PENDA SARR

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.

Thanks so much for reading! Feel free to comment below :)

Outfit details:

Top: A&Co Clothing

Pants: Thrifted

Shoes: Zara

Get the look!

Top:

https://www.acoclothing.com/collections/t-shirts/products/ampersand-logo-t-shirtblack

Pants:

http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/clothing-427/trousers-leggings-4075710/pleat-trousers-5684772?bi=20&ps=20

Shoes:

http://www.zara.com/ca/en/woman/shoes/flats/faux-fur-slingback-ballerinas-c269196p3610186.html

Connect with me:

Instagram: @pendasarr
Snapchat: @pendouchi

Photography: Juan Paolo (https://columnalicante.myportfolio.com)

Summer's Over

6:44:00 PM

Hello hello! These past few weeks have consisted of me settling back into school(*cries) and writing down my plans for these next few mon...

Hello hello!

These past few weeks have consisted of me settling back into school(*cries) and writing down my plans for these next few months. I've also been trying to do some major closet cleaning as the hot and humid season is in fact over. If you've been keeping up with the site, you'll notice that I was in Dakar from June-August (http://www.pendasarr.com/2016/08/transitions.html). This was a great experience , the change of scenery really allowed me to grow as a person on every level possible.

This summer, I noticed the off-the-shoulder shirt was the "it" trend. Teenagers and young adults roamed the streets, beaches and nightclubs in the 'Bardot', whether it be in New York or Sénégal. That comes as no surprise though, as the frivolous and stylish top is very flattering; it's the perfect item which allows you to feel sexy and cute.

I wore off-the-shoulder tops practically all the time as it gave off that laidback yet sultry vibe. My favorite one so far is the one in the pictures below. It's a simple light blue shirt with white stripes, so summery right?

Because the blue was so "out there", I paired the shirt with black pants and shoes to tone it down a bit. Instead, I let the objects around me contrast with the black, like the windows behind me and the mobile yellow cabs.

Initially, I wasn't too sure about accessories since this ensemble was extremely simple. However, I had a casual dinner right after this photoshoot so in the end, I added a small black pouch to elevate the look a bit.

Also, for some reason, I was really keen on using my surroundings as props for the shoot. I found it cool that the color of the car and motorcycle at our location matched my look (weird I know but you get what I mean).

In a way, looking back at these pictures does make me a little nostalgic. Even though fall fashion is amazing, it kind of sucks that you can't wear cute tops like this once it starts getting cold.

Summer is definitely over as I'm seeing way less people wearing flowy fits like this and instead opting for light jackets and ankle booties. But hey, time does goes by quickly. So before you know it, it'll be June again :)

With that being said, it's time for me to continue cleaning my closet, and get ready for the new season. Thank you for reading!

Much love,

Penda

Outfit details:

Top : Zara

Pants: Forever 21

Shoes: ASOS

Get the look!

Top:

http://www.zara.com/us/en/woman/tops/tops/off-the-shoulder-top-c498003p3645902.html
Pants:

http://www.forever21.com/ca/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&category=bottoms&productid=2000222884

Shoes:

http://us.asos.com/aldo/aldo-erina-black-simple-strap-flat-sandals/prd/6049530?iid=6049530&clr=Black&SearchQuery=black%20sandals&pgesize=36&pge=0&totalstyles=193&gridsize=3&gridrow=6&gridcolumn=1

Connect with me:

Instagram: @pendasarr
Snapchat: @pendouchi

Transitions

12:50:00 PM

In its simplest definition, a transition signifies “the process or period of changing from one state or condition to another”. I think this...

In its simplest definition, a transition signifies “the process or period of changing from one state or condition to another”. I think this was the perfect word to define this photoshoot and my summer as I went through many changes which have helped my style, myself and my blog work evolve.

