Bomber OOTD: Where Have I Been? & Change Is Coming?

Hi guys!

So things have been pretty rocky for me the past year (2016) as I have discussed in one of my last blog posts of 2016 but I have still been having trouble getting into the swing of things. I haven’t been able to give my full focus to my blog so I needed a brief step back. Secondly, I’ve been oddly uninspired. I feel like I hit a blogging rut. The blogging world has changed so much.

You know I’ve been considering doing YouTube videos for some years now but recently I’ve gotten more interested. That’s taken some of my interest from my blog. I’m ready to make YouTube an extension of my blog. I love doing reviews but I’d like to be able to build and share with a wider audience for my reviews.

Next, in my honest opinion blogging (not bloggers) has become so unauthentic in so many ways. Actually I hear Youtubers saying the same, that YouTube is no longer fun. For me, it just seems that blogging and Instagram has become something other than fun and genuine. Instagram is no longer as a matter of fact or natural moments type pics. Pictures are staged and over dramatized to draw in jaded consumers and “viewers”. Extra is needed to be noticed. I miss the the fun and impromptu posts. Well, I can’t complain too much because I’ve been guilty of staging photos for reviews. It’s pretty much business. Honestly, I hate staging tho. {Insert eyeroll} But how do I get back to that fun I first had?

Well, I’m working on a few things. I won’t say right now but I am. I’m excited to do some blogger collaborations this year. Just plain ol fun! In the meantime, I’m going to continue to review and do outfit posts. I love thrifting so I’ll be going back to more thrifting and posting those looks on my blog. So keep a lookout for those posts! Shall I do a thrifting series? Hmmm, let me know! Thank you guys again for sticking around!

The Tiger Changes Her Stripes…

If you’ve been following my blog for a while then you may have figured out that I am a LOVER of stripes. Specifically, I have an affinity for black and white stripes. Black and white stripes is such a classic look from such a simple pattern. You don’t need to add much else to this pattern to make it great. I somehow always tend to be drawn to the black and white combination instead of branching out to other colors of this pattern. A tiger is allowed to change her stripes right?

That’s the thing about style, sometimes it revolves around feelings and circumstances. You can adjust and tweak your personal style as you grow and also to fit your feelings at the moment. I’ve changed and continue to evolve. If you do too, don’t feel bad. The fashion world does this all the time, they just called it “trends”.  Yep, sometimes it means going back to those old habits and loves. This is all a part of finding your “you” in style.

Lately I have been going back to my roots of shopping and extending my shopping searches to more than just the few places I had been before. This allows me to get a greater variety and choice of what I’m looking for. So a couple of months ago, I was able to pick up a striped dress at Justfab. Now the thing is, I had the option of grabbing my good ol comfortable, classic black and white combination but I opted for color instead.

The burgundy and navy combo is so beautiful…it’s quite classic in itself and I wanted to highlight the burgundy so I paired the dress with my suede burnt orange trench coat. The two warmer colors not only contrast but also highlight the navy in the dress allowing a great balance of color. The burgundy faux suede stiletto boots make the burgundy in the dress stand out as well as the texture of the coat. I simply added a simple choker and clutch to finish the look! Have you made any small changes to your style? If so, what changes and why?

Dress: Justfab. Shoes: Lola Shoetique. Coat: OLD. Choker: Forever 21. Clutch: TBA. 


“Hot As July”

It’s 100 degrees outside, my body is 98.6 (abnormal for me lol) but let’s talk about how to make your style “hot as July”! (Insert silly faces emojis here). Anyhoo, I can tell you that I am in the mood to celebrate nothing for no good reason. Nothing wrong with that right? Well, getting dressed up was extremely exciting for me because I’ve been working my tail of to get my body together. Yea I know, summer is already here. You know what? There’s always time to get yourself together, no matter how late it may seem. I may not have a summer body but my autumn body will be everything! 

In spite of not reaching my summer body goals I am wearing a bodycon dress. I told you guys I’m celebrating nothing for no reason lol. Typically, a bodycon dress is worn for a night out but I wore mine for the day. Instead of wearing a dramatic statement necklace with it, I chose to wear a tribal inspired necklace with bright colors. It being so bright and sunny outside, the yellow sort of celebrates that. I threw on an old pair of Justfab heeled sandals to coordinate my dress, American Apparel clutch and necklace. Pretty simple right? It’s way too hot for a ton of pieces and jewelry. A simple dress and a couple of poppin accessories make for a look hot as July! Let me know what you think! What are some staples you love when it’s the middle of summer?

