AleroButtercup

WHY I DO NOT LOVE MY HAIR

Yes! You heard it right, I DO NOT LOVE MY HAIR! I never really did for reasons unknown but the big chop was four years ago and I have never looked back.

Going natural was a health choice for me, not for other reasons like being 'proud' of my hair and heritage. I didn’t want chemicals hitting my scalp every 8 or so weeks for the rest of my life like it had for the many years before. As long as I remembered pre-natural stage, I had long, straight, relaxed hair. I do not know exactly when I got my first relaxer but a photograph on my 4th birthday saw my mid back length bone-straight hair flowing like the goddess Aphrodite who just took sight of a sailing ship with 200 hot men aboard. It is safe to say my hair got relaxed in my 3’s (Mum, expect a call from Jerry Springer ASAP).

Relaxing my hair was a way of life for me but in the wave of afro power natural hair revolution that has swept the nations in the last decade, I thought about going natural many times but I resisted. I resisted because for the 9 months I was pregnant with my son I didn’t use relaxers and my mixed textures nearly sent me to a mental asylum. I worried about going natural, about the management and styling of my hair  and many more issues I might come across. I had nine months of undergrowth and unkempt hair and the day after my son was born, my mother stood in front of me with a bowl of relaxer and a steely determination similar to a family intervention for a person on crack cocaine. The look on her face said it all “You look crazy, sit down let me restore your factory settings” (somewhat).

Fast forward two years later, I decided to go natural a few good years after many people around me had dumped the creamy crack and preached to me often about joining her natural hair CULT (as I saw it at the time). I went for the big chop immediately, no transitioning, no thinking about it because I have never had sentiments towards my hair.

When I say I don’t love my hair, it is true! I DID NOT love my relaxed hair, I don’t love my natural hair. Hair to me are just dead cells that exist so you can enhance, style up and look cute, it is a platform for styling and nothing else. My hair grows fast and long and thick but I hold no value for it. When people complimented my long hair, I shrugged and thought “If only they knew what I plan for this hair in the next few months”. I chopped and the drop of a hat, I coloured one day and changed the colour the next , I bleached, and get this… I NEVER TIED A BONNET TO BED (moment of silence for my hair please). Kids do not try this at home!

My disregard for my hair started young. I remember when I first got admission to a catholic boarding school at the age of 10, we were required to cut our hair short before the first day of school. As soon as I heard I got admission, a few months before resumption to school, I went to the barbers BY MYSELF  without the permission of my mum to cut my hair, the barbers sent me back to my dismay even after flashing my dalla dalla bills to entice them. The following weeks, I would bug my mum endlessly about cutting my hair, she gave in and I was back at the barbers with my permission slip to get my Samson locs annihilated forever never to return. I stepped out looking fresh, came out of the barbers skipping and singing all the way home, I was so happy. Very unusual for a 10 year old but I was fed up of  long relaxed hair and wanted something different.

These days, everyone is expected to go natural otherwise you must be ashamed of your heritage or you don’t love yourself. LIES! Some people just couldn’t care less. Hair means different things to different people. My hair has never defined me, it has never made me feel ugly or pretty, it has never held significance on how I felt about myself.  So when I see people that have their natural hair constantly covered under wigs, I let them be, It's ok. I don’t label it as self-hate, they just don’t love their hair just like they might not love their feet or their booty, hair is just another anatomy that you can love, like, hate or feel indifferent about. Hair might mean the world to some people but mean nothing to others. This is my stance on the matter. Everyone has just gotta do you. I think I am loving my hair this week but next week will be another story for sure. I don't love my hair but I like it right now.

Until next time buttercups Peace and Love

About this outfit

Pretty little thing Oversize shirt (sold out) similar here or here

New look check skirt or similar style here 

Primark Gingham shoes similar here

My Newyork trip: Rugrat in the city

I have been to New york city many times before but this was the first trip with my little one and his first city holiday.

While my city trips usually have an itinerary of FOOD, FEEDING, CONSUMING and some kind of "Museuming", it had to be different this time because one, my son eats nothing apart from plain pasta and chips and two, he is so restless on the dinner table so I had to put in the effort to find other entertainment to the detriment of getting nutrients into my body.

I was quite nervous at first taking a child to a big bustling city, how can I entertain him? How can I do things he loves and still have time for my past times. I quickly snapped out of my fear and thought, I live in a mega city myself and I find things for my child to do at home so why not here in NYC.

My ultimate plan began, and schedule started looking something like this, child activity- cocktail on a rooftop- child activity- Food and more cocktails- then food and drink planning for the next day after all we need food and drink to stay alive right? RIGHT!

1.The first place we visited was The NFL experience in Times square. It is an interactive place where you get to experience what the NFL feels and sounds like, with a 5d cinema, the experience was exciting and mesmerising for the little man. Prices start from $33 per person

2. THE RIDE NYC- Forget about taking a tour on the regular open top buses, the ride has taken city tours into the 21st century. A comic tour of the city on a party bus with epic street performances, there is no better way to see the city. Tip: take the tour at night and take the risk and book on the day. Our last minute booking saved us $28 dollars each.

