Lynee Ruiz

I’m sitting in an interview room at Southridge Mall’s Boston Store, waiting for  pop and R&B songstress Jordin Sparks to arrive. Glancing around, I see photos of the singer and her newest fragrance Ambition, perfectly placed with flowers on every table. As soon as I was left alone in the interview room, I had to spray a bit of it on. I was delighted to smell its light and fruity scent. Its mixture of white tea, bitter orange and lemon zest is different than anything I’ve tried. I hear a commotion in the hallway as she arrives, and immediately get…

With nearly 15 million U.S. citizens working in retail, many have a love/hate relationship with the popular shopping promotions the day after Thanksgiving. It’s a day many families and friends go shopping together to bond and find the best deal possible. Retailers welcome customers with open arms as they happily fill their stores. And as the years have passed, it seems Black Friday starts earlier and earlier, even  creeping closer yet to Thanksgiving Day.  Recently I was giving one of my clients her monthly roots touch-up at my salon, and she let out a big sigh, saying, “I have no…

“Oh my goodness,” A woman yelled at me.”Your bag is amazing!” I stopped in my tracks, and looked around. “Me?” I mouthed and pointed at myself. “Yes, you!” she squealed. “At first I thought you were holding a little dog – but it’s a purse!”  Indeed. I did have a fabulous purse, and it was by Linda Marcus Designs.  I went to visit her in her studio in a cute part of Downtown Milwaukee, and was pleasantly surprised to see that she creates all of her own designs by hand before sending them off to be produced in larger quantities.…

Photo courtesy of Harleys4men.com There is nothing quite like a well dressed man. Some of my favorites include James Bond (played by Daniel Craig), Robert Downy Jr. as Iron Man, Hugh Jackman and Ryan Gosling. So, how about a toast to them right now, ladies?  I was curious about the latest styles in menswear, so I stopped in at Harley’s, a men’s boutique in Shorewood, to swoon over the latest popular items.  Colored Denim It started out in women’s fashion, but now the guys are hopping on the trend. Men’s colored denim is always a bit more muted, and appears…

My salon, Carenza, is located directly around the corner from Azana Salon and Spa. Our first day back to work after the shooting, we walked in somberly, giving each other hugs while the shock sunk in. As we learned of the victims, my heart let out a cry as I realized Zina Haughton competed as a stylist in Milwaukee Magazine’s “The Style Games.” She joined up on the Azana/Stephanie Horne team to showcase the styling skills of the community. Alisa Chojnacki, the model pictured below, relates her experience working with Zina on the photo shoot. “Zina’s enthusiasm about her work…

With more than 8,000 votes in two weeks (yes, 8,000!), we were stunned by the amount of support for our fiercely fashionable community. So much so that we had to pick two winners: the editors’ choice, and the winner of the popular vote. All of the photos were stunning and conveyed hugely successful team efforts. Congratulations to all who participated; you made the Milwaukee fashion scene proud.  The winning teams will be featured in a photo shoot and interview with the Fashionista to talk shop on just how they put together these looks. This will give them a chance to…

Main image aveda Courtesy of aveda.com. The moment I walked in to The Establishment salon in Shorewood, I immediately thought “cultured.” The place screamed style and ingenuity. Without a doubt, I knew right away this was the place to be to catch the latest trends in hair.  The Establishment is owned by the dynamic duo Howie Goldklang and Carly Flynn, who met in Los Angeles while Carly was working as a special effects makeup artist, and Howie was attending UCLA for screen writing. Now married, they own The Establishment in Shorewood as well as in a neighborhood dubbed “the trendiest”…

There’s nothing wrong with a little friendly (and fashionable) competition.  Local boutiques and salons paired up, created dramatic and fashion-forward looks, and then sent the results in for you to judge. So scroll through each look. Notice that the 10 participating teams did an impressive job conveying the fun and fantasy of fashion. The best part? From the clothes, the makeup artists, and the photographers  – all of these incredible resources are available locally.  *The Fashionista and Milwaukee Magazine editors have final say when determining the winner, but voting heavily influences their pick. The winner will receive an extended interview…

Photo by Montreal Cain of Creative Executives A truly exciting event is set to take place this Friday, Sept. 28th at 6:30 p.m. at the Astor Hotel. “Voices for VCFS: Artists Creating Awareness” is a fundraiser to benefit those suffering from Velo-Cardio-Facial-Syndrome known, in short, as VCFS. Those diagnosed with VCFS suffer from heart defects, effects on facial appearance, and a lack of or underdeveloped thymus and parathyroid glands, which is the result of the deletion of the 22nd chromosome. Please read more about VCFS here. Tessa Koller, a local fashion designer, was diagnosed with the condition while attending MIAD…