Dress: Philip Lim, Nordstrom

Hello all,

What has been used for many years to decorate women’s clothing, accessories, and quilts is now experiencing resurgence in current fashion trends. Ruching, a French term which means to gather, ruffle, or pleat is now my favorite fashion must have. I received so many comments on my Kenar ruched top (can be worn as a dress if you are 5’5” or under) at Penn Quarter, DC last week that I decided to do a blog post on it. It is not uncommon to see ruching in dress sleeves, waistbands, and collars.

Me in DC last week. Dress/top by Kenar, Bag by Coach “Sabrina”

Dress by Catherine Maladrino-RTR

 Visit the website links to shop or learn more about the styles.

Have a wonderful day.

XOXO

Tawa

Hello all,

Autumn is the most-loved season for me because it means a return to treasured pieces that I love to wear. The basic elements of my fall wardrobe is  blending colors such as purple, black & white, cocoa hues with classic pieces such as jeans, boots, wool sweaters, scarves(of course!), vest and blazers. This fall I will also be hitting hot places such as Dupont Circle, Georgetown and other places in the D.C areas to take photographs of people in their fall fashions. How cool is that?!

My blog will be six months old on August 18^th and I want to thank everyone for taking time of their busy schedule to show me some love. I appreciate everything.

All photos: Net-a-porter

Have a wonderful day.

XOXO

Tawa

Hello there,

I love Mulberry for its well made yet covetable bags. The universal appeal not to mention the big $$$ tags has made it a favorite of many celebrities and the affluent. I drooled when I saw their Autumn/Winter Collection 2010. Check out these pictures of gorgeous models Abbey Lee Kershaw and Hanne Gabby Odiele. All photos by Steven Meisel.

Credit: FGR

Have a wonderful day.

XOXO

Tawa

Photo: Socialite Life

Hello,

Call me a loser but I cannot get enough of reality star Bethenny Frankel of Real Housewives of New York City and Bethenny Getting Married? She is one of the few reality stars that have used reality TV stardom to create her brands of Skinnygirl margarita, bestselling books, workout videos and an upcoming skin-care product called Honest by Bethenny.  Below is an interview she gave Entreprenuer magazine. Enjoy…

There’s a certain level of honesty you get from only two types of people: small children and NewYorkers. Bethenny Frankel is quintessentially the latter, and her signature brand of blunt vaultedher to stardom as one of “The Real Housewives of New York City” on Bravo. She’s taken that honesty to the next level on her new Bravo spinoff, “Bethenny Getting Married?” (spoiler alert: she does), where it’s on display not only in her personal life, but also in her seemingly endless string of entrepreneurial ventures.

There are bestselling books, workout videos, skin-care products and the Skinnygirl margarita. And in between settling into married life with husband Jason Hoppy, caring for her new daughter, Bryn, and busting the chops of everyone around her, Frankel makes sure every product she puts her name on is a reflection of her genuine personality.

“Everything’s very simple, straightforward and honest and makes women’s lives easier,” she says. “It gives them a solution to a problem. But I didn’t plan any of this. I found this and decided that I have a voice that people can understand. My gift is being able to tell people what they should be doing.”

There’s no shortage of irony in Frankel’s ability to help others find their way. A self-described hustler and the daughter of legendary thoroughbred racehorse trainer Robert Frankel, she’s trained as a natural food chef and spent the early part of her career bouncing back and forth between New York and L.A. She tried catering, importing, event planning and even acting. And while many who consider themselves entrepreneurs can take a singular passion and turn it into a successful business, Frankel’s entrepreneurial DNA is pure and rare–an all-consuming drive that finds its way into everything she does, even when she has no idea what that will be.

“We plan and God laughs,” Frankel says. “I don’t think I really knew exactly what I was going to end up doing, what was going to be my calling. I say that you always have to be on the road. You just have to be going forward. You don’t have to know exactly where your destination is.”

Frankel’s ability to navigate and embrace the unknown will certainly come in handy. Balancing a successful business and a healthy family is always a big test for any entrepreneur who chooses to pursue both, but the last year for Frankel has given new meaning to the phrase “When it rains, it pours.” Just as her star was rising on TV and her businesses  were taking off, she got engaged to Hoppy and found out she was pregnant. When she tearfully admitted during the last season of “Housewives” that she never thought she could be the girl who could have it all, there was a tangible sense that her joy was mixed with a healthy dose of trepidation. But if her ability to take calls from her agent and give an interview while breast-feeding her daughter is any indication, then she seems to be adjusting just fine.

“It really is all-consuming,” Frankel says of motherhood. “It just comes first. But by the same token, you really can get a rhythm. She’s not really that difficult. Everything else becomes inconsequential, and you just narrow it down. Everything becomes simpler. I’m a little calmer because I’m just so happy, so it makes work easier.”

