The Snood: A Winter Closet Essential

The snood is a closet essential for the winter especially at this time when we are having a deep freeze in most parts of the mid-west of the United States with temperatures dipping as low as -27 degrees Fahrenheit in some states.  Snoods are sometimes confused with infinity scarfs but they are different. A snood is a piece of clothing used by women to cover the upper part of their body usually the head and neck. it has a cowl shape in most cases and sits very close (snug) to the neck. It can be a knitted piece of fabric or crotchet. It can also be made from any other fabric so long as it stretches and can go over the head if it needs to like a hood and this is the main distinction of a snood from an infinity scarf. An Infinity scarf is a loop of fabric that is worn loosely around the neck like a scarf. Sometimes, infinity scarfs can be folded around the neck a couple of times to convert them into a snood like this piece here. In my opinion, a snood is usually warmer and more cozy than an infinity scarf. You can layer it over a top, sweater or dress and a colorful snood can elevate any winter outfit. A good place to shop for snoods is on Etsy Website. I have rounded a couple of snoods and infinity scarfs in the links below if you want to check them out and check out the original post of this outfit here. Stay warm and fabulous!

Staying stylish in Winter one step at a time

The weather might be cold and snowy but our style do not have to be boring. I admit that my winter style might not be as fabulous or colorful as my summer or nice weather style; to be honest, I just want to wrap myself in blankets on very cold days. One thing I do not take for grated however is my shoes. I always make sure I have a cute and comfortable pair of shoes on my feet. To stay stylish in the winter time, just make sure your accessories are colorful and chic. So, if you tend to wear long dark coats the whole winter, make sure your gloves, hats, mittens and gloves are on the colorful side to keep your spirit up. If you give up and just eliminate all forms of color and style from your winter wardrobe, you might end up with the winter blues which can lead to a serious case of depression. (Yes, depression is higher in the winter time and it is usually attributed to the dreary winter weather) To elevate your style and your steps, consider adding a pair from these selection of winter boots. They are all grey or neutral in color and are ankle boots but they are stylish and cute and you can find one that lifts up your mood based on your style. Happy shopping.

Dressing up in style in sub zero temps

We are all aware of the deep freeze sweeping across the United States this week unless you are lounging on a beach somewhere enjoying the sun which probably would be the best thing to do. So, if you can afford it, you can book a flight for yourself to someplace warm until the weekend if you are single and if you have a family and can afford it, you definitely need to take the family to some place very warm where you can have some adventure and enjoy the sun for the next few days. If you are staying home where the cold and chill is present, you definitely need to stay warm and being indoors is the best way to deal with this cold. If you have to go out, consider pilling on layers and layers of clothing but make sure your final outfit or layer is stylish and on trend. This outfit collage below shows some inspiration on what you need to stay stylish in sub zero temps.

The set features a black long sleeve turtle neck sweater sometimes called a high neck or roll neck sweater or jumper with little variation in the style. To create a very stylish look, tuck in the sweater into a good quality pair of denim which should be layered too with some great winter under garments if you plan on spending some time outdoors. Throw on a black and white striped cardigan, long puffer coat, a colorful printed scarf, colored gloves and a colorful bag are needed to elevate this look. And last but not the least, grab a hat that suits your style on your way out and do not forget the snow boots. Happy styling...💛

Styling Green Pants for Work: Green Ankle Pants + Plaid Blazer

There was a huge snow fall last night; it actually started yesterday's evening to this morning and the temperature is in sub zeroes so, this is not what I am wearing today. It is an outfit I wore last week and it is suited for more moderate temps and probably more appropriate for spring and speaking of which; I'm really looking forward to the spring weather. Did I mention that classes and school was canceled today for most part of Minnesota? Yes, the cold and snow is just not a good combination. My kids are home presently as I type this post. Still thinking of spring; I'm looking forward to styling all my blazer's for a warmer season.

Sequin Skirt + Glitter Pumps

I wish Christmas and New year was celebrated multiple times in a year; hands down my favorite holidays. This outfit is one of my holiday outfits that I wore to Church last Sunday and I decided to do a Flashback Friday look by sharing it on the blog today. The dark blue sequin pencil skirt is from Ann Taylor and it is currently on sale.  I love the midnight blue color of the sequin skirt. It is somewhat heavy but well made and durable. I paired it with a black cowl neck sweater previously styled here and glitter pumps to achieve a simple look. The blue glitter pumps are a recent addition from DSW and I glammed them up by adding shoe clips that I ordered from Amazon. I love how this shoes pair nicely with this skirt and it also pairs well with another piece in my closet that I blogged about here.

