so here we are

photos by bailey mingo //@bailey mingo

whewwww child that was a break, wasn't it? 

It's not you, it's me. It's always me. I'm the one signing up for too many classes, spending too much time watching Netflix, and running low on good reasons to write these posts. But I'm going to keep doing it anyway, because I like hanging out with you guys. Plus, unlike my Italian, I don't think I've completely lost the touch just yet. I do think I'll be going in a new direction with the blog - but let's be honest, there wasn't that much direction here to start with. I'm the creative equivalent of a preschool finger painting, multi-colored and with bits of cheerios stuck on. 

 Living in Los Angeles has been life changing - not just because I now add 2 hours to my estimated driving times, or because a smoothie can run you $15, but because for the first time ever my surroundings match my goals. It definitely isn't always easy, and sometimes it's laughably difficult, but I'm so proud of Jordan and I for making it work. It has definitely pushed me to be more aware of my actions, and how I spend my energy. I've become better at saying "no" to things I don't think will serve me, and saying "yes", even if there isn't a whole plan (that was honestly way harder for me). I do a lot of things that *marie kondo smiling peacefully* spark joy for me, and I've seen a massive improvement in how I engage with the world around me. 

Honestly, that's what brought me back to my couch tonight, logging into this blog for the first time in five months to write real words. Over the last eight years, this little piece of the internet has brought me so many good moments, and we aren't even close to the end yet. Moving forward, I'll still be wearing cute outfits, bright eyeshadows, and a loud mouth, but I'm also going to extend on my advice column, talk about pop culture (better than that one time I tried it in 2013), and let you guys in on the bigger parts of my life happening *points into the distance* out there. 

Stick around, this is going to be fun.

x Justina 

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hey what's up hello

Well, that was it, my biennial drop off the face of this blog. It's crazy, because so many blog-gable things happened, but by the time I processed they were over. Now's the moment thought, we're back on air. Here's what happened on the previous episode of "Justina's Life":

1. I GOT A TATTOO. It's a lil 4-H clover. No matter where I go in this world, I'll have grown up in that program and it seemed fitting to me that it would be permanently represented on the outside the way it is on the inside.

2. I QUIT MY JOB. It was absolutely devastating. I know most people aren't attached to their jobs, but the women (and men) I worked with at LUSH taught me so much, not just about soap and bathbombs, but about being a grown-up person, and I will forever love them for that.

3. I MOVED TO LA. I know, I know, I finally did it.  (If you want to see my apartment, click here.) The confetti has settled, but I still wake up every day and am shook that we actually did it. I transferred to Cal State Fullerton and got a new job, and am now on a deep dive in LA blogger + influencer culture. (But that's a whole other blog post.)

There are other little things - I bought a cow skin rug, went back to Austin again, changed my major, got a Disneyland Annual Pass - but that's all you really needed to know to get caught up.

In a week, I'll be 21. In two months, this blog will be 8 years old. It's incredible to think that what started as a (okay, I'll admit it now) minute rebellion by my 13 year old self ended up shaping my entire life path. Almost as incredible as the fact that you're still reading it. Thanks for that.

It's good to be back.

x Justina 



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market day

photos by jordan

shirt: charlotte russe

jeans: aeo

California is a fruit basket. 

No, I'm not talking about people from LA. We just really have a ton of fruit. and vegetables. and bread. and juice. looooots of juice. All of that adds up into some pretty fantastic farmers markets. 

One of my personal favorites is the one on Saturday mornings in Davis. From the still half-drunk college students to the frozen apple juice, it's just really cute. There's tons of dogs, and a woman who makes biriani, and lots of fresh flowers for me to sniff. But this weekend, I had a more important mission: PERSIMMONS. They're my absolute favorite fruit, and I wait for MONTHS for them to show up at the market, at which point I promptly buy them by the pound. There's an art to the whole thing, and I'm not going to divulge any of my secrets because I don't want any competition.

I keep waiting for some sort of sign (other than the presence of PSLs) that it's ~actually autumn~, but it's been 20 years, and California has barely turned a leaf.

x Justina 

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starter pack

Okay, I know it's not cool but I am a creature of habit. It has to be admitted.  I will try anything once, but I like the things I like. That means I am literally the worst person to shop for ever.

(This has been pointed out to me multiple times (a day) by everyone who is trying to love me and give me a birthday present. That's right, it's that time of year again - October 2nd, I'm turning 20.
 Which is totally crazy in it's own way because that means you guys have been hanging out with me for seven. years. But that's another blog post.)

