We Found Wonderland

You’ll learn, as you get older, that rules are made to be broken. Be bold enough to live life on your terms, and never, ever apologize for it. Go against the grain, refuse to conform, take the road less traveled instead of the well-beaten path. Laugh in the face of adversity, and leap before you look. Dance as though EVERYBODY is watching. March to the beat of your own drum. And stubbornly refuse to fit in.

It's been a good 11 days since my last blog and I apologize for the lack of updates. The thing is- I wanted to make my blogs for this year extra special and amazing so I knew I had to actually make time for every outfit post. Until three days ago, I was actually quite distracted by other things (one of them, being video answers on Ask.fm which I found so much fun) and while my social media presence was actually quite very strong, unfortunately my blogging had to take a backseat. However, now that I am back, expect me to be back in full force... with guns blazing... I am excited to share with you my outfit and my thoughts for the year to come... so let's get started with this post...

Swing Out Sister

It's been a week long absence from posting because 1.)  schedule has been off the hook and 2.) there was no internet at home, my mom managed to survive through my ordeal by getting my postpaid tattoo and I consumed too much data and as per the Fair Usage Policy, I was using up too much bandwidth that my internet had to be slower to give a chance to others. For the Internet thing- I have to say that Dominique's cute but menacing cat, Kenzo was to blame as he chewed off the wire which took forever to fix and restore. Now as much as I love blogging, you see, I love living beings more so I spared Kenzo the rage blackout (not that he would understand why I was mad) and decided to just be. I was way too busy with work anyway and in my down time, I was actually able to do other things that I probably would unot have been able to had there been Internet as I would probably be too busy glued to the computer screen and browsing through sites and meandering. I thought I would not have survived all those days but it was actually refreshing as I got to read books, goof up with people (well, that I do with or without Internet so it doesn't really count actually) and of course actually bond and get to talk to people without having to multitask. I have a really difficult time compartmentalizing which is a debilitating side effect of my OCD so now that I had all the time not using the Internet, I got to concentrate on other things. A lot of freak accidents have happened the past days that I had to check if Mercury was in retrograde but apparently, it wasn't and there are just times that bad things happen all at the same time. The difference between letting it get to you or not depends solely on how you react to the things happening to you and rather than sulk, scowl and complain endlessly, I decided to go the road less traveled and used the time to be productive and it was good. I used the time to get to think up ideas and things (the one where I decided to have a cotton candy and popcorn in my booth in BU8 being one of them...but let's save that for another blog post!). It was all about your reaction to things that dictate how it will affect you and I am happy with how I was able to turn a dire situation into something positive. My, my. Is it just me or have I seriously changed so much? I like how I am responding to things in such a zen-like manner so let all the good juju flow. I need that a lot this December!

'Cause Darling I'm a Nightmare Dressed Like A Daydream

Okay, so I don't quite know how accurate this title is but granted that I am self-deprecating, I wanted to post this as it was one of my favorite lyrics to that new very self-deprecating Taylor Swift song, Blank Space, which is what almost everyone is talking about... along with THAT photo that broke the internet that just had this weird effect on me because I felt like there was too much oil involved. Okay, not to veer off from topic, I always liked Taylor Swift as an artist and love her songs (even her unreleased ones) but before, as a person... not so much. I always felt there was something she was hiding with her squeaky clean image and since I am one of those people who love to admit my faults before anyone else could point them out, I felt like she was hiding something. With her new look, sound and image with her 1989 album though, I've begun to see a more human side to her and I liked it that she went over and beyond that and exaggerated how she is portrayed and showed off her flaws in such a self-deprecating way that made me really really like her. I think as humans, we are all flawed. But it is up to how we accept them, react to them and use them (sometimes to our advantage) that matters. So right now that she is showing a more fun and "hey, I'm also human" side... I like her as a person too. I have to admit  I haven't quite given myself enough time to recover after the fuss of last week since the minute I was released from the hospital, I found my schedule full of appearances and commitments that I have signed off to even before I got sick. Granted that these commitments involve an advocacy that is very important to me, I couldn't live with myself if I were to just cancel last minute so after I checked out from being admitted... I found myself planning my wardrobe for the days to come which involved me in very demure, dainty and classic pieces since these engagements I booked all involved education, which as you know is a very important cause to me and something that I will fight for no matter what. I decided to postpone the time needed to recuperate so I may attend to these functions because I am professional and I will go above what is expected especially if it involves this particular cause. I'm human, I am flawed but here I am trying my best to represent... and in this ensemble, it would be hard to go wrong with the entire representation thing as it was in every way elegant. This is my usual outfit for daily life as I want to represent myself in a very put-together and classic way especially as I represent one of the most rapidly growing scholarship and educational foundations as I am its Executive Director. As I am an advocate of situational dressing, I try to be respectful of the environment I am in and the cause I am representing and that involves dressing up in a manner that is graceful, dignified and refined. 

