ENTER  TO  WIN!!!!!

Your very own WordPlay tee!!! In celebration of 1 month of successful blogging and over 2,000 views! To thank you for reading, subscribing and sharing with your friends I am offering a chance to win a tshirt from the company featured on the Local Spotlight page (value up to $25). 

Wordplay offers tshirts for Ladies and Gentlemen. If luck is not on your side please go to
https://shopwordplay.com/ and GET one anyway!


Contest Rules:

The first person to answer the following question and post the answer in the comment section of this blog entry will receive a WordPlay tee of their choice up to $25.

Who is my "fast" bff in my head? The answer can be found on one of the pages.

*Please note* In order to leave a comment you must have a gmail account or become a member of the blog.  The winner will be announced via FB and Twitter and I will contact you with information on how to claim your prize.

Feeling kinda Green!

"The school of excellence and the forgotten color."

My Philadelphia correspondent and High Brow contributor "Can We Get Married at the Mall" sent me a slew of great additions to the blog which included this fancy little number by Milly in the often forgotten about and underrated color of green.

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/product.jsp?itemId=prod152430057&ecid=NMECITEM2FRIEND

Each piece is over $250 so I would put this in the high brow category. I love this look completely but as I always say I must stay in my own financial lane and let this be the inspiration for what I wore to work today.  I also wore Green and white in celebration of the first win of the football season for my alma mater Cass Technical High School, beating Birmingham's Brother Rice 25-18.

I was saving this for some special event that would include maybe finger sandwiches and tea at a yacht club or something, but since summer is coming to a close and I haven't been invited to high tea yet I thought "Hey What am I saving this for!" So I just had a Perrier sparkling water in the cafe with my pinky finger extended.

I'm really into bows right now

 

 

Madame's lesson for today. 





Its all in the details

Jacket: Nordstrom Rack about $50
Dress: TJ Maxx  $30
Shoes: Nine West
Lapel Pin: Gap (a very long time ago)

Look of The Week

If you are a little daring and can pull this off (see my 5 commandments if you are on the fence) this is the look for you!

Pair this Asos bathing suit ($93.67) with the Maxi skirt below

http://www.asos.com/Insight/Inght-Madnights-Deep-V-One-Piece/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2405084&cid=2238&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=200&sort=-1&clr=Black+print

Catherine Malandrino Maxi skirt $118
http://shop.catherinemalandrino.com/m/sale/pleated-long-skirt.html 



Stay tuned:

-For contest details to win your very own Word Play Tshirt featured in the local spotlight section.

-End of summer closeout deals....EVERYTHING must go to make room for all the Fall Frocks.

-You may notice this Curvy Girl symbol next to items on the Savvy Chic page...this indicates that it is only available in sizes 14 and above.

Thank you for reading!

MB

Keeping it less than 100

Last night was all a buzz because Dave Chapelle was in Detroit for an impromptu concert.  I happened to be one of the lucky ones in attendance along with my 2 best friends. 

Most Importantly!! What are you wearing??

Naturally, I am always on the lookout for super cute discount fashions.  After receiving several suggestions from readers and facebookers I decided to include a section dedicated to deals and discounts.  With that said, I revamped the blog a bit with a new page titled "Savvy Chic", which is all about having champagne taste on a kool aid budget (as my mom used to say). Take a look at my head-to-toe less than $100 look from last night.

Details:

Glasses:  Halloween Store   $7
Necklace: Charming Charlies   $10
Bracelets: $10
Tshirt: $25 http://maneandchic.spreadshirt.com/
Skirt: BCBG  TJ Maxx  $39
Shoes: Old--so the net value after accumulated depreciation is $0 (hey I'm in finance)
Total:  $91

Fash Bash

I usually turn most opportunities to get dolled up into a "prom preparation" exercise.  I was too thrilled to be invited to Fash Bash by my sister in fashion Michelle Pratt of Fashion Group International.  Fash Bash is an annual event that celebrates art and fashion in Detroit to raise money to support the DIA (Detroit Institute of Arts).

This time I didn't have to lay my options out on my bed days before the event while walking around them to make a choice.  You know, like on the night before the first day of school when you were anxious to wear one of your new fly outfits, with that voice in your head saying "You are gonna kill em with this tomorrow!". I know I wasn't the only one.....

This time I had the perfect dress...last years birthday gift from my mom.  When I opened the perfectly wrapped box she said, I know you don't need it but I am sure you will put it to good use one day.  Sequins and money are the very best gifts in the world! ;-)

I decided to get my makeup professionally done as well.  You can't wear sequins without sultry eyes and you can't have a sultry eye without butterfly wing lashes.  However, next time I am going to need a trainer pair of lashes before I go all the way Dolly Parton lash.  I'm glad I listened to the professional Alia Moss, makeup artist extraordinaire.  The lashes made my look go from cute to SWEXY faster than the lash glue dried. Check out the closeup pictures of her work on the Before/After page.

The REVEAL

Dress: Ralph Lauren

Shoes: Nine West

Some of my favorite images from FASH BASH courtesy of Hour Magazine

COMING SOON:

-Pictures from FASH BASH!
-At the suggestion of several Facebook friends I've added a new section dedicated to fashion discounts and deals.  How to make a $100 look like a $1000....as my mother always says "Champagne taste on a Kool Aid budget".

