Childish Gambino Concert

              "I want to see you move to this." Childish Gambino commanded as he started to sing a verse from Palisades, a song from his new mixtape. And the whole crowd obeyed. The thousands of people that were packed into the amphitheater swayed their hips and bobbed there heads along to the music, in that moment we were all connected. This was one of the many amazing moments from the Childish Gambino and Erykah Badu concert that we attended last month.

       When we heard that Childish Gambino was coming to Bay we were really excited and bought tickets immediately. He is one of our favorite artists because of how honest his music is and the fact that he seems to be a jack of all trades. Not only is he a successful rapper, he is a writer, producer, actor and comedian. So obviously we jumped at the chance to see him live, and the fact that Erykah Badu would be there was just an added bonus. 

      We made preparing for this concert a process. We both planned our outfits weeks ahead of time and stayed with a freind who lived close by so we could get there quickly. Three hours before the show started we got to the theatre and waited in line with our friends. We were so excited we forgot to take pictures of our outfits but you can kind of see them in this picture of us in line with our friends.

     When we got in the amphitheater we were really close to the stage in the mosh pit. It got a little intense in there so we moved a little farther back, but we still had a pretty good view. In all honesty the opening act Overdoz was pretty bad. One of the performers repeatedly lit blunts and after one puff through them into the audience. After that we were starting to wonder what exactly we got ourselves into. 

     And then we heard his voice. There was a simultaneous scream from the crowd verifying that he was walking on stage. From that point on we were mesmerized by the performance. Not only was Gambino amazing, but his band and full strings section made the whole thing a grand spectacle. After a breathtaking set by Gambino, Erykah Badu came out and her performance can really be summed up in one word: FIERCE. Badu played some of her old hits as well as her more recent ones and ended every song in a majestic pose. 

Gambino sent chills through our spines when he was onstage and Badu made us feel beautiful and free. These two made this a night to remember and this was by far the best concert that we had been to. 

Messy Bun Syndrome

        

       Gather round kids it's story time! A couple years ago I took a summer math class so that I could get ahead for the school year. Anyone who knows me knows that I get dressed up no matter where I go, so while everyone else in that class pretty much only wore sweats, I showed up every day in outfits I had carefully planned out that morning. One day I totally overslept and had no time to get ready, so I had to rush out of the house. Let's get this straight, as I walked out the front door, I knew I looked like a mess, no not the effortlessly cool kind of mess, like a straight up mess. I was wearing the same flannel pajama top I wore to sleep and a pair of dirty jeans I found on the floor. And oh the hair! Calling it a bun is a serious overstatement, it was more like an I'm-gonna-try-and-contain-this-gross-blob-with-a-hair-tie kind of bun.

       When I got to class I took my seat and waited for the teacher to begin. Halfway through the lesson the girl sitting next to me turned and whispered, "I like your hair," without a hint of sarcasm. I was genuinely shocked because, unless my hair had magically transformed, I knew it looked terrible. Later I realized that she probably thought I looked like that on purpose. This was my first experience with messy bun syndrome. Messy bun syndrome actually has nothing to do with messy buns, it's just a name we made up for when someone likes something because the person who is wearing it, not because of what they are wearing. After that day I started to notice MBS everywhere, like that scene in mean girls when Cadie and Janice cut two holes in Regina's shirt as a prank but it ends up becoming a trend at their school.

       Who knows maybe that girl really did just like my hideous bun, but that experience made me realize how often we like the name or the idea of what we're seeing more than what we are actually  experiencing. MBS doesn't only happen in fashion, I've noticed it with art, music, and just about everything else. When it comes down to it,our interests should be about what is being produced rather than who is producing it. 

First day of school

First of all,  we're so sorry for our brief absence from the blogging world. We just came back to school and are trying to find ways to keep up with school work and blogging so please bear with us. In the mean time, we've got some great posts lined up for you guys starting with these first day of school outfits.

                               

                         

                             

                             

                             

I got this super cute jumpsuit from Forever 21 and I wore a white sweater over it to make it a bit more school appropriate.

