The Goal

Diving into the blogging world recently has educated me on the do's and don'ts of blogging. At least, in my opinion.

DO:
- Interact with readers in any way you can. I particularly enjoy one blog I follow because it prompts its readers with a creative question at the end of each post.
- Utilizie multimedia. Picture, pictures and more pictures.
- Link to social media sites, other blogs, etc.
- CUSTOMIZE. It makes the blog more inviting and demonstrates more about the host. The more familiarity there is the more readers will come.
- Do research. When you write well-informed people are more likely to read and take the writing to heart.
- Update frequently. Keeps things interesting.
- Have a focus and flow. Keep it relatively short; if not the entire post definitely the paragraphs.

DON'T:
- Rant and rave without a bit of humor.
- Use rough, annoying and unintelligible language. Some slang can add flavor while others can distract.
- Do not leave all the customization settings as they were when you signed up for a blog. The reiterates the need to customize, I know. But I think it is OH SO important.

Yes, these rules are important. No, they are not set in stone or from "Blogging for Dummies." They are what I have observed and concluded. Yes, they take time and dedication. No, I do not follow them all; not even half. Yes, I want to.

So, watch out blogging world! I am on the rise! Maybe after finals week though...

Any opinions on Blogger vs. Wordpress? I appreciate your musings.

Awkward...

Blogging straight from the University of Maryland's course, PHYS104: How Things Work. It is a battle for me, but I depend on the book. I go to lectures to hope some information soaks in between my planner organization attempts and Words with Friends.

Today the weather is awkward. Warm, yet windy with puffy white clouds and threatening dark blotches racing across the sky- like a movie in fast-forward. It rains for 5 minutes then stops suddenly. I wore my tattered leopard print flip-flops. They are soaked. Make my toes wet. Awkward.

My hair is wiry and in a side ponytail-bun. You know, when you make a ponytail then pull it half-way through on the final twist. Classic frazzled up-do. Awkward since wisps of baby hair fly into my face with the wind gusts.

I do love my maroon leotard from sophomore year dance class paired with my tattered, cut-off jean shorts. Comfy and chic. Adding my mom's old, 80's leather and silver embellished braid belt with a Western vibe was a wise choice. Flip-flops were unwise, however.

I got an in-class question on electromagnetic waves correct. And with that win I will sign off this awkward post of random ramblings.

At least I am trying to post more, right?

An Offer

To anyone out there who may stumble upon my blog:

if you ever want advice on what type of outfit is just right for your personal style, shape and a certain situation please feel free to leave the details in a comment and I will give out my fashionable advice.

I love transforming into a stylist. Assisting my girlfriends in shopping and dressing for a night out is a cherished past time.

So if anyone is interested, if anyone ever reads feel free! :D

Struggle defines my life...

This is post number 10. Only number 10. I struggle with making time for the simple pleasures. My life is always jam-packed with activities and tasks. A lengthy to-do list runs through my head 24/7. I live life in the future rather than the present. It is something I desperately desire to change.

Blogging is a positive for me. I am a journalist. My life is writing. My life is researching. And yet I cannot take the time to blog? Frustrating.

Fashion is my passion. It is what I love the most. Retail therapy really is a cure for me. Piecing together an outfit is what brightens my day. And yet there are days when I do not have the time, the energy or even the desire to put effort into my outfit. Numerous days I will done a simple T-shirt and jeans. Other days I will throw on a hodge-podge of sweatpants and a blazer.

I went to my rehearsal the other day in gray, baggy sweats (they are, literally, my boyfriend's sweatpants), a red zebra print tee, my black velvet Steve Madden patterned sandals, and my black blazer. Having only 20 minutes after my gym routine to get to rehearsal pushes a girl to the extreme.

I look forward to the final weeks of school. I can relax, recharge and restart my habits of spot-on fashion and frequent blog posts.

I hope.

Hope

Days like today give me hope that I can live the life I dream of.

Interviewed a sexual health expert on campus for an article I am writing. Went to all my classes. Attended an extra credit discussion with award-winning author and journalist Hector Tobar. Swam at the gym with a lovely new friend- dinner followed.

And wore a killer outfit: Converse black tank with a ruffle lined V-neck, Banana Republic dark tan, skinny corduroy pants rolled into long capris, my supreme leather moto jacket, Steve Madden black, geometric design sandals (a Spring obsession), and my chunky rectangular stone necklace for a final, sparkling touch.

These are the days that demonstrate the life I dream of: busy, yet beneficial and always stylish.

Maybe I am finally getting the hang of becoming the woman I envision instead of being complacent with remaining the woman that is easy. But, there is always tomorrow so we will see.

Wooden Roller Coaster

My first week back to college life post-spring break is best described as a roller coaster- ups, downs and uncomfortable from start to finish. My fashion reflected this as well.

