Hello and Happy Wednesday my friends! 

I hope the week is treating you well so far! Mine is good, but it is pretty busy! That's okay though, it keeps me out of trouble as they say! 

This week for my Fashion Insp post, I wanted to write about New York Fashion Week! It is one of the most elite fashion events in particular for emerging designers. I love to follow Fashion Week! Thankfully with the help of social media, it has gotten more accessible to get that 'front row' seat! New York Fashion Week is already well under way, and Charlotte Fashion Week is about to begin today, so I decided what a better time to take a closer look at Fashion Week than now! 

This year New York Fashion Week (NYFW) also called the 'Super Bowls of Fashion' kicked off on Thursday September 8th and goes through Monday September 12th. It is part of the 'Big 4' womenswear shows that take place twice a year (February and September). The other three shows included in the 'Big 4' take place in London, Milan, and Paris. Many big-name designers are returning again this year, Michael Kors, Proenza Schouler, Brandon Maxwell, Christian Siriano, and Tory Burch just to name a few. 

Through Instagram, I -along with everyone else- have been able to see many of the runway looks. So far, my favorites are Christian Siriano (hands down!), Tommy Hilfiger, and Jason Wu. 

New York was the first city that began to organizing shows seasonally and in 1943 the first NY show was organized. At the time it was called 'Fashion Press Week.' It brings in about 200,000 attendees each year and generates a great deal of revenue for the city. More than other high profiled events like the US Tennis Open and the New York City Marathon. 

Interestingly enough, of the 'Big 4' fashion shows, NY used to be the last to take place. It became the first in 1998 when designer Helmut Lang decided to move from Vienna to NY and showcase his collections before any of the big European shows. He was quickly joined by other designers, which made NY the first major show of the year to take place!  

So, what can you expect to see on the runways this year? I noticed lots of color! Bright, bold, monochromatic looks. Interestingly enough, I didn't see a whole lot of prints! Some prints, but not as many as in previous years. There was a lot of very sharp, crisp, clean lines and menswear inspired pieces. One collection (which I cannot recall at the moment writing this but if I think of it later I will post it in Stories) was very futuristic and edgy, which I think will be very interesting to see going forward! Glitter/sequins was another big theme I noticed this year. I think that is going to be very big in the Spring. 

One thing I love about NWFY is the venues! Over the course of the week numerous shows are taking place all over the city! I believe this year Christian Siriano had a collection debut in Elizabeth Taylor's home! Others take place in high rise buildings. Some in ballrooms. Vogue World -which I have to look into for a future post- was held outside in pouring rain! It is just another level of creativity that is showcased at NYFW!

I hope you enjoyed this! And stay tuned! I have some exciting things to share with you soon! See you on Friday! 

Hello and Happy Monday! 

How was your weekend? My weekend wore me out! And I'm not really sure why, to be honest. It was not any different than usual. Oh well, I headed to bed early last night in preparation for a big day today! 

On to today's post. First up the location! I found this spot by accident! I was actually looking for a Kohl's to make an Amazon return but overshot my turn by a lot! I was turning around in this particular shopping center when I passed by this fountain and right away, I knew I would be coming back to shoot here! It is so picturesque and makes for such a lovely background! 

It was especially fun when a man came out of a nearby restaurant and called out 'Ayyyye! Kill it Shorty!'

Did I appreciate the sentiment? Yes!

Did I turn twenty shades of red? Yes!
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Did I quickly hop down off the fountain ledge and pretend I wasn't just posing for pictures by myself? 100% xD

On to the look! This is another fall look that I love because it is a great look for this transitional period. As much as I'd love to jump straight into boots, scarves, and jackets, it is still a little too warm for that! I should know! That last post had me sweating a bit while shooting! 

This look -and fair warning there will be at least one more similar post!- allows me to embrace the fall style while not sweating to death! 

The core of the look is paper bag, pleather shorts and a ribbed knit turtleneck. The blazer ties the look together and for a little fun I broke out one of my favorite statement necklaces to dress up the look a little more! 

Well thank you all for reading! I am off to shoot a few more looks today, run a few errands, and do some laundry! Hope you guys all enjoy and have a great week! And once again to the gentleman who shouted out to me! Thank you, sir! I think I did in fact 'kill it' and I plan to continue to kill it! ;)


Turtleneck: Shein
Shorts: K La Boutique
Shoes: Fabrik Boutique
Bag: Shein
Necklace: Burlington 

Hello and Happy Friday! 

I am really excited to be putting together some fun fall looks for you! Fall has to be my favorite season! I just love when the weather gets cooler! I love the leaves changing colors! I love Halloween! 

