Summer in Texas is brutal. By 7am, the temperature hits above 80, and it’s hard to walk a couple of miles, let alone run. Going outside is like a chore, you must expect to sit in a hot boiling car for a few minutes before it cools off. You will sweat within 30 seconds of being out, and you will find yourself drinking more water than you ever thought you could. All that is actually fine by me. I love the heat, and if I’m comfortable, it does not bother me at all. I’ve spent the past year curating my closet with clothes that hang loose off the body, that make me feel confident and comfortable.
Read MoreSince we moved to Austin, my husband and I have been in full on explore mode. The 100-degree weather is not too helpful, but that doesn't deter us from our usual date nights. I've been filling my closet with easy linen tops and pants, and simple dresses that don't cling to the body. I partnered with Ann Taylor to put together this fun date-night outfit, and opted for this super versatile lace Halter mini dress. It's the perfect little dress to take on summer vacations, wear to brunch, picnics, and other fun summer activities.
Read MoreA few months ago, my husband and I sat in the tiny living room of our two-bedroom apartment in Harlem, and the idea of moving to Austin, TX was introduced. Without hesitation, without even the slightest flinch, I responded, “Yes. Let’s do it!” I’m sure even he was not expecting this response. We fell in this quiet trance for a few minutes as I looked around the room. At the boxes of picture frames I ordered the previous week from West Elm. At the new artwork my parents brought me from their last trip to Haiti. At our plants sitting on random corners of bookshelves and windowsills. I had just really begun to settle in. There was so much work to do. So many rooftop dinners I had planned. The sunset, our friends, laughter, empty glasses that were once filled with a delicious wine or colorful cocktails. I had plans, you see?
Read MoreThe summer breeze relaxed me as I closed my eyes on the plush lounge chair. I felt my shoulders getting less tense, and all my little troubles melting away. Nemah's loud laughter almost disappeared in the background. But there's no tuning out the spicy Ghanian/Tanzanian woman who keeps our office organized and ships everything with so much care. I pictured Toni, the newest addition to our team, trying to shush Nemah or giving her the side-eye to get her to behave. Shenel who is part of our operating and creative crew helped to keep me from falling on the hammock as I tried to hold my drink in one hand and keep my dress down from the wind in the other. She's the calmest of the group and observes quietly while trying to make plans on how to distance herself from the super loud, colorful group. And Indigo, not quite part of the team, but a huge supporter since she moved to New York watches us as we strategically place our drinks on the table for some photo ops. We may not be working, but we will get creative!
Read MoreI'm doing a massive clean up in my closet. I'm getting rid of everything that causes me the slightest amount of discomfort. Things I held on to to remind me of my size 2 days. Things I used to piece together with safety pins and pretended they were all that. Lots of thrifted polyester things. I want to live the easy, breezy life.
As I get older, I'm falling more and more into myself. I seriously couldn't care less about trends, and you know that. But there are a few I'm seriously LOVING right now. I love mules and I cannot lie. I love mules, slides, block-heeled shoes, high waisted, wide legged denim, and fun statement bags.
I find myself shopping less at stores like Zara and H&M. I thrift more, but I no longer just go for things just being they're three dollars. I shop for quality now. I shop to pass things down to my future daughters. I shop for things that make my life easier and more meaningful. I look for color, but I don't just settle on any color. And now I buy lots of basics too just to play with statement accessories.
Read MoreSummer just snuck up on me. It grabbed me by the shoulders, spun me around a few times, and said, "Darling! Whether you're ready or not... I'm here!" It's delightful to shed all the layers and feel the warm sun on my skin. Everything has been a big blur these past few months in my little world. With my big move (we'll get into that later), traveling, and work, it has been really hard to keep track of time, and to really enjoy the sun. I found myself spending late nights in the office, living out of two suitcases, jumping from Airbnb to hotels in between cities and projects. I'm not going to lie, it has been tough for your girl. But the challenge has been accepted. We just have to breathe and believe, right?
Read MoreThe musical takes us to September 12th, when 38 airplanes and over 6,500 passengers were stranded in a giant airport in Newfoundland. The small town of only 3,000 opened their homes to these passengers. Town officials started collecting all necessary items to welcome their new guests, and the entire town came together to provide relief efforts. Townspeople utilized all public spaces, as well as private establishments, in order to provide their new guests with shelter and food. Human kindness could not have been displayed in a more phenomenal and heart-warming way.
Read MoreI was introduced to Matter Prints last month and immediately fell in love with their designs, prints, and overall message. It wasn't easy choosing a pair because there are so many great options, but the Side Lunghi pulled at my heartstrings and just wouldn't let them go. I love the white print on navy blue - it's noticeable but subtle enough to allow room for creativity and versatility. The design of the pants also suits women of any age or size. And it's a great substitute for your favorite pair of jeans. They're comfortable, funky, chic, and were made for mixing with other prints.
Read MoreI’m not a bra girl. Now that I’m thinking about it, is any woman? In all honesty, I wouldn’t wear a bra at all if it weren’t for my girls’ (and yes, I’m referring to my nips here) insistence on very obviously being the first to greet every cold room and sharp breeze. Wouldn’t it be splendid to wear beautiful sheer tops and dresses sans bra? If I had Grace Jones’ boldness I would. But unfortunately, I’m a mere peasant in comparison, so I’m sure that I’d probably end up on hotmess.com with a photo taken from the most unflattering angle (How rude!) I also generally stay away from push up bras. I’m perfectly happy with my itty bitties and boob cleavage is the last thing on my mind. All that is to say that bras are still necessary, so we might as well find the ones that work the best for our desires.
