Summer in Style

Hey readers,

Well as I said in an earlier post, I've been doing some shopping here in the USA and before I began my summer I sat down and thought, "You know what Katrina? You are always going in places, grabbing random crap, trying it on and buying it- how cool would a THEME be?" and that's when I decided that I was going Vintage...

Well, It did take a little more thought than that before I finally decided on an old fashioned chic style. I considered just a full blown tomboy swag like Rihanna. Then it occurred to me- I'm not Rihanna and that look probably won't be pulled off by Katrina Lowell any time NOW or in the future... I guess what attracted me most were the shoes and snapbacks- I love both.

Rihanna in her "Tomboy Swag" at a Lakers Game- You go girl!

The shoes- Gosh, where do I begin? I love Vans and Converse and any type of shoe that fit like Toms; the ones that you can just slip on and just strut. They're just mega cool. Then there are THE SHOES- the sneaker/ high heel combination that just threw me into fits of fantasy INSTANTANEOUSLY... I just love the shoes...

These van's are studd-ing... That was a pun by the way :/

The paint splatters on this shoe are just so awesome looking- almost like a unicorn exploded :P

I love animal prints on ANYTHING, so the animal print and the rainbow color scheme is kinda cool...

I don't really know what this is and I like it because of that- it looks like something I would draw...

I like anything with a statement- How much you wanna bet Amber could write a poem instantly about this shoe? LOL

What girl doesn't like Wonder Woman?

YOU SEE THEM??? They're perf!

Once again, the animal print. Me gusta!

The Snap backs- Why am I slightly obsessed with these hats? I don't know; I just like to see them. They're just... I don't know. My mom hates them, especially on girls, but I mean, Look at Rihanna guys... She looks mega swag in her snap back- nuff said...

Just the basic snap back statement of swag- the usual...

I almost forgot about these guys- this would be my very first buy...

"YMCMB HOODIE HOODIE" LOL, comment if that rings a bell....

Ok, well that was the end of that idea and I moved onto my closet to see what I had that I really liked and that's when I saw my "Monteau" elephant dress... the dress that makes me feel like the cutest thing ever when I wear it. And that's when it hit me- what if I dressed like that everyday? I was dead set on the Vintage style from then and there.

This comes with a little white belt and its just sooo adorbz...

So with vintage there are a few basic components that I look for- button-up collars, lace, long- sleeves with cuffs, antique patterns, dresses with a "wide midriff", simple and somewhat vintage sneakers and finally the cool hairstyles. These all, to me, accentuate the things that make me beautiful and that's what matters the most to me. I also like to accessorize with big secretary glasses which make my nose look smaller (LOL) and bags with cartoon characters with an old fashioned theme. These things all make me me and that's why I chose vintage this year.

The collars- I like the button-up collars because they, for one, make my neck look a little longer. My beloved grandmother passed down her neck to me and, at times, it can make me look like I only have a head and shoulders :/, but that's my body and I'll work with it :). So these collars are just my solution. So far all of my shirts have tight collars and I love them- they also really bring in that 1900s chic style into light...

They call the swooping collar a "Peter Pan" collar. I think it's pretty cute :3

This one is simple yet unique.

The bright colors of this top are immediately attention grabbing... for me at least.

The Lace- Lace was a big part of the old fashioned  look- I like the more cottony lace rather than the thin lace like doilies. I especially like it at the back or the side of the dress or shirt... It just makes it look like a versatile article of clothing instead of the everyday one-fabric article,

The lace in some of these dresses immediately make them stand out against the ones without them. I especially like #4 with the white lace over that beautiful fuchsia color underneath.  

I like how both lace and the Peter Pan collar are incorporated in this top.

This one, although not my preferred type of lace, is really cute and dainty. It gives it an antique type of look.

The Long Sleeves- I'm not sure how popular these shirts were back then, but the look is modernly vintage and I like it- The long sleeves with the cuffs make me look a little more mature and add a little more chic to the look. No real other reason besides that.. I just love em'.

