I confess: I’m addicted to blogs.

I especially like reading blogs about PR, social media and cultural issue, but also beauty, natural hair, and fashion & style. I was recently contacted by a fellow blogger and PR professional and I must say, this chick is on FIRE! Not to mention her website is fresh, playful, and inspiring.  She is one of the most amazing people I’ve met through the blogging and social media community. I recently interviewed her and she shared some amazing advice with me. Naturally, I thought it only right to share with you!

Before I get into the nitty-gritty, let me just say that there is no way I can put all the information she shared with me in one post. So what I’ll do is share with you in segments.

First let’s get to know Kholi – and I don’t me the “Hi, my name is Kholi and [insert bio info from website here] ” way (I’ll save that info for the end lol) No, I got down and dirty with her and she opened her heart and bubbly personality.

Tell us about yourself – the quick and dirty version.

Kholi: I’m an addict … of all things aesthetic.  Give me anything mediocre and I’ll make it monumental … and I’ll make the world believe it was all your idea.

What are you passionate about and how do you take it further than just being passionate about it?

Kholi: I’m passionate about dreams.  Everyday, there are three things I write in my journal: “Dreams are real.”  “You are it.  Everything.”  “I’m hungry.”  Granted, I could very well be physically hungry at any moment in the day (I’m admittedly a bit of a foodie), but I write that because the world is tough, and we can be so easily pacified.  I have to remind myself every day that: (1)  there is a goal and, (2) every day is a step toward it.  I write the other two things, not just for myself, but because I’m in the business of helping others realize their dreams … and doing this helps me realize my own.

For a while, I was paying attention to the fact that I was waking up every day searching for the next big star, or the next best restaurant, or people who, when I watched them work, would fill me with passion.  I fed off of that.  Eventually, what began as party promotion, or using my connections to help give people attention, turned into The Ardor Brand.  It’s honestly the best job a girl like me could have.  I get to wake up every morning and imagine people living out their dreams and telling the world about it.  I know that people hide the job title under PR & Marketing, but I’ve convinced myself that that’s just because “Angel” or “Lovely Life Fairy” looks crazy at the top of resumes.

Aside from that, I do freelance styling and image consultations.  It helps pays the bills but, honestly, it helps feed my habit.  I could look at, talk about, tweet about, read about, write about fashion ALL DAY!  Designing client slides and helping people enhance their personal style is really like the cream cheese icing on an already moist and delicious red velvet cake (see? foodie!)!

Lastly, I do creative consultations.  That means for everything from art projects to business cards, email marketing to brand development.  For some reason (lol), people trust what I say.  This is what God has given me.  If I can make it work for amazing people, why would I keep all my ideas for myself?  No matter how busy I like to be, I couldn’t use them all in this lifetime or the next.

See? She’s a sweetheart, right? I’ll continue my interview with Kholi in another post,  part 2! In the meantime, here’s where you can learn more about Kholi and what she’s doing.

Shameless plug section!

Carrie Kholi, author and chief editor of kholioli.com, is a full-time writer, entrepreneur, English graduate student, and EQUALLY full-time beauty enthusiast. Having worked to develop several start-up companies and non-profits, Kholi most recently developed The Ardor Brand, a boutique PR and social media development company for beauty brands such as fashion lines, spas, personal trainers and estheticians.

Currently, Kholi is putting all her energy into Lucky Magazine’s lucky lifestyle contributor contest. Here what she had to say:

Kholi: I’m SUPER EXCITED ABOUT IT (clearly from the caps)!  I spotted the ad for it in the magazine about a month ago.  I ripped it out.  I posted it on my wall!  I want to be Lucky’s next Lifestyle contributor like I want like … like I need to breathe to have it.  It’s basically 5 rounds that last from now until November, 2011.  We have to write according to the rules of each challenge, but they’re looking for personal spins that will be just right for the magazine.  If I win, I get $10,000.00 and a chance to work with Brett, the head editor … and honestly … it would be checking off one of my dreams from my to-do list.

The title of my first submission is “We are What We Wear: Say It and Mean It!“  It’s about personal style.  We had to discuss a terrifying style moment, stylish, peers, and style tips for the workplace.  I hope the ladies reading are loving it and learning from it!  I’d love for EVERYONE to sign in and vote for me!

KholiOli.Com | FB | TWITTER | POLYVORE | BLIPPY

What makes a person stylish? Is it their ability to pick out a cute dress, top or pants? Is it the jewelry or shoes they wear? What about hair and makeup? My answer is- all of the above! Style is more than finding a cute top and paring it with jeans and running out the door. It’s so much more. It’s the ability to layer your look with the right clothes, accessories, shoes, hair AND makeup to look put together without looking like you spent hours doing it.