Read MoreA couple of months ago, I collaborated with Refinery29 on a series of #shortcuts videos. Despite the brutal December snow storm, the whole day was just warm and magical! The entire crew consisted of bad-ass women. Being in the studio as a talent inspired me beyond anything I could imagine. I loved that they considered my ideas while I had the full benefits of a "talent". The studio was a fun, open atmosphere where we created a few fun looks that involved glitter, color, nude lipsticks, and of course headwraps. When I posted the nude lippy video (posted below) on my page, many of you reached out to ask me which lipsticks I used. I also noticed the same feedback on the Refinery page, which of course prompted this post!
Read MoreI've been loving blue eyeliner a lot lately. Perhaps a little too much. I'm not big on eyeshadow, and I like to spend as little time on my makeup as possible. I find that blue eyeliner adds a little spice to an everyday look. The color stands out beautifully on brown skin, and it makes any basic makeup interesting. I enjoy pairing cobalt blue eyeliner with purple or red lipsticks, but I'm sure it would also be a fantastic complement to a nice nude, soft pink or bright orange lip. Let's just say blue is the new black for me!
Read MoreNo matter how hard I try, the cold, drab winter months always eventually get to me. The days are dark and short, and the cold makes everything moody. Every now and then, in order to lift the mood, I pull out the brightest things I can find in my closet to layer against the cold. For this look, I didn't have to look too hard. The bright yellow pumps I recently added to the collection were staring right at me with a cheesy smile. And so, I gave them one of my equally cheesy smirks then winked at them. (If you know me, you know that I'm a terrible winker, and it was more like a double blink with a slight twitch from both eyes.) The first thought was to wear them with a denim on denim look. Simple, chic, and fun. But I thought I wanted a challenge that would be more appropriate. I decided to mix different prints while still keeping things fun and light.
Read MoreTouch me
Not with your hands
Nor with your lips, you see
Embrace me
With just your words
Sweet nothings
Caressing my ears
Sending chills across my neck
Down to my back
Tell me
Read MoreThere comes a time, a few weeks after the new year, that I can just no longer take the monotonous and depressingly short winter days. January hasn't even come to an end, and I'm already tired of the leafless trees, the nasty puddles, and the endless sea of grey and black coats. I'm also tired of the same tedious process of removing all the layers I have to wear when I get home. The darkness has a way of weighing everything down, and on gloomy rainy days, I fight it all with color. Very bright, in-your-face, hell-no-you-ain't color.
Read MoreHarlem also inspires the colors of outfits. I spotted a green house tucked in a corner of 128th the other day. It just stood there, as colorful as ever, surrounded by brown buildings. It has an air of mystery, secrets, and history. It made go back to my closet to find something green and warm! And I caught this cozy green sweater looking right back at me...
Love over-the-knee boots? Check out more styles here!
Read MoreMy toes sank in the black sand as I stepped toward the water. My right hand embraced a cool glass of Ti Punch, a local drink made with rum, sugar cane, and lime, that I must confess was my drink of choice during my visit - I had it everyday with lunch and dinner, and as an afternoon snack. My other hand cupped the end of my long, flowy dress as I continued to follow the direction of the sun. Each step felt like an awkward, clumsy waltz. The wind picked up, and it whimsically pulled the dress from my hand and I watched it sway away in its direction.
Read MoreRed is my favorite color. Some of you already know that because I bring it up quite often. I have a thing with red doors, red hats, red nails, red lipsticks, and red bags. The color red is so powerful, even the slightest drop of it brightens everything.
Read MoreAlmost three months ago, exactly one week before our eleventh-year anniversary, I married the love of my life. It was truly the most beautiful day of my life. It was everything I needed. It was everything I wouldn’t dare dream of as a child lost in the Haitian clouds. It was magical.
On the day of the wedding, a mesmerizing storm lifted me from my sleep around six in the morning. I looked at the mountains, hidden from the sun, kissed by the dark, grey clouds, and I smiled. My ancestors were with me, celebrating before the festivities even started. I could feel them dancing underneath the deep dark clouds. As I get older, I no longer associate darkness with sadness, and so I knew that the dark morning was everything but somber. My great grandmother was crying, and they were tears of joy. I knew that because that’s what I do, too, when I’m really happy. I cry.
Read MoreIn addition to being a full time student at the university, I served on the board of several on-campus organizations, worked three part-time jobs, and during the holiday season, I'd scour the student center website and craigslist for random gigs. During my freshman year, I found a dish-washing/serving opportunity at a wealthy family's home in a town near my campus on Thanksgiving. It offered $15-$20/hour just to help clear tables, wash dishes, and tidy the kitchen.
I remember that day clearly because I'd never experience anything of the sort. It was my first time ever setting foot in a wealthy American home. It was the kind of home I read about when I was just an awkward, skinny, dreamer-girl in Haiti. The kind of home I thought I'd move into when the US called for me, not the one-bedroom apartment in Newark my parents, little brother, and I found refuge to during my early teenage years. The place that collected most of my tears.
Read MoreI remember elementary school vividly. Perhaps even more than high school and all of the new quirkiness I was starting to embrace about myself. I attended an all girls catholic school where we wore shiny Mary Jane shoes with crispy white doily socks laced with ribbons and ruffles. I didn't hate them, but I was always curious about the shoes the boys got to wear. I loved Sunday afternoons because after my school work, I'd polish my shoes just like I liked them, and I would lay my perfectly ironed uniform on a chair for easy reach in the morning. At church, after my readings at Eglise Saint Pierre, I'd shyly stare at the boys' shoes.
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