Loaded, Angelica Faustino, Pt II.

The cool cat doesn't disclose too much. 

She is what she is, and what she is, is cool. The rest (and the best) has yet to be revealed. This time, it is up to time, to time the _____. 

Jeremy Keith Photography. Coolness at its best, find it here.

Once again, thank you, Angelica, BJ, and Beatrice. 

Improvisation and Improvement, Pt 1.

Life isn't about the plan. It's about knowing what we want out of it, having a strong direction and accepting challenges and changes as they come, having faith in the process, focusing on the work at hand, and reaching a higher sense of fulfillment afterward.

The soulfully refined lady reduces the clutter in her life.  She lets her mind breath and surrounds herself with only the necessities that are conducive to an artful way of living.  After a long day in a hectic world, she kicks off her boots and takes the time to reflect. 

 Like the circles and squares that pattern her necklace, she understands that a contrast of round rims and jagged edges can work harmoniously, that is, if they can share a common area, brilliance, and taste, making her approach to life soft, but her vision sharp. 

We had planned on a completely different look. I forgot the top. The improvisation began. Improvement happened.  Although Jeremy and I are complete opposites, our styles surprisingly overlap, but only through creative work can we feel the commonality. Through our collaborations, I have learned the importance of high impact, the challenge in reduction, and the maturity that arises from it. There is a great trust in the work that we do, evident in the images we produce. More of his individual work can be treasured here.

Thank you, BJ, for allowing us your space. 

Thank you, Beatrice, for your enthusiasm and allowing us our space to work, I'm sure we'll get another chance at beginnings. 

Thank you, Angelica, for being down, and for the frozen yogurt break in the midst of the franticness. You're fun. And cool. Bread and butter, for sure.

The Future with a Flair

If dream is truly destiny, then I can only dream that the future woman is one of the image I have visualized.

She is strong. She is brave. She is keen. She is smart. She is eloquent. She is vibrant. She is the new feminine. 

She stands before you, both feet planted, ready for anything the universe throws at her. Her scenery has changed; there are much tall, constructed standing structures on her land. Thankfully, her beloved trees of life have survived, still standing as strong as she, a harmonious relationship that has taken many agonizing years to strengthen and secure. She has found peace in the balance between modernism and naturalism. 

But hold up, this peacefulness doesn't imply she won't be ready to throw down for her planet at any moment. Her arsenal hangs from her ears and she remains alert at all times. They are mismatched, for well rounded protection. Her rings resemble compact portable crystals, for she has evolved into a female that is conscious and spiritual; an oracle. On one wrist, she wears a cuff, a sign of a warrior. On the other, double name tags, a sign of a double identity- one of the world we in our eyes and the other of the world in our hearts. 

I can not express how wonderful of a collaboration this was. Of the many logistical brick walls we were faced with, the power of creative determination remained a common denominator and we prevailed. The productivity is a testament to the soulfulness all of us have applied to our collective vision. 

Sensational jewelry by Lauren Matsumoto, Mitsymoto Designs. Further interest can be directed to this space.

Awesome photography executed by Jeremy Keith Villaluz, Jeremy Keith Photography. Explore more dopeness at his place.

Thank you, Jennifer La for stellar modeling, surely this won't be the last case.

And to Bj Las Ponas, just for bringing around such a warm face.

Last, but definitely not least, Tiffany Hoang, for you are the scallop to my lace. 

This is part one.

New Additions and Editions

Shawl We Proceed?

I've been thinking a lot lately about staples- 

things and people we consider necessities in life.

To me, it's important to recognize the intrinsic value of things and people that we associate ourselves with. It helps us make sense of our existence and brings us closer to a clearer and fuller projection of our inner selves. 

(And I wish there was a way we could all recognize Something in everyone we can associate ourselves with).

James is a former work associate of mine. He's a musician. He is a nomad. He is a free spirit, living according to his own vision with the natural flows of life to guide him. His style is directly correlated to his music. 

This is his staple. It is the focal point of all aspects of his style.

Then, he characterizes himself further by wearing statement pieces. (Statement pieces don't always mean bold, heavy, large accessories that draw maximal attention). 

And on this same day, I wore all of my staples together, while introducing my newest.

Brown tweed Kangal, black/white baseball tee, black shawl cardigan, Levi's acid wash jeans, brown riding boots, and the usual accessories. Now, meet my crocheted shawl. Great addition to my wardrobe now that spring has arrived. Airy enough to wear with dresses during a late breezy afternoon, thick enough to keep me comfortable on nights of outdoor philosophical coffee dates. What does this new shawl say about the progression of my inner self? Hmm. 

The Total Package

What makes a life and a style timeless?

 

I did a double take when I saw this lovely lady on the street. She stood there, in the nook of a tall building, waiting patiently, seeming perfectly content taking in the fresh morning air. She was striking and I loved everything about her. You can tell by the confidence in the way she stands and the eloquence of her outfit that she has crafted a style personal to herself, and she has arrived in her own skin. The simple, yet strong color coordination of her ensemble proves she has learned some lessons in life about refinement and precision. She is a classy lady. This is beauty and this beauty is timeless. 

Bow Down to the Springtime Princess.

We all have those days of sitting and day dreaming, imagining ourselves as love birds, nesting. 

This is the day when I accepted the fact that "reality" is a lot more logical. I realized how much more there is outside of my own life, my own romanticism's. So, I opened those windows, trying my best to escape the cage of my own self serving dreams, absorb the light, and fly forward with the flock's best interests in mind and heart. 

The weather on this particular day was like a fairy tale.

I adore vintage blouses like this one. It feels marvelous on my skin. Silk. Its shape is extremely flattering. Not tight at my arm pits, a little wider, and no shoulder seam. Good colors. Striped pastel, so just needs to be paired with something bolder and solid on the bottom. Only problem was the complications in keeping it tucked in neatly. Eh. 

Okay, so, the skirt. It hits at about my mid calf.  It's length challenges new proportions. 30/70. 

The belt. Good neutral color to mediate and twisted to the back for that sass. Studs for the edge.

How can I forget the shoes? White shoes usually aren't my thing, and wedges are tricky. I'm just lucky because these have a rich texture to them (where as most white shoes look flat) and the wedge is slimmed as it moves toward the back of the shoe, resisting the hulking feel of most others. Plus, the tone of the buckle plays with the belt color.  

All in all, I felt like a refined modern day princess. Now, to my chambers I will retire.