Forget the cuffs in this one- You see the gold border on her collar! Beautiful :)

On this model the shirt has kind of lost its femininity, but the top is pretty nice.

I love this ensemble- Vintage? probably not but Glam? Most definitely!

Patterns- This usually applies to my pants. I know back then, the MEN wore the pants in the relationship, but my addiction to skinny jeans is gonna prevent that from happening. Luckily for me, a few years back, patterned skinnies came out for the fall and I'm in love with them. I also like kooky patterns in my shirts and dresses, like my elephant dress :) just to make it a little more fun...

These washed-out jeans are unique and attention grabbing- me gusta!

I wish these were longer and not the cut offs, but  I like the pattern and so I'd probably try these on...

I AM SEARCHING FOR A PAIR OF THESE SO BADLY! I found some but I want THESE!

This outfit is very cute and vintage teacher-y. I like the shirt the most...

This. Shirt. Is. BEAST!

This whole picture is just right on point. The shirt is really different and eccentric. I dig it.

 

Dresses- I have understood and embraced my body shape from an early age- I have quite a bit at the top and quite bit at the bottom with a significant curve in my waist. I like to wear dresses that emphasize my waistline and hips without drawing too much attention to the top. I don't have any qualms with that area of my body, but I do admire how vintage clothes were modest enough to hide the cleavage white still highlighting a feminine shape. That's why I like the "wide waistine" shaped dresses where it comes in at the waist but goes out at the hip. It's just another thing about vintage that I have grown to love...

Although the term is "wide waistline," I like them like this, where it curves in at the waist just slightly and drops down  a little wider. It's just really nice looking...

Once again a Peter Pan Collar- I love this dress for the layers though and the floral print. The color is nice as well- a great fall dress.

Most of these dresses are ones that I would wear, although these offer some  cleavage, but hey as Amber would tell you, cleavage isn't always bad.

Shoes- I prefer sneakers, like Toms, Converse and Vans, so I told myself that I'd just incorporate simple black and white ones, or even ones with vintage patterns and themes in them. It works perfectly :)

I love the black at the front and the vintage floral at the back- I'll be hunting these down.

My new bag has these guys on them and I think the vintage Minnie and Mickey are just the cutest things ever.

At first I was like "ummmm- that looks like weed,' but upon a closer look, I saw that it was just a bunch of leaves. Personally, because of my first impression, I wouldn't wear them but... hey, why not...

THESE SHOES!

I like these type of slip on shoes. I have some jeans ones that are falling apart and I need a replacement pair FAST!

I really like these ones- the color scheme is pretty...

I actually have these exact shoes in a lavender/grayish color  but they're pretty dirty becuase I wore them to a concert and it rained and I got mud on them :/ I wore them today with a vintage dress and it kinda ruined the look...

Are these unique? Yes. Would I know how to wear these? Probably not.

Hairstyles- The sign of class; I'll let it speak for itself...

It was all about the curl back then...

First of all this picture is gold- second of all, I love how the curls at the front look like a bow at this angle- cute!

I'm dying to get a bandanna just to try out this style...

Here she is again- this time with a vintage low bun of which I would like to try out soon...

Lana Del Ray- forget the hair; have you ever seen anyone with more perfect lips? Like seriously, how was she born with those? People PAY for those....

I've never had like a "favorite brand" or anything, but I must say that when I'm shopping, I look on every tag for "Monteau." That brand is just perfect when it comes to retro mod vintage and their styles are not only old fashioned, but unique and I just love it. Here are a few of their clothes-

Well that's my summer style- I must say that I've very pleased with it. I'm excited when I go shopping and I'm constantly getting new ideas. I encourage you guys to establish your summer styles and try something new; it can be nerve wreaking at first, but then you get into a groove and wearing the clothes becomes a fun thing to do. Trust me ;)

Well, I've spent all night on this post, it is now almost 12:00 a.m. and so I'm gonna go ahead and get some beauty sleep...Goodnight (or rather good morning) readers!

Love Always <3,

Katrina Lowell

Daddy's Little Girl by Katrina Lowell

When I was born some years ago, I was my Dad's everything- me and my bright eyes, curly hair, wide smile. We were in every picture together, he took me everywhere with him; we were inseparable.

