Hey Guys,
So I’ll be honest: I’m pretty crazed preparing for the Meet & Greet tonight! I can’t wait to ‘say hey‘ to all my tri-city Fashion Bombers! Did I mention I’m also flying home to ATL for my lil sister’s bday tomorrow? Yeah…so with that said, I’ll keep this super short–lots to do!
Ombre items–frocks, bags, and shoes that go from a darker color gradient to light–have been popping up on several celebrities of note. The bold design–done the right way–can look very chic and fashion forward, while maintaining an essential element of fun.
Mary J. Blige looks divine in a floor length ombre gown…
…whose variable brown and tan shades play up her platinum hair.
*To Review, deets for tonight’s fiesta: What: Fashion Bomb Meet & Greet Where: Te Casan, 382 West Broadway between Broome and Spring. When: 6 -9pm Why: Because I love you. No seriously.
See ya there!
Hey!
So last week my homeboy tipped me off to a party thrown by Mass Appeal (www.massappealmag.com), an urban, streetwear magazine straight outta NYC. The night promised performances by underground rappers K.i.D. CuDi and Killer Mik…not one to shy away from cool events, I dropped in…
The venue was packed with what I’ll dub the ‘hip-hop underground‘ set. And while I honestly was just looking to chill, the style sleuth in me couldn’t help but snap a couple pictures:
These young men looked retro cool in a kelly green cardigan on the left and colorful t-shirt on the right. You may not be able to see but the t-shirt sporting young man has golds on the bottom. Another shot:
…a splash of ghetto with more fabulous sunglasses. Another note: Glasses–whether prescription or made for the sun–seemed to the one ubiquitous accessory noone…. …left home without. Â I stopped these two because of their quirky steeze. B-boy on the left brings the eighties back in a v-neck t, leather jacket and dookie chain, while homegirl embraces nerd chic in large librarian glasses offset by a trendy striped top, hoodie, and skirt with tights.
So what do you think?
Does Mass Appeal have Real Style?
Smootches!
Fashion, News, and What Nots
*The Fashion Bomb’s Meet & Greet is THIS WEDNESDAY… Click to Enlarge
…and it’s gonna be the dopest.
If you insist, reasons you must drop in:
*20% off Te Casan’s droolworthy Spring Collection.
*Yummy Cocktails
*Music by DJ Fashion Bomb
*VIP Gift Bags including Fashion Bomb T-shirts, mags, and beauty swag.
Hey!
It’s Friday! Yippee! And it seems the weather is finally improving. I’m gonna go out and try to catch some sun…
Let’s not delay.
First reader Fatema loved Rihanna’s look recently… She says, “I was hoping you could help me locate her hooded dress or something similar.“
Rihanna’s wearing this Long Terry Jacket from Armani Exchange… …and lucky you, it’s on sale for $59! Hurry up and buy!
Nina wrote in gushing over Meagan Good’s look… …she says, “Do you know where I can get the same Nike top?“
You’ll have to use a bit of ingenuity. It looks like Meagan got busy with a pair of scissors on vintage Nike tops like these… Nike Cropped Tee, $42, www.urbn.com; Nike Blazing Bundle Tee, $25, www.nike.com.
To get an off the shoulders look, you’ll have to cut out the neckline. Good luck!
Dawn from Michigan was feeling Christine Tegan (John Legend’s boo’s) look… She says, “My birthday’s coming up and I need something similar!“
I felt that this BCBG Silk Organza Strapless Dress came close…
Happy Thursday!
So for this week’s Style File, I decided to feature model extraordinaire…
…Liya Kebede.
Hailing from Ethiopia, this stunning 28 year old has quietly commanded the attention of the fashion world since her first Gucci show for Tom Ford in 2000.
When she’s not stomping the runway for bold faced names like Diane Von Furstenberg, Ralph Lauren, and Calvin Klein…. You can catch her dominating national ad campaigns for Tommy Hilfiger, Louis Vuitton, Estee Lauder, Tiffany & Co, and Lord & Taylor…
…and gracing the covers and spreads of the world’s hottest magazines…
Now, for the contest winner!
The third place T will be by Jaja, who has captured all of your hearts and minds with her provocative, eye-catching design. As a prize, Jaja will get the following looks from a new streetwear brand, Naketano (www.naketano.de)… …a line of cute, colorful cotton dresses, sweatshirts, and tops from Germany. I personally love the sweatshirts, and might cop one in a sec. Though prices are in Euros, I found out they do ship to the US.
Congrats Jaja!
