Lights, Camera, STYLE!

New York City is such an awesome place! Like Alica says "concrete jungle where dreams are made of! There's nothing you can't do!" Last month I had the honor of working with Models of The Runway Winner/Singer/Actress/and now friend Kalyn Hemphill on her cover shoot for Encore Magazine! I had an awesome time. Not only did I get to write the interview to go along with the cover, I also got to be one of the stylist on the shoot! We got to pull amazing clothes from Prada, Allison Parris, and Sarar! One of my favorite pieces to style with where these fierce pair of Prada Shoes from their Resort 2010 collection.



Above: Fierce shoes from Prada Resort 2010. Below: Jonathan Valdez, Kalyn Hemphill, Natasha Huang and Charlie Rhyner after we wrapped!



Working on a shoot like this and styling is something that I have always wanted to do and it was so much fun! I got to meet some great new people and shooting at The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in NYC was phenomenal. Be sure to check out Encoremag.com for more exclusive behind the scenes photos! Check out the exclusive behind the scenes video now! I will be sure to post the next video for Encore's March Shoot with The Vivian Girls ASAP!

GA GA OOH LA LA: Lady Gaga does it again at the Grammy's!

Another music award show has happened and once again Lady Gaga seems to be the hot topic! There were some Grammy hot mess moments like Justin Bieber calling Bon Jovi Beyonce, then covering it up by saying that Beyonce was always on his mind and apologizing to Jay-Z. Then there was Taylor Swift. Wow... I said it once, I will say it again. She is sweet as pie but the poor child cannot sing live to save her country loving life. Even my die hard Tay Tay fans agreed that she sounded like a hot chicken fried mess! That being said, Gaga was not one of the hot mess moments of the night!

Gaga instantly wowed the crowed when she hit the 52nd annual Grammy's red carpet in the swirly whirly bit of amazingness that you see above. She also rocked some outrageously awesome shoes. Can you imagine if she had fallen off of them with that dress on? OUCH guys.

Then it was onto her performance with none other than Sir Elton John! Something about the performance made me smile. I think that it was because Elton John was all Gagad out (or was Gaga Eltoned out? You know he dressed crazy too back in the day!) I also really enjoyed the fact that at the end they exchanged appreciation for each other through song. Gaga also seemed like she was loving every minute and appreciated who she was performing with.

Above: Lady Gaga and Sir Elton John. Below: Lady Gaga just being Gaga.

Then it was time for Gaga to sit down and enjoy the show! Better get something that is comfy to sit in and won't obstruct other people's view right?! WRONG! You know when Gaga sits down at an award show she has to wear a crazy head dress. Maybe it's to keep warm? It can get cold at those things! All I know is that when I finally get to go to a show PLEASE do not put me behind Gaga. Love her, but I also want to see the show!

Above: I love how everytime there is a picture of Gaga sitting at an award show the person next to her ALWAYS has a crazy look on their face. If it were me I would be geeking out!

I know I need to stop gushing about Gaga but I just have mad props for her. It has to be hard to find that many zany outfits to wear in one night. Gaga has inspired me for New York Fashion Week which is THIS MONTH! I need to find an outfit that will shut it down and maybe piss off the people behind me. Be on the look out for some amazing Fashion Week posts! I will be sure to tell you where I go and WHO I see!

I now leave you with the Gaga/John Grammy's performance! Have fun!

A Night Out For A Great Cause!

On January 25th The Epix Group held a relief initiative to help Partners In Health and ADRA continue to provide relief in Haiti. Both organizations have provided assistance in Haiti for over 20 years.


The event was held at the beautiful Forty Eight Lounge and all door proceeds, along with a percentage of food and beverage sales, went to the organizations. During the event a large screen projected pictures of how beautiful the people of Haiti are. It showed a nation full of people with strong spirits. Though everyone at the event seemed to be enjoying the night, everyone's minds and hearts were with those in Haiti.


Above: Kalyn Hemphill and Jonathan Valdez

I wish that everytime I went out to dinner and drinks that a portion of the money would go to those who need it most. I think that more events like this should be organized to help organizations and people all over the world. Thank you to The Epix Group for putting on the event and to Forty Eight Lounge for donating a portion of the drink and food sales.

Let's all continue to help out those in Haiti and in other parts of the world where assistance and hope is needed the most!

SAG Awards: Men's Fashion

During awards season the women usually get most of the attention for fashion. I was planning on talking about the fashion at the 2010 Screen Actors Guild Awards when I thought to myself, "Hey! Why not talk about the guys for a change?" After all It will be great to talk about stuff that I can actually wear for a change.

If I were going to work slash walk a red carpet (or really just walk anywhere) I would for sure rock a bow tie! I am really feeling this Dolce & Gabbana Tux that Justin Timberlake is rocking complete with a bow tie! I am digging the blue tuxedo shirt as well. I am obsessed with color and this is something that I would totally wear to an event!




Although I loves me some color, sometimes it feels good to just look classic and clean in black and white. A perfect example of this look would be actor Brando Eaton in DKNY.




It would be fun to go to a red carpet event in DKNY with a date in Donna Karan. That way we could match without having to both wear the same color.

As a guy, one thing that you want to avoid is looking to casual! This Calvin Klein suit looks great on Benjamin Bratt but where is the tie?!?



I know that he is suppose to be a guy's guy but come on! You can still be dapper AND manly. When you are at a black tie affair you NEVER want to look like James Bond on Casual Friday. (Would he have cas fridays?)

