The Sounds of 2015

Hey guys. 

This year, I actually started diversifying my music taste again. Last year, all I listened to was Daft Punk, so this year, I was ready for some new tunes. I made sure to put all the songs I was into this year into a playlist on Spotify. 

I also listened to Soundcloud a lot over the summer.

Aaand that's basically it. I could write a long-winded reflection on my entire year, but it would be overly angsty and just pointless. And I'm sure we all would rather have just music than that. 

One more thing. I'm not sure if I'll continue with this blog in 2016. I came back this past year thinking I could start it seriously, but as I talked about in my last post, my passion quickly burns out each time I come back. Whatever happens, have a great New Year's, and goodbye for now. 

The Struggles of Content Creation

How do you blog? How do you go on hiatus? I honestly don't know. But I've been doing both regardless. 

Remember this? The post I wrote after coming back from my last hiatus? I took that hiatus because of college apps and the ensuing tsunami of self-doubt and anxiety. I just read it, and I'm back in existential crisis mode. During winter break. With six more schools to apply to. By January 1. Yaaay.  

Sometimes when I feel this way, I come back to this blog and read past posts to reminisce and reflect and just see what I was thinking in the past. And I realized just how therapeutic honesty is. I get so easily bored by my posts about fashion or beauty or food. Instead, I always end up reading my life update posts. 

I've found that this is because I need to reconnect with my feelings. This led me to realize just how expressive of a person I naturally am- and that I'm always fighting it. My need for expressiveness led me to create this blog, and my urge to suppress it led me to go on hiatus twice (or thrice?), only to fail so I could write yet another annoyingly deep reflection post. The cycle goes: blog, get bored/uncomfortable for some unknown reason and go on hiatus, realize how much I miss expressing myself on my terms, repeat. 

I've known that 'unknown' reason for a while now, but I never allowed myself to fully acknowledge it. The reason is my habit of posting what I think others expect instead of what I really care about. When I sense that I'm doing this, I get discouraged by my own BS and go on hiatus. Then I miss blogging, aaand you know how it goes from there.

The thing is, if you try running off pure passion, you might not be able to maintain a weekly posting schedule (God knows how I did it for the first six months of this blog). And I have to remind myself that that's okay. For me, blogging is a passion, not a job. I don't have to keep up a regular schedule. I just have to be passionate about what I post. If I start posting generic content out of habit, I have to snap back into it. But if I want to maintain a schedule, I have to be okay with not bursting at the seams with enthusiasm over every post. 

It's such a simple concept, but it's been so hard for me to fully understand and come to terms with. I think YouTube really helped me do so not only because I connected with the creators I watched, but because I'm now seriously considering starting a channel. Like, seriously. Remember "Let's Talk Taboo"? I know I mentioned it in my last reflection post, but then, I was more seriously considering Tumblr as a main platform.

YouTube was the dream. I was too scared to seriously consider it then. Self-doubt came too easily. And while it still does, after endless consideration, I've decided that it would make way more sense and be waaay more enjoyable to make videos than write blog posts about politics. 

I'll update you on the details when I start putting my plans into action. For now, I'm gonna have to keep reminding myself that it's about my thoughts, my passions, and my content, not that of the rest of the YouTube community. It'll be hard with so many successful vloggers to compare myself to, but I'll keep at it. 

For now, feel free to click HERE and subscribe to my new channel! My subscriber count goal for now is 100, since that's when I can change my channel's URL from youtube.com/asdfghjkl;'!@$#% to youtube.com/letstalktaboo. 

Sooo yeah. New content on leather + rouge coming up soon. In the meantime, please accept my apologies for my emo-ness. 

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October Favorites 2015

Another month has gone by, and that means it's time for a new round of favorites.

