Don't Stop Me Now

My darling friend Gabbie Amontree of Solo Tandem Ride was lovely enough to take my senior // graduation photos for me. She sent me the rest of the set yesterday & I wanted to share them on Stellar Piece. As you can see, my favorite pose involved me gripping on to a tree branch for dear life.

In all seriousness, I can't believe that I've graduated from college. It's been two weeks since I walked across the Sun Dome stage & it's still surreal to me. 

When I graduated from high school in 2010, I had legitimately no idea what I wanted to do. I went to community college for two years, which I honestly recommend to anyone. I thought it was going to be the worst place ever, but HCC was pretty cool because I didn't know what I wanted to do anyways. To be honest, I was super lazy while I was at HCC though. I would go to class, eat and sleep. I gained a bunch of weight & didn't feel very passionate about anything.

Everything changed when transferred to the University of South Florida in the fall of 2012. After taking a marketing class during my last semester at HCC, I realized that it was something that I wanted to learn more about. I decided to major in Mass Communications with a concentration in Advertising. Right after school began that fall, I created Stellar Piece. It was just meant to be a random place where I could put my photos and thoughts but it's turned into much more for me.

Then I found CollegeFashionista. I began writing as a Style Guru a year after I was settled in at USF. I've been in love with it ever since. Amy, Melissa & Sammy have taught me so much about fashion, writing and photography. They always give me such great feedback, feature my articles on the homepage & allow me to participate in various brand campaigns. I love it so much that I've decided to write for them during the summer while I'm in NYC. I cannot wait to to be their marketing intern in the city this summer.

I guess the point is that I made fashion, photography & writing the main priorities in my life. They changed everything. They gave me the confidence I was lacking. They kept me busy. They made me want to search for & pursue opportunities. Now I'm less than two weeks away from leaving for NYC where I'll be working with CollegeFashionista & Marie Claire. I'm thrilled to work my ass off, prove my potential & see where my passions take me. 

 "Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." - George Bernard Shaw

Love,

A

Details: Dress: Zara // Shoes: Nine West 

// Photography: Gabbie Amontree

Panini Palz

There comes a time in every relationship where things get serious. Maybe it's when you introduce each other to your parents, maybe it's when you move in together, or maybe you play it safe & adopt a pet. Well, A & I are virtually inseparable & are already spiritually adopted by each other's families. Oh, & we don't really take too many things very seriously anyway...

So, we went halfsies on a Panini Press & decided it was time to be adults.  We picked out the one we wanted at Target, but they were sold out. Rather than settle, we waited patiently (proud of u, A.) 

Once we brought her home, we unpacked her & A nearly immediately burned her hand while I tried to read the instructions. Once we figured out how to turn it on, we made some grilled cheeses & basked in our newfound glory. After years of eating slimy pressed sandwiches at the USF Dining Halls, ya boy knows how to press a grilled cheese. #peacesign

While I handled the GC, it's still obvious that we're novices with this thing. Word to the wise: don't spread anything on a sandwich before you press it. Hot slimy mayo, yuuuuucckkk.

Same purchase, I bought a big pitcher for making Crystal Light iced tea in, something that was a staple at my parents house growing up. Somewhere in my house is a photo of four-year-old me, standing next to a miniature Christmas tree, smiling in disbelief that I'm taller than a tree. But since I don't have that scanned, just look at the photos of me with a massive mason jar of iced tea for a similar tickled expression. I doubt I'll ever lose the kid in me.

Oh, & we've got big plans for this panini press thing. Cheese & lunch meat is just cracking the surface, friends. We're talking gourmet fruit-enhanced sandwiches, panini pizzas, DESSERT PANINIS (thanks for the cinnamon vanilla sugar powder from New Orleans, mom!!) & any other crazy concoction we can come up with. You're all cordially invited to a panini party at my apartment~~

I'm quite excited to be experimenting with a new toy with my pal, A. Nothing says, "wow, you guys are the most domesticated 20 year olds I've ever met" than being hyped on a sandwich press grill & a beverage pitcher, but we are who we are & I wouldn't change us for anything. 

PS - I'm serious about that panini party.

Love,

J

Tampa FAM Weekend

Finals week has been killing the both of us. While cramming for multiple straight days of exams, A & I have been itching to get out of the house & have some fun.

But thankfully, the Skatepark of Tampa schedules their annual Tampa Am contest right around the same time as USF's finals week. We happily took the opportunity to call up our friends on Friday night, drop our responsibilities & head out to the Tampa premiere of Nike SB's new video, SB Chronicles Vol. 2 at the beautiful Tampa Theatre downtown. After slaving through a long semester, it was so fun to get silly with our Tampa family. 

I mean, look at that crew though. I'll take you from left to right. Steve Berens, Joanna Ritter, Toni Wieber, Andrea Landsdale, J & A, Josh Garno, David Kirk, Jack Ferreira, Hannah Milden, & BJ Townley. And what a handsome bunch at that.

The premiere kicked off one of the best nights of our lives. Aside from the video being insane, we all had fun stargazing at semi-famous skateboarders (especially Jack Ferreira) screaming out at the top of our lungs, & convincing almost-too-cool photographers to take a massive family photo of us. Plus, Kenny Anderson found a cozy seat directly in front of A during the video (sup Kenny!!!!).

