Fall/Winter 2017: For her first solo collection, Aryes Peña finds the inspiration in her Mexican roots

Aryes Peña went back to her Mexican roots for her solo collection, the first following the completion of her studies from The Art Institute of Houston.

Traditional patterns, bright colors and indigenous textiles serve as inspiration for the charming lineup, which – in keeping with her bubbly personality – was focused on comfort.  

Colors were everywhere, but hues of purple, teal and fuchsia dominated the collection. Precise cuts on dresses flattered the female figure and when embellishments, including sashes and fringe embroideries popped up, they never looked exaggerated.

Peña’s creativity shined with several knit dresses in teal, black and purple that exhibited floral and skeletal designs. What was even more peculiar, but no less exciting was the cross over knit sweater and fuchsia poncho made from wool. 

So whether you’re going for a night on the town with friends; attending a wedding or going to work; there’s something edgy, quirky and comfortable about Aryes Peña’s collection that will leave you wanting to see more.

 

 

For anyone interested in a custom made design by ARYES please visit her site here. 

1. Born and raised in Houston, TX. 
2. Graduated from Loyola Maryland in Baltimore.
3. Favorite drink is LaCroix water.
4. Favorite food is Asparagus. 
5. Feminist is my favorite F word.
6. Never fails to watch The Life Aquatic by Wes Anderson.
7. Seeking new job opportunities in Advertising/PR and Marketing. 
8. Listens to music by  Marina + Diamonds, The Killers, Beethoven and Miguel Bose.
9. Black cats are my spirit animal.
10. Seriously in love with Tina Fey, and all her TV/Film projects.
11. Does a lot of volunteer work in promoting health, science and medicine.
12. Wants to decorate personal space  with everything Kawaii.
13. Roommates with a 1 year old chihuahua.
14. Likes everything British except the whole colonization thing.
15. Has a lot of crushes on guys who’ve been dead for over 200 years.
16. Ran into actor Kevin Spacey once while filming House of Cards.
17. Favorite thing to do is go horseback riding. 
18. Has had artwork displayed at galleries, and on the streets of Houston.
19. Currently reading dystopian novels by women of color. Check out Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor.
20. Trying to write a successful blog! 

It’s been a rough 2 weeks for me.

I just started my new temporary job as a photographer at an amusement park. I’ve just been on the go-go and trying to learn new skills to keep up with crowds, but ultimately crashed and burned after like 5 days. It’s a tough job, but at the end of the day it’s about making guests happy. However, my photography skills have gotten bad over the years. I used to be great at taking portraits, but nobody ever told me about baby strollers and how annoying they are to get on camera. Anyways it’s not so bad as long you don’t stand up on your feet all day.

I would like to move the conversation in another direction  and reveal day 2 of my 31 Day Blog Challenge.  I chose this week a fun topic that allowed me some creative leeway with presentation using papelook. It’s apparently a very popular app amongst teens who use Tumblr, Pinterest and what have you. Honestly, it’s  fun to use.  I also stuck a couple of stickers here and there just for amusement.  So what do we have?

1. Lululemon Athletic Black Tech Mesh Tights: I need them for running errands, not for workout. 
2. Dairy Queen Ultimate Choco Brownie Blizzard: My local DQ know me so well by now they repeat my order without me having to say anything. 
3. Lush Products: I rely on chemical free products since my face is very sensitive and prone to acne.
4. Hamilton (musical, 2016) ft. Schuyler Sisters: Who doesn’t love a good sisterhood?
5. Tom Hiddleston: He’s such a cinnamon roll.
6. The Killers, Hot Fuss album: I need to own the album and not just a couple of singles.
7. La Croix water: I can’t survive without it.
8. Victoria, ITV: I liked this up until Albert showed up and Queen Victoria was depicted as a sexed up maniac.
9. Princess Jellyfish:Best manga/anime story for girls of all ages
10. Black Cats: They’re my spirit animal.

I’m not entirely sure what is the purpose of this list except to show some of the things that I like or can’t live without. It’s my greatest desire to win a lifelong supply of LaCroix water.

This is a tough question to answer because there’s no definite answer. 

1. I wanted to incorporate my name Lorena into what was going to be my creative writing portfolio.
2. I enjoy being greeted by people.
3. I love hearing the sound of my name (call me narcissus).
4. #whateverthisis is literal.
5. I write to figure out what my passions are.
6. There is no meaning.
7. It’s just a simple greeting from a young woman to everyone who is willing to listen/ and or criticize.
8. I’m in transition mode from colleague graduate to young adult in the real world.

Quid Pro Quo

What is the Chinquapin Prep School?

Chinquapin is already one of the most sought after private schools in the greater Houston area ever, but the majority of its students come from low-income households. Founded by Robert P. Moore in 1969, the school – a 50 acre campus located 20 miles east of Houston, Texas – has seen hundreds of Chinquapin graduates go on to earn a four-year college degree.

Chinquapin employs a motley crew of faculty and staff to challenge their students to aim for excellence, to be curious, to question everything in order to not fall for the astounding  claims of others.

In mid January, Chinquapin opened a new two-story building on campus, which holds a dining hall on the first floor and a girl’s dormitory on the second floor. Historically, girls have never been allowed to stay overnight on campus unlike their male counterparts.

The school board of directors started this project in hopes of achieving better academic outcomes for the girls. According to the school’s current development director, Marilu Garza, “…male students who board on campus have an average grade-point average of 3.2, versus an average GPA of 3.08 for girls”. Therefore it’s imperative that girls receive the same opportunities to stay more focused on academics and grow on a personal level as they get their first real taste of a college atmosphere.

It still begs the question, why should a parent allow their child to stay on campus at Chinquapin?  In my personal experience, Chinquapin, has always put emphasis on the liberal arts. This means we read a lot of works inspired by the Graeco-Roman world like Aeschylus’s Prometheus Bound to mythical history/and paradigmatic figures: Julius Caesar, Augustus, Charlemagne and Napoleon. In addition we get to do many hands-on activities pertaining to science, health and medicine. This has fostered a sense of curiosity in us all. However our days are also spent in finding our lesser binding pursuits like art, politics or sports. Finally, living on campus proves that a liberal arts education is worth every dollar because every student grows up to become a great humanist.

Many of our alumni association are now dedicated towards teaching other less fortunate than themselves as well fundraising money to keep the Chinquapin School fulfilling the school’s motto Quid Pro Quo, something for something, for nothing is more endearing than giving back to the community that believes you can make a difference.

 

To learn more about Chinquapin click here.

 

 

 

I saw it!

Do you recall watching those Oscar Mayer commercials with a cute kid singing to the go-to jingle, “My Hotdog/Bologna Has a First Name….”?

Well today the Wienermobile was spotted right outside a Kroger supermarket and it didn’t fail to attract passerbys. The 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels is part Oscar Mayer’s   advertising efforts to sell more of its products. Their brand ambassadors were also very friendly! They wore their uniforms with pride and were so excited to get us excited about everything Oscar Mayer.

More importantly we got some really cool swag from them such as the whistle, stickers and warm smiles! Finally we left with tons of photos to share with friends on social media.

Thank you Oscar Mayer for evoking a number of my childhood memories on that gloomy, Sunday afternoon.