scintillating sunnies

sunglasses are amazing.
1. they are a celebrity must. sunglasses protect celeb's eyes from being blinded by thousands of paparazzi bulbs flashing.
2. if you had a bad night or you're having a bad morning, sunglasses can cover up your bloodshot eyes/dark under-eye circles.
3. they make you look posh and important, or totally cool and untouchable if you get the right pair for your face shape.
4. they can make things sepia, purple, or rose toned because most of them have amazing tinted lenses.

here are a few shades that i've loving right now.
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my favorite pairs here are...well...actually...i like all of them. the proenza schouler oversized square sunglasses in white are so beautiful. i love the shape, the size, and the color. look how posh and awesome that model looks! and all it took were some proenza schouler sunglasses....sigh.

the oliver peoples chelsea sunglasses from shopbop.com are equally impressive. i love the size, the gradiated lenses, and the beautiful thin tortoiseshell frames. i love tortoiseshell, and i think these tortoiseshell frames were smoothed beautifully.

i love forever 21's fake wayfarers because they come in navy or brown, slightly unexpected shades from the usual black, and those sunglasses ads are so chic. why? in the prada ad an unusual sunglasses shape is featured, and in the chanel ad tasteful embellishment on the sunnies are used. look for shades with special touches to make you stand out from the crowd.

learn more about moi

i've been tagged by the amazing CC at http://www.couturecarrie.blogspot.com/
if you ever wanted to know more about me, here is a survey that answers some questions.

What are your current obsessions?
Big bags, wayfarer like sunglasses, summer, frayed/distressed jean shorts, high heels, ankle boots.

What is your weirdest obsession?
washing my hands as much as possible, and my breath and body odor. i'm constantly paranoid that i don't smell good and since i sweat a lot (i guess it's just in my genes) i'm always worried about sweat stains on my clothes and such.

What are you wearing today?
a purple/fuschia knitted hat with a brim, a dark grey cowlneck knit top, an olive green blazer, dark wash skinny jeans and pink converse with gold heart stud earrings.

Why is today special?
because you can get a small iced coffee from dunkin donuts for 50 cents! yum. i just finished one and i have a caffeine rush.

What would you like to learn to do?
i played the cello in high school but had to stop after i graduated because buying a cello would cost a lot of money, as would continuing my lessons. i want to continue to learn to play the cello so i can be a master cellist. i'd also like to learn to swim decently. i can only propel myself underwater, but not overwater. i'd also like to learn to sew. there is so much that i'd love to learn!

What's for dinner today?
i don't know...whatever my mom makes♥!

What's the last thing you bought?
these beautiful gladiators from gojane.com.

What are you listening to right now?
the TV and my two crazy little sisters babble nonsensically.

What is your most challenging goal right now?
getting through this semester, managing this blog and getting some attention through it (i want more people to know about what interests me in fashion and find out if it interests them too), and being the best person i can be and strengthening my spirtuality and faith in God.

What do you think about the person who tagged you?
Carrie of http://www.couturecarrie.blogspot.com/ is such an amazing person. she has a really bright personality and thinks up the best titles for her blog entries. she is one of the nicest bloggers i've had the pleasure of erm...typing to on the world wide web!

If you could have a house, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
i would love to live somewhere where it is warm all of the time...but i think i would choose a home in Paris. i love this interior that belongs to cordelia de castellane.

picture from pointclickhome.com

What would you like to get rid of?
my brother...
hahaha, i don't really mean it, but sometimes he's so horrible that i feel like he would dissappear!

What would you like to acquire?
hmm...i don't know...maybe a treasure chest of amazing jewelry (not costume! i can get that on my own)

If you could go anywhere in the world for a week, where would you go?
somewhere tropical and beautiful! i'm from the carribbean and wish i could visit. i'd love to go to fiji i think. it sounds like a fun place.

Which language(s) do you want to learn?
i took japanese for four years in high school...and no, i don't know how to speak it. such a shame right?
i'd love to know how to speak all the languages in the world. i think the most practical to know are english (which i already know), spanish and french. so i guess i would learn spanish and french.

