Indigo

I never wear dresses, well maybe like once a season or so.  I found my disco mini dress in my closet and I felt like busting loose! Whoop! I added some thigh high studded tights to give a peak a boo effect.  Ok now the fringe western jacket I must say was by accident. I was walking in the city and it found me. Purple and fringe make everything OK  I love this jacket!!!  Platform sneakers are a great way to add height without the pain.  These red suede platform sneakers are from the Jeffery Campbell Play collection. They are my new favorite shoe.  I felt like I was in a band today.

xoxo
-Rain


Disco Mini Dress & Fringe Jacket from AbstractRain.Bigcartel.com
thigh High Studded Tights from Topshop.com
Jeffery Campbell Platform Sneakers From UrbanOutfitters.com

Moisturizing Box Braids, Twists and Yarn Braids

When dealing with natural hair it can become frustrating at times pertaining to the growth rate and overall care.   I know many of us natural goers are turning to styles like box braids, twists, and even yarn braids and dreads as protective styles. While all of the above can help protect your hair they can be the very culprit to destroy it.  Many of us are guilty of throwing in some box braids or twists and just forgetting about taking care of our hair while in protective styles.  Here are 3 Easy steps to get you on the path of moisturized hair!

Rule #1 Moisturize Braids/Twists etc.

Not the entire braid/twist but the part from the root to where your real hair stops.  That causes you not to waste product on the many other inches of extensions.  A good product that I stand by is Jane Carter Revitalizing Leave-in Conditioner.  It’s a natural spray on leave in conditioner that works wonders.

Rule #2 Nourish Your Scalp

You must treat your hair like a plant if you want it to grow.  Think of your scalp at the roots and soil.  You must fertilize!!  I use Olive oil and  raw Coconut oil to nourish my scalp and also my hair in protective styles. Both can be found at the grocery store or health store.

Rule #3

A silk or satin scarf/head wrap is your best friend.  The fibers in a silk or satin scarf/head wrap do not pull and tug on your edges which leads to less breakage and dryness as appose to a cotton scarf/head wrap.

Stay moiturized!

Xoxo

Rain

GenesisTramaine

Artist: genesis TRAMAINE

This past Thursday I was blindly invited to an art exhibit in Brooklyn and it went like this….

genesis TRAMAINE is an abstract artist, a member of Brooklyn Artistry & Company, who embraces blackness, misogyny, womanhood, and individuality.  Her paintings have properties such as black face and her own distinctive interpretation of the world around her. genesis is also a public school art teacher, educating primarily African American and Hispanic children.   In addition to a phenomenal collection of her own work, what I found extremely fascinating within the exhibit, included a wall dedicated to her students’ artwork.  It was a wall of self-portraits.  I found this wall to be so charismatic and was shocked at how truthful the students were in interpretation of themselves. Children can tell the truth better than any adult. My favorite piece at the exhibit is “Big Lip Tyrone” by genesis herself.  I love the exaggerated features and mustard-tone yellow is one of my favorite colors.  There was wine and the crowd contained insanely beautiful dapper women who were very pleasant.  A Thursday night spent absorbing art is a Thursday night well spent.

“I am totally excited about art.” – Genesis Tramaine

xoxo
-Rain

Concrete

There is nothing like some runs in my stockings and a Badu wrap to make any outfit look like I don't care. The fabric store around my way shutdown so I trekked it all the way to Harlem to find some fabric for my badu wrap. I fell in love with this fab lose knit sparkle sweater that I layered over a simple all black mullet maxi dress.  Electric blue ankle boots and some circle stunna shades kicks some rockstar in the soul. I felt like careless fun today.  

xoxo

-Rain

Head Wrap is just 4 yards of Black Lace Fabric (Can be found at any fabric store)

Knit Sweater & Sheer Plum Tights from UrbanOutfitters.com

Mullet Maxi Dress from AbstractRain.bigcartel.com

Electric Blue Ankle Boots from CallItSpring.com

Circle Sunglasses from SusysCloset.com

Photography by AfricanCreature

Tipping the Tightrope

To Whom It May Concern,

I don't mind being androgynous.

Sometimes, its when I feel the most beautiful.

It was brisk today so I thought I’d bring out the heavy coat.  I absolutely love my multicolor print jacket.  It was only $30!  My shirt is a result of a bleach tye dye experiment in my backyard which turned out pretty cool.  I thought it would go well with my canary yellow creepers I had for a year and wore only once. I found them under the bed and just had to wear them the same day.  Oh and let’s not forget the circle sunglasses and head wrap, they make me feel like a super hero. Today’s outfit was a collage that came out fly.

xoxo
-Rain

Bleach Tye Dye Button Up, High-Waisted  Denim Jeans, & Canary Tire Bottom Creepers from AbstractRain.bigcartel.com

Multiprint Jacket from Susyscloset.com

Photographed by: Africancreature

PressPausePlay Directed by David Dworsky, Victor Köhler.

The digital revolution of the last decade has unraveled an avenue overflowing with creativity and talent in an extraordinary way. But! The question is does making things like art, and music so easy to create depreciate the craft? Now that technology is at the tip of literally everyone’s fingertips does this mean the more the merrier or is technology drowning out the true talent? This is the question addressed by PressPausePlay, a documentary about the art of digital music.  PressPausePlay contains some of the most influential artists of this era. 

When I watched this documentary over the Thanksgiving weekend I was pretty much swept away.  I personally believe that there are pros and cons to this ever advancing technology effecting art.  One, I do believe that it is very important that these tools of creativity are so easily accessible to the masses.  It allows all of us to express and create art, to share with the world by the push of a button.  On the contrast it devalues the development of art, it just disrespects the true artists in a sense that anyone and everyone calls themselves artist.  Technology makes the pool deeper and easier to drown in.

I highly recommend this documentary!! Watch now on Nextflix.com

-Rain

Love In Vacant Lots

Two days ago I was getting ready to leave the house to walk over to a friend’s house and I received a text from my oldest brother saying to call him when I get a chance.  I thought it was odd and the first thing I thought of was my Grandfather.  I didn't think too much into it and I got ready and headed out the door.  As I was walking to my friends house just 10 blocks away I was thinking about when to call my brother, I was procrastinating for some odd reason.  I just kept walking bumping my tunes trying to move my mind from the thought.  As I became closer to my destination I was listening to 212 by Azelia Banks and I was rocking out to it walking down the street and I just decided to finally do the damn thing and call him. So I called my brother and he says "When you spoke to Grandpa how was it?"  He asks because I have never seen my Grandfather in person, he lives in Jamaica and I have only been when I was a small infant. I told my brother how awkward it was talking to him.  My grandfather bombarded me with questions of why my brothers and sister and I don't live together or why we don't visit.  It was hard to try to get to know someone over the 30 minutes or so they allow on a calling card.  After our one phone call ever I procrastinated in calling him again because I was afraid. I didn't want to be too boring or be a disappointment or say the wrong thing;I just didn't want to screw up.  I wanted to be so perfect so it would be easy for him to love me although he never knew me or seen me in person. So my brother delivered the news that my Grandfather passed away.  I thought I would be fine because it’s someone I don't know really.  When I arrived to my friend’s house it overwhelmed me and suddenly I was crying for a man I never met. I love my Grandfather even though I never knew him.  

Love does exist inplaces where no one has visited.

 Don't let the fear of things make you procrastinate.  Use your fear as a fuel of motivation. 

xoxo

 -Rain