Expensive Taste in Green Lace

I will take any excuse to get dressed up. Even though I usually destroy my room in the process by ravaging through my closet and rejecting everything...until the least expected choice starts pulsing with prophetic light. Even though I cannot apply makeup but I feel I must. No bare face allowed while wearing a dress I couldn't zip up all the way (comfortably) a few months ago. This was all for a natural hair meetup, a grand extravaganza with product giveaways, games (ice breakers and Heads Up), a mini fashion show and #AskRachel hilariousness.

Ya'll this dress is Barney's New York. This is a "Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl might consider buying just because she can" kind of dress. Again, a treasure discovered by my mother. I didn't think it would fit well enough for whatever level of confidence I had going to a Meetup group event solo and for the first time. But it was all good. I was in the company of beautiful women, all dressed to impress, all with beautiful natural hair--no envy (okay, minor envy), great admiration, inspiration and a little bit of advice. Confidence to rock the dress helped unleash my competitive edge and I won some full-size hair products. Yeah!

You got McDonald's money?
 -- #AskRachel

Red and green in June? Does Christmas have a monopoly on this color combo? I suppose there are exceptions to every presumed "rule" of fashion. If rugs can do it, then anyone can. Because people are analogous to rugs of course. 

Is this a half-hearted "yaaaaaasssss" pose? idk

I got yo crazy in my trunk!
-- Tasha Mack, The Game (but only the CW seasons)

 What I'm wearing:

Barney's New York dress // BCBGeneration wedges // JewelMint Flora necklace // Zara clutch // cream bangle from somewhere

What do you think of the color scheme? 

Happy Halfway through June!

A is for Awkward, B is for Bright

This Valentine's Day I dressed to impress...myself.  A brief break from winter (which, as of yesterday, has ended) allowed an outfit as seasonally inappropriate as this.  Plus, I had a (group) date with Issa Rae at Brazos Bookstore.  

On a book tour to promote The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, Issa Rae (who sounds and acts EXACTLY like I'd expect after watching her web series of the same name) read an excerpt from the book, answered questions from the audience and then signed copies.  I arrived at the bookstore an hour and 15 minutes before the event time so I got a prime seat.  I also got to meet this retired couple who sat next me and I had a lovely chat with the missus. ♥

However, that prime seat resulted in a non-prime place in line for the book signing after .  All those darn late people standing in the back beat me.  While waiting in line I tried to think of what I would say to Issa Rae once it was my turn.  I thought I would share with her that I would watch her web series and think to myself "No, I don't believe her.  Issa Rae is functionally and hilariously awkward.  I'm actually awkward.  Plainfully and painfully so."

My heartbeat quickened just as I was to walk up to the table.  Everything I had spent the last 15 minutes planning in my head disappeared.  Issa Rae threw me off (ha!) by thanking me for waiting in such a long line and I responded in a nervous babble about my prime seat rationale. How awkward!  Then it was signed, sealed, photographed, goodbye, the end.  

It was still great!

B is for Bright: Rundown on the Rainbow

Why has it taken me 8 months to finally wear this foine yellow blazer?!! (smh).  The watercolor skirt/tank pairing has been waiting for a special occasion because I didn't ever want to look too cute for no reason.  That's the worst (not really, but you know).  It's a simple combination, I think, made happier with the brightest colors I could find. ♥

flamingo.

What I'm wearing:

H&M teal tank // Zara Basics blazer // Walter by Walter Baker skirt // BCBGeneration wedges // Kate Spade "pocketbook" // JewelMint Flora necklace

Happy Tuesday!
Other link-a-dinks:
Brazos Bookstore
Issa Rae

Throwback Time

Does this count as a leg pop, Princess Mia?

I am dancing...

Ay, I see you!

This was a couple weeks back when I was all hype on chocolate cake from Benjy's.  I was meeting some Igbo peeps for Happy Hour and didn't know how to dress.  Up or down?  Maybe this is dressy casual (that black Goody headband ensures the casual part, I believe).  Because the last time I wore this BCBG skirt it was casual to the max. 

I hope you all are as happy and optimistic as I appear in these photos.  Right now I'm supposed to be seriously grinding.  This grad school business...three papers due within the next two weeks.  And on that note, good day all. xoxo

What I'm Wearing

Express cami // Classiques Entier jacket // BCBG Max Azria skirt// Seychelles wedge boots // Rebecca Minkoff MAC bag // JewelMint Florals necklace

Happy 48

what is that face?

One year has passed and this is my 48th post! 

I've managed to create something on the Internet at least once every month.

When an anniversary occurs I feel like you're compelled to think about something, voluntarily or not.  Recall or relive a memory.  Celebrate a gain or a success.  Mourn a loss or a failure.  Reflect on how much you've changed, whether you've grown or regressed.  Sometimes thoughts are positive (and I hope they are for everyone).  But other times thoughts are not positive.  In those cases, I hope things have gotten better or that the situation has been acknowledged and you're still working your way through.

At first I was mildly shocked about the milestone because it came to mind.  Then I thought about why I decided to start this blog (self-expression, to be a little bit bolder, to be inspired, and maybe to inspire others).  Have I accomplished these goals? Not quite...and sometimes I wonder if I should (or if I would ever) push myself more, to promote me, and be shameless. Hmm...I don't have an answer yet.  But in the meantime I'm happy about Extraordinary Too and I'll try to keep it up as long as I can.

So...this dress with a pleated skirt (which I wanted to call a crinkle skirt, but that's incorrect).  It was a birthday gift from my dear friends.  It came with a black elastic belt that tried to cut my middle in half.  The belt had to go.  The only originality I added was the heart buckle green Moschino belt that was either stolen from or given by my mom.  I can't remember lol.   

