"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." -Coco Chanel



Friday, November 3, 2017

Festive or Faux pas? Decorating for the Holidays

Hello my fellow fashionistas, I have (yet again) returned from a rather long hiatus and am trying to get back into writing, blogging, and getting connected once again to the social-media world. I have been awakened by what might just be the most controversial issue of the moment: to decorate or not decorate for Christmas...in November (November 3rd to be exact.) Is the idea of decorating early considered festive, or is it a major faux pas? In my various social media accounts, I have taken to asking you, my beautiful followers, whether or not I should decorate for Christmas early, or if I should be deemed criminally insane for simply having the urge to do so. The polls are still running, and my mind is still tossing and turning with the idea of sprucing up my world with a little Christmas cheer, however, I can't help but wonder, is this even important? Does it matter if I have tinsel and ornaments dangling from every nook and cranny in my room before we even carve the Thanksgiving turkey? Should I care about what the world deems seasonally correct? As I am writing these very words, I am fighting the urge to set up my new Christmas tree and deck the halls with boughs of holly. So should I feel guilty about these urges? Isn't decorating for the holidays meant to bring joy? Or does it just bring anxiety? Personally, I feel that the month of November is perhaps, the most stressful month of the year. And what better way to release this stress than decorate for a holiday that is a whole month away? As most would say in any time of dilemma, "do what makes you happy." Whether this includes adorning your home with twinkling lights and tinsel or hanging stockings by the chimney with care, you're sure to find joy in any of these acts of festivity. The polls are still going, and I, although am stricken with curiosity, will not be swayed by the answers of others. In the end, decorating is fun, it brings me joy, and it isn't hurting anyone (except for the Holiday Police...those people can stuff it!) so why not just do it? Let me know what you guys think! Is it festive or is it faux pas to decorate for Christmas in (early) November? Also, I'm curious to know, when (if you do decorate) you will put all of your festive decor out? From one Christmas lover to another, don't let anyone take your tinsel and tell you what you can and cannot do! Happy decorating, and have a great weekend my lovelies! xx

-Kayleigh 
a.k.a The Sophisticated Shopper

Monday, February 27, 2017

Verge-in To Fashion: Entering the Fashion World For the First Time

We all wish that our debut into the world of fashion would be something out of a Sex in the City movie, however, we all know that no matter the budget and how determined we are to look fabulous, we are bound to have some fashion moments that will go down in the book of "things to never ever wear, or mention, again."

My verge into fashion was very similar to that. I have a mental book of outfits and various trends that have been tried and simultaneously, failed. In junior high, printed Bermuda shorts and hot pink eyeshadow was my go-to look. High school, it was feathered hair, short shorts, and blush, LOTS of blush. Today, I am more careful about what trends to trust or not trust and which ones should simply be tossed out the window. After all, trends are just touch and go. They are just temporary and are put in place simply to allow us to explore our options and figure out what suits us and what will allow us to open up to ourselves. In a way, entering the world of fashion is like loosing your virginity. Your entering something that will break you out of your comfort zone, something will make you laugh and make you cry, and something that will allow you to see another side of yourself and allow you to grow into the person you are supposed to be. I know that romanticizing virginity and fashion is cheesy and over-done, but in my experiences, in experimenting with fashion and with life, it holds true.

I am currently enrolled in a course in Fashion in Society, and being enrolled in this course has allowed me to further explore who I am, determine the trends I am willing or not willing to try, introduced me to various cultures I have yet to consider and acknowledge, and allowed me to properly enter the world of fashion. I encourage everyone to do something outside their comfort zone that might allow them the access and entry to the world they wish to explore or belong to. Read a book, or two, do some research, start a blog, try a new trend cut your hair, ANYTHING that allows you to learn something new about yourself or about the world we love and live in.

I hope you all take my advice, and try or learn something new to learn more about yourselves. Until next time...

-The Sophisticated Shopper 

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

2017| Real Talk & Resolutions

Hello my fellow Sophisticates, and welcome to a new year. As you may have noticed, this "time to reflect" that I have taken has consumed almost a half of a year. Although my thoughts have not yet completely been reflected on, I feel that this time away from blogging and other forms of social media has allowed me to make goals for myself and resolutions that I so hope to keep. I hardly ever make new year's resolutions that I stick to, so I have decided that for 2017, I am only going to make resolutions and goals that are not on a deadline. In a way, it is an excuse to continue to learn about myself and "take time to reflect" without completely abandoning my blog and social media.

A great part of these resolutions have to do with finding out who I really am and if I'm capable of discovering my true self without changing any part of myself. I want to be able to endulge in the joys of life without giving anything up. I want to delve into cultures that I have yet to explore. And I want to find happiness in the grueling tasks of day-to-day life. This all sounds so great and so easy, but I know it is going to be a great challenge. One that I cannot wait to accept.

I find that unless I make an outline of my goals, it is difficult to keep myself to them. So, the (very rough) outline of my path to happiness and self discovery is written below.

1. Step out of your comfort zone.
2. Enjoy the variety that each day brings.
3. Find something positive in each daily task.
4. Define who I am without allowing others to define me.
5. Delve into foreign cultures.
6. Learn something new every day.
7. Learn to accept challenges and to not run from them.
8. Try new things.
9. Declutter my life: of materialistic goods, harmful people, and unneccessary worry
10. Don't forget to tell yourself every day that you are good enough and that you don't need anyone to prove that to you,
*BONUS: Allow yourself to be HAPPY!*

This outline, I'm hoping, will bring me all that I hope it will and that it will allow me to be the best version of myself that I can be.

Until next post, my lovelies. Just remember, resolutions do not need to have a deadline. You can't rush the journey to finding yourself. 

-Kayleigh