HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
01-04-2025
We finally made it through the year, and I couldn't be happier! It was an amazing night at the Paul estate, filled with reality TV watching, dancing, and great food. We established a new tradition of eating Verde enchiladas while watching *Wicked*, and we decided to call them "wicked enchiladas." Fitting, right?
I hope your celebrations were just as memorable, setting a positive tone for the year ahead. If your start was rocky, use that energy to motivate yourself and understand how to improve your plans for the future. Remember, we are creating the lives that we want for ourselves because nobody is going to create it for us. Unless, prince charming comes along and happens to have a couple million bucks, then, you go girl.
For the occasion, I kept it chill but cute: I wore Biscay Bay slim boot Rock Revivals and a black Balenciaga tank top. I decided to skip the shoes this year since we stayed in and enjoyed the firework show from our window in Downtown Dallas. As my plans unfolded, I took a moment to remind myself of the person I aspire to be. I never seem to give myself a break in the self-help category, always questioning the next thing to work on. It’s in my nature and to some extent gives me pleasure.
I know I've mentioned self-reflection before, but I want to emphasize its importance specifically regarding contributions to conversations, work, and relationships. My primary goal is to offer constructive criticism. I've declared 2025 as the year to thrive and, to invite positivity into your life, you must start somewhere. As my mom always said, “It cost nothing to be nice!”
Hopefully, by taking an intentional inventory of your relationships, you'll discover what excites your friends and challenge yourself to engage further by understanding the nuances that drive them. I know this may sound overwhelming, but consideration for others can go a long way. After all, it's nearly narcissistic to think about yourself all day.
A great way to implement this mindset is by making tangible contributions. Doing something nice for someone else allows you to momentarily step away from your own problems while practicing self-care. This could be as simple as offering a cup of coffee, taking on extra work for a coworker who needs it, or even holding the door for someone arriving at the same time as you. These small acts remind us that the challenges testing our self-sufficiency are conquerable, and contributing positivity is sure to return to us some form.
So here’s to 2025: the year we thrive, vibe, and make the world just a little brighter—one thoughtful act at a time.
PAUL
12-23-2024
We can all agree the holidays are never smooth sailing, although they are my personal favorite but who’s asking? Quite a few people have, thank you very much, but even I cannot shake the struggle it is to muster up a conversation about yourself. I like to think of the holidays as a yearly check-in. The obligatory: “How’s it going,” “What’s new with you,” only to be faced with an avalanche of self-reflective thoughts that are, to be honest, suppressed due to embarrassment or trauma. I know I am making my feelings sound like a Shakespearean drama, but I think it is important to emphasize self-reflection as a priority in your life. In a world filled where people pride themselves on how self-indulgent they are, it’s easy to feel like I am screaming into the void, or this message does not apply to you, but it does. Before your family gatherings and holiday work parties, take an inventory. Take one of your own life and the relationships that you have allowed to influence your way of life, and sort out, before an awkward face-to-face, exactly what you’re dealing with and what you are willing to share. We are all human, it would be unnatural not to see how you’re stacking up against a friend, family member, or even a lover, but the more we practice this positive self-indulgence it becomes easier and habitual over time, like most things in life. Being the person who you are most proud of with the metaphorical door opened or closed takes practice, and promotes a confidence that won’t shake at critiques or even “wake up calls.”
This type of power comes on a tight rope. Gauging yourself and your capabilities by your own standard, is part of the journey and a positive outlet to push yourself at a feasible pace. Understanding where you’re going, where you want to go, and where you’re at, are mandatory considerations to maintain your trajectory. The secret? Not letting your potential become withheld, diminished, or falsified. Understanding what you’re capable of, recognizing your hard work, and presenting honest behavior and genuine insight. Easier said than done but completely possible with positive self-indulgence.Understanding how you feel and why, miraculously defines your perspective on a topic and brings genuine discourse that you can (hopefully) show pride in. After all does anyone actually want to engage with a fake convo? I think not. These considerations have garnered success in my relationships and I share it because making people happier means better conversations for you. That is the core of this message. Looking back at the: “where you’re heading,” metaphor, you should know what you want to talk about if you’re even wanting to have a conversation at all. That kind of effort shows you care and think about the people you’re wanting to engage with. Not to mention a gift that can be freely given. This position of power in a conversation reminds yourself and the people around you just exactly where you’re headed, and if it feels rocky at the when saying it, remember, all great successes begin in the planning stage.
Merry Christmas!!
Paul
11-28-2024
Welcome, to the first page of an exciting journey! I welcome you to inhale the breath around and appreciate the magnitude of this moment. My name is Paul Michel, and this is a tribute fashion. I am exploring my personal interest and hope this serves as a vessel to convey my emotional attachment to the industry. Throughout the years I have always reveled in the art of hiding behind my clothes, but at some point they started to fit. I have often heard the phrase, “dress for the job you want,” and I feel like this moment has finally materialized.