OPI 'Romeo & Joliet' + Essie 'Damsel in a Dress'

Let's start off with a couple of nail colors. This month I got a mani-pedi for the first time in a long time, and I'm really happy with the colors I chose. For my fingers I got Essie Damsel in a Dress and for my toes I got OPI Romeo and Joliet. The former is a beautiful, deep, shimmery purple with fuschia undertones and the latter is a deep shimmery burnt sienna. They're both great fall colors. I'm looking forward to rocking them for the rest of the season!

Left // Right

MK Ultra by Muse

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It's pretty obvious from my last post that I've been getting into Muse again for the first time since June 2013. This has been propelled not only by my new concert tickets (!!), but also by Dan and Phil, a pair of YouTubers/avid Muse fans I started watching this past summer. In fact, I first heard of MK Ultra from Dan when he mentioned it in a gaming video (lol). When I first listened to it, the song didn't seem that great, but after giving it another go I fell head over heels for it. I swear I played it on repeat for something like 10 hours when I realized how amazing it is. It's revolutionary, it's passionate, it's powerful. I felt really anxious and downright negative when I listened to it; as I've mentioned before, I'm a high school senior, so I need something to calm my essay-agitated nerves. I have no idea how this song could reflect my inner turmoil in such a beautiful way. Huge shout out to Dan for introducing me to this amazing song and to Muse for writing it and bringing it to life!

American History X (1998)

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American History X was the best movie I'd seen in a long time. I'd heard of it vaguely before and knew it was a good movie but never got the opportunity to watch it until recently. I made a mental note to do so after seeing Jenn Im recommended it in a favorites video. And now here it is, in my favorites!

The movie is about serious racial tensions between white and black people in Venice Beach in the 90s. It focuses on an adored member of a neo-Nazi group and his younger brother. A serious crime is committed by the older brother, and its implications are followed throughout the film. Although today most people are not as racist as many of the characters in American History X are, it nonetheless sheds new light on the issue of racism. Of course, given that it's a movie about neo-Nazis, blatant racism is the main type of racial tension depicted. However, implicit racism is also addressed. I think that if you really pay attention to the concepts brought up by the movie, you can learn something really important from it, no matter who you are or where you come from.

What were your favorites last month? I'd love to know. Leave a comment down below!

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Now Playing: Muse + X Ambassadors

Hey, guess what? I'm going to a concert! 

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September Favorites 2015

As you probably noticed, I basically took the summer off and didn't post. Junior year was pretty tough; I needed a little mental break after it ended. (Deets here.) Obviously that meant that I didn't get a chance to reminisce upon any favorites over the past few months. However, that changes now!

Fashion 

Forever 21 Paint Splatter Tee, $14.90,
forever21.com

This tee was an impulse buy, but it was so worth it. It goes with my black, gray, and regular old blue jeans and looks perfectly casual. I love the oversized fit as well- I think I might buy a few more oversized tees in the future. 

BP Rope Trim Felt Floppy Hat, $28,
nordstrom.com

Ever since I saw Jenn Im rocking her wide-brimmed hats, I knew I had to hop on the bandwagon. This hat not only chic-ifies any look, but also banishes bad hair days. What more could you want from an accessory?

How To Find New Music

Recently, I've been struggling with finding new, dependable, fangirl-worthy music. I'm very passionate about sharing things that have really helped me out or turned out well, so I guess I'm starting off a new "How To" post series with a post about how to avoid the predicament I'm currently in. Get your headphones on and let's get started!

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Summer 2015 Reflection + Rewind

Okay, it's a little past summer. In fact, yesterday was the first day of fall. But the point is, I've been gone for a while- and for good reason. This newly-begun school year is my senior year, so the stress began weighing on me even before its start.

Ever since I developed a sudden writer's block in February 2014 accompanied by a couple grade drops and a wave of eye-opening self-awareness, I've felt insecure about maintaining this blog. On one hand, I have a passion for blogging, but on the other hand, I constantly feel a nagging sensation that this is all just trivial BS.

