Thursday, December 27, 2012

Style Nemesis

Do you ever watch E! Fashion Police thinking the same thing I am…..how is Kelly Osbourne and Joan Rivers judging anyone about their appearance?!  So, I'm asking you for your opinion….we all have our best and worst dressed lists, of course.  Even when our favorite celebrities get it wrong from time to time, we still think they can pull off whatever crazy ensemble they've pulled together because they've done so well at every other event in the past.  I think the majority of the time, when a fad pops up, people try so hard to be the trend setter that everyone else follows that the whole thing is a bust.

When I refer to a "style nemesis" I'm talking about someone that constantly and consistently gets it wrong, when in their mind, they just know they're going to be the "belle of the ball."  They're all habitual offenders, absolutely confident that they look absolutely fabulous.  They genuinely believe that they have physical attributes strong enough to pull off anything.

I'm not talking about Lady Gaga or Nicki Minaj.  Yes, they always look completely outlandish, but they are known for just that, it's part of their celebrity.  For example…..Rihanna, Fergie and Mischa Barton are three of mine.  All of these ladies are so sure that they can get away with anything, like white pumps or acid wash denim.  It's impossible, stop trying!  So I ask you, who is your style nemesis?



                                             



 









[nem-uh-sis] 

1. Something a person cannot conquer or achieve.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Socialbliss




Attention!  To all of my lovely followers and the like, I have just been appointed as a Fashion Ambassador for www.socialbliss.com
It's a web site devoted  to fashion that will benefit those are passionate about it.  It's beneficial to the people that are looking for inspiration, or just want to do some shopping!
You can create your own collections and share them with all of your friends.
I am addicted to this site.
Check, check, check it out!




*Please stay tuned for my next post!



Monday, October 15, 2012

Iris Apfel

Iris Apfel
August 29, 1921-Present


Iris Apfel, a native new yorker, born to an entrepreneurial father and fashion-forward mother.  After studying art history at NYU and marrying her husband Carl, the pair began Old World Weavers, creating textiles for furniture.  In the past few decades she has worked under nine presidents and been the subject of many museum exhibits.  At some point caught the eye of the press with her outlandish style.



You ask her a question and she'll freely give you her response and along with her signature owl-shaped glasses and endless amount of beads and bangles that's most likely why people can't forget her.  Case in point, I'm sure a good bit of people see Iris and think she's too eccentric, but she definitely catches your eye.  So, why not be different, why not try something new, instead of jumping the gun being completely positive that you won't look good in something you usually wouldn't even try on.  Do it anyway!





In my experience, all it takes is one person, a stranger of course, to give you a compliment on your appearance and it's a done deal.  I'm sure there's some very reasonable explanation of why it has to be a random persons admiration, maybe it's because your friends and family are partial and an unknown has no reason to lie.  So I encourage you to try it.  Find something of your own to make your signature piece.  Mrs. Apfel has her larger than life accessories, Anna Wintour has her stylish never changing bob…..  I guarantee that it will give you a boldness you never knew you had.  










Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Bohemia

"Bohemainism:  The practice of an unconventional lifestyle….involving music, artistic or literary pursuits."



A lesser known fact, some of these groups that were usually associated with being wanderers actually chose poverty for unknown reasons.  They were and still are very colorful people, blending bold ethnic prints with an attentiveness towards the ever popular "free love."  While they are still referred to as offbeat and bizarre, I believe this is what draws people to their culture.  And although bohemians didn't frequent hair salons years ago, these past few years have been a different story.




More and more often, women are coming in to salons asking for a "natural" look, the same look that bohemians used to be able to pull off free of charge.  Long gone are the days of lying around in fields of green braiding each others hair and weaving together necklaces made of daisies.  We no longer have the luxury of achieving the sun-kissed look simply by letting the sun "kiss" your hair and skin for hours on end.










Monday, October 8, 2012

Be Bold!

A lot of people associate the fall with dull, matte shades of everything….clothes, hair, skin, make-up, etc…And while a number of these things do look appealing in black and grey, it would be awesome to step up your hair color a bit to offset the monotone shades of winter.  Even though your skin might be lacking color you can still give your hair a nudge by brightening up what you've already got!






"In winter the sun becomes a bit bluer no matter what coast you're on."  This less intense version of the sun is what dulls out your skin and hair.  By maintaining a deep, intense shade of color, it will brighten up your skin tone and add a little life to your color-less wardrobe.



