Bargain fall Jackets under $100

Sherpa Lined Jacket $40

Peacoat $60

Four Pocket Military Jacket $89.50

I've always maintained that style is not necessarily about the price of what you wear but how you wear it. In getting your sartorial look top notch its possible to spend a fraction of what you'll spend buying top end designer clothes. There are always available alternatives out there if you can only take the patience to look. These amazing jackets are all from old navy and in my opinion old navy has better clothes than both Banana republic and Gap its sister companies and for some reason they are the cheapest of the group :o) . Available online at oldnavy.com

Designer Watch: Loeffler Randall Simply Ruffles My Feathers

Ladies, I am excited that I've finally come across an inspirational designer who incorporates the edgy simplicity that I've been harping on! Randall does this brilliantly and is unapologetic with her playful feminine silhouettes. They ooze a sexiness that is so played down that you have no choice but to pay attention.

The most renowned sex symbols mastered the whole "looking-sexy-while-seemingly-not-trying-to" look! And Randall definitely has a lead in understanding that most welcome want to feel sexy while still looking comfortable and approachable! GET IN NOW!

Fashion Watch: Naomi EATS Vogue Russia Alive!

While Sasha Fierce is ever-present on the music scene promoting her newest project "I Am...Sasha Fierce" Naomi Campbell is still banging out the most illustrious prints in the game. And she is not exactly 20 years old. But she is body beautiful! Check out some (my favs) of her prints from the December 2008 of Vogue Russia below:

Black cat, kitty kat kat kat!...Halle who?

Forget "smiling with your eyes" I'm FIERCE with hair in my face!

Med Check: Woman Is Given New Windpipe

Doctors have given a woman in Barcelona a new windpipe with tissue engineered from her own stem cells in what experts have hailed as a "milestone in medicine."

Claudia Castillo, 30, suffered from tuberculosis for years.

The breakthrough allowed Claudia Castillo, 30, to receive a new section of trachea -- an airway essential for breathing -- without the risk that her body would reject the transplant.
Castillo was given the stem cell surgery, the controversial branch of medicine that some say could lead to human cloning, after suffering a severe lung collapse.
The condition, caused by long-term tuberculosis left Castillo, a Colombian now living in Barcelona, unable to carry out simple domestic duties or care for her two children.
The only conventional option was a major operation to remove her left lung, a risky procedure with a high mortality rate.

Read Entire Article at CNN

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This is a major move in science! I'll keep my comments to myself for all those people who were and still are opposed to stem cell research. This miraculous procedure would not have been possible without stem cell research. Think about it people...it may prove to be any of our last resort one day.

New Music: Seal Covers Cooke's Prophetic Change

I must admit I was jamming to Sam Cooke's "Change is Gonna Come" for a while during the whole election hype! It inspired a hope greater than anything else that was out there musically. Even though "My President is Black" had great intentions....and I can't lie it help in the hype after all was said and done and my man had secured the Presidency!

So, it was definitely great to know that someone was paying homage to such a celebrated classic. Of course, no male artist comes close (in my opinion) to the stylistic melodies of Sam Cooke...but Seal holds his own on this reckoning cover.

Take a listen here!

Wishful Thinking: The Precision of Jeffrey West

Thanks to our lovely fellow bloggers across the pond at Indulged Fashion, I stumbled across these lovely foot accessories made by Jeffrey West. Mark Jeffery and Guy West, founders of Jeffery-West and purveyors of seamlessly stylish, meticulously crafted Northampton-produced footwear. They specialize in hand-crafting their shoes....so don't expect that computer generated finishing of......other.....kinds :-) Make ya feet happy...go splurge! I'll definitely have a fresh pair verrrry soon! (anyone feeling generous?)

Also, if you're really feeling like spoiling yourself and thinking about the economy and bills later, then don't waste anymore time...go snatch a wickedly made bag by these guys. You'll be the envy of everyone in the office! And I'm pretty good at THAT...haha!

Tuesday's Drop:Queen of Pop Secures Throne

Pay no attention to the drag queen-ready title of ­Beyoncé's new album. She may have titled her third solo CD "I Am ... Sasha Fierce," but the music seems hellbent on proving just the opposite.
It finds this battering ram of a star not just lowering her guard, but practically opening up a vein.
That's partially by design. Beyonce divided the 16-song double set in two, devoting the first half (dubbed "I Am ...") to aching ballads, the second ("Sasha Fierce") to her usual "I am woman, hear me roar" anthems. At least that's what Beyoncé stated. In truth, the "upbeat" section includes its share of ballads, too. And even the harder, faster section's songs express more yearning than defiance.

