There seems to be this fine line between bloggers and graphic designers, a line no one can cross. I know the "blogger rules" and boundaries, y'know the ones we claim don't exist and can't exactly point to a bible but can certainly show examples and low-key maybe high-key agree on... How the photos must look extremely natural for example, preferably outside, nice lighting, no background clutter, in the street! look natural! Yeah as natural as you can appear in the middle of the street with your photoshopped, photo-enhanced pictures. No offense.


I feel like I'm always breaking some sort of standard. It's almost unfair to the wannabe rebels. I just don't believe in not experimenting with color depths, shapes, saturation limits, outside and inside gems, negative images... I like it all. I love editorial style but when last have you seen an editorial shot in the middle of the street in one stature, one color scheme? Maybe it's the avant garde in me but when I see those prints, they don't look like every day scenes and poses and that's the point. Because that catches the eye. What real people do you know rock fluorescent beige eyeliner during the day? real, I said.



So I took it back to a basic for a minute: shot in my corridor. Yes the lighting is .. well indoors and the little "B" is quirky and amateur-ish. But I enjoyed it. I took pictures outside as well, that I did not even end up liking more than these. It allowed me to experiment, something I enjoy doing. Plus this face I'm giving? Come on.
This was my first day of classes for my remaining semester of undergrad. And it wouldn't be my life if I didn't spend it fighting some sort of administration. The story behind this outfit..is there is none. Ha, seriously. I just slapped it together. I told you all of the trench I picked up at BC, here it issss. So I paired it with all black because of obvious color reasons. I also planned on wearing these Zara boots I'd been eyeing since the season rolled in and scooped as soon as their annual sale came through, thanks Jesus. The turquoise and the grey seemed very right in my head so I knew the rest had to be timid. Tada!

Are you loving the translucent details in the coat or yes?

xxoo missusmonroe

Beacon's Closet thrifted trench, H&M cropped turtleneck, Missguided jeans, Zara boots

At the start of break I'd planned a lil baecay before school came back in session, simply for the fact that yes, it was a 'break'..from school but I was working a grand majority of the time ~new job alert, turn up; shout out to my internship, y'all are holding a girl down~ Needless to ever say in my life, plans changed briskly and I found myself alone unexpectedly alone. As winter break just continued to roll on by, I really just considered staying put and re-energizing locally. Incidentally,...

or a miracle from God I'd like to call it, I was struck with the memory that this was around the very weekend a diabolical rodent would enter the White House.. you haven't heard about their pest problem?

I could not be around for the craziness that was sure to surround this city, and even if I was around it at least let me be returning from something amazing to keep my mind off of the tragic horrors to ensue. Now mind you, I've been here and there but I felt like I needed that fill to just bring every thing together, similar to your crusty nail-set, and wrap up this limbo before classes attack once again. You know that thing where you get all dumped or maybe you were the wicked witch, heartbreaking sis *but like, where is my record deal though?..Goodness, apologies for these barz*

So there's a break up of some sorts but somebody just needs to talk about it or see the other one last time for no real reason but just feelings sake? Yes, I needed some of that closure.

So I was just like, fuck it I'm going to New York.

Okay, very me, but I did have an objective at hand. This wasn't a mindless trip. Because of my need for closure, my random overwhelming feelings of loneliness as of late, and the awareness I had of myself needing a kick of a reminder on who the hell I am and what the fuck I am moving towards, destination NYC pre-inauguration only made sense. Now, this is where the real story begins.

I'd purchased my ticket there at a remarkable price. So remarkable in fact, I decided to hold on getting a return ticket because I was just so surprised at the deal I was able to obtain. The day before the Inauguration? Impossible, I thought. So my return could wait until I got home! 
Wrong. Either I was delusional when I took a glance at the return prices or life was just that crazy, but the way nearly all tickets sold out and how all tickets therefore gladly sprinted to new heights... I was considering not coming home at all you all. At all.

After determining I needed to find a night-life event, a concert, a something, to properly bring this trip to a close, I then really spent hours attempting to discover a magical way home. I really just ended up finessing the shit out of the system, literally, and a hashtag 1 AM vibe was just fastballed at me, I was left with no choice but to cough up the bread and look forward to the next few hours when I'd awaken.

I didn't wake up. Spoiler alert. Well, I did but not nearly when I was supposed to. I ended up doing everything I was trying to avoid, goose-chasing myself in my room, having to give in and call an Uber, randomly stuffing items I knew I'd need in my bag, creating a heavy bag, running outside without shoes on, and forgetting important items (hmm, like my coat). All in a matter of ten minutes because mind you, I was on a very tight gotta-catch-my-damn-train schedule because-I-can't-miss-my-bus-type of thing after literally paying a leg for the return ticket. Get me?