Naturally, nearly two rows full of hyped college kids only meant the night was destined to continue. We all reconvened on campus for one of the deepest-crew late-night skate sessions in USF history. I mean, there were at least 11 of us terrorizing campus at 2 a.m. 

I'm obligated to mention that at one point, we cruised past the library to find four campus police officers trying to wake a sleeping, shirtless man, "Todd", from a deep snooze on a bench outside. Homeboy would not move. They had to carry the dude out to an ambulance & everything. Somebody was partying a little too hard during finals week! Hope you're good, Dead Todd!

Thank god Aisha came through, because we captured most of the night for my homie video I'm putting together. But of course, I'm too excited & we decided to share footage from the night below.

I'm so thankful for everyone in that first picture. Not only do I have the love of my life by my side, but I'm surrounded by some of my favorite people in the entire world. Thanks everybody for coming out & hanging, last Friday was a night I'll remember when I'm way too old to skate anymore.

Love you all,

J

Lack-of-Labor Day Weekend

J & I were joking all weekend about how Labor Day weekend should really be called Lack-of-Labor Day weekend because we tried to do as little as we possibly could. Last week was our first week back at USF and we were pretty excited to veg out summer-style for a few more days. I know it sounds easy but sitting in class listening to your professor read every single word of the syllabus can really eat away at your soul...

On Friday we did what J & I do best and had a dinner // movie date. We went to Boston's, where I introduced J to the amazing world of crunchy green beans & he tried their new #PIZZABURGER. Then we went next door to Veterans & watched You're Next. It was gory & had a good plot twist, so naturally J & I walked away happy.

Saturday was a day full of last minute adventures. At first the natural planner in me hated the idea of impromptu plans, but J quickly warmed me up to them with his skills of persuasion. We started the day with a yummy little lunch at Panera Bread & wandered over to Microgroove Records where I found New Order's Blue Monday on vinyl for $2.99. On our way home, we spotted the quirkiest little comic book // music store on Hillsborough called Green Shift. As Jake & I wandered around the store that looked like it might be on next week's episode of Hoarders, he told me all about his days of comic book collecting. Watching him stare in awe at all the old vintage microphones and amps made me remember why I fell in love with Jake in the first place. He's passionate about so many things & can find beauty in even the rustiest old equipment.

Later on J persuaded me to go to the first USF football game of the season. While football isn't really my cup of tea, I had fun people watching & yelling at the players with Jake. Even later that evening, we decided to go to the Tampa Pitcher Show to check out the live action performance of the Rocky Horror Picture Show that they do every Saturday night at midnight. As RHPS 'virgins', Jake & I were pretty much clueless the entire time. Let's just say my favorite part about going to the Pitcher Show was the Shrimp Fra Diablo that J & I ate. It was "exxxtra diablo".

Sunday has become our favorite day of the week lately because of one thing: BREAKING BAD. We got some homework done during the day & came back to Jake's dorm to have a little Breaking Bad watch party with some friends. We ordered some pizza & ate some wings while we anxiously waited for Walter White's next move.

Even though we spent the majority of the morning tackling more homework, Monday was great because J & I were just happy to not be at school. We lounged around during the early afternoon & grabbed a late lunch at PDQ. In the late afternoon, we took a little trip up to Orlando to meet up with my family. On the way up, J put together a little playlist full of our favorite songs (get Spotify Premium, it's the seriously the coolest). I swear that the best times I have with Jake are when we're listening to music together and talking about anything. I haven't been able to keep my mouth shut around him since the first time I opened it. He's just the greatest when it comes to conversation & it's just another thing that I absolutely adore about the boy.

Although we are sad to see this weekend go, we're surprisingly excited to get back into the swing of things at school. We both love our classes so far & this semester seems to be full of new adventures. September is going to be the best month yet & I am so ready to see what the future holds.

Love,

A

Closet Watch: Peter Pan Collars

I was a lot thinking my own wardrobe today while I was style stalking at the USF Library Starbucks with Jacquelyn. What outfits do I wear a lot, what colors do I incorporate often, and what trends do I lean towards? 

Three words immediately came to mind: Peter Pan collars. I know that with Peter Pan collars people either love them or hate them, but I happen to absolutely adore them. Peter Pan collared tops, sweaters, and dresses are great to wear all year round and they add an air of classiness to any outfit. Also, I might be a bit biased about Peter Pan collars because my style icon // mega girl crush, Alexa Chung often incorporates them into her outfits.

 It only took me a couple minutes to scrounge up some photographs of my favorite Peter Pan collared tops and dresses that I own, so enjoy.

 H&M

 

H&M

 

 Zara

 

 Zara

 

 Target

 Forever 21

 

Zara

Here are some Peter Pan collar dresses, tops, and necklaces that I would absolutely adore seeing in my closet in the future. Especially the DANNIJO Hilde Collar Necklaces which I often see on Leandra Medine of The Man Repeller.

 

 

The Man Repeller and the incomporable Alexa Chung, wearing the DANNIJO Liberty Collar Necklace ($895)

Whether you like them or not, Peter Pan collars are here to stay (for now at least). I highly suggest that you embrace them because they are a cute way to change up your wardrobe, or in my case openly show the world about my deep, slightly creepy, adoration of Alexa.

Where do you find inspiration for your favorite trends?

~Aisha x