No Bra with the Blouse...It's Soooo Necessary...

I did something silly today! In a rushed effort to have a snugly sleepover with the BF so that we could play footsies and battle our enemies in another late night session of 'Army of Two', I forgot my undergarments!! See, I always wear some type of cami or layering tank under my shirts-no matter the weather. I was gonna wear one that had the built-in bra so I made sure to take it out to put in my overnight bag. So as I'm getting ready this morning, I'm searching and doubling back in my bag, looking for my missing 'built-in bra, camisole thingy' and it's not there. Soooo, I had to go sans bra and cami today and I felt so awkward. (Maybe I should retell this story on Thursday for my A & A segment) All day long I'm foolishly folding and crossing my arms so that people won't notice that my headlights are beaming. Un-freaking-believable!!!

In other news, just wanted to express the fact that I love inexpensive things. I love free things even more. That doesn't mean that I'm cheap or that my taste is bad, it just means that I like to be economically intelligent at all times (I'm sure there is no such phrase, but you know what I mean). Samples, giveaways, and freebies are my best friends. Today I'm joining the 'Mailbox Monday' train so that I can share with you all the great stuff that I found in my mailbox this past week. 

 

-March 2011 issue of VIBE magazine

-March 2011 issue of Family Circle magazine

-Free 'For Colored Girls' souveniers (attended one of their sponsored events)

-Lacoste 'Joy' fragrance sample

-CoverGirl foundation sample

-Salon Paus Pain Relief Patch sample

 To join in on the fun visit Debra here.

It's also nice to know that great people visit my blog and leave me awesome comments like this:

"I love how you layered a patterned top underneath that purple sweater. Very chic! www.thejoyoffashion.blogspot.com"

By Marie McGrath (The Joy of Fashion) on I Really Can't See the End Getting Any Closer... on 2/25/11

I'm grateful for you! Thanks for reading friends.

Hate it or Love it...

The weekend has literally come and gone! With so much other stuff going on, I've barely had time to think straight.  And I'm not even being sarcastic about that-at all!!  So now that I have stolen some time (a damn shame I have to steal time from myself) away from work, school, and all other activities that cause me to exert extrenuous amounts of energy, I can finally assess my 30 for 30 outfits and give my final thoughts and conclusions. Okay, over the last 30 days you've watched as I modestly and sometimes carelessly remixed and re-remixed 30 items of clothing.  Here's what all of my outfits look like when jumbled together:

I have semi-decided that the items I wore the least would be the items that I would get rid of by way of donating them to charity or the homeless, or passing them down to someone else who needs them.  In order for me to decide which items I can do away with, I need to assess how many times I wore each piece over a 30 day time period. Here goes:

Pants

1. Grey Khakis (NY & Co)-2xs

2.Beige Khakis (NY & Co)-5xs

3.Light Grey Slacks (NY & Co)-5xs

4.Black Slacks (NY & Co)-2xs

5.Tan Khakis (Old Navy)-3xs

6. Dark Grey Slacks (NY & Co)-9xs

****The Black Slacks lose-they shall be donated****

Shirts

7. Flower Button Up (Wet Seal)-3xs

8.Turquoise/Black Floral Button Up (NY & Co)-2xs

9. Purple Floral Button Up (The Gap)- 3xs

10. Blue Striped Button Up (NY & Co)-2xs

11. Green Striped L/S Shirt (Old Navy)-2xs

12. Silkly Paisley Blouse (Thrifted)-2xs

13. White Ruffle Button Up (NY & Co)-3xs

14. Black/White Gingham (Thrifted)-3xs

15. Lime Green Button Up (NY & Co)-3xs

16. Burgundy Printed Blouse (Thrifted)-2xs

Shorties (S/S shirts)

17. Navy Gingham (American Eagle)-2xs

18. White Tshirt (Miley 2 the Maxx)-3xs

Sweaters/Cardigans

19. Burgundy Cardi (American Eagle)-4xs

20. Navy Cardi (The Gap via Thrift)-4xs

21. Purple Sweater (XXI)-4xs

22. Brown Cardi (Sports Zone)-2xs

23. Red Cardi (Old Navy)-3xs

24. Grey Cardi (NY & Co)-4xs

Blazers/Jackets

25. Tan Blazer (NY & Co)-4xs

26. Black Blazer (Thrifted)-only ONCE

27. Jean Jacket-4xs

****needless to say, the black blazer is going bye, bye-I hate the way it fits!!****

The remaining 3 items are my shoes, all of which were worn an exuberant amount of times!!

