With Instagram and Snapchat use at an all-time high, your NYE look definitely has to be on point. It’s also a great moment to go all out because it sets the tone for the new year—who doesn’t want to have a fabulous start to 2016? Beauty is a big part of any ensemble and can uplift even the most simplest attire, though you’ll most likely opt for something glitzy and glamorous for the momentous night. And since beauty works from the inside out, there are a few steps you should take to make sure you’re on your A-game.
Few know the way to immaculate hair and skin better than Vivrant Beauty’s Desiree Verdejo. Her Harlem beauty boutique is the first of its kind for the neighborhood and is quickly becoming a go-to for those who love indie brands and women of color who can shop for products that cater to all their needs. Thus, we thought there’d be no one better to give us six tips for reaching peak flawlessness on NYE. Here, Verdejo’s advice:
1. Make-up looks best when applied to clean, hydrated skin, so start your glam look with a cleanser like this $30 Ren Micro Polish Cleanser. It pairs gentle beads with glycolic acid to scrub away excess oil and leave you with a natural glow. Highlighter for what?
2. Can you really mention being flawless without discussing a primer? Priming your face smooths out the look of large pores and mattifies an oily T-zone. We reach for this $36 Becca Ever Matte Poreless Primer Perfector when we want our makeup in place all night.
3. So your hair is flourishing and you’d like to keep it that way all night—we got you! Use $29 Davines This is a Strong Hairspray for maximum hold for any straight style. Got Curls? This $24 Honey Curls by Earth’s Nectar keeps curls moisturized and defined post the midnight toast!
4. Tights don’t exactly go with your cute dress? Prtty Peashun is a skin tightening body lotion that gives your legs a smooth appearance with just a touch of glimmer.
5. Glitterati nails are a NYE essential! This $18 Mischo Beauty Halo is a glittery, highly pigmented, five-free nail lacquer that works as a bold nail look or as a fun accent nail.
6. So the night’s over and you don’t feel like washing off your make up—no judgment, we’ve all been there. Before leaving, set out a Cleanse by Lauren Napier Face Cleansing Wipe so that once you return, it’s as easy as open and wipe. Never fall asleep with your make-up on.
You can pick up all of the above pieces at Vivrant Beauty, located at 220 Saint Nicholas Avenue on W. 121st Street. Or you can visit the boutique’s e-shop here.
Over here at Fashion Bomb Daily, we make sure we show love to all of our Bombshells and Bombers, both women and men. Although we always check out the womenswear selections and topics, we have to show our fashionable men love too!
So without further ado, we present to you our nominations for the Most Fashionable Man.
1.David OyelowoDavid Oyelowo is the epitome of dapper-chic. The English actor (most notably known for his roles in The Butler and Selma) has trailed as a definite contender for our Most Fashionable Male award.One thing we can not get over is this man’s ability to wear a suit. Although it seems he tends to stick to classic colors and almost monochromatic looks, he has impressed us with his ability to showcase the various ways a suit can be worn; effortlessly and with an eclectic palette. A severe lover of Dolce & Gabbanna, this constant heart-throbber on the Red carpet doesn’t disappoint us with what a ‘Classic Man’ looks like. *cues song*
2 Jay EllisIf there was a male’s version to the “Girl Next Door” vibe, I think Jay Ellis would be it. His infectious smile is only coupled with some very nice appearances he’s made this year; of course tailored with a great three-piece tuxedo to go along with it.The handsome actor and ‘The Game’ star is taking Hollywood by storm, starring in the new HBO Pilot “Insecure” and producing two films as well as continuing his non-profit work. So pretty much, he’s perfect.
His style is always groomed, clean and just as effortlessly cool as he. Impeccable taste with a true gentleman feel, you can definitely see why Jay Ellis made our list!
3.Kanye WestAs always, Mr. West made our list this year for Most Fashionable Male, well, because he really just is that fashionable. Recently he was declared the “Most Stylish Man of 2015” by GQ, and of course he always tops the male fashion lists of major magazines and fashion publications, including us!Whether you like Mr. West’s laid-back fashion choices or not, you can not deny they’ve always been influential. Plus, fashionable doesn’t always mean going with the trend; but instead cultivating a look all one’s own. We can definitely say Kanye dresses for nobody but Kanye!
