a personal style blog by Lauren Pfieffer

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Cora | Period with a Purpose.

Cora Period with a Purpose
100 million girls across the world lack the appropriate products needed to manage their period. 100 million. An unfathomable number to me. Usually when my time of the month rolls around, I do an inner (and often outer) groan. Inconvenience, pain, and extra trips to the pharmacy. But I am so lucky really. I can afford menstrual products. Heck, I have access to menstrual products at any street corner I choose. I'm able to go to work as normal, be active as normal, and live my life as normal.

When a girl in another country get her period, she doesn't get to be normal. She often has to stay at home and miss school because she doesn't have the products to handle her period. In Indian alone, one in four girls drop out of school once they get their period.

Cora Organic Tampons


I know many women today (including myself) who still get embarrassed about my period. It doesn't matter if you're 12 and getting it for the first time, or 55 and getting it for the last. Society makes women getting their period feel embarrassed. It comes from an early age where we feel we need to hide our pads in our backpacks at school so the boys don't see or make fun of us. Or, bringing our purse to the bathroom at work because we can't just go around carrying a tampon. Even girl to girl we often don't talk about our periods. It's very hush-hush, privately kept to each woman. It's perfectly fine if a woman wants to keep it private: it's her choice! But she should never, ever feel like she has to keep it private due to embarrassment or shame.

I don't do a lot of sponsored posts any more because I always want to appear transparent and honest with you guys. But I think part of continuing an honest conversation is partnering with brands that promote honesty and promote change. That's why I wanted to partner with Cora.

Cora Tampon Review



Tampon Delivery Service Cora

Cora is a menstrual delivery service for your monthly needs. The essence of the company stems from women helping other women. For every box of products sent to your door each month, Cora gives a girl in a developing country her own month's worth of products. That way she can continue doing whatever she puts her mind to. 

Cora Tampons Review
Not only is the purchase (and the added convenience!) of using the Cora service beneficial to women around the world, but it's also beneficial to you and your body, too. Many store-bought products contain chemicals, as well as, pesticides left over from the bleaching process of the cotton. These sort of synthetics can lead to the cause of cancer, endometriosis, and even infertility. Cora wanted to change the harmful bi-products in tampons and created 100% organic, biodegradable, and hypoallergenic tampons.

Cora Tampons

Organic Tampons

When it comes to the shame and embarrassment surrounding periods that I previously talked about, Cora's got your back on that, too. In the monthly box, you receive a box of tampons where you choose the absorbency, a sleek black clutch for sticking in your purse, and mini stowaways that serve as convenient covers for you to slip a tampon in your back pocket without anyone knowing. Everything is clean, classic, and chicly designed. You would think a service with this many benefits would be more than the $9.99 you pay for a 12 pack of tampons at CVS... but Cora's prices are around $12 for a full month of tampons. Oh...and did I mention free shipping? *eyes light up*

Cora Review

I was able to try out Cora for two of my cycles and everything ran so smoothly. The products are comfortable, convenient, and covert. Best of all was knowing that a girl somewhere in the world could continue pursing her dreams; just like me here in NYC. Definitely check around on Cora's site and read their incredible story if you have time. With Cora, we can all have period with a purpose. x

With much love,

Lauren.
SHARE:

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Just a Little Rusty.

Rust Colored Outfit
Vintage 70s Inspired Outfit
70's Outfit | NYC Style Blog
Vintage Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera Blouse
70s Blouse | NYC Fashion Blog
Someone Like You Blog Outfit
Fall Tones | NYC Fashion Blog
Vintage 70s Blouse | NYC Fashion Blog

Vintage Carolina Herrera Blouse (similar)| Thrifted
Suede Mini Skirt (very similar) | Thrifted
Tan Loafers (similar for $25!) | Thrifted
Silk Scarf (similar style) | Thrifted
Mini Satchel (similar for $35) | Thrifted
Gold Flower Clip Earrings | Thrifted

Rust is one of my favorite colors to wear in the fall. The warm, deep tones go so well with the fleeting evening light and turning leaves. There is a crispness to the hue that I just love. A feeling of being very put together, but daring at the same time since it's not a standard neutral like black, navy, or white.

I thrifted this vintage Carolina Herrera blouse a few weeks back at the local Goodwill here in Brooklyn. A lot of people ask me how I find items like this. I have very odd methods. I actually don't take my time when I'm going through the racks in thrift stores. I flip through the items very quickly because so much of it is bleh...but sometimes my hand touches nice fabric or I spot a very interesting pattern. These are clues where I just know it's a special piece. That was the case with this blouse. It's made of incredibly soft silk and feels so lightweight and breathable on these still somewhat sticky in-between days. I love the almost finger print like pattern and the little tendrils of curled fabric down the bodice if you look carefully. Originally I was going to sell this piece in an Etsy shop for vintage I'm working on putting together...but I'm not so sure now! This blouse paired so nicely with my trusty suede mini skirt and well-worn loafers.

