Must Have for 2016 — GRIP Handbags

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All Photos Courtesy of Designer Danielle Marie of GRIP Handbags

Calling it now, this has got to be the must have handbag for 2016 — GRIP Handbags. I was first introduced to this chic designer brand earlier in 2015 and instantly fell in love with the clutch. It’s trendy, high-fashion, and innovative. I am fan of the clever design, from the colors utilized to the eye-catching jewel placements.

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Danielle Marie is the extraordinary talent behind GRIP (pictured above). She is currently enrolled in the online Fashion Essentials Certification Program provided by Parsons X Teen Vogue, as well as attending Pepperdine University, where she is working to earn a Masters degree in Media Production. Her appreciation for the arts influenced her to discover her talents as a designer. Thanks to the beautiful and dreamy “city of angels”, her career in fashion design and storytelling naturally transpired.

I’ve had the honor of meeting this sweet young talent. We met at the 2015 Independent Handbag Designer Awards. GRIP was up for the category of Best Student Handbag. Danielle did receive the award, so GRIP is an award winning handbag!

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Ruby Clutch

GRIP came to fruition just this year. Each clutch is the highest of quality, and as I’ve already raved about, a very unique design. There is certainly a practicality to the handbag. When function & fashion can combine so well, I’m even more of a fan!

Shop all entire GRIP clutches by clicking here!

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Black Diamond Clutch

And besides myself, GRIP has already experienced a wide range of success in the press — InStyle, Accessories, WWD, Bellus Magazine, The Urban Fashion Gal, Diary la Mode, and more!

Check out the GRIP blog! And make sure to visit GRIP on social media — Like on Facebook, and Follow on Instagram, Twitter, & Pinterest.

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This is a designer brand I urge all of my Fashion Nexus readers to check out. More designs are coming, but with these first few pieces already available, it would already be hard to choose just one!

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All the Latest About ashlyn’d Clutches!

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Right from the very beginning of my time blogging with Fashion Nexus, I have been such a huge fan of the highly unique and very creative clutch brand, ashyln’d. It has been such a pleasure being in contact with the amazing ashlyn’d team, making use of their beautiful clutches while I am out on the town, and providing updates to my readers on what’s new with the brand!

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This latest major news is not the newest of news, but it is certainly great for the brand and is definitely information I want to share with my readers. YOU CAN NOW SHOP FOR ASHLYN’D CLUTCHES ONLINE!!

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Every clutch I’ve ever used from ashlyn’d has always been the highest of quality and I always get lots of attention when accessorizing with one. So not only are ashlyn’d clutches unique, high quality, and intriguing, but they are also quite affordable when compared to other similar luxury clutch or accessory brands. You can still shop for the brand at various locations across the United States and internationally, but online shopping access is very much an added benefit.

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I would also like to share with my readers some great press that ashlyn’d has been receiving, everything from major editorial mentions to lots of celebrities pairing these gorgeous clutches with their looks!

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(Ke$ha & Jessica Lowndes)

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(Harpers Bazaar & Whitney Port)

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(Christina Milian)

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(Sarah Hyland & Seventeen Magazine)

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(Miranda Lambert)

And just for fun, since I always enjoy styling my own looks with ashlyn’d clutches, here are some images of myself, making use of a few clutches!

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So remember, you can now shop online and there are tons of options available for immediate purchase!

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JUNGWON — Breathable Outerwear

20150509_150650It was such an immense pleasure that the dynamic outerwear brand, JUNGWON, invited me recently to their new boutique. Located in the heart of Tribeca, the breathable outerwear brand is further expanding as now you can not only shop online, but in their new, fun-filled shop. The brand is all about designing contemporary, yet timeless jackets that offer a chic twist on classic outerwear.

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JUNGWON has always been about high performance, and again, breathable outerwear. The jackets and coats are meant entirely to be practical and functional, but also fashionable. All in all, they are very high quality. They are also waterproof, windproof and wrinkle-free.

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What I enjoy a great deal about this brand is that it offers lots of options for customers. You have more neutral, everyday color options say in a black or nude, but then you too can spice it up a bit with more vibrant colors such as bright blue, tomato red, and sunshine yellow. There are options also with that of raincoats, trenches, or capes, and this is for both men and women!! Check out the sales page!!

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With a continued focus on sustainability and fair trade practice, JUNGWON integrates recyclable materials and is locally made in New York City collections. You can check out the brand’s previous and current collections by clicking here.

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JUNGWON is a compliment to any fashion commuter, stylish parent, or coat lovers’ wardrobe. Check out the sales page!

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Make sure to check out the brand on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. I’m sure you will enjoy seeing their latest updates and pieces just as much as me!

