STYLESTAR: TIA WILLIAMS

A modern day renaissance woman, Tia Williams is as accomplished as she is beautiful! She was a Beauty Bditor of YM, Elle, Glamour and Lucky Magazines...and is a former Beauty Director of Teen People.

Tia with Lola Ogunnaike of the New York Times and Iman

You may have seen her in the most recent Olay Total Effects commercial, or heard her as she co-hosts "Wake Up With Cosmo" --Cosmopolitan magazine's new radio station, Cosmo Radio, on Sirius satellite radio (channel 111- tune in M-Fri. 7-11am)...you may have spotted her while flipping through last April's Vibe Vixen, while tuning in for her tips on MTV, CNN and the WB, heeded her advice as a tastemaker on glam.com or the myriad other websites which have featured her...but there's more!

In addition to all of the foregoing, Tia is a also a gifted author. Our book club recently completed Tia's "Accidental Diva" and we are eagerly anticipating the follow up!

Be sure to visit tiawilliams.net to read more about this dynamic woman, while you're there be sure to check out her blog, Shake Your Beauty, it's one of my favorites!

Keep reading for my interview with Tia!

StyleChile: When did you become interested in beauty?
Tia: I was a teenager during the supermodel era --Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer --and I was obsessed with all of them. I’d sit in front of the mirror for hours making myself up to look like one of the girls in George Michael’s “Freedom” video. I got really good at it, and I became the girl who did everyone’s makeup before the big dances at school. Thank God I found the right profession.

StyleChile: Who were your beauty/fashion influences?
Tia: It’s so corny and obvious, but my main style influence is my mom! When I was growing up in the late seventies and early eighties, my mother’s hot-rollered-bouncy hair, big gold hoops and sleek cowl-neck sweaters informed my entire approach to style. She was working the sexy-gypsy thing long before Rachel Zoe thought to pick up a wooden bangle.

StyleChile: How do you manage to stay fashionable?
Tia: I budget! I think the smart way to stay fashionable is to pair high and low. It makes no sense to buy all high-end designers and then go broke, especially when you can get fabulous pieces at Forever 21, H&M and Urban Outfitters. I even found a SICK pair of gold-trimmed black pumps at Payless! As long as you pair a lower-priced piece with a standout item, like a designer bag or blouse, you’re fashionable.

StyleChile: Do you have any tips or words of advice for today's fun, fashionable, females?
Tia: Every fun, fashionable female should own these three things:

HARD CANDY TAKE OUT MAKEUP KIT: It has everything you need in one tiny, tri-level palette-- six lip glosses, two lip brushes, eight eyeshadows, a black eye pencil, mini mascara, two shadow applicators, blush and bronzer. Too cute.

HOT PINK TOOL KIT: Every girl should have a tool kit for home repair --this one is adorably pink, which makes it more Barbie than butch!

SHU UEMURA EYELASH CURLER: Every celeb makeup artist uses this curler, and for good reason—it makes your lashes pop like you wouldn’t believe.

StyleChile: How do you stay inspired?
Tia: My writing room is filled with images of glamorous, smart, iconic black women...Dorothy Dandridge as Carmen Miranda, Diana Ross in Mahogany, Beverly Johnson on the cover of Cosmo in 1977 (the first black woman on their cover), Iman, my mom, my grandmother, anyone that inspires me to make a mark. Everyone should have an inspiration room!

Check out my vintage post on Tia here!