Jan

31

Fashionable Frames for Spring

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Although winter is currently hitting, and hitting hard, it’s time to start thinking about spring fashion. Those who plan ahead, after all, end up with the cutest stuff at cut-rate prices and are the first to roll out their fresh spring look. So, instead of waiting to see what’s hot, why not start the trends! We’re here to give you pointed advice on what those in the know expect to be hot. Tom Ford sunglasses are always a spring-time favorite and a sure bet. You can also go colorful and bold with the brighter colors of Ray Ban Wayfarers or Versace’s intricate and frilly designs. Depending on your spring wardrobe, any of these will be sure to get you some positive looks when the snow thaws.

But spring fashion isn’t as easy as many think. It isn’t all flip-slips, florals and brighter hues. To really be fashionable you have to seamlessly blend your winter wardrobe into your spring one to make the transition a beautiful and seemingly effortless one. Here’s how:

As the last thrashes of winter start to die, start wearing bolder, brighter scarves with brighter tops under your jacket. Your hair can be freshly dyed, your lipstick can get brighter and your blush more dominant. Shoes can turn from boots to slip-on’s and then segway into flip-slops.

Seamless transitions are part of a true fashionable person’s talents. And making it a smooth one isn’t as easy as it may seem. Still, without the transition it will seem as if you jumped from a winter catalog directly into a spring one without any real thought to the middle ground.

Jan

21

Celebrity Fashionable Epic Wins

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It’s not often we get to associate Lindsey Logan with smart choices, but this last year she took her fashion sense from Disney hooker senseless to pretty amazing. She looks dashing in these Chanel sunglasses, the perfect look for her skin, hair and body composition. She may have been in and out of jail, in and out of rehab more times than Amy Winehouse, and in and out of relationships, but Lindsey stayed firmly fashionable in 2011, an impressive feat for a girl with so many distractions.

Another epic fashion win was performed by Kate Middleton, the pending Queen of England. Her wedding gown was absolutely gorgeous and she looked as stunning in regal in that as any queen should. But what’s more impressive is the way she uses affordable fashion she buys off the street and combines these looks with high-end gear. She’s beautiful in a way that allows this kind of layering, but it also gives her a edge of relating to the population that most don’t have with royalty. She’s one of the top epic wins of the year.

Michelle Obama is also near the top of the fashion pile thanks to her similarly high and low-brow fashion looks. She was spotted shopping at Target in store-brand clothing and a baseball cap a few days after an official function at the white house where she was clad head-to-toe in designer digs. Any woman who can live in both worlds gets props from us, and her addiction to trying new looks that are slightly more edgy than previous first ladies is applauded.

Jan

18

Going Green in 2012

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The Aztecs predicted the would end in 2012, but just in case it doesn’t here are some tips to helping make a greener tomorrow for the next generation. First, buy recycled items, you’d be surprised how many high-end items like designer Versace sunglasses or retro Ray Ban Wayfarers you’ll find at your local thrift shop. Instead of buying new, you can check out the toss away treasures in your neighborhood.

If you do decide to buy new, keep in mind that buying online limits the gas you spend and the energy going to the store, and if you buy designer you’re saving the world because you’re not filling landfills with cheap, broken sunglasses, you’re just buying a designer pair once.

Other ways to go green include limiting the amount of waste in your home or apartment. Recycled papers like toilet paper, paper towels and notebook paper go a long way in making the world more green, and you’ll find energy-saving light bulbs and insulation will lower your own electric bills while also lowering the electricity the whole nation uses.

Going green can be fun, too. Planting trees in your neighborhood or growing your own garden are great ways to interact with nature in a non passive way. You’ll get your hands dirty and your lungs clean. And doing your part to add, rather than subtract green from your life you’ll feel the tinge of happiness that comes from doing something good.

Remember to recycle, car-pool when possible and always walk or ride your bike to shops that are within a few miles. Not only will you get more community, more exercise and a more active life, but you’ll be helping the world around you.

Jan

14

Red, White and Blue Fashion

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Nothing makes Americans more irrational and empowered than the run-up to the presidential election. Every four years we watch strange archetypes of American society dress up in red, white and blue and wax philosophical about issues that have, for all major purposes, nothing to do with any real presidential power. Still, the carnival of the election really brings out new fashion trends that are not only comical, but sometimes supremely so. We’re talking red, white and blue sunglasses, or high fashion eyeglasses like Newt Gingrich’s wife’s impossibly chic Prada eyewear and Versace clothing.

