rihanna gets waxed.

when i first peeped the picture of rihanna and her wax statue at madame tussauds in washington, dc, i thought it was a derek blanks alter ego shot. her statue just may be the cutest one yet. agree?

and why haven't i visited this wax museum yet? there's really no excuse being as though i'm only about 15 minutes away.

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holding you down (going in circles).

this new song off jazmine sullivan's sophmore album knocks! it's the first single and the video is too cute. of course i love the old school, house party theme with cameos from pepa, doug e. fresh, kwame, missy and pete rock. we'll let them slide on the overt product placement of the nuvo.
her album drops on october 5 - i'll be at best buy to cop it.

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did you watch the emmy's?

i didn't. other than the red carpet looks, they don't really excite me. i did spot a picture of this fabulous looking couple from last night's award show:

nicole and her hubby boris kodjoe.

nicole never quite does it for me and i'm not particularly crazy about the strapless pink (peach?) and black dress that she chose but she looks absolutely stunning. i'm loving the hair. and of course boris isn't too bad himself. right ladies?

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istanbul's grand bazaar.

i'm now fixated on figuring out how me and the hubby can escape to istanbul. and soon. i read a post about the bargaining at the bazaar on fashionista and have been googling it ever since. i want to go!

wiki tells me that istanbul's grand bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. it opened in 1461 and crosses 58 covered streets. it holds over 1,200 shops and attracts up to 400,000 visitors daily. (mental note: i've got to work on my patience in big crowds.) they sell jewelry, leather, pottery and spices - all organized by type.

almost every article i've read warns of the bargaining at the market. i'd definitely get some tips from hubby, he's got that down pact. vendors may give you a hard time if you don't like their price. one person's advice: ask for half the asking price. if they don't bite, walk away. they will follow you. maybe that's why i didn't do so well selling at a flea market a couple years ago. my books sold like hotcakes but when it came to some of the nicer stuff - it was like selling salt to a slug. i had a pair of almost brand new shoes of tye's. i was only selling them for 12. this guy walks over and wants then for 2. heck no! he walked away and those shoes ended up in the village thrift store.

so yes, istanbul has been added to the places to go list. what exotic geographic spots are on your list?

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happy birthday, mj!

michael jackson would have been 52 years old today. wow.

check him out with his brothers ... 1978's blame it on the boogie ...
oh and i'd rock that star sweater:

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someone said.

"friends are like bras: close to your heart and there for support."

-unknown

y-3 dopeness.

yessirrr!

sneak-styled, wedge booties

y-3, $410

ssense.com

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ever bumped into someone in the same outfit as you?

if so, were you mortified or did you laugh it off?

christie brinkley and donna karan popped up at the heat hampton's benefit this weekend in the same silver convertible dress, designed by karan. the two look like they kept a sense of humor about it:

so the inevitable question: who rocked it the best?

brinkley opted to dress it up a bit with beaded necklaces, a bracelet and slingbacks. but i prefer karan's casual twist - the gladiator flat shoes and minimal jewelry. what do you think?

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stop! in the name of fashion.

please tell me that this was an inside joke that you had to be watching to be in on. i didn't watch this segment of 106 & park but i spotted these pictures and i'm a bit perplexed.

it's no secret that i don't care for chris brown. but did he really wear this alongside that fine idris elba:




ok where do i start? i can accept the above the knee cut off shorts. i can accept the sneaks. but whose nana got jacked for her 3rd sunday plaid blazer? that is all kinds of wrong. and he needs to stop. immediately.

if you've been hanging around this blog long enough, you know i dig personal style to the utmost. but chris breezy, this is not flyy. and if he just had to rock this tailored woman's blazer (no one can tell me this was made for a man ... not even in europe), why did he leave it buttoned up. ohhhh, i get it. so we could get the full effect.

i'm looking for 1 person. just 1, to co-sign this look.

and yes. i just went in.

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now playing: sting, roxanne.

aaliyah: one in a million.

wow. it's been 9 years today since the tragic plane accident that took aaliyah's and her entourage's lives. good music lives on ... 1997's one in a million ...

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slacking.

go on. issue me my citation for blog slacking. i plead guilty for light blog posts and an unannounced vacation from her steeze.

truth is although i've been neglecting my blog duties, i'm super busy on some initiatives outside of the blog. i've been working, working, working and of course sliding in a little play time, too. just a little. one thing for sure, hard work does pay off.

i will very soon return to my blogger responsibilities and you'll still see a few lazy posts until i do so. to my 30 something followers and those who drop in every now and then, hang in there with me. i shall return.

later.

kimora lee simmons parts from baby phat.

"after 14 years of conceiving and nurturing baby phat, it's time for me to move on and further expand my other businesses and create a new phenomenon, i adore all those who have faithfully been with me since the beginning. i'm forever dedicated to my family, fans and customers. my inspiration has always come from the fabulous women who have been with me through the years as we've grown from young party girls to power players! we're ready for our next journey together and we're taking a whole new generation of incredible young women with us. girl power unite!," says simmons.

of course simmons already has her hands in other ventures like the kls collection and her reality series, kimora: life in the fab lane, which she is currently shooting the 4rth season.

sounds like a great power move to make and i'd bet my next paycheck that there's so much more fabulosity to come from ms. kimora.

