girly fridays: getting dressed on a budget

You'd think I wasn't a girl the way I've been ignoring this topic. I just don't really think of myself as girly (a whole heap of ppl would disagree lol). Anyhoo, looking cute on a budget is the topic today. Why? Cause I'm broke and I have to be finding ingenious ways to look nice for work, and going out. Here are a few (5 is what I have today) ways I've been making my summer wardrobe stretch:

1. Accessories. Now, there is nothing that livens up an outfit or takes an outfit to diff places (casual, dressy, etc) like accessories. For church I love to add flowers, brooches, belts, and headbands. For work, a pair of cute earrings and a headband, or sandals.

2. Mix n match. When I buy items of clothing I usually think of them in a particular outfit and for a special type of occasion but I'm realizing some of my dressier outfits can be made casual with a few tweaks...adding flip flops, doing my hair in a messy ponytail, switching out a skirt for shorts...and some can be dressed up with heels, make up, accessories, or even adding a cardigan and belt.

3. Know how to buy cheap. I was born with a very high chest i.e., my eyes are waaay bigger than my wallet on most occasions. But you can add cheaper pieces to your ensemble without bringing the whole thing down if you shop wisely in discount stores. How do you shop wisely? First, don't get your entire outfit from there (exception: a cute dress/jumper)...if you happen to get a dress there, please use accessories that can take it up a notch. Second, don't get anything to store specific. I love Mandee for example but when I go there I get plain tees, and cute shorts (in the winter they have cute sweaters too). I even have a black dress from there (but u know I took the cheapo belt out and replaced it with a belt I got for like 3 times the price of the dress and a cute pin/brooch).

4. Borrow from your spouse/sibs/parent/bff. Oh I wish my mom, or Ren-L were closer. You can totally borrow from people whose style you like. I recommend borrowing small items (or non descript)...don't deprive the person of their own closet lol. For example things I borrow from mom - cardigans, scarves, belts, clutches. I also all out steal but that's a different thing. Anyhoo, my husband is a fashionable dude and he likes graphic tees. Surprise! So do I. So if I want to look casually cute, I dip into his stash which is bigger than mine (& we're practically the same size *sigh*). I also have my eye on my brother's Jamaica track team shirt. He better watch it!

5. Learn to sew. Ok, this is the one thing on my list I haven't even tried much less mastered but I've made plans. I don't want to sew boring every day stuff. Puhleeese, that's why there's the mall. But all the great stuff I admire that I will possibly never afford (look here as well, and here lol). I can totally make once I buy the patterns which, sigh, will be an investment. Now, I am assuming the talent is hereditary (cause my mom can really sew...shoot, she can make her own patterns too). She has promised to teach me the summer of 2011 and I am holding her to it.

girly fridays: relaxed or natural?

Does it matter?

There are a few theories out there but I'm gonna focus on the two that insult me the most:

1. Black women with relaxed or processed hair aren't proud of their heritage

2. Black women with natural hair look unkempt and ugly

First, all the sensible women out there know there's nothing to be done about changing your heritage. You can't walk into a salon, or your local beauty supply store and buy a new history/culture/heritage. You are who you are. If you look anything like me, you can't hide it lol.

Second, I love to see women embrace their natural texture. I think they look as beautiful and very well put together as any other woman who is careful about her appearance. I have friends who are natural who look fantastic (same for those who are relaxed) and the assumption that leaving our hair the way it grows out of our head as God intended is unattractive, is insulting to me.

I am black and my hair could be short, long, relaxed, natural, or I could be bald. That has absolutely nothing to do with the pride I have in my heritage. Yes, there are women who have issues with their hair and their identity as black people - that kind of insecurity stems from a number of places and is way more complicated than a relaxer. I understand that and I'm sorry for them. For me, hair is cosmetic. I want my hair to look good (I have a personal definition of that which is totally subjective and that's okay). Good looking hair is healthy, shiny, flattering to the wearer, and visually appealing to me. Bad looking hair comes in relaxed and natural. Trust me lol, I've seen it. & so does unkempt and unattractive. Matter of fact, all of that comes in various shapes, colors, and textures.

