Vivica Fox hosts A Gift of Love opening night starring Ruby Dee

Friday night,  still recovering from bronchitis, Fashiona made her way to Rilato Center of the Arts to see the legendary Ruby Dee in The Gift of Love.  The play written by James Cockerman, stars Ruby Dee as Ya Ya, a African story teller, who narrates the Nativity in chronological order from Joseph first meeting Mary to the birth of Jesus.

The opening act of the show was so fun and energetic, it reminded Fashiona of an Alvin Ailey performance.  The dancers leaped, shimmied and strutted across the stage in African-inspired garb.  The ladies had head wraps and scarves expertly tied to stay put during their acrobatic moves.   Ruby Dee was absolutely regal as Ya Ya and kept the story moving between the elaborate musical numbers.

Prior to the start of the show, Vivica A. Fox was the red carpet host.  She wore a purple dress,  a gorgeous statement necklace and fabulous cage stiletto shoes all courtesy of Berdorf  Goodman. 

After seeing Vivica at several events around Atlanta in the last few weeks, Fashiona finally had a chance to interview her, visit her Urban Examiner page to see what Ms. Viv had to say.

Black Tie worthy watches

For Fashiona's 100th post, she decided to write about black tie worthy watches.  One  fashion faux pas that  drives Fashiona into a tizzy (other than people wear  run-over shoes with a great outfit) is wearing an everyday watch to a formal event. Before you start calling Fashiona snobby, you upgrade your dress, hopefully your shoes and the rest of your jewelry so why not your watch?


Fashiona prefers watches with metal bands because they are more dressy, her danity Bulova takes her from the gym to the ballroom. Now her watch connoisseur friend Mr. DC  who collects watches and the original boxes that they come in...swears by leather band watches. To each his own but formal worthy  watches can be found with an either a metal or a leather strap.


Of ...some can cost a small fortune like this lovely Piaget.



Photos By: WWD Staff

A jeweled women's watch by Piaget.

Or this one from Zenith.

*UPDATE* Fashiona saw this beauty while flipping through Vogue the other day.  If she did wear leather band watches...this would be the one.

Photo Credit: Polo Ralph Lauren

Polo Ralph Lauren Stirrup Watch

Fashiona on Tiffany's Celebration Rings ®

Remember the big marketing push for right hand rings?  It was circa 2003 and Debeers came up with the term.

The fact is that men still typically buy the rings that we wear on the left ring finger: the hopefully pricey engagement ring and the even more elusive wedding ring.  

The right hand ring was marketed as a gift that women got for themselves to symbolize a major milestone.  Fashiona was actually ahead of this trend, she bought her first right hand ring in college and wore it until she bought herself another one for her 30th birthday.

The new trend now: Celebration Rings®  According to Tiffany  who has trademarked the term, celebration rings  are to celebrate an epic occasion or Fashiona's personal favorite reason: just because!!

Visit Tiffany.com to create your own unique stack of rings.  Here is Fashiona's Celebration Ring stack...if she had a fanasty budget or if she was expecting  Prince Charming on his noble steed.

...here is to hoping and her ring size is 6 1/2.

Fashiona on Lady Gaga

Photo Credit:Steve Eichner/WWD.com

Lady Gaga, like Madonna, created her brand the old-fashioned way through hard work and constant self promotion.  Born  Stefani Germanotta, she constantly reinvents herself and thrives on being eccentric.  Even Madonna who isn't one to dish out compliments says that Lady Gaga reminds her of a early verison of herself (pre yoga, children and reigning Queen of Cougardom.)

Lady Gaga  could certainly  futher cash in on her celebrity by creating a clothing line but she has gone on the record by saying:

The House of Gaga is not an economy.

Fashiona loves her quote as a sound bite but does think that Lady Gaga will soon change her mind  especially since she just accepted the Style Maker Award from the Accessories Council of Excellence. 

Now Fashiona DOES hope that "House of Lindsay Lohan" is short lived... 
.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Anthropologie to set up shop in London

So Fashiona's Sis dropped a small fortune at Lenox Square over the weekend, apparently taking economists charge to stimulate the economy very seriously.    A  great deal of her updated wardrobe came from Anthropologie.  

Photo Credit: www.anthropologie.com

Although Fashiona does not typically shop Anthropologie; she did offer her opinions on her sister's choices...free of charge.  

And as of this Friday, the earth friendly, artsy, Americana meets Urban Chic store is  making its debut across the pond in London on Regent Street.  With this bit of news Fashiona is wondering if her bloggy friend Dori From a Yellow House will make her way there when she is London bound.

Photo Credit: Marcus Dawes/WWD.com

View of the new Anthropologie store in London.

