Hey everyone! I hope 2012 has been treating y'all well thus far!
I had hoped to do this sooner but as my tweetlings may be aware of, I was dealing with a lot of sickness the past few weeks which led to a lot more oversleeping and time spent on killing more of it till I was better and able to handle a full thought process (not that thinking ever ends for me anyway). Nonetheless, here I am, alive and well and ready to finally set my current goals into digital words. I will say this before I jump into it that the whole notion of creating resolutions every new year isn't quite my thing in the same regard to others. I am continuously making goals for myself throughout the year because we never fully know what is ahead of us in life.
tl;dr: LIFE CHANGES AND SO DO OUR GOALS!
So what I like to do at the start of a new year is simply to list what I have in mind at that point; something of a to-do list for the time ahead of me, if you will. That means I can add as I go as well as eliminate. It's much better to be open about these things than to simply decide "I'M GOING TO HIT THE GYM!" and be disappointed by the increasing amount of time spent NOT going to the gym--the initiative just doesn't seem to be there and it also takes away from the real sense of accomplishment.Ultimately this is to further bring forth and nurture myself (that being why I give it the name seen in the title--the different spelling will be explained later on). As I'm sure you've come to know of me now, I enjoy the written word and take it to heart; therefore, I treat my goals the same way. Lastly, can I say how good it feels to have that somewhat physical notification that you've accomplished something, even if it is completely beyond that? I honestly recommend you give it a try.
And without further ado, here's my own goals (not necessarily in a specific order, but you can see that some hold greater priority and influence others):
Simply Life
1. Get a hold of a manageable part-time job
2. Seek out the first apartment
3. Earn an internship
4. Feel free to take some time for the self to explore and grow
5. Don't over-analyze close friends but do keep a close watch over acquaintances
6. Keep cooking little by little--no microwave included
7. Don't let the stress win
8. Make the hopes to maintain the blogs well a reality, no matter what life decides to toss
9. Stay in school (lol--more seriously, stay focused)
Fashion & Beauty
1. Don't be afraid to be bold and step out of the comfort zone
2. Don't be afraid to be minimal and step out of the comfort zone
3. Step away from "fast fashion" even more.
4. Endorse the designers that make the heart pitter-patter with euphoria however possible
5. Go into the luxury stores and dream till obtainable
6. Tend to the body fully--keep a healthy wardrobe and cosmetic collection; clean out and feed when necessary and not in excess
Passions
1. Keep protesting as long as it feels right
2. Get more involved in the social sphere--discuss, learn, and educate
3. Write all ideas down and don't leave them to fade; develop the worthwhile
4. Spread into social media more and reach out further
5. Wow someone through talent
6. Go on an adventure or five
7. DANCE!!! (This would be that explanation, by the way)
I hope to share many of these with you in the future, whether it be just telling you all about it or actually surprising someone with a gift. Nonetheless, what goals do you have in mind for now? How do you plan on making them happen? Are they for the just now or for the long term? Any ideas after giving this a read? Any tips regarding how to achieve my own goals? How do you plan on celebrating your accomplishments?
Here's to a busy but possible year ahead! Cheers!
Hasta Luego!
Love,
Little Luna
P.S. This same post will be visible on In a Mental State as well.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year!
Hey everyone!
Welcome to 2012! I hope everyone's start to it was well. My own took a while to kick in but it got there eventually, along with teaching me my first few lessons of the year, so I'd say that's a good start! As I was quite absent in 2011, I'd like to waste no more time. With that, I leave a celebratory photo and hope to chat some more soon!
By the way, do share your own ventures in the start of a new year. Do you have resolutions, plans, goals, etc. set to take place? And, because you know I love to see and hear about your own fabulosities, how glammed up or dressed down were you when 2012 began?
Best of luck with all your plans for the year! Let's all work hard to make as stellar as possible!
Hasta Luego!
Love,
Little Luna
Welcome to 2012! I hope everyone's start to it was well. My own took a while to kick in but it got there eventually, along with teaching me my first few lessons of the year, so I'd say that's a good start! As I was quite absent in 2011, I'd like to waste no more time. With that, I leave a celebratory photo and hope to chat some more soon!
