STYLE EDITION
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THISJULY EDITION COLOR PALETTE
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Ph ot ogr aph y By Lau r en ce Logan Pages ; 4,5,10,11,12-19,22,23,26-31
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BACK
WORK
inStyle
Written By Ashley Lindo
What'sYour Styl e?
What's the point of following fashion trends? Of course,
maintaining a stylish and modern wardrobe is the goal for many fashionistas. Nothing feels more exciting than purchasing attire for the next event. However, it?s no secret fashion is a continuous cycle that repeats itself every few decades, more recently it has been every few years. Outfits that were worn by our young, great grandmothers are being seen on their great grandchildren and it is like no time has passed at all. Year 2000 fashion is a big thing amongst generation z and it is only two decades old! So one can conclude that trendsetter behavior begins with the mentality to stay ahead of the curve and following trends minimizes the potential to set them. While following trends helps a lot of people stay hip and with the times, stepping outside the box and creating the confidence to look different opens the door for opportunities to be the next
Coats
fashion influencer.
Don?t get it misconstrued. There is absolutely nothing wrong with perusing your favorite fashion magazine, tearing out all the pages with the cute outfits you want to
Bags
8.
with dark roots and neon ombre ends. Zendaya makes a tuxedo suit look better on her than any of her male counterparts. The biggest contribution to any look is confidence. A trendsetter is only a trendsetter because they decided to muster up the confidence to wear something out of the box. They have a trusting relationship with their gut and choose to listen to it no matter what. Think about it, somebody had to be the first person to wear something. Let it be you!
Today, social media platforms increase the volume rate at which individuals are viewing current trends. Unfortunately, with instagram being the number one source for inspiration, repetition
and
redundancy
is
running
rampant
and
individuals must work harder to differentiate themselves from the norm in order to be seen. The best way to do that is to turn down following trends, stick to personal style and turn up the confidence; the biggest contribution to any look. To conclude, following current trends is a good starting point for fashionistas but isn?t the only thing that contributes to trendsetter status. Pairing thinking outside the box with personal style and having confidence to stand firm in your rock and fantasizing about them with your favorite glass of red wine on a Friday night. That is a must needed self care activity that nobody should disagree with. In fact, this summer trends like abstract prints and sheer materials have been catching a lot of attention as stars like Ryan Destiny, Normani and Chloe Bailey have recently been spotted wearing. As the rise of subconscious fashion continues to grow, some designers are recycling unconventional items like sneakers and turning them into avant garde corset tops.
However, don?t get too concerned about what the current trends actually are. It is almost as easy as deciding to wear what you want to wear unapologetically and letting the rest take its course. Fashion is so fickle that what people may think is hideous one year may be the exact thing the retail stores can?t keep on the shelf the following year. For example, Billie Ellish inspired an innovative way to wear hair
fashion choices is a sure way to transition to trendsetter behavior.
BE A
BOSS
[ nail ]
HavingSTYLE ISN'TABOUT THEBRAND,It is about how youput it al l together.... I t?s the total combination of the way you dress, talk, move your body, or do anything for that matter. Simply put, it?s how we express our inner being outwardly. This includes all of our thoughts, emotions, interests, and values. Everything on the outside is merely a reflection of what?s on the inside. A lot of the people think that what I do is just help people upgrade their outer appearance. This is what they think of when they hear ?style coach?or ?image consultant,?and will come to me for a personal shopping session ? wanting mainly to focus on fashion. Although, I like to think of myself as a ?self-expression coach,? because I firmly believe that fashion is just one part of your style. Most of usaren?tawareof what we?recommunicating most of the time? and it?s way beyond our reach to keep track of everything that we?re presenting. W hen we do find out through an outside source (usually to our disgust), whether through a close friend or relative, it seems far from the ideal vision that we have of ourselves. This is where a coach can come in and pinpoint all the factors that are contributing to what we don?t want, and how we can fix it. For example, meet John Smith. He may seem like a nice guy who everyone loves, but when it comes to dating women, he says he just can?t seem to keep a very attractive girl interested in him. W hat?s causing this?It could be a factor of many things he?s unaware of. The tone of his voice which is seeking validation, the fashion faux pas he?s making through his outfit combination, or some kind of insecurity in him that reveals itself through his mannerisms. Weall havethingsabout ourselveswe?d liketochangejust likeJohn here. Once you identify your unattractive flaws or mannerisms, you?ll have the power to change it. Some people think that because I?m a style coach I must be an unstoppable force of charisma who looks impeccable all the time (ha).But sometimes I?m at home unshaven and wearing clothes that are more about comfort than fashion. I?m just a guy obsessed with the subject of style, and how we can improve
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every aspect of ourselves to be more effective in our interpersonal relationships. I love learning and analyzing this stuff, and while obsessively doing so I try to share what I learn because I love helping people more than anything else. I firmly believe that every man has the capability to be charismatic ? being the type of guy that everyone loves and is drawn towards. Source: Kinowear.com
it 's givin g
70's VIBEZ
20
The Queen Charlotte Ball
W ritten By Mary Ann Baber in collaboration with Chequelle Brown
Goingto theBall.... Queen Sophie Charlotte of England was born exactly 277 years and ten days before the first ball in her honor was held in the U.S. city that bears her name. Level21?s very own Chequelle Brown got an exclusive look into Queen Charlotte?s First Annual Ball this past Saturday and caught up with the 24
brains behind it all, Socialite CLT?s Levi Darosa.
