Hello.

"A lady should be two things, classy and fabulous."
-Gabrielle "Coco" Bonheur Chanel

5.12.2012

Grads Galore!

Happy Saturday! And also congratulations to the Howard University Class of 2012! When choosing attire for a graduation, its always best to be comfortable yet still cute. Below I've compiled four outfits that I thought diploma-worthy as graduation season begins! Enjoy!
Being that we are fully into the swing of the Spring/Summer season, it is time to bring out florals! I love this dress because it is bold and colorful; it an easily be dressed up or down. Accompanying the dress, I have a pair of simple tan wedges and and woven clutch with gold attachments. The dress is rather daring on its own, therefore not any accessories are needed.

Maxi dresses are always cute and comfy in the summer. This maxi is strapless and has a tribal print which makes it unique. I decided to pair a pair or snakeskin/tan 'Sam Edelman' sandals with the dress because it gives a relaxed feel. The statement necklace will give the outfit a "pop", so it isn't just comfortable but also fashionable!
Stripes in the summer give a sort-of nautical feel, which I love being from the East Coast! This dress, black and white with stripes, is pretty plain on its own, which leaves room for bold pieces! Adding color to the outfit, the turquoise cut-out pumps bring a little flair in the mix. A simple yet adorable accessory, the tan bowling bag is perfect for throwing in a gift or two for a new grad! The bib necklace is completes the outfit as a simple piece of jewelry.
For those who aren't fans of dresses, this floral romper is a cute alternative! Paired with a brightly colored yellow clutch and simple tan sandals, this outfit acts as a casual look to support any grad! The bangles add  some pizazz to the fit also as a simple accessory.

Congratulations to everyone in the Class of 2012!
Stay pretty!
Khiana

5.06.2012

Clutch it tight.

As I mentioned in my last post, I am a big lover of clutches! Below I have posted some clutches that you may (hopefully) see me carrying during the summer months. Each clutch has a unique style and cut, however I favor a square, flat look in a clutch! Enjoy!
Muze 'Splatter' Clutch
Navoh 'Crystal' Clutch
Juicy Couture 'Georgie' Clutch
 
See by Chloé 'Cherry' Clutch
Tory Burch Woven Patent Clutch
Tory Burch Ombré Clutch
 Muze Oversized Polka Dot Clutch
Big Buddha Clutch

Hope everyone has enjoyed my variety of selected clutches! Any of these items can be found at any Nordstrom store or shop.nordstrom.com.
Happy Sunday!
Khiana

5.04.2012

Pretty Finds. #1

I love the iridescent salmon color of this clutch! Clutches are my weakness in the summer time, especially since I don't always like carrying a bag on my arm. This would nicely complement any outfit; just throw your stuff in and go! The clutch is by 'The Row' and can be found at Barney's New York or Bloomingdales.
I am in love with the new cork trend and my 'Sex and the City' obsession always has me spotting 'Manolo Blahnik' shoes as the famed Carrie Bradshaw struts around New York City in them! I can't wait to find a pair of corky shoes for the summer! This shoe can be found at Barney's New York and similar versions can be found at Nine West or ALDO shoes.

Hope everyone loves these items as much as I do!
Happy Weekend!
Khiana

5.02.2012

White Hot.

Hello everyone! I apologize for my long time away from the blog, I've been neglecting you guys! But now, my finals are almost done and I am preparing to return back to the best place on earth: Boston! But without further adieu, I'm going to continue on and share my thoughts on a classic summer trend, all white attire! A personal favorite of mine, I adore bright white outfits in the sunny, summer months!
As a big fan of dresses, I have compiled a few dresses that I thought were "white hot". The peasant look, becoming more and more popular, the dress in the top left gives an earthy feel. My second favorite dress, I love the beads and details on the uniquely cut dress in the bottom right! I love embellished pieces and this dress is full of colors and jewels that could catch anyone's attention! The other two dresses are lovely and bright also with unique cuts and styles.
A few classic white items: straight leg jeans, linen shorts and a plain t-shirt with dragonfly print!
I love, love, love accessories! Shown here, I have a few white pieces that caught my attention while online browsing. The top picture is a studded, plastic bracelet that snaps on for an edgy addition to any outfit; it would look great paired with other mismatched bracelets!
In the bottom left, a faux leather bow tie with small black beading in the middle; this bow tie is unisex and would look great with all white attire or not!
Lastly, in the bottom right, I have a pair of lace white gloves! Dainty, classy and girly, these gloves are something that I would use to add a bit of feminine flair to an outfit.
Ashley Tisdale looks amazing in her chic all white attire. Paired with snakeskin booties, Ashley has on white skinny jeans, a plain layered tank and a drapy white sweater. Her simple gold chain and hoops add a fresh look while her messy braid keeps the outfit casual!
Rooney Mara, known for her dark yet unique style, was seen at 2012 Oscars wearing a gorgeous white gown by Givenchy. The gown had a plunging neckline and was backless with lovely detail. Her soft makeup and red lips accentuated the white gown, giving her a classic, flawless look!
Rihanna always looks fabulous no matter where she is headed! She is photographed here at the 2011 Grammy Awards wearing a Jean Paul Gaultier dress. The dress is extremely different and she wears it well! Designed with a a see through mesh material and fur on top, Rihanna kept her accessories low as the dress pretty much spoke for itself!

