It's time to put on that Leather....

Leather is Hot this Season
I am a spring/summer baby although I was born in the Fall but I am truly loving this New York Fall weather. It's not too cold yet but it is time to put on those jackets! One of the hot styles for this season is Leather and I must tell you that I L-o-v-e Leather.....There are some stylish Jackets, Skirts, Shirts, Pants, and Dresses that are out this season with a touch of Leather or Pleather :)...

I took a quick peek at Lord and Taylors, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdales to see what they had lined up for the fall and this is what I found....I must tell you I am loving it....
Prices start at $23 to $190.  Now if you don't have this in your collection for the Fall as yet, take some time to pick up a piece or two to add to your wardrobe.

Just a suggestion Ladies, when choosing leggings for the fall, here are some of my 
Do's and Don'ts:
Do wear with a Jacket, sweater or top to your waist if you have petite/small hips-thighs
Do wear with a Jacket, sweater or top below your waist if you have medium/large hips-thighs
Do wear with a pair of slim boots
Do wear with the proper undergarments
Don't purchase the thin/see through leggings
Don't wear with little or no undergarments

Jackets /Vests

 

 

Tops

 

 

Skirts/Pants

 

 

Dresses

 

 

 

Designer Corner:

 

Tracy Reese's World 

 

With an innate desire to create beautiful things, Detroit native Tracy Reese headed for Manhattan in 1982 to attend Parsons School of Design where she received an accelerated degree in 1984. Upon graduation, Reese apprenticed under designer Martine Sitbon while working for the small contemporary firm, Arlequin. Reese has also worked at some of the industry’s top fashion houses, including Perry Ellis where she was the design director for Women’s Portfolio. In 1996, Reese launched her collection to rave reviews.  Reese’s design was for the modern women that showcased ultra-feminine, polished pieces layered with nostalgia, charm and glamour; a distinctive look which the designer has since become known for.

The designer’s second line, Plenty by Tracy Reese, was introduced in 1998. Plenty embodies the modern bohemian spirit, offering a distinctive combination of color palettes, one of a kind prints, and playful details. With this collection, Reese creates versatile everyday essentials.

She has been a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) since 2000 and has served as a member of the Board of Directors since 2007. She is also a key player in selecting recipients to receive grants from the CFDA’s AIDS-Fund initiatives. Here are a few of her Fall 2013 designs.  I love her clothes and I'm honored to share her designs with you.

 

Breast Cancer Prevention Checklist

As you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and as I was watching the Queen Latifah Show on Thursday, October 24th, she had as one of her guest, Dr. Kristi Funk, who was very informative.  She is the founder of the Pink Lotus Breast Center in California.

Dr. Funk has been known in the medical field for years, but became famous for being the doctor of Angelina Jolie, who recently revealed to all that she had a preventative double mastectomy.  Dr. Funk graciously revealed some Do's and Don't tips on Breast Cancer Prevention:

THE DO's

 

Do eat a high-fiber, low-fat diet.
Do eat bran cereal, blueberries and strawberries.
Do eat lean meats with tons of fruits and vegetables.
Do get plenty of Vitamin D by eating fish (like salmon and tuna), eggs and soaking in some sunshine – don't forget the sunscreen!
Do eat loads of calcium by eating green leafy vegetables like kale, broccoli and spinach and dairy products including yogurt, milk and cheese.
Do use good saturated fats like olive, walnut, sesame, almond, flaxseed, omega-3 and fish oils.
Do try foods like turmeric and clove oil.
Do exercise a minimum of 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week.

THE DON’Ts

 

Don’t drink more than one alcoholic drink a day. (I say don't drink at all) 
Don’t eat too many burnt, smoked, or grilled meats.

Don’t use too much saturated fats in your food like butter, margarine and lard.
Remember you need a mammogram screening beginning at age 35 and starting at
40-years-old you should get tested every year for the rest of your life. 

Traci Lynn Jewelry:
Special during Breast Cancer Awareness Month
With just a few more days left to support during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, remember to take a moment to purchase Fight for the Cure Jewelry, with 100% of Traci Lynn's proceeds going towards our 25K Fight Breast Cancer Campaign in support  of American Cancer Society.  Help us fight this war against cancer and win!! To place an order, go to www.tracilynnjewelry.com, view the catalog and send your order to my email at flojoe8@gmail.com.

 Remember these items below are selling out fast....
 

