And a Happy Easter to you, too.
I honestly forgot how much fun it can be dressing up for Easter. When I was a little girl, my mother took much delight in dressing me up on Easter Sunday, color coordinating my hair ties and sending me off to church with my dad. I didn’t grow up in a deeply religious household and we were what I’d like to call “fair weather Christians” since we only went to church on Easter and Christmas.
Now, my parents and I meet up for Easter brunch each year. Although we don’t do the church celebration and have simple brunch, I still enjoy dressing up for the occasion.
I had a different dress mind than what I wore today, but er, things weren’t working out too well. This old dress from The Limited has always worked well as a backup for that very reason. The gray tights were also meant for the other dress, but I was running late and my mother is very mindful of what time proper brunch begins, so I had to go. Ditto with the necklace. I threw on my Jeffrey Campbell 99 wedges for comfort.
How is your holiday? I hope that you are having a wonderful Sunday afternoon!
I’m back and I’m sorry
It’s actually somewhat painful to look at the date of my last blog post and know that I so casually just stopped writing altogether during the past few weeks. Well, it wasn’t necessarily casual, but I definitely felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders during that time. What a horrible thing to say, huh? Considering some of the things I had going on in the past few weeks, writing on this blog really had to be put on the back burner and the least of my concerns.
Plus, I also felt like I was almost losing my voice in some way. I almost began to feel like I was experiencing what many call “blogger burnout”. Not that I’ve always been the most regimented blogger around, but I was really beginning to struggle with things to write about–and when that happens, I always take it as a sign to step back and reevaluate. I had to rewrite what my mission and goals were when I first began blogging.
I never began this blog to make any money or become a super popular HBIC. I began writing this blog to serve as an outlet for writing about my hobbies: fashion and beauty with a sprinkle of other goodies here and there.This is what I plan on getting back to as I begin to rebuild and regain my voice.
For those of you who have continued to read this and support this blog, I genuinely say “Thank You”. I’ve missed this blog. I miss settling down after coming home from work and writing about my interests.
I hope I can start again and keep it moving.
Channeling Corinne Bailey Rae
If you follow me on Twitter, then you might have noticed a couple of my tweets written about Corinne Bailey Rae’s latest album, The Sea. I admit, I was only a casual fan of her past music, liking a few songs here and there. I remember when the horrible news of her husband’s death broke and my heart went out to her.All was quiet for about a year after that, and then I heard she was coming out with a new album.I started reading a few of her interviews after she broke her silence and she sounded pretty upbeat, if not nervous.
I was apprehensive about checking out her new CD, because I wasn’t sure if it would be too dark–not that there is anything wrong with that– but it just isn’t what I’m looking for at the moment. However, I am pleasantly surprised. I believe I’ve listened to her new album almost three times without skipping a song. It’s not a dark album. There is a sense of intimacy and vagueness in many of her songs. A quote from her interview with the Telegraph is a very accurate way to describe the feelings:
“There are feelings that I found hard to explain; words are insufficient. Tenses I find really difficult. How do you refer to now? How do you refer to somebody that has been but you don’t want to put an end on it? That was difficult. Similarly, with Are You Here, it’s a question and a statement at the same time.”
My listening experience was very smooth and soothing. And there are definitely more upbeat tunes, but not “club dancing” upbeat. Instead, they are more for grooving in your chair or moving your head from side to side. Ms. Bailey Rae has turned me into a solid fan with this new album. I definitely see a long career for her and I hope she continues to churn out the good music–because Lord knows we all need it these days.
P.S. On a shallow note, I’m also in love with her hair. The big, poofy curly hair is my newest hair obsession. During my last trip to my hairstylist, we tried to duplicate the look. Usually, I just have her flat iron my hair straight, and I was ready to do it during this visit. Then I remembered Corinne’s style. I told her and we were racing on our Iphone and Blackberry trying to find pictures of exactly what it looks like, because she had not seen her lately. My stylist went to work, but unfortunately, it was too straight and whatever curls I had fell in the rain. I’ve passively tried channeling her style when I do my hair at home, but I don’t think I’ve really gotten it down:
What do you think? No? Yeah, me either.
