Parisian Vibes in the States

Turtleneck: Lexi Dream Boutique // ‘Prevail’ Beret: FOREH// Jeans: Re/done// Coat: Forever 21// Shoes: Nike// Bag: Zara// Earrings: Shein//

So my favorite pieces of this entire outfit is my beret and coat, the first time I came across Foreh I fell in love with their products and just had to get something. Especially since they’re black owned and the products are amazing and once it came in the mail I couldn’t wait to style it and find the perfect time to wear it!! With this bomb coat I actually wasn’t expecting to get it but when I saw it it was such a statement and who knew that them together would be a match made in heaven.

My outfit at the basis of it all if very simple, its just a white fitted turtleneck, ripped jeans and my favorite pair of Nikes, but I added some fashion to it by adding the coat, beret and my signature red lip. As soon as I put the whole look together it gave me Parisian vibes and made me want to put this coat and beret combo in the archives for when I visit Paris. I took this outfit from 0 to 100 real quick all with accessories. This outfit is perfect for everything from errands to dinner because it’s so comfortable and you can transition it from day to night by adding some cute black pumps.

Although the coat is actual outerwear I wore it as apart of my outfit and it was perfect especially because the material wasn’t too thick. This is officially on my list of favorite looks for 2019 and we’re less than two weeks in.

Keep the Snakes on your Clothes not in Your Circle

Shirt: Zara// Jeans: Re/done// Boots: Forever 21// Sunglasses: Beauty Supply Store// Purse: Zara// Earrings: Beauty Supply

As y’all know I always talk about prints and how much I love them and we all know that snakeskin is my favorite. Snakeskin printed and textured clothing is a staple in your closet and is an important factor in your fall and winter wardrobe. It’s fun to play around with your printed pieces and even mix and match them. You can dress your prints up or down and even layer them. I just so happen to go in Zara and everything I picked up was snakeskin and it wasn’t even planned!

With this look I kept it very chic, sleek and pretty simple. At the basis of it all this outfit is fairly simple but the prints, bold red lip, cute bag and amazing shoes are what bring it all out and makes it all come together. I paired the snakeskin print button up that has yellow, black and white tones with these light washed denim re/done jeans and these cute thigh high boots with a unique heel…. now this is where it gets interesting, I added MORE snakeskin but in a different print… yes it’s acceptable… and yes you can do it too. Although this cute bag is brown, orange and black and contrasts with the top it ties together due to the neutralness of the denim and the black that’s in both the top and the bag. Also adding a cute red lip will help to tie in all of your pieces and will make your look come together.

When you are wearing pieces that wouldn’t naturally go together or wearing snakeskin in general it requires a certain type of confidence that you must possess at all times while you are serving these looks. Now is your time to mix prints, match prints and do them however you want so take advantage just like I did

A Year of Fashions 2018 Edition

As we are coming down to our last days of 2018 we’re all reflecting on this past year and how it’s treated us. We’re looking back on the good, the bad, and ugly deciding what were the lessons we learned. For many they could have been monumental changes in many ways, but for me I had some monumental moments in fashion as well.

As this year is ending I looked back and picked out which outfits I loved the most that I wore in 2018 and I ended up with eight looks. For me fashion and style is always something that I only follow my own rules to produce, I don’t follow trends or what’s popular I just go by the beat of my own drum. A lot of my best looks come from just putting things together and then liking it in the end. I have no concept that I go by except for following my own rules and having a style that is unique to me. I don’t categorize myself as having a particular type of style or “aesthetic” except for “out of the box” because my style is literally different every day. I truly love fashion and I express that through the clothes that I wear. In 2019 I wish you all the power to off looks effortlessly and to serve fashions worldwide.

This is my last blog post before the year is up so I wish you all a happy holidays and a happy New Year. I want to thank everyone who reads my blog, I appreciate your support and I will be bringing you so much more in 2019. I hope that you all have planned out your goals for the upcoming year and I know you will accomplish each and every one.

How to Slay for the Holidays

There are many of us that are apart of the living room fits community for the holiday. We live near and far, but the fashions always hit for the holidays, we’re worldwide. I know that I’m a person that dresses up for every holiday even if it’s just sitting at someone’s house including my own. I feel like being dressed up completes the holidays, I don’t do it to be extra or stand out from everyone else it’s just something that I love and do for me. So I want to give you some ideas and tips on how to slay for the holidays.

1. Fur

   As you all are probably aware of by now my favorite thing is fur, whether it’s a coat, an accessory, on shoes, or attached to some clothing it’s ALL my favorite. Fur is perfect for your holiday wardrobe because it puts you in the instant mind of the holiday season and winter. With fur it’s only right that you are dressed to the nines whether it is subtle or blatant. Fur makes everything look precise and pristine.

2. Metallics

   Metallics are always instant glam no matter the color, it speaks party instantly. With metallic pieces it allows you to be versatile in how you style it, the metallic piece can be the main focus but it doesn’t have to be you can do whatever you want with your jewelry and other accessories. Metallics allow for you to easily transition from the family dinner/gathering to the after party. Your level of dressiness can vary when you’re playing with metallics because you are able to dress it down and be more casual but still look put together.

3. Sequins

   Sequins is always a way to be very glam and festive which is usually the route we take for Christmas. With sequins there’s a way to do it right and a way to do it completely wrong, you want to go for pieces that are intentional with the sequins and not anything that looks like it belongs in the 60s or 70s at a disco. You can do a full sequins outfit or just one sequins piece. I would only say wear statement jewelry if the sequins is on your bottoms and you have a more plain top, if you’re doing a sequins dress or jumpsuit keep the jewelry simple.

4. Jewelry

   For the holidays you can spice up an outfit with amazing accessories like earrings that are a great statement and make you look like you put a little bit of extra effort into your outfit. You can do a bold necklace as well but if you go this route be minimal with your earrings. Adding jewelry can upgrade your last minute outfit that you didn’t think was that cute. Y’all know I love a good bold earring and sometimes that’s all you need.

5. Red

   As we know red is the color of the Winter holidays so of course it would be perfect to wear on Christmas. Red is an amazing bold color that’s perfect for fashion in all forms. It’s great to implement it into your holiday look but you also don’t want to look like a Christmas decoration, to be fashionable and not overboard you can wear a red lip, or red bottoms or a red top or even red accessories but NOT ALL AT ONCE.

6. Flare

   We always need a little bit of flare especially during the holidays. You can add some flare to your outfit with a bomb third piece like a blazer or coat or fringe, ruffles, and bomb shoes. Your flare could be anything, this will add to your outfit and bring the whole idea full circle, bringing your vision to life perfectly. Take the time to figure out your idea for your holiday fit or your base and then keep turning up the knob for your flare as much as you want until you’re satisfied.

Overall the key to creating a bomb holiday look is figuring out what you want to look like, what aesthetic or look you want to give off, do you want to be dressed up or down and where you’re going. It’s great to plan ahead (I start thinking like a month in advance smh) because that allows you to make changes if you want, but if you want until the last minute there’s still hope.

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.

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

#WeeklyStyleMoments

“Fashion should be stylish and fun.”

-Twiggy

#WeeklyStyleMoments

“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

“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.