Thursday, February 28, 2019

New in: Velvet Blazer + Cute Flats









In my last post, I talked about my recent shopping trip to Arc's Value Village and these are the pieces I purchased at the store; this blue velvet blazer and the two pairs of blue color flats. If you are not familiar with Arc's Value village, it's a thrift and consignment shop in my city that sells good quality pre loved fashion, accessories, housewares, furniture and books, DVDs and craft supplies. Since I have shared so much about this store in my previous posts here and here and here, I'll go on ahead and talk about this haul. So, I have wanted a blue velvet blazer for a while now and whenever I'm at the store, I head first to the blazers and outer wear racks and I usually find a great piece or two after sorting through these two racks. By the way, the store is clean and well organized and this makes it easy to find great pieces. I found the above blue velvet blazer within five minutes of being in the store and just in my size! The velvet was listed for $9.99 which was a good deal because it was in a great condition. I also got this two pairs of blue flats from the store and in almost new condition.

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Pink Trench Coat + Plaid Pants







I have had this pink trench coat for years now and since it is light weight, I wear it mostly in the spring and fall. However, it does come in handy in the winter time too whenever I need to add a pop of color to my grey and dark colored winter wardrobe. I wore the coat recently with very good layering underneath; a black cowl neck sweater and over sized, high waist plaid pants with pink and grey colors. The pants are really extra long on me and I'm thinking of doing some DIY on the hem. I might cut off an inch or two from the hem and convert it to a belt for the waist of the pants. I'll let you know how it goes. I really plan on doing a lot of DIYs on the blog this year. I believe it is time to start expressing more of my creative side than just consuming everything. Instead of buy, buy, buy...how about I say, make, make, make....hehehe! 😁 I purchased my trench coat which is somewhat like a mackintosh from a thrift/consignment store in my neighborhood called Arc's Value Village years ago. You have heard me talk about the thrift store a lot lately on the blog and this is because I intend to live life in a more eco friendly way going forward. I made a trip to the store recently and would do a post on the items I got in my next upcoming post.


Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Grey Sweater + Purple Pleat Skirt






The last time I wore this purple pleat skirt on the blog was about four years ago and you can see the previous blog post here. I love the pop of color that the skirt brings to an outfit and the skirt is one of my favorites because it was designed by me. I went to the fabric store and picked the pleated fabric myself and I got all the bold bright colors I could find. There was deep red which I also made into a pleat skirt and you can see it here in this post and there was also lime green color pleat fabric that I also made into another pleat skirt and I blogged about it here. And I still have teal and black color pleat fabric at home that I haven't made into any piece yet. I am still trying to decide what style to create with them. The pleats on this skirt fabric is the very tiny knife pleats and since the fabric is a little heavy and the pleats very tight, the skirt is not flowy; just exactly what I wanted when I decided to make this skirt; a heavy pleat maxi skirt appropriate to wear in the cold weather months. And when I say make, I never really made these skirts myself; I found a seamstress and told her exactly what I wanted; three maxi pleat skirts and she had them made for me.

My favorite bag trend







Ν²he pouch bag which appeared on the fashion scene last fall has become my favorite trendy bag of all time despite the steep price tag. Yes, I do factor the price of fashion into my appreciation or likeness for it πŸ˜‚ I have been seeing this bag in different colors and fabric on the gram and on Pinterest and they are not hard to miss. The simple, cloud like or dumpling shape design elevates any outfit whether casual or formal and I think it is a bag that also transcends the seasons which might make the price point worth it. I know that high end retail stores like Zara would come up with an inspired version soon. Check out all the different sizes, colors and prices here and here




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Monday, February 25, 2019

Green Dupioni Midi Dress + Ankle Boots





Happy Monday Friends; in keeping with my new year goals to buy less and style more, I'm restyling this green dupioni midi dress from my closet. It's a dress I got through a collaboration with eShakti years ago and I have styled it previously on the blog here and here. Each time I style the dress by switching up my accessories, it always feels like I have on a new dress or outfit. The first time, I wore it with leopard print pumps and a statement jewelry for a very simple look. I layered a black sweater and knee boots with it the second time. And yesterday I decided to layer a black turtle neck sweater underneath to wear to church. I cinched the waist with an embellished Asos belt similar to this and completed the look with my Altuzarra ankle boots and Nine West snake print bag. The weather was very cold so I wore a pair of black stockings with the look. It was a very windy and cloudy day yesterday and the dress does look different in every pic mostly because of the dupioni fabric and iridescent texture that makes it look different based on how the sun or light hits it. The wind also whipped up snow and tossed it on me; I must say it was a fun shoot yesterday after church.

