Spring 101

Ladies, get your checklist out, and your spring clothing budget together. FOR ITS THAT TIME AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't Fret! Remember, I always give you outfit ideas! Stay tuned for my blogs in the upcoming weeks. This will get you started!!!!

Top Spring Trends for 2010

1. Military influence – One of my favorites!!! Camouflage, structured jackets, army green.

2. Denim – we are taking it back OLD SCHOOL! We are talking denim shirts, denim dresses, and wearing denim on denim.

 

3. Pastels – Just think Ice-Cream colors, not so much just nude

4. Safari/Tribal Print – think of what you would wear if you were on a safari in the jungles of wild Africa. Can you picture it? Exactly! That’s what you would wear….

5. Draping – draping is going to be HUGE this season draped dresses, draped jumpsuits, and the list goes on. Its very flattering on pretty much any figure type.

 

 

6. SPARKLE- yes it’s a BLINGIE season, and we are talking on everything. Rhinestone, Glitter, Sequins, Metallics, all things shiny!

7. Undergarments as clothing! – Sounds trashy? Nah not so much, if you wear it correctly and to proper events. Corsets, sheer tops and lace tops are a few options that you will see.

 

8. Sportswear – remember when tennis skirts were really big in the 90’s? Well a more sophisticated look is what we are aiming for, go for pleated skirts, polo type shirts, thigh length shorts (booty shorts are out!)

9. Floral prints – they were around last spring, and they are still back , so dust that stuff of and work it.

10. Tie- Dyed – can u believe it? Yes its back

Black Beauty & Style: A History of Fashion : Andre' Leon Talley

André Leon Talley (born October 16, 1949) is the American editor-at-large for Vogue magazine and has been a front-row regular at fashion shows in New York, Paris, London and Milan for more than 25 years. He uses his influence to promote young fashion designers, such as John Saldivar and mentors young talent in other fields as well. His most famous pairings of late have been with designers Tracy Reese, Rachel Roy, and singer/actress Jennifer Hudson. He is known as a very close friend of pop diva Mariah Carey, Kimora Lee Simmons, fashion designer and tennis star Venus Williams. In 2007, he was ranked 45^th in Out Magazine’s “50 Most Powerful Gay Men and Women in America”. Talley has an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Savannah College of Art and Design, where he serves as a member of the Board of Trustees.

Talley was raised in Durham, North Carolina by his grandmother Bennie Davis, who he says gave him an “understanding of luxury.” After graduating from North Carolina Central University, Talley received his master’s degree in French from Brown University. While at Brown, Talley befriended students from the nearby Rhode Island School of Design and often went on weekend trips to New York City. He is associated with former American Vogue editor-in-chief and Costume Institute consultant, Diana Vreeland.

In 2008 Talley advised the future First Family on fashion, and introduced Michelle Obama to Jason Wu, from whom she bought several dresses including her inaugural gown.

As of November 2009, Talley will be serving on the judging panel for America’s Next Top Model, replacing Miss Jay (Runway Trainer).

Fashion Fridays! Shop for a cause

It's Friday! It's Friday! Yaaay!! Let's kick off the weekend right, with a giving spirit! I'm spotlighting a couple of causes that are supported by Fashion!

FASHION FOR HAITI is a charitable initiative of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in response to the devastating January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Net proceeds from this sale will be donated by the CFDA foundation, Inc. to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. Center front print reads, "To Haiti With Love- Hope Help Heal Haiti," with a map of the nation standing in for the word Haiti.

$25 (can be found at major department stores nationwide as of 2/16)
(Lord & Taylors is giving free shipping to any order that includes the purchase of this tshirt)

 

and finally I mentioned this tee 2 days on my Facebook Fan Page. There were only 700 of the 1st shipment, which completely sold out Thursday night - but I am on the hunt for the tee! I will keep u all posted.

Mary J. Blige partnered up with Catherine Malandrino to debut a fashionable collection of t-shirts to benifit MJB's women's charity. Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now. http://ffawn.org/ The t-shirts feature the messages "I'm Free" and "I'm Power".

$39.00 (Bloomingdales)

Gwennie is BACK!!

I am sooooo late - I just had this sitting on ice, and completely forgot to post it!

