8 WAYS TO WEAR A BLACK MAXI DRESS

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I love a good black maxi dress, especially for the summer. I think it’s one of those basic pieces every woman should have in their wardrobe. There are days where I don’t feel like glamming up, but still want to look professional, that’s when a black maxi dress is in order. It’s a piece that can be mixed and matched with so many things and worn so many different ways.

All that said, I got the cutest, softest, sleeveless black maxi dress from Sozy and wanted to share 8 ways to style it. So here it goes.

Add a Denim Jacket

A denim jacket is another piece I think should be in everybody’s wardrobe. It’s a classic and instantly adds life to a simple look. It’s so easy to elevate a look with a denim jacket. You can roll the sleeves up, pop the collar, button it up, tie it around your waist, wear it around your shoulders. Get my drift? 🙂

Add a Funky Scarf

I have so many scarves from years past. I went through a serious scarf phase where I felt like every outfit needed one, the black maxi was not exempt from this. One thing I love about adding a scarf to a black maxi dress is that like the denim jacket, it can be styled different ways. I know at least 5 different ways to tie it around my neck and about 3 different ways to tie it on my head, and if you’re feeling extra fancy, you can tie it on your purse and decorate that up a bit. I’ll do some posts in the future about all of this at a later date.

Add A Classic White Button Down

Sleeveless dresses are great, but around this time of year where I’m from, the weather isn’t always that consistent, adding a white button down to a sleeveless black maxi is a great transition look. It says that you’re not quite ready for spring yet, but you’re looking forward to it. Adding a white button down takes this look from casual to a bit more formal as well. Lastly, if you’re not feeling the hostess look, you can always wear it over the maxi dress as opposed to under, which is what I’ve done here.

Add a Funky Blazer

If you’re like me, most of the pieces in your closet are bright and are crazy prints. These types of pieces go well with a basic black maxi dress. It’s a great way to elevate your look and make a statement at the same time. I added a simple braided belt for just a little extra, but the blazer alone would do perfectly fine.

Add Textured Sweater

Sometimes mixing textures adds a little extra boost to an otherwise blah look. Like I said before, where I’m from, the weather this time of year is a bit unpredictable, so the way I’ve been adding texture is with spring transitional sweaters. This pretty lavender sweater is a fuzzy texture, sort of cropped, a spring color, simple, but still cute enough to make a statement without overpowering the dress. I also like that wearing the sweater over the dress almost makes the dress look like a skirt.

Add a Kimono

Once upon a time Kimono’s were trending on the fashion scene. Not sure if that’s still the case, but I’m not one to follow trends. I just wear what I fee like wearingl. Like my scarf phase, I went through a major kimono phase, and to this day I wear them to dress up simple pieces like my new black maxi from Sozy worn in this post. Kimono’s can be pieced together with a statement purse, necklace or belt as well.

Add a Funky Sleeveless Blouse

It’s no lie that I own the craziest printed tops and blazers. It really works to my advantage because they go so well with simple pieces. I decided to keep this blouse unbuttoned and do a beach tie. I call it a beach tie because I feel like this is how some people wear their beach cover up’s at the beach. I don’t know, just an assumption, this is how I rock my top cover ups at the beach, so I’m calling it a beach tie, end of discussion, LOL. 🙂 Note: If you don’t have a sleeveless button up printed top, you can easily pair your black maxi with a regular top or tee shirt.

Add a Belt

This is for sure the simplest way to elevate a black maxi and there are so many different types of belts you can pair it with. Need I say more.

I hope these 8 ways inspire you to add little flair to your black maxi dress.

Loving my black dress from Sozy? Click here to shop it and other comfortable, stylish pieces.

Till next time!

Sincerely,

Deidra Marie

3 WAYS TO STYLE A BLACK LEATHER JACKET

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A leather jacket, specifically a black leather jacket is a closet must have. It’s a classic piece I think every stylish woman should own because it never goes out of style and can be styled and worn in so many different ways. I got my leather (pleather rather, lol) jacket on super sale at a Marshall’s several years back and am just now getting the chance to really mix and match it with other pieces in my wardrobe. I kept thinking to myself, why in the world didn’t I wear this sooner. Styling a leather jacket is so easy and takes you from blah to glam in no time. Don’t believe me, keep scrolling for the 3 ways I styled it for my black and white color combo series on my Instagram feed last week.

This is definitely my favorite way to style a leather jacket. Mixing the dainty vibes of a white prairie dress with the hard core vibes of a black leather jacket then adding a punk feel with vintage black leather boots is a whole mood. Also, this is a great way to easily transition into your spring wardrobe. It also helps to add a pop of color to your lips to really drive the point home that you’re so ready for spring!

Black mini skirts are so versatile and work very well with a black leather jacket. Since it’s still a little chilly out here, it’s not really all that great of an idea to go out bare leg, so I’m a sucker for some black sheer tights too, add black leather combat boots and layer with a black sweater and white button up and voila! You have a nicely put together look you can rock out with your friends at brunch or wear after hours for a hot date night and depending on your office environment, you may be able to get away with this at work.

And just when you thought styling a leather jacket couldn’t get any easier. Pairing a leather jacket with a statement t-shirt is definitely an easy way to look effortlessly stylish. I feel like I have a 1,000 tee’s and one of the ways I really get some wear out of them is to pair them with a cute blazer or jacket. I feel like a leather jacket glams up a blah tee with minimal effort on your part and with the ever changing weather situation, having the option to put on and take off a chic leather jacket is nice. Who said tee’s can’t be glam and cool. Hopefully this inspires you to dust off that old t-shirt you’ve been using as pj’s and dress it up with a nice leather jacket for a night out on the town.

