Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Stripe

     I love to push the envelope when it comes to approaching everyday style. I get bored very easily so wearing things that are tricky to pull of are intriguing. If you have ever seen Beetle Juice or a vintage prison uniform you would probably never ever want to attempt this look. Fashion should be fun so I did just that. 

     Stripes are very tricky in general. Vertical stripes can be very slimming while horizontal stripes tend to make things look wider than they are. The key is knowing your body type. I am a true believer that there are no rules when it comes to fashion. There are however, some helpful guidelines that can help you look more visually appealing. 

If you’re smaller on top then you want to wear your horizontal stripes on the top portion of your body and vice versa. If you have wide hips and you want to wear horizontal stripes then go for a thinner line pattern or one with alternating pinstripes. At the end of the day you look the best when you’re confident. If you love the way you look nothing else really matters. 

     If you think your outfit may or may not look like a prison uniform then give them a good pose and own it! Always put your best foot forward in fashion. Life is to short to wear boring clothes. 

Top – HM (4+ years ago) 



Pants – Fancy Kouture

Shoes – BU 

Sunglasses – Gucci 

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Life’s a Beach

You can’t kick off the start of the summer without a trip to the beach. I was in need of a day of sand and sun and visited a small beach out in Long Island. I wore my Shopaholic Merch swimsuit and a pale pink coverup. 

I am trying to preserve my new found growth since I’ve been taking my HSN Vitamins. These braids have been thee best protective style. I haven’t had them in quite a while and have since been obsessed! 

I really needed a day of relaxation. I have been keeping so busy. It is nice to be able to sit back and decompress sometimes. Shopaholic Merch is definitely here to stay but I am so tired! I can’t wait to show you what else is in store for the month of July. 

I hope you guys are enjoying your summer and I definitely hope to see some of you out and about in New York this season. Until next time… happy shopping. 

Curl Fest and Disappointment

In life I have to be realistic. I have been almost on a race to complete all of the ideas that come to my mind and bring them to fruition. I have been consistently excellent at styling lots of shoots and trying to get Shopaholic Merch off of the ground. If I am being realistic I have to understand that you cannot go through life without disappointment; especially when running a business.

I reached out to the facilitators of CurlFest offering my styling services and got a response shortly thereafter. One of the five women reached out to me and we discussed the looks for each client briefly. I created a mood board of some looks that I felt would be fresh and youthful for their presence on the lawn. They had previously always worn Ankara and other African-inspired garments so I wanted to go in a more contemporary direction. The client also confirmed my thoughts when she stated that a. Few of the women didn’t want anything tribal since they had done it the previous year. 

We struggled to be able to organize a meeting being that the ladies responded with less than a week’s notice before the actual event date. We eventually set up a meeting and I set out on my way. I didn’t expect much but knew I was going to do my job as best as I could. 

I arrived at the meeting early and I was instructed to head up. When I arrived only one out of the five women were present and I only knew of one other girl being on the way. Once she arrived I made her aware that one of the designers we had spoken about was not able to drop off her designs. She insisted that I push to get together with her and I then travelled from Brooklyn to New York’s Penn Station and back to pick up the items that we had spoken about. The disappointing aspect was that once I returned to the Brooklyn apartment the women didn’t seem to be interested in anything I had brought over. Personal styling is a sensitive entity so that is understandable. The frustrating part is that the girls had seemingly already seen all of the designs prior and didn’t even bother to try anything on. I had done a lot of leg work for absolutely nothing.

Only one other client had arrived and there were two others missing who seemingly never had plans to come out in the first place. I had completely wasted my time, energy and money. I almost decided not to attend CurlFest at all, but I had convinced my friends to go and now felt obligated. 

I did offer my services but I felt it common courtesy to at least acknowledge the disconnect. At any rate, I had a great time and saw so many beautiful women and men out on the lawn. I probably won’t do any more personal styling projects this year and will stick to photoshoots. I’m not frustrated at all I just wanted to express my disappointment. I know my business has to be growing because this has never happened before. In life I always try to see the positive in everything. 

The Shopaholic Brand

     I do not even remember where I was the day I decided to refer to myself as a “Shopaholic” but the name definitely stuck! I do know that this title means something to me. Shopping is not an addiction. It is an experience. I have wanted to wear my title for quite some time. I have figuratively worn this hat proudly for the last few years. I finally thought it was time to create something physical.

      The first thing I did was create the logo. I was inspired by the Supreme brand and everything that it stands for. I didn’t want it to be exactly the same but still noticeable. I found an unworn champion hoodie in my styling trunk and decided to give it a test run. I created three other looks and shared the mock up on my social media platforms. I new the neon combo would not be for the faint-of-heart and originally wanted it to be one of a kind. 

     A friend of mine was in town this past weekend and hosted a networking event and I decided to attend. I could not wait to wear my new sweatshirt especially since the weather was hinting of rain. I paired it with my American Eagle distressed jeans and my pink Aldo pumps. 

