RED DRESS AND OVER-THE-KNEE BOOTS

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Hey yall! This dress makes me so happy! I love the color (it’s a red-orange and y’all know how much I love that color!) and it was a great find from Old Navy for relatively cheap. I also had super cash from a previous purchase so there was an extra saving there. Since I got a great deal and I like the dress so much, I bought it in two colors!

It was so hot when we took these photos! The week before, the temps were pretty cool and I got excited to shoot some fall looks. But of course, the temperatures decided to heat up when we shot these pictures! We were also disillusioned that the crowd would be pretty heavy at the Lincoln Memorial since we got there pretty early. Even with the large crowd, Jen was still able to capture awesome photos with barely anyone in them! She is seriously the best!

PHOTOS BY: 10TH LETTER VISUALS

Another weird occurrence happened while we were shooting that I can chalk it up to #bloggingwhileblack. There were so many strangers (older, white people specifically) that were interested in just taking a photo of me. This was the first time that this has happened to me when I’ve been out taking pictures. I’ve heard of black people experiencing this when they travel to places that rarely see black people. That, I understand. But in DC? The city that has been affectionately known as Chocolate City for years?! Nah. I don’t understand it.

Honestly, it’s troubling to me because it indicates that those older, white folks don’t know or see black people (or any other person of color for that matter) on a daily basis. I, of course, agreed to let them take photos of me. But later that day, I started to second guess my decision and wonder if it’s something that I should’ve done. Primarily because I don’t know their intention behind the pictures they took.

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In my spiral down the rabbit hole, I remembered the aphorism “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”. The stupidity included here can be interpreted as ignorance (a lack of knowledge rather than lacking intelligence or common sense). I think maybe they just enjoyed my outfit and wanted to capture the moment (I mean, who wouldn’t want to?! The entire look is bomb!).

I recognized something that I’m trying to unlearn and checked myself that I am very quick to assume that people have an ulterior motive rather than assuming the best of people. So, I quickly talked myself out of that rabbit hole and went about my day.

Moral of the story: don’t be so quick to judge/assume the worse of someone if you don’t know or understand the intent behind their actions.

What is something that you judged/assumed the worse of someone that you later regretted?

Shop the Look!

Dress: Old Navy  || Over the Knee Boots: Dolce Vita via TJ Maxx (similar here, here, or here)|| Headwrap: Adkrina Expo || Necklace: Old (similar here) || Watch: Michael Kors Darci || Sunnies: Francesca’s || Lips: Wet N Wild in So Noir Cool