Accessory Trends for 2007 Summer

Accessory is one of the most important parts in your style. You may wear excessively fashionable clothes but your style will never be complete without the trendiest accessory. These small details make your style unique and noticeable. As far as shops are full of bright colored clothes with big flowers or futuristic details, accessory for 2007 summer is also very bright, big and eye-catching.

Bags

The first thing that comes to mind while talking about accessories is bags. A real lady couldn't ever leave home without this little (or maybe large) useful detail. Only celebrities could catch up with all bag trends, yet you may purchase at least one and be sure it'll make you look fashionable with various combinations of clothes.

This summer you should definitely have an excessively bright and unusually shaped bag. Don't pay attention to the fact that after this season you'll have to put it deeply in your closet. The history of bags and other accessories is commonly repeated every several years, so you'll be pleasantly surprised and able to wear your original bag once again.

All famous fashion names, such as Versace, Gucci and others, recommend silver or golden colors. The form may remind of old grandmas suitcase or an alien head - the more interesting, the better. It can also be decorated with twinkling stones or fake gems.

Head

You have to be careful not to get sunstroke. Therefore you must have at least one hat made of straws. The most fashionable hat this year is a straw hat, black with wide edges and a rounded vertex girded with a band. If you're wearing a light beach dress with flowers, pick a white hat and you'll certainly be noticed.

Another trendy way to cover your head is a turban. No matter what you're wearing - an evening dress or sport clothes, a turban will definitely make you look good and fashionable. It looks very extraordinary, so be ready for attention.

If you don't like to cover your head with hats, not even talking about turbans, at least gird your head with a wide, fashionable band or rolled scarf.

Waist

All the fashion collections, without any exception emphasize women waist. It's time to stress the most beautiful part of a woman's figure. Various shaped leather belts cope with this task without any problems.

The trendiest ones are the widest ones. However, if you prefer small details - a thin belt with a huge gilded belt-buckle will do perfectly.

Futuristic belts with bright pink or orange verges are also very popular. These go excessively well with bright and flowered dresses.

Glasses

The sunglasses industry has been revolutionized. The most important feature of this season is size. Famous designers' collections are filled with large, rounded sunglasses that have wide plastic frames. This accessory is required to be double-colored; for example, red-black, while-black and yellow-white.

Bijouterie

Huge, interestingly shaped metal and plastic bracelets, large ear rings, ramshackle necklaces and even leather collars are fashionable as never before. They are large enough to be noticeable and even if you don't wear them for a long time you'll have something very impressive for some special occasions.

Don't forget that purchasing a fashionable thing doesn't mean that you'll be looking fashionable only because you wear it. Try to look for an accessory that would fit perfectly with your clothing, your daily makeup, your hairdo, and, of course, your character.

Knitwear & Patchworks: The Hottest Trend for 2007/2008

Fashion slaves have turned to the trends of early 20th century and choose handcrafted (or handcrafted-looking) clothing and accessories. Lovely vintage embroidery and silhouettes already took up stores and streets, but it's high time for hand knits and patched decorations to step into the spotlight.

After a couple of seasons of bling and futuristic costumes we want a different kind of glamour: hidden in extra quality materials, hand tailored and ornamented. The world seeks for reliable and well-tried garments. And what can be more cozy and tedious crafted than a granny knitted sweater? Choose it jacket type, heavy, long and coarse knitted. Gird the sweater with a knitted or leather belt and you'll have a stylish solution for chilly summer evenings. This type of garment can be worn by both men and women. Heavy knits are combined with plenty of different fabrics and textures.

Fashion is not strict these days, that's why a heavy sweater has an opposite - sexy fine knitted blouses and dresses. They are allure, made to fall around and accentuate the shape. And they are great for elegant look on a hot summer day. Designers love to dress their models in lace and knitting this season, and the next season won't be an exception. This wear can be either romantic or sedate or even crazy; it depends on which texture and shape you choose. The length varies from tunic-style to touching the knees. Even the relatively long blouse-dress can be worn on jeans or tight trousers. It's recommended to combine fine knitwear with huge accessories for the best image.

