Month: October 2017

October 25, 2017 SanaSakinah No comments exist

Just like the seasons change so do fashion trends that come and go right along with the seasons, years, and decades that birthed them. Every year “someone” deemed an expert in the fashion world tells us what’s hot or what’s not, what’s happening, what is so last year and what are absolute No Nos. If you’re a firm believer in following trends and fashion rules then you will always be chasing some false sense of fashion security wrapped in temporary moments that will always come to an abrupt end and leave you scrambling to grab ahold of the next happening thing. Here’s my advice…don’t let fashion trends define who and what you are. Fashion shouldn’t come with a manual where we are following orders or instructions in how we express ourselves through clothing. We all have our own stories and voices that should be told through our own sense of style. This is what takes, shakes, and wakes fashion up…each person bringing to the table their own unique sense of what it means to be fashionable.

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For this look I chose a very well known fashion faux paux…white after Labor Day. How and why this particular fashion No No was even created is beyond me. And since I could care less to research the silly reasoning behind  it (lol) I will just say it absolutely makes no sense to toss a particular color to the side because of the month or time of year it would be worn. Therefore  I chose this beautiful vintage white crinkle skirt for this look.

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First off, I love the textured sheer crinkle fabric of this skirt. You never have to worry about ironing this kind of fabric so it is always ready to go which is the very reason I ended up throwing it on at the last minute over this past weekend (lol). Besides the ease of it, I love how roomy and billowy the skirt is. It has such a nice soft and light air to it.

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I decided to pair my skirt with this mustard and white printed top. I loved the idea of throwing some nice bold pops of color and prints in along with the crisp white skirt. I thought this top worked nicely contrasted against the blank slate of my bottom.

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For my shoes I chose these mustard yellow corduroy flats. They were a perfect match with my shirt and I loved how casually they played along with the more dressier skirt I wore. I love mixing and matching elements of style together so I think pieces of clothing that can be worn in a multitude of ways for multiple occasions are always great staples to have..

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For my bag I chose my vintage Lady Pride tote bag. If you’ve been following along with my blog the  chances are this isn’t the first time you’ve actually seen it (lol). I love this bag!! It’s a really great statement bag and always seems to give my outfit that extra pop that I’m looking for. I love the emerald color along with the snake print and burnt orange handles. The funniest thing is I’ve had this bag for years and didn’t even start wearing it until this year.  Just goes to show what goodies lurk in the shadows of our closets at times!!

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Last but not least I chose my emerald green jersey hijab along with my African style earrings to finish off my look. This particular hijab is actually the very first jersey style hijab I’ve owned. I bought this one last year and, Well you know….the rest is history (lol)!!

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Well that’s it for today guys!! Don’t get caught up on trends that box you in and silences your own personal styling choices.  And whatever you choose don’t forget to always stay and slay on a budget!! *Waves*

What I Wore:

Pastille Skirt: $5 @Value Village
New Directions Shirt: $2 @PAT
Corduroy Flats: $3@Goodwill
Vintage Tote Bag: $5@Goodwill

October 18, 2017 SanaSakinah 4 comments

Have you ever worn something and in hindsight thought to yourself, “I wish I would’ve done something differently”?? Well, the chances are we have all had those moments a time or two in our wardrobe histories where we second guessed our styling choices. Maybe you would’ve worn a different type of shoe, handbag or an accent color. Maybe you would’ve changed the jewelry up just a bit or deleted it altogether. Maybe you would’ve made some simple changes or slight adjustments pulling your outfit together to make an even stronger statement and more polished look. Today I chose to talk about an outfit worn some time ago that I had planned to blog about. However, I changed my mind at that particular time due to just this scenario lol. It’s funny how looking at actual pictures can really give you more clarity and insight on your outfit. Matter of fact, I would suggest taking pics when trying to decide how to style an outfit altogether beforehand. It really can help with deciding how to edit!! Hmmmm…I wonder if you could guess what I would change here???

