I just found this gorgeous open-backed Chanel gown on Pinterest, and just had to post. It looks like an intricately beaded tattoo across your back. This dress commands attention! Only Chanel. Love it.
Posts Tagged ‘Fashion’
Wear Do You Sika?? (Repost)
In Daily Musings on May 16, 2012 at 9:32 am
This is a repost of a previously writtien article. Quite a few people on Twitter and Instagram loved this particular piece, and asked me to repost; so here it is. Happy Hump Day to all my fabulous bombshells!
For my birthday a couple of years ago, my sister Althea, bought me the most gorgeous 1950’s style dress,with an African twist. Designed by a wonderful designer named Phyllis Taylor in London, who is the owner of a beautiful little shop named Sika Designs in South London. I have been hooked on Sika dresses ever since, I wish she had a store here (sigh). Ms. Taylor who is of Ghanaian heritage creates her designs in London, which are then beautifully constructed with couture worthy stitching in Ghana; using genuine African fabric.
The Daisy Dress – From the new Labyrinth Collection
Sika dresses are statement pieces onto themselves, with their full skirts and layered petticoats (purchased separately) worn underneath. A wide sash belt tied into a bow is the finishing touch on most dresses, you can’t help but be noticed. For me Sika dresses are “Mad Men” comes to Africa!
While wearing a Sika dress, you look and feel like an exotic, beautifully wrapped gift. My sister has purchased other items for me from the Sika collection which I love equally; and now that the weather is about to break, look out for that bright spark of African fabric in sky-high heels walking down the street; that will be me. Say hello if you see me 🙂
I would post a pic of me in my dress, but the quality of the photo once uploaded was blurry and not blog worthy. I’ll take another pic soon.
To view the new Labyrinth collection and the full Sika line please visit: http://www.sikadesigns.co.uk/
The designer – Ms. Phyllis Taylor
Related articles
- Bow Boutique by Phyllis Taylor of Accra-lookbook (modejadore.wordpress.com)
A Gentleman Of Style…
In Daily Musings on May 15, 2012 at 9:50 am
Mr. James Williams II ~ President & CEO “A Stylish Way of Life”
At a recent photo shoot with the infamous Corey Landry, I had the pleasure of meeting James A. Williams, II who is the President & CEO of “A Stylish Way of Life” Washington, D.C.’s premier style and image consulting firm. During the photo shoot Mr. Williams cuts a dashing figure in his beautifully tailored peacock-blue linen jacket, smart trousers and custom made shoes, posing with his Louis Vuitton garment bag. Each outfit for his shoot was carefully thought out and executed with great style. When I met James, the first thing I said to him was “now this is how a man is supposed to dress” In my opinion the young men of today could take a page out of Mr. Williams’ finely tailored book.
{Photo credit ~ Corey Landry of Landry Imagry, Inc.}
A Stylish Way of Life has been in existence since 2009, they specialize in services that include, but are not limited to wardrobe & custom clothing consultations, personal shopping, closet management, corporate seminars on professional dressing, and visual merchandising. James got his start as child growing up in New Orleans, where his family owned a men’s haberdashery.
It was through the family business in New Orleans, that James learned the difference between fashion and style. To quote him, “At A Stylish Way of Life, we are in the business of style”. Like myself, James believes “fashion comes and goes, but style is a way of life and is forever. While based in Washington, D.C., James travels around the world attending to the sartorial needs of his numerous globe-trotting clients.
Mr. Williams’ Inaugural Spring/Summer Style Event was a huge success with over 100 guests attending. The event was put on with “our gentlemen clients in mind”. Invited guests purchased items directly from vendors and were measured and fitted for custom garments. Throughout the event, the vendors exhibited the latest styles in men’s clothing, shoes and accessories for the upcoming spring and summer season. James is already in the process of working with vendors for his Fall/Winter Style Event which will be held in Washington, DC on September 28, at the City Club.
Ladies we are not forgotten, A Stylish Way of Life also caters to the discerning woman, looking for a chic and upscale way to revamp her wardrobe.
Visit www.astylishwayoflife.com where you can view past collections and collaborations. You can also find James at his newly designed facebook page at: www.facebook.com/astylishwayoflife. Hit the “Like” button and show some elegant and stylish love.
Got Black Milk?
