#theempressofstyle

[theempressofstyle]

TUESDAY. As I post this a woman is talking loudly on the train about buying some real stripper shoes. 👀You know queen.....whatever makes you happy. Gotta love NYC. Go out there and get what is real for you. . . . . Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward.©️ ________________________________ #TheEmpressofstyle #EmpressStateofMind #Stylist #Design #DesignYourWorld #SubwayStories #Storyteller #SelfCare #Tuesday #NotJudging #BeHuman

[theempressofstyle]

WHITLEY| • • We learned recently George Clooney and his wife Amal, boarded a first class flight to England with their 6 month old twins and handed out noise cancelling headphones to fellow passengers to ensure a peaceful flight if their babies disturb them. • • Upon heading to teach in Harlem, flipped through Twitter feed and saw the 3 - 2 vote for the repeal of Net Neutrality. I seriously felt like why am I doing this if stuff like this is going to get in my way as a creative. I took a deep breathe and then thought of The Clooneys - Tune out the noise from these babies. In life there will always going to be something. It is your attitude which will determine if it will get in your way. • • Tips: •Strategize: Create a plan - get your business, health, financial self together to help keep you on track. • • •Community: Create a healthy network of trusted friends, family, colleagues, and mentors • • •Journal - try not to hold the funk in • • •Create: step outside your comfort zone and try something new. • • •RELAX, RELATE, RELEASE: Make time to be human. It's a different world where we come from.... -------------------------------- 🎥:Episode Twelve Steps of Xmas (1991), A Different World via Very Random/Youtube ------------------------------------------ Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward.©️ #TheEmpressofstyle #DesignYourWorld #EmpressStateofMind #designer #Creators #ADifferentWorld #DebbieAllen #tbt #MentalHealth #NetNeutrality #JasmineGuy #GeorgeClooney #AmalClooney

[theempressofstyle]

ENVISION IT ° ° WORK FOR IT ° ° AND IT WILL COME ° ° ° Great night with creators: founder of New York Fashion week & host of 92Y's Fashion icons with guest designer Eileen Fisher. ° ° ° The best thing I learned which reaffirmed my philosophy about designing is Eileen's approach to her career which has spanned from graphic design, interior design to finally fashion design; Designers are problem solvers - we will adopt or utilize any medium to execute our vision. ° ° ° "Well, I am not really changing my career. I am a designer I see the idea and I can just make them happen." - Eileen Fisher ° ° Feel free to design your world as you see fit. Thanks @regineem for the tix! Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward. ©️ #TheEmpressofstyle #EmpressByDesign #Designers #DesignYourWorld #Sustainability #WCW #EileenFisher #FernMallis #Creators #FashionIcon #CreativeProcess

[theempressofstyle]

Lean In To Yourself I woke up this morning exhausted. How does one start their day exhausted? I woke up wondering how I was going to accomplish it all. Yes, I think many of us wake with that sense of anxiety. On my way into the city I stopped by my local bodega (support bodegas) for some coffee and browsed for some caffeinated tunes - plugged in Lena to find this classic. Advice: Never stop dreaming or thinking big - just take small steps everyday to attain your goals. Big or small. Wake up, believe in yourself, and take action. No one will knock you off the road to your goals but you. 👑 Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward. 🎥: Lena Horne Believe In Yourself (courtesy MyyyTunes5) #TheEmpressofstyle #TheEmpressofStylePlaylist #LenaHorne #StyleIcon #EmpressByDesign #Empowerment #Discipline #DesignYourWorld #Grit #Entrepreneur #Artist #Mood #TheEmpressofStyleMoodboard #DesignBlog

[theempressofstyle]

MAKING MOVES| Make every step count. Stepps👢 by @taylormcferrin ...... ......... ............ ................ .................... . . . Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward.©️ ... . #TheEmpressofstyle #TheEmpressofStylePlaylist #taylormcferrin #bobbymcferrin #WeekendVibes #EmperorofStyle #DesignYourWorld #Music #Style #Designer #momentum