Now I see exactly why my closet looks the way it does-it's because I'm afraid to get rid of things. Out of 30 items, I only managed to find 2 that I could part with, TWO!!!. Is that bad or does that just mean that I really like all of of my clothes? Out of all of these my most favored fits were:

and

And if I had to do this challenge over again, I would throw these in the can:

and

Maybe I should get rid of this here green shirt as well!

Overall, I've learned that:

1. I'm a pack rat!

2. Judging by the looks of my donation pile, I really need to curb my shopping habits because I did a pretty swell job remixing only 30 pieces over a period of one month.

3. Green is not my color!

Lemme know your thoughts about the challenge...

Do It Better Than Anybody You Ever Seen Do It....

Whew...So I finally got around to nominating some of my favorites. This took some effort on my part because I have soooooo many blogs listed under my favorites.  I guess this should have been easy but I really wanted to be fair about it so this is what I came up with.  I apologize that I don't have an explanation for why I chose these people, I just figured that their blog would speak for itself. That's the whole point right!?

Creative Juices (most creative)-A Beautiful Mess

The Real Deal (most authentic)-Running On Happiness

Spark Notes (best helper)-J's Everyday Fashion

Newbie (new blogger)-The Fashionista Next Door

Can You Hear Me Now (most connected)-Modly Chic

If I had a Hammer (best DIY)-All Things Beautiful

Tribe Leader (best leader)-Kendi Everyday

Practically Perfect (most fashionable)-Dwelling and Telling

Paint By Numbers (best beauty blogger)-Necessary Makeup

Renaissance Woman (best all around)-The Daybook

By the way, I really enjoyed this topic (so much so that I postponed all other features today) and I think Katy should incorporate more things like this into her FBFF feature! I can't wait to see the final results! Happy Friday gals!

I Really Can't See the End Getting Any Closer...

Happy Wednesday friends! Today happens to be a very special day for me because it marks the day that I finished my very first 30 for 30 challenge! This marks the day that I will do my last remix. I am totally fed up with seeing those same 30 pieces and I felt that if the challenge were any longer, I would have bailed out.  With so many other cute things in my closet I felt that I was being unfair to them.  Not to mention that I didn't save any money while doing the challenge-if I found a good bargain, I shopped....and shopped....and shopped! Overall, the challenge left a bad taste in my mouth. And I blame that entirely on the fact that my work dress code limited me from remixing my pieces the way I wanted to. If it weren't for that, I would have included more bold pieces and definitely a pair, or three, of stilettos.  But really, who wears that type of stuff in a building full of elementary school students? Needless to say, if Kendi were to have a challenge in the summer when I could have more control over my fits, I would ecstatically do it all over again!

On to other news, last week I mentioned that for 'Word on the Street Wednesday' I would embark on a journey to read '52 Books in 52 Weeks'-for some of you who are looking simply at the computer and scratching your heads, that's 1 book each week. Due to the technicalities of a broken camera, I was too distraught to begin last week, so I will begin now. It would have been much better for me to start at the beginning of the year but seeing as how we are already 7 weeks into the new year, I will just subtract 7 weeks and do 45 books instead. I'm a nerd at heart and seeing as how illiteracy is a huge issue in today's society, I challenge you to join me. You may leave your comments below.  The book that I'm going to start with will be 'The Coldest Winter Ever' by Sister Souljah. I believe that I may have read this book non-stop in 3 days flat.  It is an urban fiction (as most of my books are) but if you're into good entertainment and you want to know what really goes on in the life of a teen-aged girl living in NYC's projects, this is it!

