The One Year Anniversary

This virtual world of fashion is taking its way by storm. Easily, we are all connected through a simple click of the mouse and transported to different worlds of fashion. Readers and bloggers unite in a once small community, but now is becoming a main source available at your fingertips. This my friends, is the world of fashion blogging.

One year ago, January 30, 2007, I established this blog with no direction. I received my first comment, really not knowing how that person directed themselves to That's Chic, then realized the commitment I made to continuously update this blog. I was excited to nurture That's Chic and watch it grow.

Though I sometimes neglect blogging, I'm constantly looking for inspiration -- a drive. I see my blog as a journal, particularly kept of ideas and graphic art. At times, I go back and acknowledge the progression I made and watch my personal ideas formulate and build onto another. I observe the transitions and changes I slightly fixate - ones that are ever so slight, you wouldn't notice it until a few end products after.

It all seems so nostalgic; many of you watched me grow up through this small peephole I drilled. And as many of you mentioned in my previous post, you watched me grow not only as a person but fashionably as well. Everyday I learn more and more about this industry and become more and more inspired to maintain a healthy blog. I never expected That's Chic to be where it is right now. Like I said, it was a journal kept to keep ideas, rather than resorting to useless twelfth-tier magazine stacks with jots of notes and post-its stuck in between.

Another thing, behind the scenes of That's Chic, each post is its own entity -- each loosely connected to personal memories at the time written. Indeed, these posts conjure a narrative awash of fashion, but reading through them, I am also inclined to remember the tears of a breakup, a glee through a hard day's work paid off, or even something as simple as an unexpected thank you to inspired a post.

Ultimately, I want to thank my readers whom stuck with me throughout. To me, this is more than a fashion blog, this is my work conjured up into a public display of idealized inspiration and a product of a little will power.

As a result, a few of my favorite inspirations that keeps me going:


As a rule of thumb, a woman never reveals her age. However, if you're Carine Roitfeld, I wouldn't be surprised if she broadcasted her age across the universe; after all, she looks amazing for someone of 50. Though she can appear tired at times, I find her eyes, framed by heavy brows and a fierce hairline, striking! Her legs are also looking fabulous. Regarding past her physical aspects, it is frank that more than half of her outfits seem unachievable, but she pulls it off without a doubt. The picture is a bit hidden in the collage, but there is something about the way Carine wears a botched up trench skirt with that effortless grey sweater that screams casual chic. And don't get me started on the yellow skirt; I always appreciate a woman who takes fashion risks. And what I'd give to go through her shoe collection.


Damn i-D for being hard to find and expensive when found. The pages are full of overwhelming eye candy and inspiration. What's funny is, I didn't even realize that every cover had the exact same eye covered until pretty recently -- I'm fairly oblivious to these types of observations. I love the creativeness of each issue, it's like Nylon magazine taken to the next step, but I don't mind resorting to cheaper magazines: Nylon, Teen Vogue, and RIP Jane.


I personally think fashion models have the best street style. Aside from other mentionable chic models, I really like Natasha. Whether it's on the runway, editorial, or in her own time, she works her natural beauty. I love her casual chicness with that touch of grunge and the seldom sophistication.


And of course, there’s The Cobrasnake. I can’t help but to enamor each picture as it captures youthful exuberance, complete freedom, the perfect moment, utter happiness. I don't know whether it's the signature brightness juxtaposed against the dark, urban party scenes, or the actual 'it girls' themselves that gives Mark's photos such flavor. Either way, he is doing his job -- well. It's a constant reminder that I'm still young (especially now that I drown myself with school work and work projects) and I need to celebrate my youth and remain giddy with recklessness complimented by a sense of independence.


Lastly, I bundled up a few of my favorite blogging projects and ‘wearing today's as a small aide-mémoire to remind myself to continue and grow regardless of any obstacles in my way -- speaking of course in a general matter of a possible epiphany. I can continue to gradually build upon ideas and always make it better than the last. Oh, the Seasonal Staples that I dread doing for it take forever to do, but the result is worth it. And the "Accessories of a _____" that I had fun doing but haven't gotten around to making more. There's also the Editorial Calendar that I hold onto with pride. For the Wearing Todays, I chose the bottom right because it is pretty much my every day wear, unless I am working. And I chose another from quite a while ago because of the color palette and it was buried under the archives and I wanted to resurrect it.

This post was actually very refreshing and I regret not getting to it sooner. As I said earlier many times before, I originally wanted to broadcast a live video post, but it didn't work out and I'm glad! I started to feel the butterflies as I realized more and more how camera-shy I would be. I thought long and hard of the direction I wanted to go with this post, and I am pleased with the results. Also, being that I am so refreshed, I am conjuring a lot of ideas for future posts. I suppose that's the outcome of staring at four inspirations for 3 hours as I finish up this post.