THE CREW
YEMI SEKONI, editor-in-chief, is the owner and director of Donahue Models
& Talent - Rhode Island’s oldest model and talent agency. Her company books some of New England’s top professional models and talent to work with many corporate giants across the region.With over 35 years of experience in various areas of the acting and modeling industry, including theater, TV, film, print and runway, Yemi also holds a Bachelor of Arts in education, a post-graduate diploma in marketing and an MBA. TRADE SECRETS magazine is the culminating outlet for all of her passions – education, performing, marketing and creative writing. tradesecretsmag.com
JACLYN PELOPIDA, entertainment, graduated from Iona College in
2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication with a concentration in journalism and a minor in psychology. She was the arts and entertainment editor of her college newspaper, “The Ionian.” Throughout her college career, she was an editorial intern for “M Magazine,” a web editorial intern for “Seventeen” magazine, and a public relations intern for MTV Networks. She is in the midst of writing her first novel and currently resides in Cranston, Rhode Island. linkedin.com/pub/jaclyn-pelopida/33/155/54a
CINZIA ANTONELLI, international, resides with her husband, Gianfranco
DiMarco, and their 14-year-old daughter, Enrica, in the little town of Cassino, Italy. Inheriting her creative and artistic flair from her father, a painter, and her grandfather, a novelist, she grew up with a love for fashion, and a passion for creating costume jewelry. When she is not busy with her daughter or helping her husband with his business, she can be found designing and creating new lines of costume jewelry – inspired by the ancient royals of the world, primitive prints and nature. Through her craft, her goal is to express her unique personality, as she believes that creating an object for the body is also a universal form of communication and language. facebook.com/cinzia.antonelli.16
OLGA HAWWA, beauty writer, is licensed esthetician, and makeup artist of-
fering facials, face/body waxing, eyebrow design, makeup artistry, and body treatments for women and men. She is located 1227 Main Street, West Warwick. Hours are by appointment: makeupandimage.com
LAURA ROSSI, lifestyle, loves accessorizing!
She regularly blogs for The Huffington Post Style section, SheKnows.com, and many other lifestyle sites. Laura is a published author, digital strategist, and runs her own public relations firm. LauraRossiPublicRelations.com.
ELIZABETH PHINNEY, health and wellness, is a Certified Personal Trainer with the American Council on Exercise. She also holds a certificate with the American Senior Fitness Association and is an affiliate of The American College of Sports Medicine. She was named Top Female Executive with Worldwide Who’s Who and VIP of the year in Health and Fitness for 2013 and 2014. In 2013, she co-authored “The Expert Success Solution,” an Amazon #1 international bestseller. Elizabeth’s passion is Fitness after Forty-Five and her mission is to inspire people to plan their physical future. Her flagship product is BodSpir®, a meditative strength training technique she created and has taught thousands of times in her classes. FitnessAfterFortyFive.com
VALERIE LANGLAIS, events, hails from Oxford, Massachusetts and has
an Associates Degree in Account- ing from Quinsigamond Community College, as well as a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from Kennedy-Western University. During the weekdays, she is a mild-mannered accountant with Charlton Furniture Co., Inc in Charlton, Mas- sachusetts. In the evenings and on weekends, the former model teaches the children’s program for Donahue Models in Cranston, RI; is on staff with the Boucher School of Dance in Oxford, MA and runs an online business selling vintage designer clothing.
RACHEL SILVA, writer, graduated from Merrimack college with a Bache-
lor of Arts in Elementary Education and a minor in Sociology. She went on to obtain her Master’s degree in Education with a professional certification as a reading specialist and Literacy Coach. Currently she is employed as a reading specialist in an elementary school. Over the past fifteen years she has strived to bring out the best in students and coworkers by helping them to discover who they are. She has trained teachers during professional workshops in various writing approaches and literacy programs. Educating individuals on topics that can improve and enrich their lives professionally and personally is a passion of hers. She currently resides with her two school aged children in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.
LYNELL MASTERSON, writer, founder of Nell, develops individual and group
wellness programs integrating mind, body, spirit methods. Lynell uses coaching, NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), Expressive Arts, Hypnotherapy, Energy Work, and other practices to create the most effective life-changing programs. Life experience required her to develop these tools to address adversity, hardship and coping skills. Lynell recognizes and honors the challenges and difficulties that we all may encounter and that is why she has created individual and group programs to heal and empower others.
NATASHA MALONE, writer, is a twelve-year-old girl who lives in Massa-
chusetts. She is a 7th grader and in her 2nd year at middle school. She loves playing with her dogs, chickens, and bunny. She enjoys going to fashion shows, such as Style Week which she’s been going to for about four years. Reading is one of her favorite hobbies as well as writing, drawing, hanging out with friends, and listening to music. Her favorite book series are “The Hunger Games ”and “Harry Potter”. She loves the color purple and she loves mint chocolate chip ice cream. Her idea of a perfect outfit is jeans, Converse, and a shirt with lace. One of her hopes is to be able to publish a book someday.
VALENCIO Photography
DANIELLE DUBE,
Hair / Makeup Wardrobe Styling Assistant
SINNARITH VANN Hair / Maleup
FLAVIO TAVARES
Sales & Advertising
LAUREN CHIARINI Coordinator
IN THE GREEN ROOM
A
‘SPELLBOUND!’ Moment at
By Jeleeza Davis and Justin Vescera Photography & Videography by Valencio Small
S
unday, November 08, 2015 Donahue Models and Talent participated in Rhode Island Comic Con 2015 at the Rhode Island Convention Center. “SPELLBOUND” was the name of the fashion show event, showcasing the designs of the ever so talented Alison Deane, Earl Battle of Battle Designs, and Everett Hoag & Kara Codyer. The show entertained the crowd with an array of unique looks inspired by the looks from the realm of Cosplay and Anime. Admiration from the crowd never ceased throughout the duration of the show, a sure sign that the audience found the show entertaining. The event drew over 500 Comic Con attendees, and was the talk of the evening as the three-day conference came to a close.
