Lil Fashionisto - Para El.

Lil Fashionisto - Para El:

Se me presentó la oportunidad de viajar a Vancouver a visitar a mi hermano mellizo, Bevan. Siendo la curiosa que soy, me metí a investigar que bloggeros habián en Vancouver y si había alguno que me llamara la atención. Después de recurrir a mi mejor amiga, Google, me encontré con M’c Kenneth Lincon, creador y editor del blog “Lil Fashionisto”, uno de los blogs masculino mas influenciales de Canadá. Su estilo europeo y su blog personalizado me incentivaron a contactarlo para entrevistarlo para mi blog. Hace un buen rato ya que quería hacer algo para mis seguidores hombres :

M’c Kenneth partió trabajando en Zara como asesor de imagen en el departamento masculino. Es aquí donde dice haber adquirido sus altos estándares en cuanto a moda. Recibían nuevos productos dos veces a la semana y aquí podia ver en primera persona las nuevas tendencias que estaban llegando a las calles desde las pasarelas. De cierta forma, era un tipo de marcador para su libro de información de moda. M’c Kenneth me contó que aquí identifico su dilema con esta industria… Siente que de cierta forma es excluyente a todo aquel que no encaje en el molde físico de las tallas. A mi gusto, es bastante asertivo su pensamiento. A mi también me pasa que voy a comprar un vestido, y por mi figura (angosta de arriba, caderona y potona) tengo que siempre pedirle a mi mamá que me altere lo que compro. 

El blogger relató como después de dares cuenta de esto, empezó a probar la ropa de mujer y de niño, y que debido a su baja estatura y tamaño, encontró que esta le quedaba mejor. Es interesante como yo muchas veces hago al revez.. Siento que la ropa de mujer es demasiado ajustada y muchas veces quiero que una polera me quede como polera y no como crop top. 

A partir de su nuevo descubrimiento, M’c Kenneth crea su blog “Lil Fashionisto” en donde ayuda a gente que tampoco siente encontrar su lugar, a encontrar soluciones para sus problemas (para vestir, ojo). Su mayor tip para hombres es SIEMPRE mandar a ajustar las prendas específicamente para su cuerpo. Hasta los modelos lo hacen!

Si quieren saber mas de M’c Kenneth, los invito a pasar por su blog! www.LilFashionisto.com

V

When it comes to working in fashion, “You go out there and figure shit out” - M’c Kenneth Lincon

ESTOY EN VOGUE?

Si me siguen en Instagram, quedó en evidencia mi euforia y emoción al enterarme que salí en Vogue Latino en la pagina de Street Style chileno de la edición de este mes. Creo que es el sueño de cualquier blogger salir en las paginas de esta prestigiosa revista, pero para ser honesta.. Personalmente, lo mas increíble fue ser reconocida como una fashionista CHILENA. Si, nací en Canadá, mis padres son Canadienses y vivo la mitad de mi vida en Toronto, pero cuando la gente me pregunta de donde soy, sin pensarlo dos veces digo: "de chile po, obvio". 

Esta página fue mas que una imagen imprimida con un par de letras y detalles. En Chile estamos formando una generación de individuos curiosos y creativos. De a poco estamos creando el espacio para ser distinto, ser tu mismo con tu estilo y sentirte comodo con eso. Me siento honrada compartiendo esa pagina con alguna de las mujeres que considero parte de este movimiento. He tenido el honor de conocer a algunas de ellas en persona.

Sue Wang se me ha aparecido en varios eventos sociales, siempre con su corte de pelo envidiable e impecablemente alineado, pero en un Brunch de "So Miami" nos sentamos juntas y la vi desarmando y armando la mesa para sacar una foto para instagram y me enamoré de ella de inmediato. Solo una instagrammer de corazón entenderia el porqué de ese detalle. Si usted chequea su cuenta en Instagram verá a lo que me refiero, su esencia es clara. A mi gusto, si lo vintage, lo clásico y lo spicy tuviesen un hijo, el resultado sería Sue Wang. 

