see ya soon

It's been a little quiet around here lately! I'll keep it short and sweet and just update you guys on what's been happening behind the scenes.

Honestly, I just don't have the time nor passion for blogging as I used to anymore. I can't get myself to visit my favorite blogs, or leave comments to my readers, and it's not anything that's been getting me down. On the contrary, I've been happily busy with work and school starting, and there are so many new experiences I've had in the real world!


But, I do still enjoy writing and interacting with everyone, it would be such a shame to just disappear and lose all that. So I'm currently in the process of figuring out some way to continue blogging, but not have it take up so much time or energy.

The problem there is obviously that I still need to create quality content that's engaging and insightful, not just lists about what I've been doing, or simple outfit photos.

If you have any tips or ideas, feel free to comment! I hope everyone in the community has been well - maybe you've found a great pink wall or a new restaurant with perfect decor (;

See you in a bit!

xx
Angelina

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12 gratitudes with sammydress

July has been really, really good so far. Not sure whether I've been cashing out my good karma, or something about my horoscope, but it's just been one great thing after the other!

I thought I'd repay the universe by sharing what those have been:

1 | I spent a lovely day in San Francisco with some friends I hadn't seen in a while. We found an adorable, although expensive, coffee shop to sit in for a while.

2 | Read Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. Cried a lot. Watched the movie. Cried even more.

3 | Halfway to hitting my goal of clearing out 80% of my closet. Sold a couple of bundles to some sweet girls!

4 | Scored very well on an Art History exam - validating the hundreds of flashcards I made.

Wearing: V Neck Floral Maxi Dress c/o Sammydress, Converse High Tops in Optic White

5 | Finally received my license! My examiner was the kindest and most understanding person; we chatted the whole time about dogs, and she really calmed me down.

6 | Stumbled upon some really cute clothes on sale - snagged them immediately of course!

7 | Was able to find $10 parking for Carmen at the SF Opera. Ended up being late though, and had to stand in the back for the first two acts - 85 minutes in heels!

9 | Found a local ceramics class for affordable classes, planning on making some cute vases!

10 | Started listening to podcasts while at the gym, especially Serial and 99% Invisible.

11 | Took advantage of Spotify's $.99 Premium trial. No regrets and no scary commercials to startle me while I'm showering!

12 | Am still interacting and talking with lovely people through the blog <3

Sammydress Review
I've already worked with Sammydress in the past, but this time, the quality of the clothing seemed better! It fits as pictured on the model, and though the seams weren't perfect, they don't seem in danger of falling apart either. The fit and shape remind me of something from Revolve.

Shipping as usual, is a bit slow, but the items arrived in decent shape. The website is easy to navigate, though the wide variety of images can create a bit of an illegitimate feel.

Customer service was manageable, sometimes a bit difficult to explain throughly.

Until next time (with a break from sponsored material ;))

What's been good in your life lately? How do you feel about sponsored content? What's your favorite brand to work with/in general?

xx
Angelina

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"the purge" + dezzal review

It's July - isn't that crazy? It seems like January was just yesterday, something I've heard many bloggers relate to. We're more than halfway through 2016, and it's time to clean out anything unnecessary.

This morning, I was clearing out all my inboxes (I'm not the only one who has 4 emails right?), and came across this article by The Cut. Like everyone else on the internet, I'd heard lots about the KonMari method, and tried it out a bit. It was about as much work as it sounds like, and didn't work for me.

This article, on the other hand, was the direct opposite of what the KonMari method is based off of. It's worth a read - short, but funny - but basically, you use adrenaline and rage to clean everything out. I dialed back on the rage a bit, though the quick burst of cleaning was more suited to my personality and work habits.

Yelling "Purge or be purged" at your roommates sounds pretty fun though.

Wearing: Reelop Shoulder Cutout Maxi Dress c/o Dezzal, Converse High Tops in Optic White

Some things I got rid of:

Clothes So, so, so many clothes. With half the year over, it's easier to point out things I haven't worn enough this year, if at all, and let them go to a new home. I find it harder to do in the beginning of the year, because then the excuse of "maybe I'll wear it this year" pops up. I regularly rotate my closet though, so it's much easier for me to get rid of things than most people. Plus, I need the money to shop more ;-)

Books I don't read, especially textbooks or anything school related. Those are expensive, and I'm sure they'd do someone else much better. On a related note, any school papers from the past years too! I always like to reuse them if they're blank on one side.