Today's looks are the most fall-like styles so far. Monday's I still consider to be fall-like but as you can tell of course, this is the first where I have begun incorporating warmer pieces. And I decided to make it a two-way styling post! 

I mainly made this a two-way styling post because I could not decide which version I liked more! But it also serves as inspiration for a way to transition a look from a casual day look to a flirtier date look (albeit still a bit on the casual side). Or -probably more accurately- a way to transition a look from chilly to colder! But either way it is a simple transition that only requires a few different pieces! 

​The first look: the dress/sweater with the booties and the blue crossbody bag. I really love the contrast of the blue against the camo print. Don't ask me why, I just really love how it pops! But I felt like that contrast alone was enough, so I kept everything else pretty simple. Minimal accessories and neutral-colored booties. That said, sometimes the outfits that are simple to style are the best ones to wear. They aren't fussy and I've found they are a lot of times very comfortable. And this one is! 

The second look: the dress/sweater combo with the scarf, leopard print booties, and ruched shoulder bag. This one has a bit more depth to it. The trick here is to not stray too far outside of the color family. All of the accessories -the scarf, booties, and bag- are all various shades of beige (well the scarf is more orange/red but you get the idea!) They contrast nicely against the camo print and they do not compete with one another. The whole look flows nicely! 

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed these stylings! Have a great weekend! And I will see you on Monday! =)

Hello and Happy Wednesday! 

I hope you all are having a good week so far! 

This week for my Fashion Inspo I chose Billy Porter! 

I feel like I cannot in good conscious, write a fashion blog without including him! Billy Porter is a fashion icon! His looks never disappoint! And they are always head-turning and show stopping! 

You may know Billy as an actor, singer, or writer -all of which he is very accomplished. He began in the theater, starring in Broadway musicals like Kinky Boots. I knew him best in his role in the FX show, Pose. for which he was nominated for three Golden Globes and won an Emmy. He made history by winning that Emmy by being the first gay, black man ever nominated/winning for a lead acting category. 

The first time I really started to follow him style wise, was when he wore the fitted tuxedo gown made by Christian Siriano to the 91st Academy Awards! I remember the E! News reporters fawning over it. I happened to miss seeing him, so of course, I began furiously googling to see what all of the fuss was about. They were right to fawn about it! It was such a dynamic look! And he wore it so elegantly! 

After people were surprised at some of his previous fashion choices, Billy was inspired to ask Christian Siriano to make him a ball gown because he 'wanted to wear one' and 'wanted to challenge people's ideas about masculinity.' 

Since then, Billy's styles have continued to make waves. Who can forget the turquoise jumpsuit with the motorized hat?! Or the white tuxedo jacket with the feathered train? Or the royal purple cape with the matching wide brimmed hat and gloves (pictured down below)? In fact, does Billy have off duty looks!? The closest I could find all still looked on point!
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As a gay, black man Billy is a huge inspiration for many others out there. He is a voice of courage to those who also wish to wear ball gowns but have not had the courage to do it yet. Artistically, he is a huge inspiration to me. He makes me want to take more chances, put out more that can really get people talking and thinking. Of course, style-wise I LOVE him! I always look forward to seeing what he comes up with next! 

Thank you, Billy Porter! You are a force to be reckoned with! Keep on being you! 

Thanks for reading! See you guys on Friday! =D

Hello and Happy Monday! 

I hope you are enjoying this nice long weekend! 

My Dad was saying the other day how Labor Day weekend is one of his favorite long weekends. Being a teacher, it is nice to have a short week after the first week back of school. And in his mind -and in my mind too- it really ushers in the fall season. 

With that in mind, I am trying harder to create more fall focused looks to share, but the problem is its still hot!

This weekend has been no exception. 

I actually had a whole different post in mind for today, but it involved sweaters and scarves, and I figured you guys would think I was nuts if I posted it when it was in the 90s! 

So, I decided to post this ruffled, polka dot, swing dress and booties instead!

I found this on Amazon and was instantly drawn to it! The color, the style, the fit -everything! It is an easy piece to style and is a great transitional piece; from summer to fall and winter to spring in particular. It could be a nice summer dress too, but it IS still long sleeved and while it is very breezy, I was definitely working up a sweat just shooting over the weekend! 

In addition to the heat, the lighting was a bit all over the place for this particular location at least. 

Sometimes the sun was tucked behind trees or buildings, then next thing you know it was out front and center. I made it work though, but it took a while! And as you can see some pictures are much brighter than others! xD

Well, I hope you guys enjoy the day! Thanks for reading! See you on Wednesday! 


​Dress: Amazon
Booties: Shein.com (similar)
Bag: Shein.com (similar)

Hello friends! Happy Friday! Also, happy long weekend! 

