We know you have probably received a slew of invitations, from work functions to Friendsmas to New Year's Eve. This year, we want to challenge you to go for luxe looks by wearing fabrics like velvet, sequin and metallic. These textures and colors are synonymous with luxury because they are timelessly royal. When it comes to holiday functions, whether it's professional or play, end the year strong in outfits that make you feel and look good.
Gentle reminder: it's time to carefully apply pressure. We have styled six looks to help you do just that. *in my best Billy Porter voice* The category is... LIVE, WERK, POSE!
The category is: Suited & Booted
Writer Joce Blake
Photography by: Charlie B Photography
They say, "You make plans and God laughs," and that often happens to me when I have a vision for an outfit, order pieces, and then they don't arrive for my event. Just call me the queen of remixing. Take this look, for example. I paired a sequin mini dress I copped from Zara with one of my favorite plaid suits. The chicness of the top makes it perfect for the holiday and the suit provides a clean aesthetic. You can easily take this look from day to night.
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The category is: The Jumpsuit
Writer Joce Blake
Photography by: Charlie B Photography
By nature, jumpsuits create a polished silhouette. They are picture-perfect for curvy girls because they keep you snatched in all the right places. A jumpsuit is all you need to turn heads at the cocktail party. Velvet will never go out of style so whether you choose a jumpsuit or a dress, you're in good company.
I went for clear PVC heels because they are on trend but you should make sure you wear comfortable shoes in case you end up dancing the night away.
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The category is: Sequin Realness
Writer Joce Blake
Photography by: Charlie B Photography
No holiday listicle is complete without sequin, so I made sure to give you tons of it. You can't get more festive than head to toe sparkles. This look is ideal for New Year's Eve – light up the night in the colorful crop top and contrasting skirt. When choosing accessories, I thought yellow tassel earrings would take the contrasting to another level.
If you're looking for a sparkly, multi-dimensional look, go with this number.
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The category is: LBD x The Pop of Color
Writer Joce Blake
Photography by: Charlie B Photography
Little Black Dresses are the unsung heroes of the holiday season. The fashion staple never lets us down, no matter the occasion. Some refer to it as the Little Boring Dress but we know how to give it life. It's simple: add a pop of color with your accessories. If you hadn't noticed, popping pink is one of the colors you should be wearing this season.
This specific LBD also has some extra panache with the pronounced sequins and fringe at shoulders. I fell in love with the front ruching and its smoothing effect.
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The category is: Hey Goldmember!
Writer Joce Blake
Photography by: Charlie B Photography
Popular opinion: slip dresses are lit. Dress it up with a tuxedo jacket and snakeskin boots to bring haute fashion to your soiree. You can transform the 90s-styled frock in many ways, from layering it with a structured top to keeping it simple with strappy sandals. And the alluring aspect of the slip dress is archetypal for the night out on the town.
It should come as no surprise that I rounded up three different trends – a slip dress, oversized blazer, and snakeskin boots. For some sauce, I even added a pearl hair pin on the lapel of the blazer. Issa lewk, sis.
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The category is: Maximize the Maxi
Writer Joce Blake
Photography by: Charlie B Photography
Maxi dresses + over the knee boots + fur stoles = winter fun for the fashion fiend. Save the drama for your outfits by wearing a glamorous maxi dress. Cold weather doesn't equate to covering up so show some skin with a daring high-slit and neckline. The faux suede boots provide an elemental feature creating perfect balance with the dress and stole. If you're attending a fancy dinner, turn up the heat in this getup.
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Boohoo Boutique Sequin Plunge Maxi Dress, $36
JustFab Mariam Heeled Over The Knee Boot, $33
Location: The Forum at Fitzsimons | Denver, CO
Photography by: Charlie B Photography
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While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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The first time I did it, I was among a group of ladies and we were encouraged to write down our feelings in our journals. Afterwards, we huddled around and one by one burned our pages with some ladies even revealing what they wrote. It was a beautiful moment and a great way to support each other.
The second time I did burn journaling, I was by myself. I was reading Calling In The One and one of the practices involved writing down the things I wanted to let go of and burning it. I had Cleo Sol’s “Know That You Are Loved” playing in the background on repeat while I burned the pages in my apartment bathroom.
What Does Burn Journaling Do?
Based on my experience and others' explanations, burn journaling is a cathartic practice. The act of burning serves as an emotional release of past traumas, old thoughts, and negative feelings. It’s also a way to say goodbye and/ or forgive.
Types of Burn Journaling
There are different examples of burn journaling: Burning journals after writing, burning letters and burning lists.
Burn Journals
As stated before, you can write in a journal and burn it afterwards. It’s up to you if you burn it page by page or wait until you fill the journal up and burn it altogether. There are journals you can buy for the sole purpose of burning them afterwards.
Maskot/ Getty Images
Burn Lists
This technique involves writing a list of things you want to let go of and then burning it. Burning the list symbolizes the release of those things.
Burn Letters
Another example are burn letters. For this technique, you write a letter to someone that you either want to forgive or let go of, but instead of sending it to them, you burn it.
Safety Precautions
If you do decide to try this practice, make sure to be safe. Use a fireproof bowl for burning and never leave it unattended. Alternatively, you can shred the pages.
If you’re in Atlanta and want to try burn journaling, meet me this Sunday for Burn Journaling & Walk.
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