UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Back in my college days, especially when introduced to say pattern making or sewing, I always thought our teachers took special pleasure making us redo things.
Like redoing a zipper, the dreaded invisible zipper that would make my fellow classmates pull out their hair. Or putting in a sleeve five gazillion times. There is nothing as annoying as doing something over and over then always messing it up. Undoing seams is a chore. No! It’s pure agony. But it's always that process that ensure you learn and perfect what you are doing.
Today’s look was shot in the downtown area of Manhattan. It’s become one of my favorite places to shoot because of the Seaport and the little tiny corners that pop up everywhere.Downtown Manhattan is the oldest part of the city with little narrow streets that a century ago, horse carts would be seen maneuvering. Construction is ongoing but that does not stop the hustle and bustle that is New York City. The ideal backdrop for this post
We construct our daily lives at times looking back and wondering what we could have done better, how you could have changed something.
Sometimes, with life, it’s not as easy as undoing a seam, or taking out a zipper, but trying to mend or reconstruct.
Which makes me think with life as well as with design, we are always under construction. There's always something to improve. It may be your fitness goals, or a new job, redoing your apartment, moving into a new house. We are constantly improving.
FUN FACT - My mother made the red scarf I am wearing today. I swear she is a gem. My mum has been knitting items since I can remember. When we were in Primary school, my siblings and I rocked hand made sweaters to school. She is the aunty and friend who will knit a full set of sweaters, booties, and knit sweater for a new born baby. I recall a pic with Flo rocking a handmade two piece outfit when she was about Twelve. With mum's amazing workmanship I pulled a collabo of some sort, told mama to make me some scarfs mum and I will sell them. I have a dozen in stock - all beautiful rich colors and warm enough to get you any winter. Let me know if you are interested :)
Mummy here's the red fave one that I told you I will wear. A fave color of mine. Loveya!
Red Scarf: Roshie's mama (currently seelingthem)
Jeans: Express
Jacket: Zara
Sweater & Hat: F21
Backpack: Zara
ROBES AND BIRTHDAYS
Hello Beautiful people,
I hope you are all doing fabulous! I am back with a lot of ummph but before I jump into anything. This past SUNDAY was my 30th Birthday!!!
And boy oh boy was this weekend jam packed!
With laughs, and robes, and tea, food and wine and stories, and tears of laughter and shopping, and dancing and I loved every minute of it! EVERY. Damn. Minute.
THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO WISHED ME A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
From texts, to whatsapps, to phone-calls, my mum sent me a voice note singing (gushing!!), to facebook messages, my twitter fam, snap, and IG fam bam!! I appreciate you all!!
I am still in that little bubble of buzz and excitement so please bear with me. Started out on Friday with dinner with my gal pal Hanh, her boo and my buddy Jason.
My sis and my two wonderful friends (super soul sisters) Fuza and Steph showed up later in the evening to escort me into the Third Floor.
Saturday night, during dinner at a chic quaint French hotel in West Harlem, Maison Harlem, Happy Birthday songs were sang and I got an epic countdown to big 30 that would have rivaled the Times Square Ball drop! I think the whole restaurant was in on it.
I sang and danced later and I even hoped the night would never end!
The ladies had no idea that this shoot would be going down until they arrived in NewYork. I wanted it to be right around morning time, in robes, with tea or a drink of choice, and lots of music. We wear robes (now and then) in preparation for something. It may be a graduation or prepping before stepping out for the day or night activities. For me, this was zen time, to chat, reminisce about yester years, focus, prep then get ready to head out in readiness for what this new decade is about to bestow me. I had to have the tribe in on it!! Robe ready. The ladies all got in the shoot and boom, it was a session in itself. Jess, my amazing photographer just clicked away because we were in our own element.
When you find people who not only tolerate your quirks but celebrate them with cries of "me too!" Be sure to cherish them. Because those weirdos are your tribe. Love them hard!
My birthday is exactly two weeks into the new year. A time I truly enjoy celebrating and giving thanks to God for the gift of life, the amazing family and friends that I am blessed with and the ability to do follow my dreams with the support of phenomenal people.
A special shout-out to Flo, Fuza and Steph for making BDAY weekend so memorable!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018!!
Happy New Year!!
I hope the new year is treating you amazingly well. In 2016, I toasted welcomed 2017 with strangers. I remember walking to a bar, sitting there 20 minutes before the new year. Toasting and counting down with faces I will never see again, chugging my complimentary champagne which left a bitter taste on my tongue and a few minutes later, I was on my way home.
This NYE went a little bit differently. I had a pregame dinner with my sis, Flo and Jess where this fabulous pictures were taken. Toasted to an amazing 2017 and the lessons. I am forever grateful for having Flo in my life. She is an amazing support system, she listens, she chimes in when she needs to, encourages, the list is endless. I more than blessed to call her my sister. We later stopped by friend Christina’s for more merry making. Dancing, a few drinks being tilted, and an epic countdown. I was watching the ball drop on Times Square and my goodness, major kudos to those folks out there. The temperatures in New York are beyond frigid. Walking don the block is enough to make you an ice cube and we know there can only be one.
