

If you're completely over wearing sweatpants every day, I completely feel your pain. Although I love a comfy casual look, I've been yearning for a chic yet practical alternative to my baggy sweats and oversized t-shirts. Not that I don't love a matching sweatsuit, but every now and then a girl needs to pull out that 'feel good' outfit, even at home. As life on the outside is slowly reopening in most areas, some of us are not fully prepared to embrace normal everyday constricting outfits quite yet. At the beginning of the sweeping stay-at-home orders, I raced to get my hands on the most comfortable at-home staples I could find. Now that we're entering a new year, I'm ready for alternatives that still meet my everyday needs without making me look and feel frumpy.
As we slowly transition back to everyday ready-to-wear looks, I am now in the market for stylish pieces perfect for both staying in and going out. The new anti-sweat trend has arrived, meeting all of our needs when it comes to elevated comfort and style. Comfortably worn at home, luxury loungewear is solving our stay-at-home fatigue, smoothly moving us towards sleek all-day looks you'll never want to take off. If you're in need of sophisticated loungewear ideas, scroll to find a few of my favorite looks!
Feather Duster
This champagne feather duster is the perfect embellished silk house coat. Perfect for staying in or going out, this is a super chic addition to your luxury leisure looks. I'm obsessed with this color as it's a soft rendition of an elevated at-home look featuring a low v-neckline, button-down detailing, and an unforgettable feather back and sleeve detail.
Satin Separates
Perfect for a winter beach getaway, this is a 90's inspired three-piece look we all need in our lives. With "its lightweight material flowy enough for summer and its heavy-weight drape made for year-round-luxuriating," this is the perfect go-to satin look. Achieve this look with the Laina Rauma satin bikini along with the matching pajama pants and long sleeve oversized button-down.
Geometric Prints
It's all about the dramatic sleeves for me in this floral print kimono robe. Nothing is more relaxing than a silky kimono and fresh linen sheets on the perfect Sunday afternoon. Doubled as a dress, this is perfect when in need of a touch of luxury in your life.
Kimono Dress
It's all about the dramatic sleeves for me in this floral print kimono robe. Nothing is more relaxing than a silky kimono and fresh linen sheets on the perfect Sunday afternoon. Doubled as a dress, this is perfect when in need of a touch of luxury in your life.
Luxe Pajama Set
Satin is always a major look especially when worn as a casual outfit. Whether lounging around the house or out and about, it's always a major vibe. When outside the house, pair a satin two-piece with a vintage-inspired shoulder bag and a bold cat eye sunny for an outdoor sophisticated look.
Satin Feathers
The 'Party Pajamas' set is perfect for a weekend escape to Martha's Vineyard or lounging on your back patio. One of the most iconic PJ sets on the internet, this is a major look for the modern fashionista. Pair with a house slipper or flat loafer for a comfy chic outfit.
Cardigan Dress
Undeniably elegant, I'm obsessed with this oversized knit. The Hanifa brand has managed to perfect the balance of chic versatility transforming this classic style into a cozy chic staple every woman needs in her closet. Designed to complement your waist and natural curves, its classic wrap dress design is meant for everyday comfort and flawless style.
Satin Robe
We all love the perfect robe to prance around the house but the robe to wear on a night out is revolutionary. 2020 has shown us that functionality and style can coexist within our day to night looks. Make this look your own with a clutch and jeweled pump for an elegant twist on a classic silhouette.
Velour Set
The Velour tracksuit is yet again taking over the mainstream leisure world with a major upgrade. Whether you have outings to attend or have a comfy luxe moment at home, the oversized velvet look is perfect for an updated yet throwback early 2000's look. Super soft and draping, this is another look you'll never want to take off.
