Goosebumps!

As I sit here not feeling too well and drained from work, I am watching the Democratic Convention. I just witnessed history being made. Barack Obama was officially nominated as the First Black Presidential Nominee. I literally got goosebumps when they did the roll call! I wish I wasn't alone here to scream YES WE CAN from my bed...my dog doesn't seem to be too phased.

I almost want to change my dog's name to Barack...so what if his name has been Frankie Beverly for four years. Dogs learn new tricks all the time right?

I am not going to go on and on about this because this is not a political blog but I can't help but be emotional...and quite honestly, everyone and their mama has an opinion.

Random thought, I hate when people have these grandiose opinions about the presidential race and have no intentions on taking their butts to vote on that fateful day....I digress.

I want to scream or jump in my bed or fist bump someone like the Obamas' do because I am alive to witness history in the making...but I won't because then even I will think I am crazy.

Anywho, I'll get back into the swing of things soon...there is alot of "life" happening right now. (For some reason that Fabulous song "Breathe" just popped in my head...maybe because that is all I need to focus on doing these days).

I would like to note that Michelle Obama is the bomb diggity (does anyone say that anymore...or ever?). She is the black Jackie O but I see her trying to sneak a little "sexy" in there every now and then. Chic, classic and Sassy. She loves to show those toned arms!

I won't rant and rave as there is too much going on now but look forward to a post on an "upgrade" or makeover I did on one of my cousins.

I am posting some pics of Michelle Obama in different outfits just as a little "shout out" to her style.

YES WE CAN. I can't wait to vote!!!

Ok....As I began to look for pics of Michelle Obama...I peeped her staple pieces:

1.) Chanel jackets

2.) pearls (I'm not a fan of pearls mainly because of Barbara Bush but it doesn't offend me when Michelle wears them)

3.) sheath dresses

4.) cardigans

5.) a little sexy back action every now and then

6.) She really LOVES that black studded belt by Azzedine Alaïa.

7.) And I love, love that she is comfortable wearing flats with a dress.

8.) And I SUPER DUPER LOVE LOVE that she doesn't wear hosiery! She just shines and shaves those legs and rolls out the door! What exactly is the purpose of hosiery anyway? Don't your own natural skin color compliment ANY outfit you are wearing?? (I'm just saying...what do I know...nothing!)

The fact that she recycles her accessories thrills me to pieces! I appreciate that she looks like she mixes a Target dress with a Chanel Jacket and rocks it! I love it!

YES WE CAN...as I try to scrounge up some gas money for the rest of the week....YES WE CAN!

*By the way, I tried to call my dog by his new name and all he did was pass gas on cue:( I'll have to name my firstborn Barack instead.

Ok...I am delusional...Talk to you later:)

OPRAH CALLED ME!!!!!

OPRAH CALLED! Not really, but I made you look!! But guess who did contact me?!?!...the designer of the Zachary's Smile Dress that I raved about in my blog a few days ago entitled "What is Really Going on?".

Well, I mentioned in my Pulitzer nominated, Emmy award winning superior blog that I went through all hell trying to get my hands on the dress. In doing so, I contacted the designer in my quest to have the dress. Long story short, the designer took time to read my blog (which excites me even more than wearing the dress!) and may have possibly gotten offended by a few things I said. In all honesty, I think it was a matter of her being a small company and she wants all information to be the right information.

So, I wanted to clear a few things up...not that I plan on making a habit of it. Basically, the "pimping my people" comment about getting the African fabrics and making something even more beautiful out of it did not go over very well. I guess, it's one of those "you have to be green to get a 'green' joke type of things. I can see how the comment could sting, especially if you know that your "team" or company is "peace, love and harmony" about how they get down. Again, no harm was intended:)

Then comparing the designer to Martha Stewart and the IRS did not go over very well:(

I guess I would suck as a stand up comedian because my joke would BOMB. I personally thought that was one of my best lines to date but what do I know.

