With final exams approaching fast, i haven't had as much time as i usually do. I didn't feel like taking out my twists and doing my hair, so i scarfed it up, exposing the 2 twists in the front. Its days like this that i'm thankful for my scarf collection. I didn't think there was a downside to my wearing a scarf to school, but i forgot that i have guys friends. And i forgot that guys do the opposite of what you tell them to...even in college. So i spent a good part of the day fending of hands that kept trying to snatch my scarf off my head.lol

Also, a HUGE thank you to all of you who sent me your favorite places in Chicago.I really appreciate it.

P1010696

P1010688

P1010710

P1010706
Blouse- F21 and skirt, Flats- Wanted, Scarf-Gift
I'm ready to be done with summer school. It ends in 2 weeks but i'm telling you guys, it feels like its not going by fast enough. A big reason that i'm excited is probably because i get to go to Chicago!!!!! I've never been before, so calling all Chicago natives and Chicago lovers alike, feel free to send me a message telling me spots to check out :-) I'd really really appreciate it!


Also, don't forget to enter in the Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway!!




Dress: Anthropologie, Belt: F21, Necklace : Gift from Kimberly @ Fab Finds Under $50
In my struggles to remain sane and cool, i have to be in thigh bearing attire as much as possible...lol. I haven't posted pictures of this flowery blouse on the blog in a long time, even though i wear it quite often. I wonder if you guys suffer from this problem that i occasionally suffer from...here goes:

Sometimes, i look at my clothes in my closet..and think : I have NOTHING to wear. 

Which is ridiculous in itself because i'm standing in front of a closet full of clothes...but...sometimes, i draw a blank . That's usually the point when i'll reach for a dress, but for some reason, i didn't feel like wearing a dress...And that's when this floral blouse comes in handy.

Oh, and this is day 1 of my " I'm gonna attempt to wear my other shoes more" self imposed challenge. anyone wanna join me??

P1010531

P1010537

P1010542
Blouse-F21, shorts- TommyH, shoes- Wanted,
Hello Lovelies!!!
I'm excited to bring to you guys an amazing giveaway from Shabby Apple. An online boutique that has the most gorgeous dresses for EVERY occasion. Now you guys know i LOVE LOVE LOVE dresses, as they simplify the dressing up process,and with summer inspired events like weddings, picnics and sultry night outs at every corner; Shabby Apple is the perfect stop. For this giveaway, Shabby Apple is offering one of my lucky readers the chance to win a fabulous dress from their store!

                             shabbygive

For this giveaway, I've decided I want to know a little bit more about all of you guys. So to enter this contest:

1.) Tell me something about you! It could be anything: Your favorite dress, your favorite thing to do, what you love about summertime. Anything! (1 entry)
2.) Tell me how you'd style your favorite Shabby Apple dress (1 entry)
3.) Share this giveaway by using Twitter or Facebook and let me know in the comments(1 entry)

Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you!!!

This giveaway will be open from now until Wednesday, July 28 at 9 pm akst (10 pm pst). Max of 3 entries per person.
This contest is now closed.
Hi Everyone!!
Hope the weekend was fantastic for all. I wore this outfit out to a dinner and drinks and an unexpectedly, a movie. (By the way, Inception deserves all the rave reviews.) My top was a recent find *cough stolen from my mom's closet cough* and i just felt like getting glammed up for the day. The simple black and white combo was just what the doctor ordered.

P1010461

P1010465
Blouse- My Mom,Skirt- F21, Shoes- UrbanOrig, Clutch -thrifted
Hi Everyone!

I wore this outfit with flats to school and changed to these heels a meeting of the minds with some friends after. I decided upon this outfit in a hurry and threw on the jean shirt at the last minute. It kept me a little warm in my cold classes and protected my skin from the burning sun. Y'all know simple outfits make my heart beat faster.

P.S: Also, after numerous emails and comments and inquiries about my scarf updo, i finally did a tutorial. Check it out here :-)

P1010425

P1010441

P1010444

P1010431

P1010440

Shirt- Walmart, Dress- thrifted, Shoes- GoJane, Sunglasses- Ralph Lauren
Hello lovelies!!

When i was contacted about Farai Simoyi, a talented upcoming designer with a whimsical eye for design and a fresh outlook, I was excited.During these times, when the use of ethnic print has gotten wildly popular and is saturating the western media,its easy to think that not much can be done to innovate the famous print.Farai has skillfully cleared up that misconception with her "Bohemian and Edgy aka BODEGE" designs. I love that the designs are a kind of sophisticated mishmash that stylishly layers textures without the hassle of piling on clothes.
I wish Farai much luck for her future, but I think her talent will ensure she goes very far.


10

Farai was kind enough to answer some questions to give us more of an insight to her most recent collection:

1. Most designers design for themselves first. Please tell us what inspired you to begin create clothes
?
I knew ever since I was a little girl that designing, sewing, & creating was something that I loved, but it wasn't until I was l older that I realized that I can turn what I love into a career. What inspired me to begin to create and turn my passion into a career was to be able to see another woman wearing what I designed. I want to create emotion in the woman who is buying my design. Think of how good it feels when you are shopping and you find that amazing dress, in your size, it fits perfectly in all the right places, and it's for a great price; and all you can think about is where you're going to wear it to, with what shoes, with what purse, how to do your hair etc...That's all emotion...and that's what I want to create.