Happy 48!

Outfit Details

Emma & Michele dress // Moschino leather belt // oh...Dear! wedges

The Headless Woman

Because I am a hopeless with the camera...I became a headless woman.  Maybe I should really find a photography book or a camera with changeable lenses.  Most of the OOTD photos floating around are full-length but still close-up.  I don't know how to do that with my camera.  I'm not even sure it's capable. Anyway...

Monochrome black with a pop of color.  The easiest way to wear something so loud and bright as this Zara blazer is to let it stand alone against one solid color.  No competing with patterns or other members of the rainbow.  Ya'll don't know how many times I tried this blazer on only to throw it off because I thought it didn't look right with whatever outfit. For months.  It was too bright, too turquoise, too big, too long.  But I refused to return it.  During my family's big college commencement weekend, with the unexpected cold and drab weather, it became the choice article of clothing.  By necessity at first, but all of sudden it worked with my outfits.  Or I'm just a weirdo.

Especially with black, I sometimes get annoyed at the differing shades.  I'm pretty sure the top, pants and shoes each have their own ideas about what black is but that's alright.  Whatever.  Gold accents with all the accessories for the final touch.  Just fine for a warm rainy day in the Alamo City. Or y'know, indoors.

Choo choo!

Outfit Details

Tahari tank top

Zara Casual Blazer 

Gap ankle pants

Seychelles booties (arrgh!)

JewelMint gold bangle

Uptown Cheapskate earrings

Steve Madden crossbody bag

Brown on Beige on Brown

Happy Black History Month!*  Obviously, this outfit is an attempt to demonstrate the different shades of brown that exist and that black people are really brown.  In elementary school I would choose the brown, raw sienna, and sepia Crayola crayons to draw myself and family, not the black one.  In high school I would wonder why Hispanics and Indians get call themselves brown people.  "But I'm brown too!!"  Oh, but we all know the term is a socially-influenced racial classification...or something.

Taking advantage of the warmer weather, I opted for what I'd call a prairie dress.  It's BITTEN by Sarah Jessica Parker, the clothing line she had in collaboration with the now defunct Steve & Barry's way back when (like 2007).  It's also a reject taken from my cousin lol.  This is how to wear a recycled midi prairie dress: under a cardigan and cinched with a belt to give it a little more shape.

♥

Now, does anyone remember that Nickelodeon show Cousin Skeeter?  With Meagan Good, Robert Ri'chard (Arnaz from One on One, with Penny Proud) and a puppet?  Looking at all this brown reminded me of a scene where Skeeter (puppet) is trying to help Bobby (Robert) choose what to wear for something, most likely involving Bobby's crush Nina (Meagan).  All Bobby had in his closet were beige clothes.  And Skeeter might have thrown a fit as he went through the rack: "Beige?...Beige?!...Beige!...More beige?!!!"  Okay, time to retire that word for the month.

RIP purse

Sooo, this is the bag I wore with the outfit.  The strap unexpectedly unleashed on me while walking out of a store.  I could only laugh about it; I know I wore it out and did not always treat it kindly.  It made an awkward temporary clutch for the rest of the afternoon.

Outfit Details

Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker dress

H&M cardigan

Brown belt from who knows where

Sam Edelman sandals (Marshall's)

Marc Fisher purse I killed

*Hmmm...Google's logo shows Harriet Tubman in honor of Black History Month.  Now to think about what I might do...

Grass Is Greener

Pretend the blank wall behind me is an architecturally beautiful historical street or an expansive field with orange leaves decorating the sky and ground.  Right now it is freezing enough to numb my ears and it's been made worse by a cold and mean rain.  I could not be outside any longer than necessary (car and back only), so I had to find my own little corner in my own little room.

I wore this to my Bird Bakery outing.  The black and kelly green was not as cheery as the bakery decor, but the light and bright colors should maybe go into semi-retirement.  I'm glad I got a bunch of sweaters and other long-sleeved things shopping in St. Louis with my sister.  I realized that stores in locations with serious winters keep the best options in stock.  Obvious, I know, but now that I'm back down here maybe I should have found myself a warmer coat than this one while I was still up there.

These black Levi's Bold Curve are awesome because I don't need a belt and not awesome because they always look so faded and off-black.  The black oxford heels are here again.  I don't usually wear heels, but according to my sister flats make you look dumpy.  In response to that opinion and to appear more my age (recently mistaken for a high school student...not awful, just inaccurate), I've decided to wear heels more often. 

Now I was tricked into buying that bracelet.  I sign up for so many clothing/accessory places with my junk email address.  I receive newsletters, promotions and lookbooks from Piperlime, Hautelook, Just Fab, Sole Society, Shoe Dazzle, Bauble Bar and finally JewelMint.  All places that I never intend to ever purchase anything from.  Most times the emails go straight from inbox to trash.

But then there was that email from JewelMint advertising $9.99 for the first purchased piece.  Impulse sparked and before I knew it I was browsing their jewelry.  They hooked me and reeled me in.  By making that first purchase I am officially on their payroll each month.  I can skip a month if I don't want to buy anything and I can later cancel altogether.  Ooh, I felt deceived and I'll probably cancel but I was excited to get the bracelet in the mail.  I have since worn it twice in a row.  Well then.

Beware of sales trickery.  Read all the lines.

Outfit Details
Free Country reversible jacket
Kenar Extrafine Merino Wool sweater (TJ Maxx)
Levi's Bold Curve skinny jeans (Macy's I think)
B.O.C Oxford heels (DSW)
Clara bracelet (Jewel Mint)
black and purple stone earrings (gift)