Desperately Seeking the Perfect Jean

Hi... my names Shakira and I'm a shopaholic! LOL... well at times I feel like I am and if you ask my husband I'm sure he lean towards saying YES. To me it's not a problem because I'm not aimlessly shopping on most occasions but rather looking for specific items and jeans is always on the list. I'm constantly on the hunt for a great deal and the perfect complimentary garment but when it comes to jeans I swear finding a good pair of jeans is like finding the perfect mate. It just doesn't exist! You' will always have to make a compromise somewhere. They fit right on the hips but the wash isn't perfect or the wash is perfect but you would prefer them in high waist cut or something similar to that. Does those scenarios sound about right??? I know for me it happens all the time and I settle on a pair that is good enough.  and lately I've been feeling this way about finding the perfect pair of denim (destressed boyfriend jeans and the perfect denim shirt) as well as a few other things like a great pair of black comfortable motor cycle boots (that aren't super clunky) and pumps because I swear things aren't made the way they used to be with the same craftsmanship but if you're looking for perfection then you'll be paying an arm and a leg but why???  Perfection is in the eyes of the beholder or in this case the body of the wearer and if you're able to create perfection then wouldn't you pay a little more? Or do you even have to consider paying more???

Fall Fashion Poncho's and Fringe

Fall is right around the corner and I'm soooo not ready for cooler weather. But what can we do? At least the fashion for fall is always great hit. I do love the fashion so at least that's one optimistic point to consider! You have more options when the weather is cooler because you layer up and this years trends are HOT! Fashion is never really new but there are always new ways to renew old things and this years no different. I always say never break the bank trying to get new fashion when you can re-invent what you have. One great way to switch up your current closet is to invest in accessories. Especially scarves, bags and shoes because they add so much flare to the outfit and are usually the stand out pieces.

Weekend Recap!!!

My weekend was action packed with tons of things! Food, music, kids and family. So I went to Afro Punk on Saturday but the line was literally around the 4 square blocks and I'm not one for lines so I didn't attend but my kid did. She attended both days because that is truly her scene. She's a free spirit to the core as well as a lover of art. She is a budding artist herself so her gravitating to functions where alike minds celebrate art, fashion and music is refreshing. I also feel that NY as a whole is going through a rebirth in terms of self-consciousness and self love. You see more and more people embracing their natural beauty and free forms of expression in terms of fashion. I don't know if it's occurring everywhere but it's definitely a movement in NYC and the tri-state area which I feel is a beautiful thing. NYC for a time was starting to loose it's self identity in art. It was becoming more mainstream instead of inventing what's popular and that's soooo not what I'm used to in terms of the North East area. I feel like the kids here are a hybrid of both. They embrace and love pop-culture but at the same time it takes that same culture and molds it into their own. I'm sure you'll start to see more artist from the NY area that are inventive and creative in their art taking a turn from what you see and hear everyday and I look forward to that passion. 

Anyway... here are a few pics from my daughters day and some food that I experienced. Let's start with the food because I'm a foodie!!!! YUM 

This is Harold's sandwich!  My husband and I were only able to eat half of one half. They bring you extra bread and there is a complementary pickle bar. Literally you can feed 3-5 people from this sandwich. 

Check out Harold's humongous cakes!! I didn't try a slice but it was definitely on everyone else's table. I cannot eat this.

Now on to Afro Punk!!! Here's my starchild! This picture wasn't modified or doctored at all. It's purely her aura! Love it!

The sky was perfect. This is Sunday's sunset.

 This is my daughter's crew! They enjoyed themselves.

Austin Willis is one of my daughter's favorite artist so she was extremely excited that he was there. He also added her to his page: austinjwillis. His work is phenomenal!

Great shot!!! They also hung out with Devin Allen who is a outstanding photographer. Check out his work... I'm sure you've seen some of it but you probably didn't know it was his hand behind the lens.
devinallens

If you're in New York City during the month of September there are a host of free concerts and activities that are sure to be a fun and free good time. I'll definitely make a trip out for the beginning of Fashion Week. 

I haven't posted anything to make you laugh lately. Here's a little chuckle to get through the day. Check out the man's eyes. hahaha   It's title a gorilla's gentle reminder that he could just kill you! 

ohhhhh OK

Movies, shows and music

Happy Monday BFF family! I hope your weekend was full of laughter and entertainment. Speaking of entertainment one of the movies that I saw this weekend was Straight Outta Compton which I thought was fantastic. It took me back because I used to love Ice Cube when I was young.

The show had mixed reviews though because there were a lot of things over looked or left out of the movie but I feel that all movies based on someones point of view will be biased. Of coarse Ice Cube and Dre are going to make the movie to portray themselves as smart, witty and the most liked characters because it's their movie. Over all I thought that his son did a phenomenal job portraying his father. They look exactly alike and he had all the mannerisms down too. Great job but the portrayal of Easy-E was really good as well. You really got the feeling that Easy was a sincere guy who rode for those he felt was there for him and he was a bit naive about the business aspect and let someone else manage the paperwork which is where a lot of people go wrong when entering any business.

Man Bags... Do or Don't???

There is a growing trend that I'm seeing where men are increasingly carrying around bags or purses and I post this to ask you if you think it's okay? It's not uncommon for a man to have extra things to carry around similarly to women and it's not uncommon for a man to even carry around a bag on a daily basis but the type of bag is up for debate. Now women use their bags as one of their accessories to enhance or complement their outfits and then you have some like myself who wear bags as both accessory and necessity. It really depends on the day if my bag matches to be honest. I tend to buy my bags for more practical use and I try to stay neutral in my color pallet because I cannot be bothered everyday with changing up my bag. I'll begin to misplace my stuff but that's just me. So some women are like me and view their purses more as a necessity and you very rarely catch those type of women with a clutch bag or if you do they're thrown in a larger bag. LOL Clutch bags are cute but functionally they are not good freeing the hands and tend to carry only small items such as a phone, lipstick and maybe one or two keys. You have little room for more that that and that's why it's just not conducive nor beneficial for people such as myself. I must have a big bag. Totes work best and is a preference for me because it's easy to get more into them. Also if you're a mother, you are well aware that you need extra. On top of your normal necessities for yourself which may include keys, make-up, ponytail holders, wallet, phone, and possible flats for my heel wearing ladies. If you have a child you also need stuff like wipes, hand sanitizer, a change of clothes, bandages, snacks and a list of other stuff that just pops up (ohhhh the joys). For women bags tend to be both functional and aesthetic. For men I feel that there may be things that you need so again a bag is not uncommon for the functional part but they are increasing becoming more of a fashion statement then your normal backpack with your stuff thrown about. BTW backpacks can be very fashionable and men can kill the game with a backpack without it looking messy and unfashionable. I know looked a bit longer at the picture of Justin Theroux up there and he not only looks fashionable with his backpack but he is stuntin... HARD might I add!

Food For Thought!

Hello friends. So I stumbled upon this video and seems plausible to me. I take everything with a grain of salt as should you but inherently we know the truth when we hear it. Watch the below video and let me know what your thoughts are. The video is sort of long so make sure you have some time or just listen to it if you can't fully watch.