Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Polo...On Polo...On Polo

This is a trend that I have noticed in Michigan, but I don't know if it happens anywhere else. The polo from head to toe trend. They are wearing polo hats, polo shirts, polo shorts, polo underwear, and polo shoes. I see about five or six horse logos popping out, and I'm wondering if anyone should ever have on that much polo for one outfit besides the store mannequin? I like to see guys coordinate their outfits with different brands, it shows that they have their own personal flair. If all you wear is the same brand head to toe, it seems like you don't like to take risks fashion wise. What's even more interesting to me is, I wonder how the owner and the top execs of the company feel about having young African American males among their highest consuming clientele? Is it important to be a conscious buyer and be aware of the companies' actions and views, or is that not something the consumer is responsible for?

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It's Not for Everybody: Forever 21, Love Culture, H&M

I could never understand why the same t-shirt or jacket that I tried on at H&M or Forever 21 that made me look frumpy, made another girl look so fabulous. I see girls all over campus wearing clothing from these stores and making the pieces look so cute, and they are affordable on top of that. If I tried to pull off the same exact outfit i would look a hot mess, lol. I don't know if the clothing is made for girls with a box shape with a large chest, but it just doesn't work for me. The only things that I can get out of those stores are tank tops, and sometimes shirts and sweaters. So instead, I've had to turn to online websites like karmaloop, PLNDR, Klassiq, Concrete Rose, etc and boutiques like C'est La Vie, Iklektikk, etc. Even though I have to spend a little bit more money for these items, a lot of times they last longer and fit much better. Also, I have found by stepping outside the box we call the "mall", I was able to discover a lot of cool sites and boutiques that carry pieces that I never see anyone else in.

Does anyone else has similar/dissimilar sentiments?

Kim Kardashian to star in "The Marriage Counselor"

I almost chocked on my food when I read this headline....oh, where do I start?

First, why would Kim Kardashian get the role as the co-worker in the film "the marriage counselor"? I do think that she is overexposed in the media, and I still don't quite understand what's she is famous for. Nonetheless, if she portrayed the best acting skills at the audition, then she deserves the role...But I highly doubt that she had to audition for the role, and even if she did, it probably wasn't that hot.

Second, is Tyler Perry that far removed from his audience that he thinks that her name on a movie will bring in audiences? His core demographic are African Americans (mostly women), and some of them may not even know who Kim Kardashian is and even care. This seems like he is trying to alienate himself from his original fan base.

 Third, what about the starving artists? Tyler Perry has been known to give many unknown thespians the opportunity to showcase their talent, i don't understand why he stopped with this role. There are plenty of young females out there who are vying to be a major motion picture, and he chooses Kim Kardashian. A woman who is already rich, and to my knowledge has no talents worth recognition.

I could go on and on about this, but I'll stop here...what are your thoughts?



Thursday, September 8, 2011

Sleepless in Seattle


I spent last week living like a rockstar in Seattle. I flew out to Seattle, WA for another conference, and I stayed in the heart of downtown Seatte. I had no idea that everything was so condensed into a few blocks. The downtown area was filled to the brim with shops, restaurants, and offices. Of course there was a Starbucks on every corner, and there were two or three on some blocks.
The shopping is ridculous out there. You have H&M, Forever 21, NikeTown, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Macys, Sephora, and sooo much more. I was so excited when I saw a cheesecake factory by my hotel, because I have to go out of state to get to one. I also went to this cool Sushi place called Blue C Sushi. Instead of the waiters bringing you your food, the sushi is placed on a small plate that sits on top of a conveyor belt that carries the food around to every table. It's a cool concept, and the sushi was good. Last but not least, Pike Market is incredible. It has tons of vendors that sell fruit, cheese, meat, fish, flowers, and wine. They also have numerous restaurants throughout the market and it's by the water. But the part about it, is it has the very FIRST starbucks store! Although I didn't buy any coffee, I had to buy one of their mugs as a souvenir. There are a lot of things that I didn't get to do while I was there..I would have loved to see West Seattle which is just across the bridge, Mt. Rainier, the Wing Luke Asian Museum, Salumi restaurant (owned by Mario Batali's father), places outside of downtown, and I didn't have time to catch the train to Portland or Vancouver. Overall, I think that Seattle is a very cool city, and it didn't hurt that it was sunny the entire time that I was there. But now that I've seen the city, I've gotta see the movie "Sleepless in Seattle". I probably won't be traveling for awhile because the fall semester has begun, so until next time "bon voyage".


