FestiFULL of COLORS: Holi! (Guest Post by Ambika)

For thousands of years, Hindus have celebrated the festival of Holi all around the world. Traditionally, the festival is celebrated by throwing powdered colors at people, with festivities like singing and dancing. The dance associated with Holi is called Dandia Raas, and is played with a pair of sticks. Depending on which part of India the festival is celebrated, a bonfire is lit in the evening of Holi or the night before it. In many parts of India, people observe a fast by only eating puffed rice and popcorn for the day.

There are many explanations of why the festival exists, but the most famous is the ancient story of the prince Prahlad and his evil father King Hirnakasyapu. It was believed that the King was an Asura, a demon who is a cruel ruler. Being the power-hungry monster that he was, the King wanted everyone in his kingdom to worship him and praise him even more than God. Unfortunately for him, his own son Prahlad was an ardent devotee of the God Vishnu, the god who looked after the entire Universe. When the King asked his son who the most power man in the kingdom was, the song replied that it was he, his father, and king. But when he was asked who the strongest in the whole world was, Prahlad replied simply that it was the God Vishnu.

I'm wearing an Indian suit and the shoes are traditional Punjabi shoes (cotton)

Viewing this to be an undermining of his power, the King set his sights on destroying Prahlad afraid that his son's ideas would become a representation of his kingdom. He enlisted his sister, Holika, to help with this task. Holika had a special sari, a traditional Indian gown that allowed her to be within flames without being incinerated. The siblings convinced Prahlad that if he were to sit on the lap of his aunt while they were lit on fire, he would be safe and fireproof along with her. After all, it was directions by his loving aunt and father. When the bonfire had died down again, they found that Prahlad was saved by the grace of God and his extreme devotion. Holika had died paying for her sins. Therefore, the festival celebrates the victory of good over evil while simultaneously glorifying the importance of devotion.

The scarf is called a dupatta or chunni (depends on what part of India)

There are few other legends associated with the origins of Holi, but the moral of the story always depicts the triumph of good over evil within the end. The day is always considered peaceful as enemies and friends alike gather to play with colors in the name of Holi.

~AMBIKA

Ocean Waves & Boho Craze: Guest Post by Raven

Aloha, everyone! Today we are lucky enough to welcome someone who is not only outwardly beautiful but also harbors a beautiful heart and soul: the absolutely wonderful Raven. As founder of the Ocean Lovers' Society on campus, Raven has never ceased to amaze me with her passion and love for the ocean. But the girl has a rocking style, too, and she's kind enough to shed some light on her closet choices in this post. So, Raven, take it away!

Our planet is a delicate, beautiful, and precious place. In a time such as this, one of the most important things we must keep in mind is our impact on the health of our home. A place that I like to focus on protecting is our oceans. The truth is, our ocean is the primary source of life on the planet. Not only does it provide food, materials, and other natural resources but most of the oxygen we breathe. To neglect a place so vital to our life on earth will cause us face huge consequences in our future.

I do my best to incorporate my passions into my everyday life, and especially into my wardrobe. I believe that your style is the best way to express your interests. The way you present yourself through your clothing says a lot about you, and gives you a great opportunity to communicate what you’re passionate about to the world around you. I love the freedom fashion gives me that allows me to (quite literally) wear my heart on my sleeve. Inspired by a combination of bohemian and surfer style, I try to balance my wardrobe between a fun and comfortable look while also maintaining a whimsical aura. When you think of what a mermaid would wear if she were to live on land, your visuals are most likely parallel to my favorite looks. Not only does it reflect the mood of the sea but also my own personality. I try to project a sense of tranquility but also neatness when putting an outfit together.

All while paying attention to the “mood” of style, I tend to be drawn to rich colors. In the photo above, I have am wearing a rich red crop top with threads that weave in a variety of beautiful bright colors. The piece is composed of 100% organic cotton. Just as I believe it is important to pay attention to the materials that enter your body and its effect on you and your environment, it is just as important to be aware of the materials that you place onto your body. The textiles used to create the clothes we were could have either a negative or positive effect on the earth, so it is very important to refrain from non-sustainable material. However, I think we can all agree that with many mass production clothing companies thriving on sales reaching millions it is difficult to find clothing following these guidelines. My hope for the future is that we are able to find sustainable material like organic cotton and hemp as a more common textile in clothing stores.

Life is better in a bikini! The outfit above is one of my favorites, featuring loose boyfriend jeans and my favorite cardigan by Billabong. This is a look that is perfect for an evening by the water, providing comfort and warmth. I’ve also chosen a black bikini top to add to the comfort and color foundation to allow the colors in my jewelry and cardigan to pop. I’ve accessorized this look with earrings made from recycled threads and turquoise as well as a body chain with turquoise stones as well. I like to play around with jewelry in my everyday fashion and find myself wearing some pretty extravagant pieces. Incorporating the fun with jewelry inspired by bohemian style into a more laid back surfer style is what I usually go for in a casual outfit. I especially love jewelry that comes from natural material. Some that I own are made from starfish, sea shells, coffee beans, and roots.

