Style Verdict: Beyonce & Solange in Tokyo..

Beyonce and her sister Solange Knowles attend the EiGHT MiLLiON Ginza Gates Store Opening on October 31, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan. Beyonce is in Japan to promote her latest album "I Am...Sasha Fierce".  What's your verdict on their style choices?

"Thriller" Turns 25...

Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was (and still is?) the biggest selling album of all time. Everybody owned that album. Or the cassette tape, lol! Anyhoo, "Thriller" turned 25 years old this year, and I remember back in the 80's being amazed at seeing the sheer intensity of people crying and passing out behind Michael. To this day, I don't think I've witnessed that level of "fan love" on any other artist.

Currently on My Ebay...

I think I went a little crazy a couple weeks ago buying random stuff online for my birthday.  And as much as I love shopping for stuff online, it just doesn't always work out.  I successfully sold these jeans (thank you!) that I recently purchased online and now I'm selling these shoes that I bought but they ended up being too small.  I'm selling them as a package!  And I'm starting the bid at $1.99.  Click here to check 'em out and place your bids! Descriptions are below...
Right: Shiny, light pink, faux patent leather ballerina flat with a t-strap and teardrop eyelet details. Rubber sole.  Size 7.
Left: Braided strap chestnut sandal with ribbed insole trim. Smooth sole.  Size 7, but I think both shoes run a bit small, so they may fit a size 6.5 better.

Real Housewives of Atlanta Preview..

Real Housewives of Atlanta aires tonight at 10/9 Central on Bravo.

Michelle Obama Interview on the Tonight Show.

Halle Berry's Curly Locks: Cute or Not Cute?

Halle Berry was spotted in Toronto, Canada on Sunday leaving Whole Foods.  Halle, Gabriel and baby Nahla Ariela are reportedly looking to move to Canada as Gabriel is from there.  But enough about that, what are y'all's thoughts on Halle's new do?  I'll tell you what I think first, I think it's a different kinda, care-free look on her, it definitely makes her more ethnic, but I like it.
Also, check out the "video of the moment" in my right sidebar on "How to Style Curly Hair".

Silly Candy...

I'm digging this Holiday Inn Express commercial right now...

I Voted Early!

I voted early on Saturday October 25th, 2008, and yay!  What a wonderful and exhilarating feeling it was to vote for a candidate that I believe will be a strong catalyst for HOPE and CHANGE in this country. I honestly checked, double checked and triple checked my vote to make sure that my vote was indeed cast for Barack Obama for President.  Everything was cool. All that being said, if you still have early voting going on in your state, I wanna take this time to encourage everyone to get out and VOTE EARLY!  Click here to find out about early voting in your state and if you don't make early voting, don't forget to get out and vote on November 4th!


"At this defining moment in our history, the question is not, 'Are you better off than you were four years ago?'" Obama says in the above ad. "We all know the answer to that." Without mentioning John McCain, this ad promotes Obama's economic policies while saying that he will work to end "mindless partisanship" and "divisiveness."

Jennifer Hudson's Mother & Brother Found Dead

According to TMZ, Law enforcement sources said Jennifer Hudson's mother was one of two victims shot and killed in Chicago earlier today.  A neighbor tells TMZ the other victim was Jennifer's brother Jason. A cousin who lived nearby discovered the bodies.

We're told the two bodies were found dead on the scene at 2:44 PM. When the fire department arrived and discovered the bodies, police were brought in and the home was declared a crime scene. A call to Hudson's rep was not immediately returned.

This is truly horrifying news. Our prayers go out to her and her family.

J.Lo's "Old Lady" Transformation is Near Completion...

Is it just me, or is Jennifer Lopez trying to look like an old woman?  

Sure, you're married with kids now, but jeez, it doesn't have to age you that fast.

Real Housewives of Atlanta: Are Ya'll Watching?

I just started watching this, as I've seen a couple episodes so far. Nene has to be my favorite right now because she's wonderfully ghetto, and that's always fun to watch, but all these women are just so fabulously tacky, always talking about their status, and their money and whatnot. It's just so over the top you can't look away! I watched "Orange County" I didn't watch "New York", but I think these Atlanta women probably has them all beat. Are ya'll watching? I wanna know what ya'll think.

"Celebrity" Clothing Line Bites the Dust...

