Profile: Florcy Morisset, Vivant Art Collection

Image: Florcy Morrisset in her gallery in the Old City section of  Philadelphia

Every so often I meet someone in Philadelphia who is really inspiring and makes me remember why I love this city so much despite all of its imperfections. Florcy Morrisset, owner of Vivant Art Collection is definitely one of those people. Florcy is a "Jill of All Trades" in the city’s vibrant art community. If you are looking for some fabulous, vibrant art to adorn your home or space, you should definitely head to the Old City section of the city to visit her gallery. So now onto the interview!

Shen Dove: Tell me briefly about Vivant Art Collection and your inspiration for opening the gallery? 

Florcy: I opened the gallery six years ago. November 17th will be my sixth anniversary. This is an amazing feat in itself given that I opened during what was technically a recession. The idea behind it was to celebrate my Haitian heritage. I quickly realized that there were so many other countries that need to be exposed. There was art from Cuba, Mexico, Latin America, and the Bahamas; there were so many places in the world where we don’t traditionally get to see their art. The goal with the art is to really show how the rest of the world is living, to learn about their history, to learn about their culture, to learn about the people and to see the land. Specifically for Haiti, there are a lot of negative connotations that I want to dispel. I felt that I could use art to dispel some of that negativity.

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Shorts + Leather

Jacket: Marshalls (similar) // Scarf: Express--old (similar) // Sweater: Marshalls // 

Shorts: UO (old) // Bag: thrifted (similar) // Ankle boots: Target (exactly)

The crisp fall weather we have had in Philly lately has meant the return of a shorts, tights and boots combo on the weekends.  For some, summer signals that it's time to break out the shorts, but for me, that signal arrives in fall...

Let's make this week a great one!

Links of the Week: October 25th

Happy Friday!  Here is some reading material to keep you occupied this weekend.

8 budget friendly vacation alternatives to iconic getaways

Curlism: Why Aren't All Curls Created Equal?

I'm inspired to try making this after seeing eggplants in the grocery store.

15 must-have fall wardrobe essentials 

Tips for managing multiple businesses

Would love this sweater paired with leggings and boots for the weekend. 

Here is an interview Philly's Dom Streater,  the winner of the last cycle of Project Runway.

The art of asking: or, how to ask and get what you want

8 ways to make your kitchen greener.

The Anthropologie in the Rittenhouse section of Philly now has a petite section and short celebrities.

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Ask Shen Dove: What are some thrift shopping options in DC ?

One of my readers recently asked if I had suggestions for thrift  shopping in the DC area (I lived in DC for several years). I thought I’d address her question on the blog in case others may find it helpful. I personally love thrift and vintage shopping. When I travel, I usually research vintage and thrift stores to visit if time allows. Thrift shopping in particular is an affordable (and environmentally friendly) way to add great items to your wardrobe and home. Below is a list of thrift and vintage shops I like in DC or have heard good things about from DMV area bloggers.

Goodwill of Greater Washington – There are couple Goodwill stores in the DC area and I find that in general, Goodwill is a great place to find affordable clothing.

Salvation Army Thrift Stores  – There are also a couple of Salvation Army branches in the DC area. Keep them in mind if you want to make a donation to make room for new items in your closet or search for thrifted items.

Buffalo Exchange – The Buffalo Exchange is a franchise of stores where you can buy and sell used clothing. You can usually find seasonally appropriate, on-trend items in the Buffalo Exchange. I have found some great vintage and gently used items at the Buffalo Exchange in the Logan Circle area.  You can find items in the thrift store price range and slightly higher. I think this store is worth visiting on an occasional basis to round out your wardrobe.

Other notables to consider: Martha's Table, Georgia Avenue Thrift

Shopping for statement and designer pieces: If you have your wardrobe basics and are searching for statement or designer pieces for a higher price point, try:

Secondi // Current Boutique // Meeps // Second Time Around // Junction

Other shopping options: Though it may surprise folks unfamiliar with the city, DC is a very fashionable  place with numerous independent vintage and secondhand sellers (many of them can be found online). You can also purchase original designs for relatively affordable prices at local boutiques which are also in abundance in DC (that would take a whole other blog post to address!).

Eastern Market – I lived walking distance from the Eastern Market on Capitol Hill for five years and one of my favorite weekend past times was perusing the vendors and flea market located near the market. I’ve seen and purchased items from vintage sellers there for affordable prices. You can also pick up some great food, art work, handmade jewelry and wares while you are there.

Dew Drop DC  holds really great clothing swaps on a regular basis. Be sure to check out the plethora of DC area bloggers who cover the local fashion there for more tips on fashion, beauty and style in the city. If you have favorite thrift or secondhand shopping spots you frequent in the DC area, feel free to leave them in the comments!

 If you have a fashion or style question you’d like addressed here on Shen Dove Style, feel free to contact me by leaving a comment, visiting my contact page, Facebook page or Twitter!

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Reliable Favorites

Top: Marshalls // Jeans: Target  (similar) // Wedges: Zappos (exactly) // Bag: Marshalls // 
Jewerly: H&M, F21, Shoxie

"Rediscovering" fall favorites that have been packed away since the summer is a wardrobe highlight for me during this time of year.  Unpacking clothing you already own is not exactly like purchasing something new, but for me it comes pretty close.  I will eventually add new fall favorites to my closet, but for now, I'm enjoying last year's favorite: skinny jeans and tapestry printed wedges (previously worn here and here).

