Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Mean Women or Should I Say Mean Girls

I've been noticing lately a disturbing trend of grown women making fun of others on social websites. In this age of everything Facebook and internet it seems to me women are now spending more hours socializing on social sites then they do with their girlfriends, what happened to the days of weekly brunches and talking with your good girlfriend on the phone for hours about guys, dreams, and life???? That being said there is a new wave of sites that seem to focus on negativity and all things that the most would say is improper. Sites such as HotGhettoMess.com and Nowaygirl.com are known for posting pictures of weird hairdos to baby with lace front wigs on. I'm even guilt of reposting a few pictures from those sites on my Facebook page, but I make a conscious effort to stay away from posting pictures of people. What is bothering me most is when I see women posting pictures of other women that they come across maybe in the club, on the metro, or just out and about. These pictures are posted simply for the purpose of making fun of that person or to make note of what they may think is tacky or a fashion don't. I don't want to come off self-righteous as if I'm perfect. I'll be the first to admit that I may have whispered or chuckled and even made fun of someone to a friend who I am with or someone in my circle at the moment. But I am not in the business of making people feel bad and anyone who knows me might think that I'm a very tough bad ass but I'm really very sensitive especially to other people's feelings. I would just die if someone knew I was making fun of them. Not because I'm scared of them being upset with me but because I cannot handle the guilt of knowing I made someone feel bad about them and I hurt someone's feelings. Do I think it's appropriate to have your butt crack showing no I'm a firm believer that "crack is wack", but it's not my place to put someone who chooses to do so on blast. Also the notion that just because I may have a closet full of name brand shoes and clothes and may a have a pretty decent eye for fashion that gives me the right to play fashion critic and post a picture of someone in an outfit that may not be for me just to make fun of them. I see this all the time on Facebook. Pictures of unknowing females with comments such as hot mess and tacky. Is it not just as tacky to make others feel awkward or bad? It's a very small world have anyone ever thought that this person in this picture could be my best friends cousin I never met or even worst the daughter of a potential business associate. I by far am not the one to speak on Facebook or social etiquette, but something's as grown women of class, we including myself should know better. Besides that person who we may think of as a hot mess may have peace and happiness that many of us are still striving to reach. That just may be why we pacify ourselves with high end clothes to dress up our insecurities. Instead of putting our sisters down lets lift them up. So I challenge you for the next month when you are out if you see a great looking woman or just a neat and presentable woman she doesn't have to be the most fashionable but she seems happy in her skin. Tell her how great she is and take her picture and post it. You can also send to lipsticksocial@gmail.com we will be glad to post. Fly high butterflies and don't forget your sister and your lipstick! Smuahhh!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Grey Nights