On a personal note, life has been throwing me lots of lemons it seems lately. When will it be time to make lemonade and join the Bey-Hive, you know? My life often is (like many others) a series of getting kicked down with one thing after another after another...eventually it will all turn around though. These things take time though and time has never been my friend. Truthfully, after awhile it just gets hard to believe in yourself any longer. A special flame you may have once thought you had seems to just dim little by little until there's only the tiniest of sparks...but there's still a light going: and that's something worth holding onto. x

With much love,

Lauren
SHARE:

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Going for the Gold.

Going for the Gold | Someone Like You
Going for the Gold | Someone Like You
Going for the Gold | Someone Like You
Going for the Gold | Someone Like You
Going for the Gold | Someone Like You
Going for the Gold | Someone Like You

White Collared Blouse (similar) | Forever21
Gold Tank (similar) | Thrifted
Floral Skirt (similar from Forever21) | Thrifted
Black Belt with Gold Buckle (similar)| Thrifted
Black Sandals | c/o Boohoo

Around a month ago I was browsing the fashion section of a local book store and I came across a book that really caught my attention. It was called Brooklyn Street Style. I flipped through it a bit and couldn't help but get extremely excited because I've been looking for something exactly like this.

People in Brooklyn have a very unique way of dressing that is quite unlike people in Manhattan, or really people I've seen anywhere. It is such an intriguing way of dressing, no matter what the style is. The person could be very feminine, very edgy, very sophisticated, or even very disheveled looking: and they all have this common thread uniting them in Brooklyn style that I haven't been able to put my finger on how to achieve.

The style here is very nonchalant but in a thoughtful way. The ease of Brooklyn style dressing is what really fascinates me. No one puts on false airs here. Each person fully embraces who they are outwardly, yet in fully functional style. There's no towering heels and uncomfortable dresses like in Manhattan. Everything  is about clothing being mobile to take us through the many phases and roles we go through in our days.

I ended up buying the book and it was amazing. It offered so much insight to the reasoning and inspiration on how real people in Brooklyn dress. It's filled with beautiful pictures and wonderful little excerpts from long-time Brooklynites working in various industries from fashion to art, beauty and cooking. I highly recommend this book to anyone, even if you don't live in Brooklyn. It just opens up so much thought into clothing choices and the singularity we can tap into.

This outfit was actually inspired by the book! It's definitely not an ensemble I would have normally put together. But I thought about various elements discussed in the book and who I wanted to be that day and how much this outfit could help me do that (and more). I came up with this different way to wear my tank top and a more eccentric approach to styling the skirt. I got more compliments than I have in a long time from my coworkers, and I think it was because I got out of my comfort zone and stepped into a deeper part of me I didn't know existed.

I am very passionate about clothes. It may sound like a dumb, frivolous passion, but clothes are so much more than a material possession to me. They say so much about my occupation, my social circle, my mood...they connect us and speak volumes that sometimes we can't say ourselves.

With much love,

Lauren
SHARE:

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Little Red Beret.

Red Beret | Someone Like You
How to Style a Beret | Someone Like You
Styling a Beret | Someone Like You
Little Red Beret | Someone Like You
Beret Outfit 2016 | Someone Like You
Fashion Blogger Beret | Someone Lke You
Brooklyn Style Blog | Someone Like You
Little Red Beret

Red Beret | Target (so old!)
Gingham Top (similar) | Thrifted
Raw Hem Jeans (these are the same wash and style!) | Thrifted + DIYed
Tan  Loafers (similar) | Thrifted.
Red Ribbon (here's a necklace and not string) | Literally off a box of chocolates

Berets have been my hat of choice since the beginning of this blog nearly 7 years ago. If you want to have a gut-wrenching, almost-pee-your-pants laugh, look at this post where I first wore a beret. Love those moody behind the bushes photos, Lauren. Also, spell check the primary item you're talking about. Anyways,  I'm not quite sure where my penchant for them came from, but whatever it was prompted me to buy berets in 6 different colors at Target. I still have all six (and more colors!) to this day.

