...But Tonight, I'm Cleaning Out My Closet

AND JUST IN TIME FOR THE NEW YEAR, TOO!

As the New Year quickly approaches, many of us want to start it off 'fresh and new,' because it is a new year, right?? For the lot of us, this is the equivalent to second chances...the chance to finally get that 4.0 [g.p.a.] you've been aiming for, a new 'do (hairdo, that is) perhaps...or even a new outlook on life--resolutions, anyone?! But what about a new wardrobe...?

As you go through your closet...

You come across an old, beady sweater that your Aunt Velma gave you for your birthday several years ago. No question here. Toss it!

What about that old leather skirt? "Hmm...It's so cute. Too bad it doesn't even fit anymore." Toss it!

"This old jersey dress...what a joke!" TOSSED!



At the end of your tossing extravaganza, you realize that you have nothing to show for [it] but an empty closet and a pile o'plenty in the middle of your bedroom.

"So now what? I have all of these unwanted clothes...."

SWAP 'EM!!

Clothes swapping is the "eco-friendly way to be stylish," according to BBC Green--an alternative to throwing away unwanted clothes and buying new ones, ultimately reducing waste and saving energy. It's a way to recycle your wardrobe. You can still be fashionable without spending a dime! Who would've thunk it?! Swishing is the catchy new term used in place of 'swapping instead of shopping.' Gill Hart from suite101.com calls this latest fashion phenomenon the ethical answer to shopping. In its November 2007 issue, Marie Claire praises swishing for combining four of fashion's current obsessions, including "fast fashion, value for money, vintage and ethical consumerism in one guilt-free package" (Hart). Everybody wins! You can swap things that you don't wear, giving them to someone else who will, walk away with a new outfit, updating your wardrobe, and/or even turn unwanted items into cash. Things that aren't swapped can be donated to local non-profit homeless shelters and your favorite charities. Elle magazine even goes so far as to calling swishing " The underground party scene." Speaking of, why not throw your very own swishing party?!



Learn how to organize a swapping, or swishing, party here:

http://www.bbcgreen.com/Lifestyle-Family/Fashion/Clothes-swapping-parties

http://www.lifeorganizers.com/cm_articles/16_organize_a_clothes_swap_189.html

Don't have the time or the space to throw a party? No worries! You can even swap clothes online! The great thing about swapping online is that you can swap things with people from all different parts of the world, and you know what that means--EXCLUSIVITY!

Check out these sites:

http://www.swapstyle.com/

http://www.clothingswap.org/about.htm

http://www.bigwardrobe.com/

Just remember, swishing doesn't have to be for women's clothing only. You can swap anything, including but not limited to, furniture, books, baby's clothing, children's clothing, and even men's clothing. Thus, anyone can swap--even men! In these times of economic hardship, take advantage of penny-pinching outlets like these!

To learn more about swishing, check out:

http://womensfashion.suite101.com/article.cfm/swishing_the_new_way_to_shop

http://www.swishing.org/

A Diva is the Female Version of a Hustler

Diva (dē'və) n., pl. -vas or -ve (-vā).

1: an operatic Prima Donna.

2: a usually glamorous and successful female performer or celebrity, ex. a fashion diva; especially : a popular female singer , ex. pop divas.

[et. from Italian diva "goddess," from Latin diva (same meaning); feminine of dīvus, god] (Merriam-Webster Student Dictionary).

Contemporary artists like Beyoncé [Knowles...or Carter], Mariah [Carey], and Mary J. [Blige] have all paved the way for girls all around the world. These haute couture hotties are known for more than just their designer duds. They weren't always sittin' on top of the world.

Take Mariah Carey, for instance. She certainly wasn't born with a silver spoon. In her hit single "Make It Happen," off her sophomore album, Emotions, Mariah recalls a moment "not more than three short years ago" when she was "abandoned and alone without a penny" to her name. Sometimes she couldn't even eat. In the song, she encourages her listeners to believe in themselves with accompanied prayer, using personal struggle to get the point across. Today, she serves as an inspiration to us all, living proof that tough times don't last for long.

Frank Micelotta Photoshoot

June 12, 1990

Then there's Mary J. Blige, also known as M.J.B. the M.V.P. And she is the most valuable player, indeed. Mary J. is more than the just the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul (as if that weren't enough). She's a STORYTELLER. Many hip-hop artists glorify the conditions of inner-city living. She rose above it--the drugs, the poverty, domestic abuse. What didn't kill her only made her stronger (and who isn't glad for that). Never blinded by her success or jaded by her turbulent past, Mary J. Blige has always been and continues to be true to herself.

Last, but not least, we have Bee--not yours truly, but the [Queen] Bee, Beyoncé (duh). She has every reason to feel like she's that (oops!), now doesn't she? Beyoncé has reached a level of success that most of us can only dream of at the young age of 27. She's not even 30 yet for crying out loud! And already she has countless Grammy's and over 75 million albums sold under her belt! That's not even the half of it...I could go on, but I'd need a separate blog for that! Even so, all that glitters is not gold...Beyoncé has paid the price for her fame. On the brightside, every cloud has a silver lining--through it all, Beyoncé has still managed to come out on top!

Beyoncé at ABC Studio (2006)

So what do my three favorite ladies have in common?

Aside from the fact that the trio joined voices in 'Just Stand Up!', a fight for cancer....

Click on following link to see footage of this phenomenal collaboration

http://video.aol.com/video/just-stand-up-feat-mariah-carey-beyonce-mary-j-blige-rihanna-miley-cyrus-and-more/2301272

THEY'VE ALL POCKETED THE TERM 'DIVA'! "She ain't no diva!"

OH!! ...but they are...

Find out what makes a 'diva' a diva in the continuation, "A Diva is a Female Version of a Hustler, Part II."