As for you guys, t-shirts are moving at a surprisingly SLOW pace, so I’m giving some of you local girls an extra incentive: The next 5 orders placed will get $20 off a spa treatment anywhere in NYC care of www.lifebooker.com! Yay!
*See more of Liya’s work at www.liyakebede.com. She’s the bomb.
*Did anyone else catch Puffy’s “If I Were King” nonsense on MTV last night?? I sat through it for about…half an hour before I got tired of him screaming for “more leathers” and “more colors” while his real designers trudged around the world to actually design the clothes. By 10:32 I had flipped to Judge Judy, though my buddy texted me saying that he made some great statements about the lack of ethnic models in fashion. Anyone care to share?
After 4 weeks of negotiating, a crash course in web design, merchandising, and silk screening, the Fashion Bomb’s Swag Shop (www.fashionisthebomb.com) is finally open for business!!! …that’s right. Get excited. Now you can log on to FashionisTheBomb.com to purchase your very own Shari Neal T–shirt plus Fashion Bomb Stickers. Production is a bit slow for the Natasha Ramos shirts so expect them in the next few weeks. Also, due to some artistic issues with the Cranberry T, looks like we’ll have to decide upon another third place winner. So cast your votes:
This time around, choose from favorites Jaja and Yaa. Sorry for all the rigmaroll, but it’s surprisingly difficult to get everything in place for a dern t-shirt!
Really! In the meantime, support The Fashion Bomb and get your Shari T… ..before they sell out! Smootches!
*Last night I made way down to the opening of a new boutique called Shane & Shawn…
…a men and women’s shoe store located at 238 Mulberry Street.
I pushed my way into the jampacked space… …and was blown away by the hot stiletto’s and flats… …aside from being super cute and sassy, I checked the prices…and at $200 they tread the line between exorbitant and affordable.
I quickly made friends with resident celebrity DJ’s Nina Sky… …they were so cute sporting Armani and private label dresses! Of course I had to snap a pic for you guys… …And yes I am wearing my red leather motorcycle jacket! See, I practice what I preach!
Anyway, if you’re ever in NYC, check out Shane & Shawn at 238 Mulberry between Prince & Spring. Tell ’em I sent ya!
*Thanks Mindy and Genevieve!
*Check out more Shane & Shawn party pictures at the Men’s Style Blog Haute Concept. [Haute Concept]
*Fashion Bomb friend and fellow blogger Najwa Moses of the website Styleaholics.com has also come out with some Swag of her own:
…100% leather, eclectic, hot and colorful earrings she calls “Salte.” Priced from $25 and up, you can get your urban chic on for a steal! Check her out at the Styleaholics Shop.
So I don’t know how the weather is in your neck of the woods, but it’s certainly a hair above chilly here in NYC! I’ve been trying, futilely, to wear my trench coat, but this brisk weather calls for something a little more hefty even though it’s officially spring. A great in between outerwear piece is a leather jacket: it’s light enough to peel off if the sun peeks out, yet warm enough for morning chills. Bonus: you can take it out again for transitional weather in the fall. Celebs already know the deal: Newlywed Beyonce wears a traditional black leather jacket out with her hubby… Erykah Badu and Keyshia Cole also go for black, but spice it up with quilted panels… And Alicia Keys and Rihanna punch up the style in tobacco and red leather options… …with stunning results.
Guys almost exclusively rock the leather look when out and about: Best man Jay-Z also goes for black, but with a twist… John Legend and Andre Benjamin favor brown jackets with aviator elements… And of course style czar Kanye West pops on a jacket that strikes a balance… …in neutral grey with an edgy silhouette. Alexis looks pleased!
Hey My Damies!
So believe it or not it took me all weekend to recover from the excitement of the Murakami Gala opening! It was absolutely amazing to meet and mingle with the fashionable set right in my backyard. I was *thrilled*. I didn’t get much time to go out and capture Real Style, but you guys always come through! Today, check out Shariba from Silver Spring, Maryland…
She says, “Here’s an example of my personal style. Please tell me what you think honestly!!“
I love the shirtdress mixed with your designer clutch, and your bold white boots are quite the chic choice. The dark sunglasses only amplify your outfit. Two snaps!
What do y’all think?
Smootches!
Fashion, News, and What Nots
*A lot of you were like, “Claire how was the rest of the Murakami event? Did you go to the exhibit?” Yes, of course, aside from chatting with Marc Jacobs, I took a twirl around the exhibit itself!
