Pink Sweatshirt Dress + Lip Broach

Today is a day where the world celebrates LOVE. I know we tend to make a big deal about sharing LOVE particularly on this day from a boyfriend, crush, bae, or spouse...but today I want to tap into the concept of SELF LOVE! In this day and age, it is so easy to get caught up into the hype of social media and what other people are doing around us. We see people sharing their awesome jobs, vacations, weddings, pregnancies, children, wardrobes, cars, brunches, friendships, baes, crushes etc. And the list goes on and on and on and on!

Being infiltrated with all these images of peers (known and unknown) "perfect lifestyles" down our various social media timelines can begin to take a toll on us, causing us to look inward and feel like we need to speed up our timetables or worse...that we are not adequate enough because we are not where we think we SHOULD be in comparison to those we constantly consume. But I just wanted to stop by on this Valentine's Day (with an N for clarification lol) to let you know...YOU ARE ENOUGH! It is time to look in the mirror and LOVE the person whose reflection is staring back at you, flaws and all!

It is time to find parts of your life you LOVE. It is time to LOVE your journey, LOVE your path, LOVE your personal lane, LOVE your brilliant mind, LOVE your unique perspective, LOVE your scars, LOVE your failures, LOVE your wins, LOVE your successes, LOVE your entire being...because you were uniquely made in the image of God. There is literally NO ONE on this planet that can duplicate you. You are one - of - a - kind. A limited edition. You are a hot commodity! If no one told you today, you are special! You are beautiful! You matter! 

Once we realize how valuable we are (whether we are attached to someone or not) that is when we begin to shine the brightest! We must realize our inner light and shine bright for the world to see!

SWEATSHIRT DRESS//via H&M: similar here, plus size version here - LIP BROACH//via Hobby Lobby for only $2.99 - LIP PRINT SOCKS//via Forever 21: very similar here - RED TASSELED SANDALS//via Charlotte Russe: red chunky heeled option here - RED FRINGE EARRINGS//via Forever 21: similar here - PINK SUNGLASSES//via Charlotte Russe: similar with different frame shape - RED PEBBLED FAUX LEATHER CROSSBODY//via Forever 21

So as Valentine's Day commences and you go about your day, whether you're taken, single, or building your empire,  I want you to say (outlaid) these "Top 10 Self Love Affirmations" to yourself to remind you that YOU ARE LOVED (like this perfect mural I found on a random corner states), by the most important person: YOU! Repeat after me:

• I approve of myself and LOVE myself deeply.
• I am worthy of LOVE and joy.
• My life is a gift, I will use it with joy and exuberance.
• I will surround myself with positive people who will bring the best out of me.
• I release my negative thoughts, embracing positivity and optimism.
• I am healthy, well - groomed, and confident. My inner peace and harmony is matched by my outer well - being.
• I am worthy of LOVE.
• I do NOT need someone else to feel happiness [or to complete me].
• My imperfections make me unique and special.
• I take responsibility for who I am: the good and the bad.

With that being said, I want to wish each of you a HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! I hope your day is filled with LOVE, joy, happiness, and positivity, whether you spend it with your bae, your girlfriends, or in the company of you, yourself, and I!

Xoxoxo,

Ali

Neutral Dreams

Every time I pass a cotton field (like the one behind me in these photos) it gives me cause to pause, to reflect on the rich lineage and heritage I am a descendent of. The vast fields of white, sprouting from the ground acts as a reminder of the daily struggles of my great - grandfather (my grandmother’s father on my mom’s side) and ALL he had to endure in the late 1800s, as a Sharecropper in the deep south of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It reminds me of the sacrifices my ancestors made for me, a little brown girl,  so I can pursue the things I love today. Because of their tenacity I am able to go after my passions, my gifts, and  my purpose. I follow in the footsteps of strong - willed, intelligent, hard - working individuals like my great - grandfather, my grandmother (who is an HBCU college graduate - Alabama A&M University in the 50s - and the first African American food service administrator at the University of Michigan dormitory),and countless unsung heroes who risked their very own lives to allow me the freedoms I have today. 

Because of their relentless pursuit for a better life, I am able to stand before you (or sit in front of a computer screen as you read) and blog about things I love like fashion, family, faith and more. I am able to live out things they could not even fathom back in a segregated southern landscape. So this blog post is dedicated to all my amazing ancestors who have come before me. This is for the Bishop's, Henderson's, Reveire's, and Ferrell's! This is for creating a legacy that I could build a foundation upon. A young, black, woman from humble beginnings of Ypsilanti, MI embarking on a dream of spreading joy, positivity, self - love, empathy, and encouragement to all who will listen by offering fashion tips and life hacks as a wife, stillbirth survivor, rainbow mommy and more. 

So in those moments where I feel like giving up, or I feel too overwhelmed to do anything, I think back at all those who have come before me, who had no choice but to go HARD! I’m standing on the shoulders of giants and I will pay homage to them by stopping excuses that run across my mind, by succeeding, by taking my dreams to a whole other level, and using my platform of success to pull others up with me.

PINK SWEATSHIRT DRESS// via H&M (here) - FUZZY VEST// via Forever 21: old (similar)  - DENIM// via Charlotte Russe (similar) - EARRINGS// via H&M (same earrings different color) - TAUPE BOOTIES//via Forever 21 (very similar) - PINK FUR CROSSBODY BAG//via Charlotte Russe (here) - PINK SUNNIES//via Charlotte Russe (similar)

So here's to being our ancestor's wildest dreams! Living our BEST lives with purpose, passion, and hard - work! Happy hump day luvs! 

Xoxo,

-Ali