All posts filed under: Niyah’s Personal Style

My Secrets to Self-Care + Relaxation in the Midst of Chaos

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I try not to use the phrase “I am stressed” when I am feeling like there’s too much going on and I can’t grasp control of it. Instead, I choose to say “I am feeling overwhelmed.” The difference is the first is claiming an identity, while the second is labeling a temporary experience. Feeling overwhelmed seems less permanent than stress, or at least in my mind it does. My point is our minds have power. Our thoughts have influence. We should be careful what we speak into the world, because we can manifest our own troubles unintentionally. Maybe you can think of a different word that works for you, either way, we all deal with feeling overextended. Here are some of my secrets to staying calm despite it. Create Ambience  My room is my sanctuary. When I’m feeling overwhelmed it tends to be a mess. So the first thing I do is clean and declutter and then follow with lighting my favorite candles. Get Cozy  If I am wearing denim, or something stiff, I immediately …

A Week’s Worth of Outfit Ideas For Fall 2017

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I am so excited to dress for fall weather. There’s something about the turtlenecks, jackets, and boots that make me want to try a little harder with my outfits each day. Below I’ve styled 7 looks, one for each day of the week to inspire you this season. Be sure to leave a comment and let me know which is your favorite! monday Jacket | Donna Morgan Monday’s are hard, so don’t make it harder on yourself by overthinking your outfit. A classic trench is fail-safe for fall, and It’s a great piece to help transition you into the cold winter temps. I love it with a basic white tee and ripped skinnys. Where to Wear it: To grab groceries, run errands, go to class tuesday Dress | Free People Sweater dresses are a must for me when it comes around this time of year. What I love about this one are the sleeves. They’ve got a bell shape that actually fit the length of my arms, a cute little ruffle detail, and the varsity …

How Far Could You Stretch $10 At the Thrift Store? | Video

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Watch as fellow fashion blogger, Alli (http://astylebreeze.com) and I battle it out in a styling challenge. With only $10 to spend, we picked out an outfit from St. Vincent De Paul that best described our personal style. WE WANT YOU TO DECIDE THE WINNER! SO LEAVE YOUR COMMENT BELOW! To check out another collaborative video between us, check out Alli’s channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3Ypp…). We styled three looks with different themes. That one is also a styling challenge, so tell us the winner there as well.

My Summer Playlist + Another OOTD

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Sunglasses+First Necklace from Shop Libby  Tri-layered Necklace from Forever21 Sheer Dress + Bodysuit from Shop Libby  Gemstone Bracelet from Shop Libby Flats from Nordstrom Rack I’ve been styling a lot of shoots lately, and one thing that always gets mentioned on set is an appreciation for my taste in music. I usually play one of the Spotify playlists they curate for me based on my taste, and without fail someone asks who the artist is, the name of the song, and “is this your playlist”? If I had to describe my musical preference I’d say it’s a little melancholy. It’s subdued, but powerful. It’s eloquent, yet something you can vibe to. It’s perfect for the commute home, background music when you need to focus, running/working out… just easy listening. But you’ll just have to hear for yourself… Here are some of my favs that I’ve been listening to all summer. Niyah’s Summer Playlist 2017 1. Carry Me Home by Jorja Smith https://open.spotify.com/track/0dbLBOUh7EykgXpxqEROg2 2. High by Ledisi https://open.spotify.com/track/2rvVqBEQhmSBYj30Ssp8EV  3. Don’t Matter by August Alsina https://open.spotify.com/track/2zJXJeWnYbOUVTVdRF5EKR  4. Confidently Lost Sabrina …

A Week of Serving Looks (I Wore a New Purchase Each Day)

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The week before last was a good week. My hairstyles were on point everyday, I actually put thought into my outfits consistently, and I got to sport a new find each day from shopping the weekend prior. Let’s see the lewks… Day 1 // All in One Piece Kay, so first the hair. Literally every time I do it it comes out different than the last. So it’s always a surprise to me when I undo the twists or braids from the night before. I also use different products sometimes. I found one that makes my hair super soft, light, and fluffy. I love how full this came out looking while still retaining a coil. I finally found a pair of overalls that work for me! Hallelujah. It’s only been two years (despite my love of dramatizing everything, I am being so serious. It’s been 2 years). Funnily enough, I found these in Forever21. A place I no longer shop at, but happened to be in there shopping for a client I styled. I love …

