Vouching for Jumpsuits

Jumpsuit- Nasty Gal, sandals- Dolce Vita (similar here), ankle brace- Walgreens (I'm so funny I know), bangle- vintage, necklace- Bauble Bar

This really isn't a fashion post, it's more of a persuasive argument to get you to buy a jumpsuit. For one jumpsuits are a mystery. How do you get into them and how do you get out of them? It's a mystery for everyone to figure out, and an accomplishment when you can master the art of getting in and out of a jumpsuit. Also the article of clothing is a mystery. Is it a monotone two-piece, a maxidress, smock? At first glance people are very confused why you have two pant legs, but there is no separation from top and bottom. After a few minutes they realize you're wearing this magical onesie, and either are really intrigued by you or have stared long enough for you to start a conversation with them. An icebreaker and outfit in one, two birds with one stone.

Secondly, jumpsuits allow for free movement. Walking over subway vents (no Marilyn moments), running marathons, and doing backflips are all possible in a jumpsuit. In fact, the style itself almost begs you to start doing some acrobatics. I used to wear unitards in my modern dance pieces, (see picture below, and I apologize for putting Sami through the equal embarrassment) and I suddenly felt obligated to jump around and do high kicks; same goes for jumpsuits. If you want the ultimate comfort the jumpsuit is the way to go. Finally, you can wear them for any occasion. Brunch with the girls, date night, SoulCycle class, jumping off an airplane...the list goes on and on. Think of it as the ultimate investment that you will wear literally everyday no matter what you're doing.

I will admit the above points are true (even if they are a little comedic), but most of all I'm vouching for jumpsuits because they're so flattering on every body type and that's something worth celebrating. They elongate your legs, make your waist tinier, and come in so many different styles that you can still accentuate your favorite body part. I've yet to see anyone look bad in one, and while they're still a hot piece for the summer I suggest you look at some of my favorites from Three Floor, Band of Outsiders, and Pixie Market for inspiration for your next purchase.

Women Can't Have It All

Pepsico CEO Indra Nooyi was recently ranked #13 on Forbes' Power Women's list, but that's not the only reason her name is coming up in the news. She recently got personal and proclaimed that women can't have it all, and suddenly people are "shocked." Why? Cause someone is saying what we're all afraid to really say, or going against what society programs us to believe. Sorry, kill that dream right now cause women can't have it all. But neither can men. The real problem lies in setting some expectation that women have to be the ones balancing their personal and professional lives, but men have the same problem. A man who is the breadwinner spending long hours at work and missing his children grow up does not have it all either. Something's gotta give, for women and men.

We all have this pie chart in life with different sections. The different section sizes correspond to how much time in our lives we allocate to that part of it, and the sections can grow and shrink depending on the different phases of our life. Sections? Generally my work/school section is about 75% of my chart squeezing in the fitness or social life sections is usually next, and everything else fits only depending on the way my life is going. If you decide to start a family, (whether you're a man or a woman,) your pie is going to change; or maybe it isn't- either you're going to be taking away time from other parts of your life for your children or you're not going to be giving enough time to your very important new additions. You won't have it all: equal sized sections of the pie. However, that's just part of life, trying to figure out how to arrange pieces in the best way that works for you.

Nooyi also comments that your biological clock and career clock are conflicting, and I can totally agree with this. While you're supposed to be developing your career and working hardest in the beginning, your 35 year-old alarm clock is waiting to go off and every birthday after 21 is a scary reminder of that. Life is a balance, it's a struggle, and nothing will be perfect. Get over that picture perfect image of your life and how it's supposed to look. Don't get me wrong, the dreams you have either personally or professionally can most definitely come true. However, they're not going to all happen at once. All the cosmos aren't going to align and you aren't going to be some superwoman in Choos running from the office to greet your perfect children and whipping up a Le Cordon Bleu worthy meal. Women can't have it all, men can't have it all, humans can't have it all. But that's ok, we're not supposed to have it all figured out. That's the beauty of it all: I don't have it all, you don't have it all, and Nooyi doesn't have it all.

What does healthy really mean?

I hate dietary labels. I don't want to hear that you're vegetarian, vegan, pesc, paleo, gluten-free, raw, "eating clean", dairy-free, Atkins, juice cleansing, eating before 7 pm, eating a cube of cheese every time you think you're going to pass out (did I cover all of them?). I especially don't want to hear that you're _____, and then watch you down a milkshake or a pizza. There I said it. While I've been guilty of trying many of these types of "diets" (using that word loosely not to mean restricting although that has happened but to describe regimens), I almost hated telling people I was vegan when I used to avoid animal products for fear of being judged as "that person" who can't eat 80% of the things on the menu at a restaurant.

