Fringe x XMAS x Trap House 2

I've been sleeping, I've been sleeping...no, seriously I have been sleeping a lot lately these days. This year has flown by so fast, that I feel like the last two months was made for rest. I haven't been going out much or traveling, except my Chicago trip. Not even to Cali.

 

I am literally in bed typing this at 2:41AM Christmas Eve. I wrapped some gifts for the boys and eating fruit snacks. I was originally going to post this look on Wednesday, but I wanted you to be able to have something new to look at, while you sit around waiting for food on your granny couch.

 

Let's talk about gifts for a second. I purchased my boys pre-paid T-Mobile cell phones, since they always hoover over my shit asking "Can I play a game or watch a 3 hour movie?". This happens err day...in the house, car, grocery store. My data usage is 28427483640GB lol.

 

But it made me think about how old I was when I got my first cell phone.

Sequins x December Challenge

Hey all! I know it has been two weeks since I last posted anything, but it was the Holidays and I treated it as such. Spending time with family and slightly cup caking the past few weeks. Enough to bake a wedding cake. My photographer and I were also playing phone tag over the holidays. Since I said I will only post quality from now on, I patiently waited. 

I am excited for December because I collaborated with several other bloggers for a December Style Challenge. Each week there is a theme and we post our version of the theme on Wednesdays. 

 

Dior x Public Desire

Yo, Public Desire is showing out. I know it has been two weeks since my last post, but you will learn why on Wednesday. In the mean time, Public Desire has now become my top 5 online shoe stores. 

Ever since Dior debuted their patent leather boots with chunky perspex heel, I have been drooling. I knew I couldn't and would never spend the money for such artwork. It was just going to be that one heel that stayed on my wish list. 

Until now bih! 

Motto x Collard Shirt

 I just came back from Chicago and I want to just say plans and black people don't mix. I love my friends, but damn. I wasn't able to do anything I wanted to do or take many pics, but seeing them was worth it.

I just need to plan a trip to go without telling anyone until I check everything off my list first. I ended up even cutting the trip short. I figured an extra day to be at home and getting rest, was worth me cutting down the seconds before I could be home again.

White Fall x Killah Cam

This weekend was real, I didn't do much but my bed was so much fun. I swear I have the most fun alone or with just a few people that just chill. I am too sleepy to do anything else. I am a loner and I am fine with that.

I watched all of my shows I missed over the week and saw a mid grade scary movie. Also Mad Max was a really good movie, but weird as fuck. I watched if three times to understand it. Sober on my third attempt. Glad I rented it. I wish movies could be available to watch as they hit the theater.

HM X Balmain - 5 Reasons I Didn't Participate

I wrote this article two weeks ago, but decided not to post it because I didn't want to seem like a Debbie downer. After seeing multiple videos of females fighting over some damn polyester at H&M, I chose to share this article.

I will admit I was really excited about the whole Balmain and H&M collaboration, until I saw the official collection photos. Then I stumbled across the prices and thinking wtf. As much as I love collaborations, they are quite disappointing at times. I believe that this collaboration is one of the times I will not participate in for a few reasons. 

1. Quality 

Listen, I know I can’t expect the greatest quality, especially coming from H&M. They offer low prices and mid-grade quality clothing. Most of their shit is made from polyester and rayon, but they stay on trend and it’s a step up from Forever 21. 

Venice Beach x Starry Night

Halloween was lit for me this year. I don’t dress up anymore, but I had a lot of fun with the boys and some friends. Bought a silver tin foil wig and dipped out to California. My grandpa’s birthday is on Halloween, so we had a lot to celebrate. 

I thought trick or treating in the Cali suburbs was going to be better, but it was a bit weak. The houses in my neighborhood in Arizona give out king sized bars and a lot of variety. This neighborhood handed out small trinkets and craisans, which I took and ate by the way.

Thriller x Halloween

I am still recovering from the weekend. I had a house gathering that started as a game night, then birthday party, then house warming, then Halloween party. I have no idea how, but my friends and family are very random and all 20 of them showed up with a drink in their hand, so I didn't deny them. It was pretty fun and still feel hung over.

Halloween is a decent holiday, it kicks off all the start of the fatty holidays and what not. I already saw eggnog in the grocery store. If I didn't have children, Halloween would be just another day, like most holidays.

Don't Panic x Art District

I don't care if the high was 80 today, I put on my damn sweater. It's fall bih. Every blogger is out there putting on layers and boots lol, this is the best time of the year. While I sit here and stare at the palm trees like they owe me something. It is true about what they say getting used to your environment, you stop seeing the beauty in things.

