Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Kind of a bummer.

Well, I really don't know how to feel about this, but I guess I do feel a little bummed. I had to open up a new blog; The Classy and Sassy. So, all my new posts (after this one) will be written on that blog instead of this one. I really don't want to think of it as "a new blog" but rather that this blog got a new look and changed its name. 

It's obviously going to be a bit tiring to upload each and every post I already had on The Chic Comedienne. But, I guess I'll have to embrace change. 

I want to look at this as something positive and as a way of starting off fresh. 

Here's to new beginnings!

*kisskiss* - Adrienne.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Fashion Inspired By: Family & Friends Part I

Some time ago I wrote a couple of posts called Fashion Inspired By: My Favorite Literary Characters. You can read Part I here, and Part II here. I also did one inspired by the Hogwarts Houses. Yeah, I'm THAT kind of Harry Potter freak, ha! You can read that one here.

I just want to make something clear, these posts are not an exact replica of how these people or characters dress. They are a lot more of what I pick up from their personal styles by looking at them or spending time with them. They are my own interpretation of their different styles.

Anyway, this time I thought it would be fun to inspire my next two (or more?) posts on real people. And by real people I mean, people I know (and love!) personally. So, here it goes...

Fashion Inspired By: Family & Friends! 



Melissa Parra (baby sis)

From left to right; E.L.F Blush, H&M lace trim top, Revlon Just Bitten Lip stain in Beloved, Topshop Petite Ankle Leggings, Gap Heathered Open Front Cardigan, Repetto Cendrillon Leather Ballerinas, Henri Bendel Debutante Pearl Stud Earrings, Pretaportobello Dragonfly Necklace, L'Oreal Double Extend Lash Extension Mascara.


First up is my adorable little sis; Melissa (note: she's only a year younger than me!). Having a sister who is the same size as you in clothing and shoes, is kind of what dreams are made of! All our lives we've never really shared clothes, each of us has our own entirely different closets. But it is fun to swap clothes every once in a while. Though, I do have to say, our personal styles are extremely different. Sometimes, I'll wear a shirt, skirt or dress that my sister would never wear. Or sometimes I pick out an accessory (*cough, cough* most recently an edgy ear cuff) that my sister admits is cool, although again, she would not wear herself. Or sometimes it's the other way around. However, I've come to admire the way she dresses with every day that goes by. She has this very clean and simple way of putting her outfits together. And I have noticed that her favorite colors are almost always nude tones or pastels. She once told me one of her favorite stores were The Gap and H&M hence the cardigan and the lace trim top; both of them in soft nude tones. My sister has this weird fixation with wearing leggings, she just loves them. Especially in black. So I picked out these pair from Topshop. 

The same "less is more" rule applies to her makeup, I think. She uses the same mascara I do, which I really can't reccomend enough; L'Oreal's Double Extend Lash Extension Mascara. It just makes eyelashes pop. For her lips she always uses the same lip stain (she adores it) by Revlon. Recently, she told me her favorite makeup brand was E.L.F Cosmetics because, drumroll please...it's cheap and it has great quality. And I can't argue with her there, they definitely have some pretty great quality products, and the awesome prices are just a bonus!

For accessories, I decided on a Dragonfly Necklace by Pretaportobello because she actually does have a dragonfly necklace. She loves dragonflies because of what they represent; change and going beyond self created illusions. They do actually remind me of her. And for earrings, simple pearl studs. Because you just can't go wrong with classy pearls, am I right?




Paola Reyes (my not related but equally loved cousin)


From left to right; Miss Selfridge Double Layer Cami Top, Clinique Powder Blush,  Hollister Bettys Overalls,  Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, Keds Taylor Swift Trainers, Bracelets: Baublebar Cape Knot bracelet, Michael Kors Heart Chain bracelet, Juicy Couture Pave Color Crush Genuine Beaded bracelet, Essie nail polish in Peach Daiquiri. 
Next up is my "not-actually-related" cousin, but whom I love just as much as any blood relative; Paola. I've known this girl for a really long time and she is definitely one of my favorite people and one of my best friends. Right now she's studying abroad in New Zealand, and I miss her like crazy because she's been there for almost a year now! She comes back home on July 2nd and I am just counting the hours, seriously. Paola's style (and her personality too, by the way...) is very laid back and she definitely knows how to take fashion risks! I recently saw a picture of her wearing short overalls and I don't think anyone but her could have pulled it off. I loved that she paired them off with a simple white tank top, which just made the whole outfit look very fresh and relaxed. The options I chose were a pair of overalls from Hollister and a cami top from Miss Selfridge. For shoes, I picked out these adorable floral sneakers by Keds which I think are the Taylor Swift edition. These are also a lot like the sneakers she was wearing in the picture. The shoes and the clothes just make the perfect outfit for hiking out Down Under, don't you think?

