Dare to... oh just dare.

This past summer, each time I exited my Lincoln Center apartment, something new would incite, ignite and inspire me to write, dress and dream. I like to think of this fall as a buffer for what's to come. I'll be in Europe in 105 days. Is that too far away to start a countdown? As I tirelessly stalk Tumblr, Pinterest and hundreds of blogs, I don't think I can last much longer without seeing something new and exciting every time I walk out the door. However, I must admit I'm being a little lazy. Where I am is full of new and exciting things. These things are just hiding a little better here than they are in New York or Spain. Maybe that's a test. If you can let the little things excite you that normally bore you, then I must say, 'you've got it.'

Homer is that you?

Well, I guess women's street style is now completely inspired by nintendo-playing, beanie wearing, skateboardin' little boys. *Cough cough, Cara Delevingne.*

The Sartorialist knows

So I might have stolen this little tid bit, but I must say, the grey suit and brown tie is a winner.

Oh, so these things exist?

Empty Frames

Sometimes, life can seem like an empty frame. There's a beautiful surrounding, a stable stand ensuring it sits upright, a shiny glass cover, but there's nothing inside. This thought came to me when I saw one of the most beautiful frames sitting in a Gainesville apartment adorning nothing but a blank cardboard sheet. It erked me, for lack of a better word. I kept glancing back to the sad, lonely, empty frame as I tried to watch a movie with my friends. Of all things to be empty, why must something purely created to show something else off be so naked and vulnerable? As the old adage states, "money can't buy happiness." Truthfully and admittedly, I don't necessarily agree. However, I do believe someone can have "everything" without actually having anything. Even the luckiest people can have heads full of silent battles that eat them up inside. From the outside, they wear the prettiest, most expensive frame in the store. But there's no picture inside to be shown off. It's rendered useless. Its only purpose in life is unfulfilled. As I sat there, staring at that empty frame, I decided I would try to fill my frame. Try to fill yours.

Luam

”When you have a passion, there is no choice but to follow it, fight for it. Make it your life’s work...because when you love what you do, you live in your destiny.”

Tick tock

I think we should all (myself very much included) learn to moderate our need to immediately reply to everything that we are sent. Of course duty calls, especially with work or filial matters, but sometimes it's important to not get back to each other right away. Because of cell phones and the internet's incredible speed of communication, we've become extremely pressured to answer our inboxes of sorts right away. This message that John Hurt is delivering is not to seem pompous, unreachable or too above getting back to people in a timely matter. It's giving himself a little cushion of delayed response. I know that when my mom or dad calls and I don't answer for a few hours, they worry. What do you think happened 15 years ago? You couldn't just call a person and see where they were or what they were doing at that very on-the-go moment. Everything waited. Everyone waited. Let's wait.

A Fashion Gambit

Prada's 2012 Campaign Film. A fantastical game of chess.

Trends I Dig: For Him

Graphic tee peeping out of button-down sweater

Printed puffy coat

White & Navy

"Check those" sneakers

Beanies & Scarves

Printed flat brims

Wayfarers & Layers

Military badass

Skater chic

Navy & Rose Gold hardware

Trends I Dig: For Her

Peplum maxi skirt

 Oversize sweater, skinny jeans & rucksack

Backlaces (that's the name I'm giving to the new fad of reverse necklaces)

Neutral tone cape

Tailored crop top with high waisted, wide-legged short

Floral pants with sandals

POWER.

Leggy

Chi-Lai Yuen presents her new collection of shoes at London College of Fashion.

A text about Fuerza Bruta

"Fuerza bruta means brute strength in Spanish, so in my mind, the main character was overcoming all the adversities in life symbolized by being physically worn out when really the problems were most likely within work/relationships/less tangible things, etc. Then when it came to having fun, he was equally as tortured internally but could enjoy himself so fiercely as most messed up people often do. At least that's what I got from it. Cool thing about avant garde art is that you can interpret it however you like."

"No idea what the all-girl faceplant pool party was all about."

Ha ha ha.

Black Sheep

Yesterday afternoon I had the privilege of meeting with the CEO of BBH Advertising Agency. Not only did I get a grand tour of the gorgeous, innovative, creative space that is BBH's New York office, but I also got to see some of their work and hear their story. It all started when BBH received its first job: Levi's black denim campaign in the 80s. Up until this point, all denim was blue jean. What a shocker, right? Now there's denim every color from coral to sea-foam green to sequined covered fabric. Regardless, BBH launched its ad for Levi's as a hundred white sheep facing left with a black sheep in the right-middle of the huddle facing right. The tag line was "When life zigs, zag."

The reason I write about this is because I feel as if I am one of the black sheep in my crowd. It's not to summarize BBH's back story or to prove my defiance, but it's simply to apply this mind set to making things happen for myself and other people like me. The black sheep isn't symbolizing a rebel or an outcast, it's simply about being different and thus, standing out.

This was my first blog post from Blogger's iPhone app. Perfect for me considering my mind never sleeps. Be the black sheep. Because that's the only sheep's face I remember.

Peculiar portraits

Courtesy of "FFFound!"

Mobile Disposables

There have been times (more than I'd like to admit to) when I am completely embarassed for my demographic. Early 20s, female, social-media fiends meeting at a college bar with many other nightowls all ready to have a good time. "Would you take a photo of us?" says a girl who perfectly fits my previous description. All the girls line up, hands on hips, backs arched, tummies in, smiling wide, flip the hair and widen the eyes. OK, cool. Who wouldn't want to look prepared for a photo that will no doubt infiltrate Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and maybe even Tumblr before you've finished a single beer? Everyone wants to be portrayed as best as possible. That's not what bothers me. What bothers me is when girls live completely through an iPhone camera lens and a button that reads 'upload'. The past few times I've been out with friends and friends-of-friends, it's been a full-blown, posed photoshoot in the middle of the venue. Forced laughs at a sideways glance, choreographed dance poses which hardly appear natural and sloppy faces at temporary acquaintances were all that I could take away from this observation. It made me want to take a couple steps away and disassociate from the crowd. I wasn't five steps out of the circle before I heard a loud "pathetic, isn't it?" attempting to be heard over the thumping music. An older woman trying to enjoy the night appeared blinded by the multiple flashes going off by her side. "I think these kids are forgetting to enjoy where they are, instead, they want everyone on their Facebooks to see 'what a great time they're having'," she said with a roll of the eyes. I just blinked back and couldn't have agreed more. I'm the first one to encourage capturing a moment or snapping a candid shot, but candid shots aren't even candid shots anymore. The second that camera positions itself steady in the air, everyone's body language completely shifts. I can't say I'm innocent of never readjusting an outfit or calling to take the photo on my good side, but I'm aware to take a couple photos and put the camera away. I believe life is for living, not reviewing.

Dolce and Gabbana

As per The Sartorialist's perfect photos and observations, I noticed how real and normal these male models look for Dolce & Gabbana's Men Spring/Summer 2013 Runway show. So much more effective than seeing the same perfect male model strutting down the catwalk. Don't you think?

Collars and Tops

Yes, those are parachutes.