the little things

sometimes, it's the little things that make a difference.  so, my advice to you is to pay attention to the details when creating a winning look.  the accessories are what make your ensemble more you.  where would the royal one, kate middleton, be without her fascinator and ladylike heels?  billie holliday without her signature flower?  liz taylor without her diamonds?  michael without his glove and fedora?  so what is it that makes your look pop?  below are some suggestions:

besos jenna pearle*
http://theposhbrownboutique.bigcartel.com/

pearles of wisdom: the log

pearles of wisdom:

"keep a log or journal of things/looks you are drawn to. use it when you are planning your outfits or need inspiration."

http://theposhbrownboutique.bigcartel.com/

besos jenna pearle*

pearles of wisdom: get cultured

so, i have this new feature which is bestowing a pearl (of wisdom about improving your style and developing your personal style) on all my twitter and fb friends and followers (you can join me here on twitter @missposhbrown or the posh brown fb page). when i can, i will post the fashion pearle of the day on this blog and even go into detail at least once a week (i'll try, no pressure, please! lol)


just in case you haven't followed me on either page yet (and why haven't you?), i'll share today's pearle with you now.

pearles of wisdom:

"look to unexpected places to find inspiration: museums, foreign cultures, movies, architecture/home design, literature...ect"


there is inspiration all around.  be sure to recognize and then utilize the world around you.  this week, i visited two impressive museums: the brooklyn museum and the museum of natural history.  both had fabulous exhibits that got my creative juices going.  one was called youth & beauty: art of the american twenties.  this is one of my favorite eras of history.  i will definitely be incorporating some of what i saw into my fashion and my blog in the near future.  i'm also reading the last installment of 'the hunger series.'  the main character's tomboy, i'm a surivor characteristics have certainly seeped into my fashion soul.  so to conclude, i insist you get out and get cultured as much as you can.  and then, bring it back to your closet.  you'll feel better for it!

http://theposhbrownboutique.bigcartel.com/

besos jenna pearle*

badu-ology

“The same thing I keep saying to you. Be honest. Be fearless in your attempt to express who you are. Because it’s not a race, or a competition, it’s about being who you are in the moment. And sharing that.” Erykah Badu

besos jenna pearle*

thrifting...good for the wallet, wardrobe and the world

photos by dex r. jones (my fb buddy) via coco & creme

http://www.cocoandcreme.com/2012/01/thrifting-how-to-expand-wardrobe-for-the-new-year/

a great thrifting article i spotted on coco & creme. read it and then come over to the posh brown boutique and try it out...the posh brown e-boutique (thrift central)

besos jenna pearle*

the new (year) mantra

in 2o1o, i recall coming up with about five fashion resolutions to follow for that year.  looking back, i'm not sure if i met the specifics.  however, i know that those goals eventually made their way into my somewhat regular rotation (well, everything but dresses and lots of thrifting).  varied hairstyles, red lipstick ect...anyhow, at the start of 2011, i kept it pretty simple with the mantra: be (even more) fabulous.  i suppose i succeeded. 

my style resolution this time around will fall somewhere in the middle of that detailed and vague arena.  the motto for this year is (drum roll please...)..."do whatcha like!"  quite honestly, i think many times i put too much thought and effort into putting together an outfit.  the pressure builds and in the end, i wind up playing it safe (my version of safe, anyway).  in 2012, i just want to have fun and trust my reliable instincts. 
i just hope my virgo perfectionist ways don't get in the way......

besos jenna pearle*

cheers, 2012

hi guys!  well, today is the last friday of the entire year.  2011 has been....quite interesting.  honestly, i guess i can say it was a fairly good year for me.  i learned some very valuable lessons that have been crucial to my breaking through.  of course, not everything was rosy.  however, the situations that could be classified as bad news gave me great insight.  for that, i'm appreciative. 
my biggest accomplishment this year (well, the one i'm most proud of) was opening the posh brown e-boutique.  http://theposhbrownboutique.bigcartel.com/  getting the whole thing together was a feat in itself.  however, i feel like it symbolized something bigger.  it let me know that i could achieve something i set my mind to despite the negative energy around me.  i could knock down a goal although fear mongers were blatantly and also indirectly telling me otherwise.  and it wasn't even that big of a deal.  that opens the door so many more future endeavors and i'm excited about that!

so, those future endeavors, eh?  well, in this 2012 ahead of us, i would like to put my styling and image consulting skills and talents to use.  i will elaborate on that when there is more to elaborate on (chill out...i've got 365 days to work it out).  i intend to get back to my writing (besides blog writing).  and, i would love for my little shop of fashion to grow. 

i hope you, too, are reflecting on this past year's lessons and planning success for your new year!

