"Mommy Luxe" Version of Kim K.'s Fab Look

I spent much of this past fall and winter, probably like many of you honeeyz, hunting for a fabulous fur vest.  A fur vest is always a great piece to have, and this past season they were in high demand (see my Style Crush HERE rocking various fur vests in the flyest ways possible).  I searched high and low for the perfect vest for weeks at a time and I thought I'd never find one.  For some reason every vest that I saw and sort of liked just wasn't fitting me right or working the way I envisioned.  But then a few weeks ago I finally came across a long faux fur vest by French Connection that I instantly was loving but was a little unsure about it because of the length (and partly bc I really wanted real fur... I know, shameful).  

Photo Courtesy: www.zimbio.com

While I was contemplating the purchase (I actually left the vest and came back for it a few days later), I recalled a picture of Kim Kardashian rocking a similar style vest and looking hawwt as usual.  I know she's a short little cutie like me so I figured if she could pull it off I could pull it off (yea, I just concluded without much reasoning at all that whatever Kim K. can do I can do just as well...yup)! Not only did Kim convince me, unbeknownst to her, that I should get the vest I also decided that I'd pair the vest similarly to how Kim rocked it.  The only difference is I happen to be a very busy woman, mom to two demanding brats (and I have a slightly more restrictive bank account than Kim has...lol) and therefore, can't be screaming out fabulosity and high end fashion all day every day (although I wouldn't mind being about that life at some point...lol).  So I decided to rock the look this weekend while running around with my Princess and I put a comfy, chic, mommy spin on it and came up with what I dubbed, "The Mommy Luxe" version of this Kim K inspired look. What do you honeeyz think of my toned down, kid friendly version of Kim's look? How do you busy honeeyz or mommy honeeyz stay chic and fabulous while maintaining all your many roles and responsibilities? 

Faux Fur Vest, French Connection; Long sleeve white tee (staple item), BCBGeneration; Suede Pointy Toe Wedges, Sam Edleman; Pouch/handbag, Gucci; Sunglasses, Balenciaga; Gold Ball Charm Necklace, H&M

Photo Courtesy: www.x17online.com. *How Fab does she look??!! Did it on em!

Style Crush - Olivia Palermo

I have mentioned before that if I had to describe my style I would say varied.  But if I had to pinpoint one particular look within my personal style book that I love the most and repeat frequently, I'd have to say that I'm very classic but with a twist or edge.  I like traditional silhouettes, clean and simple cuts, and straight lines.  But the twist to keep me from looking boring or ultra conservative and what makes up my style, is the use of textures (fur, leather, pony hair are some of my favorite textures) colors patterns, unexpected cut outs and asymmetry.  I also love to shop for pieces rather than outfits b/c they can be rocked so many different ways which makes for a more flexible and versatile wardrobe.  All of these little niches about my own personal style and shopping habits is the reason why I have a style crush on Olivia Palermo.  If you don't recognize her, she was featured in the last 2 seasons of MTV's "The Hills" spin off, "The City," filmed in NYC with a crew of NYC characters, including Oliva.  She is what they would call a socialite... famous for being rich and pretty and using daddy's money to rock some of the hottest digs.  Basically, rich for nothing, famous for not a thing.  Her attitude on The City drove me crazy, in fact when I first started this blog (and quickly abandoned it before relaunching) I drafted a post that never came to fruition titled "The Sh#tty City" all centered around Olivia's nasty little stank attitude and the disgusting reality of being rich and famous for no reason actually matters in America.  Despite all of that, you can't deny this girl is cute and stylish!! I hate her attitude (or at least how it was displayed on TV) and the fact that she was born with a silver spoon jammed down her throat and placed in both of her hands, but she is fly! She accessorizes almost all of her looks with some fur and even when she is entirely dressed down and casual she is super chic.  All of her looks are very classic, sophisticated with a pop of something...color, texture, or accessorized (you will hardly ever see her without a fabulous oversized bag...that's so my motto).  She makes a simple pencil skirt, sheath dress, or pair of leather leggings look like something so innovative just by how she styles the look (usually with fur...I repeat).  I love it! I think clean pieces are so sexy and actually create a blank slate for you to interject more of your personality than some of the more busy/trendy outfits that scream at anyone looking your way.  Sometimes the subdued, simplistic, lady like look means so much more than all the extra and bells and whistles.  You know, the whole less is more saying??! It aptly applies here!  Anyways, see below for a few of my favorite looks that Olivia rocked.  And before any of you honeeyz get your sexy panties in a bunch, I only have a CRUSH on her STYLE... I don't love her attitude and I'm not saying she's an icon or anything like that....just saying that I love her style and how she puts pieces together and how it reminds me of my own style philosphy.  :-)   It's not about race, status, size or anything like that.  Just about her style. What do you honeeyz think? Who's style do you honeeyz crush on and why??

**All pictures are courtesy of www.zimbio.com. There is a lot of fur, animal prints, pony hair and clean lines going down and I like every minute of it!

The New and Improved Nicole Ari Parker

http://photos.essence.com/galleries/star_gazing_062410#457021

I jokingly told my girlfriend recently that the lightskinned, sandy haired, light eyed girl never impressed me. In fact, I always thought they all look exactly alike and not exotic at all. They have all those "characteristics" that you would think automatically made them interesting and beautiful but never really amounted to much, well as far as I was concerned. To put that all in perspective, I'm not trying to come across as discriminatory or to generalize and come up with misplaced and ignorant conclusions. I'm mostly joking in my assessment that "they" all look alike but the other part of me is tired of the generalization that those with these characteristics are beautiful just because, so this is more about balance and annoyance with the blanket beauty pass for being black with fair skin or black with lighter eyes or black with wavy hair. That has to be one of the most annoying and frustrating assumptions and racist based conclusions out there and it's even more offensive when it comes from black people. I've said it before, and trust me you will hear it many times over, Nia Long and Halle Berry (I do acknowledge she is mixed and her hair is fine but she's also brown skinned, has dark eyes, and is more beautiful with her pixie cut and brown hair than she is with long highlighted locks) are super hawwt without any of those "auto" features, not to mention there is Sanaa Lathan, Gabrielle Union, Michelle Obama, Malinda Williams and many other brown skinned women that are automatically beautiful without doing a single thing or having been born with any one of those "auto" features! Anyways, I say that all to announce that I have been pleasantly impressed with Mrs. Kodjoe more recently. With age, marriage and children she looks absolutely fabulous, and that's my kind of girl. She looks gorgeous in this picture! The dress and shoes I absolutely love, her hair looks more modern funky and most importantly, she seems very happy. Absolute winner look...and it has nothing to do with her hair texture, eye color or skin tone! The dress and the shoes are to die for and her happiness is to kill someone else for!