Urbanite of the month: Corissa Pacillas-Smith

Here's my next lovely Urbanite for the month of June, Corissa Pacillas-Smith!  Corissa has amazing fashion sense, and she's a lover of thrift and vintage, too!  She also has a heart for South LA so she's a perfect fit as my next Urbanite.

Corissa is one of the most creative people that I know!  We've known each other for years, but we also recently did The Artist's Way curriculum together last year, and it was an amazing experience in growing creatively together.  Corissa is very inspirational!  In the interview below, she shares about her passion for acting, along with her love for urban life, and vintage and thrift.  Check out more about Corissa and her theater company, Theater Elysium here!

All of these photos were taken in South LA in front of a couple of murals right around the corner from my house.  Urban street art never ceases to amaze me!

Corissa's entire ensemble here is from Sonshine Shop Vintage and will be featured on our Etsy site very soon.  She is wearing a vintage faux fur jacket by Beeline Fashions, vintage leather pants by Michael Hoban North Beach, vintage New York Transit shoes, and a vintage Puma purse.  I love how it all goes together so well.  It looks tough but feminine.

Don't you love these buttons on the vintage Beeline jacket?  They have cool texture!

And...she is wearing the most amazing vintage beaded top that will also be sold on our Etsy site.  All of these items are being sold as is, and they are in GREAT condition.

Did you know that Corissa loves octopuses (or octopi)?  When she saw this piece of street art, she told me so.  :-) 

 Corissa is wearing her very own vintage dress, and a Sonshine Shop vintage Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique blazer jacket.

I really love this vintage dress on Corissa, the silhoutte and fit are perfect for her.  Didn't I tell you that she has lovely taste in vintage?

 Doing her octopus arms impersonation.  :-P

Shapeofagirlinla:  What do you love most about South LA?  (living here, etc).

Corissa:  My answer to this question is twofold (I can't just pick one!!!). The first thing is the reason I live here, which is both difficult and rewarding - the Kingdom justice work I do with Church of the Redeemer. I am blessed with an incredible community who is seeking peace for our area in South LA, and strives to love one another and our neighbors as Jesus loves us. This includes everything from jumping in a bounce house with the kid next door for his birthday party (and feeling loved like part of the family even though I'm so different than he is) to protesting oil drilling in the midst of our neighborhood (occurring 20 feet away from residents' homes), to singing on the worship team at Church of the Redeemer. This feels like home.

The second thing I love is being close to so many types of AMAZING food! I love being a few miles from Korea Town, Little Tokyo, China Town, and living in the middle of authentic pupuserias, food trucks, etc. I love asking Nathan (my husband) "what do you feel like eating today?" and having access to so many options. YUMMY.

Shapeofagirlinla sidebar:  I COMPLETE AGREE.  More Gems of South LA/LA in general to come!!!

Shapeofagirlinla:  What do you love most about acting?

Corissa:  I love being able to access different parts of humanity! Human nature is a complex beast, and there are parts of ourselves we all try to pretend don't exist, or are resistant to facing for various reasons. I love being able to tap into the truth of who we are in ways that are terrifying, shameful, radiant, and mundane. It's so important to face who we truly are - the darkness and the light - and to accept our weaknesses and ask for help in the midst of them. This is the only way we can change and grow, as individuals and communities, and I believe my work as an actor inspires this self reflection, growth, and pursuit of truth. I love feeling alive as I tell a story that's not my own.

Shapeofagirlinla:  What do you love most about vintage and thrift store clothes/items?

Corissa:  I have never thought about this before. I guess it would be the history and legacy of each piece. Each piece has a story, and in most cases has been on this earth longer than I have! Even if I don't know the specifics of the stories that go along with each piece, I know it has one, and I feel connected to a life, person, time, and community beyond myself. I also love not being limited to the current trends and styles, but having access to past and differing styles. So much beauty in God's world!

Shapeofagirlinla:  Share an interesting story about life in South LA.

Corissa:  Every year Church of the Redeemer has a Retreat, where we go up to a camp somewhere in the mountains to get away, connect, and do some intensive learning and growing together as a church. Each person who attends is part of a small group of 3-6 people. The small groups are comprised of people of the same gender but varying backgrounds in terms of race, ethnicity, socio-economic standing, etc. During small group times, we share and reflect on the weekend's teaching and how it's impacting us as individuals. These times can get very vulnerable. 

One year I was placed in a group where there were 2 strong, outspoken, seemingly tough women who had grown up in South LA. They were both different ages and ethnicities than I am. They grew up in poverty and in the midst of addiction and abuse that was very far from my own childhood and adult experiences. Although I can be loud on stage, I am actually highly sensitive, highly emotional, and super concerned with how others see me. I was honestly intimidated by these incredible women, who had overcome and were still overcoming some crazy intense experiences that made my heart ache and my stomach turn when they shared. I was blown away by their honesty and vulnerability with our group - what courage, what transparency, what trust they have after almost every experience and relationship in their lives told them not to trust, not to be vulnerable. I felt completely unworthy of their friendship and time, of their vulnerability and honesty with me. I had little to nothing in common with these women apart from being a woman myself and being a beloved daughter of God and follower of Jesus. And yet that was enough - Jesus' deep love and transformative power brought us together that weekend, and by the end of the camp I had 2 new friends, women I would not befriend or feel comfortable sharing with in other circumstances. I am so grateful for God's reconciliation and redemption work in South LA and beyond!

