Fashion Meditation II

 

San Francisco is such a rich and full city. Even though I've now been there twice I still feel like I've barely scratched the surface. I'm not even taking into account Oakland and Berkley which only deepen the Bay Area's culture and history. I'm not worried though because I will be living in LA eventually and I will be able to take in the beauty of the Bay Area whenever I want!

This dress was made by this amazing women in DC. You find her stall in Eastern Market on the weekends. I borrowed the Sunglasses from Valerie when we had our photoshoot in Bernal Heights

Grinnell is still foundational to my fashion and style. Not only was it the place where I decided to start the process of living my life on my own terms I still have so many great pieces that I found in the thrift stores surrounding the college. One of those great finds is the silky blouse I'm wearing under the cape. It's a bold look from far away but up close you see that the spaces in between the black lines are filled with an intricate flower design. I paired it with my purple Timberlands and forrest green lipstick as I explored the alleyways of Chinatown.

I wore this look on one of my last days in San Francisco when I visited Dolores Park. The denim dress is from Asos and the African print jacket is one of my favorite pieces. You will see it a lot when I'm in Japan it's just such a versatile piece. Sadly, for all of you it's thrifted from my days in Grinnell. The beads are from Jamaica and a gift from a dear friend. The sunglasses were thrifted from Beatnix in Chicago.

Fashion Meditation

 

My fashion journey began in the maternity section of a Goodwill. Track Suits used to adorn my body before I fell in love with scarves and bright lipsticks. The only thing the stopped me was the belief that I needed to be skinny to dress nicely. 

 

No longer a slave to an illusion of future perfection I began the daily practice of loving myself. Fashion became an avenue to reclaim my identity. In the outfit above I'm wearing a pair of my favorite sun glasses from Witch World Wide. A velvet cape gifted to me by my bestie Winsome.  Finally, one of my greatest thrift finds a vintage Ralph Lauren Polo shirt. The greenery in Echo Park was a perfect backdrop for this outfit.

In Venice Beach I wore a thrifted grey trench coat. A scarf I got from a thrift store in Grinnell Iowa. Wrangler jeans, a button down from TopMan and some thrifted loafers from Beatnix an iconic store in Boystown Chicago.  

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I'm so happy that Brooke took me to her company office party in the Hollywood Hills. Because it allowed me to wear my Eloquii sleeveless cape gown. This dress always makes me feel like a movie star. I paired it with a dark grey lipstick from Pretty Zombie Cosmetics called Tombstone. The look was brightened with gold accents: a necklace from The Opulent Hippo and a vintage gold clutch.

The looks I served in LA are a small part of what I've learned on my fashion journey. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss my next Fashion Meditation.