Category: life curation

life curation · style

Preparing for Spring: Wardrobe Ideas

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Since doing the Kibbe test and confirming that I’m a Soft Classic, I’ve been spending time brainstorming what pieces I should add to my wardrobe. I want to add some whimsy to my wardrobe (along the lines of the Joe Browns line) but I honestly look best in clean, streamlined silhouettes.

Using the Soft Classic information I gleaned from the Truth Is Beauty website, I found that Naomie Harris is one of the few Black celebrities that falls into this category. And when Naomie gets it right, honey, she absolutely knocks it out of the park. I’m loving the fact that she appears to have a neutral undertone that leans toward coolness (much like my own). So I should be able to wear most of the same shades that she does, since our coloring is similar.

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Photo of Naomie Harris (courtesy of InStyle magazine)

So, I don’t have a red carpet lifestyle – yet. So my daily wardrobe can’t be quite as ornate as Naomie’s. But I can draw some inspiration from the way that she styles herself. Here are a few items I’m considering adding this spring:

A duster in pale taupe or light gray

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Naomie at a Calvin Klein show (from Business of Fashion)

The key to making this look classy (and not sloppy on my frame) is to make sure that it has some moderate structure, light tailoring and minimal frills.

This light tan trench by Aphratti gets pretty close to Naomie’s look. A belt gives some extra definition in the waist.

A magenta blazer

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Naomie at the 2014 BAFTA Awards (from Elle)

Structured but undeniably feminine, a bright blazer in an intense pink hue would be a great addition to my wardrobe. a 3/4 length sleeve is perfect for me, so I’ll aim for a blazer that closely replicates the top half of Naomie’s dress. I couldn’t find anything quite like this yet, but if I do, I’ll be sure to post it here!

 

Sunny A-line dress

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At the Spectre press conference (from Vogue UK)

An A-line dress that skims gracefully over the hips but remains tailored in the waist is great for creating the hourglass silhouette.

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The Eva Square Neck Midi Skater Dress is a bright yellow that isn’t too acid or too warm.

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Another option is the Zoey Sleeveless Cut Out Mixi Skater Dress: no cleavage but the side cutouts keeps it sassy.

Pale blue or green chiffon skirt (tea length)

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Naomie at the Mandela screening (from The Fashion Spot)

A pale blue, gauzy skirt is soft and unique. It’s the kind of signature piece that can be dressed up or dressed down.

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This crepe skirt from Boohoo is giving me a similar vibe (the Neave Crepe Pleated Mini Skirt). It isn’t as soft as the chiffon material that Naomie is wearing, but the below-the knee length and structured pleating gives the garment more shape.

Drape-y satin blouse in oyster white, pewter or champagne

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With Olivia Palermo at the launch of Maison Makarem (from Getty Images)

I’ve always shimmery satin tops in pearlescent hues. Add some careful pleating and draping, and I should be able to get the Greek goddess effect without getting lost in a sea of fabric. I’m still looking for one of these, so if I find it, I’ll post it here as well.

That’s all of my ideas for now. I suspect that I’ll continually refine and improve on this list, and as I do, I’ll share it all here.

life curation · travel

Another Weekend in Charlotte, NC

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Happy Monday, beautiful ones! I hope your week has gotten off to a pleasant start.

I just returned from a girlfriends getaway in Charlotte, NC. I told you all about a trip that I took to Charlotte a few months ago, but I just visited again over the weekend. It was a good weekend for a trip: St Patrick’s Day festivities and warmer weather were just what I needed.

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We had plans of getting out into nature and spending some time on the trails, but we couldn’t quite get things to work out as we planned. As you know, plans are great but the decider is fate, so we rolled with the schedule changes and still had a blast. After all, it’s really about the COMPANY, and not the activities. And the company I enjoyed on this trip was superb!

We had a fantastic weekend and I can’t wait to return! I’ll post more specifics about our trip in a few days (including a hotel review) but, in the meantime, enjoy this video about Charlotte, the Queen City, that I found on YouTube. Talk to you all soon!

life curation · style

Using Kibbe’s Metamorphosis to Enhance My Style

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One of my passions is fashion, as you all already know. I love shopping and I’m constantly trying to refine and perfect my personal style. Luckily, I am friends with some other stylish ladies that are on the same path: we are all seeking to create the best physical presentation of ourselves.

An absolute angel in a Facebook group I’m part of posted some information on David Kibbe and I started reading it out of curiosity. Imagine my surprise as I discovered the secret to mastering a consistent and impeccable personal style! As it turns out, the best way to style your clothing is to use your body type and facial features as a guide. It’s genius: emphasize your natural curves and lines, and you can’t help but look your best!

I did the Kibbe quizzes linked here, here and here.  The first link is a quick summary of the Kibbe quiz, and the subsequent links are the two-part quiz with photo illustrations. You have to combine the results of Part 1 and Part 2 to come up with an overall score. The quizzes confirmed that I’m a Soft Classic, which resonates deeply with my personal tastes.

