I moved this past weekend, which was possibly the least painful move I've ever done. Still, there's nothing like navigating icy steps, arms full of a bow and arrow, wine glasses, and a hula hoop to make you take stock of your life.
Anyways, I'm still getting settled, but feel good about this new apartment - with more closet space than I know what to do with (that's a lie, I finally have room for all my clothes), good lighting, and a big front porch with a swing.
It's nice starting off the new year, with a new place to live. And even though I did goal setting back at the end of December, I've clarified a bit more what I want out of this year, and thus will spend the next 11 months focusing on the following:
1. Working really hard. I love to work. I have for years. It makes me feel productive, it gives me a structure to my schedule, it allows me to be my best self. I also now, have the fortune of having a job I love, one that scares me so much I feel nauseous sometimes, so I know I'm doing something right. I also know if there's one thing I learned in the past year, it's that it's always less scary on the other side. Also, this job I love so dearly is helping to start a business in a developing country... so, there's lots to do. I am not worried about work-life balance (which I think is a myth anyways) right now. Right now, I want to work my butt off.
2. Running in cool places. After completing 3 marathons in the city of brotherly love, I have decided to expand my racing horizons. I am not a very fast runner, so a race is a great way to see a city. It's also a great reason to go somewhere I've never been yet. That being said, I've registered for the Montreal Marathon in September, and am trying to talk all the runners I know into coming with me. So far, I've got 1 other commitment, but it's early yet. Chris and I are also looking at a wine country half marathon in May, and I'll be on the lookout for some fun races throughout the summer.
3. Making new friends and meaningful connections. Ok, this one is kind of always a focus, because really, what else matters more than human connection? But for the past couple of weeks, I have been saying yes to last minute brunches, clothing swaps, 6 am yoga classes, late night best-friend real-talks, gallery crawls, and hanging out for a beer after work with new friends. And it's so much better than staying home watching Netflix. Spending time alone is good. Giving yourself time for reflection, and relaxation is important. Spending time in situations where you're meeting new people, and making those new connections is really important too.
4. Looking cute while doing it. One of the few things I have control over in my life right now is my physical appearance. And, now that I have all this closet space, I should have no trouble seeing all of my clothes. I really like clothing, and fashion, and have every intention of reflecting that on a daily basis. You don't have to wait for some special occasion to look awesome. Look great on a Wednesday.
So there you have it. 2012 was all about ripping my life apart and 2013 is all about settling back into it. Work, running, relationships, fashion. This is what's important.
My real life.
Showing posts with label fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fashion. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Swap
On Tuesday, I scored myself a big blue Ikea bag full of new clothes including dresses, skirts, shoes, tops, handbags, and jewelry.
And I didn't pay a cent for it.
And no, I didn't rob anyone.
I went to a clothing swap. Which is exactly what it sounds like. A group of us get together, bringing clothes you have become sick of, or that don't fit you anymore, and you swap.
I've been to a number of these over the years in Pittsburgh, organized informally amongst groups of friends, and then in the last year or so, the amazing and lovely Kate Stoltzfus organized a group here called the Steel City Swappers.
Kate was generous enough to host the swap on Tuesday, and it was so much fun. We all brought wine and snacks, so there was plenty of hanging out and connecting, there were clothes everywhere, everything from a size 0 - 12, and all kinds of styles.
Right before we kicked things off Kate had us go around and introduce ourselves, and what we were looking for so that we could help each other out.
I brought my coworker Jenna with me since the start-up budget doesn't allow for a new fall wardrobe and neither of us had been shopping in months. We had a blast. And all week I've been wearing great new outfits.
Not only are clothing swaps great for any budget, but they're also environmentally sustainable. The amount of clothing and textiles that end up in landfills is astounding. And while some of that stuff biodegrades faster than say styrofoam, it doesn't happen quickly.
Oh, and you'll also make new friends and strengthen your sense of community, so clothing swaps are a win-win-win situation basically.
I love clothes. I really do. I have way too many, and I want more, and I believe in fashion as a form of self-expression and creativity and getting dressed everyday makes me happy. And helping other people get dressed makes me happy. So I indulge in it. But clothing swaps are a totally guilt free way of revamping my wardrobe.