Later Cupcakes 💋

Shoes: Justfab (old). Dress: (gifted). Necklace: eBay. Clutch: American Apparel, similar

Hair Info: Model Model – Alpine Meadow #1




www.Birthofafashionblogger.com Collab: (How To) Summer Dresses 

It’s unofficially summer time and I was graced with an invitation to join Chanda from over at www.birthofafashionblogger.com to join her in a collaboration. Of course, I accepted! I love her blogging style and her blog is amazing, not to mention, have you seen her style?! So fabulous darling! My favorite look has to be the one where she wore a green floral print dress and no, I never forget a great outfit. If you have a chance to check out her blog, please do. She’s also a mommy and wife like I am, (she lives in Michigan too) and a Youtuber who does great styling videos…I LOVE her haul look books!! I’m joining her in sharing how to style a maxi dress. You can check out her post HERE. In the meantime, get a peek of her look below.



I love her look because it’s so effortlessly chic. I promise we didn’t plan to wear the same color but hey, you know what they say about great minds lol. This beautiful lady always wears fabulous looks and this time is no different. My FAVORITE part of her look is the actually two things lol, (because I couldn’t pick just one) is her dress paired with her handbag. Both are are so modern and classy. The black in the bag works perfectly making the normally neutral safari green pop! By the way, I don’t know about you but I’m going to go ahead and grab the same handbag in that black color!


Her outfit details:

Dress: (similar). Handbag: Francois by Justfab. Shoes: Charlotte Russe. Necklace: old. 



Initially, I was going to style another dress but due to real life and mishaps lol, I opted for this dress as a great alternative and it worked out even better! I grabbed a nude tank dress and layered underneath a safari green crochet maxi. Now, I like this look because it offers an immediate day-to-night outfit in one. If you are out for the day (and then onto get drinks after five), you can easily just take the crochet dress right off. The nude dress acts not only as a base for the crochet dress but also for an additional look! No dramatic changing needed. The nude gives off an illusion and the crochet offers a laid back beachy detail that can be worn around town as well.

I paired the dress with a large straw bag that boasts colorful accents and enough room to carry essentials to freshen up and also can hold the clutch to be worn for the going to grab drinks. My shoes are snakeskin printed high heels. They add that bit of “wild factor”. My jewelry is slightly glam, my necklace is a statement necklace. My bangles are glam and boho to allow a smooth transition into an after five look. I didn’t show the dress underneath simply to focus on the daytime look but offering a benefit of the layering in this look could be a big help for those on vacation this summer.

I’m wearing stud gold earrings, shaped like diamonds. Again, offering day to night benefits. My hair is an easy breezy bun for that same reason. Anyhoo, let me know if you liked my look. Don’t forget to check out Chanda’s look!

Happy Friday loves! 💋

Crochet Dress: Windsor. Tank Dress: H&M (similar). Statement Necklace: Forever 21: (similar). Bracelets: Aldo (no longer available). Heels: (similar). Handbag: Target.

Winter Blues & Plaids

So I think the past few months I have talked about winter so much we’re all tired of winter right? Lol. Well, I’m officially sick (no literally) of winter. Currently, I have an ear ache, sinus infection and a cold but I’m pushing through it. The light at the end of the tunnel is SPRING!!! In the meantime, I’ve become slightly uninspired due to not just the weather and the lingering on of winter but the current state of my health. This swinging weather of 60 degrees one day and 18 degrees with snow the next is very hard to plan by. Guys, I have so many looks lined up for warmer weather, I’m quite uninterested in dressing up to be cold. Regardless, tis life and I must dress for it.

I decided on this bold and colorful plaid poncho to be the “center” of my look. In true stylist fashion, I “thinga-ma-jigged”  my poncho into a scarf instead. It’s still a poncho but it is much more cozy and beneficial as a scarf. My coat is of a faux wool/felt material. It honestly is a decently warm coat. It boasts an extra large collar that pretty much envelopes my upper half. I’m wearing fleece leggings. They are sooooo cozy and warm!!! My boots, you all have seen a number of times. They’re from Justfab’s Luxe line (now no longer) but there are similar styles on the market. Mine are genuine suede which I love. Since this look is cozy, I have a large handbag I purchased from H&M to store everything I need while out and about to make me comfortable in this cold. I opted for sunglasses because of the brightness of the snow. My accessories are minimal. Let me know what you think! How do you stay inspired in the long months of winter and when it’s cold?