Getting Fit: Athleisure Fashion

One of my goals this new year is to get more exercise and work-outs into my routine. This is all about the total package of taking care of my body, soul and spirit; my goals for the new year. To get me started on this fitness journey; I'll have to address the basics which involves getting the right fashion or outfit for my workout. A quick look in my closet revealed that I have little to none of work out gear but I was able to put some old sneakers and comfy shoes together which I would blog about later. The quest for finding comfortable workout wear led me to Target where I discovered the newly launched work-out and athleisure line called Umbro. The line features beautiful, high performance street style and work-out gear that can go seamlessly from work to the gym depending on the pieces and how you style it. Below are my favorite selections from the line and other work-out apparel from Target.

Shoe Lovin': Scarf Boots

        This scarf pointed-toe brown booties caught my attention on the Neiman Marcus Website and the product information on the site lists it as leather booties with 2.4 covered stiletto heels and back zip, leather lining, smooth outsole, printed text; "for walking" and removable printed scarf. Yes, that scarf you see on the booties is removable and the boots started off at $1, 605 with a recent price reduction to $481.00.

Leopard Print Cardigan: A twist in the trend

The leopard prints trend seem to be going strong even in the winter months and the pieces are just getting more stylish and fun; leopard prints pleated skirts like in this Post here and here and leopard prints pants and culottes. I love leopard prints cardigan or sweater because they are unique and add interest to the winter wardrobe. A cardigan/sweater is a versatile piece on its own that can be styled for work and or play and when it is in a stylish animal print, it elevates an outfit. For styling inspiration for work, pair a colorful leopard print cardigan in a dark shade with trousers and ankle pants and for play, pair it with a pair of blue or dark colored denim. Just don't forget to keep the accessories neutral.

Faux Jumpsuit + Oversized camel color Coat

One of my styling tricks is pairing shades of same color together in a monochromatic style to achieve a totally new look thereby making the pieces versatile. I am able to achieve a faux jumpsuit just by pairing a simple top and pant together like I did in this look. The top and the pant are nearly the same shade of red so this makes the outfit look like a one piece. This styling tip definitely expands our wardrobe. My turtle neck top is from Boohoo and my pants are an old purchase from Victorias' Secret and the long length makes it perfect for layering in the winter. My oversized camel color coat completed the look and with the freezing temps we have been having here for days, a large comfy coat is a must. This coat is also a thrifted piece by the way.

How I styled my Cow Boy Boots

Happy Friday friends 😁 I hope you are happy and thankful everyday for every little blessing. I'm happy and thankful to God for everything in my life right now including this blog. As I have said so many times in the previous posts; it's very cold and cloudy in my city with occasional peaks of sun and it's been difficult getting outfit photos to update the blog this season. So, I will be doing more collage posts and shoe posts to keep the blog running. I hope the weather is nice wherever you are. In this post, I'm wearing my all time favorite bright yellow cropped coat that I have had for years along with a white pair of denim and black embroidered cow boy boots. The boots are a recent purchase from thrift shopping and I paid about $8.99 for them.

Work Wear: Long green Coat + Color block bag

Green is my next best color close to purple so, you can imagine how excited I got when I found this long green coat for about $20 at the thrift store years ago. It's always in rotation during the winter time and I previously blogged about it here. The craftmanship and quality of the coat is impeccable and it's in great condition. I decided to pair the coat today with wide legged trousers from Ann Taylor and a white funnel neck top. A black pair of boots and this thrifted color-block bag completed the look. I love the way the colorful bag infused colors into the somewhat monochrome outfit and speaking of the bag; I pulled it out of storage where it has been for years and this is the first time I am styling it on the blog. The bag has the letters NYC inscribed on it which I believe stands for New York City or New York & Co. which is a clothing store. . I tried to trace the original store where the bag originated from but was unsuccessful . Also, I could not find a similar bag like this any where to link to this post save for the Gucci glazed wicker bag which is quite pricy. And this brings me again to the topic I talked about in my last post. You'll always find unique and one of a kind items at the thrift/consignment if you know where to look.


"What do you think of the long green coat or the color green in general? For me, green symbolizes life and nature and procreation which in turn reminds me of God's love."

