01:00Hey, y'all.
01:02How y'all doing?
01:02How y'all feeling?
01:03What's up, Essence Fashion House?
01:05You guys feeling good?
01:07All right, guys in the back, I'm going to go ahead and make my announcement right this
01:10second.
01:11I want you guys to just calm it down, please, if you could.
01:15Shh.
01:16I feel like we in elementary school.
01:18Shh.
01:19Guys in the back, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen.
01:23Does it look like it's getting quieter a little bit?
01:28Not really.
01:28Kind of, sort of.
01:30Yeah.
01:30Just turn my mic up.
01:31Guys, if you guys could just give us a second and just calm down the noise just a little
01:35bit and bring it down for us.
01:37We have another exciting panel happening.
01:39But before we get into that, did you guys enjoy the panel we just had?
01:43It's so important that we bridge the gap between Black Americans and Ghanaians.
01:48I know with me going over to Ghana and shooting my first international film, Quaiku actually
01:53designed a lot of the pieces in the film, which is so exciting.
01:56And I just love how it comes full circle.
01:58For anybody in the room that's thinking about going back, you should.
02:02It's so, so worth it.
02:04I had agents and managers that did not want me to go and get that yellow fever vaccination.
02:08But baby, we are in control of our own careers and our own destinies.
02:13And I encourage every single one of you in this room to go back.
02:16It's going to be powerful for you.
02:18So are you guys ready for the next panel that we have?
02:21You guys look amazing, by the way.
02:24Anybody who's just joining us, if you don't know who I am, my name is Chassidy Saunders.
02:28I'm a model and actress, and I am so, so happy to be here today with you as your Essence
02:32Fashion House host.
02:34You guys have been an incredible audience.
02:36I know I see another, like a lot of influencers in the building.
02:39If you're a fashion influencer, just wave your hand in the air.
02:43Anybody out there that's creating?
02:45So this next panel that we have coming up for you guys is going to be so exciting.
02:50We're going to get into some styling tips.
02:52You guys ready for some styling tips?
02:55Now, we already know that y'all are here at Essence Fashion House, so you already got
02:58the fashion on lock.
02:59But we're going to help you guys take your fits to the next level.
03:02Y'all ready?
03:04So here to help us get started, please welcome Essence Content Director, Nandi Howard.
03:12Hey, y'all.
03:13Hey, Nandi.
03:14Hey, Chassidy.
03:15How are you?
03:16Hey, girl.
03:16This is my Sora right here.
03:17Okay, Chassidy.
03:18First stand.
03:19Don't play.
03:20Listen.
03:21And we also have style expert Kia Marie coming to the stage.
03:26So you guys get ready to take your fits to the next level.
03:30I'm going to give it to you, Nandi.
03:31All righty.
03:33Well, what's up, New York?
03:34Are you guys feeling good tonight?
03:36I know it's rainy, but if anybody's in the back, could you quiet down?
03:41Because it's about to be a style session going on.
03:44I'm Nandi Howard.
03:45I'm your Content Director for Essence Magazine, and I'm super excited to start this styling
03:49session with Kia.
03:51Right now, we're about to get into all the style tips, tricks, and hacks you need to take
03:55your personal style to the next level.
03:57So you guys know when you have things in your closet, like a simple black rumper or coats
04:03or jackets, and you don't know how to style them, Kia's going to give us a few tips on
04:07how to style those.
04:08Take it away, Kia.
04:09Thank you so much, Nandi.
04:10Of course, of course.
04:10This is our beautiful model, Mecca.
04:12Everyone say hello, Mecca.
04:13Give her some encouragement.
04:14Hey, Mecca.
04:16So she's wearing a really cute bodysuit.
04:18I see it all over.
04:20You know, the girls are wearing them.
04:21It's very cute, but she's also very versatile.
04:23So today, I'm going to show you how to take it from the day to night and, of course, to
04:27the gym as well.
04:27Quiet in the back for us, please.
04:29Quiet in the back.
04:32Sorry, please.
04:32All right.
04:32So let's get into our day look.
04:34So whether you're at the office or you're running around, running errands, you definitely
04:39need a button-up shirt.
04:41White button-up shirt is a closet staple.
04:43So we're going to throw this over the bodysuit.
04:47And this is something you could wear, I feel like, anywhere, right, Kia?
04:50Yeah, definitely.
04:50Like, I see a lot of editors at Fashion Week wearing this.
04:53Like, I know we love to give the looks, but you guys know if you want to go and you have
04:57show to show to show, a white shirt is what you got to do.
05:00Of course.
05:01And then she's so versatile.
05:02We could wear her like this.
05:03Open.
05:03We can button her up.
05:05We can, of course, tie it around our waist like so.
05:10Look.
05:11That's super cute.
05:12Okay.
05:12Okay.
05:12Hold on.
05:12We not done yet.
05:14We is not done yet.
05:14Okay.
05:14What are we adding?
05:15We're going to throw a bag in.
05:17These bags are super in.
05:18Have you guys seen kind of these U-shaped bags, like making a surgeon?
05:23We can do this.
05:24Oh, that's cute.
05:25She got the future hat on.
05:27Not future.
05:28Look, we can even throw on some shades, okay?
05:30So it's all about styling up your look.
05:32Like, accessories is going to take your look to the next level.
05:36Like, you could have just been basic with the bodysuit.
05:38That's cute, but we want extra, okay?
05:40We want a gift.
05:41Right, right.
05:42So hats, sunglasses, and your jewelry.
05:44And when your hair is not done, a hat is the perfect way to disguise it.
05:49Put that wig on and a hat over the wig.
05:53And we're not done.
05:54You know, falls right around the corner.
05:55We love layers.
05:56The key to layers is you really want to mix different textures.
