A Diva State of Mind

Sunday evening I attended ALDO’s “Lights, Camera, Fashion” event hosted by DC style blogger Ashley Gaga.  Guest were treated to cocktails and treats while previewing the new ALDO spring collection. Ashley showcased her favorite picks from the collection and models walked the store showing off cute spring looks featuring some of ALDO’s hottest shoes.  It was great to check out the collection and catch up with some people I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Ashley’s Picks

Love the clutches at ALDO!

How fun is the neon bag and clutch?!

With Fashion Stylist Apuje Kalu.

The gold captoe pump is very on trend. This is a great shoe to wear for multiple occasions (work, happy hour, cocktail event)

With Ashley, Apuje and jewelry designer Deborah of Mdurvwa Collection

Guests also received 15% off their entire purchase so I of course couldn’t leave empty handed I walked away with a clutch and two pair of earrings. FYI, ALDO is a great retailers for accessories (handbags & jewelry). A lot of malls have both an ALDO store and a separate ALDO accessories store.

Coral clutch on sale.

New earrings!

Checking out the clutch I eventually purchased!

Here’s a video from Surpass Visuals highlighting the event:

Check out Ashley’s blog at www.ashleygaga.com. Visit www.aldoshoes.com to view the new spring collection.

Photos: DMC Phography & my phone

Two weeks ago, The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City hosted Mom’s Nite Out, a national program organized to celebrate motherhood.  The event included a makeover contest, a live Caribbean band, special discounts in stores, massages and two fashion shows!

Myself, Melissa Sabatine and Nichole Williamson were the stylist for the fashion shows. We literally spent the day of the show running around the mall for model fittings, picking up apparel from various stores and getting the model’s make-up and hair done. Was it exhausting? Yes, but I loved every minute of it!!

During each fashion show, we showcased outfits that mom’s could wear for various occasions but were also on trend.  We used clothes from Macy’s, The Limited, Caché, Banana Republic and Juicy Couture. Here are some looks from the show:

Date Night outfit from Caché.
Styled by Keri.

Date Night/Girl’s Nite Out from Caché.
Styled by Keri.

Wrap dress for work from Macy’s.
Styled by Keri.

Work outfit from The Limited.
Styled by Nichole.

Wrap dress for work from Banana Republic. Styled by Melissa.

Casual outfit to run errands or attend a soccer game. From Macy’s.
Styled by Keri.

Juicy Couture dress. Great to dress up with heels/sandals or down with flats for a casual chic outfit.

The stylists! With Melissa and Nichole

Thank you District Fete for allowing me to style the Mom’s Nite Out fashion show! I had a great time and look forward to more styling opportunities :)

Dwyane Wade made headlines this week when he was spotted wearing a Gucci double breasted polka dot suit jacket with ankle baring pants. This is a prime example of “when men wearing rolled up pants goes wrong.”

Guys, let this be a quick tutorial on how you can successfully wear rolled up pants during the spring/summer season. Your pants should not be tight like skinny jeans! There is debate over how high they should be rolled. You can check out an article on the art of rolling pants HERE which outlines how many inches pants should be rolled depending on style (jeans vs. khakis, etc).

Personally, I don’t think they should go higher than your ankle. Anything higher than that and you run the risk of looking like your clothes are too small or you’re wearing high waters (although some people want to achieve that look). Kevin Hart joked that D. Wade stole his suit and in this picture it looks like it! D. Wade’s thighs look like they are screaming for circulation and they just look too short!

If you’ve ever considered rolling up your jeans or khakis, check out the photos below for inspiration.

You can also check out Trey Songz’s photo spread in GQ Magazine for inspiration!

Here’s what the guys on Inside the NBA had to say about D. Wade’s satorial choice. Hilarious!

Solange Knowles looks HOT in the latest issue of Complex Magazine. She she shows off her fabulous body in bodysuits, crop tops and hot pants.

In her interview with Complex, Solange discusses her music, being a mom and more. Check out the full interview here.

Her remix to “Looks Good With Trouble” featuring Kendrick Lamar:

Fun Fact: Solange penned two hits for her sister Beyoncé, “Upgrade U” and “Get Me Bodied.”

Source: Complex Magazine

On Thursday, May 16, 2013, mila & fire will kick off a series of events with the launch of their contemporary summer collection & look book at retail therapy.  The event series will focus on the indie shopping experience, styling consultations and networking to build and grow local brands.