It's all this big excuse that we're "supposed" to be healthy and onto the latest trend in health. We're all so incredibly obsessed with being healthy that we've lost track of what healthy means. In the world of eating disorders we're doing it to hide a bigger problem, you know oh I can't eat that cause I'm _____, but in reality I'm not eating anything, at all. And for many other dietary labelers, instead of really caring about what is good for our bodies, we're too focused on proving a point to everyone else that we're being "healthy." And what does healthy really mean?

2011 everyone was jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon. Suddenly everyone had celiacs and was allergic to wheat, and it was even supported by a scientific study in 2013. Well the same guy that came out with studies about gluten intolerance came out a couple of weeks ago saying his studies were off, and gluten intolerance isn't a thing. I literally started laughing like an idiot reading the article on the metro on the way to work. Laughing for all the people who are eating disgusting gluten-free cookies and bread but thinking it's OK to eat these cookies because they're gluten-free. I'm not saying gluten intolerance is real or fake. I'm not a doctor/scientist/nutritionist. If you really think that eating gluten has been ruining your health, then take that step and eliminate it...completely. But don't ride some see-saw going back and forth being "____" whenever it's convenient.

What is really being healthy is doing what is good for you. You know that feeling when you have a really good meal and just feel full of energy and what you just put in your body is helping it function? THAT is healthy. Healthy is different for every single person. When I transitioned out of being a vegan it was because I felt deplete of energy, my B12 and calcium levels were dangerously low. When I added in more dairy, less soy, and seafood in my diet I just felt better. It worked for me personally. It might not work for you, and if you recognize that amazing! How about we all stop obsessing about what dietary label we are and start focusing on what makes us feel good. No fries and donuts are not the right answer, but go back to the basics. Things we were taught as children: eat your veggies, drink 8 glasses of water a day, go to bed early, stop watching TV and run around outside. And whatever routine you're following that makes you feel better, stop talking about it. I don't want to hear it, and literally no one else does.

The REAL Housewives

In the past week I've had several people (including men) tell me they wouldn't mind being a "housewife." This only led me to think into what this title really means. Do we think about June Cleaver- the cake frosting 1950's sitcom mother? Do we think about six screaming kids in the back of a minivan on the way to soccer practice orange slices and Gatorade? Or we do we think about one of the self-proclaimed "Real Housewives of ..."?

I'll never forget the first season of the Real Housewives of Orange County riding off the coattails of America's newfound obsession with the Southern California region. For the record, the majority of Orange County is not like the lives of Marissa Cooper and Ryan Atwood. These "housewives" included women who had horrific spray tans, peroxide damaged hair, identical breast implants, and a weird obsession with Sky tops (those awful halter things with a rhinestone ring). Beyond their drone like looks they all prided themselves on staying home because their husbands made more than enough to afford them the luxuries of South Coast Plaza. As the seasons went up and characters developed the women who had actual jobs it was later revealed had some sick obsession with making money because of a bad prior marriage or a disadvantaged childhood. There's a reason why the DC version couldn't make it past one season: no one wants to see a culture of women who are power players with real jobs. No no no, it's Lisa Hochstein from the Miami version who spends her days lying by the pool hanging out with her BFF/maid/bartender Daysy chugging down vodka Red Bulls complaining about how exhausted she is from throwing a lingerie charity event. This is the image of what we think a housewife is. Newsflash that is not a a real housewife, that's a real first world problem. Better yet, that's a real disgrace to all the REAL housewives.

Because to me a housewife is likely someone who gave up their own career, independence, and dreams to dedicate their life to everyone else. Someone who makes breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a family accommodating everyone's specific dietary restrictions even if it means making everyone a separate meal. Someone who is a personal chauffeur at all hours to all locations even if that means dropping your kids off at school before heading to the doctor for your next round of chemo. Someone who will put up with having your enraged teenager tell you they hate you and slam a door in your face, but expect you to pick up all the pieces when they hit life's obstacles. Someone who goes to every award ceremony, sports game, dance and piano recital no matter how boring. Someone who greets you after a long day of work or school with a smiling face and a huge ornate fruit and nut platter no matter what is going on in their life. Someone who able to coordinate a social calendar with your spouse down to every last detail. Someone who has to please everyone else before they can even think about what they want. No my friends that is a real housewife. A job that (at least for now) I do not want, the hardest job of them all. So I would mind being a housewife because at the end of the day my job is eventually done, but a REAL housewife's work is never complete. 

I woke up like this... no but really

Look I love you B and maybe you did wake up looking fabulous cause well you're the Queen, but don't tell me that soaking your face in La Mer and weekly Sonya Dakar treatments don't have to do with your flawless look.

I didn't always have curly hair. No I spent 14 years of my life with thick long beautiful stick straight locks, until I woke up one morning with a "kink" that I just couldn't get out. Fast forward a few years, and I had a boss show disapproval for my natural hair (I'll save you the story). That was enough to shift my mentality of getting to know my flat iron and beginning this journey of frying my hair on a bi-weekly basis.

