PENDA SARR

Turtleneck Season

12:20:00 PM

I don’t know why but this month of January has been quite productive for me. I mean, this is my 2 nd post in less than 2 weeks! I guess it’...

I don’t know why but this month of January has been quite productive for me. I mean, this is my 2^nd post in less than 2 weeks! I guess it’s because I enjoy blogging, and I honestly missed it. The end of 2018 was quite hectic for me in terms of everything I had to do, so I’m happy things have calmed down now and I can get back to my routine.

Can you believe I used to hate turtlenecks? No really. I thought they were awful and no matter how many my mother bought me, I could never get myself to wear them. Fast forward to now and I'm officially obsessed! For someone who likes classic styles like myself, I've realized that turtlenecks are an absolute must-have item for the winter.

I actually got the top I'm wearing in the pictures back in July when I decided to start a bit of my fall/winter shopping (stay ready so you don't have to get ready haha). It caught my eye because it's a really nice grey, and it has ruffled sleeves. I wish I remembered to roll my blazer up to show you guys the sleeves, but no worries, next time!

The turtleneck does run a little big on me, so I thought it would be good to pair it with high-waisted jeans, so that I could tuck it in the pants. At first I was going to leave it untucked, but it looked too baggy. To finish off the look, I added a longline satin blazer and my Chanel bag. I love vintage designer handbags, they're the perfect accessory to add to your outfit. And, the great thing about this mini bag is the sizing. It's not too big, nor too small, just the right size to fit things like your phone, wallet/cardholder, and your makeup products.

Since the first set of pictures were shot in a park surrounded by leaves and greenery, I wanted the second set to have a completely different setting, hence why the photographer and I went on a rooftop. We've shot on this roof before, so safe to say it's one of my favorites ;)

I mean hello...look at this view *insert heart eye emoji*! I'd shoot here everyday if I could.

Thank you for reading and see you soon!

Connect with me:

Instagram: @pendasarr

Outfit details:

Turtleneck: Mango

Jeans: Pretty Little Thing

Blazer: Forever 21

Shoes: Zara

Bag: Chanel

Get the look!

Turtleneck:

https://shop.mango.com/us/women/t-shirts-and-tops-long-sleeve/ribbed-high-neck-t-shirt_33005815.html?c=91&n=1&s=search

Jeans:

https://www.prettylittlething.us/low-rise-mom-mid-wash-jean.html

Blazer:

https://www.forever21.com/us/shop/catalog/product/f21/branded-shop/2000316470

Shoes:

https://www.zara.com/us/en/heeled-stretch-ankle-boots-p11107001.html?v1=7887007&v2=1180540

Bag:

https://www.farfetch.com/shopping/women/chanel-vintage-cc-logo-quilted-hand-bag-item-13092161.aspx?storeid=10031

Outfits I Wore During my Trip to Sénégal

9:28:00 PM

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2019 is filled with nothing but love, happiness and success for you all. I am a bit late with my wishes but...

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2019 is filled with nothing but love, happiness and success for you all. I am a bit late with my wishes but in my defense, I was away on vacation haha.

I'm back in the U.S. after a few weeks in super sunny Senegal (woah alliteration game strong). This was a much needed vacation, and I'm happy I got to spend it with my friends and family. I feel so at peace, relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to focus on my goals for this new year.

Since it was warm back home, I got to wear nice frivolous clothing. They were some of my favorite looks so I thought I'd share them with you guys and give you a little bit of inspiration :)

Look 1:

This was one of the very firsts outfits I wore when I was back in Dakar. I went out for brunch with my friends and family on this day so I wanted to keep it simple. I was feeling relaxed so I paired some pants with a simple tee and block heels, along with a Japanese kimono. This kimono has become one of my favorite items: the colors and the design are so mesmerizing!

Outfit details:

T-shirt: H&M

Pants: Missguided

Kimono: Thrifted

Shoes: Zara

Look 2:

This was one of my absolute favorites! It was a bit more dressed up, much more of my style. I was surrounded by colors while I was in Senegal so naturally, I think it inspired me to wear brighter pieces. I've had these purple culottes for a while but I couldn't really wear them in the New York City cold. I'm glad they finally got to make an appearance haha :). To keep the sort of classic/chic theme going, I decided to wear white kitten heels and a off-shoulder crop top.

