The Year in Review

  So here we are- the end of 2014. It was quite the year for me both personally and fashion-wise. I was able to explore some more aspects of my style and try new trends. I decided I didn't like some things I tried and I loved others. I interviewed very talented actors, comedians, bloggers and models. I did some travelling, met new people, re-connected with others and got rid of some others.


 

Christmas

Hello dear readers!
Before I put up my 2014 end-of-year round up, I thought I would share some pictures from my amazing Christmas spent this year with friends. This was the first time in 23 years of my life that I spent Christmas without my little sister :( . In the past, we had always been able to make it happen-even at the last minute. It had always been Joyce and I but oh well, life happens.

#25

Wow, a quarter of a century gone by, just like that! 
I went to bed late Christmas Day just to receive a special call from a loved one and when I woke up on the 26th, I first of all mediated for a good 30 minutes. I don't know why but I just felt like reflecting on the past years gone by. 

Do it Like Duchess Kate

Hello lovelies!!
 It's 4 days to Christmas and I'm finally looking forward to it now that I have actual plans for it!
When I first spotted this dress on Etsy almost a year ago, I knew it would be a cute piece to add  to my wardrobe and the buttons at the top and the cut reminded me of something Duchess Kate Middleton would wear.

Mad about plaid

As soon as I saw this pant suit at Target, I thought of Solange Knowles, haha.
She rocks brightly colored and printed pantsuits like no other and I felt like I had the hair to match.
I had a similar pantsuit on River Island's website but it was way too pricey for me so this more affordable option was a great alternative.

A Christmas giveaway!

  My dear readers! As the year is ending and before all the countdowns start, I just wanted to sincerely thank all of you readers-both active and silent for the amazing year and overwhelming positivity I received from you throughout this difficult year. I'm immensely grateful to you all and for the growth I have seen on the blog. To say thank you, I thought I would giveaway these pieces as a token of my appreciation.

All eyes on me in the center of the ring just like a circus

Yes it's almost Winter and yes it's cold, yes I felt the cold but I just had to show off my tuxedo blazer dress I got for $7 from Value village!
I've been on a successful Value Village trip in Ottawa and found some really amazing pieces that I can't wait to share with you all.
I have been in Ottawa for the past 2 weeks and I've met up with a fellow African blogger, found a cheap spot to do my nails and also my hair (which you all love so much) and I've been keeping busy by helping out at the Cameroonian embassy here-woohoo!
I can't wait for Christmas though! Speaking of which, I'll be holding a giveaway in the next post so stay tuned for that! :)

I wear loafers too, ya know

I was recently chatting with a friend and he told me, "Brenda, you know I've never seen you wear loafers or kicks. Do you even own a pair of sneakers?" To be honest, I do not currently have a pair of sneakers *hides face* because a) I workout barefoot at home and b) well, I left them in Toronto!

Some holiday cheer and a special discount c/o CJAJ09

    Hellooo dear readers! *Warning* This one's for the ladies. The holidays are right around the corner and if you're like me, you haven't done all of your shopping just yet. I got the perfect Ankara hook up for you thanks to the folks at CJAJ09 who are offering 30% off any purchase from their site between now and my birthday (which happens to be on Boxing Day, Dec 26th). Stay tuned for the discount code below.

From Marley to Bouncy

I typically suck at doing hair. I always joke with myself that all I can do is comb hair, haha!
I hold a curling iron wrong, I suck at curling with a straightener, my cornrows look like unfinished roads...but I still try.
I recently became intrigued with "perm rods" and what they could look like when applied to Marley hair (which is what I have crochet on my head) and thanks to YouTube, I felt brave enough to try it myself. I was sooo afraid to fail, knowing how bad I am with all things hair but just felt this need to try...and I'm glad I did! I certainly did some things wrong and some curls weren't as bouncy as desired but I learned how to fix that!

Feeling unaccomplished? Unworthy? Not good enough? You're not alone...

Sometimes I just want to curl up in a ball and disappear. no. Scratch that. A LOT of times I feel like just curling into a ball and disappearing, just for a while, not forever.
Who am I kidding? Don't let social media fool you. I have had way too many sad days and too many shed tears this year and sometimes when I look at the big picture I think woah-where AM I HEADED?
I think to myself: I'm going to be 25. Have no career, no husband nor fiance, no kids, no money...so what am I doing again?