In Daily Musings, New Loves! on May 11, 2012 at 11:40 am
Happy Friday fabulous people! Those who know me or who’ve been following my blog, know I adore Jeffrey Campbell shoes/boots. The Lita shoe boot in all it’s variations has been a mild obsession of mine to say the least. Well Mr. Campbell has done it again.
This time JC has teamed up with Black Milk Clothing to bring you the most creative limited edition boots seen in a while, with their screen printed comic strip artwork and psychedelic prints; these will surely become collector’s items.
All your favourite Jeffrey Campbell styles, the Lita and the Night Lita, which is part of the heelless trend we are seeing lately, has had a rather artistic makeover. Now as much as I love the heelless trend; I’m not sure if I’m actually going to buy a pair ( though I really want to) this is a shoe I’m going to have to try on to see what form of balancing act I’m going to have to perform in order to actually wear them. No online shopping for these babies. I may stick with my Lita’s; it’s just a matter of deciding which print.
Pre-order yours at www.solestruck.com
Also see the gorgeous screen prints on leggings, tee shirts, dresses and other clothing at www.blackmilkclothing.com
Well daahlings, have yourselves a glorious and blessed weekend, see you soon.
Smooches
See Bex Rox…
In Daily Musings, New Loves! on May 9, 2012 at 9:42 am 
While perusing a newly discovered, shopping site, Obaz www.obaz.com, I came across this stunning bracelet which is called the Elvissa cuff, and loved it so much, I decided to do more research. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that it’s created by a British company named Bex Rox, with a showroom and studio based in Nottinghill in London (my neck of the woods).
The designer Bex Manners was born and raised on Spain’s Balearic Islands. Her company Bex Rox was launched in 2006 and the rise has been amazing to say the least. I can see why! When you visit her website, you are confronted with the most beautiful and unusual pieces of jewelry. This is not your everyday run of the mill trinkets; these are statement pieces large and small with a lot to say. I’m sure they will be conversation starters if you were ever to own one.
I wish I could post all of the pieces, because they truly are beautiful, but take a visit to her site www.bexrox.com; I’m sure you’ll find something there. A couple of my favourite pieces are the featured bracelet above and the kissing seahorses. There are also a number of variations of the same bracelet. Bex Rox prices range from $100 and up.
What is obaz? Well obaz which is short for online bazaar, lets anyone create their own group of like-minded buyers looking to get a good price on the same product. A minimum of 25 people have to be in a group to haggle for a product. oBaz hagglers will then reach out to merchants or manufacturers and leverage the group and their own negotiating expertise to get the best possible deal. This could be a win win situation, as you’re able to purchase products under the going retail price.
Decisions, Decisions…
In Daily Musings, New Loves! on May 8, 2012 at 9:56 am
OK, fabulous people, I need your help here. I love Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs handbags. Marc’s bags will last you a life time, I think they’re pretty much indestructible. I love the sturdy tumbled leather and the heavy metal hardware. One thing you will notice about a Marc Jacobs bag is that they are heavy! The bag empty has to weigh at least 2 pounds and by the time you put all your stuff in, you’re carrying around 6 pounds worth of stuff! That’s why I’ve got such good contours on my arms, because I’m constantly working out when carrying my bag.
Anyway, I’m always on the look out for a nice Marc Jacobs (I already own 3) and I came across the Marc by Marc Jacobs Preppy Natasha crossbody bag. When I saw the electric blue, I was smitten, and was all set to order when I came across the fuchsia! I’m really loving the electric blue, but I need your help to make a final decision. So here’s the poll, which would you choose?
A Flat Out Ballet…
In Daily Musings on May 7, 2012 at 10:24 am
While on Twitter a couple of weeks ago, I noticed a fellow tweetchic by the name of Dawn Dickson. I clicked on her feed because I liked the look of her profile pic, in order find out what business she was in. I found out she was the President & CEO of Flat Out Of Heels. After clicking on her link I came across her website www.flatoutofheels.com. Boy was I happy I did. Here was a company with the most simple of ideas, it made me wonder why this had not been thought of before now (maybe it has, but I’ve never heard of it). Ms. Dickson decided to create a simple and elegant rollable ballet shoe which you unroll ~ flatten out ~ step in ~ after your 4″ heels have murdered your poor tootsies to dust.
