Hey all and Happy Monday! I'm hella late in posting but better late than never, right? =)

I'm back with more designers and a boutique from Charlotte Fashion Week! 


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Fiona Rose

First up, there is Fiona Rose. She is such a delight! I have seen her showcase a line at least once before and worked with her on a photoshoot back in 2020 (ya know, BEFORE shit hit the fan). Her drive and creativity know no limits! This line was so feminine and delicate! The lighter hues and fabrics definitely remind me of summertime! It was a small, capsule collection but it was still one of my favorites! 

Jonay di Ragno

Jonay di Ragno was another one of my favorites! His combination of art and fashion is un-like anything I have seen before. It was essentially, his paintings on modern day pieces. Jonay is an artist by trade, specializing in abstract expressionism. It really pops well on these looks! It creates a unique and edgier look that are a lot of fun! And I love that a lot of these could be worn as everyday styles. He is definitely someone I will be keeping my eye out for in the future! 

Scotch and Soda Boutique

Up next, we have a few styles from the boutique Scotch and Soda, located in South Park Mall. They put together a few looks showcasing some of their best pieces. I want the entire outfit from that top picture! xD They did such a great job with these styles! They had looks for men and women alike and they varied in style. Some were more casual but flirty (i.e. the floral dress and letterman jacket and the striped sweater with matching scarf.) Then you also had the more tailored, sleek looks (like the blazer, pants, and peacoat). I loved the use of layering in these styles, it really got the audience into the mood for fall! 

After this, I may have to go shopping! Anyone want to come!? ;)

Tygerian Lace

​Tygerian Lace! Wow! What a joy to see her styles! I have seen many designs by Tygerian Lace and they never fail to amaze me! They are always so bold, fierce, and powerful while also being unique and elegant! This line was no exception! It was mostly gowns/dresses with some kind of unique twist to them. Dramatic, thigh high slit! Fringe hem! Sequins! Dramatic tulle hems! Ruffles! All of that was included in this incredible line! 

Congrats my friend! I cannot wait to see what you continue to come up with! 

Megi Gabunia Presented by Geo In Style

This was another line where art and fashion collided and I am here for it! This line was very edgy and futuristic. It featured mostly black and silver pieces, but that color combination really hit the mark! The use of other textures and shoulder details, belts, boots, and eyewear gave off serious matrix like vibes! I felt inspired by it though! I felt bold and fierce! I felt ready to take on anything! And that was just from watching! I wish I could learn what the designer was thinking when creating the looks! That would be so fascinating! 

What do you guys think?! 

Well guys, I really hope you enjoyed this look into Charlotte Fashion Week 2022! I had such a great time! Thanks to Charlotte Seen for having me and putting on another spectacular fashion week! To all the designers, boutiques, stylists, and models -you guys did amazing! It was so great to see what you came up with and to be around such creative energy for four fabulous nights!

Hopefully I will be sharing more with you guys real soon! See you Wednesday! Have a great week!

Hello and Happy Friday! 

How are you all!? It FINALLY is beginning to feel like fall! The temps have dropped and just in time too! My blog styles and temps are finally coinciding! 

This is a pretty basic, cozy fall look. I played around with layering for this look. I found this high-low hemmed sweater at Goodwill last year (I think) and while there is nothing all that special about it, I love it! It can be styled for many different occasions. I have worn it out to run errands, meet friends for lunch, shoot blog posts... ;) 

I have also styled it with jeans and boots for a dinner with friends. 

Hell, I have even worn it as lounge wear! On a chilly night or chilly morning? Heck yeah! I will throw it on with my sweats and make me some hot tea! =)

Today, I styled this with a puffer vest more as an experiment and whaddaya know? I liked it! 

It is still probably a little too warm to really wear this all day long because the vest is actually very warm! I believe because it is warming your core, it ends up being a really warm piece despite it being sleeveless. (I have no idea if this is true or not, but it is my best guess!) But I only wore this for pictures and a quick trip to make a return and it was fine for that amount of time. 

