When the temperatures rise, my favorite thing to wear is are dresses! Pretty, flirty, fabulous dresses! They’re so girly, so chic!  Over the weekend was the perfect time for me to rock my fave frock of the moment: this vibrant blue Prabal Gurung for Target number I scored during their pre-NYFW carnival themed event! I also scored these fun printed shorts! (Ne-Yo performed and we all had a ball chompin’ on cotton candy!) I’ve worn this dress 3 times and it’s always a treat! I’m so in love with the bold electric blue! It’s by far one of my fave colors to wear.

On this day I rocked this sporty dress with matching Zara heels and a vintage clutch. The white from the clutch acted as a nice buffer amidst all the bright hues. Of course I had to finish off the look with gold jewelry, including lots and lots of cool rings from Thats Foxy! Oh and I’m rocking a fun curly ‘do (its a wig! : ).

Prabal Gurung for Target dress -sold out- (similar here and here)

Zara Strappy heels 

Vintage clutch (similar here)

Duru Olowu for JCPenney umbrella -sold out-

That’s Foxy rings (middle 4)

Vintage ring (left)

H&M ring (right)

-xoxo-

Joy

Captured by Aisha Ude

I was so thrilled when one of my new fave European brands, SuperTrash, asked me to be in their Summer 2013 magazine issue as one of their 3 favorite style bloggers! Here is my feature! So excited to be on the front page. I love their mag, they have the coolest articles and such a fresh point of view. I’ve been a fan of SuperTrash ever since last Fall when they opened there new boutique in Soho. I attended the opening and also had the pleasure of interviewing SuperTrash founder, the gorg Olcay Gulsen for Huffington Post!

Check out my mag interview below where I give shoutouts to my stylish mom and also my mentor, Constance White. Btw for those who are wondering, the word “trash” in Europe is slang for chic! Totally different from what we’re used to here in the US!

Hope you like my feature! Special thanks to Ernest Bannister and Michael Gigante of La Force & Stevens and the entire SuperTrash fam! You guys rock : )

All clothing: SuperTrash/Gold Heels: YSL/Colorblock Strappy Heels: Rachel Roy

-xoxo-

Joy 

Spring has been in full effect for quite some time but there are those pesky days when the temperature drops and you scramble for what to wear. That was yesterday. All of my fun, newly retrieved from storage Spring swag has been taking up room in my closet and then just like that, time to layer it up all over again! Thankfully, I had a Joe Fresh neoprene jacket and Bebe skinny jeans (a gift from our NYFW collabo) on hand. I added some Bebe cap toe boots (another cool gift!) and then looked in the mirror and felt bored. When this happens, one of two things must occur. Either I change the outfit completely or I simply add on lots of bold accessories to wake up the look! I was pressed for time so I chose the later. I grabbed a colorful statement necklace I got in a random no-name jewelry store in Soho, a leopard turban, H&M round frame sunnies, and one of my newest additions: a gifted yellow leather and exotic skinned Khirma Eliazov clutch! All set! Whew, another outfit saved from boredom. Amen! Next time your rushed look comes up a bit flat, try adding some of your fave bold accessories. It works every time!

Joe Fresh neoprene jacket/Bebe skinny jeans & boots/Khirma Eliazov leather and exotic skinned clutch/H&M sunglasses

Beauty: MAC Magenta liner under Make Up Forever #36 lipstick (my all time fave combo!)

-xoxo-

Joy Adaeze

Captured by Ashley Naomi

Mother’s Day this year was the best! Here I am with my mom in NJ after church. She’s wonderful : )

My boyfriend Obi came too! We had a great time yesterday, the three of us! I’m wearing a Prabal Gurung for Target dress, Zara heels and a Joe Fresh bag!

My mom’s two outfits! Narciso Rodriguez for DesignNation colorblock dress and a vintage bag, then later a denim on denim look! She’s such a fashion gal : )

I had a great time interviewing celeb hair stylist Ursula Stephen at her new salon opening in BK! She’s so fab : ) Check out our full interview here. I’m wearing a Joe Fresh denim shirt, Versace for H&M skirt and a silk turban (a prototype from my upcoming line!). Ursula’s rocking Givenchy!

I love this detail shot captured by photog Aisha Ude!

These Kate Spade limited edition polka dot nail decals were a life saver that day. Took literally 10 minutes to do and were so fun! Thanks Kate Spade team : )

I had a few faves from this years MET (Miley, Cameron) but SJP’s Philip Treacy mohawk headpiece took the cake! Amazing!

Dandy Life! I Instrammed this on Throwback Thursday! It’s from my 5 Day Style Feature in AfriPop Mag last April! See what I wore the other 4 days here!