Renata Ruiz es la conductora de un programa de radio al que me invitaron a hablar junto a Pepe Jeans. La semana anterior habia estado en Fashion Week Santiago y mientras conversaba con mi amiga Karen Bejarano, tuvimos que darnos vuelta a mirar el alboroto causado por los fotógrafos, se estaban volviendo locos por un personaje que recien habia entrado. Lo primero que le dije a Karen con respecto a esta mujer fue "Quiero sus piernas". Aparte de estar impecablemente vestida, tenia una sonrisa honesta y amigable, y hoy en dia, eso es escaso. Entonces, cuando fui a su programa en la radio y pude conocerla en persona, me di cuenta que efectivamente era una persona de colores suaves y amistosos. De inmediato la seguí en todas sus redes sociales y de a poco me fui enamorando de su estilo único y sólo de ella. Oficialmente una RenataLover. 

Está demás decir que todas las mujeres en este plano en Vogue son realmente personas que inspiran y motivan sin embargo me falta conocer a algunas. Por lo demás y más importante aún, me gustaría agradecer a la gente que en vez de mirar raro y criticar lo que no entienden o desconocen, simplemente comparten que quizás ellas o ellos no se pondrían tal prenda así o que jamas se la comprarían, pero piensan "que bien que ella se este siendo honesta a su estilo y que no le importe todas esas miradas en el metro" 

La vida es sólo una... Si me quiero poner un vestido verde neon con un estampado de un Pug, lo voy a hacer

Y usted también debería. 

Mi corazón es latino. Mi corazón es de ustedes!

V

My Workout Playlist.

Workout Playlist: 

Muchos me han pedido escribir un post en castellano. Bueno, aquí está.

Cuando no tengo tiempo para ir al gym y mis horarios están desequilibrados, intento entrenar algo igual. Este “algo” la mayoría de las veces es running. Correr por cerros, calles, afuera, trotadora etc… Siempre logro encontrar una locación aceptable. Pero, el problema no es ese, sino que motivarse lo suficiente para no quedarse comiendo o
 viendo alguna serie en netflix y salir a correr esos kilometros. 

Recientemente me quede sin Ipod, y descubrí que para mi es clave tener un buen playlist para salir a correr, y que al tenerlo, es mas probable que salga a consumir las calorias ingeridas el fin de semana. 

Este es mi actual playlist para mis básicos 5K:

1. Heart Cry - Pixie Lott
2. Black Widow - Iggy Azalea Ft. Rita Ora
3. Pink Fields (Remix) - Neon Hitch 
4. Love Me - Kevin Karla & La Banda 
5. Chandelier - Sia
6. Dance Dance - Fall Out Boys
7. Wear Me Out - Skylar Grey
8. Esta Noche - Dani Ride
9. Dance Without You - Skylar Grey
10. Fences - Paramore
11. Temperature Rising - The Audition
12. I’m Out - Ciara Ft. Nicki Minaj
13. Jump - Rihanna 
14. Devil In Me - Gin Wigmore
15. Gypsy Star - Neon Hitch
16. To Close - Alex Clare
17. Figure 8 - Ellie Goulding
18. You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You - James Arthur 
19. Battle Cry - Angel Haze Ft. Sia
20. Sing - Ed Sheeran
21. Money On My Mind - Sam Smith
22. Can't Remember To Forget You - Shakira Ft. Rihanna
23. Bind Your Love - Cher Lloyd 
24. 1, 2, Step - Ciara
25. Andre - JoJo

Coffee To-Go: The New It Accessory?

Coffee To-Go: The New It Accessory?

If you know me at all, you know that I do a lot of crazy sh*t for a good instagram picture. I’ll wait to find the right backdrop to take a #OOTD, stand in crazy spots to get just the right amount of light or not eat a meal as it comes to the table so that I can reorganize the plates to take an overview shot (refraining from eating food is by far the hardest/craziest part). However, I have yet to master my newest discovery: The “coffee-on-the-go” look. 

