Apartment Inspiration Part Two: Tips for Living in a Tiny Space

Whether you live in a college dorm, a tiny apartment, or the abandoned boxcar of a train (do you remember THE BOXCAR CHILDREN?!) you have probably struggled with living in a tiny space. Humans are meant to have ROOM to live! (I accidentally wrote 'love' at first; 'room to love' how cute.) But alas-urbanization! Globalization! Needing-twelve-roomates-to-afford-your-rent-ization! I get it, man. Last year, I had six roommates. Now I have two, and it is much easier to breathe, but we are set on making our small apartment as lovely as possible.

So without further ado, here are some mini-tips and tricks for living in a small space.

♥ If you have roommates, share! This should be obvious, no? There is no reason for having 3 vacuum cleaners or 15 coffee mugs (we really like teacups and coffee mugs, it's becoming a problem.)

♥ Multi-use or foldable furniture. A sofa that turns into a bed, a table that folds up and down to become bigger or smaller, stackable chairs.

♥ Open your shades! If you have windows, it definitely helps to have some sign of an outside world. Even if your view isn't exactly of the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, it helps. Also, one good thing about having a small apartment is that I almost never have to turn my lights on during the day because a little bit of sunlight lights the whole apartment. Holla at my low electric billllll!

♥ Mirrors are also supposed to make rooms look bigger and reflect light. However, I'd advise against having too many mirrors simply because it becomes hard not to look in them all the time! (Va-va-vanityyy, uh oh.)  My roommates and I also quickly learned that having a mirror in the kitchen is super-weird, because people don't really like to watch themselves eat.

That's all I've got at the moment; I'll try to update soon with some pics or illustrations...! This is a really crazy time of year! (Okay, seems like it's always a crazy time of year.)

Do You have any tips for living in a small apartment?!

with love and sweet-potato fries,

A Wild Outfit Post Appeared!

Hey guys!  I took some outfits photos for once in my dang life. It's been a while!

They are maybe not the best quality because i took them with photo booth, but let’s just be content with the fact that i took them at all.  I was really excited about my outfit, I think mostly because I had a really great day in it.

what a goofball

♥ pants: ASOS

♥ top: H&M

♥ Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

♥ hat. i've had it for a while...the tag inside says Christy's Crown Series, and then there's another tag that says By Tony Merenda. I LOVE wearing hats, especially to interview to anywhere you're going to meet new people. I think they are comforting and also make you stand out!

These pictures are from Monday. On Monday I went to Brooklyn, had some tea, had an interview for a sweet internship (I start Friday!), walked around in the sunshine, FINALLY got a library card and took out some books, and went to French class. Excellent day.

My roommate asked if my outfit was Reeve Carney inspired (HAHA! maybe subconsciously! the boy’s got style).  I might do a Style Crush post with him soon; I haven't done any Style Crush Dudes posts yet, have I?!

See you soon my loves. AND follow me on Tumblr, especially if you like comics. I post much more comic-related things, and just more things in general, on my tumblr than i do here.

Have a lovely week and stay inspired!

Comic Con Panel: Marvel Ultimates, part one

I am a die-hard, longtime Marvel fan in general. So it comes as no surprise that this year at NY Comic Con, I tried to attend as many of the Marvel panels as I could.  And one of my favorites was the Marvel Ultimates Panel.

    The panel was a discussion and outline of the future of some of the comics in the new Ultimates Universe. On the panel were 

• Axel Alonso. Former editor at DC comics, current editor at Marvel Comics.
• Saba Amana, editor of Marvel Ultimate Comics
• Sara Pichelli, illustrator of the Ultimate Spider-man.
• Esad Fubic, artist and illustrator
• C.B. Cebulski, Senior Vice President of Creative & Creator Development
• Arune Singh, Director of Communications

To my great delight, one of the first topics they spoke about was the new Ultimate Spider-man series.  I've been reading the first few issues and didn't know what to expect.  I actually enjoy it a lot- it's very well written and I'm excited to see where they take Miles in the future.

On the panel, they spoke about Miles representing a great inner innocence and strength.  (Spoiler, in 4 he is going to be wearing the costume for the first time!)   Miles is different from Peter Parker, they are two separate people wearing the mask!

