fashiona's musings

Final Fashiona Posting

2011-08-26T12:20:00.001-04:00

After about two weeks of soul searching and in anticipation of my upcoming birthday...I have decided to retire Fashiona. She has been a part of my world since 2008 and all good things must come to an end.

I do thank all my readers and followers both public and private (you know you are) over the last three years and I hope you join me in my new venture.

I have started a new blog called BougieBohemianChica on Tumblr. It is easier for me to update while I am on the go. No more third person...it is just me and my camera and my stylish thoughts.

Love
Alicia aka "Fashiona"

Again my new blog is http://bougiebohemianchica.tumblr.com/

AliciaStyle's FNO

2011-08-25T18:18:00.001-04:00

AliciaStyle's FNO by alicia-edwards featuring a leather clutch

Alice Olivia one shoulder cocktail dress
£120 - oxygenboutique.com

Christian louboutin pumps
$795 - barneys.com

Valentino leather clutch
$2,075 - valentino.com

R.J.Graziano chandelier earrings
$120 - stylebop.com

Cara Accessories bangle bracelet
$68 - nordstrom.com

H M antique ring
£3.99 - hm.com

Movado diamond watch
$1,295 - bloomingdales.com

Tables of Brotherhood kicks off in Atlanta

2011-08-12T07:14:00.001-04:00

Remember the Million March in 1995...seems ages ago right?

Tables of Brotherhood tour hosted by CNN contributor Roland Martin is designed to encourage an open discussion around relevant topics to Dr. King’s message and legacy. It started in Atlanta appropriately ( Dr. King was a second generation Morehouse man and his church was in the city) and is traveling around the country.

Smart, well dressed men, advocating for good in education, job creation and positive relationships....what's not to like?

Table of Brotherhood Tour from papa razzi on Vimeo.

Fashiona at ArtFusion: Where Fashion meets Art

2011-08-09T23:50:00.001-04:00

Last Friday night, Fashiona attended Celebrity Photographer Drexina Nelson's first annual Art Fusion: Where Fashion meets Art.

With Billie Holiday as her muse...she wore a pink flower in her hair and wore black and pink satin shoes. If they were giving out a Miss Prissy award...she would have won one hands down.

Alicia "aka" Fashiona with Steve Canal from Miller Coors

From left to right: Arkeedah from ItsArkeedah.com, Janice Lawrence-Clarke from JLC Productions and yours truly on the right.

Fashiona was happy to see her friend Arkeedah sporting her blonde curls and Janice looking ever so radiant in white.

One of Fashiona's favorite looks from the fashion show.

Lifestyle Specialist Kenny Burns and BMW Executive Catherine Brewton won Style of the Year Awards.

From left to right: Catherine Brewton, Kenny Burns and Drexina Nelson

Read more about her evening at Art Fusion on her column on Examiner.com

Happy 50th Birthday President Barack Obama

2011-08-04T21:53:00.000-04:00

If Fashiona could sing...she would sing Happy Birthday (Stevie Wonder style) to President Obama in honor of his 50th Birthday.

Alas she cannot sing ~~(well)~~ so she decided to share with her readers (mwah) her favorite Obama pictures over the years. She fully agrees with Obama when he said last week "Michelle still thinks I am cute".

Sir...a lot of us do too.

Barack Obama in college...he has been smoking a loonnnnng time. He is killing the hat though !! Love it!

Obama while attending Columbia in New York

Obama shirtless in Hawaii

Michelle (wearing Jason Wu) and Barack at the Inaugural Ball. Fashiona loves the love you can see in their eyes....Aww. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images North America)

President Barack Obama's Official White House Portrait

44th President of the United States.

Move over Kanye...Dwayne Wade is a bonafide fashion icon to be

2011-08-01T19:17:00.002-04:00

Whether we ladies admit to being NBA fans or not...most of us can appreciate Dwayne Wade's chocolatey looks and his 12 pack washboard of a stomach. Fashiona has Mr. Air to thank for this bit of eye candy in the form of his upcoming fashion documentary.

