Its been almost 4 years since I started this blog. So much has changed. So many life updates. Lets start with school: I switched my major from nursing to psychology and graduated May 2017 with my BA in Psychology with a concentration in Mental Health. *Yay* I got into graduate school *Double Yay* and i'm currently going into my second and final year, about to obtain my Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
I moved out of my dads house! I now live on my own. Its been almost a year since I moved out into my own apartment. Its been tough but worth it.
I bought a new car, my dad got remarried and now I have a baby sister. I'm still *VERY* single but honestly i'm trying to live my best life. Thats about it. Its been an insane 4 years for me and i've enjoyed every second of it. Writing this update was very therapeutic for me. I didn't realize how blessed I truly am. I also didn't realize how much i've grown as a person. To achieve so much in 5 short years, I need to stop minimizing my success and start celebrating it. I hope you can too!
Movies and music collided last night at 2014 MTV Movies Award. The show was hosted by my one of my favorite tall person, fellow Celtics fan and red head Conan O'Brien. It was a hilarious show featuring 50 cameos from Celebs, a hot shirtless Zac Efron, Mila Kunis and her adorable cute baby bump and the epic performance from the beautiful and talented Rihanna and Eminem.
Now on to the epic and not so epic outfits at last nights show. The Celebs came out sporting different trends, some totally nailed and others not so much.
As Paris Fashion Week continues one person stands out among everyone and that person is a fellow Caribbean girl, Rihanna Robin Fenty as known as bad gyal riri. The Bajan singer and fashion killer instagram has been blowing up with her fashion adventures. While most celebs were in L.A for the Oscars Rihanna stayed in PaRih and murdered the fashion scene. She has been walking the streets of PaRih and sitting front row at many fashion shows like Lanvin, Stella McCartney, Chanel, Balmain and Dior. Here are some of my personal favorite looks from the singer.
Chanel Fall/Winter Whats better than Chanel? More Chanel obviously. Here is Rihanna in a tweed Chanel suit with the man behind the brands new direction and my love, Karl Largerfeld. I really thought the whole theme of supermarket runway was that was interesting and very different.
Here is Rihanna, supermodels Cara Delevingne and Joan Smalls having some fun with a shopping cart.
Christian Dior Fall/Winter 2014 show Lady in Red and Dior. Rihanna looks super classy and very sexy on her way to Dior show. From the pearls to the eye wear. All class. I am a huge fan of thigh high anything so this look is a big win for me. Something I will definitely try to recreate.
Life Goals
Lanvin Pre 2014 Collection This look is from Lanvin pre 2014 collection. Its really edgy and so cool very fashion forward. This is more conservative Rihanna and i like it she looks stylish.
Balmain Rihanna in Balmain at there after party. This is the complete opposite of the previous look. Its risque and edgy. Anything black and mesh like is good in my book. Rihanna exposed much more than I would but its fashion its meant to be controversial and edgy.
A little skin is always in
Heres the second look from Balmain. Rihanna is in a khaki green suit and showing a bit of side boob. I love the touch of the purple lipstick definitely makes a statement.
Here is RiRi with the head creative director of Balmain and my fashion hero Olivier Rousteing.
Stella McCartney Here is the bombshell front and center and decked out in Stella McCartney at Stella McCartney fashion show. She opted for an amazing over sized coat which she says in the March issue of Vogue is here favorite look. She also wore a grey dress underneath and as usual she is styled to death with big red orange eye wear. The look is very sophisticated very Stella McCartney.
Givenchy Womenswear Fall/Winter 2014-2015 As a huge fan of Givenchy and there artistic director Riccardo Tisci I was very pleased to see Rihanna at Givenchy Womenswear Fall/Winter 2014-2015 show and her outfit was again stellar, well styled and on point.
Kanye West, Rihanna and Riccardo Tisci.
I'm loving all these looks, Rihanna is truly a style icon.
