BET’s Hip Hop Awards went down this weekend in the ATL with a slew of Fashion Bomb celebrities shutting down the red carpet. Did they turn it out for the Dirty South? Or did they make you go hmm….?
Kaleena, P. Diddy, and Dawn Richard of Dirty Money sat front row for the crunk show in coordinated black and white outfits, Dawn and Kaleena both sporting cool, chopped, highlighted haircuts and bold jewelry. I especially like former Danity Kaner Dawn’s shield sunglasses and revamped edgy image. A hot look for the new group!
Toccara sashayed outside in a turquoise batwing jersey dress with a deep v-neck, high hemline, and fun pockets. The dress is roomy, yet the length and silhouette make it uberly flattering–her strappy nude sandals add to the allure. Hot!
BET babes Tiny and Toya also made it out for the event, both opting for black with Toya in a revealing cocktail dress and Tiny in an embellished sleeveless blouse worn with jewel encrusted leggings and open toe boots. Each individual piece has lots of potential, but hmm, there are just one too many things going on with each outfit. The belts, chains, patterns, and tats are simply assaults to the fashion senses.
ATLien Monica brought it back with a simple black suit, modernized with a roomy jacket and skinny pants, and sauced up with a gray and black corset top and amazing thigh length platform boots. A diva updo and multicolored nails add a dash of funk to Monica’s slightly conservative yet definitely hot outfit!
What would an awards show be without the fellas? Crooner Mario kept it casual in a plaid shirt, slate gray pea coat, dark baggy jeans, and a chill knit hat. Though relaxed, his look is perfect for a BET hip hop show–he made an effort to be pulled together yet laid back. Hot!
One of my favorite looks came from choreographer Fatima Robinson who went for a 20’s vibe in a feathered hat, high waist pencil skirt, and on an trend high shoulder jacket. Though her shoes could’ve been turned up a notch, I’m in love with the outfit’s sophisticated edginess.
What would an ATL show be without Soulja Boy himself? The Down South kid wonder accessorized a red t-shirt, white pants, and Gucci belt with tons of oversized chains and eye catching white sunglasses. Buddy Jim Jones didn’t step too far away from typical rapper fair, rocking a white tee, distressed jeans, Timberlands, and tons of blinged out jewelry. Soulja Boy is a teenager so he gets a pass, but hmm, don’t ya think it’s time for Jim Jones to invest in a button down?
Some of the world’s most renowned designers showed during Paris Fashion Week, pushing the chic factor forward with cutting edge designs and eye catching concepts. In case you missed ’em, here’s The Fashion Bomb’s review of Paris Fashion Week Spring 2010!
Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen is out of this world–both literally and figuratively. His designs tend to dance on the border of earthly and alienesque, but his unwavering sense of beauty always renders his collection easily digestible by the common man. His most recent collection saw horn haired models sunken into dresses that mirrored sea landscapes with deep ocean creatures peering out atop bodices and hems.
Eschewing the season’s almost insistence on neutrals, McQueen amped it up with patterned bright yellows, blues, and greens in short cocktail creations worn atop tusk like 12 inch rounded heels that could easily spell disaster with one small misstep. The risk takers and risk averse could both find something in this collection, as the forward thinking patterns made traditional tailoring decidedly cutting edge.
Maison Martin Margiela
The theme was paper for Martin Margiela’s Spring 2010 show, with whisper thin high shouldered dresses, sharp cut trenches, and strapless dresses seemingly stapled and banded together as if part of an elementary school arts and crafts project.
Bolbous appendages and accoutrements jutted out from the front of belted jackets, but true edginess was only witnessed in the brand’s typical high shouldered pieces. Though the collection comprised white, pink, and an occasional floral print, I was a sucker for the basic black boots and jumpers.
Jean Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier took it back to the 90’s for his newest collection, sending a noticeably diverse cast of models down the catwalk in denim suits, overalls, and tie dye leggings accessorized with doo rags, hoop earrings, hats, and around the way girl side pony tails. Fishnets, heeled combat boots, and easy dresses played in a color palette of indigo, army green, and bright orange.
Later on in the show, Gaultier harkened back to his Madonna “Truth or Dare” days with cone shaped corsets and peak shouldered tops. Though we’ve seen it all before, everything seemed new again, injected with revamped color, energy, and light.
