PENDA SARR

Powder Pink

4:20:00 PM

Hey hey :) ! It's been a while but I'm back with a new fashion post! If you haven't already, check out my last beauty post here ...

Hey hey :) ! It's been a while but I'm back with a new fashion post! If you haven't already, check out my last beauty post here : http://www.pendasarr.com/2016/11/how-to-reduce-dark-spots-and-acne-scars.html.

One thing that I love about Toronto is that every corner has something special. I always pay attention to my surroundings because they help me with my photo ideas. The location for this shoot is actually a building I pass by on my way to class everyday . It was only a couple of weeks ago that I realized how its colors and overall architecture were actually very simple and minimalistic, just like my style.

So, after noticing how neat of a place it was, I scoped out the location and brainstormed outfit ideas. I don't know if I'm the only one who does this, but I like to envision potential looks when I'm in a place, just to see how it would fit in. I blame that on my obsession with Polyvore but we can talk about that in another post.

For this look, I wanted something monochromatic and simple, with just a dash of color. To stay within the "autumn/winter" theme, I chose to wear semi-mesh black culottes, paired with a light wool turtleneck, and bejeweled gold earrings and rings.

My favorite part of the outfit is of course, my powder pink heeled flats. I saw these whilst shopping at Zara(because yes it's my my 2nd home) and I just had to buy them! I love the suede texture of the shoes and the glossy heel, it's a cool style. It also helps that they're super comfortable to walk around in. Zara has other models too, these just stood out to me because of their unique color.

Also, I feel like I need to point out how cold it was that day haha. I seriously think it was like -20 degrees, but I really wanted to capture this look before I left for the holidays so I was like "ok, you're just going to have to endure, the final results will be worth it". And that, they were. I'm really happy with the outcome of the pictures ; I wanted to show how an all-black outfit and a colorful shoe can elevate a look. My neighbor's building was also the perfect backdrop, the scenery frames the outfit well, like in these photos below:

We were also lucky because that specific location had an array of buildings around it, so the photographer (https://www.instagram.com/abala_inc/) and I got to play with angles :

With that being said, I think I'm going to try and create some more looks with heeled-flats. They are my newfound obsession and I want to experiment with them.

Thank you for reading, see you soon!

Outfit details:

Turtleneck, culottes, shoes : Zara

Earrings: Broadway Jewelers.

Rings: Thrifted

Get the look!

Turtleneck:

http://www.zara.com/us/en/woman/basics/knitwear/turtle-neck-sweater-c765610p3661530.html

Culottes:

http://www.zara.com/us/en/woman/trousers/culottes/culottes-c733899p3938548.html

Shoes:

http://www.zara.com/us/en/woman/shoes/high-heels/block-heel-shoes-c269195p3609209.html

Earrings:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/287118143/gold-vintage-chandelier-earrings-gold?ref=market

Rings:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/464426742/dual-birthstone-ring-rose-gold-ring?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=gold%20rings&ref=sr_gallery_15

Connect with me:

Instagram: @pendasarr
Snapchat: @pendouchi

A Seat At The Table(?)

2:00:00 PM

As most of you may know, Solange Knowles' album, "A Seat At The Table" was released a few weeks ago. Knowles' records ...

As most of you may know, Solange Knowles' album, "A Seat At The Table" was released a few weeks ago. Knowles' records deal with the struggles of black womanhood, and touches upon the topics of anger, self-love, exclusion and healing. The title itself is what stood out to me because before even having a "listening party", I thought the album would be about breaking barriers and finding your spot at this so called table. To tie this to fashion and blogging, I named my post after the author's work.

Why, you may ask? Well, recently, I had a conversation with a very good friend of mine about the fashion industry and how hard it is to actually make a name for yourself. Look at it this way, the table is the industry and many are trying to make it to the top. However, how do you do that when the world of editors, bloggers, stylists and famous instagrammers is becoming increasingly saturated?

From my observations and experiences, I've realized comparing yourself to others in your field(whether it be professional or not) is one of the worst things you can do. Social media has a way of making us think that we should be as successful as the people whose posts we like or faces we see in publications. I think it's important to remind ourselves that everyone moves at difference paces, your path is not necessarily your friend's or celebrity/blogger you see.

Finally, I will say this: even if your craft is not recognized by thousands or millions of people, that doesn't mean it's not appreciated. If I take myself for example, blogging is something I do because it allows me to express myself creatively and provide content which I will ultimately be proud of. I'm grateful that people appreciate it, it's actually quite motivating. With that being said, I do hope that my work will one day get me my "seat" but I'm in no rush. It's important to take things step by step and once again, focus on yourself and what you can bring to the table(no pun intended).

