Tracee Ellis Ross in Essence…

Make sure you catch Tracee Ellis Ross in the latest Essence magazine. She’s featured in their beauty section and lets us mere mortals in on the secrets that make her a fashion and hair icon. She says of her sense of style:

“I have a great closet of clothes, including some of my mom’s old pieces,” says Ross, who often styles herself and does her own hair and makeup, both on and off the set. “I’ve had pretty consistent taste since I was young, and my body hasn’t changed much, so a lot of things that worked on me back then still work on me now.”

Read more snippets here over at Essence.com and pick up a copy to read the full article.

What Say We?... Yay or Nay?!

Tracee Ellis Ross attending the Los Angeles screening of Trembled Blossoms presented by Prada on March 19, 2008 in Beverly Hills California.

Tracee what happened? You usually get it so right. While each individual piece looks great i.e. the top, skirt and heels, together they scream "I dressed in the dark." And the necklace's proportions are all off. This look could have worked had she gone with more delicate shoes but when all is said and done, I'm inclined to give Ms. Ross a nay. Don't worry Tracee, you're still my style icon!

The Evolution of the Shirt Dress...

Amerie spotted in London on July 23rd, 2007 while checking into her hotel to promote her new single 'Gotta Work' in London, UK.

Cassie poses at the press conference for the NFL Opening Kickoff 2006 at the Loews Hotel on September 6, 2006 in Miami Beach, Florida.

Wanita "D. Woods" Woodgett, member of R&B girl group Danity Kane, attends XXL magazine's Hip-Hop Soul Issue Release Party at Tenjune on December 11, 2006 in New York City.

Tracee Ellis Ross, in a Thakoon for the Gap shirt, at Vogue's Gap/CFDA Party in April, 2007.

This is not your conventional shirt dress. This breed is inspired by what you’d find in your man’s closet. Remember that episode of Sex and the City where Carrie and Big fall into the lake? Carrie heads back to Big’s apartment to change and ends up walking home in one of his shirts. That’s what this look is all about. Looking like you’ve casually thrown on your man’s shirt and you look better in it than he does. Now these shirt dresses do have a feminine edge with cinched in waists and frills despite their masculine undertones. See below for My Picks!

Another One Bites The Dust…

Another day, another Black magazine folds. Vibe Vixen is the latest publication to fall under the witches spell. After two years and some change, Vibe Vixen will no longer produce their hard copy magazine but will continue their presence online. Read the official press release below. I wasn’t really a fan of the magazine but it’s sad that people will lose their jobs.

"Less than two weeks after being named CEO of Vibe Media Group, Steve Aaron announced Vibe would fold Vibe Vixen, the female counterpart to urban music and lifestyle magazine Vibe.

Vixen will cease as a regularly published title with the August/September issue and starting in the fourth quarter, the company will begin publishing Vixen as special issues focusing on urban culture themes. The company hasn’t determined the frequency for the specials, a company rep said. Vixen also will continue to maintain a Web site.

In a press release, Aaron said there would be “some” layoffs. The rep would not make executives available for further comment.

Vixen launched in February 2005 as a twice-a-year title with a circ of 425,000 (unaudited) and upped the frequency to six times this year. Pages for the first half of 2007 totaled 147, per Publishers Information Bureau. [Source]"

Shifty Business...

Rosario Dawson arrives at the 22nd Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards held at Santa Monica Beach in February in Santa Monica, California.

Kerry Washington looking cute ‘n’ flirty in her silk shift.

Nia Long attending the 17th Annual NAACP Theater Awards earlier this year.

Paula Patton arriving at the 21st Annual Soul Train Music Awards held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium last month in Pasadena, California.

Tracee Ellis Ross at the Katy Rodriguez Celebration of her Eponymous Collection.

Take a cue from these ladies and shift into gear with the must-have dress du jour. A throw-back from the sixties, the shift dress is a classic style that shows no signs of disappearing. If you’re worried about looking too retro in a shift, pick a fabric with a futuristic twist like Paula Patton or try something a little more eclectic like Tracee Ellis Ross. Remember that the shift dress was made for the clutch purse, so give it what it deserves!

Note: See Christina Milian in the DVF dress that Forever 21 duplicated here.

Color Me Bad!

Tracee Ellis Ross and her vintage clutch at the WWD Oscars Party.

Amerie, and her Fendi Spy Bag, attending the Giorgio Armani Go Red for World AIDS Day at the Giorgio Armani Store on Madison Avenue in December ‘06 in NYC.

Sarah Jessica Parker, wearing a Giambattista Valli dress and VBH clutch, attending the 2006 National Board Of Review Awards Gala last month in NYC.

Nicole Richie, holding a Pucci clutch, at the Cavern Wallpaper and Kidada Jones for Disney Coutour Celebration of their new collections January last week in West Hollywood, California.

I saw a feature in last week’s “Life & Style” magazine that talked about Sarah Jessica Parkers' multi-colored clutch by VBH (V. Bruce Hoeksema). They found like four pics of her with it in different outfits and talked about how it must be worth the $990 she paid because it goes with everything – They really don’t miss a beat! Anyway, it got me thinking about investing in a crazy colored bag that will go with almost everything in my closet. And the things it doesn’t go with?... Why not clash?! See below for some colorful ideas.