It feels so good to return to the blogosphere! I took a few days off to tend to some personal needs as well as keeping a close eye of some pressing health issues. But, anywho, I woke up this morning and thought, “I’ve GOT to get back to the Fashion Bomb!!” And, here I am!
There’s no better way to make a comeback than to highlight another bomb style maven. So, without further ado let’s get into the sartorial talents of fashion/beauty blogger Ada from No Ordinary She.
In the “About Me” section of her blog, Ada further describes the platform of her site while also shedding a little light on what started her on this fashionable journey. She writes:
“I remember back in the days since I was 5, if I had finished my chores and homework and had nothing to do, I would be head deep in my wardrobe pairing what little I had in it trying to create looks. I always burdened my siblings with the task to approve or disapprove whatever I was able to come up with. This habit never stopped, leading to the start of my blog.
Noordinaryshe is here to help me formally document looks that I create, otherwise known as ‘taking my pleasure seriously’ and also to inspire every one of you on everyday styling, fashion trend, beauty and shopping tips and how to maximise your wardrobe collection.“
Honestly, it was Ada’s fun and eccentric approach to fashion that caught my eye! This Bomb Blogger isn’t afraid to take risks when it comes to creating dynamic pairings. She also loves to incorporate a tomboyish flair coupled with a touch of femininity. Her wardrobe essentials include punchy prints, a classic trench, culottes and her signature sneakers. Ada’s personal style is every bit of genuine. with that enviable ‘fro and one-of-a-kind accessories, this chick proves that fashion is still the best form of self-expression.
Slay on, hun!
To see more from Ada of No Ordinary She, visit her official blog here or feel free to follow this fierce fashionista on the ‘Gram @stylebyada!
Sean Combs. Diddy. Puff Daddy. Whatever you know him as (or the last name change he gave), chances are you know Sean “Diddy” Combs. A multi-million dollar mogul who has transcended the ranks of societal stigmas and created business ventures meant to stay, it’s no wonder Diddy is seen as a mystery to some who can’t quite figure out his success. His influence on fashion is largely overlooked, but his influence on the immersive worlds of fashion and hip-hop is vast.
Combs Enterprise consists of not only Bad Boy Entertainment (which has redefined the very definition of a music label by also immersing a vodka brand, cable network, marketing firm, a line of bottled water and a philanthropic foundation) but also one of Combs’ most lucrative ventures: Sean John.
Now, some may think that because you don’t see Sean John in every department store as you once did a few years ago, the brand has diminished in worth and in wealth. Capitalizing on the inclusion of the hip-hop industry with the investment of branding and clothing lines (like how rappers and hip-hop artists began using certain brands as part of their ‘image’), the company immediately distinguished itself amongst others by cultivating a brand aesthetic and partnering with those that could easily push it.
Becoming the first African-American to win the CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year Award in 2004, Diddy quickly proved that hip-hop could be high-fashion and break down the socio-economic barriers that had long existed around the idea of what was ‘fashionable’.
The growing emergence of the Sean John brand other clothing companies that had tried to reflect a hip-hop, urbanite, black aesthetic was simply one of luxuriousness. Attaching the name and design to an almost inclusive brand set the venture apart as Sean John escalated amongst fashion and editorial circles for its streetwear-meets-boardroom demeanor. Soon, Sean John would be amongst the brands of Rick Owens and Tommy Hilfiger, with the average, working-class citizen pushing to possess a sense of the runway in their own closet for a fraction of the cost.
“When I think about the whole journey, it truly was a fashion revolution from how things were then and to see the impact we had on style,” Combs says. “Hip-hop fashion is now dominant.”
“I got a message from Kanye West the other day: ‘Look, you’re all over my mood board!’ When I’d do a collection, I’d do a mood board and put everyone who inspired me on my board” — Ralph Lauren and Tom Ford’s Gucci, in particular, he says. “And now I’m on other people’s mood board. It’s humbling.”
