A Diva State of Mind

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 :)

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!

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!!

Over the past couple months, my friend Renee has been revamping her wardrobe; she recently lost weight so it was time to get rid of clothes that were too big and replace them with pieces that fit. However, like many women, she got stuck wearing pieces the same way. So last Saturday, I went over to her house and we spent 3 hours going through her closet creating new outfits; 2 casual looks and 22 outfits that she could wear to work.

Renee has a lot of color in her closet so I really wanted to focus on showing her how different color combinations worked together. Every time she tried on an outfit and stepped in front of the mirror she would say “I love this” or “I would’ve never put this together!” When I got home, she texted me and said “You changed my life!” That statement definitely moved me.  Being a personal stylist is about more than putting outfits together. It’s really about helping women feel good about the way the look. Loving the way you look definitely plays a roll in how you feel about yourself. It takes some time, but once a woman learns how to dress her body and put looks together, she becomes more confident and proud of her body.

Here are a few of the outfits created from her wardrobe.  She purchased items from Target, H&M, Old Navy and EXPRESS. If you’ve been in a style rut, hopefully these looks will provide some inspiration. Please excuse the quality of the photos.

Great look for a casual afternoon or evening out.

Add some interest to a black sheath dress with a colorful blazer and color block pumps.

This cap sleeve peplum is great for slimming the waist and creating balance between your top and bottom half.

One of our favorite looks. Love the color combination!

The color of the top doesn’t have to match the purple in the skirt exactly! As long as they are in the same family, it works!

Use statement jewerly and heels to make a jersey dress appropriate for work.

Dress up a jersey dress with a blazer and bad heels!

This skirt is navy and black. Yes you can wear those color together!

If you’re like Renee and feel like you need help putting outfits together, please contact me! I’m here to help you get full use out of your wardrobe. Believe me, you have more outfits in your closet than you think! Contact me at keri@adivastateofmind.com or 301-836-1451 to schedule a free consultation.

Last month my client Yanique contacted me because she was going to be featured in Bethesda Magazine for “The Up and Comers” feature. This article features movers and shakers in the Bethesda area who are making their mark before they’re 40.

The photo for the feature took place at her job so she needed help selecting an outfit from her wardrobe that said she was a CEO but also stylish.

After going through her closet and trying on a few looks, we opted for a purple sheath dress. A pop of color is more fun than black! I really wish the photo was full length so you could see her shoes! We paired the dress with a black skinny belt to help define her wait and a pair of black cap toe animal print pumps.  We completed the look with a black blazer.

Ladies, if you are the CEO of a company or a senior executive, you can wear color and print!  The key is to find balance. If you wear a dress in a bright color like purple or blue, pair it with a neutral blazer. Uplift a neutral dress with a patterned belt or pump. A good tailor is a must if you want to look sharp in the office!!

Yanique is the Presidet & CEO of the Consumer Health Foundation. Please check out her feature in Bethesda Magazine HERE.

SNOBSWAP & Dewdrop are delighted to announce Swap In The City charity swap party and fashion show on Thursday, May 9th from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm. The dynamic duo invites fashion enthusiasts to swap designer clothing and accessories and enjoy a fashion-focused event to help end domestic violence.

Swap In the City will rally DC’s emerging fashion giants for a fun-filled evening of social shopping and style sneak peaks. Attendees dropping off their luxury swaps will be greeted with complimentary cocktails and treats, a wealth of style tips from local experts, and a fashion presentation by Kolton J and D’Milikah.

Closing the night with a high-end clothing swap, event-goers will walk away with coveted, designer goods for a noble cause. All unswapped items will be donated to the Goodwill of Greater Washington and a portion of the event ticket proceeds will benefit Becky’s Fund, a non-profit that aims to foster awareness, encourage advocacy, promote activism and create support for victims of domestic violence.

To purchase discounted tickets for Swap In the City visit www.swapinthecityDC.eventbrite.com.

When Tramaine asked on Instagram where she could find wide leg printed pants, I should’ve known right away! I love wide leg pants and I’m addicted to printed pants right now.

After a little research, I found a variety of retailers that sell them. H&M and Macy’s offer wide leg pants that will look great worn with flat sandals this summer. Depending on where you work, a wide leg printed pant may be hard to pull of in a business casual environment, but these pants will look great for night, weekend and vacation outings!

Check out the widget below:

wide leg printed pants

Update: After posting this, Tramaine contacted me on Twitter and told me she also found a bunch of printed pants on Etsy. That’s great site to find unique items that may be hard to find in major retailers.

Eye candy for the guys and workout motivation for the ladies. Rosario Dawson for GQ May 2013 issue.

Rosario and her legs!! WERK! Her new movie Trance is in theatres now.

Photography by Carlos Serrao

Source: GQ