New Pants and New Beginnings

Since I have last posted, I have moved to Los Angeles for a new program at school and am currently on day 6 of new life! A few days ago was the first day of classes and this was my outfit. I sported some suede-y, high waisted, culottes; a striped blouse with a lace cutout in the back; and some wooden and leather platform heels. I loved this because, first of all it was super comfy. The pants, which I got at Urban outfitters outlet for $10.00! The high waisted is very flattering and you just look like a lady boss when you pair them with a button down. I was very weary of the culottes trend because to me, they initially looked very unflattering with the wide leg and shorter hem. However, the fit in these sold me and I actually think the length is rather flattering! The outfit sticks to the rule of thirds, and the slim fit through the hips makes sure there is not too much volume. The blouse is thrifted from Buffalo Exchange and the heels are from T.J. Maxx. 

Since moving out on my own, I have had some ups and downs emotionally but I am overall really excited for this new chapter of life. But enough gushy crap, everyone leaves home sooner or later so I will be fine! Some things I have picked up and received advice about have been really helpfull (thanks Jessica!). Here we go: 

1) Make my bed every morning. This may sound like a no-brainer, but having my bed all tidy makes the room look so much nicer and pulled together. For me, it doesn't work to be carelessly messy so this little thing goes a long way. 

2) Get dressed right when you wake up. Often at home, I would either stay in my pajamas for most of the morning or immediately change into workout/lounge wear to do things at home. It was helped so much to just put on at least jeans and a fresh tee shirt and a little bit of makeup. Before, I would wait until I actually had to leave the house to wear something a little nicer and do my makeup. Now, I just feel better about myself and am ready to go! 

3) Stretch your food. I realized that if I make a big portion of my diner at night, I can take it for lunch tomorrow and maybe even have it for dinner again the next night. I know that sounds repetitive but it actually has been really helpful to cut time in the kitchen. (And although, my roommates have not said anything yet, I do spend a LOT of time in the kitchen as it is!)  For instance, the other day I made a kale salad from a bag mix from Trader Joes, some quinoa, and 2 pieces of chicken with taco seasoning. That night I had little bits of each, separate on my plate. Next day for lunch, I layered it all and made a salad. I had some salad left over, so for dinner I heated up some corn tortillas with cheese and put the salad in the there for tacos! So good. 

So these are some things that are new to me. I would love to hear any advice you have! 

Under the Lace

This Anthropologie top is the cheapest thing I have ever seen at said store, costing a whopping ten dollars! That is probably along the lines of one (just one) sock at the same place. Don't get me wrong, that would be one hell of a sock. Anyway. The outfit above is a bit of a risk for me. I don't usually show skin, even under a layer of lace. However, I love the opportunity to exercise my confidence and remind myself of who I am and that I believe that I am beautiful. Many people shy away from certain looks because they think they can't pull it off without trying it. More people don't wear what they really want because they fear what others will think and say. I have been there. Oh lord I have lived there! But the Lord has reminded me that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, so I will present myself as such. This top makes me feel pretty and adventurous, and the best part of it all is that I love it. And that is what makes this ten dollar steal feel like a hundred dollar investment. 

Denim and Tomatoes (And Other Veggies)

Ok, $50 of organic gold was purchased that day and totally worth it! I love my local farmer's market, and I love the look that says, "I am casually healthy and super pulled together and flawless and I love strolling in the sun and not sweating" that so many bloggers emulate. I personally find that all a bit unattainable, but this is what I got. The main components of that style, is comfort, simplicity, and confidence. These are my favorite shorts I own, they are from American Eagle and they are a bit loose around the legs and have the perfect amount of distress. Confidence? Check. This chambray button-down, I scored at Buffalo Exchange and is so soft and has good proportions and slouch. Comfort? Check! I finished off the outfit with my pink Converse for a pop of color and comfort while I stroll with my veggies. Simple AND comfort. Double check!!! I am still trying to master the effortless, casual style, along with a healthier lifestyle. Eating more organic and locally grown foods has made it more exciting and encouraged me to stay on track...thus farmers markets rule, am I right? 

LBD - Little Blue (Velvet) Dress

 

Friends are so encouraging. Upon trying on this number and coming out of the dressing room, Rose and Sabrina were instantly saying, "Oh my god! So cute! It's so flattering!!!" And the sales gal was like, "You can wear it now in the summer and then in the winter with boots!!!" But then Rose said, "And it totally works with your makeover, because it's really sophisticated!" Sold. Aside from the fluffy chatter, I really do love this dress. It's structured and fully lined so it keeps all the extra tummy-lovin' in check, which is nice because I usually don't go near this slim-fitting silhouette. 

Aside from fit, what makes this dress stand out is the color. This blue compliments my olive hues in my skin and dark hair. When you're shopping, recognize what colors look the best on you and stock up. Neon and pastels are fun, but don't work on everyone. Jewel tones, like this rich blue velvet, look amazing on pretty much everybody. 