I don't wear berets as often as I have in years past, but whenever I do tip one onto the back of my head I can't help but feel a little more 'me.' Funny how a fashion item can do that. Berets defined my style for such a long time. I would style my outfits specifically around berets, combining them with my thrift store finds to make vintage inspired ensembles. (see 2010, 2011 2012, 20132014, and 2015)  Looking back at these posts makes me so nostalgic tonight to see my style change so much. It's gone through many phases to accompany the peaks and valleys in my life. Having this blog to document everything has been the biggest gift I could have never planned for myself. This little online space is a living diary to the evolution of my style. I'm proud of how far I've come.

When I was 16 I didn't think I'd still be blogging when I was 23. Hell, I literally was not even ever contemplating being 23. I'm pretty sure I wanted to be married by now lol. At the time, I was just trying to get through high school and pick out my dream prom dress (which I thought I would forever love but already 7 years out I think it's atrocious). Now I am so different, but in many ways still the same. We cannot predict how we will evolve and what moments will shape us. Looking back and seeing this truth  confirmed as I've documented my life on here is kind of scary. I'm sure I'll feel the same looking back on 23 from 30. Who will I be at 30? THAT IS THE SCARIEST THOUGHT EVER. Will I have a career I love? Will I have a family of my own? Will I still be in NYC? Will I still be blogging?!?! This is all way too heavy for a Wednesday night, guys. I think I need to make some Earl Grey tea and take a deep breath.

Jokes aside, blogging has made me realize how weird but awesome my life has been the last seven years. I've grown from a kid to a woman that still wears the same piece, but with a completely different attitude. Although I don't always want to relive 16 year old Lauren's taste, I've got to admit: she certainly got it right sometimes. x

With much love,

Lauren


SHARE:

Monday, September 19, 2016

Long Live Brooklyn.

Nightgown over T-shirt outfit
Long Live Brooklyn | Someone Like You
MAC Craving Lipstick | Someone Like You
Burnout | Someone Like You
Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
Long Live Brooklyn | Someone Like You
Brooklyn Street Style | Someone Like You
OOTD Brooklyn | Someone Like You
Sleep, Create, Drink Coffee T-Shirt (similar) | Rad.com
Burn Out Nightgown (similar) | Thrifted
Grey Skinny Jeans | Aeropostale
Black Heels (similar) | Payless
Choker (very similar) | DIY
Hat | c/o OASAP (old)
Lipstick | MAC Craving

I love living in Brooklyn. When first moving here I'll admit I was a bit skeptical. Last year I lived in Chelsea in Manhattan and it was amazing because it was the first time I'd ever been in NYC. I loved how close I was to everything and the exciting bustle around me. So when I moved to a much quieter and spread out Brooklyn, I felt seriously lacking in connection with the city. It wasn't a 10 minute walk to Times Square or I wasn't able to see the the city sky line out my window. I found the commute to Manhattan from Brooklyn tedious and tiring...

Now having been here three and a half months my thoughts have completely changed. I don't think I could live right in the middle of the city like that again. I love my Brooklyn neighborhood so much. It feels like home in the best way possible. For a few years there I didn't feel like I had a home because everything was so semi-permanent. I went from my hometown, to college, to Florence, to NYC, and back to college again in a span of four years. I never felt like I could settle down and find comfort in where I was living. Here I absolutely do. I love my little apartment in Bed-Stuy and my neighborhood favorites I already have. I just love this city because it is actually such a stark contrast from Manhattan. It is very community oriented here which is just what I was looking for. I feel at such peace in Brooklyn with all of the areas to explore and its down-to-earth nature. You don't have to pretend to be someone you're not in Brooklyn. In Manhattan, sometimes you do. It's a very cut throat city and keeping up can be exhausting (but also exhilarating). I'm so glad I get to experience the best of both worlds where I am. Bustling week in the city, relaxing weekend at home ♥

With much love,

Lauren
SHARE:

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Feeling Lost at 23.

Brooklyn Style | Lauren Pfieffer
Brooklyn Street Style | Lauren Pfieffer
Vintage Style | Someone Like You
Vintage Style Outfit in NYC | Someone Like You
Style Blogger from Brooklyn | Lauren Pfieffer
Fashion Blogger Living in Brooklyn | Lauren Pfieffer
Brooklyn Style | Someone Like You
Fashion Blog Brooklyn | Someone Like You

Grey Lace Dress (similar) | Forever21
Denim Jacket (exact) | Thrifted
Silk Scarf (similar for $10)| Thrifted
Black Pointed Flats (similar) | Thrifted
Loop Ring Tote Bag | Forever21

I don't write so much anymore on here because sometimes I don't know how to write about my life anymore. Things seem so much more complicated then when I started this blog at 16. This was my place to come and write in order to freely to get out all my frustrations. Sometimes I think I spoke a little too candidly about my life. It was hard not to though when I was going through so many emotions and obstacles throughout high school and then college. This blog was my best-friend.