Sweet Fantasy

I was fortunate enough to have been able to watch the Mariah Carey concert a week or so back and I was immensely happy that I didn't skip it as I was highly entertained and it was, of course, such a privilege to have been able to watch her belt out to her songs live. She truly was an extraordinary and talented performer and her voice range is simply out of this world. I spent the night watching it with my mom, dad and my FOSSIL Dominique and we were all so busy dancing and singing to the songs and of course taking over a thousand photos and videos so we can relive the moment over and over again. Since we were able to score seats in the best location of the arena, I decided I wanted to style it up a bit and veer away from my usual concert wear of graphic top, skinny jeans and heeled boots and instead wear a classic and clean crisp button down shirt with a black tulle maxi skirt. I was channeling Carolina Herrera, subconsciously, I think and that was not at all a bad thing since I think she is grace, elegance and class personified when it comes to personal style. I always have been a fan of how she is able to make the classic white shirt EVERYTHING and how she can simply style it up for different occasions- with my favorite look being for when she styles it with a skirt and beautiful accessories like in this photo here. I do hope I was able to give justice to my style inspiration with this ensemble.

First Things First

First things first, after the three post hiatus of costumes and rocker chic outfits, here I am back in my corporate attire also known as my uniform and I am incorporating my two favorite colors: powder blue and powder pink. The colors I have been wearing have mostly been muted (nothing to glaring or bright) as I feel I am at that point in my life where I am calm, serene and prefer not much noise and theatrics. I wore this on a Hmmph-day Wednesday where I also had a great (yet very long) lunch over at Wild Flour which was always fulfilling. Everyone always inquires what my favorite cuisine is and my automatic answer is: Comfort Food as I have decided that deserves it own food subgroup. Actually, I rarely do lunch out on weekdays and prefer to eat packed lunch in the office which is why it surprised me when I saw how much people were there (the restaurant was packed and there was a waiting line) to eat lunch out. I know it may not exactly be a big deal to anyone at all but since I am in this new stage in my life by working in our foundation, I choose to see the world with fresh eyes and a child like curiosity- things as mundane as these actually fascinate me. Call it crazy but I think it's important to see the beauty in even the most simple matters and also to still be amazed over little things.

On Neutrality, Nuances and Nuisances

Apparently neutrality is a concept that is too impossible for most of the population to understand. So I guess, if the world isn't ready for it, I might as well take it out on what I wear... I know I've been donning more than the usual neutral wear but be assured that if you were to look closely, there is still some variety and nuance offered in the pale hues I have been sporting. This time, it's been all about my beautiful new Givenchy Antigona which was perfectly matched with this sporty watercolor shirt I blatantly asked my mother to have since I love the detail and the colors (yes, when I want it and have to have it, I take it...as simple as that. I've always been a fan of playing a word game so for this post allow me to address: neutrality, nuances and nuisances. Allow me to dive deeper into this topic by addressing three things you don't always have to have: a side (to address neutrality), a disregard for the subtle differences that exist (to address how important considering the nuances) and an agreement (which for the past few weeks I personally find to be such a nuisance since I am far from privy to the idea of a mediation of any form happening and I will explain why.)

