SICKA THAN AVERAGE

Different Strokes: Spectrum Bags by Amanda Diva

Former MTV2 veejay and aspiring rapper Amanda Diva has just launched Spectrum Bags, a limited edition line of cotton tote bags featuring hand-painted designs that celebrate hip-hop culture, blackness and Afrocentric fashions. The line consists of five styles (three of which are pictured above), and only six pieces of each style are available — all exclusively at Karmaloop.com.

My absolute favorite is the "Beat Locks Bag," pictured at top, which features a profile view of a smiling brown-skinned lady wearing headphones, with her big, curly, blond Afro bouncing in the wind and a string of musical notes and whimsical swirls floating inside her hair. I love the funky, '80s-style colors Amanda Diva selected for the design, and how it manage to capture the power of music: how those beats and rhymes seep into your bloodstream so you can feel the music reverberating throughout your entire body (all the way to your hair).

The second bag pictured here, the "Boom Bap Bag," meanwhile, features a brighter, more Keith Haring-esque color scheme and, as the name implies, celebrates the old-school, Radio Raheem-style stereo systems with cassette players (in which we'd play our favorite tapes 'til they popped). And lastly, pictured above is the "Royal Fro" bag, which celebrates a black woman's natural beauty and encourages women to rock their Afros with pride and pizzazz (as in, stop patting your weave and decolonize your hair!)

Impressed with Amanda Diva's skills with a paint brush? Then go snatch one of these up before they sell out.

Spectrum Bags by Amanda Diva "The Beat Locks Bag," "The Boom Bap Bag," and "The Royal Fro Bag," $42 each. Visit Karmaloop.com

Love and Happiness: Origins Gloomaway Collection

Summer is supposed to be such a carefree season, filled with hopeful, sunny days filled with promise and romance — and yet, thus far, many of us (particularly those on the East Coast) have been subjected to near daily rain showers and abnormally cool temperatures (wearing sweatshirts and jackets in late June is just eerie!). Add to that the string of heart-wrenching deaths over the last month (Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson (whom I will forever mourn as a devoted, lifelong fan)) and the overall turmoil in the economy, not to mention the daily stresses of working and paying bills, and you have the makings of a pretty sour summer.

But before you go calling this summer a complete wash, remember that happiness lies within you and that it's oftentimes your frame of mind that determines the outcome of various situations and how you feel about them in the end. It may sound like a bunch of hocus pocus to you, but I do believe that positive energy magnetizes equally bright and positive people.

So the question becomes: how do you stay energized when amidst turmoil? How do you maintain an optimistic outlook when you're bogged down with preoccupations? Well, there are a few small ways in which you can alter your mindset. For instance, you can resort to aromatherapy solutions, such as the ones you'll find in Origins' Gloomaway collection. In July, Origins is reintroducing its popular, grapefruit-centered Gloomaway products: the Gloomaway Body Wash and Bubble Bath (a foaming cleanser scented with grapefruit, field mint and sweet orange), the Gloomaway Grapefruit Body-Buffing Cleanser (an exfoliating cleanser which includes crushed apricot seeds), the Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Souffle (a rich body butter made of olive, grape seed, rice bran and apricot kernel oils), and the Gloomaway Grapefruit Bath Bar (a 100% vegetable-based bar soap scented with grapefruit, field mint and sweet orange).

Origins is also adding two new items to the fray: the Gloomaway Body Mist, a light, zesty spray which features all-natural grapefruit, orange, tangerine, and field mint notes, and the Gloomaway Grapefruit Gumballs, which are meant to balance nerves and freshen breath through the combination of orange, grapefruit and mint flavors.

I'm going to focus on the two new goodies since I'm sure that's what most of you are interested in hearing about. If you're a skeptic, he Gloomaway Body Mist will definitely reaffirm your belief in aromatherapy. Spray some on and the sparkling citrus scent will instantly energize your senses (it's like a sip of coffee without the teeth-staining effects). The scent can be a bit overpowering at first, so go easy on the spray. Once the mist settles on the skin, however, the scent becomes way more subtle while still having that revitalizing effect. Now, is it going to make you run through the fields picking flowers while singing "Don't Worry, Be Happy"? No, not quite. But you will feel a little bit more pep, even if only a few hours — and I for one, think that's a worthy investment.

