Stylish Sundays

It's Stylish Sundays and I wanted to share with you all this awesome, Von Dutch pinstripe Twill jacket that I had bought at a vintage shop a few months ago! It was definitely a great find because I don't think they make 'Von Dutch' items anymore. If you've never heard of Von Dutch, here's a quick history lesson for ya!

During the mid-fifties, Kenny Howard, a motorcycle mechanic found a way to use pinstriping, a form of freehand painting of fine lines in a symmetrical motif; as a way to customize hot rods and motorcycles. He used this type of art style as a form of expression and as a way to popularize and create a certain type of look and lifestyle called Kustom Kulture. 

"These 'pinstripes' were a distinctive feature of 1950's bodywork in the USA, and over time have become a traditional ingredient of Kustom Kulture."

Kustom Kulture is a movement that spread throughout the US and brought together the whole culture of hot rodding, rockabilly music, customized automobiles and pin ups. It reflected a certain type of style that Kenny Howard reflected through his artistry. Overtime, he had become a successful pinstriper, customizing and painting all kinds of vehicles that he gave himself the name "Von Dutch", which means "stubborn as a Dutchman." Pretty cool huh?

I remember when I was in middle school, people in school started wearing Von Dutch items like the trucker hats with his signature flying eye ball logo as well as t-shirts and leather wallets. There was also a Von Dutch store at the mall which was pretty neat...

Anyways, back to the jacket! I love the unique way the pinstripe look throughout the jacket and the way it is finely embroidered front and back. The twill material is sturdy and easy to wear.Also, the combination of red, white, and blue go really well together. It's these little details that make it look even more authentic. Although this is originally a men's jacket, it was a perfect fit. I thought it would be pretty fun to style it up and see how I could wear it!

For my outfit: I went with a simple, black, band shirt, a pair of blue Dickie jeans and of course my favorite pair of shoes, Chuck Taylors. I think the jacket made a statement for itself so I didn't wanna over-do it with the outfit. Plus, I felt kinda like a greaser girl with my hair up in a pompadour and my jeans cuffed at the bottom. Grease Lightening!!!

Who knew wearing a vintage Von Dutch jacket would be so much fun and bring back many memories! What's your favorite vintage piece you've found!?

*Facts courtesy of http://www.vondutch.fr/en/

Until next time!

From LA, With Luv

Fati <3

Frida is my Homegirl! Halloween Inspiration

Happy belated Halloween everyone! I hope everyone had a spooktacular time, I know I did! For some reason, this Halloween was a tough one for me. I couldn't decide what I wanted to be. People would ask me, "So Fatima, what are you planning on being this Halloween?" and I simply didn't know. I remember I had told my boyfriend one day that I wanted to be Batgirl and then the following day I told him that I had decided to be Selena... oh, the struggle (nah just kidding!). 

But seeing how I'm learning to live on a budget and didn't wanna spend a ton of money on a costume that I probably wouldn't wear until next Halloween, I decided to search through my closet and on Google to see what I could put together. And without a doubt, Frida Kahlo was my inspiration! :)

You're probably asking yourself, Who is Frida Kahlo and why is she important to know? 

Here are a few fun facts about her:

• Frida Kahlo is remembered for her self-portraits, pain and passion, and bold, vibrant colors. She is celebrated in Mexico for her attention to Mexican and indigenous culture(s) and by feminists for her depiction of the female experience and form.  

• At the age of 6, Frida contracted polio which affected the use of her right leg. It made it weaker and smaller than her left so she wore long skirts to cover it. She was also involved in a tragic accident while on the bus where she suffered serious injuries and had to be in a full body cast for three months. 

• While her recovery, Frida began to paint as a way to cope with the pain and immobility. This is where she began to paint her first series of self-portraits.

• In total, Frida Kahlo has made about 143 paintings, 55 which are self-portraits.

• Frida is the wife of Mexican painter and muralist, Diego Rivera. 