Wardrobe

Arguably, the first thing a person notices about you (other than your hair and your face) is what you’re wearing. Your clothes are an extension of you and they express how you feel about yourself and show what type of person you are. When shopping, it’s important to look for certain pieces that not only reflect your personality, but can be layered with other  pieces to bring several looks together seamlessly.

What to look for:

• Statement pieces like bold-printed dresses
• Classic pieces like blazers, white button-down shirts, and the little black dress
• Jeans, both light and dark wash; skinny, wide-leg, and regular cut
• A few pieces that SCREAM your name

Shoes

We all know that one of the first things a woman looks at on another woman are her shoes. That said, your shoes can make or break your outfit easily. Not only do you have to consider color, style, and print, but you also have to consider comfort. Trust me, no one wants sore feet. No matter how cute the shoes – they won’t get worn often. When picking shoes, be sure to consider what you have in your wardrobe that the shoes can compliment, but  also consider the style because shoe trends have a tendency to be hot one season and not the next.

What to look for:

• The classic pump
• Neutral colors
• Styles that are likely to transfer through trends; i.e. wedges
• Shoe accessories like in-sole cushions
• The classic boot

Hair

Again, if someone doesn’t look at your outfit first, they’re looking at your hair. And we all know, if your hair isn’t on point, you shouldn’t even bother to get cute. Like it or not, because it’s near your face, you MUST take time to make sure that your hair not only looks good, but also compliments your overall style.

For example:

• When wearing a bold lip and neutral eyes, it’s better to where your hair down instead of up. It frames the face and takes the scary away from the bold lip
• For the no-makeup, makeup look, a sleek high ponytail is perfect. It’ll accentuate the cheeks and jaw, and play up on the fresh look
• When wearing a bold outfit, consider straight hair or a low messy pony. It’ll compliment the boldness without being overshadowed. Big hair plus bold clothes is a no-no, unless you’re Lady Gaga, RiRi, or Nicki

Makeup

I consider makeup my form of graffiti – I get to send a message through art either using myself or others as a canvass. Makeup can definitely be inspiring when done the correct way. However, the wrong makeup look can take your style from classic to crazy, while the right look could transform it from fine to FIERCE! The key again is layering and balance.

For example:

• The smokey eye should be paired with a nude or neutral lip and a black or bold-colored outfit
• A bold lip should be paired with neutral eyes and a wardrobe mixed with neutrals and bold colors (like a colorful top with dark blue jeans)
• The no-makeup, makeup look should be paired with a fun dress or any casual outfit

Accessories

It’s easy to go overboard with accessories. Especially if you’ve got lots of great pieces to choose from. But you must exercise restraint when it comes to  wearing accessories because too many can make you look, well cheap.

 What to look for:

• When wearing a statement piece like giant earrings or a huge necklace, there is no need to wear anything else. In the case of the necklace, small (non-dangling) earrings are acceptable. Also, a small bracelet may work well
• When wearing all black or all white, layers bracelets with different prints and colors can make your look stand out
• Don’t go matchy, matchy – There is no rule that says you have to wear an earring, bracelet, and necklace set just because they came together. Mixing and matching is encouraged,  but try to match complimentary colors
• Scarves can be used on the head, around the neck ,and as a belt! Just not at the same time
• There is no need to match your shoes with your belt and your purse and your hat. Try only two at a time in the same color family. Again, mixing and matching is SO in!

Well ladies, that’s it. I hope these tips help you to get one step closer to mastering your personal style.

How do you define your personal style?

I’m a huge advocate of supporting small businesses and sharing “love” when I find a business that I not only love but think others will enjoy also. I’m a t-shirt kinda girl and at the end of the day I’ll throw on a cute tee, some skinny jeans, a few accessories and a pair of heel s(or flats depending on where I’m going) and call it a day. I came across Dynastee Clothing Co. while searching the web for some unique fashion finds in the DC area.

According to their web site,  Dynastee Designs starting out like many small local bands do – in their parent’s basement. With only a few bottles of paint and some blank apparel just itching to become a great piece of fashion they were able to create a unique brand of clothing by utilizing their innate artistic talent, thus differentiating themselves from the multitude.

They describe their brand as “an upscale-urban fashion label that specializes in designing sophisticated, artistic clothing,  that represents the vision of our culture.”

You’ll find only tees when visiting the web site, but I assure that you won’t be bored by the unique fonts, color combos and catchy phrases. I particularly like the one that says, “ Think Ignorantly Big”.
Here’s a sneak peak at what you can find on their site:

If you like tees and want apparel that you may not see on anyone else in your area then I encourage you to check out Dynastee Clothing Co.

Disclaimer: I have not been paid to endorse this company. This is my opinion, given by my own free will.