The Curvy Stylist

new fashion fair lip teasers (review)

This season is all about having a pop of color and that goes for your makeup too.  Fashion Fair’s new limited edition Lip Teasers ($17) come in three of the season's trendiest colors: Bubble Gum (bright pink), Brave Babe (this season’s hottest hue, tangerine), and Coral Craze (radiant coral).  Don’t be alarmed by the vibrant color of these gorgeous glosses in the tube because it's just a tease, thus the name Fashion Fair Lip Teasers.

I was pleasantly surprised by the sheerness of color and the conditioning of Fashion Fair’s Lip Teasers.  A lot of sheers are too sheer, but Lip Teasers give the perfect diaphanous color to your lips.  It lets your natural lip color peek through and feels good on your lips.  My lips felt moisturized and it never got sticky.  What’s more, you can use Lip Teasers to layer a sheer shade of light reflecting, high shine on top of a complementary shade of lipstick.  Fashion Fair’s new Lip Teasers will soon be your favorite go-to gloss for the summer.

styling "dorota" - zuzanna szadkowski

Oh My God!  I look so cute!  That's what America's coolest maid on the hit television series "Gossip Girl" said as she looked in the mirror.   I was honored to style Zuzanna Szadkowski for an appearance on "Whatever with Alexis & Jennifer" talk show on the Hallmark Channel.  She wanted to wear her own python print knit dress from Lane Bryant and I "styled her up" with an LB motor cycle jacket and my own wide 3 buckle belt.  What?  I only had one day to pull this look off.  Thank God for the fabulous couture jewelry from Fennimas.com by Rachel Fennimore.  She loved how she looked. 

What do you think?

runway to the everyday: mixed seasoning

"A woman must have body attitude."
- Eunice Johnson, founder EBONY Fashion Fair

l love to flip the runway to the everyday for curvy women who need a little style inspiration.  This week I was inspired by this editorial in a past issue of Vogue to put together this "wear to work" look available at Lane Bryant's New York Flagship or at www.lanebryant.com.

Okay, let me first get on my soapbox....

All women, including plus sizes, want to feel we can look extraordinary, like the women in fashion magazines.  Commercials and talk shows give us plus size women who feel trapped in their bodies and unable to live their dreams.  This message is so misleading.  Contrary to what is seen in the mainstream media, 67% of the population of women in this country are a size 14 or larger...Plus Size.

I started to wonder...If the majority of the women in this country are plus size, doesn't it stand to reason that we are doing a heck of a lot more than waiting to lose weight before we can truly participate in life. O-M-G!  We are judges, elected officials, designers, stylists, businesswomen and so much more.  We are WORKING IT!!!!

...stepping down off my soapbox.

This pinstripe suit jacket and pencil skirt is cut to compliment your curves and comes in sizes up to 28.  There is lots of stretch in the fabric and vertical stripes are our streamlining friends.  Don't think you can wear a pencil skirt? 

Click here to check out my tips for wearing one on ivillage.com.

The beauty is in the styling.  Wave bye-bye to looking boxy and frumpy in your suit jackets. Don't think you're hiding anything either.  Show off your curvy assets by cinching in that suit jacket with a skinny belt.  My tip?  Put on the belt where you think it should go and then slip it up just a bit higher toward the narrowest part under your rib cage which enhances the appearance of curves, even if you don't have any.  Okay I took a little creative license with the colorful bangles but the rings and satin flower pin complete the look.  All accessories are available at Lane Bryant too.  Scrunch up your sleeves a bit and work it! 

I must admit this is not my favorite time to shop.  It's still so cold outside and the stores are stocking their shelves with ice cream colored clothes candy that give you a craving for the warmth that just isn't coming fast enough.  To appease myself I often have a spring fling: mix some of the new spring items with my cold weather wardrobe.  Mixing patterns is a fun trend that can help you do a spring fling with style.  In this case I paired LB's new floral blouse with the pinstripe suit, and the black straw fedora I bought for $2 from a church flea market in Harlem.  Cute, huh?

