My birthday outfits for year 29 wearing a black-owned designer and Prince

I love birthdays, and every year, I look forward to dressing up in something new and, of course, stylish. For me, putting on an outfit with a fresh hairdo and flawless makeup is like self-care, and I believe when you look good, you feel good. Life is not always perfect, but you can attempt to have an ideal outfit, and on my birthday, I always want to look and feel pretty.

Thankfully, my birthday fell on the weekend this year, which is always super fun because I can easily plan fun events with close family and friends. That Saturday, I decided to have a bowling party at the Painted Pin, a bowling alley in Buckhead where kids are not welcomed at night. The atmosphere is very upscale in the heart of Buckhead's Miami circle and has a gaming courtyard. The drinks are delicious, and the bowling lanes have the comfiest couches to sit on. Oh, and the music was so good that I forgot it was my turn to bowl because I was too busy dancing. LOL, no offense to anyone, but I like an adult-only vibe when trying to have a good time.

To go bowling, I knew I wanted to step outside of the box and incorporate some streetwear which I do not do very often.

I borrowed a graphic tee-shirt from my brother with legendary artist Prince on the front and paired it with denim shorts from Abercrombie. To 'chic' it up, I took my caped leather blazer and some ankle booties from BCBGMaxazria. I put on dark lipstick from The Lip Bar Cosmetics to feel like a total rockstar. As I reflect on these past 29 years, I understand Prince when he said " dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life".

Now on to the grand finale of the weekend. I struggled to choose what look I wanted to do on my birthday to dinner with my family. After looking at several websites, including Instagram boutiques, Nordstrom, Macy's, and Saks, I remembered I was blessed to be born during black history month and wanted to buy from a black designer. Supporting black-owned businesses has been a high priority lately.

Hanifa by Anifa Mvuemba has been on my radar for years, and it has been a pleasure to watch the Mvuemba and her brand grow. Hanifa features unique garments with bright colors, and for women who choose to wear a dress, a blouse, or a suit by the designer wants to make a statement when entering the room. One thing I love about the designs is individuality. Nothing looks the same, and there's an outfit for every occasion.

I'll admit choosing what I wanted to buy was a hard decision. I even played a little game of eeny meeny miny moe. Finally, I decided to go with the Alia Maxi Dress in black in size small.

This dress was stylish and comfortable and the belt accentuates the waist for a classy look. The balloon cuffed sleeves fit around my arms perfectly and were not ridiculously oversized. The length is rather long for my height but with hills on, I did not trip over. I love the slit in the front that allows the dress to flow effortlessly when walking. In the words of Real Housewives of Atlanta star, Kenya Moore, I was "gone with the wind" fabulous in Hanifa.

Thanks for reading, XOXO JDanielle.