Beautiful Inspiration

Love for RiRi
Love Rara

Rihanna and I have more in common than our nicknames and, well, now our hairstyle. We also both share a dangerous romantic past. Something that built us to be the women we are today.

Stronger.

Smarter.

I would be lying if I said that my former love didn't force a change in my being as well as my style. However, I'm not saying it was a bad change, and I should hope Rihanna wouldn't either. Because of all this pain, I became a stronger woman. I started bettering my life and my heath. Exercise. Better eating habits. Exterminating all the poison that filled my life when I was with him.

I have never been happier. With the way I look. With the way I feel.

And I hope that my strength and hope for something better shines through now, instead of the pain and anger that I felt for the last two years.

Feelings change. People change. And when they do, their style takes on a new form as well. This isn't always a welcome change, but I am proud of the changes I have made, and the life I have allowed myself to have.

Now, I am happy.

Don't be afraid.

"People can love my style, or hate it. Point is, it's my style. And it won't change unless I want it to.

Don't be afraid to be you."

Erin Lester, Monday, September 17, 2012, 7:45 a.m.

I ♥ Barbie

So it might be a bit superficial, but my sister and I loved playing with Barbies when we were younger. The ones that really caught my attention, were the vintage dolls that my mother and her sisters still had from when they were young.

I thought they looked so beautiful, especially in their vintage couture outfits. One of my favorites was a reversible outfit; one side was pure yellow, the other houndstooth check. Unfortunately we no longer have this outfit and I cannot find it anywhere online. Sad face.

However I have compiled a couple websites explaining and portraying the houndstooth style. Why? Because I recently found an elegant, professional houndstooth top. Yes, at Charlotte Russe. This Saturday, they had their Happy Hour from 3-6 pm. Buy one, get one 50 percent off. Couldn't pass that up!

Here is my outfit:

Of course, Bosten had to be in the shot!

So I bought this top at regular price $18.99. The yellow short-sleeved cardigan was regularly priced $14.99, but with the Happy Hour sale, I bought it for $7.50. The black pencil skirt has been a part of my wardrobe for awhile.

Believe me, your boss will appreciate this professional look.

How to Wear Houndstooth... goes into detail about how to best wear this style. It lists yellow, coral and turquoise as best accent colors. Now, turquoise is my favorite color, but I had to go with Barbie's inspiration on this one. Who knows, maybe I will purchase the turquoise cardy next sale!

Of course, you can flip flop and wear a houndstooth printed pencil skirt. This is where those three accent colors listed above come into play when looking for the perfect blouse to compliment the pattern.

Here's to you Barbie!

talkingwithtami.com

I am me.

How terrible is it that people who have their own style, and stay true to it, are classified as high-maintenanced and materialistic, superficial?

I was told that some of my posts and some of my outfits might give off that impression.

For those who think that off me, be proud to assume. The only opinions I care about, are of the people that mean the most to me and the people that want to know me. Everyone else can think of me what they please. It won't hurt my feelings.

Because I love the way I dress. I love my style. It represents who I am. And I hope the people who do know me and love me will be the first to say that I am not shallow.

I just respect myself, and want to look the best that I can. And feel comfortable in how I dress.

My mom was the one to bring this up to me. I love her to death, and I appreciate her concerns and cherish her opinion. She knows me. She knows that I'm not like that. And that's what I care about.

This is a dedication to all peoples who show their true colors, and aren't afraid to hide behind the material. Wear your personality loud and proud!

Peace

It's not a rip off!

Occasionally our style isn't 100 percent original. Although we hate to admit it (and some refuse to), every now and then trends are inspired by celebrities, ranging from the kinds of clothes we buy to our hairstyles to the color of nail polish we use.

I know several people from my high school alone who got The Rachel. That particular hairstyle would never look good on me because I have fine hair so I never indulged. However, Katie Holmes and Rihanna have inspired most of my latest hairstyles. Holmes' bob will never go out of style. I don't care what anyone thinks or says. That is one of my favorite hairstyles and I will rock it whenever I want. I have also chosen Rihannas A-line hairstyle (short in the back, long in the front). And most recently, I was a hair model for new trendy cuts. The photo below features Rihanna's fire red shortcut.

