EDITOR'S LETTER: March 2015

Phew! It's been a while since I last posted to #IMFBlog! While there has been a shortage of content here on my blog, I have no doubt been busy providing content on my social media outlets (I told you I would get better with social media #NewYearsResolution)!!! You can find me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Pinterest. Most exclusively, I have found that Instagram is my primary mode of communication in which I am able to post my daily happenings, and connect my other social media to those IG posts, but my commitment to providing fashion/style inspiration has not faltered!

Dress for Success Central Virginia Boutique

Looking back on the last two spéciale de la mode posts of 2014, you will see that I am working with the non-profit organization Dress for Success Central Virginia, and I am pleased to announce that they have charged me the responsibility of Boutique Manager!! It is my duty to ensure that old donations get filtered out of the boutique and new donations are selected to refill the boutique on a monthly basis. We get a large amount donations from the community, and in my fashion, we get some pretty good quality items! I am most proud to be able to serve the women in my community in this way in that its always great to put fashion to work for its finest purpose which is providing confidence, and self-assurance. I have had the pleasure of corresponding with a Board Member on the Worldwide Board for Dress for Success, Alex Garfield, and a phrase that he said to me always stands out in my mind: "Cause related marketing ought to be a part of every business." He will be being honored a the 2015 Something to Share Gala in NYC on April 16, 2015 for his service in the community by Dress for Success (see below). I wish I could attend, but our Fundraiser Fashion Show will be occurring the next day!!! I hope you plan on attending!!! 

In college, I wrote my graduating Independent Study paper on the Fashion Industry and it's social responsibility. I postulated that fashion has a unique responsibility in that even though the general perspective of the industry is that it is a frivolous business with superficial pursuits, when one approaches one's work with a heart for service, those "superficial pursuits" can mean much more! The efforts of Dress for Success is an example of what I had written about in 2010. I am so proud to be able to apply my creativity and business acumen to serving my community in a unique way that helps to improve employment rates, forward our economy, and foster positivity and confidence within those I help, USING FASHION! 

I have so many projects in the works because of Dress for Success and I am most passionate about using fashion as a vehicle for growth, not just for myself as I work towards my own career goals, but growth for the world at large. I figure there is plenty negativity being promoted in the world through our media, but it comforts me to know that all the while there is plenty positivity that I can contribute to. I have come in contact with amazing people as of late, and it's because I feel the Lord has built me for service. 

"Built For Service" is my new theme for 2015! Service means understanding people and what their needs are. It's about understanding what resonates with people, and what do they want. It's not about me me, it's about what other people are interested in. I think THAT is central theme about the The Secret of Stylists I came to realize in 2014! It's a new season for me going forward. I have under gone many changes in my life and I think they have all been for the better. As I focused on "The Secret of Stylists" all last year I think the key point I came to realize is that styling is all about how well you can understand other people's lifestyles and how they live and how you can help them make their time in life easier! In my fashion, the energy you put out in the universe is the energy you get back, and I can testify to that notion. I have been committed to exuding positivity, and empathy for others. As Audrey Hepburn says about empathy in the movie, Funny Face, "Put yourself in someone else's place!" I have been reaping some amazing blessings because of that notion, and I have new sense of clarity of how I see my life, and I think its mostly in part to having a passion for helping others.  I may not be at Vogue (just yet), but I feel the energy I am putting into the atmosphere is sufficient enough to make me feel whole and complete in my efforts to rise to the top ranks of the fashion industry, because at the end of the day, its all about service.    

EDITOR'S LETTER: December 2014

During the Thanksgiving Holiday, on my visit back home, my brother introduced me to the greatness of the HBO series, Orange is the New Black. Whenever I come home to visit my family, my brother and I have time to catch up with each other by binge watching television series I am too busy to pay attention to with my normal busy schedule. When he mentioned he wanted me to watch the critically acclaimed show, I had my assumptions that the only reason my 17 year old brother was watching the show was because of the plethora of women’s locker room scenes, but I found myself utterly captivated and amused by the show and I stayed up till 5 o’clock in the morning watching the entire first season, well after my brother had decided to go to bed. In my fashion, “Orange is the New Black” is genius! 

Dress for Success Personal Shoppers assist clients with wardrobe attire for their new positions. Women who are referred to DFS go through a program where they get 1 initial suiting for their interview. If they are hired, they then get an additional 5 outfits to go towards their 1st work week and beginning of a more independent lifestyle.

For the past two months, I have been volunteering with the non-profit organization, Dress for Success of Central Virginia. If you are unfamiliar with the organization I suggest you check IMFblog later in the next few days to read the article I wrote for my company’s community newsletter on behalf of the Accessory Drive I conducted at my job for Dress for Success. Dress for Success’ main mission is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Having volunteered as personal shopper for the past two months, I am so proud to be affiliated with an organization that really speaks to the power of clothes, and the social responsibility of the fashion industry to use fashion for its finest purpose. Providing confidence! 

Considering, this is considered the season for giving I feel even better about assisting Dress for Success because it’s the holiday season and funds are looking a little funny in the gift buying department, so holding an Accessory Drive where I made a call for donations of dress shoes and heels, jewelry, handbags, and new hosiery was a really fitting for the time because in the two weeks I was able to collect over 750 items to stock the Dress for Success Boutique, as well as prepare us for our Dress For Success Fashion Show we are holding on April 17, 2015 at the Canal Club in Richmond, Virginia. There is no other satisfaction than being able to help someone get dressed and gain confidence to be able to forward their quality of life. In 2015, we are really looking to assist women who will be exiting correctional facilities to assist them with transitioning back into the public to start building a better life for themselves, so it was a coincidence for me when my brother had me watch “Orange is the New Black”, because now I have a new understanding and perspective on the lives of women in prison. 

I love the show because they will have a theme for what is going on in the episode, but on top of that they will show the back story of one of the women who correlates very closely with that theme for the episode, explaining why that particular women is in jail. Most women who are incarcerated are admitted because of self-defense or taking the fall for the crimes of another accomplice (i.e. brother, father, boy/girlfriend). Even though the women deserve time for their wrongdoing in most situations, the circumstances behind their actions is interesting to delve into. 