I let practicality take over, what with college apps, SATs, and generally all the work I have now that the school year's started- and to be completely honest, I freaking DELETED this blog for a little while. I couldn't deal with the ambivalence I felt towards it and wanted to take decisive action for once. Luckily, Blogger waits for approximately 3 months before it permanently deletes a blog. During this time I was reminded of the original point of this blog. Over the summer, I started watching lots of YouTube. Seeing tons of enthusiastic and successful creators making content centered around their passions made me feel so validated. I used to freak out when I didn't post weekly, and here was Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), who uploads main channel videos just once or twice a month. I used to feel ashamed of liking fashion and beauty, but here was Jenn Im, killing both scenes. I didn't think I could ever truly express myself through a blog, but in much of his content Jus Reign shows YouTube the world from the point of view of the Western desi diaspora. Finally, I didn't understand why running this blog started feeling like a chore but here was Chris Kendall (crabstickz), articulating my confused thoughts word for word.

May Favorites 2015

We're nearly a week into June but you couldn't tell from the looks of this blog.

Hey guys! Yet another month is over and that means that it's time for another monthly favorites post. May was a pretty big month for me academically; I had to endure five AP tests over the course of the first two weeks of last month. Luckily, after those tests were over many of my classes began winding down, but it was stressful nonetheless. Here are some things that helped me keep the stress at bay in May.

Memorial Day Weekend Haul

It's June! What is this post doing here?? Yeah, I know. I've fallen a bit behind-- let's just leave it at that. I had to put this together despite that, though, cause I'm pretty excited about what I got over the long weekend! I mostly got basics from Madewell, Loft, and Gap that can be styled in tons of ways. Let's take it from the top!

Madewell

Post Series Update

Yo. 

I've been pretty busy with school this month so I haven't been able to post nearly as much as I did last month. The time during which I wasn't posting provided me with a good opportunity to ruminate over the tweaks I've been making to the blog over the past couple of months, and I've changed my mind over some of this (what can I say, I'm a dynamic person). 

• The Hitlist is getting cancelled. It just encourages me to spend more time online than I already do and is too similar to Style Inspo (more on that next). Yes, I'm pathetic. I need to try this whole long-term-view thing out sometime. In the meantime deal with my short-sighted decision-making.
• Style Inspo Nothing huge here; I'm just changing this series' name to "Style Spotlight". I don't know, I guess I just have a thing for alliteration. (Actually, I'm sure that I do. The proof is in my Instagram captions.) Another thing: I'm hoping to expand this series to include people and just, like, things other than clothing. So yeah. No worries, Style Inspo Spotlight is going nowhere.

I know it's kind of annoying that I can't make my mind up about things that I've relatively recently created and announced. Sometimes I feel like the changes I make are silly and don't even need to be mentioned in a whole post. But whatever. What I've found is that testing concepts out really helps solidify them into long-lasting additions to the blog rather than withholding the ideas because they aren't "perfect" yet. I would rather cancel and recreate and rename a thousand times than not let go of an idea that's gone sour just for the sake of longevity. And that's a lesson to consider in the context of life in general as well. 

So who knows? These post series might not exist in another couple months. But we'll discuss that when the time comes.

-Amulya

Spring Sunset

Yard + sunset = something otherworldly.

April Favorites 2015

Hey y'all! Recently I've been trying to think up a bunch of new ideas to apply to the blog. When I saw Jenn Im's monthly favorites videos I knew I had to start doing monthly favorites too! It's such a great way to reflect back on what you've been into and to share helpful tips and ideas with others. So without further ado let's get into what I loved this past April!

Now Playing: Majestic Casual

Hey everyone. As you can see from the updated "Now Playing" tune in the sidebar, I've found some new music. This time it's from an entire YouTube channel. 

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Weekend at Wellesley

Another Tuesday, another weekend recap. I should be cramming for my upcoming AP exams (my first one is in a week and a day), but instead I'm writing this post, procrastinating until my friend gets here so we can procrastinate some more group study. 

