Color in moderation

My style consists of pretty much all solid colors. Not that I have anything against prints, I just find solids more versatile on many levels. I also favor textured solids, I love venturing into new solids with different textures such as; woven cloths, chiffon textures, cotton, cashmere, leather, etc. This summer I think the perfect trend seen on Marc Jacobs' Summer 2014 runway collection is the use of colors in moderation.

Looks I've created using this concept:

The suede grey flats compliment the simplicity of the plain white crop-top. This enables for the pale blue skort (this pleated skort style was first seen through Zara earlier this year) to really stand out. On tan skin (the universal desire every summer) this would really stand out.

Once again, using the color in moderation so only the yellow pops. However, the top has an open-knit texture that is completely different from the skirt and is substituted as a pattern.

This would also look dashing on tan skin because the lemon yellow and the open-knit cropped sweater would create an even more tanner look on already tanned skin.

This electrifying coral top is probably the most daring to use through this trend. It has a unique texture and the color is bright but once again, used in moderation. The shorts add personality through the pom-fringe at the bottom.

Who are you? Who am I?

Let's just say, ever since the beginning of this week, my life is starting to fall into a direction that I'm actually content with. Meditating every day, being calm to the point where not even emotional pain can hurt me, forget physical. Soul cleanse, I call it. Forget everything and forgive everything/everyone. I know too well from my years of living to be angry or hold grudges or be anything but positive towards external forces.

A lot of times I think I know myself fully but then I surprise myself by discovering something about me that I've never known. There are a two people on this planet who know as much about me as I do. To clarify, they are not my parents- my parents are basically a part of me, or I am a part of them, literally... So they cannot really count. These two are what make me complete. I've known them for 10+ years and I don't know how much they know about me, but it is either equal to the knowledge I have of myself or their knowledge surpasses my own. From what to say, when to say it, and why it is said to me, they know it all. 

But really, when it comes down to the simple; "who am I?" I do not think I could ever give a full, accurate, complete response. I will only know everything about myself when I reach my end- until then, I am a forever-remaining unsolved mystery for myself...damn, it feels so good too. 

Wrapping this up with: To those who do not know me, never will. To those who think they know me, how can you know me when I don't know myself entirely? 

Do you even know yourself? If not, no need to worry, nobody does. But the more you know about yourself and the less you know about others, the better. It's a sin to your soul to be trying to figure out the whole 24,901.55 miles (40,075.16 kilometers) round world we live in, while knowing little to nothing about oneself. 

The Joy of Art

Art is basically the truth of society, the eyes of the blind world. It is what essentially exposes the perception of the souls who interpret it.

Being able to discuss artwork with a small group of people is the greatest thing, honestly. So much insight and so many different perceptions all coming together as one harmony, as one understanding of a piece. It's extremely difficult (for me, at least) to find people who are also interested in just simply discussing and sharing their own, individual perceptions of a work. 

However, I am so so so very grateful to have a solid 2-4 people whom I can literally just discuss art for hours upon hours of time... These are the people that I plan on keeping for a lifetime; as art lives eternally, I'm hoping that I do as well as my go-to discussion crew haha.

Reflecting on art and grasping others' reflections on art is one of the very few things that I do to bring myself happiness, it's just such an amazing breath of fresh air. The way I see Andy Warhol's Hammer and Sickle is completely different from how someone else may view the masterpiece (in my opinion, type of artistic expressionism is a risk, and every risk results in a masterpiece; therefore, every work of art is a masterpiece.) 

Every brush stroke, every mixture of colors to create a certain shade, every symbol within each creation has purpose- similar to how every word spoken by a soul has meaning. 

Looking at a piece of art is breath-taking in that every detail is noticed and seeing what details I've missed- shown to me by others- is eye-opening.

The Fools' Foolishness

It's one thing to know and another thing to think one knows. 

It's pretty difficult to be oblivious to the obvious, right? Ha. It's surprising how oblivious some soul's can actually be. Here's a list of what fools do (if any of the following seem like "not foolish" things to do, I would be more than happy to be proven wrong):

1) Fools try to figure out the entire world without figuring out themselves. How can one understand the world and how it works without understanding how they work?

2) Fools follow.

3) Fools know what they ought to do but they do not do it.

4) Fools think they are happy, when they know 100% that they are not.

4) Fools think.

5) Instead of solving a problem, fools just simply analyze it.

6) With the intent of assisting others, fools ruin/diminish themselves.

7) Fools claim to not regret, and then they regret that claim for it's falseness.

8) Let's just say, even some blind people notice more than fools do.

9) Fools make foolish choices and then learn zero lessons.

10) The ultimate "foolish quality" is that of not knowing enough and thinking they know more than enough.

