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Check out our latest entrepreneurial-driven content geared toward helping startups and small businesses grow their brands.

Odile Koudou’s “The Blessing Legacy” An Inspirational Story of A Destiny Fulfilled

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A wonderful story of perseverance, faith and a Father’s belief in his young daughter’s fruitful future Odile Kondou’s, The Blessing Legacy: A Memoir of Africa, A Father’s Faith, And A Destiny Fulfilled  is a touching memoir of a destiny fulfilled. With her family battling against the odds, Odile invites you into the impoverished village of her youth. Raised in the West African country of the Ivory Coast, she puts the reader on the front lines of her desperate attempt to change the culture of her family’s past, and that of the village she was raised in. Highlighting the struggles of her remarkable Father – often rejected by family members and others in the community, The Blessing Legacy recounts his constant sacrifice, determination and unfailing belief that God would provide.

Despite the setbacks of her youth, Odile continued to believe in her Father’s inspirational words and the values he instilled in his children. The Blessing Legacy is her testament; A wonderful testament that triumphs over her past experiences with hardship, rejection, and defeat. She found herself in all the despair, and with her Father’s continued encouragement and positive outlook Odile was able to find hope and success. If you’re interested in reading The Blessing Legacy: A Memoir of Africa, A Father’s Faith, And A Destiny Fulfilled, the book is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

Why We All Enjoy Apple’s Unveiling Events

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The Art of Anticipation: Back in the spring, Apple had many people anxiously awaiting their unveiling of the Apple watch, the first brave jump forward in the realm of wearable technology in quite some time. Apple CEO Tim Cook claimed that it was “The most personal device they had created”, and users rave about the useful elements it packs into this tiny wearable device. What is it about this iconic brand that makes it an absolute leader in the art of anticipation? The simple logo, unforgettable command of the market, and way in which the tech crowd truly gets revved up before a release seem unparalleled in the phone and gadget industry.

Before the introduction of the then-so-souped-up 486 processor, Apple’s II C’s were what many used for day to day computing, and users love the fact that the Macintosh did not have a universal language. At times, they were known to be way too expensive, but this trait also fueled consumer desire, as well as the ability to co-exist with XP and Windows Vista with the release of the Mac Book Pro around 2006.

The Excitement of Seeing What’s New: Almost every consumer around the globe wired to the internet knows that with some products, you’re always going to have a line out the door in anticipation. Currently selling three versions of the iPod and with versions of the iPhone seeming to come out more often than your lawn needs to be mowed, it was in January of 2007 that the iPhone was first introduced to a world that was more than anxious for it’s unveiling; the blogs and news wires had been alive for weeks.

Initially coming with an AT & T contract and a choice of 4 or 8 gigs of memory, the capacity was doubled just a year later to 16 Gig memory potential and prices were nearly slashed in half as the world took notice, and they one by one acquired customers that would probably never have a tendency to switch. There are many things different between a Samsung, Droid, and iPhone, but most of the savviest customers on the planet prefer the latter. September 25 is when the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus become available, and we guarantee that many people you know are waiting.

Being One of The First To Hear The News: The success of Apple and the drastically high number of folks who always want to be the first to see what’s cooking in their arena of tech offerings comes at no surprise. This is not quite the same as when America becomes enamored with programs like “Dancing With The Stars,” caught up in the very cultural phenomenon, and talking with everyone on social media to see what they missed. What’s really being cultivated here with great care and prowess is the fact that the apps, gadgets, ability to get email, and take very high-quality photos are right in the palm of your hand. Of course they are also in the same place with Droid and Samsung units, but the mystique and magic carpet element of Apple has always been held in high regard: the iPhone 5 sold two million units in the first day of pre-ordering alone.

Years ago, Apple overtook Nokia as the world’s largest smart phone maker by sheer volume, and the large draw to it’s features and appearance is more epic than ever. Being one of the first to hear what features these hot devices will have, all the specs available, and what will happen with the megapixel capability and more is all part of the visionary ride to anyone obsessed with Apple. Truly more of a brand that was portrayed in movies that really showed us what the future would be like, Apple will always hold the key to many geeks and artist’s hearts; what’s really changed is that the rest of the entire sphere of tangible consumers is now fully, (and quite happily), on board.

