Throwback Thursday: Miss World 2001, Agbani Darego

Nigerian beauty, Agbani Darego, by becoming  the first black African woman to take the Miss World title. 

As Seen on Being Mary Jane: Black Cut-Out Dress

If you watched the finale of Being Mary Jane last night then you may have also drooled over the black cut-out dress she wore in the museum scene. The dress spelled haute, it was chic and sophisticated with the right touches of edgy. I found two similar cut-out dresses that I'm sharing below. The cut-outs add a nice touch of pizazz to a wardrobe classic.

River Island Black Cut-out Dress

Rachel Pally McKay Cut-out Dress

Blogger Feature: Introducing Abi of All Things Random

    It's my pleasure to feature the fabulous and stylish Abi and her blog, All Things Random.

Tell us about yourself, who is Abi?

I always struggle with this question, I never know what to say, everything I know about myself goes out the window the minute I’m hit that question (haha). I’ll start with my age….

 I’m 23 years old, I currently reside in London, I also work full time as MAA for New Look Fashion Accessories Department. I love shoes, no no let me rephrased that I’m obsessed with shoes, I mean what’s not to like they are cute! What else. (If this was a job interview sure won’t be getting that Job). I will say I’m very funny but my friend and family might disagree (Jealous) but I make myself laugh which is good enough for me!

What inspired you to start a blog?

It was actually spontaneous, my friend showed me Necole Bitchie’s blog and I thought I could do the same thing (Boy was I wrong) so I started All Things Random. I started off posting about everything and anything, music video, latest celebrity gossip, food recipe, you name it! After a while I realise that type of platform is not for me so I stopped blogging and got rid of my Blog. It wasn’t until my second year of University that I started to develop a strong passion for fashion (check out my rhyming skills), I use to stalk fashion blogs from morning till night, that’s when I decide to start blogging again but this time about fashion. I decide to keep the name All things Random because it kind of reflect my personality.

What trends do you currently enjoy wearing?  

At the moment I love the 2 in 1 dress trend, very 90’s, also the chunky boots.

Where do you get style inspiration?

I get my inspiration from people around me. If I see something I like I usually write it down in case I want to try it out. I don’t like anything over the top; I like to keep things simple. I also love Wendy from Wendy’s look book and Camille from Camille tries to blog, very classy ladies. Ohhh Lookbook.nu is another website I stalk a lot.

Anything else?
Yes, follow me on Instagram @mizzabi and twitter @mizzabii

Visit Abi's amazing blog, All Things Random

Style and Elegance: Celebrating Lena Horne

For me,  Lena Horne epitomizes true style and elegance. Stunningly beautiful, she simultaneously exuded class and sex appeal. She was both glamor girl and class act.  It's interesting that I associate Ms. Horne with pearls, but as a style icon, one of the things I like most about Ms. Horne was her use of carefully selected accessories and clothing to exude class.  All of her photographs showcase a woman of refined taste. Today her elegance continues to inspire many women including me. Here's to celebrating Ms. Horne.

Born in Brooklyn in 1917, Lena Horne became one of the most popular and the most glamorous African American performers of the 1940s and 1950s. She began her career at  sixteen when she was hired as a dancer in the chorus of Harlem’s famous Cotton Club. She spent the next five years performing in  New York before moving to Hollywood to pursue acting. During this  time period, black actors were cast in limited roles, and despite her talent and rising notoriety, Lena faced a number of barriers  due to race. She explained,  “In every other film I just sang a song or two; the scenes could be cut out when they were sent to local distributors in the South. Unfortunately, I didn’t get much of a chance to act.” Nevertheless,  Lena persevered and by the mid-’40s,  she became the highest paid black actor in the United States. Ms. Horne was also active in the Civil Rights Movement. A few of her activities included participating in the March on Washington and performing at rallies throughout the country for the National Council for Negro Women. Visit this link to learn more about Lena Horne.

Alicia Keys pays homage to Lena Horne

My Personal Style: Pink Blazer + Pencil Dress

 Shoes: Pour la Victoire
Blazer: Zara

Dress: via Nordtrom Rack

Faces Of Black Fashion: Celebrating the Unique beauty of Black Women

In this video, I talk about the reason/purpose for this blog. Check it out!

Celebrating Black Motherhood

Celebrating Black Motherhood

Nigerian Actress, Angela Okorie and baby boy

UK Songstress, Rochelle Humes, and daughter Alaia-Mai

Jourdan Dunn and son Riley

Jamaica beauty, Yendi Phillips, and daughter Israel Naomi

Beyonce and Blue Ivy

Oh Los Angeles: Thoughts of a Jamaican New Yorker Living in L.A.

~

When I was a little girl growing up in Jamaica, I used to look at the mountains and wonder what lied beyond them. I had heard so many stories about “foreign,” specifically about America.  Those stories birthed a desire within me to experience “foreign.”  The movies and music videos I watched on t.v. further ignited my desire to travel. I would imagine myself walking in snow, shopping in New York City in my frequent daydreams about a life outside of my beautiful island home.

