Prada’s latest designer line for a younger crowd is more affordable, more risky and catering a little more towards the future Paris Hiltons of America. So, should MiuMiu be rewarded for filling this niche market with their quasi-designer sunglasses or should young women everywhere avoid the MiuMiu mantra and simply buy the real deal (Prada) or else another brand all together?

When Dolce and Gabbana launched D&G for youths, the market received the new line well. D&G is still going well, but to a certain degree it lowers the overall prestige of the Dolce and Gabbana name. To what extent could Prada actually suffer for launching a lower prestige brand? These questions must have been on the lips of everyone on the board at Prada, and to many in the fashion world it seemed a strange time for Prada to attempt a minor duplicate company.

Are MiuMiu sunglasses even that different than Prada’s already existing line? Is the point simply that Prada sunglasses are unaffordable because of the brand recognition and prestige so Prada decided to corner more of the market by offering essentially the same thing at a lower price—thus reaching younger people (a key demographic in the fashion world, to be sure). If so, then MiuMiu sunglasses are a great buy. You get the same designs but under a different, less well known, name. This makes me wonder if simply adoring anything produced by a single design house isn’t foolish. The value of Prada is only important so long as people pay more for them simply because it is generally agreed that they are important. Miumiu sunglasses offer an identical product under a different name that is not yet deemed important by the market. Indeed the mix of fashion and brand valuations has always been intensely interesting, and Prada’s method of having the cake and eating it too is somewhat admirable.

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MiuMiu – Risky or Bland?

Former American Idol hostess, Paula Abdul, had an eyewear wardrobe that would rival Paris Hilton’s shoe collection. From Gucci, to Prada, to Valentio, she has displayed quite the collection. In several episodes of the famed show (before Paula was so rudely replaced, that is) our singer/judge was seen in dark sunglasses, somewhat hunched over the judge’s table. Many people claimed this was a result of her drinking and partying habits, and she was thus, in fact, hungover when she appeared on the show. Paula adamantly denies these claims, and is just a fan of fashion.

On a January 13th episode of the famous American show, Paula was seen wearing thick, Aviator style of sunglasses that appeared to be Ray Bans. On closer inspection they more likely were Valentino 1190/U frame sunglasses, which is more up the designer alley Paula so adores.

Not long after that she appeared on screen in Prada 14IV eyeglasses, though we were not formerly aware she needed corrective lenses. Try as we might, we could not discern what type of contact lenses Paula wore on the show.

Finally, Paula may have been wearing elaborate designer eyewear on the show to content with heavyweight judge Randy Jackson, whose love for eyeglasses pushed him to launch his own fashion line after the show became a massive success. Randy’s eyewear have not hit the mainstream as of yet, but his designers are remarkably innovative, fresh and flamboyant—somewhere between Ed Hardy and Alexander McQueen, though more targeting African American fashion trends and fashion than the skaters Ed Hardy attracts, or the upper-class fashion yuppies of Alexander McQueen’s clientele.

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The Many Eyewear Fashions worn by Paula Abdul

Angelina Jolie, star of the current hit film ‘Salt’ has recently been exploring her eyewear wardrobe and found it a bit lacking. To catch up with her hubby Brad Pitt, who is renowned for his casual fashion, Jolie has adapted a bit of his fashionable sense and begun to wear more modern designs. Her long-lasting love for Tom Ford sunglasses helped make this transition easy. In the picture here (taken on the set of ‘Salt,’) Jolie wears Tom Ford Miranda Sunglasses in bronze with gradient bronze lens tinting. They come in four colors, including a very catching steel with light grey gradient lenses that can be perfect for people suffering light sensitivity.

Jolie was, in the past, a fan of the Tom Ford Whitney Sunglasses, as well as the renowned Tom Ford Jennifer Sunglasses. The design looks good on her, though many people can’t pull it off as well. Her small nose and large lips draw attention away from the eyes and thus minimized the so called ‘bug-eye effect’ of these oversized sunglasses. Buying them in a gradient lens option gives a more casual and approachable feel, and makes them wearable both indoors and out.

Jolie, who has adopted several children as well as mothering some of her own with star Brad Pitt, has returned to cinema with ‘Salt’ after a long break. Though she has often said she would like to leave acting permanently, many feel it is a ploy to get fans into the cinema seats. Meanwhile, Brad Pitts break from acting has left him playing stay-at-home-dad, which by all accounts he rather seems to enjoy.

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Sunglasses in ‘Salt’

Some people think Lady Gaga has take fashion too far, too fast. After looking at the ridiculous outfits online in bulk, I have to agree. While she can look fashionable and hot (like in the Carrera sunglasses in the image here) she seems to miss the mark when she dresses up entirely in Kermit the Frog corpses and goes out in public.

