Nails of the Week: Baby Shower Nails

Ever since I turned 25 three year ago, I've been on a nonstop whirlwind of engagement parties, weddings, baby showers, and baby birthday parties!

The baby trend continues as I attended one of my most dearest friend's baby shower last Saturday. Her and her high school sweetheart husband (everyone all together now: awwwwwwwww) are expecting their very first baby in November!

November seems way too far away! I am just so excited to add another little munchkin to my circle :) I can't wait!

And since this was an event to be celebrated, I, of course, had to have nails to fit the occasion!

Since I've been on the this Cabaret  kick recently (I saw the play again last Friday!!!....I know...obsessed), I decided to paint my nails a "Sally Bowles" green. 

On one ring finger, I had polka dots. And on the other ring finger, I have my go-to baby foot.

(photo credit: paillettepolishjournal.blogspot.com)

Now, I know this isn't the most flattering picture of Sally Bowles/Liza Minnelli (it's a screen shot from the movie), but this picture shows the green that inspired my nail look.

As Sally would say, "divine decadence."

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OOTN: Boho Hipster Grunge

Aloha there!

As we grow older, we evolve. Fashion is no exception. Our styles transform, we experiment.
The past few summers have been boho-inspired, which is definitely a popular summer trend. It's already November and I don't think I'm quite ready to give up the boho look just yet. 

Instead, I'm incorporating the boho look with a hipster grunge vibe. Now, that can mean a myriad of things to different people. But this is how it appears to me and this how I've been feeling fashion-wise lately. 

I recently purchased three bold print leggings which I probably would have not bought one season ago. I used to be such a plain Jane with simple (usually dark or neutral) colors. Wearing leggings that were NOT black was even a bit too much for me. Yes, I know. I'm cray. As I get older and more confident in my own skin, I want to try new styles and make myself rock them.

What do you think?!

From left to right:
1. Charlotte Russe. I got it for $5 in store. Sorry,  I couldn't find it online
2. Papaya Clothing. $9.99. I tried it on with a black peplum top. SO CUTE
3. Charlotte Russe. I got it for $5 in store though it says $12.99 online.

Here's how I styled the royal blue leggings:

 (Sorry for the messy room. My brother's room has the best natural lighting. I sneaked in when he was out. hehe)

 

My "elf" boots that I bought from Papaya Clothing 3+ years ago

 I bought this beautiful 3/4 sleeve top from Marshalls for $12.99. The lace detailing on the back and shoulders are absolutely gorgeous and feminine. I've seen similar tops like these worn by YouTube gurus such as Anna Saccone and ItsJudyTime.

This top from Papaya Clothing is similar, but the lace on mine blends in a bit better than this Papaya lace top.

This is the cardigan I am wearing from Papaya Clothing. Just like the online price shows, I bought this for $10 in stores. AND I LOVE this cardigan. I'm contemplating purchasing the white one.

My hat is from Forever 21, I think. I bought it a really long time ago. I believe I bought it in 2009.

This has been my style lately. I call it Boho Hipster Grunge. It's comfortable, it's edgy, and it's bolder than what I'm used to. As much as I hate letting go of my youth with each passing year, I am enjoying feeling more confident in my own skin and rocking whatever style that comes to mind. 

Life is too short. YOLO ;)


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Growing up, Growing Old: Parent Edition

I came across the photo above a while ago. I take no credit for it. My classmate from grad school had posted it on the infamous Facebook. When I saw it, it resonated deeply with me. It's something we all know, but sometimes it doesn't always register completely with us. As we rush to get older and be our own person, live independently, and do our own thing, our parents get older and older, possibly sicker and frailer. We become so busy living our own lives, spending time with our own friends that we forget that our parents are still there, getting older.

I remember the first time I realized my parents, specifically my dad, was getting "old." One evening during dinner, I walked behind my dad at the dinner table. I saw a section at the center of the upper back of his head that was thinning out. My first thought was, "Dang, he's getting old." And yeah, yeah, this may not be considered a marker of "oldness" to some of you as some men (or women) have thinning hair at an early age. BUT my dad has (or had?) ridiculously thick hair. To be dramatic, this balding spot was an indication of his youth becoming evermore distant from the present. And I must admit, it made me sad, very sad. His thinning hair reminded me that with each strand falling, the older he was getting. With each strand falling, he was getting farther and farther away from man who I knew was able to do everything from opening jars, to fixing the roof, to being able to fix nearly every problem for me. It's difficult to think of him and see him in any other way.

Yesterday, I was having dinner with my parents. I typically sit across from my dad. Since my family is socially awkward with one another, dinner conversations are minimal to nonexistent. I looked up and saw my dad's mustache. There were white hairs. And again you may say that white hair does not necessarily correlate to old age, but hey! It does for most! Again, my little heart broke a little at the thought of my parents getting older and life getting possibly "harder" for them. As a social worker working with the 65+ year old population (since 2008), I see the good and the bad. In my line of work, I see a lot of bad. [That story, I shall leave for later. Stay tuned ;) ]

Lastly, the SADDEST of them all is this which I am about to share. It's normal, but it still breaks my heart. We were having dinner last week (HAHA, everything happens at dinner, doesn't it?). My mom had said, "We [mom and dad] went to the lawyer today. We put the three of you [my sister, my brother, and I] on the deed for the house. When we die, you have to take our death certificate to the [insert place of which I forgot] so that they can put the house under all three of your names." Do you know how much that broke my heart?! It still makes me sad just thinking of it. I know my parents will not be here forever, but the preparation for it all is heartbreaking. Don't get me wrong, preparation is the way to go, but it's still so depressing.  

I want to be able to grow older (just a little bit), but not have my parents grow older. Why can't that be possible?

So LOVE YOUR PARENTS. WE ARE SO BUSY GROWING UP, WE OFTEN FORGET THAT THEY ARE ALSO GETTING OLD.


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