I think the ultimate victory in fashion is gaining a sense of self. As you grow to become more aware of who you are, your style is going to change as your interests shift. What a beautiful thing to know that you are so free to express! When you find something you love, expressing it through the way you dress can be one of the most entertaining and flexible ways to do it. Let the colors you love so much speak through your apparel. I love to translate the sapphire blue of a calm ocean sunset through stones from the earth of that color and express the soft flow of each wave with a white fringed dress. Keeping an eye open to how your actions on all scales affect the planet we live on is so important. Wouldn’t you love to enjoy a stunning blue ocean without excess oil and trash? Appreciate the world around you, and protect it.

~Raven

FestiFULL of LIGHTS: Deepavali! (Guest Post by Tabitha)

Deepavali (Diwali), also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most widely celebrated Indian festivals of the year. Deepavali is a 5 day celebration made up of rituals, fireworks, gift-exchanges, and feasts. It is a time to appreciate your family and to reaffirm in hope. It is a Hindu festival, but it is celebrated all around the world by various religious groups and ethnicities. There are many explanations to the origin of this wonderful festival, but they all share a universal moral lesson: the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. No matter what time of year, we can all celebrate the "simple joys of life." The message of Deepavali surely resonates in all of us.

Today's post is extra festive because my dear friend Tabitha Busi is our guest blogger and model for the day! Read below and learn about her unique cultural insight on Indian cultural clothing. This shoot was especially challenging because we were in the dark, but Diana pulled through as always! Thank you for the stunning pictures. Take it away Tabitha!


आनंद लें (enjoy)!

In India, there are several types of gatherings, festivals, and celebrations held for various cultural reasons. These celebrations are nothing like I have seen or been a part of here in America. One of these celebrations, Deepavali, is filled to the brim with joy, festivities, dancing, fireworks, lights, bright colors, and lots of fun. Deepavali is a bright and colorful time, in which colors are seen through multiple things such as lights, candles, and my favorite...clothing!

Here, I am wearing a delicate light pink chiffon saree with intricate details and designs woven onto the fabric. What makes the saree quite beautiful is the unique and intricate embroidery work. Woven into the chiffon are tiny silver sequins, gold details, and blue and hot pink feathery details. All of the outfits that I am wearing are originally from India, and it is actually about 10 years old. You probably couldn’t tell, but putting on a saree is not as easy as you might think. The saree essentially consists of three main parts which is the underskirt, the short blouse, and the chiffon draping.

Putting on a saree involves lots of pins, tucking in, folding, and wrapping around. If it isn't done correctly, one could run the risk of looking like a messy pile of chiffon. But thanks to my mom, I think I was able to pull it off!

First off, let's begin with the tree. This tree that I am entangled in is called a moringa tree, and it is in my very own backyard. A more common name for the tree is drumstick tree. My family and I actually call it a “molecada” tree because in the language that my parents speak, Telegu, moringa translates to molecada (I actually didn’t even know that it’s real name is the moringa tree!).

It might be hard to notice, but hanging from the molecada tree are several long, skinny, green, vegetables which we call molecadas. When they are ready to be picked, my parents pick the molecadas and cook them to add to a healthy and delicious Indian meal. It is actually quite rare to find such a large and prosperous molecada tree in America. They are plentiful in India, but it is difficult to successfully grow them here.

Under the molecada tree, I am dressed in something a little different than a saree. It is a deep purple and green Punjabi outfit with very intricate detailing particularly along the neckline. The embroidery includes, beading, sequins, several hints of color, and various gold patterns. Unlike a saree, a Punjabi outfit is ten times easier to put on. This is because a Punjabi outfit is not quite a dress. Rather, it is a long top with pants that go underneath. The drape over on top is a “dupatta,” a scarf-like accessory that complements/completes the outfit. The dupatta can be worn in many different ways. I chose to wear it traditionally, across my chest.

 To complete the outfit entirely, I am wearing dark green glass bangles with gold detailing on them. It is almost a necessity to complete an indian outfit (saree or Punjabi outfit) with stacks of bangles on the wrists. Here, i decided to go with dark green bangles to match the outfit.

Gold accents are also very common in Indian clothing and accessories. You can see that the necklace that I am wearing, also from India, is gold with diamonds detailed within it.

Here I am wearing another Punjabi outfit. This time, it is golden yellow and orange. The collar is my favorite part about this Punjabi dress. I own many Indian outfits, but none like this one, with such a beautiful and detailed, stand-out collar.

Of course, I accessorized with bangles. Red, gold, and orange to match the outfit. Like I said earlier, an Indian outfit is never complete without the bangles!

Deepavali is a time for celebration, appreciation, and happiness, not only for India but for everybody. It signifies the victory of good over evil. Try to remember the good things in your life at least for these couple days of Deepavali. Celebrate, love, and appreciate.