besos jenna pearle*

walking in a winter wonderland (in Style)

you know how in winter, you end up looking like a stuffed snowman with all that heavy layering?  and you know how the alternative seemed to be look chic and freeze your ass off?  well, inStyle magazine has brought you the solution on how to look cozy-chic without looking dumpy.  click the link to see the answer:
7 ways to look cozy-chic (& not dumpy).  and you're welcome!


http://theposhbrownboutique.bigcartel.com/

besos jenna pearle*

i do solemnly swear

via the body pledge

besos jenna pearle*

the link up-advance style

all pics courtesy of advancedstyle.blogspot.com

i've been contemplating making changes to passionista place to make it better for you and easier to keep up with for me.  my plan is to have specific features you can count on each week.  in other words, i'd like it streamlined like a magazine and their "in every issue" format.  one of those features is giving the spotlight to one of the numerous fabulous blogs/websites i come across on a daily basis.  i had a whole list of sites i've been meaning to share with you.  but then i recently (as in the day before yesterday) came across the blog called advancedstyle and knew it would be perfect.  advanced style is all about celebrating inclusive beauty just like we do.  they have a particular set area they showcase however: fierce, fashionable mature women!  oh, the outfits, the hair and the infinite wisdom..........sigh.  i love this blog!  below is some advice from one elder who knows her stuff:

1.”Gloves they make an outfit, if it’s the right glove it can do everything for you.”

2.”Getting a good black dress that you can fix up with different wonderful colored scarves.”

3.”Marvelous Jewelry, it doesn’t have to be real or expensive, a strand of pearls can make an outfit.”

4.”A wonderful large fiocco, a beautiful bow or boa.”

5.” The right neckline, if you have a beautiful Décolletage then by all mean shows it.”

6. “I look for the brightest colors in shoes, don’t be afraid to wear them with a dark dress. A bright scarf and shoes and gloves of the same color will stand out against the black background of a dress or suit.”

7. ”The older you get the more elegance you want, you can use great color, but in an elegant way.”

8.”Don’t be afraid to be unique to be different.”

9.”Fishnet stockings, Incredible.”

10. “The real secret is being in love with life and realizing what you have.”

be sure to click the link to advanced style.  be prepared to be entertained and educated.  tell 'em the passionista sent you.

besos jenna pearle*

walk it out

pic courtesy of musicmoneymayhem.tumblr.com

sometimes its not what you're wearing..........but how you strut in it!!!

besos jenna pearle*

a poem for thought-maya angelou

maya angelou is a legend.  her poems were the soundtrack for my rebellious teenage angst.  quite frankly, there is little in life that madam angelou hasn't experienced.  being a confidante to some of our great civil rights leaders and artists (baldwin, macolm, martin), reciting poems for millions at president clinton's inauguration, having a movie written around your work, breaking rules and records on new york times best sellers list...these are just a few accomplishments.  (oh, did i mention that she is the go to person for our resident go to person, oprah?)  i rest my case.  maya IS a phenomenal woman...and she knows it.  read poem for more:

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
besos jenna pearle*

a poem for thought-nikki giovanni

well, its national poetry month.  i really meant to address that earlier but oh well.  with the remaining days of april, i thought i would highlight some of my favorite poets.  the one featured on this post is my absolute favorite female poet.  she is nikki giovanni.  i actually got a chance to meet her and get her to sign one of my books.  nikki is just the absolute coolest.  an older person who appreciates and has empathy for the young is rare these days.  anyway, find out more about her when you can.  in the meantime, enjoy a poem from her catalog. 

Nikki-Rosa

By Nikki Giovanni

childhood remembrances are always a drag   

if you’re Black

you always remember things like living in Woodlawn   

with no inside toilet

and if you become famous or something

they never talk about how happy you were to have   

your mother

all to yourself and

how good the water felt when you got your bath   

from one of those

big tubs that folk in chicago barbecue in   

and somehow when you talk about home   

it never gets across how much you

understood their feelings

as the whole family attended meetings about Hollydale

and even though you remember

your biographers never understand

your father’s pain as he sells his stock   

and another dream goes

And though you’re poor it isn’t poverty that

concerns you

and though they fought a lot

it isn’t your father’s drinking that makes any difference   

but only that everybody is together and you

and your sister have happy birthdays and very good   

Christmases

and I really hope no white person ever has cause   

to write about me

because they never understand

Black love is Black wealth and they’ll

probably talk about my hard childhood

and never understand that

all the while I was quite happy

besos jenna pearle*

words of wisdom from the ill na na

pics from hiphopsnaomicampbell.tumblr.com
check them out for more foxy

i know nicki minaj has been getting a lot of press lately (passionista place included) but ms. foxy brown has always been one of my favorite emcees (notice i didn't say female).  obviously she's drop dead gorgeous but beneath all that is raw talent (both are things she rarely gets credit for).  perhaps (a la naomi) she can get a bit...crazy.  but who among us doesn't have flaws?  anyway, this quote is truly why i love her.  it was clear to me that foxy (aka inga marchand) suffered from a bit of low self esteem in the beginning of her career.    like many other chocolate girls, she was made to feel she wasn't enough.  unlike (allegedly) many other female rappers and entertainment types in general, foxy seemed to overcome her insecurities.  instead of running to the nearest plastic surgeon, she remained the lil foxy we always knew and loved.  for that and the quote above, i applaud her. 

