts attached to people who carry extra weight and the way that weight loss/gain/etc. was approached.

This all came to a head during a conversation with a good friend of mine. We began talking about a thread on social media that she started innocently enough. A short while ago, there was a "No Fat Talk" week, and she posted about that on Google Buzz. The conversation went well until some people started reacting negatively to the concepts of fat and no fat talk. That is where our dialogue started.

A summary: the article discussed how a "No Fat Talk" week was implemented to avoid negative body image and to reinforce the idea that beauty was not tied to fat. They interviewed people who worked in dance, an area that is rife with heavy pressure to conform to a body beauty ideal. The concept seemed to work well, but there are still body image issues.

While I understand what "No Fat Talk" week is about, I can also see why people were lashing back. Eliminating the word "fat" from our conversation isn't going to eliminate body issues. Oh no. They are still there. If we did not work with positive reconditioning and self-acceptance, the word fat will have an effect, whether or not it is used in conversation. I understand that people use weight as an arbiter of health and attractiveness. For example, "You look great! Did you lose weight!" or "Wow, you've come into your shape." Things like that always point towards weight gain or loss. And we cannot use weight as an arbiter of health, happiness, or style.

My biggest gripe comes from the fact that people focus on weight so much as an issue of fashion or image. Nobody discusses the dangers of weight loss or gain. Done radically or unnecessarily, you put yourself in dangerous situations. Perhaps we should talk about weight in regards to health: physical, emotional, and psychological. After all, you could be skinny, but if you do not work out and keep your body healthy, you could have a plethora of health problems that a person that could be considered overweight (but works out) has.

Weight should not be a measure of happiness. For some, weight loss or gain will come with happiness, but I believe it is derived from the changes we see, not just because we are subjecting ourselves to roles. Happiness comes from accepting yourself and achieving things that make you feel good. My own weight loss brought me happiness not only because I found myself better in a physical image sense, but because my health was very much improved. My back problems got better, my knee pain subsided.

Perhaps this is my biggest problem with fashion lately. With magazines like Vogue Curvy, that feature one type of "curvy" and it is a highly fetishized and sexualized sort. When you have people like Karl Lagerfeld saying things like "Narrow ribcages are the chicest thing." or "The body has to be impeccable. If it's not, buy small sizes and eat less food."

Yes, the body has to be impeccable. Impeccably healthy, impeccably loved, no matter what. You can be the most fantastic looking person on the outside, but if you are emotionally, psychologically, and physically ill, you're not achieving anything.

Remember: your body is your own. You should be healthy, inside and out. There is beauty in all of us, don't let anybody police you into destroying yourself.

EBEW: Yellow

2011-07-12T12:12:00.001-04:00

Finally! A post and I do EBEW on time. Fabulous! How is everyone? I don't mean to pop in and out sporadically, but I really do keep up with everyone. I just never manage to get up a post. I'm sorry! I will schedule them...do my best to buckle down and get out a couple of posts.

Anyway, I've been wanting to do EBEW for a while. And I have! Except I either never took a picture or forgot to post about it. Oops. Oh well, here's my first EBEW post! I was originally going to wear a maxi skirt, but since we have a nice little storm sitting right on top of us, that wasn't going to happen. On went the pants. Pants are so comfortable. I'd missed you so, pants!

Outfit details:
Top: Hand me down from Mom
Vest: Target
Pants: Burlington Coat Factory
Shoes: Coach

Dress Your Best Week: 1

2011-06-27T21:50:00.006-04:00

Ever since I stumbled upon AcademiChic's Dress Your Best Week last year, I was...obsessed. I wanted to participate, but I didn't want to do it without AcademicChic's "permission" so to speak. I felt I was stealing their idea if I didn't wait until they decided to do it again.

Thanks to Already Pretty, I can now do it! In her usual links post, she mentioned that AcademiChic was doing it again! And, though a bit late, I'm jumping at the chance to be a part of this.

That said, I do believe you should dress your best every day, week, month, year. But I'll go deeper into that when I do my finishing post for Dress Your Best Week. But I'd really like to thank AcademiChic for doing this again and Already Pretty for giving the heads up.

Dress Your Best: Legs

When I was little, I didn't really pay attention to my legs. But I sure used them. Jumping off roofs, running, dancing, skating, you name it. I was a bit clumsy, but proud and happy that I had two healthy legs that could take me wherever I needed and wanted.

As time passed and I became a teenager, I grew to appreciate my legs. They were toned and athletic, probably thanks to genetic predisposition and years of running around the yard, chasing pets and crazy cousins. However, I had already received the first of several injuries that would make life a little cumbersome today. Worse, I was being harassed by the person I considered my best friend, and one of the things she did was try to demean my somewhat okay self-image.

I was overweight and sensitive about my figure. I was tall, chubby, and to make things worse for a high school kid, I looked nothing like my classmates. Years later I would learn to love my extremely mixed heritage that made me into the person I am today, but back then, it was difficult to stand out like a sore thumb. Worse, I did not want to conform to the societal beaty standards being imposed upon me. All in all, I figured that I had nice legs, a nice butt, and some pretty good shoulders. If anything, I thought that as the years passed, I would grow into my body or change it for the better. As our friendship slowly but surely spiraled into oblivion, she began to say abusive, hurtful things about my personality and my body, in addition to escalating to actual violence.

It's always easier to believe the negative. I wonder why.

For a long time, I thought my legs were horrible. I suddenly noticed all the scars from my childhood adventures. Scars that once brought me pride and happy memories now embarrassed me and pointed out my inadequacy in a teenage world. I wondered if my legs were too thin or pale. I would bite my tongue and take a deep breath whenever she would suggest helpful things, like covering up those legs. It would take a long time to realize that my "friend" was full of utter crap. And even if I was imperfect, I had working parts, and that's all that mattered. I was just the way I supposed to be.

So now, I embrace my legs. Though every once in a while I'll wonder if that girl's taunts were true (chicken stick legs, gee thanks), if they were, it doesn't matter. These legs have helped me walk for miles, run for fun, kick for defense, dance like a dervish, swim in the wondrous sea, and make my way towards those I love. And that is why I dress them to their best. And I think they look pretty darned cute, too.

Outfit details:

Cardigan: Old Navy, $3.50

Dress: Fleamarket, $00.50
Belt: garage sale, $00.25

Shoes: BCBG outlet, $29.00

Join in on the self-love fun!

A Wedding in Cape May

2011-06-10T07:37:00.000-04:00

A long overdue post on our weekend at Cape May...

Damián and I flew over to the States to attend Zeynep and Ed's wedding. Zeynep and I have known each other for years, and I was thrilled to go their wedding. I was also thrilled to get away for the weekend. Sneaking off every once in a while does wonders for you!

We were only there for three days, but I think we did plenty for such a short time. The wedding, a visit to Atlantic City, meeting alpacas, and having some great lox on a bagel were just some of the highlights. To respect my friend's privacy, I won't be showing any pictures of the ceremony here. :) But I'll show you a bit of the boardwalk and the alpacas!

It was a lovely ceremony, and we wish nothing but the best for the happy couple. :) Thank you for having us over!

(All pictures taken by me. Please do not take or reuse without my permission.

Oh, Scott Schumann: What in the What Are You Thinking?

2011-06-09T17:17:00.000-04:00

First I would like you to read this:

The Sartorialist Ponders...from Style.com

Then this, from The Sunday Best:

George Clooney is a Fairly Useless Style Icon

Finally, this from Decoding Dress:

Dear Sartorialist: Let's Chat about Fashion Blogs

Let's discuss.

Having a Budget = I Can't Dress Nice?

2011-06-05T17:22:00.002-04:00

About a week or two ago, there was a big brouhaha over a post that Gwyneth Paltrow put up on her website, GOOP. It was a feature on her "essentials", and her items (a dress, sandals, cardigan, and bag) totaled around $18,000. Yes, you read right. Granted, she collaborated with Net-a-Porter. While I know that Ms. Paltrow is accustomed to such a lifestyle, it's particularly disheartening to see that the majority of fashion magazines list as essentials things that cost more that a month's salary.

I understand that most magazines are for inspiration, but they still sell the fantasy. I'm not going to lie and say that my wardrobe lacks expensive things. I love Marc Jacobs; I have a couple of his items that get much wear. However, I generally buy them second-hand through eBay or fashion communities where I can guarantee their authenticity and care. But, I'm getting sidetracked. My point is that I don't have money to burn. I like to save so I can travel and create wonderful memories, not dump all my cash on one dress that I would probably rip thanks to my fantastic agility and grace. Really, I've lost count on how many times I've hooked my clothes on grates, fences, doors, and sundry.

What bugs me even more is when fashion magazines make so-called "budget" features that have items that are well over a hundred dollars. I'm sorry, but I cannot afford to toss around that much money for jeans, much less a t-shirt. What with my bad knees, right foot, and back, I am forced to invest in good shoes that provide proper support, but even then, I make an effort to find said shoe at the lowest price. My most recent expensive buy was a BCBG dress for a friend's wedding. It is beautiful, and I love it to bits. But I cried as I handed over the credit card.

It was only $130.

Call me a miser, a cheapy, a Scrooge, but I'd rather put my money where it counts. Good jewelry that will become family heirlooms, travel, presents for my family and loved ones, money for animal charities, or crafting materials, I'd rather save for that. Whenever I buy something, I figure out the cost per wear and make damn sure that it's worth it, because otherwise, it's sitting in the closet. Doing nothing. Except maybe mocking me.

If I don't buy thrifted or make my own, most of my clothes come from regular stores like Old Navy, Gap, Ann Taylor, and Zara. Kmart and Walmart figure in frequently. I used to shop at Forever 21, but after reading up more on the company's practices, I haven't really stepped foot into the store in around 6 months. If I want something fancy, I go to eBay or the fashion selling groups. And I usually buy at the outlets. Sure, I have a Marc Jacobs, but it was bought on eBay with a steep discount.

Getting back on track, I think that my biggest gripe with the whole thing is how it affects consumers. I feel that magazines, media, everything that is shopping related, send the message that if you do not buy pricey items, then you are not fashionable. That in price point, there is class and quality. That you have class and quality. And I do not appreciate that. I do not want to be held in contempt for wearing something second hand or from an everyday store. I am not my jeans, my top, or my shoes. Clothing doesn't define me, it is simply an accessory that I use to express myself.

What do you think? Do you think magazines should tone it down and present more accessible options? Or are they just fine as is?

I want to hear what you think!

La Isla Bonita? Bruno Mars and Joan Smalls' Vogue Spread

2011-06-04T10:13:00.008-04:00

To view entire spread, please visit the Noir Façade LJ here.

Whenever I hear that Puerto Rico is going to be featured in a magazine, I don't really get excited. In fact, I usually dread the publication. Why? Simple. There are only a couple of ways this will go:

1) Puerto Rico is amazing! It has lots of liquor, lots of beaches! Sun! Sand! What? Did I leave the metro area? Heavens, no!

2) Puerto Rico is a terrible place. Ridden with homelessness, unemployment, drugs, and violence. Plus, everyone's lazy. Lazy, lazy! Oh, could you bring me another Piña Colada.

I know that these are very general and stereotyped points of view, but unfortunately, they are the most common. Puerto Rico is either black or white. San Juan or nothing. Romanticized or horrific. This is why I'm particularly annoyed at this new Vogue spread. It just keeps perpetuating most of these ideas.

While it is very pretty (If, perhaps, a bit contrived), it is not Puerto Rico. It is the dream that many have of Puerto Rico. It doesn't even look like it's taking place in the 2000s, it looks like the stereotypical versions of 50s PR. Of course people are disappointed when they arrive. It is nothing like what they see. Puerto Rico, often promoted as the Isle of Enchantment (Isla del Encanto), is quite a nice place, but it is not a dream. We are still a colony and we are rife with political controversy. The English language and USA are explosive topics here, so be careful where you talk and how you express yourself.

But at the same time, we are people trying to get by. We depend mostly on tourism (though we have some serious brains going on, with many engineers coming from the old alma mater and going on to NASA or government posts), but we take great pride in our island's beauty and our ability to adapt and survive to changing political and literal climates. Our yearly hurricane watches are metaphorical and factual: if a natural storm isn't coming, you can be sure that some political or security related brouhaha is.

This is another fine example of Vogue going to a place and imposing their vision. I was already ticked off with Liya Kebede's Africa spread ("From Here to Timbuktu"), and the many vogue spreads that put ordinary people alongside or in outfits/accessories that cost more than they could ever hope to make (a recent example would be a Vogue India spread).

Sure, editors argue that it's just fashion. (Or as the Vogue India Editor said, "We weren't trying to make a political statement or save the world." And that people should "lighten up". (The Fox is Black) However, I firmly believe that it's not just fashion. As magazines leading in sales, and magazines that many people buy because they covet or are inspired by what's inside, they are sending out a message. They are saying that this is what's right, what's good, what's acceptable. And I can't go with that. It sells you their dream, but what about ours?

