Accessorize your life - Beauty & Style

TIRED of the same old drab look? Ready to add some sizzle to your wardrobe? Want to jazz up that basic black dress? It's easy to do with accessories. With dynamic jewelry, sassy scarves, snappy handbags, and snazzy hats, you can make an old (or new) outfit look dramatically different. Scarves have always been a staple for the fashionable female, and today's Black woman is as likely to wrap a swath of silk around her head as she is to drape her neckline. This season, bracelets make a bold statement, from bangles to beaded stretch bracelets to beaded glass and turquoise. Whatever your style, whether flamboyant or demure, you can spice up your wardrobe, and your life, with well-chosen accessories.

Spice up a simple black wrap dress with black and white geometric patterned scarf, earrings, leather bag, and large bangle bracelet. Change your look with red coral sculptural necklace with sterling silver and African trade beads, with matching earrings, from jewelry designer Lilian Cartwright.

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Accessories can make or break a look. Enliven your attire with bold accessories: necklaces of black and gray patterned Ghanaian beads, handmade olive green ceramic beads with ostrich eggshell and coconut shell, and African mud beads. Shown with carved black wooden bangles, black wooden stretch bracelet and lacquered wood bangle from India. Right: Sculptural necklace of turquoise with Baltic amber and Hilltribe silver butterfly. Necklaces from designer Lilian Cartwright.

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Bracelets come in a variety of styles, including (l. to r.): turquoise and Bali silver bracelet, amber and hand-made glass beads, brass bangle inlaid with mother-of-pearl, two-strand beige mother-of-pearl bracelet, Lucite bangle, stretch bracelets of African mud beads, white embedded-shell Lucite bangle, charm bracelet of red glass beads, and woven bamboo bangle.

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It's in the bag: Hand-painted straw purse with leather strap, brown satin with rhinestone accent, black satin evening bag, and canvas bag with leather trim and handle. Bracelets include multistrand pearl stretch bracelet and silver cuff with jade and gold accents.

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Silk scarves in fuchsia, black and white pattern, and brown chiffon, shown with bangles.

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Jazz up simple white outfit with black and white Kangol cap, bold white sunglasses with rhinestone accents, white scarf with black polka dots, and black and white bracelets.

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EBONY Celebrity Beauty Of The Month

Heat up your summer days and nights with eyes that captivate. Celebrity beauty of the month Blu Cantrell chooses frosty shadows during the day for a soft, feminine look. At night, the soul singer opts for smoky sexy lids, using grays and blacks to turn up the allure. Whether she's promoting her current CD, So Blu, or kicking it with friends, the Arista recording artist says she does not leave home without eyeliner. Blu uses liner to make her beautiful eyes stand out.

You can achieve Blu's favorite looks with:

Frosty Eyes: Calvin Klein Liquid Eye Pearls, Fashion Fair Eye Shadow in Baby's Breath, Benefits Show Offs in Cooki or Meringue

Smokey Eyes: Urban Decay Pocket Rocket Shadow/Liner in Asphalt, Alchemy Eye Shadow in Black Cohoah, Fashion Fair Eye Shadow in Smokey Quartz and Metallic Sable

COPYRIGHT 2003 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group