Diary of a Style Addict: fashion is expensive and addictive like cocaine

How Could I Forget to Post This? Introducing My Miami Tat!!

Don't know why it took me so long to post this but I got a new tattoo while in Miami! Its something I wanted for a long time but didnt have the cash or time to get it done. Just so happens our friends roommate has a tattoo artist that comes and does his at his house and he was coming that night. I looked at his work and he gave me a price I couldn't refuse so I went for it. My inspiration is fetish model Apnea. She has the same tat on her thigh. I always wanted a hip / thigh tattoo cause its relatively hidden and I just think its uber sexy. THis piece took 6 hours of work and took 2 days to complete. I had no choice but to do it in 2 days since I was only on vacation and prolly not going back to Miami until January or so. He basically took a piece of paper, put it up against my leg and drew the design out. I plan on getting the same design or something very similar on the other hip when I go back. These flowers are hyacinths and I want cherry blossoms on the other side.

 

That damn cold water stung like hell! This was the first night when we just did the outline.and yes that is my drink in the back.

 

At the beach in Miami. Excuse the dumb stance..I was caught off guard lol

 

Original inspiration.

Holiday Hiatus...

Hello Lovelies!
I hope your holidays bring you everything you are wishing for...especially those style and beauty related! I've taken an unofficial hiatus from posting but will be back shortly. The past 2 weeks have been filled with finals and holiday mayhem (but good mayhem nonetheless). I have lots of things to share and post about so stay tuned!

Black Friday Mini Haul

My Black Friday haul is somewhat uneventful. My mom on the other hand gears up for this all year long. She had a scarily precise shopping plan and we got in line at Kmart at 6am and the line was DOWN THE PARKING LOT. She sent me to pick up an electric scooter and I also got a digital camera for my brother. We then headed to Ulta and since she's just not that into makeup she went to Dick's. I picked up some Loreal HIP items and Ulta polish, cheek color and an angled blush brush. They had a buy one get one free deal on all Ulta products. I may return one of the blushes since it may be a little too pink for my taste. As far as polish I'm strictly an OPI girl mainly for their staying power and also for the fab shades. Im too busy (or maybe too lazy) to redo my polish every few days so if it can last a week or longer its good in my book. I was drawn to the sparkly red Ulta shade and it better hold up!

I also ordered the 88 color palette from Coastal Scents that everyone raves about. It literally holds every color you would ever need and is a budget friends $21.95. In honor of Black Friday they had a 24% off sale which will also be in effect on Cyber Monday. They sell out FAST so if you want to get one you better log on now.

I've Been Tagged for Happiness!

I was tagged by the fab MissJ over at Being High Maintenance, Not Bitchy. We share the same sentiments when it comes to chain messages whether it be text, emails or blogger versions such as these. Even so, I have to admit I do get a kick out of reading them, but I just don't want to annoy my friends with the forwards. Since this chain is strictly in blogger world it is the exception to the rule. Now on to the 5 things that make me happy...

1. Shopping. I couldn't explain how happy shopping makes me. Even if its not for me I still get an euphoric high when the cash register rings.

2. Good food. And I mean gooooood food!! I constantly need to stimulate my taste buds with different exotic flavor combinations hence my love for Indian, Japanese and Italian food.

3.Getting dressed up for no reason at all. You never know who you'll run into or who'll knock on your door and there's that sense of satisfaction you get when you run into an ex or former rival looking spectacular.

4. Lazy Sundays with nothing to do. Those days you can lounge around in your undies and surf the internet all day!

5. Saving money and having that cash cushion. I know that doesn't go with number one but I freak out when I go shopping with money that I should be spending elsewhere!

These are th 5 bloggers Im tagging...

1. Blaq Vixen Beauty
2. Lela Luxe
3. Mane and Chic
4. Neccessary Makeup
5. Style Bubble

Last Night a DJ Saved My Life....