[theempressofstyle]

Y O U N G| G I F T E D & |B L A C K ° ° ° Youth is to understand you know nothing & waking everyday with the eagerness to learn; gifted is to unwrap, protect, & share magic that has never been unearthed; Black is to be given the privilege of experiencing the power of our ancestors and to be granted a lens to see the world in a fashion those are envious of. This is what it means to me to be young, gifted, and black. What does it mean to you to be young and gifted? Are you even aware that you are to begin with? ° ° ° ° ° Scarf: Gift from fellow creative @regineem from her travels in Italy. Brooch: perks of my profession. ° ° ° 🎥: 1st version -The High Priestess of Soul Nina Simone, Young Gifted & Black via Nina Simone Youtube 2nd version - Donny Hathaway via Youtube by Forcingmeto Chooseaname ° ° Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward.©️ #TheEmpressofstyle #Designer #Stylist #Sundaystyle #NinaSimone #DonnyHathaway #MusicandFashion #MelaninMindset #Creatives #Icons #EmpressStateofMind #TheEmpressofStylePlaylist

[theempressofstyle]

Sunday NightCap Check out my latest post on Medium.com entitled "Act Like Your Worthy" (link in my bio). After dropping this knowledge I got my headscarf on and now off to bed. Tootles. 👑: @jadaisreal_01 Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward. #TheEmpressofstyle #TheEmpressofStylebyDesign #SundayStyle #DesignBlog #Styleblog #EmpressStateofMind #Designer #Stylist #Artist #HairInspiration #knowyourworth

[theempressofstyle]

Lit Design Queens x @TheEmpressofStyle collab. Garment designed by yours truly; custom textile print by my lovely students - The Design Queens Wear your heart on more than just your sleeve. Their contribution has me looking fly after hours like you wouldn't believe. 📷: @743239 #TheEmpressofstyle #WearFashionandconsciousnessunite #NoFilter #StreetArt #StreetStyle #designers #TeachingArtists #FashionConscious #DesignQueens #Queens #Kings #RebelWithACause #Punk #BridgeTheGap #FuturePeople #graffiti #Print #Canvas #Empowerment #DesignBlog

[theempressofstyle]

TrendForecaster The state of our world now has been the same since the beginning of time; people fight, kill, hoard, steal, squabble over things & even deny - plentiful resources that aren't even theirs to keep. We can't take any of this with us. Only you can dictate what hangs in your mental closet. Sit with yourself. Meditate. Watch the world closely Same style on repeat Do you rock exclusive designer thoughts from the Creator or from the basic & clueless? Filter out the outdated mess only you can dictate what hangs in your mental closet. 📷:@743239 Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward. #TheEmpressofStyle #WearFashionandConsciousnessUnite #DesignerThoughts #DesignerMindset #Designer #MentalCloset #Mindset #Mindfulness #Trendsetter #Leaders #weekendvibes #MentalHealth #Fashion #Style #Streetstyle #DesignBlog

[theempressofstyle]

The museum is my safe haven. When I am feeling doubtful, or the weight of the world on my shoulders has become too much - the museum serves as my sacred oasis. When I am bombarded & attacked daily by images & conversations oppressing us, normalizing toxicity, caging us from who we are born to be, walking through the halls of such institutions remind me of how limitless we actually are. Doubt is released from my shoulders & casted to the floor when you are surrounded by proof of those who have made tremendous strides in the face of resistance & even limited resources. We are all designers. You don't need a needle and thread. All you need to use is your head. Happy Friday! Designer: Hussein Chalayan. Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward. #TheEmpressofstyle #WearFashionandconsciousnessunite #HusseinChalayan #AvanteGarde #DesignYourWorld #DesignThinking #TGIF #museum #history #MakeHistory #DesignHistory #Exhibitions #Empowerment #boundless #designers #inspiration #fashionconscious #DesignBlog #BlkCreatives (at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)

[theempressofstyle]

