i was feeling ultra springy today so i got a lil cutesy…

i was inspired to wear my purple pumps today after checking out bajan beauty’s purple candies sandals over at curves and confidence

my favorite lipstick, show orchid with mac pro lip pencil in process magenta

turquoise necklace: target – sweater: nordstrom – blouse: banana republic – gray pants: gap – purple pumps: steve madden

just wanted to show the simple makeup here, and i cut off about 4 inches of my 5-head…no foundation today just bronzer and light pink blush on my face!

thanks for checking out the look!

today was a wee bit chilly…so i wore some liquid leggings, a basic long-sleeve black tee, layered with a denim shirt and belted it to give the look some shape. 

my favorite chanel lipstick in gabrielle

liquid leggings from the $5 store – trench coat from h&m

pressed my hair out…surprise!  havent seen myself look like this in a couple years…might have started something :-/

found this denim top at goodwill (of course)…it’s going to get lots of wear, my new favorite piece

and random outtakes: 

i feel like i should be popping gum and skipping school 50′s style in this outfit lol

okay so i’m going to admit something…i’ve had people tell me i look like alicia keys…::ducks and dodges objects being thrown::…hear me out! i always ignore and brush it off when i’m told that and i never dared to repeat it when people play the “what-celebrity-do-people-say-you-favor” game, but in this pic i finally saw a smidgen of it.  there i said it.

let’s talk makeup:

my skin has a green tint to it, i know sounds weird and i dont care what any makeup artist says, you’re not convincing me otherwise…deep olive tones are the most underrepresented skin tone in all cosmetic lines, pretty much non-existent.  so i never wear foundation and i always feel like my makeup is half-done…

then i happened upon a little treasure…i am in lovvvvvve with this foundation from inglot, i got to visit the store in vegas last week.  this is the first time everrrrrrr finding a foundation that matches my complexion; some shades are passable until they oxidize then everything is usually too red, too ashy or too pink…

i also picked up a liquid bronzer from inglot that i use to highlight my face.  i was very clear with the makeup artist helping me that i do not want to cover up my skin color or my unique tone.  i want to enhance my natural bronze complexion, not try to pass off a tone that is not mine.  ugh it photographs so well.

couple more pics after the jump

dont you love the purple uplighting

the pastry chef was amazing, very tasteful…(and tasty)

this is very, very similar to what my view looked like in the dream:

and then i invited my mom up to decorate it to look like the family room back home at my parent’s house:

we’ve traveled around the world so my parent’s home is a collection of international accents and trinkets.  i like to sit here and watch the sun set when i’m home.

my mom should be an interior decorator; she is the master of mixing patterns, colors and textures.

so i dressed to send off my favorite fall/winter shades while still keeping cooooool in the nice weather here in dc…

i had a little fun with my lip here…that is nightmoth lip liner from mac topped with dazzleglass in funtabulous…i was inspired by the latest issue of washington life magazine:

the makeup looks for the ballet spread are stunning.

i love love love these harem pants…thrifted for $5 and they appear to be home sewn but they fit as if they were made for me.

can i get away with wearing these pants over the summer?  we shall see…i’m thinking i’ll try pairing with a bright striped top…that will be fun.

artist: sheryl crow – song: soak up the sun

i’ve been rockin’ a “new hairdo” the past few days…and it all came about on accident…

my hair is still past my collar bone…but as my fellow naturals know, shrinkage never ceases to amaze.  i had my hair in twists last week after a few days of heavy styling so i was so excited to see the results of this twist-out…and then i got in the shower and forgot my cap!!!

as you can see the back of my hair got soaked! and the front was misted, causing it to shrink some as well.  naturals have to get extra creative when they have a potential hair disaster on their hands…in my personal experience being natural a good hair day is an AMAZING hair day…and a bad hair day can be catastrophic.

i ran some moisturizer through my hair, pieced apart the coils for more volume, pinned up the sides for an “intentional” look and i was ready to hit the city.

     - holly golightly – breakfast at tiffany’s 

my latest art…now for sale on etsy…visit my brand new store here!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/9toFly

l’neon me

18x 24

gouache and acrylic on paper

hot pink lemonade

18x 24

gouache and acrylic on paper

gabrielle

18x 24

gouache and acrylic on paper

“Listen to the MUSN’TS, child, 
Listen to the DON’TS 
Listen to the SHOULDN’TS 
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS 
Listen to the NEVER HAVES 
Then listen close to me – 
Anything can happen, child, 
ANYTHING can be.”

- Shel Silverstein

——————————————-

“All blame is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change you. The only thing blame does is to keep the focus off you when you are looking for external reasons to explain your unhappiness or frustration. You may succeed in making another feel guilty about something by blaming him, but you won’t succeed in changing whatever it is about you that is making you unhappy.”

- Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

artist: patsy cline – song: the wayward wind

this post isn’t so much about my outfit (but peep the neon green suspenders and socks!) as it is about my makeup! i’ve been holed up painting now that i’m home after being on the road for a month and felt like getting a little artsy with my face!

me and my trusty paint brush…how u doin’

suspenders $3 from goodwill

…shoulda worn another color bra underneath…whoops! oh well enjoy hehehehe