Most times when we think of our winter wardrobe natural hues and dark colors are the only things we assume we have to work with. Well not this season. While natural browns and ‘all black everything’ can be quite sophisticated and sometimes even Hot, this winter color and accentuated styles take precedence. So go ahead and keep your dark colors and solid prints but also add these key pieces to spice up your winter wardrobe.

Oh locks! I love them dearly and I don’t even have them! (I’ve even worn fake dreads before because I admire them so much) While I do plan to turn this big, fluffy ‘fro of mine into a locked masterpiece in due time, I click through many galleries and pics of locks and the unique styles they can come to form for inspiration. From the short ones, to the long ones, to the ones that come in a vast array of colors and coils, locks are a great hair choice. I’ve noticed we don’t offer as much love to them as we do all kinds of other forms of hair here on the site, so check out this gallery of fanciful and fly lock styles that I’m sure will get your creative juices flowing when it comes to your own hair.

Four years ago when I was trying to decide where I was going to college, there were many things I had to consider: how much will it cost? Do I want to go out of state? How big is the school? Do they have my major?  Is the school diverse?

College was not an option–it was something I had to do. There was no way my mom was going to allow me not to go get my degree. So as young as 10 I was trying to figure out which Ivy League I would attend. Brown University was the front runner at one point.

In high school I moved to a predominately white and rural area in New York. At first it was a culture shock because growing up I went to school in the inner city. Everyone for the most part was black or brown. I didn’t have to answer ignorant questions like if I had ever seen someone get shot or how was I so smart to get in an upper level math class as a freshman. These incidents of ignorance gave me a sort of identity crisis. My white peers, as well as some of my black peers, didn’t find me black enough to meet their expectations, so I thought maybe going to a historically black college might help.

Though my experiences have helped shaped me as the person as I am today, in the end, it definitely pushed me to look for a diverse college to attend.  But what does diversity truly mean to you? Does it mean an all black college? Or does it mean 75 percent white and a sprinkle of “color” that at the most reaches 25 percent?

At the end of day I applied to schools I could afford to go to. As we all know college is getting more and more expensive, so instead of going to my dream schools such as NYU or Brown, I applied to the next best thing: a small liberal arts college. For one, the one I chose was a public college and “for two,” it’s in a perfect location–45 minutes away from New York City and only a hour and half away from home.

When I went to visit my future school almost three years ago, I was drawn by how everyone was so carefree. Everyone had green hair, piercings and paint on their jeans. It just seemed like this very hippie, artistic, and carefree environment. My mother knew as soon as we went to visit that it was the right fit for me. My Denise Huxtable bohemian sensibilities craved this setting. Sorry, but football and frat parties wasn’t the college experience I was looking for.

Now that I’ve been at the same college for three years now, I realized my school is not as diverse as I thought it was. Sure, if you’re white and/or an individual from the LGBT community, you’re more likely to fit in and agree our school is a home for diversity. “Think Wide Open” is our slogan.

I’m not always the only other black student in a class like I was in high school, but I find myself as the token black girl in many situations. But when my school does have pockets of racially inspired events, like a discussion on the N-word or a hip-hop cypher (freestyle rapping for those who don’t know), it doesn’t get the turnouts like bigger events on campus do. I wonder why…

So what is a girl to do when you want more events on campus that deal with the black experience, yet feel the only ones that get the green light are these almost stereotypical attempts at diversity? Hip-hop shows or the hottest parties shouldn’t be the only things black students contribute to on campus. We might not have the majority, but we still have a voice, and we can do a lot better than that.

How do you deal with a lack of diversity on a college campus or at work?

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With the fall upon us and winter approaching, many of us are dreading losing our summer hues. Sunless tanners may not be the first thing you think of to preserve your gorgeous chocolate tone, but let me tell you, you should! Light to dark skin and every shade in between can benefit from a bronze boost in a tube. Seriously. I’m all for achieving a beautiful, rich color without whipping out my passport. Here is my guide to unleashing your inner sunkissed goddess minus the sun.

The appearance of unsightly stretchmarks and other imperfections can be drastically reduced by using tanners. The darker pigment gives the optical illusion of a smoother texture by causing the “problem” to recede, but all tanners are not created equally. Strolling down the aisle at the local drugstore may not be the best way to achieve the glow in your mind’s eye. Remember the Oompa-Loompas from Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory? Well, steer clear of tanners that promise a one-tan-fits-all approach to the color selection. Aerosol sprays generally come in a generic color and can be difficult to apply evenly. Or if looking like a zebra isn’t your fancy, know that some liquid tanners can leave you with streaks! Be sure to exfoliate and shave any area you are planning to apply a tanner to. The smoother the skin the better.

For best results, try Miracle Skin Transformer! The creamy consistency glides on with ease and even has a SPF of 20. Just rub it on and go! The quick-drying, natural formula gives glow to skin all year round that looks as if you were born with the richness of cocoa.  But it’s not just another sunless tanner, it’s a moisturizer that leaves skin instantly transformed. Skin looks smoother, firmer, radiant, and totally flawless in the same time that it takes you to apply lotion.

Miracle Skin Transformer Body SPF20 is made with the M3 Complex designed to improve the look and feel of skin. Here are a few of the benefits of this product.

