Miami Movie Set

Right at this moment, there is some kind of film set being set up next to my school campus with antique cars and tons of extras and I'm really considering asking for a job... I'll work for free.

Fashions Night Out and a weeks worth of outfit posts coming soon

Again, I'm sorry for the lack of posts. First week of school was cray cray cause my classes kept getting deleted and dropped and cancelled and what not and my fiance bought a new apartment closer to Downtown, so there was that. But I have been taking pictures on my crappy little camera and stuff so hopefully tonight, I can start updating y'all.

And in other news, tonight is Fashions Night Out and luckily for me, Miami is one of those lucky cities that participate. This is a great way of kicking off Fashion Week. Although I will not be personally attending NYFW, I will be following the shows relentlessly thanks to sites like Glamour and Lucky.Thank god for magazine websites! LOL!

Tonight though, I will be attending FNO in Aventura Mall and the Miami Design District, so any Miami Fashion Bloggers, HMU!

Hurricane Isaac and my extremely disappointed face

Hurricane Isaac passed by Miami yesterday, but we're still seeing and feeling the storms. My house in Miami Lakes is currently out of electricity, so yeah....everything basically sucks. School was cancelled today, so my dreams of beginning school again and quenching my thirst for knowledge were crushed, BIG TIME! I'm very excited to resume my outfit posts once more.

Recently, I've been doing nothing but working, and I recently got a second job at one of my favorite (and affordable) stores, Marshall's. I can't wait to keep y'all updated on the trends that Marshall's receives on a daily basis; its CRAZY! Hopefully, by tomorrow, I shall resume my outfit posts. By September, I plan on having my new camera and really pleasing the eye.

I'm also planning on arranging a small, Miami Fashion Bloggers party, but I have to get in touch with many of the Miami Fashion Bloggers I haven't met yet.

Wish me luck, guys! And don't be afraid to press that follow button!

SO EXCITED FOR FALL!!!!

I'm super excited for fall to come!
The colors, the clothing, and school!

I might be one of the few people in this world who actually loves school and learning new things more than anything else in this world! I am super excited because my college schedule includes a lot of fun, liberal arts/humanities courses. Cant wait to attend my first lecture on world religions or write my first essay for advanced english and composition.

Instagram

Follow my instagram account! @rioslaura001
Some recent shots:

New things

I actually managed to get a new iPhone and a new car all in one day! Moving on up, huh. Well, this definitely means things are looking great in terms of fashion and personal style growth. I can actually afford to take pictures for you and buy new clothing thanks to both me and my fiancé working at two new, great jobs. Soon, we plan on moving to Rhode Island and transfer to Brown. So, that's another adventure we're looking forward to!

Getting it together

My life is finally starting to straighten on up, so lots of amazing posts coming soon, I promise!

Please make it Fall, already!

I'm desperate
I want to wear all the pretty fall clothing
I don't like summer very much

H&M Preview on Lincoln Road

I've always known about the store H&M through fashion magazines, blogs, and a personal trip to New York City where the only thing I bought was a key chain. (I was on a budget, people!) Recently, in New Times Miami magazine, a free magazine that has a mass rotation around the downtown Miami/South Beach/Miami Beach area, announced that there will be an H&M store opening on Lincoln Rd..... IN THE FALL! Yes, I know: waaaaaay too long to wait. BUT, as awesome as H&M is, they gave us a preview H&M store. And on Monday, I went to go visit.

I am obviously ecstatic about the new store and was absolutely blown away by the affordability of such fashionable clothing. I've never really been a fan of Forever 21, besides the fact that it's cheap, but now I have this new option! H&M! Woo-hoo!

And obviously, I just HAD to buy something at the preview. My first real article of clothing from H&M? A hot pink, zipper-front dress. Perfect as a bathing suit cover up, office-appropriate, and it will look real cool as an open, short sleeved cardigan sort of thing. The very next day, I wore it out with the future in-laws and my fiance to celebrate his new job (maybe career), in the film industry. 

