Rochelle Mosley and Jackie Christie

It’s Fashion Week in New York City and the cast and crew of Basketball Wives LA are in town filming. But there isn’t a camera crew in sight in the space behind Salon 804 in Harlem. There, under the city’s iconic fire escapes, a makeshift classroom has been fashioned and Jackie Christie is teacher for the day. A dozen girls grill the reality star on her rise to fame.

Christie talks about her life story, taking care to smooth over any negative behavior they might have seen on her show. “I don’t take mess from nobody. That’s what you see on the show [with the other girls]” she told her attentive audience. “I always feel bad after. But, I’m a fighter and I have passion.”

It was a passionate, fighting spirit that led Rochelle Mosley, a celebrity stylist from Richmond, VA now based in Harlem, to start Project Girl. The program is meant to take the stigma off of living in public housing and channel the hustle it takes to survive that environment into something positive and entrepreneurial. Friday’s event with Christie is one of a series of workshops that covers an array of topics impacting girls’ lives.

Mosley started the program when she realized that many of the girls interning in her salon did not have the information they needed to prepare for the future. “This summer I took notice of how much they didn’t know,” she said. “My 17-year-old intern didn’t know how to address an envelope… I want to help them get where they need to be so they can live like Jackie, like the people they see on TV. She’s not living a lie, it’s real for her, and she can show the girls how to make it real for them.”

Project Girl workshops feature women from all walks of life. Last month a dentist came in to discuss hygiene and a life coach visited to assist the girls in working through their problems. At the request of parents in the community, Mosley opened up the sessions to girls age between the ages of 12 and 18.

The workshops are not only an opportunity for the girls to hear women share their experiences, but to support each other’s growth. The girls don’t leave Mosley’s influence once the sessions end. She uses her network to help the girls with any problem they bring to her. “I get emails all the time,” she said. “I got an email last night from a young lady who is in 11th grade and she’s in a school where there is one college counselor to 200 kids. She said she feels like time is running out and she doesn’t have the support for college.” Mosley connected her with scholarship and test prep experts.

Empowerment is the goal here. Mosley believes that fear is what holds many women back from pursuing their dreams. For her, fear was a motivator. “I’m just thinking about not being like my mother,” she said. “That’s not derogatory. I grew up a certain way. My mother never owned anything or went on vacations. I grew up like these kids. I want to tell them just because your mother isn’t talking about it, doesn’t mean it’s not possible. I’m the first entrepreneur in my family.”

Christie was brought in to impart wisdom on juggling a busy life in the entertainment industry. Although mostly known as a polarizing character on Vh1’s raucous reality show circuit, Christie has a myriad of projects going on at any given moment, including self-help books (she just released her latest, Proud to Be a Colored Girl) and a fashion line. Her advice to girls and women is to follow their dreams. “Google, Google, Google. You can never get enough education and information,” said Christie. “That’s how I learned to be a self-published author. And now I’m five books in, with three best sellers.”

If the girls are starstruck by Christie, they don’t show it. They ask everything from updates on her co-stars’ whereabouts to advice on launching entertainment careers of their own. That fearlessness makes it apparent that this small circle of girls in Harlem is the perfect foundation to forge a new crop of first-generation entrepreneurs.

Cortney Cleveland is a freelance writer and content strategist in New York City. You can follow her on Twitter @CleveInTheCity and visit her personal column The Red Read.

Source: shutterstock

I try to be loyal to one hair salon. I really do. But that loyalty is sometimes usurped by my need to save money or save time. As a result, sometimes I just have to get my hair done somewhere. Anywhere.

Have you ever been in that situation before? You agreed to a date in a few hours, but your stylist doesn’t take walk-ins? Or you’re over your budget for the month, so you only have a few dollars to spare to get your hair straightened?  Or you can’t imagine leaving the office before six and really need a stylist who will fit you in at 7pm?

I’ve been in these situations and more, so though I have my stylist that is my go-to-girl, I also have a few seemingly unorthodox places I hit in cases of emergency.

The first place I tell anyone to go when they need their hair washed and straightened, at the last minute, in a timely fashion?  Walmart. I know it sounds crazy, but the Smart Styles salons located in Walmart are clutch. The Walmart near my house is staffed by mostly white women and I only allow black women to do my hair, but one day I was in a pinch. I had just taken out my sew-in and my hair was inexcusable. I couldn’t find a comb to fit my blow-dryer so I stopped by the Walmart hoping the black stylist was working that day. No such luck, but a white hairstylist convinced me she could do my hair. She washed, deep conditioned, dried and got my half-natural/half-relaxed hair bone straight in 60 minutes flat. The cost? Twenty-four dollars.

