I'm not sure why I just found out about Hanniemc but her blog is lovely and I would like to thank her for nominating me!

Rules:

Thank the person who nominated you and link their blog
Answer the questions given by the nominator
Nominate 11 other bloggers who have less than 200 followers and link them
-Notify all the bloggers you nominate
Create 11 new questions for your nominees to answer

And here are my answers to Hannah's questions:

1. If you could play any instrument, what would it be and why?

Probably the good ol' bass guitar because it would be super cool yet quite hilarious to make the Este Haim bass face while jammin' out, besides that also being in a band with a tough, girl power attitude and style like Haim.

Este Haim - GIGWISE

2. How long did it take you to decide on your blog name?

Well first it was hard for me to pick a blog platform, I made 3 blogs on Wordpress and I then did more research and found that Blogspot is much more flexible and simple when it comes to customizing and simply just writing. When I got here I made another blog because of my indecisiveness. And finally rachelsteph was alive! I figured it was much more simple then my last names I came up with (virtualvogue, rachelstephanie, pizzandpolaroids) because it's now my name and my middle named shotened. I also figured I'd be writing a little more than fashion (virtualvogue) and a little more than life (pizzaandpolaroids).

3. Would you rather be invisible or be able to fly and why?

I would rather fly because it just gives you a cool talent and I love to travel so it would be nice, easy and cheap. (When I read this question I sang Fly Like a Bird by Nelly Furtado)

4. Who would you like to play you in the film of your life?

Kendall Jenner..... who else, duh??????

5.Are you a morning or night person?

Night

6. If you were a vegetable, what would you be?

Kale

7. If you could change your name, what would you like to be called?

Ezra (cute as a girl and boy name)

8. If you could only ever say one word again, what would it be?

No

9. Name your best and worst habits?

Best Habits:

Not wasting food

Going to bed early

Doing/turning in homework on time

Haven't worn sweats to school all 3 years I've been in highschool

Worst Habits:

Nail biting

Messy school bag

Messy room

Sticking to my workout schedule

10. If you had to lose one of your senses, which one would it be?

This one is so hard but if I reallllly had to it would be smell

11. Do you know the meaning of your name, or were you named after anyone in particular?

I was named after Rachel aka Jennifer Aniston in Friends aka the best show ever!

The bloggers I choose to nominate and answer the following are:

STYLE GRANDE

Gabbi Couture

A Peachy Keen Day

Threaded Flower

RIPSAKE

Forever Bedhead

TODAY'S BEAUTY FAVOURITES

Afraic Isabelle

BAD SASS // MADISON MICHELLE

Painted Roses

ROSALINDIS

Questions:

-If you could only watch one Netflix series or movie everyday which would it be?

-Why did you start blogging? How did you come up with your blog name?

-What do you hope to achieve this year?

-Name your best and worst habits?

-If you were only allowed to shop at one place where would it be?

Where would you desire to live one day?

-Coffee or tea?

♥ Hope you enjoy this as well as find new blogs to adore and enjoy answering these questions as much as I did ♥

10 reasons why half-buns should be relevant in your life

Photos from Harper's Bazaar

Half bun.. or at least that's what I call it, similar to the half up half down hair style but with a bun, whatever you call it is whatever but this is probably my favorite look at the moment and here is why it should be yours too!

1. They can be worn to give you an effortless yet polished look

2. And easy enough to do on a lazy day

3. Harry Styles does it

4. It doesn't matter if your hair is long or short

5. Nor curly or straight

6. You don't have to have the perfect hair-to-bun ratio

7. At the end of the day when your bun is getting loose, you can whip your bun back and forth

8. Can incorporate braids to change it up

9. It's trendy (seen on Instagram and blogs)

10. People will give you weird looks but in a few months they will try to rock it

(I hope this was kinda funny but hope you're flaunting the half bun too!)

cctylr inspired

I've mentioned Christie (@cctylr on Instagram) before on my "Favorite Instagals of the Month" back in November, but I am so in love with her style - the perfect clash of boho/indie/free flowing and minimal/modern all while being comfy. Today's look inspired by her looks using some pieces she uses a lot including: shawls, rustic and chunky necklaces and knee socks. I included colors she might where - burnt reds, grays.

Peacoat from H&M || Red and navy scarf from Forever 21 || Grey tee shirt dress from H&M || Burgundy shawl from Pacsun || Rustic silver coin necklace from Forever 21

♥ Follow Christie on Instagram, Blogger and Tumblr ♥

2015 essential wish list

A new year means new must-haves! Here are some chic minimal pieces perfect for any season that I am on the look out for.

2015 Essential Wish List by rachelsounthavong featuring vintage tops

cities + me

John Hancock Tower in Chicago taken by me

It's finally Friday and I am staying in tonight which is good for me after this stressful week. All week I've been not only craming and doing piles of homework but also thinking on what I can post on this blog which I consider is fashion and lifestyle content. I feel i only post 45% "lifestyle" ("life" tag) content which I originally wanted to include playlists, stories, blurbs/thoughts (no restrictions to how long they end up) - these portraying more about my personality and maybe relates to you and entertain. So I'm here to redeem myself with a story that relate to my recent thoughts.

So I know I did a doodle days (sorry for discontinuing that lol) - on being a city girl and cities but I want to expand on that especially because there is more than just mediocre coffee and watching Gossip Girl. I am from a kinda urban town, Winnipeg (Canada)- one anecdote of me being a city girl. But things that effect - my obsession/love for mass cities and effect on my current life - are traveling and the atmosphere it brings.

