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Outfit

    Outfit

    Feeling Edgy

    July 21, 2014
    Photos by Sarah Veyna
    Outfit Details:
    Forever 21 Retro Round Sunglasses in Pink/Nude
    H&M Faux Leather Jacket
    Cotton On Dress
    Caged Heels
    Madewell Bag (Here is a similar bag)
    Putting this outfit together was really fun because most of my go-to pieces were already in my laundry basket, and I had to pull out things from my closet that I don’t normally wear. I’ve only worn this dress a couple of times because I’m not a huge fan of the way that it fits on me. However, I loved how edgy it looked when I paired it with this faux leather jacket and caged heels. I felt like a total badass for the rest of the day, and nobody would have guessed that I “didn’t have anything to wear” that morning (at least I hope that they didn’t).
    —
    I had such a rejuvenating weekend! I finally got some much-needed rest and relaxation. I’m really bad at listening to my body and acknowledging when I’m sick. After spending almost the whole week trying to deny the fact that I was not feeling well, I finally caved in and took off a sick day from work on Friday. Who knew that all I needed was to give my body a break in order to get myself back on my feet? The rest of my weekend was extremely productive: I caught up with friends, spent time with my family, and I even managed to shave off a whole minute from my mile!
    I hope that you all had an amazing weekend! Thanks for visiting.
    xoxo,
    Helen Grace
    Outfit, Travel

    Soaking Up The California Sun

    July 14, 2014
    Photos by Laura Nolan
    Outfit:
    Crocheted Vest (Handmade by my Grandmother)
    Forever 21 Cropped Top in Polka Dot Print (Similar)
    Topshop High-Waisted Bikini Pants
    Linen Skirt (Handmade by my Mom)
    Dolce Vita Zen Flat Sandal (Available in Black)
    Crocheted Bag with Bottle Caps (Also handmade by my Grandmother) 

    This weekend I drove down to Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano to hang out with my best friend Laura. As you may already know from some of my previous posts, Laura and I live two hours apart, and Orange County is our halfway meeting point. Since Laura will soon be moving to China for a year, lately we’ve been making a serious effort to see each other more often.
    Since neither of us had ever been, Laura and I decided to visit the San Juan Capistrano Mission while we were in the area. The mission is a place that is very rich in history, and it was wonderful to spend part of our day touring the monument and learning about the people who first lived there when it was built. It was such a beautiful and serene place to visit, and it reminded me of why I love living in California.

    As you may have already noticed, many of the items that I wore this weekend were handmade by my Mom and Abuela/Grandmother. I love receiving gifts that are handmade, because I feel like they are much more unique and personal. This vest and handbag are two of my most favorite items because they were made by my grandmother. They are particularly special to me because my grandmother has C.R.E.S.T., a disease that makes it hard for her to use her hands–it’s so astonishing to me that, despite of her disability, she puts in the time and effort to crochet items like these and is also able to achieve such intricate detail.

     

    As usual, I was in charge of taking Laura’s yoga photos, and I snapped a couple of outfit photos as well. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again–I can only wish to be as strong and graceful as Laura is one day. She always carries herself with such poise, and her photos look like they belong in an Anthropologie catalogue.
    Before going down to the mission, Laura and I spent a couple of hours lounging and soaking in the sun at the beach. I’ve been making an effort to go to the beach more often this Summer, since I feel like I need to start taking more advantage of one of the most wonderful activities that California has to offer. I’ve also invested in a swimsuit for the first time in years, so I no longer have that as an excuse to not make my way down to the beach. While I’m on the topic of swimwear, I have to say that I’m so glad that high-waisted swimsuit bottoms are back in style; I feel like they make it easier for girls like me, who don’t like showing too much skin, to go out and have fun in the sun.

     

    I feel like I’ve been going at full-speed this Summer. There isn’t a weekend that goes by where I don’t have anything to do. I’ve been having so much fun, but I do feel the need to slow down and spend a weekend just focusing on myself. I think that it’s always important to set apart time to focus on self-care and recharge. Doing that definitely gives you energy to get back out there and take over the world.
    How are you enjoying your Summer? Do you have any goals or activities you would like to accomplish before it ends?
    xoxo,
    Helen Grace
    ——
    Follow my adventures in real time on Instagram
    Outfit

    Learning to Focus

    July 7, 2014
    Photos by Sarah Veyna
    Outfit Details:
    Black Top with Bow (Old)
    Madewell Deckshorts in Crosshatch Ikat (ON SALE!)
    Target Merona Espradilles in Black
    (My shoe size is 6.5, and a size 6 fit just fine)
    I recently read an article in Darling Magazine called “I’m Not Here, I’m Not There,” in which the writer Tracey Wallace discusses how multitasking is making people less productive. Wallace’s article implies that smartphones are largely responsible for the “multitasking phenomenon” because people constantly feel the need to seek out information or be connected to social media. The article goes on to suggest that instead of trying to multitask, people should focus on breaking up their life into four quadrants–these quadrants can be any areas in your life that hold a deep significance to you, and you should aim to contribute something positive in each one. People should focus on only one particular quadrant during a specific time in order to maintain balance and achieve success in their everyday lives.
    I really enjoyed the article for many reasons. Firstly, it made me think about how my own constant usage of social media and dependance on my smartphone, are tied to my habit of multitasking. In the past few years, I’ve become obsessed with documenting different aspects of my life to the point that I don’t always get to fully enjoy myself and live in the moment. Not only that, I constantly use things like working on my blog or checking my Instagram as an excuse to step away from focusing on a more important matter or working on a challenging task.
    I also enjoyed that Wallace’s article made me take a moment to think about what my priorities are by suggesting that, in order to be successful and productive, people need focus on four quadrants in their lives where they can make a significant contribution. It was extremely challenging to break up my life into just four areas that I want to focus on–I’m so used to just seeing my actions as individual tasks instead of how they relate to a bigger picture. I would say that for now the quadrants that I want to focus on are my family, friends, learning and being creative.
    I feel that looking at my life in quadrants makes me feel more organized and focused in life; it also makes me think about what areas of my life I need to contribute more time to. I definitely feel that in the past couple of months, I haven’t really made time to focus on unleashing my creativity or attaining more knowledge. I definitely need to set apart time during the week to step away from my computer and read a book or work on a creative project.

     

    I hope you all had a fun 4th of July weekend! I spent mine (mostly) away from a computer screen and smartphone, and instead I made time to hang out with family and friends. Some of my friends from out-of-state were in town all day Saturday, and I had so much fun being their tour guide for the day. They were such good sports as I dragged them from one place to another, even though I definitely made them walk more than a couple of miles as we explored different parts of Downtown Los Angeles. I hope that I can continue this streak of having fun-filled weekends as long as possible!
    xoxo,
    Helen Grace