The “Clog Blog”

Hey Y’all! I’m so excited to share what I’ve been working on the past couple of days. This Summer I have been trying to be intentional about immersing myself in the life around me, rediscovering hobbies that make me feel good and exploring my creative side. I stumbled upon some viral clogs that people were putting patches on from Five Below and it inspired me to customize some clogs. However, I didn’t want them to look like everyone else’s, so I searched on TikTok & went to Hobby Lobby and looked around in hopes of inspiration. I ended up seeing these inclusions on the wall at the store and they were on sale for 50% off, so I had to get them! I’ve always wanted to try meticulous craft projects like bedazzling my grad cap or diamond painting, so this was right up my alley. The process for the “Candy Rain” Clogs was easy with the E-6000 glue and actually was kind of therapeutic. It was nice to relax, listen to music or hang out with my sister and place the inclusions one-by-one. As for the crochet clogs, I wanted something similar to patches, but I wanted it crochet. I saw some super cute granny square clogs that I loved and they also inspired me to use crochet circle patches and turn them smiley faces. That ended up not looking how I imagined and I ended up pivoting into filling the whole shoe in with yarn and that’s how we ended up where we are.

I decided to do something a little different this time and record mini tutorials with voice-overs, so you guys could see the process.

The supplies you will need are as follows:

Tweezers

To place the inclusions and mold the yarn. Try to fit the inclusions in as tight as you can without shifting it, so it’s less see-through gaps.

E-600 Fabric Glue

To lay inclusions and yarn. Be mindful the packaging on this product says “possible cancer agent”, so an alternative may be better suited for you. If you do use it, I recommend doing it outside or with a window open or maybe a mask. Always read labels.

Clogs

I got mine from $5 below because I didn’t want to get expensive ones and mess them up, but you can get them from wherever.

Inclusions

I am so curious about what their actual purpose is like what do people use them in? Anyways, I got these from Hobby Lobby on sale for 5.49 a pack.

Brush

Paintbrush, Makeup Brush etc it doesn’t matter. You just need to have a brush you can use to spread the glue out as evenly as possible. I used an old makeup brush, then my sister’s old nail brush once that once crusted up with glue and became immobile.

Yarn (Mine is from Hobby Lobby because they always have a sale on yarn, I believe it was around $4 a pack. We love a good bargain over here. This is my preferable size yarn, but you can get whatever size you want, larger yarn will probably take less time and be more fluffy.

Lastly, you’ll need patience. The process is tedious and time-consuming, but it is a lot of fun as long as you are patient with yourself.

The “Candy Rain” Clogs took me around 6-8 hours, it went by fast though, so I’m honestly not sure.

As for the Crochet Clogs, my sister made the circles because she’s more advanced at crochet than me and they took her like an hour max to make all of them. I used the Inclusions to make smiley faces and that took probably 10-15 minutes. Laying the yarn felt like it took FOREVER because that other fabric glue I used was like the texture of glue and not keeping the yarn in place. I should’ve stuck with the E-6000, but the possible cancer agent warning kinda freaked me out lol. It only took about five hours to do both shoes though.

Overall, I would do this again. I want to make some more right now and I have some new ideas, so this might be a recurring thing. Thanks for reading/watching, I hope yu enjoy the tutorials and let me know if it was helpful and if you enjoyed this blog!

TH

(Please excuse the smacking, omg, who raised me?? lol)

Let’s Talk Shapewear

Before I start, I have to say you can do whatever you want. Wear whatever you want. If you want every line in your pants and every roll in your back to be seen in your clothes, that is your prerogative. This post is strictly for the girls who are open-minded, who really may not know about shapewear or those who are curious about adding shapewear to your looks.

I feel like shapewear has this weird stigma around it. I’ve noticed that there are a lot of misconceptions about shapewear, like the fact that people think you have to be fat to wear shapewear. Which is absolutely untrue, in my opinion everyone needs a good pair of spanx, big or small. A lot of people don’t even know what shapewear is and think it’s the same as a waist trainer which it's not.

