UPDATE: Life as a Non-Consumer...Not Even During Fashion Week 

Posted by Unknown at 4:02 PM
It's been a while since I've posted about my journey of not shopping in 2011....and oh boy has a lot happened. Good things. For starters, I filmed a segment for KTRK ABC 13's show, Deals. The segment is focused on my  goal to not shop and how I'm reaching it by remixing/up cycling my grandmother's wardrobe. It airs on September 24th.

In addition, I just came back from Mercedes- Benz Fashion Week and was able to stay disciplined in my goal. Well....with the exception of shoes and accessories (which were never a part of the original plan). After a long day of shows, I broke down and bought two pair of ballerina slippers from Forever XXI ($30 total) and one of my dresses had an extremely exaggerated neckline so I was forced to purchase a scarf from TJ Maxx ($20) to avoid any wardrobe malfunctions. Not bad, right? 

Wanna know how I pulled it off? The following is breakdown of my wardrobe during MBFW:


Day 1: This is the above mentioned dress that had a deep neck- line. I was excited to wear it because my first day there was muggy but not quite cold, so I thought the sweater material would make sense. I ended up pairing it with a scarf after realizing how exposed I was and the effect it had on my confidence. No one wants to feel like everywhere they go, eyes are drifting everywhere but to your face...know what I mean? I bought the dress from a thrift store last year for less then $7 and the belt was a gift from my mom earlier this year. Overall, the look ended up being more frumpy than I usually like.



Day 2: The above photo of June Ambrose and I was taken by none other than my Fashion Week Fairy Godfather Kevin Jeffries of Status Management Group. The necklace, a borrow from my friend and client Stacy Robinson-Newton, top- an old tank from American Apparel, skirt- one of my grandmother's. Had it taken it and vow to never part ways from it. It actually garnered the attention of MTV- Germany....the pic above is from a street style segment I did with them.


Day 3: Another thrift store find from a few years ago, I paired it with black booties and of course a chunky silver necklace from Charming Charlie. Chunky necklaces were a staple item for me during the week. Looking back, I wish I would've packed a red belt.


Day 4: The blouse, another vintage piece from my grandma. The skirt, a black lace mini from Express a few years ago- every woman should own a black mini.


Day 5: This outfit actually made Essence Magazine's Street Style gallery. The blouse is yet again one of my grandma's vintage tops paired with shorts that my hubs purchased for me in May. They're from Urban Outfitters. Shoes, belt and glasses...from thrifting over the years.


 Day 6: This is perhaps my favorite look. I love effortless, timeless fashion. Nothing like a simple tank, paired with a chunky necklace and super chic pants. These pants will never go out of style....and even if they do I won't care;). The top is another tank I've had for years from American Apparel, the pants a gift from vintage boutique, Memoirs of Vintage.


Day 7: This was my final day at Fashion Week (tear, tear;)...and this look seemed to be the favorite amongst my Facebook family. The blouse is perhaps my single most favorite piece in my wardrobe and once belonged to my grandmother. Unfortunately, the irony here is...my friends loved the look, but it was awfully painful to wear. Mostly because of the gold belt that was intended for someone with a much more narrow waist line (yes, I'm happy to boast about being a size two now;). Otherwise, I did enjoy wearing it. 

I actually bought the skirt last year during fashion week at H & M. Unlike this year, I made a last-minute decision to attend fashion week, coming directly from Jamaica (long story, different post) and had to buy a few pieces to get me through the week.

Stay tuned for my post on Do It While You're Young (DIWYY) on how to cover fashion week within a budget;).



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5 Essentials for New York Fashion Week 

Posted by Unknown at 8:30 PM
First I'd like to thank everyone who's been keeping up with me on Twitter and Facebook as I correspond live (via social media) at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2012. I appreciate your support, retweets, kind words...and think about you when my back starts to ache, anxiety creeps in and when I get the urge to throw my tech gadgets out of the window due to malfunctions.

'Tis true, this city will eat you alive if you allow it to. That said, below are my suggestions on how to survive...boldy and fiercely during NYFW. And don't fret my lovelies- recaps from the shows are on their way;).
1. Back-ups- As in shoes. I purchased the Dr. Scholls roll-up slippers in Houston, only to realize they wouldn't stand a chance against these...ummm, pretty gross New York streets. I love the city, but I'd be lying if I said it was known for it's environment or beauty. The beauty of the city takes place at night, when the crowds are moving and the skyline is brightly lit. Nothing compares.

2. Tablet- I've been on the fence for ages it seems, about purchasing an ipad. Mostly because I'm a small business owner and refuse to purchase every new gadget that's introduced to the market...no time for trial and error purchases. However, I would never again lug around a 13' Macbook Pro during fashion week.

You start the day off looking polished and confident, with nothing but a jazzy laptop bag and a smile....and by days end your leaning sideways, with a bag filled with random swag from events and the pair of heels you thought you were looking fine in now stuffed at the top of your bag and poking you in the arm. DO invest in a tablet.



