Style Spotlight: Michelle Obama

There is no denying that this post is long overdue. Vanity Fair has already named Michelle one of their favorites on their "International Best-dressed List" and Vogue featured her as one of their "It Girls" in April. She's an obvious choice not just for her sense of style but the ease with which she wears her clothes. You never get the feeling she's trying to please anyone but herself. Some have questioned whether or not Michelle has a stylist but her people deny it...

“To the best of my knowledge, she does not use a stylist,” said Mrs. Obama’s spokeswoman, Katie McCormick Lelyveld, although she is known to have relationship's with a few designers and Chicago boutiques [Source].

Obvious comparisons have been made to Jackie Kennedy and even Barbara Bush (must be the pearls) but I'm just excited to see another type of black woman on my television screen and on magazine stands. My only frustration when composing this post was trying to find full-length photos of Michelle's outfits (as a personal plea to campaign photographers, we want to see the shoes!). I guess I'll have to wait until they make it into the White House. Then we'll be spoiled for choice with images of a classy, fashionable woman. After a few weeks of online digging I found some great examples of Michelle's style choices. You can view them below in the slideshow. I can't wait to see what she wears when their victory is announced!

IT'S A GIRL!

I had an ultrasound today and found out that I am having baby girl. Jeff and I are thrilled! I immediately began searching for baby girl things. Here are some of the items I found on Etsy with the search "vintage baby girl" in the handmade category.



Red Possum



Smiley Jones


Max and Magnolia



One Lucky Baby



Swell Kid

Register to Vote - NOW!!

Beyonce and Jay Z out-and-about in New York City on August 4th, 2008.

Alicia Keys wears her Barack Obama T-Shirt while at The Black Ball, July 10, 2008.

Halle Berry left a shopping center in Century City today proclaiming her love for Barack Obama via t-shirt with one that read Barack The Vote July 29, 2008.

Eva Pigford models the "Sunshine" Barack Tee priced $25 available at www.barackthevote.com

LisaRaye McCoy proudly shows her support for Barack Obama while out-and-about in Beverly Hills, California.

There is no excuse ladies. The countdown is on and whatever your political affiliations you must register to vote. Fear not. Registering doesn't take more than a few minutes of your time. Visit http://www.rockthevote.com/ to fill out the simple form. You'll need a printer to print out the form once you've filled it out electronically. Note that your "ID Number" is either your driving license or social security number. If you don't have either, put a zero in the field and you can proceed by clicking "Prepare Form". You must, however, indicate that you have neither a driving license or social security number on the paper form you print out. Then all you have to do is send it to the appropiate address and you're done!

For those of us who are not citizens (I'm British), we'll be showing our support via the ultimate statement - Fashion! Make like the ladies above and wear your point-of-view proudly across your chest. See below for where to buy the coolest Obama tees.

My Picks!

Top: Obama, $20, www.ragamuffinclothing.com; Barack Obama Picture, $16.50, www.democraticstuff.com; Barack Obama Signature Ladies Natural T-shirt, m, $20.08, www.shopbarackobama.com; Obama 08 Ladies Black T-shirt, $20.08, www.shopbarackobama.com

Bottom: NV Me Boy Beater, $20, www.barackthevote.com; Obey Obama Progress Tee, $28, www.urbanoutfitters.com; Team Barack T Shirt, $38, www.siralistairrai.com; Obama Hope Tee, $32, www.shopintuition.com or www.hopeshirt.com

I acknowledge that Obama mania is at fever pitch but it's not just hype, my love for him is REAL! To prove it I'm ordering my graphic tee ahead of time and I'll wear it proudly during his inauguration. Paired with denim capris, silver hoops and designer shades, there's no mistaking where my support lies. If you want to put your hard earned money to good use, order tees from official sites like http://store.barackobama.com. Any purchase is considered a federal contribution to the Obama Victory Fund.

Check Yourself!