The Trouble With Being Goal Oriented + Future Focused

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I started this blog when I was 16 (it turned 6 last month), just 3 years after I decided I wanted to go into a career in fashion. When I was 19 I created a fashion styling business, and now I am balancing both while attending one of the top fashion design schools in the country. I would definitely describe myself as ambitious, a planner, forward thinking… but lately I’ve begun to question whether that’s the right way to live. Because my mind is constantly in the future, I am never focused for long on what’s happening in the present nor do I go back and reflect on the achievements of my past. Once I’ve completed a goal, I check it off the list, and am already onto preparing for the next steps of another. I get so caught up in what’s next, what’s next, that I really don’t give myself the space to appreciate what I’ve worked so hard to do. In this perpetual cycle, I can never be truly satisfied. I can never …

30 Day Fitness Challenge + Fun Workout Leggings

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Photography By Amie Santavicaa  Is it just me or do you also have trouble working out consistently? When I give into my urge to run, I keep it up for about a week or two, and then I am back on hiatus for a month. Then of course my body is all sore after working out again, because it’s not used to working certain muscles. So I get all motivated and decide to push through the pain only to repeat the cycle all over again. I admire those who dedicate themselves to an everyday or even several-days-a-week exercise regimen, but I haven’t had much success with that since my days of running track in high school. Recently I came across a 30 day ab challenge on my Facebook timeline. I made a mental note to try that “someday” and kept scrolling, but a week later, I was still thinking about it. So I printed it out, and I’ve been diligently staying on course for a week now. It starts off in small increments of a …

A Different Route

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Top: Tobi // Bralette: Target // Jeans: Hollister // Necklace: 7 Charming Sisters Shoes: Nordstrom Rack Bracelet: 7 Charming Sisters // Rings: Forever21 // Sunglasses: Sunglass Warehouse  This top isn’t something I’d usually select for myself, but I wanted to try something a little different. It’s sexy, which is not how I would describe myself, but I think it can also be sophisticated. I chose to pair it with a lace bralette and jeans– perfect for a girl’s night out, but it can also be worn with a cami underneath and to work. I thought about adding a closure towards the top so it can even be worn open and closed. I am all about styling outfits in creative ways, so I want to try a graphic tee underneath and play with a sexy/nerdy paradox too. I am excited about the versatility of it all. What do you think? Photos taken by @CallMeRideout2

A Moment to Breathe

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Spring semester is finally over and I feel like I can breathe again. This was definitely one of the most challenging semesters yet since I’ve been in college. Since I am in design school, I am constantly balancing 4 or 5 projects at a time. While it wasn’t easy (I drank more coffee this last week, than I ever have in my entire life), I will admit it was fun. I learned how to put motifs I’ve hand drawn into a computer app called Kaledo, and turn it into prints that I ended up getting physical swatches of on silk fabric. I discovered a new love for researching current happenings and forecasting future implications in my trends class, and I found that I prefer draping on a form to create garments, rather than starting with a flat paper pattern and yucky math first. I could go on and on. It’s a great feeling to be happy in the major I chose, and be satisfied in knowing that I am in the right place at the …

On Self Love

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I came across a quote that perfectly sums up something I’ve always believed: “Falling in love with yourself first doesn’t make you vain or selfish, it makes you indestructible.” At the end of the day if you know who you are, nobody can convince you otherwise. From a very young age my parents raised me to be proud of who God made me to be. I grew up in all-white towns, all-white neighborhoods, all-white schools, so this was a vital lesson I needed in order to keep my true identity in tact. Apparently when I was really little I would come home saying things like, “Mommy, I wish I had white skin,” or “I hate that my nose is too broad.” When I got to the pre-teen years I wanted a hair relaxer which would make it nice and straight like my white classmates. My mom gave in and at 13 I started chemically straightening my hair. I just recently decided to go back to my natural curls and do the “big chop” at 19. I …