Sticking with what works...

 

Since H.S., I have consistently played with my style trying to find the best look for me, above is a collage of photos of my style over the years.

Some of us are fortunate enough to have a vast array of styles that complement our figure while others have to stick with one or two silhouettes. In Hollywood, many of the fashion critics frown upon those actresses that seem to stick to one red carpet formula, (not really venturing outside "the box", or their comfort zone). I say to hell with that!!! It takes far too long for some of us to find a style that works for us so once you do;YOU should Rock the hell out of it.

Hally Berry is a celebrity that really exemplifies the art of sticking to what works. She has an amazing body which she constantly displays in form fitting dresses. Here are a few photos of her in her signature look.









We've got to give it up to this woman, she's is 40 + and FABULOUS!

Do Or Don't?

Kim Kardashian visits the Pool fashion store at Maximilianstrasse in Munich, Germany.

I guess she has to lower them so she can see..
Methinks these are a bit much, but if you feel like blowing some cash on novelty shades, I guess.


I do enjoy the rest of the look though.

Do Or Don't?

The always stunning and eternally sunglassed Amber Rose at the Pam Hogg Summer 2011 Fashion Show during London Fashion Week.
Definite points for stepping outside the box, but do we love it?
I'm just gonna go ahead and give it up for anyone who can wear those glasses and still look gorgeous.

What say you?

Today seems to be a fashion day for me... so bear with me as I test out my upcoming wardrobe on you guys! I've been noticing that the baggy "boyfriend" jeans look has been coming into play a lot. It hasn't gotten rave reviews, but I think I like it. Right along with the "Torn" jeans look. It's comfortable and it's understated sexy. With the right top, you can have youself a great outfit that isn't overbearing.

Also, there are different variations to these jeans, there are some that are looser than others. Here's a look at several variations.





What do you think? As you can see they can be worn with flats or heels. I personally think that they are ideal for the fall.

Deciphering The Dress Code.

Lately the line between casual and formal wear has become increasingly blurred. There is much effort required in following traditional guidelines of dressing for an event, and so it is that blue jeans have become a red carpet norm, when they used to only be fit for ditch digging.
Whether this is for better or for worse is personal opinion. Shouldn't you be allowed to dress in whatever way you choose? On the other hand, we can all appreciate the old adage that dressing well is akin to good manners. Think of a woman you consider elegant...would she attend a special event in jeans? No? So why should any of us aspire to less?
My personal style is somewhat conservative, so please feel free to disagree. In my opinion, when you are friendly with those putting on the event, you may know what is acceptable based on more than the guidelines of an invitation. If however, you are at all unsure, it may be best to familiarize oneself with traditional standards of dress so as not to make a faux pas.

White Tie:
Men should wear tuxedos with tails, without exception.
Women should wear full length evening gowns, with long (opera) gloves.
Remember this?

This is a perfect example not only of white tie dress, but also, just how outdated it is. But if an occasion ever calls for it, you'll know.

Black Tie:

Men should wear tuxedos, sans tails.

Women should wear full length evening gowns, but you can definitely skip the gloves now, unless you like them. Be extremely careful should you choose to get creative here, and only do so if you are very familiar with with the host/hostess. The invite said black tie for a reason. If a gown really rubs you the wrong way, you may want to try a tux in a feminine cut. Here are a few examples of what I think is appropriate for a black tie event.

Beautiful open back on this gown, a nice back can be incredibly sexy.
Mary L Couture Open Back Jeweled Gown. $306.00 at Saks.com

Aidan Mattox Niteline Women's Sleeveless O-Ring Long Silk Chiffon Dress. $360.00 at Bloomingdales.com

Amsale Party One-Shoulder Chiffon Gown. $770.00 at saks.com

ABS One Shoulder Gown $435.00 at saks.com

ABS is known for recreating fashion do's. I absolutely adored this look on Katherine Hiegl at the 2008 Oscars. The skirt of the ABS version is a bit of a letdown though, but I'm seriously considering buying this dress and seeing what some good tailoring can do to it. So, come awards season, if a celeb is wearing a dress you love, remember to look out for a version from ABS coming soon.


