Thanksgiving Haul

I still have every bit of those clothes and this pic is 5 years old

Ok. My name is Shawnda, and I have a shopping problem.  Yes I know I do, yall know I do but I now know that I have limits to my shopping and rules. Rule 1. Only stuff on sale. Rule 2. Set a budget. Rule 3. Buy stuff I need. Now this is me we are talking about and I pretty much needed everything I saw but I pulled back.  The only thing I always purchase that I feel you can never have too much of is jewelry.  I’m pretty much gonna buy jewelry every time I go shopping.

Since I had to work on Black Friday, I had to go shopping another day.  What other day to go shopping other than Thanksgiving Day.  There were a few stores open on Thanksgiving and I made sure to take advantage of the opportunity.  One of the stores that were open on Thanksgiving was Old Navy.  There have been a lot of people who have been dissing Old Navy lately, and yes while I agree that the commercials are whack, you can find some good basics and some things that you wouldn’t expect. I also bout some long sleeve shirts but i forgot to take pics of these.



This is a really cute brown dress with pockets (Old Navy)



Same type dress as about but plaid (Old Navy)

very cute short sleeve sweater. (Old Navy)

I call this my Kim Kardashian sweater. (Old Navy)

Please excuse the pictures… I took some with a digital camera but I cannot for the life of me find the cord, so I had to take them on the camera phone…

So since we were in the North Hills Mall area, we decided to take a stroll over to Sears, but it closed at 12 and it was already 11:55.  By the time we would have even gotten to the clothing department, they would have been turning down the lights!

So we decided to go over to Garden Ridge to check out some bedding over there and we weren’t disappointed. I found a very nice bed in the bag type thing and my Aunt found one even cheaper than mine.  I was also looking for some fabric to make some flowers from, but a lot of the material that they had on sale was too heavy.

I love love this sweater from Macy's and in a color other than Black or Gray

ok so back to black, but its cute (JC Penney's)

I wish i would have taken a pic of this on my neck... its so sparkly (JC Penney's)

ooh so shiny! (JC Penney's)

yes, on sale! (JC Penney's)

Ok since I didn’t have to work on Saturday, I figured we could partake in some Saturday shopping sales.  And you know me; we got there super early before anyone else and I picked up a few items that will keep me warm and sparking from Macy’s and JC Penney’s.

Don't judge a book by its cover, go in the store and check it out!  You can always find something in there...

lalaG

And the host of the Academy Awards is…

Anne Hathaway and James Franco?  Yes, moving on from the likes of last year’s hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, the academy has chosen Hathaway and Franco as hosts hoping that the new blood will spark something in an otherwise lackluster awards show. 

Could it possibly be that this show is just boring and no matter who hosts it, it’s still gonna suck.  The Academy Awards shows haven’t been good since the days of Whoopi and Billy Crystal hosting. 

What are your thoughts?

lalaG

Hot New Trend--- Feathers!

Alice + Olivia Francesca Feather Skirt

from Haute Hippy

The other day I was at work and I noticed someone’s vest.  It was the cutest thing and when I went to look at it closely, it wasn’t a fur vest like I thought it was to be, it was feathers. That feather vest thru me into a tizzy for the rest of the day.  I needed to get myself some feather items.  Just like fur, the feathers on items from clothes to headbands can be an easier wear. Unlike fur, feather clothing and accessories can be worn all year around.  Be careful with feather accessories, they can end up looking like you just plucked a bird. With any animal skin, you can always find a faux version of the products….

Feathers for your hair!

and this took my breath away...

Givenchy’s Black Spazzolato feather shoes

lalaG

Christian Siriano for Payless 2011

I must admit in the past, I didn’t like Christian Siriano’s collections for payless shoes.  They were lacking that touch of flair that Christian adds to everything he touches.  To me it just seemed like it wasn’t him at all.  All that changed when I feasted my eyes upon these little delights of shoe heaven from the Gods above…

Christian Siriano for Payless 20011 (please click on the link, i couldnt get any pics to upload)

Yes I know they are FIERCE and I can’t wait to get my little turtle hands on them.  Upon further research into his collections, I saw some more pieces that I know I just have to have.  Christian Siriano, you have done a great job sir!

lalaG

Breaking GOSSIP News!

Apparently season three American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino was pregnant by a married Antwaun Cook and had an abortion. During this time of the abortion which took place in August she attempted to commit suicide by trying to overdose of aspirin. Barrino reported that she just couldn't take it and wanted the noise to stop after realizing that Cook's wife Paula, filed a court report naming her a "home wrecker". Of course being with a married man is never a sporting look. Barrino's defense is that she was under the impression that Cook was separated from his wife. According to RadarOnline.com Barrino is still dating Cook. While Paula is still not giving up and is suing Fantasia for Alienation of Affection – where an abandoned spouse can file lawsuit against the party responsible for the failure of their marriage, which is usually the adulterous spouse’s lover. Moral of the story stay away from married men so you don't get sued as well as don't get labeled as a home wrecker!

