à la mode: Tails of the City

In my fashion, I am completely ready to discontinue layering, feeling chilly, and having to think so much about how to brave going outside in the cold. In light of the coming warmer weather, what better way to introduce my new feature "A la Mode", French for "in the current fashion or style". As I have mentioned in my "April Letter from the Editor", this spring is all about restoring the vibe of the "90's" taking inspiration from florals, and sea life, and using outlandish, bright, and offbeat colors to lift our spirits, and keep us excited. I love looking at fashion spreads for inspiration. In my fashion, they are the best way to show the consumer the best ways to wear a particular garment and express the feeling you can have when wearing it (depending on the stylist, of course). To me, photo shoots are the ultimate photographic experience! To set out to compose the most beautiful, most interesting, most inspiring image is my heart’s desire for I know for myself, it is my personal way of influencing others and sharing MY knowledge of our world, as well as shedding light on the true essence of who we are, and how our world is beautiful in so many ways. I like to think that with the perfect image, a viewer will engrave that visual in their mind to mean so much more than simply a photo taken at a particular time, but as an inspirational tool to make whatever sparks of imagination we gain from that visual as tangible as possible in our own point of view. Whether we take away a particular feeling, message, a nostalgic resonance, or maybe even an epiphany, a photo can explain to us what we really want in life, and set us on that path to obtaining it. It sets the tone for an ambitious mind state, and like I always say, "Dress for the position you want, not the one you are in," or in other words, attitude before aptitude! Until I am able to create my own big budget photo shoots with the best team of artists, in the best locations, with best equipment, I will be highlighting what photo spreads and images that I find truly captivating and worth a look see. I would also like to expose the ways stylist and magazines produce a particular shoots and I will also be highlighting my chosen spreads on my side panel, so be on the lookout for some very interesting visuals to come on IMF.blog.

My first feature comes from American Vogue, April 2012 issue, photographed by Craig McDean, and edited by Fashion Editor Tabitha Simmons. (Clicking on the images will make them larger to view)

Very edgy, and Edward-Scissor-Hands-
Chic, yet it radiates an innocent, school girl.
Perfect for looking rebelliously comely 

In my fashion, this look seems very
comfortable for this spring. Although it is
long, I say go for less revealing looks that
give you a quirky confidence to stand out
from the crowd.   



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.

Weekly IMF.blog Health Tips

Photo Credits: [source] [source] [source] [source]

If you haven't already noticed at the bottom of the IMF.blog side panel, there has been a new feature that has been added. It is the "Weekly IMF.blog Health Tip" feature. As I said in my post from, Vogue Makes a Cameo at the Superbowl, we want to prepare our bodies for looking good in our old age. The only way to do that is to be conscience of our health, right? Now with all the health advice out there, it is really hard to figure out what to do when it comes to taking care of ourselves. I simply want to throw out some short, easy to remember, interesting, and beneficial quips on health for you to take, remember, don't remember, tweet, tell someone about, look more into, whatever. Continue to check back with this post throughout the year to see what facts I have added to this post at the beginning of each week.

Award Show Season Best Looks: The Oscars 2012

Stacy Keibler in Marchesa, Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad,
Maria Menounos in Maria Lucia Hohan  

It was old Hollywood in a new millennia this year at the 84th Annual Academy Awards this year. It seems everyone got the memo that 40's glamour was the theme for this years red carpet. There was peplums, well defined hourglass silhouettes (reminiscent of mermaids), and dreamy soft, yet shinny colors, but we would expect nothing less at one of the most prestigious of award shows. Finding the best look was a bit of challenge. Some of my favorite looks that I battled with considering for top honors included: the ladies in red, Emma Watson, Joan Seymour, and Michele Williams, as well as the most demure of the night, Octavia Spencer, Rooney Mara, Penelope Cruz, and Li Bing Bing. I also loved the popping cobalt-blue number worn by Sherri Shepaherd, along with the sparkly sequined black pencil dress worn by Rose Byrne, and the shimmering gold draped dress on Meryl Streep was very appropriate of the Best Actress winner of the night. While those are my favorites of the night, top recognition has to go to the following:

Award Show Season Best Looks: The Grammy's 2012



Jessie J in Juien Macdonald, Lady Gaga in Custom Chanel,
Rihanna in Custom Giorgio Armani

Award season is upon us and we have already marked the Golden Globes, and SAG awards off the list for this year. Here on IMF.blog, the way that I will be highlighting and reporting on celebrity style choices for award shows will be through my new side-feature on my blog called, "Award Show Season Best Looks". When an award show occurs, I will highlight my three favorite looks of the night, and do a mini-analysis of why I think they look phenomenal. Take a look at my choices for this past Sunday as we were entertained by the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. Unfortunately the night before, on that Saturday, February 11, 2012,  it was announced that beloved, Whitney Houston (48) , passed away. Ms. Houston was by far one of the greatest singers this world has ever known with a style worth every thousand dollar, and considering her legacy, she has been an inspiration to people on a magnitude that surpasses even the highest of standards. In my fashion, becoming a source of inspiration is the greatest gift a person can attain in this life.

Whitney Houston 1963-2012
We will always love you