One way to look more presidential is to wear blue. You’re hinting subtly at a blue collar vibe, which is what Republicans love to espouse despite being the party of the wealthy. Rolling up your white, long-sleeved dress shirt into a short-sleeved shirt hints at the American passion for disrespect to authority. And again, a blue collar vibe. So, to look presidential wear a white dress shirt with rolled up sleeves, a blue tie, and possibly a darker blue windbreaker, which, ironically, hints at authority so you start to associate the candidate with power.

Democrats, on the other hand, tend to play up their education, as they are appealing to a more educated crowd. Expect nice suits, shoes and expensive hair cuts, they now that they are creating a specific look to appease a certain crowd, but they do it anyways because it’s what’s expected, like a Kennedy running for office or a Bush running a farm while simultaneously holding office.

Jan

10

Winter Shades

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Sunglasses in winter seems like an illogical fashion choice, like wearing sunglasses indoors, but believe it or not there are great reasons for both activities. Rappers and other musicians wear sunglasses inside to block some of the harsh glare from stage lights and the constant flash of photography. Not so silly, after all. And with darker shades like the Carrera men’s shades or the dark Prada and Dior that women celebrities wear on stage, pros are sure to keep their eyes protected. In winter, the glare is harsher, shade is less available, and the sun reflects off snow and ice to extremely damaging results. Sunglasses indoors and in winter is, in the end, a smart choice. So join the celebrities and slip into your Serengeti sunglasses all winter.

Here are a few tips to picking your winter shades. First, you’ll want to go a bit darker than normal with the lens tinting. We’re talking dark brown to black. Especially in winter. If you can get polarized lenses on your glasses so you don’t forget them when you go outdoors that’s smart, but one of the problems in winter is peripheral glare, so form-fitting or wrap-around sunglasses are actually the best bet for winter. We’re talking huge Carreras or something sporty and snug, like your Nike or Adidas.

Second, you’ll want a material that doesn’t get too cold. Plastic is better for holding your warmth to your face than metal would be. Frames like Ray Bans or Serengetti shades may not be the best choice, for one because of gradient or lighting tinting, but also because of the thin metal frames. You’re not getting much in the way of coverage for your face or keeping yourself warm in the coldest months unless you go big, go thick and go plastic.

Jan

6

Men who Know Fashion

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Some men have good fashion sense, most of them simply play copy-cat with the stars they see on TV or their favorite musician, or even more terrifying, they copy the Brawny man. Check out the recent Rolling Stone Magazine image of Zach Galifanakis. This isn’t exactly a look many people could pull off, but as a comedian he is allotted a certain amount of odd leeway. These Tom Ford – Carter shades are a bit too John Lennon for most, but Zach manages to pull it off using his super serious persona, the one he uses throughout Hangover. We suspect that hippies, and those with gauged ears would adore these Tom Ford shades, but that the majority of folks will find them too goggle-like. Still, for unique, male fashion Zach is getting high marks.

It’s hard to do a roundup of great male fashion without mentioning Brad Pitt. He was launched into the big time seemingly overnight, and his decision to pair up with Angelina Jolie made him half of the most powerful celebrity couple in Hollywood. We’re not sure if he is dressing himself or else has a team of experts, but Brad hardly ever makes a mistake with his wardrobe. We’ve seen him in Tom Fords, Dita, D-Squared, Prada, and even Versace. And his recent foray with Police sunglasses proved successful and sexy, even for a middle-aged man.

Daniel Craig is another celebrity who isn’t caught on camera, ever, without looking primped and cool. We’re talking James Bond 24/7 with this guy. It’s all creased shirts, clean jeans and shoes that match his belt and, we’re betting, his wallet too. This guy was a born looker, and although he has a bit of a rough side we think the fashionable side emerges more prominent.

Dec

7

Christmas Gift Shopping

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Don’t wait too long this year to get your Christmas shopping in order. Start off the season the right way with a bit of online shopping, where you’re always more productive and less distracted than with mall shopping. With online shopping you can get the best of both worlds, and new online software allows you to see how you’d look in new glasses. Try on the Versace shades you’ve always wanted digitally and see yourself as others would see you. What better way to actually judge how you’d look in a new design?

And online shopping has some other great upsides. For one, you don’t have to go out and deal with a rowdy, desperate throng of Christmas shoppers, and things will be delivered (with gift wrapping options galore these days online) directly to your house. You’ve just removed 90% of the labor from gift shopping.

