My Few Sanities

An ode to the ever present Spring Slump. Is it just me or is there a pretty tangible vibe of ‘no effort’ and ‘no motivation’ hanging in the air. Maybe it’s the pollen… Here’s a list of a few things that have kept me going the past couple weeks:

1. This J Crew Coat

I own it in black, but I adore this cobalt colour as well. This time last year might as well have been Summer, but this year, Winter won’t GTFO. This lovely puffer is almost solely responsible for keeping me warm and sane this past few freezing days.

2. These Lululemon Leggings

I’m not really one for ‘real’ clothes, so you’ll probably find me wearing these leggings at least 4 days out of the week. Transparency issues aside, Lululemon is a great brand, and their pants are both comfortable and super flattering.

3. Vice Documentaries

Sarcasm aside, I love learning. Primarily, I love learning about the seedy underbelly of the world that most mainstream media is afraid to touch. Vice isn’t, and their documentaries and short videos are well made, entertaining, and unusual. Check ’em out here. 

4. Coffee

As said by Molly, “I love coffee. But not just the coffee, but the experience of drinking coffee as a whole. Whether at a cafe or in my kitchen at home, coffee is a way to socialize, a way of conversation, a way to sit down and think”. Not much more I can say besides that, but coffee is quite literally my fuel during busy, stressful, cold, bleak, awful times. Or anytime, for that matter.

I genuinely hope your Spring is nicer than mine thus far!

xo, Syd

 

 

 

 

Current Faves March 10-16

SUMMER IS NEARLY HERE! Can we all just quickly celebrate the end of Winter and thus, the reintroduction of fun music!

1. Grammy – Purity Ring

I’m definitely not a Soulja Boy fan (not really a Purity Ring fan, either, for that matter) but this cover is amazing. It’s so cute and fun and upbeat and definitely worth checking out.

2. Always – Jahan Lennon

I’m very clearly a HUGE Mad Decent/Diplo fan, so of course I’m going to love the label’s only ‘Indie’ artist. This song is great, perfect for drivin’ around in the Summer.

3. Hanging On The Telephone – The Nerves

I watched the film ‘Electrick Children’ this past weekend, and I’m in love. The film is very good (definitely worth watching) but the soundtrack is incredible. This song is more or less the theme song, and after hearing it in context with the film, I’m obsessed.

4. Diane Young – Vampire Weekend

I had a pretty unhealthy obsession with Vampire Weekend about 3 years ago, so it’s actually pretty weird for me to finally be listening to them again! So far I’ve only heard this song off of their new album, but I really like the new direction they’re taking! It’s still pretty surf-pop-y but it’s definitely got a more experimental edge.

5. Gorgeous – Kanye West ft. Kid Cudi

Let me just start by saying that Kanye West deserves all the hype he’s gotten. I’m not hugely into rap, but even a novice like me can tell that he makes excellent music that’s super innovative.

6. Boy Oh Boy – Diplo & GTA

HOLY SHIT. I can not say enough about how much I love this song. I’ve been in a pretty terrible mood the past few days but this song alone can pick me up and immediately make me want to dance. The Missy Elliot sample is perfect, and the transitions are flawless. Good job, Lord Diplo ❤

7. Jah No Partial (The Reef Remix) – Major Lazer

I’ve had this song for a while but when I listened to it in my car for the first time, oh. My. God. The bass is incredible, and heavy enough to make for an actual physical experience. P.S. How excited am I for the new album?! The Ezra Koenig/Major Lazer collaboration looks especially intriguing!

8. A Community Service Announcement – Jonathan Boulet

(Please ignore what’s posted in the 8tracks, couldn’t find the actual song)

An old Indie favourite that never fails to feel epic when I listen to it. Definitely deserves to be the soundtrack of some kind of inspiring montages.

9. Mirrors – Justin Timberlake

All hail Justin. I’m not in love with the new album so far, but this is definitely (in my opinion) his strongest track. It’s got the same insane romance that his past hits include with some really cool audio elements.

10. Mykonos – Fleet Foxes

Another old favourite. Songs like this honestly make me want to abandon civilized life and move to the Appalachia’s and live amongst the trees (kind of) (not really) (I still like the song).

xo, Syd

ALSO – Get excited for new Major Lazer, Strokes, and Phoenix this month!