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vintage music saturday: push it.

i can't believe i've never featured salt n pepa for vintage music saturdays. the 80s trio is one of the best selling female rap groups of all time. i was a super fan. they were my first concert ever. how they dressed, how they wore their hair, their jewelry - all something to be admired. and you may peep the video and realize that who you thought started a particular trend, actually didn't.

this video alone is full of trends that have been repeated: lopsided dos, dooky chains and bodysuits. i begged my mom for a pair of doorknocker earrings ... "come on mommmm" ... i mean, salt n pepa rocked them. mom wasn't having it so i settled for some modest ones with my name inscripted in them. i had the same red leather pirate boots that they're rocking in this video a few years ago. mine came from steve madden and i wore them out. they were my favorite.

push it was the group's first major hit in the late 80s. funny, i was a young girl when they came out and i swore they were singing, "shut up this is bullshit," instead of "ahhhh, push it." ha. check it:


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giorgio armani said.

"i believe that my clothes can give people a better image of themselves -
that it can increase their feelings of confidence and happiness."
-giorgio armani

lala in nyc.

lala vasquez was out and about in nyc looking quite fab. i absolutely love her entire look. from the balenciaga shades to her nautical striped shirt paired with louboutin leopard booties. and of course all white is always a good look. hot. she looks happy, too.

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bad karma for american apparel?

american apparel stock shares are down, revenues have dropped about a disappointing 8 mill and their growth profit has dropped about 9% from last year. not very promising. could this be bad karma for their exclusive hiring processes?

ambercrombie, whose clothes seem to be the uniform of choice for every teen-to-be and teenager (at least in my old neighborhood back home in philly), are also planning to close 60 stores throughout the country. i guess parents aren't too thrilled about throwing out 60 or 70 bucks for a flimsy shirt anymore.

make no mistake about it, times are still a little rough for most folks. unless you live in your mama's basement and pay minimal bills, it's still a little hard for most to justify spending ridiculous amounts of cash on clothes these days. still flyy, just finding less expensive options.

do you shop less, more or the same than you did 5 years ago?

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although, i know you wish leggings would just go away.

i not-so-secretly wouldn't mind if they stay around indefinitely. i mean really, ladies. they're super comfortable; there's so many styles and twists and well they're cute. still not convinced? look at these:

i'm a little back and forth with animal prints but these snake skin leggings are a do if you ask me. newport news makes them but you can snag them from amazon for 19 bucks. what do you think?

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i think i'll always love sequins.

whether the fashion powers-to-be are declaring them in or out, sequins always catch my eye. this tribal-patterned skirt is super cute.

ashish, $759, brownsfashion.com

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could you do anything with these?

leather and nylon peep-toe, lace-up boot

sportmax, $875

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vintage music: material girl.

the original material girl turns 52 today. who else but madonna? madonna was the ish. dare i say the lady gaga of the 80s? i mean that as a compliment. she was the ultimate it girl. fabulously naughty. a trendsetter. i could go on and on. here's her 1985 hit, material girl ...
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summer, before you walk out my life.

... can i get one last swim? or at least one last prance around the pool in a swimsuit, looking cute, whether i swim or not.

this nautical, vintage'ish suit from j. crew is a good option to do just that. cute, right? $125 over at their site. although, you may want to wait a week or so, maybe it'll go on an end of the summer sale.

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asos will launch 2nd hand e-marketplace.

we already love asos thiiisss much. now we can multiply that by 10. why? they're about to launch the asos marketplace, a fixed price marketplace, similar to ebay. the site will focus on clothes, shoes and accessories aimed at fashion lovers looking for deals on 2nd hand items and sellers looking to make some extra cash.

an ebay-like site aimed specifically at fashion sounds like a pretty awesome idea. and judging from the success of asos, i'm sure it'll be a hit. i wonder how the seller fees will compare. do you shop for fashion on ebay? do you think ebay sellers will ditch their current ship and jump onboard to the asos marketplace? time will tell.

i'll definitely be checking it out.

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vintage music saturday: head to toe.

i was an absolute lisa lisa fan as a youngin. i thought she was so flyy and i sung her songs like i wrote them. i had her cassette tape. no, i didn't mean cd. the cassette tape. pull up lisa lisa and cult jam on pandora and enjoy some good old school. they don't make music like this anymore ... wow, i sound like my parents.
head to toe (1986)
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coco chanel said.

“it is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion

that heralds your arrival and prolongs your departure.”

-coco chanel

halle does vogue.

september 2010

zoe kravitz for alexander wang.

zoe kravitz will star alongside model, max motta in alexander wang's fall ready-to-wear ad campaign. ads will launch on thursday. i'm sure they will be nothing less than fabulous.