I love my island. Despite its flaws, it can be a beautiful place. And I hate it when people don't even bother to try to know it at all because they believe what the media feeds them. San Juan is not Puerto Rico. We are not a perfectly quaint or retro land. We have homeless. We have a homeless animal problem. This year, we've had the biggest criminal wave in a long long time. But we have incredible food, an unabashed love of fun, wonderful beaches and an impressive history. Seriously. Give the island more of a chance.

There are also other questions raised by this spread: Bruno Mars is half Puerto Rican. But he is also part Filipino. Why did Vogue choose to come here? While Bruno Mars certainly does identify with the Puerto Rican part of his heritage, why did Vogue choose to follow through with that? Why not Filipino?

I am glad to read that Bruno Mars was happy to visit Puerto Rico, and I have nothing against him. I listen to his music and enjoy it. The point of this post is to discuss Vogue's utter disconnection with the general population, and it's disregard of reality in the name of fashion.

Don't believe everything you read. And read Vogue with a pinch (or more) of salt.

If you are interested in the issue wherein this spread is featured, it's American Vogue's June 2011 edition.

Works Cited and Consulted:

The Fox Is Black. "Vogue India's Fashion Spread Stirs a Controversy". < http://thefoxisblack.com/2008/09/20/vogue-indias-fashion-spread-stirs-a-controversy/ >

Luxist.com. "Vogue India Fashion Spread Stirs Controversy". < http://www.luxist.com/2008/09/03/vogue-india-fashion-spread-stirs-controversy/ >

Noir Façade Livejournal. "La Isla Bonita | Joan Smalls & Bruno Mars by Peter Lindbergh for Vogue US June 2011"< http://noirfacade.livejournal.com/807029.html >

Racialicious.com "Liya Kebede in Vogue's From Here to Timbuktu". < http://www.racialicious.com/2008/05/22/liya-kebede-in-vogues-from-here-to-timbuktu/ >

Versatility, Beauty, and Fashion.com. "Vogue Controversy". < http://wwww.versatilitybeautyandfashion.com/2011/04/vogue-controversy/ >

Hot Dog

2011-06-03T12:06:00.001-04:00

This is me totally not distracting you with a Genghis dressed as a hot dog pic.

Really, I'm not.

I have some posts in the oven, talking about weight loss, self-esteem, and the wonderful work done by the San Francisco de Asís animal sanctuary. But right now, I leave you with a hot dog. Oh, the puns.

Sassy Lassy (With a Side of Prude)

2011-05-30T16:13:00.000-04:00

Let me go on the record and tell you that I love this outfit. Can't you tell? I've got this damn smirk on my face, and I can't wipe it off. Why? Because I'm so happy and comfortable in this outfit. I wore a rehash of this for my first day of work. I can't wait till everyone forgets about it so I can wear it again, I love it so much.

Funny thing is, this? This outfit? This is subversive for most of PR. I'm wearing a lot of black, I'm covered, I'm mixing styles (the crochet belt seems too delicate for these boots, to most), and, deadliest thing of all, my skirt isn't dangerously close to revealing my undies. Look, I'm no saint, and I sure do love my short skirts and shorts, but, this is getting ridiculous. Girls, keep your lady parts in your pants, not out. Or, at least, keep them in while you are out in public. I seriously have no need to be dazzled by them while I go about my business.

I know I sound positively prudish; well, on second thought, no. I don't. There is such a thing as common sense. I'm all for freedom of expression. I love daring clothes. I love low-cut dresses, shorts, skirts, all within reason. But, I feel it becomes disrespectful when you are dressed very inappropriately for a place/situation. And I don't mean by over or underdressed, I mean lack of dress. Why do you have to show it all? There is a time and a place for everything. Bandeau top and short shorts for raving it up at a dance party? Cool! Bandeau top and short shorts for going to pick up your kids at school? No.

The sad truth of the matter is that most people here, both peers and of an older age range, consider me a prude. When I think about it, clothing here is highly sexualized. Too much, for me. Too many women don outrageously tight spandex clothes with exorbitantly high hems and mind-blowingly low necklines. And, in my experience, you receive negative attention in both cases, but sometimes even more so when you dress modestly. People heckle you, make comments, and even assume that you're part of an extremist religious movement because, oh my, you don't want to wear a miniskirt to work. I firmly believe there is a place and a time for everything, and that includes clothes. At work I dress modestly: I keep my crazy colors and garments, but the hemlines are close to the knee and the cleavage is non-existent. When I go out, I showcase one thing at a time. Short skirt? Long sleeves. Deep neckline? Better wear pants or add tights. I firmly believe that there is an allure, an aura, to showing your figure ever so slightly. A hint here and there. I've quite had it with overt sexuality, thank you.

So, let's take it in, girls. Let's keep it classy.

Like a Fine Wine

2011-05-27T12:50:00.001-04:00

(Picture taken by me in Georgetown, DC.)

It would be presumptuous of me to say that I'm like a fine wine, but I want to talk about aging in general. Why is it that perceptions agree that wine gets better with age while people do not? People, specially women, are under the age pendulum. That is, each year is a pass of the pendulum. As you grow older, the blade gets closer. Until your "shelf life" is done, and, swoosh! You are doomed to conservative mom jeans and tasteful twin sets forever.

I disagree. While I am only 27, I feel much better now about myself than I did when I was 24 or 19 or 16. I've heard so many people say that high school was "the best time in their life". Aren't they cutting themselves off a little early? Raising the bar too much? Ultimately, they're carving out a self-fulfilling prophecy. In their minds, nothing will compare to those glory days, no matter how many fantastic opportunities cross their way.

We should be like wine. We should say we are such. We get better with age. We grow wiser, settle into our figures, and go about what we want with great determination. After years of struggling with confidence and body issues, I can slowly feel them melting away. Sure, sometimes I look in the mirror and those old teenage/young adult fears pop back, but they flutter away in a second. At look at myself and say, "You're pretty." And while sometimes it's still hard to believe (thanks to years of abusive friendships/relationships and low self-esteem), it's easier to look in the mirror and agree.

I refuse to believe that just because I'm nearing 30, I'm old news. I refuse to believe that being anything over a size 4 is a failure and that I'm not beautiful because of it. I refuse to believe that there are no chances left and that I will never achieve what I'm working for. I refuse to believe all the negative energy that soul-sucking people mete out, simply because it just takes away so much time and effort from the pursuits one really wants. It's a waste! Don't throw away your time thinking about these things, just concentrate on the here and now.

The glory days are not done. I repeat, not done. Far from it. Each day, we are carving our own paths and heading in the right direction. Our direction. Following our dreams, whatever they may be. I know mainstream media is trying to hype that 30/40/50 are the new 20/30, but guess what? Behind the marketing lies a veritable truth. We do get better with age. We learn, mature, and grow into ourselves, becoming more beautiful and stronger thanks to the lessons learned and the poise we've developed.

So let's go get a glass of wine and celebrate!

One Bag, Two Choices

2011-05-19T12:24:00.001-04:00

I'm not going to lie, I've been hemming and hawing over this bag for over a year. It's too cute, and I know it's a copy of a designer bag. But it looks nice, and nowhere does it say that it's designer. So I've gotten over it. It's a good looking bag, and it seems to be capable of hauling my plethora of stuff. Seriously, I haul stuff in my purse. Don't you? No? Damn. I admire you.

Bottom line: I don't know which color to get. With both of the purses checking in at under $30, I think we're super cool on the price point. My problem is the color. Dark chocolate or khaki. You decide. Or suggest. And I'll keep hemming and hawing over here.

Thanks for any suggestions!

I Keep Teasing You.

2011-05-18T23:20:00.002-04:00

Man alive, I'm busy. But here's another NJ weekend picture.

Atlantic City was quite nice. Despite the overall...ehem, tackiness of the Trump Plaza, the boardwalk was quite charming and I'd love to go back. It was a wee bit windy (seriously, isn't it supposed to be spring? BRR!), but it was quite fun. Next time, there will be a go kart showdown between Damián and I, 'cause we keep it real in this house.

A Peek at the Weekend

2011-05-10T22:20:00.004-04:00

I did Everybody, Everywear, except I did it backwards. Thought it was on Monday and wore florals then. Nevermind...I'll post it up anyway. It's the thought that counts?

But not right now. Now, I'm rushing off to bed, but I really wanted to share this with you. A peek at last weekend, in which Damián and I jetted off to Cape May for the wedding of my lovely friend Zeynep! In the short time there, I managed to meet this darling specimen.

More details to come!

Where Are You?

2011-05-03T14:25:00.006-04:00

I'm more of a lurky member at IFB, as in, I am a member and I haven't posted anything yet. I know. Shameful. I guess I'm just shy, it being such a big community and all. However, I do read their weekly links, and I pop over to the website and read the articles and forums often. And, through an IFB blog, I found this!

The Style Blogger Map. A way for bloggers to find out about other style bloggers in their area, connect and interact. Or reach out to others across the sea or land. I find this utterly awesome, and I signed up right away. Can't wait to see if there are other PR bloggers there!

Click on the link above or visit rosealamode.com.

Will you join? :)

Barely There

2011-04-26T12:01:00.000-04:00

Another work day, another outfit. Actually, this outfit stressed me out a bit. I love this dress, but it's too...proper? Prim? Charlotte? for me, so I always try to funk it up. It has a bow in front, which I covered with the belt. Once, I wore this dress and someone said that I looked so feminine. While flattered, I pondered if it was a back-handed compliment. Feminine? Did I look like a frog the other days? Besides, what kind of way is that to compliment a woman? What if I don't want to be feminine? What if I just wanted to look nice, and there you go, assigning gender roles on me?

Sorry. Phew. Got a bit caught there for a moment. I'm just...sort of sensitive about these things, as I don't like stereotypes. On to the outfit.

Like I said, I love this dress. Love the print, love the gray, love the fit. The fit is great. I wore this to attend a work conference. Since the dress is sleeveless, and I felt too exposed in a corporate conference, I opted for a blazer. I wanted to wrap the belt around the blazer, but after the conference lunch, it was simply impossible. Too much yummy food!

As for the barely there, see my expression in the picture. Barely standing up, crappy posture. Nothing further with the witness, I declare. And, yes, this was another thrifty outfit. Most expensive item was the dress, bought for $12 something, Target online clearance. I'll let you wonder about the prices of everything else. ;)

Blazer: United Colors of Benetton, Salvation Army
Pin: Salvation Army
Dress: Isaac Mizrahi for Target
Belt: Garage sale
Shoes: Nine West, Salvation Army

What a Slouch: A Lesson in Posture

2011-04-25T07:45:00.001-04:00

After years of being hunched over like a stereotypical villain (Mr. Burns comes to mind), I decided to get my act together and stand up straight. My efforts in bettering my posture, and thus, alleviating the pain of my scoliosis, bad knee, and foot injury, are not evident in this picture.

Bad Stella.

Let this be a lesson to all on the importance of posture. See how I look? I look like I've shrunk, like I have a pooch (and I mean belly, not canine), and my shoulders are all hunched to the front. Not flattering at all. Stand up straight, flaunt what you've got. It's also part of a good workout! Above all, it indicates confidence. And, really, is there anything more flattering than being confident in yourself?

I have no excuse for my posture in this picture other than the fact that I was dead tired. Long day at work, still getting used to new schedule. Also, working out every day...my energy levels, oh, they aren't what they used to be!

On to the outfit...some time ago, my mom gave me several bags of her clothes to sort through and classify. Some we'll sale at a little garage sale we're planning, and others, many others, I chose to keep. I've shorted and taken in several, this dress being one of them. I have fond memories of my mom in these clothes. Plus, by wearing them, I'm reminded of her. It's funny. When you're younger, you want to be cool and grow up, and run away from your parents. Now, I treasure the time we spend together. And I miss my parents! Specially now that mom and I thrift together. And dad and I can have adult conversation. While I drink wine.

The dress is a little on the conservative side, that's why I decided to throw it in the mix of things. Some boots, leggings, and a striped top; we're back in business. I can feel my funky side flowing into my work wardrobe a bit. Since I started my new job, I've played it a little safe (after all, my m.o. for clothes -and life- is loud and proud) because I don't want to gauge anyone's eyes out while they're still getting to know me. But little by little,yes...I will bring my prints...I will bring my flowers. I will bring my mustard pleated vintage pants with patent high heeled oxfords. And I will rock.

Bring it!

Verde esperanza.

2011-04-24T15:32:00.000-04:00

Here I am getting on the very important business of taking Genghis out. So he can do his business. I'm the fanciest dog walker in the neighborhood. I'm even fancier when I walk him in my work out/crafting gear, but, sorry folks. That level of fabulous is reserved for Damián and our neighborhood only. It would destroy the camera if I was photographed like that. Too many levels of awesome. ;)

I wore this outfit on my second day of work. The dress is a little big on me, but it's comfortable. Also, it's nothing a belt can't take care of. I'm kind of regretting the short cardigan, as it sort of made me look waistless. Oh well. You live and learn. The important thing is to try. Next time, I'll probably wear it with one of the many wrap around shrugs that I have. Those will accentuate my waist better. :)

Also, this is another thrifty outfit. All total, under $47.00.