It was a rainy day last Thursday but I kept it cute with my fave bow boots from Loehmanns!

Had a blast at the Heineken party last Thursday with my bf! It took place at a secret location that we had to get to by boat. The venue was this huge building where they shoot movies in Brooklyn. We had such a good time! I’m wearing an H&M laser cut peplum top and skirt with Zara heels and a vintage clutch!

Stay tuned for next week’s Insta-roundup!

-xoxo-

Joy 

Givenchy dress, Christian Louboutin heels

Yesterday, I attended the grand opening of my favorite hair stylist, Ursula Stephen’s new salon in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. In her 15+ year career, Ursula has worked with a number of celebrities including Kerry Washington, Michelle Williams, Keyshia Cole, and most notedly, Rihanna. The Brooklyn native who created a plethora of iconic styles for Ri is also the most down to earth gal you could ever meet. I love her personality! I first met Ursula last year at fellow hairstylist, Keith Campbell’s book signing and then later at NV Magazine’s event this year, where Ursula was honored along with my friend Ty Hunter for their amazing work in the entertainment industry. I had a chance to do a quick interview with Ursie on the red carpet and it was a blast! She talked about which hair stylists she admires, who she’d like to get her hands on next, and what inspiration she took from Tyra Banks’ Americas Next Top Model when planning her new salon. Here’s our fun filled convo!

JoyLovesFashion: Hi Ursula! So great to see you. I see you’re very excited!

Ursula Stephen: Hi! Yes, I’m excited in a calm way. I’m surprised.

JLF: Congratulations on the salon!

US: Thank you, thank you!

JLF: Who are you wearing today?

US: Today I’m wearing Givenchy, honey. All white! I’m praying I get through at least two hours of this event without anything happening [to my dress]!

JLF: You look beautiful!

US: Thank you!

JLF: Who in the hair industry do you really admire? Who have you always looked up to?

US: I absolutely look up to Edris and Ted Gibson. Two reasons, Edris, I will cry! (her voice cracks.) I look up to her because she was in the meat packing district long before any businesses were there. So, that mean’s she’s smart. And I think she was there for like over 10 years. And she’s a Caribbean black woman! Ted Gibson, too because he has become a house hold name. And not only is he a household name but he’s a stylist that is absolutlely diverse. He does black hair, white hair, all types of hair! I know people look at me like that. And, you know, he’s big: salons here, doing tv shows! He’s definately a mentor to me. Also, [I admire] the everyday hairstylist that’s in the salon till 2 in the morning, because I was absolutely that stylist. So, I look up to them as well becasue for you to do that, you gotta love it. You have to absolutely love it.

JLF: So you mentioned in an interview that you want to have your salon be sort of like a training salon, like America’s Next Top Model, where Tyra “trains” her models. Tell me more about that.

US: Yes, absolutely. Not necesarily the whole thing but I want to incorporate that training aspect. A lot of girls look at me or they look at other stylists in the industry and they want to do freelance, but they don’t know the behavior to be on set. So if you’re gonna be in my salon we’re gonna do amazing photo shoots. Everybody’s going to have an opportunity to do a photo shoot and put their picture up in the window and at the end of the day, they’re going to end up building a book. So in that way, you know what I mean? That’s just one aspect of other plans that I have in mind for the salon.

JLF: That’s amazing! And it’s so much needed in our community to have people like you who are really mentoring and guiding. People don’t really know how to get to where you are. It’s so important that you’re doing that.

US: And I feel like growing up, people don’t ever tell you that you “Oh, you can be a hairstylist” or you can be anything with a trade. People don’t do that. Your parents and family always push on you to be a doctor or a lawyer or whatever it is, but I never even thought I could be a hairstylist. So, I want to be that person to let them know you can do that and be a success and turn it into a career.

JLF: That’s wonderful! And kind of like me, I was in school to be a doctor. My parents are Nigerian…

US: Oh, yeah, honey! You was going to school! You was going to school!

JLF: And I’m a stylist and blogger and that was always my thing and now I’m living that so it’s definitely not something we are taught to do.

US: But you’re happy, right?

JLF: I’m so happy! This is like who I am, you know!? So, I’ve got to ask: what is your personal style? Who do you love to wear?

US: First of all, I like to be comfortable, bottom line. I need to be comfortable. And I’m not that kind of person who goes and says I wanna wear Gucci or Louis. I really wear what looks good. I know the shapes that work on me and things like that but I’m not a name person. I just like comfort and what look good! I do like labels, honey! Mama love her labels, but I also understand how to pair high end and low end. I’m that Forever 21 girl with Louboutin shoes on all day! I don’t care. I don’t really look for a trend, I set my own trends and wear what I like.