Are your favorites from last year still in rotation, or do you have new favorites this season?

Links of the Week: October 18th

Hello all!  Here is some reading material to keep you occupied this weekend.

As usual, I'm loving the latest post in the travel series on this blog.

I now also want to work my way through this international food list.

10 things you can do to be happier backed by science.

I need to replenish my stash of tights, I think this pair is cute.

How to travel alone without ruining your marriage.

Rain boots that would fit the proportions of a petite lady like myself.

One of my favorite bloggers interviewed one of my favorite musical artists, check it out.

I love reading about politics in my city and in others, so of course I enjoyed reading about the new mayor of Compton.

This pear pizza recipe looks delicious.

23 things every woman should stop doing.

Have a fantastic weekend!


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Fall Reading List

We Need New Names - I saw this book while returning a library book and thought it might be a compelling read.

Revenge Wears Prada - Since I enjoyed the film version of The Devil Wears Prada, I decided to give the sequel to the book the film was based on a try this season.

Beauty Detox Foods - I can't remember where I first heard about this book, but learning about nutritious food that can make you look better sounds like a good thing to read up on.

David and Goliath - I am a fan of Malcolm Gladwell's previous books, so adding his new book to my reading list was a no brainer.

What's on your to-read list this season?

90's Vibe

Jacket: Zara girls section // dress: swapped // vintage Coach bag: thrifted // 
Ankle boots: Target // Sunglasses: Smak Parlour

Despite the fact that I am a child of the 80's and 90's, when it comes to fashion, I don't often get nostalgic for that time period. But I admit that this outfit does have a hint of the 90's to it (dark florals, denim jacket, bucket bag...).  All I need are some "Poetic Justice" waist length box braids to really take this look back to the 90's.  For today, I'll embrace the 90's, though tomorrow's outfit could be channeling an entirely different decade.

Here's to an awesome week!

Links of the Week: October 11th

Happy Friday!  Here is some reading material to keep you occupied this weekend.

Femme & Fortune is having a Twitter chat today at 12:30pm on beauty and fashion.  Use the hashtag #FFBeauty.  Should be fun!

After seeing this post, I now need a black maxi skirt in my life.

Here is some great advice on creating a bra wardrobe.

30 renter friendly DIY ideas.

Or if you're ready to take the plunge into homeownership, here are 10 tips to make sure that property is a good investment.

I'm definitely going to try this recipe soon.

When being a designer sucks.

6 Things to do in your 20s to make your 30s good.

How to maintain hair length and a healthy PH balance.

I wonder if I could pull off these faux leather skinnies...


Have a lovely weekend!

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October Wish List

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12 // 13

Here are the items that have caught my eye this month.  

Recipes to Try: Pumpkin Edition

Like many other people, one of my favorite things about this time of year is the abundance of food and treats with pumpkin as an ingredient.  Here are a few on my to-make list.

Starbucks Clone Scones
Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce and Pecans

Do you have any pumpkin recipe favorites?

September Favorites

Since we are now well into October, here are a few favorites from the month of September. 

Snack: Roasted Cauliflower, my favorite snack of the month was really more of a dinner item, but I say it still counts.

Outfit: My favorite outfit of the month was Light Layers. I love the my shorts and look forward to styling them with tights and boots when the weather cools down.
Beauty: I've been trying to simplify my morning make-up routine and find that for most days, Benefit They're Real Mascara, some tinted moisturizer, a little blush and lip gloss are more than enough.
Book: Ghana Must Go which I'm still actually reading was a favorite of the month.  I'll do a short review after I've finished it.
App: Hootsuite is currently my favorite app for monitoring my social media networks and scheduling posts.

Music: I haven't been listening to much music lately, but Janelle Monae's, Electric Lady album was in rotation last month.

What were some of your favorites from last month?

Tagged

Blazer: Macy's boy's section // Top: Old Navy (old) // Pants: Marshalls (I love these too) 
Necklace: H&M (old) // Belt: Target // Shoes: Target (old)

What do you do when your usual photo backdrop (aka brick wall) has been tagged?  You just go with it and use it anyway.  

Let's make this week a great one!

Links of the Week: October 4th

Happy Friday!  Here are some links to keep you occupied this weekend.

Do you have an office gig?  Here are some tips to decorate your cubicle.

Here are some tips for traveling during the U.S. government shutdown.

I'm definitely trying this homemade pumpkin spiced coffee the next time my PSL urge kicks in.

I'm happy to read that all men don't cringe at the idea of watching Scandal.

Domino Magazine is back! But with an e-commerce component. Is this the model other mags will now adopt? 

20 things all women should do before getting married (married ladies, do you agree with this list, would you add anything?)

Love this lookbook from a stylish Philly store.

A cute laptop case DIY.

You are not defined exclusively by your relationships with other people.

A cute pot that could house the basil plant I'm (trying) to keep alive on my kitchen window sill.

Have a lovely weekend!

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Printed Pants

Blazer: Loft (old) // Top: Marshalls // Pants: Old Navy (similar) // Heels: Target

I'll never abandon my dresses and skirts, but I'm really feeling pants these days, particularly pants with bold prints.  I'll definitely be on the hunt for more cute (petite friendly) pants for the season.

Are you feeling pants these days or are you a dress and skirt loyalist?