Anyway, back to the weekend. My dad and I drove up to Wellesley College in Massachusetts for a college visit. The college had a nicely planned all-day admissions event for us!

But first came the trip there. The traffic was horrible- it extended the grueling journey by over an hour. 

On the road by the GW Bridge!

Social Media Update

Hey guys. 

As you may be able to tell from the top right hand corner of the blog, I've been adjusting its social media. Here's the rundown.

1) I deleted the blog's Facebook page. I'm sorry Facebook, you're not hip and cool anymore. In all honesty, though, I don't really know how to effectively use Facebook for my purposes so I eliminated it.
2) I replaced the blog Instagram with my personal Instagram.
3) And finally, I changed the blog's Pinterest to my personal account. More on this personal account stuff below.

Basically, I've really been feeling detached from the "blog" social media as opposed to my personal accounts and figured, what the hell? It's my personal blog. What have I been doing?

So here we are. I hope to bring even better updates and content to you through these updated accounts. Until next time! xx

-Amulya

Get the Look: Sporty Chic

I've never been one to consider athletic trends fashionable or stylish- just functional. But once again, the fashion world has got me reconsidering, what with its squeaky clean Nikes and trench coat pairings. 

As a result of the above, I've recently found that sporty elements can look completely at home in fashion. Let's put this notion to the test with a sporty chic ensemble, shall we?

New Era New York Yankees White On White 59FIFTY Fitted Hat, $34.95, fanatics.com 

I'm starting with this all-white Yankees snapback I found from Fanatics (Gotta rep New York.). The white monochrome color scheme truly makes it an interesting, style-able piece. 

To style this snapback into a full-out ensemble, I'm adding more structured pieces to switch up the overall silhouette and keep the all-white vibe going to make a statement. 

Clockwise from left:
Missguided Biker Sleeve Neoprene Sweatshirt in White, $24 (on sale), missguidedus.com
New Era New York Yankees White On White 59FIFTY Fitted Hat, $34.95, fanatics.com
Dailylook Origami Mini Skort, $44.99, dailylook.com
Vagabond Dioon Heeled Leather Oxford, $79.99 (on sale), urbanoutfitters.com

I am absolutely in LOVE with the sweatshirt and shoes here. And the skort. Plus isn't it great how the snapback just caps everything off (Pun not intended.)? Sigh. Ok. I'll stop. 

What do you guys think? How would you style this snapback into a sporty chic look? Let me know in the comments! Until next time! xx

-Amulya

A Day at the Arboretum

Hey guys! It's been a while since the weekend but spring has finally sprung and I wanted to share some snapshots I got courtesy of the 80 degree weather (if only it could last). I visited a local arboretum with my dad on Saturday for a little while and the just-pre-sunset lighting was gorgeous. So were the gardens! Keep scrolling to see for yourself.

Style Inspo: Pastels

Spring is in full swing, and so are spring trends. Pastels make for a timeless look that works every time. Here are some pastel pieces that have been on my radar.

Vans for J. Crew Classic Slip-On Sneakers in Suede in Misty Orchid,
$60, jcrew.com

Pastel Druzy Pendant Necklace, $138, leifshop.com

White Short Sleeve Popsicles Print T-Shirt,
$8.99 (on sale), us.sheinside.com

Kimchi Blue Strappy-Neck Trapeze Dress in Mint,
$49 (on sale), urbanoutfitters.com

Verity Skort in Powder Blue, $30, missguidedus.com

Which of the above is your favorite? I'm dying for the popsicle print tee! Wouldn't it transition beautifully into the summer? Sigh. Until next time! xx

Spring Break 2015 Photo Diary

Most of us are back to the daily grind after spring break. As a high schooler, this couldn't be more real. I have AP tests, SAT IIs, and the SAT to tackle before the school year comes to an end. In light of this, I thought I'd reminisce on my memorable spring break to bring us all back and relieve us of our current stress for a bit.

