No woman’s shoe collection is complete without a sexy pair of black boots, but shopping for just the right ones can be harrowing. With so many styles, colors and materials available, finding the right boots might feel impossible. However, you don’t have to worry anymore, as this new pair is sure to be a game changer for any woman.

These black over-the-knee boots are a must have. The black, 16-inch shaft glides over the leg while hugging the calf to create a smooth, clean look that’s not too bulky. The microfiber material keeps them from having that call girl look. However, you don’t need to worry that they won’t standout since their cuff is studded with black rhinestones. The cuff keeps these boots from looking too sweet by adding an edge to any look. The wearer can rest assured she will have ample height as the four and a half-inch heel gives her proper lift. A one inch covered platform keeps the heel from feeling too steep and stops it from interfering with how you strut your stuff while wearing them. The man-made sole lets any woman do all the walking she wants without worrying about putting a hole in her new boots. The split behind these boots’ cuffs keeps them from feeling too tight around the knees, and gives you the breathing room you need to walk comfortably.

These over-the-knee boots’ versatility makes them an asset to any collection, as they work with just about any outfit. Dress them down for a movie night by pulling them over a pair of skinny jeans. Dress these shoes up by wearing them with a pair of tights and a killer dress. Scrunch the shaft down for that sloppy yet put together look. No matter how you wear these boots they will always be an attention grabber.

The other week was just absolutely a great way to start my weekend off just right. I enjoyed the 2nd Annual Fashion-A-Ball that was hosted by the W Scottsdale.  A great way to end the MLB Spring Training games here in lovely Arizona with a fashion show that welcomed baseball stars and models. Who doesn’t like that combo? Okay, I think I had you at W Scottsdale because anybody who is anybody was at this fun evening that supported the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  All seats at this fashion show were bought and donated to charity.  Of course it was a no-brainer for Beyond Beauty Basics to get involved and purchase a seat for a great cause.

After mingling, meeting and greeting people in the area the W calls, Wet, I was more than happy to see the runway shaped as a W in the pool. This made a lot of sense since most of the pieces were swim suit attire and it was held at the W Hotel.  The idea behind this cat walk in the pool area was no other than the Runway Director and stylist herself, Arianna Sinclair, who I had the pleasure of meeting.  She is an L.A. based stylist who had the right idea that rocked this show!   It was a pleasure to meet her and talk about all the great pieces that was featured.

Lights dimmed and then it was bright lights as the pool lit up and music began to play.  Put me in coach! I am ready to play! All models in the first part came out in bikinis and baseball attire with mitts and bats as their props which I liked because it tied into the theme of the night. Bikinis worn by these beautiful models were by Sinfully Suited Swimwear.  I loved the uniqueness of the suits, colors and how it looked amazing with a pair of stripped pants!  But the one that slid into home plate would be the black knitted crochet one piece.  Love, Love, Love It! Take a look for yourself and you can be the judge.

The next section was all male models that showed off a little skin in Alastaire Grey Clothing. From evening to hanging around the pool, they all looked smashing in black and white shirts, muted tied dyed shirts, suspenders, shorts and easy relaxed pants. These trendy models really knew how to pump up the volume for this crowd that’s for sure!  You should have been there!

The third section of the fashion show was the ladies again with a collection that had me wanting to see more. They were wearing spring styles for women from Deegie’s Carma. Lovely dresses and cover-ups for this up coming summer or your next vacation at the beach! I tell you, that I wanted a couple of outfits for myself!  One would be the blue jump suit that looked so effortless but so elegant at the same time. With some sandals to dress it down or heels with a fancy chunky necklace from Isaac Jewelers for the evening.   Many of us women are always looking for a great white spring dress and ladies I found one tonight. It was a Deegie’s special!  I loved the simplicity of this mid thigh length, short sleeve dress that is cool as its color. The next model that came out had on a gorgeous black and white hat!  Oh boy….me and my black and white wardrobe! By the way, big hats are in again and it’s a great accessory this spring/summer! Yay! I love the brown one as well because it looked so chic! Take a look at the pictures and pick out your favorites. I can’t seem to decide because this show had something for everyone! It made me want the 100 degree weather to come back really soon! No lie!

Beyond Beauty Basics would like to thank Katie Brashear from the W Scottsdale and Gina Ferrari from Triyar Entertainment for a great evening! Also, Cedric Jones Photography for taking all of these wonderful pictures.  Until the next time Arizona! I have that passion for fashion!

Whether it has happened as a welcome symptom of the recession, or it is a result of pressures inside and outside of the industry, one thing is for certain – plus size fashion finally seems to have been welcomed in from the cold. The wave of interest which was sparked when plus-size model Lizzie Miller appeared in American magazine, Glamour, almost two years ago has continued to grow. Fashion is being more inclusive of all shapes and sizes than ever before and this is undoubtedly a positive sign.

