Friday Favorites 002

Rise and Shine! This week I've been fighting the rain and trying to stay dry. Metaphorically and in real life, of course... I really need a new umbrella. lol. Aside from the actual rain, I've basking in all the self-care I need to act as an umbrella for sad thoughts. I keep it to a minimum on KK because there are so many brighter things to share and that's where I want to guide all of our energy towards. However, I also want to also be transparent through my highs and lows. I do my best to keep a content, happy, grounded image online. Far too often, I'm actually a hot mess, which a far more accurate depiction of my true self. Sometimes I'm moody and need to recharge. Sometimes, I'm happy but just hilariously clumsy as hell. I'm working on letting loose a bit and showing those more candid & un-curated sides of me.

Through this life-long emotional roller coaster, I gotta tune in to the same advice I often share. I'm no stranger to understanding the importance of emotional first aid, and I'm an open book when it comes to talking through depression and anxiety with friends. I know one of the healthiest things to do is to express what's on your chest, with someone, or through a medium that makes you feel safe. When I have these deeper conversations, one thing always rings true: take it one day at a time. So join me, and let's do just that. 

On another lighter note: I've got another list of fire ass favorites for you all! Keep reading for things I've been feelin' lately!

FRIDAY FAVORITES

1. WINE TASTING IN THE BAY: In the last two months, my girls have been back twice: first for Galentine's and just went back last week for Anjuli's birthday! Sometimes, the trip to wine country is too much of day trip. Rock Wall Wine Company has fine wine, good food, and a huge outdoor patio for lounging all day. It takes nothing more than a short trip across the Bay Bridge for a mini getaway.

2. FOR THE GRAM: As you know my vibe and overall aesthetic is well, dark colors and jewel tones, so Fall forever has my heart. Spring is upon us though, and with new seasons... it's a time to bloom! Time to take risks. I can't get myself into pastels easily except a few poppin' exceptions, but I've been taking some risk with white and I think I've got a few ideas up my sleeve for upcoming fits. For me, capturing the season's elements into my photos are just as important. I came across this read, 6 Tips to Photograph Spring by Artifact Uprising. It gave me some real good inspiration.

3. FOR THE HOME: You guys know how I feel about keeping a cozy minimal home. If you love hygge and other Scandinavian design trends, you'll love this approach to home decor that comes straight from Sweden, called lagom. Pronounced "lah-gom," which means "not too little, not too much," lagom is all about balance and finding that spot that is "just right." It means not overdoing it with clutter or decor, but also not living in a sparsely decorated home or too minimalistic. This lagom decor guide from Invaluable helps you learn more about ways you can easily add lagom decor to your home, like filling your home with plants and other natural materials like wood or stones.

4. BRING IT BACK, BRING IT BACK: One of my favorite posts I've written was Lessons Learned from Growing Up in the Bay. This may sound like a shameless plug, but I read this same post often to remind me of how beautiful, eclectic and diverse the culture is in the Bay. Take a moment to visit this throwback. It'll make you happy you're right at home in this special little bubble of ours.

KK Challenge: Try something new

KK is meant to inspire you to explore new places in San Francisco, but sometimes doing just that makes you realize new things about yourself! On the theme of trying new things, I'm throwing in a new challenge at the end of these KK:FF Round-ups. 

This week it's all about getting out of your comfort zone. Try something new. What is something you have thought about trying but haven't done yet? Manifest it. Even if it's as small as trying that one place you pass by each day, take a moment this week to walk into opportunity. 

Let me know what you'll do to step out of your comfort zone in the comments below! xo

Friday Favorites 001

Hi friends, it’s been over a month. Okay, almost two actually. I’m alive and well! Since my last update, I’ve officially moved in with Tigran and have had my head down focusing on my 9-5. Is it me, or has 2018 been a whirlwind already? 😵

empty rooms means no clutter and room for all the activities! 

As for blogging, I’ve had a true ah ha moment. I’ve spent the last two years trying to master my work flow, and prioritized creating searchable, beautiful curated content. In the midst of all the method to the madness, I lost heart for what I truly started it for... my love for writing, going on adventures and sharing those San Francisco hidden gems. In short, you could say that I lost sense of my true north, but It’s my time to bring it back to my roots. When growing a blog, there is no magic formula that works for everyone. You will only fly when you do what you love and what works best for you. 

To get you all caught up on where my heart and mind has been at lately, I’m starting a new series called Friday Favorites! A list of good reads and products I am loving. Enjoy. 🖤

---

my bb monstera monroe, and a few of my favorite coffee table books! also, peep the Baymax tsum tsum!

current read to get me out of all these feels.  

Adorable latte art courtesy of Cocola Bakery in Stonestown Galleria.  

FRIDAY FAVORITES 001

1. Friday mornings are for the the Girl’s Night In newsletter. Haven’t heard of GNI? Indulge in some wisdom for wellness, self-care queens and join the girl gang of babes who call it a night at 9pm. 🤷🏻‍♀️😴🍷📚

2. Download the Fit + Thick app. The app guides you through circuit style weight training and plyometrics workouts. Founder of the brand, Nicole Mejia is all about embracing the journey to thriving health, while nurturing self-love and acceptance for a thick body! UM YES PLEASE. Ya girl has curves and thick thighs and proud to know there’s a community of fellow fit + thick friends out there. 🍑

3. Current commute read: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck. Mark Manson is in your face and unapologetic much-needed dose of reality. The book isn’t your typical self-help book, but it does help you figure out how to funnel out what’s important and what really doesn’t f**king matter. 🙊

4. Teddy Bear Latte art from Cocola in San Francisco’s Stonestown Galleria. How does one drink a latte this cute and not feel bad?! 🐻☕️

5. I’m over here trying to be a good plant mama. 🌱 As a welcome home gift to myself, I brought home this beautiful medium sized monstera from Sloat Nursery. As of yesterday, I noticed a new leaf is starting to grow! Seems symbolic for all the growth i’ve been working through.  If you have any tips for nurturing a home for a monstera, please let me know!  

