Guilty Pleasure: The City

There's nothing I enjoy more that a good compilation of New York fashion, socialites, glamour, and drama. And I'm more than getting my fix of it with this new season of my favorite MTV television show, The City. Centered around the journey of young, up-and-coming designer Whitney Port, the show chronicles her interactions with people in the fashion industry such as the outspoken and no-nonsense fashion PR giant Kelly Cutrone of People's Revolution, the independent and ambitious PR Director for Elle Magazine, Erin Kaplan, and my favorite character, the sophisticated and irresistably icy Olivia Palermo. The show is successful at giving viewers prized looks into the gears behind the glass of the fashion industry. No doubt tons of young fashion enthusiasts are tuned into the series, filled with the hope their their own fashion aspirations will be as replete with the glamour, success, and adventures of The City. Also, unlike its counterpart The Hills, we don't really love to hate the characters and the show isn't a giant opportunity for a roast of delusional, dysfunctional people who have no real evidence of actual jobs much less a sane view of reality. The City airs on MTV Tuesdays at 10:30.

He's Cocky - Rashad Benton

Today I'm spotlighting a 20-year-old student from Florida A&M University with a blazing and blossoming interest in fashion, Rashad Benton. Our meeting was pure serendipity; this interaction between sartorial enthusiasts beginning with a simple friend request on Facebook. This figure enveloped in an untterly fashionable ensemble of a raspberry purple oxford shirt with a complementary dark bow tie was enough to extend him an invitation to the Flashy Life. After all, Oscar Wilde said, "One should always play fairly when one has the winning cards". Benton's Tumblr page, which you can view here, is an amalgamation of the stream of consciousness of a rising star in fashion. His musings on new items to buy, social dealings, the life and times of fashion personalities all mesh to create an interesting view into a young talent's creativity and ideas. Rashad's style exhibits an ambition-chic affect that gives him a sophisticated, clean-cut, and intelligent aura he no doubt can back up. Check out some photos of Rashad below and visit his Tumblr, his Twitter, and his Facebook.

Sex And the City Returns

We're all familiar with the fabulous, glamorous, and fast-paced lives of the Sex and the City saga that revolves around our favorite girlfriend group: Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte. The series was made into a hit film that captured all of the quintessential sparkle and style of New York glamour Sex and the City: The Movie in 2008, and now another film is set to come out later this month. We've dedicated a set showcase to the series to give you the best of Sex and the City fashion. Enjoy!

We're soul mates, Sex and the City 2!! by GagaCouture featuring Miu Miu shoes

SEX AND THE CITY!!!!!!!!!!!!! by Brenda Joyce..Loves Polyvore.. featuring Mary Katrantzou dresses

Now Contest:"Sex and the City" Chalotte by youaresocool featuring Marchesa dresses

Samantha Jones by youaresocool featuring CoSTUME NATIONAL dresses

Janelle Monae - The Arch Android

The soulful, strong, and most definitely stylish songtress Janelle Monae just came out with a new album yesterday, May 17, 2010 titled The Arch Android. Just like her last album Metropolis: The Chase Suite, this EP is filled with futuristic sounds and lyrics. Continuing the use of her motif the android Cindy Mayweather and her forbidden love Anthony Greendown, Janelle Monae adds more downtempo and lounge-like vocals to this album with the mellifluous singing in "BaBopBye Ya", "Sir Greendown", and "Mushrooms and Roses". There are also the quintessential Janelle Monae "afro-punk" tracks with upbeat rock tones like "Cold War". But the most well-hear track and the one with the highest iTunes popularity is Monae's collaboration with Outkast member Big Boi with "Tightrope", a catchy tune whose music video is as entertaining and showcases Monae's James Brown-esque dance moves. Check out more about Janelle Monae and her new album at her website here.

The Best of Gossip Girl

For all of you Gossip Girl fans out there, if you watched the season finale last night, you caught all of the stellar style and fashion that makes up my most favorite show and biggest guilty pleasure. It doesn't matter if you're a fan of Blair's sophisticated, glamorous style, Serena's upscale bohemian flair, or Jenny's super-edgy, avant-garde look. Get all of the characters' style secrets with the Polyvore.com sets below showcasing the best of Gossip Girl's exceptional fashion!

