FBFF: Taking Care… Of My Hair

1.      How often do you get your hair cut? I haven’t cut my hair in years. I wore a wig for so long that it allowed my hair time to grow and get healthy. I do get it trimmed about once every 3 months. No clue if that is frequent or not.

2.      Do you go to the same stylist each time, try someone new, go to the
cheap hair cutting chains or live it up in a salon? I go to a Dominican salon and let them blow out my hair so they can cut and care for my hair also once every 3 months. I am living the natural life now and I don’t really want to spend to much money in the salon. I feel I can take better care of my hair myself. Not sure if that is true or not, but I’m on a strict budget right now.

3.      Do you color your hair? How often? What’s your natural color? My natural hair color is brown. The most boring brown color in the universe.. lol. But I die my hair (semi-permanent) once a month to blackest black. I just think my hair holds shine and oil better when it’s jet black.

4.      The one thing you always do to keep your hair looking great is: I’ve been using organic products as much as I can. I also like to use products with no crazy chemicals (like the Wen shampoo). I also make sure to keep my scalp saturated in oil so it doesn’t get dry and itchy. Anything that brings out the natural curl is a bonus in my book. I think leave in conditioners are the work of genius and with out them I would die.

5.      What hair trend do you love and wish you could rock? I would love to rock the brilliant red of Rihanna. But I know that while I am looking for work that is NOT an option. Not even sure it would work on my skin tone… but I do love the color.

I really love my hair since allowing it to go natural. People say they can see a new me since removing the wig. I feel like my hair being natural allows me to be natural. As in it allows me to be myself without fear of what society says is right. I hope to soon post a video of my hair care regime in order to show people what I do to take care of my hair. silhouette

The Friend Friday project by Modly Chic is a way for fashion bloggers to share more about themselves and create a friendly connection with other bloggers. Join the conversation by joining the Fashion Beauty Friend Friday Google Group.

FBFF: It’s Raining… SHOES!!

As I sit down to write this post, I am actually tingling. Why? Because today’s subject is about the one thing that brings me extreme joy & happiness and rarely let’s me down. I sometimes buy clothes and they don’t always fit. But shoes… it is rare that my shoes let me down. I can count on one hand the shoes that I own that I can’t wear.

1.What is your go-to pair of shoes?
My go to pair of shoes varies. I mean… seriously… have you seen my shoe collection? I mean not the entire thing, but you’ve seen the assortment of shoes I wear on this blog. Well, know that is not even the beginning of my shoe collection. So I have categories for my go to shoes. If I’m running out the house in jeans and a top (maybe a blazer)… I usually wear my leopard ballerina flats. If I’m wearing something nicer but what something quick… I grab my zip around booties. If it’s raining and I need boots its my strap calf boots.

2. What goes into your shoe buying decisions?
Color. I first begin with the color I need to add to my collection (like currently I am in need of an orange/coral wedge). And then I look for heel type/height. So it’s a process. I don’t just go and buy shoes without a plan. Because I will end up buying any and everything. I have a shoe addiction, so I have to be sure that its something I would wear, but also something that will accent my outfits.

3. The majority of the shoes in your closet are what color?
Okay… of course I have mostly black shoes (which is a given for most people). But I do own every color (except for orange… no clue how I ended up with that being the only color I don’t own).

4. When it comes to design shoes what are your favorite brands and
why?
When I want a quality shoe that I can have for years to come I buy from Steve Madden. I believe in their brand and in their shoes. But for my sandals… I’ve learned that I’m hardest on my shoes in the spring and summer. So I don’t like to spend as much on my sandals. So I buy most of my kick around shoes from ebay & payless. I also love Off Broadway Shoes because they do the best knockoffs I’ve ever seen. They duplicate the best of the best; Prada, Christian Louboutin, and Jimmy Choo (but in a everyday worker price range).

5. If price wasn’t an issue, you’d own which shoe?
If price wasn’t an issue… I would finally finally finally buy a pair of Brian Atwood, Christian Louboutins, or Yves Saint Laurent Shoes. But I can barely afford a pair of shoes under $100. I know that $1200 shoes are NO WHERE near my price range… but… someday.

