Whoever said women should be seen and not heard obviously didn’t think twice before uttering something so foolish.  This week’s throwback definitely dispels the antiquated notion as her voice precedes all else.  With a vocal range on the cusp of all things angelic, Céline Dion’s mellifluous voice has resonated in the hearts and souls of many with her chart topping hit songs.  But beyond the music, perfume empire, headlining Vegas residency and countless accolades, she’s always been a fashion enthusiast: Christian Louboutins counting among some of her favorite conquests.  So, let’s take a peek at how the Canadian songbird’s style has transcended over the years!
Since crossing over to the American market, Céline always left an impression on the red carpet.  From a black velvet sheath dress covered in dazzling embellishments to fun, slinky floral printed frocks, she wanted to wear looks that mirror her fun personality.
  As the years progressed, her looks became more daring.  Opting to show more skin, she slipped into sheer lace column dresses and body hugging bandage gowns, taking heed of the “sexy” trend that dominated the nineties.
  Being a legend doesn’t come without a few notable fashion moments.  Who could forget Céline’s elaborate Mirella and Steve Gentile gown she wore down the aisle at her wedding to manager, late Rene Angeli?  Covered in over 2000 Austrian crystals and featuring a 20 foot train, she looked like a fairytail princess.
 She went against the grain at the 1999 Oscars, an awards show known for its glamorous red carpet gowns, by sporting a white silk Dior pantsuit with a fedora.  But in true Céline fashion, she shocked onlookers and the press by wearing jacket backward.  Though many hated it, you have to admit, it was a look ahead of its time.  How cool is it from the back?  She took onlookers by surprise again when she chopped her darker locks for a cropped, curly platinum-blonde ‘do. Whatever the era, she played with trends all the time, while still throwing in lots of dazzle and skin.  These days, she’s teamed up with celebrity and fashion stylist, Lawrence Roach, who has transcended Céline’s already superstar status into the world of fashion.  She’s been slaying every red carpet in gorgeous gowns, either metallic, leather and showcasing her lengthy legs.

Even for everyday wear, Céline sports some pretty trendy looks.  From a heart emblazoned on a Schiaparelli jacket to a sweatshirt paying homage to the blockbuster film Titanic for which she sang its main, award winning song “My Heart Will Go On”, her wares for daytime don’t miss a beat.  Whether in separates…
   …or cute A-line dresses in bold colors.  So chic!
 To an icon not only in the music world, but clearly in the world of fashion, our hearts will forever go on for this queen.
 For more of our favorite pics of Céline Dion, spy our gallery above!

What do you think of this week’s pick?

Gotta love the power of the internet!
Gucci posted the below image from their Cruise 2018 collection to their Instagram page, writing, “Inside the #GucciCruise18 collection by #AlessandroMichele, a look that celebrates an iconic style of hip-hop fashion culture from the 80s—a plush jacket featuring puffy sleeves monogrammed in GG motif. Legendary tailor Dapper Dan @dapperdanharlem influenced the trend by making such custom pieces for his rapper and athlete clients out of logos from famous fashion houses, including #Gucci. In a homage to Dapper Dan, this jacket worn with jeans and a lurex headpiece is flanked with a striped knit with cross-stitch embroidery, cotton shorts and a georgette gown with trompe l’oeil details.”

It’s unsure as to whether Gucci planned to acknowledge Dapper Dan all along, or if they felt pressured to do so after so many sites spotted the similarities between their puff sleeved jacket and Dan’s creation.

Either way, it’s wonderful that they acknowledged him! And here’s a Fashion Bomb Exclusive: a member of Dapper Dan’s camp got in touch, and said, “Behind the scenes, Dap is working on a project that will be announced soon.” Can’t wait to hear what that might be!

Keep it locked here for the scoop.
What do you think?

Of course it was all Gucci at the brand’s Cruise 2018 Fashion Show in the Palatine Gallery of the Pitti Palace in Florence.  Creative Director Alessandro Michele presented his artsy collection amid Renaissance paintings and a flock of faddish celebs who were all dressed in the appropriate uniform – Gucci.

Let’s jump right into some of the most swank looks at the event.

Donald Glover was dashing in a Gucci Spring 2017 white printed shirt, navy shorts and white leather Ace slide sneakers.

Kirsten Dunst hit the Cruise Fashion show rocking a Gucci Spring 2017 orange blouse and an orange pleated embroidered skirt.

Dakota Johnson blessed the event wearing a Gucci Fall 2017 floral jacquard sleeveless dress with a plunging neckline.  She completed her look with a pink velvet embroidered GG Marmont bag.

Jared Leto made a colorful statement in a Gucci Fall 2017 lavender velvet robe with a blue and red silk shirt, yellow trousers and silver high top sneakers. Ok, Jared!

