The Fanny Pack is Back

Hello Lavish Ones!!

The 1980s fanny pack is BACK and it is back with a fashionable vengeance! This fashion restatement is also known as: belt bag, waist belt, or bum bag.  Whatever term you choose to use, the reemergence of this accessory is feverish. As of late, every magazine had a beautiful woman gliding across it’s pages looking fabulous with a pouch hanging off her waist or strapped across her chest.

These pouches were continually calling my name.  The stress! The pressure!  Well, it goes without saying; I succumbed to the pressure. What was one to do!  I  even thought about resurrecting one that my uber stylish mama owned in the 80s, but I did not have the energy to search the nearby landfills. So I bit the bullet, logged on to my favorite pre-loved luxury site, and entered the belt bag world.

Here is a tad bit of history on the fanny pack. The fanny pack is a small fabric pouch usually secured with a zipper and worn by use of a strap around the hips or waist. This peculiar little accessory dates back to the 15th century France. However, it was not until the 1980s that Americans embraced the fanny pack in all of its glory.  The American and British names derive from the fact that they were often worn with the pouch above the buttocks, for which “fanny” and “bum” are the slang terms in each country, respectively.  The British consider the word “fanny” to be vulgar,  hence the name “bum” bag versus “fanny” pack.

Today, these practical bags are worn slung to the side on a hip, clipped at the back, fastened across the body or worn directly in the middle of the waist. Everyone from busy mommies on the go to the fashionably elite can be seen strutting their stuff in this nifty trend.  If you really ponder on it, it does make perfect sense to clip one on.  Fanny packs give you the freedom to be hands free while having all of your essentials nearby.

So long story short ladies…get on this fanny pack, belt bag, waist belt,  bum bag bandwagon before the 1980s calls and asks for their favorite accessory back!

Until the Next Time…

Stay Lavish

Links Provided Below:

DRESS ~ Target // SHOES ~ Just Fab // GUCCI WAIST BAG ~ Tradesy

 

Zazzle Butterfly Bag
Tory Burch Floral Modern Fanny Pack
Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas Pochette Florentine Belt Bag
Chanel Crumpled Lambskin & Gold-Tone Metal Waist Bag
Chanel Waist Pack Fanny Pack Materasse Lambskin
Moschino Fanny Pack

 

 

GG Marmont Matelassé Leather Belt Bag

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Articles on Stylish Ways to Wear Your Fanny Pack*

Harper’s Bazaar

The Cut

WhoWhatWear

 

*Designer Options (NEW)*

Chanel

Gucci

Louis Vuitton

Yves Saint Laurent

 

*Designer Options (PRE-LOVED)*

The Bag Lady

Tradesy

 

*Budget Friendly Options*

Vici

Target

TJ Maxx

Forever 21

Hash It Out or Hush It Up?

Hello Lavish Ones!!!!

I am having a debate with one of my friend girls (that is my grandmother’s word for…girlfriends).  We are discussing whether it is better to “hash it out” after an argument/disagreement or to completely hush.  Friend Girl says “talking it out” is the only way to truly solve an issue plus it limits the possibility of creating a larger problem. She thinks hashing it out right then and there with no time lapse is the answer!

Of course, this would be too easy if I agreed with her.  There would be nothing to write about!

My stance is to go COMPLETELY mute (Insert Husband’s eye roll).  But that is the nature of my personality…I am an internalizer. I believe one should hush until ALL hearts and minds are clear (Southern church talk y’all…Hallelujah).  Then the pathway to clarity can begin. Cooler heads always prevail.

Amazingly, Friend Girl and I both agree one thing. The amount of passion used to resolve a conflict is dependent on how much you value the relationship and visa versa.  The desired result should not just to be proven right or seen in a positive light.

Sadly, some relationships add no value to your world and it is best to say your peace…with silence.  Let them see your lavishly detailed back as you move forward.

How you choose to settle uncomfortable situations with another is totally up to you. But…ALWAYS….do it with respect.

Are you a hasher or a husher?  Whatever you are…ALWAYS REMAIN LAVISH!

 

 

Shirt~Zara HERE // Shorts ~(OLD) White House Black Market  SIMILAR HERE or HERE  // Shoes~ Zara HERE

What Would You Say?

Happy Holidays Lavish Lovelies! My hope is that you are enjoying the impending arrival of good ole Saint Nicholas.  I certainly am because I am soaking up every minute of my glorious time off (If you are a teacher…HOLLA!). Instead of totally indulging in  this season of eggnog and insane hustle and bustle, I have decided to take some time to get organized for the next year.

