Atlanta Content Creator Inspiring [life] style

Monday, February 29, 2016

Lounging in Lilly

Just a few talking points because I'm writing this late at night while trying to also watch the Oscars. Did you see the Oscars? So many low points...but a few good moments here and there.

Anyway, the weekend was spent at Stepladder Ranch in Cambria celebrating my birthday with a few friends. We rented a house in the hills, went wine tasting (more on that later on the Muse), fed some baby goats, aka kids, and just enjoyed our weekend away. Maybe you saw some of this on Snapchat (ohtobeamuse)!

I had a few quick minutes to spare so I decided to snap some photos of one of my weekend looks, featuring this lovely Luca fringe hem sweater by Lilly Pulitzer. It's so fun and so perfect for the start of spring, don't you think? And how about these donut smoking slippers!

On the Muse: | Luca fringe hem sweater c/o Lilly Pulitzer | AEO jeans | H&M military jacket (similar) | Jason Polan X Soludos Donut smoking slippers |
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Friday, February 26, 2016

Oscar Predictions 2016

Over the years, I've given less and less thought to the Academy Awards (and award shows in general). I've noticed that they've become quite trite and predictable. And don't even get me started on the lack of diversity! Usually, I still end up watching the red carpets or the musical performances, and then end up Googling the winners later on. But this time around, I thought I'd share my Oscar predictions here (for some of the categories) since I haven't really done a true post like this since 2010. Yes, I've been blogging for like a million years.

So the items in bold are the ones that I think will win, and the items in red are the ones I want to win. If something happens to be both red and bold, then I guess me and the Academy are on the same page. The Oscars -- 88th Academy Awards -- air Sunday, Feb. 28, at 5:30 p.m. PST.
Best Picture
  • The Big Short
  • Bridge of Spies
  • Brooklyn
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Martian
  • The Revenant
  • Room
  • Spotlight
Best Actor
  • Bryan Cranston - Trumbo
  • Matt Damon - The Martian
  • Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant
  • Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs
  • Eddie Redmayne - The Danish Girl
Best Actress
  • Cate Blanchett - Carol
  • Brie Larson - Room
  • Jennifer Lawrence - Joy
  • Charlotte Rampling - 45 Years
  • Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn
Best Supporting Actor
  • Christian Bale - The Big Short
  • Tom Hardy - The Revenant
  • Mark Ruffalo - Spotlight
  • Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies
  • Sylvester Stallone - Creed
Best Supporting Actress
  • Jennifer Jason Leigh - The Hateful Eight
  • Rooney Mara - Carol
  • Rachel McAdams - Spotlight
  • Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl
  • Kate Winslet - Steve Jobs
Best Directing
  • Adam McKay - The Big Short
  • George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road
  • Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - The Revenant
  • Lenny Abrahamson - Room
  • Tom McCarthy - Spotlight
Best Orignal Song
  • Earned It - Fifty Shades of Grey
  • Manta Ray - Racing Extinction
  • Simple Song #3 - Youth
  • Til It Happens to You - The Haunting Ground
  • Writings on the Wall - Spectre
Best Visual Effects
  • Ex Machina
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Martian
  • The Revenant
  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Best Adapted Screenplay
  • The Big Short
  • Brooklyn
  • Carol
  • The Martian
  • Room
Best Original Screenplay
Best Animated Feature Film
  • Anomalisa
  • Boy and the World
  • Inside Out
  • Shaun the Sheep Movie
  • When Marne Was There
Best Cinematography
  • Carol
  • The Hateful Eight
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Revenant
  • Sicario
Best Costume Design
  • Carol
  • Cinderella
  • The Danish Girl
  • Mad Max: Fury Road
  • The Revenant
I'll be away until Monday to celebrate my 30th birthday, so comments on this post are disabled.  Oh, and my Cultural Appropriation post was featured on the latest Links a la Mode! Happy weekend, muses!
SPONSOR: Amazon's Shopbop THE GREAT., RAILS Tops, Loeffler Randall Sandals, Olivia von Halle, bobi, Frances Valentine, Striped Tees, Straight Leg Jeans, Oversized Sunglasses, Men's Alex Mill
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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Vine Vera Zinfandel

