Fashion SparkNotes 1/30/2018

The New York Times covers another round of fashion musical chairs. Hedi Slimane moves to Celine.

Get inspired by Katrina Lake’s retail uprising on Fashionista

Read The Cut’s review of Constance White’s book, “How to Slay.”

The Business of Fashion lists the best luxury brands of 2017.

Are the merchandise from The RealReal really real? Racked further investigates. 

W Magazine: Move over French girls, Stylish Scandinavians are on the rise. 

Check out StyleCaster’s review on the best red carpet looks from the 2018 Grammy Awards.

A Fashionable #FBF

Happy Friday Fashionable Collegians,

I hope all is well. I took a trip down memory lane and came across this picture of my younger sister, Sade and myself at her graduation from UPenn’s School of Social Policy and Practice. Prior to attending UPenn, Sade attended Cornell University as an undergraduate. This Fall, Sade will be heading back to UPenn to begin her career in law. So proud of her! I know graduation day is a few months from now for some of you, but wanted to share this picture for inspirational purposes. Graduation day is just around the corner. Please remember to savor these last few months, strengthen your friendships with your peers, be diligent about your studies, and try to explore the things you’ve been putting off for ages. Trust me, you’re going to miss these moments when they are gone. “Adulting" is no joke! Ha!

Have a great weekend!

XO,

Bisi

Fashion Internships

Morning Fashionable Collegians,

I hope your year has been off to a great start. If you haven’t already begun looking for summer internship opportunities, this is the perfect time to begin researching and applying to internships before the Spring semester gets a little hectic. Though most fashion internships aren’t as structured in comparison to finance and tech internship programs, I strongly suggest working on securing your summer internship soon rather than later, as most of the well-known internship programs have earlier deadlines and limited spaces. On the contrary, if you prefer to intern for a small boutique company instead of well established one, then it is possible to wait a little longer. Either way, it wouldn’t hurt to get this squared away so that you have one less thing to worry about! lol!

Below are some helpful tips and tools to get you started on your successful journey to find a fashion internship.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me or leave a comment on this blog post.

Good Luck!

XO,

Bisi

Searching for an Internship:

Though you can apply for an internship directly on the company website, I’ve listed some of the popular fashion internship search engines that are super useful in helping you find an internship:

Ed2010

InternQueen

Fashionista

MediaBistro

LinkedIn

Indeed 


 

In addition to reaching out to career counselors at your school, you can also look in the TFC Career Development Center section of the blog for additional resources.

Fashion SparkNotes: 1/10/2018

 

 

Business of Fashion: H&M apologizes over racially insensitive, “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” Ad.

 

#GirlBoss crush. The Cut interviews Anastasia Soare (aka the Queen of Beauty).

WWD: The future of retail.

The NY Times: It’s bigger, deeper than "Street Style.”

Fashionista discusses the implications of NOT asking, “Who are you wearing?” on the red carpet.

Check out Racked’s review on Universal Standard’s plus-size activewear collection.

The Cut covers Cardi B’s style evolution.

Fashion Books to Read During J-Term Break

Hey Fashionable Collegians,

Happy New Year! I hope all of you had an amazing time ringing in the new year with your loved ones. January Term Break (oh, how I miss thee), is a perfect time to read for leisure. Below are some books I would like to recommend reading while you’re on January Term Break. I grouped the books based on informational books on how to get into the fashion industry, biographies of notable fashion industry insiders, and fictional books with a fashion flair to them. 

Happy reading!

XO,

Bisi

Fashion Career Advice:

Still trying to figure out what you want to do in the fashion industry? There’s loads of different career paths in the fashion industry from working at a magazine to working in corporate retail. Below are some really good books to help you navigate the right career path for you:

1-Mary Gehlhar, “The Fashion Designer Survival Guide.”

2-Leslie Davis Burns, Kathy K. Mullet, and Nancy O. Bryant, “The Business of Fashion.”

3-The Teen Vogue Handbook: An Insider’s Guide to Careers in Fashion.”

4-Annemarie Iverson, “In Fashion: From Runway to Retail, Everything You Need to Know to Break Into the Fashion Industry."

Biographical Books:

I love reading biographies of fashion industry insiders as it most often than not, provides inspiration on how to navigate the fashion industry. Plus, I love hearing nostalgic stories of the inner-workings of the fashion industry 20, 30, 40 years ago. Below are some of my favorite biographies:

1-Diane von Furstenberg, “The Woman I Wanted to Be.”

2-Andre Leon Talley, "A.L.T: A Memoir”

3-Sophia Amoruso, “#GirlBoss.”

4-Grace Coddington, “Grace: A Memoir.”

5-Diana Vreeland, “D.V.”

6-Alicia Drake, “The Beautiful Fall: Lagerfeld, Saint Laurent, and the Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris."

*Kelly Cutrone, “If You Have to Go Outside.” This book is both bigraphical and offers great career advice. It’s a must-read if you need you still need some guidance on how to have tough skin in the fashion industry.

#WhatIWoreToWerk In 2017

Took a trip down memory lane on the last Flashback Friday of 2017. Above, is a compilation of some of my best #WhatIWoreToWerk outfits this past year. Cheers to an even more FAB year in 2018!

