Queen B@$#H

I discovered my theme song as a freshman in high school.  It was and still is Queen B@$#H by Lil' Kim.  My brother purchased the Lil' Kim Queen B@$#H CD (probably for the salacious poster that was included in the CD), and I had a habit of stealing his music.  I got hold of the Lil' Kim CD, and my mind was blown.  I played that CD every time I jumped in my car.  I was amazed at the things she would say and how bold she was.  I made a mistake and left the CD playing in my car one day, and on that day my mother decided to drive my car.  She started the car, and Lil' Kim came blasting through the speakers screaming obscenities.  My mother went berserk.  I tried to explain to her that I didn't care to emulate the things she was rapping about, I just admired how bold and confident she was and how she defied the traditional standards that women were held to.  That explanation didn't work.      

Fast forward to now, and I still play the hell out of my theme song and the entire CD.  When I need to get pumped or when I feel like I've conquered something, I turn Queen B@$#H on and passionately rap every line.  On this day I shot these pictures, I needed something to get me going.  I put my song on while I was getting dressed and walked out the house like "WHAT?!"  

I guess you can kinda say that this outfit was inspired by Queen B@$#H.  When I turned the song on and started feeling the vibes, this is what I pulled out of my closet.

I got this vintage blazer from @shopvintagebowtique (Instagram boutique).  I love it because of the stripes and because of the shoulder pads.  I wanted to keep the blazer opened so I had to rock my bra as a top.  I threw on my men's Levis jeans to keep the outfit casual, and my Tamar Necklace to add some pizazz to the look. 

Have a bomb weekend everyone.  If you get discouraged about anything, just put your theme song on and boss up!  Happy Women's History Month!

“On a mission for the lucci creno.”

— Lil' Kim, Queen B@$#H

- Samjah Iman

Photo Credit: Majstudios@yahoo.com

A Shirt to You, A Dress to Me

Okay so this 90's vintage shirt (dress in my opinion) I'm sporting in these photos has been in my closet for years.  I felt it was time for her (the shirt/dress) to be seen again so I took it out for a spin.  I found it at a thrift boutique, and it was about $12 or so.  Thrift shopping is my life right now, and because of this addiction I'm saving money and looking good at the same time!  If you feel like you don't have the energy to go thrift shopping on your own (which a lot of people feel this way), no sweat.  They have boutiques that will do that for you.  Check out www.dotherightvintage.com and @shopvintagebowtique (Instagram boutique).  They have the best vintage treasures, and all you have to do is wait for them to find a item you like and purchase it.  Simple as that.       

On another note - I was listening to a TD Jakes sermon on Saturday morning (just a few hours after partying at Zulu and indulging in tasty libations - judge not), and he was touching on the mental aspect of life.  He was saying that you have to constantly feed yourself positive affirmations, and that you can't lose your head and let your emotions control your decisions or thought process when life happens.  This is something that I try to preach and practice often.  I do fall off at times because life does get hard.  However, I'm actively learning each and everyday that the more beautiful words I speak and the more positive things I believe, the more peace I have.  It's not about getting every blessing I've prayed for, it's about making the most out of everything I have already been blessed with and being confident that I will get all the things I need and more in due time.   

Keep your head to the sky my people.  It's all good.

- Samjah Iman

Photo Credit: Majstudios@yahoo.com

Nostalgic 90's

Watching the New Edition movie on BET had me all in my feelings.  I super miss the 90's!  Their music brought back so many childhood memories.  Can you believe that my friends and I crafted a whole dance routine to the song Poison?!  We practiced it everyday, and perfected the moves.  Every time we performed the dance, the entire neighborhood would gather around to watch.  It was just that dope!  We just knew we were headed for Video Soul (google it youngsters) lol.  Those were the days!   

Seeing the New Edition story inspired me to do a 90's look.  I had to pay homage (as I always do) to my favorite era.  Check out my look below.    

Unfortunately I do not have all the outfit details for this look because these are old threads I found in the back of my closet.  I can tell you, however, that the crop shirt came from American Apparel , the choker came from Intuition, the purse is from Urban Outfitters, and the vintage Levi jacket came from Etsy.  

Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes....I truly enjoyed my day.  Hope you all have a banging week! 

- Samjah Iman

Photo Credit: @twoclipz (Instagram)

The Peach Dress

I am really into this little number I'm wearing in the pictures above.  It's a convenient piece that can go with a lot of different looks.  I decided to pair it with some Steve Madden heels (old) and a classy, vintage purse from @shopvintagebowtique (Instagram boutique).  This is the perfect outfit for a dinner date or even an art gallery event.  It's comfortable and doesn't require much styling.  I received this dress from Tags Boutique.  Tags has some fly clothes for small and curvy women.  The clothes range from casual to dressy, and the prices are moderate.  There are definitely a few items on their site that I will be adding to my wardrobe.  So if you're looking for your next fly outfit or maybe even a Valentine's Day look, head over to their site asap.  If you find something you like (which you definitely will), use the code SAMJAHIMAN for 15% off! 

Happy shopping loves and have an awesome week!

- Samjah Iman

Photo Credit: Clipz (@twoclipz)

Flannel and Vizuals

Above and below is the outfit I sported to a pop up shop I was invited to this past weekend for Vizuals Clothing.  I threw on my Walmart Men's Flannel Shirt ($8!!), some cut-off shorts, my vintage purse (only $14!) from @shopvintagebowtique (Instagram Boutique), my Yankee cap, some fishnets, and my Steve Madden booties for this laid back event. 

