Away to the Farmside

Things have been so uniform for me these past few months, so being able to do my first long distance drive up to Vermont with a distant friend was like a breath of fresh air. Escape to someplace magical and cram all the things you love like thrifting, vegan food, and fun people all in three days. Never forget to put time aside for yourself & to figure out what you need in life. Escape to someplace magical.

"The divine sees into you. Without thought, without judgement, simply with clear awareness and unknowable love. Eternity is watching you this very moment. You and it are inseparably one."

Dating Yourself

(Posted originally in a contributation to Tumble Magazine)

I have constantly been faced with the challenge of figuring out my own intentions. Sometimes we get so absorbed in pleasing others, that we forget who we even are without the pressure of our peers breathing constantly down our necks. First & foremost, we have to ask ourselves why pleasing others is even important to us. Is it so we can feel like we are part of a whole? Or because we are afraid of the possibility of being alone? When you are able to answer that, you can finally approach the possibility of pleasing yourself before all else. 

Step One: Take advantage of alone time. In the morning, wake up a half hour before your family, boil water and add a squeeze of lemon, & retreat outside to listen to the world that surrounds you. If you are accustomed to waking up halfway through the day, then find a quiet place in your home, close your eyes, & listen to your breath. I have come across countless people who are incapable of alone time; however, if we can’t be alone with ourselves, how can we be alone with others?

Step Two: Discover your likes/dislikes/hopes/dreams. You don’t want to become that person who halfway through their life, discovers that they have been living according to someone else’s expectations. Don’t join a club just because your friends are. Branch out. Do something that interests you. I can assure you that you will meet people far more similar to yourself. Once you figure out what makes your heart tick & your mind race, don’t let it go. You may be one of the lucky individuals who is able to do what they love everyday (something that has become so rare).

Step Three: Learn to let go. Teenagers (girls especially) are constantly getting absorbed in ridiculous conflicts over boys, ditched plans, or silly name calling. Ask yourself: why do you care what anyone thinks of you? If you think you are the best version of yourself that you can be, then screw the people who have a problem with you. If they call you a bitch, who cares. If a boy breaks your heart, then it just was not meant to be. Move on, brush it off your shoulder, & be the mature one in the situation.

     Above all else, learn to love yourself. Love the birthmark on your stomach, the stretch marks on your thighs, your strengths & your weaknesses. By discovering who you are and staying true to your beliefs, you will never have to waste your time with people who can’t appreciate how wonderful you are.

so long summer

The time has come to say goodbye to expensive beach passes & bennies, and take advantage of the quiet lull our towns face after all the kids head back to college. In between my endless work schedule this summer I managed to get a few amazing days. To all the laughs, the trips to the city, and outdoor concerts, you will be greatly missed.

(jacket: vintage)

 (top: unknown, bottoms: urban outfitters, sweater: urban outfitters, shoes: vans, choker: northern dash)

(dress: urban outfitters, vest: buffalo exchange, sunglasses: vintage, bag: vintage, sandals: vegan birkenstocks)

(Back To Human -- 'restaurant' in NYC)

(top: brandy melville, pants: billabong, bag: urban outfitters)

(top: urban outfitters, kimono: unknown, shorts: urban outfitters, sunglasses: vintage, sandals: vegan birkenstocks)

(Flora Farms Restaurant -- Mexico)

Next post will be my fall essentials & inspiration so stay tuned! 

hats off to ya'

(outfit on the right:: shorts urbanoutfitters, shirt unknown, kimono borrowed, fringe bag urbanoutfitters, hat urbanoutfitters, sunglasses vintage)

As I have grown older, my style has increasingly simplified from far-out patterns to plain t-shirts and small details. Instead of opting for your classic aztec pattern that can not seem to be repeated without public scrutiny, there is more appreciation for accessories that can give an outfit a bit of a twist. Hats have never been out of style; however, now there are men and women who strive to design hats that truly accentuate their customers style. They are affordable, provide protection from the sun (just a bonus), and can immediately make a simple outfit more chic.

My advice: hats should definitely be tried on prior to purchasing. Some hats will work better than others for your facial features..

If you are looking for a cheap hat to purchase try asos, Urban Outfitters, but I strongly suggest thrift stores!