I Wanna Shop Goodwill

When I tell most people that I love to thrift it usually leads to tons of questions.  Questions like why thrifting? Or isn't that just shopping for old clothes? And you know what... I get it.  I get it because thrifting isn't the most normal shopping experience. But that doesn't mean that thrifting can't be a great shopping experience. There are some thrift stores that make thrifting easier than you think.  Take the Goodwill for example. The Goodwill is one of my favorite places to thrift shop.  They offer a great variety and their store organization makes thrifting a breeze.  I recently had a chance to interview Lauren Lawson-Zilai, Director of Public Relations at Goodwill and she shared some amazing tips on why you too should give thrifiting a go at the Goodwill 

New and Old:

A clothing rack filled with old granny dresses and mumus is usually what comes to mind when most people think of thrifting.  While it has a slight ring of truth, it's not necessarily the truth for Goodwill stores. The Goodwill accepts millions of donations from the public that not only include used pieces but brand new ones as well. In fact there is a good chance that you'll find new items with the tags still attached while browsing the racks of Goodwill.

Organized:

Organization, or should I say a lack of organization can make or break your shopping experience. It's one of the biggest reasons why some people opt not to thrift. I've been to a handful of thrift stores where the layout was really confusing and hard to find things.  Goodwill cuts down on the confusion by breaking clothing  into sections.Items for ,men, women and children are broken into their own sections and then further broken down by item (ex: tops, bottoms, dresses and coats). You can also find some clothing seperated by color.  So if you are looking to wear a white top, you can very easily browse the white shirt section.

Charitable:

Looking for an opportunity to shop and be charitable? Well it's possible when you shop with the Goodwill.  Each and every time you donate or shop at Goodwill stores, you are helping someone find a job and build their careers.  Goodwill's revenues from sales go to fund job placement and training programs to help people find employment. They also offer services such as financial education,mentoring and transportation.

Wide Variety:

Think you can only find clothing at the Goodwill? Think again. Goodwill offers a variety of items from small household appliances, toasters, plates, glasses and artwork.  Some Goodwill stores even carry furniture. If  you are shopping for more specialized items head over to shopgoodwill.com, an internet auction site that has more unique finds.

Major Deals:

Looking for a good deal? Goodwill is the perfect place. It may vary from store to store but Goodwill offers senior and student discounts, discounts for items that have tags that are a certain color (ex: red-tagged items may be 10 percent off). And get ready for it, some Goodwill stores allow you to buy clothing by the pound.

Interested in learning more about Goodwill? Head over to their website here.

I Wanna Go To The Beach

Summer is here you guys (finally)!  It was looking kind of shaky for a while but here it is.  I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am.  I plan on making Summer 2016 one for the records books. My plans include hitting up some of my favorite beaches.  As with  every visit there are a few items that make my visit just a bit more enjoyable, after talking to the swimwear and sexy plus size lingerie team at AdoreMe about #BeachDayMusts, I decided to share a few things that are my absolute must haves when I hit the sand.

I Wanna Thank My Mama

I’m not exactly sure how old I was. I just know that I was very young and that it was my birthday. It was also around the time when my family struggled financially so I don’t think I really expected much on my special day.  The details are a bit fuzzy but what I recall is my Mom and I going somewhere. She didn’t really hint as to where we were headed so it was a bit confusing. We finally ended up at a Woolworth (So aging myself with that one lol). We walk into the store and quickly headed towards the back where there was a photo booth. Nothing fancy just a regular photo booth. My mom and I climb in and took about three or four photos together. As we finished up I hear her say Happy Birthday.  In that brief moment I felt special and overwhelmed with joy.  I wanted to express to her how thankful I was to have a mother like her. One who did her absolute best to provide even when it was difficult. As we celebrate Mother’s Day I am reminded of all of the sacrifices my mom has made. She along with all the other strong women in my life are to be celebrated and honored for all they do. Thank you Mom! Thank you for your patience, unconditional love and always being my biggest cheerleader. I love you!

I Wanna Watch Lemonade

By a show of hands how many of you watched Beyoncé's visual album 'Lemonade' debut this past weekend? *immediately raises my hand* I’m going to hope that your hands are raised too because duhh its Beyoncé and two, if not that would mean you missed out on Bey making the world bow down to her once again. I was here for every second of Bey in Lemonade.  Especially since she served us a different kind of Bey. The kind of Bey that seemed to bare her soul to the world. The kind of Bey that gave us lyrics like ‘He better call Becky with the good hair’ (that was actually pretty mild compared to the other lyrics) and the kind of Bey that seemed more vulnerable with this project. Yeah, it was insane.  What was also insane were the stunning visuals.  Every single scene from Lemonade was breathtaking and was a complete work of art. Here are just a few photos from the visual album that left my mouth gaped open.