The second place I recommend is the hair salon in a local mall. Most malls have them and if you go to a mall in a black area, it’s likely the salon is staffed with black stylists. This is the case in my city. I don’t go to this particular mall very often because it’s not in a great part of town, but the hair salon inside is excellent. They take walk-ins and they’re open when the mall is open — seven days a week. Their prices are affordable and consistent (none of that arbitrary charging for length). Granted, some malls don’t have salons, but an attached department store might, such as JCPenney.

Another new option that has been popping up in cities everywhere is Salon Lofts – individual suites where professional hair stylists, massage therapists, skin care & nail specialists run their own unique beauty salons. I’ve only been to one once when my stylist was transitioning to a new salon, but basically you’re free to come in the Lofts and walk around until you find the stylist you’re looking for. When I was looking for my stylist, several other beauticians offered to do my hair. The prices are all over the place depending on who the stylist is, but there is a big variety and many of the stylists have been doing hair for years.

Finally, when you’re short on cash and just want someone to straighten your hair so you don’t have to, I recommend a local hair school. I normally ask for someone who is about to graduate and I’ve never had a bad experience. Because it’s a school, the students are heavily supervised by the teachers and they make sure you’re satisfied with the service. They don’t offer hair services every day, so I recommend calling or looking online before going. Some people balk at the thought of letting a student do their hair, but it beats letting someone’s unlicensed cousin KeKe do you hair in her kitchen without a mirror in sight as she argues on the phone with her boyfriend and her pets or children run through your legs.

These are just a few of the options I’ve explored when needing my hair styled at the last minute. I only let my regular beautician trim my hair or apply chemicals (when I was still getting relaxers), but I’ve definitely had a good experience when just needing to get my hair “salon straight” or curled in a hurry.

One of these days, I’ll learn how to get the same results at home.

Where are some places you’ve gotten your hair done at the last minute? Are you loyal to one beautician/salon or do you go to wherever/whoever is open?

*Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com

Alissa is a freelance writer living in Columbus, OH. Follow her on Twitter @AlissaInPink or check out her blog: This Cannot Be My Life

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Source: myfilmtrailer.eu

We were so upset over the news that “America’s Next Top Model” wasn’t going to be keeping our friends (in our minds, of course) judge Nigel Barker, creative consultant Jay Manuel, and fabulous cat walk expert and judge J. Alexander. But this new addition might soften the blow! In place of English photographer and judge Nigel Barker will be the popular male model, Rob Evans. We’ve been talking about this guy’s looks for months now (check out our past “Evening Eye Candy” on him), so it’s going to be nice to see the fresh faced Brit model doing his thing with Tyra and co. Evans has a great catalog of work, including walking in fashion shows for big fashion houses like Givenchy, and he’s got mad body thanks to his years as a boxer. On the show, he will be not only judging the models on their challenges and photographs, but he’ll also be getting to know the contestants a little better by taking them out. He told E! News, “Because I’m young and I’m a model and I’m gonna be the same age group as some of the girls, they want me to take the girls out, have fun with them.” Well all right.

On top of the addition of Evans in Nigel’s spot, stylist Johnny Wujek will be the new creative consultant on the show in place of icy-blonde Jay Manuel. Wujek has been the stylist for singer Katy Perry for years, and now he’ll be coaching the models and helping with contests and shoots on the show. Banks seems pretty geeked about her new additions, as she tweeted recently: “Welcome the fab Johnny Wujek & fine Rob Evans to the CW’s ANTM! Excited for some cuh-ray-zee challenges. Start practicin’ ur booty tooch!”

In the meantime, check out more photos of fine a** Mr. Evans.

Source: http://www.mostbeautifulman.com

 

Source: lipstickalley

Source: defglam.com

Do you think these new castmembers and way of voting will help the show?

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Occasionally, people have a fashion mishap, but some have made mishap their MO. Take Lil Kim for example. Like a hit recent record, style has evaded the pint-sized performer. These days, the right stylist can help a celebrity’s career, catapulting them from the fashion miss to the fashion hit list—even if they’re career doesn’t make the top of the charts. Check out this gallery of gaffes—six stars who missed the style memo—and continue to rack up tickets from the fashion police. 

By Guest Hair Blogger Trissha Taylor

If there’s one thing most women have in common, it’s that we’ve all had our good and bad moments when it comes to our hair while sitting in the chair of a stylist. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to find a perfect one–a stylist that won’t overcharge you, helps you keep your hair healthy, gets you started on time, and doesn’t have your hair sounding like you’re lighting fireworks with her overheated flat iron. But sometimes, you get a really ratchet stylist. Here are a few signs to watch out for so you don’t lose all your hair, your money and your mind in the hands of one.

Source: Vh1.com

June Ambrose, a veteran stylist who counts some of the biggest names in entertainment among her clientele, adds reality television to her ever-expanding empire. “Styled by June” is set to premiere on Monday, March 19^thon VH1. Ambrose’s ability to define and assert her vision sets her apart from her peers. She knows the value of her perspective, and she’s never afraid to share it.

