Fashiona on the 2010 BET Awards

If you follow Fashiona on Twitter (and you should) then you know that she was much more pleased with  the BET awards this year than in 2009...BET really stepped up their game. There were a few glitches like an over zealous smoke machine and  wayyyyyy too long performances by El Debarge but on the flip side the Michael Jackson and the Prince tributes were incredible...

Queen Latifah looked fabulous all night even in her spoofs of herself but Fashiona liked her first dress of the night the best.

Alicia Keys...Fashiona is happy for you and your preggers glowing state but she also thinks it is time to put up the teeny dresses for now.  Now the long white dress was MUCH more appropriate...

Photo Credit: Reuters

Speaking of appropriate...Mrs. Jada Pinkett Smith...umm Fashiona and the rest of the world want to know where the rest of your shorts are...you are a Mommy...a very cute and in shape one but still...

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Nicki Minaj wins the Lady Gaga meets Pebbles meets Barbie award....

Jazz musician Esperanza Spalding is Fashiona's latest bohemian chick icon...rocking a lovely Afro and a Native American dream catcher necklace.

Photo Credit: AP

Chris Brown's ouststanding tribute to MJ was on the best of the night should have ended the night...

For more on the 2010 BET awards see Alicia's Examiner.com column.

Social Sunday: Fashiona revisits The Enchanted Closet

In late April 2010, Fashiona first heard and wrote about The Enchanted Closet, a non-profit organization started in 2003 by Bonita Johnson.   Yesterday June 27, Fashiona was more than delighted to attend the grand opening of their new shop in Sandy Springs, a suburb outside of Atlanta.

Just as The Enchanted Closet has transformed lives of the young women that are helped by the organization...the surrounding community has been transformed as well.  The space that the new boutique occupies was generously donated by the property owner,  the shop itself was beautifully decorated by Interior Decorator Monique Cunningham and the number of merchants that donate gowns, shoes, and accessories is growing daily.

Photo Credits: Alicia "aka" Fashiona

The boutique run by The Enchanted Closet has a great selection of gowns, shoes, clutches and jewelry and sells them at price points between $5-25.  The  shop runs on a volunteer staff comprises of mentees, board members and other volunteers.

Beautiful clothes, a lovely space,  and a good cause...fashion with a purpose at its finest.

Tipster Thursday: Fashiona's Summer Beauty Tips

Fashiona and Music Man are going to a water park tomorrow...she is looking forward to their outing and she will be armed with among other necessities: a sturdy one-piece, a cover-up and  waterproof sunscreen.

So before she packs she will share the highlights of her summer beauty tips:

1. Yes..sunscreen is a necessity for all people of all colors and is the most economical anti-aging product you can have. Fashiona cautions that most expensive wrinkle cream is a complete waste of money...if you are not applying sunscreen of at least SPF 15 daily.  Fashiona swears by Aveeno...great for people with sensitive skin.  She will be applying sunscreen every few hours starting 30 minutes before the sun hits her...Music Man will be subject to this treatment also...yes he already read the memo.

2.  A fashionable one-piece....Fashiona like many other fashionistas have two types of swimsuits...ones to actually swim in and some to... umm lounge in. Poor Fashiona is still traumatized by her last visit to a waterpark when she was 14 and she lost her top in the pool.  This visit she is wearing a sturdy one-piece as to not appear in any unsavory You-tube videos etc.   Bluefly.com has a one whole category dedicated to one-pieces...tankinis are also a good alternative if you really prefer two pieces.

Photo Credit: Bluefly.com

Badgley Mischka Platinum Label

3. A cover-up...Fashiona is pretty secure about her shape but not enough to saunter around the park in just her swimsuit alone.  Victoria Secret has a lovely selection of cover-ups from skirts to beach dresses.

Photo Credit: Victoria Secret.com

 

4. Waterproof mascara...Mascara is to Fashiona what lip gloss is to most girls...she feels naked without it.  Now Fashiona lives in Hotlanta where some desperate girls wear false lashes even to the gym...proudly Fashiona is not one of these girls...applause please!  Tomorrow she is rocking some waterproof mascara, tinted moisturizer and some chapstick with SPF.  

5.  And did Fashiona mention sunscreen?

 

Social Sunday: Fashiona's Father's Day Wishes

Fashiona and Sis were very blessed to have grown up with both Mom and Col Dad.  Col Dad was active in the military and traveled  a lot but always made his presence known.  Col Dad loved and still loves to write letters. As busy as he was on his top secret missions...he would write personal letters to Mom, Sis and Fashiona.   Some letters were long and some were just a quick note but he let us know that we were on his mind.  The older Fashiona gets the more special these letters...that still come once a week are.

