You’re Invited: 4th Annual Alexandria Summer Sidewalk SaleIt’s time for another Summer Sidewalk Sale. This time it is in Alexandria!
Alexandria, VA will be buzzing with shoppers taking advantage of great deals during the city-wide 4th Annual Summer Sidewalk Sale. This is the time stores will be getting rid of inventory to make room for new fall pieces.
Over 60 businesses will be offering deeply-discounted summer merchandise, product demonstrations and/or other special events. This is a much-anticipated and fun special summer event for residents and visitors alike. Click HERE for a complete list of participating stores and their hours.
I love when two things I love, fashion and community service, come together!
On Thursday, June 20th, G.L.A.M. (Giving Labels A Meaning) is hosting a summer fashion event to benefit Safe Shores! The event will include pop-up shops, open bar, raffle, music by DJ MIM and fashion presentation. I am pretending to be a model and participating in the presentation
Featured boutiques include Carnelian Boutique, Bishop Boutique, The Andi Brand, Turquoise, Enise, Drabo Gallery and Runway on Wheels. The raffle will feature items from Fornash, Rachel Mulherin, Blair Ritchey, Hobo, The Andi Brand and Love Cortnie.
What I love is that 100% of the proceeds will benefit Safe Shores, an organization that provides intervention, hope and healing for children and families affected by abuse, trauma and violence in the District of Columbia, and prevents child abuse through education and training.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at http://givinglabelsameaning2013.eventbrite.com/ If you love fashion, why not spend your Thursday shopping, enjoying treats AND supporting a great organization?!
You’re invited to The TuTu Tea Party, a social gathering geared toward like-minded and creative women in search of fun, food and networking. Event hosts Denisio Truitt and Alexandra Elle hope The Tutu Tea Party will bring women all of walks of life together! The unique thing about this event is that your TuTu will be your “ticket” into the tea party. There will also be two guests who specialize in the holistic benefits of tea and Yoga. Guest will enjoy different types of tea, finger foods and gift bags!
There will only be 15 tutu tickets up for grabs so that the event is small and intimate. No worries! The ladies do plan to host the event again.
Purchase tickets at http://thetututeaparty.eventbrite.com The ticket price includes the price of your custom tutu, tea and food. All tutus are handmade by Denisio and Alex and will come in one color only, mint. Please email your ticket # and dress and/or waist size to: [email protected] once you have made your purchase. You can choose to pick up your tutu or it will be mailed to you one week prior to the event.
Nothing like a beer or wine festival during the summer!!
On June 29th and 30th, Drink the District presents the All-American Red, White, and Brew Edition at Yards Park. Starting at $35, attendees have access to unlimited beer and wine, bottled and brewed in the U.S.A. With 50+ craft beers and 100+ wines, explore flavorful variety of tastings and indulge in full pours of your old favorites. Guests have the option of choosing one of three different sessions (Saturday 12 PM – 4 PM, 6 PM – 10 PM and Sunday 12 PM – 4 PM).
Frustrated with paying too much for too little, Drink the District was inspired to make quality beer and wine events affordable for young professionals in D.C. Drink the District is so much more than just about the brew, as it also includes local live music, backyard games and 15 of DC food trucks.
Date: Saturday, June 29th and Sunday, June 30th
Location: The Yards Park (355 Water Street SE Washington, D.C. 20003)
Time:
Admission: current price $35, will increase as it gets closer to the event. Purchase HERE.
FYI this deal is currently available on LivingSocial for $30 HERE.
About Drink the District:
Drink the District is a series of beverage-centric, value-driven, high energy events designed for young professionals in Washington, DC. Founded by Steuart Martens and Dan Kirner, Drink the District is a creation of the team behind Taste of DC. The inaugural DTD was held in July of 2012 and was an overwhelming success. In April 2013, DTD: Wine debuted and sold out in record time. Follow on Facebook (Drink the District) and Twitter: @Drink_District
If I wasn’t going to be on vacation the weekend of the event, I’d definitely attend!!