I'm a junior in high school, so I'm in the thick of college visiting season. I spent four days of the beginning of my break up in Boston with my cousin who goes to college there and used my time to see three colleges. Getting there was tedious- I had to wake up at 5 am- but the sunrise I witnessed on the train was gorgeous.

The Hitlist: Studs, Sequins + Graphics on Sale at Nasty Gal

I haven't been shopping in a while, especially online shopping. So of course I had to hit up the interwebs for some virtual retail therapy. Nasty Gal happened to be on my mind, so there I went. Of course, even when I'm not actually buying, I'm still down for a bargain. Here are some of my favorite finds from their online sale section.

DO YA FEEL?

Let me tell you, I am OBSESSED with texture, whether it be from embellishments or a material. The items below are everything from sparkly to lacy to furry, and all of them are anything but boring.

Round Up Sequin Tee, $44, nastygal.com

Lovers and Friends Saturday Night Sequin Top,
$117.60 (out of stock), nastygal.com

Sienna Embellished Crop Top,
$34 (out of stock), nastygal.com

Birght Lights Sequin Cami Top,
$34, nastygal.com

Joa Melane Neoprene Sequin Neoprene Top,
$44, nastygal.com

Joa Metal Petal Sequin Camisole,
$29 , nastygal.com

Reflect On Me Studded Top,
 $31.20,  nastygal.com

Frisky Disco Sequin Top, $34, nastygal.com

Line & Dot Betty Blouse, $98, nastygal.com

Total Animal Faux Fur Backpack, 
$45.50, nastygal.com

WHITEOUT

No matter what time of the year (after labor day or not), white is always a go-to. I love the details like cut and material in these next picks- they make the pieces super interesting and edgy.

Shakuhachi Buckle Up Pants,
 $124 (out of stock), nastygal.com

Lillian Crop Sweater, $33.60, nastygal.com

Aperture Track Pant in White, $29, nastygal.com

Nasty Gal What's Up Crop Top, $15.20, nastygal.com

GO GRAPHIC

Lately, I've really been into graphic tees. The cheekier the statement, the more I want it. But words aren't the only thing that make these pieces graphic. I love bold prints, like the lip and graffiti ones on two of the following tops.

Style Stalker Don't Worry Sweatshirt in Gray,
$50, nastygal.com

Nasty Gal Kiss Off Top,
$29 (out of stock) , nastygal.com

Nasty Gal Whitney Shirt,
$29 (out of stock), nastygal.com

Nasty Gal x Private Party But No Sweatshirt,
$40, nastygal.com

Merci Top, $24 (out of stock), nastygal.com

Shakuhachi Pop Rain Neoprene Sweatshirt,
$105, nastygal.com

Are you ready for a virtual shopping spree now? Don't get tempted! Let me know down below which item or items were your favorite! 

Now Playing: Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

Hey y'all! I'm back from my spring break vaca! (More on that coming soon.) Now I'm back at home to study for upcoming AP exams. Fun. 

Before I left I picked up a few new tunes. At dinner one night I lazily plopped myself in front of the TV and turned on HBO. Last year's Jersey Boys was on. I perked up and continued watching for a bit, since it reminded me that earlier the music in the trailer had inspired me to make a mental note to watch it at some point.

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The movie documents the rise and fall of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in the 1950s and 60s. The four-man group went through some tough times and churned out some huge hits during this time. While the movie was interesting, it isn't necessarily the best depiction out there (at least, in my opinion). However, it does make for a few good live show scenes. Plus, you find out some interesting facts, like where the name of the group originated!

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My favorite songs that were shown in the movie are "Sherry" and "Big Girls Don't Cry". These two were two of the Four Seasons' biggest hits. With their swingy doo-wop feel and energetic vibe, it's easy to see how this group contributed to the early rock'n'roll scene. It was really refreshing to find some quality music from older times amidst all of the newer stuff I've been listening to. Find the two tunes I just mentioned and a few more of the Four Seasons' biggest hits below!

