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FaLL LoOk BoOK PaGe 2… wear what you got

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This Autumn I am focusing on wearing what is already in my closet. I won’t be purchasing much of anything. I gained some weight and had to let some things go. However, I had enough stretchy clothing to carry me for a while. My motto is no CONSUMERISM. Thank you Lauryn Hill for solidifying my decision! She gets deeper than fashion in her hot new track.

Today’s Look: The Lavender Sweater Dress

FROM HEAD TO TOE:

  • Stretchy fabric used for head wrapping from JoAnn’s.
  • Lavender dress from Venus. I was quite disappointed when I first bought this dress because I ordered the smallest size they had and it was too big! However, I gained 5 lbs and now I can fit it! It was on sale for $19 last year. I really like it now! Venus has nice dresses for women who have curves. I normally would buy from the sale and clearance sections. This dress has to be hand washed.
  • The black and gray multicolored sweater is from TJMaxx. It was $25 which is more than what I would normally pay, but I needed a sweater. I have worn this for 3 years and I hand wash it as well.
  • The stockings are gray from Target for $4.
  • The shoes are by Aldo. They were expensive because of the leather. It’s called the Fornilli.
  • Sterling silver earrings from a guy who came into the beauty salon selling jewelry! $10. Sterling silver rings from thrift stores, Passport to Peru, and City Buddha.

Final Note: Sweater dresses are one of my favorite items of clothing so when I saw this one for just $19, I jumped on it! They can get pretty pricey, but I’ll stay in the under $30 range. It’s difficult for me to pay over $25 for any article of clothing that is not mud cloth or Kente cloth. I normally buy them at the end of the season for more than 80% off. I’ve gotten them from Dots, H&M, Dillards, and online, all for under $20. This dress is made with viscose and is very thin and a bit see-through. Wearing with stockings is a must. You may even have to wear a slip.

The Kush Queen for African Essence

P.S. Have you been reading? Don’t slip. Queens must read. This is the first fiction book I’ve read in years and I’m liking it. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King.

Doctor Sleep (The Shining, #2)

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Lovin Oprah These Days… She Can Rock an Afro!

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Cover of the Sept 2013 Issue
Page 27 of the Sept 2013 Issue

This is Oprah on the cover of the September 2013 issue of The Oprah Magazine. I am really digging her boldness these days. She is fun, open, and risky! That is a great way for a woman of her age to be- ageless at heart! The point of it all: Tressed to Impress, all about the hair.  I really just think that she is visually showing what it feels like to experiment with and to explore hair. I love the textured fro. Beyonce’s stylist allowed her to borrow it and it weighs in at 3.5 lbs. Wow! It is reminiscent of Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, and Ms. Badu:

Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Erykah Badu with Chaka Khan
Erykah performing a tribute to Chaka
Love it!
Esperanza Spalding’s lovely big fro’

Oprah says that she wish this wig were her own hair. I love it! She talks about hair because she wants to know why it has such a hold on women. I agree. Oddly, I asked my friend yesterday what he thought about my hair over the phone. I dyed my hair and the roots had begun to show and I wanted to know what he thought about that. He said to me: you are focusing too much on it! You have good taste and it’s beautiful any way you wear it. I believed him. He isn’t shallow at all (but he cannot stand weave!). I could come out any way that I pleased and he would not care. Gotta love a good friend! This is the biggest my hair has been. I only wore it like this for a photo shoot. I couldn’t handle it the next day day. The Afro pics were of me in Vegas at an NBA party! It was so much fun!

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Well, I believe that the hair/head is a crown and it should be cared for with love, but, if it becomes consuming then think about a cut! For me, hair is most beautiful in its natural texture. Not chemically processed or dyed. What you were born with is what you must love. Everything else is just temporary decoration. Colors and weaves should not define a woman. We must show our own hair and love it. I love my bush. Do you?

The Kush Queen aka Queen Duafe aka Shila Iris aka ishilai aka The Fifth Element for African Essence Blog