MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!! I hope this special day will be filled with nothing but family, friends, good food and most of all- LOVE and LAUGHTER!

At age six I wrote a letter to Santa Claus and left it on my front veranda just days before Christmas in hopes that he would deliver to me, what would be my new bestie; a lifesize barbie with long hair and beautiful clothes. The next morning I woke up to find the letter in the same place I had left it, unopened and presumably unread. I recall this to be my first heartbreak. Recently I shared this story with my boyfriend, he generally has the answers to everything and so provided, on Santa's behalf of course, that I didnt have a chimney so he couldnt get into my house. Reasonable. Whatever the case, since then I've had a love - hate relationship with Christmas, and can you blame me?

I'm not exactly sure what is but there is something about the holiday season that really makes me fuzzy inside. Maybe it's the cool breeze (the closest Jamaica gets to snow) or maybe I was brainwashed by all the "it's the most wonderful time of the year" hooblah. Either way, I am always a ball of mush during this time. I still however contend with the fact that Santa may or may not be real since my house still doesnt have a chimney, and therefore my wishlists are never quite honored as I'd like them to be.

Hey friends! Before I start rambling, I just want to wish you all a productive and wonderful week (:

This week I am wearing an old corduroy jacket from H&M, olive denims I bought at JC Penny years ago and strappy heels from an Amazon store. Apart from the shoes, these items have been in my closet for some time which goes to show, you can revive almost anything with a good sense of style.

Hey Dolls!
Have you noticed that sports luxe or "elevated sports" seems to be a huge trend on the fashion scene of late? About two years ago the trend really started picking up momentum and this year saw a major break through especially on the S/S15 runways including from Topshop, Burberry and Rag & Bone. The most striking example and certainly the talk of the town at the moment however would have to be the Alexander Wang x H&M collaboration that impressively marries sports wear with all sorts of edgy appeal. I dont know about you all but i cant wait to get my hands on that collection on November 6th!

In the mean time, I wanted to style my own sports luxe look! Katy Perry was recently announced as the 2015 Super Bowl half time show performer which has pretty much taken over headlines; so, I was inspired to use this year's winners, The Seattle Seahawks jersey as the focal point for my look. I'm all about keeping the look chic so I opted for the platinum jersey as oppose to their standard blue one. That's why I love this Fanatics jersey shop by the way, there are so many jerseys to choose from; new, vintage and limited editions- authentic and replicas! So even if you're not a Seahawks fan, you will most likely find your favorite team's jersey there too, and in variations!

Before Breast Cancer Awareness month passed I wanted to do a tribute post. That's when I realized I didn't own one pink item. I love black clothes, occasionally I will purchase something with colour but bright pink is really never an option for me. I do have a pastel pink top and cardigan but those dont really count as they look more neutral than actually pink. Anyhow, two years ago my aunt Pat gave me these Love Label pumps with pink rosebud details and I have NEVER worn them. Yes, TWO YEARS and never once been worn! Lol. This cause (Breast Cancer Awareness) presented an opportune time to break them out.

Hey dolls,
It's October which means the spirit of Halloween is in the air. I was inspired to do a post for persons who want to have a little pre-Halloween fun wearing "everyday" items without looking too "costumey". In Jamaica, Halloween isn't a national fanfare as it is in the states so unless I attend a private party or something along those lines these items are the closest I'll get to playing dress up. I've selected a few conversation pieces that I hope you find equally fascinating as I do!

Heyah dolls! I had to share with you all this awesome purchase I made just a few days ago! I havent even received it yet (still in transit) and all I can think about is how I'm going to style it! It happened last week when I was searching online for some reasonably priced flats (of decent quality) and figured H&M would be my best bet. While I was lucky enough to find some cute casual ones, my luck ran out when it came to sizing. Since I was there anyhow I decided to continue browsing the site. With absolutely no intentions of making a purchase whatsoever (apart from flats) I scanned through and thats when this gem decided to say hello!

Happy October and welcome to my favorite blogpost thus far!! I cannot believe it's already a new month- seriously where did time go?  To be honest, I'm kinda happy. September sucked *face palm*.... you remember that song by Green Day that goes "wake me up when September ends" sadly that's exactly how I felt ALL MONTH. On the bright side -I'm excited about the new month, ready to start fresh and hopefully kick some ass in my new pursuits! I do wish you all the best of luck and all the richest blessings for this October as well (:

Happy September Everyone! The Summer season officially ends on September 22nd which means; Hello FALL. Hands down, fall is my absolute favourite season for fashion. Why? Generally speaking the weather doesn't get too frigid so the trends are centred around mostly light coats and cardigans with the introduction of more neutrals to dark hues. Since Jamaica is a tropical country we pretty much have Spring/Summer weather throughout the year, and so fall fashion is really the most action we can get where trends are concerned for the rest of the year without looking ridiculous- especially this year when fur and  knee-high leather boots completely consumed the runway for the Fall/Winter2015 (f/w15) collections. Sensibility would convey that fur + knee-high booties+ Jamaica's humidity is quite laughable.

