For He has not given me the Spirit of Fear

9.03.2018

Faith and Fashion 360 03 September urban chic

Small Business Spotlight: This Is She Boutique

What do you get when you mix sophistication, glamour, and around the way fashions? You get a personalized stylist, one of a kind pieces, and a fashionista's paradise! This is She Boutique has been keeping me LACED for the past few years, with unique items for the unique lady, with an emphasis on the hood girl at heart!

Founded by Adrienne Randall, This Is She Boutique is located in Reading, PA. Don't let that stop you from getting all the latest pieces though! Adrienne also offers personal shopping and styling services. If you're already sure of what you need, expect to find reasonable prices for the diva in you!

Geared towards the urban community, Adrienne Randall says her clientele is the 'urban sophisticated fashionista', where she specializes in high fashion. A face like this is especially important for us hood girls! I mean, Rainbow and 10 Spot will ALWAYS be great places to shop, but with This Is She Boutique, gone are the days of possibly running into another diva with the same dress!

Purses: ThisIsShe

With yet another amazing style night for the community, I had to get with Miss diva extraordinaire and check out some of her hottest pieces. Check out these and more at her pop up shop/fashion show event, This Is She:Fashion Conversations. Purchase your tickets here and tell her I sent you. You won't be disappointed!

"...fashion is a confidence booster. It feels good to purchase and wear the pieces you love. It gives a woman an extra pep in her step and a swing in her hips. To me that is the best feeling in the world to know I was apart of that."

Adrienne Randall, Founder and CEO

7.31.2018

Faith and Fashion 360 31 July west Africa

OOTD: Motherland Glam

Happy Tuesday divas!

I'm coming to you today with an outfit full of rich culture, stories, and fabulosity!

For those of you who don't know, I'm getting married in December to the love of my life. I won't gush about him here, but one thing I will say is that in our 6 amazing years together, I've come to love and appreciate my Jamaican roots for everything that they are;mine.

My fiancée is from Ghana, West Africa, and there's never a time when he won't tell you all about his life there. As terrified as I am of long plane rides, the stories about the rich environment and culture has me yearning to visit there. For now, I settle with all of the amazing pieces of his home that he and his family are so gracious to share. I mean everything from wooden chairs and cups, intricately cut and carved by someone's own two hands, all the way down to the gorgeously woven garments that I can never get enough of.

I wore a beautiful hand-crafted shirt, (called a Kaba top in Ghana) this past Sunday. It's one of the many I have (graciously gifted by my future mother-in-law), and definitely one of my favorites. The blue resembled a bit of a denim, helping me add my modern twist to it with denim accessories and these faux marble drop earrings. The sleeves were perfect for the weather, with some ruched/ruffled detailing at the ends. The sleeves weren't too tight on the arms either, another plus.

Faux stone earrings: Similar

I paired the top with these open slit denim pants from Ashley Stewart (currently SOLD OUT), which are a gem in themselves. I adore these pants for their twist on the standard jeans, but they still remain true to the denim feel with their stretchy material.

Where's your family from? Are there any pieces of home that you love and cherish? Drop a picture, comment, or quip below.I love hearing from you!

Faithfully,
Brieana

6.04.2018

Faith and Fashion 360 04 June tropical

Model Monday:Floral Tropical Goddess

Happy Monday divas and fashionistas! Here's to a prosperous and productive week ahead. For now, I'm flashing back to Sunday with these floral pieces I scored from my favorite on-a-budget safe place, Rainbow Shops.

Although it was a colder day out, this ensemble kept me nice and warm , especially with the warm red hue of these pants! The accordion ruffle waist and side tie added some flare to it, along with the dainty floral design. I added another layer of femininity to the ensemble with this high neck, open lace top. How cute!

And can we also stop for a moment and take a look at these amazing earrings! Talk about a statement! These textured discs were lighter than I thought they would be, and I really felt like an African princess. Sunday....CONQUERED!