Or maybe it was an usher? I signed up to work a Blackberry Bold promotion at Madonna's Sticky and Sweet concert stop in Atlantic City. The promotion was fun but the best part was seeing all the girls dressed in 80's Madonna style complete with teased hair, ponytails, neon colors, layered necklaces galore and poufy skirts.

Once the promotion wrapped up me and my new friend Terryann proceeded to sneak into the concert. I only intended to stay a few minutes but got sucked in my Madonna's ultra toned arms and gyrating dance moves. Since we didn't have tickets we had to keep moving to a new location once the usher told us we couldn't stand in the aisle and had to find our seats. Finally one usher let us stay where we were and we watched in peace. The concert was absolutely fabulous and spiced up with a few well placed "Don't fuck with me's"' and "Paybacks a bitch" and post election she is still showing major support for my man Barack. Her wardrobe was somewhat tame by Madonna standards but impressive none the less and I admire anyone that can run across stage in 3 inch stiletto thigh high boots like she can. She even swings round stripper poles and jumps double dutch on stage. See the video below...It's hard to believe this woman is 50! Now I usually take my camera everywhere but this time I left it home :( I was so upset! I snapped some pics with my camera phone but the quality isn't worth posting. I'll never leave my camera home again!

After the concert we went to eat at Johnny Rockets since it was the only place open that late that had reasonably priced food. Needless to say it was packed with the aftermath of the concert and there was a Madanna look alike in drag. We then played the slot machines for a bit while sipping on the free drinks courtesy of Resorts casino. I was supposed to be done working at 10pm but didn't get home till 3am but I had so much fun! Below is a snippet of what I saw but if you want the full effect you'll have to get tickets (or be clever enough to sneak in like I did). Her next stop is Atlanta GA.

NY and Co. Accessories Haul

So my birthday was October 24th and my mom got me a $100 gift certificate from NY and Co. I ended up spending $150 but they gave me city cash. If you are unfamiliar with the NY and Co lingo city cash are coupons they give you for every $30 you spend. The coupon is good for $15 off a $30 purchase. I received 4 from my bday visit and vowed to make the next trip an accessories run.

2 wide belts. The black one is snake print. Note to fashionistas: All belts are currently 30% off

This gorgeous geometric bag that will match damn near everything in my closet. And it meets my one criteria for handbags in that its big enough for me to fit half my life in it.

Supercute tiny clutch for nights out when you only need to carry ID, lip gloss and cash

And this hat that claims its "one size fits all" but won't fit on my overly large head. I'm so disappointed seeing as I was really looking forward to rocking this military hat on a daily basis. Ill have to return this one tomorrow :(

Overall I think it was a pretty good trip. I paid a total of $52 for everything using my coupons. They gave me another coupon for $40 off a $90 purchase. Sigh....and the cycle continues.....

Public Transportation Etiquette

My last two bus rides to New York have been interesting to say the least. Last ride I was next to a man with an orange hued pimped out leather jacket and Jerry curl that was determined to sleep with his legs wide open and tell me about his Mercedes and trysts with underpaid video hoes. Right now I'm next to someone that is blasting his ipod so goddamned loud when the bus driver asked him to turn it down a woman 2 seats back yelled "thank you".he gradually turned it back up but will briefly put it back down when he notices my annoyed face. Here are a few guidelines which I thought everyone knew but obviously some need reminding. 1. Nobody wants to hear your music but you 2. If you paid for one seat please use only one. If you want to stretch your eyes spread eagle then pay for another seat. 3. Please pay attention to hygiene. Being stuck next to someone smelling like fritos and day old cheese will make me incredibly grumpy...and nauseous. 4.if I'm reading don't talk to me 5. If I'm listening to music don't poke me 50 times to get my attention to talk to me 6. How about just don't talk to me!

Red Hot Devil Shoes

I meant to take a pic of my outfit before I went to bed yesterday but I completely collapsed when I came in the house. I wore a red satin button up shirt from NY and Co. a pair of jeans I stole from my moms closet and the shoes below. In the back of my head something told me to bring a pair of comfy backup shoes but since I wore these so many times before with no problems I didn't act on it. Boy was I wrong.

