TOO CUTE for the Cold?

It’s no secret, winter is the coldest season of the year, but just because it gets cold doesn’t mean fashion stops. In case you haven’t noticed, fashion stops for no one…and as the saying goes, “the show MUST go on” and if the show must go on, why not be the star of it!

Brownstone has the latest secrets to help you look your best this winter season, whether you’re the girl who’s hair is too cute for the cold, who’s skin is too cute for the cold, or fashion taste is too cute to be bundled-up. No worries, we've got your back!

Three things to remember this winter fashion season: Bright Colors, Accessories, and Pea Coats!!!

Bright CoLors: Usually bright colors are associated with summer and spring fashion, but if you’re like me and own lots of kelly greens and royal blues, you have to find a way to add that color to your winter fashion.

Try pairing your bright colors with black, tweed, gray, or winter white and you’ll still look too cute simultaneously bundled up!

Bring out you bright spring scarves and pair it with a black turtleneck and a black pencil skirt…too cute!

Accessories: Winter is the best time to bring out all the accessories. Beanies/ berets, umbrellas, scarves, tights and gloves. But try not to over do it. The younger you are the more accessories you may have, but for all the high school students, stick to 2, no more than 3 accessories.

If you’re worried about your hair, try a beret and gloves.

If you’re worried about your skin, cover it up as much as possible by wearing tights with boots and fashionable gloves.

Pea Coats: A nice winter coat is a must. Pea coats screams “ classy, sophisticated, going places,” and did I mention it will keep you warm!!!

Pea coats can be expensive, so shop places like Macy’s during a one-day sale. Macy’s currently has a Rampage pea coat on sale, originally $89.00, but it can be yours for $49.00.

If $49.00 is to rich for your blood, try shopping at a thrift store. Be sure to get the coat cleaned. To make it your own, replace the buttons!!

Hope these tips helped! Send us questions if you need help getting those outfits together!

--LaSaunda Tate
Guest Blogger

LaSaunda is a director at McCullum Youth Court (MYC) in Oakland, CA. For more fashion advice, e-mail LaSaunda at brownstonemag@gmail.com.

Announcing the Brownstone Book Club

Join Brownstone this winter as we read the thriller Marked by PC and Kristin Cast

Pick up Marked over the break and get started! Our book club begins January 4th - 31st, 2010.

Sign-up at brownstonemag@gmail.com for more details!

See you in January!

Our Princess Is Here

There's a new princess in the Disney family and her name is Tiana. And if you haven't heard by now, she's black. :) 'The Princess and the Frog' hit theatres Friday and was number 1 at the box office this weekend. I don't know about you, but I'm extremely excited about Disney's first African American princess. Finally right? It's been way overdue! I never understood why it took so long. Over the years, we watched Disney create an Arabic princess (Jasmine), a Native American character (Pochantas) and even an Asian (Mulan) leading lady, but never was she black.

Growing up, there weren't too many cartoons characters (especially princesses) that looked like me. Looking back, it kinda made me feel left out. I can't speak for every girl, but I bet plenty of girls wanted to be a princess when they were younger. Playing dress-up as Belle (Beauty and the Beast) or Princess Jasmine (Aladdin) didn't ruin your childhood, but I'm happy that little black girls will now have a princess that they can play with or aspire to be that looks like them. Even though I'm older now, it makes me feel proud that we have a black Disney character that is beautiful and smart that the world can see.

Luckily, I was able to see a sneak peak of the film this past May. I loved the movie! I thought that Disney did a great job with the character of Tiana. I felt that she was positively represented. I didn't see any negative depictions of African Americans. I know that there was some controversy about the prince not being black, but that honestly didn't bother me (too much). I felt that the story had a good message overall that made up for that. Those were just a couple of my thoughts and I know that there are some people out there who would disagree with me. I could get into a deeper discussion, but I want to leave that to you. What are you thoughts about 'The Princess and the Frog?' Did Disney get it's first black princess right? Let's talk about it...

--Tymika Morrison
Brownstone Team

10 Things to Do this Holiday Season!

1. Bake Santa some Cookies – Get some family and friends together, play some music, and bake your favorite desserts. Don’t limit yourself to chocolate chip cookies – look up new recipes that sound interesting or combine recipes to make your version of popular desserts, or even holiday beverages.

