“Gucci shades up on my braids when I Escalade/When I’m riding Sprewells sliding like a escapade/I got it made the big boss of the north/Ain’t ish changed I still represent Swisha House.” Mike Jones, “Still Tippin.”

When it’s bright and sunny outside, there’s no better way to accessorize your summer wardobe than with a pair of cute, face flattering stunna shades…

The right sunglasses, chosen carefully, can instantly upgrade and ‘chic’-ify your look.
Before you run to the store, know that there’s actually a method to picking the perfect pair. Let’s take a look at a few of our fave celebs to see how it’s done:
Ms. Kelly…

…J.Lo…

..and Rihanna…

…all don sunglasses with rounded frames to balance and complement their angular jawlines. Doing so adds a bit of softness to their more straight edged facial features.
On the other hand, women with rounder faces like Eve…

…and Mariah…

…look more balanced with the opposite: angular more boxy shade shapes that lend a little edge to their softer features.
Unsure of your face shape?
Classic aviator sunglasses look good on almost everyone. Ciara…

…and Zoe Saldana…

Know what’s up.
And if you’re feeeling playful, don’t be afraid to experiment with color. Get creative with a pair of orange shades like Nicole Richie…

Or mix it up more with a retro pair of white sun-specs a la Kelis…

Cute.
Need a few ideas? Try the following:

Top Row: Ray Ban Original Aviator Sunglasses, $119, http://www.eluxury.com/; Royal Flush Sunglasses, $38, http://www.anthropologie.com/.
Bottom Row: Kenneth Cole Rev-eye-vul Sunglasses, $98, http://www.kennethcole.com/; Dior Glossy Large Sunglasses, $260, www.eluxury.com.
I threw in a pair of Dior specs for you divalicious babes out there. Now get those stunna shades on!
Smootches!
PS Intern Elita says, “According to Fashionista.com there is a Rachel Roy sample sale going on today and tomorrow from 12-7 at 25 W. 39th St, 14th floor.”

So Elita was right! Rachel Roy is having a sample sale, and I dropped in briefly while running errands. The prices were a little higher than expected…shirts from $50-$100 and dresses starting at $150. Also, forget about sizes. I couldn’t find a button down bigger than a size 8, or a dress bigger than a medium. But I did manage to leave with one Grecian gathered cotton top (perfect with some skinny jeans) and a work ready white ruffle trimmed sleeveless sweater for $150. Bonus: Totally saw Damon Dash! Don’t you hate when you see a celebrity…and you’re all cheesing…and you expect them to know who you are cuz you know who they are…but you just end up looking lame (meanwhile, they’re like who’s this crazy person staring at me?) ANYWAY, celeb sightings aside, it was worth it. Rachel’s clothes are so pretty, even a simple top will upgrade your wardrobe. Hit up her sale. It’s going on until tomorrow!

“The summertime, when we fell in love it was/The summertime,when heaven shined on us it was/The summertime, baby there is nothing like/The summertime (summertime) oooh oohhoo…”Beyonce, “Summertime”

So every summer I see pictures of beautiful Beyonce luxuriating, tanning, and eating…

…at some lush resort in a remote part of the world. Out of any other celeb, Beyonce knows how to hang by the beach in a super stylish way!
Let’s take a look:
Beyonce flaunts her amazing body in string bikinis in shades like lime green…

…classic black with turquoise jewels…

…and flattering yellow.

While she may be a bit scandalous/slutacious poolside, she keeps it demure elsewhere by sporting cute sarongs…

…flowing pastel cotton skirts…

…embellished tunics…

…all topped off with cute accessories like sun shielding straw hats.

Hot.
Got a vacay coming up soon? Channel Bey with the following items:

Top Row: Paisley Print Tunic, $55, www.bloomingdales.com; Diane von Furstenberg Bursano Rose String Bikini, $112, www.saks.com.
Bottom Row: Small Solid Amagansett tote, $20, www.jcrew.com; Ladies Straw Hat, $6.50, www.target.com.
Now just pop on a pair of embellished flats and have some fun in the sun!
Smootches!
PS So a few readers commented yesterday that they don’t have problems finding plus sized clothes in their hood. If your town has the plus sized market on lock, write a post about it! Send me your own real style diary. E-mail me at thefashionbomb@gmail.com.
PSSS Didn’t hit up T. Reese or Shoshanna… Did you go? Was it worth it? Should I work it?