All this comes as more than a revelation. It's a relief — especially following Beyoncé's last album, 2006's hastily recorded "B'Day." That disk seemed primed to compete with the music of then boyfriend Jay-Z for hardness, anger and distance.
How ironic that only now that Beyoncé has married Jay has she released an album rippling with need and hurt.

The result has done wonders for both her character, and the breadth of the music. Avoiding the usual R&B clichés, Beyoncé's new songs draw on the wider palette of pop. The song "Disappear" has some of the intimate chord structures of a John Lennon ballad, while "Smash Into You" shows influence from the musicals ­Beyoncé branched into with "Dreamgirls." "That's Why You're Beautiful" even swipes some chords from grunge.
The loosening of Beyoncé's melodic structures allows her to circumvent the constricted, and rhythm-driven, shouts of her ­earlier work to access new parts of her range. She snakes up the crescendo of "Satellites" with fresh grace, and embraces ­operatic flourishes in "Ave Maria" with heavenly élan. The album's first single, "If I Were a Boy," presents an ideal marriage of Beyoncé's newly empathic lyrics and non-­cliché melodies, which studiously avoid the ­melodic limitations of post-hip-hop R&B.
Beyoncé even worked to undermine her famous perfectionism: In some songs she purposely hits bum notes.
Not every song mines the warm new mode. "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" honors the sporty beat and in-your-face lyrics Beyoncé has drawn on since her days in Destiny's Child. Same goes for the tellingly titled "Diva."
But even a song called "Ego" avoids expectations by celebrating a man's cockiness rather than her own. More, the album ends the "Sasha" section with perhaps the most open-hearted ballad on the CD, "Scared of Lonely." It's a whole new Beyoncé here, bold and brave enough to finally let herself be weak.

The Death of Adam From 88 Keys' Point of View!!

Artist: 88 Keys

Album: The Death of Adam

Label: Decon Records

What really killed Adam, is the question that is on every Hip Hop heads mind right now. The answer will be reveal on Tuesday, November 11th when 88 Keys finally release his debut album, 'The Death of Adam'. The album includes the first single "Stay Up! (Viagra)" featuring Kanye West, who also helped executive producer the album. When asked to describe the concept of this album, 88 Keys stated "The entire album is about the power of the punani, if you will. The album follows the story line of my man Adam who passed away and basically how he died." I have to applaud 88 Keys for this one because there aren't too many artists, in my opinion, that can create an album with a storyline such as this one and be successful with it at the same time. With 'The Death of Adam', 88 Keys tells a well-written story of Adam, a sex hungry young man who’s original goal is getting a certain dime into bed, which turns out to be more than what he was bargaining for. It all starts off with Adamn catching a boner in the morning ("Morning Wood"), which later leads to some sexual activities involving a girl that Adam met at "The Friends Zone". The storyline continues when Adam decides to handcuff the young lady during sex ("Handcuffs 'Em"), but Adam later finds himself unable to perform during sex ("Stay Up! (Viagra)"), and to find out what happens to Adam after that and how he died, you just going to have to purchase the album and witness it for yourself! The concept for this album was brilliant because not only was the storyline well written, but I am pretty sure that a lot of guys, if not all, can relate to it. This has to be ONE of the best Hip Hop albums of 2008; Lil Wayne's 'Tha Carter III or T.I.'s 'Paper Trail' can't even amount to what this album brings to the table, in my opinion. If you liked Lupe Fiasco's The Cool or Nas' 'Untitled', then you'll most definitely enjoy this one as well! The production, the guest appearances, the sampling, and lyrical contents for this album were outstanding. I usually do not like albums that includes more than three guest appearances, but there's an exception for this album because each artist added his or her own unique style to this project which helped made this album that much great! My favorites were "Stay Up! (Viagra)", "The Friends Zone", "Dirty Peaches", "Close Call", "Ho' Is Short For Honey", and "M.I.L.F." The album includes guest appearances from Bilal, Redman, Kanye West, Phonte from Little Brother, and more. 'The Death of Adam' hit stores this Tuesday, November 11th, make sure you guys go out and purchase it!! The album overall rating 4.5 out 5 stars!! Excellent...I'll definitely be picking this one up on Tuesday...make sure you guys do the same!!!

