Category Journal | KTRstyle

The Game of Life

Top: H&M red sweater | Bottom: Zara | Shoes: Prada studded sandals | Bag: Valentino | Glasses: c/o Wildfox Lolita sunglasses

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Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them – work, family, health, friends and love…and you’re keeping all of these in the air.

Soon you’ll realize that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends and love – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. And that’s why it’s important to strive for balance in life.

How? Don’t undermine our worth by comparing ourselves with others. Being different is what makes us special. Don’t set goals by what other people deem important. Only we know what’s best for us. Don’t take for granted the things closest to our heart. Life will quickly slip through our fingers if we chose to always live in the past or for the future. Live each day as if it’s the last.

Don’t give up when we still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment we stop trying. Don’t be afraid to admit that we are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us to each other.

Don’t be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave, grow. Don’t shut love out by saying it’s impossible. The easiest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to give up; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Don’t run through life so fast that we forget not only where we’ve been, but also where we are going.

There are three things in life that leave and never return: words, time and opportunities.

Use them wisely.

The truth hurts only once, but a lie every time we remember it.

I believe that we are who we choose to be. No one is going to come and save us. No one is going to give us anything. We got to go out and get it. No one knows what we really want except us, and no one will be as sorry as we will if we don’t get it…

So don’t give up on your dreams.

Fight for who you love.

Listen to your head, but always follow your heart.

Yesterday is History,

Tomorrow is a Mystery and

Today is a gift…that’s why we call it The Present.

xoxo

SHOP THIS LOOK

in Journal / Outfits by KTR 03 Dec 201403 Dec 2014 16 comments

Confessions of a Blogger: The Not So Pretty Truth

The street style blogs — which started out capturing people in their OOTD at their natural moments has evolved over the years and turned into catalog-esque photos and the editorial section out of a fashion magazine. From the stylish Chriselle of The Chriselle Factor inspirational street style to the dreamy vacation escapes of Tuula Vintage…or just take one look at my girl crush blogger Nicole of Gary Pepper and you’ll know what I mean…Sure, everyone loves a blog with beautiful images. I know I do…but sometimes it’s nice (and hilarious) to reflect back to those not so perfect (and real ugly) moments to remind ourselves that behind the makeup, hair, clothes and seemingly picture perfect images, we’re just normal folks. :)

So here it is, the not so pretty truth behind my blog photos.

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The Tug-Of-War Confession

My clothes are not always flowing and draping perfectly. Nope. I’m always adjusting my top, pants, skirt and pulling my thong out of my butt (sorry, that’s totally TMI) in 75% of my photos. Luckily my husband/photographer takes loads of images for me to choose from, otherwise my blog would be full of these shots! Yikes!

The I Don’t Always Wear Heels Confession

No, I do not go grocery shopping in high heels. No, I do not walk my dog in high heels. And hell no I do not run errands on weekends or pick up “fresh blooms” from the farmer’s market in high heels. I do however wear high heels everyday to work but I’m sitting down at my desk 90% of the day. Which means my heels are usually off.

The Perfect Twirl Confession

Whenever I “twirl,” I’m usually spinning around so much that I’ll start sweating and my face would turn red…the people on the streets are usually starring at me like I’m nuts and my husband was probably pissed that he captured 186 photos just for me to pick 1 or 2 images that I like.

The Paparazzi Caught Me Walking Confession

You know that walking shot, the one where we look like we’re just walking around, minding our own business and BAM, a guy with a DSLR popped out and took a photo of us walking nonchalantly? Well that photographer is usually my husband, friend or co-worker. I think I walked back and forth on this block approximately 16 times that day and almost walked into a tree. #Don’tJudgeMe.

The Not So Graceful Confession

You’ve seen those “serious” images. The ones where I’m standing in the middle of nowhere in 5 inch heels with a very serious expression on my face as if I’m planning the next steps to help aid world hunger. Nah, I’m just thinking about how not to fall or trip and what to eat for lunch.

The I Think I’m a Model But I’m Not a Model Confession

I don’t have many words for these beginning blogger shots except “Lord help me,” “Why?!@?” and “This is what usually happens when you let your husband pose you…”

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I can’t speak for all and what others do behind the scenes, but I can tell you this. As silly as things can look, it does take effort to create beautiful, fun and creative images for our readers!