Thank you for reading! ~Tabitha

Guest Post by Johnny: Fashion + Fitness

Bonjour! Diana here. Since our very first post, we've had readers express interest in "'observations' of male fashion!" It doesn't take too long to realize that there really aren't many male fashion bloggers out there--or at least, not from what I know. So, today we're going to honor your request with a guest post by my friend Johnny (whom you've met here). Of course, I had to drag him to the park to take these pictures. There's just something so amusingly, wonderfully ironic about being a badass at a playground. Keep your inner child alive, you know?

I realize that lately Letrendary has been on a sentimental streak, and this post hops on that bandwagon, too. We'll be back to posts that focus more specifically/narrowly on fashion soon (it's been difficult as Dorothy and I are on opposite sides of the country), but I strongly believe that it's important that we take these few weeks to pump some motivation into everyone. For many of our readers, it's the last stretch before college apps, after all, and often it's the last part that can be the hardest. In the end, Letrendary isn't just a fashion blog--I hope that it can also be the type of blog that lifts you up, makes you think, and ultimately joins you on a journey to a better self and a better world. *Cue: Johnny*

FASHION + FITNESS

Fashion and Fitness are major pieces of my life and most likely, you too. You wonder what to wear, ponder on how others will view you and how you view yourself. The world is filled with criticism, some good, some bad but there is beauty in everything, including modern art. I'm not going to go recommend pieces of clothing, styles, matching color tones or name brand items. All I advise is for you to satisfy yourself before you satisfy others. All that matters is that you are content with your self image and what others view of you play a very limited role, next to none. So when shopping, going out, keep an open mind, explore new things, new styles and you are bound to express yourself and not mirror images of others.

Go out of your comfort zone.

Fitness.

Probably have better things to do but who said fitness couldn't be enjoyable? Are you afraid to try new things because don't be. Every professional was once a beginner, the same position you are in struggling to make that decision on whether to just go for it or walk away. If you don't try at anything, you can't succeed. I have been afraid to join cross country because I know I'm not in shape, I know I can't run a 5,6,7 minute mile. Fitness is much more than exerting dominance, expertise and flexing those muscles. You start at your own level and work your way up. Falling in order to get back up and rising in order to fall back down. When in doubt, grit your teeth and just push harder because once you overcome that voice in your head telling you to stop, you couldn't be more proud to finish. I highly recommend finding a companion, a partner or even multiple partners to take part in your fitness routine whether it'd be cycling, swimming, running or even climbing. Through my experience, the bonds I have built have enabled me to push even harder even when I'm not nearly at their level. Remember, it is your decision on whether to enjoy exercising or absolutely despise it. Create a bond, build a relationship, change a community and change the world.

Here are some things I have done and will aspire to do. Food for thought to get out of your comfort zone.

1. Tough Mudder
2. Triathalon Relay
3. Rock Climbing
4. Distance Running
5. Archery
6. Ballroom Dancing
7. Iron Man
8. Tour De France
9. Swimming 
10. Ultra Marathon

(Interjection by Diana: Noteworthy is how this outfit would work in the winter well with the long sleeves and long pants.Good running shoes are always worth the investment--make sure you get the right size; these shoes can be expensive but if you treat them well they can last for many years--and chain necklaces can hold special importance in reminding yourself of your motivation. Johnny's is a graduation gift. Indeed: even if your friends and family are not physically there with you, they will always be there with you in spirit, and the realization of that makes for a powerful, powerful motivator.)

Now for a motivational, uplifting cliche rant.

After watching Inside Out, I realized many things. All in all, it was a reminder that our lives are filled with struggles, breakthroughs and breakdowns. As an optimistic individual, I am constantly filled with joy and inevitably find joy in the darkest of times. Happiness is great but we can't always be happy. We have sacrifices to make, problems to deal with, and maintaining that socially constructed expectation of excellence in everything we pursue can be difficult.

I've learned to embrace emotions. After all, that is what being human is. Falling in order to get back up, rising in order to fall back down. Life is beautiful. Yes it isn't perfect but that is the beauty of it. After completing high school, I realized something bigger. As much as it is about excelling in academics and building your resume, it is a place where some find their identity. In other words, a place of awakening. The people you meet are all magnificent, even the ignorant, arrogant, and unappreciative ones because there is hope. Hope for a better world, Hope for change and Hope for life. It only takes one to make a difference. Be the change you want to see in the world. Much respect to Prince Alwaleed bin Talal for donating his wealth of 32 billion dollars to charity.

For those still in High School, I hope you pursue everything you desire without fear. Join that club, that sports team, speech and debate, CSF, and much more. For you have the opportunity to change an individual, change a community and even change the world. Do you dare disturb the universe?

Perhaps you are in a dark time, lost and confused with no sense of direction. It's all right because we've all been there, through the thick and the thin. The important thing is to love yourself. No matter how many times you've been put down, unappreciated, on edge, you are the only one who can make a difference. Speak your mind with confidence because the world ain't all sunshine and rainbows.

I realize it is easier said than done. Habits are hard to break. Emotions are hard to overcome. So in every situation, whether euphoric or despairing, embrace it. Human emotions are genuine and filled with power. Power to tell a story, give a message and even a deeper meaning. So I'll leave you with this:

Everything will be ok in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.

~Johnny