Denim Off The Shoulder Dress + Gladiator Sandals

It's officially summer and the Georgia heat did not come to play. So it's imperative to find outfits that offer breathability. That is why I LOVE the off the shoulder trend.  It's cute on all body types plus nobody has ugly shoulders!

 I've been looking for an off the shoulder dress for a couple months now. So when I found this denim beauty looking through the racks at Express I leaped for joy (at least in my head). I wasn't too thrilled when I got to the register and saw a $60+ price tag, but I bit the bullet because this dress was so cute (plus I had gift cards to help reduce the price which softened the blow). 

Me and the bestie spreading L - O - V - E

Outfit Details: Denim Off The Shoulder Dress (Express: Similar Dress Here), Gladiator Sandals (DSW: Old), Sunnies (Forever 21), Layered Necklace (Charlotte Russe)

I think the dress was a great investment. I love the fit, the length, the material, the cut, and the endless styling opportunities it offers. Trust me when I say it will be in rotation all summer! As the awesome mural states (that we used for this photoshoot) "Try Love." I'm encouraging you to try loving yourself, your family, friends, and fellow man today! As the late great Notorious B.I.G would say... "Spread love it's the Brooklyn way!" Happy Hump Day luvs peace and blessing to you.

-Ali

Black & White Geometric A Line Dress

Sunday marked an amazing day. I've been rooting for Lebron James since he entered the league 13 years ago (2003) so I had the biggest smile on my face when the Cleveland Cavaliers (after 50+ years) won their first NBA championship! It did my heart proud to see Lebron hoist the trophy up in spite of all the doubters, critics, odds makers, statistics, the amazing competition on the other side, the hard fought road to get here etc. 

Through the Cavs victory it made me self reflect. I realized that sometimes the things we want most may be right in our grasp (Cleveland was in the finals last year against the same team, Golden State but lost 4 - 2, for me it was losing my first child abruptly after being 12 weeks away from the finish line) but for some reason God may not feel we're ready to handle them yet. At that moment you may want to give up. You may want to throw in the towel. You may say...why am I putting in all this hard work only to come up empty handed? This series reminded me, no matter how the situation may look in front of you, you can't give up on God or yourself. You have to simply trust the journey. If you work hard the Universe will reward you for your efforts whether that is immediately or down the line when you least expect it.  

Unlike my dress (scored from Old Navy) life is not always black and white. You may have some gray moments that you can't explain or that don't make sense but DON"T LOSE HOPE! Keep the faith accompanied by a smile :)

Outfit Details: Black & White Geometric A Line Dress (Old Navy: Seen here), Furry Pom Pom Headband (Charlotte Russe: Seen in white), Gladiator Sandals (Steve Madden Sandals), Necklace (DSW), Sunnies (Forever 21), Purse (Forever 21), Furry Key Chains (Beauty Supply Store)

After being a witness to Cleveland's greatness I am taking on this week with a restored focus on my goals. I am going to do it with belief in myself and in my abilities, with a spirit of gratitude for those things I already have, and tenacity to stick with it even if (or shall I say when) it gets tough! I hope you join me. And of course I hope you look your best while conquering your goals.

Happy Monday Luvs,
-Ali

Floral Kimono + Gladiator Sandals

They say "comparison is the thief of joy," well technically "they" didn't say it all it was actually Theodore Rosevelt. But the truth still remains the same, if comparison is the thief of joy then why do we continuously do it? Why do we compare ourselves to others? To celebrities? To our "old" selves? You may be wondering what I mean. Well, the other day I got in a conversation about my weight. The key word is "my!" Something that is very personal to me. I've openly admitted here on Ali's Fashion Sense that I've put on some pounds (29 to be exact) and I've yet to drop those pounds since losing my munchkin. You want to know the truth? I'm self conscious about the extra pounds, especially being a fashion blogger where you can physically see the "extras" displayed on a weekly basis. I must admit I threw myself a pity party, went back and looked at my old pics and said..."I wish I was still that small."  But the other truth is that I've been working hard to jumpstart my journey back to fitness. I started drinking more water, working out (can we say Zumba, Gutts & Butts, Dancineration etc.), and I even signed on to get a personal trainer (which was a free service at my school). 

Outfit Details: Kimono (Amazon.com0, White Tee (Forever 21), Skirt (H&M:old), Gladiator Sandals (old), Sunnies (Forever 21), Necklace (Charming Charlie's: gift)

I said all of that to say this. You may not be where you want to be physically, financially, socially, educationally, professionally, spiritually, or any other word ending in ...ally. You may not "stack - up" to those you see around you. But the best thing you can do for you...is love the person you see staring back at you in the mirror. Tune out all the background noise and focus on the positive things. Instead of allowing others to shape how we feel, it's imperative that we write the narration of our own stories using words of positivity, affirmations, and self - love! While I may not be at the ideal weight I'm loving the me I see throughout this journey! I hope you will do the same. 