Escaping my emotionally abusive and aggressive ex-boyfriend by finding a new life in a new town, I decided I needed something new, fun and somewhat crazy (for me anyway) for the summer.

Although my ex never hit me, I feel empowered by Rihanna, and she is an inspiration in most of my style. I also sport the red-orange nail polish she has been seen wearing. Combat boots.. love them!

Now, some think that to be fake or copying someone else's style. They're wrong.

Inspiration occurs all the time. Everywhere

It's not like I indulge in everything-Rihanna. And it's not like I'm becoming Rihanna, or even want to. She has just sparked something inside of me that I connected to. That I felt was a part of me that I didn't know about.

That's what I believe inspiration is. Someone helping you find a part of yourself you didn't know about. And that is one of the most beautiful journeys in life. Finding yourself. It never ends. It always surprises.

Who are some of your inspirations?

Tattoos: Yours forever

Tattoos are quite a debatable topic. Are they respectful? Are they destructive? Are they meaningful? Some think they are trashy. Some think they are damaging to our body. Some don't quite understand the purpose of permanent markings on the body.

If you look through history, you will find many reasons why tattoos became so popular. The earliest form of tattoo, and might I add, the most interesting, dates back 5,200 years. "Iceman," a frozen mummy, portrays dots and small crosses on his lower spine, right knee and ankle joints, tattooed there as a way to alleviate joint pain.

The Romans banned tattoos, except as identification of condemned and banned criminals. Being Catholics, they believed in the purity of the body God gave us, and saw tattooing as a form of mutilation. However, soldiers started wearing tattoos after fighting the Britons and seeing their tattoos that not only displayed their honor, but also appeared intimidating.

Warriors in the Crusades marked themselves with a Jerusalem cross so that at the time of their death, they would be given a proper Christian burial.

Maori leaders of New Zealand would sign official documents with an exact copy of their personal facial tattoo, which served as a form of identification. This could associate them with a particular family or portray personal achievements.

In Japan, those who were not elite or of royal blood would rebel by tattooing their body from their neck to their elbows and knees. This was called a tattooed body suit.

There are many purposes why people get tattoos: status, religious beliefs, signs of affection, punishment or even just for decoration. Everyone has their own reason.

"Getting a tattoo is like a milestone that marks a certain moment in a person's life," says tattooist Ken Brown.

My first and only, but not last, tattoo shows my affection for the loss of a loved one. I had Sparkie, a Yorkshire terrier, for 15 years, since I was 9 years old. He was my best friend and soul mate. He could read my mind, and knew when I needed a cuddle. This tattoo cherishes him. I decided to get a paw print and a fancy cursive S in memory of him, and I chose my foot as it's location so that I could take his memory and spirit with me everywhere.

Some people mistake the S for a musician's treble clef note, which doesn't bother me. As you can see in the photo, he enjoyed falling asleep to classical piano.

I plan on getting one more, not sure about any after that. I have also drawn out what I want this one to look like. My next one shall be a dove with an olive leaf, and for several reasons. Noah's Ark is my favorite story in the Bible. It represents God's everlasting promise, which tend to be hard to come across nowadays. Most of my grandparents were religious as well, so it would be in honor of their lives. And, like Noah's Ark, the dove is a sign of peace and hope. It just so happens that my name, Erin, is not only Irish for Ireland but also for peace.

Although I am Catholic, I like to think that both my tattoos will be honorable as they both have so much meaning, to me. And I believe that's the only person you should worry about when contemplating something like tattoos or body art. If it represents you and has purpose for you, go for it! But meaning is important. These tattoos are yours forever. Cherish them. Be proud of them.

All of this historical information can be found on smithsonianmag.org and nationalgeographic.com

Stylish nicknames

A good example of a stylish nickname is featured in the 2009 film Confessions of a Shopaholic starring Isla Fisher, whose character lands a job as a financial writer under her pseudonym "The Girl in the Green Scarf."

