Breaking Into Fashion: Lloyd Boston

Adriana here!
If you watch Lloyd Boston on TV often, then you know one of his favorite exclamations is "I love my job!" Why? Well, when Oprah herself has you on speed-dial, and you're the best-selling author of three style bibles, spokesperson for one of the world's leading apparel companies, Jones New York, and arguably the most popular style commenter on television, it's not all that hard to understand!With over 150 appearances on NBC's Today show and numerous guest spots on Oprah, E!, The View, and CNN, as well as focused broadcast work for over 16 seasons on New York's "Full Frontal Fashion," Lloyd is one of THE authorities on contemporary style!I interviewed Lloyd to ask, among other things, how he turned an internship at 19 with Tommy Hilfiger into a highly successful, multifaceted career as a coveted style guru. "When stepping into this business, you should be prepared to compete with the best. Many young professionals think that entering fashion means creating a persona that is unlike who they are. I always follow the old adage that ‘it is nice to be important, but more important to be nice.’" Take it from a superstar!For those of you hesitant about breaking into fashion right now, Lloyd astutely points out, "There is so much style available that this might be the best time for design in general—from clothes to home furnishings, and beyond." Also remember that stylists succeed not just by creating chic looks, but if they can teach their clients how to do so, too! Lloyd's rules to self-style by include:1. "Buy the size that fits, not the size you hope to be."
2. "Wearing white all year round is chic if the fabric is seasonally appropriate!"
3. "If you can’t see it, you won’t wear it. Organizing and editing your closet is the first step to looking chic."
Aspiring style gurus take note!For guys looking to step up their style game, Lloyd suggests taking cues from Andre 3000, Terrence Howard, and Diddy, who, "has stood the test of time, from tuxes to timbs!" He also counts Tommy Hilfiger, J. Crew, Viktor & Rolf, Paul Smith, and Domenico Vacca among his favorite designers. And what does this ultimate style dynamo hold near and dear from his own personal closet?"Definitely my Stubbs and Wootton velvet ‘Buddha’ slippers, my black Gucci suit, my J.Crew chinos, and my laceless leather Jack Purcells. And anything from Kiehl's." And Lloyd, can you please let a Fashion Bombshell know how you feel about all of these crazy statement bags on the red carpet? "As a clutch, chic. Any bigger, so last week."
If that's not the best "amen" I've received from the choir (y'all know it's kind of a pet peeve)...
Thank you, Mr. Boston!
Be sure to catch Lloyd's new show, "Closet Cases," which debuts on the Fine Living Network in April!
~Adri

Breaking Into Fashion: Kathryn Finney AKA The Budget Fashionista

Right now the name of the game is Recession Chic and no one knows more about getting the most fashionable bang for your buck than the The Budget Fashionista herself...Kathryn Finney!
With appearances everywhere, including the TODAY Show, E! News, CNN, InStyle, The New York Times, Essence, and People, Kathryn is a national force and one of the first fashion bloggers to break ground on the Internet.

I recently interviewed Kathryn to ask her about how she got her start and also get some tips on how to stay stylish in these lean times! She says, "I started The Budget Fashionista in the summer of 2003 from a love of fashion but a lack of cash. There were very few women-centered blogs--yet alone fashion blogs--at that time and no one was making money. It was a fun hobby and great way to keep up with friends."What began as a personal passion blossomed into a new media empire, as The Budget Fashionista became the #1 independent fashion blog on the Internet with over 2 million hits per month, and spawned TV appearances, spokesperson gigs with T.J. Maxx (among many others), and even a book, How to Be a Budget Fashionista--The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous For Less.On her keys to success, Kathryn advises, "Be yourself. Not Oprah. Not Puffy. Not me. Like Russell Simmons says, 'Do You.' It is much easier and sustainable than to try to be something you're not. I would also say think about how much you want "it," whatever "it" is to you. Are you willing to go broke? Work for free? It's not an easy path, but if you focus on your goals and understand that everything has a path, then you can succeed." On weathering the weak economy stylishly, Kathryn offers some real talk for compulsive shoppers. "Look at the value of the item before you buy it and do what I call the Cost Per Wear (CPW), which is the price of the item divided by the number of times you think you're going to wear it. The CPW forces you to focus on the value of the garment to your closet NOT just the price." Smart!And what does this diva on a dime treasure most from her personal closet? "I love vintage coats, so I have this pink velvet coat with tiny silver stars that I got from a great vintage store called Polka Dots and Moonbeams in L.A. I love my black Cocoon jacket from the Norma Kamali line at Wal-Mart, and I live in my Assets (the cheaper hosiery line from Spanx) that I buy at Target!"
Was I the only one not up on Assets?? Kathryn knows her game for real. Thank you, Miss Finney!
~Adri
*See more at The Budget Fashionista's site!
*Also, because we love you so much, The Fashion Bomb and Kathryn are giving away a copy of How To Be a Budget Fashionista to the first reader who can e-mail us the name of the iconic model posing with Kathryn and Carson Kressley in one of the above pictures. E-mail thefashionbombintern@gmail.com with your guesses--first correct answer wins!

*Photos courtesy of Simply Good Media.

