Living, Learning, Eating: Style

Showing posts with label Style. Show all posts

Nov 3, 2018

Style Post: Almay x CFW 2018

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 1:19 PM

I am among the many women that love fashion. I'm so thrilled to love fashion in a time when fashion is finally loving women back! For so long, runways, magazines, and catalogs were dominated by one body type, one ethnicity, one age group, and overall one Look. These days, there are so many different shades, shapes, sizes, and ages of women in fashion, just as there are in the world.

The 2018 NYC College Fashion Week event was all about celebrating that diversity, with all types of different beautiful women presenting clothes from pro-women brands. Among the clothing brands present, there were also some beauty brands in attendance.

My favorite sponsor installation was definitely Almay!

There were little coffee tables set up in the area with sample beauty products from Almay's Cosmic Collection to check out.

I loved the Goddess Gloss!

A couple days after the event, I decided to put together my own out-of-this-world look with Almay's Cosmic Collection! I loved the emphasis of shimmer and sparkle combined in a wearable way. None of the products are sticky or heavy and many of them can be played up or toned down.

Jul 5, 2018

Style Post: A LBD to Love!

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 7:00 AM

Can you believe it's already July? That's crazy! Half of 2018 is over!

One thing never changes - LBDs are cute forever!

This one is from ASOS, aka my favorite place for casual dresses.

I love the stripes! I'm also having a serious double layer dress moment.

Jun 28, 2018

Style Post: Fairytales & Frolicking

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 8:00 AM

I've loved fairytales for as long as I can remember.

Fairytales were the first sort of story I ever wrote, back when one sentence took up a whole page, in crayon no less. The first book I've published under my own name through an indie press, The Princess Games, is a fairytale (if you haven't read it, please check it out!). Fairytales are the one certainty in my always-in-flux life.

I know I'll read them, write them, and love them forever.

I'm a relatively reasonable person in the ways that matter to be a functional adult, but I love fantasy and I love incorporating elements of fantasy into my everyday life. One of my favorite ways to do so is with fashion!

And it certainly doesn't hurt when a fairytale door presents itself, an unexpected gift from the universe. Day, made.

In just a few short weeks, I'll be back in Germany, land of castles, with my family. I can't wait!

Still, it is very, very welcome when lovely surprises, like this door, insert themselves into my life in the present. What better way to enjoy the anticipation of an incredibly lovely thing than with the enjoyment of a lovely thing?

One must twirl and be grateful!

Jun 22, 2018

Style Post: Vivid Blues and Sparkly Shoes!

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:34 AM

Another day, another dress! I strive to live a bold, beautiful life, where I do what makes me happy and bring more light and positivity to the world along the way.

I'm not saying how I dress does that. It doesn't. But it's a fun way to remind myself that life is lovely and, even when it tests you, you must keep your chin up!

I also regularly make strangers smile with my colorful rainboots and bright pink umbrellas, and who doesn't want to inspire a smile on a dreary, rainy day in the city? We could all smile more and the world would be all the lovelier for it!

Like the late Kate Spade, who designed the sparkly pink flats I'm wearing in this post (which happen to also be my current favorite shoes) I wish to leave a little sparkle wherever I go.

People have been calling me 'Diana' a lot lately and I choose to believe that that's because they see a bit of her charm in me, and not just because they're lowkey dyslexic.

This is an outfit fit for a proper tea, with scones and jam and clotted cream.

Jun 20, 2018

Style Post: Summer Brights without Splurging!

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 8:00 AM

I'm back with another style post and *surprise, surprise* it's another summer dress look!

I know, I know. I have a problem.

But what's not to love about summer dresses?

They're light.

They're bright.

They twirl well.

They take two seconds to put on and you don't have to coordinate anything.

They can be quite affordable (like this one from Forever 21).

There are so many different styles and they draw inspiration in fabric, print, pattern, and cut from so many different sources.

Jun 15, 2018

Style Post: Cold Shoulders and Flowery LBDs

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

I am 100% a winter person. If it could snow every day from December 1 through February 28 every year, I would so be down. I'd also be very, very down for it never getting over 75 degrees Fahrenheit, max, in the summer. Heat and I just don't go together.