I have contemplated going natural before and truth is, in the good ole Jamaican slang, mi nasty and I can't bother. I honestly don't think I could comb it. The only possibility out there for me currently is locs and I don't like the commitment it requires. At all. But you never know. My mom just went natural...maybe she can teach me a few things. In any case, I will go natural eventually (the non locs type). My natural hair (which I miss - we haven't seen each other in almost 2 decades) is quite the demanding lady. She's very fussy. I plan to reacquaint myself with her one day.

I believe in detaching your self image and worth from physical appearance. I think long hair or short, relaxed or natural, women can have beautiful hair and be proud of it. An extension of that could be our obsession with whether we're busty or not, wide hips or no, nice shape or no, too tall, too short, too skinny, too fat, too dark, too light, nose too flat, lips too big....we can never be exactly what we desire on the outside (well, we can make a mockery of ourselves trying to pay for it) but we can work with what we got and make it happen!

In any case, we can always be exactly what we desire (& what God desires us to be) on the inside and at the end of the day, that is what matters the most.

girly fridays: 15 lbs to get rid of

& I'd love to rid myself of them before June....remember that swimsuit?

Well my pal, Vicky and I were supposed to be making plans to lose some weight but "stuff" keeps coming up - yea, we're likely unconsciously avoiding. Well, the time has come. Finals are done next week and come May 3rd, it is ON. Weight is a funny issue. There are people saying I don't need to lose more but ahmmm, yes I do. I don't obsess about my weight and if I seem to, it's not genuine. I just wanna be down to a comfortable weight so I can maintain. I'm tired of trying to lose weight.

So what's my plan?

>>Exercising/gym 3 times per week, every week

>>Drinking water

>>Portion control

>>Healthy snacks in between to prevent starvation eating (a.k.a. overeating) lol

So ladies, what's your summer weight loss plan? I know there are some lucky ladies who don't need a weight loss plan but I'm not one of them.

girly fridays: wish list items

Bel Kai Designs

Isn't it cute? *swoon*

Anyhoo...I'm off doing VERY girly stuff today. I'm off to court! I was called to jury duty. Let's see if they keep me or send me home. I'm very excited to be carrying out my civic duty :)

girly fridays: hodge podge

I haven't been to the gym. Therefore, I feel fat. Next week is redemption week.

Then, I've tried 2 masks. Let me review:

1. Avocado & Honey - easy to make, but don't make too much. It goes bad. Easy to apply and smells great.

2. Oatmeal, milk, egg yolk, aloe vera, honey, lemon juice - does NOT stay on my face. I am not sure what consistency would work. I had to cover my face with a warm rag to have it stay. I may not cook the oatmeal in milk next time. I think if it were raw and in the honey it wouldn't fall off my face. I'm gonna nix the egg yolk and lemon juice from newer versions of this mask.

These are the 2 that will remain in rotation for awhile.

My choir sings tomorrow. We always wear full black when we do - it's just easier. However, it being the Easter season, we are wearing pastels. I do not like pastel colors. Actually, they are sometimes acceptable. On babies. Otherwise, yuck. So now I have my first yellow dress. Guess this is not so girly friday...girls are supposed to like these colors. I like my colors vibrant or moody, not milked out. & I think yellow is my least favorite color (real color, that is...pastels are in a different category and ones like mint and lavender def take the cake for worst colors - although I must say they are pretty awesome scents).

girly fridays: parting is such sweet sorrow

I am absocrazily in love with shoes.

So last night I was going through my closet looking for pairs of shoes I've bought, and never worn or wore once and will never wear again to give my mom this weekend. We wear the same size shoes and so she benefits from my fickle shopping habits. Besides, Raf seems to gain pleasure from me paring down my shoe collection (I know mom does). I wonder if men understand that our shoes are like food...essential. Anyhoo, I happened upon a pair of shoes I absolutely positively adore. I haven't worn them since 2005 but there is NO WAY I'd give them away. I just haven't found another perfect outfit for them. Just seeing them makes me smile.