Shapewear is defined as underwear that fits tightly and is designed to make the body look thinner by smoothing out and holding in areas that are out of shape. However, shapewear has many different purposes depending on the individual. You can wear shapewear under see-through clothes to cover yourself, you can wear shapewear to smooth out your panty-line (or any lines that you don’t want visible) in your clothes, you can wear shapewear to help your clothes fit better, you can wear it to help your butt sit up, you can wear shapewear to control your “jiggle” and you can of course wear it to smooth out rolls, cellulite etc. 

Shapewear is not one-size fits all. You can buy one that just comes to your belly button, another that is in the shape of panties, another that comes from the end of your bra to mid-thigh or even one with cut-outs if you want to show skin. Shapewear comes in different materials as well, you can try one that has more breathable material and is less constricting for covering lines and making your clothes no longer see-through. Or the alternative you can buy shapewear made of more constricting material to suck you in and reduce the appearance of cellulite and rolls.

I think all bodies are beautiful and should be celebrated, but if you are someone who may have insecurities about fat that you have, this is a way to be confident, comfortable and experimental in the things you wear. Also all that jiggling in your clothes can take away from your outfit. You may want somebody to see how cute your dress is, but all they notice is that every part of you jiggles as you walk in that dress. It doesn’t mean the dress isn’t cute or that you aren’t gorgeous, it just may be magnifying things you may not necessarily want to draw attention to. Also, seeing your underwear lines through your clothes is kind of tacky, especially in dresses. I shouldn’t be able to point out that you have on blue cookie monster panties because you bought biker shorts for $1 off of TEMU. Or maybe you don’t want your stomach talking back to you in that dress you really want to wear out. Sometimes, shapewear makes the difference in your clothes fitting right, it may allow the dress to hug your body just right and accentuate your curves.

I used to wear my shapewear to feel more confident in more form-fitting stuff and less like I have to suck in (sometimes I still do), but now I wear it more-so to keep me warm in the colder months kind of like a tank top or just so you don’t see the lines in my clothes and to keep everything in place, sometimes clothes shift as the day goes on and this is a way to minimize that. 

My favorite places to shop for shapewear include Dillards, Spanx, Skims, and Target. You can get them from anywhere and the prices vary, but you can find good shapewear for any wear from $20-$60 or more. 

Now that we know what shapewear is and its many purposes, now it’s time to talk about what NOT to do. Of course, this is just my opinion based on my real-life experiences and hearing many, many conversations, but do not wear shapewear as outerwear. I know it’s tempting to show off that shape in that shapewear bodysuit you got from skims, but that’s not its purpose. It can come off really cheap and tacky. Instead find clothes with shapewear built-in if that’s the look you desire. Do not buy the wrong size. If it’s too tight it can have the opposite of the desired effect and be uncomfortable and emphasize bulges or leave marks. Do not put it on over your head. Instead step into it and be patient as it may take you a little time to pull it up, similar to pantyhose. Don’t wear it to bed. I feel like this is obvious, but shapewear is not sleepwear and wearing shapewear to bed can have negative health effects over time. Lastly, do not expect a transformation. Shapewear can only work with what you got, so please don’t expect an entirely new shape and build off of one pair of spanx. It may take two (lol). 

But seriously, please understand that you are beautiful and worthy of love regardless of whether you wear shapewear or not, because it is easy to get addicted to seeing a version of yourself that may not be fully “real” and in turn you get comfortable with masking insecurities, instead of doing the work to either love them or change them. Love who you are naturally and understand that shapewear is just to enhance the beauty that’s already present. Also you shouldn’t be embarrassed to wear shapewear, if more people wore it we would be better off. Nobody is going to automatically think you're insecure if you wear it or that you're “hiding” something, or that you are ‘cat-fishing’ (people who think like that don’t even really know what shapewear is) and if they do WHO CARES. You have to make decisions for yourself, decisions that will allow you to show up in the world as the most productive, confident version of you. People lose millions of dollars every year behind insecurities you know nothing about. Everyone is insecure about something, don’t allow your insecurities to hinder you if there are solutions. And shapewear is not just for insecure people! 

TH

Thanks for reading! Have you noticed any stigma around shapewear? What are your thoughts on wearing shapewear? Let me know your thoughts in the comments or submit something anonymously under “Full Disclosure”!

