LEATHER and FUR

I was invited back to my Alma Mater by the Caribbean Student Association (CSA) to celebrate all the alumni who have been involved with the organization. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try out the leather and fur trend. The leather skirt was a great find at Value Village Thrift Store for six bucks! Why spend a load of cash on seasonal trends, right?

Wearing: Urban Outfitters fur vest | H&M tank | Thrifted leather skirt | Luxury Rebel heels |  Thrifted clutch

Going Naked...

Tackling a big one this time around ladies and gents. I figured I would come out of the gate w/ guns blazing (so to speak), and what better way to do that than to talk about one of the most controversial conversation in fashion…body image.

It cannot be denied, weight and fashion go hand in hand. You can’t have a conversation about what someone is wearing without the subsequent statement “her body looks amazing” or the polar opposite “It didn’t flatter her figure at all (and these are just the nice/politically correct versions).” We are constantly reminded to check our weight or that we have an undesirable shape and we are pressured to go under the knife so that we can be skinny. We are encouraged to invest in diet fads and weight loss challenges and told that only thin is in.

Ok so here is a bit of personal information, I am a solid size 12 (a size 14 on a bad day) so I straddle the plus size line by some standards. There is not a day that I don’t hear the harassing voice in my head screaming, “if only your thighs weren’t so big” and “curse these big arms…why can’t you just look more like the imaginary skinny you??” So what do I do about this? I go naked!!! That’s right I said NAKED. Whenever I feel over self conscious about the way that I look, I dare to bare. Now when I say naked I don’t literally mean that I strip down to my birthday suit (you guys can breathe now). Instead, when I feel some type of way about my body, I take the opportunity to celebrate it by show it off in some drastic way. This summer I had one of those self conscious moments and decided to say bump it, it’s time to get naked.

Wearing: Kenneth Cole swimsuit | Thrifted kimono | Target sunglasses

Greetings from the PHLUFFashionCloset

Hello from the PHLUFF Closet! I have finally made the decision to go for it. What is “it” you ask? Well I have decided to pursue my dream; my dream of one day becoming a big fish in the little pond they call the fashion industry. I have considered going on this journey for quite some time now. During my undergraduate career I fought with the idea of pursuing a career in fashion. As we all know the world of fashion is tricky to navigate and can be fickle at times however, becoming a part of it is not an impossible feat. I have kept a critical eye on the fashion industry and its infrastructure and I honestly still have no idea how I will fit into that infrastructure but one thing is for sure…I want in!

But why a blog? It seems that blogs and vlogs are the newest, most popular way to explore one’s interest especially when it comes to fashion. Fashionistas of all shapes and sizes are flooding cyberspace with hauls, tutorials, outfit showcases, etc. It allows the author to express themselves personally as well as display their expertise in hopes of public recognition from the fashion industry. That being said, I intend for this blog to do all of that and more!

So what can you, as the reader, expect from this exploration? If I do my job right, as I intend to, you will get to see fashion and the fashion industry just as I see it. There will be news reports and discussions about what is going on in and around fashion. I will give you my thoughts on current trends, past trends, and things not-so-trendy. There will be designer, photographer, and artist highlights. I will also grace the page with a showcase my personal style every now and then, as well as my styling abilities through look books and “Outfit of the Day” postings.

HOLD ON! There is one more thing…

Something that I didn’t mention…Not only am I doing this blog as a way to advance my knowledge and career with respect to the fashion industry, but I am also doing this as a way to shed one of my biggest fears;self-promotion. Like many people, I have a hard time boasting about my talents. I have decided that this is a fear I am ready to conquer. I am a talented writer, photographer, and stylist and I need to share these talents. Who knows what door(s) could possibly open once I get over my fear of self-advocacy?!