A Diva State of Mind

The legendary Fashion Director and style icon Anna Dello Russo has teamed up with H&M for her own Anna Dello Russo at H&M accessories collection.   In true Anna style, the collection is full of fun and bold statement pieces that you can use to easily elevate a look.   The collection includes earrings, bracelets, necklaces, clutches, shoes and sunglasses.

The collection will be available in select stores on Thursday, October 4th.  My favorite pieces from the collection are the bracelets and a coral and gold statement necklace (not shown above but listed online).  For more information about pieces from the collection, click HERE.

Photos: Because I Am Fabulous

Last night I went to The Howard Theatre with Waverly of Pich & Roor to see R&B singer Miguel. The Howard Theatre is a gorgeous venue.  The first floor features a bar, tables on the outskirts for dining and an open floor in the middle for fans to be up close to their favorite artist.  The second floor features a bar and tables for dining as well.  It’s one of those venues you have to see in person to really understand how nice it is.

Waverly and I arrive around 7pm. We proceeded to the upstairs bar and tried one of the specialty cocktails while enjoying music by DJ Quicksilva.  Seriously, he can turn any event into a party! We grabbed a second round of drinks and headed downstairs a little before 8pm to check out the first floor until the show started with an opening performance by Bobby V.

Miguel hit the around 9:15pm and had us jamming to his first album hits and new songs from his upcoming album Kaleidoscope Dreams for over an hour.  This was my first time seeing Miguel perform. He is a great live performer!  He has great stage presence and you can tell he is very passionate about his music.  Waverly even made eye contact with when he came out for an encore which made her night! 

I had a great time hanging out with Waverly at the concert. I’d definitely go see him perform again. I need to come back and dine at The Howard Theatre too.  If you saw the plate of wings and I think crab cake sandwiches that went by while we were at the bar, you’d understand!  

Miguel’s sophomore album Kaleidoscope Dreams drops next Tuesday, October 2, 2012.  Support R&B music and get a copy next week.  It’s going to be a great one!

For a list of upcoming performances at the Howard Theatre, click HERE.

The Montgomery County (MD) Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is hosting a 3-in-1 drive to support Montgomery County Service Day.  Between now and October 20, 2012, the chapter is collecting baby items, toiletries and school supplies which will support the following organizations:

• Crossway Community
• Helping Hands Shelter
• Family Services, Inc.
• Neediest Kids Fund

If you are able, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE support this drive by making a donation of new baby, toiletry or education items to one of the four locations. The goal is to obtain enough items to donate 100 baby baskets, 100 book bags and 100 toiletry baskets.  We can’t reach that goal without your help!!

Please share this drive with friends and family!

It’s been four months since I announced my 2012 dating challenge and it’s been 3 months since I’ve given you an update so one is longer overdue!

In the first update, I had mentioned I went on a few dates with a guy. The dates went well, however there wasn’t much chemistry and we mutually stopped making plans for future dates (after our last outing, never one of us called or text).  For the rest of the summer, I didn’t go on any dates. I went to a variety of events including a relationship panel/networking/speed dating event (yes it was supposed to be all three in one event). But that ended up being a room full of women with less than ten men in the mix. So let’s just say, I didn’t have the best luck in terms of dating this summer. 

But just when I thought I would go the rest of the year “failing” my challenge, I met a guy last month at a restaurant when I ran into mutual friends.  We all hung out at the restaurant bar chatting for a while and eventually the guy and I exchanged numbers.  Since then, we’ve hung out a few times so we’ll have to see how this goes.  There are still three months left in the year, so the challenge is not over yet.  That’s plenty of time to hopefully attend at least one speed dating event with my single friends (I want to push them outside of their comfort zone) and continue to attend a variety of events with the opportunity to meet new people.

What I have learned from declaring that I’m challenging myself in terms of dating this year is that my demeanor towards guys and dating in general is a more positive one.  I was never one to think “all men are dogs” and I wasn’t ever bitter towards the opposite sex, but I don’t think I came across as receptive to dating in the past as I am now.  I truly believe having an open mind and being positive makes meeting new people easier and so much more fun. 

For those that are still putting themselves up to the challenge, please give me an update!!

In honor of the anniversary party and the fundraiser for Dress for Success Washington, DC that was held last week, Stella& Dot will be donating 10% of sales made between now and October 3^rd. If you weren’t able to make a purchase at the party or you weren’t able to attend and would like to make a purchase please click on the image below to shop online!  Stella & Dot has great statement pieces!!

Thank you again for supporting me and my charity efforts. Through the last three events I have hosted and the ones I post on this site, I hope you have been inspired to become more involved with the community.

Thank you all sooooo much for attending last week’s anniversary party at Ozio’s rooftop. I hope you all had a great time.  I know I did! It was great to celebrate with family, friends and so many readers. I really appreciate your support of the blog (and the styling business).

I’ll admit I was shocked by the turnout. While I knew my close friends and some readers would attend, I did not expect over 150 people to show up!! We enjoyed Qream and Ciroc cocktails, food and listened to the sounds of DJ Eskada, who was great.  Gift bag recipients received goodies from Kiehl’s, Stella & Dot, Gigee Marie, Mdurvwa Collection, Farrah’s Exclusive Travels, Rodan + Field Skin Care, Naveh Cosmetics, AVEDA and LifeKit.

While the turnout was great, I was a little disappointed in the amount of money raised.  As of today, we only raised $160 through Stella & Dot sales, Mdurvwa Collection sales and direct donations to Dress for Success Washington, DC.  However, we did collect suits and a number of people signed up to be volunteers, which is great because this all helps the organization fulfill its mission. If you did not make a donation or purchase jewelry at the event, the next post will explain how you can give back with a Stella & Dot purchase.  In the meantime, enjoy these pictures from the party:

To see all pictures from the event, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/adivastateofmind. 

