Mail Bombs

Thank goodness it's Friday!
So this week's nostalgia has been nice, but I think it's time to return to my regularly scheduled program of...

Mail Bombs.
Allons-y (Let's get it):
Reader Eisha is a huge Rihanna fan, and wanted to know the make of this sea foam dress….

...she wore to last year's Fashion Rocks.
Doing a quick search, I found that the dress is from Zac Posen's Spring 2006 collection...

..It's not in stores, but if you want something similar, I'd say that this $100 Adrianna Papell Bead Babydoll Dress comes close in color…

And this $178 Sequin Grecian Halter Dress (also by Adrianna Papell)…

…comes close in design.
Good luck!
Next up, Erin says, "I love to wear dresses and skirts in the summertime, and I don't want to stop with fall. Can you recommend some great fall dresses to carry me through the season?"
I love a good sweater dress for cooler temps, and you can never go wrong with a shift dress in a seasonless wool. If you’re looking for a summer to winter transition piece, a wrap dress always looks great with a cardigan thrown over. And don't forget a nubby tweed! My picks:

Top Row: Calvin Klein Belted Sweater Dress, $118, www.nordstrom.com; Adore Dress, $98, www.guess.com.
Bottom Row: Collection Sharkskin Belted Shift Dress, $188, www.lizclaiborne.com; Tahari by ASL Belted Wrap-Style Dress, $128, www.macys.com.
Rock 'em with some stiletto boots or spectator booties with tights. You're good to go!

Next up, in an e-mail titled, "Show the big girls some love" reader Pamela says, "Im a full figured size 20/22 very attractive and professional young lady living in the ATL... I'm shaped kinda like a pear/apple (lol) with a somewhat undefined waist ( I have attached photos of myself for you to judge, I'm the first one, in yellow)..."

"I already know about the empire waist tops and dresses along with A-line cut skirts, dark boot cut denim and wide leg trousers. I shop Lane Bryant and some times Torrid but a big girl gets no love you know that!!! With that being said, would you put together some variations of looks for the FASHIONABLE PLUS SIZE WOMAN not them big sheets..I'm talking about cute stuff which I know you have no problem doing. It would be greatly appreciated."
Hey Pamela! I show big girls love! Not sure if you remember this post by Pretty Girl (another voluptuous reader), but she said:
"...I used to work at Macy's and I couldn't believe how many figure flattering pieces I found there, I still shop there especially during their sales and Christmas season. If you are on a budget then places like JCPenney (Bisou-Bisou line comes in plus sizes and is super stylish and affordable), Old Navy, Ashley Stewart, The Gap and Bitten (at Steve and Barry's) by SJP are great options. If you can basically spend what you want on clothing then we big girls really have options. There's Monif C, who is mostly know for her convertible dress that can be worn 22 different ways, Curvation by Queen Latifah, Size Appeal, Igigi, A-light, Kiyonna, Curvety, Sosienna, and Torrid. You can find all these boutiques online and some have brick and mortar locations..."
Out of all the sites she mentioned, I feel that Monif.C (www.monifc.com), while expensive, has some of the most fashionable looks for plus sized divas:

From pretty printed tops to mini dresses and club ready show stoppers, they've got you covered! If their prices are too steep, I also found the following:

Top Row: Bisou Bisou® Print Wrap Dress, $50, www.jcpenney.com; INC International Concepts® Woman Scoop-Neck Baby-Doll Dress, $99, www.macys.com.
Bottom Row: Suzette Wrap Top in Brown, $29, www.igigi.com; MICHAEL Michael Kors Houndstooth Swing Jacket, $170, www.nordstrom.com.
Hope that works for you!

Lastly Monica was interested in knowing the designers of dresses a few TFB readers wore at the white party:

So if you’re reading, write on in!
Smootches!
PS Have *great* long weekends!

Contest Winners!!

Hey Guys,
So it was a tough race, but we have winnners!
The recipient of the first gift bag...

...is none other than reader Tamara, "a proud 2007 graduate of Howard University from Pittsburg, Philadelphia"...


And the recipient of gift bag number 2...