How to get unique fashion pieces for your Closet

Hi Friends; it's been cold and cloudy in my neck of the woods and I have not been able to take any recent pics to update the blog. These pics were taken a couple of weeks ago and in it I am wearing a sari like lace dress that I have had in my closet for a while now. (The dress is quite old so I do not remember what store I got it from; probably T.J. Maxx because I shopped there a lot years ago). The champagne lace dress is a beautiful sari (Indian cultural attire) with very unique floral lace details and unique pattern running from the neckline to the hem and long slits on the sides. I styled it by layering it over a pair of wine burgundy corduroy pants and completed the look with a burgundy color velvet clutch and floral embellished pumps. I wore the outfit to Church on a not so chilly day and it was days right after the beautiful wedding of Nick Jonas and Priyanka. Since it was still fall at the time, the color palette was very appropriate. was And this brings me to the title of this blog post; getting unique fashion pieces for our closets.


"As I said in a previous post; there is not much gain in acquiring and consuming material possessions. It is time to invest in things that give life more meaning like making memories with Family and Friends and investing in things that build up our faith and spirituality."



One of my goals this year is to shop my closet more and only purchase very unique pieces for my closet. To achieve this, I intend to start consuming fashion in a different way; in a more responsible and thrifty manner. Also, I intend to do a lot of restyling of my closet pieces and my plan to achieving success is by following the steps below.



Declutter and reorganize

 The benefits of having a clutter free and organized space cannot be overemphasized and the fact that the closet can easily become the space that needs the most organization in the home cannot be ignored. So, I'll start first by going through my closet and sorting through everything; donating clothes and accessories that do not fit or are rarely used and only keeping the fashion items that I need and making sure they are organized and laid out in an easy way for future use. for now, my winter wardrobe are all within reach in my closet while the summer pieces are way at the back with some items even kept in storage boxes and containers till they are needed.


DIYs and creative tailoring

Creative tailoring like adjusting hems of very long or short fashion pieces and DIYs can create totally new looks that make the garment different from how it was made originally thereby creating a new look. Old pieces can also be given new life by simply changing out buttons or adding sashes and obi belts to blazers and dresses. For example, I ordered this pair of glitter pumps  for the holiday and wanted to change the look a little bit so I ordered this pair of shoe clips and glued them on the pumps to achieve a somewhat different pair of shoes that I styled with this dress here and kind of like the  embellished floral pumps I am wearing in this post here. You can also shop customized fashion website like eShakti.

Winter Sale

Power suits have become a wardrobe essentials for women and while they might not be on the fashion scene this winter, they are definitely going to be a huge trend in the spring and summer. If your wardrobe is in need of a colorful blazer, you might want to check out these colorful blazers that are currently on sale at J. C. Penny. These bold color blazers come with notched collars and single button closure and button cuffs and are very versatile when it comes to styling. To make a statement, style the blazer with the coordinating pant or pants which are also on sale at the moment. Enter the code 63GETNOW at check out to get up to 40% off.

Snake Print pencil skirt

It may still be the heart of the winter season but it is not too early to start planning our Spring and summer outfit. I saw this snake print pencil skirt recently and fell in love with it. It's so beautiful and sleek and this made me to think of all the many ways a snake print skirt can be styled. For work, I'll pair it pair it with a crisp white top and accessorize it with neutral accessories so the skirt can be a statement piece. A green pair of earrings and statement heels and bag would complete the look; a very simple and chic outfit.

How I scored my best sequin top at Arc's Value Village Thrift Store

I scored the above floral sequin blouse recently from Arc's Value Village and it really got me excited because I had been on the hunt for a floral or printed sequin piece for years. I only wish I had gotten this sooner, right before the holidays but that's okay because I'm still in a new year celebratory mood and I'm planning on wearing my sequin pieces this month to Church and other events before I finally give them a break at the end of the month until next holiday season. I have a couple of sequin dresses and skirts in my closet that I have been restyling for years like this dress here and here  and here and this skirt here and this recently purchased blue sequin skirt that I plain to wear to Church next Sunday and I knew it was time to get something new. The opportunity came when  I was contacted by a PR from Arc's Value Village  recently to do a collaboration on the blog.



 Arc's Value Village is a thrift store and donation center which has four big locations in my city. I do go there to shop for unique pieces from time to time and I have mentioned the store a couple of times previously on this blog as you can see from this post here and here and here. My invitation to do a collaboration with the store is part of its ongoing social media campaign to bring more awareness to the store and the great cause the organization is involved in in helping people with developmental disabilities. I scored this beautiful floral sequin blouse and a couple of sunglasses with the coupon that I was provided with to shop in the store and as always, shopping at Arc's clean, organized and well laid out store, was a fun experience. There is new merchandise that comes into the store every week from businesses, stores and personal donations and the items are always in great condition. If you enjoy thrifting just for fun or to score great bargains, you can check out Arc's online store on ebay. Enjoy the weekend.

