evolution of my attitude towards the color black

happy wednesday everyone.

I first wanted to talk about how much i'm in  L O V E with some of the all black street style and Paris Fashion Week looks I've been seeing. upon further reflection, I realized that if you know me at all, this might come as a shock. in fact, this is the first time in my life that I can honestly say, I'm in love with the color black. I have been anti black clothes for, oh maybe, 23 years of my life? my one and only qualm with going to cosmetology school was indeed, "I have to wear all black every DAY?" I know, you're probably thinking, it's such a practical color choice for hair stylists. it's easy, simple, and can be really chic. I agree with you now, but it wasn't always the case.

as a young teenager, I felt freedom in trying new things. things that my dear mother could only shudder at, and protest only a little when I didn't want to wear the sign that said "I dressed myself today." in my home, we were always encouraged to try new things, be ourselves, go for it if we liked it. so, that came to pass with me trying tye dye and camo in one outfit, or crazy headwraps with baggy pants. I once owned a puffy coat, that I proudly wore with my cargo pants and a cutoff tshirt.
the point is, I loved color and pattern. the more, the merrier. literally. we all go through crazy wardrobe phases, and I'm definitely grateful that I was encouraged to go through my own. it's allowed me to explore new ways to think about dressing, and new ideas about what traditionally "looks good together," something that, in my opinion, is not a thing. but more on that another time.

all of that being said, I still despised being told what color to wear every day. until very recently, I just didn't like black. at all. I don't know what happened, but all of a sudden, I just love it. I can't get enough and I think all black is the best. oh, how things change.

being in NY has certainly changed a lot of my ideas on color, pattern, and of course, the all black look. it's a functional look. so here's a few of my favorite looks that encompass the elusive all black street style.

just a couple of crop tops, some fabulous footwear, and flowy skirts and pants. those things are always in style in my book. and who doesn't love black leather??

and if you just need some more street style in your life (who doesn't?), heres a slideshow I found from the Dior show at Paris Fashion week. enjoy. 

http://www.vogue.com/fashion/street-style/article/street-style-fall-2014-couture/#/gallery/street-style-couture-fall-2014/29

on getting a job in Manhattan, round sunnies, and wearing the wrong shoes

happy july fourth everyone! 

it's official, I have a job in Manhattan!! I am almost finished training with the wonderful company, Dry Bar and I can't wait to work there. it's seriously a miracle, of no small proportions that I got this job. I mean, I'm pretty great and all, but this being the first job I applied for here, and the first interview. for that to turn into a job is kind of crazy. my building is one tiny avenue away from 5th avenue. it's crazy and wonderful and I can't wait to be a hustlin' hair stylist there. the company is really cool, and I love the aesthetics there. good news everyone, I can wear denim to work. praise. 

so, sunday is my last day of training and I should start on the floor early next week. yay! 

two fashion things I've definitely taken note of while wandering the streets of NYC. 

everyone's sunglasses game is ON POINT. and not just any sunnies, but everyone is sporting round ones. namely, round glasses with highly reflective lenses. and I love it! 

like these, for example. so good. 

men and women are sporting these lovelies around the NYC. these look really, really good on men. all I'm saying is, go and get some round sunnies. cause they're cool and stylish and all over the streets. 

speaking of the streets, my first day in the city by myself, I decided I would rather wear my "cool" shoes *below* than my dependable ones. I walked around for almost 5 hours, and I didn't realize the extent of the damage, until I came out of a store and this really nice woman comes up to me and says, "Hi, I hope you don't think I'm weird or stalking you, but I saw you go into that store and your heels are bloody." she then produced bandaids from her purse and gave me four. 

"I definitely know that pain, girl." and so, a stranger named Katie saved me. moral of the story, wear the dependable shoes. and always be kind to people. Katie made my day SO much less painful. thanks for that. 

and the other street fashion thing is shoes. I don't know how they wear them sometimes, but the shoe game is just as right and tight as the sunnies. and it's not even like it's one style over another, although lots of cute sneaks. it's just so inspiring to me. seeing all these working new yorkers expressing themselves, men and women alike. I love street style. 

that's all for now. I hope you all have a fabulously American day!! 

#projectrelocateNYC

Hello guys!
I know it's been a while....I've been busy moving to NYC, and all that entails.
I'm getting involved in this blogging business again, and changing it up a bit. The goal is to keep everyone updated on the NYC things, as well as street style, trends, and all the fashion lovelies that we can handle. Sound good? MMk.
So, I'm officially in NY as of Tuesday, June 3rd. Got in late via train. Took my first ever cab ride from Penn Station, to Grand Central station, without incident. My poor cab driver was mostly deaf, and I'm trying to figure out how to pay him...maybe that counts as an incident? Anyways, lugged alllll my moving-to-NYC luggage into the station, got a ticket to Scarsdale, NY in time for the 10 o'clock train. When I arrived at the station in Scarsdale, I panicked cause I had to make it up 2 flights of stairs. With a huge duffle bag, a loaded suitcase, a backpack and a purse. Then I couldn't find a taxi. Eventually, at around 11pm, I made to my final destination. phew.
Needless to say, it was a long and trying day. But I'm here, safe and sound. And I'm so proud of myself for making the trek, and conquering a lot of my fears, even already!

