Thursday, November 26, 2015

Casual on Turkey Day

Happy Turkey Day!

Here's a quick post of a casual look, perfect for errands, lunch or a professional development.



A few types of leathers and denim!  This hooded leather jacket by Michael Kors was a find from Century 21 last year.  The scarf is an old favorite from high school and was purchased for $1 at a thrift shop.  Jeans are supreme bold curve by Levis.  Boots are Matisse via DSW.  Backpack is from Madewell.



Until next time,
<3
M

Today's affirmations: I give thanks for all that I am and for all that I have.  

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Fall Fashion and a Little Self Love

Good morning everyone!

Here's a very fall look I wore recently:





J.Crew chunky sweater and sweatshirt, Express faux leather leggings, American Eagle blanket scarf, Ugg clog boots, and Madewell leather backpack.



A student took most of these photos, and she was right, this angle does work.  It'd be better for the 'gram, but the lighting is one of the better ones of the series,  so here goes.



A little hallway action, with some lovely plants in the background.



These boots though!  I'm all about a mix of textures-- leathers, suede, sweatshirt, blanket-ish and chunky knits.


A fall look isn't complete without a deep-hued lipstick.  Here's I'm wearing a mix of Cyber by MAC with plum by RK by Kiss underneath.




Until next time,
<3
M

Today's affirmation, inspired by a 7 second meditation and acknowledgement of the importance of self love: I love myself deeply.




Monday, November 23, 2015

A Little Red and Green at Work

Happy Monday!

Here's an outfit I wore recently:


I usually shy away from green and red-- it makes me think of Christmas and I don't like cliche color pairings, though some of them do go very well together!-- but the denim balanced it all out for me.



These camouflage pants are from J.Crew, one or two years ago, but they finally fit decently!  
This necklace is from Baublebar, chambray shirt from Old Navy and boots by Frye.



And of course, the lipstick, what's left of it at the end of this school day, is Ruby Woo by MAC.

Until next time,
<3
M

Today's affirmation: I love.  I am loved.  I radiate love.  I attract love.

Friday, November 13, 2015

Lots of Denim and Cooking by the Book

Happy Friday!

Last week I attending one of my favorite PDs, also known as professional developments of the year.  My colleagues and I spent the a good part the day at Cooking by the Book.  We collaborated to prepare a delicious meal with fresh ingriedients, sat down to enjoy it and then delivered the rest to a youth program close by.  

Here's what I wore:






Denim Jacket-- J.Crew
Plaid button down-- Gap
Jeans-- Levis super bold curve skinny jeans
Sneakers-- Converse


I added some flavor to my outfit with a dark lipstick-- a mix of "Plum" by RK by Kiss and "All Out Gorgeous" by M.A.C.-- and a sparkly necklace layered over my gold nameplate.  

As for Cooking by the Book...



A little apron action!


My group made a vegetable couscous that I plan on replicating very soon!




There's nothing like cooking in a large kitchen with the meal prep done for you.






The plated lunch: vegetable couscous, cheese strata and mixed greens salad.  So good!




And double chocolate chip cookies for dessert.  



Until next time,
<3
M

Today's affirmation: Life is beautiful. Life is fulfilling. I love life.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

A Sweatshirt Dress and Sneakers at Work

Happy Veterans day!

Here is an outfit I wore recently.  I had a lot of fun with this look, as I definitely enjoy a good sweatshirt dress (yup, it's about that time!) that still works for work.  Check out how I styled it for a day-to-night kind of look.



My building is quite chilly, so I always wear layers to work.  
Dress: sweatshirt material, pencil skirt dress with panel detailing from ASOS.com
Jacket: denim from J.Crew
Scarf: camouflage with a hint of neon from Express
Tights: Hue 
Sneakers: Golden Goose


Assorted bracelets were inspired by my Halloween look which included a bunch of big bangles as well.  (There was a time in my style-life when I almost exclusively wore large bangles.)


I love mixing neutrals like navys with blacks and browns and shades of gray.




Until next time,
<3
M

Today's affirmation: I am grateful for the love I am receiving at this moment.

Monday, November 9, 2015

Fall for Fall Fashion: Plaid Skirt Revisited

Happy Monday!

Despite a few chilly days we had last month, this fall has been unseasonably warm!  I alternate between trusting the weather-person and layering up because I know what it's supposed to be like and I strongly dislike being cold.

Here's one of the outfits I layered up with and was simply and fashionably over-dressed:


I felt very fall-appropriate in this look with the deep tones paired with warm leathers.  

The skirt is probably my best find of the season and is from Old Navy (see how I styled it in another look).  Those of you who follow me on IG also know that I have worn this skirt a few times for nights out on the town.  I love a skirt that can go from day to night. 


The jacket is from J.Crew (a recent replacement after I left my well-worn denim jacket at a house party and it was never seen again), as is the floral sweatshirt and the gray knit tights.  