Feeling Comfortable and Getting Healthy
Hello, all! How are you? Happy 2010!It’s going to be a good year, I can feel it! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with lots of family, love, celebration and festivities. I know I’ve pretty much disappeared in these past couple of weeks as I went on a bit of a break of my own, and I do apologize for the lack of posts. I decided that I needed to step away from my computer for awhile and do some self-reflection before I rang in the new year. However, I am back and ready to get back down to business.
During my time of self-reflection, one of my largest gripes was acknowledging that I’m not comfortable in my own skin.Weight and weight issues are something that I really tread lightly on, because I feel like it’s hard enough as it is for women–no matter what size they are–to live up to ideals. I’ve lived most of my young adult/adult life trying not to be so body conscious because I never wanted to make myself feel like I was in this never ending struggle. As someone who’s never been considered “thin”, I’ve just never bothered to aspire to live up to what I thought was unattainable.
However, over the past couple of years, as I’ve become less active and I’ve been eating more unhealthy meals, I’ve noticed how uncomfortable I feel in my body. After I recent meltdown during break with a certain button down shirt I used to be fond of , I decided enough was enough. I hate to feel like I’m in part of the Resolutioner crowd, but I am going back to my gym, getting back into hot yoga and starting a very fun class for fitness and leisure. I’m also.I’ve also signed up to Sparkspeople.com and I’ve been following the stories and gaining inspiration from many lovely ladies in the “Getting Healthy” section of The Demoiselles.
Sounds good? Any suggestions?
While talking to a friend, she asked me if I was afraid of wearing plus-sized clothing.I took out a lot of time to think about my answer.Truth be told, I can already wear plus-sized clothing depending on what it is and I don’t really care about label sizes. Plus, my mission isn’t to be thin, but it’s to feel comfortable in my own body, which will also lead me to being a much healthier person. It is definitely one of my ultimate goals for 2010 and beyond.
Do you have any goals that you want to achieve in 2010?
Snow? Boots?
Snow
It won’t be long before we’ll all be there with snow
Snow
I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow
This is a picture of what greeted as I l opened my door to leave for work this morning. I’m pretty much an angry hermit in the mornings, so that means that I don’t look out of my window, I don’t watch the news or check the weather to see the forecast for the day. Not smart, huh? Well, that’s exactly why I was surprised when I walked out to find snow covering my car yesterday morning and its continuance today.
My first thought? “Dammit! I STILL don’t have any winter boots!”
I have fashion boots; but here in Chicago, they aren’t going to cut it. I need winter boots. Boots with a great grip on the bottom and will absorb the snow. In the past, I’ve worn Ugg boots (don’t judge me), but not from a fashion standpoint. My thoughts? They were extremely comfortable and worked extremely well in protecting me from falling on my butt in the icy conditions. Con? Even after using the protection guard, my boots still became worn down after a harsh Chicago winter.
So I’ve been researching options for boots. Durable, snow absorbing, ice-defiant boots. I’d still like them to be pleasing to the eye, but they don’t necessarily have to be dainty. Â That won’t cut it for a morning of wiping snow off my car and carefully plotting my way to and from destinations. A friend recently suggested rain boots:
“Would they be durable, though?” I asked her.
“Uh yeah, snow is still precipitation! Plus, they have nice grips on the bottom”, she replied.
So I did my research. Yes, the rainboots will keep my feet dry, but warm?Talk about doubling up on the socks! I’ve never been a fan of rain boots, even the trendier Hunter boots, so I searched for awhile before I settled on this pair from Urban Outfitters:
But these suckers might just be on their way back.I’ve been cursed with wide calves and underestimated the fit. So that leaves me with no winter shoes in hand right now.
I’ve got to do better.
Where are you hiding?
Image Source: We Heart It
I hope everyone reading this had a great holiday weekend, possibly enjoyed Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping, and spent lots of time with their loved ones.
I am back. No, really, I am. I’ve missed this blog. I went on a bit of a blogging sabbatical for the last week or so. What did I do? The picture above pretty much explains it all. I’ve been doing a lot of reading, lounging around, watching horrible, one-star movies, and contemplating the year of 2009 and going into 2010.As someone who spends hours on the computer every day, sometimes I feel like I have to take a break. I was minimal with my contact on Twitter and emails, and I’ve resisted the urge to window shop online for hours at a time.
