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

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!

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

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.

Here's a fun fact about me: I am a Type-A person. Type A and Type B personality theory describes two contrasting personality types. In this theory, personalities that are more competitive, highly organized, ambitious, impatient, highly aware of time management and/or aggressive are labeled Type A, while more relaxed personalities are labeled Type B.

Being so hyper organized and detail oriented has always been a blessing for me. It's just the way my brain operates. I can tell you how long it going to take me to get to the gas station and hit the ATM (barring a line), down to the very minute. Running late gives me anxiety. And being on time for things? If you tell me 4pm, I will religiously be there by 3:40pm, trying to find out what I missed. I can't help it. I've always been this way. And its worked for me.

For the most part.

In the past few years, my life has taken a few turns for the better---a thriving blog, modeling gigs and shows left and right, sponsorships, collaborations, international flights, the list goes on. Saying that I was prepared for this elevation in my life would be a lie. I didn't know that I was going to be here.

We all have plans for ourselves. This could be a plan for the day, week, month, or even the next year. We have plans for our fitness, as well as plans for eating right and drinking more water. We have plans on finding our Boaz and finding family, or even a plan to cut off relationships (romantic or platonic) altogether.

Sometimes these plans are written down.
Sometimes they're just in our head, without any concrete bullet points or planners to accompany them.
We all do it. Whether its the Type-A or Type-B way.

One thing I've learned about "planning" as a child of God is that my planning holds the assumption that I'm in control. It holds the assumption that my successful planning puts me as the front runner of accolades or praise for getting it right. Do you remember that saying from Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith of the A-Team? "I love it when a good plan comes together." We automatically feel these overwhelming sense of pride when we painstakingly plan something and it...works out?!

The adrenaline rush of making it happen.
The relief in it being over.
The determination as we play with the thought of doing it again.

On the flip side of that is the fear, anger, and disappointment we feel when things just don't work out.

THAT is where I learned I am just a passenger in the grand scheme of things. A few of my brothers and sisters in the Bible could definitely empathize with these feelings as well.You guys know I'm into annotated versions of Bible stories, so look for the corresponding Bible books and scriptures to follow.

Happy Monday folks! I hope you all had a blessed and productive weekend, doing all of the things you set your hearts out to do in 2017. Personally,I was continuing to live out my dreams in Miami, as I had the honor or representing all of the fabulous curvy/plus girls of Los Angeles in the Miss Fashion Week Universe competition. All of the beautiful contenders (runway, petite, plus, and international) convened in sunny Miami beach to compete for the reigning title as Queen for the year 2018. It was a whirlwind experience to say the least, and although I didn't win, my Quneedom reigns on for the year of 2018. Catch me in LA soon.

Along with the competition this weekend, were many photo opportunities. My sponsor and mangers had us in all of the right locations to slay!

My favorite photoshoot wardrobe item? These "Prissy Pants" I purchased from TNicoleBoutique. These were an awesome combination of business casual and comfort!






There was plenty to do in Miami. With all of the networking, meetings, and traveling, I needed to be cute, comfy, while meaning business. This red pair allowed for the chic vibe I needed,with an awesome stretch in the waist in addition to the gold buttons. The flared legs allowed for the breezy Miami air to vent through.

Paired with this Off-the-shoulder top from Ashley Stewart(currently sold out), I was ready to hit the streets of Miami, destined to make some connections.

What's your favorite "Girl Boss" look? Comment or post a picture below!


Faithfully,
Brieana

Good day divas and fashionistas! I've recently embarked on my newest business/resume endeavor to become a certified make-up artist. This has led me on a never-ending shopping spree for the latest and greatest beauty products. Although the regular browsing through Amazon.com and wish.com have left me pretty satisfied, I'm a HUGE "tester" girl, and there's nothing worse than purchasing a product you won't use.


Enter ipsy, the monthly beauty subscription that sends personalized must haves for your beauty bag--right to your door! ipsy was founded by some awesome curators who want us to all be ourselves in this vast world of fashion, without breaking the bank.

I got my first ipsy bag 2 weeks ago, and I was not disappointed! In fact, I'm so satisfied that I'm about to outline 10 reasons why I adore this little bag with some BIG benefits!

 This 2 toned bag


If you're limited on space with no shortage of products, bags and boxes are a must to keep your things together.Each ipsy subscription comes in a unique bag each month. I personally took this one and put my lipstick in it. It was the perfect size!

5 awesome products

Target: A place to excessively indulge in all of your wants and needs. They never disappoint, and the airborne "shopping trance" we all enter on arrival to the blessed store is not foreign to anyone looking for a sale on the largest kitchen appliance, baby registry gift, or timeless wardrobe piece. It's the place we try to drive past, but never quite hit the mark.

Clothing is the first line of attack when entering into Target. When balling on a budget, Target (or "Tar-Zayy as us fake bougie like to call it) is the premiere place for awesome accent pieces and trends that live on through the decades. Their new line "A New Day", does just that, with pieces all under $50, highlighting a time where wearing your husband/boyfriend's structured clothes were a thing.

Taking place of the much loved Merona and and Mossimo lines, A New Day features pieces sized 0-16 and XS-XXL, with women's ready to wear items that can be worn a bunch of different ways.

My first piece from the collection is this Women's Striped Shirt Dress.I emphasized the shirt piece, and paired it with a light wash pair of denim jeans. The shirt features a tie waist feature, without the rolling dilemma us plus girls encounter when the waist is a little fluffier. It also has pretty thin horizontal lines, reducing the vulnerability of widening me out, as stripes have the tendency to do.





The line is now available at Target.com. Check them out and be awed!

Faithfully,
Brieana

"Life starts all over again when the air is crisp..."

As the leaves start to change, I knew what it was time to do. Break out the reds, oranges, sweaters, and heavier coats. And although I'm not quite ready to use them, that doesn't mean I can't get you guys ready in some kind of way!

My prequel to the fall starts off with this convertible wrap dress I got from my sister in fashion over at Sassie Girl Fashion. I literally felt like a girl on fire! Just LOOK at all of those vibrant colors! I felt like a mix between Carmen in Hip-Hopera and Selena, ready to bust a reggaeton hit or two. As you can see it hugs ALL the right places *a plus girl's favorite thing), and the fabric is still breezy enough if the sun happens to come out (spoiler alert: no sun this day.)

Another bucket list item for a self-proclaimed fashionista? Being able to re-purpose an old outfit. This dress makes that super easy! Although I went with the run of the mill wrap, this dress can be work over 25 different ways! One sleeve, halter, backwards, without sleeves...the possibilities are amazing! It also gives lots of stretch, so it doesn't hug too tight.




This convertible dress is available in a number of prints, and can fit up to a size 16. Head over to Sassiegirlfashion.com for a look at this versatile number, as well as her other awesome pieces for the fall. Happy hunting!


Faithfully,
Brieana