New Couple alert!

Oh no ma’am! Kim Kardashian has been spotting hanging out with Gabriel Aubrey (Halle Berry’s ex and baby daddy.)  On Sunday, Kardashian and Aubrey were spotted courtside at where else… a Lakers game.  Sources say that the two were defiantly being flirty (that’s the only thing Kim knows to be.)  Apparently they met through mutual friends. 

What do you guys think?  Kim gonna stop with the football players or will she go back to her old standards? Can Kim compare to Halle Berry? Is Kim ready to be a step- mother to little Nala?

lalaG

More Baby News…

Everyone’s favorite soulful rock singer Pink recently announced that she is expecting!  Pink officially announced her pregnancy on the Ellen show, but a few days before hand, it was leaked via Twitter (oops!).  Pink went on to say that this pregnancy was planned and that she had a miscarriage in the past. Pink and husband Carey Hart are more than excited. Last night Pink performed at the AMA’s where her belly bump was barely showing.

Congratulations Pink!
lalaG

Faux fur, Real Fur--- it’s all up to you (and your budget)

We here at Pop Culture Fashionista each have our own views on fashion, we just agree to disagree on something’s.  This posting on fur is all my own opinion and none of the others that contribute to Pop Culture Fashionista. Now with that being said…

I LOVE FUR.  I’m sorry yall.  Rabbit, Minx, Chinchilla… whatever if it’s soft, luxurious, and warm, I love it. IT sucks because in Texas, it rarely gets that cold for us to bust out the fur, but some women still do. There are also pieces for those who don’t want to wear animal or can’t simply afford it, there are faux fur options made from man- made materials. If you’re still down to wear fur (or faux fur) in climates like Texas or you don’t want to go all out fur coats and all that, here are some options.

Ok I had to put this first piece in here... so... pretty... 

Fur-Trim Cashmere Cape

Here is a nice sweater with a fur collar.

Joie "Luxor" Rabbit Fur Trimmed Long Cardigan

Joie "Luxor" Rabbit Fur Trimmed Long Cardigan

For something up top...

Echo Scarf, Faux Fur Neck Ring

Something for the head...

Something for the ears...

MICHAEL Michael Kors black wool blend rabbit fur studded earmuffs

Something for your hands...

Shearling Fur Trim Gloves from Brooks Brothers.

You can always find something to fit you indivdual tastes.

oh and by the way... here is my fur bag... faux fur i mean...

lalaG

Thrift Store Finds!

Hi, I’m lalaG, and I have a shopping addiction.

Yes I must confess, I love to shop and I can’t get enough of it. It’s the thrill of the hunt that gets a high for me. It makes me happy to have something new with tags looking oh so pretty hanging up.  Here are my problems, first I have a job where I wear a uniform, and second, I’m broke.  So I needed a solution to feed my addiction and I started looking around on blogs and got some ideas on what to do.  Going to thrift stores is my new way of shopping.  Not only does it feed my addiction, the money also goes to different causes (depending on the location) so it’s a win- win situation. They have a ton of stuff in where I went to and it was more organized that I thought it was going to be.  The particular day we went on was 50% off of pink tags and pink tags were hard to find.  My main goal was to find an item that I could use in multiple ways or add something to it or have it tailored to make it different. I searched every rack for items. I hit the jackpot with what I found. (Sorry, I took these with my camera phone)



Its a black jacket from Jessica London



With this black jacket, I plan to take in the sides to give it a less boxy feel, take out the very thin, but bothersome shoulder pads and then I’m going to add rhinestones or studs to the shoulder area.  I was also thinking about changing the buttons on the jacket, but I’m still not sure about that yet.

The other items I found were just things I needed and wanted and I won’t be doing much changing to them.

These Lane Bryant pants are perfect for work. Very nice and clean and I don’t have to get them hemmed up at all to fit (I’m 5’2” ish)

This dress was to die for! Totally a summer dress, but here in Texas, summer will be going on and off until March. I can wear a sweater, a shrug or even a jacket with this with this.  I was taking off the dress and if you snip the tags off, this dress is totally reversible and you can rock the solid blue color on the other side.

Just a few tips before you start searching the racks at a thrift store

1.       It can be time consuming, so it’s best to know what you want, but with that said…

2.       Expect to not find something you specifically looking for because all stores are different and they don’t carry the same things. Its stuff that’s donated!