At this point a vacation for me is going to Alaska. I am just so used to seeing Palm Trees, warm weather, humming birds, and the damn sun. I am not complaining, I promise. It's dope to be able to have all of that shit, but I would be nice to see a season and some black people.

Kanye West x Henny Cocktail

Ever since I started this blog, I wanted to do recipes and such. I am not a chef or anything, but thought it would be fun to try different recipes and share my experience with them. The actual real experience, even if it comes out looking like a kindergarten project. 

I decided to start small and see how my life could handle it. Starting with a cocktail recipe in honor of my best friend (in my head) Kanye West. I recently went to see him at the Arizona Summer Ends Festival. Along with Pusha T, Travis Scott, Vic Mensa, and Chance the Rapper. The show was dope, but the experience was a rough one. 

For those of you who don't already know, I am a die heart Kanye fan. Chicago at heart and he can never do me wrong lol. I choose Hennessy because my favorite outburst of his was when he showed up on the red carpet with a bottle of Henny and Amber Rose booty. 

Turtle Neck x Closet Cleanout x Wordpress

Heeeeeeeeeeeey!! To say that I missed typing in this beautiful white box is an understatement. The last time I typed anything here, I was spilling out my life and shit. I really wanted to wait until my new updates were complete, but turns out WordPress is a bit more complicated than I imagined. It is going to take me a little longer to get things organized in WordPress, so I decided to keep posting here until the transition. 

I will be updating this site here and there to help with the transition, so you will see slight changes. The break I took was much needed and I feel like I went on vacation. Blogging is life! I missed you all so much and it is finally cooling down to a reasonable temperature where I can now layer without burning in hell. 

During the time I was away, I went through a clothing cleanse. I woke up, took all my clothes off the hangers, and gave away 70% of it. Fuck it! It was getting cloudy in my closet and hard to focus on creativity. 

You remember that scene in waiting to exhale when Angela threw away all of that assholes clothes, then burned them in the end? 

 That was me! Except I was cussing at myself for hoarding so much shit. #getyoshit

Maintaining a Blog x Life x Open Letter

I know it has been some time now since I have posted an outfit or anything really. I have a few reasons for that and I promise you that I will get right back. I have worked so hard on this blog. I made it a main priority since I started it over a year ago. I was dealing with a bit of depression and lost myself two years back and decided to start a blog to create an escape and separate world for me.

When I stared the blog I didn't know what was going to become of it. I followed a few blogs before I decided to start my own. I woke up one morning and said "I am going to start a blog about my personal fashion and how to save money, while still looking cute" It took a few weeks to find a name, design, and photographer. I didn't really think about the future of it and how it would effect my life, but it felt good. It was a rush of excitement for me and something new to focus on.

I've been experimenting with post and looks to see what I like and what my followers enjoyed best. When I first started my blog I wanted to discuss life, art, travel, and food. Not thinking that I have to take time away from my everyday life to provide that. I put a lot of pressure on myself to post weekly and different days throughout the week. If I didn't I would scold myself for it.

I am a very private person when it comes to my life, yet I am very open and friendly. I am a people person, but I still stay guarded. Which made me think about my followers. I am open with people I meet regarding my life and a lot of people say I have a positive open energy about me. So why do I feel I need to be guarded when it comes to my blog or social media? In order for me to maintain my true reasoning for starting the blog in the first place is to be myself right?

I have been myself of course, but not my entire self on here.

I want to start off by saying I am a 28 year old mother of two amazing children. I am a daughter, granddaughter, an aunt, sister, niece, cousin, friend, an entrepreneur, an employee, and then I am Traci.

Mother's Day

I wake up everyday as a mother first at 5am. I get my children ready for school in the mornings, drop them off, go to work, pick them up, help them study, then I study, cook dinner, then I blog. That is a smooth day. This doesn't count when they are sick or I am sick or stopping my day to be the many other things that I am today. I wear several mask to get through the day.

I am a "single" mother who had children at a very early age. I had my first when I was 18 and my second at 21. I always hated the term "single mother" I never really understood it. I am still trying to justify the use of it. I never stopped to say "I am a single mother, how will I get things done today?" I just wake up and do it and I like it best that way. I don't have time to stop and ask someone "How are you dealing with today?" because I am dealing with it. I am working on that by the way.

 I have had help from my mother and father mainly from the time I gave birth to the time I am typing this now. Everything I do is for my children and they are the most prized possession that I own. Which is why I never shared them with you all. I felt that by sharing my prized possession, it gave room for negative energy.