As for the gumballs, they make for a cute gift, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend picking them up over the existing gum products available. For one, I couldn't quite notice any change in my mood or my relaxation levels and, while the grapefruit flavor is pleasant (it's like chewy candy), the gum doesn't freshen your breath as effectively as, say, a Spearmint stick. 

My advice: skip the gum but reach for the Grapefruit Gloomaway Body Mist. Who can't use a bit of sunshine?

Origins Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Mist, $25 for 4 fl. oz.; Gloomaway Grapefruit Gumballs, $5 for 20 gumballs. Available in July at Origins stores and Origins.com

Eberjey Sample Sale in NYC: Get 50-70% Off

Eberjey lingerie manages to exude a flirty femininity that seems completely natural. It's not the in-your-face type of sexiness you'd get from corseted bustiers, push-up bras, and panties with garter belts — this is more of a subdued seductiveness. It's like the difference between wearing bright red lipstick and opting for a lip plumping, slightly sheer, ultra-shiny lip gloss. Plus, not only are Eberjey's pieces simple and pretty, they also tend to be cozy thanks to ultra-soft fabrics — they're the type of items in which you could lounge around while still feeling like the most desirable femme of all.

On Wednesday, July 1st and Thursday, July 2nd, New Yorkers can stock up on some Eberjey bras, panties, pajamas, camis, robes, and chemises at the line's Summer Sample Sale, which will be held at the Shoreham Hotel (33 West 55th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenue). With pieces at 50-70% off, you can fill up you lingerie drawer and not feel the slightest bit of guilt.

Don't miss out on your chance to get a great deal on some key pieces, such as the dainty Natural Woman camisole (pictured at top), the Delirious triangle bralet (a 100% nylon number in pointelle mesh, pictured second from top in fuchsia), and the Lady Godiva chemise (a comfy, 100% modal jersey sleepwear piece, pictured last from top in the green/ivory colorway).

And hey, if you're planning a romantic getaway for the Fourth of July, what better way to make sure you set off your own fireworks?

Eberjey Sample Sale: Wednesday, July 1st (from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Thursday, July 2nd (from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at the Skylight Conference Room at the Shoreham Hotel (33 West 55th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenue, NY NY).

Latest from Make Up For Ever: Glossy Full Couleur Line and New Aqua Eyes Shades

 

If you're a die-hard lip gloss junkie, you've probably tried Make Up For Ever's Glossy Full, a clear, shine-heavy gloss. But, as we move into the era of technicolor makeup (which I personally love), Make Up Forever has adapted accordingly, releasing the new Glossy Full Couleur collection, a virtual rainbow of lip gloss shades with a mirror-like shine.

The Glossy Full Couleur collection consists of 10 shades ranging from nude and light pink to coral, apricot orange, mauve, wine red and purple. Pictured above are the #4 shade, a fuchsia hue, and #3, a neon orange hue. Both glosses deliver a vinyl-like sheen but don't expect the colors to look as bright on your lips as they do in the packaging. Instead, imagine a rather diluted version of the colors, a sheer-like coating for your lips. All that being said, they do look great when applied atop your lipstick (since these particular colors have such a fluorescent tint, I'd suggest staying away from earthy shades and opting for similar colors in matte hues (light pinks, rose colors, and purples for the No. 4, and coral or peachy shades for the No. 3 gloss).

But the most cartwheel-worthy aspect of these glosses, the biggest selling point (at least in my eyes), is the menthol scent, which refreshes your breath and delivers a cool burst to your pout. (Note: this doesn't mean you should bypass the Altoid or the Eclipse gum after chomping on garlic bread or a similarly stinky breath-inducing food).

