Category: Minimalism

Warning–this post is kind of all over the place.

With all of the malice and detestable acts going on in the world, it’s important to take a break in order to maintain your sanity.

I’ve always seen screenshots of Alex Elle quotes floating around on Instagram, and I finally decided to stop lurking and follow her. It’s amazing how healing and reassuring her words are. I took a few of the quotes I could take off her of account and created some simple wallpapers for my laptop.

I made four wallpapers that switch out every day so every time I get on my laptop, I see something reaffirming. It’s refreshing, and definitely a good pick-me-up.

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I’ve also started the 30 days of minimalism challenge from into-mind.com, and just wanted to go over my experience thus far. I figured this would give me something to focus on and create a simple, short-term routine.

Day 1: Stay offline for one day

I’m pretty much always glued to my phone. The day I chose to do this, I didn’t have too many responsibilities, so I tailored it to my own lifestyle. While staying offline was kind of a stretch, I stayed off social media instead. I used my phone to play a few games and catch up on my subscriptions on YouTube but that’s about it. It was definitely a breath of fresh air.

Day 2: Meditate for fifteen minutes

I started a special plan on my Bible app that’ll get me through the whole book within a year. I read two days’ worth of my plan and focused on that. It was a little more than fifteen minutes but that’s definitely no biggie.

Day 3: Declutter your digital life

I recently went through and deleted some old documents and pictures off my laptop so this one wasn’t too hard. I just tidied up a bit more. This helps because I can find the documents I’m looking for in a quicker manner, and definitely makes it less stressful. (I then found a bunch of hidden pictures. I deleted like 1000 files lol. No exaggeration.)

I’ll be reporting my journey with this challenge weekly!

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I’m subscribed to Claire Marshall on YouTube and watched this video. It truly resonated with me. It’s easy to get into a funk without knowing how to exactly escape it.

Sometimes working as a blogger can be tough. I’m definitely a night owl, and rarely start any type of work before midnight. I’m a homebody and like to write my posts while lounging on my couch. This isn’t exactly a good equation for someone who works at home! I try to force myself to focus, since I like to work late and can’t exactly head to a coffee shop to work at 2 am. A teacher in high school told me to never do work in the bed because your brain knows what your bed is for–relaxing and sleeping. Working in the bed is counter-productive.

As we recognize the horrible events that happen at home and worldwide, it’s important to sometimes detach yourself and do something that makes you happy. You’re not “ignoring the cause” just because you’ve decided to not allow the recent events to consume your entire life. It’s important to tend to your mental health. Being aware does not require subjecting yourself to tough material. Detach, deactivate, or decrease. Apply those words to your social media accounts in order to maintain good mental health and not feel drained.

black lives matter.

 

I decided to go ahead and put together my favorite things over the past few weeks! It’s a mix of fashion, beauty, and Instagram accounts!

RALYKS DEVIL’S ADVOCATE BRALETTE

I’ve been looking for a black lace bralette forever. When I came across Ralyks, a black-owned company, I was immediately sold. It’s cute, comfortable, and homemade!

UNIQFIND HYPER MARBLE SKIN IN WHITE

This is my second laptop skin from UNIQFIND and I’m still a fan of the company. Fast shipping, high quality designs, and long-lasting products.

CHINESE LAUNDRY ENDLESS SUMMER FLATS

I’m completely surprised I was able to find these shoes online because I purchased them from DSW for half the price. I never really considered myself a “sneaker girl”, but these were the first pair of flats I’ve bought in four years. I’m completely in love with them–the shade is perfect, and they’re surprisingly comfortable.

NYX TAME & FRAME TINTED BROW POMADE IN BLACK

I finally decided that I was a big girl and moved from a eyebrow pencil to a pomade. I really enjoy this product–it goes on smooth and looks pretty natural.

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Most of my inspiration comes from Instagram. These are the pages I’m currently obsessed with.

Gucci down.

A photo posted by @alyciabella on May 17, 2016 at 12:49pm PDT

I don’t even have words for this outfit. Simply amazing.

@designbyaikonik 👀📞☁️🎶👟

A photo posted by Flatlays (@flatlays) on Jun 23, 2016 at 7:31am PDT

If you’re not a blogger/photographer/whatever, you probably have no idea how much effort goes into a flatlay! I appreciate all the effort that goes into each individual picture.

