LIVIN THE FAB LIFE

WOAAHH- NO!

2009-08-24T09:33:00.001-07:00

I would never say that I would have said that Melody Thornton was a fashion icon of mine in the first place, but this outfit gone wrong has not changed my mind. Jumpers are definately a trend that has been poppng up on the runways effortlessly. HOWEVER, this was not the best choice for Ms. Thornton. First, lets talk about the COLOR, o honey no. That grey could have been traded in for a black or white, which have set the beautiful complexion of her skin off instead of this dreadfully dull slate gray. I am not loving the long sleeves, I wish that it was a one-shoulder jumper or even a tube one. Because she is so petite, the jumper looks baggy on her and the belt and legs of the outfit look too high. And speakin of that belt, it looks a little too tight as though circulation is being cut off. It produces that side-baggage of fat that is an ILLUSION because the girl is in shape. The Louboutins are cute but the fact that she kept the entire color scheme that was already, for lack of better words, dreadfully undesirable made it worse. So Ms. Thornton is definately going on my WOAH NO! list this week.

LOOK YOU MAY LIKE- EXPRESS

2009-08-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

Ok, I will be the first to admit that I have this love/hate relationship with Express. I mean there are days when I would go in and see NOTHING I liked (the only reason I would go in there was to follow my fiancee around the store he loved). Then I would go in there and be like "o wow, this is cute, these jeans are perfect, that shirt is HOT!" And this is what pisses me off. What I would look for in a store was consistency, always having what I wanted, when I wanted it. I mean, I didnt want to feel like I put gas in my car, drove up to the mall, searched an hour for parking, debated spending money I truly didnt have in order to be let down. You know? What I wanted was not what Express was offering 100% of the time. But that was ignorant-old me.

When I finally started researching looks and really getting into fashion publications, I realized that Express is the more resonably-affordable version of what is being presented on the runway and what trends are hot at the moment. I am not crazy. I know that I post about famous, uber-expensive designers on here and that is what I like to do, but most can't even afford a glove from their collections. Thats ok too, so that is why I go and try to find reasonably priced stores and websites that can bring you those gorgeous looks, but wont break the bank. I recently went in a got two pairs of jeans and a button up (which my so loving, handsome fiancee bought for me) and loved them. I started looking at items that a year ago I wouldnt have dreamed of putting on. But this went to show me that by reading these publications and watching famous people and what they wear (I love Kourtney Kardashians style) that my taste is changing. I am going for a sophisticated sexy look, a rocker look, just different looks that I feel I would not have been attracted to in the past. But its ok. So the look I am loving right now is Express, if you are not familiar with the store- GO! Check more looks out @ express.com.

FASHIONISTA- AMBER ROSE

2009-07-24T18:15:00.000-07:00

There is very little information regarding Ms. Amber Rose on the net outside of her being a bi-sexual stripper and Kanye's arm piece. I like to at least try and give background on the people that I choose to be my fashionistas because some may not really know who they are. I looked and looked and looked but there is nothing on her background except the aforementioned. So, that is that.

What I am going to say is that this chick rose from the stripper pole and landed in the office of Ford models. YES, she is signed to a modeling agency, and a very prestigious one at that. She is one of the very few "models" (you know, the video vixens or sex tape "victims") who has actually landed a deal to be part of an actual agency. So kudos. We ALLLLL know how that happened but I am going to give it to her, Amber is a very beautiful woman and has a style that is outta here ridiculous and hasnt really been seen before. Well, not seen before and put together so perfectly. Very, very, very few women can pull off the bald look and even less can pull it off in flourescent leggings.

I think that what wows me the most about her is that she has completely changed her look and did a 180. She wen from rocking suspenders clipped to a high-waist, grandma looking pair of too short shorts to rocking designer dresses at the Met Costume Gala. And she did is FLAWLWSSLY. Although I dont completely agree with her lifestyle or what seems to be a sham relationship, I am focusing on the fashion aspect of her life. She has the look, height ans fashion sense to pull off almost any look that she puts her mind to and that is what particularly draws me to her so easily. Its like I LOVE looking at this woman! Every photo of her is in something that is completely in-tact with her style code and so put together. I feel that she is actually a great model with such a unique look that has been missing for a while. I really do hope that she is able to go far with her modeling dreams and really wish her the best.

UNLIKELY ICON

2009-07-24T17:26:00.001-07:00

Keri Hilson was born in 1982 in Decatur, Georgia (BIG UPS, thats where I grew up). In her teen years she routinely practiced the piano and took singing lessons eventually allowing her to join a girl group called D'Signe. She began songwriting in 2001 for artists such as Usher, Ludacris, Britney Spears and Ciara. In 2006 she signed with Timbaland's label Mosley Music group while appearing on the smash "The Way I Are". She is actually signed to Interscope Records and Zone 4 as well. She was part of a collective group of writers and producers known as the Clutch where she ghost-writed for artists for quite some time. Her debut cd was "In A Perfect World" which included her smash hit "Turnin Me On". Since then she has been trying to climb the charts as well as her way into the lime light of the industry in front of the camera, instead of hidden in the credits of someone else's album.

MS. KERI BAAABBBY!! I know that she has gotten some flack on her style sense in the very brief time she has come from the back drop into the lime light, but I am really digging her. I call her the unlikely icon because I believe that Keri Hilson has such a style that is her own. I think that she can go from the streetwalk to the red carpet beautifully. I know a lot of people dont really like her style but I appreciate people who know what they like to wear and try to stay as true to that without losing themselves to the labels (not saying that it wont happen). I feel that she is steadily working at incorporating her own taste into what is "accepted" by the fashion mags. This tall, gorgeous woman is really making a name for herself in the music industry and I feel that if she continues to get the right stylists to cater to what she likes, while standing by what looks good on her and in front of the camera, she will be set. Not saying that she is 100% there because I think that with her long legs and slender frame, she has what it takes to rock the hottest things, but I understand that not everyone is into that. She seems to be more comfortable rockin' sneakers than stillettos. But to each its own. Ms. Keri baby is my unlikely fashion icon right now. Im going to continue to keep tabs on her though... she looks like she can slip.

HEELESS SHOES

2009-07-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

I dont know how and why these shoes are still being created. Its not that I dont find them cute because the ones on the left I would wear if it had a nice stilletto heel to go on it. I just think that they appear to be a tad weird looking, call me crazy and conventional but I feel that a shoe that is supposed to have a heel SHOULD HAVE A HEEL! The first time I see this was on Victoria Beckham (no surprise) on the right with her man, the finest white man alive, David Beckham. I did not like them at all and I dont know, I dont think they are really going to be rubbing off on me anytime soon. If its someone elses revelation then go ahead, but this look is not for me whatsoever.

REPEAT OFFENDER!!

2009-07-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

Miss Lala Vasquez was spotted out and about with fiancee Carmelo Anthoney on the way to a club. She rocked these Alexander Mcqueen booties last month at the premiere of The Taking of Pelham 123... Now I am one that says, "if we wear things more than once, why cant celebs?".. I dont think its fair to bust them out if they happen to wear something more than once. However, since I love these boots and want to hate, I will.

WOOAAAHH NO!

2009-07-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

I have a 3 for 1 deal today! There has been so many things that have went on today that I just had to group them alll together so there could be one post about the foolish hot mess that has went on the last couple days.

Ok we are going to first start with Michelle Williams, who for some reason thought it would be a good idea to first put on this oversized, unflattering tunic paired with black stockings (could we have AT LEAST had them flesh toned like her ex-group member Beyonce). The only thing right about that outfit is the leather jacket, which although way too hot right now to be wearing, is very much the trend right now.

NEXT, solange, solange, solange. We are NOT amber rose (who I am going to be doing a seperate post on). Like I said before, only about 1 in 2000 women can pull off a short haircut, and 1 in 20,000 can pull off being bald headed and unfortunately, you didnt make the cut (WOAH, no pun intended- I ALWAYS do that lol)...and it doesnt help that top is ugly.

LAST, Mel, you are a disgrace to black mothers all over the country right now. Why would you go and shave your child's head off into a mohawk? WHY? Your baby does not have good enough hair to do so. Im sorry. I dont think that this look is acceptable for anyone to go around looking like, let alone someone who didnt have a choice in that hairstyle.

And that is the foolishness that has been going on in the past couple days. Im so saddened by this all. Especially when you have enough money to pay someone to give you a clue

CHANNELING THE PAST

2009-07-23T16:13:00.000-07:00

If you read this blog and other posts, you can pretty much get the idea that I love Rihanna's style. She can pull off so many different looks and create such an outfit that will only pretty much look good on her. Since she recovered from her beat-down, this girl has truly done a complete 180 on her wardrobe. If you thought she was a fashionista pre-chris-brown, then this girl has become a fashion icon now. I think that she is really evolving her style every week and taking it to levels that people her age are not anywhere near touching. I think that many are trying but its not working. She showed up to a movie premiere in this ensemble...

She took it back. It is very reminiscent of a 50's iconic fashion powerhouse (not to mention that pearls are very much in style right now). Rihanna is pulling off looks left and right and I will be one of the first to give kudos to whoever her stylists is because we know that even though she is pulling off the look, her stylist is pulling it together. I think that if she keeps it up she will be long awaiting a career in the fashion industry.

I WILL BE BACK SHORTLY

2009-06-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

Im going to stop posting here just for a while because im overloaded at school. I am only takin two classes but it feels like 5 since I am in summer school and everything moves so much faster. I WILL BE BACK!! LOL.. It is just kind of hard to update regularly because I dont just throw things out there, I do a LOT of research on designers, their shows, pictures, trends, fashions coming back from the past, fashionistas (and their back-stories, if that makes sense). It takes a lot of time, I am telling you!! I am going to continue posting the day I step out of finals for this term which will be in the beginning of July.. HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN!! And thanks to those who comment on my twitter page, I really appreciate it. It is not goodbye, its so long just for now.

-EBONI

SEMI DAILY RANT

2009-06-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

I believe that everyone should try to mix it up once and a while, get out of that bad habit of being conformed to the same "style". That is a place that I am trying to get out of. By that I mean, I love love love me some jeans, to DEATH. I stay in some skinny legs but I would not say I have a "style" but others may. By this I mean that I feel that I do not consider myself a "dress up" type of chick but some others do, I do not consider myself a "laid back" chick but I do love me some basic and screen tees, I do not consider myself to be a "dress rockin" chick but i do have quite a few dresses. The point I am getting at is that although I do love certain things, I try to change up what I usually wear. The pic above is this outfit I "created" lol, right before church. I seen the skirt while I was out trying to look for a dresser, dont ask how I ended up with the skirt, lol. It was only $12 and I took one look at it and fell in love. It was so cute and different, it was something that I hadnt seen in stores or anything so i just had to get it. Wearing skirts is somewhat out of my element but the moral of this post is keeping an open mind to different things. I paired it with a basic black tee so attention would be centered on the skirt. It was longer then I preferred so I raised it up in a high-waist form and put a belt around it to add a little bit to it and define my waist. I paired it with black heels and went on about my business. The thing I am trying to get at is come out of your comfort zone. Do not be bound to the same routine of putting on clothes that are basically undecipherable from one another. BREAK OUT NOW!! Do it before you get too comfortable in the same things so that when you are ready to get out its not so uncomfortable.

DESIGNER OF THE DAY

2009-06-10T13:22:00.000-07:00

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

Alexander McQueen was born in 1969 on the East end of London with the name Lee Alexander McQueen. He left school at the young age of 16 and decided, instead, to become an apprentice as a tailor for Anderson and Sheppard. In 1994, he decided to apply to one of London's most prestigious fashion schools called Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design. He was admitted and worked as a patterncutter. He recieved his masters in Fashion design and designed a whole collection for his graduation which was entirely purchased by a fashion stylists named Isabella Blow
Some of his accomplishments included being one of the youngest designers to win the title of "British Designer of the Year" which he actually won 4 different times from 1996 to 2003. Along with that, he was named International designer of the year at the Council of Fashion Designer Awards. McQueen has lasted ten years as a solo designer which is an accomplishment in itself but to do this and remain at the top of the fashion industry is even more of a feat. He was brought into the Gucci group which bought 51% in his company several years ago. Just last year he was not only turning a good size profit but opened a new chain of stores. By the end of the year he had boutiques in L.A, N.Y, London, Milan and Vegas.

I think I am going to give him the award for the most creative designs. They are completely gorgeous and out of the ordinary which automatically catches my attention. McQueen is awesome at giving us looks that no one else is thinking of and making them fashion forward at the same time. I completely was drawn to the way he mixed colors and patterns together in such an outrageous way, but somehow makes them appear so subtle. They are not so out there that it completely throws you off and really want to wonder wtf was he thinking..lol..I did not need to say that! McQueen is a designer I am definately going to keep an eye out on because if he continues on this path I truly believe that he has a shot of really being a true powerhouse in the fashion world.