Have you heard of Vine Vera? Well, I've been using their skin care products every night for the past week and I just had to share a review with you, muses! What sets Vine Vera apart from other skin care brands is their use of resveratrol. Resveratrol is a compound found in plants and largely in the skin of red grapes. It is partially what makes drinking red wine good for you, as it can help reduce the risk of cancer. But it can also help take care of your skin!
For my skin care needs, I choose to use two items from the Vine Vera Zinfandel collection: the Resveratrol Zinfandel Skin Tone Correcting Serum and the Resveratrol Zinfandel Radiance Cream with SPF 30. I tend to have issues with uneven skin tone so I like to try products to target that discrepancy. Along with resveratrol, the skin tone correcting serum also includes Vitamins A & C and orange peel extract. It applies smoothly and evenly without any mess.
The radiance cream helps to even skin tone and give your face a more balanced look. Even though people tend to think I'm younger than I actually am, I still have skin problems that this radiance cream can combat, especially since the SPF 30 works to protect against sun damage. Other ingredients include Vitamins A & E and green tea to reduce the appearance of dark spots.
The very first ingredient in both the radiance cream and correcting serum is water, which is always a good indicator of a solid skin care product. The cream is also easy to use, and certainly contains enough product to last a while in your daily skin care regimen. This makes both the Skin Tone Correcting Serum and Zinfandel Radiance Cream worth their price.
I will continue to use both products going forward as I've started to see some results so far, but am looking forward to even bigger and better results in the near future. And if the Zinfandel collection isn't really your style, then check out some of the other collections by Vine Vera, including the Moscato, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc collections to name a few. Collections include exfoliants, cleansers, eye serums, peels and more!

By the way, the red wines with the most resveratrol are Malbec, Pinot Noir and Petite Sirah! Happy drinking and be sure to take care of your skin as we transition from winter to spring!
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Monday, February 22, 2016

Thirty Love

Tomorrow is my birthday -- I'm turning 30! I've sort of been celebrating it since the weekend, and I actually plan on celebrating it into next weekend as well. I'm taking this party to wine country with a few friends and I can't wait. Will definitely keep you guys posted on the festivities via Snapchat (ohtobeamuse) and Instagram!

I also thought it would be funny to wear this baby doll dress to celebrate my 30th being that everyone thinks I'm a child. I love the fit and flow of this Chicwish piece, and you can shop it via the link below. Maybe now that I'm 30, I'll stop getting carded...but probably not.

This KITSCH chain bun pin was pretty sweet and sophisticated since I'm all queen for a day and whatnot. I wore it with my hair down, but obviously, this pin would look fantastic with a messy bun. I'm also really happy to rock these Versace V19.69 Italia Jewelry pieces, that couldn't be more perfect to welcome me into my 30s. You might have seen them on my Instagram lately. And to top off my accessories, I'm wearing these beautiful Lanvin sunglasses from DITTO. I swapped out my House of Holland pair for these and I have totally fallen in love with them. The sleek, golden frames are out of this world. Want to join in on the fun and get endless eyewear? Use my code OHTOBEAMUSE to get one month free at DITTO!

P.S. -- thanks for all the valuable comments on my Cultural Appropriation post from last week!

On the Muse: | Embellished Pleated dolly dress c/o Chicwish | DITTO Lanvin SLN 050 sunglasses | Chain Bun pin c/o KITSCH | Versace 19.69 Insignia bangle and ring |
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Friday, February 19, 2016

Cultural Appropriation in Style

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRETY -- IT'S WORTH IT
It took me a while to write this post. I usually like to keep everything on here light, fun and related to fashion, beauty or some sort of review. But so much of this craziness has been happening lately, that I really just wanted to add my two cents. And this does have a style angle so it's still sort of in tune with what I like to have on the Muse.

I'm sure you all have heard of cultural appropriation right? It's really just when one culture adopts and uses the elements that belong to another culture. This happens all the time -- from culture to culture, but it seems as though cultural appropriation has been really affecting black culture in a negative way lately.

