Charde Houston emerges from the Phoenix Mercury locker room after the game, wearing a black-and-white striped jumpsuit with cap sleeves, elastic waist and capri-length pants. Her teammates roll out the imaginary red carpet for the team's resident fashionista and hand out a few teasing compliments.
In fact, when some of her teammates hit the road to do some shopping of their own, it is Houston's voice -- like a personal style conscience -- they sometimes hear in their heads.
The year-old forward who grew up in San Diego and played collegiately at Connecticut has a distinctive, even unmistakable, style on the floor. She has shaved her head nearly clean much of the time, though she sometimes dyes the stubble that's starting to grow back on top, everything from gold to platinum blond. She's heard from fans through the years who want to emulate her look and her choices, and she decided this year to create a shopping website made up of pieces of clothing, jewelry and shoes she finds interesting.
The site is called Body Karmah and includes dresses, blouses, shoes and skirts. It also features beading combinations for the custom bracelets and jewelry that Houston first started making for herself, and then for others.
Houston's online store has largely been a do-it-yourself operation. She designed it herself, several times over, in fact, and she selects all the pieces she's selling. Houston's business independence fits right in with her personal story of a girl who has always had to take care of herself.
