Totally Rad!

Inspired by my ode to the 80's birthday party, this Friday, here are some modern ways to look truly outrageous!!!

The 80's were an interesting time for fashion with neon colors, Aqua-Net hairspray, and those God-forsaken Units. lol! But there were some fads worth being revisited.

I will admit that I was nervous when leggings first resurfaced. But honestly, there is little in the world more comfortable than a basic pair of leggings and a roomy top.

More nerve-racking than the return of leggings had to have been shoulder pads. Growing up, my favorite uncle, Bruce, lovingly nicknamed me "quarterback" or "fullback" or some other football player position. He recognized my broad shoulders before I knew they'd be the cause of many frustrating shopping trips. But the puff sleeves that often accompany "holder pads" (as a young cousin used to say) makes any shirt or dress ultra-feminine. For you lean shouldered gals, shoulder pads and puff sleeves will help give your body the curvy, hourglass figure we all long for.

Lace and ruching have never really left us. They have both been overdone like completely see-thru dresses and funeral home looking designs. But done modestly, they can be lovely and functionally advantageous. A lace shirt with nude lining can be extremely sexy for a night out. Or a completely cream lace wedding gown can make a ceremony feel very romantic and secluded. And an appropriately ruched dress can be camouflage those imperfections that put all women on an equal playing field.

The looks pictured above are great for a theme party or just an adventurous day out. But for those of you who prefer to do trends one piece at a time, pair any of these looks with modern jewelry or shoes. Even try a lace top, with a skinny skirt for work or pair leggings with a boyfriend blazer for a first date. You can look truly outrageous!!

Stay Stylish!
Tipper

Shoe Diddy

A few months before my October '09 wedding, a friend hosted an event at my home. I took that opportunity to clean out my shoe closet. So, by the end of the evening I'd given away nearly 20 pairs of shoes as well as loaned a few pair for the wedding...which I haven't gotten back yet. *clearing throat*

But in the time since then, I've started replacing them; one by one and sometimes two by two. lol! My husband thinks I'm out of my mind. According to him, I only have two feet and can only wear one pair at a time. Men!

This summer, I decided to organize my closet, which basically means shove all of his things into another closet to allow myself more space. I also took the time to put all of my shoes in their appropriate boxes, and then count them. I have a few pairs of shoes that I may have purchased at a clearance sale or somewhere else where you wouldn't necessarily buy shoes in a box. I counted 63 pairs of boxed shoes...and I came up with a little song, as sort of a warning to my dear hubby. Like to hear, it? Here it goes!

Sixty-three boxes of shoes on the wall, sixty-three boxes of shoes.
If one of those shoes may happen to fall, there'll be
sixty-four boxes of shoes on the wall.

Sixty-four boxes of shoes on the wall, sixty-four boxes of shoes...

Well, you get the point. It's the educator in me! What an excellent way to teach a mini diva how to count! :-)

Toodles stylish people!!

Rompering Around

I absolutely LOVE rompers for the summer. These aren't the same onesies you wore as a toddler.

They are easy to dress up or dress down! You can pair them with ballet flats or gladiator sandals for the day or stilettos and ankle booties for the evening. They are so versatile. And if you find the right one, buy it in every color and make it your summer staple!

All of the rompers pictured here are under $100 and at least one is under $20. So go ahead, find one that you love...why should Beyonce be the only to have all the fun???

Year In Review

During my adolescent years, my friend, Megan and I would compile a massive list of the Year's Best, Worst, and Most. We gave our opinion on everything from TV moments to fashion mishaps to hot boys. Then one year, we stopped...not really sure why, but we did. I guess we felt as though we'd grown beyond it.

But I've learned that a little bit of reflecting on the past may help to guide you in the future. I believe that it is important, even necessary to look back at the previous twelve months. It gives you a chance to examine the decisions you made, re-evaluate the direction your life is going, and appreciate your blessings.

This blog, the last one I will prepare for this year will not be about fashion. This will be a public, yet personal review of 2010.

Every year for me begins with optimism. My husband calls me a unicorn, because I believe in fairy tales. But my life is real and many times, not pretty, so I sometimes wish for leprechauns and valiant knights to share pots of gold and slay dragons. And I think that is perfectly ok.

Tuesday, January 12, my heart and mind were taken back to August 25, 2005 and September 11, 2001 when a catastrophic earthquake ripped apart the poor nation of Haiti, killing as estimated 230,000 people. It is difficult to mentally grasp that sort of devastation, but the images were real and vivid. Two things happen when people are faced with these sorts of situations; we either see the best or the worst of people. My students shined. They donated money and organized a shoe drive where we sent close to 500 pairs of shoes to the island with the help of the SGA of Texas Southern University.

