Why I've Decided to Quit Blogging

I never thought this day would come, but today I am saying goodbye to the world of blogging.  I have loved writing my blog for the past few years, but I have decided my days as a blogger have come to an end.

First of all, blogging takes a lot of time and commitment of which I currently don't have.  School, work, and my writing has become a huge time commitment and I want to be able to give myself fully to that.  I also find there is just not much I want to post about anymore.  I want to live life versus sitting down on my computer writing about it. 

Secondly, I feel I no longer belong in the blogging world.  I actually had a conversation with my friend about this and both of us feel that blogging has changed a lot.  When I first started blogging, I had a huge group of blogging friends, but now I feel the community is different.  Bloggers just aren't as close as they used to be and I miss that.

And finally, if I were to blog, I would want to be able to spend more time on it instead of half-assing my posts.  It just isn't worth it if I'm not putting in the effort.

So, thank you for the past few years!  You can still follow on all of my social media, which is now @hunterthiers :) Hope to see you there!!

Apotheke: Handmade in Brooklyn

Working at Canvas Home, I have become acquainted with the brand Apotheke.  For those of you who don't know the brand, Apotheke is a Brooklyn based brand that believes in keeping product manufacturing as close to home as possible.  That being said, all of their products are handmade and hand-packaged in Brooklyn using all American materials (pretty darn close to home if you ask me). 

Not only are they an ethical company, but all of their products are amazing.  After Valentine's Day, Chrissy, the company's owner, gave us all a goodie bag with one of Apotheke's candles in Mandarin Blackberry and a lovely exfoliating bar soap in Rosewood, which I have been using every day since I got it.  The candle is also amazing and makes my room smell wonderful without even having to light it every night.  My roommates are very thankful to say the least haha.

Along with the candle and soap, I have also gotten to try Apotheke's lotion, as we have samples in the store.  Their lotion, as expected, is also amazing and moisturizes really, really well.  You'd be surprised how hard it is for me to find a good hand lotion that works well and also has a nice scent.  I personally love the French Lavender hand lotion.

So, if you are in the market for candles, soaps, or lotions (or perhaps all three), definitely take the time to check out some of Apotheke's product!  You won't be disappointed!

Do you own any Apotheke product?  Which scent is your favorite?

Wow, It's Been a Long Time

 
I know I said I was going to #bebetter about posting and honestly I don't know where things went downhill, but I do know there has been a lot going on in my life.  As of Monday the 8th, I officially dropped out of acting school and am now trying to figure out where to go from here.

For those of you who don't know, here is a little background on my decision: I was completely unhappy.  As you may know from an earlier post, I was already contemplating leaving after first semester, and after a lot of thought, I knew I had to get out of there.  Honestly, acting school was nothing like what I expected it to be-- side note: I really don't know what I expected, however, I do know that conservatory was not for me.

All of that said, there are two routes I'm looking into; costuming or film and television.  Costuming won't be too difficult to switch over to, since it is technically just another studio (Production and Design), but film does require me to fill out a transfer application, of which I am completely nervous about.

So, here is to fear of the unknown and this journey, wherever it may take me.  I promise to post more in the coming month, as I have lots of great things to discuss with all of you!

How is college going for you so far?  Anyone else question their major?   

A List of Documentaries You Need to See

Hey guys!!  Sorry it has been forever since I posted, but everything has been so busy since school started (more updates on that later).  For now though, here is a list of documentaries if you are looking for something to fill your free time... oh yeah and they are all on Netflix ;)

1. The True Cost: I know I mentioned this a few weeks back, but seriously it is such a good documentary and it will totally blow your mind!  I have completely rethought how I am living my life because of this docu.

2. A Place at the Table: Another mind blowing documentary that will open you up to the food insecurity so many people are facing in America.  This is a really big issue that I feel isn't talked about enough, so I give props to this docu for bringing the issue to the conversation.

3. Living on One Dollar: This is such a heartwarming docu that gives a really great inside view on what it is like living in a developing country.  You will fall in love with the four friends as they live in Guatemala for 8 weeks never knowing what the next day will bring.