Later Cupcakes!! ❤️💙

Boots: Justfab (similar here). Leggings: Gifted (similar here). Poncho/Scarf: Thrifted (similar here). Denim Blouse: Thrifted (similar here). Jewelry: Neon Wild & Layered Chains. Sunglasses: eBay. Bag: H&M (similar here).

Casual Friday: Sassy Jones Boutique

I am a bit of a fashion jewelry and accessories fan but that being said, I am also very particular about the things that I pick up to include in my wardrobe. So when I was contacted by a company by the name of Sassy Jones Boutique to try out a few of their items. I must say that it is easily any stylenista’s day dream to be able to pick out fashionable pieces to add to their closet! I was ecstatic to say the least. I’ve showcased two of the items in a couple of my most recent looks but this look is my favorite! The necklace inspired my entire look. It’s colorful and bold and has a bit of a tribal undertones. It sort of reminds me of a breast plate. It’s called the Islander Statement Necklace.  Anyhoo, you know how Friday looks go, I’ll be brief so you can enjoy this glorious day of the week. 

The owner of Sassy Jones Boutique is truly a sweetheart and the customer service and shipping times are awesome!! The pieces in this online shop are absolutely beautiful!! The best part? None of the items are over priced! All of the pieces are affordable and practical for the everyday wardrobe even the pieces stand out and make their own statements with any look. I will personally be making a purchase because there are a few other pieces on the site I’ve got to get my hands on lol. 

I paired my necklace with a black oversized top on top of classic blue denim jeans and high heeled pumps. I completed the look with my burnt orange suede trench coat and favorite clutch bag from Turquoise Soul Bags. Pretty simple right? The necklace makes the look seem less simple. I love that! Let me know what you think. If you like the necklace, grab it before it’s gone because it’s only $15!! 

 Later Cupcakes!


Coat: (Old) & Gifted (similar here). Shoes: Justfab. Denim Pants: Fashion Nova. Shirt: Meijer. Necklace: Sassy Jones Boutique (now on sale). Earrings: Neon Wild. Clutch: Turquoise Soul Bags.

Casual Friday: Sophisticated Denim

Friday!! It’s my favorite only and repeat holiday of the year lol. I love Fridays because they’re not only the beginning of the weekend but usually everyone is in a good mood because they have the next couple of days to themselves. The world just seems happier on Fridays! I love to do casual looks that can be worn in the office to show how you can be stylishly casual in a work environment. Since we all want to go enjoy our weekend, I’ll be brief.

My hair style inspired my entire look. I’m wearing a simple side bun and I decided to wear my black glasses. The shoes I’m wearing are from Justfab’s Luxe line (when they had it) and it’s my first time wearing them. They’re real suede and the color is so bold and pops against all the black and white pattern in the look. My jeans and jacket add edge and my maxi cardigan contributes a sleek, diva like effect. I’m wearing a black and white print bodysuit with a black tank underneath (for modesty). What do you guys think? I’ll be back here Monday, until then enjoy your weekend!!

Later Cupcakes!

Jacket: Forever 21 (but thrifted). Cardigan: Naked Wardrobe. Tank: H&M. Bodysuit: American Apparel. Sold Out, similar here. Shoes: Justfab (Luxe) sold out but a better pump here. Clutch: Turquoise Soul Bags upon request. Jeans: JC Penney similar here.

Urban Runway

I’ve a bit uninspired partly due to this tragically bland weather we call winter. (Insert eye roll) Beyond being too cold to garner the gusto to get out, I’m just ready to wear sandals and summer maxi dresses. I miss curly hair and lighter hair color… I could go on and on. In order to grasp a teeny bit of spring, I grabbed a bright, bold colorful scarf from Target. 

I wore the scarf in a Rosie the Riveter kind of way. I added hoops to emphasize the “casualness” of the look. My outfit is pretty casual anyway but I added extra “leather” to create a bit of an edge so the look isn’t basic. Nothing wrong with jeans and a tee but that wasn’t the goal here. Since the look is so casual and edgy, I decided against a handbag of any sort. 