Cardigan: Old Navy
Necklace: Gifted
Pin: My late maternal grandmother's
Dress & belt: Garage sale
Shoes: Nine West

Flowers and Smiles

2011-04-22T12:10:00.000-04:00

My apologies for the lighting in this pic. Our house is odd, barely catches any sun (which, really, is good because it's nice and cool pretty much all day), and the best room to take pictures is our office upstairs. Which is an unmitigated mess, really. So, apologies. We'll get our acts together so I can take my pictures outside or inside the office with the pretty light.

By the way, those chew toys on the ground? Genghis, not me. Even though he has his little basket of toys and he knows the toys go in there. Oh well, it was late at night.

This outfit is a little old, but variants of it have been my uniform lately, pretty much. I'm addicted to cardigans, belts, and flowers. Oh, and boots, but boots are forever and ever my torrid, star-crossed affair. But, flowers, give me more flowers, give me ALL THE FLOWER PRINT THAT YOU CAN. My mother thinks this is hilarious, since when I was little, I hated everything stereotypically girlie. Damián says that all these years with him have softened my heart, and so I'm more open to things. Like flowers. Heh.

Whatever it is, give me more. More flowers that is!

Cardigan: Old Navy, super mega sale.
Top: PacSun, also super mega sale
Belt: Garage sale
Bracelet: Valentine's Day gift, Damián
Skirt: Fleamarket
Boots: Nine West, 6PM.com

PS. This entire outfit cost less than $40.00, including shipping for the boots. Yeah, you read right. The cardigan was $2.50, top was $4.99, belt was .25, skirt .10, and boots $29.99. Score!

I Thought This Was Business Formal...

2011-04-20T07:53:00.000-04:00

I really need to get back in the swing of taking pictures of myself. What's that you say? Get Damián to take them? Sure, I try, but then he makes me laugh, and I get nervous. So I end up making goofy faces. Plus, Portal 2 is out, so he'll ignore me for that.

Forever alone!

Anyway...these shots are from February. February 22, to be exact. It was the official launch of my boyfriend's workplace. When I asked for the dress code, I was told formal. I figured this was appropriate, but when we arrived, many were wearing business suits or slightly casual dresses. Oh well. I was a guest, right? And it's better to be overdressed than underdressed, in my book. Besides, it's never too early in the day for brocade!

This dress is the first article of clothing I've bought outside thrifting in a bit of a while, really. Should explain why I was so apprehensive to fork over the money. But it really is lovely, ever since I saw it for the first time, I thought it was so pretty. Thankfully, it was discounted, or I'd had a heart attack. I mean, I complain when things are $9.99 at stores. Yeah, I'm a miser. But you have to save money somehow, no?

Dress: Don't recall brand, Marshalls
Shoes: Prada, eBay
Bracelet: Valentine's Day gift from D

A Moment of Cute

2011-04-19T17:08:00.001-04:00

This is what happens when we try to clean his toys...

Why can't I have my ball?

Jentine's Jumpsuit.

2011-04-15T07:33:00.000-04:00

Well, let's clear a few things up first. This jumpsuit doesn't belong to Jentine. Second, these aren't the most flattering pictures ever: some were taken after a few imported beers, and the sole daylight one was rushed since I was caught by my neighbors. Oh, and I was in a hurry to go thrifting. Nevertheless, I made a promise to Jentine to show her (and the world) my .10 jumpsuit. Yes, you read right. Ten cents. Oh, and it's silk.

I'd been wanting to wear it for a long time, but. Let's face it. Puerto Rico is not one of the most fashion forward countries in the world. If you try to wear pattern on pattern, somebody will call the cops on you because they think you're a loony. So, being that I don't want to go to jail, I kind of avoided wearing it. But it is so comfortable, and it feels so great in the sweltering heat. And when you're thrifting, you can try things on right over it, since it's not thick at all. It's fantastic. I can't wait to properly bust it out again and give it the love and attention it deserves.

But here it is, in somewhat glory. I promise to take better pictures of it when a) we're not imbibed b) we're not in a rush. But, as promised, jumpsuit.

(Yes, yes..I know I owe you the R.E.D. Valentino dress, Jentine...I can feel your judgement upon me!)

I'm Unemployed, Now What? A Small List of Suggestions for Getting Over Losing Your Job

2011-04-13T07:05:00.001-04:00

As I revealed in my last post, I lost my job this past January. It sucked, it made me sad, but what are you going to do? Live and learn, my friends. Preferably vicariously through my experience!

Plowing through the unemployment haze is hard, specially if your employers give you no warning whatsoever in regards to what's going to happen to you. Suddenly, you may find yourself jobless, and wondering what the hell are you going to do. How are you going to pay the bills? Will you find a job soon enough? First of all, calm down. Sit down, read this pointers, and hopefully, pick up a thing or two so you can survive this bump on the road as quickly and painlessly as possible.

-Let it all out. Mope. Cry. Scream. Dance. Play video games. Don't go shopping, though, you may regret the purchase later. Do anything within reason. I don't want you doing anything illegal, okay? Illegal = bad. So no running around naked down the street, screaming at your former employers (that's harassment!), or taking a bat to a car. No, no, no. Engage in healthy processing of your feelings. Some people feel confused, hurt, or betrayed when being let go. Others feel a sense of elation, since perhaps their workplace wasn't the healthiest or they were working in a field that was different from what they wanted to do. Whatever your feelings are, let them manifest, process them, and let go. Otherwise, you're going to spend your entire time dealing with it.

-Make a plan. Now that you're done marinating and dealing with everything, get to work. Take out a piece of paper, your computer, notebook, anything you prefer to write down and plan your upcoming free time. First, write a list of everything you'd like to do. You want to learn horse riding? Write it. Practice your cooking? Put pen to paper. Write down all those things you said you wanted to do if you had free time. Now, figure out a way to do them while still keeping up with your household and job-hunting obligations. (That is, if you want to get a job. If you're going to take a short hiatus, cool!) Determine how feasible your ideas are. If you're strapped for cash, then try to do the things that are cheapest, or try to get funding, if you can. But, most importantly, find a way to make this time of unemployment a productive and enjoyable one. I know it sounds like an oxymoron, but it can be!

-Look at your options. Now would also be the time to see how feasible things are. Maybe you want to go back to school? Write a book? Travel? Make sure that you analyze things from every possible angle to make sure they are realistic. Of course, if you really want to go back to school, write a book, travel the world, move to the wilderness and raise a pack of wolves, find a way. If you feel a burning desire to do anything, try your best. Just try not to get into too many loans...the economy is shite!

-Schedule. Okay, you've made a plan: you've picked out what you want to do, and you've figured out your obligations at home and for job-hunting/dream-pursuing. Now make a schedule. Having a schedule will give you discipline, and that way you'll have time for "work" (job-hunting, planning, house duties, errands) and "play" (doing all those things you wanted to do if you didn't have a job). It will also make it easier for when you transition back into the workforce, if you choose to do so.

-Scrimp & save. Maybe it sort of goes without saying, but try to save as much money as possible. Cut back on nights out, expensive toys, and unnecessary spending. I'm not saying that going out is strictly forbidden! Just try to find more economical yet equally enjoyable alternatives. Cook more. Not only will it be healthier, you'll save more money! If you can, walk to places, that way you'll save on gas and get a workout. Or use public transportation if possible. If you really need new clothes (hey, it happens!), try to visit the Salvation Army, Savers, Value Village, garage sales or outlets. Scour your closet and see if there's anything you can rework or have a friend with sewing skills help you out. Point is, there are always cheaper options.

-Make a little cash. Depending on your field, and what your hobbies are, you can still make a bit of money during this time of transition. Maybe you can work as an independent tutor or volunteer at local YMCAs, after-school programs or libraries. You can even trade! An example that has made its rounds on the internet: a graphic designer needed a haircut, but had no job. A hairdresser needed a new a sign. He proposed making the hairdresser a new sign in exchange for a haircut! And so he did. And on that note...

-Have a rainy day fund. I cannot stress this enough. Seriously. Have a rainy day fund. You never know when poop will hit the fan; you should have something to fall back on. Ideally, you should have saved up enough money to pay rent, food, bills, and other basic necessities for 6 months. Why 6 months? Do I really think you'll be unemployed that long? No, I hope not, but you never know. You also don't know if you or someone you love will have a medical emergency. If you have a pet, they have to be factored in to your basic needs too. Don't toss the poor darling simply because you're unemployed! Point is: save. Save now. Do it. Take at least 10 to 20% of each paycheck and route it directly to savings. After you're done paying your bills and having some mad money for any monthly emergency, stash some more. It may seem drastic, but we're living in financially perilous times.

-Consider everything. Take this time to think: are you doing what you love? Are you happy with your chosen career? It's never too late to change, start over, or seize opportunities. Take advantage of this time off to make sure you're doing something that not only puts food on the the table, but makes you feel fulfilled and happy.

-Take it easy. Have fun. I know it may obvious to some, or seem silly to others, but just don't take it so hard. It sucks, I know. I've been there. Don't let it get you down to the point were you can't do anything. Make peace with whatever feelings you have, and try to make the best of it. This is simply a setback on the path to an awesome future of which you will be the star.

There are many more things that can be said about being unemployed; these are just a few. Hopefully, I've given you some tips to deal with unemployment as best as possible. And I also hope that you never have to use them. :) (Except the save one. Really, save money!)

Vuelve el perro arrepentido...

2011-04-11T17:41:00.000-04:00

And so, with my head hanging low, I return to the Internet. Or at least, to blogging. I never meant to be away this long from you, but I was! Thanks to everyone that kept popping by and leaving comments; I truly appreciate it.

As you all know, my 2010 ended on a pretty sour note. 2011 decided to not so start out so hot either. In retrospect, it was for the best, but back then I couldn’t see that. At the end of January, most of my friends and I lost our jobs. We were let go due to the economy. I can’t say we weren’t expecting something to happen since there was a lot of secret squirrel going on, but it hurt to not have been kept in the loop. But that’s that, and that’s all I’m going to say on the subject.

So I lost my job and I found myself having a slight crisis of confidence. That, combined with the grieving process I was already going through, kind of made the start of my year, well, really suck, pardon me. I did see the bright side: I now had time to pursue some personal projects, rest, and get myself together. I really wanted to blog, but my heart just wasn’t into it. I’d rather not put you guys through crappy blog content or outfits!

However, I did continually think of the blog and of possible content. So now, it’s just a question of getting a schedule together and keeping to it. ☺ I’ll also work on my jewelry website; the poor thing is abandoned! So if you’re interested, keep an eye out for that. There may also be a few tweaks here and there in the design, so…apologies for any hiccups we may go through.

And there’s good news too! I feel much better now (even though every once in a while, I’ll suddenly get a whiff of grandma’s perfume or hear a song that reminds me of my friend and feel very nostalgic). I got a job, and I finally had the courage to go to a store and present my jewelry and beading. They took it in, and I’ve already had some sales. Yay!

I’m glad to return, and I’m truly sorry for running off like that. Look at me, talking like I’m super important on the Internet. Stay tuned for more stuff!

Hello, 2011

2011-01-05T09:15:00.002-05:00

Hello, everyone! Hope you've had a happy holiday and a wonderful New Year's Eve. It's still holiday season in PR (what with Three Kings' Day going on tomorrow), so the tree is still up, presents are still hidden, and we're still trying to make the dog stop eating the ornaments. Thanks for sticking with me through the hiatus!

As you guys know, the end of 2010 was bittersweet to me. While I had some good times in 2010 (finishing & defending thesis, graduating, seeing my friends Gloria & Zeynep, Damián moving in), in December I lost two people unexpectedly: an old friend and my grandma. To say that it was sudden and shocking is an understatement; for the most part I am still reeling. I'm still confused and I still don't understand, but for the most part, I am being eaten alive by feelings of guilt and regret. Not spending enough time with these people. Not telling them how much I cared. And so forth.

Friends who have been through similar situations tell me that there's nothing I can do and that, somehow, they knew. And if they didn't, they understand now. While I keep trying to tell myself that, it's just difficult. It hurts. So now, I want to avoid this feeling. I want to tell the people I love how much I love them and care about them, so they know everyday that they're an important part of my life. Sad, to only engage in this after all these things have happened.

Sorry if I seem like a Debbie Downer, and to all those who are having wonderful starts in 2011, don't get down on my account! Stay strong and blaze through 2011 like the star that you are, dangit!

I will (hopefully) be returning to blogging on a regular basis soon. I have some leftover posts from this last December that I never got around to putting up (due to the sudden deaths of my old friend and grandmother). I will probably work my way through those and then provide you with brand new content. And, of course, my New Year's resolutions. Because what's a New Year without a resolution to feel tempted to break? :)

Stay safe everyone. Much love to all!

A sad Christmas

2010-12-27T10:21:00.002-05:00

I sincerely hope everybody had a happy holiday. Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away on Christmas morning. To say that it has been difficult would be an understatement. It was sudden and unexpected, but when the phone rang so early (almost at dawn) on Christmas day, I knew.

