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Red is my favorite color. Some of you already know that because I bring it up quite often. I have a thing with red doors, red hats, red nails, red lipsticks, and red bags. The color red is so powerful, even the slightest drop of it brightens everything.
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I remember elementary school vividly. Perhaps even more than high school and all of the new quirkiness I was starting to embrace about myself. I attended an all girls catholic school where we wore shiny Mary Jane shoes with crispy white doily socks laced with ribbons and ruffles. I didn't hate them, but I was always curious about the shoes the boys got to wear. I loved Sunday afternoons because after my school work, I'd polish my shoes just like I liked them, and I would lay my perfectly ironed uniform on a chair for easy reach in the morning. At church, after my readings at Eglise Saint Pierre, I'd shyly stare at the boys' shoes.
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I've been really into wearing trousers lately. It might be the whole turning thirty thing, ya know? I used to hate pants, but now a good comfortable pair is my go-to in the morning or in the evening for cocktail events. I'm probably just over buying so many pairs of tights and stockings during the cold weather seasons. Can we talk about wearing a pair of stockings once then having to discard them because they seem to always rip no matter how careful we are? I'm not even talking about the two-dollar kinds!
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I got this grey hat from my local hats store in Harlem about a week before my 30th birthday. I find pleasure in going in a men's shop to try on various hats. I always tip each hat to the side and stare at my profile for a little Paola drama. There's just something about buying things made for men, from men, that I love. I get this strange feeling of freedom and power. Is that weird?
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I love pieces that pull me, and seem to tell me that they belong in my closet for a very long time. Pieces that my daughter would love to borrow. And this trench kimono yelled that to me from all the way across the room. I swear it did. And then, when I got closer, it whispered sweet nothings in my ear, and the next thing I knew, I was folding it to take it home with me, where it clearly belonged.
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I scored this Chanel vintage blazer at JBBORN, a second hand shop founded and operated by television hit series Born To Style, in Harlem right before it closed. When I tried it on, I loved the fit so much, I didn't even realize it was a Chanel piece. Double win! I kept it in my closet for a while. Why do I do this? I find a blazer. I get thrilled! I buy it, and then it sits there for a while... Because I'm waiting on Michelle Obama to invite me out?
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Block heeled ankle boots are a must have. They're comfortable, versatile, and accentuate legs with the right amount of height. I wear them with jeans, cropped trousers, mini or midi skirts. They're simply a necessary. I've compiled a list of nine eye-catching ankle boots starting at $129 that will compliment pretty much any outfit your heart desires.
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You know what I love about transition weather? I find it pretty darn cool that I can wear fall colors without all the layering, which means I can still stroll about town showing off my ankles and hand accessories. YAAAAASSS. I've been feel super casual lately by playing with basics, loose jeans, and adding a statement shoe or stacking up bold rings!
As you know, I'm a comfort lover so mom and boyfriend jeans are my go-to when it comes to denim. I like it loose, baby! Another thing... I'm obsessed with men's inspired shoes. It's not even funny anymore. I don't care what's on trend or not, if I come across a pair that make my heart sing, I grab it! These metallic babes pulled at my heart strings...
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Short rompers do not only lengthen the body, but they accentuate the legs. They're super comfortable, gorgeous and fit pretty much any body type. I absolutely love their versatility. You can wear them with long blazers, leather jackets, jean jackets, oversized sweaters, and they're just as flattering and ridiculously cute.
My favorite kind of clothing is easy, breezy, and flowy. They're easier to wear, especially during the heatwave. I actually don't mind the heat much, even when sweat runs down from the center of my boobs, or I can spot sweat bubbles right above my top lip. It's all good! When it's overwhelmingly hot, I don't find myself rushing too much. I walk taking longer, slower strides, and I stop more to admire my surrounding. Just another excuse to daydream on my way to and from work, you know? And so I wear lightweight flowy dresses whenever I can.
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Last week, I met up with my old friend Alejandro to discuss the photography for my wedding. Yes friends, we're just a few weeks away from the big day! We started with coffee at Cafeine, then realizing we were actually starving, we continued the party next door at Row House. New York City has been going through a terrible (but wonderful for me) heatwave the past few weeks. It makes getting ready so easy because it forces me to keep it simple. Flowy dresses or tops, or easy rompers like this wonderful Jolie Coquette one are my go-to in my closet.
