by | Apr 22, 2018 | Fashion |
Hi Beautiful People,
Even though it is spring, we are still experiencing cool temperatures. You don’t want to look like you are wearing your winter apparel, even though you want to be warm. What is a girl to do?
The answer is that you dress in layers; and if you get warm you can take one of them off and still look put together.
In the picture below, I am dressed to go to an evening concert with my hubby. Look at how I styled my outfit. My Monet-printed inspired dress, from Jones New York, is a polyester blend and a chartreuse color. I paired it with my Anne Klein cardigan and topped it off with my off white leather jacket from Chadwicks. I decided to wear tights and pair them with my Vince Camuto wedge booties.
JTwisdom Layering
I can take my jacket off and still know that I have my chartreuse cardigan underneath if it is a little warm in the concert hall. If it is a little on the cool side, leaving the jacket on does not look out of place. The leather jacket is great for an outwear piece; but it looks just as hip on the inside for a rocker-chic look. The chartreuse color in the cardigan is bright and makes me smile. Its so perfect for the spring when the weather is varying at different temperatures throughout the day. As a stylist I find that jackets are such a necessity no matter what time of the year.
How do you layer in the spring? Do you layer or you say it’s spring so I am not layering at all?
by | Apr 9, 2018 | Around the Home |
Does the state of your closet give you a headache? It might be time to put it in order. Nothing beats an organized closet to make getting ready a breeze.
5 Steps For Organizing Your Closet Like A Pro — Image: Pixabay
While organizing your closet might be one of those chores that you hate, it’s certainly one of the most satisfying when it’s finished.
Learn to organize your closet like a pro in five easy steps.
1. Take it all out
It’s almost impossible to organize your wardrobe with everything already in it, so it makes sense to take everything out and start over. By doing this, you’ll be able to see exactly what you’re dealing with and perhaps even come across items you had forgotten about or thought were missing. Organize everything into piles on the floor or your bed such as pants, dresses, shirts, etc. and that will make it easier for you to put things in order.
2. Get rid of unwanted clothing
Now that you’ve got a clearer picture of all the items you own, you can make some sensible choices about what to keep, and what to toss. Ask yourself some of the following questions:
– Is this item wearable?
– Do I like this item?
– Have I worn this item in the last year?
– Will I wear this item in the next year?
If you answer ‘no’ to any of these questions, then it might be time for the item to go. You need to be ruthless with your closet to help you get rid of the clutter, as well as to make room for new items you’d like to buy in the future. There are plenty of things to do with your unwanted clothing to stop anything going to waste.
3. Create more space
Even after a bit of decluttering, you might find that you still have a lot to try and fit back in your closet. It’s easier to plan your wardrobe by season so that you can put any unwanted items in storage if necessary. While you can make use of closet space by adding shelves and putting hooks on the inside of your closet drawers, you might want to look into other options for your storage needs. Take a look at storage facilities by Bekins Moving Solutions to get a quote for storing your stuff. This is a great solution if you live in an apartment or house without much storage space to help keep everything neat.
4. Put everything back in an organized way
How you organize your wardrobe is up to you. You can separate your items by occasion, or color code your closet to make it easy to see your clothes. Whatever method you decide, make sure it’s something you can follow easily to help make it easier to find the clothes you need.
5. Keep it up!
Organizing your closet is a chore that you should be carrying out each season to keep your wardrobe fresh and to make dressing for the season simple and hassle-free. Keep your staples like your leather jacket or favorite jeans where it’s easy to see them so that you can build some fabulous outfits with ease.
After organizing your closet, you’ll feel happy and in control, making it a satisfying chore to carry out at home. A refreshed closet will make you feel like a new woman, so make sure you get yours in order ready for the summer months!
by | Apr 8, 2018 | Accessories, Fashion |
Hello Lovely People,
Spring has Sprung, but it still feels like winter here in the Show-Me State. No humidity right now and temps have been in the 20s and low 30s in the morning hours. I work near the park and I see runners wearing only bra tanks and short shorts and it is only 32 degree temperatures. I also see people wearing no jackets or coats and it is 29 degrees! Maybe they they are cold tolerant.
