What do I wear? Professional vs. Business Casual Attire

There is a difference!

Have you ever been stumped trying to figure out what to wear when an invitation or event notice states: Professional attire Or Business casual? 

Well, deciding what to wear is much simpler than you may think. There are a few easy rules to live by to ensure you're always dressed appropriately, no matter what the occasion.

Rule #1: If you're unsure about what to wear, error on the side of caution - over dress rather than under dress. No one will give you the side eye if you come to an event wearing a tie and suit jacket. The great thing about over dressing is you can usually remove pieces to dress your outfit down. However, fellas if you leave the house without a sport coat and ladies without a pair of heels you're S.O.L ($h!t out of luck for those that don't know the acronym). 

Rule #2: If you have an interview ladies wear a suit, it doesn't matter if it's a pant suit or skirt suit just wear one.  Men, you should always wear a tie with your suit. For interviews, you want to look sharp and dress to impress! This requires you to be in business professional dress, so don't leave anything up to chance when you walk in for a job.  Make the interviewer focus on you and your skill set, the last thing you want them judging are your clothes. Whether you're interviewing internally or externally, you have to show the interviewer you care enough about the job to dress like you want it!

Rule #3: Neither option includes gym shoes or flip flops! No, for business casual you don't necessarily have to go for the wing tip shoes or pointy toe pumps, but you should never enter a business casual event with gym shoes, sandals, crocs, timbs, etc.  Remember business casual still has the word "business" in it.  This means you can forego the tie and jacket and wear a collar shirt or button down but there needs to be a collar.  For guys, as long as the shoes look more like dress shoes than gym shoes you should be alright, however, don't attempt to express your bold fashion sense at a business casual event.  Leave that for the club, date or day party.  

Women this is a great opportunity to wear a really nice dress with or without sleeves, pencil skirts or pants with a nice printed blouse, collar shirt or sweater.  Ladies, leggins with long shirts and boots should not be considered business casual.  Nor are short skirts, dresses or lets just say club-like attire.  Keep in mind business casual is just one step down from business professional so you still want to keep it classy and elegant.  Open toe shoes in this case are okay as well as flats.  I have to be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about flats in a business professional setting so I suggest just wearing a pair of heels to be safe, and throwing flats in the trunk of your car for after the event.  Here are a few of my examples: 

Left: Business Attire   Right: Business Casual

Business Casual

Let's see how you wear your business professional vs. business casual.  Post your pic on my iDigg FB Page!

#Patterns: One Style Does Fit All

When choosing a look I generally try to draw up some celebrity inspiration.  Anytime my look involves wearing patterns I always think "Solange".  Solange Knowles is known for her bold and daring style, with or without the fro! Her soulful looks range from 70's chic to what I call futuristic overdrive.

Although her looks can be over the top, Solange works whatever she has on, because she oozes
confidence and owns it, from her free flowing tight coils to the platform stacks on her feet.  I've heard
people say, "patterns aren't for me" - well, I disagree.  Patterns are what you make them and it totally makes sense to gradually introduce them into your wardrobe.  

First, start with the basics, try a patterned blouse or jacket paired with a solid skirt or pants.

On your next attempt go the distance and try a full printed dress.

Another option, if you'd rather keep it fashionably casual, opt for a one piece jumpsuit!

Now before the critics start talking, I know for a fact there's somebody out there saying, "prints are for skinny girls." I know somebody's thinking it because when I was 25 lbs heavier, I said it lol. After really doing some investigating I realized it's not the pattern that creates unflattering outfits, it's all about THE CUT. Patterns need structure otherwise you can appear to drown in them or they can be straight up overwhelming. It's also probably a good thing to keep everything else basic like jewelry, shoes and even your hairstyle and color.  It always goes back to understanding your body and accentuating your best features.  Here are some great examples of Kasey slaying patterns!  If you like these looks visit her page Kasey Curves Boutique.

 

All White Everything!

