à la mode: *Holiday Season 2012"

Looks from designer Jennifer Carpenter, Lex's of Carytown, and  707 Men's Store at "A Winter Gala" presented by RVA Fashion Week in association with Flames 231, The Firestarter Group and benefitting Dress for Success

I am in utter adoration of this season choices in holiday wear! On my gift shopping excursions this month I was absolutely floored with the fantastic, festive, and fun pieces for consumers to choose from. I am particularly obsessed with all things that shimmer! Glittery, extravagance is most definitely the feel of the moment if you ask me. I feel after 2012 we are making a clean break from the past and headed towards "A New America" with the rise of the younger generation. One of the largest examples of this rise is our President Barack Obama being elected into office for a second term! Barack Obama represents a momentous occasion in history in that his success represents a changing tide in America's demographic   decision making considering the diversity of our nation. American today is diversified in that an more inclusive and tolerant mindset is practically necessary where ever you go in the world in order deal with people on a normal basis. As Vogue says in the first issue of 2013, "Let President Obama's second term be unfettered, inclusive, visionary--even, dare we say it, a little bit fun." As Obama is inaugurated for a second time this coming month, I am excited to see what good Obama will bring the nation, just as much as I am excited that we will continue to see the coveted Michelle Obama and what sartorial genius she will bring women for the next four years. It is no argument that their gorgeous daughters will also be under closer watch sartorially as their adolescence continues in the white house.  

RVA Fashion Week staff working hard backstage.

Back to fashion, this month Dwight and I have found ourselves quite festive throughout our holiday season. If you have caught any of my tweets as of late, you know I have been assisting Richmond Fashion Week prep for this upcoming show season that will occur in April. In November, model calls were held, and two weeks ago, RVA Fashion Week held a Winter Gala at the restaurant, Flames 231, in the trendy downtown Shockoe Bottom area. The Gala supported the Dress for Success Organization whose 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. Executive director Shantell Malachi, a human resource consultant, puts the groups mission simply in the November 2012 issue of Belle Magazine: "We're getting them started on a journey with confidence." As a part of Style Weekly's "Top 40 Under 40" list, she proclaims, "We want to put her in the correct outfit," she says, "but she's not going on an interview to sell a suit. She's going on an interview to sell herself." At this gala, food, and cocktails were enjoyed as models walked the stretch of the restaurant in this seasons newest looks from local designers, and Richmond business who showed marvelous frocks from high end designers. In my fashion, the looks were spot on in regards to what is happening in fashion of the moment. 

                                                                 

There were many shimmery sequined pieces that I loved because while we are all still sort of in the dumps financially, sequins are a giddy reminder that we will not let our destitution ruin the joy of the moment. As we go into 2013 with higher hopes for financial stability, sequins, glitter, and high octane frocks keep us looking forward towards the goal of a more stable economy. I've noticed that sequined shorts are becoming most popular since last season as people are finding the best ways to pair them with solids or a more basic designed top that contrast well with all the sparkle down below.

Shoes and accessories were shown by Salon VIP, Champagne and Shoes, and Random by Ciera 

Brocaded prints and muted metallic hues are the stand out pieces of the season. Velvet is a fabric that I've seen being used more in design as it offers that sultry shinny sheen that catches our eye in certain looks. Solid colored dresses with this shinny sheen are an easy way to look dazzling at holiday parties and out on the town. An good example this month of this trend was at this year's Ms. Universe Pagent, where the winner, Olivia Culpo, from the USA wore a full, all red, long-sleeved dress with a velvet top which showcased her breast quite voluptuously from the Georges Hobeika Fall 2012 Haute Couture line. Her tight bun coupled with the full bottom of her dress made the look very classic and ladylike, especially when she played with it as she walked—very "Dior-like". It's the first time the U.S. took home the crown since 1997. Local Richmond designer, Jennifer Carpenter, and Lex's of Carytown provided fantastic evening looks that fit these trends.

For men, this season is all about the details. A classic male frame, with intricate design detail is  what will bring most attention. Like I emphasized in November, don't be afraid to mix checkered prints, with metallic ties; mix and match those gingham shirts, with suits that shimmer and shine brighter than the rest of the pack. In my fashion, finding interesting colors is the key. Being daring and pairing "off"colors together will make eyes look twice. Men's clothes were shown by The Phoenix, and 707 Men's Store. 

Local designer Brittany Covington brought interesting, edgy looks that included hunter green velvet pieces. Other local establishments that are located in the Carytown area of Richmond included the stores Roan, and Pink. Roan shared sleek and sexy designer pieces—body hugging dress from Phillip Lim 3.0 whose fabric was light but thick enough keep a women warm, and breathable enough not to feel suffocating. The Helmut Lang pieces were sharp and sculptural, perfect for your run of the mill bad girl. A light gray tank top with black sequin geometrical design detail stood out for me because it was high-end and dangerous looking, while being light-weight, and wearable for the girl. Pink showed some darling florescent colored dresses that I adored because the ladylike A-line design of the dresses was classy, simple, and girly. There was an all hot pink knee length dress I am sure is remembered by attendees of the Gala. Be sure to attend the RVAFW shows to be shown April 15th to the 21st.

