Replace with Goodness

Sometimes, I get into a particular style (or rather it gets into me), and I just can't stop experimenting with it. This time, it's boho. I often hear that boho looks very organic one me - in fact, they say that it feels very me. To tell the truth, even though I love boho, to me it isn't very me, really. I appreciate its free-spirited vibe and whimsy, which does indeed feel like me. But I crave for a little more structure in clothes. And I think it is not only visually or how it literally feels on my body, but also emotionally, or spiritually, if you will. I think it's my inner craving for more structure in my life lately. I think that I am looking for a balance between freedom and structure.

But I truly enjoyed both creating and wearing this bohemian inspired outfit. I will write about details later in the post, but here look at my face on this photo - isn't it glowing? The one thing I notice lately about my skin that it isn't as easy to look as fresh as it used to be. Often, I think, it is a lack of sleep and simply too much time spent in front of a computer screen. We must get a good night 's sleep to look beautiful - it really isn't trivial advice. And we definitely benefit from fresh air, so I better get my writer's bum out for a walk more frequently, period. But I am happy that I found a little trick to cheer my face up, which is very inexpensive and really easy, and will work well if you have to go to an event and want to look your best. (Oh, and just like the other 436 of my total 439 posts in this blog, it isn't an advertisement - simply sharing my experience. Read package instructions, professional articles and use your own judgement, etc.) I bought a couple of masks for $3.99 each at Target recently, and one contains real gold. Golden particles apparently are able to get into our skin to replace some badness with some goodness. I don't know about you, but it's all the explanation I need! I don't know how it really works, and I don't even want to know - I prefer to think of it as magic. I loved the result - my skin really looked bright and radiant. For going out, I put my usual BB cream (or CC cream, what's the difference, really, I use them interchangeably for my foundation when I decide to have a make-up) after the mask, and just a bit of face powder (photo above). On the photo below, you see my bare face after applying the mask.

You should be able to click on the photo to enlarge. No filters were used. On the right, my bare face right after using the mask. The splashes on the package are from the mask - the gold dust was on my fingers :)

The event I was going to was not intimidating in any way, quite casual really, but it felt good to take care of myself. I told you that we live sort of tucked away from the city, in a very quiet and beautiful residential area by the Sound. But our daughter now goes to the city every day for her high school, and sometimes we go too, like we did that afternoon for student conferences. So I snapped a few pictures of city streets and buildings on another glorious October day (we are blessed this year). As you can see, still not so much Autumn colors here.

And back to my outfit, as promised. It's really a mix of some old closet staples, vintage finds, inexpensive fast-fashion items... yes, I buy them, but not for just one season, I tend to wear everything for many years, and I treat fast-fashion items as I would treat my clothes normally. And the cherry on this cake is of course this beautiful velvet kimono which I bought on a whim at Target. I am really so pleasantly surprised how many affordable beautiful things you can find at this store (the gold mask is from Target too!). I used to only shop for my home at Target (some bathroom items, etc.), but recently I found some great items to wear too. The kimono has beautiful texture (the flowers are see-through, sorry I forgot what this type of fabric is called in English) and fringes. It really reminds me of Russian shawls, with one difference - shawls are not very practical on the go, you kind of have to hold them constantly, while a kimono is easy to wear, just throw it on and forget about it! I used to talk myself out of buying kimonos, thinking that my Russian shawls are pretty much the same idea. But now I see how comfortable these garments are - and I'm afraid it would be hard to stop at only one!

The last thing I want to say is this. We all get into a funk sometimes, don't we? I know I do. Maybe you too. Maybe it's being a woman. Maybe it's being a creative. Or maybe it's just being human. Sometimes when I feel down, I let myself to go with this feeling. I let myself to be sad, melancholic, grumpy or even depressed. But some other times, I simply don't let it happen. I replace this "badness" that I start feeling inside with some goodness. Talk to someone I cherish. Listen to someone who always has uplifting thoughts to offer. Watch a favorite comedy, a kind one. Read something wise. And just as gold particles, the dust of goodness also has magic power to get into the pores of our soul to replace whatever hurts on the inside with good stuff. We don't need to know how it works. We just need to remind ourselves that it does.

Kimono and short necklace (real rocks) - Target

Skirt, hat - Charlotte Russe (old)

Turtleneck, earrings - Chico's (очень old)

Necklaces, bracelets, sunglasses - thrift shops, antique malls, gifts from friends

Carpetbag - genuine vintage

Boots - Josef Seibel (about 2011)

Join us at Tina's Pink Friday!

* * *

SUPERSEAL, our new bilingual book, is coming in 2017!

Illustration by Andrei Lialin

Find our books at

AMAZON or INDIE BOOKSELLERS 

in Seattle, Tacoma, Federal Way, Washington

Connect with me on

INSTAGRAM     FACEBOOK     YOUTUBE