So…
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had it with my winter coat!
It’s a hot coat–don’t get me wrong–but I’m ready to throw on a brighter color, lighter fabric, and more shaping silhouette.
While you can always go the traditional route with a khaki or black trench coat (as I discussed in my first trench coat post), newer versions offer variations on the conventional, adding bows, luster, ruffles, shortened sleeves, and eye catching colors.
Celebrities know what’s up:
Beyonce…
Hey!
So the International Fashion Weeks have finally wound down, and if you’ve been paying attention, you might’ve noticed that there’s a new supermodel in town…
...Jourdan Dunn.
While beauty Chanel Iman has been getting lots of attention with her one of a kind look, 18 year old Jourdan is now joining the ranks, helping to diversify catwalks. First spotted shopping in London clothing store Primark, Dunn has skyrocketed to the top, walking in hot ticket shows like Marc Jacobs, Valentino, Zac Posen, Tommy Hilfiger, Alexander McQueen, and Hermes. She made history recently, appearing in the Prada show during Milan Fashion Week… … Prada using Jourdan was notable for many reasons: Prada is known for having a homogenous cast (and has been accused of starting the colorless model trend); Milan has a reputation for abhorring the brown; and apparently Jourdan was the first black model to walk a Prada show since Naomi Campbell 15 years ago. …She better work! Style.com recently included Jourdan in its list of Top Models, praising her ‘endless legs‘ and admitting that this Fall was her ‘breakthrough season.’ On top of being gorgeous, she’s also smart, recently speaking out about the lack of diversity in fashion, asking, “Why should our catwalks be so white? [I go] to shows… there’s just me and maybe one other coloured face…” Preach!
The Fashion Bomb has attended every single ‘Blacks in Fashion’ talk initiated by Bethann Hardison, and maybe just maybe, will be around to record a serious change in the industry.
We shall see…
Smootches!
Fashion, News, and What Nots
*Jourdann recently appeared in a Dazed & Confused Editorial photographed by David Slijper…
…snaps for exposure, but something bothers me about this…
*Just received my two ton Vogue in the mail, and was tickled to see a spread featuring Liya Kebede photographed by Norman Jean Roy…
Click to Enlarge
…this Vogue is seriously a monster, but worth a weekend read. Flip through for a short piece on the marriage of Thelma Golden to designer Duru Olowu, an article on Michelle Obama by Fashion Bomb favorite Andre Leon Talley, and a feature on CNN reporter Gwen Ifill. I see you Vogue! [Thanks MakeFetchHappen for scans]
*Get a Beyonce look… …with this $235 Michelle Jonas Dress from Pink Mascara.
*The New York Times on the business… …of Sex and the City. How many of y’all knew about Manolo Blahniks before the show?? [NYTimes]
So you fabulous readers continue to send me Real Style submissions. Today we have another Philly creation…
Reader Maryam aka ‘Classic’ says, “As a fashion merchandising student I must say that I love your blog!!!“ “…Here are pics of me hopefully I’ll see myself on there!” Today’s your lucky day, Maryam. Thanks for reading!
And cute shirt! But a Fashion Bomb T would be a bit cuter.
Stay tuned, they’ll be available before you know it!
Smootches!
Fashion, News, and What Nots
*Only a few more weeks in a soft cast before I can bust out the stilettos! Of course I’m having a party. Stay tuned for details on the Fashion Bomb’s next meet and greet in NYC. I want to meet and greet y’all!
*Get a Kimora red carpet look… …with this $139 Sexy Strapless Dress from www.bebe.com.
*Hey! You can vote for the Fashion Bomb everyday for the Glam Awards… …let’s represent for urban fashion! Go to Glam.com to vote and look for the Fashion Bomb in the Fashion Publishers Category.
*Become a fan of the Fashion Bomb on Facebook!
*Steal Tichina Arnold’s look… …with this $67 Rachel Pally Batwing Mini from shopbop.com
I’m announcing the winners of the T-Shirt contest at the end of this post…which means I’m going to keep Mail Bombs super short…
Let’s get to it!
