Ana's Musings

You Look Like You Read Books...

2012-01-28T14:13:00.000-08:00

My younger brother is 6 years younger than I am, that means that for 6 years I perfected the art of hanging with solo. I spent hours in my room letting my imagination run wild after throughly nurturing it with every word that I could pronounce on my own in every book that I owned--which was a heck of a lot considering that most children under 10 aren't usually prolific readers. By the time my brother arrived I was starved for a playmate--not that I didn't have friends I was just a little kid and little kids don't ever have tons of friends--but I only wanted a playmate who, like my imaginary friends, also loved to read, paint and play games based on the stories I read. Yeah, I love my brother but we do not share the same passion for the written word.

By the time I entered middle school the characters in my books had become my best and most trusted friends, as evidenced by my bookshelf beginning to sag under the weight of 11+ years of books. I'd added two encyclopedias--that's Wikipedia's grandma for you whipper snappers--The Boxcar Children, Witch Baby--I think I read that so many times the cover fell off--R.L. Stein's Goosebumps, and the ultimate "I was an adolescent girl in the 90's" identifier, The Babysitter's Club--Claudia and Stacey aka Anastasia McGill were my faves. It was also right around that same time that I my love affair with glossies lik Seventeen, Sassy, YM (Young & Modern), COSMOgirl and Jump began, but that's another blog post.

Things got rocky as I began to transition from childhood to whatever the hell you call being a teenager. My grandma died, my childhood home flooded and my parents got divorced but my books were still there ready to help me escape the hell of being a 12 year old black girl who could quote Clueless verbatim, openly loved Alains Morrisette and Nirvana, had her first celeb crushes on Elijah Wood and Leonardo DiCaprio and wanted to be a VJ/actress/model/writer/slash in New Orleans. (For those of you who don't get how hellish this could be all I have to say is it was not pretty being in a group of people who looked like me but didn't accept me because I wasn't a stereotype. Those girls are now knocked up and/or married, doing God knows what and couldn't dream of squeezing into their prom dresses while I'm still a size 4 with no baby daddy drama and I'm some kind of writer.) What was I saying again? Oh right, my books pretty much got me from 6th grade to high school, where I began to pretty much stick to assigned reading materials and Cosmopolitan.

After high school life went from cheerleading, homework and boys to partying, homework, boys and more boys--I'm the first to admit that I was a bit boy crazed up until about 21 or so. My books didn't really fit in with my schedule but that doesn't mean I didn't read, it just means I'm not really 100 on what I was reading. I still spent hours in Barnes and Nobles between classes and loved walking into the library just for the smell of it, I just didn't have time to forge many new friendships with Tolkien's characters until I graduated and moved to Atlanta where I didn't know anyone. My first summer here I read the entire Harry Potter series in reverse order and then moved on to Twilight (let down)....Then I fell in love with my very own Edward Cullen who left me in the woods like Bella after almost 3 beautiful years.

Now, post breakup, the books are back again but these aren't the books of my childhood. My new bookshelf houses hardcopies of Harry Potter 1-7, the Twilight Saga, a bunch of chick lit and reference guides and my newest addiction self help/spirituality tomes. Girls, getting broken up with does some strange things to you. I've seen girls become whores, crack addicts, crack addicted whores, lesbians, crack addicted lesbian whores, workaholics and only God knows what else after having their heart really broken, it either brings out the best or the worst in you. I didn't go the crack addicted, workaholic slore route, instead I took a break from writing and became a full on student of now age spirituality, see DharmaAndTheCity.

The point is, my books have been the one security blanket that got me through life. They never bore the hell out of you, whine about anything and always provide the perfect escape when the going gets tough without the lows that alcohol and coming down off of a drug/sex/chocolate binge. So I'm beyond ecstatic that one of my former co-workers took one look at me (and my FBF) and said "You look like you read." I mean what is the alternative, looking like you're illiterate?

Check Out My New Baby!!

2011-12-12T09:01:00.000-08:00

So being a complete eff it let's go type of girl, I took a little dream I had for starting a blog dedicated to merging my love of pop culture and awakening my spiritual side and did the dang thang! And guess what? This is the easiest blog I've started, ever! So check out Dharma And The City and tell me what you think. xo

Fashion Meets Music: Marry The Night

2011-12-07T18:09:00.001-08:00

*Another MISS exclusive for you, check it and the amazing images as laid out by C_Rocka at Fashion Meets Music: Lady Gaga Marry The Night.

After splitting with her creative director of four years, Laurieann “Boomkat” Gibson, Mama Monster has taken the reigns and delivered a music video wrapped in a 14 minute short film. With less than subtle nods to “Fame,” “Black Swan,” “Desperately Seeking Susan” and a touch of “The Bell Jar,” this somewhat dark trip into the recesses of Gaga’s mind is worth the 14 minutes just to hear her muse on BeDazzlers and next season’s Calvin Klein.

According to the lady herself, “Marry The Night” depicts the worst day in her life. If the worst day in her life included well phrased monologues, custom Giuseppe Zanotti shoes, break downs in Manhattan lofts, mint hair dye and blowing up cars in over the knee Christian Louboutin boots, I’d gladly trade. Of course like she says at the beginning as she’s being wheeled to a room in a psych ward after an undisclosed operation, this is her version of the truth which is more true than the actual truth. Whatever break down that lead to Stefani becoming Gaga was devoid of the sick clothes, amazing choreography, over the top imagery and hard hitting sounds that we see in “Marry The Night,” but it undoubtedly lead to it.

Break down over and done, the beauty in “Marry The Night” is not just the metaphor laden overarching theme but the clothes of course–I mean seriously, it IS Gaga. From the moment we see a barely conscious Mama Monster being wheeled down the hall by two hot nurses in sterile white dresses with sick white heels and mint hair nets, we know this is a Gaga production. Fast forward to a newly released Gaga losing her mind in her studio, bathing in honey nut Cheerios and dying her hair mint green as she sings the opening lines of “Marry the Night” in her bathtub wearing, as we see later, nothing but a pair of sparkly platforms. She has her Madonna moment in BeDazzled denim and a pair of awesome custom shades, and slides into the roof of a car in a black pleather outfit that is equal parts Batgirl and dominatrix. Through the quick flashes of the moments leading up to her break down we get glimpses of a pre-meat dress Gaga circa The Fame. While I loved every outfit from beginning to end the most beautiful, and wearable ones, were worn by the nurses as they wheeled our little “morphine princess” back to reality.

Whatever you think about Gaga, her backstory or her abilities as a director, you have to admit that the girl is smart. I mean only someone with a mind full of references addled by self induced trauma could come up with such a fitting homage to the struggles of fame and reinvention, and everyone’s favorite city all while wearing heels so high that falling off of them would break a major bone.

Give It to Me...Now!

2011-12-07T18:04:00.001-08:00

*This is a MISS exclusive, featuring me tapping into my inner Veruca and ~~demanding~~ asking for some lovely Christmas gifts. View it in its original format at What I Want for the Holidays 2011: Anastasia.

It’s the holidays again and you know what that means: family is driving you bananas, the mall is crowded as hell and it’s time to get your wish lists in order to ensure that you don’t end up with leaping lords, milking maids and water fowl under your tree on Christmas day. As a “grown up,” my Christmas list usually begins with requests to pay off my student loans, pay off one of my credit cards or a brand new car, and eventually ends with things my parents, friends and boo can buy without taking out loans to do so. This year, after a rocky past few months, I’ve decided to keep it relatively simple and only ask for stuff I’ll actually use and get, not that I wouldn’t be happy with something not on the list that is green and can be used to buy whatever I want. However, I have a few people in my life who are bad gift givers–daddy–and need to use this as a visual aid to find the present that will guarantee I don’t go all Veruca Salt on Christmas day.

1. Carrie’s Lost Choo aka Jimmy Choo’s Marlene Sandal- I’ve always had a thing for shoes, my friends can tell you that in college they watched me work up the shoe ladder from Steve Madden, Nine West and Aldo to Calvin Klein, BCBG and Michael Kors so it was inevitable that Choo would be my next step. While other girls are eying practical red bottom shoes just to say they have a pair of Louboutin’s, I’m embracing my inner Bradshaw and going for Carrie’s iconic Marlene sandal. At $1995 these violet platform sandals with hand-applied feathers and crystals may be more of a shoe dream than a reality, but you can’t knock a girl for asking.

2. Rebecca Minkoff Snake Stamped Metallic Leather Laptop Case- Last Christmas, in addition to boots on boots on boots, I got the most amazing grown up life present ever: a 15″ Macbook Pro. She’s a life saver and my best friend, unfortunately she’s a bit smaller than my old Toshiba and doesn’t have a laptop case to call her own. Sooo…she needs this more than I do. I mean my Mac is a fly chick and deserves a fly place to sleep when she isn’t busy hanging out in coffee shops, on my coffee table or working her tush off.

3. Spiritual Gangster Limited Edition Guru Yoga Mat- On top of being a bomb dot com writer and fashion addict I’m also a huge spiritual gangster and in love with yoga–although I’m just getting back into it after a brief hiatus that has lasted several years. To get back in my yoga groove I need a new mat–I had crawfish and beer on my last one years ago and ruined it–and this one is certified gangster, like listening to Jay Z while reading Deepak Chopra and retweeting @UncleRush kinda gangster.

4. Vitamix Blender- With the call back to my yoga mat finally being answered, my body is now calling out for a break from pizza, tacos, burgers and all the other junk I feed my body. The best way for me to get my body back on track is to blend and the best bet in the blender department is the Vitamix. It blends smoothies, frozen big-girl beverages and juices, which is the real reason I want it since buying fresh juice from Whole Foods is a good way to be healthy and poor.

5. Tiny Devotions Transition Mala- Part two of my spiritual gangster path brings us to my mala, aka prayer beads. This particular set is made with labrodorite and amethyst and is supposed to protect you during vulnerable growth stages and add a little peace and tranquility to your life and outfit. With a big move from the dirty south to the big apple looming on my horizon, I figure I can use all of the protection, peace and tranquility that I can get.

Remember, ’tis the season for giving, gathering, and being grateful so keep your head up and pass those unwanted fruitcakes my way, because I’m strange and I actually like fruitcakes. Happy Holidays y’all!

Things That Made Me Smile

2011-11-21T19:16:00.001-08:00

*Free round at Escorpion!! * Dinner with the gals at Cafe Circa * Running into Valerie...which started out awkward got super cool the awkward the ended well * Working with my fave coworkers * BISTRO FRIES!! * Sparks everywhere * Me time * You time * Time with my gals * Red, red wine * Finally getting paid for my hard work, at the j-o-b and as a freelancer * Hanging with Meg Reggie, Caren West (for 2 minutes), Robanne and of course, Go Kindra, Go Kindra at Escorpion * SuperSoul Sunday brunch * Free pralines * FINALLY FINDING JEZEBEL"S NOVEMBER ISSUE ON NEWSSTANDS (sorry the photo is crooked, tilt your head) *11:11 * Nails did!!! *Getting off of work the day before Thanksgiving....in retail...so I can have more time to write * Synchronicity * Ego Warriors * Pancakes * HUGS!!! *

Can't wait to see what things I'll be grateful for this week!

Mother of Pearl SS12 Lookbook

2011-11-16T06:02:00.001-08:00

Fashion piece for Frank 151....so you know the drill. Find it in its original format at Mother of Pearl SS12 Lookbook.

Adrenaline junkie Maia Norman’s Mother of Pearl line is back with a new collection of athletic-inspired fashion for SS12, and has been winning fans all over the Internet. This season MoP has brought in acclaimed artistFiona Banner to produce a series of prints that form the foundation of the collection. She also took the "book" portion of the word lookbook literally, and published the collection as a book complete with its own ISBN number, registered under the title Mother, that can be seen throughout the designs.

Heavily inspired by art and Norman’s sporty lifestyle, (she drove in the 2011 Gumball 3000 in an Audi R8 with a wrap designed by Jim Lambie), the SS12 MoP collection features a fresh palette of mint and line green, pastel orange, electric and pale blues balanced with black, grey and cream. Banner’s illustrative prints add an edge and energy that make MoP the clothing line of choice for ladies who have outgrown that sneakers and tees phase but haven’t fully embraced the fashion beast lifestyle.

Rounding out Mother of Pearl’s SS12 collection is the brand’s first official swimwear collection. Expanding on capsule swim ranges from previous seasons, the one-piece and bikini styles offered for spring and summer feature Banner’s prints and fit in perfectly with the ever growing brand.

Available at Colette in Paris and Joyce in Hong Kong, Mother of Pearl is enjoying a cult following amongst the most hardcore anti-fashionistas. Blow your girl away this Christmas by snagging one of these hugely coveted pieces for her.

Things that made me smile

2011-11-13T07:16:00.001-08:00

*Feist at Tabernacle with Elle Elle * Giving out free hugs with my spiritual running buddy Kindra * Two days off in a row * 11.11.11 * Spirit Junkie Lecture * Releasing * Forgiving * Manifesting a parking spot!!! * Meditating with Deepak * 3 hours gabbing with Gabby * Bringing a healing to my co-workers and pals * Not selling a thing at work * Cupcakes * Inspirational quotes from my favorite underage author * Inspirational sparks * Rewrites * "I'm Back!" * Synchronicity * Sweater weather * Tea please * Jay-Z * Girls time * Knowing that I will be off the days before Thanksgiving and Christmas *

Ronnie Fieg x New Balance

2011-11-11T16:29:00.001-08:00

This was done as a part of my new duites as a contributor in style area over at Frank 151. To view it in it's original format go to Ronnie Fieg x New Balance.

Ronnie Fieg is moving to Manhattan this Friday, November 11, or at least Kith will be. To celebrate the opening of their downtown flagship, the Kith crew has teamed up with New Balance on two classic, American made 574's. Owing their saturated color and plush feel to the use of premium pigskin and soft mesh, each one of the 72 pairs--that's 36 pairs per colorway--will retail for $135 and will come with an NB x Kith tee shirt, also made in the USA. Both colorways will be exclusively available at Kith NYC on Friday 11/11/11 when the doors open at 10 a.m. So get there early, it's Friday morning and you don't have anything to do except work maybe.

Fashion Meets Music: Our Deal

2011-11-11T16:11:00.001-08:00

This is a M.I.S.S. original so....you know the drill. Find the original at Fashion Meets Music: Our Deal.

What do you get when you put the beachy, SoCal sound of Best Coast in a blender with some of Hollywood’s hottest up-and-comers, The Warriors, West Side Story and tons of eyeliner? Drew Barrymore’s music video directorial debut for Best Coast’s “Our Deal.” Shot for MTV’s Supervideo series, videos shot sans the band under the premise of telling a story not selling a single, “Our Deal” features my favorite under 20 actress Chloe Moretz as a star crossed lover in an L.A. gang kicking ass and falling in love with the wrong guy–who hasn’t been there.

“Our Deal” is a typical easy, breezy Best Coast track that would fit right into one of Drew Barrymore’s smaller budget romantic comedies or a movie about a modern day Romeo and Juliet who are members of rival houses and gangs–wait Baz Luhrmann already made that movie. Either way Barrymore’s four and ten minute long videos both accomplish what so many videos fail to, telling a smart story with good acting that does not rely heavily on seductive dance moves and over the top costumes. Although it was tough to watch as a recently single gal, this video gets an A for storytelling and an A+ for style.

Speaking of style, Drew Barrymore told the people over at Pitchfork that the entire video was inspired by the timelessness of the jean jacket and Best Coast’s modern meets retro sound. Sound aside, it is beyond obvious that pre-filming Barrymore was on a strict visual diet that included The Warriors, West Side Story, The Outsiders, and Rebel Without a Cause. Her girls sport Winehouse-esque hair, tons of eyeliner and the kind of bad chick attitude I’ve been trying to cultivate for years with little success–I don’t think my hair gets big enough to hide eyeliner and razors in for that. The guys in the clip have that dangerous mix of James Dean and that cute hipster dude you always want to ask you out but never does. Channel this urban rebel look with skinny dark denim, biker boots, an amazing leather jacket, vintage tees, black liner and enough Aqua-net to kill the ozone layer dead.

NaNoWriMo

2011-11-07T13:21:00.000-08:00

So we are 7 days in to November and I've decided that I will be participating in NaNoWrMo-National Novel Writing Month--in an effort to finally get my ass moving on this collection of short stories that has been knocking around in my head for the past few years. With a move to NYC in the making, a recent break up clouding my mind and a not so awesome job, I have come to the conclusion that this will be the best way to shake everything off and move me into 2012 on the best note. I'll be keeping you guys posted on my word count and progress. That is all.

LOOK MA! I'm On The Homepage!!!

2011-11-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

Without any online fame whoring, ie tweeting, facebooking or social media-ing, my blog post on my current relationshit drama and how I am slowly but surely recovering from some serious heartache it was on featured on the homepage at HerFuture.com. That is pretty awesome considering blogs make it to that page based on page views and in three days I got more pageviews from women who have gone through and are going through similar situations than I do on sites that are about shoes and clothes and have marketing teams behind them. Just goes to show that sometimes people just want to know that they aren't alone in what they are gong through, and that if one person can find a way to climb out of their pain and live the life they've always wanted they can do it too.

xo
Ana

Kidrobot x Jeff Staple...Pigeon

2011-11-03T19:41:00.000-07:00

This was originally done for my new online fam, FRANK 151. To view it in its original format go to KidRobot x The Jeff Staple Pigeon...that is all.

The birdman, Jeff Staple, is back with another send up to the one bird that runs the streets of New York, the pigeon. This time teaming up with the folks at Kidrobot, the much anticipated KidRobot x Staple Design pigeon collection will go on sale November 3. This time around, Staple’s venerated urban fowl takes over the top of the statue in everything from toys and keychains to key caps and tees. Just for Kidrobot, the grey Staple Pigeon will be joined by the rare, albino Staple Pigeon White.

The 7-inch, vinyl Staple Pigeon modeled after the grey rock pigeons that hang outside of Staple Design’s NYC headquarters is limited to 800 pieces worldwide. His pigmently challenged friend, Staple Pigeon White, is an elusive breed with only 200 available worldwide, exclusive to Reed Space, Kidrobot NY and Kidrobot LA. Rounding out Kidrobot’s pigeon obsessed capsule collection are an enamel and zinc alloy keychain, a 1-inch vinyl keycap, and three fresh tees. The Staple Pigeon T-shirt in black for men and women, and the Staple Pigeon T-shirt in white for men, available at select locations, make this the hottest collection of pigeon droppings that we’d touch without swearing.

Check me out on FRANK 151

2011-11-03T19:38:00.000-07:00

You know the drill. This content is all for FRANK 151, my newest online home. They don't hold all the rights to my work but they do hold a few. To view this in its original format go to Vans OTW November Releases over at FRANK 151. Big, big hug to C_Rocka-my M.I.S.S. PnG- for the hook up.

Since last summer the Vans OTW Collection has been quenching shoppers’ thirsts for skate-inspired designs that go the extra mile in the style department. This month we’re getting three new additions to the oh-so-popular OTW collection. Arguably the most in-demand of the bunch, the Vans OTW Bedford comes back this month in two new suede-textured colorways. One pair of the mid-cut sneaker features a grey and burgundy paneled upper while the other is solid black, both have plaid linings. This month’s grouping also sees a new colorway in the low-cut Ludlow hitting the shelves in grey wool and tan vegetarian leather. All three pairs are available now.

Things That Made Me Smile

2011-11-02T07:16:00.001-07:00

Remember gratitude is the attitude! You can't get more of what you wan if you aren't already thankful for what you've got!

