OOTD: A Fun Flowy Dress ft. A Word on Catcalling & the Bigger Picture

 

This dress is probably my favorite item in my closet right now. Hands down.

There was a time when I was super into maxi dresses, and there was also a time when I got tired of them and moved onto the new trend. But this dress is one of those that I just put on and instantly feel like I’m ten times fancier (and richer) than I actually am.

(You can probably tell by now that I had way too much fun swinging my dress around for these photos).

My shoes – which are way more comfortable than they look, I promise – thankfully prevented my from tripping over my dress every 10 seconds, and only heightened my goddess-like feeling. Overall, this dress just makes me feel beautiful. I love being able to feel confident and on-top-of-the-world when I go out. It’s part of why I love fashion. Being the introverted, anxiety-ridden person that I am, a good outfit means a more self-assured version of myself when I walk out of the door. That feeling of being put together and satisfied with the way that I look gives me more courageousness in the morning than a mirror pep talk. It’s what officially gets my day started and I love it.

I live for the feeling of walking down the city streets with confidence, fast-paced and ready to seize the day.

What I don’t live for are the random men who feel that it’s necessary to comment on it.

It’s not usually terrible. Sometimes it’s just a guy telling me that he thinks I’m beautiful or calling out “Hey gorgeous,” to which I can simply say thank you or keep walking and going about my business. But other times, they’re more direct. Asking me if I want to go out, or give them my phone number, or “spend time with them.” I am fortunate. I have been able to say “No thank you” and “I’m not really comfortable with that, sorry” and they’ve left me alone without a word. That doesn’t always happen. I am thankful that no one has ever gone further to try to talk to me or pressure me into talking to them. But the future still lies ahead, and I can never guess who I’ll come across in the future.

Moreover, I was with a friend when I was out in Chicago. If I was alone, no doubt my anxiety would have spiked. It definitely did when men in Scotland tried talking to me when I was taking the bus home. It always will when something like that happens.

However, the point I want to make is not that my dress is what made men decide to catcall or attempt to flirt with me, or that catcalling in general is just rude or annoying. It’s that I hate that young women have to continuously be on-edge, hyper-aware of their surroundings wherever they go. That while I’m looking up graduate programs and possible places to live in the future, I’m also looking up the safety statistics and crime rate towards women, especially women of color, in those areas. The point lies in the fact that whenever I get in a Lyft or an Uber, I’m instantly suspicious and feel the urge to keep my door unlocked. In today’s day and age, young women have become so accustomed to being wary and cautious of their environment and their safety that it’s just the normal thing to do. Men typically don’t face the same discomfort when walking down the street, and probably don’t look behind their shoulder every couple of minutes to make sure no one is watching or following them.

I find it to be so twisted that we’re almost expected to be suspicious when we go out alone. Or that we’re supposed to “dress like a proper woman” as if that’s going to prevent anyone from trying anything on us. I hate that I can’t go out in my flowy dress and feel confident and beautiful without experiencing moments of discomfort by random men on the street. I hate that despite loving the city at night, my mind instantly goes into a mode of constant suspicion once the darkness begins to fall, where the night is my enemy.

I’m going to keep wearing my flowy dress and keep going out feeling confident and beautiful, as if I could rule the world. I’m also going to keep being on edge whenever I see someone’s eyes linger on me a bit too long, or if someone seems to be approaching me. That’s just how the world is today. I simply wanted to write this because I wanted to share the way I feel when I go about my day, and see if my words can connect with anyone else. I wish we could live in a society where women don’t have to worry so much about where they want to live or what time they have to be home by for safety alone, but I know that day isn’t likely to come. At the very least, I’d like women to stick together when it comes to things like this, not blaming victims and acknowledging the dangers of simply being a women in 2019.

If you connected with this post in any way, or if it made you think in a different light, please feel free to comment or reply.

 

Enjoy the rest of your day! I’ll see you next time.

Emma ^_^

 

OOTD: Year-Round Fall Tones

 

Happy New Year!! I hope that wherever you are in the world that your holidays have been spectacular. I’m starting off the year with new experiences, new perspectives, and new tastes. I’m both ecstatic and slightly terrified of what’s to come this year, but I’m sure it will be great.
To start off the new year, I’m sharing one of my favorite go-to outfits. While these were clearly taken when there were still leaves on the trees, I constantly go back to the fall palette of browns and warm colors when choosing outfits.

