Gift Guide: Valentine's Shopping for Him

American Apparel / Christian Louboutin wallet / Movado stainless steel watch / Tech accessory / Men's Dolce & Gabbana By Dolce & Gabanna Eau De Toilette - 2.5 Oz / Just Because

Valentine’s Day is all about showing the love. What better way to say ‘I love you’, than with the perfect gift for your crush,  boyfriend, or husband. Here’s a gift guide for all the lovers out there who need a couple of ideas on what to get the man in their life:

1.       Cologne- Every woman loves a good smelling man! Get your beau his favorite scent or a scent you’d love him to wear. Stores like T.J. Maxx or Marshalls offer popular men’s scents for a fraction of the price compared to big retailers.

2.       Wallet- How many of us have seen a men’s wallet that looked so beat up you’d assume it had been in a fight and lost? If that’s the case, treat your man to wallet for Valentine’s Day. If you’re on a budget, T. J. Maxx is great place to get Kenneth Cole or Hugo Boss wallets for very inexpensive. If you’re beau is a little more particular, Nordstroms and Saks are great shopping options to find a little pricier wallets with great style.

3.       Shave Kits-every woman loves a well groomed man. Why not get him a shave kit that will make his skin look healthier and smoother?

4.       Cell Phone- If your guy is a gadget guy, a great gift for the techy in your life is a new cell phone.

5.       Tablet- This is my favorite go-to gadget and tablets are all the rage lately for their convenience and portability. He’ll be able to surf the web, play games, check stocks or banking information all from this neat little device.

6.       Watch- A great timepiece is always an necessity. Have your man’s wrist stand out with a great watch from Bulova, Invicta, or Movado.

7.       Edible Arrangements- For the guy that loves to eat, but is watching his weight, why not get him an fruit arrangement from Edible Arrangements. They deliver same day and if your beau has everything already, just a gesture of love like this can be very thoughtful.

8.       Ties- Last, but not least, a men’s tie. Every woman loves a well-dressed man and with Justin Timberlake’s new song ‘Suit & Tie’, it makes it seem all the more necessary for a man to be dressed “to the nines” for his lady.

So what will you get the man in your life?

Fashionably yours,

 

Chi 

Create Your Own: Vision Board!

My vision board from Instagram

Last night, if you follow me on Instagram (@fashionslavebyc) , I posted a picture of one of my vision boards I was working on. Some people underestimate the power of having a vision board. For me, a vision board offers a visual way to view your inner desires and/or dreams. The fashion industry uses vision boards all the time to find inspiration for trends or collections. But whether or not you’re in the fashion industry, a vision board can still be helpful to show goals you’d like to reach, positive affirmations to get you through the day, and/or internal desires.

So how do you make a vision board?  Well, you will need:

Supplies

• Ø  Poster board or cork board
• Ø  Pictures
• Ø  Glue or push-pins
• Ø  Scissors

Steps

• Ø  Think of a theme
• Ø  Search for pictures that relate to your theme
• Ø  Cut out pictures
• Ø  Glue pictures and/or affirmations to a poster board  or pin to cork board
• Ø  Hang board in a place you will see it everyday
• Ø  View board daily and focus on the objects, words and theme of the board

Try it! And If you have an Instagram account, I would love to see your vision boards. Tag me in your instapost @fashionslavebyc.

Cork vision board......and  it's greener too! :-)

Xoxo, Chi

Black & White Trend

Topshop / High neck top, $13 / Rose shirt, $16 / Short skirt / White skirt / Topshop / Ankle strap heels / Black shoes / Paper Lanterns - Black & White Stripe / TOPSHOP TENT Lace Up Hi Top Boots

Hey Fashion Dolls!

If you’re anything like me, you probably have been reading all the magazines to feed your monthly dose of fashion and what the new trends are for this coming Spring. Well, one of the trends I noticed, which I’m quite fond of, is the Black & White trend. If you all don’t know by now, my favorite color is black (which some would say is not a color…but whatever, I digress).  Either way, I am uber excited for this trend to be in stores! It’s super classic, amazingly timeless and very easy to incorporate into your wardrobe without breaking the bank because most, if not all of us, already own a piece or two in this color combination.

I prefer to wear head to toe black & white, but if that’s too matchy-matchy for you, don’t hesitate to add pops-of-color like reds, blues or (one of my favs) neon's.  Black and white stripe dress with a neon belt, statement necklace, and pointy-toe pumps is definitely a chic and fun way to play with this trend.

Black & White trend: Love it or Leave it? 

Fashionably yours, 

Chi

Quote of the Day!

Hey Dolls! 

