Sweat Equity

We have all been there. You are straight chillin on the couch, when your friend calls last minute with something fun that you just can’t pass up. You only have moments to get ready and are currently in sweat mode. What to do? Remix those sweats boo!

You can add some very small things that will make a big impact on a chic athleisure look. In this case, I added a simple faux leather jacket, hoops and some nude pumps. Seriously, thats it. I guarantee you already have accessories that you can add. No purchase necessary. Just go in that closet and mix it up.

ASOS DESIGN Tall Hoodie & Jogger Set (shown in size L)/Faux Leather Jacket - ASOS (similar here)/Glasses and Hoops - Forever 21/Pumps - Calvin Klein (shown in size 12)

Photos by Alina Mamlyuk

If you are looking for sweats, I highly recommend the ASOS loungewear line but if you already have them, there are simple, easy and free ways to pump them up 20 notches. Try some things out. The worst thing that can happen is you have to buy a new pair of sweats and the best is unlocking new looks you didn’t even know you had in your closet. That doesn’t sound like much of a risk to me. Besides, you need that emergency look on hand for that one last minute friend that we all have, know and love. Stay ready so you wont have to get ready. Period.

Let God

Style posts have taken over my life for some years now. People don't understand how much work they really are. Imagine every outfit you have worn in a 2 week span, constructed, gathered and shot in a single shoot. It's taxing. While this style schedule has been draining, this post is the first time in a long time that I actually had fun doing one.

In the past I put so much pressure on myself to look perfect, have the perfect on trend clothes and obsessed about angles. I was unknowingly creating an image that I could never live up to. I was doing you a disservice and I apologize for that. 

I would toil over every detail and it was taxing.

No more.

Whenever I shoot these from now on, I will just let them unfold organically. Those veins on my hand will be poppin. If a hair is out of place, that is where it will sit. If my nails don't match, oh well. If I don't feel like rockin a trend, I won't. I will no longer push outside ideals of what I think I should be. That drug no longer has a place here.

For the past 6 months especially I have been stretched to the hilt. I have found out so many things about myself. I love the beautiful things and am repairing the ugly ones. My confidence is a constant werk in progress. It ebbs and flows. I don't want to preach that it is always positive. While our confidence is always there, no doubt there are days when it's exausted.

There will be many more days where I will need to build my strength. This doesn't make me weak, it makes me human.

And really I need to stop caring about what you think. I found myself caring more about your thoughts of my content than the purpose behind the pictures and words. 

I absolutely enjoy sharing our stories and beautiful comments about life. It is one of my favorite things about being a blogger but I need to shed the act of caring what you and other people think. The only opinion that should matter is God's. He built me, He gave me my purpose and has made me exactly who I am. He and He alone is who I should be concerned with. I love you and will listen to anything you have to say but at the end of the day, He is the only opinion that matters. To fully live my life, I must walk tall in this fact every single day.

Sweatshirt - STUZO Clothing/Tall Mom Jeans - ASOS/Glasses - Opaque Eyewear/Kicks - Nike via Nordstrom Rack

Photo credit: Ashdav Photo

This is a revelation that came out of a 14 day period of non-stop anxiety about the show. When I dropped the trailer, anxiety enveloped every being of my body. I didn't like the reactions of some people, I didn't like the way I looked with my natural hair (silly yet real thought), questioned the telling of my story and a hundred other completely fabricated things. I built a false mountain out of a non-existent molehill.

I relied on my own view of the situation instead of relying on God's principles and promises for my life. He has given me this opportunity, told me to do it and will do great things with it despite what my view of it may be. Our steps of faith are hard and often confusing but lead to God's plan that is always better than anything we could ever piece together. 

I say all of that to say this...stop trying to control your life and let God take the lead. Work on giving Him the reigns for good. Your life is strategically unfolding in the way that He wants it to. Get out of your own way and certainly get out of His. Listen to Him and unapologetically walk with Him. Be yourself, learn, grow, let go and let God be who He is. 

BUSTED

Skinny Jeans - ASOS TALL Ridley Black Skinny Jeans in Rip and Destroyed Busted Knees/Shirt - H&M Thrifted from Savers/Shoes (size 12) - Calvin Klein via Nordstrom Rack/Shades - Forever 21/Bag - Thrifted

Photo Credit: LaKeela Smith

There is nothing I love more than a simple, chic, black and white combo. You seriously can't go wrong. No matter the type of dress, from casual to a night out, a black and white ensemble is a surefire way to look put together and polished.

These jeans from ASOS Tall set this black-white fit off! The rips are in all of the right places. I mean the bust at the knee is actually AT THE KNEE which is unheard of for us. They are super flattering, comfy and can go from day to night with ease. These jeans are one of those amazing Tall finds that you squeal about when you put them on. I might have hugged them at one point but don't tell nobody.