Here’s to black leather jackets and all the many creative ways you can rock it!

Till next time.

Sincerely,


Deidra Marie

5 WAYS I AM COMBATING POSTPARTUM HAIR LOSS

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It was inevitable, I know this to be true. I knew I wasn’t going to be one of those very lucky women who just magically bypasses all the horrible pregnancy after effects. Now granted I had a pretty by the book pregnancy and pretty much no complications, with the exception of having to have a c-section, I would consider myself a winner, but like many women post pregnancy can be a drag; all the ups and downs, the emotions, the hair loss, the apron belly that just won’t go away, sleep deprivation, leaky tits, stretch marks and so on and so on. The list can seem endless and it sometimes feels like you’ll never bounce back. It’s been a tough 5 months postpartum, but I have taken time each weekend to participate in self care. I owe it to myself to do this for my own well being and for my family. For me self care means exercise, and sticking to a very strict hair routine to combat postpartum hair shed and thinning.

Postpartum hair shed has been one of the more undesirable things about postpartum, so part of my self care has been switching up my hair care routine to accommodate my hair shed and thinning edges. I think you can definitely use this routine as a way to nurse your hair back to health from most damage as well and tbh, I probably should’ve been doing this before pregnancy, but whateves, we here now, LOL. So here are 5 things I’m doing to combat postpartum hair shed and thinning edges.

HOT OIL TREATMENTS/OIL RINSING

Applying hot oil and coating the hair in a rich emollient oil on dry or damp hair does wonders or at least it did for me. Most of the time you can slow down thinning edges by keeping them moisturized and sealing in the moisture with a good hot oil treatment or oil rinsing. Oil seals in moisture and if your hair is anything like mine, dryness is the number one issue. Keeping a good eye on the moisture/protein balance always works for my hair. Check out this quick tutorial from one of my favorite Natural Hair YouTubers on oil rinsing. I have very dry, kinky, coily, curly hair, so I need a lot of moisture. Thick oils work best for my hair. I use avocado oil regularly in my hair routine and it doubles as a great skincare product as well.

DEEP CONDITIONING TREATMENT

I’ve went back to deep conditioning my hair weekly. Pre pregnancy I just use to do it every other week but since the hair shed was so extreme at 3 months postpartum I took desperate measures to slow things down an really double down on the care of my hair. I think skipping this step would have really shocked my hair and I think the hair loss would have been more extreme than it actually was. FYI, when I say deep conditioning, I mean sitting under a hooded dryer with the conditioner on my hair and a plastic cap for a minimum of 30 minutes. I think anything less won’t really be that effective if you ask me.

Pro Tip: I add a bit of avocado oil to my deep conditioner for a big moisture boost.

PROTEIN

As discussed above, a good moisture/protein balance is key with dry natural hair. When your hair is dry its weak and breaks off, this includes edges. Hair also gets weak and breaks off if it lacks protein as well. I don’t need a lot of protein because of my hair type, but protein is a very important ingredient in my hair routine and is included in the deep conditioner and co-wash conditioner I use regularly. It’s a little bit in both and gives me just enough protein to keep a good protein balance in my hair. With the right amount protein you can reduce the amount of breakage at the nape of your hair.

LOW MANIPULATION STYLES

Thinning edges means I’ve resorted to styles that require less pulling and tugging at the hair. My edges have certainly thinned out since having baby girl, but I’m managing pretty well with just rocking some chunky twists or a big fro. You don’t see me laying the edges down with gel these days or rocking a wash n go (which for a while was my go-to style) now I just do a few chunky twist, let them loose when they’ve dried and wear a semi curly/semi frizzy fro. It’s less work, it saves time and it saves my edges, or what’s left of them at least, LOL.

PRENATAL VITAMINS

After having Charlee, I started a postnatal vitamin, they worked pretty well for me. It was a 90 day supply that I feel provided everything I needed to get me through the first 3 months of postpartum, restoring nutrients etc etc… I actually think it really prepared and fortified my hair for the shed that came at 3 1/2 months postpartum, so it wasn’t so bad. Once my supply ran out, I immediately started a prenatal vitamin and have been taking those ever since. I’m 5 1/2 months postpartum now and I’m back to a normal shedding rate. At the time the shedding was really bad, I would say I was being a bit dramatic, but looking back at it, I’ve seen some women go through worse, I mean bald spots etc… and I don’t think my shedding was as extreme. I’m not saying pre or postnatal vitamins are a cure all, but I do feel they helped me prepare my hair for the transition and have been a great preventative effort towards strengthening my hair and sustaining the hair I do have. I’m no expert and I believe everyone should do what’s best for them, but for me, the pre and postnatal vitamins worked well. For those wondering, I was on a regular one a day women’s multivitamin prior to pregnancy, so that may or may not have something to do with how my hair has reacted to postpartum as well.

All that being said, I feel I’ve maintained fullness and volume in my hair. In fact, I will go as so far as to say that my hair seems fuller and more voluminous postpartum than it ever did and while my edges have thinned out, it’s not as bad as I think it would have been had I not taken and continue to take the measures above. Again, I’m no expert, these are just the things that I have done and continue to do that are working for my hair and my lifestyle. I think everyone should do what’s best for their hair, but I’m sure a few of the above tips won’t hurt in your postpartum hair journey.

I hope these tips have been helpful.

Till next time.

Sincerely,

Deidra Marie