The weather has been all over the place, so I find myself dressing differently every day. I cannot come out wearing next to nothing or only a light jacket. I still want to dress warmly; but look colorful like its spring. In this picture below, the temperature peaked out at almost 60 degrees, but the morning started out at only 32.This Michael Kors dress came from Macys. I bought it when my hubby and I were in San Francisco a few years ago. The cotton/spandex fabric stretches and is very comfortable. There are silver metal zippers in the from and in the center back. I layered the dress here with a pink cardigan sweater. Since it was quite cold, I wore tights and my Marc Fisher knee-high boots. My handbag is the Dooney and Bourke Florentine Toscana Leather Satchel that my hubby bought me for Christmas last year.
Jtwisdom striped dress
And what was great about this outfit is that the dress is so versatile that if i take off the sweater it can be worn as a jumper. The dress flares out into A-line and is very slimming. The lines in the dress go horizontal the side stripes really cinch in the waist. The look is still bright and youthful without looking to trendy.
Jumper look
Jewelry
If I am not wearing jewelry, it feels like something is missing. In this outfit, I am wearing a gold-clad Lire bracelet that I purchased on clearance from QVC. The Lire bracelet is still available for only $49.98, you can watch the video presentation here.
Lire Bracelet
As a stylist, I can say that just because it is spring, it really depends where in the world you are located to see how you should dress. I know most people in my area want it to be hot; but I am actually enjoying the cool weather and finding different ways of making my winter attire colorful and feeling like spring.
by | Apr 7, 2018 | From the Heart |
Hello Beautiful People,
From the title you are probably wondering what is this about. Well when I first heard about it, I was thinking the same thing. Monday, I was on Facebook scrolling on my phone seeing what was happening, or if I missed any birthdays. And I paused at this huge discussion about a recent article published from the New York Post titled, “Museum Slammed After Hiring White Curator.”
WikiCommons
“The Brooklyn Museum appointed last month Kristen Windmuller-Luna, as the Sills Family Consulting Curator, African Art. She has a Ph.D. in African art history from Princeton University, lectures in Columbia University’s department of art history and archaeology, and once worked as an educator for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she was responsible for adult and college gallery tours in the African galleries.” Dr. Windmuller-Lana is highly qualified for the position and came highly regarded.
The Museum’s Press Release details what she will be doing in her position.
“Windmuller-Luna will assess and rethink the Brooklyn Museum’s extensive holdings of African art, which is comprised of more than 6,000 objects, and organize an innovative, freshly conceived temporary installation showcasing the breadth and depth of the collection. Working with the curatorial team, she will focus on creating a visual dialogue between the African art collection and other significant works within the Museum’s holdings. She will also help develop dynamic opportunities for educational programming.”
The article said that the black community was outraged because the museum hired a white woman to the position of curator of its African art collection. Specifically, the activist group, Decolonize This Place wrote an open letter to the Brooklyn Museum of of its “tone-deaf decision” to hire Dr. Windmuller-Luna. “The hue and cry over this hire has brought to light a major disconnect between the governance of the museum and the communities of Brooklyn whom the institution is obliged to serve.”
On Facebook, the debate was ranging from disappointment to support. Some questions being asked: How can a white woman be a Curator of African Art? Was there no qualified black person for the position? To the opposite side of the spectrum: What’s wrong with a white person in this job if he/she is qualified to do the job? Why should being white instantly disqualify this position? Why are curatorial positions not more diverse? What can be done to change this?
This tweet really put a heavy shadow on the Brooklyn Museum’s decision.
After the uproar, the Brooklyn Museum defended its decision on choosing Dr. Windemuller-Luna for the position of African Curator, as quoted from the New York Times.