Larger models are increasingly being seen on the pages of mainstream magazines. UK’s weekly Look now features larger models regularly, as does housewives’ favorite, essentials, and last year fashion bible, Elle, featured plus-size models on their cover. In addition, British designers, such as Mark Fast, have started to use larger models to showcase their collections on the catwalk. The message that women come in all shapes and sizes seems to be getting through and in turn designers and retailers are stepping up to the mark.

Although it may be some time before catwalk shows featuring all sizes are commonplace, there are some retailers out there who are already providing fashionable on-trend clothes in larger sizes. One such retailer is online brand SimplyBe. Their present collection successfully taps into the coming season’s biggest trends, including 70s chic. This selection features fantastic floral print maxi dresses, peasant-style tunics, jumpsuits and tassled bags. With reasonable prices and free delivery and returns they offer great every day and special occasion outfit solutions.

This post was provided by Simply Be women’s plus size fashion offering sizes from 10 to 28

Sunday night I went to yet another fantastic fashion show that was put on by the W Scottsdale.  They invited me to their Annual Hair Wars Supreme Salon Tour Show and it was a “Hair Raising” experience to say the least! When I arrived, the line was seriously wrapped around the building and around the corner for this fashion show! When I saw everything….I began to understand why!  The celebrity of the night and host was no other than BRAVO’s Shear Genius, Ben Mollin. He welcomed everyone and was a fine host for the evening.

Hair Wars fashion show consists of ten local salons here in the valley that chose their models picked a theme and went to work! As I headed backstage where all the models where hanging out in costume, I felt like I was in another land! From The Wizard of Oz to Candy land!  I met two gentlemen named Eric Shunk, a local photographer and his friend Jonathan.  Jonathan introduced me to Sara Pena, owner and stylist of Sleeping Beauty Salon here in Phoenix. She was so sweet and all of her models looked amazing! One particular model was Jonathan’s girlfriend, Amanda, who wore an angel costume with big white wings on her back.  She certainly looked fabulous!  I also ran into one of my good pals and model Adel Belgaid. He told me that his theme of the night was a love story. He looked very debonair if you asked me! I wished him luck and off I went to take more pictures.

Enough of the meet and greets! I saw some wild and crazy hair tonight! There were ten salons all being judged on their creativity and their hair creations. The Salons were:

1. Saints & Scissors Salon- Circus Theme
2. Ramon Bacaui & Hair Med Spa-
3. Studio 326
4. Salon Surreal Salon Day Spa
5. Sleeping Beauty Salon and Boutique
6. Ohano Salon Spa
7. Elysium
8. Salon Mila
9. Hair n High Definition
10. Beauty By Veronica

Wow! Here’s to all of the amazing Hair Stylist of these salons who did such a great job on the runway! Every salon had it’s unique style with their choice of music and theme’s which I mentioned earlier. I do have my favorites but I will leave that to the professionals to chose the top three who were stylist Ethan Murray, clothing designer Angela Johnson and FOX 10 television personality Kristin Anderson. The winner will be going to another competition for their region to try and win the “Supreme Salon” title.

In the mean time, I didn’t get the privilege to meet all of these wonderful owners or stylists of these salons but I am sure it’s because they were too busy making sure that every strand was in it’s place as you can imagine. I could see all the hard work they had in all of their masterpieces and you know it’s a good show when you have the W crowd participating!

As the night went on, the wind picked up and it became a little chili outside, with heaters in hand no one was going anywhere! After intermission, it was back to my seat for the remainder of the show which got a little more interesting as the night was coming to a close.  Hip Hop dancers, creative poses, more interesting weaves, colors and a lot of hair took the second half of the show to another level! After the show, the judges made their choices for first, second and third place and here they are:
1st = Saints & Scissors
2nd= Hair in Hi Def
3rd= There was a tie – ‘Ohana Salon & Spa / Salon Surreal

I spoke with Sondra Bohanna this week, one of Saints and Scissors stylist and she was still so ecstatic about the win that she said she was still in shock!  Great job Sondra! Your hard work really paid off!
The Stylists Models were:

1. The Ring Leader (who played the drums)
2. Popcorn Girl
3. Snake
4. Fortune Teller
5. Fire Breather
6. Bearded Lady
7. Magician
8. Acrobat
9. Drag Queen
10. Clown with Balloons

I enjoyed tonight’s show very much! With so much time, effort and creativity put into this Fashion Show I can always enjoy and appreciate someone else’s talent! I am grateful for all the girls that always accommodate Beyond Beauty Basics!  For letting me come and take a peak of all of their fun shows so that I can report to you, all the talent that lives in the city, our city, Phoenix! These girls that I talk about are Katie Brashear and Gina Bagby! These awesome ladies at the W Scottsdale are just amazing and wonderful! Also want to thank Benjamin Moline, Marketing & Entertainment Director for Windy City Media, LLC.  I heard that he was the gentleman that helped out with this event and he did such a great job!  Also I want to thank Kirsten Fargotstein as well for all the additional information regarding Hair Wars. Well ladies and gentlemen, as the start of this new year and now it’s the beginning of February….I can’t wait to see what they have up their sleeves for the rest of the year!