Last Minute Holiday Gifts for a Fashionista

There are many of us who wait all the way until as late as the day before the holiday to start buying Christmas gifts, and since we’ve waited so late our options are limited and we can only purchase things from in store because it’s too late to order anything. Well I’ve come up with a list of things that are great to get for your fellow fashionista if you are someone who’s chosen to wait until the last minute.

1. Gift cards

   I know that some people may feel that getting someone a gift card doesn’t mean as much or may not be as thoughtful, but honestly many people prefer that because they can get exactly what they want. Especially i you feel that you don’t know what they like or feel that they are on more of the pickier side. Get a gift card to their favorite store and maybe get some smaller little trinkets that are cute that they would probably like and wrap it nicely because presentation is key.

2. Gift sets

   Around the holidays pretty much all brands are creating gifts sets because they are perfect for stocking stuffers and gifts to people that enjoy that brand because you are usually getting much more product for your money. If you know that they like a particular fragrance, haircare, skincare or anything of that nature you can get them a gift set, it doesn’t take too much thought and it will 9 times out of 10 include some products they’ve been wanting to try.

3. Perfume

   I am a person that loves perfume and smelling good so to me perfume is a perfect gift. Do a little investigating to find out their favorite scent or perfume and go purchase it! If you’re buying something that they’ve never tried before make sure that you know their scent, whether they like to smell more sweet, clean, or classic because you don’t want to get the wrong scent especially because your perfume should resemble you, since it can start to become your signature.

4. Shoes

   If you want to seem as if you put a little more thought into your gift get her some shoes! All you need to do is know her size and a little bit of her taste, if she is a heel wearer get her some heels. If you are a man shopping then shoes shows that you have been paying attention to her. You can get a plain and neutral color pair if you don’t want to go too far fetch and end up missing your target. You could also get a matching bag that way it can serve as a complete look for an outfit if she wants to wear it later in the day for Christmas or on New Years Day

5. Jewelry

   You can never go wrong with a good piece of jewelry, a necklace, earrings or a bracelet would be perfect. Every girl loves jewelry even if it’s something simple. This is another thing that you do need to know her taste but you don’t have too think too hard, you want to find something that speaks to the type of person that she is, but you will have more help given to you in the store than a clothing store and you can put more thought as far as emotion into the gift.

6. Outerwear

   Outerwear is a great gift because you don’t have to try to piece things together like you would for an outfit. Us fashionistas know that our coats are just as important as our outfits and they have the power to make or break our outfit. Getting her an amazing coat that’s both fashionable and great quality is an amazing gift. Make sure there’s great structure and you can also never go wrong with a little fur (faux or real, to each it’s own opinion and pockets). You should stick to colors like black, tan/brown, grey, or red just so you don’t miss your target, but you still make a statement. Also you can add in a nice quality hat, scarf and glove set to bring it all together (and I’m not talking about a $5 set, I’m talking quality).

   If you’re a last minute shopper and were a little lost on what to get then I hope this has given you some ideas on what to get. It’s the thought that counts but you also don’t want to throw just anything together. There are many stores that allow you to purchase online and they will have your order ready for you when you come in the store such as Nordstrom, this way you can avoid long lines and being in crowded spaces right before the holiday. You can get a great gift without having to break the bank, even at the last minute!

#WeeklyStyleMoments

“I love fashion, and I love changing my style, my hair, my makeup, and everything I've done in the past has made me what I am now. Not everyone is going to like what I do, but I look back at everything, and it makes me smile.”
-Victoria Beckham

Style and Comfort

Cardigan: NastyGal// Shirt: Zara// Pants: Forever 21// Sunglasses: Forever 21//

Style is never wrong as we know, because it’s our own. Although style can’t be wrong you should also tread lightly on making bad style decisions. But one decision that is never wrong is choosing to combine style and comfort. I’m not one to wear sweats often but I love a good chill outfit that has been styled to still be more fashionable and less “I didn’t feel like it”.

There are many ways that you can dress up your sweats, such as adding a third piece, adding some sunglasses, throwing on some heels, adding a blazer and even adding fur because fur makes everything better. Cute and Cozy is always a good style decision. If you don’t want to go the dressed up route or you just don’t feel like picking out a cute outfit grab your favorite pair of sweatpants, they can be baggy or fitted, then you can spice it up with what you would usually add if you were getting all dressed up.

