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That Little White Dress!

Fashionista — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:31:33 +0000

Although a lot of people are looking to wear colorful prints this summer, some of the world’s most fashionable are looking for a muted summery look. And while the little black dress is still a classic, it’s arch-nemesis — the white dress — is slowly creeping up into classic cult status.

It might shock you but A-list celebrities are donning the simple white dress for premieres, runways and other events. That is in stark contrast with the all-time favorite black or the more eye-catching red. But instead of blending with the background, they have stood out.

Just take a look at these for example:

Ciara

Yup! That’s Ciara at the G.I. Joe The Rise of the Cobra premiere. She chose to go simple with a white bustier and a prominent necklace.

Nicole Scherzinger

Erstwhile Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger dressed accordingly for the White Party looking all bohemian in a summery maxi dress.

Jennifer Love Hewitt

Jennifer Love Hewitt is not to be outdone. She donned the white dress as she graced the Syfy Comic Convention Party.

If you’re beginning to think that the white dress is only for formal occasions, think again. Here is how Ashley Tisdale gave the white dress an on-the-street look for summer:

Ashley Tisdale

The beauty of the white dress is that it is all so simple that you can wear it anywhere and still look perfect for the occasion. It could be worn with those summer boots or a pair of flip flops on the streets or to malls. It could be worn over bikinis while spending the afternoon at the pool. Or it could be donned for a lovely night of drinks with friends or a loved one.

It is also very easy to accessorize. Anything from colorful bracelets, quiet pure gold necklaces, pearls, silver rings, dangling earrings or bangles could help you complete the look. And when we say anything, we do mean ANYTHING. This is because the little white dress acts like an empty canvass and your accessories acts as the paint. So if you wear a little white dress, put on a touch of blue, red, yellow, green, or just about any color you could think of and it would still be perfect.

Wear Your Art: Sublimation Dresses

Fashionista — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:51:30 +0000

One of the emerging trends now that summer is getting closer is the sublimation dress, a lightweight sundress that has undergone dye sublimation.

Dye sublimation is a printing technique that has been used on a lot of things like coffee mugs, tiles and yes, fabric. Unlike tie dyeing, dye sublimation leaves very bright and very vibrant colors on the textile. Not only that, the process can create photorealistic graphics and images on the fabric.

The new summer trend, however, is similar to tie dyeing. The fabric is creased in different ways so that each dress comes out unique. The creases create gaps among the colors so that no two dresses are the same.

It is like wearing an abstract art, only more comfortable and perfect for summer. Sublimation dresses and tops are available at major retailers and on Amazon.com.

So how do you pull it off? Remember that summer is all about fighting the heat and being comfortable.

For this dress, you can experiment with flip flops or gladiator sandals, which should look good with an anklet made out of wood or corals. And this:

White sterling silver cuff bracelet with Flowers

There are also sublimation maxi dresses like this one:

These maxi dresses are great because they can flatter your curves, highlighting your womanly charms. Pregnant women can aslo be sassy in these.

Accessorize with these:

Gray Designo Heart Pendant with Sterling Silver

Grey sterling silver cuff bangle with floral design

For a more flexible sublimation dress that you can don day or night, go for a tunic dress like this one:

Go ahead and bring out your gladiator sandals for a quick lunch with your BFF, but don’t forget these:

Jasper Earrings on French Wire

Silver brown millacreli murano glass heart pendant

You can also pair this tunic dress with a more formal pair of shoes, then wear your gold jewelry or pearls for a great night out with friends or that special someone.

Lady Gaga Always Makes a Statement

Fashionista — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:57:58 +0000

Lady Gaga might not be the first person you think of when you are trying to update your style, but she should be. The fearless music icon has been wowing people with her offbeat fashion sense that mostly aims to shock or elicit reactions.

Music and Fashion Icon

But think about it. Lady Gaga exaggerates her fashion because she is an icon. And she tries to make people feel that even misfits should have fun. By donning outrageous clothes and accessories, she sends out the message that it is okay if you do not conform, in fact, it is more admirable if you seek out your own style.

