Merry Christmas!

All I have to say is...Best Christmas ever. EVER. Not only was it the DVF luggage set, and Kate Spade purse, but the fun gifts, like the random lasso rope, some books on philosophy to fill out my library, and the funny new traditions with my family, and the same exact traditions with my boyfriend's family. I really got the best of both worlds! You see, my family has hardly any traditions regarding any holiday, while my boyfriend's family is STEEPED in tradition. Traditions up to my elbows! 

Anyway, we are going up to Yosemite tomorrow for the weekend, which is awesome since I've wanted to make it up there for a while now. It's supposed to snow both days, which should give me some great shots to post! So, I will tell you how Yosemite went when I get back. In the meantime, I am looking forward to the New Year, which will bring about at least one trip to Santa Barbara to visit my brother, and my trip to EUROPE!!!!! It's coming closer and closer every day!!!!!!! 

As for New Year's Resolutions, I've decided not to make one. They are a setup for failure in my humble opinion. No, but really, why do I need one day in the year to try and better myself? Shouldn't I try and do that every day? That's my goal at this point in my life. To live each day in the moment. I know it's terribly cliche, but it is so hard to do! I am constantly living in the past or the future. Snap out of it, self!

One last thing that I want to share that I discovered this holiday. My love for my siblings. I knew that I loved my brothers (one younger and one older) but I didn't know how much mutual love was between us - binding us together. The first instance was when my elder brother revealed that a big part of the reason he wanted to excel in the bakery he is opening up, was to be able to provide for my little brother and myself. It made me tear up, because there have only been a few limes in my life where I felt his protective-ness over me. It's so sweet to see. So endearing. 

The second instance happened today at my little brother's basketball game. I wasn't there, but my mom sent me a text reading, "Cy's coach shoved him in anger. Your dad had to talk to the coach after the game." That simple statement made me see red. I immediately tensed up, called my mom three times to get the whole story, and thought, "NO ONE treats MY brother that way!" I was so sick that a coach would resort to physical contact over a freshman basketball game. COME ON. Pushing a 15 year old? Seriously? NOT OKAY. But the point is not to criticize sports or extreme competitive natures, but to show how much I love my little brother. I LOVE my little brother! And I didn't realize how much until someone threatened his well-being. Treasure each other this holiday!

Christmas Eve

And, for your Christmas Eve pleasure, something that I thought was funny. Hopefully you haven't seen it already, that would totally wreck my hip reputation.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

P.S. Even if Tolkien was alive to write the Lord of the Rings after the Harry Potter series, it would still be a THOUSAND times better than Harry Potter. The nuances in the plot, the complexity, the allusions ...One thousand times better. At least.

Monthly Mundane Maskanista

You guys are really lucky! Three posts in two days!

And now, (drum roll please) it's time for the...

Monthly Mundane Maskanista!

sorry I got a little carried away up there...

For this month's mundane activity done in a mask, I chose to go to Target with my romantic man friend. He had to do some last minute Christmas shopping and Target was PACKED, but have no fear! We lucked out when a kindly cashier took us to the front of the line since we only had three things. SCORE. Then we went to Chipotle. That is all.

Shirt: American Eagle, Sweater Vest: Free People, Skirt: Jcrew, Rain Boots: Cole Haan

Thoughts

Why do I feel such an aching to be successful? Relevant? Important? Loved and admired? Does everyone feel this way? Is it a lack of confidence in myself that fuels this, or just part of human nature? Is it growing up in America and having the American Dream thrust down my throat? Logic tells me that I can be irrelevant. In fact, that I would be happier if I was so. "More money, more problems" and the like attest to that fact. But it's not only being successful in monetary endeavors - in wisdom as well. In relationships. Why can't I just accept the life that I have, live each day to the fullest, take opportunities that come to me, and when they expire, just let them go? (Sorry for the cliches) Why do I have to hold on to everything so tightly? Why do I put self-worth in things like Facebook and Blogs? In how many repins I get on Pinterest? Seriously? Putting my self-worth in Pinterest? That will probably be here today and gone tomorrow?

Think on that. But not for too long. I've found that if it's all thinking and no action, I just feel very wise in knowing all of the answers, but am a big fat hypocrite when applying it to my own life.

Now, look at this girl. Not only is it a wonderful photograph, and a piece of art in itself, but look at her! Just bouncing on a yoga ball down the road. I think she was playing a game of bouncing down a small hill. How carefree! How exhilarating! 

Challenge for myself: Make my life more like this girl's. Enjoy it. Savor it. Be content. Have a fashion blog for the enjoyment of art, writing, and fashion. Keep a Pinterest account for the enjoyment of finding new artists and recipes. Use Facebook to keep in touch with people. Not for self-worth. Not for value. Lord help us all.

And lastly, my life in a nutshell right now.

