Thursday, May 23, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Sasmita Batik, the Market Arcade brings Indonesia to Buffalo
Last month, while at my cousin's photography debut at CEPA in the historic Market Arcade Building in Downtown Buffalo, I stumbled upon an incredible boutique called Sasmita Batik. I was immediately drawn in by the exquisite colors of fabric and unique jewelry in the shop window. Upon entering, I was greeted with a smile by store owner and operator, Novi Paluch. She showed me around her small, yet organized shop, and I began falling in love with everything.
AR Stylists is always looking for great, new clothes and accessories, and Sasmita Batik is truly a gem for one of a kind finds. Novi explained to me on my second shopping trip that most of her jewelry is made from repurposed items, such as coconuts, newspaper and coffee beans. At first glance, you wouldn't expect these flower earrings above to be watermelon seeds, but after looking closely, you can see them. I bought them and wear these earrings every week! Her jewelry is all handmade, and her clothes are all self designed. Novi is also getting her new dresses shipped in time for June's party season.
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Novi's eye for style doesn't just stop at clothing, she also has items for your home. Beautiful carvings, tapestries, tablecloths, and bed covers can be found scattered about. If you're looking for a special piece of clothing or jewelry to add to your own wardrobe, or a gift for the woman who has everything, Sasmita Batik is the place to go. Prices are reasonable, from $2-$150.
Places like Sasmita Batik are hard to find, so let's keep them around. Support your local businesses. Support Sasmita Batik.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
I'm Pregnant--What am I Going to Wear?!
Ah, pregnancy. It certainly is a momentous time. So many changes and lots of excitement. The one thing that I didn't really plan for was my growing and changing body and how I felt like I needed an entirely new wardrobe, which, considering the money that goes with having a baby, I hadn't budgeted for. This was particularly problematic for me, as I was working full time in a job where I had to dress business casual. Eventually I figured it all out, but not without wasting money on a couple of awful pieces that I bought out of desperation. This blog post is a "how to" dress through your pregnancy without having to buy an entirely new wardrobe. The basic idea here is that, yes, you will need some maternity basics, and the rest will come from you current closet.
Here we are, starting with the first trimester. Most women don't show most of their first trimester, which, for me, was annoying because at the same time my pants and jeans were too tight to wear comfortably. My solution to this was the combination of a homemade pants extender and a knockoff bella band.
That worked well for most of my first trimester. The other trick was to wear the right top. Anything, really, that would conceal my stomach area. Flowy, blouson, tunic, and generally any top that is not "body conscious"-that floats away from the body. Ruffled tops also are concealing and popping on a long scarf will also conceal the stomach area. Below are some examples of the types of tops to pair with your jean/pants (with the bella band and/pants extender)
Here we are, starting with the first trimester. Most women don't show most of their first trimester, which, for me, was annoying because at the same time my pants and jeans were too tight to wear comfortably. My solution to this was the combination of a homemade pants extender and a knockoff bella band.
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That worked well for most of my first trimester. The other trick was to wear the right top. Anything, really, that would conceal my stomach area. Flowy, blouson, tunic, and generally any top that is not "body conscious"-that floats away from the body. Ruffled tops also are concealing and popping on a long scarf will also conceal the stomach area. Below are some examples of the types of tops to pair with your jean/pants (with the bella band and/pants extender)
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Size is Nothing But a Number Inside Your Clothes...
As a recent recipient of online ridicule for my size, I have been walking around with my tail in between my legs for a few days, feeling sorry for myself. But why? Why should one's size dictate how good of a person they are, how talented they are, or how beautiful they are? Society's emphasis on a woman's size has become extremely irritating, and it should be irrelevant. Instead, we should be embracing every woman's size, and celebrating their beauty.
In the past couple weeks, there have been a few news stories about women and their size. For instance, a CBS blogger ridiculed an OKC cheerleader for being "chubby". I, in no way, see any sign of this woman being chubby or overweight; rather, she's athletic and absolutely gorgeous. But, in positive news, H&M used a plus size model for their swimsuit campaign. Jennie Runk is a size 12, and while they received ridicule for not going with a "standard" size 0 or 2, I think that they are raising the bar in the best way possible. Jennie represents what the majority of us look like, and shows that you don't have to be a size 2 to look beautiful and confident in a swimsuit.
We need to come together and stop pitying ourselves if we're not our perfect size. We women need to stop bashing each other and instead give compliments. We need to remember that the number we wear on the insides of our clothes shouldn't dictate our self esteem. We also need to remember my mother's rule of, "if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all," and not ruin somebody's day. Be polite, ladies, because you may not realize your effect on others when you open your mouths.
For H&M's article, click here.
For OKC's cheerleader article, click here.
In the past couple weeks, there have been a few news stories about women and their size. For instance, a CBS blogger ridiculed an OKC cheerleader for being "chubby". I, in no way, see any sign of this woman being chubby or overweight; rather, she's athletic and absolutely gorgeous. But, in positive news, H&M used a plus size model for their swimsuit campaign. Jennie Runk is a size 12, and while they received ridicule for not going with a "standard" size 0 or 2, I think that they are raising the bar in the best way possible. Jennie represents what the majority of us look like, and shows that you don't have to be a size 2 to look beautiful and confident in a swimsuit.
For H&M's article, click here.
For OKC's cheerleader article, click here.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
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