All black looks are truly a saving grace on those days you have nothing to wear, especially when you're headed to a stylish affair such as a fashion show. This is what I wore to The Design Jamaica showcase:

On Saturday, August 16th I attended the first annual Design Jamaica showcase orchestrated by budding designers Simone Nielson and Summer Jarrett. I was super excited about this event. Sure I've been to fashion shows before but none of this kind. Here was a new platform for young ambitious designers,  who other than the typical social media outlets rarely had the opportunity to display their craft on a big stage, or runway rather- until now.

Decked in a full suit of black (photos HERE) I arrived wide eyed and READY to be awed. As I alighted the shuttle bus my initial impression was: holy shit this venue and decor is superb! A part from those over the top couture runway shows (witnessed through the wonderful worldwide web), this was by far one of the best set up I've seen in a while. There was a fountain smack in the middle of all the action, but not in an unnecessary ubiquitous way - more along the lines of a stunning backdrop. And then that runway- possibly the longest I've ever seen. It was soooo long. So long. But sensible.

With just enough time to grab a drink of white wine, I shuffled to my seat as former Miss Jamaica, Sara Lawrence kicked off the night's proceedings moments after 8:30. Vain Glory was up first. I honestly could not have thought of a better way to open the show. Actually this line was so good it could have easily closed the show. I may not exactly be an authority of any sorts, but I know a cohesive collection when I see one. Dubbed the "Old Harbour Babe" collection, the use of tropical and geometric prints on light flowy material screamed island life- in a much opulent and exotic way. The styling and use of woven visors and clutch purses really made the collection come alive. I won't even bother to go on as I'm sure you can tell by now, I was really impressed to say the least.

Hi, I am Tanaka and I have whole-heartedly surrendered. From what you might ask?.... That would be Jamaica's heat. Had I been anywhere close to my 40s I would be of the opinion that I'm experiencing a premature onset of menopause and I'm not even being dramatic.

Ask any Jamaican, it's serious. So serious, it has taken a toll on my wardrobe. While summer is indicative of colour,  I've honestly never been a fan of a flamboyant closet. I was of the impression that I could get away with wearing black all year round, but clearly climate change has other plans for me. Next to a generous helping of coconut jelly, I've decided it would be wise to remedy the heat by adding some hues to my life- as if I had a choice.

If I had the privilege to choose one designer to wear everyday for the rest of my life, I wouldn't even think twice, it would be ELIE SAAB indefinitely. I remember the very moment I fell in love with Elie Saab; I was watching E! Red Carpet when a stunning Mila Kunis walked the 2011 Oscars red carpet in the most elegant lilac dress. I was curious and so decided to do a little research which was when my overly ambitious and obsessive Elie Saab wedding dress fantasies begun. ( I won't even start on those wedding dresses!! - most certainly a future blog post)

Mila Kunis at the 2011 Oscars in Elie Saab

I've never been a fan of all white, simply because I'm way too accident prone and clumsy to ever get through the day and  actually stay clean. Even so, I've secretly wanted to try my luck and what better time than now?!

Bianca Jagger is a style icon.

I vividly remember the day I came across this image. My initial reaction: wow, this woman is on fire! And then; who is she!?

Bianca Jagger with daughter Jade Jagger

A beaded necklace necklace is the ultimate accessory to transform a simple outfit.

Where do I begin. Hello I am Tanaka, your delinquent blogger :$ - BUT the important thing is that I AM BACK!


Last year my dear Godmother travelled to South Africa and brought back a beautiful multi-coloured beaded bib, that apparently instantly reminded her of yours truly (: Its been all of 37 weeks (thanks Instagram for the time stamp lol) and I have yet to take this baby out for a spin. When Steven, my wonderful photographer, so graciously agreed to be the lens behind my blog, my first thought was: I MUST SHOOT THIS PIECE!

Closet envy is legitimately an ailment, for me at least. I know this to be true because of the genuine covetous pain I endure whenever I see style icon Olivia Palermo and her amazing outfits.

Although I wasn't the least bit interested in MTV's reality show, "The City" I still managed to sit through a few episodes, thence, my first encounter with Ms. Palermo. Initially I found her to be quite a  bitch (someone has to be the villain -duh-) but  I could not deny the girl had taste. Eventually she grew on me, or better yet maybe it was my inability to ignore the "Look At Me I'm Fabulous" utterances of her ensembles.

Let me introduce you to the bag collection of MY DREAMS, i.e. the minimalist leather bags by Mansur Gavriel.

Ripped jeans are timeless. I would know, the ones I'm wearing in this post were gifted to me in 2006!!! I believe on most days I do go for comfort and no matter what this pair of slouchy ripped denim has never failed me.

The Spring/Summer season is finally upon us and women across the spectrum are looking forward to relinquishing their coats and leather for much lighter layers. If you're one of those seeking to really commit to the season's free spirited, laid-back and effortless fashion, here's a trend you may want to consider:

EXPOSED DELICATE BRALETTES

High fashion model Erin Wasson donned a For Love and Lemons Love You Knot Bondage Bralette on the cover of the March 2014 issue for Harper's Bazaar Singapore.