Oh, a final word about this guest-blogging business: Jessica had asked to conduct a small interview with me for the piece, the results of which are posted here:
Where are you from?
Born in the Caribbean & raised there and in Southern California.
Why New York?
It's the capital of the world!
Name some of your passions?
Almost anything involving the arts--music, theatre, film, painting, design, fashion... the list is long! But I love that we are given so many forms of artistic expression, whether through what we wear, the music we make, or the stories we tell. It's all part of our ability to communicate with each other in these really amazing and beautiful ways; it's a wonderful ability we have.
Does your culture play a part in how you see the world?
Absolutely. The island I'm from is such a colorful, dynamic place. We're very passionate, and it shows in our personalities, how much we love to enjoy ourselves, love to be festive, have carnivals, enjoy singing and dancing. Even the most humble farmer can pick up an instrument and follow along to an impromptu song. There's so much joy on my island. I really wish that we could embrace that part of our culture more. And then of course, there's the California girl side of me that loves the beach and that laid-back, easy way of looking at life, as if I had forever with blue skies to decide things.
Who inspires you?
One of the most inspiring people I've ever heard speak was Jane Goodall. She was so lovely, so inspiring, so full of hope for humanity and for her beloved animals. President Obama is a brilliant orator; whenever he speaks, I believe. He's hugely inspiring. Writing-wise, I am inspired by people who have the ability to tell stories in original and breathtaking ways. I single out Joan Didion as being one of my favorite non-fiction writers--her essays are phenomenal.
Favorite place to hang?
I am spoiled for amazing places to hang out in NYC. If I had to narrow it down, I'd say the King Cole bar at the St. Regis is always a good time and makes me feel like a glamorous grown-up whenever I go, and having drinks in the Yard at the Soho Grand during the summer makes me feel instantly chic. On a less scenester note, I go a lot to Sample in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, which is this tiny, tiny place that has wonderful tapas and great wine. They just let you hang out and I love it. And I recently went to The Clover Club for cocktails and can't wait to go back--it's an amazing space. Just absolutely gorgeous.
Social issue you think more people should know about?
Equal Marriage Rights. I think it's ridiculous that in this day and age, two people who love each other aren't allowed to marry because of their sexual orientation. We need to be better than that as a country, as a society.
How do you handle change?
I love it, bring it on. :)
Why (and when) did you start The Ascetic Libertine?
I started it in 2007. There were definitely quite a few fashion blogs at the time, but I wasn't aware of most of them, and it certainly hadn't blown up to the level where it is now, where every 15 year-old in middle America photographs what she/he wears every day. I had a lot of friends who were either completely dismissive of fashion, or just didn't understand it and often asked me what they should wear and how they should style things. I used to try to explain to them how a specific trend didn't need to be only for outrageous people, that you could take inspiration from it and make it work for you, no matter how conservative you are in your dress. So it was kind of a way to explain fashion to my friends who didn't get it, and also to list the things I loved, the pieces that made an impact on me. The way we represent ourselves visually has always fascinated me. It's all interesting to look at, especially the ugly things, the stuff you viscerally react to and declare you will never wear. I enjoy fashion on both a superficial level (shiny! pretty!) and a deeper sociological level (why are we putting women in 7-inch heels at this point, in this decade?). It's also just so much fun to do.
Any advice for anyone looking to reinvent themselves?
I think you have to look carefully at why you want to change, and start from there. If it's to be more professional, more responsible, spend less, what have you, just figure out your reasons so that you have a solid base to start from and aren't floundering around. Does it really need to change completely, or does it just need a tweak here and there? Once you're grounded, you can go to town with it. Last year I made the conscious decision to stop dressing as young as I had been. Not quite so many frilly skirts and cutesy things. I wanted to be sleeker, more professional. I don't always succeed, but I love how I feel when I'm wearing a pencil skirt and beautiful blouse and look like a grown up.
If money weren't an option, what would you do today to sweeten your quality of life?
I would buy a house. Well, in NYC that's not a possibility really, even with all the money in the world, so I'll expand that to "a place to live," an apartment or something like that. It would be very nice to have a home of my own, someplace that I could always go to feel grounded; to know that there's a place in the world that's all mine. That would definitely improve my quality of life 100%. On a simpler level, being such a visual person I keep meaning to do something easy and cheap like buy flowers every week, just to have some color in my apartment, something to cheer me up when I walk in. But I always end up putting the money for that to more necessary things.
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