I appreciate the sponsorship. I like that he made the ankh ring golden. I actually lost this ring during this photoshoot and have not been able to find one like it since. It was a brass ring I got in Nashville, TN at an Afrikan bookstore on Jefferson Avenue.
Life, love, & wisdom.
Queen Duafe for African Essence
We just had a beautiful hail storm! Probably the most intense I’ve witnessed in a while. My cat was scared and she started crying. What a baby!
A very wonderful elder of mine introduced me to the lovely music of these South African women:
Thandiswa Mazwai and Lira
Thandiswa has so much energy and humility. She has a highly-attractive spirit.
Lira is so graceful and just all out beautiful. I love her smile!
Make sure you click on the links and pictures to visit their websites and see some of their great performances/videos. The world needs more women like them who are beautiful, stylish, and who respect themselves.
Queen Duafe for African Essence
So I was out and I picked up the new Black Hair Fashion Beauty Style August/September 2013 Magazine because Janelle Monae is on the cover. Of course she is sitting lovely in her black and white. I really like her.
I can’t believe she has a new video out and I didn’t know! I always love the creativity, the flare and the boldness of Janelle. I also dig that she has really attractive female energy in her videos and she isn’t afraid to dance crazy. Furthermore, my favorite video from her remains to be Many Moons. I also adore Tightrope and Q.U.E.E.N. Go Janelle!
Gotta include my Many Moons!
Review of the Black Hair Magazine:
I really think that the editor is cool and I am glad Black Hair got someone that we could relate to! Her name is Keysha Davis. This issue of Black Hair features fearless women who wouldn’t even give a second thought to other peoples’ opinions of them, Keysha quotes. She says that Monae is one of the most brave, creative, and free-spirited artists of her generation. I really dug the interview! It was cool to know that Janelle wrote and produced Erykah Badu’s part in her song Q.U.E.E.N. I like that she was open and honest. I did not know she was only 24, though. I thought she was in her later 20s.
Words that I took away from the interview:
QUESTION: What do you do when you’re not Janelle Monae the artist, and the persona we know you for?
JANELLE’S ANSWER: I love laughing, I love art, I love discussion and stimulating conversation where I’m learning things. I like hanging with people who speak different languages. I am just a sponge for knowledge. I swim in my tuxedo, I walk with monkeys, I kiss tigers, I do lots of different things. I have tea with bumblebees. … sounds like something I would say!
I also like her dedication to expressing herself and her femininity in a respectful manner as opposed to the get naked get rich fast model. She is all about respecting her Queendom and redefining what it means to be a woman. She say’s that she wants young girls with natural hair to know that they can be Cover Girl’s too. What a lady! That is what it’s about- being comfortable with what God gave you! She is super cool. She ended the interview by saying she uses as many natural products as possible like raw Shea butter from Ghana. That’s what we do, right? Gotta love Janelle Monae!
As to the rest of the Aug/Sept issue of Black Hair… it was cool. Black Hair is a nice magazine because it is modern with great photography and many style variations. The images normally look really nice and the women and men are not air brushed to plastic! Definitely realistic photos which oddly is not common in mags today.
They have lots of info on weaves and honestly, it is always hard for me to embrace features focusing on weave because I see women hiding behind false hair and using it as definition rather than adornment. Weave can be beneficial in transitioning processes and to use as decoration from time to time. It should not be our everyday mask. We have to learn to let our own hair down! However, this issue had the TOP AFRO TRENDS. There were only a few in the article, but the pages from the issue that I really liked are: Black Hair.
I am posting these pages just to let you all get an idea of what Black Hair looks like inside. Not too many people know about it, but if I had to choose a “black hair” mag, this is definitely the best. I am hoping that the posting of these pages do not constitute any form of infringement. I do not stand to make a profit and this is in promotion of Black Hair! I want people to try it! (page 44 was my fav!)
Love, life, & wisdom
Queen Duafe for African Essence
P.S. This is a another interview of
Image via CrunchBase
Today I was introduced to Omar. I really like the sound of him. I visited a bar on Cleveland’s west side and he was set up to do a video interview on Skype for fans and in promotion of his new album. He was really cool and laid back. The bar played the whole CD and I really dug it. Check it out.
