Sunday, December 12, 2010

Dear Santa,

Well...after disappoints over and over again...I finally found some goodies I wouldn't mind under my Christmas tree:


torrid--combat boots... after i beat them up a little

Dorothy Perkins Blazer
\

forever21plus dress but without belt & with jacket

Torrid Goonies Tee--- i heart screen prints... and plus it's the Goonies on top of it

with a lot of fine tuning...this jacket will be worth it...
too cute torrid oxford's with lace :) here i come 3rd grade me!

New Day; New Start

Final paper of the semester in...now back me... I'm out of school for the next 30 days, so I've decided to just work as hard as I can in the gym and making sure I'm making the right decisions when it comes to my eating habits.  I've decided not to set a goal because I want this rainbow (my hard work, consistency, etc) to never meet that pot of gold...because it is a lifestyle change. 


Tonight I will have my weigh-in :(...so brace yourself... but the good news is ... I'M BACK!!!!

Monday, October 25, 2010

OMG! Graduation dress options!

something told me to go to monifc.com and I did and saw these... I don't think they're too much for graduation. Do you?


15 more days of loving...

8-my courage: I'm trying this new thing called being spontaneous ... it's a little hard, but i'm surviving
9-my laugh: it's pretty much hilarious by its self.
10-my hair: i'm really enjoying the short hair and more i loose the more i cut off
11- my scars:  all of them aren't just about painful events some of them are from fun times with crazy accidents
12-my ability to be empathic and sympathetic
13- my tattoos: there's a story behind every single one
14- having the ability to laugh at myself
15- my ability to think outside of the box
16- my nose: yep it's a little big... but oh well it's my kinda big nose
17- my hands: the only physical thing i got from my mother
18-my shape: i know i'm trying to loose weight, but at least i'm pretty much proportionate
19- my thighs...somewhat
20- my voice: i know it's a little much at times... but i love it
21- my facial expressions: one word... priceless

steady shedin'

we'll i'm happy to say i'm still losing... and the 30 before Thanksgiving is going great thus far... update on weight loss in a couple of days. Unfortunately school is driving insane!!!! But I did have the chance to go out one night with one of my sisters! We compared these pictures together... and definitely saw a change! :)

                             

Saturday, October 16, 2010

crunch time-ish.

it may be safe to say that the don't buy anything until you loose 15 pounds didn't go well... but i've dedicated myself to a new goal... 30 pounds before Christmas... but I really want most of it off by Thanksgiving.  Why these days? November and December are the two months I literally eat  a whole lot and participate in little exercise. Instead of accepting the weight gain... I've decided to fight it. 

Talk is cheap, right? It is! So, I've developed a game plan for the next two months...

1200 caloric intake
4-5 times/week exercise
drinking only allowed once a week (no girly fruity mixed drinks)
no fast food
no "pretty" drinks from Starbucks

It's not going to be easy... but it's so attainable! I'm starting Monday... wish me good luck!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

So far...7 days of loving myself the way I am



I love love love this song. In order for you to allow someone to love you... you must love yourself to the fullest, flaws and all! Here's my first seven days... getting harder and harder everyday... but that's what I'm trying to change. My perception of myself... and hopefully your perception of yourselves.
1- moles: they remind me of my grandmother... she had them all over her face.
2- eyes: I was picked on because they are smaller, but they've grown on me... && i love them.
3- spirit: i love helping others who are thankful
4- confidence:  I don't have the highest self-esteem... but I love the fact that when I feel like I look good... my confidence gets a major boost
5- my rolls: uhhh... the fact that i see them shrinking is the best thing about them!
6- complexion: in the black community, I still see skin color being a determinet of beauty.  I love the fact that i'm dark skinned... and I will embrace that FOREVER.
7- smile: its warm... but can be fake at the right times.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

loving yourself.

Remember these percentages, 54% & 78%. Now think back to when you were 13 then 17.  When you were those ages, what did you worry about the most? Was it school, significant others, work or family? I know when I was those ages those were some of my concerns, but I worried most about my appearance.  Fifty-four percent of girls 13 years old, are unhappy with their bodies; 78 percent of young ladies 17 years old are unhappy with their bodies. Do you still a problem here? I definitely do... so for the next 60 days, I'm going to write down something I love about myself.  I'm going to have to force myself...but i'm sure there is at least 60 things I love about myself :)





Sunday, September 19, 2010

one WEEK left!

okay...i have one week left until my deadline... and i'm down six pounds... just 9 more to go...
i promised myself I would would remain positive because I can lose the pounds in 7 days... it is very realistic (continuing to be positive)... my weeks are crazy so hopefully I'll be able to keep you posted. <333

Monday, September 13, 2010

I got work to do!

