Last night I spoke about Destiny and control, two big words and concepts. Destiny is said to be, predetermined. Is it that simple? Is anything that simple, for that matter? People are always saying everything happens for a reason.

Guess what? I am definitely one of those people. Although, this is where I will put the control element in. Fortunately, where I live - I have the control and choices to make for myself. Growing up, in the words of everyone on the internet - "I pretty much knew what I wanted" attaining it, was a different story.

I will say time and time again, that I've been very spoiled in the sense I haven't had much control or structure inbred to me which lead to many years of laziness, I didn't have much ambition except for my part time job in a clothing store.

For the record, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this. Truthfully, I miss it. I miss it a lot. But once I got my GED and realized that a part time job isn't worth my stress or worry, that my future is - that all changed.

We all have pivotal moments in our lives, I look back at the day I knew I passed my GED as one of the biggest. Truthfully, when I look back at where I was and I am now. It really does make me laugh.

I had no hope for it, I truly thought I'd fail. But I kept studying and get this - I felt more confident. Whaaaat? Studying actually works?! I know, crazy.

Anyway, I truly thought I wanted to be a pre-school teacher, I could take a two year course and be fully certified and be good to go. Turns out after a several weeks of dealing with thirty something under 5 year olds can change a person's opinion on preschool.

So I got "lost" again. There were other personal manners too, that crushed me and again, my momentum for the future got halted. Again I took advantage of not having the inbred structure. Somehow, one day I decided to stop letting my sadness win. I joined a dance areobics class and decided to apply to a different school with a completely different program.

Can you guess what it was? I'm sure you won't be surprised as I am but it's English. Why didn't I think of this in the beginning? Who knows, maybe to have a good story to write about a year later.

Writing and reading has been my biggest "hobby" for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I would write in my journals and little pink diary. The funny thing is, even if the little pink diary contained my huge puppy love crush on the neighborhood boy, it had substance. I have always been a thinker and it is obvious in my writing.

For pete sakes, I'm writing this on my Blackberry right now just to get it out. I can't describe how satisfying it is for me to see my thoughts in text or in my writing on paper.

It is my biggest release and it took me a little over 20 years to realize, that it is my passion. I'm the type of girl who craves to write, that if I don't doodle or write out things, I feel something missing. This has lead to several napkins at a bad job being doodled on aswell as notebooks being filled from the time I was able to write to me right now, typing on my phone.

Somehow, of course I've gotten super off topic. What else is new? But I will get back on track, with everything I've seen and been through in my (wonderful) life - writing has always been my sense of control and destiny.

It helps me remember what I want for my destiny and life, I say to a lot of people that my life wouldn't be the same without them, and that's obvious no? But the biggest thing, the thing that makes me the young woman I am today is the fact I have been blessed with two hands that allow me to write or type or do whatever I wish with my thoughts to get them on the page.

So as long as I am always able to have the power of thought and write, I will always feel control. Control of my destiny.


It's not even 10am yet and I feel all profound. That will change as soon as I get home and get into sweatpants and watch Modern Family on the couch for an hour.

If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it - Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan calls it "roadblocks", I've been calling it "fear". The more I say it, the more immune I get to it. Fear can be powerful, not well - fearful for lack of a better word. I am in my second semester at University and truthfully, the fear would get to me some days in the first semester. I didn't do as I liked on my Spanish final but well, my lovely step mum says I learned atleast that I liked it. That was very positive, because truthfully, I am ready to make it my minor. I feel like it could take me far, as they say of latin - french is a dying language, especially in North America.

This is getting incredibly off topic, but what I want to talk about is how to make fear your enemy. It can be. It can totally be.

Fear of the future can be powerful, it means something powerful there. I am a believer of vibes and goosebumps so if you get those feelings, don't worry - it's a sign of something good. Very, very good. I kept joking around for years that I am going to be famous and I thought for 2012 - I'd actually do something about it, after all the world might end. HA.

so from motivation from my loved ones and having a perfect school schedule - I will somehow find balance amongst the nonsense.

So here's to me being fearLESS in 2012


How Taylor Swift can I get?

Style.

There has been many quotes about style, the ever so famous "Fashions fade, but style is eternal" by the genius Yves Saint-Laurent. One of my favourite quotes and what sparked this entry was "Style is a simple way of saying complicated things" as said as by Jean Cocteau (who I LOVE, sidenote)

I love that quote because it can apply to many, many things not just fashion. But for the sake of this entry, I will write about the fashion aspect of it. I have loved clothing a long time, sure. What girl hasn't? but I mean, I've really loved fashion. My mum and I were recently out to brunch and she reminded me of how passionate I used to be about what I wore back then, even as a 3 year afro-headed little girl. She told me I would slam the door and said NO whenever she would try to dress me. My poor mother, she talks about this with a smile on her face. Luckily she knew how stubborn I was. Because after all, she is the same.