By the way, do share your own ventures in the start of a new year. Do you have resolutions, plans, goals, etc. set to take place? And, because you know I love to see and hear about your own fabulosities, how glammed up or dressed down were you when 2012 began?
Best of luck with all your plans for the year! Let's all work hard to make as stellar as possible!
Hasta Luego!
Love,
Little Luna
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
The Fast, the Furious, and the Fashionable
Hey everyone!
I hope you've all been well during my blogging absence. I seem to have an odd habit of skipping out during October. Then again, it may not be all that odd seeing as exams and paper seem to be never-ending during that time--if you're also in college, I'm sure you know what I mean. :P Anyway, I'm back, and right in time for Thanksgiving! Disregarding the history of colonialism and genocide that is attached-yet-ignored, I enjoy having the day off for the sole purpose of pausing and seeing what has gotten me through another year and being grateful for the accomplishments, downfalls, and everything in between.
Before I skip over to that, though, I'm going to backtrack all the way to September once again! Not intending to tout my own horn, but the blog attracts readers from all over the world and so while Winter is right around the corner for me, many of you are enjoying Spring elsewhere and so some earlier examples of how I made it through the transitional season of Fall may (hopefully) be a source of inspiration for you. Then again, the weather's been so wonky for us in the States that perhaps it doesn't matter and you'll be able to pull off a lovely autumnal look regardless!
Anyway, let's jump right into it! The same week as IFBCon I only had one day of school, and lucky me, it was a rainy day that I decided to oversleep a bit on. I also had plans with my friend for the evening for Fashion's Night Out and knew I wouldn't have much time at home to change into something completely different. So how do you handle having to look good on a crappy day AND while in a hurry? Here's the formula I came up with for daytime and evening (don't hate on my Rugrats sheets):
Hasta Luego! And since the time has come, Happy Thanksgiving! Please keep in mind what brought the holiday to be and be able to decipher what is worth being thankful for, both good and bad.
I hope you've all been well during my blogging absence. I seem to have an odd habit of skipping out during October. Then again, it may not be all that odd seeing as exams and paper seem to be never-ending during that time--if you're also in college, I'm sure you know what I mean. :P Anyway, I'm back, and right in time for Thanksgiving! Disregarding the history of colonialism and genocide that is attached-yet-ignored, I enjoy having the day off for the sole purpose of pausing and seeing what has gotten me through another year and being grateful for the accomplishments, downfalls, and everything in between.
Before I skip over to that, though, I'm going to backtrack all the way to September once again! Not intending to tout my own horn, but the blog attracts readers from all over the world and so while Winter is right around the corner for me, many of you are enjoying Spring elsewhere and so some earlier examples of how I made it through the transitional season of Fall may (hopefully) be a source of inspiration for you. Then again, the weather's been so wonky for us in the States that perhaps it doesn't matter and you'll be able to pull off a lovely autumnal look regardless!
Anyway, let's jump right into it! The same week as IFBCon I only had one day of school, and lucky me, it was a rainy day that I decided to oversleep a bit on. I also had plans with my friend for the evening for Fashion's Night Out and knew I wouldn't have much time at home to change into something completely different. So how do you handle having to look good on a crappy day AND while in a hurry? Here's the formula I came up with for daytime and evening (don't hate on my Rugrats sheets):
Start off with a dressy and flattering top
Jeans are a great go-to item but wearing the right pair is essential. For daytime, a distressed straight-legged tones down the dressiness of the top but cuffing them helps to keep the look clean. Come nighttime, switch it to a plain dark skinny keeps you looking svelte and chic.
During the day was rainy so some scuffed up ankle boots such as the ones to the left are perfect to be comfortable, dry, and able to hurry anywhere without a problem. The evening was much more misty so switch it up to some heeled booties that will also keep your tootsies dry while looking good and keeping comfy.
Belt it up with a simple belt. As you can see, I kept things black thus far so let the accessories make the outfit stand out.
For toppers, a nice vest with a fantastic design on the back does well for both day and night. Due to the morning rain, I also had this chic navy jacket and rolled the sleeves up a bit to better the fit.
A backpack is great for those days on the run to school--just throw your books, pens, and any other essentials in and your packed! This one pairs nicely with the outfit due to the minor detail of the brown buttons on the jacket. For evening, switch it up and minimize the load with a cute clutch. Grey and black with hints of pink, this makes for a great pop to your outfit as well as a guide for your makeup.
When it comes to hair and makeup, you want to keep it unfussy and fantastic with minimal effort. With hair, keep it loose during the day but adding a lovely headband that contrasts with the top gives it a nice touch. For evening, a simple side ponytail with an accent, such as these contrasting flower pins brings forth the same effect in a more elegant way.
Lastly, keep your makeup as simple as you can! This double duty mascara is great as you can add some length for the day and then pack on the volume for evening. As for the lips, moisturized lips are essential before anything. A nice cutesy pink such as that on the left is a great choice for the day and looks very sweet on a rainy day at that while an in-your-face fuchsia ups the ante at night.
And with that, you're ready to go!
Off to school!
Prepped for the city without a hair out of place!
I've had a few more days on the run since then and I have to say, this "formula," if you will, has really proven to be fantastic! But what about you? How do you prep when you're in a rush and the odds seem stacked against you? Do you have any key pieces that you resort to in such a scenario? Do you have your own formula set up? Did you get to enjoy Fashion's Night Out forever ago?
With that, I'll leave you with some photos from my ventures with my best friend Henry from our night!
The Sephora at Times Square got some amazing dancers to perform from outside into the store! To be honest, I went in looking for Michelle Phan though.
Desigual looks amazing always!
We spent our time at Lord & Taylor, who broke each store level into a different part of the city and had DJs playing music relative to each area's culture!
Party time and we poppin' champagne!
Our photo op together--we're absolute dorks! <3
He bought these fantastic Steve Madden shoes on sale and got a foot scoop for free as well!
He has pizzazz! Hee hee
Hasta Luego! And since the time has come, Happy Thanksgiving! Please keep in mind what brought the holiday to be and be able to decipher what is worth being thankful for, both good and bad.
Love,
Little Luna
Friday, September 16, 2011
"What Kind of Blogger am I?" My IFBCon Experience (EDIT: Pics of Mani Added)
Hello there guys and gals!
I didn't predict this past week at school being so busy as it was but nonetheless, I've seen it through and I'm ready to try and bring you back up to speed on all that's been going on! This weekend is going to be a challenge to try and tackle 4-5 posts (!) as my birthday falls right in the middle, but I'm a lady who doesn't like to give up so before I start going wild with the festivities, I definitely owe it to you all to share something for helping this past year be as amazing as it has been.
I previously spoke about the IFBCon that I was going to attend, and attend I did! The day was a bit dreary and so getting dress became a hassle, seeing as I can't think of a time looking stylish ever meant more! Due to the time, though, I ended up walking out in a decent outfit but nothing I felt too fantastic in; just decent. I made arrived at MILK Studios and entered a room filled with amazingly dressed individuals, playing with every style, trend, and price point imaginable!
I hurried to take a seat, having arrived just in time for the first panel, "Bloggers Tool Kit," and I couldn't have been happier to have done so. It was my favorite of them all! The panelists, Leandra Medine of Man Repeller, Vahni Georgoulakos of Grit and Glamour, Sammy Davis of Sammy Davis Vintage, Erica Chan Coffman and Lauren Kolodny of Honestly WTF, and Alisa Gould Simon of Pose.com, along with moderator Christen Rochon of Divas & Dorks, discussed all social media platforms available to bloggers and how they provide benefits as well as negatives, unless one is able to really figure out what works best. They also spoke about maintaining attentiveness to your audience: What posts are most popular? When do you get the most views? Where is a good portion of your audience located? What are they saying in regards to your content? All these factors not only help you as a blogger out to keep improving your content, but also, if you are interested in working with companies, these are essential in obtaining offers. Knowing the statistics behind your blog is absolutely important for companies wanting to be sure they are having the right people marketing their products to their designated audience. This isn't really something that interests me, and I'll speak more on that later, but as it was a part of the panel, I felt it should be mentioned in case any others held interest. Lastly, they spoke of the importance of knowing what kind of blogger you are--what I found to be the most crucial point of the panel. Examples were Sammy Davis and her focus on Vintage fashion while Leandra Medine's focus was on all those fashionable items that seem to make men turn the other way and why they should be embraced! What kind of blogger am I? Keep reading...