Easier is, of course, a relative term. Millions watched as Frankel tirelessly ran her businesses while simultaneously planning a wedding and riding the hormonal rollercoaster of pregnancy. Her move to reality TV was a calculated marketing strategy, one she devised after she was the runner-up on “The Apprentice: Martha Stewart.” Network execs saw her on the show and quickly recognized she could be a draw for other audiences. She originally turned Bravo down, but with her first book about to hit the shelves, she began to see the show as a way to showcase her talents and create buzz for her brand.

“It was next to impossible because it’s a reality show,” Frankel says. “But I was able to insert what I do for a living because I wasn’t shopping for diamonds or getting facials or buying lingerie like they wanted me to or like my castmates wanted to do.”

The exposure paid off in spades, and while the other housewives were shopping, Frankel was hustling. First there was a pair of books, Naturally Thin and The Skinnygirl Dish, written to help free women from obsessive dieting and what Frankel calls “food noise.” Then came a cocktail to match, the all-natural, low-cal Skinnygirl margarita. Frankel also produced a workout video based on the simple exercise routine she does to stay fit (out of respect for her fans, she turned down several prominent trainers who offered to help her lose her baby weight). Next up: a line of skin-care products dubbed Honest Skin Care, a not-so-subtle reference to what Frankel sees as the deceptive nature of the industry. With so much going on in her personal life, some might say it’s a classic “be careful what you wish for” situation. But Frankel didn’t wish for it–she made it happen, and she’s more than ready to make it work.

“Now’s my time,” she says. “This is my moment. I’m not like Julia Roberts, who can sit around with [her children] Phinnaeus and Hazel because she’s so successful for so long. This is my time, and I’m not 25. This is it. On that note, it’s difficult because I love my baby and my husband is so understanding, and I do push even him to the limit. However, I have great assistants. They are running the business. I planted all the seeds and now they’ve grown. So there are people around me doing a lot of the legwork. You get to a point where people around you make it a lot easier.”

Interestingly enough, another thing that’s made life and business easier for Frankel is the same thing that can also make them so chaotic: motherhood. But she’s convinced that if she can make it work, other mothers can–and should–try it as well.

“Women need to know that if they can do it and they feel like they’re successful at being a mom, then there’s no way that they can’t be successful at a business. Trust your instincts. Only you really know what to do with your baby and what’s really going on, and the same thing goes with business. Just trust your gut and your instincts and don’t have fear about it and you can do it.”

Credit: Entrepreneur Magazine. Click here to read more.

Have a wonderful Day.

XOXO

Tawa

Photo: Spanish Football Sports

Congratulations to Spain, they are the 2010 World Cup champions. Spain lifted the FIFA World Cup for the first time after Andres Iniesta’s 116^th-minute goal secured a 1-0 victory for the European champions over the Netherlands at Soccer City. It was a beautiful and well deserved game and seeing Nelson Mandela was the highlight for me. I hope you enjoyed the games and I cannot wait for 2014 in Brazil.

Have a wonderful day.

XOXO

 Tawa

Happy Saturday,

One of the best places to get handcrafted African art or other ethnic products is Swahili Imports. I especially love their laundry baskets, abstract sculptures, and table linens and serving pieces. Many of the products are produced from recycled natural materials and fairly traded. Check them out.

All photos: Swahili-Imports 

Have a wonderful day.

XOXO

Tawa

This summer is all about tribal-inspired prints. On the runway, designers such as Diane Von Furstenberg and Gucci used tribal print designs. Brighten up a drab outfit with a tribal accessory or make it a focal point of any outfit. Below are some of my picks. Enjoy!

All photos: Image & Style News.

Have a wonderful day.

XOXO

Tawa

Photo: Olvwu

A very big thank you to everyone who fought to make America what it is today!

Photo: Lizespo

Enjoy the red, blue and white fireworks with your loved ones and be safe!!!

XOXO

Tawa

Happy Friday! I hope you are looking forward to a wonderful weekend.

I was tagged on Facebook by my friend Timothy Swan on this excellent post so I decided to repost (with few changes) on my blog. A BIG thank you to Timothy!

 With the largest sporting event in the world approaching in less than two zero days, I decided to make a note with the group stages as well as information about the host cities in South Africa. I will keep an update as the group stages progress, feel free to add anything I’ve missed. The stadiums are world class, South Africa did a wonderful job and I hope this month long tournament will be a success for everyone involved. Thanks and enjoy the games!

11 June – 11 July

Host Cities:

Johannesburg: Johannesburg, or Jozi as it’s more commonly known, the economic powerhouse of Africa, is South Africa’s largest city — a truly African city — and a booming, happening metropolis. In preparation for the World Cup the inner city, long abandoned by an exodus of big business that transferred to the suburbs, is undergoing a complete regeneration. Opening ceremonies and the final will be hosted in Soccer City.