If you saw me in the past few weeks maybe you noticed something different.. or hopefully you didn't. Because today is the day I break my 18 days of no eye makeup and natural hair aka 18 days of "I woke up like this." The idea came along because I started to realize my once long eyelashes and thick hair had seen too much YSL mascara and Chi heat. Also, I was inspired by my main lady in her fascinating response to people who call her ugly for daring to go bare.

The first few days I avoided eye contact with people to hide my "ugly" bare face like suddenly because my eyelashes looked less doll-like I was inferior. By day five I couldn't handle the curly hair anymore and was desperate to straighten my hair, going as far as turning on the straightener like an addict who needed her fix. Standing there iron in hand almost ashamed that I even turned it on I slowly stepped away repeating to myself "get ahold of yourself Avis you are more powerful than the Chi." Yes I call myself Avis.

A week later the red blotches and spots on my skin were completely gone, and I was back to having the clear, soft skin I've been so blessed to have. Suddenly no makeup was looking a lot more appealing. My hair stopped breaking constantly, and I almost started liking the bohemian look that I was wearing as a nice transition into the summer months.

Two weeks in, it took pictures of my "former" self to remember what I looked like with more effort. I began liking the close to no effort and time it took me to get ready, in fact beyond moisturizing and SPF (which you should ALL be doing) I had it down to ten minutes.

I think more importantly and this is going to sound so cheesy, but it made me more OK with being in my natural state. Ultimately, it made me realize that if I get in my eight hours of sleep (hard but trying), drink a lot of water, and use my trustworthy Kiehl's skin care I don't actually look all too different than when Bobbi Brown and Nars give me a hand. My curly hair in this humidity sorry nothing can help you; your shining moments are limited to dry LA exclusively.

Sometimes it's not that I think that I really need to have every hair in place, but because "everyone" else is doing it I'm almost obligated to follow suit. Women are lucky that we have makeup, and on those days where I've gotten two hours of sleep I'm so grateful for my Shu Uemera eyelash curler. But women also hide behind a mask that is not good for your skin or hair, and in all honesty sometimes makes you look worse not better. I'll never completely give up makeup or hair products I'm a girly girl to the core, but with the warmer months approaching take this as an opportunity to let go of some of your beauty routine and simplify your life a bit. I dare you all to go bare and see how you feel after a couple of weeks.

Freezing for Fashion

Let me start with this: I get it, when it's below freezing you need to find some way to shield yourself when you're outside from this horrific season known as winter. If you're part of the astronaut boot or bubble wrap club I get it, even I have been in public in fleece leggings (I just made sure I didn't run into anyone I knew while doing it).

Look even though my mom was pregnant moving from New York to California with me, I didn't pick up some resilience to cold temperature in my early months in the womb. No I was born and raised in the land of sunshine where the only coat I owned was a small black peacoat worn annually around the holidays just to pretend there was potential that LA could ever get a White Christmas.

So there were my east coaster parents warning me about what it would really be like to live in the cold. It's not all snowflakes and fun like a J.Crew catalog, it's a matter of survival: you versus the polar vortex trying to walk three blocks without slipping on ice and splitting your beautiful new blue Pandaj & Nidhi dress in half on the way to an interview. Yes my friends that happened, and I'm not sure if I should be crying more about ruining an expensive brand new dress or my body being covered in black and blue camo print of bruises.

Here's why fashion and the cold don't mix. The biggest problem isn't that it takes about 3-7 minutes (depending on how fast you are) to put on and take off all your layers. Or that even though you've covered every inch of your body you've got a Rudolph nose and that Pantone of red (Chinese Red of course...IP joke) doesn't go with anything. Or that you're forced to wear tights as if they're just an extra layer of dermis (for your information they make an awesome extra layer of insulation under pants). No, no, no, the biggest problem of them all is the shoes, even bigger problem when it snows.

Here's the thing I refuse to buy "those snow boots." Sorel or LL Bean invades the streets after a snow day, and to be honest everyone looks like they're heading to NASA to blast off into space. Then you look up and realize this guy has his trousers tucked into them, and he's probably on his way to The Hill to do something much more important than care to think about what some 20 something fashion aficionado has to say. I digress, whatever you choose to wear to get yourself from home to the office is one thing, then there's the changing into the shoes that's another. I feel like a magician with many tricks hidden in my hat, but more like the pains of having to carry what seems like an alternative wardrobe in my tote. I've become a bag lady if you will.

