happy new year!

i like the symbolic nature of a new year..the whole new start vibe..the whole there is always another chance to get things right..or do things better..vibe...

i think about the awesome fact that i have lived another full year of life.

i also reflect on all of the events, good and bad, all the people, good and bad ;-) and the things that i experienced and in spite of and because of, all i can do is smile...

when i think of the new year that is about to begin, all i can think of is it's promise...

here's a toast to hoping that the excitement that a new year brings motivates you to spend your days living on your own terms.

so if that means that you...

do things over...or

do things you didn't...or

don't do things you don't want to do...or

That you...

keep moving...or if it feels better...

sit still...

That you...

give...or that you..

wait to receive...

whatever LIVING OUT LOUD means to you...

i hope that you realize that your life is yours for the making...

and thru it all, i wish you the most wonderful wealth of all...

LOVE!!

here's to a wicked 2011!

Smile...

May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope. The spirit of Christmas which is peace. The heart of Christmas which is love. ~Ada V. Hendricks

Friend Friday: Holiday Rockin

The FBFF questions for this week is all about how you rock the holiday season.

1. Which holiday party are you looking forward to attending this year?

I don't have a particular party that I am looking forward to. There are a lot of different events that I am attending, from comedy shows, to cocktail parties, girls night outs and noshing, drinking and fun at my favorite joints.

So, I am looking forward to it all.

2. What is your go-to holiday party outfit?

Believe it or not most of my holiday time is spent relatively casually.

I like to either host a party at my flat (which I haven't done in forever ;-( and need to change that) or I am out at either my favorite Indian restaurant or out dancing and just having fun.

So it's jeans, sweaters, leggings and boots unless its a themed event like the red dress party I went to last week.

With my Girls!

 As you can see, I rarely follow the rules! (dress is Norma Kamali for Walmart)

3. Do you go dressed in something that would be impractical to wear at any other time of the year?

I don't do impractical. I live in Chicago. It's cold and snowy and the sidewalks are slippery. I just don't put myself in crazy situations for fashion. And I don't like to be uncomfortable.

If I am wearing something that I have to fuss with, it takes away from my fun and nothing gets in the way of my fun!

4. If you are going to a house-party what gift will you bring to the host/hostess?

It depends on the host and the theme of the party. So, I am going to a cocktail party tomorrow and I know the host loves wine, so I am taking something wine related.

If I am going to a party and I know that the host collects something in particular or the theme calls for it, I will gift accordingly.

Side rant: There is nothing worse or ruder than folks showing up empty handed, I don't care what time of year it is. I show my appreciation for the invite with a little something that says thank you.

5. If you could buy only one trendy piece to update your holiday party wardrobe, what would you get this year?

For the last couple of days, I have been spending way too much time in my closet because I don't have that perfect sweater that I feel I need right now. One that is long enough to cover my tush but is not bulky, so that's currently on my hit list.

Happy Friday!


Fashion Beauty Friend Friday is the brainchild of Katy Rose of Modly Chic. It's a fun community of diverse bloggers that's growing by the day! Join in and have your say!

Did You Check Out Digital Sisterhood Radio?

Earlier this week I was on the Digital Sisterhood Radio Panel: Women in Social Media Who Discuss Fashion, Beauty, Hair, Lifestyle & Popular Culture.

I appreciated being included and getting to add my two cents and I truly enjoyed getting a chance to meet the other ladies, most of which I was not familiar with prior to, with the exception of Marie Denee.

While we all discuss the "Big Four" as the fabulous Ananda Leeke branded them, in one way or another, we are a really diverse group of women and I am glad to now be able to add them to my sisterhood.

I talked a little about how fashion and beauty have become passions for me and how wicked stoked I am about social media, twitter in particular.

The call consisted of conversation about hair, Big Mommas and more.

Have a listen here!

City Chic: Bring the Heat!

The folks at City Chic are bringing a little summery heat to the states.

And as you probably know by now, they have launched their US website.

And I saw a couple of posts around the web from bloggers who were a little disappointed with the styles available currently on the site and I think that's probably because while we are in the midst of winter in most places in the states and elsewhere, they are in the midst of summer in Australia.

So, while we are bundling up in sweaters and heavy coats and boots, they are draping themselves in dresses and sandals and hanging out with hot guys at the pool!

Hence the theme behind their latest video, "Behind the Scenes of Miami Heat".



Here are a few of the pieces currently on their new website that I really love and would totally rock.

And I have been checking and I am glad that they seem to be adding more items to the site regularly and I expect it to only get better.

They currently are offering 30% off with discount code BM30FS along with free shipping and free returns.

Pretty sweet...

Living Curvatude: A Few of My Favorite Things...

In the spirit of one of my favorite musicals...The Sound of Music...

Snow covered branches

 fab drinks in clear glasses

move my butt quotes

rockin' sweet camel coats

baby brown bears...tied up in strings

These are a few of my favorite things...

