Writings on the wall: New York Nights

Last night was cool..

It was actually my first night out since the start of last week's hibernation. 

I attended the Converse x UNDFTD 'Born Not Made' event @ The Hole, in Nolita,

 It was a discussion & exhibition on the roots and evolution of street style, celebrating the launch of the Converse x UNDFTD collection at Foot Locker.

kewl shxt!

I loved that Miss Lily's catered the event. 

Their food is amazing. 

 ...I then ran to the Meatpacking District with my boy Clarence, where we met up with a bunch of other people @ PH-D for Citizen NY's April Issue mag launch.

-& you can see more photos after the jump-

a good time was had!

Writings on the wall: Le Fancy Beast

[Photographer: Clarence de Vil]

"He always wanted to be a chihuahua dalmation" lol. That's the caption my friend J. Spence left under this super stylish pic of his pup ..who's obviously being fed Kibble and Bits Vogue for breakfast.

Don't you just love him and his perfect I'm just over everything stare.

-xx

Writings on the wall: You a Bad Girl & yo' friends BAD too!

I've been struggling with post ideas all day. & had it not been for Aly's text I'd probably still be in a rut.

What'd I get from it? ...well, for one, I know some really dope girls! :)

& lucky 'ole me actually gets to call them friends. 

I also spoke with Mali, and V, and Zak, some hrs. prior, and I love how inspired I am by them all. 

Their style, ambition, intelligence, etc. I often leave convos with them learning a little bit more about myself. ...or a little bit more about them. or a little bit more about something. & that's always great, right?

I haven't physically seen Mali, Aly, or Zak in idk how many months [I think it's been over a year, wow] but in some way I still feel very close to them. 

Just writing to let you guys know that you're appreciated. 

I see huge things for us in these years to come! & I hope that the relationships I have with each of you continue to prosper just as we continue to do so, individually. 

[love you too Akilah && Jadey! <3]

-xx

O P E N YOUR P E E P E R S! ..We've Got STUFF ;)

[Photo Credit: Dwayne LaFleur]

Saturday, July 30th - My girls and I will be having our [2nd annual, is it?] STOOP SALE!!!

Last year's turn out was pretty great. ...This year should be even better.

Expect tons of goodies.

Good Grub. Good Clothing. ..& some Good ole dranks!!! of course.

Good energy! Good Music! [& the list goes on]

This is a Good Time just waiting to happen! 

I wouldn't miss it. You shouldn't miss it.

-xx

P.S. I will be selling my DNM jeans & a few other creations so definitely come out and support :-*

Style In The City [Networking Event]

Last Night I attended "Style In The City" - A networking event, put together by Duckie Brown, with help from an array of co-hosts who are making their marks in this world of fashion and entertainment. 

There were stylists, designers, bloggers, photographers, Graphic Design Pro's etc. 

The event was held @ La Pomme in Chelsea - a very cool, laid back, place to be. 

...Definitely enjoyed myself. 

Fashion Designer, Mali & I ...& the infamous glass of wine. 

That glass was in just about every pic lol ...If I wasn't me, I'd think "she's a bit of a drunk".

[from r to l] Christine & Phylicia ;) [soo in love with Christine's color palette]

..Your's Truly ;)

-xx

Looks I Love | Miyoshi

Beautiful 'Fro! 

-xx

Inspiration Board | Painted Views

These shorts were hand painted by my girl Kendra [you'll see her on here soon]. 

 I love them!

-xx

Designer Spotlight | Crystal Mone' by Tiffany Clarke

Tiffany Clarke describes her line as ".. a contemporary womens ready-to-wear line, that is a mix of sophistication and 'chic urban'. Each creation is made to embrace your femininity and bring out that inner edge."

One must love a designer who's true to her word. Crystal Mone' is everything that it's said to be. 

I felt chic, feminine and most of all lucky that these pieces are one of a kind. Couple that with the precision of their fit and you'll definitely walk away feeling as though they were made just for you. 

This has to be my FAVORITE piece. 

I've always been a lover of tribal prints. ...maybe all things tribal. 

Traditional African Art just seems to have the ability to add a sense of power to garments. 

..can't get enough.

I only posted a few pictures. 

