[TOP 10 TUESDAY] Christmas Swag Bag for the Trendy, On-the-Go Girl

I think everyone's got that superbusy friend - she's always got something going on.

While she's always on the pulse of news and trends, it's also hard to peel her away from her phone. Sometime you hide it just to laugh at her reaction.

But just like she's on top of everything else, she's also the planner in your group. If it's your birthday, you better believe she's had the party planned for weeks. If there's an emergency, she's single-handedly starts the phone tree and updates everyone.

She thinks of her wardrobe and accessories as having some function, nothing exist just for the sake of existing. Every earring is like a tool when she attends social events so her swag bag is full of little functional gifts.

1: Xsmall Moleskine
$4.26 via Hyatts: All Things Creative

For that quick note. It fits in her purse and comes in sets of 2 in 4 different colors.

[SAPPHIC SUNDAY] Ode To Kayla, Model Lesbian Who Touched the Sky

This is the first post of my new weekly feature Sapphic Sundays, where I blog about fashion and style as is pertains to lesbian (pop) culture.

The most recent addition to said culture is Kayla Ferrel, the ex-Hooters out lesbian on America's Next Top Model. Even after her elimination in Italy, she's still the highest-ranking out lesbian on ANTM. Watching her for the past few weeks, I was among her online following who believed she'd win - she rarely got criticisms, and she got top photo a few times.

Following her elimination, she spoke with AfterEllen.com about being on the show. One of the issues that came up was that she really put her sexuality on the forefront and was constantly reaffirming that she was a lesbian.

[STYLE SCRAPBOOK] De-Stress Your Life With Hematite Jewelry

Every day, negativity builds up in our being. All those dirty looks, lewd comments, and stressful situations slowly poison our psyche, leaving us a big ball of negative energy in the pit of our stomach. Ever wished you had a magic shield that could dispel all of it?

The ancients believed that hematite was that shield. It is said to have been used for "magic mirrors" that could reflect negativity back to where came. Early Romans would crush the mineral and rub its red powder onto their bodies, believing this would bestow courage, strength, and a general invulnerability.

Nowadays, it's worn mostly for mental healing & grounding, protection from negativity, and promoting physical health.

Hematite rings are very common, and will absorb and hold your stress. However, when your little shield has taken as much as it can hold, it will break. So far, I've only broken one but I lose mine all the time (is that sign?). My friend Allison is constantly replacing her broken rings.

The great thing about hematite - other than its magical properties - is the coloring: a perfect neutral, it goes with everything. Gray has become the new black so it's perfect for pairing with classic or current trends, like gold and the military.

[OOTD] For Who Could Ever Love a Lumberjack?

The mix of jeans, plaid and boots brought unwanted yet funny memories of my ex. She was tall, strong, and a little thick. My BFF's husband called her "Lumberjack".

It made me angry but I pretended to shrug it off. I guess now it doesn't matter, but I wonder if they where disrespecting our relationship.

Has that ever happened to anyone?


Alex, on the other, hand gets disrespect from my mom who still can't accept that I'm a lesbian. But that's been ongoing. If it's family, does that make it ok?

BTW that dungeon in the background is Alex's room. She painted it herself.

My first reaction was, "WTF? That takes more patience than I will have in a lifetime!" But she occasionally says something similar when I do my web design.

And somewhere in this mix of memories and musings, I'd like to add that I will be giving away a special bracelet later tonight. It will have it's own post explaining why it's special.

[TOP 10 TUESDAY] Christmas Swag Bag for the Girly-Girl

This weekend starts with Black Friday, which also marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. So how many people are on your shopping list?

I've decided to join the multitudes of bloggers who want to make things easier with small gift guides. My guides will be for the next 4 Tuesdays and will center around the goodie bags.

Instead of trying to find that one perfect gift, why not try a couple of little ones, stick them in a bag and call it your Christmas Swag Bag.

This Top 10 is for the girly-girl, the one who always has a feminine air about her with a touch of cute. Occassionally, you think she wears too much pink or pastels but you'd never tell her. In truth, you admire how confident she looks in frills and bows.

I recommend throwing 5-6 of these items in a glittery bag of her favorite color and a giant bow with curly ribbon. Don't forget lots of pastel tissue.

[GEEK OUT] Super Expensive Silly Bands & Hermoine Is Hot

Let's Cover the World in Gold


Let me start by saying this picture is absolutely captivating - everything from her attitude to the outfit. Be still my little gay heart...

FYI: After years of silver, gold has finally hit as the IT metallic. It's no longer just an accent, it can dominate your outfit just don't overdo it i.e. the first picture vs the third one below. "Gold, it makes the world go round..." Listen to the song from Repo: The Genetic Opera to the right.


