Confessions of a Recovering Wallflower

Let me take this time to confess something: ever since I was a pre-teen I have suffered with severe social anxiety. I have been known to have a panic attack at just the mere thought of doing any kind of activity in front of a crowd, like public speaking. I have gotten ill. I have even literally run away. I would blush severely and break out into sweat whenever I raised my hand in class or  even when speaking to someone outside of my immediate circle of friends and family.

Growing up I constantly received so many negative comments about my weight, hair and overall appearance that I became more than content at being behind the scenes because that is where  I was told I belonged.  I developed a warped understanding of  beauty and self-worth to the point that I told myself  that only those that were conventionally beautiful were meant to be photographed. I wasn’t, so I didn’t need to be. 20161229_151024-2So how does a person like this become a fashion blogger? With much difficulty and purpose-fueled drive. For example, whenever I go out for blog shoots I am very self aware of what I am doing mostly because half the time there are people around. I get self conscious as to what these passersby may be thinking especially when there have been times that they have stopped to watch. I’ve only managed to follow through because my blog photographers are so enthusiastic about the entire process and my body positive mission that it becomes so easy to forget about the curious looks from those around.

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Velvet Joy

After a month full of nonstop work and holiday events I saved my favorite holiday look for Christmas Eve. I spent the day at church with the family which was followed by a late lunch by the East River before heading into Dyker Heights in Brooklyn to take in some of the gorgeous Christmas light displays.  It was a full day, but it was amazing because I got to spend it with my family. What made it even better was this Eloquii dress I purchased as a gift to myself.  This dress was everything that I could want for a holiday look — elegant, feminine and festive. 20161224_164529-4 Continue reading

Naturally Curly Hair Winter Straightening Tips

Thanks to my mother I have been natural my entire life. I only got around to experimenting  with me hair once I got into college,  mostly out of necessity as I could no longer sport the two pigtail braids that were my signature back in high school. Yet it would be some time until I could actually figure out how to properly care for my natural curls without twisting them and in the process I began to try something new by straightening my hair via heat styling.
curls-and-straight-hairFast forward to the present and I really only ever straighten my hair during the  late fall/winter and sometimes into early spring. Why? Well, to  be honest  I do love my curls and make a point to try to challenge western hair standards, however, I’m a very lazy natural. In order to get my natural coils looking fresh and defined,  it takes at least 7-8 hours of work and waiting (I air dry my hair).  That’s practically a full day of work! For straightening it can clock in at 2- 3 hours max, which is still a lot, but I still get time to do other things.  Not only that but I can get my hair done in the evening once I get home from work and this is  something I can’t do with my curls because they don’t set and dry that quick. So more often than not, my decision to straighten my hair is in response to my hectic schedule, which usually does not have room for a lengthy hair day, OR I have a job interview (Note: That is a topic for another time.) That said, with today marking the official start to  winter  I felt it would be beneficial to share a few tricks and products I’ve picked up that have helped keep my hair healthy in the winter when using heat styling.

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CHRISTMAS SHOPPING GUIDE : EVERYDAY FANGIRL CHIC (PART 2)

Last week I shared with you my very first Christmas shopping guide that dealt with shopping for anime/manga fangirl and now this second list focuses more on Western fandoms, particularly animation, video games and comics, though I did include a couple live action films . Much like my first gift guide, some of the items listed are direct references to certain fandoms, with the rest being pieces that are much more subtle.  I’ve also included some commentary as how they can be used or styled for everyday use.  In an effort to remain budget friendly I made sure to list items that are  $60 and under, minus shipping though many retailers seem to now be offering free shipping due to holiday rush so that cost shouldn’t be as bad as it usually is. Happy shopping!

Jewelry and Accessories

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Etsy by Froshjewels – Zelda Heart Container Necklace (available in red and blue)

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Tied with a Red Bow

In my family dressing up is primarily reserved for two major holidays, Easter and Christmas day. Its a tradition that is easily traceable in the family albums and continues to this day. (Though thankfully my brother and I do not dress the same anymore…at least not on purpose.) Recently I turned to these albums to get me into the Christmas mood, but I ended up getting some holiday fashion inspiration from my younger self instead. So for this second holiday look, I aged up one of my favorite childhood holiday outfits.

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Christmas 1994

First I replaced the ruffled white blouse with this striped off the shoulder ribbed sweater.  My favorite things about this sweater is the fact that not only can it be dressed up or down, but  it is thick enough to keep you warm while yet also light enough that you won’t over heat while singing keyboard karaoke at your office party. What you can’t see too well in the above photo is the gold medallion on the toe of my Mary Janes, but I made sure to incorporate that into this look as well with a thin gold belt. I also traded up to my suede wedges that  gave me the height and sophistication that  I wanted. 20161213_095341

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