He wears so much designer, it might be hard to even recount them all; however, he’s always stepped out fashionably and with style. Best yet, he’s been unapologetic in how the world views his stylings, and gives the designer brand an ‘every day’ look with his casual-approach to clothing. Wonder what 2016 will bring for him and his collaborative brands?
4. Russell Westbrook Although not perhaps your first choice when thinking ‘Most Fashionable’, one can not deny the influence Russell Westbrook has had on men’s fashion in just the last year. Although he used to get picked on for his out there clothing, Westbrook is now designing clothes for Barney’s as well as helping Nike with their marketing tactics for men.
Touring Fashion shows around the world, the once fashion-reject has now become a fashion-must with his partnership with Barneys, upon which he creates slimmer, European cut and fit clothing that maintains its comfortability.
5.Michael B. JordanAside from the fact no girl can deny the mega-crush we all cohesively have on Michael B. Jordan, his effortless, casual-confidence look win us over every time.He is as quick to throw on a bomber jacket and dark-wash jeans as he is to wear a suit, and that confidence and comfortability he has with fashion is what draws us to him every time we catch him on the Red Carpet or out promoting his lastest venture.2015 has been an amazing year for the fashionisto, who not only appeared in the Fantastic Four movie, but also the box-office success Creed, where he played the son of fictional boxer Apollo Creed in the Rocky spin-off sequel. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for him in 2016!
6. Idris ElbaIdris Elba may just be like fine wine and get better with age. He had a very busy year in media, where many of us caught him in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Beasts of No Nation, various SKY box-set commercials, or even heard the collaboration with British fashion label Superdry.Amongst all of his other projects, he’s set to do quite a bit of voice-over work in the coming year, including the tiger in The Jungle Book and an undisclosed character for Finding Dory (the sequel to Finding Nemo).He also solidified the title of GQ Magazine’s “50 Best Dressed British Men”, and with good reason! His style is always polished, refined and sharp for a man who prefers dark-toned suits and ties. His clothing line describes his aesthetic perfectly, “durable and functional”.
7. Tinie TempahTinie Tempah has a set of rules I think he creates only for his benefit. His style differentiates in the details of his clothing: One ornate piece, the velour fabric of his suits, a pair of sneakers with an otherwise after 5 get-up. The list goes on and on.A lover of a good blazer, Tinie Tempah showed us what understated fashion can look like: not loud, but still with a bang! As we wait on his third studio album, we will continue to bask in the goodness of his style choices! Definitely a fashionisto, no?
8. Dwyane Wade
As part of the fashion duo of Hollywood (alongside Gabrielle Union), Dwyane Wade seems to be in a fashion category all his own. An eclectic style that gets spotlighted at just the right times, Dwyane’s spot-on tuxedo fits give us serious #FashionistoFever .As an official ambassador to this past year’s New York Men’s Fashion Week, it was easy to see how his taste in menswear clothing and yet, refreshing spin on traditional classics got his nomination for Most Fashionable Male.
9. David GandyAs one of last year’s nominees, it should come as no surprised that David Gandy made the list again this year! The London model has definitely set the personal style game extremely high with an impeccable precission to a good suit and great loafers combo.A lover of a good tailored suit just as much as mix-matching separates, Gandy never looks out-dated or unfashionable, whether he’s found in the covers of GQ or waiting in line at the airport. He literally looks that good at the airport. Sigh.
10. Colin Kaepernick
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback does more than just work on the field; check out his wardrobe game! Aside from his work with GQ and Mr. Porter, Kaepernick has constantly shown us an undefineable, yet quite effective, sense of personal style that makes him totally a fashionisto.A lover of a good blazer and button-down underneath, his look gives off professionalism mixed with youthfulness. One thing he’s said about his clothing choices? “I do want to be a representative of the African community, and I want to hold myself and dress myself in a way that reflects that. I want black kids to see me and think: ‘OK, he’s carrying himself as a black man, and that’s how a black man should carry himself.” (MrPorter)
So those are our contenders for the crown! Who gets your vote for Best Dressed Male of 2015?
