dreams are real, all you have to do is believe.

happy fall everyone!

i know it's been a minute in a half since i've posted, but the school year has officially started! meetings, classes, hanging out with friends - it's reminding me how blessed i am to have such a rich college experience like this. over the last few days, i've witnessed so many of my friends have their dreams come to reality and i thought it would only be right to highlight them. it's also allowed me to put in perspective my own dreams and aspirations, and what steps i need to take in order to achieve them. so without further lining, here we go!

first and foremost, my home-girl Aryn Terry was chosen as one of six young women to be Torrid's House of Dreams winners! she has been granted the opportunity to go to LA at the end of October to participate in a number exciting fashion events put on by Torrid. You can check out her blog emBODY beauty, she is such a beautiful spirit...congrats love!

as many of your fashionable people know, last night started glorious Fashion Week in NYC (one of my dreams is to attend, and I will be going in the near future) and i have the privilege of knowing SO many awesome journalism and fashion students and SU alumni who are down there doing their thing. with too many to name, just know that you are totally an inspiration to me and many others who hope to live that dream some day.

and for my final thought, I recently put out there that i have a very achievable goal that i want to reach by my 22nd birthday (january 18th, 2011 my friends) and by putting that out in the atmosphere for the very first time in my life, i'm starting to see it come true. i've become more conscious about the things that i do put in my body and while i do have a slip-up every now and again, i'm really set on becoming the better person that i want to be. my "quest for 22" will be not mainly about slimming down a few dress sizes, but my growth and maturity over the next four months. i'm so excited for what is to come, and i thank God for the opportunity to be able to continue to share my story and learn from those around me.

and i promise, i will do my best to post at least twice a week to keep you all updated. :)

☮ and ♥, 

-*csc.

¡bienvenidos a madrid!

hi everyone!

so i've been in a madrid for a week and i must say that it has been a good experience so far. so many things are different over here, from the Metro system, to the ciestas in the middle of the day. I really want to be able to tell my story though pictures. below are just a few sights that we've seen thus far...

 la plaza de neptuno (above) ; the king's palace (below)

el sol (2nd above) ; kilometer zero (above)

i'm loving the lifestyle over here and how relax it is from the united states. i'm also learning a lot from my personality psych and business classes about the culture and society here in madrid. 

i'll update with more sites & sounds of madrid when i can!

¡ciao bella!

-*csc.

ohemgee - i can't.

i have no words for these shoes that shaunie o'neal wore for her essence photo shoot.

just...wow.

i have got to get me a pair, immediately.

-*csc.

**flyness alert! : beyonce knowles-carter

i haven't hit up the blog with a "flyness alert" in a while--so here it goes!

check out this red, flirty look from beyonce at the press conference for her new fragrance "heat". i haven't smelled the perfume yet, but i'm sure it gives off a very spicy and sensual smell.

what i'm really loving about this ensemble is the SHOES! i really never thought about a red+gold combo, but WOW it really works! gotta find some knock-offs quick! *lol* the dress is absolutely adorable, and i'm sure would look amazing in a variety of other colors.

work it queen bey.

-*csc.

get ready to carrie on :: sex in the city 2

ok, so before seeing the first installment of the sex in the city movies, i have to admit - i really wasn't a fan of the show. but my friends reassured me that you really didn't have to watch the show to understand the movie. so i watched it...and LOVED it! i'm so excited for the new movie to come out this summer - [hopefully i will be able to see it over in espana] but anyway, below is the trailer. i'm SO not surprised that "empire state of mind" is the theme song, i just hope after this movie it will die down a little bit (#noshots)

enjoy!

-*csc.

it just keeps getting better : dell presents OPI colored laptops

the dell inspiron 15 in OPI's "princesses rule!"

ladies, remember when we were younger and how much we loved to play in your mom's nail polishes? painting each of our tiny little nails a different color because we were so fascinated with how sparkly each shade was. now, we've got the chance to bring that dream to life.

dell has teamed up with OPI (the nail polish giant) to create a line of beauty-inspired laptop designs. i must say, i am a little jelly because i have a mac and i would love to have my computer be the same color as my nails - that's super freshness ^ infinity. with 26 different designs, all colors are traditional OPI nail shades, like green-wich village, teal the cows come home, big apple red, and my personal fave, princesses rule!

it's so cool that technology is advancing so much that companies like dell are allowing customers to personally characterize their appliances, and the collabo with OPI just shows that companies now days are starting to venture outside of their own realms, and initiating expansion for their own repertoire.

log onto http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/design_studio/en/us/design_studio?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs to check out the many different cool colors that are offered. it's an additional $65 to specific OPI color of your choice. this just goes to show that our lives truly to revolve around technological advances, and it's only going to continue from here.

-*csc.

**flyness alert! : gabrielle union

i love this chick's fashion sense. we're bffs *in my mind* & there have been a few times where people have told me i resemble her (maybe, just a lil' bit - lol). you can never go wrong with a little black dress, and she spiced it up with a skinny yellow belt and clutch. love the shoes too!


gabby is pictured here at a hennessy black event, holding her own & looking fab.

i'm tryna get like her one day soon ~ work it girl!


-*csc.

**flyness alert! : taraji p. henson

happy tuesday!

let me just say that i <3 taraji and i would TOTALLY rock this look *if y'all can't tell by now, gray is one of my all-time favorite colors* her hair is BEAT too -- work it honee!

i'm so going out shopping to find a similar look for this winter :)

-*csc.

sneaker heels - where they do that at?!

no need for explanation, just know that i would rock these in a lovely pink & black combo.

