And The Kreativ Blogger Award goes to:

Recently, I received a wonderful note from one of my favorite bloggers and fashion designers, Chanel Ward (@HipCandy on Twitter). She advised me that I had been awarded the Kreativ Blogger Award. I, first, would like to thank Chanel for the award and for thinking about me.

When a blogger receives the Kreativ Blogger award they have to:

1. List 7 things that you don’t already know about me.
2. Name 7 other blogs to receive this award.
3. Leave a comment on each of the blogs I nominated
4. Thank the person who gave you the award.

So first, the 7 things you MAY NOT know about me:

1. I used to be a model for Dillard's, JB White, Belk and JC Penny. I did both print media and their seasonal runway shoes. I enjoyed the job, because I was allowed to keep most of the clothes that I modeled.

2. I am the only person, from my college, to have my degree type. I majored in Political Science and International Business, with a minor in Theater and Philosophy/Religion but my degree says BA, Corporate Law. I met with my department chair and academic advisor to create a "custom" degree program because my college did not offer the program that I wanted to pursue.

3. I secretly wish I could get all of the freecreditreport.com commercial songs on one cd, so that I could listen to them over and over again. The songs are catchy, and quite entertaining. If I were on twitter this statement would be followed by " #dontjudgeme ". LOL!!!

4. I never thought in a million years that I would end up marrying the lady that I did. We were best of friends in college, and she is my Soror. I knew her boyfriends, and was friends with some of them. She knew of my girlfriends. People often times accused us of dating, and said that we would one day get married; LOL, guess they knew more than we did.

5. I am a published playwright, and have written and produced many plays. In fact, I am in the process of writing two plays that will be produced early next year.

6. I realized that I had an eye for fashion, when I was 5 years old. I had asked my kindergarten girlfriend out on a date, to see the movie "The Lady, & The Tramp". I went to her house, picked out all of her clothes, and told her to wear high heeled shoes with the outfit that I had created for her; okay, I did not know that 5 year old girls did not wear stiletto's, she was a girl like my mother, sister and grandmother, so I figured she should wear the shoes that they did. From that point on, I always picked out clothes for people, and when I made the decision to leave Corporate America, my naturally fashionable eye became the platform on which I built my business.

7. I am an 80's cartoon junkie. I have Thundercats on DVD, He-man on DVD, andwill be getting Silver Hawks, Transformers, GI Joe, Charlie Brown, and Looney Tunes on DVD pretty soon. On Saturday's my wife and I will order a pizza from Luigi's or wings from Wing King and watch 80's Cartoons all day long. She has She-Ra and Jem on DVD also. Again " #dontjudgeme ". You know that you like'em too!

Now, the 7 Blogs/Bloggers I would like to award the Kreativ Blogger Award to:

1. GhettoFabu (@TrinkyWiggy) - pure entertainment and great way to stay informed, without having to surf too many websites and a reality tv tweeter

2. A Life of Style (@Stylish_Living) - great fashionista, well-versed on trends and makeup

3. Sound-Savvy (@SoundSavvy) - your one shop stop for everything having to do with music, with a diverse array of genres

4. Modelliberation (@Modelliberation) - the life and trials of a real life, working model. You're NOT a model, unless it pays your bills!

5. Gimme That Glow (Odara112) - a great source for skin care and makeup product reviews and a humorous and interesting tweeter!

6. RuralGlamour (@RuralGlamour) - your one stop shop to find out about everything having to do with makeup, skincare and haircare products. A WONDERFULLY entertaining tweeter.

7. Fashion With A Side of Life (@FashionCitizen) - dude is well-versed on fashion, and many different genres, and he keeps it 100 on Twitter.

I have alerted them of their awards. I can't wait to learn more about them. Thanks, again Chanel! It was fun!
- The Style Master

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Full-Length Alexander McQueen for Puma Ghost Collection Movie

Earlier this year Alexander McQueen and Puma announced their desire to expand their sneaker collaboration to include men’s and women’s apparel and accessories.

