Style Journal: Louis Tomlinson

I'm sure pretty much half the world knows who One Direction is. They are known for their vocal skills, their styles, and yes, their faces (and bodies, ahem). They just swept North America recently with their single "What Makes You Beautiful". But I'm proud to say that I knew who they are even before iTunes began counting down to their debut album in America. However, what I've noticed is that each member of 1D has a distinctive style and I'm partial to Louis Tomlinson's.

While I don't find utterly attractive (he's funny and goofy and that counts something for me), he does have a style that makes my heart skip my beat.

A key staple in his wardrobe is stripes. Oh, my gosh. I have, I think, 10 different shirts with stripes--thick stripes, black stripes, white stripes, sequined stripes. Yes, I have a plethora of all kinds of stripes, so the fact that he wears stripes as if they're going out of style is HOT. He also likes to wear solid colored pants (red, black, blue). He likes to blazers and bermuda shorts. He honestly embodies that European look, and the fact that he wears stripes...let me catch my breath. I know he's taken and I'm gaga over him, but I must say, his style is flaming.

His key pieces:

Striped Breton top

3/4 striped shirt

Toggle jacket (quintessential British jacket)

Navy blazer

Red pants (preferably bright red, not salmon pink)

Classic white Chucks

Simple white v-neck t-shirt

Countdown

In exactly, one month, less than 30 days, I will be finishing my freshman year of college. Yowza. I cannot even being to describe what a year in university did to me. A normal person, a sane person, would quickly jump to leave, but not I. Instead, I'm dreading going back home. I don't have to leave school. Why would anyone not want to leave the place that brings the bane of my existence into play? Maybe I should clarify: I want the school work, the load, and the early morning classes, but I don't want to leave campus, the people that have now become my family, and the on-campus chapel service. It's so strange thinking back a year ago, itching to leave home, and explore the world. I also couldn't wait to make something of myself, not just be at home, working a lulling job and then come back, with the same people, same routine, and same scenery. I emphasized that. But, now that it's time to come back home for the summer, a time of reflection seems fit to ponder upon the events that begins to counter the makeup of my life.

You really do change in a year of university. For the good, for the bad, you do really change. I'm fortunate enough to attend a Christian university that strives to develops one's character while maturing her relationship in Christ. Your thinking changes, you grow more mature, and you see the world through a different set of eyes. You face challenges that you need to face by yourself, or at least, tackle them head on without running to Mommy or Daddy. In university, you need to prioritize and plan your own schedule and because of that, you are accountable with your own time. Nobody else manages your schedule, so you need to arrange it in such a way that you have time to sleep, eat, do homework, and chill. Cause chill time is imperative in college. No, really. Another thing that you need to keep in perspective that you need to eat, so you need to budget your money so that you'll have enough to eat, miscellaneous expenses, and other necessities. So really, college primes you to act, behave, and be a responsible and mature adult.

I may not have gotten a prom, but the Christmas Ball sure came close. The dress, the makeup, the friends, the after-party...it gave me a glimpse of what it was like. While it didn't exactly live up to my expectations, it gives me the assurance that next year will be even better, hitting the ball out of the park in all areas. Plus, with my roommate attending next year, it's going to be awesome.

I'm really excited for what next year will bring. With plans to work during the summer and taking a class on-line, my summer will give me something to do, rather than just letting it go by quietly. And with more imminent changes during my sophomore year, I am so excited to see what God has for me next year!

Stripes and Rouge

I haven't done this in a while...but it's good to visit things again.

I try to stand out on my campus. There is a pretty typical attire and I attempt not to go with the crowd. Even with the vintage-y and hipster-esque clothing, I like to be different. Unique. And I do that by maintaining a European, classy but modern look.
For people that know me, they know that stripes are my fashion staple. I have at least 10 different striped shirts of different sleeve lengths. One may say I have an infatuation, but really, I'm just enamoured by the French way of dressing. Je m'habille pour impressionner. And I like to think I'm doing it well.

Shirt: Joe Fresh
Pants: Levi's
Flats: London Flats (via asos) 

Also, check out my lookbook profile: http://lookbook.nu/stuckinthe50sralu

Wanderlust.

It's always good to think in advance. That way, it makes planning and budgeting more simpler. Remember this post? Well, I've decided that I want to add something on the side, an addendum of some sort. Also, I just want to travel. With plans to travel outside North America temporarily on hold (or on pause due to my finishing school), I've decided that travelling within the U.S. could be just as exciting. Plus, road trips add more excitement. I just need to travel. It's something that I can't fight, so why bother trying?