Kelly Rowland and Rihanna make appearances in a winning combo of plaid/checked shirts and dark jeans.

Left to right: Midwest Plaid Shirt , $22.90, www.forever21.com; Tartan Silk Blouse, $34.80, www.forever21.com; Victoria Check Shirt, $79.99, www.fcusbuymail.com; Plaid Vest, $18.99, www.charlotte-russe.com

Left to right: Checker Plaid Shirt, $19.80, www.forever21.com; 3/4 Sleeve Check Shirt, $30, www.topshop.com; Plaid 3/4-sleeved ruffle-front top, $44, www.gap.com; Ruffle Front Shirt by Ivy, www.intermixonline.com

Lumberjacks are the last people you'd expect a fashionista to turn to for style inspiration but surprisingly a plaid/check shirt paired with jeans is a winning combination. Whilst some shirts in stores right now look like they came straight off a lumbrjack's back, others include feminine details like a nipped in waist, bows and frills. Whether you stay true to the shirt's origin or go with the updated interpretation, always, always wear with a pair of dark, indigo jeans. See the ladies above for instant inspiration.

Last Saturday night I went to a fashion show at Bella Salon in Long Beach. As mentioned previously, my model Katie does more than just look pretty for Salvage Life. She spends her days cutting and styling hair at Bella. Here are some pics from the show. I love her styling!



Keslie.


Keslie, once again.


Keslie and Katie.

Dallas, Katie, and Keslie.


Katie and I.

Nadia Nour

Designers from Nadia Nour's Fall 2008: Modern Rustic Americana
What do you get when you cross a philosphy major with a innovator with a penchant for fashion? The answer is a Nadia Nour. A designer who creates flattering apparel that fits flawlessly and is constructed using all natural and select organic textiles. Nour's clothes are born of more than just a love of fashion. The Fall 2008 collection is called "Modern Rustic Americana" and is filled with bold colors, unique shapes and luxe fabrics. Created for women who defy trends, Nadia Nour apparel is designed to inspire a sense of self-assurance and vitality in the women who wear them. If anything stands out to you (and something should) you can find out where to buy her clothes here. Be sure to check out her other collections while you're on the site, they'll inspire you to step-up style quotient!

MAD ABOUT RED PLAID

If you haven't seen Dolce and Gabanna's Fall Runway or recent ads in Vogue, Elle etc. then you may not know that plaid on plaid is a bold trend for fall. I just did an Etsy search to see what fabulous vintage plaid items I could find as a cost effective and green alternative to this hot trend.


A bit pricey at $72, but I haven't seen anything quite like it. Decades


Not very old, but only $16. Muskoka Vintage



Quick this one is only $15! ElectricLime




I would shorten this one to a mini length, $28. Cositas Serias Vintage



High waisted shorts with suspenders for the stylistically brave, $28. Urban Lotus Boutique



Love this bag, only $17! Marcella's Excess

Old Navy: Fall Collection

Above: Silk Ruffle Top $29.50 Denim Pencil Skirt $32.50, www.www.oldnavy.com/plus

Left to right: Flutter Sleeve Top $29.5o; Ruched Neck Dress $36.50; Color Block Top $26.50 all available at www.oldnavy.com/plus

So I've noticed that some of the comments left on previous "plus size" clothing posts have pointed out that the quality of the outfits online are not all that great. Well, Old Navy has stepped up and provided an appealing alternative for Fall. Old Navy Women’s Plus is offered exclusively online at www.oldnavy.com/plus and features the latest fashions designed specifically for sizes 16-30. The online store provides an expanded selection of fashion apparel that help customers go from work to weekend and day to night – all at affordable prices. See above for a few items from their latest collection. The site also provides $7 flat rate shipping on all orders and free returns by mail for any Women’s Plus clothes - great for when you change you mind about something like I do constantly! To get a sneak peak of the rest of their Fall collection click here. My favorites are their dresses and casual tops from the Jewel Box Colors line.

