Hey guys and Happy Friday! 

I'm feeling MUCH! better! And I just went out last night with my good friend and blogging bestie, Vikee! We had dinner at this cool place called What the Fries? More on that later though! 

On to today's look! I wore this crop top at dinner last night, over a hot pink jumpsuit! But today I paired it with these Shein paper bag pants with a big ass bow. I'm a little divided on the bow. If I could find a way to tie it in a way where it would stay in place, I think I would like it better. 

However, I LOVE these two pieces together! Very simple but also very chic! 

The crop top was such a fun piece. I'm sure I've written about this before -probably when I got it- but a local boutique, Apricot Lane, was doing a give away for a grab bag type purchase on Instagram. I entered and I got a package of different pieces from them. It was in the height of the pandemic, so I wasn't going any place except work and that package was so fun to get. Plus not knowing what I was getting and figuring out how to style it all. It was a fun challenge! I would love it if they did something like that again! 

Also, I think this is the last of these strappy black heels. As much as I love them, I think their life span has run out. The heels are chipping, the straps are breaking... its just... its just time. :(

I'm going on a bday shopping spree soon, so maybe I'll find a new pair!? Wish me luck! 

Let me know what you guys think! Thank you for reading! 

Pants: Shein.com
Crop Top: Apricot Lane Boutique
Heels: Versona
Bag: Versona
​Shades: Shein.com

Hello and Happy Monday friends!

So I got my 2nd Covid shot yesterday and boy did it take me out! Yesterday evening I felt really feverish, I had a hard time sleeping, but it was this morning that was REALLY rough! I felt very nauseated and feverish most of the morning, my arm was extremely sore, and I was really tired. 

Yeah, it wasn't fun! 

That is why this blog is coming out kind of late today. I had no energy up until about 4:30. Now I feel pretty good. A little tired still, but otherwise back to normal. It was very much a roller coaster of a day! =D

On to this look! It is another Shein look! It was pretty easy to style. A effortless day dress that you can go get coffee in, run errands, grab lunch. You name it! I love the argyle print and the colors. The other piece to this is this cute little bag! I've been seeing other people styling this small bags and I wanted to give it a go. 

What I like most about it aside from the color -I LOVE the beautiful brown!- but also the ruching on it! That is a detail I have always appreciated! Its subtle but its so unique. 

I hope you liked this post! I'll see you Friday! 

Bag: Shein.com
​Dress: Shein.com
Shoes: Walmart
Shades: Shein.com

Hey all and Happy Friday! 

Bear with me for this post you guys! This was my day today (and for some insight I'm pet/plant sitting for my parents right now); I had to work at 7:30 to 6:30, I sped to an eye doctor appoint on my break. I got home ate dinner, let the dogs out/played bear with the little one for a bit and watered part of the indoor plants (thank the LORD it rained today so I didn't have to water ALL the plants.) 

By the time I took my pics it was close to 8:15pm! I've never shot this late before. The lighting was crazy weird. Thankfully I was able to get a few good shots. 

I kept it very simple, while incorporating two new Shein pieces. The oversized plaid shirt and the shades. I actually got one of these shirts before. Neither of these are actually shirts. They are a bit heavier than shirts, but they aren't really jackets either. I love the way it looks with these casual pieces. Its just so simple and yet stylish. 

The shades I also love! I finally decided to try the round shades and I really loved how they look, in particular with this look! It just screams chill. Which is exactly what I need after today! :D 

I have to run because I still have part 2 of the plants watering and a work out maybe!? Honestly prob just cuddling with my dogs and some OFFICE! :D

Thanks for reading!

Overszied Shirt: Shein.com
Shades: Shein.com
T-shirt: Vestique Boutique
Shoes: Target
Bag: Shein.com

Hello! Happy Monday, and Happy Memorial Day! 

Thank you all you men and women who have served or are currently serving! You are very much loved and appreciated. What you do is huge! And I'm very grateful for you! 

I wish I had a red, white, and blue themed post for today, but I'm a bit behind on my posting schedule. I was doing really well of on my days off making sure I got enough pics in for a few posts. If you didn't know, my hours at my day job changed and are much longer and since I don't have a set schedule, I never know what my work week will look like. Like I said, I was doing pretty well at making sure I made the most of my days off as far as getting blog pictures ready. But I have kind of fallen behind though. So I rushed home today to get these pictures in since this was the look that came to my mind first. 

Its a pretty simple look and mostly from Shein. That was kind of what I was going for. Something simple, fun, summery, effortless. The dress for one is just wonderful! One of my favorites! I love the color, I love that it is pretty plain but that asymmetrical hem really makes it so beautiful! 

The other new piece to my Shein collection is this tiny Croc embossed baguette bag! I haven't had a bag like this in a long time! I love how well it goes with the dress! It all just flows together so effortlessly! 

So I just got a few things in from Shein which I will be sharing with you in upcoming posts! Thank you for reading! Stay tuned! 


