Oh, buckled ballet flats. You are the coolest.

When I first saw the trend pop up about 6 months ago, courtesy of Miu Miu (and on beautiful Misty Copeland no less), I was immediately obsessed. However, I knew it wasn’t a shoe I would actually buy (hello $$) and, not to mention, they didn’t appear to be a very realistic shoe for a mama running around after her kids, so boooooo.

When I first put these shorts on, I was like “oh yeah, I’m keeping these babies” before I even looked in the mirror.  They are hands-down the MOST comfortable item of clothing I’ve ever put on my body.  (I mean, it didn’t hurt that they were under $40, too).  So soft, so perfectly broken-in . . . long enough to wear without feeling like everything is hanging out . . . it almost didn’t even matter what they looked like.  Almost.

The problem I have when I buy longer shorts is that they typically make me look wider than I am.  Because I have to buy them large enough to fit my butt, the legs kind of stick out straight and make my thighs look bigger (where my big booty girls at – I know you know what I’m talking about!).  So I just had to figure out how to make them flattering.  The solution?  A simple roll at the bottom gave them a bit more shape and voila – I found my new favorite pair of shorts.

Gang, I’m a longtime fan of Lemlem:  the floaty scarves and dresses, the summer-ready patterns, and the fact that the brand is committed to hiring women, elevating African artisanship and creating more jobs in African nations.  The only downside is that true artisanship – compared to fast fashion – costs more.  Pieces in the Lemlem collection often range from $100 – $500.

Enter Joe Fresh, a Canadian-based fast fashion retailer.  They’ve come together on a swimwear collaboration that is GORGEOUS – fans of the brand will recognize the Lemlem influence – with proceeds going to Liya Kebede Foundation.

All the yes.

xo,

S

Ahh, Spring. The perfect time (and temp) to switch up your style. Whether you’re going from parkas to sundresses or you’re a lucky one who’s been in shorts all year (cough, cough CAM) you want a little something new. When the TME girls gave me a style challenge, I was determined to take on “preppy” as best I could. Collared shirts, if we’re getting specific here. Damn, these girls are good at dishing out the hard stuff.

As much as I usually don’t like button-up collared shirts, I can’t help but be drawn to unique trends. Since I’ve been eyeing all the great new wrap-around style button up blouses I figured this was as good a time as any to try one.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE preppy style, I just feel like I can never quite pull it off.  Mainly, I don’t like feeling constricted. As a child, I refused to stay dressed because I couldn’t stand how suffocating clothes made me feel. Obviously, I made it through the ‘no clothes’ phase but restrictive clothing isn’t necessarily conducive to my lifestyle. I’m constantly moving while working; I spread out on the floor when painting and drawing and stand and pace when writing.

The top I was planning on ordering was sold out in my size so I headed to the mall where I found a similar style at New York and Company. I paired it with my Rocket Citizens and (in true preppy fashion) my low-slung pointed toe leopard heels.

Of course, in the store, the top was professionally tied in a lovely bow that I had to dismantle in order to put the shirt on.  I was never able to re-create their perfect wrap and knot but the long ties allowed me to get creative with styling and wrapping in different ways. I liked having it tied a little looser to give me some room to breathe and so my ta-ta’s weren’t too squished. My biggest concern of course was that it was going to be too constricting but the material was quite comfortable and had a nice bit of stretch for moving.  Plus, I couldn’t believe how many compliments I received while wearing it.

Mission: Successful.