Something I noticed when shooting this look, when I went to shoot, I just set up and got it done. Sometimes I hesitate a little or wait for a place to be less crowded or hype myself up with Beyonce. But for this look I did not do any of that, I just got to the location and went for it. I don't know if it is because I'm actually becoming more comfortable doing this out and about!? OR if it was because I had already shot two other looks and was exhausted. Lol. Maybe a little of both, who knows? Anyway, I am enjoying the way these pictures have been coming out lately, so I will keep it up! =)

Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend! 

Hello all! Happy Wednesday!

How are you? I'm so excited for today and to share this post with you! Last Wednesday Charlotte Fashion Week 2022 kicked off! I was lucky enough to be able to attend! Presented by Charlotte Seen and held at South Park Mall, it was four nights of fabulous fashion and strong creative energy all around! I wrestled with how to make this post, because there were SO MANY designers and boutiques showing over the course of the four nights, we could be here all day! Which of course I'm okay with! xD I also want to be able to spotlight the designers, who worked so hard and created these stunning styles! So, I am breaking it into two parts! Here is part 1 of Charlotte Fashion Week! I hope you enjoy! 

Elena Hakola 


Ukrainian designer Elena Hakola kicked off the week on the first night. And I will be honest, this post really just skims the surface I feel. She had an astounding long line to show! At least 40 models walked for her -it was the longest I've ever seen! And yet, I found myself entranced by the entire line! Her line was a look into Ukrainian culture. Some of her looks were more casual and billowier in design while others were more structured. Most of her designs included a lot of prints and texture, and many played with draping and varying lengths. There were a few that were more somber in color and regal in design, I could go on and on, but instead I will let the designs speak for themselves. These were six of my favorite designs from the night. What do you think? Elena's creativity knows no bounds! I am hoping to do a future post on Instagram at: elena_hakola.

Styling with Linwood


Styling with Linwood was the second designer of the week, but we were also treated to a second presentation on the final night as well! Styling by Linwood focuses mainly on menswear styles. He puts a modern spin on classic looks. From fitted blazers to tailored pants, to accessories like scarves, bags, shades, and -of course- hats! There is something for men and women alike! I really appreciated this line because as much as I love a playful style, I also really like a chic, sophisticated style. That is exactly how I would describe Styling with Linwood! 

You can find him on Instagram at: stylingwithlinwood
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Angel Blanco

​Eeeek! I'm fangirling a little over here! Angel Blanco easily was one of my favorites! I love when fashion and art combine! It is a unique experience as a spectator so I can only imagine what it is like as a designer and artist. Angel Blanco is no exception! He is another designer I really want to be able write a whole post on in the future. I want to know all kinds of things about his creative process and the inspiration behind these designs! But back to the designs themselves! They were certainly eye catching! There was a lot of dramatic pieces, loads of texture, experimenting with crisp, clean lines like in the first picture, and intricate detailing like in the last picture. This is another line where I feel like I am just skimming the surface, there were plenty other designs that were equally as edgy and artistic as these. I hope to be able to share more of them with you in the future! 

For now, if you want to see more from Angel Blanco, you can follow him on Instagram at: @angelblancoartist!

Dope Duffle


Dope Duffle is a store specializing in luxurious yet durable and functional bags as well as accessories and quality athleisure wear. I really enjoyed these designs because it seems to speak for itself. The athleisure apparel does look stylish as well comfortable. The bags were all unique in design and ranged from playful to business. There were back packs, handbags, and even travel bags. Most of the handbags had crisp/clean lines. I noticed that this brand has a love for the use of color-blocking. Most of the athleisure wear featured color-blocking as well as many of the bags. If you like this brand, you can follow them on Instagram at: @dopeduffle.