Enjoy your weekend...

xo

Fashion Beauty Friend Friday: How Do You Connect

I didn't get around to participating in the last couple of Friend Friday posts but I am back in the saddle for this week's questions, which center around the topic of "reader connectedness"

1. How important do you think reader connectedness is to the success of your blog?

Obviously a blogs readers have to feel some kind of connection with the blog or they probably wouldn't continue to visit it.

So, developing a connection is paramount and really its the only reason why I blog in the first place.

I enjoy sharing bits and pieces of my world with others. I do so, hoping that something about me and my life will speak to something in theirs and either entertain them or encourage them in some way, which was my original "Mission Statement" for Curvatude. 

2. What do you do to draw readers in and create that writer-reader bond?

Honestly I don't think that I really do anything other than just be true. I want the relationship between those who read my blog and myself to be organic.

I want them to visit because they like to and feel like they will find something interesting.

3. What is one way you could improve this connection?

Probably by blogging more and consistently. I do a lot and I take a lot of picture and video and all that but I share probably 50% here mainly because I don't want blogging to feel like a drudgery. I don't want it to be a hassle. So if I don't feel like doing it, I don't.

And I think that alone should show that when you come to Curvatude, you are reading something that I really wanted to share with you and not just content for contents sake.

4. Is there a blogger you think does a great job creating that writer-reader bond and why?

Yes, there are quite a few, but the one that I always refer to and think of is not a fashion or beauty blogger but actually a man.

Chris Brogan to me has perfected the connection thing.

He is crazy popular and busy yet he still takes time to tweet and blog and share and respond.

I find that endearing and I assume others do also.

5. What do you do to cultivate new readers? How do you get them to your site in the first place?

I don't really do much (bad blogger huh...oh well).

I would hope that people get to know me, say on twitter or even in person at one of the many events that I attend and develop a curiosity to learn more about me and check me out.

And that they will find that I am so irresistible, funny and cute and come back for more!

SMILE!


Fashion Beauty Friend Friday is the brainchild of Katy Rose of Modly Chic. It's a fun community of diverse bloggers that's growing by the day! Join in and have your say!

Digital Sisterhood Radio: Women in Social Media Who Discuss Fashion, Beauty, Hair, Lifestyle & Popular Culture

Last year while at Blogging While Brown, I had the pleasure of meeting a lot of really great people.

One such person was Ananda Leeke, seen here with Corey Ealons, The White House Director of African American Media and Coordinator of Special Projects during our visit to the White House.


She is a lawyer turned innerpreneur, author, artist, coach and yoga teacher.

She is also a very sweet and engaging woman who is spearheading the rise of a worldwide Digital Sisterhood.

She is conducting research for her next book, that goes by the same name, "Digital Sisterhood" by gathering research about women in social media via a series of Digital Sisterhood radio shows and DC focus groups. She is raising money to cover the self-publishing fees (learn more and consider contributing here: http://kck.st/avHVlu)

I am stoked to say that she has invited me to participate in the Dec 13th show.

The show will focus on how women use social media to discuss fashion, beauty, hair, lifestyle and popular culture.

I am honored and excited to join some really fabulous women on the panel:

Monica Barnett, President of Blueprint for Style, MyJet247.com Style Writer and MyBlogalicious.com Style Editor

Marie Denee,Owner and Editor of The Curvy Fashionista

Tamara Marbury, Founder of Blitz and Glam blog

Veronica Woods, Founder/Owner of My Salon Scoop.com

It should be a fun call, so I hope that you all will tune in!


Digital Sisterhood Radio
Monday, December 13th
9:00 pm to 10:00 pm EST (that's 8pm Chicago time!)

Follow Digital Sisterhood on twitter here.

Living Curvatude: Greet & Tea

This past weekend I held my first ever Curvatude, Greet & Tea.

I am hoping that it will become a regular thing, where I invite some of my favorite people to hang out and relax and do a bit of shopping.

The goal of this first Greet & Tea was to introduce my girls to one of my favorite shops, Greer.

Greer feels like one of those little hidden treasures, although in reality it's really not all that hidden, considering it was featured in O Mag and is in Lady O's book, Big Book of Happiness.

What I love the most about Greer, besides it's great assortment of products, is it's owner, Chandra Greer.

Chandra is one of those people that you meet and you almost instantly feel like you have known her all your life.

She is open and welcoming and she has this really relaxing presence.

Moi & Chandra Greer

I was thrilled when she agreed to open her space an hour ahead of her normal opening time, to accommodate my event.

I have been really fortunate the past year or so, to have met some really great women that I really enjoy spending time with and getting to know.

While this is probably not a big deal for most people, for me it is, mainly because I don't normally hang with girls much.

Why?

Because I am guy's girl.

Since forever, most of my best friends have been guys. So, its been pretty fun actually getting to hang out and be girly with girls ;-).

Future Greet & Tea's will probably consist of tea of a different variety, ie. with names like Long Island, etc but the nice tea provided by Argo Tea for this occasion fit perfectly.

I totally fell in love with their White FrosTea®. It was delicious.

Thank you to the ladies who came out, on what was probably the first really cold day that we have had during this winter. I appreciate you all and look forward to seeing you at the next event.