Sara Pichelli talked for a bit, prefacing her comments with an adorable, "I sound smarter in Italian but, I have to speak English."  I was super happy when they began to talk about Miles' look and costume design.  She showed some of her original character designs and sketches for Miles Morales.  She had some pretty funky hairstyles being tried out there- including Miles in cornrows!- but ultimately decided that they would cause problems under the costume.  She talked about her life drawing process, saying that she noticed interesting faces or bodies or the way that people moved.  She draws inspiration from people she knows or sees in her life, and practices facial expressions in the mirror!  The panel agreed that, for Miles' new costume, "black and red was a natural response.  It pays homage to Peter Parker but is very much distinctly Miles' own costume."  Sara also said, of the differences in costume, "I think Peter Parker was more comfortable [as a superhero].  Miles Morales is just a kid. If I were in his position, I'd be less relaxed [than Peter]. Often I look at myself in the mirror for expressions. If I was a child, how would I look while I jumped [from the top of a building]? That's why Miles has pads on his elbows and knees."

The question of Peter Parker's death in the Ultimates universe was a big topic of discussion between the fans and the panel.  It was asked many times whether Peter would be coming back, why they killed him off, etc., but a lot of support was actually shown by the fans towards Miles. Axel had this to say: "We didn't kill Peter easily.  It hurt no one more than Brian to do it but it was necessary and beautiful.  We're peeling back the mask to reveal a different face.   That's what superhero comics are all about....and Peter has had fans of all races and creeds....at the end of the day, Miles transcends race."

They also showed some sneak peeks of what the future holds for this comic.  Some of Peter's friends and family will be reacting to the new Spider-man.  Sana Amanat said, "Expect there to be a lot of amazing things happening in the next couple of issues.  You'll see who he's gonna become and you'll love it."  I have complete faith in the Marvel team, and I'm excited to read Ultimate Spider-man issue 4 and beyond!

Are you a comic fan? What do you think of the Miles Morales becoming the new Spider-Man?

International Lolita Day NYC

Heya! So last weekend I went to an International Lolita Day NYC meet-up.

It took place at the 

Kinokuniya Bookstore near Bryant Park. The bookstore is amazing! It is two floors of pure awesomeness- English, Japanese, Korean, and other international fashion magazines, art and design books, even some apparel and toys.  I met a friendly group of the most adorable girls (and a couple of guys!) that I have ever seen!

I don't own any real Lolita or Lolita designer clothes, so I wore my own interpretation of the sweet Lolita style.   :]

Wearing:

♥ H&M Tank Top (I think?)

♥ LF white vest

♥ Rodarte for Target skirt I got on ebay

♥ Jeffrey Campbell flats

♥ white bow in my hair

♥ Fossil bag with Japanese charms I got a few years ago at some store on 14th street

Were you at this event? Did you go to a similar meetup in your area? Share your story in the comments!

internet

Ohh sunbeams, I love the internet.

And New York City.

They are really pretty similar, you know.  A lot of bullshit and a lot of really cool people from around the world.

Speaking of New York City, have you heard or read Gala Darling's Love and Sequins #11- it's Up to You, New York, New York.? It is about her time in New York, her thoughts on the great ol' city, and her favorite places. I enjoyed it a lot!  I'm thinking of doing a post on "my" NYC, if anyone's interested. Comments?

My weekend consisted of a lot of sewing, one wild and ridiculous night, going upstate for a total of about ten hours, an apple orchard, car rides and hip hop music stations.

How about you?

Alright. Time to go finish cleaning my apartment and doing homework.

Oh, and my friends made a laser.  Here's a picture of it, just for the jollies.

love, vinegar, and splatters of paint,

Recycled Runway Rehash

Photo Credit: Thi L. Wan

Recycled Runway is an annual fashion show run by two Parsons students. All of the looks were made from previous item
s of clothing or other reused materials.

This post has a lot of pictures, so:  
more after the break! clicky clicky.

Envy on the Coast in NYC

Hey everyone! This weekend was absolutely crazy. Thanks to everyone who came to the Recycled Runway fashion show! It went really really well, I must say!