4. Vegucated: I only recommend this one for those who are truly brave.  Vegucated is the documentary that made me become a vegetarian.  They show a lot of the abuse and problems within America's agriculture industry and it is honestly terrifying.

5. Cowspiracy: The title is a little cheesy, but the content is super fascinating.  This docu offers a whole new look on the global warming issue that I really liked hearing about!

If you couldn't tell, I am a bit of an environmental activist, but trust me, these are great documentaries.  The only one I was a bit iffy on recommending was Vegucated because I had a lot of trouble getting through it.  I remember I actually called Seth crying the night I watched it because it shook me up so much.

What are some documentaries you have been watching lately?  Any I should check out?

An Email Subscription You Need

Okay a short post today because I just got back into classes, but I have an email subscription I think you all need to be a part of.  Along with my journey of finding a sustainable, fair trade life, I have been unsubscribing from a lot of emails.  Most of this has to do with the fact that there are a lot companies I won't be buying from anymore, but also because I was getting mass dumps of emails everyday.  It was getting frustrating to sort through everything and I really hated the advertising I was being bombarded with.

That said, there are a few places I still subscribe to and one of those is called The Good Trade-- a website devoted to finding ethical brands and sharing those brands with consumers.  I happened upon it when I was searching for fair trade clothing stores and it was the first sight to pop up.  I decided to sign up for emails and I love every one I get.  The articles are really fascinating and great to read!

You can find out more about The Good Trade here!

What email subscriptions do you subscribe?  Is anyone else joining me on my journey?

Exciting News

So, I have some very exciting news for you today... I got a new job!!!  I usually don't like to talk about stuff like this on here, but I really wanted to share more about the company I will be working for: Canvas Home.  They are absolutely fantastic and they are a fair trade company, which is just what I was looking for. 

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Canvas was started back in 2008 by Andrew Corrie, who took inspiration from his childhood home and British heritage.  This resulted in a gorgeous pastel color pallette and simple, yet eloquent designs.  Although Canvas is labelled as a home goods store, they really focus on the table.  Corrie believes it is a big part of our day and we should have dishware that celebrates that.

Right now there are several main collections at Canvas, my personal favorite being Dauville.  Each collection has its own personality, yet is totally universal.  There is something for everyone and that is truly a feat.

Along with their great dishware, Canvas has beautiful furniture pieces-- all made using sustainable resources-- fun treats that make great housewarming gifts, and beautiful home decor!  I personally love the simple stone washed linen pillows.

Have you heard of Canvas Home before?  

P.S. They have a great winter sale going on right now AND you can find out more about the company here!

A Trip to the Met

 

If you follow my Instagram, you probably know that I traveled to the Met two days ago... it was amazing.  Getting older, I have garnered such an appreciation for museums and it was nice to finally visit the Met.  It was also a great excuse to get out of the village, which, sadly, I don't do often enough.

Anyway, the Met has several incredible exhibits right now, two of which my friends and I were able to explore when we ventured uptown on Tuesday.  The first exhibit we looked at was "Encountering Vishnu: The Lion Avatar in Indian Temple Drama", which was fascinating.  A lot of my friends at NYU are from India or of Indian heritage, so it was nice to learn more about their religious and cultural background.  It is such a great exhibit to go visit and will be sticking around until June 5th, so you have tons of time to go see it if you are in the city. 

The second exhibit we were able to visit was "Ancient Egypt Transformed: The Middle Kingdom", which was equally as fascinating as the exhibit on India.  Seeing pieces of history like that is just amazing and such a treat.  I can't even believe they have lasted over such a long period of time!  This is another exhibit you must see because it is leaving at the end of January!

What museums have you visited recently?  Is there a particular area of history you are obsessed with?
         

Affordable vs. Ethical

This weekend was a really big research weekend for me.  I spent most of my time watching documentaries and, among others, one really stood out to me The True Cost-- a documentary about the consumerism culture and its effect on our world.  I was shocked. 