                                                                Pike Place Market

 The very first Starbucks, located at Pike's Place Market. A historic monument for all of the coffee lovers.

                      The giant chess set seemed so dope to me, especially since I don't know how to play.

I just love the cheesecake factory :)

                                                                       Blue C Sushi

                                         LOL!! I had to post this picture. I saw a couple of people holding up signs like these when I was in Seattle. If you look closely to sign says "Need $ for Weed"..so ridiculous.

Mt. Rainier

A literal alley filled with restaurants and shops

 
My friends didn't want to pay $18 to go up the space needle

Thursday, August 11, 2011

My Fall Clothing Essentials 2011

Being a college student, I love utilizing staple pieces that are not overly trendy and good for mixing and matching with other pieces. This is my list of essential closet pieces.

1.White Blouse
2.Rain Boots
3.Rain Coat
4.Vest
5.Blazer
6.Dark Bootcut Denim
7.Print Scarf
8.Flats
9.Pumps
10.Plain T-shirt
11.Cardigan
12.Bomber/Moto Jacket
13.Cargo Pants
14.Studs
15.Pencil Skirt
16.Cross Body Bag
17.Trench Coat
18. Black Slacks
19. Running Shoes
20.Little Black Dress
21. Peacoat
22. Hoodie
23. Yoga/Sweat Pants
24. Belts
25. Oversized Bag
Am I missing anything? Let me know.

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Worth the Splurge?...Alfie Sneakers by Christian Louboutin

This is my first post (of many) entitled "Worth the Splurge?" Everytime I see something that it very expensive I ask myself, would I spend that much money on it? Sometimes my answer is yes, many other times NO...in my book it's not about the name brand, it's about the fit, color, quality, and the usefulness.

These are the Alfie sneakers by Christian Louboutin in black and gold with a patent leather toe, velvet sides, a snack skin print in the back, and gold detailing throughout. With a price tag of $995, is it worth the splurge?


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

"Red Bottoms"

This post comes after hearing this term the 1000th time and watching a peculiar interview with a former video vixen. The woman in the video talked about how upgrading your style, more specifically buying a pair of Christian Louboutins, would help your career as a video model. I can understand how your appearance would help your career when your line of work is visual and your image is very important. But does this hold weight for women in other careers? First, for anyone who doesn't know this, when someone says "red bottoms" they are talking about a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. It's funny to me that so many women and some men have used one shoe label as the quintessential staple of every women's closet, the standrd upon which to judge a woman's style. This is not to say that people haven't done this in the past, there were the true religion jeans, the fendi spy bag, Jordans, etc...but what I have noticed with the Louboutins is that this trend has crossed color and income lines. There are women who may never be able to afford a pair of Christian Louboutins talking about how these shoes are a must for every woman. If you can't afford them, it doesn't mean that you have a black hole in your closet. Many women have and continue to look fabulous in shoes that are not Christian Louboutin.

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One shoe designer does not make or break your style. Even if you own 10 pairs of Christian Louboutins "red bottoms" it does not mean that you can coordinate an outfit. Plus, what's a red bottom if you don't have the right outfit to pair it with? If a see someone in a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and a pair of Christian Louboutin heels it does not make me think that this person has great style, if I like the shoes then I'll think that they have a great taste in shoes. Lastly, you make(wear) the shoes, the shoes do not make you. If Christian Louboutins are not your style. Then don't wear them. You have to be confident in what you wear. People can tell the difference between style that is forced and begging for attention and style that is unique to the individual.
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Although many of the shoes created by the fashion label have red bottoms, this signature feature is not a mark of authenticity. Some of the shoes do not have red bottoms, and if you have the cash to get your own pair of custom made Louboutins, then you can get whatever color you like. Take for instance Adrienne Bosh's custom made blue bottom Christian Louboutin pumps (picture below) that she wore for her wedding to Chris Bosh.

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