My client Celia is a HUGE Beyoncé fan. When we first started working together, I asked her to pick out looks from her favorite celebrities to use as inspiration and the only celebrity style she referenced was Beyoncé! A month ago, we found her leather shorts from ASOS. After seeing the outfit Beyoncé wore in NYC yesterday, I knew had to create a look for less post for Celia and anyone who wants to try the leather shorts look this season.
Beyoncé wore a $700 Helmut Lang White Era Blazer, but you don’t have to spend that much to look just as fly! Check out these pieces below to recreate her entire look for a date night, summer party in the city or dinner with girlfriends.
Memorial Day Weekend is unofficially the beginning of summer which means it is time for swimwear! If you haven’t gone shopping for swimsuits yet, I hope this post will serve as a guide on your quest to find the perfect one for the season!
Let’s dive in shall we?!
Bigger on Top (Larger bust than hips)
Support and coverage is key! If you’re going to wear a two piece, look for swimsuit tops that fit like a bra. Tops that have a thicker band on the side of the swimsuit top will aid in supporting your girls! If you prefer a one-piece, look for swimsuits that have structure in the bust; a soft foam cup or shelf bra. While you can wear thinner straps, thicker straps may be more comfortable depending on bust size. You can balance out your top half by wearing a roll down bikini bottom in a bright color or print. This will create flattering volume in your lower half and help create the ideal hourglass shape.
Available at Bare Necessities
Available at Bare Necessities
*Suggested Retailers: Bare Necessities (up to a K cup), Victoria’s Secret (Up to DD cup), Panache (D-K cup), Freya (C-JJ cup) and Athleta.
Bigger on Bottom (larger hips than bust)
The bigger on bottom body type gets tricky. In general, you’ll want to select swimsuits that are cut higher in the leg (both bikini’s and one-piece). This will make your thighs look leaner. Many believe boy shorts work because they cover the derrière, however, boy shorts cut at the widest part of your thigh. That’s why they are great for women who don’t have curves. Bikini’s with side ties and banded bottoms work well too. For the desired hourglass shape, pair your bikini bottom with tops that have patterns, texture (i.e. ruffles and fringe) and prints to bring the attention up (this applies to women who overall have a small chest too). You can also wear one piece swimsuits or tankinis that have color and eye-catching detail on the top like this one. A halter top will give the illusion of wider shoulders and a longer torso, therefore balancing out your bottom half.
Retro style swimsuits are also another option. They returned to the fashion scene a few years ago and are here to stay. High waisted bikinis work for women who are curvy. They create the illusion of a longer leg AND they hide the belly (if that’s a problem area).
Beyoncé for H&M
Sao Paulo High-Waisted Bikini with underwire. Available at Monif C.
*Suggested Retailers: H&M, Target, Old Navy, Zappos, Macy’s, Kohl’s and Monif C.
Straight (Boxy, No Curves)
A woman who fits this description would be or very close to a 1:1:1 chest, waist, hips ratio. You can add volume to your chest and hips by wearing prints, patterns and texture, like ruffles, fringe and embellishments. Boy shorts are great because they give the illusion of having hips. Bandeau and halter tops are great for a narrow frame.
Before & After from Glamour.com
The Bikini Lab Fringed Bikini Top. Available at Nordstrom.
Marc by Marc Jacobs one piece on Oprah.com
*Suggested Retailers: Nordstrom, Old Navy, Target, Everything But Water, Figleaves
Extra In The Middle
A one-piece swimsuit with ruching, cut outs, control panels and color blocking will help hide the tummy. Not only will these details hide the tummy, but they will also help define your waist. If you want to wear a two piece, a tankini is a great alternative to a one-piece or a high waisted bikini.
Monaco Swimsuit from http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/
Miraclesuit Swimsuit, Sanibel Ruched Tummy-Control One-Piece. Available at Macy’s.
Spanx swimsuit featured on Oprah.com
*Suggested Retailers: Dillards, Macy’s (they have Tummy Control Swimsuits), Kohl’s , Spanx and ModCloth
Hourglass
Your shape is considered ideal. Lucky you! You can pretty much wear anything but halter or triangle bikini tops and triangle bikini bottoms will look great on you. This type of bikini cut really shows off your assets (without being raunchy of course). Show off your torso by opting for low-rise bikini bottoms. Monokini’s are also a great option; the style of the swimsuit highlights your curves and emphasizes a small waist.