I am looking forward to dissecting this CD. I will probably get it in a few weeks. It sounded so good at the bar! Omar seemed grounded and pure during his interview.
Life, wisdom & love,
Queen Duafe for African Essence
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…
Check it out from your local library or purchase it on Amazon. I give it a 5 star review.
Walk like a queen, think like a goddess…
I really like Natalie Stewarts’ poetry. I prefer this type of deliverance more than others such as slam or spoken word. This is slow and sensual, allowing us to think and grasp the words. I dig.
Being Free – It’s Poetry
The reality is that sometimes I am open
I am open to the world around me
The people I see inspire me to be the best that I can be
I am open to the man or the woman that is aware of my love vibrations
Understanding that I am not moved by lust or lack of trust
I am moved by the soul acceptance and the humility that oozes out of your heart
Judged mistakes make it seem like you think that you are better than me
It’s a sad reality that you choose to be bothered by my freedom
Your troubled glances, take me out of my natural high trances and you leave me wanting to abandon your community
I want to be so far away from your ego and your drunken stupors that I am willing to leave it all behind
Just so that I can breath
Mother nature is calling me and urging me to spread my wings
But I am here, trying to fight and win back the time when I was your native queen
My heart is not under lock and key
My mind is not hard to decipher for the person that is meant for me
I respect myself, I respect my growth, I respect the yellow brick road that goddess has paved for me. My journey is golden no matter how low I am or how high
It’s all a part of the beautiful image of me that sits on your mantelpiece
If I never told you this, let me be clear what I am and what I am not
I am water
I am constantly flowing creating a vortex around the minds of people who choose to receive me
I am not too proud yet I do not possess low esteem
I am well versed on where I come from and I intend to share that world with anyone who crosses my path
I am uncompromising when it comes to my values and I will not be told that I am anything less than great
I am the spitting image of what it means to be human
I am good I am bad I am love I am hate
I use the scales to weigh the situations that bind my mind
I get confused when you decide to use me and walk all over my ability to remove myself from harm and chaos
I am not a cheerleader, I am more like a friend who is not afraid to tell you that you are wrong and dead wrong and you need to go home, maybe be alone
to reflect on what it is you really want
I don’t want to drag my feet across filthy floors and be defined by my ability to please you, and inability to see you through a storm that might last forever
I don’t want to scream and shout about love, there should be no doubt
I don’t want to paint beautiful pictures of people who cannot see me, will not see, and refuse to stop killing me over and over and over, it’s not softly
It hurts to be stabbed and jabbed with words that are meant to pierce my soul and destroy my freedom
I do not comprehend waiting, when momentum is now
I am not interested in missing any chances I have to eat, pray, and love
If I am not eating with you and if I am praying with you than love is cancelled out and it’s time to move on
I am not easy in any manner and I am not unreasonable banter
I am just a woman who is interested in the real thing
by Shila Iris
Queen Duafe for African Essence
Honestly, I have been obsessed with lace up the front cognac/brown tall leather boots for some time now. However, I have yet to get some because I cannot afford them. … but mark my words, I will one day, really soon! I shouldn’t say “obsessed,” but I have done tons of Google searches trying to find a cheaper pair and when I am thrift-ing, I always have my eye open, hoping to find a vintage pair!
WAIT! WAIT!
B4 YOU CLICK ON THE PIC, ANSWER THE QUESTION IN THE POLL ABOVE. Thanks!
This is that one shoe in life, I would splurge on and I would wear these boots year round! If I got these, there would be NO need for me to ever buy another shoe in life (just kidding)! Lol!
What do you think?
Peace and Love,
Queen Duafe for African Essence
P.S. Check out Warriors’ Pulse by Ali.
I would love to see men walking around wearing this everyday!
… and women wearing this!
Queen Duafe for African Essence
P.S. Looking forward to reading this book:
I am happy to be coming close to 30!
Probably won’t be taking anymore of these shots!