And so, if you want to have Lady Gaga as your style inspiration, be ready to raise some eyebrows, but most specially, be ready to have tremendous fun!

1. Experiment. Lady Gaga shocks people because she likes to experiment. From skimpy attires to full blown asymmetrical gowns, she puts out a design coup by pairing off leather tops and offbeat skirts.

Experiment!

2. Get that attitude. Lady Gaga just won’t give second thoughts to what other people would think. And it is that attitude that gives her fashion statements the credibility it needs to fly.

The Gaga Attitude

3. Sunglasses. Lady Gaga often dons big sunglasses. In fact in the world of Lady Gaga sunglasses should be BIG… the bigger the better!

Shades of Gaga

4. Accessories. Lady Gaga is not afraid to accessorize either. And her accessories are as varied as the clothes that she puts out. Gaga-esque accessories range from gothic, offbeat, vintage, weird and surprise, elegant.

Possible Lady Gaga accessories include:

Sterling Silver Square Shape Marcasite Post Earrings

Silver and Onyx Ring

Silver Black Hematite Stingray Cuff Bracelet

Sterling Silver Crown Charm Pendant

Jewelry Design: Merging Two or More Materials

Fashionista — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:54:10 +0000

Jewelry design is an art that is perfected by years of practice and requires an up-to-date fashion sense, an intuitive style and technical knowledge on how to put together the piece itself and materials.

Over the years, jewelry making has evolved perhaps as much as fashion itself or more. From simple pieces, we now have more elaborate jewelry. And this includes those that have two or more materials used in making it.

Gold and silver. For the longest time, we were told never to mix silver jewelry with gold ones. It was tacky. But then, that dictum was broken and we were told that it was cool, elegant even, to have both gold and silver pieces together. We learned how to layer gold and silver necklaces, and dual toned jewelry became acceptable.

Rose and Yellow Gold Plated Triple Band Silver Ring

Add some little gemstone and you have a dazzling piece that is sure to make your friends blind and green with envy!

Two Tone Tear Drops Diamond Pendant Necklace

Gold and Crystals. Gold jewelry has always been expensive so to keep the price affordable, most earlier jewelers would use one precious or semi-precious stone to enhance its beauty. Or just go with pure gold. But then, gold and crystals could be combined.

French Gold Square Filigree Necklace with Crystals

Gemstones. For many women, they love to wear their birthstones as a way to bring luck into their lives as well as look more beautiful. Gemstones are beautifully set in precious metals to add to the wow factor.

Peridot and Amethyst Bezel Set Sterling Ring

Glass and other materials. As we’ve said, jewelry is highly evolving and more and more materials are being used to enhance precious stones, gems, and metals. Take this glass and silver combination for example:

Large Rectangular Smoky Glass Silver Pendant

Or this glass, pearl and beads ensemble:

Pearl Bracelet with Czech Glass & Sunstone Beads

Even wood and rubber is getting the jewelry treatment:

Stainless Steel and Wood Fancy Link Bracelet

Bronze Cultured Freshwater Pearl, Wood & Hematite Beads

Stainless Steel with Gold-plated & Rubber Necklace

Using different materials can certainly add some character and uniqueness to jewelry. For those who cannot make up their minds, you can always go for a smorgasbord type of jewelry like this necklace that brings together all the gemstones:

14k Yellow Gold Multicolor Gemstone Necklace

Or perhaps one piece that makes use of different stones:

Sterling Silver Triple Strand Multi Stone Bracelet

The Little Black Dress

Fashionista — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:58:58 +0000

Women, they say, should have at least one black dress in their closet. And why not? The little black dress is perfect for any occasion and proves to be very flexible: you can wear it anywhere at any time of the day. The little black dress is a classic and simply never goes out of fashion.

And by saying you can wear it any time of the day, we say any time of the day.

Going shopping or just hanging out at the malls with friends? Spruce up your black dress with comfy sandals, get your bag and shades.