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It is a well known fact that America is very materialistic, but do we really have a grasp on what the outcome is of our behavior?  We don't and it really isn't our fault either.  We are shown so many advertisements a day telling us to buy, buy, buy, and eventually, we give in even if we don't notice it.  The worst part of all of this is we don't really know what we are buying.

So much of the labor to make products on the market is outsourced to countries in which wages are low and product can be made cheaply.  Although this makes clothing affordable for us, it has a much higher cost in human rights.  That is why I have decided to go on a journey to only buy clothing when I absolutely need something and to buy it fair trade.

I plan to start my journey next month and I will keep everyone updated on how it is going.  Along the way, I also plan to share some great fair trade brands with you that you can feel good purchasing product from.

Please let me know if you watch The True Cost (available on Netflix!!) and if you want to join me on my journey!

The JEMMA Bag

As I mentioned in an earlier post, investing in a good structured bag is a must for any woman.  One of the bags I featured was the JEMMA Work Bag and I wanted to talk a little bit more about the JEMMA brand. 

JEMMA was started by Joanna, a working woman in the city, who wanted the perfect bag for work.  She wanted something "classic" and "sensible"-- a brand women could connect to and build a community around-- and with that in mind she created the JEMMA Work Bag, also known as Emma (named after Joanna's sister).

The JEMMA Work Bag comes in three different colors-- burgundy, black & vanilla, and navy.  Each bag is made of natural cowhide leather, can fit up to a 15 inch laptop, and contains loads of other daily needs such as a lipstick holder, a detachable key strap, and an exterior card holder (perfect for storing your metro card or work ID).  Not to mention, the bag can also be turned into a crossbody to make commutes that much easier.

So, if you are looking for a good work bag, you should definitely consider JEMMA!

Songs for the New Year

Going back to my roots, I am currently into my favorite punk rock bands from those glorious junior high, pre-adolescent days; so much so that I created a playlist I have on repeat.  Despite my humor, however, these songs got me through a lot and I thought they were something I should share with all of you. 

https://open.spotify.com/user/preponabudget/playlist/3h39js58S0xVKhnHnGrrFK

What is your current music vibe?

A Beauty Line I am Very Excited For

What started as a high-end event studio, Milk Studios rapidly turned into what Refinery 29 calls a "multimedia beehive" and now they will have their own beauty line coming out in February-- Milk Makeup.  What I really like about this line is that it is for the everyday woman.  It is meant to be easy, natural beauty that anyone can pull off no matter how long your beauty routine takes in the morning.

Being a lip junkie, I am most excited about their lip products.  Their lipstick is rumored to stay on all day and has an amazing amount of pigment, meaning the colors will be bold and stylish.  Needless to say, I can't wait to try out this new beauty line!

What beauty products are looking forward to this year? 

Athleisure: The Trend for On-The-Go Women

After searching through recent street style pics and reading up on some of the latest Vogue fashion articles, I've become acquainted with the trend known as Athleisure and I am kind of loving it.  It is perfect for my on-the-go life during school and, not to mention, gives the perfect casual-chic vibe without the effort.  Here are a few outfit inspirations I plan on following for the perfect Athleisure look.


 

Photos via Vogue

No surprise, Kendall Jenner totally rocks this trend and is slowly becoming my style inspiration for 2016.  Every look she pulls of is so effortless and I love it.  I also love the Juicy (yes that's right Juicy Couture) velour track pants in the second inspiration image.  Liana Satenstein recently wrote an article in Vogue discussing the comeback of this early 2000s wonder and I am very excited to say the least because I was kind of obsessed with velour during my childhood.

What are your thoughts on the Athleisure trend? 

Trends to Invest In

There are certain classics every women knows will never go out of style.  For instance, red lipstick or a great piece of denim; but the real question is, what trends are just trendy and what trends are worth investing in?  

During my first few months in the city, I have been observing a lot of what women are wearing and a lot of what all the major fashion houses have been pushing on the runways.  Although I love a lot of it, I know there are a only a few pieces that will continue past 2016 and beyond.  Here are the top three trends worth investing in...