3.       Find out what days they have specials or the busy days.

4.       And just have a good time, you might find something that you weren’t even looking for!

lalaG

Pop Culture Fashionista or Faux Fashionista--- Halle Berry

Pop Culture Fashionista or Faux Fashionista--- Halle Berry

Rarely does Halle Berry make a fashion mishap, but Halle has been looking nothing but super fierce in the last couple of weeks. Is it because of her new man Oliver Martinez? Or possibly that she has a new movie coming out, Frankie and Alice.  Halle has said that she has been trying to get this film out for 12 years now. Frankie and Alice is a movie about a woman struggling to survive with multiple personality disorder. Halle walks the red carpet premiere in a cream colored strapless dress (I tried to find out who makes it...) so is this outfit  a hit or miss?  I think we all know the answer to that.

lalaG

Glee--- “The Substitute”

Glee--- “The Substitute”

Sorry for the lack of blog for last week…

Aight Will gets sick and New Directions need a leader.  Kurt gets the bright idea to get a substitute teacher, Holly Holiday, to fill in for Will.  With any substitute, she has to prove herself and she does by singing Cee-Lo’s “Forget You” (which was awesome!)  Oh did I mention Holly Holiday is being played by Gwyneth Paltrow! 

While Will is sick, he sleeps with his ex-wife Teri

The principal is sick also, so Sue becomes principal and starts changing things… like getting rid of the football team and tater tots.

Kurt tries to set up Mercedes with a hot guy, but fails.  He feels that she is substituting food for love. (awww)

Kurt gets threatened by the football player that kissed him and throws homophobic slurs at him.

You should watch this episode cause this is not doing it any justice…

lalaG

Gossip Girl--- “The Witches of Bushwick”

Gossip Girl--- “The Witches of Bushwick”

Sorry for the lack of last week’s Gossip Girl posting… things got a little bit hectic. Any woo… this episode seemed to be all about revenge and it was awesome.  See I never thought that Serena had a true purpose on the show. She was just a good time girl with nothing to show.

Serena has to make a choice, she needs to choose between Dan and Nate because everyone loves her… and the Post finds out about the “affair” between her and Colin (the professor). Lily throws down some law… get yo shit together Serena, life aint a joke! Ok she doesn’t say it like that, but she should have.

Jenny teams up with Juliet and Vanessa to bring Serena down. Lil J gets Serena’s sim card from her cell phone and starts sending text messages to Nate and Dan in order for them to hate Serena even more for what she is putting them through.  Lil J tells Lily that Juliet contacted her and Lily then sets up a meeting with Juliet. Juliet lets Lily know that she has some dirt on Serena and she isn’t afraid to use it. Well you know Lily gives her some hush money (isn’t that what it’s always about?)

Blair and Chuck are still getting it on. Well, until Blair finds out that because she is with Chuck, some organizations don’t want to be associated with her.  So they try to hide the relationship.

Chuck is throwing a masquerade ball and you know everyone is down to go. Somehow Juliet finds out what dress Serena is wearing and gets the same dress.  Juliet then goes into the ball ahead of Serena and with a mask on, she makes out with both Nate and Dan. Juliet (still in mask) uncovers Blair and Chuck’s private relationship.  Everyone is mad at the real Serena and no one believes that it wasn’t her doing all of this.

(This part I missed) Apparently Juliet gets Serena a mask that has some kind of drug on it which causes Serena to pass out.  Juliet then puts Serena in a cab and sends a text message to the Dean that Serena is withdrawing from school…

It was a good episode.

lalaG

BREAKING DIVORCE NEWS!

BREAKING NEWS!



lets hope they can work it out!



Ok… it’s really not breaking news cause TMZ broke this story yesterday, but Eva Longoria Parker and Tony Parker are getting divorced!  That’s right!  Yesterday the story broke but Eva’s reps denied it, but for some unknown reason today they decided to let it all out.  This is from Eva’s twitter page.

lalaG

On Wednesday 17th November 2010, @EvaLongoria said:

It is with great sadness that after 7 years together, Tony and I have decided to divorce. We love each other deeply and pray for each other’s happiness

The divorce petition cites "irreconcilable differences” for the split and that Eva is seeking spousal support.  The reason behind the split?  Apparently Eva found text messages from another woman and it gets better… this other woman is reportedly the wife of another NBA player.  Poor Eva!

On another note… there are some couples that are getting back together.  Jamie and Lynne Spears are getting back together.  They have been divorced since 2002 but have no plans of now to re-marry.

Matthew and Tina Knowles are giving it another try. At divorce hearings on Monday, neither party showed up. Does this mean things have been worked out?