From celebs being caught by paps with their Skinny Vanilla Lattes or their Chai Teas, to Instagrammers posing with their Green Tea Frappuchinos, the Coffee-To-go has become the new “It-Accesory”. We see it all over Instagram. On breakfast tables, in #OOTD pictures, in selfies and even shots of just the coffee/tea. 

I am a huge caffeine hound, so I get how your coffee can be your partner in crime when it comes to a cute picture, but in the last 6 months, I’ve seen a crazy amount of people posing with their energy-boosters. Starbucks has definitely benefited form this phenomenon. It is by FAR the most sought to to-go cup. I mean, if you think about it, these girls and guys could just have a whole stack of starbucks cups in their kitchen they fill up with water just for a cute picture in the AM. Its like this green mermaid is the new LV or DKNY we pay so much for to have plastered all over our clothes. Just a symbol. Just an image. But coffee-to-go is the new bestie to our fashion bloggers. 

I am guilty of many Instagram clichés, but when I get coffee, I get it as a response to my addiction (which I’m in battle with) and love affaire with caffeine. I think adding a coffee-to-go to my Instagram shots will eventually happen, but for the right reasons: The only natural next step in a relationship --> going public. Coffee, I love you. 

Gym Pshycology: Balance?

So, after my last post, I got a lot of questions about healthy eating habits. Let me be the first to say the following: I LOVE FOOD. Bread, sugar-loaded cereal, brownies, cake, bread, bread, bread and more bread. These are some of my favourite things. Unfortunately, these would not be considered "healthy choices" so, I don't allow myself any of these on a regular basis. They fall under the "treat" category. 

Here's the thing, my eating habits are a result of 5 years of perfecting and finding what works for me. As I said before, I love food, and this is something I'm not willing to give up (for whatever reason). If your looking for meal ideas, I have a previous post that you can check out called "3 Healthy Breakfast Ideas". But on todays post, I'm not going to tell you what to eat or how to eat, I'm going to explain the relevance of balance.

I'm not a model or a professional athlete, but my job does come with specific physical requirements. I have come to terms with this. 80% of looking and feeling good is directly related to our diets (unfortunately). I try to keep my daily calorie intake between 1500 and 1800. I can't express how hard this is for me. I can literally eat everything off my plate and go for two more rounds. HOW TO CONTROL YOURSELF?: I hang a bikini on my wall to remind myself that I'll eventually want to wear it and I check how many calories are in what I'm eating. It's been proven that women who check the nutritional information on the back of the products they're buying at the grocery store, are more likely to have a more controlled calorie intake, and therefore, a healthier diet. It's happened to me many times that I look at something I think doesn't have that many calories, only to find out that it contains the amount I should be having in one whole meal. So, DON'T BE LAZY, AND READ THE BACK OF THE STUFF YOUR EATING.

I don't know why this happens to me, but whenever I'm in Chile, I will always order tea when I go out for caffeine. But when I'm in Toronto, the yummyness in all the unhealthy-sugar packed options is irresistible. If there is anything in my diet I will never say no to, it's coffee. In Toronto I will give into the craving of the Double Mocha Latte, but instead of going for the whip cream and 10% milk, I will opt for the "skinny" version by going for the skimmed milk/no cream option. See? Balance.

As a conclusion, everyone is different. You only live once. The idea is to live a happy AND healthy life. Balance is key guys!

V

Gym Pshycology: Part 1.

If I had to pick between getting my ass to the gym and sitting at home and eating Oreos and milk, trust me, I will always prefer to stay home and eat cookies. BUT, in real life I strive to live a "Healthy Life". At times, the weekly routine gets under my skin and dropping out for a while seems like the best idea. I mean, theres always tomorrow, right? But the difficulty about working out is exactly that. It's not about tomorrow. It's about TODAY. 