3. Duncan's Candy shop- Lets just say my lil one lost his damn mind in this candy store, there are a few scattered around the city. Make sure you visit the cafe and try one of their Sundaes, they do it big I tell ya.

4. Central park tour on a Rickshaw or horse drawn carriage - We went on the Rickshaw and it was a nice tour and cheaper than the latter. They riders knew every movie that was shot in the park and they tailor the tour to children's movies and shows if there is a child on board. Your Rickshaw driver is also your photographer, use him well to get epic shots

5. Statue of Liberty tour- If you are with kids my advice is to do the tour where you see the statue of liberty from the water, it is a great view and only a 2 hour tour. Longer tours (4 hours) that include going to Ellis Island and require queuing to get to the top may be too long for the little ones.

Image result for statue of liberty cruise

FOOD (Alero, do not be a slave to food I told myself several times a day in NYC).

1. After eating a truck load of Shake Shack I thought it was time for a change. I stumbled across a petite crepe place Vive La Crepe on Columbus and 68th. With sweet and savory crepes, there is something for everyone. I loved the egg, bacon and cheese crepe.

Image result for viva la crepe nyc

2. Black tap was an awesome burger place just one block from where we stayed in Mid town Manhattan 55th W and 8th Avenue. We always saw massive queues in front and thought this is a good sign. With their brioche burgers, crispy chicken wings and amazing sundaes, who could resist. Tip: don't let the queues put you off, we stood in the 45 minute queue for only 10 minutes because a table for 5 became available so we jumped the queue to our delight.

Image result for black tap nyc

3. Miss Lillys Caribbean restaurant down town. With its beautiful retro vibe, excellent decor and amazing food, whats not to love. When I tell you I haven't had better oxtail and Mac and cheese before in my life, please believe me, it is not an exaggeration. The food was smashinginly delicious, Caribbean food at its finest. It wasn't cheap though so hol' ya dalla dalla bills.

Image result for miss lily's new york

Image result for miss lily's new york food

4. Ichiumi-  Although we literally got chased down the road for a tip ( no kidding, my first instinct was run but I had a child with me and I had called an uber already so I knew running was a bad idea 😂), the food was decent. A Japanese buffet restaurant with the buffet area as long as half a football pitch, variety was the man of the match (see what I did there? get it?)

Image result for ichiumi

Newyork city was a great mixture of culinary experience and fun things to do with kids. After my trip I wondered why I was so nervous in the first place. With some careful planning and great friends, I would do it again and again.

One thing for sure about NYC is every time I visit, I see the hustle on the street and I top up on my hustle spirit and I am raring to go. #CEO gang. #We aspire.

Thanks for reading and see you back soon Buttercups 😘😘😘

  Ps: not all photos are mine (Not about to see the inside of a courtroom anytime soon)

How I pack for my beach holiday

Champagne life over just like that *snaps fingers*, why do bad things happen to good PIPO 😭. With my holiday over, which I have solid proof that I had just 14 hours in a day as opposed to the 30 hour days I have when I have to go to work, we had such a great time in Paphos, Cyprus. We stayed in the most gorgeous hotel that catered to families so well that I couldn't really stay anywhere else without judging them and their lack of soul for not catering to kids. The holiday with friends and their families was the very best I think I have had in all my life.

While we were here to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary in the same hotel we got married in and had our honeymoon, it was a special time for my friends and me when we looked back 10 years ago and saw how much we had grown spiritually, professionally, emotionally and financially (do I hear an AMEN). Also, to see our children who didn't exist 10 years ago playing, laughing and having conversations just filled our hearts with so much joy.

Having visited Paphos twice before I knew what to expect with the climate, culture and the general feel for the place. That knowledge helped me greatly when I started putting outfits together. Paphos is a liberal town and it is very tourist oriented so really little was out of bound when choosing outfits. Some strategies I applied

- I packed day and night outfits for every day I was away. Dinner is always a special time to bond with the family, and where there is live music I will have a dance with my two left feet 😂 so I make dressing up part of the special occasion. I always pack spare just in case I have a wardrobe malfunction like this actually happened on my holiday where my zip popped and I had to substitute my outfit for a spare. I chose trousers and a blazer for climates where it is cooler in the evening so I don't ever regret alfresco dining. Lastly, I opted for loose clothing for comfort and to hide the belly after stuffing my face 😂. Here are some of my outfits below.

( I obviously have a good side and I am not afraid to show it 😂).

- Daytime outfits are pretty easy wear. One pair of denim shorts and one pair of tailored shorts with loose cotton tops for max comfort. The simplicity of the outfits calls for accessorising. I like to accessorise with earrings.

Moral of the story, pack many statement earrings and bracelets that would uplift any outfit.