What words can describe Ms. Badu? The “First Lady of Neo Soul” is definitely listed in our mental music Hall of Fame, and has long been the source of all things wisdom, good music, humor and consciousness in the 21st century. She’s never fit the mold, and never tried to.
Erica Abi Wright (better known by her stage name of Erykah Badu) was born in Dallas, Texas and raised alongside her brother and sister by a single mother who was in show business. At the age of four, Badu would have her first performance singing and dancing with her mother at the Dallas Theater Center.
Badu went on to study theater at Grambling State University (shoutout to my HBCU’s!), however, she left to pursue her music full-time before she could graduate. Her musical stylings caught the eye of Kedar Massenburg, who aside from pairing Badu to duet with D’Angelo, would also sign her to Universal Records.
Since then, Badu has produced nothing but greatness through the form of albums, artwork and mixtapes, among them: Baduizm, Mama’s Gun, Worldwide Underground, New Amerykah Part One, New Amerykah Part Two, and But You Caint Use My Phone.
Her musical stylings have been compared to Billie Holiday and D’Angelo. However, her magic has come from the deeper, intimate conversations brought on by her music, which is thought-provoking, possesses a level of consciousness, and laced with the remembrance of African roots and African culture.
We all know the Baduizm effect goes so much further than her music. She became the face of Tom Ford White Patchouli fragrance in 2008, the face of Givenchy’s 2014 Spring Collection, and has a list of awards and recognitions for her activism in both Dallas well as in Africa.
Erykah’s personal life is just as thrilling as her professional career, her life and personal choices constantly in the limelight. She’s a huge proponent for the vegetarian and veganism movement (20 years and 8 years, respectively), the mother of Seven Benjamin (with famous rapper Andre 3000 of OutKast), ex-lover of rapper Common, mother of Puma Curry (with West Coast rapper The D.O.C.), and mother of Mars Thedford (with rapper Jay Electronica).
Of course, after all the music, appearances, kids, baby daddies and food wears off, we always remember Badu’s sense of consciousness with political awareness and a true voice for the plight of Black America.
Singer, lyricist, actress, Doula, Midwife, owner of 726 head wraps (yes, we’re serious) with over 7,000 pieces of ankh jewelry (once again, we’re serious) and cultural goddess is everything we could ever imagine and then more. She has said she would run for President, so perhaps we should add fuel to the fire so she can get on board soon?
With a fan base that backs her up no matter the occasion (or daring individual who comes for her on Twitter), Erykah Badu encapsulates everything a living Goddess is and more. The amazing legacy that is Erykah Badu is why she’s our BeautyCrushWednesday. Is she yours?
Watch out Kendall, Joan and Chanel! Supermodels have a surprising new form of competition for designer campaigns: video game characters. Creative Director of Louis Vuitton, Nicolas Ghesquière, has an interesting new campaign featuring Final Fantasy 4 video game character, Lightning.
The theme of the “Series 4” campaign is the blending of reality and fantasy, just like the futuristic inspiration for the brand’s spring collection and runway show. Expect to see references to anime, space and the digital world. The company partnered with video game designer, artist, and director Tetsuya Normura of Square Enix to create and animate the visuals. The multimedia campaign is new territory for the brand as Ghesquière hasn’t experimented too much with previous ad campaigns.
Head to Ghesquière’s Instagram to watch a part of the campaign video, and see this merger of fashion and technology.
I don’t really do too much with my nails: I love gel but there’s only so many times in succession you can wear it without doing serious damage. And I use my fingers more than the average person—constantly typing away at the keyboard—so I often find manicures don’t last. But I must admit, I’m quite smitten with these $13 Song of Style x Formula X Nail Polishes:
Aimee Song is one of my faves and the trio of lacquers are chic and subtle enough to wear day-in and day-out. They’re a limited-edition collection as part of the ongoing #ColorCurators collaboration: a partnership that showcases 10 stars in beauty, fashion, and fitness and their customized nail colors. Each month, a curator will reveal their three shades. I can’t wait to see who’s next!
Mintfluencer is my fave by far and has the cutest name!