Cheshire
NOVA WORKSHOP: Designer Alison Deane projected the strength of the female character throughout her designs featuring the likeness of such characters as Eep from DreamWorks film, “The Croods,” and Korra from Nickelodeon’s animated television series, “The Legend of Korra.”
click the picture to watch a video of the show
Eep
Korra
Katara
Suki
Fang
Asuna
BATTLE DESIGNS: Earl opened with “Hatsuna Mikue” from “Vocaloid,” and the room filled with a dramatic rise in music as the Mistress of Pain from “Diablo 3” sauntered down and glared with disdain. Cloud - from “Final Fantasy VII,” was the first mail character in the mix thus far, and the scene was rounded out with “Bayonetta,” in her skin tight black body suit and matching black flowing cape.
Hatsuna Mikue
Mistress of Pain
Demon Hunter
Cloud
Anya
Aerith
Bayonetta
The show Interlude featured a belly dance performance from KARA CODYER who performed a six-minute “Veil and Sword with Inara.� Fluid, elegant, and ethereal, she entranced the crowd with her gyrations and sword balancing act as camera phones flashed in a frenzy. Halfway through her dance, the music stops and in a quick flash of inspiration, she strode, cat-like, from the top of the show runway to the very end where she had strategically laid down her sword. With great pizzazz, she swoops off the veil covering the item, which elicited gasps from the audience.
Veil/Sword with Inara
Black Velvet Enchantress
Primarily known throughout Rhode Island for his skilled workmanship as a milliner, EVERETT HOAG closed the show. A designer with many years of varied experiences in fashion and theater costuming, his scene incorporated an extensive array of costumes from Earth Fairies, to Aliens, Sea Creatures and a clever play on Fire and Ice.
Earth Fairy Princess
Earth Fairies
Enchanted Tree
From the enchanted Tree
“
I’ll be scrubbing flakes of fairy dust from my green skin for weeks. Worth it? Of course! At this point, you may be questioning that very sentence. Green skin? Yes, green skin. Well, it was green, fabulously so (Bruce Banner, eat your heart out).
“Initially, when you’re informed that you’ll be walking the runway as a tree, you may ponder the very reason as to why you’d even attend ComicCon. Why is it even a blip on your proverbial radar? But, somehow, Donahue manages to make the life of a tree spectacular. Their passion for fashion knows no bounds and because of them, even a tree can sprout a set of legs (but apparently not eyes). My fabulous foliage obscured vision of the crowd; I might as well have been walking alone in that room. Walking very slowly, alone. Trees aren’t very agile. Shel Silverstein would be proud, though; this tree keeps on giving. This is no ordinary tree, mind you. An elven tree. Wearing a transparent cardigan. Yep. I implore you to find a designer (that doesn’t go by the name of Everett Hoag) to pull off a look as high-fashion as that. His name will rebound off the walls of the Convention Center for months to come, as nerds near and far await the next incarnation of the walking tree. “Aside from my excursion to Middle Earth on Sunday, while working the convention floor earlier in the weekend, I was able to meet a number of fascinating individuals that, had Donahue not given us this opportunity, would be strangers to me. “I’ve spent the weekend fighting off hordes of middle-aged men dressed like Spock. But I’d do it again in a heartbeat!” - Justin Vescera, The Enchanted Tree
Earth Mother
Gold Baccus Alien
Flights of Fantasy
Voodoo Flame
Street Alien
Oracle Alien
Lady of the Moon
Night Leaf
Caged
Dark Spirit
Sea Creatures
Ice Queen
THE COSMETIC COUNTER
Matching Your Makeup to
W
hen we frame a photo, we often think of coordinating the photo to the frame. The same principles apply to makeup, hair, and wardrobe.
Thinking of your face as the photo and your hair and clothing (especially what is hitting closest to your face) as the frame will pave the way to achieving a cohesive look from head-to-toe.
The first step is to know your skin tone because unlike hair or wardrobe colors, your underlying tone will never change, even if you tan. Skin tone falls in the broad categories of “cool” and “warm”. Cool skin tones have blue undertones in the hair, skin, and eyes, while warm skin has yellow undertones.
Your Hair Color
By Olga Hawwa | Photo & Video by Valecnio Small | Model: Emerson Dimond
One tool that enjoyed a lot of popularity in the 90’s was color analysis with draping. Even though you don’t hear of this service as much anymore, the principles still hold true and I still use my drapes to show my clients which colors work best for them. If your skin is cool, you look best in blue-based colors. Think white, black, navy, burgundy, hunter green, purple, pink, fuchsia, gray. The lighter your skin tone and natural hair color, the lighter your wardrobe and makeup colors should be. Natural brunettes can go darker and stronger with makeup. For example, a soft baby pink lip color, pewter eyeliner, and pastel toned eyeshadows are ideal for a natural blond.... but a natural brunette can opt for a stronger pink, burgundy, or red and more dramatic eyes. If your skin tone is warm, chances are your natural hair color is red or strawberry blond and you have a peachy tone to the skin. Earth tones and yellow-based colors work best for wardrobe and makeup. Think browns, taupes, mustards, golds, peaches, and oranges for eyes, lips, and cheeks, as well as wardrobe. And again, the lighter your natural hair and skin, the lighter the makeup. The stronger your natural coloring, the more intense your makeup can be. If you color your hair, as many of us do, keep the same principles in mind. Ideally, your salon color should still be flattering to your skin tone...meaning if you are cool, stick to cool hair tones. However, if you are the adventurous type and like to experiment with hair color, your best bet for makeup and wardrobe is going to be “universal” colors. This way your skin won’t clash with your hair color which can be very unflattering. Chocolate brown, taupe, and turquoise (which contains an equal amount of yellow and blue) are examples of colors that look good on virtually any skin tone. Opting for the right hue of makeup, hair, and wardrobe colors will frame your face beautifully and bring out your best facial features and give you a polished look from head-to-toe no matter what your personal style!