After just one year, Heidi Montag’s (MTV's "The Hills") fashion line “Heidiwood” for Anchor Blue is being discontinued. Marla White, Director of PR & Brand Development at Anchor Blue Retail Group, tells PEOPLE “Anchor Blue and Heidi Montag are pleased with what Heidiwood for Anchor Blue accomplished during this past year. However Anchor Blue chose not to extend the Heidiwood contract after the initial year as they will be concentrating solely on what their heritage, their foundation, is based on — denim. They are very excited about an initiative they are launching in February ‘09 for guys and girls that will carry throughout the coming year.” Wonder if that means Heidi will be looking to design somewhere else. 

Menswear Shoe Style at Piperlime...

Click the button below then click the Piperlime tab to browse and shop for chic menswear style shoes.

Babies Endorse Obama for President...

I think it's safe to say that both of these babies support Barack Obama for President.

Miss Teen Louisiana is Arrested, Loses Crown.

These kinds of stories make me sad for my home state...

BOSSIER CITY, La. — Miss Teen Louisiana lost her crown 11 days early after being arrested on charges of leaving a restaurant without paying and carrying marijuana.  RPM Productions Inc., the sponsor, took back the title on Tuesday after learning that Lindsey Evans, 18, of Blanchard, had been arrested, president Paula M. Miles said Wednesday.

Evans will have to return her sash and crown, but won't have to return any other prizes or cash equivalents, Miles said.  "She's done a good job this year," Miles said.  A call to Evans' parents' house was not answered Wednesday.  Miles said she had been told that the three women with Evans told police that Evans, alone in the group, had paid her bill. But Bossier City spokesman Mark Natale said Evans admitted not paying.

Bossier City police booked all four on theft charges, three on drug charges and two on drug paraphernalia charges, he said.  Natale said Bossier City police were called to a Posados Cafe restaurant Saturday evening because a group had left without paying $46.07. The manager had found a pocketbook at the table, and police found Evans' driver's license and about 2 grams of suspected marijuana in it, Natale said.

He said officers recognized Evans from the photo when the group returned for the pocketbook. Miles said she talked with Evans on Monday.  The next Miss Teen Louisiana will be chosen Nov. 1 at a pageant in Lafayette. Michelle Berthelot, Miss Louisiana USA 2008, will crown the winner. (Source)

Vote For Style...

What does your style say about you? How you dress can inform others of your opinions - and help them form opinions of you. Take a cue from these 5 first ladies who knew that when impressions matter, what you wear can be the winning ticket. Click the pic above to "Vote for Style" and enter for your chance to win a $1,000 wardrobe! And also be chic and exercise your right to VOTE on November 4th!

RNC Spends $150K on Clothes for Sarah Palin...

That's $150,000 in a matter of weeks. On clothes. Wow. At a time when the McCain campaign is running as the "working class" ticket, and even giving up on trying to win certain states because they don't have the funds to spend to campaign in these states, and people are losing their life savings in this current down economy, Sarah Palin's wardrobe budget apparently doesn't have any spending limits...
Since her selection as John McCain's running mate, the Republican National Committee spent more than $150,000 on clothing and make-up for Gov. Sarah Palin, her husband, and even her infant son, it was reported on Tuesday evening.

Indeed, the story could not come at a more inopportune time for the McCain campaign. During a week in which the Republican ticket is trying to highlight its connection to the working class -- and, by extension, promoting its newest campaign tool, Joe the Plumber -- it was revealed that Palin's fashion budget for several weeks was more than four times the median salary of an American plumber ($37,514). To put it another way: Palin received more valuable clothes in one month than the average American household spends on clothes in 80 years. A Democrat put it in even blunter terms: her clothes were the cost of health care for 15 or so people.

"Republicans, RNC donors and at least one RNC staff member have e-mailed me tonight to share their utter disgust at the expenditures. ... The heat for this story will come from Republicans who cannot understand how their party would do something this stupid ... particularly during the collapse of the financial system and the probable beginning of a recession." (Source, Source)

Disturbing Trend: Surgery to Achieve "Designer Feet"

Like many fashion-savvy women her age, 23-year-old Khadisha Shelton loves shoes.

She scans fashion magazines to see the latest styles on the catwalk, and eagerly saves up to purchase her favourites as soon as they arrive on the High Street. But this winter, and right at the top of Khadisha's wish list, is something rather more extreme.

Instead of searching for the perfect Gina or Christian Louboutin shoes, Khadisha is in pursuit of the perfect feet in order to display her purchases to their best advantage - and she is willing to go under the knife to achieve it.
n a matter of weeks, Khadisha will undergo cosmetic surgery to shorten her toes.

