FaLL LOoK BoOk PaGe 1 … wear what you got

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In the Midwest weather used to be simple. We would have cold Winters, warm Springs, hot Summers, and moderate Falls. Times have changed and sometimes the seasons blend. I have no complaints! I actually love the complexities of weather. Everyday is an exploration. I no longer pack away my winter or summer clothes for storage. Everything stays in the closet year round. Sunday I wore shorts and today I had on heavy socks and insulated shoes. That’s how it is these days!

Just go with the flow of the sun. Since, the seasons can no longer dictate the dress code, wear what is befitting of the day. This is a wardrobe check to help you transition into “autumn-like” weather…

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WHAT I AM WEARING FROM HEAD TO TOE

  • My natural hair is permanently dyed using Silk Elements Santa Fe Bronze. I normally only dye my crown once every 4-6 months. Recently I decided that I wanted to grow the color out and focus on my original hair color of black. The dye is $4.
  • The shirt is made by a brand called Angie from Dillard’s. It was originally $32 but I bought it for $10.
  • The denim skirt is originally made by Mossimo for Target. I got it brand new from a thrift store for $3.
  • The stockings are from Target..maybe $4?
  • The fringe boots are from Sears/Kmart online. I caught them on sale last season for $10. The quality is fine. No visible wear or tear. They were originally $30. I noticed that these stores offer cheaper items online. What’s the catch? I don’t know! You can get fringe boots from Kohl’s, Nordstrom’sMacy’s, etc. I am not sure if they are the trend this year… but of course on African Essence we don’t follow trends, we set them!
  • Earrings: Icing by Claire’s for $2
  • Left arm bracelets from Glitter 3 for $3. Right arm leather bracelet from City Buddha for $4. The wooden necklace might also be from City Buddha for maybe $3?

CONSUMERISM. I went to Forever21 a few months back and was amazed to see that the clothing store had expanded to twice its size. It was ridiculously overwhelming so much that I vowed not to return! It was just entirely too much clothing. It looked like a sweat shop had thrown up in that place! I decided then that I would wear what I have and try not to spend any money on clothes. People think that I buy buy buy, but I have had most of my wardrobe for years. I was the same clothing size for about 10 years. Recently this changed and I had to buy a few items. Before this, my clothes lasted… 🙂 Honestly, I admit that my closet is stretched so I am not going to be doing much shopping until at least Summer 2014. I am saving for some trips/vacations so I will see how this balances out.

Peace and so much love!

The Kush Queen for African Essence

P.S. As much as I am drawn to some decorative clothing, we have to be careful not to become wasteful, penniless consumers. Check out Lauryn Hill’s new song called CONSUMERISM. I love her. If you don’t see the track below refresh the page. 🙂

July Flava

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Surfing the net, I came across these images of beautiful women with flava. THESE ARE SOME STYLES YOU MAY want to TRY in JULY. I love to give style alternatives because so many women whom I come across think that style is wearing the tightest clothing you can find. That is so wrong! Women look most regal and respectable when they wear clothing that flows. Now, I am not saying that some things cannot be form-fitting, but you have to be careful because it is a fine line between form-fitting and clothing that is for attention whores! You have to keep your mind pure and know your body. If you have hips and curves it is not OK to show everyone what you got all the time. Honestly, sometimes it gets hot, but we women have to be careful what we show. I have made mistakes and worn things that I wish I hadn’t in all innocence, but quickly found out that some men simply cannot handle that and I did not want or need the attention … yeah.

Peace and love,

Queen Duafe for AfricanEssence

P.S. Looking for some chill music? Sade’s band Sweetback’s CD never gets old. It’s very smooth and actually good on days when you just want to sit back and listen to your thoughts…

Sweetback

Check it out from your local library or purchase it on Amazon. I give it a 5 star review.