Celebrating the launch of their first sport-fashion apparel collection, the collaborative effort released a short spectacularly visual video last January, directed by Saam Farahmand and Alexander McQueen titled “Ghost”. See the full length video below.

Video courtesy: GQ.com Photo's courtesy: Puma.com

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Eva Longoria-Parker & Tony Parker Get Lusty For London Fog (pictures & video)

London Fog, best known for its raincoats and bags, debuted its new Holiday 2009 Campaign featuring America's Darling Couple, Eva Longoria-Parker and husband Tony Parker, Wednesday.

The campaign will begin appearing Elle, Marie Claire and Gotham magazines in December, as well as on media boards and online. Checkout the behind the scenes video.





Video Courtesy Dogmatic Productions photo's courtesy London Fog Press Release

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What's Up With Everyone Doing Blackface Now?

Last week, while reviewing information on different fashion weeks, I was saddened to see that Carlos Diez opted to send his models down the runway wearing blackface during Cibeles Fashion Week.

Carlos Diez SS 2010 Collection At Cibeles Fashion Week

Then, I discover that world has gotten worse. French Vogue used blackface minstrels in the October issue of French Vogue, which is dedicated to "Supermodels". But why were there are no black models? No Naomi Campbell, no Tyra Banks, no Iman, no Alek Wek, no Liya Kebede, no Chanel Iman. Instead, Dutch model Lara Stone appeared in a 14-page editorial in blackface.

Lara Stone in French Vogue

Aside from the fact that models of many nationalities have gained a greater presence in the fashion industry and should have been used in this magazine, today in 2009, we should all know that white people dressing in blackface is offensive.

Lara Stone in French Vogue

"Mad Men" viewers may have caught a recent episode entitled, "My Old Kentucky Home," in which Roger Sterling performs an Al Jolson-like number at his Kentucky Derby wedding party. The show is set in the early 1960s, and back then white people used to perform as black people and perpetuate negative stereotypes and poke fun of their race. Though back then it was acceptable, it was obviously highly offensive as black people were portrayed as ignorant, amoral and lazy. Meanwhile, African American entertainers themselves were often forbidden from similar venues. This was some 40 years ago, but people should have known better. And after all the advancements we've made as a society, they certainly should now.

Roger Sterling performs in blackface on "Mad Men"

Just last week, Harry Connick Jr. appeared as a guest judge on a live broadcast of the Australian program, "Hey Hey It's Saturday." On the show, five men presented a skit called "Jackson Jive" while covered in black face paint and afro wigs. The last man came out dressed as Michael Jackson in white face paint, representing Jackson's apparent skin transformation. The audience cheered and laughed as the group performed the same act they did 20 years ago on the show. Have people not been

Robert Downey Jr. in "Tropic Thunder"

enlightened since then? Connick Jr. gave the group a zero score for their performance. "Man, if they turned up looking like that in the United States...it'd be like 'Hey, Hey There's No More Show.'" After taking serious offense to the routine, the show's host, Daryl Somers, gave Connick Jr. an opportunity to elaborate on his concerns. "I just wanted to say on behalf of my country, I know it was done in humor...but we have spent so much time trying to not make black people look like buffoons, that when we see something like that we take it really to heart." We at Shine could not agree more.

This program aired in Australia, and the blackface model appears in French Vogue. Is it possible that since they don't share our history of minstrel shows that they don't understand how severely distasteful the use of blackface is? But on second thought, the Vogue photographer Steven Klein is American, and the magazine's own Editor-in-chief, Carine Roitfeld, was styling. Surely between the two of them they must have known the shoot was controversial and would offend people. While the photos are not necessarily portraying model Lara Stone in a negative way, it could still be considered racist. There is nothing cool or edgy about this fashion spread—it is just plain wrong.

Last year's film, "Tropic Thunder," tried to tackle this subject by satirizing the use of blackface. Robert Downey Jr. played an actor who underwent surgery to look black. Co-star Ben Stiller previewed the film for African American journalists and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and they approved of the role and the way it was handled. "When people see the movie—in the context of the film, he's playing a method actor who’s gone to great lengths to play an African American," Stiller said of Downey Jr.'s character at the time. "The movie is skewering actors and how they take themselves so seriously." After all the struggles African Americans have been through in this country as well as others, and the progress we have made in the battle against racism, is it even funny to joke about blackface? Should we just do away with it forever? How do you feel about all the recent blackface appearances in pop culture?

Article by: by Joanna Douglas, Shine Staff,for SHiNE by Yahoo!

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Ralph Lauren Alegedly Fires Super Model Filippa Hamilton Because of Her Size

Last week Ralph Lauren came under fire for (what looked to be) an extremely altered photo of a model in one of its ads. Bloggers at the website BoingBoing.net posted the image online, and lawyers for Ralph Lauren attempted to sue them for copyright infringement. Unfortunately for Ralph Lauren, this only furthered public interest and outrage over the dangerously thin looking model and, eventually, the clothing company released this apology:

"For over 42 years we have built a brand based on quality and integrity. After further investigation, we have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman's body. We have addressed the problem and going forward will take every precaution to ensure that the caliber of our artwork represents our brand appropriately."

Filippa Hamilton Photo Shopped Ralph Lauren Ad

Unfortunately,"addressing the problem" may have included firing the model, 23-year-old Filippa Hamilton. She is 5'10" and weighs 120 pounds--clearly more full-bodied than the photoshopped girl we see in the advertisement. Though Hamilton has modeled for Ralph Lauren since she was 15, the company let her go "as a result of her inability to meet the obligations under her contract with us." But the story gets worse: Hamilton says she was let go because she'd become too fat to model for them. "They fired me because they said I was overweight and I couldn't fit in their clothes anymore," she explained. "I was shocked to see that super skinny girl with my face...It's very sad, I think, that Ralph Lauren could do something like that."

Filippa Hamilton in a past Ralph Lauren ad

Most of us know that a tall, young woman who weighs 120 pounds is not overweight. But Hamilton claims Ralph Lauren was dissatisfied with her body, and therefore fired her six months ago. However, the company continued to use her image, whittling down her arms, waist, thighs, and possibly several other body parts in the above ad. If they were so unhappy with how she looked, why not get another model for the campaign? Why use the photos and alter and distort them?

Today, Ralph Lauren himself is distancing himself from the ad, claiming, "The image in question was mistakenly released and used in a department store in Japan and was not the approved image which ran in the U.S." So we're confused. They say the photoshopping was an error, that Hamilton is "beautiful and healthy," yet they allegedly fired her for her size? With all these apologies and statements it sounds like the brand still has yet to accept responsibility for their actions.

Hamilton in Italian Elle

Hamilton in French Vogue

When I searched for more images of Filippa Hamilton, I instantly remembered her—she was the face of Ralph Lauren's fragrance, Romance, has been featured on the cover of international editions of Vogue and Elle, and has appeared in many ads. She's a gorgeous woman. "I think they [Ralph Lauren] owe American women an apology, a big apology," says Hamilton. "I'm very proud of what I look like, and I think a role model should look healthy."

The truth is, models get fired or overlooked all the time for being what the industry considers overweight, we just rarely see or hear about it. Eating disorders are not only common among models, but they're also common among the women and young girls who emulate them. We're happy to see that Hamilton has come forward, and wish more models and celebrities would do the same. It's awesome and empowering when stars admit they've been photoshopped for an ad or movie poster and say how dissatisfied they are about it. With foreign countries banning underweight models from their fashion weeks, and the increasing presence of "plus size" models in women's magazines, we wish the unhealthy representation and falsified depiction of models—and women—would come to an end entirely. Do you think the day will ever come?

Sources: [NYDN] [Extra] [Hulu][SHiNE from Yahoo!]

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I Like The Christian Siriano For Payless Line

So, as I was out scouting shoes for perspective clients, I decided to check out the rave about Christian Siriano's collection for Payless. Since December, when Christian revealed that he had negotiated a deal with Payless to produce a shoe and handbag line, there has been great speculation in the fashion industry. Many of Siriano's critics accused him of selling out early in his career, to which he responded: “I want everybody to have a piece of my brand” .