If you’re busy, and who isn’t these days, then online shopping can make or break the Christmas season for you. It can mean the difference between a great season of fun and family (the true reason for the season) or a dread rising in your chest as you scour mostly empty shelves at the mall for “that perfect gift.”

When shopping this year, branch out from your normal crap gifts and think about functionality. Give a gift that will be used over and over, and thus be something that your loved one actually wanted, needed or both! Fashionable items like sunglasses are always loved, and cologne, perfume and even clothes. The silly gifts get pushed to the back of the garage but these functional ones keep on giving all year long. And don’t always think of winter when buying. Most of the year is nice, so why not buy something that supported 9 months out of the year?

Dec

2

Winter Wardrobe Wonders

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There are few items in any wardrobe that can really make an outfit pop more than headgear. We’re talking Prada sunglasses, hats, wigs, necklaces, earrings, and that variety of gear.

One of the worst things you can do for decent fashion is to attempt to combine all of these things into one. A beautiful hat doesn’t go well with great sunglasses. And if you are wearing big earrings than won’t a hat overdo it? So, instead of looking to up your fashion points by combining all of the elements into one look focus on one thing each time. If you have big earrings then leave off the hat, wig, necklaces and other gear and let the earrings shine. In this way, you’re giving each fashionable item you own it’s own showcase. If you have to wear glasses, make sure you have a few pairs for different occasions, like a pair with invisible frames for fancy occasions, or some flashy ones for more exciting or loud occasions, or even varying it up with contact lenses from time to time.

For winter, there are a few complications you don’t normally have to think about during the other seasons. For example, your hair will get messed up wearing a hat and your shirts and tops will be downplayed by the addition of a scarf, and your rings hidden by gloves. Your shape distorted by billowing jackets. Still, aside from all of this winter has a few ups, and that is layering.

You can beautifully layer adorable items so that you are like a present with multiple layers of fun wrapping paper. Jackets and warm outer layers reveal a secondary layer with a beautiful sweater and scarf, and removing your gloves reveals a pretty bracelet and ring. All of these things can be like little fashion gifts when unwrapped.

Nov

23

Rural vs. City Fashion

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It’s always a shocking dichotomy between urban and rural fashion. Anywhere from cowboy boots to strange hats in the country to high-end Parisian berets and heels in the city. These two styles couldn’t be more different, and yet they are fusing into one mega fashion blend with urban chic vintage rural looks that shockingly combine cowboy boots with Prada sunglasses and a Burberry trench coat.

Along with androgyny, the urban-rural gap is being bridged at a quick rate. Some male models look like they could wear a bikini with as much grace and charm as any female model. And this kind of blurring of the lines is okay, it’s great actually. But it also makes for interesting fashion that borders on absurd when it forces so many fashion styles together into one cornucopia of fashion.

Despite the blending, it’s easy to come down on the side of real fashion in the rural vs urban debate by analyzing the key elements in both designs. Rural fashion features mixed textures (denim, flannel, lace, silk, leather) and multiple patterns and designs in terms of floral, frills and so on. It’s surprising how fashionable a cowboy really is, and how much attention he must pay to his wardrobe in every regard.

On the urban side, you have a lot of layering but the colors are more reserved, more grey. You get more variation in stature in terms of heels, hats and jewelry, but you get fewer acceptable textures and this is a bit disappointing. In terms of variety of style, then, rural has to take the cake.

Nov

16

Halloween Fashion

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Halloween was last month, and that brought out more than a few freaks and goblins. Still, it can be fun to see all the interesting spooky fashion. One thing you notice every year at Halloween is the absence of fashion and cool clothing. But, one thing to keep your eye on is the morning after Halloween, when women and men wash off the fake blood and then want to look more than their best. You’ll see women in frilly Dior sunglasses and beautiful skin and hair, it’s the most important day of the year for women to show they do, in fact, look more human than the zombies they dressed up as the night before.

This year, we saw a lot of zombies and vampires al la Twilight. There were more women dressed in flannel than I’d care to admit, and then the number of women dressed as Lady Gaga was disgusting. Who wears tones of meat as a dress and gets away with it in October? Apparently a lot of people in America. Still, it’s not easy to smell of raw meat all day and then go home and look sexy the following day.

Finding the day after Halloween a fashionable day isn’t easy. Especially this year when the following day was a Tuesday when everyone was so tired and hungover from a day at work and then a day at the bars that they looked more haggard and sickly than beautiful. Still, there were women in silks and furs and roves and glamour trying to look their Sunday best on Tuesday the 1st.

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