*Meeting with my new favorite writer Taylor Diamond. He's 11, has more figured out about life than I do at 27 and buy his books! * Finally reclaiming my space for me * Forgiveness * My j-o-b (whoo-hoo tomorrow is payday!!!) * My article in the November issue of Jezebel peep it * An email from Jez's managing editor saying she LOVES my December piece * Texts and chats with the most awesome member of my 3rd tribe Caren West! * Patrice suddenly being so wise * What does a fern look like? * MFCM laughing with me from the bottom of his peanut heart * Time apart * BG being a mama * Bistro fries!! * Cupcakes * Discoween * Love * ACIM * Tapping with Brad * The job that I don't have yet but I will have soon* 3 weeks * Ecc 7:14 * Dinner * Halloween with old and new friends * Quantum shifts * Jay Z* Knowing what is real * Seeing * Crispy weather * Updating my iPhone * FRANK 151

Things That made Me Smile

2011-10-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

Meeting all of my deadlines * The monster at the end of this book * Family "emergencies" that allow me to get my real work done * Pumpkin cookies!! * Learning that one of my tribe members is a real live Sookie Stackhouse * Jimmy John's veggie sub...the sprouts give you life * 8 of Atlanta's Most Beautiful People from the inside out * Getting the right kind of feedback on my writing, finally * Big girl job opps beginning to roll in * "Don't trade your time in for this" * Sonnaween planning * Yogi tea speaking the truth (Word is bond!) * Reading A Return to Love * Connecting the right people at the right time * Passing my copy of Spirit Junkie on to the original OG, BG * Running into my favorite swimsuit designer Kenyatta Williams and her mom at Barnes and Nobles * Red wine and alone time * Imitation of Life * Green Smoothies!!!

This week I'm also throwing in a list of people who've saved my life at one point or another whether or not they know they did. So without further ado here are the DJs that have saved my life:

BG the OG * Ari S Diddi, please say the Diddi * Amber * Tricie Stackhouse * Keisha * Yosef * Silly Sill * Rodney * Kindra * MFCM * Eric (not THAT Eric but it would be nice) * Ashley E Doggie * Gabby B (never met her but she did save me ) * Lil Lauren * Moe Breaux * Jodi * Benz-O * Ms Janice * Mrs Wiggins * Lil Curtis and Bellinger * Cheryl * The Broke and Pretty crew * Jay * Elle Jay *Gabs * Junji * The Kaiser * CW

Fashion Meets Music: Shake It Out

2011-10-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

This was written exclusively for M.I.S.S. To view this post in its original format please go to Fashion Meets Music: Shake it Out. Big thanks to C_Rocka for doing all of my FMM images, no matter how late I get them to her.

Blame it on the economy, Boardwalk Empire or next year’s Great Gatsby release but designers have gone head over heels for the Jazz Age. In almost perfect timing, Florence Welch is embodying the joie de vivre of the prohibition era in the video for her latest single, “Shake It Out.”

Before I dig in on the inspired and inspiring fashion sported in the video, I have to talk about the track itself. As the second single from Florence + The Machine’s upcoming album Ceremonials, slated to drop on Halloween, “Shake It Out” is filled with the beautiful and stirring lyrics that we’ve come to expect from Flo and Co. Seriously, “Shake It Out” will be to Ceremonials what “Dog Days Are Over” was to Lungs, you know the catchy, poppy hit that strikes a chord with everyone from self help devotees to Gleeks. The magic one this one is not only in the lyrical content, which is spectacular, but the instrumentation as well. It literally makes you want to get up and shake the bad juju out of your hair before attempting to start again.

Sartorially speaking the entire video is a send up to the raucous all weekenders that we who did not live through it associate with the Jazz Age thanks to a Mr. F. Scot Fitzgerald. While the fashion isn’t 100% true to the era that brought us the little black dress and the bob, it does touch on important high notes of the defining style of the time. Florence floats ethereally in a flowy red dress, becomes the life of a masquerade in a gilded sheath with serious back emphasis--a hallmark of evening gowns form the 30’s--and gives us a little Victor Victoria vibe in a black dress that would be at home in the decade preceding Gatsby and Daisy’s. Not only are Florence’s looks beyond ideal but the looks of her fellow revelers, clad in 1920’s-ish pieces and Venetian masks, hints at next spring’s love affair with decade that perfected excess a generation before the 80s .

Incorporate a little 20’s glam into your wardrobe, and look like such the trendsetter by picking up on next season’s trend before it hits the mags, by seeking out pieces that pour on the glitz. Think dropped waists, t-strap, moderate hight heels--leave the super high skyscrapers at home, lots of gold, silver, sequins and feathers, and rich fabrics and colors. A perfect way for girls no blessed with Florence Welch’s mile long legs to get in on this trend and the video’s vibe is to pair a knee length dress like this one by French Connection with t-strap heels, a great cocktail ring and a perfect red pout--lipstick only came in varying shades of red way back when. Taller girls can shake it all out in a dress similar to the red chiffon number that Florence gets down in and float into their next fete with all eyes on them. Just be sure to top it off with costume jewelry to bring the look together.

Things That Made Me Smile

2011-10-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while but that doesn't mean I haven't been smiling! Here's my list of things I appreciate and am grateful for in the past few weeks.

Getting my first short-short story published on Airplane Reading * Getting my pitches to Jezebel green lighted (Look ma, I'm a real writer!) * Being asked to style for the 25 Most Beautiful Atlantans issue of Jezebel (my name will be all up in that mag next month!) * Meeting my newest most spiritual tribe member, Kindra Gans. Girl is super gifted * Hanging up proof of my achievements in my entry way * Green smoothies!!! * No coffee for two weeks now * Hanging with my boo for life at the Alternative Apparel event * Oh the topic of the Alternative event, checking in as media for my blog baby Gamine and not one of the 50 million other spots I write for * Michael Kors wedge booties * Cami Cakes * Having the time to focus on me * My boyfriend * Dinner with my family * Finally getting this life thing figured out * Spirit Junkie! * Detoxing with red wine * Urban Daddy's amazing event at the Goat Farm that featured real plates not lite bites! * My work * My allowance card finally getting here! Yay $100 to blow on work clothes * Detox done = CARBS!!! * Unexpected checks in my mailbox * Sneakers when my feet hurt * A quiet cell phone * A new coffee table * Getting an actual LETTER from my HS reunion planning committee--still not sure about my attendance.

Oh and this...

Things That Made Me Smile...

2011-09-23T05:31:00.000-07:00

Last week was a doozie and this week has been equally challenging but in the spirit of trying to come from a place of love, here are the things that made me smile last week and this week.

*The boyfriend returned (more on that another time) * Dropping wisdom on the freshmen at Clark * Being invited back to drop knowledge on those kids * Being unemployed was the best vacation ever * Getting a new job (more on that another time too) * Bottomless mimosas with Janice and BG * Going to the Equally Wed Love is Love wedding show where BG and Janice were constantly being mistaken for a lesbian couple * Seeing some of my fave Atlantans @GoGlenCocoBlog, @fashionadostyle, & @CarenWest at the Equally Wed event * With events come goodie bags!!! * Seeing the progress on Gamine's logo, it's going to be AWESOME!! * Being interviewed for a full time big girl job doing pretty much the same thing I do now, blog, but getting paid much more for it (positive thoughts they call and rescue me from retail purgatory soon.) * Getting my copy of Spirit Junkie * Oh and this happened like two weeks ago but I forgot about it...Getting a few texts with photos of me as a kid because my parents lost pretty much all of them during Katrina.

Fashion Meets Music: Bjork

2011-09-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

This is M.I.S.S. original. To see it in its original format go to Fashion Meets Music: Bjork.

“The pop landscape, not to mention the fashion scene, is always a duller place without Björk.”

Truthfully, the world would be a little less bright without the quirky sounds and styles of this Icelandic performance artist who brought strange to the mainstream long before meat dresses were in vogue.

This pixie-like siren with a voice as distinctive as her look, has been bringing her eccentric style to the masses since she was 11 years old. After fronting various bands since the age of 14 Bjork finally hit the big time as a member of the Sugarcubes, an alternative rock band that gained a cult following in the states and abroad during the late 80’s/early 90’s. Post Sugarcubes, Bjork moved to London to pursue a solo career where she linked up with producer Nellee Hooper and her first super hit “Human Behavior” was born. While “Human Behavior” didn’t get much air time, the video directed by frequent time Bjork collaborator Michel Gondry went into heavy rotation on MTV and that was pretty much history. Several albums and awards later, this singer-songwriter/composer/producer/occasional actress has earned acclaim across several genres and influenced and mentored several struggling recording artists. While her eclectic sound and three octave vocal range have cemented her as one of the greatest voices of all time, according to NPR and MTV, her striking appearance is as distinguishing as her sound.

Who can forget the impish Bjork bopping down the red carpet at the Academy Awards dressed in a swan? Her signature coal black hair framing her face as she baffled every red carpet commentator with her Marjan Pejoski creation. After seeing Gaga carried to the Grammys in an egg, Bjork’s 2001 choice seems tame in comparison. As the answer to “What came first, the mama goose of the egg,” Bjork’s unconventional style has spawned legions of fans and admirers. She’s collaborated with fashion’s favorite rule breakers, Alexander McQueen and Jeremy Scott, and came up with outlandishly amazing creations more for art’s sake than to shock and garner attention from a crowd. Face paint? Yes. Dresses that are more papier-mache art projects than dresses befitting an in the flesh start? Check. Dark hair that adds a certain mystery to her strikingly East-Asian features? Banged and falling around her face or tightly wound in Princess Leia like buns.

While most avant garde, performance artist types from the 90s have fallen into anonymity, Bjork has recently released her 8th album Biophilia, the world’s first “app album” in collaboration with Apple which was partly recorded on iPad. To top 2011 of right, Bjork has also collaborated with the Dirty Projectors on their album Mount Wittenberg Orca, due out in late October.

Whether you are a fan of her quirky fashion sense or phenomenal vocal and musical talents, we can all agree that Bjork is one iconoclastic performer.

Things That Made Me Smile in the past 2 weeks

2011-09-11T14:32:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time so I have a looong list of things to be grateful for!

*new shoes * Jeffrey Fashion Cares * the after party * meeting some ahhmazing bloggers (s/o to the fly miss behind the Fashion Bomb) * getting more compliments in a dress from two falls ago than I get almost ever * hanging with my favorite creatives during FNO * pizza and wine with the gals * Rodney Oliver Banks ya'll * being in the same #FF tweet as Jason Wu * baby groupies * nails done hair done everything did * new art in the house * brunch with BG x 2 * talking it out * the very beginnings of fall * on the spot j-o-b interview * de-cluttered apartment= de-cluttered life * "That was Nancy Grace?" * "Ummm the batteries for the safe are locked in it." * The Weeknd * tapping in to my inner goddess...ps it's Durga so don't push me * getting ready for the BF's return..and boy is it about time * finding my "real" jewelry * window shopping for cars * QUITTING MY J-O-B!!!! On to the next one.

Fun with Polyvore and Photoshop

2011-09-02T18:46:00.000-07:00

Here are a few sets and such that I put together with the help of my besties Polyvore and Photoshop. Some of these were created from my blood, sweat, and tears (just kidding, I don't bleed blood) others were edited by me as a part of duites over at Gamine. Either way...enjoy!

Gamine's favorite things for August

Conceived by Lola, refined (edited) by Moi for Gamine's What to Wear When...Is It Fall Yet?

Gamine's inspiration board...cupcakes, class, and sass!

Compiled by Lola, edited by Moi for Gamine's What to Wear When..Hanging on the Stoop.

Gamine's Mood of the Month, February 2011

Ask Ana: Bad Chick that Wants to Look Like Eva Mendes

I can't find the link to this for some reason...but it was put together by Liz and refined by yours truly for Gamine.

Memorial Day Must-Haves for Examiner.com

Things That Made Me Smile This Week

2011-08-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

week ending 8/27

Catching up on life with the Big Gay Reverend (follow him on twitter) * The September Elle * Coffee!!! * Getting almost all of my work done before the weekend * Mani/Pedi time * 1st day off in ten days * Ari S Diddi showing up on my mom's doorstep on my birthday * If 30 is the new 20, 27 must be the new 17 * Birthday Cake * Hanging with the gals on the Chic Boutique Tour * Sushibration * Having a boyfriend who is amazing enough to fly out my best friend for my birthday * Chilaxing all weekend without having to set foot in Benetton * Gray, suede, platform pumps by BCBG * Seat confirmed for Fashion Cares

Things That Made Me Smile This Week

2011-08-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

OK, sooo my life is pretty much a roller coaster--the kind that is super awesome but can make you sick with so many twists, turns, loops, and drops that can leave your stomach in your throat. In an effort to keep me grounded while my life pulls turns sharper than an ice skate, I've decided to take a page from Gala Darling's blog and list all of the little things that make me smile each week. Sorta like counting your blessings but not so much, you know. Oh and I know the magazine is mirror imaged since I took the pic in Photo Booth.

* Skype dates with the BF * Brunch at Flying Biscuit with BG * Free coffee at the FNO Atlanta press conference * Mint chocolate cupcakes from Cami Cakes * Tan Louboutin spiked loafers, I died * Getting my credentials wrapped up with a bow for Jeffrey Fashion Cares * "Since when did like every dress at BCBG cost $400?" * Spending the week with Toro y Moi, Washed Out, Little Dragon, Tune-Yards, How to Dress Well, Wild Nothing, The Weeknd, & George Benson courtesy of the BF * Seeing the day of work I put in styling and profiling with the Jezebel team on the newsstand, despite them misspelling my name * Going to Fellini's with Patrice after Jezebel's Most Eligible party * Learning all about Namibia via daily emails from the BF who comes home 9/6 * Recapping True Blood with Keisha, Gabs, and Christina at work then Amber via text and Ari while it was on * Seeing my articles tweeted by @FashionCares, @ CarenWest, and @FNO Atlanta, ranks up there with @PeoplesRev tweeting at me * New bathroom decor

Life According to Gamine: Vampire Envy

2011-08-19T08:11:00.000-07:00

This is a Gamine original and since I own Gamine, I also own all the rights to this. To see it in its original format go to Life According to Gamine: Vampire Envy.

Like every twenty-something approaching 30, I have begun to contemplate my own immortality. Instead of dwelling on the fact that one day my boobs will start to head south for the winter and that my coolness quotient, being tied to how close I am to 25, will being to drop exponentially the second I blow out the candles on my 27th birthday cake, I have become obsessed with exploring my options for forever delaying my inevitable slip into old age and eventually the coffin. I’ve toyed around with having kids as an attempt at immortality, like most people, but they are damn expensive and require me to have some semblance of a career with health insurance and sanity. I have even begun to explore the fact that my choice to become a writer is more influenced by my narcissistic need to live forever than my desire to write, but writing doesn’t pay until it does. So after careful consideration I’m turning to vampirism, more specifically I’m begging the vampires of Bon Temps–wherever that is–to come and get it.

I’ve really thought this trough after being a student of the vampire myth my entire life, and watching every episode of True Blood. I’d be totally ok with never seeing the sun again, I have a permanent tan thanks to having ancestors from west Africa, and I’d look great frozen at 26 for the next however many years until the world ends, Buffy stakes me, or I meet the true death at the hands of an angry vampire king. I also already wear a ton of black and would have no problem living off of blood–its like a juice fast but jucier.

My decision to embrace life as the undead has pretty much been accepted by everyone except my boyfriend who thinks my dreams of biting necks, glamoring fools, and hanging with Vampire Bill and Eric are no more than teenage fangirl fantasies. I acknowledge that at the heart of my desire are fangirl fantasies where I am less like True Blood’s resident backwoods Barbie and more like the chicly dressed but tough ass nails lady vampires who do nothing but sleep all day and wear vintage Dior at night. While some part of me would love to have one of the show’s main man vamps bite and turn me, another larger part of me refuses to accept that death is begin to blow his icy breath on the back of my neck–my bad that was the a/c. Either way, I am on a mission to join the undead in their quest to do whatever it is that they spend immortality doing, as long as I don’t get stuck hanging with lames like Vampire Bill and this new sensitive Eric Northman who would win me over in real life as a vampire, because thats what vampires do, but would probably annoy the heck out of the vampire me and the real me if he were the real him. (The real Eric Northman is Swedish and no offense but I don’t know anything to come out of Sweden that isn’t a little bit odd. Think about it, Ikea, H&M, Abba, Ace of Base…all odd.)

To satisfy my boyfriend’s curiosity and annoyance with my geeked out fangirl tendencies–he’s sat through Harry Potter and Twilight with me and indulged my comparisons of both series to the ultimate geek trilogy, The Lord of the Rings–he will be the first person I turn as a new vampire. He will also be responsible for turning me if he becomes a vampire first. However we come to vampirism, we will have forever to figure out our careers, how we’ll afford to live, and whatever else you’re supposed to figure out before 30 because I have the same ideas about being an adult at 26 as I had at 16.

Fashion Meets Music: Beth Ditto

2011-08-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

This is another MISS orignal for my weekly Fashion Meets Music column. To view this piece in its original format go to Fashion Meets Music: Beth Ditto.

Mary Beth Patterson has been compared to a punk version of Melissa Etheridge, a character from a John Waters’ flick, Pink meets Divine, and a whole host of other characters since she blew up the scene with Gossip (same band as The Gossip) in 2006. While whatever people say she is she isn’t, Beth Ditto is for sure the kind of girl who blows stereotypes out of the water and could soothe a savage beast with her voice.

Hailing from Searcy, Arkansas, this 30 year old performer with more energy than an atomic bomb went from a wannabe singer who thought her weight would keep her stuck belting out songs in the Bible Belt to a bonafide star after toiling for years with her bandmates, Nathan “Brace Pain” Howdeshell and first Kathy Mendonca then Hannah Billie. Since forming in 1999, working the underground club circuit in the Pacific Northwest, changing drummers, and dropping the “the” from their name, Gossip has won several awards, released four albums and experienced the kind of mainstream success that VMA’s are made of.

When it comes to style, this self professed “fat, feminist lesbian from Arkansas” has broken every rule that attempts to confine plus-sized beauties to dark, structured pieces pushing them into the background. If there is one thing Beth Ditto is not, it’s a background type of girl. This one woman revolution dons spandex dresses in bold patterns including the taboo horizontal stripe, shows as much skin than her svelte counterparts, and has been known to love Miu Miu’s (not muumuus) flowy frocks. Whether she’s changing up her hair color, piling on the eyeliner, or proclaiming that she doesn’t shave her arm pits, how punk of her, this girl from the backwoods doesn’t have killer style in spite of her roots she has it because of them. While she’s come a long way from shoplifting from Marshall’s and Goodwill, the style she developed out of necessity has carried her from Arkansas to Paris Fashion Week where she opened John Paul Gaultier’s Spring 2011 runway show.

Although this punk rock, plus-sized charmer may have landed on the cover of Love magazine’s first issue, stark naked might I add, and had her own collection of clothes sold by UK retailer Evans, she has empowered countless girls to be who they are no matter what size they are. In fact, her unique ability to embrace every inch and ounce of her body, something most women struggle do regardless of their size, lead to her contributing an advice column on body mage for The Gaurdian.

Whether you love her for the way she growls and gets down on stage or for her sincerely in your face style, Beth Ditto is for sure the real deal and worthy of our adoration.

Fashion Meets Music: Amy Winehouse

2011-08-19T07:53:00.000-07:00

This is a MISS original, making the copy and layout all theirs. To see it in its original format go to Fashion Meets Music: Amy Winehouse.

By now most of the world has heard the news that the 27 club has gained a new member in Amy Winehouse. While this talented, young singer may never get the chance to make the comeback we were all rooting for, her talent and bold sartorial choices will go on to inspire generations of young women for as long as the Internet still stands. Since we have already covered the life, times, and brief career of Amy Winehouse, I’ll skip the pleasantries and get straight to the fashion.
Before exploring 50’s and 60’s girl groups sounds in her Back to Black album, Amy dressed like any other recording star on the rise in her late teens. As evidenced by the album covers for Frank and Back to Black, Amy’s early style was quite tame compared to what it would eventually evolve into. Her dark hair didn’t even have the crown fullness of Snookie’s pouf and her eyeliner had yet to reach Cleopatra-like proportions. Somewhere between the 2003 release Frank and the 2006 release of Back to Black Amy fell in love with duwop and embraced the style of women like Etta James and Ronnie Spector, or Veronica Bennett as she was known during her days with The Ronnettes.
Instead of carbon copying the style of 50’s and 60’s icons, Amy added her own spin on things and came up with a look reminiscent of a character from a John Waters flick complete with skyscraper hair and Tracy Lords like body con outfits. To accessorize her modern girl group member meets pin-up girl style, Amy seemingly used an entire pot of MAC fluidline to draw an exaggerated cat eye that would make Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra make-up artist jealous. On top of the over the top beehive, that sometimes sported a white streak or two, the drape like outfits, and the eyeliner that launched one thousand make-up tutorials, Amy made sure to show off her impressive and always growing collection of ink. Amy Winehouse’s distinctive style was so innovative and in demand that she was asked to collaborate on a 17-piece collection with the Fred Perry label which hit stores in October 2010.
Years after Amy’s “Rehab” and “You Know I’m No Good” put her on the map stateside, girls are still embracing the modern pin-up look, piling on the eyeliner, and pulling inspiration from Amy’s muses. While her look may have inspired a fad that died out the minute she began to give in to her self-destructive drug habit, the true legacy of Amy Winehouse’s style is in showing her fans that it is okay to be who you are. From Adele and Duffy who benefited from Amy taking the soul revival mainstream and making a way for them to move from the UK to the US, to Lady Gaga who credited Winehouse with making it easier for non-Britney pop stars to have mainstream success, down to the girl next door experimenting with her make-up, we all can learn a thing or two about expressing ourselves from Ms. Winehouse.