My grandmother would've been 89 years old in April. She lived a full life, but at the end, she succumbed to illnesses that come with age. I hadn't seen her for a few years, simply because I couldn't stand to see her like that. I know it's not the best reason, but whenever I saw her, she just got worse. She didn't recognize anybody anymore. The only peace that I get is knowing that it was quick; she was barely in the hospital for an hour before she passed.

Things are probably going to be a little quiet around here while I deal and adjust. I've been mostly calm, but it's a confused calm. And a calm infused with guilt. Like, I shouldn't be enjoying myself this holiday season because she can't. And I'm sad. Thankfully, Damian, my family and friends have all been great support.

So, I do wish you a happy holidays, but I'll be quiet for a while. Maybe a few days, a few weeks. But I hope you are appreciating everybody you care for. You never know when something like this will strike.

Much love to you all.

Happy Holidays.

2010-12-24T22:24:00.002-05:00

A peek at our Christmas e-card this year...

To all, I hope that the upcoming days are one of rest and reflection. Independently of Christmas, this is a time to wind down 2010 and plan for 2011. Let's remember the good, the bad, and the ugly. Let's learn and appreciate them. Many of us have gained loved ones, many of others have lost. Let's smile that it happened, not cry that it's over. Let's gear up to accomplish our dreams. Let's learn to accept ourselves and others. Let's put up the good fight and stand up for what we believe in.

Let's keep keeping on!

Best wishes now and all year long.

Love,

Stella

The perils of living independently

2010-12-22T07:14:00.003-05:00

This whole growing up thing is awesome and sucky at the same time. Yes, I'm 27. Yes, I've been living on my own for a year. But! Still new to this whole "you're in charge of EVERYTHING"! In Hispanic culture (though not exclusively to it...there's a boom occuring in Japan), it's typical for children to live with their parents well into young adulthood until they either marry or establish themselves economically. Well, I'm not married nor am I super well-established economically, but I am getting there! (At least, to the economy part of the equation.)

All this to say, we're still moving in. We've got plenty of stuff in already, but there's still some left over at the old place. Boo. It's been fun, but a bit...grueling, to say the least. We've managed to injure our necks, backs, and knees. We put up our tree; Genghis has already tried to climb it and eat the ornaments. Oy. He managed to trick us for the first two days, too. Looking all disinterested in the tree...clever little clover we have...

I will be back to posting soon (hopefully maybe even today? Could it be?!). Meanwhile, tell me. What are you doing the next couple of days? Working? Taking time off and spending it with your family? Buying last minute presents? Share!

It's not you, it's them

2010-12-20T11:46:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, you'll be wearing an outfit and you'll be all, damn yo. I look good. You're going to be riding high on the wave of self-esteem and accomplishment. You feel good and your outfit reflects that. All of a sudden, you walk by someone and they give you The Look.

You know, The Look. Not I Have Romantic Intentions With You look. Or the You're in Big Trouble! look. Nor am I talking about Roxette's song The Look. The Look. The Look that decimates all the good mood you had until that point. It could either mean, oh just look at you in your silly outfit. Or, ugh, I hate you and your clothes. It can mean a bunch of things. Point is, you got The Look.

What does it mean, why did you get it? What did you do to deserve it? Did you accidentally step on any toes? Did dressing your best actually offend somebody? Did you forget to wear deodorant or brush your teeth? Speaking of teeth, is some of my lunch still on them? Those are just some of the questions that buzz through many of our minds when The Look happens. But worry not. Why? Because it's not about you; it's all about them.

Sometimes when we dress, feel, or just plain ol' act our best, we intimidate people. And it's not like we mean to. We might dress our best as a shield, but it's our shield. It's meant to make us feel better, not make others feel bad. So why do people react? Why do I say that it's all about them? Their looks usually reflect insecurities and frustrations. They may feel insecure about their outfit or the work they are doing, and when they see somebody looking or doing better than them, well. They can be hurt and confused on how to react. And sometimes, they don't react in the best way.

So what do you do when this happens? Well, keep your chin up. Ignore it. Smile. Maybe when you do that, the other party will see how silly they've been. If they continue to glare at you, you could consider asking them if everything is okay. Maybe that will jar them out of their haterrific stupor. Point is, don't let them get to you. They're being silly. If you let them affect you, you're hurting both yourselves. They're hating themselves because they're engaging in unhealthy emotional practices (judging themselves against you, expressing it immaturely) and you're hurting yourself because it may be a blow to your self-esteem, your day, your perceptions, among other things.

I think that, instead of being petty and acting out that way, those people should simply stop and reevaluate themselves. Why are they acting out this way? What makes them feel threatened? If it's just envy, well, what do they envy? Is that person dressing their best and you feel like you look bad? Is that person in good shape and you feel you've let yourself go? Ponder the why of your actions and instead of using those feelings to glare at the other person, employ them in empowering yourself. Promise yourself you'll work out. Make a commitment to planning your outfits and looking your best. Don't let it turn from a momentary lapse in good judgement into a Look!

How would you react? What would you or have you done in the face of The Look? Do you let it get you down? Or, have you given The Look? Why?

A hundred years later: Lady Gaga concert

2010-12-19T08:55:00.001-05:00

So way back when in September, when I went to the DMV and took a day trip to Philly to visit Zeynep, I saw Lady Gaga. Well, I didn't edit the pictures until a couple of days ago. I know, I'm horrible. I really need to sit down and organize my laptop, because I sort of found the pictures by accident. Ugh. However, here they are! Look, look! I'm distracting you with Gaga! (For more detail, click the pictures; they'll take you to my Flickr page.)

So how was the concert? Pretty amazing. Girl's got pipes, talent, and attitude to spare. As an all around nerd, I was geeking out with my friend Gloria, being mad envious of her piano skills. ( Later in the trip, we went to a Korean BBQ/Karaoke place and Gagad some more, evidence here thanks to my boyfriend Damián. He's captured this moment for eternity. Check out the mike covers! ) I'd like to see her in concert again, most definitely. Hopefully with better seats! But, all in all, a great night was had with good friend. What else could I ask for? (Maybe for some Photoshop on that karaoke picture, but, oh well. I'll laugh at it when I'm older.)

What do you not invest in?

2010-12-18T11:36:00.001-05:00

I have to admit, I'm a bit of a miser. I find it hard to invest money in things (this from the person who openly weeps at Marc Jacobs items). I hem and haw a lot. Of course, there is the occasional splurge, but I would rather buy things on sale and/or thrifted. I generally prefer thrifted because, well, you're helping the environment, for one! Two, it's much better on the wallet. Third, you always find the kookiest, most unique things, and stuff that was in store a short while ago that somebody already got tired of. It's a win-win!

Of course, nothing compares to the thrill of going into the store and trying things on in a mirror. A real one, not a car's side mirror. I've grown very fond of Zara's and Old Navy's super sales. Very fond. But I digress. There are things, as my mother has said repeatedly, that you should invest in. Real estate, jewelry, and classic pieces. My mother was the one who urged me to get a good black, bag. And then, you know, I went and got a Marc Jacobs bag. I got it off eBay for around $200, and its cost per wear is already down to pennies.

One thing that I am really stubborn about spending money on is glasses. More exactly, glass frames. I try to thrift them or buy a nice quality, but on sale, set of frames. I bought a pair of Gucci frames at the Salvation Army for a dollar. I had them outfitted with my prescription for only $55 and there you go. $56 dollars for a pair of good quality frames! My first ever pair is Cynthia Rowley and I got them at a JCPenney sale, with prescription, for $87 dollars.

My big regret is investing in a pair of big-name frames. Over $200 were spent on those frames and they barely lasted a week. I had to go several times in for repairs, but in the end, I just gave up and quit wearing them.

Another reason that I don't want to invest in glasses (or sunglasses) is that I utterly destroy them. You name it, it's probably happened to my glasses/sunglasses. Fallen out of cars, eaten by dogs, slammed with books, sat on, thrown, etc. That's why I either thrift or buy on sale.

However, a new option is on the horizon. Some time ago, somebody mentioned on a fashion community ZenniOptical.com. I've visited a couple of times, and every time I see a pair of frames that I want to buy! Best of all, there are frames starting at $6.95, so...you can go crazy and get a couple, if that's your style. For someone like me, who doesn't like investing a lot of money in a frame, this is a good idea. However, I cannot attest for quality. Everyone I've spoken to says they're very good but I've yet to try some myself. Everytime I plan on ordering, I kind of chicken out. I may or may not wait until my next appointment and have them done with the new prescription. Or I could just go ahead, live dangerously, and get them now!

What do you not invest in? Why? I want to know!

(Please note that I am talking about frames, not the quality of the lenses. Never play around with your health, kids!)

This post has not been sponsored by Zenni Optical.

My dark fashion secret

2010-12-17T08:55:00.000-05:00

Everyone has one. A dark fashion secret. Some sort of deep fashion shame that you can't admit to in public or perhaps even to yourself. But what is it? What's that one thing that makes you feel awkward, that you don't want to declare?

I have no problems with sweatpants. I only wear them at home when I work out or when I clean. Nowadays, they're being worn just to clean since I'm not working out at all. I fail, I know. Three-toed sloths have nothing on me, I tell you. I've only worn sweatpants outside of the house once, to class. It felt so uncomfortable that I never did it again.

However, I do have a dark fashion secret. I'm embarrassed to declare that I have grunge tendencies. By this I mean that I will become obsessed with an item and wear it over and over again until it develops of a life of its own and tries to murder me. Oh, wait, that's just a nightmare I had. But, really, I do wear things over and over again. I fixate. Sometimes for weeks. I have to pry said article or accessory off my body, otherwise, there it will remain. Attached to me. Forever.

Another bad habit is that once that article or accessory is cast off my body, I may not see it for a long time. Weeks, months, years. Yes, years. I found a dress that I wore once, felt awkward in, and chucked into the closet. Now I can't take it off and I've made a moratorium of wearing it once every two weeks. Sometimes I cave and wear it once a week. Oops. I am weak of will.

I'm also guilty of buying things that are too big. I purchase them with all the intention of fixing them up and wearing them immediately, but. Well. Poop happens. And so there's a pile of clothes in a corner that Damián points to, asking, Honey. When are you going to fix that? All this while I run away and hide in the fridge with the dog. Best hiding place, really.

So, tell me. What's your dark fashion secret?

Getting my outfit groove on (or fighting the good fight)

2010-12-16T11:36:00.000-05:00

Glasses: You know! They're Old Navy, and you know!
Shirt: Old Navy via flea market
Camisole: Calvin Klein
Belt: Kress
Skirt: store in Spain
Tights: Gap or Old Navy
Shoes: Sears

This outfit made me happy. It still does. I originally bought the pink top for mom, but when she tried it on, it was too big for her. Well, heck, it's too big for me as well, but that's nothing that a belt can't fix!

I'm really feeling the pink. Particularly, hot, bright pink. In fact, I've noticed that, lately, I'm buying a lot of that sort of pink for my wardrobe. First, it started with pink tights...now a pink shirt. What's next? A pink dress? We'll see.

Ghosts of outfits past

2010-12-15T08:47:00.000-05:00

So here are some outfits that I took pictures of before the great fashion slump (which I think I've overcome, but you can never be too sure with those...you never know when they'll strike!).

By the way? The dress in the last two pictures? Cost me .10 at a flea market. Yes. A whole ten cents. I'm so damn happy with it, I've already made up for the investment by wearing it too many times. Ten cents, kids! Flea markets rule!

It's all in the bag

2010-12-14T07:22:00.000-05:00

Purses, bags, handbags. We all need them. We all use them to carry around our stuff. (Except, of course, when we're wearing a fancy dress to which we cannot match a clutch. Then we somehow manage to convince our dates and/or friends to carry our stuff in their pockets/purses.)

When you buy purses, what do you do? Do you go for a quick problem solver or do you make it an investment piece?

I have to say I have been "guilty" of both. Of course, there is nothing to be guilty of. It's your money and you should (carefully and wisely) do with it what you want. But, I digress. The subject is purses, not money management. I have dropped a decent amount of money on more expensive, higher quality purses. I have a weakness for Marc Jacobs and a tender soft spot for Coach. I've always wanted an Yves Saint Laurent Muse, but after being burned by a fake on eBay, my love for the Muse has petered out. But not for the band. I still love Muse, very much so.

That said, despite having what can be called "investment" purses, I love a good deal. I also love thrifting. So I have a lot of purses from Old Navy, Marshalls, and sundry other stores that I cannot recall, in addition to second-hand scores. And I give them just as much love as I do my other ones. After all, they were bought because they appealed to me. So higher price tag or not, they mean something to me and I take care of them, dollar or hundred dollar bag that it may be.

Of course, there are other factors when it comes to purse purchasing. Do you have a limited amount of space and therefore only make investment pieces? Or do you make investment pieces due to budget constraints and wear those forever?

I want to know: What goes on in your head when you make a purse purchase? Do you limit yourself or go crazy? Do you go for investment or a quick piece that will last a year or two? Let's talk!

In memory of...