click on the picture to watch olga’s color demo
TALENT TALKS
Lauren Chiarini
Pushing the Edges
By Jaclyn Pelopida | Photography by Myke Yeager | Videography by Valencio Small Makeup by Sinn Vann | Hair by Danielle Dube
W
hen I asked Lauren Chiarini to describe herself to me, I was completely surprised when she unabashedly admitted to being OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). “I would describe myself as an extremely outgoing, personable, determined, curly haired chick with OCD to the fullest degree! I love having a good time, laughing and being in good company,� said Chiarini.
“I actually love to clean! It is my sanctuary, I love coming home to a clean house or waking up on a Sunday morning knowing everything is done and I can lay there in peace. OCD can certainly get the best of me!�
Although some people with OCD may feel it can inhibit them, Chiarini feels the opposite, as it helps her with chores around the house. “I actually love to clean! It is my sanctuary, I love coming home to a clean house or waking up on a Sunday morning knowing everything is done and I can lay there in peace. OCD can certainly get the best of me!” TS: “How did you first get started modeling?” LC: “So my co-worker used to ask me all the time, ‘why am I not a model?’ Little did he know, way down deep in my heart, it was my biggest dream that I never pursued. However, little did I know that his dream was to become a photographer. One day we decided to take photos after work in the cafeteria, secretly thinking we both had a win-win. All but one photo came back without the big blue recycle bin in the background so I thought to myself, ‘what do I have to lose?’ I submitted that one photo to an agency and received a call back the next morning! Guess the joke was on me!” TS: “What was your first modeling/acting experience like?” LC: “My first acting experience was crazy! I went with my boyfriend at the time, but thinking about it now, it was such a good move on my part. He wanted to break up with me so I’m not sure how I got him to attend the audition with me, but it derailed my nerves when I went for the speaking role and ended up nailing the audition! First acting audition and landing the lead role? Not bad! Needless to say my ex-boyfriend and I are no longer together.” TS: “What has been your biggest challenge as a model/actor?” LC: “My biggest challenge as an actress, I would have to say, is my anxiety. I have been dealing with it for a few years now and let me tell you, some days are worse than others. It hit me one day out of the blue while I was driving and I had no idea what it was or what was wrong. I had to pull over on the highway; it was the scariest thing, my heart was racing and my mind was going bananas! Now every time I get on the highway, it is all I think about. So you can only imagine what it is like to attend an audition in Connecticut, Boston or New Hampshire - my anxiety instantly goes through the roof! I have since gained much control to prevent it, so if you ever drive by me on the highway blasting my music loudly and singing at the top of my lungs, just know it is a good thing!”
TS: “Speaking of anxiety, as a model/actor/actress, do you ever feel extremely stressed and overwhelmed? How do you overcome that?” LC: “I do feel extremely stressed and overwhelmed as a model/actress at times because this is something I really want, right now! Some days I want to pick up and move to New York and take that chance or hop on a plane and head to California to make my dreams come true. But then I do what I do best, and talk myself out of it. I guess fear gets in the way.” TS: “What obstacles have you had to overcome in order to become successful?” LC: “I have had to overcome my own obstacle to become successful, which is believing in myself. I mentioned earlier I had hide the fact that I wanted to be a model because I was afraid of the laughter I would get from others once they heard what I wanted to be when I grew up. One day I pushed it aside, made it happen, and the rest is history. Well, more like dust!” TS: “What actor/actress/model inspires you to continue what you do?” LC: “Jennifer Lopez inspires me to continue to my journey. I think she is beautiful inside and out. She doesn’t live the fairy tale life, she is real life. She isn’t a size zero, has curves and an incredible personality.” Although Chiarini declares that she loves all holidays “I get an extra day off from my day job,” she does have a favorite season, and it’s the current one! “Fall is my favorite season. I love the transition to the crisp cool air and the change in the leaves, it’s so beautiful,” Chiarini said. Ask Chiarini to describe a perfect day in her book? She’s knows it down packed! “A perfect day would be a nice workout in the morning, followed by a delicious breakfast, apple picking, going home to make an apple pie then a haunted corn maze at dusk. Whoops, did I go off track a bit? Well, to me that’s a perfect fall day,” Chiarini described. One thing about fall that Chiarini doesn’t like? When spiders enter her house! “I’m most afraid of spiders! They are so creepy, I hate them! You have no idea how hard it is to kill a spider in the high corner of the walls. If I go to kill it and it falls to the ground, it’s all over for me; I am not coming down from that chair. I’m actually cringing just thinking about it. It is funny how
Models Jena Seiber, Lauren Chiarini, Stefani Dzikeiwicz, Jordan Donahue Wardrobe styling: Danielle Dube / Lauren & Jordan’s hat courtesy of Everett Hoag
“I could watch ‘Sex and the City’ all day every day! Bottom line, that show is the truth about how woman think, act, and talk with one another. In my opinion, if any man wants to really get to understand women, watch every episode. (Wink, wink, hint, hint).”
