A couple of weeks ago, I went back home to Michigan for my 2nd wedding dress fitting. By the way, I absolutely love my wedding dress, it is a perfect fit for me and my personality (once my wedding takes place, I will definitely be posting pics from the BIG day). As I was at home, I decided to pamper myself a little bit. I went to a spa, went to one of my fav Mexican restaurants (On the Border), and of course I had to stop by one of my ultimate favorite places....THE MALL! Below I have my first Overhaul Video Blog (aka Vlog). I got some really great pieces that I'm excited to incorporate into my ever growing wardrobe collection and most importantly to share with you my subscribers.
I racked up at H&M, Forever 21, and I even made an online purchase from one of my upcoming favorite fashion blogger's (Mia Ray's) website Glamaholic Lifestyle. So check it out :)
This spring the blue/green families are taking over the color spectrum ranging from Tiffany Blue to Mint Green. These hues can be beautiful on all skin tones. For a classic look pair these colors with neutral garments (i.e. black, gray, nude, cream.). If you are bold enough to push the color envelope add a contrasting color (coral, yellow, orange) for drama. On a recent trip home I bought a mint green blazer from Forever 21 (I will being doing a haul vlog on it this weekend so be on the lookout). I am so excited to unveil it for the first time (I will be sure to do a Outfit of the Day (OOTD)). In the meantime, check out the pictures below to see how to incorporate these eye-popping colors into your wardrobe this spring.
June Ambrose in a Seafoam Green Sheath Dress with Black Belt and Christian Louboutin Strappy Pumps
Mary J Blige in a one shoulder dress paired with black booties
Beyonce in a low cut v-neck dress with nude peep - toe shoes
Emily B (from Love & Hip Hop) in an Asos cut-out bodycon dress
Colorblocking with turquoise sweater and mint green jeans, paired with nude accessories
Kim Kardashian with a cream blazer and tee, tiffany blue denim, and nude sandals and bag
Kim Kardashian rocking a turquoise skirt, yellow blouse with nude pumps
3 different ways to style and incorporate this blueish-green hue
(FYI: I would rock all three outfits, but the middle look is my fav...flirty yet edgy)
I recall speaking with a co-worker about the biggest fashion accessory you can posses. That accessory being CONFIDENCE. I say this, because, often times people buy clothes because they think they are "in" or the clothes will make them look"cool." But the unfortunate thing is, usually those people that think this way don't have the swag (for lack of better terms) to pull off the trend they are trying to rock.
I remember hearing many times as I was growing up..."what are you wearing?" Or one of my other favs..."why are you wearing that like that?" I was always different when it came to dressing. I pulled trends and styles for the various places I traveled to create a style all my own. At times people could not understand, why I would pair this set of jeans with that shirt, or this dress with that color jacket etc. But, it didn't bother me. I continued to march to the drum of my own fashion beat.
It is always so perplexing to me why people are content with fitting in with the status quo. I've always dared to be different. I've always displayed a strand of confidence to make me feel good in WHATEVER I wear, whether it be a potato sack or an evening gown. So ladies and gents, the best advice I can give you in whatever you do, do it with an air of confidence (NOT to be misconstued with arrogance, big difference).
"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." - Coco Chanel
I found a couple of clips from June Ambrose's new show on VH1 - Styled by June where she takes Miami - based rapper Trina out of her comfort zone with her normal attire of short, tight, bootylicious garments into a chic, glamorous edgy rapper. At first Trina wasn't having it. She did not feel comfortable in the clothing options June picked out, but once she found her confidence she shined like a light! Watch the transformation unfold.
One of this seasons hottest new trends is...COLORDENIM. I have to say I am a big fan. A couple of weeks ago, I snagged a pair of Coral Jeans at Charlotte Russe along with a pink laced-back button up (sidebar: coral is my new "it" color going into Spring). This past weekend I paired my coral jeans with a tribal, see-through back top (from Forever 21), a raised shoulder blazer (from H&M), and some wedged booties (from Aldo) - all seen below. I love the endless styling possibilities that colored jeans offer. I will definitely be buying more colors in the near future! Here are some examples of how to rock colored denim.