TREND ALERT- JUMPERS

2009-06-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

TREND ALERT- JUMPERS

The trend that is coming in full force on the red capret and the runway is jumpers. YES! But not the ones your mother forced you to wear against your will (or am I the only one?) umm.. But i digress. The trend that is being seen right now are jumpers on the runways of major design icons right now for their fall collection. I am in between on the look right now because I have seen some amazing ones (Ralph Lauren) and some not so amazing ones (about 3 of the ones in the pic above but I will not say which). They are making their way on the bodies on some of the top celebs and are catching on like wildfire. I am definately putting this on the trend alert list. I was looking on sites to see where you could find some in local stores, but I havent found much of anything right now so I am going to keep searching. Be on the lookout.

DESIGNER OF THE DAY

2009-06-10T12:26:00.000-07:00

CHRISTOPHE DECARNIN FOR BALMAIN

In 1945, french designer Pierre Balmain launched his house as he was one of the top design giants in the fashion industry alongside Christian Dior and Cristobal Balenciaga. They were all in part responsible for launching a whole new concept for haute couture dresses after the second world war. Balmain's designs, especially his elegant evening gowns, were loved by European royalty and those in Hollywood as well which showed his extensive scope around the globe. Balmain died in 1982 shifting his executive assistant Erik Mortensen to head of the house until 1990. Two years later, fashion icon Oscar de la Renta joined the house founded by Balmain. The years that Oscar de la Renta did head it, financial complications fell upon the house (2002-2004) and was eventually forced into bankruptcy.

However, in 2005, investors seeing great potential in the company revived it and sought designer Christophe Decarnin to help the line out. Decarnin took the once elegant, classical gowns and traditional dress and turned the house into a chic, body-tight, slits-thigh-high fashion forward powerhouse. Sales have been said to have doubled since the house took on Christophe as one of their main designers. Their clothes are rather expensive though. A tee shirt can cost $3000, dresses will run you from $12 to $22,000 and jackets are going for $5,000 a pop. They are in the process of expanding the company by adding staff, a man's line and conjucturing with shoe GOD Giuseppe Zanotti to create a shoe line as well.

I am just crazy about Decarnin's creations because they are soo extremely beautiful and sexy while still maintaining this air of being classy. There were very few outfits from his spring collection for this year (the pics around are from nymag.com and are from his spring collection) that I did not drool over. I swear, if I could find one of these dresses for a price I could actually afford I would just lose my MIND! I am in love! And if that shoe collection comes out--> Im going to need to be recessitated! No lie! I feel that Decarnin has really brought that edge to the line that brings the ability for the young, hot hollywood divas to be able to relate to and shop through. It gives a new look to the line that still builds on the Pierre Balmain's vision for his company while moving with the changing trends and times.

STRAIGHT FROM THE RUNWAY

2009-06-10T12:01:00.000-07:00

This look that we are scoping out today is coming from Matthew Williamson's Spring 09 ready-to-wear collection. This trench coat is being doubled as a dress by Rihanna below and worn as purposed by Beyonce below (not that rockin it as a dress is wrong- i love it). Bey is pairing it with Gucci heels and Rih Rih is rockin her dress with some reptile inspired jewelry. I am really feeling Rihanna in the coat as she is wearing it as a dress a tad bit better than Bey, sorry. Even though Bey is rockin it closer to the version on the runway, I applaud Rih for really making it her own. In the first post of mine from straight from the runway, I said that there is nothing wrong with getting inspiration from the runway (as long as the WHOLE outfit was not the inspiration) but doing something to make it your own is applaudible. To me, it just makes so much more of a statement than Bey wearing it over other article of clothing because it makes you focus on the WHOLE outfit instead of just the coat. Again, nothing wrong with that, but when focusing solely on the coat, I feel that Rihanna just did a better job. But you can be the judge of that..

ROCKIN THEN, ROCKIN NOW

2009-06-09T03:09:00.000-07:00

LEATHER JACKETS

Leather jackets have often been associated wiht bikers, military aviators, punk rock stars and wannabes, the goth groups and of course, our beloved, 5-0 (police). They have been around and produced for quite some time but they gained substantial recognition in the 20th century largely due to the movie world indulging their main characters in them. For example: Marlon Brando playing the character Johnny Strabler in the Wild One which came out in 1953; The Avengers (1983) and "The Fonz" character in the wildly popular tv series "Happy Days" which ran during the 70s and 80s but depicted the lives of people living in the 50s and 60s. Most leather jackets are made in Italy. Those that were produced for aviators and those in the military were brown and called "bomber jackets" which were seen on the Hollywood stars in the 40s and 50s. This trend is coming back, well, technically it has came back. Stores have been putting leather jackets in their stores around summer time, moving in to fall. Leather jackets have been making their way on the stars of this era as well and on the runways of some of our favorite designers. Many ladies are beginning to wear them over dresses to go out in or pairing a cropped version with skinny jeans and heels. Men are wearing leather jackets but they have actually been wearing them for longer than the female leather jacket trend has been back in action. I love the look if it is paired up right because it is perfect for goin out on a cool night with something on your arms while still staying completely chic and styled.

ANKLE BOOTS

The ankle boot has been through many time periods, never really falling off but being evolved more than anything. And the evolved version of the ankle boot is what we most closely relate to what we call "booties" today (the short, heeled boot which may be open or closed toe). In the 18th century, the softer boots were replaced with cowhide ones that made the boot extremely stiff. Foot soldiers wore those that were cheaper that had side buttons. By the middle of the 19th century, shoes were now mass produces so this made then more readily available to consumers. By the 20th century men were still wearing ankle boots while women wore what they generally are still wearing today which were high or lower heeled, platform and wedge shoes. So the ankle boot has come a looongg way, even though we more generally see the lower, more fashionably modified version of it today.

TREND ALERT- THIGH HIGHS

2009-06-08T18:07:00.000-07:00

THIGH HIGH BOOTS ARE BACK!!!

I know this movie is so old but I just loved it, isnt that every girls fantasy? Live a life of prostitution and so happen to be the lucky one that gets swept off her feet by a rich, successful business man. Dreams really do come true. LOL, let me stop! Ok, I have seen so many thigh high boots on the gossip sites on celebs and on the runways so I had to post a trend alert. I use to want some of these when I first seen Pretty Woman I wanted a pair sooo bad, (not when it first came out, because I believe it came out in 1990) but my mom would get me a pair! I know I was only about 8 I think, but that is NO EXCUSE LOL. Well, moving on, as I said this trend is becoming more and more prevalent on the runways with designers decking their models out in them. It may be because they are moving into the fall season, but i doubt that is the ONLY reason. Its been almost 20 years since the dawn of Pretty Woman and her "hooker" boots but they are slowly making their way back on the scene of things. I dont know if the general population has lost that stipulation behind these boots as being "prostitut-ish" ( i am very aware that it is not a word) so I do not know how well this will sit or if everyone will latch on to this look. I personally like it for certain situations and by this I mean that they look good with certain looks. They are definatly NSFW (not suitable for work) if you work in a professional, upscale environment. I feel that they are too fly and flashy to be walking around and into office meetings with. If you do not know how to pinpoint which looks go best with these boots, then just look at how some (and emphasis on SOME because lady gaga, ummmmmm, let me leave that alone. The pic is definately for demonstrative purposes.) celebs are wearing them or how they are paired with outfits on the runway. But be reminded that not ALL the looks are appropriate for everyday wear. Runways are still a production so some things are definately exaggerated and not meant for everyday wear so be careful. I am putting this on a trend list because designers (whether we want to admit it or not) create the trends, not necessarily celebs like most believe and since they are sashay-ing down the runway in thigh highs, they may just be the new fall trend.

RIHANNA IN SNEAKER HEELS??

2009-06-08T17:53:00.000-07:00

What did I JUST say, this look is tryin to become a trend!! My beloved Rihanna was spotted at the Laker game last night rockin a set of Converse sneaker heels. I still am NOT feelin them. Im sorry, I dont care who in the world is rockin them. Rihanna is lookin just o so gorgeous as always but I scrolled to them shoes and nearly fell out my chair! My god! I mean, everyone is going to have their likes and dislikes in every area of fashion, and that is what makes it wonderful. It fosters that determination for designers to keep coming up with new or a twist on old things in order to try and cater to everyone. If you are feeling them, and I know some chicks who do, then that is great and all that good stuff. I still have my side eye to them, but as for now, I am keeping them on the trend list.

WOAAHH- NO!

2009-06-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

SNEAKER HEELS!

This is just ridiculous!! We all remember the ones that came out, my god, when was it? I believe 04-05, something like that. You know, the supposed to be air force heels? Yall remember! lol. Now, designers have actually been using these in their shows within the last year and a half. Now, Im reading in my beloved Elle magazine that they may be a new, dare i say, *shudders* trend! Now, Im NOT feelin these at all. I do not think I am jumping on this trend right now or ever. Unless the greatest designer in the whole free world creates one that is just shockingly amazing- 4 inch heel, skinny, and my fave colors NOT lookin like the ones on this page, I will not be ridin on this train at ALL. I am not feeling this look at all and I am not sure if its just the ones on this page or that Ive been seeing it. Maybe if some real well-rounded shoe designers get together and put something together in this same format, lol, I may look into this but for right now, they are on my "no" list.

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DESIGNER TO WATCH

2009-06-05T20:06:00.000-07:00

ZAC POSEN

Zac Posen was born on October 24, 1980, do the math, he is all of 29 years old which is relatively young to be quite an established designer. He is actually an American designer (those are very rare to find) and emerged as one of fashions newest stars in 2002. This was the year that his captivatingly feminine dresses first made their way onto New York's runway. Even in his early years Posen earned complimentary critiques of his work on the pages of high-fashion magazine Vogue and other well-read magazines as well. He has been hailed as the fashion design's newest prodigy as well as the one who could save American fashion from the ever-slumping sales it had been receiving over the past decade. He is a native New Yorker whose entry into the fashion arena had been pushed along through connections with well-known people in the worlds of art and film. While he was in high school he had always been good in math but was always drawn to visual arts. He had designed the costumes for school plays and continued to create, for himself, unusual outfits by way of thrift stores and other little shops to take home and put the "finishing touches" on. When he was 15 he landed his first design commission and around 1996 he landed an internship at the prestigious Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York. In 2004 he teamed up with Diddy (YES! THAT DIDDY!) for a different business venture. Diddy decided to invest money (how much is undisclosed) into Posen's company which many saw as a wise move for Posen. It is very evident that Diddy has many connections with different markets and this could help take Posen's ever-rising company to an even higher level.

Ok, enough of that, lol. I just love his collections I mean REALLY. The pictures that I am showing are JUST from his Spring 09 collection and there were more but I did not want to use up a whole page showing them so if you would like to look at more go to http://www.nymag.com/ and that is where I got these pictures from. It is an awesome site and if you cant find a designer on there then I do not know what to tell you! I love the softness and very feminine qualities all his pieces from this collection consisted of. Im not going to say I loved EVERY piece but I will say it was about 95% for real. The thing I really like was the fact that, hope this does not come off badly, it looks like things we could possibly find in regular low-cost retail stores. Not saying it looks cheap or anything because you can clearly
see the quality. What I am getting at is the fact that some of the looks could be closely matched to something you could go pick up right out of a store if you could not afford one of his pieces. It reaches out to those, like me, who cannot afford this type of clothing but LOOOVEE it. It does not go so high-end that we, the "commoners" *lol*, would not dream of wearing it because it looks, do I dare say, grandma-ish (cough, Chanel, cough). For this, I am putting Zac Posen on my designers to watch list because I believe he has so much potential to really be a powerhouse in the fashion world if he keeps up what he has been doing.

BELOW: RIHANNA IN ONE OF ZAC POSEN'S DRESSES

DESIGNER OF THE DAY

2009-06-05T16:02:00.000-07:00

BASSO AND BROOKE

Basso & Brooke is a design label that was started by Bruno Basso (brazilian) and Christopher Brooke (British). In 2004, they were the inaugural winners of Fashion Fringe which is an award given out in a UK talent competition which searches for the next big thing in that regions fashion. Basso and Brooke met while they were both a nightclub (I wish I could meet someone in a nightclub that drives my career to an all-time high..umm) and launched their company in 2003. They scored a production and distribution deal with Aeffe and joined London Fashion Week the following year. They are known for their theatrical ready to wear by their defying proportions and wild graphics. Their celebrity clientale includes: Beyonce and Rihanna and they have gone into different endeavors such as shoes and handbags.

I am in love with their spring collection for this year. It is an amazing showcase of the talent that both of these designers bring to the industry. I am really feelin the preview of their fall collection of this year as well. I feel that these two designers are some of the most creative in the industry right now. They are consistent throughout their collections from the past couple years (that is as far as I looked lol) with keeping up with the trends but adding their own twists to them. I just love the way they present the spring collection (pics in this post of the spring 09 collection) as it should be. I mean the fresh colors and light materials clearly indicate which season it is supposed to be for. I have looked through collections of several others and, no offense, I cannot tell if it is for spring or fall/winter collections, REALLY! No, they are not very established designers but they should at least still know to make it decipherable. But I digress, I feel that this line is very eclectic while still remaining fashion forward. It is almost like they dont even TRY to make it good, it just is. But you can be the judge for yourselves. I believe that many will like it because they inspire a wide range of taste and
try to blend it all into a single body of work. Enjoy.

