Star Struck

Final Blog Post

2010-12-01T01:42:13Z

Wow, the semester is finally over! The last blog portfolio is finally here. Where has the time gone?! It feels like yesterday when I first stepped foot in this class, eagerly wondering what we could possible learn about "writing for the internet." As the classes quickly passed by, I fell in love with the work we were able to do. Writing blogs, creating videos, and building our own website, is an amazing way to do school work. Writing papers, presenting projects, and studying for a test are normal things for a college student to do, but actually being able to do work in a fun way is great and can help any student unwind from their hectic schedule. Throughout this course, I was able to learn things that were completely new to me. Creating a website using HTML is one of the many things I would have never expected to do.

Over the past couple of class periods, we were able to advance our personal websites. Instead of using HTML, I switched to iWeb, which was definitely a lot easier for me. Being able to have pre-made website designs for you is a lot easier then having to make it from scratch using HTML. As I begin to make my website more appealing and add more content to it, I become even more proud of myself knowing that I was able to do this on my own.

I have learned so much from this course that I never thought I would. This class by far is my favorite course this semester. Even though the work is not extremely challenging, it's fun at the same time. The work was enjoyable, and very beneficial for the career I want to be in. As an aspiring journalist, the skills I was able to learn in this course will definitely help me out with many things I might have to do for a journalism position.

For this week's blog portfolio...

I was able to interact with my peers. On my latest blog about winter fashion, I was able to inform my peers on the latest fashion. Even those who don't consider themselves fashion savvy were able to learn a lot from my blog post.

For my winter fashion blog I was able to get into full depth when explaining the latest winter fashions at the most affordable prices.

For my blog post about the R&B singer, Rihanna, I was able to post a link to her two new music videos which are quickly creeping up the music charts.

"What's My Name" & "Only Girl in the World"

Being able to show my love of fashion and writing, I was able to portray this in my winter fashion blog. Being able to write articles like this for an American fashion magazine would be a dream of mine.

Using Twitter to publicize my updated personal website was a way I was able to have my classmates view my progress.

Oh Na Na, What's Her Name?

2010-11-28T23:27:09Z

Now everyone who knows me, knows I absolutely love Rihanna. Blasting Rihanna's hit songs in my dorm room would probably be what I would be doing on a Sunday evening.

After separating herself from the public eye after an abusive relationship with her then boyfriend, Chris Brown, Rihanna is quickly topping the charts with her two new hit songs, "Only Girl in the World," and "What's My Name."

In her first video, "Only Girl in the World," for her newest album titled "Loud," Rihanna sports many different vintage styled outfits that look absolutely beautiful on her. The video is very colorful, as well as engaging, and very different from any other video she has done before.

Check out it! "Only Girl in the World"

Her second single, "What's My Name," featuring rapper Drake, shows a soft side of the superstar. She is seen in this video strutting down the streets of New York, with a 80s styled inspired outfit. The whole entire video is amazing. The first time I saw it, I literally could not take my eyes off the TV screen. From beginning to end I absolutely loved it!

Check it out! "What's My Name"

Winter Fashion

2010-11-28T22:35:20Z

I'm sure many of you would like to know what fashions are in this winter season. Well after looking on seventeen.com, I became a little more aware of the trendy styles this season. During the changes in different seasons, many college students want to know what stores have the trendiest styles at affordable prices.

Trucker styled jackets are definitely in this season. Their extremely fashionable and every girl should have this piece of clothing in her wardrobe. You can layer it on top of a flowy blouse or even a simple t-shirt.

Big cardigans and sweaters are also a trend of the season. H&M is big on layering different pieces of clothing together this season. Different patterns and colors are mixed-and-matched to make any outfit pop. Cardigans and sweaters at H&M can be sold ranging from $14.95-$29.95! Many can be layered with scarves to keep anyone warm this chilly season.

Faux Fur is a popular trend this season and Forever 21 definitely is the best place to purchase them at an affordable price. You can pull it off with a cute mini dress, topped with knew-high boots, or even just a flowy blouse would be great with it.

For the gentlemen, this season flannel shirts are definitely in. They can be work with a simple plain t-shirt or even a graphic t-shirt. Even a simple hat can make the outfit pop.

Ladies flannel shirts are a trend for you too! Urban Outfitters, I believe, is the best place to purchase them. They have great prices ranging from &38-$48.

Boyfriend blazers are also in style this season and can be worn and accessorized with anything of your taste. Blouses, mini dresses, and simple shirts can be worn with boyfriend blazers to ass your own personal touch.

