Author: Shakira

Squad Goals: A Beautiful Team

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What about your friends? Will they stand their ground? Will they let you down again? What about your friends? Are they gonna be low down? Will they ever be around… Way back in 1992 prophetic psalmists T-Boz, Left Eye, & Chilli released a song to remind us all to evaluate one of the most influential relationships we have – our friendships. In chapter six of our Beauty Begins devotional, Megan Shook Alpha discusses the importance of surrounding ourselves as women with a team of Christ-centered peers who encourage us to chase after God. Before we review the lesson, take a moment to think about your circle of friends. Are these women (or men) of integrity and virtue? Do they uplift you and support you? Or do they use and abuse your friendship?

Ladies, one of our biggest struggles is properly choosing relationships. This includes both frienships and romantic partners. The first thing to note is that it is a choice! You decide who becomes your friend, which means that you reserve the right to end toxic friendships as well. Right now many women are headed off to college this fall. Other women are preparing to relocate to another city for work. Perhaps you are deciding if your current boyfriend is husband material? Whatever the case, it’s crucuial that you learn how to choose your “team”. Proverbs 18:24 says “There are friends who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” 

Right now, over age thirty, I have the same two best friends that I had at at six. I have acquired many other friends ( whether seasonal or permanent ) through high school, college, and work. However, these two women are my covenant partners that have stood the test of time and battle. I’m grateful to God for recently sending other women into my life who have shown to be full of love and integrity. How can you decide who fits the criteria for a godly friendship? Ask yourself, do these friends have a relationship with God? Are they involved in kingdom ministry? Do they put you down? Do they talk about you behind your back? Do they pressure you to sin?

After reading the questions maybe you’ve realized you could stand to be a much better friend yourself? Don’t worry, next quarter is all about that very topic, but for now, make a conscious decision to start living out the fruit of the spirit. Encourage your friends to live a life of righteousness, in thought and action. Extend grace to them when they fall and lead them to repentance. Forgive them when they make human mistakes…none of us are perfect. Lastly, don’t be afraid to listen to the Lord when He leads you to end close friendships that don’t glorify Him. Trust me, by employing these methods, you will surely have a beautiful team!

 

 

Black and Gold Maxi

Written by Shakira on . Posted in Personal Style, Style. 4 Comments

Hello beautiful people, I hope your week is finding you well. The heat is here in Philly and I’m excited about all the summer fun to come! Food trucks, festivals, shows, etc.. I can’t wait to experience what the city has to offer.

 

Meanwhile, back at the office summer means the air conditioning is on full blast and I have to dress accordingly.Today I’ve decided to go with this beautiful printed maxi dress. A quick updo to camouflage my messy hair, gold jewelry, and a pair of comfy slides complete the look.

The long sleeves will keep me warm in the office while the thin fabric lets me breathe outdoors. Due to the sheer nature of the fabric I had to add leggings underneath, but they’ll be an added benefit to beat the office chill. How about you ladies, do you dress for a cold workspace as well?

Dress//Warrior Princess Closet , Sandals//Schultz , Necklace//H&M 

Total Surrender: The Beauty of Brokenness

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Can you recall times in your life where you felt completely alone? Perhaps there was a situation that left you overwhelmed? Sucks right? It’s never easy to go thru seasons of intense pain such as heartache, depression, mourning, or even illness. Our natural response is to run and hide or curl up and die. However, these times are usually when we cling to God the most. Think about it, when you broke up with [ insert former bad here] or lost your job at [ name of company ] didn’t your prayer life shift? I’m willing to bet you that during those seasons of your life you saw a lot of spiritual growth.

I remember this time a couple years ago being in the ER once a month from April to June in excruciating pain from several large kidney stones. If you’ve ever had a kidney stone you know that it feels like the wrath of God, no seriously. During post-op recovery it hurt to move, let alone use the bathroom. I had to learn all about taking better care of my health. It was during this time I decided to draw strength from my gift, worship. So many days I spent reading God’s word and meditating on scriptures about health and healing. I came across Hillsong United “Oceans” at one point and that song changed my life. It was a reminder that in every season, God requires my trust.

Without faith it’s impossible to please God and seasons of pain will test our faith…but you can push through! You see, beauty begins where self – reliance ends because we must learn to depend solely on our Father. When we come to the end of ourselves, in complete surrender, we become beautifully broken and God can use our situation for His glory. Scripture tells us God is close to the brokenhearted ( Psalm 34:18 ) so if you’re currently hurting allow Him into your pain and let him make beauty from ashes. Don’t try to cover up the pain with makeup and pretty masks. What’s more important, your image or your impact? 