Cocktail:
Cocktail allows for a slightly more sexy and provocative style of dress. These dresses are generally not far below knee length, and depending on how much leg you like to show, they could be much higher than knee length.

Mandalay Beaded Dress. $1250.00 neimanmarcus.com

Mandalay Jewel Collar Dress. $965.00 neimanmarcus.com

Phoebe Couture Tier Petal Dress. $330.00

BCBGMAXAZRIA Strapless Faux Two Piece Dress. $298.00 Nordstrom.com

Notte by Marchesa One-Shoulder Chiffon Dress. $660.00 neimanmarcus.com

Diane von Furstenberg Devette Sequined Dress. $525.00 saks.com

Shout out to SGHI reader, Samantha, who inspired this post.

Prop 8 - The Musical

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

- Funnyordie.com

No matter what your stance is on Prop 8, don't be hypocritical about it. It is wrong to pick and choose what parts of your faith to follow, and then pass judgement on others for the lives they choose to lead. This skit is just a hilarious and musical version of the serious shit I just said. Think about it.

Do Or Don't: Brightly Colored Leather Jackets

I woke up this morning and thought I might like to own a leather jacket in a bright juicy color. Nothing too crazy, I'm thinking in the blue or green family. The first pic is really doing something for me today. Well, not all the other pink and green foolishness she's wearing, just the jacket. Do Or Don't?

Visible Thigh Highs? Do Or Don't?

Vanessa Hudgens hit the town recently in thigh highs. And I can see the top of them. Hmmm...
This sexy schoolgirl throwback hasn't been a part of popular fashion since the days of Liv Tyler and Alicia Silverstone in Aerosmith videos. I was a bit young to get away with wearing them then, but boy did I ever want to!
Now I wear thigh highs in place of stockings because they're a sexy surprise. You know with the whole garter belt thingamajigs. But with a longer skirt, not for them to show like this.
Does she only get away with this because she's young? Or is this a wearable fashion choice for all?

Hayden Forgot Her Shirt. Do Or Don't?

Hayden Panettiere heading to a Madonna Concert.


What do you think of Hayden Panettiere's outfit? I'm not completely mad at it. She's got this punk rock matador thing going on that's kinda' cool. Sure it shows a lot of skin, but come on, we're looking at chest not breasts here. Petite chicks can get away with wearing all kinds of stuff that would look sleazy on the average size female. The gold chain is great with it too.
I think the worst part is not the outfit, but her demeanor. She looks like she regrets the outfit, and is trying to cover up with her hands/purse. Where's your swag Hayden? Don't let the clothes wear you. If you're going to wear something like that, hold your head high, push your no titties out, and work it!

Underwear, Outerwear?

What do you think of Gwyneth Paltrows's look? I think the shoes are gross, but I like the outfit. Unfortunately, not everyone could wear it and manage to not look trashy.

I think this a case where knowing your body type, and the vibe you exude becomes really important. The reason Gwyneth can wear this is because she gives off zero sex vibes. Sure, sexy comes in many different forms, and Gwyneth Paltrow may be a lovely woman, but you don't look at her and think of anything overtly sensual.

Thoughts? Yay or Nay?

What the Fudge?

Yikes! This has got to be the ugliest outfit that I have ever seen Sarah Jessica Parker in. I am not so offended by the dress and bolero it is the tights/stalkings and fugly shoes that have insulted me.

What do you guys think of this get-up? Should she have consulted Carrie on this one b4 wearing?

Click on Pics to Enlarge

Is a woman's tattoo socially acceptible?

I was just reading this month's Glamour magazine and I came across a very interesting article. It centered on women's removal of their tattoos mostly because of it's non-acceptance in the work place.