Double take: Blair or Audrey? - Gossip Girl Style Challenge by caitlyn. featuring Chanel shoes

Blake Lively by LolaHaze featuring Jimmy Choo shoes

no more hierarchy, no more mean girls. they won't copy how the queen dresses. by valerie . featuring Jimmy Choo shoes

Dan Humphrey Style 3 by David_mkd featuring Lanvin shoes

Nate Archibald Style 2 by David_mkd on Polyvore.com

Dark Prince by prettyboypaul on Polyvore.com

Flower Power

Last month we brought you the best of spring fashion sets on Polyvore.com. And even though the skies outside may still be wringing the best of it's rainy wrath, once the clouds clear the real beauty of spring shines through.  Now we're bringing you sets that showcase the best in florals and flowers. No spring fashionista should bear to go without these colorful, elegant, and most of all stylish flower power. Enjoy the sets and add some items to your collection!

Smell the Flowers! by ~Adorable~T featuring Rupert Sanderson shoes

Happy April Birthday by ·•●devilgirl●•· Bday 9th May!!!! featuring Carvela shoes

Dream Girl (for Vikaki on bday 27th April) by alisa&marti featuring Valentino bags

Garden Party by prettyboypaul featuring Miss Selfridge

Repost: The Urban Gentleman - Sammy Davis

The blog The Urban Gentleman is spolighting jack-of-all-trades entertainer Sammy Davis of the famed Rat Pack of the 1950s for his impeccable and refined personal style. The first Black man to appear on the cover of GQ magazine, the post pays homage to the life and style of an extremely talented entertainer whose spark and charisma won him fame as a three-instrument player, comedian, and impressionist. Check out the article to see more photos of the fashion icon and also to find items in The Urban Gentleman's Lookbook to get a piece of this timeless entertainer's timeless style. Check out the full post here.

 

Embrace Your Inner Dandy

A dandy (also known as a beau, or gallant) is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self.

Long gone are the days of the 90s, my most detested decade of fashion, when the "grunge" look of oversized shirts, baggy pants, the ruffled look, and the loss of chic femininity. People in the new millenium and more so in this new decade have learned to embrace fashion and make it a part of their lives rather than running from it. Before, men were considered a marginal population in fashion. Now they are huge power players, even threatening to surpass the consumer loyalty once held by women. Men like Beau Brummell and Oscar Wilde of the Victorian era understood the value of aesthetics and the positive effects of an attention to one's appearance. Is it wrong for us to use our own bodies as the canvases on which we paint masterpieces purely for public view and consumption? I think not. So in order to release your inner dandy, take a look at these exceptionally fashionable sets from Polyvore.com.

Kouros by Gandrasta Bangko featuring Louis Vuitton bags

MakeShureYouGet.WhatYouWorkForMen. by kowalski_vega featuring Vivienne Westwood jewelry

You had sex with a refut. Twice. by Vlad Alexander featuring Juicy Couture bags

I knew you were unstable, but tactless too? by Vlad Alexander featuring Forever21 jewelry

 

Steph Jones - Gravity

Thanks to my girl Toni, I've run across a new musical artist who I can add to my short list. Steph Jones' mixtape Gravity is a surefire means to an aurgasm if I ever heard one. With a voice that's a soulful as Maxwell's, and a knack for beats like Ryan Leslie, the R&B singer/model has produced his first mixtape which has an intergalactic-themed vibe similar to that of Janelle Monae's Metropolis. The tracks vacillate between otherworldly songs such as "Up Up and Away" and "Gravity" and much sweeter, more downtempo songs like "Southern Love" and "Mr. Ordinary". The 26-year-old's film isn't too bad either, with music video appearances in Bobby Valentino's "Anonymous" and Destiny's Child's "Jumpin' Jumpin'". Jones has appeared in ads for Diddy's clothing brand Enyce and is signed to Ford Models. You can download the Gravity mixtape here.