*Material Girl*
With my imaginary, Chanel nine-boots, I am ready to strut in the next chapter of my life and welcome you to join along. Through the lens of fashion, technology, design, and art. This series of personal narratives will hopefully portray a rich understanding of why I am putting my time it.
Happy Holidays,
Saint Paul
12-01-2024
Parasocial relationships -
Oh, the joys of the Holidays. I’m over it already. I hate to admit but I am a grinch. I complain about traditions, specifically about family gatherings. As a jet set, future hot shot, I find it hard to connect with my family and sometimes friends. I am not flaunting my intellect (even tho I identify as smart) or judging everybody, I just enjoy spending engaging in conversations more than daily activities. Trust me, I love bragging about the things I frivolously waste my time doing. I mean my outfits doing it are killer. Balenciaga lounge-acesthetic is my go to and it’s easy to pull off in Dallas because there are more people dressed better than I. I’m sitting in a LLL 1/4 zip (Pre-2022, thank you very much) after scourging through my mom’s garage looking for Christmas ornaments. Just like with everything I do, I took a new perspective and took it as an opportunity to work out. I can’t believe my mom has soon many decorations, it literally makes me LOL!
Anywho, as a person with a fast-moving mind, I always play YouTube videos while I’m enjoying myself. In my early twenties I would lazily move through my 2200sqft home, taking pictures of course, and obsessing over YouTube. One channel and I had a distaste for because of the host’s presentation. Shaved eye’s brows, a doll outfit??? Gurl, cmon. But some time in 2020, I stopped being a judgmental bitch, and wanted to put aside superficial discomforts to focus on learning. I subscribed to Mina Le’s channel and fell in love. Her ability to convey such comical and informative conversations topics about fashion, connected with me more than any type of media I was consuming at the time. I bring her up because an element of discomfort with being home is feeling misunderstood, and even though the relationship I have with Mina is parasocial, I find such pleasure of playing as fan in Mina’s world. I have heard the conversations around parasocial relationships and most lean into an unfavorable perspective that showcases internet entrepreneurs in a bad light. Well I disagree. Stats have shown that people are feeling more lonely because of the internet? Why not flip that scripts and feel super connected? Think about it, I know Mina doesn’t know me, I don’t know that girl. In order to have the healthiest relationship with Mina as an engaged fan, I have to establish boundaries that remind me of the circumstances of my relationship with Mina, and to know that I am afforded the the same privacy. Like imagine if I met Mina and she asked what color is my underwear? I’d respond with a “you like Charli too?!” But serious no, we are not friends, homies, or acquaintances in any way therefore I need to act appropriately even when I not around her because we I believe staying true does require some effort when you’re trying to view your life more optimistically.
Checkout Mina Le on Youtube - https://youtu.be/pXtBFiF_32k?si=5RSKFFaSbwmt3C_d
12-23-2024
We can all agree the holidays are never smooth sailing, although they are my personal favorite but who’s asking? Quite a few people have, thank you very much, but even I cannot shake the struggle it is to muster up a conversation about yourself. I like to think of the holidays as a yearly check-in. The obligatory: “How’s it going,” “What’s new with you,” only to be faced with an avalanche of self-reflective thoughts that are, to be honest, suppressed due to embarrassment or trauma. I know I am making my feelings sound like a Shakespearean drama, but I think it is important to emphasize self-reflection as a priority in your life. In a world filled where people pride themselves on how self-indulgent they are, it’s easy to feel like I am screaming into the void, or this message does not apply to you, but it does. Before your family gatherings and holiday work parties, take an inventory. Take one of your own life and the relationships that you have allowed to influence your way of life, and sort out, before an awkward face-to-face, exactly what you’re dealing with and what you are willing to share. We are all human, it would be unnatural not to see how you’re stacking up against a friend, family member, or even a lover, but the more we practice this positive self-indulgence it becomes easier and habitual over time, like most things in life. Being the person who you are most proud of with the metaphorical door opened or closed takes practice, and promotes a confidence that won’t shake at critiques or even “wake up calls.”
This type of power comes on a tight rope. Gauging yourself and your capabilities by your own standard, is part of the journey and a positive outlet to push yourself at a feasible pace. Understanding where you’re going, where you want to go, and where you’re at, are mandatory considerations to maintain your trajectory. The secret? Not letting your potential become withheld, diminished, or falsified. Understanding what you’re capable of, recognizing your hard work, and presenting honest behavior and genuine insight. Easier said than done but completely possible with positive self-indulgence.Understanding how you feel and why, miraculously defines your perspective on a topic and brings genuine discourse that you can (hopefully) show pride in. After all does anyone actually want to engage with a fake convo? I think not. These considerations have garnered success in my relationships and I share it because making people happier means better conversations for you. That is the core of this message. Looking back at the: “where you’re heading,” metaphor, you should know what you want to talk about if you’re even wanting to have a conversation at all. That kind of effort shows you care and think about the people you’re wanting to engage with. Not to mention a gift that can be freely given. This position of power in a conversation reminds yourself and the people around you just exactly where you’re headed, and if it feels rocky at the when saying it, remember, all great successes begin in the planning stage.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Paul