In my fashion, instead of receiving this season, giving to ones community can be just as fulfilling as receiving a Larson & Jennings chain metal watch (aside: on my wishlist), or the Hilfiger Collection shearling-lined army-green parka I have had an eye for since it was photographed in the October 2014 issue of Vogue. Thinking back to Audrey Hepburn, I have been inspired by how she contributed to UNICEF, giving her energy and notoriety to a noble cause. I am glad an organization such as Dress for Success exists and to have a great new project to be a part of in 2015.

EDITOR'S LETTER: November 2014

Who was I for Halloween?

So, yesterday was Halloween, and the above outfit was what I wore as homage to a special someone who I have increasingly become infatuated with in the past year and a half. Who do you think that person is based on what I am wearing? I was thoroughly disappointed when everyone I asked kept giving me the same answer, Michael Jackson—which is the wrong answer. The person on my mind was the late Audrey Hepburn (In my fashion, she is the original reference for the white sock trend). My “costume” choice this year goes along with the notion of women-repelling as I mentioned in my last Editor’s Letter. I chose the look because 1) I still had to go to work and I hate looking too unprofessional at work (even on Halloween); 2) I ADORE Audrey Hepburn, what she accomplished in her life, and what she stood for as a person; and 3) because the look is so classic, androgynous, and attainable, (aside: in my fashion, the white socks actually add a mildly high fashion aspect considering the look is actually quite classic and now a day white socks with black pants is a no, so it caters to the rebel in myself, which is fun. I'm considering wearing white socks as my new statement now). As I went throughout the day, I was surprised to find how many people were unfamiliar with Audrey Hepburn. In my mind, I figured when I told someone I was Audrey Hepburn from the movie “Funny Face”, people would be delightfully reminded of this classic story of an unassuming book store clerk (Audrey Hepburn as Jo Stockton) being discovered by a photographer (Fred Astaire as Dick Avery) to work as a model, and they fall in love with each other in Paris. This quintessential fashion fairy tale is heavily referenced in the Fashion World, especially when it comes to spreads dealing with pink clothes, hence the widely used headline for those spreads being, “Think Pink!” So when I went to work advertising who my costume inspiration was and people would ask me, “Who is Audrey Hepburn?” I was floored!

“Audrey and I agreed she would wear black tight fitting pants, a black sweater and black shoes. I wanted her to wear white socks with it, and she was stunned. ‘Absolutely not!’ she said. ‘It will spoil the whole black silhouette and cut the line at my feet!’ I said, ‘If you don’t wear the white socks you will fade into the background…’ She burst into tears and ran into her dressing room. After a little while she regained her composure, put on the white socks, returned to the set and went ahead without a whimper…Later, when she saw the sequence, she sent me a note saying, ‘You were right about the socks. Love, Audrey.’”—Stanley Donen, Director of ‘Funny Face’

Dressing as Audrey Hepburn yesterday revealed to me that I have a little bit of enlightening to do on my part, and as one can imagine, Audrey Hepburn, will be my focus for this month as my new Style Maven. I just finished the book by Melissa Hellstern entitled “How to be Lovely: The Audrey Hepburn Way of Life”, and in my fashion, if one wants to understand how to be truly happy in life, one should study the life and values of Ms. Hepburn. In my 10 part series I will highlight the lessons learned by Audrey on all aspects of life from Success and Happiness, to Fame and Humanity, all through her own words. There is a reason why Ms. Hepburn is a style icon, and not just because she looked wonderful in a Givenchy dress. I think a lot of it had to do with the values she lived by, and what is so fascinating to me is that her personal values are so practical that to me from reading her quotes, one gets the feeling that if she can do it, I can do it too, especially when one takes into account the events of her life, and lack thereof a normal childhood growing up in Europe during WWII. Her values are actually classic prescriptions for how to deal with life, and her life is an example of what happens when you follow through. These classic prescriptions for life can be forgotten in our fast paced modern technological society. Hopefully as we study the words of the wise Ms. Hepburn, we will enhance our style and quality of life by taking some her advice. 

In regards to The Secrets of Stylists, Audrey Hepburn is certainly one to gain inspiration from as she was quintessentially one that all men wanted to be with, and concurrently women wanted to be. In my fashion, that type of appeal is one we all hope to achieve, but that comes from more than just looks. Assessing what are the qualities that made her so enigmatic, we can reflect on ourselves and see what happens when we apply her principals to our lives as to have the same effect on people as Audrey had. On top of that, I have been reviewing the Spring 2015 collections all month and I intend on presenting my runway report in the coming weeks. The way I intend to present my review should also help in regards to defining your own classic style, much like Audrey was able to do in her life.

EDITOR'S LETTER: October 2014

Well, I guess since the last time I posted it was Spring, heading into Summer, one could say I took a little “Blogging Summer Vacation". In my fashion, it was much needed because think about when your favorite singer or band is producing great work from their new album, and you favor them so much that even their old material seems just as fresh as their new single. You are on a hiatus, but as all good things come to an end, the band has to rest and recuperate from promoting the art you love so much. After coming down from your high of their insatiable music, you crave more, but there is such a void while they are away. You feel selfishly impatient as slight feelings of disdain for their absence leaves you feeling personally abandoned (kinda the way I feel about Rihanna right now if you get where I am coming from). But during their absence, we have to realize they too are only human and in order to continue bringing world shaking music to our lives, we must allow them to renew and soak in new experiences so as to translate them into new classics on our personal playlist. 