Unfortunately for my friends and family, I am a. indecisive and b. like to get second- third- fourth- opinions on everything. BUT I'M NOT ALONE. I know you have a friend like me. We're everywhere, ruining dinner plans and changing outfits three times a day. So I made a Justina Starter Pack - all the things needed to properly equip your everyday Justina.

1. Fjallraven Kanken Backpack //
I carry around too much stuff to put in a nice purse and also I'm in college so

2. Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb //
Okay so I don't have this yet bc shipping is slow but it was blessed by our lord and
 savior Rihanna herself, so I'm sure it incredible.

3. 32oz Hydroflask //
I am from California and I was born dehydrated. I carry this bottle around the way normal people carry around their firstborn child.

4. Revolution Strobe Highlighter //
This highlighter costs $6 for a $6 million dollar glow and I am here for it.
(Note from Justina's boyfriend: it breaks if you drop it.)

5. ban.DO standard planner //
I bought this because it came with stickers and that intrigued me. It now holds all my secrets.

6. INSTAX SQ10 //
Square instant photos. What a revolutionary idea. *Wink*
(No but this one is digital and has filters INSIDE IT and is basically my favorite piece of retro tech.)

7. American Eagle Mom Jeans //
THESE ARE MY FAVORITE JEANS OF ALL TIME. I WEAR THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND THEY WILL BE GETTING THEIR OWN BLOG POST SOON.

8. Baby G-Shock BA110BE - 4A (whew) //
It's pink, pretty, and practically indestructible. Plus it tells me how late I already am to wherever I should already be.

9. MeUndies Monthly Subscription //
All I want out of my grown-up life is to be a MeUndies model. Since that hasn't happened yet,
I'll just settle for dancing around my house sans pants in the comfiest undies known to man.

10. Mantra Bands //
Speak it into existence, and if you're too tired, let your wrists do it for you.

11. ban.DO sticker book vol.3 //
If you're gonna get the planner, you're gonna want more stickers.
Trust me.

12. TOMS sunglasses //
I know some places experience the mythical season of Winter, but here we're permanently stuck in season one of Game of Thrones - they just keep telling us it's coming with no real proof.
Sunnies stay on deck.

13. Sebago Docksides //
The frat bros are onto something. These shoes are mad comfortable, and have a slightly more polished look than the average flip flops (erlack)


There you have it.
Pile all those things on top of each other, throw some coffee at it,
and you'll have a pretty decent replica of me.

x Justina

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flower power

 

 photos by jordan

I love fresh flowers, especially sunflowers. Unfortunately, in the dry heat, Sunflowers dry up very quickly, so our plans for photos in a sunflower field did too. But Jordan had a plan. About 45 minutes away from my house there's a zinnea field taken care of by an older couple. They let anyone who'd like come and pick as many flowers as they'd like, just to brighten up the world a lil bit. You also have to really want it, because 10am temperatures in my part of California can be above 100 degrees. But out we went, into the direct sunlight, to find some flowers for our mason jars. It was absolutely beautiful. There aren't a lot of very simply beautiful things left that aren't wrapped with a fence, or a toll, or a ticket booth. We stomped in the muddy beds and came home with carefully chosen bouquets of bright orange and red zinneas, mostly un-wilted.

Jordan also got a sunburn,
but it complimented the flowers I put in his hair. 

x Justina



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where to next?

  my new traveling sweatshirt: mnkr

I love airports. Especially empty ones, with only one or two lone people waiting for their best friend to get off a plane from somewhere far away. I like the feeling of being in a rushed limbo. In an airport, you're not quite here or there. You're just in-between.

I was raised by two people who love to travel, and have, between the two of them, been around quite a bit of the world. As a kid, I was obsessed with travel and cooking shows, and took my Rosetta Stone much more seriously than I did math. Consequentially, I speak three different languages fluently, but still can't do algebra properly. It wasn't about fun beach trips with my family either. (No, I've never been to Hawaii.) I was never taught that travel was something one did "for vacation" or "when you're older". It was more of a "go when you can, wherever you want". And so I did. I realize that to many this sounds or looks really flippant and privileged, but that's because I'm skipping over the hundreds of hours of working minimum-wage retail I put in to pay for the whole thing. It's a fun life, not an easy one.

What is easy is living in Germany for three months (I'm sure many of you remember that chapter), eating pretzels every day. Or driving to Joshua Tree in the middle of the night, and seeing the sun set over the desert. Or climbing up 10 million year old basalt rocks and nearly falling into the Irish Sea. I've run through the halls of the Met, the Albert and Victoria, and the Smithsonian's. I've been on Ferris Wheels in London, Vienna, and in two months, Las Vegas. I've gone on adventures that scared me to the bone (hello, Carrick-a-Rede) and taken the people I love to places that felt like home (high tea in a castle, anyone?). The world has so many cool things, and even though my bank account despises it, I feel obliged to see them all.