Fashiona meets R&B Singer Monica: Still Standing

Fashiona had a good weekend.  Her best friend Topaz sent her a Halloween care package since it will be her first Halloween outside of New York...her costume  choice will be revealed on Halloween or the day after:)

So last night in her first outing since her breakup...Fashiona went out  (in full regalia...black dress, false lashes and fish nets)  to R and B Singer Monica's Upscale Cover party and launch for her upcoming BET show Still Standing.

Monica looked absolutely gorgeous.  Apparently she is loving life... and it shows, she positively glows.  Her hair was on point, skin flawless  and she dressed in Gryphon with  some smoking over the knee Chloe boots.

 Photo Credits: George Butler Photography

Do check out her article in November's Upscale and of course her show "Still Standing" on BET  starting on Tuesday October 27 @ at 10 pm Eastern.

Jimmy Choos for H&M

Alas...Fashiona and her alpha male boyfriend "M Tyson" parted ways last week...apparently two alpha people don't always mix. But Fashiona, like Carrie from Sex in the City, is the eternal optimist and will try romance again...soon enough. In fact the news that Jimmy Choo is launching a shoe collection for H and M was enough to cheer her up.

The Jimmy Choo for H and M line designed by Tamara Mellon will be available in 200 selected  H and M stores November 14.  

Photo by Courtesy Photo

An ad for the Jimmy Choo for H and M collection.

Fashiona just might wear a pair  to her next business dinner with her lawyer   Mr. Big.

Fashiona attends the Atlanta screening of Latino in America

Fashiona met her idol last night...Soledad O'Brien...true story.  She(Ms. O'Brien)  was wearing fishnets. Starstruck Fashiona,  had on a 3/4 sleeve black turtleneck and winter white slacks.


Where did this  miraculous meeting happen?  It occurred on Monday night when Fashiona  attended the screening of Latino in America at  Atlanta's Woodruff Arts Center.   The red wine was flowing and Fashiona sampled the best cubanos that she has had since her last trip to Miami.


The preview itself was 45 minutes and touched on the all the aspects of the documentary. One of more memorable parts of the night was the Garcia segment. Garcia is the eighth most common name in America; the documentary cleverly follows several families with the surname Garcia from all walks of life.

After the screening, Soledad moderated a panel with the final question being what should be explored in Latino in America 2.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy Freeman/CNN:

Left to Right: Millie Irizarry, CEO of the Latin America Association, Alex Garcia, NASCAR driver, Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, Claudia Goffan, CEO of Target Latino,  Soledad O’Brien ,CNN anchor and special correspondent and Mark Nelson, vice president and senior executive producer of CNN Productions

Watch Latino in America starting tomorrow October 21 on CNN at  9 pm Eastern.

Boots, boots and more boots

Fashiona has always loved warm weather and after living in New York for almost 11 years, she learned to deal whine through the cold weather.    Her fabulous boot  collection helped her plod through many a chilly day.

Now that she is here in Atlanta...her need for her heavy winter clothes is diminished but  the boot season is perfect from late September until early March .   Having that said, there are three styles of boots that are "missing"  from her closet. 

WRAP AROUNDS

Photo Credit: Jessica Simpson Collection/Victoriassecret.com 

OVER THE KNEE/THIGH HIGHS

Photo Credit: www.prettythoughtsofahotchick.com/

COWBOY

Photo Credit: www.bootbarn.com

...of course these cowboy boots would go very well with her leather jacket that has disappeared in Sis's apartment...hint hint!!

Rachel Zoe's Fashion Editor Contest

Fashiona's birthday was yesterday and she was blessed with beautiful weather after the torrential downpours that Atlanta area experienced on Monday. Col Dad came to visit and suprised her at the "testerone factory"...Ice, Dreads and EZ are still talking about it.


Her stylist job is going well.  Fashiona's favorite part, other than dressing the windows, is well dressing people.  Unleash YOUR inner stylist by entering  Rachel Zoe's Fall Look contest.  From now until October 11, choose from Rachel's top Fall looks to create a look of your own. 

The lucky winner gets a $250 gift certificate from Piperlime.com and a featured spot on their Facebook page.

Start styling...of course Fashiona is entering the contest too...umm free clothes!!!  

Play Fashion Editor at http://piperlime.gap.com/.

Tommy Hilfiger opens Fifth Avenue flagship

Fashiona has finally caught  up on the hit show Mad Men and while she LOVES the costumes...she is very grateful that she is not of that era...too many double standards and not enough tranquilizers.     Just as advertising firms  have been coveting space on Madison Avenue since the 1950's, designers have been flocking  to Fifth Avenue and  Tommy Hilfiger is the latest to open a store on Fifth.

Photo Credits: Lauren Fleishman and Kyle Ericksen

Vintage plates from 50 states decorate the ready-to-wear area. 

