“Black shorts & plaid chiffon blouse”

Black shorts + checkered topIf you’re following me on Instagram and / or Facebook, you may have read that my paternal grandmother passed away in Haiti and I had to make an unexpected trip back home for the burial. It was probably the most emotional day of my life so far:( Over the past 8 months, the family buried 6 people of which 3 were my grandma’s siblings. It really feels like the end of a generation but as sad as it is, we all know death is a part of life. Because of our faith, we rejoice through our tears, knowing that our loved ones are just transitioning from one life to the next. The Lord has given and He has taken away; Glory be to His Holy Name! 

Where I’m from, when you lose a close family member, what you wear ought to reflect the fact that you’re mourning. For instance, when one loses his / her mother, black and other dark colored clothes are worn for two years straight. When it comes to one’s father, the time frame of ‘mourning through fashion’ is one year and for grandparents, it is six months. I considered following this practice to honor the memory of my grandmother and I did so from the time she passed up until the funeral but if I were to keep this up for six months, I would either have to get rid of my entire Versicolor closet and go shopping for a new neutral wardrobe or wear the same things over and over again – neither of which is an acceptable option for me.  

When discussing this with my bestie Malita of Maliny Collections, she told me that in Zambia, the family of the deceased cannot shower until after the burial. *GASP* Can you imagine? I also read online that in China, the clothes that someone wears to the funeral are to be burnt after the service. Burning my lovely Zara LBD? I think NOT! In Brazil, besides black, purple is the mourning color of choice and it is considered bad luck to wear such color when not attending a funeral service. 

Though I find these cultural differences quite intriguing, I choose to believe that the mourning process is something deeper than one’s sartorial choices. Let me make it clear that I am in no way, undermining anyone’s beliefs or cultures. My grandmother’s passing deeply affected me and I still have a hard time accepting the fact that she’s no longer with us but the color of my clothes are in no way a valid representation of how much of a void her passing has left in my heart.
Black shorts + checkered top Black shorts + checkered top Black shorts + checkered top On another note, I’ve been getting a lot of compliments about my hair both on social media and in person – more specifically from the lady at Target last night who was so sure this was my real hair:) Makes me want to pat myself on the back because I actually did it myself and honestly, I think anyone can achieve this look with a little practice. After installing four packs of Marley hair (you may use any brand available at your local beauty supply store), I rocked a big Afro for a couple of weeks. But when I got to Haiti, I decided to curl it. 

The curling process can be a bit tedious and time consuming but once you’re used to it, it should be a breeze. I saturated the hair by spraying a mixture of water and conditioner on it, then followed with a cream moisturizer. I then detangled the hair using a Denman brush. After that, I used the standard pink perm rods and twisted 1-inch sections as I rolled the hair around the rods. It is imperative to twist as you roll. When this process was complete, I carefully dipped each rod in boiling hot water for 15 seconds, then dried and unraveled each section. 

To make the process easier, I’ve seen some Youtubers curl the hair before the install and others install it as a wig instead. Here is a YouTube tutorial that demonstrates this process better than I can explain it. I hope this helps but please feel free to inquire in the comment section below in case you have any further questions.Black shorts + checkered top Black shorts + checkered top Black shorts + checkered top Black shorts + checkered topWearing: 

SheInside Top (only $13!) – previously seen in this post :: Jcrew Shorts :: H&M cross body bag :: Michael Kors watch :: Steve Madden sandals :: H&M sunglassesBlack shorts + checkered topBlack shorts + checkered topWhat are some of your ‘cultural rules’ that apply when there is a death in the family? Please share; I’d love to read them.

As always, thank you for reading. Your support means the world to me. 

With love,

Edwina

16 Comments

  1. 08/20/2015 / 3:49 AM

    Lovely outfit and great hair. Thank you for educating me on different culture practises. I’m originally from a small country town in Australia and we have big funerals at the local Catholic Church then head to the pub to drink and walk down memory lane.

    • 08/20/2015 / 7:03 AM

      Thank you for reading Rosie. It’s amazing how much day to day things vary by cultures.

      From what you describe, Australians make funerals sound like fun. Lol! Thanks for sharing

  2. lifeofthecollegegraduate
    08/03/2015 / 11:06 PM

    Sorry for your loss.
    ~ Zeena

  3. 08/03/2015 / 2:32 PM

    I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother. I appreciate you sharing the cultural differences in mourning and your decision to wear color.

    I love love love your hair! I can’t believe you did it by yourself. I also like your outfit, you look so classy! Just gorgeous.

    http://laceandpearlsblog.com

    • 08/03/2015 / 3:06 PM

      Thank you Asa!
      You’re far too kind… Btw, my 3 year old godson who can’t pronounce my sister’s name (Vanessa) calls her Asa. I actually never heard that name before. So cool and unique 🙂

      • 08/04/2015 / 8:29 PM

        Welcome. ?
        That’s awesome. Thanks so much! Fun facts: the name Asa is Japanese and means born in the morning. I was not born in the morning and am not Japanese. My dad picked out the name from a science fiction book. In my experience, the name seems to be more common in men then women.

        • 08/04/2015 / 8:32 PM

          Wow! So cool.
          My dad picked my name from a movie. Apparently Edwina was a woman who said yes to everything. That definitely doesn’t describe my stubborn self but I was happy to find out the name is German and means valuable friend ?

          • 08/06/2015 / 12:05 AM

            That’s awesome. I love the meaning behind your name, so lovely!

  4. 08/03/2015 / 1:26 PM

    It’s quite fascinating how different cultures mourn the death of loved ones and like you said, all the traditions that one is supposed to follow are not indicative of the void that is left behind when one loses a loved one. I’m tired of seeing black and white on you, I need the vibrant colors back. I’d go crazy if you had to do this for 6 months!!!!!

    • 08/03/2015 / 1:46 PM

      Lol you definitely saw the transition from colorful to monochrome first hand on me but yeah, I just can’t do it long term. These cultural beliefs have definitely blown my mind.

  5. 08/03/2015 / 12:33 PM

    I’m sorry for you loss, but you look really good in that outfit.

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