My top 10 2009 fashion trends

These are trends that I have seen the most people wearing and they are also my favorite for this year. Some of them are sure to stick through 2010, but some I highly doubt. My favorite thing about this list is that many of the trends were already trends, all dating from the 70's-90's. There are also a few new ones, like the military style wear. If we don't see these trends in 2010, we are sure to see them again in the future at another time!

10.) DARK BLUE DENIM JEANS

The perfect classic look for this year! These are my favorite pair of jeans!

9.) COLORFUL OUTFITS

The walking rainbow has become very popular. Earth tone colors seemed to have died out this year!

8.) Military shirts

Finally, something new this year. We've seen these shirts on everyone! Jackets are now even made in this style!

7.) PLAID
Everyone was wearing it! Shirts, shorts, and scarves were all plaided out! Though this seemed to be very popular in 2009, I'm going to make the prediction that this trend time is running out.

6.) BIG GLASSES

This is the ideal of the 70's meeting the new millennium! These glasses rocked 2009!

5.)BOAT SHOES

They were everywhere in the summer and fall! If you look closely, they are still been worn in winter. Who needs boots when you have boats!

4.) HIGH TOP SNEAKERS

These shoes have been around since I was a kid, but 2009 was its year to shine!

3.) DESIGNER T-SHIRTS

T-shirts never looked so fly! A lot of people this year got rid of the casual look and kept it fashionably simple!

2.) CARDIGAN

What started off as the traditional old men sweater made a bold statement in 2009!

1.) PEACOAT

If fashion had a first name, I'm pretty sure its name would be Peacoat! These traditional coats can be seen on everybody, the very young and the very old! Kanye West said it best 'look at his Peacoat, tell me he's broke'!

Resolution 2010

My first priority is probably going to be finding a girlfriend (finally!!!). My next priority is going to stop being so 'uppidy' or as one of my co-workers so harshly put it, 'stop being classist'. Finally, It's time to start thinking more about my future, which includes my health, wealth, and career. These all seem possible and logical to accomplish, but I doubt I stick to any of them. A girlfriend takes too much time, and I'm stubborn, arrogant, and picky. I probably want stop being 'Classist' or 'uppidy' any time soon, both are traits of my persona. Thinking about the future seems to take away my now. Every year, people make the same pointless resolutions just to break them by March 1. This year, my real resolution is going to be accept myself just the way I am, and let change happen naturally!
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Nike Dunks!!!! My new Flavor!!!

Getting rid of all the boat shoes, the polo's, the plaid, and the whole casual look! Now its time for funky fresh :) It's Just Like Candy!!!

BROWN!!!

Santa, all I want for Christmas are these boots!

Timberlands!

Everything I don't know about relationships pt.1

I love women! They come in many different colors, shapes, and sizes. I love the way they smell, the way they think, the way they walk, the way they talk. I love their hips, thighs and hips. I love their hands, and their hair, their eyes and their legs, even their finger and their toes. I love the way they smile and the way they cry. I just love women. But it is really hard to think that way about females after two failed relationship attempts and one long term relationship being called off(okay, I’ll admit it, I was dumped) after about 5 years of seeing each other(yes, nearly 5 years down the drain). No, this is not a blog about me discussing how perfect I am (because I’m every woman’s type) or discussing how all the ladies who passed me up were missing out on a good thing (because they were).

So I really know nothing about the perfect relationship. If you come to me, asking what should you do about him or her, it’s a good chance you’re getting the response “Pray about it” or ”I really don’t care”. I have learned to accept that relationships are not perfect; I don’t think that they’re supposed to be (Especially not mine).

The first real relationship I was in lasted nearly 4 years (yes!!! that is a lot). It started before my 9th grade year, so I was really young (and if you think I’m full of myself now, you should have known me then). The girl and I were really good friends first; actually we were best friends. One day we just decided to hook up (thank god for alcohol!) and decided to date. Those 4 years weren’t perfect, but mainly because I screwed up a few times (that’s a blog for another time). I think we broke up about 5 times throughout our relationship. The final time we broke u was when I was at The University of Michigan. Till this day, I’m still not quite sure why. At first it bothered me because I just wasn’t throwing away a relationship but a very good friendship. Like always, I got over it and kept it pushing. Then I met her!

