My tabor

ahwk Flatter Your Figure – Fab Frocks That Hide th

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:12:00 +0000

Flatter Your Figure – Fab Frocks That Hide the Holiday Pounds

Most of us will gain a pound (or several) over the holiday season. Between parties with diet-unfriendly drinks and deliciously decadent treats, shopping days where the only running going on is the running of errands, and the baking of goodies for friends and neighbors (with subsequent licking of batter and sampling of cookies), some of your go-to cocktail attire might be a little more snug than sexy. It’s true — it happens to even the best of us.

However, just because you have a little extra, uhhh, insulation from the winter chill, you shouldn’t resign yourself to muumuus and oversized Christmas sweaters. No way! We have some dresses here that will disguise that tummy and hide the extra big bootie while still letting you be the prettiest girl at the party. Check out the gallery for ideas!

Festive Frocks to Hide Holiday Weight Gain

(click thumbnails to view gallery)

nuyk Flatter Your Figure – Lingerie for All Ladies

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:11:00 +0000

Flatter Your Figure – Lingerie for All Ladies

Okay, before we even get started, we have to say that the most important thing you need when wearing lingerie is confidence. Whether you’re a size 2 or a size 18, it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing if you’re uncomfortable in it — in the famous words of RuPaul, you’d better work it, girl!

That being said, there are certain styles that are more flattering on certain body types, so if you’re looking for the right style for you, look no further — we’re here to help.

Check out the sexy stuff we’ve picked out for different figure challenges below, and be sure to let us know what your seduction secret is in the comments! Flatter Your Figure in Luxurious Lingerie

(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Zrkz Flatter Your Figure – Grandma Gets Gorgeous_2

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:11:00 +0000

Flatter Your Figure – Grandma Gets Gorgeous

Often, fashion trends focus on a very specific demographic. A very, young, very thin demographic. And to be honest, we aren’t willing to define beauty in those terms — beautiful women can be found at any age, and at any size. Sometimes, though, they just need a little help figuring out how to best flaunt what they’ve got.

This week, we’re once again seeking celebrity inspiration when it comes to flattering your figure, but now, we’re focusing on women of a certain age. Fifty can be fashionable, and sixty can be sexy — don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.Flatter Your Figure … At Any Age

(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Elxr Fall 2009 Fashion Week – Backstage Beauty at

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 14:07:00 +0000

Fall 2009 Fashion Week – Backstage Beauty at Costello Tagliapetra

SHOW: Costello TagliapetraMAKEUP: Mark Carrasquilla for M.A.CBEAUTY SNAPSHOT: 50s painted face meets 70s punkTHE SCOOP: Makeup artist Mark Carrasquilla described the look he created for the show as “a big mix of decades. It’s a 50s style really drawn-on woman with the thick arched eyebrows. We wanted to make her a little tougher, more fun and younger so we decided to add a 1979 punk eyeliner. We topped off the look with a brown lip to play off the rust colors in the collection.” While the runway version is too extreme for everyday wear, a few small changes in application and it becomes an easy new option for fall. Carrasquilla suggests you “size down the eyeliner and bring it closer to the lash line to make it more user friendly.” The lipstick at the show was matte and applied a bit heavy handedly for dramatic effect, but to take the color off the runway simply “blot your lips after you apply and then rub it in a bit with your finger. It gets very beautiful and not as harsh as it is right from the tube.” GET THE LOOK MAKEUP: M.A.C Liquie Eyeliner, Lipstick in Paramount For the skin use Invisible Set Powder and 8 Hour Cream to add a pretty sheer glow to your cheekbones and eyelids.

wgae FALL 2009 FASHION WEEK – Backstage Beauty at

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 14:07:00 +0000

FALL 2009 FASHION WEEK – Backstage Beauty at Anna Sui – Garren for L’Oreal

HAIR: Garren for L’OrealBEAUTY SNAPSHOT: Garren, who has styled the hair of everyone from Madonna to Nicole Kidman, even Audrey Hepburn, wanted to create a couple of looks for the Anna Sui show. He wanted it to be “rocker” but natural, because with the ornate clothes, flashy hats, feathers, and tiaras of the Anna Sui runway, if the hair were “too right, it would become a period piece.”

THE SCOOP: Garren dampened, conditioned with volumizing conditioner, and rinsed each model’s hair, and then allowed it to air dry. Then, with his hands and a leave-in tonic, he styled the models with short hair into boyish, chunky-in-the-front looks, and put middle parts on the models with longer hair. The models with natural waves (like the above) got finger-teased “like something she could have done on her own,” and the straight haired models were flat-ironed to give their hair more dimension.