And the Glossy Full Couleur line is only one of Make Up For Ever's latest releases. In addition to this new collection, the brand introduced five new shades of its best-selling Aqua Eyes liner: #20L (forest green), #21L (dark grey), #22L (grey), #23L (champagne) and #24L (light taupe). What makes these liners so popular is that they stay in place within seconds of application. Once a minute or so elapses, you won't be able to smudge the liner — no matter how much you rub your eyes (or if you find yourself under untimely rain shower).  I actually sat there and tried to sabotage my eye makeup, so as to test the validity of these smudge-proof claims, and I was dumbfounded at how the liner managed to pass every single one of my tests. Now, the tricky part about this is that, if you want to blend your liner, create cat eyes, or diffuse the color, you'll have to act incredibly quickly (you've got 2-3 minutes tops before it sets).

So how does the Aqua Eyes liner yield such results? The liner's unique formula includes: Evaporating Silicon Oils, which make it easy and painless to glide the liner across your eyelids' sensitive skin, but which also evaporate upon contact with the skin, leaving a waterproof pigment; Jojoba Wax, which make the consistency soft and creamy, hence guaranteeing an easy, painless application; and Make Up Forever's patented High Pigment Concentration.

If you're a make-up artist or you want to create really dramatic eye makeup (I'm talking swirls that curl down to your cheekbones, triangle-like shapes, etc.), I can't imagine a better choice.

Make Up For Ever Glossy Full Couleur lip gloss, $19 each; Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes liner in #20L (Forest Green), $17. Available at Sephora.com

Get Ready for Tuesday's Napoleon Perdis Sale on HauteLook.com!

Y'all already know how I feel about Napoleon Perdis products (and, by the way, don't forget to enter the Golden Girl Giveaway for a chance to win a fantastic set that will keep your summer skin glowing). So I'll get down to the nitty-gritty: on Tuesday, June 30th, HauteLook.com will be unveiling its Napoleon Perdis sale, where customers can stock up on blushes, eyeshadows, glosses, mascara and the bets-selling Auto-Pilot Pre-Foundation Primer for bargain prices.

To gain access to the sale, you must become a HauteLook.com member but rest assured: registration is easy and free (plus, as a member, you'll have access to all of HauteLook.com's great sales). The sale only lasts 3 days, so remember the saying about the early bird!

Campin' Out With the New 55DSL x Dim Mak x Ferrino Survival Kit

I'm about as outdoorsy as Shelley Long's character in Troop Beverly Hills, but if I were to go out in the wilderness and camp out, you best believe I'd be traveling in style. I'd like to think I wouldn't be as ridiculous as Jessica Simpson, when she brought her Louis Vuitton purse to the woods in that camping episode of Newlyweds (remember that?), but frankly, I can see myself doing something equally nonsensical! See, I've never gone camping in my entire life — as a city gal, the opportunities to do so haven't exactly poured in over the years but, truth be told, I could never picture myself in some desolate woodsy location, singing around the campfire and swatting bugs away. Maybe I'd camp out for a great outdoors concert. Maybe. And if I did, I'd do so in a tent just like the one pictured above, part of a new "Survival Kit" designed by fashion label 55DSL, Dim Mak Records and Italian tent company Ferrino.

The kit comes in a box designed by Dim Mak's Turbokrapfen and includes: the above-pictured tent (which pops up, so you don't have to worry about complex assembly instructions), a limited-edition 55DSL graphic tee (pictured second from top), and a compilation album (cleverly dubbed "Unnatural Sounds of the Wild") put together by Dim Mak Records.

The inspiration behind the design was the idea of summer music festivals around the globe. Dim Mak founder Steve Aoki and 55DSL Creative Director Andrea Rosso wanted to keep you rockin' out and rockin' fly gear as you awaited some of the summer's biggest outdoor concerts — whether it's Lollapalooza, the Essence Music Festival, the Liverpool Summer Pops Festival, the Reading Festival, Summerfest, or any other major music festival.

Visit 55DSL.com for a list of stores carrying the 55DSL x Dim Max x Ferrino Survival Kit.