Emperor of Style I am an Empress by Design due to not only my mom passing down her fashion forward sensibilities but primarily my father. He came from the South, apprenticed as a patternmaker, & currently co-owner of a sample production firm in midtown. He has been in fashion ever since I was a little girl. Tru'ed my patterns & ripped my designs apart while at Parsons School of Design because he wanted me to not take short cuts, just start over & do better. Currently focused on my own creative work, he has been an awesome mentor, informing me to be about my business "Make sure you get half down payment before you start anything." Ultimately, waking me up to the good,the bad, & the ugly nature of the business. The lesson not to give up your goods for free in more ways than one.😂 People are investing in your services - make sure they can put their money where their mouth is. My mission is not only to continue family legacy but to also learn about his story. Thanks Patternmaking Pops for being a Black man about his business & inspiring this black woman do the same thing. Happy Father's Day! Please note the white lady is not my momma. 😂 Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward. #TheEmpressofstyle #WearFashionandconsciousnessunite #fatherdaughter #FathersDay #FamilyofFashion #Melanin #BlackFamily #MadeInNYC #SaveTheGarmentCenter #ParsonsAlumni #Legacy #Fashion #Theater #Film #Father

[theempressofstyle]

My Hair Is My Moodboard "Sameness is depressing & even dangerous. Let's have something different. I am always going upstream when everyone else is going downstream. This is something I was born with." - Grace Jones I loc'ed my hair 11 years ago to embark on the journey of loving myself. I hated my hair. It effected my self image. I tried weaves, perms, extensions & was never satisfied. I found it all to be too high maintenance & restricting. I cut my hair all off & began loc'ing my hair & it was the best decision I ever made. It's an extension of my artform; It serves as my walking installation piece. I enjoy pushing the boundaries of what my hair is capable of doing & also consider it a social experiment. People are fascinated & fearful of black hair -of blackness. For instance my knotty knots were assaulted by snickers & giggles by two hispanic women sitting beside me on the train. I saw them glancing over & talking in spanish. My instinct was to shrink but I held my head high. Immediately shrugged off their ignorance. Later the same day a young black man came up to me in awe, said he loved it & told me to keep doing my thing. Lesson learned is you can't bend & fold to what people want when a majority are stuck in their comfort zones. No one knows what they want. There are two sets of people - those who conform & those who do not. To focus on exploring who you are is to subject yourself to the court of public opinion. Your inner voice has to scream louder than any external force. You have the right to figure out who you are as a human being. Please expect me to keep pushing the boundaries of your consciousness as my crown twists, turns, & takes you to new heights. Excuse me while I fall in love with myself. I encourage you to explore your own masterpiece. Stay Fashion Conscious Move Fashion Forward © #TheEmpressofStyle #wearfashionconsciousnessunite #TEOS #Naturalista #BlackHair #Crowns #EmpressbyDesign #Fashionista #CrownHeights #BlackGirlMagic #SundayStyle #Masterpiece #Ignorance #Artists #SelfLove #selfexpression #stylishandbuddhist #women #SelfMastery #DesignerMindset #GraceJones #Influencer

[theempressofstyle]

Chump Change We wake up everyday with the gift of change, the gift of choice, an opportunity to be a bit better than we were yesterday. Still many of us won't cease the moment. We toss it away as if it were chump change anticipating a bigger reward. Shift your mindset & spend your time wisely as if god gave you a mastercard to run free with. The only interest you should accrue is in building a solid legacy before your time gets maxed out. A little something that crossed my mind today when I was a little stressed out. I almost forgot to shift the scale to balance the wealth. Here is a penny for your thoughts. Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward. #TheEmpressofStyle #WearFashionandConsciousnessUnite #TEOS #Style #Mindset #Crown #EmpressbyDesign #Designer #stress #Artist #HairInspiration #wealth #Empress #museumchic (at Museum of Native American)

[theempressofstyle]

