lovely lady lumps!

well, i did catch the American Music Awards on sunday night. it was my intention to discuss the fashion choices of the night. unfortunately, i wasn't inspired. honestly, i thought the outfits were quite boring and cliche. im sure there were some exceptions but none that i can remember (and isn't that the point?). however, what i did notice was the increase of shapely figures. major stars were in body conscious outfits, revealing a whole lotta extra. as the website bossip likes to say, these ladies were thicker than a snicker...and i loved it. mary had on an interesting asymmetrical dress that showed off not only her curves but a slight pooch. rihanna's white cut out unitard showed us what she's working with nowadays. other ladies celebrating their lovely lady lumps were kelly clarkson, alicia keys, j-lo, janet jackson and leona lewis. what a refreshing site to see! i applaud these ladies for not conforming (if only for one nite). and the pink pearle goes to...ladies with lumps! congrats

keep it curvy yours truly, jenna pearle

a great loss- daul kim

this post is dedicated to daul kim, the beautiful, talented model who was recently found dead. i was not familiar with her before this news, although i do recognize her face. apparently, she had a real following and i can only imagine the impact she had as one of the very few visible Asian models in the industry. hopefully, she has found her peace.

filled with grief, jenna pearle

ps. pic from lala nyc

the eye of the beholder

sometimes, it appears our country only values a specific kind of beauty. white, young, blonde and skinny seem to be the key ingredients. we are constantly bombarded with images and messages that whisper loudly in our ears that the closer we are to this particular standard, the closer we are to being pretty, the higher chance we have of being loved. isn't that what we all want? the damage this issue creates is unfathomable but quite obvious. our world consists of people who come in all different shapes, colors and sizes. in each category, there is the good, bad and sometimes ugly. i've seen my share of not so attractive bleach blonde girls; i've witnessed gorgeous pleasantly plump, short, dark Indian women. i truly look forward to the day when the borders of the beauty spectrum widen and the cute club is not so exclusive.

here is a list of features i find pretty:

freckles

chubby cheeks

kinky, curly, coily hair (locs incl)

brown (blackish) hair

brown skin

pale skin (zoey deschanel style)

red hair

curves

slight pot bellies

girls who are short (petite)

signs of aging gracefully

luscious lips

long eyelashes

athletic builds

confidence

you're beautiful, you're beautiful. its true xo xo jenna pearle

va va voom - it don't matter if its black and white

beyonce knowles

hi guys! time for another black and white photo. this is beyonce. despite the va-va voom vampiness of the pic (taken by ellen von worth), she stilll seems understated (you know, for beyonce). love it. hope you enjoy, too. if not, go back and look at lenny. lol

the bootilicous one, jenna pearle xo xo

Death of Daisy Duke...rip

who died and left Daisy Duke queen of the fashion world? im talking jean short cutoffs. on a daily basis, i am bombarded with images of boring, wannabe girls in cutoffs over tights, whether it be on fashion blogs and online mags or (even worse) strutting proudly in the street. Who is responsible for this accousting? Is it you, Lindsay? (ps check amber rose trying out the look in last month's elle)i comprehend the desperate need to be considered edgy but i assure you this look is tack - y! Furthermore, if everyone is attempting to achieve the same effect, by definition, how edgy could it be?! i urge you, lovelies, please let the jean cutoffs remain a girly, carefree relic from the good ol' days of summer. please bury them deep down in the depths of your closets, only to return when bikinis do.

i thank you in advance, xo xo jenna pearle

i <3 lenny, don't you?

ok...i've had this pic in my arsenal for some time now, waiting. however, there never seemed to be a good time (or at least, an appropriate one) to display it. but, eureka! it seems justification has been found. this blog celebrates fashion, yes, and i know he's naked (take a look at the snake, no really, the actual snake). on the other hand, we also celebrate beauty and i dare you to tell me this is not beautiful. better yet, this is art. i see bad ass bravado. i see talent. i see power and vulnerability. i see lenny. it couldn't get any better.

the american woman, jenna pearle

pretty in pink- luxurious ballerina girl

this past tuesday, while perusing the cheapchic H&M, i came across a baby lotion pink faux cashmere button up sweater with ruffled shoulder short sleeves. completely smitten, i dashed to the cashier to purchase immediately. how could i not?! this fab find truly inspired me. instantly, i imagined luxurious ballerina divas with poise. thoughts of soft grey, cotton candy pink and oatmeal danced through my one track mind. i had visions of stealthy brushes against cashmere, buttery cotton and cozy knitwear. i envisioned limber legs adorned in tights, leggings round toe heels and flats crossed sitting in front of a fireplace, sipping cocoa and apple cider. aaaahhh...the good life!

xoxo jenna pearle

it don't matter if its black & white-madonna ed.

i love black and white photography. so i got a brilliant idea! (wonder if you know where this is going) why not feature a black and white beautiful pic every week? no one objected and so here we are. first up...madonna (said in a chi chi poo poo french accent, of course) take it all in!

pic is from suicide blonde on tumblr

and taken by steven meisel

shoemania- i have a dream!

these are my dream shoes. OMG! sooo sexy! don't know how, but these are in my future. if for some reason you are trying to get in good with me, ahem, these would be a marvelous start.

still dreamin'

jenna pearle

their eyes were watching...zora

zora the explorer

this post is dedicated to the queen of the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neale Hurston. words simply can't describe how crucial hurston's contributions have been to literature, to women, to life. her protagonist, janie, in the sensational novel their eyes were watching god is THE ultimate survivor. this characteristic describes hurston herself to a tee. fashionwise, the harlem renaissance was a time of exquisite taste and zora did not disappoint. i won't go into the trends of that era (i shall leave that for a future post). instead, i will leave you with just a few snapshots of the fashion forward fox that was zora neale hurston. enjoy!