Now, let's talk outfit of the day, haha! Apart from suede, I would have to say that fringes are one of the most popular trend in the fashion industry right now. I mean after all, why wouldn’t they be? This ornamental textile is the perfect way to polish your outfit and create an eye-catching look. Fringes have been around since the ‘70s. Admittedly, they were not as popular in the beginning of this decade but boy, are they making a comeback!

My piece on my outfit is actually a combination of suede and fringes. The jacket is open, no zip or buttons, just the fringed ends. I've had it for the longest time ever, I don't know why I don't wear it but that's definitely about to change. I also love the vest's color, as I've absolutely been loving brown/neutral tones lately.

I walked around in this outfit in a beautiful area - my school's campus! I love the sophisticated and clean feel it brings. I guess it makes walking to classes much nicer haha.

Like seriously, I can't get over this location *heart eye emoji*! On top of that, the building's colors somewhat matched my outfit's pieces, so that was cool too.

(Let's not mind me touching my face countless times in these pictures haha)

I highly recommend you guys experiment with fringy items. They're so versatile and can make great staple pieces :).

Thank you for reading! xx

Outfit details:

Bodysuit: American Apparel

Culottes and boots: Zara

Jacket: Forever 21

Rings: ASOS

Get the look!

Bodysuit:

http://store.americanapparel.net/en/cotton-spandex-jersey-u-neck-long-sleeve-bodysuit_rsa8357;jsessionid=E59ACB85A28324D965D04CC4373FC4BA.aap-prd-dal-app-03-p-app2

Culottes:

http://www.zara.com/ca/en/woman/trousers/culottes/velvet-culottes-c733899p3723087.html

Jacket:

http://www.forever21.com/ca/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&category=outerwear_blazers&productid=2002247813

Boots:

http://www.zara.com/ca/en/woman/shoes/ankle-boots/ankle-boots-with-metal-heel-c288001p3612925.html

Rings:

http://www.asos.com/reclaimed-vintage/reclaimed-vintage-sterling-silver-snake-ring/prd/6922844?iid=6922844&clr=Silver&SearchQuery=Silver%20rings&pgesize=36&pge=0&totalstyles=314&gridsize=3&gridrow=8&gridcolumn=2

Connect with me:

Instagram: @pendasarr
Snapchat: @pendouchi

Back to Black

3:51:00 PM

The late singer Amy Winehouse once said : "I go back to, I go back to...black" Even though the theme of the song has nothing ...

The late singer Amy Winehouse once said :

"I go back to,
I go back to...black"

Even though the theme of the song has nothing to do with black, that particular line stood out to me. What I mean by that is because we are now into "fall", I can safely go back to wearing more dark tones than usual, without feeling guilty.

The reason I put the word fall into air quotes above is because it doesn't quite feel like it, for now. Temperatures haven't really dropped, it's actually still surprisingly warm. On top of that, I have yet to see people in stylish coats and booties, holding their infamous pumpkin-spice lattes.

Let's not jinx it though! I love fall, just because of the looks you can create ; however, in terms of everything else (*cough* the cold *cough* and the snow), I'm not a fan.

Like the title suggests, I opted for a semi-frivolous ensemble, composed of pieces which all closely resemble the same shade of black. You can wear this type of outfit for any casual daytime activity, the black just adds a bit of spice to it.

To be honest, I rarely wear t-shirts with logos on them. However, when the creator of A&Co. Clothing (https://www.acoclothing.com) gifted me with some tops, I gave it a try. Surprisingly enough, I find that they're a great staple item: simple, but you can style it in so many ways! I'll definitely be purchasing some more basic tees :).

Quick confession haha, these shoes were not a part of the plan but hey, we tried to make it work. I was actually wearing a pair of open-toe pumps. Before the shoot, I was hanging downtown with my friends and well, the heels just broke in the middle of the street. They were one of my favorite pairs but that's ok, I'll find a replacement.

Thank God I had the backups! I would have probably had to cancel because an outfit without some shoes is just...*not a look*. On the bright side, I do think the flats made everything a bit more playful.

Speaking of playful, I think this was one of the few shoots where I didn't limit myself to the typical locations. Instead, after following the street-style theme, we went to a playground(my friend Zoë even got to join in on the fun)! It was cool because the colors of one of the basketball courts contrasted extremely well with the black and I found that pretty creative!

Oh! Almost forgot to talk about the hairdo! I saw it on my cousin in Sénégal during the summer and really wanted to try it out. They're just two medium-sized inverted braids, great for this delicate habillement.