Animal print dress
$2,995 - matthewwilliamson.com

Lanvin asymmetrical dress
$6,430 - net-a-porter.com

Givenchy silk top
1,569 GBP - farfetch.com

Vest
day.dk

Dorothy Perkins gray pants
28 GBP - dorothyperkins.com

Kookai silk skirt
65 GBP - johnlewis.com

Matthew Williamson hemming pants
$675 - matthewwilliamson.com

Christian Louboutin suede boot
$1,395 - bergdorfgoodman.com

All Saints cuff sandal
$245 - allsaints.com

Christian Louboutin ankle wrap sandal
$945 - bergdorfgoodman.com

Alexander McQueen skull handbag
1,455 GBP - brownsfashion.com

Dorothy Perkins cream bag
89 GBP - dorothyperkins.com

Alexander McQueen brass jewelry
$350 - net-a-porter.com

Kimberly McDonald gold jewelry
42,670 GBP - brownsfashion.com

Noir jewelry
$120 - zappos.com

Miss Selfridge cream shawl
14 GBP - missselfridge.com

Phase Eight floppy hat
20 GBP - houseoffraser.co.uk

2011 Makeup Trends
$19 - squidoo.com

Grey Nights

Lanvin asymmetrical dress
$6,430 - net-a-porter.com

Animal print dress
$2,995 - matthewwilliamson.com

Givenchy silk top
1,569 GBP - farfetch.com

Vest
day.dk

Matthew Williamson hemming pants
$675 - matthewwilliamson.com

Kookai silk skirt
65 GBP - johnlewis.com

Dorothy Perkins gray pants
28 GBP - dorothyperkins.com

Christian Louboutin suede boot
$1,395 - bergdorfgoodman.com

Christian Louboutin ankle wrap sandal
$945 - bergdorfgoodman.com

All Saints cuff sandal
$245 - allsaints.com

Alexander McQueen skull handbag
1,455 GBP - brownsfashion.com

Dorothy Perkins cream bag
89 GBP - dorothyperkins.com

Kimberly McDonald gold jewelry
42,670 GBP - brownsfashion.com

Alexander McQueen brass jewelry
$350 - net-a-porter.com

Noir jewelry
$120 - zappos.com

Phase Eight floppy hat
20 GBP - houseoffraser.co.uk

Miss Selfridge cream shawl
14 GBP - missselfridge.com

2011 Makeup Trends
$19 - squidoo.com

Friday, April 15, 2011

Counterfeit Bags Are They Worth The Blood On Your Hands, Or Should I Say Shoulders?

Everybody wants the best of the ,best, and its human to indulge in vices such as electronics, shoes, clothes, food, handbags and all things fabulous. Men can’t really understand what a fabulous handbag does for a woman. I like to explain to my male friends by telling them to think of how you feel when you get a hot new car or a new flat screen, it’s not a necessity but it is necessary at that time!  I’ve seen women save for a designer handbag like they were saving for a college fund. Trust me its deep! But there are many women who like the idea of a designer handbag but they can’t justify nor afford the price. So, instead they turn to buying knockoffs.
I can go back to that infamous episode of Sex in the City when the girls were in LA buying fake bags. That started a wave of even the wealthy buying knockoff bags. But did you know that when you are carrying that Louis Vouitton speedy knock off that you have might have blood on your hands?
 Most people think that is harmless and to buy a knock.off It’s just a fake bag right? WRONG!  According to Dana Thomas of Harper Bazaar fakes are directly responsible for the loss of 750,000 American jobs. Wow!  Knock off designer bags are a part of a 500 billion dollar global trade. syndicates that also deal in narcotics, weapons, child labor, prostitution, human trafficking and terrorism run counterfeiting rackets. Yes Girl, terrorism! Ronald K Noble (Secretary General of Interpol), told the House of Representatives Committee of International Relations, that groups such as The Revolutionary Armed Forces Of Columbia, The Shiite Terrorist Group,  Paramilitary Organizations in Northern Ireland, FARC, and groups associated with Hezbollah have all profited from the sale of counterfeit items. According to the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition.,. profits from counterfeiting are one of the three main sources funding international terrorism.
China and South Korea seem to be the main manufacturers of counterfeit bags. Many of which are products of child labor. Children are sometimes sold or sent off by their family members to work in factories that produce counterfeit luxury goods to help in taking care of the family They make on an average, if they are lucky, about 60 dollars a month or less. Children as young as 8 years old have had their legs broken because they wanted to go outside and play.  Children are away from the families with quotas to fill and are being docked pay and punished when they don’t fill them. Surprisingly luxury brands are not standing up or coming out fighting against the issue in fear of tarnishing their brand. Go figure. So that means that we, as consumers, are the ones who have to put a stop to this. There are many organizations fighting against counterfeiting, but they need our help. Remember when someone offers you a too good to be true price for a 2,000 dollar handbag, then usually that means its too good to be true. Educate yourself on how to spot a fake bag. This can be tricky because the knock off manufacturers are getting more sophisticated every day. They even have classes for quality of knockoff bags. “Class A” being the best and a bag of this class could run you a few hundred dollars.
There are many high quality and luxury brands of lower prices. And now with the booming business of online shopping its much easier for you to find reputable sites where you can purchase a slightly used or last season bag (I don’t like the term outdated)Stores like Loehmans, Felines Basement, and Marshalls are havens for beautiful bags that will not send you to the poor house. So remember when you are tempted to buy that spot on look alike Chanel bag to think of the 10 year old hothat is sitting with broken legs or the many who have died at the hands of suicide bombers.  And ask yourself before you put that bag on your shoulders. Is it really worth the blood on your shoulder????? I think not.