So, which tune was your favorite? Are you already a fan of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons? And what have you guys done over spring break? Comment down below! (:

Poll Post: The Midi Skirt

It's officially April, and that means that it's time for spring fashion. This week, you guys voted to talk about the midi skirt!

Last year saw the rise of the midi skirt, and I have no doubt that it'll be big this year too. This 60s-style skirt can be worn in many different ways, especially when it's got a modern twist. Its high waist flatters all body types because it elongated the legs and the full skirt slims the legs. Read on to find 4 gorgeous variations of the midi skirt and how I'd style them!

1) Floral

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Florals are a must for spring. The feminine print goes so well with the equally feminine qualities of the midi itself. For a girly look, you could add more feminine silhouettes to your look. For example, wear a top with a sweetheart neckline and some pretty jewelry. If you want to emphasize the silhouette of the skirt, wear a shorter, more structured top, like in the picture above. Don't forget to try out other prints as well! I, for one, would add a boyish charm to the mix with a cropped button-down top. However, the cropped silhouette of the top and the strappy heels I'm going for retain the feminine element.

PRINTS CHARMING

      

Left:
T by Alexander Wang Women's Ripstop Poplin Short Sleeve Cropped Shirt in White, $291.20, coggles.com
Right:
Zara high heel strappy slingback sandals, $79.90, zara.com

2) Pleated

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Pleats add beautiful texture to the midi. It can change your look depending on the material of the skirt--,pleats will make a thicker material like canvas more structured and will add a nice detail to flowy materials like chiffon. Play around with texture, print and color to change the look of the skirt. The solid print of the midi above showcases the pleats and flowiness of the skirt. The mint color screams spring. To capture this effect, I'd go monochrome with it. It's a bit risky going monochrome with a color, but as with any another color, even neutrals, if you wear a combination of different shades of the same hue and change up the cut, textures, and/or style, you'll hit just the right spot.

MONOCHROME MINT

 

Left: 
Forever 21 Chiffon Cropped Cami, $7.90, forever21.com
Center:
New Look Mint Green Brushed Texture Formal Coat, $57.58, newlook.com
Right:

Dailylook Simple Strap Heels in Mint, $39.99, dailylook.com

3) Leather

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Ditch the feminine vibes of the midi and toughen it up with this quintessential material. To keep yourself from becoming overwhelmed by the statement texture, try a skirt with an element like pleats like in the skirt above (most leather midis and skirts in general come like this). Keep the unexpected twist going with an eclectic look. I chose to build an outfit with athletic pieces to contrast against the put-together leather. 

SPORTY AND SLEEK

Left:

Forever 21 Colorblocked Varsity Stripe Bomber Jacket, $37.90, forever21.com
Center:
Old Navy Women's Soft Vintage Crew-Neck Tee in Dark Blue, $5 (on sale), oldnavy.com
Right:
Keds Basic Canvas Shoe in White, $39.99, sears.com

4) Lace

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We've talked about leather...now let's talk lace. This ultra-girly texture goes perfectly with the femininity of the midi. It really adds to the 60s aesthetic. Add complementary pieces like pastels and pearls for a perfectly vintage vibe or do a 180 and go the streetstyle way by toughening it up. Here I added a cropped moto jacket, a graphic tee, and strappy heels to switch it up. However, the focus is kept on the skirt because of the silhouettes and the simple color palette.

LEATHER AND LACE

Left:
Nasty Gal Moto Zip Crop Jacket, $88, nastygal.com
Center:
Forever 21 If Not Now Graphic Muscle Tee, $14.90 , forever21.com
Right:
Shoe Cult Hold Me Tight Heel, $34 (on sale), nastygal.com

I hope these looks inspired you to try out the midi this spring! Let me know which outfit was your favorite and how you'd style a midi down below!

Can't get enough midis? Check out my "skirts" board on Pinterest for more!

Follow leather and's board skirts on Pinterest.