Growing Out My TWA!

Scared? You should be! 

Let the process begin!

Yassss! You couldn't tell me nothing this week. For some reason just looking at my hair and knowing I cut it all off, I mentally was limiting myself in regards to styling.  I got caught up just thinking, "it's too short to really style," mainly because I was comparing the length of my natural hair before my big chop to it's current length, as I grow out the tapered style I got back in May of 2014.

Let's just say the shrinkage is real and totally deceiving. I was too geeked this week to find out my hair isn't as short as I was imagining!

Checkout my hairstyles from last week, all on the same twist out!

Day 5 - My favorite!

Day 3 - Corporate Chic

Day 2 - Creative Soul

Day 1 - Rockstar

Mr. Party Bus Limousine - Chicago

Now let me just say, the task of planning your significant other's 30th birthday is not easy.  There is so much freaking pressure, especially when you have to outdo the last couple of birthdays that far exceeded their expectations.

After slyly throwing out different concepts (gun range, brewery tours and Bulls game) and having them all politely shut down, I decided my husband didn't really know what the hell he wanted so I'd be better off figuring it out on my own.  After weeks of searching Groupon (hopefully by now yall have noticed I don't like paying full price for anything) and entering numorous Google searches for "30th birthday party ideas" I came across Mr. Party Bus Limousines.

The Groupon provided an intriguing deal so I looked further and noticed the premium 26 seater came with great features. I'm talking about:

• Flatscreen TV
•  Bar
•  Great sound system to hook up your iPad/phone/CDs
•  Awesome lighting
•  Poll
•  Plush seating
•  Privacy glass

Check it out, and it looked exactly like this on the bus!

So, I told my husband we were going to a club to do bottle service. I could totally tell he hated the idea but that's of course what made this surprise hilarious. We walked out of his dad's crib after a quaint family birthday dinner and to his total surprise this beauty pulled up bumping some classic R.Kelly, with the lights down low, cups, ice,water and chasers on deck! All I had to do was bring the alcohol and the people. Drink what you want, and party with who you want, bam! That's my husband's kind of night lol.

Little did he know, I had set up a FB group and invited his closest friends to participate in the surprise! We stopped at three locations and at each one a handful of his friends hopped on the bus. It was exciting seeing his face light up ever time someone stepped aboard. I know turnup is so overused but I really can't think of any other word to describe the fun we had....so I'll give you a glimpse.

So, let me get to it, because this is actually supposed to be less about my hubby's birthday and more about experiencing THE BEST service I have had in a very long time. The owner Michael Bogan aka Mr. Party Bus was polite, professional and extremely considerate since the day he picked up the phone! He showed genuine interest in the occasion, he was very understanding and patient when my card declined 4 times while trying to pay the deposit.  SN: Yes, Chase I'm blowing up your spot,, since you decided to send me a new card and cancel my old one even though I hadn't reactivated it yet, who does that? smh. Anyway, Mike was not rude about it, he ran the card a few times and waited for me to call Chase to figure it all out. He didn't assume I couldn't pay or make me feel embarrassed at all, he actually told me it's happen to him before, making the awkward moment more pleasant for me.

He called me the day of to ask if I was excited and had everything together.  He joked about those that dropped out last minute and made me feel confident I made the right choice and that the party would be banging regardless.  Right before pickup he called to tell me he would be 8 minutes late because he was in traffic and arrived exactly 8 minutes later. On the bus, we received the same awesome treatment, he helped me hook up the sounds, spoke to everyone on the bus, I mean everyone had amazing things to say about him.

A business really is as good as its owner and Mike over delivered on my expectations. And to think, I almost let someone's opinion make me second guess my choice in vendor because THEY feared it being a black owned business it would be bootleg and unprofessional. Oh and by the way, this was the opinion of a black person, smh.  I am so glad they were wrong and I can confidently recommend this company to every and anybody that will listen.

That's exactly what my blog is truly about, debunking myths and stereotypes about our people! We don't hear enough positive things about our business owners and we have examples of great ones all around us. If you ever want to have a good time "Riding Around and Getting It" make sure you call the best party bus vendor in Chicago, Mr. Party Bus Limousine!

Personal Styling : My First Success

My first client Teri made me so proud today!!! I saw her in the hall and I did a double take!!! Teri is like a lot of people I know, she buys clothes but never wears them, she'd rather just wear slacks and a collar shirt. After shopping her closet I pulled this fun, sleeveless dress; then headed to the mall for the perfect cardigan to make her "office" ready. All her coworkers were stunned by her new look. People will take notice when you put forth a little effort.