Though silhouettes are old and strict like uniforms, patches brighten them up. Patches are not a simple piece of fabric sewed on a garment; they are kitted or crocheted decorations that differ in texture. Actually, they can be anything that you find stylish: a picture printed or embroidered on a scrap, a funny slogan or famous brand name. It doesn't mean you have to sew the patches yourself; the garments are created in a certain way to look individual. This trend is based on a contrast: clothing made in classic lines is highlighted with playful patches as they add a sense of individuality to monotonous uniform-style garments.

Another trend that includes patchworks is jeans wear. This fashion is not new; it's reborn of 80's with its purposely ragged clothing and frayed fabric patches everywhere. You may have heard that fashion twists in spiral, and what is on top today, used to be hot some time ago.

However, things change as time goes by and a current trend can't be the same as it used to be. Present patches are more modern, adapted for today's look and sewed on unexpected places. Indeed, the very concept of patched and torn jeans serves as a challenging opposite to modern life and a futuristic point of view. It's going to stay with us for autumn and winter seasons of 07/08 as well.

Finally, fashion is bored with plastic and synthetic fabrics, so reputable designers start to discover the use of natural materials again. Don't keep your woolen sweater and frayed cotton jeans in a wardrobe, but wear them everyday.

Searching for Style

Boho, trendy, skater, Lolita, hippy, hardcore, goth, emo, vintage, girly, futuristic - these are just a small part of all the styles that exists. How to know which one is yours? What to do if you can't find the one you like and that fits you best? Maybe try to create your own and, what's the most important, unique style?

We see many different people around us. One looks plain and ordinary, although other seems to be going too far. Young people like extraordinary and extreme styles like punk, goth, hardcore.

Goths traditionally cover themselves in black no matter if it's winter or summer, they wear long leather coats, shoes with big platforms, whiten or even paint their faces, they often have piercing not just in the ears, but also in eyebrows, lips, nose and tongue, the most beloved images for them are graves, skulls, darkness and of course death.

There are a lot of groups like this. A lot of people express themselves very differently from others. Teenagers who prefer the same style establishes something similar to their own society. They visit parties and clubs where they already know the majority of visitors and where there are people with different attitude to some vital things for them like music, art, society and especially style, are not welcome. These groups usually contain some friends who refuse to meet somebody who doesn't look and think like they do.

Everything seems nice and simple while we're talking about a "society" like this. What happens when more groups exists? Fear of the ones that don't tolerate you, argues in the streets and even fights. One extreme group usually refuses to tolerate another extreme group, in spite of toleration problems in society, which both groups already have. Although skinheads are one of extremes they can't stand punks, goths and other subcultures, and being the aggressive ones they actually "take some actions" to show their intolerance.

People who express their selves through style have to face the reality that an ordinary wish of being different may become a problem. While some think that skull or grave is beautiful, others may think it's sick. Expressing yourself is always a very respectable thing. A person has to be very brave to show who he/she is through style, choosing extreme style means choosing your friends, your "society". That's the main reason why teenagers like these extreme styles although there's always a danger of being misunderstood. They may already have friends which belong to a society. And they feel safe while they know they are a part of a group. Nevertheless being different does not mean being extreme. You may want to create something only for yourself.

First of all, try to imagine what kind of style would fulfill your character, watch some fashion shows on TV or look through magazines. When you decide what you want, go through your closet and see what clothes you still want to wear and which ones you no longer need. Throw away everything you don't like. Of course after this mission you'll need something new. While making your journey to the mall try not to look at what people around you are buying, don't forget: you want your own style, not theirs. Creating is a hard process, especially if you're creating something totally different. Don't even look at things you would have bought earlier. Try to find something new, something you haven't ever thought you could wear. You don't have to buy things you don't like, but at least try something on. If you see a jacket you are dying to wear, but yesterday you saw five girls/boys wearing the same, don't even think about purchasing it! Your own style means original style, created using fashionable clothes yet not the ones you can find in every single shop.

When you have finished with the clothes, do the same with your jewelry. You don't have to throw anything away, but find something new that would fit with your new clothes. Pay attention to forms, colors and size. Try many different details of many different styles, mix them and finally you will find something you like, and something that will be unique.

