R&R Sophisticate: Hot or Not? Trompe l'oeil tights

Clockwise from left: Lace and fishnet tights, Betsey Johnson,$14.95 at DSW; Argyle sock tights, suspender tights, and knee high tights, Pretty Polly, $25-$35 at Nordstroms.

Sweater dresses will rule heavily in my wardrobe this winter because of their quaint femininity and effortless simplicity. I love to set off a sweater dress in a rich color with fun tights, but sometimes it's hard to look sleek and less Muppet Baby. Trompe l'oeil tights, which are printed to look like suspenders and stockings, might help to give your favorite sweater dress a sexy side. I'd definitely wear the argyle sock tights to work, and the pearl suspender tights would be great for a chilly night out. The UK based company Pretty Polly has the widest selection of Trompe l'oeil tights, many evoking a 1940s bombshell effect. What do you think? Too burlesque or quirky-sexy?

R&R Extra: New Year, New Direction

I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions. It's not that I don't keep them ( many times I don't), but a lot of the resolutions that I make are just continuations of the ones that I had during past years. That's why I've decided to use the beginning of the year to re-evaluate my goals. This may mean fine tuning ones that I've grown out of or mapping out ones that I've grown into. One of my biggest goals for this year is to finally leap full force into blogging, freelance writing, and novel writing. I am excited about the steps that I've already taken towards this goal; the redesign of Reasons&Roses will be unveiled soon along with a change in how content is posted to the blog. I want to have a little more freedom to write what's on my mind at the time that it "dawns in my spirit", as my grandmother used to say. In order to make this blog more conducive to that end, I've decided to try a new posting schedule. I'm going to keep the department titles as follows:

R&R Sophisticate- Fashion
R&R Aura- Beauty
R&R People+Culture- Entertainment
R&R Aware- News&Social Commentary
R&R Focus- Career/Writing Life
R&R Love+Relationships
R&R Balance- Health

In the past, I assigned each label to a specific day of the week, but now I'm going to blog Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays on whatever one of these is on my mind for that day. As the year goes on, I hope to be able to pick up more days to blog until I am able to blog multiple times each day.

To all of my readers, thank you for bearing with me during this transition. I hope that you will continue to grow with me through Reasons&Roses and that you will enjoy everything that is in store for 2012 and beyond.

Peace and Love,

Olette

R&R Aura: My Fragrance Autobiography

Fragrances have a way of attaching themselves to memories that is reminiscent of music. Your first kiss will always be punctuated with the scent of his cologne or you may think that Black Raspberry Vanilla body spray reeks because your tyrant boss wears it. Like music, fragrances frame our lives in a way that gives it the power to transport us back in time with just a faint aroma. These 10 scents take me back to varying parts of my life, from high school to now:

Peach Soft Musk by Avon

This was one of the first fragrances that I spent my own money on. It was my signature scent during my freshman year in high school. The mix of sandalwood and peach was a lot more sophisticated than the Loves Baby Soft spray that all the other girls were wearing, so I figured that I stood out. I guess it wasn't as much of a signature as I thought since I sprayed an anonymous note with the perfume before I mailed it to my secret crush. He never knew it was me, but it was funny watching him fantasize about who he thought it was as he kept sniffing it in class. His ego was swollen all day.

Skin Musk by Bonne Bell

I used to steal some of this from my late grandmother's bathroom when I was in high school. Musks were my thing at the time. I alternated between this and the Peach Musk. It was warm and sensual, but not overbearing or obnoxious like something a "fast girl" would wear. My grandmother would show me how to wear it: one dab on each side of my neck, a dab in my cleavage, and a dab on each thigh. I still follow the same perfume application ritual today.

Sunflowers by Elizabeth Arden

Every cheerleader in my high school wore this, and that meant that every girl at my high school wanted to wear this. It's very bright and full citrusy; everything you would expect for a cheerleader preferred fragrance to be. I wore this for a while, but it started to become way too cloying for me.

Vanilla Musk by Coty

Another musk. This was the scent that started a long vanilla trend in perfumes. I think I got this for Christmas towards the end of high school. Peach Soft Musk had been retired as my signature scent and I thought this would be a great replacement. The only problem was that it was so popular that every girl plus her mama and grandma were wearing it. To the bottom of my drawer it went.