I didn't choose to dress up as Frida Kahlo because it was an easy costume to put together, I chose Frida because of the beauty she portrayed through her paintings and drawings. A few of the things that caught my attention as I skimmed through Frida's self-portraits were the different types of clothing and outfits she wore in order to hide her surgical scars. She wore a variety of finely embroidered Tehuana blouses and dresses to show her appreciation and influences in la cultura indigena (Indigenous Mexican culture). She also wore long skirts, corset-style tops, boots, bold-colored jewelry, and of course her signature flowers in her hair. 

Below are some of the items I was able to find and put together!

Outfit: For the outfit I had wore a Tehuana dress that I found at Goodwill a few months ago. I paired it with a pair of army green jeans and black booties from H&M. 

Accessories: I wore my black and gold tassel earrings that I bought at a local store in Lincoln, Nebraska called The Black Market Clothing and combined it with a black and gold necklace. Since I didn't have time to make a flower crown I made a quick trip to Walgreens and bought one for $2.00. But if you want to make a flower crown, there are a lot of neat tutorials on Youtube or Pinterest to check out. And as for the scarf and the red flowered necklace, those I had for a while. One of my friend's let me borrow the book and paint brush.

I wore this costume to work on Thursday and everyone loved it! One of my co-workers had nominated me to be part of the company costume contest and guess what!? I won!! 

I had a great time putting this costume together and learning more about Frida Kahlo! 

Who is your costume inspiration!?

*Frida Kahlo facts courtesy of Fridakahlo.org

From LA, With Luv

Fati <3

Fall Fun At Vala's Pumpkin Patch

If you were to ask me what my favorite season is and why? I would tell you it is fall because I love seeing the different colors on the leaves and the way they change from being bright green to different types of reds, browns, and oranges. I also love the smell of apple and pumpkin pies being baked and the delicious aroma of pumpkin spiced lattes being brewed from nearby coffee shops. It's an amazing time to be around and experience it all in the good ol' Midwest.

One of the cool things about living in the Midwest is being able to check out the different pumpkin patches and corn mazes there are. In the spirit of Halloween and in celebration of fall, my boyfriend and I decided to take a spontaneous adventure to check out Vala's Pumpkin Patch which is located 24 minutes out of Omaha in a town called Gretna.

Vala's Pumpkin Patch kinda reminds me of Knott's Berry Farm (a theme park located in Buena Park, California) in a way because of all the old fashioned decorations such as old stagecoaches, barns, and people dressed up as outlaws and cowboys. There is also a wide range of activities to do with the family such as corn mazes, pony rides, a petting corral, apple slingshot and pumpkin air cannon, Pigtucky Derby pig races, and much more. There are also little shops located throughout the farm where you can buy locally made jams, jellies, candy, and kettle popcorn which is simply delicious!

As we walked throughout the farm, we spotted this giant Teepee made out of cornhusks, it was pretty awesome to see. I wonder how long it took to make!

We even visited the petting corral and got to feed a camel. Guess what day it is!? I don't think he got the joke. :)

I thought this pumpkin would be pretty light to carry but nope! It was pretty heavy. 

Waiting for the witch to come back to cast a spell!

You know, just us having fun!

Our time at Vala's was pretty amazing! There were so many things to see and do that we didn't realize what time it was. My favorite part of the day was spending time with my boyfriend and trying out some refreshing apple cider after a long day of walking and doing activities!

If you haven't had a chance to stop by Vala's, not to worry they will be open from now till the end of October!

For tickets and information:
http://www.valaspumpkinpatch.com/

Until next time!


From LA, With Luv
Fati <3

On The Streets: Cultural Awareness at the Bancroft Street Market

As many of you know, the month of September is known as National Hispanic Heritage Month. It's a month dedicated to celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors migrated from different parts of Latin America such as Spain, Mexico, Central and South America, and areas surrounding the Caribbean. 

It's also a month filled with festivities and community events that bring people together to understand more about the Latin American culture and its contributions to the United States.