Week one of "shop or die" (from not shopping)... && the verdict is in... I've lost one pound. WTF???! I need to shed 14 more in like 2 weeks... how am I going to do this? There's only one thing that will give me the motivation to push myself harder &&& it's this dress from Monif C that I absolutely adore...

*fingers crossed*

Saturday, September 11, 2010

plus size models during fashion week?

well not exactly, the designers showcasing mostly plus size lines aren't part of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, but their shows will be during fashion week... but I'm sure it will be great! I'll keep you posted on the designers and my favorite outfits hitting the catwalk.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Dear Sanity, Where are you?

The land of Jaleesa has been a complete mess these last three weeks.  School, work, && my camera erasing ALL of my pics (i should definitely start backing those things up)... new hair cut... that I totally am in LOVE with!!!! :)



So what's new with me??! I've been trying to come up with ideas to continue to push me in the right directions... some of the ideas:  double chin go bye-bye, look mom no jacket, etc... a little silly but cute.  Luckily, I didn't have to think of any "cute" sayings because a co-worker challenged and another co-worker to loose 15 pounds before we could buy ANYTHING that's not a necessity (not even earrings or make up).  This will give me the push I need and help me with my addiction problem to clothes... So here I go SHOP or DIE!!! cross your fingers for me I HAVE to loose it by Oct. 2nd... big work discount PLUS we have DKNY, that is absolute gorg.  

Friday, August 20, 2010

Goodbye 50 pounds... I never want to see you again

Last summer, I was tipping the 300lb+ scale... which is ridiculously unhealthy ... this morning I was 251... its feels good to say that. I will reflect on my experience later this weekend today I have to celebrate

Monday, August 16, 2010

ugghhh. my deadline is FRIDAY!

OMGeee I'm so excited, nervous, anxious, &&& insanely obsessed with my last weigh in.  Let's look at my wins over these last few months:  I've lost at least an entire pant size (tight 22 to nice 20)!!! (I squeezed into a 18 at work saturday & almost cried... ) I'm trying to loose those 10 pounds so I can get in them comfortably... this week, but that would be CRAZY && UNHEALTHY... my shirt sizes still vary because I'm so top heavy... but I have dropped a shirt size.  Nowwww... my opportunities... I feel like I would've had more success if I exercised more...but this process is all about PROGRESS... &&& this process has truly been life changing.

Well Friday we'll see how far I've came... && I'm celebrating with one of my besties!!! :))) pics coming soon.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

"No wonder our perception of beauty is distorted"

Do you remember this video? I wonder what happened to it? Probably in a vault, safe away from public along with Tyra Banks "Kiss my fat A**" episode.


I have given up on changing other's perception of beauty until... three days ago a little girl said "look mom she's so pretty" && she was pointing at me.  For the first time in my life, I thought I was going to cry from that comment.  The little girl had to be at least three; At three, I was surrounded by Barbies, dolls, & movies that showed me one type of beauty.  The fact that she is surrounded by those same influences and more and she still has ability to define what's beautiful in her eyes, shows me we are somewhat growing as a society. In that moment, I really thought to myself "yes, my children won't be as screwed up as I thought they would be."

My Sweet Chaotic Life

These last couple of weeks have been HELL for me;; but really bittersweet. I've moved into my very own apartment, which was a giant step for me. Also work has been insane, but luckily my district and regional managers had the chance to see me step up to a challenge.  Now that the craziness is over, I finally have time to give you an update on my progress(?). 

With me moving &&& working crazy hours these last weeks... I haven't been able to see what's out there in the world of retail (except at LB and online).  With the fall lines coming in the stores, I'm super excited to see what new favorites I will be adding to my forever expanding closet. 

The 5 Trends I will be stalking for this upcoming Fall season:

1. deep BOLD hues--> I LOVE this dress from jibri


2. Menswear Inspired Suits


3.  Bringing the Fifties Back---> this with a full skirt <333 (Dorothy Perkins)















4. GOLD -- instead of the normal beige neutrals... gold accents will brighten up my gloomy fall days

5. Long over skinny -- leggings, jeggings, skinny jeans are here to stay (for now) && I'm loving how I can easily put together outfits. 

NEXT WEEK is my "final" weigh in... I wonder if I can squeeze into those size D Spanx... we shall see :)

Saturday, July 17, 2010

OMGeee. I have a NECK!

To be honest, I haven't seen major progress in the way that I look until I was going through some old pictures on my computer.  A friend of mine said she could tell after looking at a few facebook pictures of me from the past, but a lot of my customers who don't see me every week can tell that I've dropped some pounds.  I am SO excited && happy that my hard work actually has been paying off...

