NYFW: Paco Rogiene Runway Show

Light rain fell and it didn’t bother me at all. I was too excited. This was the show I’d been looking forward to all week long featuring young designer Paco Rogiene. A Baltimore native who began designing as a teen, Paco has always been one to watch. Gaining popularity in the DMV, he then set his sights on New York where his collections earned him esteem from fashion icons like Naomi Campbell.

Upon arrival I was inspired just by the window – why? Because it was full of dancers practicing, after all this Show was being held at the Alvin Ailey American Dance theatre on the sixth Floor. Stepping off the elevator I could feel the energy. After check in I quickly I found my front row seat as VIP guests were being served wine.

The DJ began playing 50 Cent & Biggie as the lights dimmed. Showtime. A sea of black pieces in sheer and lace flowed my way. I was close enough to see the quality of the fabrics and tailored finishes. The men’s lace shirt with matching jacket was perfect!

Then a flow of white pieces followed. The men’s 3 quarter white shirt was a standout from this collection and the fringe pants for women was done in such a modern way I was amazed!

The Diversity of the model selection was thoroughly impressive. Backstage access allowed me to meet and greet the designer and models. Paco’s modern use of classic fabrics was refreshing & the entire show was a joy!

– K. Vaughn, Philadelphia Designer

Exclusively for Sing Pray Shop

Brunch: Sabrina’s Cafe

I’m not sure when but at some point within the last few years the hipster community decided brunch was a thing – a thing for all of us to suddenly take part in every weekend. I’ll be the first to admit, the idea of brunch has always been foreign to me, I mean it’s simple, either you want breakfast or lunch. There is no in between. However, in true millennial fashion I’ve succumb to the peer pressure and I find myself scheduling more dates for brunch than dinner.

Last November I visited Sabrina’s Cafe for the first time to celebrate my birthday. Located right in the heart of Drexel University’s campus here in Philly, the entire restaurant is set in the living room/dining room of an old 3 story home. Recently, hubby & I returned on a whim for Saturday brunch. If you’ve never been, let me tell you, Sabrina’s is always busy. Patrons of all ages and backgrounds come for good food and good conversation. Our visit was no different.

This time instead of the stuffed french toast I decided to be bold and try the Ultimate Mexi Scramble which is basically everything you love about Mexican food on a plate sans any meat. The pesto along with the peppers & onions took my scrambled eggs to another level. My favorite part of this dish was the black bean grits with blue corn tortilla chips for dipping. Hubby decided on a more traditional option, the Steak n Eggs Breakfast. Truly a hearty plate, the success of any steak n eggs dish rests on the quality of the steak. Self proclaimed steak aficionado, he was very pleased with his meal: scrambled cheese eggs, humongous home fries, and flank steak dressed with tomato chimichuri sauce all accompanied by thick slices of sourdough bread.

Both meals including my hot tea came to about $30. After such a filling brunch it was hard not to catch the itis and nap the day away. We will definitely be back to Sabrina’s and her sister restaurant  (literally acroas the hall) Spencer’s. I’m anxious to try lunch and dinner to see if they’re as good as brunch. So friends if you’re in the area or visiting Philly and looking for a place to go brunchin’ try them out and then let me know what you think! 

Yes We Did: Obama Farewell

Well folks, today it hit me. To quote Kevin McCall’s verse from Deuces, “like Tina did Ike in the limo it finally hit me”… the Obama family has left the White House. President Obama served two terms, so we all knew this day was coming but I think many of us hoped time would somehow slow down a bit. The 2016 presidential election was one for the history books as we saw unprecedented mud slinging and media frenzy, especially between the two primary candidates. In the two months following Donald Trump’s victory, I seemed to begin taking mental inventory of all the things I either liked or disliked about the Obama administration. What resulted is exactly what lead me to vote for Barack Obama a second time, I genuinely trusted his judgement and ability to lead our country.