Daylight Savings Time Note to self: your not paying me enough to waste my time. Shine light on your own daily habits, perspectives, biases, how you are obtaining knowledge, & people who you are rolling with. I went to a discussion panel at Pratt yesterday & it left me unimpressed. They didn't exude power or fire in any capacity. It felt like watching women in a fishbowl. The common thread I've grown to understand of those in power roles is falling into the trap of growing too comfortable. They forget to revamp, revisit, & breathe new life into what they are doing to check if it is still applicable. People make the dangerous assumption when they are in control of everything around them, when everything is constant, as a sign of success. Meanwhile, things & people are struggling to grow & those in power are not adopting new methods to make room for this growth. It actually serves as a red flag for stagnation. Instead of empowering new talent - they feed off of it. From this day forward, in my year of yes & beyond, to make it my habit to be consciously uncomfortable. Actively mining the wealth around me with the notion that I know nothing but the limits of my own experience. It isn't going to be easy but to oppress others because I am too afraid of tackling my ego by refusing to understand when my current methods aren't en vogue is something I can't live with. I want to be in service, not a detriment to society. Crown by @jadaisreal_01 Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward.© #TheEmpressofStyle #WearFashionandConsciousnessUnite #TEOS #EmpressbyDesign #DesignerMindset #Style #Crown #Hair #BlackDesigner #Designer #Intellect #Fashionista #Trailblazer #Influencer #Innovator #Creatives #SelfAwareness #Women #Leaders #Ego #Purpose #SaveTime #TimeManagement

[theempressofstyle]

Maya Monday Timeless advice from the Empress of The Spoken Word Ms. Maya Angelou. Even though the forecast might be gloomy outside today, here are some words for those facing an internal superstorm. Bucker up boo, cause you got work to do. Happy Monday! "You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody." Maya Angelou. You are full of talent, purpose and uniqueness. Don't hide, shine." -The Angelou Johnson Family Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward.© #TheEmpressofstyle #WearFashionandconsciousnessunite #TEOS #MayaAngelou #EmpressbyDesign #Authenticity #MondayMotivation #Artists #Shine #Integrity #Purpose #Women #Talent #Greatness #IamEnough #Empowerment #blackgirlmagic #blackglamour

[theempressofstyle]

The Lotus Salon The lotus grows out of murk & mire, beautiful, stylish, & unscaved. It draws it's sustenance & blooms from a rather crappy environment. The beauty salon, like the barber shop, is a place of community - places such as this help beautify the neighborhood. If you want to take action & shift your school of thought - start here. A day ago, I had extraordinary anxiety in my studio, to the point I had to walk around the neighborhood. I had so many concepts & ideas I felt I couldn't get it out fast enough. Once, I sat down in the salon chair & my stylist @jadaisreal_01 applied bleach to my tresses, I felt all of my burdens were lifted. The salon was peppered with seasoned women - customers & beauticians, who were in awe at the stripping away of my hair color. "Her hair was so beautiful & brown. Why would she ruin her hair?" I overheard one of them say. My stylist & I discussed why not? I mentioned to her, I don't own any of this. I can't take any of this with me. The only thing I have power over is my spirit - the rest is just a vessel. How I want to adorn it is my business. Live Change Evolve Grow I haven't colored my hair in an extreme fashion in 11 years! I always kept my color subtle as my trademark, only to realize I was being controlled by my hair, playing it safe. When I smelled the bleach, I took a deep breath, I had no clue what would come out of this but I trusted my stylist. I realized I can't encourage or motivate anyone if I can't embrace change myself. Authenticity Respect your existence by embracing change. Enjoy the process Wiggle your fingers Wrinkle your nose Shake out a new idea Set it loose Nurture it & watch it grow Stay Fashion Conscious. Move Fashion Forward.© #TheEmpressofStyle #WearFashionandConsciousnessUnite #TEOS #Crown #Naturalista #SalonStories #EmpressbyDesign #StylishandBuddhist #Buddhism #Enlightenment #Artist #Evolve #BlackHair #Bold #DesignerMindset #Authenticity #Change #Process #EnjoyTheProcess #blackgirlmagic #ProtectTheMagic #Life