A Christmas Miracle

Sorry I haven't posted in so long! If I even have any readers...but this blog is not about popularity or readers! It's for my own enjoyment and getting my thoughts out there. At least that's what I want it to be about..Stinking human nature and the desire to be wildly successful, or popular, or thought highly of. Anyway, I don't have a picture to post of myself, but I just wanted to let it be known in the blogosphere, that I, The Maskanista, am SO PUMPED for LES MISERABLES!!!!!!!! It's a Christmas miracle. And, can I just say that the movies that have come out this year are AMAZING? Seriously?  The Avengers, Moonrise Kingdom, The Dark Knight Rises, The Hobbit, Lincoln, Anna Karenina, Skyfall, Les Mis, am I missing any? Best year in a long time for great movies. Real quick, funny story about The Hobbit. So I went with my boyfriend a couple days after it came out ( I'm super antisocial and purposely pick obscure times a couple days after a movie comes out so that the chances of seeing someone I know are the slimmest - not foolproof, but kind of..) and somehow I missed that there were going to be three parts to the movie, so I was already interested to see how they would cram the whole of The Hobbit into three hours, since traditionally The Lord of the Ring movies are pretty true to the books, and I was nervously looking at my watch the entire time, thinking "They are spending a LOT of time on these beginning scenes, what in the world?" Then, I really got nervous because there were only fifteen minutes left and they hadn't even reached the castle at all, and then it ended. Wut. I walked out of the movie theater in a daze, trying to justify the director and the script, then FINALLY found out two days later, still in a fog and upset about the whole thing, that there were going to be two more movies. Good one self. Anyway, I am seriously stoked for Les Miserables. Seriously stoked.

Out For A Slurpie

I've decided to start a monthly theme: The Maskanista doing ordinary things, like getting a slurpie, shopping for groceries, eating dinner. So keep a lookout for the Monthly Mundane Maskanista!

Horse Print Jeans: Urban Outfitters

The Haunted Wood

Velvet Coat: Free People; Skirt: Jcrew

The Adventures of the Red Mary Janes

Today, I was taking a walk, and all of a sudden, I noticed them. LEAVES. EVERYWHERE. They're everywhere! Of all colors, shapes, and sizes. I especially noticed how pleasing they looked against my red Mary Jane flats. So naturally I took some pictures of them. Next thing I knew I was in neighborhoods nowhere close to my house looking for different types of leaves in piles. The next sensation I had was a horrified panic as I realized that I had emptied the water bottle in my hand and had to go to the bathroom RIGHT THAT SECOND. That's when my little adventure ended and I high-tailed it back on home. But I thought I'd share my little adventure with you!

Flats: Urban Outfitters

Preppy Foghorn Leghorn

Sorry for not posting lately! First, my photographer was sick for a week, then it was Thanksgiving and my brother came home, which meant a flurry of activities, and no time for pictures! Anyway, my Thanksgiving was great, I saw Skyfall and Lincoln; Skyfall was more Gerontology and little action, which was disappointing, and Lincoln was very witty and enjoyable - although the beginning was a little slow and I would have liked to have learned a little more about his past. 

Hope you all had a good holiday! I'm dreaming of making it to Yosemite soon to take some pictures in the beautiful forests there!

Button up with attached bow tie: Iris via DailyLook; Sweater Vest: Free People; Faux Leather Skirt: Forever 21; Shoes: Gilt

Flower Coat

Doing it Anna DelloRusso style and wearing a coat as a dress!

Excitedly anticipating Thanksgiving! It's probably my favorite holiday. Family, turkey, football, dessert, family again...Wonderful.

Coat: Anthropologie, Socks: Chinese Laundry, Shoes: Kenneth Cole, Necklace: A Gift, Ring: American Eagle

B&W

Coat/Dress: Forever21, Socks and Boots: ASOS

And lastly, a picture of my boyfriend enthusiastically jumping for America.

Sunny in San Francisco

Sunday I was in the city, we ate good food in the mission district for lunch at one of my all time favorite bakery's, Tartine, then went for dinner to China Town to a place where Barak Obama allegedly ate. I'm not one to be starstruck and go to restaurants that famous people go to by matter of principle, but the Chinese food was good...Good taste on that one Obama. 

Speaking of Obama, I hope you all voted today! Every year around the election, I will myself to be educated about candidates and issues concerning the upcoming election, and every year, I get so disgusted with the blind opinions of the masses and the vague promises that politicians have no intention of keeping, that I give up all together. Then election day comes, and filled with the feeling of duty to my country, I feel obligated to vote, and pick, in my opinion, the lesser of the two evils. I strongly believe in voting, and in educated voting, but holy moly, it's easy to get discouraged with the imperfect humans that live on this planet. It makes me sympathetic to the idea of taking the voting power out of the ignorant masses and giving it to the educated elite. Although they aren't perfect either, at least they would look at issues logically, without blind opinions of, "Dagnabit, I'm a Democrat!" and think that that is a reasonable and intelligent reason to vote for Obama.

However, giving everyone the freedom to choose their leader is something that I love about America. I think it keeps elections honest. And it gives us a sense of, "Although we maybe didn't choose the right leader, WE were the ones who chose him/her!"

Anyway, this blog isn't about politics, it's about fashion. So! Happy Tuesday everyone! Let's hope that cold weather comes soon so that I can showcase my winter wardrobe!

Dress: See By Chloe, Shoes: ASOS, Purse: Vintage Dooney & Burke