Pop Culture Fashionista or Faux Fashionista: Jennifer Lo... oops I ment Kim Kardashian…

Pop Culture Fashionista or Faux Fashionista... Jennifer Lopez oops I ment Kim Kardashian…

Jennifer Lopez… I mean Kim Kardashian has been out and about lately.  She has been everywhere from the launch of the Bebe’s jewelry line to the Vogue Fashion Fund Awards with Zac Posen and even spent time with the Dream at a Knicks game (Oh we saw you Kimmy).  Now if you notice some of the looks are looking very Jenny from the block and we ain't mad at ya, but you know... at least make it your own. 

I could have sworn this was J-Lo gettin out the car!

WERK IT!

Kim.. um lookin a little um chunk.

Is this an episode of Armenian Gossip Girl?

Oh i see you Kim... but where is Kourtney?

Kim, we love your style. Keep doing you.

lalaG

Gossip Gossip Gossip....

I know things have bee a little quiet over here in Pop Culture Fashionista land, but it’s the holidays. Some of us are busy and some of us (like me) are just sick. We haven’t forgotten about you guys…
Ok back to the task at hand… GOSSIP
The biggest piece of news today is… Prince William is engaged to Kate Middleton! The wedding is said to take place in either the spring or the summer of 2011. They have secretly been engaged since October and finally made the announcement today. They met in 2002 and started dating a year later. No word on what Kate will be called once they are married; it’s all up to Queen Elizabeth on that one. (Did you know that in 2012, Queen Elizabeth has been on the throne for 60 years?!)
Nick Lachey and Vanessa Manillo are engaged! They have been dating on and off for 4 years now.
And not to be out done or forgotten, Jessica Simpson (Lachey’s ex-wife) is engaged to former NFL player Eric Johnson… I figured that was coming… she hadn’t been in the news lately. Rumor is that she had to pay for her own ring… WOW!
Former President Bill Clinton is set to make a cameo appearance as himself in the movie Hangover 2. I got no jokes for that….

More gossip to come later….
lalaG

Who wears short shorts?

Yes fall is among us, but that doesn’t have to stop you from rocking shorts when it’s cooler weather.  If you know how to rock the shorts, the go right ahead, but this look isn’t for everyone.  You should already know that you won’t be able to wear those same shorts that you wore in the summer.  With proper planning and the right pair of shorts, you will be looking fierce at all the holiday parties.

Stretch Taffeta Short from Bebe

Thin-Rib Corduroy Short from Bebe

Kookai Leather Shorts from ASOS



AE Sequin Party Shorts

Leather Panel Shorts from TopShop

If you are going to wear shorts, make sure the shorts are the proper material. Those camel colored shorts that you rocked to the beach every day, not gonna cut it. Those denim shorts? No ma’am they are not gonna fly! Those booty shorts (don’t look at me like YOU don’t know what I’m talking bout.)They won’t fly.  If you’re wearing shorts in the winter, make sure you dress them up. This leads me to my next point…

I don’t know how much you like the cold weather, but I know for sure that I don’t. So if you are going to wear shorts, pair them with tights. I’m not talking your grandmother’s pantyhose that you wear to church on Sundays, I’m talking, knit and textures baby.  Some people might be able to pull off leggings to rock with the shorts, but not everyone can do this.

Modal Rib Knit Tights from TopShop

Modal Rib Knit Tights from ModCloth

Ladies (and some “Gents”) make sure your shoe game is on point when you rock the shorts; almost anything goes, except for those thigh high boots. Then you are just lookin like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.

lalaG

Goin' back to your natural state...

When one says that they want to go back to having natural hair, what does that really mean?Well its hair that is no longer chemically straightened or “relaxed.”  There are two options in making the transition back to natural hair. You can chop all your hair off and start over or just go with the flow and have your new growth and your relaxed hair.  If you choose option two, then be prepared for some breakage because you have hair that has been damaged by processing and new growth which is stronger and not damaged.  There are several ways to help the transition to natural hair

•    Braids or a sew in weave- these are the easiest of the two options because it hides your hair during the transition phase.  Just be careful, the wrong kind of braids will create even more breakage. Also braids are good for those who do the big chop. Just remember you do have to have a certain amount of hair in order to braid your hair.

•    Mini fro- for those who want to make the big snip, a mini fro is what you will have when you start over. The mini fro is awwwesome. I like to see the girls who dye their hair different colors like Chrisette Michelle. So cute!

•    Comb or two- strand twists- very easy and simple to do, and can be worn for several days before having to re-twist. If your hair is left like this too long, then the hair will lock (unless that’s what you want to happen) so take it down on occasion.

•    The crinkle look- this can be achieved a few ways. Either with braids that you do yourself and wear for a couple of days and then take them down or (like I do) wash you hair and scrunch and dry. You can do the twisted braid or the three strand braid.
There are many of different ways that you can ease your transition back to natural hair. These are just a few ideas and if you want more in-depth ideas, just do a little research and see what best for you.
lalaG