Friday, February 22, 2019

Red wool Coat + All black Outfit





Hello! I am feeling like it's been a while on here 😁 This is going to be a very short post. The weather has been extreme in my state of Minnesota and this February has set a new record as the snowiest February on record in Minnesota. Can you believe it? And February is not even over yet; this means that the snow record is really going to be exceptional. I have been wearing most of my wool coats lately and this is a quick post of an all-black  casual outfit with a pop of red. I like the idea of infusing some color every now and then into my winter outfit and this reminds me that spring is just around the corner. I hope the weather is nice and beautiful wherever you are.

Friday, February 15, 2019

White Boots








White shoes trend came on the scene a couple of seasons ago and never left. This shoe color is fast becoming the favorite in most ladies' wardrobe behind the nudes and recently the snake prints. In the summer, the trend is white mules, white sneakers, white sandals and in the fall and winter months, it is the white ankle boots or knee boots. If you are interested in trying out this trend, Target is having a shoe sale currently and the selections above are my favorites. Target is one of the retailers that offer trendy fashion at affordable prices and their quality is great too. This is not a sponsored post; just sharing sale information with who ever is interested. Happy shopping, happy Friday πŸ˜ƒ

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Eight ways I have styled my red wide leg Pants







My red wide leg pants is definitely one of my closet staples. I have had this pair for years; purchased years ago from the Victorias Secret Body by Victoria Collection. The pants was a splurge at the time but it has proven its worth over time; its quality and fit is impeccable. It proves that though affordable fashion is ideal, we have to ensure too that we are buying quality pieces no matter how cheap, affordable or expensive an item is. The overall quality is what should determine where we put our money. Some items can be expensive but the quality might not be great like some designer items; in some cases, consumers are just paying for the designer label rather than the quality of the item itself. And in other cases, some fashion items are cheap or very affordable and their quality is good and matches the price; meaning you actually get what you paid for.


"One of my goals this year is to make sure I invest in quality; this means quality time spent in doing things of great meaning or good cause, quality relationship with family and friends, quality time spent in devotion, meditation and things and activities that promote the overall quality of life."

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Plaid Blazer + Patch work Denim







Sometimes I wonder what age ladies can stop wearing distressed denim or tight/skinny jeans. I'm in my forties and this pops up in my head sometimes. Well, I think of it whenever I put on this denim which I have had for years, purchased from Loft. In my opinion, I think it actually depends on how the jeans/denim is styled and the occasion or event that you are attending I love to style my denim with a blazer most times especially in the cold weather seasons. The plaid blazer is my favorite to pair with denim. It was cold when I styled this outfit and if you are in need of a casual outfit to wear on a cold day, consider this combination. If you have a date planned with your hubby or your friends, this outfit would work. if you are not into high heels, you can swap out the booties for low heel knee boots. I know there is so much excitement and hype going on right now about Valentine's day but it is not a holiday I celebrate and this is why I have not done any blog post relating to it. I believe in the celebration of love every minute, every day and every little gesture counts when we express love to people we care about every day; a thank-you note, a call, spending time together and going on special dates to celebrate special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries...everyone got to do this on the daily.

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Wearing Prints in the Snow: African Style- Blue Ankara maxi Dress








It has been snowing a whole lot in the twin cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) lately and we have had lots of school cancelations. It was so cold last week that the kids went to school for just one day the whole week. I felt bad about the bad weather but I am grateful that we had good quality family time from lounging by the fire place and watching TV, just listening to music and playing the piano. I also took the kids to the library to get books which they read while they were home. My highlight of the extremely cold week was snuggling in blankets which is the best thing to do on a cold snowy day and this is the reason I decided to wear this long maxi print dress to Church last Sunday. It was so cold and snowy that I actually felt  like wrapping myself in blankets πŸ˜‚ Then, I made up my mind last minute to wear this blue print dress which I custom-designed a couple of years ago. The dress is made from African wax print fabric which is popularly called "Ankara." Ankara fabrics are colorful yards of material usually with very bold prints worn by Africans or people of African descent. You can get ready made Ankara dresses, skirts or pants to buy from Etsy. If you want to design your own outfit, you can also buy Ankara fabric in yards and you can design your own sketch and make the outfit yourself if you know how to sew otherwise,  you can  send it to a seamstress to have it made for you.

