Homegirl Quel (kel) in Austin

Fashion Friday: Let's talk about sequins.

While Beyoncé and Carrie from Sex and the City and maybe Cher circa 1982 would look right at home sequined from head to toe, it takes some careful thought for most of us regular girls (if I may speak for you) to pull it off. Not that we'd ever need to be sequined from head to toe, but we might be in the mood to sparkle a little bit along with the rest of the stars this fall.

This Fashion Friday post was a challenge, because I'm not one for shine unless it's on my lips or on my fro. But I wanted to give sequins a chance. Most of the time I dress for comfort. I wear jeans (structured ones) to church...sometimes even with my chucks. I don't dress to draw attention to myself, rather to look cute and decent should someone's eyes land on me. So choosing sequined pieces to potentially add to my fuss-free wardrobe took some work, but I found some that I would actually wear and still look like HomeGirl Quel.

Sequins make a statement, but are wearable everyday if the statement is small. Start with very simple pieces like the black t-shirt dress or black skinny-jeans and white tank I have chosen here:

Items in this set: Premium Sequin Blazer, $124, Betsey Johnson 'Law' Pump, $150, Monsoon Flutterby Butterfly Multi Sequin Clutch, $49, Juicy Couture | Sequined silk scarf | NET-A-PORTER.COM, $204, Black Sequin Ladder Beanie, $20

Then simply add one sequined accessories to finish the look. I chose the short, black t-shirt dress because of the red sequined heels I found. Shoes like those deserve to be showcased along with a good pair of legs...y'all know how I have a thing for my legs. The dress is plain enough to allow the shoe to shine, and simple enough for a plain dresser like me to wear flashy heels, yet not look like I'm playing dress up. Similarly, the sequined blazer or scarf can top a plain white tank and black skinny-jeans without making a fuss. I'd pair the blazer with a pair of black boots or pumps. With the scarf or the beanie, black and white high-top chucks will work every time.

See?! Sequins are doable. How would you do sequins? Or would you?

Coffee with coconut milk is my new jam.

I brewed some coffee this morning then realized I was out of canned milk--my creamer of choice. I use to drink regular milk in my coffee, but my husband uses canned milk in his tea (I think it's common in the West Indies where he's from), and eventually I started using it in my coffee. It's a staple in our pantry right alongside coconut milk, which we use for cooking. I have tried soy milk with my coffee, but am not a fan. So I tried the coconut milk because I was not going to not drink my coffee and I could not drink it black.

Y'all, fresh, hot coffee plus raw sugar plus coconut milk equals pure awesomeness. It's not pretty though. Coconut milk is kind of grainy and it separates in the coffee so it does not make a creamy blend, unless maybe you use a little cow's milk, which I might do the next time.

While happily sipping away, I googled to see if other people are drinking coconut milk in their coffee and of course they are. I ran across a few good recipes worth trying. I'm looking forward to trying this recipe, which I found it on grouprecipes.com, especially now that it's cold outside.

Makeup Monday: Go Natural!

Whew! As you may already know, I saw Good Hair this weekend. Y'all, when I saw what sodium hydroxide, the active ingredient in chemical hair relaxers, did to that poor innocent piece of chicken? It made me wonder how many of us actually question the ways in which we systematically poison our bodies and those of our children knowingly or unknowingly. I only used chemical relaxers for about 6 years, between age 13 and 18...and twice over the past 12 years during my natural hair journey. I'm glad to be off relaxers completely now, but can't help but wonder what, if any, long-term effects exposure to those chemicals may have caused me. Is that a major downer or what? Basically, I said all that to say, I'm inspired to go natural...for a minute.

Just Felt This Flick (but not in the good way): Good Hair

If I had seen the actual preview for the film before going to see it, I might have been prepared for what I was about to see. But I didn't see the preview, which has a very lighthearted, comedic edge. Going into the film, I had only read bloggers' reviews and overheard conversations about the Oprah episode and the backlash from women who where not pleased with the film. So I went in expecting too much, I think. 