Again, I apologize for my absence but I'm back now!
Stay Pretty everyone!
Khiana

4.14.2012

Cutesy Carnivale.


Yesterday was a sunny, beautiful day for fun. Many Howard students and others alike made their way to the yard for an exciting event, a Yard Carnival as part of the 2012 Springfest celebration. Complete with men on stilts, a fire eater and a dunking tank, I'm sure everyone who attended enjoyed themselves! After class, I ran back to my room for my camera as I saw a handful of people decked out in cute gear! Camera in one hand and cotton candy in the other, I walked around scoping out the fabulous fashions. 

These lovely ladies, looking comfortable and chic were walking around the yard enjoying the festivites. Starting on the left, this girl wore a tan, polka dot dress that had delicate lace details at the neckline which fashionably accentuated her lace tights. Finishing off the outfit with a pair of simple, black combat boots and 'Ray Ban' Wayfarer sunglasses, she looked great!
In the middle, this girl, looking classy chic, wore a pair of dark wash skinny jeans complete with a sheer black embroidered shirt. Her bib necklace and cheetah print oxfords added personality to her outfit and added a cute flair to a classic look.
Last but not least, on the right, this lady paired a flowy, paisley print dress with a pair of tan riding boots. Her large gold earrings stood out bringing her outfit to the next level with a classy twist!

Lovely in stripes, Alex rocked a pair of ocean blue trouser-cut pants with a simple striped shirt and white blazer. Her patterned head scarf, jeweled necklace and pink bag were small, trendy additions that contributed to her overall outfit. Always stylish, she finished off her look with a pair of tan flats.
This gentlemen wore a classic polo style shirt that had an interesting Hawaiian feel to it! The flowers and nautical flags that covered the shirt made me think of summer time fun. For a nice polished look, he completed his outfit with lightly colored khaki pants and tan boat shoes.

Wearing lovely, spring colors these two ladies wore two shades of pink while enjoying the fun on the yard!
On the left, this beautiful girl wore a bright pink blazer with a vintage, patterned button-down shirt underneath. Her gray ripped skinny jeans and orange shoulder bag made the outfit pop! Also as a finishing touch, her braided headband and small hoops completed her overall hippy, chic look!
Now moving to the right, sporting a pair of bright pink skinny jeans and striped oxford button down, this lady went for a preppy yet trendy look! Her turquoise and yellow backpack stood out to me as she incorporated many bright spring colors into her outfit. Lastly her 'Sperry' boat shoes and white watch wrapped up her cute look!
Wearing a typical summer outfit, this young man was seen walking around the yard with a trendy straw hat and denim button down. Adding a more classic feel to the outfit he threw on a bow-tie and khaki shorts which gave his outfit an overall summer-like, preppy feel, finished off with some 'Sperry' boat shoes. 
The most adorable thing I saw all day, this woman was walking around the yard with her tiny friend! She looked clean and fresh in a pair of white jeans and knitted tank-top. Her grayish shoulder bag and tiny pendant necklaces acted as simple additions to her outfit but her little husky friend was the ultimate accessory!

Two of my favorite outfits of the day, these ladies were waiting in line at the photo booth when I approached them for a quick flick. 
On the left, this pretty girl had on a pale blue sun dress that she dressed up with over-sized sunglasses and several skinny necklaces. Her black studded flats were cute and looked comfortable yet stylish in addition to her unique ring that immediately caught my attention! Also a great piece, her large cream colored tote stood out but brought the outfit together.
Moving on to the lovely lady on the right, she wore navy blue high-waisted pants with a purple strapless top. Her tribal print vest and coral colored flats made the outfit pop as she completed her look with a simple black clutch!

Dapper and handsome, this gentlemen wore a pair of tan straight leg pants paired with a white striped button down shirt and bow-tie. His bright jacket looked great against the neutral colors in his outfit as he also incorporated a patterned cap which dressed down his look. Completing his classic look, he wore a pair of tan penny loafers on his feet.
During all the festivities, everyone was surprised when Spider-man and his enemy Venom zoomed across the yard unexpectedly! So shout out to them for giving us a good laugh!

