Blast From The Past: Tights as Pants

Before Lindsay Lohan made wearing tights/leggings as pants famous, there was me; a 5 year old budding Fashionista who knew that this trend would briefly take over the world.

The real story behind the photo below is that my father snapped a picture of me on a Sunday after Church when I was 5 years old. We were in Nigeria at the time and my cousin (who came with us) told me to just wear my tights as pants while we were changing out of our Sunday's best.  It also made it easier for me to slide across the wood paneled floor. And well, Mom & Pop didn't contest to me gallivanting around our house in nothing but tights and a blush pink top.

This, my friends, is the only time you will ever see me wear tights as pants:

My eyes are half open because I thought I was doing a "cool" pose.



xoxo

My Family's Style

A recent post by The Sartorialist got me thinking about my family and their style. My current fashion choices are a sole result of my outfit decisions that were dictated by my mother and father as a child. I was given fashion freedom come middle school and on, but prior to, what Mama and Pops said went. Daddy isn't in any of the photos because he's a camera junkie and snapped all of these delectable pictures. Take a look below. My favorite photo (and current Facebook default) is the one with my mother and I taken in 1996.

Me & my older bro.


Me & Mama.


Meeee!

xoxo

So Long Sophomore Year!

Two years completed; two years still ahead. As I sit in my room staring at the walls that were once covered in posters, paintings and inspirational words, I can't help but release a bittersweet sigh and reflect on this past school year.

A messy collage of my sophomore year.

This school year--although the Sophomore slump it was--has taught me a lot about myself and others. It caused me to realize that I am attending the right school and that I am picking the right career path. I've met so many amazingly new people and done so many amazingly new things that it boggles my mind. So join me as I reminisce and say so long to my sophomore year.

*I kick started sophomore year with Resident Assistant staff training. Here, I fell in love with the job position and my staff. Becoming a Resident Assistant has so far been one of the highlights of my college career. This job has allowed me to grow as a person in so many ways, and I don't know if I could ever let it go.

*Next, I had two amazing internships:

My internship at Seventeen magazine couldn't have been better. It solidified my dream for working in the fashion and magazine industry. I screeched with joy every time I saw my name in the magazine under interns, attended a couple of fashion week shows and shamelessly showed off the photo shoot I helped style. But most importantly, I met the most amazing people ever: my fellow interns and the editors.

My internship at House Beautiful magazine convinced me that I was made for the web (duh!). Sure I didn't know much about home décor going in, but now I can say I know a little somethin' somethin' about upholstery and reclaimed furniture; only a little. I also learned vital information about managing a magazine's Web site and wrote a couple of things for the site. Not to mention, my editor was the bombdigity. Yes. I said bombdigity.

*After attending Teen Vogue Fashion U with the cute La Petite Fashionista, I knew I had to chase after my dreams of working in the fashion industry with a little more oomph!

*My unhealthy obsession with cupcakes bloomed into something unexplainable.

*I turned 20 and had a mini-breakdown. What do you mean I'm not a teen anymore?

*I came to terms with my personal style: modernly conservative with an edge.

*I decided to try and devote most of my wardrobe to one color: red.

*Pinkrockcandy and I started a fashion club at our school (finally!).

*Last and most importantly, I realized the importance of making time for friends.

Oh sophomore year, where have you gone? Soon I'll be a senior looking for a "real world" job. YIKES!

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Secretista

My Vintage Vogue

Photo: Myvintagevogue
My new favorite Web site, ever.

By nature (and because of my upbringing), I am a gal who loves anything tradition and vintage related. I enjoy going to church every Sunday, having a man hold the door open for me and of course wearing skirts and dresses whenever I can. My personal style also reflects this: modernly conservative with an edge. I think the fact that I like conservative outfits is the main reason I love vintage things and vintage times. My favorite fashion era is the 1960's; it had a touch of elegance and a certain je ne sais quoi.

I recently stumbled upon a great Web site entitled, Myvintagevogue. The Web site is "devoted to vintage fashion" and "to the designers, models & photographers which inspire us." I am absolutely IN LOVE with this site. I should be doing my journalism homework but instead I am fervently clicking through all of the images from every era listed, as well as, the extra categories such as "Umbrella Girls." I knew there is a reason I am obsessed with umbrellas.

What do you think of the site?

---
Secretista

17 Minutes of Fame

The May 2009 issue of Seventeen is out and I helped style the Fashion Van story.

Go pick up a copy!

---
Secretista

That's So High School

High School. Four years of my life I do not miss nor regret. The fashion mishaps, the inevitable cliques and the memorable moments. A recent interview on WWD with Jay McCarroll, Project Runway's first winner, has me thinking about life, high school, and the fashion industry. McCarroll said, "...when you say fashion, it kind of connotes that I would like to be part of this fashion industry in NYC, where I would have to play games and, like, talk to a bunch of a--hole vapid girls I don’t want to talk to. "--Hello high school.

I do not think the entire NYC fashion scene if filled with fake-istas, but I can see where he is coming from. And in hopes that one day I will be part of the fashion industry in NYC, the one thing I fear the most is becoming "vapid" and self-absorbed. Let's be honest; the fashion industry is a needed but somewhat superficial industry (that I love). Will I become one of those people that are so consumed by the fashion industry that I forget how much fun fashion can be? I hope not.

In life, do we ever really escape high school?

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Secretista

New York Fashion Week?

Marc Jacobs Fall 2008 show.
EDIT-- THIS IS FROM LAST YEAR'S SHOW.
CLICK THE LINK TO GET THE FULL-STORY.