The technique of being stylish and comfortable is fairly easy but having a good personal style is important because then although you may have on sweats others may not realize or they’ll think that this was the look that you were planning to wear all along. It takes a good eye and vision to turn nothing into something, but you don’t have to be dressed to the nines to do so. Which is why the saying on the shirt “Style is never wrong (use only under stylist supervision) reigns true.

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“Fashion is part of our culture, and it's about more than just a pretty dress.”
-Joan Smalls

The Color Quality

Jacket: Nasty Gal// Bodysuit: Forever 21// Pants: Zara// Boots: Forever 21// Earrings: Shein//

As you all may know from reading my blog, following me on social media or knowing me in real life, I LOVE fashion. But I also love the ability to be able to get a quality product at an affordable price and one company that does that but can also be considered a fast fashion retailer is Nasty Gal.

I ordered this jacket and I loved it and thought it was super cute which is why I ordered it, but I didn’t expect for it to be of such great quality. When I got it in the mail I was even more blown away. The jacket has amazing color especially with it having the snakeskin print I loved how the yellows, brown, orange and black were all perfect together and the patent leather material gave it an amazing shine. This is an amazing piece and is definitely a staple in my closet. Trust me it is possible to find affordable quality pieces.

Now into this look, I knew once I received this jacket I wanted to put it with a great fit and there’s so much that I can do with it. I chose to pair it with these amazing patent leather boots with a slanted short rectangular pointed heel (same heel that was on the crystal Yves Saint Laurent boots), I felt like putting both of these patent leathers together was a match made in heaven and it was. I kept it simple with an all black look because I wanted the focus to be on the jacket and shoes. I put on a red lip because this jacket screamed for one and I added a cute pair of fringe earrings for an accessory flair. I took a plain outfit and added two quality pieces to level it up without breaking the bank.

#WeeklyStyleMoments

“I love fashion, and I love changing my style, my hair, my makeup, and everything I've done in the past has made me what I am now. Not everyone is going to like what I do, but I look back at everything, and it makes me smile.”

-Victoria Beckham

Snakeskin Needed, No Questions Asked

Boots: NastyGal// Jacket: NastyGal// Pants: NastyGal

When it comes to the cold weather seasons like fall and winter it’s all about prints and textures like I have mentioned many times before. Snakeskin is personally my favorite whether its on clothes, bags or shoes or if it’s just a print or the actual snakeskin texture.

This season I’ve found myself continuously purchasing snakeskin items, and there’s some good and very inexpensive pieces out there. Snakeskin is one of those things that can honestly be paired with anything, it’s so versatile and such a statement on it’s own. Skins are always in, fur and any type of animal skin (especially snakeskin and alligator skin) has always defined fashion for me.

Find the skin that you like, and normally they come in many different shades and pieces of clothing and are great for transitioning from season to season. Staples make statements and you need them.

How a Fashionista Strategizes Black Friday

So as we all know black Friday is a very big day for shopping and spending money. It’s full of long lines, crowded spaces and shopping bags. Sometimes many of us don’t know how to navigate exactly what we are going out to shop for and the budget we set for ourselves so here are some tips on how to work through black Friday successfully.

1. Making a list of things that you need to purchase so that you can be organized and not overspend or buy things just because there are sales.

   -Make a list of all the things that you have been wanting throughout the year or gifts that you need to purchase for people and it may be helpful to put next to them which stores you can get them from. Making lists makes everything so much better and easier to navigate.

2. Set a Budget for yourself.

   -Setting a budget based off of your list and what you need to get will help you maintain the fact that you don’t want to go broke shopping just because. I’m a firm person on not spending money if you don’t have to and creating a budget.

   -Set a realistic budget and make sure that you’re only spending what you can afford. Try as hard as you can to not go over your budget or even set a budget that gives you a little wiggle room outside of the things on your list so you can have just a little bit of leisure spending.

3. Get things done early

   -I know that it’s hard to avoid the crowds but going out to the malls or store maybe around 9 am you may avoid the long lines at 5 and 6am and you may be able to move more quickly and get what you need and get out.

4. Dress Comfortably

   -When you’re out in these black Friday streets you want to make sure that you are dressed comfortable from clothing to shoes. You can be cute but make sure you’re able to wear something that you can move around in such as some cute sweats and gym shoes or some stretchy clothes that aren’t tight and constricting to your body. Carry a small crossbody purse as well to cut down the amount of things you have to carry.