With all of that being said, I am going to be updating my blog roll (something that I have not done in a long time and I’ve been neglecting, sorry!). If I have not added your blog to my blogroll and you would like to be added, please let me know!
Kreativ Blogger Award
I would like to thank the always creative and fabulous Pretty Robotic for this lovely Kreativ Blog award.  I’m very honored to receive an award , especially from a blogger who is highly creative and churns out great posts on the regular. Thank you very much, Pretty Robotic! When I first began writing this blog, I honestly just wanted to open up an outlet for me to express myself and not feel like I was performing a “job”. And this never feels like a job, so it’s worth it.  So to follow the rules in receiving this award, I must:
1. List 7 things that you don’t already know about me.
2. Â Name 7 other blogs to receive this award
3. Â Leave a comment on each of the blogs I nominated
4. Â Thank the person who gave you the award.
So here we go. The 7 things you don’t already know about Clandestine Chic:
- I got my first job at the age of 13, working at my local pool for the summer. Reason being? My allowance was okay, but I wanted more money to shop for new clothing. My first clothing purchase with my first big paycheck? A pair of cutoff Levis shorts from Nordstrom for $13. I stay classy.
- I’ve written about my favorite holiday being Halloween, and my least favorite holiday? Christmas. Yes, bah humbug, I am a scrooge. Not that I become necessarily moody or irritable on Christmas, but I just don’t really like the holiday. Don’t worry, I still hand out gifts to loved ones and sing “Joy to the World” with carolers, but the day itself usually entails me to laying on the couch watching the “A Christmas Story” marathon and finally dragging myself up mid-day to see family. This isn’t some fairly new thing, either.  Look at me with Santa circa 1993-1994 and giving someone the “Whatever” face:
- I am an only child. I’ve found that there are some great pros and some great cons to not having any siblings. If I had the choice, however, I think I would have at least one sibling.
- I am deathly afraid of snakes. I can’t even stand the sight of them on television. My skin starts to crawl and I feel dizzy every time I even think I hear the slithering of a snake on the ground.
- I have never lived outside of Illinois and I think it’s taking its toll on me. I need to move around more and experience more. Chicago is a lovely city and it will always be my hometown, but it is time to go.
- Okay, some of you may know this, so I am kind of breaking the rules, but I am a Sims-O-Holic. I love playing the Sims and I’ve been addicted to the game for quite some time now. Whether it’s the Sims 1, 2, or 3, I am a loyal follower. I’m the person who buys all of the expansion packs, mourns when I accidentally kill my Sims in a fire and loses sleep because “one more hour” turns into an all-night extravaganza.
- And last, but not least: I am a pre-K dropout. Yes, at the tender age of 4, I decided that pre-school was no longer for me and I dropped out. Luckily, my dad worked a night shift, so he was able to watch me in the mornings (although, he probably wanted to sleep), so I kind of got off easy. The reasons I dropped out were due to what was probably some separation anxiety (see number 3) and being ignored after I fell off a see-saw.  However, I am living proof for all parents with children in pre-K that there is a glimmer of hope if a kid drops out. I’m not trying to advocate children not attend pre-K at all, but I’m just saying, if they don’t make it through, it can be okay. Me? I just watched lots of Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and read Berenstain Bears, so I did feel a bit prepared when I joined the other kids in kindergarten.
Now, to pass on this prestigious award on to other creative bloggers, I choose:
It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Okay, okay, I know they say that about Christmas, but for me, I always feel like Halloween is one of the most festive holidays of the year. Dressing up, yummy treats and costume parties are what makes this holiday great for me. I’ve been a Halloween enthusiast ever since I could remember. Finding a suitable costume at the local costume store was excruciating for my parents, but I loved every minute of it I remember being a Charleston girl, an ugly zombie,and a wicked witch–in which I sported a huge zit on my nose and won first place in my school’s “Best Costume” contest.
I haven’t dressed up for Halloween since I was a teenager. Mainly because there really wasn’t a reason for me to do so if I wasn’t going to Halloween parties and my creative mind from my former years has not kept up with me and I couldn’t come up with a costume to wear. A part of me really wants to dress up for Halloween this year and go all out like I did as a kid and just have fun with it. Where where would I wear the costume?Unless I am invited to a fabulous party somewhere (anyone?), I have no clue.
