#fall issue 2011

[modelcitizenmag-blog]

@LotusEnergy: Success Taste Great by @FabGlance1

The first thing you need to know is -Lotus Energy Drink tastes good, really good. Also, it really does give you energy.. The website describes the taste as, “exotic tropical citrus . . . not too sweet and lightly carbonated with a modest bite to it.” 

To say the siblings who created Lotus energy drink are risk takers, would be an understatement. What company would take on the energy giant, Red Bull, and offer an alternative? This alternative is not about ‘rah-rah’ excitement that Redbull promotes but more about a sophisticated take on a truly saturated market.

The sibling group who created Lotus energy drink are Nashville natives. This is a good thing. Li Jackson, with her brother Jay and Thomas Umboh introduced the drink to their hometown first, Nashville. Thomas, the company’s CCO says that they Lotus ‘Lifestyle’ is about the

 “ . . . young professional, someone who has a passion, someone who strives for perfection in everything they do. This person is driven. They work hard and they play hard. Lotus is for the extreme athlete or the professional artist. Whatever your passion, whatever your escape, Lotus is made for that.”

The siblings take a hands-on approach with the development, marketing, and sale of their product. While talking with the team, you can sense the pride they have in their brand. Umboh further stated, “People need to know they have an option.” With only two years in the market, the team is working to let all of Nashville know that the Lotus option is the best option.

So, the team has stationed themselves in the Nashville night life and at social events. Lotus uses a mix of street team marketing and in-club offerings. The team’s brand ambassadors, the Drangels –pretty girls dressed in angel wings and corseted tops, go to promotional events to tell potential customers about the product. This strategy has worked well, gaining the team regional strength, selling Lotus in Walgreen’s, Daily’s Gas Stations, nightclubs, and local sweet spot Cupcake Collection.

With a sugar-free version on the horizon, Lotus Energy Drink is driven with the passion to succeed. Catering to the lifestyle of working professionals, creatives, and passion pursuers this great tasting drink will be in the game for a long while.

[modelcitizenmag-blog]

#HauteSpot: Haute Brands featuring Fly Society, Love is Earth and Mamie Ruth

Put music, skateboarding and fashion into a blender…turn it on….mix it to perfection and what do you get? Fly Society.  The Los Angeles based brand, founded by Pro Skateboarder Terry Kennedy, Rapper H.I.T. and Producer Fuzzy Fe, boast t-shirts, hoodies, snapbacks, beanies, sweats, varsity jackets, henley’s, oxford andbutton-ups that have been rocked by several celebrities! Offered at KarmaLoop, CCS, Overload and PacSun to name a few, the brand appears to have the formula to success. Fly Society has taken off, are you on board?!? ‘Fly High’ by visiting flysocietyonline.com for where to shop. Twitter: @RealFlySociety

Are you a hip-hop loving, skateboarding, street wear enthusiast with an independent-mind that promotes forward thinking? Yes? Then L.I.E. (acronym for Love Is Earth) is the brand for you. The limited run apparel brand features snapbacks, tanks, shirts, hoodies and shoes. Based in Nashville, TN and Boone, NC, L.I.E. is a continuation of the boutique, which is where the brand can be found until the bigcartel store is opened online.  L.I.E plans to keep the brand fresh by reaching out to artists and other brands for collaborations. Check out the L.I.E. locations in Nashville and Boone and stay tuned for the launch of loveisearth.com!  Twitter: @LVZRTH

Mamie Ruth, an eco-friendly brand of Emily Bargeron, is a brand suited for women with style.  The brand, featuring feminine pieces with eccentric prints and cuts, is named after Bargeron’s grandmother who aided her in finding her passion and love for fashion. Having been featured in several outlets, Mamie Ruth is a brand on the rise. Do as the motto says and ‘Look Good, Do Good, Shop Mamie Ruth’ by visiting mamieruth.com.

[modelcitizenmag-blog]

For the Love of Nature: The Cotrice Collection by @MsTrecie

Creativity is something that is not inherited genetically, but rather, learned by each individual.  Cotrice Addison nurtured her creative mind and birthed The Cotrice Collection (CC) in 2000.  Inspired by materials from everyday life and that most regard as trash, Cotrice shaped her brand around originality and ingenuity.  Based in Atlanta, The Cotrice Collection’s muse is showcased in the logo; intertwined leaves incased in a globe, CC shows it’s appreciation of Mother Nature and all things Earthy.  Carried in the studio or delivered to you, The Cotrice Collection is offered only in a select few stores. 

Only offering men and women clothing pieces in the beginning, Cotrice expanded into the accessory realm. Featuring her work in tradeshows, it was only a matter of time before her greatness was recognized….that acknowledgment came in 2006 at a show in Brooklyn.  During the show an accessories buyer for Urban Outfitters was blown away by the creativeness and originality of the pieces and ordered several from the collection for the Free People catalog.  As her brand grew, so did her celebrity clientele and resume.  Having graced several celebrities, The Cotrice Collection has been seen in several outlets.  From Essence to Upscale, Jadakiss to Erykah Badu, videos to movies, cd covers to glamour shoots, Addison proves time and time again that she is a force to be reckoned with. And that force was recognized by the creators of Project Accessory.

Although her time on the show was short lived, Cotrice’s products are a necessity for any fashion lover. 

Follow the brand’s movement on Twitter.