Monday, February 11, 2019

How to style grey color Outfits for cold weather






Grey color outfits make up a big part of my style during the cold weather months because to be honest with you, it is really hard to burst out in colors when the skies are grey and there is a carpet of snow on the ground for days on end. And when I say grey color outfits, I mean full on grey color  outfits where 70% of the outfit is grey. I am not talking about occasion where you just throw on a grey blazer over a colored outfit or putting on a grey colored pant and throwing on a colorful top. As we all know, grey color outfits can be very formal and not necessary suited for everyday wear unless you just want to throw on a grey top and jeans for casual wear and then there is the risk of the outfit being too casual if you plan on going to a serious event like Church and Work. There is actually nothing wrong with wearing a plain outfit; it really depends on how your clothes make you feel.


And I'll give you my Christian perspective since this is a Christian Fashion Blog. One of the commands Jesus Christ gave to us is to "go into the world and preach the good news." (Mark 16:15) And to be out in the world preaching, you are going to meet with strangers and approach people in different places at all times. You want to look your best at all times to be able to connect with people whether on line or in real life.


This does not mean you have to wear expensive clothing or designer clothes, you just have to look clean, presentable and dressed for the right occasion. Do not wear jeans and tee shirts to an event that calls for formal attire. Also, If not styled right, grey color outfits can also veer into the realm of uniform. In this post, I am going to share some tips that I consider whenever I want to make my grey outfits interesting and chic and suitable for work and play especially in the cold weather season.

Friday, February 8, 2019

Six trendy items to add to your Closet this Winter








Winter is gradually coming to an end or so we hope. Here in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) where I live, winter can stretch way into spring and with the amount of snow we are having right now plus the amount of sub temps days, this might end up being one of our worst winters yet. Nonetheless, it's not too early to start prepping for spring. The first step in doing this is to do a closet overhaul and donating or throwing out items that are no longer needed or useful, then buying those closet essentials that are trendy and affordable to help us stay stylish all through the year. Below are the items I wish to add to my closet this winter and some of the items are great too to give out as gifts to girlfriends, sisters, daughters or Moms. Let's not forget Mothers' day is coming up too.



Snake Print pleated Skirt: 

This is a print that is a big trend this season and when you combine it with pleats, nothing can be so edgy or stylish for any fashionista lady. The snake print skirt can be dressed up or down for work and for play and if you need some style inspiration on how to style it for Church or other formal events like weddings, Christenings, check out this post here. The featured skirt in my wish list is from H.M


Colorful Pump:

A good pair of colorful pump in a color of your choice is great for sprucing up your spring and summer wardrobe. If you are one who loves to wear neutral shoes all the time, this might be the time to do something different and by infusing some color into your wardrobe. A colorful pair of shoes elevates an outfit and your style. Check out the featured purple pumps here.

Thursday, February 7, 2019

eShakti FX Custom Styling: Now on Amazon!



eShakti FX is now on Amazon!  eShakti is one of my favorite online shops to shop for dresses and special occasion outfits and I have done a couple of collaborations with the brand in the past. I signed up for brand e-mails to get first hand information about sales and promotions and I get really excited whenever there is anything new on the site. I wrote a blog post last year to announce a new customization feature on the website known as eShakti FX and you can read about the previous post here. The recent news is that eShakti has launched this new customization feature (eShakti FX) on Amazon and this is really exciting if you are familiar with the brand. This means that it's going to be a lot easier to shop eShakti now because we all know Amazon is the world's largest retailer.







If you still need some clarity about this customization feature, I'll love to tell you about it. It is a tool that allows you to style any outfit on the website that has the FX feature. This means you can change the neckline of an outfit, the sleeve length and the length and you can see the changes (style) on the model image as you make them. For example in the red asymmetrical dress listed A below, the sleeve length is "cap sleeves;" when you change the sleeves in the drop down button customization box (during the ordering process on the site) to "three quarter length," you can see the change visually on the model's image. When you change it from B to sleeveless, you see the style on C.