                             

                             

    You guys, I have a confession to make. I wore this outfit to school and before 1st period even started I got in trouble for violating the dress code. I had to go all the way back to my dorm and change. Moral of the story, follow your school's dress code. 

                              

You're Standing on my Neck

       Recently we've been watching a lot of the show Daria. For those of you who don't know, it's a cartoon about an expressionless, sarcastic teenager named Daria. We love the witty jokes and clever one liners in the show. Our favorite thing about this is the impeccably dressed characters. So of course we chose them as our style inspiration for this month. Here are some outfits inspired by our 3 favorite characters.

Jane:

 "I like having low self esteem. It makes me feel special."

     Jane is Daria's artistic best friend who shares her sardonic sense of humor. Her asymmetrical bob is just about the fiercest thing ever.

1.Jacket 2.Shirt 3.Boots 4.Shorteralls 5.Lipstick

Quinn:

"You eat what you are."

       Quinn is Daria's super popular sister. She's a member of the exclusive fashion club and has her own personal fan club filled with boys willing to do her every bidding. To get her look, simply iron on an appliqué to a pink crop top, and voilà! Instant Quinn coolness.

1.Crop Top 2.Flare Jeans 3.Applique

Daria:

"I've been busy procrastinating all day."

       Last but not least is the queen, the star of the show, Daria! Her outfit is our favorite and there's so many ways to style this.

Skirt

1.glasses 2.Sweater 3.Skirt 4.Utility Jacket

So go into this Sick Sad World and binge watch Daria.

White Collar

     The mane is finally free!!! Most of the year we rock braids, but we both decided our hair needed a breather. So of course India Arie's I Am Not My Hair has been on repeat. Also we've finally fixed the problem with our pictures, thanks to the readers who told us about it. If there are any other problems with the blog don't hesitate to shoot us an email.

         I'm kicking myself right now for not spotlighting these shoes. I got them a couple years ago at Charlotte Russe but I usually don't get a chance to wear them because they're kind of uncomfortable.

           There was a giant closing sale at the Pacsun in our mall. I got these super cool glasses there and every time I wear them I feel my inner disco queen come out.

Ugochi                                Ogechi

Shirt: Thrifted                      Shirt: Thrifted

Sweatshirt: Thirfted             Shirt Dress: Pacsun

Pants: Thrifted                    Shoes: Thrifted

Shoes: Charlotte Russe      Sunglasses: Pacsun

Back to School Shopping Part 2

     You may have noticed that a lot of our clothes are thrifted. When we say this we don't only mean clothes from the thrift shop but also garage sales, consignment stores, and secondhand shops in general. It can be hard to shop in stores like these, but luckily for you guys we've mastered the art of thrift shopping. So we're here to pass some our wisdom on to you, just in time for back to school shopping. Here are things to keep in mind while thrift shopping.

Prices

Don't buy it if you don't need it-  Most secondhand stores are super cheap, so often times you might feel like you should buy EVERYTHING. You may find yourself making up excuses to buy an 80s wedding dress that's 3 sizes to big. FIGHT THE URGE!
 You can (almost) always haggle- Aside from consignment boutiques, like Plato's Closet or Buffalo Exchange, you can usually negotiate a cheaper price with the salesperson. Although make sure to be reasonable with your price offer. 
Know when something is too damaged- every once in a while you'll find the perfect pair of pants or a fabulous dress and then you'll notice a tear. At this point you should asses the damage. Is it just a tiny stain that can be easily hidden? Or is it a huge rip in a visible place? If it's the former, then showing this to the salesperson could get you a discount.

Reliability

Online- A great thing about the internet is that you can buy clothes from all over the world. The downside of this is that you can accidentally get some really nasty stuff. So make sure that the online seller is reputable.
Cleanliness- you can pretty much buy anything secondhand, but there are some exceptions. You should never purchase used hats or underwear. Also, when buying used clothing, always wash before you wear. Usually consignment boutiques wash the clothes before selling them, but charity shops aren't always as thorough with cleaning. As a precaution clean them anyways. 