Music Highlight: The Clark Sisters

80's

2009

There are no other singers in the world that I listen to more than The Clark Sisters! I absolutely love them. For one, they can sing their heads off and they live what they sing about! Each sister, Jacky, Twinkie, Dorinda, and Karen have distinctive sound that separates them from each other. They have been singing for over 35 years and released numerous albums in the mid eighties and early nineties.

DORINDA CLARK COLE

They are the daughters of Mattie Moss-Clark, the first gospel artist with a gold album and the creator of the three part harmony that choirs all across the world still use to this day. Clark-Moss took her daughters all around the country to sing at concerts, conventions, and churches. The Clark Sisters influences, including their mom, was Aretha Franklin, Shirley Ceaser, Ella Fitzgerald and many more.


THE CLARK SISTERS


As a group, they separated but each released solo albums and became gospel music's biggest singers. Twinkie, who wrote some of the Clark's biggest hits such as 'You brought the Sunshine', which is the first gospel song to be played on secular radio, 'Endow Me','Nothing to Lose', etc.., left the group and started her solo career. She was the first gospel artist to incorporate secular beats to her gospel songs. This paved the way for artist like Mary Mary, Kierra Sheard, Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams and more to do more contemporary and urban gospel music. Karen Sheard left the group and launched her solo career in 1997 and released the much anticipated album 'Finally Karen'. This is the album that solifide her as one of the greatest vocalist of all time(Video's below). Dorinda Cole released her solo album in 2002 and won multiple awards. Jacky Chisholm, also released her solo album in 2005.

The Clark Family

In 2008, the Clark Sisters reunited as a singing group and won multiple rewards for their album titled 'One Last Time', which includes three grammy's. This is something that no other gospel artist has been able to do. These wonderful women have inspired multiple artist like Beyonce, Faith Evans, Mariah Carey, Kim Burrell, Fantasia, Missey Elliot, and the list continues. These sisters shows no evidence of slowing down any time soon and they have birthed a new generation of Clarks including Karen Clark-Sheard children, song writer and producer J. Drew, grammey nominated Kierra Sheard and their cousins, super producer J. Moss and singer and song writer Bill Moss.


KAREN CLARK-SHEARD

End of summer blues...pt.3

It was sort of odd at first but then it became the normal routine. I would come over his house, and we would mistakenly lock eyes but quickly look away. We could be at the same dinner table sitting across from each other and look around each other without saying a word.

Recently, I was at his house and like usual, we played the "act like you don't exist game" with one another. This time, it was just strange, and everyone in the room noticed it. It was just odd now, being our age and not able to talk to each other. This even made me more upset since I felt like he should try to at least resolve the issue with me. But then I became upset with myself because I didn't want to talk to him.

We were such great friends. We could talk about anything with each other and we were always honest about it. But now we acted if we never knew the other, like complete strangers. I had so many opportunities to reach out to him, but I didn't(of course, I have my pride).

I actually think that we both wanted the other to say something first, but we were afraid of the consequences. Now are friendship is probably damaged permanently. It sucks simply because I could've been the one that helped him turn his life around. We both could've learned a lot from each other, but because of each others arrogance, we let a friendship dissolve.

My summer may not have been the best summer, but it taught me many life lessons. Some that I hope to learn from in the near future
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Finding True Religion

“God is good all the time, and all the time God is good”, if you are some type of Baptist or any other Pentecostal denomination of the Christian faith, you may have heard that repeated your whole life (and no, it’s not a bible verse, though many think it is). If you are not Pentecostal, than you probably have idea what I’m talking about. I grew up with a strict, religious, Pentecostal background in the Church of God in Christ, so all I really knew was people who grew up in the same; you were even COGIC or Baptist, nothing else.

