The Resolution Tour
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Not only was it the name of a Jesse McCartney tour that Renee and me drove to in the middle of bummblefuck PA where girls had snapchat stories of their horses and hair that smelled awful (love you Jmac,) but it's what I'm calling my 2020 new year resolutions. Because... a tour starts somewhere and ends somewhere. And sometimes some stops are cancelled for unknown reasons.
I like writing things down because it helps me to remember and gives me a reason to stay motivated. Also, by sharing it with the rest of the world, it holds me more accountable in the event that people actually follow up with me about it.
Current resolutions:
- be in an even more dedicated relationship with Classpass (than I already am)
- Finally get my license (this has been on the list for the last few years; but it's new decade energy now)
- get.a.new.job.
- stop being so lazy on days off
-go back to school for a license (not fashion related!!!)
- stop obsessively AND consistently eating so much sugar at work
-find a daily routine that works for me
-try to be more patient/engaging with people that try to talk to me in person
Other thing to work towards:
-buying a mini Cooper
BIG ADULT LIFE MOMENT TO WORK TOWARDS:
-finding my dream starter apartment (well really our* dream apartment bc bae and me will be moving in together) Maybe this year won't be the year, but maybe it will. I've already started viewing, and let me tell you, everything is a false advertisement. And so far it's crushing me a little more each time that it doesn't work out.
And its a topic that's starting to kickbox a small nerve : "So when are you two moving?" "Have you started looking?" "Start saving for your apartment."
I get it. We are old. At some point we are going to have to leave home, but on our terms and when the meant to be listing is available. Has the idea been pressuring? Eh. Do I hear it a lot more usual lately? Kinda, yeah. Do I feel ready? Hell yeah, but also I ask people at Ryde Cycle to help me get my shoes detached from the bike so...
Heres to knocking some of these resolutions off the list this year. What are your resolutions? Drop it low in the comments below, or just drop it low after the ball has dropped. Have a safe New Years everyone. I'll be sipping on boba mimosas post last sushi dinner of the decade ;)
Photos by @Rachel.Rusian and edits by me.
72 huurs in Amsterdam
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Last week Tuesday I ventured off to Amsterdam- solo! To be quite honest, I wasn't really impressed. Yes, the canals and streets are equally as calm and cute, and without a doubt this Dutch city had so much charm to offer- but to me, nothing really stood out or wanted me to stay longer.
To summarize, Amsterdam is SUPERRRRR SAFEEEE. I repeat, SUPERRRR SAFE.You can walk any time of day alone and rest assured you will live to tell the tale. Weed is legal, yet people are still very much civil in their ways. (Space Cake and joints were super cheap and completely accessible.) (I'm talking about a mere 5 euros!) Prostitution is legal and regulated here. You can see the "hoes" in display cases the same way you will a pair of hype sneakers. You would think these two factors would make it a wild city, but it was quite the contrary.
People ride bikes religiously. Rain, shine, all the time- there was never a moment you wouldn't see someone on a bike. It was no wonder I didn't encounter a single overweight person the entire time.
There was no trash on the ground, no cat calling. nobody really even on the streets walking to take pics for me lmaoo. Everyone spoke English! If you can get by with public transportation in NYC, then commuting here is ultimately similar with the exception of no homeless people or trash on the train or trams.
I will miss all the amazing Vegan restaurants that I endured awkward experiences for dinning alone, but for now, I'm happy to be home.
Self Sustainability
Sunday, November 10, 2019
So this post may get a little TMI for some people, but ultimately we are here to learn from my experiences, have a laugh or two, and maybe , just maybe, try something new.
Yes I've gone MIA for a while, but this topic has been in the back of my mind for quite some time. I was never the type to be deeply rooted in sustainability and why it matters, but I found myself picking up little habits over the past few months. Then, I realized that these little changes, ever so nominal as they may be, actually do make a difference in both my personal life, but also for the planets as well.
The topic of sustainability really came into my radar two summers ago when I was interning. I had an apartment in the city and lived alone. Keyword here being "alone," yet I was always shocked at just how much trash I would dispose of at the end of the week... I wanted to try more to reduce that.