Statement Piece


Today we visit the topic of the statement piece.  What is the point of a statement piece, or better yet what exactly is a statement piece you ask?  Nine times out of ten I suggest wearing a statement piece when putting on an understated outfit that needs a little flare.  For example, if you're wearing a LBD (little black dress) which is a statement in itself, and need something bold to make the outfit pop, you need to add color to catch the eye.  









Anytime you wear something solid in color or made mostly of one fabric, you need something to break the outfit up so you don't look like a building block.  Now, if you're wearing an getup that has a bold print, stick to solid colors, such as silver or gold for your statement piece.  Often times it's the jewelry that brings together the outfit, but it can also be the jewelry that can likely be the newest trend out there.  That means that being able to wear it might only last one season.







If you want to make more of an investment, go for a great pair of heels or handbag that will definitely be an eye-catcher and will give you more bang for your buck!  Of course these things tend to be a bit pricier but to me, they become a collectors item.  It really all depends on what part of your ensemble you want to catch a persons eye.  So what's your decision?  Are statement pieces for you?  YES!





Saturday, October 6, 2012

Winter Blond

Who says you have to go dark in the winter?  Not me! 
 If you have the right complexion, don't be afraid to keep your summer strands.  Depending on your skin tone, the only maintenance required could be a root touch-up.  However, if you tend to lose a little bit of your coloring during the fall months, have your colorist tweak your overall lightened tone with a more golden hue.  This way, it will save the integrity of your hair come summertime!








Thursday, September 13, 2012

Model Call

Dear fellow Facebookers, Pinterest lovers, Twitter followers, Instagrammers and the like,

Beginning September 15th I will be looking for models; hair and make-up models......I am hoping to hone my craft and need your help to practice.  Whenever there is a new hair cut, hair color or make-up trend I want to try out, blog about or photograph for my portfolio I will need a willing participant to be my guinea pig, so to speak.  I will be taking appointments at my salon and all services will be free of charge of course, but will be accepting tips to purchase the actual product(s).

I will be posting a picture of the project I have in mind or something similar about a week before I ask for volunteers so you know what you're getting yourself in to.  And, of course, if that weeks pick doesn't seem as though it will compliment your complexion, face shape I will absolutely tweak it so that it does.  So without further ado, my first style is......reverse ombre!!!!
Who's interested?








Monday, September 3, 2012

Fashion's Night Out 2012

It's getting to be that time of year again! The fourth annual  Fashion's Night Out is about to take affect on September 6th!  What is Fashion's Night Out, you ask?  In 2009 a multitude of "editors, stars, models, fashionistas and designers" got together to celebrate fashion in its entirety.  It was initiated to boost sales during the recession and improve the the good faith that consumers had once upon a time, before everyone went broke!

In the United States an alliance was created to restore faith back in to purchasing non-essential items as a result of the average shopper having to pinch and save for everyday demands.  Once a year the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers), American Vogue, the City of New York and NYC & Co. unite to create a world-wide haute couture phenomenon to bring shoppers back to life!  So, on August 6th show some love for consumerism and spend a little bit of your hard earned money.  I guarantee, you'll be glad you did!







http://www.atlanta.net/Fashion/retailers.html

Sunday, September 2, 2012

About Face

Question of the day:  What hairstyles flatter your face shape?  
It's time to answer the age old question with a few facts about what really creates the most stunning silhouette just for you.


Oval


  • If your forehead and jawline are about the same width......
  • Ideal for either short, medium or long cuts
  • You can pull off fringe, depending on the thickness of your hair
  • Add soft layers throughout to add volume
  • Add lowlights around the face to accentuate bone structure
  • Avoid blunt, heavy bangs and "forward-directing" styles


Round
  • When the length is equal to the width
  • Works well on those with more pronounced cheekbones
  • Side-swept bangs works well
  • Adding lowlights on the sides of the face and highlights at the crown creates the illusion of length
  • Avoid short, blunt fringe, chin-length bobs, fullness at the sides near the ears and center parts





Heart
  • Width at the forehead and cheekbones, narrow at the jawline
  • Choppy, piece-y cuts are a plus
  • Short bobs work well
  • Wispy fringe is flattering
  • Avoid blunt fringe and top-heavy styles.  It makes the jaw appear narrower.  
  • Steer clear of any styles that are too "slicked" back away from hairline











Oblong
  • Represented by a long cheek line, most likely longer than it is wide
  • Unstructured, messy cuts are appealing
  • Short razored cuts are more avant-garde
  • Avoid shoulder-length styles, extreme length, center parts and too much height at the crown












Square
  • Customarily known to have a prominent jawline and/or cheekbones
  •  Try keeping your haircuts more on the round side
  • Add height to the crown with layering 
  • Curly hair with this face shape is a bonus, it tends to soften the stronger features
  • Lighten the hair around the face to dissolve any harsh angles
  • Avoid extra-long straight styles, straight fringe and a center part










It's always sensible to find a picture of someone with a similar face shape to take it to your hairstylist.  That way, when communicating to he or she what you're looking for you are more likely to be on the same page and will end up more a promising result.