- How I came up with this 'fit, well I struggled to come up with anything really when I was just looking at my closet. I knew it'd be lukewarm and that I wanted something that would look great with Vans and heels, wasn't walking for 6+ hours up and down the boroughs in heels mkay. But so there's this top I've been trying to wear for weeks, so that made me think of white.. and honestly, so honestly it was a guesstimation that worked. Cause I imagined the OTS I DIY'd last NY trip but with something over it since it'd be a tad chilly, but nothing heavy and that you could see the shoulder (duh!), boom mesh top, shorts underneath in cause I wanted to throw it back and to urbanize the upper half but something a lil thick, boom boxing shorts, thigh highs cause it's not that warm, MULES FOR CHEAT HEELS. and whabam. Randomly grabbed jewelry in my morning scramble. I'm just lucky it came together caaause...

So I made it to Union Station. I made my bus. All was great. I ended up having to do my eyebrows in a port a potty on a moving, turbulence-like-a-plane bus, apparently lost my eyelashes and practically new glue in my seat, and was still fermenting in the clothes I slept in. So fabulous. A lot happened and a lot of nothing happened as I was trying to get my life together and figure out where I wanted to go. I found myself in a bathroom stall in good faithful Micky D's changing amongst homeless people discussing how they weren't getting their unemployment checks... as dramatic as it may sound I just really wondered how in the world I got there and literally had to promise myself my New York life could not end up like such.

In my search for a jacket, cause mind you I was staying walk-of-shame late, I actually found a super cheap, super chic light trench with see through elements in a color you rarely see in my closet. And to think I literally was going to chief keef it. I'm a moron as you'll come to realize.

*I'm finally getting to the goods I promise*

After light shopping, discovering a mildly expensive but mildly appetizing Mac n' Cheese spot, getting kicked out of a Starbucks, missing a bus and a stop I had no idea how to get to... I found myself walking the streets and overlooking the water and skyline. I found myself praying, I found myself doing exactly what I hadn't known two weeks ago I needed but that I knew I came to New York to find out.

I walked all the way to the top of the Brooklyn bridge for the first time, I looked below me and saw this skyline again...all the cars, possibly commuters, probably a lot of people with stories like mine, aspirations like mine.. I knew I couldn't let my dreams burn. I knew I had to fulfill my plan, I was just reminded of me. So I changed my shoes and headed to that party. And when I tell you I had a time of my life... there was a point where I was sitting on some speakers near the crowded stage, dancing and plainly vibing with complete strangers, giving face to random photographers, feeling like this was some hip long-lived music video but shot "Juice" style, where I thought to myself, I could really get used to this. (thanks YesJulz)

And so there you have it, another successful trip to the city of dreams. My experience home was tragic; I left with 2 hours of cushion and still made it running, running since when do I do that, to my bus by a minute. The wrong bus mind you ~don't listen to instructions~. I ended up having to uber home for a pretty bone... oddly enough it was worth ..well it was worth something.
xxoo missusmonroe

As I put off packing till the night before, I'm thinking about my upcoming vacation to South Africa for this month's "Cultured" South Africa! While I enjoy traveling, in terms of the African continent, I've only been to 4 countries (and they've all been in western Africa - my place of origin). Definitely on my list includes Morocco, Madagascar, Sudan, Tunisia, Senegal and lastly South Africa. To my surprise when my ticket was confirmed and I was left pondering what I wanted to explore once I touched down in Johannesburg! I'll be visiting family and friends, so this will be the first vacation in about 2 years and I'm completely elated. My past two times I've been conducting researching, volunteering or studying. I still had a crazy amount of responsibilities and things that "took" me away from the present moment. I leave in less than 4 days and I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to be doing, but that's what makes things fun right? I thought I'd share a few "spots" in Johannesburg including foods, culture and more. Enjoy!

Street food is gaining traction in the city (featured: traditional Roosterkoek bread)

Nelson Mandela Bridge

Maybe I'll just try one of these cities buses and see where it takes me?!

As 2017 is off to a good start, we couldn't help but to think of the peaks and lows of the previous year!  We decided and to spend the NYE together (as best friends do), but with a bit of a twist. A Cuban twist, actually. So what do girls do? Go dancing at the hottest latin dancing club in the city! Cuba Libre was a great way to ring in the new year, with each other, along with loved ones and good friends. Cuba Libre is a great restaurant with cuban fare and live music; after-hours it transforms to a cuban nightclub of all sorts! Highly recommend for a good time all-around.



Year after year we're always miles apart at this time of the year, oceans being a separating factor on more than a couple of occasions. As 2016 took its last breath, it was especially a noteworthy celebration. 


How did you spend your NYE? With friends? Cuddled up with a book? or took on something different for the year?

xoxo,
Sade, missusmonroe