Here is a shoe you just slip inside your tote bag, or even a decent sized clutch; doesn’t take up much room and you always have a change of shoes no matter where you are. But wait! It gets better… These gorgeous little shoes are available via vending machines (as well as online). Image that, a vending machine that dispenses ballet shoes, It’s like grabbing a diet coke at work. GENIUS!! There you are grooving away or out and about town, being your fabulous self, starting out strong and in full diva mode in your favourite towering 4″ heels, and then 4 hours later you start to feel the pinch and it gets worse and worse and you become a wimp. Off you hobble to a Flat Out Of Heels vending machine (if you don’t already have a pair to whip out of your bag), insert your credit card and Viola! for $19.99 you’ve just purchased a pair of chic rollable ballet flats in black, red, silver, gold or leopard print.
After you’ve popped your heels in the shoe pouch that’s included, you can continue dancing the night away or go for that 3:00 a.m after the club snack at the diner; you’re so happy your feet aren’t killing you anymore, you celebrate with a vanilla milkshake! In my opinion $20 bucks is a small price to pay to stop my feet from hurting. Take them with you travelling, commuting, wear while driving or when you’re just out and about and those high heels are no longer cute. They also make great bridesmaids gifts.
In the next 24 months these machines will be available in the hottest clubs, hotels and airports, in Vegas, LA, Miami, New York, Atlanta and Chicago with more machines coming to a city near you (Washington, DC please). If you want instant gratification, go online and order now at: www.flatoutofheels.com (there is a $4.50 shipping charge). I was so intrigued by these shoes that I decided to write Ms. Dickson an email telling her how much I thought this was an amazing idea and that I would be writing a blog post about these shoes. Well lo and behold, Dawn wrote me right back, thanking me for my note; and asked me for my info, size, etc. in order to send me a complimentary pair, which I certainly did not expect. I was so excited, I woke my sister up in London to tell her.
Ms. Dawn Dickson ~ President & CEO ~ Flat Out Of Heels
True to her word, I received my very own pair on Friday. This is my personal unbiased opinion of the ballet shoes… I LOVE THEM!! When I put them on… OMG!!! they’re so comfy! They have an elastic back and they mold to your feet; it’s feels like you’re not wearing anything; yet at the same time your feet feel cocooned! I could sleep in these. Those who know me, know if I wasn’t impressed, I would have given the British stiff upper lip, politely said “thank you” and left it at that. These beauties really are nice, the quality is impressive for such a small price.
The packaging is an elegant black glossy box with various quotes such as “Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world” by Marilyn Monroe, or “When my feet hurt I can’t think” by Abraham Lincoln, among others. Ladies, I know we can certainly relate. On the inner sole of the shoes is a cute inscription congratulating you on your shoes and to slip then on and go! (to read full message, buy your own shoes!). What’s also nice is that the black shoe bag is designed in an ingenious way to hold your ballet flats when not in use. See here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUcXg37ImmQ I for one will be purchasing a couple more pairs.
I’ve got mine! Thanks Dawn!
I’d like to thank Ms. Dawn Dickson for her generosity by sending me a pair of Flat Out of Heels Ballet Shoes in a colour of my choice. I wish you much success.
Available sizes, small, medium, large, and extra-large. Get yours! www.flatoutofheels.com
Wow!!!
In Daily Musings on May 6, 2012 at 9:41 pm
I know I’ve been posting a lot of shoes lately, but there are so many interesting shoes out there, in other words expect a whole lot more! Now, when I came across these, I didn’t even know what to say. Never have a pair of shoes left me speechless. These are Christian Louboutin 8″ ballet pumps! I’m pretty sure that the only thing you can do with these, is to place them in prime position and just admire them. They are obviously museum pieces and weren’t created to be worn!! (who could!) They’d look really nice on my coffee table. Mr. Louboutin does it again.
Have a fabulous Sunday evening. See you tomorrow. It’s going to be a fabulous week.
Stay Inspired!
Smooches!
Sexy Never Takes A Day Off…
In Daily Musings on May 4, 2012 at 12:41 pm
Hey fabulous people! I’ve been MIA because I’ve been swamped!! Up to my eyeballs in work, work, work! by the time I get home I wasn’t even trying to look at another computer monitor, but I’ve been tirelessly writing my posts by hand while on the train, in my spiral notebook. Hope you’ve all been well, it’s Friday once again. Time to let your hair down!