5. Time Management

   -Cut down the amount of time that you spend in each store. Get what you need and go, once you get what’s on your list don’t spend too much extra time in that store because then you start to look at things you don’t need and just start making impulse purchases.

   -You don’t want to spend all day shopping so be strategic, be concise and be quick.

   Other Things:

   1. Participate in small business Saturday. I know that we get caught up in spending money at the big box stores, but we need to make it our duty to participate in small business Saturday and put that money back into our communities like we would these bigger companies. I know that I will personally be supporting some black owned businesses.

   2. Participate in Cyber Monday!! All the stores that you go to for Black Friday will 9 times out of 10 be having a Cyber Monday sale and many of these stores may actually be doing sales this entire weekend. For your favorite online stores Cyber Monday is their time to shine so be ready!! Places like Amazon are especially great during Cyber Monday. This is the time for you to be in your bed and not have to leave home.

      Overall I wish you all a great shopping weekend. Have fun and be smart with your money, also be safe. Good luck and great shopping this weekend fashionistas!

#WeeklyStyleMoments

“Fashion should be stylish and fun.”

-Twiggy

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“I've always been into fashion since I was a kid. I love fashion. I appreciate it.”

-Future

Boots for a Bad One

Shirt: Loft// Jacket: Forever 21// Pants: Unknown// Boots: Akira//

So we all know it’s getting cold outside and it’s time to put away our flimsy summer shoes and bring out the boots and strong shoes that will keep our feet warm. In the fall and winter I feel like it’s so important to have your boot game on point. I want to make sure that I have some amazing boots to wear whether it’s for everyday activities or going out on the weekends. Cute shoes in the colder months can be so hard to come by because you want to make sure that you don’t freeze, but you also don’t want to ruin a cute outfit with the wrong shoes.

My advice on creating a nice winter shoe collection is to go for mostly staple colors like black, white, nude, grey, brown etc. but sprinkle in a few pops of color like burgundy, red, pink and many more. You can also implement textures with your books such as snakeskin, fringe and prints. As I previously stated you want to make sure you have your staple colors first because those are what you wear the most of, you want to get a cute pair of heeled and non-heeled boots in both tan/brown and black, as well as getting long and short lengths. Always remember that the outfit is important, but the shoes are too and your shoes are the final piece that can make or break your outfit.

#WeeklyStyleMoments

"You gotta have style. It helps you get down the stairs. It helps you get up in the morning. It’s a way of life. Without it, you’re nobody. I’m not talking about lots of clothes.”

- Diana Vreeland

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“Fashion is not about clothes, it is about a look.”

-Carine Roitfeld

Black Creatives NEED to Support Each Other

As we all know it can be very hard for black creatives to strive in their industries. Although we may have the most talent, experience and knowledge in many cases. We aren’t given the resources and tools for that to be seen or to rise to it’s full potential which brings me to the point of why we need to support each other and network horizontally instead of vertically in the words of Issa Rae. There are many instances where we get looked over and left behind when we have so much to offer and often get our hard work and ideas stolen from us by bigger brands (this happens in all industries). These are all reasons why industry events such as culture con are major for us.

I know that many of us get tired of being the token black person or being looked at as the spokesperson or sole opinion of the black community in many rooms and at many tables, but this is why when you get in a position of power or influence you need to reach a hand back or send the elevator back down to your people. Not saying that you need to just put your name and reference behind just anyone but it’s so many of us that are talented that you can pass a good opportunity on to another black person. If you are a celebrity hire a talented black creative team including a hairstylist, wardrobe stylist (stylists can use clothing from black designers as well), makeup artists, photographers and much more because giving them that opportunity can give them the chance they need to showcase their work and create a lot of clientele for them and it took nothing from you but they all made you look amazing.

We have to learn that helping the next person isn’t taking anything from you, if you can’t take a job pass the word along to someone else, if you know some resources or important information pass that on to your peers. A small gesture can make a big impact. A few celebrities have been doing this and I absolutely love it, when Issa Rae hosted the CFDA Awards last year she wore all black designers (which was major because a black person had never hosted and she represented us), for the American Music Awards Tracee Ellis Ross wore black designers from the time of press events and during the entire show in which she wore 10+ different looks (along with having a black wardrobe stylist and hairstylist), Beyonce wore black artists throughout the On the Run II Tour and many other celebrities have been doing similar things. It just makes me so happy to see people on larger platforms represent us and we need to continue doing this on a big and small scale. Remember it takes nothing from you to help the next person.