I put this outfit together from the Akira collection

Never have I ever, worn all white.  So, I promised myself that for my 30th I would rock an all white fit. It was comfortable and for me the pop of red in the lip and the shoe topped it off.  When I think of all white I envision Mary J. Blige and Lisa Ray.  Both tend to go for sophisticated yet sexy styles and that was the image I wanted to portray for the evening. My number 1 rule of thumb, KEEP IT CLASSY!

Sexy is not about what you expose and how much of it you expose. Sexy is what you exude and how you carry yourself. It's fun to show skin but you have to portion it out.  The way I see it, if you're going to show cleavage cover the midsection and wear a decent length skirt (knee length or longer).   If you're serving legs then cover the cleavage.  The idea is not to show too much at one time.  A couple peek-a-boos won't hurt anybody but showing the whole shebang can take you from sexy, classy and sophisticated to raunchy and get you called a THOT real quick!

      

Not sure if you caught Beyonce's 2015 Met Gala look...who am I kidding, I'm sure you caught her sheer look because she pretty much broke the internet.  I'm sure she also broke a few necks and some suffered from whiplash or rubbernecker syndrome as she strolled by on the red carpet.  Sheer is definitely in, but I do think there's a line that can be crossed and she crossed it and then came back and crossed it again! My look blends the all white and sheer concept and still leaves something to the imagination.

Here's my other stab at the sheer.  Guess what bargain shopper got this hot mama sheer dress for $30 bucks! Me, me, me!

This is How You Do Brunch!

It's insane,

the multitude of pain,

that pours like rain,

on the voluptuous frame,

that is so eloquently named,

BLACK WOMAN

-Kesia King

These ladies are owning their personal style.  Each with a very distinct look and genre which they made their own!
Middle: BeBe Jones - Stylist follow her: +BeBe Jones
FB: BeBe Jones
t: RowASet1
Twitter: @Bebe_Jones
IG: @ Rowaseat

A couple weeks ago I attended the Beauty and Brunch event in Chicago.  The room was filled with educated, classy, charming ambitious women.  There were entrepreneurs, bloggers, brand ambassadors, chefs, writers, saleswomen, educators, personal stylist, you name it they were there.  

After 9 long months of doing market research, networking, filming and writing my business plan, it was such a relief to finally go out and start sharing my entrepreneurial endeavor.  Outside of receiving great feedback, I was all of a sudden surrounded by potential business partners - from hair stylist and makeup artist to financial consultants and owner of a PR firm.

Myself & Takeya McCollum - Haute Kinky Hair Beauty Insider, Blogger and Brand Ambassador.
Follow her on IG @Takeya _Monique
Youtube: @ikeya88
Twitter: Takeya_Monique
HKH Discount Code: Take10

Different curls for different girls!  #Curlfriends

Upper left: Owner of Lipstick Cult - For bold and unique lipstick shades click on the link and visit her website
Bottom left:Aisha Taylor - Financial and life coach and founder of Frugal -N-Phenomenal (FNP).  Aisha is dedicated to helping women live the phenomenal lifestyle they deserve but do it in a savvy and responsible way.  Click on the link to visit her website and find ways to look good and live well without breaking the bank!
Right: Shante' - She was exuding beauty and her necklace was EVERYTHING!

The New Normal : An identity Outside Of Your Kids

Your children should never be an excuse but instead, motivation!

- Kesia King

I'm sorry I can't get with it! I can't get with or act like I feel sorry for mothers that complain that being a mom is the reason why they let themselves go physically and don't have time to keep themselves up. Yes, kids need attention. They need love, food and clothes but at what point did having a child mean you give up on yourself? Or loose your identity? I strongly believe kids should make you a better you!  

You don't have to compromise who you used to be before you had a child. If you were social, spunky, sexy, athletic, girly, etc. that shouldn't change. Your children are and will always be a reflection of you. They will look up to you, model after you and feel a certain way about how you present yourself to the world, so it's important you take care of yourself first. That doesn't make you selfish, it actually makes you a better parent.

