Luxe Links

Monica's back! With a one-hour reality special. Question: does anyone care? - The Maven Report The rise of the fashion blogger: everyone's a critic - Harper's Bazaar Kanye spotlights Russian model, Irina Sheik - Kanye West Blog Sasdf Shop vintage eyewear at Nasty Gal - NastyGal 34 (more) reasons to wipe someone down tonight - AOL Has Gossip Girl become Sex and the City for teens? - TVNZ Gerren from Baldwin Hills reveals the ugly truth behind the obsession with beauty - MSNBC Someone call Maury! Is Chris Brown the father? - Black Celeb Kids Liya Kebede for Lanvin Fall/Winter 08 - Make Fetch Happen Bianca "Check your thighs in the mirror. And I'm done!" Golden of ANTM is still causing drama. An airport brawl with Nikki Blonsky??? Just wow. - E Online! Keri Hilson's new promo pics...hot - Concrete Loop

Red Carpet Roundup: 2008 BET Awards

In keeping with my usual afterwork activities, I left work Tuesday night and decided to parlay around the city, browsing Bloomie's and taking in the sights at Central Park with a friend only to realize I had to run home to catch the biggest night of the year in black entertainment: the BET Awards '08! asdf I couldn't help but look forward to it: from Chris Brown's excellent dancing to Usher's post daddy-dom performance (that was exactly the same as his previous post daddy-dom performances) to Rihanna's boring song that made me wish she would go back to her "Pon Di Replay" days just to get a little excitement (at least sing "Umbrella" or something). And how much did you love the shots of Chris Brown throughout her spot...singing EVERY word! asdf But of course, my main purpose in watching was to look at the fashion! I had strict instructions from Elle to provide a full report, and not wanting to reenact any scenes from The Devil Wears Prada, I parked myself in front of the television to take in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Worst Dressed Male was without a doubt T-PAIN! Sometimes I wonder if there's a toxic mixture in these pimp cups they carry around. I thought JD was dressed WAY too casually for an awards show. I see teenage boys on the street everyday dressed better than this! And I don't know where Janet was but I'm wondering if she approved of this ensemble. Pretty Ricky must have thought they were going to the Oscars... or that they were Oscars... a HOT MESS! No other comments! Soulja Boy: there's just way too much going on here in this outfit! The scarf gotta go and the yin yang iron-on patch gotta go and the pants he purchased from The Children's Place that he's trying to pull off as shorts...those have to go too! Worst Dressed Female of the night goes to the lovely Ms. Peppermint Patty, ahem, I mean Strawberry Shortcake, I mean, Lil Mama! I appreciate her courageous style but this is straight up comical. I'm trying to imagine her looking at this dress and going...THIS IS IT! I truly don't see it. Keri Hilson took a cue from Pretty Ricky as she seemed to be interested in dressing like the MTV Man On the Moon award! The black jacket doesn't help... it just makes her look like a fan of Michael Jackson right about the time his skin began to brighten! And I'm def not feeling the Wade in Water, Madame CJ Walker hairstyle she's rockin either. Solange has not been doing too well these days. First, the silver eyebrow mishap, then the rough looking pics from her birthday celebration and now this! First off, I know she knows better than to wear that roadkill on top of her head! No words on the dress but on the upside, with a different hairstyle, outfit and shoe, that clutch MIGHT be cute! And lastly, though TLC has been out of the loop for a while, bell bottoms were out about a decade before they even FORMED this group! And to tie it all together, T-Boz decided she was going to bring the 70's completely back with a checkered print! Why? And she's been wearing that hairstyle for so long that it has gone out of style and come back. Now for the good news. Best Dressed Female was in my opinion Rihanna! It was a beautiful dress, totally appropriate for the season, girly enough for an evening event and edgy enough for her revamped image. I also loved Alicia Keys... Jordin Sparks... Jennifer Hudson... and Gabrielle Union! Best Dressed Male goes to Ne-Yo! I'm feeling his "Year of the Gentleman" vibe and the spiffy look totally suits him. The top guys include Chris Brown (though I can't say I'm totally feeling the blond mohawk)... Jimmy Jean-Louis... and John Legend! The trends I'm totally following are the mini dresses like the ones worn by Lauren London, Alicia Keys and Jordin Sparks. As well as the vibrant yellows spotted on Trina, Lauren London, Natalie Cole, Rihanna and Keyshia Cole! I also think the leather jacket look that Chris Brown, Usher and Lil Wayne were wearing is one trend that is timeless...I'm glad they continue to rock it! asdf Those are only a FEW of my opinions! Tell me yours at inawordintern@gmail.com and you may see it in a follow up post featuring the readers! asdf TaTa for now! asdf -Nastasia

