A Diva State of Mind

Sunday evening I attended ALDO’s “Lights, Camera, Fashion” event hosted by DC style blogger Ashley Gaga.  Guest were treated to cocktails and treats while previewing the new ALDO spring collection. Ashley showcased her favorite picks from the collection and models walked the store showing off cute spring looks featuring some of ALDO’s hottest shoes.  It was great to check out the collection and catch up with some people I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Guests also received 15% off their entire purchase so I of course couldn’t leave empty handed I walked away with a clutch and two pair of earrings. FYI, ALDO is a great retailers for accessories (handbags & jewelry). A lot of malls have both an ALDO store and a separate ALDO accessories store.

Here’s a video from Surpass Visuals highlighting the event:

Check out Ashley’s blog at www.ashleygaga.com. Visit www.aldoshoes.com to view the new spring collection.

Photos: DMC Phography & my phone

Dwyane Wade made headlines this week when he was spotted wearing a Gucci double breasted polka dot suit jacket with ankle baring pants. This is a prime example of “when men wearing rolled up pants goes wrong.”

Guys, let this be a quick tutorial on how you can successfully wear rolled up pants during the spring/summer season. Your pants should not be tight like skinny jeans! There is debate over how high they should be rolled. You can check out an article on the art of rolling pants HERE which outlines how many inches pants should be rolled depending on style (jeans vs. khakis, etc).

Personally, I don’t think they should go higher than your ankle. Anything higher than that and you run the risk of looking like your clothes are too small or you’re wearing high waters (although some people want to achieve that look). Kevin Hart joked that D. Wade stole his suit and in this picture it looks like it! D. Wade’s thighs look like they are screaming for circulation and they just look too short!

If you’ve ever considered rolling up your jeans or khakis, check out the photos below for inspiration.

You can also check out Trey Songz’s photo spread in GQ Magazine for inspiration!

Here’s what the guys on Inside the NBA had to say about D. Wade’s satorial choice. Hilarious!

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen some behind the scene photos from a Façon Magazine photo shoot. Façon Magazine is the voice of emerging fashion.  For the cover, the editor wanted to highlight a vintage boutique, so she tasked me with styling a photo spread featuring pieces from Zoubeck boutique in Old Town Alexandria. Talk about pressure!

The photo shoot was on Sunday, March 17th bright and early at 7am.  We wanted to capture the great offerings at Zoubeck against the beautiful backdrop of Old Town.  Shoutout to the model Jessica! I think the high that day was 42 degrees; she was cold but she rocked it!  The fabulous ladies of Flawless U were responsible for hair and makeup.

Below are photos from the shoot. Some are featured in the magazine and others are some of my favorites that aren’t included in the publication:

Please check out the Spring 2013 issue of Façon Magazine available online at www.faconmagazine.com to see the full photo spread and other great features! For more information about Zoubeck visit www.zoubeck.com. They have some really nice pieces. Every time I’ve stepped foot in that store, I have walked away with something

Last week I was invited to attend the PINK event at United Colors of Benetton in Georgetown. The event kicked off Benetton’s Spring Summer 2013 campaign.  For this year’s campaign, Benetton asked nine unique Style Ambassadors to share their personal interpretation of color. These ambassadors include model Alek Wek, boxer & model  Dudley O’Shaughnessy (he’s the love interest in Rihanna’s “We Found Love” video) and more.

Upon entering the Georgetown store, guests were greeted to champagne. As much as I wanted to buy something I was generous to my wallet and didn’t (this time).  It’s been a long time since I shopped at Benetton and they have some really cute pieces so I will definitely be back.  Instead of shopping, I spent time taking pictures of the women’s and men’s Spring Summer 2013 collection just for you!

Women’s Collection

Men’s Collection

A lot of color and prints for the new season!! For more information about the Spring Summer 2013 campaign, click HERE.

While the weather would suggest spring isn’t coming soon, it’s right around the corner! That means it’s time to get our wardrobes ready. Below are some of the season’s hottest trends. Remember, the key to trends is to pick a few you like and incorporate them into your current wardrobe. If you love prints, add a new printed top, skirt or pant to your closet and wear it with pieces you already own. If you’re a fan of black & white, mix a black & white skirt with your favorite colorful top. Incorporate trends in a way that are modern and reflect your individual style.

Black & White

We were first introduced to this trend in the fall and it doesn’t look like it is leaving us this spring season. Black & white is a great trend because these are colors you already have in your wardrobe. In order to shy away from the uniform look (black pants and white blouse), have some fun by wearing various patterns (stripes, floral, polka dot, ruffles) and apparel options (skirts, blazers, tops).

What do you think of this season’s trends? What trends are you excited about wearing? What are some other trends not listed above you plan on wearing this season?

I don’t know why I signed up to receive Neiman Marcus emails. Every week I lust over a designer collection!  So of course, being that Jimmy Choo is one of my favorites, there was no exception when it came to the new Spring Collection.

The collection features a variety of offerings (flats, heels, wedges) that are appropriate for any occasion. Of course, I fell in love with the heels and there were a few flats that caught my eye.  The shoes are offered in a various patterns and textures including floral print, animal print, sequin, suede and patent leather.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Check out the Jimmy Choo 2013 Spring Collection at Neiman Marcus and Jimmy Choo.

Love!! Wait ‘Til I Gey My Money Right…

Last Thursday, I attended the CapFabb & Macy’s Impulse Collection launch party at the Macy’s Metro Center location.  The Impulse Collection includes MICHAEL Michael Kors, RACHEL Rachel Roy, Else, Bar III and more.  Guests enjoyed desserts, free manicures and a fashion presentation of this year’s spring trends.

Major trends to expect this spring season: pastels, prints (and combining prints together), shades of blue, printed jeans & pants, leather (faux leather) and bright colors.

I really like the offerings and the way the pieces were styled together. I want to go back and check out the collection when it is less crowded in that area of the store.  I think the Else printed jeans, jumpsuit and navy handkerchief pants need to be added to my wardrobe!

Based on the pictures, will you be checking out the new Impulse Collection at Macy’s?

I know it’s really hard to talk about Spring while it’s 30 degrees outside, but you know the fashion world is always a ahead of the current season.

It’s no secret women’s fashion includes florals, but what about men’s fashion?

According to LuxuriousPROTOTYPE.com, one men’s Spring 2013 trend we can expect to see is Print and Patterns/Arty Abstractions: abstract art, florals , abstract lines and digital prints.  We don’t often see florals in men’s fashion choices but it looks like things are changing in 2013.

Christian Louboutin recently released the Rantus Orlato Tapestry High Top Sneaker in an all over floral tapestry design.   This design definitely screams vintage and is one design I wouldn’t expect to see in menswear.

If you’re a guy that may be on the fence about florals but is interested in trying the trend, a shoe like this is a great subtle way to incorporate the trend into your wardrobe.  Fellas, pair the shoes with a pair of dark denim jeans, blazer and/or blazer, white t-shirt or button up for a clean, casual look.

Floral trend on the Spring 2013 runway:

The sneakers retail for $725. For more information, check out the Christian Louboutin online store here.

Guys, what do you think about the floral trend? Are you going to try it this year?

Source: LuxuriousPROTOTYPE & Danchiz