Sisterhood

Soul Sisters
Sister-A female who shares a common ancestry or allegiance with another. A close female friend. The quality of being Sisterly
Tia & Tamera Mowry

Jessica & Ashley SimpsonOlsen Twins

People with at least one sister are generally more OPTIMISTIC & AMBITIOUS than those without one.

Venus & Serena Williams

Duff Sisters Aoki Lee Simmons & Ming Lee Simmons

That's because girls may promote OPEN COMMUNICATION at home.

Nina Sky Solange & BeyonceSimmons Sisters Penelope & Monica CruzDon't have a biological sister? Don't fret, hang with your besties for similar PERKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~Ms.Francois

Date Etiquette 101

So I often have this discussion with various people for some reason about date etiquette. We all know that when you first meet a person sometimes you hold back because you don't want to scare them off. In that case, you do things differently around your date then you would at home or around family and close friends.
1. Don't let your eyes wander Fellas and ladies (occassionally :-) When you are on a date, you want to give that person your undivided attention. If a piece of eye candy walks by and you want to take a peak, if you must look, be discreet about it. Please don't break your neck to look, that is rude and disrespectful.
2. Stay away from gassy foods Say no to beans! Ok so everyone passes gas, it is natural, but please do not eat any foods that will cause you to flatulate more than usual. Gassy foods can cause major damage. Especially if you are in a car and you have a "slow leak" the silent ones are the worst please no flatulating...major turn-off.
3. Don't try to eat cute For instance people say stay away from fingerfoods on first dates because you don't want to seem messy. I probably would never order chicken wings on a first or second date because he would think I never ate in my life. I don't know, but I find it hard to believe there is a cute way to eat a chicken wing...I tried it...it didn't work (don't judge me). Be mindful of what you order.

4. Don't talk about your ex Take this time to get to know each other. He/she really doesn't need to know that Tyrone was a dog or that Tiffany slept with your best friend. Your ex is your ex for a reason. Keep them in your past, don't let them ruin your future.
5. Don't talk about yourself for the ENTIRE date It is not all about you! If you spend the entire night talking about yourself you won't see if he/she is a weirdo and may end up on an unnecessary second date! You must also show that you are interested in the person you are dating and that you actually want to get to know them. If you are not interested or do not want to get to know the person you should not be on a date with them.
6.Avoid answering your phone Answering your phone, texting, tweeting, sending instant messages through out the date can be pretty rude. In most cases if you are going on a date you will let the people who are important to you know and say call in case of an emergency. If it is not an emergency, you really shouldn't answer or respond. I went out with my friends one night and we watched this woman talk on the phone for the entire date. She didn't even put the phone down to chew. Your friends can wait for the updates later or if anything, excuse yourself and go to the restroom. Don't have a 15 minute convo with Sharee about her Tiny &Toya


7. Keep some of those skeletons in the closet You should be selective about the information you share with the person you are dating, depending on how long you have been dating. Some information should be kept personal. You do not want to share your deepest and darkets secrets within the first week of dating. Remember there is something called TMI and it can be a turn off if you reveal too much.
8. Keep your alter ego at home I'll admit, sometimes I can be a little snappy and attitudy, but that's only when I'm extremely upset. I try to keep that side of me away. In most cases when people have attitudes or become rude it is unnecessary. If you have a different side that's a little bit wilder and risque...you may scare the person off if you come on too strong.

9. Avoid confrontation I love a great debate. I wanted to be a lawyer at a point in time. Before. whenever I would engage in a "healthy debate" I would not back down. I would argue my point until I turned blue in the face (that was the old Janique). I realized how many confrontations I would get into with guys I dated because "my opinion was all that mattered." If you are like how I was, it is ok to back down (once in a while :-) Debating with a person that you are dating can cause unneccessary problems. Learn how to agree to disagree. This will save many of your relationships.
10. Don't be late This is one of my pet peeves! I seriously dislike people who are constantly late. The world does not revolve around one person and it is really unfair to have people waiting for you. If you are going to be late call, send an e-mail, facebook message, text, tweet, send a note by pigeon or something, but it is really inconsiderate to always be late. Don't say "well if you really want to go on a date you will wait." That is just selfish so try to be punctual please.

This list is not the bible of dating, but these are just some of suggestions that can probably help your dating life. I am not guranteeing that your dating life will be perfect with these 10 pointers. These are just suggestions taht I think are practical and that people constantly overlook. I hope these tips help!

