Daily Outfit: Afro Punk

i am loving the warm weather.  i love feeling the warmth of the sun and constantly being in a freezing office, has me running outdoors for "heat breaks" so that i can warm up as well as enjoy the summer days.  considering we are in the last few days of July, i am determined to enjoy as much of the summer weather that we have left.  warm weather also means a change in our background scenery.  The grass and plants come alive and make the perfect addition to our summer fashion.  

i've dubbed this outfit Afro Punk because it is just that - a little bit Afrocentric, a little bit Punk.  my Maven ReFreshed tribal dress (it once was a pair of pants with a matching top) is funked up by my studded vest!  (i am getting so much use out of it!  recently, i rocked it over my leather jacket for warmth and it was so fresh, i can't wait to wear it that way for fall!)  i borrowed Afro Punk from the annual summer festival  and movement that bears the same name.  this year's festival takes place on August 25-26th in Brooklyn.  i love the Afro-Punk Fest because it honors those of us who don't fit into the traditional punk scene.   instead we are creating our own scene and the fest gives us a venue to hear music and see artists that are new and fresh.  i am looking forward to this year's events.  the only downside is it will mean that summer is just about over. booo!  though i'm looking forward to it, i'm still glad that festival is a whole month away which leaves a lot of time for sunshine! xo sesheta

(Hoops and Cowrie Link Necklace (worn as a bracelet) - MavenFresh, Dress and Studded Vest - Maven ReFreshed,  Gladiator sandals - Nicole, Belt - Thrifted)

Daily Outfit: Neon and Nude

one of my favorite combos is neon and nude.  besides being totally on trend, it is a great way to tone down the shocking hue of any neon item and makes it great for day.  adding my denim vest is a perfect contrast.  i don't think i've posted an outfit with my DIY studded vest yet!!  i haven't had much time to wear it because, in my freezing office, i am forced to wear a long sleeve shirt under it.  i can't wait to wear it to summer outings over tanks and sundresses!  

either way, i love this pairing.  my two favorite parts of this combo are: 1) the #armparty happening with all my bracelets (LOVE) and 2) the exact match of my patent nude flats to my skinny cargos (a happy accident)!  this palette just makes my heart sing!! i guess it's the little things!! :) xo sesheta

p.s. having 4th of July fall on a Wednesday is so awkward!  unfortunately, i couldn't  make use of the mid-week holiday to make a long weekend like i had hoped.  despite that fact, i still plan to have a good time with friends and family.  hope you do the same!!

(Cowrie Link Convertible necklace - MavenFresh, Studded Denim Vest - Maven ReFreshed, Neon yellow top - (similar) Forever 21, Taupe Cargo skinny jeans - Blank Denim, Flats - Calvin Klein (similar))

PFMs Do it Better: DIY Studded Denim Vest

soo... i know the denim vest has been done... many, many, many times before.  you may even have seen a DIY on how to make a denim vest.  either way, i thought it would be fun to show, yet again, how this classic staple can be done at a really low cost to your pocket.  sure you could buy one already made, but where's the fun in that??  this is an easy project that only requires a little bit of time and a bit more creativity.

the first step is to gather your materials.  i hit my local thrift stores to find this denim jacket. i had to consider size, color and styling of the jacket.  i turned down a few because they just didn't fit or look right.  next,  i got some studs, i chose silver, which you can just about purchase in any craft store or order online.  then i got my trusty scissors.  it's really important to keep special scissors for cutting fabric.  it truly makes cutting straight as well as smoothly easier.

the next step is super easy - just cut off the sleeves.  if you have nice sharp scissors, this can be done in five minutes.  you can also choose how close to the seam you go for a more frayed look.  before i moved to the next step, i washed the vest as is - so that it would be fresh and clean for me to wear and also to help start the fraying at the edges.

now comes the final step- studding!! i totally forgot that i had one more tool; i also used my long needle nose pliers to assist me with making sure the studs closed nice and tight.  most people have these in your average tool kit.  (be sure they are clean so as not to mark your clothing.)  though this part can be tedious, especially depending on how much studding you plan on doing, it can be fun to design how to attach your studs.  i suggest thinking it out a bit first before committing.  it can be challenging to remove studs once securely attached - i learned that the hard way lol. 

...and done!!!  as you can see, i chose a simple studding pattern.  i like the subtlety of just a touch of studs.  besides, since we know these vests only get better with time, i can always add more studs later!  i can't wait to wear this with my summer maxi dresses and skirts or with my Docs and skinnies!! yay!!  :)