Note to self...keep my day job even though it doesn't pay enough to support my expensive dress buying habit. I can't even afford the dag gum dress to be honest which is why I am trying to find ways to wear it to graduations, weddings, funerals and bat mitvahs but I am not supposed to say that huh?:)

I should also mention that there was no "team of interns", just happy people trying to make beautiful clothes with fabrics from a beautiful country. Again, no harm intended. I personally wouldn't care if The Jolly Green Giant made the dress...as long it is a size 12 and I can wear and it makes me happy...I say bring it on Jolly Green!

And lastly, I quoted one of the pictures on the "said" blog as being the designer in the dress....guess what..........it wasn't...It was a wonderful woman named Kendra who works for the company. I still rocked it better Kendra:) (smile)

So there...my conscious is clear and I can sleep at night. I didn't realize how serious this blogging thing is, I feel powerful! I feel like I can single handedly stop gas prices from rising, all I have to do is say something inaccurate about our president!

But I won't, ya'll know what happened to the Dixie Chicks when they made a joke. Completely off the subject, in my morning slumber I watched the documentary on cable called "Shut up and Sing" about what happened to the Dixie Chicks after the lead singer said that she was embarrassed that our 'now president' was from Texas. They caught straight hell! Why was I crying by the end of it?!?!? (as I sing, "I'm not ready to make nice...I'm not ready to back down. I 'm still mad as hell and I don't have time to go round and round and round) You didn't think I listened to the Dixie Chicks did you?!? Don't let the afro puff fool you:)

The point is my little old blog is not about "hating" or spreading lies, I just like clothes and want to tell people from time to time what works for me and expose to the masses the designers who cater to all this JELLY! But everyday is a lesson learned.

I still COVET and WORSHIP the dress...and actually appreciate Kristi the designer of Zachary's Smile lovely dresses for contacting me and clearing up the inaccuracies:) I can be a walking advertisement for your clothes Kristi, let's make it happen. Isn't that what celeberities do anyway? They NEVER pay for their clothes. Designers give their clothes to them as a chance to advertise. Doesn't that just piss us off!?? The ones that have to save up to BUY clothes. I digress again....

I am blogging for fun and I am certainly NOT out to slash anyone, especially one with a hustle. Zachary's Smile is a hustle... in a good way. If I could send my one-legged cousin over to the Ivory Coast and bring back some banging fabric and then I whip up a fab dress and get paid from it...I would. I am still trying to find my hustle....Kristi just beat me to it...so Bravo!! (I kid, I kid).

I end this by saying that I am thrilled that anyone reads my random rantings. I come from a place of peace and love and definitely tolerance. I am an equal oppurtunist when it comes to my dresses, I would wear the hell out of a dress etch-a-sketched by my 9 year old niece if she put an elastic corset in the design.

So Kristi, of Zachary's Smile White Label dresses, thanks for being gracious and Rock on...you could always send me a pro bono dress just to show that you are of a kind heart:) (Pro bono sounds better than free)

You already know what size I wear. I'll even take an irregular size dress that didn't make it past the cutting room floor. Just look around, I'm sure you can find me another of my fave dresses in a different print! Notice how many times I "name dropped" the name of your company...(wink wink)

Kendra, you could always sneak one at night for me if Kristi won't do it:) You know how to contact me:) Or better yet...in ADDITION...to a fabulous dress in Size 12 for my birthday on September 14Th, we can work a little deal where you can be my first advertisement on my blog.

It would be a win, win for both of us:) Think about it! No for real...think about it.

Amen and Amen.

(p.s....I don't have a one legged cousin... that was a joke too:)

Good thing I don't work for the PAID media:) Although, they are always wrong and NEVER apologize. They said Bernie Mac died a week ago but he just died yesterday...but they didn't apologize. Good thing I don't work for the "man". (another jokey joke)

(p.p.s....Kendra, I thought you deserve a little more shine, so I put your picture up...work on that free dress for me:)

***I also posted a pic of the Dixie Chicks to make sure I give credit to all references...I should know to be accurate and cite sources since I am an English Teacher, huh?!?****

Okay...For real...Peace and Love...and Amen.