This year, I have experienced some of the highest highs and lowest lows of my adult life. In July, I turned 30, and my wonderful husband helped me celebrate in grand fashion, by throwing me a fabulous birthday party.

In October, my husband and I celebrated our first year of marriage. While we weren't able to go on a honeymoon right after our wedding; we got away to New Orleans for his birthday in August. It was a wonderful trip and we experienced New Orleans like we never have before. I truly think that it brought the two of us closer together.

Well, it must have because just a few weeks later we found out that we were expecting. It was a Friday morning and I was on my way to work. I took a test and I couldn't believe my eyes so I took another one. And they both read positive. So before I left I went to his side of the bed to kiss him and say goodbye. But I showed him the test and said "Surprise!" He was. We held off on sharing the news until my already scheduled doctor's appointment the following week, which confirmed things. We were on cloud nine. We had planned that we would start trying once school started, but we had no idea it would occur so quickly. By week six, I'd started a video journal chronicling the experience and introducing ourselves to "Baby Williams."

That week, I started spotting and cramping and ultimately our worst fears had come true. And on September 25, my pregnancy had officially come to an end. It was an incredibly dark time. I felt so alone and lost. I was angry at my husband because he couldn't feel what I felt and I at the world because I felt like they believed that I was wrong for grieving. I thought people were saying that I wasn't far enough along to have created a bond with our baby. But I had.

Because of how "new" my pregnancy was, I hadn't really told anyone. And afterward, it was too painful to talk about. So, I'm just recently starting to talk about it openly. I am grateful for people like Bill and Giuliana Rancic and Mariah Carey along with husband Nick Cannon, who have come out about their own miscarriages. One in four women will have a miscarriage, but when you are going through your own statistics are of little comfort.

I've recovered physically. I'm recovering emotionally. And we are moving on, looking forward to conceiving again and bringing a little Baby Diva or GQ Baby Boy into the world real soon.

Thank you for supporting my efforts this year! Let's see what's in store for 2011!

Happy New Year!!

Stay Stylish!
Tipper D.

(Check out my final fashion blog of the year, too!)

2010: Hot or Not?

Every year is full of fashion flubs, flops, and fabulousness, and 2010 was no different. Today, I am going to share with you some of the hit or miss moments of the year plus a few trends that took some time for me to get used to.

Hated it:
This isn't even a real trend, but for the safety of your children and innocent bystanders, please burn your children's Heeleys! It's not even something new, but I really just wish they would go away.

Lady Gaga...really I have nothing else to say about that.

Minx nails. It's really just too much. How do people get anything done with all of that stuff on your nails?


Fuzzy things. I am Texas born and bred, so I adore a mink coat, or a fox stole. But please stop wearing these random dead animals. If the vest wasn't bad enough, now there is this horrid shoe that the usually chic Julianne Moore was seen in. If I'd seen it in person, I may would have tried to step on it.




It grew:
There were a few styles that I wasn't sure about at the start of the year, but much like Madam Moore's shoes, they have started to grow...on me.

Jeggings. Really it's just a fun word to say. And I sometimes refer to myself as a "wordsmith" not to be confused with "black smith" or Willow Smith, who is quite a stylish mini-diva! But a jegging paired with a velvet jacket and booties for the evening or a knit sweater and flats for the day is a wonderful winter ensemble.

Motorcycle boots. Yes, whowouldathunkit? But I like them. I've only worn flats to work for the last few months, which is completely new for me. This has forced me to look at other options. Now, I haven't broken down and purchased a pair yet, but they are on my shopping list.




Boyfriend EVERYTHING. I had the sweaters and the jackets, but I broke down a bought a pair of jeans. I like them. I have to be careful to pair them with slim fitting tops as to not make me look like an Oompa loompa (not a good look). But they are quickly becoming a wardrobe staple. Those along with my boyfriend watch my loving husband gave me for our first anniversary. Now, I am terribly attracted to the ceramic ones.

Loved it:
Now, I'm going to try to keep this section short, but I won't make any promises. There were so many things to love.


The jumpsuit. OMG! It doesn't matter weather it's pants or shorts, I just love them. They don't require a lot of extra and they make you look really long. Heck, I even have a lounging one that I sleep in. Yeah, I don't know that my husband is bananas about that one though.