I'm pretty sure I, as well as many college students, will be going on a huge shopping sprees and finding the best deals possible on the latest styles.

Blog Portfolio 3

2010-11-12T01:56:39Z

What time is it?! Blog Portfolio Time ! Thats right, blog portfolio three is finally here. The past couple of weeks we've had two major projects. First, we finally completed and turned in our Multimedia projects. My video was about the diversity at Seton Hill. For the rough draft, I was a little worried, because my video was not my best work. I wasn't satisfied with it, so for the final draft I started from scratch. I'm happy with my end result, but their is always room for improvement. We later posted our videos to YouTube. I believe all of our videos had a unique appeal to them, and I think the class as a whole did an awesome job!

Griffin Challenge: Diversity Video

Another project we have been working on is the HTML website pages. This was definitely a challenge to me, as well as my classmates. However, with the help of Dr. W and the guidebook we received, I was able to complete this assignment successfully. We will also be creating our own HTML website pages. Even though there doesn't have to be much content on our pages, I still see that I might struggle with this. However, with the guidance of the textbook we received, I'm sure I won't have too much difficulty with it.

Blog Portfolio

Interaction with others: For this weeks blog portfolio, I had a couple of conversations on my blog post as well as others. My blog post about Willow Smith, Jalen, April, and I had a conversation about how we believe Willow is guided down the right path and that her career can only blossom from now. On one of Beth Ann's blog posts, "I'm about to hit a wall," she talked about her struggles with school. I could definitely relate to some of her problems she is going through right now.

Depth/What's on your Mind?: My latest blog,"The top five black models," I spoke about the most influential black models of all time. I've always looked up to these five models, because they were able to beat all the stereotypes that the modeling industry portrays, and instead were able to achieve great success.

Outside Material: For my blog post about Willow Smith, I linked YouTube videos for her hit song "Whip My Hair," her performance on Ellen Degeneres, and a video of the dancing bird. For my about the most influential black models, I received most of the information from an online website.

Ethos: For my blog post, "Whitney Port: An Inspiration to all Fashionistas" I talked about how a girl from Los Angeles, California worked her way up to being an inspiration to many fashionistas. Whitney Port started off as a Teen Vogue intern, and later became a designer of her own line, Whitney Eve. She is definitely one of my inspirations. She never gave up on her dreams, and with this determination, was able to achieve success.

Convention: Using Twitter is the best place for me, as well as my peers, to publicize their blogs. I was able to post tweets about my latest blogs, and also use #hashtags to link it to the class Twitter page.

Top Five Influential Black Models

2010-11-11T21:29:17Z

It is easy to say that African American models have been given a tough time in the fashion industry for MANY years. I have done a bit of research to see who are actually the top five Africann American models of all time.

1. Tyra Banks is among the top black models that is most influential. She has been an inspiration to many up-in-coming models and girls around the world. She was the first black model on the cover of GQ Magazine, Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Magazine, and Victoria's Secret's Catalog. She created the hit show, America's Next Top Model, which has been running for 15 seasons now. She has also created her talk show, Tyra's Show, which has aired for 5 seasons. It touched upon many of the issues in today's society.

2. Iman Abdulmajid

Iman was the first black

model to appear

on the cover of German

Vogue and was

the top models in the late 1970s. She is currently hosting a show on Bravo with Isaac Mizrahi called "The Fashion Show."

3. Naomi Campbell

She was the first black model to be on the cover of French Vogue and was the highest payed black model of all time. She is well known for her attitude and innapporiate behavior, but she was able to get her life back on track and she is still a fashion icon.

4. Tyson Beckford

He was the first male model to receive a male supermodel status, and he is the highest payed male model of all time. A couple years back, Beckford had a modeling show called "Make Me A Supermodel"

5. Liya Kedebe

She was the first black model for Estee Lauder. She is probably the most successful Ethiopian model of all time.

Chanel Iman and Selita Ebanks are among the few top black models right now. They are both Victoria's Secret models at the time.

Info attained from website

Willow Smith: A Rising Superstar

2010-11-11T19:41:31Z

Now I'm sure you have all heard the new hit song, "Whip Your Hair" by Willow Smith. Daughter of actor and comedian Will Smith, Willow is stealing the hearts of many with her amazing voice, unique style, and she in fact is only 10 years old! Along with many other music lovers, I can say I cannot believe such a powerful voice comes out of such a small girl. I definitely look forward to hearing more of her music in the future.

Here's her hit video "Whip My Hair" and her performance on Ellen Degeneres.

Tell me what you guys think!

Another performer sweeping the nation with their hit dance to "Whip My Hair" is the must-see video on YouTube right now. An actual bird is performing a dance to this song, which is quite amazing to me! CHECK IT OUT!