When it comes to makeup, Paola also likes to keep it pretty fresh and clean. She actually does use this exact same blush from Clinique. For her lashes, I chose Maybelline's Great Lash mascara because as I always say, you can't do better than the classics. And if I'm not mistaken, Paola has said this some time before.
 I don't think I've ever seen Paola out and about without having her nails done. She is always wearing at least one bright and daring color of nail polish and I respect that; plain nails are boring. 

Accessory-wise, it's not very common to see her without her array of stack-on bracelets. I like to think she's that kind of girl who wears bracelets from different special moments in her life. Like for example, one that was a gift from her boyfriend or a woven bracelet which she bought from the natives in New Zealand. 




Sofia Osorio (my actual cousin, ha! also very loved)


From left to right; Oakwood leather jacket, Kate Spade New York small square stud earrings in clear/gold, Mango skinny jeans, Alice + Olivia Amal Boxy Tank, Converse Women's All Star sneakers, M.A.C Viva Glam II lipstick in A33 Matte, Maybelline Falsies Waterproof mascara, M.A.C Mineralize Blush in Love Joy.

Next up is my actual blood related cousin; Sofia. I love this girl. She is kind of my confidant, I tell her everything. Boys, friends, anything really! We can talk for hours and she always has the best advice. She is just so mature for her age! She turns 17 this August and I feel like time is going by so quickly. Since we were kids, we've always gotten along so well, no matter the 4 year age difference! We were always making up creative and entertaining games; we once even pretended we were running our own magazine! It was so great. Moving on, as well as her personality Sofia's style is just so chic and classy. Every time, I approve more and more of the way she dresses. I picked a tank from Alice + Olivia which I thought looked A LOT like one she was wearing a couple weeks ago when we went to the movies. And she was wearing it with a brown leather jacket which also looked a lot like this one from Oakwood. For bottoms I chose these skinny jeans from Mango, which would look incredible on her. And for shoes, white Converse sneakers that she was in fact wearing the day of the movies. The overall look is simple but amazingly classy and trendy! 

Sofia's not much of an accessories girl I think, so I just picked these cute square stud earrings from Kate Spade New York. 

And for makeup, this is the actual lipstick she uses; M.A.C Viva Glam II lipstick in A33 Matte. I think this tone looks amazing on her! The other day she told me that she was currently trying out Maybelline's Falsies Waterproof mascara and that she was in love with it because it really never smudged. Great tip to know for summer! For blush she uses M.A.C Mineralize blush in Love Joy which looks great with her tan skin tone. 



Regina Gonzalez (one of my best friends)

From left to right; Forever 21 Love 21 sparkling lipgloss, Benefit Cosmetics BADgal Lash mascara, Kate Spade New York small square stud earrings in clear/silver, Ralph Lauren Sullivan super skinny dark wash jeans, Dune Kacey leather embellished sandals, H&M sleeveless blouse, NARS Cosmetics Blush in Orgasm. 


And last but most definitely not least, is one of my best friends; Regina. This girl is a beloved friend of mine. She is the kind of girl who is seriously super nice. I really can't think of anyone who doesn't like her. She's mature and well composed while still being silly when we're having fun. She's also the kind of friend with whom you have the greatest time when you're either drinking coffee together or at the club late at night! If I had to describe Regina's style I would say, SOPHISTICATED. She always looks classy and up to date, trend-wise speaking I mean. She definitely knows how to pull of the night-to-day transition look! So, I chose this cute soft pink top from H&M and paired it off with these pair of dark wash skinny jeans from Ralph Lauren. To finish of the look I picked these embellished sandals from Dune. I can SO see her wearing this. 

For accessories, I chose a pair of Kate Spade New York square stud earrings in clear/silver which are actually a lot like a pair of diamond studs I saw her wearing once. As well as Sofia, Regina keeps it pretty simple on the accessories. 

For makeup, I picked this lipgloss I got her from Forever 21 the last time I traveled to the US. I love that because she's blonde and tan, she can pull this adorable light pink color off! I would look so washed out. For her lashes, which by the way are like super long and nice, I chose Benefit's BADgal Lash mascara because I've heard such wonders about it! I definitely have to try it out myself. And for blush, I picked NARS blush in Orgasm which I myself own and can say that it is definitely worth the splurge! It looks great on any skin tone!






So, these girls make up the first part of my Fashion Inspired By: Family & Friends. Like I said, I enjoyed writing this post so much I will get working on the second part ASAP! 


What do you think?



*kisskiss* -Adrienne. 

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Diet Coke.

If there's a fact about myself that I'm sure everyone knows is that I'm addicted to Diet Coke. It's not a real addiction strictly speaking, but I do drink way too much of it. I drink about 3 to 5 cans of it daily. And that's only right now that I'm not in school, but when I was in school I used to drink up to 7 cans a day. YIKES!