By January 10th when he gave his farewell address to the American people I most definitely had to come to terms with reality and let him go. To be honest, I felt like I was being dumped; rather kindly and eloquently but dumped nonetheless. I’ve been with this man for as long as I’ve been with my fiance. How dare he leave me – leave us? The 22nd Amendment prohibits any American president from serving more than two terms (thanks FDR), so as I and many of you cope with this break up of sorts, I’ve decide to list a few things I’ll take away from Barack Obama’s presidency.

  1. Always Go High – Michelle Obama’s speech at the 2016 DNC was one of the most memorable political speeches in history, given by anyone, not just a first lady. She spoke of the challenges she and her family have faced their entire political career. Challenges won because of the many unknown battles she and Barack faced as individuals and as a young family in Chicago. She reminded America that the White House itself was built on the backs of her ancestors, enslaved Africans whose descendants would be oppressed for centuries. Finally, she instructed us that “when they go low, we go high”. A peak into her family’s motto, even in the midst of an ugly campaign. A call for us to take the high road and err on the side of integrity and dignity, even in politics. Something we’d seen her husband do continually since his 2008 campaign when bullies screamed for his birth certificate, published racist cartoons of his family, and labeled him a terrorist.
  2. Keep Your Word  – From the very beginning President Obama’s mission for the country was clear and his intentions were made known. Whether you agreed with his proposed policies or not, at least you knew what they were and how he planned to implement said policies. National health care, Gun control, and Economic Stability were the three major goals of Obama’s entire eight year presidency. Each of these goals represented a bench mark achievement for our nation. Inheriting a country going through what is now called the Great Recession and coming off the clutches of both an Iraq and Afghani war (which ultimately lead to the elimination of Bin Laden), Obama managed to stay focused on the long term. Although congress refused to pass stricter gun control laws, we have raised employment levels to 52% and 95% of the country is medically insured.
  3. Family First – In a culture where the most popular tv shows include shows where Black couples are violent, Black children are disrespectful and poor students, Black fathers are absent or uneducated, Black mothers are angry and belligerent – the Obama’s have dismantled these perceived norms. Some say they’ve represented what Black America aspires to be, I say that represented what we already are. Yes, we seem to live up to some stereotypes, but this is true for every ethnicity in this country. However, Barack and Michelle have shown America that a Black family can indeed be the nation’s first family without the shame, scandal, treason, and dishonesty of the many who’ve come before. Better than the Huxtable’s, the Obama’s as a true power couple have shown us all how to love and lead. Michelle modeled how to be an independent, educated Black woman but embrace the title of Mom-In-Chief. She talked early on about insisting that the president be done his duties by 6:30 to have family dinner or how they make a point of date nights… even in the White House. Sasha and Malia have grown into beautiful, intelligent young women, carrying themselves with dignity and grace. Finally, Barack has shown us all that being an affectionate, loving husband and father is not a weakness. It doesn’t subtract from his manhood that he cried over the Sandy Hook shootings or admitted to being unable to be his best self without Michelle.

This was a historic presidency for so many reasons, but if nothing else the Obama’s brought dignity and grace to the oval office. They won the hearts of the American people and as a result they’ll forever hold a place in my heart!

Brunch & Bloggers

In the past two years I’ve made a conscious decision to try and connect with other creatives in my city. Since then I’ve met some very dope bloggers with various backgrounds. While there’s always the occasional handful whose idea of “networking” is more about half priced drinks than building relationships, the majority have inspired me to grow and establish my brand. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of having Saturday brunch with a group much like the latter.

Iesha Thompson, a local fashion and lifestyle blogger reached out to several local creatives with the goal of creating a network of bloggers and photographers to work together on collaborations, campaigns, and special  events. At our recent gathering I got to meet her along with four other fabulous Philly fashionistas: Tivoli, Hara, Amanda, and Macarena. The four of us enjoyed a scrumptious brunch (best french toast ever) at Bank & Bourbon inside the Lowes hotel where we were joined by photographer and momprenuer Taylor, the lovely soul responsible for these dope photos.