So THANK YOU to all of the Steel City Swappers who participate - you all have fantastic taste, and I think it's great you're willing to engage in a creative and sustainable activity. I already can't wait for our next swap.
Anyone else who might happen to read this blog - start swapping! It's the easiest thing. Seriously, call up your friends, and invite them over to swap clothes. You won't regret it.
And I didn't pay a cent for it.
And no, I didn't rob anyone.
I went to a clothing swap. Which is exactly what it sounds like. A group of us get together, bringing clothes you have become sick of, or that don't fit you anymore, and you swap.
I've been to a number of these over the years in Pittsburgh, organized informally amongst groups of friends, and then in the last year or so, the amazing and lovely Kate Stoltzfus organized a group here called the Steel City Swappers.
Kate was generous enough to host the swap on Tuesday, and it was so much fun. We all brought wine and snacks, so there was plenty of hanging out and connecting, there were clothes everywhere, everything from a size 0 - 12, and all kinds of styles.
Right before we kicked things off Kate had us go around and introduce ourselves, and what we were looking for so that we could help each other out.
I brought my coworker Jenna with me since the start-up budget doesn't allow for a new fall wardrobe and neither of us had been shopping in months. We had a blast. And all week I've been wearing great new outfits.
Not only are clothing swaps great for any budget, but they're also environmentally sustainable. The amount of clothing and textiles that end up in landfills is astounding. And while some of that stuff biodegrades faster than say styrofoam, it doesn't happen quickly.
Oh, and you'll also make new friends and strengthen your sense of community, so clothing swaps are a win-win-win situation basically.
I love clothes. I really do. I have way too many, and I want more, and I believe in fashion as a form of self-expression and creativity and getting dressed everyday makes me happy. And helping other people get dressed makes me happy. So I indulge in it. But clothing swaps are a totally guilt free way of revamping my wardrobe.
So THANK YOU to all of the Steel City Swappers who participate - you all have fantastic taste, and I think it's great you're willing to engage in a creative and sustainable activity. I already can't wait for our next swap.
Anyone else who might happen to read this blog - start swapping! It's the easiest thing. Seriously, call up your friends, and invite them over to swap clothes. You won't regret it.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Things Precisely Tells Me as I Leave the House.
"Stay Skinny!"
"Remember, only half the salad."
"Lose the bubble hem!"
"Maybe that coffee is all you should eat today…"
"Have a wonderful day, eat a lot of chocolate. I just read that the world’s supply is running out."
"What, did your sister wives pick that outfit for you?" (in my defense I was about to go for a run and yea, the clothes were baggy and ugly, but whatever I was just going to sweat in them!)
"I don’t care how wide your scarf is, you’re still not Swedish."
He keeps me grounded.
"Remember, only half the salad."
"Lose the bubble hem!"
"Maybe that coffee is all you should eat today…"
"Have a wonderful day, eat a lot of chocolate. I just read that the world’s supply is running out."
"What, did your sister wives pick that outfit for you?" (in my defense I was about to go for a run and yea, the clothes were baggy and ugly, but whatever I was just going to sweat in them!)
"I don’t care how wide your scarf is, you’re still not Swedish."
He keeps me grounded.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
The Never Ending Question
Each morning I wake up, and within minutes of regaining consciousness am faced with the same question. Every single day. What? Am I going to wear today?
Sometimes the question is already answered for me. There was a year in high school where I would take time every Sunday to plan out my outfits for the approaching school week. I'd figure out everything down to the accessories, and then write it all out on a list, so that when I woke up at 5 freakin o'clock in the morning, I wouldn't have to think. I just did what the paper told me to.
Flash forward to now, when I can't imagine having that kind of time on a Sunday, and usually don't have to be up before 7. Needless to say, my week's wardrobe is no longer quite so organized.
Because we're dramatic, and because this question is often faced before or with little coffee, Precisely and I can be found most mornings lying on the floor of our shared closet, asking the age old quandary of "What on earth am I going to wear today?"