"Merry Christmas!"

This show was perfect because this was a great way to get into the feel of the season and mingle. Being that this is the time of the year where one will find multiple holiday parties and celebrations around the city, Dwight found himself on call for a gig of his own. Christmas came early for Dwight wore his sequined shorts at, Joe's Inn at the heart of the fan, where the staff of the restaurant, 8 ½, wound down with each other to celebrate the season. Picture this: you are sitting at the bar, beer in hand, and on comes the classic holiday song, "Santa Baby". Unbeknownst to you, the bar's doors swing open and a boy with a Santa hat and red robe is at the entrance. He slips off the robe and reveals a scantily clad, "gay-Santa helper" who comes sauntering your way wearing nothing but a bell, sequined shorts, glittery candy nipple pasties, and bright red boots. It was a hoot as unsuspecting bar customers watched him spread holiday cheer, even going as far as to stick one of his pasties to someone's head as he walked by—priceless holiday surprise! To get an idea of what he looked like sauntering through the packed bar, see his video below.

EDITOR'S LETTER: October 2012

Don't be afraid! I'm Just Me.

I love this photo of Dwight because this photo happened so organically—the way a photo is should turn out: on one of our daily strolls through the park I snapped a few photos of Dwight because the sunlight was illuminating his skin very richly. It increased the crisp blue of his shirt, which was perfect against a backdrop of the vibrant fall colors of mother nature. He struck a few poses, (aside: he has gotten very good at angling his body) and we moved on with our walk. Fast forward to yesterday evening, when I’m down to the wire, and I'm thinking of what photo would represent this month's theme perfectly, and so, I pulled out the photos we took that day earlier in the month. My intent was to find a photo that was dramatic looking, evoking a hint of fright, hence this is the Halloween season, but then I came across the above image. Thinking of the reasons for why I have always loved Dwight, chief among them is that he has never been afraid to be himself. I first saw him from a distance at our Alma Mater's football game my sophomore year of college wearing shorts considerably shorter than other boys at the game. It was an ironic coincidence for me that the first day of class he would burst through the classroom doors. In both instances he carried an energy that read, “I’m just me!”—a refusal to be none other, than Dwight! It’s that glow which I feel has fatalistically drawn me to him, and it is the energy I think we all strive to have ourselves. The thing about his energy is that while it’s obviously loud and controversial at times, it is intoxicating and naturally contagious. I've come to find that his energy comes from a steadfast belief in free speech, speaking up, and being honest, and in my fashion, the worst thing to be is afraid of the truth. The truth helps us grow.

In my fashion, this photo emits that glow from which I first felt when he bust through the doors after the teacher had begun class. I chose it because it is a departure from his normal feminine appeal, and it’s a very good image of him as he is—a strong man. The clutch makes a powerful statement for me because it's pink (a sliver of femininity shining though the masculine pose) and the "I'm Just Me" sticker he got from the 2012 New York City Gay Pride festivities we went to earlier this year is very emblematic of his personality aside from the boyish charm he is channeling.

The point I am trying to make this month is to not be afraid to "get in the bank" and fight the rapids of the river of life. In order to experience the miracles you are meant to experience in your life one must put themselves out in the world, and let people know you are here! Nothing exciting happens to those who sit safely on the riverbank. This month I will be looking into a variety of personalities we have circulating on this planet, going back to my birthday post in which I explored personality types, for I want to attempt to delve into the sartorial aspect of those personalities. This is the perfect month to do so considering this is a time when we are considering turning ourselves into something we're not. Who, or what, will you be for Halloween? Don't be afraid to be who you want to be.

In my fashion, when you are who you want to be you will get where you are meant to be. It’s like Drake says in Nicki Minaj's song, "Moment 4 Life", "Everybody dies, but not everybody lives."

Serious Style: Working With What You Got

As I mentioned in my Editor’s Letter at the beginning of the month, I wanted to touch on interior design and sustaining a comfortable abode. When Dwight and I first moved into our apartment a year ago, to test out the cable, we watched a movie OnDemand. Feeling our inner child, we choose to watch a movie we hadn’t seen since grade school—FernGully: The Last Rainforest. This animated movie which came out in 1992, is a movie that takes a stand against deforestation and the negative impacts of industrialization on the natural environment (the movie probably serving as the catalyst to my compassion towards the care of Mother Nature).  It’s a gorgeous movie that took a microscopic view of the creatures and fairy people that made up the rainforest, and that’s when Dwight and I were instantly struck with the inspiration for our house—a botanical garden of cozy comfort. We wanted to re-create that dank, yet soothing aura like that at the bottom of the rainforest floor. Since then we have thus made that vision come together quite nicely, especially evident by our guest’s compliments and their reluctance to leave once they claim a comfortable spot on our sofa. (Contrary to popular practice, in my fashion, considering our home didn't look exactly how we wanted it to look when we moved in, now would be the perfect time for us to have a housewarming!)