I pack my own lunch most of the time, and for years, always used plastic bags and plastic sandwich bags. But you use 'em once, you throw it away like a fuckboy that just wanted to hit it and quit it. Why constantly replace something when you can just consistently use the same thing? GO on Amazon, find yourself a sandwich sized plastic container, banana container, packable salad bowl, whatever you need to carry food, and stop using your plastics.
When you were younger, you would have gotten away with carrying your lunch in a plastic or brown bag, but imagine being a grown ass adult dressed up on the train, and carrying Stop n Shops finest? Overall, it just looks sloppy. For presentation purposes as well, get a reusable tote. It'll hold up better, look better, and overall will be better.
The shower. I love places like Lush because I can buy package free soap and shampoo bars and use them until the product is no more. Now, we all grow hair, and majority, want to remove it, so we buy disposable razors. This next alternative is the more pricer of suggestions, but hear me out. Women will shave over 7,000 times in their lifetime and spend over $10,000 in disposable products. Don't believe me? Check out some glamour articles and read for yourself. Some people opt for waxing, which at the end of the day, is wasteful because you still have to throw strips out. I personally, do laser hair removal. There is no mess, the pain is a little sting, and it drastically removes your hair growth. You will have to shave every mercury in retrograde after about 6 laser sessions, but you won't be spending $15 a month at CVS on the same BIC razors you've been using your entire life.
Since the shower is the in the bathroom, it bring me to the next subtopic- periods. IDK about the rest of the world reading this, but after a few days, my ceramic trash bin is already filled with wrappers and all that brightly colored shit thats meant to mentally make a period more appealing and "happy." Newflash, wrapping products in bright pinks and purple will NOT internally make me feel better. Periods aren't only filled with endless cramps, but trash too. You have to buy pads, tampons, liners, Mydol, extra underwear.... fun expenses that come with being a woman. But have you ever heard of/ tried a menstrual cup? Put it in, take it out, rinse and repeat until your flow is no more. You wont have anxiety of things like leakage, having to grab a tampon when nobody is looking to sneak into the bathroom, and so on. Theres so many benefits to a cup and it's so incredibly waste free. I would personally recommend the brand Saalt which you can find at your local Target.
These are just a few of the ways I implement sustainability in my day-to-day life, so what about you? Drop it low in the comments below to get a conversation going.
Photos by France
25
Sunday, September 8, 2019
The only difference between these photos and the ones I took while wearing this dress on my birthday is that I don't look embarrassingly gross post nap. Because that's exactly what I did on my birthday...work a half day, buy my birthday cake at Flour Shop, and go home to take a 4 hour nap. What can I say? Exhaustion does come with age.
Anyway I'm gonna keep this short because I've developed the worst carpal tunnel recently.
I am officially a quarter old and and feel super happy. I've been making it an effort to reconnect with friends more, say yes to events and outings, and basically tackling on almost everything that comes my way. Only now I've physically exhausted myself and my feet hate me for it haha. Also my whatever system was like "hey you haven't had allergies recently, so let's kill you and leave you bedridden." It sucks, but shoutout to Benadryl's side effects!!!!
ANYWAY, that's my 25 update, enjoy the last two photos of my recent mood.
Dress via Dollskill and photos by @royal.youths
Who dat?
Saturday, August 3, 2019
I'M OFFICIALLY DONE WITH COLLEGE AND HAVE A FULL TIME JOB WITH BENEFITS. Ya girl making gucci money now (and retirement money within the next six months.)
The thing with being in college is that you are constantly surrounded by young adults, trends, and infectious energy. Being in the workplace, by far, is the total opposite. It's only been about three months, but I'm already an entirely different person. Does any other post grad feel this way?
Here's how I've changed...
1. My Style
I knew I couldn't go to work dressed in crazy colors and prints, so I adapted to dressing more..."mainstream." I'm talking plain babydoll dresses, booties, accessorizing with earrings, wearing hobo bags... things of which no convincing in the world could get me to do beforehand. It's weird. Whatever I buy now I make sure its appropriate for work, but still something I can creatively style in my downtime.