Reader Linsay loved the dress Raven Simone wore to the “College Road Trip†premiere… …she says, “Can you tell me who designed it?â€
I couldn’t find the exact dress, but did find this $310 Kay Unger creation… …the color is brighter, but the silhouette is there. Get it at www.neimanmarcus.com.
Asia loved Dania Ramirez’s flat sandals… She says, “I love her shoes, can you please help me find them or something similar?“
Try these high and medium priced options:
Now for a wardrobe query:
I frequently get questions asking: “Claire, how do I wear these shoes?“
Most of the times, these shoes are some wild card, crazy purchase that the buyer just had to have…before they realized they didn’t have anything to wear with them.
Juanita says, “I recently bought these shoes. I couldn’t pass them up! They were on sale…“ “… However, I need some ideas on how to wear them.“
Lola from St. Maarten wrote in with a similar query. She said, ” These two pairs of shoes have been sitting in my closet forever…problem is I have no idea what to wear them with! (They are colours and styles that I don’t usually wear)…“ “… You may ask…why did you buy them…I am such a compulsive shopper, I buy stuff just because its pretty besides my friends think I need more colours in my closet 🙂“
Lola also found these beauts.. She says, “So, I was browsing Forever 21 online when I came across these very cute and very cheap (might I add) purple and grey pumps ….They are wonderful!!! Any advice how to dress these babies up or down?“
It’s an epidemic!
But don’t fret.
The answer all the time is very simple: If you purchased a pair of hard to match shoes, wear them with a neutral, run of the mill outfit. Make the shoes the exclamation point to a subdued ensemble.
Wear your red shoes with a classic t and jeans combo… Pop on purple with a neutral cream dress… Or pair orange with all black… If you must wear color, you can always try to go for matchy matchy… …but I personally think that can look tacky tacky.
That does it!
Now for the winners of the T-Shirt Contest!!!
Drumroll…
In 1st place with 44.2% of the vote is this colorful, explosive T… …designed by Shari from Chicago… About her win, she says, “Much love to all the people who voted for my shirt! It’s very cool to know that people want to wear something I designed!“
In second place with 39.1% of the vote was the Sin City Shirt… …designed by Canadian student Natasha… About her win, she says, “All the contestants did such a great job! There are so many talented people out there, it made for such a fierce competition. Thank you to those who voted for me I really appreciate it!”
Lastly, in third place, with 37.3% of the vote was this Bomb T-Shirt… ….designed by the super hot Cranberry Girls (www.cranberryglitz.blogspot.com)… …they’ll receive a $100 coupon to bag designer Sukari New York and a Fashion Book Bonanza, including copies of Fabulosity by Kimora Lee Simmons, Effortless Style by June Ambrose, and Lloyd Boston’s book, Before You Put That On.
That does it for now. If any of y’all are particularly feeling a design that didn’t make it, leave a comment! I’ll definitely consider making more down the line.
For now…
Smootches!
Fashion, News, and What Nots
*I want to thank Kyle, Jorge, Iulia, Eugene, Mallori, Alia, Eddie, Sydrena, Jennifer, Elle Woods, Victoria, Charle, Paul, Jaja, Yaa, and Juanita for submitting designs. They were all great in my book! I wish I could make them all!
*Congrats to contest winners: Shari, Natasha and Cranberry! You’re the bomb.
Today’s round two of the Fashion Bomb T-Shirt Contest!
I received more than 1000 votes from across the country and abroad. Amazing!
For set 1, there were clear front runners: Click to enlarge The Cranberry girls were popular, as were Natasha and Jaja. Set 2 also had its favorites: Click to enlarge ….Jorge, Yaa, and Shari rose to the top.
Oh, and update: I was able to secure third and maybe fourth place prizes! I hate choosing. I honestly thought they were all great, so the more the merrier! I’ll announce the winners on Friday after Mail Bombs. Smootches!
Fashion, News and What Nots
*Polls close earlier today (Midnight EST, 9pm PST).
Hey!