Sorry, it's the only picture I have :(

The 4th of July

Belated post, I know.
Here are a few pictures of my fourth of July. In South Florida, the 4th means you have to stay underwater all day! LOL. I went to the pool all day and then saw the fireworks at a neighborhood park in Miramar, FL.

Blue flowy top thing- Thrifted, Shorts- Thrifted, Shoes- Traffic, Bathing suit- Marshalls, Sunglasses- Forever 21

No more Cuba

I regret to inform you all that I did NOT go to Cuba. Or anywhere, really, for the past week or two weeks. I have been training for a new job. And my training officially ends next week on Tuesday, where I then begin working. And of course, in late August, I will begin the fall semester of my sophomore year of college. So, I am busybusybusy, to say the least.
That explains the lack of outfit posts. But soon, beautiful people, soon.

Now: the good news.
I sold my first item on Etsy! And then, I sold my second, all in one day! I was really losing hope in the shop, but reading the inspiring stories of many Etsy sellers, I persevered and here I am, content and a few bucks richer. I will now reinvest the money into buying more beautiful clothing. YAY! I already have a pieces ready to put up in the shop, and I thought I'd let you guys know first. To see the pictures and prices, check out my Etsy store.

• Cobalt blue skirt suit, sold together or separately, that includes one Size 14 cobalt blue blazer (perfect for summer, and even fall) and one Size 14 cobalt blue pencil skirt. Super bright and super cute!
• A collection of floor length skirts in a variety of prints, PERFECT FOR A HOT SUMMER. Also really great for a DYI hi-low skirt. 
• A 1950's, light blue with white polka dots shirt dress with a matching belt. 
• Necklaces with a giant rock of natural quartz on a silver 18 inch chains. 
• Vintage postcards and posters, including a poster from New Years in the 1960s and a Limited Edition     Eiffel Tower postcard from the late 1950's. 

Come on in and check it out. 

~Laura

Congratulations, Miami Heat

I'm not a very big fan of sports, but I do have pride in my hometown! Congratulations, Miami Heat, for winning the Finals and make us Miamians proud.

In other news, in two weeks, I will be in Cuba. I am American, but my mother and father are Cubans, and they came to America to make sure I had all the opportunities possible available to me. But, it's still really exciting to be visiting the origin of my roots. I'll let you know the day before I leave, and since there is no internet connection in the Cuban countryside, I will update all my outfits and places visited upon my return.

Not So Sunny In Florida

Yeah, the weather in Miami is a abysmal. It's been raining everyday, so while the rest of the country is celebrating the warm weather, I'm stuck indoors. Yesterday, the rain cleared up for a little while, so me and the fiance dressed up and trekked over to my neighborhood park to enjoy the day and take a few pictures in my new floral dress. 

Dress-Thrifted; Jean jacket- Zara; Shoes-Steve Madden(last season); Belt- Kohls; Earrings-Handmade; Bracelet- Forever21; Watch-Vintage; Necklace & locket- My boyfriends cute picture/ vintage

And about my hair/eyebrows/lack of makeup, I've been trying to go all natural for a few days, just because I'm tired of the daily routine. I will be back to my prim and proper self very soon, do not fret! 

Bloglovin!

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3816544/animalia?claim=8xjzmwswcu7">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
Finally on Bloglovin! A bunch of my friends have told me about this site, and a lot of the blogs I read are on the site, so I thought to myself...why not? LOL. Follow me on Bloglovin or on Blogger.

Miami/Music Mondays

I want to make this a regular feature on my blog, Miami/Music Mondays. The reason I include a / is because it will change every Monday, depending on what or who I want to feature that week.
For Miami Mondays, I want to go to different places of importance or places I think are just plain interesting in or around Miami and  record and explain the location, my outfit, and how it is appropriate in that location.
For Music Mondays, I just want to present an inspirational song for the week, or a personal favorite of mine.
Any concerts, festivals, or artists I meet will be featured also.

And now, for my first Monday running this feature, I present a local Miami musician, Inez Barlatier and her band, KAZOOTS. I met Inez when I began college and quickly fell in love with her.
We are in the same Honor's program in school, and we had a leadership course together. She was so down-to-earth and had a fashion style that can only be considered as truly Boho-chic; I just had to befriend her, and I did.

