The Stiletto Stomper

   The slow pace of summer made me want to get back on my blogging grind. So here I am, eager to start trying out projects and recipes I’ve pinned on Pinterest and post the results for everyone else to see. I’m off to a good start-I’ve pinned over 700 ideas and I’ve tried ONE so far (but it was delicious). Looks like it’s going to be a long journey.

 Oreo and Chocolate Chip Cookies from Pinterest. Recipe on page.

     I’m usually very apprehensive when September starts-since my junior year of high school every September has been less than satisfactory for me. It’s a curse that I haven’t been able break until now.

     But this September is starting with a new attitude and a clean slate, and an ambition I may have lacked before. My thought for the day:

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

   The source is unknown, but it stuck out to me. Gone are the days when I would just sit around. Life isn’t going to wait for me; I have to get out there and pursue it myself.

   And this Fall semester at the University of Florida has opened my eyes up to what I’m passionate about: Helping people and sharing my stories.

   Which is now why I plan on being an open book, sharing my life and what I’m learning. I want to be the difference I want to see in the world-all while wearing my heart on my sleeve.

       The third annual Gainesville Fashion Week, a 5-day long series of events that “focus on Fashion, Art, Music and Art in the Gainesville community” according to their website, has just begun and will continue through Sunday April 10, 2011.

     According to the website, each year the event showcases local and national designers, boutiques, and salons, while giving exposure to businesses and vendors. The events of the week range from exclusive parties, runway shows, art shows and a black tie gala.

   I really had wished that I’d be able to attend, but unfortunately by the time I heard about buying tickets, they were sold out for the first fashion show on Thursday and I won’t be able to go on Saturday.

    I look forward to seeing more pictures when they come out, but until then I have been searching for pictures to get a glimpse of what Gainesville Fashion Week is all about, such as the picture below.

 Photo from Gainesville Fashion Week’s Facebook page, Thursday Night Runway Show album.

     The Gainesville Chapter of Fashion Forward Inc. held it’s Annual Spring Fashion Show in the Rion Ballroom located at the Reitz Union on the University of Florida campus earlier this evening.

    The show, titled “Fashion Forward Inc. Presents Regal Runway: Rated F”, featured fashions that were inspired by scenes in contemporary films. The show started at 7 p.m. and also included performances by two dance groups.

     The show kicked off with an interesting collection that was inspired by Alice in Wonderland, and continued through collections that were inspired by The Godfather, Chicago and Sex and the City. My personal favorite was the Sex and the City collection, which gave me plenty of ideas for what to look for to add to my summer wardrobe.

     During intermission, dance groups “Chaos” and “Hands Down” performed. There was also an emotional appearance by Bryno Gay, a 20-year-old Hodgkin’s lymphoma patient, followed by an announcement that donations to help pay for his treatment would be taken after the show.

If anyone is interested in donating, please visit helpbrynobeatlymphoma.chipin.com.

                     Photo by Emily Culclasure.

      Our financial issues as a nation are not getting any smaller, and neither is our desire as a society to pursue fashionable trends. The issue of having limited financial freedom has made me wonder how it is possible to stay on a budget, yet still be able to get what we want. I found my answer, thanks to an article online from Marie Claire magazine.

    The first step is to set up a shopping budget. You don’t want to blow all of your money in one shopping trip and then be stuck living off of cheese and crackers until your next paycheck. The second thing you can do is look for e-coupons. So much can be found on the internet these days, and it is now exceptionally easy to find good deals at the touch of a button.

    A couple of other things the article mentioned that may seem straightforward (although very much ignored) are not to splurge and to indulge in fads sparingly. Fashion is constantly changing, so stick to purchasing items that you know will be in style for longer than a season.

    For extra tips and advice for maintaining a budget while shopping, visit http://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/trends/articles/look-fab-on-a-budget.