xoxo jenna pearle

whatever happened to jane?

it is so hard to say goodbye. oh, how i miss Jane so! so pretty, so stylish, so wickedly funny, so much fun. Jane was the friend that taught me how to get the most use out of my lbd. Jane was the one who guided me through picking out the perfect outfit to see my ex and seduce him or throw a drink in his face. Jane always had a funny story. Or sometimes, just an informative one. she was my bestie that showed up on my doorstep (ok, mailbox) every month with something new to share. unfortunately, jane became an innocent victim of george bush, whoops, i mean our declining economy. however, she is still truly missed. i've searched high and low and found you're indeed, irreplaceable.

bye jane with tears and kisses, jenna pearle

btw (for those of you who haven't caught on) Jane is/was a fantastic magazine.

tv drama queens-karen walker edition, a lush for life

karen walker, a la Will & Grace fame, was a lush you had to love. a true diva, karen had a job but didn't work, kept a drink in her hand the way most keep a watch on their wrist, married a man with a fat wallet and gut and said whatever the hell she wanted (usually nothing nice). mrs, walker personified inappropriate. oddly enough, her attire was the complete opposite. she dressed rather classy and, dare i say, conservative. timeless staples every woman should own filled karen's many closets and covered her curves. The list included well tailored black pants, sexy secretary blouses, wrap dresses, pencil skirts, high heels, diamonds & pearls and of course, luxurious furs (sorry PETA, mrs walker DOES NOT do anything faux). i must admit this chic drunken lady was my inspiration when i was venturing out of college bliss into the mad working world. so, kw, i tip my martini to you, a true blue diva.

besos jenna pearle

true beauty!

no words are really necessary...except maybe flawless!

glamorous life/ rihanna revisited

these are the other recipients for Glamour's Women of the Year. Fantastic! these dresses are to die for. glamour truly made all four divas look appropriately glamorous. besides rihanna, amy pohler is my favorite. serena looks phenomenal but her hair...mmmh...not so much. glamour magazine is starting to really do the damn thing. between the plus size? model with the pooch and these magnificent ladies, i may have to take another look. everyone deserves a second chance, right?

speaking of WOY, i heard snippets of rihanna's interview on good morning america. i was able re-evaluate my stance on her. our relationship has been quite a rocky one (something she seems to know a lot about). but hearing and seeing her discuss what happened gave me perspective and renewed my sympathy. besides her story, just hearing her bajan accent reminded me of her humanness. she is smart, saavy and most important, just like us. ignore the robot looking diva with armor.

love you, rih-rih! xoxo jenna pearle

ps. rihanna interview airs in its entirety tonight @ 10 on abc. tune in...

world serious!

vs.

go yankees!!!!!

glamour girl, rih-rih

GLAM GODDESS- RIHANNA





rihanna is on the cover of glamour magazine and has been gifted with the title "Woman of the Year." i suppose in some ways, she has demonstrated strength and growth. certainly, it won't be disputed that rihanna has overcome adversity. i won't debate her newly crowned title because its only glamour magazine, not a pulitzer. i will give rihanna (and stylist team) credit for being innovative and creative with her wardrobe. she has evolved from boring cookie cutter girl next door to an edgy, gothic diva with a few stops in between. so, all hail the new queen of reinvention. madonna, please pass the crown.

xoxo jenna pearle

ps glamour also chose the beautiful and intelligent first
lady, michelle obama as woman of the year. she, too, is
a fashion icon in her own right. congrats to both!

Gwen Stefani's Cool

i absolutely adore gwen stefani. creative, stylish, goal-oriented, beautiful and yet...somehow vulnerable. she has a quality that makes her accessible to all. her videos (with and without no doubt) personify everything i've described. one of my favorites is the gorgeous "cool" video off of her L.A.M.B album. and here are sixteen reasons why i love it...

1. setting for video is Italy- a place full of beautiful scenery, scrumptious cuisine and great taste.

2. mix match patterns done perfectly

3. the flirty leopard print cardigan

4. pencil and tulip skirts w/ fierce heels

5. gwen rocks the ultra red retro lipstick

6. who doesn't love the pompadoo ponytail- esp on bleach blonde hair

7. delicate jewelry offsets the other bold choices for accessories

8. big belts to cinch in waist and illuminate curves

9. lady like gloves add an extra sip of glamour

10. polka dots! always loved them...always will

11. short shorts/tall heels (with a demure, conservative shirt, of course)

12. thick cat-like black eyeliner is a favorite look of mine

13. sippin' coffee w/ old friends (doesn't get any better than that

14. classy retro bathing suits (saw plenty this summer @ modcloth)

15. breezy summer dresses

16. gwen, herself. she's cool 

xoxo jenna pearle

introducing amy winehouse

say what you want about amy winehouse. however, you must admit she possesses talent and personal style (whether or not you agree with it). her signature look does not need much explanation. i'll offer you the essentials and let you all discuss among your pretty selves.

ingredients:

one natty beehive

loads of thick black eyeliner (cat formation)

white undershirts (less politically correct term-wifebeater)
skinny jeans in dark denim

ballet flats- the dirtier the better

retro mini dresses

messy red lipstick

i could care less attitude

a bottle of jack daniels (just kidding)

you kitties know i'm no good, jenna pearle