2. My eating habits
My first week of work I left my coworkers Hershey kisses on their desks. It's been 12 weeks later and one of them still has them there. The women I work with eat really healthy, pack food from home, and don't eat junk food. Meanwhile some mornings I'd have pizza for breakfast with Capri Sun. (don't judge, it's really filling for when you have a long morning.) Now I find myself cooking zucchini noodles often and fast food is a treat.
3. My Workout Routine
Let it be known I work in the sportswear division. On the daily I'm surrounded by fitness apparel, leggings, shorts, hoodies, sweat shirts, and tee-shirts. Most times people come to work in their gym clothes and thats totally fine. It's actually encouraged me to take workout classes twice a week. TWICEEEE. I've really been into pilates at Pilates on the Square and SLT. Slt really sucks and will leave you so sore that it hurts to even be alive.
4. Hurry Sickness
I can't front- I didn't even know this was a term until it populated in my search. Hurry Sickness-"a continuous struggle and unremitting attempt to accomplish or achieve more and more things or participate in more and more events in less and less time." (mindtools.com) Things roll fast in the fashion industry, and you have to roll even faster.
Not sure if I have hurry sickness or not, but nothing beats getting a crammed schedule done faster than you anticipated.
5. I'm EXTREMELY observational now.
The biggest parts of my job are organization and attention to detail. When I receive samples, I am the first, if not second pair of eyes to look at them. I have to analyze trims, stitching, colors, overall garment construction, logo placement, and even try things on to see if anythings faulty. It's pretty cool and I love it.
Are you a post grad experiencing any of the following? Drop it low in the comments below or send me a DM on Instagram.
Outfit Deeeets:
hat: Primark
earrings: Brandy Melville
button down: ASOS
tank: Urban Outfitters
pants: LF stores
shoes: Vans
Fab photos of coney with a vintage feel done by Kieran Bammann.
Gram-servations
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
So I haven't been very active on the gram with shooting new content and posting- I've discussed that already. But what I haven't discussed is what I noticed during that time. I've still spent a lot of time online just observing people, their accounts, and other social media outlets, and one thing is for certain- EVERYONE LOVES TO HYPE THEIR OWN SHIT UP.
My personal favorite- "thank you so much for having me."
This is great if you were invited personally, not through eventbrite for a public event. I've seen influencers do this for open to the public event to make it seem like they were personally and exclusively invited. No honey, this wasn't a PR preview event. You're just like the rest of us. The general public, not the exclusive elite.
The amount of vain that exists in everyone.
How many pictures/stories of yourself do you need to to get that across? To most, thats over 216 posts and several IG stories of their face throughout the day. We get it, body positivity, self-love and all that other crap, but there really should be a term for the self-absorbed. Yes, it is normal to feel yourself every once in a while... but if you share the same content of yourself on the daily, its obviously because someone else isn't feeling you...and it shows.
Sexualizing yourself.
Sex sells- it does. and some people truly make careers and a fuck ton of money out of it. But when you have a small following, what's the point? Your racy shots become over-saturated and common. Eventually your few hype fans will lose the hype #nothingnewtoseehere.
The follow the leader game.
Monkey see monkey do. I wouldn't say its a coincidence if someone does something the day after you did it. Why? Because so many people lack originality and curiosity. People don't go out of their way to find something someone else hasn't done before- they wait for someone to do it and then do it themselves. I pride myself on knowing whats hip and happening. I actually do the research and put in the time. The same thing goes for finding cool statement pieces. Some of you got to start becoming your own leaders, and some of you, never will be.
And there ya have it- just a few of the most common instagram personalities? personas? that you'll encounter on the gram. Which one are you over seeing? Tbh, I'm over them all, or maybe its because I'm getting older and am starting to hate social media haha. Did I miss one that you often see on the gram? What are your gram-servations? Drop it low in the comments below!
See you in a few months or whatever,
Soni
Opening image by Gabriela Hnizdo.