My look for our brunch features one of my favorite summer shirt dresses by Philly boutique Smak Parlour and booties by Bebe. The thin fabric was perfect for 90 degree weatherwhile my Rampage tote was big enough to carry my walking flats. So cheers to meeting new friends and building community. Take a look at each of these lovely ladies’ websites listed below and follow them on social! XO – Kira

 

My Prayer for America

It’s been over a week since my last post and to be honest, I’m forcing myself to get back to business. I tried to blog last week, but it felt disrespectful to post my latest outfit when my fellow Black Americans are being slaughtered like animals by police. It felt selfish to promote my latest Periscope video or to post selfies for the ‘Gram when I saw my father crying over the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philandro Castile. No, that didn’t sit well with me – so I turned the computer off and took some time to grieve, to pray, and to find restoration in God. During that time I prayed for this hurting nation and for our local communities, here is my prayer:

Father God we come to you with heavy hearts, grieving over the loss of our dear Black brothers and sisters. Like Abel their blood cries out to you from the earth. Hear our cry today Lord and mend our broken hearts. (Ps. 147:3) Hide us in your secret place and let your name be our strong tower. Our spirits are vexed and our souls are angry, oh God. Help us to redirect our anger and not sin against You (Eph 4:26). Allow the joy of the Lord to be our strength so that we may overcome evil with good. Open our eyes, give us 20/20 vision in the spirit that we may see Satan’s devices and identify the cause of every effect. You told us that your people perish for lack of knowledge (Heb 4:6) so Lord we repent for our ignorance, for our complacency with temporal things and our failure to see that our fight is not against each other but against spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph 6:12). Our fight is against the ancestral demons that plague our people, the principalities of hatred and greed, the generational curses of poverty and premature death, and the stronghold of racisim over this nation. Father, tear down every wall that divides us and destroy the barriers of predjudice. Expose the spirit of Herod and destroy it’s effects: apathay, brutality, corruption, dehumanization, distrust, economic oppression, glass ceilings, injustice, marginalization, mass incarceration, poor self-image, resentment, segregation, social conditioning, racial cleansing, racial profiling, supression of emotions, systemic lies, tyrannical governace, underemployment, unethical behavior, violence, and wrath. Have mercy on America, oh God and heal our land. Place a hedge of protection around our police and bring fairness to our law enforcement. Bind the spirit of fear and release the spirit of love on both sides. Father, forgive the Body of Christ for not putting action to our faith and muscle behind our prayers. Forgive us for forsaking our communities in favor of money and members. Send a revival to our churches and let us wake up from our sleep. Bring unity across denominations so that the world may see your love through us. God of justice, give us strength, boldness, and compassion.

In Jesus name I pray, amen! 

 

Catherine Marion x Fanm Djanm

 

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of attending the “Natural Hair + Headwraps = Happiness” event here in Philly presented by black owned brands Catherine Marion and Fanm Djanm. The event featured an informative workshop followed by a pop up shop.

Sisters Ivy and Abby Omoruyi are the dynamic duo behind Catherine Marion, a natural haircare and custom wig line. The two are also coauthors of the popular book “Guide to growing Natural Hair long”, a step by step haircare manual for 4b/4c hair along with a 42 day regimen calendar and tutorials. In addition to the manual, the sisters create custom hand sewn wigs for naturals who are seeking protective styles.

From a small town in Haiti to corporate America, and then on to become a Harlem restauranteur, Paola Mathe is a force of nature. What started as a personal 30 day headwrap challenge quickly became a movement. Before long Paola had launched Fanm Djanm, which translates “strong woman”, a line of headwraps & accessories for women of color. The brand is dedicated to the strong women of the world.

