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8 Confessions of a Fashion Lover
I love fashion, that’s pretty obvious. But…
1. I love love love designer clothes, but I don’t wear them.
I actually dress in basics every day: flats, skinny jeans, a cute-ish but plain top and whatever style I can wrangle my frizzy hair into. I always manage makeup, but that’s about as far as I go into fashion on a daily basis. Sometimes there’s cute jewelry involved. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have the interest—my floor is littered with fashion magazines, and I certainly have my industry idols (Sarah Burton, Joe Zee, Frida Giannini…on and on). I love the creativity and imagination that goes into designing clothes, and think it’s a courageous endeavor, to put your ideas out there for other people to critique. Fashion is art, and those who create it reveal their thoughts and emotions as any other artist would with a canvas or a pen.
2. I’m extremely camera shy.
Seriously, any photos you see of me that aren’t my hands—that took hours. And they are a result of playing with angles and light and trying to do some photo-editing magic. Instagram helps a lot.
3. No one says “fashionista.”
Ugh, people hate that. All people—not just fashion-industry types, but just, all people.
4. Runway shows go really fast.
You’ll wait and wait for one to start (all editors side-eye Marc Jacobs), but when they finally get the show on the road (or, runway, ha), it lasts like 10-15 minutes. And sometimes, I’ll see a look on the runway that I think looks kind of meh, maybe just OK, and then in photos later, it is stunning.
5. I kind of think Carrie Bradshaw is the worst.
I know all fashion lovers should worship at the feet of Sex and the City and Ms. Bradshaw, but I just can’t handle her ridiculous quotes: “I couldn’t help but wonder, can you make a mistake and miss your fate?” F-ing, no. If you missed it, then it wasn’t really your fate, now was it? But I guess you’d have to believe in fate to begin with. Vomit.
6. I have made some amazing fashion mistakes.
Just because you love fashion doesn’t mean you won’t fall victim to it (especially when you’re a teenager). Example: Did I own Uggs at some point? Yep. And early-2000’s tie-worn-as-belt? CHECK. However, I’m proud to say my closet has never seen a trucker hat or any juicy couture.
7. I flippin’ hate tiny hats.
Because…why? Why do you need to wear a hat that could fit a doll? I never understood why this became a thing for some people. Agh.
8. The people with the best style are not following trends.
What makes you and your style unique are the quirks—the weird stuff that maybe others wouldn’t try, but you jump right on in. Just go with it!
Simply Stylist Sessions with Kitson’s Courtney Saavedra, Pursuit of Shoes, WWD’s Khanh Tran and Mena Suvari
Simply Stylist hosted yet another fabulous event, this time at Kitson on Melrose. Speaking on the panel were actress Mena Suvari in an amazing leather bustier and Chanel necklace; Pursuit of Shoes blogger Ashley Torres, who dispensed advice about following a career path you want instead of one you feel like you must travel (she left the world of accounting to pursue fashion); WWD writer Khanh Tran, who pointed out that what journalists do in today’s digital world isn’t different from what we’ve always done—it’s the execution that has changed (e.g. finding sources through Twitter); and Kitson’s Director of Operations Courtney Saavedra, who emphasized the importance of networking for your career. It was an engaging and entertaining discussion that ended with champagne and yummy snacks.
Marathon Training Week #6
Today we ran hills, hills, hills, at Reseda. We ran 3.1 miles out to Nike Tower and back, and oh man, that was hard. Many, many times we wanted to stop and walk, but not for the reasons you should, such as an injury—we just needed to push through.
And we did! It wasn’t our fastest finish, but it was our best because we didn’t give up. Woo! I snapped a pic from the parking lot, but next time (oh yes, there are multiple hill training runs in our future), I’ll bring my phone to play some motivating music and take advantage of the view from the tower.
Moroccan Couscous—My All-Time Favorite Vegan Recipe
So, you guys, this is the best. Whether you’re a meat eater or a plant-based-diet lover, you’re going to love this recipe, it’s so yummy and easy. It’s from Alicia Silverstone‘s “The Kind Diet” and so worth trying.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 cubes
- 2 cups yellow onion, large dice
- 1.5 cups carrots, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 cubes
- 1.5 cups zucchini, cut into 3/4 cubes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Fine sea salt
- 1.5 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1.5 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons Earth Balance butter
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
- 1.5 cups whole wheat couscous
- 2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2: Place the squash, onion, carrots and zucchini on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Step 3: Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once with a spatula about midway through.
