Style Profile..."Trending Overalls"

Overalls and shortalls are making a comeback. I see them in magazines and in stores and it immediately takes me back to the '90's and the rest of my adolescence. Mixed emotions maybe? I'm really not sure. I've come to the very solid conclusion that I may not be participating in the comeback, due to overalls never being my favorite clothing item in my youth. I don't think that will change in my adulthood any time soon, unless it's being worn for painting purposes. And although the style is not for everyone, I do however admire the women who are embracing the resurgence of the trend. Giving sneakers a rest and jazzing them up with sleek heels as well as switching up the fabric from jean to leather are a fun twist on the look. If you're interested in trying out the look...Zara has a wide variety of styles available. Check them out below:

all photos: Zara.com

So what do you think about overalls....yay or nay?

Some Hairspiration..."Natural Hair in Art"

I love finding beautiful inspiration while on my computer. As usual I was looking for hairstyles to try...since it's about that time for a brand new 'do. While perusing some of my favorite sites, I stumbled upon some cute paintings/drawings of women with amazing natural hair. It literally brings a smile on my face to see the celebration of natural hair live and living color! I'm an art geek and always try to make my way to the many museums in NYC whenever I can. Art is such a beautiful way to express yourself and means so many different things to those who view it. For me....these were everything!!

I'm not sure who the artists are...so if anyone knows...please let me know, I would love to credit them!

via: hi-imcurrentlyobsessed.tumblr.com

via: hi-imcurrentlyobsessed.tumblr.com

via: hi-imcurrentlyobsessed.tumblr.com

via: hi-imcurrentlyobsessed.tumblr.com

Looking at these, reminded me of a self portrait I had done in 2011 at an African-American festival:

photo: property of  thekinkynewyorker.blogspot.com

It's one of my favorite things that I own. I loved how it turned out and especially loved that he got my hair down to the very last detail, braids and all. Rhinestones were added to my eyes and earrings too :) The artist, Amit, said he was trying to capture my essence, which he said was warm and bright! Sooo sweet!!

Style Profile..."The Looks of Coachella Weekend 1"

I still have not made my way to Coachella, but I'm planning for next year! Held in the desert of Indio, California...I love the hippie, free to be you style that encompasses the feel of what the two weekend long festival is all about...having fun, relaxing and listening to amazing music from sunrise to sunset. The styles that are found in the crowd worn by celebs and everyday people alike are one of my favorite things to see. Here are a few of my fav outfits worn at Coachella over the weekend:

Katy Perry's wild style

Kate Bosworth's cute short set

Of course the one and only Solange had to make her way onto my
favorite outfits...simple yet chic

Love the mixed material jacket 

Oh hey Eve! You can never go wrong with color blocking

Rock shirt and dirty boots...complete concert vibe

Hannah Bronfman's quirky style

Alexa Chung's striped set is perfect for hot weather

Tie Dye Shorts and a statement necklace...

Leather shorts and a Bowie tee...

Julianne Hough likes short shorts!
All photos: popsugar.com

Style Profile..."Solange Knowles Gives Off Blue Skies"

Photo: nymag.com

Absolutely love this look that Solange Knowles wore to a recent dinner held to help fight world hunger. These pants are from Michael Kors Spring 2013 collection and the cloud and blue sky print is just dreamy. Paired with a crisp white shirt, cute lucite clutch, black tuxedo jacket and strappy black heels, Solange is working them just right!! And don't forget her amazingly teased 'fro and bright pink lips and nails...love this girl's style!

Something New...

The surge of warm weather in New York has me thinking of the months to come. I love this time of year when the weather is taking a turn for the better. To get in the mood...I picked up a few items over the weekend that just scream Spring/Summer for me...

Love, Love Love the cut and floral print of this dress
Dress: Forever 21

Still on a floral craze...this cream floral print shirt is light and airy...perfect for warm weather
Shirt: Joe Fresh

Beach ready attire....The crotchet style is summer ready
Tank: Forever 21

Bright colors always make my day...so when I saw this orange shift dress...I had to have it...
I plan on wearing it with thin colored belts to give it shape
Dress: Mango  

The extra strap on these shoes were just what I was looking for
Shoes: H&M 

Cannot wait for the weather to stay warm for more than a few days so I can wear all of these!

