#2 be vain, do what you want

So, I’ve been feeling really inspired by Quinta B’s Milly Rock video. The reasons being 1. Quinta 2. The high level of satisfaction I get by saying, ‘On. Any. Block.’ in the various situations I find myself in (clapping may be involved). So, this post is brought to you by Quinta B because without her as external motivation my willingness to do anything is pretty low soooo #claps4Quinta

...On any block.

A video posted by Quinta B (@quintab) on Mar 3, 2016 at 2:05pm PST

Anyway, it was depressingly grey and drizzling today and I was stuck inside studying, which is pretty much how I plan to spend the rest of my spring semester because I need to pass these classes. Between aforementioned classes, working, and the time suck that is commuting via public transportation I’m kinda fucking busy. As an undergraduate, I’ll admit to coping with my time issues (mainly, not having a lot of free time) by secretly crying wearing a basic wardrobe of t-shirts, big sweaters, leggings as pants (haters gonna hate), and a lot of black/neutral colors. Friends who know me, correct me if I’m wrong. Admittedly, my grad school wardrobe hasn’t changed that much, I’m just wearing better outfits formulated from the same (well, very similar) base clothing.

I dunno why, but I had this idea that when I went to graduate school the way I dressed would undergo a radical overhaul because:

1. As an adultier adult, I had to give up all comfy casual wear, including but not limited to my daytime thot clothing
2. Grad school is basically the precursor to full time work, and work is life, so I need to dress like I’m going to work for the rest of my life until I die
3. ?????

Yeah, I realized immediately that nothing was gonna change majorly on the wardrobe front once I actually got accepted into my graduate program because who has the funds for that? So, with the reality another two years of paltry part-time wages ahead of me I decided to prove to myself that despite my desire for new clothes, I could pull myself together and dress appropriately for most situations life threw at me without resorting to buying whole new outfits. Note, I’m not talking about professional attire (suiting, corporate setting clothing)- sorry kids, but you can’t really fake that. I would just suggest buying the nicest things that you can afford. (Don’ go to J-crew on a Rainbow budget y’all, it’ll just end in pain, regret, and overcharge fees if you ‘forgot’ what your account balance actually was.)

Case in point, this is what I wore today. Well, the top half:

serving bathroom selfie realness since the early 2000s

The pants are not quite as comfy as real leggings (which I still wear as pants, don’t get it twisted) BUT they are comfortable enough and make it look like I tried, which is important.

NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS, APPEARANCE IS A PART OF THE IMPRESSION YOU MAKE. SINCE IMPRESSIONS MATTER, APPEARANCE MATTERS.

This isn’t any respectability politics crap either, I don’t abide by that foolery, but it is important to not look any sort of way in school, work, etc.

For example; I met with a professor today. We were just talking about the class, job prospects and all that, and then without any prompting from me they told me they’d write a reference letter for me if needed. They said I seemed like a good student and a responsible employee, and other stuff like that pertinent to our conversation. Seemed.

To seem: to appear, to be, to feel, etc.

Appearance matters.

me as a wee undergrad (sophmore or junior year)

and this is me now as a salty grad student

Not very different objectively, but I think I dress a little nicer than I used to.

So, despite what my mom thinks I’ve been making a bit more of an effort to look decent and not like the constantly tired zombie person I truly am inside.

I’m not saying dress in a certain style (unless you’re in a place with a dress code). To potential graduate students I’m just gonna say, if you want to differentiate yourself from undergrad you (or undergraduates in general), ditch your worn university hoodie as the main component of your outfit, if you’re going to wear leggings as pants make sure they’re kinda nice. Do your hair. Don’t change completely, just refine your style.

And wear comfortable shoes because uncomfortable shoes are no joke. Uggs are my fashion vice; ugly as heck (they are folks, lets be objective) HOWEVER they are warm toasty outside slippers, and the only thing keeping me going to class on the colder days so you and your friends can pry the Uggs from my warm, cozy feet. (DON’T WEAR UGGS TO INTERVIEWS THO, THINK OF THE CHILDREN/YOURSELF)   

PS: Do your hair. Really. It makes everything look better. Just trust me on this. I went through a rough patch in undergrad hair-wise, and I’m just gonna leave it at that. 

It's hard to tell what I'm wearing really since it's all black and I take shitty photos, but I'll list the stuff:

• Uniqlo HEATTECH Scoop Neck Shirt (I buy them when they're on sale)
• John Paul Richard Sweater bought from Macy's (clearance)
• American Apparel Riding Pants  although I get them off Ebay when I find a pair in my size 
• Uggs; these actually went on sale a few months ago (I know, still too $$$). They were my winter splurge
• Lantern Necklace from Argeny. They're a black owned (two sisters) and based in Canada. When I bought the necklace there was a 50% off holiday promotion, but I think they have free shipping now 

#1

I am a woman of many interests with neither the budget nor time to pursue them. I have started countless blogs (okay, like 3) all of which I have abandoned (except for my tumblr accounts because sometimes you need the thrill of ‘peak-a-boo oh no a slew of porn’ as you play on your phone in public).

Indeed, between full-time studenting (I’m a graduate student and I make up words. Fight me) and working jobs above minimum wage but still low-paying enough to keep the inner bitterness alive (I know I should be making more money grandma, but I can’t really balance a full-time class load and a full-time job...) I have long accepted I need some sort of outlet to keep myself from breaking down in a pool of millennial angst with a side of high-achiever’s anxiety (What if I don’t get a job that pays me enough to pay off my loans?!?!? Yeah, unacceptable.)

I thought blogging would be my outlet. I still think it will be my outlet. I've just been going about it the wrong way.

My two main loves in life are shopping and food (well, the loves I'm willing to extrapolate about on social media). I love food because FOOD, and I love shopping because I believe in the power of nice clothing and the temporary fix of retail therapy. I shop and eat when I'm stressed; I've done a lot of shopping and eating these past six years. (I know as a young 20 something I should be saving; I'll start saving in earnest when I have a full-time job, which should be in about 428 days so fuck off, let me have my vices. Yes, this was a preemptive fuck off for the people who might judge my frivolous spending. I also hashtag remorselessly #alldaysavage)

I’ve always wanted to make a fashion blog but never did because 1. I’m broke broke brokety broke 2. I’m broke 3. I don’t vary my outfits enough for OOTD type posts due to apathy and work uniforms at my *AMWJ #1 and Finally 4. How could my broke ass make a fashion blog worth being on the same internet as some of these fashionable, full-time job having people?

At the end of the day, my last bastion of insecurity won out and I quietly closed down my previous blogs because I thought they weren’t good enough, because I wasn’t good enough yet. (Well, except for the last blog. I shut that one down because paying for my domain name got old pretty quick.) 

Why the eff shouldn’t I blog about clothing? I shop, don’t I? Low street and high street fashion have no bearing on my real life shopping decisions; the cheaper the better is my life motto (95% of the time), and I still don’t understand how a sale shirt can cost more than 5 dollars. I’m about quality and quantity; I try to buy nice things when they’re super cheap, which might be the reason people who don’t know me think I’m a rich bitch but that is literally a topic for a different day. But I’ve digressed.

So, hello. It’s me. I’m a broke grad student who likes to shop.

BROKE HEAUX CHRONICLES.

*AMWJ = Almost Minimum Wage Job