Favorite Men's Clothing Pieces Part 2

Good Morning!

School this semester is really going to be a challenge. I have perhaps overloaded my plate, but being a type A personality, that doesn't mean too much to me. I will find time for each individual challenge; as a result, I really have to focus on time management. Thus, I will try to make my goal to post on here at least once a week on the weekends.

Today I am going to write more about what I personally like in men's clothing. My last post on menswear covered a little bit about what I find aesthetically pleasing, but I would like to expand upon it a little more here.

Suspenders

Source: Pinterest

Source: Urbasm

I absolutely adore the look of suspenders on a man. As you can probably tell by the bottom picture, suspenders are making a bit of a revival today. Though they are still seen as being "hipster" or "edgy", I love that they are starting to resurface in modern fashion. They instantly add a bit of class to any outfit.

The Pocket Square

Source: Pinterest

Source: Alpha Male Lifestyle

The pocket square is another old school accessory that has been making it's way back into mainstream fashion. It never really died completely, but it is usually seen exclusively at formal events and in formal settings. Maybe one doesn't want to use it for practical purposes due to sanitation or other factors, but it is definitely lovely from a fashion perspective.

The Smoking Jacket

The Trad Blog

Dolce & Gabbana

Now this is something that is extremely outdated, mostly because now we know all of the terrible things that smoking does to your body. Personally, I find it a shame that men don't wear these much anymore, mainly because of how handsome and sharp they look. Maybe we can try to bring them back without the smoking aspect.

And lastly....

Sweater Vests

Source: Pinterest

Source: BBC

Ah, the sweater vest. What a fantastic piece of clothing, and how very underappreciated it is. I think that this is one of the easiest ways to look put together but casual at the same time. It is definitely one of my favorite pieces to see any gentleman wearing.

Now that I've stated more about what pieces I like in men's fashion, I want to hear your thoughts! What do you like aesthetically?

I hope everyone is having a lovely February thus far! Cheers.

Passion: F.C. Bayern München

Guten Tag!

School resumed for me on Thursday after several snowy days of relaxing and pondering life. While I had time to think, I had a terrible realization. I have never blogged about one of my life's passions: the football club Bayern München!

I believe that the main reason that I have never blogged about this is because it does not quite fit in with my blog's hierarching theme. In general, I try to write a lot about topics and things I like that existed during the 1920's-the 1960's. Granted, Bayern was founded in 1900. However, I follow the results of their current team (there's nothing too vintage about that). Nonetheless, I love this team too much to not dedicate a blog post to it.

At the center of it all is this man:

Picture from Eurosport

Thomas Müller

I think that I first started relating to Thomas when I watched an interview with him off the pitch; he is downright hilarious. The jokester part of his personality made me want to watch his team (Bayern) more on the pitch to see how they played. Funny thing is, on the pitch, he means serious business. Müller is an incredibly talented player, and I think that we can all learn a thing or two from his work ethic.

Once I started watching Bayern play, I couldn't stop. It became a sort of obsession, but one that I am in control of. I watch all of their games, and I enjoy watching their interviews and practices when they are not officially playing. But most of all, I love the community of people that I have met through watching Bayern.

There is something really beautiful about watching your favorite team play with a group of people who can equally appreciate the emotions you are experiencing. The adrenaline spike when the ball hits the back of the net. The heavy breathing as the game goes into overtime. The rush of anguish when you lose by one goal. For those ninety minutes of regular time, you're all one entity. I wouldn't have it any other way.

To close, I'm not going to pester you with game footage or anything like that. Instead, I am going to leave you with a wonderful video of the Bayern men:

If you have a chance, try to catch a Bayern game! They are really fun to watch; you won't be disappointed! We played 1899 Hoffenheim today and won 2-0! Your next chance to catch a game is on Saturday; we play Bayer 04 Leverkusen!

Do you watch football? What team do you root for?

Source: Mirror 

The Late Arrival of Winter

Hello, everyone!

Boy what a few days we have had here! As you all know by now, I live in Maryland. What you might not know is that Maryland is not known for its snowy winters. Afterall, it was nearly 70 degrees Fahrenheit on Christmas Day.

Well, we just got slammed by Winter Storm Jonas, who delivered nearly 30 inches of snow to our region! This is record-setting. The storm happened from Friday evening into Saturday night. I was supposed to have class on Monday, but now we don't go back until Thursday! I'm definitely not complaining; this gives me more time to go on adventures and share them with all of my wonderful readers!