I'm all for the enjoyment of various cultures. I really don't know how anyone can truly get to know anyone from a different culture without experiencing elements of said culture. I also don't think there should be such thing as acting black or acting white because people are complicated creatures and there's no one way in which someone should act. But I feel like people keep missing the point...

Bantu Knots
Did you hear about the Marc Jacobs Spring 2015 fashion show? At this show, his models wore Bantu Knots and called them mini buns. The issue here is that black women have been wearing Bantu Knots (and calling them Bantu Knots) for centuries, dating back to the Zulu tribes of Africa. Many famous black women have worn them as well (including Uzo Aduba, Lauryn Hill, etc.), but the Marc Jacobs' team was quick to credit Bjork as the inspiration while re-naming a hairstyle that's been around for way too long to not be aware of as someone in the industry. And did I mention that his team also said that "mini buns" go best with African and tribal makeup...
The lesson here: It's absolutely cool and OK for any designer or model to wear a hairstyle based in a culture that's not their culture. The problem is not calling it what it is or giving credit to its culture.

Twist Outs
Here comes another hair story. Seems like there's a bit of a hair obsession [like how Cosmopolitan magazine recently tweeted that "hair tattoos" were the latest trend...black people have been putting lines in their hair for decades -- just visit your neighborhood barber shop. And the same has been said about baby hair and cornrows], which is kind of interesting. Recently, a vlogger did a hair tutorial on her YouTube showing how you can get curly hair without the use of heat. She called it the rope trick. Her video got picked up and practically went viral. Here's the issue: the style she's imitating is called a Twist Out, and black people with natural hair have been doing it for years. And, no offense, it looks a lot better on natural hair. Again, I have no issue with this vlogger re-creating the style. But she wants people to believe that this trick is all hers. I especially love when she says it's perfect for "unruly hair".
The lesson here: It's absolutely cool and OK for anyone to wear any hairstyle they like, no matter the culture. But please, please, give credit where credit is due.

Twerking
A trend that you might have noticed here is that black culture actually comes up with a lot of elements that become pop culture. And that's wonderful. But it seems as though many things that black culture creates are taken without being credited. I'll be the first to say that I'm not a fan of twerking. I can't do it and I don't think children should be doing it, but I'm totally cool with it being used by dancers. I see twerking as a dance move. Note, it's not the only dance move in history that I'm not a fan of, but it has become quite popular lately. 

The issue here is that so many people seem to think of Miley Cyrus when they think of twerking. The dance move has been around since at least 1993 (when Miley was one). Recently, a black twerk instructor wanted to work for a UK studio that offered a twerk class once a week. She shared her experience and a video of her twerk workshop with the studio. The studio declined her, stating that her twerking style was too basic. And their website even says that Miley Cyrus made twerking popular. Now, the studio has all rights in the world to turn down an offer. They don't have to hire anyone they don't want to hire. But I saw a video of the studio's twerking class (they've since removed it) and I couldn't give you an example of anything more basic in my life. And I also saw a video of the black instructor's twerking class (below). There is NOTHING basic about that. I've known how to shake my ass for years, but it would take more classes than I'd like to admit to achieve this level of twerkdom.
The lesson here: If twerking is your thing and you can twerk, more power to you. I know that twerking started in black culture, and I'm totally fine with any and every culture twerking if they can twerk. But know where it came from and appreciate it.
Rihanna
My current jam right now is Rihanna's Work from her new album. I mean, it gives me life. And one reason why it does this is because it's so inherently Caribbean. In case you forgot, I was born in Jamaica (and Rihanna is from Barbados). I don't think she's made a song with this much island style in years, and some people are giving her criticism for that. People are calling it gibberish because there are parts of the song that they don't understand and a line or two where she cuts off the last sound of a word. Coming from a Caribbean person, I can tell you that this is a dance hall, reggae, island style. It offends me because it takes two seconds to Google the lyrics and read that you can clearly understand 90% of the song. It also offends me because instead of calling it Jamaican patois or another form of native tongue dialect, people are calling it gibberish.