I am very aware that this habit is extremely unhealthy but I haven't had any alarming health problems because of it...yet. It seems that every time I meet someone for the first time and they find out about my "guilty pleasure", they ALL have a 5 minute pep talk about why Diet Coke is going kill me. I mean, I know it's terrible but bear with me, it's my own refreshing version of coffee! Although, I do drink coffee sometimes too.

What I think is funny is that many people point out that I'm technically ruining my body's system by drinking Diet Coke and that it would be better to switch to regular Coke. I mean, WHAT? According to most people, the reason Diet Coke is worse than regular Coke is that it has copious amounts of aspartame, which is a nasty substitute for sugar. But then again; aren't they equally bad?

Other people's opinions aside, I have lowered the amount of Diet Coke I drink everyday and I recently noticed that when I'm really thirsty, I now tend to go for water instead. Which in my case is a miracle, because I've never really been a fan of drinking water but I have been doing so lately. And because I like it, which is weird but great at the same time.

I will try to keep on drinking more water and maybe take up that 8 glasses a day challenge. But for now, I don't think I'll kick the habit that I have of indulging on Diet Coke, maybe later. I really enjoy my meals when I wash them down with DC, and isn't enjoying it the whole point?


Do you have a guilty pleasure?

*kisskiss* - Adrienne.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Inspiration Boards.

This post is about a creative and personal aspect of my life that I would like to share. So, here goes...

Inspiration Boards. 

All my life I've collected clippings of pictures I like in magazines and kept them somewhere. When I was very young I would keep them in different places like; folders, cardboard boxes and even in notebooks sometimes. But as I grew up I decided that I should turn my hobby into something creative and dare I say ARTISTIC? 
When I was about 10 I asked my Grandma about a bulletin board that was in my grandparents’ house and seeing as I was so interested in it she gave it to me! Got to love your grandparents, am I right? It didn't take me longer than a few weeks until I was already gathering my favorite pictures and any other thing that I liked and pinning it on my new board. 


A decade and a year later and I'm proud to say that my adored bulletin board has been remodeled so many times that I can't even count them. Over the years, the things I love and think that deserve to be on my board have been on it. And right now is no exception. This is the "Inspiration Board" (as I like to call it) that's currently in my bedroom. I add anything that I think will inspire me to be more creative. 


Check it out below...

Overall Look
The image above is basically how the whole thing looks like. As I mentioned before, it has everything I like pinned on it, from magazine clippings, pictures of family and myself, sketches I have drawn, silly polaroids with a friend from Denmark, "fortune cookie" quotes, and even a few stand out souvenirs from trips. To pin everything on it I use some simple Acco gold thumbtacks I got at my local Office Depot.


Left top side

From top to bottom, the first thing you can spot is a sketch I drew that has one of my initial letters "S" and the imaginary Hogwart's House I think I would belong to, that is if Houses combinations were a thing...Hufflepuff + Ravenclaw = Ravenpuff. Why not? Haha!

Next to that is a magazine clipping I found in a magazine about Natalia Alaverdian, who is the fashion director of Harper Bazaar Russia. She is also a huge style icon and a great source for fashion inspiration. You know me, right? I'm a die-hard fashion magazine buff! Sigh. 

The few pictures below and beside Natalia Alaverdian's profile are more magazine clippings which feature either backstage beauty looks from fashion shows (sleek ponytails and bright fuschia lips? YES, PLEASE), Guess Ads ( I love their advertisments! They're just the right amount of retro/glam), Teen Vogue Photoshoots (the girl with the dog is Victoria Justice; I love the dress and sweater combo!) a VOGUE subscription I kept, a couple looks from the Moschino Chic and Cheap and the Holly Fulton runways, and a picture of a Louis Vuitton travel bag with a few luxury beauty products inside it (and Chanel flats!)

The more unique pieces I have on this side of the board are...
A hot pink Sobranie Cocktail Cigarette I got from a classmate who had just gone to Europe, a couple of Fortune Cookie quotes which really spoke to me, a Polaroid a friend and I took with an Abercrombie and Fitch male model ( HE WAS SO DREAMY) in their 5th Ave. store in New York, and last but certainly not least, a picture of about 7 years ago I have with my baby cousin who's like a sister to me, and my actual sister who is probably going to kill me for posting this, ha! Both of them are two of my favorite people in the world and to see their faces everytime I glance at my board just brightens my day. 

And we're on to the left bottom side!

Left bottom side
I left off on the picture of my sister and my cousin so, below that is a strip of photo booth pics I took with the same friend in the Abercrombie one, she's from Denmark and we got along while on a school trip to New York; there were a couple of photo booths inside the Forever 21 on Times Square and we figured why not make a few more memories? The results were some pretty goofy looking faces which I'm sure you can tell we completely improvised.
Next to that is a magazine clipping of super-cool model Cara Delevingne in a red hot dress and contrasting black combat boots. A few more miscellaneous pictures of outfits I found in yet more (!!!) magazines and a profile of the amazing fashion blogger Hanneli Mustaparta whose style I adore; she always looks so chic! On top of Miss Mustaparta's profile is a picture I printed off my laptop of Anna and Elsa, the sisters from the Disney movie Frozen. I have said before that I relate to Elsa a lot because of many personal reasons and my sister and I think our relationship has a lot of similarities with that of Elsa and Anna.