Just wanted to drop in for a brief moment and leave you with a quote that was inspirational for me today. I woke up this morning feeling a little down in the dumps, I have a huge breakout situation on my face from the stress of juggling two jobs, my blogging, my online store, a home, bills, and the list keeps adding on. Though I've found a way to manage it all in the past, sometimes, it does get to me having to be everything that everyone expects me to be and still live up to my expectations I place on myself. And to be honest, lately I've been falling a little short of my commitments and obligations to things and people (meaning colleagues  friends & family) are starting to notice. That's a hard pill for me to swallow because I place such emphasis on being and doing my very best, that if I fall short for any reason I'm very self critical.  Then to add insult to injury, the "situation" on my face is so not helping! So reading this quote today is helping me put things into perspective and realize that I'm human, I fall short sometimes, and  that no one and nothing is without flaws. 

People can be flawed physically or emotionally, perfection doesn't exist. It's up to you to accept it, embrace it and if you really don't like it, then change it. But once you know what it is, use it to empower yourself and never let it stop you from achieving your goal or dreams. So today, I will embrace my pimples (yikes!), organize and take care of what I can, and know that I'm human, sometimes I fall short, but I've got to keep going.  

So I want you all to do the same........ get up, put on your best outfit and take on the world with me............in a fabulous pair of heels, of course! Because once you've accepted your flaws, no one can use your flaws against you! :-)

Kisses! xoxo

Fabulously yours, 

Chi

Quote of the Day

It's still the beginning of the year and even though my presence has been lower than usual, doesn't mean work isn't being done. I'm learning that sometimes talk is cheap and quiet is how you can hear what's going on around you to make your next move your best move. Good morning Dolls! Lets make today amazing! :)

Naturally You-nique

Hey dolls!

These days it seems like every little brown girl is going natural. Going natural simply means one doesn't use harsh chemically filled products to manage their hair. I have been natural, in a sense, for about 3 years now. I do still dye my hair ever-so-often, but I no longer put a relaxer in my hair to chemically make my natural curls, straight. It was definitely a challenge for me to make the transition from chemically straightening to natural. I endured a lot of hair breakage and had to get my locks cut regularly to maintain manageability. I also had to learn to use better products for my hair, ones that promoted healthy hair growth and strengthening. My go-to products are anything infused with Shea butter, Jojoba oil, aloe Vera or honey. Anything that is typically regarded as "good" for your skin, should be good for your hair.

Now that natural hair is becoming such a movement, their are more products being made to cater towards brown skin people hair such as Miss Jessie's, Shea Moisture products, Kinky Curly, and Carol's Daughter. Some of those products are a little pricey though. I don't buy into the hype that these are the only product lines that can give you a head full of manageable curls. Though these products are supposed to cater towards african hair types, i believe any product that has natural ingredients will work for anyone, when used properly, to achieve the most desirable natural hair look. I personally use Wen by Chaz Dean to wash my hair and use a Pure Shine Curl Lotion (found at Walgreens) my everyday curl tamer. My advice for going natural is:


-Don't jump on the curly hair product bandwagon. Not every product works best for everybody. So don't think you have to buy certain brands everyone else uses to get healthy manageable curls.

-Don't be a product junkie. Don't over buy styling products because you think it's the only necessary way to give you the look you desire.

-Don't spend excessive amounts of money on salon styles like Twist-outs or curl up-dos.

-Play with your hair. You have to be willing to try products and find what works best for your hair type. Nobody has bad hair, but not all hair types are treated equally. Some African American specific products may work for some, but not for others. Try some and see.

Anyway, I would love to hear about your hair journey if your natural or if your thinking about making the transition. What are some of your favorite products? Do you agree spending more is better?

Be social and share.


Fashionably yours,

Chi

Images courtesy of Pinterest.

Job Posting: Intern for Fashion Slave

Position: Fashion Slave intern
Company: Fashion Slave, LLC
Location: Tampa, FL 
Compensation: School Credit, unpaid 
Hours: 15 hours per week

Description:  Our company is looking for a stylish intern to assist with the social media marketing for immediate hire. We need a task oriented individual that has an obsession for trend worthy fashion, works well in a team, and a willingness to learn. Someone with graphic design or textile design experience is a plus. 

Responsibilities: Assist in the shipping and fulfilling of online orders, help brainstorm on new marketing concepts and help us continuously grow our social media fan base. 

Who We Are: We are a small start-up business providing trendy fashion to women 18-34. 

Requirements: Individuals must have a passion for fashion, be responsible, flexible, hardworking, and be stylish! Proficiency with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram are also a requirement.

To Apply:  Please email a cover letter and resume to mail@fashionslaveshop.com and write “Intern” in the subject line.