Can I just tell you that I'm pretty sure people would call this the greatest thing since sliced bread if Miley Cyrus did this. It's like how Bo Derek in cornrows equals sexy and exotic, but black women in cornrows equals prison inmate.
[note the Bantu Knots in her hair]
The lesson here: Ask around if you don't understand before belittling and writing it off.
Slang
You know words like bye Felicia, on fleek, bae, swag, etc.? Yes, those are slang terms that a lot of millenials are saying these days. And like all slang, not everyone will like them. I'll even admit that I'm pretty tired of many of these slang terms, myself. But I think it's quite funny that a lot of young black kids came up with these silly phrases that have become so popular that they're all over T-shirts, coffee mugs and beanies -- and worn by practically everyone from every culture. But as soon as one of these young black kids gets shot for no reason, then people turn a blind eye.
It's like the world is saying, "Look bae, your swag is on fleek, but if you get shot by a police officer then you and your entire race are on your own. But I'm going to keep saying bae...because coffee is bae AF."

Beyonce
When Beyonce performed at the Super Bowl halftime show, I kept scrolling social media and seeing a ton of positive responses about her performance. So many people even declared that they were only watching the game for Beyonce. But just a couple hours later, I read some articles (and saw some interviews) about how many people were offended by her performance. They said that she shouldn't use a football game to make a political statement because her dancers had a sign calling for justice for an unarmed black man who was slain by police officers. They said that she was racist because her dancers dressed like the Black Panthers and that they all got into an X formation.

Remember when I was scrolling social media and saw all those people loving Bey's performance? Well 90% of those people were white. And I honestly believe that those people didn't take any issue with her performance of Formation. But I truly hope that they understood the message in the video and song (and I'm not just talking about the Red Lobster part).

The lesson here: It's absolutely cool and OK to love black culture -- from our Beyonces to our slang. But listen to what biracial Amandla Stenberg said and try to love black people as much as you love black culture.

I didn't even say anything about big butts and big lips (like this post on MAC's IG that caused a lot of racial divide on the beauty of big lips when on other people)...this post was long enough already. Please leave your thoughts in the comments. I REALLY want to know what you have to say!
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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

What I'm Loving February 2016

February is the best month ever. I couldn't have picked [not that I did] a better month to be born in. There's just something uber special about February birthdays, especially the Pisces zodiac. But granted, I am biased. This February is quite special for me because I'm turning 30 in about a week! I really don't have any qualms about leaving my 20s and entering my 30s because black don't crack. Strangers will probably think I'm between the ages of 17 and 22 for another 10 years. And, quite honestly, a lot of my friends are already in their 30s so I feel like I'm playing catch up. And there's nothing cool about being 29. Thirty is where it's at!

I recently started eating squid ink pasta just a couple months ago when I got a complimentary dinner at the Four Seasons Quattro restaurant in Palo Alto. I told the hubs that it's become my favorite thing, so he went to Amazon and ordered some squid ink pasta and made me a grand dish. The funny thing is, this site also got their squid ink pasta from Amazon. Apparently, there really is no limit to the amount of things you can get from that website.

Thinking feet first for spring with these smoking slippers! As we transition from winter to spring, we have to think about our feet -- and I'm not just talking about pedis. It's almost time to move the boots to the back of the closet and bust out the chic espadrilles like these beauties by Soludos. These are either $65 or $75 and come in the cutest designs like donuts, limes and coconuts! I mean, honestly, don't you want all of these? Like, one in every color and food group?

Earlier this month, Punxsutawney Phil failed to see his shadow, so that means he predicted that spring will come early. We're about a month away from the official first day of spring, but I seriously can't wait to trade in my faux fur coats for striped shorts. Spring clothes are my go-to right now, which is why I can't get over this cover up and scallop swimsuit. I know you're like me and you're ready to wear fun bathing suits and beach accessories, too!

Let's just clarify -- when I say netflix and chill I totally mean binge watching shows and movies on Netflix while eating carbs in my pajamas. My current Netflix obsession is Lost, which I know everyone watched like 10 years ago. I never felt an interest or desire to watch this show when it was on TV, but now that I can watch four episodes in a row, it's way more fun. I'm on season three right now, and my initial interest has waned a bit, but I'm still pretty intrigued by all the weirdness. Did you guys watch Lost?