~Nique

Summer Love

Ok so Summer is the season of love. You see couples on the beach, in the park, at family gatherings. Awww it is tooooo kuh-yute!!! But for some, its like "Do they really have to kiss every 3ft...give me a break"...but since I got such great feed back from the "Single & Satisfied" series I bring you the top reasons why it is great to be single in the SUMMER!!!

1. You do not have to answer to anyone. You don't have to worry about your boyfriend not wanting you to go out. You just have a great time. Only feelings that matter are yours!

2.You become a man magnet Owwwwww. Lets be real, when it gets hot, you show a lot more skin and a lot more guys are looking and not just the creepy old dudes outside with tight denim shorts and an opened button up shirt showing their gut...yuck!

3. More time with the girls! There is always that one friend that gets the exclusive invites and calls you last minute to check out an exhibit at the museum...go and have fun!

4. You'll sleep better (if you don't have an AC lol) Ok so if you do not have an air conditioner do you really want the extra body heat in the 90 degree weather? I think not...

5. You have more time to try something new. For some reason the summer time is the perfect time try new things. Revisit an old hobby or pick up a new one.

6. The man candy is out! lol yes I said man candy. When you are walking the streets of Union Square you have all of the little outside cafes, street festivals, movies in the park, picnics and BBQs...if you go looking you will find your "Mr. GoodBar" lol

So ladies enjoy the summer! Learn more about YOU! Appreciate your own company by going to the beach...bring a big floppy hat and your iPod. Appreciate your own company by going to the park with your favorite book. Check out a movie or spend some quality time with family and friends. Enjoy this time and worry about boo loving in the winter.

~Nique

Spread My Wings and Fly Away

Beyonce's new video "Broken Hearted Girl"


I love this song. It may be my favorite on the "I Am...." disc. Its definitely in my Top 5 favorite Beyonce songs along with "Flaws and All" and "Dangerously In Love" It puts me in a mood where I reminisce about the good, bad, and ugly. About where I've been and where I never want to be again. What female wants a broken heart? Although it happens to the best of us, no one wants to "play that part." We learn through our experiences and realize that we are WORTH SO MUCH MORE!!! SO FELLAS, treat your lady right, if it doesn't work out fine, but don't break her heart, be mature about the situation and communicate! That always work!

~Nique

Soon As I See Him Walk Up In the Club Imma Flirt

Flirting 101

Do Flirt with Your Eyes
Flirting with your eyes is one of the easiest ways to test if a guy is into you.

DO act gracefully
Subtle indications you’re attracted to someone are the most effective ways to let him know. There’s no harm in flirting with someone who doesn’t reciprocate, but being able to bow out gracefully is of the utmost importance.

DO remember to smile
Happy is in! Mysterious is out.
Smiling at him is an oldie but goodie. Your self-confident look will always get him.
Don't Come on too strong
Outrageous pickup lines and jaw-dropping displays of sexuality are almost always a DON’T. By making overtly sexual comments, you’ll quickly get categorized as nothing more than a hookup. Pretending to have more fun than you actually are counts as overdoing it, so keep the hair-tossing and forced laughter to a minimum. “It looks weird and desperate.”

DO act your age
Be confident in who you are. Don’t dumb yourself down by giggling at everything he says or asking questions you already know the answers to.“A real man wants a real woman, not an adolescent. And a woman who flirts like a little girl comes off as desperate and needy.

DO take charge
Seriously, what do you have to lose? By taking charge, you are making it clear that you’re interested. Take the conversation where you want it to go. If you expect him to call, give him your number. But if you want to call him, demand his number.

DON’T limit your flirting to face time.

Make flirting a virtual reality. If you see a single guy on your friend’s Facebook page, have her ‘friend’ suggest you with a cute little note. You can also try following him on Twitter. Respond to some of his posts with thoughtful messages and helpful links.DON’T ask him out on Twitter—ever.” That’ll take you from cutie to creepy in less than 140 characters.

DON’T shy away from physical contact.

Making physical contact is a foolproof way to show your interest, but proceed with caution. Use light touches to the arms, shoulders and legs to clearly communicate your interest. Physical flirting is hard to misread, and your light touches give him the confidence he needs to take it to the next level.But if you want a guy to get to know you, don’t get too physical too fast.

Ladies is this accurate? Do you agree with these rules of flirting?

R. Kelly feat. T-Pain and T.I.


~Nique

Single & Satisfied Pt. 10-The Finally

Your Time to Shine
The more time you spend falling in love with yourself will enrich every other relationship in your life. So to all the single ladies, enjoy working the dance floor, keep your head high and stay open to a bright future ahead.

