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Outfit

    Outfit

    Army Green

    March 20, 2015
    Photos by Ale Veyna

     

    Outfit Details:
    Forever 21 Fedora Hat (Similar here, here and here)
    H&M Army Green Shirt Dress
    H&M Trouser Shorts (similar here and here)
    H&M Sandals

    The heat has arrived to SoCal, which means that I’ve officially stored away my winter wardrobe. I’m trying to keep a capsule wardrobe for each season and storing away things I don’t use during certain times of year. Doing this reduces clutter in my closet and keeps my wardrobe feeling new and fresh. Since I haven’t worn certain pieces for a couple of months, the process of bringing out my spring/summer clothes made me feel like I came back from a huge shopping spree.
    I wore this outfit about two weeks ago on a day that was particularly warm. This army green top is actually a dress, which you’ve also seen me wear here. I love pieces that are versatile and can be worn in a variety of ways because when you’re on a budget, like me, they can help maximize your wardrobe.
    —

    What are your weekend plans? I’m still trying to fight off this feeling of fatigue, so mine will probably be filled with tons of sleep. I’m determined to not be at home all the time, however, so maybe I’ll do something that I haven’t done in a while, like going out dancing in Echo Park. I used to go out to shows and dancing all the time, but I’ve become so lazy that I never do things that involve me going out past 10 pm anymore. Maybe this will be the weekend that I finally break out of my routine.

    xoxo,
    Helen
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    Outfit

    Clothing Exchange

    March 10, 2015

    Photos by Ale Veyna

    Outfit Details:
    Floral Dress
    Crocheted Bag (Handmade by my grandmother)

    One of my goals for this year is to focus on being less materialistic, save money and make mindful purchases that will enhance my existing wardrobe. One of the first steps that I have taken towards this resolution is to get rid of clothes that I just don’t wear anymore. It is so much easier to make a list of pieces you need to add to your wardrobe when you have a clear perspective of what you’re actually wearing on a daily basis. Since I tend to be a bit of a hoarder and have had many items for years, cleaning out my closet took a bit of work; I sent a bag of clothes to thredUP last December, and just filled up a second bag this weekend. Even though I have been mostly working on getting rid of things instead of adding to my wardrobe, it’s much easier to find things to wear now that my closet is less cluttered.
    Another thing that I did this weekend was participate in a clothing exchange with my sister Alejandra. If you’re looking to add a couple of pieces to your wardrobe without spending too much money, clothing exchanges are a great way to do that. Since my sister was also in the process of getting rid of some of her clothes, it was the perfect opportunity for us to look through each other’s piles one last time and take whatever we wanted. Both our piles were filled with clothes that just didn’t fit either of our styles anymore, but I was lucky to find this floral dress in Ale’s. I can’t understand why she’d want to get rid of it, but I’m glad it’s now mine!
    I plan to talk about my own process of building a conscious closet in future posts and am working on a summary of my winter purchases for next week.  However, if you want to get a sense of what other people are doing to build a more conscious wardrobe, I would suggest that you check out the #ConsciousCloset series on In Honor of Design and Un-Fancy Blog.
    As always, thanks for reading!
    xoxo,
    Helen
    Outfit

    Monochromatic Mod

    February 23, 2015
    Photos by Ale Veyna
    Outfit Details:
    Madewell Bag
    Old Navy Turtleneck
    H&M Mini Skirt (Similar)
    Forever 21 Over-the-knee Socks (Similar)
    Madewell Loafers (Similar steal and splurge)
    Benefit Lollibalm (Lips)

    When I was in high school I was obsessed with everything about 60s Mod style, especially the bold prints and simple A-line silhouettes. I would try to dress in clothes similar to that style even though vintage and Mod-inspired pieces were hard to afford on my budget. I even remember having a folder on my desktop filled with pictures of Twiggy and other girls in 60s fashion.

    Although my current style is far from 60s Mod fashion, many times I do tend to gravitate towards pieces that are inspired by that era such as loafers, mini skirts and shift dresses. Putting together this outfit was so easy and fun because I had a clear vision of what I wanted to look like in my mind. I was even going to straighten my hair and and style it in a bouffant to complete the look, but opted not to since this was one of those rare days when my naturally wavy hair wasn’t being rebellious. I’m actually glad that I wore my hair like this, even though it takes away from the Mod vibe of this look, because it makes my outfit seem like something that I can wear every day instead of a costume. However, I’m not saying that I won’t go the extra mile next time I put together an outfit inspired another decade.

     

     

    Life has been very slow lately, and I kind of like it that way. I have always been a perfectionist and felt the need to have as many things as possible on my plate, but am working towards abandoning that habit. I realize that it’s not healthy to beat myself up for not doing enough–whatever that means–and I want to become better at living in the moment. I also realize that it is possible to be goal oriented without having to constantly worry about the future.

    In my effort to learn to be more present, I have committed to a daily meditation and prayer practice during the 40 days of Lent, which I was inspired to do by my friend Janista as well as a mindfulness training that I’m taking part in at work. I actually grew up with the tradition of Lent, but in the past I’ve participated by giving up things such as sweets or social media, none of which have helped me become a better person in any way. I’m hoping that setting time apart to reflect on my day will enable me to become more aware of my feelings, my surroundings and the people around me. I’ve only been meditating daily for about a week, but I’ve already noticed how much more calm and centered I feel because of it.

    xoxo
    Helen

     

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