The Sun is Mine

Details: Shirt-Vintage via Wasteland, Shorts-One Teaspoon, Shoes-Doc Martens, Silver Necklace-Poshmark, Chocker-Urban Outfitters

It's getting warm outside so that means that my pale thighs are making their seasonal debut. I've dressed them up in my big birthday purchase: my one teaspoon 1955 Bandit shorts! I've been wanting a pair of One Teaspoon shorts for a long time but was never really sure how they would look on my body. The models and bloggers I see wearing these shorts are almost always a size 0 and the tiny garment always hang off their legs in a way that I really didn't think I could achieve with my body. However, I saw these at the Wasteland in San Francisco last week and figured that it would be a good opportunity for me to try them on and see how they fit. I actually quite like how they look on me. They're a bit short in the front and I have to give them a good tug down every once in a while when I'm walking, but they get longer in the back which is awesome because they completely cover my bum! And that's really what matters in this world, am I right ladies? The denim is also really comfortable; it's just the right amount of distress so that they're not stiff. I also picked up this amazing vintage tee at Wasteland. I really love vintage band tees but to avoid being a hypocrite I only buy shirts for bands I actually listen to. Soundgarden is without a doubt one of my favorite bands so of course I jumped at the opportunity to own an actual vintage concert tee from their 1996 North American tour (and vintage concert tees can go for some crazy high prices but this one was actually really cheap). As you can see, I'm really excited about the fact that there's a Wasteland here in SF. I could have sworn that the only one was in LA, but I was walking through the Haight with Nick because he lives in the area and I saw it and basically died right then and there. I can already tell that I'm going to be making a trip every time I'm in the city. 

I would also like to take a moment to talk about how this outfit makes me feel. I've been feeling a bit down about my body lately, specifically my legs. The bloggers and models I follow and am inspired by tend to have rather lithe bodies with straight, skinny legs and thigh gaps. Sometimes I feel like my body doesn't have a place in the fashion world or that I can't wear the things that I want to wear because they just won't look "right" on me. It's an issue for me because I really do enjoy putting together outfits and blogging about them but I don't like looking at my body in pictures. However, I really like the way the pictures today turned out and I feel proud of my body and my thighs and the fact that these shorts that I felt for sure would look horrid on me actually make them look pretty great. So lets all embrace our bodies and love them for what they are and be happy with everything we put on them. #bodypositive. Here's a Soundgarden song because what else?

-Karis the Baybonnet

I'm No Fool, No, I'm Not a Follower

Details: Dress/Shirt-Free People, Shorts-Urban Outfitters, Shoes-Doc Martens, Necklaces-Urban Outfitters (owl), Nasty Gal (gem), Buffalo Exchange (skeleton hand), Lips-Cyber by MAC and Nightmoth by MAC

Here I am wearing this dress again, but I thought today I would try it as a shirt. The pictures on the Free People website show it worn both ways so I decided to experiment with it and I really like the way it turned out. Also, you may have noticed the bold lip I'm rocking. I was in the city this weekend with some of my friends and we went to the MAC store to try on some lipsticks and I just fell in love with Cyber. The lipliner is actually doing most of the work though, and it's called Nightmoth. I've been searching for a dark lip color for years because I've always wanted to be one of those people who casually wears a dark lip but I could never find one that was as darkly pigmented as I wanted from the drugstore brands, so I took the plunge and got the MAC one I had been eyeing for a while. 

This weekend was one of the best I've had in a while. My birthday was last Wednesday, but I had a midterm the next day so I didn't actually do anything to celebrate except go get Mexican food from a place I've been wanting to try with my roommate. It was nice, but not even enchiladas can take away the pain of political science. I had a birthday party on Friday though, so that made up for everything. It was a night surrounded by my closest friends and my wonderful boyfriend who was meeting quite a few of my friends for the first time. On Saturday I just sat around in my apartment and didn't really leave my bed except to go get food. However, on Sunday, as previously mentioned, I went to San Francisco with friends and drooled over handbags and leather jackets that we couldn't afford on Filmore Street. I feel in LOVE with this little bag from the Kooples but sadly I'm not going to be getting a surprise $500 anytime soon.

Here it is; be still my heart. This color isn't available on the site, but here's a link to the leopard one: CLICK ME!