Charity shops- If the reason your thrift shopping is because the store gives to charity, do some research. Some of these shops give little to none of there profits to charity. In order to be sure that you're purchase will help someone in need, google the store and see if there website has any information or ask someone who works there what percentage of the proceeds go to charity.

     Ok guys, so hopefully you take these tips in mind if you ever decide to dip your toes into the giant swimming pool that is secondhand shopping. Make sure to read our tips on retail shopping here. Do you have any shopping tips you wanna share? Put them in the comments!

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Sporty Spice

Hey guys!
Sorry we haven't posted since Monday. School's starting soon so we're super busy, a midst finishing summer homework and re-watching first and only season of Freaks and Geeks. We pinky promise we'll post part two of Back to School Shopping. But in the meantime enjoy these athletic inspired outfits.

I guess I should talk about how my outfit is athletic but the only

sport I've ever done is track, and I came in last in every meet.

I have no idea why I own a tennis skirt, the last time I played tennis
was in 7th grade P.E. Even then, we didn't get to wear cute skirts, we
had to wear baggy basketball shorts. I still have nightmares about
them.

Hey guys!
Sorry we haven't posted since Monday. School's starting soon so we're super busy, a midst finishing summer homework and re-watching first and only season of Freaks and Geeks. We pinky promise we'll post part two of Back to School Shopping. But in the meantime enjoy these athletic inspired outfits.

Ugochi                                                    Ogechi

Shirt- Pacsun (Sold out)                           Crop Top-H&M

Skirt-Forever 21                                      Sweatshirt- Thrifted

Shoes- Converse                     Tights-Pacsun (Sold Out)

                                              Skirt- Thrifted but similar item here

                                            Shoes- Thrifted

P.S Can you guys see these pictures? If not please let us know so we can try to fix it.

Back to school shopping- part 1

     We know you've all been dreading it, but it's time to face
the facts, back to school season is among us. It can be hard to find
great outfits for school without spending a ton of money. But don't
fret, we've compiled our best shopping tips to help you guys.

 Before

Check your school's dress code- doing this ensures most importantly,

that you don't get in trouble, and that you don't buy anything that
you can't wear to school.

Know what you want- Although you don't have to have a literal list,
it's good to have a basic idea of what you want. A great way to do
this is to check the store's website, not only will you be able to see
if they carry what your looking for, but you can also get a good idea
of the prices.

Plan your trip wisely- the best time to shop is on weekdays when it's
less crowded. That way the staff will be a lot more attentive because
they have less customers to deal with. Be sure to look online for
sales so you can plan accordingly.

During

Bring the right companion- this doesn't mean bring your best friend.
Bring somone who will honestly tell you whether something looks 9.9/10
on you or 10/10. Make sure this person is willing to fight someone to
get that last dress in your size, and who won't get tired after that
billionth store.

Always do  a lap around the store- look around and see if the store
your at is even worth spending time on. While looking if anything
catches your eye, pick it up, you might not want it later but it's
better to have extra clothes than to forget where something is.


Hit the clearance section- after you've gone around the store make
your way towards the clearance section. It can be a little hard to
find things because everything is usually just thrown on one rack or
bin, but when you do it's always for a great price. You'll probably

find items that are almost sold out for really cheap. Just be aware

that the store is trying to sell the things that they couldn't

earlier, so even if you're looking for fall clothes you might find a
lot of bikinis and cut offs, but it's still good to look.

Make sure you can wear the item- a good rule of thumb is to try and
think of at least 3 outfits you can wear with the item, your shopping
companion can help you with this. If you can't think of at least three
outfits it's probably not worth the purchase. If there's an expensive
item that you think is totally worth the splurge, it should probably
be a classic piece that you will be able to make way more than 3
outfits with.

Checkout

Bring your student ID- lots of stores give discounts to students. Just

bring your student ID when your purchasing your clothes. If you're not
sure whether or not a store does this, it never hurts to ask.

Check your phone- there are lots of apps and websites that can give
you coupons and deals to show at the register. One of our favorites is
FashionClyp.

Sign up for everything- after your purchase the person working the
register will often ask you to sign up for memberships, emails, etc.
We always say yes because those emails usually have coupons or
discount codes for your next purchase. Even if it's just a catalog,
those too can have coupons and exclusive offers.