DW: The Making of a Fashion Icon - Teaser from Bob Metelus on Vimeo.

Fashiona's rebuttal to GQ's worst dressed list

2011-07-17T18:47:00.006-04:00

A shade darker and after spending 24 blissful hours immersed in one of the most relaxing places on earth...Fashiona is ready to tackle the infamous GQ article:

So Atlanta was named the 17th worst dressed city:

Atlanta is the Mecca of the promotional T-shirt. Everyone is a CEO or founder of a record label or a clothing line you'd have never heard of if it weren't plastered in size 96 Helvetica font on their chest. The pleats in Atlantan's pants are deeper than the Chocolate Rain kid's voice and their blazers look like hand-me-downs, because they are hand-me-downs. In the A, there is nothing wrong with wearing uncle Ned's seersucker suit to the shindig in October—fit, be damned.—Mark Anthony Green

Mark Anthony Green clearly took the too easy route of the cliche.

Yes…Atlanta is a little promo T-shirt happy…but what major city isn’t?

Pleats in Atlanta…not sure where he or GQ’s legion of interns got this misinformation.Between the constant humidity and the tortuous commutes on 75/85/285/20....any pleats you would have left the house with would be long gone before you reached your destination.

Finally ill fitting seersucker…this is where Fashiona’s draws the line…

According to men...seersucker is quite appropriate “corporate” dress when the mercury raises higher than 90 degrees. As for fit as long it fits better the fictional lawyer “Matlock”…then Miss Fashiona is ok.

Atlanta's own Andre 3000 and Big Boi

Now having read this you may feel that Fashiona is defending Atlanta as a well dressed city….not at all…in truth she is poking holes in GQ’s weak satire.

If GQ REALLY wanted to slam Atlanta as a worst dressed city…they should have pointed out the many many "Talking with Tami" documented “ toes on the ground” phenomenon where women are in denial of their shoe size and wear shoes at least a half size too small.

Or the misguided thinking that being half-naked is means they are fashionable or by showing every nook and cranny….they somehow even out the playing field of the 1:17 male/female ratio.

What say you...

Soma collects bras for women in need

2011-07-07T22:36:00.003-04:00

Fashiona knows that you aren't wearing the same bras from high school but you very well may be wearing the same size...if so it is truly time to get professional fitted at Soma. If you are in the Atlanta area...see Sharon @ Cumberland Mall.

Yes ladies everything has changed since high school your breasts included. The ladies at Soma will break out their measuring tapes and years of expertise and get you in the best bras for your shape. Once you have upgraded your bras...please donate what you can't wear anymore.

Today through August 14, 2011, Soma's everywhere are collecting bras in any state. If they are wearable they will be passed on to a women in need and if they are in ill-repair, they will be recycled (~~even the ones with holes and escaping underwires~~).

What is your handbag style?

2011-06-27T20:11:00.000-04:00

Handbags are a girl's best friend! Whether your preference is a purse, hobo, bucket, tote, satchel or clutch, there's a fashionable and functional style for everyone. Stylist and fashion maven Alicia aka "Fashiona" Edwards shares her favorite celebrity handbag styles and gives us essential tips for accessorizing looks of your own.

Fashiona reviews Carol's Daughter: Monoi Collection

2011-06-21T03:18:00.001-04:00

Fashiona was sent trial sizes of Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner about a month ago from New York.

The very thing she noticed was the products incredible smell. Both the shampoo and condition have a nutty tropical heavenly aroma. It was so fragrant (but not overpowering)...she skipped her daily spritz of perfume whenever she used them.

She had used sulfate-free shampoo before but had yet to understand the hype. However after one use of the Monoi Repairing Shampoo she was a convert. Fashiona's naturally very curly hair was a lot less tangled and easier to comb even before applying the conditioner.

Fashiona typically uses twice as much conditioner than she does shampoo and leaves it in at least 5 minutes to work on the tangles. But with the Monoi Repairing Conditioner she used about half of her normal amount and immediately felt the tangles loosen.

