The Last Word by Karen

B L A C K ADD W H I T E ! 

Black is usually used to describe things not so pleasant: a black eye, black cats, you wear black to a funeral. The only time black is used in positive terms is when a financial institution or business says "their in the black."

I remember when rockers were the only people who wore black nail polish.  Black attire and black fingernails are my staples.  People who know me well know I love all things colorful, I just don't wear a lot of color.  My mother used to say I always looked like I was wearing the same thing, my clothing was always black or beige.

Some experts say that women (over 50) shouldn't wear black because it ages you. No little Black dress, say it isn't so ,are you kidding me? I guess in some cases black can be aging (it would depend on what your working with). I am also not of the opinion that black attire should always be diluted with a splash of color, but I am a fan of black and white.

Woolite currently has a commercial that asks how do you feel in dark clothes.  The responses are cool, chic, graceful and although they are in business to sell laundry detergent , I know the answers to the question to be true. Black is also slimming which is important to women who are less than pleased with their figures.

photo courtesy of vogue.de

My idol, the phenomenal head designer and creative director of the fashion house Chanel, is often photographed  wearing black and white clothing. Mr. Lagerfeld is 81 years young.

photo courtesy of sereinemagazine.com

There are models who are more seasoned who are still beautiful and look elegant and classy in black and black with white.

Get This Look

 

Black Add White by karen-nolan-mitchell featuring black jewelry

Theory striped knit top
nordstrom.com

Topshop blazer
nordstrom.com

Theory knit skirt
nordstrom.com

BCBGMAXAZRIA black pointed toe shoes
nordstrom.com

MICHAEL Michael Kors handle bag
$470 - luisaviaroma.com

GUESS cuff jewelry
guess.com

Black jewelry
kohls.com

Miriam Salat studded bracelet
gilt.com

Bling Jewelry black jewelry
blingjewelry.com

I say wear what feels good on you and to you and if it's black, rock it. Clothing is a part of your brand and if you keep it sharp people will buy what your selling, confidence, elegance and grace.

My Look: Blouse, pants and cape by Vince Camuto, Boots by BCBG

One day at a time!

Karen,

Style Crush: Black History Month Edition

If you have been following this Black History Edition series then you have seen my past 3 posts which have featured Ty Hunter, Rachel Johnson and Ugo Mozie. To close the series I am ending with ourselves (ChristinaKristin), many of you may or may not know that jewelry design is only 1 facet of our business, we also do fashion styling. Fashion styling is actually how we started our business and after experimenting with fashion design we found our niche in jewelry design.

                                 Christina                                          Kristin

To give a little background on ChristinaKristin I am inserting our bio, this same bio is also in our About Us Section. 

ChristinaKristin Co. is a design and style duo from Columbus, Ohio. They specialize in creating handmade, one-of-a-kind accessories, including jewelry and hair accessories. To date, they've created four unique collections: The Cotton Candy Collection, The Vegas Collection, The Heavy Metal Collection, and The Global Gal Collection.

Christina is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where she earned a B.S. in Apparel Product Development. Prior to forming ChristinaKristin Co., she interned for Seventeen Magazine, worked for BCBG Max Azria and did visuals for Express.

Following the completion of her Fashion Design degree, Kristin worked in visual development for Forever 21 and as a freelance stylist. Her work has been featured in The Miami Herald and Columbus Alive.

Together, they also provide editorial and personal styling direction, including child portfolio development with Photocentric Photography. Their work can be seen in Style-ology Magazine, UK magazine New African Woman and in Beverly Hills designer Malena Ruth's look book.

Currently you can see our portfolio at www.instagram.com/styleby_christinakristin, while you're there please be sure to follow us.

 New African Woman Magazine (UK)

Assistant Stylist Credit 

Children's Portfolio Development

I hope that you enjoyed this series, and learned something new!

