21 FACTS

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Hi All,

Thought I’d use this post to open up about myself. Showing off my wardrobe and sharing about my life in NC is fun, but I want to make sure I remain candid and open with all my readers as this is the best way I know to connect. I consider myself to be an open book. I have nothing to hide and the joy I always want to shine through my photos is pure and authentic. That’s not to say that I don’t feel sad some days or that struggles haven’t come my way, because they have. When people ask me why I’m so darn happy all the time, I always explain it to them in this way, I have joy. Joy, unlike happiness, is not fleeting, it’s in you, it’s apart of you, it never goes away, regardless of circumstance. Joy is my brand, joy is my mission, joy is my platform, joy is who I am. That being said, my goal is to be joyful and spread this light and love to everyone  I meet and connect with and I hope that I’ve done a great job so far. If I haven’t, I have failed you, and for that, I’m truly sorry. A pastor I know use to say, charge it to my head and not my heart. So with all that being said, allow me to share 21 facts about myself that you may not have seen on my about page.

1. I like odd coffee flavors, I’m talking stuff they don’t typically sell at your local Starbucks or any of those other modern fusion type coffee shops. Coconut, amaretto, almond, these are my flavors of choice, but finding places that serve them locally is rare. By the way, I love Pumpkin Spice, judge all you want, I always look forward to Fall simply because of it.
2. I’m convinced I should have been born in the 70’s, I love everything about that era, the flared denim, big fro’s, passionate protest, and I naturally have a hippie style about me.
3. While I’ve been delivered from some serious road rage I’ve dealt with for most of my 20’s, okay all of my 20’s, I still make a few snarky comments with a few not so pleasant words in between each sentence when someone cuts me off and decides to drive really slow once in front of me.
4. SURPRISE! I’m an introvert. Okay not really, but as I get older, the thought of chilling by myself seems pretty freaking cool. Deidra in her 20’s loved people, couldn’t get enough of it and wanted to hang out ALL. THE. TIME. Now I just want to lounge around in bed with a bowl of ice cream watching reruns of America’s Next Top Model with my husband in the other room, not necessarily in the room with me, but close by, LOL. Strange, huh, ambivert tendencies.

5. I’m constantly fighting sleep, I feel like if I sleep I’ll miss something. I never miss anything of course because people my age are in bed by 9, lol. In my husband’s case, 8. Side note: I’m pretty sure I have a sleeping disorder as well.

