Monday, December 22, 2014

When In Doubt

After such a hectic and quite negative experience at school, I believe the best way to treat the negativity is to have some time to relax, ignore the flaws and find yourself.

Just these past couple of weeks, I have been bearing a pain so deep, I was loosing myself. I knew I was not the same person I was this summer, but I had no idea how low and long I could continue feeling like this. Melancholic days seemed to outnumber my joyful ones. However, these issues gradually faded as I opened up to my sister asking for advice and seeking comfort in none other than my best friend's arms. As an older sister, she was able to give me great and comforting advice assuring me to pick myself up and be the strong women I am. 
As I look back, her words and gestures were heartwarming and wise. My weekend after coming home from an emotionally exhausted soul was one where I slowly recovered and am still working on. The fact that there was a break between the stresses in my life and in finding myself, gave me an opportunity to overcome my challenges and stand back up. Remember, that no matter how dark a day may be, no day is darker that the sun can not shine through. 
No matter how small or big your problem seems to be, know that there is a solution to it all. Loneliness is what I felt, no matter how many people were surrounding me, my soul was lonely. In my modest statement, I do feel lonely at times, but the joy that comes from overcoming barriers and seeking positivity along with the happiness that is encountered makes the journey worth while. This is life. There may not always be a positive moment but the happiness extracted from our cultivating thoughts, passions and affections are exciting. 
From | De,
Nicole Annette



Saturday, December 20, 2014

A Little Advice & About Myself To Proceed

                                                                             ...

This is my senior year of high school, yes that's right I just turned seventeen on November & am ready for college with a big o' smile on my face!..Or so I wish. In the US senior year is usually the most stressing period of a student's life thus far. Especially in the fall, when most colleges/universities have application deadlines late November or the 1st of January. Not to mention the grades, extracurriculars students are involved in, sports, personal life struggles, jobs, standardized testing, letter of recommendations and (personal!) essays that need to be done. 

I am experiencing this right now- really.

Moving on from the negative tone my writing above stressed in, I would like to turn this blog [but not a 360° turn..oh yeah i just did that ;) into advice giving blog posts. Yes, I will try my best to write a post every week on giving helpful high school advice that will hopefully lead you into having a soother transition to senior year college application period. Each post may not be completely talking about academics but also the pressure you may face with...well, your peers. Let's begin.

                                                                            ...

I am lost. Confused. I cannot seem to fathom. My thoughts are convoluted as if a labyrinth where the end seems hazy. Yet, my thoughts are extending as if a tree growing and extending its branches. Although I begin at the trunk and cannot decide which branch [path] to follow...even if I listen to my heart — my innermost intimate thoughts. Told that I would be able to find something I love before applying I never worried, until now. Senior year must be the most terrifying year for some, including me, someone who thought was going to know there true hearts calling. However, I must accept situations like these happen in life, but help us as humans grow overtime. 

Never ever believe you cannot pursue a career in a field because you are not good in math, literature or any other subjects because the heart that is eager & passionate will find its way. There are much more days in which I felt that I could not accomplish such goals, but those days seem to be lost when there are those of light. Illuminating. Choosing a major is terrifying because there is no way that a seventeen year old could know what they want to pursue & study for the next four or more years. A lover of diversity and spontaneity, choosing a major is overbearing. Go for what your soul desires, what you believe will get you to the destination you want. However, never believe being happy is a destination, it is a journey. That is, along your way on studying, there should be moments of happiness, loving what you do and why you are stressing for. At the end, you should ask yourself, "Is this worth stressing for? Does ___ bring me happiness, even if I do not understand it completely?" because it is important to know there will be hardships, but as long as there is interest, the struggles will not matter. 

And so on that, I leave my final note: Think, explore, imagine & cultivate curiosity until you have decided your "branch"...then do it again but to flourish your career and life.

Adieu. Au revoir.

Nicole Annette

Friday, October 24, 2014

Kickoff The Year With Homecoming

Fast forward. About two months.