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Five Ways to Revitalize your Creative Mind

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When your mind isn’t creative, there are going to be many elements that suffer. Sure, you can just churn out the work that needs to be done, but your upper end of production is simply not being reached. To truly revitalize yourself could take many different activities and avenues because your best work is not going to come through when you are not at your optimum output level.

Putting the right things into your body and making sure you commit to truly taking care of yourself are essential! Whether creating content or being on your best productive level, these tips are important for you to make sure your mind is sparking your brain to produce the valuable goods you know you can.

Food

This is so mandatory in your mantra because the nourishment that our bodies thrive on is a key to brainpower that makes it be able to constantly produce. Just like the need for water, the need for energy food is dire in your system. Antioxidants found in berries are crucial, and their anti-inflammatory properties of them are beneficial. It has also been shown that eggs have properties that enhance memory, and salmon has a lot of ammunition such as iron and B vitamins for reasoning. Eggplant has also shown to enhance communication with brain cells and the molecules themselves that make up our systems; you’re always going to perform better with at least these types of foods as a starting point.

Exercise

When your heart rate is up, a lot of things are going to happen. First of all, your creativity factor will rise just based on the fact that you automatically feel better about yourself once you start moving. There is a period after the initial rush where your muscles may relax enough to where you don’t actually feel productive. We believe that the best time to fester creativity is while you are getting the exercise! When the treadmill is rolling or the bike is cruising fast downhill, you’ll map out all sorts of new possibilities. Just like any element, it needs to be timed perfectly, but getting exercise is going to help you right off the bat.

Brainstorming

When you are staring a large project down in the face and at the beginning point of its life cycle, its so important to take a crucial step back. Keeping your creative mind focused does involve starting with a blank slate, and seeing what you are capable of in the long run.

During a moment in which you are not feeling fully creative, brainstorming is going to involve asking yourself questions. Where does your business go from here? Am I spending too much time on unimportant tasks? And if you are in the slogan or logo department, you can really benefit from brainstorming. Writing out huge flowcharts of ideas is always to your advantage, and you can take small elements from each new idea to build one large final idea. Another large part of brainstorming is going around the table asking all sales or creative personnel their opinions on any new ideas on the horizon.

Close Friends

Just having someone to lean on that knows your true creativity is always going to help. Being through thick and thin with a close friend will absolutely help your creative mind. When someone that has known you a long time is helping you in the creative process, you’re going to always trump whatever elements you are facing.

Looking at a blank canvas can always seem daunting, but when people that have known you through thick and thin come into the picture, the creative light may shine down on you sooner and in more abundance. Truly hearing what everyone who cares about you has to input on your situation will stoke your creative scale in a good way.

Close Friends and Peace/Down Time

When you don’t have to be going full force and taking care of all your daily tasks, downtime and being away is one of the best boosts to creativity. Just ridding yourself of all the overstimulation and stress that daily life brings with it can really make you whole again. It doesn’t have to be a getaway in a different location, it can just be some time in a room with not as much light or relaxing music. Even though it is not as kinetic, and energy-laden as a brainstorming session, peace and downtime are very essential to the creative mind.

After being fully powered down for a while in a zone where the daily pressures don’t manifest themselves, creating and being successful can sometimes reappear naturally after some downtime. Revitalizing the creative mind can be a long process, but these tips will help point you in the right direction.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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How to Break this Year’s Business Goals into Small Pieces

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Every marketer or entrepreneur knows the feeling of having several large projects that need immediate attention and completion, the ones that are vital to the survival of your commerce.

A new business plan, doing taxes, maintaining your creative content, and going over invoices are part of the vital stream of tasks to stay afloat daily. Then you will have others like business-to-business phone calls, reading articles and other content to stay up on important trends, and looking for applications and software to streamline your process down the road.