Excerpt:

I came busting into the world during one of New York's worst snowstorms, so my mother named me Winter. Ghetto-born, Winter is the young, wealthy daughter of a prominent Brooklyn drug-dealing family. Quick-witted, sexy, and business-minded, she knows and loves the streets like the curves of her own body. But when a cold Winter wind blows her life in a direction she doesn't want to go, her street smarts and seductive skills are put to the test of a lifetime. Unwilling to lose, this ghetto girl will do anything to stay on top.

And here's my finale for the 30 for 30-it's nothing big so you don't have to roll out a red carpet or do a drum roll or anything-it's just ME:

Sweater-XXI/Flower ButtonUp-Wet Seal/Slacks-NY & Co.

With all of that being said, I hope that you all have a Happy Wednesday and for those of you involved in the challenge, good luck with the rest of your 30 for 30!! Thanks for reading! Ciao!

SIDENOTE: This is NOT THE END...I still plan to share my fashion fits with you on a reg

Mama...Just Killed a Man

You know what I hate!?  I hate when people test my patience! People who are inconsiderate and have not one ounce of time management skills. They think that when they walk in the room, everything is supposed to stop. They think that people should stop their day to wait on them or for them. Ugghhh!!!  One of the two things that I learned from my mother is:

1. Time is of the essence.  You should not only value your time but the time of everyone else as well. Don't waste people's time with pointless drama. Be on time. Do productive things in your spare time.  Make every minute count. Live today like it's your last day. I know we have all heard these statements time and time again but people still take it for granted.

Also....

2. Treat others how you would like to be treated.  You will encounter some people, no, lemme rephrase that...you will encounter tons of people who will stab you in the back, take your kindness for weakness, and those who will beat your heart up and leave it at the front door.  But mama taught me to treat them good anyway.  When people spit in your face and try to tear your foundation to shreds-turn the other cheek. Although it may make you seethe with anger, kill them with kindness, smile bigger than you've ever smiled before and watch what happens. Be very mindful of how you treat people because you never know when you may need them.

Enough of my ranting!!! I am ONE outfit away from finishing my 30 for 30 challenge.  Hallelujah, it's a miracle! I didn't think that I would make it through.  If you happen to be a participant, lemme know what you think about the challenge-good or bad. I will share my thoughts about it later on in the week. Until thenn here are my 28 and 29:

Jean Jacket-Vintage Levis (Thrifted)/Breton Stripes-Old Navy/Khakis-Old Navy/Hat-AE

And #29 will serve as my Color Brigade fit for the week.

NY & Co. Flow...

Trying to decide whether this fit looks better with or without the blazer...Hmm?

Thanks for reading!

My President is Black....

It's my day off and I going to be happy and grateful in it.  Grateful for President's Day deals at the mall and especially grateful for Mr. Obama! Yes We Can dammit! Also glad that the 30 for 30 is almost over and done with, well mine is anyhow. I can't wait to get back to my closet! Thanks again for all of you who have stopped by to read and share your thoughts with me throughout the week. This is where I highlight a my favorites:

1. I love that white ruffled blouse! So pretty! And girl thanks for the sweet comment! I'm thinking you should also do some more close ups because you are too pretty. xo

By monster cakes on I'm On the Right Track Baby, I Was Born This Way..... on 2/19/11

SIDENOTE: I am still without a camera so I'm trying to make do without! Hence the random close up angles!

Cardigan-GAP/Flower ButtonUp-Wet Seal/Slacks-NY & Co.



Jean Jacket-Vintage Levis (Thrifted)/TShirt-Miley To the Maxx/Khakis-Old Navy/Scarf-AE

Thanks for reading!

Weekend Lover...

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Cardigan-Old Navy/Blouse-Thrifted/Slacks-NY & Co/Boots-Aigner

Jean Jacket-Vintage Levis (Thrifted)/The Rest-NY & Co



Purple Sweater-XXI/The rest-NY & Co.

