latest Fashion

I'm a bit old-fashioned when it comes to the holidays--I still believe we should dress up for them. You can wear your jeans 364 days a year, when the family is gathered together for a celebration, put a little more effort into your outfit.
But that doesn't mean you have to wear a suit, long satin dress or be uncomfortable. I like a dress like the one shown, because it's flirty without being overtly sexy so you can still wear it to meet the parents, the 3/4-length bell sleeves won't get in the way if you're called into the kitchen to do any last minute tossing of the salad and best of all, there's no waistband and it's a spandex blend, so you can get second helpings of your Aunt Flossie's pumpkin pie and still breathe at the end of the night.

It may be all the hand washing I did yesterday while cooking our Thanksgiving bird or it may be that I have yet to dig out my gloves from storage and it's getting a little chilly in the Northeast. At any rate, my cuticles are ragged to the point that they're starting to tear and hurt.
There's no way around it, cuticle oil is messy. But it also helps save my cuticles and my nails, which means I can get away without a manicure or polish for longer. My new favorite is Carol's Daughter Lemon and Jojoba Cuticle Oil. I apply it while I'm watching my favorite TV shows and rub it in. In the morning, my cuticles are soft and my nails are so shiny, it looks like I buffed them! Plus it smells lemony and sweet, so it's a treat to add this to my hand care regimen.

NEW DRESS FASHION

Hi LOVELY FASHION

FASHION

In a serene and beautifully judged collection done almost entirely in shades of cream, Tomas Maier put the individualistic way we use clothes at the center of his thought process. "I think of it as a collaboration with women," he said. "The clothes are meant to be a backdrop, a blank canvas, so the wearer can play with color and accessories to change the look and make it her own." The concept of the neutral background came when he saw a group of children being dropped off at a karate class in Florida, where he lives: "I liked the look of the canvas, and that became my color card—white, cream, straw. And the idea of the soft belt."The relaxed sportiness surfaced in the second look: the karate jacket, made into a halter and wrapped over shorts, followed by a drapey fine-gauge knit jogging suit and all-in-one. Yet his takes on simple sheaths, strapless dresses, a cotton fifties-flavored sundress, the corset, and an impactful evening dress were all securely melded into the sequence. At the core of the show was an impressive array of daywear that, as Maier promised, became the foil for outstandingly desirable accessories and the occasional splash of turquoise, green, and magenta.Lightweight jackets and rolled-hem shorts, elegant T-shirt-cum-sack dresses, and tunics with asymmetrical raised seaming were shown with a sophisticated Bottega take on country-peasant craftsmanship: high wedge sandals with woven espadrille soles, delicate string macramé slingbacks, and an amazing translation of the house leather intrecciato bag into something resembling a soft straw basket. It was one of the best summations so far this season of the feeling for sport, pale color, and the textured aesthetics of humble materials—but with a surprise contrarian kicker. At the end, three extraordinary evening dresses in boldly colored iridescent polyester tissue walked out. Nothing to do with the rest of it, except that in Maier's hands, even the synthetic can become the epitome of sophistication.

DONNA KARANA FAshion

Karan had a hit on her hands for Fall. Why mess with a good thing? Tweaking the fabrics and the color palette, she sent out another wearable collection of soft skirtsuits and body-loving draped dresses. She explained that she was "inspired by the power of the elements," namely, from the looks of things, wind. The hem of the opening stretch linen twill jacket, for example, was molded as if the model wearing it had just encountered a stiff breeze on the runway, while the bottom of a linen burlap top worn with a slim pencil skirt was permanently upswept. The effect was a sense of movement and a pretty femininity not always easily achieved in tailoring.

Fashion New

Fashion New interdoused

fashioner fash'ion·er n.
SYNONYMS fashion, style, mode, vogue. These nouns refer to a prevailing or preferred manner of dress, adornment, behavior, or way of life at a given time. Fashion, the broadest term, usually refers to what accords with conventions adopted by polite society or by any culture or subculture: a time when long hair was the fashion. Style is sometimes used interchangeably with fashion, but like mode often stresses adherence to standards of elegance: traveling in style; miniskirts that were the mode in the late sixties. Vogue is applied to fashion that prevails widely and often suggests enthusiastic but short-lived acceptance: a video game that was in vogue a few years ago. See also synonyms at method.