Reese Witherspoon Shows the Way!

And accessorize with a long necklace with an eye catching pendant…

Sterling Silver Cubic Zirconia Curvy Cross Necklace

or nifty bangles and bracelets!

Stylish Thin Cut White Shell Stretch Bracelet

Sterling Silver Bell Charm Link Bracelet

Having a nightcap with friends? Sneak off with a black dress, a clutch purse and a necklace. It is as simple as that!

The Black Dress Rules the Night, Too!

You can opt for a simple necklace like this one:

Yellow Gold Multi-Gemstones and Pearl Necklace

Or a dazzling pearl choker.

Double Row Cultured Pearl Choker Necklace

You can also go all out with gold! Gold and black goes well together for your nocturnal outings!

Black and Gold in Style

For more formal events, you can always spruce up your black dress with pearls!

Black Dresses and Pearls Define Elegance

Have your fill of pearl necklaces here.

You can also never go wrong with silver:

Silver looks good on black dresses and Megan Fox

Try these out:

Sterling Silver Black Marcasite Hoop Earrings

Sterling Silver Cubic Zirconia Hoop Earrings

Some reminders though. A timeless black dress should fit you very well and should be simple enough to be able to accessorize it with the latest fashion accessories. If you are going to have just one black dress, then go for one that is around knee length, this way you can pull it off even at cocktail parties or at the mall.

Military Clothing for Women: Pull It Off!

Fashionista — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 19:30:41 +0000

Military clothing has long been a staple of women’s fashion. Indeed, military inspired clothing have appeared year after year, season after season. Whereas last year’s rage was the military jacket and big shoulders, Spring 2010 calls for much muted and feminine military clothes.

And by feminine, it means that military clothing for this season are much less obvious.

The color of military clothing for spring is navy and army green. By all means, stay away from camouflage wear!!! Go for pieces that are made out of shearling. Cuts now are more feminine and soft military clothing is what you are looking for.

For the most part, you could never go wrong with a matching top and bottom ensemble, or a military jacket on leather pants. Military boots, preferably those with shearling embellishments, are also coming back.

There is actually two main looks for spring military wear: aviator and army. The aviator look is more structured, and nothing much can be done with it. It’s all about a brown aviator jacket with slim feminine cuts. If you want to have the freedom to wear anything that you want and still be in vogue, then go for the army look this spring.

The Dog Tag

Who can think about military wear and not think about dog tags? Well, the dog tag is still very much alive this year, as Giselle Bundchen shows:

LusterForever.com has just the right generic dog tag for you:

Engravable Sterling Silver Italian Dog Tag Pendant

But because spring 2010′s military fashion is all about becoming more feminine, then we suggest this:

Titanium and Diamond in 14k Accent Dog Tag Necklace

Or this:

Rhodium Plated Dog Tag Necklace

Leather

Military wear, especially the army look also calls for a lot of leather. Again, check out what Gisele Bundchen has on her wrist:

So how about these?

5 Strand Black Cord Italian Leather Bracelet

Black Braided Thin Cord Leather Bracelet Engravable Tag

Double Round Flat Leather Bracelet in Black

A Little Bit More Feminine

If you like something a bit more feminine, you can always copy model Lily Donaldson’s look:

And accessorize with gold rings, silver rings, bracelets, and dangling necklaces.

Spring Fashion: Bows

Fashionista — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:38:58 +0000

Hair bows are big, literally and figuratively, this spring,

With such fashion heavyweights as Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg and Temperley all sending out their spring collections with bows, bows and bows with them, it is difficult to ignore this spring fashion trend.

Glee also had a Madonna tribute episode where her signature bowed head gets a renaissance:

Bows are great accents that adds color to your spring get up and helps you make a fashion statement. But do not lull yourself into thinking that it’s all about getting a piece of fabric and draping it over your pretty little head. The truth is, there are a lot of things that could go wrong when you try bows.

