desperate housewife

how breathtaking is this spread?!  the color, shape and fit of the clothing is so sophisticated and feminine, i can't imagine anyone not being able to appreciate them.  doesn't this inspire you to get a martini, a good book and sit crossed legs in the parlor...

besos jenna pearle*

lookin' good, mr. and mrs. carter

presenting the power couple of our lifetime, mr. and mrs jay and bey.  there is so much to love about these two but lately, i've been enjoying their syncopated fashion sense.  in the first pic, bey's angelic hippie look along with jay's playful accessories make me oh so happy.  in the second picture, ms. knowles is rocking one of my tried and true go to ensembles (the newsboy is my hat of choice) while jay sticks with a preppy, hip hop look.  the brown louie belt, beige cardigan and classic  timbs work well for a casual night out (when you're an entertainment legend with a superstar wife). what a stylish duo!   besos jenna pearle*

Bleached: The Quest for Lighter Skin

Bleached: The Quest for Lighter Skin
article on an interesting topic at cocoa & creme.  thoughts?
besos jenna pearle*

by the way, this pic has absolutely nothing to do with the story.  just a pic of a gorgeous, stylish girl who happens to have lighter skin.  its from the beautifultumblrgirls on tumblr.

troubled beauty

liu wen...she is giving us troubled beauty here.  love it!

xoxo jenna pearle*

the amazing alek wek

a tall mug of cocoa...(thats my spin on the phrase "a tall glass of water"). 
xoxo jenna pearle*

lovely lady lace

earlier in the month, i informed you how hot lace was going to be this coming season. well, what better way to incorporate this into your outfit than with your hosiery.  SEXY, RITE?!!!  this is the case especially when paired with heels.  fishnets, tights and lacy hose are a staple in my wardrobe but even moreso this year (the year of the dress).    you do the same!

xoxo jenna pearle*

when harry met jenny

debbie harry was one of the icons giving me trouble when creating my fashion guru trifecta.  she is a big influence to me and countless others.  however, when i did my research, it seemed joan jett's rock n roll chic seemed to fit my wardrobe a bit more.  so, i went with her.  however, i will try to infuse a bit more debbie in the near future. 
xoxo jenna pearle*

supra

i just showed you vashtie's air jordans but i honestly feel these supras are more my taste (if i'm going to wear a sneaker).  in fact, i love almost all the kicks supra puts out for the fellas and the ladies.  what i'm not crazy about is the price.  something tells me that jordans are just as expensive, if not moreso.

xoxo jenna pearle*

Vashtie x Jordan Collaboration

Vashtie x Jordan Collaboration

fashion guru trifecta

http://theposhbrownboutique.bigcartel.com/

i was perusing the fashion bomb daily blog yesterday and came across their bombshell of the day, demetria lucas.  i've already linked you to her own blog in the right aesthetic post.  anyway, when asked about her sassy personal style, demetria answered "most days, i ask myself 'what would diahann carroll do if she were influenced by lauryn hill and circa '00 andre 3000..."  what a fantastic answer!  that got me to thinking if i had to narrow it down to 3 people who's assistance i would appreciate when i'm getting dressed, who would it be?  i gave it some thought today and came up with this. i think my look is a mix of joan jett and blair waldorf if they were b-girls from brooklyn.  it was a pretty difficult process having to narrow it down to just three people.  however, when its done, i think it can make your what to wear dilemma a bit easier.  you have your fairy fashion godmothers and fathers whispering advice into your ear.  so, what do you think of my choices and who would be a part of your fashion guru trifecta?  remember, only three! 

xoxo jenna pearle*

never too young

these young'ns are doing it and doing it quite well!  don't you love seeing a tot with a great sense of personal style?  adorable!

xoxo jenna pearle*

lost kontrol "kim cover"

this post seemed appropriate after my last one, the right aesthetic. this is lil' kimmie on the cover of kontrol magazine. she is making her way back into the music industry and i'm happy for that. for the most part, she looks good.................i had a lot of trouble even typing that last sentence for obvious reasons. you see, this is what happens as a result of club bouncers, men you love, media...society as a whole telling you, despite what xtina a. says, you are NOT beautiful. such a vibrant, pretty and talented 'regular black' girl! and to have this issue, this obviously MAJOR issue. no one likes rejection. that is for all those self righteous individuals who meet our country's beauty standard but like standing on their soapbox claiming that you should have thicker skin and love yourself and not care what anyone else thinks and blah blah blah...this is what can happen in one of the (dare i say)better scenarios.

kimmie, we love you. besides the horrible plastic surgery, you actually look beautiful and classic here. i don't blame you for whats happened. i know (well, i have a good idea of) where this stems from. i hope we find a cure for this cancer and i'll do what i can here with passionista place and any other project i affiliate with to create and celebrate inclusive beauty.

