That's Deja @thatsdeja - Tumblr Blog

“A smile is a must have accessory for any outfit!”

-Grandma<3

Style, for the wise, careless, and clueless

What is style? Can I purchase it? Can I copy it? Cant I create it on my own? Today’s talk at the table is style, for the wise, carless and clueless, come ‘on ladies and join the circle!

“It’s a particular kind, sort, or type, as with reference to form, appearance, or character” Style for me is just three simple letters that spell YOU! Style is you, its individuality, it’s personality, it’s mannerism without words, essentially you are your style which is a beYOUtiful thing. If you notice I spelled beautiful incorrectly, really to prove a point. Style is one of the many branches under the umbrella of fashion although style carries a lot of meaning in itself. I draw attention to the use of my word BeYoutiful because many people make the mistake of getting style and trend mixed up. Trends are temporary, often times they are fads, coming into the market really fast, everyone loves them, and they’re a great hit and suddenly their popularity declines faster than they were even on the market. Trends are populations, they are mass bodies of people doing the same thing, tagging their name on and calling it their own. Trends make us clones, they make clones, they make us fools to the fashion industry and pigeons that fly with the crowd. Trends are short-lived, style lives forever! Not to say that trends are all bad, but majority of the time they are perceived in a negative light because they crutch society and make wise voiceless, the carless dumber and the clueless even more confused. Everyone is so eager to imitate what Kim Kardashian wore on episode three of season one that nobody thinks twice about reinventing the outfit and making it their own. Style cannot be an imitation; it is not something you copied from a model in a magazine because nine times out of ten that’s probably not the models style just the stylist that dressed her. Style is eternal, it is a craft, an art and a lovely thing.

I want to shift this conversation to the difference between imitation and inspiration the two are not interchangeable, they are two distinctly different things. There is nothing wrong with using someone’s style as an inspiration for your own, I do it all the time it’s normal and actually encouraged. On the other hand, imitating someone else’s style is just making you a slave to their individuality. I never understood why females would get upset when another woman copied their style, if anything It’s not an insult it’s a blatant compliment. In reality that women is walking around school, campus or the office wearing an outfit that says “hey everyone, I have no individuality so I dressed up today to look exactly like Jessica because she’s beautiful and I admire her”. Ladies you don’t have to dig so deep to use someone else’s style as your inspiration sometimes the act can start off by just complimenting the person whose style you admire. There is a guy on campus that dresses with impeccable style, I never really see him talk much but whenever I see him whether it’s before a 7:30am class our a 10:00pm Saturday night out he always looks like a work of art. So one morning I saw him sitting by himself and I simply sat in front of him, we ate breakfast together and he was so open and friendly about his style, sharing tips and unknowingly we pretty much began building a community of people that are passionate about their style and enjoy talking about it with others. So ladies before I go on a tangent always remember that trends, fads, and imitations are temporary but style is eternal.

That’s all for now, hope you enjoyed today’s talk at the circle and always remember Be Unique, Be Beautiful, and Be Social, Share!

Winter Looks Featuring: The Sexy, Sophisticated and Classy

Hey ladies so today’s topic is winter looks, a lot of you have been asking me what are my style plans for this winter, how can I dress comfortable, cozy and cute and I’ll tell you these three looks are defiantly on my list as they are all uniquely warm, simple, classy!

Look #1

The color this season is grey although I think when a lot of people hear grey they think dull, boring and lifeless. I tried to exhibit the exact opposite with this look, going for something more minimalistic, chic and classy. What I love the most about this outfit is that it can be broken down and reconstructed in so many ways, with these black pants you can easily throw on a black turtle neck with a vibrant scarf and look really sexy or you can turn it down with a coat and waist belt to add a little flirty fun vibe. If this look was a dish the books would defiantly be the flavor to this outfits as the add the attitude You can easily throw on a pair of sheer, black or designed leggings, and oversized dress shirt and a coat and you are serving fun, vibrant and playful vides with your style this winter. The coat is mysterious; I call it my detective coat with the shoulder pads it really makes any look appear more challenging to create than it is. The pads give a since of authority and importance which can work in your advantage as well, especially with a pair of cute shades.