I've graduated now and I suppose I should be an adult. I really try to be. I'm 23 years old and when I was a little girl, I thought this age seemed so old. So responsible. I feel neither of those things. I just feel young still (too young to be doing any of this) and naïve and often times very irresponsible.

What I'm trying to say is. Post-grad life is hard. I was so positive who I was for so many years and maybe that's why it was so easy to write everything on here. I took things at face value for how my life was and accepted it.

I can't accept life now because I have no grasp on it. It's like water slipping through my hands. Sand disappearing through the cracks of my fingers. What do you do with your life after you graduate? Who are you? I was defined by my studies for so long.

"Hi, nice to meet you. My name is Lauren and I'm a fashion merchandising student at Kent State University."

Then it becomes.

"Hi my name is Lauren. I'm...I...Actually, I don't know what I am anymore."

It's not the city that has me questioning who I am. Despite it being so vast and so complicated, I feel like it's easier here to find my way than it would be back in Ohio. In Ohio there's limited options. If I'm feeling desperate and panicked when I have all the options in the world, imagine what I would feel like if I had not so many choices? I imagine very trapped.

I don't feel trapped. I feel free. But a little too free. I want to be grounded. To have a string to follow home when I'm up in the sky soaring around, surveying all around me and trying to figure out my connection to it. They don't teach you how to cope with all of this in college. That should be a requirement before every student graduates. "How to make it in the real world 101 because life is scary as hell."

I'm not sure if I'll ever feel as safely grounded as I did in all my years of school. Perhaps the days of certainty in my life are an abandoned cause. Wandering and confusion can be good for the soul. I'm just scared if I'm gone too long I won't be able to find my way back.

With much love,

Lauren
SHARE:

Monday, September 5, 2016

Finding Vintage in Brooklyn.

Vintage Floral Blouse, High-waisted Denim Shorts, Snakeskin Betl, Loafers, and Cherry Bomb Lipstick | Someone Like You
Finding Vintage in Brooklyn | Someone Like You
Vintage Silk Top | Someone Like You
Thrift Shops in Brooklyn to Go to; L Train Vintage | Someone Like You
Thrifted Vintage Outfit | Someone Like You
Wet n Wild Lipstick in Cherry Bomb | Someone Like You
Vintage Cameo Necklace | Someone Like You
Vintage in Brooklyn | Someone Like You
Cherry Bomb Lipstick | Someone Like You

Floral Vintage Blouse (similar) | Thrifted
Jean Shorts (similar)| Thrifted
Vintage Belt (similar) | Thrifted
Tan Loafers (similar and on sale!) | Thrifted
Black Envelope Bag (similar from Rebecca Minkoff) | Thrifted
Cameo Necklace (similar for $20) | Thrifted

Hi guys!

It's been tough to find thrift stores that live up to the gold mines I'm used to in Ohio. Thrift stores here in NYC have been overpriced, picked over, and just lacking quality things. Usually every weekend I'll try out a new one to explore. So far the Goodwill in downtown Brooklyn has been my go to, but last weekend I discovered L Train Vintage. L Train is a chain of thrift stores across Manhattan and Brooklyn. I go to the one in my neighborhood of Bed-Stuy, so I can only vouch that this one is amazing. It's a warehouse-esque type of thrift store with curated clothes. Most vintage shops charge an arm and a leg for a curated selection, but my heart just purrrrrs at the chance to get my hands on blouses & skirts for $5 and dresses for $8-10. It's interesting because real vintage is mixed in with more modern '90s and early 2000's pieces that make for a great selection. A lot of the true vintage is so well priced I actually want to ask them to charge me more (jk, I wouldn't take it that far.) But really, finding a '60s dress when they only want $20 for it makes me feel like a high-stakes robber!

L Train has everything from dresses, blouses and skirts, a well curated denim collection, worn in shoes galore, and an amazing selection of scarves and bandannas: two things I can't get enough of lately! The great thing is they also have an online store, too, if any of you are interested. This is sounding really sponsored but I promise it's not; I just really dig this place that much that I sound like  paid advertising.

Hope you all have had a great Labor Day Weekend! I essentially did nothing because everything is closed around here (as it should be). Ain't nothin' wrong with taking a nice, relaxing day in bed scouring the internet for gold and chuckling at your cat as he lays in a dead spider position next to you. Also I'm making meat loaf for the first time tonight so pray I don't give myself food poisoning! x

With much love,

Lauren.
SHARE:
Blogger Template by pipdig