“Friends may come and friends may go/But you should know that/That I’ve got your back, it’s automatic/So never hesitate to call/Cuz I’m your sister and always for ya and I/I don’t know what I’d ever do without you/From the beginning to the end/You’ve always been here by my side/So I’ll call you my best friend.”–Brandy, “Best Friend”.

Hey Guys!
So this past weekend, my bestest bud from 4th grade, Liana…

…came to visit me!
She’s from Atlanta, which, while lauded for its crunk music, isn’t quite as well known for fashion. Liana came to NYC looking to add a dash of style to her wardrobe, and I figured…who best to deliver it to her?!?!
We were hitting the town all weekend, and she needed outfits for the various dinners, club hops, and social events I had planned. She also wanted to indulge in a bit of Canal street shopping, so I figured I’d take her to the Soho strip (Q to Canal Street, R to Prince Street)…

…to see what we could see.
With only 3 hours before our next event, we hit the pavement. But of course there were a few caveats. I asked, what’s the most you’d spend on a top? At first she said, “I’ll pay whatever as long as it looks good.” So I was like, “You’d pay $80 for a top?” And quickly she changed her tune. Turns out, the most she’d spend on a top was $50, and the most she’d spend on a bottom was $60. Plus Liana is a voluptuous lady, so we had size concerns to deal with.
Instead of messing around with my favorite haunts like Bloomingdales or Club Monaco, we made a stop at H&M…

…for their reasonably priced, fashion forward offerings.
I decided I’d look for a few club tops, and tried to only pluck ones that didn’t have clingy material, flowed over her tummy, yet still had sort of a dressy element.
This gold top…

…looked like it had potential at first blush, but Liana quickly pushed it to the side, citing it was ‘too gold and filmy.‘ (Don’t you love the facial expressions?)
We liked this shirt/dress better…

…but I wasn’t a fan of how it hugged her curves around her bottom. The neckline was flattering, but the bottom seemed lumpy.
This top…

…again, was too clingy, and though it had a silver sheen, it didn’t scream ‘I’m going out!’ but more…”I’m going to the grocery store!” Didn’t work.
But this zebra print flowy top…

…was just right! It had an eccentric print, and its sheer element was sexy enough for a night at Marquee. Plus the flowy fabric didn’t cling to curves, and the neckline drew attention to Liana’s face. We took a look at the price…and it was only $25! Well within our price range. So we checked out…


…and were on our way!
So I had Liana trying on those tops with white shorts, and thought that white jeans would look *great* with the zebra print top. I thought that we’d run a find a quick pair of jeans, and be on our way.
I chose to run into the Levi’s store…

…because I knew they’d have a whole range of sizes for a reasonable price. Turns out they were having a sale, and every jean was $30! Perfect.
I grabbed a few pairs–short, long, and in varying widths–and we hit the dressing room. This size 14 pair…

….was too tight around the thighs and very low cut. This size up….

…was too low, had a weird crotch, and too short. No Dice!
We were short on time by now, and I figured we could run into Uniqlo…


…because I knew that they had inexpensive jeans and went up to a size 14.
Well the jeans there were an affordable $39.50, but Liana couldn’t even pull em up over her thighs. For shame, Uniqlo! She did, however stumble upon this saucy black shirt dress…


…for $89.50. Out of our price range, but Liana loved how she felt in it, and I thought it was flattering. The black color was slimming, the vertical buttons on the dress elongating, and the style just worked well! So we checked out…

…and were done!

That night Liana ended up wearing her new zebra top with a pair of Baby Phat jeans she brought with her from home.

Beautiful!
Going shopping with Liana was an elucidating exercise. I didn’t realize how hard it was for voluptuous women to find affordable jeans in your go-to stores. Heck, I didn’t realize how hard it was voluptuous ladies to find *anything* stylish, fashionable, and well fitting. And last minute? Forget about it.
But I think I did an ok job, no?
Want Liana’s look? Try the following pieces:

Top Row: Florida Wash Signature Jean, $64, BabyPhat.com
Shirt Dress in Charcoal, $129, www.igigi.com.
Bottom Row: INC International Concepts Belted Zebra-Print Shirt, $79.00, www.macys.com ; Not Your Daughter’s Jeans Tummy Tuck Stretch Jeans, $98, www.nordstrom.com.
Smootches!
PS Need more style advice? Check out my prior post on voluptuous vixens here.
PSS Shout out to my other best bud from the A, Tara. Lurve you gurrl! Come visit me!!!
PSSS Dont’ Forget, from nymag:
Tracy Reese and Plenty by Tracy Reese’s girlie frocks (now $99), handbags (now $250), and sweet sweaters (now $93) are on sale.
When: 6/19 and 6/20.
Where: Loft Eleven, 336 W. 37th St., at Eighth Ave., eleventh fl.