So no,
 I don't get air-sick.

x Justina

ps. ALL AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD HAVE THESE CHAIRS, RIGHT? I got really curious about where they come from. If you're interested in weird design things like I am, click here. 


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get dressed

dragon eyes lace dress: fame and partners

I never, ever, ever wear backless dresses. They are precarious and require special bras and perfect posture, all things that I possess in very small quantities.  But when Fame and Partners gave me the chance to customize my own dress, I took a jump. I figured I can't just wear t-shirt dresses everywhere. Though I have tried. 

THIS DRESS IS THE PRETTIEST THING I OWN AND IT FITS ME PERFECTLY AND IT'S A GORGEOUS COLOR AND I DON'T EVEN MIND THAT I COULD TRIP ANY MINUTE.

There's something exceptionally enjoyable about putting on a fancy dress. As a kid it was fun because I had a vivid imagination and thought I'd have a life when I got older. As an "adult" (lol k) it's fun because the clothes fit. I will say, however, that I find it ironic that the older/fancier you get, the more people you need to help you get dressed. It took three of us to get me in and out of this number.

Those zippers, much like any aspiring rapper, don't come up on their own.

x Justina



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let's talk business

As the blog and audience have started to grow lately, I've had more questions about the way I work with brands, how I do business, and what's important to me. I've been asked to talk about my "real life" as though I can somehow manage to multi-task lives. Guys, I can't even cook and read a book at the same time (or cook at all, but that's besides the point). But I realize that there's always a little mystery surrounding a girl on the internet, and I think it's important to to talk about it. 

The brands I work with are an ethical cornerstone to me for a reason: they don't own my soul, and they've never asked to. I make sure I love something before I even think about telling you guys about it, even if that means sending awkward breakup texts. I always reserve the right to be like "ehhhhh better not".

If I do get paid for something, same rules apply, plus actual trade laws that require me to tell you I got paid, which I don't have a problem with. I'm a college student, textbooks are expensive, and you should all know I eat top ramen like five meals a week.  I get to do cool stuff by the grace of my job, not my bank account.

That kind of real life stuff can't be filtered through VSCO, but it's just as important. I never want to fall in with that group of internet people who are suntanned and smiling in the feed, but sad and angry in their house, and so being down with you guys from the start was always my agenda.

Speaking of: did y'all also forget that I had a face under these glasses? I did.

x Justina

ps. oscars are this weekend, come hang out with me on twitter aight

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tip toes

flats: thandos
jeans: ami clubwear
tshirt: primark
jacket: element eden

THERE ARE PILES OF LEAVES EVERYWHERE. I'm going to just slip underneath them and pretend my country isn't falling to absolute shambles.

Gonna be real - my TOMs are usually the only flat-flats in my wardrobe, and I only wear them when I'm moving so fast you won't notice that I'm two inches shorter than usual. I like to be tall and intimidating, which is hard because I am short and not very scary at all. (Unless you ask children).

But these ballet flats are something else. They're squishy, came in their own pouch, and fold up into tiny little balls when you're not wearing them so you can toss them in your bag, and not think about them again until you've climbed your twelth flight of stairs for the day and your feet feel like they're gonna fall off. Not that anything like that ever happens to me. Definitely not this morning. 

Thandos are designed in Nigeria by J.G. and Taffi, who are literal ~power couple goals~. They're big on improving their community through smart commerce, which is something I am not only 100% here for, but think everyone should learn more about. They also make really comfy limited edition shoes, which is what's really important here.

Side note:
do not throw leaves at your photographer unless you have made
absolutely unequivocally definity postively sure
 that there are no rocks/squirrel poops in them.

x Justina

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I'm getting up right now

top: forever 21
kimono: forever 21
jeans: h&m
boots: bc footwear


Look who's still alive. I know you had your doubts.

I mean there's a million excuses, and you've heard them all before, but honestly, I was in a slump. One walled in by essays, bad lighting, worse sleep, and crashing head on into school. I went to Denver for the most intense week of work of my life, and loved every minute. I learned how to say a couple words in Finnish. I wrote a lot of words in Italian. I wore cute outfits that no one appreciated and you guys would have loved. My camera battery died. I started listening to Broods and wore my overalls a lot. I realized I gotta get back to basics in order to keep moving forward, and it's weirdly hard. But I've got these jeans, so I can handle anything.