This jacket is probably one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. I got this for about 24 pounds at an amazing vintage chain shop in Scotland called Armstrong’s. This store takes consignment shops to a new level; I don’t think I’ve ever been to one like it in America! The racks are stocked with a multitude of styles of denim and leather jackets, cashmere sweaters, vintage skirts and dresses, and whatever else you can think of. A friend of mine even found a beautiful vintage wedding dress there for 25 pounds. If you couldn’t tell already, I absolutely love the place.

I live for long jackets like these – ones that billow behind you when you walk, that inevitably shrink you with its length until you put on a pair of heels and suddenly you become your most powerful form. I’ve never had a leather jacket that wasn’t in the usual biker style, but this one made me see leather jackets in a new way.

My shirt is from a cool little boutique in Edinburgh called Pie in the Sky. They’re another consignment-type shop, but a lot of their clothes are redone. It seemed to me that their specialty was ‘slightly-tacky collared shirts,’ which were either cropped with an elastic hem or kept original. They also had a nice array of band t-shirts, denim jackets, LGBTQIA+ supportive buttons, and some high-quality iron-on patches (my personal favorite was one that just said ‘social anxiety’ in rainbow letters). It was really one of those stores that I felt like I wasn’t completely cool enough for, but I was living for the vibe of the place. The shirt itself is short sleeved, but layering a black thermal underneath fixed my concerns about the cold weather.

Both my gloves and my scarf are from Primark, i.e. the best place to get cheap yet cute clothing in Europe, if you ask me. It’s like Forever 21, but with the inexpensiveness of Ross. The gloves are leather (though honestly not the warmest) and were about 9 pounds, while the scarf (extremely soft and warm, would recommend) was about 6 pounds.

To be honest with you, I was pretty hesitant to wear this leather jacket out for a long time. It’s a pretty bold jacket. It’s one of those pieces that I’d feel a bit self-conscious going to class in, or one that I would save for a certain occasion where I don’t necessarily feel like I’d be judged. For a while, it stayed confined in that image in my mind, holed up in my drawer for most of fall save for this one time when I wore it. However, what I and many others need to realize is that what I wear is not something that I should feel judged about. It’s a form of self-expression and illustrates who I am as a person. There’s always that distinct presence of fear of being judged for being “too much” or “overdressing” when all that only depends on other people’s own perspective of what’s right or wrong. To all of those people who ask me “why are you always wearing heels” or “why put so much effort into dressing up” or “why dress like that,” I choose to dress in a way that makes me feel like I can conquer anything. Sometimes that’s a basic sweater and pants and sometimes it involves a fur coat and heels. Whatever it is, I make sure that I own it, and that I’m confident in what I’m wearing. If other people want to wear sweatpants and a t-shirt to class, so be it. That’s their form of self-expression and how they choose to go about the day. That’s just not me. I will show up in my long leather jackets, my fur lined coats, and black boots with 2.5 inch heels because that’s how I choose to, regardless of the judgments of others.

Wear what you want to wear this year. Let go of fear and let go of any judgments you may have. Live how you want to live. Let’s start off the new year with confidence.

 

See you next time,

Emma ^_^

***Photos by Gambier Photography (at instagram.com/gambierphotography ) ***

Photoshoot #002 – Dancing in the Streets of Nashville

Hello all!

As I’ve become more and more interested in photography, I’ve been experimenting with all different types of editing and photo subjects. In this little photoset, my gorgeous friend and ballet dancer Danielle modeled for me as we walked through the Gulch. While I’ve been taking dance photos for a little while, these have been my best yet, and I’m super excited to see myself improving.

It’s always interesting to place myself in the photographer’s shoes rather than the subjects. Whether I’m taking my own photos with a tripod or someone’s taking photos for me, it’s easy to feel awkward very quickly, or to be unsure of what to do when the camera is pointed at you. Now, behind the camera, I could relate to that feeling and try to help direct the people modeling for me. Moreover, I can follow my own vision for how I want the photos to look. Photography gives me a sense of control and excitement that a lot of other forms of art and content creation lack.

These were taken with my Canon EOS Rebel T5i with a 50 mm lens and hood, and edited in Adobe Lightroom CC.

 

Until next time!