Through the years we have been able to be quite” resourceful”, which is our master plan of decoration! In my fashion, being resourceful means finding multiple uses for one object, especially when it comes to design. Design is all about being abstract and finding beauty in the strangest places. For example, at the beginning of this month I challenged myself to put old pieces of our broken furniture I had kept (pieces of furniture that I "intended" on putting back in place someday) together in a way that would be useful as a night stand. The pieces I had to use were the bottom board of a broken drawer, and plank pieces from the back of our old bed frame. The concept for execution: simple, modern, and useful. Dwight suggested we go get wood glue, spending no more than 5 dollars, and I fashioned the plank pieces onto the board in a simple, modern design. I waited about 2-3 days for it to dry (3 to be safe). It worked perfectly.

1) Gather pieces; 2) Make measurements; 3) Add pieces to board; 4) Wait to dry

This is why I am a heavy advocate for being environmentally conscious. There are so many uses for the things we consider trash! Recycling and being "resourceful" is a great way to build personal style because it’s nice to keep the stuff in your life that resonates with you in one way or another because as supermodel, Dayle Haddon, postulated about modeling in the recent HBO documentary About Face: Supermodels Then and Now the same can be thought about style: It is about, "how you  translate your experiences, good and bad, into something that is meaningful to yourself and other people." The dismembered pieces of furniture that at one time served one purpose, now, serve a whole new purpose, bringing an old piece of my past back to life as it assumes its new position in my life as my new night stand—and, I only spent 5 dollars in the process to make something I really needed, and saving money, I am sure, would be reason enough for most of us to be “resourceful” and think twice before we throw out an “old” item.

THE FINAL PRODUCT

Style Maven: Rihanna

To develop your own style, a good way of doing so is to choose a person you admire a great deal and emulate them. While many people would call this "copying", have you ever fathomed that "fashion" is all about the art of copying: copying a feeling, and attitude, a look, or an aura. Its not so much about "copying", but it's about gaining inspiration. For example, anyone who knows Dwight can guess who his "Style Maven" is. Take a look below at this video I pulled from my archives of a video we did casually on a beautiful day. We were so inspired by the scenery we had to film this for it was just so appropriate for the song. See if you can't guess who Dwight personally looks to stylistically.  

Click through to confirm your answer (wink)....

Another Year of Style

I thank God, for another
year of exploring style.

Yes, today is my birthday, and for today's post I wanted to take you to this past weekend when Dwight proposed an interesting observation to me. As he thought about his personality and his thought patterns, and how he would be the perfect candidate to be the tangible version of Nicki Minaj's alter ego, Roman, he observed that there cannot be that much of a variation in personality types in the world. It was funny because I had thought about this subject not too long ago, and I did some research on the subject and I came across my answer. There is basically 16 personality types according to late psychologist, Isabel Briggs Myers, and her Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The reason why I bring about this subject on my birthday is because on my birthday it made me think of the personality I was born with and developed into. The link I provided for the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a great site to explore who you are, and who other people are, and what specific characteristics make different people who they are. For $5.00 you can even take a Personality Test and find out which personality you are, specifically.

Although I didn't pay the $5.00 to get an accurate description of my personality, I most closely associate myself with  an "ISTJ" or a "Duty Fulfiller" as they describe, and Dwight agreed. Dwight was surprised to find out how accurate the description of his personality type, an ESTP or a "Doer",  was to his actual character. Possibly in the future we will pay the $5.00 to find out which personality the test says we are, and find the definitive answer because when you read other descriptions, one might also say to themselves they could be more than just one of the personality types.

Valentine's Day: The Style of Our Relationship



Instead of Adam and Eve, it's Adam and KEN.
I thank the Lord for making us one.

Considering it is Valentine's Day, I thought this would be the perfect time for me to introduce my partner in crime, my better half, my icing to my cake, my best friend, muse, and boyfriend, Dwight (aka @Ken_Dutchess). Dwight and I met some years ago in college, and became good friends for a good while before I officially tricked him into being my boyfriend (*lies and fairytales). There was no deceiving of any sort actually. The nature of our relationship was quite organic and natural, which is exactly how I would describe the style of our relationship. Something just told me that he was just "good" for me somehow, so I continued to hang around, and see what would happen.

There are two types of people in the world: introverts and extroverts. I am an introvert, and Dwight is an extrovert. We are complete opposites, yet if you know us personally, there is not a time when we are not in communication with each other. We are obsessed with each other. We live off the ideal of "Love first; emotions second". We interpret it to mean that no matter what mistakes we make on our road of life together, we will make sure our love triumphs over immaturity, irrational decisions, and selfishness. We have a connection on a physical, mental, and spiritual level that together makes the whole of the love that we share. In my fashion, this type of the connection makes for the strongest relationships.

Read on to understand more about us, and see what transpired the night of Valentine's Day...