Epitome. caters to women of all shapes and sizes, offers an unique array of contemporary brands as well as introduces new and cutting edge designers from all over the world.  Epitome. exudes the confidence, poise, and fearlessness of today’s woman.

A Diva State of Mind has partnered with Epitome. for its first apparel giveaway! You have the chance to win the All That Glitters (Silver) Top available in Small and Large. 

How to enter:

1. Follow A Diva State of Mind on Twitter or Facebook
2. Follow Epitome. on Twitter or Facebook
3. Leave a comment below letting me know you follow via Twitter or Facebook and describe how you’d wear the top.

The giveaway will end on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 8:00pm.  Good luck!!

To learn more about Epitome. visit www.shopepitome.com

Gucci!!

What do you think of the Gucci Spring/Summer 2012 Campaign?

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Jason Wu sculpted dress

Costume National Fox Fur Poncho

Marchesa long sleeved lace and high neck dress

Theirry Mugler Lace with Velvet Trim Suit

Ms. Davis WERKED it out; aspiring models, please take notes!  Check out her interview with the magazine HERE.

I hope she wins the Oscar!!

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A Diva State of Mind is sponsoring the The BlaqOut Show’s live broadcast from Bar 7 on Wednesday, February 8, 2012.  The BlaqOut Show is one of the most popular shows on the online radio station, Elite DC Radio.

Happy Hour is from 5-7 pm and features great specials: $4 drinks, $3 Heinekens and $25 all you can drink wine along with a “Find Your Match” interactive game for all the singles! The BlaqOut Show will aire live from 7-9 pm.

I hope you will join me at Bar 7 on Wednesday!!

For the past week, the Ratchet Girl Anthem has been circulating the internet.  The video is a hot mess, but so hilarious it is sure to put you in a good mood!

These guy do this way too well! SHE RATCHET!

Happy Friday!

Crystal Couture Show and Sale, the DC area’s hottest trunk sale and fashion show, returns to Crystal City in its fourth year with an amazing array of more than 40 boutiques and designers from the Beltway and beyond.

Presented by the Crystal City Business Improvement District, Crystal Couture takes over the former food court at the Crystal City Shops, transforming the space into a shopping site, rocking runway and lounge. The one-stop shopping experience allows guests to browse discounted styles on the rack and on the runway as models showcase offerings from participating boutiques and designers.  Guest will enjoy drinks, free make-up and hair makeovers, chats with wardrobe stylists and music from DJ Neekola.

Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 through February 11, 2012.

Time: 6pm to 10pm each night

Location:  Former Food Court at Crystal City Shops 1750 Crystal Drive in Crystal City, VA

Metro: Crystal City Station – Blue and Yellow Lines

Admission: FREE!!!

For more information and a list of participants, click HERE.

I attended the event last year and had a great time. Runway shows ran every 10 – 15 minutes and there are a number of great local vendors, especially accessories vendors! I purchased gorgeous emerald necklaces. Can’t wait to check out more fabulous finds!!

Susan G. Komen has decided to no longer provide financial support to Planned Parenthood. This means, Planned Parenthood is losing thousands of dollars in grants to support breast exams.   Planned Parenthood’s funding is currently under federal investigation;   Komen has created new policies that do not allow the organization to provide grants to those groups that are currently under government investigation.  How convenient.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the federal funding Planned Parenthood receives is being investigated by pro-life legislators in Congress who are anti-abortion.  They, like so many others, fail to realize that Planned Parenthood is not just a place for a woman to go for an abortion.  Planned Parenthood is located in thousands of low income neighborhoods serving as a health center for uninsured women and their families.  Women are able to receive free mammograms, pelvic exams and other services that they otherwise could not afford.

Susan G. Komen is the first and only organization that has cut off funding since the investigation started last year.  Komen claims it isn’t political, but it’s hard to believe when this decision took place shortly after electing Karen Handel as the new Susan G. Komen Vice President; a woman who ran on an anti-abortion and anti-Planned Parenthood platform while running for Governor of Georgia. During that time she was also endorsed by Sarah Palin for her opposition to pro-choice.

In the midst of the backlash, here’s what Komen had to say:

At Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the women we serve are our highest priority in everything we do. Last year, we invested $93 million in community health programs, which included 700,000 mammograms. Additionally, we began an initiative to further strengthen our grants program to be even more outcomes-driven and to allow for even greater investments in programs that directly serve women. We also implemented more stringent eligibility and performance criteria to support these strategies. While it is regrettable when changes in priorities and policies affect any of our grantees, such as a longstanding partner like Planned Parenthood, we must continue to evolve to best meet the needs of the women we serve and most fully advance our mission.

It is critical to underscore that the women we serve in communities remain our priority. We are working directly with Komen Affiliates to ensure there is no interruption or gaps in services for women who need breast health screening and services.

