Stylenspire: what's fall got to do with it?

Oh Summer, where art thou? And Autumn season, how long will thou stay-est with me that I may possibly escape the Wintery days to come? Sigh*** It has gotten cold with Fall season in full swing and I have resorted to quoting weather-shakespear (what a life! LOL). I cannot help it that as much as I enjoy the cool, sometimes cold-sun days of Autumn, I keep thinking Winter, Winter, Winter. And this little one simply does not enjoy the Winter! 

Okay, so enough of my whining! I have missed out on a few blog weeks while trying to get some things with life on track, and I am glad to be back! During my little hiatus, all I have heard and seen is buy, buy, buy….hence the Fall, Fall, Fall + Winter, Winter, Winter = buy, buy, buy! Chuckles* I mean seriously? Except you are going to be doing a massive haul of your closet from the previous season, if you ask me, there is only so much you can continually buy. 

The best shopping principle that I live by is shopping opposite seasons. At the end of Summer when all the stores are bringing in Fall/Winter trends, they aim to get rid of all current Summer fashion pieces. To this point, they will discount their merch' with a variety of sale events till they are all gone. In reverse, when Spring arrives, traders look to haul out all the Winter pieces which at that time no one will want because most people are looking to shop new for the coming warmth.  This is when I shop! At the end of one season to stock up for the following year. And because I only buy pieces that I love, it never fails to become the IT items in my closet when the new season arrives. 

Like the fur trim collar Vince sweater I am wearing today. It has been my repeat go to since the turn of the weather. I shopped this 'must-have' last Spring and have saved it for now. I paired it with this trendy batik midi skirt I custom made for myself and a cashmere men's sweater. All the pieces I styled my outfit with are very much today's trend with vibrant autumnal colors, shopped from my closet and very much me. 

Enjoy and please share your thoughts with comments below. xOXo!

Outfit deets: Ralph Lauren Black Label Men's Cashmere Sweater (old) + Vince Fur Trim Removable Collar Cardigan (sold out) + B Brian Atwood Fontenay Platform Sandals (metallic gold option) + Elie Tahari fold-over Goat Hair Clutch + Ralph Lauren sunnies are each this maxxinista's fab finds @ TJ Maxx // DIY Indonesian Batik Midi Swing Skirt (custom made by me)

Stylenspiration: "The beauty of a resplendent style, can also be represented in praise in all seasons.
Praise the Lord from the heavens, 
Praise Him all His angels,
Praise Him you highest heavens,
Praise the Lord from the earth,
Let them praise the Name of the Lord,
For He commanded and they were created.
In each season,  His Splendor is above the earth and the heavens." Y.S
See, PSALM 148

Stylenspire: dear beauty

Today's style combination was quite spontaneous & I love the result. 
Wearing print on print is quite the rage right now & leopard prints are the foreword to that trend. The top & the skirt are each chiffon & the softness of the fabrics adds lush to the way I feel dressed up like this. My outfit leads me to share some thoughts with you as I see beautiful in these pictures I am about to share. 
Yet what I deem beautiful could very well be the opposite for you. 

This week, I met a few people that I regularly speak to on the phone for work & was quite pleased. Later in the day walking down the hallway, I had an 'omg' moment. One of the ladies I met earlier in the day does not 'look like her voice sounds on the phone'. I wondered about this & humorously mentioned it to one of my colleagues. 

My exact words were "...she sounds like a blonde bombshell but does not look like a blonde bombshell." We laughed at my remark but those words have not left my mind for the last few days. In retrospect, please be aware that I was not trying to be mean when I said what I said.








I do not know why I had a pre-designed idea of how I thought she would look. Maybe because I have always admired & enjoyed listening to her voice (even with the most mundane conversations), & my mind captured some ethereal being to go with the voice. 

There was nothing about her look that was not as beautiful as the God gifted voice she possessed. My mind & misconception had tried to put her in a box that her Creator did not see fit to put her in. How often in our everyday lives does this happen? We each have misconceived preconceived ideas of what ought to be beautiful. When beauty herself refuses to be put in a box that will in any way diminish who she is.

Often we blame mainstream social/fashion/beauty media for this short coming we all possess, when WE choose to narrowly define what beauty is to us. You may never be my/others' conceived idea of beautiful, but the truth is THERE WILL NEVER BE A MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU. Who you are, how you look, is who God created, carved out from the very image of Who He is with His very purpose to fulfill.

You know, the short comings that make us think someone else should look/be a certain way, the blemishes that we each cringe from in our own selves, wishing we can be different, is there with a purpose to fulfill. If not for you, then for someone else. The only perfection with the image of our beauty that will ever truly matter is found only on the inside. While the outward appearance that we admire, love, judge, condemn, is nothing but ephemeral. 

Outfit deets: BCBG MaxAzria print chiffon top + Laundry by Shelli Segal print pleated chiffon skirt (fab find here / similar here & here)+ Cole Haan H belt + Kate Spade feathered bow flats + Cara necklace + Printed Leather & Gems cuff + Juicy Couture watch are each this maxxinista's fab finds from TJ Maxx 

SHOP & STYLE PLEATED SKIRTS

Stylenspiration: "Love beautifully & allow yourself to be beautifully loved."

Y.S

Photo credit: joyfully by V. Dodge