Diary

Embracing Creativity

Posted on by Salisha Khan

Hello my dearest friends! 

Recently, I visited the enthralling Smither Park in Houston, Texas, and I  must say,  that the moment I saw this park I was  completely mesmerized  and blown away by its aesthetic . Smither Park is a public, artistic space featuring several  spectacular mosaic structures. And while I appreciated the beauty of the individual pieces in its entirety , I was more so captivated and drawn to the  exquisite details and components embodied within the  structures and walkways.  These artists expressed their creative ingenuity by utilizing everyday materials such as pieces of glass, ceramic, tiles and wood to create such unique wonders of art and an extraordinary area that looks like a magical wonderland.

 It is always exhilarating seeing that there are places like Smither Park  dedicated to showcasing and encouraging artistic creativity.  Because when there is an appreciation and an avenue for  creative freedom and self expression; beauty is created and uniqueness  is celebrated. In fact, we all have a creative spark within us which we express  in numerous ways, whether be it via poetry, painting, crafting etc.  As for me, blogging about my personal style is my creative outlet and opportunity to be a story teller about the outfits I wear. 

For my visit to Smither Park, I went for a polished yet effortlessly chic look. To achieve this,  I  wore  a vibrant pink,   paper bag waist trousers which I paired with a black blouse that has exaggerated sleeves.   Paper bag waist trousers are currently  my new favorite fashion trend  because its cinched high waisted silhouette  makes it both a statement and versatile  piece. I adore the fact that this  all encompassing  fashion staple  can be worn in every season  and  can be styled for any occasion. For instance,  for those  casual days  I can style the pants  with  a t shirt and ballet flats while for a night or evening out on the town the pants can be jazzed up with heels and a ladylike blouse.

With respect to how I styled my paper bag waist trousers, I decided to complement my trousers by wearing a statement blouse. The  popularity  of statement blouses  is still going strong  and its continued appeal can perhaps  be attributed to its power to enhance and elevate any outfit. The one  I wore featured bold layered sleeves that formed a rosette pattern, which I felt added a bit of edge and an artistic flair to my outfit. Additionally, as  an ode to my creative surroundings  and to complete my look I accessorized with pieces that looked whimsical and arty- crafty. For instance, the  bold statement earrings I wore was made of various materials such as leather and resin.  This combination of different materials reminded me  a bit of the mosaic structures  whilst my  intricately embroidered denim clutch coordinated with the fun and exquisite background.

In conclusion, I want to encourage and remind  you all to fearlessly embrace your creative and artistic spirit because it is your beautifully  unique stamp in this world.  Thank you for stopping by and reading.

Lots of love,

Salisha .  

Discovering Houston

Posted on by Salisha Khan

Hello lovelies! I hope everyone is well. 

This is my first blog post since my husband and I moved from Minot, North Dakota to the city of Houston, Texas.  Considering we relocated to our new hometown in May of this year, I am still pretty much in that transitional stage of getting acquainted with my new environment.   Houston, is  a  culturally diverse metropolis; boasting  of  awe inspiring skyscrapers, acres of strikingly picturesque gardens and  magnificent historical buildings and museums.  So seeing that Houston  provides lots to do and places of interest to visit,  I intend to immerse  myself and experience its many offerings as  an attempt to learn and adapt to my new hometown.

 In light thereof,  for my first fashion/personal style blog post as a resident in Houston, I decided that Discovery Green Park will be the perfect backdrop. I purposely chose this location  because I found the name, ‘Discovery’,  emblematic and fitting with my theme of learning more about  Houston. The aforementioned park  is a lively 12 acre oasis situated in the heart of downtown Houston.  And what makes this place a gem,  is that this charming space  provides that perfect balance of a lush, vibrant green space  whilst harmoniously co-existing alongside an urban setting.  

For my day at the park,  I knew  that I will be doing lots of walking and exploring so being comfortable yet stylish was pertinent . I therefore donned  an on trend  stripped, light blue midi dress with a classic A-line silhouette. The light weight cotton material and the loose fit of the bottom part of the dress made it the perfect piece for staying cool in the Houston heat while the design guaranteed  movement.    Despite the functionality of my apparel, it was the details incorporated within the design of the dress that appealed to me the most.

