Splitting Hairs

It was time for me to get a haircut again. When it gets colder, maybe I'll let it grow out, but while it can still get hot during the day, I'd rather keep my hair as light in terms of weight as possible (black hair absorbs so much heat sometimes).

Right now is the best time for me to play around with Fall outfits involving shorts and boots. The temperature cools down quite a bit in the evening, but not enough to make me cold as long as I wear something warm up top. For a Sunday evening of standing in line with friends for eons before our patience would be rewarded with the most delicious ramen from Daikokuya, I decided to wear this:

[Miu Miu sunglasses, Minden Chan cropped jacket, Tart long-sleeved tee, Argento Vivo necklace, H&M cuffed shorts, Calvin Klein stockings, Capezio boots.]







This is actually a variation of what I wore earlier that day, before I swapped a black tank top for long sleeves and slipped on the tights. The wool-blend cropped jacket is a bargain that I picked up a while ago from the FIDM store. When I bought it, I fell for the amazing details and saw a lot of potential, but for one reason or another, I just didn't get to wear it quite so much. That is about to change.

The collar is amazingly cute, but not too much so, since the Peter Pan collar folds into a grown-up form in the front. I just love how the zipper in the back extends and dovetails at the very end. Since the jacket zips up in the back, starting from the very top, it also somewhat resembles a straitjacket (which doesn't sound appealing at all, but I appreciate how easy it is to take off the jacket during a red light stop when it started to get hot in my car).

Fall weather also means it's time to bust out the interesting stockings. This particular pair will get quite a bit of use during the weekdays as well. I should try it out tomorrow.

Rising in Fall

Life, with its ups and downs, is a continuing struggle. We won't ever learn how to get up if we don't fall down first. We won't toughen up if we don't take a few hits first. Sometimes we won't know what's really harmful to us, or know how to heal from the resulting wounds, without getting hurt first. It's all a learning experience. One thing is for sure--we do not remain fallen for long. After a trip downwards, we realize that we CAN get back up, that we are stronger than we give ourselves credit for. We learn, we heal, we survive, and become stronger than before.

In Southern California, the mercury usually rises in September. This year, it has been uncharacteristically cool--a welcoming change for me. Now that some semblance of my favorite season is here, and now that my life is somewhat back to order, it's time for me to dust myself and my layering pieces off, and rediscover what it means to be creative. Being creative was difficult when I had no time or mood for it, when the heat leaves me little options than shorts/skirts and tank tops, and when much of my clothes and possessions sat in boxes for weeks. Now that most things have been unpacked, I can explore my new surroundings as well as new ways to mix up my wardrobe. It also feels good to be exploring photography and photo editing again.

My work outfits have been largely uninspiring, as layering was impossible during the hotter months, and I wore only what I could easily find. Today's outfit is finally something along the lines of what I really want to achieve--an integration of colors, shapes, patterns, textures, and sophistication. It is quite ironic that my favorite cool-weather items--the stockings and the cashmere-blend drapey sweaters--were found during the hottest months. It makes perfect sense that they were found at outlets, since no one would have been thinking of buying something so out-of-season. While the drapey sweater has been my go-to piece for the office and for air travel, I couldn't wear the awesome patterened stockings until today.

Being told today that I look like a fashion model was kinda neat. :)

[Marciano by Guess drapey sweater, F21 faux-wrap dress, BCBG necklace, American Eagle Outfitters ring, Calvin Klein patterned stockings, D&G mary janes]