My Favorite Things: Dawn Richard

Hey Bombshells!
Today we have a special treat for you: An exclusive interview with...
...Dawn Richard!
Don't know Dawn? She was of a member of the wildly popular girl group Danity Kane...

...formed by the ubiquitous Diddy on MTV's Making the Band. Now that the girls have gone their separate ways, this New Orleans native is pursuing a few solo projects, including penning songs for Cassie and Diddy's albums and producing a comic book, www.danitykanecomics.com.

She took a short break from shooting Season 5 of Making the Band to give us the scoop on her favorite style items and beauty must haves.
About her singular look, Dawn says, "I've always had an edgier style....I tend to go for short, mainly because I'm only 5'3" so I have to make the legs look long!"
"...My favorite color is teal, but I love dark colors like black, grey, and plum. I adore designers like Martin Margiela, Alexander McQueen, Balmain, Chanel, Chloe, and Stella McCartney."
Great taste! Top designers are cool for big events, but what about when you're kicking it with your girls? She says, "The casual kick back look for me is a Martin Margiela 6 tunic with black tights, a boyfriend blazer and my dependable Y-3 boots."
So, you see, we have a certified stylista on our hands! Naturally her fashionable favorites read like a hot list of top designer accessories...
She says, "I never go anywhere without my Louis Vuitton platform shoes from their Fall collection, my Martin Margiela spring '09 sunglasses (they look like ski glasses...they're so Star Trek!), my Tina Turner fringe Louboutin boots (I feel like I wanna go dancing when I wear them!), my Miu Miu gold sandals with crystal nuggets in the heel, my limited edition Chanel round sunglasses, my black classic Christian Louboutins (every girl should have them), my Tory Burch green purse, and my Margiela bottle cap ring and paper clip bracelet."

Pictured: Christian Louboutin Decollete patent pumps, $625. Tory Burch Green Resin Logo Clutch, $189. Christian Louboutin Forever Tina Fringe Boot, $1,575. Chanel Sunglasses, $580. Miu Miu Swarovski Platform Sandals, $675. Margiela Sunglasses, Price Upon Request. Martin Margiela Paper Clip Bracelet, $195. Maison Martin Margiela Bottle Cap Ring, $79.

Style and beauty go hand in hand, so Dawn indulged, "MAC makeup is my survival kit!! I also love Carol's Daughter, their mousse and hair products are so organic and light! And I love Coco Chanel and Pink Sugar..I love smelling like candy..lol!"

Pictured: MAC Makeup, Price Upon Request. Carol's Daughter Products, Price Upon Request. Aquolina Pink Sugar Luxury Gift Set, $95. Coco Chanel Perfume, Price Upon Request.

We're sure Que likes candy as well, so I had to ask what the lovebirds were doing for V-Day!
She laughs, "We will probably be working, so I don't know yet!" Ok, no dish on the big plans, but she tells the Fashion Bomb that Que has been getting into modeling. "I think he'd make a great D&G model!" Cute.
Dawn had to get back to taping, so to her fans she says, "Thank you for all your support..I hope you continue on this journey with me." And to the fashionistas she offers this advice, "The best style you can have is your own...there is no wrong way...stay creative!"
Check out Dawn's comics at www.danitykanecomics.com and keep an eye peeled for her on MTV and beyond!
Bisous!
*Pssst, if you have any other questions for Dawn, leave a comment! I'll see what I can do to get you an answer:)

My Favorite Things: Nina Sky

Hey Fashion Bombers!
Adriana here!
I recently had a chance to catch up with the girls from Nina Sky to chitchat about their style evolution, favorite fashionable things, and which trends they think are tired and need to be fired!