Every fashionista knows that the Chanel 2.55 Handbag is an iconic piece. Its every stylish chicks dream to own this iconic bag. Unfortunately it cost a small fortune and in times like this, every penny is important. I found 2 great designer bags that mimic the iconic piece AND they wont break your bank.
Bag #1 The Rebecca Minkoff Quilted Affair Mini Shoulder. - Quilted pebbled leather - Golden hardware. - Leather threaded chain shoulder straps, 14 inches Price: $195!
Bag #2 Tory Burch Fleming Quilted Mini Flap Shoulder Bag -Quilted lambskin with golden hardware. -Leather threaded chain shoulder strap 14 inches. - Stitched double 'T' logo at top of bag. -Flap top with slip pockets at front and back Price : $350 Its a little pricey but compared to the $4000 for a Chanel bag its amazing.
The Oscars happened on Sunday night and for the most part it was great. The funny and fabulous Ellen DeGeneres hosted and I thought her opening monologue was hilarious. Her on stage selfies and the fact that she had a random pizza guy handing out pizza to the A-List Actors made the night truly unforgettable. Seeing Brad Pitt gobble down a pizza is priceless. Lets recap some of the winners : Best Picture: '12 Years a Slave' Best Actor in a Leading Role: Matthew MaConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club) Best Actress in a Leading Role: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave) Congrats to all the other winners and a big congrats to Lupita for her outstanding performance in '12 Years a Slave. She made me so proud. To Leonardo DiCaprio, wow snubbed again, I truly thought your performance in 'The Wolf of Wall Street' was phenomenal, seriously amazing.
Now onto the fashion. I thought that everyone played it safe except maybe Pharrell, but nothing really exciting or controversial everyone looked amazing and well put together. Here are some of my favorite looks from the night
New York Fashion has come to a close so all you fashionistas can let down your hair down, take off your manolo blahniks and relax. While looking back at the fashion, the trends, looks and the people. Of the many style icons and fashion divas that attended one person really stood out, Zendaya Coleman!
She slayed (and for those of you who dont know what slayed means: According to Urban Dictionary - a word used when you or someone dominate or do well in something) So yes by that definition Zendaya SLAYED fashion week. Her stylist Luxury Law put in work and he had a beautiful canvas to work with.
Zendaya attended the Rebecca Minkoff fashion show head to toe in the designer. She also attended Jeremy Scott, Pamela Rolland and Betsey Johnson. Here is some of my favorite looks by the fashionista.
So this Monday i chose the supermodel Tyra Banks. Tyra Lynne Banks born in my birth month December, on the 4th, 1973. A Cali girl by heart Tyra has got to be one of the most influential models out there. Tyra is pretty tall ( 5'10), curvy and gorgeous. Tyra started modeling at 15, she was rejected by about 6 different agencies before being picked up by LA Models then she went to Elite Model Management. Tyra has walked for Fashions finest like Chanel, Fendi, Ralph Lauren and Valentino to name a few. She has graced the covers of Vogue, Teen Vogue, Elle etc. Oh and did i mention she was the first African American to grace the covers of GQ , Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and the first ever African American to be chosen for the cover of Victoria Secret Catalog.
Tyra not only conquered the modeling world but she also conquered the television and movie world. She rocked the big screen in movies like 'Life Size' (awesome movie and apparently she has confirmed a part two :D ),'Love Stinks,' 'Love and Basketball', 'Coyote Ugly '(loooveee this movie) just to name a few. She played a lead character on the famous hit tv show 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air', she made appearances on the TV Shows 'All That', 'Wild'n Out' and 'Felicity'. Tyra also started up her own production company 'Bankable Production' from which she produced her very successful show 'The Tyra Banks Show' which she also hosted , the awesome movie 'The Clique' and the ground breaking TV Show 'Americas Next Top Model'. Her show ' The Tyra Banks Show' was truly an amazing ground breaking show. Tyra used that platform to discuss topics like racism, domestic violence and body issues/image. In one episode Tyra addressed magazines and other people in the media who called her fat she told them boldly to KISS HER FAT ASS. Tyra also wrote a book called ' Modelland' where she talks about her experience in modeling. Tyra being the trendsetter that she is also invented the term 'smize' meaning smiling with your eyes.