Tracklist

01. Morning Wood

02. Nice Guys Finish Last

03. The Friends Zone (feat. Shitake Monkey)

04. Handcuff 'Em

05. Stay Up! (Viagra) (feat. Kanye West)

06. There's Pleasure In It

07. (Awww Man) Round 2?

08. Dirty Peaches (feat. J'Davey)

09. Close Call (feat. Phonte)

10. The Burning Bush (feat. Redman)

11. Ho' Is Short For Honey (feat. Kid Cudi)

12. No. I Said I LIKED You

13. M.I.L.F. (feat. Bilal)
14. Another Victim

The Broke & The Beautiful

Okay, it’s a known fact we are all in crunch time! Everyone is --or at least should-- be watching the monies that flow in and out of their pockets. So, things other than basic appearance can sometimes be put on the backburner because of rising costs…..on EVERYTHING (I swear even kool-aid has gone up…check your local grocery store!).

However, do not let soaring prices ward you off from staying the best you only…well…you can be! I want to share with you a couple of my favorite products and “rituals,” if you will, to help/enhance your Perfection in Perfectly being the Perfect you! And your face is the center of your being….protect it! Even if you’re a beast with the makeup artistry, a healthy canvas makes for a great masterpiece!

For people of color, it’s very hard to find anything that is effective in maintaining, restoring, or aiding your skin. There are a few things I use that I recommend:

Ambi Facial Cleanser/Lotion (sometimes the soap)—I use this line during the warmer season because it’s better when my skin tends to secrete more natural oils. The moisturizer from this product is lighter and protective against the sun.

Tea Tree Body Bar by Paul Mitchell—for colder days I turn to this charmingly scented body bar that exfoliates dead skin w/ parsley flakes, heals with an infusion of tea tree oil, and for all you guys it’s a great shaving companion due its rich, creamy lather!

Cetaphil Moisturizer- as we age moisturizing becomes more important than ever! Thanks to my sister, I have been using this amazing moisturizer that is lightweight, silky-smooth, fragrance-free and suitable for use under makeup or after shaving. It provides gentle moisturization for all skin types. Also, it provides moderate protection from the sun.

Mint Julep Face Mask – after every day “wear and tear” of my skin, once a week I like to fully rejuvenate my face….and not for a spa price! So, I turn to Queen Helene’s mint julep facial mask. This original masque treatment claims to help dry up acne pimples, rinses away blackheads and even shrinks enlarged pores. Relaxes tired facial muscles and eases tension lines on the face and neck.

Kanye West Gets Animated on "Heartless"

Kanye West surprised fans around the world with his live introduction of the heavily synthesized "Love Lockedown" and now he continues his promotion of his next full-length studio album entitled, " 808s & Heartbreak" with his official follow up single called "Heartless." I must admit it's one of those tracks that I wasn't crazy about until I saw the artistry involved in the video.

The message of this song is portrayed wonderfully in this video. The use of an animated effect illustrates the concreteness of love while at the same time appearing abstract. In a way (allow me to speculate and analyze), I believe Kanye's vision of the song is conveyed because he removes self so that the image you may have of him is no longer there.....and you're left with a character of him that ONLY possesses the characteristics...well...given to him during the video......Hmmmn....ponder on it son. Either way, the brotha is definitely setting a standard....watch out Chris Brown--you've gotta come harder than just 16 bars of choreography!

Check out the flick below!

CatWalk Snatch: First Lady Michelle Obama*Beyonce*Estelle*Katy Perry

Apparently, not only did the Obama's make history by being the first African-American family to head to to The White House....but First Lady Elect's Victory dress made quite a stir as well! While, politically, the dress was a bold choice, Michelle Obama exudes such reservation and class that anything she chooses looks radiant.

The designer behind the explosion of black and red is Narciso Rodriguez, who modified a dress from his Spring 2009 ready-to-wear collection so that it became more appropriate for a first-lady-to-be. Of course, at the time we al, including the designer, was only hopeful......and I'm sure the colors played no less significance. Especially since it was a family affair as they all were adorned in Black and Red; Victory no matter the outcome! And a victory it was.....YES WE DID!

OTHER [HAUT]NESS Str8 From The Catwalk :

I warned everyone to watch the futuristic stamp! If you are still skeptical then...you're too late! GET INTO IT! Get over simple silhouettes and step outside the box...experiment with shape and color....quick! Forget "sexy black dress."....9 times out of 10 your "sexy black dress" is NOT that sexy anyway.........................yes, I said it!