When you decide to create your own style, try to consider if it will have some influence on your social position. What consequences may it have? Will your friends or your boss be happy about your changes? Being different is good, but is it worth it to take it to the extremes?

Born to be shoemakers! Part 2: Manolo Blahnik

We continue to speak about shoes. Shoes are a must in our wardrobe. Shoes play the main role in our everyday life: you have a party but you can't go without pair of stylish shoes; rainy weather outside, but you can't walk with your dog without a pair of waterproof boots; if you have a business lunch, you need representative shoes... Shoes are a must for our look! We are going to speak about people who care about our style, comfort and social status.

Manolo Blahnik was born in Santa Cruz de la Palma (Canary Islands) on the 28^th of November 1942. His father was Czech and mother was Hispanic by origin. The children (Manolo and his sister Evangeline) grew up in Austro-Hungarian discipline. Manolo still remembers such home rules as keep whites white, have clean nails and wear a shirt and a jacket with a cotton dust coat over the top.

Manolo Blahnik and his younger sister lived with their parents on a banana plantation, where they were home-schooled by their rigid Catholic mother. Maybe because they were close to banana plantation, Manolo had his own little monkey and guess what? He made little shoes for her. At that time there were no planes, so traveling was difficult. But after the war it went better and family settled in the mainland. Manolo, who was 12 then, went to school in Geneva, Switzerland.

After he finished school, he entered University, the faculty of languages and literature but very soon understood that it was not his path. To earn money, he sold antiques in Paris, attended lectures in Paris and London Schools of Art. Finally, he settled in London for the remainder of his life.

There, he opened his first shop in the center of Chelsea in 1973, and success doesn't leave him since. He was invited to work for Dior, replaced Roger Vivier, the leading shoes designer for this brand. Madonna, Naomi Campbell (his favorite supermodel), Sarah Jessica Parker, Ivana Trump, Kate Moss, Jennifer Aniston, and Nicole Kidman are among his patrons. One pair of Manolo Blahnik's shoes costs 300 to 1100$.Once, after presentation of his new collection, a mysterious lady bought 50 pairs of his shoes at once.

Today, 4 Italian factories are dealing with Manolo Blahnik shoes. First - makes classic lightweight shoes with little heels, second - makes shoes for haute couture, third - makes casual shoes, forth - makes sporty shoes. Each of those does about 80 pairs per day.

When he speaks about his job he usually uses three words - pleasure, felicity, enjoyment. When someone speaks about his shoes, they use the same words adding only perfection to this list. Manolo always mentioned that he made shoes for all ages and all times. He puts shoes fantasies on paper and sometimes it is hard to give life to this because of his unbelievable creativity. Among a big variety of designs, women also love comfort and safety of his shoes. Sarah Jessica Parker wore 10 cm high heels from Manolo Blahnik even during her pregnancy. As a shoe-maker with self-respect, Manolo sawed up wooden last without assistance and designed a shape of heels.

His talent collected a good set of awards. Among them are Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA 1987), Spain's Balenciaga fashion prize (1988), the Nieman Marcus Award (2000), La Aguja de Oro (The Golden Needle, Spain 2001), and La Medalla de Oro en Merito en las Bellas Artes, presented by the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I (2002).

Some facts from Manolo's life:

1. In 1974 he was on the cover of "Vogue".
2. Madonna on his shoes: "as good as sex, but the shoes last longer".
3. He sells 60,000 - 70,000 pairs annually.
4. He said he would never do any products by his name except shoes.
5. Manolo Blahnik is 65 years old.
6. Manolo always has manicure and pedicure.
7. Usual height of heels on his shoes is 10 cm.
8. The strangest place he has seen his shoes at was in Beijing, at the Ming emperors' tombs, when one woman wore a very light beige pair of his shoes.
9. Blahnik began by designing shoes for men.
10. Blahnik currently resides in a Georgian home in Bath, England, along with some 10,000 pairs of shoes.

You are going to buy your Manolo's shoes, aren't you?

A-line Clothes Are Back In Fashion!