That is what I think of my break from #IMFblog. In my May Editor’s Letter, I mentioned how I have been building my sensibility as a stylist and have been conditioning myself to be a most effective and efficient stylist/style mentor with my ongoing theme The Secret of Stylist. In doing so I hope to answer the question how can we apply the experiences of successful stylists to improving our own style sensibility by examining the commonalities and differences between different stylists approaches to style. For me, this summer has been about taking what I have read and studied, and taking the time to practice what I learned instead of blogging about it for a while to gain a fresh and more mature perspective, especially as I was able to apply some of what I learned at Forever 21 as I styled the mannequins.  For instance, one trend I have been experimenting with is “women repelling”. When I think about it I have been women repelling for a while now for I enjoy women's clothes because having a thin frame I find a lot of their clothes (especially menswear inspired women's wear) fit and look more flattering on me. But lately I have been going as far as to  wear a string (or strings) wearing pearls with my button-ups going into work, knee highs on club nights, and delicate floral prints. I find it a fun challenge to find different ways to wear them on myself in combination with other masculine pieces as to suggest a masculine appeal in combination even though these pieces are traditionally feminine. Right before I went on my “Summer Vacation”, I picked up the Summer 2014 H&M magazine and was satisfyingly titillated to read the trend report “Beyond the Suit” by Lauren Sherman. Thanks to Leandra Medine, founder of the popular style blog “Man Repeller”, the term “Man Repelling” or wearing cool, quirky clothes that guys don’t really get has been the term for fashion forward women as of late. But as Sherman highlights it appears the concept is bleeding into the dressing sensibilities of this generation of men, and it's not just for the gays, in my fashion.

I think men are seeing clothes as simply clothes and that a gender association doesn't mean much in regards to ideals of masculinity when you consider our modern social climate. In my fashion, women repelling DOES NOT say I want to be a like woman. Instead it says, “Yeah, I am wearing a dress, AND I am still the top dog!” It’s almost a new proclamation of masculinity, one that adheres to feminist ideals of equality among the sexes, where the man is proclaiming how much he can look like a women, but still ooze masculine appeal. As I have observed, its almost like the sixties all over again with women and hemlines. The hems of men’s shirts seem to becoming acceptingly longer and longer among young consumers, and as Sherman’s article shows examples of men in women repelling looks, it appears we can take hemlines where ever we want. Taking after men like Kanye West and Jared Leto, men are not afraid to experiment with different accessories and more feminine hairstyles. With the right amount of cool machismo and creative combinations with other masculine pieces, a skirt on a man doesn't look as feminine as one might think, and this type of view on clothing is, in my fashion, our generation’s fashion revolution. 

At VA PrideFest 2014

I have written about this before on #IMFblog, case in point, Casey Legler, who is the first female ever signed to Ford Modeling Agency’s men board. In my post READing Your Style: Androgynous models who ignore the gender rules, I quoted Legler from an article in the UK Guardian, and she stated: "We have very strict ways in which we identify ourselves as men or women and I think that those can sometimes be limiting … Seeing me on the men's board … speaks to a notion of freedom, you know. There's something really bold about that … it's saying there is also this other way and it's really rad." Her statement is the basic reasoning for which I wore the look in this post with my zebra print caftan belted with a silky track jacket (both of the latter were from H&M coincidentally), black leggings, and Chelsea boots. I wore them at this year’s Richmond Gay Pride this past weekend, and felt this was the perfect time to break out this look during that time. Women Repelling really speaks to the notion that clothes are clothes and we should feel comfortable to express and celebrate both our masculine and feminine qualities that make us individually unique. I personally like playing with the idea that to be a man doesn't necessarily mean one has to wear a suit and tie day in and day out.We all have feminine and male qualities, and to embrace those qualities regardless of which sex we are is how we will attain self-actualization of who we are in this life. 

At VA PrideFest 2014

It was funny to me to read Sherman’s article where she writes: “Stephanie Trong, co-editor-in-chief of Fashionista.com, would rather her guy look like Ryan Gosling than a street style head turner. ‘I’m more into guys who do the sportswear thing, and who don’t look like they spent more than ten minutes deciding what to wear,’ she says.” Unfortunately for Trong, it would seem that this breed of men is dying off as more men clamor over fashion like high school girls. As I mentioned in November of 2012, New York Magazine reported that “the luxury Men's fashion market is growing at 14% per year, twice as fast as the women's market which has shown a steady growth of 8% per year”. With this trend taking off the way it has, I can’t help but think about the chant we use to say to the opposite sex from our grade school days, “I can do anything better than you.” It’s as if men have decided, “If you can wear a dress, why can’t I?” and, in my fashion that is a very valid question to ask. As Tim Gunn has informed us, a lot of the popular fashions modernly associated with women, were most likely, in the past, begun by men. So it’s no wonder we are coming around full circle in fashion history, because after all, fashion doesn't repeat itself, but it sure does have a way of having the same rhythm as past time periods. 

Certified Women Repeller! This isn't too feminine is it? What do you think?

Speaking of time periods, now that the Spring/Summer 2015 shows are coming to close today, I can really assess what is to come of fashion's future, so it’s back to the grind, and I will keep you posted with my sartorial philosophies.

EDITOR'S LETTER: June 2014

Ponchos and kimonos are my favorite items this year.
This colorful fringe poncho was perfect for standing out
at the festival I went to.

I hope that this spring if you didn't get a chance to attend some of the big name festivals such as Coachella, or Bonnaroo, you were able to attend some local festivals in your vicinity. In my fashion, the main thrill of festival season is of course the fashion, especially because if you spend enough time at the event, the look you began the day in is not the look you can expect to end the day in. While getting ready for the festival events I attended this year, I couldn't help but think about how all of our efforts in fashion is simply to prepare for our day most appropriately. With festival dressing one wants to be prepared for anything that could happen while spending all day outside in a field such as, a rain shower, unexpected springtime cold fronts, being sweaty, and the possibility of getting an outfit dirty from walking around on muddy, uneven terrain, all while trying to sustain a cute look in case one happens to run into a hot musician. Fashion, in general, is primarily is about how we can dress ourselves so that we can be prepared to take on the day ahead, whether it is for the office, traveling, or simply walking the streets, but all in all we want to do so in the most flattering manner for who we are, and what we do with our lives. Even if one’s goal is not to be the most spectacular looking person on the planet (which in my fashion should be everyone’s goal), one still wants to appear attractive and comfortable in one’s skin and know that people’s initial perception of who you are is not a fool. Confidence is key to looking amazing, and usually confidence comes from an internal sense of comfort in that you know how to operate your life. The first impression of confidence is one’s dress.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, “Living for Design: The Yves Saint Laurent Story” by the Parisian journalist and writer, Axel Madsen. To understand design and styling, there are so many quotes and insights on YSL’s sartorial philosophies, such as: “If I chose this trade, it was because I think fashion is very important. It reflects the state of mind, the evolution and the future of civilization. Every seven, ten years there’s a great change in how we live that is first expressed in the way we dress.” The reason fashion is such a popular topic, and is an industry that constantly changes is because of the simple fact that life is constantly changing. In our society one has to get up every day, and get dressed. Fashion is essentially about how one adapts to life in that regard, and the industry of fashion works to help make the process of preparing for one’s day most easy. Depending on how we want the world to see us and what we are doing with our lives, we are always trying to find new ways to make our style more manageable and effortless, but it can be difficult to be able to redefine one’s self everyday in a creative light that exudes pride and confidence. Cue, the stylist.