In a fairly literal translation from its French and Latin origins, the word fashion describes the make or cut of an item, the forming of its shape. However, over the centuries, the word has acquired a specific association with the design, making, and wearing of clothing. Fashion now implies an awareness of and a desire to be at the forefront of changes in styles of dress and personal appearance. It can be used to suggest an extravagance and frivolity far removed from the mere functional need to clothe the body for reasons of modesty or to offer protection.
Origins
There is general agreement amongst costume historians that the origins of what we understand as fashion are to be found in the late fourteenth century. The flowing, unemphatic full-length lines which had characterized the dress of both sexes since late antiquity were gradually abandoned. Men's dress changed faster than women's, with the adoption of short tunics and closely-fitted garments. This coincided with the newly formed guilds of tailors developing skills in cutting and fitting fabric to the figure, thus allowing a much wider repertoire of stylistic effects to be achieved, with fabric and padding emphasizing or exaggerating the contours of the body. Better trading links with the Near and Middle East had introduced wider ranges of fabric, new techniques for their manufacture, and fresh ideas about colour and decoration. Inevitably, fashion, even in this early phase, was the prerogative of the wealthy who could afford the rich silks and fine linens which supplemented the staple Western European woollen fabrics. Over the next two centuries the emergence of a wealthy merchant class with international interests in trade and banking widened demand for luxurious possessions. Sumptuary laws were introduced, prohibiting the wearing of certain fabrics and colours, and meting out punishment to those who dared to presume that mere wealth could ensure equality of choice with the ruling class. This reinforcement of the notion that fashion was the prerogative of the few recurred throughout the succeeding centuries.Fashion changed relatively slowly in the period c.1500 to 1700, and the finest clothing was a valuable commodity, finding its way into inventories and wills, being remade and, not infrequently, stolen. The limited terminology of dress began to expand from the late seventeenth century onwards, with a proliferation of new terms indicating an increased rate of change in fashionable dress. This acceleration was underpinned by a more sophisticated process of manufacture and further improved skills but, of course, the speed of change also maintained the status quo. To be dressed in the height of fashion meant being rich or heavily in debt.Fashion was both national and international with, in succession, Burgundian, French, and Spanish styles in the ascendant with some Italian, German, Dutch, and English elements in the mix. Curiosity about the fashions of others found expression in the costume books which began appearing in the late sixteenth century and, by the late seventeenth century, when Europe began to be dominated by all aspects of French culture, the production of exquisite engravings — precursors of the fashion plate — depicted what the most stylish French courtiers were wearing. This French hegemony was supported by the production of superb silks, delicate lace, and an ingenious array of accessories, and by a centralized court at which all the fine and applied arts from painting to dress were accorded equal attention. It is hardly surprising that the first dressmaker of international renown was Rose Bertin, who made clothes for Marie Antoinette at the French court in the 1780s; she and other dressmakers despatched fashion dolls dressed in the latest styles throughout Europe to add miniature, three-dimensional verisimilitude to supplement the available fashion illustrations.

Will You Borrow From The Boys?
November 19, 2009 9:08 am

The tomboy trend continues apace for Spring. You saw it in the plethora of pantsuits, and it surfaced in some of the active sports references to linebackers and latter-day Jacques Cousteaus. But the crisp white men’s shirt will always be the easiest (and, for us, coolest) way to get the look. Giambattista Valli topped a fanciful fringe skirt with a utilitarian button-down, and Limi Feu whipped an oxford into wildly oversized proportions. The tuxedo shirt, meanwhile, was reimagined by Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga and Phoebe Philo at Celine, among others. “A tux shirt on a girl always looks great,” says Rag & Bone’s Marcus Wainwright. “It has the obvious connotations…girl in boyfriend’s/husband’s/one-night stand’s shirt the morning after a black-tie ball. It’s very James Bond.” That’s a good enough reason for us to button up. What about you?