Vizuals Clothing is a urban/streetwear men's line that women can also rock.  The line consists of denim jackets, long t-shirts, distressed jeans, etc.  The event was super cool.  The deejay was good, the chicken wings were even better, and the clothes were stylish.  See a few of my favorite looks from Vizuals below.        

The Xanx - $130.00

Sherpa Lined Denim Trucker Jacket - $135.00

Regime Suede Trucker Jacket- $70.00

For more information or to see more Vizuals Clothing click here. 

Have an awesome week everyone!  Hustle Hard!!!

- Samjah Iman

The Pink Tee

Style has everything to do with how you rock your attire, not with what your attire consists of.  I like having expensive threads, but I don't need them to feel stylish.  Most of my wardrobe is made up of t-shirts and distressed jeans.  I can wear a t-shirt with almost any look whether it be dressy, casual, sporty, or business.  The Cuffed Slub Knit Tee I'm wearing in this post only costs $8.90!  This shirt fits really good, and it will go with tons of looks.  Check it out below.     

I paired the tee with my H&M shorts that I cut myself, my Vague Steve Madden booties (found them at an outlet store), and of course one of my chokers from Intuition.  This entire outfit was under $100!  Fashion is even better when it's reasonably priced; don't you agree? 

Have a great weekend everyone.....tune out all of the negativity and concentrate on the positive! 

Peace,

- Samjah Iman

Photo Credit: Clipz (@twoclipz)

Broadway Swag

I went to see the Lion King Broadway Play in New Orleans.  It was beyond amazing!  I love theater and watching people perform.  I was in awe during the entire production.  Art is just absoultely beautiful. 

For the event, I decided to dress comfortable, yet nice.  I wanted to be simple with a touch of glam.  Check out my outfit choice below. 

I wore a crisp, white top from American Apparel and wide leg ASOS trousers (I purchased the tall fitting pants).  To fancy the look up, I added my vintage blazer from @shopvintagebowtique (Instagram Boutique), some rust colored chandelier earrings (old, similar pair here), and my gold clutch (old, similar one here). 

Lately I've been crazy busy, and I don't know if I'm coming or going!!  There was a time when my couch would be my excitement for the evening and weekend....boy have times changed.  My social calendar is out of this world these days, but I'm not complaining.  I always try to appreciate each phase of my life, because eventually - it will change. 

Peace and Blessings,

- Samjah Iman

The Generational Leather Pants

I got some leather pants for free.  I got them right out of my mother's closet.  Believe it or not, she purchased these leather pants when she was about 28 years old.  She tells the story of how she purchased them every time she sees me wearing them.  Momma was strolling through the mall one day and saw the leather pants displayed in a window.  She initially thought they were too expensive to purchase.  She went back again another day to find the pants still sitting pretty on display, waiting to go home with her.  So she swooped them up and kept on kicking.  Little did Momma know, those pants would be passed down to a daughter she didn't even have at the time: a daughter who would cherish those pants and rock the hell out of them too.

Y'all know I love to rock simple, but classic pieces.  So with this look, I wore my Not Your Dad's Hat from Intuition, my Fuzzy Cropped Sweater, and some classic black pumps.  When it comes to style, my motto is keep it simple and fierce.  

When you shop for quality threads you get your money's worth, and you'll have what you've purchased for years to come.  I can't wait to pass these pants on to my unborn daughter and tell her the story of how her grandmother purchased these pants and rocked the hell out of them - as did her mother.      

P.S. - Make sure you serve someone this weekend in honor of Dr. King.  You don't have to participate in some big MLK program or volunteer with a notorious non-profit organization. All you have to do is perform an act of kindness in his honor.  Happy King Holiday! 

- Samjah Iman

Sweaters and Situations

I read a quote the other day that simply stated, "Stop focusing on dumb shit."  This quote resonated with me.  I needed to be reminded of this.  After reading the quote, I quickly decided to really work hard on not over-thinking and giving my attention to stuff that won't even matter the next day.  I'm in the process of truly freeing myself (we will talk about this later), and I don't have time to sweat the small stuff or use much needed brain power on unimportant crap.  I'm on a certain type of journey right now, and this journey requires that I surround myself with peace, positive people, good energy, good food, and good outfits.  With that being written, check out my oversized sweater look below.             

I got this oversized sweater off the sale rack at Gap for $25 (sold out, similar here).  I usually don't shop in Gap that much anymore, but something told me to go in there and see what they had.  I walked in and went straight to the sale section, and this sweater was hanging up waiting to go home with me - so, I adopted it. 

I paired it with my over-the-knee boots from H&M, my Berkshire fishnet stockings, Urban Outfitters bag, two-toned leather gloves (sold out, similar here), my beanie, and my Slim Thick Black choker from Intuition.  I've learned over the past several months that chokers make any outfit edgy. I can put on a simple shirt, add my choker and boom - my outfit is elevated.  Chokers were definitely one of the best comeback trends in 2016. 

Check out more looks of my outfit below.   

FYI - I took all of these pictures in my new neighborhood ya'll!  (Yup, I'm overexcited).  The photos above and below were taken on my front porch.  I live in an historical New Orleans neighborhood, and I'm just in awe every time I pull up to my place.  There's so much inspiration right outside my front door, and it's exciting!  I've grown to appreciate antique houses/buildings, graffiti/street art, and quaint coffee shops/bars - and this area has a lot of all that.  I'm in love!   

I'm still getting settled in my new world, so forgive me for not blogging as much as I usually do.  I've been super busy learning my new area, rearranging stuff, laughing hard, eating everything in sight, and being lazy. :-)  However, it's time to get back to the business - I got people to see, moves to make, and things to do.  See you all again on here soon! 

Don't focus on dumb shit!

- Samjah Iman