Louis Vuitton
70’s disco chic sequined dresses, tasseled hiking bags, and gigantic multicolored afro wigs pumped down the runway for Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2010 collection. Fun plaid short suits and halter sundresses acted as mute canvases to bright pink cross body bags, sherbert colored backpacks, and paisley biker shorts.
Though the show’s haute hair gave off a Beyoncé as Foxxy Cleopatra vibe, I don’t think Bey would trade her Spring 2009 Spicy Sandals for this season’s fur adorned clogs and ankle boots! Head scratching accessories aside, I could see a few of the dresses and jackets as accents to relatively simple ensembles.
Chanel
It was a hoedown chez Chanel, with models surrounded by hay in a farm inspired backdrop. Though this season’s ubiquitous clogs made their way into the show, the country references ended there, as Lagerfeld offered smart nubby short dresses, traditional jackets, and skirts in a muted palette of virginal white, creamy ivory, and basic black, with the occasional pops of red, pale pink and blue.
While the clothes themselves seemed to follow traditional Chanel buttoned up conservative silhouettes, I fell in love with the stacked plexiglass bangles and modernized chain strapped handbags.
Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci
Recession savvy fashionistas know the score: in a time of scarce resources, it’s best to invest in glamorous fashionable pieces in classic colors that can withstand the test of time. Riccardo Tisci’s Spring 2010 line offered patterned jackets, harem pants, and chiseled cocktail dresses in basic black and white seemingly geared towards the economic climate’s discerning fashion lovers.
Ruffle trimmed office ready belted jackets topped contrast leggings and billowing black pants with tuxedo stripes while alluring frothy dresses stood on their own in sheer simplicity. What the clothes lacked in color, they made up for in indisputable tailoring, subtle draping, and panels of sheer delight.
Gareth Pugh
From the dark makeup on the male and female models to the gray and black color palette, Gareth Pugh presented a decidedly somber forecast for Spring 2010. Structured soulless jackets topped skinny shirred leggings, with an occasional close fit frock thrown in for good measure.
Rihanna, who sat front row, wore a hemmed version of one of Pugh’s sheer paneled gowns, transforming a loose fit, somewhat uninspiring number into something fit for a pop siren and burgeoning fashion icon. I have a feeling that off the runway and in stores, Pugh’s collection with translate well into wearable separates that resonate with rocker chic trendsetters and their fashionable flocks.
Elie Saab
Beyonce won’t be disappointed in red carpet favorite Elie Saab’s indisputably chic collection, which overflowed with drool worthy lipstick red cocktails, crystal embellished blazers, and stunningly gorgeous draped gowns.
Typical awards show fare was punched up with one shoulder black dresses with large loose front bows and skin clinging jersey show stoppers. Hot!
John Galliano
Bold makeup, bright colors, and patterns collided for John Galliano’s 20’s flapper inspired undertaking. Dark lips pursed under veiled hats as bow front dresses in celery, royal blue, and burnt orange danced over knee socks and platform strapped shoes.
It was hard to focus on the clothes with the overwhelming number of pieces, attachments, and adornments. It seemed that one too many disparate pieces–ball plastered shoes, feather necklaces, and lace netting–were vying for our attention, thus creating a cacophonous score.
Balmain
Christopher Decarnin’s tennis ball shouldered military jackets launched a literal fever amongst Hollywood starlets, who raced to wear the $9,000 stunners with simple jeans and heels. With a spirit of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Balmain sent even more high shoulder jackets down their Spring 2010 runway, this time jazzed up with sequins, buttons, and flaps of leather.
Sizzling sequin cocktail dresses with cut outs added a bit of a diversion to Balmain’s thoroughly predictable pieces. It seems the brand is sticking to its blockbuster formula for yet another year.
We’re back with Swagger Mondays, where you, dear reader, get to see the best in international street style!
Today the swag surfers bring us Breeny, a chocolate skinned fashionista spotted on Brick Lane Road in London:
Where to begin?
I’m loving her simple t with a houndstooth design, rockin’ gold dookie chain, single fingerless (purple!) glove, and hip leather jacket. Tousled hair and nude makeup only ups her cool factor!