Just wanted to give you guys a taste, but feel free to check out Crystal Mone on Facebook for the entire collection.

or

If you need no more convincing ...Check out Paper Doll Boutique where Crystal Mone is now being sold.

-xx

Dear Diary | Summa' Time Fine

This Summer's really turning out to be something else. 

Something that I'm sure I'll remember for a while. 

& that's mainly because I'm spending it with great people and doing pretty exciting things. 

This weekend, Saturday, my friends and I attended Target's First Saturdays @ The Brooklyn Museum.

I've never been until then. Got there an hour or so before it ended but it was still VERY nice. 

There was a ginormous amount of people [some kids but mostly adults] and a rocking DJ. 

A few food vendors outside, Art exhibits, ...& there's always some kind of arts and craft workshop earlier in the day - which I need to be apart of the next time I go. 

If you're ever in NY, you should check it out. 

On the Fourth - Independence Day... we all journeyed to the beach for a picnic and fun in the sun. 

& I don't mean to toot our horns but I swear we have thee best picnics ever. 

I wanted to get a little tan and that was accomplished. ;)

The water was beautiful and warm - I thought I'd freeze to death but it felt great. 

The only thing missing from this day were fireworks. ;( 

I had a blast, but I think that would have made the night even more unforgettable. 

Loooove what a little bit of sun and moon can do. 

My girlie - V

I posted this last year but it's worth a re-post. I love everything about her in this video. 

&& there's a light show ;)

-xx

Fort Greene Fest!!

-xx

Dear Diary | The King & Queen of Greene Street

[@ work | Fabio && I]

..So in re: to my last post, Guess who enjoyed her day yesterday?? ;) 

Yep. Sure Did. -- Sales were great at work and I, for the most part, was all smiles from the time I came in 'til we closed up shop. ..& I definitely had that drink I said I would have. ..I have this spot, not far from where I work, that I often frequent for Happy Hour and Good Music. The vibe is very mellow and soulful. It's patrons are never rowdy, overly exert or overly depressed lol. Everyone seems to be coming in from a hard day's work ..with hopes of taking the load off.  ..Yesterday I went there to write. && seeing as though I kick myself every time I go there without a pen and a pad of some sort, I stopped inside of Pearl Market and got a really cute journal with pretty embroidery. 

I recently watched That Night In Rio and was reminded of a customer who came in and told me that I remind him of Carmen Miranda, with my turban. ...I knew who he was talking about in that moment [the woman with the fruit hat] but I'd never seen any of her flicks and if you're a lover of fashion -CHILE- That Night In Rio is IT!! She looks amazing. Fruit Hat && all. 

So as you can see, work was fun because clearly, work was minimal. 

& the photo flicking was plentiful. 

I love Fab's shirt. ..Especially with this new haircut. He looks so punkgothrock.

[pardon the blurr x_x]

I also started a Fit Modeling gig [freelance] with Apropo Showroom yesterday, which I am super excited about. 

They represent many really great brands and from what I saw, each brand has awesome pieces.

Above, I am pictured with Uri [Uri Alter, owner and founder of Apropo]. The dress you see is the first piece I tried on and we happened to be twins for a good 5 minutes. ..Thought we'd capture the moment. ;)

-xx

Raise A Glass For The College Grad!

If there's one person in my life who's always inspired me, Aly's the girl!

It was she who inspired me [in '07] to start a blog in the first place. 

She has my utmost respect. Her work ethic is phenomenal and I adore her style. 

[who looks this bomb in their cap & gown!? Dress: Alexander Wang]

I know she will succeed in her endeavors far beyond her own expectations. 

& knowing her, they're nothing short of great.

I'm very proud.

-xx

Paper Doll Presents: Welcome To The Doll House

-xx

Can't Believe He's Not Famous

WHY? ...Well, because he's 'bout the craftiest mofo person on the planet ...next to Martha Stewart, Erica Domesek and ummm ..Myself ...hehe :)

Name: Fabio

Game: Full Time Charmer, Style Maven, Designer and all things above and beyond. 

We're standing around at work, traffic's slow. ..Fabio goes into our 'lil bit o' everything' drawer and pulls out a piece of resin that apparently fell off of this really beautiful skeleton sculpture that we're selling [12gs]. 

o.O [probably shouldn't' have told you that]

Why we still have it? Who Knows. ...What does he plan to do with it? ...I no longer ask these questions. 