My Hair Stories..."Pinwheeled"

Trying something a little different...I went for a braid and twist style that was twirled to one side of my head in the style of a pinwheel. It covered the right side almost like a hat, which I love. Nellie had a fun time styling it and I was super happy with the overall results. Here are a few pics of my new hairstyle:

It's Only Natural..."Detangling Natural Hair"

Oh the pain of detangling!!
photo: various sources

One of the most difficult things to look forward to when removing my hair from braids and twists is the process of detangling. It's a neccessary evil, but never the less is a routine that I could definitely live without if I could. Dealing with tangles and hair shed that would have normally fallen out on a daily basis from constant manipulation is a pain and the fear that too much hair is being lost is a nightmare for anyone. Everyone has a different technique that helps the process go by as smoothly as possible, my two favorites are my very own fingers and a wide tooth comb.
I prefer my fingers because I can feel the tangles out for myself and can control the force of how to get out them out. It takes a little bit longer but I feel that this works best for me, since I rarely where my hair out and this is about the only time I get to see my hair and can give it the best care. Afterwards I use a wide tooth comb to make sure there a no serious tangles hiding away in my 'fro. I do this entire process after parting my hair in eight sections and spritzing my hair with a water bottle. Just a little bit of dampness in my hair helps the process before I actually wash my hair and further detangle after conditioning. Here is a little more of a breakdown of the tools and techniques I use and other ways that can be helpful in detangling natural hair:

Fingers:
- My  favorite tool of choice, lol, can be very efficient at finding and removing tangles. You can feel any tangles easily and separate them gently since you can control how much force is needed for the tangle to be removed. Its good for helping minimize the amount of breakage that can occur during the process. The downside to this is that it can be quite time consuming, going through section by section, but it is the most gentle and for me...the most reliable.

Wide Tooth Comb:
-My second favorite tool of choice. The wide tooth comb is great at detangling strands and efficient at removing shed hair that helps to create most tangles in the first place. It also helps to minimize damage since the teeth of the comb are wide. I have two trusty Goody wide tooth combs, one silver and one black that I designate for before wash detangling and during conditioning detangling. A bit neurotic I know, lol.

Denman Brush:
-I personally don't use this tool, but I have always been quite curious. An oldie but a goody, Denman Brushes have been around for a long time and as a child my mother used it to help detangle and brush my hair. I remember the snagging and hair pulling that occurred every now and again, but it did the trick for the most part. It's teeth are good for capturing shed hair to prevent matting. In some cases, due to the amount of teeth these brushes have, people modify their Denman Brush by removing certain rows to prevent snagging and unnecessary hair damage.


Detangling your hair can be done when hair is dry or wet. Each technique has its benifits. I prefer to do both to make sure that as many tangles and shed hair are removed as possible.  I use he dry technique of detangling my hair with my fingers for when I first remove my hairstyle, since the hair tends to be strongest when dry even after dampening a little to ease the process. I use the wet technique after deep conditioning, which is easier to detangle at that point and creates for slip to help the wide tooth comb do its job.

What tools and techniques to you use to detangle your stands?

Well Looky Here..."Is It Spring Yet?"

It's Springtime!...or at least it's supposed to be. The weather in NYC has been so up and down...I think I'm developing some sort of season confusion disorder. Can you warm up just a little weather...pretty please?? Longing for a bit of sun and 60+ degree temperatures...I'll just live vicariously through those who can wear Spring outfits...Here are some of my favorite styles on LookBook this week:

A gray palette with a pop of yellow is perfect

A short trench to cover up leather brown shorts and a striped button down...Casual Chic

My obsession with black and gold continues...as well as my love of skulls.
 The gold just brightens up the whole outfit 

A royal blue short length dress with a leather jacket is perfect for
Spring weather that still has a chill in the air...the black belt gives it shape

Accessories are a must and that necklace is just amazing!