The Office
Sunday, April 7, 2019
Your first few internships and jobs in the fashion industry will all have a similar setting- the office. Unlike the show, you probably won't have a funny boss or co-workers that actually aknowlegde you, or a fun work setting. (and if you do, you are so incredibly lucky) These people mean business! In my experiences, often times the loudest noise is the sound of your own breath, or everyone on your floor stampeding to a meet with the namesake designer. There rarely is an in between.
Regardless of the kind of setting it can be, here is what nobody tells you :
HOW MUCH TIME YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND ON YOUR ASS.
40+ hours a week on your buns hun. Just let that sink in. Those jeans you can only wear when standing? Not an option. You know 20-40 minutes later the top button is coming down and soon enough so is that zipper pull. Choose your outfit wisely. You are gonna be with your desk chair so much it'll become an external layer of skin.
MUST HAVE SNACKS.
Since its SOO BUSY, you most likely will be working through lunch, taking a late lunch, and eating your lunch with your best friend- the chair. RULE OF THUMB: always. have. snacks. on. hand. It saves you time from having to step out and waiting on checkout. Also, if its raining , snowing, or too cold, you just did yourself a favor. Pro tip: Declutter the cabinet next to you to store your stash. And don't let all of your coworkers in on it. Hungry people become more alert when they know someone in the area has sugar nearby... then they take on seagull mannerisms and start squawking and inching their way towards you.
The shoes you wear.
Honestly this may all sound like a common sense situation, but the reality of it is that it isn't. The day your ass gets a break your feet won't. Its even more crucial to have a great pair of shoes on for the day or to leave a pair of shoes at work. One to look fancy and professional and like you know how to do V-lookup and pull your categories sales in 5 seconds, and the other to go on that coffee run. The higher the heels the higher the level of pain. Pick your pair wisely. One of my bosses kept an average of 13 pairs of shoes under her desk... and now I know why.
LETS GET PHYSICAL.
Literally. You don't realize how tight your body gets from lack of movement. I felt stiff and immobile so often that I started doing hot yoga weekly. (also to help loose the constant snack weight) Any sort of exercise will do, but I've resorted to yoga at Y7 because for an hour out of my week, I'm off a phone/computer screen, sweating my ass off, and just being at peace. It requires nothing but yourself in a dark and candlelit setting. It also helps me sleep better at night. I do strongly recommend doing something to get that heart rate up and going from time to time, and not just those arguments with the co-worker that never quite seems to know whats going on.
I've been interning for four years now; one year was spent remote/hybrid, and the other three in person. These are deff my biggest callouts for anyone who isn't familiar or doesn't know what to expect.
For all my seniors graduating next month, WE FINALLY FUCKING MADE IT. For everyone else, eventually you will too. I'm so stoked to leave the title of intern behind me and replace it with associate or assistant.
Questions, comments, or concerns? Feel free to drop it low in the comments below. Next time I'll be writing is when I let y'all know who I ended up working full time with. Currently I'm a little heartbroken about having to reject my dream company, which absolutely nobody on the planet prepared me for, but the perfect fit is out there...somewhere.
Opening image by Kieran B.
Time to explain
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Its been a few hot minutes since I've gotten personal on here... and a few hot minutes since I've actually been here so let me fill you in.
Rewinding all the way back to fall semester when I lost my grandma, and then my dog. And then had the most severe allergic reaction in my life that caused my entire body to break out and over a MONTH to heal on various medications. I walked out on my last internship after being there 8? months. ( On my first day I already knew it wasn't meant to be.) I just grew a strong resentment for a lot of things I was feeling and doing. Nothing those few months went right. & To top it off I spent a month broke and unemployed.
I started off January with two interviews and two internship offers, and decided to return back to Marc Jacobs. If it's anything I've learned- don't intern for a brand that doesn't interest you. A week later I spent an awesome week traveling around in Italy. I explored all of Rome, Trastevere, some of Naples, Pompeii, and Florence. I really fucking needed that trip, my sense of adventure, and just some leisure time when it always feels like I'm forever working. And also, a hella lot of gelato.
Speaking of food, I was binging hard. I had also gained some weight to the point where I couldn't fit into my jeans. I knew I had to stop. I hated what I looked like and didn't want to shoot anymore- I barely wanted to shop either. If this sounds depressed it's because I was.