It's always great to follow your dreams and do something you love! That is the exact thing Melissa Butler, a fellow FAMU Alumni did. She started her own cosmetic line of bright, bold lip colors for women of all races and hues! Her lip line is called "The Lip Bar". She plays off the bar scene by conveniently naming all of her lip colors after alcoholic beverages.
After checking out her chic website (www.thelipbar.com), and seeing pictures of her very own launch party held in Brooklyn, NY hosted by one of my fav bloggers, Michigan native, GabiFresh
(from www.youngfatandfabulous.com) & two awesome sunglasses designers, (also Midwest natives) Coco & Breezy living out their dream in New York, I had to get my hands on some lipstick! Let me tell you, I was VERY IMPRESSED with my purchase. From the sleek packaging, to the company logo, the attention to every detail, and most importantly the lip color I received.
I've been searching for months on end for a coral hued lip color. So, when I saw that The Lip Bar offered the entire R.O.Y.G.B.I.V color spectrum (you know what I'm talking about: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet) I jumped at the chance to order. I ended up going with "Bahama Mama" this go - round. It is a great contrast to my Hershey skin tone, and rolls on very smoothly. I will definitely be trying more bright colors just in time to heat up the summer months!
In the motto of The Lip Bar: :Lets have a "Toast to Beauty"
Sincerely,
New Lip Bar Fan
Box Bahama Mama Lipstick arrived in
Contents included in my Lip Bar Package (the actual lipstick is in the tube on the far left)
Bahama Mama Lipstick (all the lipstick comes with the ingredients & directions to make the drinks the lipsticks are named after, I thought that was an unexpected added bonus)
The fierce-ness exuding from this picture is beyond words
I absolutely love June #BLACKGIRLSROCK
Who is she?:June Ambrose
What does she do?:Celebrity Stylist to the likes of Rihanna, Jay - Z, Pooch Hall, Trina, Mischa Barton etc., Entrepreneur
Why is she featured as a style inspiration on Fashion Sense?:June is a style inspiration to me because she is ambitious, creative, bold, and extremely unapologetic for who she is & what she wears! She is a business woman, (she owns her own full service styling fim...Mode' Squad)and she is living out what she loves on a daily basis! How awesome is that????
Where can I spot June?: June has a new show, "Styled by June" premiering on VH1 on Monday, March 19, 2012 at 9:30pm. The show will follow June in her element as a stylist, and capture the highs and lows of helping transform not only celebrities image but their brand!!!
I know Fashion Sense is a blog dedicated to my love for fashion and all things that encompass it. But another passion of mine is helping children & youth!!! I never had the patience to become a teacher like my mom, but I've always admired my mother, and the countless educators around the world for their commitment to make a difference in the lives of children on a daily basis. My mothers devotion for helping kids must have rubbed off on me, because I've always, in some capacity or another been connected to helping children whether it was tutoring math, teaching literacy at a summer school, volunteering at a engineering camp, or just offering my advice to the members of the upcoming generation. That's why I had to blog about this POWERFUL information I received.
I was sent an email today, that has literally had my mind racing this afternoon on how I could get involved (and get the people in my network involved...hence my first plan of action, WRITING THIS BLOG POST). If we can pull this mission off, we can be the true CHANGE that we always hear talk about, and hear about from the people surrounding us.
The backdrop of this story is about a film maker who in his young adulthood traveled to Uganda, Africa (10 years ago) and met a child rebel solider who escaped from the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) Group, by the name of Jacob. Jacob enlightened this young filmmaker about the harsh realities of this dangerous group, and about it's ruthless leader, Joseph Kony. This is where the video comes into play. I don't want to feed you half of the information, since I too am just learning about this horrific plight today. I just want you to take some time (the video is 30 minutes, but please watch it in its entirety) to watch the video below. I hope that the message in this video stirs up something within to make you spring into action.
Although, I love shopping, and clothes, and talking about the latest hand bags and shoes, nothing is more precious than the human life. AND no matter what part of the earth you are from, what race, what color, what creed, what social status you are on, everyone deserves the right to freedom, a good education, and the opportunity to chase after and accomplish the dreams they never thought could take place. So I urge you to be the CHANGE you want to see. Let's not just TALK about it, but lets BE about it!