Cardigan-AE/Gingham ButtonUp-AE/Slacks-NY & Co.



The Game Needs Change and I'm the Cashier...

TGIF...no really, I am sooooo glad it's Friday. And it's nice outside. And I have Monday off. Besides the fact that my office mate is in a pissy mood and someone outbid me on the camera that I wanted, this day couldn't be any better.  So I'm still without a camera but looking on the bright side of things, that's the reason why I have this nifty IPhone. It comes in so handy in times like these. Please excuse me if any of my upcoming pics are a little less than blogger-ly.

Oh what shall I do this weekend? I don't have anything mapped out as of yet but what I do know is that I NEED to change- I need to stop procrastinating and spend my evening doing something productive, like organizing my house. But beforehand I'm gonna fit in a quick trip to the thrift (try saying that fast 5 times). LOL-didn't I just say I needed to change-that would include eliminating some of my thrift store trips. My excuse is that it relaxes me after a long week of work. You agree? (say yes)

I'm skipping out on FBFF today because I don't really have much to say on the topic of Body Image and what I've learned about it through blogging. Either ya got it or ya don't-that's my motto and I'm sticking to it.

I'm doing this instead (click the link below the pic to participate):

Five ? Friday

1. Have you worn the same outfit more than one day in a row? Hells yes!! Especially when I have a late night out and need to be up early in the morning to run errands or something. Clean the essential areas, swap out undergarments and keep it moving!

2. If you had to choose any LARGE city to live in, which would it be? It's a toss up between LA and NY. I'm leaning more towards LA though because for one the weather is always gorgeous and their thrift stores are a shopoholic's dream come true. Can you imagine, all of those celebrities donating their gently used or brand new clothing because it won't fit in their closets.

3. Fly or drive with the kids on vacation? Oh my goodness, which one would be worse? I think I'm gonna go with flying-even though I don't have kids yet, I just think that their behavior would be a little better in the presence of others.

4. What is your idea of 'spring cleaning'? Purging and getting rid of all of the winter things that went unused; Disinfecting and cleaning things like blinds and windows, Organizing closets, Redecorating with spring colors. I really love this:

Spring Decor

5. What is the best book you've ever read?  The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah. Read more about it in my 'Word On the Street Wednesday' feature.

And this too (follow instructions from above to participate):

Fill in the Blank Friday

1. I am an extremely private and introverted person. Creating this blog has allowed me to open myself up to the whole world; it has allowed me to accept that everyone doesn't view things in the same way that I do. It has allowed me to better express myself and serves as a visual journal for me.

2. The bravest thing I've ever done was hold a stranger's man through a heart attack/stroke. It happened so fast. I was coming out of the grocery store and I saw this man sitting on the bench with his eyes rolling back into his head. I noticed he was heaving terribly. When I touched him his whole body felt tense and extremely tight so I checked for a pulse and....nothing! While telling the associates to call 911, I grabbed his hand and prayed while keeping my other hand on his neck as to wait for some sign of a pulse. Moments later, his chest relaxed, his eyes stopped rolling, and he was releasing his hand from mine.  This man was gonna go right on about his business for the day until the ambulance arrived. They had to fight with him to take him to the hospital!

3. I feel prettiest when I put my hair in a wild ponytail on top of my head. I think if accentuates my bold facial features.

4. Something that keeps me awake at night is the BF.  I swear he has a serious issue with getting to sleep at night. Unless, of course, we have 'sookie time' before bed. Otherwise, he's up bumbling around playing the game, making beats, or doing countless other retarded things! Gotta love him!

5. My favorite meal in the entire world is my mother's smothered turkey wings with white rice! I'm calling her right now to request some!

6. The way to my heart is through romance-it's the little things that matter the most!

7. I would like to travel the world...and have a mini shopping spree in each destination!

I wore this:

Cardigan-NY & Co/ButtonUp-GAP/Khakis-NY & Co

And this:

Blazer-NY & Co/Blouse-Thrifted/Slacks-NY & Co

Thanks for reading y'all. Have a great weekend!