The operation - a gruelling three hours long, where surgeons will use a saw to slice segments from her bones - costs a staggering £2,700, and it could take months before she can walk properly again. But, for fashion-obsessed Khadisha, it is a price worth paying.

'When I look down at my feet, I just can't stand them - and I hate that if I wear strappy shoes, all their flaws are on show to everyone else,' says Khadisha, a 23-year-old accountant from South London.

'The worst thing about them are my two second toes. On each foot they're bigger than my big toe, and I'm just too embarrassed to wear all the really lovely "peep-toe" styles that are so fashionable right now.

'Also, I've got corns on all my toes from years of wearing pointy stilettos, some of my toes aren't straight and I hate the way some are longer than others. I'm going to have the whole lot sorted in one go.

'I know it sounds extreme - and the operation does scare me a little, as I don't like the thought of, perhaps, not being able to walk for up to six months afterwards, but for me, it really is a price worth paying for pretty feet.'

Read the rest of this article here.

Shoe Trends for Fall 2008...

We're in the middle of October so the Fall season is here! Check out a few Fall shoe trends in the video below. I recently purchased myself a pair of nice equestrian riding boots that made the list of shoe trends for Fall.

I Don't Like This Dress.

Is it just me or does this dress look "diseased" at the top?  The red embellished jewels look like a horrible rash to me.  Not the best look on a dress.


Singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte arrived at the 2008 ARIA Awards on October 19, 2008 in Sydney, Australia.

Currently on My Ebay...

I recently purchased these Paris Blues Distressed Stretch Skinny Jeans Size 7 at a bargain and when they arrived to my house, I tried them on, and yes, they did fit, they were just a little snug, basically meaning they looked painted on. What? Don't judge! I'm starting an intense bicycle workout today!  Anyhoo, I've since put the jeans up on Ebay with a starting bid of only $1.00.  Check 'em out here, and place a bid!
Also R.I.P. Mr. Blackwell...

Addressing the PETA Ad...

A little Hip Candy "housekeeping". Some of my readers have expressed concern over the PETA ad in my left sidebar featuring a scantily clad Pamela Anderson.  I was even taken aback a little when it first surfaced (the ad buy is for the entire month but it changes from week to week).  PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) uses very provocative measures to get their messaging across and this ad is no different. I regret not saying something about it when it first surfaced because of the highly provocative visual, as I do have a few young readers.  But although many of you have already clicked on it (yeah, some of ya'll already know exactly what it is, the click through numbers don't lie...) the ad is not what some might expect.  The ad is all about animal cruelty, nothing more.  Just wanted to take this opportunity to offer some reassurance to my loyal readers.  

Chanel

Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama For President...

Obama Draws Record Crowd in St. Louis...

Barack Obama attracted 100,000 people at a Saturday rally in St. Louis, his biggest crowd ever at a U.S. event.  The crowd assembled under the Gateway Arch on a sunny Saturday afternoon to hear Obama speak about taxes and slam the Republicans on economic issues.

Lt. Samuel Dotson of the St. Louis Police Department confirmed the number of attendees piled into the grassy lawn flanked by the Missouri capital and the Missouri River.  To be sure, big crowds don’t always signal a big turnout on Election Day. But Obama’s ability to draw his largest audience yet in a typically red state that just weeks ago looked out of reach, could signal a changing electoral map.

For months Missouri polls put Obama as much as ten percentage points behind Republican John McCain. It was widely believed that McCain’s pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate would have won over the state’s conservatives and boosted his chances there. So far, that hasn’t happened.  A Rasmussen poll released on Friday shows Obama leading in Missouri 52% to 46% for McCain.

Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill had harsh words for Palin when she introduced Obama on Saturday. Referring to comments Palin made earlier this week in North Carolina about “pro-America” states, McCaskill said “We have reached a new low in America politics when a candidate dares to say that one part of America is pro-America and another part is anti-America.”  She also took a dig at McCain for selecting a vice presidential nominee with limited experience. “One [candidate] picked one of the strongest candidates for vice president he could’ve picked in the United States and well, the other didn’t.”

Recognizing that big rallies don’t always result in cast ballots, the Obama campaign has dispatched thousands of field organizers and volunteers to Missouri to knock on doors in a statewide get out the vote effort. (Source: AP, WSJ & Huffington Post)

She Designed it Herself.