The leather backpack is from Madewell and the boots are Matisse via DSW.




Despite being super hot, these colors made me happy.  Peep the hint of remaining dark green nail polish.  Yup, fall all the way!




This picture felt so much like fall, I had to include it here!  Almond and I during our morning walk.




Until next time,
<3
M

Today's affirmation: All my power is in the present moment.



Sunday, November 8, 2015

Buzzfeed Feature!

So, Buzzfeed picked up one of my looks (via Instagram) for a post on how awesome glasses are.  And true, they are awesome, plus they make for great accessories!

Now for my ensemble...

Yup, Nora got it right; I am definitely accessorizing to the max here.

Though like Coco Chanel advised, I did take off the last accessory I had put on that morning, so things turned out just fine.

Headwrap was a gift from a colleague many years ago, the glasses are Warby Parker, and the statement necklace is J.Crew Factory.

Check out the rest of the post here.

Until next time,
<3
M

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Overheard at a Bestuy Cafe: Observations from an Educator's Perspective

I wrote the below very quickly and a bit passionately while the experience was fresh in my mind.  I will go in and revise at some point, or maybe I won't, but here goes.

So I just had an interesting experience at a Bedstuy cafe.  I was writing in my journal about how the “conversation" I was hearing at the table near me between a white woman (teacher/mentor/tutor) and a black boy (about 9 or 10 years of age) was very similar to the one I had overheard earlier between a teacher/mentor (white woman) and a high school student (Southeast Asian, maybe), when the woman said to me, “I know how it looks, but it’s not like that.”  Without addressing the obvious, that she was reading what I was writing, I shifted my body and energy towards her, and opened myself up for a discussion.

Basically she was firing questions at the boy, as he was eating his crepe and drinking a hot chocolate about writing an essay and using math strategies, when he became upset.  She asked why he was upset, and getting no answer, she said it’s okay if he’s upset with her and continued to prod. This was with out giving him anytime to process the situation, perhaps why he was upset and what got him to that point.  That, along with the way she communicated with him, as though he was a mid-teenager at least, told me that she didn’t really have any understanding about how to effectively communicate with children, especially ones who may be frustrated or overwhelmed or not that into having that conversation on a Saturday afternoon.

Earlier, she had had asked the boy what made him angry and after rephrasing the question a few times, she finally replaced "angry" with "frustrated."  I was a bit relieved that she did because a boy doesn't need to be angry to write a persuasive essay.  Why not speak to young people about passions, what they care strongly about?  It doesn't always have to come from a place of anger, though it is very okay if it does.  Nonetheless, I could tell by the way she communicated with the boy that she worked for a charter school, which she confirmed in a roundabout way when I asked her at some point.  Basically, what she was missing and I told her this, was that she was talking to a child, and asking him why he wasn’t doing certain things in rapid succession is ineffective at best.  And if she had gotten my “critique” before, as she said she had, then perhaps she should reflect as to why her intentions and the perceptions from the outside don’t match when it comes to the way she deals with children, presumably young black children.  I also suggested that she incorporate social emotional skills into her “sessions” so that perhaps the boy, and others, can answer those types of questions comfortably.  Being comfortable, or "safe" as she put it came up in our conversation.  Safe being as she put it, a "loaded" word.  I didn't go there with her, as I felt some basics needed to be addressed.  I also reminded her that many adults wouldn’t feel comfortable answering that either, and that she has to consider the many factors that go into how a person communicates, especially children.

I don’t think she was expecting all this when she comfortably let me know that she had read my journal, but after our conversation I still think what I originally wrote stands: here is another instance in the span of thirty minutes where an egotistical mentor/teacher/tutor is loudly proclaiming through their actions for all to hear that they are saving another young person of color or being the factor that ensures their eventual success.  I also named it as "White Privilege" and wrote "get back!"

Thanks to mindfulness practices, and the community hot yoga class I participated in earlier, I spoke to her calmly and in a way that she could hear me.  At one point, she assumed my choosing my words carefully was me trying to speak nicely or sugar-coat what I was intending to say.  But I let her know that it is important to me to speak clearly, in a way that others' can receive what I am saying.  And also I let her know that this is my perception, shaped from my nearly ten years teaching/mentoring and coaching in DOE middle schools and high schools as a special educator.  The fact that I am of color, went unsaid, though I'm sure not unnoticed.

As for the earlier instance, the girl had gotten an interview for admission to Columbia University and instead of asking what support she need or concerns had, her mentor intensely fired a bunch of suggestions and demands the girl's way.  Not once did she ask the girl any type of question; it was all assumption based.  And while I'm sure she could support the girl in this process, I'm concerned with the lack of regard she showed towards encouraging and cultivating the girl's own voice.

Until next time, each one teach one still stands.

<3
M