xoxo jenna pearle*

the right aesthetic

teiko

i had to share this beautiful image of the stunning london born ghanian model, teiko dorno. it would be fantastic to see more models who look like this reflected in our society. what a difference that would make in the self-esteem of all the brown girls (and boys) out there. i was just reading a blog where the writer encountered some blatant but sadly widespread ignorance with a meatpacking district club. several "regular black girls" were not given admittance because they did not meet the standard of the club. this club preferred clientele that was of the more "exotic" type. so biracial, mixed, lighter skin, whiter features ect were the golden tickets. if you didn't look like a video vixen or have a huge bubble ass and long weave or so, your presence was not welcomed. this blog entry made me so ANGRY! but my anger isn't just with this one particular club; its about our society as a whole. there is no such thing as a regular black girl. black girls with black girl features are gorgeous, just like the rest of their counterparts. no ifs, ands or buts about it. curves are just as cute as slim figures. freckles, gap tooth, dark eyes, brunettes, kinky or curly hair are all great assets to have. when will we learn to embrace all types of beauty instead of the same old boring look? read about the incident here for more insight...http:/www.abelleinbrooklyn.com/home/2010/9/1/visual-aesthetics.html let me know your thoughts, if you have an opinion...

with concern, xoxo jenna pearle*

lagaga...pride & prejudice

kudos to lady gaga for standing up and going out of her way to speak out on the issues that are important to her. the issue that she was vocal about today was supporting the repeal of the ridiculous don't ask, don't tell policy in the military. in the last couple of days, she has brought a lot of attention to this problem. another reason to be goo goo for gaga...

xoxo jenna pearle*

the word

i like...

xoxo jenna pearle*

talent scout

how about some young, intelligent and talented gentlemen? or can you handle it?

who is YOUR favorite designer?!

http://theposhbrownboutique.bigcartel.com/

as i venture further into the fashion world, it seems that the numero uno question to ask me is 'who are your favorite designers?' as i answer truthfully that i don't have a favorite designer and their smiles fade into smirks, i am left feeling as if they've stumped me, like i failed their pop quiz. i am surprised they don't stamp my forehead with the word "FRAUD!" then, i become angry at the pompous individual and their obvious but imposing question.

the truth is i like clothes and accessories that appeal to me. there isn't one designer who can faithfully meet that standard season after season. i'm just not a designer whore. rachel zoe once said designers are her celebrities. not so much for me. truth is, (like most) i can't afford designer clothing so why should i pay such close attention? for me, clothing (and all that accompanies it) is a way of creating a character or persona. i love to read just so that i can come across various interesting individuals. i feel the same way about fashion. if we're lucky, a designer's collection is telling the story of a particular or various characters cohesively. some character i may like...some...not as much. certain characters may be dear to my heart because i can see myself in them. others i may not actually relate to but can maintain an appreciation for them. then there are characters that, for whatever reason, rub me the wrong way. and that is why i don't have a favorite designer...what do i like, what is my ideal aesthetic? a rebellious, rock glam, urban ethnic, feminine, strong classic look with a twist of me.

i draw inspiration from all things...art (like frida kahlo, james van der zee), literature (like zora neale hurston and dorothy parker) music (from bob marley to lil kim), television (gossip girl and general hospital) and movies (sparkle to shopgirl). i extract inspiration from rich cultures (like italian and caribbean) and periods of history (roaring 20's to the revolutionary 60's). i even get inspired by my family (hi mom, hi dad). i rarely ever ask myself what designers they are wearing. i don't care; all i know is they're wearing it WELL! does that make me unworthy of the title passionista? does that signify that i should NOT have a blog about style or pursue a fashion related career? if your answer is yes, then that is YOUR opinion that i strongly disagree with.

that said, just to appease the curious masses, i've created a list of people that i often enjoy. here goes:

• L.A.M.B by Gwen Stefani
• Diane von Furstenberg
• Burberry
• the new Tommy Hilfiger (with the Royal Tenenbaum influence)
• Mui Mui
• Anna Sui
• Guess
• Betsey Johnson
• Baby Phat (the runway, not the store stuff)
• Louis Vuitton
• Marc Jacobs
• Catch A Fire by Cedella Marley
• Vivienne Westwood
• Rachel Roy (lately)

to name a few (of course, there are countless others)

or perhaps, i can be better defined by what is not for me. for instance, tracy reese is a hero of mine. however, her clothes tend to be too girly for me but pleasing to my mother. and then there is calvin klein. he is certainly from the less is more, minimalist school which is not to my taste.