Discovering Your Authentic Style: Embracing Modesty in Confidence

On my journey of self-discovery, I realized that you can’t find your personal style if you don’t know who you are. If you’re not sure of who you are, everything you wear will never look like ‘you’. You’ll find yourself looking just like everyone else, with no individuality. 

Growing up I spent a lot of time at church. When you go to church you are supposed to dress up, have your hair done, nails clean and always look nice and polished. Outside of church, I was always taught to look presentable and “look like I cared about myself”, so that consists of things like no bonnets in public, always putting on lotion etc. These were the parameters that I found my own style within. 

My parents always encouraged us to develop our own individual relationship with God and to keep individuality at the forefront, for us, the worst thing you could do is try to be like everyone else. I had to first define myself on my own terms in order to find my own style. I realized that my style isn’t one size fits all (here comes that duality I mentioned in ‘Boxes”) and that you have to measure yourself based on your own standards. Don’t be covered up because grandma said it wasn’t right or don’t show more skin because your homegirl told you it’ll get that boy you’ve been looking at. Figure out who you are & your why and present yourself accordingly. I hold myself to a high standard and a part of that for me is being mindful of what I display. When you define yourself on your own terms it is so much easier to decide what is okay to wear & what’s not. It’s so much easier to feel confident in what you wear when you aren’t weighed down by the expectations of others. I am a believer, so a major part of my identity is serving God and serving others. Obviously in church you are taught to be modest, but outside of church; modesty became more important to me because it allowed me to represent myself in a way that encourages respect, a way that reflected who I am internally and in a way that God would be pleased. 

Presentation is everything. Humans are naturally created to be physical. How you look is the first message you convey to people before you even open your mouth. Everything you wear sends a message. It was important for me to convey a message that is reflective of who I am. 

When it comes to style, I feel like one of the major components is timing. Knowing when to wear what is a major key to elevating your personal style. When I go to church I don’t wear the same thing I would wear on campus because the environment is different, I consider each space I enter and dress according to what’s appropriate for that environment. If my goal was to convince people to support my (imaginary) veneer business, I shouldn’t have a broken smile. It’s the same thing with your clothes and overall presentation. You should present yourself as well-kept if that is the type of life you want to live. Knowing how to dress for each environment can send the message that you are socially aware, that you have critical thinking skills and understand that everything’s not necessarily for everyone. 

When you show more skin it typically invites more lustful energy to you, when you show less skin it typically sends a message of self-respect, in turn demanding outward respect. It’s important to be aware of the messages we may send with what we wear, no matter how biased. I am a firm believer in wearing whatever you want, whenever we want to, but we have to be honest about the implications it has. In professional settings and places where your intention is to encounter God you should be careful that you keep the main thing, the main thing. If your goal is to get a new job, do you want people to remember you by how great your chest looks or by how well you were able to articulate yourself. When you're at church do you want the focus to be God or how great your body looks in that dress. I’m not here to get into “well, why do we have to dress for the male gaze” or “what I wear doesn't make me a ‘hoe’. I’m all for progressive thinking, but we have to acknowledge the society we actively live in and make decisions based on that. Now of course, we can’t control how we’re objectified, but you can control your intention and that has more power than you think. 

As a woman, you have to know your power. We have the power to shift atmospheres based just on what we have on (beyond just the external) and in knowing this you can use your power more strategically. 

It’s also important to be honest with yourself about what stage of life you are at. Your style shouldn’t be the same at 21 and 30. Dress for where you want to go and who you see yourself as. If you want to be a boss, dress like a boss, if you want to be an idiot, dress like an idiot. Dress in whatever way you see yourself embodying the person you want to be, & that doesn’t mean basic. 

Growing up, it seemed like modesty meant ugly. Modesty meant uncomfortable stockings, blouses that only a grandma would wear and ill-fitting dresses. However, as I matured, incorporating modesty in my outfits was a way for me to learn self-expression without nudity. I was able to be creative in the ways that I felt beautiful. I was able to learn how to play into the shapes, the textures and the silhouette of the clothes that I wanted to wear.I am aware that I am shapely, so what someone with a little less body wears may not look right on me. Or vice versa, a smaller girl may not be able to fill out a dress like me. There's nothing wrong with this, it is a part of life, the problem comes when we act like this doesn’t exist. 