06:00So we're going to throw in the blazer.
06:03Oh, hold on.
06:04Yeah.
06:05To give some more texture.
06:07We can open it up.
06:08We can button it up and give a different look there.
06:12This is cute.
06:13And, of course, we're still not done.
06:14All right?
06:15Fall.
06:16Once again, fall is all about textures and mixing textures.
06:19My favorite thing to do because here in New York, you'll leave the house and it's one weather.
06:24And the next thing you know, it's raining.
06:26Look at today.
06:27You know, it was blazing.
06:28And it's a heat wave right now or something like that going on.
06:31Yeah, it's doing the most.
06:32I don't know.
06:32What y'all got going on in New York?
06:34So then we could just drape this.
06:34We could drape her.
06:35Yeah.
06:36You know?
06:36Layers.
06:37You want to make your outfit multidimensional.
06:39So how you do that is just by adding different layers with different textures.
06:43And then if she gets hot, she can roll her sleeves.
06:46She can take it off.
06:47She can put this underneath the blazer.
06:50Boom.
06:50And she's good for the day.
06:52She can go to the office.
06:53You know, maybe this is a casual Friday look.
06:55You know, depending on what your office attire is, this is definitely office appropriate.
07:00We can button up the shirt, you know, be a little bit more modest.
07:05That's good.
07:05And you can mix the blacks with the browns, too.
07:08Because I know sometimes we try to be too matchy-matchy.
07:10But what Kia did here, I think, is a perfect example of how you can kind of mix those tones together.
07:15Yep.
07:16So now we're going to take this to a night look.
07:20Mecca, if you can just swap out and put on the black boots, that would be so good.
07:24So for night, same thing.
07:28Play around with different textures.
07:31Move the hat.
07:32The cowboy boot is in.
07:33Like, I've seen a lot of the silver cowboy boots at the Renaissance.
07:38Like, it really is just, you have so many options.
07:41So many options.
07:42If you get closet staples, you can rework them so many different ways.
07:46Because we spend way too much money on our clothes, right?
07:48Right, absolutely.
07:49So we want to make sure that we are buying pieces that can take us to multiple different things.
07:54And buying smart.
07:55Yeah, buying smart.
07:56So here, so you see we have the necklace here.
08:00We're going to take this necklace off.
08:03And you guys can have fun with your jewelry, too.
08:05Because I feel like Kia is going to kind of rearrange the jewelry and things.
08:09And so you can kind of have fun.
08:11You see?
08:11And then we're going to take, you know what I'm saying, her.
08:14And we're going to make it a belt.
08:15All right?
08:16Versatility.
08:17From necklace to belt.
08:18We love to see it.
08:20I love this.
08:20You want to make sure you're getting the cost per wear for your items.
08:23So you want to wear them in multiple different ways.
08:25Okay?
08:25Absolutely.
08:26The key is to dress smart, guys.
08:28We're spending all our money on clothes.
08:30It's an inflation.
08:31Just recycle them.
08:33Classic black blazer.
08:35All right?
08:36Throw it in.
08:38Like that.
08:39Amazing.
08:40And she's good for night.
08:41That's cute.
08:42Oh, wait.
08:43We need the bag.
08:44We need the bag.
08:44And you don't think about wearing a blazer, you know, at night.
08:47But this is a simple way.
08:48You could put a black jumpsuit under it and then put your work blazer on top.
08:52Look.
08:53And then if you're really feeling funky, okay?
08:55Because once again, the weather.
08:57You could throw on your cargoes.
08:58Yes.
08:58And leave that.
09:00An extra layer as well.
09:02Love.
09:03Love.
09:04Okay.
09:05And last but not least, of course, she has to work out, right?
09:08Right.
09:09Even if we don't work out, we just wear the workout clothes.
09:12You know what I'm saying?
09:13You're right.
09:13That is true.
09:15So our last look is going to be Jess.
09:23She's going to swap out into her gym sneakers.
09:27For a show of hands while they're swapping out, who likes a more nude tone or who likes bright colors?
09:32So if you're more of a nude, kind of simple dresser, raise your hand.
09:36Okay.
09:37If you like bright colors, raise your hand.
09:39Okay.
09:39The girls like bright colors.
09:40It looks so good on melanin anyway.
09:42So it's like, might as well just throw it on.
09:43You see I got the orange on today.
09:48Okay.
09:48And then for this, we can tie this right around our waist.
09:53Very cute.
09:54Like so.
09:56And especially if you're working from home, this is such a cute look to just wear.
10:00Even at the gym, working from home, kind of chilling at your computer.
10:03And she has her bag.
10:05Yes.
10:06She's good to go.
10:07Look.
10:08Boom.
10:09And we're always drinking smart water, right?
10:11You know, it's like, why wouldn't we?
10:14Yes.
10:15This is great.
10:16Well, all right, Kia.
10:17This is amazing.
10:18I love this styling session.
10:20Thank you so much.
10:21This has been so much fun.
10:22Before we go, Kia, let everybody know where they can follow you.
10:25Well, you can follow me at The Notorious K-I-A on Instagram and all the other platforms.
10:31Spell B-N-O-T-O-R-I-O-U-S-K-I-A.
10:37Amazing.
10:40And of course, thank you to our sponsor, Smart Water Alkaline, for helping us bring this style segment to life.
10:46We have one more panel after this, so let's give it up again for Kia and Mecca.
10:51Thank you, guys.
10:52Thanks, all.
10:52Hey, come on.
10:53Come on.
10:53Come on.
10:53Come on.
10:53Come on.
10:54Come on.
10:55Come on.
10:56Oh, God.
11:25Come on.
11:27Come on.
11:28Come on.
11:45Come on.
11:45Come on.
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