Sunday, February 28, 2010
Philippines Hot Actress: Angelica Panganiban
Korea Beautiful Actress : Ko So young
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Milan Fashion Week
Versace Fall 2010 RTW
pictures from style.com
This collection was with no doubt fierce. It took edge to the extreme all while keeping it chic. From short skirts with long coats to biker pants, this collection was strong and tough and feminine at the same time. Personally, I loved it.
The Runway Show:
Friday, February 26, 2010
10 Minutes with Micah Jesse, Celebrity Blogger
I'm talking about none other than celebrity blogger, Micah Jesse!
If you don't know the name, you should. At only 23, Micah has interviewed the top celebrities of our time: Elton John, Beyonce, Rihanna, Heidi Klum, Kanye West, Gladys Knight, Kelly Ripa, Cuba Gooding Jr. and more! But he's a star in his own right. Besides sharing his talents with Us Weekly and OK! Magazine, he manages a wildly popular blog, MicahJesse.com, which is one of the only sources of positive celebrity news on the web. And he's adorable!
Micah Jesse cracks me up, and I told him as much when I finally met him backstage at the Heart Truth Red Dress Collection fashion show. We've been fans of each others ever since.
Yesterday, I caught up with the superstar, fresh from an appointment at the Ricardo Rojas salon, to chat about everything from tips for making it in the entertainment biz, to boys we love, to Rihanna's special nickname for him, to Adrienne Bailon's beauty secrets. Read on!
Coutura: Okay, can I just say I looove your new look! What made you go platinum blonde?
Micah Jesse: I have a big personality so I need a look to match my personality. Things like Mynx nails and a new blonde look are attention grabbing. They get people to start talking. I never expected my site to blow up the way it has. I'm just a small town guy from Georgia who moved to New York with a dream and now, I have all these opportunities and meet these new people. I think a lot of that stems from being unique and having a unique look.
Coutura: So cool that you're from a small town in Georgia and moved to the city and now you're a huge, famous, red-carpet blogger.
MJ: Thanks. Atlanta was hard for me. I was still in the closet. I had dreams of moving to NYC. Even when I was young, I was always onstage. As soon as I got out of the car, I'd do cartwheels. I was a huge showman. I did plays too. But that didn't do it for me. My heart wasn't complete until I moved to New York for college. And at Hoftstra, I was like a local celeb. My site first became popular there.
Coutura: Your site is huge!
MJ: Thanks! I do everything myself. Blogging, video editing, graphics, everything. And tweet. And facebook.
Coutura: Whoa. You must be super busy. Walk us through a typical workday.
MJ: There is no such thing! And that's what I love about it. I go out every night so there's no set time that I wake up. I have lunch meetings with execs. At nighttime, I hit the streets hard.
Coutura: How important are these events? Because a lot of time, when people aren't in this business, they look at us like 'Why are you partying? On a Tuesday?' They don't get that it's for work.
MJ: Oh no, it's not partying. Most nights, I don't even drink. I look at it as work. But then, I also see it as WERQ, W-E-R-Q. It's my time to Werq it...and mingle, bat my eyes a little bit. Whether or not I talk to people, I make sure that I'm noticed.
Coutura: Speaking of not drinking, I always sideeye the person acting a drunken fool at industry events. What are three common mistakes up-and-comers make in the entertainment biz?
MJ: First, trying too hard. Begging for Twitter followers. Mass spamming magazines like People, Us Weekly. They're not going to write about you if you do that! Or trying so hard to get your picture taken. Even if you do make it on a photo agency site, a mag editor isn't going to say "Who's that?" and google you. They're going to say "Who's that?" and keep it moving. Number 2, not working hard enough. Success is not handed to you. Number 3 is like you said, getting drunk at events. If you're trying to make a name for yourself, be very careful about your image because everybody is watching you.
Coutura: People think you have the coolest job, but what was your most un-cool, embarassing red-carpet moment?
MJ: OMG. It just happened a month ago. I interviewed Gabourey Sidibe, who is Oscar nominated for her incredible role in Precious. I was so enamored by her. My final question to her was something along the lines of "How are you going to celebrate all your success?" And she said, "Well, I just got two tickets to Mariah Carey's show at Madison Square Garden, I couldn't be more excited." And being so enamored by her, I said: "OMG, are you going to meet her?" And everyone in the room started hysterically laughing because Mariah was in Precious. (laughs) But now, we're really close. We message back and forth and that dumb comment was the start of a great friendship.
Coutura: That's so cute. And it happens to the best of us. I've definitely had moments like that.
MJ: Yeah, it was cool. And she's the sweetest thing. Put that in your article. I just adore her.
Coutura: What was it like interviewing Rihanna on top of the Empire State Building?