I realize this is still more of a summery kind of look, but I promise Monday will start some fall-ish looks. It is just that the temps are still hot, and I don't like to roast when I shoot -lol. 

This was a fun shoot day! And by fun, I mean I got up crazy early to be able to shoot at this location without too many people around, had to stay longer than I would have liked struggling with lighting, and had the crap scared out of me by one of the employees of the restaurant! 

Three outfits and five to six hours later I was able to call it a very productive and tiring, but good day! 

I shot at this place called The Loyalist Market, which is a restaurant that specializes in cheese and charcuterie. I have driven past it many times and never realized what it was. It was the mural that drew my eye -though I'm sure you probably guessed that! But once I realized what it was and looked it up, I think I am going to have to stop in and give it a try! It sounds like a fun girl's night kind of place! 

The building and the outdoor patio also have really great aesthetics that I was drawn to also. From the brick to the string lights, to the iron gates, it has such a cozy and quaint feel to it! 

This look is a simple but comfortable one! And I have worn it a lot the last part of summer. What I love about this look -aside from the ventilation factor- is the versatility of it. It can be worn just about anywhere!

Morning coffee run? Check. Running errands during the day? Check. Lunch? Check. Date night? Sure! Just throw on a light jacket and you're good to go! Swap the sandles out for heels and maybe the bag for a clutch and you've got a dressier look. It is such a great summer look! 

The bag is a Target find that I love -I love the color in particular. The one thing I do not like about it is that there is a strand of beads across one side of it. I am not a fan of it. I feel like it cheapens the overall look of the bag. So, I am in the process of trying to gently remove said beads. It shouldn't be too hard but wish me luck all the same! XD 

What are you guys up to this weekend? Any fun plans? Is anyone heading to the Matthews Alive festival? Maybe I'll see you there! 

Thanks for reading! See you on Monday! =)

Top: Shein.com
Shorts: KLa Boutique
Bag: Target
Sandals: Versona
Sunnies: Shein.com

Hello and Happy Wednesday! 

Today we are back to the Fashion Inspo series and for today's fashion inspiration its the beautiful Kate Hudson! 

You probably know her best from her many movies like Almost Famous, How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days, You, Me, and Dupree, The Skeleton Key, and many, many others! She also has a beautiful singing voice as well! 

I have a bit of a girl-crush on her to be honest! Kate Hudson is so naturally beautiful and free spirited. She seems like such a genuinely happy person. 

And her style is fantastic!

I've been following her style for a while. and draw from it constantly! Especially her off-duty looks! 

Kate's off-duty style is charmingly eclectic. I have heard people describe her and her style as hippie or bohemian, which I could definitely see. She seems to gravitate towards maxi dresses, midi skirts, bell bottoms, off the shoulder shirts/dresses, layers, and fringe. She also has an infinity for scarves and bags. 

I'm not sure if Kate has ever said what her particular style is but I do remember her on Regis and Kelly, when Kelly mentioned something about her style, she replied with 'I like to be comfortable!' 

When it comes to dressing up, Kate really kicks it up! Her glam styles are so elegant! 

One of my all-time favorite looks that she wore was to the Oscars -I think- it was simple in the front -all white, long sleeved, and a high neckline. The back though, that's where the drama was! It was a completely open back! It was absolutely stunning! And Kate pulled it off so confidently and effortlessly! 

Thank you so much for reading! And I hope you enjoyed this look at the fabulous style of the fabulous Kate Hudson! I did! =D 

I will see you on Friday! Have a great week!

Hello and Happy Monday! 

I hope you all had a great weekend! 

You may remember in my Friday post, I mentioned there were two out of four dresses from Shein that I was planning to keep. This is the second dress! 
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Before summer officially wraps up and we welcome fall, I wanted to get a post in this fun, flirty number! 

What is not to love about this dress?! It is comfortable, breezy, and unique! What I especially love is the subtle and not-so-subtle details. The not-so-subtle asymmetrical/off the shoulder neckline is a pretty unique design. It is actually what drew me to this dress in the first place. It gives off such a romantic vibe, that I cannot get enough of!

The more subtle detail is the asymmetrical theme that continues down to the dramatic ruffle of the dress. 

At first glance you may not notice it, but I think the dress would have a drastically different look without it. 

The asymmetrical theme gives it so much character and life! 

I kept the styling pretty simple this go round. The lace up flats I have had for a while now and don't get out as much as they deserve but my love for them is strong as ever! Whenever I do break them out, they do not fail me! 

I have a tricky time keeping them tied when I wear them. Everything will start out strong but as the day goes on, they will come untied and I will have to keep retying them. Does anyone else have this trouble? And/or do you have any tricks or ideas to help remedy this problem? If so, please let me know! xD

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great week! 