Friends are really encouraging, not only in the dressing room.  The reason I was M.I.A. the last week was because I went on a outreach mission trip to the Navajo Reservation in Sweetwater, Arizona. The ankle bracelets I am wearing in the pictures above were made for me by some friends I made during the trip. It was incredible to see the beautiful desert with it's mesas and red dirt. Our team hosted a basketball camp for children at a local grade school, and went to different families' homes to do yard work and house repairs. I received so much spiritual and life encouragement from everyone around me; it was an incredible blessing and experience. 

Style Muse: Mariana

Meet Mariana! 

This gal has been giving me style goosebumps since fifth grade. Mariana was always the friend in the group to do everything first. I remember her getting those red little feather extensions in her hair when we were 15, and I was like, "AAAHHHHH so cool!!!" And then she started wearing Birkenstocks again, and at first I was like, "Uhhhhhhhhh..." and now I'm like, "Uh, where do I get a pair?" We've been through a lot, we even started a fashion club at our high school our sophomore year, that lasted until we graduated. She's extremely smart, creative, and hilarious. My favorite vegan Brazilian in the whole world. 

I love that Mariana always looks comfortable in her own skin. And just plain comfortable - ready for an adventure or a cartwheel. At the same time, pulled together by working proportions and colors. She always rocks her accessories, every time I see her she has necklaces, bracelets, rings, aannnd earrings. What I've noticed is that each piece is small and delicate, with the exception of one or two more dramatic ones. I would love to incorporate these element into my own look. 

Here's what she had to say about her style: 

How do you describe your style? My friends describe it as "hippy" which basically means Birkenstocks, dresses, flow-y pants, and all those kinds of comfy things I can chill in. Can't chill in jeans, so over those right now. Since going to college I gravitate more towards outfits that are cute but also comfortable since I have to walk a lot to get around campus.

When running low on time, what is your go-to look? In a hurry I'll throw on a dress because they make you look put together but with minimal effort on my part. Secretly inside I'm thinking "I hate pants-this dress is so comfortable."

Where are your favorite places to shop? Free People is hands down my favorite store but I only shop in their sale section. Urban Outfitters is definitely another favorite especially because all their stores are great- I spend hours in there browsing and reading books. Other than that I get my clothes from various different sale sections.

What are your 3 favorite pieces in your wardrobe? My Birkenstocks, super-soft striped long-sleeve shirt, and my lace bras - so over regular bras right now.

What parts of your life dictate how you dress? Since moving to San Diego, the warm weather plays a role in how I dress. I'm able to get away with wearing shorts and sandals most days of the year, which I am more than loving! Comfort is also very important since most of my days involve walking to classes or sitting the library studying.

Comfort or fashion? Comfortable fashion! It's totally thing and I'm all about it.

Who do you dress for? Like everything else I do, I dress for myself!

What do you wear that makes you feel the most beautiful? I feel the most beautiful in a flow-y dress, hair down, with some dark lipstick on.

Are there any challenges you face when shopping or building your wardrobe and if so, how do you tackle them? My biggest challenge in building my wardrobe is being selective with what I buy. I already have waaay too much clothes (I struggled to fit it all in my tiny dorm room) and every day I'm tempted by more cute items. So now I'm working on decreasing the number of items I own in order to appreciate the clothes I already have. Other than that my challenge is buying clothing from companies I know are cruelty-free and are honest businesses. A lot of popular, cheap clothing stores are huge corporations that will do anything in order to increase their profits.

In your eyes, what are 5 wardrobe staples every girl should own no matter what? Of course a LBD, casual or fancy, that you can always count on. A cute, comfy cardigan to throw on when you need more coverage. A pair of sandals that can be worm casually or dressed up when needed. Black

pants- I have a pair of black jeans from Lucky Brand that are a staple in my closet! Another dress, this one maybe more exotic or colorful that makes you feel confident and puts you in a good mood. Sixth item - DIY tie dye shirt because I love all things tie dye and if nothing they make the best pajams! 

 Shoes that are recycled and eco-friendly! 

Thanks Mariana! 

Cleaning Out the Closet

Today I purged, and oh did I need it. I took a solid look at everything I own and thought, do I like this? Does this look good on me? or Why am I holding onto this? The result was a collection of pieces that I feel good in, and are practical. 

The first thing I did was to pull out my ten favorite items in my closet. I wear these pieces weekly, and I love the way they fit and feel. 

I love this elephant tee-shirt mainly because of the whimsical and intricate print. It is slightly big, so it drapes nicely on my body; not too tight. The tank is simple with the cool gather detail to make it a little different. Next, the sweater I wear almost everyday...no joke. It's baggy and soft, one step up from a blanket. The sweatshirt, is the same story, super soft and the classic logo let's me believe it's alright to wear for any occasion. These dresses are just as comfortable as they are sweet. Both are flattering and emphasize my natural waist, my smallest point. Then of course, a couple pairs of jeans. I like skinny jeans the best for my body, (both from American Eagle) and in my essentials is a dark wash skinny for any occasion, and a distressed skinny for a casual look. 