So voting didn’t end until very early this morning, so I’m going to take today and truly narrow everything down…stay tuned tomorrow for round two!
In the meantime, I figured I’d go back to business as usual with a Style File on diva, songstress, and R&B queen…
…Mary J. Blige.
With all this time, I can’t believe I’ve never done a Style File on her! She’s been on the scene since I was at least fifteen, bringing the soulful songs and great street chic style:
For red carpets, her signature as of late has been flowing, grecian gowns… …in solid or ombre colors worn with make-a-statement jewelry and accessories.
From time to time, she opts for something more form fitting, whether long gowns in spandex blends…
…or alluring cocktail length frocks with t-necks… For more casual events, she flaunts her body in tight tops and skinny pants… …or goes a bit more prissy in pencil skirts topped off with an eye catching blouse… …worn with booties or cute stilettos.
Whatever she chooses to wear, one thing she won’t leave home without is a luxurious, lustrous… ..fur coat… ..luxury is the rule, not the exception for this diva, and she flaunts her taste with no apologies.
I wonder what she would do if PETA ‘Anna Wintoured‘ her and threw flour or paint on her??
*Tomorrow’s Round Two: Log on to cast your final votes!!!!
*Just for fun, a few Mary J. Blige Oldies but Goodies:
Real Love (Don’t Front, this is still the jam)
I Can Love You (Who you lovin’, who you wanna be huggin?)
And my current ‘feel good jam’…
Just Fine (I ain’t gone let nothing get in my wayyyyy/No matter what nobody has to sayyyy!)
*Marc Jacobs, Francisco Costa of Calvin Klein, and the guys from Proenza Schouler were nominated for the 2008 Womenswear Designer of the Year Award by the CFDA. Is it strange that they’re all men? For womenswear? [WWD]
*Oh junkie junk… …the Glam Network Awards are open for voting!!! Vote for The Fashion Bomb in the ‘Fashion Publishers’ category. Visit Glam.com for more details. And vote for me!
Today’s the day to cast your vote for the first Fashion Bomb T-Shirt!
I received over 15 submissions from places as local as Brooklyn to the far away reaches of the Republic of Moldova, Chisinau. Had to look on a map for that one…it’s a small country between Romania and the Ukraine. I’m amazed people that far away read this little old blog!
So to review, the first place winner wins a gift totally approximately $500…
We had so many great submissions, I think we should have a third place winner. I’ll try to come up with something!
For right now, it’s up to you. Look over the following, try to picture yourself rocking these t’s in the spring under a hot cropped leather jacket…and at the very end, vote for your favorites!
Let’s get started!
First up sisters Doreen and Joan, designers of the up and coming dress label Cranberrry (www.cranberryglitz.blogspot.com) submitted two designs. The first, from Joan, is,” the story of a typical girl who has so many things in her closet but still has nothing to wear and so her closet is basically a mess.” “....kinda like a bomb exploded in it…lol…I hope you get the picture!!” I do! The second is from Doreen… ..she says, “I basically illustrated an image of a glam chic carrying a bomb in her gloved palm…I hope you like it!!” Love it! Reader Jaja offered two designs as well… “…I wanted it to be provocative, practical, eye-catching, cheeky and of course, memorable,” she explains, ” I also wanted to emphasize and associate black beauty with fashion, hence the black model….” Very cute. Mallori from Hattiesburg, Mississippi thought a self portrait would make a great shirt… “This is a drawing that a friend did of a photo of me…,” she admits, “I think it exudes fashion, style, and fierceness.” Love the shades, but we’ll probably have to photoshop out that Chanel logo…replace it with a bomb or something (Copyright-eek!!!). Next, Natasha from Toronto, Ontario felt the following summed up the Fashion Bomb Readers… She loved, “…the Sin City idea of black and white and hits of colour...” Y’all, do you see how talented you guys are? And how HARD this contest is going to be?!? We’ve got a ton more, can you believe it? Keep scrolling…
Artist Eugene from Atlanta, Georgia whipped up several designs… And Alia from Brooklyn imagined this sporty tee… She tells us, “ I wanted the design to be simple, sleek and stylish! I wanted it to be something both men and women could wear, and something that could go on anything from a shirt, to a jacket to a bag. So I kept it simple, making the BOMB stand out the most, so that it would be the first thing people saw and they’d want to know more.” I like the way you think! Kyle from the University of Illinois conjured up these tops:
Jorge, a student at FIT, proposed this idea… …He envisioned, “A ‘fashion spy vs. spy’ concept printed on a sheer-ish white v-neck. The black silhouette graphic will look sleek and expensive.”