I don't know if most of you all know this, but she's one of my fashion faves. I love the fact that she tests the limits, she's edgy, urban and yet still feminine. After a mini hiatus from the fashion scene, Gwen Stefani opened up NY Fashion Week by debuting her Fall 2010 L.A.M.B Collection last Thursday night.

She definitely ROCKED the RUNWAY!! Here are a few of my favorite looks straight from the runway.

You will notice that camouflage and military inspired looks are heavy in her collection, which is also a BIG trend this spring. Yes! We will definitely blog on how to wear that look later on. In the meantime, ENJOY!

 

photos from style.com

Black Beauty & Style: A History of Fashion: Pat McGrath

 

Born in 1970, Pat McGrath has been called the most influential make-up artist in the world by fashion publication giant Vogue and many other publications.

 

McGrath was raised in Northampton, England by her mother Jean McGrath, a Jamaican immigrant. McGrath credits her mother for her love of fashion and make-up, saying that Jean would comment on clothes as they watched classic movies together. McGrath has no formal training in fashion or make-up, having completed only an art foundation course at a Northampton college. Of her career, she has said, "I really love being a makeup artist. It never gets mundane or predictable and every shoot and show is different."

 

 

McGrath's career breakthrough came while working with Edward Enninful (then fashion editor of i-D magazine) in the early 1990s, when her innovative use of color "brilliantly solved the world's ennui with grunge" and helped launch i-D to a position of international importance. In the mid-1990s, she worked both with minimalist Jil Sander and with surrealist John Galliano, where she became known for her "latex petals stuck to faces, vinyl lips, bodies drenched in powder paint, [and] stylized Kabuki physiognomies."

 

 

Since then, McGrath has worked with photographers including Steven Meisel (who now rarely shoots without her), Paolo Roversi, Helmut Newton, and Peter Lindbergh. In addition to appearing in i-D, photos of her work have been published in fashion magazines including American, English, and French Vogue, W, and Harper's Bazaar. She attends four fashion show seasons (counting couture) each year and has worked with designers including Prada, Miu Miu, Comme des Garçons, and Dolce and Gabbana. Additionally, she designed Armani's cosmetics line in 1999 and in 2004 was named global creative-design director for Procter and Gamble, where she is in charge of Max Factor and Cover Girl cosmetics, among other brands. During McGrath's constant travels to work locations, she takes between thirty and fifty bags of materials, tools, and reference materials.

 

 

As a makeup artist, McGrath is known for her wide range, according to Edward Enninful, her work spans from "the highest couture to club kids." She is also known for her inventive use of materials: her most creative make-up is handmade, and she works mainly with her fingers instead of with brushes.

 

 

 

 

(bio provided by wikipedia)

Alexander McQueen: March 17, 1969 - February 10, 2010

The fashion world has lost one of its great, influential and most daring designers, many celebrities took to their twitter accounts to express their sympathy. Kanye West posted on his website. "So devastating," he wrote. "McQueen ... was a genius. He was so important and special. We lost an angel."  His work was beautiful and will remain immortal," R&B singer Kelis said in a statement. "He was one of our gems, it is truly so sad. There aren't many designers or artists that are able to let you into their minds and their hearts simply through vision and creation. Alexander McQueen was one of few. We will all feel his absence forever." "Rest In Peace Alexander McQueen," Perry wrote yesterday afternoon. "Just woke up, so sad."

 Fashion Revolutionaires decided not to dwell on the tragic death of this great designer, but to celebrate his designs. So enjoy!

 

You will be missed.......

 

Front Row Seats, Its Fashion Week!

Oh how I dream of the day that I will finally be able to sit in any seat (much less the front row) during the famed Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, held twice a year in NYC. It's definitely on my bucket list, but did you know that celebrities were PAID to sit in the front row? Were many of us so naive to think that most of these celebrities actually enjoyed fashion shows and clamored to get invitations to them?? Really, I would think because of your appreciation for the fashion, the designer and all that goes along with it, is the reason you would want to attend fashion shows. It's official celebrities get everything! Is it not enough they already get free clothes, products, etc.?!?

The good team over at www.fashionista.com got the inside scoop and I'm sharing it with you.