And on to the right bottom side!

Right bottom side
Next to Hanneli Mustaparta's profile is a photo of Georgia May Jagger (which in this shot is really hard to notice...sorry about that!), daughter of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall. Mick Jagger is the lead singer of Rolling Stones and since they are one of my top ten favorite bands, here is his daughter! Ha, no but seriously, Georgia herself is a model and represented British Fashion alongside (the Queen) Kate Moss in the 2012 London Olympic Games, she's kind of an idol for me, too! 
Next to Georgia's picture is a few red carpet looks starring; Cameron Diaz in Oscar De La Renta and Taylor Swift in Marchesa. 

More pics of models from various magazines and we're on to the right top side!


Right top side

On the very top and at the very right edge, there's a runway look of Elie Saab which I loved (I actually love ALL their looks!) MORE models, a picture of the sea (oh, the serenity...) and a picture of the ever lovely Poppy Delevingne. Actual three dimensional objects include: a clipping that says "Girl of the Moment", two pieces of candy that I got from an exposition at the MET Museum; they were giving them away as part of the art! Actually, right below the candy you can spot the little pin they give you when you enter the MET. Last but not least (finally, ha...) is a little chart I kept from a box of colored pencils. I kept it because I like the way it looks on my board and also because this way it's easier to see what colors I'm actually working with when I'm drawing.

So, that pretty much sums up the Inspiration Board I have on my bedroom wall right now. Oh, I almost forgot. In the back you can see the plum-colored wall behind the board which I painted by myself! Well, me and a friend. I loved the deep and strong tone!

What do you think? Do you have an Inspiration Board?

*kisskiss* - Adrienne. 

The Ups and Downs of Loving A Self-Destructive Person.

It's a fact that sometimes we get attached to certain people in our lives, who we know are not the best influence on us. These people can be any type of relationship; family, friends, a romantic interest, etc.
The thing with these relationships is that no matter how much we love them and care for them, we will most likely end up getting hurt ourselves. Loving someone who is self-destructive can often lead to a suffering that is entirely our own.

Maybe recognizing that someone you love so much is making your life really hard isn't the easiest thing to do. I know this because I've been there myself. But it certainly is a step you need to take so you can start living your life to the fullest. 

We may feel that helping this person with their problems is the best option because it probably is. When we love someone, we help them get up every time they fall and we are there when every one else is not. We want to support them and hold their hand through the hard times. Yes, I know relationships are complicated and none of them are perfect. But this issue shows up when the bad times are greater in quantity than the good times.

So, when does all this start to fall apart? 


  • When their actions begin to affect our own mental health and well being.
  • When no matter how much we've tried helping them, they just don't seem to want to get better. 
  • When we are no longer helping them but rather handling almost EVERYTHING in their lives. 
  • When we realize we are just being dragged into a lifestyle that isn't healthy for neither of us.


Personally, I've always been a very loyal person. When I love someone, be it as a friend, family member or any other relationship, I tend to really care about their well being and happiness. I still am very loyal and sincere, but some time ago I had a type of wake up call. I realized that some of my "friendships" or relationships were hurting me more than it was really necessary. I believe that some times you have to cut free from certain people, who no offense (honestly) are just no good for you. You may not feel appreciated and the truth is that it is completely respectable that you put yourself first. Because as they say, how can you help someone else if you yourself are not okay?

I am in no way saying that you stop loving these people. You just won't love them in a way where they hurt you repeatedly. Trust me, it's better to know where you really stand. And in some cases, keeping your distance is the best solution.

I loved Chuck and Blair, but I have to admit that their relationship was extremely toxic.


What do you think? Have you ever been in a self-destructive relationship?

*kisskiss* - Adrienne.


Great music.

Woah. Now I really did take a long break from posting. Well, not that I needed to or wanted to, but I was kind of busy with school stuff and what not. First year of college this fall...bring it!

Anyway, I have lots of other posts already written. All I need to do is publish them, ha! But first I wanted to share some amazing music I found recently.

The first one would be...
Lana Del Rey's new album: Ultraviolence.




I've been a Lana Del Rey fan ever since her album Born to Die came out in 2012. I adore the sound of her voice and the way her lyrics are always a bit dark and very glamorous. Her previous songs were a little more upbeat than what we get to listen to on Ultraviolence, but I really loved that every song on this new album makes me feel like I'm in some kind of trance. It's so relaxing and inspiring. She also has this ability to make me feel like I'm in another era, I love it. I definitely recommend this album, it just came out today.

The other great musical discovery I made recently is a band (I think they're a band...) that covers today's hit songs as if they had been recorded in other decades. They have some really cool songs. Among my favorites is a vintage klezmer style cover of Jason Derulo's Talk Dirty To Me and a 1950s Doo Wop version of Pitbull and Ke$ha's song, Timber.