As a toddler, it was the same thing. I had grown a bit now, with long skinny legs, a mouth full of chicklets for teeth, and the voice of a chipmunk. I was sweet, but had quite a bit of sass once in a while. I was energetic, the way my chicken legs would frolic through the various terrains like a puppy in a meadow. I had started school and my time with Dad had become reduced by four hours per day; at first that upset me, but I liked meeting new people and trying new things, so pre-school was a hit.

Then I grew more and more, becoming now a kid. Even taller and skinnier than before, I had  longer, straighter hair that had now started to be straightened by my mom to make it a lot easier to manage, and fully grown baby teeth with a big gap in the middle of which I had inherited from none other than my dad. I began elementary school and... things became a little difficult. Other than the work that I struggled with because I had been a "late bloomer," the kids just weren't very nice. However, I still kept a strong, vibrant personality and tried to keep a smile on my face no matter how hard things got; a big, awkward, crooked smile at that. My brother was born within this time frame and I was ecstatic- I begged for a sibling, with no idea of what it would entail. I had to lose my beloved cat Jessie since it would be hard for my parents to manage two young children AND a cat in a small apartment. This was easily my first heart break as a little girl. The hardest part of it all for me was losing the attention of my parents, especially my dad (who had always been home during the day since he worked night jobs) who's days were now centered around this new arrival. The day that I really felt the difference was when my grandma from my dad'd side video chatted us to see my brother and I ran away crying because she asked to see him but not to see me. I soon got over it, but Derrick (my brother) was not really a positive for me because he meant that I lost a little of something that I always had: Dad's undivided attention.

By my pre-teens, my figure had started to fill out, I now had braces to fix my teeth, and although my personality was still kinda jubilant- or at least tried to be. I had become "broken" to a certain extent due to repeated bullying. At this point, my relationship with my dad had become strained. I was getting older and I didn't really look up to him the way I had before. In some ways he seemed rougher, too. I didn't always see that youthful face with the kind eyes that was my dad, but more of a stricter, harsher, grizzlier man that negated any thoughts of making attempts to glue back the parts of our puzzle that started to fall apart.

Now I'm here in my teens and... well, my dad and I; our relationship feels non-existent. I mean, don't get me wrong, we do engage in conversations and share a laugh now and again, but although that looks like a peachy relationship to the outside world, on the inside I now find myself on a perilous search for "what was." When I think of my dad, I think of a tall man with a grizzly beard, and then it all stops there. Anything deeper is protected by this hard titanium shield that no matter how I try, I can't seem to get into. Sometimes I feel like I've got the right technique and that I might actually have a shot at cracking open the casing that my dad puts himself in, and then everything changes and I'm back to square one.

But, I do know a few things about my dad. He's a good father. He stops at nothing to protect my brother and me; even if that meant fighting for me when I'm guilty, he still comes in like Superman to save the day and keep a smile on my face. In fact, my dad is such a good dad that sometimes his love and care for us, me especially, becomes his self-made Kryptonite. It cripples his thinking sometimes to where he can drive himself crazy thinking about the villains of the world and how they are everywhere; thinking about how he has to protect us from each one. Sometimes it, as one who doesn't have children myself, feels unnecessarily excessive. It feels like it does the opposite to what he tries to achieve and sometimes it can feel so overbearing that it pushes me away rather than bringing me closer. In a way I can understand; maybe it's just that he sees me, grown as I am, as still being a baby; the time this whole thing started. That's why I say this:

Dad- I'm not a baby anymore. Sure, according to life I'm still very close to what was infancy, but it's time you knew that daddy's little girl has grown up. I don't always agree with what you say, and that doesn't mean that over time I've become insubordinate, considering I never would as a little one; it just means that now that I'm older I ask questions- It's imperative to my entrance into adulthood.