Crisp and white

I was NOT bout to stand out in -17 degree weather to take these photos! Haha
It got real cold yesterday but I was determined to show this outfit so I put my brother and his apartment to use :)
If you follow me on either Instagram or Facebook, you would have noticed my excitement at my latest hair change! I suck at hair so succeeding at this has been soo exciting for me!

**The pants are superrr long! I know, I know!
Oh I also went a size up, FYI

The big move to a new big city!

It's finally here as promised! A video briefly explaining why I up'd and left my beautiful Toronto behind and how and where I've been staying.
 A few weeks ago I had to leave Toronto for more than 1 reason but the main one was because I lost my job few months ago and can't work at the moment :( 

Fitted Gray tones

Nothing like a fitted monochromatic look during the Fall to turn a few heads. ;(
I got these pieces during the black Friday sale at Zara last week!
The downtown Montreal store was jam-packed and I even overheard the manager telling an employee that they had even surpassed their Boxing day sales numbers which is crazy!

Casual metallics...and ankara scarves giveaway!

Do you have that 1 item in your wardrobe that may have cost you a pretty penny but when you look at it, you just know all the pennies were worth it because it stands out and is timeless and you know you'll never ever part with it? Well, that's what this Virgos Lounge jacket means to me!

Maroon/Burgundy/Oxblood/Dark purple

Whatever you call this color, just know it's my absolute favorite Fall color, even though I don't get to rock it as much as I would wish.
 Maroon is such a classic color and does most of the talking so I went with more gold accessories and some nude heels to keep the look more "calm."

Holiday bargains- Bow pumps and more deals

   We all know I'm that girl on a budget- and I mean serious budget.
A lot of bloggers say they're on budgets but their own budget must be way higher than mine because they can afford $300 and $400 heels!
Last year, the Aminah Abdul Jallil bow pumps were the shoes to own. Well, if you couldn't and still can't afford them like me, why not check out these JustFab Hadley pumps for just $39.95!

Faux furred up

Temperatures have slightly risen over here and with no more snow on the ground, one is able to dress slightly fancier.
I've been spending wayyy too much time at IKEA but I think those days are over. I even started enjoying the cheap and delicious food they serve at their cafeteria! (* See picture below)

Feeling posh with Daniel Wellington

   I think you've seen me wear my "gold" boyfriend Aldo watch on the blog over 256 times, well time to switch things up a little!
The folks at Daniel Wellington were kind enough to send me one of their lovely watches. 

Summer in the Winter?

What just happened yesterday? Did the weather just go up to 16 degrees? Did people step out in t-shirts? No, I wasn't dreaming, we had amazing weather yesterday in the city and boy did it feel good! It was a much-welcome change from the nasty winds we had last week!

New city, new province and I'm still standing

HELLOOOOO!!!
I'm alive, I promise! Haha

As I had mentioned all over my social media platforms, I moved out of Toronto and to...Montreal, Quebec! Boy oh boy, the process was tedious to say the least and I had to get rid of as many items as possible but I did it!

I'm not nearly settled in and I have soo much to get done this weekend but I intend to have a video up with more details on what exactly is going on and why this sort of last minute move happened.

OOTN video- Drinks with the girls.

Woohoo!!
I am starting a new journey in my life starting tomorrow (which I will explain in detail later on in a video) and may be busy unpacking in the near future but...you know I can't leave you hanging!
So guess who has another video up??! You can probably tell I'm having lots of fun with the videos by now :)

Business casual?

I've always struggled with the whole "business casual" look. You know when you interview for a position and they say the dress code is "business casual?", when does it become too casual? I've worked at places where tighter fitting jumpsuits and shorter skirts were still considered Business casual and others where that was inappropriate.
Well, I don't know if this outfit fits the book but...here it is!

10 ways to tie a scarf in 3.5 minutes- video

Back by popular demand is another video.
I'm really enjoying shooting these videos and editing them and just having fun!!
You guys get to see a part of me that you can't see through pictures and get to know me better.

Casual wear and goodbye's

On Monday I was so happy to have someone else get behind the camera to take these outfit pictures!
It's unfortunate that the week before I move to another city is when I am able to find bloggers who are willing to take each others' outfit pictures!! 

