Counterbalance

You know how people say "opposites attract?"
If you're shy, maybe you need an extrovert to be the yin to your yang. If someone likes to be indoors all the time, they need an outdoorsy bloke to drag them to mother nature to create a stunning revelation. "I LOVE THE EARTH!"
I used to think that I wanted to find someone just like me. I mean that in the least egotistical manner, by the way. I do not by any means see myself as high and mighty. I do see myself as this pineappled (think metaphorically) artsy girl who calls herself outgoing and adventurous, but in reality is extremely safe. Her favorite restaurant is Cafe Brazil because of the extensive menu and coffee selection, but has ordered the same coconut chicken salad every. single. time.
And that's the kind of person I may end up with, but that's not who I'm attracted to.
Tonight, I went to a drum circle. It was behind a bar where about 100 people paid $5 each to dance, play djun djuns, djembes, all kinds of instruments, watch other people dance with fire, and have a carefree time.
Who was the one person that I couldn't take my eyes off of?
But of course, the skirt-wearing (or they could have been extremely baggy jeans...eugh) fire prancer that was appealing all until he lit a cigarette. That's usually the ultimate deal breaker, but I still caught myself looking his direction even after the fact. I couldn't help but take a time out and dig towards the root of my surprising infatuation with this bearded mess. Was it because he could do something I would never dream of trying? Was it because he wasn't ashamed to wear the coolest pants/skirt ever? (He isn't pictured, by the way. I was too busy watching; this is his friend)
I tell myself that this is the time I need to live it up. I need to explore, I need to progress in my unfolding journey of meeting all kinds of different people before I start being forced to live a routine life.
There I go again, being safe. I never want to live a routine life, but how many people in this world do? I saw it in Hong Kong; the same fruit sellers would wake up at the same exact time, trudge along to the same exact spot they probably fought for at some point, lay out their seasonal fruit in the exact same order, sell the fruit, pack up, go home, and repeat.
I'm getting off topic.
Counterbalance, was it?
Oh yes. I'm safe and if I want to ever step out of my comfort zone, I think I'm going to need some help with that along the way.
Preferably with balls of fire leading me to adventure.

My Serene Suburbia

Alright, well I may have always said I never belonged in the common suburbia, but honestly I love living here.Good old Plano has never let me down, and I'm never afraid to coast down my neighborhood's street with a sigh of admiration and appreciation. The city is for me, but only because I've been spoiled by this town for almost 18 years. When I see this picture, I'm proud that this is the place I'll always be able to come home to. I've been busy, speeding down parker, working and running errands. Finally I took a right into my neighborhood, was able to slow down, sip some hibiscus Tazo,take a picture and know that even though I want to desperately to get out, this neighborhood will always have me back.

Concert Series or Fashion Show?

Although I frequent the local show venues in Plano, I had never considered going to the Vans Warped Tour until a good friend of mine told me that Motion City Soundtrack was on the list to play in Dallas. A few days before the concert, I was discussing what I should wear to the event. There were many things to consider, such as:

1. The Texas heat in the middle of July
2. The amount of walking from venue to venue
3. The fact that Weather.com was predicting thunderstorms
4. I would be seeing Justin Pierre and Matt Taylor, two men in my top 5 artist crushes
5. It's the Vans Warped tour. Do I wear Vans, or is that cliche?

Wearing Vans to a Vans Warped Tour isn't cliche, I learned. It's practical.

What I wore:

• Lakers Jersey
• Cutoff denim shorts
• The most comfortable brown leather t-straps from Target

What I should have worn

• Sunscreen
• Vans

Like a Dior show, attendees wear the brand name to the event. Not because it looks cool or because it's respectful, but because there's a whole lot of crazy fan girls, moshers, and crowd surfing. NOT ideal for open-toed shoes. I never meant to go to as many screamo, death metal or hardcore shows as I did, but in any case, it would be nice to have the matching girls screaming "TYSON, MARRY ME!" at the All-American Rejects show and jumping on a canvas covered foot rather than the open-faced sandwich ones that I was bearing.

I am now suffering from a bruised ear (mosh pit), sunburned shoulders and nose (something I'm not used to) and several ant bites from standing in an ant pile and not realizing it.

On another note, I feel like a lot of fashion focus is geared towards runways and more avant-garde shows. I'll be honest and say that I pay more attention to what people are wearing on the streets and how they pull it off.

The trend at warped? For both genders, it was beachwear. That's right, too much skin and not enough shirt. The men were barebacked or tank topped, and the girls were bikini clad or tee shirt turned belly topped. Cutoff denim is also becoming extremely popular for guys. People call it lazy, but I call it practical. There are too many styles I love that are uncomfortable or hard to put together, and guys especially need a casual-cool go-to item. I almost wince at the sight of Spring's skinny jeans stretching to the Texas summer. It's not date material, but it's great for anything outdoors and can actually be dressed up or down, depending on what goes on top and what shoes you pair it with. The look is easy and inexpensive, and as long as it's not paired with a wifebeater, summer should welcome cutoff shorts with open arms.
Nothing, and I repeat nothing should be paired with a wifebeater when we're dealing with men's clothing.

The great thing about cutoff shorts is that although you can pay $250 for a True Religion pair (left) or $20 for Levi's, you can get a very similar effect with a pair of oldies that are worn out or too short at the bottom and a pair of $2 scissors.


Do you have outfits or pieces of clothing that you only wear to certain events?