CIAA Checklist

For those that care, here is a helpful checklist from ME to YOU to help you with the fashion for the "holiday."


*Side bar- For those who do not know what CIAA is, it has become one of the largest events in Charlotte over the past 5 years. Its basically a huge HBCU basketball tournament that everybody and your cousins sisters uncles best friends mama will attend.*

10 day countdown

(assuming that your party hardy spirit will begin on Thurs)

• Create an outline for your fash. To some people this is ridiculous, but I have found it less stressful if I thoroughly plan my fit and skittles. This means do ALL of your window shopping, and have an outline for your outfit for each day. *Please note that it is not cute to show up to the night party wearing the same fit you had on at the day. Nasty backwind Siempre. *

• Get your hair, nails, skin together.....If you are not already, you should be drinking lots of water. Water is a natural moisturizer and astringent from the inside out. Seriously kitties....ALL the water. Take multivitamins- 2 weeks time, your hair skin and nails will thank you.

•  In addition, (I will admit) someone convinced me to get a "bronzer" which is a mini spray tan. My color changes in the winter, and I lose that sun kissed look that i UH DOOR in the summertime. Randomly, I went with a buddy to the tanning salon (yes, she is white) and while I was waiting on her in the lobby, I was flirting it up with a cutie (male) waiting to get a little tan. I jokingly said that I was here for a tan too, but after I thought about it, I was thinkin a spray tan could really help me. I asked the counter girl if they did mini sprays for a bronzing effect, and she tried it on my hand....I loved the look. So for $20 you can get a instabronze that will make your skin sparkle.... And it lasted for a long time!  It didnt look crazy at all, just a sunkissed look.  Just make sure (if you do try it) to ask for a light application. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS THE DAY OF ANYTHING (WEDDING, PROM, ANNIVERSARY).  Lemme know the tea on that, K?

This is me with the spray tan.  Dont worry, your cheeks are not going to be that rosy...I love me some "blursht"

 

• Create an outline for your hair and nails. Have you ever been getting ready to go out and everything seems to go according to plan until you take your hair out of a bun, or unwrap it, or whatever, and you notice that you kinda look like Thundercat? Or your nails look like one of the orc's from Lord of The Rings? Schedule ahead, *ladies with Beyonce, get all of your hair necessities, and make sure you are scheduled (early) at your hairdressers* Please think about your overall look and plan plan plan. Make sure you will get your seat in the chair early!

• GET ALL OF YOUR TICKETS! Plan where you are going NAYOW! Please, Please, Please....They are not trying to hear any of that crap at the door....there are 1,345,098 people trying to get into the same party. Who do you think will get in? The 500 with tickets, or the remaining fools without. Seriously....If you arrive to the venue by happenstance, it will so happen that your stance will be in the cold. Make sure you know where you are going, who you are going with, how you will get there, who will be driving (spesh if spirits are involved), does everybody have their ticket, etc. You get the idea...

5 Day countdown

• Collect your threads. BUY your fash and skittles early! Day 5 is by far at the latest that you should be hunting for something to wear. *Note to kitties- Go ahead and forget about Southpark mall on Thurs, Fri, or Sat. It is absolutely impossible to get anywhere near that place. Its been like that every year. My chickie and I tried last year and sat on Tyvola for 2 hours because we could not even get to a point to leave...traffic was that fierce. But thats just me....maybe your luck will be better.

• Get yo "her" nails, waxing, etc did. Yes! Get your hair done early, and that way you dont have to worry about being in the chair all day and if need be you can spruce your hair up yourself. Go get your mani and pedi early so that if something happens where your fav spot is stacked, you dont have to worry about the gamble at another spot.

• Collect your spirits. If you are going to drink (responsibly of course). Get all of your spirits early....Maybe I should put this back in the 10 day countdown. Seriously- ABC stores are out of control. If you wait, you might be heading for Greensboro for a 28 oz bottle of Goose. Sober Siempre.

• Gas and Grocery. You might want to go ahead and stock up on necessary items. The raunts are packed, and the gas stations will be too....Just looking out.

*****Day of******

Relax. Relate. Release! You have prepared yourself WELL for the events and now you dont have to do anything! If you are anything like me, you will now have to help your friends out who are in a state of crisis because they did not plan as well as you!

Party Siempre!

More tips:
•Do your makeup first, making sure to clean and moisturize the face before you begin. Get dressed and baby oiled up (lol). Then do your hair...That way its easier to see the cake/hair/fash coming together. 2 hours before tip off.

• Understand that if you have been drinking, you will be dehy and need to replen.  Your skin WILL tell on you when you have been hitting the bottle.  Drink lots of water the day after so you dont look dusty (lol).

• If you are going to drink, do so sparingly so that you are not a mess trying to get ready. I must admit, I have tried to apply cake a little wasted. FOOLYWANG SIEMPRE. I try to have a cocktail or something before I get ready, just to warm up a bit....lol. Then I might take a few shots before i leave the house to get it started.

• Get dressed at one spot all together, preferably closest to the nights festivities. If you have planned well, this will be very easy for you to pull off with an overnight back and your cake kit. Plus, there is nothing like drinks, laughs, and fash with your ladies. More commonly known as "pregaming" i suppose. *Side Bar- Please DO NOT let your girl walk out of the house with something redick...whether it be fash, hair, cake, whatever. If thats your girl, tell her. Remember- she represents you too!*

• Get your clutch or purse ready EARLY. How many times have you left something in your "big bag" because you were rushing to get the "little bag" together. Ugh. I hate that, and I do it all the time....But now I take time out before I get ready to get my clutch together, and put all of my winky dinks in there so there are no worries.

Fab.