The clutch is an essential part of my night-out repertoire, and when I find one I love I wear it a million times a million ways. I have one from my friend Cornell Collins, and another from Ted Baker that are in regular rotation, and then this one came along. As luck would have it, it was also designed by a friend of mine. The collection is called Bolsa, and this bag is a whole lotta oxblood, pony haired goodness. It’s big enough to house my essentials, and structured enough to make a statement. I’ve paired it here with a one-shoulder Lanvin for H&M dress and studded booties. Yes, we are dinner date ready. Maybe we’ll head to The Nice Guy, aka LA’s latest, most impossible reservation… if only I could secure a table. Ah well, they say postponement of pleasure is the key to happiness. I say it can be found in a covetable clutch.

With love,

Amanda

More to love… Hayward Slim Box Clutch; Clare V. Foldover Clutch; Zara Metallic Clutch

I recently spent an afternoon walking around in the buff. No, I haven’t taken leave of my senses and thrown social norms, mores, and clothes, to the wind. My nudist moment took place at a Korean spa. After the initial embarrassment of it all, I settled into my clothes-free sojourn with naked enthusiasm. Perhaps that’s why I chose to wear this dress. Or maybe it’s because it’s so darn chic-in-a-cute-way. I’ve worn my leather H&M shift with heels but, on this occasion, in keeping with the au natural through line, I opted for a simple flat sandal. Sometimes I crave a little pomp and circumstance, but sometimes I just want to keep things stripped down. What better way than in a bare bones shift dress. (I think I’ve successfully said, or implied, “naked” every way possible. So, my work here is done.)

With love,

Amanda

More to love…ASOS Nude Suede Shift Dress; H&M Nude Flat Sandal

When people ask me where I’m from, I lead with Tanzania. I was born in its capital city after all. Next I’ll mention that most of my young life was spent growing up on the sometimes mean, more often pristine streets of Toronto, Canada. If my audience is still wanting, I then dig into my Southern roots. My handsome, blond haired, blue-eyed daddy was born and raised in Louisiana, though he admittedly had a complicated relationship with his family and his home state; suffice it to say his decision to marry my beautiful ebony-skinned mom in 1968, right on the heels of the civil rights movement, was met with some alarm.

Still, every summer when I was little, my dad and mom and two sisters, Gilli and Rachel (my third sister, Erica, came along after our road tripping years were behind us), would load up in our station wagon and head south to visit my grandmother in Bossier. Those were happy times spent eating watermelon in the hot summer sun and listening to katydids chirp us off to sleep. So when my friend Eve gifted me this dahlia print dress from Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James collection, all my fond memories of the South rose up to greet it. I haven’t been back to Louisiana in many years but slipping into this dress, one of which I’m sure my grandma Emmaline would approve, I can almost hear her say, “Ya’ll come back and see me again soon.”

With love,

Amanda