MJ: I'm glad you asked that. I'll never forget that. She's so young, people forget that, and such an amazing person. I was working at OK! Magazine at that time...as an intern! I was such a superstar intern that they sent me on a job to interview this pop star. Rihanna loved my Cristina V. necklace so much that she calls me "Necklace Boy," whenever I see her. Which goes back to what you said about looks. Celebs love fashion and are so enamored by my style, they forget that I'm an interviewer and we start chatting like friends.
Coutura: Who is your celebrity crush?
MJ: Adam Lambert. We're pretty much married, he's doesn't know it yet. Just kidding. I've met him quite a few times. Last time I saw him was at a Z100 concert. And he told me, "I like your studs," because I was wearing a studded jacket. And I was like, "I like you stud."
Coutura: Hahaha, smooth! I love it! Adam Lambert is so cute! What would the public be surprised to know about you?
MJ: That I'm also quite introverted. Vibrant and red-carpet ready when I'm out on the scene. But when I'm in, I'm IN. Right now, I'm wearing undies, a t-shirt and no makeup. Very introverted.
Coutura: Really?! Could never imagine you being introverted.
MJ: Yeah, I'm a Cancer in the truest form. Also, I'm very sensitive.
Coutura: Oh, I'm dating a Cancer now. He's great.
MJ: Aren't they the best?
Coutura: Oh, he's amazing. Speaking of amazing, Give us some Micah-isms.
MJ: Ooo, Micah-isms! Ok, the first one I want to speak on, is the famous "amazeballs." My first slogan for the site was "Quench your thirst for amazingness." I shortened it to "amazeballs." I said it so often, that my friends and celeb friends started saying, "OMG. That's amazeballs." And then (clears throat) Perez Hilton started saying it.
Coutura: (laughs) But everyone knows it's yours! I was going to say, your positive spin on celebrity news puts you on the other end of the spectrum in relation to what Perez and others do. I'm sure celebs appreciate that you don't slander them. So, we're going to play a positive name game. I'm going to say a celeb's name and you say the first thing that comes to mind.
Coutura: Lady Gaga.
MJ: Trendsetter.
Coutura: Khloe Kardashian.
MJ: The new Nicole Ritchie.
Coutura: True! Lindsay Lohan.
MJ: Troubled. Being honest. She's an incredible actress but if her parents were more involved, and out for her best interest as a human being, rather than a celebrity, she'd be better off.
Coutura: Preach! Adam Lambert.
MJ: Hubba, hubba, hubby.
Coutura: Hahaha. Angie and Brad.
MJ: The epitome of Hollywood.
Coutura: Definitely. People don't realize you have talents outside of the celebrity world. Like makeup.
MJ: (laughs) There's a lot of things people don't know I can do. Like I also sing.
Coutura: Shut the front door!
MJ: Have you heard my song with Aubrey O'Day? Go to YouTube and type in Micah Jesse Fashion Week. [Editor's note: Check out the song below]. I've never taken classes but I love to sing. Also, for makeup, when I was in high school, I'd have my girlfriends over for a sleepover and do their makeup. And I've been doing it ever since. I started experimenting on myself. I'd put on makeup and club in Atlanta. Not a lot. A little bit of eyeliner. And would rub it off as much as I could before I got home to my somewhat conservative parents.
Coutura: In New York, so many guys wear makeup. And even straight guys do now, like Pete Wentz. What makeup tips can you share with us?
MJ: Bronze skin always makes you look skinnier. If you're against tanning, try spray tanning. They've perfected it so people don't look orange. Also, use color that compliments your eyes, whether green or blue or brown. And lastly, I recommend falsies, fake eyelashes. Adrienne Bailon wears them and she has the most beautiful eyes. They always make her eyes pop.
Coutura: Yes! She has the most gorgeous eyes! I need some falsies. Well, thanks so much for sharing your secrets with us.
MJ: Sure!
Coutura: And enjoy your new blonde hair!
Check out Micah Jesse's transformation here:
And check out his song "Fashion Week" with Aubrey O'Day and O'Neal McKnight:
Kisses,
Coutura
Would you wear...Solange and my two-toned leggings?
Lindsay Lohan has an entire leggings brand. Laquan Smith's cut-out leggings are a celeb favorite. And jeggings (jean leggings) are flying off the shelves. Take one guess what the trend of the winter is.
And leggings aren't going anywhere soon. Designers are coming up with innovative ways to keep the trend going, from graffiti and spray-painted designs to two-toned leggings. And I just have to buy every last design! (I'm a leggings fanatic.)
My latest purchase was a pair of two-toned leggings from American Apparel. The front part is black and white striped and the back is pure black. Cat-in-the-hat meets Rhythm Nation.
When I bought them, Ferocia told me, she likes them for me but wouldn't be able to pull them off herself. Admittedly, I'm drawn to crazy, wild fashions and wear whatever attracts me at the moment (this is why I totally fit in in New York!) so I picked them right up.
