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Bloggin at CARIBBEAN.CONSERVATION.CHIC.TUMBLR.COM

be good. do better. look your best

"Almost everything is reusable"

Maria Westerberg makes great design of what most of us throw away. Most recently
a collection of textile waste to the Indian. Here she shares with others their
secrets on the best way to recycle.

I absolutely love that throw pillow she's holding (no pun intended). It looks like re-used saris of rich fabrics.



See full article at HUS & HEM

Non fall clothing

Most of my regular blogs are show casing plum tones and wools.....so not relevant to me this year. When is it okay to wear linen and T-shirt to work in October? When you're interning on island and you can see the sea and cruise ships from your office premises. strings of faux pearl and pointed toe kitten heels suggests that you made an effort especially in a very conservative work environment.

T- shirt- The Gap

Linen wide leg pants - F21

Necklaces - Aldo

Flower in the hair - a poppy in memory of veterans.

be good. do better. look your best.

Here, Hear, Hair I am.

Since I chopped off my locs arond three months ago, I've looked in the mirror too many times and wondered what the hell I'd done. It was long. It was 'somewhat' socially acceptable and becoming mainstream. It was easy. It was safe.

In the last 2 weeks or so, I've come to terms with this hair and many other changes in my life. Now I moisturize, style, let go...do something , do nothing.

Wearing a twist out while eating a snail. Yeah a snail. See the story here.

Bantu knots- ish!

Pinned up. Eyes closed.

Newly conditioned with castor oil.

Saturday 'fro

Child's play

Janelle Monae- esque

Have you changed your hair recently. Why does length give such security?

be good. do better. look your best ( regardless!!)

MY SYNFUL CATWALK IN TOKYO

Remember my friend Synethia? See here. The one who made the clutches from Japanese obis?

Well looky here!

A 30 year old, 5' 3 inch, lock wearing English language teacher opening in Tokyo Fashion Week.

Do you have dreams? Do you believe in you? Go forth and claim your place.

My friend since undergrad, shopping partner , bridesmaid, listening ear, comforting words and road dog !!

flippin fierce!!!!

I am so proud!!! I feel like a proud mama!!

See more here

Tag! I am it.

Okay. While I've been slacking in posting here, since I spend most of my time travel blogging. I got tagged by the beauty, smart lady who is Irie Chic.

THE STORY: This past January I visited my grandfather in Jamaica, after not seeing him for nearly 10 years. This is a photo of me messing around with the contents of my grandma's kitchen. My grandma died over 10 years ago and my grandpa never re-married, dated nor changed a single thing in his wife's home. While I was joking around, I was happy to find the place I had happy childhood memories, in in tact. LIKE A MUSEUM!!

The Rules:

1) open your 1st photo folder

2) scroll down to the 10th photo

3) post the photo and the story behind it

4)Tag 5 or more people

I'm tagging

Payal

Andrea

Brianna

Brandiss

Boutique Girl

do good. be better. look your best.

Hair is St. Lucia

Over at my travel blog, I shared a bit about Hair in St. Lucia. See here

Not long after that post, I found this lovely article “

“Zahara Jolie-Pitt and the Politics of Uncombed Hair”

Hair is often the first thing others notice, be it the texture, length, fullness, or shine. In the African-American community it can also tell a story. It can indicate your background, lineage, and social standing. From slavery until today, skin color and hair texture played a large part in how the overall society viewed blacks and ultimately the way African-Americans saw themselves.

……this too shall pass.

Who said bridesmaid dresses are for one time use?

A few months ago I attended a friend's wedding in Barbados. She had the novel idea of custom made silk dupioni corseted tops, pencil skirts and banded belts.

Honestly, at first I didn't get it. When I got to BIM( as Barbados is called) I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was her selection, a rich fabric in an amazing colour, but her design was carefully executed by Caribbean Icon Award Fashion Designer Pat Brathwaite. (See her work here and here and here)

Wasn't Les the most beautiful bride?

My friend Les, heard me plotting on the many ways I'd wear the outfit again...even before her wedding was over. I still havent done the crisp button down white shirt, tons of Channel-esque pearls and nude pumps just yet.

I had shown only a peek of the dress here. Here's how I've worn pieces of the bridal attire...countless times.

Above, the entire outfit, in my friend's bridal party, Barbados.

With a nude pocketed dress and gold hoops, out to drinks with friends in Kingston.

With dark denim, a metallic top and wedges, out for drink with friends in Waltham, Ma.

With a button down pin stripe shirt and white boot leg pants, presenting at a conference in Jamaica.

With a off white 3/4 sleeve tank , orange bib necklace and purple velvet flats, today at work in St. Lucia.

be good. do better. look your best.

Claat .....

I used to accompany my mother( a reluctant seamstress) in Kingston, Jamaica, to the fabric(claat in Jamaican creole) store. I took the opportunity to accompany an older co-worker, also a seamstress here in St. Lucia to the fabric store for the heck of it.

All the memories came rushing back, Indian silks, British cottons, post- colonial madras plaids.

I picked up a few pieces. Now I'm looking for a tailor/seamstress to make a few pieces while I'm here.

This is how I feel....

Happy to be alive!

Striped top- The Gap, Vest- FCUK, Skirt- J-Crew ( click image for larger view)

How are you feeling?

be good. do better. look your best.