After watching this video if you are moved to do something check out kony2012.com for more information
I decided I would dedicate one day a week to my fellas!!! The Gentleman's Club will be a segment in my blog that I discuss men and fashion! I hope to provide a woman's view point for all my guys out there, that want to be fly, sophisticated, and most of all confident in what they are wearing. There is nothing sexier than seeing a confident, well put together man.
Here are some of my picks for a date night. Remember to keep in mind: the time of day the date is occurring, what you will be doing on your date, and most importantly, how you feel in the outfit. You make the clothes, don't let the clothes make you!!
DATE NIGHT ESSENTIALS
Button - Up, Tee Shirt
Jeans - Dark Wash, Semi Distresses
Cardigan - Any color cardigan (don't be afraid to try on a bold color, like a coral or turquoise)
Nice pair of shoes - Sneakers, loafers, boat shoes etc.
Watch
Cologne
Colgate smile
Good Attitude
CARDIGANS
A cardigan is probably one of the most versatile elements any guy can add to his closet. You can dress up or dress down a cardigan by adding your own flare (i.e. bow tie, tie, jeans, slacks, t-shirt, button up etc.)
Multicolored Cardigans
Cardigan with a white tee (the shades & watch details add an extra element of cool)
HOODIES
For a casual polished date night look, choose the "Updated Hoodie." It's chic & comfortable.
Striped Hoodie
OUTERWEAR
A nice piece of outerwear is essential for any man's closet, whether it be a leather jacket, a pea coat, or a blazer.
Leather Jacket
Gray Pea Coat
SHOES
A pair of shoes can either make or break an outfit. So CHOOSE WISELY!!!
Malehorn Sneakers from Aldo
Sperry Topsiders are a classic shoe for a guy who likes to keep it simple
Black Jordan Spizikes
Salvatore Ferragamo Loafers
BOTTOMS
A nice pair of jeans, cargos, or slacks that properly fit is essential to pulling off a great date night ensemble.
Levi's 514 Slim Straight Jeans
Express Men "End On End Cotton Producer Pant"
All in all, if you put an effort into looking nice on a date, 9 times out of 10, your date will notice!
Have you ever been somewhere and saw a SALE that was too good to be true? Well, the style gods were on my side today. After leaving a long day at the office, my co-workers and I decided to head to the mall for some retail therapy. I put on my June Ambrose hat to play stylist for the day (FYI: being a stylist is a HUGE dream of mine)! My coworker is going on a date tomorrow, and he asked if I could assist him in getting a nice outfit to wow his date. So, I gladly jumped at the opportunity.
While in the department store, Bergener's (the Midwest version of Macy's) we found that they were having a huge sale. My friend ended up getting some awesome dark wash Levi's and some classic Sperry Topsiders. On our way out of the store, I heard some Jessica Simpson Peep-Toes whisper my name telling me to stop by and have a gander. So I succumbed and made a sharp right to the woman’s shoe department. On my way to the Jessica Simpson’s I passed a huge clearance rack. I was rummaging through the racks when I spotted the most gorgeous pair of leopard booties. I anxiously turned the shoe over, only to my disappointment to discover the shoe was 7 1/2, (a half size to small). I continued to browse the chaotic rack, when I found the leopard booties in my size!!!
*Cuing music....HALLELUJAH - in my church choir voice!!!*
After falling in love with the shoes, I noticed one minor detail, I had seemed to passover after my initial spotting of the shoe ...the price tag. The original price said $139. But the shoe was on sale for $103.99 (not too bad, but I was definitely NOT willing to spend this amount today). As I went to place the shoe back on the rack, I noticed a sign saying 80% off yellow tag purchases. After discovering the yellow tag on the bottom of my shoe, I quickly began calculating what the shoes would cost with the 80% discount. I joyously headed to the counter feeling like I had found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I’m so excited to rock the shoes (I'm lining up outfits I can pair these beauties up with in my head, as I type), but I’m even more estatic that I paid $22 for a $139 pair of shoes. In the words of Charlie Sheen...#WINNING.