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Some Soft Classic staples (from Pinterest)

This revelation both excites and frustrates me a bit. Now that I have a clear idea of what silhouettes will most flatter me, I have to go through my closet and clear out the items that don’t suit me. This will be an ongoing project for the next couple of weeks, but it will be worth it.

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This dress that I purchased from Boohoo is perfect for a Soft Classic

So far, the Truth is Beauty website has been one of the best ones for explaining the Classic archetype and the Soft Classic (Romantic Classic) subtype. I can’t wait to show you all how I factor this new information into my style repertoire!

 

life curation · words of wisdom

Words of Wisdom: Maria Callas

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Did you all know that I love opera?

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If I haven’t mentioned it before, let me say it clearly: I LOVE opera music. I’ve played different instruments in the past but I’ve never been a good singer. So, I am always enchanted by a beautiful singing voice (it’s one thing that I do not possess!) One of the most legendary opera singers of all time is the tragic but insanely gifted Maria Callas.

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Maria didn’t care for her voice: it lacked the lightness and smoothness generally expected from sopranos. However, Maria was a mezzo-soprano that had trained her voice to the point of accommodating multiple vocal classifications. What she disliked about her voice was the single quality that makes her sound unique and captivating.

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Sadly, she had many painful experiences in her life. A tense relationship with her mother eventually resulted in them ceasing to speak to one another. Earlier in Maria’s career, she suffered from obesity that impacted her ability to perform; ironically enough, her drastic weight loss has been thought to be one of the main factors in her eventual vocal decline.  A torturous love affair with Aristotle Onassis that resulted in Maria’s ultimate heartbreak, when Onassis married Jacqueline Kennedy and relegated Maria to mistress status.

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It’s the pain of Maria’s life that lends the tender, heart-wrenching quality to her singing. And for sure, she did have some joys: she thrilled many audiences with her dramatic soprano range, she traveled the world, and she LIVED a bold, full life. Maria, may you continue to rest in peace.

 

(photos courtesy Pinterest, Quotesurf, and Classic FM)

art · life curation

Art Synchronicities

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When I went to the National Portrait Gallery to view the Marlene Dietrich exhibit (you can read all about it here), I got a bit of a surprise. While walking around and trying to find Marlene, I came across a painting that stopped me in my tracks. You can see the painting below:

This painting is the very same one that was my most likely doppelganger, per the Google Arts & Culture app (you know, that app that I wrote about a while ago). Of course, on the app, the painting is listed as being at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, GA. However, it is currently at the National Portrait Gallery, as part of The Sweat of Their Face: Portraying American Workers exhibit. I’m pretty sure that the painting will return to the High Museum in September, when the exhibit draws to a close.

I examined the painting and found myself smiling. The vivid colors can’t be captured via camera: it must be experienced in person. The focused gaze, the high cheekbones, and the richly hued skin did, oddly enough, remind me of myself. Of all of the paintings to make it to this exhibit, this one made the cut. And of all of the museums I could visit in DC (and there are PLENTY), I ended up at the National Portrait Gallery. And this painting had an entire wall to itself, so I couldn’t miss it as I walked to the Dietrich exhibit. I figure it was meant for me to see it. Oh yes, and here is the photo that convinced Google Arts & Culture that I am Alma’s incarnate:

I’m delighted that I got to see this painting: as always, art is best experienced in person. This is one of several portraits depicting the working class in the first half of the 20th century. I encourage you all to go and experience the exhibit for yourself, if you have the chance!

life curation

My Most Personal Post Yet

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Happy Thursday, beloveds! This post will be a little different from the others, as I just felt the desire to share more about myself with you all. After 200+ posts (I can’t believe I’ve written that much!), it’s about time that I opened up and tell you all a little more about me.

This blog has been a bit of a “brain dump” for me: I write about all of the things that interest, enlighten and enrich me. As you all know, I love travel, food, art, culture, reading, and learning from wise women throughout time. This blog offers a safe space for me to share my interests.

But I’ve never revealed why I blog. I’ve blogged off-and-on for over 15 years now, and I love to write. However, this blog is much more than just a hobby.

This blog is part of my healing. You see, I’m rebuilding my life after experience a heartbreaking divorce. Writing has been crucial to helping me remember my passions and rediscover my purpose.

I never expected to divorce. It shook me to my core, because a lot of my personal identity was wrapped up in my role as wife. Without my marriage, I couldn’t remember who I was and what I wanted for my life.

But, as with anything, time is revealer. So, I allowed some time to pass. I was patient and the answers revealed themselves to me.

I was more than “Mrs”. I was a whole person before I got married, and I remained a whole person when I divorced.

I’ve rediscovered myself again. And, funny enough, I like this version of me far more than the version of me that existed before and during my marriage. This version of me is wiser, more relaxed, more appreciative, more joyful, more self-assured and more magical than I’ve ever been.

And this life I’m living? It’s GOOD. In fact, it’s better than good. It’s fantastic! I love (almost) every minute of it. And I get to share that happiness and satisfaction here, on this blog, with every post.