I find myself constantly updating my workout/activities to keep interest and "fun" in working out. Over the summer I try to do as much outside as possible, and when I meet someone or have a friends who likes a specific sport, I ask if I can join in and try a class with them. Every once in a while, I fall in love with something new that sticks with me.

BUT, one of my biggest motivators (as basic as it sounds) are new/cute workout attire. When I look good, I feel good. It gives me that extra push to get my workout in that day. Even though you basic black tights work just fine, trying new prints and different materials is part of the fun. Colours and different cuts is something I keep an eye open when I shop for my workout gear. I don't wear the same outfit everyday because I don't feel the same everyday, so why would I want to wear the same thing when I hit the gym?

- V

Shoe Collection: Part 1.

This is my shoe collection: Part 1. Why part 1? Because part 2 is in Toronto.

1. Black Doc Martens: These were gifted to me by one of my best friends. She has this amazing grunge, skater, chilled out style, but she ordered them online and they didn't fit her!!! YAY for me!

2. "White" Converse: These have been all around the world with me. They were purchased in Montreal last (Canadian) summer, and we've been inseparable ever since.

3. Leopard Wedges: I think every girl should have a pair of leopard shoes in her closet. These I got in 2011 at Steve Madden in Chile and have been one of the smartest purchases ever. Their comfy and go with so many of my outfits! I wore them to almost every single one of my fashion events in 2012.

4. Black Ankle Bootie: When I moved to Toronto last year, I found myself in need of a pair of basic black ankle booties. Shopping downtown, I walked into Topshop and they were on they were 70% off! It was destiny.

5. Black/Leopard Vans: I think these are my favourite sneakers in my closet right now. Black and leopards are basics! So together they make a killer combo. Funny fact: I was at a Nespresso event over the summer and dropped jam on the left shoe. Still hasn't come off. Oops.

6. Grey Jeffery Campbells: I went to a fashion fair a couple of weeks ago and bumped into the Jeffery Campbell stand. I'm a sucker for boots and booties, but its so hard for me to find ones that look good because my ankle is not proportional to the rest of my leg and all the ankle booties don't feet me where I need them too. These did. So logically, I bought them.

7. Black/Gold Ankle Bootie: I had been eyeing these babies for ever! I'd seen them every time I popped in to Topshop, but could ring up the nerve to buy them (I already had a pair of basic black booties, DUH). So, about a month later I was invited to shop the Kate Moss X Topshop collection and the whole store had a huge discount. At that point, there was no going back. I needed them in my life, so naturally they hopped into my bag and came home with me.

8. Color Crazy Boots: I bought these when I went travelling to Cuzco, Perú with my best friend in 2013. They are hand crafted by a local artesian. I've worn them once. Not because I don't like them, but because they ARE SO HARD TO WEAR!

9. Biker Boots: If you follow me AT ALL, you know that these are by far my go-to shoes for LITERALLY anything and everything. These Kenneth Cole knee-high leather boots have scene more streets than any other one of my shoes. I bought them on sale in 2010. Fun fact: The specks of colour on them are from a paint party I went to in Perú over the summer.

10. Purple Doc Martens: Before they were plastered everywhere, young Vesta was dying to own a pair of construction boots. My mom traveled to Canada in 2010 and brought these back for me. I think she probably wears them more than I do. 

#SFW 2014

I went to the most recent  Santiago Fashion Week last week. It was my first Fashion Week. Not only was I excited about the fact that I was going to be sitting front row the three days, but also about the carefully picked-out outfits I had for the occasion.

On day one I wanted to do something different (for me). I wore a gold playsuit from Zara that had silver and pastel blue beading through it. It was too low when I tried it on, so I took one of my moms vintage long-sleeve cream silk shirts and made the playsuit into a jumper-ish look. I've been wanting to wear this gold Topshop choker I have had since 2012, (when I purchased it), and thought that this was THE perfect occasion to wear a it. I accompanied it with my gold lip necklace from H&M, to spice the look up a bit, because lets be honest, I suck at keeping it simple. To tie my black nails into the outfit, I wore my black Aldo ankle-strap stilettos that have a gold buckle along the ankle.