Why i chose Tyra is super obvious, she is not afraid to say whats on her mind and she isn't afraid to stick up for women or anyone and that's truly amazing. Tyra preaches on loving yourself for whatever body type or skin color or hair type that your are and i think more teenagers need to hear this. Tyra didn't starve herself to book shows she basically told the people in the fashion industry that this is who she is and they'd better accept it or move on. Tyra is truly the perfect package she's talented, smart, drop dead gorgeous, inventive and creative. She's an inspiration to all.
Gaga, Glitz and Glam. Versace held there Haute Couture Fashion Show yesterday in Paris and my oh my it was spectacular. The new face of Versace Lady Gaga was there in full attendance. Gaga looked amazing in a full black dress with a hood and her long gorgeous blond hair. The entire show was very glittzy, opulence oriented and had a Grace Jones vibe. The silhouettes were strong and fierce. There were suits and hoods in a range of colors. And in true Donatella style fur was front and center. I personally loved all the looks i thought they were edgy and fierce while still maintaining a feminine and sexy balance. I also love how the typical floral theme and spring colors were not present in the show, it was very different. I adored and was head over heels in love with the details on some of the dresses like the faux tattoo embellishments on the sheer panels and the geometric back cutouts. Here are some of my favorite looks from last nights fashion show.
As a self taught designer and dress maker there are 3 new things that i found out on my own that i'd like to share to any other up and coming designer.
1. Find a good template or croquis A croquis is basically a sketch of a human body posing, designers can trace over and over again on it while sketching your ideas. You can get your croquis from a fashion book or online or you can make one of your own. Here is my favorite croquis. I use that template to draw over most of my designs and then some days i just free hand it and do my own thing.
2.Dress Silhouette Learning a variety of dress silhouette is very important to a designer. Just learning a few of them, can help you out in decided how to actually design the dress to flatter the body of the person you're making it for. Here is a picture that gives you basic dress silhouettes.
3. Keep trying and DONT give up This might seem like a lame advice or tip but its easy to give when you're not at the point of where you want to be but dont give up, keep trying practice, practice, practice. Sketch whenever you have the time. Find resource material like books and magazines that inspire you because sometimes what keeps us from sketching great work is a lack of inspiration so read Vogue or something or go to city or country side and get inspired buy colors or shapes. Also find books that are about fashion, design and dress making to study from and get more information and increase your knowledge. The books i'm looking to buy are : Fashion Design Drawing Course : Principles, Practice and Techniques: The New Guide for Aspiring Fashion Artists by Caroline Tatham and Little Dictionary of Fashion by Christian Dior. The books i currently posses are: Dressmaking Simplified by Valerie Cock 3rd Edition and Basic Needlework by Winefride M. Bull 5th Edition.
This Mexican Kenyan beauty has been all over the headlines all around the world and right fully so. I, unfortunately have not seen '12 Years a Slave' but i have seen clips of miss Lupita and i have heard nothing but good things about the movie. Not only is she beautiful she is also very smart. Beauty and brains, she graduated Hampshire College with a degree in Film and Theater Studies and she also graduated from Yale School of Drama. She is a humanitarian and just an overall lovely person. (I'll speak more on her humanitarianism and her thoughts on Racism in another post) Her acting chops are amazing yes but today i wanna talk about her style. I LOVE how she defies certain style rule for women of color. I have heard more times than i can count orange or bright yellow does not look great on dark women or that bold red lips looks awful on women of color. I applaud Lupita for not being conventional. I love her passion for color i personally need more color in my life and she inspires me to branch out and try something different. Lupita always looks very well put together from her hair to her shoes and gowns and accessories. Here in the slide show i have complied showing some of my favorite looks from Miss Lupita.