The ruching pattern on the bodice  added a bit of  texture and character to the dress. In fact, this style trend of the 90′ s and early 2000’s is currently having a fashion resurgence so we will definitely be seeing more clothing having ruching.   In respect to the neckline on the dress,  I felt that the broad neckline (boat neck) gave a touch of sophistication and  glamour to the outfit. To further enhance and  complete my look I decided to utilize the raffia/straw trend by accessorizing with a handled basket  bag, raffia material statement earrings  and a pair of  tanned straw wedges. These woven appurtenances coincided with that casually chic look I wanted by adding that fun and easy going vibe to my outfit . As a matter of fact, accessories are an  important and versatile aspect to any outfit because of its  power to create many looks.  Therefore, for those times I may want to wear this dress for a more polished and refined appearance, I will switch the wedges for heels and  the straw accessories for dainty and finely detailed jewelry.  

This concludes my blog post. I  really hope you all enjoy this blog post and thank you for reading. 

 

Lots of Love, 

Salisha


 

My Fargo Fashion Diary

Posted on by Salisha Khan

Hello dear hearts! Pretty soon we will be celebrating the start of a new year. Personally, I  feel like this year passed by in the blink of an eye, needless to say I am truly grateful for my 2017 journey of  happy times, challenging moments  and life lessons I was meant to learn.  Having said that, I am looking forward to all what the universe may  have in store for me in 2018 with an optimistic attitude,  a joyful spirit and courageous heart.

Although the new year promises new adventures,  I intend to  continue some of my favorite ventures, one of which is, going on road trips and visiting other towns in North Dakota with my husband, Ahamad. Since migrating to North Dakota I have grown quite fond of going on long drives on the open road as part of my quest of exploring and learning more  about this place I call, home.  So far, these road trips have shown me  that  a wealth of knowledge lies in both the journey and the destination.  For instance, during a road trip from Minot to Bismarck, I noticed the presence of  numerous astronomic wind turbines constructed on the landscape along Highway 83 and it was after seeing this I learnt that North Dakota is one of the leading states in wind power generation. 

So in the spirit of learning more about North Dakota,  the hubby and I  went on a 4 hours road trip from Minot  to the city of Fargo. The city of Fargo is perhaps the most populous and diverse city of all of North Dakota. Therefore, as with any richly diverse  metropolitan places, the city of Fargo offers a multitude of entertainment activities ranging from informative visits to  historical museums and contemporary  art galleries   to attending more dynamic activities such as live concerts. 

On this trip to Fargo, my outfit reflected  my penchant for color. In fact, I seemed to be  more inclined to adding pops of bold and bright colors to my outfits during the cold, wintry months. This affinity for vibrant colors can perhaps be attributed to my Caribbean spirit. In this instance, I wore an on trend,  mustard color cape jacket which I layered over my heart patterned sweater.  The cape like sleeves  design can be traced to the early 1930s but its popularity has surged in recent times with it being  incorporated in dresses, jumpsuits and jackets. The allure of the cape is based on its modish and elegant silhouette. Alongside its aesthetic appeal, the cape jacket is a versatile piece of clothing.  For instance, it can be worn in every season and be styled in several ways depending on your outfit.

In my case,  I thought it was best  to wear my cape jacket with a pair of  purple straight cut pants for that  casual, chic look  while I was out and about exploring downtown Fargo. At a first glance  I love how the solid bold hues of the cape jacket and the pants complemented each other thereby paying homage to the fashion concept of color blocking.  The cape jacket also provides  a fresh alternative to wearing heavy winter coats on those rare winter days when  the temperatures has increased and  it is not bitterly cold. Needless to say it is still wintertime, it is therefore  imperative to wear layers to guarantee being warm and  protected against the cold winter chill.  

To elevate the look of my outfit I decided  to create the illusion of  a statement collar on my cape jacket. I achieved this by layering  it over a blouse which has detailed collar. Styling pieces can therefore be a creative venture to produce your own personal and unique looks. To bring my outfit together and to complete my  look I wore ankle boots. 

