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!

Project Runway Day In NYC: Exclusive OJ&B Interview With Tim Gunn!

Today was a very special day for Project Runway! George Fertitta of NYC & Co proclaimed today as Project Runway Day. Tim Gunn, Nina Garcia, Micheal Kors, and Models of the Runway Winner, Kalyn Hemphill, among other Project Runwayers were in attendance as NYC's Fashion Avenue was temporarily renamed Project Runway Avenue in honor of Project Runway Day and season 7 starting tomorrow!


Above: Project Runway Judges Nina Garcia and Micheal Kors

That's right! As the preview says on television, it is all new, ALL New York! (Another thing that is all New York now is ME! I moved to NYC y'all!) I had a chance to tell Micheal Kors congrats on the new season. Kors told me "Thanks. It's going to be a good one."


Above: American Designer and Project Runway judge Micheal Kors speaking with Extra!

I was thrilled when I got to speak with one of my style icons and Project Runway legend Tim Gunn! I asked him how many "Make It Work" moments there are in the new season and this is what he said:

(Huge laugh) "There isn't a single challenge without lots of "Make It Work" moments. I have a new catch phrase this season, I am afraid it will become a catch phrase because I say it so frequently, "This worries me."


Above: Me interviewing Tim Gunn

I also got to speak with one of lasts season's finalist, Carol Hannah about what she has been up to since the show ended. Here is what Carol Hannah had to say:

"I have been up to a lot of different things! I have been wholesaling so I'm in stores now and I am kind of expanding that with the ready to wear line and I am actually launching a wedding line in March and April. It's really exciting, that's really my passion and something that I am thrilled to be doing. Logan (fellow season 6 designer) and I opened up a studio down the street actually. It functions as a showroom and workplace and place to do fittings, do a little shopping, have events that kind of stuff. I'm also blogging for Lifetime for season seven and for People.com"

Carol Hannah also let me know that she has seen the first episode and there is LOTS of drama as always! HOLLA!


Above: Designer Carol Hannah, Models of the Runway winner Kalyn Hemhill, OJ&B's Jonathan Valdez, and Designer Qristyl Frazier

The event was so much fun and I had the perfect spot to watch it all go down! I was right under the Project Runway Avenue sign and I got photoged by all of the press. Check out the Gothamist post! Yes that is me under the sign lookin' all New York funky Style (SNL reference.) I believe they got that image from Getty images which means that I am all over the interweb! Also look out for me on Extra because I was all in that camera. That is where I was standing and well let's face it, I really wanted to be on Extra so I stayed there for a bit. It was also awesome because one of the contestants from the first season asked if I was a designer. I am going to keep a tally of how many people ask me that in the city. So far it's two and they have both been fashion industry peeps!


Above: Models of the Runway winner, Kalyn Hemphill, talks to the press.

I cannot wait to see what season 7 has for us! You know fashion and drama are the perfect combo! Be sure to keep an eye out on the OJ&B blog because now that I have my life together in NYC I will be bringing you coverage of all the hottest events and sightings. If you want to really know what is happening or who I spot in the NYC streets then follow me on Twitter! Stay fierce friends!


Above: Fiercest bus on Fashion Ave!

P.S. Special thanks to my friend Emily Wade who was my photog slash assistant for the event!