Christmas in Los Angeles

There is something about LA and its people. While here I had brunch at Claire's at the Museum - a restaurant attached to the Long Beach Museum of Art where I had fresh squeezed tangerine juice and a Crème Brûlée French Toast. My waitress and I debated for a few minutes on whether the lighting was appropriate for an Insta-worthy selfie.

I walked around Sherman Oaks and stumbled upon Buffalo Exchange, a consignment store where I bought the red sweater I'm wearing above. I met the guy who brought the sweater in, carrying a skateboard with his fair share of tattoos. He complemented my taste in clothes.

If people were weather, then the people I met would definitely be LA weather — crisp. I've always identified more with the East Coast of the US, but this trip put me on the fence.

I know why the caged bird sings

A big thanks to one of the most brilliant writers of our time for providing the title of this post. May Maya Angelou's soul rest in peace.

My dear Aunt Treasure came visiting and treated us to dinner at Red Lobster a couple days ago. I decided to wear my Zara bird print cotton voile shirt that I could not resist when it popped up in stores. A patterned shirt will always be a good addition to your wardrobe. 

Cheers,

J.

Farmer chic

Nope, this is not a blog post on outfits for visiting a farm.

Hi there friend, I hope your summer has been a blast so far! A few days ago, Eddie, a friend of mine, asked how I would style overalls. I recently bought the first pair of overalls I've owned since I was around 2 years old and they've been my absolute favorite piece that I've worn this summer. Overalls are definitely back with a bang, and you'll find them at many fashion-forward retail stores such as Guess, Zara, and Madewell.

I love overalls because you can wear them with practically anything! (Or even nothing if you're Chance the rapper) I've worn them on beach trips with tank tops, out to the movies with a plain t-shirt, or even for lunch with a short sleeved shirt. Mine are from Zara, and I'm wearing a Banana Republic shirt underneath.

Cheers,
J.

Youths

Hey friends! Welcome to summer. The photographs from today were taken during a cabin trip in Burrillville, Rhode Island. The view from the lake house was breathtaking, and we spent a night there eating ourselves to oblivion, having late night guitar sessions, and sharing stories with each other.

SUMMER WEAR

One of my favorite things about dressing for summer is wearing a greater variety of patterns and colors. Straw fedoras, bracelets, and sunglasses are all wonderful accessory options. Adding a belt to any look, transforms the outfit from stay-at-home casual to an outfit you can wear to a barbecue, movie theater or gathering. Legs always look better when your shorts are above the knee, and more form fitting. My shoes are Toms, Union Jack print shirt is from French Connection, and shorts are Express.

God Save the Queen.

J.

Graduation Glow

Hey guys! I apologize for my unacceptable lack of posts in the past few weeks (month?). Happy to announce that I'm a freshly minted graduate of Brown University. The past month has been an overwhelming roller coaster of emotions: saying goodbye to friends, ending classes and going through final exams. Now that I am officially graduated, I am excited to use my Economics degree to ____. I feel humbled by the amazing opportunities Brown has given me, and extremely lucky to have met and made friends with the people around me. Living in Providence has also been wonderful with its charming buildings and exquisite seafood. I look forward to spending another month here.

Senior Week at Brown was essentially our time to eat, drink, and be very merry for the last time as undergraduates. Photos this week were taken during the senior formal event at a mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. The Rosecliff mansion was completed in 1902 at a reported cost of $2.5 million and has been the setting for several films such as The Great Gatsby, and 27 dresses. The weather was great, so I decided to put some spring in formalwear by opting for lighter shades, and shorts rather than trousers. My tuxedo jacket is from Topman, bow-tie is from Tommy Hilfiger, and the shorts are Express.

Photo credits to Mo Hy.

Blue is the warmest colour

Hey Frandz! The other day, I went on a little road trip around the great state of Rhode Island. My frandz and I started off at this awesome diner in Providence called Seaplane, where we had coffee milk (the official drink of RI), oreo pancakes, sausages, and bacon. After the meal we went to Newport, RI, a charming town 45 minutes south of Providence. Newport is filled with gorgeous mansions, parks, and boats. It's the kind of town where you want to spend the summer writing a book, or working on paintings. (Seriously considering this.)

The weather is at this awkward post-winter/pre-spring wedge, and it has been challenging finding just the right amount of layers to wear. I decided to put some fun in formal wear. I'm wearing a blazer from Zara, and trousers from Gap. 

À tout,

J.

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All Black (almost) Everything

Hey friends!

Hip Hop has had a major influence on fashion, and vice versa. Jay Z has a song called Tom Ford, and Kanye West designs clothes. Pharrell, 2 Chainz, and BIG Sean are often considered style icons. There are over 500,000 posts on instagram under #allblackeverything. As do many hip hop icons, I enjoy wearing all black. It is classic, it works for every season, and it's an easy way to look "dressed up."

Today, I paired my #allblackeverything look with a bright blazer from Topman. 

À tout,

J.

#SeniorStruggles

In the face of your final semester at university, there are so many mixed emotions involved. In some ways I feel ready for what is next after Brown: hopefully living in an apartment, working in New York city (fingers crossed), and my potential pug puppy called Marie Antoinette. Having said that, I am extremely nervous at leaving a place that has provided me with so much comfort and growth for the past few years. I am a proud couch potato (and the icy wickedness hasn't helped) but in the past few weeks it's been nice to go exploring with the frandz. Today, Mo, Angela, and I decided to frolic in the sunset and take some photographs.  We might be seniors with our struggles and mixed feelings, but there's nothing like some good old vitamin D. Shoes are Cole Haan, Coat and trousers are Zara Man, and Sweater is Ralph Lauren.

À tout,

J.

Icy Wickedness

Winter is a cold time for Julianization. I often say that this season was not God's plan for me. Every winter I fall ill, my joints start to ache, and I slip and fall as a result of icy wickedness. Having said that I am still amazed at Snow. Growing up I spent "winters" in my hometown in Nigeria where it is around 30 degrees celsius and 86 fahrenheit year round.  Snow for me is this compelling creature. There is something poetic about falling snowflakes and it excites me to the core. It is a time for a rebirth. The trees lose their leaves, days become shorter, and bears hibernate. Nature is pretty much begging you to chill (tell that to my university). Today I took photos with my friend Isabelle and we decided to celebrate the sometimes deadly force that is winter. The trousers are Zara, my trench coat is from a thrift store in London, and my shoes are Timberland.  Photos by Rigzom.

À tout,

J.

First time

     These photos are almost 3 years old now but I thought it was important for them to be included in my first post. My summer in France in 2011 laid the foundation for much of my current style and opened my eyes to the many possibilities of menswear. Nights at the sole discotheque in Pont-Aven, and eating out at the town's multiple seafood restaurants taught me a whole lot about color, fit, and layering. These photos also represent a time when I had many new experiences: I traveled alone for the first time, took a course in visual art in Bretagne, and interned at a company in Paris. This blog will be a similar first for me, and for the first time I will be documenting my interest in menswear. I enjoy giving people advice that sometimes I may or may not take myself, and I hope you follow me on this experimental journey. I'd say my main fashion inspirations were Don Draper (from Mad Men), Kanye West, and Mick Jagger. Having said that, my own style ranges from preppy to urban to what some might just call weird. 

À tout,

J.