2. Your clothes are beautiful, especially your new collection Primordia. Can you tell us a little about it and what inspired it?
Thank you. Primordia is a collective of design ideas that I've had for years and that I've placed in my Design Files Archive. A portion of the archive consists of ideas that I've presented to other design companies and have in one way or another been put to the side, but that I have always felt where killer ideas. And the other portion of the archive are ideas that I've dreamed of and woken up to sketch. That is what inspired Primordia.

20

3. How did you get into the fashion industry? Who is the typical woman for whom you design your clothes?
After graduating college I moved to NYC and hustled my way into the fashion industry. I was given an opportunity to work as an assistant technical designer for a large company and although technical design wasn't my heart I knew it would open more avenues and it also allowed me to understand the garment construction aspect. The typical woman that I design for is young and young at heart fashion forward women who are worldly thinkers and are aware of global issues that are changing the fashion, music, and film industries among many others.


4.Where do you draw inspiration for your designs from? Does your culture affect your designs and how?
My inspiration comes from a mixture of different cultures. I design as if I'm a musician on a world tour and each destination inspires a different idea. My Zimbabwean roots are instilled in me and yes, my culture has a strong influence on how I design. My culture is very colorful and so are my collections...you probably won't catch me designing an all black collection; there always has to be a splash of color.

27

5. Has your design aesthetic changed as you’ve matured in your craft or do you have one set vision that you’ve stuck with it?
My vision has always been the same because my vision is a reflection of who I am as a person and designer. But my design aesthetic has changed a lot as I have matured. When I first started designing I would only design for me me me and not think about the woman that I am designing for. As designers, in the grand scheme of things we are artists and as artists we can create some pretty wacky designs, but what we learn to do is to find a balance between what we love and what will work for our customer. And with Primordia I designed what I loved, but at the same time wanted to create pieces that everyone woman would love and thus comes the balance.

6. Do you have any style tips for the readers?
Trends are fun, but trends come and go. I have friends that spend every bit of their paycheck on clothes and I ask them why...and they say, "I have nothing to wear"...that's because they are always shopping for the latest trend then a week later it's not trendy anymore. Shop SMART is what I say. Buy a few trendy pieces, but aways compliment them with classic pieces or pieces that you know you can have forever. That's how you save money and you can have more options and longevity in your wardrobe.

7. If you had to describe your collection in 3 words what would they be?

SOFT/STEEL/BOEDGE(Bohemian + Edgy)= BOEDGE

8. Are your designs available for purchase and who are the stockists?

Yes, the accessories of are available for sale online at www.faraisimoyi.com. The rings are a hit and we've been getting lots of orders on them so we will be offering more accessories soon. The clothing will not be available for purchase until Spring/Summer 2011.


roof2

orangegreen2

Visit Farai Simoyi for more
Happy Monday Everyone!

Hope the weekend was light and easy for you guys. I got to relax a little bit before hitting the books. I met up with a old time friend. By old, i mean i haven't seen her in about a year. It was happy good times for all. Hot summer night spent hanging out, eating and talking about how much we've changed since high school...or not.
It even inspired me to do a flashback post for you guys, especially since its been a long time since i did one.
So click here to go to the post of me in the exact same outfit(rare) about a year ago!!
See how much i've changed...or not in a year!Isn't it amazing how time flies??

P1010413

P1010422

P1010414
Anyone who knows my blog, knows that i love dresses because they cut dressing time into half.I wore this outfit a few days ago to run around town with my mom. The day started very early, with little to time to do my hair, this straw hat was perfect for a hot summer's day. I got this dress last winter and last wore it in Savannah during spring break.Its such an easy dress to wear, which always surprises me because i have a general dislike for strapless clothes.I don't like the incessant adjustments to pull the dresses up and down, and I can't seem to shake the childhood fear that whatever strapless article i wear will inevitably slide down and expose my boobs for the world to see...lol. Thankfully, all the times i've worn this dress, its been utterly easy and generally adjustment-free.

P1010331

P1010332

P1010319

P1010338
Dress- target, hat- tjmaxx, shoes- newport news,
Simple outfits like these make my world go round. So comfortable in every sense of the word. Wore this to school and to hangout afterwards.
I didn't have any khaki shorts before this one, and being an avid shorts wearer, that just didn't seem logical. I did a drive by thru Target on a boring afternoon and found these. Light material and hangs off just enough so i don't die of heat. The top i 've had for AGES. I think i got it from Macy's.





Top-Macys, Shorts and Shoes- Target
My Lovelies!!!
I've been swamped to the max with school work and life and i've been completely out of it for the past few days. Thankfully, i've been blessed with fam and friends who are there to pull me thru when i get a little...weak.

What has stolen my heart apart from my darling Bajan Boy? These pants!!!
I would love to say i was the brains behind these pants, as far as actually, getting a seamstress to make them. But i'm not. I found them while thrifting. Whoever gave these up...Thank You!!!!!!!!
Of course, when i saw them, i immediately dismissed them, it came with a matching top and it all just looked...dated to me. Thankfully, my shopping partner for the day(my mom), talked me into trying them on.
And Bam!! Love at first try.