This look is great for work, church or a networking event. Remove the cardigan and tights add a chunky choker and some bracelets and this look is cute for a night out!  You better work girl #iDigg

Tip: Buying Off the Rack

Celebrities aren't the only ones searching for exclusive outfits to wear to events. Three big moments for me: Prom, Ebony Ball and my 28th Birthday Party were fashion nightmares! I had an unwanted twin at each of these events. I laugh about it now, but in the moment I remember feeling like I lost my  puppy. Of course you shouldn't let it ruin your night or kill your vibe but after putting all that effort into stunting it can be heartbreaking.  So then, reality hits and you realize that department store you shopped in had about 8 of the same dresses on the rack and they came in 4 different colors!

If you read my last tip, remember I said follow your instincts when shopping. My instinct said "There are way too many of these dresses, somebody is bound to have it." What did I do? I bought the dress anyway and didn't follow my gut because the dress was just too cute! You can probably guess what happened that evening, somebody had the exact same dress but in a different color.

Now, I'm not saying don't buy the piece, I'm just saying know your event.  Try to gauge the type of people that will be there and the amout. I should've worn that dress to dinner with a small crowd or on a date with my husband.  I should NOT have worn it to an urban nightclub in Chicago because the chances of another girl wearing the same dress was much higher.

So, how do you ensure you don't get caught up rocking the same fit?  Let's look at it this way, men are way less likely to have this happen because they typically wear outfits made up of pieces. It's highly unlikely two guys will have on the exact same tie, with the same button down shirt, blazer and pants. The more pieces you incorporate into your look the harder it is to duplicate. There's  no need to do anything drastically different. You don't need to get a fit made, spend major mula at a boutique or even shop online you should just decide to piece together an outfit when going to a large event. 

Now, I know it's much easier to just wear a dress, but building an outfit does a couple things.  it allows you to incorporate your personality and personal touch.  It also gives you the freedom to shop at popular stores and not worry so much that someone will have the same outfit, unless of course you choose the outfit on the manikin, that's a no, no!

If, at the end of the day you still have a twin, don't let it ruin your night.  Take a picture with the person, joke about it, tell them they look good and keep it moving. If you're brave and know you looked good in it, post the pic and caption it "Who Wore It Best?" Really people, at the end of the day they're just clothes we're not curing world hunger lol.

Checkout the look I pieced together for New Years 2015. "Look me in my face, I ain't got no worries!"

Tip: There are 3 Sizes to Every Outfit

YOUR NORMAL SIZE: The size you naturally choose off the rack in any store
ONE SIZE UP: A size larger than your normal size
ONE SIZE DOWN: A size smaller than your normal size

For the most part we usually know what size we are and are probably 80% accurate when first choosing a blouse, dress, jacket or pants off the rack. But notice I said usually, because there are times when I stare blankly in the store's mirror for minutes, trying to figure out why this medium looks off or just isn't doing it for me.

Always remember depending on where you shop, a size can be different based on three things:
1) The store
2) The designer
3) The material

Your "normal" size should act as a guide. If I have the option of S/M/L, I always start with a medium, that's generally what works for me. The other day I went to Akira and tried on a super cute, medium jumpsuit, but I wasn't getting that "WOW" factor. Nonetheless, I still took it to the counter because the concept was cute and I had been searching for a jumpsuit for quite some time. When the lady at the counter started to ring me up I was reluctant to hand her my card, that was a sign (SN: follow your instinct when shopping).

I told her to hold on, I'd like to go back and try on a small.  She gladly went to the rack, grabbed one and put me in a dressing room.  The material had some spandex to it, so although normally I'm a medium the spandex should allow the jumper to fit the shape of my body with a small. Voilà! There it was! The small gave me that "wow" factor I was hoping for, the medium was just a bit saggy. You should have some sort of idea of how the article of clothing should fit your body. Some pieces are meant to be loose, while others are meant to fit you like a glove, and this jumper needed to be fitted.

Remember, spandex is made to stretch so you should probably go down a size to get the best look.  But, to avoid all the back and forth, if you're unsure just grab 3 sizes: one up, one down and your normal size.  Don't ever be ashamed either, no one looks at your tags! They don't know what size you're rocking but they will see how your clothes fit so pay extra attention to your presentation.

This time when I went up to the counter, I pulled that debit card out with absolutely no hesitation! I can't wait to rock this fit!

Royal Blue Jumper: Akira
Invisible Heel Yellow Pumps: Akira
Choker: Akira