OK ladies… lets talk about bras or more appropriately the Brassiere! And while we’re at it, lets just talk about underthings period! Ladies do you really pay attention to the brassiere you’re wearing? or do you just throw any old one on and forget about it? This post is not about bra size, or how to buy a good fitting bra, or the right support, etc., that has been covered a million times. You can walk into any department store and be fitted correctly for a brassiere (I just love that word!). This post is about wearing gorgeous sexy lingerie on a regular basis; sexy is not just for bedroom antics.
For those of you who have to conform to some corporate ideal of dressing by wearing a suit everyday; wouldn’t it be nice to have a sexy piece of lingerie underneath that suit? Whether it’s a lacy black thong and matching bra, a dominatrix bustier or a waist slimming corset, to me that’s one of the nicest things you could ever do for yourself. Think about it, you’re sitting in that boring 2 hour meeting discussing charts and graphs drinking cold tea/coffee, and you’re thinking “if only they knew what a diva there is underneath all this!”
In my personal opinion, I think we should wear really nice underwear just for us, Every Day! I know it’s not everyday that you may want to, although, I think you should make the effort. I know you certainly won’t want to wear your nicest things on “Those” days, but believe me; if you make the effort you’ll feel so much better for it. I’m all about making myself feel good all the time. Let’s face it, who’s going to make you feel like a queen 24/7? Yes you may have a boyfriend/husband/significant other, but I’m not talking about that, I’m talking about doing nice things for yourself, often, not always depending upon someone else (though nice) to always give you that daily boost. My motto is Embrace Yourself and Live Out Loud!
Victoria’s Secret is NOT the only place to buy lingerie, they’re not my store of choice to buy really well made under- pinnings; but you can definitely pick up some nice pieces for everyday wear. It’s been my experience that their product does not have a long life span. It’s time to expand your horizons ladies; Agent Provocateur, ID Sarrier, Christian Dior, Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, La Perla, just to name a few (I really could go on). Do something nice for yourself, you don’t have to keep wearing the same raggedy bra and panties that are so comfy you wear them for years on end. Treat yourself to a few seductive lacy things, and wear them at least 3 days a week (everyday is better), believe me it’ll make you feel extra special. Yes, good lingerie is expensive, but aren’t you worth it?
Please note: It was really difficult to find lingerie images which were tastefully photographed. Everything I looked at verged on porn. Of the hundreds I looked at these made the cut and there’s still a touch of sleaze, I’m a very open-minded person, but it’s important that the images on my blog remain tasteful. What I found interesting during my search, was that the images of black women in lingerie were the worse (straight porn), why is that? And who exactly are these companies marketing to with the legs wide open pose? If you do come across any fabulous and tasteful images; send them my way to: maylana_closet@yahoo.com; I would be delighted to post them.
Remember ladies, sexy never takes a day off!
To Illustrate With Love…
In Daily Musings on May 1, 2012 at 11:01 am
I’m constantly on the prowl for new and interesting subject matter to bring to you on a daily basis; because I love what I do, I’ll stay up untill the wee hours searching for that perfect something to peak your interest. While perusing the marvelous world called the internet, I decided to research a obesssion of mine; the artist Rene Gruau, whom I absolutely love.
Rene was a fashion illustrator in the 1940’s, drawing for the likes of Christian Dior for whom he completed many water-coloured illustrations at the height of Dior‘s career. Rene was also hired by Balmain, Givenchy, Elsa Schiaparelli, among many other Haute Couture designers of the time. Rene created some of the most gorgeous original illustrations for Vogue, Elle and other magazines of the same ilk, which are now priceless artifacts. This type of fashion illustration is something you just don’t see anymore. Is it a lost art? I know designers of today still illustrate to get their ideas across, but you don’t see their drawings as artwork, as much as you see the finished product. The designer whose illustrations I do see on a regular basis is Karl Lagerfeld.
Since Rene’s work has been on my radar for some time, his drawings will be popping up from time to time. In the mean time here are a few of my favourite images from his catalogue of work.
There’s so much more, I could post all day. Have an amazing Tuesday.
Stay Inspired!!
Related article!
- *Fashion Illustrations* (gutseylulu.wordpress.com)
- Fab Read: 100 Years of Fashion Illustration (fabsugar.com)
Maylana's Chronicles 