So with knowing what sort of things I wanted to keep, based on my ten favorites, I had a better idea of what sort of things I didn't want to keep. Here's what I got rid of: 

Juvenile These pieces to me look junior. Don't get me wrong, I actually like all of these pieces, in fact I wore the blue tank last night.  However, in my look I want to project an image of a capable young professional, and these pieces do the opposite of that.  The colors are too sugary, the prints are too loud, and there is no structure or flattering shape to any of them. 

I still have that? All of these items have been in my closet for so long, I hardly know why we're still together. So I made the choice to stop settling because I know I can do better, and move on. I know they're cute, but there are other shirts in the store. (Shelby and Her Early-Highschool-wordrobe: A Breakup Story) 

Fit Issues Each of these pieces had something slightly off. The top on the left is a looser, baggy shirt that is just too baggy. The maxi-shirt required a pair of Spanx, which contradicted the whole "look-at-me-in-this-comfy-jersey-maxi-skirt-all-cool-and-chill" vibe it deserved to have. The black and quite top and red dress each have a boxy fit problem and the contradicting issue of being structured, but not structured enough. 

Wait for me? These items I am keeping, just not in my closet. I share a closet with my sister, so real estate is precious. These cozies and plaids will be packed away for the summer months until it is chilly enough to enjoy them. 

Why? I bought these heels for Prom and they looked great in pictures, but never made it to the dance. Twice. Why? Because they weren't practical for a long night and dancing. Also, they just didn't quite agree with my feet. Although I will we could have made it work. I feel it would have been a beautiful relationship. The flats served me well, yet it is time to move on. Why? Because I bought them for freshman homecoming, and I just finished freshman year of college. It's time. And again, they just weren't working with my feet anymore and walking in them was not comfortable. Next! 

Jewelry I tend to hoard my jewelry and never really get rid of things. Today, I only kept what I have been wearing the last few months, and a couple pieces that I wear less often but truly love. I ended up with lots of stud earrings and friendship-style bracelets.  

Well, here it is, the pile of pieces that didn't make the cut. They will be dispersed amongst my friends, mom, and sister 

I feel so free and excited to have an edited closet, because it's filled with things I love that I already own. Wonderful!

- Shelby 

Time For A Reboot

The Problem

For the last few months, I have been feeling drained of my style and really, my whole look. My freshman year of college is coming to a close and has left me tired, yet inspired, and eager to find a look that is truly me. I used to love to get dressed and put looks together, but now I’m all about those jeans and sweatshirt. I am plagued with the task of waking up early for school when it is about 10 degrees colder than it will be the rest of the day, and I dress for the hour I will be cold rather than the 8 hours I will be at school. This has made me realize that my style, at the moment, has no direction or purpose. What I do in the morning is just put on clothes, and not dress for who I am or who I want to be. I am ready to get excited again, to express myself again, and discover a bit of myself in the process. 

Goals 

I have always admired a vast range of styles from a sweet, pulled together, Kate Spade lady to a fresh off the beach, easy going gal. I want pieces that are comfortable and easy to wear. When I say easy, I mean pieces that don’t require too much for them to look how they are supposed to, like they don’t need cami’s or bandeaus. It is time to add a little sophistication to my look, to show that I am a young professional. Dress for success!  I love mentality of effortless cool that a lot of men and French women have. It’s the elements of masculine + feminine, and “woke up like this, flawless” that draws me in. On the other hand, as mentioned, I do love the girlish whimsy of Kate Spade, so working in cute collars is on my wish-list. Even though there are a lot of different signals I’m giving off, I am going to do my best to incorporate everything into the final product (the Fresh Me!) 

Solution 

To fix my style blues, I will be taking what I have learned from the great style gurus (Tim Gunn and the What Not to Wear team are a couple of my favorites), personal style bloggers, and the lovely women around me, to give myself a makeover. Here I will document my progress, from purging, to shopping, to my new look. 

I love that on the Cloud10 you can see how my style has changed since I started when I was 16, up to now. I want this project to continue do that, but breath new life into the Cloud10 and into me. 

So here's to the new! Let's do this. 

- Shelby 

Caribbean Night! - Hosting a Themed Dinner Party

 My friends and I love to have movie nights. And it's not one of those things where we say, "Oh yeah, girl, let's hang out, totally..." and it never happens. So when I got a hankering for some Pirate Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom, I got excited for our Caribbean Movie Night. We pot-lucked a dinner party and after a couple hours chatting it up at the dinner table, watched "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl". Can I just say, awesome movie. That, I think, is one of the classics. So here's what we did to create that ocean breeze:

 -Festive Ceramic and Pebble Candle Center-piece made by Vicki

- Gold chargers for some pirate booty 

- Blue goblets like the Caribbean ocean

- An Elizabeth-Swan-style tea pot for Iced Coconut Chi Tea

 Post it on Instagram!

 On the Menu: 

(clockwise from the top) Spinach Salad, Fresh Pineapple, Trader Joe's Mandarin Orange Chicken, Jerk Chicken with Ranch Sauce and Green Onions, Trader Joe's Chimichurri Rice

 Add fruits to your water that go with the theme - 

Citrus and mint for our tropical evening.

Thank you Vicki for opening up your home and being such an amazing hostess! 

Next time, Star Trek?