besos jenna pearle*

galliano's defense team

perhaps you've heard about the scandal concerning dior's john galliano and his racist remarks.  at this point, he has been fired.  not surprisingly, galliano issued his apology and headed off to rehab in true celebrity fashion (no pun intended).  what is surprising (although i don't know why human behavior still shocks me) is the reaction of others particularly those in the industry.  there are SO many people defending him in various ways.  i truly just can't believe it.  according to patricia field, we have simply misunderstood him and it was all just a show.  i guess similar to charlie sheen he is just so genius and artistic, we just can't grasp his concepts.  others felt sorry for him and the loss of his job.  many blamed it on the alcohol ( i just smiled as i typed that, thanx, mr. foxx).  does alcohol not bring the truth to light?  i have never drank so much that hateful thoughts i never had about race/gender/sexuality all of a sudden came oozing out of my mouth.  maybe its just me.  a few of the fashion forward have decided that the victim here was galliano.  apparently, his rights were violated by the vile degenerates who chose to tape and post this rant.  shame on them.  i think i heard it was the person who was being verbally attacked (or the boyfriend of the attacked).  shame on them.  it was a busy french cafe.  if it were a hidden video camera in his home, maybe i would be able to conjure up sympathy.  unfortunately, i cannot. would it be better if it came from the cafe's security camera?   i am happy that this was revealed.  i like to know these types of things so i can decide if i want to support this person.  in addition, i also can think about these supporters of galliano and if i will support them in the future.  what are their motives?  is it because he's talented and so this is excusable?  is it because they don't want to make any enemies in the business?  or is it because this could have easily been one of them in another place with a disgusting comment about some other group?  either way, i was thoroughly disappointed.


besos jenna pearle*


ps-kudos to natalie portman for her quick shutdown response to galliano's cruel comment.

i am malcolm x!

so, black history month continues here at passionista place.  this week, i'm celebrating the magnificent malcolm x.  he is such a hero and inspiration to me.  if you couldn't tell, i'm quite the revolutionary rebel and malcolm x is a huge reason why.  on this day years ago, malcolm stood up for what he believed in and was shot down.  although he is gone, his message and spirit remain extremely relevant.  to sum up, I AM MALCOLM X and hopefully, you are, too.  besos jenna pearle*

revolutionary road-egypt and s. africa

nelson mandela was freed on this day in the year  1990.  what a historic day!  this was a major step, signifying south africa was on its way to equality.  today, egyptians reached their goal of ousting the current "president."  i'm sure that nation is hoping for positive change.  freedom is something you must demand sometimes.  best wishes to both african countries and all those willing to stand up for what they believe in.  it's a beautiful thing!!!

besos jenna pearle*

whats wrong with the world...david kato

today's lesson: tolerance

david kato, a ugandan gay activist, was beaten to death in his home the other day.  it is extremely difficult to wrap my head around the concept that there are people who are so cruel and coldhearted in this world. when something doesn't have anything to do with your life, how can you have enough hate in your heart to kill about it?  if you have an issue with the gay lifestyle, there is a very simple solution: don't get involved in a homosexual relationship.  in the words of rihanna, just live YOUR life.  below is a video about this very topic from the beautiful and intelligent, marsha ambrosius.  enjoy (and learn)!  



besos jenna pearle*

dr, king's dream, dead or alive

dr. king, i wonder what you would think of us today.  there are so many fantastic and wonderful changes that one growing up in segregation could never ever imagine.  man, you would be so proud.  but at the same time, there are such horrible things happening, some so blatant, some so hidden, happening all the time.  would that surprise you?  would it disgust you like it does me?  what would be your plan to address it all? 
this day is designated to celebrate the legacy and the dream of dr. martin luther king jr.  i plan to do just that and so should you.

besos jenna pearle*

i'm pretty

check out my hero, muhammad ali.  there is so much to love and learn from this icon.  today's lesson, however, is in line with the mantra of passionista place.  that is to have pride and confidence in yourself.  you must be your own publicist, your personal spokesperson.  let them know you're oh so pretty!  let them know how brilliant you are.  tell them why you're number one.  eventually, you will convince them of how great you are.  but more importantly, you'll convince yourself without a shadow of a doubt.  what they think won't even matter!  mr. ali was such a pro at this.  learn from the master.  

 besos jenna pearle*