Cool Girls Wear Culottes



Culottes-The Gap
Shoes-Zara
I don't consider myself to be a woman who succumbs to every fashion trend. When culottes made their comeback, I wasn't sure if they were for me. I thought they had an awkward length and only looked good on certain people. Fast forward a few months and the awkward length trouser actually grew on me after I realized that the right pair can flatter any woman! I like that they give the illusion of wearing an a-line skirt with the functionality of trousers. However, I had no intent on going out of my way to buy a pair of culottes. I've been trying to do this thing for the past two months where I don't buy clothes unless I need them or can justify the expense to myself. So when I was looking for some jeans in the Gap (I actually needed a relaxed pair) last week, I came across these culottes on the clearance rack and treated myself. I justified the expense because they were super cheap (like $15), versatile, and will live a life of longevity in my wardrobe. I didn't find the jeans I wanted but scoring the culottes at a cool price made me a happy shopper. I wore this outfit for a birthday outing in Philly with a few friends. I knew ahead of time that I would be dong a lot of walking so I made sure I wore an outfit that was comfortable and looked good with heels (for short periods of time) and flat sandals for walking.

Black,White, and Big Hair


Photographer: Alfred Sarpeh
 Blue Sunglasses-Aldo
Rose Gold Sunglasses-Justmariklo
Top- New Look
Skirt- MNG by Mango
Shoes-Via Spiga
I just want to take a moment to thank you all for your support, especially after reading my reflection post On Being Twenty-One. The responses I received through your comments, messages, and phone calls were positively overwhelming.

Fashion is my first love and the reason why I began this blog. However life consists of so much more than being stylish. I'm going through a pivotal moment in my life right now that I want to remember and use to inspire people. I'm learning new thing everyday and growing in tremendous ways. Some days the growing process feels beautiful and other days, its downright painful. Thus my aim is to give you content that is relatable and resonates with you. I will continue to be authentic and share stylish moments along with the moments that caused me to think, learn, and grow in the hopes that your life will be enriched every time you visit www.theysayash.com. 

Reflecting: On Being Twenty One

With my 22 birthday quickly approaching, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on my life as a 21 year old. When I was a child, I couldn't wait to turn 16 and 21. 16 was a cute age, but I really feel like I started living at 21. My 21st year was definitely a year of firsts. I finally received the push I needed to start this blog that I love so much (this blog was a long time coming), I met my wonderful boyfriend and entered into my first adult relationship, I visited two countries for the first time (China and Trinidad &Tobago), I got my first full-time job offer and began my career working for one of my favorite companies, graduated from college, purchased my first car and became what people like to call a real adult. I also became more independent, and encountered some of the hardest challenges and disappointments in my life. However, I received an abundance of blessings, triumphed over my struggles, and experienced moments of immense joy. Life is a series of highs and lows.

Being 21 taught me that growing pains are necessary for development. There were moments when life wasn't going my way and times when I felt unfulfilled and unaccomplished. I encountered rejections, battled depression, and made some tough decisions. Looking back, I'm grateful for my trials because they gave me strength and showed the greatness of my capabilities (with God on my side). 

Life as a 21 year old reminded me that people are fickle. Friendships and relationships will be tested, especially once people graduate from college and embark on their careers and new journeys in their lives. Those who genuinely value your friendship and presence in your life will show you. If not, take the hints; some relationships may need to be  re-evaluated. However, you also need to allocate time towards nurturing the relationships that are important to you. Everyone is busy, but smart busy people know the importance of prioritizing the things and people that matter to them. "You gotta understand the difference between someone who speaks to you on their free time, and someone who frees their time to speak to you." 

Self reliance is vital for survival but so is asking for and receiving help from others. If you have not experienced it already, being 21 will show you that there are things that you must go through alone and you will have no one to rely on but God and yourself. The people you thought would be there for you will let you down at times and you can't let that discourage you. Life is a journey and you will find that many of the people that will help you and guide you through your journey are not necessarily your friends or family. Be open.  

Twenty one showed me that adulthood is a juggling act. Balancing a full-time job, paying bills, maintaining a healthy social life, nurturing relationships, and pursuing your passions are not easy. I sometimes struggle with finding balance and it's frustrating. Right now, my career consumes me which makes it difficult to create time to blog and engage in other activities that are of interest to me. Time with my loved ones is very limited because of conflicting work schedules. Sometimes it gets lonely. However, I remind myself that my labor is not in vain. All the early mornings and late nights will be worth it. To those who have stuck with me, supported me, and spoken words of encouragement thank you!

Finally, being 21 has taught me to trust my journey and continue growing. I don't know what life holds for me but I know God holds my future. His grace has carried me through life and will allow me to thrive. Twenty two, I'm ready for you!
Thank you to my photographer Alfred Sarpeh. Full outfit post coming next!

When bad hair days become great head wrap days

Headwrap-H&M scarf
Bracelet-African Market
Sunglasses- JustMariklo
Top-H&M
Jeans-Ivanka Trump

Bad hair days are inevitable. If someone tells you that they've never had a bad hair day, they're probably lying lol. I wore my afro out for one day last week and it was glorious! It was one of those obnoxious 'fros that demand attention. You know, the kind of 'fro where you see the hair before the person and can't help but stop and admire. After wearing my hair out for hours, it was dry, tangled, and I honestly didn't have the time nor patience to style it for the next day. As a result, I turned to my time saver for the days when I don't get around to doing my hair: a head wrap. Head wraps allow you to look cute on your bad hair days without having to sacrifice style. Oh and some chic shades can only help your look! Traci Marie Smith of JustMariklo is one of the most stylish bloggers I follow, and her shades are always chic and unique! So, when I was scrolling down my Instagram feed last week and I discovered that she has an e-store for her sunglasses, I decided to treat myself to a pair. If you enjoy eye wear that stands out, check out her e-store and tell her I sent you!