“Shine Bright Like A Diamond!”
What’s one of your favorite go-to looks?
If I were to use one word to describe my sense of style and fashion it would be — uncomplicated. I like to wear a variety of colors, but I don’t wear them all at once. I like to try different patterns and cuts, but I rarely pair diverse items together. I get a fair amount of compliments on my wardrobe, especially my professional attire! I actually find my eye gravitating towards more professional pieces when I am shopping than casual pieces. Give me a nice, pretty colored business dress or a pencil skirt any day! But I chose the word uncomplicated to describe how I dress because I usually don’t have too much going on at once. I am big on utilizing accessories to make an outfit “pop” rather than having a sense of style to tastefully pair patterns, colors, and layers together. Please don’t ever ask me to dress a mannequin if you want people to be drawn to your store, haha!
I think accessories can go a long way in creating a variety of different kinds of outfits from just a few pieces of clothing. For example, the shoes you choose to wear with a pair of jeans or a little black dress can really set the tone for the particular event or your mood.
What are some of your favorite accessories you incorporate in many of your looks?
My go-to accessories are shoes, lipstick, jewelry, and handbag.
Shoes
To me, the shoes you wear with an outfit say a lot about your mood, your personality, and the kind of event you’re attending. I am not the kind of person that lays out their work clothes the night before, so when I am getting ready for work in the mornings, I typically decide what I’m going to wear based on what shoes I’m going to wear. And I based what shoes I’m going to wear on the weather and what I have on my agenda that day. If it’s a long court day, it is likely I will opt for a chunky heel or a pair of flats because duh — comfort! During long court days, I am standing a lot and walking up and down the hallways. If it’s raining outside, I will most likely opt for a closed-toe shoe or even a bootie (I still need to get myself a nice pair of rain boots!). Regardless of the weather, if I am in a jury trial or am appearing in a courtroom for the first time, I will opt to wear closed-toe heels. Beauty is definitely pain because I believe all professional outfits look better with heels versus flats!
Lipstick
Man do I love throwing some color on my lips! You can have a bad hair day and don’t feel like wearing makeup, but you can still own the day by throwing on some lipstick! I am so glad that the mask mandates are becoming less restrictive. I am not the type of person who does a full face of makeup every morning, and with my short haircut, I’m definitely not spending a lot of time on my hair lol. Also, since I got microblading, I very rarely have the desire to wear any kind of eye makeup. But I love the way lipstick can set off any look! I prefer matte lipsticks over traditional ones, and colors over a nude. I also enjoy experimenting with colors — this past weekend for my birthday I wore a yellow dress with dark purple lipstick. Loved that look!
Jewelry/Handbag
With my short hair, I spend more time selecting what kind of earrings I want to wear. I prefer big hoops or long dangly earrings most days, but some outfits require a more subtle and simple earring like a stud or small hoop. Bracelets, rings, necklaces, and watches also play a big part in accessorizing outfits. And here’s something you probably haven’t thought about. What if you were low on cash and needed some in order to perfectly accessorize your fit? You can check out Chapes-JPL, which is an alternative to banks and traditional pawnbrokers! They provide low-interest loans on gold, diamonds, jewelry, watches, and other valuable assets, and you can even sell your Rolex in Atlanta, GA! I think that’s pretty cool! One thing I keep in mind when deciding on what kind of jewelry to wear is this: less is better. If the dress or blouse already has a high collar or a lot of embellishments on it, then you probably don’t want to wear a large, busy necklace. And with rings, you can add some color to the outfit with a nice colored stone!
I am no fashion expert, and I do not spend a lot of time shopping or picking out my outfits. But I love to see how many different looks I can make with 1 piece of clothing. Let’s take the little black dress I wore last year for my birthday. I paired it with red lips, heels, and a clutch. That outfit can be worn to a nightclub or even dinner depending on the location. I can also wear that same black dress with a leather jacket and booties for an edgier look, or I can wear it with a light pair of sneakers and a jean jacket for a more casual look. Get creative with what you have and go out there and rock that outfit!
“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” — 1 Peter 3:3-4, ESV.
Moni Jay, Off the Record