The first transition would have to be the location. Most of my shoots are usually minimalistic and familiar. The following look was shot in a place that was unknown to me, which made it all the more challenging, yet rewarding. That place was Médina, one of Dakar’s oldest and most populous neighborhoods. The area is filled with colorful homes, busy streets and graffiti walls; it has an ancient vibe to it, as opposed to the more modern districts in the city. Since it was my first time there I had no idea what to expect. I immediately realized that in comparison to other places in Dakar or New York, this was not one where most people took pictures. You would think with all the art around people would come, but it was the opposite. The photographer and I had to therefore ask permission to shoot around the houses, and be patient as crowds of children and adults surrounded us to question what exactly we were doing.

Next, the majority of my outfits on the blog are Eurocentric and rarely focus on African fashion. This year, I spent all three months of my summer in Sénégal so I really had the time to learn about Senegalese textiles and prints. My aunt also greatly helped me with this style addition; she gave me many traditional wax clothing items and helped me create outfits so I definitely had enough to experiment. The purple and blue peplum top in the pictures below was a gift from her. It's made of African waxprints and has a flared lower bottom and bell sleeves. The material is from Accra, Ghana ; it's quite light so you can definitely move around freely. I paired the top with a pair of black pants, heels, and delicate silver earrings to match the blouse’s simple yet exquisite motifs. I purposely combined a traditional piece with other modern clothing because I think it perfectly embodied who I am: a multi-dimensional and multi-cultural African woman.

The last transition I would have to say was overall, my summer. Living in the United States but coming back to Sénégal to see my friends and family is always interesting; I’ve noticed I’m immediately re-immersed in a different culture as soon as I arrive. Basically, you learn to balance the fact that you are from two places which carry their respective discrepancies, mainly in terms of cultural practices and social norms; I find that it allows you to sometimes step out of your comfort zone and constantly be aware of all your surroundings.

I met with some amazing people who have greatly inspired me this summer. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have pushed myself to work as much on the website. Initially, I wanted to take a break from blogging because I thought, “I won't find anyone in Sénégal who will have the same visions and ideas as me. They'll probably think I'm too weird...”. I soon realized I was wrong, as Dakar in itself is a city buzzing with artistic vibes, which is perfect for a blogger like myself, as I try to incorporate fashion, creative art and direction in my photoshoots. For this post, I owe a huge thank you to the photographer Sidy Mohamed Kandji(https://www.instagram.com/smkandji/). Him and I were on the same page in terms of our creative ideas and I think that's what really brought everything together. We planned this shoot 3 weeks in advance because I really wanted to bring the traditional (the location) versus the modern (myself) theme into existence. We couldn’t have gotten a better area than Médina and I’m happy Sidy suggested it.

I loved doing my work here; it was a nice change from the busy and fast-paced New York City. It’s amazing what a change of scenery can do, and it’s even better when it’s in your home country. I can’t wait to come back and do this again.

Thank you for reading! Enjoy the rest of your summer and good luck with the new school year.

Much love,

Penda

Outfit details:

Top: Kiki Clothing

Pants: Forever 21

Shoes: ASOS

Earrings: Swarovski

Get the look!

Top:

https://kikiclothing.com/collections/womenswear/products/bell-sleeve-peplum-top

Pants:

http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&category=bottoms&productid=2000220980

Shoes:

http://us.asos.com/new-look/new-look-buckle-barely-there-heel/prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=7127999&clr=Black&SearchQuery=black+heels&pgesize=36&pge=0&totalstyles=742&gridsize=3&gridrow=5&gridcolumn=3

Earrings:

http://www.swarovski.com/Web_US/en/5043650/product/Adore_Pierced_Earrings.html

Connect with me:

Instagram : @pendasarr
Snapchat: @pendouchi

Cranberry

11:19:00 AM

Hello, For this post, I teamed up with my little sister ( www.oumousarr.blogspot.com ) to create a full-face makeup tutorial on this color...

Hello,

For this post, I teamed up with my little sister (www.oumousarr.blogspot.com) to create a full-face makeup tutorial on this colorful cranberry look for you guys:

I'll write about each step, with pictures below each description to help you visualize everything. Without further ado, let's get started! :)

EYES:

Step 1: Priming + Setting:

The first step is to prime your eyelids with an eyeshadow primer. This ensures that all the shadows you use for your look will last and won't crease. Simply apply a bit of primer on each eyelid and then blend it in circular motions with your index finger.