Do you have any old favorites in your closet you just couldn't bear to part with??

girly fridays: fountain of youth

I'm already letting it slip my mind that I'm all of 27 - the 30 side of 20 I call it. As I approach the big 3-0, I am trying to prep myself. I really want to embrace my age BUT not look it :)

I can be lazy about moisturizing, staying off those box/bottle juices, and keeping up with my diet (not weight loss diet - I don't do those, just my daily diet). But I really need to up my game. So, ladies (& gents) here goes healthy body 2010 & looking our best!

My most important concern right now is skin care. Right now, for my body I use Eucerin moisturizing cream, and for my face cetaphil to cleanse, and Natures Gate vitamin E oil to moisturize. On the rare days I do a mask I use a cucumber peel off mask. I love masks that peel off.

I want to really amp this regimen up. I want my skin to glow! I don't do foundations or concealers so these little things matter. So I've been on a little research expedition - I loooove researching hair and skin products :) I think I have found some tips that I'm gonna implement (there's a ton more out there, trust me) to help improve my skin...you should consider them:

1. ALOE VERA. I can hear my grandmother saying I told you so! This plant should be no stranger to many of us. In Ja we grew up drinking this, using it on burns, etc. I actually use 100% aloe vera gel in my hair vs the manufactured stuff (I recommend it!). Aloe Vera is moisturizing. You can use it in cream form, as a toner/astringent, a cleanser, or as a mask.

2. MINIMIZE CHEMICAL EXPOSURE. I know those anti-aging products look great and all the promises about looking younger faster sound tempting but you know what they say about short cuts...then we have all the canned food, bottled juices, etc...we can't hide from the preservatives and chemicals so as far as is possible we should try to infuse our diet with vegetables (the darker the color, the better), fruits, grains, natural juices, and natural fats/oils. Also, if you can make some of your facial masks/products, or purchase hypoallergenic or natural products for your skin do that also (see #5).

3. WATER. Need I say more? But seriously, water definitely keeps your skin healthy, and rids the body of toxins.

4. EXERCISE. This is not only to lose weight but also to keep your body limber, your muscles toned, and your heart healthy :)

5. NATURAL MASKS. There are a ton of natural products that can help our skin look great and stay healthy (& young looking). As I researched I became very interested in these natural diy facial masks. As a result, I have borrowed a few to try and use. So I don't get carried away, I'm gonna stick with a few basic ingredients and recipes and really see how they work with my skin.

>>lemon, grapefruit, and orange juices (citric acid) for oily skin

>>honey, milk, and coconut oil to energize your skin cells

>>avocado (vitamins, A, B, and E & more!) as an anti-oxidant

>>egg yolks contain lecithin which can combat dry skin and eczema

>>milk, blackberries, tomatoes (lactic acid), sugar cane (glycolic acid), apple and pears (malic acid), grapes (tartaric acid) , citric acid, and papaya all contain alpha hydroxy acids (used in chemical peels) and they help strip layers of dead skin cells, prevent spots, and rejuvenate the skin

>>honey is a humectant (traps & seals moisture) and will make your skin soft (I use it in all my conditioners)

>>oatmeal contains proteins, natural cleansers, and lubricating fats that rid the skin of dirt, dryness, and irritation

As I try different mask recipes, I'll share based on what works best for me.

the bandwagonist

Yup, me ::blush::

In the great blog tradition of wordless Wednesdays and Mcfatty Mondays I am starting a few blog series on here to highlight my interests:

word love - weekly window into an important piece of my heart. I love words: book excerpts, song lyrics, poetry, quotes, etc. This will really help me to reconnect with oldies but goodies, and expand my literary horizons. I can't wait! I plan to publish word love on Wednesdays but the first installation is coming out Saturday in honor of another word lover, my sister & friend, Renz.

sweet sundays - weekly inspiration, life lessons to encourage me & you throughout the week. Aim? To put a smile on your faces (& mine).

girly fridays - make-up, hair, shoes, clothes, relationships, the female body, all things girly.

I hope you check in on the series. I know I'm excited! & as always, I welcome suggestions. Email me :)