Mid Life Melanin MaMa

Oh goodness it has been a long time really life gets so busy. Hey Family we over here waving from Chicago. Zi'Joy is growing so fast we just had her 16 month check-up appointment. This was a book fair we went to we went to the book fair last year and this one of our growing established traditions. The look for today was sunny and bright it was hot outside about 90 something degrees so I decided to wear some yellow. These are pants even though it looks like a skirt or maybe a dress and then I might yellow tank top my daughter had on a dress with pink flamingos and pink shoes. So it just wanted to say hi and we hope that your life is going well and your fashion journey is going well.

Until next time you be well on your fashionable journey.

Hey Family!

By now you might asking yourself. What is a Ge'Le Day? Am I right or did I pique your interest? Official Definition at the bottom. So I always try to inform educate inspire when I talk about what we do and what we wear and why we wear what we do. I have celebrated Ge'le day for the past 5 years and my daughter for the past 2 starting when she was 3 months old in 2017.

In the African American community there is a disconnect of tradition and history from Africa. We are in the dysphoria and so bringing our village together as a collective we create an established Traditions that are taken from a Melting Pot of Africa and America. One of these traditions are our celebration of this day. Many of my pictures that I post Are worn with the traditional Headwrap or The Ge'le. It is beautiful and comes in many different forms colors shapes and patterns.

What we wore:

Today started out overcast and gray and muggy. Eventually morning turning into rain showers and then sprinkles. When we reached our destination the lakefront of Chicago it was determined that our celebrational day would be moved indoors instead of Outdoors for the first time in 7 years. The color The Joy the visual were all there. Because of the weather I wanted to dress appropriately when I thought to be appropriately so my daughter and a very light denim onesie and a colorful head scarf from Nigeria myself and a denim lightweight tunic and leggings that came down to the knee with a Denim headwrap and also material in the same pattern in my daughter had. Waterproof shoes and accessories.

I hope you enjoy the colors the patterns and I hope that you enjoy the pictures of you didn't read because I'm long-winded. Today turned out beautifully and in the end we did get to celebrate by the water.

Official Definition:
The Gele is a traditional Nigerian Headwrap. It is worn during special occasions as an accessory to the traditional 'iro' (a wrap-around skirt) and 'buba' (a loose fitting blouse). Gele is usually made out of heavy or stiff fabric that can be wrapped and moulded into a specific shape.

Hey Family!!!

Long time no post. Well just wanted you to know that we are still here still growing as Toddler & Mid Life Melanin MaMa. Someone told me I'm part of a sandwich generation where I'm taking taking care of a baby boomer and a baby ( toddler) do as you can see I have my hands full.

I really love these outfits for us and we do the similar looks or the twin looks. I in my head wrapping my daughter in the stylish camouflage pink and white hat. This was a good day. I plan to post more in the future but don't really hold me to that but it's great seeing you all and seeing all the new people and all of our seasoned veterans.

As always be well in your stylish Journey.

Hey Family!

This mother's day weekemd in America brougjt us to several events. I was honored for the work that I do in my community and for being a single mom who is makimg it happen. Zi'Joy's and I had a wonderful time. It was a casual dressy event. The weather here 8n the Chi has been so up and down. We had rain showers amd lows of 40's so I dressed us accordingly.

So for this event we wore a soft pastel rose pink tiered sleeve top it's so pretty I had a little V cut out in a bag and I wore black velvet pants for Zion Joy I essentially put her in denim peplum top and black velvet pants cuz it was warm and serviceable. And I think it was pretty.

The next day was Mother's Day and to be honest with you it was quite a sad day. I received news that my cousin was 41 was 3 years younger than me have passed away. I loveed him like a brother and so when I receive the call in the middle of the night my world is just shaken. So to be honest with you we had stayed up all night anx did not feel lile making an effort to dress.

This is where my lo e of multiples come in. So we wore the same pants to a different place and with a different set of people. Same black velvet pants and same tops for the both of us as tje day before in grey. For Zi'Joy grey pepulm and for me the same exact top.

No fuss no muss head wrap and hat for Zi'Joy. And we were on our way.

After church the Sun came out and we were blessed with a beautiful day. No need for our wraps or raincoat.at

My daughter's learning Center created this beautiful hand print of her hands and a poem. It was just the perfect thing for a 1st Mother's day gift.

I hope you all had a great weekend and happy Mother's Day to you all.

As always be well on your fashionable journey.

Hey Family!!!!!

Today 44 years ago I was born into this world. Many times I want to shout from the rooftop hey I'm 44 and I got a baby whose 1 year old. Have you ever had that type of moment?

This will be one of my quietest in my 4 years of being in my 40's. I was trying to figure out how to celebrate my birthday because I do something big every year well at least I started to when I hit 40. You know one of those midlife get your life because all you did was home, work, Church kind of thing. Now it's not so much about getting your life but in the living of your life and hopefully in a stylish and enjoyable way. Because I'm a working single mom today will be really quiet because I have a teething baby and a long work day today.