Until Next Time,

*Chris*

Style Crush: Black History Month Edition

For me black history month is not only about remembering important people and events from our history, but also celebrating important people of today. This month's series of Style Crush will feature Black Fashion Stylists. As much as I adore June Ambrose, there are so many other talented stylists in the industry, who work extremely hard, but are more behind the scenes. 

I chose to spotlight Fashion Stylists because more often than not, they get overshadowed by designers or the client they are styling. The stylist is so key because they get the designer's collections to the public, they create an image for music artists, the stylist takes a concept and turns it into a look for magazines, fashion shows, etc. and 9 times out of 10 they also do some sewing and other tricks to prevent wardrobe malfunctions. Fashion styling is very near and dear to my heart, it was a dream of mine to become a stylist, and with lots of hard work, ChristinaKristin has had some awesome opportunities with styling. As a bonus I will feature our work at the end of the series. If you missed the first and second  posts in this series find them here and here!

Ugo Mozie

Photo Credit: www.swaggernewyork.com

Today I chose to spotlight a young man who is deemed one of the hottest stylist around. At just 22 years old he has definitely made his mark in the fashion industry. I have been following his work for about a year now,  and he is super talented. At his young age he has already debuted a fashion line and his clientele has included international super stars from Justin Beiber to Larry King. He is most known for his eclectic and androgynous style. He has touched many projects from the Oscar Awards, Sex and the City 2, Vogue, Elle, GQ magazine and much more. Mozie is of Nigerian descent moving to the states at the age of 3, he credits him being born in Africa as a major influence of his work. See his talent for yourself. For more information on Mr. Mozie check out his website www.ugomozie.com , his instagram which I follow myself is @ugomozie.

Photo Credit: ugomozie.tumblr.com

Photo Credit: ugomozie.tumblr.com

Stop by tomorrow to see the ChristinaKristin spotlight!

Until Next Time,

*Chris*

Style Crush: Black History Month Edition

For me black history month is not only about remembering important people and events from our history, but also celebrating important people of today. This month's series of Style Crush will feature Black Fashion Stylists. As much as I adore June Ambrose, there are so many other talented stylists in the industry, who work extremely hard, but are more behind the scenes. 

I chose to spotlight Fashion Stylists because more often than not, they get overshadowed by designers or the client they are styling. The stylist is so key because they get the designer's collections to the public, they create an image for music artists, the stylist takes a concept and turns it into a look for magazines, fashion shows, etc. and 9 times out of 10 they also do some sewing and other tricks to prevent wardrobe malfunctions. Fashion styling is very near and dear to my heart, it was a dream of mine to become a stylist, and with lots of hard work, ChristinaKristin has had some awesome opportunities with styling. As a bonus I will feature our work at the end of the series. If you missed the first post in this series find it here!

Rachel Johnson

Photo Credit: www.ebony.com

This naturalista is a stylist to NBA stars, from which she obtained the title "NBA Stylist".  The "Gentlemen" look that many players are now donning, can be credited to Rachel. Her fashion lineup consists of Chris Paul, Chris Bosh, Lebron James and Amare Stoudemire. Johnson's styling aesthetic is influenced by street styles,art trends and classic Hollywood Style.

Before Johnson's NBA career began, she had a booming career styling the likes of Keyshia Cole, Pharell Williams, and Jamie fox. In 2005, Jay-Z introduced her to  Lebron James' manager, Maverick Carter, and that began her NBA fashion career. Johnson is also a business woman, she owns a styling agency based out of Brooklyn, New York called Thomas Faison.

Take a look at some of her work:

Photo Credits: www.thomasfaison.com

To see more of Rachel's work, check out her website in the www.thomasfaison.com 

Until Next Time,

*Chris*

Style Crush: Black History Month Edition

For me black history month is not only about remembering important people and events from our history, but also celebrating important people of today. This month's series of Style Crush will feature Black Fashion Stylists. As much as I adore June Ambrose, there are so many other talented stylists in the industry, who work extremely hard, but are more behind the scenes. 

