Category Archives: Spring in Full Swing!

What I’ve Learned From Fashion: Then vs Now

Posted on by
Reply

Hello Yall! I hope you are doing well in your corner of the world. Its been a minute since my last post and I’m so glad to be back and writing again. It still feels like Spring in North Texas which is so nice that I’m not worried about what Summer is going to be like this year. If you’ve been with me on this journey, fashion is something I have always loved and admired albeit from a distance. Over the years, my sense of fashion has evolved and looking back, it’s so fun to see what my style was then versus now. And I must say, a lot has changed. This post isn’t intended to be sexist but as a lady, I can only speak from that standpoint so guys, please bear with me.

I dress for my body type and undertone. I’ve done this so many times in the past where I purchase an item of clothing just because it looked great on a model or mannequin or buying a dress with the goal of fitting into it LATER….Haha guilty as charged. Thats over and done with. I dress for now, for today. The future will come, and I will be ready.

I embrace bold colors. I remember when I was younger being told that wearing bright colors would be too ‘shouty’ of a look. Being able to break out of that mold and add a splash of color has been so refreshing and indeed liberating. Whether its lipstick, a nice blazer or shoes, bright colors have a way of lifting your mood and making things vibrant.

Getting Rid of the bulk and Investing in a few good quality pieces. Over the last couple of years, I started decluttering my wardrobe. Of course, there are keepsakes that I will always hold unto, but I started getting rid of things I rarely used and began donating them to those less fortunate and who would use them rather than sitting in my closet year after year. The more I decluttered, the lighter my space became and the less stressed I was especially when I had to find something in a hurry.

There’s a thin line between preserving relics and hoarding. I recently watched a documentary that linked hoarding to mental instability in an otherwise functioning adult. A lot of our grandparents and great grandparents endured the great depression where lack and not having enough was their reality. Unfortunately, when the wars were over and everything went back to normal a lot of them didn’t believe that things would remain the same, so the saved, and saved some more until it became …..Hoarding. Getting rid of old makeup and using up what products I currently have are some of my goals going forward.

Having good quality essential items….at all times. For women these will include good quality under garments, dresses, shoes, outwear items for all seasons. Have a closet thats ready to go. You don’t need to rush to the store every time you have an event, engagement or occasion. Go window shopping in your spare time. Look for deals. Take your time and find quality pieces. When you rush to the shops when you’re in a hurry, you may end up buying something in a hurry, buying out of desperation and buying something you may wear only a few times because it was the best you could do in that moment.

Skincare and overall wellness is key. Having a consistent skincare regimen and treating yourself to a spa at least twice a year. This doesn’t have to be some highly scary expensive feat either. A lot of ingredients can be purchased at your local grocery store or online at Amazon. Having an at home detox regimen. This includes magnetic clay soaks, Epsom salt soak with essential oils to remove toxins acquired from the environment around you.

Eat more fresh and less processed foods. When you are healthy, you feel good and when you feel good, you look great.

Folks, along the way, its normal to morph into your own sense of fashion and develop your own style. Even if you have a personal shopper or closet assistant, there comes a time where you know what you like and what looks best on your body but better still, you know how the clothing you wear makes you feel. Comfort and confidence are a match made in heaven when it comes to personal style. Until I come your way again, feel free to share your do’s and don’ts and how your sense of fashion has evolved then versus now.

Periwinkle Starr

P,S.: Photos are culled from FreePik.

Advertisement

Spring Cleaning…To Do or Not?

Posted on by
Reply

Hello Yall! Happy New Month. I hope you are doing well in your corner of the world. We’re already ziplining through 2022; can you believe we are in the fourth month already? My heart and prayers go out to the Starr readers in Ukraine and Russia. I pray the madness ends and the citizens are allowed to thrive freely and in peace. I’m writing this post with my TV on in the background and wondering why on a hot Texas Sunday they are showing Krampus on TV but who knows these things.

It’s time to spring clean and I have to admit that I’m a little behind this year, but I have a plan on how to get started which I’m going to share with you so stay with me. The beauty of doing this every year or multiple times a year is to make sure that whatever items we have or own at home are things that we need, are put to use or will be put to use at some point. The goal is to have stuff but not let stuff have us…but often times, this is easier said than done. So, grab a drink, smoothie or a snack and get comfy. This post is for me and everyone else who believes they can at least do better.

Kitchen & Pantry

Culled from the internet.

