Source: The Jasmine Brand

“No matter what people say, we’ve got it going on!” I’m sure that’s what Kim and this group of…individuals surrounding her were thinking when they started snapping pics in Trio Nightclub in Miami over the weekend. But there was too much exposed boob (hence the heart), two-toned wigs, sequins, fishnet, beads and lashes to take all this seriously. The beloved MC, or femcee, hit up the night club in her brightest catsuit and put on her fiercest face for the cameras. All of these colorfully adorned people decided to jump in the pic and spread their love. While I can’t work with most of this, I will say that I would let some of these folks tutor me in proper fake eyelash installation. Work it honey!!!! So how would you caption this rainbow-colored photo?

It’s about to be summertime next week, and if you didn’t get the memo, it’s time to put the dark Fall-inspired bags back in the closet, and reach for something more season-appropriate. While in most cases that’s anything bright and bold, or something with a crossbody strap, a big trend is to buy straw bags and purses. They’re fun, funky, and if you pick up a colorful one, you won’t go wrong. After doing some online shopping, I found a few I thought I’d share with you. Enjoy!

Cappelli Straw World Toyo Tote Bag – $28

So you want to try a straw bag, but you want it to have a little kick? This giraffe printed straw tote is exactly what you need, and as you can see, it’s for a very reasonable price. The beaded details around the handle and the straw handles are also very charming, and the size is big enough for trips the the beach (pull out the sandals and towel), or just good for meeting friends for lunch.

Source: Neiman Marcus

Tory Burch Straw Small Tote – $195

Looking to splurge and get some color on your straw bag? Tory Burch has got something that will catch your eye! Peep this small straw tote that comes in a vibrant red or orange and is just screaming for your cutest pair of shorts, diva sunglasses and espadrille heels. The ornate inside straw detailing and contrasting black piping and color is fab as well.

Source: Megan Metallic Straw Mini Crossbody

Bebe’s ‘Megan’ Metallic Straw Mini Crossbody – $69

What about something a little smaller? Crossbody bags are all the rage during the summertime! They’re convenient, cute and chic (the three important Cs…). Try this metallic straw mini crossbody by Bebe with its chain-link strap and boxy body and hit the streets. Just perfect for festival hopping when you need your hands free for scarfing down jerk chicken and mango smoothies.

Source: Topshop

Topshop Straw Basket Bag – $60

Don’t have $200 to spend on a Marc Jacobs straw bag for a few months? How about dropping $60 instead on this identical and adorable straw and neon basket bag from the popular line, Topshop? The plastic handles will keep the bag from falling apart if you’re a little more rough on your purses than others, and the size and stature makes it a durable pick to hold everybody’s keys, flip flops, wallets and more as you kick it with homies or try and direct your big and easily distracted family. Perfect for the mom on the go trying to keep fashionable and fancy.

Source: Anthropologie

Anthropologie ‘Mayumi’ Clutch – $48

For the life of the party, a clutch is always your best bet, but don’t sleep on a straw choice. This Anthropologie ‘Mayumi’ clutch purse is fun and fierce. The added oomph comes from the eclectic colors all over the small bag. The hard flap closure is also a plus when you drop it a little too low and you don’t want to lose your house keys and your last $20 in the process.

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Singer Sheryl Crow once said that “A change would do you good,” and when it comes to hair, she was probably talking about me. I don’t really believe in rocking one style for too long because I’m one of those people who will get antsy really fast, see other people’s styles and think, “Now THAT would look great on me!” In the time that I’ve gone all chameleon with my hair, I’ve done many a thing that have caused me to lose some hair, as well as have it grow like weeds on an unkempt lawn. Thought I’d share a few of those hair lessons with you as you go on your own hair journeys.