Anthropologie $98/Nordstrom $195/Rag and Bone $275
 

1. The Silk Cami: An early 2000s essential, this blouse is making its way back into the fashion world and this time it will be permanent.  The silk cami strikes the perfect balance between laid back and sexy-- a great option for nights on the town, with or without a date.  It also is available in many different hues and shapes, making it applicable for most body types.

Loeffler Randall $650/ Rebecca Minkoff $295/ The Jemma Bag (post to come soon) $398

2. The Structured Tote: Although most women are now opting for smaller bags when going out, the structured tote is a trend every woman should invest in.  Whether you use it for work or traveling, or just the daily commute on the train, the structured tote can come in handy for carrying all of your daily essentials.  The plus of a structured tote is that it tends to be more organized and that it comes in varying price ranges, making it affordable for almost anyone. 

Ella Moss $58/ Free People $38/ Hanky Panky $46

3. The Bralette: A trend I have only recently gotten into, the bralette, is actually one of my favorite trends and one that, at least for 20 somethings if not 30 somethings, will stay in our wardrobes for a long time.  Much like the silk cami, the bralette is sexy, yet laid back and not to mention super comfortable (and, ps, you can lounge in it too!).

 What trends are you investing in?

A Break from the iPhone

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Watching a lot of Sex and the City has not only opened me to the joys of single life, but also the joys of a cellphone-less life.  After a few episodes, I realized hardly any of the women in Sex and the City are constantly on their phones and I think that is kind of amazing.  It also made me realize, I really don't want to spend as much time on my phone as I do. 

Can you imagine a world in which we didn't have iPhones, but rather the original flip phones from the early 2000s or even the oh so popular razor from sixth grade?  To be completely honest, I miss those days.  Things were simpler.  If we wanted to hang out with someone we called and we weren't constantly checking our phones to see if we had gotten a message from that cute boy we liked.  Maybe we were checking our emails constantly haha, but it definitely wasn't as distracting and consuming as are phones are. 

All of that said, I have decided to step away from my iPhone a lot more.  Don't worry I will still be posting on Instagram ;) however, I am going to try calling instead of texting and no longer will I be getting on my phone just to check on things.

Anyone else trying to step away from technology?  How are you handling it?

Catching Up

With this break, I have had much needed time to catch up on a few of my favorite things...

1. Sex and the City: Seriously my favorite show ever and I am so happy to have the time to binge watch it while I'm away from the city-- it makes being away from NYC not so bad ;) 

2. Vogue: I love my magazines and Vogue is by far the best.  Over break I have been able to catch up on a bunch of online articles, my favorites being this and this!

3. Friends: As much as I love the city, I do miss some of my favorite people.  When I came back, I had a little get together with all of my friends and it was great to hear how everyone was.  Being away has definitely made me appreciate friendships all the more.

4. Family Time: Another thing moving away from home does-- it makes you much closer to your family.  Getting to spend time with my parents has been absolutely wonderful and makes me realize how much I love them, even though we can irritate the hell out of each other sometime haha!

What have you loved catching up on over break?

New Year's Resolutions

Making resolutions is part of my New Year every year, but this year everything seems different.  I'm in college, I feel a lot older, and I really want to follow through with my resolutions, now more than ever.  So, without further or do, here are some of my resolutions for 2016!

1. Save Up to Buy Something Nice... Really Nice: Soon enough I am going to be looking for jobs and internships, so, I thought 2016 would be the perfect time to buy myself an investment piece.  I plan on saving up throughout the year to buy myself something nice-- perhaps a good pair of heels or a nice handbag. 

2. Stay in Touch with My Family: Being so far away from home has really brought me closer to my family and I want to make sure I keep that closeness.  If it wasn't for my parents, I wouldn't be where I am today and I can't thank them enough for that. 

3. Work Out, but Actually Work Out Though: Getting older has made me realize that it is super important I stay healthy.  That means a good work out routine and eating right!

4. Be Aware of What I'm Spending: I say this every year, but this year I really mean it.  I want to start watching my money a lot more and I think I definitely will now that I have to save to pay off my college loans. 

So, those are my New Year's Resolutions!  What are yours?

Oh, and of course, Happy New Year!!