Sequin...during the day. Yay! Who doesn't need a little glamour in their daily grind? Wear it on a sweater, under a blazer, as a blazer, or even as a skirt...this is a trend that I don't think is going anywhere. And I'm glad about it!!



Leopard-print EVERYWHERE. I have always been a fan of leopard-print shoes. Really, they go with almost everything. And while I probably have 5 pairs in my closet they all are on their way to the shoe hospital because they are the most worn and typically the most comfortable. This year the ladies of my church decided to wear leopard print, and it was right up my ally. I went bold and wore the booties and the dress!


50's Inspired fashion. This summer I started noticing the Chanel-like jackets returning to the stores and I was ecstatic. It is a return to feminine details and embracing what's luxe even in an upside down economy. I am most enamored with sweetheart sweaters and circle skirts...with long leather gloves. Fierceness at it's best! Thank you, Louis Vuitton!

So, I'll end with my favorite item of the entire year.

Dear Sam Edelman,
I think I'm in love with Lorissa! When I first saw them, I knew that we were destined to be together. I immediately pictured myself in a LBD, sporting these shoes posing on the red carpet. I think you should change the name to Starlet, because that is how they make me feel. I feel that every outfit can handle one statement piece...and these shoes will keep everyone else speechless!



Stylishly in love,
Tipper Diva

Have a Safe and Prosperous New Year!!

What "Me" Do You See?

My mother refers to herself as Beyonce. And honestly, Mrs. Knowles-Carter should hope to look as young as my mother when she's 50+. In the last few months, my mom has lost more than 50 pounds and her commitment and dedication to the task is awe-inspiring. But it got me to thinking, who do you see when you look in the mirror? What version of yourself do you see when you look at your reflection? Do you see the same person that everyone else sees?

I know that I don't. It's kind of funny. I suppose, for the majority of my life I've lived in bit of denial of my true self. Well, I don't necessarily know that it is a denial of my true self, if what others see is negative? Perhaps there is a level of self-perceptual indulgence that is ok and perhaps healthy. My mother grew up believing she had the legs of a statuesque model, when in fact she has a long torso and is only 5'7. But despite the occasional joke between the two of that, there was nothing wrong with her misguidedness.

The truth, more often than not is the ugly truth, that many of us are not able or prepared to deal with. To what extent should we consider or give credence to what other people to say about us? Most of us will readily accept the positive messages that we receive, but we shun the negative. But then there are those of us who will embrace the negative, and reject the positive, as seen is this video from TLC's What Not to Wear. This episode aired just two weeks ago, and it was quite a heavy almost heartbreaking thing to see. Sara, a 26 year old, with an athletic background who was completely unable to accept her body. For most participants, after getting their hair and make-up done, they step into their new and improved self with confidence. But even at Sara's reveal to family and friends, she seemed incredibly uncomfortable.

I know that the "me" I feel is not always a reality, but if that "me" helps me to walk a little taller and feel better about myself then I'm ok. Yes, when you look in the mirror, you should love who you are. But if today, I happen to feel a little taller and thinner, or my booty feels a little rounder; then Beyonce you better watch out!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Stay Stylish,
Tipper D.

Keep Khaki Corporate Not Kiddish

Vena Cava Gap Khaki Collection 2009

Are you often mistaken for a student? Is our daily dress code slacks and a polo-style shirt? Here are a few ideas for wearing khaki and not looking like a kid.


Why Khaki?
Classic: Never goes out of style.
Cotton: Durable fabric.
Neutral: Perfect neutral alternative to black.
Comfortable: Yes, I can't believe I said that.
Cost: Can be found at ANY price level.
Versatile: Comes in dresses, skirts, pants, jackets, you name it!
Seasonless: Wear it anytime of the year.



Now that I've hopefully convinced you that Khaki is a viable option, let me help you get dressed.


How Khaki?
Wear a thin belt over a cardigan.
Pair with soft fabrics...silk, cashmere, etc.
High heels or flats, make sure your flats are ornate.
Add color, any color.
Grrrr, don't be afraid of zebra, tiger, or leopard print--oh my!
Get a tailor. Make sure that it fits well.
Amp up the sex appeal, try a skinny cargo with a pair of booties.
Embellish..add necklaces, chunky bracelets, ornate pins, and jaw-dropping earrings (just not all at the same time)
Simple elegance. Tuck in a crisp white shirt.

Now you are ready to graduate your khaki from kindergarten to killer!

Stay stylish,
Tipper D.