Satan would love for your pride and shame to keep you from sharing your story with others, those who are experiencing the same trials. It’s his desire to make you feel like a hypocrite when you look at your past ( or present struggles ) compared to your confession of faith. Remember this sister, we overcome by the word of our testimony. WE ALL overcome…not just the one who was tested. Your testimony could stop another woman from experiencing the same hurt, so allow God to use you as He sees fit! Romans  5:3-4 states: “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Be encouraged love, all things are working for your good…even this! XO – KIRA

 

Vintage Paisley Dress

Written by Shakira on . Posted in Personal Style, Style. 4 Comments

So listen, I have a confession to make. I’ve basically been in my feelings since this time last week because both of my younger siblings graduate this month. My sister is leaving undergrad with a degree in graphic design and my brother is headed to college for computer engineering.

 

I am both overwhelmed and overjoyed. I’ll never admit this to my mother but, I too have moments where I find myself tearfully replaying all of their milestones in my head. I feel so old staring at their yearbook pictures. My babies are all grown up and there’s no stopping them! I wonder what actual parenthood must feel like…

Okay, enough talk about graduations and nostalgia, how about we shift to fashion instead? As you know by now, I love a good trip to the thrift store or consignment shop. One such trip a few years ago introduced me to today’s featured frock, this fabulous silk dress.

A vibrant grass green color with multi colored paisley and gold threading throughout, I couldn’t pass up this dress. It was originally two sizes too big, but some alterations and a second thrifting trip to buy shoes proved to be all I needed. By adding a few go to accessories I am totally ready to enjoy some sun in the city. Here’s to finding hidden treasures!

 

Dress//Vintage , Shoes//Etienne Aigner , Glasses//Michael Kors , Clutch//H&M , Ring//H&M

Pretty Hurts: The Distorted Reflection

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Pretty-Hurts-Music-Video-Beyoncé-Part-2

Would you rather be described as beautiful or pretty? (Ask yourself and answer honestly) Now ask yourself, Is there a difference between the two? 

This is one of the initial questions we are asked to ponder in Beauty Begins: Making Peace with Your Reflection by mother/daughter team Chris Shook & Megan Shook Alpha. Chapter One entitled The Distorted Reflection invites us to discover the beautiful truth about God’s word concerning us, his precious daughters. But first, we must confront the lies we’ve accepted about ourselves via the OG liar himself, Satan. Jesus sheds some light on Satan’s entire agenda in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” 

See, the enemy of your soul wants to rob you of your self-worth, self-image, and your self-esteem. If Satan can get you to believe the lie that you are inadequate & cause you to hate your reflection, he succeeds in getting you to declare war on yourself. Why? Because he would hate for you to realize how fabulous you are or how fearfully & marvelously made you are…or that you represent God’s artistry. If you ever came into the knowledge that you are distinctly unique & important to God, you’d be unstoppable! Unfortunately, many of us accept the lies without question and the quest to be pretty and perfect begins.

In the song Pretty Hurts Beyonce poetically describes the ugly truth about our societal obsession with pretty: “Pretty hurts, Shine the light on whatever’s worse. Perfection is the disease of a nation. Pretty hurts, Shine the light on whatever’s worse. Tryna fix something, but you can’t fix what you can’t see. It’s the soul that needs the surgery.” After listening to such lyrics, one has to ask, If pretty hurts why bother? Well, as Chris & Megan point out in our reading, over time our culture has confused the concept of pretty with true beauty. With each decade changes in fashion & beauty impacted our overall perception of what was desirable.Pretty varies from culture to culture & is constantly changing within cultures.

In American society we’ve shifted from curvy to slim to waif thin back to curvy again. Hemlines have gone up an down, changing every decade as much as our fad diets. When women rely solely on the inconsistency of cultural ideals, it promotes insecurity & a need for man’s validation. The remedy for our national disease is the truth of God’s word and a willingness to embrace our true reflection in Christ. Beauty begins at the Cross! God took the ugliest event in history and used it to produce death defying, earth shaking, unconditional love.

It’s time to turn away from the images staring back at us in the media & see our true reflection in God’s word. Don’t believe the lies that you’re too fat, too skinny, too dark, too pale, too weird, too nerdy, etc… You are a masterpiece, God’s work of art! If you haven’t already, grab a copy of Beauty Begins and join Kira’s Krew as we finish up our 2nd quarter study of Self Love this month. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Rest in this truth all week long and allow God’s love to cast out all fear. This week, make a list of beautiful traits you would like to build into your character, based on the Fruit of the Spirit found in Galations 5:22-23. Allow the seeds of love & righteousness to produce fruit!