In L.A. picking up things for my store

The blog was actually created around them. The name Just Mariklo is me and my two children names combined. 9 times out of 10 they are with me when I am taking pictures and sometimes behind the camera. They are even in the reflection of some photos that I posted on here. Sometimes I feel bad that I am dragging them along with me, but other times I am happy to give them the experience. They travel with me most of the time when I go out of town, even for fashion week. I cut my schedule up to be a mother and show them things in between.

I have always been a busy person. I've been working cubicle desk jobs since I gave birth to my oldest. It was always good money to maintain my life, but I just watched my life go by daily staring at a grey cubicle wall. My kids also suffered because they sit in school or child care for ten hours a day waiting for me, then to have to sit longer and wait for me while I take a photo of my outfit.

So, I had to change some things around to fit my passion, work, school, and kids into my everyday life. Which is why I haven't posted in two weeks. I had to take a step back to figure out how to make that happen. To figure out how to still be Traci and these other things. To be able to still provide content to my readers and be more transparent with you.

I want to inspire people beyond with just my clothes. I also want to be able to show you guys the struggle behind everything that I do. We tend to share just the glitter of life instead of the back end. I don't want people to ever come to my blog, Instagram, Tumblr or whatever and say "I wish I could do that, why can't my life be this way?". We all do it. That is just a negative mindset and I don't want to be the cause of anyone's negative thoughts.

Right before photos I took last year

I also want people to truly understand the hard work that I put behind this blog and the things I have to give up each time I post something. I love doing this and want to continue to do it, but I want to do it better. I want to maintain it better and I want to post the things that actually mean something to me that is worth me staying up late or taking time away from my children.

I want my children to be able to see why mommy is taking time away from them. I want my family and friends to have a positive place to go to. I will still post about fashion and majority of my content will remain that way, but I need to get back to why I started the blog in the first place.

I went part time at work to give me more time to be a mother, daughter, friend, blogger, etc. I have 100 goals and I want to accomplish them all. I want to be able to not have to clock in at a "job" and give my all to my children and myself.

Many people see bloggers as local rappers handing out their CD's in the parking lot LOL, but it is more to that. It is a lot of work and I just want my followers to stick around and be patient with me while I figure this life out. I want you to follow me as I do it and possibly help each other figure it all out.

California for Christmas

I am redesigning the blog in the upcoming weeks and moving platforms. I will try to post things and looks in the meantime, but please just be patient. I decided to write this because I was feeling down and out, caught in a funk of "why am I doing this and does this matter". I was feeling uninspired and felt like a sheep in a herd, but I am not a sheep and refuse to be.

I know this is a lot and I will end it here. Just make sure that you always remain yourself in anything that you do in life. I feel like a weight is lifted off of my shoulders and I can now be Traci. I am very thankful for having such positive family, friends, and support group behind me. I am thankful to have met so many new friends along the way, that I know I wouldn't of met if I didn't have this blog. It has pushed me to do more things alone and find positive people along the way.

Thank you for being supportive and I can't wait to see the new version of the blog.

XOXO

Traci Mari Smith

New York Fashion Week S/S 2016

New York Fashion Week is finally here. I am keeping up on all shows and sharing my favorite runway and street style looks. You can catch live video feeds and play backs now on NYFW.com. BCBG is always the first brand to kick off the shows. Watch them live now here. 

Happy Fashion Week!! 

Prints x Family

I am going to make this short hopefully because family members came into town, surprisingly, for the week. Plus I started school this week, so I made my family and homework a priority. 

Family is the most important thing in my life, next to breathing. The last time I saw a them was years ago, so we are catching up, while I show them the city. I even tried to take a few pics the other day to post today, but went out with my family instead. I usually put my work and things first, but I think I have worked really hard for myself and sometimes a week of not posting won't hurt. 

If you guys love me enough *insert smiley here* lol. 

So that brings me to this look. I dug around in the archives that didn't make the cut for various reasons. This was the only one that I didn't entirely hate and that didn't need much lighting edits. I love the look, but I didn't like the way the top was fitting or how I wore it. 

Tumblr Inspirations

Now that I am over my rant and my face heals, I wanted to give a little bit of fashion this week. Fashion week is a week away and I am looking forward to the shows and street style. I get a lot of inspiration from street style looks. It reminds me to just be myself and stop restricting my creative mind. 

So until then, get into some of my favorite Tumblr inspirations this week.