If you’re like some of us, chipped dishes, broken mugs, cracked glasses and a mis match of utensils mixed with to-go plastic containers line our cabinets and counters. It’s time to get organized on a budget or better still, invest in decent cookware and utensils. Trust me, this is not about anything over the top expensive but knowing you are worth it and deserve to eat or cook with decent cookware for yourself and your family. Isn’t it ironic how we spend top dollar on expensive dinners at fancy restaurants, yet we don’t even have matching cutlery, good silver ware or presentable dishes at home?

When it comes to the pantry, some pantries can hide a whole human being in there due to the clutter, disorganization and lack of routine cleaning. I know, I know…..we may still have that promised apocalypse at some point, but you should at least be able to know what you do have and what you need to stock up on. And for the love of plastic bags, buying clear containers that you can store food items in instead of grocery store plastic bags helps a lot. You can get affordable storage containers if you have some time and the patience to look and find brands that work for you.

Living Area (s)

Culled from the internet.

We can opt for a real bookshelf, a second bookshelf or an area to stockpile our books instead of the coffee table that hasn’t seen itself bare in the last couple of years or your dining table. Eating in front of the TV because your ‘dining table’ has been converted to a holding place for abandoned items is definitely a no no. I like the term ‘A place for everything and everything for a designated space’…or something along those lines.

Taking off the covers from sofas and washing them or getting professional cleaners to clean your furniture is great…because we sit, lay down, sleep, eat all year round on it. There’s ALL kinds of shed skin, dust mites and only God knows what are on there. Cleaning and sunning rugs or just any hard to reach or barely cleaned areas is a great idea.

The Closet

Culled from the internet.

I opt for open shelving in a closet, no drawers. Out of sight is out of mind and if I can’t see it, then I’m probably not going to wear it. You don’t necessarily have to have a built-out closet to be organized especially when looking at it from a temporary versus permanent standpoint. But having clothes separated by seasons, work, casual, special occasions, sleep wear, undergarments etc. will get you started. Having a shoe rack, shelving or shoe storage is great. No one likes stabbing their toes on some spiky heels when they’re in a hurry. But overall, you’ll know what you have and what you need more of when you are more organized. Now, this post may make some people chuckle because they already do this but there are people whose homes I have been in and there’s clothes in laundry baskets and about a foot high all over; I couldn’t even see the floor. If you were raised better than most, be kind. People are a work in progress especially when they make an effort to do and be better.

Folks I’m out of time but I hope you had a good read and this helps someone out there. Until I come your way again, do like, comment and share. And always remember that we’re all in this together!

Periwinkle Starr

Back To Living Life?!

Posted on by
2

Hello Y’all! It’s been a moment since my last post. I hope you are doing well in your part of the world. I feel like every day that goes by brings me a step closer to living life as it was before the pandemic hit. Texas has been great in getting people back out and into some semblance of life as we knew it before the corona virus and I am so grateful for that. My heart goes out to my friends and Starr readers in Asia, most especially those in India who are having it really rough with a new ‘variant’ of the virus. I am sending you good wishes and prayers and I hope this passes and we can all get back to living as we once did.

A lot has changed in the past 12 months. I’m still working my way back to how it was pre-pandemic. Simple things like going to the gym or swimming. I know a lot of folks who haven’t gone back to the gym and prefer to workout outdoors, in small groups or virtually. How we stay active doesn’t really matter just as long as we keep fit and stay healthy is our defense against getting sick. I recently started walking again after almost a year and it was so freeing to be back on the trail, enjoying the scenery, the sounds, the smell of nature all around and see some of the regulars I’ve come to know over the years. It felt so invigorating and inspired me to write this post about not giving up…no matter what. Sharing is caring and we can all learn from each other so here goes…

The Spiel!

Life Happens…To Everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich, poor, handsome, pretty, unattractive, skinny…..you get the gist; we all have to go through life. A lot of times I don’t understand why especially when I’m in the middle of something, but sometimes, I get a clearer picture at the end of the tunnel or when I’m out on the other side. There’s no escape, we all have to go through things and I’m not trying to be a Debbie-downer but just want you to have a realistic outlook on life in general. We have to be braced, ready and open enough to find the silver lining…in everything.

Be Consistent. Whether its working hard on yourself to be a better version of you; or committing to eating healthy, exercising, or taking ownership of the kinds of people you surround yourself with, or just being mindful of the vibes or energy you put out into the world or absorb from your immediate environment. Be consistent.