Then there was break time, in which I enjoyed some seriously delicious ice cream on behalf of Magnum Ice Cream! SO GOOD EVERYONE!! Do your best to check them out if you can. It had to be my second best ice cream experience ever! (My first was in a Häggen-Dazs down in Chinatown offering a special vanilla ice cream with banana and caramel and, I kid you not, I practically orgasmed due to the goodness.) I was also being really shy so I didn't really talk to many people and sat at my seat like a lonely kid eating their ice cream in a busy fashionable playground.
The next panel, "Is the Social Media Industry Broken?" honestly carried little interest to me. It wasn't due to the panelists, who were very engaging in their discussion, but the topic of trying to make your blog into a profitable commodity was not my thing. Personally, I do not plan on making my blog a form of capitalization and could care less about whether social media is engineered to further consumer nature in regards to blogs. I can safely declare right now that my blogs will remain free of advertisements off to the side and I won't gain a cent out of anything on here unless it is because of a collaboration between myself and a company or product I actually support. Actually, that last point was a very talked about issue within the panel that did spark my interest--the genuineness a blogger places when promoting anything or anyone. To quote the panelist John Januzzi of Textbook, "If you aren't genuine about the brands you love, people will see right through it," and this applies to companies as well as your audience (if you look at Januzzi's blog, be prepared for the ultimate genuinely funny and fashionable soul). Being a genuine blogger at all times, in my opinion, should remain a priority and should never fall to the back burner just to be able to work with a notable brand when you could really care less about them.
For the lunch break, since I got little sleep the previous night and really wasn't thrilled about the blandness of my outfit, I went home to take a nap and change into something much better (the pictures below aren't the full outfit--I added my black multi-chain necklace, added my vintage black patches bag and pulled my hair up into a ponytail). When I left the door and arrived back at MILK, I felt refreshed and like I really fit in then.
I skipped over the third panel, "Balancing Act: Business & Blogging" in order to take that nap, and though I heard that Ari Goldberg of StyleCaster was really owning it, it was, again, geared towards those who had an interest in making blogging their career and how to conduct yourself in a proper manner to rise up and make yourself into a worthy brand in the eyes of many (Noticing a trend yet?). If I had gone, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it insofar as getting a tip here and there as someone who does balance school and blogging, with work soon to join the mix, but I felt it wasn't something truly for me and worth looking like a lame zombie over.
When I did arrive, though, "Evolution of Fashion Media," the fourth and final panel, was taking place and that was quite the pleasure! Discussion on how fashion blogs set themselves apart from the other forms of fashion media, the emphasis on what makes a great blog great, and the issues that still need to be tackled as social media and blogging continue to evolve took place in a very fun and insightful manner. Mr. Mickey of PaperMag (Do yourself the favor and get to know Mr. Mickey--the fact that he is recognized by that name says so much), Mary HK Choi of MTV Style, Claire Sulmers of Fashion Bomb Daily (The go-to site for urban fashion and fashionable ladies of color), Ari Seth Cohen of Advanced Style (His focus is the fashionable elderly!), Joyce Chang of People Style Watch, and Christian Remröd of Fashion Networks all communicated from different media viewpoints and engaged in a really positive discourse on where fashion blogging was headed. Also, the phrase "Platform Agnosticism" really struck my interests--the idea that different social media platforms favored by bloggers are available in restricted ways such as Instagram for the iPhone should be eliminated and should be offered in a way that favors the user, not the provider. Did I mention that the moderator, Ann Colville Somma of HolierthanNow looked amazing (though I was too far back to snap a shot of her).
We took another break, and I broke out of my noob nerves and ended up chatting with Sammy Davis herself, who is actually friends with a friend of mine (and was the one who told us to meet up with each other), Robert Dean of The Stranger Speaks on YouTube! We didn't get to talk very long but she was really a wonderful, positive person that rubs off on you so quickly. I hope to see her again soon! I also caught these lovely sisters, Rachel and Nicole Effendy of Rachel et Nicole, sparking up the room together--and temporarily make me wish I had a sibling who was just as into style as I am, but best friends who are practically related are good too!
