Fashiona remembers Teena Marie

Fashiona was at a birthday party when she was catching up on Twitter and saw the news via CNN of Teena Marie's passing...she was so shocked she blurted out the news to the guests.  They were all stunned...especially those who had tickets to see her on her next tour date.


Fashiona never had the pleasure of seeing Teena Marie in concert but she did love her music and her fighting spirit even more.  Pint sized Teena made history as Motown's first White artist signed to their label but she also waged a legal battle to be released from her contract.   

In doing so she paved the way for artists like Robin Thicke, Joss Stone, Leona Lewis, Jon B, Amy Winehouse and others to be accepted based on their "pipes" and artists in general to have greater control over their careers.  Teena Marie also known as Lady T,  refused to be pigeon holed  and wrote and arranged most of her own music from 1980. 

Teena Marie always chose integrity in her signature look and her sound over commercialism...a trait that Fashiona truly admires.

There are so many songs that  Fashiona loved but Portuguese Love, full of love, pain and passion....all equal parts of Teena Marie.  




Tell Miss Fashiona... what your favorite Teena Marie memory or song is?

Merry Christmas 2010 from Fashiona

I want to wish my readers, followers, "cheerleaders", photographers, designers, fellow bloggers and anyone who helps me keep this blog going a very Merry Christmas.

Christmas 2009,  I reminded my readers to remember the reason for the season.  This year,  I am happy to say that the people that I have encountered for the most part  especially at White House Black Market are focusing more on family and friends and the thoughtful gift rather than the budget busting one....yay!!

Please enjoy Christmas and cherish this time with your family and friends.

Love,

Alicia "aka" Fashiona

Heel Condoms, a brilliant invention by Sandrysabel Ortiz

Fashiona gets all types of press releases and the one about the heel condoms was the most entertaining in quite some time.


Heel Condoms...no Fashiona did not go "there", she thought they were some type of plastic cover for the heel to possibly protect it from the elements.  Not quite...but what they are is simply genius.


Sandrysabel Ortiz, a stiletto lover, found  a way to extend the "looks" of her favorite heels.  Her theory...you can always find a new pair of heels but it is tough to find a pair that are chic as they are comfortable.

Surprise: the "three" black stilettos you see above...are all the same shoe! Think of the heel condom as a heel stocking, a stocking you put on to COVER the heel of your shoe rather than on your leg. Each pair of stockings look different therefore changing the look of each shoe. The instructions per the inventor: simply place the elastic under your foot to keep in place and no one will notice it's there!


Fashiona loves the concept of  Heel Condoms.... what are your thoughts?

Social Sunday: A Night of Glamour by Rashan Ali's Sporty Girls

Thursday night Fashiona went to Atlanta's Blendz Hair Salon for A Night of Glamour to support her fellow FAMUan Rashan Ali and her Sporty Girls foundation. The radio personality started Sporty Girls in 2006 to help young girls increase their performance in "non-traditional" sports with the ultimate goal of receiving a college scholarship. The funds from Thursday night's event will help fund a sleep away camp in the summer.

Some of the elite fashion and beauty consultants who attended in support of Rashan Ali and Sporty Girls included: fashion designer Mychael Knight, lifestyle specialist Dwight Eubanks, celebrity wadrobe stylist Kim Maxwell, celebrity hair stylists Val Hamilton, Paula Britt and Nataki Minix, manicurist Terrance Terry, make-up artists Keka Heron and Tiffany Walker, Sleeve accessories by Lena Danielle, True You Cosmetics, celebrity personal trainer ShaNay Norvell and several others. Other special guests included Ebony Steele of the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, Wanda Smith of the Frank and Wanda Morning Show on V-103 FM and author Tracy Nicole Prather.



Between the lovely Rashan posing for pictures with fellow radio personalities Elle Duncan, Wanda from  The Frank and Wanda Show, designer Mycheal Knight,  Fashiona was able to grab her for a interview.

All photos by Jae Walker III

Rashan Ali

Alicia "aka" Fashiona: So when did you  graduate from FAMU?

Rashan: In 1997.  I went to school on a 4 year swimming scholarship.

Alicia "aka" Fashiona: Very nice! So tell me about Sporty Girls and what prompted you to start the organization.

Rashan:  I have been swimming competitively since I was 5 and still love the sport.  When I was going to college I saw that minority girls were missing out on athletic scholarships for sports other than basketball, volleyball and track. In 2006, I started Sporty Girls, for girls from all walks of life who really enjoy sports and have to the drive to pursue an athletic scholarship.

Alicia "aka" Fashiona:  Besides swimming what sports do you promote at Sporty Girls?