                                                        
Homecoming is the time when school spirit is filled with raw emotion and enthusiasm as students prepare for the homecoming game and the aftermath- the dance. Show your school spirit in the best outfit possible from the game to the dance, welcoming a new school year. I can’t help but picture “Out of my league” from Fitz and the Tantrums to fill me with positive back-to-school energy going from the game to the dance floor.  
                                             
For the game, I recommend to wear the classic denim, oxfords, your favorite jersey or baseball tee. Complete the fall mood with your favorite cozy plaid. 
                 
                                                     
Let your inner self shine through your dress. You can style a short dress, rather than the typical constrained formal prom dress. I chose to cover a few styles from boho-edgy to classic vintage to demonstrate how to radiate on your night.


For those who are more edgy, wild and free this look is the best to choose. The trendy little black skater skirt dress features a high neck and revealing crossed straps on the back. Tie the look together with an edgy one-sided hairstyle and a twist of braids to the side. For accessories amp the look with your favorite bracelets, middle rings, and teardrop earrings.

 If you are more about channeling a classic vintage beauty then look for dresses that have floral, lace, dainty or sheer fabric. Style it with classic jewelry such as a simple gold watch, ring, or necklace and strapped heels plus you can never go wrong with an elegant undo. 


Don’t forget to have fun and let your intriguing disposition shine. This is your night so make it count and show your best dance moves!


                                                                           From | De ,
                                                                              Nicole Annette






Tuesday, August 19, 2014

The Last Few Days



There is a great pleasure that overcomes us as we spend our summer days by
the sea. It is from the soothing swiftness of the waves, the refreshing saltwater touching our bare skin and the breeze dancing though our face that secures us in humble serenity.

As summer slowly departs to the part of the brain where our hazy memories lie, we must enjoy our last few days of them before they're long gone. Go. Go to the seaside & enjoy your last summer days relaxing at the golden hour, where the clashing waves & romantic sunset meets.

                             

I recently had a moment of tranquility, dressing seaside ready & prepping light indulgences. To spend an entire day, choose light snacks over full meals that cause symptoms of uneasiness to errupt. By my natural tendencies of being a foodie, I made my crunchy kale chips with toasted almonds, nutella wontons and a refreshing hibiscus drink. Pleasantly fulfilling but not overindulgent. Always remember to bring enough skin protection such as coverups, wide brim hats & sunscreen. I was given versitality by using my white tulip back lace crop top as my cover up & focal point of my outfit. Being a lover of 50s fashion, I always think wearing the high waisted two piece bathing suit is a must when relaxing. These are the last few days that I spend creating summer memories. Ces derniers jours.

From | De ,
NicoleAnnette


Monday, August 18, 2014

A Safari Adventure | Elephant Reverie

Can you believe this is real. real. Oh nature, what a beauty.


“But I love your feet 
only because they walked 
upon the earth and upon 
the wind and upon the waters, 
until they found me.” 
-Pablo Neruda


Not so long ago, I embarked on an adventure where I felt connected to mother nature. What I gathered was that deep inside a human’s soul is an uninhibited pleasure that we take in exploring something new. Places - to be exact. We often reverie unconsciously the moments of life when our once oblivious aspirations are a reality. The result in which the state of happiness no longer seems insusceptible. On this travel, I was able to perceive nature through a safari adventure that filled me with happiness.