2010-12-13T15:46:00.003-05:00

Posts will continue in their regular consistency and upbeat attitude, but I just wanted to let you know of a situation that I’m going through. I also needed to unload, express how I feel, since I've been upset and emotional about it since Saturday. I usually don’t go into very personal things here (though my definition of personal is perhaps very different, as I talk about poop, weight issues, depression, etc), but I’m going through a tough time since this past Saturday. Through Facebook, I received a message from an old ex-friend in regards to an old university friend of mine. It stated that if I could get into contact with another friend because our friend, A, had passed away.

When I read the e-mail, I couldn’t believe it. I just couldn’t. We hadn’t heard from him for a couple of years; he’d disappeared from the university. My friend K managed to get into contact with him a few months ago, but he was not as open as he was before. Again, we didn’t know how he passed. We had speculated, due to the sad state of affairs this country is in, that he had either been a victim of a hate crime or he had committed suicide.

Today, I found out that he had committed suicide last week, from Sunday to Monday. He left no note; he was found in his dorm.
A was one of the most beautiful and amazing people we’d ever known. He was open and sincere, and he was always willing to hear you and try to help you out. I still remember him going to school in his long black skirts. He also had the most beautiful black hair. We loved running our hands through it. I remember K and I arguing with him about missing class and getting ridiculously drunk. I remember him getting the highest score in his entire class while he was drunk. We berated him for it, but still. A was incredibly smart. I will always remember him.

When I found out that he died, I immediately felt the urge to vomit. The thoughts racing through my head were that somebody killed him or he committed suicide. A was gay and he had faced harassment and discrimination from both random people and, to make things worse, his family. His parents forced him into a “de-gay” program, made him go to a psychiatrist and put him under heavy anti-psychotics. A wasn’t psychotic. He just was A. Gay or not, he didn’t deserve anything that happened to him and now I feel like shit because I’m thinking we could’ve done more for him.

I don’t think I can say anything else except that people have to accept others as they are. The type of discrimination that many people face, be they emos, goths, GLBT community, and sundry, is ridiculous and unnecessary. Underneath it all, we’re all the same. We are human beings with feelings, thoughts, memories, and connections between us. Why can’t we all just get along? Why can’t we all just respect each other? It’s the least we could do.

A, we will miss you. We will never forget you. I hope that now you’ve found the peace that you so searched for in life, even though we will miss you. While you were with us, you made us so happy. We love you very much, and we're sorry we couldn't do more.

A happy thing...

2010-12-13T08:22:00.000-05:00

Photo thanks to boyfriend extraordinaire, Damián Osoroco.

...feeding a squirrel.

What's one thing that makes you happy?

On the subject of weight

2010-12-11T09:02:00.000-05:00

How're you doing? Everything good? Sit down, have some tea. Biscuit? Good, it may come in handy. This may take a while.

I've always been active. Some way or another, I always managed to run, jump, and over all get my exercise. I did have a bit of baby fat as a child, which developed into over 40 to 50 pounds of extra weight as a teenager. But I always managed to get some exercise. Be it at Phys Ed class, walking to dad's garage after school, or doing my chores at home (helloooo, yard work!). Needless to say, the extra weight did come with its consequences: I have scoliosis and sundry conditions that were affected by the extra weight on my joints. For me, weight has always been an issue of health and vanity. I get upset because I can't fit into my pants, but I get even more upset when my knees hurt or my back is killing me.

That said, weight is all around us. Or rather, the subject of weight. Whereas before carrying an extra pound or two was a sign of health and abundance (after all, it signified that you were wealthy or capable to afford extra food; you were not left wanting), now extra weight is seen as a sign of sloth and carelessness towards oneself. How did this all change? What triggered this? More importantly, what can we do to change these conceptions?

In the fashion world, the subject of weight is always involved. Even if it is not discussed, it is still there, out in the open. And it is quite a loud subject. It's there, screaming from the ads, the runways, the clothes, and the attitudes displayed by the creators and the consumers. In a way, fashion has become an Idealogical State Apparatus (ISA), and it perpetuates the more of thin is in. Even though there have been attempts to "normalize" weight in the fashion atmosphere (ie, the BMI standard, Crystal Renn, new designers embracing different shapes), we haven't really seen any actual steps forward. We still see hangers walking down the runway. We still have discrimination in the name of business and economics (thanks to the age old excuse that it's better to make a sample size and send that down). And, furthermore, the concept of normalization. What is normal? There is no singular body shape that dominates the world, so why are we trying to make it one size fits all?

It is important to note that I am not condemning the people who suffer from the subject of weight. If you are thin, average, overweight, it doesn't matter to me. What is important, however, is that you be healthy. That is all I argue for. And the fashion industry, to my view, doesn't promote healthy. It promotes underage, undeveloped and excessively thin bodies. Many of these new models are still in the early stages of adolescence. Their bodies are thin, spindly, growing out yet not filling out. Why are they being subjected to the idea of thin and working out at such an early age? Just look at what happened to Coco Rocha. God forbid that she grow into an adult and get some weight on her hips. What is she now, a 4? And she has been mostly marginalized by mainstream runways.

I think that the media and many of us don't realize that our weight is in a constant state of flux. We will never be same weight all the time. Sure, we can be within the same range, which is give or take 5 pounds from our usual weight. But our weight will never be constant. We are machines that intake and process elements. These elements carry weight in and of themselves. Furthermore, these elements and our body produce weight through the process of waste disposal (aka urine and feces). And add to that that some foods and drinks make us bloat, so there. More weight. Water weight! So why are we freaking out because, oh my sweet Dior pencil skirt, we've gained a pound or two or three since Thanksgiving? I don't know about you, but I did an awful lot of eating, so I know I will be bloated and heavier. But it's just my body processing all that I put in it. Why freak out?

This all came to being due to a conversation I had with a close friend some time ago. Ria, whose always been thin, has been really into working out and health issues for more than a year now. She's always been active, but upon starting a new workout regimen, she's become more aware of her body and health. She hasn't lost weight, in fact, I do believe she's gained it. In muscle. And she looks great because she's eating healthy and working out so she can be healthy. She derives great physical and mental health from it, and that's what's important about working out.

Ria and I were discussing the concept of "No Fat Talk" Week and how it may make a small difference, but it's not attacking the whole. It just further cements the divisiveness of the subject. We can't keep putting everything into the fat and thin boxes. We need to talk about the issues and fears underlying these categorizations. By just saying, you look thin or you look overweight, you're making a blanket statement. Why is that person thin? Why is that person overweight. Is it a medical condition? Is it due to psychoemotional issues? These are the things that have to be discussed. Health! Vanity will always be a part of the weight issue, but it shouldn't be the be all and end all.

Our health comes first, always.

As someone who's an academic (my two degrees are in English, specialty Literature, but I focus on gender, minority, and social media issues), an ex-athlete, and a person who has been over and underweight, I always analyze it through those glasses. As an academic, I see the ramifications, the significations, the concepts abounding. Or at least, in theory. The loss or gain of weight in fashion is seen as a subjection or finding of the self. It can also be a protest towards the fashion standards. But then, why do some yield? For all the talk that Crystal Renn has done, she is facing a lot of criticism for losing weight. Same goes to many other mainstream actors, models, musicians, and so forth. And let's not get into the world of dance, what with Alaistar Macaulay's incredibly rude and insensitive comment towards premier ballerina Jenifer Ringer.

I want to hear your thoughts. Are there any steps do you think we should take as a consumer and creator collective to change these perceptions? What can we do? Have you been victimized because of weight? Let's get talking!

A look back: Christmas 2008

2010-12-10T14:22:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's already two years since this happened! I wish my friend Gloria was here again so we could have a ball once more. This was her first time in Puerto Rico, which was seriously over due. We'd made plans for her coming over in 2006, but unfortunately, that's when I fell ill and the trip had to be cancelled. Though she was over for a short time, we made the most of it!

I'm usually nostalgic around Christmas, and looking at these pictures has made me even more nostalgic. Damián and I went to visit her this past September, but we don't get to see each other nearly enough! Thankfully, she'll be getting married next year and we're definitely going to the wedding. However, it's sad to only be able to properly hang out such few and far between times. At least we have instant messaging and e-mail!

Parents: a conversation

2010-12-09T10:15:00.000-05:00

Conversation in regards to dress that came in the mail. Over the phone.

Dad: Something came in the mail.
Me: Oh, good. I'm expecting some things.
Dad: What are you expecting?
Me: A dress, a purse.
Dad: Well, this looks like a shirt.
Mom: A shirt?
Dad: Yes, a shirt.
Me: It's a dress. I didn't order a shirt.
Dad: It looks like a shirt.
Mom: If she says it's a dress, it's a dress!
Dad: Does it fit her?
Mom: Trust her!
Dad: This looks like a shirt.

For the record, the dress is actually knee length. How in the world did that man figure that was too short, I don't know. Maybe my father thinks I've gotten to frivolous, wearing knee-length skirts and all.

I'm kidding. My dad's pretty liberal with what I wear, as long as the important bits are covered. Wait, I think I'm just shooting myself in foot repeatedly. I'll shut up now. I'll post the dress as soon as I get it cleaned...

Travel in style?

2010-12-08T06:54:00.001-05:00

Do you travel in style? I must admit, I frequently do not. I try, but, usually, my suitcase gives way to comfort. After all, I usually go on demented holidays that involve climbing stairs on cliff faces or stuffing my face.

Okay, maybe not so demented.

But, again, I must admit that the only times I've coldly calculated what goes into my suitcase are conference trips. When I recall my trips to Boston, Albuquerque, New Orleans, and Oxford, I do see that the outfits I wore throughout the trip were rather stylish. Like, you know, this extremely life-saving coat. That I've worn so many times on too many occasions. I have to change the lining already...

(Click the images to enlarge.)

Or this, which could pass off as just casual hanging out gear. If only the pigeons didn't give away my tourist n00bness.

But then, you know, there's always this.

Oh, dear.

I honestly think that my most stylish, or at least, decently stylish, trip was this last one to Washington, DC. And there are barely any pictures. Hm. How do you guys pack for vacation? Do you pack for style or do you pack for comfort? Can there be style and comfort? I mean, please don't bring sweatpants into the equation, folks.

How do you travel? How do you pack? What makes the cut? Do you have a limit on clothing items? I want to know how you guys do it!

New apartment, new start

2010-12-07T13:58:00.003-05:00

Some of you may know that Damián and I are in the midst of a move. We're finally getting out of ye olde apartment, and moving into a town house. Yay! We've been busy with searching for furniture, cleaning, and moving things. And, everyone? We're still not done. Boo. We've been on this for nearly three weeks, and we're not close to being done. Double boo. However, all we need for the bare necessities to be covered is a sofa and the water, since I managed to get the power transfer done today. Now, getting the water and power transfer is another story for another day. And maybe that will include a drink or two, but I can't promise anything. The sofa business will, hopefully, be taken care of today, which means that all that's left is...

..paint!

That's right, folks. We have to get paint. Honestly, I don't know if you have the same problem where you rent, but over here? Every single apartment we've seen seems to have a bad romance with sickening shades of beige. Yech. So we will remedy this problem by giving the new place a pretty proper paint job that will make the place look larger and brighter with the use of saturated and lighter colors.

Calypso

Belize

Candid Blue

Swimming

Tantalizing Teal

Synergy

Aquatint

Of course, Damián is involved in the color selection, but every time I bring a name up, he's all, I trust you, dear. Hmmm. We'll see about that! I think it's quite funny that all the colors I'm liking are variations of blue and green, particularly light yet bright ones. I love green, but I've never been a big fan of blue. Damián would say that it's a sign of age, this changing of taste. Well, poop. Blame getting older on expanding one's horizons, why don't you?

Anyway, we're thinking of doing a semi-gloss, and for now, these are the colors on the short-list. Well, my short-list. Which is our short-list since the boy has shirred all paint responsibilities to me! Mwahahahaha! But, yes. Any favorite colors that you love using in your home? Any good or bad experiences with painting? I want to hear about it! :)

All color samples are property of Sherwin Williams. For more information on their products, please visit their website. I am in no way endorsing or affiliated with them. It just so happens to be that they have the colors I like!

Outfit backlog: the Knee (Brace) Diaries

2010-12-07T08:37:00.000-05:00

So I was slogging through the files on my computer when I found these. And then I remembered that I had meant to post this quite a bit of time ago. Oops. Sorry. Better late than never, right?

These pictures are from when I busted up my knee earlier this year. To this day, I'm suffering the consequences of that. I can't wear certain types of heels and it's hard for me to walk or go up and down stairs at times. Which brings me to today's lesson: don't ever rush to work. You'll only end up hurting yourself. Just look at me. Trying to get early to work, hit myself hard on the knee and finished tearing up my meniscus into a dark oblivion.

But I digress. For the months following that, I had to wear a knee brace. And I couldn't wear heels at all. I wore heels to my thesis defense (of which I have no outfit picture of, d'oh), and, man. Was that fun. It was a party. Seriously. I should've gotten arrested, the stuff that went down in that knee. I'm fairly sure there were illegal substances there. And candy. But, again, I veer off course. How do you dress up when you have that black thing covering your leg? (I'm sorry, brace. It's not your fault, it's just that you're properly aesthetically designed. And you were one of the better looking ones.) I did my best. While I didn't document all of my outfits, I think I was dressing better then than now. Ouch. Double ouch, when I'm reminded of the knee business again.