While cleaning drawers that have been severely neglected, I came across some photographs that I had not seen in a long while.  Oh, the memories!  I filtered through pictures of my baby when she was a baby, pictures of me and husband when we were young fine thangs (that is the Southern way of saying “things”), and multiple pictures of great holidays past.  I even uncovered a couple pictures of a very young me.  A me who had yet to discover her lavish.  A me whose eyes held tons of wonder and hope for the years to come.  As I gazed at the chubby little girl in the photo,  a question that I had previously heard came to mind: “What would my adult self say to my little girl self?” To keep it short and sweet…the answer was just five words.

Well, this question was too prolific (horn tooting..ha! ha!) to keep between me and myself. Soooo, I sent it to some members of my band of beauties (thank you…love you) and here are their responses:

Me: Stop fretting, you are favored

Buga: God will never fail you

Mom: Stay on your diet, Boo  ( only, my mother! remember, she is wild flower child)

Sweet Spirit: You are more than enough

Sister: My existence is enough justification (she is DEEP)

Bestie: Always keep candy on hand ( she DOES love a good candy apple)

C: Beloved! It’s gonna be something

Mrs. Wells: Put God first…do YOU

Wife: Stay fine your haters watchin (another wild child!)

Lavishites, I ask the same question to you.  “What would my adult self say to my little girl self?” Although I can not hear all of your answers, I am quite sure whatever the answer may be, it will awaken your awareness of how far you have come and how lavish the rest of your days shall be!

Happy Holidays!

Dress ~ Nalu Boutique GET HERE || Shoes (OLD) SIMILAR HERE  || Bracelet (OLD) GET HERE

 

Dance… like everyone is looking!

While driving along, have you ever looked to the right or left and seen arms flailing, head bobbing, and facial gestures that looked too hilarious for words? That was probably me driving along aside of you.  I was singing and driver’s seat dancing (just in case you did not recognize what it was).

I LOVE to dance.  Standing up, sitting down, in my office, in my head…anywhere there is music.  I have danced backup for Janet Jackson and Beyonce (now, that is in my head…Hee…Hee). Dancing is a release, my form of exercise, and doing it gives me immense joy!  I am free when I dance.  Am I any good? I don’t know…it depends on who you ask?  If you ask yours truly, I say…”Yep”

The person who fostered my love for dance was my mother.  I vividly remember her dancing with my sister, brother, and me.  It brings a smile to my face as I remember her grabbing my hand and we would do the Chicago slide.  Our bodies would twirl and dip as her afro and my tiny ponytails would follow. Many years later,  I would take my beautiful daughter’s hand and we would slide across the kitchen floor.  I would teach her what my mama taught me.

This is not intentional…it was just something my entire family does.  We dance!  We talk loud, we laugh loud, and we dance loud.   Any time we are together, insert music, dancing, and laughing until we literally pass out from happy exhaustion. We dance because we are happy…we dance because we love each other…we dance because when we had nothing or no one else…we had each other.

I am going to home state for Thanksgiving.  My whole family will be there, as we are every Thanksgiving.  You already know what is going to happen…we are going to cut a serious rug.  And while the turkey is baking and the dressing is being mixed, I am gonna grab my mama’s hand so we can twirl and swing while everyone is looking….because she gave me the permission and the ability to truly embrace all that I am (flaws and all)!

The next time you hear a catchy tune, don’t just sit there! Flail those arms, bob that head, and dance backup for your favorite singer! Dance, get lost, and for a moment enjoy being your wonderful amazingly authentic self.

This thrifted bracelet was a gift from heaven.  I has my mother’s, my daughter’s, and my birthstone in it.  Homage to two of the people I love most.

 

 

Dress~ Nalu Boutique HERE // Shoes ~ Zara HERE // Bracelet ~ (Thrifted)  SIMILAR HERE

 

 

It Wins Everytime…

 

My best friend and I recently spent the weekend together.  Bestie and I have been together for almost three decades.  We pride ourselves on having some “us” time every year.  Since this year has a crazy wonderful rollercoaster ride, we decided to meet in a halfway city and have an extended sleepover.  We went to a movie (which we discovered we had never done), ate ourselves into a coma, and flexed our shopping muscles at the local malls. We really became tickled when we realized we were dating for the weekend.

As Bestie and I were talking and waiting for a particular parking space at an outdoor retail heaven, there was a car of young women waiting to park, as well.  The young lady driver made a gesture that indicated to me that we could have the recently vacated parking space. We pulled in the space and the car of young passengers SPED off in a huff to locate another space.  For a second, Bestie and I looked at each perplexed and then burst out laughing.  OOPS!! I misread her gesture. After the laughter, I began to feel a bit guilty.

