I love neutrals, but neutrals don’t have to be boring. Finding a bold print or mixing cuts and textures is a great way to give an outfit spice. This skirt is not only in a bold black and white stripped print, but also an asymmetrical cut that draws attention to the ankle strap shoes. If you happen to have larger calves and ankles, like I do, try to keep the shoes slender and ultra feminine to balance out athletic legs…
When I originally bought these pants I thought, okay, I love yellow. My closet is full of so much black and grey that if I don’t buy these I just need to quit life. Seriously though, It’s strange because I love color, but when I choose garments, I am always attracted to deep jewel tones, black, and grays. I literally have to force myself to grab brighter colors and take them home.
After I posted Couples Lookbook Volume 1, the response from you all was astounding! If I could sum up all of the comments it would say, “We love this, give us more!” Seeing that we loved it just as much as you did, we decided to do another one.
Valentine’s Day is approaching so I’ve decided to present a full “Get Ready With Me” short film taking your through my makeup, hair, and outfit for this special occasion. The makeup features soft pinks and the hair is a 4 c natural hair updo with clip in extensions.
did it! My 2nd big chop after 18 months transitioning from a texturizer. I have no regrets. I feel the most beautiful I have ever felt with my natural texture and I will continue to enjoy the multitude of things I can do with my hair. Weaves, wigs, and color are probably still on the horizon for me, but the most important thing is that I love my own hair. Yes, it will continue to drive me crazy the longer it gets when I need to detangle. Ugh! But it comes with the territory. I’m taking the good with the bad this 2017. I LOVE MY 4C HAIR!!!
Growing up, money wasn’t exactly a positive topic of discussion. I heard many sayings like “Money is the Root of all Evil”, which eventually turned to “LOVE of money is the Root of all Evil. Also sayings like, “Don’t count the money in my pocket” whenever I wanted my mother to buy something that seemed easy to purchase. There were also notions that the wealthy somehow weren’t as noble or God fearing because they had money. Not all of these ideas came from home, many came from hearsay on television and in politics. In contrast, I witnessed the wealthy give openly to the public as well as to my family. Needless to say, not only was I very confused about money, I believed my life would probably always be one of poverty.
I’ve racked up debt like many other people I know, and almost none of it was “irresponsible” spending. Things like, student loan debt, a car loan, credit card debt from an emergency purchase of a laptop, and basic living expenses from my move to Los Angeles. I could go more in depth, but you get the picture, I was “normal”.
I’ve always been intrigued by the world of personal finance and have since dedicated the last two years to reading as much as I could on the topic. It wasn’t until three months ago that I got on a true real-numbers based budget and began to attack my debt using Dave Ramsey’s, Debt Snowball method. My advice for getting started is to assess your situation, then take action.
1. Get your Credit Score and look at your Credit Report to see where you stand with the government and how you look to lenders during a credit analysis.
2. Pull out your bank statements and write down (in exact numbers) how much debt you owe. Numbers don’t lie and sometimes we have to get face to face with the truth before we can make an effective plan.
3. Get yourself on a BUDGET! None of this working with estimates stuff. What are your REAL numbers? What is your exact dollar amount of income and what bills and expenses do you have? Create a budget at the top of every month so that you can direct your dollars where to go. Why every month? Because expenses and income fluctuate. Cash gifts happen, doctors appointments get planned, and major life events happen that can change everything. Being prepared ahead of time, keeps you responsible and out of debt.
4. Quickly save $1,000 cash for emergencies. Stuff happens, I know. That’s how I ended up in debt. This eliminates the urge to charge a credit card or take out a loan for an emergency. For example, if you get in a car accident, most car insurance deductibles aren’t above $1,000. With the money saved, you can pay off the debt without charging a credit card. If your fund gets depleted, build it up again.
5. List your debts from smallest to largest and start paying off your debt one by one. Begin with the minimum payments on all of them and use excess money to pay down the smallest debt. When that debt is paid, take the minimum payment and the excess income and apply it to the next debt. This creates the debt snowball affect.
5b. List your debts from the highest interest rate to the lowest, and pay your debt down that way. This one makes financial sense, but may be harder psychologically because your highest interest rate may be your largest debt. Therefore, it may be easy to lose steam because of the time it takes to build momentum.
6. Keep at it. Don’t give up! I’m currently on Dave Ramsey’s Baby Step Two and paying off my debt. It’s challenging, but I keep myself motivated with books, seminars, and podcasts. I’ll leave my favorite motivators below this video.
My first personal finance blog post! I hope my advice and suggestions help start you on your road to financial freedom. Happy debt destroying!
I recently had the pleasure of attending a book signing for The Wait. It tells the story of Devon Franklin and Meagan Good’s journey to finding love (and each other) by putting God first and choosing to be celibate before marriage. Here are some clips that give a sneak peak into their story.
I’ve began reading their book and I love the approach they have taken. It offers insight on why they chose to wait as well as guidance for those who are attempting to find love and are tired of hitting the same road blocks. Whether you are thinking of becoming celibate, are already waiting, or want some insight on a different approach, I think it’s worth reading.
To learn more about the book visit their website, here.
For a very long time I’ve felt ashamed of my athletic body type. I build muscle very easily, have always had bigger arms, shoulders, and calves than any of my female friends. I struggled finding my personal style in a sea of photos with beautiful petite and curvier women. Fitness pages give me inspiration, but I see a void in how to style that body type beyond workout clothing.
I rarely wear lace, but in creating a wearable wedding inspired look, I had to break it out. Typically, I pair lace with a skirt and heels, but I wanted to create a look one could wear on a first date without looking over the top. The black ripped jeans tone the look down, but the flower headband allows it to keep it’s girlish flair. I kept it simple with jewelry, wearing just a wooden watch and studded earrings. I decided on a clutch purse because it doesn’t take away from the statement sleeve design of the top. This ‘fit is simple and easy to create.
Getting older is an interesting thing. There are so many things I’m grateful for like, more wisdom and confidence. But there are also things that lay heavy on my mind like, a slower metabolism or staying sexy and desirable with age. In many cultures, women have it worst. When I think of all the categories we need to excel in, it’s almost like we must be Superwomen instead of simply women. And let me be clear, being a woman is extraordinary enough, though at times we’re made to feel it’s not.