STRAIGHT FROM THE RUNWAY

2009-06-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

Khloe Kardashian was spotted wearing the Alexander Wang dress (from the Pre-Fall 2009 Collection) to a Simon G. Fashion Party. LaLa wore (like I said in the previous post) to the Taking of Pelham 123 premiere last night. They both looked amazing but I have to say, Im lovin it a tad more on Khloe, dont hate me!!! I just wish her and Lala switched shoes and then I would wish I could just wrap Khloe in a blanket and kidnap her for the outfit!!!

Like I said before, it is difficult to say that they jacked it from the runway because

when the whole outfit is only a dress, it is hard to try and do much else to make it

your own. HOWEVER, I am still keepin an eye on them to and putting them on my

straight from the runway "watch list" lol. I cant be having any repeat offenders time and time

again

SHOE OF THE WEEK- ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

2009-06-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN PELLE LEATHER PEEP TOE BOOTIES

Im lovin, lovin, lovin these boots!! I can officially say I am light-weight obsessed. These boots are by designer Alex McQueen (ok, again, lookout because I am doing a two pieces on him- amazing designer). Rihanna wore a pair while out shopping on day, *when is the last time anyone shot her goin into a studio or anything?*. And LaLa wore a pair to the premiere of the Taking of Pelham 123 yesterday night. They both wore them unzipped, which I like better too, and rocked completely different outfits with them which goes to show they are very versatile. OOO, now I digress. Thank you.

STRAIGHT FROM THE RUNWAY

2009-06-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

I decided to do this because we love the looks that we see on celebs and wonder where in the world they got, or who made it, or was their outfit truly their idea? We give praise to these stylists and such that dress our favorite people, but sometimes, all they do is take a complete look and straight swagger-jack it from the runway. I mean, head to toe! Some may say, what is wrong with this? Nothing really, but when some are praised for their incredible fashion sense and all they are doing is pulling things from the runway, I feel let down! I mean, do you really have fashion sense or just jackin somebody elses? I know that some things you cant help but to jack because, say its a dress, all you can do is really accessorize it, nothing else can be done. But if you take a whole outfit off the runway- PANTS, SHIRT, AND SHOES? There is something a tad disappointing about that. (i am givin rihanna the side-eye right now because she is on here more than ONCE, my fashionista? humm, she may be put on timeout! lol)

Beyonce in Balmain at the premiere of her movie "Obsessed". A lot of people did not have kind words for this piece but i LOVVVEEEDD it so much. I was really inspired on how I want my wedding dress to be short with a train. HOOOLLLAA!! and my bridesmaids will wear the same and be hott too..lol

Lady O!! What can I say about Michelle, I just *heart* her. *and it is not bad she is married to the hottest man alive, lol* The piece she is wearing is from Basso and Brooke (be on the lookout, Im writing about them soon, they are amazing designers). This is what they had to say about the first lady wearing a piece from their collection- "We were amazed when we saw the picture. She is such a strong, stylish landy- redefining a woman's wardrobe- and for her to select us is an honor".

This is Estell hitting a read carpet event in a a silk black and white dress. I remembered the designers but for the life of me right now I cannot put my finger on them. Sorry!

Ok, Rih Rih!. She stepped out in this complete Gucci ensemble not too long ago (I believe it was the beginning of May, someone correct me if Im wrong). I loved this on her, it was so grown woman sexy. BUT when I seen the entire outfit walkin down the runway, even down to her shoes, I was less enthralled! I mean, we could not at least put on some different shoes! My god! I just personally define style as someone taking somethign they like and making it their own. This was NOT done here.

Another look that was jacked straight from the runway. This LV get up! I really did not even like it to begin with so the fact that she took the entire thing, even down to the shoes AGAIN, was a tad disappointing. YOU ARE BETTER THAN THIS!!

Christina Millian looked so cute in this Louis Vuitton dress from the Spring/Summer Collection for this year. It fit nicely and looks amazing. I have nothing bad to say about her right now because its a tad hard to really do something different to a single dress besides add some earrings and bracelets to it,you know?

HOW TO DECIPHER FASHION

2009-06-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

Ok, I hate to burst some of you guys' bubbles but not EVERY spot you see is leopard!! lol..I have seen people say 8 different animal spots are ALLL leopard, no no no. Designers do draw inspiration from other felines in the animal kingdom besides the leopard! I will break it down to let you know which spots are which!! Yes, Eboni to the rescue yet again..lol..

Ok, Im going to assume that everyone has seen at least THREE (3) of these spots on a dress, shirt, shoe, handbag, ect. So I am going to break down the prints ok? Going left to right- This is the ONLY leopard print up there. If you look closely, it contains both open and closed small spots. It is also more orange in tone than the other prints. It kind of looks somewhat like a paw, ok, that was the best analogy I could come up with. Next, this is waht we call a jaguar. If you notice, it is extremely close to the leopard's spot but they are more open and actually paw-like than the leopard print. Ok? Moving on, third we have the cheetah. I do not know how people get leopard and cheetah mixed up but, hey, to each his own. I do realize no one really stares into the spots all that hard and tries to analyze them like I do. LOL. You can decipher the spots her because they are just that, spots. They are much smaller and are very to completely closed. They look like black polka dots. As we continue, we have what is called an ocelot, please dont ask me what it is because I dont know. But what i DO know is that these ARE technically spots even though they appear to be leaning more towards stripes. It's spots are curvy and has the tendency in some areas to form into short stripes. Last but not least is the snow leopard, if you mixed this one up with the actual leopard, its ok! No sweat, just dont do it again! As I stated before, the leopard has a more orange tone, in comparison, the snow leopard is much paler and has open and closed spots. You good now? Well, my work is done! Hopefully this has given you much needed help, lol. Be sure to keep an eye out because I will be going into if animal prints are still in, and if so, for how long. Oooo should you throw away that leopard or cheetah dress or keep it for fall? DUN DUN DUUUNNNN!!!

FASHIONISTA- CHANEL IMAN

2009-06-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

CHANEL IMAN ROBINSON

Chanel Iman Robinson was born on November 30, 1989 in Atl, Georgia (shoutout). She was born into a mixed family, her parents being African American and Korean. Although she was born on a whole other coast, she was raised in southern California where she went to Fairfax High School in L.A. When she was in her mid-teens she participated in Ford Model's Supermodel of the World competition in 2006 and won 3rd place (however, some places I read said 2nd-check it out for yourselves). After the competition Chanel Iman ended up signing with them and took her first walk down the runway that same year. The crazy thing is that this was only 3 years ago and she has become one of the top name-recognized models right now. In only THREE (yes 3!) years she has done fashion shows for some of the BIGGEST names in the industry including (deep breath, the list is long): Dolce&Gabbana, Issey Miyake, Marc Jacobs, Valentino, DSquared2, Hermes, Michael Kors, Vera Wang, Oscar De La Renta, Stella McCartney, Paul Galtier, Ralph Lauren, Jason Wu and *I've seen the runway photos where she modeled for*- Phi, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent. In February of this year, Teen Vogue did an article on her in which she stated- "I wante to do different things in my life, not just modeling. I would love to design for a big fashion house, like Pharrell did for Louis Vuitton" (I was not aware that Pharrell had anything going wit LV, only Kanye..hummm...). And what top model out there does not have a signature move? Chanel Iman is no different with her wink at an audience member as she turns at the top of the runway.

Some may say that I am cheating to call her my fashionista because she is adorned in beautiful clothing for a living (and i KNOW she gets freebies!). But that is not the only reason. I have looked at pictures of her on and off the catwalk and she just exudes this style that is indescribable. I mean, of course she is going to be a fashionista when you have the biggest names in fashion dressing you, but it's like when she steps off the runway, there is a fashion sense she has that knows the difference between the catwalk and the streetwalk. By this I mean, she is constantly in these pricey gowns and outfits but she leaves all that at the runway. When she steps out to a launch party or to hang out, that fashion sense is still there but toned down to be appropriate for the occasion. She is never trying to be consistently high, fly and flashy but still knows that the fashion world is all about standing out. I love the fact that she can be that sort of chameleon and adapt to the ever-changing environments she is thrown in and that is why she is my fashionista.

UPDATE

2009-06-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

I KNOW I HAVENT POSTED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS BUT I HAVE BEEN

REALLY BUSY MOVING AND TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING SITUATED

WITH MY SUMMER SCHOOL (AT ONE SCHOOL) AND FALL SEMESTER (AT

ANOTHER)!! ITS BEEN A TAAAADDD FRUSTRATING LOL BUT I LOVE IT. SO WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS I WILL POST SOMETHING ELSE! PROMISE.

-EBONI

MY SEMI-DAILY RANT

2009-05-29T15:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, the thing that is buggin me today is the fact that people think that just because something is "name brand" or expensive, it automatically becomes "cute". I do not understand when people get this idea that the more expensive it gets, the more aesthetically pleasing it gets. I mean, I understand that people like different things and it may just be expensive. I also know that there are plenty of items that are outrageously priced that if I had the money I would buy. At the same time, are we lustin after these items because of what they represent-financial security, status? Or do we look at them and want them because we generally like them and want it because, face it, more expensive things tend to be made better? If you answered yes to question one, then this rant is for you. Lets look at ourselves and see why we need these things and why it is soooo important to have name brand things. And Im not just talkin bout RocaWear, AppleBottoms, BabyPhat or any other urban brands (and if you are over 22 and stick to wearin these labels..that is a WHOLE other rant for YOU! lets step our game up a little bit), but LV, Gucci, Fendi, Prada, Armani, blah blah blah! There are individuals who only buy name brand because they are just that and there are those who think that being made by a certain designer just gives it the green light to be cute. Let me clear this up now, that mentality is just bizarre to me. I believe if you have it, go head and get it. If you have it and you want it solely to try and "flaunt" then there is really something wrong, deeper than skin but it is borderline becoming mental. What approval are you seeking? What need is only being fulfilled by a $1,000 price tag? Humm... well, i shall digress

WOAAHH- NO!

2009-05-29T14:50:00.000-07:00

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE!! O my my my! Angie!! I was actually going to put her as one of my up-n-coming fashionistas (yea, she gotta little bit more work to do) because I loved her laid back, casual style that we have grown to love. She always looked so cute without even having to try! But this is jus WRONG! I do not know what she was thinking with this. I mean I have seen Megan Good and Tierra Marie (or however you spell that chick name) in this exact shirt, but they were at least goin OUT to the club, not to lunch! Its just tacky. I think some people can pull off the "different" and "unusual" looks but umm I am not puttin Angie as one of them. And those BOOTS, wow! I mean, I never liked them when they were bein rocked everywhere but boo boo its the summer, the beginning of JUNE! I have had several convos with friends about people mixin the seasons, but she is mixin not only the seasons but the occassions as well. Each part of this outfit dont belong together! o honey.. my love Angela. You are supposed to have your own line and you run around like this? Ok, I just cant say anymore.

WOAAHH- NO!

2009-05-29T14:25:00.001-07:00

LMAO!!!!!! O wow, this is just WRONG on sooo many levels. Ok, the guys wearing pink phase has been dead and gone for a while, but to add a floral suit jacket to it, o wow. Im still just dying of laughter. This is why people should reference check their stylist and if he did it himself, he NEEDS a stylist ASAP!! o lord, give ME a call.. im unemployed! This just goes to show that it does not matter how big (or how big you use to be) in the industry, you are still subject to fatal, tragic mistakes!

STILL HOT- PLAID

2009-05-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

PLAID (STILL HOT IN 09!)

OK! Plaid has been "back" for about 4 years if I had to roundabout guesstimate. I mean, designers have really been puttin their foot in it, along with casual retail shops to make sure this trend is still in full effect. I was NOT a fan of it a few years ago because all I really seen was the wrinkled, faded plaid "look" that was comin back. NOT feelin it. But in recent years (two to be precise) I have just fallen in love *aawww*. The styles they are puttin plaid on and the emergence of the feminine plaid has really caused this to stay in the lime light for the past several years. However, as you know- what we rockin now, has been rocked before. Most already know that the emergence of plaid (the american english word for tartan, which is what it was originally called) hailed from the good-ol' scots. They fashioned their kilts with the material along with the sash that drooped over them while wearing them. Tartan is 'cloth made with alternating stripes

and bands of color woven into or dyed onto fabric'. That is the jist of plaid. lol. Im keeping on the still hot list because I mean as you can see with Teyana Taylor, Rihanna (even tho that is an older pic of her, i jus LOOOVVVEEE that plaid jacket..o dear jesus), Beyonce and Megan Good it is still being worn. And we all know that celebs have to (even tho some of them dont) keep up with the trends and what is current at the times. I do not see this trend going anywhere immediately but I would not put it past a year and half tops! *im going to come back and look at this to see if im right, because this is jus MY opinion, could be wrong*. I do because although there has been more and more people wearing it, it HAS been around for a while. A good way to see if it is moving out or not, just go to the store and pick up fashion mags, or you can go to designers collections (i.e, we are in spring so you can look at their fall 2009 or spring 2010 collections) and see if plaid is still being used. Designers usually start their collections a year (at least) before it is to be released so if you are not seeing a lot of it, you might wanna start packin the plaid up. NOT saying this is a definite way but its a suggestion. The thing with trends is that, its just that- a trend. It does not stay around for super long unlike the basics such as woven shirts, jeans, skirts, flats, stillettos- they stay around because they are "generic", will be used continuously, just designed in different ways.