 

 

The event consisted of an informative workshop followed by a pop up shop with light refreshments. During the workshop the ladies gave wonderful tips on both haircare and business. With all of the tea they spilled I’ve decided to jot down key bullet points for all of you:

  • Conquer your fear of public opinion & take ownership of your natural beauty by learning how to care for your natural hair.
  • Stop texture shaming one another
  • Replace large proteins like mayo & banana with water and gelatin to treat damaged hair.
  • YOU are your brand! Be sure your socials reflect this.
  • Go with your gut, not the current trends to stay authentic.
  • Find your niche & build specific strategy for THAT audience.
  • Resist trying to produce content for everyone, focus on your tribe.
  • Do your research; do the leg work to grow your business.
  • Get out of the house! Network and build purposeful relationships.
  • Don’t quit you 9-5 prematurely, find a balance.
  • Your business can’t grow if your profit is solely used for personal wants/needs

As you can see, these ladies shared some awesome information with those at the event. To top it all off we got a chance to see their amazing products. To those of you still shopping for holiday gifts be sure to check out both brands and give the women in your life something unique! XO

www.catherinemarion.com

www.fanmdjanm.com

 

The Macy’s Event

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In August of this year I made a conscious decision to get out of the house and connect with other bloggers in real life, not just via social media. A week after this decision I received an email from Vicky Taylor, manager of the Origins shop here in Philly’s Center City Macy’s. A beauty blogger and makeup artist herself, Vicky reached out to fellow Philly bloggers to participate in an upcoming event. For the first time ever Macy’s was hosting a City Essentials Workshop where local bloggers would give customers expert advice on hair care, beauty, and fashion. The answer to my prayer was right in my inbox so without hesitation, I agreed.

Fast forward to November 14th and the workshop was here, just in time to kick off my birthday week. I was joined by the following fabulous locals:

  • Marisa Peal – licensed cosmetologist and creator of organixlocs.com
  • Bryce Lennon – illustrator and creator of unregisteredstyle.com
  • Keiana Armani – stylist and creator of indigobluestyle.com

Each blogger delivered a very informative presentation. Bryce gave us a full F/W ’15 trend report for the hottest in menswear. Keiana did the same for the ladies, while also giving valuable tips on how to extend the life of our pieces. Marisa spilled all the tea on her favorite Origins skincare and makeup products. Lastly, I discussed the winter essentials EVERY woman should have in her wardrobe (to be discussed in a later style post). The event was a success. As the newest blogger in the lineup, I’m grateful to have been a part of something fresh and new!

“Losing My Religion” – Kirk Franklin

The highly anticipated “Losing My Religion” by “Uncle” Kirk Franklin, which is the first studio album from him in 4 years, is finally here. The album’s first single “Wanna Be Happy” debuted on BET’s Sunday Best and has been a hit ever since. The catchy song samples a classic by the Reverend Al Green, which has drawn some criticism from other Christian artists and believers in general. In an interview with Christian Post Franklin states “With this song, I’m saying, if you really want to be happy, you have to start with the originator…My goal is to lead people to the manufacturer of their souls”.

Franklin is certainly no stranger to the criticism of his music and has even admitted to fans via Twitter that he was apprehensive about releasing new material, “Every artist is afraid, I’m just not afraid to admit it! WANNA BE HAPPY?” Now that the album is available to the masses many are curious to find out why he wants to lose his religion. In the title track Franklin poetically lays out the concept for the entire album with the following:

“In the beginning religion created a mask…for generations’ church was where we went to go hide. Rules without relationship is empty inside. There’s room at the cross for everyone even me…religion is prison but truth sets us free. The next time you think America, please include me. The preacher isn’t God, religion’s first mistake. I’m losing my religion, thank God…helping you lose yours is my job.”

Having now fully listened to the album twice, I like what I hear and have already chosen a favorite track, “My World Needs You”. I can personally relate to Franklin’s desire to produce music for the people. Not music that compromises sound doctrine or is scripturally inaccurate, but rather music that causes the listener to turn to God the father. The fact is that even if every line in the song doesn’t start with “Jesus”, the message of the song can always lead back to Him if the music is inspired by the Holy Spirit. Have you heard the album? Share your thoughts!


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