My ongoing theme, The Secrets of Stylists, has been a topic that I have delved deeply into because of the amount of interesting information I have gathered in all my research. I really wanted to be able to speak on the subject with substantial references and insights from industry insiders, past and present to be able to come up with a basic thought process about how to go about styling one’s life. Personally, I am always trying to make the point that fashion is an important industry and is not frivolous and superficial. Styling is hard work that deserves a certain level of respect and appreciation because think about how life would appear without the work of people in the industry. One’s style is ever-evolving whether we want it to or not for the simple fact that life is always evolving. That is why it’s important to keep up with the times, and fashion make it so convenient to understand what the trends are so that one may stay current and adapt to life’s inevitable changes. I plan to continue exploring The Secrets of Stylists and hopefully bring it to close very soon, so please bear with me while I attempt to construct quality posts on the subject with my busy schedule.

EDITOR'S LETTER: May 2014

In my fashion, I can't remember a more pretty Spring than the one we have had so far in 2014. It seems to me that the flowers have come into bloom full force, and with maximum impact. I like to think that the flowers felt just like how we all were feeling: fed up with the cold weather! I can't decipher if flowers are really on full scale blossom with a vengeance, or could it be because we spent so long without them that the sight of them is so welcomed compared to the arduous winter we just had. Either way, perhaps we could have known this was to happen when we turn our heads to the Spring/ Summer 2014 collections. Even though this is the beginning of the hot season, flowers are already a MAJOR trend this season. If you haven't been to Forever 21, I will tell you that there are some pretty dresses to choose from in the most refreshing of floral and tropical prints. They fall in line with what was shown on the runway this past season. Tabitha Simmons shows us that in the new Vogue series, "Vogue in Motion" where we are taken behind the process of creating a Vogue fashion story. Her story, "Petal Pushers" in the March 2014 issue was focused around the influence of flowers in the collections in that they were incorporated in a strong, modern sense with fragmented prints and strong shapes, instead of the normal "Hippie-ish" way we typically come to think of flowers. It's one of my favorite spreads of that issue because its so fun, youthful, and bubbly in a sleek way.  The presence of flowers on the runway definetly serves as a foreshadow to what Spring has to offer. I have been able to get out again and enjoy the outdoors finally, and I couldn't help but to take photos of the flowers that seem almost elated and proud to be able to show their colors. 

As I took my photos, I couldn't help but think to myself that if you were to take these flowers and turn them over, the way they bloom with their brilliant colors resemble the dresses made by the late American couturier, Charles James, who is the subject of this years MET Costume Institute Exhibition entitled, "Charles James: Beyond Fashion", in which the MET Gala occurs tonight! This will be a Cinco de Mayo to remember, and is why I chose to wait 5 days into the month to post this here Editor's Letter, for this is definitly a day of celebration I wanted to support today. Vogue, of course, has been the premier source for more information on Charles James. In the May issue with Emma Stone on the cover, Intentional Editor-at-Large, Hamish Bowles, writes a telling feature entitled, "Charles James: The One and Only" where he recounts how James was acclaimed by his peers and designers in the 1930s including, Coco Chanel, Cristobal Balenciaga, Christian Dior, and Paul Poiret. I also suggest that you go to Vogue.com and watch "Vintage Bowles: The Dresses of Charles James in Chicago" to see how his beautifully, and artistically constructed dresses remind me of the flowers I took pictures of above. In my fashion, they are almost poetic.

I'll be excited to see the MET Gala Red Carpet Coverage, but also to continue to learn more about Charles James as a designer and stylist. I have thought very long and hard about the subject of “The Secret of Stylists” these past few months. After reading all the books I have read, and all the videos I have watched, as well as other various sources of information, I have been searching for the bases behind developing a strong, recognizable, and authentic style. In my research, the question I seek to answer is: how can we apply the experiences of successful stylists to improving our own style sensibility. I really want to discover if there is a general approach to cultivating style, and what philosophical conclusions we can draw from how stylists see the world. As is said in the biography I picked up, “Living for Design: The Yves Saint Laurent Story” by Axel Madsen, "To have style is to have ascendancy, personality and a feel for the pleasures of society.” Style is what helps one enjoy one’s life, and through the work of stylists we are introduced to new ideas of enhancing our style and enjoying what life has to offer. Stylists anticipate the mood of society and translate ways to adapt and stay current with all of life’s changes from a particular point of view. I've tried to gather opinions and experiences from all perspectives of styling including celebrity stylists, designers, interior decorators, editors, visual merchandisers, and hair/make-up stylists to figure out if there is a common thought process between them in reference to being advisers of style. Personally, through all my studying, I have been building my sensibility as a stylist and have been conditioning myself to be a most effective and efficient stylist/style mentor. Just as InStyle did with their Big Buy Theory, this month I will bring all my observations together to create an IMFblog theory of styling that we can all follow that will further outline what I find to be the most important considerations when thinking about how one will style oneself.