I was reminded of this film, and this stylish nickname, when a co-worker of mine presented me with my own. The Lady with the Love Ring.

In my opinion, there is something almost poetic about these names, and I felt very honored to be given one.

The ring: $6.00 Charlotte Russe

FASHIONBOX

Need an easy go-to for timeless fashion trends? Try FASHIONBOX, with text by Antonio Mancinelli. It features photos of sixteen fashion items and the celebrities who have defined them. Such as: the little black dress and Audrey Hepburn, jeans and Marilyn Monroe, the miniskirt and Twiggy and more.

I came across this book at American Eagle for $29.95, but you can find it at Barnes & Noble for $19.95. Nothing better than saving $10, right?!

When I received FASHIONBOX in the mail and started paging through it, I decided to challenge myself to acquiring and portraying every look featured. Not sure I can make this a new year's resolution, but I will try! I will post them as I wear them!

All for now my little fashion bugs......

Yoo-hues!

Now, black will always be a fashion do, but style experts always recommend adding color to the wardrobe. And what easier and appealing way to do so than by adding color to your denim!

I received these teal skinnies from Charlotte Russe as a gift, and I love them. Currently priced at $29.99, they have six colors plus a couple designs, which I plan to indulge in again. Would enjoy some deep blue or red ones! They also sell colorful denim shorts featuring different colors such as turquoise, cerulean and yellow!

Things don't always go so smoothly when taking photos..

Go to the fitting room, try on this compliment

Just this year, I started wearing scarfs as head wraps, such as in the photo below. One day, I decided to wear one to work. Not this teal one. Instead, it was a dark blue one with beige polkadots. I'm sure I will have a good photo of me wearing it in the future. It's one of my favorites. Unfortunately, I purchased it awhile back, and cannot remember where or how much I paid.


Anyway, one of my coworkers that I sit nearby told me how much she loved it and said that I look like someone out of the 60s. "Like Twiggy," she said.

How is that for a compliment?! Being compared to the woman considered the first supermodel!

I could not believe it. I cannot think of a better compliment. And sometimes, when you trying something new, this is the reward you get. And compliments like these make you forget about all the other trends you tried to start but for which you didn't receive good feedback.

Below, I have added a photo of Twiggy that I found on a co-Bloggers page. http://sighswhispers.blogspot.com/2009/10/photo-of-day-twiggy.html

Don't limit style to apparel

Here are a few photos of how to decorate your home with your style. You can use your scarves, jewelry, favorite pairs of shoes and even fashion novels such as my book The Carrie’s Diaries. This is another way of showing the world your sense of style, who you are.
Take your favorite pair of shoes, and showcase them!
Marilyn Monroe, of course, is a huge fashion icon.
And I live by one of her quotes: "Imperfection is beauty."
I purchased a sensibly-priced coat rack from Target for $20.
I have acquired too many scarves
and I thought this was a brilliant and stylish way to store them.
My mother allowed me to keep this mirror of hers. I love the vintage feel,
and it allows an interesting way to hang jewelry.

Dress the theme

During college, some of my favorite events to attend were themed parties. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, because you can be whoever you want to be. Well, these parties give you the chance to become someone else more than one day of the year.

A popular theme occurs during the holiday season. The ugly Christmas sweater party. I have done this the past few years, and have even hosted one myself.

Popular places to obtain these infamous sweaters include Goodwill, Walmart, etc. I happened to have bought mine in the kids area in Goodwill. It was the cutest ugliest sweater I could find so I tried it on, and to my surprise, it fit! And I believe it only cost me around $5.

Of course, most themes don’t exactly exhibit a sense of style. However, you can take an ugly sweater and turn it into something somewhat appealing. My advice, again, have fun with it. Like Halloween, these are opportunities to abandon fashion yet still not care what people think about you. These are chances to be someone different. And who doesn’t like to try something new and different every now and then?