The night started off with a press junket, and the backyard of the museum was set to look like typical Chinatown street stalls selling fake Louis V bags… …while the bags were made to look fake, everyone working there insisted they were real. Honestly, at first glance, I couldn’t tell the difference!As we’ve discussed, I’m no stranger to China, Chinatown, or fakes (though I’ve reformed!), but when I first took a look around, I said to myself, “If you can get a great looking fake, why shell out the dough???” Chairman and chief executive of Louis Vutton Yves Carcelle spoke a bit about the display… …he talked about the importance of protecting intellectual property. To be honest, I sympathize. Once you’re in the creative realm and start working hard to maintain a product, it really sucks when someone comes around and straight up steals your work, words, or designs. Can you imagine if someone launched a site called “The Fashion Explosion” and basically did the same thing I did?!? Or reproduced my posts (it’s happened before).  It’s infuriating! But then again, if I were loony enough to charge y’all $1,000 to log on, wouldn’t I be asking to get ‘knocked off?’
The debate rages on.
Moving to the exhibit… …it’s pretty dope. Â Not sure if you know this, but Murakami designed Kanye West’s album cover… ..and a lot of his artistry reflects the same kind of space age, cartoon feel, but with a funny edge: …lots of emphasis on eyes, mushrooms, and flowers, all painted in almost psychadelic pastel colors. It’s grown up art for the kids at heart. A must see! Check out more pictures (including my dress!) on the Fashion Bomb’s Facebook group. And join if ya haven’t already! If you have extra click time, also become a fan of the Fashion Bomb’s less maintained facebook fansite🙂
*Reminisce on my post about fake bags. Hilarity indeed!
Um, last night was action packed. So packed, in fact, that I’ll have to cut Mail Bombs short and tell y’all about my BOMB night. First, however, is Friday Mail…
…Let’s do it to it!
First up, reader Britt says, “I love this dress, but I’m short…“ “…Could you help me find a dress similar to this in a shorter style??“
I did a quick search and felt this $471 Fendi Pleat Front Mini Dress could fit the bill… …the color and length are on point. I think you could work it if you just pull the straps down a bit. Get this Kebede worthy runway look at www.net-a-porter.com.
Next, reader Bee says, “I was wondering if you could help me get the same look as Naomi in the new Pinko ad…” “I love the look, and shape of the dress. I don’t necessarily want the same colours…Thanks.”
Hey! I stumbled up on this Boudoir Strapless Fringe Dress… … I think it works! Get it for $230 at www.blaec.com.
Lea from Atlanta says, “Ananda Lewis wore this fantastic, white cotton, lace-up front tunic with sequins on the Keyshia Cole Reunion Show...” “.. .This top is perfect for my upcoming 10-day trip to the Caribbean. Can you please help me find this?“
Ananda’s exact top was hard to find, but I felt this Tory Burch Stone Embellished Tunic came close……it’s cute but quite the splurge at $470. Get it at www.revolveclothing.com.
Next, a reader who calls herself Simply Me fell in love with Kelis’ vest pictured here: She says, “I wanted to know where I could find this top or something similar. Since I’m young I also wanted to know what I could wear with it to fit my age.“
Wow, Fashion Bomb Friend Kesh parties with Kelis? Cool! Anyway, since Kelis is wearing a wool vest ( a winter item), it’s hard to find the exact product amongst spring’s offerings. I did, however find this very age appropriate $20 sweater vest at Delias.com… For a young person like yourself, I’d say you can wear it with a pair of skinny jeans and boots. If you want to sauce it up (as I once did back in the day), you can wear it with a black skirt with or without tights.
…in a dress that goes from bright to white then black in a snap.
…with black fading into stylish steel gray.
…carrying a bag in lieu of a full on ombre outfit.
Left to Right: Jay Godfrey Ombre Tank Dress, $495, www.saks.com; Single Silk Ombre Dress, $290, www.neimanmarcus.com; Ombre Dip Dye Dress, $84, www.asos.com.
Left to Right: AK Anne Klein Women’s Ombre Pump, $89, www.endless.com; Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent, $384, www.shopbop.com; Darby Ombre Peep-Toe Pumps, $25, www.target.com.
…in a dress that goes from bright to white then black in a snap.
…with black fading into stylish steel gray.
…carrying a bag in lieu of a full on ombre outfit.
Left to Right: Jay Godfrey Ombre Tank Dress, $495, www.saks.com; Single Silk Ombre Dress, $290, www.neimanmarcus.com; Ombre Dip Dye Dress, $84, www.asos.com.
Left to Right: Shadow Large Frame Bag, $115, www.guess.com; Oasis Padlock and Fob Bag, $77, www.asos.com.
When: 6 -9pm
Bottom Row: 