6. We know the vintage pictures are a thing right now, and I can’t help but swoon over the Fuji film vibes myself. Actually, all the pictures in this post are taken with an app! If you don’t already have Huji Cam, you might want to hop on it. Hello, disposable camera aesthetic, minus the 3-5 business day film development. 😜

See you next week! xo

 

Building A Unique Wardrobe for Your Signature Style

I'm coming into the new year with a fresh mindset and closet to match. Last year, I challenged myself to focus on transformation. I said goodbye to my old ways, and promised to level up while remaining intentional in all areas of life. Growing up in a filipino household I was always taught to save everything in case it will "come in handy one day". Those days rarely come along lol. After moving several times during college, my belongings had a good purge every now and then... but my wardrobe was a whole different monster. A stuffed closet with a bunch of random pieces I couldn't style together. Every time I needed something to wear for a special occasion, I went shopping and added to the crowded wardrobe which only added to the problem of clothes hoarding and spending unneccessary money in the process. 

I knew something had to change, so I gravitated toward minimalism. I can tell you now, my minimal was not so minimal. Though I learned a lot diving into the world of Minimalism, I found that the KonMari Method philosophy was a better fit for me. I needed to simplify my belongings down to the essentials, assuring everything I had sparked joy.

My first big step: to curate a more versatile closet that was full of clothes that I loved, not what the current trend was. In reality, style is based on personal taste and learned that along the way. Personal style is as unique as a person’s fingerprint. Sure, someone can have a very similar taste, but yours… that can’t be duplicated.

This closet transformation didn't happen overnight either... in fact, it took all year. I was also approaching a point in life where I outgrew what was in my wardrobe and it wasn't a reflection of who I was becoming. How I accomplished this is a modge podge of several important resources (all linked at the bottom of the post).  My post is a short summary of those inspirational reads and the action steps I learned from The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and The Curated Closet. Here's how I took the leap.

---

steps that helped me define my personal style and rebuild my wardrobe

STEP ONE: Start with a Pinterest Board

Once you've created a board filled with your favorite styles, look for repetition on the board. What are you constantly gravitating towards? Look for similarities in silhouettes, fabrics, textures and color palettes. Whatever it may be, take note. 

For me, I quickly noticed I loved dressed up denim, leather jackets, oversized sunglasses usually paired with heels or boots. I also love statement outerwear and unique open back or flowy tops. My color palette is very neutral featuring black, grey, white and beige and a few pops of colors like olive green, burgandy and vary rarely, a few other jewel tones. 

STEP TWO: GIVE IT A NAME. DEFINE YOUR STYLE PROFILE. 🖤

One of the most helpful resources I read during this transitional time was The Curated Closet. It's a must-read guide that will walk you through defining your style and building your dream wardrobe! An important step from this book was to actually define your personal style profile. I wrote mine in my bullet journal per usual, but excuse my messy notes. 

You don't need to fit inside a box and fall under a popular category like "bohemian chic" or "modern classic". Make it unique to you. I went through a few rounds of names, and several layers of white out after the above picture. It became "city sleek + chic" sometimes maybe even "minimally edgy", a reflection of my dressed up casual looks that are perfect for exploring the city, brunch or happy hour. 🖤

STEP THREE: THE CLOSET PURGE

The key during this step is to stay true to the style profile you have just defined. Remember those silhouettes, patterns, textures and colors we talked about earlier? Stick to those. This purge will cleanse you from the past and allow you to move forward into what you want your new wardrobe to become.

This part took me a full day. I put all my clothes in one giant pile then one-by-one categorized each piece in three piles: love it, like it, or toss it. The rules: keep what I love, find homes for what I liked but didn't need and simply donate what I haven't worn or was planning to wear anymore.

At first, this was hard...but then I realized much of what I was holding onto was less of the item itself and more of the memories and feelings that each piece reminded me of. I knew I'd always have those memories with me, so I thanked each piece I donated and let it go. I found it difficult to separate myself from festival style pieces and greek letters that were with me during some major life milestones, but I had to be realistic about how much stuff I could have and where I was headed in life. Don't worry, any extra special pieces found new homes. ☺️

STEP FOUR: Time to build the dream wardrobe! TAKE YOUR TIME AND BE SELECTIVE

Now that you've overcome the difficult part of getting rid of clothes you no longer need, we break the cycle and change those compulsive shopping habits moving forward. To make sure I didn't fill my closet back up, a good rule of thumb I try to follow is for every one piece I bring home, I donate three. That way, as I'm bringing new stuff in, I'm still minimalizing as I move forward. 

I also now try to shop with a new mindset: quality over quantity. I no longer settle when it comes to buying clothes that may rip easily, or don't fit right, even if the sale is good. If you walk away from it and are still thinking about it 3 days later, go back for it. Otherwise, let it go, Be picky, it's not bougie, it's intentional. Build a strong artillery of clothes that you love and fit you like a glove. Take your time rebuilding, like I said... it took me all year and the journey still continues. Best of luck!

Now, it's your turn! How would you define your personal style? Let me know in the comments below!

---

Photography by Rachel Radcliffe

More Favorite Resources for Personal Style Development

• Blog: Define Your Personal Style By Anuschka Rees

• Book: The Curated Closet: A Simple System for Discovering Your Personal Style and Building Your Dream Wardrobe By Anuschka Rees

• The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up By Marie Kondo