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Some days I wake up, and I want to literally wear all of the prints. I go through my closet in a mad rampage picking out the most vibrant things to see how I can mix them all together. I want to look like an African fairy, damnit! It's no secret that I'm a print and color lover, but what I really aim to do is to find fun ways to wear things that wouldn't typically go together or not too obvious and expected. For example, adding the kente print headwrap to finish this outfit was the icing on the cake for me!
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There's something about waking up with the view of the ocean from my bed that makes me just want to float. I could probably sit in bed for hours watching the bright blue water glimmer under the hot Bermudian sun. Inspired by the vibrant flowers, and poetic beaches, I pulled out an easy floral maxi for the Bermuda Fashion Festival International Designers Show. I wanted a fun, colorful, but regal look while keeping comfort in mind.
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Comfort is fun! It's sexy. It's colorful. And it comes in the form of pineapple shoes! Ladies and gentlemen, when I discovered these shoes in Soho recently with my future mother in law, I was so overwhelmed with joy, that I seriously did not even know where I throw myself. I tried to keep my composure as best as I could. Because let's face it... I'm a grown woman, excited about pineapple shoes. Get it together, Pao!
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A little sassy romper, platform shoes, a denim tote bag, and a headwrap can be easily be my favorite outfit combination this summer. We all know I love to jump, bend, and do high kicks! And don’t you forget it because these few things pretty much sum up my life. I can’t help it if I have a lot of energy! Sometimes I pour it all into my creativity...
Read MoreI finally realized why I'm so big on accessorizing. When I first moved to New York City right after I graduated college with an empty wallet and laughable bank account, my shopping budget was very limited. I've always been somewhat of a frugal girl, but my desire to dress up and express myself through my colors only stronger...
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I sat at a bagel shop sipping on my coffee, catching up with Joey, and waiting for the rain to stop. An older woman walked past me and complimented my shoes. “Thank you! I had to make sure to wear nice shoes today. I just finished speaking at a high school in Newark. Kids pay attention to every detail so I had to make sure I looked on point.” I half-joked. After speaking to her for five minutes, she told me she was an actress/singer...
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I found this brown fringe leather dress at a thrift shop in Soho, and of course I squealed with delight when I picked it up! It was a bit pricey for my typical thrift finds, but it was all worth it. I didn’t only see it as a clean statement dress, but a nice vest for the fall. It’s perfect for layering. I pictured wearing it so many different ways, and when that happens, the clothes pretty much sell themselves. It called out to me, I swear. I heard, “Pssst! I know you want me girl. I know you want my beautiful brown deliciousness.” So, how could I resist?
I strolled the Soho streets in my white tennis shoes that day feeling light and fabulous. The weather was on my side, and that brought me extra joy. I’m a walker, so I hopped all over the place, taking it all in.
I walked all day, seeking inspiration, and just admiring the beauty of New York City. I had a wonderful lunch with my fiance before I went on to explore the streets with my creative partner, Joey. All was well in my world.
Shoes: Converse; Jewelry/bag: Fanm Djanm; Dress: Thrifted; Hat: Zara Jacket: Zara
Photos of building and windows by me
A stroll through Old San Juan in a sheer white dress and leopard print headwrap reminded me of how beautiful it is to be a woman. I was no longer “Paola, the dreamer”. I was “Lola, the conquerer”. Yes, I have a few alter egos. They set the mood. They take me places. That day, I felt sexy and soft. I held my head up and walked straighter. I allowed myself to get lost in the streets. I twirled and spun when I wanted. I allowed the flowers hanging low from the colorful trees to touch me. Lola was out, and that meant… anything could happen.
Last year, I went to Puerto Rico, on a business trip. I reached out to a small boutique, Len.T.Juela Vintage, to collaborate on a few small projects. One of them was to shoot a few looks in the streets of San Juan using their clothes and accessories with my personal style. We linked up with Steph Segarra, and created a few looks I hand-picked from their beautiful collections, and these are the results!