At the beginning of the year is when you are always going to plan what you really want to make happen, and it can feel daunting. But there are a few ways to at least break all of these large goals into smaller pieces.

Initial Brainstorming: plugging in early

When you know you are going to have enough tasks to keep you busy for a while, one thing that will help off the bat is utilizing time increments or sessions to narrow down the work it will take for the finished product. One very good rule of thumb during this process is to take the list of things that need to be done and write just a short sentence about it, such as: “This is such an important part of my marketing process because it involves learning code like Java.”

Then, you have the very important tree of information written down that involves what you have to do, even if it’s broken down into 20 steps. These little “micro tasks” can be as quick as jotting down important updates, to going back over things you have already completed to see if there are any comments or additional updates on them. This type of brainstorming really helps because it can take place over a long period of time and does not threaten your fixed regimen.

The Periodic Process Review

When you have different things to do that seem to be the mountain too hard to climb, there’s one great thing you can do that at least may keep you in perspective and have you re-evaluate how hard you need to work. Whether it’s over your micro tasks or the entire final product, it’s more than just checking things off that are done. You really can stand back, take a look at how your overall progress is going, and make room for more growth.

It’s almost like having one tab open, opening another and zooming out a bit, but can be done. Beyond just what tasks did you accomplish, you are really sizing up what the next week or so may have in store. And most importantly, don’t get discouraged over the things that you didn’t complete; you’ll be motivated to get an extra strong cappuccino and knock it all out soon.

Truly Envisioning your Success: The Finish Line

One of the hardest parts about breaking your large-scale projects down to size is the sense that you’ll never get everything done. You absolutely WILL, and it can all come down to one beautiful, discerning moment on the finish line. Completing the hard tasks always seems like it may not be worthwhile while you’re doing them, but they will be. While doing extensive market research, you can come across a lot of dead ends.

Many stories and facts just link back to each other with no real worth, and everyone’s trying to replicate the same success. The new year is the absolute best time to line up your priorities and size up the items that will make you the most successful. The projects and finished goal of perhaps being featured by someone you admire or emulating their success will keep you permanently fixated; 2015 would be stellar to really knock it out of the park in terms of goals.

Keetria is an entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and brand strategy coach for creatives & entrepreneurs with 16 years of public relations expertise working with some of the world’s leading brands, startups, media personalities, and entertainers. If you would like to work together, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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Last Minute Grab: 5 Tech Gadgets for the Holidays

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Once the holidays roll around, it’s a time in which gadgets are highly appreciated. This year’s batch of toys will be as good as any, full of high tech offerings. When the snow starts falling and you go to the airport to pick up relatives, you’re going to want to have some of the hottest new gadgets in your possession. Today, we’ll take a quick look at some of the coolest tech toys available this holiday season; any friend, family member, or business associate will be more than happy to find under the tree.

Beyerdynamic T-70 Headphones:

Crafted in Germany with the highest grade components and amazing voice coil technology, these are a gift of the highest sound influenced status to the audiophile in your circle. The standard ¼ inch adapter is gold plated, showing off just how tight these babies really are. Known to be about the most comfortable headphones on the market and one that really pushes soundscapes towards the bright level, these are simply divine. Reviewers told us that they heard things never heard before while test driving these, and were blown away.

Go Pro Silver 4 Hero Camera:

The features reviewers enjoyed most on this device were being able to swipe left to capture mode, and a quicker mode menu to cycle through. The touch screen does drain battery on this awesome machine, so its useful to have an on/off switch. The superview option gives great aspect ratio without too much distortion, and a Protune option for easing blur and edge appearance. Editor’s Choice by PC mag for the best action camera to date and hailed by many as the sleekest camera around for the price, it will be perfect as a companion gift to a vacation. What better way to document your trip?

Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro:

Cnet reviewers said this was “easily the best new laptop of the year”, and this slim 13 inch gem will be a great companion as you travel far or just commute to class. Incredibly light, and with a core that core that allows for better operation even if not all the way cooled down, it’s a 360 degree foldback dream. At 2.6 pounds, its well designed, great for assignments, streaming video, and browsing. One reviewer stated that gaming hits the battery particularly hard, which usually tops out around a 7 hour life span; not surprising with the juice needed for today’s games. A nearly 4k pixel resolution screen, ability to fold to a kiosk type device, and out of this world keyboard design make it a huge favorite. You’re going to see many business travelers sitting next to you with this one during 2015.

Sony Playstation 4:

It’s been around for a year, but this is one gaming powerhouse. Titles like “Uncharted 4; A Thief’s End”, “Bloodbourne” and “The Order 1886” are exclusive to this platform, and a sleek futuristic design includes a blu ray disk drive, two USB 3.0 ports, and a digital optical audio out port. The sloped design really stands out letting us know it’s sheer one of a kind technology, and an 8 core AMD processor is inside under the hood. A 500 gb hard drive and 8 gb of RAM are part of this souped up playing machine that will have many people playing games instead of ice skating or sledding outside over the coming year.

Pebble Steel Smartwatch:

With a 1.26 inch display, durable waterproof construction, and a cool RGB notification light, this is a very over the top yet subtle at the same time gadget. Games, weather apps, productivity tools, firmware updates, and more are loaded into this little gem of wrist garb. At first glance, it does not seem colorful or flashy, but grocery lists, maps, and square type paying options are available on the Pebble. Sports scores and restaurant reviews are other super cool features you’ll see on this gadget for the holidays; in a few years the Pebble will have truly mind blowing capabilities. This year should be no problem finding the right gadget for people on your list, and you may even end up under the mistletoe in no time.

New Fitness Apps for Health + Longevity

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With the technology available to us these days, it’s no wonder that everyone loves to have apps for fitness. As we spend more time trapped in the cubicle and making sure our obligations are taken care of, the need for training and fitness apps has exploded. There’s nothing quite like listening to some tunes while you get a little cardio, burn previously acquired calories, and track your progress. When users were surveyed they reported that not having much time was their main hurdle, and apps that quickly got them to their daily goal were what they really wanted. We’ve picked three fitness apps that will keep you on top of your game no matter how full your platter is, and leave you looking healthy, lean, and ready to conquer whatever comes across your path.

Nike Training Club:

This totally free app has over 90 custom tailored workouts, and does not cost anything to install. Once you pick what workout is right for you, (Get lean, get toned, get strong, or get focused), you can also choose the longer 45 minute regimen or a workout from a pro like Maria Sharapova. The app is available for the iPhone and Android from Google Play, and a stellar option for click through workouts. This is one of the core apps that opens the door to you looking, feeling, and dealing with everyday life better; and the branding behind it is top notch.

Gain Fitness:

In the vast world of those who really want to improve in their fitness, this app is one of the truly customized that cuts to the chase and gets you shedding pounds and looking better. You just start with your ultimate goal, how much fat loss you want to achieve, and plug in where your location is, be it the gym or just where you live. There are great HD videos and as the trainer’s voice explains each unique exercise, which really gets you as close as possible to a real trainer. The application keeps track of your important performance history and just how many calories you have burned overall. Users really rank high the endless combinations and push notifications, citing this app as one that really feels like what a trainer would put them through.

Pocket Yoga:

The ancient art of stretching and breathing is so beneficial, some claim it changed their lives forever. Logging your exercises and taking notes of your progression are key elements of this app, a great one to partake in as yoga gets more and more popular by the day. Sun salutations, ultimate relaxation, and peace come at a price, but also leave you lean, mean, and looking fantastic. Within this app are three different difficulties, practices, and a stellar feature that tracks your future possibilities. Don’t you want to know how great you can look in the near future with some hard work? These days being on a mat in a new yoga venue is the coolest way to get limber, and more and more people will be following suit in the near future. Pilates and intense poses are sweeping the nation, and this app will educate all its Android users on how they can better themselves with yoga.