Her sense of fashion may be completely backward, but she does manage to use eyewear in a completely creative way. She isn’t trying to make her face look the most attractive it possibly can. Instead she is playing the female Willy Wonka and trying to make herself look as unique (and odd?) as possible. Check her out in these otherwise normal Tom Ford, rounded bronze sunglasses. The sunglasses would look amazing on any actress, take Angelina Jolie for example. Yet Lady Gaga uses them to give herself an almost alien look, a wide-eyed mechanical appearance that is neither sexy nor hip. While she may see the fashion of the future and try to introduce it now, we’re thinking she’s from a different planet!

Finally, Lady Gaga’s embarrassing clothing choice while at the Grammys and the Oscars may draw attention to her, it leaves many thinking that she is trying to distract viewer’s attention from other things. Without the glamorous makeup and ridiculous clothing would Lady Gaga stand a chance in Hollywood? Her lyrics and music are only somewhat inventive, but she really stands out in her music videos and daily clothing choices. Without that, she really isn’t much different from other female pop stars!

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Lady Gaga’s Fashion and Fame

Robin Williams has long endeared himself to Americans with his endless sense of humor and warmness of heart. His recent appearance at the Academy Awards shows him to be as witty as ever– and as fashionable. In Wayfarer glasses, Robin’s classic outfit stole the show, and with his newly grown (and graying) beard, he looked a much wiser and gentler comedian.

Williams has long been a fan of fashion, though usually he uses it as a caveat of what not to do, as in Patch Adams and Mrs. Doubtfire. But in real life, this guy-next-door has a wit and fashion sense that would impress even Martha Stuart. What we love about him, though is his softness, not his edgy fashionable look (though that’s great, too!) Williams has done several tours for the troops, and publically and openly states that the military men and women of America are the true heroes and stars, not the folks in Hollywood. This kind of sincere charm I rare in California, and Williams has managed to stay comical, jovial and yet an honest man, despite his attachment to the film industry.

Williams was not the only announcer at the Academy Awards to get a few second glances. Ben Stiller showed up on stage entirely dressed as a creature from Avatar, including a long blue tail and crazy yellow contact lenses. He stole the show and impressed everyone with his serious dedication to the on-stage Avatar comedy. But whose to say the fad will stop with Ben? If you want to get the yellow-eye look you could always buy tinted contact lenses, like those by Clear Sight.

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Robin William’s Sunglasses and Avatar Stiller

Three-time Grand-Slam champion Russian Tennis star Maria Sharapova has long been in the spotlight. Now she is delving into fashion by helping Tag Heuer launch a new line of designer eyewear with her name and seal of approval. Tag Heuer is known for its innovative and creative designs infused with worldly charm and with a swath of A-level celebrity endorsements.

This obviously isn’t her first time around the endorsement and fashion block as Sharapova was recently labeled the world’s highest paid female athlete with an impressive $26 Million USD a year in endorsements and trophies. But its not all business for this sexy star. She was ranked the hottest athlete in the world by Maxim Magazine, and participated in a scantly-clad photo shot for the Valentines edition of Sports Illustrated. People Magazine has even named her one of the 50 most beautiful celebrities on the planet—a tough list to get on, while in Britain she was ranked the 7th most eligible bachelorette on a scale judged by wealth and looks alone.

The line of Tag Heuer eyewear is due to launch this month, with two designs available in several color and lens options: an aviator design available in tortoiseshell, white, plum and black, with various lens options, and a larger, oval-eye design in the same colors. The line is an impressive homage to both athleticism and feminine sophistication, both of which Sharapova embodies. Retailers expect the sunglasses to fly off the shelves due to the popularity of Tag Heuer’s limited edition lines as well as the fan fare behind Miss Sharapova’s beauty and success.

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Maria Sharapova and Tag Heuer Team Up!

Ever wonder if the ‘it girls’ are wearing the same Dior shades you are? Here is what the hottest women in Hollywood are currently wearing, and why it works so well for them…or why it doesn’t!

Lindsey Lohan has a huge collection of fashionable and designer eyewear, but most recently she has been donning a very specific look that works for her – round, large glasses with thin frames and gradient lenses. She was seen in Ray Bans recently (seen here) ad well as Robert Cavalli RC 530S –Viola shades.

Kim Kardashian loves Tom Ford sunglasses. For some reason this Hollywood hottie has the misguided notion that oversized glasses look good on her long, thin face. She wore the Tom Ford Alessandra style in public and it was a flop. Oversized glasses don’t look good on thin faces. Some stars have fashion sense and some stars don’t – at least when it comes to eyewear Kim is proving she is no match to the more permanent staples in the female Hollywood elite, like Lohan and Garner.

