Emma Watson: Fashion Entrepreneur

Emma Watson is no stranger to fashion. Indeed, one look at her and you’d know that she has her own fashion sense, which actually appeals to a lot of people. This young actress is not sitting idle, though. Instead of being a mere consumer, she has crossed to the other side and has launched a clothing line. Yeah, she also models for Burberry and Chanel by the way.

That isn’t her biggest achievement in the fashion world, though. Going back to the clothing line I just mentioned, Emma has partnered up with People Tree, a clothing brand that prides itself in being ethical. People Tree has a very good reputation in terms of excellent fashion sense and dealing only with fair trade products.

Emma has lent her artistic talents to People Tree, coming up with her own artwork. The people from the company praise her dedication to the clothing line and say that she is really serious about the project. It looks like the young star is paying more than lip service to the line. More than being involved in the design process, she has also enlisted the help of friends and family members to pose as models for the clothes.

From her end, Emma says that she has no aspirations to become a fashion designer. Her only motive in getting involved, she says, is her passion for the cause. She says that she really cares for trendy fashion as well as fair trade. Big words from a young girl, but hey, it looks like she means it!

Designer Gowns For Dirt Cheap In VA

Those who live in Lynchburg, Virginia or anywhere near the area, LISTEN UP! There will be a BIG sale this Saturday – something that you just cannot miss out on. From 10 AM to 4 PM, the YWCA of Central Virginia’s Prom Dress Super Sale will be held in several locations.

If you’re thinking that this is “just another dress sale,” think again. The shops will be offering formal wear from some of the biggest names in the fashion industry. How does Vera Wang sound? Badgley Mischka? Melissa Sweet?

And if you are salivating but shaking your head at the same time because of the astronomical prices that these designers usually charge, stop it! The YWCA is holding this sale to benefit programs such as Domestic Violence Prevention Center and the Y Gyrl Leaders Mentoring Program for Teens; and they are making sure that the average person can afford to buy the gowns.

The gowns that will be on sale normally fetch anywhere from hundreds of dollars to thousands. On Saturday, however, you can bring your weekly allowance and spend as low as $5! I am not kidding! Of course, those pieces will probably sell out as soon as the sale opens, but organizers say that the most you would have to pay is probably less than $100. For clothes made by these designers, that is such a steal!

Even if you do not need any formal wear right now, we all know that you will find yourself needing something somewhere down the road. If you’re anywhere near the area, do make it a point to pay them a visit! For more information, click here.

David Beckham: Fashion Consultant

I, for one, am NOT surprised at all. Anyone who takes just one look at David Beckham will know that this guy has more fashion sense than a lot of average people (men or women) put together. Heck, I probably do not even have ¼ of his fashion sense!

According to wifey Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice to fans), her husband is a great fan of dresses and that she consults him all the time. But wait – I am not even talking about what Victoria is supposed to wear for dinner. She consults Beckham about her dress designs for her own fashion range, which has met huge success. Celebrities like Danii Minogue, Elle Macpherson, and even Heidi Klum are said to be big fans of Victoria’s designs!

So is being a fan of sexy dresses enough to make David Beckham his wife’s (informal) fashion consultant? Maybe. After all, women want to wear these dresses to look good and make heads – men’s heads – turn; and if someone like David Beckham appreciates those designs, then I am sure other men will as well!

On another note, have you seen Victoria’s Fall Collection? There are 23 pieces – the dresses are there of course. The clothes have been described as stylish and sexy but demure at the same time. Colors range from cobalt blue to magenta. For more of her designs, visit her web site here. I might not be able to afford them, but looking and wishing will not hurt one bit!

Milan Loves Fashion

That’s the tagline of the Milan Fashion Week, which is in full swing as of this writing. The coverage is nothing but phenomenal, and it seems that the designers have gone out with all the ammunition that they have, even on the first day.

The main attractions of the first day’s show were the collections of Moschino and Dolce & Gabbana. According to Moschino, fashion is “full of chic.” The slogan was actually printed on canvas tote and was backed up by oversized jumpsuits decorated with daises. Oh so plum white ruffles and striped t-shirts reminiscent of candy colors also livened up things.