Lace top: Similar

Pants: Rainbow Shops

Earrings: Similar|Similar

Faithfully,

Brieana

5.31.2018

Faith and Fashion 360 31 May focus

Distractions: When the Only Light Left is God's

DISCLAIMER: I wrote this post in minimal lighting and a lack of electricity.Please excuse any typos in advance. The struggle was real, but needed to be told.

I've been a resident of the Poconos, Pennsylvania for the past 10 years. I was uprooted from my quaint urban city of Paterson New Jersey at the tender age of 16 to be acquainted with bears, deer, and lots and lots of trees. Those trees became quite a problem two weeks ago, when rural Northeast PA was hit with a tornado of sorts that snatched all power and electricity from my home and power outlets for a grueling 4 days. Though at first I started to create a laundry list of things I wouldn't be able to get done, those four days turned into an enlightening experience, and showed me a lot about removing distractions, intentionally or forcibly.

Distractions are EVERYWHERE. Those subtle time wasters can be the difference between 10 minutes and an hour of meme browsing.

We laugh and joke about it, but getting too distracted can really derail our visions, dreams, and the path that God has set out for us. I had a lot of time to think about this while I was unplugged from civilization. Talk about the light through the darkness!

Distraction from God is extremely dangerous. As believers we believe that God is the captain of our ship. When you start losing sight of your captain, you start trying to steer your own ship. Not only does this lead to going the wrong way, but it can lead you in the direction of trials, sin, missed opportunities, and missed blessings.

So what are some things that can distract us from what's REALLY important?

Social Media

It may be more fitting to change this to all media! This is a personal struggle for me. How many times do we find ourselves rolling over at 7am, entranced by how many likes our last post got, our the hottest tea for the day? I'm ashamed to say I've done this so many times that I'm kicking myself around 2pm when my day is going ALL THE WAY to the left and I realize I forgot a little something. The media is so dangerous because it is so easy to get consumed in. Everywhere we turn, some sort of media is right in our face. And the worst part; it’s littered with filth. Almost every commercial on TV, and every advertisement on the Internet is trying to convince us that we are missing something, and they are the ones that can fill the need. Our young girls and women are bombard by the media with how they should look, feel, and act…movies, music, TV shows…they all are horrible influences on us because they can subliminally tell us how to live, what's right and wrong, etc. Unplugging from those influences for a few days gave me such a sense of relief and peace, I was almost hesitant to rejoin the social word and images when the light was shining again.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. -Romans 12:2

Routine

This is a common thing I allow myself to get distracted by all the time. The most important thing is that spending time with God should be in your routine! Far too often do we just squeeze God in when we have down time. Its so easy to get caught up in all the things we have to do, like work, eat, sleep, etc. I often find sleep getting in the way! I mean, if I didn’t spend that extra hour sleeping in, I would have a whole hour with nothing to do but seek God! But what I've learned along the way is that when I allow Him to be at the beginning (and End) of my day, it leaves very little room for error and the disasters that are possible to go wrong.

Being "too busy"

I think this could be another post all on its own, but too many times, we're guilty of using the "'B" word in concerns to our daily lives and how much we can (or can't) get done. Its almost like there's this secret society we all hope to join by proclaiming how busy we are at all times. I, for one, don't think, it's anything to brag about. We are overworked, overstressed, and spiritually undernourished. Our culture promotes “bigger and better” and subtly challenges us to keep up. Whew! Who made these rules anyway? Satan loves to keep us running in circles trying to beat the clock. If he can distract us, he can minimize our usefulness to the Kingdom of God. Satan may be the Prince of Darkness, but he is also the Duke of Distraction. As Christ representers, we have to be careful not to get caught up in the rat race that has become so popular in the 21st century. The Bible actually praise a peaceful and easygoing lifestyle, especially in Mark 6:31

I'll be the first to admit that it can be a struggle not to be distracted. I've jokingly said to people that I'm not sure how I've earned so many degrees because I have a very small attention span. But its in that moment of self awareness that I'm able to focus even more on the things that should keep my attention; God being the first. If we are aware of what, who, and when can keep us from a closer walk with God, we're even closer to being a force of focus.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is unusual for human beings. But God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength. Instead, along with the temptation he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to endure it.