Actress Katie Holmes attended the opening night after party for "All My Sons" where she is one of the stars, on Broadway on October 16, 2008 in New York City.  Katie Holmes created this so not cute stunning outfit for the broadway opening in partnership with her stylist, Jeanne Yang.

Just Asking For a Trip to the E.R...

Who else would laugh hysterically in the face of grave danger and wear shoes like this?  Well it's none other than Victoria Beckham.  The more I see her try death defying stunts like this, the more I'm convinced she's crazy.  All it takes is one wrong step... 

Hip Look of the Day...

Rihanna attended the 2008 Spirit Of Life Award Dinner on October 15, 2008 in Santa Monica, California looking nice in a red peplum Monique Lhuillier.  The addition of the skinny leopard belt against the red adds just the right amount of edge for me.

My Homemade Maxi Dress...

You'll have to excuse the camera phone shots of my maxi dress, these pics really don't do it justice and I'm really quite proud of it!  I finished it last week in time to wear for my birthday. I used a pattern that was for a shorter dress, so I  lengthened it considerably. Pockets are also a hugely out of control mild obsession of mine, so of course I added a pair of hidden seam pockets on each side about 3.5 inches down from the empire waist.  The weather here is still amenable to wearing something that may seem more suited to spring/summer, especially if paired with a scarf.  I kept it basic with a pair of flat red thong sandals and hoop earrings.  It was fun to wear!

Leanne Marshall Wins Project Runway...

Melanie Brown is Over the Top...

WTH kind of look is this?  Melanie wore this get up to the MOBO Awards in London on October 15th. I don't like the hair, I don't like the dress, I don't like the hood, I don't like the shoes, I don't like the makeup, I don't like the diamonique encrusted armholes, pockets, zipper and hem... did I miss anything?  Mel B. rarely "gets it right" for me in the style department, but this right here is just too much.

Project Runway Finale Tonight...

The Project Runway finale airs tonight on Bravo and it's between designers Leanne, Kenly and Korto.  No guys in this finale!  Wow.  Well, one of these girls will be in, and the other two will be out. Catch a sneak peek below of each one of their collections and tune in tonight to see who wins!

Leanne Marshall's show


Kenley Collins' show


Korto Momolu's show

If You Like It, Then You Shoulda Put a Ring On It.

Beyonce's new music video has been circulating for a minute now, and that's totally not the name of her new song in my blog title, but you already know people are gonna be calling it that. I thought it was ok, it's a little spastic for me, but I gave her an "E" for effort.  


And it wasn't until I saw the video comparison below over at Dlisted that I noticed similarities in Beyonce's new video "Single Ladies" and the classic Bob Fosse choreographed piece, "Mexican Breakfast" led by dancer Gwen Verdon.  The old broads have Beyonce and her team beat if you ask me, that being said, I can certainly appreciate the effort that Beyonce put into paying tribute to a classic.

Hip Look of the Day...

Monica Cruz (Penelope Cruz look-a-like sister) was spotted wearing a cute strapless knit dress (with pockets!) at the Majestic Pier on October 13, 2008 in Cannes, France. I like it because it's a simple, basic piece, but still fabulously chic. You can't get lines too much cleaner than this.

Happy Birthday to Me!

TO ME!

Yay!  Today, October 12th, is my birthday! So in honor of my birthday, I've listed a handful of celebs that were born the same year as me. I'll be back blogging on Tuesday, I'm gonna take Monday off and relax a little, so I hope you'll visit some of my link partners until then!  Thanks so much to every one of you who visit Hip Candy on the daily!  I truly appreciate ya'll...

Chanel

Sweet Confectionary Delight at Agatha de la Prada...

As I was poring through more fashion week pictures this morning, I came across the Agatha Ruiz de la Prada designer runway show, and while looking at them, I thought to myself, nothing in her show was actually wearable.  Like, wearable on the street. But I don't think that that was the point.  Photo after photo, her dresses were all so sugary sweet and fun!  If her runway show was a dessert, it would be around 10,000 calories a bite.  We see so much serious fashion coming down the runways, that the Agatha de la Prada show was just a breath of fresh and fattening, high calorie-content, air.





The Agatha Ruiz De La Prada Spring/Summer 2009 fashion show was held on October 8, 2008 in Mexico City.

The Blackberry Introduces a New Touch Screen...