Best Buy

Next week, I will be adding the Best Buy corner to my Blog.  This will consist of individuals that had the opportunity to shop, obtain great buys, and topped it off with additional coupon savings.  So if this is you, and you would like to share your fabulous finds, please send your story to flojoe8@gmail.com.
 

Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, and what is happening.
-Coco Chanel
 

Simply,

Flo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ladies, It's Raining Pink!!!

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month so I thought it would be great to cater my blog this week to the cause by posting everything Pink....I will briefly discuss some informative information regarding Breast Cancer so that woman (men can experience this too) can be aware of what to look for.

Symptoms of breast cancer: I'm sure some of you have relatives, friends, coworkers or neighbors who have passed from breast cancer or are now Breast Cancer Survivors.  First, it's important to know that initially, breast cancer may not cause any symptoms. In some cases, however, the first sign of breast cancer is a new lump or a mass in the breast that you or your doctor can feel. So if you have a lump that is painless, hard, and has uneven edges it's more likely to be cancer. But sometimes cancers can be tender, soft, and rounded. So it's important to have anything unusual checked out by your doctor.  According to the American Cancer Society, any of the following unusual changes in the breast can be a symptom of breast cancer:

• swelling of all or part of the breast
• skin irritation or dimpling
• breast pain
• nipple pain or the nipple turning inward
• redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
• a nipple discharge other than breast milk
• a lump in the underarm area

These changes also can be signs of less serious conditions that are not cancerous, such as an infection or a cyst.  So women, it is so important that you get screened and tested regularly. If you feel or have any abnormal breast changes, please take the time to get checked by your doctor. 

Although this may not eliminate the risk, there are a few steps you can take to help the body stay healthy as possible such as, eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, limiting your alcohol intake (I say no alcohol intake:), getting your proper rest and exercising regularly.  Ultimately it is your Faith in God and Trusting him to be your Healer that will sustain
you through this process. 

Iconic Designer: Betsy Johnson
I wanted to give a little space to talk about this eccentric, iconic, quirky, and colorful designer who is a Breast Cancer Survivor:


Betsey Johnson grew up with a passion for dance and art. Her fashion career skyrocketed when her Avant Garde designs became part of the 1960s "Youthquake" movement. In the 70s, however, her career began to slump until the punk rock style inspired her to create fashion for a new generation. She opened a boutique in New York's Soho neighborhood, which were eventually followed by more than 60 stores worldwide.  In 2000, Johnson's fashion career was briefly derailed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The cancer was detected early; a turn of good luck that resulted from a strange incident when one of her cosmetic breast implants lost its shape. "My doctor said it was an absolute miracle my breast implants deflated," she recalls. "I probably wouldn't have had another mammogram for six months." Johnson underwent radiation therapy, eventually going into remission. Johnson barely lost a step from her ever-youthful ways—after returning to full health, she still managed to complete the trademark cartwheel she performs at the close of her biannual fashion show.  With her company in trouble, Betsy filed for Bankruptcy, laid off 350 workers and closed over 60 stores.  Her friend Steve Madden came to her rescue.  After buying Betsey Johnson's debt and coming up with a plan by which she would pay him back instead of paying some faceless impersonal lender, Steve worked out an arrangement with her company so that he now owns it. Betsy Johnson still designs sportswear for the company and she recently showed here Spring 2014 Ready-to-Wear Fashion at NY Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

 You look Good in Pink:

Yes Ladies, it's raining Pink this Fall.  A lot of Fashion Designers this year decided to throw a dash of bright colors into their Fall line on the runway this Fall.  So in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I wanted to indulge you with some wonderful styles in Pink (or a hint of Pink) like these fabulous Skirts, Tops, Dresses, Bags, and Jewelry in a variety of Pink.  As you can see, there are various shades of Pink for you so step into for the Fall so don't be afraid to add a dab of pink to your wardrobe this year. 

  

 

 

Spa Treatment on a Budget:

For all those that are looking to pamper yourselves on a budget, Spa Week is here!!  It began on Monday, October 14th and ends on Sunday, October 20th.  This is when Spa and Wellness Centers come together to offer various services at a special rate of $50. 
You can go to www.spaweek.com to find a location near you and schedule a treatment that best fits your needs.  So to all you ladies that want to look/feel good on the outside as well as on the inside, take this opportunity to pamper yourselves, enjoy life and don't forget to pick up alittle something in Pink!    