It's not hard to gauge someone's level of confidence, just by looking at what they have on. By no means does this mean you need to wear expensive clothes and rock a name brand.  It doesn't mean you have to expose your breast or wear waist trainers and booty pads to sinch the waist and poke out the butt. Sexy is a state of mind, sultry comes with attitude, being fine is wrapped up in your swag and how you present yourself. 

So next time you make a mommy run, ditch the old t-shirt and do-rag. Let your hair down, throw on some fitted sweats a fun shirt and some comfy shoes and rock out like the rockstar you are. Don't be afraid to get creative with it either, own YOUR look.  Let your kids motivate you to be great in everything that you do, even if it's on your way to a birthday party at Chuckie Cheese lol.

Blouse : XXI

Pants: Banana Republic

#fashion #mom #newagemom #style #fashionblog

 I'm channeling the basketball playing, 100M dash running, 90's tomboy swag Kesia lol ....and loving ever minute of it, can you tell!?!?

Let's discuss, do you think you've changed after having a kid(s)? If so, how?

My French Inspired Look

The ultimate moment when you feel completely comfortable in your own skin and have no desire to look or act like anyone else but the person God destined you to be. What's the standard of beauty, when beauty has no standards? I am my standard of beauty and so are you!

I received so many compliments on this outfit at the Black Women's Expo. The concept of this outfit is extremely basic. Black and white blouse with black pants. What brought this look togther was my overall presentation. I was going for "nerdy chic," totally made that up. Or, a soft edgy look. My husband said I belonged on stage at a coffee house! lol.  Either way, I loved the end result!

But I Will be Fine, Fierce & Fabulous in the Process!

Kasey Jones

Kasey Jones

My morning routine: open one eye, peek to see if the sun has risen before I have, grab my phone off the night stand and do a quick scroll through my FB timeline (Mark Zuckerberg's dream right lol).

I know sometimes my FB posts are rants about all the posts I see filled with drama and stupid fight videos but I have to say for the most part my friends are great sources of motivation for me.  I thrive off other people's energy. In my opinion, one of the keys to personal success is the ability to compartmentalize. Now this word sometimes gets a bad rep, but think about it, the definition of this psychological term is that it is a defense mechanism, essentially a way to cope. Meaning despite an internal conflict you may be having you can still go about your day, fulfilling your obligations as a parent, student, employee, husband or wife - you get my drift?

Anyways, I'm scrolling and I come across my friend Kasey's timeline, who I met while working at DeVy University several years back. It's funny, I think about our first interactions and how passionate she was about everything! Whether it was enrolling students into school, talking about her shoe addiction or setting people straight (she does not play lol).

Despite Kasey's size 24 frame you'd never know if she was insecure with her weight or not because she was always smiling, very outspoken and came to work runway ready. Check the pics, this girl knows how to dress! (You cute boo!) Honestly, I never thought twice about her size because she never made it an issue, never used it as an excuse and quite frankly never brought it up.  If she did feel a certain way she compartmentalized her emotions allowing herself to still LIVE. Not once do I remember her saying I'm too big for... or I wish I was skinny so I could wear...

I get so tired of people complaining about what they "can't do" because this and that, especially when it comes to feeling good about yourself. Weight is not an excuse to not showcase your best you at all
times and neither is lack of money (which I hear all the time too). If you want to loose weight accept that it's a process and it takes time, but damn it that doesn't  mean you can't be fine, fierce and fabulous during the process!

To date Kasey has lost 91 lbs. in 2 years! From a size 24 to14 and she's still going, while motivating folks on her journey. To see more of Kasey's fabulous looks be sure to "Like" her fb page Kasey Curves Boutique and stay tuned for her upcoming business venture, which I'll give you a little hint, it
has to do with fashion!