I did think about one way to celebrate my birthday and that's taking a fashionable look back on the 4 years of being in my 40's. I was just thinking back and remembering how this is the best time of my life. Of all the things that I've done and of all the places that I have been around the world and the experiences that I have gained in the military and living in the Chi. I must say every year gets better.

Each one of these looks is a day that I truly remember because I decided I was tired of just existing and decided to live my life and so here we go back down memory lane.

40th Birthday:
The first photograph is a birthday celebration going to see a concert my first one as a grown up. Really my first one in life Wow. I was 40 years old the outfit really expressed where I was at that time. It was leather knickerbockers, royal blue blouse, a beautiful zippered vest. And at that time, starter dreadlocks. I went to a concert to see a young lady named Ledisi and the Robert Glasper experience. Both were beautiful.

41st Birthday:
The next one was a trip to New Orleans. Oh how I enjoy that City and oh how I want to make sure that I experience it with my daughter. My day started off really really beautiful on the Riverwalk. I enjoyed the French quarter and all of the sites. My birthday was exactly how I wanted it to be breathing, living, enjoying the fresh air I wore this beautiful linen brown skirt and a printed tank top and a beautiful Kangol hat that was leather and had animals print on it.
I found it thrifting.

42nd Birthday:
This has to be just the most memorable birthday that I ever had. I connected with a artist a photographer and did futuristic afropunk photoshoot I just loved this time. He got my vision I wanted to show Beauty and strength without a whole bunch of makeup and props so I went and Thrifted all my outfits and we just went with the flow.

43rd Birthday:
I must say this was the most memorable or the most sentimental. And because of my beautiful daughter and we scheduled a Sip & see. A Sip & see is basically where people come and celebrate your daughter's birth. With Punch or whatever adult beverage you have for them and they see the baby. It was fun for me because I dreaded having a baby shower at 43 years old. And so you can't really fully see the outfit but you can get the gist of it it was an altar shoulder denim top wrapped in a leather brown belt and some printed pants and a yellow head wrap.

44th Birthday
Last but not least is simply who I am now and evolved into being. I realize that I didn't have to do anything big or anything special on my birthday if I just live, if I dress according to who I am, if my days are spent in laughter and wonder and joy. Everyday is a birthday or everyday is a holiday especially around this time. My daughter's birthday is literally one month before mine then we have Easter then we have my birthday then we have Mother's Day. I feel like the MVP. So just a simple picture of us doing what we do.

Thank you for taking the time to read or just look at the pictures or both and as always be well on your fashionable Journey.

Hello Family!

How are you all today? I'm fine thank you for asking. So I wrote a post about how I have events to that are a bit mom and me chic. Trying to realize how to vary and move with an active toddler and what to wear that is still me chic and stain resistant. I posted a link at the bottom of the page.

I asked for suggestions and this was one of the suggested combinations. On this day we were attending a story time sleepy time event. It was suggested that we come in Pjs. I just loved how it looks and the softness of the look.

For myself I wore plazzo pants anf a high low pink/ salmon colored top gray slipper shoes colorful head wrap. A necklace that is a clock and my asian inspired baby bacmv convertible backpack.

The scarf because the weather this past weekend was crazy it was cold it was hot and it was cold and it was hot. And being in that midlife way I'm also premenopausal it's a weird midlife.

Zi'Joy was it one piece fleece jumper with hood. I'm a little bowl star cuz we love those. For outside she wore her down vest and a little hat with the. Fur ball on top of it. Zi'Joy's look except the Hat & shoes was completely thrifted.

I really hope you enjoy reading this. I know I get long winded but thank you for your help and suggestions. It's always having happy and fashionable Journey.

Hey Family,

To the Fleek (Flea) Market. One of Chicago's largest monthly markets for Thrifters.

One of the things I often struggle with now is finding things within my own closet to wear and still be casually on the go comfortable. Even one year after having given birth. The body that I live in now is a very uncomfortable and foreign thing to me as when pregnant.

This fit ( outfit) represents where I would like to take my dressing maybe more of during the summer. This denim high low zip up topper is unique enough to be me but, durable enough to handle baby. The weather here in the Chi has been down right cold so my casual fur lined sneakers wer great to wear.

Now these are leggings they have the best pattern on them and the are wool lined. The hold me in like no other. I think i was okay with wearing them because they were so thick. A grey camouflage hat, leather earrings completed the look.

For Zi'Joy it was a denim and polka dot dress, Higgins a cute custom made hat giben to us by a dear friend gave us and a reversible pink jacket/vest.

Right now this is my idea of mom on the go casual.

We went to our Thrifters group Fleek (Flea) Market. I included some pictures from there. It was a really great time. Let me know what you think. Even if you don't like it or if I could change something.

