Hawt MONAE In HAUTE Closet

Photography by AyoFemi Photography (I.G: Omo_harkin)

I have found out over time that I can't let my style go without actually trying to reflect my personality in it, and if you ask me, it's a zero to 100 thing. Fashionably speaking, I'm an extreme minimalist or and extreme Romantic. Recently I've been wearing a lot of neutral tones; greys, blacks and whites, not to mention my latest obsession for pastel colours, dusty pink especially. But being a very open person also, it is no surprise to me that I'm actually starting to fall in between being a minimalist and a romantic. A touch of colour in between neutrals and a bland plain in between colours. This and that.
I was pretty much excited about shooting these pictures because the outfit presented me with the opportunity to identify with both my minimal and romantic parts (talk about eating your cake and having it) in this colourful leopard print dress, rock-studded shoes (that are basically not near basic), dusty pink purse and white framed sunnies, all from Haute Closet!, a boutique that is aimed at providing top fashion items for even less. And it is owned by Miss Tobiloba, an absolutely down to earth person, surprisingly so! I will be bringing you other looks with outfits from Haute Closet and boy are they fab! This outfit was particularly easy to style, I went easy on my accessories so that the entire look wasn't too busy.
Notice my shoes? Notice they're rock-studded? Notice they're Grey? I love that they are flats, first! And Bold too! So much balance I can totally swagger in them. Like really, I would give directions pointing with them. They are so gangsta, and they provide a perfect contrast to the busy lady-like dress and purse. They're perfect for stepping up a teeshirt and denim look. The best part of it all: I got them for 25% off the actual price from Haute Closet, I love you Miss Tobi! Got my purse and my wardrobe smiling.
I hope you like the pictures.
Today's motivation: Don't let anyone, not even yourself, stop your fab! Go out and consistently do you!
Please don't forget to share your opinions and views in the comment box.
And share too!
Have a lovely moment!
Love, Deuces and Kisses;
MONAE.

Outfit details:

Neckpiece : gift from friend.

All other items were shopped from Haute's Closet.

I.G: @mztobbie_

Phone📞: 08075307518

BBM: 52E6420F

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20th : STEPPIN TO THE BAD SIDE

DING DONG!

 IT'S  MY BIRTHDAY!!!

I can't  believe it's  here already, even though I waited on it. Hope the holidays are going well for everyone?

Today's  post was inspired by a soundtrack from the movie Dreamgirls; STEPPIN' TO THE BAD SIDE, as it played from my ear plugs while I was deciding what I'd title this post.

Inspired by: stepping to the bad side sound track from the Movie;

Dream Girls.

Picture source: Web.

 Yes guys, I'm  stepping to the bad side, I'm  switching sides and crossing lanes  (or that's  what happens when you officially stop being a teenager). And what better way to cross borders than in the colour Red? Badass colour!

I chose this Red dress with a gold zipper for it's plain yet sophisticated  look. And that front slit. Front Slits for me are a perfect perfect way to show off hot legs. I paired with a silver necklace and white  bangles (oops, repeat guilty), white framed owl-eye sunnies, and white  newspaper  print  sandals and a matching clutch....

.....or a black ladylike bag (with mustard yellow charm for a pop) depending on the mood and suitability.

 I always choose comfort above everything  else when I'm  shopping but I couldn't  think at all about that when I first saw met these sandals. Like really, newspaper print?! Nice way to test my morals, o ye style gods. It didn't  matter that they were a couple of inches higher from my comfort zone. And they're  laced too incorporating  the "Lace up" trend.

Aren't  we stepping up?! Remember that saying about the ... 

"Best things never coming from comfort zones".

I don't  think that it is mere coincidence  that my birthday  is 2 days away from the New year, it makes New year resolutions  easier (later on the BLOG we'll  be talking New year resolutions). I am beyond grateful for how far I've  come, and I'm  hopeful about what  the future holds.

Also want to say thank you to my readers (present and future), thank you for being the audience  to my voice that was so hard to find. Thank you for reading and commenting and sharing. You guys make it all worth the effort. THANK YOU REALLY!

(Okay before I get emotional).

This is my cute silly smiley face.

You guys earned it. Haha

Like my look and want to shop it?

I got you!
Outfit Details
Red dress and Sunglasses: @miz_tobbie for Haute Couture

Newspaper print sandals and matching clutch: @sekinahshoegallery 

Black structured bag: @shopmaju

If you don't  have instagram but want to shop these items, please feel free to let me know. I could hook you up!

I hope everyone  is making NYE (new year's eve) plans already, it's  almost here guys!

May all of our dreams come true.

Don't  forget to let me know what you think by leaving a comment below;  at Ink 'N' Style, everyone's  opinions really count. And wish me a happy birthday too.

Today of all days, I am bursting with Love, love is all I have for you, till the last drop of ink from my own, I'll be loving you.