 

Maximize Your Fit

My husband always looks at me sideways when I get home from shopping. I can't even blame him because after I spend hours at the mall I then come home to spend another hour trying on my new clothes with clothes already in the closet! The way I see it, my old clothes get an upgrade when I go shopping!

I told you all about how I love to shop my closet, well I revamped my old sweater dress by throwing a newly purchased cropped sweater ontop. You can achieve this with most simple, basic dresses. Just throw a sweater over it - cropped, off the shoulder, or textured will add some extra pizzaz to your outfit.

This outfit was cute, casual, comfy and even a bit sexy for an on the go mom, with a budget!

By the way Mr. Bear was feeling my natural updo. We shared a moment!

Cropped sweater from Banana Republic / Sweater dress from Burlington Coat Factory / Gray wedge booties from Express

Great minds think alike, checkout Kasey's rendition, get two outfits in one!

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

Popin' Tags: Thrifting Edition

So I've heard a couple people here and there talk about thrifting.  Thrift store shopping is a whole new beast and it requires time, patience and humility. Sifting through racks and racks of clothes is no easy task but when you find that special piece that diamond in the rough it's well worth it! Not to mention you pay a fraction of the price for items you may otherwise pay an arm and a leg for.

I'm a clearance rack shopper but that can still mean I pay upwards of $20 to $30 for an article of clothing. Now that I'm a mother of two, with a number of expenses, I'm realizing I have to be much more strategic with my shopping. Watch the results of my first thrifting attempt and decide for yourself whether or not you can get into it!

I lurk on many social pages lol, admiring those that put extra effort into their looks. This beautiful lady is one of my favs to follow: @Sharondalinell on IG. Not only is she a gorgeous model but she has a unique fashion sense. She makes her own rules, thinks outside the box and owns it! She is dope, when it comes to piecing together looks, many of which she finds thrifting.

Be sure to check out Sharonda's page for more fun looks!

Shoe-A-Cide

Do you have a pair of over priced, blinged out shoes that you've only worn once because you bought them to build an outfit around? I really don't know what got into me when I bought these shoes, but it's something about your birthday that makes you spend money unnecessarily.  I get some type of 24 hour amnesia, bills, Bill who?

I picked up these beauties on the left from Bakers and the yellow invisible heel platforms from Akira.  When you wear dramatic shoes like these, it's a must that you go basic up top....busy shoes with a busy outfit can be overbearing. It's easier to put together an outfit when you build it around a statement piece wich serves as the main focus.  This doesn't mean I give up on the rest of the outfit, I just make sure the rest of the details are subtle. Yes, you want to look put together but you also want it to look effortles!

B.O.R.N to Style

One evening, I caught a commercial advertising this new show, B.O.R.N to Style. It didn't strike me as similar to anything I had ever seen. As a loyal, avid watcher of What Not To Wear I thought I 'd never see the day when another show would trump Stacy and Clinton.

Oh my! Your girl was dead wrong! While y'all going crazy, having Scandal parties over the likes of Olivia Pope, I was popping my popcorn and breaking out the bubbly for a colorful group ( I mean that in ever essence of the word) of witty, well versed, stylist that see fashion light years ahead of our time.

Jonathan Bodrick, owner of the Harlem boutique and star of the show inspired me to take styling to the next level.  B.O.R.N is the acronym for borrowed, owned, refurbished, new. Jonathan and his spicy, sassy crew, create unforgettable makeovers for their clients inside and out.

Check out one of my favorite transformations in this B.O.R.N to Style clip:

So what I didn't tell you is that I'm a recovering addict.  The network, FYI recently decided to cancel this show so I have been born-less for just about 3 weeks now.  Twitter went crazy when they realized this feel-good show had been taken off the air.  All I can do is thank God for DVR. I recorded every episode!   Well, Jonathan, JJ and Brandon please believe the next time I'm in New York I will be on 125th St. in Harlem!