I am too tired to post the pictures from the show just yet so instead I will give a quick rundown on my weekend, if you feel like reading it. 

Also, here is my favorite picture from my trip to the Coney Island Aquarium:

so cute!

 

This weekend:

♥ Two of my friends came down to visit me this weekend. 

♥  We ate really good Italian food

♥ I learned to play a beat on the drums. 

♥ While my friends were waiting for their bus, we watched a video at the Church of Scientology in Times Square ! (It was crazy) 

♥ We ate at the combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell on 14th street

♥ We went to see Envy on the Coast play. They were incredibly rad. 

It also turned out to be the Fall of Troy's last show in New York- they were also really good. People threw down like it was their job, hahaha.

 

What did you do this weekend?

You're Invited: Recyled Runway at the Green Event

Happy Friday everyone!

I wanted to let you know that you are invited to

Recycled Runway!

Recycled Runway fashion show taking place at the Green Event at Stuyvesant Park tomorrow afternoon.  It was started last year by two students at Parsons. Designers must make everything out of previously existing garments.  Ummm I have 3 looks presented in the show! It's my first time having pieces in a show and I am really excited! I made 3 looks out of 2 old prom dresses that I got last year from my high school's prom dress drive.

Come check it out for an afternoon of fashion and eco-friendly fun.

You don't need to present a ticket to get in, because it is free!

Hopefully I will see you there! 

Happy Earth Day! The New York Aquarium.

Today my lab class went to Coney Island to visit the New York Aquarium! We had a lot of fun on our tou but we weren't there for all fun and games.  We were doing research for our next project- designing the New York Aquarium's float for the annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade!
The New York Aquarium is part of the Wildlife Conservation Society, along with the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn, and the Queens Zoo.
The Mermaid Parade is Saturday, June 19th!
Here are some pictures from the aquarium trip:

The penguins were showing off for us!

The sea turtle is my main man.

OCTOPUS! He is rad but I felt bad for him. Imagine having to live in such a tiny space all the time?

I learned that otters can hold their breath for up to five minutes!

The sea lion show! We were definitely the oldest group of people there.

Jellyfish

The rides were all closed. :[

Aquarium mural.

Beach and boardwalk!


I took a video of some jellyfish floating around.

What did you do for Earth Day?

Formspring Q&A

Hey cuties!

I've been getting some questions on formspring [keep it up] and I decided to post a few questions and my answers here every once in a while.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Who are your favorite designers?

Assuming you mean fashion designers: Vivienne Westwood, for sure! I think she is an amazing person as well as a groundbreaking designer, and she is mostly self-taught! She maintains personal strength and a political standpoint in an extremely looks- based industry. She also combined music and fashion in a way that made the two things inseparable even today. <3 I also think Alexander McQueen is crazy and brilliant, and Marc Jacobs has done some really awesome things. And a few of my very talented friends are great designers!

[I posted this answer four weeks ago. RIP McQueen]

What one thing are you exceptionally good at?

procrastinating

What's the most challenging part about Parsons? What's the best part? (:

The most challenging part about Parsons is getting all of my work finished, on time, to the BEST of my ability, on little amounts of sleep, haha! Also it can be tough to keep ahold of myself and my artistic vision when working around so many talented people and tough professors. The BEST part? Definitely all of the people I have met, from all over the world, who are awesome in their own way. I have learned so much both inside and outside of class, and I feel grateful every day to be studying at an amazing university in the most fabulous and unpredictable city. :]

This is what a Parsons all-nighter looks like!

What's your biggest aspiration?

aspiration: strong desire or goal; the release of a strong burst of air after some obstructions. the 2 definitions make sense together, don't you think? this is a tough one, but I have a few goals for my life: open a music venue/fashion boutique with my own line, to combine the ultimate creative experience for the soul; travel the world and learn as much as possible so i can give something special to the world; and inspire and motivate others to do the same!

Whats ur biggest regret?