I don’t always have time to do the FBFF subjects but I couldn’t miss out on this post when I am almost known for my shoes… I think people come to my blog mostly because they want to see what I will have on my feetsies. I love shoes. I am glad that I am known for my love of shoes & stilettos. I hope you are also doing the FBFF. If not, wouldn’t today be a great time to join?

The Friend Friday project by Modly Chic is a way for fashion bloggers to share more about themselves and create a friendly connection with other bloggers. Join the conversation by joining the Fashion Beauty Friend Friday Google Group.

Fashion Beauty Friend Friday: Gratitude

This is the official one-year anniversary of FBFF!

This is one of the best ways to link  bloggers on the net. I’m so glad I started doing this because I learn things about myself and about the other bloggers I read. If you aren’t doing it… I suggest you start… today

So Katy wanted to do something about gratitude. We each have so many people in our lives and in the blogging community who have helped us along the way.
She believes it’s time to shine the spotlight on them and give credit where credit
is due (I couldn’t agree more!!).

1.  When it comes to be personally – I owe a lot of who I am to:
My BFFs Dawn and Cyn. When I kept thinking this blog was going no where and when I wanted to give up they gave me constant encouragement. Dawn made sure to comment on each and every post (even when the look didn’t warrant her support lol). But she kept me uplifted and continued to tell me I was meant for this. Cyn wouldn’t let me quit. She also would call me to style her for events because she “trusted my opinion”. Finally… I would Gina & Oly who are 2 old HS friends who would repost my links and support my blog on FB when they could… and that meant so much. Oly also hired me dress her for a wedding and I still to this day appreciate that with all my heart.
All of this support has made me the blogger I am. I am honest because the people who know me best read my blog on occasion and I would never want to assume to be someone I am not. I love fashion… but I also love people… and I have been blessed with a great group of people in my life who support this dream and my passion for fashion.

2. When it comes to be professionally – I owe a lot of who I am to: 
There are a few bloggers who have helped me professionally become the blogger I am today… There are so many who I hold near and dear to my heart but the list would go on forever. But let’s list some who probably don’t even realize how much they influence me.
Stiletto Siren: This chick is a blogger buddy turned dear friend. She listened to me when I felt like this blog wasn’t going anywhere and I was never going to find my place in the blogger community. She told me to be patient and it would happen. She helped me to learn to better run my blog as a business as opposed to just a hobby. The knowledge and heart she has is never-ending and some day I hope to be able to say “You see that super famous blogger on TV? I know her!!! She helped train me as a blogger!”
Amanda: She is a blogger who may not be as well known as others but to me she is super famous. She gives plus size models a voice so if you are new in this arena… she is the girl to see. But on days where I feel like life is kicking my arse and I’m fearful of “whining” on twitter… she gives me the kick in the derriere I need. There has been threats of violence on both our parts but its all love… and I am in part the blogger I am today for her.

Other bloggers who were also there and supportive when I wasn’t sure this was what I wanted to do (who are by no means any less important):
Monique
Cid
Nikstarr
Marie Denee
Kameel
Maria
Anika

3. When it comes to the art of blogging, I’m grateful to these people for helping me through some rough spots:
My readers/followers… every time I was about to give up… they motivated me to keep on going… because apparently… I’m helping and inspiring people (yeah I don’t get it either lol)

4. One blogging challenge I’m grateful happened because it made me
stronger was…
Earlier this year (practically the first of the year) I had a mental breakdown. I didn’t know if I wanted to continue to live much less to continue to blog. I felt like negative people were coming at me from all sides and I just was not strong enough to deal. I wanted to just say “Haters make me stronger” but I just couldn’t do it. But my friends and readers rallied and left posts and said that they were glad I was being so honest. That others suffered from Manic Depression and/or Bipolar Disorder. That break… that rock bottom point in my life helped me realize that I have to stay around to continue to blog for no other reason than to make others feel better about themselves. If doing “Diva Spotlights” and/or “Divas of the Week” will make someone feel better about themselves… or think they can achieve the fashion they desire whenever they want… then I will be here to give a voice to the “little guy”. Because no matter how many followers I have… I still remember the day when the only comment I saw on my posts came from my bff Dawn.