Honestly, these are the best $10 I've ever spent. They look good with everything, fit perfectly, and have big back pockets. What a dream. This whole outfit is a great cross-example of how I'm dressing these days - I'm praying for fall, California's got it's nails dug deep into summer. 97 degree summer, to be exact. But it's okay, I'm nothing if not adaptable. Ankle boots instead of knee highs, kimonos instead of cardigans. Nothing will stop me from layering. Or wearing boots. My BC collection is what my mother describes as "out of hand" and I describe as "a fantastic use of floorspace". It's not my fault that they're so good at making shoes. I can only appreciate their genius.

I turn NINETEEN in a couple of days. (Oct. 2, if you wanna eat some cake for me.) Isn't that weird? I feel weird about it. What do you even do when you're 19? Wait around to turn into dust? It seems so old. I'll have been blogging for 6 years, and what do I have to show for it?

Too many pairs of overalls and a killer Instagram aesthetic, that's what. 


x Justina



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mixing it up

boots: CAT

shorts: H&M DIVIDED

shirt: Style & Co 

bag + sunnies: TOMS

The aesthetic of this outfit is definitely vodka mom in LA. You know, the one who has a solid colored Starbucks cup, enrolls her kids in "crystal therapy" at the local yoga studio on the beach, and takes out all her frustrations with life at SoulCycle. For further reference, check out my favorite instagram account, overheard in la. 

I'm not usually a patterned shorts person, mainly because until H&M intervened, I A. owned one pair of Levi's cut-offs that were getting the job done and B. always felt like they were too difficult to style for me to bother with. Also, due to my icy black heart, I am cold all of the time, and excessive skin exposure under freezing AC's is not a winning scenario for me. But now, the tables have turned. Mixing them in with my excessive chambray collection has led to a series of outfits that are summer-appropriate, but don't make me look like I maybe got dressed out of my laundry pile. (shh)

It's getting to that point in the summer where we're too far along to do "summer stuff" but also there's still another month until we go back to college. Honestly, I'm ready to get along to sweater weather and piles of pie. Or at least, I think I am right now.

Just wait until that first puddle soaks into my shoes.

 x J

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gotta stash it all

overall dress: cotton on

t-shirt: cotton on

sneaks: converse

sunnies: TOMS

Overalls and I go way back, and most of you have witnessed it firsthand. As much as I love them though, there is always the slight chance that you look like a five year old. That's my usual day-to-day aesthetic, but sometimes even I feel pressure to dress like an ~adult~ occasionally. Hence, an overall DRESS. All of the pockets, with none of the playground jokes. 

I found this one from Cotton On a thrift store for $6 and if that's not a true American success story, I don't know what is. I've dreamed of wearing an outfit like this since I started blogging and first found my fashion alter in Swedish minimalism. Light wash denim, and monochromatic stripes are a match made in heaven, and I've been pursuing perfect combinations of  them this whole time.

Other things I've been pursuing: Pokemon. I only downloaded that stupid game to make fun of Jordan, but six days later I'm nine levels higher than I expected and have taken way too many walks to my local poke stops. It's problematic. I'm getting a TAN.

Although, I suppose if I actually were catching Pokemon, this would be an ideal outfit. All those pockets to stash 'em in, you know?

x J


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take care of yo'self

25 photos of my face that you didn't need in your life

Drake says he'll take care of me, but I'm an independent woman who don't need no man (unless Drake asks, in which case I definitely need him) and I can take care of myself.

It ain't always easy though. Not only is there no time in life to treat myself, sometimes I feel like I'm just patching up cracks when they get too big to ignore. That is no way to stay in the game. If you're gonna keep yourself and your instagram strong, you gotta be living your #blessed life. So I made a list of 25 easy ways to take care of yourself, inspired by this Friday night tweet.