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image by Shutterstock
- How To Wear A Slip Dress, 3 Ways To Style - xoNecole: Women's ... ›
- Cute Thanksgiving Outfits: What To Wear 2020 - xoNecole: Women's ... ›
Luxury Hairstylist On Viral 'Hey Boo' Texts & Professionalism In The Hair Industry
As Black women, our hair is our crowning glory - whether we paid for it or not. We take pride in how we wear and take care of our hair. As with everything, hair care and hair styling have evolved over the years. Long gone are the days of Blue Magic (although I hear it’s making a comeback).
Now, we have a plethora of creams, oils, conditioners, shampoos, and stylists to choose from. Beyond wearing our natural curls, we have a range of options, from wigs and sew-ins to tape-ins, I-tips, and K-tips. So much choice! But you know what they say about too much of a good thing...
The Black hair industry has definitely blossomed in the last decade with a wave of new stylists and salons popping up all over the place. As much as I love that for us, many of these stylists have become the subjects of viral TikTok and Instagram tirades because of their alleged questionable behavior and bizarre rules.
Excessive policies, strange fees, long wait times, poor performance, and the infamous “Hey boo” texts. Beauty is pain, they say… xoNecole got to the root of these issues with luxury hair extensionist Dee Michelle, who’s been in the hair game for 20 years and runs a seven-figure business - all while being a mom of four.
Antonio Livingston
“I started my business with my career in the hair industry [at] very, very young age when I was maybe like eight...So, over the years, I've just built a very successful seven-figure business very quickly just by offering high-end services and creating great experiences for my clients, many of whom are high-profile professionals,” she said. “I'm also a mother of four, including a set of triplets, which inspires me daily to show what's possible with my hard work and focus.”
Dee’s business has gone viral on social media because of what many call outrageous prices for her invisible K-Tip installs.
“When I developed my invisible K-tip extensions technique, I made sure that it wasn't just about the hair or the style, but about providing a high-end experience from start to finish. So, my clients just aren't paying for the extensions or just the style itself, but they're investing into my meticulous, seamless craft and premium hair sourced from the best suppliers…I've spent so many hours mastering my craft, creating this seamless method that gives my clients long-lasting natural results, and my pricing just reflects that - the value of my expertise and the exclusivity of the service.”
The K-tip specialist stands on business when it comes to catering to her clients and giving them an experience worth the cost.
“And it's just important for me to also say that my clients are high-profile individuals who value quality, their privacy, and their time. They want a service that fits into their lifestyle and their time. They want things that deliver perfection. And I deliver that every single time.”
I’m sure we’ve all seen the various TikTok rants about people’s nightmare experiences with stylists and uttered a silent “FELT!” We asked Dee her opinion on a few nightmare scenarios that beg the response, “please be so forreal."
On stylists charging extra to wash clients’ hair:
“I think they should just include it in the price, to be honest. Because I feel like when clients go to a stylist, they're expecting you to wash their hair. Personally, if I see that washing is extra, I just wouldn't go to the salon because it just shows a lack of professionalism, in my opinion, and a lack of experience.”
“I think they should just include it in the price, to be honest. Because I feel like when clients go to a stylist, they're expecting you to wash their hair. Personally, if I see that washing is extra, I just wouldn't go to the salon because it just shows a lack of professionalism, in my opinion, and a lack of experience.”
On ‘deposits’ that don’t go towards the cost of the service:
“I think that's kind of weird, too, for deposits to not be like a part of the service. I've seen people have booking fees and I just don't understand it, to be honest. I disagree with that kind of policy…By all means, people should do what works for them, but to me, it doesn't make sense. Why does somebody have to pay a fee just to book an appointment with you? I don't get it. It feels like exploitation.”
On stylists charging extra to style (straighten/curl) wigs, sew-ins etc., after installing:
“I don't get it. Clients come to us to get their hair done, to get it styled. So why is it extra for you to style it? If you're going to charge extra, just increase your price. I feel like it could be just a lack of confidence in those stylists, feeling like people won't pay a certain price for certain things, or just their lack of professionalism as well, because people are coming to us to get styled.”