     The look was a hit and all of a sudden everyone wanted the same hoodie. One rule of business that I always follow is to give the people what they want. I hate it when people make something that can’t be duplicated. I really love all the shopaholics that have stuck by me over the years and want to make sure I can give them what they want. 

     I have already began to fulfill orders and can’t wait until all of the supplies are in so I can begin to ship them out. I am really excited about this new business venture an even more thrilled to show you guys what’s coming next.

Until next time… Happy Shopping! 

The Fashion 500: What I Wore

     The Fashion 500 awards is an event that honors creatives in the fashion and beauty industry. I have attended for the past three years and each year it just gets better and better. The Fashion 500 has a very specific dress code and it is not your everyday casual party. You are supposed to dress to impress and if you don’t comply you probably won’t get in. 

     I don’t ever know what to wear. I spend a lot of time dressing other people and sometimes I forget to dress myself as well. I knew I didn’t want to purchase anything new and began shuffling through my closet. Revisiting old pieces and sharing them in a different way can maximize your wardrobe in he best way. 

     I picked up this vintage sequin dress a few years ago at one of my favorite thrift stores in lower Manhattan. I went a little vintage with the entire look and paired the dress with a wavy, wet-set bun and a bold red lip.

     I live for texture and print so this look was no different! The sequins glistened in the night and I received compliments all night. Often times when it comes to dressing for an event or party you don’t need a new dress just a new perspective. 

     I dressed up the look with simple accessories. I stacked my fancy Kouture bracelets and rings with black and gold purse from Aldo and matching booties with a chunky gold heel. I really had a great time at the fashion 500 event. It always warms my heart to see people in my field being celebrated! I want everyone to win! I hope you guys had a great weekend and are ready to take on this new week in the new month of May! Happy Shopping! 

Shopaholic Personal Style : VB x Target

     The final look from my Victoria Beckham and Target collaboration is this sweet little pink sheath dress. I am a girly girl at heart and pink is my favorite color. I am a sucker for this piece because it satisfies my need for bold color and classic silhouettes.

      I love layering dresses over long sleeved blouses. I think it gives the Valentino vibe. I chose a white top to highlight the accent white piping along the bottom of the dress. Layering a dress over a blouse or t-shirt is super trendy right now. I still view this style of dressing as timeless. 

      I had a little fun with this look and didn’t take the pairing too seriously by adding a printed wedge. I would definitely wear this outfit to a weekend brunch or business meeting in the spring and summer. I let my hair down and smiled like no one was watching. 

     Since my Steve Madden wedges were pretty in-your-face I decided to keep the rest of the look simple with a matching H&M necklace and simple black shades. The sunny day was perfect for a day of New York City street style. 

     I loved doing this Target style series and I hope you enjoyed the looks that I shared with you so far. I would love to do more style stories and I am currently planning the next one as I am writing this! I would love it if all of my readers would subscribe to stay up-to-date on all of my future posts. Until next time… happy shopping. 

Shopaholic Personal Style: VB x Target

     I have seen this skirt on a lot of bloggers and it is not one of the easiest pieces to style. The bold pattern and silhouette is very over powering and you should try your best to keep everything else simple to avoid looking like a circus clown. I am here to show you how I would style this skirt to suit my own personal style. 

When you are surrounded by a super bold shape, color or pattern it’s best not to fight against it. Depending on your body shape you want to pick a color already present in your pattern and use it to complete the look. I have wide shoulders and a large bust so I chose the black to style my top to slim down my top half. 

This skirt is refreshing! It is fun and flirty and memorable. The VB skirt is going to be something you grab for a special event or brunch. You are definitely going to command the attention of the room with this outfit. I honestly feel that heels are definitely the way to go but you can pair with a pointed flat as well. 

     For the street style version of this look I paired it with a graphic tee in a similar color palette and finished it off with a statement pin and simple black heels. There are several ways to style this piece but this variation is definitely the most “me.”

 I would wear this to a business meeting or personal style consultation with a client. This is a stylists business attire (lol). I enjoyed styling this piece and I hope you guys liked my version of this look. 

     I have included a few other images of some close up views of the details of this look. I would love to know which picture was your favorite. 



Shopaholic Style Directory: Kelly Rowland

     Kelly Rowland has been a crowd favorite for years. The second strongest presence of the Destinys Child trio Kelly has had our hearts for years. She has been turning heads recently in the fashion scene and I am here for every single look! She is definitely style goals for me and her looks inspire me to be just as fierce. 

     Kelly has been serving bold prints and semi structured silhouettes. This look is super trendy right now and if you’re not tuned into the latest fashions you probably wont understand it. The luxe pajama trend is one of my personal faves and I hope it never becomes main stream. It reminds me a little of the principle we spoke about in my last post. A solid jumpsuit inside and a floral jacket in a similar color family. 