The younger me would have not given a second thought about taking that parking space; I would thought I had made a marvelous move.  As I reflect, I would have made a fantastic addition to the Bad Girls Club.  However, the more evolved me tries to live my life through kindness, humility and grace.  The parking lot fiasco sparked a conversation between bestie and me.  We discussed how we used to love to be confrontational, aggressive, and sometimes down right mean.  Back then, I was willing and ready to snap my neck, roll my eyes , and spit out profanities in rapid succession.  Oh boy! I prided myself on the compound curse words I would create.  No one was off limits. Husband, neighbors, retailers, waitresses, dogs, cats, or goldfish…all of them were one second from experiencing my wrath.   Ahhh…young foolish me (I am cringing right now)! And to apologize for my behavior…NEVER.  As a matter of fact, I thought I was owed an apology because of the energy I had to exert.  Youth and ignorance are bliss!

Now that I am a true adult, I realize to be gracious in all situations is an art and a sign of maturity.  I once thought to be taken seriously, I had to be aggressive.  I wanted people to think “Don’t mess with her because she means business.” The actual truth was that some chose not to interact with me because I was a nicely dressed cussing CRAZY mess.

Now, please do not assume that I am a rug waiting to treaded upon. I am an educator, so therefore; I am not weak (shot out to the teachers of the world). I now realize that I can clearly get my point across while leaving myself and the person I am speaking to with dignity…even through the most difficult conversations.

As I continue to mature, I desire to be known as a woman who is kind, sympathetic, elegant, trustworthy, and gracious who takes care of business.  Lavish lovelies, we can strong without being mean and crass. Always, remember KINDNESS wins EVERYTIME.

And to the vehicle full of young shoppers (if you are reading this), my apologies for misreading your gesture.  I didn’t have my “old lady” glasses on.  I thought you were saying “Go Ahead” instead of “Go Away”.  Maybe our paths will cross again and I will happily give up the parking space that we are both vying for because my more lavish behavior dictates that I do.

 

Dress~BUY HERE //Shoes~ (OLD)  Can still BUY HERE /BUY HERE // Handbag~ (GIFTED) Many available on luxury retail sites.

Plan a Fashion Party!!

Don’t you just love to attend a great event?!

I must say I am now beginning to appreciate the fun of a nice gathering.  Husband, on the other hand, LIVES for a good party.  I call him a socialite…yes, a socialite because he loves to mingle and hob knob (minus the little black dress) with whomever is gathering  and where ever they are gathering.  He wants to see and be seen!

Any wonderful event takes a great amount team work before to make the final production to appear seamless. Throughout my 5 glorious decades, I have planned many a party, gathering, and festivity. Most of time the planning for these events was wonderful.  However, there have been a few times when I was secretly devising my route of escape from the mayhem.  I have determined- the level of awesomeness during the planning determines the level of awesomeness of the event.  During event planning, people of many shades, strengths, and walks of life come together for a common goal…ensuring that all who attend leave saying “Oh my God, that was sooooo much fun!”

I think of fashion as a body party!  As I plan my ensembles, I take items of different colors, materials, and textures put them together for one common goal…to create an outfit that says “Oh my goodness, I am so cute!” Fashion is made of individual pieces that alone are cute but when joined with other equally cute pieces…the fashion festival could be off the charts! How many times have you taken things in your closet that seem not to go together, BUT when put together for one common goal (your lavishness) the results are spectacular.  Can you see the analogy between wardrobe planning and planning an event, party, or shower?

Think of the planning for your next outfit as if you are planning for a party.  Bringing different things together for a common purpose can yield super fun results.  AND just like any event planning, if it is not a great success the first time, do not throw in the towel. Just as in life, it takes a while to get used to working with people who do not exactly match; so keep trying!  Now, be forewarned! Husband will not be interested in attending your fashionable body party, however; any other event you are having…my socialite will be ready and willing to add to the fun! Please.. do not disturbed by the Crocs on his feet.

Blouse-Versona Get it here  Jeans-Target (Old)  Get Similar Here or Here  Shoes-Zara (Old) Get Similar Here or Here

Bracelet – J.Crew (Old) Get Here or  Get Similar Here   Handbag Louis Vuitton (Old) Get it Here

 

What an amazing day to begin a blog!

I am beginning this journey(my blog) to celebrate the ending of my 40s and entrance of my 50s. When I was much younger, I often thought this chapter in my life would be filled with doctor’s appointments, denture cream, sensible shoes, and frequent naps (do not misunderstand, I LOVE a nap). Instead of preparing myself for the nursing home, I made the choice to tread territories that I never thought were possible. So I decided to put on one of my favorite dresses, grab a pair of heels, and get all dolled up to get this new lease on life started.
My life thus far has been a rich, bountiful, blessed, luxurious, beautiful race and at this juncture I have decided to sit, relax and savor my world by living it at my own pace… one glorious and glamorous minute at a time. Hence the name of my blog, Lavish Cafe.
Thank you for joining my journey!

 

 

 

 

 

Dress-White House|Black Market Here, Shoes-Zara Here, Clutch-Vintage Louis Vuitton (old) Similar Here, and Here Sunglasses-Dolce and Gabbana Here and Here
Photos-Evon Webster of 2Hyype Productions