They also have a store at 5430 N. Tryon St. in Charlotte if you want to check them out in person! I think I may be heading that way soon! ;)

Juan Rivera

Last but definitely not least is designer, Juan Rivera! This was my first time seeing all of these designers that I mentioned in today's post, but it was also Juan Rivera's first time debuting his lines! Again, we were treated to two presentations from Juan. He closed the show on both Friday and Saturday nights. Friday night, he introduced his line and dedicated it to his late mother. It was a line full of beautiful evening gowns. They were elegant and ranged from dynamic to playful, to ethereal. During the final walk at the end of his line, instead of having his models do a complete walk of the runway, they stopped, and Juan walked out in front to a room full of applause! The look on his face was priceless! It was the look of pure happiness! It had me tearing up watching how excited he was -and rightfully so! Juan, your mother is probably so proud of you! 

Saturday night, his line included pieces for both men and women. It also had a lot of texture and experimented a lot with lengths and draping. There was a fabulous feathered, statement collar that I couldn't get enough of! He paired it once with a dramatic black piece, which flowed very nicely (top right picture). And then again with a white ensemble, where it really popped. What I love about Juan's designs is that he is designing for everyone to wear what makes them feel fabulous. When he introduced his line the second night he even said so. "If someone tells you that you can't wear something? Ah, yes you can!" Ahh, what a great individual Juan Rivera is! 

You can see more from Juan on Instagram at: @juanjosestyle!



I hope you enjoyed these designers and styles as much as I did! I really enjoyed creating this post for you and I hope you stay tuned for part 2 next Wednesday! Have a great rest of the week! 

Hello and Happy Monday friends! 

Man, what a weekend! It was the busiest one I have had in a while! I cannot wait to share all about it in Wednesday's post! But for today I wanted to keep things a bit more casual! 

It was a beautiful day when I shot these pictures. It was a little cool in the morning and a nice gentle breeze. Not so cold -of course- that you needed to bundle up but enough that a light jacket would be nice. That is where this favorite piece of mine comes in! This plaid jacket -and I do call it a jacket it because it is a bit heavier than a basic button up- from Shein, is a great transitional piece. I am always excited when I get to style it. 

The rest of the look I kept pretty simple. No need to overthink a stylish, casual, fall look! That, and I also wanted to style these combat-inspired boots. Technically they aren't actually combat boots, but they look pretty similar. I really like the tread and the small heel on these boots. I also like that they DON'T lace up, like actual combat-style boots. It is such a headache to have to deal with. 

But I have several ideas for how to style them, this being one of them. I feel like they complete this look! 

​And bonus points because they are very comfy! 

Well, thank you so much for reading today! I hope you enjoyed this look! And stay tuned! Because I have a lot to share on Wednesday! 

Have a great day! =)

Jacket: Shein.com (similar)
Graphic Tee: Vestique Boutique
Boots: Target
Bag: Target

Hi friends! 

Whooo! What a week! I am currently in the midst of Charlotte Fashion Week and it has been awesome so far! I'll share about that coming up soon! 

Today I am sharing another fun fall look with you all! I have really enjoyed putting these fall looks together; I just wish the temps would cooperate! I came in one afternoon from shooting a different look and my mom looked at me and said something along the lines of 'you look cute! But I don't see how you're able to stand the heat in that!' 

I don't know either, Mom. 

Thankfully, this look isn't not one of the warmer looks. The skirt is breezy, and the sweater is light enough that I was comfortable. It also helped that it was a bit of an overcast day. 

You guys know I love color! I love small (sometimes big) pops of color, I like to mix and match bright/bold colors, and I also love a strong monochromatic look! It is an eye-catching technique and a unique way to restyle some of your favorite pieces in your closet. The color blocking and print blocking (I guess that's a thing?!) integrated into the monochromatic theme adds a bit of character to the look! 

And what do you know? I happened to have a burnt orange bag that completed the look! And to think I had come SO close to donating it! Phew! Crisis avoided! xD

Thanks for reading! And now I'm off to edit some more pictures from Fashion Week for that future post! So, stay tuned! ;)

Have a great weekend!

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)