New York Fashion Week starts tomorrow. I've put the question mark in the title because I don't think I'll have time to sneak into any shows and truly enjoy Fashion Week first hand. As I type this, the jaw-dropping (literally) facial expression of a girl I had a conversation with last night about this very topic pops into my head.

Girl: Are you going to sneak into any shows this season? If you do, let me know.
Secretista: Well, I don't know if I'll have time.
Girl: **Jaw drops.**

What's more depressing to me than my absence at this year's shows is the absence of some designers! The Cut: New York Magazine's Fashion Blog has a list of designers that have canceled their show. Thank you economy.

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Secretista

Educate Yourself

My life is crazy. It's midnight and I am finally able to sit at my computer, fish through all the e-mails I did not read during the day and complete all my homework. But despite my super busy life, I've been able to find some form of time to start reading the book below:

Chanel: A Woman of Her Own

Reading this book is my one step forward into becoming more fashion-literate. One of my big time New Year's resolutions is to find a way to educate myself on fashion because I don't attend a fashion-concentrated school. So far the book is good and Chanel is one interesting icon. I'm really enjoying getting to know the woman and creator behind one of my favorite Fashion Houses.

---
Secretista

Where'd you get that?

A question that I get asked a lot. I'm often flattered when people love my clothing because well, I do put a lot of effort into choosing the pieces I buy. And when a friend recently asked me where I get my clothes, I realized that it's not where you buy your clothes but what you buy and of course, how you wear it that makes your style so personal. It's one thing to go to a store because you're on a mission to follow the latest trend and it's another to go to a store you like and know you can find great pieces that fit your personal style.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, yes I do get my clothes from H&M, Zara, Target, and sometimes Forever21, but it's not just the stores that give me my personal flare, it's my purchasing inhibitions.

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Secretista

Back In Black

Prior to my mini hiatus, I stumbled upon Jaime Wears Black. Her love of black got me thinking about the color black.

You see, growing up I wasn't allowed to wear black. Yes, that's right. I said I wasn't allowed. I remember whenever my mom went shopping with me I would always pick black and she would always tell me, "No. I'm not paying for that. You always choose black. Choose another color." I never understood what her dislike with black was; and I still don't. Well, may be it was because of my dark skin tone and she thought I needed a lighter color. But because my mom never allowed me to wear black, I never did. Not until recently of course and man I now know what I was missing!

Black is such an elegant and sophisticated color. May be I'll buy more of it and forgo my adventure into wearing nothing but red. What do you think?

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Secretista

Secretista DOES Have A Future in Fashion

So... I'm NOT weird. There are others who dress just as fashion forward as me (yay!) and we all united over the weekend at TEEN VOGUE Fashion University! It was really nice to be in a room filled with people who had a genuine love for fashion and wanted to make it into a career. During one of the seminars, La Petite Fashionista leaned over to me and said, "Everyone in this room is part of the future of fashion." I realized she was COMPLETELY correct and then it hit me: If I love fashion so much, and was able to be accepted to TEEN VOGUE Fashion University, why am I so conflicted upon if I should make fashion a career? I'm just afraid that if I were to get to Amy Astley status at a (fashion) magazine, I might make a wrong decision and then the head of whatever publishing corporation I'm working at will spit fire at me and say--in Donald Trump's voice--"You're fired!"

But I'm ready. I'm ready to chase my dreams of being a (fashion) editor. No more Miss Scardy pants--my parents didn't raise me that way anyway. I've been working really hard for a reason, and that reason is to get the future I want. A future in fashion... and magazines.

At the seminars I learned the importance of art, culture, and individuality. I always knew fashion was an art, but I learned that it's important to be aware of other types of art. These arts can offer great inspiration to the world of fashion. Culture is very important because it's culture that makes you the interesting person you are, thus creating your own individual identity (wow, that was deeeeeeeeeep). All in all, I'm happy I went and would love to go again next year, so please excuse me as I admire my TEEN VOGUE Fashion University diploma on my wall *grins*. Keep chasing your dreams.

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Secretista

Secretista Goes To TEEN VOGUE Fashion U!

Yup, that's right kiddies. I'm going to TEEN VOGUE Fashion U... tomorrow! I can't wait. I'll be taking classes taught by great fashion insiders like Proenza Schouler, Cynthia Rowley, Peter Som, and teenVOGUE editors! Also, I'll be meeting up with the oh-so sweet lapetitefashionista (!!); I love blogger meet ups. I've been so caught up with student life that I didn't even think about what I'm wearing *sratches head*--what to wear?

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Secretista

Blog Me Up it's Sunday!

Hey Hey Trendsetters,

Today was a good day. Not because anything special happened but because everyday is a good day unless my cat dies; oh wait, I don't have a cat. So, everyday is a good day!

It was nice to go to Church today. Bathe in the encouragement of my pastor and observe those Fashionistas in my church; Church goers know how to dress! After Church I wanted to go pick up my Dry Cleaning, however, that wasn't made possible. Silly me forgot that the Dry Cleaners are closed on Sundays. I was really excited to go pick up my Zara Pea Coat, my Forever 21 wide-leg trousers and mini dress, my Arden B. top, and my Tadashi full-length skirt! Sigh, I guess I'll have to see if they are open tomorrow, which I doubt, but it's worth a shot. I really wanted to wear the the trousers to Church tomorrow night.

So, I guess you can say I am new to this whole Fashion blogging thing. I've been blogging for years, but never about a specific topic. I've been reading My Fashion Life for years, but I never really branched out and read all the other blogs. And boy, let me tell you, I am hooked! So many different perspectives and so many insightful thoughts; I LOVE IT! Hopefully, I'll get the honor one day of joining their ranks of established Fashion blogs.

†Secretista