Before attending Hollywood Life’s 6th Annual Hollywood Style Awards, Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush enjoyed a casual date night at the Cheesecake Factory in LA. Reggie accented a gray v-neck sweater, baggy jeans, and black sneakers with a large silver cross, and Kim wore a cropped denim vest, leggings, and tank with $1,275 Christian Louboutin Piros Ruched Suede Boots:
If you want their date night look, but need it for less, go with these:
While Trina wore the fun jacket in gray with a pair of blink and you miss them shorts and thigh high boots, Eva chose to rock the jacket in a cream color with jeans, a t-shirt, and camel thigh highs.
I must say Trina looks quite saucy with her outfit, but Eva’s choice seems like something you can wear on an everyday basis.
Which one’s your fave?
If the Gryphon jacket is too much, get the look for less with these relatively affordable options:
For those who lusted over Rihanna’s Platform Mary Janes, take heart! The songstress wore these $775 Fendi grained leather round toe platforms Maryjane with adjustable ankle strap to the Gareth Pugh show here in Paris:
Black Girls Rock! is a nonprofit, youth empowerment mentoring organization whose mission is to encourage positive life-changing activity and critical thinking through the arts for “at risk†teenage women of color. They have an awards show on the 17th of the month to celebrate exemplary women of color, and are also selling fun tee’s like these to help support the cause:
The shirts average about $60, but proceeds go towards a very worthy cause!
Purchase your t-shirt here or donate to the organization here.
Get the scoop on Black Girls Rock at www.blackgirlsrockinc.com.
Hey Bombshells!
So last week I was in Fashion Week Madness and totally couldn’t get to Mail Bombs;( This week I’m rested up and ready. Are you?
Let’s go!
First up, Tawanda says, “Everyone wants to know–well at least I do–about this fantabulous shirt Ms. Washington is wearing!”
“…It’s gorgeous.”
According to Red Carpet Fashion Awards, Ms. Washington is wearing this Catherine Malandrino Fall 2009 Ruffle Top:
Princesse says, “Hey guys can you plz tell me where I can find black pants like Kim Kardashian?”
“I lovvvve them!”
Get Kim’s contrast look with these fun options:
In another Kim K Mail Bomb, Lluckie asks, “Can you tell me who makes this dress?”
According to several sources, Kim is wearing this Antik Batik Erin Sequined Plunge Back Dress:
The dress comes in gold and silver and…is sold out everywhere. Hit up Ebay.com for a chance to buy it on auction.
Kristine says, “I LOVE the color and texture on Solange’s dress.”
” Do you know where i could get a more affordable lookalike?”
We couldn’t find a similar dress, but you can get her look for less than $100 with these chic separates:
In a Male Mail Bomb, Twan says, “Where can I get Jay-Z’s shades?”
According to Upscale Hype, Jay is wearing these $500 Cazal 607/Doubledown NYC Sunglasses:
Lastly, in a wardrobe query, Tabatha says, “I’m attending my 1st Fashion Show ever and the theme is “Image is everything.” It’s going to be in Chicago this month so the weather will be cold. The color theme is pink,black, white… I wanted to wear something ” Old Hollywood” but I’m not sure what! I do want to wear a high waisted skirt to accentuate my small waist. Help me please. I’m open to any looks I just want to be stylish!”
Hey Tabatha! When all else fails with fashion, make sure you turn it out with eye catching, extraordinary accessories. Make heads turn with a fly shoe, a clutch in a bright color, or statement making earrings–let your clothes act like a chic yet simple canvas for all your outstanding accoutrements. Get a fun look with the following:
That does it for today! Stay tuned for more celeb style and looks for less!
Smootches!
Fashion Week is over here in Paris, and it’s time to sit back and reflect on the fabulous fashion on and off the runway.
Ubercelebrities Rihanna and Prince (among others) were in the City of Love for the festivities, and both came out in their best designer sponsored duds to sit front row. Rihanna has been said to take slight style inspiration from Purple Rainman Prince, so we thought it would be fun to have the two trendsetters go head to head in a style showdown.
Who turned it out the best for Paris Fashion Week?
For the Chanel Show, both went for a light color palette with Prince opting for head to toe gray ruffled glory and Rih representing in white and light blue with pearl accents…
The two favored black, with Prince rocking a gold sequined black jacket for Yves Saint Laurent, and Rihanna in black collared cut out top for Jean Paul Gaultier…
And both brought their short slick cuts and dark sunglasses to the front rows of John Galliano and Karl Lagerfeld.