Many things in our life are happening in cycles. Autumn is changing summer, spring - winter, and this cycle is repeating every year. You can notice the same in fashion world - fashions trends that have been on the top in fashion industry some time ago, suddenly are coming back on the catwalks. This season we can notice how A-line forms appear in various clothes as it was very popular in 60's. It's a return of A-line forms in the fashion world right now.

A-line fashion is a fashion line which was created first time by favorite French designer Christian Dior. The main characteristics of it is a letter A - narrow shoulders and emphasized waist goes to widely flowing skirt. Though it's long time ago that A-line forms appeared, they still remain in many designers collections on catwalks.

Christian Dior in 1947 presented his first collection in the fashion world which revolutionized the fashion industry. It was something absolutely new and the collection that was named Ligne Corolle has started a new fashion trend. It got the „New Look" name from American fashion journal „Harpers Bazaar" main editor Carmel Snow, who pointed that designer's clothes have a completely new appearance. Elegant dresses, costumes with emphasized waist, easy falling skirts made a contrast with shy colors and strict forms, straight knee long skirts and long jackets with wide shoulders, which were common to meet on the streets those days. Dior gave back feminine beauty to women.

A-line clothes came back to women wardrobes again after a long time. Typical A-line is once again the queen of the catwalks, but this time we can see it not only on the classical skirts or dresses. This time it is appearing in light tops, blouses, tunics, which create a feminine look.

A-line form clothes - narrow ups and wide downs - is an ideal form for plump women who want to hide problematic parts of body - wider hips, bigger tummy or round butt. Very slim or petite women should be careful because otherwise a negative effect will be reached - they will disappear in the tones of material, as in the tent. It doesn't let you show the advantages of your body, besides this doesn't look fashionable at all. But if you really want to wear something from A-line clothes you should choose certain accessories. The best idea would be an easy widening skirt or medium long tunics. Everything else would be too much and too wide.

A-line clothes have a bit different and unusual appearance this spring. Previous A form dictated very wide, extensive and usually long clothes without accentuating the body lines. This season is known for its new vision of A-form - short, slowly widen down, body emphasizing rain-coats and jackets from jeans and other materials. A-line form is not narrowed only with suitable for spring and summer raincoats, but it also has a mark in short and sporty jackets. The whole A-form silhouette this season is going up, making the clothes article look lighter and simpler.

Dresses are ones of the most saying in fashion trend, as always; and this time, the designers are presenting geometric forms with fanciful textures, unusual patterns and bizarre style. The collections of dresses are fulfilled with the A-line form silhouette of a young lady.

What colors should you choose to look classy? Throw your bright color clothes to the far corner of your wardrobe - this is not the way to look this year! Spring and summer collections are offering you to clothe pastille colors from caramel till cream-colored, gold, grey or light brown clothes. If you want something more eye-catching, wear expressive accessories which may vary between royal blue, green, purple or even hot red shades.

form Jurgita.com

Fashion Jewelry: The Triumph of the Sacred Feminine

Minimalism and unisex are in the past. Long-forgotten femininity revived. Wide palette, free lines, big gemstones are back. But it’s not just a classic – it’s a new vision.

Designers think nothing but movement concept. Lively lines of brooches and pendants involve us into the secret garden of fairy-tale flowers with dainty leaflets and colorful butterflies. Pink, yellow and blue gems (rose-cut multicolor sapphires), spots of green (emeralds) and, of course, diamonds are extremely popular, especially combined all in one set. The texture of these airy-fairy wonders is light and graceful, similar to lace.

Summer fashion jewelry hit is a short necklace with bulky white beads. Rather off-white than snow-white. If you prefer Annie Lennox’s style put on a long flat gold chain with a pendant appropriate to your personality and mood. As for rings, faceted gemstones have replaced round polished ones. They also should be as huge as you can afford. It’s up to you whether to prefer this enormous ring with one big center gemstone or whether to prefer it splashed with pavé diamonds. Long pendant earrings are still popular. And yellow gold , yellow gold and one more time yellow gold! Nevertheless we shouldn’t forget about organic materials and semiprecious stones, which are in trend too. For example, long wooden beads are especially applicable to linen clothes in the hot part of summer day. So you may choose between ethnic and antique or vintage styles. Which jewelry style will find an echo in your heart?

