FASHION AT THE GRAMMYs 2014: The Goods, The Not So Good and the Uglys

So last night, I kept my eyes glued to my TV screen to enjoy every bit of the Red Carpet moment at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles; well...since I could not make myself available in Los Angeles, lest I'd be mistaken for Brandy or Kerry Washington, like it was reported they did with Dencia dolled up like/as Nicki Minaj, I have cooked up this review based on what I first saw on TV and later looked closely into from several images plaguing the internet.

Itching to say, I am not very impressed by the stylish-not-so-stylish representations from the Grammys this year...or could it be that the Grammys is losing its higi-haga and people are no longer willing to make the effort to look just as great? or my dear celebrities are simply losing style? I am not sure.  So, straightaway, from the pool of not so great, I have painstakingly managed to fish out the goods, the not so good and the worst dressed (this did not take time) from an evening usually associated with style and expected to be remarkable.

Whilst I am going to leave the bulk of the 'yabbings' to Emmy Collins - trust me, he is the professional at this, you! my dearest reader will get to do the scoring on a scale of 0 -10, starting with Pharrell Williams owing me 10 points in that thing that is apparently 'wearing him'.


Worst Dressed:

Pharrell Williams (-10/10)

Every child begins the world again

Art makes you creative and feel wonderful about the world. What more if this art is from a childlike wonder like we encourage at Blue Frog Academy? It is pure joy.
Thus, our inspiring poem at the Academy reads:

The world is one big art picture
You are a gifted creature
A canvas given
To make this a haven
You are Nature’s curator
A gifted co-creator.

At Blue Frog Academy, a creative art school for 3 to 17 years old persons, we believe that great art does not come from crayons, charcoals or smoke as Salvador Dali delicately paints with but from the artists’ knowledge bank, emotions and the mastery of tools and techniques. Thus, we carefully guide our rich curriculum to provide engaging opportunities for the children to express themselves with like minds, work using different media, and a platform (called ‘Live Project’) for making their talents work for them – where children can develop their skills for financial gains. Correspondingly, we teach parents how to manage their children’s talents.

We certainly also understand how serious playtime is for a child. Of course, we play hard at the Academy too – making soft toys, flying kites, throwing a Mardi Gras party, face painting, singing off key at karaoke contests and other creative play.

And the January 2014 "Power Image Personality" Award goes to...

the 36 years old extremely talented, Emmy nominated, television and film candy - Kerry Washington.

Married to former American Football Cornerback - Nnamdi Asomugha with Nigerian parents, Kerry was born in The Bronx in New York City to African American and Jamaican American parents.

Only very unique people wear their wristwatches on their right hand, brand ambassador for Movado and New Face of Neutrogena 2013, Kerry was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts by the George Washington University, her alma mata.  Not only is she listed and ranked No. 20 by Forbes on their annual list of the highest paid actors in television, she was also ranked No. 2 on People Magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful people and named Woman of the Year by Glamour magazine.

Here’s Kerry Washington’s filmography with some from all of her notable outstanding awards and nominations

Exclusive Interview with Fine Jeweller - MINA STONES

Indeed there is a world of difference between Beads and Stones.  BlondeDolly© shares this exclusive interview held with Fine Jeweller, Lotanna Amina Egwuatu - the brain behind the gems MINA STONES. Lotanna Amina Egwuatu holds a Bachelors degree in Engineering from Covenant University and a Masters of Science degree from Lancaster University, United Kingdom. Currently living in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria - Abuja, BlondeDolly© caught up with the beautiful designer of the statement pieces that has since been garnering interests home and abroad since her official launch in April 2012.

Read on for The Whole Shebang with MINA STONES. 

How did you become interested in gemstones and get into making jewellery?

I’ve always been fascinated with stones and the fact that man didn’t create them. I always thought God has blessed us with so much beauty in the things that surround us, I am talking nature. I played around with “stones” when I was much younger but became really creative with them in my teen years. I once created necklaces and earrings made from sea shells for my friends back in undergraduate school. I also once changed the strap of my Swatch wrist watch to beads and people kept asking me where I got it from and thought it was really unique (even Swatch didn’t have watches with beads/stones at that time).

It wasn’t until my final year that I decided that I could actually make money out of my creativity or hobby really. I have never for once thought of what I do as work or as chore, rather, I’m more relaxed when I play around with my stones. MINA STONES officially started April 2012 and has grown so much since then. It has been a lot of learning, growing and still is. 

Can you walk me through the steps you took to where you are today?

I started off with a mina stones blog, which received a lot of attention and got people talking about my designs. I had to take some time off to go and do “my homework” and learn more about what I had grown to love – that is, stones. My blog got me a scholarship to take courses at the world’s renowned school of gemology, Gemological Institute of America. There I learned a whole lot and also, the courses relating to business I had taken from my Masters degree in the UK also helped a lot. I have since then participated at exhibitions in the United Kingdom (in Lancaster), Washington DC, Kenya, Ethiopia and of course Nigeria. I showcased at the Ages of Fashion Show at the Hilton in September 2012 and got a lot of positive attention following that. I am no master of my art and business yet, but I am well on my way!

BlondeDolly© World Class Skin Nourishing Essentials

I do not know any other person other than myself that is most informed about my skin and what goes into it, topically or orally – even my qualified dermatologist and doctors can agree. 

As much as I am adventurous with away spa treatments, plus turning my bath into a beauty temple with many of my special homemade DIY treats including real chocolate, I do have a strict beauty regimen; If not for the other vain purposes, which really is an appreciated part of the perks, but also for the sensitive nature of my skin.

Pushing all of these aside, I am just an unusual skin fanatic, constantly researching into beauty products, treatments, ingredients, uses, benefits and also scares. In my opinion, the health of your skin can define you and project an image about you. So what image would you rather project?

Win The War with simple Bra and Pant!

Okay! Even I am chuckling on this post title, but really, it can be that simple. Not that I have the men species all figured out, or I am an expert of some related field, but for the purpose of the information contained herein, let me just be your overnight tutor – I got this! (wink)

So yesterday, while I went lingerie shopping for and with a newly married friend of mine in Central London, and together we were picking the sexiest colour matching bras and pants for her, my eye caught this beautiful short night dress (it was a pale gold-like nude colour, very soft silk fabric with rich lace details in the most provocative of places, yet leaving a lot to imagination – call it the perfect teaser!) My friend exclaimed, haa! Dolly baby, these are special ‘ammunition and wisdom tools’ you bring to the battle ground especially when your man starts doing ‘sege sege’ (behaving funny), or there is a communication opening or gap in your relationship, or you just want to show your man you (still) got game or you want to hold and enjoy his attention, or you want to make another huge crazy requests or there has been a quarrel and you want to settle things in a ‘different’ way or you just would rather a naughty evening. My poor dad! Little wonder why my mom over time, even at her relatively older age, invests largely in Ann Summers, Victoria’s Secrets and the likes – it works… Poor men, good looking underwear is even a weapon! Aren’t we female folks lucky?

It was only few days earlier that I had also been in the middle of a conversation with a married elderly couple with four children and a courting couple, and the married ‘elderly’ woman was sharing with us all a recent experience she once had with her husband when he took her lingerie shopping: