3/30/2016 0 Comments Florals for Spring? groundbreaking There is something magical about spring time while you are in college. It might be the endless opportunities for new adventures in your journey as an adult. It might be the freedom you embrace by struggling to pay for all your responsibilities, trying to finish term papers, and studying for upcoming finals. Many people decide to study abroad, or simply take a vacation in an exotic beach while getting exuberetely wasted in the mixture of alcohol and bad decisions. There is something also astonishing as how people change their wardrobe from spring to fall, it is done so gracefully. One day you see a girl from wearing a heavy sweater transition into a sleeveless top with jeans and sandals. The metamorphosis of your closet is gradual as the weather starts to change as well as everything about the introduction into spring.
For my spring break I was not looking forward to anything fun or specific. I was looking forward to going home and embracing being somewhere far away from school, and close to family. I was actually shopping pretty much every day on break or eating. The mall back home was welcoming me with sales and new wardrobe essentials, it was truly a warm hug and reminder that clothes are universally meant to help you feel good. I was taken by surprise on the upcoming spring trends I found back home. Every store decided to rock into spring with the same patterns, same colors, same sillouhettes I encounter every spring, except for one store. I encountered a local store that was taking a different approach to spring. They didn't display any dresses or skirts. They focused on shorts, and jumpsuits, very sophisticated with dark colors, but they were paired with spring jewelry(colorful and flowery). The idea was refreshing. I love floral spring patterns, but there was something graceful about dark colors contrasting the brightness of spring, something unique about a girl wearing a dark jumpsuit instead of a fitted pastel colored dress. It gives more power and sophistication for those spring nights where you want to fit into the season but show off a unique personality and disguise the "pretty" side of things and be adventurous in a new style. My advice is to try all the bright colors that you expect to have during spring time but fear not of experimentation of the bold features and the combination of graphic designs. The colors should remained balanced and more bright, but that doesn't mean you have to wear a lemon bright fitted dress that makes you look petite. I would stay away from neon colors, but just remember above all it depends on how much confidence you can wear things.
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3/10/2016 0 Comments College FashionCollege is a fun environment where you are in a mixed state of confusion, stress, tiredness, but never boredom. You always have something to do or something that is due. Throughout viral social media we notice these images of "basic girls" who flaunt their attire to college everyday. This infamous look includes leggings or shorts (depending of what has been washed), oversized t-shirts, and comfy shoes such as UGGS, Crocs, and sandals. Can you blame them for the look? Obviously not. I understand that dressing up or , wearing real pants, is kind of the struggle when you have 8am class, work, and about 3 meetings while you try to eat half a sandwich as you walk in the rain. I get it! But I also don't get it... Let me explain the scenario. You are expected to go into the workforce as soon as these 4 years are over, and you are going to be living the hectic life of meetings at work, running late, and juggling multiple tasks at once, but in the workforce you are not going to wear leggings. That is the reality. No professional company wants to see their employee in sweatpants or with unbrushed hair, because that reflects the image of the place you decide to work in. My theory is that you must try to look decent and presentable most of the time you are in college because you will be ahead of those who wasted their money on oversized shirts they can't wear to work, while you show off the same white professional top you invested in many college career fairs ago. I am not against the "lazy girl look" but I don't think its beneficial. Another important reason is that EVERYONE is watching what you do. Maybe not everyone cares about you, but somehow they manage to care if you commit any mistake, and these people are going to talk about you because they don't have anything better to do. Save yourself the unnecessary comments and slightly surprise them by dressing better than them, and accomplishing the same (or more) as them. You owe yourself to maintain a professional presentation, you can do it.
3/10/2016 0 Comments To Whom It May ConcernDear Reader,
As you may or may not know of my blog, I have taken a break from writing on this imaginary internet wall for a few months. My ideas were all over the place, and I was trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to write about. This specific post is mainly a message to the my generation. We have been bombarded with propaganda regarding politicians hair, and the buzz about the latest gossip of celebrities, but what really concerns me? I am concerned about what "equality" means. Everyone is so self absorbed, and we all think that we are entitles to respect, but we forget that in order to receive respect you must give it first. Some examples of what equality problems include how society responds to sexual assault, the wage gap difference based on gender, and the degrading vocabulary we use towards people we don't even know. Rape has been addressed as a problem of "women only," something were only one gender and only a specific type of girl is a victim of the case. The reality is that we forget that men, and people in the LBGT community are also victims of sexual assault. You do not necessarily have to be a weak person to be victimized, but people take advantage of you in your most vulnerable state, in a place you are lost. The cries for help are not treated equally. Society likes to respond by saying ridiculous things such as " he could have said no, it's not like men can't walk away." If it were so easy, nobody would be a rape victim. We can no longer ignore the issues of rape for both genders, and we need politicians and lawmakers that are not swayed by popularity. I want to clarify, I do not have anything against a female president; however, I still want that president to be caring for the nation, not only an image for feminism. I know that our generation is going to implement great changes in the way society thinks, but our mentality must be guided to a more loving state instead of all this hate. If anyone is listening to the presidential debates, and aware of global concerns, we are aware of the amount of damaged people that need help, and we can change our selfish ways: Change at least for the people we care for, and make a change to improve ourselves... Until next time. I Promise next article will be fashion related and more fun. Much Love, Leslie 6/24/2015 0 Comments life is a runway showThe last few weeks of my senior year were spent planning out the unforgettable summer before we all became part of college life. My friends were all excited about graduation parties, summer vacations, and the future that laid ahead next fall. Graduation ended soon, and now it's the end of June. Out of all the summer hangout I had planned in my mind only a few actually succeeded while the rest of my plans flew out the window since I started to realize everyone was on to different paths already. At the moment everyone is going on with jobs, summer classes, orientation, while I feel somewhat lost in the midst of summer trying to figure what will be of my life. During high school, (even during summer) people do not acknowledge when is the absolute last time you will meet with friends, your last kiss with the one person you thought you would forever be in love, the uncertainty of the future of everyone is up in the air. Summer is my least favorite season for the cruel heat, but I also dislike it because I know after the summer things change drastically in my life. The friends I have known since diapers won't be together for those late study sessions at starbucks, it will be my first birthday far away from home, and I will be in a place filled with strangers that don't even have a clue about this blog. However, for the first time in a while I believe this change is good. Craving to explore a new adventure everyday and meeting new people is exciting, and it helps me grow as a person. In my heart I'll always hold the memories and people of my past, but it is time to explore, not only for myself, but for what I want to do in the future. Fashion designing and marketing is about getting to know the audience you want to work for, the people that view this form of art for love to expressing yourself through clothing; therefore, i want to meet all those people in person and be a part of their life to help each other keep evolving the message that fashion is a beautiful thing. Along the way in my new adventures I always have dreamed of traveling the world. Will I accomplish that? I'm uncertain of anything that will happen, but I like to believe in my dreams, and you should too. Change is a way of life, change is why fashion succeeds and why we have new trends every runway show, it keeps the clothing alive which is why people fall in love with these trends. Life is a runway show in my perspective, it doesn't have to be for you, but just remember that change can be a stunning spring collection if you just give it a chance. In case your runway show does not succeed and it turns out to be a fail remember that there are 4 seasons throughout the year which involve many runway shows( including resort collection and pre fall showings). There is opportunity to change and its up to you, and I believe you can do anything you believe in.