Miracle by Lancome

I wore this during my freshman year in college. And yes, it is another musk. Hampton is such a fashion show school that I didn't have to worry about someone else wearing my scent. Finally, I had a signature scent without biters.

Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana

Ok, I copied this one from one of my roommates. It was a different type of citrus that was popular among girls from New York, New Jersey, and other northern areas. I stopped wearing it because it started to smell like air freshener on me.

Love Spell by Victoria's Secret

I think everyone wears Love Spell at some point in life. It's pretty much required if you're a girly girl. Love Spell was so popular at Hampton that you can smell it as soon as you walk into any girl's dorm.

Romance by Ralph Lauren

This was a Christmas gift one year while I was in college. I'm surprised that I liked it because it has a very masculine scent to it. I think the bottle broke during the move back to campus for spring semester, so everything in my suitcase smelled like Romance. People would come in my room and wonder who I was hiding under my bed.

Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel

I was introduced to this scent by one of my sorority sisters who has since passed away, and it is still one of my favorites. It's not as stuffy as some of the other Chanel perfume offerings. I treated myself to a bottle of eau de toilette for surviving a year of teaching sixth graders.

Dark Kiss by Bath and Body Works

This is by far the best scent B&BW has ever made. I raved over it profusely when it was released last year, so I'll spare you now. It reminds me of Coco Mademoiselle, probably because they both share the vetiver note. It's one of the signatures that I trade out for other scents as I find them.

What's your fragrance autobiography?

R&R Sophisticate: Tools To Create Your Signature Look-Part 3: Your Glam Team

Photo by Parker Michael Knight


When I was younger, I used to think that celebrities woke up in the morning looking as fabulous as they usually do. I guess I assumed that they had some sort of magic pillow that kept every hair in place during their slumber and a fairy godmother that waved a wand over their perfectly beat faces( that's makeup artist speak for well done makeup). It wasn't until I started falling in love with magazines in my teens that I realized how much goes into creating the brand that a celebrity must exude every time they step into the view of the public eye. Article after article would describe how faces have makeup airbrushed on, bodies are nipped and tucked, and hair is shipped from the far corners of the world to make a pop star or or a movie starlet look like the goddess fantasy that we expect to see.

It's a well known fact that most celebrities hold their glam teams, that's hair stylists, make up artists, wardrobe stylists, and other appearance grooming professionals, in equal esteem with their publicists and even managers. These people have the type of magic that turns a regular girl next door into a sexy, yet sophisticated screen siren or a stately and statuesque diva icon. With the right people on your side, you can assemble your own glam team to assist you in creating and maintaining your unique look. I asked Monica Barnett, image consultant and creator of Blueprint for Style, about who she thinks should be a first round pick on any girl's glam team:

1. Image Consultant or Personal Stylist

Don't think you can afford a personal stylist? Odds are that you already have one. We all have that friend, sister, or cousin that we love to go shopping with because she always knows what's going to look great on you while she steers you clear of what won't look so hot on you. Ask for her expertise on what direction she thinks your style should go. Let her put the final touches on an outfit that you love. She'll be more than happy to put her style radar to work for you. Think you want to try a professional image consultant? Check out the Association of Image Consultants International's extensive list of recommended stylists to make sure you get more for your dollar.

2. Makeup Artist

Yep, it's likely that you have one of these among your crew too. You know that friend that seems to always have her makeup on point? Ask her for a few tips and maybe she'll even give you a short lesson or two. MAC, BeneFit, and many other counter makeup retailers will give you a makeup application session if you buy a few products from them afterward. It's worth it if you'll come away with stuff that you know how to use and that you know works for you.

3. Hair Stylist

I added this one because of course the hair must be done to complete any look, but your hairstyle need not be a masterpiece of artistry all the time. Try to choose a stylist that emphasizes healthy hair practices over fads and fashion. Ask their opinion of how you can achieve a style that's flattering while being easy to upkeep and simple enough to dress up or dress down depending on the occasion. Also, make sure you ask for product recommendations that work with your hair. I'm a product junkie and I love to try new things, but many times less is more especially when it comes to hair.

These three style pros will become your BFFs in your journey to discover your most stylish you. Am I missing someone? Who would you add?

