As my due date rapidly approaches I am haunted with this ongoing thought of my daughter coming an I lose my fashion sense or she grows up thinking I never had any.
I’ve temporarily relocated and while packing my things I started to go through clothes I could no longer fit, that’s when the thought crossed my mind what do I keep for Aria. What if she thinks my style is horrendous? What if I get comfortable walking around in soccer mom outfits? Will she view my style how I view my moms? I’ve always wished my mother had “flavor” so I could steal her stuff or she had like vintage Chanel I could fall in love with. I want to be the mom who’s daughter looks back at pictures of her and says “my mom was fly”. Or she’s baby pictures of herself an says “I was fly”.
These are the random thoughts that trickle through my head at 3am between bathroom runs and trying to getting comfortable.
Category Archives: sustainability
Sick of Fashion Magazines and Their Affordable Fashion!!
How many of you go in the store to buy or subscribe to fashion magazines to keep up with the latest trends? You look through the pages and see a bunch of cute outfits you can picture yourself in, then you look at the outlandish prices, like $80 for a top made of rayon and polyester, or a pair of regular gladiator sandals for $200. Now I don’t know about you but for once I’d love to see clothing that’s affordable to the average New Yorker. With rent for a studio starting at $1300 in some places who has an expendable cash flow to pay that and then spend $80 on a shirt! The thing that gets me the most is when the magazine boost about having a plethora of “affordable” outfits. For once I’d love to see a magazine dedicated to the average woman who loves fashion but has an average budget. I want these fashion editors and stylists to pull looks together that the LPN or school teacher can afford on her salary. But alas I digress and until then I guess I’ll just post my amazeball finds!
My Ongoing Quest For Fashionable Comfort.
I don’t know about anybody else but I have been on a fashion quest since I was allowed to match polka dots with stripes back in the first grade. This ongoing journey to find stylish yet comfortable outfits has deemed itself a trying fête. That age old expression “beauty is pain” appears to be reigning supreme in one way or another. Be it in a pair of killer heels
Or breathtaking skin tight jeans.
How many of us have become victim to buying a gorgeous pair of “sit down shoes” and after downing a few drinks get this rationale in your head that somehow now it’s ok to dance in these hellish heels for an hour or two. Or better yet who jumps into their skinny jeans in the morning and by the end of the day you have the button imprint on your stomach?
Well I’m tired of being uncomfortable just to look fabulous, and with the onset of my soon expanding midsection, I downright refuse to be a slave to my love of fashion (or look horrid like Kim Kardashian). So for the past month I’ve upped the ante on my search, and might I proudly say I’ve come up with some pretty good options. Now I don’t know if you’ll ride out with me on these but I’ve become obsessed with harem pants. I don’t know if it’s because of my secret love for Aladdin or the sassy comfort they possess.
Princess Jasmine “WORE” those harem pants; so I too will try to “OWN” mine. Now if you’re sitting here thinking wtf Tiff how am I suppose to rock harem pants and not look like a Williamsburg hippie?! Well my friend here are a couple of chic options:
You can easily dress these pants up for a chic office just by throwing on a pair COMFORTABLE pumps and a string of pearls (pearls add sophistication to just about any outfit). Easily for the harem weekender look simply throw on a tank and some sandals, or even a pair of “oh so comfy” wedges.
Which brings me to my next go to comfort piece; The Wedge. Now if you know me you know I’ve always been obsessed with these magnificent man made creations. Seriously, what more can you ask for in a shoe, they add height to a 5’1 stature, can be worn with everything, and they feel like you’re in sneakers all day (not even mentioning the hot wedge sneaker).
Another comfy alternative in the shoe game in case you’re not a fan of the wedge is the stack heel. These are like the wedges sexy cousin. They to can be worn with anything all day with no qualms.
Now that I’ve adorned your bottom half in comfy illustriousness, let’s move uptown. While you can never go wrong with a simple tank top; loose or fitted, I’ve found that the batwing tshirt is stylishly forgiving in numerous areas. It does this trick where it’s loose but still fitted so your figure is still defined in a not clinging way. I absolutely love it!
I’ve only scratched the surface of my search, but don’t you fret I’ll definitely keep you updated with new finds throughout the changing seasons. And in case you are wondering where you can purchase similar pieces at reasonable prices; asos.com, h&m, urbanoutfitters, and yesstyle.com are a few places.
Brooklyn’s Best Hidden Secret for Lunch – Govinda’s!
If you don’t know about Govinda’s Vegetarian Lunch…well, now you do! Their menu changes everyday and a typical fb menu post looks like this:
“It is Thursday!!!!!! We have eggplant parm, quinoa salad, fresh sauteed kale, asparagus/ with mixed vegs, minestrone soup, rosemary bread, samosas, and black beans with sweet potato. And there are yummy chocolate cupcakes!!!! Cookies and cheesecake!”