If you are a Michigan student or ever ventured to Ann Arbor, you know that there are various types of religious groups here, also including the agnostics and the atheists (basically the same people just different names). Though I’m more comfortable around people of the Christian faith, I also have friends that are of an entirely different faith or no faith at all. This is relatively an important discovery because I personally thought since we were different religions, our morals wouldn’t entirely match up, but little did I find out, many of us are one in the same.

Though we have different faiths, we are all really pushing towards one goal, and that is to find eternal happiness and True Religion. When I use the term true religion, no, I’m not talking about a correct religion (if there is such) but finding a place to base your morals upon and a living standard that will grant you eternal happiness. For this reason, I have learned to accept and respect other religions.

Not at all saying that my religion is less important or I’m contemplating changing religions, but I believe since we are all really pressing towards the same goal(basically, just to be “good” people in life), then we really shouldn’t limit our surroundings to people of the Christian faith. Before I go any further, understand that religion and Christ is not the same thing, look at it this way, you can have an affair with religion but Christ requires a marriage. With that said, I believe that the base of every religion is that it wants its followers to live a happy life. Surrounding yourself with different people will help you strengthen your own faith. I don’t believe that it is wrong to question your faith because that is how we learn, by questioning. I always wondered why I believed what I believe and is it really worth believing in. I took time to really examine myself and I would have to say that my religion is working for me! By being around other people, I have found out that my faith is the best way to connect to God.

End of summer blues... pt. 2

Though I am excited to get back to school to create more lasting memories, I can't help but feel a void in some part of my life. As I stated before, I worked all summer. Then, after my job was over, I got the chance to come home for about two weeks.

My first weekend home, I spent with the family at a spa resort, just a few miles outside of Ann Arbor. Of course, it was great, I got to see some of my favorite people in the world, my nephew and nieces. It didn't hurt to see my other family members either, though I couldn't help but feel a sort of disconnected. The feeling was probably mutual. After that little slight relaxation period was over, I came home to a few torn friendships.

I never thought that I was the kind that couldn't forgive, or at least forget. For nearly two years, one of my friends that I was the closes to, haven't spoke a word to each other.
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End of the summer blues...pt. 1

So school is about to start back(I say with mix feelings), and that could only mean one thing, summer is coming to an end. While most of my friends went to Europe, Hawaii or Africa, I chose to stay in Ann Arbor to work 15 hour long days. Yes, it had its good moments; the fat paychecks, making lasting memories with some of my friends, and of course, the parties. But while I was in Ann Arbor, free of responsibilities, my home life was sort of moving on with out me.
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...Relationships are easy

The only thing harder in college than the classes are relationships. A puzzle with a million pieces is easier! Counting the stars in the night sky is easier! Naming the spec's of sand in the desert is easier! Walking on water is easier! Starring constantly in the sun is easier!....but the only easy thing about relationships is knowing that not being in one is a smart idea.
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What a day

5AM, enough said! But since this is a blog, I'll say more. 5AM was the time I had to be at work this morning, talking about FML. The worst part of it all was the fact that I haven't been able to sleep the last few days, so were talking about only 3 hrs of sleep here. So I sucked it up and went to work, only to be encountered by loud, obnoxious, horny teens(yes, horny). For about four hours, as the demon seeds(teens) were checking out of camp , I had to listen to them cry about how much they were going to miss each other, their favorite moments at camp, a guy play a banjo(banjo, wtf), and oh yeah, my favorite, I had to hear about how many blow jobs this guy received while he was here at summer camp.

I got off of work at 12pm and went to eat at the dining center next door, again to be reminded of how nasty the food is. After about 20 minutes of experiencing the worse meal of my life, I decided to go back to my room and take a nap.

5 hours later(don't judge) I awoke to a text from priscilla that reminded me how I forgot to curse her out for her ditching me the before. After I awoke, I went to the Ann Arbor art fair with Brittney and Nick(my role models lol). The art fair is a place where University of Michigan students realize just how poor we are and are immobility to save money. When you're not able to afford a $3500 painting, you reexamine your whole life. After hours of walking to the streets of Ann Arbor and encountering multiple sources of entertainment such as adults dressed up as reindeer marching through the streets(really, where is the art in that?), a priest shouting at us reminding everyone that their going to hell and of course, drunks. But at the end of the day, you remember that there is really no place like Ann Arbor(thank goodness).