Did you know Lane Bryant had such trendy and edgy shoes?  These strappy zipper platform heels made me feel like spring while the charcoal gray tights made me not feel foolish in the cold weather.  Black tights would be fine but the gray just felt so chic, like the looks I've seen in the magazines.  (And don't you forget to take the tag off the bottom of your shoes after you buy them...that's just tacky, girl.)

That's all for now.  You better WORK curvy girls!

black history in style - j. wesley tann

I met designer J. Wesley Tann at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Feb. 2010

Celebrating black history in style!  I had the pleasure of meeting Designer J. Wesley Tann at the ARISE magazine show during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2010 last February.  Mr. Tann is a black fashion icon and the first African-American designer to open a shop on 7th Avenue in New York.  He created sleek styles for dancer Carmen De Lavallade and opera diva Leontyne Price.  (who’s also a member of Delta Sigma Theta)  Most notably he designed maternity ensembles for the late Jackie Kennedy-Onassis. His sophisticated sheath is just one of his ideas to help her shine and make the transition into her new life in style.  For more on our history in style click here.

black history in style - Eunice Johnson

Celebrating our history in style!  As I walked down 34th street I stopped in my slushy tracks and blinked wildly against the freezing rain to take in the Macy's windows.  I remembered the workers in the windows the day before and the blue painters tape sticking long strips of white paper scribbled with words on the inside of the windows.  I didn't take the time to stop to be nosey, because like most New Yorkers I was in a hurry.

Although I was running late, I had to stop.  This time I saw huge vintage black & white photographs of "black royalty," Eunice Johnson, the founder of Ebony Fashion Fair with her husband John H. Johnson of Johnson Publishing.  My eyes widened as I admired the stunning couture designs of Bill Blass, Vivienne Westwood, Todd Oldham, Nina Ricci and more. Those strips of paper were holding places for inspired quotes by Mrs. Johnson like, "A woman must have body attitude," and "Fashion, like vintage wine, has its good years."

I was still blinking wildly but this time I was clearing out the tears of pride and appreciation for this amazing tribute to Mrs. Johnson and the Ebony Fashion Fair Shows for black history month.  How apprepo!  Macy's is a store with a tradition as a purveyor of great style honoring the originator of a tradition of introducing couture to Black America.

Issey Miyake

The image above is from inside the store which which housed the traveling exhibit that will be at Macy's stores in 10 cities.  Soon the tour will come to a close as the end of Black History Month approaches.  The remaining dates and location are listed below:

• Macy’s Beverly Center, Los Angeles, CA; Feb. 22 - 28
• Macy’s Union Square, San Francisco, CA; Feb. 24 - 28
• Macy’s Lenox Square, Atlanta, GA; Feb. 24 - 28

Enjoy more images from the windows...

Todd Oldham

Pierre Cardin and Tita Rossi

Gianni Calignano and Nina Ricci

Bill Blass, Vivienne Westwood and B. Michael

Issey Miyake and Missoni

runway to the everday: coco for curves

"How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone."
- Coco Chanel

I love to flip the runway to the everyday for curvy women who need a little style inspiration.  I was inspired to put together this look for my first look available at Lane Bryant's New York Flagship or at www.lanebryant.com.

This week I'm obsessed with this chic Boucle Jacket with frayed trimming.  I couldn't stop thinking about this Chanel ad I saw in W Magazine.  "The traditional tweed Chanel suit with a nipped-at-the-waist cardigan jacket remains one of the most popular—and most copied—fashion staples," says nymag.com.

This fabulous LB pale grey top caught my eye too.  I didn't expect it to feel so comfortable to wear.  It's basically a cotton stretch tank top with a chiffon overlay and paillettes or sequins.  It really can stand on its own with jeans for a cute first date look, but I love how the silver paillettes (discs) make a jewelry statement under this jacket.  I paired the jacket with a beautiful Right Fit Wide Leg Pant.  These are my favorite pants and they look great on most everyBODY's curves.

These new Cut Out Strap Peep Toe Heels and grey socks are from Lane Bryant.  The runway inspired this trend.  Socks are now a chic and more sensible way to wear your peep toes sandals when it's cold outside, and keep your toes toasty.  Just make sure you don't stretch out your shoes.  I was okay because all of LB's shoes are wide width.