Who do you want to meet in person?
ROBERT PATTINSON!♥♥♥♥not only do i think he is amazingly handsome, i also think he is very intelligent and witty and has a great sense of humor. i could be wrong, but the only way to know that is to meet him!

i would also love to meet carine roitfeld, ashley olsen and selita ebanks.

What's your favorite part about the town/city you live in?
i absolutely love downtown chicago. it's amazing! i really should go down there more often. it has a mixture of high designer stores and high street stores, and lots of great museums and also i love millenium park and lake michigan.

What are your favorite pieces of clothing in your own closet?
my blazers, my grey ruched and floral appliqued dress that i wore to my high school senior luncheon and my new shoes that i haven't worn yet (grey python heels and gold gladiators).

What is your dream job?
as a top stylist (celebrity and otherwise), or the editor-in-chief or fashion director of top fashion magazines like Vogue Paris or US Vogue.

If you had $500 now, what (who) would you spend it on?
my mommy. i'd buy her anything she wanted. she deserves so much.

Fashion pet peeve?
when people latch onto trends so quickly. it's annoying...they were surviving before the trends, so why do they latch onto them so quickly? i like to examine trends and see if it can fit into my style before i go crazy and buy a bunch of new stuff. and first of all, i don't even have the money to buy like that all of the time.

Do you admire anyone's style?
i love ashley olsen's style, my mom's style, michelle obama's style, carine roitfeld's style, and all the people that i've put on my best dressed celebs right now list's style.

Whose fashion show(s) would you want tickets to?
i'd love if i could get invited to everyone--but tickets that i would HAVE to have are tickets to marc jacobs, louis vuitton, balmain, marchesa, chanel, yves saint laurent, dries van noten, thakoon, jason wu, diane von furstenburg and christian dior.

all pictures from googleimages unless stated otherwise.

i hope you enjoyed learning more about me! i tag anyone who wants to do this, i'd love to learn more about all of you and my fellow fashion bloggers! :)

get the kings of leon look

one of my readers has asked me how to get a feminine kings of leon inspired look for summer. i had so much fun making this entry, because i thought that the request was such a great idea to go on. please feel free to ask me how to get any look, or just to put outfits together--because i absolutely love doing it, and sometimes it's quite difficult to think up themes on my own. hopefully you'll be inspired by the looks i've put together.
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in this collage there are three different looks. one in the upper left corner, one in the upper right corner, and one along the bottom of the graphic.

i absolutely love the look in the upper left corner. it's so gorgeous! the outfit is centered around the very feminine alice and olivia ruffle dress with raffia belt from shopbop.com. i love the green color, the ruffles all along the dress and the flirty length of the dress. every other item in this ensemble is more masculine, or at least androgynous. for a more feminine kings of leon look you should have one item that's really feminine and the others should be pieces that a boy could wear, so that you really balance the feminine items and masculine items. i paired the dress with a s.w.o.r.d lucca leather jacket, pour la victoire charlie oxford flats (so cute! it's definitely a boy piece, but it can work on girls too), and edgy accessories such as the very intrigueing alkemie jewelry bat cuff and bop bijoux fringe bracelet. i am absolutely loving fringe right now, and think that this bracelet can add an edgy yet whimsical factor to many different looks. it can be used to dress down a very put together look or used to dress up a very casual look.

the look in the upper right hand corner is definitely more boyish than feminine but the canvas band skort for $24.99 from pinkice.com is the one decidedly feminine piece. i love skorts. i always have. when i was a little girl they were one of my favorite items to wear because you got to have the cuteness of a skirt with the comfortableness of a short. stella mccartney even featured skorts in her spring 2009 collection. the punk stud denim vest is another piece i really like. i like vests, and i like studs so this piece is the best of both worlds for me! you could wear this vest to add edge to any outfit, and it adds an element of embellishment and shine to this ensemble.

the pieces on the bottom of the graphic are all from topshop.com. now that one is in new york, i will definitely be referencing topshop a lot more in my entries. i really love the zebra zoom cape tee because it's so colorful, and the myriad of colors adds some playful girlish charm to the outfit. this summer i will definitely be sporting some frayed shorts and i love stud frayed hotpant that topshop offers. finish off the look with the arizona western ankle boot, disheveled hair and a half smile and you'll definitely look like part of the band...or a very well dressed groupie.