EDITOR'S LETTER: April 2014

As it turns out, the subject of The Secrets of Stylists has grown to be highly contemplative on my part. I have been ferociously reading and researching different perspectives in regards to styling, and as one can see from the tardiness of this April's Editor Letter, my posts have been faltering these past two months. I figured though that if I am to write on The Secrets of Stylists, gaining a survey of perspectives from notable artists and stylists that have come before me would make my insights most plausible. My list of books so far include: Vidal Sasson: How one man changed the world with a pair of scissors, Grace: A Memoir, Living for Design by Yves Saint Laurent, Threads by Joseph Abboud, The Vogue Factor by Kristie Clements, Secrets of Stylists by Sasha Charnin Morrison, Fifty Fashion Looks that Changed the 1950s, as well as Fifty Fashion Looks that Changed the 1960s, and I am slated to read A.L.T: A Memoir, and Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life by Justine Picardie. The time I have taken to read these books has given me ample time to reflect on their experiences and compare them with my own growing experience as a stylist, especially with my new position at Forever 21 dressing their mannequins. 

This blunt cut all the way around my head was meant to resemble the blunt cuts created by Vidal Sasson and his salon. In my fashion, his cuts did the job of making the wearer most memorable, and intriguing. 

Designs from the Vidal Sasson
salon in the 1960's

One stylist, who I owe my new haircut design to is Vidal Sasson, who indeed "changed the world with a pair of scissors". The hair designs which came from out of his studio (i.e. the Five Point Cut, the Wedge, the Box Bob, the Brush, the Quiff) are, in my fashion, some of the most classic of hair designs, and define the spirit of my favorite decade, the 60's. I love the 60's because there was such an explosion of a brave new world. With the youth revolution taking command in London, the London look was what really propelled style from then on. Vidal Sasson's collaboration with such figures as Twiggy, Mary Quant, Mia Farrow, Nancy Kwan, Peggy Moffitt, and Grace Coddington made such a statement, introducing a new way to frame one's beauty. His his architectural designs were smart, simple and bold, which in my fashion, are the ingredients of being classic. I was inspired by his architectural approach to cutting hair and I wanted to approach my own hair from that perspective. The clean lines, the intriguing way his designs framed one's face and created a clearly defined shape that is most memorable to onlookers is where I wanted to take my own hair. It's funny to me that I have gotten so many mixed reviews on my haircut, but I think I am going to press on with my cut and see where it takes me. I like the individuality of my cut, and that it is very impacting whether one likes it or not. Stylist work to make an impact and anticipate what we all WILL see as beautiful and CAN see as beautiful. 

On the documentary, "McQueen and I", a documentary on the lives of Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow, Vogue Contributor, Plum Sykes mentioned that, "Some people just have an eye for beauty that other people don't have so they can see that something is beautiful before other people might be used to that particular look."  I have decided to extend this topic into next month as well as to share all that I have learned from the books I have read. With my busy schedule I have been less able to devote time to #IMFblog, but it is never out of my mind! I want to catch you up on the experiences of people who make it their duty to create statements of our time that impact how we see ourselves and what we see as beautiful. In my fashion, having a distinct style is a certain indication of strength and I feel stylists help people to access a strength within themselves.

EDITOR'S LETTER: March 2014

All through the month of February these items were my go to pieces when I wanted to feel fashionable without having to think about my look too much. I was on the go all month, so I hardly had anytime to be innovative about my look, so I needed pieces that would help me to be chic and modern no matter where I went. It was all so simple, classic, and practical, and said everything I needed it to say about myself. I especially loved my Aztec poncho and black fur vest because they added that extra bit of pizzazz and intrigue to my all all black Audrey Hepburn inspired look. 

This past month I was TERRIBLY busy! First off, I have to pat myself on the back for producing 20 posts within the month, a feat I haven't accomplished since November 2012 when I reached 27 posts! I'm a little disappointed though because even though I was able to post as much as I did, I wasn't able to produce a certain post I had been meaning to post most of all that would send the message home about my theme for #IMFblog these past two months, BE STIMULATED. Perhaps I will be able to bring that to you this month now that things in my life have slowed down a bit. There were a lot of happenings for myself this past month: I had multiple interviews, advances in my career, moving arrangements to deal with, and some out of town trips to see family, not to mention Valentine's Day and birthday parties to attend. Like I mentioned in my previous Editor's Letter, in such a short month, its a miracle I was able to conjure the amount of posts I did. 

As far as advancement in my career goes, not only was I able to muster a promotion at my employer of 3 years, I was also able to find employment as a Visual Assistant for Forever 21, where I am really able to put my styling abilities to practices dressing mannequins for the store's windows. I truly cherish this position because Forever 21 is one of my favorite stores with their affordable prices and innovative clothing  choices that really cater to the modernity of the fashion conscious consumer. I feel there is always something to find in Forever 21 with their vast assortment of clothing options, so its a little of a dream come true to be able to have all of their products at my disposal to create looks for consumers to be inspired to by for their sartorial desires. Hats, shoes, bags, dresses, accessories: to mix and match all they have to offer its exactly what I dream about doing with the rest of my life for Vogue magazine, and eventually a magazine of very own. 

On top of all that, it was my birthday yesterday! With all the stress of running around all month, you can imagine that having a really good "sit" was my greatest birthday wish. I know, I am such a bore, but sitting down with a good book in hand brings me such joy, it makes me smile right now just to think about doing it! Yesturday, I treated myself with a trip to Barnes and Nobel, and purchased the book "Nostalgia in Vogue", published by Rizzoli and edited by Features Director of Vogue, Eve MacSweeney. I can't wait to make my way through the book, for it is a compilation of, "the legendary photographs of Vogue and a collection of essays they have inspired. Drawn from the magazine's Nostalgia column of the past ten years, celebrities, designers, photographers, and authors choose images from Vogue's history  that have touched their lives in revealing and personal ways." The Nostalgia Column in Vogue is one of my personal favorite columns in the magazine because the various essays open new perspectives to life and how fashion and style play a part in making life stories. 

In my fashion, as we take time to open up a book, its amazing how books have a way of opening up ourselves and expanding our minds to so much more.

I find that for me, when I am stressed, the best thing for me to do is sit down and get lost in a book. Given the amount of stress I faced this past month, I made my way through a quite a few books including: Grace: A Memoir by Grace Coddington, Vidal Sasso: How One Man Changed the World with a Pair of Scissors by Michael Gordon, Secrets of Stylists: An Insiders Guide to Styling the Stars by Sasha Charnin Morrison, and Modern Manners by Dorothea Johnson and Liv Tyler. All these books helped me to think about styling in a greater sense. In my fashion, styling is about learning how to really trust your instincts and understand how to make the best decisions to bring out our best attributes. In regards to life, from reading each of these books, whether one is making decisions as to what to wear, who to befriend, where to go, and how to act, 

learning how to follow our instincts is one of our greatest tools, and there is something about styling that I feel we can learn a lot about doing so. This month will be about exploring THE SECRETS OF STYLISTS as it pertains to being successful in life.

