fro styling

7:26 PM missusmonroe 0 Comments

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This was a pretty exceptional day. For no reason in particular besides from these exceptional shots.


Well, okay I'd have to be lying if I said other great things didn't happen, they were just exuded in these pictorials. It was one of those random, fleeting, warm-ish days here in the DMV and I took great advantage of it, yes I did. See, I'd been plotting on wearing this outfit for a little bit now, since the beginning on Fall when I'd received this dress from Zara. Since my early high school years I just cannot stay away from pairing sweaters/long tops with the accordion of long skirts or the lace of a maxi dress. The two go hand-in-hand in my eyes, automatically. I had difficulty busting it out because around the time I got it, it was beginning to be too chilly to show it off, there were multiple layers encompassing it but honestly, not enough to keep someone warm. Especially with this v-neck, okay?


For me, after getting these shoes at a Beacon's I already knew they would really accent this outfit. The mere essence of it just correlated in my eyes. I didn't really have a warm enough day and I knew I could not really save it for Spring because, it wasn't a rainy day type of thing, this called for sunny, clear skies, slight wind; partly cloudy maybe. But that was really pushing it. Then I was given this mediocre in temperature but lit, the sun was just shining, day and it was pretty obvious it would just have to do.

I hesitated at first because of my fro. I only did this because without the jacket, which is how I'd initially planned on wearing it, it looked a little too ho-bo vibes, not what I was looking for today. (plus for some reason the socks were just off at a lot of angles) It also would make me look like a lollipop in my mind, as I imagined the straight silhouette of the sweater and dress combo and the upward reach of my hair... I wasn't sure if I wanted that. In actuality, I was sure I did not want that. Fro-styling can be so weird sometimes cause I almost feel like you have to look "extra" or overcompensate in order to not look that drab unkempt, and y'all know there's a cool unkempt and that homeless-aspiring-for-yeezy-season unkempt. It's either your hair has to look big and styled somehow to wear "normal clothes" (it has to look purposeful is the term really) or you overcompensate your fit, cue extra, cause of your fro. Which really stems from that "you about to go get your hair done?" history that black women have when they're just wearing their roots, "her hair ain't never done", similarly.

What does having your hair 'done' look like?
xxoo missusmonroe

Thrifted sweater, Zara dress, thrifted shoes, UO socks





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as brown as my history

4:12 AM missusmonroe 0 Comments


Finally! Now you all know, or should know really, that I have been on the hunt for some real thigh-high boots for quite a period of time. Like, a minute. I am very aware of how long those stripper-me-down, 29 inch heeled velour pussy grazers have existed but yeah, that's not really what I was looking for for everyday wear. Now, backtrack to a time when I did in fact purchase some boots I thought would be my saviors senior year of high school, a whole 4, 5 years ago. For about .5 seconds they honestly, faithfully were. Then I took a step forward and yeah I quickly realized they just would not do.


See I was looking for boots that significantly reached my mid thigh but almost more importantly, stayed up on my leg and wouldn't be slouching down all day, exactly what those old boots did. There was a point where I pinned them to my pants...innovative yes, but very sad for my vintage practically satin pants (I'm a murderer I know). I think y'all get the point that I didn't want heels, just regular old boots that weren't 700 bones but were stylish and I could rock come winter time. Literally, I never think I'm asking for too much but clearly I am. I'd found some contenders but I think the recent development of the tie-back boots is nice in theory but tacky in reality ~since we're being honest. And I personally realized I loved the narrower toe, it adds some class and makes a shoe look more expensive than it really is.


Long story short, Forever finally had these babies in stock. And I have to admit, I was playing. I was lollygagging trying to decide on a color, did I want plain black or did I want that ash taupe, a color I don't have in my shoe selection that could add a lil something to my closet. In actuality I think I was going to order two pairs, honestly I also wanted a hunter green but that also was not an available option so that had to be done with pretty soon. Black was the first color to go out of stock. Alright, cool, cool as long as I wasn't stuck with that poop brown... they have this pop-up sale and the taupe is next. Oh hell no, it's the taupe or nothing. But I couldn't get this boot off of my mind, because y'all the other options I had were disastrous or expensive for no viable reason; I mean if you're gunna cost my leg at least let the material rectify my loss...
So I decided I'd make do with the brown. The boot is completely sold out at this point. Nice going D, just smooth freakin' moves. I get on the waitlist, wait, miss it to it being sold out again, and nearly give up until God sent me an angel in the form of a returned shoe to the physical store and well, here I am. In the position I would've been off jump if I'd just bought the damn brown in the fist place

Boohoo jacket, thrifted sweater, American Apparel skirt, forever21 boots

The story behind this jacket is also another whirlwind but just know that I've been looking for a bomb aviator/Shepard's jacket for a bit. I say this too often for my own good on this blog, but it's really the truth, I look for clothing items that exactly fit my vision for seasons on end. That's why I need to design, cause then I can just make the shit instead of waiting for someone else to do it. In any case, this jacket was also angelic and just better than I'd ever expected. A sorry, no-backorders, unsuccessful google-image search hunt, and magical sale later, I literally found it. Miracles.

As far as putting this dream together, after buying the boots then later sifting through options for the jacket, I realized how much my closet lacked brown in general and the fact that the two items appeared to be an exact match, color wise. I'd literally just received the jacket when I was compelled to wear it...like the next day(I usually like for items to sit) but because of wanting to fully highlight the boot, meaning showing dem legs girl, and the sudden coordination of the weather, it was just a match made. This brown sweater literally just seemed to fall in line and with the mix of browns in it, the appearance was a lazy, coincidental match.

How's that for brown history?

xxoo missusmonroe




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an organic affair

8:19 PM missusmonroe 0 Comments


It's been mad real as of late, mad real. I'm constantly trying to find balance and this time around is posing a challenge. Is there a such thing as balance?... The thought just came to mind because I'm actually trying to remember a time where I was legitimately balance for a long period of time, was productive, happy, and not 5 years old. Even then there was cheetah-chasing, elephant riding conflict (a little stereotypes for the ignorant).

When I was gifted with catching sight of this beautiful skirt, excitement immediately ensued. When it arrived in my hands I nearly shed a tear. Then I was posed with the challenge of styling it. Silver industrial is not my thing. I don't know if y'all have noticed, but I am a strong 'gold or nada, go home' type of girl, so what I was thinking when I decided to risk it all! and purchase this beauty and nightmare, I don't really know. I don't. But y'all you gotta make it work, alright!?

After actually getting in my styling zone it became really easy, I actually came up with two options but I decided to wear this one first. The harness was something I ran across on eBay I just fell in love with but added to my cart on missguided, I think to get free shipping lol cause that sounds like me. I thought of the AA dress in combination with the skirt if I just simply thought of the skirt as a regular leather skirt then I knew the harness would have to be added because of these really eye-catching, off-centered buckles.

Hand-me down jacket, American Apparel dress, Missguided skirt, Urban Outfitters booties
The shoes were a given, with the tone of the outfit already, I randomly grabbed this jacket and it was a warm-ish day so I knew socks would have to be added. I played off of the cobalt with these trusty navy "OTK"s *cue eye roll*. And honestly, I didn't expect it to look this good together. I shouldn't be surprised because every time I feel that way it turns out to be a knockout. In any case, it really only looked this amazing with the jacket on! Without it things started falling apart; thankful for my spontaneous decisions.

xxoo missusmonroe



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