[modelcitizenmag-blog]

#ModelCorner: 10 Commandments of Fashion

10. Thou shalt wear foundations

Foundations shape you, hold you in, give you great posture, and keep you from doing the always-distasteful jiggle. Even smaller women wear them for control.

  9.   Thou shalt not carry a bag that is too small.

Have you ever seen a girl whose arm was larger than her bag? What a way to make you look larger than you are. My rule is, if my leg or arm is bigger in width then I don't carry it.  When you carry a super small bag it makes you look huge, this can also work in reverse, carrying a larger bag will give you proportion, making appear smaller. This does not apply to clutches.

  8.   Thou shalt dress thy age.

Clothes are powerful and they convey strong messages. They can easily age you or make you look like you are in high school...neither of which is a good look.

  7.   Thou shalt take care of thyself from head to toe.

Manicures/Pedicures - Nothing is worse than seeing a woman looking great until you get to below the ankle.  Unkept feet can erase the great look you have put together. Chipped nail polish is a no no. Fix it already!

Eyebrow shaping & waxing

Facial Waxing if needed

Hair care - Ladies weaves are great, but please invest in your hair. Cheap hair equals cheap look. And for heaven's sake do not slap a straight and silky on textured natural hair. 

  Disclaimer – Ladies, I am not saying you have to do all these things you know your strengths & weaknesses. If you know you have naturally nice hands and jacked up feet then you may only need the pedicure. Evaluate yourself & Be Honest.

  6.   Tailor thy clothes

It makes the world of difference. Nuff said

  5.   Thy shalt not only wear black

Ladies, I love black too but when you try to hide behind black it becomes an issue. When dressing I always go for a look that stirs up the senses. Add some color, especially colors that look particularly good on your skin color.

  4.   Thou shalt not match thy purse, shoes, and belt.

You will look like the 80 year old lady at church or your local Piccadilly.

  3.   Thou shalt be honest with thyself.

One of the best indicators of whether or not you look good is yourself.

  2.   Thou shalt complete thy outfit with FABULOUS shoes.

Here are a few rules for picking out shoes for an outfit. They don't have to match, but they should agree with your outfit If you are wearing an all black dress you can throw some leopard shoes in there. Heels are a must when going out. They hurt I know, but if you know you will standing or dancing for a while bring a back up pair of flip flops or flats...your feet will thank you. Don’t underestimate the flat shoe. Be adventurous. A fun shoe can bring excitement to a simple wardrobe

  1.   Thou shalt not confine thyself to one or two clothing stores.

This is especially for my plus size ladies.  Lane Bryant is not the only store in the world. Go to the "skinny stores." You may find something...cut is key. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU WILL FIND.  I always say think outside the box.

    For more styling tips check out: garnerstyle.blogspot.com

  Chastity Garner

The Curvy Girl's Guide to Style

www.garnerstyle.blogspot.com

[modelcitizenmag-blog]

Letter from the Editor: @Artieka

Fall is one of my favorite seasons for fashion. The colors and scents get deeper and our wardrobe’s become layered. In a battle to be fashionable or remain the true mismatched version of me fall is the easiest time to just be. To sit outside and watch the leaves fall, play with my nephew and watch my city calm down from all of the heat that came along with summer, are all a part of the essence of fall.

In this issue we fall into all things autumnal from the shoes on our feet to the smells of our men and everybody knows (Yes I had to quote Phaedra) I love a good smelling man! And speaking of men, this month doesn’t leave the guys out with features on shoes, smells and winter accessories.

This season, I challenge you to live a little, work a bit harder and by all means create all the memories as if no one is watching. So, sit back grab yourself a warm drink and enjoy fall.

Yours,

Artieka Nicole

[modelcitizenmag-blog]

Letter from the Publisher:@MsTrecie

 ‘Nothing is constant but CHANGE’-Heraclitus

I first heard that saying in middle school…at first it was just required reading…but as I got older, it became a profound quote.  It described everything in five simply stated words…five words that related to us all and gave us a common ground to stand on. In this world, the only thing consistent and constant is CHANGE, and as the weather and environment around us changes in preparation for fall…so must we. Our surroundings are a visual representation of ourselves…we are what we are around…we produce based on what we see and have. So if we strive to CHANGE, we strive to CHANGE that with which we have become eerily familiar. I’m not saying that we each need to CHANGE everything in our world (although some may), but if we each take the initiative to purposely CHANGE an aspect of our lives we may reap success and benefits that we have been long searching for.  The only thing that holds you back from your true potential is you. I learned that the hard way.  It is easy to place the blame on someone else, but if we look at why they are associated with us it is because of us…it is too easy to walk away from detrimental situations, but we choose to stay because we are afraid of CHANGE and have become too complacent in our current situation to acknowledge the good of the CHANGE that we fear.

People enter your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. We, as humans, like to prolong people’s welcomes in our lives as long as we can because in the back of our minds we conceive this logic that one day we may actually need them. I am here to say…no…let them go. As summer fades into fall, indicating the CHANGE of the seasons, we must treat this as a season of our soul and cleanse ourselves of those reason and seasonal people who have served their purpose. Acknowledge the good that they have done in your life, and acknowledge their exit from your life, circle, or situation…whichever you see fit.

So Model Citizens, I challenge you to purposeful CHANGE and pray that you reap success and blessings!

I present to you:  Model Citizen Magazine: Fall 2011: Volume 1, Issue 2.

Much Love,

Trecie