Soccer Futbol will be played at: Soccer City Stadium / Ellis Park Stadium

Durban: Ethekwini-Durban is the main metropolitan area of KwaZulu Natal. It is flanked by the warm Indian Ocean and home to an interesting array of natural and historical attractions that capitalise on its coastal location and speak to its unique mix of African and Indian influences.

Soccer Fubtol will be played at: Moses Mabhida Stadium

Cape Town: Cape Town, the Mother City, is South Africa’s most European and scenically attractive city. The impressive bulk of iconic Table Mountain looms over the city; there is a vibrant culture, beautiful beaches, rich history, world-class shopping and entertainment facilities, and friendly people. This is the gateway city to South Africa’s wine country.

Soccer Futbol  will be played at: Green Point Stadium

Bloemfontein: Bloemfontein, City of Roses, is something of an oasis right in the middle of both Free State province and South Africa, with no other major city for miles around. Bloem lies on the N1, the main road between Johannesburg and Cape Town (an amazing and varied drive of about 871 miles or 1402 kilometers through diverse scenery ranging from desert to mountains). Do it if you can.

Soccer Futbol will be played at: Free State Stadium

Pretoria: Pretoria is the diplomatic hub of South Africa – which means cultures from all corners of the globe call this city home. There are more than 25 international embassies and consulates in Pretoria. In Gauteng province, Pretoria and is situated an hour’s drive north of Johannesburg.

Soccer Futbol will be played at: Loftus Versfeld Stadium

Rustenburg: Rustenburg has the feel of a quiet country town. For the visitor looking for a night out, there are a few bars, pubs and shebeens in and around town. There is a mall with entertainment, chain restaurants and coffee shops. But the main entertainment hub of Rustenburg, about half an hour away by road, is Sun City, South Africa’s Las Vegas. Rustenburg, in the North West Province, is also close to the Magaliesberg mountains, Hartbeespoort Dam and the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.

Soccer Futbol will be played at: Royal Bafokeng Stadium. Notable match: England Vs. United States, June 12.

Port Elizabeth: The city is situated 260 km from Knysna and +- 800km from Cape Town. It is known for its sunshine and safe sandy beaches .

For the tourist wanting a total South African experience, Port Elizabeth is the perfect complement to the Garden Route, Settler Hinterland, Sunshine Coast and Cape. Located on the South Eastern coast of Africa, this major sea port and tourist destination is set along the beautiful shores of Algoa Bay, and is fondly referred to as the Friendly Eco-City.

Soccer Futbol will be played at: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Nelspruit: Named after the Nels River, Nelspruit is host to many attractions and activities, including a crocodile farm, elephant sanctuary, the oldest caves on Earth and a remarkable botanical garden.

Soccer Futbol will be played at: Mbombela Stadium

Polokwane: Polokwane, the capital of the Limpopo Province and formerly known as Pietersburg, is midway between Pretoria and the Zimbabwean border along the Great North Road. It is one of South Africa’s fastest growing cities and is a popular gateway to neighboring destinations such as Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique and Malawi.

Soccer Futbol will be played at: Peter Mokaba Stadium

Group Stages:

Group A:
South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France 

Group B:
Argentina
South Korea
Nigeria
Greece

Group C:
England
United States
Algeria
Slovenia

Group D:
Germany
Australia
Ghana
Serbia

Group E:
Netherlands
Japan
Cameroon
Denmark

Group F:
Italy
New Zealand
Paraguay
Slovakia

Group G:
Brazil
North Korea
Côte d’Ivoire
Portugal

Group H:
Spain
Honduras
Chile
Switzerland

Don’t you agree Timothy did a great job with this post? Thank you.

Have a wonderful weekend.

 XOXO

Tawa

Happy Monday beautiful people!

Shine on Sierra Leone is putting the spotlight on Sierra Leone,  a country that is the second lowest ranked country on the Human Development Index, has the lowest life expectancy at under 45 years of age, ranks last in healthcare globally, and the average GDP is a mere $400, which makes it the 7th poorest country. Due to the horrendous civil war, it has minimal infrastructure (if any in many regions), 1/3 of the population has been displaced into slums, and tens of thousands of children are recovering from having been abducted and forced into battle.

Shine on Sierra Leone mission includes healthcare to prevent the high mother and child mortality rates, education, microcredit’s for agricultural loans and small businesses, sustainable development and adult and computer literacy.

To learn more about Shine on Sierra Leone and their programs or how you can help, go to www.shineonsierraleone.org or click here

Have a wonderful day.

XOXO

Tawa