Emma ^_^

Why I Love Studying

I love studying. I love learning. From the minute we’re born we’re learning new things, interacting with objects we’ve never seen before, finding new experiences. Through elementary school, there was always a spark of wonder from learning about space, or mythology. Each day we learn something new about the world or ourselves. I love learning. Even more, I love my major. I love learning about chemistry, about how the world works. Chemistry explains how tiny molecules can form something huge, and that fascinates me. Our clothes? Chemistry. The lotion you use to moisturize everyday? Chemistry. The water we need to survive? Chemistry. I love chemistry and I love learning about the world around me. I love studying engineering and finding out how things we use everyday are made on a large scale. I love studying chemical engineering.

What I don’t love is feeling so pressured by grades and my GPA to cram information into my brain. I don’t love the anxiety I get from studying because I feel like if I don’t do well on this next exam, I won’t get the job I want, or I’ll get farther away from my goals. I don’t love feeling like everyone in my class is doing infinitely better than I am, or finding myself feeling alone in a class full of people. I don’t love losing my passion for chemistry and chemical engineering. I don’t love feeling burdened by learning.

I love studying. I just don’t love the way college seems to pressure me to do so.

Until next time,

Emma ^_^

🌸 thecouturechemist.wordpress.com 🌸

Pearls at the Parthenon

Hey there! Today, I’m back with another OOTD post!

Staying warm and comfy during the winter while not dressing in sweatpants and sweatshirts always seems to be a struggle, especially in college when you’re walking all over campus to get to classes. There are, however, a couple of good ways to layer and style your clothing to keep you warm without making you excessively bulky.

I took a classy yet causal approach with this outfit, tucking the cable knit sweater into the jeans and pulling it all together with a burgundy belt for a subtle pop of color.

I have been waiting for the pearl trend to get started, and now that it’s here I’m LIVING for it. These pearl studded pants are officially my favorite. Paired with the pearl necklace, the pearl theme stays consistent throughout the outfit, but it’s not too overbearing. The necklace also accentuates the neckline of the sweater, adding some sparkle to the monotonous white.

Surprise, it’s a cold shoulder! Not gonna say I’ve ever understood the- point of cold shoulder sweaters, because I can confirm that my shoulders were indeed colder than the rest of my torso. But, I think it works astoundingly well with this look.

To add some extra warmth under the denim jeans, I wore a pair of brush-lined black leggings. They’re barely noticeable with the ripped details, but at the same time keep my legs ten times warmer than the jeans alone would. 

Sweater – Forever 21

Pants – Forever 21

Necklace – Belk

Belt – Forever 21

Headband – Forever 21

Leather Gloves – TJ Maxx

Coat – JCPenney

Shoes – H&M

That’s all for today! How do you guys stay warm in the winter? Leave a comment! ❤ I’ll talk to you guys in my next post! Bye for now!

Love,

Emma ^_^

New Year’s Habits & Resolutions for 2018

Word of the Year: Learn

        This year, I want to focus my attention on actively learning everyday. There’s so many reasons why I think it’s important to learn throughout your entire life. For one, it invites the mind to stay curious about the world around us. Something I always preach is to remain curious about the earth, about the people we interact with, and about the events happening across the world. Staying in a closed mindset cuts off our mind from growth. By learning actively, we can grow both mentally and socially.

Prioritize 

• Make a list of everything you have to do or want to achieve next year. Go through them, and number them from highest to lowest priority.
• Organize your mind and figure out exactly what it is you need to do first. Start with your highest priority, and then write down what you need to do first to accomplish it. Don’t let your mind become overwhelmed with what you need to do before it has even started. Create a plan of action and follow it.  You may stray a bit from it at times, but keep in mind where your priorities lie, as well as what small-scale actions you must take to achieve your ultimate goal.

 

Wake Up

Wake up wanting to conquer the day. Of course, I know this won’t always happen. Sometimes, our bed is just too comfortable for us to really want to jump out of it and get on with our day. However, this year, try to feel excited to start the day (Don’t worry, this will be hard for me too)!

• Make your alarm a song you really enjoy listening to. You’ll probably wake up happier than you would’ve been waking up to a blaring typical alarm sound.
• Take a shower in the morning. Yes, you’ll have to wake up earlier to take a shower, but the water will instantly get your blood flowing and help awaken your mind a bit more.
• Stretch. Movement to increase blood circulation in the morning is always beneficial, increasing flexibility and relieving any tension or stress that may have built up. Take deep breaths while stretching, getting oxygen to the brain and breathing out stress so you can begin your day in a state of calm.
• Meditate. Whether it’s audio-guided or self-guided, morning meditation can give you the boost you need to get going in the morning. I use the app Self Habit for guided mediation. They have a bunch of meditation audios that have just the right words to get me feeling motivated and in control in the morning.
• Before stepping out of your dorm, or maybe on the commute to class, make it a goal to learn. You want to walk into your class with an open mind that is willing to take in new information. And if you’re heading to work, walk out the door with the knowledge that it will be a productive day. Write down what you need to get done, prioritize, look at the small, simple steps you need to take for the day, and set off to complete them.