Now sold exclusively through Macy’s and carried in 400 of the chain’s 600 stores, Sean John currently racks in more than $400 million in annual sales. The brand’s impact on the oncoming generations can still be seen from the high streets of Paris to the stylish streets of Harlem. Hoodies, track pants, luxury overalls, oversized fur-trimmed parkas…Sean John has not only kept the exclusive 90s hip-hop culture encapsulated within the clothes it produces, but it sets itself as a standard against other fashion powerhouses such as Vetements, Balenciaga, and other street-wear inspired collections.
Crafting this idea of wealth and power around the brand by simultaneously making his clothing accessible yet high-marked by the blessings of Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington, Combs removed the sense of monotony in men’s clothing and introduced excitement and spunk to its revamp.
Although Combs didn’t go to design school, he immersed himself in the acquisition of fashion knowledge by finding mentors. “Tommy Hilfiger was my mentor coming up. He gave me all the information I needed,” says Combs, who once walked in a Hilfiger show. “Tommy Hilfiger is one of the biggest supporters of diversity. He was the first to embrace it and not shy away from that consumer.”
Even though the million-dollar runway shows ended in 2008 and the ‘look’ of Sean John has altered itself over the years, you’ll find its $100 linen bomber jackets, $80 jogging pants and $160 velour tracksuits hang alongside Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Michael Kors. You’ll find celebrity stars like Rihanna rocking the threads on a daily basis, and while it started out as a brand with a mostly African-American consumer, the brand has diversified itself extensively to be a global powerhouse and example of the true magnitude of fashion.
No longer exclusively urban or even about Combs, the legacy of Sean John is fostering new communities of growth in the world of fashion designers and commercial success for men of all backgrounds.
Producing other award-winning designers such as Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, the founders of Public School and Creative Directors for DKNY, and even the recent immersion of Kanye West as a designer, Sean John continuously blurs the lines of street wear with high fashion.
Welcome back everyone! Today for our Bombshell submissions, we’ve got Angela rocking with us from New York:
She says,“My name is Angela Barimah, “fashion anthropology” blogger and fashion designer / owner of “Queen Adwoa’s Closet.”
“My style aesthetic is what I’d like to call “Globally Classic.”
“Essentially, I love taking chic, high-quality vintage selections and mixing them with authentic global pieces from cultures around the world.”
“Due to my love of history as well as my Ghanaian and West Indian (U.S.V.I) heritage, the impact of culture has always been a key part of nearly every aspect of my life, including my style.”
“I really enjoy amazing statement pieces, like rings, bangles, necklaces, and fabrics, especially from various global tribes.”
“I’m a firm believer in knowing the origin of your pieces, especially when it comes to a particular tribe’s culture.”
“From street-style to sexy … from formal to boho … I love it all, and really enjoy playing with my look.”
“Yet, no matter how I choose to express myself that particular day, my sense of being connected to the world and love of history and fashion is always present in the way I dress.”
“Again, thank you so much for considering me!”
Cute! I love this multicultural theme you’ve got going on in your clothing and accessories! If you guys want to keep up with her, check out her IG: oheneba_sankofa_adwoa or her blog, www.queenadwoascloset.info. So, thoughts on Angela’s look?
Fashion Bombshell of the Day is a feature showcasing the singular style of Fashion Bomb Readers. Send your name, location, a description of your style, and 5-10 clear, unfiltered, head-to-toe pictures of 5-10 different outfits (no collages) to Bombshell@FashionBombDaily.com. Images submitted will be featured on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any of our social media platforms. Comments can be harsh, so bring your A game! Please be advised: once published, pictures will not be removed or taken down.
We’ve been on a roll with getting insight from some of the most powerful trendsetters, influencers, and tastemakers in the industry!
For our Latest ‘Breaking Into’ feature, we chatted with Essence Magazine Editor-in-Chief, Vanessa De Luca, to learn about how she achieved her esteemed position and find out tips on what aspiring editors should do, should they want a career in journalism.