Add A Little Summer Chic to Your 9-5 Routine

2011-07-29T04:24:00.000-07:00

This was post was written for KC Style. With all layouts being done specifically for that site as well....In other words I'd better not see this anywhere else online. To view this post in its original format go to Add A Little Summer Chic to Your 9-5 Routine

With temperatures across the country hovering near boiling, it should come as no surprise that most of us have been dying to inject a little summer fun into our work wardrobes. Before you step into those shorts or pull on that cropped top, here are a few things to consider when merging your summer style with your 9-5:

Beach wear is for beaches not the boardroom. Your summer work wardrobe should not include anything you would wear to a beach, amusement park, or backyard barbecue. So steer-clear-of flip-flops, even if they are dressy flip-flops, anything cropped, rompers, and anything that exposes way too much skin.

Let the sunshine in with brightly colored pieces. Add a heap of instant summer to your work wear by simply swapping navy, brown, and black for brighter hues. You can also play with the season’s hottest trend, color blocking, by wearing a top and skirt in contrasting or complimentary colors.

Keep cool in lightweight fabrics. There is a reason that wool and flannel suits disappear from the shelves in spring. Instead of trying to summer up your fall and winter weight suits, invest in a cotton or linen number to keep you cool and dry as you trek from the car to the office. Speaking of linen, your linen suit should have a similar cut to the wool ones you wear in winter and should not make you look like a guest at a party in the Hamptons.

Use prints and patterns to add interest.Take your Monday through Friday top and slacks/skirt combo up a notch by adding a floral or nautical striped top into the rotation. Beware of any print that resembles the Hawaiian shirt your dad brought back from vacation, that kind of kitsch is best left in gift shops, retirement homes, and ironic tiki parties.

Bare your toes at your own risk. Some offices are okay with you wearing sandals, not flip flops, to work while some have a strict closed toe only policy. If your higher ups are okay with you baring all, when it comes to your feet of course, please be sure that your feet are ready for their close-up from toe to heel. A quick to the local nail shop for a pedicure is a must. Also stick with sandal styles that enclose your heel, incase they’re not camera ready, and that have a sturdy yet comfy bottom. An espadrille is a great way to add height while staying comfortable and work appropriate.

Life and times....

2011-06-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

Most of the time my life goes by at a pretty normal pace, well normal considering I'm a columnist/contributor for like 6 online publications/blogs and a key holder at Benetton, which is nothing like being a key holder in Ghostbusters because that would be awesome. Lately things have picked up and I've been both simultaneously over and underwhelmed with everything causing the crazy to peek out from my YSL bag. All crazy aside, I decided to take a few minutes and do a general update on the life and times of Ana B, which are a lot less fab than you think.

1. I'm restarting my quest to take over the Internets one site at a time and have lended my name and writing prowess to typef.com...as soon as I finish my first three articles which is taking more time than you'd think (can we say chronic procrastinator).

2. I can now add ghostwriter to my ever growing list of writing accomplishments. While I don't get credit for my work, I do get paid and we all know money makes the world go round mein herr.

3. Putting together a round table discussion on race, fashion, and the brain drain in ATL for one of my outlets, more details to come on that later.

4. Me: "I'm really a writer now right? Since I'm doing more paid work these days than free you know."
BF: "Yes, you're a writer."

5.I've been mustering up the cajones to send out a few pitches to a handful of national PRINT mags and feel like I'll be there before I turn 27 in August.

6. I have been busting butt trying to get Gamine past the level of expensive hobby to a bonafide blogazine and it hasn't been happening. In all fairness I haven't put half the effort into the content and feel of the site as I put into getting dressed in the morning so what else would I expect. I do plan on fully changing that asap though.

7. In addition to my non-supernatural new title at the j-o-b, I also got a pay raise. It was $0.50... o_O I plan on quitting by my birthday but that's between you and me, internet.

Now that that's out of the way.....check out this video from last night's Ultimate Girl's Night Out featuring a book signing by the real Carrie Bradshaw, Candace Bushnell thanks to Rosalyn Wilson of the Chic Boutique Tour, more on that another time. (I was there with Roz and pals but didn't make it to the vid, the free drinks and book more than made up for it though)

The Making of a Coveted Closet

2011-05-31T05:56:00.000-07:00

This is a Gamine original, which means it belongs to me as both the co-founder and Fearless Leader of Gamine and the writer of this piece. To see it in it's original format go to Spring Cleaning"The Making of a Coveted Closet.

Initially this spring cleaning post was all about cleaning out your mind, body and wardrobe, however after a very sobering trip to Lenox Square-for an event that lead to me window shopping-I decided to dedicate it to something that all of the Gamine Girls can relate to, transitioning your wardrobe. I don’t mean moving from spring to summer to fall, I mean transitioning from college to intern to entry level or in my case college to intern to professional blogger. As a persnickety, style obsessed, true to my sign Virgo I could think of no one better than myself to guide you through the journey from co-ed to coveted, a journey that I’m actually beginning now.
Before you run to your closet and start throwing away everything that screams undergrad and book it to your nearest J Crew, take a deep breath and inventory your sartorial influences. As you get older the things that influence you change, or should change, due mostly in part to the fact that you’re experiences should have broadened your range of things to draw inspiration from. When I was 21 my style crushes were J Lo, Simple Life Nicole Richie and Carrie Bradshaw, which made for a very trend focused schizophrenic closet. Now that I’m rounding the corner to 27 I love Nicole Richie even more, especially since she’s toned it down a bit, but I’m also a huge fan of Bianca Jagger, Anna Dello Russo and Genevieve Jones with a little bit of 90s grunge/indigenous/art deco thrown in, which makes for an even more nutty wardrobe that actually works. Just because your influences have changed doesn’t mean that you should throw out all of the clothes you’ve collected during your “not a girl not yet a woman” stage. I still have quite a bit of stuff from college that still fits me and style personality, with a few tweaks. So once you’ve gotten a hold on your style personality, its time to physically inventory your closet.
Mix up a batch of margaritas, or pop open the bubbly, crank up your favorite Pandora station and go at your closet like a surgeon doing lipo. First figure out what you actually wear, if you’ve worn something in the past month or so leave it where it hangs because you obviously love it. Stuff that you haven’t worn for 6 months should not be chucked but reevaluated to figure out why you haven’t worn it. If its too big or too small, toss it! If you bought it to pair with something and you still haven’t found its mate, toss it! If you have no idea how to wear it, toss it! The only things you should keep from your 6 month pile are things that you know how to work into your wardrobe, unless you have a stylish friend who can help you figure it out. After your 6 month pile, move on to the things you haven’t worn in a year and TOSS THEM! If you haven’t worn something in a year you obviously don’t know that you have it/how to wear it/it probably doesn’t fit. Now that you have some empty hangers and a pile of clothes on your floor, grab those rejects and list them on ebay. You’d be surprised at how much money I’ve made selling my cast offs on ebay. If having an online yard sale isn’t your thing, gather your girls together for a clothes swap and get some new goods for the price of your old rejects. Be careful with this and only invite pals who you know have great taste or they’ll clean you out and you’ll be left with nothing.
Once you’ve cleaned your closet and earned a little cash from selling the stuff you absolutely didn’t need or want, hit the mall yall! The thing about building a wardrobe is that you want to look for pieces that work together to create a couple of looks not just pieces. Try to create an outfit that can be broken up into three more outfits. In all honesty I’m a piece shopper but before I buy anything I always ask myself “What else will I wear this with?” if I can’t answer that I leave it. Times are too hard for 20 somethings these days for us to go out and waste money on things that we’ll only wear once, NAGL!
Unless you are rolling in the dough, or a guest on TLC’s What Not To Wear, going through each of these steps and building a wardrobe that is worthy of The Coveteur takes time-ever wonder why they feature so many fashion people, people who work in fashion get freebies and a crash course in style from the moment they start interning. Not only do you need the money to replace everything but you need the time to develop your personal style. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be on your way to owning a coveted closet in no time, as soon as that salary position comes through.

JUDAS!!!

2011-05-31T05:49:00.000-07:00

This is another M.I.S.S. exclusive, so you know the drill. To see this post in it's original format go to Fashion Meets Music: Lady Gaga's "Judas".

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germonatta has obviously done her fair share of time in catechism and art history, because the video for her latest single, “Judas” is dripping with odes to religious iconography and popular culture. Instead of serving up a blasphemous video with an anti-Christian theme, Gaga merges the Renaissance with The Wild One and gives us a modern day version of Jesus Christ Superstar.

While a storm of unnecessary controversy swirled around “Judas” from the moment Gaga announced the track’s title, the lyrics are intelligent for a pop song, making the connection between Judas, Mary Magdalene, Jesus, and our little fame monster, the beat is sick albeit familiar, and the video is a sartorial feast for the eyes from the first frame. Although her chola version of Mary Magdalene felt like a continuation of her “Telephone” character, the Byzantine style crown she wears while ripping up the streets with Jesus and his chosen twelve, which calls to mind both Mary the mother of Jesus and the Empress Theodora another historic bad mamajama, and her leather top embroidered with a Sacred Heartmerge Renaissance portrayals of one of the most celebrated disciples with a modern day bad girl image.
Gaga’s fashionable play on religious imagery only begins with a Sacred Heart and a bikini top with a few strategically placed crosses. She carries the image of the beloved chola disciple from her mother superior with a lipstick loaded gun to her final scene as a Harajuku bride in creepers being stoned by her detractors. Despite her over the top fashion reeling you in from the first frame, the most striking image of Gaga comes when she bathes the feet of Jesus and Judas in simple leggings and a crop top with Botticelli like curls, but that’s just me you may prefer the Elizabethan Gaga entering the biker bar.
Clothes and Christianity aside, Gaga’s makeup was the underlying star of this video. Her thick eyeliner recalled on of history’s ultimate femme fatales, Cleopatra, and was very apropos considering her role as Bonnie to biker Jesus’s Clyde, who was very easy on the eyes mind you. Not only was her makeup game locked but Gaga’s stiletto nails were more than worthy of a place in our weekly Mani Monday wrap up. From a set boasting 3D nail art and what looked like a hint of denim to those amazing black and red nails dripping in gold chains, Gaga’s nails almost make me long for the days when I kept a fresh acrylic set.
Whether you are the fan of the makeup, the fashion, or the artful use of Gaga’s one year at NYU, most little monsters will agree that the only sin committed in “Judas” was mixing Chanel with Lacroix.

Google me baby!

2011-05-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

Not really, but you can, I mean Googling me would only take you back here you know.

In other news I've been working, working, working day and night on everything from paying bills courtesy of Benetton to producing my first article for Harlem Fashion Row, a super amazing site dedicated to showcasing the stories and struggles faced by people of color in the fashion industry. Which brings me to point letter 2, not that I made point numero Alpha yet but...., I need a vacation! Not now but definitely before 2011 is over. That is all. Oh and I was picked up by Diversity New Online yesterday too....that really IS all.

Cherchez La Gamine

2011-04-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

These are from March when the Gamine girls met Jamie Hopper for coffee, tea and a mini photo shoot for our new banner.

Photographer: Jamie Hopper

Creative Director: Anastasia Nicole

Set styling: Patrice

Models:Anastasia, Liz, and Patrice all in their own clothes

I don't really have anything else to say, I just thought it looked a little strange to have our feet right under our bodies looking all disconnected. That's all.

www.cherchezlagamine.com

Monday Monday

2011-04-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

Lately my Monday's have been way cooler than my Fridays. Last Monday I hung out with Gaga and some of the most amazing bloggers this side of the Mississippi and yesterday was the perfect follow up to last Monday's madness.

8a.m. Woke up and got the closest to working out that I've ever been in months. I actually considered going to the fitness but stopped myself and opted to do 100 plies instead but only did maybe 60. Workout done!

9 a.m.-11a.m. I know my deadline was last night at 9 but that doesn't mean I can't turn it in late. You know one monkey doesn't stop the show....whatever that means. Filled out an email interview questionnaire all about me for a blog, I have no style pics to send with it so it's chilling in my draft folder...but more on that when it posts.

1p.m.- Meet up with Selden Beylouni. Not only is her salon amazeballs, she uses Kevin Murphy and No 4an all vegan French product line, but she is super cute and knows her stuff. (Write up coming to Haute Living soon.) Another fun fact about Selden is that she was the hair and makeup person at a photo shoot that I worked on as a lowly intern at Pregnancy and Newborn way back in the summer of 2007. Talk about small town Atlanta. (That still doesn't beat the phone call I had with the founder of Harlem Fashion Row who worked with the same company that I interned with in New York less than a month after I ended my internship. Oh and she was referred to me by an Atlanta connection not one from NYC-cue Twilight Zone theme.)

3p.m- HOT DOGS!!! nom, nom, nom.

6p.m.- Listened to the Sartorialist chat about his life, his blog and valuable information for your everyday life whether you're in fashion or not. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that he's much shorter in person and is completely down to Earth. He also validated my penniless existence as a starving blogger. Too bad I had to leave early I would've died for a photo with him.

7:30p.m.- Freelance writing class at Emory....I learned more from Scott Schuman about myself as a writer than I did from my professor but since its paid for and I'm a nerd, I'll keep going.

10:oop.m.-Waffles!!! Who says waffles aren't what's for dinner?

With an action packed Tuesday ahead of me-writing, meeting, work, Shrek the Musical-I'm pretty sure that my weeks will keep etting better.

Mondays with Gaga

2011-04-20T19:22:00.000-07:00

In an effort to actually enhance my abilities as a writer, I ditched my Monday night freelance writing class to hang out with Stefani Joanne Angelina Germonatta and her little monsters at the Gwinnett Arena thanks to one of the most amazing beauty PR girls ever. While Stef won be back as a fan with her stirring version of Born This Way and her impressive vocal and running in heels skills, her fans as usual stole the show and placed it firmly back in her hands by the time the last note was played.

Getting back to the beginning, I met up with the most awesome group of girls ever, including Ren of Makeup By RenRen, Tiffany of Makeup by Tiffany D and AJC style writer Nedra, for a pre-show sip and chat about everything from dressing up as the artist for concerts, a la Gaga's petits monstres, to twitter apps. As a group of beauty/style bloggers and PR types you know arriving in style was number 1 on our plate so, we hopped into the same SUV Gagaloo was chauffeured in the last time she was in Atlanta, according to the coolest driver ever, and made our way waaaay outside of the perimeter to the Gwinnett Arena in record time. After freshening up we took in the sites, and by sites I mean tons of fans from 2-92 dressed in their best Gaga-esque attire, which was strikingly similar to what people wear on Halloween and during Mardi Gras. There was tons of this...

A couple of these.

Of course a few of these...

And thank heavens I didn't see any of this...

But my favorite incarnation of Gaga had to be this...

Two 13 year old girls, out way past their bed time on a school night, screaming at the top of their lungs in a fever pitch "WE LOVE YOU MAMA MONSTER!", while their parents occupied the seat next to them. (Side note: Apparently parents and grandparents love Lady Gaga, which is a very different reaction another tongue in cheek, Italian American, performer who started out on the same LES received in the 80s due mostly in part to the fact that these parents were teenagers and in their 20s in the 1980s.) The amazing thing about these girls, aside from their black, bee stung lips and their home made Pokerface masks, was the ability to cut through the dangerously high decibels being generated in the room with their barely pubescent voices-ahh teenage girls. Oh and did I mention that their parents were with them!

Before I finish up on how the entire thing made my week, it was a great show and I hardly ever get out with a group of ladies these days, I have to tell you about Gaga's opening acts Lady Starlight and Semi Precious Weapons. Lady Starlight seemingly lives by Ke$ha's motto and brushes her teeth with a bottle of Jack every morning because girl did a 30 minute set and downed an entire bottle of whiskey between DJing and dancing on stage in what looked like the kind of pants that football players wear on game day. Lady Starlight, who has been pals with Gaga since her Tisch School days, was followed by Semi Precious Weapons, another group of Gaga pals from her LES days. All I have to say bout these guys is that their frontman, Justin Tranter, has the best legs I've ever seen on anyone and made me want to hit the treadmill harder than a Gaga fan at a wig shop on the day before the Monsters Ball.

Like I said, this show for sure made my week, form the great group of girls that I enjoyed it with to Gaga leaving everything on the stage as she ran around and danced in over 6 inch heels. Kinda makes me look forward to her upcoming video for Judas, which already has the Catholic League sweating in their pews, just like Mama Madonna would have done.

My 20 Cents: The Chic Boutique tour

2011-04-12T10:57:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago I had the wonderful opportunity to go for a spin on the Chic Boutique Tour. After coaxing BG down from the 'burbs with the promise of free food, drinks and a chauffeured ride around town to some of Atlanta's best boutiques, I was ready for girls day out. We started our day at Redefined Home Boutique on the Westside with mimosas, yogurt parfaits and a Pink Carpet Social. Once BG and I were done posing for the cameras, meeting the other ladies, partaking in the food and drink and planning the decor for my future home, we boarded the Chic Boutique Tour bus and were ready to start spending. On the bus we were treated to our first course prepared by Chef Jamil Pearson and a Veev Lupuschini to get the blood flowing for a day of trying on and trying out new styles.

The first stop of the day was Buckhead's newest gem, Raw Denim where the jeans and accessories were the stars of the show. Although Raw Denim wasn't my style, I did spy a pair of black jeggings that would fit my wardrobe perfectly if only they had my size. After our group dropped their cash at Raw, we moved to another Buckhead location, 5Continents. This co-op style shop specializes in gear from all five continents- I have been told that only in America do we recognize 7 continents everyone else counts North and South America as one continent go figure. Although it's name is still a bit of a mystery to me, 5Continents wowed everyone with their abundance of handmade, fair trade wares that you would usually only find on vacation. With 5Continents down and three boutiques to go, we piled back on the bus for another round of food and drink, this time we noshed pasta salad and sipped a Veev Lupuschini remix this time featuring pomegranate juice. With our bellies full we made our way to our next stop, NV-U Boutique's Midtown location on Peachtree. NV-U's mix of local designers and spring perfect styles was right up my alley-including the printed cardboard earring made by an Atlanta area designer. After NV-U, where BG grabbed a sick maxi dress for herself and a super cute stripped one for me, we headed over to East Atlanta Village to check in with the ladies at Demure Boutique. While Demure was full of gorgeous goods, my caffeine meter was running on E so I Around Me-ed the nearest coffee shop to get my fix-as did a slew of the other ladies. Soy latte in hand, I boarded the bus and was treated to a much needed pick me up in the form of a cake ball from Cake Balls by Nikki-which I had the opportunity to try a few weeks before at the Sweet Auburn Market's Urban Picnic with the BF. These heavenly, sweet, moist, chocolately dessert bites were literally the frosting on the cake of a perfect day. As we battled Atlanta traffic to our planned final boutique, Anne Taylor Loft in Atlantic Station, it was evident that traffic was winning so the decision was made to catch Anne Taylor on the next go round and headed back to Redefined Home to pick up our swag bags. Speaking of which, these bags-technically baskets-were jammed packed with more goodies than a little bit. From beauty tools like a moisturizing cuticle pen, that I use every day , and an eye lash curler which is right on time since I can't find refills for my Shu Uemura curler stateside to a gift certificate for Exhale, love their Core Fusion Yoga class, and Easter candies, this basket was bursting at the seams! Even better than all of the goodies was the hand written Thank You card from the Chic Boutique Tour organizer Rosalynn Wilson-first rule of being BAP is sending out gorge Thank You cards fyi.

All in all the Chic Boutique Tour was the perfect antidote to me missing my ladies back home. BG is already telling her friends and gathering a group for the next tour on June 18. Hint, hint-follow the ladies on twitter and like them on facebook to stay up to date and find out the when, where and how you can get tickets for June's tour on the low low.

