2010? Promises Big Things

Before every big change in my life--new semesters, moving to a new location, changes in seasons--I write a list of things I want to accomplish, often both with my life and my wardrobe. I think the evolution of personal style is an important reflection of the way an individual lives their life, and so composing these lists helps me visualize what I really want in my own life and how I affect the lives of those around me. I'm sharing my style goals with you guys here, but I did write life goals too, and I posted them over at my companion blog. Otherwise, here are my style goals for 2010:

1. Find jeans that FIT, in dark and light washes. I have a problem with finding good jeans, especially since I've gotten to college. My legs are huge but my waist is small, so that's a problem, but I WILL find them this year.
2. Divide closet into seasonal attire. Pack, display and store accordingly--this mostly has to do with the sheer volume of clothing I possess and how it is taking over my room. See the next resolution.
3. PURGE YOUR CLOSET. For real this time. Give things to your sisters, Goodwill, your roommates, SOMEBODY... but for heaven's sake, let them go.
4. Get those clothes that need just a little fix to the tailor, on a consistent basis. I admit I've been skimping on the maintenance of my clothes, but that has got to change. I have so many clothes that need just a little love to be more than fabulous.
5. Build up your stock of professional attire, and clothes that conceal your tattoo. I love my tattoo and think it's beautiful and perfectly me, but unfortunately a fair amount of people just see it as a distraction. Such is life.
6. Buy something by a high-end designer that you a. love and b. love its fit. We are most likely talking shoes here, or potentially a watch. But it has to be perfect.
7. Dress above and beyond at least once a week. I love dressing beyond the call of duty. It makes me feel great wherever I go and gives me a high that lasts all day. That kind of feeling helps me get motivated to do correspondingly good work, even when I don't want to.
8. Attempt at least one D.I.Y. a season. I've talked about this in other posts--I think I have a huge void in my wardrobe here that could be filled with just a little creativity and some resourcefullness.
9. Be creative, have fun, and be flexible with your wardrobe.

Hopefully we will all enjoy what 2010 has to offer, both stylistically and in the scope of our entire lives. Make it a good one--I have a good feeling that it's going to be a year we'll all enjoy. Remind yourself that you still have goals to accomplish with your life and write yourself a list of resolutions; it won't hurt to know what it is you want. Then, go about achieving those resolutions. Enjoy it. It's your year.

Style Confession: True Life, I'm Addicted to Nailpolish

In an effort to help you guys get to know me better as a person and a fellow fashionably inclined individual, I've decided to start a regular feature post on this blog called Style Confession. My idea is that with each Style Confession, I'll relay to you something about my personal style that you probably wouldn't already know, even if you are a regular reader. Hopefully, the good nature I'm sure you all possess will help you see past my (trust me) oddities and endear me to your hearts. ;) Hahaha. On the flip side, with each post, it would also help preserve my sanity and self-esteem if any of you dear readers would confess to a similar weird stylish tendency, when appropriate. The whole jist of the operation should allow the entire little community here to get to know each other a little bit... So without further delay for my first post, I'd like to say the following.

Hello everyone, my name is Mya, and I am a nailpolish addict. No, maybe a nailpolish whore. In any way you spin it, I have a problem with nailpolish, the problem being primarily that not only do I love it but I need it and I'm very picky. All it takes is the sight of a particularly striking editorial or even an inspiring shade in the sunset to make me suddenly realize that not only do I DESPERATELY want that perfect shade of lilac nailpolish but I NEED IT. Very rarely does the sight of someone's actual painted nails inspire me.

Why is this a problem, you might ask? Because for the wallet/budget-challenged, trying to find the right shade of nailpolish is RIDICULOUSLY difficult, considering that I can't really even consider being able to afford a bottle over $8. I spent more than two months scouring every known mainstream retailer of nailpolish trying to find gray, let alone the right shade of gray, last winter and was only completely successful in early March (violet and navy are also difficult shades to locate, without it turning out too dark and being mistaken for black or drying too metallic on your nails, making you look like you're back in fourth grade).

Needless to say, my nailpolish collection is therefore quite extensive, somewhere around 30 or 40 bottles by now. Although that usually wins me a gaze of longing over my collection of unusual shades, sometimes people take the opposite route and deem my set of shades unpractical. One of my least favorite questions is when people look at me incredulously and say, what could you POSSIBLY do with all that nailpolish?? Obviously, they're for painting my nails at some point. Yes, I paint them seasonally for the holidays (the perfect emerald green for St. Patty's took weeks to find, and I gave up on a Valentine's red so as not to risk looking like everyone else, I paint them white). Yes, I've been known to change my nailpolish three times in one week. Trust me, they do not go to waste.

