25 and UP

From what I heard through the grapevine, otherwise known as my all knowing friend Nicole, "when you are 25 and down, you... capital S, SHOW up to the club;  but when you are 25 and up, you... capital SSS... SHOW up to brunch!

So always one to take heed to sound advise, I made sure to sparkle for  sunday brunch even though it was a rainy day in Houston

Used J. Crew belt as a choker necklace.  I have a thing for flimsy sandals. This is my newest pair and to say I am in love with it will be an understatement. The colors alone on that thing...

Asos blue sparkly sweater
Erdem flower power shorts
Sophia Webster sandals
Vintage bag and umbrella

Hope you have a wonderful week!
XOXO

Would love a hoodie!

But until I find a good reasonably priced one, I would have to tote around my umbrella and frizzy hair during rainy days.

Just imagine an army green fur hoodie jacket with this dress instead... that's right, I just told you what the molten chocolate cake version of this ensemble would be.  And you are welcome!

Urban Outfitters sweater jacket
ALC sweater dress
Christian Louboutin purple suede thigh high boots
Celine Bag

Hope you are enjoying spring forward, I am crawling back into bed with the movie Love in the time of Cholera, Woody Allen's, Vicky Cristina Barcelona; and Lord knows what else. After careful consideration, countless of hours worth of soul searching and half a bottle of Moscato, I decided that Javier Bardem and I must re-acquaint ourselves with each other ...
XOXO

Manic Pixie

I am not a manic pixie girl

I don’t wake up with a flock of singing birds flying about my window and if for some reason I had birds at my window, they will be more Hitchock than Disney.  I certainly don’t rise up out of bed with arms outstretched to heaven, perfectly disheveled hair ala a Neutrogena commercial and a cutesy yawn in tow.  Instead, I roll out of bed in the dark, mentally give a finger to the heavens for having a life that requires an alarm clock and then drag myself to the bathroom with my hair looking more like Don King

I am not a manic pixie girl

On all days, I go about my business without evoking eccentric personality traits at every turn.  I do not burst into a song and dance just to get laughs out of people, my mannerisms doesn’t resemble that of a Terex patient and my sole responsibility is not teaching significant others new ways to embrace life.  I have my own happiness to worry about.

I am not a manic pixie girl

Nor am I an air head, a superficial snob that does not get along with other women, a sex kitten, or a bitter career woman that is so into my job that I forget to get laid and need the ghosts of past time to appear and remind me that I need to get a man and some munchkins before…

it’s Christmas and it's too late for ANYTHING...brouhahaha…..

I am a woman who will cringe at making a public scene and will just die on the spot if someone I know made a public scene in my presence (no outrageous anythings at my door step please)

I do not always have a sunny disposition and for the life of me I cannot think of why I should have a smile plastered on my face 24/7

I don’t crash into things

I've maintained relationships

I don’t think the world of everyone I meet and that does not make me a bitch.

I don’t break into a run in heels for any reason.  To sum it up, I can wait till day two to profess my love to the man of my dreams if there is such a thing.  Oh yeah… And another thing, I don’t profess.  I calmly communicate

I am not a manic pixie girl

Take heed Hollywood, We are not all manic pixie girls
We do not all fit into any one mold. Tinseltown already realizes that there are different types of men: The strong silent type, I’ve dated them all; the communicative, pseudo understanding type, I’ve slept with them all; the artist type, I’ve admired them from afar, the crazy serial killer, the troubled yet loving one, I could go on forever; so why can’t they realize there are different types of women?

Please throw me a bone and show me different variations of women instead of variations of manic pixie or straight tunnel vision working girl?  
  I am starting to think there is something wrong with me when identifying myself as a woman’s woman simply because 

I AM NOT A MANIC PIXIE GIRL
 

LANGUISH

When you feel it sliding 

And the yearning ceases

Yet the feet march on

While the eyes remain wide

When stillness is not near

And the noise refuses your calm

Yet movement carries on

Though led by momentum alone

When life happens inspite of you

And you drag as it pulls 

Only then can you know for certain 

That languish has set in

By: Christiana Ajele Duodu

Shoes: Jimmy Choo; Happy Valentine's day to me, thanks hubby.

XOXO

HALO

Preview of next week's outfit:

This dress reminded me of the Black Halo, Jackie O sheath dress that came out a couple of seasons ago.  I really wanted that dress so you can imagine my excitement when I saw one kind of like it at The Housing Works Thrift Store. I grabbed it and it's been love at second sight since then.
Stay tuned for more pics of dress...
XOXO

Monochromatic Gray

Men's newsboy cap-- I am positive we already discussed the reason why I purchase men's hats so all I will say today is, I am glad we do not have hats for our noses, because even the men's department will not help me there...

Theory dress, Kenneth Lane multi strand pearl necklace

Club Monaco gloves, vintage bag

Louboutin pumps... these shoes are not made for walking. They are made for hanging onto whoever you are with and pretending every word they are saying is so poignant, you need their help holding yourself up. Sorry baby...

XOXO
Ava

THE PURRRFECT PICTURE

"He can't get it up!"
Now, you might think I'm about to write yet another article that pulls from SATC's boat of life lessons and for once you will be wrong.  This phrase is from a movie and not SATC. Apparently, men not getting it up and women failing to notice such things until their wedding night are common enough themes for that phrase to also appear in the Ghanaian movie, The Perfect Picture [Side note: it's the age of GIRLS, you would think people will learn the importance of taking the car out for a test drive before purchasing it].
Anyways, back to my story:  I was lucky enough to watch the movie when it first showed at the Accra Mall with my cousin, Jackie Appiah, the star of the movie.  And even though there were parts of the movie that were a little DejaVu--there is nothing new under the sun after all-- I enjoyed it tremendously and was really impressed with how the film turned out.  I thought it was shot beautifully, the girls and their men looked absolutely stunning, and the story lines, especially Jackie's, were sufficiently entertaining.

Now fast forward to present day.  My cousin is up for the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA) for her role in the movie and it is imperative that she wins.  Trust me when I say this, she is deserving of this award--no nepotism here; I'm serious... with the exception of some questionable fashion choices, when have I ever steered you wrong?
So please, please go to the following link and vote Jackie Appiah for Best Actress in a Drama.  Again, pretty please!!  It does not matter if you have not seen the movie, just go vote for her and have your friends do the same.  I might do a give away if she wins  (I've got a pair of sz 40 Jimmy Choo's that's looking for a new home).  Yes, I believe in bribery...

http://awards.dstv.com/amvca/nomineeList.html?cat=194

Meanwhile, enjoy some pics from the set of the movie that she sent over.

XOXO
AVA

PS: Jackie is the one in the wedding dress and the no flattening strapless bra (I did not know those existed).