-*csc.

**flyness alert! : raven symone

happy monday everyone!

i hope that everyone had a productive weekend. while i was occupied with chills and body aches saturday & sunday, i had the chance to get some well needed r&r and now my motor is up and running once again for this exciting week that lies ahead.

so as i was doing my rounds on my fave celeb blogs, i could help but go ga-ga over this dress that raven-symone wore to the United Nations event in New York City this weekend. She looked absolutely amazing in her aphrodite roland mouret dress. the retail value of this piece is $1,550.

The media has given her so much flack on being curvy in recent years, but i think that she is absolutely gorgeous in this piece.

my fashionistas, you can find this and other roland mouret dresses at your local neiman marcus, or online at www.neimanmarcus.com.


classy & sophisticated - that's SO raven. ;-)

-*csc.

**flyness alert! : jpk handbags

so while i was waltzing down marshall street today i decided to walk into j.michael's and see what window shopping i could take care of. shoes - cute; uggs - always fresh; but to feed my handbag fetish, i strolled into the vera bradley section and didn't see anything appetizing. and then, just as i was walking out of the store, there it was. this beautiful burnt orange hand bag that was just softly saying, "chas, pick me up. put me over your shoulder." of course, i listened, and then took a peek at that young price tag.

JPK handbags are totally inspired by their creator, Jean-Pierre Klifa and his creative ability to put together material, color and form. i had never heard of JPK handbags before today, but taking a look at the spring/summer collection from this year, i am totally sold. his handbag fashions have been featured in InStyle, Self, & People magazines. what captures my attention so much about these lovely bags is that they are so vibrant and colorful, while at the same time, very fashionable and can be worn all year round. with the variety of colors, you can rock the brown & burnt orange in the fall, and break out the bright pink and green for the spring time.

while at the moment it is a bit steep and out of my reach, i am HIGHLY certain that bad ass handbag will be traveling back to the chi with me come december. it will be my gift to myself after kicking butt this semester. jpk hangbags run about $165 - $245, and my fave style, sasha nylon, would be the most expensive * go figure * but j.michael breaks you off a little bit on that price.


check out their website and holler back.



(*baggatt - terra, $220)



(*bucket nylon maxi - hot pink, $187)



(*sasha nylon - burnt orange, $245)

http://www.jpkhandbags.com/index.php

-*csc.

**flyness alert! : iman

happy friday everyone! i'm going to get better at posting more now that midterms are over *wipes forehead* lol.

i hope everyone is having a fantastic day thus far. but i just had to stop in and give y'all this amazing look that supermodel Iman fantastically downed at Alicia Keys' "Keep A Child Alive" HIV/AIDS benefit dinner (sidenote: know your status, get tested!)

she looked absolutely beautiful in this one shoulder shimmery cocktail dress. *once i find out the designer, i will be glad to share it with you!* i'm actually in search for a little black dress myself, and while i know this one is probably out of my budget, i would love to rock something just as fly.

hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

ciao bella,

-*csc.

**flyness alert! : robin givens

happy friday to all! i hope that everyone's day has started productive and eventful. as i stated before, my blog is going to be focused on fashion, music, dance & art *and of course side bars every now and then from yours truly* and i just love when i see ensembles that i would SO have in my closet.

check out robin givens at an event sponsored by Marshall's for Domestic Violence Awareness month. she looks fantastic from head to toe! i know i'm california dreaming, but maybe i should look into going to grad school out west so i can wear fab outfits like this on the regular. i have got to find out who her dress is by and what shoes she is wearing ASAP. love the look!


-*csc.

Love or Lust? You Decide.

i <3 christian louboutin. but seeing as i am a broke college student, i can only window shop for now. i was surfing the net & saw rihanna rocking the HELL out of these shoes. please believe, i would wear these everyday if i didn't go to a school that was inhabited with hills. at retail, these pigalle 100 studded beauties are $995. yep, that's only a semester's worth of tuition, and maybe a little bit more.

-*csc.

Don't Call it a Comeback....

I'm so glad that there is now such a quick turn around for episodes of television shows to be put on the internet. I watched both part one & two of Whitney Houston's interview with Oprah (via necolebitchie.com) and I must say that Whitney is story is both compelling, heart wrenching and inspiring. It is truly amazing how God has worked in her life and it just further encourages me to keep living my dreams and no matter what road that we may travel, God will always be there to protect us and lead us not into that temptation. And even when we may fall into those traps, He is always there to deliver us from the evils of this world. I am soo glad that Mama Whit-Whit is back!!!

Check out her new video, "Million Dollar Bill", which was produced by the talented Alicia Keys. It's sooo classic Whitney, i love it.



-*csc.

*untitled*

I've totally be neglecting my blog, but the school year has kicked in full force and I can only anticipate the weekend. I've been thinking what spin I could take on my blog; if I just wanted to focus on certain aspects like fashion, music, or art - but i think i'm just gonna keep it the way that it is a focus on it all. Today, I heard one of my favorite artist's new joint, and let me just say that I cannot wait until this young lady drops her new LP. She did her thang at the VMAs the other evening (sans being interrupted by someone on stage during her performance - *rolls eyes*) but it's all good! Her red carpet look was also very stunning. i hope that my school gets wise enough to throw out the bread to bring her for MayFest ;-)

Check out Alicia Keys' new single, "Doesn't Mean Anything"