That said, my favorite clothing style is definitely warm weather fashion. Ironic, right? It's not like I don't love slouchy sweaters and high socks, but summer dresses are just so fun and dreamy and perfect for frolicking about in!

I have some summer dresses that date back to my college years (and that's... a while... ago), but I also love to get at least a few new summer dresses every year. It's fun to update your look and try something new, even if you still like the old dresses!

And I never hesitate to mix in some old favorites, like these sandals - I've had them for three or four years and, before that, they belonged to my favorite German cousin (she knows who she is).

My earrings are also an old favorite! I got them almost 4.5 years ago now and they're absolutely gorgeous garnet studs. They're my first-ever Valentine's Day gift from my first-ever boyfriend (wonderful guy, but not my current boyfriend) and they're still my favorite piece of jewelry that I own, hands down.

Wouldn't this be the perfect place to insert a photo of said drop-dead-gorgeous earrings?

It was a total facepalm moment when I started typing up this blog post and realized that my hair is hiding the beautiful earrings in the detail shot I took to show you said earrings! 🙈

Total blogger fail. Sigh.

Anyway, you'll just have to take my word for it that they're gorgeous. Maybe I'll use them in another outfit post soon and then you can see what I'm talking about!

Anyway, back to what I do have photos of:

Jun 8, 2018

I Tried It: John Frieda Frizz Ease for Ethnic Hair

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 7:00 AM

We've established that my hair has a mind of its own. I do what I can to tame it, but I enjoy my bouncy curls and all their character too much to chop it all off and call it a day. What can you do!

Answer: try all the things.

I received the John Frieda Frizz Ease Collection from Influenster and couldn't wait to try it out! I'd used John Frieda hair products when I was younger, but it had been a solid ten to fifteen years since I'd last tried it out.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Collection Review

The Frizz Ease Collection is a four product line that promises to enhance your natural curls, smooth the strands, and create bouncy, frizz-free waves. Sounds ideal!

I love that the line includes Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch-Up Creme to smooth frizz and flyaways on second day hair - because you're not a real curly hair ally if you think every day is wash day.

It gives me confidence in the creators of the line that they understand that washing my hair more than around three times per week would turn it into an eternal brillo pad. This touch up creme contains avocado oil for hydration and it provides grip, making it great for braided styles. All around win!

Anyway, I started out testing the line with a fresh wash, followed by the duo team of Frizz Ease Daily Nourishment Leave-In Conditioner and the Frizz Ease Extra Strength Six Effects + Serum.

Right out of the shower, after a little towel dry, I sprayed the Leave-In Conditioner through my hair, focusing on the driest bit - *cough, the ends, cough*.

I love that it's a spray. I'm used to cream leave in conditioners that take some rubbing to get absorbed, breaking up my pretty post-wash curls in the process. Since this one is a spray, it's easy to apply and my curls stay intact. It smells nice, features vitamins A, C, and E, and promises to protect against heat!

Next up, Frizz Ease Extra Strength Six Effects+ Serum.

This serum is a finisher containing silk proteins, that promises to tame and smooth even the toughest, coarsest hair. That's always a great thing to read when you have ethnic hair (read: kinky) and the product line isn't specifically formulated for Black hair. It says to use sparingly on dry hair as a finisher, but I used it on my still damp hair right after the leave-in conditioner and it was fine.

On my damp hair, I liked that the products smelled nice, didn't make it feel weighed down, and weren't sticky or flaky.

It looks pretty and the curls held up well, unlike with some other products I've tried recently. 😒

So far, so good! But my hair generally looks pretty good wet and the frizzy mess only comes out when it dries, so dry hair would be the true test.

I let my hair air-dry, because that's my usual low-maintenance style, as I went about my day - a little bit of startup work, off to Silvercup Studios for a fitting, lunch at Juice Press, and back home for more work. By that time, my hair was totally dry and...

