Valentine's Day Look: Dressing for Your Relationship Status

Single and Mingling...


My Vday look recommendations based on your status!!!

So you're single and dating! This is the time to have fun, play the field, embrace your other single girlfriends...stepping out in a neon number and sure to turn some heads!  The eye-catching color is best paired with black if you like an edgier look.

Black Dresses by American Apparel
Boots by Sam Edelman

The Breakdown:

Neon tank dress - American Apparel - $40

Black Leather Jacket - Heston - $346

Black Platform Wedges - Sam Edelman - $149

Arrow Stud Earrings - House of Harlow 1960 - $39

Rouge Volupte Perle Lipstick (fuchsia) - YSL - $34

Black & White Clutch - Alexander McQueen - $2,000

Black Clutch - J Furmani - $30

FASHION TAG

I seen this tag on youtube and decided to join in on the fun!  Learn more about your favorite blogger's style...enjoy!

DYME BODY 101: BODY INSPIRATION

Lately I've been eating crap on crap on crap.  I actually have some leftover pizza and sprite I have to tend to today, because I don't waste food.  So to inspire me to get my eating habits back on track I save pictures of ladies on my laptop whose bodies inspire me to hit the gym and eat right.  And today I shall share with you all!  These women usually have body types somewhat like mine.  This gives me a realistic view of my goals.  So here goes...

1. Ciara, singer @Ciara

 Ciara went from being a little on the soft side in 2006 to hard body in 2009.  I can tell she's been passing on the bread.  How else would her abs appear so well sculpted.

 Ciara is one of my top workout inspirations, because she is always hitting the gym.  I'm surprised she hasn't come out with a workout dvd yet.  Check out the muscled thighs (above) sure evidence of many squats and lunges.

 This pic (above) is from a Rocawear event when Ciara was modeling for them.  Taken a few years ago this is definitely during her body transformation.  She slimmed up for rocawear, but still has some babyphat.  Pun so intended.

 

Here (above pic) Ciara has now slimmed up even more from the Rocawear days and still managed to keep a nice bum!  Go girl!

2. Draya Michele, video vixen/model/swimwear designer/reality tv star, @Drayaface

 This chick is not only fit, she has gifts.  Apparently the stripping she used to do in Philly was a good workout.  Draya has managed to keep a flat belly even after having a son.

 She admitted via Ustream that she doesn't workout religiously.  So genes have blessed her with the curves in all the right places.

 Draya is workout inspiration for me because like Ciara she is repping for us long leggers.  I get tired of seeing super thick chicks in the videos.  She reps for the athletic boyish body type yet still curvy chicks.

And she happens to have a nice bum as well.

3. Jessica Biel, actress

 Jessica Biel takes the award for Arms I'd like to have.  They're sculpted just right.  Not too much bulk.  I'd like to get my arms here then stop building.

 I'm not too hung up on having a huge butt.  As long as there is some curve and it's visible in a dress...

 Not sure why Jessica's butt looks ghetto big in this dress.

And of course the abs are always on deck with J Biel.  She is a known health/fitness fanatic so I'm sure these won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

4. Keyshia Cole, singer @KeyshiaCole

Keyshia like myself is on the busty side.  There's not too many busty chicks repping in the entertainment industry so the fact that she's out there and fit...I give Kudos.

5. Rosa Acosta, model/video vixen @RosaAcosta

 She just gets fitter and fitter.  Rosa has definitely become a health nut and fitness pro.  She blogs on rosaacosta.com about her workout goals.

Rosa takes the award for my dream butt for sure.

6. Tanyka Renee, model, Lingerie Football Player, blogger, fitness expert @JockinTanyka

 Ok I'm just now getting hip to Tanyka.  The first thing I noticed about her was her abs and long legs.  The abs are legit, and the legs are to die for.  She has the perfect butt and is just all around inspiration.  She plays for the lingerie football league so the girl is constantly working out hard.

 

7. Teyana Taylor, singer/rapper, actress, blogger, model @Teyanataylor

 Being a tomboy pays off...I'll take Teyana's abs, butt, boobs, and legs please!  I got hip to Teyana's fit ways a long time ago.  Still a fan, still inspired.

I suggest making a little inspiration collage as well...anything to get you moving!  Who is your fitness icon?

Winter Coat Trend: Long Puffer Coats

 

This coat may just be the "it" coat for this winter.  I'm seeing it everywhere.  Girls are wearing them with their duck boots, leather riding boots, uggs, combat boots...This sporty yet chic coat goes with just about any shoe or look you can imagine.  Definitely on my coat to-get-now list.  The snow is here (in ohio) and the coats are on sale.  Must. Stock. Up.