It’s been fun and I hope you guys enjoyed these little snippets of what goes on behind my blog photos. Now I’m going to go chew Nate out for taking creep shots of me picking out my wedgies.

If you have a blog, I love to hear your experiences! Have a beautiful day guys…and please no sharing. :)

xo, KTR

in Journal / Outfits by KTR 31 Jul 201431 Jul 2014 30 comments

Happiness: Trials, Tribulations & Self Reflections. Are You Happy?

…Because I’m happy…well not always, but the tune from Pharrell’s catchy melody “Because I’m Happy” is like a nationwide anthem for us to remind ourselves that no matter what’s going on, we’re going to be happy.

Like everyone else, I have days where I’m moody, easily agitated, and sometimes unhappy. Sometime last year, I went through a stage in life where I felt unsure about what I wanted to do and where I am at in life. Then suddenly I just felt overwhelmed with all these emotions and anxieties. These anxieties lead to stress, which lead to insomnia, followed by weight loss, then it all came rushing down to feeling the blues. Suddenly those every other day trips to Molly Stone to pick up my favorite chocolate chip muffins were no longer a desire and I can hardly keep up with the things I once loved. At first I thought it was just my “monthly friend” screwing with my emotions but these feelings lasted for a few months. Could it have been one of those quarter-life crisis that I have been hearing about?

Eventually I managed to pulled myself out of the little black hole before it buried me alive. I know, crazy huh? So, what did I do?

ACCEPTANCE

Trials and tribulations – not getting what we want when we want it and letting go on terms we can’t control. Disappointments, rejections and loss are the universe’s way of helping us grow and allowing us to learn from the past, appreciate the present and prepare us for our future. The quicker we realize that, the sooner we can move on.

GET ORGANIZED

This is the time to collect our thoughts, clean our house and remove clutter from our space! Who and how we spend our time can influence our mood, career, finances, and relationships.

INVESTMENT

Invest in people who loves you and truly care about you. Surround yourself with close family members, good friends and those who will help you celebrate life’s successes and support you in difficult times. And most importantly, don’t forget to spend time with yourself…which takes me to the next.

DO THINGS YOU ENJOY

Whether it’s shopping, painting, cooking, hiking, shopping, dancing, shopping again, reading, going to dinner, movies, helping your community with charity work, or shopping online :). DO WHAT YOU LOVE. It’ll keep you busy, free your mind from unwanted thoughts and who knows, you may meet interesting new friends along the way.

HELL YES YOU CAN BUY HAPPINESS

Look, if a pair of shoes or that pretty sparkly new dress makes you happy, then by all means, buy it. But don’t let it sit in your closet and collect dust! Studies suggested that if you look good you will feel good! So get dressed up, grab a couple good friends and enjoy an evening out of the house!

DISTANCE YOURSELF FROM BAD COMPANY

You’ve probably heard the term, “misery loves company,” well it’s true. We all know a person (or two) who is not very happy with their life and they love for any opportunity to get us to join their crew. During this time of vulnerability, it’s probably best to distance yourself from people who are negative, pessimistic, and who may give you bad advice or pressure you in doing something you may regret later.

LIVE FOR TODAY

Nothing is promised. What we have today may be gone tomorrow. So don’t postpone what makes you happy by waiting for a day when your life is less busy. That day may never come. Don’t dwell on the past, but similarly, don’t dream about an idealized future that doesn’t exist. Instead, look for opportunities to savor the small pleasures of everyday life.

HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE

Happiness doesn’t just land on our front door one day, it is a choice we make everyday. For example, learn a new skill, take up cooking classes or reprogram our values and beliefs. Choose to be in environments and around people that makes us happy. We can’t be happy unless we choose to make happiness among our top goals in life.

DON’T FORGET

…You deserve all that you want in this world!! Seriously, you do. Sometimes you’ll get it through your own mastery and hard work, other times you’ll get it when you least expect it. The journey is never a detour; it’s just a way to build up your momentum and strength for the road that lies ahead…So brace yourself when the road gets bumpy, strap on a helmet, and keep moving forward.