Lastly, was the Key Note Speech by the fantastic and accomplished Creative Director of ELLE Magazine Joe Zee!! It was preceded by an amazing video by the people at MILK Studios on how fashion takes place there (I think you can already tell how crappy my camera was for the day so I wasn't able to get any video of it). As you can see, though, I managed not dying--at least not right away. While he spoke to Tina Craig of Bag Snob/Snob Global Media, I got a lovely Minx Mani maintained by Magnum (oh, the alliteration). Even though he has been in the magazine industry for 20 years now, Mr. Zee really put forth the idea that bloggers are the ones of importance when it comes to fashion--they are the number one supporting feature on ELLE's website; they are the primary source fashion lovers go to when in need of inspiration--and in fact are the FUTURE!! He said he considers himself, as well as the rest of the team at ELLE, as "content providers," putting forth these ideas and interpretations of fashion, as well as all the other aspects ELLE covers, to readers, not to kill time, but to create further discourse, setting them apart from the rest of the magazine industry (I think Neil Postman would be down with that--perhaps not the topics, but definitely the intent). Again, the topic of being a genuine person and letting it be known on your blog was brought up; it honestly can't be stressed enough! Ultimately, it is YOUR VOICE, YOUR WRITTEN WORD, that makes everything happen so speak if you have something to say and speak the truth.
Embarrassing detail time: So, as I've explained to my friends, my Eager McBeaver self got a little caught up in the Q&A portion, seriously wanting to speak to Joe Zee and I was able to ask my question. The only problem was it came out in a very wrong way. I seem to have blocked the actual words from my mind, such was my embarrassment, but it was along the lines of how one can use a blog in order to garner attention in the magazine industry, in the sense of what kind of content would an editor be interested in seeing if you were applying for an internship and brought up your blog as a way to show yourself to be a fashion saavy person. What I seemed to have gotten across, though, was that my only purpose in starting my blog was to gather the attention of an outside industry that has no immediate relation to blogging, and thus if that was all I had in mind for this, I should stop and do something else (Joe Zee is known for being a very straightforward person, as you can see). I was quietly freaking out on the inside because I felt like I had crushed my one moment in front of him, and yet, I felt enlightened.
All in all, I realized that as much fun as IFBCon was, perhaps it wasn't really the place for me. Though it did provide insight in a number of ways as well as allow me to get to know and see amazing people who are working hard to do what they love, I don't hope to get a career out of being a blogger and I don't want to monetize it. If the rare opportunity of an invitation to a fashion show or a collaboration comes up, as was the case in the summer (though I had to sadly turn it down), it will only be for the sake of having that experience and/or providing something to people who are also interested and find me as a source. That was a place for those desiring to be a professional in that field, and ultimately, that isn't the case for me. Joe Zee is correct in that the magazine and blogging industries are not connected with exception to the topics they cover, but such is the way of media, and for that, I want to thank him here for answering my question and making me realize that.
So, what kind of blogger am I?
I'm the kind of blogger who just likes to talk about what I love, primarily fashion and style. I'm the blogger who does this out of the simple love of writing and the curiosity of a developing new written form and its effect on the world. I'm the blogger who likes to have fun when she posts, not take herself too seriously, and try to make the time spent with readers and enjoyable one. I'm the blogger who wants to share without worry of trying to please someone higher up, like a company or brand. I'm the blogger who watches from the outside and takes that inspiration in order to transform each day into another part of myself; my blog the collection of who I am as a whole.
I am the blogger Emi Love, a.k.a Little Luna, and it is who I will always be.
Hasta Luego!
Love,
Little Luna
P.S. If you'd like to hear more about what went down that day, there's a list of other blogs that covered the event over at IFB. Enjoy!
EDIT: I totally forgot to add some pictures I took later on of my Minx Mani that I spoke so fondly of! If you're curious to see, check it out (as long as you don't mind my dorkiness--but if you're a frequent reader, the answer must be no :P):
I didn't predict this past week at school being so busy as it was but nonetheless, I've seen it through and I'm ready to try and bring you back up to speed on all that's been going on! This weekend is going to be a challenge to try and tackle 4-5 posts (!) as my birthday falls right in the middle, but I'm a lady who doesn't like to give up so before I start going wild with the festivities, I definitely owe it to you all to share something for helping this past year be as amazing as it has been.
