Werking from Home

In the past 8 months, there have been so many changes in my life. Despite the best of plans, I don’t think that you can ever be ready to catapult into full time entrepreneurship. It’s incredibly freeing and sometimes equally as terrifying. You are literally steering the ship and relying on your own volition for everything. It took me some time to adjust. Driving your own cause takes will power, meticulous scheduling and a lot of prayer. I have called out to God more times than I can count. However at the end of the day, it’s completely worth it.

One of the biggest adjustments has been working from home. I was business casual for 13 years and now I have a commute of zero. I literally could work in my pajammie jams all day. Ok, for a time I was but I found that my mind would stay in bed as long as I still had the clothes that I slept in on. So what do you do? Sit at your computer with a full suit on? That would be a full on negative ghostwriter for me. If I am at home, I am going to be comfortable but I also need to be able to pick up and go at a moments notice. So what’s a tall girl to do? I jumped on the net to find the chicest of sweats and landed at our good friend ASOS.

Admittedly, I could wear the ASOS tall line every single day and especially now because the loungewear is straight fire. This ribbed top and pant are a prime example of the amazing pieces they have to kick it in the most fashionable way possible.

And when I have to run to a meeting or meet up, I pick out my pineapple (aka fluff the fro), throw-on some accessories and I strut down the street like the boss I was created to be. In this case, I literally added an earring, circle bag and block heels. I go from work-at-home chic to power meeting ready in the blink of an eye.

These are sweats people! I mean it’s changed my whole style point of view. Fierce and incredibly comfortable at the same time? Sign me up! Let’s take this lewk in shall we!? Scroll and I will see you at the end…

Photos by Alina Mamlyuk

ASOS Tall Lounge Ribbed Knit Set (shown in a size 8 top and 10 bottom)/ASOS Circle Shopper Bag/ASOS Leopard Block Heeled Sandals (shown in a size 12, SIMILAR here)/ ASOS Circle Drop Earrings (SIMILAR here)

You will undoubtably see my style changing in different ways. My life is vastly transforming and that means that everything is morphing to compliment it. I look forward to sharing these new lewks and lookout on life with you. We are constantly learning in growing in all areas and I am honored to do it with each and every one of you. Talk to you soon gorgeous!

Just Give me the Light

Warning. I really liked this outfit and photos so there are a plethora of them. Like 12. There is also different lighting in almost every photo because the sun was going bananas. It’s cool though because it shows you that you should never compare yourself to others because what you are comparing yourself to could just be great lighting. Love yourself, love your lane and by all means, take 1000 selfies in some bomb lighting. Let’s get to outfit shall we?…

Can we talk about this jean jacket? It’s from Alloy (which is clearly one of my favorite tall retailers). Also, If you have been on their site, the beautiful Jamie Lea is rocking it in the fiercest way possible. As you can see on her and I, this jacket has an amazing cut and is super flattering. Alloy really constructed it right. It’s tall in the right places. You know what I mean. Some “tall” clothes out there are just tall all over. The arms, the body, even the dang pockets are over cut. This jacket does not do that. I love the wash, quality and price. It’s only $64.90. Also, Alloy always has some sort of amazing coupon code so if you don’t see it on their site, google that bad boy.

I’m geeked about the jacket and also pumped about the sneakers…here’s why…

As you may or may have not seen, I recently took a trip to the Nike World Campus in my hometown of Beaverton, Oregon to visit one of my High School basketball coaches. His name is Sam McCracken. He was a great coach and now he is the founder, General Manager and visionary of the Nike N7 fund and collection. These kicks (specifically the Nike Air Huarache City Utility Premium N7) are one of my favorites from the line. I love them but I love what they do even more. All of the proceeds from the Huarache (and entire line), are given back to youth sport and physical activity programs in the Native American Community. The line is fire and the power of change that it provides is phenomenal. I am so proud of my coach and his entire team for all that they do.

Tall Sofia Trucker Jacket - Alloy Apparel (shown in size L)/Nike Air Huarache City Utility Premium N7 (shown in a 10.5 in mens, I always run a half size larger in Nike’s)/Slashed Powerstretch Skinny Jeans - Long Tall Sally (shown in a 10/38”)/Essential Roll Neck Top - Long Tall Sally (shown in a size M)

Photos by Lakeela Smith

Whhhhhhew that was a lot of scrolling. I hope you are still with me!

I seriously love this outfit because it’s very much the direction I am going with my style. I am changing in so many ways right now and the way I am dressing is one of them. This is me 76% of the time (hence the 1000th time you have seen these skinny jeans).