Whitney Port: An Inspiration to all Fashionistas

2010-11-10T16:55:16Z

Many of you may have seen Whitney Port on MTV's hit reality show, The Hills or on her own spin-off The City. On season one of The Hills, Whitney Port, along with Lauren Conrad were interns at Teen Vogue magazine in Los Angeles, California. As the years went by, Port decided to move forward and she landed a job at People's Revolution in Los Angeles working for Kelly Cutrone. Kelly Cutrone is known for her tough personality and great work ethic. It is known that working for Cutrone, requires a lot of tough skin and the ability to complete tasks efficient and on time. While working for Cutrone, Port was given an opportunity to work for the famous designer Diane Von Furstenberg. She got the job and later moved to New York. However, Whitney wasn't satisfied with this position, so she then returned to People's Revolution. While working for Cutrone, Whitney wanted to steer in a new direction. She decided to start her own fashion line, Whitney Eve. It has come along way, and hopefully we will be seeing her collections in stores pretty soon.

Many of you may be wondering how was Whitney able to achieve so much success. Whitney grew up in Los Angeles, California. Her love of fashion actually rooted from her dad. He was the owner of a fashion company called Swarm. Whitney attended college at the University of South California (USC), having a degree in gender studies. It shows you how your career goals can change over the years if you are able to find another field that you really enjoy. After graduated Whitney was able to intern at Women's Wear Daily, while interning at W magazine for three summers. It is clear to see that Whitney has definitely made a name for herself, and has really worked hard to get to the position she is in now. I truly look up to her, and hopefully one day I can achieve the success she has.

Heres a video of Whitney Eve at Fashion Week

Is the Press Really Unfair?

2010-11-08T15:46:20Z

This weeks Media Lab reading touched upon the question concerning if the press in today's society is actually fair. It has been known that the press generally leans towards the negative bias of news today. It mentions that press fairness is in relation to the coverage of political and social issues. This means that this is considered impartial, because it provides balance and unbiased reporting.

However, press "fairness" before the 1930s was not an issue that constantly came up. The problems concerning fairness was certainly not an issue and not a priority until the early part of the 20th century.

In a survey mentioned in the article that more people were fair when it came to the subject on "labor and labor leaders." However when talking about politics people believed that this was covered unfairly.

It was also mentioned in the article that if there was to be a comparison of surveys between the 1930s or 60s and today's surveys there wouldn't be much of a difference. On the other hand, if today's surveys were being compared to those of the 1950s or 80s, it has appeared that the public attitude has become more unfavorable. So the question is, why is that?

In the 1930s public skepticism about the press's ability to cover politics fairly was at its peak. In other cases, the American press could have begun to live up to the objectivity and fairness of their press. The public's perception of fairness regarding politics was, all in all, at its peak during the mid-1950s.

A Home Away From Home

2010-11-03T12:34:22Z

As I sat in the car with my parents looking out the window, I wondered what was in store for me as I begin to explore this new chapter in my life. My heart began to race a million miles when we began to drive up a curvy hill onto the campus. So many thoughts consumed my mind, and I could hardly think straight. I began to question if I could really live apart from my family and actually be on my own. "I guess I'll find out soon enough," I thought to myself. We finally arrived; I took a deep breath and stepped outside the car and looked at what surrounded me. I saw a campus full of eager students fearlessly approaching a completely new environment. I gave my parents a kiss and we said our goodbyes. I am finally on my own, and I began to think, "What's next?"

"Each of us is different;  all of us are similar.

Diversity is what makes each of us different;  diversity is also what makes all of us similar.

Diversity is what you can see in each of us; diversity is also what you might not see in each of us.

All of us, working together, are more than just the sum of each of us.

Each of us has unique experiences.  All of us have collective experiences.

Each of us has unique ways of reacting to some experiences.  All of us have similar ways of reacting to most experiences.

Each of us uses unique talents, to accomplish similar goals.  All of us work together as a team to accomplish one mission!

What each of us does, in differing ways, affects all of us.  What all of us do affects each of us, in differing ways.

Each of us is good at something; none of us is better at everything.  All of us, working together, can be the best at everything!"

I came across this poem on the web, and it really caught my attention. The use of words in the poem really hits home and as I began to read it, all I could think about was the diversity at Seton Hill and the many things it offers. With the many clubs, sports, and other extra curricular activities, Seton Hill gives each of its students a way to reveal who they are and their culture backgrounds. Even though we all are different, come from different areas of the world, and even speak many different languages, we are all one in this world. As I look into the faces of hundreds of students here at Seton Hill, I begin to think of this place as a home away from home. I have built so many great relationships with others of different cultures. I look forward to embarking these wonderful four years with my newfound family at Seton Hill. I can now proudly say, “WE ARE SETON HILL!”