I know that everyone's idea of casual is very different. A lot of times people ask me why I am dressed up and I say "I'm not!" My casual is just different from other people's casual. I just always feel good if I look good! That being said, you should always step up your game from your version of casual when dressing for a big event.

Should I cover more men's fashion in the future? Let me know OJ&B readers!

Jersey Shore Jr.

It seems like the cast of MTV's runaway hit Jersey Shore is EVERYWHERE these days! They seem to be very busy with talk show appearances, club events, walking red carpets, and even "designing" clothes. (I will get to that one in a second!) I have even seen the guidette reality starlets in the "who wore it best" sections of certain celebs mags. How pissed would you be if you were a legit celeb and some J Shore reality guidette had on your dress? HOT MESS I SAY!

I still feel sorry for all of the MTV reality show cast members of years past. I don't recall ever seeing anyone from The Real World getting super legit media and attending award show red carpets. I also maintain that Dottie from True Life: I'm a Jersey Shore Girl needs to be getting some kind of credit for exposing MTV viewers to the Jersey Shore years ago. Now on to the real reason for this post! JERSEY SHORE JR!

In case you missed it, the website Babelgum has posted a video of kids reenacting Jersey Shore complete with a crazy Snickers, J WOWW, and juice boxes. The video is really funny but can be slightly creepy at sometimes. I will let you decide for yourself:



I think it shows that TV shows like this are basically childlike and should not be taken seriously.

Another thing that should not be taken seriously is J WOWW's line of tops. HAVE YOU SEEN THESE THINGS? So don't get me wrong! I am ALL about doing your thing and being all fly, BUT when you try to tell the world that these tops "will be reinventing the term 'Sexy Sophisticated,'" then THAT is when I have to tell you to get you life together! Also, I don't think she really invented that shirt. I swear those tops are circa 2004. I am sure that those tops are flying out of her garage to be used for next year's Halloween Jersey Shore costumes! They come in a variety of colors and boobs are sold separately!

I won't lie! If I was on a reality show I would totally try to milk it for all that it is worth! The fact is that I am not right now... so instead I will poke fun! (Hey at least I can admit it!) Now who wants to be on Jersey Shore season 2?!

Mo'Nique Wins Golden Globe! Plus Red Carpet Fashion!

I just knew that when I saw Mo'Nique's performance in the movie Precious that she would win a Golden Globe at the very least! Now we look on towards the Oscars feeling great that Mo'Nique had a well deserved win at the Globes!

There were a lot of great wins last night but I really loved Mo'Niques acceptance speech. She just seemed so happy.

"I'm shaking, and when I tell y'all I am in the midst of my dream, and when I look into the eyes of the man that I stood next to at 14 years old and I said to him, 'One day, we are going to be stars.' And he said, 'You first.' And we walked this red carpet together tonight. Sidney, I love you more than you will ever know, baby." Mo'nique gushed upon winner her Golden Globe for for Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture.



Another person who had a great speech was Drew Barrymore when she accepted her Globe for Best Actress in a TV Movie for Grey Gardens. She was actually shaking and told the audience filled with celebs that she had grown up in that room and that they were all her family.



Congrats to both women on their win and on their moment! I love it when people get acting awards for roles that they had to transform into. Also a HUGE congrats to Glee on their big Globes win for Best Musical or Comedy Television Series. GET IT GLEEKS!

On a fashion note, I feel like everyone really stepped it up this year! Glee's Lea Michele was a vision in an Oscar de la Renta all black gown. I love long dresses.



Penelope Cruz looked stunning in a Giorgio Armani Privé black lace gown. Her hair had a touch of old Hollywood that was the icing on the Armani cake!



I also really enjoyed the gorgeous Kate Hudson in all white strapless Marchesa! Brilliant!



I really enjoyed watching the Globes! As I have stated before, I LOVE AWARD SHOW SEASON! I cannot wait until the stars get even more glammed up for the Oscars.

Tex And The City: People need to get over themselves!

As you all my know from the last post, I have moved to NYC! It is such a crazy, fun, and fast place. I have had an amazing first week and I am hoping for more to come! I am having a great time and I feel like I am adjusting well but there is still that small sense of feeling new. All I want is to find a solid group of people to get in wacky situations with, have fun at night, and talk about it the next day over brunch or at the coffee house. Basically Friends meets SATC.

Now don't go thinking that I am sad and lonely because I am not at all! I know some great people here and I am meeting people everyday BUT it is still nice to have a core group of friends like back home.

It trips me out how serious some people take themselves up here. The following clip depicts exactly how I feel sometimes when I meet people in the city. Can you guess who I am?

Legally Blonde - My Name Is Elle Woods, And This Is Bruiser Woods

That's right! Sometimes I feel like Elle at Harvard. People taking themselves so serious and not realizing that you can be fun and professional too! Also running into celebs and saving them from fashion disasters. (It has not happened yet but hopefully soon!) Luckily I usually meet really cool people who also feel that some people in the city take themselves way too serious.

My favorite person to encounter is the bitchy sales woman. Listen Boo! If you were really all that and a bag of reduced fat, low cal, lightly salted, baked chips, you would not be selling whatever it is you are selling so GET OVER IT and DON'T ACT LIKE THAT!

Besides meeting the occasional pretentious hot mess, everything is fab in the city! I hope everyone enjoys watching the Golden Globes tonight! I love a good red carpet situation!