JLF: Tonight is also Rihanna’s concert, which I’ll be going to after this. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it was on the same night as your event. I know that you guys have always been in sync and it was like meant to be!

US: Yes we are, all the time! I thought that too! And I said, you know what, this happened for a reason! Everything happens for a reason. Hopefully she’ll slide through early, if not we are definitely hanging out afterwards.

JLF: You’ve done amazing work with Rihanna and have also worked with many other celebs. Who else would you love to get your hands on?

US: I would love to do Anne Hathaway’s hair and I’ve been tweeting at her “Go blond, go blond” and she went blond yesterday for the MET Ball and I was like, I’m gonna do her hair one day! I would love to do Anne Hathaway’s hair one day for sure.

JLF: I saw your tweet! That’ll be great. Please do Anne Hathaway’s hair!

US: Yeah!

[Laughter]

JLF: Thank you so much! This was great.

US: Thank you and thanks for coming!

****************

Ursula was awesome! You will definitely be seeing more of her here on JoyLovesFashion. We will do another in depth interview on camera in the near future, so stay tuned!

The event was a huge success. I love the location of the salon and you can feel the love as soon as you walk inside. While there, I ran into some fellow bloggers: Gabriel of Stuff Fly People Like, Christina Brown of Love Brown Sugar, and designer extraordinaire LaQuan Smith! Check out my iPhone pics and more images of Ursula’s new salon below!

I went casual-cool in a Joe Fresh denim shirt & bag, Versace for H&M skirt, Zara heels and a turban from my upcoming turban line! (It’s a prototype, made of 100% silk).

Gabe and I attempting a mirror selfie!

Christina and I rocking our gorg brown skin!

Kisses with LaQuan! Muah!

Some of Ursula’s epic covers!

Sweet note from RiRi!

One of the two Vogue covers Ursie did with Ri. Sick : )

Ran into this blue haired beauty! She is one of the hair stylists who will be working at Ursula’s salon.

The scene outside. Epic night! Many, many congrats to you, Urse! Wishing amazing things for you in this gorgeous salon!

Ursula Stephen The Salon

66 Lafayette, Brooklyn, NY  11216

   (Between S. Elliot Place & S. Portland Avenue)

-xoxo-

Joy

Nothing like a gorgeous sunny day to put you in a good mood! I’m loving the weather today! It’s total perfection. Definitely a day for shorts and a tee, so I whipped out my brand spankin’ new Prabal Gurung for Target printed shorts (the color on this makes my heart skip a beat! Yeow!), Zara tee and my fave leopard YSL heels! I always treat animal prints (leopard, cheetah, etc) like neutrals and the results are amazing. They spice it up, every time. The secret weapon of this look comes by way of my Forever 21 statement necklace. Like, why not throw a bold piece like this over a tee?! Legendary. You can literally change the game lol. But, really it’s a great play on casual-cool style. Oh and these Nigerian leather beaded bracelets? They are a tad different than my other staples and I’ve had them for waaaay longer. My grandmother gave me these when I was 10 when she came to America for the first time. I was living in Houston then (H-Town!!!). They are very, very special to me and very delicate- hand beaded. I love their vibrant splash of hues.

Back to the Prabal shorts!! Now, that Prabal sure knows how to throw a party! I attended the launch for his Target line back in February, the day before NYFW and I had a blast. It was carnival themed and Ne-Yo performed! Plus…we got to shop the new collection before it came out in stores. I got these shorts, a blazer, this sporty blue dress I wore Day 1 NYFW, and a pretty-pretty blouse. Love ya, Prabal : )

-xoxo-

Joy 

Captured by Ashley Naomi

My reading material for the day: the May issue of Bazaar, my obsession. Go Gwyneth! 

Stay tuned below for today’s style recipe!

Boyfriend’s shirt/Forever 21 skirt/H&M scarf/Vintage necklace & clutch (my mom’s!)/Urban Outfitters shades/South Moon Over bangles (old)

Today’s Style Recipe: The Boyfriend Shirt

What You’ll Need:

-Your boyfriend/gay BFF/brother/random dude’s printed shirt! (Or of course, you can just buy one. But stealing’s more fun!)

-A super short mini (extra points if its leather!)

-Statement jewelry (pick one place to highlight, today I did bangles!)

-Chic flats

-Equally chic shades

-A pumped up pout! (Today I’m wearing my signature pink: MAC Magenta liner with Makeup Forever #36 on top!)

