A Diva State of Mind

Spring is right around the corner which can only mean one thing. It’s time for the Spring 2012 Trend Report!

As usual, there are more trends than we can all keep up with so this is a list of the most popular trends I think can be easily applicable to all of us. These are trends we can easily incorporate into our wardrobe.

1. Neon & Bright Colors

Hands down, this is the most popular trend of the season.  We were introduced to bright colors last season. This season, neon has been added to the mix. I know for some it’s hard to incorporate the latest trends into your work wardrobe.  If you have to wear a suit everyday, brighten it up with a bright blouse (fuschia, orange, cobalt) or wear your favorite bright shirt with your dark denim jeans on casual Friday.  Another option is to wear a bright pencil skirt with a neutral color top. If you’re not a fan of wearing bright colors, but still want to try this trend, incorporate neon and bright color accessories and beauty products into your look.

2. Pastel Colors

If bold colors are too much for you, the pastel color trend may be more up your alley.  Pastel colors are soft, delicate and create a a real sense of femininity. Accessories and beauty products also come in pastel colors.  Mint is the most popular pastel color you will see this season.

3. Peplum

A chic style of the past has returned! This peplum style is very flattering as it creates a narrow waist, hides the tummy if that is a problem area and balances a woman who is larger on top.  For slimmer frames, the peplum accentuates your hips by adding volume. For both body types, this style dress helps create the desired hourglass shape.

4. Floral

Floral print is a Spring trend that isn’t ever going out of style.  It’s chic, ladylike and very feminine.  Typically women wear floral dresses during the warm months, but switch things up this season by wearing a floral printed skirt or jacket.  You’ll definitely be a show stopper!

5. Tribal Print

This was a MAJOR trend for the Michael Kors and Donna Karan Spring 2012 collections.  You can wear this trend in everything; dresses, shoes, accessories.   If you don’t currently have tribal print in your wardrobe and want to add it this season, Forever 21 is notorious for having tribal printed tops, dresses and clutches like the one below.

6. Metallic

Metallic is a great option for evening looks, but that shouldn’t keep you from wearing metallic during the day, via tops and beauty products like nail polish! Like many of the other trends of the season, the metallic trend comes in a variety of accessories too.

If you need help updating your wardrobe for the new Spring season or need assistance with creating new looks with your current wardrobe, contact me!  You can schedule a consultation and appointment at keri@adivastateofmind.com or (301) 836-1451.

I came across Epitome. on Twitter and when I checked out the website, I immediately feel in love with the pieces (I have my eye on the black and white blazer).  The selection of apparel online is small, but the pieces are modern and chic.

Epitome. caters to women of all shapes and sizes, offers an unique array of contemporary brands as well as introduces new and cutting edge designers from all over the world.  Epitome. exudes the confidence, poise, and fearlessness of today’s woman.

A Diva State of Mind has partnered with Epitome. for its first apparel giveaway! You have the chance to win the All That Glitters (Silver) Top available in Small and Large. 

How to enter:

1. Follow A Diva State of Mind on Twitter or Facebook
2. Follow Epitome. on Twitter or Facebook
3. Leave a comment below letting me know you follow via Twitter or Facebook and describe how you’d wear the top.

The giveaway will end on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 8:00pm.  Good luck!!

To learn more about Epitome. visit www.shopepitome.com

Accessories are key if you want to take an outfit to the next level.  If you’ve seen pictures of people wearing multiple bracelets and rings at once but never thought you could pull the look off, check out this cool video by celebrity stylist Monica Rose for LEAF tv.  In under 2 minutes, she demonstrates how to layer jewerly.   The key is to mix metals and textures.

Click HERE for details on the accessories featured in the video.

Source

My friend Erikka texted me the other day and asked:

So Ms. Fashionista, I want a white Michael Kors watch.  Isn’t that a no go for winter?!?”

The short answer? NO white is not a no go for winter! The “no white after Labor Day” rule doesn’t exist anymore (if it ever did really exist).  We all wear white button up shirts after Labor Day right? So why can’t we wear white watches and other attire?

When Erikka asked her question, I immediately thought I needed to do a post on wearing white during the winter but I really wanted to focus on jeans. Many people feel like white jeans can’t be worn upon the arrival of the fall and winter seasons.  However, that’s not the case at all!

If you’re on the fence about wearing them during the winter, hopefully the outfit ideas below will help put you at ease.  Pair your jeans with fabulous boots and a sweater.  Want a dressed up, but casual look for a house party or social gathering? Pair them with sequin tops or sweaters. A friend paired her white skinny jeans with a red sequins top, black blazer and sky high black pumps for a house party. She looked FAB!!  And I already know what you’re thinking. Yes you can also wear sequins after the holiday season!

Skinny Denim by J Brand
Boots by Fergie

Skinny Denim by J Brand
Boots by Audrey Brooke

Cardigans by Kimberly Ovitz
Boots by Sam Edelman

Have style questions? Submit them to Keri@adivastateofmind.com.

Tamara Mowry shows us that less is definitely more!

Tamara look fabulous at the NBC Universal 2012 Winter TCA Tour All-Star Party last week in California! She wore a classic a-line black dress, animal print pumps and clutch, gold earrings and a yellow ring.  I knew right away that this look could be easily be duplicated.  This is a great look for an event or dinner out with friends or your significant other.

Check out these suggestions on creating this look for less:

More Asos…

Also check out the Vera Wang Lavendar Cutout Back Dress on sale (under $200) at Neiman Marcus!

