Flat Out

Monday: I just felt like I wanted to be extremely comfy today. It was going to be hot and I didn’t want to wear anything too fussy, especially since I knew I would be sitting in the yard part of the day. I chose this skirt and a simple tank with some flat sandals. Nothing much to explain, a very simple look. This outfit gave me the tree hugger/granola girl vibe. Very basic, no bells and whistles. Just laid back cool. I added the wood beads to go along with the natural vibe. And of course a pair of hoops. I think I actually might step outside of my box and rock flat sandals alot more this summer. I have quite a few pair of different flat sandals that I’ve collected over the years but don’t wear often enough. I also picked up the white ones like these I’m wearing. It’s a different look for me but I like it, so be prepared to see me in more flat sandals this Summer. God  Bless and have a great week!

Tank: Arizona (JCP-old)

Skirt/Belt: Vintage

Sandals: Montego Bay Club (Payless)

Sunglasses: Tory Burch

Jewelry: Random; Fossil; Shamballa

Memorial Day 2012

Monday: Just a little family gathering for the holiday. My nephews had fun running thru the sprinkler (and my son). The kids always have a great time playing, running around outside. We had some good bbq food and enjoyed some cake for dessert. Yesterday was my sister’s b-day so we had the cake for her. Always enjoy the times spent with my family. We always have a great time laughing, talking and reminiscing as my aunt with memory of an elephant reminds everyone of stories from the past. Most of the time she is the only one who remembers, lol! She has this crazy ability to remember EVERYTHING and everyone and everyone’s birthdays and everyone’s children’s birthdays (get the picture)! But it’s always fun listening to her! How was your holiday? Too bad it’s over! Back to work tomorrow, well for you, not me cause I took off;). God Bless and thanks for stopping by!

Men’s Wear- Denim Cutoffs

Monday: Who says the guys can’t get on the denim cutoff trend? Of course they are going to be alot different than what you will see on the girls. Worn loose and distressed, I think the guys will look cool and casual in cutoffs whether they are DIYs or store bought. They can be styled in several ways. Here Javar styled them with vintage-inspired tank and a pair of color blocked sneakers. They would also look great styled more preppy  with a  polo shirt and white sneaker. Or perhaps a button down shirt and some sneakers. The options could be endless if you use a little imagination.

Tank: Hollister (old)

Shorts: Arizona (JCP-old)

Sneakers: Nike

Wooden Danglers

Saturday: I bought this romper a few years ago when they were on trend. Well, they still are this season too. This is one trend that has been around and hasn’t left us yet. Whether it is shorts romper or pants jumpsuit, the one piece is here to stay!  I like this one because it is more utilitarian. It can read a little masculine, like a car mechanic’s overalls (that’s what comes to mind for me). I wore this neon orange tubetop (for all you old heads or bandeau as they now call them) to bring in a little color. Also trying out this Apricot (orange) lipstick. Still not sure how I feel about it yet. Anyway, the romper isn’t exactly a heavy denim material, very lightweight and appropriate for the weather. Could get a little hot if you stay out in the hot sun too long, but was definitely perfect for the frigid movie theater. Javar and I hung out together today. Went to see The Avengers, which I wouldn’t have seen if I didn’t go with him. It was actually pretty good, even though I’m not a big superhero movie fan. The fight scenes are what made the movie. I didn’t quite like the storyline though. Or maybe I just didn’t follow it too well. Anyway, the outfit suited me fine for the movies. Even though I still had to put on my socks and my Snuggie. Don’t judge, they have the air on blast in the theaters in the Summertime! I need to be comfortable and being cold is very uncomfortable for me! P.S.- the dangling earrings are outside of my comfort zone. If you notice, I usually only wear hoops of some kind, straight posts or clip-ons. I think this natural updo was calling for these wooden earrings that I’ve had for many many years. What do you think? Have a great weekend! God Bless!