In celebration, I attended a Latin American art exhibition that took place at the Bancroft Street Market located in South Omaha, this past week. It was put together by local student artists such as Hugo Zamorano, Gerardo Vazquez and Alma Becerrill Salas in partnership with the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) at the University of Nebraska, Omaha. They created a two week exhibition and conversation event to not only provide a supportive outlet for Latin artists and spread awareness, but with the hope of growing the art community in South Omaha. 

Hugo Zamorano- a current art student at the University of Nebraska, Omaha- mentioned the importance of creating this event that he and his colleagues have been working on these past few months. In a recent newsletter written by the University of Nebraska, Omaha, he says, "There is a lot of untapped potential that never really translates into talent after high school." The majority of the people living in South Omaha are originally from Mexico and/or other parts of Latin America and are considered low-income. There are barriers such as language, economic stability, education, etc. that make it difficult for families to overcome. With this event, Zamorano, Vazquez, and Salas hope to continue creating opportunities like this for young Latin artists who contribute to and enrich the community as they shed light on their abilities and experiences.  

"Nebraska Murica"- by Bart Vargas

While I walked around the gallery looking at the different art pieces, I noticed that this event brought in people of various races and ethnicities, and it was a way to spread a message of cultura (culture), fuerza (strength), and unidad (unity). From my experiences living in Omaha for two years, I've had the chance to meet people from various backgrounds and learn more about their stories and experiences of migrating to the United States and coming to Omaha. I am beginning see that South Omaha is like a giant melting pot of cultures, languages, traditions, talents, and much more. It feels great to be apart of something that is creating an impact now and in the future. 

Overall, this event has pushed me to continue appreciating my own culture and other people's cultures and to speak out about it through art, poetry, or even just sharing about it with a friend, because it's something to be proud of!

 "My Mama Told Me"- by Alma Becerrill Salas

Artwork by Reymar Barrera

"Center for Worker Justice" by- Fidencio Martinez Perez

For more information on upcoming events at the Bancroft Street Market, check out their website:

http://bancroftstreetmarket.com/

Check out the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies newsletter as mentioned above:

http://www.unomaha.edu/news/2015/06/homepage/service-learning-in-the-community.php

From LA, With Luv

Fati <3

With Motivation You Can do Anything!

It was 6:45 in the morning when my boyfriend dropped me off in front of TD Ameritrade Park. This was where the starting point of the Omaha Marathon was going to take place, in the heart of downtown. There were tons of people gathered, who were stretching and getting their I-Pod playlists ready for the marathon to start. I felt a rush of nervousness and excitement, because I had been training for this event for the past few months and the day was finally here. As I started stretching I spotted a woman dressed up in a banana suite and tutu getting ready for the race. I thought her outfit looked so cool that I just had to take a picture with her! 

As the speaker gave a few words and thanked everyone for coming out on such an early day, the National Anthem began.

"1 minute left" came through the loud speaker and with a BANG!, the marathon began.

At first it was hard to move since everyone was in a tight-knit spot trying to get through the starting line, but all of a sudden the pace started to pick up and people started jogging and running: Some alone, some with partners. I kinda wished I had someone to run with or talk to as I ran but I had my handy dandy headphones and Pandora playlist as my companions for this adventure. 

As we passed through the downtown area and into the neighborhoods, I saw groups of family members, friends, nieces and nephews standing and waving on each sidewalk as runners ran by. I felt the rush of excitement as they all cheered, yelling out, "You can do it!" or "Great job stranger!" There is something about someone holding a funny poster like the one below, that makes you wanna keep going. 

As I reached the half-marathon turn around and started heading back to the downtown area, I felt a sudden urge to stop because my legs were starting to get tired. I kept telling myself, "you're almost there" or "you can't stop now, you gotta keep going" to keep me motivated. The only times that I found myself stopping was when I had to tie my shoe, so that was pretty impressive. 

From afar I could see the buildings of Downtown Omaha which made me happy because I was almost to the finish line. People were still outside of their homes cheering as runners were making their way back. I started to smile because I got to see one of my old co-workers and my boyfriend cheering for me. It made me really happy.