EDITOR'S LETTER: February 2014

Overalls - Normally associated with our youthful prepubescence (or mechanics), are a piece of clothing I purchased recently to play with the idea of revamping such an article of clothing to more chic standards. 

In my fashion, Vogue has really started the year with a bang in regards to their fashion reportage. Talk about BEING STIMULATED, I have been very impressed with their January and February issues. Not only are the covers for the two issues powerfully captivating, sleek, and unforgettable, I have to say that the content included in each issue has me geared for a new modern frontier going forward with 2014. I find that the fashion stories are new, fresh, and innovative, ushering us into a the sleek modernity of 2014. We all know that this is the month of the Spring Collections, so I am most excited for what the March issue will incorporate, but this month I plan on getting back to my READing Your Style: Tim Gunn’s Fashion Bible posts which I started back in August 2013 which will highlight some more of my favorite examples from Vogue of the pieces of clothing Tim Gunn educates us of in his book. In my fashion, my Tim Gunn posts are my brilliant way of marrying the past with the present, with Vogue showing how far fashion has come, and  using Tim Gunn’s insights to educate us all.

I worn them out on a night on the town (image), as a casual look (above), and I even wore them to work with a blazer and a dress shirt, and looked very dashing, succeeding in bringing a laughable nostalgia to my co-workers for the day. As Iris Apfel has said, "Wit and humor are life."

Being that this is second busiest time of the year for fashion, February will be chalked full of content on #IMFblog as well. It’s funny how February is the shortest month of the year, and I plan on having maybe the most content of the year for a month in this brief amount of time. In light of these two month’s theme being “BE STIMULATED”, I have been working hard to bring plenty stimulation for our sartorial journey. Between “5 Days, 5 Looks, 1 Girl”, “Beauty At Any Age”, and “Tim Gunn’s Fashion Bible”, I hope the content I post this month gets your mind jogging with oodles of inspiration as we go into a new season. As I mentioned in my intro to READing Your Style: 5 Days, 5 Looks, 1 Girl, it can be hard trying to stay motivated to maintain one’s sartorial elegance day in and day out, so my hopes through #IMFblog is to recharge you day in and day out to keep us on track. In my fashion, fashion as a whole is on a new plane. With an emphasis on individualism, the consensus seems to be that clothing choices shall be less about Lady Gaga-esque glitz, and more about a controlled and focused sensibility aimed at classicism and timelessness, sorta like in the decades of the 30's and 40's. The 2014 Grammy Awards, in my fashion, was evidence of this notion in that one usually expects stars, especially musicians, to showcase their most daring, provocative, and dare I say, avant-garde looks on the Grammy red carpet, but it seems to me that with each passing year, Grammy looks seem to become more and more subdued with celebrities appearing to be more modest, and less arrogantly egocentric - perhaps avant-garde in more a sensible, practical sense. Maybe the egocentric attitude is there, but I find the attitude to be more casual, cool, and witty, as opposed to overtly obvious and subversive. It would seem that on a sartorial aspect, in regards to standing out and being above the rest, we are choosing to work smarter, not harder about being sartorially creative. Hopefully my posts this month will help you to do just that this year. Remember, beauty lies not in sameness but in difference.

EDITOR'S LETTER: January 2014

Being that last month I focused on the recent projects produced by Swarovski in the past few years, going into this new year, I was fortunate to find a panel discussion lead by Member of the Swarovski Executive Board, Nadja Swarovski which featured famed interior designer, Iris Apfel, and President/Creative Director of Kate Spade, Deborah Llyod, at the LINK Jewelry Summit this past April in 2013. This 30 minute discussion on their secrets to style and creativity has become my inspiration for the month of January, and in my fashion, the coming year as a whole. I was glad to see this video because I wanted to know more about the style icon, Iris Apfel, and it’s great to hear her account of her contributions as a arbiter of style. I am always glad to hear success stories from industry leaders like her, and it was great to listen to Deborah Llyod’s perspective at the helm of the Kate Spade brand, but what I found most intriguing and inspiring is how much their insights said about what it means to enjoy life and be an individual. In my fashion, their analyses of the different subjects Nadja probed them about were allegorical truths for life that I feel we need to remember as we go into this new year aspiring to become greater than we were before.

Going in 2014, it's out with the old sunglasses I was so used to wearing everywhere I went, and in with my new Ray Bans to experience the world through more open eyes (litrerally and figuratively). How do I look?

As you may remember from my March 2013 EDITOR'S LETTER, I have been on the hunt for a perfect pair of eyeglasses for myself, and I finally got some classic circular framed, tortoise shell, Ray Bans this past Christmas (Thanks mom and dad!). Now, I am not one for New Year's Resolutions (by the end of the year I find I can never remember what specifically I committed myself to "resolving"), but I do go about the idea in a more sartorially conscious manner. I feel going into 2014, the new glasses I got will help me change for the better. Since I got my new eyeglasses in late November, I have been wearing my beloved sunglasses less and less. Since college, I have made my big, dark, sunglasses a signature piece of my overall look that people know me for. The thought of abandoning my mysterious allure by revealing my eyes with eyeglasses was mildly daunting because I am so used to the comfort of wearing them. What I learned by wearing my sunglasses all the time (even indoors) was how our eyes make a big difference in our interactions with others. While my sunglasses gave me a certain confidence by defining a certain look for myself, in my fashion, perhaps it was time for me to experience life through more open eyes. Ever since I gave my shades a rest, I have found myself to be much more engaging with others through my eye contact. I find I have a new confidence about interacting with people now, and being an introvert, I find that by forcing myself to take off the sunglasses and be more expressive by with my eyes, I find myself resisting the urge to be solitary and antisocial. Being social has always been  a struggle for me, but in my fashion, this change in my style serves as a badge of courage to overcome my social anxiety and improve my quality of life. It’s a growing experience.