~Nique

Single & Satisfied Pt. 9

Alone But Not Lonely
If you have the perfect date idea, there is no reason to wait until a mystery guy shows up to do it. Do the things you love, from painting to cooking, and enjoy meeting people with similar interests.
Need Male Energy?
Don’t neglect your platonic male friends and colleagues. Enjoy the company of men from the UPS guy dropping of a package to your friends from college.

Single & Satisfied Pt. 7

Date, Date, Date!
Every man you grab dinner and movie with doesn’t have to be your future husband or Denzel Washington. Go out. Live a little. Kiss a few frogs. Part of the beauty of being single is having the opportunity to experience new things with as many people as you please since you are not attached to one particular man. Enjoy and remember variety is the spice of life!

Happiness Is A Journey
Remember when your Granny told you that the happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of what they have? Well, Granny was onto something. Think about it, don’t you know someone who earns a lot less than you yet still manages to always look fly, take fabulous trips and make their situation work for them—despite not having a huge paycheck? The same applies to your love life. The only thing that is consistent in your life is you. Work with what ya got.

Single & Satisfied Pt. 1

Many of our readers requested that we focus on bring the dating, relationship, and love posts

so here you go!

Everyone is not in a relationship or dying to be in one either. I saw this in Essence...the guide to being Single and Satisfied and I had to share with our readers!

Rule # 1 DO NOT PUT YOUR LIFE ON HOLD

"He will show up on God's schedule not yours" So in the words of TI and Rihanna...LIVE YOUR LIFE!!!

"Laugh often and love a lot. Strive to be a person who loves life and wants to share life with someone else. It’s the energy of a well-lived life that your soul mate will be attracted to,” advises Dr. Suzan D. Johnson Cook, author of “A New Dating Attitude: Getting Ready for the Mate God Has for You (Zondervan).”

Via Essence.com

~Nique

Stay tuned...this gets good!

Ladies, Please Love Yourself

34% of women had their first negative thoughts about their body before age 11. 33% went on their first diet between ages 11 & 13. 26% started dieting in high school. 47% say their body image has been affected by photos of models & celebrities. 65% of women say if they could go back in time, they wouldn't make themselves any slimmer: they would change how they felt about their looks. Ladies Love yourselves flaws & all...

Remember, "There is NO Greater Love Than the REAL You!

~Ms.Francois

Excuse Meeeeeeee Can I Have Your Attention Please

Ladies did you ever feel the need to get a bullhorn to get the guy you were interested in to notice you? Sometimes we play hard to get, but we really want his affection. Well here are 8 simple steps to get him to notice you...courtesy of Glamour, maybe they will get the hint now...Enjoy :-)

Stop playing hard to get

A guy likes a girl who has got it going on, but if you want to find love in 10 days and you’re not around, it isn’t going to happen. Being unavailable seems rigid and high-maintenance. If he throws out a time that doesn’t work for you, either say yes to the next option or propose a date of your own. If you won’t make time early on in the relationship, men take it to mean you definitely won’t make time later.

Be Attentive: This is not the time to text

Conversation is like kissing. It’s a two-way street, and those roads are meant to be shared. Be sure to ask questions, answer questions thoughtfully and engage in conversation. Make eye contact, and please, please, please put your cell phone away. If you must make or take a call, excuse yourself as courteously as possible and don’t be away for more than five minutes—or you’ll raise suspicion and doubts. Think about it this way: How would you feel if he left you alone to chat to his friend about how the date was going?

Try Something New

It’s usually the man’s responsibility to make the date fun, and that puts a lot of pressure on us. So even if you don’t usually like the activity we’ve picked out, go along for the ride with an open mind and positive attitude. Example: He suggests a Red Sox game and you hate baseball. Instead of whining about it, have him buy you some beer and Cracker Jacks and ask him questions about the game. You never know—you might find a new hobby!


Let Your Guard Down

Past relationships and bad blind dates may have made you jaded, but don’t assume this guy “is just like all the rest.” And not that you would, but under no circumstances should you bring up your guy woes around the new object of your affection. Apologies for the cheesy analogy, but if the baggage doesn’t fit in the overhead compartment (or under the seat in front of you), it’s not going to be an easy trip

Stop Texting: No One Will Get Hurt

Don’t be that girl who communicates only via abbreviated words and emoticons—and don’t let him be that guy. When you’re starting to date someone, texting, e-mailing or instant messaging should be used in emergencies only (like when you lose him at an insanely crowded, loud concert)


Know the power of your outfit

We all buy into the latest fashion trends, but your goal with your date is to lure him in. Men want to see you in something that shows off your figure but isn’t sleazy, which sends a message of desperation. Another sign of desperation is looking like you tried too hard. Guys aren’t lying when they say they want a girl who can roll out of bed and still look gorgeous. Find a happy medium, and when in doubt throw on a pair of body-hugging jeans, a top that makes you feel sexy and heels.