And so, I write this (so randomly at 2AM) to say that when times are tough on your heart + head, believe & trust that whatever darkness and disappointments you are going through, you will survive….Learn from yesterday. Live for today. Hope for tomorrow.

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P.S. I haven’t really written anything on my blog in a while because I have been so busy with work but tonight, despite the crazy hour, I choose to do what used to make me really happy. Write! :) I hope you enjoyed this!

If you have any tricks of your own on how to maintain your sanity, please share! :)

Here are two of my favorite past entries:

Sticks and Stones: Body Image and the Mean Girls

Maximum Effort: So, What Makes a Blog Successful?

xo, K

HAPPY WEEKEND!

-Photos by NR-

in Journal / Outfits by KTR 23 May 201423 May 2014 14 comments

Bodycon, Caffeine & Jugglin’ Life’s Priorities

{Photos by NR}

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Whoever said, “do what you love and you’ll never work in a day in your life” is a damn liar!

While editing these photos I started to realized how much caffeine dependent I have became in the last 6 months (no it’s really not a prop lol). I used to never drink coffee but now if I don’t have a cup, I cannot seem to function.

In the last couple of years I have been keeping myself busy trying to maintain my career (my 9-5), my passion for creating clothes, managing every aspect of my small biz (which entails biz dev, pr, design, sew, accountant, finance, shipping & receiving, customer service, IT, you name it) and keeping up with my blog. By the end of the day I feel lucky to be able to do what I love (KTRcollection) and have a (day) job at an amazing company working with amazing people……. But some days I just feel pooped and wonder where my destination is going to be.

Then I remembered what we were taught growing up.

It’s not about arriving, it’s not about how quickly one can get there. It’s about what you take away from your experiences on the way there. It’s about the journey, the lessons learned, the people you meet along the way, and the ones who hung in there with you all the way. Growth and learning has no limit. Remembering these points really helped me stay on track and keep on going.

Well it’s 4am, I guess I better get some sleep now and put in a request at work for a clone tomorrow. :) Good night & sweet dreams!

in Journal / Outfits by KTR 30 Dec 201330 Dec 2013 9 comments

Thigh High

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My new favorite Aries ring thanks to the Glitter Vault! Check them out for more fab accessories!

otk6 {Photos by NR}

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When it comes to thigh high boots, I’ve always had trouble finding a pair with the perfect fit. So every year when fall rolls around, I’d find myself searching for that perfect over-the-knees boots….but search no more because I think I found my sole mate! Perfect heel height, perfect comfort level with hidden platform, perfect soft suede, perfect little laced up in the back so I can loosen or tighten for the perfect thigh high fit!

Funny short story: When I was trying these boots on, I casually mentioned to the sales associate that I’ve always had problems finding the right OTK boots because I have thick legs and thighs. She immediately disagreed (eyes-wided, lips-frowned and all) and told me I do not have big legs and I shouldn’t worry…as though it was a bad thing…I wasn’t fishing for a compliment and I think she was nice, but it makes me sad to see that even nice people can get influenced to believe that being healthy and having meat on their bones is considered a bad thing…It gets worst. She then told me that having skinny legs will look better in high heels, skirts and boots. I can’t help but laugh and I tried not to be offended because she was really, really older and I guess she just had an ancient way of thinking.

Luckily I’m kind of stuck in my own ways of thinking and told her actually thick legs are pretty damn sexy in heels, skirts and boots. :) How many young women who may already be suffering from body issues are put in situations like these each day to not like their bodies just because someone thinks their body parts are not the perfect fit for a certain style or trend? This brought me back to my post about Body Image and the Mean Girls...I have more to say, but I’ll leave it here for now since it’s 4AM and I’m feeling sorta loopy. xo

Have you ever had a shopping experience where someone either intentionally or unintentionally made awkward comments about weights and sizes? I love to hear your stories!

in Journal / Outfits by KTR 07 Oct 201307 Oct 2013 16 comments

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Journal

The Game of Life

Confessions of a Blogger: The Not So Pretty Truth

Happiness: Trials, Tribulations & Self Reflections. Are You Happy?

Bodycon, Caffeine & Jugglin’ Life’s Priorities

Thigh High

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