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EARLACES?!? THE FUTURE OF ACCESSORIES?!?

2009-05-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

My girl hit me on twitter to do a post on earring necklaces. I had already knew what she was talkin bout soon as I read it because I had seen them for the first time ever (along with most of the free world) on Rihanna at the beginning of this month on theybf.com (my favorite gossip site!). I saw them, liked them but did not think much of them until I really started to research them for this post. These are called "earlaces" because they are an earring and a necklace.

I liked these earrings (not the rest of the outfit, rih rih was slippin! even tho I still had her as
one of my fashionistas) but I had ALREADY knew that they were not going to be liked by everyone. And I was right. A lot of sites have put this look down *along with her outfit* and, when reading the responses, saw that many everyday people were not feeling it either. I think these earrings are so different its ridiculous and that is what I look for, something that you are not going to see walking down every street corner. If it were like that, then what would be the purpose of doing this? I understand that not everyone is going to jump on the look, but regarding it as gawdy or just plain ugly is jumping the gun as well. The thing that people need to know about fashion is that just because YOU would not wear it does not make it ugly. There are plenty of things that top designers put out *as I look through their runway collections* that I do not particularly care for, but to say they are ugly just because I do not care for them is ignorant. It is about being original and standing out from the say, 20,000 other designers trying to make it in the SAME field.

Now, I digress. These earrings had the entire fashion world hunting down the designer because this look, according to Marie Claire has "never been seen before in the world of accessories". And she has been found! She is a designer by the name of Dechel Mckillion and is based out of L.A. I found her, FINALLY (I was looking for 30 min on these earrings) on Rihannadaily.com and saw that she has her own site called spacelitevintage.com where you can purchase a pair for $60 which is not bad. Above are the pictures of the designer wearing the designs herself. There really is not much information on this designer at all, my apologies, but I am definately putting her on my designer watch list just in case she springs up. I would def be careful rockin these though because one good tug or club fight can completely destroy your earlobes, so these are NOT for those fight club type girls (stef, Im lookin at you sideways because you almost there! lol).

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ROCKIN THEN, ROCKIN NOW

2009-05-27T19:12:00.000-07:00

LEGGINGS

Leggings are "a form of skin tight trousers, a tighter version of the capris ending at the mid-calf or near the ankle" came into fashion in the 60's. They have become wildly popular today but to think of them as being "new" or such, is just not true. They have been used in many different ways throughout its popularity, such as for workout or used as a type of leg warmers for those in the military. Leggings that are nylon-lycra material were originally worn for exercise in the 60's but became a fashion trend in the 80's. By the early 90's they were actually outselling jeans! *crazy huh*. They have recently made a comeback, well, not that recently. The trend once again started in late 2004, 2005 when people started wearing them with skirts (and some with *ugh* shorts), oversized shirts and as actual pants (meaning they wore them with regular length shirts exposing the whole legging). They are still very popular today because they are so easy to wear your fave shirt with that may not be long enough for a dress but may look ackward with jeans. I see it slowly fading within the next year or two, if you legging lovers are lucky, three. They are not officially played out or close, but be on the look out! (pictured above, Bre from America's Next Top Model, below: Christina Millian, Megan Good, and Rihanna)

SKINNY JEANS

Skinny leg jeans have been in commission for quite some time now. They have went through several decades of being in, then going out and so on. The first era was in the 50s where the style originated. They were popularized by stars such as Roy Rogers and Marilyn Monroe by wearing their jeans very close to the ankles. When Elvis Presley began wearing them, they became associated with "bad boys" and rock n roll. In the 70s the "glam rock" style began and began rockin skinny leg in contrast to the flared-leg style worny by the hippies. They fit tightly and were adorned with zippers and mismatched patches. In the 80s, styles of acid-wash skinny leg denim were popular with heavy metal bands. They were for those who did not want to wear spandex that, at the time, were linked with glam rock and were often worn with high tops. As the grunge genre rose along with hip hop in the beginning of the 90s, skinny jeans faded into the background. However, some people still wore them as a way to rebel or be seen as "old school". They have made their comeback into the mainstream of America for a while now. They started coming back, from what I remember, in late 2006 if I had to say. They seem to not be going aaannyyywhere right now! Unless they come out with a hotter pant (well, the paper bag trouser seems to be gaining some momentum) then they will be around for a while longer. Can you imagine the flare coming back?? *ugh* (pictured above, Kim Kardashian; below: Megan Fox and Beyonce)

OVERSIZED SHIRTS

This look came about in the 80's during the, you guessed it, popularizing movie Flashdance. This look consisted of one sleeve being drooped past the shoulder for an off the shoulder look they we still see today. They were put on with leggings (as you still see today. It is like they are takin the 80's back by STORM!) or really tight jeans (skinny jeans) or over a miniskirt. Oversized or off the shoulder shirts have been manipulated in so many ways. The original look started with girls wearing big sweaters and cutting the necklines so that they are drooped over (unless they came that way) but now, they are just having the look modified so that the shirt is more form fitting and one shoulder is more drooped than the other which creates the same look. You really dont see it in its original form but the concept is still going on. It is not a wildly popular trend,even though the look has been back in effect for a couple years now but it may have the ability to really take hold as the one-shoulder movement is catching fire right now. (pictured to right: chanel iman, below: victoria beckham and cassie)

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PLAYED OUT- HIGH WAIST JEANS

2009-05-27T18:32:00.000-07:00

THIS IS WHAT BROUGHT THEM IN STYLE

THIS IS WHAT OFFICIALLY KILLED IT

Some are going to hate me for this post but i dont care! lol. Im sorry, high waist jeans are officially PLAYED OUT!! sorry! If you are still rockin them, please report them BACK to your closet immediately and tuckt them away til they, perhaps, come back in style. Kelis busted a pair of stonewashed empire-waist (that is the "official name" lol) jeans out in her video "Bossy" and that is when the trend officially started (i tried to look for confirmation on this, but there was none. I do not care, wasnt NOOOOOOBODY wearing high-waist jeans before this video). I was NOT feeling them in that video, I thought they were ugly and old fashion (which they were, they were in style in the 70s). But this is when empire waist jeans took OFF!!! They were selling them everywhere and everyone was wearing them! I admit I got on the trend even after hating them originally, they were cute and with the right shirt and shoes (KEYWORD: RIGHT). And when they came out with the shorts, O MY GOD!! They had a good run, but I am officially putting them on played out! Jessica Simpson is the one that solidified the fact that the high waist movement was THROUGH! Im sorry, no offense, it just really did it for me with them. I know they were talking about her weight and everything, but I'm just talking about the look entirely. I seen this girl in my church this past week with them on and that prompted my further quest to make sure the world knew that this trend was DEAD! I loved the look, some looked better in them than others, and all that jazz but it is time for us to say so long to these jeans. If you still have a pair, we are going to throw our lighters up and sing a farewell song.

DESIGNER OF THE DAY-

2009-05-27T15:09:00.000-07:00

DEAN AND DAN CATEN

Dean and Dan Caten are obviously twin brothers who run the brand DSquared2 ( they named it that for obvious reasons). They were born in Toronto in 1965 and are the youngest of 9 children. In 1991, they decided to move to Milan to take a crack at becoming fashion designers. They originally started out by creating their men's line in 1994 then moved on to women's apparel in 2003. They are known for having elaborate and celeb filled runway shows to add a touch of flare to their collection presentation- i.e Christina Aguilera closing out the 2005 show and Rihanna starting the Milan show in 2007. Since its presentation, the DSquared2 line has been gaining much noteriety in the celebrity world too as celebs such as Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Nicholas Cage, Beyonce, and Madonna have taken a liking to their collections. Their line has been featured in Madonna's 2001 world tour, Britney's Circus Tour, Fergie's "Clumsy" video, and on AMerica's Next Top Model. In 2006, they were asked to design the Juventus football team uniforms and two years later started helping design for Marcolin's sunglass line which is set to be released this year. In 2007, DSquared2 flagship store was opened in Milan's fashion district (they have fashion districts EVERYWHERE it seems like, I have only been to the one in LA and it is just amazing!). In 2003, these two were awarded Breakout Designer Of The Year by GQ and just a few years ago

they were presented with the Golden Needle Award. This award have been given to some of the heavy hitters in the fashion industry such as Oscar de la Renta (just GORGEOUS gowns, love the collections, they are amazing), Jean Paul Gautier, Tom Ford (i think he is one of the legends that are so underpraised sometimes, not a huge name besides those who study fashion- he was once the creative director for Gucci), Manolo Blahnik (shoes are CRAZY, gotta love em- everytime I think of Carrie Bradshaw). But these guys did not just pop up on the fashion scene and get prestigious awards that some that have been around longer and received more noteriety than them have not received. It has taken long work, creative genius, trend specification while keeping a individuality which some designers fail to do. They present what is new and trendy but put their own spin on it in order to come across and stand out amongst many labels. I believe they are going to keep getting better and better because they seem to have a knack for blending trends into a realm that is suitable for a higher-end brand. They keep their designs fresh and youthful, while still maintaining that high-end sense (not just price, the look!) that a lot of designers are going for but falling short on. Dean and Dan are my designers of the day because 1) i love twins, 2) they are really starting to truly break out into the American markets even after being in the biz for about 20 years, 3) their styles are updating with the times, they are not getting lost in translation, 4) they have not lost their sense of originality in a profession formed on repeating the past. (pics from their fall 2008 and spring 2009 collection from nymag.com-check this site out, its great!)

LOOK YOU MAY LIKE- ROCK&REPUBLIC

2009-05-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

ROCK&REPLUBLIC

Rock&Republic is an jean company based in the U.S (yes! there are American designers with potential..lol). The company was founded in 2002 by Michael Ball (we have the same last name, wonder if we are related? maybe i can get some tuition paid) and the presided over by his good friend Andrea Berholtz. Michael originally gained experience in the designing world by creating the designs for his former cycling team which he was involved with. To be a relatively new label, it is gaining a lot of noteriety and establishing itself well amongst its target audience. Rock&Republic has gained a lot of momentum over the years, growing more and more popular as it was originally being carried in small boutiques and now moving to large dept. such as Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Lord & Taylor. We have come to know them as a jean brand mostly but I am not going to focus on their jeans because if you have not heard about them by now.....im sorry. *well, quick synopsis- their jeans are the ones with the back to back R's on the pockets, sold in urban and rock stores and range from $160 to $400. You can check out their online store http://www.rockandrepublic.com/ and if you like their jeans you can purchase a pair or try and find sites that carry them at a discounted price. You can even try to search ebay for a pair, but watch out for fakes! Ebay has a great guide to buying them- check it out: http://tinyurl.com/fap78.* Ok, my goal for this was to introduce those to another aspect of the company. Although their jeans are really driving the company in the mainstream light, they have a complete line of clothing including women's dresses, suits, jackets and a whole men's line as well. I mean, I was aware that there was more of a line than just jeans but looking at their past 6 runway shows, I did not know that they had such a diverse line (these photos are from nymag.com from 2009 collection). I wanted to present the different things that R&R had to offer because I think it is a very creative line and really blends trends of the time in their own way. They assess what is hot at the moment and put their own take on it to make it into that "punk-rock" type look but could *and most likely would* be worn by many different types of people. I love how they can take one style or pattern and make it work several different ways (a dress, a top, leggings, ect.). I mean, a lot of designers do that but i have not liked it the way I have liked R&R way of doing it. It is like some try to hard to make it different, and can make it OUTRAGEOUS and would not be something a normal, everyday person would wear. Rock & Republic is a brand that is really taking off and making a name for themselves among so many other labels that have been around even longer. We just hope they dont fade into the background like so many labels today are beginning to do.