With the advent of Instagram, our Bombshell feature’s popularity has shifted to social media! Instead of dozens of comments on the site, all the votes and comments are on the ‘Gram! Therefore, I sifted through hundreds of Bombshells from the past year, and included Bombshells who were able to get over 4,200 likes on IG (most Bombshells get 2,000 or less).
Regardless of popularity or timing, these Bombshells killed it.
Classical/Jazz vocalist Erica has more than just astounding talent: she has amazing style! Her short selection of well tailored looks embraced neutrals, punctuated by great shoes.
@AshleesGram wrote, “I like this a lot? The fashion bloggers you usually pick seem to all look the same (blogger starter kit) ripped jeans, strappy sandels, and flannel shirts with a attitude pose to boot.lol This woman is giving me mature, stylist, classy, sophisticated lady! Kudos.”
Sabine The B Stinger worked chic and simple looks to the max.
The bright eyed Florida based Bombshell summed up her style perfectly, typing, “My style is classic, with a hint of trend.”
5,642 likes made her a Fashion Bomb favorite! @MonicaTeamGood said, “Never heard [of] her but her swagggggggg is on overload! The world better follow because she is about to blow!” Kaboom!
We’ve had loads of 2nd timers this year, including Marche from North Carolina.
About her style, she said “I like trends as much as the next person but also try to pair them with classic pieces that I can wear to work and years to come.”
Absolutely everyone wanted to know where she bought her items and @TheBlaqueMusePhoto wrote, “Oh my god love this and she has my body type too lol.”
Brenda worked a series of feminine styles and silhouettes, incorporating loads of African prints.
The 3rd time Bombshell said, “I would say my style is very colorful, trendy and happy.”
Rae B was on board, and said, “Girl you killed it! I loved every fit…from the patterns to the color schemes. I wish more of my African genes were dominant because your curves are crazy and your waist is snatched! lol lol sigh to be a woman with the “apple shape.”
In her Bombshell post, Chaunie wrote, “In my world, there are no rules to the fashion game. As long as you have pure confidence in yourself, you can wear whatever you desire!”
@KenyaDoll wrote, “Her style is hot!!! Love it!!!”
Krystal Rene added, “Love the wardrobe! Love her style! Loved the positive things she had to say! Your fashion represents who YOU are. She’s polished with a hint of edge!”
Whooo, that was a doozy!
But we’re done!
Who should be Bombshell of the Year?
Lupita Nyong’o might just be the epitome of #BlackGirlMagic. The Mexican-Kenyan actress and film director has stolen the hearts of many in the film industry, black community and of course, the fashion industry with her impeccable style and beautiful chocolate skin!
Lupita stirred up a huge controversy when she stated she was Afro-Latina, but she was indeed born in Mexico, although later raised in Kenya. She came to the United States to attend college (Hampshire College), and later returned for her master’s degree, which she would receive in Acting from the Yale School of Drama.
Although she made her acting debut in 2008 with the short film East River, many of us would come to know her four years later when she would have her first feature role in the historical drama, Twelve Years A Slave. It would be her amazing performance in the movie that would win her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and would push her into the spotlight of the film industry and the fashion world.
She is the first African to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as the first Kenyan actress to win an Oscar and the first Mexican to win the award. Go girl!
Nyong’o has recently made headlines again, this time for her co-starring role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, currently playing in theatres; she’s already confirmed playing her role again in the next Star Wars movie, set to come out in 2017.
However, Lupita is not simply a celebrity. In 2014, she was named “The Most Beautiful Woman” by People and “Woman of the Year” by Glamour. That same year, she was chosen as one of the faces for Miu Miu’s spring campaign; she has appeared on the covers of many fashion magazines, including Vogue. She is also the newest face to the Lancome brand.
She is also a social activist back in her homeland of Kenya, where she has partnered with the international conservation organization WildAid to help elephants; while also advocating for women’s issues acting and the arts in Kenya. She even has a day named after her (October 20th in Harlem, FYI).
While she may be all of these things, she has definitely carved out a space for herself as a style icon of the 21st century. We can not deny her style is sharp, impeccable, and complimentary of her complexion and shape. Even when she stirs controversy with her style choices, she is dynamite in standing by her choices and looks fabulous along the way. Let’s check out just 25 times she beautifully showed us that #BlackGirlMagic.