The documentary, Good Hair, was supposed to be a look into the black woman's quest for "good hair", but it should have been promoted as a look into everything you never thought you ever wanted to know about The Annual Bronner Brothers Hair Show, with a few segments about chemical relaxers and the hair weave industry in India. It's a good documentary for what it is--a Chris Rock comedy. Not sure I agree with the rave reviews. After watching it, I'm just annoyed. I guess you can visit a couple of hair salons in a couple of cities and interview a few Hollywood actresses and claim to have lifted the veil of mystery behind back women and their hair issues. Whatever, if that's what you want to claim--free country and all that, but it's just annoying.

Fashion Friday: It's A Wrap!

Wrap sweaters deliver instant style--a cool edge to your look with as little effort as just throwing them on. They take on a different shape every time you wrap them, so it's like many sweaters in one. More importantly for those of us with a little more up top, there is no sweater more flattering than wraps. My philosophy when it comes to sporting big boobs: either flaunt 'em or camouflage 'em, but don't just lug 'em around. Before I discovered wrap sweaters, I was a lugger--a standard cardigan girl, and those things are so unflattering on a girl like me with more up top and less everywhere else.

That's me in the picture...looking wrapalicious at Blogalicious 2009. I think I ended up wearing this Old Navy sweater to every daytime event while I was there, because it goes with EVERYTHING, even in green! I dressed it down here with dark-rinse skinny jeans, a white tank and black ankle boots,  and later dressed it up with tan wool crepe J. Crew slacks, a pomegranate top and heels. I even rocked it with boot-cuts and chucks on the plane ride home. I liked this look so much that I actually went back and got the same sweater in black! 

Above: Splendid Cape Wrap $87 - piperlime.com;Roll-Up Wrap Sweater $40 - Old Navy;Loose wrap blouse -$688- brownsfashion.com

Tip for my HomeGirls: When you find something you like, especially a high-style, reasonably priced classic like the one I'm wearing here, go ahead and get it in at least two colors. Definitely a DO with jeans. We all know that jeans that fit perfectly are a gem, so when you find the ones that hug you just right, buy two pair or even three of the same ones if they're on sale. That way, you won't have to wash and wear one pair to death. When they're beyond that chic, broken-in point, you can pull out a fresh pair and keep it moving.

Wordless Wednesday: Hometown Visit

Random encounter with creepy old dude...

The Place- Target
Him- Old-enough-to-have-wrinkles white dude (his race is important, because a black man just would not.) walking up behind me.
Me- Minding my own business on the baby food aisle looking for dry brown rice.

This is how it went down...

Him: "Hey there! You know I like that hair like that." (referring to my natural twist-out)

Me: "Thank you." *smiles with closed mouth*

Him: "Mind if I touch it there?" *reaches to touch my head*

Me: *easing away taking a couple of steps forward whilst ducking his hand and watching him with a puzzled look* "No?! No. Thanks."

Him: *hands on hips leaning back and smiling* "Well somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

Me: "Mhm." *still puzzled in the face and walking away, but checking my back every couple of steps, because, CREEP, no you cannot touch any part of me and why are you on the baby food aisle anyway?! Then feeling kind of sorry for him because he's old, and maybe lonely and maybe he was just being friendly and maybe he was on the baby food aisle because of the recession and he's eating baby food now instead of grown up food because I've heard that some poor old people do that. But still weirded out by the whole thing and annoyed that he tried to touch me.*

Obsessed...just a little...but a lot..seriously.

I have this song stuck in my head--"Touch My Body" by Mariah Carey, but not her version. Since I'm officially obsessed with Priscilla Renea right now, OB.SESSED...I was looking at her videos online and ran across this video she loaded onto youtube to attract attention to herself, before ultimately getting signed by Capital Records. Anyway, this acoustic version is wonderful. I posted it on my Facebook page (my personal page, not my Fan Page, which you are SO welcome to join) a couple of days ago and noted that watching this video was the first time I had really listened to the lyrics of the song. Yes, there was much *pearl clutching* going on. Who knew Mariah was so...forward! I never! Anyway, Priscilla Renea's rendition of the song is here. Prepare to be impressed.