Griffin Challenge: Diversity (YouTube Video)

Negative Bias

2010-10-16T19:24:45Z

Have you ever read the front cover or open a newspaper and the first thing you see is an article about a disaster thats occurring in the world, or an event that you heard of that is now plastered all over the news and magazines? Hard news many times portrays a negative bias. In the beginning of the passage reading they first mention a scenario. Suppose that 100 citizens attended a municipal government meeting and 95 agree with the position the city council has taken. However, the remaining five protest against it. The next morning most likely the news story will only focus on the negative aspect of this. This part really brought up a good point about hard news stories. They try to focus on the negative part of anything to try and grab the attention of the readers. It was also mentioned that 25 to 30% of responses regarding unfairness leaned towards editorial writing. Some examples people mentioned were not from news stories but surprisingly from columns and news analysis. Complaints on bias stories will never end. Some are so passionate about it that there will never be anything a news department can do that will be enough for there taste. I believe that there will always be a negative bias towards news writing whether it is hard news or editorials. The next time I open a newspaper I do plan on readers some of the articles and seeing if they carry a negative bias.

Blog Portfolio 2

2010-10-15T00:24:32Z

Blog Portfolio Two is finally here ! These past couple of weeks we have done a couple of projects for class. We finally turned in our Remix Projects. I took two fashion photos from Karla's Closet, combined them together, played around with coloring, and stretched the photo. I tried to show my audience that even by editing and making this photo "ugly" it can still be transformed and conveyed into something beautiful. I love to experiment with Photoshop and other photo editing websites. For this project I used Picnik. Although I didn't receive the grade I originally wanted, I later felt proud of my results and the grade I received. If I could go back and edit it a different way, I probably would and also tried to make it even more creative and "remixed."

Remix Project !

With this project I also learned about creative commons and licensing for my Remix Project. I found this very helpful and informative for other projects I might have coming up in other classes.

In class we also created a Persona that is listed on GriffinGate. Our group came with the idea to create a mother, Ms. Sanders, whose children may be interested in attending Seton Hill.

Blog Portfolio

Interactions with others: For this week's blog posts I struggled with conversations with my peers. However, with my recent blog post "A Never Ending Journey," Erin and I talked about how important it is to learn and branch out because you never know what you will be actually doing as a career. I would have liked to interact with my peers more for this blog portfolio but unfortunately I did not. I would definitely like to try and have more conversations for the next blog portfolio.

Depth/Whats on you mind?: My latest blog post "L.A.M.B. Fashion Show/Remembering A. McQueen," added a bit of depth to my blog. I first talked about Gwen Stefani's fall collection for her line, L.A.M.B. I linked a video of an interview Stefani did for Nylon TV, which she talks about the collection. I then talked about the death of the iconic designer Alexander McQueen and the event that honored McQueen. I then mentioned the celebs that were seen at this event.

Outside Material: Along with Stefani's interview, I used other outside materials for my other blog posts. For my blog post, "Diggy Simmons. The Newest Simmons Rapper," I mentioned and linked his blog, "Life of the Jet Setter," his AT&T commercial, and his newest song, "Thinkin' About You."

Ethos: For my blog post "A Never Ending Journey," I tried to be as relatable as possible. This issue is definitely in the minds of many of my peers and I felt by writing about it I could relate to my readers.

Convention: For my latest blogs I tried to come up with topics that might interest my peers. By using Twitter, I was able to tweet about links I put on my blogs. Also by using #hashtags, I was able to broadcast anything I wanted on my Twitter page to the class.

L.A.M.B Fashion Show/Remembering A. McQueen

2010-10-14T22:48:48Z

On September 16, 2010, Gwen Stefani showed off her newest collection, which portrays a sort of 1930s vintage inspired look. With dark colors and dark heavy makeup the models strut the runway looking absolutely gorgeous. This collection can definitely be seen as having a rocker-chic look. The collection ranges from skintight leather pants to big knit sweaters and trench cats. Stefani tops most of the looks with bold accessories including belts and handbags.

This is the first piece that really caught my attention. These skintight leather pants and knee-high boots are absolutely gorgeous. She tops it off with a light grey shimmery long-sleeved blouse, that fits this model perfectly. With dark makeup and bold red lips, this also makes the outfit pop.