Josephine Baker, the Bronze Venus

2011-03-31T12:09:00.000-07:00

This is a M.I.S.S. original and therefore the lovely graphics and my thought provoking prose all are their's, which is A OK with me. To see it in its original format go to Fashion Meets Music: Josephine Baker.

When Laurel Thatcher Ulrich said that “well behaved women seldom make history” she must have been thinking of the incomparable Josephine Baker, whose life proves that being well behaved is overrated. This trendsetting chanteuse became an international star despite being born with milk chocolate skin in a country that treated her like a second class citizen for it. While some style icons come in and out of fashion as trends change and evolve, Josephine Baker’s iconic status has never wavered.

Born Freda Josephine McDonald was born in 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri to Carrie McDonald and, according to her birth certificate, Eddie Carson, who may or may not have been her biological fathe-cue Maury. By the age of 12 the young girl who would go on to the labeled the Bronze Venus, had dropped out of school and was living on the streets of St. Louis dancing on street-corners to survive. Luckily, her talent garnered the attention of the right people and by 15 she was recruited for the St. Louis Chorus vaudeville show. Eventually her talent as a performer coupled with a Jazz Age love for all things seemingly exotic landed Josephine opening at the Théâtre de Champs-Élysées in Paris, where her practically nude erotic dancing made her an instant success. From there she moved to the Folies Bergéres where she performed the infamous Danse Sauvage in a skirt consisting of a string of artificial bananas reportedly designed by a lover of either Paul Poiret or Jean Cocteau. (To this day that iconic performance has been referenced by everyone from cartoon characters to Béyonce and beyond.) In due course, like many great performers Josephine’s act evolved to encompass dancing en pointe and singing which took months of training with a vocal coach. After a short while the “petite danseuse sauvage” who became “la grande diva magnifique” became the most successful American entertainer in France and starred in three films, becoming the first African-American woman to star in a major motion picture. While Josephine’s star burned bright abroad, she was the toast of Paris café society and served as a muse for everyone from Langston Hughes and F. Scott Fitzgerald to Pablo Picasso and Christian Dior, she never obtained the same reputation in America due in large part to her divine complexion.

While Josephine’s career spanned decades and even helped resurrect France’s fashion industry post-WWII with a few well designed costumes by Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain, Josephine Baker is and will always be synonymous with Art Deco. Her Eton crop, adopted almost the second she stepped off the boat in Paris, sparked a fashion trend and her over the top costumes accentuated her exotic looks which were all the rage in a decade that had just seen the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. It was rumored that it was no coincidence that tanned skin became popular during her rise to stardom-that has also been credited to another rags to riches chanteuse turned designer Coco Chanel. Always one to start trends and never follow them, Josephine Baker was also known to have an intense love of fashion, occasionally sketching over images in Vogue when she was traveling by train as a chorus girl. This elegant chanteuse who definitely knew that normal gets you nowhere was also known to perform on stage with her pet cheetah, Chiquita, adorned in a diamond collar. Its also worth mentioning that in true trendsetter style, Josephine was lightyears ahead of Brad and Angeline with her own Rainbow Tribe.

Armed more gumption than a little bit and the ability to evolve without abandoning her true inner voice, Josephine Baker set the stage for legions of aspiring performers despite never gaining true success at home. As one of my personal muses, right up there with Coco Chanel, Josephine’s drive and passion prove that if you believe in yourself and are true to who you are, nothing can stand in your way.

The funny thing about branding...

2011-03-31T11:30:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know why a Louis Vuitton monogram speedy 30 costs $730? Most people would say its because of the quality of the leather or the level of craftmanship that goes into making each bag. Wrong, while Louis Vuitton bags are very well made, those LV emblazoned bags you see girls proudly carrying around your local mall are not made from leather, nor do they pretend to be. If you go to the Louis Vuitton site you can see in bold letters that you monogram/damier ebene/damier azur speedy is made from canvas, just like that Kate Spade bag you had in middle school. Actually only the piping and handle are leather and my sources tell me they aren't made from the highest quality leather. So if your bag is not leather, although you thought it was, why did you just drop your paycheck on that easily copied bag? One word, status.

Since before I can remember Louis Vuitton, like most high end labels, has been associated with having a certain socio-economic standing. Much like the car you drive, what part of town you live in and how many languages you speak, carrying a Louis Vuitton speaks volumes about your tax bracket, or it used to. Brands like Louis Vuitton work tirelessly to ensure that they maintain their top tier status, from pricing and positioning to deciding which celebs they want to align with their brand. Why do you think you've never seen Louis Vuitton bags on sale? Markdowns and promotions every other season are fine for bridge brands or department stores trying to clear their seasonal inventory, however they can cheapen a brand in the eye of their target customers. What about sample sales, you ask. Well sample sales are usually exclusive events that fly under the general public's radar-you have to know about them or be invited to attend-so they have an air of exclusivity which is key to maintaining the prestige of a luxury brand.

In the end kiddies, I'm not telling you to stop buying Louis Vuitton, unless you are going broke and hungry which is so NAGL, all I'm saying is know what you're buying. Never for a moment believe that a designer item is priced at an arm and a leg simply because its of better quality. While they probably do use better fabrics and legit production facilities, the only reason they are priced that way is to make you think they are better. After a certain price everything is of comparable quality,take this from girl who spent 4 years learning how to evaluate the quality of the garments you buy, actually I have it on good authority that a large portion of luxury brands are made in the same factories as their bridge and better counterparts. How else do you think some knock-offs, I mean inspired by, pieces look almost like the originals and fly off the sewing machines at the same time?

Ask Ana!

2011-03-17T06:40:00.000-07:00

For some reason the people that I know think I’m some sort of stylist/fashion savant/a go to person for all things fashion and style related and although I know a thing or two about a ting or two, I am not any of those things. However, since I get at least one style related question a month via twitter, facebook or my inbox-not counting the in person/text requests I get-I’ve decided that I’d just go with it. So if any of you lovely readers have any fashion/style related questions shoot them my way. I may not be Rachel Zoe but I have a pretty solid vocabulary of fashion terms stored in my long term memory, I get dressed almost everyday and I’m honest in a “Yes, those jeans definitely make your ass look huge, because it is” kinda way. I can’t guarantee that every bit of advice I give will be perfect but again I’m just a girl giving her opinion on stuff.

If you have a fashion/style question send it over to submissions@cherchezlagamine.com, subject ASK ANA and I’ll do my best to answer it. Send your other life questions to the same address but put Is That Normal? in the subject line and Patrice will do something with it.

xo
Ana “Its not you its the clothes” B

Straight ZEF!!!

2011-03-15T12:57:00.001-07:00

This is a M.I.S.S. original for their weekly Fashion Meets Music column where I play connect the dots and wax poetically on how music and artists influence our sartorial choices. To view this post, and the images accompanying it, go to Fashion Meets Music: Yolandi Visser of Die Antwoord.

Ask anyone under a certain age who is the hottest female MC rocking a mike these days and I’m sure 85% of them would say Nikki Minaj. Not one of them would tell you to check out a bleached blonde, mullet sporting, South African who could probably eat Nikki and Lady Gaga for breakfast and wash them down with a 40, but I would.

As the female co-front of South African rap group Die Antwoord, Yolandi Visser is one of the most wholly original ladies stepping on stage in the past few years. Instead of relying on recycled, tried and true formulas showcasing big boobies and nasty-as-I-wannbe lyrics, Yolandi’s lyrics are so zef-which means trailer trash fantastic as far as I can tell- that they border on satire. (Side note: As I was doing a bit of research for this week’s FMM I found that Die Antwoord is Yolandi and Ninja’s third hip-hop project together and may really be more of satirical comment on South African society than a real couple from the ‘hood making a way where they can.) While her lyrics are explicit, duh, they are far from your typical my lady-parts are so good everyone wants a taste/I’ll take you and your man/I’m so ride or die I’ll hide the murder weapon in my panties. Actually, her fun, flirty tongue-in-cheek minus the overused clichés and metaphors flow reminds me more of what female MCs did in the late 80s and 90s than anything being played on your local Top 40 station-satire or not.

With an ultra blonde mullet, a too long to type acrylic set, cropped tops salvaged from Goodwill and gold leggings, Yolandi’s style is straight trailer fab. Her nails are sicker than anyone I’ve seen working the desk at the DMV and the fact that she seemingly prefers sneakers to heels speaks very highly of her. Although she has a special love for American Apparel’s shiny gold tights, she’s also been spotted in outfits that seem to be composed of 80s and 90s castoffs found at the thrift-store and worn as is-no clever remixing vintage to look brand new in Yolandi’s closet. While she loves old school ghetto-gold and sneakers, it seems as Yolandi’s favorite furry accessory happens to be white mice...you know like lab rats. Not that I’m judging but since mice kind of gross me out, couldn’t she just go Paris Hilton and carry around a toy dog? They look mouse like, but I guess that’s kind of the point.

Whether you love her style, and music, or not, no one is going to argue that Yolandi Visser, née Anri du Toit, is far from your run of the mill star. Check the videos and see for yourself-warning they are not for kids.

Always a lady, Lena Horne

2011-03-08T11:47:00.001-08:00

This is a M.I.S.S. original, the images and content are property of that publication. Go to Fashion Meets Music: Lena Horne to view this post in its original format.

When it comes to exuding class and lady-like charm, no one has ever been able to come close to the legendary Lena Horne.This incomparable quadruple threat, singer, dancer, actress and activist, broke barriers and set the standard for generations of female prefomers.

Born in Bed-Stuy on June 30, 1917, Lena Horne was destined for greatness-with an actress for a mother, a famous inventor for a grandfather, and an uncle who would go on to advise FDR how could she not be amazing at something. At 16 Horne joined the chorus line at the famous Cotton Club and a few years later she was touring with Noble Sissle’s Orchestra, recording her first album and replacing Dinah Shore as a featured vocalist on an NBC radio show. By the time she made her silver screen debut with MGM in Panama Hattie she already had two films under her belt and was established as a nightclub performer. Just to back track a bit, when Horne signed with MGM in the 1940s she became the first African-American performer wot sign a long term contract with a major studio. After appearing in Stormy Weather, Cabin in the Sky, Ziegfeld Follies, Meet Me in Las Vegas and a handful of other films, Horne was blacklisted from Hollywood for her left-leaning political views in the 1950s and returned to her first love, the stage. She briefly returned to film, girl was gorgeous as Glinda the good witch in The Wiz, and eventually went back to performing, squeezing in a few TV appearances here and there, until her death in May 9, 2010.

Before I move on to Lena Horne’s oh so lady like fashion sense which was typical for a woman of her era who made her name during Hollywood’s golden age, I have to comment on her role as an activist which may be reason number 1 that she was blacklisted. Coming from a middle-class, well-educated family, Horne was nothing like today’s starlets. She lent her star status to the Civil Rights movement, spoke and performed at the March on Washington and worked with Eleanor Roosevelt to pass anti-lunching laws. Most importantly, her work in films and on stage allowed little girls to dream that they could one day be in the movies no matter their skin color.

Sartorially speaking, Lena Horne was very much a woman of her times from her well coiffed do to her gorgeous gowns and manicured nails. As many of our grandparents can attest to, back in Lena Horne’s day women were ladies down to the way they entered a room. Horne’s amazing gowns worn on and off screen were so breathtakingly beautiful that they could still take best dressed at the Oscars over 50 years later. Although her style evolved with the changing times and her changing body -no woman looks the same at 65 as she did at 25- her classic sense of old Hollywood glamour never faded. One could say that as Lena Horne aged her grace and beauty only began to shine more.

Fashion Dramz/Racism Still Alive They Just Be Concealing it

2011-03-07T08:10:00.000-08:00

Last week the blogosphere erupted with tales of John Galliano's drunken, anti-semitic tirade and its aftermath. From here to Refinery 29 bloggers stood in for fashion execs and gave their $.25 on the matter. After watching how things have played out and reading one well written op-ed after another, I've decided to throw my pennies in the ring so to speak.

Before I go in on John Galliano's Mel Gibson moment, I have a little story to share that sums up fashion's diversity issues and how JG's views fit into all of this...In March of 2008 I was in New York interviewing for internships and apartment hunting, I knew I had to be in NYC to eat, breathe, and sleep fashion so I was making it happen. I grab a cab from my hotel that was a few blocks away from the World Trade Center crash site and headed uptown for my 10:30 interview at the showroom of a well known celebrity jewelry whose name I will not reveal. I got there with time to spare and rode in the oldest elevator to the showroom where an assistant brought me into their office-which was being renovated at the time. I was interviewed by a top level assistant in a small room full of people who weren't interviewing me but felt the need to throw in their two cents every few seconds like saying that I must not have gone to a good school because the English girl interviewing me hadn't heard of it-not like this chick went to Harvard. After being shot at by the firing squad the designer's sister walked in to my interview and began to chat with me. She asked me about the brand and how the position fit into my career goals and then, out of nowhere, informed me that "...this is a Jewish office, do you have a problem with that?" Since I'm obviously not Jewish, I responded no-I was raised a Catholic and last time I checked Jesus was a Jew so I'm cool with them as a people, as individuals I judge them on an individual basis like any other group of folks. Shortly after being asked if I was down with the Jews, my interview was wrapped up and I was released back onto the streets of Manhattan. I could have easily said that this particular jewelry designer did not like people who weren't Jewish and therefore would not hire me based on that one fact, however I thought "Ahh fashion, if you aren't a part of the right group you have to fight like hell to get in."

This brings me back to John Galliano. The fashion industry is notoriously youth, beauty and money obsessed, much more than a group of 16 year old queen b school girls. No matter how much the public whines and moans about more racial and physical diversity, they aren't going to listen because their constituents are the "haves" not the "have nots." With an industry geared toward an elitist appreciation for all things elite, why does it shock you that a one of their golden gods harbors such views? It should upset you but not shock you. Kinda like it wouldn't shock me if I found out that Karl Lagerfeld is a racist-he's like 100 you know-it would really piss me off but not shock me one bit. When your currency is how exclusive your products are and the more exclusive the more highly valued, having anti-semitic, misogynistic, racist views doesn't come as a surprise. I would be shocked however if someone in fashion was homophobic since 95% of male designers are gay, but then again I wouldn't be shocked to know that a few female editors n such called them F-words behind their backs.

You see anytime you have a culture based upon who is better, whether its because of their skin color, religion or that they're wearing last season's Prada boots, you create a climate that breeds prejudices. Maybe its because I'm a minority that I feel this way about these things, you know a large portion of people hate me for something I can't control, or maybe its because I'm realistic. In the word of Kanye West "racism still alive they just be concealing it." Or elitism rather.

Yay Spring!

2011-03-07T08:04:00.000-08:00

Or pre-spring at least...here are some polyvore sets I threw together in anticipation of warmer weather. There is content to go with these guys at Gamine.

Lazy Girl Chic!

2011-03-07T07:55:00.000-08:00

*This post was done for Gamine, my personal pet project, to view it in its original form go to DIY Adventures: Lazy Girl Chic.

Despite that fact that I manage to look pretty decent 95% of the time that I am out on the town having coffee at various places and doing whatever else it is I pretend to do, I am very lazy at heart when it comes to fashion. I love clothes and I can navigate any shop like its my second home however, the effort required to shop, maintain a closet-I’m an uber virgo who color codes her clothes by function-and plan outfits on the reg always eludes me. For these reasons, and because I find it incredibly vain and narcissistic oh and lame, I have never nor will I ever keep a blog dedicated to daily outfits and my personal style, I’ll leave that to the folks at Lookbook.nu. What I have mastered in my years of being a procrastinating perfectionist is how to get dressed in under 15 minutes and come out looking like a winner and I owe it to two things, the dress and my winning addtiude.

To master the “I just rolled out of bed and threw on the first thing I saw but I look great” look all you need is a few work horse dresses, I call them my old faithfuls, that you can dress up or down. A great basic dress to start with is this one from AA. Say you have a cocktail type thing to go to and you’re running late, all you need is this dress, a killer pair of heels, a blazer and a swipe of red lipstick-blazers and red lipstick confuse people into thinking you’re polished with little work-and bam instant outfit. Now say you have a day date with someone you kinda want to impress, take the same dress and pair it with a denim vest, gladiators, a cute but not too big bag, and pile your hair into a top knot with a swipe of lipstick-seriously whenever I don’t feel like putting on make-up I put on lipstick it really fools people-and there you are lunch date/internship/general day time activities ready.

I have to admit that not every occasion calls for dress that is so basic, in those cases I dress down a more formal dress. For example, I actually own this French Connection dress that is a bit of an anti-boner and in a period of two months I wore it twice styled very differently to two very different occasions and guess what? Winner! First, I wore it to Jeffrey’s Fashion Cares Atlanta where I belted it with a skinny belt only in the front, I was going for a Grecian godess meets belted huke look, added my over the knee riding boots and you guessed it red lipstick and was ready to meet Jack and Lazaro of Proenza Schouler in under 15 minutes. A couple of weeks later I wore the same dress with a pair of heels, no belt and a super old clutch from Banana Republic to a wedding of one of the BF’s college buddies. That night I got quite a bit of compliments and got ready in the time it took my nail polish to dry.

Here’s the thing about dress dressing, not every occasion calls for a dress but as a woman you have the option to make every occasion a dress occasion. I’ve pulled off many a tee-shirt/over-sized button down/tank and leggings/jeans/skirt combo without thinking to hard on it-benefits of a well organized closet and dresser-but its not as easy and putting on a dress and boots and causing all kinds of style crushes.

Rihanna's S&M

2011-02-17T10:04:00.000-08:00

I originally wrote this one for the ladies over at Miss, however it has yet to post so...I'm housing it here. That is all....Wait no it isn't. I wrote this before learning of David LaChapelle's intent to sue Rihanna over blantly ripping off his aesthetic. While I do not claim to know a thing about the law there is something sketchy about shopping around a LaChapelle-esque video without talking to LaChapelle and trying to reproduce his work without consulting him because he's pricey, oh and it makes you instantly lose street cred when people start accusing you of stealing their creativity and attempting to pass it off as your own. fin.

This week Rihanna burned up the blogs and stirred up ton of controversy with the release of her latest video S&M. Filled with overtly sexual imagery and lyrics, this video affirms Riri’s status as a good girl gone bad for better or worse. While I haven’t been a fan of Rihanna since Pon de Replay, I can say that I generally love her style and S&M does serve up a huge helping of our girl’s signature edgy style. So for a brief moment let's forget about the fact that Rihanna, who we all know is not baby, is sending a very profound message about sexuality to the legion of girls under the ripe old age of 21 who are her fans and who are already suffering the effects of being over-sexualized in the media and that as a woman of color she is perpetuating the stereotype that all brown girls are insatiable nymphos who deserve to be treated as such everywhere form rap videos to real life, and focus on the fashion.

From the first frame, when Rihanna pops onto the scene sporting a fuzzy vest, huge frizzy hair and tiara, the video feels insanely familiar almost like an update of something I saw around the turn of the millennium. Despite the deja vu I get from beginning to end with S&M, I am head over heels for the hair and makeup Riri dons in this one. The close ups of her when she’s holding her mock press conference from behind a sheet cellophane remind us that she is indeed capable of injecting a bit of old school charm into this less than classy video. Moving to the complete opposite end of the spectrum, Rihanna’s huge, frizzy mass of hair is amazing in a Christina Aguilera in Lady Marmalade kinda way. I also love how she brings in some of spring’s beauty trends, juicy lips, bright eyeshadow and Dynasty-esque blush. Oh and as usual, her nail game is tight. Instead of opting for over the top nail art, she keeps it simple with pale pinks, bright red and what looks to be shimmery white color-its hard to tell with her moving so much. While her hair and make up are perfectly on point in this one her fashion earns her another gold star in my book.

Starting with the newspaper print gown and matching thigh highs, moving to the nude number she wears to walk Perez Hilton and ending at the sick hot pink spandex number, Rihanna definitely shows off some sick style. Even her lingerie inspired looks are sick, especially the one she wears in the scene reminiscent of Basic Instinct. Although I would never be caught dead in any of this stuff, aside from that gorgeous gown, I can say that I will be taking a few notes from this video’s overall love of body con styles.

