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.

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.

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"

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...

Tameka J. Raymond: "She's Pretty for a Dark-Skinned Girl..."

Came across this article via theYBF

I spend way too much time on that site.

I felt inclined to share because she is a name sake (sans the E), because I too judged her when I first learned of her marriage to Usher. In retrospect, who am I to comment on her life. I do not know jack about her except for what I read in the media.

Father forgive me.  I have sinned. 

Her article speaks to beauty standards based on shades of black, the premise of the "pretty for a dark girl compliment and body image. I found it was  a pretty good read. A lot of this has been said before, but I particularly like her sharing the psychological scar she suffered after a failed lipo- tummy tuck post pregnancy.

Read on if you care to.....

Tameka J. Raymond: "She's Pretty for a Dark-Skinned Girl..."

Scents from down under.....

A couple weeks ago I met the lovely owners of Australian Scents....I didn't buy anything , my friend did. I press my face against her so as to get a good whiff of the product each time a see her. Awkward moment. I even considered stealing .......now I need to go get my own.

As a person bothered by eczema the story resonated with me......check them out .....THE BLOODY ACCENT MAKES IT EVEN BETTER!!!!

"australian Scent is a family owned and operated business specializing in hand crafted, small batch, cold processed formulas that maximize the nutritional and healing properties of the raw materials we utilize.

In 2004, whilst living in australia, my husband was diagnosed with psoriasis which severely affected his eyes and neck areas. after realizing the prescribed treatments 'may cause blindness', we chose the natural alternative."

p.s My title is so cliche. it's the equivalent of someone saying "no problem mon" to me.......forgive me

I like her style!

My best friend Kerrisha and host for my week end in Brooklyn. Looking quite retro and fab on Sunday on our Brooklyn Flea Market, lunch and bridge walk date. I couldnt pass up the chance to photograph the still functioning VW van.

be good. do better. look your best.
Tammyanka

The Synful Collection

I am addicted to clutches. My mother carried them to distinguish casual from dressy looks in the 80’s and 90’s and for me,as a child, carrying a clutch was the epitome of being a fashionable lady.

The lovely pieces above were designed and created by one of my best friends, Synethia. Synethia is perhaps the only friend who can 'out shop' me in terms of number of hours and show continued militancy. She is living in Japan( again!) and made these beauties by hand from silk Japanese Obi sashes/belts. Me likey.

Now, my only challenge is which of the pieces will she 'gift' to me , just because. I’m trying to get her to sell them on etsy….leave a comment if you think she should.

The lady above is the empress herself…..always looking divine.

be good.do better. look your best.

Tammyanka

I like her style!

Again celebrities have what seems like endless wardrobe budgets, get lots of free stuff and are in a

a business where their image is apart of the product they sell. So I try not to get too caught up with their style.

  

But, come on, isn't Eva Pigford...opps Marcell's look to die for. Easy , flowy, maxi dress with layers of chunky arm candy and huge door knocker earrings at a flea market.

I like her style.

Be good. do better.

look your best.

Tammyanka

Images

The Strong one

image via

My mother says my new do ( or non do) reminds her of Etana. Problem is, she has never actually  seen my hair post locks.  Etana is a Jamaican reggae artiste who bust on the scene after I left Jamaica, but I have grown to love her music.   Check out her song 'Dont Forget'.

There is perhaps no similarity between myself and Etana except that we are both black girls with natural hair. But for my mother who was born in pre-independent Jamaica and came of age in post colonial Jamaica where a Jamaican and black identity was not yet defined; my natural hair, suggests a rebellious act. Surprise, surprise. Mommy dear, I am maroon and so are you. 

She is a little concerned about grad school internship prospects with my untamed hair. She constantly asks me, 'what are going to do with your hair for next semester?'

Mommy....it's done!

Flower hair clips- H&M

be good. do better. look your best.

tammyanka

I like her style!

Celebrities get free stuff, their income tend to be in the millions, so I usually do not get caught up with their style. 

Then there is Rihanna. Maybe I am biased 'cause she is Caribbean. Maybe it's because of the risks she takes. Whatever it is, I like her style. Her confidence is her best accessory.