Urbanite of the month: Lorraina Armenta

I am excited to introduce this series featuring urban folks that I admire.  My very first Urbanite of the Month is my housemate, Lorraina Armenta.  I asked Lorraina to be the first because she came to mind immediately when I thought about others who love the same things that I love--fashion, thrift store/vintage clothes, South LA urban life, community, and a shared spirituality.  

Lorraina's style is so fun, colorful and bold, just like her personality.  Living with her, I can't help but be influenced by her style so I think that my style has become more bold and colorful in some ways.

Lorraina has put into words in an essay that she wrote in college what I also hope to in my work, writing, blogging, photography, etc. to promote thrift store and vintage clothes and urban life.  That someone else's "trash" is another person's treasure.  That what was once considered worthless is found to be worth much and cherished.  Lorraina has given me permission to share quotes from her college essay called "This I Believe."

"I believe in thrift-store shopping because of what it represents. I believe in thrift-store shopping because it is a vivid example of something I am still trying to figure out: Redemption...I believe in thrift-store shopping because I feel alive when I experience the joy and beauty of redemption."-Lorraina

Lorraina is wearing a vintage tailor made dress from the 1950's/1960's from Sonshine Shop Vintage.  Isn't it gorgeous?  As soon as I saw it, it made me think of her.  I told her that it looks like a water color painting.  

This street art graffiti walls featured in this blog post are right around the corner from our house.

Lorraina accessorized the look herself.  I love this purse that she got in Mexico with her name on it (spelled differently) Lorena.

"I think that’s why I love urban ministry as well.  I feel alive when I watch God redeem those that the rest of society has given up on."-Lorraina

The vintage dress that Lorraina is wearing is one her own.  Love it!

"There is something so powerful about watching something spring to life against all odds...the process of thrift-store shopping exemplify the beauty and power of the concept that is at the core of what happened on the Cross.  And that’s why I believe in spending time in thrift-stores and walking alongside teens [in the city]..."-Lorraina

Lorrainna graciously answered some questions to tell us more about herself in this interview below.  

Shapeofagirlinla:  What do you love most about South LA?

Lorraina:  My favorite part of living in South LA is the people. Some of the most warm, generous, hospitable, creative, and resilient people I know live here in the neighborhoods of South Los Angeles. 

Shapeofagirlinla:   What do you love most about working for World Impact?

Lorraina:  World Impact's commitment to incarnational ministry and spiritual community is what drew me to World Impact over five years ago. I love that we live where we work, and that for us church can happen every day of the week because most of us live within walking distance of one another. 

I love that both the people I work with and my students/neighbors are truly family to me. We engage in intentional, shared spirituality around here while seeing the Kingdom of God advance in one another's lives, homes, and churches--and that makes work something to get excited about.

Shapeofagirlinla:  What do you love most about vintage and thrift store clothes/items?

Lorraina:  For me, vintage and thrift store clothes are about redeeming that which someone gave up on.  The statistics on the fashion industry's current affect on the environment are pretty staggering, especially with the rise of a "fast fashion" movement that forces clothing companies to use earth's limited resources in order to produce enough clothing for the trends that come and go every couple months.  I shop in thrift stores as a way to show that we can physically slow down enough to find the little "treasures" that find their way in thrift stores while reminding people that clothes can be timeless if we have enough creativity and imagination. And of course, shopping second-hand is way cheaper!

Shapeofagirlinla:  Share an interesting story about life in South LA/World Impact. 

Lorraina:  Life in South LA is always an adventure. I never know quite what to expect when I go to Bible study or walk into the classroom each day. This much I can expect, though:  God never ceases to show up, even in the ordinary moments of life where I almost forget that He's there. Some of my favorite moments from living here came during the unexpected moments, like the time the neighborhood kids looked at me with startled faces as we felt the earth and our very-old house shake during an earthquake--then the beautiful peace wash over their faces as we held hands and prayed that God would protect us. Or the time we had a free Sunday night and invited some friends over for yummy pan dulce from the local bakery/panaderia and sat around the table for hours talking about life and loss, and where God is moving in it. Or the time I walked down the street and saw my middle school students convincing the neighbors to "just give a dollar--come on, there are children in the world that won't EAT today!" Each day I keep my eyes open for moments like these that remind me that He is here ​and that He's always moving. 

If you are interested in learning more about Lorraina and supporting the work that Lorraina is involved in, check her out HERE!  

Peace.

