Hannah's Wonder

Wonder:
Verb (used without object)

1. to think or speculate curiously:.

2. to be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe; marvel 

3. to doubt:

Verb (used with object)

4. to speculate curiously or be curious about; be curious to know:

5. to feel wonder at:

Noun

6. something strange and surprising; a cause of surprise, astonishment, or admiration

7. the emotion excited by what is strange and surprising; a feeling of surprised or puzzled interest, sometimes tinged with admiration

8. miraculous deed or event; remarkable phenomenon.

(definition from Dictionary.com)

This will be the last post on this website. I have decided if my blog is going to have any sort of staying power I needed to change the title, make it more personal. Plus I've never actually written about jazz so this title makes no sense. If you wish to follow my blogging and general shenanigans (I just really wanted to use that word) please feel free to keep up with me at hannahswonder. Thank you!

Dress to Impress Yourself

Today I bought a pair of pants that I love. I saw them and instantly knew they needed to be added into my wardrobe. I grabbed them and quickly went to the fitting room to try them on. The pants fit wonderfully and were so soft. They hugged my curves really well and the style was something that I didn't have in any of my other pants at home. The pants also had something else adding to them. A loud jungle print. I love a nice pattern, especially on a pair of nice pants, but these unsettled me a little bit. Did I really like the pants as much as I initially did? I thought about wearing these out of my house and the statement that they would make. These kind of pants do not come without a little bit of attention being drawn to them, like I said they are loud. I thought about lounging around in them at my house and didn't feel uncomfortable, I thought about hanging with my best friends and I knew they'd love and welcome the pants. I was unsure about maybe popping up to the grocery store or going to school in the pants. Why was I being so crazy about what other people thought of the way that I dressed? It is no one else's business what I wear. The pants fit me well, are super comfortable and are unique and fun. There was no good reason for me to not get the pants, so I did. I don't regret it for a second. I am currently writing this while wearing the pants and look at them and fall in love with them even more. Tonight I'm going to a Christmas party and I'm tempted to wear them. I don't want to be someone who never goes outsides the trends just because I'm scared of what others will think. I don't want my style to be put into a box by anyone, not even by me.

NYFW Part 2

Naeem Kahn

  
This collection is all about the beautiful embroidery and beading on many of the pieces. Each of the pieces is made with such incredible detail and each is so interesting. This collection also had the most amazing prints and patterns and the silkiest looking dresses. These pieces are so beautiful and intricate, amazing to look at.

Carolina Herrera

This collection was mostly white with pops of color. I loved the way that florals were so prominent and pretty. It was a new take on a classic style. They way that Carolina did he transition from geometric shapes into the organic floral shapes was beautiful. All of the pieces had such a beautiful structure.

Mara Hoffman

This collection gives me a really cool summer vibe and gives me the vibe of something people would wear to a party in New Mexico (or at least I would).  Everything has a great movement and would look so cool in everyday life. The prints in this collection are so cool and unique. I love the bright colors and they was every piece is sure to turn heads.

Betsey Johnson

Betsey Johnson is just a lot of fun. She is unapologetic and completely herself in her designs and I love it.  She is 72 years old and still does a cartwheel and the splits at the end of her shows. In addition her clothes are amazing. Her show had a fun theme with the wedding inspired lingerie pieces and the "prenup" necklaces almost all of the models wore. Betsey is a legend and so super talented she can do whatever she wants and it is still completely fabulous.

NYFW Part 1

Though I sadly did not attend New York Fashion Week I stayed up to date by using the website and checking out my favorite style bloggers that were there. I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite shows and looks from the past week.

b michael AMERICA

 
I loved the simple silhouettes and the retro styles that he used throughout this collection. The bright colors and patterns really brought life into the pieces and it all flowed so well together. Each piece was unique and looked so elegant. This was one of my favorite shows this year.

Rebecca Minkoff

This collection was so cool and casual. The clothing was pretty minimal the accessories really brought the dramatics. I loved the fringe on the bags and the over-sized hats. Everything seemed really wearable and I could definitely see myself wearing a lot of these pieces.

Luis Antonio

 
As a girl who loves any kind of print I was obsessed with this collection. I loved every look more than the last. The pieces with the rope print were all just so amazing and interesting. Everything seems very wearable. I liked the simplicity and the femininity that each of the looks possessed. The shoes in the show were also amazing and I think I need a pair.

Mark and Estel

I loved this collection because of its rocker vibe. The looks were tough yet feminine and I loved it. These girls looked so cool and effortless. They weren't too put together with messy hair and a smudged smokey eye look. Overall these looks are dangerous and amazing.

"I don't want to be a teenager because I don't want to get fat."