“I have had to overcome my own obstacle to become successful, which is believing in myself. I mentioned earlier I had hide the fact that I wanted to be a model because I was afraid of the laughter I would get from others once they heard what I wanted to be when I grew up. One day I pushed it aside, made it happen, and the rest is history. Well, more like dust!�
click on the picture to go behind the scenes with lauren
I am so petrified of something so little, but those legs can run! I would be that chick swerving all over the road or getting out of the car if it was on my windshield,” exclaimed Chiarini. TS: “Since we’re on the topic of fall and spiders, do you have a good Halloween story?” LC: “My best memory as a child was one Halloween night when my cousins and I went trick or treating around my grandmother’s neighborhood. I was dressed in an oversized, bright, yellow, polka dot one-piece clown suit. So my cousins got their candy and proceeded to the next house, but while I was getting my candy I noticed how far away they were so I decided to run. BIG mistake! As I approached the curb, ready to cross the street to catch up, my foot got caught in my clown suit, so in the air I went sliding halfway across the street as if I just slid into second base; chin and hands all scrapped up! Thinking about it now makes me laugh so hard as I would have loved to have seen it, but when you are younger you think it’s the end of the world.” TS: “What sports do you play?” LC: “I currently do not play any sports but I played everything I could growing up. I was into softball, basketball, field hockey, volleyball and cross country. I never played football but I do love watching it. My dad and I watch it every Sunday. I always joke with him and say one day I will play in the NFL. I want to run down the field catching the best pass and make it look fun and easy, just like the NFL players do!”
TS: “What’s your favorite TV show of all time, and why?” LC: “I enjoy funny sitcoms the most. I am hooked on ‘Ridiculousness’ and ‘Big Bang.’ This sounds so mean but I love to see people do stupid things and get hurt. Think about it, why would someone do that in the first place? So I can’t help but laugh! As for ‘Big Bang,’ need I say more….Bazinga!” TS: “What’s your favorite movie of all time, and why?” LC: “My favorite movie of all time is ‘Cocktail’ with Tom Cruise and Elizabeth Shue. When I was younger I wanted to be the character Jordan. I wanted to fall in love with a handsome guy, and have that love and connection that never goes away!” TS: “What’s your favorite type of music?” LC: “My favorite type of music used to be R&B, Mariah Carey in fact. She writes all of her own music but she is going through a divorce so she has caused me to seek elsewhere in the meantime. Honestly, I have gotten into Country music- crazy I know! I swore when I was younger I would never listen to it but I find myself listening to that more than ‘normal’ stations these days, singing and dancing like no one is watching. Never say never right?”
TS: “How many pets do you have, what are they, and what are their names?” LC: “I have a cat named Max, he is two. He is the best thing that ever happened to me! He is always looking for my attention. He greets me every day when I come TS: “What’s your favorite form of exercise?” home from work, it’s the best feeling! Once I get in LC: “I don’t currently have a favorite form of exercise, bed for the night, no more than a minute later, he is I just love to exercise! I have recently transitioned into snuggled in my side. I am one lucky mama!” a new workout routine alongside my dear friend and it’s great! There is nothing like waking up to the fall TS: “What’s your biggest turn off?” crisp mornings before sunrise to run the steep hills of LC: “My biggest turn off is a guy who doesn’t know Providence.” how to treat a lady; not showering prior to hanging out, bad breath and not smelling good. Guess I have a TS: “What types of TV shows do you enjoy the most lot huh?! I don’t think it is that much, just more com- Sitcom, reality show, drama, documentary, news mon sense perhaps!” program, why?” LC: “I could watch ‘Sex and the City’ all day every day! Bottom line, that show is the truth about how woman think, act, and talk with one another. In my opinion, if any man wants to really get to understand women, watch every episode. (Wink, wink, hint, hint).”
“Jennifer Lopez inspires me to continue to my journey. I think she is beautiful inside and out. She doesn’t live the fairy tale life, she is real life. She isn’t a size zero, has curves and an incredible personality.”
ON THE TOWN
e h t On
y a w n Ru
a r o f
e s u a C ube
lle D anie
aphy
|P
gr hoto
io lenc a V by
By D
R
ll
Sma
unway for a Cure’ has done it again! A lively, upbeat runway show featuring boutiques from all over Rhode Island thrills the audience, and all for a great cause!
Coordinated by veteran model, Aida Crosson, ‘Runway for a Cure’ is in its 7th year and still going strong, benefitting the Lupus Foundation of New England.
This red, fur trimmed jacket flows around the body, creating a luxurious effect. Paired with elegant sunglasses, the model looks ready for any fall event.
There is nothing more fun than walking down the street and turning every head. This long, fur trimmed cape/jacket accentuates every figure and is guaranteed to earn you approving looks.
This cool, stunning fur jacket elevates any outfit. Don’t be afraid to throw on a pair of sunglasses and a bright red lip and sashay down the street.
Never underestimate the power of a color-blocked coat with fur trim! You’ll look like a million dollars as you take on the winter.
Fun, flirty, exciting! Dare to show just a bit of skin with this ensemble! This floral skirt paired with a little white tank is the perfect ensemble for those surprisingly warm fall evenings.
Straight from Sonja’s, a crowd favorite! This ensemble will have you turning heads and flirting all night long!
If you really want to leave everyone breathless, head to your next event in this slinky red and silver illusion dress. The high slit shows off your amazing legs while the silver embellished top draws the eye to your beautiful face.
Feel like the absolute queen you are in this classic little black dress with the added surprise of a full, off- theshoulder sleeve. The best part? Feel free to go crazy with accessories!