Look #2

This next look is very classy, I wore it to my sisters graduation from graduate school (woo go sis!), any ways being that the dress is almost ankle length it would be great for a semi-formal winter night out. This dress would go perfect with any nice black coat and leather clutch and because it Is a solid color it can as pair nice with almost any color heel. For my hair I chose to go with a bun an extra touch of elegance and pearl earnings as an accessory that is effortless and yet classic. Before I forget the shoes!!! The heels are a gem of mine and have a loving comfortable home for them right in my closet, they are Tory Burch and I got them at a ridiculously amazing sale at Nordstrom rack for literally 1/3 or the original price, It was a deal I couldn't walk away from and I still get compliments on them whenever I wear them on a casual day/ night out. Moral of the story is, consider shopping at high end discount retail stores, not only are the products amazing, but there authentic and sold at fair prices.

Look #3

This last look is an outfit I wore at the very beginning of winter time when It just began to get cold and short lost their usage. This look is very comfortable, simply and not much going on but the thing that makes the outfit is the cape. Sometimes a small piece can do wonders for your look and in this outfit the cape was the case. By throwing on the cape and little black and silver statement necklace the outfit went from black and boring to black and eye-catching. I was on my way to class so I wanted o keep it casual with a timeless pair of white converse but essentially this look would do great with any black leather heel, or neutral color but nothing too dramatic as it will over power the combination of the cape and the necklace.

Thats all for now, hope you enjoyed today's talk and always remember Be Unique, Be Beautiful and Be Social, Share!

Good Hair Movie Review

You either heard about it, saw it or inching for it to come out on DVD, it's Good Hair by:Chris Rock. Join the table as I share my view on the movie that has been the topic of discussion in all beauty salons since it's release.

Hello my lovely Natural hair God's & Goddesses, I recently saw the movie Good Hair by Chris Rock and I thought it be only right to share my experience of watching the movie with you all. Good Hair came out in 2009 and was so fantastic that women now are still talking about it especially with this huge Natural Hair epidemic going on. The Movie was basically about Chris Rock's Fascinating journey in understanding African american women's hair. Through actually witnessing what many black women around the world do and spend heavily on in order to achieve this ideal "Beautiful Image" he was able to appreciate an comprehend all that comes with having natural, relaxed or even hair extensions. There were many scene's in the movie that caught my eye. A lot of scene's really made me think about my very own natural hair journey and some of the hardships I faced by society due to my drastic decision to go natural. Although, the scene that captured my attention the most was when Chris Rock went to Santa Monica high school and spoke with 5 girls (Four of which that had relaxed hair/ Hair extensions and only one with natural hair) about how they felt about natural hair. He asked " Do you think you will have better chance of getting a good job with natural hair or will you need a weave to get a good job?" and one of the girls with permed hair replied "If I owned a law firm and a woman wanted to get a job but walked in with this big natural Afro, I wouldn't take her to seriously because she wouldn't look very put together". That comment really struck me, not only because of what the young girl said in response to Chris Rock's Questions but simply because of the look on that young girls face with natural hair as the other girls were talking about how it would be hard for her to be successful simply because of her hair. I feel like she was being judged for just being herself and that is something I can totally relate to looking back at my natural hair journey. I think it is just ignorant for women to believe that hair determines how beautiful you are, how much confidence you will have and how successful you will be. As a women if you need to buy someone else's hair to be "beautiful" or perm your hair every two weeks to feel pretty or even throw on wig to have confidence you are not beautiful, pretty or having self confidence. Beauty comes from within, it not something you can buy, throw on or sew in it is something unique and starts from the inside of you and shines in your outside appearance. That said, I have nothing against women with perms, extensions, and wigs (Trust me there is nothing wrong with a few inches being sewn in every now and then), but to all those women out there that feel they need these materialistic things to display this artificial appearance society calls "Beauty" it's time for a reality check because beauty CANNOT be bought. $300 Fake eye-lashes will not make you look Kim Kardashian and a $600 blonde wig will not make you look like Beyonce (I'm just saying!).With that my loves for those of you who haven't seen Good hair not only is it inspiring but hilarious.

That all for no ladies, Thank you for checking in and I hope you enjoyed today's read. Always remember Be Unique, Be Beautiful, and Be Social, Share!

7 Tips for Preventing Hair Breakage this Winter

Hey ladies, winter is around the corner and it’s time we prepare hair breakage prevention routines before it’s too late. Join the circle as I share my 7 secrets for avoiding hair breakage this holiday season!

1. Keep the ends of your hair tucked away.

Keeping your hair out is a sure way to get it caught up in scarves, coats, sweater and the blistering cold weather. Avoid this by doing a nice twist-out and pining it up into a nice up do, getting braids, a nice high bun, literally anything is better than letting your ends be exposed.

