MUA Makes Her Way Into the Major Leagues

Seems like every young lady that crosses my path with an eyebrow archer and some lip liner wants to be a make up artist.. but notice I didn't mention their possession of talent. However, here's one of the most talented young ladies I've come across. As you can see by these photos, her title as "amateur" make up artist is pure clichè. The artist?  A miss Brianna Norris residing in my great city of Memphis, Tennessee. Bre is the person on every girl's speed dial for make up tips, event make up, and other special occasions.. not to mention she keeps my brows LAID whenever I'm in town. I personally wouldn't let anyone else touch my face, but you be the judge of that if you're in the Memphis area. She accepts appointments and is quite affordable. Tell her Whitney sent you ;)

IG: @_brebeaute
Email:

To Thrift or Not to Thrift?

Are you a label junky or a cost-savvy shopper looking for deals any way possible? Whether you're either or a mixture of the two, I suggest thrifting for dope threads at low prices. Starting 12/12/13, I will be doing a weekly #ThriftingThursday post on that week's pick-ups until January 1st. The faithful Goodwill-ers and Salvation Army soldiers know what to do, but do you? 

Here's a few of my thrifting tips:

1. Love what you get: Unlike department and chain stores, most thrift spots will have a no return policy. Even though you're getting a great deal on the items, you don't want to buy something and never wear it. Love it in the store and you're sure to wear it.
2. Be creative-minded: Those Mom jeans? Picture them as some distressed daisy duke shorts. That plaid shirt? Imagine how good it'll look under an argyle sweater with khakis. Remember, the way you buy it isn't the way you have to wear it. I'm notorious for racking up on thrift jeans, jackets, and flannels and turning them into an accentuation piece. It's okay to get crazy with some bleach or maybe a pair of scissors... after all, you probably paid $3 max for it anyways.
3. Remember these items have been used before: Although everything in a thrift shop wasn't donated, treat it as if it was. It is a requirement that all clothing be sprayed with a disinfectant before being put on the rack, but there's nothing wrong with a wash at home. I usually go for one wash for shirts/sweaters, and two for pants.
4. Have fun!: Set aside about $20 to go crazy with... and believe me, you can go crazy in a thrift store with $20.. which leads me to my next point.......

*Tips for readers thrifting in Memphis*
The best thrifting spots (to me) are:
Goodwill 50% Off Store
574 S Highland St, 
Memphis, TN 38111

Salvation Army 
2649 Kirby Whitten Rd
Memphis, TN 38133

Good luck & happy thrifting! <3 

Complex.com's 50 Most Stylish Rappers of All Time: Dead-On or Dead Wrong?

Complex.com is definitely the place to go for hip-hop/urban style references. You'll definitely be seeing a lot of them on this blog.
No doubt some of these suprised me, especially the fact that there's no women on the list. I'll give Complex an E for Effort on this one, special thanks to their number one pick.
Click the link to see who made the cut.

http://m.complex.com/style/2012/11/the-50-most-stylish-rappers-of-all-time/big-gipp

Rihanna Steals Hearts with her new "RiRi Hearts MAC" Holiday Collection

So this has been a year of the colored lipsticks and eccentric eyes ranging from Ka'oir Cosmetics to the new lip line "Steele Pretty" from Traci Steele of "Love & Hip-Hop ATL, Season 2". However, the world has been in anticipation of the RiRi Hearts MAC Holiday collection, released December 5th. Not surprising at all that all 3 swatches of the lipstick sold out in a mere couple hours. Were you one of the lucky ones to get your hands on one? 
My opinion on it all? It was just as over-rated a release as the Nicki Minaj and Lady GaGa lines (Don't hurt me, RihNavy!) The colors (Pleasure Bomb, RiRi Woo, & Bad Girl RiRi) were beautiful shades, don't get me wrong. I just felt that it wasn't something I hadn't seen before. The shadows and bronzing powder are a completely different story... they're amazing! I'm not one to "beat" my face, but I'd suggest these two to anyone who's looking for a great product to use.
All-in-all, I gotta salute Ms. Fenty for the success of her cosmetics line!
http://www.maccosmetics.com/whats_new/12005/New-Collections/RiRi-Hearts-MAC-Holiday/index.tmpl

My Styles in a Nutshell

intro to the author //

◆ My name is Whitney
◆ I attend Howard University, majoring in International Business with a concentration in fashion marketing 
◆ Southern girl hailing from Memphis 10 
◆ This a blog of looks that are both popular and on the rise, ranging from random people I see to celebrities 
◆  Be the style you want to see in the world, dress for yourself and no one else
◆ Something you want to see posted or addressed? Email me; colewhitneyTCTC@gmail.com