Halle Berry
Wireless Monokini. Available at Victoria’s Secret.
*Suggested Retailers: All stores listed in the post
Plus Size
If you’re plus size, you want to look for swimsuits that define a waist. The Miraclesuit below is perfect because it drapes diagonally across the midsection, creating a waistline. Swimsuits with ruching and color blocking are great at hiding the tummy while defining a waist. The retro a-line skirt style swimsuits like the one below from ModCloth are great for slimming out your thighs. It hits shorter than boy shorts, so it doesn’t cut at the widest part of your thighs. Many people will recommend wearing darker colors, but if you want to wear a bold color or print go for it. Check out Gabifresh in a black/white stripped bikini here!
Miraclesuit on Oprah.com
Gabi Fresh x Swimsuits For All
Coupe of Tea One Piece
*Suggested Retailers: ModCloth, Evans, Forever 21, Swimsuits For All, Panache, Miraclesuit, ASOS
I hope this helps you on your swimsuit shopping journey!! Please share with anyone you think could benefit from this post!
If you have any style questions or are interested in higher a personal stylist, please don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or 301-836-1451.
On Thursday, May 16, 2013, mila & fire will kick off a series of events with the launch of their contemporary summer collection & look book at retail therapy. The event series will focus on the indie shopping experience, styling consultations and networking to build and grow local brands.
Along with happy hour specials and music by The Beard & The Fro, Kimee Brown of Neon V Magazine will provide a styling presentation and consultation incorporating mila & fire’s new summer collection.
Please check out this event and make sure you visit the Endless Touch vending table for the latest natural hair and body oils, body butter, lip balms and body scrubs (shameless plug for my friend’s company, I know)! 
FREE ADMISSION!
Last week, Help A Reporter Out (HARO) posted a request for a stylist to give specifics on how to wear some of summer’s coolest tees: Rock n’ Roll/Vintage, Nautical, Bright/Bold, V-Neck and Oversized/Boyfriend.
I submitted style suggestions on how to wear all five tees and wanted to share what I submitted with you just in case you found yourself in a style rut. Tees are comfortable and convenient however we may get stuck in the habit of wearing them the same way over and over again. Here are a few suggestions on how to wear summer’s coolest tees:
Rock n’ Roll/Vintage
For a complete rock n’ roll look, pair a rock n’roll/vintage tee with a pair of destroyed denim jeans, a wrap watch, rings, hoop earrings and gladiator sandals. Look for edgy accessories to compliment the rock n’roll theme of the shirt.
Nautical
Pair a nautical striped tee with light fabrics like white linen pants. Bright colors are very popular this season, so compliment a navy blue and white nautical tee with a bright orange necklace and striped wedges. The shoe is a great contrast to the orange necklace and the yellow in the shoe also goes well with navy. This is a great casual look for a day at brunch.
Bright/Bold
A bright t-shirt can be worn with anything! It can be paired with shorts, pants, jeans, and skirts. For extremely hot days in the summer, pair a bright tee with linen shorts and flats in a fun color that compliments the shirt. The look is fun but still causal. Tribal prints are a huge trend this season, so have fun mixing prints into the look with accessories.
V-Neck
Pair a v-neck tee with a high low hem skirt to create length. The v-neck shirt elongates the neck and the hem of the skirt makes the legs look longer. Dress up the tee by pairing it with bold accessories and heeled sandals. This is a great look for dinner in the city. This look can be worn during the day by changing the heels to flats.
Oversized/Boyfriend
Another popular trend this season is printed jeans. Pair a solid oversized tee with a pair of printed skinny jeans. To keep the look fun and casual, wear a pair of flat sandals with a bold necklace and bracelet to add a little edginess. For a night out, switch out the flats to black heeled sandals.
What are some ways you wear your favorite t-shirts during the summer?
For more information on where you can purchase it items above, click HERE. Have style questions? Submit them to keri{at}adivastateofmind.com. For more information on styling services available, click HERE.
For the entire Swim 2010 Collection, visit www.victoriasecret.com
Men Love Red Bottoms Too: Louboutin Men's Shoes 
'Scandal'ous Look For Less: Ms. Olivia Pope 