Traci Lynn Jewelry:
Special during Breast Cancer Awareness Month
In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, if you purchase a Fight for the Cure Jewelry and
100% of Traci Lynn's proceeds will go towards our 25K Fight Breast Cancer Campaign in support
of American Cancer Society.  Help us fight this war against cancer and win!! To place an order,
go to www.tracilynnjewelry.com and send your order to my email addy flojoe8@gmail.com.
Just a Note: Items below are selling fast....

Double Pin

Earrings

 

Charm

Fight Pin

Fight the cure Earrings

Fight Keychain

Fight Earrings

Hoop Earrings

Necklace

Ring

Bracelets

So Ladies, don't forget to Laugh, Love and Enjoy Life....You only have One Life to Live!!!

"I think there is beauty in everything. What ‘normal’ people would perceive as ugly, I can usually see something of beauty in it."

— Alexander McQueen

 

Simply,

 

Flo

 

 

 

 






































  

Colors, Colors, and more Colors, It's Time to Rock that Fall Gear...

 

Well if you haven't noticed, I have been MIA for a few weeks (sorry) but I've been itching to get my fingers back on the keyboard again.  First, I thought it fitting to start off with advising you that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  I'm sure many of you know someone that has either succumbed to this disease or is now a survivor.  So in memory of my father, Pastor Joseph Berry, who succumbed to Cancer, anyone that purchases Traci Lynn Jewelry from me this month, 20% of the proceeds from your sales will go towards the American Cancer Society.  If you happen to purchase an item containing a heart, 25% of the proceeds from your sales will go towards the
Susan G. Komen Organization.  So if you want to make a difference in fighting the war against cancer, feel free to go to our website at Tracilynnjewelry.com and click on the Fall/Winter Catalog.  Please use my Consultant ID #13954 when placing your order.  You may also email me at flojoe8@gmail.com and I will be more than happy to assist you in placing your order.

 

 

Iconic Designer - Yves Saint Laurent
While away, I thought I would add an addition to my blog. Since there are so many Iconic
Designers that have contributed to the world of Fashion, I wanted to give my readers some
pertinent information about these designers along with photos so that you would appreciate
all that they bring to the table.  I am going to start this run with none other than
Yves Saint Laurent. 

Yves Henri Donat Matthieu-Saint Laurent was born on August 1, 1936, in Oran, Algeria, to Charles and Lucienne Andrée Mathieu-Saint-Laurent. He grew up in a villa by the Mediterranean with his two younger sisters, Michèle and Brigitte. Yves liked to create intricate paper dolls, and by his early teen years he was designing dresses for his mother and sisters. As a child, he was picked on and bullied in school which made him nervous and sickly daily.  He found solace in the world of fashion.  At the age of 18, Saint Laurent moved to Paris and enrolled at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, where his designs quickly gained notice. Michel De Brunhoff, the editor of French Vogue, introduced Saint Laurent to designer Christian Dior, a giant in the fashion world. Although Dior recognized his talent immediately, Saint Laurent spent his first year at the House of Dior on mundane tasks, such as decorating the studio and designing accessories.  Eventually, however, he was allowed to submit sketches for the couture collection; with every passing season, more of his sketches were accepted by Dior.

  

In August 1957, Dior met with Saint Laurent's mother to tell her that he had chosen Saint Laurent to succeed him as designer. His mother later said that she had been confused by the remark, as Dior was only 52 years old at the time. Both she and her son were surprised when in October of that year Dior died at a health spa in northern Italy of a massive heart attack. So at age 21, Saint Laurent found himself the head designer of the House of Christian Dior.

Using his creation of straight lines, and a softer version of Dior's New Look, he was catapulted into international stardom with what would later be known as the "trapeze dress." During this time he shortened his surname to Saint Laurent because the international press found his hyphenated triple name difficult to spell.

   
In 1962, Saint Laurent set up his own fashion house with Pierre Bergé and continued to rock the establishment. In 1966, he introduced le smoking, his legendary smoking suit, which prompted the consequent androgynous revolution. He is now credited with a range of other innovations including the reefer jacket (1962), the sheer blouse (1966), and the jumpsuit (1968), as well as ready-to-wear culture as a whole. In October 1998, Yves Saint Laurent showed his last ready-to-wear collection for the Rive Gauche label he had founded more than 30 years before.

These days, the reach of the Saint Laurent empire he founded and sold on is vast: the company produces menswear, furs, jewelry, perfumes and a range of accessories, all of which are distributed worldwide.
 