Along with happy hour specials and music by The Beard & The Fro, Kimee Brown of Neon V Magazine will provide a styling presentation and consultation incorporating mila & fire’s new summer collection.

Please check out this event and make sure you visit the Endless Touch vending table for the latest natural hair and body oils, body butter, lip balms and body scrubs (shameless plug for my friend’s company, I know)!

FREE ADMISSION!

At the end of 2012 I decided I was ready to change my hair again. After three years of short hair, I wanted to grow my hair out so I had the option to wear it curly or in top knots on hot summer days (getting my hair to that stage will probably take years)!  After talking to my hair stylist, she also told me I really didn’t need relaxers anymore so my last relaxer was in December. Let the process to grow my hair AND go natural begin!

In January I got braids. I wore those for two months and by the time I took them out, my hair was at the “in between stage.” It wasn’t really short and it wasn’t really long. The “in between stage” is the WORST so I thought I’d try getting a weave. Folks have testified that wearing a sewn-in weave helped their hair grow so why not give it a try?!

Day of weave installation

After doing some research and asking a thousand questions to friends and my hair stylist, I got a sewn-in a few weeks ago. When I see other women wearing good weaves, they look so natural. So I was hoping for the same result. Even though I had quality hair and the stylist did a great job with the installation, I didn’t FEEL like my weave looked natural. Once I stepped out in public, I immediately became insecure. Is the length of the hair too much? Does it look like I’m wearing a wig? People are probably looking at me and thinking ‘what is that on her head?’ These were the constant thoughts that ran through my head.

Part of the issue was that the stylist originally doubled up on some tracks which added extra volume.  After removing those pieces, the weave looked more natural but I was still uncomfortable.  I haven’t had hair past my shoulders since I was 8 or 9 years old so let’s just say walking around with long hair was an adjustment. Oh the tricks our mind plays on us when it comes to how we view ourselves!

2-3 weeks after installation

I’m not sure being uncomfortable with my weave is really a big deal, but the experience was definitely a lesson on how to deal with insecurities. My job as a personal stylist is to help women look and feel good about themselves; like so many women, I too sometimes don’t feel good about myself. We’re all a work in progress. It is natural for us to be insecure at times, but we can’t let our insecurities control us.  If you don’t think you’re beautiful, write “I am beautiful” on your mirror and recite it to yourself every day until you believe it. If you don’t like your current weight, decide today you are going to something to change it. If you’re insecurity is fueled by the messages you receive from folks around you, it is time to change your circle. If you’re struggle with insecurities, I challenge you to change your environment in order to turn those negative views into positive ones.

Although it’s just hair, being reassured by friends and strangers that my hair looks nice was the affirmation I needed to accept and embrace my new look. After all, I spent a pretty penny on this hair and installation so it has to work for the next 2 months! As I continue on this journey to grow my hair out, don’t be surprised if you see long hair on me again this fall.

What are some things you do to help you overcome insecurities?

I am here for this!!! Target is teaming up with Phillip Lim to create a 100 piece collection that will hit stores September 15th in-stores and online. The fall collection will be for both men and women and will include apparel, bags, shoes and travel accessories. Prices will range from $19.99 to $299.99 for apparel and $19.99 to $59.99 for accessories.

I’m always curious how these collaborations come together. According to Lim:

“It was a courtship for five years, and what was exciting to me this time around is that they gave me the opportunity to do lifestyle instead of a capsule collection of dresses or blouses and something that might be diffused. It was the chance to really create a new concept of wardrobe and accessories to address the modern day citizen.”

I really hope the Target stores in the DMV provide a great selection of the collection. The Prabal Gurung for Target 2013 options in store were limited and the best pieces sold out online in less than 24 hours. I may just have to stay up online on Sunday, September 15th to make sure I get my hands on a fabulous 3.1 Phillip Lim piece!!

The Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Benefit Gala aka The Met Gala (or Met Ball) was May 6, 2013 in New York.  The annual event raises money for the Costume Institute and launches the spring exhibit. To date, the event has raised over $100 million. Each year, an exhibit is given a theme. This year’s theme is PUNK: Chaos to Couture.

One of the highlights of the gala is the red carpet. It’s always exciting to see what the attendees are going to wear. This is the one time where the outfit choices can be a little unexpected; after all the gala does support a Costume Institute. While the red carpet choices were fabulous (Amber Heard, Taylor Swift, Jessica Alba and more looked stunning), there were a few people that stood out and embraced the punk theme or really embodied what I expect to see on The Met Gala red carpet.