1. A campus tour of Yale

I've always wanted to visit an Ivy League school and with my obsession with Gilmore girls, it's perfect. I don't necessarily want to hear the whole spiel that one often gets when one visits the campus of her potential university; I just want to visit it. That's all. Oh, and possibly get a sweater or t-shirt. That would be absolutely grand.

2. New England

After finishing touring Yale, I can easily venture and see Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. I've always wanted to experience the upper Atlantic states and with the style (since I am a chick, of course I'm going to mention the style that comes with the geography). And the scenery...indescribable.

3. New York City

I want to have a massive shopping nirvana experience in NYC. It's a very American thing to do and I plan to do it. Besides, it's not that far away from campus with the bus so it won't be that much of a stretch.

4. Hawaii

Words cannot describe how excited I am that I am going to Hawaii, probably in the summer of 2014. Since of my best friends lives on the island of Oahu, I get the extraordinary privilege of going home with her the summer she graduates. Of all the places on my list, this is perhaps the one that I am definitely and certainly going (and the one that will require the most money to earn).

5. North Carolina

I've seen nearly all of Nicholas Spark's movie adaptations and what I can deduce is that North Carolina is a very romantic state. Thus, I must visit it, but not for that reason. The simple scenery, the intimacy it provides would be the ultimate weekend road trip.

6. Charleston, SC

I have no words to amass to express how ardently I want to visit. Just...nope, no words. Perhaps when I visit will I able to express my thoughts. But the English language does not suffice.

7. Redding, CA to Los Angeles

Fly to Redding, California, and spend (preferably a conference) a weekend at Bethel Church and then drive down to San Francisco, and then south to Los Angeles and all that jazz.

This will happen, hopefully 6/7.

Style Metamorphosis

There are so many things I love about March. First of all, it's the beginning of Spring; the sun comes out, the days are longer, the birds are chirping, and breeze is warm and soothing, and summer is on its way. To me, Spring is the renewal of dead things, things that appear to be lifeless and still, and makes it grow, awaken, and blossom with vibrant and luscious colors. I feel that God is also the same way. He takes what appears to dead or gone to the naked eye and He brings an awakening that makes you feel as though you have been dormant your entire life.
On that token, springtime is also a good time to analyze my style and plan for the summer (I'm an overachiever). Especially with the nirvana from Like Crazy, I've only looked online at Zara, asos, Topshop, and H&M. I feel that in previous years, it leaned more towards a 50s look, and while there's nothing with that, I want to have diversity. I don't want my closet to be just retro-looking or appearing as if I just came off the set of Mad Men. I want to capture a more rural European look, as if I'm walking on the cobble stron streets in Zurich or croissant shopping in Calais. And it's much easier when I have these following pictures to gain inspiration.

March Playlist

With Spring just around the corner, music has a way of setting a mood and creating an ambiance. Filled with beats reminiscent of summer and feeling the sunshine on my face, here are my 50 songs I'm listening to this month.

1. Love Came Down—Bethel

2. Switzerland—Bison

3. Everlasting Girl—The Black Keys

4. Here Sometimes—Blonde Redhead

5. Bon Iver’s self-titled album

6. Indifference—Café Accordion Orchestra

7. Barton Hallow—The Civil Wars

8. Princess of China—Coldplay

9. We are Young—Fun.

10. Diet Mountain Dew—Lana Del Rey

11. Help, I’m Alive—Metric

12. Everything About you—One Direction

13. Lullaby—OneRepublic

14. Mouthful of Diamonds—Phantogram

15. OceanGold—Riley and the Roxies

16. Breakeven (Falling to Pieces)—The Script

17. Whiplash—Selena Gomez

18. Dead Hearts—Stars

19. Something Good Can Work—Two Door Cinema Club

20. Houdini—Foster the People

21. Make Us Ready—Harvest Bashta

22. Furious—Bethel

23. Siberia—LIGHTS

24. All or Nothing—MuteMath

25. Tapioca—New Navy

tumblr

Hello dear readers! If any of you have a tumblr, follow me: aquietspirit.tumblr.com. I love blogging and sharing my thoughts with you (hopefully, many of you get something from what you read--positive, of course), but I also enjoy blogging through tumblr too. If you follow me, perhaps I'll follow back ;)

I Adore European Style, Like Crazy

Warning: If you haven't watched the movie yet, this post may reveal spoilers. Read at your own discretion.