2. Go Ice Skating – You can find rinks near local malls, especially downtown. Nighttime is the best time to enjoy the holiday experience – everything is lit up and festively decorated. Be sure to dress warm and bring a camera to capture candid moments.

3. Go Christmas Light Viewing – Most cities have a popular neighborhood that’s known for the best light displays. Google your area’s best Christmas light displays, pile in the car, and enjoy the ride!

4. Feed the Homeless – Visit your local shelter and spend an hour or two when you have some free time. Tis’ the season for giving!

5. Collect Toys for Children or Teens – Teenagers are the ‘forgotten group’ during the holiday season because most people associate toys with younger children. You can buy new, unwrapped gifts and drop them off at a local shelter or any Toys for Tots receptacles, typically found near grocery stores.

6. Write Christmas Cards for Local Women’s Shelters – Nothing compares to the affection and warm bond with another female. Handmade cards simply wishing peace and love this season are easy and fun to make.

7. Have a Holiday Photo Shoot with the Girls (and guys) – Dress up in holiday colors (red, green, white, blue, silver) and bribe your friend who’s always taking Facebook pictures to be the official photographer. Put on some holiday music in the background and be fierce!

8. Watch your Favorite Christmas Movies – You can’t go wrong with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, or Chris Brown’s This Christmas. Get your hot chocolate and a cozy blanket to make this night complete.

9. Exercise Artistic Flair while Wrapping Presents – Festive gift bags can be fun, but it’s more personal to wrap presents with special consideration of the recipient. Curl ribbons and use non-traditional decorations like candy – use your imagination!

10. Sing Christmas Carols – We all have our favorite Jackson 5, Temptations, and Donnie Hathaway version of Merry Christmas. This is the time to turn the volume all the way up and groove – get in the spirit and celebrate the best time of the year!

--Brittany Allen
Brownstone Intern

Welcome our newest intern, Brittany Allen to the blog! Brittany is a sophomore communications major at USC, where she also writes for Helen, USC's first women's magazine. Brittany strongly believes in our mission to empower young girls of color. We are extremely excited to have her on our team!

Check me Out!

Crushes can be fun and then they can be agonizing. Fun if he’s showing interest in you by flirting back and agonizing when it seems as if he doesn’t even know you’re alive. Let’s keep it real…it can suck, especially when the girl who is known for being fast is pulling out all her tricks to get his attention too. So what do you do? Of course you want to get him to notice you, but you don’t want to lose respect for yourself in the process. So, I want you to put away that dress that shows everything ya mama gave you and take notes! Here are some DO’S and DON’TS to getting your crush to take that second look and check you out:

Do’s

• Talk to him. Introduce yourself. Say hi if you pass him the hall. Ask how he’s doing. Talking to him will open up communication between the two of you. Guys like it when you show interest in the things they like to do.
• Friend him on Facebook. Ask him to be your friend on FB then you can post cute pictures of you and your friends. But remember to keep it classy ladies! Believe me if he likes what he sees he’ll be hitting you up. Don’t overdo it with FB though, you don’t want to become a stalker. (see below)
• Wear a nice perfume. Don’t bathe in it though…use in moderation! When you pass him in the hall, he’ll get a whiff and he may just compliment you on your fragrance. Guys like the smell of something sweet.
• Offer to help me. Maybe your crush is having trouble in Spanish or some other class. Offer to work with him (don’t do the work for him) during lunch or after school. You can gain his respect, friendship and trust at the same time.
• Be yourself! Don’t try and act different to catch a guy’s attention. I hate to sound cliché, but if he doesn’t accept you for you then he’s not for you. Therefore you need to keep it pushin’!

Don’ts

· Be quiet. A closed mouth doesn’t get fed. If you never say anything to him then he’ll really never know that you exist. I know it can be scary, but if he’s worth it you’ll take the risk.

· Wear revealing clothes. Hoochie clothing is not cute! You don’t want to send the wrong message and get more than you can handle.

· Stock his Facebook page. You might come off a little thirsty if you’re the only one leaving comments on all of his picture/wall.

· Stare obsessively. If he catches you staring at him too many times he may think you’re a little psycho.

