New Year, New Skincare (feat. Vamigas)

1 Comment

So I’ll be honest that when it comes to skincare I either stick to a routine or avoid it entirely.  What can I say, I’m a Taurus, I like my sleep so having a 10 step routine before bed is a tall order for me. Thankfully, using the right products can help cut down the steps a bit and I’ve found some pretty great products from a new brand called Vamigas.

Disclaimer : This post includes affiliate links, any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission.

Vamigas is a Latinx owned and founded beauty brand specializing in health and wellness. They launched last year with products for skincare, body care and even hair care. What I like about Vamigas is that the brand weaves culture into the products by incorporating ingredients found and cultivated in Latin America. Ingredients such as rosa mosqueta, chia, prickly pear, papaya, jojoba, maracuja, maqui and açaí that our ancestors have been using for centuries. Continue reading →

Oh My Senpai Moonie VIP Box Review

Leave a comment

If you’ve been following me for a bit you already know that I love anime, manga and I’m a diehard Moonie (aka Sailor Moon fan). Sailor Moon was the first anime I was ever exposed to back in the early 90’s. I was four years old when my mother turned on the show to distract me while I was home recovering from getting my appendix removed and I’ve been obsessed ever since.  My love for this anime lead to an ever expanding collection of official (and fan-made) merchandise, which has only gotten bigger once I started making “adult money” and I’ve even cosplayed as a couple of my favorite characters at cons.

Just a portion of my collection which includes the manga, video tapes of the original dub (plus the movies) 90’s toys, figurines, enamel pins and more.

Funny enough in spite of this I don’t actually own much in terms of wearable items besides a few graphic tees which can get pretty old fast. So as you can expect I’m constantly on the lookout for more unique expressions of wearable fandom. I would never have guessed that there would ever be loungewear involved as is the case with Oh My Senpai.

Continue reading →

Plaid Taste

Leave a comment

Lately I’ve been looking into more business casual styling as I’ve been considering making a return to traditional corporate after spending the last 4-plus years in startup realm. For context I got rid of a great deal of my former “professional wear” such as my pencil skirts, blouses and pant suits that made up most of my closet from grad school on, as my job allowed for more casual styling . That is not to say that I don’t have any left in my closet, I still own a decent amount of blazers and blouses though they are far from “traditional” in color and print like this red longline blazer. As much as I love black, I mean I am a native New Yorker after all,  I like adding bold color accent pieces particularly for spaces that tend to discourage that kind of thing. I guess its my way of both expressing myself and rebelling  against norms I don’t embrace. For the last couple of years that has meant reaching for red for reasons I can’t explain other than I got complimented once by a good friend when I wore the color and I’ve embraced it ever since. (Prior to this I would go for pops of pink, my second favorite color.) 

That being said, after  styling this blazer last year, I got it stuck in my head that I really wanted to incorporate some kind of print the next time I wore it out. I’ve been on the hunt ever since for something – a dress or a skirt with a print including this specific shade of red.  Then  one day while doing some shopping recon I stumbled upon some  plaid denim. Continue reading →

Big Sweater Energy

Leave a comment

Last year I spotted an oversized black and white stripe cardigan on my Instagram feed and fell in love with it. It was just too perfect for those crisp, cool fall days leading into the chill of winter. Unfortunately by the time I learned about this cardigan’s existence it was sold on the Hot Topic website. That is until this summer when it reappeared in two different color palettes along with a plaid knit option; I immediately added one to my cart.

Was it weird to order this in the middle of July? Definitely. But I regret nothing because this is sooo cozy.

I actually debated as to whether or not I should size down because I knew it was oversized,  yet I found myself selecting my size (HT Plus Size 1) instead to ensure that the fit would be oversized on me not thinking about how huge it would end up being. They seriously weren’t kidding when they said “oversized,” but my brother convinced me to keep it because of all the “fall sweater weather cozy” vibes which is all I really want.

The best thing about this kind of piece is that it can be styled to be casual, sporty, dressy and even professional. The oversize fit it, the stripe design and the classic cardigan silhouette offers many different options when it comes to styling this piece and I’ve had a lot of fun coming up with a few. Here are three outfits that I styled with this one cardigan for some fall (into winter) style inspiration. Let me know in the comments which one is your favorite.

Disclaimer: While this specific cardigan seems to no longer be in stock I have included some similar options for you below to consider just in case you’re looking to trying this trend for yourself.

Continue reading →

One Sleeve Sweater Layering

Leave a comment

When I sent the link of this sweater to my best friend she didn’t hold back about how much she hated the design. A one shoulder sweater? How does one wear this thing without being cold? Both quite valid questions considering how cold NYC weather can get, often without much warning.

The funny thing is that my first thought was that this was the perfect piece for some fun layering style. As cozy as chunky knit sweaters are, I find that layering help keep fall styles a bit more chic and interesting. After all why not add to your warmth and look good at the same time? And while, plus size sweaters with random cut-outs will forever be the bane of my existence (seriously, why are these still a thing?), pieces like this one from ELOQUII present a styling challenge that I will happily accept so here is how I did. Continue reading →