Your Dream Dresses

1. Decide on Formality:

Usually the event invitation will clue you into the formality of the event, whether it's casual or black tie. But sometimes even that will cause confusion (short dress or long?)

In general, the later in the day the event (after 6 p.m.), the dressier. Long dresses are usually reserved only for formal (black tie) occasions.

While some fabrics are year-round -- silk, brocade, organza, jersey -- fabrics like velvet and gold spangles are best reserved for winter holidays.

Dress Code Definitions: Black Tie, etc.

2. Flatter Your Figure:

The most important feature of your new dress is how well it flatters you.

Remember that darker colors and simple cuts (a sheath, an A-line) are the most flattering.

Show off your best feature. If you have gorgeous eyes, then play them up with beautiful makeup, off-the-face hair and jeweled earrings in a complimentary shade.

Not sure what your best asset is? Ask a friend or significant other. Or go to a store that sells special occasion dresses and enlist the salesperson's help.

Dresses for Every Body Type

3. Choose a Color:

You could just wear a little black dress (classy, flattering and slenderizing), but why not explore some of the other dressy options?

Red, bold prints, even gold are dramatic enough for evening wear. Pastels, mid-range brights and soft prints look great for dressy day occasions.

Blue (from navy to royal), pink (from cotton candy to fuchsia) and white (from candlelight to cream) look great on almost everyone. Remember that the "Don't wear white to a wedding" wisdom is still considered a fashion don't by most women.

7 Style Secrets from the Red Carpet

4. Pick a Style:

Catalogs, the internet and magazines are a great places to seek special occasion dress inspiration.

Instead of going with something trendy, try to find a dress that reflects classic, timeless elegance. Remember that you'll have to look at photos of you in the dress for years to come.

Classic special occasion dresses are often deceptively simple, but they usually let the beauty of the wearer shine through. A few examples: the little black dress (a.k.a the cocktail dress), a goddess gown (draped and rouched), a ballgown, a slip dress.

Dress Glossary

5. Shop:

Set a budget before shopping. Special occasion dresses usually cost more than $100, but if you comparison shop you can find one that works in your price range.

Shop secondhand stores and sales to save even more money on a dress.

If you shop in a store, dress for the day by bringing along heels, any special accessories you know you want to use and a strapless bra.

When shopping online, make sure you understand both the sizing (know your measurements and check against a size chart on the site) and the return policy (some stores don't take returns on dresses.)

Prom and Occasion Dresses

6. Accessorize:

The trimmings will take their cue from the dress, but for special occasions your jewelery usually gets bigger and your bag and shoes get smaller (as in strappy sandals).

Although you may want to add tons of glitz, remember that you can kill a look with too much matchy-matchy accessorizing. Find earrings, necklace and bracelet that compliment each other without being a matching set.

If your legs aren't perfect enough to go bare need camouflage and you don't like to wear leg makeup, then opt for super-sheer hose or fishnets.

Women's Hair Cut Trends 2009

Throughout 2008, women's hair cuts did one thing: they got shorter. There was the bob hair trend, the pixie-crop hair trend, and a plethora of others in between.

And unlike the length of women's hair, their popularity grew.

Which leaves us with an interesting predicament for 2009's hair trends: the fashion forward, short hair styles of 2008 are no longer fashion forward. They're no longer unique. Every woman and her chuiauia got one.

So in 2009, fashion forward girls have a choice to make: keep the bobs and blend into the crowd or, to stand out, cut their hair shorter or let it grow.

The Cropped Bob & The Pixie Crop

Girls who cut the bob in 2008 and want a fashion forward look in 2009, are going to have to either let their hair grow out or go something more extreme. Enter the cropped bob and the pixie crop; both perfect for Spring/Summer 2009, but far more difficult to wear for Autumn (Fall)/Winter 2008/2009.

The Cropped Bob
To put it bluntly: the cropped bob is extreme. It's not quite a pixie crop (below) nor a bob. Short all over, even with a heavily shortened blunt cut fringe, it's can only be worn by those who ooze confidence. Just look at Agyness Deyn's cropped, fringed bob (right). Attention grabbing, it's even far less subtle with peroxide blonde hair which I'm tipping as the best colour to wear it with.