ATH-YOUR-LEISURE!

These days, I swear by loungewear. With our home as the new office and party destination, it seems like we’re leaning into simple comforts. By switching our jeans for sweatpants, it’s a sign that it’s bound to be our uniform for the rest of the year.

Not only are sweatpants THE new jeans, bike shorts are replacing high-waisted cutoff shorts. Stretchy, but figure-flattering, bike shorts give you the freedom to not feel constricted after a meal, which is why I like to wear them around the luxury of my own couch.

Speaking of tops, I’ve ditched my going out tops for a baggy sweatshirt, which was one of my previous college girl staples. Warm, but breathable, the long-sleeved baggy tee has been so kind to me when I indulge in açaí bowls, oat milk latte and a hearty Indonesian lunch. Also, the sweatshirt has been my latest excuse to cover my cold bare legs inside its bagginess whenever I blast the AC while watching trashy reality TV shows on Netflix.

Last but not least, my trusted Juicy Couture hoodie from 2009 is like an ex you’ve decided to rekindle your relationship with. Although Juicy Couture is more of a nostalgia brand nowadays, its cultural cachet will never die out regardless of the amount of times that fashion has tried to find the next new brand to obsess over. Since I literally grew up to Juicy, I’ve collected a number of hoodies. Out of all of them, my personal fave is the cheetah print velour hoodie, a gift from my parents that I received after they visited my sister in NYC during her college years.

Now that I’ve been so accustomed to staying in, I took the time to make this tutorial for you!

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4 loungewear staples with 2 to 3 combos to wear anywhere! Sweatpants: CM by @charlottemckinney Bike Shorts: @aloyoga Sweatshirt: @morganstewartsport Hoodie: @juicycouture (that I’ve had for 11 yrs!) Fun fact: I’ve DIY’d my checkered face mask and Mom’s tie dye Fila top! 🥰 #LivinLaVariNaDah #athleisure #loungewear #fashiontutorial #whattowear #fashionstylist #realstyle #styledbyme

A post shared by Michelle Varinata (@michyvari) on Jul 17, 2020 at 8:25am PDT

Real Girls Talk: Getting Started In Style With Taylor Burrell

A few years ago, I was still riding new on the whole influencer/blog scene. I was trying to make a space for myself, but I honestly was nervous about going near people who worked in the same field as I as I assumed that I had to keep to myself without getting too involved with competitors who had more followers than me. However, my perception changed when I networked with other fellow influencers on an app called Muses, the LinkedIn for influencers.

Inside the app, I discovered this really cool girl and I thought her style was impeccable. That girl today is Taylor Burrell, the fashionista behind @trendliketaylor. At 26, the New Jersey based fashion stylist is the reincarnation of Aaliyah. Like the singer, Burrell gravitates towards crop tops and sporty aesthetics, but unlike the mononymed diva, she will take more risks with flirty cutouts, chunky hardware and/or change it up a bit with trying out brighter hues like a Scorpio (FYI: this sign is no stranger to reinvention as every Scorpio female I know likes to take risks with their style!).

Although both of us live in different parts of the globe, our love of fashion unifies us. Today, we talk about the influence of the Teen Vogue Handbook, the realities of being a fashion stylist, how the pandemic has affected her, why BLM matters and how you can continue to support it.

Sustainability For Beginners: A Tried and True Guide To Shopping Smart

Stacks of shoes greeted me from floor to ceiling as I sauntered past the hallway in my apartment. Though I’ve had great city views of Marina del Rey, I was accustomed to the familiar sight, an array of funky footwear that I bought from Dolls Kill and Nasty Gal, coupled with a few from Miista, Doc Martens and secondhand vintage footwear from Depop. While my early 20s identity crisis was at its peak, I was constantly shopping to help myself fight against teenage body shaming.

My closet was filled with racks of Reformation dresses, Nasty Gal crop tops and leggings, a handful of cute trendy pleather overalls by LF, Rag & Bone skinny jeans and at least 50 percent of dope vintage purchases from Etsy. A few stacks of Uniqlo sweaters sat inside my closet, too. Ditto with a few cool unique vintage purchases from Tunnel Vision, a cult vintage boutique that also stores under-the-radar LA-based designers. At 22 on the brink of 23, how was it possible that a soon-to-be college graduate could accumulate *this* many things?

Now with the apparel business at a 50 percent slump since Miss Rona took over the world, it’s made me wonder if any of my past shopping habits truly changed. While it’s great that I am taking accountability for my own habits, I am beginning to realize that when it comes to sustainability, I haven’t shopped smarter. Although I still want to have fun with fashion, it doesn’t mean that I have to give it up altogether. Given that we still need to shop for essential apparel, we can do our part to still be supportive of the business, but be more responsible on where are contributions are going.

Here are the top 10 lessons I’ve learned about shopping sustainably: