In all honesty, it feels weird to be writing this article given the recent news of Kobe Bryant’s passing. He and his daughter died in a tragic helicopter accident that is flooding news outlets. It feels wrong to lose a cultural icon who was far too young to die, and I find it especially sad that their family also lost their teenage daughter. I have lost people in my life that were certainly too young. While it is not something I discuss in my day-to-day, it is something that impacts my daily life, for I have always felt that it is important to use these times as a reminder that life keeps moving forward and we ought to live a life we are proud of having and happy to live.
It can be hard to remember those things during the more difficult weeks. I mentioned how my mantra for this year is “focus, happiness, stability.” Well I have definitely deviated from the “focus” part this week. I met up with a good friend of mine yesterday to catch up after she had spent nearly half of 2019 abroad. She really is one of the most cherished people in my life, and I cannot emphasize how normal she makes me feel. Time with her really helped me to refocus on the important things at hand instead of getting side tracked by distractions that might make me reconsider the big picture, even though I know I would regret it at the end of the day.
However despite all the hard work and focus I have at the moment, it is still very important to have fun! I am particularly looking forward to figuring out my next concert or dinner out in the city. Is it weird to make plans around an outfit? I have done it before, but I have never admitted it out loud. I have been dying to wear this look again! It really is a favorite of mine. I wore it to a Jaden and Willow Smith concert in December at The Novo, and I was planning on wearing to a New Year’s Eve party. A change of plans kept me in Texas for a few more days, so it is getting close to time for this cowl neck tank top to make a reappearance.
In all honesty, this top was an impulse purchase! Fortunately, it has become a staple of my going out looks for night time. I picked this up over the summer after studying for the LSAT at the Beverly Hills public library. In general, I don’t like to do my studying on campus. The UCLA libraries are great for in between classes, but unless I have to be on campus, I generally study at home or outside of Westwood. I had just taken a practice LSAT exam, and was very drained, when I saw so many pretty things in the window of the & Other Stories shop on Beverly on the walk back to my car. As a little pick me up, I decided to browse the racks of & Other Stories, and I was surprisingly successful for a random Saturday evening.
What caught my eye in the first place was the rich color that is somewhere between blue and purple. I even feel like the color changes just depending on the day. I swear sometimes it is more blue, and sometimes it is more purple! Regardless, the color looks great on just about everyone. I especially like how it doesn’t wash me out. I have very fair skin and have to be mindful of how I wear different colors and shades. Because of the intense color, I always choose to pair it with black jeans. The black pants keep it sleek, and I think a blue denim would just clash too much in the color palette. I would even consider wearing it with my leather pants (see post here). I think that would definitely be a fun twist! Black sandal heels really top off the look. However, I more often times opt for black booties instead for some edge and to keep my toes a little warmer. That is what I did at the concert last month. Of course, we can’t finish talking about this top without acknowledging the cowl neckline. I have never worn anything with this kind of neckline before, and I absolutely love it. It is fashion forward, yet classic at the same time. It also brings a bit of a sexy vibe too, which can feel so empowering. Can you see why this top is a favorite of mine?
Going into this new week, I am recharged, motivated, and not going to let anything get in my way from living my best life, as should no one else. It feels good to be back on the blog, but I have midterms next week. Because I will likely spend this weekend studying, I am not sure yet if there will be a blog post this coming Monday. While I would like to have one ready, school has a higher priority than the blog. Happy Monday!
xx
Emily