The ultimate Fashion "IT" girl, RAKES in the DOUGH, she's top tier over all the celebrities and gets a WHOPPING $100K (or more) a show!

 

A-List

Rihanna ($100,000 or more)

Beyonce ($80,000-$100,000) - now we all know Beyonce is NOT going to wear anything fashionable that she sees at these shows, this is really a waste of money! (still love you though Bey!)

Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen ($80,000 each)

Julianne Moore ($60,000)

Maggie Gyllanhal ($60,000) - Really?!?!? Whose inspired by her fashion sense?

Chloe Sevigny ($60,000 or more)

Jennifer Lopez (circa 2005: $80,000; circa 2010: $30,000) - J-Lo took a nice pay cut, wonder why??

Lindsay Lohan (circa 2006: $60,000; circa 2010; UNINVITED) - WOW!

Colin Firth (pre-A Single Man: $5,000; post-A Single Man: $15,000)

B-List

Blake Lively ($50,000)

Leighton Meester ($40,000)

Hillary Duff ($40,000)

Other Gossip Girl cast members ($25,000 a piece)

Jared Leto ($25,000)

Cliven Owen ($10,000)

Kristen Bell (unpaid, but airfare, makeup and clothing are taken care of) - I wonder how she feels about this compared to the other B-list stars.

C-List

Kim Kardashian ($35,000-$50,000)

Amanda Bynes ($25,000-$30,000)

Eliza Dushku (unpaid, but airfare, makeup and clothing are taken care of)

D-List

Paris Hilton (free or UNINVITED) 

Jersey Shore cast (UNINVITED)

America’s Next Top Model Winners (free)

I wonder if the UNINVITED celebrities can pay there way in???

 

Black Beauty & Style: A History of Fashion : Donyale Luna

Many readers of the blog often ask, who is the gorgeous woman featured in the background of the blog? Today I answer that question.

Donyale Luna (1945-1979)

In 1966, Donyale Luna became the first African American model to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine, a photograph in which she covered her whole face with her hand, except for her boldly outlined eye. Reportedly, that shot was chosen so as to not offend the magazine’s regular readership.

She was born Peggy Ann Freeman in Detroit, with an abusive father who was murdered when she was 18. Her mother encouraged her to become a nurse. A relative once described her as being “a very weird child, even from birth, living in a wonderland, a dream.” Donyale Luna created her own dream. She made up a story to hide her painful upbringing, denied the reality revealed on her birth certificate and claimed that her biological father’s last name was Luna, and her mother was Mexican. Her grandmother became an Irishwoman who married a black interior decorator.

She was discovered by photographer David McCabe, and left Detroit behind for the lights of New York City. From all accounts, her rise was meteoric. A sketch of her appeared on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in 1965, and Richard Avedon signed an exclusive contract to photograph her.

During the late sixties and early seventies, Luna appeared in several films produced by Andy Warhol (including "Camp") and Federico Fellini ("Fellini Satyricon"). She also appeared in "The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus," the Otto Preminger comedy "Skidoo" (in which she was featured as the mistress of God, who was portrayed by Groucho Marx), and the British documentary "Tonite Let's All Make Love in London". Salvador Dalí considered her one of his favorite models.

Time Magazine published an article about her, titled The Luna Year. The article already reveals the trouble she was already beginning to encounter: “A month after hitting New York, she married a young actor, divorced him after ten months, and now will not even give his name. “I love New York,” she says. “But there were bad things. People were on drugs or hung up on pot. There was homosexuality and lesbianism and people who liked to hurt.” Unhappy with that world but unwilling to give it all up and head back to Detroit, she fled to London and Paris.” "Back in Detroit I wasn't considered beautiful or anything, but here I'm different," Luna explained of her success. "They were looking for a new kind of model, a girl who is beautiful like you've never seen before."

Luna appeared in a nude photo layout in the April 1975 issue of Playboy; the photographer was Luigi Cazzaniga. Luna married the Italian photographer Luigi Cazzaniga. In 1977 they had a child: Dream Cazzaniga.

Donyale Luna died in 1979, of an accidental pill overdose in Rome. She was just 33 years old

 

 

photos courtesy of www.minimadmodmuses.multiply.com