Beauty samples. My whole countertop is full of beauty samples, and I can't keep up with them every month! You could give them away to friends, use them as freebies if you sell clothes/handmade things, or sell them at a discount if they're unused.

Receipts/train tickets/brochures/papers in general. I was cleaning out my closet, and found a receipt for a top I'd already sold from 2 years ago! The ink was already faded and there was no way I would be returning the top, so obviously I tossed it. I like saving some travel mementos, but those go in an organized journal instead!

People that don't make me feel good about myself. Jim Rohn knows what he's talking about when he says, "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with". If they don't make you feel happy and energized, why bother hanging out with them? It's easier said than done, and I'm still in the process of figuring things out myself, but distancing myself is helpful for my mood and self-esteem.


Dezzal Review
Thank you to the Dezzal team for sending me clothes to review! They had a great selection, and the clothes seemed a lot more wearable than some Asian websites.

I liked how easy the website is to navigate, and the photos were higher quality as well. The package arrived in 8 days, and each item was in an individual sealed package.

However, I found the quality of the clothes to be incongruous with the price range. This dress was quite voluminous, and I altered it to decrease the amount of fabric (so I didn't look like a cross between a giant carrot and the Russian lady in the Nutcracker). The pleating as well as some of the stitches on the inside were uneven, and the fabric was much too heavy to move around comfortably.

It does make for great photos though - which can be deceiving!

xx
Angelina

p.s. happy Fourth!

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a word I hate

Lots of things drive me up the walls. Humble bragging, not saying "please" or "thank you", and backhanded compliments are some of them. But there is one word in particular that stands out:

"Sometime".

Where I hear it

It frequently comes up when making plans with others; "Yeah, I'd love to sometime". Okay, when is this, "sometime"? I understand using it as a polite way to decline, I'd do that as well. But I can't help but think that it shows a certain degree of indifference, like you haven't bothered to check your schedule, or are shelving in the back of your mind for a second choice.

Of course, taken out of context, my vendetta against the word seems a bit extreme.

Does it benefit you?
I believe that if you'd like to do something, whether it be seeing an old friend, finishing a project, or getting anything done really, tacking on the word "sometime" allows you to put it off even more.

Because when you don't assign a specific time frame to something, you can't hold yourself accountable for doing it. I said I was going to do my laundry sometime, and so what if I didn't do it today? Tomorrow still counts as sometime too.

Then, it can just drag on and on, where you start to reason with yourself, "Well, if I've made it this far without doing it, maybe it's not essential anyways."

But whatever it was, you wanted to do it for some reason! Things don't just stick in our heads just because; they benefit us or those we care about in some way. So really, you owe it to yourself or your close circle, to get on it.

What to do about it
Instead of saying sometime, assign a time frame. It doesn't have to be a date, but "next Friday", "when I get my paycheck", or even "before I retire" would work.

This summer, my list of "sometimes" includes: getting rid of 80% of the clothes I don't want, finishing my sketchbook, and regularly working out. I'm happy to say I've made progress on all of them!

What does your list of "sometimes" include? Do you find yourself using it to put things off as well? How do you avoid procrastination?

xx
Angelina

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first impressions of therapy

A month or so ago, I went in for my first therapy session. It was something I'd wanted to try for a while, but hadn't gotten around to it until recently.

While it can have negative connotations, I believe it's something that you should consider when you're feeling down, or just need someone to talk to.

Find out who + how
Therapy can be expensive. There are a couple of online alternatives, like 7 Cups, but I prefer talking and face to face interaction more. It's a personal preference though.

I started out asking my insurance company for a list of pre-approved therapists. I'm not completely sure on how the process may be different for other companies, but it wasn't too much of a hassle - of course I procrastinated until the morning of my appointment to do it.

What it was like
As I've only been to one therapist, I can't make any generalizations, but my experience was similar to what you'd see in a movie. I went into a calming, quiet room, where I waited by myself for a couple of minutes. Then my therapist came in and introduced herself, and we went into the "therapy room".

It too, was calming and quiet, with artwork and lots of books and games. My therapist started out with a brief description of what psychotherapy was (I gather that it's a lot about feelings? And how to deal with them?), and then some questions about what was bothering me.

I went in a bit of circular path, but my real issue was my lack of "real" friends. It's been something that's bothered me for quite a bit, and it really hit hard last year, but since then it's petered out. However, it was still beneficial for me to go in and talk to someone who was there to help me sort my way through it.