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For this particular look I chose this cute turquoise and white chevron printed shirt dress by Everly. This is a very simple and chic mod like shift dress so it’s absolutely comfortable and very accommodating. I think this style works well with all body types, shapes and sizes. I love simple shapes with bold prints and patterns so I think the more vibrant chevron stripes works perfectly with the modest structure.

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Shift dresses are great for pairing with a bottom so I chose to pair this one with some red bootleg  Editor Express pants. First off, I absolutely love these pants!! I love the fit and flare in a pair of dress pants and these have to be my one of my favorite pair I own right now. The bright cherry red color along with the ease and drama of a wider leg makes these a classic staple. I thought the red color was a great complement with my chevron striped shirt dress.

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I chose to wear a royal blue cardigan to pair alongside my shirt dress. I really wanted to stick to a colorful theme so I thought royal blue worked nicely with my other colors and gave my outfit that extra pop of color that shakes the entire outfit up.

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For my shoes I went with these simple and classy suede Jessica Simpson heelss in turquoise. 

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Now as far as my bag goes, what had happened was…lol. Ok so I really do love this bag. It’s actually a makeup bag by Estée Lauder that I bought to wear as a handbag. I love the whimsical lunch box look of this hand bag along with the little briefcase like handle. I thought the two toned red patent leather look of the bag alongside the gold zipper and hardware was really chic. With all that being said, this is the one part I would’ve edited. I thought my outfit already had enough red in it and the bag especially being so big took away from it just a bit. In hindsight I would’ve went with a different pop of color altogether or maybe even a nice print.

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Last but not least I went with a cherry red jersey knit hijab and my beaded turquoise earrings to finish off my look. 

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Despite my one objection I actually liked the way my outfit came together and that’s why I decided to post about it anyway (lol). But if there’s one vital thing I learned with this outfit it was, “Don’t forget to edit!”. And taking pics beforehand can help enormously…Note to self!! Welp, until next time you guys…don’t forget to stay and slay on a budget!! *Waves*.

What I Wore:

Chevron Shirt Dress: $6 @Goodwill
Express Pants: $6 @Goodwill
Blue Cardigan: $5 @Goodwill
Jessica Simpson Pumps: $20 @BCF
Estée Lauder Bag: $3 @Goodwill

October 11, 2017 SanaSakinah No comments exist

So Summer has come and gone ushering in the Fall season which normally welcomes all the extra layers, cozy sweaters, funky jackets, and ankle booties but somehow the weather hasn’t quite gotten the memo yet (lol). If you’re one of many experiencing unusually higher temps this autumn there’s a chance you are still experiencing some kind of summer vibes . I personally being one of those haven’t totally tossed all my sandals to the side just yet. My toes and I are still soaking up this beautiful warmer weather and sunshine while it lasts (wink). But in the spirit of getting ready for the weather shift I began to scan my closet for my fall attire and happened to discover a denim skirt thrifted some years ago that I had never worn. .
When I tried on this skirt I was actually shocked it had sat in my closet practically untouched. I love the mix of the trumpet style shape and patchwork denim along with the smallest ruffle at the very bottom. I know it’s corny but it’s the smallest of details in clothing that sometimes excite me the most(lol). I love that little extra something that wakes the entire piece up!! Besides that,  trumpet skirts are always pretty flattering and have a nice feminine flair so I loved the edginess of denim alongside it.  I really can’t believe I didn’t wear this sooner. It’s amazing what gets lost and overlooked  in our closet sometimes!!

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Keeping my outfit simple while adding splashes of color I chose this beautifully mix printed red, blue and creme Old Navy top I recently purchased.

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Choosing to keep the rest of the look neutral I wore a pair of adorable camel and gold embellished sandals along with my creme and camel handbag. I love the embellishment on these sandals…feels like wearing jewelry on your toes!!..
Last but not least I wore a navy blue jersey hijab along with my long tear drop faux ivory earrings. 