6. I work extremely well under pressure and deadlines are my best friend, I do amazing things when I know something has a deadline. Confession, sometimes I wait till very close to the deadline because my best work is done UNDER PRESSURE. I cry, I get stressed, occasionally have an emotional breakdown, and after that is all done, I go to work and produce some pretty magical stuff.
7. I’m deathly afraid of snakes, I can’t even watch them on television. I just cry and cry, they are the creepiest looking animals EVER.
8. I get stressed when having to make decisions, specifically when I have multiple options to choose from. Choosing a movie on Netflix takes hours, I hate making decisions and commitment is a scary thing for me.
9. If I can’t finish it in one day, depending on what it is, I probably won’t do it. I want to write a best-selling novel in one day, conquer the world in one day, become president in one day, do everything in one day. This poses a problem for me often as life doesn’t only consist of short term goals, somethings you have to work on for more than a day. I’m working on it and it’ll take more than a day, LOL.
10. Confession, when I visit a church for the first time and they ask all the visitors to stand, I NEVER STAND. You know I’m new, no need to broadcast it. Want to get to know me, let’s chat after service over brunch, on you ;).
11. If I had it my way, I’d start my day at noon and literally operate as if it’s 8 am, get breakfast, coffee, do my morning jog, the whole nine. Morning starts when I wake up, END OF STORY.
12. If I’m making a lot of jokes, it’s because I feel awkward and uncomfortable, and I’m trying to find ways to lighten the mood. Also, I can’t stand silence, it’s weird. If I’m spending time with you, there should be no awkward silence.
13. My sense of distance and time is different, off you might say. Everywhere in Raleigh should take 15-20 minutes to get to. This is my truth and I’m sticking to it. If it takes longer than that, you’re just driving too slow and I’m convinced your one of those annoying people driving in the fast lane on the highway going 50 mph.
14. I love bright colors, neon greens, orange, yellow, hot pink, it’s so me.
15. I take criticism rather well, I love hearing a different perspective on my performance, my behavior, suggestions on improvement. Honestly, if you are taking time out of your day to help me be a better person,  I’m honored, flattered, and ecstatic, and take it all in because taking in someone else opinion shows maturity and growth, also, know that someone elses opinion is not law or necessarily true. I’m also infamous for self-checks. I want to be a better me, recognizing unhealthy behaviors and understanding where they stem from and trying to improve is important.
16. Okay, so, I’ve seen some pretty weird things in my life, things that simply have no explanation, but nothing tops me seeing a lady walking down the street with a stuffed teddy bear buckled up in a baby stroller. Real talk, I literally saw this. I was confused. I. Just. Don’t. Get. It.
17. I blast the music in my Prius. I don’t have a decked out stereo system but blast it as if I do. Fake it till you make it.
18. I suffer from serious word vomit. I say things before thinking about it. I’m getting better but lord knows I’m sometimes convinced the things I say won’t offend ANYBODY. By the way, if anything I ever said offended you, I’m sorry. Charge it to my head and not my heart.
19. Everything you need to know about me can be determined by my facial expressions. The faces I make will tell you everything I feel and think before I even open my mouth. I’m trying to work on the blank face, but it’s hard to be an emotionless zombie.
20. I am your biggest supporter. I give credit where credit is due, and always compliment because I like making people feel good. Everyone deserves to feel like a star. By the way, I don’t compliment to just compliment, what I say is authentic and honest. If I don’t say anything at all, it’s because I just don’t have anything good to say or your weird and I’m trying to put the pieces together.
21. I was diagnosed with anxiety as child. My mother opted not to put me on medication. Instead, she helped me find alternative ways to deal with it, such as, enrolling me in classes to help teach me about time management, giving me sleepy time tea on the days I couldn’t shut my brain off before bed, loving me excessively, and always reminding me that the only thing I have control over is myself, helping me learn how to deal with overwhelming tasks and finding out the things that trigger my anxiety. Also, she always had me involved in recreational sports, this taught me discipline and teamwork and was a great way to stay healthy and destress. I carry these coping strategies with me today. I’m active, keep a planner, try to remain aware of things that trigger my anxiety, and most importantly have learned the art of saying no. I can’t do everything, I’ve tried, and failed. I can’t please everybody, I’ve also tried that and failed. I still have a lot of growing to do, but I’m further than I was.
Hope you like this candid post and that you have gotten to know me better. Share some facts about you! Would love to get to know more about my readers out there.

Link to where I shopped this cute vintage top is at the top. This cute skirt is from the loft but is no longer available. I’ve linked a similar one at the top as well. Happy shopping!

Sincerely,
Deidra Craig

SPRING TRANSITIONS

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Hi CCC readers! I’m back! I took a week off to catch up on some photography projects and grad school research. Ugh, every time I say the word research I just cringe. Hours and hours of article reading and endless amounts of writing. What in the world did I get myself into? I’m so in need of a destress session. Speaking of R&R, me and my fav ladies are camping out in my living room next weekend for an all night wine sipping, games and trash talk about boys session, LOL. Yes, we are so high school, sue us. While I patiently wait on this weekend to arrive, I’d like to share a few transition outfits tips for spring.

I know this confusing weather has a lot of people wondering how the heck they can pull off a spring look without freezing their hips off. So, here are some tips I swear by to stay stylish and warm as the weather makes the slow transition to spring and back to winter and then finally spring, LOL.

LIGHT LAYERS
I’m the queen of layering and when it’s time to transition I simply layer with collared shirts and light weight sweater vest. Another way to layer and not burn up when the weather changes is to wear a cute skirt and light weight hose.

COLOR SWAP
You can instantly springafy your wardrobe by swapping out a dark winter color with a light spring color. For example, replace your royal blues with a sky blue or pastel or switch out those dark bold pinks with powdered or blush pink color. Think pastel, light and airy and you’ll be spring ready in no time.