Dress: Shein.com
Bag: Shein.com
Sandals: Off Broadway Shoes
Shades: Shein.com

Hey Friends! Happy Friday! 

Today I am continuing my -shoes I don't wear often enough- series! This time with a neon twist! 

So the look itself is simple; dark colors! Black shorts and a velvet spaghetti strap shirt and then my favorite neon heels! I just love these! I really wanted them to pop -which is why I kept the rest of the look simple and relatively dark. 

I never thought I would love the neon look like I do. I mean I wouldn't go crazy overboard with it -at least not yet... but who knows!?- but a bright burst of neon here and there, like these heels are fun!

I also like build of the shoe. The thicker heel, the open-toe feature, and the strappy look. It all just comes together to be a very comfortable, perfect summery shoe! 

What do you think?

Tell me what you think in the comments! 

Thanks for reading!! Have a great long weekend! 

Shoes: Target
Shirt: Target
Bag: Target
​Shades: Shein.com

​With May being Mental Health Awareness Month I was asked to dedicate a post to talking about mental health. I am happy to be able to do that today, because it is important. I personally have dealt and currently deal with mental health struggles which I will talk about a little later. But let's be honest, after last year and pandemic hitting, I would imagine most everyone has had their fair share of mental health struggles. From various losses of loved ones or jobs, to the transitioning to working at home or remote learning, to the loneliness of not being able to see family and friends, to the anxiety of not knowing how long we would be living like this -we were all affected. 

For this post, I was able to chat with Sophia Hartman, who is a a Qualified Mental Health Professional working as a community based counselor for children, adolescents, and adults in Virginia. In addition to answering my questions, Sophia also supplied me with resourceful sites which I used while researching for this post and will be pulling from as well. So, what is mental health? And why is it so important? "Mental health is a disorder of the brain," Sophia explained, "it can be caused by several different factors which include things like trauma/abuse, genetics, social influences, or chemistry of the brain." As for why it is important, "there is a wide range of mental health disorders which can affect your mood, emotions, behaviors, cognitive processing and physiological responses," she explained that "a mental health concern is often identified as a mental illness when ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and impact an individual’s ability to function in every-day life.”

​Mental Health is not something to fear away from because truly, the further you run from it, the more difficult dealing with it may become. Remember, your mental health is just as important as your physical health! I encourage you all to try and reach out to your family or friends if you think they may be struggling, just remember to be honest and open-minded while having these tough conversations. As a final note, please don't be afraid to reach out if you need someone to talk to and make sure to follow @nvznworldwide to learn more from Sophia Hartman as she begins introducing her expertise and effective mental health resources as the Lifestyle Management Director for Nvizion, LLC. I want to end by giving a HUGE thank you to Sophia for offering some insight to help me shape this post!



​

For more information on mental health please check out these sites!

www.mentalhealth.gov (This is where I got a lot of my research from and I highly recommend! It gives you information about mental health, early warning signs, tips about self care, and resources if you need to reach out.)

www.bringchange2mind.org -This was the site with the videos about stigmas and how to change them. Full of information!

https://afsp.org/mentalhealth4all?gclid=Cj0KCQjwkZiFBhD9ARIsAGxFX8D6GjkkYXF5QJjOhgzPl8pliyhuCSj3fqFmygI0Zvn3Tn0RLMnaG50aAj2mEALw_wcB
(This site is the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. It has information on mental health as well as resources if you need help as well as stories from other people who have struggled themselves.)

Home - Mental Health Is Health (This is a great site to figure out your emotions and figure out a way to deal with them. Its helpful and helps you focus on what it is you are dealing with and gives you resources to help you.)
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If you need places to reach out to I would recommend:

www.betterhelp.com  -it is virtual and you can pick a counselor that is right for you. This is a great site because it can be done anywhere because it is virtual. 

Also I personally want to shout out Thrive Counseling, they are in the Charlotte, NC area and that is where I am counseling at. If you are in the area, I would highly recommend them. They are very sweet and you can do in person or virtual as schedules require. 

And if you are thinking of harming yourself please, please call this number! The National Suicide Hotline: 800 273 8255

Hello and Happy Monday! 

I hope everyone had a great weekend! I really did! I was very productive this weekend! I spent a good bit of it working on purging my closet -yes, AGAIN!- and the other half working on a special post coming up, I'm hoping later this week. So stay tuned! 

For today's look, however, I am restyling several of my favorite pieces. This fuchsia jumpsuit has easily paid itself off. I got it a few years ago and I have worn it many different ways. I've worn it as a standalone piece, I've thrown a denim jacket over it, I've thrown a crop top over it -a look I really loved! And now, I'm pairing it with a graphic tee. 

This graphic tee has also paid itself off. You've seen it many times on the blog for sure. I really like this pairing together. Its a bit different but it works. Its very comfortable and breezy for a warm spring day like today! This is a good lunch date look or errand running look. A family dinner look! It can cover all of the above! 