In this economy, many designers are electing to create economical lines that are sold at stores stemming from Wal-mart to Macy's. Many fashionistas are benefiting on their ability to purchase quality name brands for a fraction of the cost.

The first look of Siriano's collection included skyscraping heels that were inspired by Egyptian artifacts with hieroglyphic detailing, a little reminiscent of the Christian Louboutin for Rodarte heels,

but more affordable. However, the line that was released contained less detail and pizazz, but are quite nice, nonetheless.

Strut Pump ($34.99)

Sandstrap Peep Toe ($34.99)

Saunter Flat ($29.99)

Satin Saunter Flat ($29.99)

Slither Boot ($49.99) in black and teal,

Shanbag Clutch ($24.99)

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2009 Fall/Autumn Colour Trends from Pantone

Autumn (Fall) is a favorite season of mine, the cold is coming back and it's easier to start dressing in layers again without breaking out into a profuse sweating fit not unlike one achieved with a vigorous workout (well at least it seems like that in the Southern Hemisphere). That's enough of talk of sweat; what we're really here to talk about are the colour trends for 2009. Today's come courtesy of Pantone who have just released their color interpretation of the Autumn/Fall 2009 fashion trends.

The colours themselves reflect the tough economic times with a selection of an appealing pastel palette devoid of any of the overpowering statement tones we have seen in the past few years. The move away from the statement colours will help the clothes age at a slower rate and will help provide a safer purchase to allow a little more wear from your wardrobe during these times of economic instability.

The selection stays true to form of the past few years with a definite nature inspired overtones, but take a definite downshift from spring's richer resort holiday inspired colours. Noted in the report is even though the palette is diverse with a broad spectrum of colours they should still hold up to create a cohesive combination, which we guess is up to the designer.

For more information on Pantone's predictions, follow this link.

Article written by: Alan James Barger [source]

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Fashion Trends: The Famale Dandy Look

Over the past years fashion trends have largely been echoes of the 20th Century; we've revived everything from the 1920s through to the 1980s - even a bit of 90s most recently. So it seems natural that we should venture back further, and add a bit of the 19th century into 2010 fashion trends.

Masculine fashion for women takes a dandy turn in Autumn(Fall)/Winter 2010 - or rather, a more dandy turn. Building upon elements already big in past seasons - like the tuxedo trend and military fashion, the female dandy in 2010 is part Beau Brummell, part Oscar Wilde, and at times a touch of Coco Chanel.

Female Dandy looks from Jill Stuart, Abaete, and Rag & Bone

The Overall Look And Feel

There are certain terms that evoke the feel of the female dandy; some we'll take from history, others from the looks which have hit the 2009/2010 catwalks.

While androgynous, the 2009/2010 dandy trend is definitely feminine. If you're thinking Diane Keaton as Annie Hall you're a little off the mark. It's a mixture of sharp tailoring and stereotypically masculine clothes, but all cut to accentuate and flatter the female body.

Away from the 2009/2010 catwalks we can find to the 1700's dandy for inspiration for this trend. As the decadent Charles Baudelaire one highlighted of dandyism, it's a frame of mind for a person who "elevates aesthetics to a living religion".

Finally, as another luxury fashion trend which finds its roots firmly in Great Britain, elements of the female dandy trend should always evoke aristocracy and the associated wealth.
Key elements

* Britishness; particularly Regency era British fashion
* High collars; ruffle and bow blouses
* Cropped slim-cut jackets in both a double or single breast
* Waist coats & tailored vests
* Fob chains
* Frock coats and tail coats
* High-waisted jodhpurs

Cinched Waists

A cinched waist is one way of feminising a masculine outfit. Try adding a waist cinching belt or nipped-in jacked to neaten up an overall dandy look.

Brooches

Brooches are one of the best way to slow off that dandy edge, but to get the dandy fashion trend spot on you'll need to aim for a brooch that is slightly larger than most of those made for women. I suggest taking inspiration from men's brooche to get the androgynous feel spot on.

