An Ordinary Girl's World: Fashion, Love, Life

Wednesday, 16 September 2009

Cotton Shock: My First American Fashion Experience

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Well for all those who didn't know,I recently relocated to the United States from Switzerland in order to attend my new university, Boston University in Massachussetts. I love it and Boston très bien, and have delved whole-heartedly and open-mindedlyinto making the best of this experience. That being said, there are some very intriguing things that I have noticed since I got here and I feel that it is my duty to share them with you, over the next couple of weeks, starting with the story of my first American fashion experience, that I have so rightly called cotton shock and you shall soon see why.

It has been about 8 years since I last lived in or visited the United States and fashion-wise, not much has changed really, from what I can remember of it. For some reason, despite all the hype around European fashion here, I never really believed that there was a great difference between American and European fashion and thought that my predominantly Swiss wardrobe would fit in fine. But, strange things kept happening whenever I walked out of my room each morning. Some days, it would just be a random stranger (male or female) complimenting my outfit. But there were some other more interesting occurences.

For example, on one cold and blustery, rainy day as I returned to my dormitory, this random guy started talking to me about how he was in the army and was going back in two days on an assignment, and how he was almost run over by a car. Then he asked me where I was from, and told me I was very beautiful and very well dressed. I was quite stunned, but recovered quickly and thanked him. He explained that he wasn't trying to pick me up but that he was curious about my origin because I did not look American. Several other similar events where I had been mistaken for Haitian, or Carribean, had happened and when I went for dinner that night with my (American) roommate and her friend, I asked her why I was so obviously not from around here. She then explained that partially it was my personal style, which I agree is quite out there, but that it was mostly because most of my clothes are not a 100% cotton. Apparently, most American clothes are made solely out of cotton and so therefore have the same general look. But I stuck out because most of my clothes where not cotton, and quite a few of them had bold floral or funky prints on the fabric.

This intrigued me greatly and led me to ponder this question: Would I americanize my wardrobe in order to fit in or would I rather continue to flaunt my personal style and hunt down pieces that fit in with it, despite the attention it gets me? Basically, would I rather blend in or stand out? I wouldn't be me if I didn't choose the latter. I have to remain true to myself. I'm different and proud of it! And I hope you all have the courage to remain true to yourselves too dearest devotees. Because being you makes you happy.

Bottom Picture from: kellymallory; top picture from: justingaynor

Love you all and Stay inspired,

P.S. So let me know what you think. Have you ever faced a situation in which you have to make an effort to remain who you are despite the fact it makes you stand out? Do you have a distinct personal style that truly represents you and that you wouldn't let go of no matter what? And have you experienced culture shock, style wise or not ? Feel free to let me know in the comments below and please follow this blog if you liked this post.

Labels: fashion, life |

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Wednesday, 9 September 2009

My Beloved Devotees: Letter of Sincerest Apologies

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Dearest Devotees,

I am soo sorry about going AWOL on you. I sincerely hope you forgive me. Basically, I was really ill for quite awhile and then I had to go through the whole terrible process of relocationg and transfering ( I do NOT advise anyone to take up the whole transferring later route. It can be immensely difficult.) and finally settling down in school. I missed you all Every Single Day, and I promise this will never happen again. Now, that I'm back, I fully intend on posting at least twice every week (finals included) and hope that you will help me spread the word that AOGW is back in bloom. Stay tuned for what comes up next, and I promise not to disappoint.

Love you all and Stay inspired,

P.S. If you have any topics you would like us to debate on AOGW, please email me @ aury4eva@gmail .com

Labels: life |

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Saturday, 15 August 2009

Seeking Inspiration: We Won't be Seventeen Forever...