Dare to go bold! This stunning hot pink dress hugs your curves, the peplum accentuates your hourglass shape and the slit shows off your beautiful legs! What’s not to love?
Fashion, fun, and all for an incredible cause! Don’t forget to join us next year! Let us all help to find the cure while looking fabulous!
FROM THE INSIDE OUT
M
ost of us have heard that in order to live happy, fulfilled lives, it is helpful to list and be thankful for all that we have given. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been instructed to create a gratitude jar and write down the daily markings of my wonderful life. Told that if I state what is good in my life, the heavens are supposed to open up, the sun will begin to shine while trumpets play and all will be happy.
Grateful for My Faults?
WHAT?! By Lynell Masterson
Before I get too many critics wanting to oust me for being sarcastic about being grateful, let me explain. Here’s the thing, it IS wonderful to find the beautiful parts of your life and highlight them and I DO agree that this can aid in the way you live your life but now I want to invite you to do something a little more radical. Are you game? Well then read on, curious one. Before I start, I’m going to tell you a little about myself. You see I was this girl (not very long ago) that would rip herself apart and look at all the flaws and things that I needed to change about myself. I needed to work more, look fit, be witty AND brilliant because it was just not enough to be me and then there were these ugly parts that I would just try to hide and ignore, pretend they didn’t exist while only focusing on and appreciating the things that I was good at. This was helpful, I mean, I at least noticed that there were some nice things about me, but the real work happened when I began to actually appreciate and like me, “flaws” and all. I started saying thank you for the mistakes that I made along the way (my current view is there are no mistakes, only real opportunities offering learning & growth). I actually began to notice how the things I would hide from, helped shape who I am today. I learned to love and actually like the parts of me that I wouldn’t share with the general public. It was this unconditional love that I began to cultivate for myself that allowed me to see the gift in my faults. I started to say thank you for having certain traits because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have learned, loved and led such a deep and rich life. This is what I’m challenging you to do. Look at yourself in the mirror and say thank you for the times you messed up, and weren’t perfect. Now this isn’t addressing the people that may have been involved, there are different ways we need to handle and communicate with others regarding how they were treated but we’ll save that for another different time. When we begin to be grateful for who we are, foibles and all (I like to call them our perfect imperfections), that’s when we can be in harmony with ourselves, which will in turn provide you with happiness and contentment. And who wouldn’t want a little more of that? Peace and many blessings during this beautiful time of harvest & sharing.
A WINK FROM‌Italy
RED ... The Magic of
Color
A
By Cinzia Antonelli
utumn-Winter on runways around the world is presented as the season full of color. The shades of the earth mixed with those vitamins, from pink to orange, from brown to blue, from mustard to red dye and give life to the wonderful masterpieces that the greatest designers have created for all of us.
But the surprise and the difference is, without a doubt the color red, with all its shades and sequences. As on a painter’s palette, the portfolio of shades of red, ranging from burgundy to maroon, amaranth from carmine, scarlet to crimson, and adding the reddest of reds; the bright signature of Valentino - the most regal and shocking color, which enhances with energy and passion, and manages to increase heartbeats. You can define this as the color of life and love. One of the supreme couturiers or fashion, Christian Dior, said that you can wear it in any season, it’s good for everyone and if you do not feel comfortable in a full red look, you can accessorize: a red hat or a pair of shoes equipped with jewelry is the chicest way to light a total black look.
Red is featured on the runways in vibrant shades, both in a total look or paired perfectly with whites, pinks and oranges. Suggestions that fashion offers us are endless, from poppy red idealized by whimsical Vivienne Westwood and Christopher Kane. Gareth Pugh uses it as a contrast to a full gray look. Burberry Prorsum approaches it with a heavenly floral fantasy, that can be worn in cold weather: it’s the magic of fashion! Tommy Hilfiger displays coats with oversized accessories by opposing hues, “stolen” from the world of sport. Dolce & Gabbana has created a collection dedicated to his mother and family, with a beautiful testimonial to Bianca Balti; many red roses color the clothes in unusual shades. There is so much art in the creations of John Galliano’s vermilion, with Maison Margiela creating coats and dresses with decorations in macro red shells. Even with Giorgio Armani, the assertiveness of red does not go unnoticed; his models are adorned in clothes from a fairytale haute couture. Taking a look at the runways of Gucci, Hermes, Diesel Black Gold and Balmain, we appreciate that red remains the true protagonist, because it adapts to all and any occasion. In various shades of red, we are imbued with passion and seduction; the energy that gives us all that joie de vivre that accessories transmit when we wear them. Red fires up the classic pump, a thin stiletto heel, a sculptural heel, even the open toe. With red, cowboy ankle boots make a real difference and bikers boots lit up with metallic studs certainly will not pass unnoticed. And let us not leave the bags: hand bags, shoulder bags and clutches that are colored equally with pure passion red.
A Dior Suit
But ultimately, the true icing on the cake, to complete our fabu-
lous outfits, is the jewelry and even bijoux, enhanced and illuminated by red, teardrop earrings, rings and fabulous Bulgari necklaces composed of 12 jewels of rare cutting.
givenchy
Not just for women, the color red can fire up and inflame the man’s wardrobe as well. Some of the world’s top designers have dedicated an entire collection to the color, like Dolce & Gabbana, inspired by Spanish bullfighters, strong and passionate. Of course we all must choose according to our personal tastes, but a splash of red is a must in the male wardrobe. There are now more varied and superequipped items, such as the coat-style bohemian Agnes B., dandy boots by Sartori Gold or those super eccentric Tisci by Givenchy. In the words of the famous Gabrielle Chanelle, “If you are sad, if you have a grievance in love, don’t cry on roofs…, put on some red lipstick, because men hate women who cry!” So, let’s all wear a little red and our life will seem more beautiful! Ciao from Italy Cinzia
emilio pucci boots
dolce gabann
na for him
trolley trumi
st. laurent
givency for men
THE BUZZ
That Time I Tried To Sneak A Photo With the
MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS ... And Got Caught!!!