FASHION WORD OF THE DAY

2009-05-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

FASHION:

1) FASHION- A SENSE OF STYLE THAT CHANGES FROM DECADE TO DECADE, CENTURY TO CENTURY, EACH ERA OF FASHION CAN CHANGE BY VERY LITTLE OR DRASTICALLY

2) FASHION-NOUN- PREVAILING STYLE OR CUSTOM, AS IN DRESS, OR BEHAVIOR. FASHION IS NOT ALWAYS EXPENSIVE CLOTHES. FASHION IS NOT WHAT ALL THE POPULAR GIRLS ARE WEARING. FASHION IS CREATING A GARMENT AND BEING DIFFERENT. FASHION IS DEVELOPING A STYLE. FASHION NEVER GETS OLD, IT JUST GETS RE-CREATED

*DEFINITION FROM WWW.URBANDICTIONARY.COM*

FASHIONISTA OF THE PAST- MARILYN MONROE

2009-05-24T16:53:00.000-07:00

NORMA JEAN MORTENSON AKA MARILYN MONROE

I am going to start off saying that I love Marilyn Monroe. She was a horrid actress and couldn't sing a lick (Im sorry she couldnt I have heard her sing and watched a couple of her movies) but her style, fashion sense, and general sex appeal made the world love her. Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jean Mortenson on June 1, 1926 in LA to Gladys Baker. Her mother was later committed to a mental institution forcing Norma to spend most of her childhood going from foster home to orphanages until 1937. *Ok, jump a few years* (if you want her WHOLE life story look it up yourself). She dyed her hair blonde then changed her name to Marilyn Monroe to make it big in Hollywood. She later married Joe DiMaggio (second husband, first one she divorced). After a while their marriage started to fall apart as he could not handle her fame and sexual image and they later divorced. She was found dead in her home on August 5, 1962 with 30 films under her belt and being always synonymous with beauty and sexuality.

Marily Monroe is one of my fashionistas because she did the opposite of what women were doing at the time. She took the faux pas of women sexuality and threw it away and with it the ties of what was socially acceptable for women. Her sensuality was reflected time and time again in the way she chose to adorn her body in fashion. Her look of sexiness back then is our equivalent to a woman dressing provacatively today. But, personally, looking back at her many, many pictures, I see sexy, classy (even though it was considered outright raunchy back then). It is the look that more and more women are going for today, they want that balance. The sexiness of the long, plunging neck and backless dresses she wore in the past have been kept alive by many designers today opting for the classic sexy woman. I look at her and do not see the raunchy, sex-driven woman that many of her time see. I see this gorgeous woman being herself, loving and embracing her sexuality while showing the world that she could still exude sheer sexiness even under a huge fur coat.

MY SEMI-DAILY RANT

2009-05-24T16:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have been keeping my mouth shut on the subject but my lips cannot help but to part NOW!! Today I am touching on the subject of "knock-offs", ok, to those who do not know- a knock off is an imitation of another highly popularized brand (i.e- Coach, Fendi, LV, Prada,Gucci- blah, blah, blah). I was watching an episode of Sex in the City last night and it was about Samantha buying this knock-off Fendi purse while they were vacationing in L.A (ok, sidenote- i love sex in the city now and cant wait til the next movie comes out). This got me thinking, why would Samantha need to buy a fake purse, she seemed to have enough money to buy a real one. Then that was IT! SEEMED! This was probably because first, she was white, lived in NY, had "rendevous's" with successful men and all that other stuff. That led to me to notice that when we are walking down the street or in the mall, why do we not question if a purse is real if it is hanging off a white woman's arm, but soon as a minority has one on, we automatically assume it is a fake? Maybe its just ME (but I know its not). But that isnt even the real subject of my rant because I believe that it not ONLY is race but HOW you wear the purse. I am not against knock-offs *fake it til you make it girl* because i have one. But in certain situations I NEVER wear it such as- i go to a high end mall (pass a LV store or Gucci store with a fake, they WILL notice it and probably talk mess), go to a highly populated place (i.e-the amusement park or club- someone MAY think its real and try and get me but mainly because it will be a WHOLE zoo of people with knock-offs too) or when I'm running common errands. I mean, I see women with all kinds of designer purses with head-wraps on, broke-down slippers with crusted ankles, torn t-shirts, too-tight- heavily worn jeans with a tear that is NOT part of the design, WHO ARE YOU FOOLING?? MY GOD, it comes down to presentation! If you are going to rock a purse that is an imitation of a $2,000 one, PLEASE look like you can afford it because if you dont, that is like the first clue its not real. Im sorry but it is the truth. I do not wear my knock-off to run to do menial errands because I do not look my best and know that no one will believe me! I do have a small LV purse that is real (its old though) that I wear whenever because I know its real so I dont trip. The point of my rant is not to shun knock-offs, it is to educate those who choose to wear them on HOW to wear them. I do not care if you say it dont matter, YES IT DOES because you would NOT have ran out to buy that imitation knowing their is hundreds of stores that carry cute, non-designer purses. That is why we dont question white women- its not only a mental thing saying that white women can afford it (which I wouldnt be surprised if half of their's was fake) but its that if we do see them they are dressed like they could. NOT SAYING ALL MINORITIES DONT LOOK THE PART- I, ME, MYSELF, PERSONALLY, have witnessed a lot that didnt and that is just my rant for the day

FASHIONISTA- RIHANNA

2009-05-24T15:43:00.000-07:00

ROBYN "RIHANNA" FENTY

Rihanna was born Robyn Fenty on February 20, 1988. She was born in Saint Michael, Barbados but moved to the U.S at the age of 16 to pursue her music career (which we all can see really paid off). She was signed to Def Jam Records after auditioning for Jay Z and Evan Rogers became her first producer. Rihanna has opted to set herself apart from other singers in the music industry by choosing to stick to her own sense of style which usually is dripping with designer names. Her keen since of style and fashion choices has landed the, then 20 year old, on People's 10 Best Dressed Stars list in 2008. This year, Glamour magazine labeled her the 17th most glamorous woman of 2009. This meant she beat out 33 other glamorous starlets for the spot! To me, that is pretty impressive for a 21 year old to do, especially seeing that younger stars in the industry try to go for the sexy-to-the-point-of-slutty look in order to gain attention. Very rarely do you see Rih-Rih in a see through top, skirt up to her buttcheeks or garments such as those lol. If you take a look at her photos over the years, you really not only see this young girl mature into a beautiful young adult, but her style has been the most prominent. She started off with the shorter skirts, long brown weave and mid-driff tops (ugh..i just never liked them, but that is me personally) and really came into a short-do, designer rocking, fab chick. I was hesitant about doing Rih Rih because she is so synonomous with style and thought it would be kind of cliche but i dont care, i heart her. It is so hard to define Rih-Rih's style because it is always changing, better yet evolving. As soon as you fall in love with one look from her, she just takes it to a whole other level that most people dont even understand! I love the versatility she shows and is not afraid to be bold and do something unconventional (we ALLLL seen that Tuexedo she wore to the Met Gala..no comment). She can take a hoodie, skinny leg jeans and basic pair of pumps and rock it so hard but when you see someone else do it-->> NO! She just has that je ne sais que! Looks she has pulled off and completely shattered would not look good on anyone else but her. This is why she is one of my fashionistas, because she is doing this at such a young age. Most of those getting praised for their looks are in their later 20s to early 30s but she just turned 21 and is being invited to Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana premieres and parties. I dont know about you guys but that is just CRAZY to me. I really think Rihanna can do no wrong but that is for everyone else to decide. Some love her look, some hate it (i know! who are these people? lol) but their is one thing for sure, if music gives up on her, I know the fashion world will greet her with open arms.

PLAYED OUT- LOUIS VUITTON SPICY SANDAL

2009-05-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

LOUIS VUITTON SPICY SANDAL

ok, ok, ok- you know when I put that I got some explaining to do first lol. Well, I have to post a quick disclaimer.. I DO NOT THINK THESE SHOES ARE PLAYED OUT IN THE WAY IM STATING. Ok, I think these shoes are HOTTTT!! They are exactly what I look for in shoes because they are so different and unique while still being cute because you know some people can take it too far. Second note: this shoe comes in about 6 different styles (one even has a tribal mask on the front) so the spicy sandal you see to the left is just ONE of them. They range from about $1,500 to $3,000 a pair so they are NOT cheap. At those prices, the only people you expect to see them on are celebs. Which is crazy since they are more than likely getting them absolutely free. And do not get me wrong, believe me, if I could get a pair of these shoes free I would rock them across the Sahara until I my feet bled! The beeding on them, the elevated platform, the (what appears to be) 4 inch heel on them just scream @ me FIERCE!!

Background on the shoe: it was designed by Marc Jacobs and the concept came to him at 3 in the morning as he began cutting up bits of snake, leather and ribbons and created what is this now wildly popular shoe. It is laced with accessories and has gold finish LV lace tips, a monogram canvas and multi-colored platform and leather sole. (http://www.coolspotters.com/). I am placing this item on the played out list not because it is out of style or because it no longer has the appeal it once did. These have been rocked by EVERYBODY, my god! I mean, these celebrities have money to buy anything they want and decide to rock the same shoe! I am not saying that they are not allowed to like what they like or they even KNOW that other celebs have the pair, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am putting it on played out because I have just seen ONE too many celebs wear this shoe. Balmain, Chloe, Dior, Emilio Pucci, Zanotti, Ferragamo--> NO, LV! and the same pair. I love looking at these celebrities to see what they are wearing and fantasize about being able to afford them..uuuummm... but when I see them rockin the same thing, I just fall out of my fantasy land. For the same reason I put Herve Leger on the played out, Im sorry LV, I have to put these sandals on played out. I love them deeply and applaud the excellence that is Marc Jacobs on his creative endeavors, but they are just becoming a thing of publicity. Like I said, these celebs are more than likely not paying for the shoe and being sent them to showcase ONCE and probably never rock again (you know the fashion faux pas of celebs is too NEVER wear anything twice-*GASP*). Then we, broke or not, decide to go out and buy them in order to maintain this falsified lifestyle to keep up with the jones'. Im not mad at LV because they know that we love our celebs and free publicity is the best! I am just mad they sent a pair to EVERYONE (jk, Im pretty sure ONE of them paid for their pair..lol)! They have popularized a great shoe, just to a point where it is TOO popular so it becomes mundane in a way when we see them. I love Louis and believe that they are a complete powerhouse in fashion and their creative genius is evident. I just look for a sense of individuality in things but at the same time, people cannot control what they like. That being said, Im still NOT taking it off the played out list. If you think they aren't then state your case, if it is good enough, I may remove them but I am a tough cookie lol. Rocking the LV Spicy Sandal- Beyonce, Victoria Beckham, Mischa Barton, Heidi Klum, Ciara, Christina Millian, Amber Rose and Madonna (in the ad).

LOOK YOU MAY LIKE- N.Y.L.A

2009-05-20T14:39:00.000-07:00

N.Y.L.A SHOES

Ok, this brand should be familiar to some. I have seen their shoes before and I like them. I think the overall style of this brand is fairly consistent with the trends of today but the major reason I put this look up is because they are more affordable than the others I have posted. NOT SAYING that because they are cheaper they are ugly and cheap and all that other stuff. They do have nice shoes that are reasonably priced and trendy. The only problem with this brand is the fact that they are just that, nice shoes, trendy and well-priced. Nothing about them really make me say O MY GOD!! I HAVE TO HAVE THEM!!! Do not get me wrong, I do like them but like I said, I love shoes that make my jaw drop when I look at them or are unlike the ones I can see on any girl walking down the mall. This is the brand for girls walking down the mall. And it is not bad because I do not believe that EVERY shoe needs to be just out of this world ridiculous. You must realize that not all shoes are suitable for work and they must be toned down to meet the professional atmosphere. These shoes are perfect for that. They are trendy while being good for a work place as well as a night out with the girls. I feel that there needs to be a balance in everyones closet because too much of one thing is never good. We have to change up and keep it moving because rocking the same look over and over, ya'll know how that is.

N.Y.L.A is said to be club-inspired and trend forward and catered towards junior shoe brand with the goal to provide the fastest fashion and look at a great price (amazon.com). These right here are the Isabel bootie with a 4 1/2 inch heel- IM IN LOVE. I thought these were extremely cute and it didnt hurt that I seen a pair of these in the store and wanted them o so badly but they didnt have my size. You know how deeply that cuts into your soul. They were on sale I believe at Amazon.com for $109.95 or it was their retail price- either way, you win, they are not expensive.

This style of N.Y.L.A shoe is called the Shika pump. I have a pair resembling this in charcoal and one in snakeskin and I just LOVE them! I get, well got-i only wore them both once, a lot of compliments on them and I think you would do the same if copped this pair. It too was on Amazon for $104.95 which is more than I paid for my other two but it is still not bad. Especially when they look just like the ones that can run you about $200! So Im savin you guys some money!!

These are Aspen boots by N.Y.L.A and I just think they are so cute. Although boot season is, and has been, over--(well, the ankle boots are still coo) it just lets you know that they have a variety of cute styles for each season. I really think that you guys should try to look at this brand and check it out because they are rather affordable, saving you some money to go out with them in-->how beautiful is that?!?!