Growing up I never really caved into trends, we couldn't afford it. The only time I remember ever wanting to was when these TNA hoodies became popular, I thought they were SO cool.. they came in a thousand colors and looked like they fit amazingly and I just loved them. But they were so expensive, $70. This is why I never caved into trends, we didn't have the most money when I was growing up .. we shopped at Zellers and Sears. I grew up on Cherokee and Nevada. Every year, my mum would let me pick two back to school outfits from Sears and I would be so happy. This went on until junior high, but of course the stores changed. Junior High was all about Suzy Shier and Old Navy.

but that one fateful day in grade 9, I begged and pleaded for my mum to help me buy a TNA hoodie. I had to pitch in 30 dollars and she paid the rest, do you know what color I got? Heather Grey. I wanted that color so bad.

To this day I love heather grey hoodies. It was perfect. This was the first time I remember caving into a trend and actually liking it, they gave me the incredibly cute fancy paper bag and we were on our way.

It's funny that I remember this so well. It's because I kindof resented myself for caving and buying a 70 dollar hoodie because they were popular. But to this day, I love those hoodies. I scout for them on eBay now, haha. They are too expensive otherwise. You know what's funny though? I have no idea where that heather grey one is, I have clothes from grade FIVE! But I have no idea where this thing is. I am paranoid I left it somewhere. I used to be so mad how I lost it. But eventually I got over it because I realized how hoodies were SO not my thing nor worth my money. What I am trying to get at here, is that trends are inevitable. I used to tell myself that I wasn't a trendy person. But one fateful day, in a hospital of all places - I found an old h&m magazine and found this article about trends. How they are born on the street. It was so (forgive me) LEGEND-DARY! it made me realize that us high street fashionistas and us bloggers are the street. We create the trends. I have always wore what I want and somehow I feel like I have this eye for knowing what to wear. I had a boyfriend that said it was my intuition, that was not good for my ego. It made it very big impact on me though, even if it did make me slightly cocky. I am not very cocky with anything but my style. I have really learnt that style is what you make it, that is why I love Jean Cocteau's quote so much. I have said this time and time again, I try to keep my clothes to a minimum. I am not saying that I don't admire the whole dripping in accessory look but I have never been the type to do that. If I have a cocktail ring on, it's more than likely I will be wearing studs. If I am wearing incredible shoes, you know my dress is plain jersey. I have mixed and matched all my life, growing up having to be thrifty at a young age - has done me well. I crave the "hunt". I look through racks of clothes, I am one of those crazies who actually gets excited about clearance racks at places like.. you guessed it, Old Navy. As much as I love the hunt, I hate shopping at the same time. It can be exhausting, I have so many visions and ideas in my head and when I get to the actual store. Nothing. So many retail stores have gotten over the top with their clothing.

I don't mean this as a bad thing but for someone primarily shops in the high street world, it can be exhausting. Too trendy. TOO TOO TOO. I can't believe some of the stuff Forever21 comes up with and don't get me started with Urban Outfitters. It disgusts me how big hipster culture has become, why would anyone in their right mind buy a faded crop top of New Kids on the Block for over 30 dollars?

But that is the beauty of trends, whether you like it or not - they excite you, the thing you have to have doesn't matter the price - YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT. Although I would never buy a 30 dollar faded crop top, I am sure if a new perfect hoodie came out and it was 70 dollars .. well, you know what?

I would probably buy it.

in Heather Grey.

ohh summer trends, summer trends!

so guess what? It's raining. I am not going to go on about rain again though, but I'm going to write about what makes me happy in the summer. There is a lot of things, but the major thing is dressing in the summer. I will never understand how the majority of "fashionistas" like dressing for the winter more. I don't AT all, I would much rather wear a great dress with flats and beautiful earrings than wear a great dress with tights, boots, a hat and all that. When it comes down to it, I am a very simple dresser. I don't really believe in mixing prints or layering.. maybe this makes me a bad example of "good" style but I just don't like layering. I HAVE to layer to deal with the weather and I don't like it. So summer, summer trends. Guess what the biggest one is? Floral.

Floral MIGHT not be the biggest trend, but it's the most apparent in the retail world and well for someone who cannot afford the likes of Chloe and Givenchy. I'm a retail girl and I live in a retail world, okay bad Madonna reference - I know. Okay, to the topic at hand... I love floral, LOVE it! I have some pieces in my wardrobe that I get excited about when I get to wear them. Now .. I bought my gorgeous silk floral skirt last year and I am still obsessed with it, this was before floral got HUGE, so yeah it was a great find and am still wickedly happy with it. Fast forward a year, floral is freaking everywhere. It's too much, it's gotten to the point that I can call it ugly, some is still okay but some stores are just trying to make a quick buck and make a god awful high waisted black banded (MY BIGGEST PET PEEVE EVER) floral skirt. I hate the black band with the floral, it looks terrible. I love those skirts if the band matches the skirt, but no. When I think of floral, I think of pretty soft pastels or great rich colors. Not black.
nononono.