Black heels with a blue cap toe is just a great hint of color...the silver is a perfect for daytime shine 

Love this laidback spring look blue everywhere and a mint green chain purse.
The Chanel espadrilles are a dream!

Color and prints everywhere!! Sooo in love! Florals are a Spring must!

Product Junkie..."Kinky-Curly Come Clean Shampoo"

 Since I wear my hair in protective styles about 99.8% of the time...product buildup can become a big issue. I was in desperate need of a shampoo to get rid of all that gook that nests its way into my hair and scalp. I searched high and low for an all natural clarifying shampoo and then I stumbled upon Kinky-Curly Come Clean.
 Made of the following ingredients: Purified water, organic mandarin orange fruit, organic marigold flower, organic white willow bark, organic sea kelp, c14-16 olefin, sulfonate and cocamidopropyl betaine (coconut derived), phytic acid, citric acid, sea salt, phenoxyethanol, natural fragrance
Come Clean, like all Kinky-Curly products, is organic and all natural. A definite plus in my book! A sulfate free shampoo, it's said to gently clean the hair and scalp of buildup while helping to maintain proper moisture balance.
 When it comes to shampoo, since it often strips hair of moisture, I was crossing my fingers that this would stay true to it's word. I read a few reviews beforehand and noticed that many people had issues of dry brittle hair after washing with Come Clean. But to be completely realistic...shampoos are meant to clean the hair and will more likely than not, strip the hair of natural oils, no matter how gentle or all natural it is. And since Come Clean is a type of clarifying shampoo, its main purpose is to get rid of all the buildup and dirt that can make its way onto your scalp. To counteract this and restore the moisture that was lost, deep conditioning is always a must.
 After taking out my braids and twists and parting my hair in four sections, I tried Come Clean and loved how clean my hair looked and felt! An excellent clarifier, the dirt and grime from wearing my hairstyle for a month was gone and although my hair was a little dry...it wasn't anything drastically different from other shampoos that I have used prior to this. I deep conditioned and my hair was back to normal. The mandarin orange fruit gave off a very refreshing and enjoyably calming scent.
 Found in local drugstores, Whole Foods Market and Ricky's...Kinky-Curly Come Clean can set you back about $12. A steep price for shampoo, I know, but not out of the norm for an all natural product. But since I received a full sized bottle for free back in a previous post...my pockets can rest easy for now. A con for me about the product is that since it's sulfate free, I used a lot of the product just to ensure that my hair was being thoroughly shampooed. One of the hazards I guess...
Have you tried Kinky-Curly Come Clean Shampoo? What were your results?

Something New...

Happy April Fools Day! Hopefully no one got pranked too hard today. I'm all for jokes, but April 1st somehow always has me on pins and needles.The anticipation of being punked makes me nervous, lol.

Over the weekend, I found myself at one of my favorite stores...TJ Maxx. Usually a total hit or miss, it's always fun to search the racks and aisles for something you have yet to realize would tickle your fancy. Or better yet...getting items that normally could cost an arm and a leg to own!! I believe that bargain shopping is a beautiful thing and way easier on your purse/wallet. Also..I have a confession to make...not only do I have a shoe problem, but a handbag problem as well...given to me by my always fashionable mother, lol.  I was lucky enough to snatch a few new handbags to add to my collection and even picked up one for my mom :)

Three new bags to add to my collection!

The Lemongrass color is perfect for Spring!! Just looking at it brightens me up!!
Bag: BCBG Max Azria

Lovely envelope handbag, defined with a gold chain strap and lock
Bag: Kate Spade

I have been looking for a new work bag that was functional yet cute. This does it for me..
Bag: London Fog 

And as for what I picked up for my mom...

Navy Blue is as timeless as black, but just a bit more lively...a color I know my mother has wanted for a while and a shape that I knew she would love :)
Bag: Michael Kors