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sasha fierce in new fall 2010 house of dereon ad.

sasha fierce came with a naughty girl steeze for her new fall 2010 house of dereon ad. short blonde do (which i'm feeling) and fake tatts. ok.

i still wouldn't bet the ranch that there's anything in this collection that i'd even think about wearing. #let'sbehonest.

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alexander wang lambskin clutch.

$1,050, alexanderwang.com

my mortgage company wouldn't be too happy if i went and splurged on this but isn't it just lovely.

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a little monday motivation.

can't stand cats but i've always liked this image ... happy monday!

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now playing: en vogue, free your mind.

vintage music saturday: ownlee eue.

who didn't love kwame in the late 80s/early 90s? he didn't have a very long rap career but we will always remember him for his sleepy eyes, polka-dots and his peroxide-dyed box haircut. he was a cutie pie. kwame is still around today as a producer.

i was in 7th grade in 1990 when he released ownlee eue (only you). this was my song.
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steve jobs says.

"innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

-steve jobs

old navy employs madame eva, the booty reader.

let's not all rush over at one time but if you click here, madame eva, old navy's exclusive booty reader, will reveal the best jeans for your derriere.

choose 3 booty tarot cards, upload a booty shot (come on, you know you have a couple obligatory booty shots from you and your girls in the club - joking) and let madame eva tell you which old navy jeans you should spend your $ on.

since i value each and every precious minute of my life, i will not be partaking in this particular booty exercise. however, if you feel the urge to do so ... by all means. and come back and tell us what it was like. i guess.

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i've never met a jeffrey campbell shoe i didn't like.

a jeff shoe is like a fashionista's best friend. reasonably priced without necessarily the fear of bumping into your foot twin while out and about. stylish. always fashion forward. yeh, it's time for some shoe shopping. i'm long overdue.

from top to bottom: robot, $234.95; xanadu fur, $189.95; mary roks, $124.95; back off, $169.95;

pixie, $179.95; clinic, $179.95; jump, $144.95

solestruck.com

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let's go text shopping.

years ago we thought shopping online was innovative. how about shopping by text?

well you can do just that at subports, an online shop for independent retailers of fashion, art and design. the pretty cool idea was crafted by two guys by the name of karl conrad and william robinson. how it works: sign up and link your credit card to your phone, save your shipping info and once you see something you like, you text the corresponding item subcode to 767825 (spells portal). you'll receive a confirmation text and then you're all set. no user names, passwords, shopping carts, etc.

the site has been around for about a year and new vendors are signing on daily. vendors are able to promote their items offsite, as well. it may take some getting used to but i think it's pretty cool. you?

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lady gaga says.

“i have this weird thing that if i sleep with someone

they’re going to take my creativity from me through my vagina.”

lady gaga in the september issue of vanity fair

birdalupe by ali sage.

evil pizazz, $28

serpiente fiesta, $28

roxy, $22

pretty darn fresh. i like. her etsy page can be found here.

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oh you fancy huh?

alberto guardiani, $410

albertoguardiani.it

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vote or die.

am i losing my social butterfly wings? because i just locked in my votes for the 2010 black weblog awards and hadn't heard of the majority of sites out there. but i'll certainly be checking them out since they are among the best of the best. slide on over and cast your votes.
who got my vote:
best blog design and best culture blog: clutch magazine
best blog network: global grind
best beauty or fashion blog: afrobella
best gossip blog: the ybf (it was a toss up between ybf and necole bitchie)
best hip hop blog: world star hip hop
best parenting or family blog: black and married with kids
best photography blog: the adventures of kesh

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crazy nails.

i like tumblr. i think i want to join. i came across this tumblr page dedicated exclusively to funky nail colors and designs. admittedly, i am generally anti-designs. but that's in the traditional sense - you know the standard looking designs that the nail shops are always trying to get you to pay "10 more dollar" for? the peacock with little rhinestone eyes or the palm tree - yeh, i'm not for all that. but i'm getting a kick out of the creativity of the designs i see these days. fun.

flintstones:

sesame street:

many more where this came from ... over 150 pages! check it out: fuckyeahprettynails

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remember when we used to rock: friendship bracelets.

since yesterday was national friendship day, it's only right that today's used to rock subject is friendship bracelets. if you were a child of the 90s, then chances are you've made at least one friendship bracelet in your life. myself? i've made plenty. i was a crafty little thing in my younger days. i made jewelry and gimp key chains, reinvented clothes and shoes with various bits and baubles and yes, made friendship bracelets. i had a childhood friend named jackie. jackie and i would hike over to k-mart and sift through their incredible inventory of embroidery thread. they had colors for days. and it was cheap!

there were different styles - twisted, braided and woven. i recall the twisted style being the easiest for me to make. the woven bracelets (above) were harder for some reason - it would start off pretty and then get tangled.

and of course, like many trends, the more you had the better. the drawback: they'd get wet and dirty quickly.

and if this post has suddenly made you nostalgic and you feel the urge to make one, click here to find out how.

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