2. Use heavier butters and mixed oils

During the winter your is more prone to getting dry which means light oils are not going to cut it. Use more heavy oils and butters that are going to get in your hair and stay for a significant amount of time. These types of sealants promote more moisture for more extended amounts of time.

3. Go easy on the edges when installing braids and extensions

Make sure you remind your beautician not to braid your hair too tight. It’s winter which mean tight braids, pulling edges and eventually edges that are nonexistent! If you want your edges moisture them and avoid adding a lot of tension on them as they are very fragile and very more sensitive this time of year. Also, if you are going to get hair extensions make sure not to wear them for too long as this can add to a loss of your edges as well.

4. Be careful for those clips when wearing wigs and head wraps.

Wigs especially are popular this time of year as they are cute and convenient. Be mindful to remove the clips from inside of the wig as they are sure to thin and/ or break the hair clipped in that area. Bobby pins are just as good and avoid this problem so I’d suggest using them instead. During the winter wigs can also prevent moisture from reaching your hair so it’s best to wear a silk cap under your wig to help retain moisture and prevent moisture loss. Lastly avoid wearing head wraps to tightly.

5. Sleep with a satin bonnet and satin pillow case

Satin products are known for retaining moisture so using a satin bonnet and scarf is double protection after moisturizing your hair in the winter before you go to bed.

6. Look into taking Vitamins

There are so many great vitamins now to promote healthy hair and nails, but not all of them are trustworthy as some of new and still producing negative side effects. One vitamin that is not new, has been around for years and is completely harmless is Biotin. Biotin, vitamin H apart of the complex B vitamins is great for preventing hair loss which is vital during this time of year. In addition to protecting your lovely locks it because it is vitamin B it is also great for you nails and skin which is a plus. I suggest anyone interested to make a trip to your nearest vitamin store and speak to a sails clerk or a doctor if you have any questions.

7. Add more deep conditioners and hot oil treatments in your hair regime

Your hair is in need of a little more TLC (Tender love and care) this time of year so make it happened. Carve out some time to do at least two of these treatments a week to ensure that your hair is getting all of the nutrients it needs and the weather is not defeating your natural beauty.

That’s all for now ladies, hope you enjoyed today’s read and always remember Be Unique, Be Beautiful and Be Social, Share!

Déja’s 8 Tips for Shopping on a Budget

Hello lovely people, it takes a lot of money to keep up with fashion and style, and shopping at high end stores every week can put a dent in your wallet. Join the circle as I explore 10 fun and easy ways to shop on a budget.

1. Visit Consignment Stores

Find many brand names, vintage clothing and trendy accessories for as low as $2 at your nearest thrift store.

2. Check Out Budget &Designer Retailers, Outlets, and Sample Sales.

-Stores like Target, JCPenney, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Ross have simple wardrobe essentials at affordable prices.

-For discounted designer wear hit up Nordstrom Rack, Off 5th Ave, Last Call, and Barney's Warehouse Sale (online only).

-If you have an entire day to spare, check out one of the many outlet shopping centers. Designers often offer their items at lower prices because they want to get rid of it!

3. Search and Use Coupon Codes Online

Retailers have dozens of coupon codes online just waiting to be used. Visit “Retail Me Not.com” or Google "coupon codes" and you'll see what we mean.

4. Shop off Season

Shop winter clothes in summer when they are really cheap. Buy your summer shoes and clothes in winter when you find them on sale. Just make sure you only buy classic styles – you want to make sure you can still wear that great coat several months later.

5. Shop with Cash

-Science says, people spend 20 – 50% more when they shop with cards.

-Some people do not view spending money with plastic cards as spending “real” money. So they only use real money instead of credit and debit cards. Try it out to see if it keeps you from overspending.

6. Budget for time

-Time is money and when you are trying to shop on a budget its best to budget your time as well.

-Wandering around the mall may lead to you mindlessly spending money. And even though you might enjoy shopping quite a bit: there surely are things you enjoy even more!

-So when you have what you needed from your shopping list, leave the mall.

7.Do you love it or Do you need it?

Only buy what you love and what you will actually wear. Ask yourself those two questions before you hit the register, and it may help you prevent those compulsive purchases.

8. Shop Smarter

-STAY IN YOUR LANE!!! Don’t go out shopping with people that are going to encourage you to break your budget. They can spend money, YOU cant!

-Make friends that enjoy the free/ discounted things in life like, parks, festivals and thrift stores.

-At the end of the day, its your wallet and your friends are not going to be there to pay the bill for that $300 dress they encouraged you to buy.