“Dr. Pasternak, Director of the Brooklyn Museum continues to stand by the hiring of Dr. Windmuller-Luna. She said, “We are thrilled to welcome Drew and Kristen to our fantastic curatorial team during this period of great momentum as we expand exhibitions, public programs, and educational reach,” said Anne Pasternak, Shelby White and Leon Levy Director.
We have to also look at the fact that not only African-Americans and African people study African art. There is not much diversity in this field. A 2015 Mellon Report states that 84% of Art museum curatorial positions are held by non-Hispanic whites.
Opening my Eyes
You may be wondering why this topic is so important to me that I am writing about it on my blog. Well, I myself am a museum professional and have had curatorial experience in the past. I first learned about museum career opportunities from my college advisor. She knew that I was interested in textiles and fashion and that I didn’t want to pursue retail, with my emphasis being Fashion Merchandising. She told me about the museum field and set up a meeting for me to meet with the textile curator at the local history museum. I ended up completing two internships and working a summer job with the museum. I gained a wealth of knowledge from those internships that I never thought I was able to get because I didn’t know it was available to me. The hands-on experience inspired me to learn more about what the museum field had to offer.
Today, I have a full-time position in a museum and work in the administrative side.
I believe that Parents and Teachers bringing children of all ethnicities to museums is an important way for them to have the freedom to learn and ask questions. Children can become interested in a subject he/she may not have considered before. Also, museum professionals play a part by engaging the students in conversations; whether it be programs or events, and showing them what a museum professional does from day to day. This can be an idea for a career or a college internship in the future.
How do you feel about the Brooklyn Museum hiring Dr. Windmuller-Luna as the Curator of African Art? Do you support them or think they should of went a different direction?
by eviehodge1549 | Apr 4, 2018 | From the Heart |
Today, we remember one of the darkest days in American History.
April 4, 1968
Outside Room 306, where Martin Luther King was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
Martin Luther King, Jr. King had traveled to Memphis in support of the striking black sanitation workers who were protesting low wages and poor working conditions. King, staying at the Lorraine Motel, was planning a peaceful protest march with the workers. Tragically, an assassin’s bullet struck down King while he was standing on the balcony of the Motel on the evening of April 4th. At 6:01pm, a single bullet was fired from a rooming house across the street, killing the most influential civil rights leader of the 20th century.
The viewpoint of the Lorraine Motel from the rooming house, from where King’s assassin was positioned.
The Lorraine Motel became synonymous with the civil rights movement. The National Civil Rights Museum opened in 1991 on the site, incorporating King’s room and the rest of the Motel into the design of the Museum. My wife and I visited the Museum in 2012 to learn more about King and the civil rights movement. Read more about our visit to the museum, by clicking here!
Fifty years later, we remember King and his work to end racial discrimination and to bring equality to people of this country and around the world. I often think about how the nation would have been different had King been able to continue his work.
Has King’s dream of racial equality been achieved? What are we doing to ensure that the dream is kept alive? These are very relevant questions today because I often hear the same sun that is shining today was shining then. Well, that may be; but there’s still so much work to be done. King spoke of love and peace to make this a better world. In the news, we see more hate than we do peace.
What can we do?
It starts with love. We have to love ourselves and then love one another. It may sound cliche; but love is what makes the world go round. We have to be involved in our community and be involved in our schools and churches. I often hear people saying, “Is this 2018 or 1960?” Diversity is wonderful and describes what King believed and said in his speeches.
We read about the I Have A Dream speech, but I wanted to include the Jail No Bail Movement Instagram Post from the National Civil Rights Museum. He stood up for what’s right and this such a strong message.
The National Civil Rights Museum will be honoring King’s legacy on Wednesday, April 4th. Whether you are in Memphis or not you can participate in the #MLK50BellToll. “Places of worship, colleges, and institutions world wide will ring bells 39 times for each year King lived at 6:01pm, the time he expired.”
What is on your mind as we remember King’s legacy? What more needs to be done to make his dream is a reality? How far have we come? How far do we have to go? Leave a comment and let us have a conversation that can used to bring everyone together.
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