I am going to be 30 pretty soon and at least 20 people have asked me about having children. Whenever my age comes up, this is the first thing that people inquire about! Everyone wants to know about my marital status and my desires to start a family. Very rarely do people ask if I am happy with the work that I do or if I have good health. The only thing people seem to care about with this 29 year old girl is rather I am going to start having babies! Well I am not!
I am finding it hard to endure this sense of urgency and pressure that people are putting on me to have children right now! Honestly, I do not desire to have a child at the current moment and I am not the type of person who has dreamed of being married with children since I was a little girl. I have dreams more like Martin Luther King, Jr. I am sure the experience of having a child is wonderful, but I am in a different place. I do not need a child to define what I am as a woman. What I really need in my life is peace. Without it, I cannot imagine ever having a child.
Finding peace is my number one goal in life. I need to be able to live with who I am and get the best out of all of my experiences. I want to do other things so that if I ever have a child, I would be able to share my wonderful life with them via travel, education, and spirituality. My journey has only begun. If I do not have a child, then I will continue to share these things with my nieces and nephews. So to everyone that cannot help but to worry about what is going to happen to 30 year old Shila, you can just stop it! What I want is to stand on solid ground. Everything else will come naturally.
I cannot live up to anyone’s expectations, not even my own sometimes. So I would love it if everyone could just chill. It almost seems like people pity me for being childless. It’s like they ridicule my freedom. Not to say that children take away all freedom, but this is the tone in which people speak to me.
However, life is a beautiful thing and I appreciate everything that happens to me. I can appreciate the “warnings” but I do not feel threatened by age. I feel enlightened and mature! I am not afraid of 30. When I was 25, two different doctors advised that I start having children then. They made it sound like if I didn’t start soon, my chances of miscarriage would be high. This may be true, but WHAT IF I am just a healthy person? Let’s focus on that! I always wondered why they had to make my life sound like a ticking time bomb.
I feel like turning 30 will be the beginning of another beautiful phase in my life and I am ready to learn and just have fun with it. I have noticed changes in my metabolism and I have gained a little weight- I am the heaviest that I have ever been in my life. I noticed that any extra pounds I pick up are gathering in my midsection and thighs. All I can do is work harder at eating right and exercising (so, no I am not pregnant to the people who asked!).
Frankly, I am so excited to be getting away from the turbulent twenties. I feel like moving on. I am ready to accept everything that comes with age rather it be weight or peace. I was speaking with someone about looks and she spoke to me as if my body changes had to be a negative thing. Why would I expect to have the same body as I did when I was younger? I am not interested in looking like a plastic magazine cover either. I want to be naturally me. Furthermore, I am fond of moderation so I will not watch myself become too much of anything if I can help it. Turning 30 does not mean that I can start overeating and destroying my body. I want to stay healthy. I know plenty of sistahs who are in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who look amazing.
My girl Rashimba Bloom is looking good in her late 30s!
I do not fear looking older. I just do not see myself letting go and becoming desperate for a relationship or for a man. I am not interested in the older man who chases after younger women purposefully as if older women have nothing he desires. I figure, let the younger women have him, because I don’t want an immature man like that. My mind operates a little differently. I am prone to move towards a person out of love and not lust.
Also, I have noticed that I feel differently about many things; but I can control my anxiety and levels of stress better than I ever have. My hair is different, my mind is different, and my spirit is ever evolving! That is what I care about. Not the simple age of 30. The “BIG 3-0″ they say! NO PRESSURE. I am ready to embrace it all! Furthermore, if I get to be 40, and my partner and I decide to have a baby, all we can do is try. There will be no regrets. I am living in this moment right now… and I love it!
Thelathini, karibu! (30, welcome!)
Peace and love,
Queen Duafe for African Essence
My niece and I
P.S. I am looking forward to reading this book:
Need a good book to read? I found this one to be OK. It was helpful in many ways.
HBR’s 10 Must-Reads on Managing Yourself
Also, if you have not ever visited this blog, be sure to check out the About Page or Details Tab above.