“store experience supervisor”

A photo posted by @kingdes on Nov 12, 2015 at 4:15pm PST

I love her style so much. Relaxed, but always upgraded with a bit of flair. I would wear every single outfit from her Instagram.

Today’s #OOTD @chanelofficial Snapchat ID: threads_styling #Chanel #ChanelSlingbacks #OOTD

A photo posted by T H R E A D S (@threadsstyling) on Jun 28, 2016 at 4:02am PDT

Who doesn’t love Chanel.. Enough said. They display the most amazing luxury fashions–their Snapchat is even better.

#chill #illustration #mixedmedia #smoke #veins #intoxication #pale #harumihironaka

A photo posted by Harumi Hironaka (@harumi_hironaka) on Nov 12, 2015 at 5:56pm PST

I’m a big fan of art that depicts women in taboo situations. I came across this picture on Facebook and dug around for the artist. This picture has been my phone’s background for months. I’m truly obsessed with her art.

What’s your favorite thing on the list? Let me know in the comments!

It’s basically summer! Let’s dive in to some essentials for the hot weather.

DISTRESSED DENIM SHORTS

Denim shorts are a MUST for the summer! Although I basically live in jeans, I’d melt if I wore them every day. I made these shorts from a pair of horrendous Levi mom jeans I purchased about 4 years ago. It’s so easy to distress–just cut some holes and throw it in the wash!

 

DAD CAP

A plain baseball/dad cap is essential for the days you wanna block the sun, hide your hair, or just look cute. These gray and black hats from ASOS aren’t pricey and would be perfect to add to your collection.

COOL BAG

I don’t mind carrying a backpack instead of a purse. The compartments are usually better anyway. I love this simple Herschel Supply Co. bag.

SUNGLASSES

These glasses are ridiculously expensive, but I had to include them. These Dior sunglasses retail for about $560 (yikes) but look at them! They’re simply gorgeous. Nordstrom has way cheaper options if you’re looking for new sunnies for the summer for less than $20.

BODYSUIT

Bodysuits are perfect for the days when you simply don’t want to be bothered with tucking in a t-shirt. Also, they’re versatile–you can wear them with any bottom you chose. Check out these from American Apparel and Matte.

DENIM JACKET

I think denim jackets work year round. Even though it may be hot consistently during the summer, you’ll need a light jacket to take when you’re going out at night or for those days when it’s extremely windy. This jacket from Missguided has a boyfriend fit, which makes it flattering on all body types.

STATEMENT TEE

I fell in love with these tees. I believe a statement tee is extremely essential, because you can dress it up or down as much as you like.

I love makeup. I like to wear it on the days I’m feeling confident. I also wear it on the days when I’m not feeling too great about myself. I wear makeup because it serves as a creative outlet. I wear makeup because it makes me feel good–I wear makeup for me, and nobody else!

My makeup collection may not seem too minimalist, but I only purchase one item for each need. I don’t really like to purchase multiple mascaras, foundations, etc. I only buy new products to replace old ones or to just fill in a missing gap. I’ll also include the products I’m looking to try after some of these products run out! Here’s a list of the products I use for my everyday makeup routine:

          

Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector

I like this primer so much for its purpose–oil control. The ONLY downside is it make me look so so so so so ashy under my makeup, no matter how much I try to warm it or spread it out. When this product runs out, I want to try either the Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer or the Dr. Brandt Skincare Pores No More Pore Refiner Primer.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup (Shade: 9)

I’ve had this foundation for over a year and probably will never replace it. It’s my perfect shade, matte, and has buildable coverage.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (Shade: Caramel)

I prefer a more natural look with my makeup, so I don’t highlight with a lighter shade of concealer. This concealer is my perfect shade and doesn’t crease on me. I love the coverage as well.

Lancôme Dual Finish Multi-tasking Longwear Powder (Shade: 510 Suede

I just purchased this powder and I LOVE IT. It looks so good on its own. It looks like my skin and applies flawlessly. The ONLY downside is it smells like a grandma who sprays too much perfume.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner

This liner is a very opaque black and applies smoothly. The only thing I would change about this is the brush. It’s not thin enough for a sharp wing, but I rarely wear wings anyway. I’m thinking about trying the NYX Matte Liquid Liner next.