On the bright side, the injury has made me much more mindful of the types of shoes I buy. I think I look for quality shoes more now, whereas before, if I liked it, I wouldn't give it much of a thought. It has to fit, and it has to fit well. They also cannot hurt. I can't go around injuring myself anymore. That's what working out is for!

Oh, and I'm not crediting the clothes because
a) you're going to see a lot of them around here
b) it would take forever and you'd get bored; then where would we be?

Copy, copy

2010-12-06T06:30:00.001-05:00

Shirt: Gap
Belt: Old Navy
Skirt: Rave
Tights: Kmart
Boots: Franco Sarto via Shop Goodwill

This outfit marks the first time I feel good about an outfit in a while. I usually roll up the sleeves on all my shirt, but it was far too cold that day. And, yes, I'm wearing that shirt that seems to have taken over the blogosphere. And, yes, I've inadvertently worn an outfit that similar to one of Kendi's remix outfits. First, that shirt was sitting in the closet for ages and just now I felt the urge to wear it. It's a perfectly adorable shirt; that's why so many of us bloggers have it! Second, the possible Kendi remake of an outfit? I swear I didn't do it on purpose. Maybe I looked at the post and it stayed on my mind? Wah! In any given case, if my subconscious decided that day that Kendi was my muse, well, then. Isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery?

Sorry for the Photoshopped faces, folks. I'm still trying to get then hang of taking pictures of myself for the blog. Again. Oops.

I don't know what's going on here.

2010-12-04T09:15:00.000-05:00

Face: Photoshop
Dress: Converse for Target
Tights: Payless, I think.
Boots: Forever 21

I think that maybe this is an example of "when statement tights go wrong". In fact, that can be a show. When Statement Tights Go Wrong! Watch tonight as Stella makes a fool of herself in badly matched attire! Don't miss it! On Blogger TV

Okay, so probably maybe this wasn't that bad. I don't know. I asked Damián and he said I looked good. Or fine. I don't remember which. I do know that I liked the outfit when I had it on, when I walked out of our apartment, and when we went to dinner. I don't like it so much now when I see the pictures.

Where did I go wrong? Maybe I shouldn't have used that color boot. Maybe the dress buttons made the outfit too busy. I don't know, but there's something that's bothering me, nagging. Oh well. The important thing is that I wore it. That I tried. Which is what we should all do! After all, style is a process of trial and error.

Working dog.

2010-12-03T00:02:00.001-05:00

This is a situation I run into often.

He's all, excuse me, woman. I have to work.

And then I fret, of course, because I'm his mother. What's he doing? Is he on the internet? Should I make him an account with parental controls? Is he looking for a partner? Does he manage stocks online? Does he have a blog? A Facebook? A Twitter?! A doggie mom could go mad while contemplating the possibilities.

It's 12AM. Do you know where your dog is? Online?

Ootd: one dress, two days

2010-12-01T09:57:00.002-05:00

The floral returns! And, it has a sequel.

Casual dressing: about to get my paella on.

Glasses: Old Navy
Dress: Fleamarket
Sandals: Kmart

Granny Steampunk goes to work.

Glasses & dress, well, you know.
Belt: Ages ago, Kress
Tights: Kmart
Shoes: Urban Outfitters

I saw this dress from afar at the Cabo Rojo (CR) fleamarket and I just had to have it. Best part? It was .50. Yes. Half a dollar. And I've already worn it several times. I'm already plotting many other ways to wear this puppy. With a belted cardigan, with some flats and a vest, boots, wearing it under a skirt as a top...I can see it now. These are going to be the best fifty cents ever!

Outfit of the day: fighting the fashion funk

2010-11-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

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.

2010-11-29T10:58:00.000-05:00

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

2010-11-25T23:52:00.000-05:00

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.

2010-11-25T09:43:00.001-05:00

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)

2010-11-24T08:36:00.006-05:00

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.

2010-11-21T09:54:00.000-05:00

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

Everything's going to the dogs.

2010-11-19T13:08:00.001-05:00

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

2010-11-18T16:40:00.002-05:00

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...

2010-11-17T12:14:00.000-05:00

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.

2010-11-17T10:47:00.003-05:00

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?

2010-11-15T10:38:00.000-05:00

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)?

2010-11-12T08:32:00.003-05:00

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

2010-11-10T08:11:00.001-05:00

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!

2010-11-09T15:39:00.002-05:00

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

2010-11-08T12:04:00.001-05:00

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?

2010-11-05T10:46:00.004-04:00

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.

Home is...

2010-09-27T23:00:00.002-04:00

...where the heart is?

I've been very wistful lately. The randomest things set me off and remind me of particular instances of my childhood. Smells, noises, words will remind me of vivid childhood memories that I've treasured for so long. Why exactly is this happening now, I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm still, in a way, getting used to this process of being away from home. Or should I say, my parents' home now since I've moved out. But does home stop being home? Or can one have many homes?

I think it's the latter. My fondest childhood memories will always come from this, my parents' home. Waking up late at night to listen to cars driving by on the then faraway main road. The smell of jasmine in the middle of the night. The early morning sounds. The past midnight breeze. My dad listening to the jazz station until it went out. All of these are precious to me and I've been recalling them more and more lately. I think it's because of going back and forth so much.

I know that in the mainland United States, it's common for kids to go away to college. Over here, not so much. Yeah, you may board at the school, but usually, everybody goes back on weekends. It's tradition. I never went away until I was 26! That's when I scored my first job on the other side of the island. Of course, I was looking forward to it, like any self-respecting young adult should. But it's also made me realize how much I miss my parents. I mean, we are not perfect. Let's just say that we're perfectly imperfect and meant for each other. I've been quite lucky to have them, I've got no complaints now. But it's time to move on and grow up, and this move is a very important part of that.

So now I have a home. And a home with my parents. And I also have a home with Damian because when I'm with him, I feel at home anywhere. (Yeah, you can go ahead and barf!) So I've got more than one home and I'm okay with that. I'm going to have lots of homes and I'm going to keep on building memories that I will remember fondly as I grow older. Because home is where the heart is, and these places are where my heart goes.

27 on the 27.

2010-09-27T00:11:00.002-04:00

Today's my birthday and I'm feeling pretty good about myself. I found out a couple of days ago that there will be a commencement ceremony for the grad class of 2010 at my university, complete with toga! When I found this out, I almost burst out into tears since I was told that we would have no ceremony due to the strike and the financial crisis. I'm very happy about this!

I'm also glad I am staying with my family for my birthday. I wish I could spend it will all my friends (both stateside, metro area, and islander amigos), but unfortunately that's not possible due to logistics. But! I will spend tomorrow vegging out, hopefully get some thrift on, quality time with my loved ones and getting my toga! Toga, toga!

I've been really hippie-dippy lately thinking about the past few years. Grad school, friendships, jobs. Health. Despite everything, I feel I've been very lucky, what with the good and the bad. My parents have been great to me and so has my boyfriend. I've got great friends who've stuck with me through the good and the bad. I've been lucky to travel and to finish my thesis, a project that was consuming me for a while, and I'm quite happy with how it turned out. Now I've got a slew of other things (amongst is which fixing this blog layout) that I want to do. Hopefully, getting in shape will be the next one. Right now, graduating is my top priority right now! And getting a certain someone to finally move in with me!

Anyway, just wanted to drop by and wish you a lovely day! Hope you have a great one. I'll do my best to pop by more often. I want to update about my DC/Virginia/Philly trip, complete with Lady Gaga concert and finally meeting blogger friends. Till then, peace out!

And I'm off!

2010-09-04T02:21:00.003-04:00

Hey kids! Bloggage will continue to be spotty as I'm off to a well-deserved week off in DC to meet up with friends and just all in all have a good time with the boy. Expect shots of me freezing when I come back! (I'm a spoiled tropical bum; 70 or lower is cold for me!)

Let's just hope these silly hurricanes don't catch up to me up there...grr.

Later!

Fully unprepared (AKA My first hurricane).

2010-08-29T08:00:00.003-04:00

So. Um. I live in Puerto Rico, right? I know a lot about hurricanes. Of course I do, I've lived through a couple in my short life. All with varying degrees of "dammit, nature!". But I'd never dealt with one alone.

Hurricane Danielle is coming for us. After meteorologists had said that it would pass over 400 miles away from PR, Danielle decided to keep us on our toes and change her course a little. Wee! So I will be on the opposite side of the island with Genghis when the hurricane passes. Fun. I guess part of me sees this as an adventure, but I'm kind of worried since Damian gave me a hurricane checklist he picked up at the gas station and I'm...needless to say, woefully unprepared.

I have a lot of canned food and I have flashlights. I have big trash bags and first aid kits (which I bought because Damian and I go hiking, well used to). And Genghis has nothing to worry about foodwise. However, all my kitchen stuff is electric. My stove is electric! No gas! I'm kind of wondering what the hell am I going to do if the power goes for more than the time of the hurricane's actual passing. Crap!

Well, I'll let you know what happens. Hopefully, I'm just overreacting.

ETA: Change of hurricane. It is now Earl, not Danielle, who I should be afraid of.

Stella B. Demented

2010-08-18T19:40:00.002-04:00

Hi there! Remember me? I run this here blog. Unfortunately, life's gotten (ridiculously) in the way lately and I've barely had time to even breathe. Just to give you a sampling of what I've been up to, here's a list:

1. Prep for thesis defense.

2. Smash knee with steering wheel lock.

3. Limp for almost three weeks.

4. Deal with mad dog.

5. Come down for thesis defense.

6. Defend! Successfully!

7. Fix formatting and typographic errors.

8. Drive back to apartment. Work. Drive back for signatures.

9. Chase everybody for their signatures.

10. Battle Table of Contents formatting.

11. Work drama!

Now that I look at it, it's not as terrible, but it's all been very time-consuming. And the knee, ugh, let's not even talk about it. I haven't worn heels in weeks, I've had to rest and be disgustingly inactive (because inactivity is good when you're willing, not when you're forced). My physical condition is a disaster! Let's not even talk about the pain I'm in, though it's gotten better, much better.

All in all, this is just a quick post to say that I'll return soon with more posts and hopefully changes around these here parts! I want to update the shop too and work on my outfit pictures because I'm seriously lacking in the self-portrait skill area. Stay tuned and I'll see you soon!

Axis of Cute!

2010-07-26T16:33:00.000-04:00

Genghis finally achieves the "tripod" pose, as Damian calls it, while he tries to eat the camera's remote.

Genghis has a fan club at my office....

Keepin' it lazy.

2010-07-25T15:45:00.000-04:00

So yes. There are some times I just don't care. I mean, I don't want to look craptastic to work, but I just don't want to make an effort. Here, I record some of these times. I took the easy way out. I wore something that I know matched or worked and ran with it. Zero effort from my part. I should be ashamed, I know.

You guys know I usually show everything here, but my face here was just...yeah, we'll leave it at that.

Dress: Rave

Belt: Salvation Army

Shoes: Façade booties, Nine West

Sunglasses: Fakebans? Salvation Army

Necklace: Anniversary gift from Damian

Shirt: Old Navy

Skirt: Rave

Shoes: Payless Shoesource

Casual and formal work outfits.

2010-07-24T07:20:00.000-04:00

I had an interview that ended up not happening. Grump. But we won't talk about that. I needed to look fancy. So I did! Other than that, last week's outfits were relatively uneventful. I really liked the coral top and zig zag skirt, though. The brightly colored top cheered me up during the day while dealing with certain situations at work.

Wednesday:

Dress: Primark

Blazer: Thrifted

Shoes at left: Yves Saint Laurent St. Germain Pumps

Shoes at right: Sears

Monday (whoa, boobies?):
Top: Gap

Belt: used to be my mom's

Skirt: Thrifted

Bracelet: Gift from mom

Tuesday:

Dress: Sears

Necklace: Gift from Damian, New Orleans

Bracelet: Gift from mom

Shoes: Payless Shoesource

All by myself: cooking for one.

2010-07-23T17:40:00.001-04:00

Let me tell you, I love to cook. I do. Which is something my mother finds hilarious because I picked up cooking when I got into university. Before that, I could only make scrambled eggs and toast. But now, I have over 72 cookbooks and love to whip up a storm. Often I take food for my coworkers. I'm sort of a mother hen.

However, this doesn't extend to home. Back in the apartment, there's only Genghis and I, which sucks. I mean, when Damian comes over on the weekend, I occasionally cook, but we usually end up going out to take advantage of the food that's seriously lacking on the Wild Wild Boricua West. Though the Western side of the island's cuisine is picking up, we usually have to drive at least half an hour to get to an awesome spot other then the ones that are readily available (like the Mayagüez classic Don Quijote).

So when I dine alone, I usually just make myself a sandwich or some cornmeal, which pisses Damian off because he says I'm not feeding myself properly. True, I guess. But I guess I just don't like cooking for myself. Even if I get to take the leftovers to the office the next day and save money on lunch.