The pool/ beach style. This is an area that is often overlooked. I had to up my bikini game when I went on holiday to the South of France last year and 60 something-year-old women were giving me a run for my money in the bikini game. This time I packed a different bikini with accessories for every day and realised I spent a lot of time in swimwear so I secretly patted myself on the back for making that call.

Some of my favourite pieces to consider when going on a beach holiday with very warm weather

Bags

clockwise here, here, here and here 

Earrings

clockwise here, here, here and here

Prints are big this summer, these are my favourite pieces clockwise here, here, here and here

 

Lastly evening wear. nothing over the top, simple but elegant, here are some dresses I love for holiday evenings clockwise here, here, here and here

Swimsuits vs Bikini, which one are you i.e Bikini bod or Bikini bod under construction. I am a swimsuit person the be honest, I like to be modest but it is a personal preference. This is an area always neglected for some reason, get your swimsuit game strong this summer. Top tip, white is doing it for me this season

here and here

In summary, key strategies/ checklist for someone going to a beach holiday for 5 days

  1. Pack six daytime outfits mix it up with prints and stripes and make most of your outfit separates rather than maxi dresses or jumpsuit, pack shorts and tops and then one or two dresses so you can mix and match.
  2. Pack 4 evening outfits, do not go over the top, you are not going to a presidential dinner. make sure it is comfortable and breezy, I try to avoid tight clothes too.
  3. Do not dull with swimsuits, pack one for each day you are there with matching accessories too. Who said swimsuits are for getting into the water only? its also for looking pretty walking from your lounger to the pool bar and back again (repeating 100 times a day).
  4. Get cover-ups to complement your swimsuit.
  5. Try on every outfit (and photograph in the mirror) before you put it in the bag otherwise, you will end up taking things you don't like and things you will not wear.
  6. Start packing a week before not the night before otherwise how do you know what to order last minute before the holiday.
  7. HAVE A GOOD TIME. Make the streets of your destination your catwalk.

I hope these have helped. If you have any questions, hit me up. Until next time buttercups.

What I really think about Meghan’s dress

Ok, I am not a video person, interrupted a million times. I didn't know making a video was so hard 😭. Well, this is what I thought about Meghan's dress, the press coverage and the ceremony. Enjoy.  

Who slayed my entire being at the Met Gala

 

The Met gala, the most glamorous ball ever hosted in the history of fabulousness. Although people look at it as a costume ball, I see it as a way for designers to push themselves and create avant garde for us commoners to drool over. The theme this year

Heavenly bodies: Fashion and the Catholic imagination

It already sounds like a thesis waiting to get an A*** plus a noble peace prize all in thesame day. When I heard the theme I was excited but then I expected everyone to carry a pope on their arms like Nicki did in the 2012 Grammies

But this was not the case. The only pope that showed up in a real and awesome way was Rih boo biscuit (take my jellof rice), all others that attempted a pope outfit just ended up looking like Parish priests and Jesuits that Latin is hard for them because their mother tongue is Ijebu Yoruba.

I noticed certain themes in this year's Met. The Pope and her subordinates, the angels, the cross wearers and the people who couldn't be bothered (aka demons and kill joys) 😂

If I go by themes, I think the Angels won this one except of Katy Perry, Katie, see me in my office straight away, kneel down and hands up before I get there. The Angels were elegant and had so much detailing in the gowns. You just know there were 300 elves sewing on beading, feathers and textures for the last 365 days since the theme was announced. To all elves around the world, your contribution to fashion is appreciated.

Then the pope and her man dem who to be honest this whole category was carried by queen Rih.

Then you have the slays with the cross on the garment. Both the men and women pulled off the look and it was a delight to see, although the cross is more simplistic than the feather detailing of the angels but JLO, thank you for coming through for the rest of us and helping us believe that a body after 40 can be as firm as new yam in the middle of December.

 

Then we had the people who will definitely miss heaven because they cant take simple instructions. These are not the worst dressed, inshort I love some of these looks but St Peters must make them do frog jumps before they are allowed through the pearly gates, I am sorry.

   

and finally my best and worst dressed

Worst dress Has to be Amal Clooney. I just didn't get this outfit. Warris this please. Amal you look gorgeous and have a lovely figure even after having twins (bish 😏) but you gotta do better.

Rihanna- Best dressed. Rihanna always slays but it is not about Rihanna, it is about this massive contribution to fashion. This outfit is pushing the envelope, breaking boundaries, giving us the best fashion can offer in terms of shapes, detail, movement and an outright spectacle to look at. Rih carried herself well and wore this garment like no one else. I love her for this. Best dressed at the Met gala 2018 none other than Rihanna Robyn Fenty.

She served face, she served mystery, she served attitude, she even served cleavage, the only thing she didn't serve was jellof rice and goat meat but I can live with that. All hail Rih Rih.

Until next year Buttercups. I will be on the red carpet at the Met gala 😂

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