A Better Version Of Me

Lately, I've been more than busy as I have decided to get up and go to the office and work from there. I once heard this popular saying that goes, “Find something you love to do, and you'll never work a day in your life” and I now that I am finally part of the workforce, I have a deeper understanding of this saying. Well, aside from the fact that I absolutely do enjoy going to work and of course, what I do, I am also quite happy to be also challenged to dress up more creatively. I never quite got it then but my outfits have always been more loud and playful even when I was in my early twenties well much into even after I turned 25. I guess that's what having your own business and being your own boss is all about: the perks. Eventually though, I had to outgrow that stage. My friend, Jamm, told me a few days ago that she has noticed that my outfit choice and style has metamorphosed into a more mellow and neutral palette... I must admit I have been going for less loud color schemes and more structured and architectural silhouettes and I didn't really think anyone would notice it because I was actually doing it on purpose... but hey, it worked apparently as it was pretty noticeable to the people around me. I grew up... my outfit choices grow up with me... but that doesn't mean you would be spared the shock of an altogether different look. As I say, my style is very bipolar and hypomanic but also, the things going on in my life play a great role in how I choose what to wear.  Now that I am experiencing how it is like to be part of the workforce (even if I am Executive Director, I am still answerable to people) and find the need to perform. Given that, I have been choosing ensembles that are more appropriate as office attire as I think how I carry myself in the office also represents the organization I am in. I think that it is all about the entire package when I get into something. I don't quite understand the concept of half-baked.

White Out

White on white is a very difficult outfit to wear. I know because there have been many times I have tried sporting this look and failed. Apparently, as with life, you can't help getting dirty or soiled at the end of the day. Circumstances make it almost impossible for us to remain clean and pure... in fashion, these may come in the form of accidentally grazing your outfit against a dirty pavement, spilling a beverage on your outfit or if you're really unlucky, accidentally blotting a pen on your clothes (and I think the common consensus on this is the stain of a pen is the hardest to remove on white clothing). In life, there are so many events and circumstances that we have to face which requires actually getting our hands dirty and I guess remaining untarnished and unstained is a privilege most of the population is granted (myself not included). However, I got to thinking and told myself, "what the heck," since we are all just winging it, I might as well try. I have always believed in the whole what you risk reveals what you value school of thought and I think I value learning very much so I decided to risk going white on white and go all in thus the outfit. It was a particular rainy day when I wore this (talk about wrong timing right?) but I was shocked to see that as the day ended, I was almost practically unscathed except for a few minor dust marks which could be easily erased... nothing permanent enough actually.

Sweet Little Something

 There are times when I like to keep things simple yet feminine and fun. The wonders of dressing up in a monochromatic outfit are endless and it is all about in how you embellish. This time, I decided to keep the otherwise basic look more flirty and girly by adding a hint of blush tones because if anything- I am a girl's girl and well it seemed appropriate for Sunday dressing. I have to admit, there are some days that I feel just BLAH and that is when I have to remind myself that I have to be grateful. You see, as easy as it may be to point out every last thing that you currently do not have, there is ALWAYS something to be appreciative of. A lot of the time, we desire luxuries, situations, finances or people we can't have, completely forgetting about all the treasures we've been granted in life. Even I am no exception when it comes to this. There just some days you are tired and frustrated for no other reason except that you aren't feeling so well. Things to be grateful for having aren't always physical objects. While getting something you've been yearning or saving up for may be great, you simply cannot hold, text and download apps on a loving relationship with your Mom and your Dad, and having good health isn't shiny with nice rims on it... yet it is still most certainly worth being very thankful to have. There is nothing more  disappointing than losing something  or someone you have taken for granted and realizing then that you didn't appreciate every single moment you had it/them. This is why on days that I don't feel my usual cheerful self, I go back to this thought and get up, get dressed and try to be fabulous... there are so many things to be grateful for...and even I need to remind myself that... On days I feel like that, I put on a basic top, a good skirt, great shoes and a good bag and then I go ornamental. I think that's the first few steps in trying to go along...

On Standards, Taking The Stand and Standing Up For Yourself

"I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to wish for a perfect life. The things that knock you down in life are tests, forcing you to make a choice between giving in and remaining on the ground or wiping the dirt off and standing up even taller than you did before you were knocked down. I'm choosing to stand up taller. I'll probably get knocked down a few more times before this life is through with me, but I can guarantee you I'll never stay on the ground."