Hey Guys!
So I was at my regular hang out this weekend and had the pleasure of running into these two lovely and stylish young ladies…

click to enlarge

click to enlarge
..and knew that just had to be on the Fashion Bomb. I was seduced by their rock star sunglasses, fashionably excessive accessories, and one of a kind ‘fits. Also loved homegirl on the left’s silver knuckle rings (she’s actually the brains behind them, check her out at www.myspace.com/B3nyc), and the young lady on the right’s fly Cadillac bag. I think I’m gonna need one of those. Soon.
Smootches!
PS According to NYMag…
6/19 and 6/20 Tracy Reese and Plenty by Tracy Reese’s girly frocks (now $99), handbags (now $250), and sweet sweaters (now $93) are on sale. Loft Eleven, 336 W. 37th St., at Eighth Ave., eleventh fl.; 6/19 and 6/20 (8–7).

6/14–7/24 At Diesel, racks of runway-show pieces, knits, and denim are discounted by 20 to 50 percent. For store locations and hours, go to diesel.com.

6/19–6/20 Shoshanna’s floral, strapless dresses (now $100), camis (now $75), and bathing suits (now $50) are on sale. 231 W. 39th St., nr. Eighth Ave., Ste. 422 (212-719-3601); 10–6.

I’m so hitting up T. Reese and Shoshanna. Maybe I’ll see y’all there!

Hey Guys!
It’s a beautiful Friday in Gotham city! What better time for a mail bomb-aganza?!?

I promised you double the goodness, and with the help of my stellar interns, here it is. Let’s get to it!
First up, celeb queries.
Celina wrote in and said, “Recently I saw both Rihanna…

“…and Cassie…”

“… sporting these very beautiful stiletto pumps that I absolutely adore!!
If u would be sooo kind could you clue me in and help me find out the designer?? I would be so grateful!”
Hey Celina! Louboutin’s are the hotness right now, and it seems both ladies are sporting these Louboutin Fishnet Pumps…

…available for $560 at www.barneys.com.
Reader Golden Honey wrote in weeks ago and proclaimed…
“Forget Solange’s dress! I want to know if you can find me Beyonce’s!”

“I love it! If not I’m getting it made.”
So the ‘terns and I searched and searched, but no dice! Intern Elita pointed out that bold patterns are all the rage for summer, which means there are lots of options out there.
She found a few substitutes like this McQ – Alexander McQueen Polka Dot Dress

…available for $500 at shopbop.com
Too much? We also stand by this less expensive Multi Color Dot Print Dress by S Sung…

…available for $248 at www.edressme.com.
Next up reader Janine says:
“I recently came across this beautiful yellow dress worn by Rosario Dawson while at Cannes.”

“I love, LOVE this dress and I want it! Could you please help me find who makes it?? It’s probably extremely expensive, so a cheaper alternative would be greatly appreciated!”
Hey Janine! You have amazing taste. I love yellow too!
The interns think the dress is Dolce & Gabbana. It might be, but I couldn’t find any pictures of it from the runway. Searching, though I did find that this dress…

…from Tory Burch’s Spring 2007 collection came close. If you want an option you can wear *now*, slap a belt around this $154 Diane Von Furstenberg 3/4 length dress…

…and you’re good to go!
Next up Penne says, “This coat was mentioned by you in a previous blog but when I looked on www.shopbop.com I couldn’t find it.”