Romper: Paper Denim & Cloth

Bandeau: Derek Heart (BCF)

Shoes: Stuart Weitzman (Century21)

Sunglasses: M.Kors

Jewelry: Random; H&M; Shambala; Fossil; GAP

Watch: Marc Jacobs (very old)

Strong Shoulder

Friday: I wore this to go run errands. I like this little vintage silk jacket. It can definitely be a little old ladyish but the way I styled it, it looks more modern. I put it with the denim cutoffs to downplay the dressiness. Of course I kept the shoulder pads in because I love an 80’s strong shoulder that the pads make. The shoes are very very old. Probably over 12 yrs old but they still look modern especially since those colors are on trend. I like how they have the lime green inner sole with the pink straps. I actually have them in white and orange, I think. Even though it’s been all those years since I’ve worn them (only 1x), I didn’t get rid of them because I knew I would wear them again one day! So, I’m not one to tell anyone to get rid of an item if they haven’t worn it in a year. I say keep it, if you love it, you’ll wear it again one day! Oh, I soon remembered why I didn’t wear the shoes that much (well, that’s not the only reason, but it did make a difference). Because I have such narrow ankles and heels (but big feet), the ankle straps need extra holes because my heels slide to the side when I walk in these. So I gotta do so extra hole punching on these and the others before I wear them. Update on my natural hair journey: Still trying to figure this natural thing out! I am loving the versatility it offers. Being able to experiment with different styles is the best part. Trying to find the right products for my hair is definitely a challenge. I take recommendations for other naturals but everyone’s hair is different so what works for one person may not work for another, but it’s worth trying. Also, have been gradually chopping trimming off my relaxed ends so I’m getting there (closer to totally relaxer free). I can’t wait! Yay! Long, holiday weekend ahead. Anybody going to or having any cookouts? Enjoy your weekend and be safe! God Bless!

Jacket: Vintage

Tank: Ross

Shorts: GAP (old)

Shoes: ? (very, very old)

Necklace: JCP

Jewelry: Fossil; Random; GAP

Not So Sporty, Sporty

Sunday: Just a little touch of the athletic/sporty trend. I found these pants on the clearance rack while waiting for Michelle to consign her things. I tend to do that often. When I consign my stuff or I go with Michelle to consign her stuff, I find myself shopping. I actually call myself just browsing and “looking” but can’t pass up a good find when I stumble across one! I would call these pants tuxedo pants because of the thick stripe down the side of the leg. I actually have a pair of white w/a navy stripe (can’t remember the designer off hand; have only worn them once few years ago; maybe will wear and post sometime this season) that I called tuxedo pants. But according to the current trend, they are now called athletic-like, track-inspired. Anyway, found this sweatshirt on the clearance rack at the GAP. Loved the color and actually bought the chartreuse/yellow one too! I knew I wanted to pair it with something unexpected rather than another athletic piece like sweatpants or something casual like jeans.The colors don’t “match” but I like how they look together, very unexpected. That’s what I love about fashion, anything goes if you are confident and believe in what you’re wearing! What I believe works for me, may not work for the next person. That’s why it’s called “personal style”. So find your personal style and embrace it, with confidence! Hope you had a good weekend! God Bless!

Sweatshirt: GAP

Pants: Helmut Lang (Greene Street Consignment)

Shoes: Tory Burch (Designer Consigner)

Clutch: ?

Earrings: BCF

Jewelry: Random; Fossil; Vince Camuto

No Meat!

Sunday: I heard about this “Veg Fest” that was going to be held at a local park so we decided to check it out. I’m not a vegetarian, but sometimes come close. I consider myself a flexitarian, that’s when you sometimes eat meat, chicken, seafood, fish or some form of animal products such as eggs and dairy, but eat mostly a vegetarian diet. That’s me! Not big on meat, but will eat fish, seafood and dairy ( a little turkey occasionally). Just a small little gathering of people, live music and food. The food was excellent! And free (donations accepted)! Very flavorful and a good variety with all different tastes. I wouldn’t mind trying some of the foods on my family. I actually bought a book, “Vegetarian for Dummies” (from the For Dummies Series), but haven’t put anything into practice yet. We do sometimes do “Meatless Mondays”, which aren’t a favorite in my house of carnivores. But I think that if I “disguise” some foods or use the meat-like vegetarian products, they might not notice too much! I don’t care about having meat so I don’t want anything that’s pretending to be meat, but it should work for them. What do you think of going meatless? Could you do it?