I've been listening to all these songs (and album) non stop. I love it when I find out about new music because it's such a big part of my life that it just helps me get through the day.

Check those songs and album out and you'll know what I'm talking about!

*kisskiss* - Adrienne.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Unrequited Love.

Okay, I thought it was time for a deeper and more familiar topic for everyone.

UNATTAINABLE GUYS.

Every girl has met at least one in her life, it doesn't matter if you're Emma Watson or Megan Fox (note: they have had their fair share of heartbreak too...) or have an insanely attractive personality. No. We have all fallen for some guy who we like so much that when we see him, our knees get weak and our palms start getting clammy. Thoughts race through our minds so quickly we mistake this deep attraction for...uh-oh; LOVE.

First of all, a "crush" is supposedly meant to last about four months and then we usually forget about it and go on with our lives. However, it is said that if this crush lasts more than four months, you have "unmistakably fallen in love". YEAH, RIGHT! Many times we think to ourselves that we must be in love, right? I mean, this guy is just oh-so perfect and when you talk to him you smile like an idiot and have to bite your tongue and hope you didn't blush in front of him and he noticed the whole thing ("OMG I AM THINKING TOO MUCH AND FORGOT WHAT HE JUST SAID TO ME") and all that cheesy romantic stuff. So IT MUST BE LOVE. Well, I'm nothing if not a sucker for romance...but trust me, it might just be an obsession. 

An obsession?! How dare I suggest such a thing?!

I know, I know. I hate the term too but to be honest, it's not so much an obsession with the guy but an obsession with the idea of loving/liking the guy. Have you ever heard the term "In love with love"? That's just it, we convince ourselves that we like or love this guy and every thing about him that we create a false idea of romance. We fall in love with the idea of falling in love. So many girls I know do this (myself included) and it hurts me so badly when they end up getting hurt by some jackass who doesn't even know what he wants for dinner in a few hours let alone who he wants to be with at the moment. There are of course, exceptions. Some men are just gentlemen. Wink wink.
Sadly, in most cases (and this applies to any other topic other than love and romance) if you chase after something, the only thing you'll manage to do will be to drive it further away from you.

Chasing after a guy who doesn't like you the way you like him is like trying to squeeze that impossible blackhead on your nose which for no reason whatsoever, is set in your mind to be the ONE blackhead that you absolutely have to squeeze. You've already made up your mind, the blackhead must lose and you must win. The more you try to get rid of whatever gross stuff is inside, the more it will resist and the nastier the outcome will be. Also, waking up the next day with a blotchy, red and scarred nose is never a pretty experience.

So it goes with guys. The guy is mildly (or in most cases not at all) interested in us, and yet we insist on calling/texting him, mentioning him on Twitter, posting on his timeline, or whatever other social network we've all used before. This only pushes the guy further away from us, and in an attempt to try and regain his attention we repeat the seemingly endless vicious cycle.

One may think, "Well, this world is only getting more modern by the minute. It's about time us girls made the first move...". NO. Like, seriously stop right there. I myself, am totally guilty of committing this terrible crime, and trust me, all the situations that I've had of the likes have not gone well. It may seem fine the first time you do it, but then next time he is thinking of contacting you in any way, he'll just think "Hmm, she texted me last time. I think I'll wait for her to do it again...". And then, you do it a second time and from that moment on it turns into a very ugly habit.

It's plain human nature to want something we can't have, and the more it "runs away from us" the more desirable this object seems. I've found it so common that I believe I like someone, and it turns out I just wanted him to like me because he was the only guy who didn't like me. I don't know if this applies to many other people, but it does seem like a fair explanation for all this "he loves me/he loves me not" dilemma.



To wrap things up, this issue not only presents itself with girls. It also happens to guys. I just don't get how we (again, myself included) are all so willing to fall for people who we know deep inside, don't deserve our affection because of the mere fact they are not giving it back to us. We just keep making up excuses and waiting for some kind of sign to tell us that, we should hold on to that person. When in reality, the love we have for ourselves should come first so then we can love other people fully. If there is something I've learned in my whole life, is that if affection or care is not given freely by another person it is definitely not worth your time.

*kisskiss* - Adrienne.

Monday, February 3, 2014

Fashion Inspired by: Hogwarts Houses (Formal Dinner Party)

It is perfectly clear that I am a die-hard Potterhead.

I simply love anything that has to do with the Harry Potter universe. I also happen to be crazy about fashion so when the two clash, it becomes paradise for me.

Last time I did a post on Outfits Inspired by my favorite (female) characters, and this time I started the first part on a series I like to call Fashion Inspired by: Hogwarts' Houses. The first part is (fanfare, please!) FORMAL DINNER PARTY. So here they are; the outfits which represent every one of the Houses. Choose yours!