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*Sidenote* Can we please have a moment of silence for one of my longest running and favorite pair of earrings though? I actually lost one this past weekend and it is just now hitting me (tears). I really have to find another replacement because I absolutely adored these earrings!! I love how simple and elegant these are. I believe I purchased these from a street vendor in Brooklyn awhile back so I can’t just repurchase them but I’ll definitely be on the lookout for another pair or something similar somewhere else soon. Ok…rant over (lol).
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Welp, I tried to keep this post short and simple along with my look. It looks like I semi accomplished that (lol). Anyways, I Hope you guys are enjoying your Fall so far, whether warm or cool.  Until next time…don’t forget to stay and slay on a budget!!! (Waves)

 

What I Wore:

Shirt: $2 @PAT

Denim Skirt: $5 @Goodwill

Sandals: $2 @Value Village

Handbag: 50. @PAT Outlet

October 4, 2017 SanaSakinah No comments exist
Clothing often imitates art in the search and need for self expression through fashion. Like an architect who designs and concocts the most intricate of structures or an artist who plays with both shading and white space on canvas to craft their masterpieces we all tell a story artistically. Through structure, fabric, colors and movement our garments speak for us without us ever truly saying a word. Therein lies the power of fashion. To be silent yet to still be heard and listened to is without question the ultimate strength in one’s command of their own personal style. For this particular look I chose pieces that shouted art with this beautiful wrap dress being my focal point.
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I spotted this beautiful June & Hudson wrap dress just recently on one of my last thrifting hauls and it immediately caught my attention because of the eye catching colors. It reminded me of a watercolor painting with the different shades of turquoise, teals, lilacs, pinks and fuchsia. I loved how all the colors blended and faded into one another like the perfect tie dye and created this gorgeous pattern of abstract flowers. It truly reminded me of a piece of artwork. Besides the striking color, I loved the fact that it was a wrap dress. Wrap dresses are so softly feminine they truly have a nice elegant grace about themselves. The movement and fluidity of this dress from the open front skirt to its flutter sleeves just creates that subtle romantic type of feel.
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I wore a pair of dark blue indigo straight legged GAP jeans to play the background along with the dress and as a nice contrast to the soft vibrant colors. I also wanted the dress to be the main focal point and do all the talking. My jeans were just there because the dress is open in the front (lol). However, I love the mix of soft and hard in a really pretty flowy feminine dress or top with jeans. This combo always works nicely in my book.
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I decided these hot pink linen pumps by Charles David worked nicely by picking up the hints of pink in my dress. I love these heels in particular because they are surprisingly comfortable and I just love the textured fabric of the shoe. I’ve had these for quite some time and they always come in handy when pink is in order.
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For my bag I went with this simple fuschia colored Jennifer Moore envelope clutch with a tad of gold trim. Honestly when in need of a handbag you can never go wrong with a simple envelope clutch. They come in so many different  colors, styles and sizes making them a great way to accessorize your outfit. Of course for this outfit I wanted to stick with a more solid color because my dress was already rather busy (lol).
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Last but not least I decided to layer up my hijab in two tones, white and turquoise. Therefore I used two jersey hijabs. For this style I actually wrapped the biggest white one first as the underpiece and used the two hanging sides to drape in the front and the back  alongside the smaller turquoise one. This worked out better for me since the turquoise wasn’t as long as I usually liked while adding a bit more color and drama. Not too much but just enough to make it a little different (lol). I also loved these fuschia and pink earrings alongside my hijab and outfit. I thought they complemented them perfectly!!
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Overall, I loved the way this look all came together. The colors were so artsy and cheerfully invigorating. Definitely one of my favorites!! 
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Welp, I hope you guys enjoyed this look of mine. Don’t forget to keep staying and slaying on a budget!!! *Waves*

What I Wore:

June & Hudson Wrap dress: $4 @Value Village
Gap jeans: $6 @Goodwill
Charles David pumps: $20 @BCF
Jennifer Moore clutch: $1.50 @Value Village