Photo Credit: Parkwood Entertainment/ TIDAL's Beyonce Page

I Wanna Wear A Cape

Cape: Thrifted (Similar Here ) | Boots: Just Fab (Similar) | Jeans: Thrifted | Turtle Neck: Forever 21

Thrifting is soooo Bae and let me tell you why. You probably have somewhat of a hint as to why If you've been following me for a while.  If you're new here you should know that I may or may not be a thrifting addict. (Ackward silence) Ok I am. Now that that's clear lets get into why me and thrifting will always be boo thangs lol.  So a few months back I took a quick trip to Toronto. While there I mozied on down to Kensington Market, an area in Toronto known for its specialty stores and diverse food choices.  What it also happens to include are some of thee most amazing thrift and vintage stores.  So you know your girl was in heaven. As I started to pop in and out of each thrift shop I noticed a theme.  Almost every shop had an amazing selection of coats and capes.  Now folks you should know I’ve been wanting to buy  a cape for the longest time but nothing really was saying ‘you should buy me’ until I saw it. Yes it! I walked into Exile, Kensingtons Costume and Vintage Mecca expecting to browse and walk away with nothing much more than a look  here and a comment or two of ‘that’s cute’ there but most importantly empty handed. That all changed as I walked to the back of the store.  In the back on a mannequin sat the cape of my dreams.  There was an instant confirmation that this cape was coming home with me. It was perfect. It was my favorite color, it provided just the drama I wanted in a cape and most importantly it was timeless.  I knew that I could never find a cape with this kind of quality and this price point at any other store.  And that folks is why thrifting will always be my Bae.  When was the last time you went thrifting? Did you find anything as perfect as my cape?

I Wanna Remix My Midi Skirt

I’m all for making the most out of my wardrobe.  In fact just recently I took my Gap Midi Skirt (You remember, the skirt that I wore at the Essence Street Style Block Party. If not refresh your memory here.) and transitioned it into a snazzy fall look. There are so many items in our own closet that we can remix  or transition from one  season to the next by simply adding and replacing key pieces.  Not only is it fun recreating different looks but it also helps saves us from overspending. A total win, right?  Here are some really simple ways you can transition some of your clothing into fall.

Layer It On:

Fall is absolutely a perfect time to incorporate layering. The dropping temps haven’t quite hit bubble coat weather but it’s still a chill in the air that will require maybe a light sweater topped with a light jacket. In my case I used a turtle neck and a trench coat.

Add Boots:

Nothing says Fall like putting away your sandals and replacing them with a sexy boot.  It’s an automatic indicator that we have left summer behind and are heading into cooler temps and longer nights. Try falling into fall with a cute bootie or a over the knee boot.

Get Vampy:

Vampy lips (think dark maroons and deep purples)  have always been a popular choice for me any time of the year but Vampy Lips are just the accessory (yes I think it's accessory) you need to kick off your fall looks.

Skirt: Gap | Turtle Neck: Similar | Booties: Similar | Trench: Similar | Lipsitck: Mac Diva

I Wanna Travel To Paris and Rome

Around this time last year I was a few days away from  wrapping up my first international trip.  I had an entire week of scouring the streets of Paris and Rome, both two equally exciting and sexy cities, and I was bursting with excitement to head home and share my travels escapades with friends and fam.  While I had thee most amazing time, I mean it was almost epic, I couldn't help but fight the feeling that I wished I had did a little bit more. Don't get me wrong I covered a lot in both places but this fear of missing out was wearing on me thick.  What I realized is,  it is almost impossible to see everything when you travel, especially if you have a limited amount of time but there are some key things you can do to make the most out of your travel when you are running on a tight schedule. Here are four tips on how to make the most out of your international vacation when low on time.

Plan A Daily Schedule
Plan, Plan and Plan. I can not stress this enough. Planning will help you  layout your travel goals and you'll have a greater chance of hitting that goal if it is mapped out.

Research
Do yourself a favor and thoroughly investigate the area you will be visiting. You can start by calling your hotel with questions in hand and ask away. Is there a subway station that the locals use? If so, what is the nearest station near your hotel? How long is the subway ride to a specific attraction? Answering these questions or any others you may have beforehand allows you to hit the ground running without wasting any time.

Rise And Shine
On most days I usually have a hard time waking up early but when traveling I force myself into the lifestyle (Yes, I think it's a lifestyle). Why? Because starting early gives you a greater chance to hit more of your goals. In some cases you can beat the tourist crowd if you start early.

Invest in Special Passes
While in Paris I made the investment in a Paris Pass. This Pass allowed access into different attractions in addition to that I was able to skip long lines and a special shuttle was provided to wisk me to place to place. Look into special passes like these when traveling. It can make getting around less complicated and also can save on time.

What are some of your travel tips?