A Diva State of Mind

This year I have decided to step out on my own and host an event, planned from beginning and end by me (I’m both extremely nervous and very excited)!

I have partnered with Monarch Magazine, MonaVie, Instructions Apparel and DC Fit Week to support the American Red Cross’s Go Red for Women Campaign. The campaign promotes the awareness of health issues that affect women while encouraging them to live healthier lifestyles, know their risk for heart disease and taking action to reduce that risk.  

The happy hour will feature $5 dollar drinks and appetizers from 6-8pm. Jin Lounge will also feature a specialty cocktail made specifically for the event. A portion of the proceeds from the cocktail will go to the American Heart ssociation. There will also be a donation box available to collect proceeds that will be donated to the AHA.

When: Thursday, March 3, 2011

Where: Jin Lounge – 2017 14^th St. NW – DC 20009

Time: 6-8pm

All attendees are encouraged to wear red!!  I’d love for you to join me this Thursday! If you’re interested in attending, please RSVP at http://heart2heartcharityhappyhour.eventbrite.com/

More about the sponsors:

Monarch Magazine is dedicated to reflecting affluent, African American professionals and their lifestyles. Created as a source of empowerment, an innovative resource that provides encouragement, knowledge and pride, Monarch is designed to embody the thoughts, vision and intellect of today’s black urban professional. Monarch Magazine is the forum that brings its readers a vibrant and intelligent mix of business and style. http://www.monarchmagazine.com

MonaVie has quickly become a leader in the health and wellness industry. By providing an avenue for better health and financial well-being through its premium quality nutritional products and rewarding opportunity, MonaVie offers a timely solution to today’s challenges. And now, we are redefining how to lose weight in a healthy, effective way. http://www.monavie.com

Instructions Apparel was founded to meet the needs of men trying to make their mark in the corporate world.   Often times, desirable items are far too expensive, it’s hard to find a shirt and tie at one location or bargain shopping rarely produces well fitted shirts and ties.  Instructions Apparel addresses each of these issues by offering stylish shirt and ties at affordable prices.  http://www.theartofdressingwell.com

DC Fit Week is a free week in March geared toward bringing excitement and awareness to physical activity as a means to stimulate weight loss. By doing this, it will motivate and empower active social adults with the knowledge to lead healthier lives and to provide a support network of like-minded professional people. Our plan is to give access to the people of the DC area the key information in regards to physical, mental and financial health. http://www.dcfitweek.com

The holiday season is not only a time spent with family and exchanging gifts, it’s also a time for a lot of holiday parties/happy hours.

On Wednesday, December 8th, Instructions Apparel will host a holiday sales event and party. The Holiday Bar & Bazaar is a way to say thank you to all of the Instructions Apparel supporters for another great year. 

During the event, guests will enjoy 50% savings on all Instructions Apparel merchandise with prices starting at $32 for dress shirts and $15 for ties.  Guests will also have the chance to mingle with Instructions Apparel founders, enjoy a tie-knotting demonstration from Wardrobe Consultant Henry Edwards and take advantage of discounted prices on all dress shirts and ties. 

The event will also serve as a fundraiser for the Chris4Life Colon Cancer Foundation, a local organization dedicated to finding a cure for colon cancer by funding and facilitating cutting edge research programs across the nation. Ten percent of all merchandise sales from the event will be donated directly to the foundation.   In addition event partner Hudson Restaurant & Lounge will extend Happy Hour prices and 10% of the food and drink sales will be donated to Chris4Life as well. 

 WHERE:       Hudson Restaurant & Lounge 2030 M St NW

 WHEN:          Wednesday, December 8th 6:30-8:30 pm

RSVP [email protected] by Monday, December 6th

Instructions Apparel was founded in 2008 by three young business men in Washington, DC area who experience challenge expressing their own personal styles in the workplace, especially on a budget. As a solution, Marcus Ware, Sheku Riddle and Duane Smith founded Instructions Apparel, an online men’s clothier specializing in unique shirt and tie offerings. Perfect for holiday party attire and gift ideas!

For more information:

Instructions Apparel theartofdressingwell.com│twitter.com/getinstructions  

Chris4Life Colon Cancer Foundation chris4life.org│twitter.com/chris4cure

A few months ago I introduced you to Instructions Apparel, a fashion resource for men both in and out of the workplace. Founded in 2008, Instructions Apparel not only offers great ties and shirts for men, but tips on the art of dressing well. 
 
In anticipation of the release of their Fall Collection, Instructions Apparel is hosting The Art of Dressing Well Fall Fashion Preview Happy Hour on Thursday, August 12th.