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No Bartender Needed: 3 Recipes for Holiday Cocktails

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This season is time for merriment, warming up by the fire, great deals for shoppers, and also when romance blossoms. There are many tried and true cocktails of the season that we all know about; and they still have their time and place. We scoured the internet for some new ones to try that may be a bit under the radar; that should put a warm kick in your seasonal to do list. Aside from office parties, the usual festivities and your family, these could be a sweet few selections for your friends night out for pool or holiday karaoke. Here are 3 recipes that are begging for sampling during Santa’s season.

Apple-Ale Wassail:

Allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom pepper nicely in this winter sipper. With a little more filling perhaps and less of a whiskey typed kick, the port flavors this one nicely and the recipe makes about 7 cups. The brown sugar and lemonade collide nicely, and this is one perfect by the fire flavor. After a successful gift buying spree or downhill sledding outing, it will get your thoughts aligned to the avenues of cheer. Maybe best sipped while watching a classic like “Polar Express.” Not only do apples keep the doctor away, they instill the charm.

The Gingerbread Martini:

A regular dirty or Cosmo is perfect for some instances, but in these holiday times may not quite measure up to what you really want to ring in some snowflake laden cheer. The ginger liqueur, optional vanilla bean garnish, and teaspoon of honey in this recipe will have you thinking about ski chalets, who’s been naughty or nice, and bobsled runs in no time. Norman Rockwell paintings back in the day depicted many having fun for the holidays, and we all envision that gingerbread village in our dreamy Christmas moods. Okay, well maybe not all the time, but this cocktail will have you in holiday mode within a few quick sips.

Jingle Juice:

Candy canes are always a symbol of the holiday season drawing near, and a legendary icon of the stocking stuffed treat many kids dream of on Christmas day. On the adult end of the spectrum, this orange juice and vodka cocktail will be a stellar kick to your caroling or carousing, and the additive or maraschino cherry juice will have you licking your lips in holiday glee. Almost reminiscent of a Mai Thai but possessing elements that are much more akin to the coming season, this drink takes the cake in many ways, the main being sheer holiday themed goodness. It’s already been confirmed that everyone in the office is ready for an ugly sweater party, it’s just about time to bring the goods to the table. The reindeer crossing is optional, but the festive spirit will prevail in many ways while you down this flavorful infusion.

“We Need to Talk”; the World of Sports from a Woman’s Perspective

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As more and more people righteously desire to hear a woman’s opinion in sports, it has been long overdue to give the floor to some dynamic individuals, and have an hour long platform for women reporting on sports. This one is guaranteed to have substance, backbone, and voraciously inspiration in sports reporting. to take the floor in sports commentary. “We Need to Talk” will effectively give time once a week in TV land to provide role models for young women everywhere; and show that in the near future there will be many budding possibilities for other women sports anchors to enter the field.

Dana Jacobsen, Allie LaForce, Amy Trask, Lesley Visser, and Tracy Wolfson are the regular heavy hitting CBS correspondents on the beat, along with Andrea Kremer, who is an award winning journalist from the NFL Network. She specializes in health and safety, a subject that these days goes way beyond torn ACLs and stretching, into a wide plethora of topics that desperately need attention from the public. As athletes continue to push themselves to new heights of achievement, staying healthy and keeping up with new treatments available can be a full time job. The public is going to be very excited to hear these conversations about sports, from these authorities and role models that will portray the overlap of sports culture to everyday society.

A typical weekly format will touch base on the news of the day, social media segments, and the all important clip of one of the staffers talking about their personal relation to a story and how it affected them. With all the different types of people from many walks of life participating in sports and watching from home, there is also going to be an ultra important segment towards the end, “We Need to Listen”. This will focus on the opinion of someone outside the show for the week, and provide feedback on the issue. With an all-star female cast this show will certainly pave some new ground in the world of ‘women in sports’. Tune into CBS on Tuesdays at 10PM EST to catch all the latest highlights and sports news; football season is here and there’s bound to be plenty of fresh commentary from every yard line!