At the end of the day I don’t care if Rihanna has a high freak number or not, she’s grown, I do however take issue with the fact that her fans, most of whom are still trying to come to terms with their own sexuality, are not mature enough to really understand what exactly goes with having a “whips and chains excite me” image. Other than that I love the video, not the track its pretty generic, and I can’t wait to do big hair like Rihanna this summer.

Mood of the Month: February

2011-02-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

Gamine's February 2011 mood board...not everything that looks sweet is sweet.

Snow day style

2011-01-26T09:19:00.000-08:00

Snow day style layout produced via polyvore. The story that accompanied this lovely set can be viewed at Examiner.com.

Let's be best friends!

2011-01-18T07:52:00.000-08:00

This one comes to us from Gamine, view it there in its entirety.

Dear Cassius (if I may call you that),

Last week I saw your lovely interview with the folks at the Opening Ceremony blog and based solely on the facts that you dress well and share a name with Muhammad Ali/Cassius Clay, who was named after your ancestor, I decided that we should be friends, best friends.

I’m not saying that we should be friends like you and Kanye are friends, I don’t generally pay people to dress me or go around reupholstering women’s lady bits to make them feel like fur pillows-you have to tell me how he does this FYI, or that we should be pals like Bette Midler and Barbra Hershey in Beaches, waaay too tragic right. I think we should be friends like Cher and Dione in Clueless because like us one was white and one was black and like us one of them way too old to be playing a teenager. We could sip tea and look at cupcakes, but not eat them, while you teach me how to turn a simple J Crew pull over into a top worthy of being snapped by the Sartorialist and I could teach you the benefits of living in a city that shuts down over a few inches of snow.

While I don’t usually hang with people under 21, I am making an exception because not only are you the coolest thing to it my twitter feed in a while but with your New England upbringing and time spent around Yeezy I figured you and I would have tons to talk about, even though I’m not from New England, went to a state school, and would only hang out with Kanye if I got my groupie game up. I say we give our friendship a go beginning with a facebook wall post here and there and moving to a full fledged real life friendship before you decide who you’re taking with you to fashion week.

xo
Ana "Yeezy can't teach me much" b

I got more online game than a lil bit

2011-01-18T07:39:00.000-08:00

Whatever that means.

You can now check out my musings on the luxe side of Atlanta at HauteLiving.com. See....

That is all.

Sucking the Jingle from My Bells

2010-12-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

This one comes to us from Skirt!....follow the link, view it in its original form and comment.

While the rest of you spent Thursday night and the wee hours of Friday morning in line for whatever deals you think the big box stores were serving up on Black Friday, I was in bed dreading having to get and go in to work. Thankfully I did not have to greet the sun to ensure that you bargain shoppers would be able to satisfy your consumer lust, however I did have to leave my house an hour before my shift to fight for a parking spot, which I found after having a mini panic attack. Not that I’m anti-sale or shopping for that matter, I just despise working retail during the holidays.

Every year perfectly normal people go bananas at the thought of little Jenny not opening the perfect number of presents on Christmas day, so much so that they turn into nasty, materialistic, hoarders during the holidays. It never fails; I always have to hold my tongue as a customer belittles me and reminds me that they are so much better than I am because I am nothing more than a lowly peon here to serve them. When then truth of the matter is that I graduated with a pretty solid GPA from a pretty solid university at a time when the economy wasn’t so solid and I happened to major in something that was not education, business, or engineering. I also do some pretty baller stuff on the reg, however none of that matters to the customer who is giving me their 50 cents because they were unhappy with the level of customer service they received. It also doesn’t matter how intelligent or over qualified I am to the people who keep cutting me off as I try to park and get to work on time. All that matters to these people is that they get whatever thing they came to buy, regardless of the fact that they are totally missing the point of the Holidays-fyi it’s not about gifts or condescending attitudes.

So despite the fact that sipping hot cocoa while watching The Year Without a Santa Claus happens to be my favorite Holiday activity, after the Nutcracker, I must say that I despise the season. I hate how nasty we get the second things get real when it comes to picking presents and getting stuff on sales. I hate the way most of us treat a group of people they know nothing about because in the back of their minds these people are here to serve them-you can tell a great deal about a person by the way that they treat servers, spa folk, and sales associates. I’ve also decided that this Holiday season will be the last one I EVER work in retail because dealing with the general public during this time of year truly sucks the jingle from my bells and the merry from my Christmas. And for the last time you cannot receive a refund with a gift receipt or exchange your sale items.

Bright Young Thing: Megan Huntz

2010-12-20T08:19:00.000-08:00

This post was produced for Gamine online and is therefore property of that publication, to view the post in its original format go to BYT: Megan Huntz

On the rare occasion that we actually get dressed up, you know for those nights we go grown-up places not dive bar hopping, the go to outfit of heels, jeans, and a cute top never cross our minds. Thankfully, this combo has crossed the mind of designer Megan Huntz whose hand dyed 100% silk dresses are set to become the foil of many a pair of jeans and heels. Huntz, a native of Atlanta, studied industrial design at Pratt and even worked in graphic design for a few years before moving to Milan in 2003 to begin graduate studies in fashion at the Domus Academy. After spending years working for the likes of Max Mara and Meltin’ Pot, one of Italy’s premier denim companies, Huntz decided to leave denim to the masses and design her own line based around the most fundamental piece of a woman’s wardrobe, the dress. “No matter what you do, you can always wear a dress,” says Huntz.

While Megan Huntz’s dresses may be handmade in limited runs from 100% silk, her dresses are meant to be worn and washed. Yes you can wash these dresses in the sink or the delicate cycle to get the same deconstructed look that you get after washing your favorite pair of jeans a few times, which is no accident since Huntz applied the same finishing techniques that she learned in her denim days to silk. Recently she even threw a batch of silk into the Gulf of Mexico to see what effect the water would have on the fabric and was so pleased with her little experiment that she cut ten dresses from it. As an artist turned designer turned fashion designer, there will be plenty more art projects and experiments, like the video she did for the opening of Modern Atlanta last June, in the future.

On top of her commitment to making quality handmade garments, her love of the art of fashion and design, and her thumbs down to Vogue for its penchant for celebrity covers, Megan Huntz makes dresses that look amazing with boots, which means we have to grab every style available

FMM: Astrud Gilberto

2010-12-20T08:11:00.000-08:00

Another MissOmniMedia.com original. To view this post in its original format go to FMM:Astrud Gilberto.

Tall and tan and young and lovely, Astrud Gilberto coolly strolled onto the bossa nova scene when she sang on the album Getz/Gilberto, at the suggestion of her then husband, João Gilberto the father of bossa nova. Her recording of “The Girl from Ipanema” established her as a jazz and pop singer, and ensured that people getting off and on elevators would be entertained for generations. Despite the fact that you’re most likely to hear her tunes on an elevator or a 50s/60s style lounge, Gilberto isn’t strictly for the geriatric set. Her recording of “Once I Loved” was featured in Juno, Cut Chemist sampled her in the song “The Garden”, and the Black Eyed Peas sampled her on their Monkey Business album-for better or worse.

This jazz vocalist’s cool and sultry voice was equally matched by her style. With her perfect black liner, blunt cut bags, and just the right amount of height in her hair-take notes Snookie and Flo-Gilberto is the kind of pretty that most girl’s today aspire to. Unlike June Cleaver or Doris Day, Astrud Gilberto has a bit of an edge to her, like a cool aunt who dresses a bit risqué, smokes, and dates around, you know like a classier Cher in Mermaids. I say classier because while her hair is closer to God and her eye-liner gives off just a hint of sex, the fact that the rest of her face is bare and her outfits are understated keeps her from going off the deep end. She also gives off the perfect balance of sex and innocence that escapes most girls today. I mean what pop-star now could rock just a fur coat and a smile and still look like the girl next door? Just saying

To Catch a Thief

2010-12-20T08:06:00.000-08:00

She didn't look like a thief.

Now that the holidays in full swing and retailers are preoccupied with profits, shoplifters are taking full advantage of poorly trained seasonal workers and a sales team that is spread too thin. While managers and sales associates are busy following shoppers based on cultural biases, money is walking right under their noses and out the door.

With most stores barely turning a profit these days, it is no wonder that they are training their sales teams to profile shopper based on their behavior. Any sales person worth their salt is taught to be on the look-out for people carrying bags from stores not in their mall, people who continue to send you on wild goose chases all over the store, and people wearing large coats that seem to gain weight as they walk through the store, amongst other things. In sales meetings you are told that shoplifters can be anyone from stroller moms to teenage girls and that crime knows no color, however time in and time out you are told to watch the young African American and Hispanic shoppers who are less than well dressed, suggesting a certain socio-economic status, while other shoppers are allowed to move freely through the store.

Most lost prevention specialists will tell you that there are two kinds of shoplifters, non-professionals who steal simply because the opportunity presented itself and professionals who steal for a living. They will also tell you that despite what anyone believes, there is no certain look that shoplifters adhere to. Most shoplifters are adults who can pay for the items that they are stealing, often buy and steal merchandise in the same visit, and are very rarely caught. Armed with this information, one can only assume that the current policy embraced by store managers is allowing these experienced shoplifters to fall through the cracks, mainly because they are too busy turning their backs to follow the wrong shoppers. They also often react improperly to store alarms that are usually tripped by paying customers due to human error- experienced shoplifters hardly ever make a sound when exiting a store because they remove sensors from garments long before making their exit.

This Holiday season as you pick up your last minute gifts, take five minutes to notice who is watching whom and why. Very rarely will you see a sales associate monitor a stroller mom, a group of Starbucks carrying young women, or the well dressed gentleman who you just saw slip something into his bag because they are too busy watching the people who look like shoplifters. Much like a child will never get kidnapped by someone who looks like a bad guy, stores will never catch a thief who doesn’t look like one.

My fashion tips via Wearever the Weather.com

2010-11-28T09:38:00.000-08:00

Dropping fashion knowledge at WeareverTheWeather.com.... I do what I can for the kids.

Rag trade 101: Sweat-shop labor, you get what you pay for

2010-11-11T08:29:00.000-08:00

In my morning walk through the Internet I came across this piece on MISS asking consumers if they would boycott a company because they use sweat-shop labor. As I was writing my lengthy response, I remembered that I have a blog to tackle such issues with as many words as I need.

The usage of sweat-shops in the manufacturing of apparel is more widespread than most of us would like to acknowledge and there are several contributing factors that keep sweat-shops in business. At the end of the day money is the deciding factor on whether a company like Nike goes with a cheaper manufacturer whose factories may have unsavory working conditions or a more costly less sketchy factory.

Most of us know that the garments we buy are not purchased at cost, meaning markups are built in to allow for everyone involved to make a profit from the wholesaler to the retailer. Depending upon the price point of a say a pair of jeans, the markup could be anywhere from 60%-200% which accounts for the fact that they may go on sale and the retailer needs to make a profit off of that transaction as well. That said, when a company sends their team out to source everything from fabrics to labor, the team is focused on keeping the costs down and the profit margins high. They also have to take into consideration the turn around time on the garments they are sourcing, although fashion operates almost a year ahead retailers need to be ready to produce those "inspired by pieces" the second they debut on the runways giving them a shorter than normal lead time. Don't get me wrong, sourcing teams are not out there looking for sweat shops that can produce garments cheaply and quickly, they are looking for factories that fit into specific budgets and timelines and occasionally pick based on those parameters not based on human rights. (Also the production team that deals with factories and such tends to work in an office in the company's home country and only make scheduled visits to factories, and we all know that if you tell someone when they're having company over they tend to put things in perfect order.) With everything focused on the almighty dollar, is it no wonder that the majority of companies busted for sweat-shop labor tend to be at the mid to discount price range.

Companies like Forever 21, who was recently accused of using sweat-shops to produce their blatant knock-off that disintegrate in the wash, make big money by mass producing cheap products and reselling them at a price point that attracts their core customers, teenage girls. With $7 tank tops and $20 skirts, its no surprise that they are working with factories that pay their workers little to nothing and ask them to work in unsafe conditions. I'm not saying that Gucci or Louis Vuitton have never used cheap labor, but I am saying that with higher prices you'll usually find bigger budgets for things like labor and the quality of the products will tell the tale. Like the saying goes you get what you pay for.

What can consumers do to discourage sweatshop labor? Well first of all stop buying stuff for quantity instead of quality, usually high quality goods are made by adults in factories that keep them somewhat happy. If you can spend money replacing those $7 tops every other month because they don't last, you can afford to purchase one $15 top that will last you at least a year. Think of purchasing quality goods that may cost more as an investment, not as you paying too much for something that you can get cheaper somewhere else. Also look for goods that are made in the US. Yes, we do have sweat-shops here however our labor laws require closer federal monitoring for things like safety and workers rights, and purchasing goods made in the US go a long way to stopping outsourcing, generating more jobs at home, and helping pull us out of this recession mess.

If you tried boycotting every company that uses sweat-shop labor you'd have very few places to shop in your local mall, and I'm not asking you to do that. What I am asking is for consumers to be better educated on where their goods come from and how they are produced, that way instead of behaving like mindless purchasing machines you can at least know what went into your Forever 21 top before you fork over your babysitting money.

Fashion Meets Music at New York Fashion Week

2010-11-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

This is another MISS original, meaning this post is all their's. To view it in its original format got over to Fashion Meets Music at New York Fashion Week.

It’s that time of year again when fashion editors, stylists, bloggers, and anyone remotely involved in the fashion industry turn into Barnum and Bailey and travel from city to city in the name of fashion. While what started out as a way to attract attention from French fashion houses during World War II and has since evolved into a month long fashion marathon. While the industry folk sit front row and plan photo shoots, buys, and client pulls for next year, everyone in the audience knows that there’s more to fashion shows than the clothes.

Year after year designers, production staff, publicists, DJs, and whomever else has a say get together to figure out what music will be the best backdrop for the ‘’practical, matter-of-fact, not too over styled” clothes at Vena Cava (apparently it was Klaus Nomi). The same way that Abercrombie and Fitch insists on blasting whatever they think kids are listening to these days out into the mall, designers blast whatever music best suits their brand and collection in an effort to create an atmosphere and give models something to walk to. (How boring would it be to watch 30+ looks stroll down a runway in perfect silence?)

Since fashion is all about being new and fresh while simultaneously giving a nod to the past, it comes as no surprise that this season, like those before it, featured music from up and coming indie faves as well as tried and true acts. From Nina Simone and David Bowie to The Cure and Stereolab right down to Telepathe and LCD Soundsystem, it seems as though everyone dug deep into their iTunes and came out with playlists that are a music lover’s dream. (Check out Vanity Fair’s list of playlists from NYFW S/S ’11. Billy Reid, Timo Weiland and Prabal Gurung’s lists make me want to download some new music asap.)

According to MISS music editor Randi Hernandez the folks over at Betsey Johnson and L.A.M.B. were just as fond of mixing old school and new school on their playlists as the Vanity Fair group. While Betsey kept to a New York influenced playlist complete with songs about cycling around the city to follow her Le Tour de Betsey theme, over at L.A.M.B. Gwen further expressed her love of Ragga and laid back tracks that were the perfect accompaniment to her relaxed collection. Both ladies mix genres and obviously appreciate Kanye and Jay-Z, since they popped up on both playlists. Check out the playlists for both Betsey Johnson and LAMB, as gathered by Randi with the help of everyone’s pal Shazam-don’t know what I’d do without him sometimes- and load your iPod up with tracks to get you through the upcoming winter months.

Ears to the Street: These Boots Were Made For Walking

2010-11-07T18:29:00.000-08:00

This is another MISS original, meaning this post is all their's. To view it in its original format got over to Ears to the Street: These Boots Were Made for Walking.

Everyone knows that your fall wardrobe isn’t complete without the perfect pair of boots. With cool weather finally knocking on our doors, slipping into a flimsy sandal is definitely not advisable however pulling on a stylish pair of boots will keep your toes warm and you out of the doctor’s office. This season the catwalks and sidewalks are filled with boots of all heights, shapes, and textures, so finding the right ones for your wardrobe needs shouldn’t be too difficult. While combat boots, over the knee styles, and calf height boots are closet staples, my favorite boot trends this fall are the kinda rugged hiking inspired ones that are the perfect mate to scrunched socks.

I’m not really the great outdoors type, I love camping and hiking in theory but in real life meh, however Tory Burch’s fall 2010 collection filled with Timberland-esque wedges, stacked heels, and stilettos would have me climbing a mountain in no time. Since we all can’t afford Tory Burch, I’ve gathered a few camp fire inspired boots by Nine West, Steve Madden, and Seychelles to satisfy your urge for new boots while keeping your wallet from hitting E. Personally, I’m already pairing my yet to be purchased boots with a comfy knit, a mini and scrunched wool socks or maybe a pair of jeggings. Actually, I could’ve used a pair today when I wore my black romper and cable knit sweater duster. Ahh the possibilities.

Christmas is coming....

2010-11-07T18:23:00.000-08:00

Twelve out of 12 months a year I pull on a pair out boots at least once a week, which is no small feat considering I live in the South and the temperature stays in the mid-70s 9 out of 12 months a year. That said, my favorite pair of boots have taken quite a beating and are in need of replacing and these Jeffrey Campbell boots would be my first pick to as a stand in for my old faithfuls. These boots look like they've survived the North African campaign during World War 2 and lived to tell the tale so I know that they'll get through at least one year on my feet. Fingers crossed come Christmas or before.

Thoughts on Kanye West's Runaway

2010-11-07T16:28:00.000-08:00

Hmmm....Aesthetically pleasing at times, annoying at others. Unnecessary dialogue. The emperor's new clothes. We are witnessing the death of the narrative/

You can lead a horse to water but I still can't afford your clothes

2010-10-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

Patrice hamming it up at Saks for FNO...we still haven't gotten our offical pics from that.

Last month the fashion industry rubbed elbows with the unwashed masses in a desperate attempt to turn party goers into shoppers at the second annual Fashion’s Night Out. Although revelers from Brooklyn to Bombay crowded shops to get a glimpse of their favorite celebrities, designers, and fashion folks, by and large they kept their cash to themselves. (Now that I think about it, I’ve been to a ton of in store events in the past year and have never seen people doing anything but talking smack, eating, and getting a buzz off of the free drinks.) This shouldn’t come as a shock to retailers who have been suffering from the very recession that brought into existence the need for a worldwide event like Fashion’s Night Out. They know that no matter how much champagne they pour and how many celebs are in store to pass it out, Louboutin’s are still out of most shoppers’ budgets right now. However, this does not stop retailers form bringing the dog and pony show to town every so often in an attempt to raise spirits and profits.

There are several reasons why luring potential shoppers into your store with the promise of free stuff and a good time doesn’t always translate into increased sales, increased traffic sure but traffic does not always mean money. The first issue is while it is true everyone loves free stuff, using the word free to gather a crowd almost always ensures the majority of the crowd is looking for FREE stuff not stuff they have to pay for. (Also people aren’t so dumb as to fall for "spend xyz dollars and get this free", especially if they don’t have xyz dollars and the free thing is worth less than the amount they have to pay. Also if I have to buy something to get something free, is it really free?) While I do understand that by drawing a crowd into your less than crowded store you are not only attempting to increase sales that night but to also generate future sales, which may or may not happen because in the freebie/sale seeking crowd you just lured in may or may not be interested in or able to afford your full priced merchandise, bringing me to point deux.

No matter what dog and pony show you put on for customers, at the end of the day they just don’t have the same disposable incomes that they once did, especially when dealing with Middle America. The end. Shoppers aren’t in search of a place to drink wine dangerously close to clothes they can’t afford, they are looking for more value for money, whether that means being able to buy more for less or spending the bulk of their money on investment pieces instead of wasting cash on trendy items.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think in store events are total wastes of time for retailers, I just think throwing a “customer appreciation” party once a month is not the best use of time and money for already struggling stores. Also its is super cheesy to go into a store and hear a DJ playing the same muzak that the stores usually play while a clumsy associate passes you J. Roget or Andre.

Booze, Broads, and isn't Mad Men about to start?

2010-09-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

I love the 1920s, really I do. I mean women had just earned the right to vote and, despite the criticisms hurled at them by intellectual suffragettes, flappers were liberating women from corsets, sitting in bars, smoking and drinking with the boys, working outside the home, and wearing pants. The decade that brought us an immigration act, Hemingway, Steinbeck, and Gatsby old chum, jazz, frozen food, oh and let's not forget the resurgence and growth of the KKK, is also the setting for HBO's newest serial that is apparently about baby gangsters.