Last weekend I went to a girl's night hosted by my dear friend Rachel. I think that I was supposed to bring an hors d'oeuvre, but I didn't have any food in the house, so I brought a necklace instead. I figure that jewelry is a good substitute for anything!

Shea Moisture, Sheer Genius!

Left to right: Shea Moisture Coco Hibiscus Soap & Lotion Set, $12.99; Shea Moisture African Black Soap and Lotion, $12.99; Shea Moisture Raw Shea Wash & Lotion, $15.99 all available at www.target.com

Always on the look out for new and exciting beauty products, imagine my joy when Target were kind enough to send me their new Shea Moisture line. Shea Moisture is a distinctive array of bath and body products designed to address the unique skincare needs of African-American and Hispanic consumers. The Black Soap line will even your skin tone, the Raw Shea Butter will keep you moisturized and the Coconut Hibiscus will heal any skin irritants you have. The products vary from $12.99 - $15.99 but those prices you get two items! Visit www.target.com to test them out.

My ego is prego!

Well, I have a special announcement that I thought all my readers may be interested in. I am pregnant! My husband and I are expecting our first child on January 19, 2009. We are so thrilled! I am 17 weeks and have an ultrasound scheduled for 2 weeks from tomorrow in which we should be able to find out the gender of the baby. I am currently feeling well, but my planning is on hold until I know if I should be buying blue or pink (not that I am really into pastels, but you know what I mean).

For my devout customers, don't worry Salvage Life isn't going anywhere! Luckily, I work from home where the baby will be, so I will continue to run the business once the baby is born. However, I may need a week or two off. Hey, maybe I'll even add a vintage baby category!

You should expect to see some baby posts in the future as attempt to find things to wear that accommodate my ever-expanding belly, decorate the baby's room and plan for his or her arrival. Please send me any links to good baby product sites, especially those that have eco-friendly or vintage products.

Featured in a Recent Fashion Shoot

A Salvage Life dress was featured in a recent photo shoot styled by the lovely Pamela from Cherry Tomato Vintage.You can see more pics from the shoot on her blog.







All photos ©2008 Abdul Smith.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Abdul Smith

STYLIST: Pamela Castillo

MODEL: Kate Shawver

Dereon Fall 2008

Beyonce's second line Dereon has released a video with a preview to the Fall 2008 Collection. Though I'm not a big fan of either of her lines (House of Dereon and Dereon), I thought the video was worth sharing. Let me know your thoughts and if any of you have bought items from her collections what are they like? I must admit that they are some cute dresses on the House of Dereon site but none of them are less than $300 :(

BETSEY is the Besty!

It's a cheesy title, but it sounds like something I would have said when I was little and I have loved Betsey Johnson for as long as I can remember. I love that she is true to herself, even if she is a little weird. Her Fall 2008 collection is just as Betsey as ever with her signature prints and quirky styling. I am coveting all the lace-up boots and red stockings. Fall can't come soon enough!

Take a Leaf Out of Her Style Book: Dania Ramirez

Dania arrives for the Entertainment Weekly and Vavoom annual upfront party at the Bowery Hotel on May 13, 2008 in New York City.

Dania Ramirez attends Intermix's 3rd Annual 'VH1 Rock Honors' VIP Party at Intermix on July 11, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

Dania Ramirez arrives at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2008 held at Smashbox Studios on March 9, 2008 in Hollywood, California.

Dania arrives at the "InStyle Celebrates Grammy Salute to Fashion 2008" earlier this year.

Your high school days may be over but it's never too late to look like a prom princess. Let Dania Ramirez guide you. It's not hard to imagine her as Homecoming Queen - her style choices for the red carpet are always demure yet attention-grabbing. Whether you prefer prom dresses that stay true to their 1950s predecessors or shorter dresses with a full skirt and plenty of tulle, always look for a dress with pockets - they instantly bring the look into the 21st century.