Bare Necessities

blazer :: express (similar)

blouse :: forever 21 (similar here & here)

pants :: forever 21 (similar)

purse :: ysl mini cabas chyc

shoes :: zara (similar)

My living quarters currently stink of the smell of herbs, grass, and roots that have been boiling for too long. Perhaps that's the reason it's taken me so long to find something to write about, something other than the nostril-jolting stench of Asian medicine that is. But unfortunately an hour of brain picking has landed me back at square one, aka the pungent smell of medicine. So I've decided to stop fighting and succumb to this odor that has permeated every membrane in my nostril and vein in my brain and so badly begs to be the star of the show. Sorry floral pants, leopard-cuffed, poofy-sleeved blazer, and versatile polky blouse, today just wasn't your day. 

Now back to this odor that hasn't let me forget, for even a sentence, that I've promised to write about it. 

For those of you who haven't had exposure to the intricate world of Eastern medicine, let me try and dish you just the bare bones of the subject matter. Because yes, it's an elaborate topic that could lead to one of those conversations where you've already zoned out before the dialogue has even begun. Instead of asking me to go on about the subject, you're asking yourself, "Why did I bother? I should have just kept my big chops shut." Come on, we're all guilty of it.    

To over-simplify it, Eastern medicine focuses on creating balance in the body. If you're sick, eastern medicine won't explain your ailments as a flu or cold. Instead, eastern medicine will tell you that your internal balance is off; your body has too much moisture, too much darkness, etc. Interesting perspective isn't it?

Now I'm not one to just digest what I'm fed - I have to see to believe (cliche, but true). I turned to eastern medicine last year, albeit begrudgingly at my parents' behest, when my highly revered western medicine failed me. Three months of antibiotics and steroids could not cure my simple cough, which by the way also had my doctors stumped. So what option did I have but to surrender to the ways of the east. 

But good thing I did because lo-and-behold, the thick dark liquid resulting from an hour of boiling dried fruits, herbs, and roots cured me in three days. Now who would have thought that the basics would have so easily snatched the gold-medal podium from more decorated medicines? Certainly not me. So as much as I'd like to pretend that this pervasive odor is nothing but just that, I should remember and remind that sometimes a set of simple, bare necessities is worth more than its highly-evolved counterparts.

What do you know, today is the day for leopard cuffed blazers, white blouses, and floral pants. After all, it doesn't get much more 'bare necessities' than a classic black blazer, a versatile dot blouse, and a good pair of printed trousers! These three items, each on their own, have saved me during a fashion rut much more than some of my more decorated pieces.