stay tuned...the carrie diaries edition

alas, my once favorite and most fashionable show, gossip girl, has finally ended.  it was past it's prime quite a few seasons ago really.  still, it was hard to say goodbye.  but before i could shed a proper tear, the cw came along with something fresh and fierce to fill in my monday night slot.  enter.......the carrie diaries!!!  this show is a prequel to the sex and the city hbo hit.  we find a teenage carrie bradshaw navigating her way through the suburbs on her way to the fabulous new york life she's known for.  there are quite a few reasons why i love this show but i'll narrow it down to three for you.

1.  the great storylines...
 although some parts are a little far-fetched (magically becoming an intern at a prestigous magazine at                sixteen by chance?  yeah, right!), most of the show show is fairly realistic and relate-able  (especially if you're a teenager or was once one).  boy trouble, sibling issues and drama with friends and frenemies abound.

2.  the fashion, of course
although i was far from a teenager, i did witness the wild and wacky and sometimes tacky eighties fashion for myself.  (droops head in shame) and yes, i even participated in it.  that's why i look forward to seeing eric daman's interpretation of what was worn in the era of excess.  so far, i think he does an excellent job of showing what kids were rocking to school and lets his creative juices splash all over the blank canvas when dressing the ny it girls.  
check out this blog for more about the clothes:  http://thecarriestylediaries.com/

3.  the diversity of the cast
by now you've heard of the controversy with the hbo show girls and how they've whitewashed the rainbow that is new york.  according to lena dunham, a diverse nyc has not been her reality.  if that's true, the sheltered writer  should certainly get out more.  in the carrie diaries, people of color are more than cab drivers and homeless people taunting the main characters.  in fact, we are play central roles in carrie's life (unlike the grown up carrie) even in the burbs of connecticut.  her best friend (mouse), nemesis (donna la donna) and it girl mentor (larissa) are all women of colour and charisma.  her guy pal (walt) is teetering on whether or not he's gay (he is) and her other bff maggie...well, she just might be white but her ethnic features are gorgous as well as ambiguous.  

check out carrie diaries-le book for more.

besos jenna pearle*

man i'm in the mood for...dominique hollington

obviously it's been a minute since we've saluted the menz here at the posh brown experience.  so...why not start with this stunner?  mr. dominique hollington.  i doubt this really needs any explanation.  i'll just let the bronx bomber's pics speak for themselves....and you're very welcome.  

besos jenna pearle*

back in business

hola, my lovelies.

it's been a while, i know.  i really wasn't sure if i would be back to the posh brown experience for a variety of reasons. 
 numero uno:  honestly, i just began to find the whole fashion world to be so extremely shallow and empty, i couldn't bring myself to come up with anything to talk about here.  i could care less who's wearing what when there are so many more important events happening in society.  this seemed even more evident to me as the political election of 2012 took over our lives.  not to mention hurricanes and elementary school shootings.   a lot was (and still is) at stake.  
numero dos:  i'm finally writing a novel!!  this is a statement i've made many times.  the difference is that i intend to complete this project.  it's  young adult fiction filled with diverse characters and compelling plots and subplots.  i am about more than halfway in and i am so proud of my progress.  since i am so determined to finish this book, i didn't want to have any other writing obligations.  therefore, i put this blog on the back burner.  
reason #3:  i have other blogs and microblogs where i continue to share my thoughts or the thoughts of others that i wholeheartedly agree with thanks to twitter, fb, and my tumblr pages.

anyhow, i was reading a writing blog yesterday that advised me to write publicly every day.  according to them, that would only enhance my skills.  since i've missed the posh brown experience so and plan on resurrecting my boutique soon, i thought 'what the hell?  let's do it again...{in my staples sisters' voice, though.}'  i also remembered that the mission of this blog had very little to do with fashion and that phony, shallow lifestyle.  we were actually all about celebrating diverse and inclusive beauty.  pbe was also a blog about beauty in art, literature and nature.  so with that in mind, the posh brown experience is back in business!!