After priming, you can use a white eyeshadow or translucent powder to set the primer. Setting it makes a great difference, so this is definitely an important step!

Step 2: Applying the shadows:

The shadows used on my eyes are from the Violet Voss Holy Grail Pro Palette. My sister and I thought using red/cranberry shadows would be fitting for the summer and help us step out of our comfort zone as these shades are usually quite hard to blend. Here's a picture of the colors in the palette, that way you can follow along:

The crease:

The first color is called "Wine N' Dine". Simply dab a crease brush onto the shadow, tap off the excess and apply it in windshield motions all over your crease.

Next, take a fluffy brush and use "Teddy Bear" to deepen the crease. Afterwards, take a blending brush and blend both colors together to get rid of all the harsh lines. Once finished, the shadows in the crease look like this :

The lid:

Afterwards, take a flat brush and apply the shimmery color "Cranberry Splash" all over the lid. Then, take a new blending brush and blend all 3 colors together.

Step 3: Eyeliner:

Once you've applied the eyeshadows, you can take a black eyeliner to create a wing. If you want your wing to be sharp, you can put some tape on the outer corner of your eye.

FACE:

Step 1: Primer, Color Correct, Foundation:

Primer:

To create a smooth base for your makeup, always use a primer before. I used the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, which is ideal for those with oily skin. Afterwards, I let the primer dry on my face for about 3 minutes and then I start color correcting.

Color correct:

You can use an orange concealer to cancel out any darkness on the face. In my case, that includes : the spots around my mouth, the sides of my nose, and my under-eye circles. If you're confused about color correcting, I have a post on it here : https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5696931638250446159#editor/target=post;postID=7326306334472274874;onPublishedMenu=overview;onClosedMenu=overview;postNum=7;src=link.

Foundation:

Since it's summer, my skin has gotten a bit darker, which means I have to mix foundations. For this look, my sister used the Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation and the Clinique Foundation on me. I first applied it on my face with a stippling brush to get the airbrushed look, and then I used a wet beauty sponge to blend everything.

Step 2: Highlight and contour:

To highlight and contour, you can use concealers. I used the L.A. Girl Pro Concealer in the shades "Fawn"(highlight) and "Dark Cocoa".

To highlight, apply the lighter concealer shade under your eyes, on the bridge of your nose, your chin, your forehead and cupid's bow. For the contour, apply the darker concealer on your cheekbones to get that chiseled look, and on your upper forehead.

Afterwards, blend everything. Because you did a cream highlight and contour, it's important to set the highlighted parts of your face with powder to prevent creasing( I used the powder from the ULTA Contour Kit) ; let the powder sit on your face for about 3 minutes and then wipe it off with a large brush.

Now, you can move on to the final touches. I usually go back to my eyes and apply some eyeshadow on my lower lash line, and a regular eyeliner on my waterline to make my eyes pop. Afterwards, I put some mascara on my upper lashes.

Step 3: Blush, highlight, lips :

Since this is a summery look, my sister and I went with a mix of blushes: we applied a pink and purple-toned blush from E.L.F. Cosmetics. Once you're done with your blush, you can take a golden-toned highlighter and apply some on the bridge and tip of your nose, and the highest part of your cheekbones.

For the lips, I suggest applying a lipliner first before you put on a gloss or lipstick. In my case, I applied a brown lipliner from NYX and a nude gloss.

Step 4 : Set:

This is the final step. Setting your face smoothes out all the products and ensures your makeup will last all day or night. In my case, I used the MAC Fix Plus spray to bring the powders together and the Urban Decay Oil-Control Setting Spray to set my whole face. Here's the final look:

I hope this was helpful! This was really fun to do with my sister. It took us like 3 hours to finish everything because we were dancing and fooling around, but we managed to finish everything haha!

Here are the links to all the products used, just click on the word and it should take you directly :)

Products used:

Eyes:

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Violet Voss Holy Grail Eye Shadow Palette

Revlon Liquid Eyeliner

Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner

Too Faced Mascara

Face:

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer

L.A. Girl Concealers

Kat Von D Foundation