LOOK YOU MAY LIKE- REPORT SIGNATURE

2009-05-20T14:11:00.001-07:00

REPORT SIGNATURE

Report Signature, for some reason like the others, is a hard brand to try much information on- UGH!! I found close to nothing on the background on these shoes and it frustrates me. I mean, I know most don't care but I would like to bring forth @ least who is in charge of design, where they got their start, when they got it and if they have showrooms or actual stores. If you go on their site http://www.reportsignature.com/ you can find their contact information and I guess ask the questions (if you care) or find out where some stores that carry the brand are located near you. And if you design, they do have a section about wanting to work for the corporation where they are looking for shoe designers so if you are serious about it, you can go check out their page. In the meantime, you can check out more styles from this brand on their site as well as other sites such as Zappos, Amazon and Heels.com. Below featured are a few that I thought were pretty cute. What I like about this brand is about the same from what I liked about Pour La Victoire. They bring you sexy, classy shoes while keeping them chic and able to be conformed to different types of environments.

Below, clockwise: Lucie Sandal (retails for $180) and comes in white and black. I chose the multi-color because I just like shoes that are different and going to stand out and who can tell me these wouldn't? 2) Newbury that retails at about $179, making them a tad cheaper than Pour La Victoire shoes if they are too expensive. These can be worn in a variety of social situations because its neutral tone and sophisticated style. 3) These heels were published in Elle mag in Jan.2009 edition. From what I understand they will not be put out into production 4) Masonic heel is retailing for about $250. I would not advise trying to bust these out at work or in a business enviornment, they are a bit too flashy like the Lucie heels. But I just think they are perfect for a date or girls night out

LOOK YOU MAY LIKE- POUR LA VICTOIRE

2009-05-20T13:16:00.000-07:00

POUR LA VICTOIRE

Ok, like many other brands and things I research, there is very

little information on the actual power house behind this awesome

shoe company. What I did gather from about an HOUR, yes HOUR,

of looking on the internet was that the central designer behind these

shoes is David Giordano. This line is very new being launched for Resort

in 2007. The collection is Brazilian made but French inspired. I think that

if Giordano keeps up his design ability to keep up with the trends and what is going on in the fashion-shoe world. NOTE: like i say with many of the designs and designers on here, I do not like EVERYTHING in the collection. What I do is look at the entire overview of the collection and see if the "good" designs outweigh the ones that I believe could be just thrown into a pit fire. So with that being said *as nicely as I could put it* here are some from his 2009 collection:

This shoe is called Sacha *obviously*. On the site where I found it (http://www.pourlavictoire.com/) and it does not list prices so I do not have a clue how much these shoes actually cost but from looking around on the internet, the shoes range from about $200-$400 generally.

This style is called Bethanie and again, have no clue how much they are but I just liked these and all the pairs I decided to showcase on here. I mean, there are flats and sandals and all that good other stuff, but I personally love rockin heels even at 5'7 and WHAT!! lol..i would encourage you guys to check them out if you can.

<-- NOW THESE RIGHT HERE!!! Jesus in heaven I want them SOOOO bad!! LOOk at the spikes people! Janet (miss jackson) had some on in an behind-the-scenes episode of Tyra during her tour that looked JUST, well as close as possible, like these. See this is why I do this, because WHERE can you find some shoes like these? Bebe, Agaci, Wet Seal, OLD NAVY? NO!!! You could find Pour La Victoire on Nextag, Piperlim, Zappos and Bluefly.

I ordered some shoes JUST like these but in black from DSW and did not like them. I mean, They were only about $70 but I just know these Pascale probably would be better. I mean, I liked the DSW kind but they just came and looked cheap! Like the leather, or pleather, just looked strange and this is reason why sometimes, extra money on a good shoe will take you a long way.

Pour La Victoire has the potential to become a powerhouse in the fashion industry. It mixes the styles we love and see around the industry with a price we could possibly afford (this style I found was $324 @ Amazon.com). I genuinely like this brand because it doesnt do anything OUTRAGEOUS when trying to be different but takes the styles from the BIG POWERHOUSES and makes it his own beautifully.

I just adored these Bianca style shoes. I thought they were so creative and could easily be transferred from the workplace, to the club and back into church (dont act like you guys dont do that). I think that they are goreously designed in an intertwined, basket-weaving type way that creates a simple but chic look to it.

HAUTE COUTURE VS. READY TO WEAR

2009-05-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of people who mix and match the terms haute couture and ready to wear up as if they refer to the same design. In reality, they are completely different styles of dress and design, even down to the stitching. Well, fear no more people I am here to the rescue lol. I will gently break down the difference between the terms so that no one shall be confused any longer!

HAUTE COUTURE

To define "haute couture" we have to dissect both words within it. Couture is the french word for "sewing". Clothes that are considered to be couture are those that are sewn then fitted especially for a certain individual or client. This can often mean fittings a garment to the client several different times to produce an accurate fit. Couture pieces can be specifically designed for the client or could be from a designers couture collection.
Couture pieces are generally made up of some of the finest textiles or contain extensive hands-on work, such as beading and embroidery) to complete the piece. THIS is what causes one of the main differences between couture and ready-to-wear= price! The more hand detailing and labor that goes into a one-of-a-kind piece makes these dresses as expensive as they can be (ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars).
Haute Couture means "high sewing" and is reserved SPECIFICALLY by European fashion houses that can provide made-to-measure apparel in or around their "houses" and belong to the Federation Francaise de la Couture.

READY-TO-WEAR

Ready-to-wear is also known as "pret-a-porter" and is designer clothing that is made ready for the customer or client to wear. They come in the standard sizes and are typically sold through the channels of boutiques, high-end dept. stores, can be ordered in the mail or over the internet. Clients who prefer to have extra work put in it or have the outfit customized must pay extra for that work to be put forth because it is not included in ready-to-wear. These pieces are less expensive than couture or haute couture peices because they are made in "mass" almost and require less work to put forth than couture pieces do.

FASHIONISTA- ZOE SALDANA

2009-05-18T21:26:00.000-07:00

Zoe Saldana is truly becoming a true fashionista in her own rights. She has handled herself in such a way that exudes a certain sexy while maintaining that ever-so-classy demeanor. I truly admire the way that she doesnt let the spoils of Hollywood get to her by remaining true to herself and maintaining an air of confidence to challenge some of the best actresses out there.

ON HER OWN SEXY CONFIDENCE:

“Look at me. I’m skinny, I have a big nose, no tits and no ass, but in a room full of beautiful women, I would still leave with the most gorgeous guy.” (LATINA, June/July 2009)

Saldana was born in New Jersey on June 19, 1978 to Peurto Rican and Dominican parents, which I love because I really thought she played a being black in Guess Who with Ashton Kutcher very well. To me, it seems like some would turn that role down because they would not like to portray an African American if they weren't-sorry but its true. She was raised in Queens, NY before setting off to the Dominican Republic where she enlisted in ballet classes @ the most prestigious school (which helped her land the role in Center Stage). Saldana returned to the states after her sophmore year in high school. She became involved with The Faces theatre troupe whose aim was to make an impact on teenagers. They did this by performing improv skits on different issues such as drug abuse and sexuality. This was said to be her starting point in her acting career. This was most of the general information I found on Saldana besides her filmography and wished to have found more on the 31 year old actress. Her films include: Center Stage, Get Over It, Drumline, Guess Who, Star Trek (2009), Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, and Crossroads.

Why Zaldana is my fashionista choice is not because as soon as she stepped out into the spotlight she was just drenched in impeccable fashion sense. In fact, I mean look at the pictures, honey needed some work. But I admire the fact that as she has grown in the industry, her style has evolved with it. Some people that have been in the biz start out strong, slip off and have some once in a while hits, but she is just on this train that is going nowhere but ahead. She continues to steal red carpet events and photoshoots. I dont claim a fashionista HAS to have that je ne sais que, but knows if they do not possess it, they must find a way to obtain it- at the least fake it. Zoe Saldana is emerging as this force to be reckoned with not only on film but in the lime light of the fashion world. I pray that she continues to stun and stunt on those who write minorities off and out of the fashion world because I do believe she will have the last laugh.. HA-HA, TA-TA.

ON AVOIDING A HOLLYWOOD EGO: “You’ll never see me shopping on Robertson Boulevard or hanging out in super-public spaces like that. I’m fiercely territorial about my privacy. And I cannot follow a crowd,” she says. “I never want to get to the point where I’m walking a red carpet thinking, ‘I’m fabulous.’ At times, Hollywood is going to get the best of you, and you will wake up feeling overconfident. But I have too many people that keep me in check if I fail to do so myself.”

ROCKIN THEN-ROCKIN NOW

2009-05-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

SHOULDER PADS

ok, ok, ok.. who seen this coming? I am not feeling the shoulder pad movement at all..didn't like it back in the day, don't like it now. It should've died, burned in hell and stayed there but I am seeing it everywhere. I guess. Ok, history behind the shoulder pads- in the 80's, fashion in pop culture intertwined distinct trends from different eras. The masculine-influenced fashion trend that represented the 80's was the wide use of *ugh* shoulder pads for women's clothing. Although the trend was widely associated with the 80's, it had been being used since the 1930's (yeah, who knew?). It was originally popular with women of the 30's when fashion designer Elsa Schicaparelli included them in her designs of 1931. Shoulder pads=power dressing and bestowing perception of status and position onto those who wore them. NOW, I am doing my thing and reporting *lol* on trends that are coming back because like I said, and many people know, fashion repeats itself. I find it interesting when I see styles being brought back because these are the same things that we found disgusting that our parents wore. Well, at least I did! (Dolce&Gabbana 09 Collection pictured above right)

(pictured below: Marc Jacobs model, Ciara and Rihanna and Beyonce in Balmain courtesy of theybf (King of bringin back the shoulder pad movement) )

GENIE PANTS

I did not really find much info on this growing trend. What i did find closest to it was info on parachute pants which is largely associated with MC HAMMER pants but are not the same thing. Parachute pants look like snowboarding pants (its the closest thing I can think of), but MC HAMMER was said to wear "parachute pants" but they were so much baggier and made of a completely different material. Hammer pants more closely resembled genie pants, not material wise but in regards to the shape and style- baggy in the middle and tight fitting around the ankles. I don't know what he was thinking but for whatever reason, it worked. I dream of Jeannie is what we best know genie pants from and this sitcom came out during the 60's. So Genie pants I am assuming were popular (for sitcom purposes) around that time and may have been manufactured around this time period or slightly before then. I would not classify this too much as a "trend" in the 60's but the inspiration from them coming forth by designers today are slowly making this look into one. I personally do not see anything wrong with them. I mean, its like when you see something YOU wouldn't wear but you could see it cute on someone else. I like the look on other people but it would not be something I think I would rock. But the looks that are transpiring are becoming more and more prevalent in the fashion world. (below, Ralph Lauren runway show, Eva Marcille and Lance Gross)

DESIGNER OF THE DAY- CC SKYE

2009-05-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

CC SKYE

"Hollywood's Hottest New Designer" was the label given to this designer by InTouch magazine. CC Skye's ever-growing line is based in L.A negating the idea that to make it "big" you must be in NY (not to say that it is entirely false..unless you have been living under that o-so-popular fashion disaster rock most people know NY is the best place to be). CC Skye was nominated for the Best New Accessory Designer by Gen Art and by looking at her designs I can see why. Although her online site http://www.ccskye.com/ is basically restricted to "regular" people like us, if you go to other sites like Zappos and Revolve Clothing and many, many other sites you can find some samples of her work. She first began by designing clothing and jewelry in the back streets while studying abroad in Nepal. She went back to work as an associate producer at MTV Networks and profiled the lives of fashion designers for the Style Network of E!. This girl seems to have made her way all over which is good. I think to be well-rounded and know the industry before setting off to do your own venture is important because not only does it allow you to network, get a feel of the industry and gain some knowledge of the field you are interested in, it allows you to know if it is even what you want to do! I think the reason I like her stuff is that it is so different from what I usually see in the store or would LIKE to see more of in the store. I wish I could post a 100 pics (well I could I just dont really want to) of her jewelry to showcase. Her line is NOT the cheapest tho. I am going to throw that out now! I mean most of her stuff is between $90-$300 for her things but if you dont want your gold turning and trying to pass it off as the "antique" look or one of your stones falling out, then you may want to just spend the extra money (if you have it) and go with CC.

This studio 54 cuff will run you about $220 if you choose to wanna take a leap out on the wild side and spend a couple hundred on a cuff. I think its really cute and know that it will be made well so I understand if you are privileged enough to go buy one. I found this on quite a few of the sites and some will offer you it a little less than the retail price for it.

This is a vintage-inspired cocktail ring that retails at about $175. I personally love this ring! I mean, big, gaudy rings aren't for everyone and it is not only because it is in-style right now. I just like the fact that it just makes me wanna dress up..ok maybe its just me! I love the fact that CC tends to blend gold into her works because gold has taken a step down to silver or "platinum" and it is good to see that people are trying to bring it back.