I chose to spotlight Fashion Stylists because more often than not, they get overshadowed by designers or the client they are styling. The stylist is so key because they get the designer's collections to the public, they create an image for music artists, the stylist takes a concept and turns it into a look for magazines, fashion shows, etc. and 9 times out of 10 they also do some sewing and other tricks to prevent wardrobe malfunctions. Fashion styling is very near and dear to my heart, it was a dream of mine to become a stylist, and with lots of hard work, ChristinaKristin has had some awesome opportunities with styling. As a bonus I will feature our work at the end of the series. Alright, so get ready for some serious style in this series over the next 2 weeks.

First up is:

Ty Hunter

Photo Credit: www.jetmag.com

This stylish gentleman is stylist to the world's most recognized soul/pop vocalist, Mrs. Beyonce Knowles-Carter. Yes, he is responsible for the fierce style she displays every time we see her. He came from humble beginnings, he was working at a trendy boutique called Bui-Ya-Kah in Houston, Texas, he assisted customers including Tina Knowles. During his time at the boutique he would put aside clothes for a local group known as Destiny's Child. One day he called Ms. Knowles (Tina), the groups head stylist and asked if she needed a hand and the rest is history.

I took some excerpts from an interview Ty did on examiner.com, I will put the link at the end of this post.

Did you ever imagine you would be where you are now? What were your plans as a child for your future?

- I was always into fashion growing up. My Mom would always ask me my opinion on what she should wear when I was growing up. I was voted best dressed a lot in middle and high school. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be where I am today. There weren’t a lot of celebrities coming out of Texas growing up.

I was informed that you got your start off of a whim with an encounter with Beyonce’s mom, please expand on this. What were your thoughts at this time, and what made you decide to stick with it?

- I was doing Visual Merchandising at boutiques in Houston, TX, and Miss Tina would come in and shop for the four girl’s of Destiny’s Child. She would always come in asking me for my opinion. The girl’s would all come in by themselves to shop. I met Michelle first, then Kelly and lastly Bey. None of them knew we all knew each other. So, one day Miss Tina told me, “I’m gonna get you out of here.” And two weeks later I was at the Grammy’s, and the rest was history.

What advice do you have for those looking to get into the fashion industry? When is the best time to start?

- My thing is to really believe in yourself. Do not let your environment keep you from doing what you want to do. I never thought a little boy from Texas would be styling one of the biggest pop groups and stars in the world.

What an inspiring story!!! Now on to the style...

Photo Credit: www.necolebitchie.com

Photo Credit: www.bgclive.com

Photo Credit: www.idyck.com

For the full interview go to: www.examiner.com

Until Next Time,

*Chris*

Chris's/Kris's Closet (Kristin) Valentine's Day 2015

Kris's Closet

In this blog post you will get a glimpse of pieces in my closet, learn where I found them

 and where I wore them.  

My name is Kristin. Welcome to my closet!

I spent my Valentine's Day with my sister. She was my official Valentine. We had tickets to the 'Between the Sheets Tour', with Chris Brown, Trey Songz and Tyga. We had dinner at Bareburger then headed to the concert at Nationwide Arena. It was freezing cold and the snow covered ground was slippery but we were determined to be cute in our high heeled boots. I also went bare-legged. Brrrr! I really wanted to wear this old Aztec sequin skirt that I had yet to wear. I paired the skirt with a Pam Grier tee by Accidental Genius Clothing; one of my favorite companies that I mentioned in the last 'Fun Fashion Friday' for Black History Month. I took these photos at my sister's before we headed downtown. Check out the look!

Tee: Pam Grier Tee by Accidental Genius Clothing

Aztec Sequin Skirt: Express 

Sweater: Arden B (old)

Boots: Guess (Old) 

Earrings:Borrowed from my sister

Purse: Gift with purchase from a Michael Kors perfume (old)

Bracelets: Hautelook (old)

Until next time,

Be blessed! Be free! Be fashionable!