May 22, 2018

The Ins and Outs of Surgical Drains

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 7:00 AM

I recently had a surgery that followed another surgery I'd had just four weeks earlier - long story - and because of the extra care and difficulty of the second surgery, I had a surgical drain inserted for a little over two weeks.

Everything you need to know about surgical drains

My surgeon gave me a head up before the surgery that I'd wake up with a drain - thank goodness, or I would have been freaked out - so I looked up drains online before the surgery. I was disappointed to not find one good resource that answered all the main questions I had. Since I've now had experience with drains, I've decided to create that resource!

What You Need to Know About Surgical Drains

What is a surgical drain and what does it do?

A surgical drain is a thin plastic tube used after some surgeries. There are flat ones, known as JP drains, and round ones. I, fortunately, had the round one - the only type my surgeon uses, because they're much less painful to remove than the flat ones. They connect to a small plastic bag (or bulb, in my case) in which the fluid drains into.

Yes, that's a drain out of your body, removing fluid your surgeon doesn't want in you. That means it sticks out of you and will remain sticking out you until your surgeon removes it. It's very important, though, if your doctor requires it - it can prevent potentially dangerous complications like seromas and hematomas!

Where are surgical drains inserted?

The drain(s) will be inserted near your surgical site(s).

How long will you have your surgical drain in?

This varies a lot, based on your surgery and your needs. My doctor said I could get mine out once I'd been draining consistently under 30mL of fluid per day, with decreasing measurements each day, for three days. He also waited until the fluid had lightened in color - it starts bright red, when the surgical site is still really inflamed, and eventually becomes yellowish as it becomes just regular serous fluid.

For me, that was just a little over two weeks - I had my drain removed on the morning of the fifteenth day post surgery. My poor surgeon, I was constantly checking in to see if it could come out already!

Oops.

How do you care for a surgical drain?

Keep. It. Clean. Always wash your hands thoroughly before you empty the drain.

To empty it, you'll uncap the bulb where the fluid collects, measure the fluid in a cup (if your surgeon instructs you to do so, as mine did), and then flush the fluid. Clean the cap and stopper of the bulb with an alcohol wipe, then squeeze the bulb in your palm, fold it in half, and reinsert the stopper in the cap. The bulb will then unfold on its own, but there will be suction in the bulb, creating suction in the drain, to suck that icky fluid out of you.

If you have a drain for a week or several weeks, it's possible that the drain will clog and you'll see a reduction in flow. If you ever see a big change in flow, whether it's an increase, decrease, or color change, let your surgeon know immediately. S/he'll probably instruct you to start stripping your drain, also known as 'milking the drain,' to keep things going.

I had to strip my drain several times per day to keep the flow going. Basically, you pinch the top of the drain, very close to the insertion site, with one hand and then pinch just below that with the other hand and slide that down, all the way to the bulb. This forces anything in the tube into the bulb and reinforces the suction, so it can really get things going again.

Mar 13, 2017

Review and a Discount: LipSense Long-Lasting Lipcolor

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 9:30 AM

I love lip gloss! But it's so annoying when it smudges or kisses off onto my cup. LipSense claims that it doesn't kiss-off, smear-off, or wear-off. It should last all day.

...but I've heard that before. And, spoiler, it didn't mean much. I was pretty skeptical when I heard of LipSense. But the colors are pretty and I've heard good things about it on Instagram, so I decided it a go.

I chose Blu-Red, because red lips are so fun and dramatic, but they're also the hardest to wear. I don't want red lipstick sliding around on my face or kissing off onto my mug - not cute.

Before applying LipSense, you're supposed to clean and exfoliate your lips with a damp cloth, toothbrush, or sugar scrub. I used a homemade sugar scrub from Liz Bonner, who also sellsLipSense. It felt great and made my lips immediately a bit softer, so is probably in general a good lip care practice.

I noticecd a few differences between LipSense Blu-Red and the lipsticks and lipglosses I'm used to as soon as I opened the tube. While lip glosses are usually sweet smelling and lipsticks are mild, LipSense smells like makeup remover. No shock, given that the first ingredient is alcohol, but still unusual.