This brief jewelry style guide will possibly help you. Here are the main jewelry styles:

♦ Classic jewelry style;

♠ Avant-garde jewelry style;

♥ Antique or vintage jewelry style;

♣ And ethnic one.

The characteristics of classic style jewelry are elegance and delicacy with strict, neat line and proportion. Classic platinum brilliant-cut diamond ring will endure vagaries of fashion and stay popular, at least as the capital investment. Classic style is often understood in the meaning of antique style, but the classic one definitely does not have a "retro" connotation.

Avant-garde jewelry style on the contrary is extremely changeable. This peculiar style may be even shocking. The jewelry is often made of unexpected materials. The form is abstract, but sometimes it's thematic. The shapes are geometric and linear. It’s quite popular with the young. Those who like being eccentric and bright adore such jewelry.

Sometimes, antique or vintage style jewelry is mistakenly associated only with heavy gold chains, huge diamonds and silver jewelry. Other materials are also possible. But retro look or aged surface of the jewelry is not the point. When you look at it, you think that it came to you through the years or even centuries and it seems like every such thing is having its own unique story. And that’s the point! Vintage style jewelry usually belongs to artistic, romantic and delicate spirits.

Ethnic style jewelry is not necessarily rustic, more often it’s smooth and pleasant to touch. It’s made of natural material, which is characteristic of this or that region. Ethnic style jewelry reflects folklore and decorative art, myths and traditions of ancient civilizations. This style came about as the production of folk-crafts.

Though the styles differ greatly all of them have contemporary fashion versions. You may use each of them, if you like, depending on the season, event or part of the day. But you are also free to create your own individual style.

form Jurgita.com

Haute Couture

Even if you are not interested in fashion and newest trends, you probably have heard the mystic words combination: Haute Couture or High Fashion. Houte Couture differs from ready-to-wear fashion and street wear and usually has nothing to do with latest trends. Only eighteen fashion houses have a privilege to entitle themselves with this magical phrase. A single high fashion costume costs up from $40000. What is so marvelous about it?

The keys that make high fashion outstanding are luxury, thoroughness and private attitude. The luxury is ensured by original design and high quality fabrics. Every garment is sewed by hands; decorations such as beads and embroidery are also applied by hands only. Imagine an evening gown decorated with thousands of tiny beads, this adornment can take weeks of seamstresses work! But it's not only accurate work or exclusive materials that makes high fashion garment high priced, it's also the brand name that's makes clothing special.

If money isn't a problem to you, you can order any costume from a certain fashion house haute couture collection. Body size or figure is not a problem here, as fashion house will personalize a clothing for you. The costume delivered to a customer is precisely fitted to his or her proportions and wishes. But don't take a fashion house as simple tailor atelier! Once a person choose a clothe model, color and fabrics, huge team of tailors, embroiderers, furriers, vendeuses and other starts its work to satisfy the client. Making a high fashion clothe is not the same thing as making a copy of clothe in a collection. As not everyone has model like shapes or height, so a garment is adapted to client. This means they not only change clothe size, but make a clothe highlight advantages of the clients figure and hide disadvantages. Fashion houses are interested in good look of their collections.

Originality makes haute couture even more outstanding. There might be two people that ordered the same clothe, but they can still feel original. High fashion garments never reach stores, so you won't see thousands of people wearing the same dress in streets. Some of high fashion collections are copyrighted, to protect certain style from being copied by less famous companies. All these features make high fashion very expensive and only a small part of people can afford it. There are approximately 3000 people that order clothing from haute couture a year. And only 1000 of them buy garments this way regularly.

A number of haute couture houses varies as they need to meet very strict requirements to be in the list. These requirements are even defined by law in France. Following fashion houses have the right to call their collections high fashion: Armani Prive, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Elie Saab, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier and Valentino. To be accepted to exclusive caste of haute couture fashion house has to present a collection of minimum 35 costumes of evening wear and daytime wear. These collections have to be presented every season certainly in Paris. Other requirements are to design haute couture clothes for private persons and hold atelier in Paris working full-time with at least 15 people employed.

