My June Favorites

Long time no see, blog! After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, content trends, and overall life changes — particularly a new job — I've decided to try to get back into writing and blogging. I miss writing and not all of my content ideas are best or easiest with short-form video. So without further ado, I'm returning with what I love to do most: share what I love and enjoy! Here are my favorites from the month of June.

Media and Entertainment

The Little Mermaid (2023)

I wasn't expecting to love the new, live action Little Mermaid, but now I want to watch it at least once a week. Halle Bailey was perfectly cast as Ariel and has an impeccable combination of wonder, youthfulness, and talent that make her Ariel one of a kind and a performance to remember. The new scenes and songs — most of them — added a entertaining and valuable depth to the stories, characters, and relationships that I really enjoyed.

Ariel and Prince Eric have never had more chemistry. Eric's motivations are so much clearer, and he has an actual backstory. Plus I loved seeing all of Ariel's sisters. It makes total sense that the king of the sea has daughters who represent all of the different oceans of the world.

Fashion Friday: My Favorite Outfits from 2021

Since I actually went outside this year for something other than work, I finally had occasions and places to wear new outfits to pretty year-round, unlike last year. But there still wasn't anything super eventful or fun to dress up for, like weddings or big parties or even shows or concerts to go to. But it was nice to actually get to wear something other than sweatpants and hoodies. So here are my 10 favorite outfits I wore this year!

Much of the clothes and products worn in the outfits below are pretty old and likely out of stock, but I will still provide links below in the caption of each photo if available. Follow me on Instagram @amanda_carmela for more outfits year round!

March 27, 2021

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What I like most about this outfit is probably the contrast, from the colors to the styles of the clothing. Obviously the pink top really stands out with the black pants and white shoes. But then there's the ruching and neckline of the top that elevates it a bit, especially compared to the cargo joggers and sneakers. The three necklaces add some sparkle while the messy bun balances the streetstyle vibes.

April 6, 2021

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If you know me, you know I absolutely love the To All the Boys movies and books and refer to myself as the Filipino Lara Jean. So of course I had to snag this replica outfit of Lara Jean's New York ensemble from the third movie!

The dress and belt are both from H&M from the official To All the Boys collection. I completed the look with a heart necklace from BaubleBar and the exact pair of sneakers Lana Condor wears as LJ in the movie: the triple platform original Keds sneakers. I was stoked to find them at Marshalls (for less than $35!) so I could be even closer to being Lara Jean! And yes, I even did my best to copy the hairstyle she had while wearing this outfit.

I actually wore this outfit only once, but when I wore it and whenever I tried it on, it just made me so happy to be channeling my favorite character of all time.

My May Favorites

May was originally supposed to be a rather adventurous month for me as I was to travel for the first time since the pandemic began and go to places I'd never been before, but apparently God and the universe had other plans for me. So instead of going to my good friend's wedding, covering a gymnastics meet, and attending a cabaret concert featuring Broadway performers, pretty much all I did in May was listen to Olivia Rodrigo's debut album and shop. (Joking but also serious because that's pretty accurate.)

Take a look below to see a bunch of new products I discovered, including the best no-show socks that actually stay on my feet! 

Music and Entertainment

SOUR - Olivia Rodrigo

This should come to no surprise if you've seen my last few monthly favorites posts as all of her singles have been included. SOUR is truly one of the best albums I've ever listened to as there truly are no skips. I do admit I was hesitant about "brutal" (especially) and "good 4 u" upon first hearing them, but both grew on me. Now "good 4 u" is one of my favorites.

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SOUR is an emotional journey from start to finish, detailing more "negative" (sour and bitter!) emotions like anger and rage, jealousy, and of course sadness. With this album, she says it's okay and totally normal and valid for girls and women to feel all of these emotions. It's okay, it should be accepted, and we should not be judged for it. And anytime a song or any form of media can make you feel things you aren't already feeling or haven't experienced before, it's done a good job. Olivia Rodrigo is a young, rising, musical genius, and SOUR has been and will continue to be on repeat and all I listen to for the foreseeable future. 

Fashion

Primark Laser-Cut Footie Socks

If you've ever tried literally any low-cut no-show sock, you know how fickle they can be as they almost always slide off the back of your foot. Well I've finally found ones that actually stay put and do not budge! Unfortunately they aren't for sale online.

But if you ever find yourself near a Primark store, I would stop in to find these socks. They have a non-slip lining all around the inside trim of the sock, which is what makes them actually stay on your feet. I bought only one pack of three and wish I bought three more packs. I'll definitely be buying more next time I'm in downtown Chicago.

Primark floral dress

When I first saw this dress in the store, I thought it was super cute. But when I tried it on, I kind of fell in love with it because it makes me feel like Gabriella in High School Musical 3 during "Can I Have This Dance?" I just want to twirl around in it all day!

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My only complaint is that the way it's constructed, it has a little snap button closure near the waist that doesn't stay for me because I'm in between sizes. With the size I have, it fits, but the button won't stay closed. If I sized up, it'd be too big in the chest, but the snap closure would stay. Luckily, if (and when) the button comes undone, it isn't really noticeable nor does it reveal anything.

My Favorite Leotards from the 2021 GK U.S. Classic

I love gymnastics and fashion, so one of my favorite things to do when watching gymnastics is look at and admire all of the different leotards gymnasts wear. The start of the summer gymnastics season was this past weekend with the GK U.S. Classic, so there were a lot of leotards (and amazing gymnastics, of course!) to see.