Elephants. 🐘 It may be that through my observations I felt a phenomenon connecting with elephants, species other than humans. For you see, although these ivory tusked mammals may not seem docile in the wild, there is a serene nature when observing elephants. In a near post, I will be discussing more about these beautiful mammals and why I choose to value them. In this post, I wanted to discuss my gratitude for elephants and why I rêverie of them. Elephants are a very symbolic animal. They represent, in dreams, to overcome the challenges occurring in your life, to take action, or gives a sense of stability, influence, power, wisdom, loyalty and perseverance. The gray color of the elephant body represents clouds and rainfall, usually dealing with the element Earth in yoga 💦🐘☁️. I could nevertheless be thankful of my peaceful experience connecting with an Earth element: the éléphant. Never be afraid to awaken and unleash your free inner spirit in enlightening your daydreams, for they are the great pleasures in life.
Although I wish I wore this outfit while photographing, exploring and observing the wild and nature, I put this outfit together as an inspiration. If I can’t go back to these humbling views, why not incorporate elements that remind me of my experience in my outfits. Inspired the stereotypical adventurer and wanderer attire, I suggest to keep it refreshing and stick to earth toned colors. Wearing an all white outfit consisting of a sheer, delicate white top and comfy lace shorts I layered it with an olive green cargo jacket. Taking a fashion spin, I completed my outfit with my go-to B.P. Trolley cameo-colored boots. What more way can I scream free spirited and hippie ambience than a colorful, vibrant headscarf & round sunglasses! For jewelry, wear many bracelets and rings that have an earthy factor in them, like my turquoise ring reminiscent of a turquoise gem. 
For more outfit details click here.

Rêver un peu rêve d'éléphants.

From | De ,
NicoleAnnette

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Styling | The Lace Short

One of my favorite fashion key item pieces is the lace short. It is the perfect bottom: a hint of hopelessly romantic, effortless chic and dreamy fabric all-in-one. I have to admit, when these shorts became trendy I was not very convinced to purchase them because I thought it would be difficult to style, but hey look at me now, they are not at all. I love finding versatile key pieces and above all, one that is very comfortable to be in all day, so when I found these at my local Nordstrom I had to purchase them and instantly became a treasure to my wardrobe. The possibilities to style these are endless: from casual boho-chic to romantic and ethereal elegance. 



                                         
 - Boho Chic -

                                             

This outfit will actually be featured in a future post, but I decided it would also be perfect to use it for this post.
 During the day, I chose to go with an earth-toned outfit that reflects my gratitude for mother nature. Styling the all-white summer trend I matched my lace shorts with a sheer white tank top, a lightweight olive green cargo jacket and my B.P. Trolley ankle boots. To add in a bit of fun and a boho-hippie twist I wrapped a colorful scarf around my head and stacked my elephant pendant bracelet and rings. Comfy, lightweight & free spirited.

 Hopelessly Romantic -

For the evening, I was inspired by the evening ethereal summer glow that peers through the windows to go for a hopelessly romantic, yet elegant outfit. You know that golden hour that is often common in photography. I went for an evening stroll through the rose garden, having my lightweight trench coat hanging from one side and wearing my nude strapped heels for an added delicacy.

Don’t be afraid to mix up patterns, it is always fun adding a variety into your outfit. Here I styled the shorts with a navy blue polka-dotted cardigan and a pearl pink lace top underneath, leaving my cardigan a little unbuttoned to reinforce the hint of a romantic look. I left my jewelry simple but elegant choosing to add a gold watch, delicate ring and dainty pearl earrings. Oh, so lace-y! Quel merveilleux dentelle!


From | De ,
Nicole Annette

Friday, August 15, 2014

To a new beginning... | Pour un nouveau départ...


Hello, my name is Nicole. 
Before I continue my ramblings, I must admit I've been contemplating how to start my introduction on my blog. Yes, that does mean I went on a little research to see how various blogs that I admire began their first post. This does happen to be the most awkward post of the blog because I may discuss on what this blog will be about but it may diverge into a whole different direction in the future. If my name and writing seems familiar, I previously wrote for another blog that is now closed, nicoleannette10.blogspot.com. Anyways, my intentions as of now are to empower my audience, my readers those who seek advice in finding their own style, those who want to see my take on fashion, those who want a nouveau, peaceful and happy lifestyle from spirituality to nutrition and best of all those who want to join me on this new beginning- this journey I will write, document, archive. 

From | De ,
NicoleAnnette