music monday | gummy soul - bizarre tribe: a quest to the pharcyde - 'runnin'

Music for the soul.

You can check {and download!} the entire album here.

outfit | the light

plaid shirt - thrifted | gray shirt - target | pants - LOFT | shoes - calvin klein

These aren't the pictures I'd planned on posting today, but the untimely demise of my laptop forced me into using what I had available on my flickr feed. Nevertheless, I do like this outfit and the way these photos came out.

This flannel top is one of my all-time favorite pieces of clothing. I've got to sneak it into the rotation a few more times before it gets too hot here.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't wish a the mums out there a happy Mother's Day. Now I'm off to put together a {hopefully} tasty meal for my mama. Ciao!

music monday | janelle monáe (ft. erykah badu) - 'q.u.e.e.n.' + a little extra

I adore -- ADORE-- Janelle Monae. I would seriously slurp her bath water. And as far as Badu goes, well I think the tweets below say it best:

man. my feelings about Badu are completely immoderate. i totally get the crochet shirt/barefoot effect she had on Com and 3Stacks.
— Gene Demby (G.D.) (@GeeDee215) May 3, 2013

we don't often use the word 'charismatic' to describe women. but she's a big farm away from being a cult leader. i'd read all her pamphlets
— Gene Demby (G.D.) (@GeeDee215) May 3, 2013

Worship at the Church of Badu, y'all.

Alyssa Rosenberg puts in work explaining Monáe's sci-fi world (I suggest you check  the "Many Moons" video if you haven't already) and the awesomely perceptive Garçonnière explains the song and video's magic perfectly:

Monáe does with Q.U.E.E.N. what she does best, mixing visually stimulating high art, culture, and her very own brash brand of feminism. This song and its accompanying video marries them with deft skill.  Her lyrics reference everything from black NYC drag ball culture in the 1980s (Walk in the room they throwing shade left to right/They be like ooh, she’s serving face) to Philip K. Dick (Will you be electric sheep?/Electric ladies, will you sleep?/Or will you preach?). Visually, her machismo comes across in her posturing and sartorial adjustments, while lyrically schooling you on the state of racial politics in America today.

shirt - thrifted | pants - ann taylor | shoes - calvin klein

In honor of Ms. Monáe, I'm wearing a monochrome outfit and trying to channel my inner bad-@$$. Okay, not really. These pictures are about six weeks old from when I was on a mostly-black kick, but it fits right?



Happy Monday, everyone!

music monday | macklemore & ryan lewis - 'can't hold us' ft. ray dalton

After last week {one of the most depressing in recent memory} -- see Exhibit A, B, and C in case you don't believe me -- I think we all use a bit of uplift. Enter Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. I don't usually tend to gravitate towards upbeat music, but this song just makes me smile.

You can also check the official music video here. It's a fine video, I'm just partial to the joy Macklemore exudes in his NPR Tiny Desk Concert performance.

music monday | melissa laveaux - 'postman'

outfit | mostly black

blazer - marshalls (i think) | shirt - old navy | pants - loft | shoes - calvin klein

Lately I've taken to wearing the color black. Perhaps it was a premonition because, as many of you have probably already heard, Google Reader will soon be dead {cue the wailing & gnashing of teeth}. I've been an avid reader user for years, using it to keep track of the hundres -- literally hundreds -- of blogs I like.

There's a change.org petition to save my beloved reader. It has over 50,000 signatures at the moment {and you can bet your bottom dollar that I signed on!}, but I'm not holding my breath. There are a few alternatives -- see here and here -- and eventually I'll get around to trying them out, but for now, I'm going to mourn the loss of my companion. Pour out a little liquor.

outfit | the coming spring

sunglasses - madewell | shirt - thrifted | jeans - new york & co | shoes - loft

I've never really been one to anticipate the start of spring -- probably because it's barely a season here, more like a short antecedent to the long, hot summer -- but I have to say that I am super geeked up about the longer-feeling days. Working late isn't nearly as bad when the sun is still out.

This shirt is one of my favorites. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I snatched it up with such ferocity at the thrift store that I'm pretty sure I startled the other shoppers {sorry!}. In order to not look too much like a lumberjack, I paired this uber casual outfit with leopard print {or is it cheetah?} booties that I bought on a whim but rarely wear. I like them, but heels are seriously no type of comfortable to me. Maybe I have wonky feet.