Another component of developing your own style is finding clothes that you will want to wear again and that you can mix & match. It’s important for me to have basics that I know will look good with everything, but can also give me a different vibe depending on where I’m going. For example, I have a silk dress that if I want to look classy, I will wear as is, but sometimes I tie it up and wear it as a shirt for a different look or I’ll put a graphic tee on top of my dress and wear it that way. 

Lastly, but most importantly, the most impactful and prominent thing you get to wear is your spirit. No matter what you wear, if your energy isn’t right, it won’t translate through the clothes. Confidence is everything. Wear the clothes like they were made just for you, style them like you’re the only one who will ever wear it. Think about how many times you see someone in an outfit you may not necessarily like, but because of their swag and spirit they still look fly. You wear the clothes, but you don’t let them wear you. Whatever energy you are carrying will shine through the outfit, so make sure the energy that you're putting out is the energy you want to receive back. 

Thanks for reading, come back on Tuesday where we’re getting into shapewear! Leave a comment below or submit something anonymously to “Full Disclosure”. Catch up on my recent response to my 2nd Full Disclosure submission about friends. 

How to Dress as a Young, Fly Church Girl: 5 Different Ways to Style a Dress Shirt

Welcome to my New Series; How to Dress as a Young, Fly Church Girl!

My intention is to show you all how we can be fly and “current” while remaining pretty modest. This is especially for all my church girls, but really any girl looking to elevate their style and incorporate more modesty into their every-day. In no way am I the spokesperson for modesty, I just like to look cute and not feel like a grandma, when I’m covered up.  When it’s time for that I like to show-off, but it’s important to be able to pull off multiple looks, know when it’s time to reel it in and be able to still feel like yourself with your whole body covered.

Unintentionally I have been wearing dress shirts every Sunday of June and half the Sunday’s in May. I clearly have a thing for dress shirts lol. I’ve been in my dad’s closet on a rampage wearing his shirts hoping he doesn’t catch me. I love dress shirts because they are just super easy to throw on with any look, it’s always a different way to wear it, so I’m never bored and it can elevate any look. I want to note, I am not a stylist, nor claiming to be, but I always get a lot of compliments on how I dress and present myself, so I am just sharing what I like to wear, how I like to wear it and maybe you’ll get some inspiration from it for your next outfit. Let’s get into this look-book and how I chose to style them (with links to some!). Starting from the left:

LOOK 1: The Everyday

I actually just wore this outfit this past Sunday. I typically have an idea in my head of the “look” I want to give for wherever I’m going or I’ll have an article of clothing in mind the night before that I want to wear. In this case, I felt like wearing something I could throw on, I didn’t really feel like putting in a whole bunch of effort because I had to wake up early the next day for church. This brown dress was perfect because everything was covered up, but it didn’t give “nun”, she still had some shape to her (you will notice that I give gender-specific pronouns to stuff that is not living or breathing, nor has pronouns to identify with lol). Picking the dress was the hard part, so really everything else kind of picked itself. I just threw on some sneakers that had a touch of tan/brown in them to go with the brown in the dress. I needed something on my waist because just a body-con dress to church wasn’t really the vibe I was going for, it was a little too casual in the wrong direction, if that makes sense. This dress in particular was just a little too body-con. I don’t really want any extra attention to my “assets” when I am going to have an encounter with God, so the dress shirt was just a cute way for me to not be a “distraction”. 

SIDEBAR: I know there is a lot of back and forth with the idea that women shouldn’t have to alter how they dress because of the male gaze and that men should be able to control their own eyes. While I absolutely agree with the sentiment, I also understand that it is human nature to look, especially at things ‘on display’. I also am a champion of the idea that I can control what I can control. So, no, I can’t make a man not look at me, but I do have the power to limit what he can see. I do have the power to control what is outwardly visible, so I take advantage of that and only show what I feel comfortable with being looked at. In that setting, I want the focus to be God, so I don’t make any contributions to an atmosphere that would contradict that goal. Anyways, I digress. 