As most things are on Fifth Ave...bigger seems to be better.  681 Fifth Avenue is 22,000 square feet and is part retail store and  vintage archive.  Each floor has a separate theme.

• The ground floor has an American Indian theme with hand wrapped arrows
  
• The second floor continues the American Indian theme and houses the menswear
• The third floor has vintage plates from every corner of America and houses womens wear.
• The top floor has penthouse feel and has the most posh pieces.

Fashiona on Kanye, Taylor, Beyonce and President Obama

So everybody has seen the infamous VMAs...Fashiona has been logging in mucho hours at both the boutique and the testorone factory but  is now able to weigh in.


First things first...Kanye...

Photo Credit: Kanye and Amber Rose/Getty Images

Fashiona banishes you to a corner until you get some common sense or a muzzle. Prince is so much more legendary and  WOULD NEVER show out  like that.  Taylor Swift , god bless her, is beautiful, talented and CLASSY!

Photo Credit: Taylor Swift/ Getty Images

...Kanye take notes. In the unscripted words of President Obama... stop being a:

Ok  moving on...Lady Gaga...sweetums...Halloween is NEXT month.

Photo Credit: Lady Gaga/ Getty Images

Beyonce...looked stunning and wins Fashiona's Double Gold Star award-one for looking lovely in red and the other for sharing your spotlight with Miss jilted Taylor Swift.

Photo Credit: Beyonce/ Getty Images

Fashiona at the Atlanta " I can do bad all by myself" premier

Fashiona has been a busy girl as of late but she and her friend Mr. Baller ventured out to Atlantic Station to Tyler Perry's "I can do bad all myself."

Last night's crowd was pretty mellow but Fashiona did see some sights.  Eva Pigford was there looking lovely in a denim shirt dress, with fiance Lance Gross by her side.  Producer Roger Bobb  was  looking dapper as ususal.

Photo Credit: http://www.talkingwithtami.com/

From left to right: Roger Bobb, Eva Pigford, Lance Gross

And finally  ladies and gentlemen... presenting Little Richard's clone.  Fashiona thinks that it took 10 cans of aquanet, gel and maybe a foam form to achieve this...uhhh look!!

The movie itself  was pretty good.  Taraji Henson gives a great performance as a self-indulging songtress, April.  Mary J. Blige plays the tough love giving friend.  Adam Rodriguez's character teaches Miss April  about life, love and family.

Like all of Tyler Perry movies: You will laugh A LOT, tear up a little and leave feeling good.  "I can do bad by myself" opens on September 11.

Dressing for Comfort or Style?

Fashiona is still combing through the much talked about September glossies and just finished Allure which is more of a beauty magazine and one of her favorites. Toward the back there is an article by Jeffrey Slonim where he chats up celebrities to ask them about the "comfort" of their red carpet attire. It is a cute and fast read and has some interesting quotes... the best one is Kim Kardashian's

When you want to be comfortable, stay home. The shoes always hurt. The waist is usually a bit tight. There is always something.

Well said Kim, well said!!!

Photo Credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images

TV personality Kim Kardashian arrives at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center on February 8, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.


But celebrities and vain women everywhere concede that if the compliments are plentiful and the pictures are flattering...it is all worth it.



Fashiona

Fashiona's Fall Wardrobe Updates via TJ Maxx and Marshalls

If you have been following Fashiona for awhile..then you know that she LOVES to shop but alas is on teeny weeny BUDGET courtesy of the recession and the mandate by Mr. Numbers (her ever nagging accountant). Today she had a reprieve due to her angel Victoria from RocketXL. The lovely Victoria sent shopping deprived Fashiona 2 gift cards a few weeks ago; one for TJ Maxx and one for Marshalls.

Fashiona did herself and Mr. Numbers proud. She found 3 great lovelies and had money left over to donate to TJ Maxx's charity Save the Children.

Photo Credit: Alicia "aka" Fashiona

Wallet and Scarf from TJ Maxx.


Photo Credit: Alicia "aka" Fashiona

Batik Dress by Lapis from Marshalls


Photo Credit: TJ Maxx


.... applause please!!!



Fashiona

Panty Fairy: Lingerie in your mailbox

Yes ladies...there is a "panty fairy".

The "Panty Fairy" herself was inspired to start the company after traveling to Paris where women take their lingerie seriously on a daily basis...no bloomers in sight. Her lingerie gifts to her family and friends were so well received, she launched the Panty Fairy. For a small fee, she will send you new lovelies in the mail anywhere in the US or Canada for 6-12 months, depending your subscription length.


Great gift idea for new moms, or college age daughters or THAT friend whose underwear looks like it doubles as her cat's chew toy... come on just help her out!!!! She will love you for it.

All photos by The Panty Fairy. Visit her at www.pantyfairy.com

Fashiona