Here are my favorites!

Anne Hathaway

Who is this woman and what has she done with Anne Hathaway?! Anne turned in her classic look for blonde hair and a vintage Valentino gown from 1992. HOT!!!

Nicole Richie

This is what I’m talking about. The theme is punk so why not go all out!? Nichole Richie arrived at the Met Gala in a white long sleeve Topshop gown and bleached white hair.

Miley Cyrus

Normally I’d hate this look but it works for the theme. Miley Cyrus showed off her punk style in a fishnet dress by Marc Jacobs and spiked blond hair.

 Madonna

On any other red carpet this would not work, but for the Met Gala, this Givenchy Haute Couture outfit is perfect! Should we be surprised that Madonna owned this theme? I mean, it is MADONNA!! All we need to do is take a trip down memory lane and look at some of her looks from the 80s/90s to know that achieving this look was not hard.

 Sarah Jessica Parker

If you’re going to show up at the Met Gala, you might as well show out! Can we talk about the Phillip Treacy Mohawk headpiece?! This masterpiece combined with the Giles Deacon gown and thigh high Christian Louboutin boots is perfect for the Met Gala! SJB will always be Carrie Bradshaw. I’m just sayin…

Rooney Mara

The white laced dress and strong shoulders paired with the dark lip is a great mix of femininity and edginess. Rooney wore a Givenchy gown and served as the co-chair of the event alongside Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci and Anna Wintour.

Minka Kelly

Minka Kelly looked great in Carolina Herrera.  Perez Hilton described this look perfectly; a combination between punk and Greek goddess.

Nina Dobrev

Leather and a corset; two must haves if you want to encompass punk into a look. This Monique Lhuillier look is not over the top edgy, but like Minka and Rooney’s outfit, it’s a nice mix of edginess and softness with the lace. And I love that there are lace pants underneath the skirt. Something very different than what we’re used to seeing on the red carpet. I’d wear this outfit for sure.

Jennifer Lopez

I was going to stop the list at Nina Dobrev but then I went through some pictures of the red carpet again. I don’t know if animal print is punk, but this Michael Kors dress is HOT! J.Lo added her own interpretation of punk with what looks like a Mohawk inspired hair style and smokey eyes.  This woman can wear anything!

What looks did you enjoy from last night’s Met Gala?

Source: PopSugar, Us Magazine and Radar Online

Source: www.fashionlovers01.blogspot.com

If you’re looking for a small change you can make to live a more healthy life, then this post is for you!

As we prepare for the spring/summer season, everyone is in workout mode! After all, we want to be pool and beach ready! Earlier this year I researched lemon water and found site after site discussing the benefits of starting your day with lemon water and recipes.

I’m not talking about the lemon water you make while sitting at a restaurant; a glass of water and 2 lemon slices.  The lemon water recipes I found require 1/2 or 1 lemon and 12 – 16 oz of water.

Here’s how it works:

*Squeeze 1/2 or 1 lemon in a glass. You can get a squeezer from Target or Walmart (I use 1/2 lemon)

*Fill the glass with water

*Heat the glass of water and lemon juice until warm or hot (like you would for hot tea)

*Drink first thing in the morning

I started drinking lemon water in the morning while getting ready for work a few months ago and I love it. Depending on how much juice you have it is a little tart, but the benefits are worth it.  Here are a few featured on healthyplanetblog.wordpress.com:

• Aids digestion – The warm water helps stimulate the gastrointestinal tract, and the lemon helps loosen any toxins in the digestive tract.
• Detoxifies the skin and body – As a natural diuretic, lemons help flush the body of any toxins by increasing the rate of urination. Their high vitamin C content also removes impurities from the blood, leading to clearer, more radiant skin. Yooo your rate of urination definitely increases. TMI I know!  
• Boosts immunity – Lemons are high in both vitamin C, which is great for fighting colds, and potassium, which stimulates brain and nerve function and controls blood pressure.
• Helps curb the coffee habit – Healthier replacement.
• Helps with weight loss – Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps keep the body fuller, longer. They’re also a mild diuretic and very alkaline; alkaline bodies have been shown to lost weight faster

If you’re looking for ways to be more healthy, I encourage you drink lemon water! Due to the acid from lemons, you may want to drink with a straw to protect your teeth’s enamel. To seek the benefits of lemon water, it’s best that you use fresh lemons instead of the bottle lemon juice.