I think I will hang onto both of these pieces a little while longer =)

I hope you like it! Thank you for reading! And, if everything goes as planned, I'm hoping I'll have a special post for you on Wednesday!  =)

Jumpsuit: Versona
Tee Shirt: Vestique Boutique
Sandals: Shein.com
​Bag: Target

Hello and happy Monday! 

So today continuing my 'shoes I don't wear often enough' series! Today it is these criss-cross wedges. I found them a while ago but I have only worn them a few times. I love them very much! They are very cute and comfortable. I tend to have more trouble walking in wedges though as opposed to other heels. Maybe because I don't wear them as often? Maybe my feet are more acclimated to regular heels? I am not quite sure what it is. 

But all the same I do love them! 

As far as the rest of the look it is a pretty simple. Relaxed khaki shorts and a button down in my favorite half tucked-half untucked style. 

This maybe the last summer for these shorts. I've had them for a few years now and I love them but they are kind of becoming worn in. They get wrinkled easier. There was a belt that came with it that I have no idea where it is now and so pairing it with other tops just... so so. 

But we will see. Maybe I'll keep my eyes open for a similar pair of shorts! 

Thank you for reading and have a great week!
​

Hello and Happy Friday! 

I'm so sorry for the late, late post! Its been a looooong day and a long next three days. Lol. But better late than never right?! This continues my series of the shoes that I don't wear often enough! 

Today's shoes in question are these gorgeous mule slides. The deep maroon color is so beautiful! I don't know why I don't wear them as often as they deserve! But they are being broken out tomorrow night -fingers crossed!- I'm going to an event and I plan on wearing this whole look to the event. 

I have to work 10 hours before so I feel like this is a good combination of dressy and comfortable. 

Everything in this look is subtle, yet striking. Going back to the shoes. I think I got them at Off Broadway Shoes because I was drawn to the look of them. I've worn them a few times. I do remember the first time or two, they were a bit hard to keep on my feet. I felt I had to pinch my toes and squeeze my foot to make sure they didn't 'slide' right out!..... (I'll see myself out...)

But that's been the case with many a pair of shoes. Sometimes it just takes time to break them in. During this shoot, they were a dream. No trouble whatsoever. 

Actually, side story time! One of my favorite pairs of heels are the nude pairs -I've used them many a time on this blog! The first time I wore them was to a graduation ceremony. My feet KILLED the whole time and afterwards! I didn't wear them for a long time and then tried them out again for a shoot and what would you know? They were fine! And ever since, they've been fine! They are now one of my favorite pairs of shoes!

So, my advice is don't give up on a shoe right away. Give it a few wears. The first wear or two (or three) maybe just breaking it in. 

I'll let you know how these bad boys do tomorrow night! Stay tuned! 

Thanks for reading! 

​

So I got to see the video from Big Rucks its called The Overview/Movie Night and it is jammed packed!


 From a stylist perspective I was intrigued by the style choices. As a viewer and stylist, I felt as though in the video the couple was coming from a wedding or or some type of party (her dress to me, put me in the mind of a wedding dress). Then you have the voice over of another lady who was a side chick? But felt it was more and was pissed that it wasn't -or that maybe he wasn't honest with her.

The video follows the couple fighting until the girl decides 'No, I'm not having it." That is when the video changes. 

This is where I'm excited to introduce the director Austin Edwards, better known as Lite Jones -which is how I will refer to him during this post. He got started early in the 12th grade doing video production classes and he even made a web series. Growing up he was always creative, but it was in high school when he really tapped into his creativity. There were two people that inspired Lite, one being Kendrick Lamar and one being his teacher, Robet Connelly, a communications teacher that really impacted his life. 

Lite really loves telling stories, in particular "tragic romances" and you really feel that in 'The Overview/Movie night' video. As a viewer I saw a couple was meant to be together and dude stepped out. He was caught and then had to deal with the consequence of his actions -this is when the video changes. 

But I want to take a step back and talk about the color effects of the video. I was enamored with the black and white effects of the video. To me, honestly it has an old school, hollywood glamour to it. Then the song changes and I don't know how exactly to express it but it's like I want to prove my ex wrong kind of vibe. I'm going to be great. I'm going to succeed. 

What I love about Lite is that he puts his all into his projects. For example, I asked him what all went into directing a video and he told me it can take roughly 2 days. But the work that goes into it is another story. "Its all about the description, and what it is you are trying to portray,"


As far as his future goals? "Learning coloring on a video -that skill set- is key," he told me. But also Lite as a dream to create a short film! 

As a viewer I loved the video! I thought it was very well done and shot. I watched it a few times and each time I felt like I learned something knew or found a different layer to the video. From the color effects, to the little bit of audio in the midst, and then the change of song. There is so much to unpack and think about. As a creator myself I love when another artist gives you something to really dive into and think about. Which is what I think you get with this video.

And you know, after seeing this video, I am 100% going to keep watching what Lite Jones does! I feel certain you will see more from him!

If you haven't seen The Overview/Movie Night by Big Rucks. you really should! It is a great video and Lite Jones is behind it! 

​Thanks for reading! And Stay tuned!