After letting the conditioner work set for her usual time and started to combing the product through to the ends...her hair felt a lot smoother and fully moisturized.

Fashiona knew she had a winner when she made it through the hottest and moist humid day of the year thus far without her hair frizzing to Sideshow Bob proportions.

And did she mention the amazing smell...

Carol's Daughter is available through their website and a store near you. Read about the 2009

Lenox Square grand opening in Atlanta on Examiner.com

Fashiona is writing for Tyra's Type F

2011-06-18T03:25:00.001-04:00

So Miss Fashiona is moving up the fashion "expert" ladder and has started writing for Tyra Banks's new website Type F.

typeF.com is a groundbreaking fashion and beauty platform that offers women the personalized style know-how they are looking for, when and where they want it, at home or on the go. Inspired by Tyra Banks and her mission to redefine beauty, typeF.com is a community built on the celebration of diversity and the ideal of empowering women to be their very best.

~From Type F's about page

Her first article is about trends in sunglasses:

No matter what the trends dictate, sunglasses never go out of style and look chic with any ensemble. Style expert Alicia Edwards shares some of the best celebrity sunglasses looks and tells us how we can achieve star style. Please click here to read the rest of her commentary...

NYC Jewelry Designer Barbara Campbell having a trunk show at Bloomies in Soho

2011-06-12T13:53:00.001-04:00

So Fashiona's favorite NYC jewelry designer Barbara Campbell is having a trunk show at Bloomingdales in Soho.

Here are the details:

Who: Barbara Campbell

What: Barbara Campbell Jewelry Trunk Show & meet and greet the designer

When: June 24, 2011 - June 26, 2011, 12:00pm - 7:00pm

Why: Because she is an absolutely amazing designer and thrives on uniqueness and she is committed to "green" jewelry making practices.

Barbara's jewelry is all handmade with vintage buttons, mixed-metal, leather, gold-filled and semi-precious stones; worn and loved by TV personalities Shaun Robinson of Access Hollywood, Lori Stokes of ABC Eye Witness News, Meteorologist Janice Huff of NBC Channel 4 News, Anchor, Sue Simmons of NBC Channel 4 News, Rosanna Scotto of Good Day New York, Fortune Magazine senior editor Leigh Gallagher and celebrity make-up artist Mally Roncal of Mally Beauty.

AND Barbara will be featured on CNN soon...

Naomi Campbell and the Cadbury Ad: Insult or Innocent Mistake

2011-06-01T17:41:00.001-04:00

While attending FAMU (a historically black university) in the mid 1990's, I remember eating lunch at a diner and being startled by a young girl no more than 3 who had never seen a black person. She saw me, tugged her mother and said "Mommy...look at the chocolate lady. Her mother was both mortified and apologetic; I smiled at them both and took it in stride. The incident had faded from my memory until I came across the Huffington Post headline via Twitter.

Naomi Campbell: Cadbury Ad 'Insulting and Hurtful'

Naomi Campbell, born and raised in London, is livid over the use of her name in the latest Cadbury ad.

The advertisement reads, "Move over Naomi, there's a new diva in town," with an image of the candy posed on a mound of diamonds.

Her mother, Valerie Morris, told the Independent "I'm deeply upset by this racist advert. Do these people think they can insult black people and we just take it? This is the 21st century, not the 1950s. Shame on Cadbury."

According to Kraft, the parent company of Cadbury, the ad that was meant to be lighthearted has already been removed. But the damage is already done and Naomi and her mother are perusing legal action.

My thoughts...using my college memory as an example. It is one thing for a little girl with limited vocabulary and experience to refer to me as a chocolate lady. Children relate to what they know. I looked like the chocolate treats she was given. My 19 year old self found the incident funny and endearing.

Shouldn't Naomi be just as lighthearted...I think not.

Yes Naomi is a diva with dark skin but...really equating her with chocolate on such a public scale is insensitive and mercenary. Cadbury despite their claims of innocent humor clearly intended on making money using the ad and to add insult to injury failed to ask permission to use her name.

