What Makes A Great Designer?

My favourite designer clothing is made by Dolce and Gabbana; I think their clothing is divine. It just epitomises everything I would expect from a high class design house.

Dolce and Gabanna is an Italian based design house but has stores and premium outlets throughout the world from London, Mumbai, Bangkok to New York and lots more in between. They are a truly globally international fashion name. Dolce and Gabanna is a design House, it employs a number of designers perhaps with a flair for a particular aspect of designing. The Dolce and Gabanna label is not only fabulous for fabulous womens and mens clothing but also for handbags, footwear and even fragrances.

The Dolce and Gabanna clothing range can perhaps be divided into three very distinct areas, the famous and luxurious Dolce and Gabbana label, the D&G range and a new departure the D&G Junior range. I have purchased from the Dolce and Gabbana range and the D&G, more from D&G than the premium Dolce and Gabbana ranges. I have not bought anything from the D&G Junior range but I am sure it is as good as the other areas within the label.

Dolce and Gabanna is a premium designer range; designs have been worn by the likes of Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Isabella Rossellini. The range is famed for its luxurious and exclusive designer wear. The range is very expensive but it is well worth the money. The fabrics and prints used are vivacious, colourful, feminine, floaty yet hot and sexy.

I have had the pleasure and good fortune to have been able to purchase a beautiful dress from this range; it was for an extremely important and one off event. I have only had reason to wear the dress once but hopefully I will get the opportunity to wear it again. Whilst the dress may not have been an exclusive it was still handmade for me and my body shape, I am not tall and I wanted something that would look in proportion when altered for my height. The dress made me feel terrific I felt really well dressed and that I looked good in the dress, it was money well spent. The material of the dress was very floaty and it looked very feminine yet it was very modern in design, not too over the top but very flattering. It was a pleasure to wear the dress.

I have had more experience of buying from the D&G range; this is a more casual, urban inspired range. The range includes everything from great quality jeans to casual jackets and tops, there are also beautiful shoes and boots available. I have shopped in Dublin and Manchester for D&G clothing; I have bought some beautiful suits and some everyday wear. The clothing makes me feel very special. It is well made and finished and is designed to compliment the figure. Many of the items are bright and colourful and there is definitely a feel of Italian styling to the designs.

Even though Dolce and Gabanna clothing is expensive I definitely feel it provides good value for money. The clothing is beautifully designed and well made using top grade fabrics and accessories. When buying a piece of Dolce and Gabbana I feel that I am doing something very positive, I am investing in the clothing but also investing in myself. Wearing the designer clothing makes me feel good and very positive, it is not the sort of clothing I wear when I am sad or depressed, I wear it because I want to make a statement and be noticed.

I have also bought some Dolce and Gabanna fragrances, although I must admit these would not be my favourites. I do really like their handbags and do own three bags; they are very beautiful and very pretty. For me Dolce and Gabanna is a label that I am proud to wear and proud to recommend to others.

Fashionable Gymwear

Why is fashionable gymwear so hard to look for? Urgh! Its bad enough that we are dripping in sweat while working out with our straightened hair almost frazzled out, let alone wearing unflattering and unfashionable clothing. When working out, I feel good about myself…I get a good sense of relief when I realise I may have just lost the calories I put one while indulging myself into a large pizza and fat, yes may I add FAT slice of cheesecake I had for lunch. As well as feeling that sense of achievement, I want to feel good about my appearance too…as vein as it may sound!

Clearly gym wear needs to be comfortable and that is by far the most important function gym wear should have. However, rather than having designer gym wear (like most women do) I would prefer to have stylish clothing.

I found some gym wear, here and there, that I think are good fashionable and functional pieces and thought I’d share these with you guys:

I found an ordinary black vest top that has a grey strip around the waist, topped of with a small center bow that gives the illusion of a waist belt as well as looking slimmer, even when working out (Clever? I think so!).

Another top, that I recently bought (and I must say, a good find!!), is gathered at the bottom and the two ends tie up to create a bow! Perfect

I’ve got a similar pair of gym shorts that have gathered look at the top as well and they go so perfectly with a yellow crop top that is also gathered at the bottom! (Ingenious !)

I just need one more thing to complete my fashionable gym wear- the right gym bag! As a girl I love my handbags..God knows how many I have lying around under my bed! But guess what? I HATE GYM BAGS! Often I only find big Duffer bags or big Rucksacks that don’t look half decent! I wish there were just simple small (but big enough) and stylish gym bags out there.

If you know where I can find any half decent stylish gym bags please leave me a message!

To Splurge Or Not To Splurge?