Makeup Monday: Sam Fine, The Basics of Beauty DVD

Back in the day, y'all, I lived and breathed to do makeup...and eyebrows. If I had it to do over again, I probably would have gone straight to cosmetology school after high school. I was The Makeup Girl among my friends and fam. Proms, parties, weddings...I was it. Now, I'm not itching so much to do makeup for my girls...although I will without hesitation if asked...but I am LIVING to pull my natural look together like Sam Fine, celebrity makeup artist and guru for black women, does. I'm on a mission. Step 1: Buy Sam Fine's DVD. Step 2: Look fabulous. Step: 3: Y'all know there will be before, during and after photos.

I remember when his book came out in '97. The before and after photos of models and celebrities are incredible. I was surprised by how many products he used to achieve what is essentially a natural look. I couldn't quite pull off his techniques though. While I pride myself in my ability to wear a full face of makeup (foundation, powder, concealer, blush, lipstick and liner) while looking like I'm not wearing any, like I do here, I'm ready to look more fly after all that work. Now that the book has come to life and Sam Fine is actually SHOWING us how to apply the makeup AND talking us through it on his DVD, it-is-on. 

I couldn't afford his book back in the day, can't justify the cost to buy it now, but the DVD is less expensive and well worth the $25 price tag. It's available on Amazon.com. Stay tuned for my transformation--I'm gonna be SO ready for my closeup.

But enough about me. Here's a little something for you. Sam Fine works his magic with eyeshadow:

Wordless Wednesday: It's Diane Amos, "The Pine-Sol Lady"!

Priscilla Renea's not a doll, but is SUCH a doll.

Sunday, with just a stool and a guitar, Priscilla Renea gave a special performance and charmed us all at Blogalicious 2009 (more on my amazing experience at Blogalicious later). She performed her hit single, Dollhouse, as well as Mr. Worker Bee and was awesome! I took some footage of her performance! Enjoy it. And after the jump, a video I found of an acoustic performance of Dollhouse. Learn more about Priscilla and listen to more of her music HERE. Don't put her in a box--you couldn't even if you wanted to. Get into Priscilla Renea, y'all. She's what's next.

Continue reading to see acoustic video of Dollhouse...

Makeup Monday: Opi, You Don't Know Jaques

Last week, a friend and I went to this really cute nail salon called Nail Bar on the Island in Memphis, TN. It's a sweet little French looking spot in Harbor Town, which is a posh neighborhood on Mud Island--an actual island off of downtown Memphis. When we walked through the door, I felt like I was "somewhere else". They have done an incredible job of creating an atmosphere that is eclectic, modern and shabby chic all at once (great pics on their website). We where seated at an actual bar and offered our choice of complimentary red or white wine or champagne. I spotted the nail color I wanted when we walked through the door, and after a cuticle treatment, exfoliation, hand massage and paraffin wax (all while seated at the bar), my nails where lacquered with You Don't Know Jacques from Opi's new French collection. It's a smokey brownish-grey and it's awesome. It's not for everybody, but I have officially found "my color". Even my friend commented on how the polish looked like me. It truly is my forever color now, y'all. I'm looking forward to trying it on my toes when open-toe shoe time comes around again. Sorry, I don't have any awesome nail shots because my cuticles are not camera worthy. But Brittany (who I totally bonded with at Blogalicious--more on that later) has awesome pics wearing this shade in all three finishes: regular gloss, matte and suede, as well as her own opinion of YDKJ--> HERE.

Grey nail polish: pass or fail?