Jennifer Garner has always had a very proper wardrobe of conservative styles, thus it is no surprise that she wears Ralph Lauren sunglasses, as they are a low-risk look that works on almost any face shape. She has the RL 8049 shades that are not round and not square, and thus not worthy of any fashion highs or lows. The bronze color matches her skin and hair and gives her the librarian look we come to expect from Garner.

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What the ‘It Girls’ are Wearing

When was the last time you saw the infamous Paris Hilton in the limelight, flashing her goods or drinking herself into a stupor in public? Recently, she has cleaned up her image, wearing less revealing clothing (while still designer Gucci and Prada, it is more conservative). She has not been filming any night vision pornography, nor acting in any lousy horror films. She even wrote a book, and is following the lead of her purse-designing sister by taking another look at the fashion industry as a business interest rather than a novel fad. So, is Paris Hilton reigning in her wild side?

We’ve seen Hilton recently in attire that a sexy but conservative politician’s wife would wear on campaign. Her sex appeal is no less apparent, but she has stopped flashing obscure body parts at the camera while stumbling out of her limo in a skirt that could better be described as a belt. While she used to wear oodles of make up and slather her hair in grime, she has recently taken to a more natural look, with limited makeup (still keeping her signature dark eye make up, however) and fewer push-up bras and 2” heels. She is the picture of a modern, fashionable woman, and looks to be priming herself for her inheritance. As her sister has shown, not all heiresses need to be wild, crazy blondes without political, cultural or moral opinions or any stake in their own integrity or character. Indeed, Paris has been grooming this new image for several months, something that may have been brought on by the lifestyle change her longtime friend Nicole Richie underwent, as well as the end of The Simple Life and the impending launch of My New Best Friend.

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Is Paris Hilton Reigning it in?

Alexander McQueen was well known in the fashion industry as an icon of modern avant garde design. With innovative and experimental fashion, he managed to bridge the gap between futuristic and fashionable, making new materials and shapes feminine and sexual and expanding the repertoire of the fashion world by leaps and bounds.

Sadly, Alexander McQueen’s recent and tragic death will be felt by the fashion community as a sore loss. His creativity and vision will leave a shining gold path for future designers, and the designs left uncreated due to his early demise are a dark spot in the fashion realm. Having designed for Givenchy, Gigli, and Gucci before launching his own very successful label, McQueen was most well known for designing the “bumster” which spawned the subsequent low-rise jean fad that persists to this day.

If that were not enough for one designer to achieve in his career, McQueen also holds the title of the youngest designer to achieve the British Designer of the Year award, which he won four times. He was also International Designer of the Year in 2000, and had stores across the globe. He was well sought after by other design houses, when Gucci acquired Alexander McQueen (the label) Mr. McQueen came on board as creative director, and was actively involved in the company’s new direction. Later, McQueen expanded his resume by helping design shoes for Puma, and a MAC make-up line inspired by Cleopatra and Elizabeth Taylor, which meant McQueen was free to fuse modern technology and avant garde Egyptian colors to result in a fashionable and fresh alternative for women’s make up.

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Goodbye, Alexander McQueen

Socialite and heiress to the Johnson & Johnson fortune Casey Johnson passed away on December 29th in her home. With startlingly good fashion sense (rivaling friend Paris even!) like her pairing of Versace clothing with Prada eyewear, and a fun personality used to the limelight, Casey will be missed.

Casey began life with a silver spoon in her mouth, but soon discovered that she was diabetic. Her father, Robert Wood Johnson, dedicated much of his early fatherhood to helping find a cure for the disease that afflicted his daughter. While not cure for diabetes yet exists, great headway has been made in coping with the disease. Her father and her co-wrote a book on dealing with diabetes when she was 14, no small feat for a youngster, and a demonstration that Casey was more than just a socialite and heiress.

Though she was playmates with Paris and Nicky Hilton, and Nicole Riche, Casey managed to remain a bit more responsible than her friends. She did have her moments in the spotlight, but overall remained a foundation unto herself.
She adopted a young girl from Kazakhstan in 2007 named Ava, whom she cared for lovingly. In addition, Casey was an outspoken supporter of homosexuality.

As a lesbian, she was often on the front pages as an unofficial spokesman for her way of life. Casey and her bisexual partner Tila Tequila were engaged on December 9th, 2009, just mere days before her death on the 29th. While police claim the death appeared natural, we await the release of toxicology reports.

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A Farewell to Socialite Casey Johnson