Step 4: While the vegetables roast, bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan.
Step 5: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cumin, saffron and salt to taste.
Step 6: Cover the pan and steep for 15 minutes.
Step 7: Scrape the roasted vegetables and their juices into a large bowl and add the couscous.
Step 8: Bring the vegetable broth back to a boil, and pour over the couscous mixture all at once.
Step 9: Cover tightly with a plate and allow to stand for 15 minutes.
Step 10: Add the scallions, toss the couscous and vegetables with a fork, and serve
Morning Run and an Amazing View
We are in week #6 of training for the 2014 L.A. Marathon, and I’ve been trying to squeeze in some runs before work. This morning, I finished up and decided I had enough energy to do stairs in my building. When I got to the top of the stairs, which end at the door to the roof, I realized I’d never taken advantage of our top-of-the-building view! I got there just as the sun came up. Beautiful—a great way to start the morning!
New Favorite Breakfast: Bananas and Almond Butter
Oh wow, so good you guys! I like to sprinkle a bit of salt on the almond butter to give it a bit of a boost. Perfection! Yummy perfection!
The Power of Pomegranate Seeds
Wow, you guys. Have you tried pomegranate seeds? They are so delicious! And they are packed with tons of fruity goodness: They are high in vitamins C, K and B5; contain lots of antioxidants; and are filled with protein and fiber. But the best part? So yummy! Perfect as a snack or sprinkled on a salad.
Busting Out: Some Love for Ladies Who Are “Blessed with Chest”
Up until about, mmm, sayyy, four years ago, I had huge boobs. Like, HUGE. But it’s not like I was enjoying some super hot Sophia Vergara-like existence. Life was not about looking curvacious and cute in sexy clothes. No—my back and shoulders were constantly in pain at the end of each day, when I would have to lie down and give my body a rest from the extra weight I was carrying around on my chest.
Ever since they cropped up at the age of 13, my boobs were a constant hazard. It was awkward being so young with such an adult physique. There was a lot of staring and teasing in school, and I didn’t know how to handle this “development” much better than anyone else knew how to ignore it. What made it even more of a challenge was being required to wear a uniform everyday that included button-down shirts, and as ladies with big boobs will tell you—button-downs are impossible. You have to buy them big enough to not bust open, and at that point you look like you’re wearing a garbage bag. SO FREAKING FUN, let me tell you.
Anyway, clothing was a constant challenge. Most shopping trips ended in tears because I just wanted to look cute and dainty like my friends, but it just wasn’t going to happen. There weren’t a ton of options then besides just buying bigger (too big) clothes. Finally, in 2009, after talking about it for years, I had a breast reduction and went from about an F cup (by this time, my boobs had continued to grow since high school and college, when I had been a DD) to a modest C cup. After some weight loss, I’m now a B cup and couldn’t be happier—it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.
But, this post is for those big-breasted women whose pain I felt. I wish I’d had a resource when I was in high school on the best chest tamers. For those who are lucky enough to be able deal with this problem with today’s technology, below are some links to help with everything from clothes to bras to bathing suits (and, of course, the Sophia Vergara collection).
- Bras, bras and more bras
- Bare Necessities Swimwear
- Sophia Vergara for K-Mart
- Cute clothes by Carissa Rose, Pepperberry (embrace the wrap!) and DD Atelier
- And all the support and advice you need here
Couscous Confetti Salad
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups dry whole-wheat couscous
- 2 cups boiling water
- 3-4 green onions
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1-2 cups finely shredded red cabbage
- .5 cup parsley, finely chopped
- .5 cup golden raisins or chopped dried apricots
- 1 lemon, juiced
- .25 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tbspn olive oil
- 1 tspn curry powder
- 1.5 tspn salt
Step 1: In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 5-10 minutes or until broth is absorbed.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk the lemon, rice vinegar, olive oil, curry powder and salt.
Step 3: Mix all ingredients together. Drizzle with dressing (step 2) and toss. Salad!
wild pieces 