 -Colleen Hoover

It is a popular saying in fashion that every woman must dress like they are going to meet their worst enemy. I never really made sense of that and I never found any reason to believe in that. Now that I go to court for hearings, it still quite doesn't make sense to me. Probably because I never really dressed up for anyone other than myself. Simply put, I dress up for me but with the consideration that I am appropriate enough to make an effort to show the people who I am meeting that I respect them enough to have come up with a well-thought of outfit and not be sloppy. Don't get me wrong, I am always appropriately dressed for almost anything as the occasion calls for but I don't really put into consideration what other people will think when it comes to what I want to wear. I am an advocate of "situational dressing." But that is about as far as it goes for me. Personally, I dress up for a said situation/occasion the way I want to and the day I wore this outfit was dedicated to all-white and powder blue, which to me was inspired by a very cool and calming color palette which was the complete opposite of the events that were to transpire that day. You see, I had to take the stand.

The Perfect White Tee

"I've always thought of the T-shirt as the alpha and omega of the fashion alphabet."

-Giorgio Armani

Didn't he say it best? From one closet essential to the next... (this is becoming a trend already) but here is yet another post on one of my closet staples which is the plain white t-shirt. It is just absolutely a MUST! I can go on and on and on to tell you ways to wear it and I probably won't run out of styling tips because it is THAT essential. No matter what, every girl has got to have the perfect white tee and it is here to stay. The search for it isn't as easy though since it has to fit you perfectly. Thankfully, I was able to discover a brand that provides exactly that- called Sexy White Shirt and everything about it is just amazing: the fit, the sizing, the quality of the fabric... you've got to trust me on this... I am obsessed with it so much that I even styled it in such a way that I made it appropriate for the office. Yes, for those of you who don't know, I now go to the office and work as the Executive Director in one of my dad's companies. No, it is not an "ad hoc" job where it is simply a title I was given since I'm his daughter... the thing about my dad is he expects much so I actually have to work hard for the company and go to the office and attend to important matters. 

And all I wanted was the simple things... A simple kind of life

Less is more...so the saying goes. With all the new minimalist take on fashion- one cannot help but beg the question: are we replacing fake clarity with real confusion? Of course, the "normcore" trend has been interpreted as a reaction to a fashion oversaturation resulting from ever faster-changing fashion trends. I do like to dress up and make myself very presentable most of the time but the norm-core trend isn't really something all too new to me because I reckon I have subconsciously been dressing that way on my "blah" days and I call it casual dressing. This outfit is an example. It is perhaps the most laid back outfit I have every posted yet. In a world where dressing laid back takes a lot of effort as it is now deemed as a fashion trend: a girl cannot help but be confused. Think about it.  However, I do believe in this: More is generally more, to contradict the cliche, but it isn't always intrinsically a good thing---if you do it all the time.

The Merry-Go-Round

“I am suddenly consumed by nostalgia for the little girl who was me, who loved the fields and believed in God, who spent winter days home sick from school reading Nancy Drew and sucking menthol cough drops, who could keep a secret.”

Stability.

Sweat it out.
(Dress: Zara | Sweater: Mango | Bag: US | Boots: Zara | Knee-high socks: Zara)

"No sign of any rain
My skies are clear today
I keep bracing for that hit
But there's not sign of it
No obstacles in sight
My skies are clear tonight (My skies are full of light)
I keep thinking I might see that cloud arrive
Oh but there's no sign of it
No sign of it"

xx, JL

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It's A Masquerade!

Breathe, just breathe.
(Dress: Glitterati | Bag: Chanel | Shoes: Aldo | Earrings: Bebe)

I love masquerades! There's always something so glamorous and mysterious about it and the thing I love most about masquerades is DRESSING UP FOR THEM! Yes, like many themed parties, it's always ALL ABOUT THE DRESS and for this one I wore a one shoulder tulle gown with a silver crystal broach to accent the rather angelic Grecian Goddess dress! My sister was also in WHITE so we were basically channeling our inner Aphrodite and Athenas in our white numbers. Then had amazing glitter masks and these very beautiful fascinators ala Kate and Pipa Middleton and we were set to go!

Check out the photos below for more...

xx, JL