Jan 9, 2017

Style Post: Winter Wear

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 9:30 AM

I love winter! But now that my favorite part of the season (the holiday season) is over, the temperatures are starting to fall hard and fast. Brr!

It's getting colder than ever, but that's no reason to hibernate indoors for months on end or to forgo anything resembling style in favor of massive muumuus and anything else to keep us warm.

Especially in winter, with its short days and uptick in colds and flus dragging the general mood down, I like to wear bright colors to add some cheer to every day.

A big new Primark just opened in Boston this past fall (or possibly already in the summer) and I found this bright yellow sweater there! It's the perfect amount of pep for a grey winter day and it's warm, too.

Sep 25, 2016

Style Post: Fall Fashion

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 10:30 AM

It's finally fall! I love the crisp morning air, the leaves changing colors and tumbling down around me, and pumpkin spice everything. Also the fashion!

Fall Fashion: Boho Chic Dresses in Autumn

There's something about the beginning of a new season that feels so magical. It makes me feel so alive and so blessed to get to live in this beautiful world.

It's all the better frolicking through Cambridge in a floaty dress, the sort of dress that will be totally weather inappropriate just a few degrees (or 1 or 2 weeks) from now!

Jun 29, 2016

Style Post: Summer Special Occasions

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

Winter is full of fun dress up events, from work holiday parties to New Year's Eve celebrations. But summer can be just as fun for those of us who love dressing up!

While summer has holiday galas, summer has weddings, baby showers, and soirees galore! I love this elegant, but summery, dress from ASOS for any of the above except weddings.

Don't wear white to a wedding and most certainly not an all white dress! If you're not going to a wedding, however, summer is the perfect time to dress up in white. I'm not sure what it is, but I love white dresses!

I think they just feel so much lighter and floater and twirlier (we'll pretend that's a word).

Another advantage of choosing an all-white dress for your event is that you can add a pop of color with fun accessories and don't have to worry about clashing colors or having too much going on at once. Though I'm a big fan of pink, I tend to favor a pop of classic blue or red for my accessory color accent!

As is often the case, a little goes a long way. With the embellished bodice of this dress, just the blue earrings and simple eyeliner is enough to finish the look. I'm not big on going overboard with the jewelry or makeup, especially not in the summer! It just weighs your airy summer look down.

Jun 26, 2016

What Being a Hobby Baker Is Like

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

I love baking! Baking is so fun, makes my apartment smell cozy and inviting, and can make others happy, too. I've also had the opportunity to work with some cool companies on recipes.

But being a hobby baker has its trying moments, too, just like anything else. Here's what you don't see in the cheerful recipes and pretty food photos!

When you're asked to bake cookies for an event, but they need to be sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and whatever the other latest food trend is:

When you're elbows deep in flour and someone tries to join in on your solo baking project:

Jun 20, 2016

Style Post: Vamp It Up

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

Dressing up is super fun and, though I wear little to no makeup most days, doing the girl thing and wearing a complete look sometimes can be so fun!

In general in makeup, I love a bold lip and emphasized eyes, with just very light skin stuff.

I am very lucky to have clear skin, so I never really wear anything on my skin when I do my own makeup, but I also think that the eyes and mouth are two of the most interesting areas on our faces and I love to play them up when I do bother to get all dolled up!

Jun 14, 2016

Style Post: Modern African

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

I am half-German, half-Zimbabwean and from South Africa. Now NYC and Boston are home!

I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel around the world and experience many different cultures and ways of life. The people I have met and cultures I have experience inform my own perspectives, as well as influence how I cook, how I tell stories, and how I dress!

Style is all about self-expression and I love to mix cultures in how I dress, just as I do in almost every aspect of my life!

African patterns and cuts, like this skirt, pair organically with urban items, like this top. It's a fusion that's meant to be!

The necklace, earrings, and loafers pull the outfit together for a more chick look!

Mixing patterns, colors, and styles is such a fun way to make fashion our own.

Especially in cities, it's becoming more and more okay to stand out.

Be individual, wear what you want, and never worry about what others might think. Life is too short to stick to wear boring clothes out of fear - and that applies to so many other things, too!