At 12 years old I moved to Long Island, NY, and life became an adjustment for this small town island girl. I had dreamt of a different America. Yet, while the dream was not what I expected initially, and though the adjustments were sometimes too difficult to bear, my life beyond those mountains had began.  I was in the foreign of my dreams, the foreign I had heard so much about.

Five years later, I relocated an hour away to New York City to begin college, and I fell in love. My beloved New York!  The city where I became of age and blossomed into early adulthood.  New York is where I first fell in love, had my heart broken, cried soul-aching tears, laughed heartfelt belly-aching laughter, form strong bonds of friendship, started many a natural hair journeys, developed my sense of style and taste for sophistication and created lasting memories.  New York, the city that has my heart.

When I Relocated to D.C. to attend law school in 2009, I sought a change of environment. I needed a break from things and people in my life that no longer served me, so a new city represented turning a new leaf that I desperately needed to turn.  Three years later after a lot of growth and lessons learned, I was happy to move back to my beloved New York a wiser woman, and move I did.

Yet six months later, I was packing my bags and booking a one-way ticket to Los Angeles for my first post law school job. I didn’t plan it, and I didn’t see it coming.  The bleak job market for law school graduates meant that I went with the job offer even though it was 3,000 miles away. I can still remember staying up late at night wondering if I made the right choice and feeling a little bit afraid of moving away from everyone and everything I knew to a city I had never even visited.

Fifteen months later, I am still in Los Angeles. The first few months were tough. I did not know anyone, and I often felt alone. Yet I resolved that I would get out and meet people, and in this City of Angels, God sent people in my life that have blessed me in unexpected ways. In L.A. I learned to drive and got my drivers' license, moved into a chic apartment of my own and started the first job of my legal career.  I am thankful.  I have also grown in so many other ways, leaned on God more than I have ever done before, and learned lessons I needed to learn. Tough days came, but with and through Him I overcame them.

Oh Los Angeles! You grew on me, and you too will have a special place in my heart. I don’t know if and when I will move back to my beloved New York City, but I am thankful for the growth I needed and the lessons I learned from this City of Angels.

Here’s to celebrating 15 months in L.A.

Cheers,
~Nika

How to Have a Fun & Fabulous Singles Valentine's Day

Despite what society says, Valentine's Day can be fun and fabulous for singles. Here are five ways to have a fun and fabulous Valentine's Day:  

1.    Have an outing with your single friends: get dolled up, gather your other single girlfriends and have a blast. Whether you decide on dinner and drinks or a night out dancing, remember to implement and emphasize a positive fun filled night. Avoid the temptation to complain about men or your relationship status. Instead, choose to have a blast and create lasting memories.

2.    Pamper yourself. Treat yourself to a day out at the spa for a massage, enjoy a mani and pedi or get a nice hair do. You deserve to treat yourself on this special day. Remember you have to love yourself first before attempting to love anyone else.

3.    Host an event or slumber party. Combine numbers 1 and 2 and host a get together at your house/apt or have a slumber party.

4.    Buy yourself a nice gift. Jewelry, new shoes, a pretty purse, the list is endless. That Valentine’s Day gift that you would like, why not treat yourself to it.

5. Show someone special how much you love them.  You may not be in a relationship right now, but there is someone special in your life who you love. Whether it's a friend or family member, let that person know how much you love him/her on Valentine's Day. 

 
Cheers,
~Nika

Celebrating Grace Jones

In honor of Black History Month

Born in Spanish Town,Jamaica, Grace Jones, moved to Syracuse, New York at 13 years old. Grace began her modeling career in New York before moving to Paris where she walked the runway for fashion houses like Yves St. Laurent and Kenzo. The Parisian fashion scene embraced Grace's bold androgynous look and style and her  modeling career blossomed.  She appeared on the covers of leading fashion magazines such as Vogue and Elle. Grace's standout, individual style consisting of decidedly sexy bodysuits, intricate headpieces and capes earned her cultural and fashion icon status.  The well-rounded and multitalented Grace also acheived mainstream success as an actress and a musician. Grace continues to be a lasting influence on the fashion community and has inspired many artists worldwide. 

Today we celebrate Grace Jones. 

Alek Wek chanels Grace Jones. 

Lupita Nyong'o for Vogue Italia

Our favorite starlet Lupita Nyong'o looks stunning in these photos. 

 Source

Cheers,
Nika

Outfit of the Day: Weekend Look, Comfy & Cute

I usually run my weekend errands during the day on Saturdays. I like to be comfortable so I usually opt for flat shoes (or wedges). Today was no different, I wore flat boots and paired it with jeans and a cute sweater that I recently found at a boutique in Downtown LA.

Boots: Mia 

 Sweater: Boutique Purchase
Jeans: Madewell