To be honest, I'm still kinda on my BBC kick, but I'll spare you and make the song of the day something a little different. I was in the car with my friend today and this song came on the radio and I instantly was hooked. I don't usually listen to the radio, so this is probably kinda old but I don't care. It's a remix of one of my favorite jams from early freshman year, You Know You Like It by AlunaGeorge, by DJ Snake. Hope that you can all jam to it while cramming for those last midterms before spring break/while you're on spring break/while you're getting back into school after spring break (this is such a weird time because my spring break is next week but a lot of my friends back home had their already last week or are just going on break now). 

Karis the Baybonnet

I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose

 

Details: Pants-American Apparel, Tee Shirt-Madewell, Scarf-Urban Outfitters, Shoes-Freebird via LF, Denim Shirt-Thrifted

Today I'm wearing mostly black and white as usual but I decided to add some color with my denim shirt (also it's kinda cold and it provides the perfect amount of warmth). This is a very special day because I actually got up early enough to put on a real outfit before going to class whereas I usually just roll out of bed, walk to campus basically in pajamas, and then change into something cute once I get home. I felt the need to actually look somewhat nice since I was organizing a shoot today for my next Cal FAST blog post and wanted to present myself as the fashion-conscious individual that I am rather than a bum. 

I'm still riding the same high I was in my last post. Plus, my birthday is coming up this Wednesday and that's always exciting. I'm having my friends over on Friday which is a little concerning because the capacity of my tiny apartment is certainly smaller than the number of people I've invited. Hopefully they don't mind being uncomfortably close to other humans. I spent my Saturday in the city with Nick, the person I alluded to in my last post. We brunched, went shopping in the Haight, explored Golden Gate park, watched Exit Through the Gift Shop, and took some photos at night near the USF campus. Every moment I spend with him is so exciting and special and I can't wait for him to meet all my lovely friends on Friday. Hopefully he doesn't mind being uncomfortably close to other humans either. Also, I went hiking yesterday with some of the girls from WYSE, an organization I'm involved with on campus. We went to the Redwood Regional Park in Oakland and it was so beautiful; I would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting the Bay Area. In short, I walked a whole lot this weekend. 

I'm definitely still on that BBC kick because my taste for upbeat indie music goes up with my mood. Today I've made the post title an album name rather than a song lyric because it accurately represents my mood as of late, however the song I've chosen isn't even from that album. It's all very confusing but all that needs to be said here is that BBC makes me feel happy inside, not that I really need anything else to make me feel that way right now. Anyways, here's "Lights Out, Words Gone".

<3

Karis The Baybonnet

That Subtle Way

Details: Lace Top-LF, Bralette-Free People, Necklace-Forever21, Pants-American Apparel, Boots-Freebird from LF, Irish Cream Latte-Cafe Blue Door

WOW! What an amazing time I've been having lately. It's been a while since I've been this incredibly happy about everything that's happening to me and I'm so thankful to be able to share all my joy with you! First of all, I found out on Friday that I got into business school at Berkeley. The way that the business major works here is that you apply the end of your first semester as a sophomore and you find out the next semester if you get into the Junior/Senior program or not. I came to Berkeley because I knew how prestigious the Haas business program was and it was so scary not knowing for the past three semesters if I would even end up majoring in the thing that brought me to this amazing school in the first place. But as of Friday at 5:00 I now know what the next two years hold and I couldn't be more excited! 

Additionally, I really love my classes and the things I'm getting involved with this semester. I'm taking a lot of classes that talk about current events, politics, and things that I, as an American citizen and voter, should be aware of. Although I'm not taking anything to get me towards my major, I think that the classes I'm taking are very important and have made me so much more aware of the world I live in. I've also gotten involved with the Fashion and Student Trends club this semester as a blog writer. I've already published my first post (I'll put a link to it at the end of this post) and my second one, which is a video, should be up tomorrow. It's cool to be doing something more related to fashion and I'm meeting a lot of really lovely people with similar interests to me, so that's a bonus. 

Finally, I've met someone who has really made an impact in my life. I don't really want to go into personal details of my life here, but I'm sure that you'll be seeing more of him soon. All that you need to know is that things are going really well for me right now and I sincerely hope that you can all experience this happiness too! I know it's probably a stressful time for a lot of you if you're in school (midterms, ugh) but believe me when I say that surrounding yourself with the right kind of people and getting involved in the things that you want to do can play such a big part in helping you live a fulfilling life. Keep your head up, pour yourself a cup of tea, and let the stress escape you for just a moment each day. Please. Do it for me.