“…Who made it? And do you know anywhere else I can purchase? I have to have it!!”
Hey Penne! The coat is Rachel Roy’s Francesco Long Reversible Jacket. It used to be available on www.shopbop.com, but the season has passed. If you still want the same look, Elita suggests trying this Donna Karan Organza-Lined Trenchcoat…

…available for an exorbitant price at www.saks.com. Another option? Visit www.rachelroy.com for a store near you. Maybe she has a summer alternative!
Next up Jenny asks, “I sooo want a pair of pants with suspenders and I have no idea where to look. Please help!!!!!!”
Intern Elita also spearheaded this one and said, “Suspenders were a trend appearing in the Spring 06 collections of Marc Jacobs, Lacoste and Luella, but are a bit tougher to find now. Bluefly.com has these Marni cropped pants on sale for $300…”

These Robert Rodriguez pants would be great for work and are a steal at $75 but are only available in limited sizes…

..and shopbop has several styles to choose from:

Lauren Moffatt Suspender Shorts, $277

McQ – Alexander McQueen Suspender Engineer Stripe Shorts, $290
I also found these less expensive Dark State Raquel Suspender Shorts…

…for $69 at www.guess.com.
Lastly Candance says:
“Currently I’m looking for a job and would just like some style tips on what to wear to an interview. I want something more fashionable and
updated. PLEASE HELP!! ;)”
Hey Candace. Great question. I’m thinking that you’re interviewing for a position in a creative field. I’d say stick to traditional items with a twist. You can never go wrong with classic black and white, but in order to leave a good impression, spice it up a bit! Wear a button down shirt, but pop one on that has ruffles, a ribbon tie, or a cool collar. Wear a demure skirt, but make sure it has eye catching hem details like a fish tail, pleats or gathering. And sport accessories that pack a punch (i.e. instead of regular leather, wear something in a bright color or patent leather). These items should give you an idea of what to look for:

Top Row: L.A.M.B Devon Tote, $650, www.eluxury.com; Nexx Three Quarter Sleeve Pucker Shirt, $58, www.nordstrom.com; Tahari Tammy High Heel, $105, www.piperlime.com
Middle Row: Clean Bubble Skirt, $30, www.gap.com; Anna Corinna Glazed Leather City Tote, $468, shopbop.com
BCBGMAXAZRIA black bubble pleated pencil skirt, $78, www.bluefly.com
Bottom Row:
Veronica Shirt, $50, www.fcuk.com; Nine West Lucero Pumps, $39.50, www.ninewest.com; Nanette Lepore ‘Rendezvous’ Dot Ruffle Blouse, $250, www.nordstrom.com.
You’re a shoe in!
Smootches!
PS If I haven’t answered your mail bomb yet, that either means that I a.) am working on it or b.) have no bleepin idea! But keep writing and I’ll do my best to find stuff for ya. You’re the bomb guys!

“I’m not ashamed of what I am and that I have curves and that I’m thick…I like my body.”–Alicia Keys.

Hey Guys!
This week’s Style File profiles R&B crooner, pianist, and musician extraordinaire…

Alicia Keys.
Ms. Keys may not be the best dressed woman out there, but she has had a heck of a style evolution…especially when you consider how she used to roll.
Remember the corn rows…

..crazy hats…

…acid washed jean sets…

and beads…?

They were a hot mess! They simply took away from her gorgeous face.
Anything would’ve been an improvement…and now Ms. Keys more than passes the fashion bill with sleak looks and form flattering fits. Let’s take a look:
For red carpets, Ms. Keys favors short or long strapless frocks in basic colors like black, white or cream…



And while her casual steeze sometimes throws back to her old days…

For the most part she holds it down with wrap dresses in bold colors:

Trench coats with red accessory accents…

…and bootcut or straight legged jeans with simple yet flattering tops…


Cute!
Want her look for less? Try these items:

Top Row: Driving Gloves, $26, www.bloomingdales.com; Laser Cut Poplin Tube Dress, $148, www.ardenb.com.
Bottom Row: Matte Jersey Wrap Dress, $69, www.victoriassecret.com; BCBGMAXAZRIA Ivory Crocheted Deep V-neck Sweater, $105, www.bluefly.com.
Smootches!

Happy Monday!
So I clearly spend way too much time at Habana Outpost…but the place is fun, chill, and happens to have some of the best looking brown people around! I went yesterday and had to snap a pic of this young lady…

Her oversized blue-gray blouson top looks great over her distressed white jeans, and her accessories are fierce. Loved her chocolate brown Miu Miu bag with gold accents, 80’s inspired specs, cute hat, and unique earrings.
What do you think?
Smootches!