Stay Pretty Everyone!
Khiana

4.12.2012

Patterned by the Poolside.

As we merrily make our way through spring, I thought I would share a tradition that one of my fav designers follow! The year 2012 is the year of YOLO, ancient Mayan disaster and new beginnings. Let's also not forget that like every other year, 2012 will prove to be a great year in fashion, as it is the year of patterns! Kate Spade New York, one of my favorite designers as I mentioned earlier, follows a fad in which they choose a theme for each year and show us goodies that fall into the selected categories! April's pattern is poolside prints! I thought this was a great choice as the weather starts to warm up and we prepare to move along into the summer! Below, I've posted some items that I would love to incorporate into my summer wardrobe! Enjoy!

Yellow is definitely one of my spring colors! The bangles in the top right are extremely cute and could be used as a pop item in a cute summer outfit.

A dress lover in any season, these delicate dresses stood out to me as they incorporated two of my reoccurring trends in my summer wardrobe: bright colors and details. 

Sunhats are my weakness! This bright, patterned hat will hopefully find its way into my closet soon. Classy and everlastingly chic, sun hats are cute at the beach or even on a sunny day!

Every girl should own a tote bag, or a few! The woven basket tote on the left gives off a classic feel but the slight addition of color made the little basket stand out!

Brightly colored watches are popular right now and have been for some time now. I've featured a variety of different watch designs with the Casio watch on the bottom right being my favorite!


Anyone excited for summer yet?
Take a peek at the Kate Spade website to find some items as seen on the blog and keep up with each month's given pattern!

Stay Pretty!
Khiana


4.04.2012

Italians love shoes.


Giuseppe Zanotti: a name of greatness. Born and raised in Italy, Zanotti has been intrigued with shoes and art alike from a young age. Its been said that he was passionate about colors, drawing, flowers and nature; he could not bear to sit in a classroom for too long. Now the renowned shoe designer that we’ve all come to know, he was not always a shoe designer. Giuseppe spent some time during the 1980s as a DJ and musician pursuing another one of his passions: music! Eventually, after visiting the famous “prêt-à-porter” shows in Paris and Milan various times, Zanotti realized his true talent and passion was shoes. Like any great designer, he worked first as a freelance designer moving on to designer for major lines such as Balamain, Roberto Cavalli and Blumarine. In 2000, Zanotti opened his first boutique in Milan and subsequently opened stores in Paris, New York and Moskow. As he designs, Giuseppe lives by the quote, “Shoes are just an extension of the legs.” Being a lover of shoes and fashion, he imagines women wearing the shoes as he creates magic each time. A lover a shoes, Zanotti is a personal favorite of mine! Not only do I fancy his work but many major celebrities have been seen wearing his line including Kim Kardashian, Angela Simmons, Miley Cyrus and more. I’ve compiled a few pictures of my favorite shoes that are available in his Spring/Summer 2012 line. Enjoy! 

http://www.giuseppezanottidesign.com/





top left: These have to be one of my favorite shoes that he's created thus far! The curved heel and bedazzled upper give a flashy, unique look to an otherwise simple design. 
bottom left: I absolutely adore platforms and the color yellow, these shoes give me the best of both worlds! Similar to his other shoes, there is an ankle strap which I find to be a cute, delicate addition to the overall feminine shoe.




Rihanna on the left in a pair of 'Giuseppe Zanotti' cutout ankle booties paired with a fluffy, chiffon skirt and strong shoulder 'Issac Mizrahi' blazer.

Jessica Alba is on the right wearing a pair or 'Giuseppe Zanotti' black and white patent leather pumps. She paired the pumps with bright orange trouser pants and a teal sweater with a leather jacket and yellow shoulder bag to complete the look.
 On the right is Rachel Bilson wearing a pair of snakeskin 'Giuseppe Zanotti' pumps. Going for a comfortable but cute look, she wore a simple tan A-line skirt with a simple t-shirt and small purse.

Beyoncé on the right rocking black 'Giuseppe Zanotti' ankle boots with a layered tank dress and long necklace.


On the right, Kelly Rowland is sporting a cute pair of 'Giuseppe Zanotti' boots with a nice dress. The dress is black but the teal zig-zags bring life to it.

Also wearing a dress, Zoe Saldana is wearing a pair of simple peep toe 'Giuseppe Zanotti' pumps with a lovely, detailed cream colored dress.

Last but not least, Angela Simmons is rocking a simple black dress of a liquid -like material. She has on a unique necklace and belt structure which is designed by Giuseppe as are her wedges!

Make sure you guys check out the Giuseppe Zanotti online e-boutique!

Stay Pretty everyone!

Khiana