GET THE LOOK: To get this look, you can use L’Oreal Nature’s Therapy Scalp Relief Leave-In Tonic and L’Oreal Vive Conditioner Volume-Infusing for Unmanageable Normal Hair. Backstage at Anna Sui

(click thumbnails to view gallery)

alou FALL 2009 FASHION WEEK – Backstage Beauty at

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 14:06:00 +0000

SHOW: CHRIS BENZ

MAKEUP: DANIEL MARTIN FOR LANCÔME

HAIR: JOHN RUDANT FOR REDKEN

NAILS: DEBORAH LIPPMANN FOR LANCÔME

BEAUTY SNAPSHOT: Disco nap diva

GET THE LOOK – HAIR: Rudant used Redken Fabricate 03 Heat Active Texturizer on damp hair before blowdrying, then Hot Sets 22 Thermal Setting Mist before he curled the girls’ hair and pinned it up and under.

GET THE LOOK – MAKEUP: This dark and stormy eye can be achieved with a new Lancôme cream eye shadow in indigo that won’t launch until Fall ‘09, followed by Sensational Effects Eye Shadow Smooth Hold in The New Black, and Color Fever Gloss in Piha Black. Get the nude lip with L’Absolu Rouge in Rich Cashmere.

FALL 2009 FASHION WEEK – Backstage Beauty at Chris Benz

THE SCOOP: Daniel Martin, lead makeup artist for the Benz show, was unbelievably calm, cool and collected amid the backstage antics. As for the inspiration for the makeup, “she’s an uptown girl, circa early 80’s, gone downtown for a night out at the clubs.” The eyes were the focus-Martin used a midnight blue-black shadow flecked with sparkle over the whole lid and underneath the eye, followed by a black gloss on top, rubbed in with his fingers, making it appear a bit “slept in.” There were multiple coats of mascara, “the clumpier the better,” said Martin. And the skin was matte and the lips were given a coat of nude lipstick (yes, another nude lip!). John Rudant gave the girls faux bobs, continuing the morning after theme with curls pinned and tucked under, looking a little mussed. He coined the ‘do “deconstructed.” As for the nails, Deborah Lippmann’s team painted three different shades of polish (royal blue, muted gold, and bright red) on girls, depending on their outfit.

GET THE LOOK – NAILS: The three colors used at the Benz show are all part of the Lancôme Fall ‘09 color collection so stay tuned for those!

Odxw Evian Haute Courture by Jean Paul Gaultier_24

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:41:00 +0000

Evian Haute Courture by Jean Paul Gaultier

This month, during FW ‘09 New York Fashion Week, Bergdorf Goodman will host a public unveiling of the Evian® Haute Couture “Bubble” Bottle by Jean Paul Gaultier. Five bottles, fabricated by the House of Baccarat, will tour different parts of the world, for display during February, then return to Paris for auction in March. Proceeds benefit the RAMSAR Convention.

The second annual offering of this Haute edition, again has an affordable cousin, the Pret-A-Porte bottle, available in cases of 12 for only $118. And the Evian Store is stocked with both Christian Lacroix’s bottle for 2008 and Gaultier’s 2009 design. After BG, the NY tour hits Soho Grand Hotel, Buddha Bar and Bagatelle Restaurant, check Evian.com for dates. And make sure to peep Cathy Horyn’s review and matching slideshow of Jean Paul Gaultier couture collection for Fall ‘09.

Imgb Ex Bankers Now Hawking Recycled Sandals – Gre

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:41:00 +0000

Ex Bankers Now Hawking Recycled Sandals – Greensoul Shoes

While most of us aren’t super pleased with the economy right now, one team of former investment bankers are viewing the financial collapse as a chance to start an eco-friendly footwear company with a heart of gold. Greensoul Shoes, co-founded by a former Bear Sterns banker, takes materials recovered from landfills by locals in Southeast Asia and constructs sandals to sell to the developed world. For each pair you buy, GreenSoul will donate a pair to a needy someone in the developing world.

Using the top-notch financial skills they used to collaps the world economy, (just kidding, these guys are probably geniuses), GreenSoul hopes to be able to donate 1 million pairs of sandals over the next five years. Of course, the tricky part will be selling a million pairs of sandals — which will go for about $45 a pop.

The plan is certainly impressive, and the sandals … well, they’re OK. They beat the hell out of Crocs (we know that’s not saying much), who has a similar socially-conscious plan for recycling their fugly shoes.

Bankers are a pretty universally loathed class of people these days, so it’s nice to see some ex i-bankers giving something back. We hope it works out.

["wmode":"transparent","src":"http://www.reuters.com/resources/flash/include_video.swf?edition=US&videoId=98676"]

chul Evil Kitty Collection by Lidia Wachowska_2962

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:40:00 +0000

How did you get started as a designer? I’ve always wanted to work in the creative arena, but I could have never foreseen that soon after graduating from The School of Art Institute of Chicago, I would start my own clothing label. While working on illustrations and digital animations I came up with a character called Evil Kitty. This rebellious feline eventually ended up on t-shirts, which became the foundation for my clothing line.