3. A Partner- I'm on the fence about this one...but having been alone for most of this trip I have to share the pros and cons. The pros to traveling solo are that you're forced to network and make new friends. You tend to move a little quicker, are much more decisive...and sometimes you just need a chance to brush up on your social skills without the confidence of a charming guy from New Jersey (aka Ryan Small...I'm green with envy of him and his ability to work the room).

On the other hand, an aggressive partner like both of my colleagues- will help you build two or three times as many relationships. You'll work as a team to network.

A partner is great to have when you need an extra push to stay out and have some fun, or when you could use the energy of another person to keep you going. Lastly, it's cool to have a partner because...(this might sound shallow), it's a total bummer asking a stranger to take a pic of you and a celeb. I said it, you know it's true. It goes both ways. If you have a partner, you can take turns taking pics.

This is actually my second time attending fashion week alone, though good for my personal brand development...it will likely be my last.


4. Brain Candy- I'm reading a book called Somebody Else's Daughter...have been reading it for almost two weeks and am starting to fear that it has no climax. Do you know how difficult it is to ride the subway with no phone signal, no Wi-Fi and a dull fiction novel? What's more depressing is that I can't seem to put it down...yet, it's not a page turner. In other words...I'm curious though not engaged. Bottom line...always have a good book on hand.


5. Day to night wardrobe- This has been a challenge for me. I can be traditional, in a sense that I like wearing bright, fun colors during the day and darker, more serious tones at night. That said, I've done my best (sometimes succeeding and sometimes...well...not) to wear outfits that allow me to cover shows at Lincoln Center during the day, and hop over to swanky, cocktail events at night. As always, I recommend to just do you....but be prepared for what the night may bring.

This is all I have for now lovelies, but with three more days ahead- I'm sure there's much more to be learned. Stay tuned...@ashleyrsmall;)!


Special thanks to Kevin Jeffries of Status Management Group who invited me to fashion week to cover the shows on behalf of his company. Here's a link to learn more about his work: http://statusmanagementgroup.blogspot.com/.

4 comments

Girl Power: Kim Crowder 

Posted by Unknown at 11:02 AM


Ever meet someone who is exactly the same person online as they are in person? You follow their tweets, check out their Facebook posts and frequent their blog...sincerely hoping that the person behind the screen is equally as cool and wise as they appear to be online.
Introducing Kim Crowder, musician, former PR gal and writer. In an nutshell, her life rocks. She's recently decide to go against the grain by relocating, pursuing her dream and living on purpose. I admire her courageous spirit and wonder how many women are straddling the fence of comfort and purpose. 
Keep an eye on her lovelies...I'm certain this is just the beginning of her journey of self discovery.

Q. Describe your personal style and personal brand:
A. Wow, this is a tough question since I don’t know that I’ve ever really thought about either of these in depth, LOL. In thinking about my personal style, it changes from time to time. The words I’ve heard people describe my style as most is funky and glam…I also like to be classy when it makes since, however, I usually throw on some wild colored lipstick, shoes or accessory, which is probably my way of keeping it edgy. 
Q. What is your #1 passion and why?
A. Outside of God, definitely music, specifically singing. I’ve always loved music since I was a kid, and not just one genre. I studied classically in high school and college, was in school and church choirs growing up, sang in talent shows; I’ve done it all. It’s almost like with music, it’s God’s gift to me, so I really have no choice – it’s unavoidable.
Q. In a few words, why do you feel that it's important for musicians to embrace social media?
A. For one thing, it’s free publicity and promotions. You pretty much have the world at your fingertips without having to hire someone off the bat to do this for you, and with so many different social media outlets, you can tap into different demographics easily. Also, with the push back from music lovers and artists on large record labels, you find many artists creating their own path via social media. We saw this at this past year’s Grammy's when Esperanza Spalding and Arcade Fire won the big awards of the night. Both of their careers are largely based on their success through social media.
Q. How do you achieve work/life balance?
A. Ugh…I’ll have to confess that I haven’t been known to be the best at this. In my last corporate job, I had to really push myself to draw lines, especially with having a company Blackberry. I think fighting to overcome my “Superwoman complex” and coming to the realization that I can’t be everywhere all the time helped me to resolve that adults really can handle things if I pull away and allow them to; however, if I keep being there, they’ll continue to lean on me since that’s the precedence I’ve set for them. At one point, my old boss literally told me I needed to, “let go and let God,” LOL, so I took a vacation to Hawaii. Making sure I don’t neglect my hobbies and relationships are great buffers for creating balance as well.  
Q. What's on your radar? What's next?
A. Well, I just made a major life change, which was moving out of Texas. I’ve lived in Houston just about my entire life and wanted to explore living in other parts of the country. For now, I am house sitting for my dad in a tiny town in VA while I plot my next move. The town is gorgeous with amazing views of the mountains, lots of greenery, cool breezes and friendly faces; really a slow, peaceful place. I currently write about music for the Houston Chronicle and CultureMap Houston, am catching up on writing on my blog melodiesofme.wordpress.com about jazz and my journey to pursue my dream of singing, hitting the books to brush up on my music theory and charting out my next path. I’m asking God for guidance, so I’ve got a feeling it’s gonna be good!
To keep up with Kim, follow her on Twitter at @kim_crowder and check out her blog at http://melodiesofme.wordpress.com.

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