I kept my makeup fresh and simple with pinks and cream colours.

  Foto: Glamorama

Foto: Dafiti Mag

Foto: Mistral Ice

Foto: Glamorama


My second look was constructed around my furry, pastel, Ombré Pepe Jeans coat. Since it had baby pink touches, I decided to pair it with a princess-like , strapless H&M dress I purchased a couple of months back. I was trying to keep it "Glamour" inspired, but it was tempting to go over the top with accessories. So instead of wearing a necklace around my neck, I wrapped one around my HUGE sock bun. Since the dress length was that awkward length that makes finding a shoe for it super hard, I decided to make a safe bet and went with my white Converse.

My makeup had to be as popping as my outfit so I decided to go with a silver lip. My makeup artist stuck to pinks and purples for the eyes, and concentrated on making my cat inspired eye liner ON POINT.

Foto: Socialgram

Foto: Dafiti Mag

Foto: Yotecuento

With my last and final look I wanted to keep things "simple". And by simple I mean, Pocahontas-meets-gypsy inspired. I wore a black and cream kimono with and amazing curtain of tassels along the bottom, with a navy blue, bell-sleeved, loose fitting mini dress by Dedal De Oro. I wore my new best friends on my feet: my black ankle booties with the gold detailing on the heel and  buckle with cutouts on the side. I had been wanting to braid my hair with light weight fishtail braids for the longest time, and I thought that this was the perfect opportunity to do it. Along with my star details along the side of my cheek, it turned into my favourite look of SWF 2014.  

Foto: Otro Maldito Evento

Foto: Socialgram

Foto: Otro Maldito Evento

3 Healthy Breakfast Ideas

I find that eating healthy in the morning motivates me to stay healthy throughout the day. Not only have I learned, (the hard way), that you are what you eat and that diet is an 80% of staying fit, but also, I have come to enjoy cooking in the morning and having "me time" at breakfast. I find that I'm most creative when no-one else is around, and I have time to dig deep into my thoughts. This process is always well accompanied by a healthy meal.

I try to keep my breakfasts clean. What do I mean by "clean"? Well divided. If I'm going for fruit, I stick with fruit. If I'm going with toast or cereal, I stick to carbs. If I want an omelette, I keep it to just proteins. No mixing. Except with veggies. You can never go wrong with more veggies.

Here are three of the breakfasts I had this week. AKA, my three breakfast ideas:

1. So tropical!
So, this is what I'll have if I didn't do so well with my eating the day before. Pineapple helps clean out your system, and I'm sticking to veggies and fruits to keep my body eating light.

- Cranberry Juice.
- 2 Avocados with lemon, salt and two teaspoons of olive oil. (DONT BE AFRAID OF OLIVE OIL! IT'S GOOD FOR YOU!)
- Half a pineapple.
- 8 thin slices of cucumber.

2. Before-Gym Magic.
I usually work-out in the mornings, so a boost of energy and protein is a must! Coffee is BY FAR my favourite part of my breakfast, unfortunately, once I start I don't stop. So I try to have it only 3 days a week.

- Grounded coffee with skimmed milk and stevia.
- Half a red pepper sautéed with 5 medium size mushrooms and a tablespoon of margarine.
- 2 scrambled eggs.

3. Eat your greens!

As you can probably tell, I'm a big fan of avocado. We get THE best avocado in Chile almost all year around, so, it is super present in my diet. Cool fact: Avocado and Asparagus are high in glutathione, which is a detoxifying compound that helps break down bad compounds like carcinogens. So their yummy AND really good for you!

- Hibiscus Tea (Starbucks)

- Small batch of Asparagus sautéed with two teaspoons of olive oil and salt.