D&G, on the other hand, sparked a lot of interest with their cow girl line. Some models were showing off skin in pannier mini skirts. Others wore faded denim shirts and brown obi belts. Bottom line: the D&G show oozed sex appeal, which no one can ignore!

Blumarine’s line featured silk skirts and cotton knits. Colors were bursting – hot pink, lemon yellow, and lime. Tie-dye cloths were also present, adding to the plethora of colors that made for very nice eye candy. Designer Anna Molinari decided to take Jamaica to Milan with a rasta theme. Her tube dress in yellow, red, and green definitely took viewers to that island paradise.

Sportmax took the lingerie route, with padded bras serving as tops. They also made use of lace to soften up sports wear. Other features: garter belts on the hips of loose shorts and laced up corsets for blouses.

Needless to say, Milan Fashion Week is making waves.

Full-Figured Fashion A Hit In Jamaica

Women in Jamaica who are not model-slim are having a grand time, thanks to Tracey Woods. Her story is that she got tired of having to go to a dressmaker each time she wanted new clothes. Instead of having someone else make clothes that would fit her, she decided to start her own clothing line that would cater to full-figured women like herself. Hence the birth of Curvy Lady.

Woods started up her business with her sister, and they began with lingerie. Soon, their clients asked for more – dresses, pants, etc. Now, their line has expanded to carry all sorts of outfits from the casual to the semi-formal outfits.

One unique thing about Curvy Lady clothing is that they are not the basic blacks which are usually suggested for plus size women. Instead, Woods believes in the idea that plus size women should experiment with various colors as well. As a result, her clothing line is a mix of all colors. She says that the important thing is that her clothes accentuate the positive points that each woman has. More so, she says that she prioritizes her clients’ comfort, and that comfort leads to confidence, which in turn leads to a stunning look.

Her customers seem to agree with her, as her business has grown over the years.

What I am thinking is that I wish there would be more people like her in other parts of the world. While we have plus size clothing in many major stores, I think that we could use more of them, don’t you think?

Nigella Starts Fashion Trend

Do you watch a lot of TV? I really don’t watch much, but when I do, I often come across cooking shows with some of the most popular celebrity chefs out there. That’s how I came to know about Nigella Lawson.

More than being a genius in the kitchen – as critics and fans say – Nigella has also gained fame and renown for being one of the most attractive celebrity chefs. Me thinks that if she were to go for another career, Ms. Lawson might very well go into fashion.

I don’t know if you have heard about it – or seen it – but Nigella has been sporting a very fashionable look lately. Dubbed the “hourglass look,” the chef’s chosen style is H-O-T. It is not really new. The hourglass look has been sported by many before her, but somehow, she has made this look her own.

Nigella has Vivienne Westwood to thank for this new look, in part at least. She started her transformation from the kitchen’s Wonder Woman to a flaming bombshell with some really well chosen pieces from Westwood’s Anglomania collection. She did not stop there, though. Soon, she picked up a piece from Katya Wildman, and this is what did the trick, I think.

This dress has, in fact, become a best seller for The Dispensary, a Notting Hill boutique. I am pretty sure that you want this dress for yourself as well. If you want to take a look, visit the web site of The Dispensary. Just be ready to shell out ₤160 to ₤180.

Tickle Everyone Pink

The new hot color has been picked out, people! It seems that fashion designers all over the world have come to a consensus – black is out, pink is in! Don’t make the mistake of thinking that pink is a bland, girly color. What fashion designers are working with right now are powerful shades of pink that one cannot help but say “WOW” to.

Thakoon Panichgul says: “I love fuchsia. I’m always drawn to it. It’s a reaction color, and that’s what fashion is. You can’t quantify it, it’s just you know what you like. You can’t analyze it.”

True enough. If you go out wearing a hot fuchsia dress, you will probably get the stares of everyone within a mile. Another reason to go pink is the fact that these shades go well with many other colors. Hope Greenberg, the fashion director of Lucky has this to say: “From neon to fuchsia, hot pink is very versatile. It goes with gray, brown, navy, army green. There are a million things to wear it with.”