Tips:

-When thrift shopping be sure wash or get clothes professionally washed before wearing. Not only is this good to help clean out unattractive smells that can possibly come with thrifted clothes but it’s also just good hygiene (Think about it, you never know what that person ,have had or did while wearing the clothes that you just bought) my point is you don’t have to avoid thrift shopping all together but, clean the clothes!

-Do not buy things just because it is in style, chances are its expensive and will probably run out of style very quickly. Set your own trends!

-Don’t by clothes that can’t fit too motivate you to loose weight! Honestly it’s the silliest thing I have ever witnessed because nine times out of ten you don’t loose enough weight and when you do the item that you bought is no longer in style and or appealing to you so just don’t do it! Invest in a gym membership before you invest in clothes 3 sizes too small.

-Less is more! Just because your wardrobe needs a little upgrade does not mean you need to by multiple outfits. Give yourself a limited amount of money and shop for key pieces that can make new outfits with the items you already own. For example, challenge yourself to go shopping and by a few versatile pieces for your wardrobe with only $100.00, then go home and create 10 new outfits using your old and new clothes.

-Don’t go shopping! Work with what you have, the beauty of clothes is that they can be recycled, transformed and brought to life. A shirt can be made intoa skirt, a skirt can be made into pants and jeans can be made into shorts so work with what you have and if done well your individuality alone will give you more compliments than any trendy $50 shirt.

That’s all for now ladies, I hope you enjoyed it and always remember Be Unique, Be Beautiful and Be Social, Share!

Déja’s Natural Hair Care Secrets: How to Detangle Natural Hair without Being Rough!

Having trouble detangling your hair? Finding bundles of your hair break off when you try to comb it? Well join the circle as I share my easy three step detangling method just for you!

Yes! Listen up my natural Queens I know some of you all may have some really thick natural hair and you get this terrible urge to be rough with your hair when trying to detangle it because your frustrated, but the truth is detangling your hair should not be a battle field. Follow two of my detangling methods and you'll be able to comb through you hair with ease! Before we start digging into the techniques one thing I want you to understand is that these two methods share three essential steps for success:

Step #1: L (Liquid)Wet Your hair

Step #2: O (Oil)Apply an oil to your hair

Step #3: C (Cream)Apply a cream to your hair

Before we go any further the loc method is a phenomenal technique for both detangling methods listed below. Unlike most processes the loc method not only helps with detangling coarse hair but it also delivers great nutrients, and vitamins to promote healthy hair growth which is always a plus.

-METHOD #1: Combing your hair in the shower then applying the LOC *Combing your hair in the shower is great if your trying to detangle your hair without yanking a chunk of it out! Typically I condition it first and comb out my hair while the conditioner is in it that way its soft and manageable. After the conditioner is all washed out and my hair is untangled I braid my hair in about 4-6 plats to prevent my hair from getting tangled back up while it's air drying. Easy right!

-METHOD #2: Using a paddle brush and my favorite detangle/leave-in conditioner/LOC *The paddle brush method is great only if you have a SUPER amazing leave-in conditioner to soften your hair while your brushing it out otherwise you will find yourself literally brushing your hair out as chunks and strands began hitting the floor, we don't want that right? No we worked hard for this hair!! Okay moving on, If your guessing my SUPER amazing leave-in conditioner is called "The Great Detangler" By Tahilah Waajid I love this conditioner because not only does it keep my hair soft and easy to comb through but it does not weigh down my hair at all. It's all organic and smells pretty good too which is a winner for me. Apply this to your hair in sections (the thicker the hair the smaller the section), one small section at a time rub in a little of this conditioner (Until the section is fairly moist) and then proceed in using the paddle brush to comb the ends of your hair gently working your way to the top (Do this for each section). I love this detangling method especially since I don't have to wash it out. This product is fairly cheap, only about $8 at your nearest hair supply store and it's well worth it, I hope you all will love it as much as I do!! If you try this please comment or send me pictures of your results I would love to hear and share your experience. From one Natural Queen to another!<3

Below are lists of my very own personal favorite Loc Products,:

L: Water, Alikay Naturals Lemon grass Leave in Conditioner, Shea moisture leave in conditioner.

O: 100% Pure Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Joba Oil, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil.

C: Mixed Chicks Leave- in- Conditioner, Tahila Waajid the great detangler, Shea Butter

I’m sure there are other amazing products out there that can get the job done as well but these products below have given me the best results! That’s all for now ladies, hope you enjoyed it and always remember Be Unique Be Beautiful, Be Social & Share!