R.I.P. Michael Jackson: Long Live the King with Neff's Tribute Tees

Today, I will not start a post with some clever pun or cutesy anecdote. I will not dip into my seemingly endless stash of jokes, nor will I write with my trademark sass. As cliché as it may sound, my heart feels heavy (apparently, sadness, however abstract a concept, does have a weight) — and, seeing as I've always made a point to be truthful with you, my lovely readers, I can't put on a happy face and keep it movin'. Yesterday, we lost the most magnetic, influential, inspiring, charismatic performer of our generation: the great Michael Jackson. And I, like many of his loyal fans, wept — a lot.  Once I overcame the denial stage, batted the shock period, and came to grips with the reality of his passing, a wave of sadness swept over me, pounding my heart mercilessly. The woman in the mirror is very, very sad today...

See, Michael Jackson was so much more than a celebrity to me. He provided the soundtrack for my entire childhood and adolescence. Divorcing these memories from his music is nearly impossible — his voice, his grooves, his style, his being permeated my life. Growing up, there were only two Mikes that mattered: Jordan and Jackson. But it was Michael Jackson who made me (and so many other people of color) feel like we, too, could go beyond race (and the confines of racism) to accomplish our dreams — however ambitious. Michael Jackson managed to make us all want to rock with him. Women (black, white, Asian, and Latino) fainted at his concerts. Boys everywhere emulated his Moon Walk, coveted his white glove, reenacted his "Thriller" dance... His music reached the entire world — and I pray that he knew how profoundly he touched so many of us...

Now, as we mourn this tremendous loss and discuss his incredible legacy, let's focus on the positive aspects of his life. Yes, Mike was troubled (and who isn't?), but we will never truly understand the depths of his own struggles nor will we know how to distinguish fact from fiction and truth from rumor in regards to his personal life. The media spent the last ten years or so mocking him, spewing hatred and churning out vile propaganda — let's not allow the negativity and the speculations to continue. Instead, let's focus on how one man single-handedly healed the world with his music and how, whenever he stepped on stage, he drew the audience to its knees.

To pay tribute to the King of Pop, Neff has produced these two "Michael Jackson King" T-shirts — the first design depicts Michael during his "Smooth Criminal" era (notice the fedora and arm band), while the second one captures him suited up (bow tie and all), moving and grooving like he did in his "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" video.

Remember the time....when we fell in love with Michael...

The Neff "Michael Jackson King" tees will be available on Tuesday at select retailers across the country and will retail for $20 each. Visit NeffHeadwear.com for more information.

Cruisin' With Timberland's "Design Your Own Boat Shoe" Program

 

While on Twitter the other day, one of my friends made a comment about boat shoes being the new Air Force 1s, and I'm inclined to agree. Once upon a time, these shoes were used merely for functional purposes (to prevent you from slipping when standing on a wet boat deck) and, over time, they became a staple in preppy wardrobes (along with khaki bermuda shorts, cardigan sweaters tied around the shoulders, pastel-colored Polo shirts and thin pearl necklaces). But now, boat shoes are emerging as a popular footwear alternative for stylish urbanites — and, catering to a different audience also means re-imagining the shoes' design. To that end, everyone from Sebago and Sperry to Timberland and Dexter has been offering bolder colorways, funky fabrics (like patent leather, rich nubuck suede, etc.), and clever design twists that will appeal to a younger consumer base.

Timberland, however, has taken the game to unexpected heights with its fantastic new "Design Your Own Boat Shoe" program. Consumers can simply log onto Timberland.com and custom design their own shoes, which are then handsewn in Timberland's factory in the Dominican Republic and delivered within 3-4 weeks. Once you log on to the site, you can: add your initials to the shoes' tongue or collar (and select the color and font type for the embroidered monogram), select from an assortment of colors and fabrics for the shoes' tongue, side and collar; pick the type of metal for the hardware (mainly the eyelets); choose a color for the laces; and more. Among the color/fabric options, you'll find: pink nubuck suede, periwinkle nubuck, kelly green nubuck, white tumbled smooth leather, burgundy smooth leather, purple nubuck, hot pink nubuck, wheat burnished suede, brick red nubuck, black smooth leather, pebble nubuck and olive green nubuck.