Salma Hayek Pinault looked graceful in a Gucci Fall 2017 long sleeve floral printed dress carrying a pink velvet embroidered GG Marmont bag and rocking gold platform sandals.

Sir Elton John was royal in a Gucci DIY Signornia suit with a crystal lizard on the lapel.  David Furnish was dapper in a Gucci Spring 2017 blue and white Signoria checkered suit.  

Beth Ditto got creative in a Gucci Cruise 2018 blue and gold jacquard suit and a butterfly embroidered headpiece. I love this!

Soko graced the event in a Gucci Spring 2017 white, double breasted jacket, a Gucci t-shirt underneath, and matching pants.

Laura Love was obviously fierce at the event in a Gucci Fall 2017 black leather jacket and matching skirt carrying a red mini Sylvie bag.

Alessandro Borghi kept it casual in  a Gucci DIY embroidered bomber jacket, a white cotton t-shirt, and a pair of red leather Ace sneakers.

It’s safe to say that this event was all about bold colors and eclectic prints, and I am feeling it!  Who had your favorite look at the event and why?

Do you know about Toyokalon? It’s the premium choice for stylists that know about hair care. To display the versatility of the hair, the brand tapped Roc Nation singer/songwriter Justine Skye for a campaign called “Know the Difference.”

Styled by CeeCee @SilkHairNY, with makeup by Darya Latham and threads plucked by Xina Giatis, Justine flaunts a variety of styles all in her signature purple hue.

These on trend locs were achieved using Sensationnel’s African Collection X-Pression soft faux locs in 18″ color PUR, made with 100% Toyokalon fiber.

Toyokalon partnered with Justine Skye to showcase some of the most popular looks of our time. Here Skye sports voluminous curls in a half up, half down ‘do using the Outre X-Pression 4 In 1 Crochet Braid Bohemian Curls in 24”.

In a statement, the company writes, “We chose Justine because she is a fashion and style icon.”

Through the KNOW THE DIFFERENCE campaign, Toyokalon hopes to introduce women to an affordable alternative to braid and crochet hair, which can be used to create natural looking styles. Toyokalon may appear similar to other fibers used in braiding and crochet hair at first glance, but it has its own unique qualities. Toyokalon is soft to the touch and easy to work with, so you can install your protective style with ease.

Not only are products made with Toyokalon perfect for women with sensitive skin and scalps, they come in an array of lengths, colors, and textures.

Justine’s bold, long ponytail is a quick and easy way to upgrade any outfit day or night.

This curly braided style uses Outre XPression Braid Jerry Curls in 24″ and blends perfectly with most tightly coiled natural hair textures.

Products made with Toyokalon are available through all of your favorite brands, including Outre and Sensationnel! Just look for “Made with Toyokalon” written on the package of braid/crochet items at your local beauty supply.

Be sure to follow @Toyokalon to see the hottest looks of the summer, for more hair tips, and a chance to be featured if you’re wearing their hair!

What do you think of the campaign and the shoot featuring Queen Justine?

Right now I am luxuriating in the sun, feeling easy and breezy in separates by Okera Banks:

Fashioned out of stretched jersey, the line comprises halter neck and strapless harem jumpsuit, loose fit cardigans, and fun dresses that are perfect for leisure, travel, and more.

Behold a few of my favorites below:



Get all of the above here.
What do you think?

Rihanna showed off her street style while strolling in New York clad in a $665 Off White Off-the-Shoulder Striped Shirt and $1,015 Balenciaga Boots:

Cut with an off-the-shoulder neckline, the blue and white striped cotton poplin shirt is embroidered at the chest with red “Off” lettering and designed at the back with self-ties.

Balenciaga’s pointed-toe ankle boots are constructed of white grained leather and feature an extreme flat pointed toe and an ice pick heel.

Rihanna is in a league of her own when it comes to fashion.  Lately she’s been rockin’ the over-sized look.  I can dig it!

You can purchase her shirt here for $665 and her boots here for $1,015.

What do you think?  Would you splurge on her ensemble?

Today’s Bombshell is this wondrous soul, Niké Ojeknle from Los Angeles:

She writes, “I’ll be honored to be bombshell of the day.”

“I am a fashion blogger. I find inspiration in art, nature, culture, architecture, people, culture and music and last but not least, fashion. In addition to fashion, I’m also very passionate about homeless youth in my community.”

“For fun, I like to try out a new restaurant every time I can.”

More below:

Love your diva style! Nicely put together.

Check out her Instagram: @specsandblazers and website, specsandblazers.com.

Well readers, what do you think of her style?

What do you think of Nike from LA?

Hot! Yes! She’s a Bombshell!

Not a Bombshell, but ok style!