5/21/2015 0 Comments Festival tipsFestival season is upon us on this upcoming summer which I hope is filled with fun and amazing adventures. This year I was very fortunate to be asked to participate as part of the Neon Desert Music Festival at El Paso Texas, which basically stands for a very outgoing festival filled with local artist as well as international artists in a three day weekend downtown. I am simply part of the volunteer staff, however I am still really excited to observe all the fashion festival that will be there, as well as to check out new music and food throughout the three days. Some of the headliners include Kaskade, Passion Pit, and J.Cole. Before the festival which will be happening this Memorial weekend, I thought these tips/diy's might help you. In case you're not a festival aficionado, then these few tips might also be great for typical summer days which you are feeling inspired to try new things.
1. Stay Hydrated It's going to be hot. Drinking simple water is a good way to start the day to see your favorite performances, but there will be anxiety to pee every second, therefore I recommend drinking as much water possible the day before you plan to go all out to check out the performances. I feel water is sometimes boring, so I suggest creating your own infused water with lemon, cucumbers,and mint the day before the festival so you can carry it around with your as a refresher. Plus the water you refill will maintain the fresh flavor. For the intensity of music festivals you need sugar to keep the energy going until the best performance occurs. 2. Keep your money close, and your phone closer. Be conscious of the money you have and where to hold it. Pickpocketing is always common, or its easy for your money to fall off, and purses are not efficient to have around. Try having your ultimate essentials in a wristlet, where your phone can also be. And if you're one of those people that have to take pictures and videos of every second of the festival, invest in a portable charger easy to carry and instead of the wristlet you can have a small over the shoulder purse that is light. Plus you can always decorate the portable charger into your favorite designs. Have money in multiple places and carry coins for emergencies. It's better to be safe than sorry, which brings us to the next point... 3. KEEP YOUR FRIENDS EVEN CLOSER The beauty of music festivals is that so many people gather together to enjoy the power of music, but this also means the immensity of these concerts can cause problems and you might be lost. Create a clear system of artist you want to see, times, and the first thing you do when you get there is to set clear location points to meet up at the end of the shows in case you stray away from your buddies. 4. Take care of your feet From past concerts and festivals I think it is safe to say that your shoes will get ruined and the closer you get to the stage, the chances of you getting stepped on increase. I suggest tennis shoes, or even small boots that will prevent sand from entering your feet, and make sure you won't mind these shoes in case they get ruined. If you get stepped on, do not let that ruin your festival moment, but once you get home safely, simply fill a small tub with water, ice, and mint and submerge your feet for a relaxing rest. As I embark this new journey on the experience of NDMF this weekend I will come up with more fashion tips, experiences, and fashion trends to follow up and I will post about it. Meanwhile I invite everyone in the El Paso area as well as close places nearby, to take a tour and visit El Paso and be part of the Neon Desert experience. Leave comments about what you want to see next. To Purchase tickets, view the lineup or be informed about NDMF go to: http://www.neondesertmusicfestival.com 10/31/2014 0 Comments Fashion vs StyleThe Vogue September issue is the most important magazine because it dictates the next fashion forward trend, it transports the clients to a fashion fantasy filled with luxurious advertising. The person in charge of such a multibillionaire industry is the British editor, Anna Wintour. Her signature bob haircut, massive sunglasses, and intimidating personality , are the elements that embrace her powerful attitude. Wintour’s job is based on analyzing the consumers, and predicting the fashion trends for two to three years in advance. Wintour decides what other women will wear next season however, she keeps her personal style. People outside Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week hope to be noticed by Wintour as they divulge their knowledge on fashion trends, but Wintour is interested in keeping her signature style while she analyzes the catwalk from front row. Part of Anna Wintour’s fame is her talent to know what the public wants, and the other part relies on her selfless, almost boring , but remarkable style. Any woman can get a bob haircut and wear sunglasses, but only Anna Wintour has the personality to be the owner of that style.