Wednesday, February 6, 2019

How to style a purple turtle neck sweater for cold weather




"Purple" and "turtle neck" are two things you can hardly find in most ladies closets. Purple color can come in so many different shades of which lavender and lilac are the most common but in all, there are not many people willing to style the color for work or for play. I agree it is not the trending color of the season (Living Coral is the trending color) but it was the color of the year last spring and it is a color dear to my heart because it is my favorite color and it is so royal and regal. Most women stay away from styling purple color clothes though the color is great on any skin type but it might just be that most do not know how to style the color? The turtle neck top is another piece that a lot of ladies do not like for so many reasons but I think it is a very stylish and chic clothing piece that is very essential in a winter wardrobe especially if you live in a very cold city like I do. In this post, I have styled a lilac color sweater for work by pairing it with a grey color sweater and green color long coat. The outfit is very chic and comfy and can be worn to most events.










The turtle neck sweater that I styled in the collage above is actually a ribbed knit body suit and the beautiful thing about styling bodysuits is that they can tuck into any piece; skirts, pants or shorts really easily without any creases. The smooth finish created by the bodysuit makes the outfit to look elegant and classy. I admit it might be a little uncomfortable going to the ladies' room when you have on a body suit because of the hassle of undoing buttons or snaps at the hem of the suit but in the long run, the stress is totally worth it. You can check out the above bodysuit HERE.

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Long Blue Coat + Chelsea Boots + Beret







It's really difficult to put colorful outfits together when all you see day after day are piles and piles of snow and grey clouds. We can go through days and weeks of cloudy skies with occasional peaks of the sun in Minnesota. I make very conscious effort to wear some color at this time of the year. My long blue coat is one of my favorite coats to wear at this time because it is not only long and comfy and suitable for the cold weather, it infuses a huge dose of color into any outfit. I threw the coat over a very casual outfit; a blue turtle neck sweater and a pair of blue denim. I needed to keep my head warm so I put on a black embellished beret with a trim; this style of hat is also called Newsboy hat and it adds some chic vibe to the outfit. Check out this previous post on the beret trend here.

Monday, February 4, 2019

Styling Leopard Prints Pants in the Winter





Hi everyone, just a quick post here to start off the week and it's about styling the leopard prints pants for work. I wore this same pants months ago in the fall with just a simple white sweater and a pair of boots. This time, I decided to style it for winter by layering an oversized sweater over it and throwing a long brown coat on for extra warmth. In my opinion, I think the color of sweater and coat works for this season. My dark green bag adds a punch of color to this outfit which otherwise would be very simple and demure though appropriate for the weather. My brown faux suede ankle boots have been in good rotation this season because they are very comfortable and stylish at the same time. The boots are great quality for the price and it's not surprising that it sold out real fast. You can check it out here to see if it has been restocked. I hope you are enjoying a great weather wherever you are. It's a new week, let's make it a great one.

Friday, February 1, 2019

Flashback to my Christmas Outfit and reliving the joy of the Season.





A little black dress is a wardrobe essential for every lady and it gets better when it is a lace dress. This is a flashback look to my Christmas outfit and it was an outfit I put together last minute. I purchased this fit and flare lace dress from J. Crew years ago and wore it for my birthday celebration and blogged about it here. I got it out of the closet last Christmas and restyled it by layering a white blazer over it. The black stockings was needed for some warmth and I thought the dress needed some definition in the waist so I cinched my waist with this embellished  Asos belt that has since sold out  and this option here is also cute if you want to check it out. I love the sparkle the belt gives to the black lace dress. My red beret and red plaid pumps were the seasonal accents to the look and to make the outfit more interesting, I added a metallic clutch. I shared a glimpse of the outfit on my instagram here on Christmas day and just decided to do a full blog post on the simple but special outfit today.


I really do not mind musing over this holiday outfit because it brings so much joy to my soul. I wish everyday was Christmas really. The Christmas holiday and season is the best ever and the fact that it is the celebration of Christ's birth is just so awesome. I pray that we continually re-live the season and to allow the love and grace of Christmas to fill us each day as we go about our daily business. 


Let us share the joy of the season and never let our hearts forget that Jesus Christ was born in a human form on this earth thousands of years ago to earthly parents, Joseph and Mary. He performed lots of miracles and preached about God's love and promise of redemption and of eternal life before He died as was prophesied by the prophets of the old Testament in the Bible. He rose from the grave on the third day to redeem us of our sins and bring salvation to all men. Praise be to God! Thanks so much for stopping by here.


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