Tag: streetstyle

Kitchen Selfies

Two things to know about me are one, I do not own a full length mirror and two, I always take advantage of good lighting.

Having dinner plans with an old friend forced me out of my t-shirt and yoga pants I had been hanging out in all day due to the plague I finally kicked.  I’ve been on a pretty tight budget the last several months and couldn’t really afford to buy anything new.  I love to retire things from my wardrobe for a while in anticipation that they will breathe new life again one day.

I bought these pants a couple years ago. They are the most comfortable pants I have ever worn and can hide any food baby or bloated belly without making me feel constricted (perfect for grabbing dinner in). I thrifted this little cut off charmeuse top from Buffalo Exchange a handful of years ago. It was my virgin trip to the second hand boutique in Brooklyn and have been a frequent shopper ever since.

SO, I guess you could say I am not the type of person to give something a toss if I haven’t worn it in a year.  I grow attached to my clothes and think of them as little treasures that carry many backstories as to how they got into my possession. And in times of needing to feel fresh and new I know I have an archive I can head to first.

I love feeling comfortable and tend to go to layering my basics to add some detail to a pretty simple outfit.

Wearing BCBGeneration pants, top is thrifted from Buffalo Exchange

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Florida Part IV

 Our last day in Florida was honestly one of the most entertaining experiences I’ve ever had. All of us went on a 20 person charter to try our hand at deep sea fishing.  I was so hesitant at first because I was intimidated by going out onto the ocean.  I grew up on boats but only ever went to our local lakes.  Lately in my life, I’ve learned to embrace the thrill of doing things that frighten me a little.

We climbed onto the boat and cruised down the windy channels that brought us out to sea. The skies were heavy and grey, which is actually perfect for fishing. The crew gave us instructions whilst slicing up bait for the chum buckets.  It was shocking in the way that I really wasn’t prepared for what I saw. We each learned how to bait our hooks and drop our lines.  I jumped right in.

Boom. After minutes of having our lines dropped, swaying in the waves a few miles away from the shore we started catching fish! They were bright and colorful, not what I expected at all.  It was a whirlwind to see what we caught. The build up of feeling something grab at your line, then having to reel it in with all your might was exhilarating.

With plenty of help from each other and the crew, our group caught a total of 21 fish.  We released most of them back to the ocean due to size and species restrictions.  Megan caught a puffer fish, which is pretty rare to pull out of the water like that. The crew member sat down and let us take a closer look before releasing him back to the sea.

Tony was one of the crew members, he helped unhook our catch and measure to see if they met the specs.

We got to take home 5 of our fish after they prepped them for us.  We marinated and grilled them for dinner that night, and it was honestly so delicious and fresh. Even if we hadn’t caught anything, and our intention wasn’t to bring something home.  The experience of being out on the water, all of us laughing and squealing with excitement was worth it. I was sad our week was coming to a close, this time away from everything familiar to me helped me expand my mind and learn to love and accept the place i am in in my life.  I could have shared so much more, and I’m sure I will as time goes on, but I hold onto all of the new memories I created, whether or not a camera was present.

Escape to Yaddo

Never take for granted the places just beyond your backyard. The gardens at Yaddo have become one of my favorite places to visit when I need to have a date with my mind or some peace from everyday stressors. Originally a home to the Trask family, they decided to dedicate the property to artists and creative minds.  Although the public is allowed to visit the gardens, admission to the mansion and residency is only open to artists, writers, photographers, composers and choreographers who must go through an application process.

A home for the mind to simply be itself; free and open to all possibilities outside of the realms we are taught.  A place so close to me dedicated to art and beauty that I have the privilege of visiting and riding its energetic wave will not be taken for granted. And although I may complain about being here in Upstate New York, I always remind myself of the many redeeming qualities that are just beyond my door.

Wearing Free People dress and Modern Vice boots

I encourage anyone who loves the outdoors, the arts, and travel to visit their website to learn more about Yaddo’s history and its artists here.

The New New

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Wearing DKNY hoodie | Cavin Klein leggings | Target sneakers

Have you ever seen something and you’re immediately like “I need this.” It happens to me all the time. I know I’m not the only one, however.  When I see certain things especially clothes and shoes, I have instantaneous visions of how I would wear them.  Each piece of my outfit happened that way. I was working as a stylist for the hoidays and stumbled upon this DKNY hoodie. It was the last one, my size and very affordable so I grabbed it. I needed it. A day or two later I had a customer who was inquiring about these Calvin Klein leggings. They ended up not fitting into her holiday shopping budget but I knew the moment I saw them they would be A-Mazing with my new hoodie.

Some weeks later after the holidays came to a close I saw these sneakers at Target…yes Target…and just had to have them. I was in love.  My girlfriend loved them too and helped persuade me into buying them (not that I needed much persuading honestly). But in my mind I had created this ensemble already and couldn’t wait to bring it to life. My brain works like a virtual closet. I know they make apps for this now but I create and store images in my mind of every peice of clothing in my wardrobe and all of my accessories.

 

 

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I wanted to get something on the blog for the new year.  I’ve become more comfortable with myself physically as I get older.  I’m going out more without makeup and loving my skin and my face for what it is.  This is a tough environment to learn how to love yourself in and I watch everyone around me go through the same thing. But if we create the love and acceptance within ourselves first we can help those around us feel more comfortable.

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I hope 2018 brings a lot of new experiences and lessons.  I know I’m making changes every day. On a side note, this will be my last post for a while as I recover from shoulder sugery. I will be reading all my favorite blogs and dreaming of amazing outfits.