I've recently watched the film Like Crazy and I think I've developed a new passion for European fashion, all thanks to Felicity Jones and her character, Anna. While the film seems boring and slow-paced (not every movie that involves romantic development includes having pompous story lines with superficial dialogue), the fashion certainly captured my attention. Anna's style begins to truly blossom after she's back in the UK, when her European roots begin to rise up. I've been to partial to European fashion--with the simple, effortless, and classic lines, what's not to like? I've even gone to making a list of clothes to buy to emulate her style because it's just that cool. At first, it was similar to Urban Outfitters-esque look, what with the indie and relatively hipster appeal, but once in the UK, I was like, dang, I need her wardrobe.
So, if you're like me and prefer a more European spice in your wardrobe or just prefer the look that it gives, I found these following pieces essential to having a cool European style. (I feel as though I've used that word so many times, I'm growing redundant. Which means I'm overdue on reading literature.)
Seeing this movie revives my passion to visit Europe, but most importantly, visit Europe. I want to visit rural France, lavish in the Swiss culture, and indulge myself in Italian cookies.
Back to fashion.

See what I mean? She displays the Euro cool, with her striped tees and gray jumpers. I just want to raid her closet and have it explode with various prints, colors, and designs. The things I would do if I had tons of cash to spend in Europe. The thing that I truly admire about her character is that she isn't exactly high upper class nor is she part of the lower middle class because she is the everywoman and yet, she displays such effortless cool.

1.

Classic black denim is slimming, classic, and different than the regular blue hues.

Classic ballet flats in creme are a nice twist on the typical white and yet they still personify chicness

A simple crew neck gray sweater is warm during the chilly fall and winter months, fashionable when seated indoors, and it's different from a black or white jumper (p.s. jumper, I believe, means a sweater in British slang; it's not the pantsuit).

A cappuccino-hued messenger bag is the only accessory you need. Apart from sunglasses and a piece of jewelry, it speaks for itself.

There really is no place like home, and with these fashionable footwear, wherever you walk will be like home due to its aesthetic appeal and comfort.

A saddle cross-body bag is the perfect alternative to the messenger bag since it drapes across the body, freeing both of your hands. Plus, it looks good.

No closet is complete without a classic, Breton-cut striped shirt. Every time I've gone to Europe, I have always seen someone wearing one, whether it's in different colors, thicker or thinner stripes, or alternating hues.

A pair of cropped trousers (preferably with a thin belt) is casual without it looking sloppy, but dressy enough that you look dressy without being over the top and exudes an aura of professionalism.

You can even alternate between these garments to produce different outfits. Because really, you only need a few key pieces of thinking. With the fickle trends, there are some things that never go out of style and I believe that these will never go out of style and transcends culture and era.

Lie to Me

Has anyone seen the recently cancelled show Lie to Me? No? Well, you are certainly missing out. Essentially, the premise is that Dr. Cal Lightman is a detection expert who can spot lies in micro expressions, facial expressions, and use of language to determine the relationship between the person and whom he's referring to. At first, I thought it was going to be a show that offered little scientific evidence to back it up, but surprisingly, the science is 90% accurate. From a psychologist's point of view, this was grossly fascinating, because before seeing this show, I never realized that detecting liars was a science. But it is! And now I can truly say that it is truly educational. Don't believe me? I've made some notes. Now, before reading them, you should know that there are certain mannerisms that can be characterized as "lying" (like playing with your ear or scratching your nose) since some people can do that on a regular basis and is not a good platform to accuse someone of lying if it's in their personality to perform such acts. That is why I advise that you separate mannerisms with a deception leakage. Keep in mind, also, that these are my notes and that they're roughly done, but seriously, if you think about it and think about the people you know, you can utilize it to see if your friends are lying to you. (These notes came in handy more than once.)

·       Lip curl, forced eye contact is an indication of lying

·       Pupils dilating signifies arousal

·       Holding breath can mean tension or being upset, or trying to hide something

·       The average person tells 3 lies per 10 minute conversation

·       One shouldered shrug means you have no confidence in what you just said = lying

·       If someone acts surprised and it lasts for a second, it’s genuine; if it’s more than one second, it’s lying

·       When asked a question and shifts eyes to the left, it indicates that one is recalling a memory

·       When a person is asked a question and uses his finger to scratch his nose, he’s lying

·       When concealing something, a person will go from using direct language (her, she, Mrs., her actual name, etc.) to distancing language (that woman)

·       When you’re lying, it’s hard to tell a story backwards (since liars rehearse their stories in order)

·       Covering your head is a sign of deep shame

·       Wrinkles around the eyes when smiling indicates that it’s genuine

·       Extreme fear triggers coldness and clamminess in the hands

·       Person’s eyebrows go up when they know the answer to the question

·       Stepping backwards means you don’t believe a word you just said

·       Lip purse indicates lack of confidence in your words

·       Arson and rape are correlated crimes because they are about control

·       Word repetition and vocal pitch rises when lying

·       When a person’s face is not symmetrical on both sides of the face, it’s likely that they are pretending to feel emotion

·       When a person caresses their own hand, it’s a sign to reassure yourself when you don’t really believe what you’re saying

