Style Watch: Chiddy Bang

“Take a second look and you'll see, there ain’t no one like me!”  If this phrase isn’t morning inspiration, then I just don’t know what inspiration is! This phrase from the track, “Mind Your Manners” comes from the new duo in music from Philly, Chiddy Bang. In my fashion, I can appreciate their style in this video with their colorful, spirited and clever visual interpretation of this message. First let me say, I have been eyeing these two boys and seeing them make appearances (Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, The Swelly Life Tour) more and more, and taking consideration of their backstory makes me feel proud of the ambitious individuals of my generation. In this video, I love the colored “Jabawaki” masks! When we are spun in a 360 vantage point shot of the recording Jabawaki people, I feel they represent those people in the world that conform to the norm; those that will look and judge you, for you are the one they see that isn’t afraid to be different and unique. Those in the video without masks proudly proclaim, "There is no one like me,” why? For it is a simple truth! They don't look like the empty, stoic faces of the Jabawaki men sans any hint of personality. They are aware of themselves and what they are good at, and have no problem expressing their talent no matter how much public scrutiny is wrought upon them. Our abilities to do something that others cannot should be celebrated, refined, and appreciated so we can make the most of ourselves, in my fashion. It’s like Earl Knightingale quoted from Rollo May: "The opposite of courage  in our society is not cowardice, it's conformity." Do what you do, be the best at what you do, and be proud of what you do!

EDITOR'S LETTER: April 2012

In my fashion, I must say, last month was a good month for fashion on television.  Paris Fashion Week ended the show season, and started the month out right (especially on E! Channel's Fashion Police). "Rip the Runway" aired on BET, and the new designer competition show "Fashion Star" premiered with great success on NBC. One show that premiered, that I have already come to love is "Styled by June" on VH1, for I have already learned a lot about what it means to be a stylist in the entertainment industry and how important one's personal image is to their success. As a stylist you must understand confidence: how to get it, how to keep it, and more importantly, how to spread it. A stylist is a motivator. They motivate people to have confidence, and as a stylist, one must understand confidence-how to keep it, how to use it in hard times, and how to keep others around you positive and confident. My path to fashion began when I started taking photography classes in high school. As a photographer, I realized people weren't as confident as they would lead you to think, for when I take that photo, if the subject does not have enough confidence, you can pretty much read all of their insecurities (especially when someone waits on pins and needles to be shown their photo just in case they must have a re-do). As a stylist, I work to eliminate those feelings and make others feel the confidence to feel their best, even if you don't have the opposite sex (or the same sex, wink) drooling over you, 247. Being a stylist requires understanding human behavior, because if I can not get my subject to exude the confidence I need to emit from the photo, then I am at a loss! I need to understand how to bring out peoples alter personalities and forms to show the essence of an emotion to gain the maximum effect for my audience. 

Sartorial Philosophies

Guess what I'm thinking about...

Just the other day, I tweeted that I think too much about fashion. Then I thought to myself, "Oh well!" This got me to thinking about a video that I used to watch everyday to give me my daily words of encouragement. It is called "The Strangest Secret" by Earl Nightingale. This video has helped me to realize that we can be successful no matter where we are at in our lives; it just takes a bit of soul searching, and most importantly, FOCUS. In the video, Earl Nightingale observes a series of great definitions and quotes that we all can live by and use to understand our lives and where we are going. Some examples include:

-Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal

-"The opposite of courage  in our society is not cowardice, it's conformity." ~ Rollo May

-95% of men/women will not succeed because they conform!

-Instead of competing, all we have to do is create!

-The key to success/failure: We become what we think about! 

-"All we are is what we have thought about." ~ Buddha

-If you think about nothing, you become nothing!

-Universities tell us that we are only working on 10% of our abilities

-We MUST control our thinking! The same rule that can lead a man to a life of

success...can lead him to the gutter. Its all in how he uses it!

-All you need is purpose and faith. Don't worry. Hold your goal before you, and everything

else will take care of itself.

-Anyone who contributes to prosperity, gains prosperity.

-The architect of the universe did not build a staircase leading no where.