Let's move onto the coat culture. I spend my days on the metro analyzing coats. Sometimes you'll spot a really fantastic fur or an awesome color that really makes the outfit, but for the most part they're the same uniform black wool things or bubble wrap. Yes bubble wrap or those down parkas that don't distinguish a man from a woman and make a swish noise with every step you take. Yes, during my first winter here my North Face bubble wrap was my best friend. I felt like I was in a constant sleeping bag, and when you're living off little to no sleep that's the best feeling in the world. Year two in the cold, it's reserved for going to yoga exclusively. I began to realize that I'd rather freeze for fashion. My extensive growing collection of beautiful coats all deserve equal attention even if it means possible frost bite in the process. Finally a note on the coats, is it so vain of me to want to walk around with my coat unzipped or unbuttoned just so my well thought out and glamorous outfit underneath gets some spotlight. Is it really fair to let some bubble wrap represent your OOTD?

The irony of health in America

Let's talk about the irony of being healthy in America. Why is it that I feel like my wallet is constantly being punished for trying to take care of myself?

Coming back from a few days of being in the land where people carry their green juice like the newest accessory to match their lululemon gear straight from a pilates class on the way to bootcamp, I found myself very conflicted. How do people support this kind of lifestyle? I'm not just talking about those lucky few who are paid or live off someone's income with the luxury of working out all day and eating leaves. There's something about LA and its pressure that keeps even the busiest people looking like they belong in Sports Illustrated.

Let's start off with working out. If I'm about to take a spinning class at SoulCycle that'll be $34 plus $3 to rent shoes. One hour of hot yoga at Corepower $20. Pure Barre pain $25. Sure there's package deals that cut down the cost a bit, but then you've got time restrictions to finish the package by a certain time or risk losing money for unused classes. There's also gym memberships that'll set you back anywhere from $20 to $200 a month depending on how shmancy you're getting. We're not even talking personal trainers or the perks that a certain small pool of people get.

Now food. There's a pretty easy formula to eating healthy: focus on lean proteins and load up on fruits and vegetables. There's also the push to eat organic, load up on vitamins and probiotics, avoid all processed foods etc. So there I am standing in Whole Foods or Trader Joe's trying to just get some spinach, eggs, and bosc pears realizing I'm about to spend more money than my meager (or non-existent) student budget allows, and we're not even talking about all the goodies and specialty items that I have to put my blinders on to avoid as I walk down the aisles. Meanwhile let me remind you that a Big Mac, medium fries, and a Coke comes in at $6.19 (just checked the Value Menu).

We're living in a country of obesity and diabetes, even though we keep pushing our kids to get moving and put down the sodas. So am I going to start making friends with the pizza delivery guy and stop my morning namaste? I was raised in a home where salt, soda, and sugar did not exist and TV time was severely limited. In a way I was lucky because I was taught good habits early on and made aware that if you're not paying for it now, you'll be paying for it with high medical bills, poor quality of life, and even eventually shortened life. But all I'm saying is can I get a little discount for getting myself up at 5 am to sweat my body dry and keeping all the kale farms in business?

Might even name my firstborn Lupita

If you don't know who Lupita Nyong'o is...STOP, Google, fall in love, come back and finish reading this post. Normally when celebrities do their first red carpet season, it's a bit of a trial and error. I can never really understand that, if you're in an Oscar nominated film I'm sure you can find a stylist and a desperate designer and put something on that doesn't look like a complete failure. Alas, there is a worst dress list and Joan Rivers for a reason.

Well flashback to Golden Globes 2014 a couple months ago and out walked that Ralph Lauren cape red masterpiece showing off the beautifully sculpted shoulders of the one and only Lupita. Everyone stopped cause in that moment she went from a question mark to the top of the best dressed list of the evening. Teal Gucci at SAG, green Dior at BAFTA, two piece cream Giambattista Valli at the ESSENCE Luncheon, and of course last night's pale blue Prada pleated dream. I'm wearing a headband everyday this week (or at least tomorrow).

Us Magazine: Jeff Vespa/Wireimage

Besides flawless skin, an edgy hairstyle, and biceps to put FLOTUS to shame what makes this beautiful canvas a knockout is her understanding of her body. She has such a strong upper body and the perfect chest for those deep V cuts and strapless gowns, and everything she wears shows them off. It's not about wearing that "it" style whether it's formal or casual, it's about knowing what your assets are and working them. Assets is not meant to be misinterpreted, it's about highlighting while looking classy at the same time. Also she's not afraid of color. I'm a bit too obsessed with neutrals right now and often hiding behind black is just easy, but she's worn every color of the rainbow and made me fall in love with colors again.

My respect for this all-star grew even more when I recently read an article where she discussed her prior experience with fashion being minimal. When she realized all the publicity 12 Years a Slave would involve she began to do research on designers and understanding their style and how it's applied during the red carpet season. Celebrities are given the perks of someone dressing them and giving them the most beautiful and expensive pieces in the world, but when a celebrity takes charge and control over their clothes it really shows.

Lupita makes me excited about fashion, and it's a feeling I haven't associated with the red carpet season in awhile. Keep your eye on her, and go buy yourself a headband.

The Wire: AP