...is faithful reader Sasha from Washington, DC...

Congratulations ladies! Great work! I'll get those out to you shortly!

And I'm sure you're wondering: What were the answers?
Well...
1. Andre Leon Talley…

...joined Vogue in 1983 as a fashion news director.

2. Pulitzer Prize winning fashion editor Robin Givhan...

...recently won the Eugenia Sheppard Award for journalistic excellence. If you don't read her articles in the Washington Post, bookmark it! It's like taking a course in fashion.

3. Patrick Kelly...

... was the first American to be elected to the Chambre Syndicale, France's prestigious organization of designers.

4. Rihanna’s dress...

...is by Herve Leger...

...and Ciara’s shoes…

…are Yves Saint Laurent...


5. My Furberry Scarf...


...was totally called out at a sample sale! The horror! It's at the Salvation Army now...

6. I grew up in none other...

...than Stone Mountain, Georgia (crank dat).

7.My buddy from home...

... is named Liana.

8. Rachel, Elita, and Suzie were my fantastic summer 'terns.

9. I almost scrapped with this lady...

...over this black trench...

...at the H&M Viktor & Rolf sale.

10. And I only attended three shows my first fashion week:
Jennni Kayne

Malo

...and Heatherette...



Fashion Week is coming up next week (eek!), and there will be a lot more this time around:) More on that later.
So once again, congrats to my winners, and thanks to everyone who diligently searched through my archives for the golden answers!
Smootches!

The Bomb Anniversary Contest

Hey, Hey!
Sorry for delay, but this post is worth the wait! As promised, today is the day for the Bomb Anniversary contest. It’s been exactly one year since I wrote the following:
********************
Welcome to my humble, humble blog…

I'm a twenty-something year old in a city and an industry where fabulosity is EXTREMELY important. I love to write (ask my friends who receive my e-mail novellas everday), hang out with my buddies, and...SHOP! I'm absolutely, positively addicted. I'm the type of person who'd rather have a cute dress than a balanced meal, would rather spend a Saturday in Soho stores than sunning, and would take shoes over security. When people are carrying shopping bags full of clothes, all I want to do is ask them 'What'd you buy???' I get excited over fashion magazines like Lucky (just clothes, no talkie), and watch TLC's 'What Not To Wear' religiously (and have written TLC letters many times asking to have reruns during the week, not just Friday nights!). Anyway, I've always been a connoisseur of fashion if I may opine...since the days of my plaid skirt suits, knee highs, and Mary Janes in Junior High to Satin Tops and Bootcut Jeans in High School...
***************
I babbled on and on, but you get the point. Thankfully, a lot has changed since then. Time to really celebrate!
So, I have some amazing gift bags (two to be exact) to give to the Fashion Bomb readers who display the most knowledge of topics covered by The Fashion Bomb (and me by default).

Some questions are a little difficult, but the prizes are dope, dope, dope.
The first person to respond correctly will receive the following:

1. Textured Matanzas Metallic Gold Bracelet, Cubannie Links, post forthcoming. 2. Enamel Wing Earrings, Out of Hand Boutique, an online boutique I wrote about here. 3. Dark Blue Paisley Dress, Seasoned to Perfection, a vintage resale company mentioned here. 4. Copy of Fabulosity, mentioned everywhere! 5. Electric Blue Patent Leather Shoes, Seasoned to Perfection, whose owners I pictured here. 6. Fashion Notebooks, Sui Generis Boutique, an online boutique highlighted here. 7. Belt, Harriet’s Alter Ego boutique , a cool Brooklyn shop profiled here. 8. Octopus Necklace, Out of Hand Boutique.

The second person to respond correctly will get the following:

1.Denise Bangle, Sui Generis Boutique. 2. Satellite Kimono Scarf, Starlet Accessories, an accessories company profiled here. 3. Bird Earrings, Stars and Infinite Darkness, an emerging designer website I wrote about here. 4. Copy of Fabulosity (the runner up should not be denied). 5. Egypt Cuff, Boutique Finesse, which I first wrote about here. 6. Mystery item, Pieces Boutique, featured here. 7. Sophie Slingbacks, Dru New York, whose designer I interviewed here. 8. Textured Matanzas Patent White Gold Bracelet, Cubannie Links, post to come!

