A few days ago I made a shopping trip to my local mall. I'm not sure if it's like this for everyone else, but whenever I need to walk out with shopping bags I always leave empty-handed and I didn't want that to happen this trip.
After 30 minutes of picking over the endless racks I found a statement piece! I ran my hands over the sleeves of the dress in approval and thought my mission was complete. Then I realized the dress I had fallen in love with so quickly already had a home in my friend's closet.
Although I tried to ignore it, I didn't like the idea of being a clone. Seeing myself in the mirror with her dress on opened a flood gate of questions. But nothing ceased the desire to head for the cash register until the following scene began to play out in my head:
In the end I couldn't go through with the purchase. I've never been an Amber and I refused to let that trip be a turning point.
Have you ever been tempted? Or have you ever noticed that your friends new dress looked a lot like the one you had on last week. Sound off in the comments below.
I was going through my favorite videos on YouTube and I came across a classic scene from the early days of "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air". It's dinner time and Will is amusing himself by creatively making a tune with the silverware and china. Although, it was worthy of hitting radio waves the impromptu performance was a bit innappropriate.
With Thanksgiving approaching, we've put together a top five etiquette list of things Will Smith might do at the dinner table but you shouldn't.
Thou Shall Not Bring See Food to the table. You know the joke we all played when we were younger? The one where you ask if anyone wants sea food and then you proceed to show them all of your bits and pieces. Yeah that one. I agree it was hilarious the first time. But, now that we're adults we don't want to see what you're working with. So, once the food goes in chew with your mouth closed.
Thou Shall Not engage in social network sites (Twitter, Facebook), text, or make a call during dinner. So, most of that didn't exist during the 90's. But, we'd be willing to bet that if it did Will would be sending tweets about Uncle Phil eating the entire turkey by himself.
Thou Shall Not criticize the food. Yes, Mama can make the dressing way better. But, if you don't having anything nice to say... don't say anything at all.
And the most important rule of them all!
Thou Shall Not perform a song at the table without asking for requests first. .... Okay that last one was clearly a joke.
We're starting a new segment that will highlight artists with a positive message called "Speak Life Sundays" (insert applause here). First up is the group Level 3:16.
Urban Dictionary describes the "it-girl" as someone every girl wants to be. She has style, smarts and self confidence. Lately we've noticed a common denominator between the majority of "it-girls". They're all in love with the art of disc jockeying. Like a moth is drawn to a flame these trendsetters are drawn to turn tables. Here are a few of our favorites.
Beverly Bond the DISC JOCKEY.She is also a model, wife and hero around the world for making "Black Girls Rock".
Solange Knowles the DISC JOCKEYwhoalso delves into singing, blogging, dancing and motherhood.
Alexa Chung the DISC JOCKEYwell known for the show "It's On With Alexa Chung" having impeccable style, and her famousMadwell collection.
And of course we couldn't end this post without acknowledging the queen of "it-girls". Meet Ruth Flowers, she's a 70 year old DJ who rocks nightclubs in Paris without skipping a beat.
"And you don’t do it for the man, men never notice" - Drake
I'm not sure what grabs me the most... the way light reflects off of their shiny surface or the fact that they're low maintenance and have a long life expectancy. Either way, Minx nails are great addition to the nail art culture.
What are they?A solid film with adhesive on the back that's heat activated. Just imagine really shiny stickers.
How Does it Work?Just like any other visit to the nail salon, you start off with a manicure. After making sure your nails are perfectly shaped the film is applied. There's no top coat or drying time. After the excess film is cut to match your nail shape you're all set to go. The process probably takes 35 minutes or less, which is about the same amount of time I'd wait for a regular manicure.
How Long Do They Last?Manicure's are supposed to last a week, while pedicures should last up to five weeks. I was advised to firmly press the edges of my nails whenever I got a chance and to stay away from greasy substances in order to keep them looking fresh. I only noticed a little bit of wear on the edge of my nails after the fifth day.
Are They Worth it? Of course! My nails have never received so many compliments. Minx are literally conversation starters!
Bobbi Brown's Makeup Manual has a section in her book that provides readers with great tips on living a healthy lifestyle. She states how this healthy lifestyle directly impacts how you look and feel. There are certain nutrients that are important for maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails. These nutritents include vitamin A, B, C, D, E and healthy Fats. If you're like me and is not a fan of taking vitamins in the pill form, you can get your vitamins in the foods that you eat.