Rashan: Soccer, golf and tennis.  Every summer we have a free 1 week long sleep away camp (Camp Elite) where girls from 10 to 16 are given a glimpse into the life of a college athlete.  They live in a dorm setting, many for the first time. Their days are divided into blocks of time where they study, practice for their various sports, attend class and of course have free time.  Proceeds from tonight's event help raise funds for Camp Elite.

Alicia "aka" Fashiona:   A worthy cause indeed.  I know that the ultimate goal is to obtain an athletic scholarship but what other life lessons do you focus on.

Rashan:  We really try to teach life skills. Sporty Girls is open to girls from all levels of the socioeconomic ladder. Typically these girls run in different circles but they get along surprisingly well and learn from each other.  Their love of sports is a common bond.

Alicia "aka" Fashiona:   I love it. It is so good to see so many stylish people out to help raise awareness and funds for Sporty Girls. Thanks for chatting  with me. 

Celebrity manuicurist Terrance Terry

Alicia aka Fashiona getting the facts with her White House Black Market bag

Mycheal Knight posing with Rashan

Rashan Ali, Founder

Jen Price, Executive Director

Sporty Girls, Inc.

P.O. Box 4390

Atlanta, GA 30302

Ph: 404.806.7352

Em: sportygirlsinc.org@gmail.com

Get Kate Middleton's engagement look

Fashiona was happy that Prince William and Kate Middleton finally announced their engagement and was touched that he proposed to Kate with his late mother Princess Diana's sapphire engagement ring.  She said yes to the ring but no to the wedding dress. Fashiona can't blame her for that....the ring is timeless...the dress (was a hot wrinkled mess) not so much.

Photo Credit: People Stylewatch.com

Like the ring...Helzberg has sapphire rings.  Here is Fashiona's favorite.

14 karat white gold ring with an oval sapphire and round brilliant cut diamonds weighing approximately 3/8 carat TW  Price $1,249.00

Kate does have an impeccable sense of style and imitation is proven once again the sincerest form of flattery.  Her royal blue engagement dress designed by Issa was sold out  in record time.  Causing many including Fashiona to believe that the London-based label will design her wedding dress.

Photo Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage

Like Kate's blue dress...knock-offs sprung up before the photos hit the Internet. UK's Tesco has one of the best.

The low key couple is reluctantly braving the oh so bright spotlight and sharing details with the eager public.  The ceremony will take place on April 29 and reportedly will be broadcast in 3-D.

Will Fashiona be watching...but of course.

Social Sunday: CNN 2010 Heroes Red Carpet

CNN has a Thanksgiving tradition that Fashiona adores.  For the fourth year, CNN has honored "everyday" heroes that have made it their life's work to better the world of others.  Celebs and the recently rescued Chilean miners were invited to the taping of the show that aired on Thanksgiving day.


The Red Carpet highlights on the men's side included: CNN's always dashing Anderson Cooper, Adam Rodriguez, Common and Gerald Butler.


Well dressed women included: Jessica Alba wearing Rachel Comey, Marisa Tomei, Renee Zellweger and Shay Mitchell wearing a dress by Laundry.


Anuradha Koirala(seen below), a social worker in Nepal, whose group has rescued more than 12,000 women and girls from sex slavery  was chosen by the public as the CNN Hero of 2010.  See the complete list of top 10 CNN Heroes.

Photos by © Adriana M. Barraza / WENN/http://www.aceshowbiz.com

Anderson Cooper

Adam Rodriguez

Common

Gerald Butler 

Jessica Alba

Marisa Tomei

Renee Zellweger

Shay Mitchell



Halle Berry dazzles in a white Pamella Roland dress

Halle Berry certainly "keeps it moving" so to speak. A few months after calling it quits with her longtime boyfriend  Gabriel Aubry, she is dating again (Olivier Martinez) and back on the Red Carpet.

Last week she  hosted a special screening in New York of her latest film Frankie and Alice.  Her hair is cropped...again after wearing it long for a few years and she is wearing a strapless white dress from Pamella Roland and Christian Louboutin shoes.

Halle is starring in the movie and she is the leading producer...way to keep it moving Halle!!

Photo Credit: Marion Curtis/Starpix

Frankie and Alice opens everywhere Feb 4, 2011

Fashiona takes on the Best and the Worst Dressed at the 2010 AMAs

Fashiona didn't watch the AMAs from start to finish but she was kept up to date with Talking with Tami's tweets...she doesn't miss a thing.


Clearly Jada Pinkett Smith believes in Fashiona's "Fashion hurts and no pain no gain motto"...wearing a gold dress with a METAL bodice...there is no way it could POSSIBLY be comfortable.But darling Fashiona thinks she looked fab!