SLYTHERIN

I really feel like Slytherin is one of the hardest houses to take inspiration from (the other one being Hufflepuff) because of its colors; green and silver. You have to be really careful when combining the two because you do not want it to look tacky. In Slytherin's case, less is more I think. Anyway, I decided on a striped and simple black/silver dress and beautiful emerald stud earrings. For the shoes I thought the best choice was to pair the dress off with these awesome silver Gianvito Rossi heels.


GRYFFINDOR
Next up Gryffindor! Scarlet and gold are its colors and I absolutely LOVED this scarlet dress. It is so classy and yet fiery, which I think are definitely the best two traits of the Gryffindor House. I landed on this very delicate pearl necklace with a gold chain. And for the shoes I picked these breathtaking Manolo Blahnik heels. What is is with me and metallic shoes?! I loved this one. 


RAVENCLAW
Ravenclaw, its colors are blue and bronze which for me were quite easy to put together because I've noticed that one of my favorite colors for clothing is blue. I almost ALWAYS dress in it. I decided on an amazing skater type dress in a very satisfying blue hue. I chose a couple of sparkling bronze earrings and for the shoes, cobalt suede Manolo Blahniks!

HUFFLEPUFF
And last but not least, Hufflepuff. Black and yellow are the House's colors and like I said before it was a bit complicated to work with the color yellow. Some people may think that the tone is canary yellow, but it actually is a bit more mustard-ish. I found this beautiful mustard colored dress which I think is quite nice. I paired it off with a very elegant sparkling black and gold necklace and wrapped up the outfit with a couple of simple black Louboutins, because who doesn't love a pair am I right?!


So that's the four of the Houses, and since I am somewhere in between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw I can't quite choose one. I call myself a "RAVENPUFF". Which one would you wear?


*kisskiss* - Adrienne. 

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Positivity Boosters.

Lately, I've been seriously distracted by ANYTHING. It reminds me of when I was a little girl, that even when I wanted to pay attention to something that I was interested in, I would get distracted by even the simplest of things. Over time, I've learned to stay focused but recently I've been going a little out of my way.

Just a few hours ago I caught myself watching fan made videos about Tom Felton/Draco Malfoy set to pop songs like Cascada's "Bad Boy" (GOD, what is wrong with me?! Hahaha).

I started to wonder about the reason I may be procrastinating so much lately, and I came to the conclusion that I'm actually stressed out. Some times when we feel like we have too much on our plates we start making excuses for completing tasks at another time or simply not doing them. The root of this problem is that I'm stressed out and even though I know that, I still keep writing goals on my daily to-do lists and overwhelm myself with activities. And after I feel overwhelmed, I consequently start feeling the negativity invading my thoughts and actions. It is a terrible vicious cycle that has to be stopped right now.

So, at this moment I may need to relax. I feel like I can function better when I am calm and have a clear mind. There are a bunch of little things I like to do so I can relax for a while and then tackle my goals. Of course the first and main one is to write my thoughts down and go over them. Organizing my time and my tasks really does help.

Here are the other activities or "Positivity Boosters" that I think work best for me. Everyone can have different ones but the point is to find something that you like doing and takes your mind off things for a little while.



1. I'm a huge bookworm, and I really do believe in what JK Rowling once said; "Books are proof that humans can perform magic...". There is something so captivating about reading a great book and getting completely involved in the story. It's a great way to relax and put your real world thoughts on hold.

2. Indulging in your favorite drink is probably a great way to feel better. I for one, am addicted to Diet Coke, which I know is terrible but I'll stop one day, ha! Anyway, a nice cup of tea or coffee while you read can be just what you needed.

3. I know that taking naps can be complicated. Like when you wake up from one and don't even know what day it is. But if you schedule an alarm it can be pretty satisfying. Forgetting about everything for an hour or so can really make you feel ready to take on everything when you wake up.

4. Eat some chocolate. (WARNING: another Harry Potter reference.) I remember that in Harry Potter when a Dementor came around it was said by Lupin that if you ate some chocolate you would feel better. Dementors are like depression and they bring you down. Since chocolate is a natural mood booster it should definitely calm your nerves. Speaking from experience by the way.

5. Listening to music which you relate to or just LOVE can make you feel instantly better. Listening to something relaxing or something familiar can also boost your mood.

6. Pampering myself is something in which I really do spend a lot of time on. I like feeling clean and polished and that makes me feel relaxed. Taking a long shower or bath is such a luxury and I think everyone should take some time to do so.

7. Finally, watching one of your favorite movies or TV shows can also make you feel at peace. Since like reading, it takes your mind off any real life situations you may want to take a break from.

These are some of the things that help me relax, like I said they can be different depending on the person. Feeling well is something so important that I think it needs to take up more time in busy people's lives. Taking care of ourselves can sometimes be a little underrated.

*kisskiss* - Adrienne.

Blog design/template.

I am freaking out right now. I actually have been freaking out for the last two weeks or so and I think that's why I had not posted anything.