Sequin Dress + Tulle Skirt

It's thankful Thursday or Throwback Thursday and I am sharing my outfit that I wore to Church last Sunday. This is the third outfit I planned for New Year and it's plain and simple just like my other outfits; a long sleeve sequin dress worn as top and a tulle circle skirt, a recent purchase. I was excited about the tulle skirt though because it's my first real tulle skirt outfit. The closest piece I had to a tulle skirt before now is this dress here and another here. I decided to go ahead and order a real tulle skirt and I got this off of Amazon here. The sequin dress was gifted to me by hubs for my birthday years ago and I have worn it every holiday season since. The sequin dress is from Express and I previously styled it here and here.  I have also layered it with skirts like I did in this post here and here.

My Wish List from Eshakti Sale

One of my goals this year is to update my wardrobe with more classy pieces and what is more classy than a well made, beautiful dress to wear to grown-up events like mile stone birthdays, wedding anniversaries...which I seem to be getting invites to a lot more these days; haha! 😆 This is why I made a little change in my shopping budget when I got notification about the ongoing Eshakti sale and if you are a new customer to the site, you get 40% off your first purchase when you register on the site. The selections below are some of my favorites.

                                                         

Spring Fashion Trend: Tie-Dye Style

Blazer // Shorts // Pumps // Bag

The calendar says winter and it is still freezing out there  but it's definitely not too early to talk about Spring fashion. One of the trends I'm really excited for in the coming season is the tie-dye style which is again, recycled fashion from the eighties. In my fashion mood board above, I have put together  a simple way that shows how this trend can be styled in a classy way. The green tie-dye shorts is the statement piece in the collage and when you pair it with other neutrals like the white blazer, grey color earrings and pumps, there is need to add a pop of color which is achieved by the mustard color bag. This outfit is young and fun and can pretty much go anywhere. If you want to check out other affordable tie-dye pieces, check out the shopping links below.

Cold weather style: Burgundy Coat + Faux fur Stole

Happy Monday everyone  😃 It's been very cold and cloudy in my city but we are starting to warm up a little too. In the past days (since after the new year) I have been in long coats and boots. The burgundy coat I am wearing here is one of my favorites that I have had for several years now and these pics were taken the Sunday I wore this outfit to Church. The weather was super cold but I made up my mind to dress up in beautiful colors reminiscent of the season and my burgundy long coat which I thrifted from the consignment store years ago elevated the simple look I had on. The addition of a faux fur stole also added to the warmth and style of the coat and you can find the links to similar pieces in the shopping info below.

How I re-styled my sequin pencil Skirt

Happy Friday Friends; I hop you are all doing great. This is the second outfit I styled for the new year; a sequin pencil skirt previously worn here as a Christmas holiday outfit. I knew the temperature was going to dip in the week of the  new year holiday and I figured styling the sequin mesh skirt with a thick cowl neck sweater and a pair of ankle boots was going to do but nah, the weather was terribly cold and it was minus 2 degrees by New year eve night so I abandoned this outfit after taking pictures of it and wore a black leather pencil skirt, sweater and boots instead similar to what I wore here. My brown ankle boots paired with the sequins skirt was purchased recently after I wrote this post here and my Chloe Bag is a birthday gift.  My third outfit that I styled and planned for New year eve is what I would be wearing to Church on Sunday since the weather did not permit it to be worn  on New Year's Eve.

Happy New Year: Blue Sequin Dress + Glitter heels

Happy New Year Friends 😁 It's 2019! I had a beautiful New Year celebration and I'm also well rested. My hubs and I and the kids did a lot of bonding during the holidays; we watched movies together, cooked together, went out to eat and just spent quality time together. We also had an amazing dinner at a restaurant on Christmas day to celebrate my son's birthday. I'm going to make this first Post of the year very short because I do not have new year resolutions. Like I said in my previous post, I just want to be a better me in the new year. I want to love God more, love my family more and love people more. My main change is going to be on the blog as I plan to share more life style posts. I also plan to shop less from now henceforth and to spend more time exploring ways of creating affordable and glamorous looks from pieces that I already own. I want to do more of DIYs and other kinds of creative styling and I hope to share all on here.



" I also plan to give more of my time volunteering for good causes and also plan to share God's word more than I ever did before. Sharing God's word is sharing Love to others and we all know that the world needs more LOVE. "