Here are some of the pictures I took:

It has been really difficult to shovel all of this snow! Since we aren't used to having this much snow, Maryland also is not properly equipped for cleaning all of it up. I haven't been able to go anywhere for the past two days because the government is advising people to stay off of the roads so that they can clean them all up! Thus, I am itching to leave my house as soon as possible. Hopefully I will do something fun tomorrow or the next day!

To close, let's finish with some fun vintage winter pictures!

Source: The New York Times

Were you impacted by this storm? How has winter been so far for you? Cheers. x

Revlon's Super Lustrous Crème Lipstick

Hi everyone,

Today I am going to review one of my favorite lipsticks: Revlon's Super Lustrous Creme formula. The color I am reviewing is called "Wine with Everything."

The first thing to note is that this particular lipstick has been around forever (since at least the 1950s, maybe the late 40's too). Thus, wearing this formula automatically makes me feel more glamorous. The shade "Wine with Everything" hasn't been around for nearly as long as some of the other colors, but I find that it is a suitable red for almost any occasion. It's often my go to shade at school. As a side note, the black and gold packaging is also quite lovely, simple yet elegant.

As you can see in the picture above, this creme formula certainly is not matte. It has a slight shine to it which I do enjoy. The lipstick itself is very moisturizing, which gives it an edge in my book. Regarding the color, it is a deeper orange-red. One might not think it would be this color just by hearing the name "Wine with Everything."

Applying the lipstick is very easy, as it goes on very smoothly. I would recommend using a red lip liner, but if you are in a pinch, by no means is it a requirement.

I like the versatility of this lipstick. You can wear less of it and smooth it out so it appears like a lip stain. You can also mattify it by using a napkin and some powder; I like to do this sometimes because I like it when lipstick appears matte without some of the drying effects of a true matte lipstick.

You do have to reapply this lipstick after eating, and it does fade a bit after a few hours. However, the fade is not significant, and one additional coat usually does the trick.

I highly recommend this lipstick if you are looking for something moisturizing but not too shiny. I have this formula in about 10 different shades, all of which I love dearly. For a more cherry red, try the shade "Certainly Red" which was released in 1951. Below I have included a chart with some of the older shades in the collection. Some of the shades no longer exist, but the others are worth checking out.

Completely off topic, but here in Maryland we are being hit with a blizzard this weekend! I hope that everyone on the USA East Coast is staying safe out there! I will be sure to take lots of pictures of the beautiful snow once everything is settled. 

Have you tried this lipstick before? What do you think of it? Cheers. 

Photographs 3

Good morning, everyone!

I feel as though I haven't been on the blog in forever. That's the odd part about taking a trip somewhere, it really is like putting your life on pause at home as you operate in a different realm.

Having said that, Lancaster was beautiful. The town itself is very quaint, and it was nice to be able to just relax before the hustle and bustle of school resuming on Monday. Unfortunately, I didn't take any real pictures as I found myself completely engrossed in everything that I was experiencing.

Thus, I needed to post something on here, and I realized that I haven't posted any photos that I have been inspired by lately. So here we go:

This photograph is by Willy Ronis; it was taken in the late 1950's. Something about that silhouette on the bridge really speaks volumes to me. 

This photograph is by Erwin Blumenfeld. I love this photograph because the focus is all on the compact; it's interesting that he didn't have to completely fade out the rest of the woman for this focus to occur.

This picture was taken by Robert Doisneau; it is called Bouquet of Daffodils. I find this photo beautiful because of the expression on the woman's face. She looks so in love and full of pure bliss.

I find this photo of Ingrid Bergman by Gordon Parks to be incredibly fascinating. At the time that the photo was taken, Bergman was under an incredible amount of scrutiny due to her affair with Roberto Rossellini. The way that the women in the background are looking at her and the strain that Bergman has on her face express two different sides of the human condition: curiosity and stress. The photograph captures a sort of rawness that you often don't see from stars like Bergman.

 To end on a light note, I have included a fun picture by Tom Palumbo. We are supposed to get a lot of snow Friday evening into Saturday, so I am going to be wearing my snowflake brooch and sweater a lot for the duration of the week! 

Have you been inspired by any photographs lately? Cheers.