Confidence Is Everything

Back when I went to the salon and allowed the beautician to put clippers to hair I had been trying to have grow long for years, when it was all over and I looked in the mirror, I didn’t like what I saw. You could see my scalp! And as a woman with a larger head, the results weren’t as fabulous immediately like I thought they would be. But one day I went to work and a co-worker told me the look fit me well, and after some thought, I agreed that it wasn’t so bad after all. Little did I know that being confident about the look would inspire other people. Customers used to walk in the store I worked at and tell me they loved my hair, and after a while I was walking past mirrors thinking, “Yeah, I love it too…”

Source: mybrownbaby.blogspot.com

Healthy hair is always the way to go. However, sometimes women occasionally sacrifice the health of their hair for style. But there’s ways to achieve stylish hair dos without doing hair don’ts and comprising your healthy hair. Here’s some do’s and don’ts of achieving the following great styles and looks while maintaining healthy hair.

Color me Blonde
Coloring your hair can be a great way to switch up your look and add some spice. But it can also be one of the most damaging style choices, especially if you’re trying to go much lighter than your natural hair color. Whether relaxed or natural, using permanent color to dye your hair can be a treacherous deed, so why not try an alternative natural dye? Henna is a great option, as you can condition your hair while coloring. LUSH Cosmetics offers a great line of premixed natural henna blocks that are easy to mix down and are infused with cocoa butter and other natural moisturizing oils. If you want to go black, brown, blue-black or red, henna is an easy option. For lighter colors, you might have to do several henna treatments to gradually lighten your hair.

Braids/Weaves
Braids and weaves are instant style changers and can also help to protect your hair and even help it grow, but you have to be very careful with how you install your styles. Protect your edges! Try to keep minimal tension on your edges. If you are getting a weave, be careful with the braid pattern and how tight the braids are. Remember that hair is being sewn on top of the braids, which is going to further tighten and pull your hair. Too much tension can result in severe hair loss and partial baldness. Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA) is a real disease that leads to baldness and scarring and can be caused by poorly installed weaves/braids (cc: Naomi Campbell). If you are going to a hair salon where they blow dry your hair before braiding, either ask to have your hair blow dried on low heat or do it yourself before arriving at the salon. This is especially true for naturals with a kinkier and more fragile hair type. Before heading to the braid shop, stretch your hair and then gently blow-dry your hair damp with a heat protectant to minimize breakage.

Going Straight
Want to turn your curly coils or wavy hair to straight? Rather than going straight for the blow dryer and flat iron, try a method that doesn’t require direct heat such as roller setting your hair. There’s all these fancy flat irons that promise to protect your hair with new technology, but ceramic, nano tourmaline, whatever, is still direct heat, and if done too frequently or at too high of a temperature, it can damage your hair. If you’re relaxed, roller setting is great because it’s easy to achieve and leaves you with full body hair. Siting under a hair dryer set at mid-temperature is a healthy option for your hair as opposed to reaching for a flat iron. If you have a kinkier natural hair texture, shrinkage is real and many combat that by regularly blow-drying their hair out (blow out). Unfortunately, that causes excessive breakage and halts hair growth. Trying no heat methods of stretching your hair, such as braiding or simply washing your hair in braids can work wonders and be good alternatives to constantly blow-drying your hair.

Jouelzy offers tutorials on all aspects of Black hair care via her YouTube channel, focusing on women with tight budgets. You can also find her daily hair tips and inspirations on Facebook.

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Team Natural or Team Relaxed? What started out as women cheerfully showing pride in their locks has turned into another divisive tool amongst women of color. Last week I wrote two articles for Madame Noire; the first article was about having realistic expectations for natural hair, which sparked a nice conversation amongst women with different textures and how they were learning to work with their hair. The next day my article was posted on how to wear a good weave on a budget, and boy oh boy, did I cause a firestorm on the Facebook page. Almost immediately someone asked why we weren’t encouraging women to wear their real hair. And thus it began a mini comment battle between women who enjoy wearing extensions and relaxers and women who enjoy toting natural hair. No one realized that the author (me, of course) giving advice on weaves was someone who had been natural for many years, just a day after providing tips for those with natural hair.