The walk from my car to the bu station was fine...the half hour stand waiting for the bus was fine...and even the walk from Port Authority to the office was ok. I even got a few catcalls from some construction workers. One of them yelled "nice shoes!". By the end of the day the shoe was rubbing against the back of my ankle and I knew I was in trouble. I tried putting a bandaid there but it rubbed it off. Walking to Port Authority was pure agony but I managed to maintain my composure. The bus ride was bliss as I was abe to kick my shoes off. But the 2 block walk to my car I was in tears. First I hobbled threw the casino to collect my cash back bonus. Fortunately half of the ride was those moving platforms so I had some relief. I also kept bending the back of the shoe so it became flexible and bended it inside of the shoe so it was no longer rubbing my ankle. That then gave me less room inside and rammed my feet to the front of shoe. The casino floor is carpeted so it wasn't as bad as the hard ass concrete I walked on outside. With each step I prayed that the shoes would cut off my circulation and my feet would just go numb and I didnt care if they turned blue or fell off. Those shoes are the devil!! Will I wear them again...probably so...will I have a backup pair in the car...absolutely!

Trader Joe Haul

This is a fashion and stye blog, but part of being fashionable is being able to look good in those designer clothes you've worked so hard to get. I made a stop by Trader Joe's today and picked up some healthy snacks for my NYC trips. Freeze dried strawberries and dragon fruit and a bag of organic granny smith apples. I also grabbed a bar of peppermint soap for the hell of it. Starting tomorrow I need to get myself together and start eating healthier and working out again. It's  little too tempting to grab a gyro or cheeseburger on my way to the bus station while in New York and I need things to munch on so I'm not starving by the end of the day. I was a personal trainer for 3 years and once I stopped to work for corporate America my time at the gym slowly declined. Ive gained about 10 - 15 pounds and lost most of my muscle definition in the past 3 years and need to get my sexy swagger back!

The picture below was taken about 3 years ago while I was still working as a personal trainer. Even though I ate whatever I wanted I kept my shape by working out about 5 days a week.I suck at dieting and will focus primarily on fitness. This is my goal!

So I have three choices when it comes to where to work out....

1. Go to the gym at my alma mater Stockton State College
pros: Its free, has a pool is and within a 15 minute drive
cons: hours are limited and offers only a few classes

2. Join Island Gym
pros: Offers 4 locations in my area and closest location is only 10 minutes away, offers classes and a suana and is open 24 hours
cons: $29 a month

3. Go to the martial arts studio
pros: I absolutely love kicking butt! Its a great workout and I can work on getting my next martial arts belt. The sensei will absolutely make sure I make it in and will even call me and give me a tongue lashing if I miss class. Very personal and you get to personally know everyone you go to class with.
cons: Its freaking $65 a month and about 20 minutes away. We are in a recession after all!

I'll make my decision soon but in the meantime Ill use the free gym. I could always comine 1 and 2 and on the days I dont go to class I can go to Stockton's gym. But I just can't justify spending $65 a month when I'm already working to reduce my bills and only working part time.  What should I do!!!!!

Heineken Red Star Soul Concert in Philly

I almost forgot to post pics from the concert on Wednesday. It took place at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. Musiq Soulchild and Estelle were performing.

Took a quick pic of my outfit before I left. Nine West Vannalee boots, Gasoline denim skirt, H&M butterfly tee, XOXO suede fringe jacket.

On our way in. Travis was there too but I don't know where he was at this moment!

Me and my partner in crime Lauren. She was my date for the night. lol.

Estelle grabbed some guy on stage and started grinding with him. The whole concert me and Lauren just kept thinking where can we get her dress! You can't see it in the photo but the top has crystals on it. Her music is amazing and if you don't have her CD "Shine" I suggest you pick it up.

And here's a pic of Musiq's fine ass!