Fashiona is working all week and couldn't make  it home but Sis is there bonding enough for the both of them...lovingly texting Fashiona the family dinner menu. How sweet!

Col Dad, above all else, values time with his family...but he does appreciate a thoughtful gift.  Col Dad is  a native Mississippian with a big heart that goes out to those in the gulf region affected by the never-ending oil spill.  So this year Fashiona is sending Dad a custom made Kenneth Cole T-shirt.  100% of the profits are going to the Kenneth Cole Foundation Awearness for the oil spill clean up efforts.

Fashiona wishes Happy Father's Day to Col Dad and to all the Fathers everywhere!

Hollywood cleans up at the 2010 Tonys

Last night while the Tony Awards were on, Fashiona was enjoying a lovely meal with Music Man and watching Game 5 of the NBA playoffs...

Hollywood and Broadway used to be a separate and distinct crowd but these days there is a lot of co-mingling.  Hollywood A-Listers...Denzel Washington, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Scarlett Johansson were all big winners last night.

Denzel won for his performance in August Wilson's Fences, Catherine for A Little Night Music and Scarlett for A View from the Bridge.

Catherine has had a stellar few days...she was also honored by Queen Elizabeth II on Saturday.  She can add "Dame" to her list of accomplishments. She looked every bit of theatre royalty in a Versace ice blue gown.

Photo Credit: Huffington Post

Scarlett Johansson looked ravishing in a long black sequined gown by Elie Saab.

See the whole list of  2010 Tony Winners

Tipster Thursday: Be Perfectly Nude with My Skins

Summer is here in Hotlanta and women are keeping cool by wearing white.  But alas with more women wearing white so are  the number of unsightly visible panty lines sightings...

In the past,  women were limited to wearing thongs...going commando or wearing the one color of nude underwear that seems to match no one on earth.

This year...Fashiona should be giving out less Fashion Tickets because My Skins now has 27... yes 27 skin matching colors.

Photo Credits: Myskins.com

My Skins offer these tips for using their color system:

"To color match for the panty we recommend using your upper thigh or hip area. Remember, good natural light is your best source for lighting. Your overall skin tone color should allow for choosing a single color choice for both your bra and panty."

My Skins has a full line of nude bras, panties on-line and includes care instructions on their website.

Although Fashiona wishes that model's  six-pack stomach was on sale too...

Fashiona on the 2010 MTV Movie Awards

The music award shows are always the most  fun for Fashiona to watch for the fashion as well as... the antics. 

In what other type of show would someone admit to being inspired by the Smurfs?  Katy Perry's hair was "smurf blue" but her make-up was flawless and showed a nod to Bridget Bardot's 1960's cat eye.

                    Smurfette  (Top or Left)                              Bridget Bardot(Bottom or Right)

Katy Perry at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards/WireImage

Photo Credit: Getty Images

 

Scarlett Johanson

Of course the most talked about moment was Scarlett Johanson's smooch with Sandra Bullock. 

Scarlett did  look stunning in a green lace dress...maybe unlucky in love Sandra just couldn't resist?  Sandra  has been looking great all year despite her turbulent personal life. 

Sunday  night was no exception....wearing a lowcut Oday Chakar dress....Sandra wins Fashiona's Best Revenge Dress of the Year....

Fashiona remembers Rue McClanahan

Fashiona was sad (Sis was even sadder because she STILL watches the Golden Girls reruns) to hear of the death of Rue McClanahan, best known for her man crazy character Blanche Devereaux. Blanche was the 1980's version of Sex in the City's insatiable Samantha.  Blanche  was sassy, flirting and charming her way in and sometimes out of trouble.  Of course Blanche was a Southern Belle and not as "raw" as Samantha and that slight restraint is what Fashiona really loved.  

Fashiona misses shows like the Golden Girls...beautifully scripted, well cast and actually funny.  The four friends were up in age and they embraced their years.  Sure Blanche was in denial a bit... actually she acted like a sex crazed coed but at least she looked her age.  The cast didn't botox and nip and tuck themselves beyond recognition and into pathetic caricatures of themselves.   You saw their ALL of their expressions...the full range and their emotional portrayal endeared you to them.

The Golden Girls didn't let you forget that they were in in their golden years and were still living.  They had interests, hobbies, disappointments and joys...all aspects of anyone's life regardless of age.

Fashiona thinks that we  can all learn from their resilience and take solace that we still have Betty White....