Down below are the different vitamins and a few examples of foods for each:
Vitamin A
- raw carrots
- sweet potatoes
- cantaloupe, apricots, and mangoes
Vitamin B
- whole grain cereal
- berries
- green leafy vegetables
- eggs
- soy beans
Vitamin C
- oranges, grapefruits
- spinach, broccoli, tomatoes
Vitamin D
- fish oils (salmon)
- milk
- mushrooms
- yogurt
It's a pink peachy color with golden undertones. So not only is it a blush, it can also be used as a bronzer.
It's a soft, sheer powder blush that doesn't feel heavy on your skin. It's perfect for the day and night. I'm pretty much in love with this blush and haven't felt this way about a cosmetic product in a while. With a name like Orgasm, how could this blush not be magical.
A lot of buzz has been swarming around a new songstress who goes by the name Beasle (no last name necessary). I've read great things about her on Twitter, Facebook and have even heard rave reviews from my own home. So, when a video of one her recent performances popped up on Facebook I had to see what all of the hype was about. Needless to say I was impressed, specifically with her rendition of "I'm Going Down". I'm going to go out on a limb and say her version is up there with Rose Royce, Mary J Blidge, and Tamera Mowry. Yes, it was that good! Check her out below:
October 15th marks the day the famous twins were born. People have been BUZZaring about Dee & Ricky for quite some time. I became familiar with the pair when their famous Lego accessories hit the runway for Marc Jacobs and were found in the pages of Teen Vogue. I love that they're creative, but I enjoy their personalities more. They have an "I don't care what you think, I'm cool" attitude and it suits them well. So, Happy Birthday to Dee & Ricky! I doubt they'll see this. But who knows maybe a few more people will know of their existence :D.
Working in retail is very interesting. Before I applied for the job of sales associate I didn't know it really meant "personal cheerleader".
I spend a lot of time in the fitting room. I grab different sizes, fold clothes and organize "go backs". But, I spend even more time giving thumbs up, smiling, and throwing out reassuring compliments. Boy is it exhausting!
Too many women are not happy with their bodies and it's evident when they enter the fitting room. Those mirrors can either be therapeutic or invoke disastrous words. It's either "That doesn't look good on big girls like me, maybe on you". "My boobs are too big". or "See I need a but like yours". Yes, these are actual quotes that I've heard over a five month span. I find it unsettling, because these ladies are gorgeous. But, they don't appreciate how they were made.
Attention, beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, complexions, and ages. I'm sure it's normal to go through that "I'm not cute stage" because I've gone through it. But, snap out of it and turn that feature that everyone teased you about into your uniqueness. Because, after all we're not all meant to look alike.
If you're still feeling uncomfortable in your skin follow these steps. I'm no expert, but I believe they're real confidence boosters.
1. Smile. I'm not sure what it is about a smile that does the trick. But I've never met a smiling person that was not pretty. They just seem friendly and likeable. And when you smile you become memorable and get a lot of attention. It's true. There was an experiment conducted by students. The more they smiled the more the teacher looked their way and favored them. Besides, who wants to be around someone who's constantly frowning.
2. Be Healthy. Exercise and drink as much water as you can. Tyra, yes we're on a first name basis, taught me to how to get the proper water intake. "Divide your weight (in pounds) by two. The resulting number is the number of ounces of water you need each day". Were you aware that humans are made up of 75% of water?
3. Take Care of Yourself. Although I'm sure a small percent of the world like Aishwarya Rai can roll out of bed and turn heads in a positive way. Most of us cannot, let's just be real. And there's nothing wrong with that. Just take time to comb your hair, wash your face, stand up straight, even wear a little makeup. My personal favorite is wearing something nice. A great outfit just does something special. Just think, why is fashion so important? It makes one feel and look beautiful.
4. Don't be Conceited! Attitude is everything. If you know you're beautiful then you'll walk and speak like you are and everyone will notice. But, don't become overwhelming. No one is better than the next, and screaming your beautiful while putting others down is just annoying. And frankly, ugly :D.
5. Get Comfortable in Front of the Mirror and Believe in Your Beauty. Kurt Vonnegut said, "We are what we pretend to be, so be careful what you pretend to be". In other words you can be whatever you want. In this case it's beautiful. Say it out loud and actually believe it. And yes, the "American Standard of Beauty" does exist. But, if you're not celebrated here, your look is definitely coveted somewhere in the world and it's warming to know that.
Keri Hilson inspired this post. She's bold and unapologetically announces her beauty. Every girl needs to listen to this song and make it their anthem.