Last week I volunteered at a summer camp with kids from ages 3 to 11. We were walking back from a park and I was walking with an 11 year old named Kylie, when she said the above statement. She is the coolest 11 year old I've ever met. She was helpful with the little kids and I sometimes forgot she was only 11 because she acted so mature. As we walked back to the school building where the camp was being held she was telling me about her birthday coming up and about how she thinks she's going to be getting an iPhone. We talked about how it sucks to grow up and how we both we could be little kids again. When I asked her why she wasn't excited to be a teenager she said that she was afraid she would get fat. I became speechless, I did not know what to say. I was dumbstruck that the reason that this intelligent and funny girl did not want to grow up was because she didn't want to get fat. How messed up is that? I told her that just because she became a teenager didn't mean she would get fat, and if she did who cared. It is important to love yourself no matter what you look like or how much you weigh. I hate that this girl who I respect so much feels this way. I wish that I could remove these thoughts from any girls, and boys, who don't think they're good enough or all that matters is they way they look.
Everybody is unique and looks a different way and that is wonderful. I wish people would stop comparing themselves to others. I am by no means saying that I don't do it either, but I try to be as positive about myself and others everyday. I try to appreciate others for what they have and appreciate the different things that I have while not putting others down.

A Wrinkle in Time?

Today I was a time traveler. In the morning I took the dreaded ACT and I mean it could have been worse. I've never been a math and science person so those parts just always throw me off. We'll have to wait 5-8 weeks for the scores so for now I am free.
The ACT leads into college, which leads to the future. I'm terrified of the future mostly because I have no idea what I want to do. (I actually do, but is just isn't possible at this moment) Like I said in my last post at this time in my life every action I do is in some way responsible for my future.  So from an action that could decide my college career, which could determine my future (yikes!)  I went home and ate some left over Chinese food.
I then met up with my two best friends, and we headed over to my grade school's picnic. The layout has not changed in the many years that I've been going, which has been a lot. The same emcee announces bingo and all the games over a loud speaker, parents play carnival games with their little kids, and kids old enough to walk around without their parents go from ride to ride until they feel dizzy or actually get sick and need to retreat to their family's tent to lounge. The high school kids only show up after it is dark, because you're lame if you show up before then. The night ends with fireworks in the park and people gather on the hillside to watch. It is the perfect end to a great day. While I was only there for short spurts throughout the day I was often overcome with nostalgia  of previous picnics and how much things had changed in my life. I used to spend all day at the picnic, from the parade early in the morning to the fireworks late at night. I always dreamed of asking my crush on the Ferris wheel but never did. My best friend and I dreamt of having our first kisses while the fire works went on around us. None of that happened but those aspirations add to the fond memories I feel whenever I think of the school picnic. It reminds me of a time when I really didn't have anything to worry about, other than not puking after riding the Sizzler 5 times in a row.
I felt at home at the picnic today, but a home that I had outgrown. I talked to my 7th & 8th grade English teacher and talked to her about taking the ACT that morning and how strange it is that this is my life now. I am almost an adult and though I look back on my grade school days fondly they're only memories. As stressed as I am now I need to think that in a couple years I'll be wishing I was back in high-school.

Stressful Senior Summer

I've been on summer vacation for 2 weeks now, and after spending the first touring Connecticut and New York City with my school's choir, I've been at home with my thoughts. Even though summer is supposed to be a time of relaxation I am feeling a little stressed out. I've been studying to retake the ACT next Saturday, I've been filling out job applications so that I might be able to actually do fun things this summer, and I've been worrying about my upcoming senior year. Normal high school stuff, but I think writing it down will help me deal with it all weighing on my mind and might help me get some sleep. It is currently 5:37 am on Saturday morning and I have yet to go to sleep.

1. The ACT. This isn't the first time I've taken it, but I'm hoping it will be the last cause it is a pain. I took it the first time in April, the weekend my school's play was going on and being on costume crew I was involved with the show every night. I didn't prepare for the ACT because I wanted to see what my score would look like (also there just wasn't time), and not surprisingly it sucked. So alas the time came to sign up for the June ACT and there I was, filling out the questions again. This time I'm preparing, at least my dad bought me that big ACT practice book thing and I'm reading that and going to take some practices tests in the upcoming week. Time will tell how it goes.
2. A job. My parents flat out told me that if I want to do any activities this summer I need to pay for them myself. And I get it, they're putting one kid through college and another through a private high school so I do not hold these restrictions against them. But the job hunt is frustrating when you're seventeen and the only thing available is fast food and no matter how many applications you fill out you still don't get any replies. I'm trying, I want to be able to hang out with my friends this summer and go out to eat or have a fun shopping spree. So I'll fill out applications and hope that I'll get a job somewhere.
3. Senior Year. Now I am excited to be a senior don't get me wrong but it also scares me half to death too. In the fall I'm going to be the stage manager for my school's fall play and while that's a huge honor, it is also a huge responsibility. I'm in charge of every aspect of the show and I need to make sure it goes off without a hitch. With senior year also comes the thought of college and moving away from home, and while I've always been okay with the moving away from home part the actual thought of college freaks me out. How will I choose one? Will I get in? Can I afford it? 

So many thoughts and so many worries, I'm stressing and I shouldn't be. This is my summer vacation, the summer before my senior year. The best summer our of all the summer's ever. Today, well I guess technically it was yesterday but again I can't fall asleep, was National Donut Day. My two best friends and I drove to three different places to get donuts. The windows were down, the radio was on, and cares were nowhere to be found. It was the kind of carefree fun you see in movies and TV shows. That's how I want my summer to be: fun, spontaneous, and stress-free. Also, I'd like to be able to fall asleep.