For one, you might become the fashion victim. A Madonna stuck in the 1980s that looks cheap in a cheap bow. Bows should be made of high quality material like silk, knits or leather. That means that you should not go for bows that are tacky, childish and mass produced and can be bought by the dozens right off the shelf.

To wear a bow, get one and tie it around your head — all the way around. You could also go for bows that works as bunny ears, another spring fashion trend. Remember that wearing a bows takes a lot of sophistication and attitude. If you cannot project an air of confidence while wearing one, you will never pull it off.

Now that you have an idea of how to wear bows, it is time to learn it to accessorize for them.

The Ears

Big bows cover much of your head, so avoid wearing dangling or oversized earrings with them. Not only will you risk the chance of your bow and your earrings clashing, you also would have too much going on at the top of your head.

It is best not to wear earrings or wear muted and small ones. If you are going to wear earrings look for smaller pairs that are neutral or classic. This would help lend an air of sophistication to your look and can save you by being less tacky.

Modern Value Silver Ferroni Round Spiral Earrings

You can compensate, however, with necklaces, bangles and rings.

A long necklace with a cool pendant would suffice. But just because it’s spring, try layering necklaces for a more dramatic effect.

Wire Dyed Cultured Black Pearl Necklace

And lastly, go overboard with the bangles, bracelets and rings!

Top 5 Spring Cleaning Tips

Fashionista — Fri, 28 May 2010 18:04:01 +0000

It’s spring and it’s time for a new look. Spring fashion calls for bright colors and sundresses, sandals and accessories. Here is how to start spring right with a few closet spring cleaning tips.

1. Clean out your closet. When you start to clean up your closet, take everything out of it. Remember that you should only keep clothes in your closet. If you are lucky, you can put your shoes, belts and other stuff in it along with the clothes. You should find new storage spaces for other things that might have accumulated inside your closet.

2. Decide on what you want to keep. As a general rule, throw out or sell anything that you have not worn in years. There is no sense in having them eat up valuable storage space in your closet. For those classics such as the skinny jeans, a white tee-shirt and denim pants, keep them in a separate box where you could get to them if they are in style again.

3. Organize what’s left of your clothes. You can organize your clothes by color, dark to light from one end of your closet to the other. Sort out pants, shirts, dresses and skirts. This helps you mix and match your clothing for a fresh look every single time.

4. Work with a budget. Now that you know that you have taken stock in knowing what you have in your closet, it’s time to find what you’re missing. 2010 is the year of military colors, patterns and textures, and red white and blue stripes. If you don’t have these, then go get yourself one of each.

Military Chic is big this spring!

And so are prints!

5. Accessorize to your heart’s content. Having the right accessories can make even old clothes look fabulous. Say you have an absolute favorite white tee that you’d like to wear this spring, but it’s certainly out of style. Update your wardrode with these spring accessories.

Sterling Silver Multi-Colored Millefiori Heart Bangle

Sterling Silver Red Murano Millefiori Flower Ring

Blue Millefiori Silver Flower Pendant

Silver Multi-Color Drop Murano Millefiori Ring

Sterling Silver White Designo Cross Flowers Pendant

Silver Black Murano Millacreli Marquise Bracelet

5 Tips to Inexpensive Power Dressing

Fashionista — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:26:22 +0000

Power Dressing is all the rage. From corporate boardrooms, to social functions, to everyday life, nothing can substitute for the confidence that you feel when you look great. And looking great does not equate to throwing money out the window — thanks to these tips!

Know your colors. Sometimes, just knowing whether violet goes well with pink or blue with green makes a mountain of difference when power dressing. You can definitely have fun mixing and matching colors, how about a black skirt with a fiery red blouse? EPIC WIN! A mint green shirt and violet cut-offs? EPIC FAIL. Well unless you have your hair dyed purple.

Limit your dresses and other one piece clothing. While dresses make you look and feel more feminine, it closes all the possibilities for mixing and matching. Having more separates in your closet (tops like blouses, tee-shirts and bottoms like skirts, pants, capris) enables you to be more creative with your look. Plus this gives you the added advantage of not having the same look twice: that white top might have looked good with skinny jeans this week, but it will look equally gorgeous with a knee length skirt for next week.