Grant making decisions are not about politics—our priority is and always will be the women we serve. Making this issue political or leveraging it for fundraising purposes would be a disservice to women.

This is such a contradiction.  The goal is to provide grants to programs that directly serve women but you have decided to defund a major organization that directly serves women!   Do the new policies now say that Komen will only provide grants to organization that are not affiliated with abortion? I wonder if Planned Parenthood is the only organization Susan G. Komen supported that was also pro-choice.

Vice President Karen Handel's reaction

People are outraged at this decision and have vowed to no longer support the organization. On the positive side of all of this, Planned Parenthood has received an outpouring of donations to support their breast cancer services.  It is believed, that in the past 48 hours, Planned Parenthood has raised the same amount of money they would’ve received as a grant from Susan G. Komen this year.

It saddens me that a large organization like Susan G. Komen cannot look past the political agenda of some in order to support the greater good, providing resources so organizations like Planned Parenthood can continue to support local communities.  I was a supporter of Susan G. Komen and participated in the walk on the National Mall for a few years, however this year, I won’t be participating. The reason I loved supporting the organization was because I knew the money raised was going to organization in local communities that provided breast cancer screening and treatment.  My charitable contributions will go to Planned Parenthood and local organizations that are making a direct impact in my local community; organizations that need the funding the most.

If you’d like to donate directly to Planned Parenthood, please click HERE.

What do you think about Susan G. Komen For The Cure’s decision to stop providing funding to Planned Parenthood?

Sources: The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Jezebel

Jovonne is a HUGE Alicia Keys fan, so I knew we had to use her as style inspiration.  Anyone who follows the singer knows Ms. Keys loves wearing skinny jeans or pants with a statement top or blazer. In this case, the statement was the vest. 

For a sleek, sophisticated look, we decided to pull the hair back in a bun and rock a red lip. Jovonne is wearing black & nude snakeskin pumps from Shoe Dazzle. Her reaction: “I didn’t think these would match the vest.” Black and nude are neutral colors; therefore they can be paired with anything!  She is wearing skinny pants from Macys, a black turtleneck and faux fur vest from Marshalls with a skinny belt (her own) and a red clutch (her own).

She LOVED her outfit! “The outfit looks hot!” she said.  Her reaction is why I want to be a stylist. I want women to be confident in their own skin and love the way they look!

How do you wear your faux fur vest?

Three weeks ago, the fabulous folks at Because I Am Fabulous (s/o to the Editor-in-Chief Sai Sankoh) featured me for this month’s blogger shine. Because I Am Fabulous is great site on all things fashion, beauty, street and celebrity style.

Check out a few excerpts from the feature:

What inspired you to start blogging?

When I started my blog, I was working retail and off two weekdays per week .I was bored because all of my friends were at working during the day while I was home.  A friend suggested I start blogging.  I didn’t think I had much to blog about, but I decided to give it a try anyway.

Who do you think is the most influential personality in fashion world and why? 

I don’t think there is one personality that is the most influential in the fashion world. I think there is enough room in the industry for everyone to make their own individual impact.

If you could give one piece of style advice, what would it be?

Great style begins with confidence! It’s important that women are comfortable in their own bodies.

Where do you see your blog headed in a few years?

I see the blog shifting in the direction of providing more styling advice. In the past year, I have used the site to launch my personal styling business.  In a few years, people will not only think of A Diva State of Mind as a lifestyle blog but a place they can go to for personal styling services.

Read the full feature at Because I Am Fabulous

There is a product for anything these days!

If you ever visit Mavericks Revue Bar in South Africa (a strip club) and but don’t want to smell like you did, Mavericks now sells Alibis Fragrance For Men. The cologne will camouflage the strip club scent.  I couldn’t make this up even if I tried!

Alibis Frangrance For Men scents include “I was working late” that smells of coffee, wool suits, cigarettes and ink, “My car broke down” that smells of fuel, burnt rubber, grease and steel and “Out Sailing” that smells of fresh ocean spray, sea salt, water and cotton rope.

According to Mavericks:

The fragrance market is a natural extension for the sexy, sophisticated and upmarket Mavericks brand, and the idea of a range of ‘Alibis’ is one that will undoubtedly generate interest, particularly for gentlemen upon leaving the club.

When I heard about this on the radio last week I thought it was ridiculous.  Do men really buy this stuff? Seriously, you have to cover up the fact that you went to the strip club? Maybe the women in South Africa aren’t as accepting of their men going to strip clubs because in the US, women (not all) will gladly go to the strip club with their man.

Fellas, if you were dating someone who was opposed to you going to the strip club and you went anyway, would you purchase this cologne?

What I really want to know if the scent is believable!

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