As always be well on your fashion Journey.

Le Donna

Does anyone remember the L.L. Cool J. Song from the 80's

Hey Family.
I hope this post finds you all well. So looking at todays post it reminded Me of the love/hate affair I've had with the bell sleeve.

We attended a recent event with my oldest neice. Her sorority was hosting a gala fund raising luncheon event. Her sorority is amazing and we wanted to honor thr colors which were blue and white. I love shopping on line and recently found this top.

It is a short mesh tiered bell sleeve. Dont you just love the drama of it all? I was able toeat linch take care of Zi'Joy and move about my day and the sleeve was beautiful in action. Not a drop of food on it. It was really an affordable $19 for the top and my headwrap was a simple. Strech jersey fabric. My jeans were a denim harem piece. I love them. Slip on denim shoes completed my look.

Zi'Joy is also wearing a bell sleeve although hers is longer. I love this outfit sadly we are passing hers along as sh recently outgrew this thrifted find plus her white old school walking shoes . We just went to see the movie black panther and although she cannot do the arms across chest for Wakanda. I did tach her another solidarity movement and my neice captured the moment.

As alway leave a comment orjust say hello. Be well on your stylish journey.

Hello family!

I hope that this post finds you well on your journey. Today at like to talk about creating a comfortable environment of where you work. Often times I read blogs about women and moms who working in very fashionable Industries or are stay-at-home moms or creative types. Being a mom who just returned to work 6 months ago for maternity leave I needed to create a space that would motivate me to work while trying not to miss my daughter too much as she went into her Learning Center or daycare. I started with a clean slate as I had not been back to work in almost a year and went from the ground up and in a couple of hours I turn my sterile office environments into a creative and productive space.

My workspace is a extension of what I wear. The colors the textures the visual as well as being very functionable. Austin & fashion we talked about form following function. And usually it's a given take you can't do one without the other I think. And so this post is a reflection of who I am the bright and colorful and also the studied in learning. I will call the leftt brain and right brain moment. Some days are harder than others leaving my daughter and going to work but I know that I am the main provider in the breadwinner for her so we do what we need to do. And I think we can do that stylishly.

So what I thought I'd do instead of add pictures of some of my outfits and also pictures comparing my outfits or correlating my outfits to my respective work site. Picture 7 is when I first return to work and picture 8 is my current situation.

Hope you enjoy the visual and thank you for reading. As usual be well on your fashionable Journey until next we meet.

Well I hope this day finds you well family.

So this post is titled dare to wear and Dare to be there. The reason why I titled this as such is because that, is a journey that I am on currently in my life. It is me and my sidekick Zi'Joy 24/7 I never thought I'd be that type of person to enjoy being a mom being a mid-life mom at-44 almost. So I dare to wear activewear this weekend.

So we are participating in an 8-week course of Aqua baby swim for half an hour on Saturday mornings and then a mommy-and-me toddler/ Walker class of yoga. If you asked me for 5, 3, 2 years ago, if this would be my life I would have been like heck no. So although I did not get a great picture of my swimming suit it is a one piece skirted kind of 1940s vintage swimsuit and what I'll do is next Saturday I will have full pictures of the swimsuit. And also I got to wear activewear we found some military camouflage for our mommy and me yoga class I loved it I've been planning this for a while. The classes for yoga were on Sunday after church and we just had such a great time. It wasn't like a regular yoga class because we all had Toddlers and Walkers and the class was adapted to them and I loved the free-form but we still got to do yoga.

Pre baby these are things that I loved to do. I love swimming I love meditation I love yoga these things were geared to the life that I created When I was single. I happened to find a wonderful group on Facebook which is amazing that utilized the niche of where moms who had a life before can have a life after baby. Not saying you don't have a life but have social interaction can be limiting and isolating with a baby. Healthy positive social interaction and located close to where it's easy and convenient for me to travel. It's amazing what we can do when we put our minds to it where we miss something in our lives the creativity knows no bounds. And these activities are geared towards women who entrepreneurs, are full-time moms, who are full-time busy career women like myself and utilize the time in a great manner.

I really like the mommy and me yoga & found great Lycra and something to fit who we are in our style. Well in my style for baby at least.

So I say dare to wear because many women my age are afraid to wear form-fitting body-hugging outfits. But if you get the right swimsuit and if you get the right activewear for your body and your shape then you can modify to fit and feel how you would like it too. I encourage you to go and try some things on. My body is not Beach ready. One year after having baby and I don't know when it will be but, getting the time in to bond and exercise makes me feel like I'm on a high good energy high and I love it. I hope you enjoy the pictures. I hope it brings a smile to your face and I hope wherever your travels take you that you will do it fashionably and you will do it with confidence. We would love to thank MaMa Fresh Chi for hosting these Fab events. You can find her on FB and also blog of the same name.

As always be well in your fashionable Journey...