My Birthday Festivities

Hi, everyone!

As promised, this post I am going to write about what I did on my birthday. I had a lovely day amongst some of my friends and family!

In the morning, I ate breakfast and opened some presents. Here is what my lovely mom and dad bought me:

If you didn't know, I am a huge fan of German chocolate. I love the silkiness and lightness that is not typical of American chocolates. Thus, my mom bought me "Katzenzungen" and "Schokoerdbeeren." The first chocolate translates to "cat tongues" (oh, the humour) and the second is a chocolate filled with strawberry. The minis in the front are just plain milk chocolate. Delicious!

The other present that my parents gave me is a satchel from The Cambridge Satchel Company. They make gorgeous leather bags, and I highly recommend purchasing from them. I already had a mini bag from this company in a lavender color, but I needed something richer for winter. This was the perfect gift for me! 

The last thing that I received was a heated blanket. I am always cold, so it was very fitting to give me something to keep the chills at bay. 

After I opened my presents, my friends took me hiking! I love exercising, and hiking is one of my favorite ways to do it! We went on a trail near my friend's house. It was very cold, but definitely worth it!

After hiking, we had a tea party. My best friend made all of the pastries, sandwiches and tea. She even brought out her mom's beautiful china for us to use. It was all so lovely!

To finish off the day, I had to coach. When I got home, I had some strudel that my mom ordered all the way from Germany (apple strudel is my favorite pastry)!

All in all, it was a very relaxing and pleasant birthday, though I don't feel 20 at all! I have always wondered why birthdays aren't more of a celebration of the mother too. Thus, I am again dedicating this birthday and every birthday to my gorgeous mother.

Thank you for your kind wishes! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. This weekend I am coaching in Lancaster, PA. It is a beautiful city located in what we call "Amish Country." More on that when I return. Cheers x

Fred Astaire Appreciation Post

Good Morning, lovelies!

It's my birthday today! It's hard to believe that I am twenty years old. I'll have more on what I did later this week. My birthday post is dedicated to my wonderful mother who gave birth to me twenty years ago and the wonderful Fred Astaire!

I was sitting here by candlelight last night  trying to think of something to write about when Fred Astaire singing "Isn't This a Lovely Day" popped up on my Pandora station. Then I realized I really haven't talked much about Mr. Astaire at all on this blog. And he is one of my absolute favorites!

For about a month in 2015, I was completely obsessed with Fred Astaire. I researched tap-dancing on Youtube and tried to teach myself; I re-watched all of my favorite movies with him and Ginger Rogers. I even wanted to go to the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Virginia. I don't know when, but at some point amongst my video-watching and practicing, I realized that tap dancing is really really hard. Thus, I reached a point where I was going to have to get lessons from someone or abandon the notion completely for awhile until I had more time. Sadly, you can guess which option I had to go with.

Having said that, I would love to try tap dancing again, but it would have to be during the summer or a time when I have less to do. It is a fantastic workout, and I feel so wonderfully old-fashioned when I slip on the shoes and start dancing.

Goodness, now where do I even start with talking about Fred Astaire? Let's start off with a picture!

I really do enjoy most everything about Mr. Astaire. For one, he had impeccable style. He also had a beautiful voice, which was smooth as satin. His suaveness never came off as cocky; he was just incredibly sophisticated and charming. But of first and foremost importance to me (outside of personality, of course) was Mr. Astaire's incredible way of conveying emotion through his dancing.

Here are a few of my favorite numbers:

Swing Time with Ginger Rogers

 

Look at how effortless both of them appear. Ginger Rogers was equally impressive, but I will probably go on and on about her in another post.

Royal Wedding Ceiling Dance

I would say that this is definitely one of Mr. Astaire's more famous numbers. Who doesn't know and love his dancing on the ceiling scene? 

Top Hat "Cheek to Cheek" Number with Ginger Rogers

Beautiful. You simply get completely absorbed watching the way that they move together. So romantic.

1970 Oscars

This clip just shows pure talent. Even when he was older, Astaire still had all the dance moves. Brilliant! I will still admit that this video really bothers me because he did not receive a standing ovation at the end of his dance; what was wrong with that audience?

I really do love Mr. Astaire and the work that he did for the entertainment industry. Do you have any favorite dance numbers of his? Any favorite movies he starred in?

Cheers!