Via:theybf.com

be good. do better. look your best.

tammyanka

If money grew on trees.Or not.

Me likey, it's in keeping with this week's bright colors. At a meager $1,200 to Mr. Jean Paul Gaultier or the tuition of 12 girls in El Salvador. But with a little imagination, reused materials like an old belt, carnival costume ribbon, bright skirt and cotton tank.

be good.do better.look your best.
T

Saturday classes

As if I had no assignments and house stuff to do, I spent the entire day searching for art(read:stuff) with two of my frenies from school, Lier Bear and PP. We 'studied' two Marshalls,two Goodwill Stores (I did donate atleast $500 in stuff, mostly my sister's stuff.), Target, H&M(nothing god),Macy's (for returns). A sales associate at Goodwill explained that donations are down since the recession. 

Lier Bear was the main reason for the trip. A beautiful woman, who like many others, does not bother to put too much effort into getting dressed. She has a big personality, quite strong and frowns at my 'Stepford wife'(read:cable sweaters) attire at times. She's probably going to call me out for saying that, but I can handle it.

Class notes:

PP set out in search on a black snake skin pumps, but fell in love with a pair of fuscia snake skin sandals she had to take home. Her vintage earring find is seen above. Beautiful.

Lier Bear is not as naive about fashion as she sells the massses. She is firm on what she does not like and open to trying new style outside her defined comfort zone. She loves socks!! Way too much.

Yours truly, exercised restraint. I confirmed however, that my style spans the wide spectrum - ethnic, peasant, modern, vintage,romantic - I like most of it. My best find was a 1970s Coach  Bonnie Cashin Saddle Bag. The associate obviously did not know the value of the item and I bargained $6 off the original price. I own a 39 year old limited edition vintage bag! Yeah me!!

Lessons:

Bargaining is allowed at thrift stores.

You usually will not find the one item, most times basic ,like black shoes, when you really want to. So pick up basics when they are available at good prices and leave intentional shopping trips for unique finds.

Lier Bear and PP are cool chicas!

be good. do better. look your best.

T

Styl(Ed) 101- Greenwashed

I really do not have much to say today. Exhausted by a long week and poor time management.

However, in today's Eco-tourism session an extensive discussion on the definition of eco-tourism ensued. Whether we know how to define it or not green is in. Eco-chic, eco-tourism,green-building, green manufacturing. The list goes on. While the Professor preached the green gospel, I was taken up with one otherwise conservative classmate and dear friend's green ensemble.

She pointed out that the boot's are faux snake.....after all she is in the business of Sustainable Development.

be good. do better.look your best.

Tammyanka

Trench coat mafia

I know, I've been milking the concept of spring. I can't help it. I'm an island girl. Life is better when it's more than 50 degrees. I covet this trench. Since I can't buy it on my graduate school salary, I'll get dressed in this space....be good. do better.look your best.

Style(Ed) 101

I'm excited to start this section Style(Ed), to share looks I like from classmates during the rest of my semester at the Heller School for Social Policy & Management at Brandies University. I hope I won't get in trouble for singling out some and not others. If I do, ohh well. Take it as a motivator to look your best.

I wasn't the only one in class donning a structured velvet blazer yesterday. Monica, a classmate out of China(who organized fashion shows in her homeland) was similarly dressed. She brilliantly layered in a sweater and shirt combo and added an ornate flower to soften up the look. A pair of washed denim completed her attire.

She was shy, but obliged me when I asked to get her photo. She even gave me a dollar at the vending machine later, as if I wasn't the one that owed her for being apart of by shenanigans. Thanks Monica.

Be good, do better, look your best,

Lighten up!

We had a pretty good/warm week end, weather wise in Boston. As we move into March, I am excited to shed some layers......not too soon though. I was on one of my favorite websites, shopstyle.com and found some lighter blazers and jackets to share.  They are the cliche spring yellows and whites, but add your kick to the pieces according to your personality.

I like the last one best. It's a great artsy piece that is simply asking to be paired with wide leg denim or an A-line skirt and espadrilles/wedges.  I'd opt out of jewelry except for a statement bangle or cocktail ring.

Be good, do better, look your best,

Tammyanka