Designer Spotlight || Brother Vellies

I can count on one hand how many times I've come across an emerging shoe brand & have fallen head-over-heels, Loeffler Randall being one. But Brooklyn transplant Aurora James, the designer behind Brother Vellies & the 2015 CFDA/ Vogue Fashion Fund winner instantly caught my attention with her footwear line "introducing the world to traditional African footwear while also creating & sustaining artisanal jobs in Africa"; Kenya, Morocco, & South Africa to be exact. 

Upon first glance her shoes don't speak directly to my style but there's something about them I just can't seem to get enough of. Be it their handcrafted detail, fashion forward aesthetic, or the fact that they're created in a country that  inspires so much of the fashion industry today, whatever the reason may be, I literally can't enough. And let's not forget how amazing Zendaya looked sporting the 'saffron dhara' sandal at the CFDA awards back in November!

Needless to say, though I'm currently practicing self-control & not doing any shopping, as soon as April hits, a pair of Brother Vellies will definitely be purchased. I'll be sure to keep you ladies posted on which pair I snag.

2 0 1 6 || Less Is More

With every new year comes this "new year new me" nonsense that let's just be honest has become the brunt of social media sarcasm. As 2015 came to a close, I created my 2016 goal list keeping mind to create realistic, attainable goals that would not only thrust both my personal & business life in forward motion, but do so in a pace that works for my day-to-day life, thus allowing them to actually be done.

One of my goals for the first quarter of the year, i.e. January - March is to not shop. Like, at all. Like, not even a little bit. Literally. And so here I am on day 6 adding more-and-more to my wishlists just praying that April 1st rolls around in a timely fashion so I can checkout in peace.

Oh but wait, it gets even better. On top of not shopping for the first 3 months of the year, I'm also challenging myself to purchase only 15 pieces over the duration of 2016. *Rolls eyes. Crosses arms. Sits back in chair.* Yes, 15. Now for some this might not sound like a huge deal but for me, well, it's certainly not my norm. But I've sat back & done the math & well, it might not be that hard. Seeing as though I won't be shopping until April, -God help me-, that gives me 9 months to collect 15 amazing pieces. This can translate to either one piece per month or two give or take not shopping one month.

The goal of both these challenges is to 1. save more & spend less. And 2., shop less from fast retailers i.e. H&M, Zara, and Forever 21, & slowly begin curating a wardrobe I won't feel compelled to sell or give away 4-6 months later. Now that's not to say I won't EVER shop at those stores because girl, I'm NOT crazy, but I am making it a point to invest in more independent brands, designers, & investment pieces. And in dong so, I hope this helps me think more about what I buy. "Will this work with what I already have in my closet? Do I  have something similar to this already?" 

So what's the first piece I hope to purchase come April? I've been eyeing these Alexander Wang heels for a few seasons now & I think they'll be the perfect spring/summer go-to heel!