Some days I would rock the college uniform: T-shirt and jeans. I would add what little flare is possible; red sneakers one and a blazer the other. But, it was still a downer outfit. Other days I would style it up: a lovely royal blue cardigan with a gray plaid skirt (that is actually a dress I decided to use as a skirt) and a wast-cinching gold ball stud belt. Clearly, ups and downs.

Wore my new, eagerly anticipated Steve Madden nude combat boots. They squeaked horribly on linoleum. Linoleum is everywhere at college. Uncomfortable.

I was not prepared to return. I went from a comfortable environment where I relaxed and did what I desired. My fashion was superb. And oodles of shopping occurred. Now, I am over-powered by stress, over-scheduled, burnt out, and my fashion is typically blah. And life keeps throwing balls that hit me in the arm, except I do not get to walk away. There were too many Phillies T-shirts this week since baseball season kicked off.

Things can only get better though. Today, my combat boots only squeaked once.

Super Short Safari Shorts

I can fit into my Gap size 12 (the size 12 from 7 years ago!) short shorts. They are cream with a brown, safari floral print. An accomplishment I'd say.

In two years I have transformed from 225 pounds, size 16 to 177 pounds, size 12/14. Definite accomplishment.

I wore these shorts for the first time today. Why did I own them you wonder? As a teen I used to buy smaller sizes because I could not force myself to buy any more sizes 16 or 18. Pathetic, I know. And a waste of fashion.

I never wore or wear short shorts. Another fashion first for today. But, I felt like a risk and the sun was shining for the first time since summer vacation. I thought I should celebrate. Treat my legs.

Walking into Waffle House (I live in the country and my old-fashioned grandparents are in town; plus, have you had their hashbrowns?) with my short shorts showed off by a simple tee with billowing sleeves in a light, peach color tucked in. Some working men by a run down truck were chit-chatting and stopped to smile and stare as I walked by. Complement? Maybe. I always thought I would get a swell of pride from such a sleezy display. Nope. I worried my short shorts looked trashy, ridiculous. The self-confidence still lacks. Maybe with another 20 pounds gone I will gain a shred of self-confidence.

At least, I did not take them off all day. The sunshine was too bright. And I do love safari prints.

To blog...

I have always wanted to start a blog. Ever since the fad of Xanga died by the rise of Myspace and then Facebook.

Now, it is not the fact that blogging is "in" or the fact that I am an aspiring journalist (cliche, I know) that propels me to blog. It is not the allure of easy fame. Although, if fame found me I would not complain. And even though this blog will be all about style and the world of fashion (cliche, again, I know), I do not aim to gain thousands of followers, and I do not plan to establish myself as an expert stylist and blogging genius.

I am doing this for me. I am doing this to better my writing. I am doing this to keep my love of fashion alive while I am immersed in the world of hard news reporting at my prestigious j-school.

Honestly. For years I have volunteered here, was a leader there, studied this, and signed up for that to further my ambitions. But, along the way I have barely kept my head above the waters in a sea of stress. I need an outlet. I need to write for me; to rekindle my love and natural desire to write that has been stifled by my studies. I need to write about fashion to remind me of my true love; to keep me connected to the pure joy I receive from simply holding a pair of elegantly crafted Louboutin heels or a unique Marc Jacobs bag.

Back to the blog. It will have a theme. It has too. I have too many thoughts that bounce from topic to topic to allow this blog to exist without a bit of order. It will be written, day to day (more realistically, whenever I have time to log in during my scheduled day), about what outfit I wore and the thoughts and adventures and happenings that are connected to it. Why? I was inspired by a book.

I came home from college during a break to a bag of presents. My mom always gets me little presents to surprise me. They are never expensive. But, I cherish them. This book is one of my all-time favorites. It was bright pink with a sketched woman in a velvet (it was actually velvet) black dress and hat on the cover. It is titled, "Dreaming of Dior" and is by Charlotte Smith.

I always read the introductions. Yes, I am that girl. Except novels. I read the introductions after I finish because I worry they will taint my interpretation. Back to the book. The introductions told me that this book was about a collection of fashion through the ages that was owned by a woman, the author's godmother. Smith inherits the collection from her godmother and with the collection of clothes comes a collection of stories. Each story is connected to a specific piece of fashion from the collection. The book describes each piece and tells the story tied to it. Brilliant, right? This book inspired me to keep a journal of my daily fashion. Now I am doing it. Over a year later.

Why? Fashion has always intrigued me. It is my art. It communicates, inspires, and transforms. Those are powerful verbs, which makes fashion a powerful creation. And it is available to everyone. A label is not necessary. A Dior gown is born from the same origin as a homemade sundress- a sewing machine. But, more importantly, you take it with you. It is the art of everyday. It is like a photograph. Fashion expresses the vision of the designer, the wearer and carries messages about the situation and people involved.

I want to tell my life through the thing that always uplifts my spirits- my fashion. And maybe inspire someone to be fashionable along the way.

<3, the stylist