On the infamous “Hey boo” text stylists send to clients when they need to cancel/reschedule:
“Professionalism in any industry, especially the beauty industry, is everything. So texting a client the, “Hey boo” is so unprofessional, and it's damaging to the client-stylist relationship. Clients book their appointments expecting a level of respect and care, especially when they're investing their time and money and a service. And I get it, emergencies happen, we're all humans. However, it should be done with a formal apology and a clear explanation.”
“Professionalism in any industry, especially the beauty industry, is everything. So texting a client the, “Hey boo” is so unprofessional, and it's damaging to the client-stylist relationship. Clients book their appointments expecting a level of respect and care, especially when they're investing their time and money and a service. And I get it, emergencies happen, we're all humans. However, it should be done with a formal apology and a clear explanation.”
We know all too well what kinds of things will keep us from ever gracing certain hairstylists’ chairs with our butts again. So, what should hairstylists do to provide a good service to their clients? What is good hairstylist etiquette?
“For one, being on time is an important rule for stylist etiquette. It's just not okay to require your clients to be on time, and you're not on time. Also, communication. Being able to communicate clearly, respectfully, and professionally, whether that's in person, via text, or on social media. Style is etiquette. Appearance matters. So just maintaining a clean, polished, and professional look. Clients respect you more whenever your appearance reflects your work. There's just so many things, but another thing I would say is active listening. So, being able to pay close attention to what your client wants and also clarifying any questions that they might have. Just to ensure that they feel heard and to minimize any misunderstandings.”
Dee also shared some red flags to look out for when considering a new stylist.
“Even me as a client, if I'm booking somebody and they have a long list of rules, I don't even book with them. That's, for one, just such a huge turn-off. Also, stylists who have inconsistent or unclear pricing, that's a red flag. People who change their rates too much without an explanation. Poor communication. So, if a stylist is responding very slow or responding unprofessionally, or giving vague answers to questions, that can make clients question whether or not they are respecting their time and their needs.
Another red flag - an inconsistent or low quality portfolio. And I feel like, I see this a lot with stylists stealing other people's work, and their portfolio on social media is just very inconsistent.”
We couldn’t let Dee go without getting the tea on what styles she predicts will trend in 2025.
“I feel like people are going back to natural-looking styles. So, a lot of people are ditching the wigs, the lace fronts, things like that. People are still wearing them, of course, but it is becoming more of a trend to embrace your natural hair and something that's not looking too fake. That’s one thing that we're going to be seeing a lot. I would say a lot of layers are coming back, heavy layers. Those are becoming really, really trendy. And people are leaning more towards platinum-colored hair. I've been seeing lots of like blondes coming out. Also, jet black is always going to be a trend. But I would say more like natural colors, but natural colors that are still making a statement.”
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Antonio Livingston.
Valentine’s Day is coming up this weekend and while couples are the target demographic, singles can also get in on the love as it comes in many forms. We give and receive love to our family members, friends, pets, and ourselves. Whether you’re single or in a couple, it’s important to have self-love.
Self-love keeps us from believing negative things we tell ourselves or what others may say about us. So while Valentine’s Day may be a reminder for some people that they’re single, it can instead be a day to indulge in self-love. Instead of wallowing or trying so hard to avoid Valentine’s Day, start your day with saying self-love affirmations to yourself.
And if you’re coupled up, you can still participate by saying the affirmations to yourself or together with your partner. Check out these 10 self-love affirmations below.
- I am worthy of love, kindness, and happiness.
- I choose to love and appreciate myself unconditionally.
- My heart is full of love, and I share it freely with myself.
- I deserve the same love and care that I give to others.
- I embrace my flaws and imperfections—they make me unique and beautiful.
- I am enough, just as I am, and I celebrate my own worth.
- Love flows to me and through me in abundance.
- I am my own best friend, and I treat myself with compassion.
- I honor my feelings, my journey, and my personal growth.
- Today, I choose self-love, joy, and gratitude for who I am.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Deagreez/ Getty Images