This guy will make a necklace, bracelet, ring, BROOCH ...out of anything! 

And as you see above, ..he wrapped some string around that bad boy and now has a pretty cool neck piece. 

..AND RING.

The smaller piece of resin was tied with string around a key chain holder. 

Before we left, he stepped outside for no more than 2 seconds and returned with 2 huge wooden frames that someone, more than likely, didn't want anymore. ..Resourceful? UNDERSTATEMENT. 

..He's like ..Captain Planet of the art world.

...& It gets better. ..You'll be seeing more of his "projects" soon. 

[Yesterday I went for 'Gym Chic' with my 3/4 hoodie, white tee and slinky pants. My fit was super comfy. Shoes? not so much. ..But they're cute. & were DIY'd by me.]

-xx

Fashion File | Brandon Kendal Jerald Boston

...Because MEN need love too 

What do you do?

I'm currently the Photographer / Web Production Assistant for Dolce Vita Footwear Inc.

What are your favorite fashion blogs?

Selectism, Street Etiquette, and The Sartorialist

What are you wearing?

My trench is JCrew, Saint James for JCrew Nautical Tee, GAP Chambray Work shirt, Levi's vintage dark denim Jeans, Casio Watch from In God We Trust, J.D. Fisk cap toe boots & red framed Aviators by Marc Jacobs.

Style Mantra:

Million Man March [those words influence my way of pairing pieces]

Classic but Timeless.

Life Mantra:

I am in-tune with the spirit of others from any walk of life because i am the spirit.

One song that exemplifies your style:

Janelle Monae's BaBopByeYa

Someone you look up to & Why?

I look up to my mother, because she made me a believer of who I am and what I can do.

What drives you creatively?

My empathic nature. when I see things I feel them as well.

If you could wear one thing everyday, what would it be? & Why?

The one thing I do wear every day is my father's chain and to be honest I would rather be naked and have nothing than to be without it.

I feel my best when:

I feel at my best when others around me feel their best! [that damn empathic nature again!]

In your past life you were:

A humble King

..do we love Mr. Boston or what!? ;)

-xx

Life Is Full of Beauty! Notice It!

Yesterday before heading to Yoga, Veola and I stopped inside of H&M since we had a few hours to kill. 

While there I saw this young lady below, Romy [I hope I spelled that right]. I liked how funky her outfit was and thought it'd be great to share with you guys. 

I like it because it's very expressive. Effortless, but also gives me the feeling that there's a reason behind each piece. ..As if they all have a story. 

It's been a while since I've walked with my camera. I'd kick myself just about everyday because I'd always find something worth capturing. Lots of street art.  

Luckily, I carried it with me yesterday and was able to take a pic of this. 

I'm dying to live in Manhattan. 

I love NEW YORK!!!! 

[&& it has been confirmed. ...New York loves me too ;)]

In case you were wondering, this is Veola. 

My long time friend from High School. 

She and I went to Yoga yesterday and had thee BEST time 

It was my very first class. & boy was it intense.

I definitely left there feeling super rejuvenated. 

Can't wait to go back on Sunday. 

...............................................................................................................................................

Here's a pic of Wednesday's fit w| a sneak peek of my blonde hair. 

I partied that night and this is what I wore. 

-xx

Fashion File | Yagazie Ledi Francisca Emezi

I just love her name. 

Yagazie happens to be one of my many stylish Facebook friends. 

I find her to have a really unique spirit and attitude, both of which stood out to me as I perused her pictures and often witty updates.

At present Yaga's wearing yarn braids.

Before this, she had a natural curly fro. 

& I suppose when she isn't in the mood to don either look, she rocks her Kente cloth.

We love versatility at The Erra of Arre. 

& because Yaga's style and way of being is both versatile and eccentric ..I've pulled her file. 

What do you do?

I'm a student double majoring in Cultural Anthropology and Africana Studies, and then on the side, I run my blog "Jungle Love" and make jewelry.

What are your favorite fashion blogs?

I actually don't go to fashion blogs, I have favorite hair blogs but have never been interested in actually dedicating myself to any fashion blogs. 