Fashion Friday: Ode To My Black Trench Coat

Don't be surprised that I'm about to spit a rhyme about an article of clothing. Many of you already know that I'm sort of a goofball. Remember back in 2005, when I wrote Ode To My Thermos? That was real and from the heart, y'all. It's been a few years, and I'm feeling like waxing poetic again. My love for my black trench coat is real. I'm feeling extra amorous right now, because while trying to figure out what to wear to Blogalicious 2009, one thing I never doubted was that I would take my black trench coat. This weather down south is all over the place right now, and my classic trench coat is perfect for it all. Plus, it looks just as fab with my favorite pair of jeans and Chucks as it does with a cocktail dress and heels. I love my black trench coat, y'all. I wrote a poem about it. 

Here you go:

To borrow from the great E.B.,please, "let me count the ways".
You stylishly complete me on those cool and sunny days.
And when the rain surprises us the way it always does,
I simply pop your collar--when it rains or just because.
And when you cross my mind at night the way you sometimes do,
You discreetly cover what my lover gets to view.
While fashion trends may come and go like random acts of kindness.
You, my love, will always be-- classic and chic and timeless.

*takes a bow*

Blogalicious 2009 Or Bust!

 
It's that time y'all. Tomorrow I'm heading to THE conference designed for (but not limited to) female bloggers of color in Atlanta. I'm so excited to be attending this event in it's inaugural year. I've already met some awesome bloggers since becoming an ambassador for the conference and am looking forward to some serious networking and FUN this weekend. Like a good bloggerista, I will have my BlackBerry and laptop in tow, so I'll either be posting from Blogalicious or drafting posts from Blogalicious to share with you guys next week. Either way, please stay tuned.

Also, Blogalicious Tweeting will be non-stop during the next three days. If you're not already, please follow me on Twitter! For Blogalicious tweets and pics, find me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HomeGirlBlog.Oh! And Fan me on Facebook!

Wordless Wednesday

An Awesome Old Photo Of My Mom

This is a picture of my mom that was taken just a few days before she gave birth to my brother and me. A childhood friend of mine found it and posted it on Facebook last week. It's one of my favorite pictures of her. My mom was so glam. This is one of her house robes. You can't see the matching gown underneath. That's me in her belly facing the camera--I was born ready for my close-up, y'all. LOL. The matador hanging on the wall in the back? We use to think he was our dad (not that he looked like him aside from being big with a short fro)...and then Elvis (we lived in Memphis) until we where old enough to understand that it was just a painting.

Makeup Monday: Conceal it!

When I wear makeup, my goal  is to look flawless...not made up. So I use light coverage products on my skin: tinted moisturizer or mineral powder, depending on how much time I have to get ready. After becoming a stay at home mom and getting a LOT less shut-eye, I developed some pretty good shadows around my eyes. Not awesome. I hadn't worn concealer for years, but when I needed to add them back to the mix, I tried something old, something new, and something borrowed, and loved every one. Here's the rundown:

Something Old: Black Opal Flawless Concealer (Bronze) $5
I started using this back in college. Back then, I was heavy into makeup and used concealer in every curve on my face (sides of nose, around mouth, eyes...) whether I needed it or not. Most of the time, I think I pulled off a flawless makeup application, but again, I looked made up. This time around I just used my finger to dab a bit all around my eyes (upper lids, corners, underneath) after eye cream for an instant fake-out.

Something New: Clinique Almost Powder SPF 15 (Deep Golden)$23
 I can't say enough awesome things about this product. I don't go one day without wearing it. Secret's out. I first used this product as part of my first ever review for Clinique as an Insider (click here to watch my video review) and fell head over heels for it. While it's NOT a concealer, this mineral powder it is a wonderful stand-in. I use the sponge for a heavier application around my eyes before using the foundation brush to finish my whole face. I use this product and technique most often since, as a mom of a toddler, I usually don't have much time to spend getting ready.

Something Borrowed: Olay Regenerist Eye Cream + Concealer,   $20
 A friend of mine left this at my house after visiting from out of town. In the tube, it looks totally too light for my skin tone. The only reason I gave it a try was because my friend is the same complexion as me and uses it religiously. I used it after applying my eye cream (although it is an eye cream--I use mine out of habit) and after patting it in with my fingers it blended right into a slightly lighter-than-me halo around my eyes. After applying my makeup, it actually gave me a really professional looking finish. I mean, you could tell I had applied something to brighten my eyes--like how sometimes you can see on celebs?--but it was pretty. It was for a special occasion, a wedding actually, so I felt perfectly fine looking done up. 