It might look that haute couture title doesn't pay off for a fashion house as they need to work hard to keep the title and a clientele is surprisingly small. But many people get interested in designers ready-to-wear or accessories because of good image of haute couture. When a person buys a dress from ready-to-wear collection by famous fashion house she finds her style closer to those who can afford to wear high fashion. The good name of haute couture is sometimes used by others designer to get attention. Designers entitle their collections the high fashion when they want to accentuate that this wear is luxurious and exclusive.

from jurgita.com

How to Match Colors of Clothes

Probably every one of us already faced a problem when trying to match different color clothes. We always consider does this red skirt match my navy blouse or blue jeans match orange top? For those who have this kind of problem we give some tips how to match main colors with all other.

White. White color is considered a summer season color. Moreover, white is one of those few clothes colors that match with any other color! So it is very easy to wear white clothes - with blue denim jeans, red skirt or colorful trousers. Wearing white top will lighten up your mood in autumn or winter. Full light white wear will give you a breezy look and feeling during a hot summer day.

Black. Black is always in fashion. This color is always stylish - doesn't matter if it is spring or autumn, winter or summer. Black readily matches tops of any colors. Moreover, if you wear all-black, you look slimmer. Girls like to use this trick if they want to look sexy and slim. Black is also a color symbolizing elegance and refinement. You will never miss if you wear black in any party or occasion. Black gown is always in fashion to go to any party. Add some accessories of opposite color or something sparkling and you will have an easy solution for evening wear.

Red. Red - a physically inspiring color of passion and love. Red is extensively used in all fashion seasons. When matching reds with other colors its good to use darker shades: maroon, brick red or hot pink. Red also has violet and orange as familiar colors, so matching them with red works well. Green color is a compliment to red - just make sure these colors are kept muted. Otherwise you may create a really ugly clash. Blue and yellow should also be used very cautiously when matching with reds.

Blue. Blue is a color of summer skies and the sea. Blues is identified with calmness, idealism and inspiration. That's the reason why blue always matches well with white-colored clothes - almost every girl tried wearing blue jeans and white top - easy casual appearance which looks good for comfortable look. Blue also matches with darker or more muted shades as opposed to bright shades. Analogous colors for blue are green and violet, so it looks good when lighter shades of green and violet are matched with darker blue. Also blue can be matched with orange, a complimentary color for blue. It intensifies the effect of the color. Be especially cautious when trying to match blue with shades of red and yellow.

Yellow. Yellow is a color commonly used in fashion. This color creates an atmosphere of attraction and excitement. This color is always difficult to match because of the tendency of yellows to be bright. Although it always looks good with black clothes. It gives a nice effect. The analogous colors to yellow are green and orange, and should also be soft-shaded for best effect. You should avoid going for dark shades of green and orange color to prevent making the yellow appear even brighter than it is. Be careful when you match yellow with red and blue clothes.

Green. Green is a color which symbolizes vitality and life energy. When you match green with other clothes the key is to select the proper shades of green. Also blue and yellow look good paired with green, especially when you choose proper lightness and darkness of these colors. This kind of match is very popular for spring wear. Opposite color of green is red - they also match very well together. Be careful when you match green with violets and oranges, because an unpleasant clash might occur if you attempt to match overly bright or intense shades of these two colors.

Born to be shoemakers! Part 1: Jimmy Choo

A story of Jimmy Choo began more than 11 years ago. And with the help of two women: one was assiduous and other - very social. Three brilliantly skilled persons began this business with few opportunities, but with high hopes and ambitions. Who are they? And what did they have to achieve until the Royal British family started wearing their shoes?

One of three was Jimmy Choo. His skill was the basis of the Jimmy Choo “empire”. Jimmy Choo is a native of Malaysia. He was born in 1961 in the second smallest state of the Penang county. Should I say, in a family of local shoe-makers? As all children, he was interested in his parents’ business and tried to create his first shoes at the age of 11. Unfortunately, there is not much information about his family background, his childhood… and even now, he is just a man who does his job very well at his “secluded corner”. It is worth to mention that his real name is Jimmy Chow. In the beginning of 80's, he settled in London and began to study fashion design oriented on shoemaking. Cordwainers's Technical College in London and the London College of Fashion were places where Jimmy spent all his time those days. Inspired, talented… he had no money, no customs, no fame...