Friday, August 31, 2012

No Guts, No Glory

When trying out a new trend, how do you know if you've taken it too far?  There aren't exactly do's and do nots to this question.  There is, however, a certain degree to which you know you might have just toppled a little too far over the edge. For those of you who tend to stick to the "all-american" clean cut affect, this is not something you will have to worry about.  This is for the folks who tend to disregard any kind of guideline about mixing polka-dots with stripes.

As long as I can remember i've always loved fashion.  Be that as it may, while growing up in a very rural town, no one ever pulled me aside and said, "You don't have to wear Abercrombie & Fitch or GAP to look good!" It wasn't until I made it to college that I stopped putting so much emphasis on my khakis matching my gingham button-down and started spending much more time on clothes themselves.  Without realizing it, I had begun to pull things from my closet that I wanted to wear that day, regardless of if the top matched the bottom or the bag matched the belt.

My case in point being, if you feel like wearing a tank top with a tutu....DO IT!!!  The only negative thing that could come out of this experiment is that you won't get any compliments from strangers.  After all, you might surprise yourself (and others around you) with how much this will build your confidence and inspire more creative ensembles in the future!


Don't
Belle (Billie Piper)
Secret Diary of a Call Girl


DO
Carrie (SJP)
Sex and the City 2

High and Tight Ponies


This fall the go-to hairstyle just happens to be one of the easiest things to pull off.  To achieve a version of this sleek off-the-face 'do just follow these simple guidelines.......

1) Tilt your head back so that the nape of your neck hits the base of your shoulders.
2) Collect all of your hair in your fist and, using a Mason Pearson brush smooth everything down from             your forehead back towards your nape.
3) Position the hair in your fist on your head where you'd like it to sit.
4) Wrap a hair tie around it at least two or more times, depending on how polished you want the style to be.
5) Spray it all down with a medium to firm hold hairspray.  Use the spine of a comb to push all remaining frizz down.






Thursday, August 30, 2012

Baroque

Baroque : 
1. characteristic of a style in art and architecture developed in Europe from the early 17th to mid-18th century, emphasizing dramatic, often strained effect and typified by bold, curving forms, elaborate ornamentation, and overall balance of disparate parts.




Baroque Period
1600-1750


This era is often linked to nobility, in which everything from paintings to clothing were characterized by great drama, rich, deep color and intense light and dark shadows.  Today, these characteristics are brought forward usually with brocade, detailed embroidery or heavy beading.


Alexander McQueen

"The term "Baroque" was initially used with a derogatory meaning, to underline the excesses of its emphasis. In particular, the term was used to describe its eccentric redundancy and noisy abundance of details."












Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Fad or Trend?


How do you know the difference between a "fad" and a "trend?"  Knowing the difference between the two will either put you on E! News' "Gotta Have It!" instead of  "Make It Stop!"  Trends tend to recycle themselves in different forms throughout the years, while fads appear for a short while feigning popularity, then fade out over time, leaving some of us wondering why we ever tried to pull it off in the first place.


If you look back twenty or thirty years and are able to find one of the latest styles has been revived, that's usually when you can spot a trend, like the peplum dress.




    

   











1980's                                                            2012


If you notice a new style that you've never seen before and find that only certain cliques are following it with an undoubting enthusiasm, chances are, that look won't make it much farther than that specific group of fans.  

Black-rimmed non prescription glasses

Collar Necklace




  

 






























trend
  [trend]  Show IPA
noun
1.
the general course or prevailing tendency; drift: trends in theteaching of foreign languages; the trend of events.
2.
style or vogue: the new trend in women's apparel.
3.
the general direction followed by a road, river, coastline, or the like.


fad
  [fad]  Show IPA
noun


a temporary fashion, notion, manner of conduct, etc., especially one followed enthusiastically by a group.