- 2 Avocado with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and lemon.

Hopefully you get some ideas from my healthy breakfasts, and it inspires you to live a healthier and happier lifestyle!

V

My 5 Tips To Running 10K

Last Sunday I ran 10K for an amazing cause. The event was organized by Everlast and "Corre X Nosotras" was for all women, and supported the cause of uterine cancer. As an Everlast Ambassador, I was extremely proud to be a part of this run, but even more so as a women.

I fell in love with running in 2009. It was the only exercise I could get anytime and anywhere I needed it. The gym required more planning, and any school sports were on a schedule and implied having to play nice with others. Both of those factors didn't always work for me.

These are my 5 tips to running 10K:

1. Hydrate yourself!
The night before a drank 1 Lt of water, and the morning of, as soon as I woke up I had another. What I find this does is avoids you needing to desperately stop for water while running your 10K.

2. You are what you eat.
Having said this: go for proteins and coffee with a treat, (sugar). The last one is what your body will use for immediate energy. I made myself 2 scrambled eggs to feed my body. Since it was 6:30 am, coffee was a must, but also, it gives you that extra boost of energy. My treat was one of those pre-made coffee mixes with TONS of sugar.

3. Stay motivated!
Run for a cause that is close to your heart. I kept on seeing women and men with shirts that said "I'm running for you mom!" or "This is for the women in my family.". This pushed me to run harder.

4. Music is the soundtrack of life!
SO... Get the soundtrack to your 10K. My playlist for running is always changing. I get bored of listening to the same music, so to keep me motivated, I switched things up the morning of the run and changed my playlist to have all new music for my 10K. I'm more likely to run if I have the appropriate music with me.

5. Running Buddies...
I'm lucky to have an amazing family. But I'm also lucky  for having to parents that get me out of bed at least 5 times a week to get exercise. I would not have achieved my 10K if my dad and best friend hadn't said he would to the run with me.

- V

Kate Moss For Topshop

I was invited to check- out and shop the new Kate Moss X Topshop collection. If I had to describe it with a concept, I would go with Boho-Chic. I feel like this is what Kate would wear to Coachella. Hippie prints and detailed necklines, this collection was perfect for the festival season.

I love Topshop. I love their designs, I love their collections and colabs, and I love how you can go in once a week and always find something different. But, considering I’m shopping regularly to find outfits for different types of events, Topshop isn’t always my best friend when it comes to prices. This collection was no exception to their characteristic price point. Having said that, I only allowed myself ONE purchase from the collection. I got a pair of high wasted pants that flared out into bell bottoms. Their thick material will allow me to wear them from spring to fall (maybe not Canadian winters). We, (Santiago,Chile) only received part of the collection. So we only caught a glimpse of what Kate and Topshop created for the world. 

My #OOTD consisted of a crop top I bought in a boutique in Peru, my vintage/thrifted mens shirt, XL sweater from H&M, my Nixon gold watch, Topshop neon orange skirt and ankle booties, and my Yellow Submarine Vans tote from their new “The Beatles” collection. 

V

#OOTD - Tigers & Pastels.

#OOTD:

I recently wore one of my favourite outfits of all time... I was invited by GAP to their award ceremony of their graffiti competition. I wore an XL sweater I had spotted in H&M 2 weeks earlier which I finally purchased after racking my brain for the longest time. It had silver speckles over a black woolly material, big pockets and a thick frame. 

I wore this over a skin tight dress I bought in my travels through New Zealand last year. I had never worn it because of its loud print and I couldn’t quite figure out how to pull it off. The tiger and its pastel yellows tied in perfectly with my leopard print vans and my simple statement necklace. 

Fortunately, my makeup was done by Mac Cosmetics makeup artists that day, and had been crafted to perfection. Since my outfit was simple yet to the point, I decided to knot my hair in a low side bun.  My pastel pink lipstick and vintage inspired eyeliner with the cherry on top completed my look.

V