Though De Luca now stands at the helm of the most influential African American magazine in the nation, the English major and Harvard Graduate got her start in retail as part of Macy’s training program. She says, “[I was a] sales manager and eventually, an assistant buyer.” When the company decided to relocate their headquarters from New York to St. Louis, De Luca had to make a choice. She said, ” I had the option of moving to St. Louis or not staying with the company, and I considered [moving] for a minute. [But] I thought about it really hard and thought, this is not what I really want to do. I saw it as an opportunity to go back to what I truly cared about, being an English major in college, and I said, ‘let me see how I can potentially go back to writing and publishing.'” So De Luca took a leap of faith, left her job, and attended a summer publishing course through NYU, hopeful that hard work and networking would help get her foot into the door.
Her leap of faith paid off. At the end of the course, she secured a job with Glamour Magazine as an Editorial Assistant. She said, “I took a significant pay cut, moved back in with my parents (I couldn’t afford to keep my apartment with my salary) but I felt it was worth it if I could do something that was the best for me…and it all worked out.”
We had to ask: Does one necessarily need internship experience to get their foot in the door? De Luca answered, “I didn’t intern a lot in college, I worked a lot, however. I worked every summer because I could not, not work. I never spent a lot of time strategically planning what I needed to do (I need that internship or this experience) , because I really didn’t know what I wanted to do. I just knew that I loved magazines. Something was pulling me to do something here and I had to follow that. I did not want to have it on my conscious that I had this idea of something I wanted to try and I didn’t see it through, especially when I knew I didn’t have all these obligations that would prevent me from making this kind of shift.”
So what did her parents think at the time? “I’m sure my parents thought I was crazy, building up my career in one lane, and then I throw it all away and start over. But it wasn’t throwing it away because everything I knew, I was able to bring all of that to the table when I shifted into magazines. Nothing that you do is lost, or a waste of time. You just have to know how to apply [what you learned] to what your current pursuit is, and there’s always a way to do that.”
Within her pursuits, I had to ask how long it seemed before she caught her ‘break’. She responded, “It didn’t take long. I was promoted twice at Glamour within three years. Once I got there and started working, everything started coming together. That continued throughout my career when I decided to shift course and leave Glamour and go to Grad school at Columbia and get my Masters. And again when I went to work at Life Magazine. I went so I could feel comfortable writing on any subject.”
Her break, she claimed, came from an Editor-in-Chief who left a significant impression on her, telling her, “‘Writing is one thing, but if you really want to be a true decision maker, you need to shift maybe into editing,’ and I was like ‘noooo’… I was kind of annoyed by it, but I took the time to think about what she was saying to me. What she was saying was that writing is one thing, but being able to think about the message and the context and the packaging of what you’re doing is quite another thing and not everyone can do that. I realized I could be more impactful if I were in a position where I really did have the opportunity to dictate ‘these are the stories we’re going to tell’ and ‘here’s how we will tell them’.”
So what happened once she shifted into becoming an Editor? ” I truly realized what the ‘What’ is. I realized there is a power to being in an Editor position, so when I left Life and then went to Essence, it was with that intention that I would be editing, and then I stayed in that lane. It didn’t prevent me from writing… but I got a lot of satisfaction from working with other writers to help them tell their stories, help them understand the overall voice and mission is of Essence, and make sure each story was told well. And I continue to get a lot of satisfaction out of that.” She started at Essence as a Beauty and Fashion Features Editor. In 2003, she was named Essence’s Lifestyle Editor, and in 2005, she was named the magazine’s Executive Editor. All of her positions prepared her for the role as Editor-in-Chief, where she serves as the arbiter of the Essence’s vision.
What’s a regular day in the life of an Editor-in-Chief? De Luca offered, “Every day is different because the business is so different. Our jobs are so much bigger; it requires an understanding of lots of different things and a lot of business knowledge as well, such as what drives revenue, what are you doing to support that the business side is trying to achieve, how are you supporting all your brand extensions through your work in editorial and how is that overall pushing revenue (magazine, online, social media, brand extensions, etc.). You have to be very adaptable. The business changes every 90 days and you have to be ready to pivot at any given moment to what people want at that particular moment. What they wanted a year ago is not what they want now. You have to be willing to accept that and act accordingly. If you’re not able to do that, you won’t be able to survive in this current environment.“
We had to ask for everyone out there wanting to break into fashion or journalism, what steps are needed to get to Editor-in-Chief. “You should really understand the many different facets of the business, be comfortable with budgets and math, be adaptable because the business is constantly changing, understand how to build a brand, and your personal brand. Our Editors are amazing ambassadors for the brand, so any success that you have in terms of attracting a following automatically overflows into the overall brand. Of course, understand how to use social media and digital tools to make sure our stories, your story, gets told. I don’t believe it’s possible to be an Editor, writer, journalist today, without having an understanding of all the things, whether you’re a person of color or not. Remember you’re at the brand for a reason, so don’t be afraid to express the things that showcase your point of view.”