Bridal Jewellery should not be scrimped on. It is the most important day of your life and you should look a million dollars, even if that’s what it costs you.

OK I’m lying; I can’t see any reason why you should spend a fortune on bridal jewellery. You’ve already got an engagement ring and you will be adding to the collection with a wedding ring, so why the need for even more new jewellery?

Competition is the only reason. If your friend or sister or colleague had a tonne of jewellery, then you have to go one better, right? Everything has to be new, right? Nope, beg or borrow wedding jewellery from your mother, grandmother, mother-in-law to be! It’s not cheap; it’s just adding a way to make them feel involved in the wedding that also benefits you. Everyone’s a winner! Plus, it leaves you with that little bit (or big bit) extra cash to splash out on some designer shoes!

I spent absolutely nothing on wedding jeweller. As a pre-wedding gift my fiancé bought me a radiant pair of diamond stud earrings and a matching diamond pendant. Having gotten my engagement ring I didn’t have to buy anything at all. It was an absolutely fabulous gift and although he had hinted that he was buying my wedding jewellery, it was a complete surprise on the day.

He had it given to me in a polished wooden case and he has wonderful taste in jewellery, so I knew that I would like them before I even opened the box. I felt a million dollars walking down the aisle and everybody admired them at our reception. I didn’t feel the need to wear anything else like a tiara or anything like that, although I do admit to getting one that I didn’t actually use after receiving the gifts from hubbie.

10 Fabulous Fashion Books

1. The Beautiful Fall by Alicia Drake

2. The Look by Paul Gorman

3. Stylist by Sarah Mower

4. 100 Years of Fashion Illustration by Cally Blackman **

5. Things a Woman Should Know About Style by Karen Homer

6. Fashion Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones

7. The Photography Book by Ian Jeffrey

8. Vivienne Westwood by Claire Wilcox

9. In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World’s Most Famous Fashion Magazine by Alberto Oliva

10. The World of Coco Chanel: Friends, Fashion, Fame

How To Be A Successful Sales Shopper

The “recession” has taken its toll on a lot of people, and I am pretty sure that you have not been exempt. If there is one thing that I have learned during these difficult financial times, it is that I should go hunt for good bargains on clothes and accessories without having to sacrifice on fashion. Here are my best tips on being the most successful bargain shopper ever!

Shop off season
If you’re smart, you would have bought your swim suits and bikinis months ago. That’s what I did and I was able to amass a variety of suits for dirt cheap! If you haven’t, then let’s just say that you have been very busy and had not had the time to go shopping for swimsuits. Anyway, the point is, buy sweaters during summer, summer clothes during winter. Get it?

Sales people are your best friends
They can be irritating, especially when they hover. I hate hovering. I detest it. But think about it, sales people can give you an advantage. Don’t take them for granted. They can give you priceless tips on upcoming sales and even do you favors such as holding pieces for a day or two (this works especially with small boutiques).

Coupons and buy-one-get-half-price deals are not always good
Coupons are good right? And half price deals? Well, not always. Most of the time, there are stipulations such as having to make a purchase first before getting the deal. While you do get the discount for your next purchase, you still get to spend more than you planned on, making the discount not so much of a deal anyway.

Got tips of your own?

Hand-Painted Vintage Clothing: Get Unique

If there is one thing that trendsetters have in mind, it is that they want to look unique.  I know many people whose worst nightmare is showing up at a party (or any gig for that matter) and finding another girl wearing the same exact same dress.  Wake me up!!!

That is why I love going for the vintage look.  The idea behind vintage is that while you get that unmistakable aura of something coming from a time before now, you tend to get pieces that are not likely to have been replicated, right?

Well think again.  I would be the first to admit that the chances of finding two similar (or maybe even the same!) items of vintage clothing are quite high.  Sad to say, vintage clothing is not always one of a kind.

But what if you really have this thing going on for vintage?  Should the chances of bumping into someone else wearing the same dress put you off?

My answer’s a definite no!  Instead, why not follow this tip from Mary Kincaid of Style  Hive? She suggests going for hand-painted vintage clothing, for the very reason I have outline above:

Let’s not kid ourselves…not every piece of vintage clothing we see is totally unique. When you’ve been buying and wearing vintage clothing as long as I have, you occasionally find yourself shopping the thrifts or online sites and seeing something very familiar. It takes just a moment and then you realize you either have the exact same item in your own closet or you’ve sold it in the past. And I’m always surprised how frequently this actually happens. So that’s why I’m a complete sucker for any hand-painted vintage pieces–each one is totally unique. And there’s something very special about wearing a custom-made piece that exhibits someone’s artistry.