In regards to my New Year’s Resolutions, I consider my effort to be more engaging with my eyes one way to bring new opportunities and experiences my way this year. My thing about resolutions is that while we may have specific goals for ourselves, if we can see a positive difference in who we are compared to who we were the year before, we have accomplished our resolution regardless of achieving our financial, career, or relationship goals. In my fashion, its not  worth it to be a person who works so hard at being happy that in effect one becomes unhappy. Revealing my eyes more is my testament of the idea that change is good, and we should never stay the same. Staying the same is boring, and when you stay the same, that means you are not growing. Changing up our style is a way to refresh our attitude about life, and in my fashion, the key to reaching one’s goals is to be able to maintain an attitude that continually stimulates your will to work towards your goals. That is the premise of what I gathered from Iris Apfel and Deborah Lloyd. Fashion helps to release us from the monotony of life, and style is our badge of courage to show that you will hold on to your spirit of youth. The thing about keeping a youthful spirit that Apfel so aptly puts it is that we must keep ourselves stimulated. In my fashion, while our bodies grow old, a youthful spirit never grows old because one retains that desire to learn and grow. As Apfel says, “If you are not interested,  you can't be interesting!" This month, BE STIMULATED is the key phrase going into 2014, so look forward to exploring how we can use our style to stimulate our youthful spirit, because when you think about it, life is all about the things that stimulate us. Have an awesome 2014!

EDITOR'S LETTER: December 2013

This coat I found at The ARTisan Cafe at Stoney Point Shopping Center is a wonderful find that is on my wishlist this Christmas! In my fashion, this unique coat says everything I need it to say about me, and I absolutely love the jewel detail on the sleeve. It's intricate, subtle and gorgeously made (all the qualities I am about, if I do say so myself). 

Now that we are officially into the 2013 Holiday Season, tis the season for exuberance! In my fashion, this is the most glamorous time of the year for everyone. When it comes to holiday parties, family gatherings, and the celebration of the New Year, this is the time to be as decadent as possible. It's all about dressing to impress, and what's more impressive than over the top jewelry. This holiday season, your jewelry says everything! All around me I am noticing that the style that stands out the most is all about jewels, and embellishment, and regalia - adorning oneself with fantasy. In my fashion, what is sexy in the summer is skin; but during the winter, jewelry is the new skin. In the cold we are all covered in layers of clothes, so how else is one suppose to catch the eye of that boy across the room at a holiday dinner party. Don't be afraid to think out of the ordinary with how you wear jewelry this season (especially wearing jewels in one's hair as suggested in the December 2013 issue of Vogue). That's why I am so excited to feature the Swarovski Elements Horoscope Calendar in my READing Your Style Series on Astrology. In my fashion, they are excellent visual inspiration for one's imagination as we ponder the extent to which we can create uniquely regal looks for oneself during the holidays.

In my fashion, I am sure I would attract many head turns, and I would be happy to tell anyone to visit The ARTisan Cafe to find other ethnic inspired clothes, accessories, artwork, made by local artists. I will be posting more of some of the merchandise you can buy from the store on my Instagram. Hint: A great place for unique gift ideas!

As you know, #IMFblog is always about thinking outside the box, and how to be 100% unique. With my recent fascination in the zodiac, the point I am trying to send home this month is that by delving deeper into our zodiac and gaining a deeper understanding of our astrological influences, one may be able to conjure even more clever and unique looks to shine above everyone else and say exactly what we want our look to say about ourselves. I love when people want to know why I am wearing a certain item. I think with clothes we should always aim to show people something they haven't seen before. It's about generating intrigue in oneself, and gravitating the people whom you can create a dialogue with. I like when I get to go into detail about why I am wearing an item because it allows me to express my point of view and the way I see the world. Its empowering to know that others are interested in who you are, and in many situations it helps to create greater connections between the people we meet. In my fashion, life is all about learning from other people. Nothing we wear is an accident, and the clothes we put on tell a certain story about ourselves and explains what we are all about. One exudes strength in character when there is a certain intention put into the look we put together for ourselves; that strength of character is what I like to call, style. Hopefully, the stories I share this month about each sign of the zodiac proves entertaining enough for you to inspire world-shaking conversation with old family members, new friends, and potential mates. The idea is to not only impress with your jewelry, but also to go as far to impress others with whats on your brain.

EDITOR'S LETTER: November 2013

Do you believe in Astrology?

Based on my last Serious Style post, "Too Fat, Too Thin - Will We Ever Be Content", I was inspired to learn more about Astrology, and what we can gather about ourselves from the meanings of our astrological signs. From my research so far, what I have found about the subject of Astrology is that it is an ancient belief system that spans farther than the simple Horoscopes we entertain ourselves with from newspapers and magazines. British astrophysicist, Dr. Percy Seymour, has postulated that planetary influence operates through a form of magnetism which humans are sensitive, and that the nervous systems of humans and animals act as aerials to detect the vibrations of the Earth's fields. Plainly put, when one looks into ancient mythology, based on the certain characteristics of the planets observed by ancient astronomers 5000 years ago beginning in Mesopotamia, the planets actually influence our personalities and how we operate on Earth. For example, Jupiter is associated with leadership, success, and optimism. Mercury influences intellect, communication, and the winds. Mars is associated with aggression, wars, and anger. Venus deals with matters of love and romance. Pluto is associated with the underworld, death, and endings. Saturn rules our sense of duty and responsibility. Uranus is believed to be a planet of surprise, while Neptune is believed  to be a planet that deals in disillusionment. 

Do you find your Sun Sign to be an accurate description of yourself?

