"The only way to live is by accepting each minute as as unrepeatable miracle." ~ Tara Branch
Warning, this is going to be a personal post. Being thrust into the adult world has been one huge eye opening adventure. Every day I wake up realizing that what I had been so accustomed to the past sixteen years of my life was no longer my reality. I need to start taking on more responsibilities and accepting that every day from here on out will be even less and less predictable. Which, is terrifying.
Along with that fear though, is excitement. I do not remember the last time I wanted months to pass by already because of plans I am setting into motion and to finally be able to see the final outcome. I feel like this is part two of my post: Life, Post Grad. Or I guess, more of an update.
Not too long after that post was published, I found my big girl job, and I love it. It was no where near what I thought I would be doing. Throughout undergrad I had been preparing myself to enter the job force doing work in a field I thought I knew was everything I wanted to do with my life. Then I interned in that field and I realized, it was nothing like I thought it was going to be like. I thought I loved it, and I kept telling myself and everyone around me I loved it, but when I entered the job I am in now I realized that I really didn't.
I don't know if I'll be doing this forever, I highly doubt it, but it is one huge stepping stone for me and there is no regrets in deciding to leave the field I thought I wanted to take on this opportunity. Taking on this job not only provides me with the chance to work in the field I got my degree in and finally get some real experience under my belt, it also allows me to finally be able to support myself. I have been so extremely lucky to have to continuous support of my parents throughout my life, especially through college, but I really want to be able to support myself and finally give them a break. I'm learning how to save money to actually have a real savings account and how to budget everyday life costs.
Along with real life lessons being learned, I also realized every cliche I have heard throughout my life is pretty dang true.
My friend circle has shrank tremendously, and I'm not even sad about it. Working an 8-5 job and living in a different part of town as most of my friends definitely cut down the time I have to see most of them but every day I am reminded of who really matters. I have friends I have actually created a routine of seeing once a week to catch up and spend time and friends who have moved away to another state and our friendship only strengthened from there.
I have come to truly appreciate the people in my life and the blessings I have been given. I had been so worried in the months leading up to my graduation that I forgot that everything will happen when it is meant to and when we need it the most in our lives, you just need to have faith.
Now for the outfit details!
Shirt // H&M
Jeans // Hollister
Sandals // Forever21
Sunglasses // Forever21
Purse // Forever21
Be sure to check out the new feature on my blog, my shop, for all of the links to my outfits.
So, what has been going on in your lives so far? Till next time.
xo, Carla Mae
Hello my loves, so I'm testing out a new posting schedule to try and see what will be best for me and for the blog. With getting a new job, my daily routine has shifted and I'm trying to accommodate to both to ensure that I don't stress myself out as well as not to deter myself from working on my blog. Back to the post though, for today's post I wanted to share my handbag essentials. I've been trying to take care of myself more but with my habit of choosing sleep over allowing myself extra time to get ready, it gets a little tough to make time to ensure that I have everything I need. These are a few items I've noticed I always keep in my bag and always reach for when I do have time for myself and throughout the day.
Let's start with the makeup items, I have been wanting to wear makeup more frequently just so I look more put together in the professional setting. As I said earlier though, I choose sleep over everything so it gets kind of hard for me to wake up and put on a full face (nor do I really want to with all the heat and rain in Central Florida recently).
1. Too Faced Melted Matte (Cool Girl): A little under a month ago I bought a ton of makeup (which I will be posting a haul + review on soon) and I may have bought a little too many liquid lipsticks. (Is there really such a thing as too much though?) Most of the colors I got were nudes though because I am just not a bright lip kind of gal, and out of all the products I bought this one has easily become my favorite. I love the consistency and the application of it on my lips. The doe-foot applicator is so easy to guide, even for this unsteady handed person. For me it is the perfect nude lip that doesn't make me look washed out and the scent and taste is barely noticeable. The color is long lasting and barely needs any touch ups, even with lots of drinking and eating, the color will come to a natural and flattering fade.
2. Sephora Waterproof Universal Lip Liner (Clear): Since I have been using liquid lipsticks more often, I have learned (the hard way) that lip liners are very necessary. Feathering and bleeding out of your lip line is just so upsetting and no one wants that. I decided to just stick to this clear one because I can use it with any color lip product and it's waterproof so it will not budge.
3. Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (Trooper): Now this is a product I still have mixed feelings about, if you remember reading my review on the Ink Liner, I also had mixed feelings. I actually ended up warming up to the Ink liner and really enjoying it. After a couple weeks of use I figured out the best way to use it, until I realized that the Tattoo liner actually did exist (I always thought I misheard people saying its name and that it was always just the Ink liner). I was so excited because I thought that the hype was truly on this product and I had just been purchasing the incorrect product. When I finally did purchase this one I realized that it was even more of a disappointment to me. It rubs off much easier and is definitely not as long lasting. The brush tip compared to the felt tip is easier to use and the color is very black, but I definitely see myself going back to the Ink liner once this one dries up.
4. Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm: This has been a handbag essential of mine since the 7th grade. I have tried other lip balms and chapsticks and I always find myself coming back to this item, so I decided to just finally stick with it. It's great and I love the minty tingly feeling I get from the peppermint within the product.
5. Mini Hand Mirror: I got this item from Forever21 probably 2 years ago, but I have kept it ever since. I get dry eyes a lot and need to put in fake tears to help relieve them as well as eyeliner reapplication. Having a mirror in our bag is an essential I believe everyone needs.
The Altoids Smalls are my new favorite mint candy, I used to buy the original Altoids but found the packaging to be a bit too bulky. Once I found out that they had created a smaller version, I immediately hopped on it. It's the same great Altoid flavor but in a much smaller packaging and a significantly smaller mint size as well. The Starbucks coffee technically is not something I keep in my bag but I always have one in my hands. Waking up early, regularly, is something new to me so I always need a little caffeine boost in the morning to get me going and what better way than with coffee.
Last but not least, a pair of sunglasses, one of my favorite pairs as well. I got these about a month and a half ago from Romwe for about $4 and I must say, they were the best purchase I made. They flatter all of my clothes and my face as well and protect my eyes from the sun. What more can you ask from a pair of sunglasses?
What are your handbag essentials for this summer? Till next time.
xo, Carla Mae
Originally, I did not like how this set of photos turned out, but over time (like most things in my life) I've come to actually like it. It's not my usual style and it has a different feel, which may be what changed my opinion on the photo set. This is one of my favorite outfits for the hot weather because I get to wear sleeves without the risk of heat stroke. The openings on the shoulders actually help with airing out the sweat glands, and a skirt is always better than a pair of pants. Also, I just love corduroy, who doesn't love running their hands against the fabric and seeing the pattern it makes and then neatly wiping it away?
Also, if you cannot tell, I am a big Disney fan. I have an annual pass and if you follow me on snapchat (shameless plug, @carlamaeramos) then you know I go to the parks pretty frequently. So I had to incorporate the mouse somehow, even though I'm really repping Monsters U. Anyways, onto the outfit deets!
Outfit Details
Top: H&M
Skirt: H&M
Hat: Disney
Shoes: Converse
What are your favorite types of outfits to wear in the summer heat? Till next time.
xo, Carla Mae
Wearing dark clothes in the middle of Floridian summer is a decision that makes you regret pretty much everything. The summer heat cannot stop my laughter though. Kathy and I went out on an adventure again and we ended up in the historic district of Downtown Kissimmee, in the blazing heat. I got shoulder tans from this photo shoot, I am not going to lie. This may be one of my favorite outfits, I feel like I've left behind a lot of my colorful outfits and just started going monochromatic, and I do not mind it one bit. Of course, there will still be color in my life, my favorite color is pink and that's just something I will not let go of.
Hanging out with my best friend in the burning summer heat is not the only reason I am cheesing really hard right now. Your girl, has a full time job! A full on adult career. I am so excited, this opportunity honestly has come out of nowhere and caused quite a bit of stress but I cannot wait to see where it takes me and the experiences I will learn from it. I once told my mom that I want to be a crime fighter by day and a fashionista by night, and that dream may be coming true. I don't want to jinx anything and I honestly do not think I'm allowed to share any details so let's just stick to sharing the fashionista facts of my life.
Outfit Details
Top: Zara
Pants: PacSun
Shoes: H&M
How is your dream chasing going? Till next time.
xo, Carla Mae
Two weeks ago I graduated from the University of Central Florida with my bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. It was an amazing milestone in my life and I wanted to share some photos I took before the big moment walking across the stage. Other than the solo photos I took, I invited some of my closest friends that were with me throughout my undergraduate years and who were my biggest supporters through the hardships. Not everyone could make it, but a majority did and we had some fun playing in the reflection pond on campus and making silly faces.
Now that two weeks have passed, I definitely see my life in a different way and have more than just positive feelings about having graduated. I wanted to share some feelings I've been having about everything that's happened since. I'm not going to lie, life is just scary. I am a planner, a dreamer, and very goal driven. For the past four years, I have pushed myself to work hard and go for opportunities that I viewed would help me get to where I want to ultimately be.