Indeed, hand-painted anything normally offers that one of a kind look that many of us look for.  Start your hunt now!

Beat The Heat And Look Good

Summer’s here and boy, is it hot! Well, I guess it depends on where you are but for the most part, the heat waves seem to be right on schedule. You can opt to stay inside and chill out with the air conditioner on full blast (and pay for it when the electric bill comes) OR you can go dress yourself up for the summer and have fun outdoors! Guess what I suggest?

Here are some tips on how to dress for the heat and maybe get some longing stares down your way.

• Sweat much? Don’t wear silks or heavy linens. Opt for cotton and light fabrics instead. While these materials may NOT stop your glands from producing sweat, stains will not be much of a problem.
• Time to ditch the black and other dark colors. It’s common knowledge – white and other light colors are necessary to beat the heat while staying hot.
• Let the breeze in. Forget tights and body hugging clothing. While they may accentuate your curves, they just might make you feel irritable and uncomfortable all day. Instead, opt for light breezy designs that will let the air in and make you feel cool all day long.
• Go bag shopping. That is, if all that you can find in your closet are big heavy bags. You may not think much about the bag you lug around but during summer, a heavy bag can make you feel warmer and more uncomfortable. Buy a couple of smaller bags that you can use instead.

Any other hot summer tips?

Finding The Perfect Jeans: The Inverted Triangle

I’m not exactly what you would a call a jeans person, unlike some of my friends who practically live in theirs and own literally hundreds of pairs.  At this stage in my life, I have about 4 pairs in my closet (the ones pre- my last pregnancy are folded up in storage in the hopes the one day….), two blue (one dark with lighter stiching, one my all-round comfy Levis), one white (not used very often), one black (I got this soon after having the baby, so its fit now is very odd) and one “skinny”.  With all that skinny-jean craziness last year, the consumer victim that I am, I purchased a pair that I have to say I never liked much.  Why? It was so darn uncomfortable!

So when I found the “Jeans That Fit” videos in Video Jug (love that site!), I was pleased to find that the reason skinny jeans and I never meshed was because I was an “inverted triangle” and the big rule of that is :“No Skinny Jeans!”. Aha!

In the video, Natasha from the The Blue Jeans Bar in L.A. shares her jeans expertise, giving three simple tips for each body type. For me, the inverted triangle, which pretty much means I am top heavy, with broad shoulders and slim below, here’s what she said:

1. CUT: go for wide leg, boot cut, low rise, contoured waist

2. COLOUR: go for whiskering/ distressed fromt area to widen hips, lighter wash and fading in the knee area.

3. STYLE: go for stiching in the front pockets, cuffs to draw the eye down and balance the look.

and of course, the rule of : No Skinny Jeans!

Other body types featured on the videos are the apple, pear, boyish and hourglass shapes.  Watch and learn!

Designer Bags: A Question Of Mathematics

Simple – why buy one handbag with enough figures to make you faint, when you can buy at least 10 fake ones for the same price. Let’s face it – even if we have that one favourite designer handbag we will inevitably want to use more than one handbag in a year. And not every handbag is created equal – handbags come in all shapes, colours, textures and sizes, each with its own use. Why limit yourself to just one? Replica bags can be made of exactly the same materials as their designer counterparts yet cost a tenth or less of the price – and all that just because of a label.

Here’s a question – is the average woman really a discerning fashion expert in disguise? Chances are no, they wouldn’t be able to tell a good knock-off from the real thing.  However, if you’re strutting around town with a brand new faux Birkin bag, and you’re dressed like you do your fashion shop at the local charity store, someone’s going to catch you out.

To some, buying a real designer bag and showing it off to your friends is a great moment in any woman’s life. Not only does your ego soar to the high heavens, but there is the added bonus of watching your friends turn a slight shade of green – bliss.

Which decade are you? the 80’s!

1980s:

This is the decade I grew up in and the decade that at the same time scares me the most. Flat shoes, leg warmers, shoulder pads (I can’t believe they came back), leggings, leather jackets, fingerless gloves which I still don’t understand, lots and lots of neon colors and heavy makeup. All are just wrong except for the leggings. I used to love wearing leggings and I am glad they are in style now because they are very comfortable!

How Madonna got away with the lacy tops, leather jackets and fish net stockings is beyond me, but at the time it shocked the public and became one of the most recognizable looks to date. The music industry flourished with the beginning of the MTV generation. When I think of the 1980s I think Footloose and Flashdance, I mean, how can you not! Jeans became acid washed and men started wearing eyeliner and lipstick. Enough said…this decade was a disaster. I don’t know anyone who would look back at their pictures from this decade and say ‘Hey! I looked hot!’