Do you have any shopping tips? Tell us in the comments!
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Throwback Thursday

     When we were younger our mom had this notion that twins always had to match, hence the similar names. So every morning our mom forced us into matching dresses and sent us off to school. As a result
we have pictures like this:

Once we were old enough to dress ourselves, we did everything in our power not to match. Unfortunately, we have similar tastes in clothing so we often find ourselves reaching for the same tops when we go

shopping. Now that we've grown, we've learned not to fight the instinct and that it's ok to dress alike sometimes.

                             Ogechi                                              Ugochi

                            Sweatshirt- Pacsun (sold out)               Sweatshirt-Pacsun- (sold out)

                            Skirt- Demasque                                  Jeans- Forever 21

                            Shoes- gifted                                       Shoes- Converse

catching z's

     If your'e like us, sometimes counting sheep just isn't enough to take you to dreamland. These songs all have super mellow beats that will have you dozing off in no time. There are some super popular songs on

this playlist like Adele's Turning Tables, but also some lesser known ones like Ebrahim's cover of Swim Good. Good night everyone, make sure to get lots of beauty sleep!

Heres the link to the playlist

Fall Couture 2014

     This month, designers are showing off their fall couture looks, so we rounded up the best ones from our favorite shows. 

Ulyana Sergeenko

Ulyana Sergeenko is pretty much a Russian superwoman. Not only is she an amazing designer, she's also a photographer, stylist, and former model. Her Fall 2014 couture collection was as versatile as she is. With luxurious leather and fur, some of these looks have a high fashion Cruella Deville vibe. But there are also pieces that seem to be influenced by the 1930's. Here are some of our favorite looks from
this collection:

We love how the streaks in this mohair sweater look like like water color

The fit of the bodice on this dress is exquisite, it looks perfect

against the draping of the skirt.

Schiaparelli

We've been big fans Schiaparelli  since seventh grade, when we had to do reports on fashion history, so we had high expectations for this collection. It definitely did not disappoint. We could go on for hours about the hats or the fun prints but we'll let the clothes speak for themselves:

Can pink bangs please be a thing?

Birthday hat with rhinestones. Enough said.

Elie Saab

Ellie Saab Fall 2014 was filled with gorgeous  gowns that made us want to swoon. We especially loved the elegant details, like beading and lace, that was used in many of the dresses. This collection was so
beautiful that it was hard to choose our favorites looks, so we totally suggest that you check out the full show:

The movement in this gown is breathtaking and the fur only adds to its beauty.

Our favorite thing about this dress is how the beaded slip just peaks

out, and how luxurious the fabric of the skirt looks.

All images are from Style.com

Kiss and Tell

     Lipstick is one of our favorite ways to spice up an outfit, but who says it has to go on your lips? Today we both wore lipstick inspired outfits. Sorry we weren't able to post on Monday we've both been really busy with an event from our church.

                         

                           Ugochi                                              Ogechi
                          Jacket- thrifted similar item here           Shirt- H&M (sold out)
                          shirt- Forever 21                                 pants- Forever 21
                          necklace- H&M(sold out)                    necklace- Forver 21 (sold out)
                          pants- Forever 21                              shoes- Thrifted
                         shoes- Thrifted

make sure to follow us on twitter, instagram, and lookbook (Ugochi's and Ogechi's).

PJ's in Public

Fact: pajamas are the comfiest article of clothing ever.
     We can all agree that a little part of us dies every morning when we have to take them off. But what if we didn't have to? Don't get us wrong, we're not saying you should go to work in your footie pajamas, but you can definitely wear your nicer pj's in public, a la TLC in this video. Here's how we at clone concept do stylish sleepwear:

                                   
If you want to rock pajama pants like ugochi is, make sure to pair them with a more structured piece, like a blazer, to keep the look polished.

                        Ogechi                                                   Ugochi
             Top- thrifted similar here                                 tank top- Forever 21
             Shorts- thrifted similar here                            Pants- similar here
                                                                                Blazer- thrifted similar here