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Alison Sheri — Dynamic RTW for Women

A25214B1I have been ecstatic ever since discovering this amazingly dynamic womenswear brand, Alison Sheri. Alison Sheri offers today’s woman dynamic wardrobe options to live-in. Whether she seeks to cultivate a bold, exciting look, or an understated, elegant style, Alison Sheri delivers in a flattering, forgiving and easy-wear, easy-care package.

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From office-appropriate knits to sleek dresses, to fun weekend wear, Alison Sheri offers something for every woman. The Montreal-based, women-powered Ready-to-Wear fashion house has delivered the utmost quality, value and trend-right items to the North-American and European Markets for over a decade.

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What intrigues me most about the brand is the many options, from not only types of clothing, such as dresses or intricate blouses, but also to that of either vibrant colors or prints. I like seeing such imaginative creations, fun colors, bold prints, and much more. This all really speaks to Alison Sheri’s versatility.

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Alison Sheri has received quite a bit of press since its inception, from print editorials in Elle Canada, Good Times, Elle Quebec, and more! You can check out the brand’s most recent collections — F/W 2014 and S/S 2015.

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The brand is distributed in Canada and the US, sold in the finest of specialty shops. To contact the brand here is all of their direct communications information. To locate a particular location or store that carries Alison Sheri, check here. You can also check out their live, up-to-date information and news via their blog.

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Up Close with Glam Confidential

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Stunning accessories. Luxurious quality. This and more is Glam Confidential. For that added glamor in your life, with Glam Confidential jewelry and handbags, you can truly do no wrong!

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With the debut of the brand’s new Sunflower theme, it’s the right time with summer right around the corner. And with their best-sellers, you can be certain you are selecting some winning pieces!

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From bridal to various themes with clutches, animalier, classics, and more, there is a little something GLAM for everyone with Glam Confidential! It’s very much a brand I encourage my readers to check out and get to know a little better!

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GCB5025-peacock-no2_1I can’t wait for more glam-great things to come for Glam Confidential!!

Irina Shabayeva — Breathtaking Couture Designs

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As a fashion fanatic I am of course a Project Runway enthusiast as well. As such, I was a huge fan of Project Runway Season 6 winner and Project Runway All-Stars Season 3 designer, Irina Shabayeva.

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Her work has always been stunningly breathtaking and quite mesmerizing. So having the chance to not only see her work in person, but to also meet this multi-faceted talent, there was no way I could turn this opportunity down!

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So firstly, I was able to attend a special, sneak-peak preview for Irina’s work at Space Sixteen. This preview was for her 2015 Bridal Couture fashion show. Space Sixteen is a classy, unique boutique in the heart of Soho, a space for artists and innovative designers to showcase their work.

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The preview was definitely enough to peak my interest, but Irina’s runway show was immaculately conceived and utterly divine.

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The show was hosted by The Set NYC and Freedom Ladder, with the goal to help in achieving Freedom Ladder’s mission to end human trafficking.

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The show was held at the Holy Apostles Ballroom in Chelsea. Catering for the event was provided by Noels Catering Kitchen.

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Irina will be showcasing her talents again, on June 4th, also at the Holy Apostles Ballroom, for Fashion Night Out, another event to end Child Trafficking. The Set NYC is too putting on this series of runway presentations, also including shows by Alex Vinash and Reverie. You can purchase tickets for this thru Eventbrite.

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So enjoy a few other looks from this fabulous runway show, once again for the lovely and creative Irina Shabayeva.

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Photo credits —

Meet Glam Confidential & Happy Almost Valentine’s Day

21-GCblog_banner_195.JPG (For Shanon Moody)Meet my latest Fashion Nexus partner, Glam Confidential! Glam Confidential is all about gorgeous, high quality, glamorous accessories. So if you are in need of some glam in your life, check out all that Glam Confidential has to offer — jewelry, bags, accessories, and bridal.

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Glam Confidential has some exquisite heart-shaped clutches that exude luxury, but also would be great ideas to make a Valentine’s Day gift unique and special.

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By use of the discount code seen above, “FP10%OFF”, you will receive 10% off any purchase, plus free shipping! Also, US or non-European buyers do not have to pay the VAT charge.

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What could make a better gift! Giving a heart, but also an accessory that can be used all year long, at whatever special event you might would use it at. These exquisite clutches would very much make you the stand-out shining star of the night, just as if you were an A-list celeb heading to a red carpet event!

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I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief intro for Glam Confidential, trust there will be many more posts to come! And of course, it’s been an extreme pleasure introducing my readers to “Love Hearts” for Glam Confidential.

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Shop neulook for Valentine’s Day!!

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Fashion Nexus has been very excited over its brand/blogger partnership with neulook, an innovative beauty destination site. There are a great deal of amazing products you can find thru neulook, from skin care to make-up, nails, and more! Valentine’s Day is coming up quickly, and remember, women crave variety. You can be as creative as you want. Let’s say you can’t afford expensive jewelry, or you don’t want to go the typical box of chocolate/flowers route, consider neulook. There are plenty of great ideas, no matter if you are shopping for a significant other, a daughter, mother, or the like. And after surfing around their site, here are some of my top picks!