Shame on Cadbury for letting the idea even leave the creative studio. Advertising is meant to be eye catching and memorable and maybe even thought provoking but offensive and exploitative...never.

Alicia "aka" Fashiona

Catherine meets Michelle

2011-05-25T00:20:00.000-04:00

So President Obama and the First Lady are across the pond in England this week. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Michelle met for the first time in person today. Both women looked very stylish yet their very different personalities were evident.

Always in the fashion spotlight but not a fashionista.... Michelle showed her fondness for bright colors with her Barbara Tfank A-line dress. Fashiona likes the dress, loves but ~~dislikes~~ loathes the too bright jacket.

True Fashionplate freshly tanned Catherine seemed very much at ease in her above the knee, camel, cap-sleeve Reiss dress paired with black pumps and a matching clutch. If their meeting was a fashion contest...Kate Middleton (oops...Fashiona meant Catherine) would have won this round hands down...

Fashiona on the 2011 Billboard Music Awards

2011-05-23T19:36:00.000-04:00

So everyone was talking about Beyoncé last night and with good reason...she looked absolutely incredible. Her futuristic BladeRunner-esqe web like dress left nada to the imagination except what must her ab (~~torture chamber~~) work out really look like!! Congrats to Bey on her well deserved Millennium Award.

Fashiona's other top Billboard Red Carpet Loves:

Rihanna working her techno red hair and white pants suit. Nice change for Rhi Rhi and very lady like.

Kelly Rowland looked pretty in pink with her body hugging mini.

Fergie had the dominatrix look down to the hilt. Josh betta watch out...

Fashiona's not so favorite looks:

Nikki Minaj...Smurfette wants her look back.

Mary J Blidge: Please stick to being to Queen of Hip Hop Soul rather going to Queen of the Jungle

Fashiona pays tribute to Plus-size model Mia Amber Davis

2011-05-12T14:22:00.000-04:00

Fashiona was saddened to hear about the passing of plus model Mia Amber Davis.

She was a champion for healthy plus size women.

According to TMZ.com, Davis had knee surgery to treat an old college basketball injury in L.A. the day before she died. She was only 36.

The beauty was best-known for her work with Ashley Stewart being the face of Jill Scott's Butterfly Bra, a cameo in the movie "Road Trip," and serving as Creative Editor-at-Large for Plus Model Magazine.

Davis appeared on CNN back in 2009 to discuss obesity in America.

"Sizeism is the last acceptable prejudice....We're targets, but yet we're invisible everywhere else. The media doesn't showcase overweight people, overweight women are not seen in Hollywood. It's like, why are we being targets but we're invisible everywhere else?"

Mia had just been tapped to received the 2011 Full Figured Fashion Week Plus Size Runway Model of the Year Award.

See her Rip the Runway.

BET Videos

Kate becomes Catherine Duchess of Cambridge

2011-05-02T11:39:00.001-04:00

Fashiona watched Kate Middleton become a newlywed and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. The "Central Park" of Atlanta offered a sunrise British breakfast tea complete with scones and champagne to watch the biggest wedding of the year play out.

Fashiona though Kate looked in a word: Stunning!

The hand sewn couture gown, delicate tiara, and embroidered veil matched her personality and the grandness of the occasion. Her Grace Kelly inspired dress by Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton was a perfect fit for such a grand occasion. Maid of Honor and sister Pippa looked equally beautiful in her Sarah Burton white gown. Fashiona anticipates that this bridal season Maids of Honor and Bridesmaids will be wearing all white dresses as well.

William looked dashing in his Colonel of the Irish Guards military uniform...a touch that Fashiona thought was in VERY good taste considering Great Britain has so many soldiers serving in the Middle East.

Fashiona wishes the young couple them well and knows that the Lady Diana would be so proud.