A few days later at the 2012 Met Gala, Solange Knowles hit the red carpet in a dazzling canary yellow Rachel Roy gown and a fluffy curly afro. Every other natural woman online was ohhing and ahhing while reposting her picture to their respective social media accounts. She looked beyond fabulous…with her wig on, but because it looked like a real afro, no one cared. And that should be an example of how contrite this schism between “team natural” and “team non-natural” is. While it’s great to have a support system when going natural, to bully others into feeling like they are less than or don’t love themselves because of how they choose to manage their own hair is foul. It’s also hypocritical when we are praising the natural hair “image” of celebrities who are really rocking weaves, but dogging out the real world women who wear them as well. Weaves can work as a great protective style that allow women to switch up their look and explore different looks without damaging their real hair (if done right of course). The key is to have healthy hair, not just natural hair.

And women who aren’t natural have played into the drama as well. There’s no need to be combative by spreading negative stereotypes of women who choose to wear their hair natural. There is nothing butch, boyish or dirty about natural hair, as it can be just as feminine and hot as any other hairstyle. Natural women can achieve the same lengths of “long hair don’t care” as those who are relaxed. And when it all comes down to it, in order to maintain and grow long healthy hair, whether relaxed or natural, we are following the same hair care standards. One of the most preeminent books that has shaped many of the natural hair gurus’ ideology was written by a woman with relaxed hair, Ultra Black Hair Growth by Cathy Howe. It details a hair care regimen for growing relaxed hair that is parallel to the regimen for natural hair. It’s really all just hair.

One of the most beautiful factors of being a woman of color is the versatility that exists among us. Black women are the most diverse group of women and our hair can do just about anything. Our hair is one way to show our versatility. Just as one should not dictate that a person should only wear her hair straight or tell someone they look manly and hard with natural hair, one shouldn’t dictate that everyone needs to be natural and that you are trying to be something you’re not if you choose not to. For some, that is just not a realistic expectation as this point. You should always respect the comfort levels of others, and that consideration carries over to hair.

Hair is an extension of ones self. Hair does not make the person. In fact, character and confidence can completely change the shape of a hairstyle. So let’s stop telling someone else how one should wear their hair, and stop trying to insult each other to make ourselves feel better. Let’s stop defining ourselves by the nature of our hair. Live freely and direct your energy into helping others build up their good character and confidence.

Jouelzy offers tutorials on all aspects of Black hair care via her YouTube channel, focusing on women with tight budgets. You can also find her daily hair tips and inspirations on Facebook.

Welcome to another “Behind the click” profile! I’ve got another digital entrepreneur to expose to you. Her story is very unique and she’s overcome many hurdles. Meet Asmau Ahmed, founder of Plum Perfect a visual search engine that provides instant personal recommendations to shoppers using their photos. She has a killer educational background but also the tenacity that we all need no matter which endeavor we are currently pursuing. Read on to find out about Asmau’s unique journey.

Current Occupation: Founder, PlumPerfect.com
Favorite read: Bedtime stories with my son
Recent read: The Tipping Point
2012′s ultimate goal: Do more of the things I love
Quote Governing Your Mission or a Quote that Inspires You: “…..we must speak or our ideas and ourselves will remain unheard and unknown” -Faith Ringgold
Twitter handle: @Plum_Perfect

LDC: So, Where are you from, exactly?

AA: Proudly, a citizen of the world. My parents are from West Africa- Nigeria.

LDC: What was it like attending Columbia for business school in New York City for you?

AA: For me, Columbia was a breath of fresh air. It signified new beginnings, a huge playing ground to explore, innovate, learn, network and make life-long friends.

LDC: What led you to combine your interests in chemical engineering and business in what we see as Plum Perfect?

