Jnco Jeans

Okay so I know it's not Thursday anymore and I am a day late to do a #tbt, but I felt the convo between Tyler and I was very noteworthy to mention...so I'm going to do a #tbf. (And for those of you who don't understand the #tbt or #tbf, it stands for throw back Thursday, and throw back Friday...remembering the past, digging up old pics of yourself, embarrassing yourself, remembering how cute or awkward you were, etc).

Last night Tyler and I were reflecting on the first time that we actually got "name brand" clothing. For me, "name brand" or "popular" clothing meant not getting something from K-Mart or Goodwill, and shopping at a department store at the mall. For Tyler it meant not shopping at the department store and getting his first pair of Jnco Jeans...

Guys, do you remember Jnco Jeans? How were these things even popular and seriously, how deep were those pockets? You could loose your life in there! Now that I'm thinking about it, what would happen if you actually filled those pockets with spare change, a wallet, baseball cards, tools, shoe laces (and whatever else guys put in their pockets)?

Apparently when TK was allowed to get his first pair, he was ecstatic to say the least. He rushed in the door at home, grabbed a pair of scissors and began cutting off the tags of the highly coveted pants. As he was hacking away at the tags specifically attached to the deepest pockets on earth, he didn't realize exactly what he was cutting. A second later there was a small triangle by the back pocket existed. Needless to say, TK was devastated and the allure of Jnco's faded.

Good thing those bad boys decided to not stay in style. Let's hope that they will never resurrect again.

My first "popular clothing" purchase were two pairs of sa-weet L.E.I jeans. Ladies, do you remember these?

     

The wider the flare, the better. I guess they're still considered cool, since Taylor Swift models them...

So just thinking through the evolution of change in my style, it's amusing to look back on what we deemed "cool" back in the day of middle school and all things awkward. I consider myself a bit of a late bloomer. I never was really cool in middle or high school, and finally feel that as a late-20 something, I've finally found my voice, my style and am slowly becoming appreciative of the woman God is creating me to be. My 17-year-old self would probably nod her head in approval at my personal style now-a-days...although she would probably roll her eyes at my early bed time, pink slippers and lame jokes...

Blazer: H&M, T-shirt: Zara, Pants: Old Navy, Shoes: A Department Store :)

And just in case you were wondering what awkward Tyler and Becky looked like- here's a taste:

  

Cheers to day 3!

xo Becky

White.

Hey everyone! Welcome back. I've successfully made it to day #2...whew!

Thanks for joining me.

So I have to make a confession...I went to the mall today and bought an article of clothing...GASP! Okay it wasn't for me it was for Tyler and it was a coat, but seriously thanks for NOTHING mall and your gorgeous spring window displays (I'm glaring at you, J.Crew. H&M). So instead of walking proudly through the mall-scanning the window displays- I kept my head down, eyes on the floor and made zero eye contact with passerby's. Welcome to the world, anti-social Becky.

On an unrelated note, today's outfit was mainly a mixture of me wanting to be semi-dressy and just wanting to be warm. Gosh, I hate the winter...although I LOVE wearing winter clothes. The Filipino side of me is craving warm, delicious basking-in-the-80 degree-sunshine. Usually around this time of year I start dreaming of warm vacations...actually, really going anywhere other than the seemingly long East Coast winter (can it just stop snowing already??). 

So I'm currently dreaming about...

Marrakech...

Istanbul...

Athens...

Rio de Janeiro...

And, in a heart beat, I'd go back to Nice...

But, for now, I'll just continue to dream about these potential vacation places...while I'm wearing my winter white jeans, and Hello Apparel terry cloth sweatshirt, in 34 degree weather, all while hiding under a very warm blanket...

Pants: Old Navy, Shirt: Hello Apparel, Shoes: Gap, Necklace: H&M (old)

Cheers to day 2!

xo Becky

40 days. 40 nights.

1,017 days.

1017 days since I wrote on here. 1017 days since I felt the need to become vulnerable, let my guard down and let you all back in. 

1,017 days has been long enough.

So why now? Why get back in the blog-o-sphere when it seems like everyone is blogging about everything under the sun? Well, I've been challenged and I need you all to keep me accountable.