There was quite a lot of "And how does that make you feel?"s, and also pauses, which encouraged me to talk more. I was never interrupted, which does help encourage opening up more.

What I didn't know beforehand
You really do need to have something to work on, or be feeling negative. Therapists help you work through that, and without a "stumbling block", there isn't too much they can do for you.

They also don't tell you what to do. Instead, they ask you questions and help guide you to understanding yourself more and how to fix your problems (sounds like a bunch of spiritual mumbo-jumbo, but it's accurate).

I'd also strongly suggest scheduling your first appointment at the end of the day, because you don't know how you'll feel afterwards. I went in expecting to come out fine, but I cried and looked puffy, and would not have wanted to go back to school afterwards.

Wrapping up
I don't go to therapy frequently, mainly because my insurance only covers a set amount of visits per year, but also because I feel like writing on the blog is a form of therapy for me, and I can work out many of the kinks myself.

However, I enjoyed having someone to talk to, and it made me feel much lighter afterwards.

Of course, if therapy isn't your thing, I'm always here for you as well! <3

Have you ever tried therapy? How do you cheer yourself up when you're down? What's the nicest thing someone's ever done for you or vice versa?

xx

Angelina

p.s. next week I'll be writing about Egypt (last week was Istanbul!)

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a look inside my closet + blog sale

I'm on break! Finally! Not that finals were that bad with the minimal amount of studying I did, but it's still nice to be able to sleep into till whenever. I took advantage of my free time to sort out some of my old clothes that I've wanted to sell and take pictures of them as well.

As I pulled out each article of clothing, I got a bit nostalgic. At one point, I loved all these clothes dearly, and through selling them, I hope someone else will love them as much.

shoes worn throughout: sam edelman gigi sandle in saddle, vans white slip ons, steve madden elusionl leopard d'orsay flats

abercrombie sparkly striped cropped sweater

All paths start at Abercrombie
My earliest love was Abercrombie. Of course it was! I cringe at how much I spent there, and the over priced sweatshirts and hoodies I've collected over the years. Now, I still shop at Abercrombie, but only the sale section.

They've come a long way since their earlier years, no longer carrying garish colors and logos across the chest, and instead stocked with minimalist and boho pieces, with the occasional ode to the earlier years with some colorful graphics.

pink bow crop top, truly madly deeply sunflower crop top

hollister navy highwaisted sailor shorts, house of harlow embellished muscle tank, black highwaisted lace shorts

How many likes can I get?

Then I became a fan of tumblr and Pinterest style - this was before Brandy Melville. It's hard to explain to someone who doesn't know, but the vibe is strong once you've seen it. Each outfit was carefully curated, and while none of it is as bad as my graphic tee/teen retailer stage, it's no longer me.

Some of it was bows and pink, as well as some more edgy outfits. I still really like some of these comfy summer tops, but they're just hard to pair with other things. I end up only wearing them with the same pair of shorts, a few times over a season.

cream lace skater skirt, steve madden blue cell phone cross body purse, cream lace skirt

No, those aren't the same skirt
Up until this point, I was pretty opposed to skirts. I just didn't like how they restricted me, how I had to watch how I was sitting, and be limited to walking, maybe lightly jogging if it wasn't windy. Then I figured out how much comfier it was to have non restrictive fabric, and I fully embraced skirts.

White lace ones were my favorite, up until I discovered black skater skirts, and marveled at how they'd match with anything!

nollie neon pink cross crop top, bethany mota for aeropostale floral neoprene skirt

Rose gold's younger cousin
When a friend remarked on how I mostly wore "boring" clothes, I tried the bright and bold route for a while. Though I liked how empowered it made me feel, it was again difficult to match with, and I worried about attracting too much negative attention as well.

I've reserved my brights for jewel tones, so it's a little more mature, and I wouldn't feel as odd bumping into a teacher or friends' parents. Although I'm still kind of in love with my neoprene skater skirt.

brandy melville tan sweater, abercrombie patterned lace shorts, hollister flowy boho pants

No longer hiding behind the door when the mailman comes
Sometime within this era, I discovered loungewear that wasn't my ratty Target pjs or ill-fitting, but comfy sweats. Not that I've thrown either of those out. But on days when I'm in between wanting to look polished but not wanting to try, or going out for a few errands, I pull out these looks.