Why It’s a Fab Look:

You’re playing with proportions, you gorgeous gal! A loose shirt just looks amazing with a super short mini. You’re showin’ a lil leg, having some fun! And the flats tone down the sexy just a tad! Rock on!

I’d love to see how you rock your bf shirt ‘n skirt combo! Tag me on Instagram #joylovesfashionblog so I can peep your look! I’ll shout out my fave! (Oh, btw I am @joy_adaeze on Insta!)

How do you like my new style recipes?

-xoxo-

Joy 

Captured by Ashley Naomi

1. THE WASH

Each day and night, I wash my face with Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover. At night, I start off by taking off my eye makeup with Almay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover Pads, which does a great job of getting rid of even the most stubborn traces of mascara! I’ve been using this for years. Next, I wash my face with the Neutrogena cleanser, which also has makeup remover and gets it nice and clean!

2. TREAT

My skin is also acne prone, so to treat it with Daniel Kern’s Acne.org’s Benzoyl Peroxide Treatment 2.5%. I’ve been using this for about 4 years and it works very well! It’s gentle and also helps get rid of dark marks over time. The only thing is you must be consistent! Thats means using it everyday. Sometimes I forget when I get home super late or just feel lazy! But with consistent use it works wonders and give you a gorgeous clear complexion! About once a week, I use Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Masque and I love this stuff. I first discovered it on a trip to Mexico with my boyfriend in 2011. It’s pretty awesome. The mask works by drying out existing blemishes and also refreshes your skin. I use it at night (but not on the same nights as the acne treatment) and afterwards I apply moisturizer, since the clay can be a bit drying. Definitely worth giving a try!

3. MOISTURIZE YOUR SEXY!

Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate the power of moisturizing. My skin is oily so I used to think I didn’t need to moisturize. Wrong! Moisturizing actually helps keep the extra oil at bay. When skin isn’t properly moisturized, it produces more sebum (your skin’s natural oils) causing it to look greasy. So like Diddy says, “Moisturize your sexy!” Your face will thank you. This is what my morning looks like: after I wash my face with the Neutrogena  cleanser, I wait a couple of minutes, then I apply a thin layer of Dan Kerns acne treatment, wait a couple mins to dry and apply a thin layer of this Up & Up Oil-Free Facial Moisturizing Lotion in SPF 15 from Target. Next, I apply my faveeee (this stuff is seriously awesome) lip balm from Burt’s Bees in Mango Butter. So, so good! And all natural. Afterwards, I use a tiny dot of this Boots Sensitive Hydrating Eye Cream around my eyes. And voila, done! 

What are your skincare staples?

-xoxo-

Joy

]]> http://joylovesfashion.com/wordpress/my-skincare-regiment/feed/ 0 http://joylovesfashion.com/wordpress/bey-hm-mrs-carter-any-questions/ http://joylovesfashion.com/wordpress/bey-hm-mrs-carter-any-questions/#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:27:05 +0000 Joy Adaeze http://joylovesfashion.com/wordpress/?p=5931 Continue reading →]]>

I’ve been obsessed with this video since I saw it yesterday morning so naturally I felt the need t share it with you! Beyonce’s Mrs. Carter collection for H&M looks wonderful: I especially love the tie die bandeau top + high waisted bottom and the blue and white mini dress! Oh and the fab gold earrings that were paired with the black fringe bikini! Yes, yes, yes! They’ll be perfect for my Miami vacay next month. Bey, you’ve done it again! I love the new single and you move with such grace and passion. Special thanks to my big bro Ty Hunter for his amazing work on wardrobe as usual! You’re a beast! Love it all. : )

-xoxo-

Joy 

This is my favorite color combination lately: lemony-yellow and cobalt blue! So striking, so chic. As you may know from my outfit pics, I absolutely love playing with color and lots of it! This Spring and Summer season, you’ll be apt to find me in bold greens, blues, yellows, oranges and a whole plethora of prints!! Gaggles of it! I was on the Zara site today plotting on new conquests! Stay tuned! : )

Today’s look is so cozy: a Joe Fresh sweater and SuperTrash leather skirt, paired with TopShop pumps. This “clutch” is actually an H&M pencil case I picked up last week for $7! Isn’t it just Fab!? It came in a 3 in 1 pack and I’ve been using th smallest one as a mini wallet since. I also love that it’s see-through! Genius. No need to go diggin’ around. 

Had a great time shooting by this gorgeous sculpture in Central Park!

Joe Fresh sweater/SuperTrash leather pencil skirt/TopShop pumps/Shimmer & Bliss scarf/H&M pencil case turned clutch/Versace for H&M bracelet/Forever 21 rings

-xoxo-

Joy

Captured by Ashley Naomi

Makeup by Sisi Nike