why BARBIE why????

The word BARBIE seems to hunt me everywhere i go. And as each day goes by it becomes more and more cliche to me. And i feel so misunderstood by using this word. But then i realized that its because people don't know the reason i chose the name BARBIE to follow my name. Its not because i think i am a perfect little doll or that i feel like barbie represents me. It all started with a slogan that i came up with on accident. "LET BARBIE DRESS YOU FOR A CHANGE"...and if you own one of my business cards this is what you will find on the front with my info on the back. But the idea being that you are no longer barbie's slave and have to micro-manage her every move. Cause lets face it...barbie cant even move on her own. But instead she (being me) can dress you and find your personal style for yourself.So in some weird way its like giving the finger not to matel (the barbie company) but the image that it represents. And most importantly finally give that piece of plastic a job.So for the record i am not trying to live as a doll, i am not trying to be Niki Manj and i dont think i am white (the sun reminds me every day of my black-ness)..but anywho thats all i wanted to say....peace out (yes curtis i said peace out)

MORRIS+JANEL PRODUCTIONS.....SON!!!*insert New York accent*

These pictures for me are very important because i got to see my ideas projected onto someone else. And although i picked these clothes out and i saw what the outfit looked like in person. It is the camera that tells the real truth and the truth being pictures don't lie. And it felt as if my gift and my passion was being challenged by this amazing task to make my vision and ideas beautiful and vibrant. And i was proud of myself and my work. And it was me embarking on the beginning of me being behind the camera and acting as a creative director. And now i understand why people in the fashion industry use the word fabulous....because as i was directoring the only words i can use was "thats fabulous, thats amazing, you look fierce." i mean these are words i may type but never use out loud. But i guess when its your product you are producing it is truly fabulous....and the young glam-tastic lady in these pics are my little sister:)

M+J=HOT LIKE FIRE

So my sister is a singer and my best friend is a photographer and i am a fabulous wardrobe stylist....and my sister the singer came up to me the stylist and asked for me to come up with a new look to reinvent herself with. So me the stylist went into my own little corner in my own little chair and i begin to ponder. I said to myself "self, what would be the greatest style for my little sis.? I mean she a young, black (obviously), lanky girl and her music of choice is Techno." And then a light bulb literally went off in my head. So, then me the stylist called up my best friend the photographer and came up with an amazing concept. And then i called up my little sister the singer and told her to get her rear end up and ready. And with all that pondering and telephone dialing taking place i decided to take a nap.....(pause for sleeping)......and when i woke up it was nothing but pure magic that took place. And it was Sunday, July 4,2010 that Morris+Janel was created. Morris+Janel is a mixture of my passion with my best friends passion.And the passion obviosuly being fashion and photography.So the moral of this story is that my best friend is better then yours...j/k...but im serious and also very excited for the adventures of Morris+Janel. There has not been a combination better then this since Scottie and Jordan, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Bert and Ernie, Banana's in Pajamas....You get the point!

These shoes are the most hideous things ever but anything made out of green carpet gets my vote!

IF THESE CLOTHES COULD TALK

Why is vintage shopping always so inspiring. I always wonder when i slip into a Chanel suit from the forties if this woman had the best times of her life in that dress. I imagine she was from an extremely wealthy family and she was secretly, madly in love with the help. I cant help but hope that when i slip into a dress from the fifties was the women in the front row and screaming at the top of her lungs at an Elvis Presley concert. Maybe he even looked at her winked, curled his lip up and wiggled his hips for her. I just love the feeling of sliding my hands into a perfect pair of gloves from the sixties. I know it belonged to a young black women that was standing outside in the cold listening to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak hope into the souls of black people. And when i place one leg at a time into some hot pants from the seventies i know they belong to a girl that was young, hot,rebellious and a probably high from some type of herbal "supplement". She represented freedom and the right to party whenever and wherever.

I just wish when you go vintage shopping that inside those tags were a biography of the woman who originally owned the article of clothing you have chosen to revive. Because if these clothes could talk i bet they would never shut up!