Raiding the Closet

Ladies, the economy may be putting pressure on your pocketbooks, but the fashion world seems to have taken note, and it’s accommodating accordingly. If you’re craving a new addition to your summer or early fall wardrobe, you needn’t drop any more of your hard-earned money on a new purchase. Instead, look no farther than your boyfriend/husband/brother’s closet. Labels have been weaving an increasing number of menswear-inspired pieces into their lines for the past few seasons, but it seems that the popularity of the androgynous dress code is at an all-time high. Dressing like a dude really took off this past winter/spring when blazers began popping up on females everywhere; now that summer has rolled around, ladies can be seen sporting baggy boyfriend jeans rolled up at the hems or the classic men’s button down shirt (never at the same time, though!) As fall fashions begin to dominate the scene, it seems that this trend won’t end anytime soon: menswear-inspired footwear has finally taken a firm hold, and labels are delivering their own version of the brogue to consumers. It’s tough to say how many more articles of clothing ladies will be able to steal from the men (and successfully pull it off), but here’s to hoping it doesn’t create too much trouble on the homefront.

From Gossip Royalty to Music Video Bad Girl

You may all know Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf, the diabolical ice queen from the CW’s hit show Gossip Girl. Now this on screen vixen has taken over the radio airwaves in the new Cobra Starship single “Good Girls Go Bad.” We at BE Style were pleased to find Meester has another great talent! Directed by Kai Regan and shot in New York City, Leighton Meester looks absolutely stunning in the video and we cannot wait to hear her next hit. This star will also be hitting the big screen in the new thriller “The Roommate” coming out in 2010. From tv, to radio and the big screen we are looking forward to seeing all she has to offer! Whether she’s a good girl or a Gossip Girl, we are sure you won’t be disappointed.
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Ghana: Faces Under the Sun

For this week’s PhotoStyle, we decided to feature photographer Toby Caughron’s latest project, “Ghana: Faces Under the Sun.” The LA native’s first full color coffee table book release is a labor of love; “Ghana” documents Caughron’s travels in Ghana’s communities, detailing the unmistakable spirit of Ghanaians amidst hardship and limited resources. “Ghana: Faces Under The Sun” is now available at Blurb.com and all book proceeds will be donated to the United Charities Endowment Fund of America, an organization that works bring clean water to the rural villages of Ghana.

Traveling to Ghana was a life changing experience for me. As a photographer, it was both a challenging assignment and a dream come true. The people I met along my journey were gracious, kind and warm hearted. Even in the face of scorching heat, lack of clean water, malnutrition and disease, Ghanaians have a spirit and joy that is unlike anywhere I have been in the world.

My original intention was to shoot both color and black and white images on our trip but after a few days of shooting I decided that only color could capture the vivid essence and beauty of Ghana. The country radiates with color from its lush landscapes and vibrant painted walls to its rich tradition of printed textiles.

This collection of photos represents the course of my trip from the capitol of accra to the northern region of Sunyani to Cape Coast

For more information regarding Toby Caughron, please visit www.tobycphoto.com or follow him on Twitter: www.twitter.com/tobycphoto.

The Future's Looking Bright

Bright colors are making a splash all over the runways and high end department store lineups. The fall collections featured an array of great bold colors, notably rich pinks, reds, purples, oranges and golds. These unexpected colors graced the shows of Michael Kors, Derek Lam, and Versace, leaving all fashionistas vying for more. This season is incredibly exciting so get ready to spice up your wardrobe with these bold colors. With fall’s anything-but-drab collections, there is something for everyone this season. Mixing brights together is also a fashion “do” for fall, so don’t be afraid to try all the brilliant colors and make them your own!


Derek Lam Michael Kors

Is Eminem Obsessed?

One of my summer obsessions is all the fresh music hitting the radio. One song in particular won’t seem to leave my head! Mariah Carey’s new song, “Obsessed,” is a fiery song that really caught me off guard the first time I heard it. The beginning starts off with a catchy beat leading into lyrics that are piercing and will melt any man’s heart. Man hating songs seem to keep coming out, and “Obsessed,” is no exception, while still refreshing with its smart and unexpected lyrics. The song is about some crazy, love-stricken stalker that is infatuated with Mariah. With lyrics like, “Got you all fired up with your Napoleon complex, seeing right through you like you’re bathing in Windex,” might just be directed at another very popular artist. Eminem is rumored to be this mystery man that Mariah Carey based her vengeful song after his bitter release of “Bagpipes from Baghdad.” Although Eminem is not known to have a goatee, the video did depict many of his signature mannerisms and qualities. Watching the music video may have made it a little more apparent although the director of the video, Brett Ratner, insists that as far as he knows, the song is not about Eminem. Either way this song is super hot and worth a listen. Take a look at the video below and judge for yourself, but viewer beware, being obsessed with Mariah may have its repercussions!