View Pics Larger @ Cartoon Styles

Marc Jacobs Does Silly Bandz


Thanks to Hearty Chic for the Images
If you haven't heard by now, Marc Jacobs has jumped on the Silly Bandz bandwagon. It's a five piece set that feature MMJ charms to assure you that you didn't just overpay for silly bandz. They're $15 on ShopBop.com. I like them but Alex wants us to get matching superhero ones. Those are $1 LOL.

Harry Potter is Coming to an End

Hermione Who? I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt.1 last night, and I teared up when I realized that this is it: the last book, the last 2 movies. It's been a magical 9 years watching this book series I love take life.

I also realized how hot Emma Watson has gotten over the past couple of years. She's one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood at age 20, and since Burberry, a bit of a fashion icon. The new Twiggy-esque haircut only emphasizes it. I think it's cute but Alex took one look at it, pouted, and shouted, "Hermione Hair?!" We both agreed, however, that it would suck if she quit acting.

W Magazine Launches Fashion On Film

Last Wednesday, W magazine launched an online film festival for the fashionable: Fashion on Film. It's got everything from video lookbooks to behind the scenes at fashion shows. The title that first caught my eye was Modelgeddon.

"LOVE magazine teams up with director James Lima and Donatella Versace in Modelgeddon, a world where supermodels Alessandra Ambrosio, Ana Beatriz Barros, Claudia Mason and Julie Ordon turn into superheroes." - It reminds me of those B-Movies where women fight for the viewer's pleasure, namely Bitchslap. I'll never say "No" to women kicking ass (or falling buildings) in tight, zipper-embossed jeans.

Watch Me On CelebrityU Live! Today (11/18/10) @ 2:00pm Central

This afternoon, I'm getting the opportunity to appear on RadioTV and talk about shopping and style. CelebrityU is a variety show but my topics are dressing for Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping. My segment is only about 12 minutes long and I'll be one of the first on.

I'm actually a bit camera shy, so this is my first venture into the world of video. Wish me luck? The show is live and it starts at 2pm. You can watch below.

[TOP 10 TUE] Movies Every Fashionista Should Watch & Own

10 movies that appeal to my fashionista-side. Some of them entertain, some of them inform but mostly these movies inspire.

Judging by the trailer, Factory Girl could have easily made the list but I don't want to recommend a movie I haven't seen.

Devil Wears Prada is #1, of course.




1: Devil Wears Prada
"RUNWAY is a fashion magazine so an interest in fashion is crucial..."

"You have no style or sense of fashion... No, no, that wasn't a question."
The first time I watched it with my family, my mom turns to me halfway through the movie and says, "And you WANT to be in this business??" - It sounded funnier in Spanglish.

[STREET SNAP] Drinking Champagne, Made by the Angel

My car's transmission gave out recently for the 2nd time this year. Thankfully it was under warranty so technically it cost me nothing except 4 days of bus fare. My dad is very protective of me and my sisters and riding the bus is one of those things we couldn't do. He once made an effort to paint a picture of what kind of people ride the bus, but I rode it anyway.


I don't know if his information is outdated but I found some really cool people ride public transportation, including one that wasn't afraid to be himself. Sorry the phone pics are a little fuzzy. And if you keep scrolling, you'll find the song I've been playing over and over today at work. The lyrics are beautiful and I wanna kiss whoever did the costuming.

LINKS À LA MODE 11/11/10: BEHIND THE CLOTHES

THE IFB WEEKLY ROUNDUP :: BEHIND THE CLOTHES

"It’s war of the underwear this week! What can lingerie do for our figures, what does body shaping underwear say about our feminist principles and how does our choice actually affect our health?

The post that will stay with me this week is The Button Owl’s, which broke my heart. Fashion isn’t just about vanity, but how we present ourselves to the world and this is all the more important when you have troubles to hide." ~ Editor Florrie Clark

I agree with the editor - the post from The Button Owl breaks my hear too. I highly recommend reading it.

♦ Any Second Now: Is it really practical financially to buy high-end clothing for children? Parents can be creative and frugal with wardrobe for their kids.

♦ Bachman’s Sparrow: Heels usually get all the glory when it comes to fashion, but in this post I want to show you a few ways to kick the heel habit.

♥ Be Fabulous Daily: Why I’m throwing away my Spanx (and what I replaced them with… it’s not entirely self-love).

♥ Fashezine: 4 ways to wear a basic American Apparel shirt, illustrated photography included.

♦ Forever Amber: Channeling Joan Holloway.

♦ Haute World: Deliciously fashionable: edible couture & more at Salon du Chocolat in Paris.

♦ Independent Fashion Bloggers: The Copywriting Scorecard for Fashion Bloggers

♦ Intrinsically Florrie: Dress success and another reason why I love the online fashion community.

