Shot by Eric Williams
Happy Birthday to me! Who knew I could have two birthdays?! (my legit one is in January) Today a year ago I decided to get back into doing what I love and start blogging. I must say it is one of the best choices I’ve made this year. I love fashion and love people even more. To be able to write about my friends, people I admire, things I love (and not so much) has enabled me to flex creatively and learn about my strengths and bring them out in others. Having this blog has encouraged me to take risks and put myself out there is a way that I was not used to or comfortable with. To me this is not just another fashion blog, to me it’s something that I want you to love and appreciate and become something that you feel is yours as much as it is mine. Discipline is something that is a challenge for me sometimes, so being able to commit and stay consistent just means more for everyone ( and proof to myself that I am not a world class procrastinator.) Thank you to all my friends, Family, and STRANGERS. Who retweet, like, re post , comment and come up to me in the streets to show love. It really means a lot to me. I will continue to commit to you and create. Thank you. And have some Hennessy for me today!
Gratefully,
Maryam (but my real name is Unicorn Shawty)
I am a self proclaimed introvert until I have some Hennessy. Which is why on a sunny Sunday afternoon I saw Porsche while turning up at a day party and was able to talk to a then stranger. Her style was magnetic, you could tell just by looking at her that getting dressed for her was effortless. So of course she had to be the next installment in my “Locally Fresh” series. This time around I used “Ralph” and shot Porsche myself. I was also able to ask her some questions and talk style for a bit. Check out the interview below and get to know this “Chic Little Hippie” better.
Shot By Eric Williams for http://www.misslaurenhailey.com
I’ve never been one to seek out the spotlight or want to be front and center. Which is why I initially wanted to be a stylist. I enjoyed being behind the scenes and letting my work speak for me. I have always been that way; no matter how I may have looked or felt about myself my work was going to be thing that made me confident and made the trash talkers shut up. However in the age of the internet and social media, and being a blogger part of your brand is YOU. So naturally as you grow people want to interview you. A while back I had Lauren Hailey of MissLaurenHailey.com contact me to do an interview for her blog which included a photo shoot. I was so excited to do it but scared as hell. I have never ever been on that side of the camera before. I immediately thought A. WTF am I going to wear and B. I don’t know shit about “modeling” (I use the term model verrry loosely) Continue reading
I love going to concerts. Being able to hear an artists music love and enjoy it with people who are just as excited is a good time to me. So this week I had the opportunity to see my my favorite rappers (amongst other things) Jay-Z.
I was sooooooooo juiced. BEYOND. Anyway when I go to concerts I get inspired to tweak my style based on how the music makes me feel. So it was natural to wear all black, Jays, gold chains, and leather. Done, done, and done. I love that Hanes Wal Mart sweatsuit it’s so necessary best purchase of December for SURE. My turban was designed by good friend @ellavatahjones. I had a great time, I love screaming my favorite songs at the top of my lungs especially Jay-Z songs. All in all a good night. My 2013 concert season had been great.
For the last week the Bay Area turned into New York. It’s cold!!!! And people don’t know what to do or how to dress for it. Especially for night outings where you want to look like some work but stay warm. Being that I grew up bi coastal and spent most of my adult life down south or on the east coast. I have learned that layering is your friend along with keeping warm fabrics in mind. So my vintage leather jacket I found at a thrift store for $20 in Charlotte is my holy grail. I wear that thing with everything! My Asos Paris tight keep my legs warm under my demon shorts and my old faithful H&M scarf helped as well. ( the flannel shirt was very trendy of me but it also blocked the wind a bit so yay for trends that are function. I win!) Anyway the star of this outfit is my LPD NY shirt that I love. They use a good quality t shirt I must say and I def want to cop a black one. They are available on http://www.netaporter.com.
I feel like I’m super trendy and I don’t always follow trends but I’m down for an effortless looking outfit alllllllll day. The key is making it your own and adding interest with your accessories, hair, and makeup. You could totally switch this around and wear heels or change the shorts to a skirt. It’s so easy.
Outfit of the day posts can kinda rub me the way that new reality shows do. Planned,staged, and somewhat unnatural. Other times they are so cool and give me inspiration and idea for my own style. Anyway, down the street from my house is this awesome graffiti wall that I like to let my dog run around by while we were there we snapped a few pics.
Nothing too special about this outfit. Retro Jordan’s, AWESOME Hanes sweatpants from Wal-Mart (best $5 I’ve spent this year) Urban Outfitters jacket and a scarf from H&M. My sunglasses I found on sale at Target that I’m also obsessed with. I don’t believe in wearing expensive sunglasses because I ALWAYS lose them. Never fails. Anyway today was cold and I didn’t feel like combing my hair or putting in too much effort. I also didn’t want to look like a bum so there ya go! Sometimes those cheap basic items from Wal-Mart or Target can be just as coveted and those sweats are my new BFF! What’s your coveted cheap item.
The Mercy video is still fly in every way possible to me. On my “All Black Everything” days I try to channel this vibe. We know black is slimming and versatile (and also conveys a silent seriousness a la Wednesday Addams) Mondays are always a challenging day for me so all black is easy and effortless.
You can always mix textures when wearing all black to give your look depth and versatility. Especially when you are used to wearing color. So when shopping for black look for embellishments like fringe, tassles, embossing etc. These items will add interest and depth to your all black looks.
iamstylingonyou. 