hope you enjoyed!

products that i use daily

i've never been a high maintenance girl, but as the years go on i feel the need to get more and more products to keep me looking decent. one major issue i have is with my skin, my pores are pretty big and my skin is oily on my nose, the bottom of my forehead and on my cheeks by my nose. my skin isn't horrible--i know it could be much worse. i could have chronic acne, really bad discoloration, or it could be really really dry. if you have oily skin, it's a pain now, but when you're older your skin will age better than your peers because oil supports collagen and elastin production which keeps our skin supple, plump, and looking young!

i have relaxed hair, meaning it's chemically processed to look straighter. although it's in a straighter pattern than my natural curl--it's still hard to manage because when my hair grows my roots grow in a curl pattern. so it's like i'm treating two different hair types at once! to prevent my hair from breaking too much, and looking healthy (thankfully my parents gifted me with thick, healthy hair) i use lots of conditioner. conditioning is key! often, we all use way too much shampoo and not enough conditioner.

my teeth used to be so nice and white, but then i started drinking loads of soda pop and sometimes i'd be in so much of a rush i wouldn't brush my teeth. i know, so so horrible (but at least i'm being honest here!) well, that behavior is a thing of the past. i've also gotten my teeth a bit lighter by using a certain mouthwash.

here are some of the products that i'm using right now and like. there might be better products out there for me, so share the products that you use and feel free to suggest anything!

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i bought this last month or two months ago, and it's been finished for a few weeks now. but i saved the bottle because i wanted to remember the name so i could include it in this post. it really helps to keep your breath fresh for the whole day, especially if you use it both day and night. you have to make sure to gargle it and rinse at full strength for 60 seconds. so keep it in your mouth for the whole minute. do not use it more than twice a day. it says that in 12 weeks of using it, you will notice a difference. 12 weeks is 84 days, and the bottle only has 32 days of usage in it. so...yeah, that doesn't really add up but i did notice a difference in the color of my teeth in the time i spent using it, and i will probably be using this product again.

i use these three products as well as a cvs brand pore scrub regularly on my face. i use the neutrogena clear pore cleanser/mask only as a mask twice a week. i just bought the burt's bees deep cream cleanser last week because i read that soap doesn't fully clean your face (only the surface) and that you need a milky cleanser to really deep clean your pores. so i was thinking--maybe that's why my pores are so dirty/big, because i've only been using soaps. i used to only use the clean & clear foaming facial cleanser, and i like it because it's pretty gentle and it keeps pimples at bay. now i use it before my mask or after my cream cleanser. i just use the pore scrub alone in the morning. i think i have a slight allergic aversion to the burt's bees cream cleanser but i feel good knowing that the cleanser i'm using is all natural. after i use it i get a few bumps from some slight irritation, but i think that's because my skin isn't used to burt's bees natural goodness!

to moisturize i use a covergirl tinted moisturizer with l'oreal's active daily moisturizer. both have spf 15. spf is important for ALL skintones, because anyone can get skin cancer--contrary to popular belief. and even if you don't get skin cancer, being exposed to the sun without any protection causes wrinkles to set in early and can also promote discoloration of your skin. i use a lacura eye gel to moisturize my eyes. it's actually a beauty brand from aldi. it's cheap, but effective. i don't have a real night cream, i use a therapeutic moisturizing cream from walgreens. i use a very little amount because it has a LOTTTTT of moisture, and i don't need too much, because my skin has no trouble making oil on its' own.

i never win contests. ever ever ever. i mean, like...giveaways. i have a better chance at winning contests where you have to show off a talent, or write something, but i don't get lots of freebies. whenever i do, i am amazingly ecstatic. last year was the first time i had ever gotten a freebie from a giveaway contest. i received african pride herbal healing shampoo and leave-in conditioner from www.afrobella.com. i absolutely love the leave-in conditioner. i will be purchasing it again, unless i find a better/cheaper one. it has 17 natural hebs in it, and lots of nourishing oils. it really keeps my hair manageable and keeps split ends from popping up.

