Every so often we find a woman that we adore and get an urging feeling inside to tell you all about them! Meet Candice Pillay. She oozes with talent, sex appeal and you can find her just about everyday wearing DimePiece…so inevitably, we love her! She is a singer/songwriter born and bred in South Africa, and well known internationally; from the UK, France, Germany, India, and Australia among others. Our highest praise goes to women who are paving a way that is all their own. So cheers to you Ms. Pillay, for sharing your voice, literally and figuratively, with the world. Check out her most current work and photo shoot with DimePiece here.

“I am grateful and driven. I feel I was born for this, to sing my songs for you, to entertain you, educate, inspire and help you realize as I did that your dreams are closer then you think…… CP.”

All styles worn by Candice can be purchased on our webstore by clicking here.

Turbans, beanies, barets, fedoras, caps, head wraps…I wear them all. I think it would be fitting to say that I am an avid conisseuour of headwear. It’s actually quite rare to find a picture of my where I am not wearing some kind of apparatus on my head. The older and more unique…the better. Below is an ode to some head gear inspirations that have flocked my inspiration wall as of lately. Soon enough I will be posting my personal collection for eyes to see.

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As an avid daydreamer and Style browser I just had to post Givenchy’s Fall 2010 Collection. I love nude and cream tones. I love the subtlety in color with complexity in every garment. It’s immaculate and romantic – simply beautiful. He also took inspiration from a one of our recent post subjects, Frida Kahlo:

He claimed his inspiration was Frida Kahlo and her three obsessions: religion, sensuality, and, given the painter’s lifelong battle with spinal pain, the human anatomy. The zipper pulls were little bones, a belt was a spinal column re-created in porcelain. The dominant motif of the collection was the skeleton, laid out flat in the lace appliquéd on a long tulle column, or rendered in three dimensions in obsessively dense clusters of crystals, pearls, and lace on the back of a jacket in double silk duchesse satin. Nestled in the middle? A tiny ceramic skull sprouting angel wings. At one point during his presentation, Tisci rather tellingly muttered, “A romantic way to see death.”

- Style.com

The results from committing to the gray area is always something I admire. Complex artistry shows the effort but to simplify another aspect of your art gives it something extraordinary. The dresses Givenchy created certainly came to a wonderful medium. I ache for one.

Last night I was sitting around listening to Portishead’s album, Dummy. I thought everyone should know this album and this is my way of making sure you do. If you’re already aware then congratulations on being so phenomenal. Otherwise, listen:

There’s just certain things that are so great that you have to remember to keep sharing them. A few weeks back, I recall hearing about kids in highschool not knowing who Tupac was, and it hurt my heart. Seriously, he was so profound to me at seven years old and I feel like everyone should know his name.

It’s the same with Portishead. I always felt this performance. I even recall the first time I played it. It’s not often that a musician sounds better live than on the track, but to me this is one of those cases. I feel because a musician is giving you an added sense of their visual presence and the vocal imperfections more relied on feeling – they have a better chance to connect. She did that, with nice cigarette accessory.

Yesterday was Frida’s birthday. Frida Kahlo, a passionate and thoughtful painter.

She turned her life’s tragedies into something beautiful – and you probably (hopefully) heard about her in your textbook. Her style was inquisitive, symbolic, provoking and full. She’s a woman who challenged the traditional idea of a femininity. Our kind of woman.

So, I’d like to call this an ongoing celebration of an amazing lady. Happy Belated.

I feel we’ve all been routinely looking for Lauryn Hill’s presence to emerge. Now, there’s more chance than any, NPR writer Zoe Chace recently sat down with her and gained some perspective. She’s alive! Also, she’s performing!

The last full interview I read on Lauryn Hill was in highschool, a Black Girls Rock! edition of TRACE magazine. You couldn’t tell where her mind was, but she certainly wasn’t concerned with an audience. She was very anti-public in fact. I recall her rejecting fans, in the sense that she didn’t want anyone to a liken themselves to her. She respected individuality and knowledge of self. Also, she had family to take care of – noted. Ultimately, it felt like she just wanted to be herself and experience her life without the public masquerade.

Now, it seems she’s anxious to put out a new record. I’m excited, she’s one of the few people that’s popular and has always had a fire about them. Not to mention her thoughts hold weight and we’re in such a pivotal time. I wouldn’t hold the pressure on her to lead (we should all be our own leaders) – but I’d love to see what she’s penning. Head to NPR to read the interview in full.

I don’t really watch BET, being Black and having sense relieves me of that duty. However, I watched the show last night because His Purpleness was being honored. Now, Rich of FourFour did an amazing job with recaping the monstrosity of HAM. I’m just giving my two cents, basically the brief comments I said to friends throughout the night.

Taking in the show, in general, I had a few questions. What the fuck is CitiTrends?* Why did BET have these low budget ass sponsors? I felt bad during commercials, like I was in the welfare line of awards shows. It was just boxes of perm, Macy’s, TJ Maxx – everywhere. Who pissed off the sound guy? Who pissed off the smoke dude? I think they were trying their best to have you NOT see or enjoy the show. I was trying to see Nicki Minaj’s catsuit and the smoke was conquering her. It was not good. Actually the sound and smoke fucked up a lot for me. I didn’t like the beginning either. I got second-hand embarrassment from Queen Latifah ALL night. I don’t know… I don’t know.

I did make a collage of good things at the BET Awards (all photos via Concrete Loop):

1. Willow (stylin’ on you, lol) and T.I’s fine ass.
2. Lauren London’s dimeples and homegirl Cassie (HAY GIRL!).
3. Monica’s outfit/shoulders – awesome. I like drama, I don’t wanna see people performing in jeans…eh.
4. Trey Songz’s mom is gorgeous. MILF, not like that.

AND LASTLY, HE DOESN’T NEED A NUMBER. PRINCE. PRINCE GOT DAMMIT. He was so gracious and him being reformed, and a Jahovah’s Witness…just makes me want to rip his clothes off. Also, it was hilarious that he wore some loose…manly…nightgown(?) with an Anime Prince on it. Hilarious. He gave the best reactions throughout the night. The camera should have just STAYED on him.

Oh, and Chris Brown crying was the only moment where I was kind of shocked. His dancers are dope. I have no comment on him. I laughed, lol. And not in a “oh, how NOT masculine” way. But a “damn, can I just hear the song” way. I may be insensitive – oh well. Rich gives you .gifs and everything here.

*I say that as a rhetorical question because I’m sure it’s horrid