Located at Ping Pong Dim Sum Restaurant in Chinatown, DC, the Happy Hour event will include:

• Fall Collection Preview
• Knotting Demonstrations
• Complimentary Shoe Shines
• $5 Windsor Knot drinks

Happy Hour is from 6:30-8:30pm and a $10 donation is suggested.  Proceeds will benefit The Institute for Responsible Citizenship, a leadership program for America’s best and brightest African-American male college students.  This is a great organization and I encourage all of you to make the donation! For more information on IRC, visit www.i4rc.org.
 
Please RSVP by Tuesday, August 10th to [email protected].  All of those in attendance will also receive a swag bag!
 
For more information on Instructions Apparel, please visit www.theartofdressingwell.com and follow on twitter @getinstructions.
 
I look forward to seeing all of you on August 12th!

A few months ago, I urged all of the young professional guys out there to Step It Up in terms of dressing up to go out for a night on the town.  For those of you still looking for other stores to purchase the necessary attire to help you step your game up besides Nordstrom, EXPRESS and other mall retailers, I have found another resource that just might help you.

Founded in 2008 by “three regular guys trying to make their mark in the corporate world,” Instructions Apparel is a fashion resource for men both in and out of the workplace.  The founders of Instructions found that the desirable items men look for are far too expensive, it’s often difficult to find a shirt and complementary tie at the same location and bargain shopping rarely produces quality fitting shirts and ties.  In order to solve these three major issues men face when shopping, Instructions offers men stylish shirts, complementary ties and recommendations on what to wear for different occasions.

As a dedicated brand to making men look and feel good, Instructions offers 7 Basic Instructions for men’s apparel:

1.  Make sure your socks and belt match your shoes.

This is often overlooked, but it is the most important rule with respect to The Art of Dressing Well. We recommend that you stick with basic colors such as a dark brown, tan, or black shoes. Other colors will be difficult to match, and therefore should be avoided.

2.  Match Your Shirt & Ties

On our site you will see our recommendations for shirt and tie combinations. These recommendations provide a combination of solid, paisley, polka-dot and striped ties.* We match these ties with a variety of shirt colors ranging from solid white to pink stripes. Thus, don’t be afraid to experiment with colors. With respect to formal attire, ties are the means by which you express individuality.

While ties are a great way to express yourself, keep it tasteful. For example, going into a job interview you would wear our solid white or light blue shirt with a solid color or paisley pattern tie. Yet, once you’ve landed that great job, you can mix and match from our entire collection. Most importantly, be sure that your tie complements your shirt, suit, sweater and all other accessories worn.

*Instructional Note of Inquiry: For our collection, which consists of modern-fitting shirts with a spread-collar, we recommend knotting your tie with a Half Windsor knot.

3. Wearing Brown and Black together is a no-no!

When wearing brown slacks you should wear brown shoes. This rule also applies when wearing black. If and when you seek to express individuality, do so with your shirt and tie. Mixing brown and black has been tried by others with very little success.

4. Pinstripes

Pinstripes are a safe and stylish alternative to the solid-colored suit. As opposed to wearing a solid gray suit, try a gray pinstriped suit. There are no particular colors that should be avoided.

Your own personal style will dictate which colors work for you. However, certain color combinations should be avoided. In particular, beware of complementary colors. These are colors opposite one another on the color wheel, such as red/green, yellow/purple and blue/orange.

5. Watches

A nice watch is the single most important accessory a man can own. We, at Instructions, suggest that you invest in a quality watch. If you prefer owning multiple watches, wear the appropriate watch for your outfit: A sports watch is not appropriate to wear with a shirt and tie.

If you prefer leather bands, wear a black band with black shoes and belt; a brown band with brown shoes and belt. A watch with a silver or gold band is the safest choice for all occasions.

6. Pocket Sqaures and Ties Clips

Pocket squares and tie clips are the icing on the cake for the well-dressed man. We, at Instructions, believe that a little goes a long way in The Art of Dressing Well. One would be amazed at how a tie-clip and a plain white-pocket square will liven up a suit on its dullest day. Go the extra mile and invest in a plain silver tie-clip and the appropriate pocket square for your ensemble.

In the Dress for Any Occasion section of our site, you will see various recommendations of pocket squares for each shirt and tie combination.

If you are unable to find a pocket square with our recommended color scheme, there are always two great options:

1. A solid colored pocket square the same color as your shirt or tie;
2. A plain white pocket square (It is important your shirt has white in it).

7. Casual Wear, i.e., a “Night out on the town”:

Dressing properly and stylishly for a night out can sometimes be challenging. You want to stand out from others for your impeccable style, not because of inappropriate attire.

To avoid being just “the guy in the sweater vest”, consult our recommendations to pair our selection of shirts together with a variety of denim jackets, blazers, and v-neck sweaters.

For more tips on putting your best foot forward and to purchase stylish shirts and complimentary ties, visit www.theartofdressingwell.com

 Please note: These are tips from Instructions, not A Diva State of Mind