Kris,


Some Galaxy S4 Photo Highlights

Making faces! My sister and I clowning.

Waiting on the show to start.

Trey Songz

Chris Brown

 

Fun Fashion Friday!!!

A BLACK HISTORY MONTH EDITION

It's 'Fun Fashion Friday'! In these posts I will bring you the playful side of fashion. Fashion doesn't always have to be so serious. I am a big fan of really funky, fun pieces. I admit to loving my fun or bizarre items more than the classic ones; even if some of my friends hate and make fun of them. After all, fashion is about self expression and SHOULD BE fun.

THE BOMBSHELL, THE SONGSTRESS & THE SHOW

 When I was in high school, I remember looking for tees with beautiful black icons. There were after all, plenty of tees with the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. While I thought they were both very beautiful women, I did not want to wear them on my chest. I wanted a t-shirt with someone of my likeness; someone like Josephine Baker or Dorothy Dandridge. Baker and Dandridge were just as beautiful as their counterparts but were not represented at all in retail. Matter of fact, there were no black icons represented much of anywhere. If I were the wiser then; I would have figured out a way to change the situation seventeen years ago.  Luckily, with the web we all have access to unlimited possibilities. Artists and designers have a place to sale their pieces to people all over the world. That includes those artists/designers that I have featured in this post. They are black artists/designers who create pieces representing black icons and reminders of black history. 

Accidental Genius Clothing

(My Favorite New Tee!)

 

The end of last year, I discovered a designer on instagram who creates just the kind of shirt I wanted as a teenager. I own three of his shirts which feature icons like: Grace Jones, Jasmine Guy as Whitley Gilbert and Pam Grier. I have worn my Grace Jones tee and Whitley Gilbert in closet posts on the blog. While there are others who produce similar shirts; no one offers the colors or the pizazz that Accidental Genius Clothing does with his shirts. My tees are now out of stock but there are always plenty of options. He keeps the site fresh with new tees every couple months and there is almost always some sort of promotion running. I selected some of the tees I love that are currently available. For those who missed the Accidental Genius tees I've worn in previous posts, I have included some photos below.

1. The Prototype II Tee (Clair Huxtable/Phylicia Rashad) $27
2. The Lena II $27  
3. The Dandridge 4 $27
4. Bougie III (Billie Holiday) $27

My Tees by Accidental Genius Clothing 

Musical Icons, Iconic Movies & Shows

I am a fan of etsy and instagram because they are both great online sources to find unique items. I can't tell you how many of my favorite pieces were discovered on social media or on etsy. These are also the items that I get the most compliments on because they aren't pieces that can be found at the mall. Since I am above keeping things I love and stalk a secret; I just had to include these two designers in this post. 

 

On etsy among so many designers/artists of many medias; you will find Luxor Couture. This shop is full of black images and African inspired pieces. The selection is small so I suggest a visit to their actual website. It isn't a visually stimulating site once you get to the product section but the variety is immense. I have included links to etsy and the company website below.  I love their earrings featuring artists like Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill (featured below).

I have been stalking this Siamaise website for weeks now. The brand creates fun pieces that remind us of a time when there was great black programing and thought provoking black films. While very entertaining; we are so bombarded with reality programs full of women beating each other up physically and mentally or programs with brilliant writing and strong characters who have seriously dysfunctional relationships. These earrings are cool and fun but they offer great reminders of positive shows like 'The Fresh Price' and 'A Different World' (featured below). My favorite designs are 'Do The Right Thing'(featured below) and the 'In Living Color' pair. You must check out the website for the selection.

1. Erykah Badu earrings by Luxor Couture $15

2. A Different World earrings by Siamaise $22.80

3. Do The Right Thing earrings by Siamaise $40

4. Lauryn Hill earrings By Luxor Couture $18

More Luxor Couture

I hope you will support these small businesses this month and beyond. They are doing something truly special. Thank you for stopping by! 

Until next time.

Be Blessed! Be Free! Be Fashionable!

Kris,