Ok, this is deco cuff, to me, is amazing. It will run you about $225 but if anyone can tell me where to find ANYTHING that looks like this under $20 TELL ME!! lol.. I have been looking for accessories that are out of the ordianary, going to make people stop and ask where I got it from and it has been to no avail. Yes, it is kind of expensive but I think it is worth it if you have the means to pay for it. This is extremely unique and can be guaranteed not to be seen on anyone else in like 40 mile radius. Unless you are like the unluckiest person on earth, lol.

These safety-pin earrings are $115 and are super cute. I have seen things like this at Claire's and Icing for about $16 or so and their things tend to be pretty ok made so if these are not the price range for you then I suggest trying there first. But like I said, gold will turn on you faster than a drug-addict lookin for a fix so I will strongly encourage, strongly, to just invest a little more money into getting something that will last. (i need to take my own advice). But I would suggest getting a pair that are a tad more casual and could be worn multiple times.

Nikki Hilton, Eva Mendes and that one girl, I just cant remember her name..o well.. wearing one her one stone bracelets. Nicole Ritchie and Fergie are also a fan of CC's bracelets. Other celebs include: Paris Hilton, Jessica Alba, Adrienne Bailon, Rihanna, Lauren Conrad, Hilary Duff and many others that I dont care to name.

FASHION WORD OF THE DAY

2009-05-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

FASHIONTABULOUS:

1) fashiontabulous: someone who keeps tabs on the latest trends and rocks out the look in public
2) -something amazing, marvelous, fashionable, fantastic or fabulous, but ten times better

*again, this is from urbandictionary.com and i know its ridiculous but I just think its cute*

LOOK YOU MAY LIKE- COSTUME DEPT

2009-05-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

COSTUME DEPT.

I looked and looked and looked but I found very little on this brand. It is relatively new being that it was founded in 2007 by Shawn Kaleka and Shaun Samsun. I wanted to find information on this line because I think that it is extremely different and unique. They hand-stitch each pair and are very limited in supply meaning once they are gone, they are gone. A lot of people like this, especially those who have a flair for uniqueness, because they don't have to go out and wonder if someone is going to have their stuff on. DO NOT ACT like you don't be in line at your favorite club and pray another female aint got on your same dress (even in a different color), shoes (even in a different color) or even hairstyle (even in a different color, lol). This brand completely shatters the idea that leggings are part of the outfit, that they are just a compliment. NO, these TAKE OVER and reinforces the idea that every aspect of your clothing must stand out, there is no "just throw something leggings on cuz the skirt or shirt is too short to stand as a dress alone" concept. I am NOT a fan of girls wearing leggings as pants but I swear that these have be within inches of retracting that notion, lol, because they are so cute. But beware, the leggings trend is slowly coming to a halt so people, if you love some leggings, CHECK THESE OUT before your chance to rock them is over!!! Most of them can be bought for $33 on their website http://www.costumedept.com/ or on various other sites that carry the brand. They are really popular at the store Revolve Clothing in LA and, in fact, the creators recently launched their latest collection at the popular store. For a list of places they can be found at check out the company's stocklist @ http://costumedept.com/stocklist and find an area closet to you.

This design right here is the one that caught my attention to the brand. I thought that they were OUTRAGEOUS because I mean, I have never seen any leggings like this before. However, at the same time I just thought that they were so cute and different and I just love things that are different and not so typical and could be found anywhere. These are called Virtual Reality and they are part of the ones that are $33.

These are called Pianno lesson and run for $79. Yes, they are one of the more expensive leggings of the bunch but the fact that they are so unique and cute would make them worth it to legging enthusiast and yes there are plenty of them. Some girls love the fact that they look and feel like pants without the idea of actually being in jeans which, lets face it, if they are not made very well can become uncomfortable if worn too long. With leggings you do not really have to worry about that feeling because they conform to your body type.

These are called California Sunset and will run you only $33. I would hope at these prices you would not have to worry about holes appearing or shrinking or getting that linty look after being washed multiple times, do not act like you guys dont know what I am talking about. NOW, we must all remember that leggings only look cute on certain body types! You cant be toooo hefty and want to get into leggings and feel like they are looking good on you. And that is even with just ordinary black leggings! The fact that these are so outrageous and very attention-getting, you may not want to draw too much attention to your lower region if it could easily be mistaken for water-buffalo legs ok people? And I say that with love!

LOOK YOU MAY LIKE- JBRAND

2009-05-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

JBRAND JEANS:

JBrand Jeans has come to be known as the Jeans of the Stars. I mean almost every celeb has a pair it seems. When I was researching this brand, not only did Beyonce (as seen to the left) rock the popular brand but so did Rihanna, Miley Cyrun, Victoria Beckham (all pictured below), Lindsey Lohan, Chanum Tating, Mischa Barton, Christina Aguilera, Angelina Jolie and many more. J brand was founded by denim manufacture Jeff Rudes and former stylist Susie Crippen. They launched exclusively @ ROn Herman's Melrose Jeans bar in 2005. They also created a maternity line called Mama J by JBrand. JBrand's intro of their skinny straight leg made then the 1st American-made premium denim. They are available at such locations as: Bloomingdale's, Saks, Barney's and Bergdorf Goodman. Or you can find them online at their official site: http://www.jbrandjeans.com/ or you can go to other sites such as RevolveClothing, Shopbob, and Couture Candy that may give you discounts on the jeans. They are about as expensive as True Religion jeans so if you can't really afford those, then I would not encourage you to pursue these because their popularity is so high right now I do not see red sales signs anytime soon. So live long and prosperous jean lovers and indulge in these delicious finds.

These JBrands right here are 10" Skinny White jeans. After looking at reviews on the jeans, a lot of customers say that they are true to size so that is always good. They retail at $158 and I did not see any sale on these particular ones on the various sites so I would expect to pay this price for them. I think these are pretty hot and look cute but at the same time they couldnt be bigger than a 24!! You KNOW everything looks better in smaller sizes but they are cute tho, unless white isn't your thing (because it aint mine).

These jeans right here retail at $187 and are 12" Pencil leg, their color is called Torn Dark Vintage (strange I know). I think these are best for those who are not amped about the trend of completely destroyed jeans. They give you a little of the trend going on but it is not completely dramatic. I love the wash of these jeans and I think that they are pretty safe for conservatives who want to be a little daring. It also brings those who are gung-ho about everyone seeing every particle of skin through their jeans into some kind of reserve.

These destroyed jeans are the ones that are being worn on Beyonce with YSL shoes and Rihanna (below) with her Louboutins. These jeans are sooo freakin HOOOOOTTTT!!! O jesus, if I had $217 dollars to spend all willy-nilly on these 12" Destroyed Pencil Leg in Zombie I swear I would. I am lovin the come-back of destroyed jeans (YES PEOPLE, they did leave for a while, I dont care what no one says lol) and think that the designers are making them very stylish so that they had no choice but to be loved by celebs.

MY SEMI-DAILY RANT

2009-05-16T07:33:00.000-07:00

OK, there wont be much blogging goin on today. I have a busy day ahead of me and wont be near my computer. My rant for the day is to people who do not let other people be themselves!! I hate, hate, HATE when people are quick to impose their standards,their perceptions of beauty and taste onto others. Yes, I know this is a fashion blog and I am tryin to get into the fashion world. I know! But if people do not want to conform to the trends of the time or want to even attempt to step out of the box and try something new, then they DONT. Im not forcing ANYONE to try any of what I have and tend to put up on my site, I am just letting them know what is out there and what looks are in. I really feel that everyone has their own style (i.e Mary Kate and Ashley, Zoe K.) and people need to realize it. I rather have someone look terrible and feel comfortable in their own skin than to conform to trends and completely lose themselves! Its hard and judgmental world and the fashion industry is among the top of it. Im not saying I have not made judgments about others and the fact that they have heels that are leanin to the side, they dress would look better plastered on an elephant, their shirt appears to be from their grandmothers "precious collections" and for some reason they thought a side ponytail would be cute. I think this everytime I go out to the club, ESPECIALLY when Im bored. But I need to stop that because maybe they didnt have money or time, or maybe they are just trying to keep up with the jones' and failing. O well, we must respect everyone's choice to be an individual because their is no greater love than the love you have for yourself. I say that because you can never love someone else, truly love that person, until you love who YOU are.

ROCKIN THEN-ROCKIN NOW

2009-05-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

FINGERLESS GLOVES

Madonna-queen of the 80's began rocking them as a fashion statement. Fingerless gloves were being worn before Madonna and Billy Idol, but like any other fashion trend, as soon as celebrities started wearing them, they blew up. Billy Idol wore the style that celebs like Rihanna wear which were leather ones. Not too many people today wear the lace ones that Madonna was known to thoroughly enjoy. Fingerless gloves are outrageously in demand right now but some celebs still are swagga-jacking from the 80's. They are choosing to represent an era that many designers are choosing to re-invent from. Below: Rihanna, Que from day 26 and Madonna with Kanye and Amber Rose

ONE SHOULDER DRESSES

One-shoulder dresses I believe never really went away in my opinion. I believe there have been times were they were just produced less. I love this style of dress, and I dont know why. I think the way it adds that sort of mis-balance or something. I have always loved the way this style brings more to a dress than a strapless dress would but adds a little bit of chic-ness to one than a whole piece would. Nancy Reagan wore a one-shoulder dress to the inauguration of her husband Ronald Reagan in 1981. It was designed by James Galans and was white and drenched in intricately-designed beads. So, although we are seeing one-shoulder dresses ALL over the place, they have been placed back as far (and even further) than the 80's. Below: First Lady Michelle Obama in Jason Wu, Beyonce on the cover of Marie Claire and actress Zoe Saldana.

JEAN JACKETS

Man, I never thought jean jackets would come back!! NOT that i had anything against them or what not but as we evolve in fashion, we learn that styles from the past, no matter how bad, will come back thanks to some designer. They learn how to take something from the past that was popular at the time and reinvent it in hopes that it will become popular once again. I don't see anything wrong with them coming back and I think that there are some denim jackets that are really cute, I just dont see myself really rockin one like that. It may just be because I dont really care to wear jackets. The denim jacket was a style of the 80's that parents down to the children wore. Levi was the biggest brand around at the time producing denim jackets and I get the feeling they will start again (if they havent) now that they are becoming more popular. Below: Rihanna/Christina Millian (image from http://www.theybf.com/, Joy Bryant and Kanye West

PLAYED OUT - HERVE LEGER

2009-05-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

DESIGNER HERVE LEGER

Ok, ok, ok..FIRST, do not get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Herve Leger dresses. I think these dresses are some of the sexiest, but classy (even though some can be a tad short) ones that are around. They have been worn by some of the top celebrities around. They are made to contour to the shapes of women and create this coke-bottle shape that (lets face it) most women want. Even though they look the best on those women who are naturally curvy, they still look great on petite women too. The are made of Lycra and Spandex that is supposed to create this tight, form-fitting look which gives shape to even some of the skinniest out there.

HOWEVER!!! I feel that this designer has had SO much success that he is even gettin played out. I mean, it is not that the styles are fading or anything like that because if you go to his site and look at his 2009 spring collection (http://www.herveleger.com/) it is AMAZING!! the looks are wonderful. But the fact that the same material is used and the banded-ness (if thats a word) is so synonamous with Herve Leger, it appears to played because you see it EVERYWHERE and in turn can look to be from a previous collection or from a couple years back even if it was JUST designed. What has made him so popular and the dress so loved, can also be the reason that it appears that EVERYONE is wearing the same thing!! And that is just what happen @ the Maxim HOT 100 party last night (images from http://www.theybf.com/) with model Jamie Gunns and Gabriel Union.

I dont want anyone to think that I do not like these dresses or that they are going anywhere soon. This is MY OPINION! I just feel that because these dresses are made with the same material creating a similar design, it just looks like these dresses could be from yesterday or from more than two years ago (as with those pictured below beyonce-they are from http://www.redcarpetfashionawards.blogspot.com/- check this blog out..its very well done. *beyonce is from last year*). I believe that the similarity look of them make them look played. Even though many may disagree. So for this im putting Herve Leger in the played out department.