The point of this rant is, just because something is trendy .. doesn't mean it looks good, I love trends, don't get me wrong. I just think that too many people focus on the trends, it's sad, really. This trend has gotten out of control, I am not saying I don't like floral. DON'T THINK I AM A HATER. it's just too much, my original idea for this was TOO PRETTY? but there is no such thing as too pretty, this is just too much. So to wrap this blog up, wear floral if you like it, don't buy trends just because they are all you can see .. and well wear what you want. Dress how you want to live, if you want to be a crazy floral loving girl, then girl, be that crazy floral loving girl. Just watch it on the black band high wasted skirts ;)

don't sit still

This is where I believe fashion is one of the most important things in my life, this past Sunday I went downtown for the first time in months, I've missed it SO much.Being away from my home, made me realize I really do love the simple things, I knew I'd miss the subway but I didn't know how much.

but yes, fashion. fashion is one way I have always self expressed, but then I metthis fabulous old lady who started HER life, living for HERSELF at an older age,she submitted and wrote poetry and now she is in the international hall of fame.

How cool is that? I loved her outfit, it was so goddamn trendy but she made it her own. Plus I am big on hats and hers was fabulous. She was wearing leggings with sheer stockings underneath, and had black standard leather gladiator sandals with a red polish on her toes. She was very sweet and was so tickled I wanted her picture. It was lovely.

Fashion, like anything you truly love, doesn't stop at a certain time. It involves. I believe fashion is the one thing in my life that has stayed constant with growth, I always want new things, always trying new looks, I went through my fair share of

weird phases through adolescence and now I feel like I'm wearing things I'll want to wear when I'm grown up, of course I will still rock the sassy tight shiny lame and wear too short shorts because after all, I'm 20 years old and having fun with fashion,this blog and of course, life.

what can I say?

I'm just living up to my name. One of her own.

rain, rain .. you're not going away are you?

(I love how blogspot stretched this out in an awkward whale appearance way, hahaha!)

Rainy spring days. The kind that you can get cozy with a blanket, (or a Snuggie for you trendier types) and read or just do nothing all day. Those days I love within reason, I could handle one of those a week.

Otherwise, I get restless. The weather here has been pretty miserable past month and it just makes me yearn for the perfect rain boot. I had found some in the states but alas, my suitcase was too full already and I had to let them go.

They were just simple classic yellow boots. Luckily I got a photo with them even if it is incredibly bittersweet to look at it. The second pair I have posted are from the Liberty of London line at Target. I really love them, they were even cuter in person, but sillly ol me didn't see think they were worth the money but now I have a feeling I will order them anyway. As for other rain garb, I already have too many raincoats, three, actually but of course I’d love a yellow one but I’ve yet to find one I truly admire.

Unfortunately my black double breasted totally gorgeous trench is packed but you will just have to do with the ones I still have out:

H&M Silver Zip up coat, I love this coat, I debated for a long time on getting it but I’m glad I did. It goes with everything, I hate having black coats since they do not look good with navy in my opinion, so this silver-ly grey was the best option ever. I love how it’s a modern twist on a trench with the zippers and snaps and slight bell shape. It’s so cute and I get a lot of wear out of it. Plus it has pockets which I am a big believer in with coats!

hello, bonjour, hola, howdy, hi there, good day

I have never been good at introductions, I usually cop out online and say Hi I'm Natalie and I love the following; fashion, food and family. But since this is about fashion, let me be more specific - I have loved clothes for as long as I can remember. My mum has been very good to me letting me express and wear what I want which I will never forget. She even bought my monthly magazine to fuel me even to act as an allowance, so yes I'm one of those 'types' who say they've been reading Vogue or Elle Girl since they were 12.

I hate for myself (or anyone for that matter) - to put their style into a "type". I am not one to say I'm preppy or girly or even slightly punk. I believe style and fashion to be something F-U-N. I think it is taken too seriously in the days of bloggers getting famous and people striving to be the next Seaofshoes (with all due respect, of course). So keep in mind, I honestly just want to have my friends to read this and if I get randoms and effect one random person, my blog goal will be complete.

Fashion has always been about fun for me, I wear what I love. That is how I describe my style as "lovely". Since well it should make me feel lovely or I won't want to wear it. So this is what I want my esthetic to come across as, a lovely young girl who is having fun with life and her lovely world that surrounds her. Which might not be always fashion because again, you can't take fashion too seriously. Because a life too serious is well, a life not at all.

This is my philosophy and here we have it, welcome to "One of her own". My little escape on the web.