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Picture from: Mark Brannan

Dearest Devotees,
This week has been terribly hard on the inspiration front. What with the constant hassles of the back-to-school period and the general drudgery of everyday existence, I have been hard pressed to find anything worthy enough to pass on to you. Thankfully though, I was hit by an inspiration star while going through the files of my computer and listening to the general hubbub of music in my home. As I looked through my collection of digital pictures, I found the file containing my all my pictures from my first digital photography course. My final album for the class was based on theme of solitude and just looking at these pictures transported me back to the time and places I took them. I was seventeen and feeling very overwhelmed and overstressed at the time, and when I was out these places I totally felt the stress melting away and the creative juices begin to flow. Good thing too, because I had several papers to write at the time. Anyway, I thought I would share some of them with you today.

I honestly took all these pictures and the last one shocked me the most. An empty train station in the middle of the day?

Sometimes I feel like that swan.

Sometimes, in order for creativity to flow all you need is a bit of an escape.

Now, when I stumbled on these pictures, I heard the song Seventeen Forever by Metrostation and it just made me realise the importance of making the most of everyday. Even if you fill blocked, just try to work through it if you have to, or move on to something that might motivate you. In fact, I once read somewhere that there's no such thing as Writer's Block, and that it is simply a state of mind that people can will themselves out of. All you have to do is make an effort everyday.

So, here are a few of my favourite links of the week:

♥Walking Around The World- More Magic Always

Whether you've been on vacation somewhere exotic (lucky!) or have been vacationing in your own neighbourhood, this article helps you to imagine being somewhere new just by taking in a pair of new shoes.

♥Polyvore.com

A great source for fashion, interior decor and artistic inspiration.

♥Back to School Shopping: 3 Cute Fall Dresses & How to Wear Them- College Fashion
More fashion inspiration.

And finally, it's Charade Blog Anniversary and Megan is celebrate with a free giveaway.

Love you all and Stay inspired,

P.S. Hope you enjoy the links and feel free to let me know what you think of everything in the comments below. Have a great week!

Labels: life, seeking inspiration |

8 comments

Thursday, 13 August 2009

How to Budget Shop: The Rules

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Ah, the ever-present problem of the newly independent: how to make the money you got, stretch to cover the stuff you want. Ever since the first time we gain any kind of financial independence, be it a weekly allowance as a kid or a starting salary as a recent graduate, we are faced with the dilemma of finding out how to spend what we have to get what we need (and some of what we want). Whether you fancy yourself a bohemian babe that doesn't need much or an easy going guy with a laid back attitude to life, you really need to know where your finances go. And unless you discover the fabled "money tree" this will always be an issue. So why not learn to manage your money? Dearest devotees, I promise it won't hurt.

To me, budget shopping has more to do with approaching it with a goal in sight and a well thought out plan, rather than seeking out the latest bargain. And while this series will touch on bargain hunting and thrift store shopping, I believe the best way to shop wisely is to shop thoughtfully and consciously. Also, even though this series will mostly deal with clothes and accessories shopping, some of the rules can be applied to all types of shopping. After all, if you actually know that buying that $300 bag is going to leave you struggling to meet ends meet for the next couple of weeks, it'll be a whole lot easier to let it go. So, here are a couple of basic rules that I see as the foundations of successful budget shopping:

♥ Make and actually use a comprehensive shopping list: It doesn't have to be written down on a little piece of paper or anywhere really if all you need is to get a few groceries (and if you know that you will be resist that lovely D&G bag in the window). Better yet have a running one on organising programmes like Evernote and OneNote. I will explain this more later on in the series, too.

♥ Know how much you have available: In order to avoid those high stress days at the end of the month spent wondering where in the world all your funds went to, you need to note all your sources of income, their amounts and all of your expenses, too. Then you can actually know how much you can afford to spend without going overboard.

♥ Always calculate cost-per-wear: This becomes hugely important when you start buying designer labels. Determine the worth of a particular item by dividing its price by the approximate number of times you'll use it, or how frequently you will use it. Also, avoid buying stuff just because its cheap. Chances are it won't last long and it still won't be worth the price tag anyway.

♥ Spend money on investment pieces and classics: When shopping the trends of the season, the first thing you should do is look for pieces that have the least of the "trend" factor i.e. it suits you and your personal style fabulously, is in a colour that you love and that works with most of your wardrobe, and is of good quality. Examples: dark wash jeans of the latest cut, clothes in neutral colours or your favorite colour, etc.

♥ Shop your closet: Know what you have and make it work. When shopping look to fill the gaps in your wardrobe. Try to avoid buying multiple copies of outfits. It may sound obvious but chances are if you liked it enough to buy it in the first place, you may actually buy it or something similar to it again.

♥Remake and Recreate: Simple things like changing the buttons of an old coat and adding accessories like a corsage to an old top can breathe new life into your wardrobe. DIY is all the rage right now, and if you can't bear to part with your stuff, why not hit the thrift and vintage stores. You could find your next signature piece there.

These are the rules that I feel are the basics of good shopping skills. In the next part of this series I will go more into detail on the concept of investment pieces, basics and classics. If you want to follow this series and be informed of the next post, subscribe via Google or FeedBurner or sign up to receive email updates.

Love you all and Stay inspired,

P.S. So let me know what you think. What are some of the things you keep in mind when you are stripped for cash? How do you stay out of the red? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.

(Pictures from: Daniel Y. Go and Skulled )

Labels: fashion, how to, life |

5 comments

Monday, 10 August 2009

How to Rock: Over-the-knee Boots

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Pictures from: cout u resnob and chic chocolate

From the streets of New York to the runways of Milan, over-the-knee or thigh-high boots have been everywhere lately and are one of this seasons hottest accessories. Ever since they came out on the Spring/Summer 2009 runways they have been seen on everyone from Blake Lively to Sienna Miller. On the F/W 2009 runways, this trend held its own among the power shoulders and leather gear of the 80s revolution and now its going to be in all the major high street stores this fall.
Personally,I think thigh-high and knee-high boots have always oozed sex appeal. They've never really been girl-next-door kinda shoes and have practically always been associated with the more "exotic" industry (ahem).When worn right they can add inches to your height making anyone look like as leggy as a gazelle. But when worn wrong they can make you appear to have shrunk (not a good look on most). This style of boots were my first

fashion love and it fills me with nostalgia just looking at them. Over the years, I've gone from ankle-length to knee-highs, calf-length and back. I know that one shouldn't allow the winds of fashion to influence your personal style, but this season's boots are so hot, its highly unlikely I'll pass up on this trend.

Now, how to rock these Fabulous shoes?

Like most accessories, these shoes can be highly versatile, you just have to know when enough is enough. Here are some tips to keep in mind when getting ready to flaunt your new boots:

With skirts: This is when the boot-to-leg proportion thing becomes very important. If you're wearing these boots with a skirt, it's best to wear the boots with matching tights so as not to
break your silhouette. Otherwise, use a long cardigan or boyfriend blazer without a belt to ensure that your legs are the focus of the outfit.

With tunics and dresses : Go all out Rocker Chic like Vanessa by teaming a dark studded or glitzy dress to stay on trend. Or you can go the other way and rock thigh-high boots with cute tunics and flirty dresses to channel your inner Bohemian. Its the perfect way to transition smoothly into fall.

With skinny jeans : This is practically my favorite look of the season! Just throw on one of the extra-hot-right-now plaid shirts or draped tops with bleached grey skinny jeans tucked into black thigh-high boots for a look that is totally fashion-forward. Or simply follow the lead of Blake Lively and tuck your favorite pair of skinnies into a complementary pair of thigh-highs to look catwalk ready.

Warnings and Words of Wisdom:

Be wary of stilettos to avoid veering into hooker territory.
If you are curvier pull-on boots and stretch skinnies might be enough to convince you to try out the last look.
Let a common base or colour pull the whole outfit together.
Work with textures instead of contrasting colours in order to create a flow.

These were just a few of my ideas on how to rock these boots. I hope I've inspired you to experiment with them and give them a shot if you haven't bought them or to actually wear them if you have.

Love you all and Stay inspired,

P.S So tell me what you think. Is this a trend you are willing to try? If so, what are your favorite ways of rocking it? And do you think it's an "investment piece"? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.

(last two pics from: flickr)

Labels: fashion, how to, How to Rock, trends |

2 comments