For those of you that aren't aware, I'm going to be doing hair in the city. The goal is fashion week, photo shoots, movie and tv sets, and some barbering on the side. That's what I'm here for. And I'm so excited to begin! So follow along and see how my journey goes.

boys night: part 2

last time, i talked about how it's more than ok to rock some bowties and blazers. sometimes it's really fun to be surprising and wear something that's unexpected. if you wear it well, people usually love it.
today, i'll be talking about men's shoes and how much i love them. and also ascots. but mostly men's shoes.

guys, i've been wearing men's shoes ever since i journeyed to the local goodwill on my own. my first pair was just broken in oxfords, and i've never looked back. for some reason, they called to me with their structure and quality, as well as being dashing with a pair of high waisted trousers and a fedora.

i just adore all of these. for real ladies, don't you want them all?? i don't see nearly enough of these on guys. more for us, i guesss.

this is my favorite kind of boot: the ankle boot. i love these, and they are so versatile. i love the brown ones i have and i wear them year round. i wear them with skirts, cropped pants, regular pants, you know. pretty much anything. they are a great investment.

that's all for today. stay excellent folks. 

boys night: part 1

hello fashion lovers.
sorry it's been a few days...life gets crazy sometimes, you know? anyways, on to the main event!
i'm obsessed with bow ties. you may be wondering, aren't those a guy thing? i think they are primarily a "guy" thing...but if you know me, as i'm hoping you all are learning to do, i like different, unconventional things. i love men's shoes, not gonna lie. and they have the lead on the blazer phenomenon. so, here's how i'd style bowties, first.

 

a few ways i would style bowties. with suspenders, with a blazer, with red gloves and a beehive....so many good options! also, i really really need this copper shirt...it's a must. and those velvet ones. and that denim one. okay fine, i want them all.
indie or preppy, bowties are cool no matter how you wear them. and you'll make the guys jealous if you know how to tie them.
here's a handy how-to for those of you who don't know how to tie them.

ah, blazers. they are so wonderful. you can throw one on with practically anything and it transforms a look, making you more chic, put together, and fashion forward. here's a few examples.

bright colors are kind of my thing, so i had to have at least a few. notice how these go with a skirt, cropped trousers, and what appears to be a romper, all with wonderful effects. get it ladies!

black is ALWAYS good. you really can't go wrong with a black blazer, seriously. in my opinion, every woman should have a least two black blazers: one for colder weather, and one for the warmer months.
 

here are a few styles of blazers. love them all. especially the bright one. 

 

 

patterned blazers are wonderful as well. it's a fashionable way to add a pop of pattern to a low key outfit and jazz it up a bit. or you can use a patterned option to make a wonderful outfit even more crazy! it's really up to you. the only requirement is that you buy one and learn how to wear it. they are classy, versatile, and oh so comfy.  they work great if you get cold indoors a lot. that's me right here, and i love having them for when i get chilly. 

next time, i'll talk about men's shoes and how ladies can wear them in a classy way. ascots are wonderful too.  i wouldn't call this androgynous as much as utilizing a fashion genre that is both comfortable, available, and getting more and more awesome. let's explore our options, ladies. the boys shouldn't get to have all the fun. 

almost summer trends

so, summer is almost here guys!!
and i'm diggin a few things for this beginning of summer time.
here we go.
crazy patterns have always caught my eye, and now it's acceptable in fashion, so of course i'm stoked.

aren't they fab?? i'm in love with the tribal dress. so in love. and that hawiian inspired pants pattern is kind of to die for. i almost think the only acceptable time to wear tribal print, as much as i love it, is the summer. it doesn't really work otherwise.

i might lose some people on this next trend, but hear me out folks.
hammer/harem pants. i know what you're thinking...and yes, Justin Bieber can be seen looking ridiculous in these here. There are even multiple versions of his kind, but this is NOT what i'm talking about, mmk?

let me show you what i mean.
let's start with the difference between harem pants and hammer pants.
harem pants:

don't these ladies look classy? i think so. you can dress them up, down, and sideways. seriously. and these pants are SO comfy. it's almost like pajama comfort level softness, but these are way more acceptable than pj's in public. trust me. people wearing pj pants to the store, i'm lookin' at you.
see how all of these variations are looser on legs, and while a bit baggy, they are no Justin Bieber weirdness. they all have a cuff at the ankle, and in general look fantastic.
hammer pants:

hammer pants are tighter on the calves, and tend to get super baggy from the thigh upward. i'll admit, these look a little more ridiculous...but doesn't that little lady look PRESH?? and that last pair looks like my version of yoga pants. with a white tank, an envelope clutch and booties or gladiator sandals. yep, i need them. the middle look is a bit less my thing, but it may appeal to those of you who like a little glam out our your sneakers. you could also work those with sandals and a flowy top.
i'm preparing to buy some fabric and sew some of these pants, as well as some maxi skirts/dresses. i'll update you on how things go. i'm very excited about it.

i know this is a lot, but one last "revolutionary" trend i'm seriously into right this second. printed shorts!

silk, denim, i love it all. i'm wearing a quite comfy pair right now. i think i like these so much because they allow me to sport my favorite white tee and sandals freely and without restraint. gotta love a trend that goes along with your favorites.
that's all for today. go grab you some summer patterns for this glorious holiday weekend!

sandals anyone?

this is a shoes post. i am unashamed.

so, sandals are kind of my thing. every year, i look forward to that glorious accessory that lets me feel like i'm dressy barefoot. and it's magical.
my newest acquisitions are this style and i'm obsessed, of course.

i like the call them, the One Strap, but we're taking name suggestions.
i love these because they're different than the normal summer deal, and you can dress them way way down. if you've been reading along the past few posts, you've realized just how much i love to dress things down...some see this as a problem, but i choose to see it as a gift.

of course neons are still in...go figure. we'll go with it for the time being. in my opinion, go with one pop of neon and leave the rest neutral. don't want to blind people.
at least there's some One Strappers!

the platform is making it's towering way back into the shoe scene. which i'm excited about. now to find some that don't look like they're from the 70's.

i might consider either of these. with a maxi skirt, envelope clutch and a white tee. helloo friday night outfit!

happy tuesday.