I always talk about friends because as a little girl I never really had any, so on top of being a socially driven teenage girl, I like this new feeling of companionship. The first time I had a best friend, it was you and now it's time I find others. I know you want to make sure that I'm hanging with the right crowd and not hanging around negatively influential people, but dad; at some point you're gonna have to let me go. How are you going to live knowing that one day I'm going to start dating, and you won't exactly be able to control my decision as to who I pick? At that point, you'll just have to trust my judgement.

Trust; that's something that I think you need to start investing in me. Trust that I know right from wrong. Trust that although I hang out with a bunch of guys that "no funny business" is going on. Trust that although I've taken a study break that I won't let my grades fall. Trust that I am responsible enough to know what you expect of me morally. Trust that everything you have instilled in me from the time I was small enough to fit in the palms of your hand has stuck with me, built me up, and created who I am today.

I'm a teenager now and I have little time before I'm out of this house. I want to be able to look back on my adolescence and note key things about my dad that I can take with me and hopefully see in the man I marry who becomes MY children's dad. I want to be able to revisit those times like I have now where times with you were special and I didn't always feel shunned. You know, something about the phrase "Daddy's Little Girl" rings in my ears whenever you're around. I'm your only daughter, nearly grown; however, know that although my grin is no longer toothless, I'm a good foot taller than I was before, my clothes aren't the same cute and modest ones you used to dress me in and my little attitude has matured with the rest of me, that I am still always gonna be your little girl and, whether I can feel it or not, we'll always be inseparable...

THE END

Love Always <3,

Katrina Lowell

It's Been A While...

Hey guys,

Please don't hate me, lol. I know it's been MONTHS and MONTHS since I've even looked at this blog but when I tell you that the last term of my school year is LIVING HELL, It's an understatement. Between the 15 exams that I took in a 2 week period and trying to study for them and prepare for a trip as well as the possibility of switching schools, my body and mind was just fried. One night, I was up the whole night studying for my math exam and so I drank about 3-4 16 oz cups of coffee. Last year, for my Food and Nutrition exam, I drank 6 cups of coffee, but I don't know if maybe this year I made it too strong or what, but it destroyed me. Plus, the creamer that I used made me feel really sick afterwords. So by the time I decided to have an hour's nap before heading off to school, my hand was trembling and I kept hearing math rules and equations in my head. Yeah, sure I fell asleep, but it took me forever. Plus, when I got up, I was a hundred times worse. My body was so exhausted that it kinda fell asleep, but the excess amount of coffee in my system held it up. I don't know if you've ever watched "Ratatouille", but if you have, just kinda imagine that scene where Alfredo was sleeping, but Remy, the rat, was moving his body around to do all the stuff it needed to get done. I was dead. In fact, when the test began and I had to write my name, my hand was still shaking because the caffeine had my body on edge, so I had to go through the test very slowly so that I could make sure that my handwriting and drawings were neat.

It was a hell-ish kind of day, but you know what? It paid off because a friend from the island messaged me (because I went on early vacation here in AMERICA! YAY!) and told me that I beat the whole class with a "90- something" as she said... Made my day. You know, it's funny how times like that pay off though. As soon as I finished exams, I was on a plane back to my homeland to spend a month in paradise. I'm here, went shopping and got some really cute clothes (I'll talk about that in another post), my first personal laptop and I'm gonna get to spend time with some old friends. It's rewards like these that keep me going when the times get tough...

Anyhow, yeah so I'm back and I have NO excuses this time because I'm off for two months so I should be up-to-date for a long while. Oh! And I am sooooo very proud to announce that Miss Amber Sabrina White, my bestest friend in the wholewide world, has created a blog of her own. I'd love you guys to give her some support and check it out. I love it- it's very frank and spunky. It's called "Confessions (and advice) From A REAL Teenage Girl" and the web address is realteenagegurl.blogspot.com. Go on and check it out! I'm really happy for her and I know she's gonna be amazing :)

Well, I'd like to move on and make some more posts now- maybe even a "Beautiful" chapter, huh? Yeah so I will end this post right about here, thank you guys for your support even though I NEVER POST ANYTHING and sign off the same old Katrina way, lol...

Love Always <3,
Katrina Lowell