Quick Tip: Apply concealer all over lids before eyeshadow for all-day ceaseless coverage. Here's a short video of a professional application:

Fear of an Intelligent Black Man

 
Fear of an Intelligent Black Man
By Paul Scott  www.finalcall.com

“If I'm not who you say I am then you are not who you think you are.”
—James Baldwin

"I want to extend my sincerest apology to the Right Wing Republicans; the Tea Party people, The Birthers, etc. For the last year, I have been calling you “narrow-minded bigots who are just hatin' on the president because he's Black!” However, based on the events of the last few weeks between the hecklers, the protesters, and the media lynching of former Obama green czar, Van Jones, I stand corrected. You guys don't hate him because he's Black. You hate him because he's smart ... and Black. "

<FULL ARTICLE HERE>

Fashion Friday: Plaid?! Plaid.

During the Fall '08 and '09 shows, fashion designers did what they do and went out of their way  to let the masses know what is next and what is now in fashion. Out. Of. Their. Way...

So.....plaid is officially In. Most of us can't pull these looks off in our regular day-to-days, which is why, more wearable versions of these pieces are what actually hit the racks at our malls.

Delias is always on trend (for the youngsters). Their window display at my neighborhood mall is what inspired this post. The four, headless manikins in the window where all dressed in a rainbow of colorful skinny jeans and lumberjack plaid button-downs. They where cute there in the window, but I imagined would look quite silly on me. Not just because I'm twice the age of people who should be shopping at Delias, but also because at 6'1"  and being broad shouldered and busty, I know I don't have any business wearing the trendy lumberjack plaid button-downs unless it is my intention to indeed look like a lumberjack. Yeah. No.

So I decided to make a project of it and pulled together plaid looks that I could actually wear...if I where to ever wear plaid.And I was pleasantly surprised that there are some plaid looks out there that I'm actually feeling. Following are three outfits I created featuring plaid pieces I would actually wear:

Black Barbie! Girl, what took you so long?

I remember getting a black doll for Christmas when I was in second or third grade and literally throwing it against the wall and crying because I didn't want a black doll. Believe it or not, y'all by second grade, I, HomeGirl, had totally bought the message that I got from the images I had been exposed to: cartoon princesses, Shirley Temple, baby-dolls on the store shelves, Barbie--all white. Those where the things I had learned to nurture and adore. Those things where beautiful and special. Not me. What was I supposed to do with a doll that looked like me? I wasn't special, right? That was the message, intentional or not. And thousands of us heard it loud and clear. Fortunately, I was young enough and had parents who where present and informed enough to undo some of the damage and put me on a path toward self love. How much self love? Enough for me to be THRILLED about the new line of black Barbies!

BLACK BARBIE, WHAT?!

Can I just say it's about time?! If not now, then when? We've got Barack and Michelle in The House, we got Gen.  Bolden doing his thing over at NASA, we got Venus and Serena 'nem handling things. For the first time, a generation of young people are growing up seeing reflections of themselves as presidents and astronauts as well as top athletes and entrepreneurs. For the first time little black girls will grow up with a Disney Princess that looks like them (shout out Tiana!), and now, thanks to the new, PERMANENT, not special edition, line of So In Style Barbies by Mattel, they will get to grow up with Barbies that look like them or somebody they know. The line is comprised of dolls of varying skin tones, hair textures and facial features, that reflect, more than ever before, beautiful black women. Y'all, this is huge. Click HERE to see pics of and to meet Trichelle, Kara, and Grace.

Here is a video of designer, Stacey McBride (who is black) talking about creating this new line of dolls:

Thanks to Disney and Mattel and even to Michelle Obama and the girls, there are some pretty awesome images of feminine black power and beauty that black girls and boys (it's important for them too) haven't seen mainstream before. This is huge, y'all.