Barack The Vote

Just for fun...Obviously Beyonce' and I are on the same page:) I'm starting to like her casual style alot more these days...when her momma is not trying to put her in anything that glitters and is gold!

A fitted Barack T shirt, Skinny Jeans and closed toed heals...perfect casual outfit. And to think, I rocked mine a month ago. See,I guarantee she didn't put the outfit together...there is some overpriced stylist laying her clothes on her bed like we used to do on the first day of school. See, I need to be a stylist! I can put together a wardrobe for the fraction of the price!

Now if I could afford that purse Beyonce is holding, I would be in accessory heaven. But I am blessed to have my silver metallic oversized clutch from DSW...a whole 27 dollars!

You can find these T's at Urban Outfitters:)

Barack the Vote!! And don't be a poser...Don't rock the T if you have no intentions on voting. Even if you vote for that old 71 year old man...still vote!

I plan on wearing this outfit on election day and I am bringing a video camera and still camera to take pictures of this historical political event...Enough of my rantings!

Enjoy your day! Amen.

Hanger vs. The Real Thang

We'll just call this simply The Hanger Vs. The Real Thing (cue Jill Scott's Real Thang in Stereo). This is a dress made by T-Bags that is super comfy and super cute. LOVE LOVE LOVE. It can be dressed up or down...I usually wear sandals with this because the dress is so long. One thing about these necklines though is that you have to be confident. I hate to see a woman wear a lower cut top or midriff shirt and have their hands/arms covering them the whole night! What's the point?

The key is to to be tasteful with the assets. Again, these are my opinions which don't add up to 30 cents in most people's wallets:)

Notice the distinct between those evil skinny models and moi'. I am only posting to show what works for me. I am not posting because I think I am super fly or anything like that. Just to show how different clothes can look on different body types. Don't get me wrong...I'm still working on being a brickhouse but I can look good in the interim...can't I?

Sorry I don't have a full shot of me in the dress but it is super long. The material is really thin too. Typically a sweetheart neckline compliments those of us that are "blessed" up top:) As I look at this...this would look really cute with a fitted White Tuxedo jacket with the sleeves pushed up and of course a fierce clutch!

Now, if I can just have someone invite me to a dinner party so I can wear it:)

What is really going on?

Has the world gone MAD?? (sorry...I just watched "The Other Boelyn Girl" today so I decided to speak with a British twist all day)

Anyway, has the gone world gone mad?I just read that McDonald's will be taking the Double Cheeseburger off the Dollar menu...because the price of cheese is too expensive? And Bush says that we are not in a recession? Next to Walmart, Mickey D's is a world wide conglomerate of a company and they say they can't afford cheese!

That puts my spending habits in perspective. If Ronald McDonald is considering taking the cheese off the cheeseburger then I certainly need to curb my spending habits.

So from this point on...well, let's give it one whole month's trial...NO SHOPPING for me.

None. Zero. Zilch.

That means no cute dresses, no cute shoes...the only exception is if I come across Purple accessories...meaning a purple purse or clutch. But not because I was out looking...but because God and fate and that purple clutch collided at the same time. My arms are too short to box with God anyway!

So in essence, what I mean by NO is I will not purchase any article of clothing for one whole month UNLESS I just so happen to run across the most beautiful Purple Clutch in the world. BUT THAT IS THE ONLY EXCEPTION!!! To be honest, this is not so hard for me to do. I don't shop all the time and when I do shop, it is always something that I love. I never buy things just for the heck of it. That NEVER happens with me.

So...not even so much as a pretty dress to celebrate my birthday next month.

Anywho...back to clothes. So before my self imposed shopping ban, I came across the most beautiful dress (until the next beautiful dress) at Anthropologie. It was a limited line by a designer out of New York. Of course they didn't have my size...Size Real Woman...so I walked out of the store empty handed and saddened.