Inez Barlatier
Lead singer of KAZOOTS

When I found out she was a musician, I quickly lost interest. I've been in too many situations where a friend considered themselves a 'musician', but just plain sucked. I thought she was going to be another one of those people, so when she invited me to a small performance of hers at a Hollywood Beach bar, I was weary. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to a potentially crappy show that was kinda far from my home. But I dressed up and attended-- and was BLOWN AWAY. She was truly amazing and my faith in aspiring musicians was restored.

The band she fronts, KAZOOTS, describe themselves as Afro-Indie Rock. I describe them as awesome.

What I love most, besides the lead singers amazing voice and lyrics, is the range of the band. They can play you a quick, fun jazz number, followed by a heavily-Haitian Afro-rock piece, and then they can whip out a ballad and have you holding your fiance in tight embrace(true story).
The band consists of the lead singer, Inez Barlatier; back-up singer, Kiara Cabrera; guitarist, Jayan Bertrand; and drummer, David Cruz. They don't have a stable bassist as of now, but are keeping their eyes peeled for one. They recently opened a show for singer Rachel Goodrich and the Moneybags.
Although the videos do no justice to this band, check out their YouTube page and make sure to like em on Facebook. Show some support for good old local music!

I love myself....

but I hate cellulite. I adore my hips, ass, boobs, and overall voluptuousness but I hatehatehate putting on some shorts and inevitably seeing some cottage cheese. Just cause I'm a plus sized woman doesnt mean I like cellulite as much as the next gal.

So, I am on a mission to try out some of the so-called solutions for cellulite available now.
The first thing I found in an internet search that I could try out immediately, without having to spend anything, was a page on Wikihow with step-by-step instructions(pictures included) on how to create your own homemade remedy for cellulite.

Basically, you create a caffeniated massage oil and vigorously massage your legs. Your cellulite will fill out, and your legs would be smooth for a few hours.

I was curious and had all the ingredients available so I concocted the mixture and began the massage. My legs got sort of itchy and, like, minty-feeling? I guess it filled out a bit, but overall, it was a failure. My dimples were still too deep and there was almost no change in visibility. I know I can't make it dissapear, but I'd like some kind of smoothing.

I'm interested, though, in any solutions or home remedies you can recommend for me, my lovely readers! Leave me a comment and let me know of any other remedies, or tell me if this Wikihow remedy worked for you...

Weekend Warrior

I am happy to finally say I did some thrifting this weekend(something, really), and managed to record some of the outfits I tried on at the University Dr. Goodwill Superstore where I did my shopping. I bought two dresses and an awesome sheer floral cutaway skirt that I didn't take a picture in, but I plan on wearing real soon. The only thing's I still need/crave/will die for: flattering flatforms, a peplum shirt/dress, and pastel bottoms. Please, STYLE GODS, heed my cry! And my budget!

Ready for the day!
Forever 21 shirt, Handmade earrings

Perfect summer dress!
Love the double shoulder strap!

I bought this one
I don't care if it's too costumey, I love the sailor look!

Blue and light silk, but did not impress...

80's Suede LBD
Way too heavy for summertime!

BTW, sorry for the crappy quality of the pictures. My camera, and old Cybershot, has had it's last breath so I am temporarily using my crappy iPod Touch and my mother's Nikon Coolpix from 2008. And no, I don't have a phone at the moment so... yeah. I plan on buying a brand new camera and cell phone in the fall or when I get a job; whichever comes sooner!

Lola wishes upon ye a great week...

No time left for you...

I haven't had the time to write or document any of my outfits because of my lack of camera....and I haven't really been wearing any clothes besides pajamas and sweat suits. Because of my knee injury and lack of transportation, I haven't been able to do much of anything. I feel lazy...