 

Explore

Follow your interests. Looking back over 2017, I notice that a lot of the times where I felt unmotivated or unhappy were when I wasn’t really doing anything I was passionate about. I have so many interests outside of school that I wanted to continue to keep myself motivated, but as my mind grew cluttered, those things were pushed to the very back of my mind. When I was pursuing one of my interests in a manner that kept me motivated and constantly learning, I found myself feeling more inspired and willing to learn. As one can imagine, without a will to learn, doing well in classes becomes infinitely harder.

• Find a hobby to pursue over the year. Anything that will keep you actively learning and curious about things around you. If you already have a list of hobbies you want to try out,  make a list of them, and choose one or two. Set off on a mission to stay committed to this hobby. For me, I would like to get this blog consistent once and for all, as well as better my video editing skills.
• Create a schedule for yourself to stay on track for your new interest. Write in a time each week or each day during which you will do something related to your hobby. If you want to learn dance, research dance classes in your town, sign up for a class or two, and form that commitment. If you want to learn a coding language, tell yourself that you’ll do a coding tutorial at _____ time on ____day of every week. Treat it almost like a class if that helps. Keep yourself in check — if you really want to broaden your interests and explore a new hobby, don’t let yourself forget about your initial passion and motive for pursuing it.

 

Read

Feeling overwhelmed and need a healthy distraction? Instead of heading straight to YouTube, try reading for a little while. Social media can distract us for hours on end, and generally will only dull our mindset and guide us further away from a productive mindset. Reading a book can strengthen the mind while providing a short distraction from whatever may be causing one stress. Personally, I find that an action or suspense novel can become too distracting too quickly, so I prefer to read a book on positivity or motivation – usually not enough to persuade me to read for 6 hours on end, but good enough to motivate me and balance my mind.

 

 

 

Breathe

Stay calm. In a stressful situation, it’s easy to lose yourself to panic or fear. Remember that whatever anxieties that are arising do not define you. Breathe in and breathe out. You’ve made it this far. If you’re concerned about the future, remind yourself that you can only influence the way things turn out so much. Everything happens for a reason. You may not see it now, but have some faith that you will. If your mind is trapped in the past, remind yourself that whatever happened in the past is out of your hands now. Breathe. We cannot change what has already occurred. You will be okay. Whether it’s general worry or anxiety or mental illness, you can get past it and you can succeed. You matter. You’re going to make it. Breathe.

Mediate. Meditation helps you stay grounded in the present and worry less about past and future events. I am personally making it a goal of mine to have a scheduled meditation time everyday to bring a bit of balance to my day.  You may not have control over what happens in the future, but you DO have control of the present. Do what you can NOW. Take control of the current moment. But don’t forget to breathe while you’re at it.

Detox

Every so often, detox your mind and body. It seems like so many people today equate the word detox with diet or weight loss, when in reality it’s more of a cleanse. Take simple steps to treat your body and mind better.

• Take a break from heavy foods for a while.
• Drink a cup of green tea every day (it helps your liver!).
• Drink water with lemon in the morning.
• Take a moment before heading to lecture to breathe, clear your thoughts and focus on the learning to come.
• Meditate or do yoga to relieve stress and worry from your mind and clear up space for incoming knowledge.
• Find ways to obtain more Vitamin C to better immune health. Take some time during the week or weekend to exercise your body.
• Workout on the treadmill or elliptical for a little while, just to get your heartbeat up and release endorphins so you can reduce some stress.
• Consume more fiber-rich foods.
• Basically, treat your body better so your mind can feel better as well. If you’re not feeling heavy or bloated or dehydrated, you’re more likely to feel at least a little more motivated to start your day.

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This was a pretty lengthy post, so congrats if you made it to the end! I hope you found something in this post at least somewhat helpful or motivating for the new year. As we move on to the year ahead, we move onto a new chapter of our lives, a new beginning. Seize every moment you have. We’ll work on it together.

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your holidays!

Happy New Year!