I've been listening to a lot of Bombay Bicycle Club lately; I find that during periods of optimism I tend to listen to a lot of "indie" music whereas usually I would listen to more grunge, shoegaze, ect. Anyways, I'm a big fan of theirs and one of my favorites by them is actually off their first album which I guess is sorta old now as far as modern music goes? It's called "Dust on the Ground" and it's gotten me through a lot of stress this week so please enjoy. Also, Jack Steadman is kinda a cutie? Is this just me? Please let me know.

Sorry this post was so long, I just have a lot of stuff to celebrate! Hope you all have a good week!

Karis the Baybonnet

Link to my post on the FAST blog: Click here

Boredom Makes You Creative

Details: Sweater, Shorts, and Tights-Urban Outfitters, Bra-Free People, Shoes-Doc Martens, Texas Necklace-Kris Nations Designs

Yesterday Caroline (who is now my semi-official photographer?) and I went and shot some pictures on her roof. I really like the view of the bay in the background of these pictures. It reminds me of what a gorgeous place I live in. I am so lucky for that. Today's outfit is relatively simple with neutral colors. I made a conscious effort to show my shorts in these pictures because there were definitely times today that I looked like I flat out wasn't wearing pants. This sweater really stretches a lot just in the span of one day. It was like I woke up definitely looking like I was in shorts in a sweater but by 2:00 I was somehow wearing a dress all of a sudden.

I had a really great week, and the concert I went to on tuesday was amazing. The picture above is the only really good one that I got, but I like it. Bad Suns were really great live and I urge anyone who is looking for a fun concert to buy tickets to their show in your city. Regardless of if you know their music or not, you'll have a fun time and you'll probably want to buy the album afterwards. Their second opener, Coasts, was also really good. I had never heard of them before and while they were playing I was being a little cynical about the Matt Healy wannabe singer, but that was definitely just because I was eager for Bad Suns to come on. When I got home I bought their EP (called Coasts - EP) and I really liked the four songs on it! The song that I've featured today is called "Wallow" and it might just be my favorite out of all of them. "Rush of Blood to the Head" and "Oceans" are also pretty good. I've been jamming hard all week.

Happy Tuesday!

Karis the Baybonnet

For Love of For Love and Lemons

I realize that it's been a long time since I've made a designer appreciation post, so today I'm going to talk about one of my absolute favorite labels: For Love and Lemons. It's extra fitting seeing as it's almost Valentines day and this brand makes some of the prettiest lingerie out there. 

For Love and Lemons is an independent label started by two friends in Jackson, WY. Since then the pair have moved their operations to Los Angeles - fitting seeing as it's home of all my favorite independent labels. The company has been around for a few years, but I noticed it in Spring 2014 around the time that they released a collection dominated by bold colors and lace. To this day the Antigua mini and maxi dresses are still the pieces that define the label for me. These dresses caught my eye because they were delicate but also incredibly sexy. The intricate lace patterns only cover the necessary parts of the body while the rest is made of a nude mesh material allowing for minimal body coverage while still being wearable. 

Today the brand boasts a collection of beautiful pieces with the same delicate and sexy vibe as the collection that I first fell in love with. However, my favorite part of the brand is their Skivvies lingerie line. Each piece is interesting and innovative and Skivvies can be seen on many influential fashion bloggers. Honestly, I feel a little sad knowing that their bras and underwear are meant to be covered up seeing as it's not exactly socially acceptable to parade around in your "skivvies". However, many of the pieces walk a fine line between crop top and bra or contain elements that can easily be incorporated into an outfit without flat-out refusing to wear a shirt. 

Take, for instance, the iconic Bat Your Lashes Bra. Made from the same beautiful lace as the aforementioned Antigua dress, this bra come down to about 2 inches above the belly button, making it a somewhat acceptable crop top, especially for music festivals or days at the beach. The She's a Knock Out bra is another example of one of these crop-top/bra hybrids. Additionally, the label carries some fun bodysuit designs that could be made into sleek and sexy tank tops when paired with jean cut offs or a pair of high waisted skinny jeans. For lovers of that iconic Antigua lace design, there's even a Bat Your Lashes body suit for those who don't like the crop top look.