Peace and blessings to you all on this wonderful Wednesday,

-Ali

*P.S. Sorry to get so deep, I know this is a fashion blog so I wanted to offer some brief, lighthearted commentary about my outfit. I paired this lightweight floral kimono with a black body con skirt and white t - shirt. By adding my black fedora (fedora's have become one of my cornerstone accessories lately), sunnies, gladiator sandals, and statement necklace I was able to pull the look together. This is a perfect outfit to help usher in Spring!

White Maxi + Shaggy Fur Vest

HI!!!!! I've missed you all so much! I know you're probably thinking..."who are you?" It's been a little minute but I had to take a little break from blogging. I've had A LOT going on between school, church, being a wife etc. so I decided to take a short hiatus. But I'm back with some great stuff for you during this last half of the year. Can you believe it's already October??? So let's jump right into it.

Who said you can't wear white after Labor Day? Well, clearly I've put that myth to rest. As the temperatures drop slowly, I wanted to pull out my white maxi (that I received as a gift, that I haven't worn before), and style it with my shaggy fur vest. I was able to structure the bulky vest by adding a belt to define my waist. I then added my gladiator heels to give me a little more height so my dress would not drag on the ground. My fedora was added to create a little element of cool! I finished out the look by layering gold jewelry (necklace, earrings, sunnies, and a broach). It truly pulled the entire look together. Check out the full outfit below.

Outfit Details: White Maxi (Express), Fur Vest (Forever 21), Belt (Unknown), Gladiator Sandals (DSW), Necklace (Thrifted), Fedora (Forever 21), Sunnies (Forever 21), Earrings (Forever 21)

 Is it super cold in your area already and you can't get away with wearing short sleeves? Swap the vest for a cute leather motorcycle jacket OR layer the moto jacket on top of the maxi and use the vest as your outer most layer. Would you wear a maxi with a fur vest? Let me know in the comment section below. 

P.S. It feels good to be back. I missed you all ;)

Happy Monday,

-Ali

Festival Vibes

From Coachella, Lollapalooza, or Made in America festivals are the new pastime to fill your Spring and Summer calendars. To get a chance to hear awesome music, experience great food, see new sites, and meet new people is like none other. Although I've never been to one of these major festivals, I imagine that if I were to attend this ensemble would be an appropriate outfit choice. I'm trying to get my wear and tare out of this poncho before the temperatures forbid me to wear it. I paired my native inspired poncho with a denim top and pair of shorts, my cognac gladiators, and sunnies. I feel pretty good in this outfit. The vibrant poncho just makes me want to do a little spin (hence picture number 3…seen below).

Outfit Details: Poncho (Forever 21), Denim Shirt (Target), Denim Shorts (Forever 21), Gladiator Sandals (GoJane), Belt (Target)

Hopefully, I will be able to cross off attending a festival on my bucket list sooner than later. When that time comes, I have no doubt that I will be prepared…at least in the style department. What is the ideal festival outfit for you?

Happy Hump Day luvs,

-Ali

White + Denim + Chocolate

Hi guys! I've missed you. I know I haven't been blogging lately but life has truly caught up with me the past couple of weeks. From school work, exams, baby showers, rehearsals, fashion show prep etc. it's been a little crazy. But, I'm back now in tow, ready for springs sunshine, flowers, and fun and to post for you my fellow subbies and loyal readers. As spring has officially claimed its stake (at least via the calendars standards) it has prompted me to pull out my white + denim + chocolate. This color combination is such a classic palette but it never disappoints. The crisp white against the rugged denim is such a great contrast, and the warm chocolate accessories compliment the entire look. 

Outfit Details: White Dress (TJ Maxx), Denim Jacket (Forever 21), Gladiator Sandals:: old (Aldo), Aviators (H&M), Belt:: old (unknown)

The detail on this dress (with the lace and sheer) gives this simple white dress a bit of oomph. Are you and your wardrobe ready for spring? What are your top spring trends that you can't wait to try? Let me know in the comment section below.

Happy Monday Luvs,

-Ali

Pink & Brown

[Faux] leather is my favorite fabric to rock no matter the season (although you have to be careful finding thinner leather fabrics in the summer so you don't sweat to death). I scored these leather shorts from Kohl's a few years ago. I know right, who knew Kohl's carried awesome leather shorts in this cognac color? I sure didn't.  I wanted to pair it with a bright top since the shorts work as a neutral base. I tried this cool updo with my box braids and I LOVE how it turned out :) This look just makes me want to have fun! Hence the reason you see me dancing in these pics.

Outfit Details: Strawberry Colored Shirt (Charlotte Russe), Faux Leather Shorts (Kohl's Lauren Conrad Line), Gladiator Sandals (DSW - old), Clear Clutch (Toiletry bag used as clutch), Statement Necklace (TJ Maxx), Earrings (Beauty Supply Store), Cheetah Scarf (Charlotte Russe), Gold Bangle (Forever 21), Gold Watch (Charming Charlie's)

This look is a perfect look to transition into fall. The brown neutrals paired with the bright pink offer an unexpected color palette for fall! I will be sure to wear this look again in the near future! What color combinations will you try this fall? Pink and brown? Fuchsia and red? Ivory and rust? I'd love to hear your opinion below! Happy Wednesday luvs.

-Ali