I'm trying to wean myself off that annoying habit and forcing myself to cook dinner. For myself. I tell myself it's a challenge to improve my cooking and take on dishes that I haven't really done before. Like this. A very basic Boricua mofongo.

I had never made mofongo before in my life. This is a blasphemy if you're a Puerto Rican. Seriously! I decided to go all out and make myself some mofongo stuffed with garlic shrimp cooked in butter.

Interested in making mofongo? Here's the basic recipe.

Mofongo for one (as my mother taught me):

Ingredients:

1 green plantain

1 garlic clove

olive oil in non-stingy amounts

salt to taste (I never add salt, but everyone else does...)

(There's also the option of adding bacon! Many in PR do this, so feel free to include bacon into the mix.)

Add some oil into a frying pan and heat it up. In the meantime, open and chop the plantain into several slices around .5 of an inch thick. Carefully drop them in the pan and cook them until golden.

When golden, take them out. The garlic: you may cook it or leave it as is. Mash it up in a container and then throw in the cooked plantain and mash it up as well. Mix until garlic is evenly spread around plantain. Eat as is or shape it in a bowl to add filling! (Like I did with the garlic shrimp.)

(Note: Plantains are normally deep fried. My family's alternative is a bit healthier, as it uses less oil. You may deep fry if you want!)

Let me know if you try this! :)

Neighborhood Stonehenge.

2010-07-23T10:26:00.002-04:00

I think some of my neighbors have lost it. I mean, that's my theory. What else can you think when they just start randomly piling up rocks on their yard and street?

On the other hand, I do hope they're not aware of some secret alien plot and that's the way to keep them at bay. Because if it is, I'm screwed! Bad neighbors for not sharing the key to save ourselves from impending doom?

But seriously. My neighbors are freaking me out...

Shoes, shoes, thrifted shoes!

2010-07-22T12:20:00.000-04:00

Genghis muzzle!

I'm a germophobe. Which is hilarious because I thrift like a madwoman. However, there was one thing I wouldn't do and that was shoes (and underwear). I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole. I don't know. Of all things, shoes seemed the most unsanitary to me. Then my mother, who is perhaps an even a worse germophobe than me, went ahead and bought herself thrifted shoes.

With relish.

Even though my mother went ahead and bought shoes, I still had a lot of hesitation about that. It wasn't until I mom and I were at the CR flea market that she saw a pair of flats and insisted to buy them for me. After not having mutant 'shrooms grow out of my feet due to wearing them (and a militant cleaning of course), I figured that thrifted shoes were okay. After all, shoes in stores?They're tried on by even more people than a thrifted shoe until they're bought and given a proper home.

Add to that the fact that with my shoe size, it's not easy to find shoes, well. I buy shoes when I see them. So yet another world of awesomeness was opened to me tanks to thrifting.

That said, the thrifting in the metro area hasn't been as great as back home. I'd repeatedl

y check the OSJ SA and nothing. Overpriced and understocked. I was about to give up until I swung over to the Cataño SA and found these puppies! The most expensive one was the velvet pair for $5.00. All the other pairs were just a mere $2.00 each. Needless to say, I will be back for more soon!

And here I thought Genghis was happy with my purchases...I mean, he was winking!

Only to later give me this: the glare of disapproval. I think he's taking his dad's side of my having too much shoes? Which is utter bollocks if you ask me. A girl could never have too many shoes.

Bad dog! No biscuit!

Review: J-Taste continued!

2010-07-21T11:00:00.000-04:00

(Warning: Picture heavy post.)

J-Taste had it's pros and its cons. The cons were the expense. I honestly think that there were certain things that were just way too costly. The teppanyaki, for instance. However, you sort of "pay for the show" as they say. Nevertheless, I feel the quality of the food wasn't up to snuff to the price. The miso was good as were the dumplings. However, my udon noodles tasted as if they came straight out of a bag! I could've sworn I'd had them before. In my kitchen, from a bag bought at the local Asian grocer.

The octopi were good as well, but nothing absolutely phenomenal. I think they were a bit overseasoned and that took away from the quality of the octopus itself. The drinks were super expensive. Ridiculously so. The lychee martini wasn't bad, but it could've been sweeter. The J-Taste martini was more my style, but it still needed a bit more kick.

The salmon was good and the vegetables were specially yummy. I can't vouch for the filet mignon since I don't eat red meat. I wanted to have some fried ice cream, but again, the prices were prohibitive. All in all, I may go there again, but not for dinner. Maybe some appetizers before going somewhere else. That said, the presentation of the dishes was impeccable as you can see from the pictures in both J-Taste posts.

If you're a local or are in Old San Juan and want to drop in, here's the address:

307 Recinto Sur,

Old San Juan,

San Juan, PR

00901

Review: J-Taste.

2010-07-20T09:50:00.000-04:00

(Warning: Picture heavy post.)

As you all may know, I spent a week being good friends with non-solid foods. I was pretty much dreaming of food all the time. Wishing I could chew without feeling intense pain in the crater that formerly had my tooth. So when I could finally open my mouth and fit proper food in it, it was time to go big or go home.

Damian's friend suggested we meet up and go to a place in Old San Juan called J-Taste. Of course, I was game. I would've eaten red meat, I was so desperate.

I'd seen the place before when driving around OSJ, but never gone in. Overall it's okay, but there are some things that are off and/or way too expensive. Then again, it is OSJ, so it's surely expensive so tourists' spend their money there.

Review and more pictures tomorrow! So stay tuned!

Nature: not bad!

2010-07-19T10:54:00.000-04:00

When we have time to, Damian and I like to get out and be buddies with nature. Well, not extremely. I've gone camping, but he hasn't and I don't think I'll go camping again. Not because I didn't like it, but I'm just too paranoid to go and hang out in a forest or wherever after reading too many creepypastas and horrific true stories.

Lesson here? The internet will ruin your desire to go camping. But back to the subject. One of the ways we like to get out is going biking. Right now, I'm sort of terrible at it. I've barely had a new bike for a year. Before that, I hadn't biked in almost 12-14 years. Ridiculous! I had some close encounters with the ground before I felt like a natural on the bike again. Damian will never let me live it down.

So a couple of weekends ago, when I was still recuperating from my tooth ordeal, we went biking at a nearby nature reserve: Laguna Cartagena. It's really quite pretty as there are a lot of birds there, but it also has some dark rumors of UFOs showing up. Obviously, every time we go I urge to leave before sunset. I'm terrified of UFOs and aliens, but we're not getting into that.

We'd planned on biking there before, but never really got down to it. We finally did it though; a couple of hours before sunset. It was really quite nice and cool, a welcome respite from the ridiculous heat we've been experiencing lately. I'm seriously out of shape; I was panting all the time! Oh well, we had fun, which is the important part. Here, have some pictures!

FIFA World Cup aka Paul the Psychic Octopus was right!

2010-07-18T18:18:00.006-04:00

So I don't now about you guys, but last Sunday was spent in anticipation for the World Cup finals. I know that football isn't as popular in the US as it is in the rest of the world (and I'm not talking about that so-called football that involves an egg-shaped ball referred to as pigskin), but I was raised in a family that quite enjoyed football and made sure to watch the World Cup every 4 years. Add to that being with Damian, who used to play football and we have an equation of never missing a World Cup ever. Ever!

(Oh, and I used to play a bit myself. In fact, that's how I injured my left knee, but that's another story.)

Spain had been on a losing streak for el Mundial (as we call it in Spanish) for years. In fact, it hadn't passed onto semi-finals, much less finals, ever! So this year, the Spanish blood was on fire. Damian wanted me to come down and see the final with him because going up to San Juan and possibly missing it was an abomination. So I down I drove and went to a gathering for the final. Oh boy.

This is Frida. She didn't care much for football. She did care about food, though.

This is Arabella. She was also there for the food.

I'm not showing any people pics here because they are kind of compromising. Nah, kidding. But, people were feeling it. I'm playing it all calm, cool, and collected here, but I was freaking out too, as Damian would quickly point out. But! I will show you my outfit!

Shirt: Mojinos Escozios, Spain

Skirt: Gap

Shoes: Sears.

Kids, you cannot get more Spanish than this! Well, Damian was wearing a Spain '82 shirt and his dad was wearing the team's jersey...alright, so I came in third! I'm wearing one of my favorite band's shirts and they are characteristically Spanish. I mean, they have a song dedicated to Camarón...

The dress code was red. No orange allowed! Which is sad because from my dad's side I'm part Dutch as well and, you know, I got to sport the other home team? Poor Holland has made it to the finals thrice and lost, so I feel for them too. But I was quite glad for Spain's win. It doesn't help that the dashing San Iker was team captain, you know.

And, by the way, Paul the Octopus was there with us too!

Last Friday's outfit.

2010-07-15T09:53:00.000-04:00

For a long time, I didn't like stripes. Actually, I didn't like patterns of any kind, really. I guess that since I was overweight, I felt self-conscious about showcasing my body. But now, since I'm of the mind that you should wear what you want, I've taken to patterns, stripes and every color of the rainbow as if they were going out of style.

I have this dress in two colorways. If you find something that works, buy two of them. You do it with pants and tops, why not with dresses? And I think this dress works. Maybe the boldness of the colors/stripes doesn't translate well in camera, but I can promise you. This dress is very form-fitting and flattering. But it's not for wallflowers, which is why this is the first time I wear this colorway; I've had it in my closet for years!

Dress: Old Navy

Cardigan: Old Navy

Shoes: Old Navy

Can you tell that I like Old Navy? I have a problem...

Please note that on the left picture, Genghis is yanking my cardigan from off his cage. A lively chase ensued in which he dragged the cardigan all over my apartment. Fabulous!

Not really.

I usually like to belt the cardigan, but since it was just used for throwing on at work, I didn't. Plus, the dress had it's own belt and as soon as I got out of work, I went cardiganless. Except for this picture. Do excuse the grainy; I'm using my point and shoot for this. Though, I think you already knew that!

Outfit Backlog: The Week of the Tooth.

2010-07-14T11:31:00.000-04:00

As you may know, I had a tooth pulled out a short while ago. It was absolutely super fun! I couldn't eat solids for a week and I could barely speak because my jaw hurt so much. During the procedure, I received 6 anesthesia shots and even still, I felt everything. Oh, my word.

However, the tooth is finally out. It left in 5 pieces and with copious amounts of blood, but it left. It's gone. No more pain for me. I don't ever want to undergo such a horrible experience again. I am now a dental hygiene freak. I am seriously considering getting a mini-kit and putting in my work tote so I can brush my teeth after lunch. Yes, I am obsessive.

Getting dressed that week was an exercise in "Feel like crap? Look your best!" I tried, but in a couple of outfits, you can see my sickly face of "I haven't been able to eat. FEED ME!" And Genghis is back in the outfit logs!

Shirt: Thrifted

Blazer: Thrifted

Skirt: Old Navy

Watch: Hermes Medor

Shoes: Mossimo (Target)

Shirt: Marianne, thrifted

Necklace: Antiques fair, Plaza las Américas

Watch: Hermes Medor

Skirt: Rave

Shoes: Coconuts, Marshalls

Shirt: Hand me down from a friend

Skirt: Ann Taylor Loft, thrifted

Shoes: Amanda Bartlett from ages ago, Marshalls

Shirt: 5-7-9

Skirt: Old Navy

Bracelet: Can't recall

Shoes: 6pm.com

Dress: Gap, thrifted

Necklace: CR (?) fleamarket

The blazer that haunts you: thrifted

Scarf: Gap Outlet

Shoes: Bitten, Steve & Barry's (R.I.P.)

The Importance of Being Fearless.

2010-07-13T10:14:00.000-04:00

In fashion and in life.

Now, I don't always live up to this credo, but I'd like to think that I do it as much as I can. See, I figure that life is just far too short to live by ruminating on other people's thoughts and opinions about things. Of course, if the person is a friend or close family member, their thoughts will be taken into consideration. Specially if there's a possibility of making a fool out of one's self. But, sometimes, making a fools out of ourselves is just what we need. Either to just let go and relax or to learn important lessons.

Sartorially, I've always tried to listen to my crazy self. In eighth grade, when everyone was wearing ultra-trendy corseted (and very bright) dresses, I decided to wear a velvet black and white gown that some people thought was too mature for my age. In retrospect, it was kind of embarrassing, but first of all: almost everything that you look back upon in regards to your teenage years is either going to be embarrassing or full of angst. Second, I did what I wanted to do and it made me happy.

Now, I haven't always been like this. I've always had a love of hats, but it was not until a few years ago that I started wearing them with gusto. Before, I was just too embarrassed and afraid of what others would think. Puerto Rico, despite being hell hot and bad for your skin if you don't protect yourself, is the land of no hats. People will look at you as if you are a weirdo if you wear a hat. My first steps into hat wearing were no exception.

Of course, I took it upon myself to wear a bright red beret and walk across the quad where the bullies from my old school liked to hang out. They started laughing and pointing at me and the hat. Needless to say, I felt like I was back in high school and I didn't enjoy that very much.

