The Right Style

My Wine, My Way: Columbia Crest Crowdsourced Cabernet

[symple_box color=”gray” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Columbia Crest. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.[/symple_box]

I’ll admit it. I’m a bit of a perfectionist. I like things to be JUST SO and for things to measure up to my precise standards. It’s a good trait in a makeup artist. It’s a great trait in a writer. It’s a necessary trait in a designer. It’s kind of a pointless and defeating trait in a casual wine enthusiast without constant access to a vineyard and the funds to correct that situation. (P.S. If you would like to buy me a vineyard, call me. Let’s talk.)

But things have CHANGED, my friends. It is the 21st century and the perfect day has finally dawned for the persnickety, armchair winemaker. May I present Columbia Crest Crowdsourced Cabernet.

[Tweet ” Love wine? Now you’re in control! Welcome to the web’s first vineyard. #CrowdsourcedCab “]

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Lauryn Hill, Anthony Hamilton and Jazz in the Park: Highlights from The Richmond Jazz Festival at Maymont 2015

The Richmond Jazz Festival at Maymont is in its 6th year and it just keeps getting hotter! Local and international jazz artists grace the stage for the three-day long festival. The event kicked off Friday, August 7th at the historic Hippodrome Theater in Jackson Ward, with a festive crowd “second lining” down Broad Street, led by the St. Paul’s men’s choir and New Orleans’ Rebirth Brass Band. The festival moved into the 100-acre public park, Maymont, on Saturday for the duration of the festival.

I made the event a combination of work and play– some of my very favorite artists were headlining this year’s festival:

Anthony Hamilton, RVA Jazz Festival at Maymont

Anthony Hamilton threw it up and took it all of the way down at the Richmond Jazz Festival on Sunday evening.

New Edition, RVA Jazz Festival at Maymont

New Edition kicked it old-school on Saturday night.

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Simple Summer Makeup to Ease That Routine

 

simple summer makeup

Summertime and the living is easy! And hot. And a bit melty. Wearing makeup in the summertime is a balancing act– you want to look bright and vibrant but you don’t want to be overly made up; if you’re anything like me, you want to be as naked as possible when it’s hot outside. I created this super simple makeup routine to help you beat the heat but still look chic! (I made a rhyme, y’all!)

Simple summer makeup face

 

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Kohl’s Does Designer: Milly for DesigNation

Milly for Kohl's DesigNation

Target isn’t the only game in town when it comes to the discount designer collection, though you’d hardly know it if you shop according to media buzz. Discount department store, Kohl’s stays relatively under the radar when it comes to promotion of their specific collabs, a fact that I view as a blessing– it just means MORE FOR ME! Don’t sleep on Kohl’s DesigNation; it has definitely helped make Kohl’s a worth destination.

Kohl’s debuted the Milly for DesigNation capsule collection this spring, making it the sixth designer collaboration under the DesigNation umbrella, that began in 2012 with Narciso Rodriguez. Collabs with Thakoon, Derek Lam and most recently, Elie Tahari, followed.

Take a Look at Kohl’s: Milly for DesigNation

Milly for DesigNation at Kohl's

I love Milly for the vibrant and playful use of color and pattern, and this collection is supposed to transport you to a whimsical day spent lounging in Capri. I stumbled on it quite by accident. I needed a dress for an event I was going to be attending with my family. My mother’s directives were clear: you had better look nice (duh!) and after-work business attire was recommended. As my job requires little more than nice jeans, that meant it was dress up time!

Kerri Estella in Milly for DesigNation at Kohl's

I wanted an outfit that was colorful and sophisticated, playful but not outlandish for an office setting. I kept my makeup vibrant but day-to-night appropriate, pairing a colorful (dusky purples–“Mulberry”, “Chocolate” and “Ballet” Color Impact Shadows— as nudes and Liquid Perfection Eyeliner in Black) but neutral eye with a vibrant lip ( “Magenta” HydraBrillance Lipstick paired with Beauticontrol’s Sheer lip color in the frosty “Electric Purple”).

The vibrant sheath scuba dress has a figure-skimming cut and features a black exposed zipper, giving the sheath a bit of edge.

Milly for DesigNation

Photo: Kohls.com

The event was a huge success. My forever friend, Ronald was in town to be the keynote speaker and inspired the entire audience. Even though I’ve known him since I was six and THOUGHT I knew his story, listening to him inspired a new direction for me too…I’ll be revealing more about that soon!

He and I had a blast exploring the location, a place that is near and dear to our hearts. What is now the Chesterfield Career and Technical Center at Hull used to be Clover Hill High School– our good old neighborhood high school got one hell of a makeover! We had a bit of an extended photoshoot and Ron’s skills with the iPhone caught me and this dress in perfect, playful action.

A photo posted by Ron Forbes (@ronforbes) on


Are you a fan of designer collaborations? What is your favorite collab and what are you looking forward to in the future? Are you planning on shopping Milly for DesigNation?

Men’s Jewelry: A Growing Trend

Men's Jewelry

We all know that women’s fashions come and go with the seasons and honestly, men’s fashions do too. But with menswear, the changes are often more subtle. The cut of a lapel, the slimness of a pant leg, or length of a short are considered to be dramatic changes in their realm. The re-emergence of jewelry as a trend for men is one that personally gets me verrrry excited.

According to a recent feature in The New York Times, London jewelry designer Hannah Martin, men’s jewelry is on the rise, her business seeing significant growth in the category over the past 10 years. In that same article, Mr. Porter— the brother site to high-end online retailer and Kyle Grinnage favorite, Net-A-Porter— has expanded its offering in the men’s accessories department according to customer demand.

I have always loved a man who wears jewelry. And I’m not talking about the mere presence of a wedding ring. Jewelry has the power to make a statement and reveal the wearer’s attention to detail. The presence of a cross worn around the neck. Leather bands wrapped around the wrist. Gummy bracelets supporting an honored cause.

What is your favorite menswear trend this season?