To Straighten or Not To Straighten?

Illustrated By Jacqueline Davis Moranti

Every once in a while, I want to show off a new look because let’s face it: the shrinkage is real and wash and go's get boring. However, straightening my natural hair has always been a touchy subject since putting any sort of heat on it is usually a major no-no. I've experienced heat damage before, where a few of my curls wouldn't curl like the rest. I eventually trimmed it off but it was a learning lesson in what my hair could and could not take. Preventing heat damage and growing healthy hair is a big reason many women transition their tresses to natural, myself included.

As someone who has worn her hair mostly straight throughout my childhood, it feels great to rock my kinky hair in all it's natural glory. I feel a new found confidence! There is always the longstanding debate about whether straight hair is inherently "better," especially in communities of color. You don't even want to know the reactions I get when I walk into a salon and request a blow out!

Politics aside, there's no shame in switching it up (at the end of the day, it’s your hair). Whatever look you choose, just make sure you're tracking the health of your hair and understanding what works best to avoid damage in the long run. Here are a few of my best tips to straightening your kinky crown....

Beauty Bit, Night Shift

Illustrated By Jacqueline Davis Moranti

Every winter, without skipping a beat, my skin loses all traces of moisture and hydration. The chilly winter air is harsh and drying on my complexion, with the results of this being tight skin, itching, and dry, flaky patches that are anything but glamorous! As soon as my skin starts to react to the cold weather, I switch up my routine to put the focus on infusing my skin with ultimate moisture and soothing my skin. The most important time of the day for your beauty revival is at night, that's when I make sure to do the most for my routine because when we sleep it allows the vitamins, minerals and all the good stuff to do it's job. Here's a look at what's currently in my arsenal to battle old man Winter this season....

Yeezy Chic

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

Has there ever been a much more highly anticipated fashion line to hit stores like Yeezy's season one collection?  I believe every one and their mother have been looking forward to this, me included. From the good, the bad and just downright analytical comments on Kanye West's Yeezy, there's definitely a fever pitch and it has only broken the ice! Since presenting his collection at New York Fashion Week, everyone has been fixated on West's next move.

Hands Free Summer

Drafted by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

During the summer, I like to get up and go places. Learn new things, discover new places and explore new fashion risks! Nothing worse than a cute bag slowing you down from your excitement. I love bags, but I hate not being hands free when I'm trying to get to point B from point A, especially when you're on a bike. Shoulder bags, tote bags, clutches, I love them all yet they're not totally functional. This summer I'm trying out something different, something that lets me stay on trend and allows me to keep my freedom! Shoulder bags!

Virtual Shopping Party

It was a night of socializing, making statements and poshing! What's "poshing" you ask?! It's a verb for the act of using this new app called Poshmark. It's a mobile platform that allows people from across the country sell and buy clothes, it's a one stop shop for fashionistas! It's pretty fantastic, i've gotten pretty acquainted with it too, you can check out my virtual closet at https://poshmark.com/closet/jdavismoranti. The Poshmark party was all about getting everyone familiar with the app, which is currently only on IOS platforms. Believe me, you will get hooked on it like I am!

Outfit photos by Melissa Alam

Dress: Sugarlips Apparel, jacket: Forever21,  belt & bracelets: Club Monaco,  necklace: Anthropologie, pumps: Shoedazzle

That night I wanted to make a statement in black and white. It's a bold trend that I absolutely love for the spring time. It's easy to pair and has a wide variety of options, plus it's timeless. Seriously, black and white is a true closet savior! Dear readers, have you tried the Poshmark app, what do you think of it?

I Dream of.... Onsies!

By Jacqueline Davis Moranti

We all know that with Spring, marks the beginning of music festival season and with that a lot of us music connoisseurs need fuss free, easy, but still fabulous outfits! I've been recently looking at tons of onsies lately, aka jumpsuits/ rompers and i'm so drawn to how simple it is. 