As I approached the downtown area, towards TD Ameritrade Park I noticed that I had picked up my pace and started running faster. I could see more and more people crowding around the entrance of the stadium clapping their hands and taking pictures as we each entered the gates and into the stadium. As I looked up I could see runners being displayed on the jumbo-tron as they entered the finished line. A few moments after, I did, too! With a big hooray, I had made it through!

Overall, I had an amazing experience! I can honestly say that I am proud of myself and the hard work that I had done in keeping myself motivated. I know it wasn't easy training myself and I know there were times where I just didn't want to run anymore because I felt tired or got lazy, but one of the lessons that I learned through this experience was that you can't give up. With the helpful advice from previous runners and running various distances every week, I was able to do it!

What has been your most memorable marathon?

From LA, With Luv

Fati <3

Stylish Sundays

Happy Sunday everyone!

I can't believe we are already on our third week of September! Time flies when you're having fun...or busy working. I have been working on a few side projects for my full time and part time jobs these past few weeks that I have not had a chance to write, so I do apologize for the delay! But I hope to update you all on what I've been up to soon!

In more recent news, New York Fashion Week is underway and designers are uncovering and showcasing their Spring/Summer 2016 collection(s). It's an exciting time in the fashion world, because this event happens twice a year. Not only do we get to see what's in store for the upcoming spring and summer seasons, but we also get to see some of the chicest and boldest street-style outfits there are. And since I can't be there....well why not celebrate this Sunday in style with an outfit of the day!

A little bit about my outfit: I'm not going to lie, it's been kinda hard trying to find clothing that would go well with my 80's like mini jacket but I am happy I finally got to wear it with my slim-fit, military green, pants from H&M and a red Mock Me Not Marled Tank from Rue 21! 

If you have a patterned jacket with lots of colors like this one, I would stick to solid colored shirts/blouses like red, black, gray, or white depending on the colors on the jacket and either black jeans or a colored pant.

Stay connected and check out the latest fashion trends for the upcoming season(s) and street-style fashion at: 

http://www.vogue.com/fashion/street-style/

http://nyfw.com/

From LA, With Luv

Fati <3

Stylish Sunday with Rocksbox

There's something about receiving a package in the mail that makes us feel special. It's seeing your name on the mailing label and the thought that someone has sent you something that makes it an exciting experience.

This past week I received my second Rocksbox jewelry box. Since I had received my first Rocksbox box not that long ago, I was excited to see what they had sent me this time! 

When I opened my box, I was shocked with happiness to see a cute, little, note with my name on it and a warm heart-felt message from my stylist about the 3 items she picked for me. It's the little things that make us smile! :)

Below are a few items they sent me accompanied with my outfit of the day!

I LOVE this necklace!

I love how each Rocksbox box is personalized to fit your style and everyday needs. They really take into account your 'likes and dislikes' and send you items that are a great match! 

Sign-up today to be a 'Shine Insider' and use my code pocketfulloffunshinexoxo to receive your own Rocksbox and your first month free! 

Feel special all day, everyday!

From LA, With Luv

Fati <3

Jewelry 'On Fleek' with Rocksbox

As we all know, Back-To-School is all about shopping for new clothes and accessories for the new school year! If you're into the latest fashion trends in jewelry or in need of a cute statement necklace to complete an outfit, then Rocksbox is the place for you!

Rocksbox is a member-based subscription service that is transforming the way women buy jewelry. As an exclusive member, Rocksbox gives you unlimited access to their insider closet where you can rent up to 3 pieces of designer jewelry for only $19/month.

Each piece is carefully hand-selected by your own personal stylist based on your style and everyday needs. You can also purchase items that are sent to you in your Rocksbox or on your wishlist!

From my personal experience, I love the items my stylist picked out for me because they are items I can use everyday, on any occasion. 

Below are a few pieces I used for my Outfit of the Day!

As a Shine Insider you'll be able to get unlimited access to designer jewelry right to your doorstep! Simply go to https://www.talkable.com/x/g5CWAg and use promo code: pocketfulloffunshinexoxo to get your very own personalized Rocksbox and get your first month FREE!

Follow Rocksbox anywhere you go!

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From LA, With Luv

Fati <3