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:

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.

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

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:

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.

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:

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:

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:

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 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.

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.

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.

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

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:

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.

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

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.

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.

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:

Or this glass, pearl and beads ensemble:

Even wood and rubber is getting the jewelry treatment:

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:

Or perhaps one piece that makes use of different stones:

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

While most of us are lucky enough to have a job that pays the bills and also allows us to dress up the way we want, there are some who have to contend with wearing the same thing to work everyday.  If you are one of those who have to wear a uniform to work, then you must lament how your look becomes unchanging every day.  For others, the torture of having to wear a uniform starts early on: at school.

But that should not be the case.  True, you really can’t do anything much with uniforms: they are prescribed for you to wear for a reason and you do not have the liberty to change or alter it drastically so you could look different from your co-workers or classmates.  If you cannot do that, then be creative!

Colors. First is to play with colors.  If you have a drab black uniform to work, you can certainly liven in up with color: headbands, earrings, bracelets, bangles, necklaces, pendants, rings.  You can mix and match your existing jewelry to make sure that you come up with a look that would not get you reprimanded by overzealous superiors (not wearing a uniform!) but will also set you apart.

How about going monochrome on your uniform?  A special color day like a Green Tuesday?  These pieces from Luster Forever should create a good starting point and give you great ideas!

Play with your designs. The best thing with accessories is that they come in various designs that you can complement your uniform with.  Take these Chinese pendants for example, they do not only create a diversion from your drab uniform, it can also start conversations.

Or how about an animal design theme:

Emphasize your femininity. Even if you have to wear the same thing everyday, it does not mean that you have to be boring.  This is especially true if you work in a male dominated industry and your uniform is a tacky or baggy piece that leaves your natural feminine curves out of sight.  You do not have to suffer through being unsexy, you can always, always bring out your feminine side!

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:

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?

Want to look more elegant at a party?

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!

Many men and women are getting ready to pop the question to their significant others. So I decided to give you some wisdom in selecting the perfect ring for you future husband or wife to be. I am going to discuss the steps of buying the perfect engagement ring. I will also add so fun and funky alternatives to the typical “diamond ring”! Let get started all my totallymystyle.com readers!

1.)Know what your mate wants!

Know your guys/girls style. Look at your mates jewelry and pay attention to what they like. If your companion points out a ring or bracelet, than go toward that kind of jewelry. If your girl/guy wants a ring with vintage appeal, than click here

2.) Silver, Gold, Or Platinum

Ok, this is a easy on unless you are completely oblivious of your mate. If your girl/man wears silver, than get a silver or platinum engagement ring. If your partner wears gold, I suggest you get them a gold ring. It is just that simple!

3.) Ask His/Her Friends

Ask your mate friends, they will know what your love wants. If you mate has a close sibling-even better. I would take them with you.  Take their suggestion too.

4.) Know your 4 C’s

The 4 C’s are Carats, Color, Cut, and Clarity. I found a great site by G.I.A (The Gemological Institute of America). It explains the 4 C’s in great detail. Just click Here

5.) What is your budget

Know how much your have before you spend. If you have $1,000 for the ring, than try to get the best quality for the price. If you have less than 1,000 than opt for a Bridal set. A bridal set includes the bride’s wedding ring and the groom’s wedding ring. There are also trio wedding sets. These sets include the engagement ring, the bride’s wedding ring and the groom’s wedding ring. my fiancee brought the trio wedding set and I am very happy.

6.) Find a great jewelry/jewelry store

Research different jewelry store in your area.  Make sure you ask your friends, family, and other married couples. They will tell you who is good and who sucks! Research every store before you enter. Make your choice is a registered jeweler and/or gemologist.

7.) Buying the ring

When buying make sure your ring has a Certificate of Authenticity. Have your ring(s) appraised. Know how much your purchase is worth. This way you will know if your ring(s) is worth the price. Do not forget to get insurance on your ring. Remember that anything  can and will happen!

Photo Source

Valentine’s day is right around the corner. Many men and women are getting ready to pop the question to their significant others. So I decided to give you some wisdom in selecting the perfect ring for you future husband or wife to be. I am going to discuss the 4 C’s of a diamond.  So get your notebook out, I am going to take you to class on diamonds!

Lets talk about Carats

This has nothing to do with the vegetable. A carat is just an industry term for weight of a diamond.  A carat weight accounts for the biggest portion of the diamond value. In order words, the bigger the diamond, the more Money it is worth. We all love $! The average cost of a diamond engagement ring is $3,500 to $4,00. Make sure that your diamond is certified. The best agencies are the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gemological Society (AGS). I prefer the GIA!

The Cut!

Out of the 4 C’s,  the cut of the diamond is the most important. A good cut gives a diamond its brilliance. OK, so you probably want to know what is brilliance.  Brilliance is the brightness of a diamond. The cut also deals with the angle of the diamond and how the diamond handles light.  Remember that dark spots in your diamond is not a good sign of a great cut.

The Color

The color of a diamond is important. Each diamond is graded . It grades diamonds from D through F (colorless) G through J (Near Colorless) K – M (faint yellow) N through Z  (very light to light yellow). If you want a colorless diamond- you want a diamond graded D, E or F. Color diamonds beyond Z are graded differently. The lower the Grade like D —the more value the diamond has. In other words, a diamond with a Z grade does not have as much value as a D grade diamond. This is the only time when a D is great to have.

The final C- Clarity

Diamonds are graded from FL (flawless) to I3 (imperfect). Flawless diamonds do not have any inclusions or blemishes under 10X magnification. Imperfect diamonds have many imperfection and can affect the brilliance of a diamond. My opinion, you should worry about the clarity of the diamond, if you have a imperfect diamond, the flaws are visible to the human eye. Who wants a diamond where you can see a spot or two.

I hope this help all my couple otu there. So get your wallets out and help boost the economy– buy a diamond!

Story Source

Photo Source