I vaguely recall when tattoos were mostly known as a mark of rebilliousness and a representation of the bad girl, bad guy image. I thought it had since come a long way from that. I think that the "Hollywood" society has played a great part in reducing the stigmatism associated with tattoos. I'm afraid it didn't disassociate all of it's negative attributes.

Thankfully, I have yet to encounter any negative feedback concerning my fairly new tattoo. I have gotten a few looks @ work, but no one has said anything to me. I do remember working with a recruiter a while back and her recommending, no, rather she instructed me to wear stockings to the interview that I was about to undergo to hide my tattoo because the atmosphere was extremely corporate. Immediately, I realized that a stuffy enviornment like that is one that I didn't want to work within.

Have any of you encountered any negative feedback regarding your tattoos/tattoos? Do you think that there are places where a tatto is appropriate and places where it is not? Lastly, do you think that a tattoo should placed somewhere, where if need be it could be hidden, or should there be no limitations on where they the tatto can go?

Must have for the upcoming fall season!

I was out shopping with Kamilah the other day and she selected a pair of thigh high boots and I thought they looked great on her. I have not always been an advocate for knee high boots. They remind me of Julia Roberts on the Prowl in "Pretty Woman" and we all know what she was doing ;0. Needless to say, they haven't always been a fitting accessory for a young lady to have on hand; however, times have changed and I think I want a pair. Take a look @ some of the folks that seem to agree:




So what do you guys think? A do or a don't! Is the sterotype still too much for you to handle...

Paint It Black

YSL Runway Paris Fall

The pictures of Ciara (below) reminded me that I had been meaning to post about the frenzy that black lipstick is causing on the fashion scene. It seems that the "gothic-light" look that has been circulating the past few years has made its way from our nails to our lips. Several makeup brands have jumped on the bandwagon by producing their own shade of black, including, of course, YSL.
However, if you are quite certain that you would never leave the house looking like that mess, may I suggest Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited in Black.

Elizabeth Lamont, assistant vice president of marketing for Shu Uemura says:

'Seven of the shades are what we call artist shades, primary colors like white, yellow, green and black, that can be mixed with any of the shades to make them lighter or darker. We feel that every color is unique, but each of these shades can further customize the shades, making them personal. Mr. Uemura is fond of saying that personalities are infinite — and wanted the possibilities of the lipstick to be, too.'

Lamont is also passionate about the black lipstick for another reason: 'It says that we are in the lipstick business," she said. "A woman might buy a pink shade, but if she sees the black and the white, she'll also know that we are serious about the lipstick business.'

Alright, so you know you want some of that serious business! The reason these artist shades are so fantastic is that you can buy that black lipstick, experiment at home, maybe even wear it out on a daring day. But if that day never comes, your money is not lost, this black is specifically designed to be layered. Apply it over your favorite lipstick shade and see what the result is, your perfect dark shade may be sitting in your makeup box right now! It just needs a little help from Shu.
Take a look at all the Rouge Unlimited colors, including all seven artist shades HERE

Kiss And Tell

Aubrey O'Day gets intimate with her dog.

Do you think this is normal? I think it's pretty nasty, but a lot of people are down with it. Do you kiss your pets? Allow them in your bed, etc? Are you offended when other people think it's gross, or that youre unhygenic for doing so?

Guess who's up Next!

As is the trend, once a celebrity becomes hot enough they attempt to go into a field of which they have limited knowledge about. Hey, they've got to keep the money coming in, right? Next up on the desinger clothing block is Rihanna. She has not always been one for us to look up to in terms of dressing but I must admit she has come a long way in a short time. Here are some of her latest looks:




Click pics to enlarge

So do you think that she has what it takes to design clothing or does she just wear great clothing well? Would you buy the pieces that she sells? Beyonce tried the same thing and sad to say although many people were under the belief that she could do know wrong, they got a rude awaken when they saw her clothing.. EWWW! Dereon is so damn wrong. What's your take on it?