During one of my internships, I talked to someone in my field of interest and they told me to be able to accomplish what I want in life, I have to be realistic and to go towards my goals by not viewing the actual goal and dream I have, but by the steps that I know I need to take to get to that end. After being told this, I changed what I did in life and worked hard to get as many opportunities to help me get my foot in the door of where I want to be and doing what I have dreamed of.
Being completely realistic is something that is pretty hard for me, because at my root, I am an optimistic dreamer. I always wanted (and thought I would have) a job in my field by the time I graduated with my bachelor's degree. Of course, that's really optimistic and it was not what happened in my case. The day after my graduation, and if you know me personally I still feel like this, I got really sad because I had not landed my dream job yet, or any job in my field at the least. The weekend after my graduation I let it bring me down a bit and I knew that I could not allow that to continue. I worked hard throughout college and I could not let myself just fall into a depression because I passed by a bump in the road.
I have to consciously remind myself that everything is still alright, that I am going to graduate school in the fall and I still have my internship in the exact field that I want to work in. There are still positive things going on in my life and it is more than what some people may have after they graduate. Even though I have to consciously remind myself these things, it has kept my head up and thinking more positively. Which is also what sparked my return to my website, blogging was something that allowed me to express myself throughout the latter years of undergrad that was something I was passionate about but not related to criminal justice. I am constantly applying to jobs in my field still and not allowing myself to give up but I know I need to also put more effort in other things that make me happy that have no chance of rejecting me. This is my place, and a place where I can be me and nothing can stop me, I don't have to worry about not getting hired because I'm already here and this is my voice.
This new spark in my life is my new motivation for my life post grad. Not only do I need to keep following the steps that are required to get myself in my field and work where my dreams always take me, but to also have other passions. This is a whole new chapter in my life that for once, I have no plans for and am taking everything day by day (for once in my life) and I'm excited.
What are your dreams? Till next time.
xo, Carla Mae
Outfit Details:
Dress // Zara
Heels // DKNY
Watch // Fossil
Jewelry // Alex & Ani and Pandora
Glasses // Ray-Ban
Who knew that when I said coming soon, that it would end up being three months later? As you read this I have written 6 posts to get ready to be scheduled and all will finally be well with my blog. Life does get in the way and over the past year I have had breaks in my blog but now that I have graduated, I can finally focus on parts of my life that I enjoy and aren't part of what I studied during undergrad. Blogging was my escape from school and working and now that I don't have to worry about one of those, I can put forth more focus on my personal passions.
The location of the shoot was a great location, I love coffee and I can definitely say that I did enjoy their coffee. There aren't that many options but sometimes, a small menu is all you need. I ordered a cortado which I had tried elsewhere and it was just as wonderful here as my first experience. My sister ordered an affogato, which was the first I'd had, and I can say that my life has been changed. It's not like coffee flavored ice cream, it's significantly stronger flavored and not as creamy as a regular coffee. I highly recommend this option if you're unsure of what you want to order or want to try something new.
The location of the shoot was a great location, I love coffee and I can definitely say that I did enjoy their coffee. There aren't that many options but sometimes, a small menu is all you need. I ordered a cortado which I had tried elsewhere and it was just as wonderful here as my first experience. My sister ordered an affogato, which was the first I'd had, and I can say that my life has been changed. It's not like coffee flavored ice cream, it's significantly stronger flavored and not as creamy as a regular coffee. I highly recommend this option if you're unsure of what you want to order or want to try something new.
Anyways, back to the outfit. This is a bit of an older photoshoot but I still love this outfit. The dress can be worn year round, dressed up with heels and worn in the professional setting (as what I normally do), or out on date nights when you don't want to work to hard to look nice but make it seem like you put effort. It also doubles as a mini blanket in cold rooms because of how thick the material is. Do you have an outfit that you like to use to seem like you out more effort than you did? Till next time.
xo, Carla Mae
The weather in Florida has honestly been very back and forth recently and it definitely makes it hard for me to know what to wear. So when picking out my outfit for this day, which was very sunny but oh so breezy, I opted for a tank with a leather jacket to keep when warm while walking outside. I also kept it dark to help with retaining in my own heat. I definitely did not realize that I was fully covered in clothes from Zara, but they are my favorite clothing store and when you know where to look during sales you can find great pieces to keep in your wardrobe year round. How are you guys keeping warm during days where the weather seems to be going back and forth at the same time. Share your outfit choices in the comments, till next time!
xo, Carla Mae
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