Indeed, if you are worried that you would have to get a whole new wardrobe to match the season’s “pinkness,” no need for that. Your old grays, browns, and other shades could very well match your new pinks.

Of course, you should not simply jump into the water and get everything in pink. The smart thing to do would be to test the color out with small items. Say, get a blouse or a belt in a flashy pink shade. Try it out first and see how it suits you. If it works – which it probably will – then go all out get ready to be the center of attention!

Watch Out For These Fashion Designers

The world of fashion is an ever changing landscape. While we do have certain fashion designers who have made names for themselves and can be considered fixtures in the fashion world, there is no doubt that new talent crop up all the time. These are the people that you should be on the lookout for if you’re the type who likes fresh ideas.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America awarded nine upcoming fashion designers, who are to receive financial assistance from Swarovski Crystal. Here are some of my favorites.

Alexander Wang
The label Wang launched in 2005 while still attending Parsons The New School of Design is steadily expanding. There’s been a full womenswear collection since 2007 and come July there’ll be men’s. Wang, a 25-year-old California native, says he’s appreciative of the recognition he’s received. (His runway shows are hot tickets: Sarah Jessica Parker attended the last one.)

Thakoon Panichgul
Thakoon Panichgul is, at 34, a veteran of the council’s emerging designer category — he was previously a nominee in 2006 and 2007. And while he has steadily gained buzz, it was first lady Michelle Obama, who wore a Thakoon dress at last year’s Democratic convention, who really ramped up his name recognition.

Patrick Ervell
He envisions a look in American men’s sportswear, one that’s more modern than the Americana epitomized by a more traditional designer like Ralph Lauren. His own personal uniform is “Levis and a T-shirt.”

Chic women’s fashion, the person who dresses the First Lady, and men’s sportswear. What else do you need?

Posh Sizzles in New Armani Undies Ad

“It’s an honor to have been selected by Mr Armani to represent the Emporio Armani Underwear brand and to execute his vision with the incredibly talented team of Mert & Marcus”

Posh Spice is now officially an icon, as Victoria Beckham has landed a 3-year deal with Emporio Armani lingerie, for a cool $20M.

Hubby David, who’s been doing the men’s underwear line for a while, was apparently thrilled with wifey’s pics and no doubt, the tidy $40M they’ll both be making.

Luckily she hasn’t been looking as emaciated as usual, and Victoria says that she’s been “working hard” i.e. the airbrush hasn’t been hard at work.

“You know, I’ve been doing a lot of running. Because obviously, you think I look okay, but if I’m going to be taking my clothes off I will need to tone up a little bit, so I worked hard to have the confidence to do it,” she said.

Get Retro Through Your Sunglasses

I love sunglasses for three very good, easy reasons:

1. They can snazz up an outfit or look in an instant -Without glasses- ordinary Olive/ with the new Oliver Peoples – Jackie O!

2. They are the cheapest form of wearing a designer label - $250 for the latest Prada shades, $800 for the latest Prada bag

3. They serve a practical purpose – Protecting your peepers from the sun while holidaying in Martinique or from the undesirables while on a sidewalk cafe in Paris.

On Vogue’s website, I found a great article on the latest sunglasses trends, and the retro styles were decidedly my favorite for the season.  Here are my picks!

1. Ray-Ban Clubmasters – I love the candy summery colors of this Retro style, like the red ones pictured above. They’re much cooler than the Risky-business-Wayfarers I think, and can instantly make you feel and look like a Hollywood ingenue. From $120 at Ray-Ban.

2. Lacoste Limited Edition Capsule Eyewear – Stretchy Lacoste shirts are a useful weekend staple for any girl’s closet, and their limited edition sunglasses made for their 75th Birthday are a great accompaniment. I especially like the clean, understated look of these pristine white ones. The men’s versions are even more retro, with a CHiPs feel.  Sooo worth pulling over for!

3. Lulu Guinness Ingrid Sunglasses – I love, love Lulu’s ladylike styles which make me want to don a shift dress and have tea and mini sandwiches with my French poodle. These Ingrid sunglasses have the most adorable polka dots which are perfect for the summer. Around $150