I previously spoke about the IFBCon that I was going to attend, and attend I did! The day was a bit dreary and so getting dress became a hassle, seeing as I can't think of a time looking stylish ever meant more! Due to the time, though, I ended up walking out in a decent outfit but nothing I felt too fantastic in; just decent. I made arrived at MILK Studios and entered a room filled with amazingly dressed individuals, playing with every style, trend, and price point imaginable!
I hurried to take a seat, having arrived just in time for the first panel, "Bloggers Tool Kit," and I couldn't have been happier to have done so. It was my favorite of them all! The panelists, Leandra Medine of Man Repeller, Vahni Georgoulakos of Grit and Glamour, Sammy Davis of Sammy Davis Vintage, Erica Chan Coffman and Lauren Kolodny of Honestly WTF, and Alisa Gould Simon of Pose.com, along with moderator Christen Rochon of Divas & Dorks, discussed all social media platforms available to bloggers and how they provide benefits as well as negatives, unless one is able to really figure out what works best. They also spoke about maintaining attentiveness to your audience: What posts are most popular? When do you get the most views? Where is a good portion of your audience located? What are they saying in regards to your content? All these factors not only help you as a blogger out to keep improving your content, but also, if you are interested in working with companies, these are essential in obtaining offers. Knowing the statistics behind your blog is absolutely important for companies wanting to be sure they are having the right people marketing their products to their designated audience. This isn't really something that interests me, and I'll speak more on that later, but as it was a part of the panel, I felt it should be mentioned in case any others held interest. Lastly, they spoke of the importance of knowing what kind of blogger you are--what I found to be the most crucial point of the panel. Examples were Sammy Davis and her focus on Vintage fashion while Leandra Medine's focus was on all those fashionable items that seem to make men turn the other way and why they should be embraced! What kind of blogger am I? Keep reading...
Then there was break time, in which I enjoyed some seriously delicious ice cream on behalf of Magnum Ice Cream! SO GOOD EVERYONE!! Do your best to check them out if you can. It had to be my second best ice cream experience ever! (My first was in a Häggen-Dazs down in Chinatown offering a special vanilla ice cream with banana and caramel and, I kid you not, I practically orgasmed due to the goodness.) I was also being really shy so I didn't really talk to many people and sat at my seat like a lonely kid eating their ice cream in a busy fashionable playground.
The next panel, "Is the Social Media Industry Broken?" honestly carried little interest to me. It wasn't due to the panelists, who were very engaging in their discussion, but the topic of trying to make your blog into a profitable commodity was not my thing. Personally, I do not plan on making my blog a form of capitalization and could care less about whether social media is engineered to further consumer nature in regards to blogs. I can safely declare right now that my blogs will remain free of advertisements off to the side and I won't gain a cent out of anything on here unless it is because of a collaboration between myself and a company or product I actually support. Actually, that last point was a very talked about issue within the panel that did spark my interest--the genuineness a blogger places when promoting anything or anyone. To quote the panelist John Januzzi of Textbook, "If you aren't genuine about the brands you love, people will see right through it," and this applies to companies as well as your audience (if you look at Januzzi's blog, be prepared for the ultimate genuinely funny and fashionable soul). Being a genuine blogger at all times, in my opinion, should remain a priority and should never fall to the back burner just to be able to work with a notable brand when you could really care less about them.
For the lunch break, since I got little sleep the previous night and really wasn't thrilled about the blandness of my outfit, I went home to take a nap and change into something much better (the pictures below aren't the full outfit--I added my black multi-chain necklace, added my vintage black patches bag and pulled my hair up into a ponytail). When I left the door and arrived back at MILK, I felt refreshed and like I really fit in then.
When I did arrive, though, "Evolution of Fashion Media," the fourth and final panel, was taking place and that was quite the pleasure! Discussion on how fashion blogs set themselves apart from the other forms of fashion media, the emphasis on what makes a great blog great, and the issues that still need to be tackled as social media and blogging continue to evolve took place in a very fun and insightful manner. Mr. Mickey of PaperMag (Do yourself the favor and get to know Mr. Mickey--the fact that he is recognized by that name says so much), Mary HK Choi of MTV Style, Claire Sulmers of Fashion Bomb Daily (The go-to site for urban fashion and fashionable ladies of color), Ari Seth Cohen of Advanced Style (His focus is the fashionable elderly!), Joyce Chang of People Style Watch, and Christian Remröd of Fashion Networks all communicated from different media viewpoints and engaged in a really positive discourse on where fashion blogging was headed. Also, the phrase "Platform Agnosticism" really struck my interests--the idea that different social media platforms favored by bloggers are available in restricted ways such as Instagram for the iPhone should be eliminated and should be offered in a way that favors the user, not the provider. Did I mention that the moderator, Ann Colville Somma of HolierthanNow looked amazing (though I was too far back to snap a shot of her).