I chose a blue dress shirt cause I just like how the colors juxtapose each other and it was giving me ‘spring vibes’ (my favorite season). The glasses are actually prescription lol, people always ask me that, I just don’t wear my glasses on the regular because I feel like eyewear is lowkey a scam! I feel like if I wear them, my eyesight will get worse, like it’s tricking my eyes to be weaker (this is not something backed by science nor did I research it… but I still feel strongly about this, so I’m sticking to it!) Anyways, the glasses completed the ‘smart’ vibe I was going for. Someone made me that beaded bracelet before I went to college, it says MSU, I’m such a sentimental girly, so I always try to wear it whenever I remember. This outfit is like an easy everyday outfit for me, something I know I can just throw on and still look like I put in effort and still be appropriate for church. 

Dress: http://api-shein.shein.com/h5/sharejump/appjump?link=Vn1gmn1jZlV&localcountry=US&url_from=GM7528315788369772544

Dress Shirt: My Dad’s Closet 

Shoes:https://www.goat.com/sneakers/air-max-90-animal-instinct-dz4839-001?utm_source=google_ads&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=16777478842&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADQ3c8hn20VPfIT8sH-j3J_sJVruB&gclid=CjwKCAjw1emzBhB8EiwAHwZZxTfvZcPuXfImSMZfyhlpn5mTwqkFs9Zsc7dxHVmVNX7rin0r4LPoqhoCGvwQAvD_BwE

Glasses: Zeelool, Frames called “Rodz” in black 

LOOK 2: The Dress Up

I wore this purple outfit on Mother’s Day. She was a moment. All of my outfits kind of just come together on their own, I always happen to find something that just goes. The theme was 100 Women in Pastels at Church, so I had to find something within the limited amount of clothes that I had brought back from school. I’ve had the long purple dress shirt for years. I knew I wanted to wear that purple silk dress, but I also knew I was going to need something on my arms for church. I also wanted to wear something that would still be breathable and I wanted to play into a super feminine dress juxtaposed by a more inherently masculine piece, a dress shirt. I love the small dress; big shirt vibe. And I liked that the colors were an almost exact match. These were the only heels I brought back with me, so I wore them, but I probably would’ve chosen them regardless because I wore silver jewelry. I wanted to wear closed-toe heels and I liked how it contributed to the look overall, made it more classy.

Dress: Ross or TJ Maxx

Long Dress Shirt: Forever 21 

Heels: https://www.ebay.com/itm/354001095413 (not the link I purchased from, pretty sure I got them from Dillards) 

LOOK 3: The Flip-Over

I started with that dress because once again I was being lazy, had to wake up early for church and wanted to wear something flowy that lowkey still gives body. I knew I wanted to try that hack from Dana Rose’ tiktok where you basically button the shirt behind you to keep the silhouette of the dress you have under it while still wearing something on your arms. Being that this dress is strapless, it was the perfect time to try that hack because I wanted to wear that dress to church. I chose the yellow purse for a pop of color and the sandals, obviously because they are black and go with the dress. The flip-over hairstyle I had really was the true star of the show, she was giving me all the rich auntie vibes and I felt like the outfit contributed to that feeling. 

Dress:http://api-shein.shein.com/h5/sharejump/appjump?link=Vn1DjuXEpkd&localcountry=US&url_from=GM7528330773732720640

Dress Shirt: My Dad’s Closet 

Sandals: Target 

Bag: Guess (this isn’t the actual link I purchased from) 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/166057362110?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28

LOOK 4: The Kimmy

I call it “The Kimmy” because, I don’t know why, but the silhouette of the outfit reminds me of a kimono. This outfit didn’t actually start like this. Initially, I had on a pink body suit to wear with the jean skirt (hence the pink shoes), but on the way to church I got makeup all over my shirt. So, once I got to church I got one of my dad’s over-sized shirts. I wanted to keep the shape of the skirt, so I tied it up in the back and kept the top buttons undone because I wanted it to look more casual, I wasn’t trying to give business exec that day. It really just depends on my mood that day how I choose to wear the dress shirt. All these outfits have cuffed sleeves because 1) it’s hot, but 2) because I don’t like the fit of dress shirts when they are buttoned all the way down. I had just bought the purse, so it was my purse for the week, but it also matches with everything. 

Dress Shirt: My Dad’s Closet

Skirt: http://api-shein.shein.com/h5/sharejump/appjump?link=Vn1D0lpWdIo&localcountry=US&url_from=GM7528331113404235776

Sandals: Surprisingly enough they are from Cracker Barrel. If you don’t know, I used to be a hostess there and they have a small store inside the restaurant that occasionally had some good stuff, hence these sandals. 