I paired them with this thrifted shirt from Savers (one of my thrift favs) and a neutral pump, from your favorite and mine, Nordstrom Rack. When all was said in done this entire fit was under $100! I just love fits that are comfy, polished and economical don't you?

BTW...HAPPY FRIDAY! Slay the weekend beautiful:-)

Stormy Leather

Tall Vest - ASOS/High Rise Leather Skinny (38" inseam) - Amalli Talli/Shoes - Rollie in Black from Smash Shoes (shown in size 12)/Bracelet and Belt - H&M/Sunnies - Forever 21

Photo Credit: LaKeela Smith

Spring and leather are 2 words that you don't really hear together too often but they can definitely be a match made in Heaven. I personally believe that leather can be chic in any season and these 38" inseam High Rise Leather Skinnies from Amalli Talli prove that. They set this structured spring look off. I simply love them.

I paired them with a military inspired vest from ASOS Tall and these killer babies from Smash Shoes. I mean the lace-up fierceness is everything. Slay.

Now the foundation is great but the accessories give this look a metallic exclamation point and the lines of both the bracelet and belt compliment each other without being too matchy-matchy.  

I hope you enjoy the look as much as I enjoy wearing it! How do you rock leather is spring weather?

PS. I know this is short and sweet but the Playoffs have this Tall Girl tired hunni. I hope everything makes sense:-)

IMPERFECT

Ibena Laser Cut Heels (shown in size 12) - Eleanor Anukam Footwear/Tall Long Sleeve Jersey Body - TTYAXLTS/Tall Shift Dress - ASOS/Sunnies - Collage Clothing Lounge/Cross Body - Thrifted

Photo Credit: Meg Russell Photography

Perfection is something that can’t be attained. It’s impossible to be perfect however our society is constantly trying to push the perfect agenda on us. You must be a certain size, a certain height, have your hair a certain way, make-up on point etc. As a blogger, I find myself unconsciously doing this, especially when it comes to shooting looks. Often, I will prepare for a shoot longer than it takes to shoot the looks themselves. Furthermore, any blogger who says that they don’t do this, isn’t completely telling the truth. Shooting looks for a blog is a production, plain and simple.

With that said, I go back and forth with continuing to shoot these looks because I don’t want to set a standard that one cannot attain. I definitely wear all of the clothes that I shoot on my blog but do I continually look this polished on a daily basis…

heck no.

That would be impossible. I am incredibly busy (especially during the season) and prepping every day, in the way that I do for shoots is unrealistic. I am a complicated, dynamic ball of beautiful imperfection and that is what we need to share with each other.

Do I wear make-up and add hair to my look? Ya darn skippy. These are things that I enjoy and will continue to do but they don’t define me and I have permission to change them as I please.

The truth is, my hair has flyaways, my nails break and are not always done, I have varicose veins on my feet, my legs are not always tanned and my weight fluctuates (among one hundred other sporadic things). We are all REAL women that are amazing, one-of-a-kind works of brilliance.

With that said, I am going to shoot looks…but I will no longer obsess about perfecting them. I am in a season on growth right now and this is one of the ways I am developing. I am made specifically in every way, as are you. I will no longer mold any part of me into being what society has conditioned me to aspire to be. I am ready to share all of me with you and I apologize for the delay.

Let’s take the pressure off and happily stand tall in our gorgeous, vibrant, imperfect selves shall we?

STOP THE PRESSES

Tall Jumper - ASOS Tall/Pumps - Christian Siriano for Payless (size 12)/Bracelet and cuff - Forever 21/Clutch - Vintage

Photo credit: Nikki Notarte

I have expressed this many times but I have to say it again...I LOVE THE ASOS TALL LINE! It is forward thinking and cut beautifully for us. They have some AH-MAZ-ING fall pieces coming in. Definitely check them out.

Now, this outfit is cute and everything but I feel like I need to take this in another direction today...

There are many myths that people will try to get you to believe about your height and this picture debunks three of them... 1) Tall Girls shouldn't wear heels, 2) Tall Girls shouldn't wear print and 3) Women with exceptional size feet shouldn't wear white shoes. In fact, I have been told all three. ALL are ignorant statements and ALL are lies that they want you to believe to stop you from being the fabulous, amazing, knock-down gorgeous woman that you are. 

What you must understand is that the people who make these types of rules are the same ones who are afraid to live outside them. Don't be that person. Be unapologetically Y-O-U.  Rock those heels, put those white shoes on your size 12 feet, wear the loudest print possible from the top of your pretty head to your baby toe...I don't care what it looks like to anyone else, be the YOU that YOU want to be.

Guess who needed this tonight? Her first name starts with Alicia and her last names begins with a Jay. We all need a reminder sometimes and I am no different.

#BeYOU my tall, beautiful friend!!!