Check out Solange and I rocking the American Apparel leggings below. Solange paired them with a white tank and off white blazer. I wore a black tulle, babydoll top under my leather McQ for Target vest.
They retail for $40 at American Apparel stores and on the web.
What do you think? Would you rock them?
Kisses,
Coutura
Designer Crush: Laquan Smith
It was April of 2009 at Paper Magazine's Beautiful People party (where Katy Perry performed...with a blow-up lipstick case) where I first laid eyes on Laquan's work. And his leggings were indeed beautiful.
It was the kind of fashion that's so amazing you can't really describe it. They were sort of metallic, kind of leathery with to-die-for cut-outs. (Rihanna rocked a similar style Laquan Smith jumpsuit in her Rude Boy video). And I couldn't stop staring. And on top of everything, he was tall, skinny and uberfab.
In true Coutura form, I walked right up to him. "Umm, I need your leggings. Who makes them?" While chatting with Prince playing in the background, I learned I was speaking to the designer behind those fabu leggings, Laquan. He was a sweet, softspoken up-and-coming designer from Queens and I was a Fashion Assistant at The Magazine. Match made in fashion heaven.
Though his leggings are the definition of edgy, Laquan is much more than another purveyor of 'downtown cool.' He creates wearable art: one-of-a-kind pieces that warrant a second, and third, look. Since our chance meeting in April, Laquan has had the pleasure of seeing pieces from his line, LaQueue by Laquan, end up on Lady Gaga, Amerie, Jaslene from America's Next Top Model and Rihanna (Andre Leon Talley thinks Michelle Obama should be next).
And he totally deserves the attention. His vision is fresh, creative and brilliant, perfect for the celebrity, or fashionista, who commands the spotlight.
The inspiration for his latest collection? A water goddess. The color palette reflects sand and sea with oceanic tones of blue intermixing with camel hues. The silhouettes range from avante garde (hello puffy shoulder dress!) to red-carpet sexy (I died and was reborn in that blue fitted frock). Oh, and of course he included his famous leggings in blue. Check out his Autumn/Winter 2010 collection pieces below and go to www.laquansmith.com for more info on the designer.
Kisses,
Coutura
10 Minutes With Celebrity Hairstylist Ursula Stephen
The Little Scrublet That Could
Hey Glamazons! I’m very picky when it comes to face washes. From creams to scrubs, I think I’ve tried just about every face wash on the planet. The criteria of a winning face wash (in my opinion) is actually fairly simple: does it wash away the mascara and stubborn black eyeliner that I wear daily; does it not leave my skin feeling tight and dry; and (most importantly) does my skin feel clean and not slimy? (Yes, it’s true. I’ve tried some face washes that left my skin feeling like it had a layer of sludge on top. Yuck.) The winning face wash of the moment for me is L’Oreal’s Go 360 Clean Deep Facial Cleanser. Although I think the formula is great, it was the little Scrublet that put the icing on the cupcake. You just pop it out of the bottle, dab on a bit of cleanser (you don’t even need to use much) and scrub away. At first glance and feel, it seemed as if this flimsy little piece of material with its raised pattern would do nothing to properly clean my skin. But, a couple of strokes and one rinse later, I knew that the scrublet and I (oh, and the face wash, too) were going to be good friends! Has anyone else tried it yet? If so, what do you think?
xo
Ferocia
New Fragrance Accessory On The Block
WIN IT!! Alice In Wonderland Inspired Beauty Booty
Prada Says Butts, Boobs and Hips are In for Fall
While high fashion has all but ignored a woman's natural curves, opting for the real-life mannequin look, Miuccia Prada has fully embraced our humps in her latest show---and it's about time.
Don't get excited. We're not talking about curves of the Brick House, 36-24-38 kind (sorry, Melissa Ford). But models like Lara Stone, Doutzen Kroes, Catherine McNeil, Miranda Kerr and Alessandra Ambrosio, and their relative hip, breast and derriere fat, are still a breath of fresh air on the catwalk. Rose Cordero, who covers the new issue of French Vogue, brought some much-needed color to the runway.
The collection, it seems, was structured for a voluptuous woman as well. The A-line skirts and dresses are perfect for women with hips and butt. The raised waists only further highlighted womanly, hourglass silhouettes.
And the breasts. Ruffles and pointy bras enhance the chest area. While models everywhere are cringing, real women are ecstatic about what this means for the future of fashion. Miuccia Prada is a trendsetter and if all goes well, it's only a matter of time before more fashion brands follow suit. Check out the collection below:
Either Miuccia Prada has been hanging out with Beyonce, or the curves phenomenon (seen previously in the V Magazine Size Issue and Vogue Curvy) is really in full swing.
Regardless, I'm happy to see that a little bit of fat is in fashion. (I'm looking proudly at my shape in the mirror as I type this.)
What do you think of Prada putting curves on the runway? Do you think the "trend" will endure?
Kisses,
Coutura