AA: I really did not set out to combine the two. I knew from personal experiences and frustrations of trying to find the right colors and products for me, especially online, that there was a tangible business opportunity. So the engineer in me started exploring, and building, and testing, and building some more… and now we have Plum Perfect!

LDC: What is the site’s key value prop?

AA: From just your photo, we find the perfect colors and products for you. From a photo of your face, we find you make-up that would look fabulous on you. From a photo of your top, we can find the perfect skirt. We essentially scour the web and search through mountains of products to find the one for you, in seconds.

LDC: How did you obtain funding for the venture?

AA: A lot of hard work, perseverance and not giving up. Understanding that a ‘no’ from one investor meant one of two things – I needed to get back to the drawing board (armed with very specific feedback on what was not working) or we just didn’t fall in their sweet spot (happens a lot). My networks were instrumental in getting me meetings. It was up to me and my team to close.

LDC: What advice would you have for other women of color looking to fund tech-based companies?

AA: We are already used to working harder than everyone else. The same applies here. Network with other entrepreneurs and learn from their experiences. Black Founders has a great community of entrepreneurs, so start there. Build a team of doers – effort doesn’t count for anything in a startup, results do. Investors want to see results and a well rounded team they can trust to deliver. Become an expert in the non-tech aspects of your business. Nail down and validate exactly how you are going to make money. Articulate, very clearly, what your go-to-market strategy will be. It’ll change with time and experience — the savvy investors know that.

LDC: Along the funding route, before or after; did you ever encounter what you might consider to be racism and/or sexism? If so, how did you overcome it?

AA: I was pregnant when I started along the funding route. Well meaning friends asked me to wait until I had my baby. I figured I was already black and female pitching a tech company – I had 3 strikes already and that being pregnant wasn’t going to change a thing. Folks also advised me to get a non-black co-founder to round out the team… all well intended but misplaced advise.

I have not encountered racism and/or sexism explicitly but the numbers speak for themselves. Do I sometimes wonder if I would have had an easier time at this (and it has been TOUGH) if I were white or Asian or male? Absolutely. What’s my conclusion most of the time? Yes! Do I dwell on it? Nope! A waste of my time… I work with what I have today, and that’s plenty.

LDC: What has the response been to Plum Perfect?

AA: We started out as color p.i. and rebranded to Plum Perfect. People see it and say — I would use this or I wonder why this hasn’t been done before now. That’s the biggest compliment – to know that we are building something of value. The reception has been great. People appreciate the power of the technology and creativity that went into building Plum Perfect.

LDC: What is your biggest challenge in running the company?

AA: The challenges have evolved over time. First, it was technology and product build – motivating the team at 4 AM in the morning of the next release to not give up. Then, it was fund raising – convincing investors that we need money NOW. Now, it’s growing our market after the relaunch.

LDC: What’s your biggest hope for Plum Perfect in 2012?

AA: That we grow beyond anything I can possibly imagine – and I imagine huge! That we become a household name because we deserve to be. That we continue to provide breakthrough technologies that people love.

Be sure to watch for the next tech industry profile! In the meantime, keep up with the latest digital developments by following me on Twitter @mediaempress, and stay up on tech conferences via my site at www.ldcoleman.com

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By Taylor Lea Thomas

Source: Brides.com

Hey stylish brides! White is no longer the only option. We all remember the lovely Cynthia Bailey’s platinum-colored gown custom made by New York designer Rubin Singer. During New York’s Bridal Fashion Week, several wedding designers unveiled a variety of colors for their Spring 2013 collections. In particular, Vera Wang, the undisputed queen of wedding gowns who has dressed celebrity brides such as Toni Braxton, La La Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, and the Kardashian sisters, among others, opted to not have white wedding dresses in her entire Spring 2013 collection. Here are a few highlights, and who knows, they might give you some ideas for your own gown:

Source: Brides.com

Source: Brides.com

Source: Brides.com

Source: Brides.com

Source: Brides.com

Source: Brides.com

Would you ever consider wearing a bridal gown that’s not white?