Paul from Dover, New Hampshire went for a profile… He says, “I wanted a silhouette of a fashion forward and confident looking woman holding a bomb. I guess kind of James Bond inspired…“ Shari from Chicago suggested this cute colorful top… …She reveals, “I wanted to find a way to illustrate a woman who is stylish and fashionable…as for the circle design behind her, I wanted something that would symbolize an explosion and I wanted something that would pop, so I filled it with a lot of color.“ Iulia from the Republic of Moldova had a tons of designs, so I’m just going with her top two… “…Usually I combine details from one’s wardrobe like bowties, belts or buttons and put them on unordinary places on clothes, ” she says, “When I see a simple/usual clothing item, I find ways to make it become interesting and attractive.“ A few more! Intern Charle drew up this simple shirt… And Juanita supplied this modernist interpretation… Jennifer was scared she missed the deadline… “…I HOPE I’M NOT TOO LATE!” she exclaimed, “I COULDN’T START DESIGNING IT UNTIL 11:45 TONIGHT BECAUSE MY BABY STAYED UP LATE BECAUSE SHE HAS A STOMACH VIRUS! 🙁 I HOPE YOU LIKE IT!!!!” Oh Lord. Hope baby is fine! And Tosin aka Elle Woods from Maryland sketched a few shoe bombs… Victoria from New Jersey presented four designs… …..I just couldn’t choose, so I posted them all! Lastly, reader Yaa from Media, Pennsylvania blessed us with following sophisticated tee… …Her inspiration was, “Stylish simplicity. I wanted my design to look very classic, yet still current. I feel that my design embodies the Fashion Bomb reader: smart, funky, and fabulous.“ I.love.these.
Phew! That does it!
I’m simply blown away by the level of skill, sophistication….everything.
You guys are the bomb!
Ok, enough. It’s time to vote. There were so many submissions, that I had to create two separate polls.
Pick your top three choices from each set
I’ll have a round two this week with winners from each set.
He says “ I styled this pic for a photo shoot as a representation of myself as a sartorial character, and have worn it quite a few times…While it is in black and white I think it captures a dandy’s character.“
Love a man in a vest!
Do you?
Smootches!
Fashion, News, and What Nots
*Stay tuned tomorrow for the T-shirt contest. I received over 15 submissions, and honestly wish I could pick them all! Be sure to check back in to revel in the talent of some of your fellow readers…and to cast your vote!
*For all my plus size fashionistas in Philly, check out new boutique Evangeline Plus (www.evangelineplus.com). They sell ‘Real Clothes for Real Women.”
Reader Kadi fell in love with the outfit Rihanna wore to Chanel’s Spring 2008 show in Paris…
She says, “I absolutely love Rihanna and the sweater dress she’s wearing. Can you help me find who it’s by?”
Hey! So at the Chanel show, of course Rihanna is wearing a Chanel dress… …adapted from Lagerfeld’s Pre-Fall 2008 Collection.
Adrienne from Washington, D.C. had to have Ciara’s shoes… She says, “I need them for my upcoming “Quarter Century Fiesta”! Do you know the designer and where I can get the shoes? Thanks!“
I couldn’t find the exact pair, but felt that these $396 Prada shoes came close… If that’s too much, you can get a similar look for less with these $83 Nine West Metropop Sandals…
…from www.zappos.com.
Next reader Tanaiya fell in love with Kerry Washington’s look recently… …She says, “Kerry looks gorgeous. Who makes her dress?“
It seems Kerry is keen on wearing off the runway, and sporting this Oscar de la Renta number… …from his pre Fall 2008 collection.