In addition to being a smorgasbord of everything we think we know and love about the 1920s-gangsters, free flowing booze, flapper talk, crooked politicians-Boardwalk Empire is visually stunning. The scenes of Atlantic City the way it was way back when are so insanely beautiful that I want to rent out the place for a sweet 16 for my un-conceived daughter-complete with late night sideshow style barkers urging you to come in and watch a girl in high waist shorts do the Charleston.

Aside from the aesthetics, I couldn't tell you much about the show. There are bootleggers, a bunch of dirty politicians, famous Mafia bosses in their adolescence, and a battered woman. Basically its like Gangs of New York, Casino, and Goodfellas with ragtime and fake pearls. For a show filling the time slot of another show where no one is what they seem-who knew Lafayette's new boo was a Mexican warlock?- and wraps up before a show where just when you think you know a character they change-except Betty she's pretty much the same character she's been-the fact that the characters in Boardwalk Empire are exactly what they appear to be-they are based on historic figures-is not refreshing, just not like the others. Maybe next week I'll change my mind...I doubt it

To Chop or Not?

2010-09-10T11:53:00.000-07:00

I don't have any pictures of me as a little kid on my computer b/c there were no digital cameras n such when I was a little kid.

Ever since I can remember I've had middle length dark brown hair that has been the bane of my existence. Unlike the other girls I've known through my life-cousins, friends, classmates, you get the picture-my hair was the exact opposite of thick and resilient or super soft and curly. I blame this lack of shiny, thick, luxurious hair on my parents because instead of expressing the hair genes of oe of my parents, I got stuck with both. Which wouldn't be bad if my dad didn't have Duke Ellington's waved do and my mom didn't have thick, tightly curled hair and I inherited my mom's thickness and dad's texture. Alas, I have oddly wavy and curly thin hair that breaks the second you look at it wrong hence it never getting much longer than my shoulders. All of my childhood I fought with my oddly textured hair and battled to get it healthy, shiny, long, and bouncy like the other girls I encountered. However, no one could get my hair to grow, let alone grow without breaking.

That's me on the right in the seond row, amongst a sea of girls that lok a lot like me...sigh cheerleaders

In high school, after several years of going to hair stylists who over processed my precious hair, I found a stylist who knew how to make my stringy hair appear to have body and life. With my mom's permission I cut it into a bob that grazed the nape of my neck and even highlighted it before shipping off to college. Since I went to a school that was 45mins-1 hr away from my home town, I was able to keep up with my hair appointments and my hairdresser who saved my fragile hair after I let a pal lighten a patch of my dark brown hair to a rusty blondish brown color-do not let girls dye your hair in their dorms bad idea it burned and lifted in under 5 minutes. After finishing school hair in tack, despite losing track of my stylist during the 6-8months after Katrina, I got my first trendy cut, a bi-level bob a-la Posh in about 2006/7 and even colored my entire head a light brown that matched my skin.

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At formal or maybe it was semi-formal with a long, luxurious locks

My hair battles didn't start again until I moved to Atlanta where apparently hair dressers don't know what kind of relaxer to put on hair that is not super thick and resilient, or that you can't treat colored hair the same way you treat virgin hair. Needless to say after 6 months in the A my hair was still growing strong-it grows pretty fast and always does- but it was stringy-er than ever and was breaking off to no end. I eventually began to take care of my hair myself which wasn't that bad until another set of untrained hands used a super harsh relaxer on my lil hair, resulting in a massive patch of hair falling out. I cried, died and stopped going to her asap. I tried my hands at the Dominicans but those driers on relaxed hair was a big no, no, and I tried going back to the first girl I went to in the A but the fact that she permed my hair when I told her to not when her professional expertise told her to left my hair weak and a mess.

Pre-Atl with my light brown bob smushed unde rmy cap

After much deliberation I decided to try the natural route, and ahh haa my hair is back to the length, sheen, and bounce that it had when I was at home. Apparently all I needed to do was stop processing it and let it be. The problem now is that in order to be fully natural I have to cut my relaxed hair off, which means cutting almost all of the length of my hair. Did I mention my hair has never been shorter than chin length since I was a kid? Did I also mention that I have a serious habit of touching, twirling, shaking, and stroking my hair? (Friends call it my "white girl tendencies/mannerisms" and they developed sometime between me watching the movie Clueless and starting college) I've been a huge fan of flat iron it, bump it, ponytail it, headband it, etc for bad hair days ever since I was tasked with combing my own hair sometime in 5th grade and am dreading having to do something with my mess of oddly curled short hair-that my hairdresser promises will look awesome. I mean worst comes to worst I can weave it up-I do live in Atlanta home of the 8 foot Pocahontas Indian Remy weave-however fake hair and the thought of it on my entire head makes me itchy for some odd reason. Then again, maybe I just need to get used to the idea of having short curly hair. I mean my hair does not and never will grow straight, so I might as well get over it and it'll grow back after a year or so.

I promise to post pics of my short cut next week...

Tell 'em John!

2010-09-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

This is another MISS original, meaning this post is all their's. To view it in its original format got over to Woman is the N-word of the World.

John and Yoko said it, I just agreed

If she won’t be a slave we say that she don’t love us. If she’s real we say she’s trying to be a man…

In 1972 John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band released the song “Woman is the N—– of the World.” The song was inspired by the statement by James Connolly “the female is the slave of the slave” and tackled the issue of women’s subservience to men across all cultures. Due to the song’s usage of the N-word, which I am not completely opposed to in this particular instance, the song was banned from radio air play and Lennon’s hope to show the world how women had been and were still being treated was lost to the general public.

We insult her every day on TV, and wonder why she has no guts or confidence

If you have not heard the song yet, I suggest you give it a listen, because the issues that it raised in 1972 are still issues that plague women around the world. Women still are taught to be strong but appear weak, to be intelligent but not speak too loudly, to stand by her man through thick and thin, and to be pretty above all things. We turn on the television and are forced to choose between watching over sexualized video girls, materialistic man starved fashionistas, or strong intelligent –itches, mostly due to the appallingly low number of female directors who receive support from big studios. We are still underpaid despite having the same degrees, and we are still expected to make dinner, clean house, take care of the kids, and hold a 9-5 without complaining or asking for a day off. As far as we have come in regards to improving the condition of women and girls in this country in the past 30 odd years since this song has been released, we still have a long way to go baby. I’m not even going to touch on the countless atrocities committed against women in the developing world.

No matter what you feel about the use of a word steeped in a history of hatred and wrong doing, which is actually quite apropos, there is no denying that across all cultures, ethnicities, creeds, and colors, that women are indeed the slave of the slave.

Woman is the n—– of the world, yes she is…think about it.

Rag Trade 101: Its all in the details

2010-08-19T20:30:00.000-07:00

With the economy in its current state, the retail trade has been riding a roller coaster that has resulted in cut backs, store closures, and a general sense of uneasiness all around. In these times, massive chain stores are grasping at straws to find magical cures as to why their customers are turning to lower price points or higher quality goods. They've brought in efficiency experts to stream line production and delivery, experts in retail planning to maximize square footage, and financial planners to cut costs, however they have completely ignored developing their first line of defense in the fight for your hard earned money, the sales associate.

Step into any store in your local mall and ask a sales associate at random questions about a garment's fabrication, construction, or styling and more importantly WHY these things matter in their products and see what they say. Speaking from several years of experience in the trenches, ie working in retail, I can consistently say that sales associates at the moderate-to-better price points (read the average stores in your local malls) are not schooled on product knowledge unless they have been in retail for YEARS or have a background/love of fashion. In a healthy economy this lack of product knowledge at this price point doesn't matter, I mean $150 for a dress when times are booming isn't that big of a deal, however the second times get tough, the sales associate selling a $150 dress to a cash strapped middle-class soccer mom might as well be selling her a luxury item which requires an entirely different approach. Sellers at the bridge to designer price points (Bloomies to Neimans and beyond) can tell you that selling a pair of $500 slacks takes knowing what they are made of, where they came from, how they travel, how they fit into the customer's life and wardrobe, and where to get them altered. the difference between the approach at say Banana Republic, BCBG and Louis Vuitton has more to do with these details, and how each associate is armed with them, than anything that corporate is doing on the back end.

With retailers being at the mercy of their shoppers, arming the people who spend the most time with customers with the best possible tools is akin to making sure that every solider has ammunition. Arming your associates goes far beyond making sure that they greet each customer, take them to a fitting room, flatter them unnecessarily about each potential purchase, and thank them for shopping. Equipping sales associates means you teach them how to read the care symbols on a garment-many only have symbols these days-and most importantly how to communicate the value placed on every garment by those guys at corporate to every interested customer-not literally of course. Doing so may not make each and every customer buy but it will make for more return customers and help ensure that today's "Nothing worked" turns into tomorrow's big purchase.

You Gotta Love Yukimi Nagano!

2010-08-19T17:22:00.000-07:00

This is another MissOmniMedia.com piece, and therefore all images and such are property of that publication. To view the piece in its orginal format go to Fashion Meest Music: Yukimi Nagano

For a country that is about the size of California with 15% of its area sitting pretty inside the Arctic Circle, Sweden definitely proves the adage that size doesn’t matter when it comes to producing a culture of cool. The country that gave us the Nobel Peace Prize, Ingmar Bergman, Ikea, H&M, and True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgard, is also the home of Little Dragon and their amazing front woman, Yukimi Nagano.

If you haven’t heard of Little Dragon, I suggest you scroll down to the bottom of this post and check out a few of their videos or even better, Google them. Both the band’s first and second releases, Little Dragon and Machine Dreams, are filled with the typical experimental electronic beats that our generation is so fond of layered with elements of jazz, soul, and 80’s pop with Yukimi’s angelic voice serving as the band’s center piece.

The 28 year old half Japanese half Swedish-American vocalist, who started out as a jazz singer, was born and raised in Gothenburg, Sweden listening to the wide range of music her mother played, and eventually developed a love for R&B. With influences that range from Prince and Chaka Khan to John Coltrane and Kraftwerk, it is easy to see how Yukimi is quickly becoming the muse of quirky indie loving fashionistas. Her style is as soulful, energetic, and innovative as her voice, and is far removed from the mass produced fast fashion brought to us by her fellow Swedes Hennes & Maurtiz. With her adorable short hair and ability to look at both times quirky and polished, like those cool art/design/music school girls you see on the train and immediately want to style jack, reveals the accessibility of her style that refreshing when compared the sea of stylist-on-speed-dial pop stars on MTV. This accessibility is perhaps the most endearing quality of Yukimi’s style for me; girls love seeing their favorite singers dressed in things they can put together themselves without the need of a glam squad.

Check out the videos and performances below to familiarize yourself not only with Yukimi Nagano’s almost spiritual voice but with her fresh sense of style as well. With a current spot on Gorillaz’s latest, Plastic Beach and internet rumors that Little Dragon is working on their third album, it’s safe to say that Yukimi isn’t going anywhere any time soon.

Creatives Wanted!

2010-08-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

So Tricie, from that other blog I used to run, and I have decided to forgo the usual path to employment and are currently in the process of building a super hot brand new site for you to feast your eyes on. Currently, we are seeking fellow creative types who, due to the recession, are unable to find rel work and are looking to express themselves and build thier portfoilios at the same time. As of today we are in need of writers, graphics folks, and photograhers to help us fulfill our vision of a high quality online fashion/lifestyle publication that covers things we actually want to read. If you are interested shoot an email with a brief bio and links to your blog and/or work samples to contributors.online@gmail.com.

FYI: I'm not getting paid just yet from this therefore this is all about protfolio building. Also we will be accepting pitches, story ideas and submissions from writers asap and will be getting that email address to you later this week.

That is all...Good day!
xo
anab

Vogue Africa Denied by Conde Nast

2010-08-16T13:02:00.000-07:00

This post was orginally written for MissOmniMedia.com and the images and copy shown here are property of that publication. To view this post in its original format got to Vogue Africa Denied by Conde Nast.

For a continent that is often grossly misrepresented in the mainstream media, fashion publications included, a chance to change the way that the rest of the world view’s their shared culture and contributions would have been mind altering to say the least. However, with Condé Nast denying Cameroonian photographer Mario Epanya’s proposal to develop an African edition of Vogue, the culturally diverse continent once again is relegated to safari spreads and pleas for aid.

Condé Nast has yet to comment on why, with 18 editions of the magazine published and distributed from India to Australia, Vogue Africa did not fit their criteria for licensing the Vogue name and likeness. Speculators have alleged everything from the more pressing issues plaguing the people of Africa to the logistics of distributing a publication to 1 billion people in over 2,00 different languages. The most disturbing reason being cited has to do with the lack of diversity in the mainstream fashion media.

After Vogue Italia’s Black issue way back in 2008 and the recent calls for more realistic models, Condé Nast had no problem with Vogue Italia launching Vogue Black and Vogue Curvy sections of their website-all in perfect English by the way-to satisfy the masses calling for diversity. The problem with both of these sites is that, as we Americans learned over 50 years ago, separate is not always equal. By segregating these populations into their own online editions, we are in fact placing a band-aid on an issue that need to be remedied not covered. Instead of focusing on featuring more girls who look like Sessilee Lopez and Crystal Renn on the pages of Vogue-did you notice its always Vogue Italia attempting to display more diversity-we push these girls into their own site on away from the mainstream. I didn’t know Vogue Black existed until recently, and as an African-American woman I was appalled to find a site where Tyra Banks interviews people and stories on stereotypical Black issues are featured-FYI there is already a Vogue Black in print, it’s called Essence. Again, the issue with this is not the clichéd images of women sporting natural hair and Black models smiling backstage, the problem is that there needs to be equal representation on the pages of mainstream outlets to remedy the diversity issue.

Getting back to Vogue Africa, without a definite statement from Condé Nast all we can do is speculate as to why they passed on the opportunity to showcase such a culturally rich continent in a positive light. All too often Africa is still portrayed as a war-torn land of savages ravaged with infectious epidemics, the fact that there are areas of affluence, a rich tradition in textiles and the arts dating back centuries before the founding of America, a diverse array of cultures and traditions, is often left out when mainstream media attempts to define the entire continent with brief snippets from a few countries. Hopefully with this story burning up the blogs, Condé Nast will at least look into expanding the Vogue brand to Africa not only in an effort to inject more diversity into the fashion periodical section at Barnes and Nobles but to also show more of the world the truth about Africa, which is not a country despite that popular misconception.

Are you Size-ist?

2010-07-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

This piece was written for and posted on MissOmniMedia.com, all images and copy are proprty of that publication. To the post in its original format (leave comments), go to Are You Size-ist?

This past weekend the Internet was all a buzz over “plus-sized” model Crystal Renn’s latest photographs. The pictures, taken for non-profit Fashion for Passion by photographer Nicholas Routzen, depict a decidedly less curvy Renn wearing a black Fashion for Passion t-shirt. Everyone from fashion bloggers to the Huffington Post have been whispering that the outspoken anti-size 0 model has dropped weight and caved to industry pressure. From careful observation of the photograph one can say that maybe she did lose a few lbs but she still is far from industry standard. The real issue at hand has more to do with our society’s growing obsession with size, than it has to do with whether or not an already average sized girl got a little closer to average.

To see the effects of an overly size conscious society on young women all you have to do is sit in any fitting room, at any mall, on any given day to hear women in denial of their size. The ugly battle plays out between the size-ist stores bent on making everyone a size 10 and below and the size conscious women who were a size 4 three years ago but now fight to squeeze their size bodies into that old size 4. As a sales associate at stores that very rarely carry anything over a size 10, if they carry a 10, I have been given the side eye, talked about, and told off just for suggesting that the obliviously size 6 client may not be able to fit into a size 0. On the other side of that same coin, I have been asked some of the most personal questions by customers regarding my size as a means to determine whether or not plus sized shoppers where in the right store. At the heart of this issue is both fashion and retail’s blatant disregard for curvier bodies, and the fact that the general public has no idea what sizes actually mean.

As far as fashion and retail goes, they will never care about plus-sized shoppers and curvier standard sized girls unless you hit them where it hurts, right in their profit margins. Stop supporting retailers that do not support you that means stop trying to cram your Beyonce booty into Kate Moss’s jeans. Moving on …As a consumer you need to realize that sizes literally do not mean anything. Really, they don’t. Marilyn Monroe was a size 10, which in 2010 is probably closer to a size 6 due to vanity sizing (vanity sizing is where retailers increase the actual measurements of clothes without increasing the nominal size ie a size 4 now may have been a 6 ten years ago) and we all know Marilyn was and still is a fox. Also in addition to retailers trying to make you feel better by changing their measurements but not their sizes, clothing sizes in the US are far from standardized. Personally, I wear everything from a size 2-6 depending on the store and that is unacceptable.

The lesson here, ladies and gents, is that not only is it unacceptable to measure yourself worth or the self worth of others by a silly little number in a garment but watching to see if a model eats or not is a waste of time. At the end of the day whether Crystal Renn is a size 10 or a size 8, she still is far from plus-sized and the fact that she is an anomaly in the modeling world speaks more about fashion and society’s obsession with size than anything else. You don’t see more Crystal Renn types opening shows, landing huge campaigns, and on the cover of Vogue these days do you?

FashionMeets Music: Kelis "Acapella"

2010-07-07T07:25:00.000-07:00

This post was originally produced for MissOmniMedia.com and all images, logos and copy are property of that online publication. To view this piece in its original format go toFashion Meets Music: Kelis "Acapella"

Kelis is one of the most underrated performers out there. By and large her work before and since “Milkshake” has slipped under the radar, which is the main reason why it has taken me almost three months to see the video for “Acapella” the first single from her latest album Flesh Tone which will be released on Tuesday.

Acapella is the perfect mix of a high fashion editorial and a native hunting excursion with Kelis as the model, art director, and hunting guide. Her barely there outfits, showing off her post baby body, reminds us that long before Gaga was playing with her Haus, Kelis was that beast. On top of the vividly colored outfits and the visually stunning sequences, Kelis rocks some seriously next level make up. From the white face paint and Coming to America meets Pocahontas head dress to the Bond Girl body paint with the Statue of Liberty crown, Kelis keeps us entranced for the full four minutes of Acapella. Let’s not forget that she’s rocking a silver mullet of sorts on top of her head that at times looks both awesomely bad and crazy good-don’t act like you didn’t know Kelis has as many fashion hits as misses.

All fashion and visuals aside, the best part of the video is at the end when we get a glimpse of her adorable son Knight strapped to her back. Not only is he ridding piggy back in his mom’s hottest video, but he’s doing in style. You know this kid is going to be amazing with parents like Nas and Kelis and his first video cameo before he can walk.

Flesh Tone hits stores, and iTunes, tomorrow July 6.

Really, Americn Apparel?

2010-06-30T16:48:00.000-07:00

I told you something was wrong with that company. Now after sexual harassment allegations against their CEO (who happens to look like a 70s porn star and behave like one as well), sketchy hiring procedures, and the announcement that they are on the brink of defaulting on a multi-million dollar loan, American Apparel is now in trouble with the New York Stock Exchange for failing to file their quarterly report with the SEC. Just because you don't bring your mother your report card doesn't me she won't find out you got an F.

All funsies aside, the possible demise of this company brings another blow to America's clothing manufacturing trade. As the largest clothing manufacturer in the country, closing their LA factories will have a devastating effect on the company's over 10,000 employees. While I do feel sorry for the thousands of people who stand to lose their jobs should the company fail, I do not feel sorry for the people making the decisions that have lead to this point. Again, no one wants $60 lace leotards, Mr T starter kits, creepy shrink wrapped gay porn, and overpriced headbands made from scraps of leggings. The second you tried to be ironic is the second your company became the the mockery that its is today.

If I were in charge at American Apparel, I would cut back on the breadth of products being offered, return the company's focus to wholesale rather than opening more crowded disco stores, and stop trying so hard to prove that AA is the clothier of choice for young hip city dwellers. Again, the second you try to be cool, you aren't, but that's another story.

Let's stop pretending we care about soccer.