When I mentioned I was picky about nailpolish, I should have also mentioned that I can be swayed by the superficial. I LOVE nailpolish names, and if I am on the fence about a bottle a good name can sway me in the right direction, especially if they perfectly embody the shade inside (for example, one of my favorite shades of all time is Breaking Curfew by L'Oreal. Try it. You won't be disappointed). Also, I never ever ever paint my toenails and fingernails the same color at the same time. It's too matchy matchy. And why restrict yourself to one color? Twice the color, twice the fun!!

If you don't already think I'm crazy, I'll leave you with this. My current nailpolish obsession runs with Gunmetal by Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear. Like the name, it is the perfect silvery blue gunmetal shade that makes nails look unbelievably chic, and because it's extreme wear it lasts quite a while. I almost had a heart attack in the Rite Aide I was in because, like I said, sometimes I just give up in despair because I can't seem to find a certain shade, and I don't usually purchase Sally Hansen. But this bottle is invaluable---it runs well from day to night, city to beach, and coordinates perfectly with the rebounding trend of 80s punk rock. DEFINITELY recommend. =]

Real Life Wear: Maxi-mum Effect

WHAT: Black print maxi dress with chiffon overlay, purchased at Belk (southern department store) for about $45. Worn with black gladiator sandals and my Charlotte Russe sunglasses.

WHERE: Took a brief little runaway vacation to the beach with my good friend, J, and that night after a few luxurious hours in the sun I went with her family to dinner at Philip's seafood house and out to put-put and go-karting. I wouldn't recommend go-karting in a maxi dress... although I still managed to beat J, I may have flashed a couple people on the sideline. Regardless, she kicked my ass at mini-golf.

WHY: The breezy overlay of this dress is perfect for a warm summer night out. It has such a romantic feel to it with the blue flower print, especially when it ruffles in the breeze, and the strapless design is fantastic for showing off your newly acquired summer glow. Also, I love maxi dresses for the minimum amount of effort they require and the maximum amount of style they deliver. I imagine this dress would be perfect for occasions from date night to family dinner to, of course, mini golfing. =] But maybe not go-karting.

Pleased to Meet You, Blogosphere

Hi! If you’re reading this, I guess you’ve stumbled upon my humble attempts at the beginnings of a fashion blog——one that I hope will someday do justice to the level of depth which I confess to be involved with in the fashion world. Until then though, I am completely a novice, absolutely out of my element in the blogosphere, so I hope that even if you can’t bear with me (I won’t hold it against you) you will eventually check back. I’m a quick learner, I promise. So, let’s get to it, shall we??

ABOUT ME

            My name is Mya and I am currently a twenty year old college student at a large public university in Virginia. And, I believe, now the face behind the blog that is “Believe In the Color”. =] I’d like to start off my first post as a bit of an expose on why I decided to start a fashion blog, and perhaps touch on the hopes and dreams that I have for it. As a brand new blogger, I hope not only to make an influence on the internet fashion community but also meet tons of cool fashionistas like myself, and also the ones not so like myself. Maybe they’ll help me get inspired!

WHY BLOG? AND WHY FASHION??

            I’ve held off on blogging period, let alone about fashion, for a long time now. Fashion may consume many a waking moment for me, but it isn’t the only thing I think about. I mean, I’m a college student with a job. Why not blog about THAT? Never mind that I check daily a bookmark list of my favorite fashion blogs that is perhaps twenty sites long, or that I am obsessed with sample sale sites and may go broke because of them. I guess you could say that I wasn’t really sure I had anything to contribute to the fashion community that was worth reading, and I felt that way for a long time. I was content to read all my favorite blogs without the need to reply. But, like every fashionista, my needs changed. More and more I found myself combing the internet unsatisfied with the posts of blogs I had previously found innovative and original, now rendered repetitive and even sometimes boring. I don’t expect this blog to solve that problem for any one else out there feeling the same way, but I do hope that it will inspire you to maybe look at your fashionable life and find the voids as well. Maybe it will help you color in the holes. That’s why I’m calling this blog “Believe In the Color”.

LET’S BE FRIENDS

            So, I hope for the time being that this brief introduction will suffice as I delve into the fashion world. Having stood on the sidelines of the internet fashion blogosphere for a long time, I have a good idea of where I’d like to go with the site, but trust me, that idea is NOT set in stone. If you have comments, suggestions for a post or for the blog in general, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I always appreciate feedback and would love to hear what you have to say. All of the above being said, I’ll hopefully have your first fashion post ready for you guys within the next twenty four hours. Until then, go be your colorful, fashion fabulous selves.

Love Always, Mya