"Style is truly your voice, from the inside out." June Ambrose

My Bright Color Look (Now Trending) that I wore to the Cass/King Party last night...Oh you didn't know about it?  It was on the events page! Fun times!



Shirt: Old Navy    Jeans:Gap    Rug:TJ Maxx :-)

Wild Cards



Me, my daughter, and BFF in New Orleans




I went to a concert at Chene Park last night with one of my best and oldest friends. She is the "Samantha" of our group...real grown, takes no shorts, statuesque and regal, always "the auntie", but take away Samantha's slutacious behavior (one of my favorite words but the credit goes to one of those reality shows) and add a dab of shy (the girl can sing and only a few people know).  I remember meeting her 20 years ago in Mr. Kabrovich's American History class.  I didn't want to be all weird by introducing myself  like "Hi my name is Deidra, lets be best friends". So instead I opted for the even weirder approach...staring until she succumbed to my hypnotic gaze.  I knew we were kindred spirits, she got my jokes, didn't take life too seriously and our birthdays were 2 days apart.  She was my twin born a year before me.

We recently took an all girls trip to New Orleans and she coined the phrase "Wild Cards".  This is defined as an inappropriate, ill-fitting, unflattering outfit.  For some reason there was an abundance of Wild Cards there that weekend. I thought about including a collage of exhibits but my goal is to keep my blog positive. There are enough blogs dedicated to pointing out flaws and having readers laugh and point and comment.  I think we all know what it looks like.

My girls and I decided their friends obviously don't love them.  There should have been alot of broken friendships in New Orleans that weekend, last night at Chene Park and every weekend in Detroit. To test this theory I challenge you to try on something you know you shouldn't even wear in private, and ask your girlfriends for their opinion.  The ones who tell you that you look great and you should wear it out are not your friends.  You know the saying "A reason, a season, a lifetime."  She could be trying to spare your feelings because maybe you've gained a few or could stand to gain a few or maybe she simply just wants to be the standout in the group. 

Before you play your Wild Card, keep the following 5 Commandments in mind:

1.  If your belly is spilling out in any way....go longer. Everything ain't for Every's Body!

2.  If you are wearing low-rise jeans wear low cut undies and a belt to avoid the plumber look

3. If you are wearing clingy "tell no lie" material and your lower half is not as taut as it used to be, wear some support to smooth things out.

4. If you are unable to wear those 5 in. heels for the entire event, either bring a backup or plan better. DO NOT walk around in your pretty dress barefoot!

5. If a man is giving you the "what does she have on" side-eye look. Take heed because when they notice,  IT'S BAD!


Uno and Out!!

Where it All Began

Me and my mommy circa 1977 (going somewhere important hence the petticoat)

Me and mommy circa 2010 (At the Common concert)

I remember growing up I never wanted to play house, boardgames, jax, rubics cube, hairstylist to the dolls, however I did have an affinity for Lincoln Logs for some reason...I digress. I do remember playing with dolls only for the cute clothes that I would try to make if I couldn't find anything suitable.  I would take my dolls shopping in my imaginary store where my brother and sister would play store owner and I would play affluent customer.
I also remember watching my mother....not like a stalker all obvious, laying in the cut waiting to bite her style but taking mental note of what she was wearing.  I thought to myself someday I will be old enough to wear 3in. shoulder pads and 4in. clogs.  She would get dressed to go out with my father or her girlfriends and spray on her White Shoulders perfume, and I would stick my finger in my bottle of Jean Nate and dab some on my neck.  She dressed modestly, never showing excessive skin but was always feminine with just enough sex appeal to leave a man going hmmm...so I grew up with my own set of rules.
1. No skirts above the knee (makes me uncomfortable)
2. If the top is low cut the bottom needs to be long
3. Heavily adorned clothing=simple jewelry
4. Never match the handbag and shoes and outfit all at the same time
5. Its okay to share where I purchased something with a fellow fashionista because she won't rock it like me.
There is enough room in this world for all of us to live fashionably ever after in perfect harmony!
So present day I am still looking to my style icon, my mom, for inspiration.  As evidenced by the hot little number below that I've commandeered and she will never see again...MUHAAHHAAAHHAAA....MUUUHHAAAHHAAAA!!!!

Urban Carrie Bradshaw

One of my favorite HBO Series was Sex in the City. I loved every character and assigned each one to a friend of mine.  In my head I was Carrie Bradshaw on a budget with two children, a less impressive shoe collection, who lives in the burbs.  I seem to attract Mr. Big types...you know the ones...perfect packaging but emotionally unavailable. I have 3 supportive and equally fabulous best friends. I have a great job, in real life I crunch numbers and sling spreadsheets.  In my head I'm a stylist to the stars i.e. June Ambrose, so in my spare time I send pictures of cute clothes that I come across to friends and colleagues looking for something special to wear. I am a hopeless romantic, everything is butterflies and rainbows.  Would rather walk than drive. I love the big city. I have a personal connection to everything in my closet. I favor a dress over pants. Free-spirited, fun girl who loves a good cocktail.