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!

Impulse Buys

The best thing about following other fashion/style blogs is seeing so many cool women look so uniquely put together.  This is what made me want to start my own (somewhat) style blog, in addition to the fact that I've had a thing about clothing since the 9th grade.  Back then I wanted to have at least a modicum of cool.  I wanted to look just as stylish as all the other girls.  This is still me (trying to be extraordinary too), except now I never truly lament about outfit fails...I just roll my eyes or cringe and then keep it movin'.  Next time...

The (sometimes) not so cool thing about following other fashion/style blogs is the mighty power of consumerism.  See a pair of fantastic shoes or coat on Instagram or a blog post and oh how we covet!  And now that nearly every fashion blogger includes direct links to the exact items they're wearing, it's just a done deal.  Oh, let me not forget the shopping haul videos on YouTube, also complete with links.  Whether or not these links are brand-sponsored and commission-earning, they all foster inspiration.  Inspiration that may give way to simple replication.  But that's another story I don't have the details for.

It's pretty easy to talk myself out of going beyond online window shopping.  First, having things requires money and I ain't got it like that (yet).  Second, while whatever it is looks awesome, I wouldn't wear it in real life and I don't need it.  Third, life is less about things, more about people and experiences.  More things won't necessarily make anything better.  These three reasons kept me in check, until I read someone's blog post reminding me about the Zara winter sale. 

Sales are probably the worst part of consumerism.  Sometimes Lulu's or Forever21 will send emails reading "Free shipping TODAY only!" or "15% off Happy Hour Sale!"  These ads will have a girl buying something she never planned to buy.  Like I mentioned, I can say "no" 99% of the time.  But ya'll, this Zara winter sale... This is how I acquired this burgundy clutch and iPhone case. $24 mas o menos.  Looking at what I'm wearing now, I just remembered that the jeans and flats were also impulse buys.  Damn!  Maybe I'm not as strong against the sway as I thought.

What I'm wearing:

H&M oatmeal tank // The Limited navy blazer // American Eagle ripped jeans // Mossimo Vikki patent flats // Zara clutch 

(oh yeah, the jewelry details...) Africa necklace, from Nigeria (thanks dad!) // JewelMint spiky bangle (which I accidentally spiked the clutch with) // BCBG gold arrow earrings

How to Have the Best Groundhog Day

H M blue blouse, $20 /  Wine Red coat / AG Adriano Goldschmied super skinny jeans / Pumps / Rebecca Minkoff leather crossbody purse / Betsey Johnson watch

Forget about Valentine's Day outfit and gift ideas.  It seems we've all forgotten about the innocuous Groundhog Day (February 2), which is clearly more important.  You can celebrate love any (and every) day of the year.  But Groundhog Day is the only day a rodent foretells the imminent coming of spring (or the staying of winter).  In honor of this day, I spent forever and a day putting together this outfit idea.  It had to involve burgundy and hopeful spring pastels.  What do you think?  Maybe not for places where winter actually involves snow and is certain to endure well into March.  And maybe not even for Houston which gave us a 70 degree day in January...hmmm.

Now, how to have the best Groundhog Week (I've just decided that a day is not enough):

1. Do not taunt the squirrels around you because they are fiercely jealous of all the attention the groundhog gets.  You have been warned.

2. Watch the movie Groundhog Day.  I hear it's good.  And the United States National Film Registry thinks so too.

3. Maybe visit Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.  The groundhog lives there.  They call him Punxsatawney Phil, which is absolutely silly.

4. Eat chocolate, because chocolate is always good, all day, everyday.

5. Dress really well, like to the nines well. You'll look great and feel great and maybe get a Valentine's Day date (if you don't already have one) and keep a date (if you do already have one).  Or someone could handpick you to meet President Obama because Presidents' Day is so close too.  It could happen.

Happy Groundhog Day/Week in advance!

Happy Game Day Too!

Oh wait, I'm not a company trying to advertise something.  I can actually explicitly mention the Superbowl instead of referring to it as the "Big Game" lol.

So, go Seattle Patriots! I mean, New England Seahawks. Err, Katy Perry!

Style On Public Transit

I was in New York City a couple weeks ago (for a reunion with my friends from college) and on the last day two of us took the bus back to our hotel to get our luggage and head to the airport after a whirlwind weekend.  

On this bus, we sat in the back but soon it filled up.  A group of tourists boarded, maybe six guys and girls.  One of them was wearing something so casual but well put together that I couldn't stop staring.  So simple and cute that I became the ultimate creeper and snapped a photo with my iPhone (trying to be discreet and pretending to be doing something else).  Just the outfit, minus her face and the shoes (to try for the shoes would have been too obvious).  She had a Fendi bag (out of my price range), but I thought that maybe I could try to replicate this outfit.  One day...

Inspired by someone else's kind of extraordinary I created my first Polyvore collage.  So that's how these bloggers make those outfit idea images!!  Mine is a little cluttered and a few of the item brands are too expensive at the moment (or forever), but the idea is there.  Now to go on the hunt! 

*There was also a really dapper man on this bus--suit, suspenders, hat, cane, everythang.  A lot of people in New York really know how to werk. 

girl on the bus

On Public Transit by smartuia