This concludes my blog post. Thank you for stopping by and reading.  

Lots of Love, 

Salisha

 

Winter dreaming

Posted on by Salisha Khan

Hello everyone! I hope all is well.

 Although it is not yet officially winter, the snowy weather  and sub zero temperatures  in Minot, North Dakota may indicate otherwise. Even  from a quick glance of  outside  it is apparent that  all of the signs of autumn has disappeared. Instead the snow has magically transformed the environment into a whimsical  winter wonderland characterized by the picturesque  snow covered landscape, glistering frozen lakes and breathtaking snow capped evergreens. In fact, the beauty of the snowy ambiance is so mesmerizing that I sometimes equate it to the idealistic settings customarily  found in a snow globe.  

 The brumal weather therefore means it is that time to bring out the winter wear and all of its appurtenances .  Although there is a variety of winter apparel available,  winter coats are perhaps the most predominant winter  outer wear.  Winter coats come in a wide range of styles with different features catering for the different winter activities. For instance, polyester based puffer jackets are usually worn to engage in outdoor winter sports activities (since it will keep moisture out)  while the longer silhouettes, trench like winter coats are for a more everyday/ formal approach. Despite the differences in styles and functionality, all quality winter coats share the common purpose of making sure that it is properly insulated and waterproof to ensure that the wearer is kept warm and cozy at all times. 

For this blog post I wore a classic, double breasted winter white coat.  Since the coat is made of about 45% wool, it proved to be the perfect piece I wore that day because it guaranteed  that I was kept warm during my stroll  in the cold wintry environment.  In respect to the aesthetic appeal of that winter coat, I was drawn to its ladylike  fit and flare silhouette and sewn on classic gold color buttons. I even played on those  details  by accessorizing with a gold leaf  belt which I felt complemented and completed my winter look. Therefore, don’t be afraid to add your own unique and personal touch to your ensemble to truly make it distinctive. 

This concludes my blog post. I really hope you lovelies enjoy this post and thank you for reading. 

Lots of Love, 

Salisha 

My Second Home

Posted on by Salisha Khan

Hello my dearest lovelies! Thanks for stopping by the blog. 

This year makes it two years since I migrated from the Caribbean island of  Trinidad to  the city of Minot, North Dakota in the United States of America.   In light thereof,  as I reflect upon and reminisce about how my life has developed and changed during those two years, what I can say with absolute certainty is that I have grown quite fond of this lovely, idyllic  town that I now call, my second home. 

The charm and magnetism of Minot, lies with the genuine warmth and  gracious neighborly disposition of the people, a sense of peacefulness and belonging  associated with country living and the natural beauty of the landscape harmoniously co-existing with historical buildings and monuments. This enchanting town has therefore successfully incorporated the elements of a contemporary modern society without losing its traditional values and sense of community. 

Minot or The Magic City as it is fondly referred to, got its famous moniker because of how quickly the town grew in a short space of time. Since the history of the town is strongly connected to the growth of the railroad construction of the 1800’s , I thought it would be fitting to commemorate my life in Minot by visiting the train station. On this trip, I wore a patterned sheath dress which I layered over a blouse that has a statement collar.  I felt that this pairing gave the outfit a rather  Parisian chic appearance.  Another bonus feature of this dress is that it is  fully lined which makes it a great versatile  article of clothing for all the seasons. For instance,  in my case I used the dress as a transitional layering piece for the fall/ winter months. 

For that extra layer of warmth and to protect my self against the wind chill,  I wore an ultra chic moto jacket that has faux fur trimmings on the collar. Styling with the moto jacket added a touch of edginess  to the otherwise ladylike ensemble.  A moto jacket is such a  diverse piece  because it is timeless  and the ways it can be  styled is numerous.  For instance, it can be paired over a dress  or it can be worn with denim jeans.   To complete my look and provide balance to my outfit in terms of proportion I wore one of fall’s favorite footwear, a pair of ankle boots.  

This concludes this blog post.  I hope you all enjoy this post and thank you for reading.

Lots of love,

Salisha