I longed for the dress so badly that I went on one of my famous research binges...that means I obsess about something until I know all there is to know about something until I own it or obtain the "said" item...and then I'm over it.

Well long story short, I researched, googled, called, emailed, stalked, the stores of Anthropologie and the designer's store until I was triumphant! I got my hands on it!! I went so far as to email the designer on myspace and low and behold...she emailed me back. Now do you see, I am a stalker! Now if I could put the same effort into this research paper for my graduate course!?! Hmpph.

Anyway, The dress literally makes me happy. I loved it so much that I refused to wear it till I had somewhere wonderful to debut the gorgeousness of it all...I settled on a trip to The Skybar for Happy Hour because it didn't seem like anything more spectacular was going to happen.

Anyway, here is a pic of the dress hanging from my show room...aka...chandelier, as well as pictures as it was advertised, one of the pictures is even of the designer in her own design. But she can't do it like me. I plan on wearing it on my birthday (September), even it means sitting on the edge of my sofa singing happy birthday to myself...rocking back and forth...with my feet swinging!

I found a snapshot of me in the dress...I love it so! I wore it with some closed toes Mary Janes to the club and wore it with flip flops another day. I'm gonna find a way to wear it to church soon! LOL...I kid, I kid.

Let me explain my adoration for the dress. First of all, the fabric is what lured me to it. Basically, the designer, Zachary's Smile, decided to send her "fair-skinned" interns to the Ivory Coast, West Africa and gather all of the country's beautifully unique fabrics and bring them back to the states. Basically, the "man" has pimped our people again!!!

Just kidding...I love the man (FBI, IRS, FICA, The Gap, Bush, Martha Stewart...I love you all)

I digress...back to business. The designer then chose only two patterns to make all the dresses...either strapless or scoop necked silhouettes. ( I sound like I know alot huh...I don't...I just watch hours of Project Runway!)

Well the reason I fell in complete lust over the dress is the actual fit. It is the quintessential 50's dress. It's nipped in the waist and has a full skirt...WITH POCKETS. And here's the best part, the back is like a corset fit with elastic...( I am dancing right now in the living room singing Jill Scott's Golden...livin my life like it's golden, golden) A dress with an elastic corset fit!!! YAY!!!

The fabric is near and dear to me as well because I have immediate family in The Ivory Coast and have seen many of these patterns brought as gifts over time. I am international baby!

So you see, I had a close kinship to this dress! It made me feel closer to my family...not really, I can email them all day and all night if I wanted to but it is still a good back story! Onward......

Picture this...the Mother of Leave it To Beaver goes to Africa!! That's what the dress look and fits like. The best part is that since the fabric is limited...no dress is exactly alike! It is a limited edition which means "boo" to mass production! This means this is the closest to COUTURE I will ever get...until Oprah calls me!

Anyway...enough babbling about it...just Worship as I have. I promise to post a picture of me Rocking it soon. I promise!

By the way, Here are some pics of shoes I have gotten lately...all with purple of course. Again, my staple "pop of color" usually is red but I've decided to go not green but "go purple!"

So enjoy the ranting and pictures while I actively try to achieve my goal of not shopping for clothes for at least one month then two then three..until next year. I can try at least.

I need to stop spending "frivolously" before Cold Stone Creamery goes out of business...oops too late. Well, at least there is still Bennigans....Oops, not anymore. Well I have to stop before Circuit City and WalMart start stuggling.....yeah...too late for that one to. Well, I better stop before they starting putting less in our Doritos bags....yep...too late for that too.

So I guess I am just "not" shopping for my own personal glorification or to pay a bill on time for once.

No shopping...as of now...right now...Ready, set, go....Amen and Amen

***by the way, those purple shoes were $16 bucks at Macy's! And yes, my shoes and dress are hanging from my living room chandelier...that's ingenuity at its best. So my blog equipment includes a camera phone and a light fixture...Oprah's gotta call!***