Breaking into Fashion: Celebrity Makeup Artist Jackie Gomez

If you've coveted Beyoncé's, Zoe Saldana's, or Kelly Rowland's makeup lately, chances are Jackie Gomez's talented brush created that fabu look!Jackie, whose clients have also included Jennifer Lopez, Ciara, and R&B ingenue Natasha, took a sec from her hectic schedule (she was prepping for none other than Bee when we connected) to share makeup tips and how she rose in the biz.Jackie began at 19 by assisting as many established makeup artists as she could, and credits her "drive and ambition" as motivation to start booking her own jobs. "As a Latina, I know the importance of loving one's exotic features and use that, along with makeup, to make women feel and look amazing."Jackie recommends that you "practice makeup all the time--the more you do it the better it becomes." She also stresses the importance of apprenticing, keeping an eye towards striking out on your own, and being confident enough to develop your own style!
She also brought it with a few makeup pointers! Here are her Top 5 Makeup Tips:
1. Eyes should be flirtatious and gorgeous, so have fun! Lashes look best when they're darker than eyebrows, and several coats of mascara will give you a false lash effect.2. Keep eyebrows in their place: your eyes need a frame to appear balanced. Tip: use a stencil for a perfect brow.
3. Blush is very important! It sculpts the face and gives it life. Go for a bronzer with a peachy blush for a sexy glow.4. Foundations are meant to even out your skin, and they should be a little more yellow than pink for a flawless tone.
5. To prevent eyeliner from running, go over it with a cotton swab dipped in dark eyeshadow.
Did I mention that she's also a favorite of the guys? John Legend, Marc Anthony, the Clipse, and Hurricane Chris are fans!
And you know I had to get the 411 on her favorite makeup things:1. Tarte Park Avenue Princess Bronzer, $28 2. Korres "Guava" Lip Butter, $9 3. Makeup Forever High Definition Foundation, $40 4. Christian Dior Diorshow Mascara, $24 5. NARS "Crazed" Blush, $25 6. M.A.C Lashes #35, $12
Check out more on Jackie at her site, http://www.jgmakeup.com/!
Adri
Much thanks to Nikki P. ;-)

Breaking into Fashion: Beverly Smith

Hey Fashion Bombers!
Adriana here with a Breaking into Fashion post on writer, celebrity style consultant, television personality, and founder of the Dinner with Bevy enterprise...

...Beverly Smith!
As one of Fashion's presiding Renaissance women, there are few areas of style, media, and culture Beverly Smith hasn't touched:

Starting as a receptionist at an advertising agency, Beverly climbed the ranks with her razor sharp chic barometer, holding posts as Fashion Advertising Director and Fashion Editor at Large of Vibe Magazine, Senior Fashion Director of Rolling Stone, Contributing Editor of Latina Magazine, freelance writer for Paper Mag and Interview, and TV personality on BET, E, Oxygen, and VH1.
I sat down recently with Bevy (as we call her) at Melba's in Harlem to get the 411 on her experiences in fashion, advice for breaking in to the field, and some of her Favorite Things!

On Breaking into the industry, Bevy says, "Study the art, craft, and business of fashion and you will go much farther than someone who just looks the part. Knowledge gives you the freedom to explore many facets of the business! We don't need any more fly young people carrying Goyard, wearing Lanvin but can't tell you who Madame Grès, Charles James, or Patrick Kelly are."

Bevy, whose favorite fashion memories include her first Vivienne Westwood Parisian show and Tom Ford's after party for the Met Costume Ball (in the Gucci era), contends that the key to maintaining confidence in the cutthroat world of couture is to, "Find something beyond fashion to believe in: look to family, friends, spirituality. Don't be afraid to be unique; in fact, celebrate what makes you different! "

Bevy's golden rule for success? "Be confident in who you are and what you bring to any situation. Also, know your worth: having worked in fashion for 20 years, I've built up quite a wealth of knowledge and contacts, which makes me unafraid to enter any domain."

Snaps!
Of course I had to ask this fashion maven about a few of her favorite things! She says, "I love my Gucci bandage dress from Tom Ford's third season, and my Dior "Frankenstein" platforms that I was photographed in by the New York Times. My two best assets are my cheeks and lips, so I love blush by Nars (Orgasm and Taj Mahal). Lips must be bright and shiny so a combo of a bright M.A.C. lipstick and a Wet 'n Wild gloss in gold does the trick!"
Try a Bevy essence with the following:
Herve Leger Zip Front Reversible Bandage Dress, $1,390. Nars Blush in Orgasm, $25. Dior Couture Suede Cutout Sandals, $925. Wet 'n' Wild MegaSlicks Lip Gloss, $2. M·A·C Lipstick, $14.
The divine Miss Smith has spoken!
Learn more about Bevy at www.dinnerwithbevy.com!
~Adriana

Breaking into Fashion: Ursula Stephen

Hey!
It's been quite a while since we've had a Breaking into Fashion post, so today I wanted to give you guys the scoop on Ursula Stephen...
...hairstylist to the stars.
While she's well known for taming the manes of Michelle Williams and Keyshia Cole, she's probably most recognized for gifting the ever fashionable Rihanna her oft imitated pixie cut:
...whose edge always adds to Rihanna's fashionable fits!
Thankfully, Ursula put down her styling tools to tell you hopefuls how to break into her business:
She says, "I caught my "big break" by working in the salon. I had really great clientele, a couple of which worked at labels, a couple who knew people in the industry. So it was basically word of mouth."
Starting at a humble Brooklyn boutique, Ursula rose through the ranks thanks to her unquestionable talent and positive attitude. She says, 'I always kept my eyes on the prize, thought outside the box, and stayed upbeat no matter how far away my dreams seemed..."
Currently in France, Ursula travels the world, packing all her hot combs and adapters in her carry ons. She says, "I'll never forget having dinner with Roberto Cavalli. Rihanna was invited to his show in Milan, and afterwards he invited the whole team to his restaurant for a private dinner. I was actually having casual conversation with him, and found out we share the same sign!!"
For women of color, she has this pointed advice, "Always go that extra mile, because as sad it may sound, we as people of color have not really overcome as much as we think we have. It's gotten easier but its not easy."
In sum, she says to, "Be sure about your love for hair; and ultimately do what makes you happy."
Sound advice for any profession!
Smootches!