after i wash my hair i like putting in garnier fructis melting masque from the strength & repair line for overly processed/damaged hair. it smells fantastic. it has avocado and apricot oil as well as a ceramide reconstructor. i leave it in for quite some time, and then rinse it out and it leaves my hair so soft! i recommend it for anyone. the leave-in conditioner is great for all types of hair except very oily hair or else it'll just weight our hair down.

i tried dionis body wash in this scent (love), and ohmygoshhh it smells AMAZING! i have an empty bottle on my desk and i can't wait until i can hold onto my money long enough to buy this gift set that comes with the body wash and lotion (each 8 ounces). it has goat's milk in it, which keeps your skin soft as well as some other natural ingredients. unfortunately, it isn't all natural...but i love it anyway.

what products do you use that work really well for you?
thanks for reading!

all pictures from google images

apology in advance

i recently got a comment that pointed out to me that what i put in my profile could be found as offensive. i honestly did not mean it to be offensive to anyone who's ethnic background can be categorgized as african american. i was just trying to get out the fact that everyone who is black is not african american. people from africa are not african american, they are black africans. people who have darker skintones in south america aren't african american, they're black south americans whether they are from brazil, venezuela, what have you. everyone who appears to be african american might not be african american, they could be afro-caribbean, caribbean, spanish, w/e. i just feel that african-american is a term that is being too broadly used for anyone who happens to appear black. but i definitely didn't mean to degrade african-american's in anyway.

for the record, i was born in the caribbean. my dad is from africa, and my mom is from the caribbean. so logically, it is evident that i am not american in any shape or form so that is why i put that in my profile. but really, it doesn't matter. so...i'm going to change my profile info, just so i don't offend anyone on accident! i hate to be offensive, i want anyone who reads this blog to feel comfortable.

this is my current profile info: I am an immigrant. I am black, but not african-american (only blacks born in America can be called that). I love fashion, i know mostly all fashion bloggers say that, but i love it too--just as much as they do! My family is crazy, and blogging is a hobby that keeps me sane. I also strongly believe that it doesn't take money to look good, it just takes innate style.

...and i'll be changing it shortly! thanks for all of your comments :)

i'm looking for some structure in my life.

ello dears!
a reader asked me if i knew about any good structured handbags. i'm a girl who loves big unstructured bags, but then again i love the look of doctor bags or framed bags. i love bags period, i'm pretty much your neighborhood bag lady. here are four selections that you can purchase, or just use as inspiration when looking for a structured handbag.
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my favorite bag here has to be the chloe sally structured double flap handbag. unfortunately...it's also the most expensive. i absolutely LOVE it's simple envelope design and that ingenious double flap. it's absolutely delicious! and the double chain strap and leather detail on the strap also win me over. i would wear this bag everywhere. chloe is such a fashionable house, no?

for the working girl, i think the L.A.P.A sand croco stamped italian leather bag from forzieri is a great option. i love the neutral caramel color, the crocodile pattern and its lovely shape. you could definitely fit quite a bit in this bag. many women complain of not being able to fit a lot into structured bags and that is why they often opt for loose hobo bags, but this structured bag gives you plenty of space and style to boot.

the classic quilted shoulder bag is a great option for those who are desperately seeking a chanel 2.55 but know that they'll never get it (hahahaha, me) and i love the cute kitschyness of the croc heart clutch w/ chain for $19.80 from forever21.com.

i hope you enjoyed the post darlings!

be originial at your prom!

what have we come to expect at proms? we've come to expect long flowing dresses--usually in reds, blues and yellows, with extremely curled hair frozen with hairspray, 10 pounds of makeup on each smiling girl, and usually silver or gold strappy heels. we've also come to expect amazing ugly wannabee princess like dresses with corseted tops and disgusting gigantic ruched skirts. if you're going to spend money on your prom...and i mean money, then at least spend it on the right things. spend it on a dress you wouldn't be surprised to see on the red carpet, spend it on something unexpected, yet classy and beautiful so that you don't blend in with the other girls. spend it on accessories that you can depend on to transform you from prom attendee to the only prom attendee anyone is looking at. spend your money, and make sure you look good. be original at your prom with the items below (or items like them).