In January 2002, the 65-year-old designer announced his retirement. Paying tribute to his mentors, including Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Schiaparelli and Chanel, he revealed that his decision was based on a disgust with an industry that had become ruled more by commercial gain than art. He felt elegance and beauty were banished in the industry.  In his final haute couture collection, the show constituted a thorough retrospective of his work: it featured over 250 outfits, 40 of them new designs, and 100 models.  A tearful Yves Saint Laurent took his final bow as his long-time muse, Catherine Deneuve, sang Ma Plus Belle Histoire d'Amour.  The Designer died in Paris on June 1, 2008.
I truly love his work and his wonderful contribution to the art of Fashion.
                     
What to wear:
Now I'm going to speak on behalf of all the Ladies.  How many times have you gone into a
store to pick something off the rack because you just love the style but once you try it on
you say, uhhg, this doesn't work, so you're right back at square one.

Whether you're tall or short, have a large derriere or a flat derriere, have a big bust or small bust, a big tummy or flat tummy, full hips/thighs or skinny hips/thighs, all of us have challenges with our body.  I wanted to show the ladies a few samples of how we can Rock the Fall Gear with items that flatter our shape and allow us to look and feel good in them. 

Now if you have that visible Tummy, you should feel confident sporting looks like:

• Dresses that gather or drape around your stomach i.e. wrap dresses
• A-Line skirts free of details
• Bootcut or straight leg pants with a flat front waistband
• Nipped Jackets, shaped tunics, wrap tops, longer tops that gather

All choices that make you look more fabulous....You want to avoid anything clingy or sheer
around your midsections, tops that end at the waist, pleated pants, front patch pockets or low risers.
Some places/designers to Shop: Lord and Taylor, DVF, Ann Taylor, Calvin Klein Jeans, or Elie Tahari.

Now if you don't have problems with your tummy but you're Tall with a Straight figure, you may feel comfortable sporting things like:

• A Dress with a defined waistline, strapless neckline, peplum waistline, or a wrap dress
• A full or pleated style skirt, high waisted pencil skirt, mid length or maxis skirt
• Any style pants like skinny jeans, bootcuts, full leg or straight leg pants
• A Top with embellishment along the neckline, a V-neck, a halter top, a fitted or peplum jacket

All choices that will enhance your figure ....I recommend that you stay away from Sack dresses, baggy clothing and vertical stripes. Some places/designers to Shop: Ann Taylor, BCBG,
Gap, J Brand, Lucky Brand Jeans, Joie, Talbots, or Zara.

Now for that Petite Woman, you would look great sporting styles like:

• Dresses/Skirts with hemlines at or above the knee
• Wrap Dresses
• Tailored Shirts
• Tailored/Shaped Jackets 
• Hip length Tops
• Tapered Pants

Some places/designers to shop: AG Jeans, Anthropologie, Banana Republic, Calvin Klein,
J. Crew, Levi's, Michael Kors, Tracy Reese, or Ann Taylor Loft.

Now for that Curvaceous Woman, you would do well in styles such as:

• An A-Line dress or skirt which stops just below the knees
• A Peplum dress, skirt or top
• A V-Neck shirt; A top or dress with Empire Lines
• Trousers that zip on the side
• Vertical pin strip suits

All choices that flatter your figure...Stay away from horizontal stripes, which tend to make a person's figure look wider. Instead, choose clothing that have vertical stripes, which can give a woman's figure a more elongated appearance. Some places/designers to Shop: Donna Ricco, Lord and Taylor, Inc-International Concepts, Lafayette 148, NYDJ, Madison Plus, or Lane Bryant.

COLORS FOR FALL 2013!!!
Although you may not be able to pronounce each color, I wanted to make sure everyone was
familiar with the colors for this Fall.  Make sure you take the time to add a touch of color here or there to keep you on trend for the Fall.

 

Explosion of Fall Colors on the Runway .......




 

"On Trend Corner"

Our "On Trend Color" model for the day is My sister, LaVerne, who is rocking a Black/Blue Peplum
top with a classic A-line Black Skirt and topping it off with a pair of Leopard heels!! She added
just a splash of Blue accessories to the mix.  She's certainly on Trend for the Fall....If you
would like to be featured on the "On Trend Corner", feel free to email me your pictures along
with a short description of your outfit.

I thought it only right that I end this week's blog with one of my favorite quotes,

 "Fashion Fades, Style is Eternal." - Yves Saint Laurent

Simply.

Flo