Friend Friday seemed like a good time to return to blogging, and I'm pretty excited about this topic because it's something I've been thinking about a lot since I moved to Costa Rica in January.
So, in
Katy's words:
"I was in New York this past weekend and it dawned on me that I dressed differently when I lived there as opposed to when I lived in St. Louis. And then as I watched
all the people rushing by and I could identify the Europeans from the Americans and the true New Yorkers from the tourists, it got me thinking, where we live has a lot to do with how we dress, or at least it can. So these questions are along those lines."
1. What part of the world do you blog from?
When I started blogging, I was in
North Philly and then we moved to Middle-of-Nowhere Costa Rica. I live in a super rural area (can we say culture shock?) in what was once
cloud rainforest and is now mostly strawberry, chile, and/or dairy farms.
2. If you had to describe the overall mode of dress for where you live what would you say?
It's practical. We live on a mountain and people walk a lot - uphill - on roads that have been destroyed by an earthquake and the constant passage of heavy trucks up and down the mountain. Also, rubber boots are
de rigueur between the farm work and the heavy rains and mud.
3. Do you fit in with the status quo around you or do you break the mold?
I'm a mold breaker. Between my skirts, dresses, and heels, I'm not exactly the most practical. Also, I definitely am less matchy-matchy in my approach to dress and I definitely accessorize more than the average woman up in these mountains.
I tried to do the jeans and flats with no embellishments but between that and the weather, I got way too depressed and I went back to my usual style.
4. If you have lived or traveled to another part of the country/world did your clothing choices evolve?
This is funny. So, I was born in Puerto Rico where style means a whole lot - for real. I grew up in the DC area, the Chicago suburbs, Heidelberg, Germany. As an adult, I've lived in Atlanta, Maryland, Northern VA, Philly, and Costa Rica. And I've traveled a lot.
I think I've picked up a lot in those places. From my Puerto Rican upbringing, I definitely have a need to "present myself" well which is why I even care about my look. When I lived in Illinois, I learned to dress for cold weather, how to wear my parents' clothes well, and how to fashion up my school uniform. From my time in Germany, I developed a love of heels and quirky style - let me tell you, I was all about some trends when I lived there. That was also where I learned to not dress like a tourist, which I try to continue to this day. Northern VA gave me that love for preppy, professional classics. My East Coast roots mean I love black and other neutrals, while visiting my sister in LA has given me an appreciation for brights and flowy styles.
5. If you had to describe your style by naming a specific city, what would you be?
Oh, this is a hard one, but I'm going to go with
DC. There's a pulled together chicness to DC that I love. And while it might not be the most cutting edge of fashion, it's definitely classic with a twist and I like that.