New. Just saying the word out loud is enough to make you excited. We get thrilled about new things. New shoes, new house, new adventures,new clothes, new dishes, new workout clothes, new day, and of course the new year.
New gives us a chance to start over, to freshen thing sup, to another chance, it’s another opportunity to begin.
Last year I jump started a business that did not even take off the runway. That plane just failed to take off. There was jet engine fuel, the systems seemed a-ok but nope nothing. Stuck on the ground. It was frustrating, somewhat depressing, disheartening, and at times it made me question a lot of things. Remember my post on the WHY? . I was just scratching the surface. I did not talk about it at the time, and I only mentioned it to my closest and dearest friends. When such things happen (mistakes and failures) it’s easier to focus on the negative and I like any normal human being found myself drowning in it.
It took a lot of talking and gyming and positive self-talk to get out of the funk. Mistakes are there to teach you a lesson. The past few blogs I mentioned failing forward. That’s the only way you learn. If I never attempted to start the business, I would never have known, never have learnt and I would still be where I was. I am taking that opportunity to do things differently. It gave me the courage to say it’s ok, fumbling and making mistakes is a huge part of life. That should not deter me or stop me from my goal. It made me grateful and also opened me up to the lessons. What was this trying to teach me? It was a poignant moment for me. A deep ah –ha!
If anyone who had failed stopped there would be no light bulbs, no Disney, no Michael Jordan, no movies, no new products, nothing!
So as we usher the new year. May you fail forward and continue learning from your mistakes. That is the only way you know you tried. You went for it. You gave it a go. And before you TRIUMPH, there will be many lessons that will get you there. If you only TRY! Hence, TRIUMPH.
I am a sucker for beautiful words and Nail Gaiman, author and film writer wrote this soo well in 2012 and should ring true 6 years later.
"I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.
Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.
So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.
Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.
Make your mistakes, next year and forever."
― Neil Gaiman
Happy 2018 my friends!!
17 OF 2017
It's THREE days until the NEW YEAR is upon us.
2017 was my visuals year and I can't help but reflect on the growth. I was checking out my analytics from last year and the numbers DOUBLED up! Doubled!
I am grateful to each and everyone of you.Thank you thank you!!
A SPECIAL THANKS TO Jessica, Arthur, Mo, and Bryan for working with me this year. My visuals team that made it all happen.
They are amazing humans. Check out their websites and if you are ever in New York and you need dope visuals. Hit them up. You are welcome :)
It's been fabulous!!!
Here's what I picked up when it comes to visuals.
- Studio shoots are work. Eat, hydrate and sleep well. You want to look your best. The photos will pick up on exhaustion.You can't Photoshop that.
- Even your bad side is a good side.
- Be on time!!
- Lighting is everything but so are shadows
- Yes to collaborations
- It's ok to reach out to other photographers and collaborate. Dallas shoot made Mo my buddy and yes Instagram hashtags come in handy.
- Be willing to learn from each other.
- I can stress on this enough. Communicate, communicate. Your photographer will be able to translate your idea if you talk. Not just inspo pictures. Give them a background on what you want to write about, or what you would like to execute.
- Relax and Have fun. The world is your runway.
Below are some of my fave post with visuals included. They are in no particular order.
- MAMA AND I AND THE CITY - Loved shooting this with my darling mother
- FIVE- And counting. That smile tells it all
- DANCING QUEEN - Rocking a beautiful wrap dress that made me want to dance. Go ahead- no one is watching.
- MOOD - This was therapeutic.
- HONEY COMB YELLOW - The Jumpsuit that I designed and wore for my girl Phil's wedding, This shoot was divine!
- JAN 14th 2017 - Turned Twenty nine and shared a poignant post about my grand mother. The phenomenal woman I was named after
- SUMMER 17 - My first fashion collaboration with Shop Tobi.
- PRODUCTIVITY - A post on trying to stay focused in a constantly chattering world. How do you stay focused.
- QUEENDOM - Designed an African Print gown. Shot in the said gown. Which was more like an editorial. Wrote about owning our kingdoms.
- ROSES IN THE BAG - Another editorial shoot with Arthur. Loved the creativity behind this.
- SAFARI CASUAL - A simple shift dress that I designed. This came about after watching documentaries on Africa.
- WORK - These culotte pants I made were a hit. I talk about the struggles on this creative journey. ---------BONUS: Lace dress from the KWITU NYC brunch.
- UPTOWN - Onwards and upwards,
- THE WORK - Debuted mini -abs lol and a few tips I learnt along the way.
- MERRY CHRISTMAS - JOY! This shoot was pure joy with my sister Flo!
- WIDE LEG JUMPSUIT - Another Tobi Collaboration
- ICED TEA - A easy breezy summer casual look that I rocked with maasai accessories. It was the perfect exclamation mark to this look