Beyonce Always Gives: Whether you get it or NOT! At the 2008 Europe Musics Awards chick showed up in all her fierceness wearing Gareth Pugh & working the hell out of the glove, which I personally think is a distraction from her 4th finger left-hand! She turned around and put on another beat Pugh piece....not to mention her performance was stoopid! Due to the nature of the outfit her moves even paid homage to M.J (shoulder pads? C'mon you know he'd rock that like it was nothing)....don't know if most picked up on that though.

Katy Perry sent the crowd into a complete frenzy when she walked out---and no, she was not kissing some chick...though it woulda been hott! But Perry came out draped in a colourful sequined Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Spring 2009 tunic dress with the Barack Obama's face stamped on the front, and one finger less glove saying "yes." B.E.A.T SiLLy!
British singer Estelle was playing with the rags she performed in. Chick slayed in an electric blue strapless Bernard Chandran Spring 2009 dress, with a triangle shaped skirt with embellishments....She was in charge of the girls last night!

Beyonce Shows Growth On Third Album..I Am...Sasha Fierce!!

Artist: Beyonce
Album: I Am....Sasha Fierce

Label: Columbia Records

One of the highly anticipated albums of 2008 has just leaked online on Election Day, how weird is that? The third album from Beyonce entitled 'I Am....Sasha Fierce' includes the two smash first singles "If I Were A Boy" and "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" Both singles have already managed to dominate both the Billboard Hot 100s and the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop charts, "If I Were A Boy" peaking # 3 on the Hot 100s and "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" peaking # 8 on the R&B/Hip Hop charts. I have to give it to "B" because that was one of the greatest marketing plans I've ever seen, not only did she release two first singles, but to have them release to two different radio formats was just brilliant. 'I Am...Sasha Fierce' will be release as a two disc album, one version will include mostly ballads; meanwhile, the second version will have a more uptempo side.

The 'I Am...Beyonce" disc starts off with the breathtaking ballad "If I Were A Boy". The single showcases a side of Beyonce that we all have never seen or heard before. In my opinion, this has to be one of Beyonce's best singles in her entire career. Not only does this single show that she can sing, but it also shows her growth as an artist. The second single from this side, "Halo", is a prime example of the above, "Everywhere I'm looking now, I'm surrounded by your embrace, baby I can see your halo, you know you are my saving grace." There were two more ballads on this disc that I found amazing "Disappear", which happens to be one of my favorite thus far, and "Broken-Heart Girl", which in my opinion could possibly be her "Irreplaceable" for this album if it was to be release. I was only able to listen to the standard version of this album, but based on the snippets that I've heard of "Smash Into You" and "That's Why You Are Beautiful", this disc is incredible. My favorites from this version would have to be the whole entire disc, not one single song I hated, which I am suprised, since I'm not a fan of Beyonce and the fact that I think she's overrated!

The "I Am Sasha Fierce's disc starts off with the ladies anthem "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)". The single reminds me of "Get Me Bodied" and I'm just going to leave it at that! This side of disc shows the more uptempo side of Beyonce, which she refers to as her alter-ego, Sasha. The second single from this disc will be "Ego", and I'm just wondering what exactly it is she's referring to, but I'm going to leave that to you guys' imagination! The song "Diva" is the female version of Lil Wayne's "A Milli", which in my opinion "B" actually gives Weezy a run for his money...."When he pull up, wanna pop my hood up, bet he better have a six pack in the cooler", and I doubt she played any role in writing any of the lyrics to that song. I really do not care for the song that much, but the beat is crazy! I am patiently waiting to hear "Hello" because that was the only song from the snippet that actually stood out to me on this disc!

Altogether, I felt that this album came out very well! I think this is Beyonce's best album to date and that's including all the Destiny Child's albums as well! The disc I found more interesting and that I liked the most would have to be the 'I Am Beyonce' disc because it showcased her maturity and that she wasn't afraid to take a risk and I applaud her for that. The only problem that I have with the 'I Am Sasha Fierce's disc is that majority of the songs sounded like they were leftovers from the previous album, minus a couple of them. I think that Beyonce's fans across the world will be very proud of her and the outcome of this album. Beyonce's 'I Am.....Sasha Fierce' hit stores November 18th everywhere, the album will be available as a 'standard edition' for only 9.99 at Best Buy, Circuit City, etc and the deluxe edition will be 13.99 and 14.99 at Circuit City, Best Buy, etc...make sure you guys go out and buy this album!! The album overall rating is 4 out 5 stars!! You guys definitely need to pick this one up, and that's coming from a "Beyonce hater"!!!