Queen Marie Antoinette of France was noticeable for her pastel Rococo fashion filled with cake. The bourgeoisie women of France tried to mimic the fashion imposed by the Queen. As Marie Antoinette was splurging the country’s money on luxurious fabrics for her newest gowns, the people of France were starving. Fashion of the time was imposed by the royalty pastel fabrics, extravagant hair, and parties to show off their most expensive looks. The French economy was reflected on the crème de la crème society fashion inspired by Marie Antoinette’s distinguished delight for extravagance. Fashion is the form of expression of a group of people, while style is the personal preference used to reflect who someone is. People that disperse their love for fashion are usually spending thousands of dollars to be involved in the fashion tendencies, while people with a sense of style are wearing timeless fashion chosen because of their personality and convinience. Women of the Marie Antoinette period followed fashion to be part of high society. Women of today like Anna Wintour buy clothing depending on their budget, daily routine, and personality. Fashion aficionados lead a materialistic life influenced by advertisement. People with a style are nonchalant about trends, and usually focus on being themselves being influenced by what inspires them. Style comes from the latin word stylus, which refers to the style of writing , a word also used in english during Middle Ages. Fashion is derived from the word façon from Old French which means the appearance. Anything that has style carries a signature of the creator that describes who they are. When fashion is mentioned , it is a word that is associated with superficial people that follow the same style. In fashion there is no individuality because people fear to be different. Personality is reflected through the outside appearance , if the style is unique it reflects bravery , but if the style mimics a magazine cover it depicts fear of rejection. Advertising creates the distinction between fashion and style difficult to recognize. Magazines and billboards dictate what people must wear , and if someone wears what is not shown in media, they are condemned by society. Fashion marketing manipulates the consumers to purchase the fashion of today, to create a personal style without addressing the consumers neccesities. Surroundings pressure clients to precipitate into fashion without considering personal style, convenience, or budget. How many times does someone buy what the mannequin is wearing because it looks appealing on display rather than what they actually like? Merchandising convinces society that fashion is what must be purchased instead than personal style to not be an outcast. These unwritten fashion rules create consumers to be afraid of rejection, and lower their self esteem. An indirect message in fashion is that being extremely slender is what people must be, and from these advertisements eating issues are derived. When smoking was a fashion trend, commercials of cigars implied smoking was attractive. Marketing dangerous fashion trends is not healthy , but people incline to the danger zone because they are afraid of being isolated . People with style are fearless. Revolutionary people are brave to change something in the world to make it their own. Vincent Van Gogh is criticized for his untidy paintings, but his thick brush strokes is what defines his art. Regardless of the outcome of their decisions, people with style are brave enough to be expressive of their thoughts without being stopped by judgmental people. Style is creative because it requires thought and energy to be created . Fashion is an imitation of a style, it is repetitive boredom. 9/28/2014 0 Comments don't worry be happyHave you noticed how every small decision has shaped our lives, and if we ever took another route we would be standing in a different place right now. Starting from the day we were born, we were given a name , an identity, and with this came expectations from the people around us. But then we began to speak, we began to walk , we began to choose.
Now that I feel closer to college, I keep being confused about life all the time. Between SAT guides, boy problems, and the struggle of never being able to do cat eye liner , I find myself constantly feeling stressed. The stress for myself and people around me has been atrocious and I feel we need to stop this stress. We need to take care of ourselves. For a moment, stop thinking about everything going on in the world. Focus on what makes you happy. For me, when i pick up my pens to sketch, when the sewing machine is on, and when i write this blog are the happiest moments of my day. People say this is just a hobby, which it may be labeled as a hobby but it takes much more passion than any other simple past time. It is where I find peace, time to relax, and new ideas. If I can make a career out of it or not, is not my main worry. I used to think money was the second most important thing in life after food, but it is not true. You can have the best of the best, all the money you crave, and still be missing a shine in your eyes. People do not believe me, but if I have to work as a seamstress, as a cook, if I have to clean tables, if I have to live in a crappy small apartment , I will do it if I can have those small moments of happiness with my sewing machine. Before , my parents would not spend money on paper for me to sketch and that never stopped me. I drew on napkins and on my walls. My advice to everyone is, keep doing what makes you happy, do not lose your inner child. If one day you're having a horrible day , go back to your childhood memories and remember who you always wanted to be. That picture of you in a superhero costume , always dreaming of having cool capes and saving the world. You are still that same person.You save the world in different ways, and even at your worst you put your best face forward , and keep going. Don't let the insecurities, and the bad luck of a day ruin your dreams, because there are people that believe in you. Everyone is waiting for you to shine, show what you got to offer to the world. Stressing over a breakup, worrying about not having money, being depressed because of family/friend issues, school problems, take all the negativity out of your system. Cry or throw some punches to detox all the pain inside of you, but get up and do something. And once that stress is poured out, and you remind yourself what you want, go out and chase it with even greater force. Do what you love. If you are a fashion leader or a fashion lagger in your community , you are still affected by the fashion industry. Some of us dream of Dior bags and some of us cannot wait until we find a dress for $5. Regardless of where you shop, and what you spend you will find out why fashion is important to all.