Reader Tiphanie adored Janet Jackson’s look in a Parade Magazine article… She says, “I love the coat and the color. If you can help me out, I would be so thankful.“
Get Janet’s look for less with the following: Left to Right:City Style Trench Coat., $50, www.newyorkandcompany.com; Pintuck Trench Coat, $138, www.ardenb.com.
Tabby from Chicago comes with a Wardrobe Query. She says, “My husband and I are attending a spring banquet for his company and are both clueless on what to wear. My husband wears a suit 3 times a year and other than that he is a jean guy. I seriously need to upgrade him but I have no clue where to go or what to pick for him to wear. The banquet is semi formal and I want us both to look hot. Any suggestions? “
Your event is semi formal, which generally means that you guys should be wearing something between business casual and black tie. To answer your question, I figured, why not take a style cue from hot couple, Will and Jada Smith?
For your event, tell your beau to pop on a light colored suit with a simple solid shirt underneath (tie optional)… …you can balance him out by wearing a print dress in a complementary color. Try these: Left to Right: Glen Plaid Two Button Suit, $148-$325, www.bananarepublic.com; Plenty by Tracy Reese Sri Lanka Claudia Dress, $134, www.revolveclothing.com; J. Lindeberg Sportswear Casper Bridge Poplin Shirt, $55, www.tobi.com.
If you want to step up the formality a bit, he can go with his black suit, yet chic it up with a black shirt and tie…
If you hit the town afterwards, tell your husband to bust out his old jeans, but add a bit of sporty style with a quilted leather jacket… ….you can pop on a cute short suit (bright color optional):
So…there were a ton more Mail Bombs, but I think that does it for today.
Have amazing weekends, and keep checking in….you never know when your Mail Bomb might take center stage!
Smootches!
Fashion, News, and What Nots
*So this is your last chance to submit your T designs! Competition is fierce… ….so bring your A game! Deadline for contest submissions is tomorrow at midnight.
Hey, So I was looking online for low cost, yet cute party frocks, and came across a cool website, www.Prise NJ.com… …the owner, it turns out, is a young lady named Yudy… …who’s a fan of the Fashion Bomb!
About Prise NJ, she says, “It actually all hit me when I turned 30 about one year 1/2 ago. I realized that I don’t want to work in an office for the rest of my life, I’ve always had a “Passion for Fashion,” so it was the perfect thing to do…“The name Prise (pronounced Pris’e) means excessively prim and proper.
Check out a few of its cute items all under $50: Zebra Print Black & White Dress, $30; Lavender Drape Front Detail Bandeau Dress, $45. Silver Mesh Camisole Dress, $45; Print Dress, $30. Mustard Halter Top, $15; Sequin Trim Halter, $20. You really can’t go wrong with those prices!
And luck you: Yudy is willing to offer all Fashion Bombers free shipping on all their Prise NJ purchases. Just put ‘free shipping’ under the comments section at checkout and mention “The Fashion Bomb Blog.”
Smootches!
Fashion, News, and What Nots
*Reader Chiriga was feeling the ‘Nerd’ Glasses post yesterday. She says, ” I love the big specs! Check out my pair…“ “…Got them from a vintage spot called Screaming MiMi’s in Soho.“ Fashion Bomb readers are so chic! But you know what would make her outfit cuter? An official Fashion Bomb t-shirt. You still have a few days to submit your designs…
Mel B wilds out with a belted leopard jacket…
And Amerie shines in a satin trench…
…accented with bright gold buttons.
Top Row: Three Season Trench Coat, $75, www.edressme.com; Soia & Kyo Asymmetrical Trench Coat, $265, www.nordstrom.com; Belted Trench Coat, $37.80, www.forever21.com.
…for cool t-shirts and jewelry at low prices.
Vylette Windbreaker, $35, www.modcloth.com.
…you can get a T. Reese Essence with her Sally Hansen Nail Polish Collection [All Lacquered Up].