Outfit details:

Top: Nastygal

Culottes: ASOS

Shoes: Zara

Look 3:

This kind of outfit was perfect for my trip because it was good for multiple occasions. I wore pants and shirt combinations like this to go to lunches, family visits, and even afternoon drinks by the beach. The motif on the shirt is beautiful, and it goes with so many things. Since I don't usually wear green or teal, I thought it would be interesting for me to wear pants of that color, and have them sort of match the chemise's tones. What made my look even better was that my shoes also matched my outfit. I got these sandals for a great deal and the best part about them? They have a wooden heel, how unique :) ! I actually got so many compliments on this look so hmm...maybe teal green is my color.

Outfit details:

Top, pants, shoes: Zara

Look 4:

Chocolate dresses on brown skin just look so amazing, don't you agree? I'm not much of a dress person but I think after this outfit, I've totally become one. This is one of my favorite pieces, because it fits my body perfectly and I feel great in it. On top of that, the dress is off-shoulder, my fave! To stay within the brown/gold theme, I wore my gold hoops and gold heeled sandals. I definitely need more looks like this.

Outfit details:

Dress: Pretty Little Thing

Shoes: Zara

Gold hoops: Mango

Look 5:

You can never go wrong with a pair of mom jeans and mules, they've actually proven to be one of the best combos for getaway trips haha. I spent my afternoon at the Radisson Blu hotel on this day, so I wanted to wear something that was comfortable yet cute and effortless. My outfit was all-black, so to add a pop of color, I wore my red vinyl mules.

Outfit details:

Top: Missguided

Jacket: Zara

Jeans: Pretty Little Thing

Shoes: Mango

Look 6:

To be honest, this look was more experimental than anything haha. I got this vintage Chanel scarf back in November, and I never got the chance to wear it. I just threw it in my suitcase and thought to myself "I'll figure out a way to wear it when I'm in Dakar". Of course, it was way too warm to wear it as a regular scarf or even a headscarf, so I thought to myself, why not simply turn it into a cute tube top. I love the different designs on the scarf, it really allows you to sort of pair it with whatever you'd like.

Outfit details:

Top/scarf: Chanel

Jeans: Thrifted

Shoes: Mango

Look 7:

I forgot how much of a great combo a bodycon dress and Air Force ones are, especially when both pieces are super white. Like I said, I'm not much of a dress person but hey, a few weeks in the tropics can bring about some change...This is a cute outfit for casual days, and I think out of my vacation looks, this one really says "I'm on vacation, don't bother me" haha.

Outfit details:

Dress: Pretty Little Thing

Shoes: Nike

Look 8:

Do you have that one piece of clothing that you're just super attached to? That's me with this red blazer. It was actually my mother's but haha guess what? Not anymore! I think out of all the blazers in my closet, this is probably the most worn one. I guess I like it because of its oversized fit. I wore this during my last few days in Senegal, so naturally, the outfit is a bit recycled haha (totally wore this pair of denim like over 10 times during my trip). I was going for that business casual feel because I had a lunch to attend, so I paired the blazer with mom jeans and some cute leather slippers.

Outfit details:

T-shirt: H&M

Jeans: Pretty Little Thing

Blazer: Xtreme Collection

Shoes: Gucci

Looking back on these outfits, I'm really happy I got to ditch the boots, winter coats and scarves for a while :).

To see my other looks as well as my trip in Senegal, you can check out my instagram: @pendasarr

Thank you for reading <3

With love,

Penda

Made in Africa

11:17:00 PM

There is no doubt that African fashion is on the rise. Wax is in, and people are quickly catching on to the trend. I have always been into A...

There is no doubt that African fashion is on the rise. Wax is in, and people are quickly catching on to the trend. I have always been into African fashion and prints, as many women in my family wore and continue to wear them. Of course, my interest really grew exponentially a few years ago, as emerging African designers began to make their clothing easily accessible to those of us living outside of the continent.