Who Designed It

For a perfect balance of masculine elements and feminine cuts, look no further than Abaete, who got the look spot-on down to their brooch accessories. Rag & Bone were also on the mark; their slim cut dinner jackets having a slightly masculine feel. Ralph Lauren is of course a veteran of this particular look, this time feminising three-piece suits with elements of evening wear.

Fob-chain, waistcoat, and ruffled blouse at Ralph Lauren

Moving a little further away from the core Regency elements comes Hermes Autumn(Fall)/Winter 2009/2010, with masculine womenswear taking an aviation-inspired turn, reminiscent of Amelia Earhart.

There were also plenty of other examples and variations on the Autumn(Fall)/Winter 2009/2010 runways; some comprising complete dandy looks, others using subtle elements. For more pictures of the trend on the runway, click on the gallery below.

Mixing It Up

Of course you needn't only look to the given designers to find pieces which will perfectly evoke the female dandy. For instance you could borrow on elements of the military fashion trend, such as Balmain's military jacket, which also shares the masculine/feminine high-fashion quality. Adding man-style pant suits into your wardrobe can also transcend to Coco Chanel masculine territory, while vintage ties can be tres sexy with a feminine - yet understated - outfit.

Article by: Written by Daniel P. Dykes[source]

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Super Model/Actress/TV Show Host, Tyra Banks Reveals Her New Size 8 Body With A Recent Photo Shoot

Two years after telling the world to "kiss her fat a--" when an unflattering bathing suit photo took the Internet by storm, Tyra Banks proudly showed off her new, more streamlined figure in a New York City photo shoot Monday. The supermodel turned actress turned TV host, famous for championing "real beauty," has reportedly gone from a size 14 or 16 to a size 8.

Two weeks ago, Banks talked about her weight loss with CNN's Larry King:

"When I told the world to kiss my fat a--, I remained that size for two years. I maintained it with my ice cream and my salad with ranch dressing and croutons and bacon bits."

Tyra also explained to Larry how she got the idea and motivation to lose the weight -- she started a weight-loss challenge with her "America's Next Top Model" staff members:

"We were sitting around a table and kind of trash talking," Banks said. "And decided to do this challenge because we all love food. I trash talked so much where I had to win -- and I did."

The talk show host has reportedly gone from a size 14 to a size 8! Doug Meszler/Splash News

Banks, who elevated her status as a cheerleader for natural womanhood by revealing her real hair (and saying goodbye to fake hair) on the season premiere of "The Tyra Banks Show" last month, is careful to connect her body makeover to the challenges presented by todays fashion:

"I may be doing a little bit of TMI, but I always feel great when I don't have clothes on, unless the lighting is bad in the dressing room. But sometimes certain clothes, when I put them on and they don't fit the way that I would like them to, that's when I tend to get self-conscious."

Tyra revealed earlier this season, on her show, that she lost weight because of the movie, Sex And The City.



Video courtesy youtube.com, photo's and article courtesy OMG!

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Model: NIkia Phoenix Talks About Life As A Model

One of my friends and college classmates, Nikia Phoenix, recently did an interview that details the life of a working model. There are many people that want to be models, but still have to work a traditional 9-5, but the life of a working model is nothing like that. Sometimes we glamorize lives as models, and other times we ridicule them. Waking up and looking beautiful is not as easy as it looks in a picture, and selling yourself to potential clients is even harder. Take a look into the life of a model.

Nikia writes:

Sometimes people try to say that not much good can come from modeling. I've been told that what I do doesn't really have an impact on anyone. If anything, critics say that models make others have a negative self image. Well, I'm here to prove the naysayers wrong.

Good things come from even the smallest things. Weeks ago, I did a vintage shoot for Lulus.com.
The wonderful ladies at LuLu's blog got word to me that they wanted to do an interview. I was super excited. I mulled over the questions for a few days and finally came up with some good, honest answers.

Read the interview at Lulu's a la mode Blog. Follow Nikia on twitter at @modelliberation and read her blog at Modelliberation.

Photo courtesy Modelliberation

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