Which brings me to right now. I'm officially living a nightmare by taking 4 math classes required to graduate, because that's finally happening. I've actually considered deleting my blog a lot the past few months as well. Like a lot. Maybe its time for a new venture, or a refresh until I'm ready to resume this one. I haven't really figured it out yet, but we'll all find out eventually...
These photos were meant to be posted when the first Delias x Dollskill drop came out, but I didn't have the proper words to go with it. Since the second drop came out yesterday, figured now would be a good time to use them. TBH drop 1 was sooo much better than this one. There was more in the assortment, and for drop 2, everything kinda matches for one specific look and then you have the outlier pieces like the satin cropped jacket that doesn't even look very on brand. I wanted practically everything from the first drop, and for this one, no more than 3 pieces (the smiley face faux fur jacket, and a mesh top.) A little disappointed, but lets see what the Coachella themed drop has to offer.
Photos by @royal.youths
Rome-ing for Gelato
Thursday, January 17, 2019
For the past few months leading up to my Italy trip, I've been telling myself I was going to get gelato everyday... so I did. Normally I would do some research on the top spots, but I opted to just walk in wherever looked like it could potentially meet my high sugar standards. Here are the six different places I tried, in strategic order.
1. Santa Trinita (Florence)
Compared to Rome, the gelato here is more expensive for some odd reason. Trust me, I price checked. But Santa Trinita rocked my tastebuds so hard. First off, they have cones that even look like columns, which I thought was sick. Second, sooo rich and creamy. The stracciatella and hazelnut is the way to go. And these SERVING SIZES for a small! unreal. Your 6 euro's are worth the investment.
Piazza Dei Frescobaldi, 8/red, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy
2. Venchi
There's a few of these in Rome, but the most extravagant one is closest to the Trevi Fountain. I say extravagant because once you walk in and turn the corner, THERE IS CHOCOLATE STREAMING DOWN THE WALL - just like a chocolate waterfall. This one had the longest line for obvious reasons, but well worth the wait. Unlike most other gelato places in Rome, You could add a chocolate coating with the addition to nuts on the cone, which really added to the taste. Do the cone with chocolate, hazelnuts, and hazelnut gelato- the Soni special.
Via del Corso, 335, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
3. Verde Pistachio
This was the very first place I tried on the first full day we explored Rome. While walking and looking across the street, there was a giant gelato cone and mint green bike. So naturally I walked to the store front and saw a mini-van inside and ran on in. I'd like to lie and say I got chocolate and vanilla, but I'm not really too sure on that. Normally I only do one flavor of ice cream on a cone in the states, but in Italy, its very common that you get two different flavors, regardless of what size you buy. Even if you tell them you want one, they won't give it to you until you request the second flavor. This place gets an extra bonus for the colors and photo opp.
Via Nazionale, 239, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
4. Cafe Minerva
I decided to give hazelnut a break when I had gelato for breakfast specifically that morning. This place is tiny and right next door to the Pantheon, so it's easy to get overlooked with the other neighboring tiny stores. You can clearly see the strawberry seeds here, so now just imagine the taste.
Via della Minerva, 8, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
According to a native, this place was it's own solo spot and ranked the best gelato once upon-a-time. Once it was franchised, the public felt it lost a bit of it's authenticity and taste. One night after a late dinner, I saw that it was nearby and still open at a mere 11pm, and had to try it. This wasn't too sugary, and really a first for me having gelato with biscotti chunks in it! Flavor: Crema di Grom.
Via della Maddalena, 30a, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
6. FATAMORGANALet it be known that I don't have a sweet tooth, I have sweet teeth.* This spot ranks last on the list because it tasted a little too strong because the mint was so overpowering. Interestingly odd to the palette that always prefers something sweet. I thought this was mint chocolate chip, but it turned out to be mint AND chocolate chip, which was not a killer combo... at all.
Via Lago di Lesina, 9/11, 00199 Roma RM, Italy
Got any questions, comments, or gelato concerns? You can drop it low in the comments below or send me a DM on the gram.
Arrivederci per allora :)
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