Faithfully,

Brieana

4.01.2018

Faith and Fashion 360 01 April under $50

OOTD: Resurrection Sunday

Happy Sunday my loves! I pray your Easter Sunday thus far has been relaxing and full of family fun.

I come to you by way of Burlington Coat Factory, who held me down from head to toe today.

Up first is this floral maxi dress.Though spring HAS sprung, the warm weather hasn't quite broken yet,and this beautiful gown helped me stay warm and stylish in my Sunday's best. With these amazing bell sleeves, they were a plus-friendly piece from Heaven,not squeezing or constricting my arms. The cinched waist was also nice and stretchy, in addition to the make-shift tie on the side. I was comfy AND cute!

These shoes were in Burlington's unparalleled discount shoe section.They feature a nice suede material,with extra long ties that can go a few inches up the leg.Almost like a spring gladiator heels. The block heels and zip at the back of the shoe, made for some additional comfort as well as easy on/off access.

Both of these items for scored for under under $50! Frugal and fabulous for the WIN!

What were you dressed in this Easter Sunday?Leave a picture, comment, or quip below. I love hearing from you!

Faithfully,
Brieana

2.19.2018

Faith and Fashion 360 19 February womens issues

Beauty Blast: BeSkintiful MakeUp and Facial Bar

Chances are, you have a complaint or two about your skin – whether it’s age spots on your cheeks or varicose veins on your calves. All women want to put their best skin forward, but it’s hard when you’re coping with acne, varicose veins, age spots, moles and more. Aestheticians, also known as skin care specialists, cleanse and exfoliate, wax and laser, moisturize and apply makeup to enhance a person's overall appearance. A skin care specialist will first assess the condition of his or her clients' skin and make recommendations on what can be done to improve their skin quality. An aesthetician will also cleanse the skin, and in so doing, educate the client on which face washes, lotions and creams are best suited to him or her. Applying makeup is another piece of the job description, as is advising the client on a personalized skin care regimen.

Definitely not the top of the list on someone's medical needs--but certainly one that leaves you feeling fabulous. Lucky for us in the ABE area, one such shop of glamour has just arrived to save our skin from all of its faux paus.

I visited one of the newest Beauty Bars in the Lehigh Valley area that caters to all of these needs and more. BeSkintiful Makeup and Facial Bar is your premiere stop shop for facials, make-up looks, and lash extensions. Run by licensed Aesthetician Jasmine Flemming, BeSkintiful is the only aesthetics salon located in the downtown Allentown area. I interviewed Jasmine (affectionately called Jassy by friends and family) about her hopes for BeSkintiful, and what's setting it apart from other beauty bars in the area.

What made you want to become an Aesthetician?

I really wanted to help women of color with skincare health. It's not something we do often enough, and simple things we do can increase our skin health for years.

What can we expect from your salon that's different from other salons in the area?

BeSkintiful is the only aesthetics salon downtown that services beauty needs from the face up. We pride our services on beautifying women through make-up and skincare. We also pride ourselves on being an affordable glam shop.

Affordable indeed! One of Jassy's most popular services are her lash extensions, extensions used to enhance the length, curliness, fullness, and thickness of natural eyelashes. The extensions may be made from several materials including mink, synthetic, or horse hair. Jassy's precision and cleanliness when applying these lashes is parallel to no other. BeSkintiful is currently doing a $25 special on lash extensions. Book them here.

Another plus to BeSkintiful? The aesthetics! Literally. The Spa was filled from room to room with personal glam touches. With 2 rooms dedicated to facials, its tough not to get lost after your personalized session. You can truly tell that there was love and though put into each detail, further adding to the customer service BeSkintiful strives for.