Food For Thought: The Perils of the Fashion Industry

As much as I love fashion as a form of creative self-expression, I am aware that the fashion industry definitely has a dark side at many levels.  I heard an interesting story about the perils of the fashion industry for fashion designers, specifically high fashion designers.  The report on NPR featured a book by Dana Thomas called Gods and Kings:  The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano.  Thomas describes the shift of the fashion industry from family owned fashion houses that were bought by big conglomorates.  As a result, the demand and pace of the high fashion industry increased rapidly, and has led to some of the top fashion designers falling, some due addiction and depression.

While I think that there is still creative inspiration from high fashion, when any institution becomes a part of big conglomerates, greed consumes and results in injustice and loss.

Learning these things about the fashion industry deepens my conviction that sustainable, eco-friendly fashion, thrift stores, and vintage clothing and items are the way to go.  Some people feel uncomfortable wearing used clothes.  When I find any item that someone decided to give away to a thrift store, I feel a sense of delight, like I'm finding treasure.  When I research vintage items for the Sonshine Shop, I delight in finding that these old items are worth something, worth quite a lot.  And the older something is, the more it is worth.  Someone else's trash is another person's treasure.  I hope that the world can come to see it more this way...and I hope to help with that!
Peace.

Welcome to Sonshine Shop Vintage on Etsy!

Friends!  Sonshine Shop Vintage Etsy has opened as of last month!  The 5th garment has been posted today, and it was fun to take photos outside of World Impact.  Here are the photos (below), and the link for Sonshine Shop Vintage.  

Please circulate far and wide to people who love all things vintage.  

We received a very large donation of antique and vintage items last week, and I LOVE every single garment.  It's taking every ounce of will power to not buy them all and keep them for myself.  Can't wait to post them for you guys to see.  

I thought this last photo was funny because it reminds me of how I once called myself an Italian trapped in a Korean American body.  I really do talk with my hands.  I was telling my photographer (Thank you, Sara!) about what I wanted to capture in the photos of each garment.  She did a great job, didn't she?  Love this dress!  Someone go buy it!

Peace.

A Way to Shed: Clothing Swap!

Back again from the half-dead!  Man, I heard that the strain of flu was particularly bad this year, and that the flu shot was not as effective against it since it was a mutated form or something.  But now I know for real that it was THAT bad because I wouldn't wish that kind of sickness on my worst enemy!  Slowly but surely, I'm coming back to life.  While I was laying there sick, thinking about doing this blog post, but couldn't muster up the energy to do it, I really wanted to, I promise!

So, I'm doing this sort of backwards because I wanted to post about the discipline of "shedding" first, and then talk about the clothing swap, but well, that's neither here nor there.  

The lovely ladies from Church of the Redeemer here in South LA have been doing a clothing swap about quarterly for the last few years now.  I loved the idea of swapping clothes and how it is an eco-friendly, sustainable way of getting clothes in a community.  And it's free!  Props to these ladies for letting me show up to the swap and take photos of them fully clothed, and NOT while they were changing!  :-)

Like all of the world's institutions, there is brokenness and corruption.  The fashion industry in not exempt from this in general as they participate in mass production of clothes that ultimately contribute to waste, and is associated with exploitation of their workers to keep costs down, to just name a few things that are wrong with the fashion industry.  Clothing swaps in communities, or shopping in thrift stores are wonderful alternative ways to get "new" clothes that you need!

Here's how it started, all of the clothes laid out and displayed, ready to be swapped.  Doesn't it look lovely?

There were clothes, and other items like books, accessories, and some jewelry!  Check it.  

So I wasn't fully paying attention because I was so excited about being at the swap, that I didn't catch the rules very clearly.  I think in the beginning, the ladies decided to have a short time frame where they would only pick five items each.  Here they are explaining the rules that I wasn't paying attention to.

And then, they're off!  Swapping away, getting their first five items!

After the time frame of getting their five items, I think the rules relaxed, and people could then pick from the whole lot what they needed or wanted.  Here are some shots of these lovely ladies trying on their cute items!

Dear Sarah Stokes-meister

Cute Steph Payne-ster

Miss Nanc Fern enjoying her "new" swapped book!

Jenn Pope-ster rocking some fun colors!

JLyrical hanging out bohemian style!

Amy Kimbel-meister leaving happily full from the swap.

Candice Cleverleigh blinging her "new" clutch!  She makes the most awesome faces, I tell you.

Even though, I didn't participate in the swap, I was generously allowed to partake, so I came home with a some items that I'm glad to have, like a pair of cozy brown corduroy pants, a lacy top (you will soon see that I cannot resist cute lacy tops, or lacy anything for that matter), some lovely Thymes brand lotion, a new toothbrush, a CA state belt buckle, a pair of silver armadillo earrings, and two daisy seed planting kits, which I am excited to add to my sacred space balcony garden (more on that project later!) and I think that's it!

And the icing on the cake was the end result which was a very large pile of remaining clothes and items to be donated to the Sonshine Shop Thrift Store!  

There you have it!  Now, go do a clothing swap of your own in your own group of friends and communities!  Go "shed" all of those clothes you have not worn in a while, and maybe will never wear, and swap them with your friends!  And then, give the leftovers to the Sonshine Shop Thrift Store, located at 1971 S. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA  90007.  Peace!