By Jaclyn Pelopida | Photos courtesy of Nigel Fubara, Zoo Media
L
et me start off by saying I had never previously been to RI Comic Con before, so I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect aside from people dressing up in costumes and spotting celebrities. I’m not a huge super hero or comic book fan, (I know you’re probably asking why I even went then), however, as your go-to entertainment junkie, I do watch pretty much every TV show on cable right now. So, with that being said, I was SUPER excited to find out that actors from some of my favorite shows such as “Teen Wolf,” “Sleepy Hollow,” “Supernatural,” “Sons of Anarchy,” and “The Walking Dead,” just to name a few, were going to be at RI Comic Con this year.
Growing up in the 90s, I was even more excited to find out that the full cast of the original “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,” was all going to be in attendance as well. I still have one of their movies on VHS and very heavily debated whether or not I should bring it for them to sign. Along with that cast, I was also excited to hear Henry Winkler, (yes, I’m 26 and yes, I know who he is), was going to be there because hey, who doesn’t love The Fonz? Actress Selma Blair, who starred in my favorite movies “Legally Blonde,” “Cruel Intentions,” and “The Sweetest Thing,” was also in attendance representing the “Hellboy” franchise. After I walked into the Dunkin Donuts Center and received my press pass, I immediately had no idea where to go or what to do. I realized right away that I was the one that stood out because I was dressed in normal clothes, as opposed to dressing up in costume, which I know is the norm for such an occasion. So, I looked like Clark Kent instead of Superman the whole time, no biggie. The venue was already packed at 10:30a.m., making everyone feel like squished sardines in the middle of Times Square during New Years Eve. Luckily I lived in New York for five years, so this was a familiar feeling to me, and one that gave me an advantage to sneakily maneuver through the swarms of people. With the original thought that my press pass would allow me to take pictures with and interview the celebrities, I found that to be a false statement right away. I was in line to take a picture with the cast from “Sons of Anarchy,” when I was asked to step out of line by security because I had not bought a ticket. I presumed the guard didn’t understand that I was part of the press so I kindly pulled a Reese Witherspoon and told the guard that he was mistaken and I was with the press. Clearly he was not easily wooed as he proceeded to kick me out of the line. Well mister, I don’t back down so easily. As I continued to make my way through the center of the arena, I passed by tons of Darth Vadars, Captain Americas, Spidermans, the works; any super hero you know, they were there in costume. Along with the ant farm of people in the arena were vendors set up selling everything from super hero costumes, celebrity autographs, posters, jewelry, mystical objects and toys. Just as I was about the exit the main arena to check out what was in the hallways, I noticed a blue tent that
had a big “A” sign on it, and no that is not in reference to A for all of my “Pretty Little Liars” fans out there. I looked in my book to see who was in tent A at that time and low and behold it was my dream come true: THE MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS! I figured I’d try my luck one more time and hop in this line for the meet and greet because surely, no one would kick me out again, right? Wrong. It’s like I had a sign on my forehead that said hey I don’t belong here so please, rip me out of line and crush my childhood dreams. Apparently, to attend the meet and greet and photo op with any of the casts, including “Sons of Anarchy,” “Supernatural,” and “The Walking Dead,” you had to buy a card ahead of time. Depending on who you wanted to meet, the prices ranged anywhere from no I’m not paying that to heck no, I’m not paying that. Was I defeated, you ask? No! I raged on. I put on my reporter glasses and looked for a way to sneak in. I was not taking no for an answer and you can thank me being an only child for that one. I began to walk around the tent, taking in its measurements and detail. I noticed that it merely graced the floor and was not nailed down so I stuck my foot underneath the curtain and moved the tent along until I found a back entrance. With no one around, I figured I was in the clear and began to open the curtains along the back of the tent. I slithered through, as much as my curvaceous figure would allow and walked right into the tent into the middle of someone else’s photo op. Not only did I photo bomb some other poor fan, I was also chased so fast by security, you would have thought there was a fire lit to my butt. With no luck and no photos from the arena, I trudged through to the hallway around the arena to see what other trouble I could find myself in. I noticed some other lines forming and realized that there were some celebrities set up for autographs and pictures, a.k.a. another chance for trouble. I start to take a picture of Scott Wilson from “The Walking Dead” when someone from the staff noticed and stood in front of my phone and scolded me for trying to sneak a picture. I told them that I was merely texting and went about my way without a photo. I walked over to Orlando Jones from “Sleepy Hollow,” and had a great conversation with him about the show and quickly found out that he is also a dirty comic on the side as he began to talk about his areolas. I asked his security to take a picture of us to which they responded with, “Did you pay?”
No, I did not so I quickly apologized and bowed out. Feeling the defeat, I had to walk by Seth Gillian from “Teen Wolf” and Will Friedle from “Boy Meets World,” without sneaking in line or sneaking a picture. If you know me at all, you would know that “Boy Meets World” is my absolute favorite show ever and that I own the whole series on DVD. With the dreading sense of not being able to take a picture with Will Friedle, I called my friend and met her at the mall for some shopping. Although I didn’t get to fangirl out over any of my favorite celebrities, I didn’t go down without a fight. The story of me trying to sneak in to meet The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers has been a hit story with all of my friends, and hopefully you’ve enjoyed it just as much.