The right accessories always pull a look together - My own patent and matte long leather gloves that I found at The Brownstone boutique in Harlem; in honor of Coco's beloved France I wore a black beret.  Lane Bryant has gorgeous jewelry.  I picked out a luminous long strand of pearls, because what's a Chanel look without them, and added some blinged out bangles.

I know the real Coco Chanel was anything but curvy.  In fact she's described as flat chested and thin hipped in one of my favorite books, "The Gospel According to Coco Chanel" by Karen Karbo.  But I don't care, she made it possible for us to be Chanel chic. 

lane bryant's curvy revolution

  

ABC pulls sexy Lane Bryant commercial.  I was watching Wendy Williams this morning and saw the amazing new commercial by Lane Bryant.  Apparently, ABC pulled the commercial scheduled to air during "Dancing with the Stars" because there was too much cleavage.  Really?  With all the boob-age on the show and the revealing costumes on the dancers, the reason seems disingenuous, to say the least.  Wendy aired the commercial and I watched it again on Youtube.  My heart is pounding because finally the truth has been revealed...Curvy women ARE sexy! 

Finally someone is showing a full-figured woman in all her fabulous glory...sexy and desireable.  For a long time I have felt that the media portrayal of curvy women was misleadiing.  We are not all waiting to lose weight before we can fully enjoy life and participate in the world.  Now, is ABC showiing us that they can't handle the TRUTH?

Click Here for Lane Bryant vs. Victoria's Secret

ports 1961 - fashion week fall 2010

My first runway show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall Collection 2010 was FANTASTIC!  PORTS 1961 designers create chic designs that will translate well to marvelous women with curves.  This is my video commentary on the collection recorded in the AOL Media Lounge in the tents at Bryant Park.  I did this immediately following the show so I hope you can appreciate my excitement.  All I can say is, "WOW!"

v magazine - the body issue

Does the model on the right look fiercely familiar?

That's Kasha, who just competed on America's Next Top Model

 

 

 

  Crystal Renn is workin' it!  

 

It seems curves are back in style.  Magazines everywhere are talking about us.  We’ve gone from one page to entire editorials featuring curvy models in all their glory.  These pictures come from a recent issue of V Magazine….aren’t they FANTASTIC!  Check out the by side comparison of an ultra thin model and the curvy sensation Crystal Renn in identical looks.  Now, what do you think?

bras: settle for nothing less than perfect

@iamnatural84 tweets “I HATE underwire bras!! What do u suggest? :)” 

@thecurvystylist “I hated underwire bras 4 most of my life UNTIL I had a proper bra fitting. NOW I don't feel the wires & they're UP UP UP”

@iamnatural84 “PROPER is the key word, I've gotten fitted 3 times & have been told a different size every time lol”

I thought my advice needed to go beyond the 140 characters in a tweet.  For me bras are all about the look and fit.  It fits when the “girls” are lifted and the straps (shoulders and chest) fit closely to the body with no gaps.  You shouldn't see any “breast meat” (LOL.  You know that’s what your Mama called it too.) underneath the underwire and the back strap should be in the middle of the back, not up at your shoulder blades.  If your “breast meat” bulges out underneath the bra or the bra fits too loosely around your chest, then the underwire will rest uncomfortably against the bottom of your rib cage or belly.  You won't even feel the underwire if the bra fits properly, even when you sit down and your belly fat is schmushed (lol).

If the bra fits properly but it looks like something your grandmother wears…well that’s not good either.  Likewise, if the bra is really cute but gives you no support, then you still won’t feel comfortable and the "girls" will look terrible in your clothes.

My suggestion is skip the retail chains and find a real bra store with a name like ‘Bra World', cup sizes you never even heard of, and sales-ladies who have measuring tape around their necks.  Ask somebody who has big boobs harnessed expertly in a great fitting bra, “Where did you get fitted for your bra?”  I guarantee she’ll point you in the right direction.

The bottom-line is you deserve great fit and fashion in a bra.  This is one place you shouldn’t skimp.  Your back, your shoulders, and the "girls" will thank you.  Like this great bumper sticker for breast cancer awareness I saw the other day said- “Save the ta-tas!”