Some hits, some misses

Not good, but not bad

Hmm…better luck next time!

 

pollcode.com free polls

Fashion Bombshell of the Day is a feature showcasing the singular style of Fashion Bomb Readers. Send your name, location, a description of your style, and 68 clear, unfiltered, headtotoe pictures of 510 different outfits (no collages) to thefashionbomb@gmail.com . Images submitted will be featured on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any of our social media platforms. Comments can be harsh, so bring your A game! Please be advised: once published, pictures will not be removed or taken down.

Alesha Dixon went bold for the latest episode of Britain’s Got Talent—resplendent in a $249 Loewe Gold Tone Earring and the same $2,187 DSquared2 Yellow Colby Dress previously worn by Jennifer hudson:

While JHud enlivened the look with diamond Tiffany jewelry and DSquared2 embellished satin pumps, Ms. Dixon opted for gold pumps, a gold cuff, and a single gold earrings.
Her dress hails from the Spring 2017 collection. It features a one-shoulder silhouette, ruffle detailing, draped accents, a front slit, and mini length.

I love this dress and both ladies look Bomb! But if I had to choose, Alesha for the win.
What do you think?

Who Wore it Better? Jennifer Hudson vs. Alesha Dixon in DSquared2’s Yellow Colby One Shoulder Ruffle Dress

Jennifer Hudson

Alesha Dixon

They both look hot!

Neither, not into the dress

 

pollcode.com free polls

Can’t decide? Get the dress here.

Thoughts?

Gucci’s Cruise 2018 show bowed yesterday in Florence. And aside from the oversized Gucci fanny packs and typical logo’d gear, a somewhat astonishing puff sleeved jacket caused a stir because of its similarity to a jacket fashioned by Harlem’s own Dapper Dan in the 80’s.


Haberdasher Dapper Dan was the Rapper’s Delight in the beginning stages of hip-hop. As I wrote in a piece from 2013, “Dapper Dan was a legend in his time, an 80’s era street couturier who spoke to the sartorial tastes of rappers, drug dealers, and athletes who had a distinctive palette for luxury with a dash of cool. Dan was known as the man who could transform a trendy winter jacket into a logo laden piece, emblazoning it with the monograms of Italian and French fashion houses by screen printing their symbols onto leather using a fade resistant ink. “

Because rappers like LL Cool J and Big Daddy Kane couldn’t get Gucci to open their doors to them, they went to Dapper who made look a likes with a Hip Hop Twist. As I wrote in 2013, “Back then, like now, luxury houses didn’t truly acknowledge the hip-hop culture, though rappers and their fans were absolutely smitten with the expensive and aspirational quality of the items. For rappers, it wasn’t about understated chic–they wanted the world to know who they were wearing, and just about how much they spent on it. Dan fulfilled that need for a time–before luxury houses began to, slowly but surely, manufacture items with the logo obsessed in mind.” His specialties were Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Fendi.

Dan was not sanctioned by these houses and came under fire. Fendi, among others, ended up suing Dan for copyright infringement several times, until Dan had to shutter his doors.

In the ultimate plot twist, Gucci has decided to steal something from Dan–the exact silhouette of his fabled puff sleeve jacket, originally equipped with Louis Vuitton fabric.

But while some might cry foul, all seems fair in fashion war. Dan copied luxury logos, and now one of those brands has decided to copy him.
It doesn’t seem fair–French and Italian luxury houses always held the power in this equation. But perhaps because Gucci is obviously using Dapper’s design, they can consider joining in an official partnership where Dan can enjoy some of the fruits of his labor.
What do you think?
*Read my piece on Dapper Dan here.

The latest Blackface drama involves LA-based makeup artist @PaintDatFace, who thought it would be a good idea to share a photo of a white woman he painted to look like a black woman.

After getting dragged on social media, @PaintDatFace deleted the pic of the “transformation,” but said that he “can’t offer an apology for my artwork and for what I find to be beautiful.”

A lot of people found the image offensive while others thought it was artistic.

“Black face has been used to humiliate black people. OUR CULTURE IS NOT A COSTUME,” commented @beautylikebow.

“I love his work,” said @zenita_smythe.

“GTFOH with that excuse,” wrote @tofuchitlins.

My question is: Aren’t black women good enough to depict themselves?

Black women in general are already underrepresented enough as it is in the fashion industry and mainstream media.

There are so many gorgeous black models who can’t get booked for jobs or have to bring their own makeup to runway shows because of their skin tone – in 2017.

Also, even in the defense of ‘art,’ we are not in a place of racial equality or harmony in our country to erase the racist undertones of blackface. We are still feeling the stings of slavery and prejudice, even today. Some things are still just off limits because they drum up vestiges of a painful past.