Trendwatch: Revenge of the Nerdy Glasses

Nerds of the world, unite! If you have ever wanted to bring out your inner schoolteacher, evil genius or Urkel, you are so in luck! Fall 2007 is officially the season for large, awkward, dark-rimmed, nerdy-chic and completely unnecessary glasses. Fun! I love this trend because 1. once an accessory is accompanied by a prescription the fun dies 2. snorting while laughing is the best thing ever and 3. men and women alike can partake in all the geeky-fierceness. From the streets to the runway, this look has legs. Let's take a gander shall we? Yeezy rockin the Stefan Urkel's with Alexis in Paris Erykah likes hers lens-less on stage at the Heineken Red Star Soul Tour Chris Brown throws it back to the eighties with taped-up frames at the BET Awards Scarlett Johanssen channels Buddy Holly while picking up her Hasty Pudding Award Yigel Azrouel Fall 2007 Rachel Comey Spring 2008 Luella Spring 2008 Get your geek on!

So Totally 80's

Yes, people. Hate it or love it, 80's fashion is back. This trend is really picking up speed, most noticably in the urbanwear/hip hop market. Chris Brown went for a totally 80's look at the recent BET Awards, while Eve's video for "Tambourine," a multicolored mishmash of neon spandex, vivid makeup and ultra tight minis, is clearly channeling the excess that was 80's fashion. In that same vein, Kanye West is right on target with these retro sunglasses from both his new video "Stronger" and his performance at Sunday's Concert for Diana. Kanye, whose Louis Vuitton collection would probably make KLS* drool, apparently went to famed glasses maker Alain Mikli with a photo of the style he was going for. The collaboration resulted in the above white plastic frames with no lenses, an unmistakable ode to the 80's. *THE divalicious Kimora Lee Simmons

Fashion Recap: 2007 BET Awards

This I know for sure: when E! goes Live From the Red Carpet at your awards show, you better believe you are doing something right. The good people at BET have once again proven that they can put on the most entertaining, surprising, and just plain ol' fun show of its kind. The celebs did not disappoint, giving us one fantabulous show, and for the most part, looking great while they were at it. Diana Ross is just the end all and be all. At 63, she remains the icon of fabulosity and the epitome of glamour and style. Her crimson Grecian column is simply gorgeous. Heaven, please be Diana's walk-in closet. With each passing day, my love for Rihanna grows and grows. (sniff) Her white strapless number is effortlessly chic and she just looks like a star. Flawless. Although I wasn't loving her gown (the coloring just didn't do it for me), Alicia Keys gave good face last night. She looked fresh, confident and absolutely beautiful. CoverGirl, get this girl a contract, stat! Miss B is truly my tranny fantasy. Freshly back from St. Tropez, she is rocking a metallic, corseted, glam-tastical gown for the ages. Don't ask why, ask why not? Honorable Mentions Erykah Badu and Chris Brown: Best Throwback Fashion Erykah gave me the sweetest hangover in her divalicious odes to the 70's, while Chris Brown pays homage to the 80's babies with his adidas track suit and funky glasses. He even sported cuts in his fade! Oh nostalgia... Common, TGT and Reggie Bush: Inaword Hotness! What really is there to say? Just dayum. Eve: Best Comeback From Disaster Eve had me worried on the red carpet. The hair is way too long and blond (I loved her short bob from a few weeks ago) and the cheetah dress and paw print tats turned her into some sort of jungle cat. But all was right with the world when she entered stage left into Kelly Rowland's performance with a belted, cream mini dress with shoulder cutouts and thigh high black boots! Deliciously fab! Yolanda Adams and Kim Coles: The Fug Has Found You Yolanda is a gorgeous woman but someone should have snatched that belt off of her before pushing her onstage. Gold? Of course! Silver? Absolutely! Gold and silver together? A resounding no. And Kim, Kim, Kim, do you not read the blog? Colored animal prints are inaword tacky, my love. Your necklace is not helping matters. People who know better, do better, mkay? One time for the 2007 BET Awards! And remember my darlings, fab is a state of mind... Very truly yours, Elle Pics by WireImage or AP Photo