 

Something New

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Wearing Free People sweater under BCBGeneration dress with Frye boots

As things change in my life whether they are unexpected or even possibly for the better, it is always a shocking reminder that life is not necessarily in my control.  Having moved back to my dreamy little farm in upstate New York, I do miss the livelihood of the city and the ever changing faces around me. Learning how to embrace change still presents a challenge to me.  I love it don’t get me wrong, I crave it honestly but I still struggle because although I may see into what is changing, I can never truly predict the future.

Since I love change so much I thought I needed a drastic change and got my hair cut.  I used to have bangs when I was a pre-teen and hated them.  Now, at 26 I love myself a lot more and embrace how my body, face and hair have changed over the years. I feel like a new person and I can still kind of see that little girl deep inside learning to love herself too.

Winter here has been so mild it doesn’t actually feel like winter.  Today marks the ten year anniversary of when I brought my horse, Hunter, home.  I remember how snowy and icy it was then and now I’m wearing a thick sweater and tights, barely feeling the elements. I’m not complaining but I do hope it snows before the holidays.

Red Walls and Warm Temps

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Wearing Vintage Levis jacket | Truly Madly Deeply top | BCBG skirt | Steve Madden mules 

The weather has been unseasonably warm here in upstate New York. Usually around this time of year I’m wearing the a coat, so to be bare-legged and feel comfortably warm is beyond ordinary.  Keeping a light denim jacket by my side is perfect for when the sun goes down and the temperatures begin to drop again. I snagged this Levi’s jacket in New York City at a flea market. I just could not pass it up; I tend to find the best things when I’m not really looking.

For now, I’m happy to soak up the sun and swim in the colors of fall on this sunny Sunday afternoon.

On the Pier

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Top: BCBG | Jeans: Zara | Shoes: Steve Madden

The Boat Basin in New York City has become my go-to spot.  My girlfriend and I had discovered it while riding on the bike path that hugs the Hudson River. We actually rode by it about a dozen times before we finally decided we needed to check it out, and ever since then we have shared it with our friends and family and drank several pitchers of pina coladas in between.

September in New York is just an extension of summer.  I scored these jeans at Zara for $19.99 during their semi annual sale weeks ago and wear them with everything.  They’re high-waisted, mom-ish and torn in all the right places.  I’ve also worn these shoes seen in a previous post, “When it’s too Cold, Drink Coffee” so much I want to clone them. They are my all time favorite shoe, velvet, pink and somewhat masculine. I’m all about wearing something I love over and over again. The same piece can breathe new light when it’s styled with something different. I get a boost of new energy when two not-so-new pieces of my wardrobe create a look I haven’t worn before. It’s just as good as buying something new, even better actually, because I’m not breaking the bank.

Thoughts into Words

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Wearing Guess Denim | Zara Boots | Zara Top | Jacket gifted

Remember what it was to be young and hopeful. Always try to hone that feeling in. In the last few years so much has changed in my adult life. I continue to struggle with what it is exactly I want to do or be as an adult, because my unconventional self cannot fit into the molds provided for me. I see myself surrounded by love and light in my present and my future so how do I live day to day with the struggles of my reality without clouding this beautiful perception? The amount of debt, hours worked and countless odds and ends to fix, address and complete stack up against me. I try to peer through the mist, the vines entangling my imagination of the best life possible for me and the people I love. I get small windows of clarity that keep me going, that remind me and help me recognize and re familiarize the truth within. The truth in this life is to remain compassionate to all, embrace what is life and not the things in it.

Athleisure

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Top: Target | Leggings: Express

I love this city. I can feel buzzing energy all around me. Sometimes it makes me feel giddy like I could skip down the street as if I were ten years old again. It’s the kind of energy that sparks my imagination, a muscle not exercised enough by my day to day routine and I miss that portal of my mind. I’m back to work this week and relentlessly trying to figure out a way to balance the things I would like to do with the things I have to do, due to my responsibilities. Going for a walk, even if it’s the short distance between my apartment and the downtown train, brings an open field to my brain and a wider vision to my eyes where I start to think and see and imagine what’s ahead, what’s next and what’s right in front of me. You can walk down the same street every day and see something you haven’t before weather it’s your imagination or architecture you hadn’t recognized before.

On the final day of my staycation I went for a walk in Central Park starting at the very north end. I honestly wanted to make it relatively short just to get some fresh air but was inspired by the landscape and my feet kept going. With the momentum of my body syncing into a rhythm I couldn’t break, I began to think about how amazing this city is, how vast and beautiful it can be. Reminding me that many opportunities are ahead of me because I’ve already come this far.

I was gifted these leggings for Christmas, the whole mesh trend was something I needed to hop onto. When I’m not having to get dressed up I immediately go for something athleisure, I think it’s the equestrian in me because I would live in breeches and athletic tops all year round upstate. It’s comfortable and luckily this look is pretty common so for me to leave the house without actually having to go to a gym is highly acceptable.

Illuminated

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Top: first layer BCBG second layer Forever21 | Jeans: Guess | Shoes: Zara

One of my favorite trends right now is layering. I can remember being a kid in the 90’s and my mom buying pre-stitched layered tops and loving them.  Now as an adult I am reimagining some pieces in my wardrobe. I love anything flowy and romantic, so just when I thought I couldn’t wear these summer tops for another few months I suddenly saw them together. Paired with my new favorite guess jeans and these Zara flats I felt like the inner child in me was dancing with delight.

There is something incredibly romantic about the city at night from a view like the Brooklyn Brigde. It’s been a challenge for me to capture its radiance on camera because it just doesn’t do justice to what the human eye can see. It illuminates my mind, stimulates my thoughts and creativity and helps me to believe I can accomplish something, that must be what draws people here like moths to a flame. We are moths to a dream.