• Tone: The transfer resistant formula lasts all day and night without leaving a trail on your clothes.
• Dryness: Dry, rough skin will no longer be a hinderence to feeling confident enough to be touched. Skin will feel noticeably softer, smoother and moisturized.
• Sun damage: The look of age spots, sun damage and discoloration will be minimized.
• Contouring: Works to restore the skin’s natural collagen and elastin levels so skin looks firmer, tightened and toned.
• Texture: The silky cream works to go beyond the average moisturizer. It will minimize the appearance of minor scars.
• Radiance: Colored mineral pigments leave skin looking younger, brighter, and totally luminous. It’s the perfect skin accessory for a night on the town.

Treat yourself to gorgeous skin by heading to the nearest Sephora to choose from three Miracle Skin Transformers to find the perfect one.

Mikki Bey is a Celebrity Makeup Artist based in Los Angeles. Her work has been seen on E!, BET, VH1 and published in Essence, Ebony, Vibe, Jet, Upscale, OK! and Life and Style magazines. Check out her website www.mikkibey.com.  Tweet your beauty questions/comments to her @mikkibey.

By Indigo Black and Renay Alize

Serena Williams has come a LONG way since her beads-and-braids wearing early tennis playing days. Seriously, when you think of young Venus and Serena, you think of tennis–then braids. But the tennis champ has left those things behind for a bevy of extensions that could take up a whole weave aisle in a beauty supply store (variety IS the spice of life). Some have been very chic and Hot looks, others have been very crazy and confusing. This gallery features some of her best and worst hair looks over the years. Hopefully you’ll get some inspiration of what to try out, and what Yaki to leave in the bag.

A fun part of having hair for black women is changing it up and trying new things. A lot of the inspiration folks get from the styles they dare to try come from the celebrities we see on television, in magazines, and on and on and on. While I personally love my own bountiful mane of hair, there are a number of celebrities out there with natural and relaxed hair that I always find myself being impressed by. My hair idols don’t do the absolute most with their styles (well, not all of ‘em at least), but what they do manage to do all the time is keep their hair looking healthy, strong and beautiful. I don’t know about you, but the women on this list have a good head of hair. Which celebrities hair do you love?

So it’s getting cold outside–that doesn’t mean that your style has to go stagnant in browns, grays and drab black. While these colors are good for business looks and for something classic, a burst of color is always fierce. Someone who is a great example of just how fierce poppy colors can be is R&B singer Elle Varner. She was caught on the set of her new video “Only Wanna Give It to You,” alongside cutie J.Cole who appears on the track (check it out!). This getup, a neon orange blazer (dare I say, cantaloupe colored??? *gasp*), an African-inspired dress with a Kente cloth designed skirt, those bright boots and that clutch all give the outfit a fun, funky personality. We’re also digging the big hair and the accessories.

Are you feeling this look?

I didn’t become a makeup artist because I like to play by the rules. I would have been a lawyer if that was the case. All too often women become confined by “rules.”  Well, enough is enough! Here is my guide to breaking all the “rules” of makeup minus the guilt of being a bad girl.

Makeup should be fun. Give yourself permission to play with color, texture and placement. Bottomline: confidence is the single most beautiful thing you can wear. When trying out a new makeup idea, notice how it makes you feel. Do you feel sexier? Adventurous? Channel that feeling throughout your night and see what a difference it makes.

I remember when Rihanna hopped out the box (a figurative box of course) with hair the color of a ripe tomato. It was introduced to us on her sometime near the end of last year, around the release of her Loud album. When I first saw it, I didn’t know whether I wanted to laugh out loud or snap on her hairstylist because yes, it was indeed loud. But now that she’s toned it down for a clean light brown, I miss the red. As crazy as it was at times, when she had it pressed or curled in bold ringlets, it was actually pretty fly. Plus, it made her stand out. And how many chicks from the hood do you know that went for firetruck red hair because of her look? Exactly.

If you’re looking to change up your color and you’re thinking about doing red, know that Ri-Ri is not the first celeb to do the bold, Sideshow-Bob meets Ronald McDonald color–nor will she be the last. And because I love talking about hair color, I’ve compiled a list of fab chicks who’ve tried their hand at tomato-paste red hair before and after her and worked it (or shouldn’t have tried to). Hope this inspires you to try something new with your do!

By Lavette Slater

Celebrity hair stylist, makeup artist, and beauty expert Lavette Slater, is known for her trendsetting vision and extraordinary skill. As the Supervisor and Key Hairstylist on ABC’s The View, this 10x Emmy Award nominee and winner of the 34th, 35th and 36th Annual Creative Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling is also the personal stylist to Whoopi Goldberg, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd.  In addition to the ladies on “The View” Lavette has styled a host of celebrity guests who range from Chandra Wilson and Glenn Close to political figures Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton and our very own first lady, Michelle Obama.

 You can find Lavette here at : www.lavetteslaterblog.com or follow her on Twitter @lavetteslater.

For the next few weeks Lavette will be providing hair care tips specifically for Madame Noire readers. Today’s tip is about taking your sensational summer hair and making it fall fabulous.