When it comes to their bras that are far less acceptable crop tops, many designs still incorporate elements that can spice up an outfit without being too risque. The Wanted & Wild Bustier from their new Spring 2015 collection is an example of one such design. While the lace balconnette bra would warrant some stares if worn alone, putting a simple flowy tee shirt on over it would allow for the two front straps coming out of the center of the bra to accessorize your décolletage in a fun and unconventional way. The Skivvies collection allows for women to be adventurous and sexy while still looking cool and casual. Just throw on the jewel-colored Delicate Bondage bra and a thin white tee and you've got a peek-a-boo look that isn't too in-your-face. 

Overall, the For Love and Lemons brand is sexy but also feminine and casual. Rich colors and a diverse array of fabrics make every collection interesting and enticing. Their Spring Skivvies collection, called Wanderlust, and Spring 2015 clothing collection, called Pacific Escape, are on their site now. So if you're looking for a Valentines treat for yourself or a loved one go check out their website! The prices are pretty steep, but each piece is beautifully crafted and in limited supply, so if there's a piece that you're swooning after, save yourself the trip to your favorite coffee shop this week and scrape up those savings because that something big that you've been waiting for is here!

Below I've included pictures of all the pieces mentioned in this post and links to where you can purchase them on the site!

The Antigua Mini Dress

The Bat Your Lashes Bra

The She's a Knockout Bra

The Bat Your Lashes Bodysuit

The Wanted & Wild Bustier

The Delicate Bondage Bralette

Happy 1st Day of February!

Karis the Baybonnet

Language and Perspective Shape the Way We Live

Details: Jeans-American Apparel, Shirt-UNIF, Plaid-Urban Outfitters, Shoes-Converse, Bracelets-same as I always wear; "I have issues" from Kenneth Cole, "Bite Me" from Ryan Porter, Gold Friendship Bracelet is a gift

Today's pictures are from a lovely coffee date with one of my best friends Caroline who is now going to be helping me churn out pictures for the blog. She's armed with a nice camera and a desire to get more photography experience so I think we make a pretty great team. I've said this before and I'll say it again, but the hardest thing for me that keeps me from committing to this blog is the whole process of being one of those people who take pictures everywhere. I was talking about this with my roommates and Caroline this weekend when we went to San Francisco. I didn't really get a whole lot of pictures from the experience and I was disappointed in myself because I really want to start documenting my life more. My roommate Lydia then pointed out that people who have to stop and take pictures all the time aren't actually enjoying their life as much, and that really resinated with me. When I'm worrying about getting pictures for my blog or simply documenting my life I tend to let my anxiety overshadow the actual experience I'm having. Therefore I think I'm going to start designating a quick 5 minutes to take outfit pictures and such whenever I go out. This way I'll go into the experience knowing that there will be a time for documenting and a time for simply living. 

Additionally, I find myself looking at pictures I take for the blog and getting somewhat down on myself. They say the camera adds 10 pounds, and I don't know if that's true or not, but I do feel that often when I look at myself in the mirror I think "wow I look really good today, like I look in shape and hot and great" and then I look at pictures someone takes of me and I say "ok wait, when did my arms get that huge? And where is this double chin situation coming from? I didn't have that this morning". But I think it's really a two-fold process of learning how to pose better in pictures and really getting myself in shape, which I'm hoping to be more dedicated to this semester. I've been going to the gym every weekday after classes and I'm trying to eat better by simply not buying "bad" foods when I go to the grocery store and instead saving my extra calories for when I'm out and about with friends. If I really do end up committing to this and seeing a difference I'll definitely make a post about my exercise routine and diet plan, but for now there's no telling how this will go. I'm hoping it will be a positive experience though!

Today's song is "Salt" by Bad Suns. I've gotten really into them lately despite the fact that I knew about them in summer. I just heard "Cardiac Arrest" and thought "I like this" but didn't really look into the band, but then I heard "Salt" on Jimmy Kimmel the other night and fell in love. I went from 0 to 100 in about 5 minutes and I now have their entire album (and every song is amazing, not a bad seed in there) and I'm completely head over heels for their singer Christo Bowman. I haven't stopped listening to the album for the past 6 days and I bought tickets to their concert tonight about 10 minutes after hearing "Salt". Hopefully I'll get some pictures at the concert that I'll post on my instagram if not on here. But until then, I'll be jamming out to "Salt" and the rest of Language and Perspective. 

*The video and the content of the song lyrics is also really great and I'm so glad that someone wrote a song about the experiences of transgender people and depicted it in such an honest way*

Much love,

Karis the Baybonnet