LOLITA LEMPICKA EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY

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Great price. Flashy and intriguing packaging. Heavenly fragrant scent. This screams Great Gift to me! This is a uniquely alluring oriental perfume with a leafy floral scent. It inspires an enticing mystique and a flirty appeal with its multi-layered botanical fragrance. Top notes of licorice blossom, iris and violet create a cool floral opening. Accents of vanilla, anise and amarena provide a warm and spicy base that comforts and charms the senses.

WELEDA BODY OIL STARTER KIT

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Women, of all ages, are all about relaxation! The kit contains Birch Cellulite Oil, Arnica Massage Oil, Lavender Relaxing Body Oil, Wild Rose Body Oil, Sea Buckthorn Body Oil, and Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil.

BALANCING PETITE COLLECTION

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Women love to be pampered! Presented in a custom vanity jute bag, BALANCING PETITE COLLECTION is a combination of BeeAlive Spa Essentials products, designed to give you perfect skin balance, while also promoting skin texture that is healthy-looking and soft! This kit specifically contains foaming honey cleanser, a honey masque, royal jelly serum, and enriching royal jelly creme.

CABOTINE BY PARFUMS GRES

6017_zExquisite 2-piece gift set for the lovely lady of your life! CABOTINE BY PARFUMS GRES is a fragrance from the design house of Parfums Gres. With lovely notes of fresh cut flowers, citrus and ginger, CABOTINE BY PARFUMS GRES is great for casual wear. Ideal for daytime, the office or time spent with friends, CABOTINE BY PARFUMS GRES adds a unique scent to your look with a simple spritz. Classified as a flowery fragrance, this scent is feminine, light and easy to wear.

VERBENA HARVEST BODY SALT SCRUB

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Salts from the Mediterranean Sea combine with the refreshing fragrance of pure extracts of verbena, orange, geranium and lemon tree in a luxurious exfoliating body scrub. Essential oils of grapeseed, apricot and sweet almond nourish and moisturize. Anti-oxidizing vitamin A helps to tone and maintain healthy appearance. Skin turns silky-smooth as dead skin cells are massaged away. Body and mood feel revived.

PALOMA PICASSO 2-PIECE GIFT SET FOR WOMEN

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This fragrance is classified as refined and woody. This feminine scent is Paloma Picasso’s signature fragrance – legendary and as intense as Paloma herself. This strong blend of alluring florals, greens, woods, citrus and bergamot make this fragrance a good choice for active women. Recommended for day wear with a warm scent, PALOMA PICASSO perfume is for women who want to make a sophisticated impression wherever they go.

RAINFOREST BODY BALM

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RAINFOREST BODY BALM from Balanced Guru® is an organic body balm complex that is formulated to enrich, soften, and invigorate skin, as well as balance your body, mind, and spirit. Containing natural ingredients, such as cocoa butter, babassu oil, and shea butter, as well as essential oils sweet orange, lime, and mandarin, RAINFOREST BODY BALM is a sustainable and stabilising body balm complex that will moisturise and nourish your skin without leaving it feeling greasy.

L’AIR DU TEMPS BY NINA RICCI

6015_zThe dove on the L’air du Temps bottle is a symbol of peace. This timeless perfume features a blend of gardenia, musk, rose, carnation, and sandalwood to create a spicy note in the center of its composition and a powdery nuance for a feminine final finish. Recommended for evening wear, L’AIR DU TEMPS BY NINA RICCI is ideal for a sophisticated dinner, or night at the opera. This classic fragrance features floral scents and spicy undertones that add confidence and romance to any evening.

SHI BY ALFRED SUNG, 3-PIECE SET FOR WOMEN

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Featuring a blend of magnificent fruity and floral notes that captivate your flirty personality, SHI BY ALFRED SUNG includes top notes of lotus blossoms and fig leaf, heart notes of orange blossom, frangipani and juicy tangerine and bottom notes of musk and birch leaf. Featuring the delicate scents of lotus blossoms and watery notes that bring to mind Spring rainstorms, SHI BY ALFRED SUNGhas a refreshing quality that is ideal for daytime use. Just a dab of SHI BY ALFRED SUNG perfume brings a feeling of energy, and life!

There are even gifts for men!

360 BY PERRY ELLIS, 4-PIECE SET

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360° BY PERRY ELLIS fragrance for men is amasculine scent that possesses a blend of fresh berries, tangerine, lavender, sage and jasmine herbs to create a refined, woody arid scent. 360° BY PERRY ELLIS is a masculine fragrance with citrus and floral tones, recommended for daytime wear.