Stars and stripes but why the nudity?

I've noticed something. Something that I wish weren't true but reality is, it's very true and probably not going to change anytime soon. What I've noticed is the less clothes a blogger wears, the more popular she seems to get!
I've noticed it personally and around the blogsophere. Why should I be surprised-you're probably thinking. It applies in everyday life where scantily clad women get more attention so why should it be any different with bloggers?

Get ready with me- Date night

Helloooo and happy weekend!
While most of you were asleep last night, I was up putting the finishing touches to this date night look video I filmed and edited and uploaded all in 1 night!
I wanted to try something different and felt black and white fit the theme perfectly.

Emerald with a touch of ankara

I don't know why I'm short on words today...I always pre-think what I'm going to type up in my posts but today I drew a blank!
All I remember with this post is how cold it was when I was out taking these posts and a strong wind blew! Gosh, I hate the cold!

The Do's and dont's of Fashion blogging

Happy Monday lovely readers and welcome to the latest video!

I know I'm not the most popular blogger on Earth and I don't pretend to be but the little knowledge I do have, I love to share.

Brendagrams and bobs

Sometimes I take pictures for a potential outfit post and only like 3. Other times, I don't think an outfit or items deserve an entire post and may go up only on my Instagram page.

It's really happening...

I'm referring to the winter solstice! Tomorrow, the clocks go back by 1 hour, today I went out and looked at my watch, thinking it was 8pm, only to realize that it was only 6pm! Ugh!
Winter solstice for me  usually means:
 -5-10 extra pounds
-coming home earlier
-going out less

Fall 2014 mini haul

Hello lovelies!

I hope your week is going great but if not, hopefully my video can cheer you up!

I decided to show some of my most recent acquisitions, gearing up for Fall/Winter 2014. 
I haven't done shopping in a while and to be honest, most of these were purchased/ acquired a few weeks ago BUT they're still relevant and pretty new, lol.

Without further ado...

XOXO

SKinny B

Me and my Ankara accessories

When it comes to accessories, I recycle for years and years because I usually purchase versatile pieces that can be worn year round and with tons of outfits.
All my accessories fit in a plastic bag that gets cleaned out perhaps twice a year.

Double slit maxi top

Sometimes I try trends, just for fun and this outfit was one of those instances.
I had owned a double slit maxi skirt once upon a time but got rid of it because it was a little bit much for me. A double slit maxi top however can be worn with pants or leggings underneath and make you feel and look like a female Morpeheus!

Brenda's Fall 2014 Lookbook

Look who's back ontop of things! Haha
I really wanted to have my Fall lookbook up before the end of the weekend and well, mission accomplished! *Pats self on the back*

I hope you enjoy it! Let me know your thoughts!

XOXO

Sometimes black & white

For some reason, as the temperatures drop, my color palette becomes less variable and I find myself drawn to black, white , grey, dark green and maroon. Recently, I've been very much into black and white-weird coming from me right? I know! 

Updates on my injury and recent health scare

Hello my lovelies!
Before doing another outfit post, I thought it would briefly keep you abreast with my current health situation and a glimpse into what exactly went wrong and caused my injury.
I am tremendously grateful for all the well-wishes and can't thank you enough!

Hope you enjoy the video,
XOXO
SKinny B

Does anyone really know what time it is?

I won't even lie. The focus of this post is this clutch. It was love at first sight for me when I saw this clutch and once the opportunity arose to get it, I jumped on it! lol
I love that it's quirky yet elegant at the same time and is very different from any other clutch out there!

Road to recovery

Guess who's back???!!!

OH MY GOODNESS! HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN?
I can't remember the last time I went so long without blogging! I feel like a bad mother or something! Haha

Well, before I go back to posting outfit posts, I at least wanted to drop by and say I'm alive and extremely grateful to all my followers who sent me well wishes during my time away.

Fall meets Ankara at the distillery district

I. can't. seem. to. be. able. to. give. up. on. ankara.
LOL

"Every time I try to leave something keeps pulling me back."

I am so so grateful to all the African designers who send ankara my way. I have enough in my closet that I could probably wear a different outfit everyday for a month-and I am definitely NOT complaining.