What are you wearing?

I'm wearing some cheapo boots from a little store in Albuquerque. I'm also wearing an oversized shirt my older brother used to to sleep in and my cut-off jean jacket. Leggings and socks are from Charlotte Rouse and my signature kente headscarf.

Style Mantra:

Traditional and Creative

Life Mantra:

Focus

One song that exemplifies your style:

I honestly haven't and still can't put much thought into it!

Someone you look up to & why?:

I look up to my mother even though we are not close at all 

but because of her ability to plan and maneuver situations for the best.

What drives you creatively?:

At first, I was driven by the need to stand out but I realized that I didn't have to put in much effort in that area so right now, I'm driven by my hands. 

I can't stay idle and I get satisfaction from picking up a book, starting a new project or working on my art.

If you could wear one thing everyday, what would it be? & why?:

I would wear my kente wrap everyday just because of its versatility. 

You would be surprised at the number of ways a piece of cloth can be manipulated. 

I would never get bored with it.

You feel your best when..:

I feel best when I'm around laughter and my loved ones. 

My friends keep me healthy with their laughter and my primal man has this incredible way of making me all kinds of good inside and out.

In your past life, you were..:

In my past life, I am pretty sure I was still some sort of African, probably a Nubian. And I was a man.

-xx

..Also, check out Yagazie's Tumblr!!!

Dear Diary | Black and Metallic

Party Party Party let's all get wasted!!

I was dancing to that song before I even found a dress. Even after looking, and losing all hope. 

I gave up, made other plans, BUT I knew that I'd be kicking myself silly if my night didn't go as it was originally mapped. Luckily, a dress just randomly fell into my lap. I'd bought my shoes days ago [which I looove] so the only thing left was to schedule Primp time. 

I woke up a little too early for my liking yesterday but things needed to be done. I hopped out of bed and headed to do what little bit of laundry I had left, went to get a haircut, came back, ate food, played with hair styles, decided on a braided pony tail, headed to Williamsburg, and finally when I made it back home I got my nails done. ...& then had to wash my hair. ...Pooped!? [pff! UNDERSTATEMENT]. 

I wanted a nap so bad but it wasn't happening. & notice, I only mentioned food once. 0.o

By 9:30/10pm I was all set to leave. 

I attended Duckie Brown's 'Black & Metallic' New Year's Eve Bash @ iLounge. 

It was dope. When I envisioned my night, I saw a bunch of stylish guys and gals - just out to have fun, celebrating a new beginning. A New Year. ..When I arrived, everyone hadn't made it just yet but I definitely saw my vision coming to life. ..By 1am, it was in effect. A blast was only seconds away from being had. 

I went alone, expecting to run into folks that I knew.

 When I got there, there wasn't a familiar face in the room but it didn't take long before I made a friend. 

I'm always tickled by that because I've never been super social [it's funny how things change]. 

That's one. & attending a party without company is another. I've never done it. I've always hated it. 

Last night really showed me what I was working with. 

Though I genuinely enjoy my friends' company, them being there is sort of like a crutch.

I'd beg my home girls to go out and if no one was rolling, I wouldn't roll either.  

But many things are dispensable. & that habit is one. 

I walked in, checked my coat, and relaxed. 

Like I said, the party hadn't really started yet when I arrived so I simply took a seat and prayed that I'd warm up quick. ..I didn't. However as soon as my glass of wine kicked in, my shiver's turned into shimmy's. ;)

& then my shimmy's turned into *glass in the air with lil swirls to the floor* lol.

At this point, I was definitely acting up. 

[see pic* ..it was one of those nights. & within time, the familiar faces arrived ;) Which totally up'd the ante.]

-xx

p.s. my bday is in 21 days 0.o

Events | Guys. Art. Dolls. Vintage [Phase 1]

Paper Doll Boutique opened on November 10, 2007 and this year will be it's 3rd year in business! 

To celebrate Paper Doll's 3rd anniversary, there will be 3 events. 

At the first event "Guys. Dolls. Art. Vintage." there will be designer vintage pieces and several other brands being sold at discounted prices - along with an hour of open bar [^-^, that's always fun lol].

As for the other two events, stay tuned. 

-xx