A few of the design options are pictured above but, trust me: you can spend hours playing around, coming up with new color combinations. I literally spent over two hours fiddling with the design application before finally creating an awesome black-and-white boat shoe that resembles a spectator oxford (I wish I had a photo for all of you but, alas, I wasn't able to grab a photo before submitting my order! I promise to post and/or Tweet it once I get my pair though!)

Those who prefer a more hands-on approach to customizing shoes will be happy to learn that the program will be available at Timberland stores starting in July.

To paraphrase Lil Wayne, don't just cruise control, ladies — control the cruise.

Women's Classic Custom Boat Shoe, $120. Visit Timberland.com

Lady Gaga's Cross to Bear

I admire Lady Gaga's in-your-face, Euro pop-flavored style (with all of its glitter and flash), but even I must admit that she has been taking her adventurous approach towards fashion into zany, fruit loop territory. Making a bow out of her own hair was eccentric but cute, wearing a hooded red leotard like some naughty Little Red Riding Hood character was fierce, but rocking a jacket with shoes glued onto it? That's one of those baffling, this-is-your-brain-on-drugs moments — especially when you consider that it looks like those were perfectly good Louboutins she destroyed (that's sacrilegious right there)!

But hey, her shoe jacket misstep (pun intended) aside, I do appreciate this little sasspot's insistence on pushing the envelope. And I must admit: she works the heck out of her get-ups and has the power to start some majorly funky trends. Which brings me to one of her latest style coups — during her travels to Japan, Korea, and Australia, Lady Gaga has been spotted wearing this Fetty necklace, which she received as a gift from friend and Fetty designer Justin Tranter, best known as the lead singer of Semi Precious Weapons.

Gaga's long necklace features a brass cross plated in oxidized copper and bearing crystals that spell the word "fame" in Braille. So clever, right?

If you're looking to buy a diamond-studded, punk-flavored, high-end design like the one pictured above (pieces are priced between $115 and $800), opt for Fetty's boutique line, available at Barneys.com. If you'd like a tough but more inexpensive piece, check out Fetty's mid-price line, FAME, or the inexpensive Precious Weapons line, which is sold at Urban Outfitters stores and online at TheFetty.com

SickaThanAverage.com x StefaniBags.com Giveaway and Special Promo!

My lovely STA readers, this is probably THE most exciting giveaway I've brought you so far, so I can't tell you how excited I am to announce it (and thanks to StefaniBags.com for making it all possible). I truly feel like a fairy godmother, just waving her wand in the direction of one lucky Cinderella who will soon upgrade her handbag game something fierce. That's because one SickaThanAverage.com reader will win the Cynthia Rowley Lydia Satchel pictured above (cue the oohing and aaahing), courtesy of cutting-edge handbag e-boutique StefaniBags.com, which carries the latest from such trendy brands as Alexis Hudson, Ananas, Bliss Lau, Hayden-Harnett, Furla, Jalda and Treesje.

This magenta pink, patent leather Cynthia Rowley Lydia Satchel measures 12" in height, 13" in width and 7" in depth, while the shoulder straps yield a 9"drop. I personally love the frame shape, and the modern but simple design (from the horizontal exterior pocket to the oversize golden metal eyelets through which the shoulder straps are looped. The Lydia Satchel regularly retails for $425, so here's your chance for a major fashion score!

To enter this giveaway, send an e-mail to [email protected] with "STA x StefaniBags.com Giveaway" as the subject and, in the body of the e-mail, name one handbag (both the designer and the name of the style) that caught your eye while browsing through StefaniBags.com (1-2 lines will suffice). Also, please note that by submitting your e-mail address, you are agreeing to sign up for the StefaniBags.com newsletter (and not to worry — you'll be safe from pesky spammers). Please note that this giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only. The deadline to enter is July 17th.

And here's some additional good news. From now until July 17th, STA readers will receive a 25% off discount  on any purchase at StefaniBags.com. Simply enter the code "moda25" at checkout and get ready to save some pesos!