Onsies are easy to wear, no need to worry about what pant or top will look great with it because it's both! The only thing you will ever need to pair with it is a pair of sky high heels and that statement necklace in your armoire. My onsie obsession started with the jumpsuit I tried on at Club Monaco a few weeks ago! It was comfortable and flattering and I knew I had to have it! I also recently styled a DVF (see image below) jumpsuit on a model recently for a Stardust Magazine shoot! Definitely a big trend for this upcoming summer season! 

Check out some of my favorite onsies! Hopefully they will become you warm weather staple like it did for me!

                                                                                                                                                

           

                                                                                       

Floral Persuasion

Photos by Melissa Alam

You would never think that at one point in my life, I loathed floral patterns! I was very much a "tomboy" growing up, you wouldn't catch me dead in a flower print! Time has changed and I have welcomed the florals into my life. Nowadays, I cannot take off this fantastic Spring print, all thanks to my first Philadelphia Flower Show a few years ago. Change is good! Although, I did manage to channel my tomboy phase with the parka jacket over the dress. It was my way of making this very feminine silhouette into something very edgy! 

Dress: Club Monaco, jacket: H&M(Similar),  belt: Forever21, socks: American Apparel, pumps: Schutz, rings: Aoki, gifted, sunnies: Firmoo

Definitely going to see a lot more of the floral persuasion from me this season! Dear readers, how do you feel about floral prints, you love them or hate them?

Gothic Chic

Heather Lawton Inspiration by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

When you think of a fashion show, a catwalk is probably what comes first in your mind. For designer Heather Lawton's Fall/ Winter 2013 collection, was all about presentation. Rather than providing a catwalk, the entire showroom was a catwalk, models were dressed in gothic and bewitching separates,  appropriately complimented by an installation of a wintery, barren landscape! Lawton's inspiration for her F/W '13 collection was drawn from a dark and bewitching tale in mind, glamourous women in edgy dresses, luxurious outerwear with equestrian accents, cobalt fur hoods and plush wools. 

Lawton's gothic aesthetic is a great escape for for the average woman's escape from everyday life by feeling like you're part of a dark fairy tale! What's better than feeling like you're wearing a gorgeous costume from a Tim Burton film?! 

Images via SisterTribes

 I absolutely love this new way of presenting a collection, it's a new era people and change is good! I positively love this collection and could see myself styling it into my wardrobe! I truly consider this wearable Avant- garde. Dear readers, how do you feel about Heather Lawton's F/W '13 collection? 

Tastemakers, Corinne Bailey Rae

Acoustic Magic by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

I remember, one day after [high] school, my friends and I all gathered around my cd- friendly stereo, remember those?! After my rant about how Justin Timberlake's album was the best album of the year, one of my girlfriends put on a cd in the stereo and this angelic voice started singing, and a very catchy one at that! That was the first time I heard Corinne Bailey Rae's music and definitely not the last. I was drawn so much to the music I had to find out who she was.

Besides the obvious fact that she's gorgeous and has a fantastic head of hair, she also has a great sense of style and an endless slew of jumpsuits! In 2009, Corinne Bailey Rae came to perform at Philadelphia's Theatre of the Living Arts (TLA, as we call it). It was a wonderful performance, it was set so intimate, it felt like you were among friends listening to one sing a lullaby for you. She was kind and fashionable, explaining why she wrote the songs she was about to sing and even made a joke about herself! I remember during the show, she was wearing a sleeveless, chambray jumpsuit with a striped bandeau underneath it. I loved that look so much, I walked into American Apparel a few days later to recreate it!

Images/ photos via Google and Corinnebaileyrae.net

One of the things I most admire about her style, is that she isn't afraid to keep it classy. Something that i've noticed about other female celebrities, is that after they become more mainstream, they tend to "sex" up their looks because that is what their managers, or public relations person wants them to do for  ratings. Not this lady! Corinne is very true to herself and her music reflects that. Like I've mentioned before [on the blog], there are ways to dress sexy without showing off your goods. Confidence exudes sexy, and miss Rae has that  down pact, which is why she's a Tastemaker!