Now generally Fashiona loves Fergie and her style but THIS Falguni and Shane peacock dress looks like a CHER  wardrobe reject...please never again.

 


Fashiona was very pleased to see Fergie redeem her fashion icon status by wearing Zuhair Murad later in the show.

Jesssica  Alba looked lovely  in Cushnie et Ochs

Normally a bit  racy... Katy Perry was pretty in pink in Badgley Mishka

Kesha looked a hot mess and earned Fashiona's Train Wreck Award.

Rihanna shocked the paparazzi with her suddenly long RED hair and a long red Elie Saab dress...easily earning the best dressed on many websites and this one too.


See what  Fashiona thought of the 2009 AMA's .

Fashiona interviews Andrea Kelly, dancer and choreographer

The world of dancing is very much in the spotlight with tv shows like Dancing with the Stars. 

Andrea Danyell Kelly…yes R Kelly’s ex-wife  has experienced dance from elitist world of ballet to the overexposed  “video vixens” and is sharing her journey with the younger set through her school, Andrea Kelly Dance Theater.


Andrea plans to open a dance school in Atlanta in Spring 2011. Between teaching masters’ classes in Atlanta, she weighed in on the state of the dance industry.

Alicia “aka” Fashiona: How has the dance show reality trend helped or hurt the professional dance industry?

Andrea: I don't think that it helped or hurt the professional dance industry. Some of the most talented dancers are the ones without formal training. They should change the name to "So you think you can show me technique". But the reality trend did expose the insular dancing world those who would never dance.  

Alicia “aka” Fashiona: For women who like to dance and want to get in better shape, what type of dance is a better calorie burner?


Andrea: Dance in general is a great calorie burner, because you use every muscle from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. The fact that you are constantly moving keeps your heart rate up therefore burning calories at a constant rate.


Alicia “aka” Fashiona: Dancewear has to be functional and pleasing to the eyes what lines do both well?


Andrea: I love Capezio, the line is classic and many of there pieces are timeless and ageless. As far as shoes I perfer Sansha.


Alicia “aka” Fashiona: Sterotypically young dancers are prone to eating disorders. Is that changing for the better now the "curvier" figures are more accepted by the norm?


Andrea: I think that it is changing for the better, but there is still a lot of work to do because the images that are shown constantly are not real. Models’ flaws have been air brushed and photoshopped so the person appears to be perfect… but we all know that perfection does not exist.


Of course, there are dance teachers that push their students or company members to achieve a dangerously thin body that is not healthy for the dancer and I was one of them. A former instructor told me that I would never be a dancer because my "BUTT" was to big/round. My genetics has nothing to do with my ability to dance nor my love and passion for the art. A passion for dance is neither taught nor does it come in a certain body type, it lives in the heart. As a teacher, I look for the heart of the dancer and that often determines who will make it in this business.

Fashiona at the Atlanta Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part I Screening

The Atlanta premiere of the much anticipated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was on Tuesday night and excitement was in the air.


This event put on by Liquid Soul Media wasn't about WHO was going to be there so much as how happy they were to get a first look. Teen ambassadors were deployed all over the city to share their love and knowledge of all things Harry Potter.  At the screening they were encouraged to wear dress up and dress up they did:

She started with a purple snuggie....

Of course VIPs were in attendance.  Allen Anthony, an up and coming singer/songwriter, was gracious enough to don a Harry Potter "sorting" hat as the gushing teens informed Miss Fashiona.

Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part I comes out everywhere Friday November 20, 2010.

Jewelry Boxes from SHOPNBC...the perfect gift for a vanity table

People always say it is the thought that counts…which is true but there is a lot to be said for presentation…the presentation ranks VERY high in Fashiona’s world.



If you already taken the time to select a special gift of jewelry, whether it is a necklace, a stack of bracelets, a lovely ring… then take another few moments to select some pretty packaging too. These jewelry boxes from ShopNBC keep silver and gold jewelry in tip top shape and will demand prominent display on any vanity table or jewelry armoire.

For the woman who has always wanted a Faberge egg:


Faberge-Inspired "Abalone Shell" Hand-Painted Musical Egg & 24K Stand



For the princess in your life:


Decorative Royal Keepsake Box:


The purple and gold-tone color combination jewelry box remind her of girlhood dress up days.








For her most special pieces:


Imperial Red Egg w/ Crystals Handcrafted Limoges Porcelain Box:

Handmade from fine Limoges porcelain, the egg-shaped box features a vivid red background, the piece is decorated with 24K gold detail and sparkling Swarovski  crystals.