·       Eye fluttering means the person is hiding something

·       Repetition and hesitance when speaking indicates difficulty processing one’s words, which means lying

·       When talking or speaking, when eyes look down, it indicates shame

·       When a person shifts constantly between verbs tenses, it’s an indication of lying

·       The main components of a deranged person is constant criticism and lack of affection

A Day in the Sun

With Spring Break less than a week away here in the U.S., many college students are preparing to flock home, or for those more fortunate, pack their suitcases to enjoy the sunny beaches of Mexico, Florida, even Hawaii. I am fortunate enough to fly down south for the week and enjoy nothing more than sunny weather, beach, and spend some time with the family. However, that does not mean that fashion sense should be slacking. For those reading this who are also flying somewhere for break, allow me to help you and assist in packing what should be essentials for beach trekking...and for showing off that tan...

1. A beach tote. A beach tote is essential because when you're at the beach, you don't want to be lugging around a heavy bag with long straps. Instead, opt for a chic and smaller bag that fits exactly what you need. This cute tote from Kate Spade allows you to show off your arms while looking fashionable while doing it.

2. Open-toed flats. Every girl should have a pair of these in her closets where she can pull them out when the weather heats up. The nice thing about these specific design of flats is that it allows your feet to breathe while still looking nice. Let's face it: summer months can be smelly if feet are constantly in shoes that don't allow them to breathe. Plus, with a pedicure, tu est une belle tres belle. 

3. A straw fedora. You not only protect your hair from harmful UV rays, but it helps cover up those flyaway hairs. Plus, after drying your hair from the water and if your hair looks like a mess, it's a chic cover up. 

 4. Gladiator sandals. They are more comfortable than flip-flops (especially if they have genuine leather soles or some sort of comfortable sole), and they amp up any outfit. A simple t-shirt and shorts ensemble looks way different with a pair of gladiator sandals.

 5. A cute floral dress. A tropical vacation is synonymous with floral dresses. A chica needs one on her voyage. They work day or night too. Wear in the day with gladiator sandals or wear it in the evening with a pair of nice flats. Ooh...

6. A pair of sunglasses. Girl, you need to protect your eyes from the sun so that you don't get premature wrinkles. Invest in a pair of Ray-Bans. They not only provide UV protection but the majority of them have polarized lens too. And you'll look hot while doing it too.

7. To cover up your bathing suit while transitioning from the beach to the fro-yo stand to the mall, a cute romper is the way to go.

8. White shorts. They emphasize your tan to look even darker. Need I say more?

9. A tribal tee. Mixing things up while on vacation is a nice way to stand out among those opting for a boho style. Urban Outfitters has the best tees.

Why Attending a Christian University is Right for Me

I've heard all the popular statements: "God wants me to be a light in a dark world", "why wouldn't God want me to go to a secular university?", and "I can still be a Christian in an unfavorable un-Christian setting." While those utterances may be necessarily true, it might not be the best decision. Why, you may ask? I'm glad you asked, but I've been itching to tell you why.
First of all, there is something about united with fellow believers that makes you more confident and secure in your faith. When you are surrounded by a community that years to grow and thrive in Christ as you do, it does something in your soul. It makes you come alive. Just last night, a good friend of mine came in and we talked about some personal stuff. After diving just a tad deeper, I encouraged her, telling that Jesus is your Prince and that He will never leave you nor forsake you. Then, my roommate and I prayed for her in our room at one o'clock in the morning. And Jesus was there. He showed up; His presence clouded the atmosphere. We laid hands on her, confessing healing and emotional restoration, and it was such a wonderful moment. You can't get that at a secular university: when you feel anything other than good or joyful, people are more than willing to pray for or with you, and listen to you. They want to help you. They want to shower love over you. When I feel low and need some spiritual boosting, I ask my roommate to pray for me, and you know what? I feel more energized than had I been if I drank 3 Red Bull's.
Second, there is an on-campus chapel service for undergrad and I like it more than the church service back home. It's sad, but it's true. Why? Because it's alive. The worship prompts you to worship the King truthfully and honestly. It helps that the songs they sing are annointed. The chamberlain of the chapel speaks truth and vitality on everyone, and it just ignites a fire in you. People speak, they see visions, they speak healing over those who need it, and they bring words of encouragement. Not a week goes by when I don't want to go to Unchapel. It's simply not enough that I know Jesus and know the Bible; it's a different thing entirely when I experience it firsthand with a force as powerful as a surging wave.
That all being said, it really all depends which Christian university you attend. There are many Christian colleges and some of them may be academically rigorous but lacking the spiritual rigor and thirst and others may have the latter but not the former. I'm privileged to attend a school that has both, and let me tell you, I will never be the same because of that.