2010-06-27T11:50:00.000-07:00

Every four years when the World Cup rolls around, Americans get insanely jazzed up about a sport that they ignore the rest of the year. While the guys who make up the American World Cup team are toiling all year long playing games, gathgering points and doing whatever it is they do, the rest of the country is immersed in football, basketbal, baseball, and hockey. While most of us can name at least 5 teams in the NFL and rally around the TV for college sports, no one can name the soccer teams that our USA guys play on during the pre-World Cup years. The question raised here then is why oh why do we flock to pubs and brew houses with a vaguely European feel to sit on pins and needles watching a sport none of us really know the rules to (I should note we are forced to pubs n such to watch these games bc unless you have a satellite dish with the extended sports package you can't watch World Cup)? The answer is two fold, first Americans love displays of patriotism-as they should- and second we love any excuse to drink copious amounts of liquor at random times through out the day. In case you haven't noticed, Ameircans love drinking as much as the next country, we even celebrate holidays of other cultures-St Paddy's and Cinco de Mayo- as an exucse to drink and party all day long, nevermind that we have no idea what we're drinking for.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't watch the World Cup and cheer on our country, who never gets very far in the series due to the fact that we do not care about soccer. What I'm saying is that we should acknowledge that unlike the rest of the world who cheers on their local teams year in and year out, we really don't know much about the sport but we do know a ton about beer.

That was my rant for the weekend.

Rag Trade 101: Targeting the unemployed

2010-06-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

From ages 16-23 you could find me on any given day walking lazily through my local mall spending my parents’ hard earned cash and pushing my credit cards to the limit all for the sake of picking up more disposable clothes. As a child born during the height of the “me” focused 80s and an adolescent during the prosperity of the 90s, being brand conscious had been hardwired into my very soul the moment my mom slipped me into my first pair of Oshkosh B’Gosh overalls. At that tender age, my love affair with quality over quantity began and like most of my peers I soon associated certain brands not only with quality but with my social status and ultimately my self-worth.

Fast forward a few years and the very age range that has been retailers’ bread and butter for the past 10 years is now experiencing a record high of unemployment. With 18% of high school drop outs, college grads, newly minted lawyers and MBAs unable to become productive members of society, the mid priced brands that they learned to rely on are now out of their price range with student loans, credit card debt, and things like rent constantly looming above their heads. For retailers this means that with their core customer now unable or unwilling to purchase merchandise at full price that they would have bought a few years ago, they must either shape up or ship out as they watch former loyal customers shop at lower price points. While brands like French Connection and American Apparel, both targeted at very hip and very unemployed 18-24 year olds, flounder to reconnect with their core customer while maintaining profitability, brands like Forever 21, with their fast fashion and low prices, are busy exploiting not only their usual teen and tween markets but the unemployed and underemployed recent college grads. This has forced mid-priced brands, which once placed a premium on selling quality goods for a reasonable price, to ride the trend wave like their lower priced counterparts without having the means firmly established to do so. Not only are mid-priced brands suffering from a supply chain not set up to quickly turn out trends at a fraction of their current costs, they have also began to alienate their core customer by changing their product offering in an effort to make up for some of the losses they have incurred.

American Apparel, once operating primarily as a wholesaler selling blank t-shirts to screen printers, uniform companies, and retail brands, has gone from a hipster haven of affordable basics to a parody of itself that none of their former diehards would set foot in. With ads on every blog showcasing their costume like full body lace leotards on barely legal practically nude models, and stores filled with out of print gay porn magazines, Mr. T starter kits, and overpriced vintage sunglasses American Apparel has gone from ironic to sad in the past three years in an effort to keep up with the hipstering of America (I’ll do a post on that soon I promise, as it is one of the banes of my existence). By overreacting to what they thought their loyal customer wanted and filling their store to the brim with overpriced vintage and vintage inspired goods, American Apparel has not only alienated their customers but overestimated their loyalty. Why would anyone buy a $200 pair of vintage frames when they could go to any thrift store and pick up the same pair for $5?

Eventually the recession will pick up and the once jobless Millennials will get hired and start spending that hard earned grown up money. However, due to their experiences with chronic unemployment no one knows if they will spend the way they did back in 1999.

Fashion Meets Music: Grace Jones

2010-05-18T15:47:00.000-07:00

This post was originally produced for MissOmniMedia.com, all images and words are property of that publication. To view this post in its original format go toFMM: Grace Jones, don't miss the videos I linked to when you check out the original.

Androgynous, enigmatic, and by far one of the most original divas to ever lend her voice to the disco scene; Jamaican born, New York raised Grace Jones is the definition of fashion meeting music. The amazing Ms. Jones began her career as a model before moving into music and eventually wooing Andy Warhol and being photographed by him and his longtime collaborator, Richard Bernstein. At the height of her career Jones was in several films, including a James Bond flick, where she always played an over the top, eccentric, independent woman who was a bit of a caricature of herself. Currently, Jones is playing the part of ultimate muse to some of pop music’s most popular performers.

Model turned muse, Amber Rose is obviously a serious fan of Ms. Jones as a model and performance artist. From the top of her blond, buzzed head to her well heeled feet, Amber Rose is taking cues left and right from the diva. She even recently recreated one of Jones’s most iconic poses, FYI this isn’t the first time Amber has paid homage to Jones via a photo and surely won’t be the last. If Amber Rose is the president of the Grace Jones fan club, Lady Gaga is her second in command.

La Gaga has done the best job of channeling Jones as a performer. Her music clearly has its roots in the high energy beats of disco and like Jones, Gaga’s sound moved from the club scene to the main stream thanks in part to her kooky style. Both women used their eccentricities to catapult their careers and both insanely talented. However, while Gaga dreams of having worked with and known such prolific artists as Keith Haring and Andy Warhol, Grace Jones actually did. Jones was the pioneer for bringing the underground art scene into the mainstream through her visual appearance, thereby making performers like Gaga possible. Both women are aware of this fact, which is why Gaga recently asked Grace Jones to collaborate with her to which Jones replied,"I’d just prefer to work with someone who is more original and someone who is not copying me, actually."

Burn. It seems as though while Gaga may be enamored with the iconic songstress, Jones is less than dazzled with the younger performer. I guess she isn’t flattered by imitation, then again no old school diva ever really is.

Reading is Sexy!

2010-05-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

This book review was originally written for MissOmniMedia.com and the images and words are property of that publication. To view this post in its original format go to, Reading is Sexy: Bad Shoes and the Women Who Love Them.

Growing up in a home where my mother covered the floor of her closet with pumps, sandals, flats, and more shoes than Imelda Marcos could shake a foot at, it’s no wonder that at 25 my shoe collection is nothing to play with. Being that my closet is filled with heels ranging from 3 ½”- 5”, I was quite skeptical when I began reading Bad Shoes and the Women Who Love Themby Leora Tanenbaum. While I do not plan on trading in my Calvin Klein platforms for a pair of Aerosoles, I have been convinced to be a bit more practical when deciding which shoes to wear to work versus the ones to wear on date nights.

Leora Tanenbaum is no stranger to shining a light on some of the everyday issues that plague women in this seemingly modern age, her first three books dealt with slut-bashing, cat-fighting, and women reclaiming God. As a feminist writer, it seemed only natural for her to tackle to phenomenon of perfectly sensible women wearing shoes that are unhealthy in the name of fashion and feeling feminine. In the attempt to issue a much needed wake up call to the stilettoed masses, Tanenbaum enlists a bevy of experts on feet, fashion, and the Carrie Bradshaw wannabes who walk Manhattan in Louboutins to the detriment of their bodies.

Most fashion girls won’t be persuaded by Tanenbaum’s assertion that Carrie Bradshaw is “a desperate, disempowered character” and that her closet of clothes and shoes is representation that she is unable to plant her feet firmly on the ground. They also won’t turn down a pair of Manolo’s because they read that the pointy toe box and ultra slim heel is representative of a phallus, or of society forcing us to confrom to another unattainable standard of bueaty that we are too image conscious to ditch. They will however stop in their tracks when they read a quote from Vogue’s Uncle Andre calling for them to stop being fashion beasts and get real.

I, for one, am over the mania for the high, high heel. Too many career women look like a herd of fashion beasts, aping one another in impractical shoes. -Andre Leon Talley

Overall the book is not a call for us to burn our heels but for us to become more informed consumers. Hopefully if you know that the brand new pair of shoes you just spent your entire paycheck on will eventually make your feet look like a Hobbit’s, you will think twice before wearing them all day, every day. For me, while cleaning out my closet is not an option, I have begun to notice how the pain in my feet is connected to the pain in my lower back and that a set of $12 insoles can keep that pain at bay without me having to kick off my flat boots(flats without arch support are jsut as bad for your feet as heels) the second I leave work.

Death of a legend

2010-05-10T07:07:00.000-07:00

This morning the world mourns the passing of the incomparable Lena Horne. Born in Bed-Stuy in June of 1917, Ms Horne made history, broke barriers, and became an inspiration to all with her beautiful voice and graceful good looks. From a chorus girl at the Cotton Club to an award winning actress and singer, Lena Horne's career has spanned generations. Her presence will surely be missed althogh her legacy is sure to live on.

Girls bully too.

2010-05-10T06:51:00.000-07:00

This article was originally produced for MissOmniMedia.com, all images and content if property of that publication. To view this piece in its original format clik here, Ladies, can't we all just get along?

Recently Phoebe Prince, a 15 year old high school student killed herself after suffering months of bullying at the hands of her peers. The sad thing is that situations like Phoebe’s are becoming more and more common. Young girls are wounding each other beyond repair over guys, clothes, and whatever other superficial things teenagers obsess over these days. Even more serious is the fact that these teenaged aggressors, unlike the characters in Mean Girls, very rarely learn their lessons and go on to become mean women. Ladies, why can’t we all just get along?

From age 12-17, I went to an all-girl’s Catholic school and know firsthand how vicious teenage girls can get when a false sense of competition is involved. I’ve seen girls get nasty and force alienation on someone who they perceived as a threat, and make that person’s life a living hell. They hunted in packs like wolves and wielded the female tendency to form bonds verbally and emotionally as a weapon. It was more like watching a pack of wolves take down an animal on National Geographic than watching high school drama. Sadly, almost ten years later I know for a fact that some of these ladies only got older and not wiser. Need proof, just turn on the TV.

The women of The Bad Girls Club, Real Housewives of ATL/NYC/the OC/Jersey, and that new abomination Basketball Wives, all prove that for some odd reason women have been made to believe that we are in constant competition with each other. I bet if you look back into any of these “ladies’” pasts you’ll see that they were high school mean girls or girls who were bullied and believed that the only way to survive was to eat or be eaten. These are the same women who spread rumors at work, get crazy when their man looks at you in the club, and are prone to insane amounts of drama. Trust me ladies, being a professional mean girl is a sure way to end up alone, no man wants a drama queen and no one wants to be friends with one.

At the heart of this petty behavior are deep seated insecurities that often stem from a false sense of limited supply and unlimited demand. Since I’m no Frasier Crane, nor do I pretend to be, I have to say that we need to wake up ladies. There is no need for this, whether you’re 18 or 48 it is not acceptable to go around hurting other people for whatever reason your therapist made up this week. Do you realize that if we pooled all of energy, time, and creativity wasted on tearing each other apart and focused it on doing whatever it is we were put on Earth to do, women could rule the world? Instead we’re stuck dodging bullets from middle school to the nursing home. Shame on you.

Movie Merchandise: Who buys this Stuff?

2010-05-10T06:46:00.000-07:00

This piece was originally written for MissOmniMedia.com, all images are property of that publication. To view this post in its original format click here, Movie Merchandise: Who buys this stuff?

Remember back when times were simpler and movie merchandise was relegated to lunch boxes, tee shirts, kid’s meals and the toy aisle? Back when a new Disney movie dropped and you were anxious to get a Princess Jasmine toy with your cheeseburger or an Aladdin for the boys. In the golden age of Disney movies, waaay before Hannah Montana, I had the Aladdin sheet set, a Pocahontas that rowed in the bath and Land Before Time hand puppet. Now, years later, I’ve started to notice that the same movie execs pushing Disney merchandise in the 90s have caught on to the fact that those of us weaned on buying movie merchandise have grown up therefore are now selling random merchandise for PG-13 flicks.

I don’t remember my mom or older cousins buying Waiting to Exhale anything, besides the book, or snagging “Nobody puts Baby in a corner” martini glasses. However it now seems that no movie goes unmerchandised. Sex and the City has spawned Christmas tree ornaments, walk clocks, and even a set of character themed thongs, all of which are aimed at girls in their late teens and twenties. Alice in Wonderland’s recent release brought us the usual Disney merchandise along with make-up palettes, nail polish, and a line of Disney Couture jewelry, not to mention a ton of pieces inspired by the film. I won’t even being to touch on the madness that I am assaulted with when entering my local Borders that goes by the name The Twilight Saga, Harry Potter may have an amusement park, but Edward Cullen has perfume. Even B movies like the upcoming Kick-Ass have branded merchandise these days.

Seriously, as a die-hard movie and fashion fanatic who grew up with a mess of movie memorabilia, I have to ask who is buying this stuff. Admittedly, I did get a Twilight t-shirt as a gag gift for my 24th birthday but I never wear it in public, and as hard core as I am about Harry Potter the closest I come to HP merch is my collection of hardbacks. While I may pick up an item that was expertly placed in Carrie Bradshaw’s closet of a piece inspired by a film, as a grown-up I would never buy something that has a movie’s logo or characters on it. I also tend to shy away from movies that over saturate the market with a ton of junk-yeah James Cameron, I’m talking about you and your Avatar stuff. I also get a wee bit embarrassed when I have to wait in line to see blockbuster movies on opening night, but I digress.

Someone has to buying this stuff…not it!

Fashion Meets Music: Andre 3000

2010-05-10T06:43:00.000-07:00

All imgaes and copy are property of MissOmniMedia.com. To view this article in its original format click here, Fashion Meets Music: Andre 3000.

Since it ain’t where you from its where you pay rent, it is seemingly safe to say I’m an Atlantan, for now. That fact, in addition to me being born and raised in the South, makes this post a little bit sweeter for me. Since hitting the scene in 1994, Outkast and Andre 300 have become the ambassadors of cool for the South in general and for Atlanta in particular.

Before the cartoon, the clothing line, Erykah Badu, and being named one of the “World’s Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities”, Andre 300 was Andre Benjamin, Atlanta native, a student of the violin and already picking up both musical and sartorial influences like a sponge. When Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik dropped in ’94 Andre was far from the space-aged, Southern gent that we now know him to be and was more of just your typical guy from around the way knocking around in his Braves jersey. Nothing about mid-90’s Andre hinted at the brilliance simmering under the surface. From there both his style and Outkast’s music took a turn to the surreal, obviously influenced by funk and his relationship with the equally trippy Erykah Badu, with the release of both ATLiens and Aquemini. At the same as his music took a turn to the space age, so did his style. What began with turbans to accent his outfits turned into high-waisted pants, wigs, and a sort of 70’s revival complete with multicolored outfits and crocheted hats. Eventually, Andre exited the mother ship and returned to the influences from his middle classed with his album The Love Below and again his style followed suit, with the introduction of Depression Era threads, seersucker, and pastels.

Perhaps the most appealing element of his style is his ability to constantly reinvent himself. Andre’s evolution, unlike that of some other celebrities, has as much to do with his own personal journey towards truth and discovery as an artist than it does record sales. His ability to find something from the past and reinterpret it for today’s audiences in a way that keeps him constantly perched on the next level.

New place to find me!

2010-05-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

So, this is kinda new, news but not so much. Now in addition to blogging at MissOmniMedia.com and Examiner.com you can also find me waxing lyrically about women's issues adn my daily life at Skirt.com-the online home of Skirt! Magazine....that is all.

FYI this pic is totally irrelevant, I just like it.

FMM: Malcolm McLaren

2010-04-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

All imgaes and copy are property of MissOmniMedia.com. To view this article in its original format click here, Fashion Meets Music: Malcolm McLaren Punk's Architect.

If Dame Vivienne Westwood is the mother of punk then Malcolm McLaren was certainly punk’s bawdy, provocative father. With the recent passing of the iconoclast who managed The New York Dolls, helped form The Sex Pistols, and outfitted them all with the help of his main squeeze at the time, Dame Viv, it is only fitting that we spotlight the far reaching influence of the man behind the hype.

If you’ve been keeping up with your MISS readings, you already know in opening his shop at 430 Kings Road in London McLaren became responsible for helping to turn Vivienne Westwood from a school teacher into the Dame of British fashion. You also know that it was in that shop that McLaren met John Lydon, who would eventually take on the moniker Johnny Rotten and become the lead singer of the Sex Pistols, and John Ritchie, aka Sid Vicious. In this little shop, which went be several names since its opening in 1971, punk rock was defined and given its iconic look by McLaren and Westwood. It also goes without saying that through his work managing acts like the New York Dolls and the Sex Pistols and his work as a solo artist and performer, McLaren has influenced a generation and will continue to do so.

However, while McLaren’s shop and Westwood’s fashions played a huge part in shaping the development of and look of the UK’s early punk movement, it was the Bromley Contingent, those fans and followers of the Sex Pistols that really brought punk to the forefront. Members included Siouxsie Sioux, Billy Idol and Jordan, who worked at McLaren’s SEX boutique. The fashion statements made by many of these artists continue to live on in today’s punk and goth circles.

As a child of the 80’s, it was McLaren’s involvement with the New Romantics that continues to inspire me. During the 80’s McLaren managed Adam and the Ants, the ultimate New Romantic band, whose front man’s elaborate tribal inspired/pirate make up has undoubtedly prompted many a cute hipster girl to take a brush to her face. McLaren also found a 13 year old girl singing while working at a dry cleaner’s and made her the lead singer of Bow Wow Wow, in an effort to promote Vivienne Westwood’s latest designs. With her exotic looks and stupid cool mohawk, she rocked the shaved side look waaay before Cassie, Lwin happens to be my choice for most underrated 80s style icon. While I’m at it, you can’t talk Annabella Lwin and Bow Wow Wow without mentioning the fact that at 15 Lwin posed fully nude on the cover of the group’s first full-length album, which of course caused a swarm of controversy.

After managing acts and helping to kick start a movement, McLaren went on to be a successful performer and self promoter in his own right. His singles “Buffalo Gals” and “Double Dutch” became top 10 hits in the UK and his album Duck Rock, which mixed influences from Africa and the Americas, helped to bring hip hop to a wider audience in the UK. More recently his song “ About Her”, based on The Zombies “She’s Not There” featuring a sample of Esther Bigeou’s “St. Louis Blues, was used in Kill Bill Vol 2. In 2008, nine pieces McLaren’s 21-part sound painting series, Shallow, premiered in Times Square via MTV’s insanely huge HD screen and was the first installment of an on-going public arts project between MTV and Creative Time.

Check out the video Double Dutch, these girls have some skills that would have killed on the play ground, and for Madame Butterfly which was sampled by Amerie.

Although he may be gone, Malcolm McLaren’s work will continue to inspire musicians, artists and fashionistas alike

Madonna does eyewear with D&G

2010-03-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

This article originally appeared on MissOmniMedia.com and all images and words are property of that publication. To view the post in its original format go to MissOmniMedia.com.

Hot on the heels of the announcement of her deal with Iconix Brand Group Inc to bring her iconic style to the masses via Macy’s, Madonna has teamed up with Dolce and Gabbana to co-design several pairs of sunglasses. This marks the first co-designed project for Dolce and Gabbana and will be the first of many products to go on sale under Madonna and Iconix’s joint venture, MG Icon LLC.

With her status as the star of D&G’s current ad campaign, combined with her long standing friendship with the designers, its a wonder we haven’t seen these powerhouses pair up before. Unlike most celebrity collaborations, the duo ensures us that Madonna was very hands on. She edited Dolce and Gabbana’s 50 sketches to her liking which resulted in a broad selection of six amazing sunglasses bearing the logo MDG that will be sure to nurture the Material Girl in all of us. The collection will retail from $248-$289 and will be carried in all Dolce and Gabbana stores in addition to the Sunglasses Hut chain and select opticians beginning in May.

Madonna, being the super woman that she is, did not just stop at co-designing the line but also is the mastermind behind the collection’s ad campaign. She enlisted photographer Steven Klein, who also shot Dolce and Gabbana’s spring ad campaign to re-create the drama and sensuality present in film noir for the print ads, which are actually stills taken from a video that was shot in a studio in New York.

The brilliance of the campaign and the classic feel of the sunglasses can be best summed up in this quote by Stefano Gabbana…. “She’s the way people see her — a real star, admired, desired and spied.”

