Casting the Vote: Presidential Style

As the presidential election approaches, presentation becomes a key factor to success, and this does not mean the presentation of the prospective presidents’ opinions and viewpoints, as Mitt Romney has seemed to have fooled half of America with his vacillating policies, but instead of style and fashion. I would analyze every tie and suit that the president and Mitt Romney have worn; however, I realize that this is pointless considering neither candidate will make a fashion statement within the next four years or ever. Therefore, I have chosen to critique the both Ann Romney’s and Michelle Obama’s past outfits and how they reflect their husbands plans for the country. After all, do we remember Jackie Kennedy for restoring the White House or her oversized sunglasses, string of pearls and pastel shift dresses that made her a fashion icon?

            While both women have exhibited a superb taste in clothing, Ann Romney’s appears to be newly formed, like that of her husband’s position on just about anything, while Michelle Obama proves to have a genuine love for style and fashion and would never be caught in the ‘soccer mom’ attire Ann Romney sported prior to the campaign. Although Ann Romney’s style is newly established, she doesn’t seem to mind spending thousands of dollars on designer garments that she will only wear once, a reflection of her husband’s plans to create outrageous tax cuts for the wealthy in order to ensure the stagnation of social classes. Michelle Obama on the other hand refuses to use her style as a status symbol, often opting to recycle outfits for multiple prestigious events even wearing the same Thom Browne dress to the final debate and the Democratic National Convention. Additionally, the first lady invests in up and coming American designers who have yet to establish themselves within the fashion industry, lending them much publicity and putting Mitt Romney’s platform of helping small businesses into question as his wife has adopted a stage-five-clinger attitude when it comes to Oscar de la Renta’s lavish, prestigious and popular designs.

The clear winner of this presidential (style) debate is Michelle Obama; however is Ann Romney’s poor – or  should I say rich – choice in clothing entirely her fault? After all, Anna Wintour, the editor and chief at Vogue, an avid supporter of the Obamas and the queen of the fashion industry, has publicly shunned Ann Romney. I think not, as Michelle Obama and her two girls often stun the public in their chic yet modest Anthropologie and H&M apparel, two mainstream fashion empires Miss Wintour has no control over.

The Bible

Feather light, sheer sight

SO CHIC

Today's fashion moment

Its always important to bring a little sunshine to the chilling autumn days <3

Shirt: Matia Collections (I made it), sweater: Urban Outfitters, Pants: Anthropologie Shoes: Jessica Simpson

Daily Fashion Indulgence

Flapper obsession

Today is a boy day...

Fashion Indulgence... My favorite mens style editorial photo shoots.

My Paris Photography!!!

Sky of Blue (cards)

Hi lovely fashionistas!
Anyone who loves fashion also loves shopping - its a given! - but more so than that they LOVE creativity. That is why I'm so excited to tell you all about my amazing aunt's greeting card company Sky of Blue Cards. Karla Ebrahimi, the superwoman/supermom/supereverything behind "Sky of Blue" is such an inspiration to all of us girls who have a goal but maybe are too timid to embark upon fulfilling it. For years, Karla worked as a graphic and website designer for a wide array of important brands, from chic clothing boutiques to CVS Pharmacy; however, being the designer of a greeting card company was what she always desired, using graphic design as a stepping stone to this much larger ambition. Now Karla has become such a big name in the greeting card industry - being sold nationwide as the exclusive holiday card company for Barneys New York and a Trendys and Louie awards finalist - that she has been challenged to expand as boxes of greeting cards have filled every corner of her life! So everyone, please check her out, if being approved by Matia Collections isn't enough, then BARNEYS NEW YORK must be!!!! Start shopping, because like Sky of Blue Cards says, Karla's Cards are nothing short of whimsical, chic and fun!!

http://www.skyofbluecards.com/

Karla at the National Stationary Show in NYC, where she was picked up by Barneys!

How cool is it when a famous greeting card designer wears one of your skirts for a photo shoot?

Behind-the-scenes picture of the Sky of Blue Factory ;)

There's nothing cuter than cousin child labor ;) (obviously I'm kidding, they're the cutest and most helpful little kiddos)

xoxoxooxx Check her out!

Daily fashion indulgence

For now, be fulfilled by the little gems of fashion I provide you with. Later I will provide a complete overview of my favorite trends from New York, London, Paris and Milan Fashion Week!

Daily fashion indulgence

(Cardigan:Urban Outfitters, skirt: Zara, scarf: gifted at museum opening gala)

PFW: In words

DTD Entertainment

Tobi Makinde

DTD Entertainment

The energy backstage was palpable, coursing through everyone’s veins to create an impermeable excitement. In mere moments an electronic beat would waft from the speakers and my models’ heels would graze the runway; while the premiere of my brand, Matia Collections, at Pittsburgh Fashion Week (PFW) would only last a few short moments – all of which are now blurred together in my memory – they would serve as a symbol of the years of time I devoted towards fashion design and developing my own label.

            Hours prior to the show I was uncharacteristically calm, as I had spent the previous day finalizing my soundtrack, compiling official forms, altering garments and resolving last-minute disasters until 1:30 in the morning. On the way to the show, I received a troubling text from Carly – a junior who informed me of the student-designer opportunities at PFW  – that simply stated “It’s crazy here!” as she helped to organize models and designers before their big premier. Immediately I imagined a startling setting, crammed with hoards of late and unruly models and screaming designers and stylists; however, upon my arrival, I was greeted an entirely different environment as two models patiently waited for my instruction. My awe only increased as my models, one by one, scurried in with their hair and makeup done just as I had asked, and even more incredible, had they failed to produce the proper hair and makeup, all of the other girls quickly huddled around her, armed with the dangerous tools of hairspray, eyeliner and lipstick producing the perfect image after only a few minutes.

            When the half-hour mark hit, time seemed to warp, almost as though we were characters inside a spaceship on Star Wars. Everyone buzzed around me, as I quickly handed them “Femme” Pencil Skirts, peplum tops and bandage dresses, some of which had been completed four years ago and other merely 6 days prior. Once my models were adorned in their fabulous attire, they strutted – I walked – backstage in prepared of the exciting conclusion to all of our work and rehearsals.

            French pop filled every molecule of air, providing a bubbly and exuberant atmosphere, yet was cancelled out by the overwhelming applause given to each of my models as they proudly represented my brand on the runway.  Finally, after all of the models filed onto the runway, a moment silently preserved by the lens of the photographer’s camera, I joined the last model – a friend of mine who constantly aided me in photo shoots for my website – on the runway for the finale. Suddenly I realized that I was caught in a stampede of models as they moved to exit the stage; however, I finally reached the end of the runway, at which point I became extremely humbled by the audience’s extreme support, providing me with a feeling of great pride and accomplishment.

Trying to capture all of the moments of the past couple hours into my memory, I lingered backstage with my models as we all broke out into a chorus of applause and cheers in response to our great success: we had just completed the first of many future Matia Collections shows.

The Fashion Show!

Hi fashionable friends!
As you may know, last night I unveiled both Matia Collection's "Femme" and "Velvet Label" Collections at Pittsburgh Fashion Week! Luckily, I happen to go to a school full of extremely talented students, so I was able to get my peer, Randon, the creator and founder of DTD Entertainment to video tape my show. Please watch and enjoy my spring/summer 2013 Collection, full of shimmery sheers, placid pastels and textured laces!