I’m finding inspiration in the cityscapes and surroundings in the city so my muse was a gritty but “tattooed” alley. I felt this alley was perfect as my runway. It had been years since I’ve seen actual alley cat but I saw one this alley. A true sign of vitality in the area. Anyhoo, the walls of this alley lended the perfect scene around my runway. Check out my catwalk…

Later Cupcakes…

(Scarf: Target)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Boho Street Style

I have seriously not been in the mood for dressing up. I want to wear some jogging pants. I’ll tell you one thing, I will be on the hunt for a new pair of kicks, possibly Addidas of Nike Air Max. I just need stylish kicks because I’ve not been in the mood for heels lately. Today I wore my broken in and long loved wedges from Justfab. I love these because they are so comfortable and I can run and jump all while looking stylish. My hair is all wrapped up so I put a scarf on because the wind has been so unforgiving this past week and I couldn’t get a flattering picture with my hair disrespectfully blowing every where.  Anyhoo, I’ve been wanting to rock this vintage Jordache jeans sweatshirt for months but I planned on wearing a skirt. Since this look happened before the warm up, wearing a skirt (with this look) and then another skirt a few a days later is a “no go” for me in this kind of weather.

I decided on a pair of denim pants from Top Shop. These are the Joni jeans. They are super comfy for those days when you would like to wear jogging pants but want to look a bit more polished than just wearing leggings. I wore a striped dress underneath my sweatshirt as a tunic for layering and dualing duties of combating the cold as well. To jazz up my look a bit, I am wearing a statement necklace.  I threw on a black leather jacket for warmth, edge and good measure. This look is quite boho chic with and edge and I’m ready for spring so this is also a lazy day outfit. Share your thoughts below!

Later Cupcakes!

To be Updated:

Jacket: Forever 21. Sweatshirt: vintage. Denim pants: Topshop. Dress/Tunic: Zulily. Wedges: Justfab. 


 

L-A-Y-E-R-S-!

Preface: I was supposed to upload this post yesterday but the post somehow got erased. I’m sorry guys. Trust me, I was beyond frustrated for the lack of a better word. Regardless, I still will be uploading Friday’s post. 

There is no doubt in my mind that winter’s cold somehow forces the unintentional organic act of layering clothes and outerwear. The thing with layering is that it can be stylish regardless of the intentions of keeping warm. The beauty of being stylishly comfortable is that can evoke a major sense of creativity. You can truly find your sense of style in the process of layer clothing. Now, personally my sense of style has been evolving lately by each month but that is to be expected and moods of what you may like to wear for months, maybe even years at a time does indeed occur. My advice when layering is to be willing to experiment. For instance, don’t be afraid to mix not only prints but colors and even “styles”. I will discuss the generalized types of styles that exist in fashion in a (very near future) later post. Perhaps then, I will do my very first look book!!! Layering can involve more than one piece of outerwear, more than one shirt, more than one kind of bottoms and even only layering accessories. I chose to layer with outerwear and a blazer.

The weather has indeed been frightful, in fact it decided to snow on the day I wore this look. That being said, I knew that I wanted to wear my fur vest. This vest is so incredibly warm and allows for the rest of my look to still shine through. My blazer is an old one from Forever 21 and it also very warm. I didn’t feel the need of a coat seeing as that the vest and blazer provides so much warmth from the brisk air. I am wearing thermal leggings…tis the season for cozy (and publicly accepted) pants lol! I wore a ruffled front ribbed tunic to further block the cold air. I opted against jewelry because the focus is truly on my layering and the comfort of this look. I chose my fave clutch, very simple and doesn’t detract from the look at all. My boots add another layer to the look in that it seems to add “weight” to the bottom of the outfit by the look of the wedge. I hope you guys get where I’m going with this. Anyhoo, even the suede of the boots offers a layer sort to speak against the look of the fur. My goal was to create a balance throughout the look and still be cozy. This look is intentionally slightly masculine because I am in the woods (and I wanted to portray a lumber jack effect {insert wink smiley face emoji}) but you can make this look a bit more feminine by simply changing the hat and the color of the plaid shirt or blazer. So let me know what you think of this look!! How do you layer? What is your favorite way to keep warm? I will see you back here tomorrow…yep, I am still uploading Friday’s look!

 

Later Cupcakes!!

 

Black Ribbed Tunic: DOTS, (similar here). Vest & Blazer: Forever 21 (similar blazer here). Boots: Justfab (similar here). Leggings: . Hat: Boohoo (similar here). Earrings: H&M (similar here). Clutch: American Apparel