So I’ve been thinking about the costumes I would wear if I were to dress up for Halloween this year. Here are some of my choices:
Yup. It’s Kitana from Mortal Kombat. I remember a long, long time ago when Mortal Kombat was hugely popular, I was obsessed with dressing up as Kitana.This was before the dawn of the Cosplay costume stores online and American Apparel. Not sure if people would automatically get the reference, but I think I’d feel like I vindicated my younger self by pulling off this outfit.
I know, I know, Mad Men is everywhere and this is a bit unimaginative. I wouldn’t dress as one of the characters from Mad Men per se, but I thought it’d be kind of cool to dress up as a woman from the early 60′s: updo, bright red lipstick, nice vintage clothing, red nails. I wouldn’t have a cigarette in hand (bummer, I know).
Yet another costume idea I know has been run into the ground. An Egyptian queen.I wouldn’t be Cleopatra, but a powerful Egyptian queen. I’ve always been fascinated by that time period, so it’d be an outfit that I would spend a great deal of time on. Needless to say, I don’t think I’d order it from a costume company, but I’d rather piece it together on my own.
I still have a few other Halloween ideas swirling around in my head, but these are the top 3 that pop up instantly. Are you dressing up for Halloween? Have any costume ideas?
Image Source: Fright Catalog We Heart It, quizilla
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Also, check out the profile done on me by the fabulous DWJ at the Art of Accessories blog! I really and truly am honored that she chose to profile me this month of her “Art Of…” series. I talk about my top 3 favorite accessories, my style inspiration and my favorite gift to give. Much thanks to DWJ!
Hello Fall
Not sure how many times I’ve typed this, but I’m sure you know by now that fall is my favorite season. There are always subtle hints that fall weather is creeping in and summer is slowly fading away. The cooler weather, being forced to turn on the heat at night or piling blankets on before bed, the cider offerings turning up on the menu at your favorite coffee shop.
For me, one of my first signs that fall is truly here is when I begin to wear boots on a daily basis. Although I’ve tried, I cannot wear boots year round and I pretty much relegate myself to flats in the summer. Once autumn rolls around, I pretty much only wear boots. I realized didn’t have a pair of everyday and comfortable flat boots to wear (I’ll talk about this later), but I found a pair on a whim at Aldo and on sale a few days ago.
Can you guess what the highlight of my Monday was?
Breaking in my new boots, of course!
What is your favorite thing about fall?
Letter to a Younger Clandestine Chic
Have you ever thought about what you would say to yourself when you were younger if you were reflecting back at the age you are now? There are times when I do stop myself and think, “If I only knew this when I was 18, 19, then I’d be a lot better off”. Of course,one of the things about getting older is that you grow and you learn.Still, do you have anything that you would warn your former self to do or not to do since you have “seen the light”? I do have a few words of caution that I’d lend to a 19-year-old Clandestine Chic with my newly minted 26-year-old perspective:
- Don’t ever be sorry for not compromising your beliefs. Even if people make you feel uneasy about it or if you begin to second-guess yourself.It is your choice to believe what you believe, and if you feel right in making decisions based on your beliefs, then that is all that matters.
- Invest more time into your longer-term goals and don’t always take the “easy” way out. Especially if it has to do with money and positions of power. Ask yourself if it’s really something that you want or if you are doing it “just for now”.
- Chicago is great and all, but uh, you have to travel more! Be sure to take advantage of all opportunities and see as much of the world that you possibly can.
- Although I told you to travel as much as possible, since you’re going to remain in Chicago for awhile, take advantage of all that this city has to offer. You haven’t even begun to chip at the tip of the iceberg in this city.
- Drink lots of water, exercise and take your vitamins. People aren’t telling you to do this for their own health, but for YOUR own health.Your skin, hair, and the rest of your body will thank you.
Stop being so damn sensitive and persnickety. - Be daring. You’ll soon learn not to care what others think of the way you wear your hair, the clothes you wear or the music you listen to. Push your creative buttons with these outlets.
Do you have anything that you would tell your younger self? Words of caution? Little nuggets of advice? For me, I’d probably talk to myself (ha!) for hours and run down what has been great and what has gone wrong in life, but one only has so much time.
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