1. HOW MUCH ARE YOU SHOWING?........ most times less is more and this statement is true even for super models. if you are showing more than 5 inches in the top and bottom of your outfit , you are probably lacking taste and look like a 16 year old trying to fit in the clothes made for 12 year olds. Anything too small is considered tacky and will not favor your body. There are ways of looking sexy and still classy without showing so much skin. Try to choose your best body feature and make it stand out. 2.Shoes say who you are. This is how it goes.... -crocs,tennis shoes,comfy shoes,flip flops-soccer mom status -High Heels higher than than the sky- you are at the club -Moderate High Heels- Business woman, lawyers, anything for a party -Small high heels- old ladies -Loafers/Oxfords- fashionista Any other shoes in between is not as important. The point is your shoes are a reflection of your daily activities. 3. The purpose of clothes is to protect our bodies. Firefighter suits are considered fashion statements because they are made out of fabrics able to handle high temperatures. You need to know your fabrics for your protection. If its cold wear wool but if it is hot wear cotton. It's the basics. 4. DRESS TO IMPRESS; There are occasions to wear a pink suit, or to wear jeans. You want to make the right impression on people and if someone dislikes your outfit... do not listen to them. 95% of the time , an outfit looks stupendous do to the confidence of the person. Just remember formal=sleek fabrics and wear something that feels great for your body. 9/1/2014 0 Comments Breakfast at Tiffany'sWhen we listen to "Diamonds are a girls best friend" by Marilyn Monroe it is impossible to deny the exhilarating experience of thinking we could afford diamonds. We are also reminded about the famous Audrey Hepburn movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's " where the main character is in love with expensive jewelry because she aspires to become part of the socialite of New York City. Diamonds are precious stones that are valued very expensive and the history at Tiffany has created diamonds to be every woman's desire. Tiffany & Co has a new collection in stores and the diamonds are not the center of attention... What?!?!? I know it may seem crazy but the new collection at tiffany's is all about simple cuts, clean design, and a "T" somewhere in the design. I love this design. It's refreshing to see pieces of jewelry that can be timeless and you can imagine Audrey Hepburn or Karlie Kloss wearing these pieces. The best thing about the new Tiffany T collection is since the presence of the diamonds are minimum or not even there at all, the jewelry is more versatile. As much as women love diamonds we can all accept that these stones may not always match the right dress or they make a simple outfit too extravagant. The Tiffany T jewelry is so effortless that it can tone down outfits for a meeting, a casual day at the park, or while drinking coffee with friends. This collection brings a modern view of the new woman who is always on the go and can't always wear diamonds. Tiffany &Co may not always have the diamonds on their newest collection, but this company will forever carry elegance for their costumers while keeping the romantic signature on their products.