     Another look that Kelly’s stylist Ade Samuel has been keeping her in is bold stripes. The key to nailing this look is to go for complimentary colors and pair textures that wow. The velvet pants and suede boots compliment the season of the textured coat! This is one of my favorite looks! 

     Another trend that is more wide spread is a good coordinate set. Matching sets have been around for years! I love these because they amplify the potential of your wardrobe. You can wear the look together or style the pieces with your existing wardrobe separately. One coordinate set can be styled in three different ways.

    My my my… the jumpsuit is much like a dress in the sense that once you put it on your outfit is pretty much complete. This bold suit is very detailed and I love this shade of pink on women of color. This is another win from Ade Samuel and she nails it every single time! Kelly is a style icon for sure this year and I hope the duo keep this up! 

In the seasons where outerwear is necessary it is essential for a fashionista to have a statement coat. Statement coats are the perfect way to express your sense of style when you have to cover up your actual outfit. 

     Head to toe color! It’s like Kelly and Ade know my heart! Red is one of those hues that look so rich in excess! You can’t go wrong with head to toe color! If you want to add sex appeal you can pair a blazer with the silk an satin pieces they hug and drape the body effortlessly and scream style! 

     When Ade isn’t styling Kelly she’s probably bring us new shoes like the ones seen here on Kelly on a set. The pairing of bold color with classic style is what keeps Samuel at the top of the shoe companies watch list for footwear in fashion. 

     I enjoy the style that these women have been sharing and it inspired me to share it with my readers. I would love to know which look was your favorite. Which one do you think you would try? Let’s talk about it in the comments below. 

Shopaholic Personal Style: VB x Target Style Series

As promised I am back with a few looks that I have put together from the Victoria Beckham and Target collaboration. I have styled all three of the pieces that I purchased from target a few weeks ago and I am going to share them all with you over the next few days.

One of the things that I love most about collaborations is that they bring expensive runway styles to the everyday shopper. I love mixing high end and affordable style. When a designer also takes this concept and runs with it, it is almost always a hit. 

I loved the orange romper the most and ended up wearing this on Easter Sunday. The weather was perfect and was a much needed break from the cold that seems to not want to leave New York City. I paired the look with simple accessories and my Fe Noel Floral dress worn as a duster. 

This look was a hit on the streets of Brooklyn and I received nothing but compliments. The bright hues of blue and orange paired perfectly. I don’t doubt that I will be wearing this look again somewhere very soon. I didn’t want to add any more color to the already bold look so I added my flesh-toned Steve Madden heels to finish it off. 

I really enjoyed this look and I hope it inspired you to style your VBxTarget merchandise as well. Even if you were not able to get anything from the collection you can still apply the underlying principle of the outfit. Pair a solid color romper, jumpsuit or dress with a floral print overcoat or duster in a similar color family. If the colors are bold keep the rest of your accessories and makeup neutral.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Like always if you want to try any of the looks please tag me on your social media @thee_shopaholic. I would love to see! If you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments section. Until next time happy shopping! 

Victoria Beckham is Right on Target

 

     I hope you guys are all enjoying your Palm Sunday! Victoria Beckham launched her collection with Target this morning and I am definitely here for it! Clean lines and bold colors, prints and textures pretty much sums up the five separate collections she issued to the target brand today. I successfully made a few purchases but I also left a few great pieces as well. 

Women’s Orange Scallop Tie Waist Romper – Victoria Beckham for Target
     I love a good play suit (romper) that can be worn over and over again! This bright orange item is going to be one of my summer closet staples. The structure is perfect for every fashion occasion. The scalloped detailing is my favorite part! This circus scallop collection is giving me Solange vibes and I am definitely here for it! 

     This midi skirt is construction perfection! This is a statement piece and something that you will have in your closet for a lifetime! I personally think that this is the most innovative piece of all in her collection. I definitely had to add this to my shopping cart! 

Women’s Black and White Stripe Scallop Midi Skirt – Victoria Beckham for Target
     You can pair this look with blazers or play the look down with a simple graphic tee. The collection is super playful and definitely affordable. I love that target is giving us fashion while keeping in mind the budget of its “target” consumer (no pun intended). 

Women’s Fuchsia Twill Ruffle Hem Dress – Victoria Beckham for Target
     The last item I picked up was this bold pink swing dress with ruffle detail at the base. The spring and summer season is all about bold colors and I love the white accent at the bottom of the dress. YouCam dress it up with a heel or dress it down with a pair of white sneakers. This collection is very girly and classic just like the style we love to see from Mrs. Beckham. 

     I would love to know if you picked up any of the styles from target today. What did you hate? What did you love? What did you miss out on? The looks are selling out fast so if you haven’t already be sure to head over to the site. Until next time happy shopping!