Wow.  The iPhone has really started something, huh?.  At least I think it was the first phone with the cool magic touch screen, so I'm gonna keep thinking that the iPhone (the phone I own) was the trendsetter, the groundbreaker until someone tells me otherwise (I've had my 1st gen iPhone for about a year now. But the new app store was still made available to those of us who were geeky and over-anxious and got the phone as soon as it launched..).  Anyhoo, for those of you who are interested in this shiny, new touchscreen BlackBerry, you can read up on the "fierce" new Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Storm here.

"Top Model" to Launch a Spinoff Show...

The CW is spinning off its hit reality series "America's Next Top Model." The network has ordered a pilot for "Operation Fabulous," starring "Top Model" regulars Jay Manuel and J. Alexander and executive produced by "Top Model" chiefs Tyra Banks and Ken Mok.

On "Fabulous," "Jay and J," as Manuel and Alexander are called on "Top Model," will travel the country giving women makeovers. In various towns, the duo will select five participants and give them "Top Model"-style overhauls -- how to dress, wear their hair and makeup and bring out their confidence with the support of family, friends and their community.

The project, from Kristina Productions, Mok's 10x10 Entertainment and Banks' Bankable Productions, seeks to capitalize on a fan-favorite "Model" segment, when contestants are given head-to-toe high-fashion makeovers supervised by Alexander. Manuel and Alexander have been with "Model" since the series' debut on UPN in 2003. Manuel is the creative director of show's photo shoots; Alexander is a runway expert who has been a judge for the past few seasons.

"Model" airs twice a year on the CW. Although ratings have ebbed in recent years, the reality show remains the network's highest-rated series. "Fabulous" would mark the third fashion-themed reality series on CW from Banks and Mok, who also exec produce the network's series "Stylista," slated to debut Oct. 22, which features contestants vying for an editorial position at Elle magazine.[Source]

Esquire Magazine Endorses Obama for President...

Sen. Barack Obama has been endorsed in the same November 2008 issue of Esquire Magazine that named Halle Berry "Sexiest Woman Alive".  See below:
In honor of the election, the entire November issue became the "endorsement issue," stuffed with impassioned recommendations to our readers. One of those endorsements is for Barack Obama to become the next President of the United States. It's a thoughtful, lengthy, slightly intemperate piece of writing, and by no means hagiographic. The endorsement expresses our frustrations with Obama's candidacy and his campaign at least as much as it makes the case for what it is we hope he can accomplish. As much as any other factor, we made this endorsement out of a determination that a continuation of the Bush era is simply unthinkable. We do see Senator Obama as a transformational figure, but we did not recommend against John McCain lightly. Over the past two years, we've published four substantive pieces about Senator McCain, including one cover profile. He's a man we have long respected and liked, but the man running for president is a very different man from the John McCain we wrote about two years ago, or 8 months ago, or just a few weeks ago
Click here to read more.

Halle Berry Launches Her Signature Scent...

What is this?  Like the 3rd or 4th post about Halle Berry this week? She is all over the place lately.

Halle launched her new Halle by Halle Berry scent at an exclusive unveiling in N.Y.C. “We call Halle my second baby,” she says, “because that's really all I’ve been working on for the past two years.” Throughout the process, the actress insisted on being involved in just about every aspect creating the fragrance, from doing scent tests to helping design the bottle itself — and made sure that the woody oriental included two of her most-loved notes. “I was mixing two fragrances, a fig and a mimosa, and putting them in a bottle an carrying them around,” she says. “That was my flavor of the moment.” And it’s a flavor she hopes men will appreciate as much as women. “I want women to feel that their partners, that special person thinks they smell beautiful, thinks that it’s simple enough that they can ingest it all day, every day. That’s what Gabriel said,” she adds, of her boyfriend Gabriel Aubry’s take on her signature scent. “He said it smells like that — he better be right!” [Source]

SNL's "Weekend Update" Airing Tonight...

Due to the extreme popularity of the current presidential election, Saturday Night Live has enjoyed a huge ratings boost.  That's why "Weekend Update"with Amy Pohler and Seth Myers is gonna be aired during the week for the next few weeks up until the election in primetime on NBC (Thursdays, 9:30/8:30 Central).  Being a long time SNL fan, I'm excited about this, so I'll be watching.  I think SNL is a rerun this Saturday, but don't quote me on that one.  Meanwhile, check out Sen. Joe Biden below on Good Morning America laughing hysterically at the SNL VP debate skit and their portrayal of him.