Tiara ideas for soon to be Princess Catherine Middleton

2011-04-26T19:52:00.000-04:00

Fashiona has Royal Wedding Fever. On Easter Sunday...she watched Prince Charles and Lady Diana's wedding...again. Fashiona was 6 when they got married and according to Mom watched the wedding EVERY time it came on.

While Fashiona has not resorted to planting herself in front of the TV just yet, she does scan Twitter for those oh so important updates...like the fact that William has elected to have a groom's cake and he is following royal tradition by not wearing a wedding ring.

InStyle, one her favorite glossies, has done a stellar job of feeding Fashiona's wedding frenzy. They developed a delightful virtual paper doll game where you can choose between gowns from Lanvin, Monique Lhuillier, Oscar De la Renta and Reem Acra. Then between 4 pairs of stunning designer shoes, a statement jewelry piece and finally a tiara.

InStyle must have known that 4 tiaras wasn't nearly enough to satisfy and shared 14 sketches that Designers submitted inspired by Kate. Fashiona's favorite of these was the one designed by Chopard.

Chopard, a jewelry house founded in 1860, designed a tiara that features hundreds of pear-shaped and round diamonds.

Fashiona's cure for Royal Wedding Fever: she'll set the clock for 4 am on Friday April 29.

Social Sunday: Kate Middleton ushers in Modern Royalty

2011-04-18T21:46:00.001-04:00

The April 29th wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William will be the most watched wedding since that of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer almost 20 years ago. The facts that both women knew that they were marrying into the Windsor family and wearing a sapphire ring that deserves it is own zip code are essentially the only notable similarities.

The physical differences between Kate Middleton and the late Princess Diana is obvious. Diana was a blonde and preferred short hair styles and Kate is a long haired brunette. Diana was a direct descendant of King Charles II while Kate is a commoner by British Royalty standards. Diana was barely 20 when she married a 32 year old Prince Charles and their marriage was "arranged" by the family.

Kate (29) and William (28), met in college and seem by all outward appearances deeply in love. While Diana eventually came into her own as her ill fated marriage was crumbling...Kate is already a woman's woman who is willingly marrying the man she loves...albeit a very wealthy and famous royal one.

Kate already has a sophisticated sense of style and sense of self that I hope she maintains. Like the rest of the "royal voyeurs" I am a bit concerned that she is getting too thin but I hold hope that she is just stressed and overwhelmed by the wedding process...like most brides in the "real world" would be as their big day approaches. All brides have to make some concessions when they marry but she can't even use her nickname "Kate" anymore in public and has to learn generations of dated protocol and she has the entire world watching her every move and decision.

I would contend that Kate is more similar to Michelle Obama. Both are independent women that have been thrust into a role steeped in tradition and social exceptions. Granted the First Lady has more flexibility in defining her position, I am confident Catherine will continue to carve her niche in Buckingham Palace and create her own legacy just as lasting yet very different then the late Diana...starting with a much much better wedding dress.

Alicia "aka" Fashiona

For Princess to be Kate Middleton Navy is the new Black

2011-04-14T10:18:00.001-04:00

Most Fashionistas default to wearing black when they are in the "business of being seen" but it appears that the soon to be Princess Kate prefers wearing blue and indeed she looks stunning in all shades of the color.

Photo Credit: Huffington Post

Prince William and Kate Middleton stepped out in Blackburn, England on Monday April 11 as part of their last official trip before they swing by Westminster Abbey on April 29.

Her engagement ring...passed down from the late Princess Diana is a magnificent Sapphire.

She chose a blue dress by Issa for their official engagement photo that was copied within nanoseconds.
Miss Kate is often seen around England wearing blue as she was in her last official State visit as a singleton. Her lovely navy skirt suit was designed by Amanda Wakeley featured hook and eye closures. (See first photo)

Fashiona predicts that after she is wed on April 29 she will continue to wear shades of blue to her hearts content and salutes Kate for her personal style and hopes she stops losing weight yesterday.

And if the Royal Duo shares what else Kate wear in honor of the "something blue" tradition...Fashiona will certainly share.