Seeing Red

I've been such an insomniac lately. I go to bed super super late (4am) and wake up by 10am... 
I've always been nocturnal but I feel like it's gotten worse. I always tel myself, "Tonight is the night I go to bed earlier" but nope, 3 TV shows later, I'm still glued to my couch. Anyone have any recipe/remedy I could try?

Don't you worry child

Don't worry, everything will work out fine.
Don't worry, everything always works for the greater good.
Worrying today about tomorrow  doesn't solve tomorrow's problems; it rids today of its potential.
Don't worry, Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Don't worry, don't you worry child.
~Brenda

No spanx, all woman.

I have to admit, I still blush awkwardly whenever people say "OMG I love your body" or "How did you get that body" and it still makes me all mushy. Sometimes I wonder, "are they talking to me?" You don't understand, my body never used to be envious. I've mentioned it several times on the blog but once a fat girl, always a fat girl. 

Looking for Caro

"Caro your body necessary. Necessary...
"Looking for Caro." "Show me Caro.| See see Caro." "Where are you Caro?"

I'm sure most of my fellow Africans (and probably all Nigerian followers) know exactly which song those lyrics belong to, haha. 
The moment I laid eyes on thei t-shirt, I knew it had to be mine one day. When I was ready to purchase it a few weeks ago, it was sold out. Like a true shopaholic, I kept it in the back of my mind and knew I would try again in a few weeks and am I glad I did!

Breyonce

Breyonce is my alter ego...just like Sasha fierce is to Beyonce...*in my head*

Happy Friday folks!! I hope your weekend is restful and happy and free!
I had the pleasure of collaborating with Tehilah Designs and my favorite pieces were definitely the floor-length gowns!For as long as I can wear a body-con dress without spanx, I'm going to make the most of it! Lol

Check in- All moved in!

Hey everyone, 
Just a quick drop by to say I'm so happy to have finally moved out of my old apartment and all settled into my new place! Whoop whoop! It was so stressful and I am so grateful that my brothers helped me out. 

eShakti

You know you've made it in the blogosphere when India-based women's designer line eShakti offer you the dress of your choice. LOL
I'm kidding but I can't tell you the number of times I have seen their pieces on bloggers I admire and thought to myself, wow, I wish one day they decide to collaborate with me..and well, the day has arrived!!

In Competition with myself

  Do you sometimes feel like you're not good enough? Or how about feeling like no matter what you do or how good you are at doing it, you just can't seem to catch a break?
Well, it happens to me and I know these aren't the "best" emotions and I shouldn't think like that and blah blah blah, but I'm only human and I have my faults.
There's 2 things that get to me from time to time- the first is the fact that my blog just doesn't seem to be taking off to the heights I know it can reach and the second one is just plain and simple jealousy.

Halloween outfit inspirations

  I'm not really into Halloween. To be honest, growing up in New York, when Halloween came around, we were the ones who gave out candy but never went trick-or-treating. My parents were very traditional and dare I say, paranoid,lol. They are/were typical African parents who learnt of Halloween when we came to North America and really didn't see the point of this festivity and to be honest, neither do I.

Piano girl?

Fact: Once upon a time, I used to play the piano. At the intermediary level but still, I used to play and took lessons 3 times a week. Then, I stopped, I gave up and I wish I had kept up. I found it boring and hard at the time but now I sit and think how sexy it would be to be able to play, lol.

I don't always wear make up but when I do...

Happy weekend folks!
I am no make up guru and I won't even pretend to be. My daily make up routine consist of 2 things- brow liner and eyeliner and I'm out the door. 
When I have a shooting session for my blog however, I like to switch thing up a notch and it's the same routine here. I've tried new things here and there but I just never seem to achieve the look that these make up artists on YouTube get so I stick to what works for me.

Red + leopard

Did you ever really realize just how beautifully well red and leopard go together?  Well I have and I must say I'm in love. These 2 very sexy trends just give an extra special touch to any outfit.

Fall with Zuvaa

   Well, well, well. With the sudden chilly nights and early mornings, re-appearance of coats and earlier sunsets, there's no denying that Fall is lingering upon us. This is the point where most of you retire your Ankara pieces until the following summer solstice but I'm here to show you that ankara can actually be worn well into Fall...and if you're brave enough, into Winter as well.
Here are my top 10 picks for Fall from premier ankara retailer,  Zuvaa.com.