XO,

Bisi

Quote of the Day: Ralph Lauren

As 2017 begins to wane away, I was thinking about some of the fun experiences I had this past year. I vividly remember seeing Ralph Lauren in person, giving a speech during Terry Lundgren’s (i.e. Macy’s longtime former CEO) retirement party earlier this year. I was so geeked out by his presence and genuinely felt inspired by Ralph Lauren’s ability to maintain longevity in the retail business. I spotted this quote from Ralph Lauren and felt compelled to share with you. Hopefully this quote will inspire some of you to set your own trends in 2018!

I’m sure many of you now who Ralph Lauren is, but for those who don’t, Ralph Lauren is an iconic American designer known best for his multi-billion dollar eponymous fashion brand that covers apparel, accessories, footwear, fragrances, and home product categories. Lauren is a native New Yorker and began his career in fashion working as a sales associate for Brooks Brothers. In the late 1960s, Lauren ventured out to establish his own line of men's neckties that were sold in Bloomingdale’s among other luxury retailers.  In 1972, Lauren designed the “Polo” shirt, which remains to be one of  American fashion’s most iconic clothing item. In addition to working in fashion, Lauren also has ventures in dining, film, and philanthropy. In 2015, Lauren stepped down from his position as CEO.

New Year's Eve Outfit Ideas

 

Morning, Fashionable Collegians! I hope all of you had an amazing time spending the Christmas holiday with your loved ones (and I hope you received awesome Christmas gifts too! lol). New Year’s Eve is our last celebration of the year. Still have nothing to wear for an upcoming New Year’s Eve party? No worries. I’ve got you covered. During this time of the year, you’ll find that most retailers tend to offer some of the same deals you’d see on Black Friday/Cyber Monday. H&M, Charlotte Ruse, Forever 21, Zara, BooHoo, Asos, among other fast-fashionable retailers all have a ton of affordable clothing perfect for New Year’s Eve parties. Below are some outfit ideas ranging from super dressy to casual fits. Happy Shopping :)

XO,

Bisi

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas XOXO

Merry Christmas, Fashionable Collegians! Wishing all of you great health and happiness. I hope you enjoy spending time with your loved ones during the festive holiday season.

Cheers!

XO,

Bisi

Quote of the Day: Rachel Zoe

Rachel Zoe is a notable leader in the fashion industry. Best known for styling some of today's top celebrities, Rachel also designs for her eponymous fashion line, had a hit reality show on Bravo, "The Rachel Zoe Project" and also wrote a book, Style A to Zoe, that landed on the New York Times best-sellers list. Be sure to subscribe to her daily newsletter, "The Zoe Report," wherein Rachel features key style, beauty, and lifestyle tips.

Fashion Sparknotes: 12/11/2017

Refinery 29 Weekly Horoscope

Check The Cut’s picks for some of the best street style looks spotted at Art Basel

Tick-Tick-Tick...Still haven’t finished Christmas shopping? Racked lists online shopping deadlines from some of your favorite retailers.

Ultra-violet, Pantone’s new color of the year. Check out Fashionista to see next year's  new exciting color!

Laura Brown (EIC at Instyle Magazine) talks to Refinery 29 about her unique journey into the fashion industry.

WWD: LVMH unveils the date for their fourth annual, “Les Journées Particulières” (i.e. an event that showcases the best artisanal talent from each LVMH fashion house. This event takes place in Europe and is  open to the public).

The Best in Boots

Braving the Fall/Winter weather isn’t the easiest, but that doesn’t mean we can’t look cute as we overcome the gruesome weather that’s upon us! Unlike, 5-10 years ago, there’s so many stylish (and affordable) options out there today. Sequins, beading, embroidery, intricate hardware are all new design details that many brands are experimenting with - and I'm loving it! From over-the-knee boots to over-the-top boots, check out some of my picks of the best in boots this season (all boots currently retail for under $100).

Booties:

-I’m just loving this trend of dressing up the heel of boots. Below are some cute booties with great heel design details:

 

1-Libby Edelman “Vana Beaded Butterfly Bootie”, 2-Michael Kors “Sabrina Chain Bootie”, 3-Liz Claiborne “Gina Glitter Bootie”, 4-H&M “Glitter Heel Bootie”, 5-Charlotte Russe “Gored Pearl Heel Bootie”, 6-DKNY “Corrie Ankle Booties”

 

Over-the-Knee Boots:

1-H&M "Knee-High Boot", 2-Kenneth Cole “Adelynn Boots”, 3-Charlotte Russe "Faux Suede Studded Boot", 

4-Guess "Vianne Boot", 5-Charlotte Russe “Zipper Trim Moto Boot”, 6-Charlotte Russe “Faux Suede Boot" 

Over-the-Top Glitter Boots:

The Saint Laurent “Niki Crystal Boot” was this year’s most talked about boot. Even with the $10,000 price tag, literally every fashionista has been desperate to get their hands on these ever so sparkly boots. Trust, fast fashion retailers such as Forever 21 to sell a similar (but much, much cheaper) version of this over-the-top boot. It’s the holiday season. Why not go over-the-top?!