Top: The Limited (very old)

Skirt: I Heart Ronson (JCP-old)

Sneakers: Converse Chucks

Crossbody Bag: Polo Jeans Co. (very old)

No, I’m Not An AKA

Saturday: When my sister gave me this dress for Mother’s Day, I instantly knew I wanted to wear these pink lace ups with it! I love the combination of the pink with the green. Yeah, these are AKA colors but I’m not a Greek, I just like how the colors look together. The photos don’t show how vibrant the pink is. These shoes are sooo comfy! I actually bought the taupe ones too. GAP has them marked down plus they were an additional 25% off!  The photos don’t really show how vibrant the pink is. Just a cool, easy outfit for a beautiful Saturday! God Bless!

Dress: Gifted from my sister

Vest: I Heart Ronson (JCP-old)

Shoes: GAP

Hat: BCF (old)

Fruit Stripes

Friday: I usually don’t have favorites when it comes to pieces of clothing or shoes, but if I had to pick a pair of favorite shorts, these boyfriends would be the one! They are my “go to” shorts because I can wear them with anything. They are super comfy and I love a slouchy/loose fit! Just a simple green tee paired with them leaving the shoes as the standout piece. Of course, I love the stripes, that’s what attracted me to the shoes. The different color stripes make them more versatile to wear with several different color options. They kind of remind me of the old school gum fruit stripes. They also had the same shoe but with a zipper side and no ankle strap but I thought the ankle strap made them more interesting. I’m loving the tribal/ethnic references seen in clothing and accessories right now! What do you think, have you got in on the tribal/ethnic trend yet? It’s going to be a nice weekend on the East Coast! Enjoy and God Bless!

Blazer: Oxford? (JCP)

Tee: A.N.A (JCP)

Boyfriend Shorts: A.N.A (JCP)

Shoes: BCF

Cuff: MNG by Mango (JCP)

Sunglasses: Gucci (old)

 

Happy Mother’s Day

What is a Mother?

A Mother has so many things to do,

From washing, ironing, cleaning to tying a shoe.

She scrubs, she mends, she cooks and sews,

She bathes the children and washes their clothers.

When they forget to wash their faces clean,

And their clothes are the muddiest you’ve ever seen,

Who repairs the clothes and scrubs them like new?

Of course, that is what a Mother will do.

Who becomes the doctor or the nurse when they are ill,

Applying a bandage or giving them a pill?

Who becomes a teacher when a child has homework?

She must never her duty shirk.

Who becomes a detective to find a toy or a book?

For missing things she must look and look?

Who becomes a listener to every heartache,

To every accomplishment that a child makes?

Who scolds their children when they are naughty,

Or remind them of God when they are haughty?

Who tends her family with love and patience, too?

Of course that is what a Mother will do.

-Unknown

Had a wonderful Mother’s Day! After going to church we  decided it was going to be a “Mom’s Day”, so we went to lunch/early dinner for the girls only! It’s not often that a mom gets time to herself, but that’s what we did today! Good food, good conversation and just a great time spending time together with my mom, my sister and two of my aunts. The vintage pics are of my mom thru-out some years and my grandmom Barbara (the black n whites), my maternal grandmom who I never had the pleasure of knowing. Just want to wish my mom and aunts a happy mother’s day and thank you for being great models of a God-fearing, strong woman and mother! Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers today and everyday cause we all know a mother’s job is the most difficult in the world (and never ends no matter how old your kids get!)and we should be given honor everyday, not just once a year! Hope you had a wonderful day! God Bless!