I was walking in Harlem the other day when this girl stopped me. She asked, “Miss, where do you get these kinds of scarves?’ My response was, “Here in Harlem, every African store has them. Ask for one yard of the fabric of your choice, and voilà!” That’s the secret. Go to the African store, buy the fabric. It’s cheap, and you can have fun learning different ways to wrap the fabrics.

It might be pretty obvious now that I am a big fan of headwraps. I wear them to pretty much any occasion. I love to dress them up, and I think they’re the perfect accessory. They show color, texture, and patterns. They bring a certain “je ne sais quoi” to my outfits. They are part of my style. Many people ask where I get them from, and they come from everywhere! I’ve used regular scarves from Forever 21, H&M and other stores as headwraps. I’ve gotten some scarves from Ethiopia and other countries I’ve used, but my favorite spots to go are the African stores in Harlem.

Besides the African market, I like stopping by Kaarta on 125th street in Harlem for some cool African or Afrocentric earrings and accessories. It’s always a good time browsing through the many styles of clothing, fabric, and accessories.

The owner and son are also extremely nice and are eager to help.  I was able to speak with the owner’s son, Salif (pictured above). He showed me some of his own designs,which includes the shirt he is wearing. He designs baseball caps and t-shirts with African fabrics. There is also a tailor available for any adjustments or custom designs. I am going there with some ideas, and will show you how everything turns out!