Based on Dr. Seymour's belief in planetary magnetism and influence, it is thought that the planets have ways of governing how we act on Earth, and their influence can be attributed to the individual growth, success, and failures of people, animals, buildings, and even entire countries. How this relates to style intrigued me because astrology suggests that our personalities are the result of when, where, and what time we were born, and where in the solar system the planets were positioned in space at that time. Astrology also suggests that we can pretty much map out the likely events to come in our lives based on that information, which in my fashion, is quite mind boggling, considering this is a science that has been highly regarded in the past and used quite successfully by our ancestors, but not so much anymore in our modern society. I find it fascinating that when I read profiles of my Sun Sign, Pisces, I discover that it describes me quite accurately in most occasions, and I sometimes learn things about myself that I would probably learn and understand about myself much later in life. I find that understanding our Sun Signs may unlock the answers to how we can better deal with our lives. So this month, I plan on elaborating on this subject so we can come to a clearer understanding of how an emphasis in astrological beliefs may help to enhance our style, and the ways of living for ourselves. 

Do you believe that the stars may define who we are?

I find the story of how the The Three Wise Men found Jesus fascinating, because they are said to have been astronomers who understood a prediction of the birth of a new king by working out the time and place of the birth of this king from their astrological observations. They discovered that through a rare association of planets in the solar system, there would be a child of Jewish origin who would be born and grow up to become King of the Jews, which turned out to be Jesus of Nazareth. Considering we are approaching Christmas, and the Holiday Season, I found this topic most appropriate to delve into as, in my fashion, there might be something to be said about Astrology being a viable way of understanding our own purposes in life more clearly. Astrology offers insight and help with problems in our personal lives, hence horoscopes, but astrologers use Natal Charts which a more detailed and specific explanation of the individual in question. I plan on elaborating how The Stars Define Us, and how Astrology can be an x-ray into a person's nature in these coming months. Let the Holiday Season begin!

EDITOR'S LETTER: October 2013

"Self-love is critical…it is the key to everything."

As this September has past, the 2014 Spring collections have got my mind moving a mile a minute as I envision who will be wearing what, and what looks will eventually represent 2014 in fashion history. Soon the holiday season will be upon us, and I can’t wait to see what combination of clothes the ‘It Girls’ of Vogue will put together, and I can’t wait to see what fashions will be prevalent on women in the streets, especially at upcoming holiday festivities and parties, with the one question always on my mind: What will clothes say about women this year? By far, some of my favorite collections included Chanel, Prabal Gurung, Albetta Feretti, Prada, Tom Ford and Rodarte. You can view #MY3BestLooks from each of these shows and other collections I review on my Instagram page (@inmyfashionblog). 

As we all know, I am fascinated with the fact that our appearance speaks volumes for the attitudes of the times. Every day, whether you like it or not, you are a part of fashion history each time you step out of bed and wear your clothes out into the world. Now, more than ever, with the aid of social media, fashion history is being documented on the Internet, and once you put something into the internet universe, it is out there forever as a testimony to what is going on in life, who we are, and why we are wearing what we are wearing. In my fashion, it’s important to make sure that what we put out there is what we want to be associated with ourselves. Since it is a requirement that we wear something when we leave our homes, in my fashion, we all should be excited to present ourselves with pride and creativity. Fashion is all about your imagination and what is going on in your mind, and about evolving as a person and changing yourself, playing a part in life that you want people to see. 

In case you weren’t aware, UK Vogue held The Vogue Fashion Festival for two days the last weekend in April. They had a multitude of interviews and panel discussions with some of fashion’s key players including Alber Elbaz, Steven Meisel, Donatella Versace, and Victoria Beckham. There were two panel discussions: one entitled, “The Secrets of a British Brand” which was very informational and motivational. The other panel discussion was entitled “Too Fat, Too Thin…Will We Ever Be Content” which was a discussion on how we deal with our body issues, and this topic inspires my theme for this month, ‘Social Identity Self Improvement’. I realized that what I essentially am trying to do in regards to learning about fashion and style is to help others feel good about themselves. I see my role on this planet as a person who just wants people to feel good about who they are, especially women. At 27 minutes into the discussion I heard an interesting comment from an audience member that happened to be a weight loss consultant from Jenny Craig who said this:

“I have realized that actually a lot of the people don’t need to lose weight, they need to look actually at what they dress in, and dress for their shape. How long do you think it will be before people realize that’s one way of going about it, and dieting in a sensible way, not quickly but for the foreseeable future?”

Hearing that observation from a weight loss consultant confirms for me that women could use my help in this regard. As I look at it, my job in life is to in some way help others make the most out of their “Social Identity”. I find it interesting how we have an intuitive sense of what clothes mean, and how we relate to people based on our appearance. I find that my mission in life coincides closely with what, Alber Elbaz, Creative Director for Lanvin, tries to do for women: make their lives easier. During his interview he tells us, "I want them to be able to get into a car, to be able to have dessert, to feel beautiful. Fashion should not be about having a second skin - it is about fantasy; about putting on a red, chiffon dress, looking in the mirror and feeling amazing.” It is my understanding that our happiness depends on our confidence levels, and I would hope to be a motivating force in people’s lives to help people not only find confidence, but keep it, and I have found that increasing our sense of style through our clothing choices is one large piece of the puzzle to projecting our confidence. As was said in “Too Fat, Too Thin”, “Self-love is critical…it is the key to everything.”

Fashion is aspiration, and it’s about manifesting what is in our minds into reality. As I have said from day one of #IMFblog, when you look good, you feel good, and dressing with an intention shows that you have an intention for where you are going with not just your day, but your life. Image Consulting and Wardrobe Styling is what I am working on making my profession, and in an effort to find out how I can be of greater service to people by sharing what I’ve learned about personal style, I will be creating a Facebook page that seeks to find out if there are any specific problems I can help with in regards to enhancing one’s style. Just like in the “Too Fat, Too Thin…Will We Ever Be Content” panel discussion, I want to find out what issues we have with our bodies and what sartorial dilemmas I can help with, whether it is shopping and finding unique items, organizing one’s closet space, seeing our image differently (or for what it is), or how one can better style oneself for our personal endeavors. If you have an outfit that you need approval of and you would like an impartial expert opinion, which is what my page will be for. If you don’t know if your look is appropriate for where you will be going, ask me! If you want an idea as to how to make your outfit pop, send me a message. Let me know what your needs are when it comes to dressing for your life; what are you trying to accomplish; what your goals are; what are your challenges when it comes to dressing. In my fashion, you get what you dress for, and life is all about the visual.