Stop Hesitating! 5 Reasons To Start Your Business Today

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If you have ever had a dream to start your own business, it can really eat at you and your current career life. This is a good thing because all the daydreaming about being your own boss and doing things your own way will solidify your transition to entrepreneur. What a lot of people don’t realize about being your own boss is that it could absolutely be more time-consuming than the 9 to 5 work life, and not as stable, especially in the beginning.

We know that there are so many reasons why people do hesitate to start your dream business, and it is understandable. You may feel as if your idea has already been done, or if you are an artist, that of course, you may just “not be good enough to cut it.” These fears could always influence you, but every month in America, millions of people go through some type of job loss or change. One of the best things about starting your own company is that even though there will be plenty of change there as well, at least you own it, and it will be your entity.

Getting downsized is a bummer, and as long as you can sustain some life into a product line, you may embark on your most exciting journey ever. Here are some great reasons to start a company and put your idea in motion today!

Freedom and its Perks

Truly having time to spare is one thing that has been valued by many more than ever lately. Once you have a few talented individuals working for you and they can contact you when they need to, becoming the CFO is really what most end up doing. If you are superb at your craft, you’ll be able to monitor the financials and get free time at some point. On some days you will experience complete overload, but once you have a system in place for the usual inquiries, getting products out efficiently, and keeping customers around with social media, you may not feel as hurried or burdened as an hourly worker for another corporation.

Eventually Having More

Even though fear is still rampant and you may not hit the jackpot right away, if you do create something, own property, and offer goods or services, you could eventually have more. Even with the other layers of support, you’ll need to create something epic, drop-ship businesses, people who sell collector’s items, and personal coaches are doing very well. There really are great monetary rewards after you’ve toughed it out for a while!

The Feeling of True Flexibility

Having the time to do what you want when you want to will feel immaculate to you, especially since you were thinking about being your own boss in the first place. Website owners and product line designers may eventually have more time in the long run than coaches and salespeople, but after you have the foundation lain for your business, you can always turn some obligations down if they aren’t feasible. Other people that are excited and optimistic about what you are doing will be more profitable and easy to deal with in the long run.

Having a Life of Greater Extremes

In recent studies over 80 percent of respondents said that if the business in question was their very own, the passion they would display would be on a much higher level than if they were working for someone else. It’s not just the bottom line, the clout, or the freedom, you really feel as if you are branding yourself. If you have created something that you have already been passionate about all of your life, monitoring it, tinkering with it, and gaining more followers is always going to feel like blissful and passionate overload. You will truly own what you are doing, and if the long hours and endless prospecting ever get to you, it could still be better than doing all the work for someone else.

Letting the Difficult Fish Stray From your Hook

There are definitely reasons that letting difficult customers go is healthy for you. Some of them are so demanding that the time it would take to satisfy them will really drive you off your desired path as CEO. Because after all when you choose to start your own company, your dreams will best be fulfilled and you will be happiest when working with people whose ideas are close to your own. It can be a very difficult and long road to travel, but real organic business is done with those who are not only impressed by your ideas but want to travel the wonderful and prosperous road with you.

One of the best pleasures about being in business for yourself is finding others who want to see you succeed, not fail at your competitor’s heels. In the global business realm, if you are talented enough to take your own route in the first place, you will have your day to never deal with anyone that is aggressive or rude again.

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Fashion Blog Watch: 15 Fashion Bloggers to Follow Now

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This list of the best talent in fashion blogging includes top favorites Kate Loves Me, Dapper Lou and Trop Rouge, with glimpses of beauty, vanity and quirkiness from all walks of life. Even the Brooklyn Blonde has a killer say here with her commentary and travelogue. De Lune is another awesome addition to this list, from an art student and incredibly talented individual. Runway coverage, personal montages, and wildly exaggerated and wonderful opinions are all over this list of what to follow now on the web for fashion. Don’t you feel like encountering a burst of true flair in your smart phone and web surfing lately?

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