1. Say "I love you" - to a dog, a plant,  a human. Sharing love makes you feel good.

2. Wash your face - a really good scrub or even a quick rinse will refresh your life.

3. Drink some water - if you're thirsty, you're dehydrated. If you're not, you're still dehydrated.

4. Coconut oil - on your face, in your hair, on your skin, in your coffee, on your problems.

5. Send a cute text - see no. 1. "Good morning sunshine" is my personal choice.

6. Laugh at something - even if it's yourself.

7. Smile for 30 seconds - there's legit internet science behind this, it makes you happy.

8. Do a BuzzFeed quiz - personal fave.

9. Read your horoscope - they aren't bible, but they are entertaining.

10. Make a list - it doesn't have to be a "to-do", but it will help sort out your day.

11. Daydream about an adventure - then make a change jar for it.

12. Keep your nails correct - chipped nails only seem like no big deal until they're fresh painted.

13. Do your hair - 30 extra seconds can take an actual bed bun to a cute messy bun.

14. Learn about the world - listen to NPR or This American Life on the way to wherever.

15. Listen to music - a good song can change your mood. Just ask Drake.

16. Get dressed - pajamas seem like a great idea, but real clothes are good too.

17. Make plans - not just with people, but with yourself. Go to a museum. Read a book.

18. Read something - whether it's Tolstoy or Elite Daily, read some real words.

19. Spend time - take five minutes for whatever your hobby is and do it.

20. Stretch - do some quick yoga or just reach for the ceiling, give your bones some room.

21. Enjoy your food - pay attention to how it tastes, and how it makes you feel. Eat meaningfully.

22. Clean out - I promise you that you don't need 3/4ths of what's at the bottom of your purse.

23. Dance - just one song. Get yourself out of the corner.

24. Do your work - you never have as much time as you think you do.

25. Do something you enjoy - something that really makes everything else worth it.


My life gets crazy easily, and I'm pretty prolific at procrastinating. If I don't start, I'll stagnate, and nothing gets done. I'll slip on one thing, then another, then suddenly it's Monday and I have no coffee, no homework, and the same outfit as yesterday.

And hey, I've already got #10 sorted for today.

x J


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farm mom

jeans: american eagle
shirt: h&m
shoes: moheda toffeln
bag: toms


Please, ONE more person greet me with some variation of "oh there's a little hole in your pants". It's hilarious. Really. It is.

Over the years, I've definitely been heavily impacted style-wise by my work in 4-H. Don't get me wrong, most days I'm ~hella punk rock~ but every once in a while, you'll get a ranch mom day and I commit. The loose bun, the leather accessories, the practical shirt. Although not immediately apparent, these jeans worked in perfectly. Their cut is definitely a bit looser than my regular look but they sit nicely, and despite missing a solid chunk in the middle, they've got a cute figure. I'm also not as bothered by their utter destruction as I thought I'd be. It seemed like something that was going to be hard to dress up as what my mother refers to "acceptable in public", but their structure saves them.

A quality white button down is a basic staple everyone should have. Fourteen button downs is an obsession only I have. In my never-ending quest to clear out my black h-, uh, closet, I've realized that I basically wear the same four outfits in varying colors. It's interesting that I'm becoming one of Those Fashion People whose style can be summed up in a twelve slide post on Refinery29. I think it creates a unique challenge: I'm whittling down to my capsule wardrobe, but still want to keep it original every day. Or at least on the days I don't have class. All two of those.

We shot these photos on Monday, and it was both raining and blindingly sunny, because California does what it wants. It also rains on my camera and makes my outfit photos not-so-strategically blurry.

PSA: if you blindly shove your foot into your jeans at 5am, and they have holes this big in them, there's a solid chance that you will just stick your whole leg through.

x J

ps. March is over today? lol 2016 u wild 

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find me in your roses

dress: show me your mumu
shoes: converse
sunnies: the lazy ones
lack of muscle mass: blaming it on genetics

How many blog posts have I clandestinely shot in front of my neighbor's roses at this point? It has to have been at least four or five. With that said though, I don't think I've ever blended in white as well as I did this time.

Okay, so here's the whole story: I signed up for Mon-Wed 9am yoga because "it'll be nice to start my week with yoga" and  "that'll relax me". What I didn't think about was that I'd have to then wear my ~gross yoga clothes~ (super snazzy tanks and lululemon leggings) for the whole rest of the day. Sigh. So now I've come to the creative crossroad of finding outfits to change into, wanting to carry the least amount of excess weight possible, and needing to be able to put them on in a bathroom stall and not land in the toilet. I'm getting pretty good at it, and layering is my new best friend.

This outfit is the one that got the most compliments last week - my Show Me Your Mumu dress that survives wrinkles (and the bottom of my backpack) and the ultimate basic converse. The sunglasses were just a nice way to distract everyone from the fact that my eyeliner had gone from "Warrior 1" to "Downward dog"  very quickly. Here's the genius of this outfit though: everyone thought I was ~dressed~. I spent most of the day feeling like I got away with a massive heist.

Side note: yoga is GREAT. I'm not going to start hand-standing on cliff ledges or anything, but it really is a nice way to train your body. Especially when your body is the athletic equivalent of a brick.

And no, brothers, I have never landed in the toilet. Don't jinx it. 

x J


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