We took another break, and I broke out of my noob nerves and ended up chatting with Sammy Davis herself, who is actually friends with a friend of mine (and was the one who told us to meet up with each other), Robert Dean of The Stranger Speaks on YouTube! We didn't get to talk very long but she was really a wonderful, positive person that rubs off on you so quickly. I hope to see her again soon! I also caught these lovely sisters, Rachel and Nicole Effendy of Rachel et Nicole, sparking up the room together--and temporarily make me wish I had a sibling who was just as into style as I am, but best friends who are practically related are good too!
(Love the eyebrow frame glasses the gal in yellow was rocking)
(The Aldo station and all their fabulous shoes--to die for!!!)
(The Magnum Ice Cream Lounge Area and Mani Bar remained packed all throughout the day)
(Rachel Et Nicole--I'd love to take on both their outfits--Love their coordination!)
(Jeannine Jacob of The Coveted and the mind behind IFB)
(The MILK Studios owners)
(You can just tell what an enthusiastic character Joe Zee has--a pleasure to have seen and heard him speak)
Embarrassing detail time: So, as I've explained to my friends, my Eager McBeaver self got a little caught up in the Q&A portion, seriously wanting to speak to Joe Zee and I was able to ask my question. The only problem was it came out in a very wrong way. I seem to have blocked the actual words from my mind, such was my embarrassment, but it was along the lines of how one can use a blog in order to garner attention in the magazine industry, in the sense of what kind of content would an editor be interested in seeing if you were applying for an internship and brought up your blog as a way to show yourself to be a fashion saavy person. What I seemed to have gotten across, though, was that my only purpose in starting my blog was to gather the attention of an outside industry that has no immediate relation to blogging, and thus if that was all I had in mind for this, I should stop and do something else (Joe Zee is known for being a very straightforward person, as you can see). I was quietly freaking out on the inside because I felt like I had crushed my one moment in front of him, and yet, I felt enlightened.
All in all, I realized that as much fun as IFBCon was, perhaps it wasn't really the place for me. Though it did provide insight in a number of ways as well as allow me to get to know and see amazing people who are working hard to do what they love, I don't hope to get a career out of being a blogger and I don't want to monetize it. If the rare opportunity of an invitation to a fashion show or a collaboration comes up, as was the case in the summer (though I had to sadly turn it down), it will only be for the sake of having that experience and/or providing something to people who are also interested and find me as a source. That was a place for those desiring to be a professional in that field, and ultimately, that isn't the case for me. Joe Zee is correct in that the magazine and blogging industries are not connected with exception to the topics they cover, but such is the way of media, and for that, I want to thank him here for answering my question and making me realize that.
So, what kind of blogger am I?
I'm the kind of blogger who just likes to talk about what I love, primarily fashion and style. I'm the blogger who does this out of the simple love of writing and the curiosity of a developing new written form and its effect on the world. I'm the blogger who likes to have fun when she posts, not take herself too seriously, and try to make the time spent with readers and enjoyable one. I'm the blogger who wants to share without worry of trying to please someone higher up, like a company or brand. I'm the blogger who watches from the outside and takes that inspiration in order to transform each day into another part of myself; my blog the collection of who I am as a whole.
I am the blogger Emi Love, a.k.a Little Luna, and it is who I will always be.
Hasta Luego!
Love,
Little Luna
P.S. If you'd like to hear more about what went down that day, there's a list of other blogs that covered the event over at IFB. Enjoy!
EDIT: I totally forgot to add some pictures I took later on of my Minx Mani that I spoke so fondly of! If you're curious to see, check it out (as long as you don't mind my dorkiness--but if you're a frequent reader, the answer must be no :P):
Lovely little fish scales
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