Kweyol Clutch

This month is Kweyol (Creole) Heritage month in St. Lucia. The entire country celebrates the creole ( French, English and African) heritage with traditional music, dance, food, exhibitions etc. I attended an event, October Fest en Kweyol ( a fusion of the German Beer Festival with a Kweyol Flair) These handmade straw clutches were on display and I had to take one home.

The wristlets, clutches and small shoulder bags are carefully crafted by a local St. Lucian woman, Lil, who usually sells in the City's market, using straw harvested in rural St. Lucia , scraps of fabric and used plastic for the inside lining.

Top- F-21, Shorts - French connection, Necklace - a shop in St. Lucia, Sandals- Nine West

Other pictures from the event can be found at my Travel Blog, CaribbeanConservationChic.tumblr.com.

be good. do better. look your best.

SHE started in a supermarket

Let's talk Caribbean Chic.

It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to pick up SHE in the grocery store. IT WAS JUST THERE!! AVAILABLE. The magazine is carried by one [as far as I know] book store in Boston. I was familiar with the coveted glossy pages of caribbean fashion, features and profiles of fabulous Caribbean women, but had no knowledge that it was as St. Lucian as the Pitons!!

This month's issue has a lovely round up of Caribbean fashion Week that took place this past June in Kingston.

"Since its inception in September 1998 as a freebie from Julian’s Supermarket, SHE Caribbean has developed into a highly respected international women’s magazine. Publisher Mae Wayne remembers well the magazine’s beginnings as a promotional vehicle for the supermarket’s products. The response was encouraging from the start. Gradually, the magazine changed its Saint Lucia bound focus to concentrate on all women from the region"

Handmade St.Lucia

Yesterday I went to the duty free shops in Castries, St. Lucia. How tourist-y of me? I wanted to immediately take home this handmade lantern. The creation is by a St. Lucian expatriate...Becker( I can't remember), made with washed up sea fans, shells etc on canvas with rope and used light fixtures.



Do you like?

be good. do better.look your best.

Eye Candy

Since I am far away from the mass consumption of malls, thrift and vintage shopping in the USA and it costs way too much to get online purchases delivered in St. Lucia, I have been window shopping online. Alot!

I was in aaaaawwwwwhhhh when I found Akpos Okudu Spring Summer Collection 2010 over at her Facebook page and then here blog. Could someone please invite her to show at fashion week somewhere....emailing here to get details on ordering in 5,4,3,2.......

Divine...colors, cut, construction...

I cheated. I am sorry.

So. I have been in St. Lucia now for 13 days. I started a new travel blog CaribbeanConservationChic at tumblr to document that journey and because I find that pictures are better looking there.

St. Lucia is good so far. Like my homeland Jamaica, but yet very different. I am working on biodiversity conservation( read: protecting trees, animals etc and managing how people use these scarce resources that are essential to the 'sustainability' of Caribbean economies)

That JCrew Button down skirt (Thrifted) Shirt- Gap, Necklace( Goodwill) Shoes(Kenneth Cole)

Shirt- (BCBG), Top- (NY&Co.), Khaki-( Gap) Necklace - (Liz Clairborne) Paparazzi, for the organization's press release.

Blazer -(Old Navy(Thrifted), Top( Max Mara, stolen form my sister), Skirt- ??? Lady Bug Necklace( Lucky Brand@ Macy's))

I have been enjoying getting dressed with less than a quarter of my closet and lots of accessories. My challenge is even greater because of what I call 'post-colonial mannerisms' that limits what "work wear" is. Typical work wear here is button downs, polyester suits, nylon stockings etc......I try not to stand out...too much. Although I had some critical commentary on pattern mixing. Still a little taboo.... I know what is expected having worked in Jamaica......but I choose not to pay attention.....While the island is usually 80 degrees the office AC is kept at 26 degrees.....so layering is okay...for me atleast.

be good. do better. look your best.

From St. Lucia

Wedding Day. First Day. Same thing.

Something old. Something new. Something borrowed. Something blue.

The itsy bitsy, little yellow polka dot ( okay, it's not a bikini) is old clothes for someone but new to me. I picked up the 'thrifted' (read:poop inna/old bruk), at Goodwill in Boston. The vintage Ralph Lauren silk shirt fits like it was custom made for me! The pin striped belt is borrowed from the best friend a girl could have and the pants are basic blue wide legs from the Gap. No, I didn't wear those flip flops!

See travel blog here http://caribbeanconservationchic.tumblr.com/ ( I find tumblr a better platform for posting photos) I will post here less for the next six months that I am in the Caribbean.

be good. do better. look your best.

From St. Lucia....

Birthday in Brooklyn

Click photo above to view

I celebrated my birthday this past Saturday traveling 12 hours to get to St. Lucia. The day was the most unusual one i have had yet. I enjoyed pre-birthday and farewell celebrations in Brooklyn on Thursday. With a hundred tasks to complete before jetting off for my internship I wanted an outfit that was easy but special. This vintage madras, silk Brooks Brothers shirt came together nicely with a few borrowed pieces from my best friend.

Denim- old pair cut off(Marshalls)

Shirt- vintage Brooks Brothers ( Goodwill)

Belt- borrowed

Cocktail ring- borrowed( it hurt to return it)

Platform Sandals- INC(Macy's)

Purse- Vintage Gucci( circ 1964) (Goodwill)

Thanks to Mr. Husband I got the SLR I wanted.

be good. do better. look your best.