R&R Sophisticate: Tools To Create Your Signature Look Part 2- The Glam Library

Not only am I a magazine junkie, but I am also a hopeless addict to style books. Anything that breaks down the secrets of how to be well dressed is probably in my library. From June Ambrose's (who just recently got her own style show on VH1) Effortless Style to Kendall Farr's The Pocket Stylist, I've got 'em all. The thing I love the most about style books is the insight that they give about getting dressed that I would otherwise take for granted. I never knew how versatile nude pumps could be until I dove into Ambrose's book or how the tiniest imperfection in the fit of a dress or pants could throw off a whole outfit until I read Farr's book. Style is not only something that you can be inspired to create, but it helps to study what the masters and legends have done to get a grasp on how you will embellish what's out there to make it your own. I reached out to image consultant and founder of Blueprint for Style Monica Barnett for her advice on absolute must haves in any glam library. She came up with some heavy hitters that any aspiring or seasoned fashionista should give homage to.


Chanel: Her Style and Her Life by Janet Wallach

Coco Chanel is by far the epitome of personal style. From the iconic four pocket wool suits to the Coco Mademoiselle perfume( one of my faves) that bears her namesake, Chanel continues to be one of the reigning haute couture house of our generation. If you've ever carried a quilted bag or worn long strands of pearls, you've been touched by the essence of Chanel. Even though the house has taken on a rather gothic edge this fall, most of the pieces stay true to her graceful class.



Yves Saint Laurent:Icons of Fashion Design by Marquerite Duras

Yves Saint Laurent's simple, understated style is much like Chanel in that it doesn't try too hard, yet it creates the type of aura that many people years trying to create. His Muse handbag,with it's small door knocker-like detail and round shape, is still a staple status bag to this day. YSL is career chic at it's best.



The Fairchild Dictionary of Fashion by Charlotte Mankey Calasibetta, Phyllis Tortora, and Bina Abling

This is the nuts and bolts of fashion. Knowing the language of fashion is key to being able to ask for the look that you want. There's an abridged online version at WWD, if you don't want to search the 15,000 entries in this book.

What's your favorite style book? What are some titles that you would like to add to your glam library?

R&R Sophisticate: Tools To Create Your Signature Look Part 1-The Look Book

We've all seen her. She's the girl who is always impeccably dressed with hair that constantly fluctuates from different degrees of fabulousness every time you see her. She commands a room with a presence that is equal parts Kimora Lee Simmons, Beyonce, and Michelle Obama. Everything about her is intricate and immaculate, yet she always has a pulled together, effortless aura around her. Oh and let's not forget that her face is always decked with the latest from the MAC counter. How does she combine Goodwill, Target, Chanel, and Chloe purchases with a perfect balance that blends into something that solely hers? She's got something that's worth much more than anything by the latest status brand: personal style. Style is something that takes lots of effort to develop, but once you have it, shopping is much easier and a whole lot more fun.

A "look book" is a great first step to discovering your personal style. Traditionally used by haute couture fashion houses to demonstrate how a collection of clothing will work together, look books have been increasingly more popular in mainstream magazines and advertisements because of their ability to show the intentions that a designer has for a piece in a more complete way. They are great playgrounds for experimenting with combinations and they can help you ensure that you will get exactly the look that you are aiming for. Ready to make your own? Follow these steps and you'll have a blueprint for a style that's all your own.

1. Decide on whether you want to go digital or hard copy with your look book.

A look book can be a cheap Mead notebook from Wal Mart or a file on your iPad. As long as you have plenty of space to organize all of the clips, pictures, and other tidbits that you'll collect along the way to your personal style, it doesn't matter how you keep them together. I prefer a pretty journal-like notebook with pockets since I like to move the pieces around to get a better idea of how they will work together. Image consultant Arash Mazinani has some great ideas for how to make a more tech savvy look book.

2. Look for inspiration from everything around you.

Always be on the look out for stylish clips for your look book. Movies, passersby at the mall, even flowers or birds could give you an idea for a fierce outfit. Street style blogs like this one from Essence that focuses on Atlanta or this one from Memphis are a great place to get ideas and see how they work on real women.

