Mama I made it!! I'm featured on a website... a whole website.. me!! Pardon my excitement but this is such a huge milestone for me in the right direction. I will not divulge the details of how it came to be (but bless my friend who made it possible for me). I will however share the details of my experience at the photoshoot and let you in on what this amazing brand is about. 

ABOUT THE BRAND: First things first, you may be wondering what Brand this is. This Clothing Line is called ShopVIRE, A Benin African traditional wear line. It is owned by a Trio of a mother and her two daughter, Benoite, Irene, and Ahouefa. They have spent almost three decades in North America but have always kept their culture close to heart through traditional Fon (their tribe) music, food, and clothing. According to their website, VIRE (pronounced vee-ray) is named after their maternal grandparents and is a celebration of their “third culture” experiences. 

When asked why they started this brand, their response was "Our desire is to make African fashion accessible to everyone by merging materials sourced from Benin, the artistry of local Beninese craftsman, and the fashion and trends of the west.  We also believe in honoring the contributions of each of our partners, therefore we ensure that each partner is recognized for their work by paying them a fair wage. We want you to know that when you buy from ViRe you are getting a one-of-a kind creation that is like you...authentic and unique."

I got to model some pieces from their ANKARA COLLECTION and I love the fit. The material used is not heavy and the quality of their products is impeccable. 

ABOUT THE PHOTOSHOOT: I had the pleasure of working with an amazing team of models, the makeup artist and photographer, and most importantly one of the Trio who is based here in Vancouver, Irene Chibota. I was a bit nervous because this was my first time on a professional set but Irene made everyone feel comfortable, was always ready to listen and open to everyone's ideas. It was a refreshing experience to work with an owner who is so warm hearted, humble and clearly passionate about her work. The photographer, Manto Nakamura was bubbly and as you can see in some of the shots, made me smile and enjoy every single shot behind the frame. And can we take a moment to admire the simplicity of the makeup done by Emily Walsh. This was a welcome change from my regular full face beat and I can't get enough of the softness it exudes. To add the icing to the cake, we were all fed throughout the process. Honestly, if this is what set life is like, count me in please! Two of the outfits, the yellow jacket and kimono dress are featured on their website, (LINK HERE) and can be found under the "Women's Apparel" section. 

I love every single piece I modeled and can't wait to see what the future holds for them. You can follow them on their Instagram (@shop.vire) for more on their new products and accessories. 

Thanks for dropping by, 

xoxo

Happy Saturday everyone! Can we just take a moment to appreciate that April fool's day fell on a weekend this year ? Gosh, I remember this being one the worst days everytime it fell on a school day. I mean the pranks that people would pull? Honestly, I don't blame you if you have any trust issues on this day. What the worst prank that's every happened to you?

So today, I made this hair mask. Its a diy mask made made from all natural ingredients. After I cut my hair in 2015, I started a natural hair journey. You may have read a post where I was talking about my hair journey (POST HERE) then during the summer i relaxed my hair. As you all may know, relaxing hair strips it of its natural texture so you have to put in extra effort to make sure its hydrated, soft and growing as well as it can. I made this hair mask to treat my hair from root to ends and I have to say it worked amazing. 

What you will need ?

You will need a banana (mine is a ripe one),

 2 tablespoons of honey,

2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil

Blender,

A container and mixing brush

After the mixture is blended to your preference, apply it all over your hair making sure every inch of your hair is saturated and leave it in for 30minutes. You can use the mixture before you do your normal washday routine for best results or use it after you shampoo your  hair. 

Below is a video of how to make the mask :) 

HAPPY NEW MONTH to you all! 

I hope this month brings good vibes only and I pray you were productive in September. Its usually around this time of the year I am reminded of the goals I set at the beginning of the year and try to see if I achieved any because truth be told, the year is as good as over. 

I used to look sideways at people who thrifted a few years ago (yes, I was one of those people who would complain the entire time my friends would drag me thrift shopping and with time, the invites stopped coming in). Then sometime last year, as I was passing a thrift store on my from an appointment, a Michael Kors Bag caught my eye. Within minutes, I found myself closely examining the bag, checking my bank account and contemplating if it was a good find or not. If you shop a lot, you know that you don't buy something immediately but instead you wonder around the store as you "makeup your mind". Needless to say, something else caught my eye and an hour later I left with a few goodies, excluding the bag and safe to say I haven't looked back since.

The off-shoulder trend is so in right now, thanks to Riri and I couldn't resist styling this over-sized thrifty find accordingly. If you've been following this blog for a while you will know I love my over-sized shirts, tops, anything and everything really because they are comfy! I like boyfriend jeans, which in this case aren't as baggy as I would have liked them to be because of weight gain but they work great with the look plus the Calvin Klein belt. Of course I had to complete the look with a cute hairstyle, just to add some sass to life and a vintage touch! 

How would you style an oversized shirt?

Thanks for dropping by 

Stay stylish divas

Slimthick 

MUSINGS.....

Letting go is that feeling I'm yet to come to terms with. Since I was a little girl, I've always found it hard to let go of anything, be it friendships to relationships and even the small things... Alas, I get attached to things in a way I'm somewhat ashamed to admit but unapologetically proud of. This has proven to be both good and bad in my life. Good in terms of how I'm able to keep clothes for a long time and in the best conditions to sustain their quality. Bad, well.. that's a story for another day. I've come to learn however that sometimes in life you need to let go of things or people when they don't serve a purpose in your life anymore. I've held onto some toxic relationships because I was scared to let go, fearing change but I learnt that you can miss a lot of blessings or opportunities while holding on. 

WARDROBE PICKINGS.....

I love my peplums.. yes they may not be as trendy as they were a few years back but as a curvy girl, they are a timelessly essential style to my closet. Its the style that I'm guaranteed to look good in on any given day. I've been loving my strappy shoes so best believe you'll be seeing these a lot in the following posts. I paired my peplum top with this burgundy leather skirt and my cat eyed shades. I thought I told you guys I'm a diva, best believe I rep Diva behaviour.

PS: In case you haven't watched how I braided these lovely box braids, (LINK HERE)

 

BAG: Aldo | PANTS: Zara | CHUCKS: Footlocker | DENIM: Garage | CROP TOP: Urban planet | NECKPIECE: Topshop