I normally don't need much motivation to do what I like to do (blogging), but I feel there's a serious problem with my blog. The first design or template I set for it, was very nice and the colors played along with each other really well. But as any other normal person, I was bound to get tired of only one design for some time and crave upgrades. And so I did, I decided I wanted to change various aspects; the general background, the font, and even the color of the text.

Anyway, I seem to be unable to do so. I've already sent multiple messages to whoever is in charge of these blogs but I haven't seen any change since. I will wait hopeful however, until I am allowed to change the template of my oh-so-beloved blog.

Until then, I guess I do like the current background, but the font...not so much. Oh well, no more complaining ha!

*kisskiss* - Adrienne.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Not too personal.

Since I started this blog I knew what I wanted it to be more or less. It would be a blog which is meant to tell my story in some way and share my experiences with others. I give my opinion and insight in different topics and until now, it's been like that.

I was thinking the other day that a personal blog can be something you need to handle very carefully. Since it is likely other people will be reading it, you have to consider what to post and what not to post. Self expression is a lovely thing, as long as you do it in a smart way. 

I like sharing stories and experiences about my life on this blog, but I do think that I need to keep the extremely personal stuff to myself. We live in a world in which anything you say or do can end up on public territory. And it is so easily shared, that avoiding causing conflicts with other people is something delicate. 




From now on, more than sharing my feelings or exactly what I think about something I will only share what I've learned from it. 

Good night, lovely people. 

*kisskiss* - Adrienne. 

Monday, January 6, 2014

Growing Up (a.k.a. Birthday Girl)

Oh. Sweet. Lord.

I'm turning 21 this Thursday. That sentence in itself is enough to freak me out right now. As everyone has sometime experienced, I don't even know how to feel about growing up. I think to myself; "Growing up? God, no. I'm an adult, I have been one for this whole last year." How? I don't know, life just happens.

I am tempted to sometimes feel like I want to freeze or slow down time, but then I remember that the future really excites me. And part of that excitement is feeling anxious about what's about to come. I have so many amazing things planned out for myself that the thought can sometimes be overwhelming.
A lot of women stop feeling excited about their birthdays because well, we are getting older every year. But I think that getting older involves gaining strength and experience. Growing wiser with every moment that goes by. I mean, I know 21 is not even "old". But it certainly is a transitioning age. The age you have to reach to be legal in every country. To drink and gamble in America and what not. An age in which you are kind of expected to have your life together.


I was talking to my little cousin the other day. She was born when I was 10, and ever since she's been like a little sister to me. I even got to change her diapers and feed her when I was like 11. She's ten years old right now, and I can't seem to help but feel plain scared when she talks about people my age. She asked me when I was planning on getting married...
My response? I was dead silent. I don't even have a boyfriend. And not currently looking for that kind of thing. It just amazes me that she sees me like this full grown woman. Am I the one who's wrong here? Or maybe it's just that she (in her ten year old mind) sees me as someone who's been through so much.
I still feel like I'm learning so much, and I sometimes even feel like a teen still. But I guess that when I was ten years old I saw people who were 21 as like big business people or something. I do not intend on getting married anytime soon or GOD FORBID popping out babies.

Definitely ready for some delicious birthday cake.

The thing is, time really does fly. One moment you're begging your mom to let you go out on the weekends and the next, your idea of a great night is watching an awesome movie or maybe reading your favorite book while drinking hot cocoa. This year, I really want it to be special. And maybe it's just because of the pressure I KNOW everyone feels on birthdays (wanting everything to go exactly the way you imagine it) but I am really looking forward to wearing my best smile and giving it my all. It is after all, MY SPECIAL DAY.

Now, let the celebrations begin! Also, I need cake.

*kisskiss* - Adrienne.

Sister Bond.

I think in life, there is nothing more important than family. You don't choose family but in some magical way, family seems to choose you. Not even one family in this world is perfect, they all have different flaws and problems. And because they're the people whom you feel closest to, sometimes it's quite easy to get mad at them.
But even through the hard times, at the end of the day they are the ones who've known you your entire life and whether you like it or not, they will be there for many years more to come. Maybe you don't get along with every single member of your family, there are bound to be some exceptions. But still, I don't think there is something as unique as sharing a laugh with your family at the Christmas dinner table. 

This brings me to the one person who has undoubtedly been there EVERY SINGLE TIME. My sister. Highs and lows, ups and downs, laughs and even some snide comments. She is my favorite person in the whole world. She's my best friend. And not only because I don't have to explain the situation I have with the new guy I like (she knows it by heart), but because we share a bond that is even beyond friendship. Sisterhood. It's even kind of psychic. 

My sister and me as little girls. I was always the weird one ha! (right).

We can honestly laugh for hours since we share the same kind of dry humor, but even though we may be very similar in many ways, our personalities differ even more. 