Are you ready?

Let's go.

Today is Ash Wednesday and so begins the season of Lent. Over the past 27 years I have not really "followed" the lent tradition...fasting (or giving up something) for 40 days. In the past I've just kind of joked about giving up coffee (which lasted, oh, NEVER), giving up sweets (somewhat doable), or giving up social media (that one didn't last more than a day either). But this weekend at church I felt an incredible conviction that this was the year I needed to truly "fast" and give up something that means a great deal to me. I racked my brain for something that wouldn't be super significant in my life...but then realized "Hello, Becky...that isn't fasting!"...so I started digging deeper. What means a lot to me, what do I spend much of my day randomly thinking about...what would be a true sacrifice for me to give up?

And the winner is...

Shopping. 

Oof. This is going to be a rough one. See, if you know me well you know that I LOVE to shop. I LOVE style, I LOVE fashion. The thicker the Instyle magazine the better. The higher the heel, the better. The greater the sale, the better. Daily I pour through fashion blogs and Pinterest trying to find inspiration.

See style, fashion, clothing, for me, is the way that I express myself. It is the outlet where I can rebel a bit, get creative, and define who I am. It is also something that I spend a lot of my time thinking about...how can I get more creative with what I have, what new thing can I purchase that will make my closet amazing. 

I know it may seem silly to some people...here I am, living in America worried about what I wear each day, all the while desiring and wanting more, and more and more. But for some people food is their vice, chocolate is what takes the edge off, drinking a glass of wine soothes the soul (which I won't argue...it is does it for me too), buying new tech stuff or crafting takes the crazy out of your day. For me, it's shopping.

So, I've felt super challenged to give up clothing, shoe and accessory shopping for the next 40 days and 40 nights. I want to take that money that I have been spending on myself and give it back in a spirit of generosity. I want to take the time that I spend sitting and thinking about clothes, and refocus it back on prayer and talking with God. 

Here is where you guys come in. With my 40 day shopping fast, I have challenged myself to take the contents of my closet and remix them for 40 days. After all, I've got 1/2 a walk-in closet full of possibilities, and if I'm completely honest, about a 1/4 of another walk in closet full of off-season clothing. I've got more than enough to make this challenge work, and I'm planning on documenting it on here. Accountability does wonders for me...although I'm warning you already...I get SUPER awkward at taking pictures...

Case in point:

But here goes nothing. 40 days and 40 nights. God is good and I'm excited to see what He teaches me through this challenge. 

And if this isn't the longest blog post already...here is today's outfit...well actually scratch that, it was yesterdays outfit. It is almost 3:00pm and I am still in my work out clothes from this morning's yoga class...don't judge me. 

White shirt: H&M (old) Sweatshirt/sweater and Jeans: Old Navy (here and here)
Booties: Urban Outfitters (old), Necklace: Norah Necklace (Stella and Dot) 

Cheers to Day 1!

xo Becky

Dear Heat Index

Dear Heat Index,

You were INSANE today! Thanks for the toastiness lately, but really- this heat is a little intense. I mean, I may be 1/2 Filipino (and you know how we Filipino's love our heat), but is the humidity necessary? However, thanks for providing a great breeze today to provide some relief.

People in general do not need to see sweat pouring down my legs and and face, and one shower a day is good enough for me, but is it really necessary to provide enough heat in order for me to take 2 showers today? I also really like the smell of my deodorant but when it runs out an hour after I apply it is a little much.

All in all I like having you around, however can you just cool it for a while?

Much love,
Becky

Hoarding. Buried Alive.

Has anyone watched that Hoarding: Buried Alive show? Or how about just Hoarders? One is on TLC and the other on A&E. Tyler and I love to watch this show, mainly because it's so addicting (haha get it- hoarding, addicting....) and really interesting. It also strikes a note in my own heart for a certain reason...Friends, those shows terrify me for one reason and one reason only:

I have hoarding tendencies.

 (cue dramatic music)

Gosh, that was hard to admit out loud. But it's true! Well, before you let your imagination run rampant and try to imagine what all I could hoard, I can assure you that there are only 3 things that I hoard.