What inspires your work? The collection mirrors a lot of Evil Kitty’s characteristics. It’s inspired by rebellious music, art, unusual street fashion, the punk movement, 40’s and 50’s glamour and designers who push the envelope. Fashion that stands outside the mainstream is what Evil Kitty is about.

Who are your favorite designers? Designers that push the envelope and are not afraid to challenge their audience and the fashion world; Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Karl Lagerfeld, Thierry Mugler…

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? Nothing is more flattering than an outfit tailored to your own body. I make a lot of my own pieces. Beauty? Great foundation and a bold color eye shadow.

Any advice you would give to aspiring designers? Before you start your own clothing line, work for an established designer. Such an experience is priceless.

Where can people find your work? The full collection is available on www.evilkitty.net.

Anything else? A lot of great things happened this year and I have a lot to be thankful for: I was picked to participate in The Chicago Fashion Incubator, a year-long program for emerging Chicago designers. I collaborated with Toyota on creating an outfit based on their new concept vehicle called I-Real. We also launched a new website and Evil Kittens – Evil Kitty fan club. Evil Kittens is an unique experience for us and our devoted fans. Not only will they receive a tote bag filled with Evil Kitty goodies such as hot shorts, stickers, coupons and T-Shirts, but they will also be granted access to exclusive sample sales. This is a great opportunity to open a channel of communication between us and the clients. I feel it will lead to greater possibilities through the strong bond of the Evil Kittens community. We can bounce ideas off of each other to make Evil Kitty the best that it can be. After all, creativity breeds creativity!

We love all of the amazing independent designers out there and we wanted to find out more about what makes these creative types tick. If you do too, check out more of our Indie Designer Interviews.

Evil Kitty Collection by Lidia Wachowska

We love the sassy style of the Evil Kitty collection, designed by Lidia Wachowska. Inspired by an animated character that Lidia created while attending The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, the collection includes t-shirts, dresses, underwear, jewelry and more, all designed with strong, independent women in mind. Lidia, current Artist-In-Residence of The Chicago Fashion Incubator, recently launched the Evil Kittens fan club, which offers exclusive items, contests and discounts to members. We chatted with Lidia to find out more.

Tell us a little about yourself and your work. My name is Lidia Wachowska. I’m the proprietor and designer of a clothing line called Evil Kitty. My collection attracts mostly a younger audience (or young at heart); women who are tired of “cookie-cutter fashions” and like to “stand out in the crowd”. I design for the independent, thinking woman who has a statement to make.

I started the original line with punky and playful clothes that make all women feel and look “purrfect.” Then I added another line, which has the chic, sleek and classic look. It is inspired by film noir and by the fashion of the 1940s and 50s. I pride myself on creating unique pieces in a socially conscious way. Each garment is created domestically with an emphasis on quality and sustainability. Evil Kitty is cruelty free and anti-sweatshop.

Evil Kitty Collection

(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Keji DIY Design- Vintage Patterns in Modern Times_

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:11:00 +0000

Some of my most satisfying moments have been spent at tag sales, digging through boxes of vintage sewing patterns. But you don’t have to leave your house to find a great selection. Scores of vintage patterns and reproductions are available online – and often for less than the price of current patterns.

The Real Thing: For some of the largest collections of truly vintage patterns, check out MomsPatterns.com; SoVintagePatterns.com; and VintageMartini.com. You’ll find everything from Edwardian to ’60s retro styles. Tip: Sizing varies from decade to decade, so check measurements carefully. Beautiful Reproductions: Many of the big pattern companies (Vogue, Butterick, Simplicity) have collections of reproduced patterns. The great thing is that, unlike the aforementioned instructions, these have modern sizing and pattern symbols, while still keeping the original style. Indie Designs: Some boutique pattern makers are honing their craft by raiding the archives. For the just-right retro feel, look into some of the indie vintage reproduction patterns. Decades of Style is great for adults while Oliver + S. provides adorable options for stylish little tykes. Vintage Freebies: There are also free vintage patterns out there for the downloading. Go to the SewRetro blog to get started. For adorably easy vintage apron patterns, click here. Pattern giveaways for children’s clothing are at HeirloomSewingforChildren.com.Vintage patterns are often gorgeously crafted and wonderful markers of simple and elegant sewing techniques. They are reflective of fashion’s history with each envelope containing a lesson in style. I love owning them and browsing though my collection, whether I plan to stitch them up or not.

Next week on DIY Design: the very best hand stitches. Click here for more DIY Design posts.

DIY Design: Vintage Patterns in Modern Times

Pick up some vintage patterns to learn about fashion history – and look good. Photo: Courtesy of Amazon.com