When I first started watching gymnastics, there were really only three big leotard brands U.S. gymnasts wore with one of them dominating. Now there are a lot more, and just like with normal fashion, leotard trends evolve as well. Rhinestones are a staple, but lately (and probably this summer in Tokyo), you'll see a lot of mesh sleeves and ombre. I'm definitely a fan of those trends, which are all present in my favorite leotards from the GK Classic below:

(All photos embedded via USA Gymnastics © John Cheng)

Grace McCallum - Ozone

Grace was one of the first gymnasts shown on the broadcast, so her leos was one of the first I saw, and I instantly was a fan. No, it's not because it's pink — though that helped. The pink and white color combo is very pretty, and there's certainly no shortage of rhinestones on this leo, but it doesn't overdo it.

The design of the leo itself is a sport sporty/athletic one resembling a baseball tee, but it doesn't look like one at all. Though the sleeves are all white, they don't look plain or boring thanks to the juxtaposition of the mesh and spandex fabric in addition to the rhinestones. The rhinestone design on the bodice creates a nice shape and silhouette that prevents it from being just pink. It's a flattering look on Grace!

Shilese Jones - Sylvia P.

I remember when I was on Twitter during the first session and kept seeing people tweet about Shilese's leo. The only problem was I hadn't seen it because NBC hardly showed her. But when they did finally show her, I immediately loved her leo. It is so gorgeous and looks absolutely stunning on her.

The light purple color is beautiful and really stands out with her complexion. Illusion and mesh sleeves are definitely trending in gymnastics, but a lot of times, the nude color is suited for lighter skin tones, which obviously doesn't match everyone. This leotard is a perfect example of having nude mesh in a variety of shades. When you're able to properly match tones and fabric colors, it really helps the leotard bodice stand out. 

Style Icons: Olivia Rodrigo

Photo credit Disney+/Patrick Newman

I first knew of Olivia when she made her Disney debut on Bizaarvark, but I wasn't interested in that show, so I first got to witness her talent as Nini in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. I remember when I found out she's Filipino, and I instantly became a fan. As much as I've enjoyed her performances as Nini, I've enjoyed her music even more. It wasn't until "drivers license" came out until I finally started listening to music on repeat that wasn't Taron Egerton or Aaron Tveit. So major props to her. Haha.

Now she's releasing her first album, Sour, today, and I can't wait to hear all of the songs. I've loved all of her singles so far. So in celebration of Sour, I'm featuring my fellow Filipina-American in this week's Fashion Friday as a style icon.

I normally go through someone's Instagram to find a bunch of outfits to feature, but Olivia recently restarted her feed, so I didn't have a lot to choose from. I did like a lot of stuff she's worn recently, though, which helped!

"All I Want" Music Video

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I remember when I first watched this music video. My brain went "All I want is that dress." I obviously love the pink. Bright hot pinks are my favorite, and I love the tulle. It all stands out really well in what I assume is the Utah wilderness (for lack of a better word?) since High School Musical: The Musical: The Series films in Utah. 

Anyway, the dress (or is it a two-piece situation?) is just stunning. The shades of pink contrast since they're different shades but still tie everything together and juxtapose well. The layers and tulle create some great texture and movement. The chunky black shoes really add some contrast to the frilly, girly outfit to add a little grunge to the look.

"deja vu" Music Video - Molly Goddard dress

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This dress is just gorgeous. From the beautiful green color to the ruffles going around and down the skirt, it's definitely the iconic outfit of this music video. Like, taking a sledgehammer to a bunch of old TVs while wearing a bold and beautiful gown? Iconic!

"deja vu" Music Video - Chanel jacket/pool outfit

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Pink being my favorite color, it's natural I gravitate toward outfits with pink. I love this Chanel jacket. It's classy and has a vintage feel. Pairing it with high waisted blue jeans and black loafers keeps it sophisticated and feeling vintage while maintaining a pretty casual look.

My March and April Favorites

At this point in time, we're closer to June than April, so this post is definitely delayed but oh well! Again, I didn't discover enough favorites in March or April alone to dedicate a whole post for those months on their own. In March and April I added a bunch of new music to my go-to playlist, wore new fashion trends, and tried new beauty products that have now become staples in my routine.

I've also tried to group similar things in my monthly favorites posts (music and movies together, clothes with accessories, all makeup together, etc.), but this is the first time I've actually labeled the groups with headers. So if you only care about what music I'm listening to or what new clothes I've found, you can easily scroll to that section!

As usual, click the link in the subhead if you're interested in learning more about or buying a certain product I've included.

Music

"Leave the Door Open" - Silk Sonic

Simply put, this song is Blasian excellence. A Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak collaboration is something I never knew I needed in my life. The song and its sound are so smooth and suave, and the vocals are incredible. It's certainly be a while since Bruno Mars has released a single, and this was totally worth the wait.

Too Young to be Sad EP - Tate McRae

As a dance fan, I've been a fan of Tate's before she started seriously making music. I can't believe it's been six years since I was watching her slay on So You Think You Can Dance, and now she's all grown up, performing at awards shows and having songs on the Billboard charts. I've enjoyed listening to the songs on her latest EP for the past few months now and particularly like how although they're all pretty "sad" songs, they aren't all ballads and do contrast in sound.

"deja vu" - Olivia Rodrigo

I wasn't expecting Olivia to release another single until maybe after the second season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series premiered, so "deja vu" was a pleasant surprise! It has a more chill vibe and sound to it than "drivers license" that always makes me want to blast it with the windows down while I'm driving (which I do when it's nice out) but still has a bit of angst to it. "deja vu" also has some synthetic pop/electronic moments that make it easy to jam to. So I think the music video having scenes in a convertible driving down the Pacific Coast Highway fit the song perfectly, and I can't want for the entire sour EP to be released next week!