#WeeklyStyleMoments

“Clothes aren’t going to change the world, the women who wear them will.”

-Anne Klein

Girls Supporting Girls

Mainly for the past year or two there has been so much talk about women empowerment and the rise of women empowerment luncheons and events which is so amazing when done with the right intentions. But people forget to talk about how you can support girls and women when there is no event happening and just on a day to day basis. I’m not saying that you have to go do it for women you don’t know (it would be amazing if we could get to that point), but you can start out with supporting the women in your family or your friends. Support doesn’t only have to be purchasing something if they have a business or they are selling something, but it can be as simple as asking how are they really doing (how do they feel mentally, physically, and emotionally), being a listening ear for them, asking them how that new business is going, reposting something on social media, offering to watch their kids for a couple hours so they can get a break, going over just to hang out and much more.

Support can come in so many different facets, big or small. You have to make it known what type of friends you are looking for and what type of friend you are willing to be. When we support and uplift each other so many amazing things can happen. Something just as simple as giving another woman a compliment as you bypass her on the street can brighten someone’s day and doesn’t take anything from you. There is power and amazing energy in us when we are able to genuinely shine a light on each other. Support women no matter if you know them or not, remember that support doesn’t have to be extravagant some times it’s the small things that count especially when they didn’t know they needed it. So many others pick us apart in our day to day lives and in the media that we may as well bad together and hold each other up.

#WeeklyStyleMoments

“Fashion is the science of appearances, and it inspires one with the desire to seem rather than to be.”

-Edwin Hubbel Chapin

The pants that give you lifeeeee

Shirt: Unknown// Bustier: Victoria’s Secret// Pants: Akira (found by Girl Goodies Brand)// Shoes: Akira//

When I started to pick out my clothes for the week and I picked out this outfit I thought it was cute but I didn’t know how it would turn out due to the simple fact that I had different colors being put together that were kind of opposite (black, blue stripes, and red) and I had never really put together an outfit like this that was partially giving off “9-5 professional but staying true to my personal style” and “I’m going out with the girls after this”.

When I wore these amazing flared, high-waist pants I wanted to make sure that I wore it with a bomb outfit because they fit so cute and I love how long the pants legs are even though I’m really short. I can’t really tell you why I chose to put each of these pieces together because I don’t know but I loved it when I put it on. I could have just kept it simple by putting a black shirt under the black bustier, but I didn’t want to be predictable and I felt that the striped shirt made the outfit different. Even though the pants were long and I like them that way I wore heels because if I didn’t they would be draggingggg, I didn’t do a dramatic heel but I did a boot with a clear heel to keep it simple but give me height.

The best outfits always happen when you’re just having fun with your clothes and experimenting. I kept it simple with accessories by just wearing small silver hoops because the attention grabber was the outfit and that’s how I wanted to keep it.

#WeeklyStyleMoments

“Fashion is part of our culture, and it's about more than just a pretty dress.”
-Joan Smalls

I'm the Captain.

Jacket: Girl Goodies Brand// Bodysuit: Forever 21// Pants: Unknown// Shoes: Boohoo//

As you all may know I played around with this jacket a few months ago while in New York City, but recently I restyled it a different way and it made me LOVE this jacket even more! There’s some amazing about statement pieces and you need to keep many! Having statement pieces makes your closet more versatile, because it’s not always about how much you have but about WHAT you have in that wardrobe of yours.

If you look at my outfit that I have on, the shirt, pants and shoes, then the outfit I have on isn’t that interesting and would have probably been very boring if I just wore it without the jacket unless I was trying to be “chill”. But adding on the jacket made this a whole new look. This outfit can be perfect for a weekend event, girls night out, a concert, dinner or a date among many other activities. The bright red of the jacket, the green in the pants and the white of the shoes and shirt bounce off of each other so well and gives you a bomb, sleek and clean look without you looking like you’re actually trying (there’s nothing better than effortless style or fashion). This outfit and the way I styled this jacket before gives me two completely different vibes, but this look wins the race for me.