I look forward to sharing all of these changes with you and what I am rockin along the way. Thank you for being there, thank you for being you, thank you for giving me your light and love. I appreciate it more than you will ever know.

Discover Her Journey

Support #DiscoverHerJourney. Back Taylor Jay in her journey to expand to Plus as well as develop new collections for all women.

If you don't know, the Taylor Jay Collection is an amazing line with pieces that not only look great together but can be paired with other pieces to create looks that empower anyone's style. They are comfortable, chic and perfect for a woman on the go. 

Learn more about #DiscoverHerJourney.

Behind the line is Taylor. She is a mom, relentless entrepreneur and someone that I am honored to call my friend. She is passionate about what she does and created the #DiscoverHerJourney campaign to expand her scope of sizes to cater to plus as well as special collections that cater to all women in special ways.

I have always been amazed that her pieces are long enough for me. I have been rocking her collections for years and always look forward to her new, thoughtful styles. She really makes things that not only make sense but also make you feel stylish and carefree when you wear them.

Support a brand that supports you. #DiscoverHerJourney.

Click to see the many ways you can support #DiscoverHerJourney

As a Tall, African American woman who is very underserved in the media and fashion industries, I am so thankful for designers like Taylor who cater to all women and are making strides to include everyone.

It is incredibly important that we support each other and brands that believe in US, so please support #DiscoverHerJourney in any way that you can. From sharing the campaign, to donation, there is no such thing as a small contribution. Every supportive move is a move towards an industry that represents all of us!

Thanks in advance. We all thank you! #DiscoverHerJourney

#BodyGoals?

Image courtesy of VanityFair.com

I, like millions of other people, watched Kanye West's FADE video on the VMA’s and literally died at the sight of Teyana Taylor’s body. I wanted to pack a bag, run to the gym and live there indefinitely. Her body is a work of art. I mean she is cut, has a great butt and breasts that many women pay great money for. That baby bounce back was all the way real! God has truly blessed her with a beautiful body. Get it Teyana girl!

But I had to check my initial reaction. Why did I want to exchange my figure for hers so easily? And furthermore where did I develop this ideal of what a body should look like?

The answers are vast but at the end of the day, I do love my body. Every inch of my 6’6” was crafted just as her body was, in His image and just for me. This body is specifically mine. I love the skin that I am but that visceral response to the video bothered me.

So I sat with myself for a while. Delving in to my self-image and the word COMPARISON kept popping up. I think we all subconsciously do it…but it needs to stop.

NO MATTER WHAT you will never be like any person that you see because you are tailor made. You are one-of-a-kind and cannot be reproduced. Don’t compare yourself to another soul in this world because there will never be another you and nor should there be. Every single facet of your body is yours. It’s something that can never be taken from you. God has blessed us ALL with beautiful bodies.

The only thing that comparison does is rob us of our self-joy. Spend your time loving you and making your body the best that it can be. And guess what…the definition of the best for your body does not have to be what society feeds you. Let me explain…

Recently I lost 30 lbs. through exercise and healthy choices. I’m not even going to lie…it came off pretty easily. I cut everything out; sugar, meat, coffee etc. I went on a  partial fast and never stopped. While the fast helped me in endless spiritual ways (and I would do it again), I continued it for purely cosmetic reasons. I was noticing a flatter stomach and all of the toning that I was doing started to emerge. I was loving it until I lost my chest and backside. Now, there is nothing wrong with that but I liked what I had!

Then, I really missed food. I am a bonafied #HungryTallGirl. When I post that on social, I really mean it. I love a yummy meal, think that the preparation of it is an art and it just enhances my happy. That is the gosh darn truth. When I took away everything, I missed it and in small ways became depressed. I literally was denying myself of something that I genuinely enjoyed for a body that I wasn’t really comfortable in. Instead of working for the best me, I was creating a “me” that I thought I should be. There is a big difference.

Well what if you want to go out and get plastic surgery? Wear makeup? Get a weave?

Go out and get all of that boo! Just make sure that any addition is something that you want and not something that you need. There isn’t one enhancement on this earth that can make you whole internally. Your body and appearance is yours and you can change it however you would like but please use it as expression, not completion.  

So who do you want to be? Find that and work on her like no other. Do not let agenda setting dictate who are. Admire and applaud the Teyana’s of the world but cherish yourself.

Whatever you do, don’t get frustrated.

It’s a continual process.

You need to reacquaint yourself with your best self on a daily basis.

Hang out and bond with her. Treat her with respect, pick her up when she is down, cultivate her to be the best that she can be, don’t compare her to others and above all love her unconditionally.

#SelfBodyGoals...now were talkin!