Never Loose Sight of the Prize. Whether it’s your dreams, goals or vision for whatever you want to attain in life, never loose sight of it. I had the radio on the other day and heard this phrase that struck a cord with me. It said, ‘Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary situation’, or something along those lines. No condition is permanent and although some situations may be rough right now, it won’t always be that way. Keeping your eyes on your goal takes your focus off your current situation and gives you something to hope for, something to strive towards, and something worth living for.

Always Err On the Right Side. Always do the right thing whether anyone’s watching you or not because, what goes around boomerangs back around. It’s very easy to get caught up in instant gain but the after taste isn’t always pleasant. The best way to live a successful life is to be able to lay down on your bed at night with a clear conscience and have a peaceful nights rest. As easy as this may sound, it is not very common.

Kindness and Patience Go A Long Way. We live in a fast paced world. We want things now…and waiting is almost physically painful. But all in all, we need to remember to be patient and kind to the people we meet in our daily life. So when you’re waiting in line, waiting on the phone or just plain waiting. Curb the urge to start tapping your feet, tapping your fingers, pacing or getting worked up…periodt. Take a deep breath, relax and look for a way to focus your energy, count to 50, do something instead.

A couple of views from my fav trail.

Coming out of the pandemic and into life as we have always known it has given us (myself included) time to think, process and reflect on our way forward. So until I come your way again feel free to share your reflections as we ease into life once more. Please like, comment and follow for more from…

Periwinkle Starr

Breezy Mornings & Plant Hunting!

Posted on by
6

Hello Y’all! I hope you’re doing well in your part of the world? Its the weekend and its fairly nice out in North Texas! I spent a lot of the early part of my day at a commercial garden trying to get some greenery for my home. Thanks to Storm Uri, my only surviving snake plant was frozen to death and, I was sooooo devastated that I wasn’t ready to find a replacement just yet. That is , until today. Now, for those of you who own pets, you’re probably rolling your eyes like ‘plants have no character and can be replaced’, but I’d like to consider myself one step above some of my friends who own ‘pet rocks’….I kid you not. Pet rocks with googly eyes stuck to them…..the epitome of self centeredness if you ask me. At least with plants, its a living thing…that’s muted, 100 percent of the time haha!

If you’ve been with me on this journey for a moment, you’ll remember a post I wrote called Green Thumb?…Or Not | Periwinkle Starr (myeamba.com) It was my attempt to start a garden that covered a lot of the hacks I faced trying to grow a few plants on my then balcony. Fast forward to this morning, I decided to go looking with the hopes of finding the plant best suited for me.

Do you ever notice how beautiful plants look at the greenhouses or gardens; they’re so lush and vibrant, you want to take every plant home with you. But after you purchase a couple and about two weeks later, you can’t even recognize them or they’re either half dead or all dead? Well, I discovered the secret today. They had speakers throughout the place reading history lessons to these plants in soft tones, there were misty showers every now and they going off and people tending to these plants EVERY whim…if I could say that. But when you take the plant home, you give it water or nutrients every couple of days (or when you remember) and expect it thrive. There’s no way.

My Post Uri Plant Requirements.

  • I wanted something sturdy-er.
  • I wanted a plant that did not require daily attention, music, or history lessons read in soft tones. It’s 2021 folks, no one has time for that.
  • A plant that did not need automatic misting every couple of minutes
  • I didn’t want a Cactus either…that’s a whole other extreme.

The options were endless. A couple of pictures I took when I was looking around and trying to figure out what I was looking at and what would be most suitable for me.

Now, these are pictures without descriptions…obviously and only for your viewing pleasure. 🙂 I’m no green thumb (at least not yet), and I do not possess a vast know-how when it comes to plant nomenclature. But I was thankful for the tips I got from the attendants and the little cards they stick in the pots. Those were helpful in making my final decision. In the end, I settled on a Adenium Arabicum plant aka a Desert Rose. It fit everything I wanted and it wasn’t a Cactus.

Pretty, Sturdy and Resilient!

Mission Accomplished! My plant has since been potted and sitting nicely on my porch. Its planting season guys, If you haven’t gotten around to checking in on your plants or that garden you’ve always wanted to plant but haven’t gotten around to, now is the time! Heading in to make myself a huge cup of tea and catch up with friends. Feel free to Like, Comment and Follow this blog as we journey through life together. I hope you enjoy what’s left of your weekend, until I come your way again, I remain

Periwinkle Starr