Tamara and her twin Tia recently started filming season 2 of “Tia & Tamara” which will aire on the Style network. Love their reality show!

When a new year arrives, people not only make resolutions but they also like to change their look. If you’re looking to switch things up, check out the ladies of Lolita & Alicia Hair and Makeup Team!

Located in Bethesda, MD at Lux Studios, Lolita and Alicia are offering $20 off any cut or color service between now and February 28th.  If you follow me on Twitter and/or Instagram, you may have noticed the picture I posted of me rocking my new red hair done by Alicia.  She is AMAZING at cut and color!

My New Color!

Not only is the new year a great opportunity to change your hair but it’s also a great time to work on your wardrobe! Many people need help going through their closets to determine what to keep or purge. Some want to update their wardrobe, especially if they are graduating and entering the work force this year. While others just want to revamp their look. I’m here to help you with ANY styling scenario you can think of! Between now and February 28th, enjoy a free consultation and 15% off styling services.

My Clients!

View Lolita and Alicia’s work on Facebook HERE and follow on twitter @LnAHair. To schedule an appointment with Lolita or Alicia,call 301-907-6810. If you’re a metro rider, Lux Studios is located right next to the Bethesda metro station on the red line.

To schedule an appointment with me, call me at (301) 836-1451 or email Keri@adivastateofmind.com.  Please feel free to check out my Look Book and Clients pages!! Hope to work with you soon.

If you know anyone interested in these services, please pass along this post!

Courtesy of straightshoeter.tumblr.com

It’s no secret. Christian Louboutin shoes are AMAZING!!! And the shoes are no different!

I first saw the Panama Geometrico Daffodil pump on Bravo TV Watch What Happens Live when Tracee Ellis Ross wore them. I thought they were fabulous but didn’t pay too much attention to them. Until I saw them posted on Instagram by Saks Fifth Avenue. After taking another look, I must confess, these shoes are HAUTE!

Courtesy of us.christianlouboutin.com

Courtesy of Saks Fifth Ave on Instagram

These 6.3 inch pump “is an ode to the eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s. Panama Geometrico is a work of art.”  The Panama Gemetrico retails for $1,075. *Swoon*

In response to this week’s post, What Should I Wear With A Fur Vest, blogger Jennifer of Comme Coco commented “I’m dying to wear a fur vest soon but I can’t find the perfect one. I want one I can wear with black and every one I find is brown based.”

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing a brown vest with black, after all they are both neutrals, trying to find a black or black/grey vest can be challenging but not impossible! Below are some vests (other than brown) to wear with black this Fall/Winter season.

More LOFT…

Along with the stores listed above, others include Kohls, QVC, JC Penny, New York & Company, H&M, Victoria’s Secret and Fabulous Furs.

If you have style questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at Keri@adivastateofmind.com

I am participating in the South Moon Under & Refinery29 “Let’s Holiday” styling challenge.  Contestants are competing for the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place prizes. Those participating submitted head-to-toe styles using items from the South Moon Under Collection.

Last Saturday, I headed over to the South Moon Under Bethesda location with DC fashion blogger Krystin of Be Loud Be You.  We literally ran around the store for 2 hours creating our fabulous holiday inspired looks.  I struggled to determine which of the four looks I created to submit because I’d wear all of them to a holiday party. In the end, I decided on this one:

The 5 photos with the most “Likes” on Facebook between now and Monday, December 12^th  will be in the running to beome the 3 styles chosen by editors of Refinery 29 and stylist from South Moon Under. I need your help in being one of those top 5 photos!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, click HERE to “Like” my photos on Facebook.  In order to like the photo, you will have to Log in on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” Krystin’s photos too!

Here are the other three looks that are great outfits for the holiday season:

If you’re heading to holiday parties this month and need some (sequins) outfit inspiration, click HERE.  If you are interested in learning more about styling services available to meet all of your fashion needs, please click HERE.

If you follow me on twitter, you have seen me reference and retweet the hashtag #ImREDy numerous times over the past 7 days.   The #ImREDy Campaign is a movement started by Carmen Williams of GodMenandMoney.com, Naseya Minor of TheSeventhDistrict.com and Nikki Foster.

Last month, Carmen hosted a social experiment. She asked a number of her girlfriends to try MAC’s Ruby Woo lipstick. What she noticed was at first, like her initial reaction, a lot of the women were uncomfortable putting on red lipstick.   It’s one color we don’t wear often and a lot of us, including myself, don’t believe we look good in red lipstick.  Once her friends applied the lipstick and starred at themselves in the mirror for a few minutes, they loved the way they looked.  Hence #ImREDy was born!

For the month of December, Carmen, Naseya and Nikki are challenging us to step outside of our comfort zone, embrace our beauty and rock the bold red lipstick that makes of feel the most feminine!  No worries, if you’re uneasy about wearing red lipstick, you aren’t the only one. I spent the entire weekend searching for the perfect color considering I haven’t worn red lipstick in over 10 years. The last time I wore red lipstick I was under the age of 10 performing dance recitals; that was before I was old enough to choose my own makeup for recitals. But I digress…

Color: Fashion Fair "Forbidden"

Once you’ve found the color that works for you, change your social media profile pictures to a photo of you wearing your favorite shade of red.  Also tweet a picture of yourself wearing your favorite shade using hashtag #ImREDy. If you’d like to share your experience, please send an email to ImRedyCampaign@gmail.com to be featured in the ImREDy Spotlight!

To learn more about the campaign, Carmen and her social experience, click HERE.

Are you REDy?!?!