Along with boyfriend jeans, I've discovered a whole slew of bottoms that are cute and comfy at the same time! Who knew? Now I can eat as much as I want.

free people sheer lace top, chelsea 28 magenta silk cropped top

Why my closet is overflowing
I have no idea what to describe my style as now. When people I ask, I dole out a handful of adjectives: feminine, minimal, boho, glam, casual. It's a melting pot of styles, depending on the day. I swing between polished and messy, feminine and androgynous, glitzy and earthy.

It's one of the reasons I always have clothes I'm getting tired of, though maybe one day I'll manage to truly cull my closet. For now, the neat bags of clothes past is comfortably wedged in the depths of my closet.

Please fund my shopping (;
Almost all clothes worn in this post are for sale - hah see what I did there, now you've got to buy them. You can find them on my Vinted, as well as some more goodies, though I've also linked beneath each photos. If you message me and let me know you're from the blog, I'd love to give a discount!

If you're a little tight on cash, I take PayPal as well, since prices are higher on Vinted due to the commission fee. Or if you're outside of the US, and see something you really like, send me an email as well (angeeleena34@gmail.com)!

I hope I'll get to share some of my past loves with you all.

What was your favorite outfit (see more of them here)? How has your style evolved through the years? Do you sell your clothes? Holiday plans?

xx

Angelina

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p.s. Happy holidays! We're going the uncoventional route and celebrating Christmas through a family dinner, no tree or presents. Excuse the lack of festivities on the blog!

don't be a prick - thoughts on "being nice"

While it's already well into November, and therefore fall, California still can't make up it's mind. So I brought out my favorite white dress for one last day - taking it into fall with a dark grey Brandy Melville Caroline cardigan and bold lip. 

The angle
When sitting down to write outfit posts, I always try and think of an angle, so it's more engaging to the reader than the average "this is what I bought, here's where to buy it" type of thing. With this being in a cactus garden, "don't be a prick" came pretty quickly to me, and then I thought about what that means. 

I interpreted it as "be nice". 



Born selfish
 I have a weird relationship with being nice. On one hand, I want to be that girl, whom everyone likes being around because she'll always have a spare stick of gum or be willing to help out. On the other, I want to mean business, and let people know not to mess with me.

Naturally, I'm not a great person. On a sliding scale, I'm about in the middle, maybe skewing towards the left side a bit. I think by nature, humans want to be good, though sometimes through twisted means. We're born selfish, which has a negative connotation, but in this sense, I simply mean that our first instinct and cares are for ourselves. 
That's the way it had to work out throughout history; if we all placed others before ourselves, we would never get anything done and would have likely died off ages ago. 

Wearing: Abercrombie lace dress, Brandy Melville Caroline Cardigan, Kensie Hadin Sandals.

Thanks society
Most people are quite polite and well mannered in public, though I'm sure we all let loose a couple of f-bombs and snide remarks occasionally. Through our parents, friends, and consumption of media, we've learned what's right and what's not. With a growing moral compass, some of us stick to the rules, most of us interpret them, and a few of us are governed by our own set of moral values (Kohlberg's stages of moral development). 



Applying it to myself
Going back to my earlier points, most of the time I will put others before myself, more frequently as I've grown up. I try to be empathetic, to not burn down bridges, to distinguish between when I should say the truth and when to tell white lies. All for the sake of "being nice", and being seen as such. Also because I would prefer to have friends and not be alone all the time!

But to what degree is being nice beneficial - both to ourselves and those around us? 



Two sides
I would argue that a healthy dose of selfishness and candor is needed in all aspects of our lives. Being seen as or being told that you're nice can make you feel warm and fuzzy, but in many aspects, I would choose the ambitious, strong woman over the nice one. 

That's not to say that I don't value kindness and looking out for others, because I do. Some of my best friendships are with people who have these values. I believe that knowing when to display which traits is important, and that's good news since humans have been shown to be quite adaptive. 


In fact, I would say my main problem with being perceived as "nice" is that people will think I'm one dimensional, that I can be taken advantage of without consequence. I want to be both - someone who can be depended on to always listen, who remembers birthdays, but also someone who voices her opinion and stands her ground. As with most things, it's a process, and I'm figuring it out.

What did you guys think of this post? Do you identify as being seen as "nice"? What do you look for in others?
 
xx
Angelina

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