TMI is never a good thing

Sharing too much too soon can be easily misconstrued. Anecdotes and good conversation are always a plus (see tip number one), but when talking about yourself, leave out unnecessary details. On the list of forbidden topics: exes, family plans and anything else that could send him heading for the hills.

Keep Him Wanting More
No matter how well a first date is going, be sure it doesn’t run into the wee hours of the morning. Every man loves some TLC, but if you want to keep him coming back, I recommend leaving the first couple of dates to intimate goodnight kisses—and be sure to keep those clothes on for now.

Ladies Beware!!! The 6 Men You Shouldn't Date

Ladies, we have all dated a few jerks in our lives, but we do not have to continue! While reading Glamour's March I came across a list of the 6 guys we must stay away from. Here is a list with HerGoodyBag twist

1. Rebound Guy-This guy will ALWAYS compare you to his ex! How well you cook, how your butt looks in jeans, and of course the intimacy! If you are really interested in this type of guy it is in your best bet to let him "heal" before you attempt to have a relationship.
2. Disappearing Guy- He is the magician, sometimes you see him, sometimes you don't. Sometimes he calls, sometimes he won't. Is he intouch everyday with phone calls, e-mails,text messages, and then out of the blue he goes MIA? Does he think the world revolves around him? He doesn't call you for a week and expects you to be available within an hour to go out for drinks. Stay away from him. He is not consistent and consistency is very important in a relationship. Save yourself the ride on the emotional roller coaster.

3. Slick Guy- Is his life something out of a movie? Is he engulfed with the high life and feels complete with the new Louis Vuitton sneakers or a pair of Gucci's? Have you seen his life on MTV, BET or any other tv show? Guess what he is hiding something! He is hiding it within his material possessions. Is his phone always on vibrate? You don't want to wait until the wedding, kids, or even monthis from now to see his true colors.

4. Rude Guy- Ok he is the ultimate jerk pretty much! Holding random conversations or texting at dinner, "secretly" looking at other women (I know they all do, but not in my face), not holding the door for you to walk in first or even opening the car door; he is just RUDE! He obviously does not respect women and we are queens and should be treated as such!

5. Grabby Guy-I hate this type of guy! Why must you always touch me uggghhhh? Especially in weird locations like, why is your hand on my butt in the paper goods aisle in the grocery store. There is nothing wrong with being affectionate and all, but there is a time and a place for everything! Is his hand always on your thighs? Does he make many sexual innuendos? There was this one guy that was interested in me that wanted to go to the strip club on the first date! RED FLAGS definitely went up! We need to be respected and treated like the beautiful women we are especially in public, if you feel disrespected by this guy and his incontrollable hormones then RUN!

6. Last Year's Guy-Ladies, he is an EX for a reason. Sometimes we get into these sulking moods where we just want to cuddle and be held and shown a good time....but not with the EX! Obviously something wasn't there or something went wrong that caused you to break up! We need to move forward not backwards.

You Are My <3

Pink Moet & Chandon $158 http://www.mymoet.com/

Heart Picture Frame Key Ring $38 Heart Key Ring
Heart Stone Sterling Silver Ring-Coach $138 Heart Stone Ring
Springled Heart Ring $11 Fred Flare

Applied Heart Bangle Coach $128 Heart Bangle

Stop and smell the roses (Another gift Idea gentlemen)

Very sexy just don't send this bouquet to my job! (They're thongs)

When I saw these I had to double back because I'd never seen these before.

Hanky Panky's "Long Stem Lovin' Thongs", $250 for a dozen & $130 for a half dozen at barenecessities.com

Valentine's Day Playlist Pt.4-It's Like Butta Baby

I love Next! They had sooooomany hits...wonder what happened? Anyway this song was so poppin. I was like 14 talking about "I got that butta love" lol RL was my boo!

My favorite line "sundress with platforms, feet pedicure with no corns" Lol nope not on these toes!

Next-Butta Love

Valentine's Day Playlist Pt. 3-Shhhhh!

This was my song back in the day!! I loved Xscape memories *sigh* This is for all of you who have a boo on the low. "If you won't tell, I won't tell and that's how we gotta keep it"

Xscape-My Little Secret


Xscape - My Little Secret
Video Codes at www.blastro.com

Love Birds

This clutch is KUHHH-YUUUTE! Just in time for Valentine's Day

By Noah http://www.piperlime.com/