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From StyleBlazer.com

As of late, some of our favorite celebs such as Rihanna and Amber Rose have been painting their pouts with vibrant shades, so why not give it a try? Ditch your boring nude lipsticks and add some popping shades to your makeup bag. Bright, neon, head-turning colors are what you should be shopping around for this season. Introduce your lips to radiant reds, sun burst oranges and electric pinks that will have the fellas all up in your grill.

StyleBlazers, pucker up and indulge in some of our favorite luscious lip colors…

To indulge in all the recommended luscious lip colors, visit StyleBlazer.com

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I love looking through Google Images at all the fly photos of black female figures wearing their hair in such an eclectic array of styles. Going against the grain, their jet-setting looks and fierce-ness opened up a lot of doors for the sistas of today to do just about anything to their hair. From Blaxploitation stars to famous singers and models, these iconic women gave us hair envy, as well as lots of innovative idea for things to do with our own strands. Check these hot mommas out.

Billie Holiday

If Billie taught us something about hair, it’s that a gal always has to have her signature style. Reinvention is for the birds! Billie’s head full of gardenias started off as an accident with a curling iron (isn’t that always how it starts??). After burning a section of her hair, a fellow jazz singer went and bought some gardenias for her to use temporarily to cover up that section. But Billie loved the gardenias so much, she decided to keep wearing them for every performance. What a smart move. It’s the accessories ya’ll! They matter…

Turban alert!

As an African-American woman, I’ve always been aware of racism and prejudice, small instances as opposed to disheartening big ones. From a young age you know how it feels to be treated differently because of the color of your skin. Luckily, I lived in neighborhoods where my neighbors were of all different cultures, so I never experienced outright racism. So when it was time for me to go to college, I was excited to move out of my house and be on my own. I was ready to take on the world and be enlightened as college was supposed to be full of liberal and open-minded people. I was ready to be around people who I could learn from and share experiences with.

When I got to college, like many who go to a majority of large or public universities, I was the only black girl in almost all of my classes. This never bothered me because I’m really not the kind of person who needs to be around black people to feel comfortable. To my surprise, my being black seemed to make my classmates somewhat uncomfortable and shut off. I came into all my classes with a smile on my face, ready to make friends. What I found was that my smiles were not returned and instead, I was given the cold shoulder. I was pretty much invisible. Most students in my classes never talked to me, and when we were forced to have interactions, you could tell that it was just that, forced. I always had to make the first move and speak to them first.

My classmates were always surprised by my responses in class. They were always shocked when they saw that my grades on tests were higher than theirs. It was clear that they made assumptions about me based on the color of my skin. I’m not sure exactly what these assumptions were based on though. Maybe they were used to seeing black women in a non-academic setting. Maybe they thought that as a black woman I was supposed to fit the stereotype they saw on TV. Maybe they assumed that I wasn’t smart enough to be where they were.  Because I never spoke to them about their qualms, this question remains unanswered.

The eyes of disapproval never changed how I felt about myself though.  Throughout college I had numerous friends of different races and continued to say open-minded. My experiences in class did not dictate the rest of my college experience, and I was not jaded by the fact that people who were not black may have looked at me differently because I knew who I was as a person. I refused to walk around with a chip on my shoulder because I knew what I represented. I can’t be the spokesperson for the entire race and do the absolute most to get any and everyone’s approval and admiration, but instead, I can only be me. I just wish that I could have educated or enlightened some of my classmates who preferred to stay with their own people and who went out of their way to NOT give me a chance.

College was a great experience for me altogether. One lesson that I took away from it is that in this world, whether I am in school or at work, the color of my skin will always precede me. People will automatically judge me in some way because I’m black, including other black people. I know now that it’s not my job to fight the stereotype. The best way to negate a stereotype is to just be you. No matter what stereotype people think I am, I know that once they get to know me they will see that they are wrong, which brings me all the satisfaction I need.

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