Since this song came out at the beginning of the month, I hope all of you have had a chance to listen to it by now. I've never been a Rihanna fanatic, but good music is good music. Her song Work from her new album ANTI is so boss. Being a Caribbean girl, I couldn't get over how much I loved the dance hall vibe of this song. And I know Beyonce's Formation was pretty big this month, too, but total kudos to RiRi for doing work!
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Monday, February 15, 2016

Pink Berry

Remember how I showed you a super casual look to rock for Valentine's Day for the not-so girly girl? Well, now I thought I'd show you the other side of the coin with this uber pretty in pink Chicwish ensemble. I didn't wear this for either Galentine's Day or Valentines this weekend, but that's only because I had a super low key and chill time. I just wanted to show you that sometimes I do enjoy adding a little pink to my life (it used to be my favorite color way back when), especially when it comes with such a beautiful black and white striped contrast. The shoes are an oldie, but a goodie, and the see-through Mozhy bag is my latest [practically free] score from IFCHIC.

How are you spending the Presidents' Day, three-day weekend? Catch any good movies? Saw the return of The Walking Dead? Ready to watch The Grammys tonight?

On the Muse: | Bows and Stripes pink dress c/o Chicwish | IFCHIC Mozhy Kate tech bag (similar) | ShopLately buckle cut-out booties (similar) | 
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Friday, February 12, 2016

Love, Naturally

This isn't a typical pink and red Valentine's Day look, but this is certainly something that's more my style. Although I love the color pink, a comfy tee like this Words of Love top by Love Naturally is totally what I'd wear this weekend.

This is the kind of look you'd want to rock if you want to celebrate the holiday but you're not too much of a girly girl. So grab your boyfriend and your boyfriend shirt (like the one I have wrapped around my waist) and enjoy a laid-back VDay without all the pomp and circumstance.

On the Muse: | Words of Love tee c/o Love Naturally | Kenosha Boyfriend shirt c/o Cotton On | Zara white capri jeans (similar) | Keds for Kate Spade Dori dot sneakers c/o Shopbop | Forever 21 Wide brim wool fedora | Structured satchel |
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Wednesday, February 10, 2016

My Grammys Music Playlist

The Grammys are this Monday night. This is quite possibly the first year that I've felt old when it comes to music because there were so many artists and songs that I had never heard of before writing this post. But there were also a few that I really loved. So here are my winning picks in a few of the big categories, including the actual music videos. You remember videos, right? So put on your Frends headphones, start jammin' to these bangers and let me know your faves.

Album of the Year
Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color

Song of the Year
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud

Record of the Year
The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face

Best New Artist
Meghan Trainor

Best Pop Vocal Album
Taylor Swift - 1989

Best Rap Album
Drake - If You're Reading This It's Too Late
*Note: The best known song from this album is probably Know Yourself (running through the six with my woes...) but his most popular songs last year were Back to Back and Hotline Bling, which aren't even on this album. 

Best Dance Song
Justin Bieber, Skrillex, Diplo - Where Are You Now

Grammys Red Carpet Looks
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Monday, February 8, 2016

Painted Ladies

Clearly, this post title is not in reference to the Painted Ladies houses in San Francisco (or the new Full House revival), but I did wear this look to a company holiday party in San Fran, so that counts, right? It's really the dip dyed vest along with the splatter tee that made me think that I should title this post something related to paint. Just how my mind works.

Yet another piece from Chicwish with this faux fur vest. I'm not gonna lie -- they are killing it with their winter outerwear right now. This is more of an everyday look for me: chic flats, comfy jeans and a tee. You simply can't go wrong! What's your go-to look right now?

Oh, and can I just say...GO BRONCOS! #peytonmanninghasmyheart

On the Muse: | Zoe Karssen splatter tee c/o Shopbop (similar) | Jeffrey Campbell Belanger loafers c/o Shopbop | Dip Dyed faux fur vest c/o Chicwish | AEO jeans | Ectu bag | Spiked beanie |
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