?Be st u bbor n . Be su per st u bbor n ." Couture Fashion Designer, Luis Machicao The Soiree Runway show of the night featured an extravagant display of bright red couture with a deeper meaning, according to the Charlotte designer. ?The whole year after my show in Paris for Fashion Week, suddenly I thought OK enough is enough. I?m going to be grieving my whole life, but I NEED to have color,? Machicao explained as he opened up about going through the loss of his sister. His previous collection used black and white to represent the darkness he felt with the occasional bursts of light. ?So I decided to design the collection Machicao FIRE, everything was red,? Machicao said. The models displayed a beautiful mixture of long pieces, short pieces, and fun patterns mixed with red for a unique yet cohesive look that came together in just eight montths. We see t h e cr ow n s ever yw h er e, w e see t h e r oyal essen ce t h at ?s h er e, bu t w e don?t r eally get t h e w h y. - Levi Dar osa
In case you needed more reasons to add to your FOMO, Queen Charlotte?s ball also had many other artists on display throughout the night. ?I had the best time,? Level21 TV Host
?Growing up in Charlotte (North Carolina) we hear so much
Chequelle Brown reported. ?I felt as if I were in a magical doll
about the Carolina Panthers or new residential buildings, but we rarely get to the spirit of Charlotte ? which IS Queen
house with beautiful fashions, Charlotte?s rich history,
Charlotte. We see the crowns everywhere, we see the royal
beautiful art, and beautiful people. It?s a night I?ll never forget
essence that?s here but we don?t really get the why. So I kind
for sure.?
of wanted to fill the gap,? Darosa shared.
High praise from guests all around for this inaugural event
The beloved Queen was seven years into her reign and
that left us here at Level21 eager to see how Queen Sophia
marriage to King Henry III when the city was incorporated
Charlotte will show back up again next year. ?It?s a lot of
back in 1768. According to the African American Registry she
emotion for me,? event host Darosa exclaimed. ?This is
was England?s second black queen, and it?s this little known
important to me. To get people to understand that art is
fact that brings a different light to the history and culture of
important. And in some way, shape, or form we?re ALL artists
the Queen City.
so I feel like I wanted to celebrate that. Whether it?s by the
Queen Charlotte had an interest and affinity for the fine arts
fashion or by the art, you?re going to be inspired.
and humanitarian work, and in her honor this inaugural
Stay connected with the fun that is to come at
event chose to highlight local artists and raise funds for
WWW.SOCIALITECHARLOTTE.COM or @socialiteclt, and don?t
non-profits the Grooming Greatness Foundation and Light +
forget to support our local artists with a follow or two at
Song. The night began with a red carpet where Brown caught
@levidarosamusic, @luismachicaocouture, and
up with two of the featured artists ? Fashion Designer Luis
@elijahkellart. We know that?s exactly what our Queen would
Machicao and 16-year old glass artist Elijah Kell.
have wanted.
WORK IT OUT
SEASON
THE FALL Th e M u sic Edit ion 2021
BRINGS M USIC