This model to the right is also wearing skintight leather pants but coming in a unique olive color. Its topped off with a stringy dark grey blouse. Overtop is a black and olive poncho. I remember wearing ponchos in middle school ! It's nice to see this trend making its way back into fashion.

Now this gorgeous model is wearing a black asymmetrical trench coat, tailored to the tee. Below she wears black leather leggings, with laced-up high-heeled boots.

I definitely think Gwen Stefani has built a solid fashion line that is presentable and likable for all types of personalities and styles.

Below I listed a link to an interview Stefani did for Nylon TV explaining her new collection.

L.A.M.B. Fashion Show

Remembering Alexander McQueen

On Monday February 15, 2010 the 44-year-old fashion designer Alexander McQueen was found dead in his London home. The iconic designer committed suicide nine days after his mother, Joyce, had passed away.

On September 20, 2010 stars came out to show their respects at a special event honoring McQueen. Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Stella McCartney, and Jessica Parker were among the many stars that came out to show their respects. Stars arrived in many of McQueen's designs and even were seen in his famous sky-high heels.

Lady Gaga was among those famous for wearing them. In her video "Bad Romance," she is seen covered in McQueen's designs. McQueens amazing designs will live forever on and this iconic designer will never be forgotten.

Diggy Simmons. The Newest Simmons Rapper

2010-10-13T16:09:05Z

I know many of you used to watch the MTV reality show, "Run's House." The show about the famous rapper Reverend Run from Run DMC, along with his crazy and witty family members. Reverend Run had six children all which shared a unique talent on their own; Vanessa, Angela, JoJo (Joseph), Diggy (Daniel), Russy (Russell), and Miley. Diggy Simmons was the middle child and was portrayed as a unique individual on camera. He would always think of ways to stand out from all of his siblings. At age 15, Diggy Simmons has already created an extremely well-known blog "Life of the Jet Setter," created a mix-tape album, and is now finding other ways to expose and network himself. He has even created his own clothing line, "Space Jam," when he was only 14-years-old. I'm not too sure if it's already in stores, but I would love to see what he is capable of designing !

His famous blog , "Life of the Jet Setter" has literally become a hit. If you like fashion, music, and photography, this is definitely a blog to check out ! It immediately draws you in with the amount creatively he puts into it. My first time visiting this blog, I literally spent 30 minutes just exploring it. I really enjoy it and recommend anyone to check it out !

Recently Diggy Simmons has appeared in a popular AT&T commercial which also promotes his mix-tape, "Airborne".

I just wonder what's next to come in the life of Diggy Simmons. I know for a fact that I will be sticking around to see !

Below I also posted a link for one of his songs off of "Airborne." Check It Out !

Caution: A Bit Of Crued Language !

"Thinkin' About You" Diggy Simmons

A Never Ending Journey

2010-10-13T15:38:58Z

As the semester soon comes to a close, I've been thinking about other things I want to do while I'm at SHU. Since I would like to work for a fashion magazine, I had a conversation with my mother about other types of courses I could take in order to have even more experience in the profession I'm going into. We came up with the conclusion that I would probably minor in business. This way I will have a bit of experience and knowledge with promoting and selling for a company. I want to be able to have as much experience as possible in different areas that all work together with what I want to do in life.

I'm still not too sure what I actually want to do in life. I would love to be a fashion journalist but at the same time I would want to work on television too. Working for E! News or Access Hollywood as a host or writer would be a dream. I know that there is a big possibility that I will be changing my career at least a couple times in my life. I want to have as much experience as possible in different areas to be able to do this. I feel as though life is a never ending journey with many possibilities in store for you. You never know where life will lead you and to be a prepared, in some way, for any situation may make that journey a bit more easier. However, there will always be something or someone stopping you from where you want to get to in life. It is up to the individual to build the courage and strength needed to surpass any type of situation . Hopefully I am able to achieve all my goals in life and become the person I have grown and matured to be.

Remix Project !

2010-10-06T05:42:13Z

For my Remix Project I took two fashion photos from Karla's Closet, combined them together, played around with coloring, and stretched the photo. I tried to show my audience that even by editing and making this photo "ugly" it can still be transformed and conveyed into something beautiful. I think that many artists also do this. They may create a new image out of a beautiful piece of art and transform it into something different and unique. I love to experiment with Photoshop and other photo editing websites. For this project I used Picnik. It is a free photo editing website that is quick and easy, and I suggest this to anyone who is just starting off with photo editing.

Below are both the original and remixed photos :))) Enjoy !

ORIGINALS :)

Remix ! :)

Remix Project by Bamgbopa, Ashley T is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at karlascloset.blogspot.com.