Lastly, I had to ask her did she have any key moments in her life and what that has meant to her/taught her about herself. “The most memorable moment was when I finally did get the position as Editor in Chief of Essence,” she said, also adding in, “mainly because I had applied for the position twice and I didn’t get it but I still kept going. So, to me, just the fact I didn’t get discouraged, I kept going and pushing forward, knowing that in my own mind this was the right thing for me, that has a lot of meaning to me. Sometimes you don’t get things because there may be something you still have to learn to be ready. I am definitely a woman of faith and I believe things come in their own time. So you don’t get it when you think you should have it, but that doesn’t’ mean it’s not for you, just not the right time.” Amen!
As you can see, this interview was chalk full of relatable material and encouraging words of wisdom. Remember, if at first you don’t succeed, you can try again. Things will come in their proper timing and that hard work pays off.
Kerry Washington has become quite the Dolce & Gabbana aficionado! At the United Way of Greater Los Angeles Women’s Summit, she slipped on a $5,995 Multicolor Floral Embroidered Midi Dress from the iconic Italian fashion house:
Her multicolor dress features three quarter-length sleeves and a midi length.
Pretty!
If you’re up for the splurge, you can pre-order Kerry’s frock here.
Like most women, my guilty pleasure is a pair of heels that will grab the attention of everyone around. I discovered Tavia P’s Shoes on Instagram and fell in love with wide selection of foot candy, especially today’s Bomb Product of the Day, the $160 Cold Blooded Zmeya Sandals:
The python leather, single sole, slip-on sandal features gold chain, suede lace up straps with a tassel finish. Designed with leather soles, lining and a 4 inch heel, the shoe will definitely give a luxurious look and feel to your feet.
Zmeya comes in a white python leather as well.
Hot!
These bad boys are perfect for the spring/summer season. You can purchase for $160 here.
Her silk jumpsuit features an allover print, relaxed straight-legs, a button-front, point collar, button-fastening cuffs, optional roll-up sleeves, a self-fastening waist-tie, and slanted side pockets.
Cute!
If you’re up for the splurge, get Tamera’s jumpsuit here.
Happy Monday guys! We’re going to kick off our Fashion Bombshell of the Day segment for this week with Fatou from Maryland:
“Hi! I’m Fatou and I’m the 22-year-old blogger behind the site fatoufall.com!”
“I just recently started by blog a month ago, and am still in the process of discovering my style!”
“The most important thing for me though when it comes to style is dressing for my body type!” I’m also pretty short (only 5’2), so I try my best to wear pieces that compliment that!
“I’m also pretty short (only 5’2), so I try my best to wear pieces that compliment that.”
“My style, for the most part, is extremely casual, laid back and comfortable.”
Cute style Fatou! I think although you say you’re still discovering your style, you clearly have an aesthetic that’s polished, cultivate and timeless. Plus, you’re rocking that off the shoulder top honey! If you guys want to see more, check her out on IG: @fatouxfall or her blog Site: www.fatoufall.com. Thoughts on Fatou’s style?
Fashion Bombshell of the Day is a feature showcasing the singular style of Fashion Bomb Readers. Send your name, location, a description of your style, and 5-10 clear, unfiltered, head-to-toe pictures of 5-10 different outfits (no collages) to Bombshell@FashionBombDaily.com. Images submitted will be featured on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any of our social media platforms. Comments can be harsh, so bring your A game! Please be advised: once published, pictures will not be removed or taken down.