So, that’s a little bit about me. I hope you all continue to stick around and share this journey of further self-discovery with me. It’s going to be a blast – I promise!

life curation · reading list

The Best Year of Your Life: The “Dream It” Section

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Happy Monday, beloveds! What better way to start a week than to discuss some of the things I’ve done during the past (almost) two months in preparation for my best year ever?

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(photo courtesy of StrangeCharmed.com, one of my new favorite websites)

As you all recall, Debbie Ford’s The Best Year of Your Life was my December reading list selection, and I reviewed the book in January. I didn’t want to make the review too exhaustive, because I intended to reference it throughout the year. This post is the first of those references, and I’ll share my takeaways from the first section of the book, the Dream It section.

Chapter 1: Creating a Powerful Intent – I’ve been doing affirmations for quite some time now, but I recently changed my daily affirmation to the one provided in the book. Daily, I affirm, “This is the best year of my life”. I’ve noticed that I have had a much “smoother” day-to-day experience, My life isn’t “perfect” but it’s good and I am more aware of the little ways that show my life as being good and satisfying. I can improve on this step by using some of the tips in the book, such as writing my affirmation on signs and notes and posting them in my office and home. I could also use it as a background on my phone and computer.

Chapter 2: Exposing the Fantasy – I need to redo this step. I did it in December but I didn’t put as much time and energy into it as I would like. I need to specify the feeling I associate with my “fantasy” life and then clarify exactly how I will activate that feeling daily. This is a key principle of law of attraction, so I’ve done it before but I’ve never been consistent about it. The consistency will really make the difference.

Chapter 3: Stepping Into Greatness – I could stand to redo this step, as well. My vision for this year isn’t as laser-focused as I would like. It’s a bit fuzzy, so getting really clear and then identifying the personality traits that would make it possible would do wonders for realizing this best year of my life. Off of the top of my head, traits such as discipline and boldness (extroversion) would bring me closer to my dream. But, I want to make sure that I’m invoking the best qualities to bring about my ideal life, so I’ll spend some more time on that.

So I’ll post again, in a couple of weeks, just confirming the progress I’ve made on redoing the activities from Chapters 2 and 3. I’m looking forward to sharing that with you all!

life curation · Uncategorized

Updates: What’s Happening?

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Happy Friday, friends! The past two weeks have been a whirlwind, but I’m finally winding down and getting back into my regular routine.

Now that I’ve had a little time to breathe and get back on track, here are some updates on current and future blog posts.

  • I haven’t forgotten to write up my “Four Hour Work Week” review. I had to put my reading on hold while I finished preparing for my Kenya trip. But that will be done sometime during March.
  • I have a SLEW of posts about Kenya but I’m going to release them on a one/two-per-week schedule. I don’t want to delay writing about the other things that interest me.
  • I’m always looking for something interesting to review or write about. If you have anything that you’d like me to check out, let me know!

That’ all for now. I’ll talk to you all tomorrow!

life curation · words of wisdom

Words of Wisdom: Prof. Wangari Maathai

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Since I’m still buzzing from my trip to Nairobi, I figured I would share some words of wisdom from the esteemed Kenyan educator and activist, Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Wangari Maathai.

You may remember seeing Prof. Maathai’s name and photo in my “Night at the Embassy” post. This remarkable woman founded the Green Belt Movement, which focuses on women’s rights, conservation and environmentalism. She authored several books and her ideas continue to inspire conservation efforts down to this day.

One of the main streets in Nairobi is named in her honor (I wish I had taken a photo of the street sign!) and her impact is still felt in this region. Here, I’ll share some of Prof. Maathai’s quotes that inspire me. Enjoy!

 

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(photo from Curves a la Mode)

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(photo from Quotlr)

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(photo from Love Our Girls)

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(photo from Gloria Kendi Borona)

 

 

 

 

art · life curation

Review: Alison “Great Artists and Their Works” Course

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I’ve spent the past several weeks working through a few art courses, and I recently completed the first self-paced course I’ve taken this year. ALISON.com has a slew of courses that can be taken online for free, at the learner’s leisure. Completed courses are eligible for certificates of completion that learners can add to their educational portfolios.

I mentioned previously that I was completing the “Great Artists and Their Works” course. The course is approximately 5 – 6 hours long, and features 8 modules, with multiple lessons within each module. Each module discusses a different artist, and the artists are associated with different art movements throughout history (Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, Cubism, etc.,).

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(picture from Alison.com)

I found this to be a very helpful free course, and a suitable, though compressed, art history introduction. I was enthralled by the artists I’d never heard of before – namely, Caravaggio, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Jacques-Louis David – and I’m glad I spent the time working through this course.

While I enjoyed the class, it isn’t without its flaws. It relies on videos created by Khan Academy, so you could just as easily study directly from the Khan Academy website. Also, the course has a single, cumulative examination at the end instead of quizzes sprinkled throughout the modules. In my experience, students learn better when they are periodically quizzed instead of assessing their knowledge after many concepts have been discussed and analyzed. Finally, there were a few questions that tested learners on concepts that weren’t taught in the course (I had to use Google for the answers).

Overall, I enjoyed the class and would recommend to anyone that wants to get familiar with some of the great names in art. If you decide to take it, let me know what you think about it!