besos jenna pearle*

summer dreams

i had high hopes for the summer...but so far it wins the gold for the most uneventful one.  fortunately, there is still time to salvage what's left of the season and have some fun.  i hope you guys are taking taking full advantage of the opportunities summer brings.  here are a few items on my list of summer events that i have or would love to cross off...you should be sure to get a few of these in...

drink fruity cocktails*have a summer fling*watch the sunrise and/or sunset*hit the beach*take some moments to appreciate nature*go bike riding* some street festivals*go for walks in the park*attend some free summer concerts*go to a few bbqs and picnics*eat a meal with/without friends at an outdoor cafe*watch your favorite olympic event and cheer your country on*take refuge from the heat in your local library and museums*do a lot of people watching*attend or plan your family reunion*

besos jenna pearle*

kinky since 08'

so, there has been a lot of chatter in the blogosphere and beyond about 'going natural.'  it didn't really apply to me since i had been there, done that (and do it daily) so many times before.  as you may have already noticed, my standard of beauty is not quite so narrow or rigid.  therefore, i try to highlight as much as i can women who choose to embrace their natural beauty (ie. curls and naps). 
however, after visiting a blog (can't recall which one, sorry) a few weeks ago, i began reflecting on the natural experience, my natural experience.  the blogger posed (and then answered) the question, 'what made you decide to go natural?'

i can't remember exactly the moment for me.  what i do know is that right around the end of middle school and the beginning of high school, my sense of self and the world become more clear.  i was being shaped by events like the rodney king brutal beating, the malcolm x movie (among others), the news...in high school, i was reading nikki giovanni, toni morrison (well, outside of high school, actually) james baldwin...i was writing papers on apartheid in south africa, the black panther party and why rap music was so genius.  celebrating the kinky texture of my hair seemed to be a no-brainer.  unfortuanetly, talking the talk was much easier than walking the walk.  i would swing back and forth between relaxing my hair and going natural SEVERAL TIMES.  when it was straight, i wasn't really unhappy.  in fact, i worked hard to get it as straight and silky as possible. usually, my hair was pretty and healthy. but there would be this nagging guilt whispering in my ear that i knew better than this.  i was disappointing myself.  and i would be so envious of the girls with their lovely locs or fluffy twists when on occasion i'd see them.  i knew better but wasn't doing better.  on the flip side, when i was natural, all the hard work would get the best of me (trying to keep it cute), and i'd do what was easiest (laziest): get a perm!  this inner turmoil continued well into my twenties.  after having locs for three years, i realized it wasn't for me at this stage of my life. i cut it off and relaxed it again.  i don't regret that decision at all.  it was the right call at the time.  but one evening in 2008 while watching tyra's talk show, i had an epiphany.  the guest was mary j. blige.  tyra asked the r&b queen if there was anything she could have, what would she wish for.  mary responded that what she wanted most in the world, what she would get if she could...was long, indian hair!  when a shocked tyra tried to help mary out by suggesting she could get a weave, mary made it crystal clear.  no!  she wanted it to be her hair flowing down her back.  i thought that was really sad.   however, i didn't blame mary.  i understood exactly what she was saying and why.  i made up my mind then and there.  for my future daughter, sons...for my adorable little nieces, i would stop fighting against my kinks and celebrate them...show them off, adorn them.  and that's exactly what i've been doing since. 

besos jenna pearle*

best foot forward

hola, lovelies.  so....there have been a series of events, some fortunate...some not so much.  hence, my long hiatus.  i will be trying very hard to keep up with this blog.  i also was forced to pay very little attention to my lil' shop, the posh brown boutique.  that will certainly change...and soon! i do have new merchandise i can't wait to share with you all.  there will be a grand re-opening (of sorts) event and all kinds of goodies.  just wait and see.  just dipping my foot in...or maybe attempting to put my best foot forward (as the picture indicates).  see you soon!

besos jenna pearle*

mothers over everything...