CUBA GOLD 5-PIECE SET

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CUBA GOLD is a sophisticated and classy masculine fragrance launched by the design house of Cuba. With notes of bergamot, lavender, vetiver and a blend of woods and jasmine, CUBA GOLD was inspired by the Cuban cigar for mature men. Designed to provide a rich fragrance that’s exotic, CUBA GOLD cologne also features a floral-woodsy composition to create a robust sillage, for a bold evening.

 

Valentine’s Day Picks from PersJewel

Fashion Nexus is proud to be partners with the personalized and custom-made jewelry brand PersJewel. You can learn more about this dynamic jewelry brand from my initial introductory post.

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With Valentine’s Day approaching, here are some great gift ideas if you haven’t already made your love-filled purchases. With PersJewel, you can shop for wives, daughters, mothers, grandmothers, significant others, and the like! I’ve had a great time, as always, checking out the latest that PersJewel has to offer. And so in sifting thru the website, here are some of my top fave picks for Valentine’s Day!

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Heart in Heart with 2 Letters — 14K

This 14k solid yellow gold heart in heart with 2 letters necklace makes the perfect personalized gift for any special woman in your — wife, girlfriend, mother, sister, cousin, close friend, or any woman worthy of such a personalized gift!

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18K Name Necklace in Gold, Lower Sparkling Heart

Another great gift idea, could work for any important leading lady of your life!

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Sterling Silver 2 Diagonal Stripes with Engraving

Personalized screams LOVE, especially with engraving, and this could work greatly for this special day.

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Yellow Gold Heart Name Necklace With Star

Yes! Just like Katy Perry, we are loving stars right now! Get this great necklace for the woman who is the star of your life!

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Personalized Birthstone Heart Necklace

What mother or grandmother would not adore this necklace, custom-made to have her remember each child in her life and their birthstone!

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Monogram earrings

With PersJewel, it’s all about the variety, and monogramming and personalization comes in all jewelry types, including these spectacular earrings!

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Personalized Name Necklace in Sterling Silver with Swarovski Crystal

Such a great choice, classic and with a pop of color via a Swarovski stone!

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14 K white Gold tag name engraved necklace

Another great idea for mom or grandma — help them remember who is most important in their life. And with this lovely gift, you are showing them who is most important!

 

“London Calling” for This Fashion Mogul

halflucidLONDONcollectionAuthor. Jewelry designer. Fashionista. Fashion Blogger. Journalist. Traveler. Writer. This in a nutshell describes the amazingly talented Kendra L. Saunders. There is of course more to say than this, and that is why I am very thrilled to introduce my Fashion Nexus readers to this creative spirit. Specifically, I am dying to show off the latest pieces for her jewelry brand, half-lucid Jewelry. Kendra was so kind to feature my fashion blog on her blog, Kendry Bird. And I am of course more than happy to support another strong woman in the fashion industry. So throughout this post, I hope you enjoy seeing the pieces for Kendra’s London Capsule Collection for half lucid Jewelry.

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“Camden Market” Babecatchers — multicolored tassels

Kendra was excited to travel to England. She says “England had a charismatic effect on my creativity, inspiring me to look at the world in a new way.” The materials she used to make these jewelry pieces directly hailed from her travels. The collection was inspired from 2 distinct sides of London — ” (1) the gray, foggy and beautiful colors of an evening in the city, and (2) the colorful and frequently exotic world markets.” These earrings are truly statement-making and eye-catching.

“Fox Fox Sake” Boho Swingers

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half lucid jewelry pieces are unique, 100% handcrafted, recycled, and/or resourced jewelry. The 2 main types of earrings are Babecatchers and Boho Swingers. Babecatchers are bold and show-stopping. They are custom-made and can be done in almost any color, and you can also choose the size of the tassels. In addition, you can further customize your danglers by incorporating ribbons or beads.

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Islington’s Wings — black & white Babecatchers

Boho swingers are lighter weight earrings that are all about movement.

“Brick Lane” Boho Swingers — yellow tassels

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These pieces are very one of a kind, truly stunning, very captivating. The London inspiration comes in loud and clear. I could see the pieces working well with both casual and upscale looks. These pieces would be super fun when styling a look for any occasion, day or night.

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So again, Kendra is a lover of many worlds. She is definitely a fellow fashionista and blogger. We connected over a mutual love of Project Runway. She has conducted many interviews with designers. Make sure to check her out across the social media spectrum — Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Kendra not only writes for her blog or about fashion, but she also has penned a few novels — Inanimate Objects, Death and Mr. Right, Geminis & Past Lives, and Overlapping Visions. Coming soon, The Unlove Spell and Dating an Alien Pop Star.

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Kendra is a true talent, flourishing with creativity. I would keep my eye on this one. I have no doubt she is going places!

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