Wondering how to wear your NON-FANCY thrift store finds? Check it out. … and if you haven’t ever visited this blog, be sure to check out the ABOUT page aka Details tab at the top.
I love when the sun is out! I live in Midwestern United States where it is cold at least 9 months out of the year. So, when the sun decides to show its face, I am like, here I am, shine down on me! I have to be careful because last year I got my very first sun burn and it wasn’t fun at all! So remember everyone if you are going to be in the sun, for even just a few minutes, rub shea butter on your skin because it is a sun block. You may even want to use something else along with the shea.
My first day in the sun… I bought this outfit from second hand stores.
Let me say, I just cut my hair, yet again! I love short hair. It is auburn-colored. I am going to stop using chemical dyes soon and switch to henna dye which is now sold at Whole Foods. I got a cheap $4 dye from Sally’s Beauty (who is Sally?, lol).
SHIRT by American Eagle Outfitters via Plato’s Closet. It is blue and a light-weight sweater material – $4
SKIRT by Mossimo which is a brand only sold at Target via Thrift Store – denim with pockets $3
SANDALS by Kohls – $10
FEATHER EARRINGS from Icing by Claire’s – $1.99
BONE BRACELETS- African street festival – $25
BONE RING- City Buddha in Cleveland Heights, Ohio – $3.95
ANKH RING- Claire’s (in the mall) – $3.75
FINGER NAIL POLISH- Revlon Knockout Color 731 from Walgreen’s – $4; top coat is Matte Magic by China Glaze from Sally’s Beauty Supply – $2.50 on clearance
… these little details won’t matter to the men, but women ask, so there it is!
Peace and Love,
Queen Duafe for African Essence
P.S. Need a good book to read? Check it out…
The crazy cats around me love the sun too!
Welcome to African Essence. If you haven’t ever visited this blog be sure to check out the Details page.
Today’s style idea is: HOW TO WEAR SKINNY JEANS! I have trouble with this type of jean simply because I prefer a certain cut: straight leg and my favorite is bootcut. However, I bought a few pairs of skinny’s to test out the look and let me tell you, I struggled! I’ve had them for about a year and I just could not get with the look. I thought they made my feet look like boats! I also do not like the way they feel on my skin. I tend to like clothes that I can move around in more. So this is how they looked on me…
So I tried. All in all, I think that they are ok, but I definitely have to be in a playful mood to wear skinny jeans! I have found that wearing them with tunics or longer sweaters is a MUST for me! Any other way, I cannot tolerate them. Here are some other cuts of jeans.
Peace and love,
Queen Duafe for African Essence
Head wrapping is becoming increasingly popular. I say go for it! I love to wrap my hair and no, it has nothing to do with a bad hair day! Depending upon what city you are in, people may look at you weird, but who cares! Wear that wrap! I wear them to work and for play. I can make them look classy or fun! If you are out and you see a cool fabric on sale, buy it! Your wrap does not have to necessarily match what you have on. I like to tastefully mix patterns. It adds life to any outfit. Keep in mind, I have shorter hair, so NO, you do not have to have long hair in order to wear a wrap.
Peace and love,
Queen Duafe for African Essence
I was surfing the net and I came across some great websites for women of color. The first website is actually www.womenofcolorfoundation.com. It primarily focuses on African-American, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American women. The foundation facilitates conferences that help with networking, mentoring, and professional development. You may find it of interest.
Then I found some wonderful websites on hair styling. Women of color tend to have the most beautifully textured hair in the world. These websites have exceptional information and pictures on styling ideas for women who choose to wear their hair in its natural state. If you committ to growing your hair the natural way, this is what you can expect.
Check them out.
Here are some great PIN BOARDS featured on www.Pinterest.com
Click to read my article.
Grace-full💜🌙
seeking solace in the horizon of life and beyond
When is Kwanzaa and my daily Kwanzaa practice
"Enlightening Through Words Of Wisdom"
"I saw the Angel in the marble, and carved until I set him free"
BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
Prime my subconscious, one hint at a time
WE CREATE YOUR FAIRY EVENTS