5. To my readers, I’d like to say…
THANK YOU!!!
Thank you for reading this little blog that is sometimes about fashion and sometimes about being the ridiculous being that is Yoli…
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to give a darn about what I’m wearing, what I want to buy, and whose outfit I think rocks the caspa.
Thank you for leaving comments on my posts because you don’t have to but it means a lot to me
Thank you for following me on twitter and Facebook
But most importantly… thank you for being you. That fabulous diva inside that you think no one sees… I see… I know how fabulous you are… and that kind of awesome… deserves a thank you… in my book

The Friend Friday project by Modly Chic is a way for fashion bloggers to share more about themselves and create a friendly connection with other bloggers. Join the conversation by joining the Fashion Beauty Friend Friday Google Group.

~besitos~

Friend Friday: Loving my body!!

I have been out of the blogger communication world for so long that I feel like I’ve lost touch with all my friends in the community. But this morning I moseyed on over to Fierce Beauty and Fashion a new blog I recently found and immediately fell in love with and she was doing something called Friend Friday. I’ve seen it around the blogosphere before but I feel that in recent days of me not doing much on my blog (except showing more pics of my ugly mug… seriously… I’m tired of my own dang on face)… I felt this was just the time to start letting people in a bit. By showing them a window into blogger that is ME!!

1. Since you started blogging has your image of yourself changed? Yes. I think previously my image of myself was that I looked fabulous everyday. But the wonderful thing about a camera is that is doesn’t lie. I look back over some of the outfits I wore thinking I was all kind of wonderful… they were… not. Now I try harder when I put my outfits together. Because I want my readers to see I care enough to look my best. Or to be creative enough to inspire others. So yes it has changed… I think now I’m less vain. Which would seem crazy as I take so many pictures of myself. But now I see flaws where before I thought I had none. I think I am a better person after my blog.

2. Are you self-conscious about any aspect of yourself? If so, do you go out of your way to avoid it or do you post it/talk about it anyway? I am no longer self conscious. I am putting myself on the world wide web for everyone to see. I do makeup tutorials that don’t always turn out well. And I do outfits that don’t always get “nice” comments. So I am not self conscious about anything that has to do with my body. But am self conscious of some of my outfits and how they will be received by my readers. I still don’t miss patterns because of fear. I also never discuss the fact that I wear a wig. There are parts of me I hold back because of how I feel people will react. But as time goes on… I think I will use my fear to help someone else you may be experiencing the same fear.

3. Based on how you are feeling now, what do you think the future holds in the evolution of your body image? I think that at some point… my blog and other bloggers like will not only improve my body image. But the body image of the masses and stop teen girls from starving themselves or eating their feelings. Will let everyone know they have the right and the ability to feel beautiful…

4. Do you photograph yourself for your blog? If so, how do you feel about the experience when you’re having your picture taken? I usually take my own pictures. If I don’t take my picture… then hubby is the one who does it. I think that when I or hubby take my picture the pictures are beautiful. I am, however, very critical of pictures taken by others. I always see every flaw… hubby says I’m crazy and I’m certain he’s right. But when hubby takes my picture… I feel the best. I think you can see it on my face. I feel sexiest when I know his eyes are behind the lens.

5. What would you want every person who struggles with body image to take to heart? Realize that no one is perfect. That anyone who is looking at you and telling you to change… is probably jealous that you have something that they don’t. We are never happy. And we have a way of coveting what others have or are. Just focus on being happy in the skin you’re in and you will be surprised how much difference that will make in your life. The person I am today is not the person I was 10 years ago. And I am glad because I can show my daughters how they can love themselves… no matter what number is on the inside of their jeans on the label.

I like this feature… If you want to jump on this bandwagon… sign up at Modly Chic. You will find out a lot about the blogger you follow and see on the web. Maybe you will find you have something more in common than you think