Not familiar? The ladies of NINA SKY (Natalie (above, left) and Nicole (right)) took the music scene by storm in 2004 with their breakout hit "Move Ya Body." Lately, they've been working on their second album, "THE MUSICAL," dabbling in clothing and sneaker design, and developing a distinct, edgy-chic style that's thrust them squarely into the fashion spotlight.
Nicole shares, "Natalie and I were 18 and straight out of high school when we debuted. Our style reflected that: we didn't wear makeup and probably owned 2 pairs of heels between us both--it was strictly FLY kicks and comfort all dayyyyy! We've grown a lot, and have developed a broader taste for clothing. It's a natural progression; over the years, you just begin to like different things and experiment more. " Too true for all of us...For Natalie, "It's NEVER about what designer I'm wearing: I don't really follow 'what's in' so I rock what I think is hot. I love to mix designer pieces with vintage and other stuff I find at spots like Forever 21." Adds Nicole, "Even when we work with stylists, it's a collaboration. Everything we do has to reflect us as individuals as well as the group NINA SKY." I think that's the ideal stylist-client relationship, don't you?As for style icons, the ladies cite Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, and Gwen Stefani as some of their favorites (Natalie: "They own that ish!"). Designer-wise, Nicole's a fan of Boy by Band of Outsiders and Chanel shoes, while Natalie's an admitted Alexander Wang and Matthew Williamson lover who prefers Betsey Johnson and Louboutins on her feet.Like yours truly, though, these divas are still devoted sneaker heads, and have now formed a cool partnership with FILA. "If you know about NINA SKY, then you're familiar with our sneaker collection," says Nicole. "FILA was launching a young women's line and wanted to use artists that made sense to market the shoe. Our next step: design a sneaker with them!" I think they have what it takes to create something dope! Natalie has also designed for a young women's line, MADEME, and a hair salon, cookbook, and acting are also in the works for both.Now, about those tired trends...ladies, in your opinion, what are people wearing way too much of these days? Natalie: "Keffiyeh scarves!" Nicole: "Headbands!" And what are some of your favorite things from your own personal closet? Natalie: "I love necklaces with gun charms. I have a Cubannie Links Tupac Rosary and an AK-47 Complete Technique chain that I take turns rockin' daily." Nicole: "It changes every season but RIGHT NOW it's this coyote fur trooper hat I bought in Luxembourg." Jet-setter style--loves it!

Left to Right: Cubannie Links Tupac Rosary, $34; Complete Technique AK 47 Fun Pendant, $340; Muskrat Trapper Hat, $399.
Thank you, NINA SKY!
Check out the ladies's real talk new single, "On Some Bulls***", and other goodies at the NINA SKY Myspace page and tell 'em the FB sent ya...
~Adri

Claire's and Adriana's Fashionable Christmas Lists

When you were young, did you would make Christmas Lists??
Lord knows I did! I'd painstakingly draw the tree with crayons, detailing the ornaments down to the star, then list my most coveted toys below. I was always a dreamer!
Today Adri and I are taking it back, giving you our fashionable Christmas wish lists--a few well edited items we'd love if a recession proof Santa swung by.
For me, a coat is the most important item in the winter months: you wear it all the time, and it's usually the most memorable element of your outfit. I have my eye on a classic Burberry that will help me weather the Parisian chill while staying chic! My old Marc Jacobs black leather tote has taken a beating, so I'd love to upgrade with a Chocolate Guccissima Handbag, then of course replenish my stock of jeans, cashmere, and classic shoes while throwing in a few affordable wildcard items for style:

1. Plastic Island Color Blocked Dress, $93. 2. Burberry Wool Coat, $1,050. 3. J.Crew cashmere hoodie, $188. 4. Loeffler Randal Hope D-Ring Bootie, $625. 5. 7 For All Mankind Women's "Flynt" Jeans in New York Dark Wash, $155. 6. Christian Louboutin Decollette Leather Pump, $575. 7. Chocolate Guccissima Handbag, $1,950. 8. Kenneth Jay Lane Pave Crystal Earrings, $105. 9. Marc by Marc Jacobs Lock It Up Magazine Clutch, $260.
I'm also a self confessed TV junkie and being abroad doesn't help my addiction! I'm set on getting full seasons of my faves: Curb your Enthusiasm, Absolutely Fabulous, and Family Guy (I already have the Sex and the City Box Set!):

1. Curb Your Enthusiasm, $16. 2.Absolutely Fabulous Season 5, $19. 3. Family Guy Volume 6, $21.
Adriana says, "Claire was definitely more of an artiste--I was the one who'd spend hours looking through catalogs, marking them so my mom would make no mistake about what I wanted!"

"Right now what I'd love more than anything is an oversized, vintage Chanel caviar bag: decadent and classic, yet roomy enough for everything I haul around daily! I also just recently bought myself an early Christmas gift: a Mackage coat (obsessed with them). And, of course, there's always some pair of shoes or outfit I have on the brain."

1. Vintage Chanel Caviar Bag, Currently on auction on Ebay 2. Pour La Victoire Cutout Platform Bootie, $292 3. Mackage Alison Coat, $341 4. Alice + Olivia Deco Dress, $330

"Next to all things style, my passion is reading and there are quite few books I can't wait to devour (and re-devour--I'm a re-reader) over the holiday. I've been a fan of "True Blood" since Episode 1 and *heart* the books the series is based on."
1. Sookie Stackhouse Boxed Set, $32 2. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, $8 3. The House of Gucci, $11 4. The Hemingses of Monticello, $22

Cute Picks!
What's on your Christmas List?

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