Be sure to check out the campaign when it hits newsstands in May and save up those tax returns to grab a pair of MDG shades before you scoot off on vacation this summer.

Fine Art + Fashion

2010-03-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

This article was originally writen as a report for Examiner.com and appears on that site in its entirety.

Last night over 500 of Atlanta’s most fashionable and most notable people stepped out to celebrate fashion at Fine Art + Fashion, a benefit for the National Black Arts Festival. A beautifully clad Victoria Rowell hosted the event in a bright blue dress and strappy Louboutin's.

Textured hair and natural makeup accessorized the beautiful spring fashions by designers like Chanel, Dolce and Gabbana and Oscar De LaRenta , all provided by Saks Fifth Avenue. While well known designers like Fendi and Michael Kors brought the glamour and class expected of their brands, it was little known designer Yigal Azrouelwhose minimal designs ruled the night. You may know Azrouel as the designer who fired Kelly Cutrone after the People's Rev founder sat call girl Ashley Dupre front row at his show during New York Fashion Week 2009. Other stand outs from the night included a navy and gold goddess gown by Chanel and a purple sequined dress by Alice + Olivia . Read this article in its entirety.

The Radiant Child

2010-02-26T12:26:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, the flim Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child, was released in its enterity. The flim, directed by Basquiat's friend Tamra Davis, features unbefore seen footage of the prolific artist and troubled child taken by Davis just s few years before the artist's passing.

While in Miami last December taking in the sights and sounds of Art Basel Miami Beach, I was able to attend a free preview of this film. Davis and several of Basqiuat's close friends shared their stories of his work and Basquiat the man. The entire thing was moving in a way that only people from that time in New York can move you. They painted a picture of the dirty underworld as a glamorous think tank for writers, artists, musicians and any other creative life force. From this dirty, dark, glamorous world Jean -Michel Basquiat rose to take street art from the sides of buildings to canvas to the world and was ultimately re-claimed by it.

The flim isn't really the stereotypical artist's bio filled with sex, drugs, drinking and genius. It does contain all those things but more importantly it is a snapshot of a man by the people who knew him best.

In all honesty cleaning up the film that I saw would be inconsistent with Basquiat's work and image, then again I kinda have a thing for rough edges.

"build a fort, set it on fire" - Jean-Michel Basquiat

The Glamorous Life: Madonna for Dolce Gabbana part deux

2010-02-22T11:18:00.000-08:00

This article originally appeared on MissOmniMedia.com and all images and words are property of that publication. To view the post in its original format go to MissOmniMedia.com.

About a month ago we showed you the first images from the new Dolce and Gabbana ad campaign starring Madonna as an old school Italian domestic goddess. Now a second batch of images from the campaign have surfaced showing the icon channeling La Dolce Vita while doing more mundane tasks such as applying her own makeup and sweeping. While the clothing is less than impressive, the images of Madonna are striking. My fave has to be the one of her sitting in reverence holding a napkin, it looks just like a scene from her video for Like A Prayer, which she recently performed during the Hope for Haiti Now telethon . Classic

Jean Paul Gaultier for Target

2010-02-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

This article originally appeared on Examiner.com. To view this article in its original format please go to that site.

I'm sure you have all gotten a glimpse of Jean Paul Gaultier for Target's lookbook. Target has decided to re-release images from the lookbook, due to the previous ones being a bit small. Now you can get a better look at the clothes and decide if you'll be one of the ladies in line on March 7th patiently waiting for your local store to open, so that you can be one of the first on your block to sport a look from the capsule collection...Read the rest of this article at examiner.com

Caren West talks Kell on Earth

2010-02-12T07:31:00.000-08:00

This piece originaly appeared on Examiner.com. To view it in its enterity please go to that website.

Last Monday night Bravo gave every fashion and pr girl from here to L.A. yet another reason to set their DVRs with the premier of Kell on Earth, a show chronicling the life and times of the guys and gals at People’s Revolution and their mama wolf Kelly Cutrone. Although Atlanta’s pr girls don’t have to worry about seating Vogue’s editors too close to Harper’s, they do have face the same pressures and demands from their clients whether they be America’s only couturier or the coolest husband and wife jewelry line to hit the scene....Read the entire article here.

Kelly Cutrone: Publicist Turned Reality Star/Author?

2010-02-01T07:56:00.000-08:00

This article was originally written for and appears on MissOmniMedia.com. All words and images are property of that publication. To view the article in its entrity click here.

Long before she made a cameo on The Hills or was fired by Yigal Azrouël for seating hooker with a heart of gold Ashley Dupré front row at his show during fashion week, I was borderline obsessed with Kelly Cutrone. Her no-nonsense attitude, impressive list of clients and the fact that People’s Revolution holds a record for most fashion shows produced on September 11, 2002 is one of the main reasons I began dabbling in PR in the first place. So it comes as no surprise that I was a bit excited when I heard that she was finally getting her own reality show and dropping her first book all in one month.

This single mother turned authoress, didn’t miss a beat while filming two reality shows, prepping for fashion week, and writing her self help book, “If You Have to Cry Go Outside and Other Things Your Mother Never Told You”, this past summer. According to Cutrone the book deals with what it means to be feminine and reaches out to young women giving them advice served up in her usual shoot from the hip tone. With chapters like “A Bitch is Not a Bad Word” and “It’s Not a Break Down, It’s a Breakthrough”, the book could either be fun and filled with witty advice or overly cliché but a best seller because its author happens to be a brilliant publicist. While I may be on the fence about her ability to translate her pearls of wisdom into an awesome tome, I am more than confident her reality show will be one to watch.

After being fed bits of Cutrone’s straight talk and love of the color black via cameos on MTV’s The Hills and The City, the channel responsible for bringing Rachel Zoe and Brad to the masses, is now bringing People’s Rev and fashion PR to the forefront. On the plus side I know Kelly and her staff are way cooler than Taylor and Brad which will make for beyond interesting TV. In addition, 70 percent of her clients have agreed to appear on the show, meaning we actually get to see Jeremy Scott come in the office instead of listening to one side of a conversation with him. The down side is, the promotion of fashion public relations will make it twice as hard for me to find a j-o-b, but I digress.

When asked by WWD if she was planning on moving away from the PR biz to focus on her own personal brand Cutrone had this to say…

“P.r. is what I know how to do to make money and it’s what I’m really good at, I think it’s a natural thing to say, ‘Oh, OK. Well, now Kelly Cutrone has to leave p.r., but that would be an old model and I’m not really interested in old models….Do I want to stick around when I’m making a fortune writing books and producing television, taking s–t from a designer who pays $6,000 a month who doesn’t want to pay their bills for three months? No. Does being on TV and writing books give me the freedom to kick their asses out of my office before they f–k me over? Yeah. That’s the reality”

Well said.

Kell On Earth premiers on Bravo on Feb 1 and “If You Have to Cry Go Outside and Other Things Your Mother Never Told You” hits your local bookstores on Feb 2.

Husband and wife jewelry designers make one of a kind pieces affordable

2010-02-01T07:48:00.000-08:00

This piece was originally written for and appears on Examiner.com. To view the piece in its enterity click here.

Finding one of a kind jewelry that can be worn everyday of the week without having to refinance your house can be a daunting task. What isn’t costly, is usually cheap not chic and can easily be found in any mall across the country. Enter Limón Verde, an online jewelry boutique based in Atlanta that specializes in unique, handcrafted pieces that are both original and affordable. The designs, which are both classic and contemporary, reveal not only the steady hand that produced them but a delicate beauty that has been pushed aside due to the bold looks stomping down the runways as of late...

Paper-Cut Project: Sharp edged hats

2010-02-01T07:43:00.000-08:00

This article was written fro and appears on Examiner.com. To view the article in its enterity, click here.

Back in elementary school, paper hats consisted of newspaper folded into a somewhat triangular shape that could barely make it through recess. Now Atlanta based pair style writer Amy Flurry and artist Nikki Salk, have elevated the childhood joy of creating with paper to incredible new heights. The ladies took to designing the impressive paper headpieces as therapy for a difficult year, and were convinced that the fashion community would be eager to join in on their paper play. As a glaring confirmation, Paper-Cut Project has several wigs and hats currently on display at Jeffery New York and Atlanta where the works of art are quietly upstaging the designer duds. Suddenly our inner third grader is wishing they weren't forced to give up on making those three cornered hats, then again our inner third grader could only dream of coming close to anything this amazing....

Let down your hair, Rapunzel Rapunzel let down your hair.

2010-01-25T15:45:00.000-08:00

The fashion world is all a flutter these days with love, disgust, and whatever feeling falls in between, all aimed at a girl who hasn't even bought her first "real" bra yet. Tavi Gevison, the witty prodigy behind Style Rookie, has editors and bloggers alike shaking in their Maison Martin Margiela boots. Either they view her as a novelty that will soon pass-soon meaning the second her 13 year old body collides with puberty-or they view her as a threat, a dangerous bug needing to be squashed before she siphons off anymore of their limelight.

Yes, having Tavi cover Haute Couture week is a cheap gimmick being pushed by magazines hungry for readers and designers dying to stand out. Yes, it's a bit ridiculous that publications geared toward 35 year old women are hiring a 13 year old girl to write for their readers. However, this precocious fashion eccentric in the making is doing something very right.

Her writing style and technique are well above the average middle schooler's, trust me I know a thing or two about middle schoolers, and her references are sick. As a 25 year old, honestly I'd hang out with her if only to talk about film and designers. Beyond her actual skill, the thing Tavi get's right the most is being 13.

I remember being a teenager; it was hell and still is for most. From about 12-17 all most kids want to do is fit it. That means wearing the "right" clothes, watching certain movies, listening to certain music and basically becoming a clone until you grow up and hopefully snap out of it, or you and the other lemmings jump ship. The teenage years are notoriously unkind to bookish types who shun convention and follow their own inner muse. Its usally the bookish ones that hang out with Taschen, have an offbeat sense of humor, and would rather spend Friday night online than at a football game that end up being the envy of their 10 year reunions. The people that roll with the herd usually end up-surprise, surprise-as one of the nameless, faceless masses.

How does this relate to Tavi? Well she's obviously a girl who's read a book or ten in her short life and her attire is far from that perfect Lolita mix of innocence and sex that you'll find in most 13 year olds' closets. She does the one thing right that takes most of us well into our 20s to figure out; she is herself. Love her or hate her, she is the only person she knows how to be. In the shuffle through adolescence most of us lose sight of how easy it can be to be who we are, mostly beacause children are cruel, teenage girls in particular, we forget how awesome it is to be offbeat. The novelty of Tavi is that she hasn't. Whether she truly is some sort of fashion savant is of no concern to me, I don't take fashion advice from anyone and I'm the only fashion critic that I trust. The girl has cotton candy blue hair for Christ's sake, it's amazing I would've cried if my hair were that color at 13 then again blue hair was very "90s girl in a band".

Anyway, all I'm saying is that it is petty for adults to whine and bitch about a young girl doing a better job at their jobs than they do. Up your game! And to those bevy of bloggers out there taking her to task, do not be upset that you aren't the chosen one this season. In the words of Andy Warhol "In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes." I just wonder if there are enough minutes to go around.

Whew...that was long, sorry I didn't warn you to grab a cup of tea or something.

Yes Virgina, You Do Have to Work the Day After Christmas.

2009-12-28T16:00:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: This article was originally writen for Examiner.com, to view it in its entirity please follow the link to that page.

You were a good shopper this year, you purchased everything well in advance to avoid the traffic jams and long lines at your local mall, yet somehow due to an oversight, you were forced to come out on Christmas Eve and exchange a sweater that you bought two sizes too small. It took you an hour to find a parking spot and fifteen minutes to find the appropriate size, and now you are faced with a long line and a seemingly apathetic sales associate standing between you and an evening by the fire. She is moving slow and has an attitude that would trump both Ebenezer Scrooge and The Grinch on a bad night. Before you give this girl a piece of your tired and stressed out mind, take two seconds and remember that her sour mood has nothing to do with you trying to make an exchange and get a price adjustment without a receipt, and everything to do with the effects of a down economy on her ability to escape adolescence and move into the adulthood she was promised when she got her degree. Read the full article...

H&M Comes to Cumberland Mall

2009-11-23T12:25:00.000-08:00

This article was written for Examiner.com. To view it in its entirety go to Examiner.com, don't forget to check out more of my examiner wirtings and tell a friend.

At Cumberland Mall the red carpet and velvet ropes were rolled out for shoppers as they counted down the minutes until they could experience H&M’s newest location in the greater Atlanta area. While they waited, the first hundred customers in line were treated to an Access to Fashion gift pass valued from $10-$100. At 12pm the doors opened and unleashed a tidal wave of hip, fashionable girls and guys onto the staff who was eagerly awaiting their arrival. As an additional treat to shoppers, stylist Gretta Monahan, a regular on the Rachel Ray show, was on hand to give style tips. One lucky shopper received a personal style consultation with Gretta, complimenting their personal style with the latest trends at H&M. Go to Examiner.com to view the rest of the article.

Brad and Ange for Asprey

2009-11-23T12:04:00.000-08:00

This article was written for MissOmniMedia.com, therefore all words and images are property of that online publication. To view the original article in its entirety at MissOmniMedia.com. To view more of my writings for MISS, go to MissOmniMedia.com/author/anastasia/.

There’s a new announcement, almost every day, that a different celebrity is taking a spin at designing a line of something. The newest celebrity designers are globe-trotting, do-gooders, Brad Pit and Angelina Jolie.

Hollywood’s hottest couple is designing a capsule collection of jewelry and accessories for high end jewelry company Aspery. The limited edition collection, titled The Protector, is obviously inspired by the serpent, who Angelina believes to be a protector of her family after receiving a serpent ring during her pregnancy with Shiloh.

The collection will go on sale later this week at Asprey’s London, New York, Beverly Hills, Tokyo, and Dubai locations. Prices start at $525 for a silver baby spoon with a serpent handle. Also featured in the collection are silver gifts for the little ones including a picture frame, tooth box and an egg cup. For everyone else, there are serpent rings and pendants made of gold and micropavé diamonds.

All net proceeds from sales will go to Education Partnership for Children of Conflict, which was co-founded by Jolie in 2006. The charity raises awareness and funds to educate child victims of war, conflict and natural disasters. Jolie told WWD that “These are the children who most need a safe place to learn, a place to heal, a place to learn reconciliation, a place to build a better future and a place — to just be children. Yet the education for these children is often forgotten. Tens of millions of children and adolescents in conflict are not in school.”

The collection looks awesome and the fact that all the money goes to help educate children is exactly the kind of thing I expected from Brad and Ange.

Huate Plate

2009-11-14T12:15:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: This article was originally written for Xposure Magazine. To view ithe original article go to Xposure365.com.

According to WWD80’s icon, Cyndi Lauper, and pop’s newest princess, Lady Gaga, have just been tapped by MAC to be the latest faces of the MAC AIDS Fund. The campaign, entitled “From Our Lips” will break on Febuary 25. Each lady will have a Viva Glam lipstick shade named after them, that will retail for $14 each and will be available in North America on March 18 and globally throughout the month. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be donated to the MAC AIDS Fund. Considering both ladies are huge advocates for Gay rights and both are known for their outrageous style, MAC couldn’t have picked better.

There's No Place like China Glaze

2009-11-14T12:12:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: This post was written for MissOmniMedia.com. Al words and images are property of that publication. To view the orginal post in its entirety click here. To view more of my MissOmniMedia.com posts go to MissOmniMedia.com/author/Anastasia.

China Glaze is re-releasing their "Wizard of Oh Ahz" collection just in time for the Holiday party season, and these are not Auntie Em’s colors. Inspired by the Technicolor romp to the Emerald City, this collection is similar to the original, released in 2001, but with more glitz. The glittery shades are the perfect way to ensure that your mani-pedi game is sewn shut for those Holiday parties we all have to attend next month. This way when those co-workers you don’t like mingle in your direction for small talk, all you have to do is look at your nails, click your heels three times, and say "There’s no place like home."

Colors from left to right:

Ruby Pumps- Classic red glitter. There's no need to go home too early when your nails look this sexy.

Cowardly Lyin'-Gold frost with specs of gold micro glitter. Think 14k gold for your nails.

The Ten Men-Silver frost with specs of micro silver glitter. Imagine the Tin Man is not made of tin, but the same chrome as a rapper's rims and is then distilled into a nail polish.

Dorothy Who?-Blue polish with tons of silver and blue glitter. We are definitely not in Kansas anymore.

C-C-Courage-Purple frost with specs of purple micro glitter. A purple befitting the king of the jungle.

Good Witch-Pink frost with specs of pink micro glitter. Sugary sweet, this take on Glenda's iconic dress will surely bring out your inner prom queen.

The New Girl

2009-11-02T16:49:00.000-08:00

Beth Pilger may have over ten years of experience in the fashion industry, however when it comes to the Atlanta market, Beth is the new girl in town.
A Parsons graduate and West Virginia native, Beth Pilger took on the daunting task of designing her own line of women's ready to wear, after freelancing as a design assistant, tradeshow assistant and costumer. She used this experience along with her MBA to develop a line that goes well beyond creating beautiful clothing that speaks to everyone. Read more

Calendar Girl

2009-11-02T16:45:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: This article was written for MissOmniMedia.com, and the images and words belong to that online publication. To view the original article and to download the November Calendar, click the link and enjoy...xo

Yours truly is now the official calendar writer for MissOmniMedia.com and will be keeping your feet and finger tips fly for the months to come.

Come with me and you’ll see a world of pure imagination, on your feet at least. Booji’s Spring/Summer 2010 release, Regal-One Wonderland, is a delightful and imaginative mix of 8 oz cotton canvas, pebble full grain leather, pro leather and drytex lining. All of that wrapped up with Booji’s signature deco-quilt stitching and reptile outlook lining which, as we mentioned in an earlier post, gives them a Chanel feel. Let us not forget the insanely cute ankle pouch, modeled after a certain Chanel accessory made famous by a hard partying celebutante a few years back. For me it equals no more stuffing your money in your socks where it gets all soggy, now you can keep your dollars crisp when you forgo carrying a purse. Last but far from least, we paired these imaginative sneakers with a super hot mani, that drives home the idea of keeping your money fresh and at hand, while playing off of the Wonderland’s regal purple colorway.

MK and Ashley O Get Shady

2009-10-20T09:34:00.000-07:00

This piece was originally written for MissOmniMedia.com but alas it was unused due to uncontrolled circumstances...It happens...After putting so much work into it I decided I had to post it somewhere and here it is.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have been slowly taking over the world one step at a time since they shared screen time as Michelle Tanner. After tackling TV, DVDs, Wal-Mart and the runways, the girls are moving into eyewear for Spring 2010.

For the collection the Olsens are teaming up with Linda Farrow Eyewear, the mastermind behind Dries Van Noten ‘s and Jeremy Scott’s innovative eyewear, to produce four distinct styles for their luxury line, The Row, in a licensed partnership. The four styles include a pair of aviators, an oversized square frame, vintage inspired brow-lined rims, and awesome John Lennon-esque round shades. The glasses will retail from $325-$390 and will be sold in high end department stores such as Barneys New York and Bergdorf Goodman.

According to WWD, Ashley Olsen stated that “We’re testing the market first and obviously these are four very different silhouettes, so we’re seeing what people are responding to and we’ll open up a couple more silhouettes for fall,” and “We tried to find certain pieces that look good on more than one face, to pay close attention to how they fit certain faces and make them wearable at the same time.”

The girls have already made a name for themselves in the accessories market through the expansion of their contemporary line, Elizabeth and James, into footwear and jewelry. However designing eyewear has proven to be an entirely different ball game for the girls. Mary-Kate told WWD, “Designing eyewear was definitely more complicated than we thought, and of course we wanted to be extremely hands-on.” The girls’ hands-on approach has definitely paid off, as evidenced by Mary Kate rocking a pair of the unreleased sunnies to the Burberry show during London Fashion Week.

Romero Bryan brings London style to Atlanta

2009-09-30T07:19:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: This article was orignally written for Examiner.com. All content belongs to the author and is not to be reproduced without her consent.

British “boy wonder” Romero Bryan is now back in London basking in the glory of another successful show completed during London Fashion Week and gearing up for the BEFFTA Awards where he was nominated for best male designer. Just a few weeks ago the 26 year old was here in Atlanta looking for potential buyers and enjoying the sights and sounds of Atlanta....For the full article go to examiner.com.