Pens

Magazines

Shopping bags

I can throw literally every other thing out, but you make me get rid of a pen or a magazine or a shopping bag- watch out! I realize that my previous statement sounded a bit melodramatic, so I will rephrase that:

Even though I have pens, markers, and Sharpies up to my eye brows, I continue to purchase more- i.e my little shopping trip today to Staples. I got this fantastic pack of 12 Paper Mate colorful pens:

Now I didn't really need them per say- but they were on sale at Staples and, just look at the pretty colors! These can now be added to my plethora of sparkly pens, sharpies, permanent markers and mechanical pencils. Husband just rolls his eyes at me. 

Next thing, I can not throw away magazines. A few months ago I purged all of my fashion magazines I have saved up for years (just in case I need some sort of inspiration one day). I literally had 3 full shopping bags of magazines that I recycled or gave out to friends. I'm really working hard at breaking this one, but it's just so hard to get rid of them because that voice in the back of my head is saying- some day you will need to get inspired AND you can save the planet by not throwing these away. Darn that voice.

(And yes these are three issues of these magazines I have hoarded...)

And finally, the shopping bags.

It's true, I hoard store bags. Not grocery store bags (although we do have plenty of those too), but bags from shopping trips like Gap, H&M, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Mango, etc. Some of the bags I have kept are from foreign countries (i.e Switzerland and Cannes, Fr) so those happen to have memories. But the others...there really is no excuse, and I digress.

So there you have it- I'm a closet hoarder...and I'm not proud of it. And since you are reading this, that means that I have been avoiding studying AGAIN for the math Praxis. I digress again. (Husband is once again rolling his eyes at me...)

Happy Hoarding!

I know it's late...

Today has just been one of those days...

• Hot, sunny summer day
• Rowdy first graders (gotta love 'em though- well some of them)
• School in the evening
• Studying for math Praxis after class

So needless to say I am currently sitting in my pj's watching the Phillies game with husband, as my super teased out hair (courtesy of the high bun today) hits him in the face (gosh I love that man).

So for all my lady readers, check out Ruche's fabulous new late summer line. Their look book is amazing and the clothes give me a California-meets Barcelona-meets anywhere-but-here kind-a feel. I LOVE it. AND the beautiful thing is, it's like the affordable Anthropology. Check it out. Now. 

K Thanks.

Ruche's Amazing Summer Resort Line (psst- click on the link!)

And for you fella's...

Yep, thats a Lemur eating a watermelon- courtesy of 22 Words.

Heres to a beautiful Tuesday!

Days like today...

If you are anywhere near the North Eastern coast of the States right now you are enjoying some amazing summer weather. Highs have been in the mid 80's, low humidity with a slight breeze. These are the days we dream about when the roads are icy, face freezes off when you stick your head out the door, and you are forced to wear some flat footed shoe because heels don't get much traction on ice.

These are the days we live for.

And as I sit inside studying for my math Praxis test (read my feelings on this test in previous blog entry) on this gorgeous evening, waiting for husband to come home from softball, I am not dreaming about the beautiful weather in Pennsylvania, but rather the beautiful weather in Nice, France.

It is days like today where I dream about the perfect weather, perfect humidity, perfect sea smell, perfect food and gelato, perfect cobble stone streets, perfect European style, and perfect sounds, like the pebbles rolling on the beach as the waves hit them. Just flipping through the honeymoon pictures has made me ache to be in the Riviera again. 

So how do I cure this ache?? Considering that the final Harry Potter has finally come out (!!!!!!!!) and I will be seeing it in IMAX 3D(!!!!!!!!!!!) I will safely not be jet setting across the Atlantic this weekend (priorities you know...).

And considering that the husband and I are currently on a super fun budget right now, we will not be reliving our honeymoon a la France.

Sooo until that next time when I will be seeing the great Riviera again (or until I get over my current pining for it....) I am going to read French-y blogs, go through my stuff collected from the trip, wear my jewelry I got there, set my desktop background to a picture of our honeymoon, and watch Harry Potter.

Happy Weekend Friends!