We're opposites in a lot of things and I think this makes our bond even stronger. There are times when neither one of us can stand the other and God, there are even some times I just want to slap her across the face. But she is also the only person I know that I can't stay mad for more than 10 minutes.
My sister (left) and me (right) in Las Vegas.

Our teenage years were perhaps the most difficult, being that we were both in them at the same time (my sister is just a year younger than me). But this last year, we grew closer as ever. And I honestly can't thank God enough for that. New traditions and memories added to the bunch of the ones we have collected through the years. 

Again, my sister (left) and me (right) in Las Vegas.

This year my sister starts college and she's going out of town for four years. This may be the biggest challenge we've faced when it comes to our relationship. I will miss her like crazy, I already do. Still, I am sure this will be a great learning experience for both of us and an opportunity to grow in ways we haven't until recently. Not to mention that every time we see each other now, every moment will be even more treasured. 

Recently, Disney released an animated film called FROZEN. It's about two sisters who lose their parents and realize they only have one another for the rest of their lives. The older sister has a magical ice power that she can't control very well, and for this people fear/dislike her. But her younger sister knows who she really is. 
Elsa (left) and Anna (right) the sisters in Disney's new movie FROZEN.

I have not seen this movie, but I just can't wait to watch it. It reminds me of my sister and me (and the ice power being like my illness.) 

Elsa (the older sis) and her ice power in the movie; which reminds me of my illness. 

Even though I haven't seen one single scene of the movie, I already learned every song (LET IT GO BY DEMI LOVATO? DONE!) and I think I even know how it ends. The reason I haven't seen it is because in Mexico, not a lot of small children speak English, so naturally the movie is in Spanish. But I'm not used to watching movies in any language other than English, so I'm waiting for the internet or (sigh) DVD release.

There are so many wonderful things about the relationship I have with my sister that I cannot possibly list all of them in one single post! She is kind of my life companion and I know I will always have her, and she will ALWAYS have me. 

What about you? Do you share special bonds with your siblings?

*kisskiss* - Adrienne. 

Friday, January 3, 2014

Thoughtful Friday Morning.

Mornin' lovely peeps!

These are a few of the things I'm thinking about right now while I drink my coffee and contemplate on what to wear today...

Breaking Bad.
About a week ago, I realized how addictive a TV show can really be. I mean, all my life I've been a huge fan TV shows. Especially TV shows like, Gossip Girl, LOST, The Walking Dead, That 70s Show, Supernatural, American Horror Story, The Big Bang Theory and so on. I almost always catch up on one of them and watch them for a period of time. But I think this time, I went overboard.
People would recommend Breaking Bad so much to me, that I convinced my mom and my sister to watch the pilot episode.

Dear Lord.



I didn't know what I had gotten into. IT WAS SO GOOD. I mean, the plot is great. But the characters -and not to mention the way the actor's play them- is just magnificent. It's literally falling-off-the-edge-of-your-seat good. And honestly, Aaron Paul ( Jesse Pinkman) is just plain YUMMY. Packed with nerve wracking action and super funny scenes, I fell in love with it.
The series is made of 5 seasons. I am not kidding when I say I finished the whole thing in about two weeks maximum. I am so obsessed, I find ending whatever sentence with the b**** word hilarious!
 Naturally, I was broken-hearted when it finally ended and joined the rest of the world in our post-Walter White/Heisenberg suffering.


Winter. 
I used to think I had some kind of "cold weather resistance". But sadly, I don't. I am freezing to death down here, and I live in Mexico! Seriously, it is extremely cold. And the worst thing  is that it keeps raining, so not only are you soaked if you go out, but you also get to freeze your butt off. I've been inside a lot, like A LOT. The heater turned on and drinking coffee or anything that will soothe my apparent developing frost bite. I think today is a bit warmer, but if the sky starts pouring rain again I wouldn't be surprised. It's like the weather can't make up its mind.


Being weird.
Throughout my whole life, I've always known I'm not an average person. This meaning that I am a little awkward. I actually tend to to walk on the border of plain random. But it honestly doesn't bother me one bit. I like being different. I like never getting bored with myself and always finding out new things. A lot of people consider it to be a flaw I guess, although I really do think there are bigger problems out there than being a bit louder than other people. Still, this last year was a huge learning experience. And I matured a lot. I changed in some ways, maybe I'm a little less childish. But I know my personality will not fade. No matter what the circumstances are, I intend to only move forward and keep being myself. And honestly, that's the whole point of living.


Birthday coming up. 
My next birthday is coming up, and OH MY GOD there are only 6 days left! Eek! I obviously feel super excited but at the same time nervous because this year, I turn 21. Shoot me, right? Time has gone by so fast that my last birthday feels like it was just a couple of months back. I don't know how to feel actually. 21 means you are legal in EVERY EXISTING COUNTRY and I'm not sure if I'm ready for those kind of implications.


Well, these are more or less my thoughts for the moment but I will be posting today again.

*kisskiss* - Adrienne.