I have to give it to her.  Solange Knowles is nothing if not daring.  Whereas Beyonce likes to play glamour girl, Solange isn’t afraid to experiment with quirky fashion and daring hair styles.  Take this rope jacket (picture below) she wore to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week for instance.  From a distance, the jacket has a nice silhouette and is a fun way to spice up her black skinny jeans and strappy heels.
 
Up close, however, there are so many ropes on this jacket Solange sort of looks like she should be taking the Boy Scout slip-knot test or wo-manning a ship.
 
What do …read more

VH1’s “Divas” live concert is back on September 17 (9 p.m.) featuring a new generation of talented ladies, including “American Idol” champ Jordin Sparks and Brit “X-Factor” winner Leona Lewis. Jordin’s new album Battlefield debuted in Billboard’s top 10 and Leona’s sophomore album , Echo, drops on November 16.
These reality show competition junior divas join the ranks of past senior “Divas” performers Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, Mariah Carey, Tina Turner, and Aretha Franklin.
 
 
 
A “VH1 Divas” concert hasn’t aired in four years, and for the first time ever the artists will perform at the Brooklyn …read more

We’re all Hot Mamas here, right?  Yet, there’s a thin line between dressing sexy and looking like you belong on a street corner.  
Here are 5 tips on how to look hot without looking sleazy:

1) She’s Got Leggings: This trend continues to have….legs.  I must admit that black leggings look good paired with long tunics and worn under billowy skirts. But I can’t quite get used to many of you ladies wearing leggings (and only leggings) with short tops.  Even worse, some have mistaken opaque tights or regular pantyhose for leggings.  Not a good look.

 
2) Put Ya Freakum Dress On: …read more

Get your sexy back…to school style courtesy of Sasha Fierce.  You know, Beyonce’s extroverted alter-ego.  Queen B already has House of Dereon, a high-end fashion label she co-designs with her Mom and creative director Tina Knowles. Now the superstar has introduced the younger, more affordable “Sasha Fierce” line that will debut at Macy’s and Dillard’s in the fall. I’m just wondering what school it’s acceptable to wear a black body suit to?
“The line really exudes a different side of my personality, which I am grateful I can express,” Beyonce explained in a press statement.  ”The ‘Sasha Fierce’ line is for …read more

If you’re not sure which type of dress best flatters your figure, allow me to introduce Shabby Apple, an online dress boutique that understands that most women aren’t built like supermodels.
The web retailer recently launched the interactive “Fit to Flatter” feature on its website and as an iPhone application, which educates women on which cuts, fabrics and styles they should wear, according to their body type.
 
 
“Fit to Flatter” asks questions such as “Where do you gain weight?” and “What are your best features?” and based on my answers apparently I’m “Pear” shaped — not a description I like but one that …read more

Solange is certainly nothing like her big sis Beyonce.  Her second album, Sol-Angel and the Hadley Street Dreams, was a decidedly quirky slice of ’60s pop a la the Supremes and psychedelic neo-soul.  To further set herself apart, Miss Solange recently cropped her hair to a seriously short natural style (click here to see the TMZ photos), and her personality tends to be as extra (no fierce alter-ego needed) as her flair for fashion. 
 
 
While I commend Solange for her individuality, I’m wondering if this colorful, second skin body suit (it leaves nothing to the imagination) she wore during a performance …read more

Move over Beyonce. Whitney Houston is back!  Her highly-anticipated new disc, I Look to You, will be available Sept. 1, but fans and record industry are already abuzz. 
 
 
I’m still wondering, however, if Ms. Houston still has a problem.  Ummm, those of you who saw her cameos on her former husband’s reality show, Being Bobby Brown, know what I mean.  Let’s hope not.   She looks healthy and beautiful on the album cover and in these photos from a recent listening event in London. 
 
What do you think — will Whitney’s new album be Hot or Not?
Image credit: Arista Records

French cosmetics giant L’Oréal has been found guilty of racial discrimination “for considering black, Arab and Asian women unworthy of selling its shampoo.”
This is shocking news considering the makeup maven’s television and editorial ads feature celeb beauties of color including Beyonce, Eva Longoria Parker, and Kerry Washington. 
 
According to reports, “France’s highest court was told that the group had sought an all-white team of sales staff to promote Fructis Style, a haircare product made by Garnier, L’Oréal’s beauty division.”
Well, Hot Mamas, I guess this means that we’re not worth it. Will this ruling stop you from purchasing  L’Oréal products?

Are you still stocking your summer wardrobe?  Then you need to stop by Public Library.  No, not your local book branch, but the hip apparel website.  Public Library offers a collection of style trends inspired by cool people, places, and things.  
I’m particularly fond of the Africa-theme Samburu tees; a portion of sales go to the Samburu Project to provide fresh water for the Samburu community in Kenya.
 
 
The t-shirts are a hit with celebrities including Beyonce, Jessica Alba, and Halle Berry.  Here’s your chance to scoop up a Public Library tee — 25% off until June 30.  
Enter the discount code …read more

I used to think that celebrities were naturally thin and didn’t have to work at looking svelte and fit. I was wrong.  In the new issue of Self magazine, Beyonce reveals how she keeps her bootylicious bod toned (”I can’t eat what I want, and I can’t not go to the gym,” she tells the magazine), what’s in her “Sasha salad” (lettuce, tomato, avocado, jalapeno peppers, chicken breast and oil and vinegar), and how she’s mastered the balance between being sweet and strong.  
The dancing queen, however, lost me when she admitted she admires Gwyneth Paltrow, whom she says “just …read more