♦ Love of Lace: A Lesson In Style From Europe: A comparison between ‘Secrets of French Girls’ and North American style.

♥ Modly Chic: How to read your google analytics and make blogging decisions based on your findings.

♥ Out of Order: Do-It-Yourself pom-pom headbands.

♦ Perfectly Indecisive: Pushing your fashion boundaries in summer (for those just heading into Summer not Winter)

♦ Retro Chick: Lingerie Love – Retro Shapewear from Gok Wan.

♥ Seamstress Stories: Can I wear a corset and still be a feminist?

♦ Simple Subtle Style: The Art of Layering for Winter.

♦ Style Every Day: How to travel with your jewelry.

♥ Style Geek: Interview with Designer Sarah Jones of STATUS Talking about her line, how she started & the Dallas fashion scene.

♦ Style Symmetry: How To Purge & Pare Down Your Closet.

♦ Sweet Faced Style: Translating art into a look: An ode to Flaming June in an orange dress.

♥ The Button Owl: My best friend began dying when she was eleven years old as a result of kinder failure; “clothes are my defense”.

♦ The Demoiselles: There’s talk of creating a “Photoshop Law” for fashion adverts. What do you think?

[TOP 10 TUESDAY] Reasons You Should Watch BravoTV's The Fashion Show

Do you remember last year when Project Runway got a new home on Lifetime? BravoTV was left with a huge hole in it's lifestyle programming. They had food, hair, fitness and love but nothing for the fashionistas in it's demographic.

Enter The Fashion Show - 15 fashion designers competing for $125k and the chance to have their line sold at retail. Sound familiar?

But despite the obvious rip-off of Project Runway, Season 2 just started. Now the designers are competing in fashion houses but ultimately there can only be one winner. I like what I saw on the premiere and I encourage any fans of PR to watch because...

1: You're Already Missing Project Runway
Admit it: you like watching fashion designers lose it in the work room.

What's Your Fashion Status? Interview w/ Designer Sarah Jones

I first met Sarah at a Runway Monday fashion show in January, wearing pieces from her signature line STATUS. The drape, shape, and overall mood of her dress caught my attention for this street fashion snap. She told me she was a fashion designer and I didn't see her again for months.

Fast forward to last week's trunk show, where Sarah was busy zipping back and forth between racks of her clothing and ladies who came into Circa 2000 Menswear not expecting to find something for themselves.

"That long dress has been really popular. It's a great maxi dress and can even go black-tie depending on the accessories."

In between the dressing rooms and racks, talked about starting out as a designer, her line, and the Dallas fashion scene.

~ So how did you start your own fashion line, STATUS?
For design school and different things, a lot times I'd have events to go to and I couldn't find what I want so then there's a number of cocktail dresses I made for myself and everywhere I went [people would ask] "Oh my gosh, where did you get that? Can you make me one?"

Style Notes From Fashion Advertising Class (Nov.3)

Some "street style" from my Fashion Advertising class. Does it count as Street Style if we were in the hallway? It was rainy and cold yesterday morning but by 6p, the sun had decided to grace us with its presence.

One of our classmates brought us an exclusive 30%-Off BFF Coupon for BCBGeneration stores Nov 4-8. There's only a few nationally. The only one in Texas is at the Dallas Galleria. If your do go to the one at Dallas Galleria, ask for Daniel to help you.

Click the Picture for the Printer Friendly (Larger) Version

[TOP 10 TUESDAY] P.E.E. Shows Us How to Do Leather & Lace No Matter Your Size or Gender

Local style & entertainment event producers P.E.E. (Publik Empire Entertainment) held their 2nd Annual Leather and Lace Party this past Friday.

The dress code of the night was Leather & Lace, of course. Most people opted for one or the other but P.E.E. provided a pair of models to show us how to mix them.

There were a few details that were prevalent among the guests, like the lace dress and the color black. My girlfriend and I decided to compliment each other with a faux-leather dress for me and lace shirt for her.



1: Black Lace Top
My girlfriend went out and bought herself a lace shirt just for this event. I think I'm rubbing off on her. A lace top is good for adding that extra touch without bringing too much attention. My girlfriend likes to make her hats the statement pieces.

Branding JQE by Jacque Kindle: Lessons for New Designers in Fashion Marketing & Advertising

I figured I'd take my own advice about student blogging and write about the big project of the semester in my fashion advertising class.

Each fashion marketing student teamed up with a fashion design student to brand his/her debut collection, which will show at the school fashion show in April. My partner was Jacque Kindle and her line JQE. She's made and sold clothing under Liberated Threads but she wants JQE to be her signature line.

If you're a budding designer or a fashion design student who wants to launch their line after graduation, it might be smart to consider some of the questions brought up in this project, like who are you designing for? And are you doing enough to promote myself?