The first big city trip I actually remember the events - August, Summer 2010, Vancouver, BC, Canada. This was also the first time traveling by train andwhere I first found my true obsession with travel/travel commute. The 3 of us (Grandma, cousin and I) started our adventure with 2 days and 1 night on a VIA train. Other then falling in the shower, the ride was unreal from watching the prairies in the afternoon,  then waking up to sunshine in my eyes and entering the Rocky Mountains. When we got to Vancouver we entered on the cityscape which like most large cities breathtaking. We got to the station and met up with my grandpa who was already in BC, and took a cab to our hotel. After getting there we spent our what I think was 1 or 2 days, in the city - exploring Gastown, Stanley Park, Chinatown etc. My favorite was visiting the Queen Elizabeth Gardens. Those days or day was a hassle, first time on my feet all day but it was definitely worth it especially because it would and is probably the only time I would be the last time I see the city for awhile which turned out true, but I am praying to go again. 

After that I was blessed to travel even more, first plane ride was to Calgary for my aunts wedding (astonishing moment: we flew above city lights!!!!!), summer before 7th grade - a 6 hour flight, 2 hours to Minneapolis then 4 to Florida and +4651918748971 points for me getting to fly for sunrise, and my many trips to Chicago. 

In 7th grade I moved to Illinois, so of course I had to go to Chicago as much as I could. These trips being more recent are veryyyyyyy significant to this process of what my "obsession" is today. I've probably been to this city 6 times which is a lot considering how expensive it is to spend a day there. The trips that got me hooked to the sense of a massive city and my love for it were the 3 I took summer before sophomore year. Factors that caused my passion was the fact that the last time I've been to the city was middle school I've matured and freshman year being your experiment year gradually finding yourself and new adventures and even finding new music aka my city theme song "Diane Young" by Vampire Weekend (which came out the same year as this summer). 

These trips to Chi-Town were important to me because I had discovered a new perspective, new angles and parts of what makes the city, and saw how it all fell together in one big picture like a jigsaw puzzle. The city was full of large statements like Cloud Gate and the very tall buildings like the Sears Tower, which makes me feel I need to make big statements in my life examples like graduating or doing something large for myself or someone else. The city also made me focus on detail what I consider the pieces of the puzzle. I focused on the specific names of buildings, street names, hotel names, their looks and why I like it. You usually hear on tv shows people who know everything about their city and I wanted to feel that way. Other "puzzle pieces" would be the people being all diverse but all have one thing in common, they don't care and still make a statement to me as large as the city. Some of these people are reckless - walking while a cab turns on to a street and the cab driver angrily honking at that man and women walking the whole city in heels, some also being determined - rushing through crowds to work or talking on the phone in noisy streets and some brave - entertaining people to live by dancing on popular streets painted in gold.

If you don't get my point by now from this long spiel - this is why I am in love with travel, commute, large cities and why I know I belong there: I feel connected with the people (even if you don't talk to them) and the atmosphere. I get super googly eyed and feel the need to do slow motion gaze at every scenic part (aka most parts). At the end of the day in the city I reflect and feel speechless like you're LITERALLY in a relationship with that city, you dress up for it, bump into problems ... like my falling in the shower on the plane and it help/inspire me . All the little pieces in my life are like a city - like my room. The lights hung in my room - are like the city lights from a plane, waking up to sunshine from my comfy bed - like the train and dancing and singing around like no one cares - as if I were that metallic gold man dancing in the streets or the pain in my feet - from exploring from the first time in Vancouver to the last few in Chicago.

pastel/distress/lights

Lights??? again, yes again. Even though the holidays are over I needed something to brighten up my photos especially because of the freezing weather... apparently -35 tomorrow! But the cold can't stop me from dressing cute, today I was feeling super old school but edgy with these distressed boyfriend jeans (Forever 21) which are also high-waisted and give them that mom jean look paired with a plain white pocket tee from Urban Outfitters. Along with the look I am wearing a pink fuzzy/poodle-ish sweater from H&M, a blue teardrop necklace from Old Navy, and my infamous Chelsea boots. 

2015

2015 is not starting off with the greatest weather aka its freezing but it's a new year for new adventures and a new meEeeEEEEeEeeee........... jk maybe just an improved me. In honor of this refreshment I must carry the tradition and share my goals/resolutions.

1. Travel to two places I haven't been: Cali & NYC

2. Along with traveling and going on new adventures, KEEP ALL SOUVENIRS and keep them in a photo box 

3. Save money for stuff I REALLY WANT!!!!!!

4. Improve posture......... this is a must

5. Find/discover more careers and schools - stylist, designer, c.e.o???

6. Read more

7. Be fit/have a work out schedule

8. Read more blogs

9. Go to more concerts

10. Make more friends!!!

11. Have a pen-pal - new friends

12, Get better at make up (specifically eyeliner and eyeshadow)

13. Cut down on caffeine and chocolate consumption - clear skin!

14. Learn to sew... better

15. Less social media

16. Use camera more and take it everywhere

17. Write all ideas in journal/keep journal neat/take journal everywhere

18. Have a better attitude - don't make other people down when you are not positive/confident!

19. Improve blogging context

20. Sleep earlier/wake up earlier (try to wake up for a sunrise)

This list is so cliche but I hope to have a magnificent year and hope you do too ♥