PEEP TOES, SLINGBACKS, AND MULES, OH MY!
Shoes can be complicated with weather that is so fickle. A great transition shoe for this ever changing weather are slingbacks, peep toes and mules. It shows just enough of the foot that you can move from one season to the next without looking out of place.

LIGHT WEIGHT JACKET
I love a light weight trench coat or a light weight jacket that stops right at the hip. These types of jackets scream spring but still say it’s too cold to go out without a jacket. These are also great layering pieces and can be worn all day if you’re trotting around town and still want to slay the day.

WHITE
Yes, I said it. Wear white! White is the ultimate indicator that winter is bye bye. I opt to rock white denim and a nude shoe with a fun light pink or kelly green on top. For a clean office look, white dress pants and a cardigan or button up is the way to go.

FLORALS
Florals are a great way to transition too. Around this time you see florals incorporated in jackets, tops and even bottoms. Add a hint of floral to your look as a way to transition in. If you’re not much of a floral person, a floral head piece, shoes or any other accessory are a great way to add to your outfit without being over the top.

I hope these tips were helpful in getting your transition looks spring ready. Feel free to drop a comment in the comment box on your spring look tips.

Sincerely,

Deidra Marie

WHY VINTAGE?

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I’m really feeling these chocolate and copper colors these days. Just embracing my neutrals and loving how my skin is tanning with each day of NC sun. Along with neutral and copper obsessions comes an obsession with vintage blazers, which I’ve been so into these past couple of months. I literally don’t shop anywhere now but on Instagram and at random vintage and thrift shops. The clothing is pre-owned, affordable and funky.
I had an epiphany this past summer when me and my bestie, Natalie, attempted to give our clothes away to consignment shops for money back. Unfortunately, our plan for getting back buckets of money failed as each store we visited turned our gently used clothing and shoes away. They gave us the speech; if you’ve attempted to exchange your clothing for money, you know this speech. It goes a little something like this: unfortunately, we are unable to accept the following articles of clothing as they are pieces that we feel are dated and are styles that do not appeal to our clientele and blah blah blah blah. I wasn’t offended, not one bit, just irritated at how much money they were willing to give for the pieces they did want to take. They were offering pennies, literally pennies. The question that kept popping up in my head was, how much were clothes “actually” worth? It seems that the minute you buy an article of clothing and it leaves the store, it is worth half the price. The combination of my clothing value epiphany mixed with my frequent thrift store visits, as well as educating myself about fast fashion and the amount of clothes sitting in thrift stores that haven’t even been touched or put on the floor has really helped me to become more conscious of my spending and how I purchase clothes. After watching “The True Cost” a 2015 documentary currently on Netflix, I made a decision to invest more of my coins in pre-owned clothing. I want to do my part to reduce the amount of merchandise sitting in thrift shops, and be more sustainable with my clothing. I buy a new item from stores every now and then, but have been shopping mostly thrifted items. Clothing in the US is not really at the caliber of quality it use to be, but at thrifts, you are sure to find quality fabrics and occasionally fabrics made in the US (which is rare by the way). I’m continuing to educate myself on sustainable fashion, fast fashion, and constantly trying to figure out ways to save by shopping pre-owned. I don’t care about being trendy, or dressing in the latest styles. I care about being me, rocking what makes me feel good and I found out that I can do all these things by shopping thrift and vintage.
Just so you know, I’m not knocking anyone who shops full price or who shops stores that are part of the fast fashion movement. I’m only encouraging everyone to be more aware of where their coins are going. Shop consciously, be wise about the fabrics you’re buying. Don’t buy just because it’s cute, buy to express yourself and your personal style, and most importantly, invest in quality fabrics that will last a long time. When it’s time to say goodbye to them, offer your pieces to a friend or donate to an orphanage or organization that supports clothing exchange and donations. We can do our part by shopping pre-owned and passing on our unwanted clothing to others who can and will use it.
Sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to share with my readers why you’ve been seeing so many vintage style post this past year. Hope it was helpful and insightful.
Have a good week!
Sincerely,
Deidra Marie