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"Orgy" It Up With VH1

“FLAVOR FLAV,” if anyone is/was a fan of VH1, you know that those words could come from only one reality show, The Flavor of Love. The Flavor of Love went on to become one of televisions highest rated shows and VH1’s flagship reality show. But Why (Really, why in the hell)? Basically the show is about 20, twenty year old women “orgying” it up with the Public Enemy hype man, the 50 year old, Flavor Flav. The show made millions and after three seasons, Flavor Flav picked none of the women (basically, he passed up about 60 women, wow, they all have to feel stupid).

And just when you thought it was over, we can’t forget the highly dramatic, I Love New York (Again, another orgy, this time just involving guys), featuring Flavor Flav’s own personal flavor (or hoe, harsh, huh), Tiffany Pollard, also known as New York. So after New York fails to find love(like we wasn’t expecting that), we are then given Brett Michaels, Rock of Love, a show about “love” that is so strong, he is willing to kiss the girl, even after they vomited just 7 seconds before(now, that’s real love). Then of course, we have the other dating (orgy) reality shows, The Real Chance of Love and Daisey of Love.

I bring all these shows up because I really want to know why people watch these shows, myself incorporated. I think we know by now that they are not going to find love, so we can immediately eliminate that possibility. Personally, I like to see the cat fights (or the replay that they have of Pumkin spitting on New York) or dog fights. Others might like the girls/guys themselves and others just like the drama. So one has to wonder, is this what America has come to? Remember, all these shows drew in record amounts of viewers.

I got involved with watching these shows when I took the time to watch the reunion special of the flavor of love(the first season) when I saw New York flip over a table to get to one of the girls. After that, I was hooked. The probability of someone getting hurt was exciting to watch. Show after show you were guaranteed an argument or fight or some type of orgy. But it became pathetic after the third season of Flavor Flav and the first season of New York when they kept making the same shows with basically the same thing happening. These shows continued to garnish high ratings. That is truly sad that Americans have nothing better to do than to watch violence and orgy’s on television. But I guess it’s true what they say, sex does sell.

My favorite part about the whole thing would have to be Charm School. It really made you believe that these women wanted to change, until you saw the episodes. So, for the most part, Charm School remained orgy-less but the violence escalated. Not only were the girls themselves getting into fights but the hostess of the show (Sharon Osborne and Monique) even got into a few confrontations with the girls. Now you knew that the show wasn’t about bettering these women.

I bring these shows up because they drew in a lot of viewers. Millions flocked to their TV to watch these women/men tear into each other for a chance at love with someone that they don’t even know. But we were really seeing more than that. We were seeing women degrading themselves, shaming their children, selling out for money, forcing themselves to fall in love with a complete stranger, and many setting back the black movement(like another network I know, lets just say its initials are BET). We should not let these shows determine where we are moving as America or as a people (Deep, huh?, stole it from Rev. Sharpton).

If I wouldn't wear it, neither should you!

Fall is quickly approaching, so that can only mean one thing, new clothes.

Always remember to be unique!

TWO WORDS: D&G

Everyone should have a Burberry scarf in their collection

You can never go wrong with boats(but never wear them with khaki pants, it really makes you look like an old man).

Want to impress her, wear Gucci(there colors are classic)

BLACK ALWAYS MAKE YOU LOOK SLEEK!

Scarves always will help you personalize your look

Cardigans always adds a few years to your age(girls always like guys that are older)and they show that you are an "exclusive" dresser.

PEACOATS!(thats all I have to say)

Don't underestimate the power of brown, it may be dull, but it is casually unique.

Military Shirts is a very creative way to dress, but don't over do it with all the badges.

Dark Blue denim accompanies brown very well.