Overtime, I realized that I was experiencing high amounts of inconceivable stupid. I didn't care what they thought when I was in high school, so why should I care now? Of course, it bothered my because I was terrified that university was just going to be another high school. But it wasn't. And, a bit more shallowly, I reminded myself that the high school bullies had no style whatsoever except show their bits every chance they got. So on went the hats and out went the stupid.

Of course, there will always be actions and outfits that one will regret. Just try to make those actions ones in which you don't hurt people and you'll be fine. I'd rather be embarrassed about wearing a crazy outfit than berate myself for not having the guts for wearing a simple set of clothes. The attitude you take towards your outfits will be a reflection of your life. If you have the guts to stick to your sartorial guns, you will have the courage to plow through life. At least, that's the way I see it!

Chictopia: Yay or nay?

2010-07-12T09:37:00.000-04:00

So a friend of mine decided to get on Chictopia. I went over to check it out and I ended up signing up to, but I haven't uploaded anything. Almost immediately after I signed up for an account, I ended up bumping into an article about problems Chictopia users have had with their uploads. Namely, other companies using Chictopia users' outfit pictures without referencing the individual, only, if at all, Chictopia as a whole.

I know that when you sign up to Chictopia, the user agreement stipulates that you are basically just...handing everything you post on Chictopia to them. And they can do whatever they want with it. I'm not too keen on this. Well, it's not like I'm going to be the Internet's next fashion sensation, but I don't like the feeling of losing ownership over things that are distinctly mine. The outfit was the culmination of a thought process from a particular moment. Time and effort was put forth to create the outfit and I don't like third parties to profit from that without even acknowledging the original stylist. I mean, Payless was using Chictopia pictures and the users whose outfits were pictures weren't even mentioned!

Needless to say, I don't know if I'll be posting pictures on Chictopia soon. I'll continue to browse it for inspiration, but I don't know if I can back up their philosophy towards member's ownership/recognition.

Maybe I'm just being silly, but I don't know. I just feel iffy about the whole thing.

Clothesmergency: I left my outfit. Now what?

2010-07-11T08:39:00.000-04:00

I don't know if I've said it before, but Damian and I are photography buffs. We're also working a side gig as photographers for a band. Not because I'm on their photography crew, but I think they're quite good. They're idea is quite original and I feel that they're different from other bands I know.

Also, the fact that one of my old students is in the band as the resident poet means nothing! :)

So we had a gig on the West side of the island; the band was playing at the Festival Gastronómico Porta del Sol. I'd brought a breezy outfit to deal with the heat since the activity was on the beach. We went back to Damian's house after checking the area out and taking some pictures of overall set-up so we could get ready to look all professional.

And that's when I noticed that everything except my underwear and shoes were missing from my outfit. And when I mean missing I mean it was all the way back in San Juan. I wasn't going to drive all the way back to get an outfit, nor was I going to drive to my 'rents house to see what I could do with the clothes I've left over there.

All that was left was raiding Damian's closet.

Fortunately, he's quite skinny and doesn't like wearing baggy clothes. And I haven't gained enough weight to not fit into his clothes! So I took some ignored pleated pants (which are a no for men, forever, in my book, but I will pardon them for women when they're done right) and a black shirt, rolled up the hem, pushed up the sleeves et voilá! His mother lent me the bright scarf and I used it as a belt to brighten up my outfit. It was cinched more at the beginning of the evening; from all the running around it loosened.

Excuse my pained expression. It was quite late and Damian was still making fun of me for raiding his closet!

Shirt & pants: Courtesy of Damian's closet

Wrap as belt: Courtesy of Damian's mom, Vivian

Shoes: Bitten

A backlog of work outfits.

2010-07-10T13:20:00.006-04:00

So. Working in an office can be really frustrating outfit-wise. Specially in PR, where year-round there is a remarkable difference between the temperature inside and outside the office. The outside weather does go down to a cool (and wet and windy) 70-80 during our "winter", but that's usually in the morning. By 10 AM, we're right back up to the 90-100+ mark. Therefore, I have to dress in a way that allows me to walk from the parking lot to the building without melting, but enables me to survive a day in the office with people who love a freezing AC.

Usually, my go-to choice is layers. I love layers! Vests, cardigans, blazers; they all hold a very special place in my heart. I also have a penchant for skirts and dresses. I very well have over a hundred dresses in my closet. Yes, I know. That's a lot. Please stop cringing now.

So here's a survey of work outfits or at least, attempts to survive the tropical weather.

Shirt: Old Navy

Belt: Urban Outfitters

Skirt: BCBG or To the Max...same parent company, though.

Shoes: Marshalls

Shirt: Old Navy

Vest: Thrifted

Necklace: Made by moi

Pants: Old Navy

Shoes: Target

Shirt: Gap, thrifted

Vest: Target

Pants: Kmart

Shoes: Thrifted

Ring: Made by moi.

Hat: Kmart

Blazer you are stalked by: Thrifted

Shirt: F21 or Old Navy

Skirt: Super old! 5-7-9.

Shoes: La Defensa (local PR store)

The tooth and nothing but the tooth.

2010-06-28T19:16:00.002-04:00

Oh, I couldn't resist.

I meant to post more last week, but as usual, work keeps getting in the way. Hm. I support the "work to live, not live to work" philosophy, so I should check myself. Second, I had a tooth pulled out. This happened on Friday. It was long overdue thanks to a rotten root canal job that went bust and a horrible dentist who ended up breaking my tooth. Ugh.

So since then, I've been mostly on liquids. Everytime I try to eat a solid, something goes wrong. I either stab the open gash or bite the cheek injury produced by the tooth removal. I ate two slices of pizza last night and they took me an hour each to eat. Pathetic.

I had a slew of posts planned, but, unfortunately, in my rush to leave early I forgot my charger. So my laptop is an awesome paperweight right now. Or doggie pedestal, as Genghis seems to see it.

Regular posting will be up soon...hopefully. Sheesh, it's so embarassing, how many times I've had to say that lately!

Coral Monday and Blue Tuesday.

2010-06-24T12:38:00.000-04:00

In an attempt to battle the disastrous weather (rain everyday! wind up the wazoo!), I'm wearing some of the cheeriest and brightest clothing I've got in my closet. Stupidly enough, I'm wearing sandals because I don't want to wear boots in the sticky heat. I hate wetting my feet, but if I'm wearing sandals, at least I can dry them off. I can't really dry boots or socks in the office...

Dress: Ann Taylor Loft via flea market

Sandals: Sears

Cuteness: Genghis

Earrings: Marshalls

Vest: Urban Outfitters

Shirt: Gap

Dress: Old Navy

Shoes: Aldo

I'm doing my best to not gripe about the weather, but this is ridiculous. The sky seems to have cleared up a bit so at least I can walk Genghis today. He was quite miserable about not being walked yesterday.

Rainy day.

2010-06-22T10:11:00.000-04:00

Another day, another backlogged photo! This one was from about two weekends ago, when we had that series of horrible storms. This weekend wasn't as bad as that one: Damian and I were almost unable to leave my neighborhood due to an overflowing creek.

One of the things I hate, absolutely abhor, is having my feet wet. I hate it when it rains and my feet and shoes get wet. The sensation, the sounds your feet and shoes make...yech. So I made sure that wasn't going to happen that day!

The blazer and pins you probably already see in your dreams, sorry: SA and made by moi

Shirt: Forever 21

Skirt & boots: Gap

Squeaky expression: Genghis and Damian

Also, happy 350th post! I kind of suck...over three years on Blogger (I used to have a blog on Pitas. Wow, remember Pitas? Yeah...) and only 350 posts! I've got to step it up!

Don't want colors...

2010-06-21T12:33:00.000-04:00

I love black. For years, all I had was black in my closet. Sure, I was forced into other colors, but black was always my comfort. Not because I was depressed or trying to hide anything. I just liked it's simplicity and elegance. And the fact that you could engage in intricate layering, texture, and design because you have a simple palette. No matching anything!

Of course, now I'm all for prints and crazy colors. My basics are bright and loud. What can I say? I hate to get lost in a crowd. I've got to be me 'till the end, even if that, sadly, dooms me. Anyway, some time ago I was feeling the all-black thing again. It was gnawing at the back of my head. The black in my closet was screaming to get out. My family would say it's the New Yorker DNA creeping out.

Blazer: 5-7-9

Dress: Converse for Target

Watch: Hermes Medor

Shoes: R.I.P. (Genghis ate them) Payless

Face: My parents and being absolute crap at mornings

I think the next pictures are quite silly. The first one was me being all grumpy and serious, I don't remember over what. The second was taken after checking out the first. I couldn't contain my laughter. It's probably all Genghis' fault, really. He has a gift of being a prat and then utterly adorable in the span of .05 seconds.

Shirt: A.N.A., JcPenney

Necklace: Made by moi

Skirt: Kenar, Marshalls

Watch: Hermes Medor

Purse: Chloe Front Pocket Satchel

Shoes: ???, Marshalls

When I wore my second outfit, my coworkers flipped and thought it was something I had sown. Ugh, I've got to show them what I've sown! They keep seeing me draft designs on random bits of paper and oohing and aahing over patterns online. Apparently, they have very high expectations of my skills after seeing my jewelry and beading. Gulp. Maybe if I just flash them a picture of puppy Genghis they will be distracted and let me run away?

Oh the pressure!

Back in black! And grey. And tribal.

2010-06-20T22:40:00.003-04:00

Hello sweeties! I'm back! Hopefully for good this time. I didn't mean to take a little hiatus, but unfortunately life and work got in the way. I busted my back (again; seriously, what is up?), got an infection and a cold. Things have gotten a bit hairy at work because, apparently, doing my job is a bad thing. But we won't get into that as this is a public forum and, really, this isn't the place for getting down!

I hope to have some things in the shop soon. For my sake as well, I miss it! I'm behind on outfit posts, but I will make that up too. I hope. :) To start you off, here are two outfits from this past week.

The first outfit was born out of pure "I don't care". I was tired, as you can tell from my face, and bloated from that very special gift that women receive. Sorry if that was too much information for you, gents. Also, since I am facing a near 20 pound weight gain, I am very self-conscious about my pooch.

And I'm not talking about Genghis.

Shirt: Forever 21

Vest: Urban Outfitters

Jeans: PacSun

Necklace: Made by moi

Boots: Urban Outfitters

The second outfit was worn this past Thursday. I needed something comfortable yet professional looking. I think have missed the mark with the legging part of this outfit, but it's been dreary and rainy this past week. Also, I needed something comfortable for the long drive home to the parents. I don't completely stand by the finished outfit, but I am happy I did it. I completely stand by the idea of trying out something new, even if the end product isn't great. At least I tried!

Blazer: Salvation Army

Pins: Made by moi

Necklace: Reworked vintage by moi

Dress: Rave

Leggings: Forever 21

Boots: Store in Madrid I can't recall

As you can see, my apartment has gotten an addition. Genghis has been a very naughty puppy as of late and action was needed. A family friend lent me their puppy training cage and it seems to be working out! Sure, he still has the occasional flip out, but all in all, he's much more respectful. And quiet. Less loco.

As for the pooch, I'm torn. Part of me is saying, just forget about it. But then when I look in the mirror and see my chub, I get upset. I guess it's not that noticeable and I may be giving myself a bloody nose by saying this, but I think I've managed to hide the weight gain well with appropriately tailored clothing! But a lot of my old clothes don't fit anymore and it's very upsetting that I can't engage in athletic activities as I did before. It's also affected my knee, so if I don't do it for my vanity, I sure as hell should do it for my health.

Well, that's all for now. I promise to be back soon with more goodies! Be they outfit posts or jewelry! :)

Stay tuned!

blogging will resume shortly.

2010-06-07T19:12:00.001-04:00

be back soon, lovelies. Work and health got in the way!

Outfit Backlog: Green? Supah green!

2010-05-30T10:50:00.000-04:00

Sorry, couldn't help it. The Fifth Element is still awesome to me. And Gary Oldman's character? Classic.

So while I may whine, at times, over Puerto Rico's constant unrelenting heat, there's another downside. Le temps est capricieux. One day, we will have sweltering 100º heat. The next day will be windy and cloudy, not to mention quite rainy. Such was the case of this last Thursday. And the rest of the weekend.

So since the weather was manifesting itself and the office's air conditioner is not too kind either, it was time to bust out the tights once more. I'm also wearing one of the...several cardigans I picked up at Old Navy's mega 50% off the clearance sale. Cardigans for $2.00! SOLD!

Outfit details:

Earrings: Marshalls

Top: PacSun

Cardigan: Old Navy

Necklace: Ovalop

Skirt: Rave

Tights: Rave

Boots: Nobello Booties from Nine West

Let me tell you a story about these boots. I fancied them. Hard. But they were way too expensive for me and my student budget. So waited patiently until a discount popped up. But by the time I waited, they were gone, gone, gone in my 10.5 size.

Sigh. Story of my life.

Fortunately, for some reason I decided to look for them on Amazon, and voila! They were there! Only one pair left in my size! I bought those babies faster than you can say "check please"! And now I adore them and am afraid to wear them out. I'm also afraid to wear them in front of Genghis, lest he bite the bloody hell out of them.