People of Style: Serious Bok NJ

Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I grew up in a small inner city town in Northern New Jersey. It wasn't the hood, but it was close enough. Too close.

Q: Where do you live?
A: I still live in NJ

Q: What is your personal soundtrack at the moment?
A: I have a playlist feat. Raekwon, Kanye West, Drake, A$ap Rocky, Jayrrod4love, Pusha T and others. I like old school & some new era hip hop. I like lots of music though. Dance, rock, Miami style techno remixes, Rihanna, Santigold or some Johnny Cash.

Q: What is your star sign?
A: I'm a pisces. I'm not into zodiac signs. When people ask I tell them I'm a pisces sometimes they smile sometimes they roll their eyes. LoL

Q: Who is your style icon?

A: Russell Simmons. In the 80's this man told Kurtis Blow I'm taking you to Tokyo so you can rap. That is vision! Russell is young at heart. He doesn't dress or act old. I still admire the Phat Farm clothing line. It was trendy, but had timeless pieces. People only want to remember the big splashy logo t's, jeans. I remember the suits, pol0s, khakis & oxford shirts. Phat Farm should still be going strong like Ralph Lauren, but our people are more concerned about what's played out.

Q: What is your style philosophy?
A: Be yourself. A lot of originality & a little bit of trendy. Mix the high end designer with discount clothes. I'm 33 years old I'm not a teenager or a rapper so you won't catch me in cheetah or zebra print sneakers & jackets. I'm not wearing bow ties either. I have my zone. A great personality & some nice shades will make a $30 Target sweater look like a $180 Polo joint. My style goes beyond what I wear. Its how I carry myself, what cigar I smoke,which shades I wear, what I eat, where I eat, who I eat with or what I drink. Things I don't do matter also. 

Q: What do you do or what would you like to do when you grow up?

A: On my journey I would like to see my brand Broad&Luxe grow into a mature Lifestyle culture. Something that can be enjoyed by anyone with the right attitude. I would love to be able to use this to create jobs. I want a small yacht. I love the ocean. I just want to smoke my cigars, listen to music, drink & bbq on the grill in the middle of no where. That's Luxe.











(photo credits: Giuseppe Gangitino)

Model Monday Advice

Speak No Evil (Linda) Hear No Evil (Naomi) See No Evil (Christy)

These were the original trio who turned modeling around between the late 80s through to the mid 90s.

In 1986, photographer Steven Meisel, hairstylist Oribe Canales, and makeup artist François Nars imported a California teenager named Christy Turlington into Meisel's Park Avenue studio to shoot her for British Vogue. Within days, Turlington introduced Meisel to a teenage Brit named Naomi Campbell, and he in turn introduced her to a forbiddingly sleek Canadian named Linda Evangelista.

"The Trinity" was born, and was soon a sensation on the runways and nightclub dance floors of New York. Christy, Naomi, and Linda.

Now back to work!!

Happy New Year #OccupyNigeria

I have been away from this space once again for an extended period of time because life seems to have other plans that makes blogging daily (or even every other day) near impossible for me.

It has been an eventful beginning of year for Nigeria.

What with the kidnapping saga that started in the oil-rich Niger-Delta and quickly swept across the nation; closely followed by the radical group Boko Haram that started as a muslim movement opposed to western education and style of living, but has morphed into possibly the most terrifying terrorist group in the country.

It is in the face of this ugly security issue that has claimed so many lives across the country that President Goodluck Ebele Johnathan removed the subsidy on petrol on January 1, 2012 making it near impossible for many people who had gone home to their various villages for the christmas break to get back to their places of year-round residence because everything basically tripled in price without a commensurate increase in earning/spending power amongst the citizens.

Nigeria is a country of resilient people who are fine with providing their own water, security, roads etc if left in relative peace (whatever that means).

I reckon the government didn't bargain on the people finally finding their voice.

But Nigerians have found their voice and by God it is LOUD!!

The photo above is a cross section of protesting citizens who have finally decided - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

(Thanks to publisher & one-time presidential candidate Dele Momodu for tweeting this photo that gives a clear picture of the number of Nigerians who have decided to risk life and limb to get their message across to the government)

Happy New Year everyone and may 2012 treat us all better than 2011 did.

Model Monday

Alice Dellal!

This 5'5" wonder has been confirmed as the new face of Chanel and our Model of the day.

Some call her Brazilian, others call her British. We here just say Model Monday.

NATIONALITY: Brazilian
BIRTH DATE: 1987
STATUS: Bad girl, Established
KNOWN FOR: Family, Hair, Style
AGENCIES: Next
MUSE FOR: Mario Testino
DATED: James Jagger
FRIENDS: Stella Tennant, Daisy Lowe, Luke Worrall, Cole Mohr, Henry Holland, Elizabeth Jagger, Leah Wood, Eliza Cummings, Georgia May Jagger, Jethro Cave
INTERESTS: Music, Photography

Advice for the men

So instead of Model Monday, I've decided to give out a little advice to the men. This act of kindness on my part might be because I bumped my head in my sleep or it could be the Louis Vuitton men's Damier Duffle Luggage Travel bag I found at an unbelievable price. But whatever the reason, this is what I have to say....

Few men take fashion seriously. They wake up, stroll over to their closet, pull on the first thing they see, and start their day. Odds are their clothes don't fit them properly. Odds are their clothes aren't very colorful. Odds are they don't look nearly as good as they could. And it's a shame, because clothes really do make the man.

Clothes can help you in the dating world and the world of business. A stylish look can make to look cool, smart, successful, and confident without saying a word. A well-dressed man immediately earns positive first impressions. Yet for some reason, men are not taking advantage of this. Many aren't even making an effort. It's time that changed. It's time men became all they can be.

To make this happen, men have to make sure their clothes fit properly. They have to develop a signature style. They must be willing to stand out. They must embrace new colors. They must spend time trying on new clothes. They have to discover what looks best on their body type. They must see clothes as an investment instead of an expense.

Looking like a million bucks doesn't mean you have to spend a million bucks. And whatever you spend will pay dividends. Being stylish can attract women, it can impress your boss, it can help you land the date and the promotion you've been after. Being stylish doesn't make you look materialistic or vain. It makes you look smart.

And the best part of fashion is it doesn't take a degree to know what looks good. All you have to do is flip through the pages of fashion magazines, quiz stylish friends and watch what other men are wearing. So stop dressing down and start developing a passion for fashion.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from Verizon

Happy New Month!!

As the year draws to a close, don't forget to take a minute to count your blessings. Another minute should allow you take stock of your actions, decisions, choices and to evaluate their consequences to you and those around you - hopefully this would motivate you to do better starting today.

It's World AIDS Day...what will you do today to make the world a better place for people living positively and their families? What will you do today to raise awareness?
Visit http://www.worldaidsday.org/

Try to be the best version of yourself this month.

Collection of truths?

How many of you echo the sentiments contained below? In your opinion, are there traces of truth to these statements?

1. Every great century that produces art is so far an artificial century. And the work that seems the most natural and simple of its time is always the result of the most self-conscious effort.

2. I'm not really myself except in the midst of elegant crowds at the heart of rich districts, amidst the scrumptious ornamentation of palace hotels, an army of servants and plush carpets underfoot.

3. What's true about music is true about life. The beauty reveals everything; of course it expresses nothing.

4. The first duty in life is to assume a pose. What the second duty is, no one has yet found out.

5. Nothing makes one so vain as being told one is a sinner.

6. Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he'll tell you the truth.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from Verizon