My job is flexible enough that I don't have strict "work-clothes" (although I think most of my clothing is business casual). I've been fortunate enough to have collected quite a few nice pieces over the years, and have outfits that I absolutely adore. I am even more fortunate now, having an entire half of a bedroom as closet space, meaning I have easier access to my clothing than I have had in years. Also, I only have one strict fashion rule, which is to never wear sweatpants in public. Everything else is fair game.
This shouldn't then, be difficult.
Yet some days, it is so absolutely challenging, and having to make that kind of decision at the beginning of the day, seems far more stressful than it actually is. Some days I wish I just didn't care.
But I do care. I love fashion. I love clothes. I love how pairing some clothes with other clothes changes an outfit entirely. I love how fabrics feel, and fall across your body, and how colors can have an effect on your mood all day. I love the process of getting dressed. Of each layer of clothing working together to create an ensemble that you present to the outer world.
So here's my confession. Every morning when I don't feel like thinking about getting dressed, when I resent the "what am I going to wear today" question, I suck it up and put effort into it and answer it anyways. Why? Maybe this is morbid, or crazy, but I find myself thinking - If today, for some reason, you were to die. Be it a brain aneurism, or a freak accident, and you, you who love fashion, and put such effort into your clothes, were wearing an outfit you didn't care about, wouldn't that be a terrible thing?
It would be. I couldn't stand for my last ever outfit to be one I didn't care about. So I take another sip of coffee, face my closet, and put together another outfit for another day.
Sometimes the question is already answered for me. There was a year in high school where I would take time every Sunday to plan out my outfits for the approaching school week. I'd figure out everything down to the accessories, and then write it all out on a list, so that when I woke up at 5 freakin o'clock in the morning, I wouldn't have to think. I just did what the paper told me to.
Flash forward to now, when I can't imagine having that kind of time on a Sunday, and usually don't have to be up before 7. Needless to say, my week's wardrobe is no longer quite so organized.
Because we're dramatic, and because this question is often faced before or with little coffee, Precisely and I can be found most mornings lying on the floor of our shared closet, asking the age old quandary of "What on earth am I going to wear today?"
My job is flexible enough that I don't have strict "work-clothes" (although I think most of my clothing is business casual). I've been fortunate enough to have collected quite a few nice pieces over the years, and have outfits that I absolutely adore. I am even more fortunate now, having an entire half of a bedroom as closet space, meaning I have easier access to my clothing than I have had in years. Also, I only have one strict fashion rule, which is to never wear sweatpants in public. Everything else is fair game.
This shouldn't then, be difficult.
Yet some days, it is so absolutely challenging, and having to make that kind of decision at the beginning of the day, seems far more stressful than it actually is. Some days I wish I just didn't care.
But I do care. I love fashion. I love clothes. I love how pairing some clothes with other clothes changes an outfit entirely. I love how fabrics feel, and fall across your body, and how colors can have an effect on your mood all day. I love the process of getting dressed. Of each layer of clothing working together to create an ensemble that you present to the outer world.
So here's my confession. Every morning when I don't feel like thinking about getting dressed, when I resent the "what am I going to wear today" question, I suck it up and put effort into it and answer it anyways. Why? Maybe this is morbid, or crazy, but I find myself thinking - If today, for some reason, you were to die. Be it a brain aneurism, or a freak accident, and you, you who love fashion, and put such effort into your clothes, were wearing an outfit you didn't care about, wouldn't that be a terrible thing?
It would be. I couldn't stand for my last ever outfit to be one I didn't care about. So I take another sip of coffee, face my closet, and put together another outfit for another day.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
While Getting Ready for a Party on Saturday Night...
Precisely gets a phone call from the Lady of Leisure who was also accompanying us to said party. "What should you wear?" I hear him ask. "I don't know." "What is Kelsey wearing? Hang on."
Precisely comes into my room, looks at me, rolls his eyes and answers "She's still in her underwear. She has a feather on her head. She looks like Carrie Bradshaw getting ready, she's got a glass of wine in one hand and a curling iron in the other." Shakes head and walks out.
At the party I was told by no less than 4 gay men on 4 separate occasions that a) I looked pretty or b) they liked my hair. All in all, a successful Saturday night.
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