THE BUZZ
Why “SCREAM QUEENS” is the Most Underrated Show of the Fall Season By Jaclyn Pelopida | Photo Source: youngentertainmentmag.com
A
nything producer, writer and director Ryan Murphy touches usually always turns to gold. With an all-star cast including Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana Grande, Nick Jonas, Oliver Hudson and Keke Palmer, just to name a few, it’s almost a no-brainer that “Scream Queens” would be the new, hit TV show of Fall 2015. However, that does not seem to be the case with Fox’s most financially-costing show to date.
Creating a show to fit the made-up genre of comedyhorror is a tantalizing task since many have done injustice to the genre. You could even go as far to say that Kevin Williamson has been the most successful creator of the genre as people first were introduced to comedy-horror with “Scream.” With the success of “Scream,” Williamson went on to make “Scream 2,” “Scream 3,” and in 2011, “Scream 4,” starring Emma Roberts as the killer, (spoiler alert, sorry). Since “Scream 4,” Roberts has gone on to star in many other feature films and TV series such as “American Horror Story: Coven,” and “American Horror Story: Freakshow.” It seems horror is what suits Roberts best as she plays the main character Chanel in “Scream Queens.” A show that is brilliantly written by Murphy and his business partner Brad Falchuk, along with an all-star cast and fashion that could literally kill, I don’t understand why “Scream Queens” has not done better in the ratings. Although the show was one of the most talked about shows of the new Fall season, and was on every TV critic’s list to watch, the season premiere on September 22nd only raked in 4 million viewers; a low number considering the star power and marketing costs the show had supporting it.
One of the reasons the show has only had fair success is due to the younger demographic it aims towards. With “Scream Queens” being one of the most tweeted about shows, it clearly isn’t hitting the radar for anyone over the age of 25 as the demographic for Twitter uses lies within the ages of 13-25. Also, the star-studded cast, with the exception of Jamie Lee Curtis and Oliver Hudson, is made up of actors and actresses with whom are most popular amongst adults my age (I’m 26) and younger. Emma Roberts, Keke Palmer and Ariana Grande all got their start on Nickelodeon shows while Lea Michele is mostly known for Murphy’s other famous show “Glee,” which centered on high school kids. “Scream Queens” is smart, witty and brilliantly hilarious. The writing and acting is on par with every other show Murphy has created and is unlike any other show on TV at this current time. Sure, we’ve all heard the same college-aged story about sororities and mean girls. And we’ve also all heard the story where young adults are mysteriously stalked and killed by a masked psychopath (hint, hint, “Pretty Little Liars”). But what this show has that most other cliché ones lack, is its ability to make fun of itself. Every character on the show is either downright funny,
stupid funny, or serious, and then the serious ones are the first to die. Of course every storyline is over the top and every character is so dramatic and crazy, that they’re all unlike anyone you’ve ever met before. For starters, the main girls in the Kappa Kappa Tau sorority are Chanel, Chanel No.2, Chanel No.4, Chanel No.5 and Chanel No.6, with Roberts leading the pack as Chanel, a filthy rich and she-knows-it character who’s fashion-savvy and one of the meanest girls on the block. However, everyone is dying, literally, to be her friend and to be in the almighty Kappa Kappa Tau sorority.
Aside from Chanel’s complete and utter mean soul, the insults she naturally hurls at her sorority sisters are some of the funniest phrases I’ve ever heard. Although some of them are downright mean and cruel, you can’t help but laugh at Chanel on a weekly basis as Roberts plays her part to a T. Roberts knows her best way to handle such a cruel character is to make the audience love to hate her, which we all do. She’s the funniest one on the show and tons of internet memes come out of every episode in which Chanel’s quotes are the headlines. Another notable laugh factor is Lea Michele’s dark yet quirky character Hester, who starts the season in a metal neck brace and actual braces and then has her own “She’s All That” moment where Chanel turns her into a beauty queen, and fittingly, Chanel No.6. The girls of Kappa Kapp Tau sorority aren’t the only ones supplying the laughs. Chanel’s on-again/off-again boyfriend Chad (hilariously played by Glen Powell), who sleeps with any woman in sight, including Dean Munsch (a fierce yet funny Jamie Lee Curtis), is part of the Dickie Dollar Scholars fraternity. The fraternity in which Nick Jonas’ character was a part of, and was
then killed off in the first episode (or so we think…), is the counterpart to Kappa Kappa Tau. After Jonas’ character was killed off, the boys decided to partake in a little retaliation that included baseball bats, white suits and a Backstreet Boys song to match. Side note: as an avid Backstreet Boys lover, I was completely overjoyed to hear their song in this particular scene, which also caused me to laugh hysterically at how ludicrous these frat boys looked in white suits dancing to a Backstreet Boys song as their plan of revenge to kill the killer.
As the killer(s) attack every week, each beloved character is put more and more at risk as one by one someone from the sorority and the fraternity are murdered. Rumor has it that only four people from this season’s cast will actually make it to next season. The only people who know who those lucky four are, are Murphy and Falchuk of course. However, what no one knows yet is whether or not “Scream Queens” and those lucky four survivors will even get to see a second season.
PRIME CUT
POSTURE: Your Parents Were Right!!
By Elizabeth Phinney Photo & video by Valencio Small
click on the picture to watch elizabeth’s posture demo
S
it up straight!”
“Put your shoulders back!”
“Stop slouching!” “You want to be round shouldered?” Though it may be a few years, I am sure some of these commands are familiar and resonating in your ears. My father would say at least one of them daily while I was
growing up. And, though there is no guarantee his persistence was effective, I do have pretty good posture today. It is definitely something that I work on in many different ways to maintain.