Love you to life, XO

 

 

Plaid + Polka Dots

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Happy Friday loves! We prayed for the weather to shift and didn’t God answer our prayer? Won’t He do it?!! I normally hate anything over 80 degrees but God is teaching to stop complaining, especially after the winter we’ve had recently. Now I can finally pack up my sweaters and pull out my spring/summer wardrobe without fear of waking up to an arctic chill again.

 

Although it’s casual Friday at work, 90 degrees is just too hot for jeans in my opinion, so I’ve decided to have some fun. Dressed in head to toe Zara, I’m mixing prints and adding a pop of color! I’m not one for polka dot…which is exactly why I challenged myself to leave my comfort zone. I’ve done it already by adding red to my wardrobe, so now it’s time for bold prints.

The top has zipper detailing with a slight flare at the hem, while the plaid skinny pants elongate my legs adding height. My trusty red shoe and some bold accessories are just what I need to kick off this holiday weekend. Enjoy your Friday, see you Monday XO!

Top//Zara , Pants//Zara , Shoes//Zara , Clutch//H&M , Bangles//H&M , Watch//Overstock

Cheetah + Leather

Written by Shakira on . Posted in Personal Style, Style. 2 Comments

   

So this is what a true Spring feels like huh? I promise you I’ve experienced all of the seasons in the last 24 hours. We’ve gone from mild and sunny to wet and chilly repeatedly this week. To keep from totally getting sick, I’ve been wearing my trusty Zara moto jacket. It’s light enough for milder days and heavy enough for the chilly days which require a scarf. Between this and my trench, I’ll be set until Summer!

   

Today’s look is all about these cheetah print pants. Slim fit and ankle length, they are among the most comfortable pants I own. They are a thick cotton blend and the gold zipper detail in back adds a chic touch. I paired them with a black leather tee and gold accessories. I went with kitten heels for the office but I have a pair of stilettos in my desk in case this look inspires Bar to call an impromptu date night, lol… XO! 

 

Little Red Dress

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At some point within the last two years I realized there was an absence of red clothing in my wardrobe. Lots of black, neutrals, brights, and even white – but no red. For whatever reason I stayed away from red and hot pink almost religiously. These colors seemed taboo…off limits for me. As if wearing those hues was “doing too much”.

I’d admired how these colors looked on other women of color but had never considered trying them myself. To get over my hang ups I decided to consciously begin adding shades of red and pink into my wardrobe. At first through accessories and then clothing. This red fit and flare dress was one of my first purchases.

 

The soft fabric is lightweight and breathable. The fit manages to be relaxed without being sloppy, while the retro pleats and billow sleeves give a feminine touch. To top it off the pop of peach color at the hem is unexpected and fun! Who knew red could be this dreamy?

Dress//Forever 21 , Shoes//Zara , Accessories//Burlington , Bag//Rampage 

Graphic Bodycon Dress

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So I could’ve sworn yesterday was Sunday but apparently it’s Thursday you guys (insert emoji with the droopy eyes). This week has been a busy blur as I’ve moved back home and have a ton to unpack (more on this at a later date). I am also sure I’ve been unrecognizable in these streets because I haven’t been feeling well. Nevertheless, it’s time to get my meds, my lipstick, and get my life before the weekend.

Today I’ve decided to ber grown and pull out a bodycon dress but don’t worry, I added a longline blazer for the office. Shame on any woman trying to pass a freakum dress off as business casual by adding a fitted blazer… #GirlBye Although form fitting throughout, the length of the hemline and the blazer make this wearable for work.

This is an easy day to night look for an evening dinner…too bad I work evening shift, ha! Stay classy loves, talk to you soon, XO!

Dress//Burlington , Blazer//H&M , Shoes//Zara , Bag//Rampage 

Moto Jacket + Ripped Denim

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In the process of tossing out all of my jeans since I can no longer fit them, something told me to try on this pair of black jeans one more time. Purchased at Buffalo Exchange here in Philly, they’d never been worn and it was killing me to toss them. Much to my surprise they fit after all and thus we have today’s post.

Obviously my introduction was way more dramatic than necessary but hey, it’s my blog I do what I want. Sorting through my denim I realized that I’ve bought lots of denim over the years only to wear the same four pairs repeatedly. What a waste of money!

This time around I’ve started with a few foundational pairs in different washes and just a couple ripped pairs for fun. No need in an extensive denim collection when I spend 80% of my week in business casual. Cheers to getting rid of excess. Have a killer day loves! XO

Jacket//Zara , Shirt//H&M , Jeans//Forever 21 , Shoes//Sam Edelman , Purse//Rampage , Jewelry//Burlington 

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