Flirting With My Boyfriend (Jeans)

Oh, is that a pun in the title? If it is, how great is that? The purpose of puns, sometimes, is to be amusingly lame. No matter, the lame title stays because I don't actually have a boyfriend but I do have these boyfriend jeans. These non-stretch jeans that I never expected to wear as often as I do. Also needed to add some context before disappointing anyone with a misleading title...unless, you know, I'm currently flirting with my (future) boyfriend. Well...

I just thought I looked cute in this: a flirty, feminine top and pants with rips on purpose. I remember when my dad pointed out the rips a couple months ago, as if I didn't know they were there. His expression and response when I told him I bought them that way...still makes me chuckle. Again, with a headwrap to front like my hair is fly. Still perfectly mismatched for a Sunday afternoon, I think.  

the backside

this tree just branched out to me

I am a cheerleader

What I'm wearing:

Hearts black lace top // American Eagle ripped boy crop jeans // Just Fab sandals // greenish scarf of Korean origin, c/o my sister

Oh, My Soul

Above is the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, the Hindu place of worship where the mind becomes still.  Some weekend ago, I invited a friend to see something different and learn something different with me.  I noticed a contrast between the website depictions and the in-person experience.  The mandir and the other isolated structures were grand in a smaller way than expected, but the overwhelming serenity could not have been imagined.  

No photography or recording is allowed in the mandir itself.  To preserve the sanctity, shoes must be removed before setting foot onto any part of the mandir and modesty in dress is requested.  No skirts shorter than knee length, so I thought I was dressed appropriately until asked to wear a long skirt garment over my clothes.  No problem, but inside I felt embarrassed and apologetic.

The most eye-opening part of the tour and the introduction to Hinduism was this parallel to my Christian faith.  The concept of the soul and the need for its enrichment exposed the lacking nourishment of my spirit.  My inner voice yelled in a panic, "Oh, my soul!  My poor soul!"  In Hinduism, the soul is undesecrated, owning nothing.  In its current body the soul is dirtied.  This dirt determines the next body for reincarnation.  Whatever you consume, you become, whether that is food or music or television.  Doesn't that make your eyes widen?  I could not stop thinking about trying to balance between secular and non-secular.  And I wonder whether the pursuit of happiness (or fun or entertainment) cancels out the pursuit of a pure soul/spirit.  

Visiting the mandir left me in a reflective mood.  I asked few questions because I kept dwelling on certain kernels of speech about the soul and achieving peace and knowing God.  I had already planned to return to church after a three week absence, but this experience created an anticipation within me to go to my own place of worship.  Altogether, it was lovely to visit.  Beautiful to see and beautiful to learn.  

No deception: short sleeves on a December weekend

See how intricately beautiful!

A little commentary on my sartorial choices, I suppose:  It was another case of I-don't-know-what-to-do-with-my-hair-so-let-me-make-up-a-way-to-tie-a-headscarf-on-the-fly.  I love this midi stretch pencil skirt but I haven't worn it as often as I would because I never know what to pair it with.  On this day I found a cool casual combo (and I might have been trying to really show out...modestly, of course).  The color coordination was absolutely happy and unconscious circumstance.

What I'm Wearing

Cynthia Rowley t-shirt // Topshop textured skirt // Antoniazzi Firenze leather belt // Report oxfords // Rebecca Minkoff Mac bag // that one purple scarf

So obviously, this is a delayed post.  That warm and sunny early December weekend is long gone and we're deep into Christmastime and wintertime.  Holiday spirit and tradition are on blast everywhere and these photos don't exactly highlight that.  But no matter.  Despite my lack of holiday-inspired posts, I still wish everyone a wonderful end of the year season.  Reflect, rejoice, and enjoy.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!!

Wrap Your Head Around It

So I've been experimenting with headscarves and headwraps.  Joy Adaeze from Joy Loves Fashion first got me fascinated with them.  It's become her signature since she was a teenager.  There's just something really beautiful about turbans, headwraps and coverings.  To throw out more adjectives: cool and regal come to mind.

This Monday when I unearthed my warmer clothes (and they all smelled like storage), I found this brown scarf that one of my college suitemates gave me in our freshman year.  For some reason, I don't like scarves around my neck, so the few that I have are always hidden away and neglected.  But scarves around my head?  All for it.  I tried to tie the scarf up in an untraditional way, which means making it all up as I go.  The fringe of the scarf peeked out and I thought I looked like a gypsy.  Then I went to the grocery store and willed myself not to be self-conscious about my handiwork. [DoItInPublicOrYou'reFake]*

About my natural hair.  Some days I hate it -- when it looks like rubbish tied up or let "loose."  Now I know that in those situations I could make a so-so puff or just wrap it up!  I woke up with ten flat twists radiating from the center of my head.  After untwisting the result was disappointingly unmagical.  I did the same style on Monday and it looked magnificent then.  But today...  I grabbed this scarf and tried to configure something new.  Something like Ashley Blaine Featherson, with my hair peeking out, but without the laid edges.  A tie in the front, wrap around to the back, then another tie, and lastly, tucking in the ends on the sides.  And done.  How do you like it?

What I'm Wearing

(But really, just a schweater, jeans and boots :P)

Forever 21 sweater // Kut from the Kloth Diana skinny jeans // BX by Bronx boots // purplely scarf of unknown origin // NYX Butter Lipstick in Hunk 

*j/k, you're not fake.  

Do what makes you comfortable but not so much that you're always stuck in the same old box.  

I think, that's what they would say.