Protect with Style

I hate to admit it, but of all the years I've lived on God's green, sunny Earth, I have never spent more than $15 dollars on a pair of sunglasses. I'm a frugal person when it comes to accessories or let me say: items that are "nice to haves." However, after going through and breaking at least 20 pair of cheap sunglasses I realized two things:

1. Sun glasses are actually a must have. The sun does shine pretty much everyday (insert emoticon).  Plus driving with the sun in your eyes is actually a real danger (just ask the guy who rammed  into the back of my car a couple years back and TOTALED it! As you can guess, I'm STILL pissed smh).

2. I keep buying them.  I probably should've realized I should save up for a nice pair sooner but as you might soon find out, I'm pretty stubborn it's the Taurus in me.

So this year, I got with the program and decided to treat myself.  Of course, the subliminal endorsements for Ray Bans took over my consciousness and I decided I had to get a pair. Boy oh boy I see why just about every rapper, r&b/popstar designates a couple seconds on their track to shout out the brand. I purchased the blue acetate Liteforce Classic Wayferer and OMG, they are the biz-ni-eeee! They ran me around $175 BUT worth every penny.

Plus Size or Nah?

Nah!
I won't post statistics often (I was never really great at math) but sometimes numbers speak louder than words. According to businessinsider.com, "the average American woman now wears a size 14." Yes folks, 67 percent of the population wears between a size 16 to 34. Maybe now you see where my "nah" comes from. I don't understand the term "plus size" because if average is "plus" why do we separately categorize this segment of people when they are the majority? Okay, I'm sure you see where I'm going with this lol...let me get off my soapbox!

So, what are you going to do with this information? Yes, you! the full-figured, curvy, voluptuous woman that thinks you can't "look good," "dress up"or put effort into shopping or getting dressed because you are not a size 8 or smaller.  Sorry, if you thought I was going to feel sorry for you or encourage you to wait until you lose weight before embracing your personal style, then you got me all wrong! No matter what size you are you can find beautiful, hip and trendy pieces to wear.  Does it take effort? Absolutely. Time? Of course. Patience? Undoubtly. But it takes all of this when I go shopping and I'm a size 8!

So here's a little motivation and inspiration for you.  Checkout my favorite full figured model, Francesca Jeanette (who just happens to be one of my besties) in the pics below.  You can't tell me she doesn't exude confidence and rock her curvy frame. Visit stores like Ashley Stewart, Torrid and Forever 21 to get similar looks.

Living vs Existing

Don't be that person that just exists in the world. What do I mean by that?  Well, there are some people that just do enough to get by. They wake up every morning, with the same routine, same attitude and purposely fly under the radar. Living means not letting the judgement of others control your life. Let that marinate for a moment.

In regards to your personal style, you should decide what you want to wear based on what makes you feel good. Never adjust your personal style to make other people feel comfortable. In order to live in life you must express yourself and that should show through how you dress, wear your hair and even how you do your makeup.

Titilayo OWNS her personal style and refuses to just exist!

Plan! Plan! Plan!

Richard Cushing said, “Always plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.” Okay so I have to be honest, I have no idea who Richard Cushing is but he spoke the truth! Now, I totally doubt he said this with fashion on his mind but planning ahead is just as important when choosing an outfit. It takes effort to look good! Beyoncé straight lied to us ladies, she / we do not wake up "like this."

So before you hop in the bed this evening take a peek in your closet and try on a couple looks. Planning ensures you don't wake up in a frenzy, as I notoriously do, and neglect your inner fashionista. Don't let "lack of time" be an excuse as to why you don't dress to impress. Pull your outfits the night before so you step out confident, comfortable and in control! 

I pulled this look the night before hitting Rodeo Dr.

Skirt & Vest: Charlotte Russe

Cowboy boots: Shoedazzle.com

I pulled this flowy sensation look for Easter Sunday '14 to mask my baby bump.

Dress and accessories : Forever 21

Shoes: Clark's