Jackets and blazers. Blazers can make your whole get up more professional. It does not matter if you have jeans and cowgirl boots on, a blazer can upgrade your wear from casual to corporate in a hurry. Jackets and blazers are also great accents when mixing and matching as both are very flexible.

Know your fabrics. Stay away from clothes that you have to dry clean. They may be attractive and eye-catching, but these are usually very expensive to keep. Choose washable clothes made of cotton and other fabrics.

Accessorize properly. Jewelry and other accessories can add the desired effect to your get up anytime. Running late for your son’s baseball game while still being stuck in the boardroom? Drop the blazer, and put these on:

Red Millefiori 8mm Round Sterling Silver Stud Earrings

Triple Strand Leather Necklace with Yellow Amber Pendant

It won’t make your son blush, and you still look very feminine.

Woke up late and need to make an impression at the weekly status meeting?

Brown & Copper Cubic Zirconia Sterling Silver Bracelet

14k White Gold Round Citrine Diamond Pendant Necklace

Want to look more elegant at a party?

Sterling Silver Cubic Zirconia Pearl Journey Necklace

Rhodium Plated CZ and Cultured Pearl Drop Post Earrings

Chic Sterling Silver CZ Ring with Synthetic Pearl

As you can see, looking good does not need to be expensive. All you have to do is to mix and match by trial and error. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Idol Fashion: Get that Crystal Bowersox Look!

Fashionista — Fri, 21 May 2010 17:55:14 +0000

American Idol has produced America’s best singers. The clout of American Idol is such that even runners up and those eliminated early in the season could still land a recording contract and make it big in the music scene. But one offshoot of American Idol is the fashion. Each week, Idol hopefuls take the stage not just to showcase their singing prowess but also their style — fashion style, that is.

This season, many are watching Crystal Bowersox. With a finals showdown being predicted between Bowersox and Lee DeWyze, Idol fans are also waiting with bated breath as to what Bowersox would be wearing on the Idol stage.

The Ohio native surely has bohemian rocker stamped all over her, yet she still dazzles and evolves with the clothes that she wears. Bowersox could get homey and comfortable with a black tee, jeans and her unruly hair bunched up on top.

Then she takes the point home with simple hoop earrings and a jeweled pendant.

LusterForever.com has just the same accessories for you:

Sterling Silver Rhodium Plated Hoop Earrings

Sterling Silver Black Marcasite Onyx Oval Pendant

Note that the designs on both matches Bowersox’s no non-sense attitude and simplicity.

For Crystal Bowersox, rocker chick does not have to be masculine. She makes sure that the “chick” part is kept alive with accessories, and breaks the black monotone with colorful accents that spells allure and femininity.

A different color for the neck, the ears, the wrist and the fingers would surely pack a sexy rocker chick punch. Try out these pieces.

Yellow Murano Millefiori Glass Ring in Silver

Sterling Silver Stylish Curved Heart Ring

Caramel Designo Cuff Silver Bangle with Flowers

Millefiori Ladybug Pendant

Silver Millefiori Murano Glass Butterfly Earrings

Giving the best performance of the night, Crystal wowed audiences when she sang a Janis Joplin song while wearing a dark revealing maxi dress. While looking effortlessly elegant, Crystal retained her individuality by sprucing it up with accessories, dreds and red hair clips.

Elegance meet bohemian rocker chic

You can definitely own this look with these pieces:

Drop Necklace with Pearls

Black Leather & Silver Segmented Leather Bracelet

Stainless Steel and IP-plated Fancy Bracelet

Silver Marcasite Elegant Dangling Stud Earrings

As you can see, Crystal Bowersox has her own fashion philosophy that upholds her individuality and uniqueness. A bohemian rocker chick that is not afraid to use colors and accents to flaunt her softer side and dares to experiment!