so there you have it...i hope this answers that (dreadful) question accurately.

xoxo jenna pearle*

queen of minimalism

filmaker sofia copola has great taste and a great eye. i love that she keeps her style basic and chic but can totally dial up the frou frou for her films like marie antionette. the images she creates in her movies are beautiful and memorable. one of my favorites from her is "the virgin suicides." and she seems to be a fan of kirsten dunst, just like me. so, cheers to the queen of mimimalism...

pink panther

this girl is absolutely gorgeous. i LOVE this shot!!

pic courtesy of naturalbrownbeauty.tumblr.com

xoxo jenna pearle*

Flaws and All

i just read a moving article on the coco & creme website called Flaws and All. this is a must read and really represents what passionista place is all about. we are all beautiful and worthy but there seems to be some disconnect when it comes to internalizing this message for ourselves. i chose the pics from the phenomenal photographer, saadi khali (look him up on fb). i think these images perfectly compliment the point of this piece. so please read and tell me what you think...

xoxo jenna pearle* says you are beautiful...no matter what they (or you) say...

jenny taylor, the rock star

here is the gossip girl herself, taylor momsen (aka jenny), performing in her own band. she's quite the messy girl. can't decide how i feel about her quite yet. let ya know...

xoxo jenna pearle*

a timely fashion

these photos both evoke a sense of time that was important to fashion. the first one is a pic of a couple of kardashians with the boyfriend, scott. it appears to be at a fashion show but somehow it drips of old hollywood glamour. they certainly look hot. the other image is beautiful, too. blake lively reminds me of a sexy seventies bombshell after a fun night out. loves it!!!

xoxo jenna pearle*

so you think you can dance to clarks?

meaty

i'm sure you are fully aware of the meat dress by now. i love that drake has such a great sense of humor. people (like drake and gaga) who don't take themselves too seriously are high on my A list.

xoxo jenna pearle*

Clarks-meh prefer

clarks...the anthem for the summer as well as a great fashion choice. wasn't quite sure it was for me despite their current popularity. that was the case until i came across these slick shoes pictured above. those brown bad boys would do my fall wardrobe some good. after you're done ogling, check out the summer smash below...

xoxo jenna pearle*

nick at nite

i think that nicki minaj cleaned up quite well in her actual outfit (versus the performance costume) for the vmas. her body type looks fantastic in a monochromatic pant onesie. even the pink wig is an asset in a simple sharp bob. and without the crazy mugs, her natural beauty somehow shines through. good look, nicki!

xoxo jenna pearle*

rude gals

xoxo jenna pearle*

pearles of wisdom

words to live by...xoxo jenna pearle*

purple violets...movie magic

some movies have such fashionable characters, you almost can't concentrate on the plot. some movies have clothing that fit the characters so well (figuratively and literally), you feel as if you really know them. both scenarios are the case with the edward burns movie "purple violets." i happened to catch this film on showtime one lazy afternoon when i had cable last year. although i caught it a few scenes in, i ws instantly invested. why? well, yes, the storylines were interesting and relatable for me: coming to terms with your dreams and goals as you hit your thirties, dealing with family/friends expectations, and everyone's favorite theme, complicated love relationships. however, what really drew me in with arms of steel was the glorious wardrobe of selma blair who played pattie. (side bar: i adore selma blair and her style on an everyday basis anyway) patty is an aspiring writer who is stuck in a dead end job selling real estate. through her outfits, its clear that writing is her true passion. her downtown style was....well here's what i relished:
patty wore:

• great accessories. beautiful leather bags in various shades of brown. smart, stylish hats, delicate but distinctive lockets (her signature look).


• stylish shoes. old black converse chucks, chocolate knee high books, trendy and comfy winter boots.


• to die for outfits. beautiful sweaters and blouses in great patterns, textures and colors. tailored pants and flattering tweed pencil skirts.


• gorgeous coats. she wore a beige short pea coat, a belted plaid 3/4 coat and an army green military inspired long coat with silver hardware.


• lovely night time wear from adorable undershirts to cutesy long john shirts.

it helped tremendously that autumn downtown new york was the backdrop for "purple violets." despite the name, the film was filled with rich pumpkin, raisin and chocolatey hues. other characters like ed burns and debra messing have great fashion moments in the film as well. but, selma is the most consistent and impressive. she achieves an effortless chic but laidback look. the look whispers "i'm an artist who puts comfort and creativity ahead of trends." so, add this movie to your netflix queue to enjoy the fantastic fashion choices. you just may learn a few new tricks for your own fall wardrobe.

here are a few scenes from the movie with great style (i snapped them from the tv as i watched, lol).

xoxo jenna pearle*