Bottom line is, fools are fools and most fools will remain fools until they identitify themselves as fools and open their mind and soul to see the world, not their eyes and brain. The concept of the "soul" is far beneath the subconscious, it's the gateway to the unconscious. One must explore the outer problem first without trying to collect data for the inner problems which are not even comprehensible yet. 

How do I deal with fools? I usually don't, ha. I usually let people make their mistakes; however, when I actually make an effort of providing some guidance, most fools deny it and that is why fools' foolishness is not something I tend to keep. 

"A fool thinks himself to be a wise man, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool." - William Shakespeare

"By the time the fool has learned the game, the game is over." - Bhumika Joshi 

Keep it low-key, dude

I've always been an extreme minimalist- the thought of jewelry or a shoe other than sneakers was just not appealing. Now, I know I can be a minimalist and at the same time be trendy and even make a statement with the simplicity of my style. 

Here are a few ensembles I've created of the extreme-minimalism that still resonates with me but with a touch of my growth in knowledge of fashion and accessorizing- these are all outfits I would and probably will be purchasing for the summer-time in Miami. Notice that all the pieces incorporated into each outfit can easily be taken out and used during a different season.

(Warning: Some if these ensembles may seem a little boy-ish but that's because it's my raw, true style- if the simplicity and class does not appeal, great. I'd love to keep it up.) 

No. 1

No. 2

No.3

Weekly Replays

Revolution-Diplo

This song puts me in such a motivated and relaxed mood- it creates an aura of "who cares what you say, I'm going to do this because I can and I want to." It's honestly such an intense song and the beat is just eargasmic, dude.

 

Giants- Bear Hands

This song has so much meaning hidden within it. Bear Hands never fails to disappoint and put me in a realm within my thoughts- when listening to this it's almost as though I am opening a gate and letting all of my thoughts run wild. This is a common thing when listening to anything by Bear Hands; from Julien to Crime Pays to Giants, it's all completely raw an almost spiritual. 

Boy oh Boy- Diplo + GTA

Diplo has made the list again, I mean he's doing great at what he's doing because he enjoys doing it. That's why it's his career. This track is really energetic and it gives positive vibes towards negative thoughts.

Escape- KONGOS

I mean, the title says it all, honestly. Escaping to this type of music and little bit of all of the above is so blissful. 

Let's Go Surfing- The Drums 

I have always loved this song, it's not too old but it is definitely not the "latest." This is one of those songs that takes me back to raw memories of SoCal and Indio Valley, the beach, the air, the vibes, the entire atmosphere that has nothing to do with anything other than serenity.

(I do not own these pictures)

Pick Palazzo

Probably the most anticipated trend for this summer that I will definitely be sporting in Miami- the palazzo pant. 

The palazzo itself is a loose-fitting, high-waisted, insanely comfortable pant. It is beyond perfect for the summer and the ways to go about styling this piece are truly endless. One could go from day-to-night, from boho-to-profesh, all that jazz. This piece itself is a definite must-have for the summer and I can pretty confidently say, if styled in a proper manner, it can be worn year-round. The palazzo pant is in NO WAY similar to the bell bottom... The bell bottom is a pant with a wide bottom part ONLY. Nonetheless, I will soon be getting my hands on a perfect palazzo and styling it very soon! 

Rants on Rants on Rants

With graduation looming overhead, all I can think to myself is; the light is only as bright as I want it to be. Yes, it may seem as though I will be stuck on my own for a while; the perks to that itself, far out-weigh the cons. I have a one-track-mind for my future ahead and there is no other path in sight for me to even think about getting side-tracked. To those who do not have a particular goal or a plan to attain that goal by now- and back-ups for that goal AND plan- I will see a lot of you mis-spelling my name on Starbucks cups as you take my order... 

This is it dude. If I were completely lost at this point in my life, with no exact or real direction, I do not know how I would sustain a happy life. The word "happy" in my life comes from control- if I do not have that control over things- I will, in result, not be happy and therefore, not live happily.

Now, when I mention "control," I do not mean control of the events that happen on my life- that's all external bullshit which remains there in its place. 

When I mention "having control," I mean internal control- when one has internal control of their life, external control is not even necessary. It's rather simple; be your own drug. Make yourself happy and get addicted, it's okay. The reactions I have to external elements of life directly affect internal reactions- if I think of death as a saddening thing, I will be sad. If I think of the simplest and most natural things in the most positive ways, then I am able to gain control of mySELF. 

I never worry about other people or their emotions, it's all stuff that they are capable of having under control but choose not to- unhappy, angry, depressed, stressed, all of that negativity-filled jazz, has nothing to do with me. I can only show people how to do the right thing the right way, I cannot make them choose to do it like so.