8/4/2014 0 Comments In the pursuit of happinessSome days I wake up and think if I will ever get my life together. The thought of not knowing what my future will be in a few years, not knowing if my friends from now will even remember me after graduation or if I will be happy. It is hard to be dreaming of being a famous fashion designer/blogger when I'm just 17 years old , facing the same struggles of school, social life, and family. In my head it sometimes seems impossible that one day my dress may be featured in a red carpet, my article could be published in Vogue or that maybe some celebrity will wear my designs. In all honesty my dreams scare me. I am basically a teenager with no money, no connections, and no real idea of what I want from life. All I've been doing so far is trying to be happy by doing what i love which is fashion design, and writing my thoughts. It worries my parents that I will be a failure at life , living in a cheap apartment in manhattan with almost no money and being one of those lost souls inside New York City or Los Angeles being a nobody with dead dreams. I don't want to be that. I want to prove people that doubt my talent that one day I will work for a fashion magazine, or a famous brand and my biggest dream to own a wedding dress boutique. I am willing to work for all of it. Although my relatives or friends look at my work and doubt that I can make it in such a hard industry if I have one person by my side I can do it. The person I need is myself. I need confidence and strength to keep fighting for my dreams even though they may sound crazy, stupid , or fake. At the end of my day I want to know that what I'm doing is making me happy and making others happy. Inspire others with my work that has been created by the inspiration I have from others. Creativity is a chain where all of us connect , and we feed each other with art that makes us happy not only because it's beautiful but because it's a personal experience. If I die tomorrow I would die happily even though my name was not in 5th avenue, simply because I am happy I can incorporate my ideas in a design and in words. Making people happy brings me happiness and hopefully one day my designs will bring many smiles as well as my words of wisdom to all of you. "If your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough"
8/2/2014 0 Comments The fault in our outfitsI HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR! Is what i yell everyday as i throw every piece of clothing i have to the floor. Why can't I find something to wear? The answer to this is I don't want to go through the process of getting ready. I know my dresses look cute but then i feel like i need to do my hair and makeup to look decent and i need high heels to complete the outfit so i find it very hard to do it because I'm lazy. And don't dare to look at me with shame because it is most likely that you are lazy too. Waking up , getting coffee, trying to eat breakfast , and rushing to the door to go to work/school/starbucks is already stressing enough. If I spend two hours spraying my hair with three sprays to get that beach-y wave hair look and trying to even out my eyeliner how can i have energy to be efficient throughout the day?!?!? Well I am glad to inform you I may have found the solution to your problems.
The most important step of this fashion failure lifestyle is by stop being lazy. It is hard, I know , but you have to keep in mind that the world will go on whether you have eyeliner or dark under eye circles. Prep up your morning routine by checking the weather forecast for the following day and preparing an outfit you would like to wear in those conditions and also have in mind what you will be doing that day by keeping an organized agenda. Be a tech guru and use those reminders and alarms to get up on time and have enough time to get your tasks done. Also a helpful trick is once you have your outfit picked out you want to take the time to arrange a hair-do and makeup look that goes with your overall look. Now you have time to wake up and get ready faster. If you shower at night you can try cool braids, curls, or straighten your hair to be even more ready. In the morning simply applying some dry shampoo to give texture and freshen up your hair. If you shower in the morning try to avoid too many steps. Instead of straightening hair , blow dry it, change the curling iron for hot rolls that way you can do your hair and makeup simultaneously , wear salt spray and experiment with natural hair to look fresh and effortless. The key to looking your best is by keeping most things simple. "OK i got my outfit done, hair,shoes, coffee, money, keys, purse, I think I got my life together for once..." and at that moment as I was going outside my feet feel cold ,wet and bare... I cannot believe I forgot shoes. NEVER FORGET SHOES, AND SLIPPERS ARE NOT SHOES. Tip on how not to forget your shoes: place your shoes outside your door. Okay now I feel like we got this routine together the only issue is that by that time you already finished your morning drink/breakfast and starbucks/dunkindonuts sounds good... sadly we might be late again but hopefully my boss likes a venti caramel machiato. |