I might be going to a Explosions in the Sky concert this Wednesday, so I'll obviously keep you posted. I am very much looking forward to the beginning of the Fall semester, not only because I get to dress up to school everyday, but because I lovelovelove fall fashion and I can't wait to see what new trends will show up and/or  be transformed into fall clothing...

Oh, and I really adore peplum shirts like this one and this one from Asos. I'm trying to find a similar one in other stores but I can't seem to find one that looks quite as structured. If you find one, lemme know!

My Flea Market Finds and some other personal stuff....

Hello, chickees! I am ecstatic because yesterday, I went to the Swap Shop Flea Market in Sunrise, FL!
It is seriously one of the best places to find good vintage in South Florida, and for the most affordable prices. I found so many great pieces, for the shop and myself, like:

Abercrombie and Fitch Jacket from the 1970's
Size M

Norma Carini Heel
Size 7 1/2 M

Wilson's Leather Pencil Skirt
Size 10

La Regale Purse

IT WAS AWESOME! And those shoes are amazing, don't ya think?
I wanted to keep them but they pinch my toes. They would be perfect for the fall, wouldn't they?

Anyways, I wanted to tell my readers a little something personal. Like, why my knee is very ugly...On May 13, I was in car accident on the expressway. A woman rear-ended me and my car flipped and rolled on the expressway FOUR times. And then the woman left. It was a hit-and-run. I didn't die for some reason, but my knee was seriously scraped up. Like, a piece of my knee cap was on the Palmetto Expressway. Anyway, I got stitches and I got better and everything is fine now. But just in case you see a picture of me and you see the monstrosity of a knee, don't say I didn't warn ya. And here is a picture of my adorable little car after the accident:

Well, have a great weekend and good luck hunting for those vintage finds!

P.S. Enjoy this Coupon Code for FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING from my Etsy store, Animalia Vintage, this week only! 

COUPON CODE: ANIMALIA07

Ready? Set? Blog!

Hello, fellow thrifters! Hello, my darling vintage lovers and passion-for-fashioners. And hello my beautiful, plus-sized cutie pies. I am Laura Rios. This is a blog. And this is what its all about.

I've been meaning to catch up to the times and write a blog. I love fashion, art, and literature and have been collecting Teen Vogue magazines since I was in middle school (Major Accomplishment, BTW!). 

I've been thrifting for just as long. 

When I was younger, I used to go to Goodwill and the Salvation Army and similar stores because I had to. It wasn't chic; it was SURVIVAL. We couldn't afford to shop at the mall and buy the brand name labels. 

But, over time, I began realizing that I had an entire treasure cove of fashion, all to myself! And, by god, it had a name! Vintage clothing!

 Vintage clothing had so many things the mall didn't, like cooler dresses and weirder shoes. They also had more options for a plus size girl. 

I've been plus-size my whole life. Ever since 9th grade, I've been the same size 14, so finding the trendiest clothes in my size was always an issue. I couldn't shop in the Juniors section very often and going to the Women's section made me feel old and fat. But vintage clothing changed all that! I found out that the average woman wears size 12-16 and that the chances of finding great pieces at that size wasn't as hard as I had anticipated it to be. I could finally feel fabulous and fashionable and not at all fat. I love my body and the beautiful clothes I am able to wear. I hope to be an inspiration for other plus size, fashion forward young women; and for fashion forward young women in general. 

I will be posting cute, cheap, and fashionable outfits modeled by myself (Size 14) and my younger sister, Jessica. (Size 4) The selection of vintage clothing in the hot and humid, South Florida, is not as extensive and theyre arent pieces quite as old as some of the stuff you find up North, or in the Mid West or West. The vintage pieces range from about the 1950's to the early 90s. 

I will be showcasing some of the best vintage shopping spots this far south, such as the famed Flamingo Plaza and Swap Shop Flea Market. (Tomorrow, hopefully!)

I also sell some of my gorgeous thrift store finds on Etsy, so be sure to check out my store-- Animalia Vintage. 

Here are a few samples on my beautiful sister:

Beautiful, bare-back floral dress. 90's Size 12

BCBGMAXAZRIA Vintage See-through and striped dress. 90's Size 10