Clothes Encounters Style Profile: Avalonne Hall

Do you ever randomly decide to revisit your past, because the past version of you has become this hazy and distant memory? At one point of my time, "fashion blogger" was a term I would proudly own. I would actively go to fashion blog networking events hosted by Chictopia, was invited to participate in two fashion panels and was fortunate enough to do a Style Profile with Jenn Im of the ever so chic and popular YouTube Channel Clothes Encounters. But that was old me or rather young me.

Please be aware I'm cringing as I post the video here, because I know that I'm super awkward in front of a moving camera. I'm not terrible in front of a camera, but when I know I'm being filmed, I tense up and act super unnatural. How on earth did Jenn pick me for a style profile? Well, we have a mutual friend Jon (who's a sweetheart) and from there, we met and filmed this video. It was the first and only time I've met Jenn and she was just so lovely and down-to-earth. I remember the "encounter" very well, like it was yesterday, but this video was shot in May 2011. I was four years younger in this video, so it's like opening a time capsule.

I have the widest and most awkward smile, but I really don't feel that uncomfortable in my skin. 

I can't believe I used these words to describe my style "menswear, Parisian, romantic, bohemian, seventies style". What was I thinking? I never dressed bohemian style nor was my style ever that seventies! Just because I love seventies Woody Allen era and I thought I was seventies style. Oh I laugh at my twenty two version of me! Three current obsessions? 1. Woody Allen 2. Prosciutto and brie and good cheese 3. Kettle Chips - baked - salt and pepper. Still true, still true and yes, still true.

As for my final advice on style is inner confidence and I still truly and 100% believe in finding yourself through your personal style. It should always be a form of self expression. You don't need to wear designer clothes to feel good about yourself, just wear clothes that express who you are and then you will shine through no matter what. I could write a dissertation on personal style. I'm no fashion expert, but I believe in the power and importance of personal style. Even though, I use to wear "bright colors and studs" and really just left out the truth of how I use to dress as a teenager, I think I always cared about the clothes I chose to put on my back. I always felt this need to express myself as an individual and I found personal style to be a fun way to show the world who I am.

From this experience, I've met some kind and smart women on Instagram and Facebook. I always knew there were internet trolls and people who turn into nasty version of themselves on the internet, but I decided to read the comments on this video and 100% of the comments were positive and sweet. Granted, the video received 10 thumbs down, but compared to 600+ thumbs up, who cares? Credit should be given to Jenn for filming and editing the video and yet people commented about me.

Someone called me a "pretty cool lady". Am I a pretty cool lady? I think I'm cool (a cool dork who loves Woody Allen, tennis and jazz), but do other people think I'm cool? That's just such a foreign concept to me. By general definition, I'm not cool at all. I don't drink or smoke, I usually stay in and watch films, documentaries and Ted Talks on Netflix, sometimes I binge on ASAP Science, Crash Course, Cinemasins and Honest Trailers on YouTube. If I'm out on a Saturday night, I'm probably trying to convince my friends to play pool or ping pong with me. Or I'm listening to live jazz by myself. So... no, I'm not cool. But thank you kind people for the kind words, I appreciate them dearly.

Since this video was filmed, I've chopped off my hair, grown out my bangs and hair and chopped it off multiple times. I've moved to New York and worked on multiple films and television shows, I've written, produced and directed my first short film Shyness (which is still in post production). I've lived in six different apartments in Flushing, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Chinatown, Midtown and Williamsburg again. I feel like I'm a different person, but still the same. I'm four years older and hopefully wiser. Time is just such a funny and abstract concept. It still scares me and I just know I want to keep creating and giving back to the universe. Those are my main goals in life. My true sense of purpose is making me feel motivated and positive about life. I wish you all the inner confidence, self esteem and worth, because you are amazing and deserve to be the best version of yourself.

Be bold. Be fearless. Be you. The central theme of my short film Shyness.

#theeverywoman
#whyislifeworthliving