3. Become a magazine junkie

I can spend hours in my stacks of magazines cutting out pictures of things that I'd like to add to my style. Of course you'll want to have copies of the major fashion mags, but even home decor glossies might have something that could pique your interest. Do you love how the colors in a room from Elle Decor come together? Cut it out, put it in your look book, and head to the mall to try putting together an outfit with the same colors.

4. Don't let a great outfit idea pass you by. Capture it in your look book!

Keep a camera on hand to take pictures of things that inspire you as you travel. Great outfit ideas are like a song on the radio that you love but don't know the name of. If you don't capture at least some of it, the idea may be gone forever. Nothing is more frustrating than having the perfect idea for an outfit that fades away before you get a chance to see how it will work.

Happy clipping!

R&R Sophisticate: Sexy Swimsuits Minus The Wardrobe Malfunctions

Clockwise from top: Black crochet swimsuit, Catherine Malandrino($97.50 @Net-A-Porter.com); Blue print bikini, Mara Hoffman ($275 @Net-A-Porter.com);Leopard one piece($54 @Newport News); Peach ruffle monokini ($51 @Victoria's Secret)


Swimsuits are probably one of the hardest (if not THE hardest) pieces of your wardrobe to buy simply because there are so many factors to consider if you want the perfect suit for you. It has to have the delicate balance of sexy but not strumpet, respectful but not matronly, and sophisticated but comfortable. Nothing is worse that seeing 30 plus year old women in candy colored swimsuits from the juniors section or my ultimate peeve, someone who makes no effort and settles for a generic black one piece under a sloppy t shirt. Swimwear doesn't have to be agonizing. Like any other piece of clothing, it must fall in line with your personal style and lifestyle. Moms with small children and water lovers shouldn't choose suits with lots of beading, fringe, or other items that might get in your way. Those of us with large bosoms ( mom's word) might want to stay away from a strapless piece that will have to be yanked up constantly. My favorite of these four suits is the blue Aztec print balconette by Mara Hoffman. I love ethnic prints, and the balconette style top seems like it would be fuss free. Here's a formula that might help with your swimsuit quest: PERSONALITY + PRACTICALITY = PERFECT SWIMSUIT.

R&R Aura: Hot Or Not- Celeb Perfumes

As our society's collective attention span gets shorter, our celebrities work harder to concoct glitzier, more over-the-top gimmicks to hold our ever illusive interest,which translates into dollars for them. While celebrity scents aren't quite new, so many celebrities have released their own aromatic potions in the past few years that having a perfume has become something like a right of passage within the world of fame.

Two of the newest releases for spring, Rihanna's Reb'l Fleur and Beyonce's Heat Rush, come in bottles that could be architectural masterpieces and have scent descriptions that sound overdone at best ( Heat Rush features the pairing of cherries and amber...SMH). They may have pop/R&B divas backing them, but are they really worth the $50 you'll pay for an eau de toilette?

I tested Reb'l Fleur and Heat Rush, and I must say that I prefer Reb'l Fleur although it's very reminiscent of Beyonce's original Heat fragrance. It features plum (which I love in perfumes), peach, red berries, coconut water and patchouli but there's a leathery overtone to the whole scent that's kind of distracting but not so much that it's unpleasant. To be honest, I think I need to give Heat Rush another test because it was so faint that I never smelled it since it slipped behind some of the other scents I tested. It sounds like it smells like original Heat with an orange note.

The perfume I must have for spring is not really new but it is named after a woman that's known for her beauty and prowess. Cleopatra by Tocca, which I first tested in Anthropologie, is the right balance of floral, fruit, and sophistication. Celeb perfumes for me are hit or miss. Sometimes they smell cheaply done and rushed and other times they're ok but I've never smelled one and felt the way I did about Chanel Mademoiselle or Tocca's Cleopatra. What do you think? Should celebs leave the scents to professional perfumers or are you usually the first in line to get your favorite celeb's new scent? Tell me in the comments!

R&R Sophisticate: The Perfect Spring Jacket

The transition from winter to spring is one of the most uncomfortable "quasi-seasons" of the year since the weather is not as predicable to dress for as it will be in the coming months. Everyday you risk the chance of sweating puddles under a thick sweater or getting whipped by the season's last few bursts of cold in a flirty spring dress. Lands' End has a beautiful solution! Their Luxe Rain Jacket is water-proof, wind-proof,chic and best of all, it comes in two shades of purple. Love it!