"When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did" (H. Jackson Brown) I tend to agree with this. However, I try not to have regrets! You can't change the past, so just focus on trying to make the future better.

what's it like going to an art school? is EVERYONE in your classes super artsy/ talented? are ur teachers / other students harsh in critiques?

most people in my classes are really talented, but everyone is good at different things or talented in a different way, which i love. it can get intimidating, and some students and most of the teachers can be really harsh in critiquing. i love it though! i also wrote a little about my experience with school so far here: My Experience at Parsons so Far

What kind of clothes do ya want to design? What do you have to offer to the industry?

i want to design all kinds of things: i dream about all kinds of things. i want to challenge the way people see fashion and show how the challenges of the world contrast with the beauty of the human body. i also like to use the way that music and fashion are intertwined in things i design: hello performance artists and rock stars, i'm yours. honestly, my dream is to see something i've designed on Lady Gaga.! she's amazing and brings everything she wears to life

Thanks for the questions everyone, keep 'em coming!

xx, Nikkidee :]

Volunteering at New York Fashion Week: My Experience

Hey duckies! I know I haven't posted in a bit, but hopefully this makes up for it.

A few weekends ago I had the opportunity to volunteer for two very different companies for fashion week.  Here I will tell you about my experience!

On Friday, I worked for a company called Modelinia. They are a website, www.modelinia.com, that follows models and keeps you updated on model news. Their tagline is, "because models don't get enough attention", which I thought was pretty funny.

I heard about Modelinia from a friend. A few Parsons students were going to volunteer for them throughout the weekend.

In my opinion, they did not treat their volunteers very well, being misleading about what we were actually going to do.  At first, I worked in their office for a bit.  Then, the schedule said that my group of volunteers would be "at Bryant Park", or "at the tents".  Once I arrived and saw my friend Jack standing next to a ginormous pile of magazines, it was clear that we were going to be outside in the freezing cold for six hours, trying to force Modelinia magazine on the passers-by.  They had not told us in advance that we would be outside, so most of us were not dressed properly for the job.
They also tried to make us stay well past our previously established shifts, which we weren't getting paid for it.  I am all for starting at the bottom, and I understand that interns and volunteers have to do the work that no one else wants to do.  However, I could not feel my feet!


The only good part was that I met the band Semi Precious Weapons! They are super fantastic, put on an awesome show, and have opened for Lady Gaga (a few years ago, she was opening for them!)  They were also reallyyy nice, called me "baby", and took a picture with me. Haha!

They are gorgeous. ♥

The next day I was supposed to work for a designer, Ivy H. 
She's a Parsons alumni, and she has a beautiful website (www.ivyh.net).  I knew that we would be helping out with an actual fashion show, so I was a bit nervous. However, I was also super excited!
Before the show started, there was a lot of running around and doing a million tasks at once. Everything had to be perfect, many things were going wrong, and it was not as glamourous as you might think!  But it was an amazing experience and I loved working for Ivy. I hope to help her out again next season!
The clothes were beautiful. Ivy's influence for this season was Japanese Samurai and armour.  I got to help dress the models in these beautiful clothes!

Coat check. So glam.

Me and my friend Jack, another volunteer.

The beautiful models doing an after-show photoshoot.

The amazing Ivy fixing an outfit for the shoot. (I am in love with that coat!)

One of the fabulous models!

Ivy and her interns.


Ivy let us all hang out after the show, and gave us some advice about being a designer.  Her main tips were, to paraphrase: 
♥ work hard,
♥ don't lose focus, and 
♥ don't let the haters stand in your way!


She also talked about not letting boys get in your way. Having a boyfriend is sooo not the most important thing in life! "I ♥ fashion! Fashion is my boyfriend!"
And I ♥ you!


xx, Nikkidee :]

What I Wore: Valentine's Day

Helloooo, here is what I wore on Valentine's Day:

My shirt says "NY Don't <3 U" ;]

I spent the day with my friends, eating cupcakes and walking around. My friend Jose came to visit me, and we went to the Museum of Sex. Scandalous!

Plaster casts of condoms = sex art. My friend Tori's comment to me: "I bet you would make something like that." Thanksss Tori haha

Different slang terms for condoms. My favorite: Manhattan Eel

So as you can see, we had a giggly fun time. If you are in NYC, I recommend that you check it out, it's actually really interesting!

How was your Valentine's Day?

xx, Nikkidee