Creating Platforms

Ambrose continually finds innovative ways to present her vision of style to the world. Last year she was cast as the style architect of Simon Cowell’s televised talent competition, “The X Factor.” She creates looks for each of the 17 acts vying for the audience’s approval. She also contributes daily beauty tips for Revlon’s All Access iPhone app. In her book Effortless Style, published in 2006, she advises readers that the key to looking like a celebrity lies in defining their own unique style and adapting it to each situation. It’s a business strategy that has brought her great success.

Ambrose has become adept at creating platforms for sharing her expertise. Her online presence consists of an impressive network of over 360,000 followers on Twitter and over 15,000 fans on Facebook. Ambrose uses social media to offer access to exclusive content and an authentic presentation of her style. “Fashion mags weren’t really recognizing me, so I created my own space,” she told the New York Times.

Seizing Opportunities

Ambrose has the credentials to the back up all the hype.  She is responsible for creating looks for music icons like Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and Jay-Z. She’s the mind behind the iconic garbage bag suit Missy Elliott sported in the video for “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).” The same daring that brought her so much success in fashion helped her get her start. Ambrose is self-taught. Studying fashion through books and the sidewalks of New York. Her career as a stylist began during an internship with a record company. When a new artist needed styling, she seized the opportunity to volunteer her services and landed her first client sans portfolio.

Ambrose started her company Mode Squad in 1994. It has since blossomed into a complete creative service in brand imaging.  Ambrose uses her gift of building brands to help clients discover their style and build a lifestyle around it.

Building Her Brand

Fashion reality shows have been a popular programing option for cable television for some time, but Ambrose wasn’t quick to get in the game. Just as in her other ventures, she waited until she was sure of the image she wanted to present, and nailed down a unique way to share it. “Styled By June” is a formatted show that follows Ambrose as she revamps the images of up-and-coming and rebounding celebrities. The show offers a chance for viewers to see the strategic process Ambrose takes with all of her clients.

The show has yet to premiere and Ambrose already has her eye on new projects. She has a new eyewear line with Selima Optique, and is in the early stages of launching a women’s lifestyle collection. Whether she’s plotting her next venture, or showing women the proper way to rock a turban, Ambrose continues to expertly articulate her chic vision of the world.

Cortney Cleveland is a content strategist and freelance culture & business writer working in New York City. You can follow her on Twitter @CleveInTheCity.

By Cynthia Alvarez

If you’re wondering how you can keep an expensive weave up without having to struggle with it too much, it’s important to know how to do the following: to prep and care for your real hair before you put the weave on it, to find the right type of hair to use, the best way to style it without overdoing it each morning under the flat iron, and what you should do for your hair when it’s time to take that weave down. Got a few minutes? Check out these tips from celebrity stylist Cynthia Alvarez.

After dropping the track, “It All Belongs to Me,” and performing it on late night TV, we finally get to check out the actual video for the catchy track by our girls Monica and Brandy (B-Rocka to you, thank you very much!). I tell you, the more and more I listen to this, the more I have my finger in the air jamming! If you can get away from a few of the random references (that’s a songwriting issue), the easier it will be for you to admit that the vocals on this joint are crazy. Watch the two ladies get revenge on their ungrateful men and do so in some oh-so fly outfits. The styling in this video was pretty amazing because both women look absolutely stunning. And oh yeah, the video is dedicated to their friend and idol, Whitney Houston. Check it out below and let us know what you think!

*Opening photo courtesy of aceshowbiz.com.

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Depending on what hairstyle she is wearing when you see her, Kandi Burruss can look like a completely different person thanks to some chic and questionable hair moves. We know from watching her on Real Housewives of Atlanta that she loves to change up her color, and if she can’t flip it, curl it, or spike it, then the look won’t last long (reminds me of the game, Bop It!). She’s a beautiful lady with a pretty good and positive spirit, so we’re going to keep that in mind as we go through her hot hair looks and her hot mess hairstyles too. Let us know what you think of her hair game in the comments way down below.

After struggling with my hair from trying to detangle it after washes, trying to keep it from being dry and brittle as a cactus and from falling out my head like some Nair got to it (aka, Drano), it’s just nice to go to the shop and have someone provide some TLC to my strands. You know, someone who actually knows what they’re doing (or I at least hope they do). But the salon experience is not like it used to be, and often you leave later than you planned to, and many times, you walk out that joint frustrated by your experience. I’ve gone to the salon to get just about any and everything done to my head: braids, relaxers, wash and press for my ‘fro, haircut, color (rinse and permanent) and more. And because of crap-tasmic experiences, I’ve had to go through more salons than underwear. If these things occur while I’m in a joint, I’ll say, more than once, it might be time to keep looking. And you should too.