NYX Micro Brow Pencil (Shade: Espresso)

I didn’t start doing my brows until recently, and I was too nervous to try a pomade first. This is a great product, but the shade is a bit too red for my skin tone. Next, I’ll be trying the NYX Tame & Frame Tinted Brow Pomade!

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

This mascara is my holy grail. I will never replace this. EVER.

NYX Slim Lip Pencil (Shade: Brown)

This pencil is cheap, smooth, and does its job. It blends with any lip color I wear.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Creme (Shade: London)

This shade is such a subtle matte nude and works perfectly for my skin. It’s like the perfect blend between my skin and lip colors.

NYX Butter Gloss (Shade: Fortune Cookie)

I used to be strictly matte, but now I like to have some contradiction between a matte face and a glossy lip. This gloss never lets me down! It’s not too sticky and is very long lasting.

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm (Scent: Shea Butter and Vitamin E)

I know what you’re thinking–who spends $8 on a lip balm?! Well, I did, kind of. (I had a gift card!) The smell of this is amazing. I basically only like things scented with vanilla, shea butter, or coconut. The smell is perfect and it definitely protects my lips. I’m prone to sunburn on my lips and this has kept me protected through the harsh sun.

Have you guys tried any of these products? How did you feel about them? Be sure to comment down below!

Let’s be real. The face of minimalism is usually someone with a good amount of money, whose capsule closet contains an Acne leather jacket, a Saint Laurent Sac De Jour, and a pair of Stuart Weitzman Nudist heels.

Girl.

Of course, the emphasis of minimalism is to focus on owning a minimal amount of products while still investing in quality pieces. The pieces mentioned above are definitely of higher quality, but way out of my price range. I feel like this is the same story for a lot of you guys that may be considering it too. I also believe that this isn’t the story of most minimalists.

I was looking at my closet full of lower-quality clothes that have definitely seen better days and decided that it’s time for them to go. It’s time to make room for nicer clothes. I may not bee able to afford them now, but it’ll feel great when I can because I’ve already made room for them. I still liked a lot of these cheaper clothes, but I no longer felt attached to them. It was time to purge my closet. As I stated in my last post, I’m not really big on color anymore. I mostly wear white, black, grey or white. I love clothes that are structured and basic but still make a statement. Basically, I love these looks Aleali May put together for a client a couple days ago:

Day 1 & 2 of styling @_OTMARA pic.twitter.com/WGTio5kwyT

— Aleali May (@AlealiMay) May 26, 2016

Yeah, those outfits are a dream. The first one stole my soul. I try to focus on buying a lot of structured/statement pieces (and an unlimited amount of t-shirts). But, back to the point! This was my process of getting rid of clothes:

1. Is it looking tattered/not up to par?

2. Does it fit in a flattering manner?

3. Can I stand to wear the color anymore?

4. Do I still feel a connection with it?

If I even felt a tinge of guilt with the piece, I donated it. It’s not worth holding on to clothing that you won’t wear. One of the biggest issues I had was getting rid of clothes that held distinct memories. I realized that the memories won’t leave just because I got rid of the items associated with the memory, and that made it easier to get rid of things.

I’m not jumping on the minimalism train because it’s a trend. I actually really enjoyed what it stood for and saw how it could benefit my life. I love clothes (obviously) but I wanted to downsize. There’s no point in having/buying an abundance of clothes when I could be saving up and investing in better pieces instead. And it really makes it much easier to look at a closet this isn’t overstuffed.

I watched people like Tara Efobi and Dani from Dani’s Dish and got so inspired. It’s so difficult finding other black women who are living/transitioning to a minimalistic lifestyle–so far, these are the only ones I’ve found on YouTube. This is a really big part as to why I created this series. I love the phrase, “create the things you wish existed,” and it definitely defines threads and such. I created this site simply because I wanted it to exist! Not too long ago, I didn’t know which direction I wanted to take my site in. And then I finally got it–I want to see more black woman who are minimalists! I was so happy to finally realize the exact direction I wanted to take, and hopefully it’ll encourage others who look like me to follow suit.