Here are some old pictures of me around my 21st birthday last year::


here is a picture of me in march during spring break... not that good, my camera is extremely sick:

here are pictures from the last month of my face (that's where I see it a lot)::


 OMGee. I see the loss in my face, but I can feel it when I'm wearing clothes...

Since this lovely adventure, I've lost a total of 23 pounds.  It's exciting; I can't wait to see where I will be in August.

xoxoxo

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

My Back2School/ Fall Must Haves...

thus far... luckily I'm not the only person making major life changes in my inner circle;; therefore, i've been able to avoid purchasing loads of new clothes because I just take the "hand-me-downs."  I'm solidly down to a 20, a size I haven't seen in at least two years... my goal before school starts an 18.  With my goal in mind, I've been "shopping" around to show off what I've accomplished this lovely summer... here are so of the goodies that I MUST have:

this dress is from asos.com i love the print and the simplicity of the cut... clearly because I want a navy one just like it.


top from torrid;;

z. cavaricci collection from torrid -- downside their 100% cotton... they will stretch & i already have to get them larger because of the thighs, hips, and bum.

z. cavaricci collection;; torrid has had this for a while, but i've been on the fence about it because I have something extremely similar to it, but now it's too big.  I would definitely wear it as a tunic though because it looked shorter than this in the store.


sandals from ninewest my weakness;;

This is starting to look a little expensive;; gotta start saving now.

Friday, July 9, 2010

are you just beautiful?



"my momma said a lady aint what she wears but what she knows..."

outside beauty will eventually fade with age, but when you leave this earth,what will you be known for?  At the tender age of 22, my outside appearance is on top of my priority list. Vain, i know, and mostly sad... but i can honestly say, there is more to me than what's on the outside.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Update


Life has been a little crazy for me lately... working, finals, & preparing to move, but Im continuing on my path to a healthier life.  I've lost roughly 5 more pounds! Not to shabby since I was on a stand still for a while.
Its ironic how I started this weight loss journey for myself, but I'm realizing as the days go by, as I climb over these hurdles... I'm not just doing this for me. I'm doing this for my godchildren, my future children, my family as a while.  Its taken me nearly two months to wrap my head around the fact that I'm not so call blogging just to lose weight; I'm also on a journey to find who I really am. 
I talk the talk of acceptance, but do I abide by my own rules? Nope. I know I can't change the way I look overnight;; but I sure can change my & others perceptions about myself.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Torrid Bow Ring ---> new obsessions

Saturday, June 12, 2010

T Minus 3 days until FFF Week!

Full Figured Fashion Week starts on the 16th through the 19th && I can't wait to see what's shown.  Other than designer Monif C, who I’m crazy about, some other lines being showcased are Pure energy—Target’s plus size, which is affordable, but of course the quality is “what you pay for”, and Qyristal Frazier from season six of project runway. As I was looking at the designers’ websites and lookbooks, I can’t say I was extremely impressed, when it comes to my personal style. Most of the looks didn’t look very high fashion to me; they looked more costume-y. I have my fingers crossed, hoping that the collections shown will be so much more than what is on their websites right now.



Pure Energy
Qryistal Frazier

Thursday, June 10, 2010

My 10 Commandments

1.  Tell people they are beautiful, not only on the outside, but on the inside (it matters the most).




2.  A smile && hello can go a very long way.



3.  Selflessness is hard to do;; but the outcome is priceless.


4.  Sometimes people need a second, third, fourth && tenth chance;; this life is full of trials & errors ;; && perfection is boring anyways.♥
 
 
5.  Life is just another school;; we are always being taught lessons.




6.  These lessons are NOT mistakes;; && there is no such thing as failure, just lessons that didn’t work as well as others.



7.  There are always lessons to be learned; as Gandhi said, “live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”



8.  I’ve seen this somewhere && loved it “other people are merely mirrors of you;; you cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.”



9.  You set your limits;; you know all of the answers about yourself && you know what is best.



10.  Be Yourself-- at the end of the day, that's all you can do.

xoxoxox

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

A little hint of me;;


a little hot,eh?
my facial expression half of the day;;

I <3 flowers;;
hat--potential new obsession &&& i love this ring-- Both from Target

Thursday, June 3, 2010

hello lovahhhhh;; aka white jeans

My new obsession are these white skinny jeans! I would've NEVER wanted to put on a white pair of skinny jeans until now.  By September, I will be in these jeans from asos.com CONFIDENTLY. 