happy mother's day, lovelies...hope you had a great sunday.  i did!
besos jenna pearle*

if i were the beholder...kat dennings

all pics courtesy of fuckyeahkatdennings.tumblr.com

beyonce is beyond beautiful......no breaking news here.  people magazine confirmed this by selecting her to be the most beautiful woman IN THE WORLD.  but..........the decision is just a bit too predictable, too cliche.  and the pictures (in my opinion) were too bland.  they did very little to showcase how stunning she truly is.  but wouldn't it have been refreshing to see a fresh and less conventional beauty on the cover with that title?  when writing this, i thought of a bevy of ladies who are beautiful and less....well, boring.  at first, i was going to showcase a bunch of them here.  however, i changed my mind and decided to settle on one phenomenal beauty.  kat dennings!!!
i have been mesmerized by this gorgeous gal for quite some time.  i think it began with 'nick & norah's infinite playlist.'  i only watched half of it but was still impressed.  (i recall ms. dennings on an infamous sex & the city episodes)  then i got to get a chance for a weekly dose of her when she signed on for the sitcom '2 broke girls.'  what i love about her besides her rare beauty (have you seen those eyes big as quarters and lips that many would sacrifice first borns for) is the intelligence and downtown sauciness she gives off in every role and interviews.  a wallflower, she is not. plus, kat has quite the bodacious body (another area where she could give bey a run for her millions).  she certainly does not fit the cookie cutter mold of what's pretty in hollywood.   nevertheless, i think kat dennings has just as strong a case for "most beautiful woman" as mrs. knowles-carter.  who would you choose for the title?

besos jenna pearle*
p.s if you need your beyonce fix, don't fret; click here for bey.

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/

it's not right, but it's okay...the whitney tribute

obviously, this is well after the fact.  when whitney houston passed away, i was on vacation.  and when i returned, i was...well, sad and didn't feel like discussing.  i  recognize that we must pay tribute to such a legend and now seems to be the right time.  if you were around in the eighties, you probably can't forget whitney's infectious, groundbreaking pop hits even if you tried.  hit after hit after hit.  the nineties were no different. when i was in sixth grade "i'm your baby tonight' was major.  later on in high school (the latter part of the nineties), mrs. houston reigned supreme with the movie "bodyguard" and it's phenomenal soundtrack.  i know i don't have to go into details.  i'll just mention that "i have nothing" gave me and my teenage angst life.  whitney maintained her spot on the throne with the 'waiting to exhale' movie and soundtrack contributions.  by the time i was in college, she hit us hard with the 'my love is your love' album.  at that point, i recall working in a claire's accessory store in a mall somewhere.  the radio station was always glued to KTU and KTU was devoted to whitney.  it's not right, but it's ok, heartbreak hotel, my love is your love.  once again, hit after heavenly hit.  whitney was always a golden girl.  (check her grammy stats)
i chose to include a picture of her wedding day with purpose.  she loved bobby brown.  she was herself when she was with bobby.  they were together for quite a while.  he was her choice and it seems the media has decided to make him a villain.  i don't buy it.  i won't buy it.  i have good instincts about people.  i don't claim bobby brown is an earth angel, by any means.  but, he has a good heart.  he takes a lot of unwarranted heat and complains very little.  but what is most important is that he chose her and she chose him.  and, it appears it was something special and passionate.  nothing for us to judge.  they moved on.  she's gone.  let it be.  i hope that, overall, whitney enjoyed her life.  she was certainly a blessing in mine.  rest in peace 

besos jenna pearle*

a denim do

colored denim is one of the easiest ways to liven up your closet.  get on board, ladies...AND gentlemen.

besos jenna pearle*

the iconic boss (diana)

the iconic boss,diana ross, is celebrating a birthday today.  so, lets toast this queen who reigns supreme....happy birthday, diva!!!

besos jenna pearle*

go ahead...brighten my day!

yellow is, without a doubt, the perfect remedy for the winter blah blues.  be sure to incorporate it in some way to you wardrobe this week.  go ahead....brighten my day. 

besos jenna pearle*