Coats (L to R): Black Bloomingdale's Coat $151, White Calvin Klein $114, Maroon North Face $231, Grey Tahari $139

OFF THE CARPET

Most fashion followers are interested in what designer a celeb is wearing on the red carpet.  I'm more intrigued with what styles they wear to go to the store.  Putting together a cute everyday look while still remaining somewhat casual is a real task.  These looks inspire me more because I can actually wear something like it.  So far this new year the following celebs have kept it fly on and off the red carpet. 

1. Keri Hilson at the Airport in a denim top, grey leopard scarf, grey tee, white denim, and flat combat boots.

2. Rihanna at a basketball game in rocker graphic tee, spikey gold necklace, torn jean shorts, berry lip, ring chain, and pointy nails.

3. Beyonce in a black blazer, printed scarf, skinny jeans, large cocktail ring, and metallic shoes.

4. Angela on the beach in Miami in black cateye sunglasses, weaved leather bag, striped halter bikini, and white net cover up.

DYME ATTITUDE 101: 6 THINGS THAT ARE PLAYED OUT

Sometimes people just don't know.  They need a NO person.  I'll be that person today.

1. Signatures on the end of your text messages.  Especially ones that tell all your business.  They usually look a little like this:

                                   ~He'll never find another like me~ or ~I can sleep when I die~
                        
                         2.  Ringtones.  They had their moment.  However now if you're in your 20's it's looking a little attention-seeking and hood.  Unless its a festive instrumental or a classic song...it's ghetto.

                          3.  Myspace and Bebo.  Duh.  There is no reason why you should be logging in to these sites. 

                         4.  Pictures of your cash laid or fanned out on the internet.  If you do this you might as well put up a poster in the background reading "NEVER HAD S***!!!", because that's what you're telling us.

                         5.  Quoting/Tweeting about love on a daily basis.  There is more to life than who you're gonna end up marrying.  You'll find love when you stop putting your energy into thinking and worrying about it anyway.

                          6.  Rollerwraps.  This is the style where some of a chicks hair is straight while a small portion was rolled on top.  The finished look is straight hair with curls on top.  Not sure how this was ever popular, but it is as country as a style can get.  No Ma'am.
                         Note: These are my opinions if you disagree feel free to leave a comment or if you agree leave a comment.

DYME ATTITUDE 101: PRESERVING KNOWLEDGE

I didn't complete one book last year for my personal enjoyment.  With that observation it is safe to say that I actually got dumber last year.  With the constant attention we give to twitter, facebook, and other social media outlets we forget simple things like how common words are spelled.  This generation cares more about what one rapper said to another in a diss song than we do about the quality of education we're receiving in America or any other topic that should matter.

It's truly sad, but I seen this coming.  When CNN starting taking breaks from war coverage to discuss a celeb's baby bump, I knew we were doomed.

However it's never to late to reclaim our brain and clean out the trash we've been feeding it.

Here's some steps to preserving the knowledge we have and learning more.

1. Limit social network visits.  Especially when you have a dumb network.  Me and one of my closest girlfriends go back and forth about getting rid of our social networks all the time. I actually deleted my twitter and facebook last year.  It became something I checked daily only to get empty, nonsense, mispelled info on nothing.  And reading nothing everyday internalizes whether you want it to or not.  Reading "Eff wit it" at the end of a fb friend's status daily will unintentionally inject "Eff wit it" into your vocabulary.  I eventually returned to social networking, but now it is something that I enjoy STRICTLY OCCASIONALLY.
2. ASK WHY...Stop believing every doggone thing you hear.  We've relied on experts and politicians to figure out the world for us.  It's ok to listen but get your own understanding of things.  When Barack announces a policy, ask yourself why he made whatever decision.  Do your own research.  THINK for yourself.
3. READ, READ, AND READ.  It'll broaden your vocabulary and you'll obviously know more after reading a book than you did before you opened it. 
4. WATCH THE NEWS EVERYDAY.  It's important to know what's going on in the world and with our government.  We're expected to vote in favor of the candidate that we believe will best improve and protect our communities.  Educating ourselves on current events is the only way we can make an informed vote/decision.
5. PLAY GAMES that exercise the brain.  Remember back in elementary school when we learned those multiplication problems.  We exercised our brain so much that we could beat the speed of light answering a math problem.  We must continue challenging our brains.  Games like scrabble, sudoku, and crossword puzzles all aid in this area.
6. LEARN THE BASICS AGAIN.  Yes again.  I hazily remember learning about airplanes in 5th grade and how they remain in the sky.  However my dumb butt was on a flight a few days ago questioning what's really keeping this plane in the sky (the details).  The more important question is why is my black tail on it if I don't know this.  I still help my grandma shell peas and descale fish because these are valuable basic skills that should never be forgotten no matter how many packaged, canned foods they want to sell. 

So there you have it... a little guide for us to get our brains back working.  Time to put our brain membranes to work figuring out the world's problems and living happy, productive lives.