Dress: Shein.com

Hello and Happy Friday guys!

We made it through another week! Yay! 

It was another busy but productive week for me. I was able to get a lot squeezed into my days off. I got four looks shot and had a counseling appointment and got a workout in! 

I have enough looks shot to get me through three more posts, so I am ahead of schedule! I try to get enough looks shot so I have material for several posts in case something comes up and I cannot shoot -I don't want to miss or fall behind. But that said, my bedroom in particular is a HOT mess! I am hoping on at least one of my next days off to take a break from shooting and really focus on cleaning it up a bit!

Let's talk about this fun, new dress! I have been in the market for a new dress for an upcoming event, so of course I went to my favorite -Shein! I ordered four dresses from the site but I'm only keeping two. This one and another one which I'll share with you later. 

I have always heard people say that red and pink do not go together. They don't match. Which is a shame, because they can and do! And, of course all I want to do is style them together! In my opinion, it is more about finding the right shades of red and pink to style together. This dress, for example, is the perfect shade of hot pink and red/orange and the simple color blocking is perfection!

Since it is a pretty bold/bright dress, I kept everything else pretty neutral. The strappy, nude heels, the off-white bag, and the minimal jewelry. 

I'm glad I opted to style it with the denim jacket, I think that additional touch of casualness anchors the look. Especially for the location I was shooting at. It made me feel not quite so conspicuous as I shot! xD

Well guys, what do you think? Is this the dress for the event? I think it very well could be! I am still going to keep my eyes open, but I am leaning more and more towards this one! I will keep you posted with what I decide! 

I hope you all have a great weekend! Be safe! See you on Monday! =)

Dress: Shein.com
Jacket: Loft
Bag and Shoes: Versona

Hello all! Happy Wednesday! 

Today, as promised, I am sharing another post with you in a series I am going to call 'Out and About!' 

This Saturday I had a blast at the Tacos n' Taps Festival! I had heard about it on Instagram and thought 'hey, that sounds fun!' Then after that the stars seemed to align. I happened to have THAT Saturday off, it was only a ten-minute drive from me, it ended early enough that I could make another comitment later than night, it was free (well sort of, you could get in and walk around for free but of course the food and drinks cost money). 

So, Saturday afternoon I set out on an adventure to join my fellow taco lovers and feast with them!

The festival took place at Ballantyne's Backyard, which is gorgeous and extremely spacious -that came in handy while hosting fourteen taco trucks and thirty-four alcohol booths. People happily sipped on their drinks while perusing the over thirty local vendors who had also set up shop. There was everything from vintage eye wear to cigar bars, to tie-dye apparel, to various hot sauces, to funnel cakes, and even a psychic! And that is just to name a few! 

I meandered around trying to take it all in. I listened to some live music for a while and since I do not drink, I stuck closer to the taco trucks! I got two tacos, a chicken tinga taco from Don Taco Y Su Pandilla and a steak taco from Poblanos Tacos Truck. Both were excellent! I don't know if I could pick a favorite! Please, don't make me choose! 

Of course, there was an ice cream truck as well with a line about a mile at all times! 

At the far end of the field, there was a beautiful sitting area with strings of overhead lights and a mariachi band that would serenade the crowd who stopped to eat there.

I also chatted with several vendors that were there and met some very intriguing people. There Glenetta White with A Peace 4 U which was vintage eyewear. She was wearing the most beautiful jumpsuit! It was full of colors and looked so cozy and were complete with a kick ass pair of converses! She looked fantastic! 

Then there was Pamela Robinson of Paparazzi Accessories. Her booth was full of beautiful jewelry! From rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings in many different colors and designs. And the best part? They are affordable! The ones at her booth were priced at $5! And with Christmas right around the corner, the pieces would make great gifts for the ladies in your lives!

And finally, there was Michelle Cook with Blaze On Creations. Michelle 'up-cycles' used beer cans and turns them into candles! I thought this was such a creative idea! She has several different fragrances to choose from and even the cans she used were fun from the design to the colors! I am hoping to maybe get to talk to Michelle later on and get more info on them. Maybe even do a whole post, because while we were able to chat a little there, I don't feel confident enough that I could correctly relay the upcycling process to you now, in this post. 

So, stay tuned! :D

It truly was a great afternoon! There were even more festivities that I did not catch like a jalapeno eating contest! I like to think I would do well with that but who are we kidding? I'm a bit of a wimp! xD 

Tacos n' Taps thanks for having me! It was truly a blast! I already am looking forward to next year! Now, if you'll excuse me writing about tacos has made me hungry for.... you guessed it! Tacos! See you Friday! :)
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