It’s food prepared with love in the basement of the Hare Krishna Temple, Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir. Vegetarians and non vegetarians are likely to become hooked on this amazing food. I love their split pea soup, lentils, beet salad, and I always take an extra samosa home! The homemade bread is an added bonus.
Turn your cell phone off and plan to spend between $6-$12, depending on how hungry you are. Just leave room for the homemade desserts 🙂
Visit their Facebook Page and stop by for lunch Mon-Fri from 12:00-3:30. It’s located at 305 Schermerhorn St (between Bond & Nevins).
Thank us later!
It Doesn’t Matter If You’re In Black And White
Contrary to the weather reports, Spring is here! Even though we may encounter some flurries here or there we can’t fight the urge to update our wardrobe for the impending warmth. With that being said, lets talk about what’s hot this season; Black and White! Black and white is the simplest most classically chic combination you can wear if done right.
Adding a simple pop of color could take you to a whole new level of fashionista if done right.
It can also create the perfect silhouette. Notice all the clean crisp lines, it’ll make you feel like a tailor personally sewn your clothes on your body.
Even if you want to wear color you can’t go wrong with black and white accessories.
If you don’t have a clue what color looks best on you, remember, “It doesn’t matter if you wear black and white”!
guerrilla, growing, gardening!
Learning from Will Allen, about the fish systems at Growing Power
It’s no secret that my cousin is the amazing Will Allen of Growing Power. If you don’t know who he is…visit Growingpower.org and buy the book The Good Food Revolution. Life changing…world changing are all understatements. Recently, I’ve been checking out designer Ron Finley’s approach. Now if we could only multiply these men by thousands.
There’s a whole bunch of tilapia in there, and I’m holding the net like I know what I’m doing! I did nothing BUT hold the net.
This fall I had the opportunity to visit Growing Power in Milwaukee, WI. The greenhouses, the fish systems, the bees, the goats, the chickens — it was all unreal (being that in the tri state area…I don’t see this often). Having attended my cousins lectures in the past, it’s still like it’s brand new each time. Learning about composting for soil, for heat, for power…and about the importance of worms, eeeew!
picking peppers, in one of Growing Power’s hoop houses in an abandoned schoolyard!
GP builds these hoop houses which enables them to grow farms just about ANYWHERE! I’m talking abandoned schoolyards, abandoned fire houses, you name it!
Another one of the many great things Growing Power does, is hire ex-offenders. They train (paid) for 12 months and after completing training, are guaranteed a job with the organization. What an incredible way to start anew! Building gardens on street corners where drugs & violence are prevalent has discouraged violence! Oh what a difference some flowers can make 🙂
picking veggies in another abandoned schoolyard parking lot
As a musician, I run into people of all walks of life and the one constant among them all is sustainability. Self sustainability. How can we be in control of what we are putting into our bodies? What we are disposing and putting into our environment? Living in NY where space is a challenge, there are community gardens, rooftop gardens and plenty of efforts to help each and every one of us take control of our future.
Ever seen a harp on Hay? After playing at the 2013 Urban & Small Farm Conference.
Learn how you can help Growing Power, and also learn how you can contribute to the building of the world’s first 5 story vertical farm!
Visit their Facebook page.
Purchase an eco friendly journal!
i love to eat
Don’t you? You go to work every day hopefully, in order to be fulfilled spiritually and satisfied financially. This way, you can have a place to live, eat the food you like and enjoy your time off, right?
I’ve been an artist just about my entire adult life and still can’t understand why there are so many people around that believe we are doing what we love, just because we love it and because it is fun. If a full time artist every tells you that, they’re lying.
Just like a teacher goes to work everyday to teach our youth, or the way a cop spends the day fighting crime, I bet you these jobs are fulfilling for many of them, but I’m not sure that many cops & teachers go to work and agree to not be paid for a couple of their work days. Do you?
So why are people constantly asking musicians to play for free or as the people say, ‘for exposure’? Why are so many writers asked to contribute to publications for resume building? Photographers, dancers, stylists, publicists…the list goes on. Maybe that’s cool at 18, 19, 20…as a student or just starting out, but where & when is the line drawn? When will ARTISTS VALUE THEMSELVES so that the PEOPLE VALUE THE ARTISTS?
After college, artists have bills just like the next 9-5er. They want to have a place to live, support a family, have good food to eat and enjoy their time off, too. General public: don’t gawk when you’re quoted a price for a service. Consider all the time, sweat & money that went into being able to provide it.
More to come.
the thriving (not starving) artist 