For more event recaps, check out The Fab Empire, Heart, Print & Style and H’ART SPEAX

Now this is how you wear a suit!! Denzel Washington’s dapper self covers the October issue of GQ.  In his interview with GQ’s Michael Hainey, Washington discusses starting in the business, his biggest roles and the code he lives by.

I read from the Bible every day, and I read my Daily Word. I read something great yesterday. It said, “Don’t aspire to make a living. Aspire to make a difference.”

Looking good Denzel! To read his full interview with GQ, click HERE.

Photography by Nathaniel Goldberg

I never listed to Elle Varner’s mixtapes, but when I heard her track “Only Wanna Give It To You” with J.Cole, I immediately became a fan! 

She recently released a video for her new single “I Don’t Care,” which is one of my favorite songs off her new album Perfectly Imperfect.  The video shows the love between couples who face discrimination from society.  But as always, love conquers all.  The video is a beautiful compliment to a great song. 

If you don’t have her album, please get it today! She is an amazing songwriter and singer. I’m glad to see REAL R&B music is making its way back to the airwaves.

I had dinner with my friend Colin on Friday and we started talking about dating and relationships (a topic I think that always comes up between men and women).  He told me there are four vowels that apply to dating: A, E, I and O.  I looked at him crazy because I had never heard anyone say that but once he explained it to me, it made so much sense!

Here are the four vowels of dating:

A: Activity – The date should consist of an activity (this should be obvious).  Do something you’ll both enjoy!

E: Eat – “You gotta feed them” (his words not mine). Women love to eat especially if they aren’t cooking (or paying for it) so the date should include food. As someone who is greedy and still eats like I’m a growing teenager, I agree with this 100%!

I: Intimacy – No this doesn’t mean you get physical right away. What this does mean is that you and your date should spend some time to really talk and learn more about each other.  You could sit on a bench or take an evening walk around the city, but you use that time to get to know each other better.

O: Open – You have to be open to little things and being spontaneous.  Sometimes you have the best time of your life when things aren’t planned or when you enjoy the little things. Every date doesn’t have to be some grandiose gesture.  I would also add under this vowel being open to trying new things.

So as you all continue to embark on the dating challenge this fall or officially participate in cuffin’ season, think about these four vowels of dating.  These four vowels should be happening on  date, but you never really think about it until someone breaks it down like this.  Thanks Colin!

What do you think about the four vowels of dating?

If you follow me on twitter, you may have noticed that I have been giving you a sneak peek at this fall’s trends.  These trends are also the ones I’ve seen the most at local retailers meaning you’ll have an easy incorporating these trends into your current wardrobe.

Burgundy

This is THE COLOR of the season! From pants, tops and skirts to nail polish, you’ll see burgundy everywhere. If you’re wondering “what do I wear this color with?” the answer is everything. Treat burgundy as a neutral and pair it with rich colors like orange, mustard yellow, and navy this fall season.  Two retailers I’ve seen offer great pieces in this color are Banana Republic and The Limited.

Leather

Leather is always in for fall, but this year you will to see leather pieces in other forms than just a motorcycle jacket.  Leather (and faux leather) skirts and pants are making a comeback this year. The good thing about leather is that no matter what form, it is always in style and can be worn for so many different occasions. You can purchase a leather skirt today and still wear it two years from now.  If you don’t want to make a huge investment in a real leather skirt or pants, check your local thrift store and consignment shop or eBay online for real leather for less. Also shop faux leather options.  I’m in search of a pair of leather skinny pants!

Black & White

Expect to see a lot of black & white combinations.  Black & white is classic and will look great combined with a pop of color. Want to incorporate black & white with other fall trends? Wear a black & white dress with burgundy shoes or pair a black & white top with bright color pants.

Printed Pants

Many would expect to see printed pants (and jeans) in the spring only, but expect to see them this fall season.  This fall they’ll look great with leather jackets, fur vests and silk tops.

Color Pants

Color pants and denim were extremely popular during the spring and summer season and the trend is here to stay for fall. Instead of pastel, you’ll see rich deeper shades like hunter green, cobalt, burgundy, mustard yellow and orange.  For the fall/winter season, pair your color pants with boots and sweaters (both solids and prints).  The great thing about color pants in the fall is that you can transition them to spring.

Reptile Print

While reptile will show up in apparel, expect to see a lot of accessories in this print including clutches, handbags and shoes.  Remember, reptile print can be treated as a neutral so don’t be afraid to wear this print with another print in your outfit. For example, reptile printed shoe with a striped blouse. Want reptile clutches for less? Check Target!

Winter White

Does winter white every really go out of style? Talk about classic, especially an all winter white look like the ones below. Go for an elegant monochromatic look or break up your white and pair it with other trends like color pants, leather and fur this fall.

Curve Conscious

Sheath (especially color block) and peplum dresses are the two styles that fit the name “curve conscious” perfectly.  These dresses create volume in the right places for those with a boyish frame and tastefully highlight the curves of women who have them.  These style dresses are feminine but sexy, great at creating a waist.  These styles are ones you can easily wear in the boardroom and to happy hour all in the same day!

Expect to see fall favorites sequins/embellishment and fur; they don’t ever really need to be listed on a trend report because they are always in!

As we transition from one season to the next, now is the perfect to hire a personal stylist to help you make sure your wardrobe is ready for the fall season.  Click HERE for a list of services available and to schedule an appointment. I’d love to help make sure you step out looking your best this fall season!