Vitamin B12 Rant

This week has been slightly stressful for me. I am aging and climbing up to that 20 hill.  My local pharmacy had a sale for buy 1 get 1 free on vitamins. Of course I am like "well I am and it is a sale, so why not try vitamins every day to help slow down the aging process." Did I mention I have high levels of anxiety and make small matters into large ones? LOL...I purchased over $100 worth of vitamins, including large containers of B12. 

Ever since my schedule at work changed, I find myself drinking tons of energy drinks. Which is why I decided to start taking B12 supplements. That was last Monday and my face started breaking out a little. It has been getting worse by the day. To the point where I haven't left the house besides work and of course food. 

I didn't change my face routine, eating habits, and even started drinking a gallon of water a day to cleanse my system. It didn't once dawn on me that Vitamins could be the issue. I mean they are vitamins right? They should all be great for you. My friend Ashley suggested that the Vitamins could be the cause of it, since it was the only routine that I have changed, ever since my face cleared up a few months back. 

Camouflage x Tomboy

I swear the men's department is looking better and better every time that I try to shop. These fast track shopping centers are pushing out the same shit and the same horrible quality clothing. Making it very difficult for women who want to create their own lane and stay on a budget. It is quite depressing and that is why you will always find me in a thrift store. 

This look is surprisingly not thrifted, but I did have to get a bit creative. I walked in not knowing what I was going to leave with. I just knew I wanted to create a casual summer to fall look, without looking like another damn blogger. I haven't had time to make it to my normal thrift stores, so I tried to make do.

The fact that these pants were sitting in the men's department for only $12, made me knees weak. I just though about Aaliyah and wanted to sing "Back back back and fourth..." LOL.

Target x Aldo

You are probably thinking "where the hell are your outfits and post bih?". I know I am slacking, but if it was up to me I would post a look every day. I know y'all tired of me preaching about how hot it is, but it was 117 this weekend. It broke a previous record of 113, tragic. I had to wait for temps to drop to 105 today, so I can capture a look and post tomorrow. 

I did find out over the weekend that Aldo is teaming up with Target for a small fall collection called A+. The collection will feature shoes, purses, and accessories.   

 Prices will range from $25 to $54.

Blazer x Daisy Dukes

It's Friday..."fool where Craig at?" Remember the scene in Friday where Craig's girlfriend pulled up and jumped out of the car with her daisy dukes on? The song playing in the background was 2 live crew hoochie mama. I swear its been stuck in my head since I put this look together. Except I don't have dookie braids and long ass nails to match my attitude. 

I do have a blazer and my dope ass D.I.Y. lace up heels though. I thought I lost these heels and found them after going through some of my rubber maid bins last night. Found my white blazer too. It was a gold mine in there. I wonder what my winter storage looks like?

Summer is closing and Falls is approaching. I am excited and have looks that are on reserve waiting in the cut like a Drake mixtape. So, I guess I will just where the hell of out my summer looks until that moment approaches. 

Leather Skirt x Sunset

This weekend was lit, meaning I stayed in bed until Sunday, right before brunch. I woke up Saturday morning and felt like a cold was coming. My throat was hurting and I couldn't breathe out of my nose. I bought $25 worth of shit to make whatever it was, go away. Teas, herbs, Day, Noon, and Nyquil. 

They make a tea called "Throat Coat" that helps soothes sore and scratchy throats. Since I am a person who loves tea, I grabbed it without hesitation. After I brewed it, I realized it had licorice root in it! It was like drinking a big ass hot mug of black licorice. The worse experience ever and it cost $7. 

Anyway, I took Nyquil and slept for 24 hours, I am now back to normal. Went to brunch on Sunday, held a big snake, and got tipsy off of cheap champagne right before it stormed. 

Top & Shirt: Goodwill; Moto Jacket: H&M; Clutch: Top Shop; Heels: Steve Madden; Sunglasses: Dior; Rings: Nordstrom Rack

Artist Spotlight - Tonyin Odutola

I know you are tired of me saying it is hot here and thinking "you live in the desert..." blah blah, but it is. It is very very hard to provide great photos and outfits when you have an extreme heat advisory for the past 3 days. The highest temperatures reaching 116.

 I tried my hardest to provide looks this week, but it just didn't happen. I cannot wait for it to cool down again. I already planned several looks to capture early morning tomorrow and serve them on a platter for you all. 

In the mean time, lets get into some dope ass art. I truly believe this next artist is better than any look I would've provided anyway. 

 

I first spotted Tonyin's work scrolling through my Tumblr dashboard. I just saw black men and women constructed into works of art. The colors and strokes she used to highlight our best features were impeccable.

Then I found out that most of her work is created by chalk and ballpoint pens.