Yes, I know Labor Day is in September &&& I don't pay attention to that "rule." If it looks good and appropriate, I'll wear it whenever. So I'm adding these to my mini goal along with my size D Spanx. I also like the shoes that are paired with them, they remind me of a pair that Miranda had on in Sex and the City 2.  Fortunately Bakers has a pair that are somewhat similar to the ones Miranda had on. 
I L-O-V-E these shoes and they are available at bakersshoes.com They'll be perfect for my family reunion's "all white party," where I will be wearing a skirt one of my closet friends, Christina made.  The skirt is gorg so the shoes have to be as simple as possible.
The White Skirt

It has lining underneath, but the outer layer is sheer with embroidered flowers.




 

Here I Come White Jeans
Weight: 259 yeaaaa! down 11 pounds.



Tuesday, June 1, 2010

diet po-lice where art thou?

This week= the worst week ever.  Well, I said that this will be a journey && it definitely is. Where should I start? I lost one pound as of last wednesday (i'm neglecting the blog;; work & school has taken over my life).  Weigh-in is tomorrow so keep your fingers crossed that I've picked up some of the slack from last week... 

As I sit here with this lovely (sarcasticly) bowl of soup, let me reflect on some of my mistakes from last week:

1. exactly what i'm doing now eating late (oops, my schedule is all over the place)

2. My lovely friend, Jenell (she can convince me to eat some of the most terrible things easily)

3. lack of excercise -->I'm trying, I really am

4. consistency (I really need to have somewhat of a set schedule)

Diet Po-lice;; here I am... take me in, NOW!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

My Liberty London's Make-Up Box Must Haves


1. Cleanser-- It is a must have! I have very oily skin so I use a lot of products that have salicylic acid (which prevents acne) in it.  If you have sensitive skin like me you have to make sure you avoid using scrubs frequently, try foams.  (use toner & moisturizer along with the cleanser)

2.  Some kind of matte gel -- I usually use MAC matte gel (to , but recently I tried the Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel (which is $12 cheaper), the quality isn't as good as MAC's, but it still works! I only have to use more of the product.

3. Setting spray/mist-- Currently I'm trying out Sephora's Radiance Flash Spray.  It helps my make-up look more natural than "perfect." The mist helps blend everything together.


4. Bronzer-- currently using Hard Candy's.

5. Blush-- MAC's Gentle

6. Paint (eye shadow primer)-- MAC's Bamboo

7. My everything--MAC eyeshadow Palette-- I use wood winked everyday! other favorites include contrast, rice paper, & gold mine.


8. Concealer-- aka my best friend

9. eyeliner-- liquid mostly, but dark colored pencils

10. Mascara or fake lashes-- love love love fake lashes, but the up keep is a little expensive.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

My Latest Love--Military

In these last lovely, humid, and extreme hot months, I've been obsessing over the military fashion trend.  When I say military, I DO NOT mean literally camo from head to foot, but the colors and the cuts.  I have been in love with this Marc Jacobs ensemble ever since his Spring 2010 fashion show! I am a layer-holic, I will layer and layer until I'm about to pass out & then throw a belt on it to showcase my small waist.  Obviously, this is the reason why this outfit screamed to me.  I love the idea of the skirt, it would be gorgeous dress if it had a bodice on top, and a tad but longer.  I've also been looking for a dress the color of this jacket && finally found one, at Lane Bryant, but I have to get it cut a good 6 inches because the length isn't flattering on me at all. 


Military-inspired fashion isn't just a trend, some of the pieces are essential, and the fact that most are made in basic/neutral colors is an added bonus. For example,  a jacket can be layered as pictured above or worn with a pair jeans or shorts, screen tee, cami, or depending on how thin it is, it could be worn as a "shirt" just throw a belt on it. (watch out for proportions) 

Friday, May 21, 2010

Full Figured Fashion Week coming soon.

I'm so anxiously awaiting for the Full Figured Fashion Week. It'll be interesting to see what pieces of art will be coming down the catwalk that are actually tailored to the not so "average" woman.  I respect every designer's vision and ideas to the fullest, but they aren't always the best for women of a certain body shapes.  One designer Monif C, that my good friend put me on, will be showing her newest collection during the week. I can not wait! I feel like she (&whomever else helps her) understands a woman's body.  I love every thing she makes. Here are a few of my favorite:

I absolutely love this...it can be use in so many different ways during the summer.--cover up, tunic, dress

One, this model's body is sick... two, I love this bathing suit! This would be perfect for those who carry most of their weight in the bottom half their body, to balance the proportion of their body out.  On her website, Monif C has several bathing suits that will flatter all types of body shapes and they're the average price of most good quality bathing suits. 


Last, but not least the Marilyn Convertible dress! I love the idea of this garment; it can be worn over 20 ways. It is available on her website in several colors, and it comes in a maxi version.  PLUS I am in love with that necklace.

To check out any of these styles go to:  http://www.monifc.com/