· Let your friends talk for you. Your friends aren’t the ones who like him. You are…so do the talking. Besides it can start to annoy guys when they keep getting bombarded with questions from your friends. Plus, you wouldn’t want him to start liking one of your friends…

--Tymika Morrison
Brownstone Team

Go Green for the Holidays

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” Well, not if our environment has to suffer from it. Did you know that many of the holiday traditions we practice each year are damaging to the atmosphere? I found out that there is a whole lot we can do to be more eco-friendly, expecially during the holiday season. Now, I’m not an eco-friendly mainiac or anything, but once I found out all the ways I can put a new twist on this holiday season, I got excited. There are big and small things we can all do to make a huge difference in the quality of our environment. Interestingly, many of these changes target the things we take for granted. For example, driving all around town trying to find that perfect gift. Or, decorating the tree with our favorite ornaments and wraping each and every gift so that it looks perfect. There are eco-friendly convenient and creative alternatives to things like these that make our holiday season even more memorable. Here are some ideas:

Seed Paper Ornaments

This is a great way to kick-start your holiday season. Seed Paper ornaments are paper ornaments that come in various shapes, and sizes that you hang on your Christmas tree like any other ornament. When Christmas is over, you can plant the ornament and watch your plants or flowers (depending on the types of seeds) and feel great about giving back to our environment.Check out more options for earth friendly ornaments and gifs.

Online shopping

Many of you may already be used to online shopping, but for those who are not…here is another reason why it’s beneficial (to you and the environment). You don’t have to waste gas/money driving all around the city, going to crowded malls, and spending ridiculous amounts of money. Instead, enjoy great deals while you shop at home give our air a break from your exhaust pipes.

Wrapping paper

This Christmas, try using eco friendly wrapping paper and decorations. They are just as nice to look at and a fun way to being creative with a great purpose. These gift wrapping alternatives eliminate the costs associated with the manufacturing paper and all the waste disposal that really takes a toll on our environment. There are really nice fabric gift bags, and things you can turn into gift wrapping paper like old newspapers or calendars or wallpaper. Try it! These are just some fun ideas I came across.


Be different! Go green this holiday season!


--Kyle Holland
Brownstone Team

Gift Giving Gals

Well it’s December 1st and no matter what holiday you celebrate, the season is officially here! I heard holiday music on the radio this morning, I keep seeing decorations popping up left and right and I have even started pulling out those warm sweaters from the back of the closet. I love this season for the family, food and of course gift giving! I started my shopping early by catching some great deals during Black Friday. But I know many of you may have missed that opportunity and are wondering what to buy and how to save money doing it.

Even though Black Friday has passed, that doesn’t always mean the deals are long gone. Check the Sunday papers and retail websites for weekly ads at your favorite stores. Since the economy is still in a slump, retailers are eager to offer deals to get you in the door. Look out for deals such as buy one get one free, door buster deals or money back if you spend a certain amount. Shopping online can be beneficial as well. Sometimes there are special online offers not available in the stores. Another online perk is potential free shipping, so make sure you figure out how to meet the free shipping requirements before you check out. This means you’ll be able to get a good deal without leaving your home and without having to deal with the holiday crowds! This sounds like a win-win to me!


Make your money work for you. If you are on a limited budget, get creative. One example is breaking up a gift set. You might be able to find a great spa set that has two lotions, three body washes, and other great goodies. You don’t have to give the entire basket to one person. Break it up and individually wrap a lotion with another small item like a lip balm or nail polish. Because of the economy, now more than ever, the phrase “it’s the thought that counts” is holding true. Your friends will love the fact that you thought of them and I doubt they’ll be thinking about not getting a huge gift basket from you. Another inexpensive gift is accessories. You can always find a great pair of earrings or a bracelet for under $10. Get accessories in your friends’ favorite colors and styles.

Want to save even more? Answer this question… Who are you spending time with during the holidays? If you’re having quality time with just the family, shop for just them first and save the shopping for your friends until the day after Christmas. Just like Black Friday, you will find wonderful savings during the after Christmas sales. Plan to get together with your friends sometime before New Years to exchange gifts. You can also decide to play a Secret Santa game amongst your friends. Write down the names of each of your friends on a piece of paper, throw everyone’s name into a hat and have each person pick one name. Set a price limit and voila, you are now only on the hook for one gift. The benefit of this is you can buy one person a really nice gift instead of having to stretch your money.

How are you saving money during the holidays? Share your stories…

-- Martine Rouzan
Brownstone Team