So how will I determine the winner? Leave your answers, along with your first name and e-mail in the comments section. Good luck!

So the questions are:
1. When did Andre Leon Talley…

…join the austere ranks of Vogue?

2. What fashion editor recently won the Eugenia Sheppard Award for journalistic excellence from the Council of Fashion Designers of America?

3. What black designer was the first American ever to be elected to the Chambre Syndicale, France's prestigious organization of designers?

4. Who are the designers of Rihanna’s dress and Ciara’s shoes…

…in this picture? (Looking for two answers)

5. What Chinese ‘souvenir’ caused a snooty stranger to cry 'fake'?

6. Where's my hometown? (hint: It's in Georgia, but not Atlanta) Had to change the wording of that question because the answer was murky...

7.What is the name of my buddy from home...

... who participated in a Style Intervention?

8. What are the names of my former interns?

9. What item caused me to get into a minor altercation...


...at the H&M Viktor & Rolf sale?

10. What shows did I see during my first fashion week?

Alright...get to searching those archives! And the technorati search box on the right should help…
Good luck!
Smootches!
PS Special thanks to Sui Generis, Pieces Boutique, Cubannie Links, Boutique Finesse, Starlet Accessories, Harriet’s Alter Ego, Dru New York, Out of Hand, Seasoned to Perfection, and Stars and Infinite Darkness for donating!! You’re the bomb!
PSS Have you RSVP’d for my Anniversary Bash?? Really?

You better get on it!
RSVP to fullthrottleparty@gmail.com.
PSSS Special thanks to Elsa! You're the best!

Shine a Spotlight on: Style Files

Hey!
So thanks for all your comments yesterday! It seems a lot of y'all are nostalgic for the pink. The site is only half done believe it or not (notice, no sidebars), so perhaps I can negotiate a lil something something for ya. I'll keep ya posted!
So this week is a celebration of all things Fashion Bomb, and today I decided to shine a spotlight on Style Files.
I read a lot of the mainstream mags, and notice that not enough are out there celebrating the true beauty and style of women of color. So I decided...why not me?
I've covered everyone from reality show vixen Eva the Diva...

...to voluptuous lady Queen Latifah...

...Socialites like Genevieve Jones...

...to media mavens like Star Jones...

..and in the next year I plan to cover a few style icons and chic chicks that you may not have heard of.
If you remember, my very first style file, dated January 19th, featured Kelis.
An excerpt:
***********
Most celebs have great clothes with the help of oodles of money and stylists…But few are courageous enough to be bold and assert their individuality quite like Kelis.

Kelis hasn’t always had ‘great’ style per se....there were those days when her hair and clothes were a bit ‘wild’...

But we'll forgive her!
She has evolved into a certified fashion trend setter through the use of her signature haircut...

Accessories, like sunglasses...

and bright, Vibrant Colors...

It’s always refreshing to see someone out there with a style all their own. As Coco Chanel once said, “Fashion Passes, Style Remains.”
************************
Since Kelis, I've profiled a lot of hot stars...

Create Your Own
...but there's still more to come. Who would you like to see?
Smootches!
Fashion News, and What nots:
*The official TFB contest will go down tomorrow on my exact anniversary, August 29th. I'm so pumped! Readers outside of NYC, this is your chance to celebrate with me in a concrete way!
*And for my NYC readers, check out my party September 8th.

Click to enlarge
RSVP to fullthrottleparty@gmail.com. You'll be glad you did!
*WWD reported yesterday that days after Russell Simmons stepped from Phat Fashions, Kimora Lee stepped up as creative director! The chairman of Kellwood, who owns Phat Fashions said, "Kimora's ability to create the Baby Phat brand universe from a simple T-shirt on the runway over 10 years ago and turn it into a multi million dollar global business today-is truly an amazing feat in today's mecurial fashion world." Yay Kimora! Um, I don't think I get the Style Channel...how's her show???
* Check out the B-life and vote for the Style Awards.