One of my current favorite brands is Tongoro Studio, by Sarah Diouf. Sarah is of Senegalese and Central African descent and created Tongoro in 2016. Tongoro itself is a ready-to-wear label and is exclusively sold online. Sarah makes all of the clothing in Sénégal, it is therefore 100% made in Africa and then shipped out to buyers, globally. The label combines the traditional and the modern through the use of intricate patterns, fabrics and asymetrical designs: https://www.tongoro.com.

The brand caught my eye when I began to follow its Instagram page. I loved the mixes between the colors and pattern on each piece of clothing, so I just knew I had to get my hands on some. I recently got this silk top and I absolutely love it. It has a beautiful design: asymetrical works and flared sleeves, my favorites!

My overall look was fairly simple: I paired the silk with high waisted black pants, simple nude heels, and gold tassel earrings. I wanted the focus to be on the top's detail; it's so different from what I have in my closet, maybe that's also why I like it so much. I don't know why, but I felt so amazing in it when I wore it for the first time. I guess that really says something about Tongoro - it's clothing that makes you look good and feel good.

What makes me even happier is that this was made in a place that is so dear to me, because it is my home. I was made in Africa, and so was this. The tailors in Sénégal are extremely talented, I have never seen such rigorous, hardworking individuals with an extremely high attention to detail. If I could, I would bring everyone I know to Dakar right this instant, so they could see what goes on in the tailoring studios and witness the magic.

You can definitely tell when someone has given their all to carefully craft something, and I think that was the case with this. Everything is so well put together on the design, I'm still in awe every time I go into my closet and take a look at it.

I am elated that the talent on the continent is being recognized by so many, both inside and outside of it. "Made in Africa" clothing is quickly growing, and I know the only way to go is up for designers like Tongoro.

Thank you so much for reading.

With love,

Penda

Outfit details:

Top: Tongoro Studio

Pants: Boohoo

Shoes: ASOS

Earrings: Vince Camuto

Get the look!

Top:

https://www.tongoro.com/shop/wata-top

Pants:

https://us.boohoo.com/petite-wide-leg-woven-trouser/PZZ76842.html?color=105

Shoes:

https://us.asos.com/new-look/new-look-patent-pointed-court/prd/9776850?clr=oatmeal&SearchQuery=&cid=17478&gridcolumn=2&gridrow=8&gridsize=4&pge=1&pgesize=72&totalstyles=40

Earrings:

https://www.nordstromrack.com/shop/product/2405138?cm_mmc=feeds-_-adlucent-_-google-_-pla&utm_source=adlucent&utm_medium=feeds&utm_content=google&utm_campaign=pla&utm_channel=shopping_acq_p&sid=545650&aid=%5BADL%5D%20%5BPLA%5D%20%5BShopping%5D%20-%20Categories%20-%20Brand%20-%20%5BDesktop%5D&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIz6C9_OD93gIVZ_7jBx0t2AReEAQYASABEgIEVfD_BwE&color=GOLD%2001

Japanese Denim

3:48:00 PM

There was a time where I pretty much stopped wearing denim, and only wore pants. I don't know why that changed, I guess I just started t...

There was a time where I pretty much stopped wearing denim, and only wore pants. I don't know why that changed, I guess I just started to go through the things I stopped wearing in my closet and realized that I was missing out big time. Jeans are great because you can pair them with absolutely anything on any given day.

Summer is over so I wanted a to wear something frivolous for one last time before the chilly weather kicks in. This was a casual day so I went for a dressed down look, by pairing distressed denim with a black bodysuit, and platform sneakers.

I've also been constantly wearing gold jewelry these days so of course, in terms of accessories, I just had to wear my gold hoops and my gold "positivity" necklace from Mejuri.

Also, nothing says "casual" like some clean white sneakers. This pair is nice because the platform gives the shoe a more elevated look. It does hurt a bit though, so I think I need to wear them more often and really break into them.

I wasn't planning on shooting this look. To be honest, this was completely improvised. I was actually in Soho to help one of my good friends create content for her blog. However, I loved my outfit so she took some quick snapshots of me as well!