One reason for maintaining good posture is the most obvious one: it looks really awful when someone is round-shouldered or bent over. You want to tell them, “stand up straight!” Unfortunately, most of them can’t. However, short of damage to the spine, osteoporosis, potential scapula issues, there really is no reason why people have poor posture. Truth be told, it is often based simply on laziness and lack of paying attention. In most cases, however, poor posture is reversible or at least can be improved.
To check to see what correct posture feels like, try this experiment. Stand up straight against a wall – put your heels against the baseboard (not of a heating unit, but of the wall) and have your feet hip width apart and parallel. Pull your shoulders back, with both of them against the wall. If your buttocks is large, you may find this difficult to do, so do the best you can, but do NOT lean back into the wall, either with your shoulders or your head. If your head cannot touch the wall, push it back as far as you can, KEEPING YOUR CHIN LEVEL. Hold this position for about 20 – 30 seconds. Now, keeping everything exactly in the same position, take one step forward and bring the other foot up next to the first foot, hip width apart. Evaluate how you feel: is this comfortable for you? If you performed the movements correctly, the goal is that you are now in “perfect posture.” This is where your body should be with every step you take. Would you be able to do that? Chances are, the position is a bit uncomfortable. There is a sense of awkwardness to your stance. If not, congratulations! You are rare. Keep doing what you are doing regarding your posture! If, however, you feel that things are a bit off, here are some suggestions that you can do to help offset the damage that has been done impairing your posture. The easiest thing to do is to get a broomstick, golf club or any stick that is around 3 feet long. Place it inside your elbows, behind your back. (See this demonstrated in September’s issue.) Start with one or two minutes, then, as time goes on, slowly increase the amount of
time you are allowing. The longer you do this for, the more effective it becomes. But, remember, too much too soon can only lead to injury. The main purpose of this “exercise” is to provide the shoulders and upper back with muscle memory. The muscles involved actually hold memory, so when movements are repeated over and over again, the muscles get re-trained to perform in a certain way. And, depending on the flexibility or lack thereof in your anterior shoulder muscles and upper chest, this will also help to stretch those muscles. Keep in mind, when the muscles in the back and shoulders have been overstretched, which is what usually happens with poor posture, the front shoulder muscles become much tighter and more difficult to stretch. Lie on a bed or floor with the arms straight out to the sides, palms to the ceiling. If too easy, slide the arms along the floor towards a “V” position off the shoulders. The more you slide the arms up, the more of a stretch you will feel. This position should be held for an increasing amount of time as time goes on so that you can help stretch and re-train the inner shoulder muscles to be more flexible. One more muscle group to be aware of as you age are your hip flexors. These are the muscles that run from your upper thigh to your hip. The more we sit, the more they are contracted. Over time, as these muscles are not getting stretched, they will tighten up. As they tighten up, our torso will tend to tilt forward. To relieve this from happening, you need to make sure that your upper thigh is stretched. To find out how to do this most efficient stretch, catch September’s issue of the 5 most effective stretches. Keep in mind, your body is getting older on a daily basis. But by giving back to it with some simple things like maintaining good posture, you help your body age more healthfully and more gracefully!
TEEN CHATTER
“Fab or Drab?”
Playing with Color in Your Wardrobe By Natasha Malone
W
hat can turn a drab outfit into a fab look? Adding texture, pattern, and a pop of color to your outfit can help.
How can you accomplish this? ACCESSORIES!! During the fall and winter seasons, clothing colors are darker with less variety. Darker colors can be boring and don’t hold a lot of personality so sometimes you need to add a pop of color to show your style. Even when wearing a darker color, you don’t need to change your entire ensemble to make it look fab, if you add a few accessories to the outfit you’ll accomplish the perfect look. Try using bright and colorful items such as scarves, necklaces, hats, and belts. It could be just the thing to turn your outfit from OK to OMG! Accessories are great for adding that extra something to an outfit and for bringing some color into your look. As an example, consider an outfit such as jeans and a grey t-shirt; add a big necklace with some bling for pizzazz. If you find yourself wearing all white, try adding a bright colorful belt with it. Make your brown outfit pop with a fuzzy purple hat. Some drab colors you might want to watch out for are black, brown, olive green, white, and grey. If you wear these colors make sure you add some fab to that drab. A lot of the lighter toned colors are considered fab, such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink. Mixing up patterns is another way to make an outfit stand out. Some of my favorite patterns include Bo-
hemian designs, basic stripes, fancy florals, and bold plaids. Patterns go very well with solid colors. Wearing a plain drab colored shirt added with a patterned item makes it look fab. Or if you’re brave, try wearing a couple different patterns together… Patterns bring color and they’re flashy, though sometimes hard to match. Patterns display the real meaning of “fab”. For an outfit consisting of dark jeans and a black long sleeved shirt adding a cheetah print scarf could be just the thing to put the pop to the color. With an outfit of a white tank top and jeans you could pair with a plaid button-up shirt. If you were wearing a brown t-shirt add a zigzag patterned headband to your outfit to get a more interesting look. Texture can also make an outfit fab. Texture could include a fluffy sweater, shirt with lace, or a scarf with fringes. Texture adds a unique look to an outfit and if you’re wearing the fluffy sweater it also keeps you very warm! Texture adds style to an outfit and it gives it a look. For example, wearing an outfit that was made up of a grey tank top and grey pants you could put a knit sweater on. With a brown shirt you could wear velvet pants with the shirt. If you have a pair of jeans and a black shirt you could put a magenta lace shirt over top. (Layering is another form of texture)
Using accessories that have texture, patterns, or lively colors can turn a drab outfit into a fab look. Even boring winter tones can be invigorated using a stylish touch of COLOR!!