Inspired by Life: London

So as I briefly hinted in the last post, I spent my Spring Break in beautiful London, England, rather than the typical beach trip. I’ve always been more of a city girl (I spent 4 years in Hong Kong during primary and middle school, and been in love with the cosmopolitan ever since) so deciding on the seemingly unusual destination was a no brainer. One of my good friends has lived there for the past year, so we had a great time tromping around all corners of the city.

Being there really made me realize one thing in particular: I adore the European sensibility. I hadn’t been to Europe since my last trip to London 3 years ago, and I loved relearning the joy that comes with sitting at a corner cafe with a cigarette and a cappuccino, or having afternoon cocktails after a long day of shopping. I wasn’t entirely keen on the typical ‘tourist-y’ things, so instead we spent our days exploring luxe landmarks; Liberty, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Harrods included. As a total clothing addict, these department stores are basically art galleries to me, and despite the fact that I’ll never be able to afford a smidgen of what I want, being surrounded by beautiful things is satisfying enough.

 

Luckily for me, I did manage to pick up one thing in Selfridges. Acne has been my favourite brand for just about a year now, so it was pretty obviously my first choice when it came to getting a Prom dress. I got extremely lucky and managed to catch the new collection the day after it came out in stores, and found (what I think is) the perfect dress. It’s simple, understated, and classic, it shows off the female figure without being vulgar, and it’s something I will quite literally have for years and years and years to come.

xo, Syd

 

Inspired by Life: Concert Wear

This past Friday, the electronic duo Major Lazer stopped by Atlanta, and seeing as producer Diplo is the light of my life, I had to check it out. I was in a pretty awful mood, and terribly jetlagged from London (I’ll save this for a later post) but all in all, it was still one of the most energetic nights of my life.

Concerts are a tricky thing for me, mainly because I hate impracticality and questions like “Where should I put my purse?” or “What do I do if it’s freezing outside but hot inside?” terrify me. Fortunately, I think I’ve had enough experience being shoved amongst hundreds of other sweaty concert goers to know what works and what doesn’t.

1. Be Comfortable. Concerts – depending on the genre – are usually the only place where all rules of acceptable clothing go out the wall. Girls show up in next to nothing, and guys think that tank tops are acceptable shirts for the middle of January. I’m not really one who gets anything from receiving attention to my body, but at the same time, I have moments when booty shorts and crop tops seem most appealing. My first suggestion is wear what you’re comfortable in, whether thats a bra and shorts or jeans and a T-shirt. If you’re constantly thinking about either covering up or stripping down, rather than focusing on the experience, it clearly wasn’t worth conforming to what those around you are wearing.

2. Be Practical. I hate being responsible for anything when I’m in such a crowded area, so my main rule is pockets, pockets, pockets. If it’s Winter, a cool pair of jeans or trousers are my go-to, as I can usually fit my phone, cash and keys easily into the pockets. Shorts are the obvious Summer choice, and I’d even wear a pair under shorter, looser fitting dresses for added storage and potential modesty. If you’re in desperate need of a bag, a backpack is definitely the way to go. As long as you’re not the douche with the giant hiking pack, a backpack will allow almost complete mobility with only minor impracticality. Luckily, we live in a day and age where backpack designs are borderline breathtaking (note the two examples above, both of which I’m obsessed with). Similarly, make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes that are durable enough not to fall apart or allow your feet to feel the hundreds of people that will inevitably step on them. I recommend a cool pair of sneakers.

3. Be fun. Like I said, concerts are almost the single place where society holds no magnifying glass to how to present yourself. So, if there are crazy colours or trends you’d never be daring enough to wear in real life, this is the time to try them out! Bright colours are a must, whether they’re on your clothes, accessories, nails or makeup. Been dying to try those rhinestone fake lashes? That lavender lipstick? Do it! As long as you’re comfortable and feel like yourself, there’s no shame in being a little extravagant. My only caution would be the hairstyle. If you have short hair, you’re in the clear, but concerts can be a sweaty hell if there’s masses of long hair clinging to your neck (note back to tip #2). Buns and ponytails are ideal, but don’t be afraid to try out that new spiked headband or rhinestone clip.

For a little taste of my Major Lazer experience, check out this clip of Diplo rolling around the crowd in a plastic bubble. 🙂

xo, Syd