Crossbody: (this isn’t the actual link I purchased from) https://www.ebay.com/itm/394676147975?hash=item5be4881707:g:OY8AAOSwuzNkh3Ug&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA0Mcx12URy9PRjCV%2BIu%2F3r6%2FDUQMcqxOiwVqfQpOKIWjXcsG6MV2OHgi4fhGzC1SwrXHqYE56ecyNVaXweRCGxs8bBlJ5ZFJ4ga9vYZB51T3z1MU3HibXDgDKol2CkJVhjL7x%2BqUmooPCof6q2zip86wq3uSa2Aeu0DhEhnGjgZhPiskmN7IwgLIKFfYlOQzGBghfuNKXXNA2gH%2FY9WlaAwEPYEo2vR0aBuNIY21IDAxh2bO4ufIcbSmJPofs%2B9C7RA3bSBxIYzMjTBSMevnaiBo%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBMzvDBnLNi

LOOK 5: Rich Auntie meets Country Girl

This outfit I kind of just had the idea I wanted to wear something like this; I knew I wanted to wear those flare jeans with a belt. I also was planning my announcement of this blog, so I wanted to give “kind of professional, but still reachable and casual”, which is the kind of space I operate my blog in. I wanted to wear a white dress shirt because it’s so classic with the blue jeans and brown belt. I just happened to open my drawer one day and saw the belt and was like I have to wear it, this was just the perfect opportunity. I chose the loafers because I was sticking with the ‘micro professional’ vibe. The hair just fits perfectly with the rich auntie vibe already. I don’t know why, but this outfit makes me feel like I own three horses and three businesses simultaneously. 

Dress Shirt: My Dad’s Closet

Jeans: Shein, but they’ve been removed. (I bought them years ago)

Belt: My mom gifted it to me 

Purse: (not the actual link i purchased from)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394676147975?hash=item5be4881707:g:OY8AAOSwuzNkh3Ug&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA0Mcx12URy9PRjCV%2BIu%2F3r6%2FDUQMcqxOiwVqfQpOKIWjXcsG6MV2OHgi4fhGzC1SwrXHqYE56ecyNVaXweRCGxs8bBlJ5ZFJ4ga9vYZB51T3z1MU3HibXDgDKol2CkJVhjL7x%2BqUmooPCof6q2zip86wq3uSa2Aeu0DhEhnGjgZhPiskmN7IwgLIKFfYlOQzGBghfuNKXXNA2gH%2FY9WlaAwEPYEo2vR0aBuNIY21IDAxh2bO4ufIcbSmJPofs%2B9C7RA3bSBxIYzMjTBSMevnaiBo%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBMzvDBnLNi

Shoes: http://api-shein.shein.com/h5/sharejump/appjump?link=Vn1IsxnCBh3&localcountry=US&url_from=GM7528322633339682816

As far as accessories, hoops are always a must for me. I get them from whatever beauty supply store I’m near. The bigger, the better. I’ve always worn super big hoops, the biggest I could find. I just like what it adds to every outfit and it’s always an accessory that goes with almost anything.

If you can’t take dress shirts from your dad, your local thrift store or salvation army has some great options for the low. 

Moral of the story: It doesn’t have to be expensive to look nice and it’s not what you wear it’s how you wear it. Ross, TJ Maxx, your local thrift store can all look expensive depending on how you play it up. This was actually a lot of fun remembering the days I wore these clothes and why I chose them. Let me know if this is something you want to see more of. The next time hopefully it will be with clothes I can actually provide links to lol. 

The best thing about this is that all of these outfits were worn to church. I am so excited to launch this series “How to Dress as a Young, Fly Church Girl” because so many people think you can’t dress with personality if you’re going to church. For the next week we’re talking all things personal style, modesty and the intersectionality of it all. Come back on Thursday where I’m going into how I found my personal style while remaining modest and true to myself, then Saturday we’re discussing what’s “appropriate” and how to add personality to your outfits! Leave a comment below and tell me your thoughts! Do you love dress shirts as much as I do? Are you in your dad’s closet like I’m in mine?