Emma ^_^

P.S. Don’t forget to Love Yourself! ❤

Where I’ve Been

Hey there!

Remember when I said I’d be updating once a week? Haha yeah, good times.

So where have I been the past 3-4 months? In a word, stressed. Anxious. Unmotivated. First semester of my sophomore year of college was a lot rougher than expected, and it took quite a toll on me and my mental health. I’m FINALLY on winter break and getting back into my own mind, but can’t help but feel sorry that I neglected this blog for so long. I had been so excited going into it, but stress and other priorities came crashing down on me far too quickly for me to imagine. I’m here again now simply to get this post out there, officially restarting my journey with this blog. The last thing I want to do is give up on something I was so passionate about to begin with. Though it’s been a while, I’m not quitting so easily with this blog. I won’t promise anything, since I clearly couldn’t before, but I’m going to make it a personal goal of mine – a new year’s resolution if you will – to be consistent with this blog and to view it as a thought release during the school year. I hope anyone reading this will follow me in my journey through school as well as life and be willing to connect with me along the way.

Until next time!

Emma, The Couture Chemist

Instagram: @thecouturechemist

OOTD – Purple Lace

Hey Everyone! I’m back with another OOTD! 💜
As classes get harder and exams grow closer in college, it becomes more and more tempting to just throw on something random and call it a day. But dressing up and looking out together makes going to classes and getting your day started feel a lot better, and can provide a boost in confidence as well. A fancy top like the one I’m wearing in this outfit can make a simple outfit seem thought-out or planned ahead, while still keeping the outfit comfortable.

But no matter what you wear to go out, know that you’re going out with a goal and a plan for the day, and know that you can get through it. 💜

Denim Jacket: H&M

Shirt: Target

Pants: H&M

Necklace: Forever 21

Watch: Michael Kors
Peace,✌

Emma

OOTD – #LOVE_YOURSELF

How to be a fashion blogger in 3 steps:

1. Be confident in your own personal style.
2. Be comfortable with your body and mind.
3. Love yourself. ❤

“Life is a fashion show and the world is your runway.”

Often I find myself using fashion as a base for self-confidence. When I dress up or put in an effort to look nice, I get this overall feeling of happiness and confidence, like I’m going out to conquer the world (or at least conquer the day ahead). Putting on a nice outfit is one of the most empowering things I can think of doing in the morning. I can look in the mirror and know that I look and feel good, and no one is going to tell me otherwise. Plus the compliments from friends are always a nice self-esteem boost too. ^_^

Here’s a couple photos of me being  my semi-awkward, smiley self.

 

On the topic of the outfit: If you’re ever in a rush, overall dresses are the way to go. Just throw on a shirt or crop top and slip on the dress over it and you’re on your way! I find it one of the easiest ways to look nice and put together even if you’re stressed for time.

What are your opinions? Do you ever relate fashion and self-love? Leave a comment, and I’ll talk to you guys next week! ^_^

Outfit details: 

Plaid Overall Dress: Forever 21

Gray Shirt: Target

Shoes: Marshall’s

Bag: Steve Madden

P.S. Yes, my title #Love_Yourself is taken from BTS. I highly recommend watching BTS’s Love Yourself Highlight series if you haven’t yet. KPop fan or not, it’s pretty cinematically and artistically cool.

Exploring San Francisco

Hey everyone!

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been in working in California and got the chance to explore the city of San Francisco for a while. Needless to say, it was a refreshing break from the 90 degree weather of the South. Here are a couple of places I visited during my time in SF:

Clarion Alley Mural Project, San Francisco

My Nike beanie was an essential, keeping my head warm when it got particularly windy during the evening. During the day, a denim jacket was enough to keep me satisfied in the lukewarm weather.

Of course, I had to take a trip to the infamous Mr. Holmes’ Bakehouse SF and take a picture next to the ‘I Got Baked In San Francisco’ sign. I got to the bakehouse a little after 10 in the morning, and there was already a line out the door. It is a small shop however, so a line out the door isn’t as long as you’d think. And yes, there were cruffins. Thankfully, the pastries were well worth the wait. The matcha croissants and churro croissants were my personal favorites.

 

I also made sure to check out Clarion Alley in the Mission District, known for its beautiful, intricate murals. Clarion Alley had my favorite murals by far, full of political and social statements that rang loud and clear. I was beyond amazed.

That’s all the photos for now! I’ll see you in my next post! ^_^