MY SEMI-DAILY RANT

2009-05-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

I'm back with my semi-daily rant. I say its semi-daily because i just know im not going to do this EVERY day. But knowing me and my opinionated self, i just might. My rant today is not really a rant but just clarification. I just posted a blog on Jackie O and intend to do other fashion icons from the past as well as the present. I feel that it is necessary to not only look at celebrities, models and new designers of today but of the big names of the past. If you have lived under the fashion-disaster rock, then you might not know that fashion repeats itself. A lot of the things you see today, i GUARANTEE, have been showcased in the past in one shape or form. If its not the style, its the material, or the actual design pattern. It all comes back around. Not saying that the designers of today are not creative or refuse to think out of the box, they are smart enough to know that some like those looks of the past and many would like to see the updated version of them. If you know ONE designer who has not, please feel free to tell me. I will research it and if they have not COPIED, ALTERED A PAST FASHION, OR DRAWN INSPIRATION FROM A DESIGN OR STYLE OF THE PAST, then i will be more than happy to do a feature spotlight on them. And if that designer is YOU then I will do the same

FASHIONISTAS OF THE PAST- MISS JACKIE O

2009-05-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

JACQUELINE BOUVIER KENNEDY-ONASSIS

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929 in the South Hamptons of New York. Of course she got the Kennedy in her name from her former husband John F. Kennedy who was the 35th President of the United States before being assassinated during his term in office. Mrs. Kennedy was one of the most popular first ladies that has ever graced the White House. She was a complete 180 from the first ladies that came before her because she was also among the youngest since Kennedy was among the youngest Presidents. But what we most famously remember the o so lovely Jackie for is her sense of style that was brought to the white house and cast upon the world as she stayed in the spotlight thanks to her position. From elegant evening dresses, to short-skirt business dresses, to jeans and her patent (i swear she was the first one wearing these even though they are popular today) big, black sunglases. She showed the world she could conform to it all! While looking just as lovely in each outfit. Her sense of style has remained her legacy even beyond her death on May 19, 1994. Miss Jackie O (which strange because Onassis comes from her second husbands last name, but we so famously remember her for being married to Kennedy. Guess it just has a better ring lol) has brought a style to the white house that all first ladies after her have strived to reach the bar that was set so high. Many have failed, some have tried quite amicably but im sorry, i dont think any have come to touch the grace and style that was Miss Jackie Kennedy-Onassis

FASHION WORD OF THE DAY

2009-05-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

FASHIONISTA: *OK, I GOT THIS FROM URBAN DICTIONARY..WE KNOW HOW UNRELIABLE IT MAY BE BUT I JUST THOUGHT IT REFLECTED HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE TERM "FASHIONISTA" IS.. A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY DONT GET THE TERM SOOO..I AM POSTIN A GENERIC VERSION OF IT HERE:

1. fashionista

A person devoted to fashion clothing, particularily unique or high fashion. A person not to be called a fashionista would be someone who obsessivly follows trends. REAL fashionistas do not believe in trends. That type of person would be more correctly labeled a fashion whore or a shallow bitch.

Student #1:"Oh my gosh! Look at that girl wearing those sparkly red mary janes, black lolita skirt, hello kitty corset, and a top hat with pink hair!" Student #2"Oh yeah, thats Xenia, she's a Fashionista."

2. fashionista
A term used to define a woman with a penchant for shopping and a natural flair for combining both current and vintage fashionable trends. In today's Urban society, "fashionista" is not by any means a negative term. Thanks to television shows like "Sex and the City" rather more specifically, thanks to actresses such as Sarah Jessica Parker, the image of a "fashionista" has been modernized into a much more positive, powerful and successful feminine role. Forget the shallow, bitchy, materialistic image so many people are quick to describe. The truth is, it's the new millenium and the hottest trend right now, is that it's okay to be a woman again. The "fashionista" doesn't look at her femininity as a gender flaw. Where some may be quick to label her a bitch, others actually take the time to get to know her eccentricities. "Fashionista's" simply look at Fashion as an Art, their own bodies as the canvas, and the sense of style they develope along the way is simply the masterpiece. True fashion ("true fashion" as in the clothes and not the stereotypically thin supermodels that wear them) is simply an expression of identity and the people who feel the need to argue that are usually the same people who rarely see the positive in anything. "Fashionista's" are extremely realistic when it comes to the world of fashion, they're also very knowledgeable about the Fashion Arts. A person's not automatically materialistic just because they buy a designer suit or expensive jeans, it's often truer about "fashionista's" that they just happen to know (what is called) a "good hand" in fashion. All that means is that the person buying the item is aware of the "quality" of that item.
Buying good quality clothes, that sort of fashion, is not shallow. It's an investment. A fashionista thinks like this... Why pay five dollars for say, a white non-label t-shirt when it's just going to shrink or the hem's going to unravel or because it was only five dollars you don't really care about throwing it into the wash with your reds? When you can buy a say, a thirty dollar white CK t-shirt that's in all probability going to last a little longer, won't unravel, and because it was thirty dollars you'll actually care to read the "Care Tag" to see how you can better protect your investment (wash in hot water, with like colours, and most importantly HANG TO DRY)!

3. fashionista
One who believes in the power of fashion. Fashionistas are typically either stylish women or homosexual men. As an example of a successful fashionist government, they cite the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas in New York City (1999) almost religiously, in which local fashionistas overthrew the municipal government.
"Blacklist that sucker! He's a Fashionista! Keep an eye out because he'll either try to anally violate you or overthrow our government."

ATTN: SHOE LOVERS

2009-05-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI

Zanotti was born in San Mauro Pascoli. Before branching off
and forming his own company in the mid-90s he worked in luxury footwear for 20 years catering to his female clientele.
He began as an apprentice before deciding to start designing for his own shoe line. Zanotti's sense of "design awareness" which allows the designer to to keep up to speed with the current trends, has created not only a following of those who knew him from the beginning but a growing number of celebrities who are taking to his style.

Looking at his shoes, I mean, I just love them. When I look at designers,esp. those who design shoes, I look the amount of creativity, what makes them stand apart from the rest. I am NOT going to sit here and lie and say that EVERY single one
is just amazing, because some of them look like they were designed in some middle eastern nation, in a dungeon, in the dark. But overall, I just think the majority of his collection is so different from other designers that are out there right now.

<--My girl Kim K. was rocking the black version of these and I just loved them. I think I like them in the white too and I usually don't care TOO much for white shoes (they get dirty and dingy REAL fast)but these are super cute and only a whopping $879!LOL.. thats WAY more than I have EVER spent on some shoes, but if I was ballin'..trust..I would have to go out and cop a pair of these.

<-- These right HERE, they are about $800. They are super high WHICH I LOVE!!! Im like 5'8 and love 4-5 inch heels so I walk around lookin like an amazon but so what. I think these would be the CUTEST with some distressed, skinny leg denim. Im sitting here imagining it right now.. i have a problem.. I mean, if this aint your style its not but hey.. there is always rooom for change..lol

<-- Ok, these bad boys will run you about $775, which is the cheapest of the ones i mentioned so far. (o, i really think you guys should check out his gladiator sandals!! so cute, but those are slowly fading out so think about that before spending $600 on some). I like the embellishment on the front. I wish the heel could be more high to really bring out that arch, and make your calves look AMAZING but its all good.

<-- I really have NO idea what the front of these look like but you cannot tell me that heel is not HOT!! never seen an actual heel like this. But i would rock them if I had about $995 to just blow. Yeah they are pretty expensive I know, but this is all part of my fantasy wish list

DESIGNER OF THE DAY- LAUREL BERMAN

2009-05-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

BLACK HALO DESIGNER-LAUREL BERMAN
What inspires your designs? Travel, art, music, and everyday life in L.A. I use my surroundings and experiences throughout my life to influence my design process by looking inside to find my inner truth and interpret this into my designs

What are your favorite pieces in your collection and why? I live in the Black Halo dresses, from the fitted styles to the more full jumper styles. However, my current favorite is the strapless one-piece jumpsuit. It is easy to accessorize and the style feels so avant-garde

The best advice you ever received? Start my own company.

*interview with NM InSite*

Designer Laurel Berman is the creative mind on the ever-growing, popular line called BLACK HALO. The line caters to the high-end clientale specializing in "sophisticated and sensual designs" (mahalo.com). Her line has been in magazines such as Lucky, Glamour, InStyle.

And seen on celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears.

AND that is bout all I could find out about the designer which made me a tad upset because I feel like if you are going to look at clothing and spend as much money on it as she charges, PLEASE know a little something the person you are giving your money to. Well, then again, if you dont care then thats all good too.

<-Mini Jacket Dress- $345

One-sleeved Mini- $345 ->

As you can see, Berman mixes the sexy side that women love to obtain and a sophisticated look that can give women the security of not looking like a total prostitute!

One-Sleeve Cold Shoulder-$262

Strapless Jumpsuit-$390

This jumpsuit is the one Kim is wearing in the pic above accented with a belt. And this red on is just freakin HOT!! i swear, its short and fire red which is completely my night out style so im lovin it.

Places to Find Black Halo:

Neiman Marcus

http://www.revolveclothing.com/

http://www.couturecandy.com/

http://www.chickdowntown.com/

http://www.shopbob.com/

http://www.designapparel.com/

http://www.shopbutante.com/

http://www.funkylala.com/

http://www.pinkmascara.com/

LOOK YOU MAY LOVE- BEBE

2009-05-13T09:22:00.000-07:00

DISCLAIMER:
I completely realize that everyone
has a different styleand
there is nothing wrong. I admire some of those who march
to their own beat, not conforming to the "trends" ALL
the time. My goal for this blog is to bring attention todifferent
styles and designers that some may like, others may notand
vice versa. *yes, it is a little biased on styles Ilike*. So like stated,
YOU MAY LIKE IT, MAYBE NOT.. it is just something to bringthose
who have trouble finding things they like just like i do sometimes

I don't know anyone who is living that does not know or have heard of this store. BEBE-> founded in 1976 by Manny Mashouf in San Francisco as a little boutique. From then on, it has been a powerhouse, rivaling with some of the heads of the fashion industry and this may be because they offer the looks of Dior, Herve Leger and Gucci for prices that are WAY less.

Now I am not sayin that they are just the cheapest place on earth. One dress could run you $200 and most of their jeans start at $120!! But you cannot deny that the looks in their are the same that the celebrities are wearing. Having bought all of 5 things from bebe in my LIFE, i understand that they are pricey but i CAN tell you that the quality is THERE!!! And that is the faux pas to live by- YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!! If you wanna spend $20 on a dress, then go head cuz BELIEVE ME, im not above that for a quick night out. However, do not get mad if you bought some cheap, $15 shoes and the heel break off walkin into the club!

Bebe is definately one of the trendiest stores, I walked in and there and loved almost everything. I had to walk out before i went into a state of depression 'cause I was not supposed to spend money (i have a habit but im unemployed!). But if you dont take my word for it you can visit there site at http://www.bebe.com/.

MY SEMI-DAILY RANT

2009-05-13T08:36:00.001-07:00

I went to the Galleria mall this past weekend, just to browse. I dont know what it is but it is like there is NOTHING in the stores!! i mean REALLY!!! why is it that soon as you get money and you are looking for stuff to buy, you find nothing!! i have no idea what is wrong with me. I dont know if it is me or the stores. But it is like every store i went into did not have anything that i was looking for in regards to style and a certain "look" that I am trying to get. I do not want settle for the "norm" and go buy whatever. But if im goin to spend MY money, you better believe its goin to be on something I really want. But then i go to Bebe or Zara's or Metro Park or Neiman Marcus, Macy's, Nordstrom's, Juicy Couture and see EVERYTHING i want. The places my funds will not allow me to go lol. I just want to find a place where it is reasonably priced and have really cute clothes!! I dont think that is being unrealistic. O the perils of a shopaholic

MY FASHIONISTA OF THE WEEK: ZOE KRAVITZ

2009-05-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

ZOE ISABELLA KRAVITZ
BORN: DECEMBER 1, 1988
BIRTHPLACE: LOS ANGELES

PARENTS: LENNY KRAVITZ & LISA BONET

MOVIES: THE BRAVE ONE, NO RESERVATIONS, ASSASSINATION OF A HIGH SCHOOL PRESIDENT

If you are trying to look for some info on this girl..GOOD LUCK! I swear it took me about 30 min. to find that little bit of information. I wanted to introduce a round-about look at this girl but its hard to find anything but generic information. But in my defense, I am looking at her from the fashion sense that she brings to the world..

From the streets of New York (where she resides now) to the red carpets of the biggest awards and fashion galas, Zoe stays true to a style completely her own. The thing I love best is the fact that she knows how to dress it up for the big events but is completely comfortable toning it down for a simple day out (personally, i really think she can truly design a tire and wear it and make it look like the latest thing on the runway- that je ne sais que)

<-- look at her!! how cute is she?? lol.. im not sure where this pic is even from but my best guess would be a magazine. But the crazy thing is that i have seen pics of her with no makeup on and she looks basically the same.

I dont particularly like the confused grunge look she has going on sometimes but i mean, i think that she just makes it work for some reason!! lol.. i really think at these times the ecletic mix of her parents really influence some of the outfits she wears.

Whether you agree or not my fashionista is miss Zoe Kravitz. I think that her ability to chameleonize herself in the fashion world, adapting styles for big events or long walks. Her ability to be comfortable in every style lets me know that she is versatile and looks great in much.. making her a true fashionista

JUST STARTING OUT!!

2009-05-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

HI PEOPLE, if you come to this site right now you can see it is under construction. I am completely new to this blogging thing and I am updating the site trying to create a good layout and format. I hope that you continue to return as I complete my site!! I have so many ideas of where to start but I am just working out the kinks right now. Thank you

Eboni