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wear a dress in an unexpected color like brown, orange, or white. and if you want to stand out even more, wear a beautiful print like the one featured in the exquisite sexy purple print prom dress by jovani from edressme.com. it has marvelous beading detail at the bodice, and the back is open and the skirt is amazingly flowy. i love the purple hue and the fun yet elegant print. i am also in love with the short length featured in the bright ABS by Allen Schwartz strapless floral print dress from neimanmarcus.com. this dress is so young and fun, yet it is definitely fit for a formal occassion, and it's easy to dance in because you don't have two much fabric around your legs. another great short option is the simply feminine two-tone ruffle dress also from neimanmarcus. the hem is flirty and flouncy, and i love that the dress is white and still does not appear bridal. we don't often see too many white dresses at proms, so stand out in the crowd with a dress that is both white and short. nobody will be able to take their eyes off of you.

make sure that your originality doesn't stop at the dress you choose. accessories are also very important! i am in love with the tasha serpentine metal headband from nordstrom.com. it is so beautiful, and the accessory isn't too overpowering. if you're a tiara kind of girl the tiara l'arc #R50 from tiaratown.com is the one for you. those jose & maria barrera earrings are such works of art, and i love the pink hue. you don't see too many girls wearing pink earrings--they usually wear silver/gold, so break away from the pack by wearing an earring that is colored. the purple enamel matthew campbell laurenza bangle is so stunning, i think it would also be a great choice of accessory. with a bangle like that, you could definitely keep the other accessories simple.

if you want to be experimental with your makeup too, try something like a green (or just bright) eyeshadow, super long eyelashes, or winged out eyeliner.

bring some excitement to your feet with some fierce shoes. i'm loving the shocking pink hue on the pierre hardy patent open toe pumps from luisaviaroma.com, the bandagey-fetishy appeal of the minnah by steve madden, and the bright blue wedge that is the charles david tock from piperlime.com.

hope you enjoyed dearies. :)

these are a few of my favorite things: spring!

every time a new season starts i make an entry where i post a few of the things i'm looking forward to owning or ogling at for that season and what items i would love to see on others or myself. so, here are a few of my favorite items for this spring.
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i am loving all things floaty, slouchy and bohemian. and i guess i'm loving light pastel colors too because a majority of the things in the collage are light. i really want to own some type of folsky, bohemian, floaty dress. i want to find just the perfect one, but most likely that perfect dress will be $200+ dollars when i can barely afford $20+. anyway, let's start off my going throw some of these items and why i love them so much!

ok, i LOVE leather jackets. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE. and yet i don't own one. that's because everytime i see one i think i'll be able to find it somewhere else for cheaper, and i never really can. i really ened to stop being a cheapskate. anyway...i usually gravitate towards brown or black leather jackets, but this white faux leather bomber jacket from charlotte russe really caught my eye because i love the simple design on it (it has fab layering potential) and the unexpected color: snow white! this will be so refreshing to see in spring and even summer. and yes, don't be afraid to keep wearing it into fall.

i also absolutely adore those fab lilac sergio rossi suede platform sandals. they are so feminine and sexy, and i love that light, dreamy shade of purple. they would look so fab with floaty bohemian dresses or sexy bandage dresses. they would look great with anything really....particularly my feet. come on sergio rossi people! throw me a bone!

the marni leather slouchy shoulder bag has me drooling. i love the supple leather, the ingenious ruching and the soft faded rose pink color. *drools some more* it's so roomy, and so cute, and so...perfect! i really want it. it's just the perfeect bag for spring!

the DVF flutter sleeve dress and amazing white chiffon top are so breezy and beautiful. you'd look like a dazzling wood or water nymph draped in these ultra feminune and laid back luxe designs for the amazing diane von furstenberg.

equally dazzling is the kara by kara ross python petal ring which features an amazing gem in the center of a gold flower petal overlaid with pink python. pretty punk. it would look great with that cute black bandage pencil skirt from pink ice, or the beautiful black fringed and embellished dress from the same site. really, the ring would look great with anything because it has such a classic yet interesting design.

spring is the season of freshness and renewal. i don't know about you, but when i think of the word fresh many scents come to mind, such as the scent of rain, pine, mint...and baby powder. go back to your diaper days with the baby powder scent from demeter. and get a good spring glow on your cheeks with the every popular mark good glowing blush in love rush.

hope you enjoyed dears. :)