Makeup Review: ColourPop No Filter Concealer

 

Cult favorite, Colourpop, has once again changed the game by adding a new realm to their makeup repertoire - concealers! After hearing so many stellar reviews of the No Filter Concealer, I just knew I had to give it a try. For $6 dollars, I was a bit skeptical on if this concealer would well, conceal? Like most people, I had acne for the majority of my teenage years and throughout adulthood. Unfortunately I still have scarring as a result :( My makeup routine usually involves color correcting with the ABH Contour Cream Kit in Deep and then using Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Amande to conceal. The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer does the trick, but the price tag warrants that I use this product sparingly and perhaps should consider other options.

 

I bought 2 concealers: The top swatch is #70 Deep and the bottom swatch is #65 Rich Tan. 

Pros:

-The No Filter Concealer is creamy and has a great consistency (not too runny or too thick)

-Blending the concealer is super easy and doesn’t require a lot of work irrespective if you’re using a beauty blender or brush.

-The coverage is great as well. You can choose to conceal prior to or after your foundation application.

-The $6 price tag makes this product affordable and accessible, which I’m sure as a college student this is a major plus!

Cons:

-I’m darker skinned, so perhaps this may be relevant to women with similar skin tones, but I don’t like that the top of the concealer is white. When using makeup, you’re bound to get product on your hands. This leaves ample opportunities for the cap to get dirty.

-Though I’m sure this is in the works,  I still would like to see more shade variation, especially for medium to darker skin tones.

Overall, I think this is a great product and recommend Fashionable Collegians to add this to their Christmas list.

Looking forward to seeing what other great items Colourpop has in store!

XO,

Bisi

Sephora November 2017 Beauty Haul

 

Hello, my name is Bisi and I'm a certified product junkie. lol Lately I've been on this beauty binge. Thanks to Sephora's recent November VIB sale, I've kinda gone a little overboard (don't judge me!). Like many of you, I'm an avid viewer of Youtube makeup videos and thus, I'm prone to purchasing tons of beauty products that some of my favorite Youtube "beauty gurus" review on their channels.

Given that we're approaching the Winter weather, I've been focusing a bit more on skincare as my skin is super sensitive around this time of the year. I'm not necessarily ready for my Youtube debut just yet, thus this blog will have to suffice. Ha! 

Below, is a list of my November beauty haul and my reviews on some of the products I've used thus far:

SKINCARE:

-Tatcha - Rice Enzyme Powder: I haven't tried this product just yet, but I heard great reviews from my best friend, who's skin looks like butta btw. So I'm looking forward to trying it. Apparently, this powder when mixed with water aims to exfoliate the skin to smooth your skin's texture.

-Laneige - Pore Care Trial Kit: Laneige is a "K-Beauty" fav, so I'm looking to try this ASAP. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

-Drunk Elephant - Night Bright Duo: Drunk Elephant is a relatively new brand that's on the rise. This item is comprised of a serum and facial oil. I've used the serum for about a week and have noticed some of my hyper-pigmentation wane away.

-Origins - Retexturizing Rose Clay Mask

-Boscia - Detoxifying Black Charcoal Cleanser: I've used this product for almost a month now and will say this product does an amazing job of cleaning your skin. Give it a try!

-Too Cool For School - Egg Mellow Cream: Great moisturizer that will leave your skin supple and smooth during the winter.

FRAGRANCE:

-Gucci - Gucci Guilty EDP 2.5oz.: Though Chloe Fleur de Parfum, is my favorite fragrance of all time, Gucci Guilty is a close second.

-Viktor & Rolf - Flowerbomb Travel Duo: This is currently the top-selling fragrance in today's market. It smells so good. Definitely a great gift set for a loved one for the holidays!

MAKEUP:

-Fenty Beauty - Stunna Lip Paint, Full-Bodied Foundation brush, Match Stix (Espresso): By now, I'm sure ALL of you have heard all of the raving reviews regarding Rihanna's new beauty line, Fenty Beauty. Red is my favorite color, so I had to run out and purchase this liquid lipstick (even though I already own 30+ red lipsticks and glosses). Akin to MAC's Ruby Woo, FB's Uncensored Lip Paint looks great on nearly all skin shades.

-Becca - Ever Matte Poreless Primer: A ton of beauty gurus swear by this primer, so I'm looking forward to trying it out as well. 

-Stila - Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick: This is one of my ultimate favorite red lipsticks. It's currently on sale for $12.00.

-Marc Jacobs - Lip Creme Lipstick in "Infamous." This colors is a little more on the pale side, therefore I suggest wearing this lipstick with a brown lip liner. MJ Beauty products are on the pricier side, but the quality on par with other luxury beauty products. It's the holidays, splurge a little if you can ;)

-Marc Jacobs - Snake Lip Lacquer Collection: The colors in this collection are beautiful.

-BeautyBlender - Trying to achieve a flawless beat? The BeautyBlender is arguably one of the best  beauty tools that will help to perfectly blend your foundation and concealer. 

Phew! What a haul? Stay tuned for my December beauty haul.

XOXO,

Bisi