Dueces and Kisses,

MONAE.

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Accesorizing the Accessory

Seasons greetings!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful time with all the joy and cheer in the air. It's Christmas, well say post Christmas and it's new year soon. What's not to be excited about?
I'm doubly excited because it's my birthday tomorrow!!!! Do a back flip on my behalf, it's worth it....

So this is a mini post, since It's a quick one,
(And a weird post for a week start, but it's holiday season guys).
I just want to share with you guys a basic styling tip for accesorizing a purse.
A purse is one thing that telegraphs your style to the world. You could create an entirely different look from a casual tee shirt and jeans outfit, just with the right bag.
I love me a simple black purse, because of it's versatility, and uniqueness. I mean black has never been boring, but sometimes I love to spice it up. I bet y'all do too sometimes.
My favorite purse this moment is A black structured/ladylike Maju purse. It is made of reinforced leather that holds it's shape, and has both short and long handles for preference. It has a chic, vintage appeal for me.
So in a bid to spice this purse, I have recreated it's look by tying a vintage scarf that used to belong to my late grandmother, God bless her soul. The thing about this scarf is that it holds a lot of history and memories for me, and so it felt great to style my favorite black purse with it. I bet grandma is proud.

Also, I switched it up by pairing with this brown scarf that I bought from a supermarket's accessory rack, just in case you're wearing brown. I have rocked an all denim look with brown loafers and this black purse with the brown scarf tied to it's handle.

It could be anything; Ankara pieces, charms bangles, dangly earrings(especially if you can't find the second pair), or pearls. I'm yet to even try these, but I'm so going to try. I dare you to be different.
Hope the rest of the year runs smoothly for everyone of us. Have a great week start!
Deuces and Kisses,
Monae.

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SWAGGU SAUCE DRIPPIN' -CASUAL CHIC LOOK.

Good morning lovelies!
Who's excited? I am because it's the weekend baby. I promise you I'm bouncing on my bed as we speak. Haha.
So today, I'm breaking rules.
I think I'm a fashion rebel, always styling my outfits with the "do-not-pairs".
But a few weeks ago, before the Airtel × Access concert in my school, I could only express my rebel self in subtle, not so pronounced ways, even though my friends might argue that it's obvious. But wait guys, I haven't gone Lady gaga on you yet. So, yes this is subtle.
And so it was with great joy that I planned this casual outfit, when A.O (I G: A.O WORLD) whom I met alongside Vector (the viper, the real vector) while I was interviewing them for The happy people magazine. A.O told me about his style, and called it ;
SWAGGU SAUCE DRIPPIN'. (SSD)
Feel that?
He promised me he was a pioneer of this unique style. SSD is styling Ankara or African prints with the other.
Fashion is about creating a balance between identifying with my culture, because it is a part of me that I can't shake off, and also identifying with international styles and cultures because Monae is a renaissance woman.Fashion is a message, and can be spoken in different languages and expressed with different cultures. So now I bring my Africanism and my sporty chicness, just because I can't stick to the rules and because A.O world says so!

Like I did Here, styling orange coloured Ankara shorts that i had my tailor make with this very girly grey tee(thanks to eyelashes and lipstick pout), white sneakers and matching Ankara head tie for my hair, also accessorizing  with gold bracelets. I hope its swaggu, and hot and drippin too! I had to strut in these shorts, never mind that I wasn't wearing heels. They are still about my favorite pair of shorts at the moment.
Trust me, this is about to be the new cool.
And don't you forget, you heard it first at Monae's.

Lastly, like my hair? I bet you do, can't deny these babies look great , even on "a dark girl", as some "white Nigerian girl" said to me while admiring them. We know how braids can never stop being a thing, but we don't want to always have the same cliché braids. Hence, we girls tend to bring it back in some different unexplored way. I must admit that I once saw a girl mix colours wine and blue evenly on her braids and it looked gorgeous, even if it might be hard to imagine it. So I said to myself, "my next braids are going to be off the charts". And I added metallic(gold and silver) hair rings, or that's what I call them.
Now many people have been mixing extension colours black and gold/blonde, but I decided to combine colours BLUE and SILVER evenly, for my hair. There it is, you can try it.

Photocredit: AyoFemi Photography

The colours PURPLE and SILVER too are a gorgeous blend, they almost look lavender! I have seen it on my friend Tonia, who was going to do the exact one I have on, but I convinced her to use purple instead of blue, just to see how it would turn out. I can bet she's grateful she let me convince her. Haha.
I hope you're having a great weekend?
Weekend inspiration: The weekend is not a break from the grind, go out today and do something about your dreams. Even the littlest efforts count.
Thank you so much for reading!
And have a great productive weekend.
Love is all I have for you.
Deuces and Kisses,
  Monae.

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