Second person played a dominant role in this story and gave a hand of help to the unknown Jimmy Chow. Tamara Melton became “a face, soul and muse of Jimmy Choo”.

Tamara is a Beverly Hills girl. She came from a successful and rich family, never needed money but went to work by father’s insistence (her father controlled Vidal Sassoon company). As a real beauty, she was addicted to shoes. This passion later helped her to get a job in London’s Vogue. Her job was to search for unique and stylish shoes for fashion articles in magazine. And she finally found what she was looking for… it was Jimmy Choo.

It was like a myth. She was looking for gold Greek sandals, and she found a man with gold hands who made everything from gold in her life instead. In the “secluded corner”, Jimmy and his helper, his niece Sandra Choi (the third person in our story) made their exclusive hand-made shoes of the best quality.

These days, Sandra Choi is a part of Jimmy Choo team (she is creative director), and she has unbelievable capacity for work. Jimmy has his skill to make comfortable shoes that seemed uncomfortable because of high heels, for example. Tamara – her father’s money. Though today they all have their own money earned by hard work but it was then, 11 years ago.

Tamara Melton was 27, she was already an editor-in-chief and suddenly Melton left her job. She believed in Jimmy Choo, a poor Chinese emigrant. Of course, Tamara already had a brilliant business plan and a big list of useful contacts which she gained during her Vogue period. To start their business, they needed money to open their office, money for bigger manufacture, money for everything. Tamara knew where she could get this money; she went to her closest friend – her father. Her father, a circumspect and a “hairy” person gave 250$ thousand for opening their company’s office.

They opened a shop in the center of London and began to work hard. Tamara was an inexhaustible source of ideas (relations, business plans); Jimmy Choo was an indomitable worker, and Sandra was very squeamish in preparing decorations for shoes. Better than any words, would say a fact that later Tamara’s father gave them 1, 2$ million for development. By the way, he became the president of Jimmy Choo Company.

Company’s income became huge. Unfortunately, the co-owners couldn’t work together anymore and in 2001 Tamara bought Jimmy’s part for 25$ million. The reason was misunderstandings between them. From her words, Jimmy was not interesting in marketing’s ideas and didn’t want to spend money on advertising companies. Anyway, Tamara knew fashion rules. In 2001 company’s income was 100$ million. She had an unhappy marriage with an awful divorce but at the same time, success in her carrier and birth of her daughter. You can read bout this in her book “Four inches”.

Though today a woman is the head of Jimmy Choo Company, this brand still has Jimmy Choo name. His talent was awarded many times. He got title Dato in Malaysia which equals a British knight's title. In 2003, got an OBE (Officer British Empire) from the Queen of England “for his services in making London’s name prominent in the world of design and the fashion industry”. But his most precious awards are all those famous and wealthy, pretty and particular legs in the world that choose Jimmy Choo shoes.

Today, Jimmy is the owner of a distinct Jimmy Choo enterprise. He makes 3 – 4 exclusive pairs of shoes a day and his client list consists of most famous Hollywood stars, wives of the richest men in the world, successful businesswomen and even members of some royal families.

It’s hard to say what would happen if Tamara Melton didn’t find Jimmy that day in London but what would happen if an 11 year old boy decided not be a shoe-maker and stayed in Penang, we can easily guess…

P.S. Rumours say that now Jimmy Choo company is for sale, its price approximately 150$ million and possibly it will be bought by Burberry.

On the Oscar ceremony, Jimmy Choo shoes were worn by: Helen Mirren, Penelope Cruz, Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Emily Blunt, Jodie Foster, Minnie Driver, Sarah Michelle Geller, Jennifer Lopez.

Magic of Coffee

An old Turkish proverb says that a coffee should be black as Hell, strong as death, and sweet as love. Nowadays there are various coffee drinks made out of coffee grown in different regions. But coffee still makes a magic with vivifying and charming effect. This beverage has plenty of lovers all over the world because of its rich aroma, taste and energizing upshot of caffeine.

Coffee started its trip around the world in Africa, in a locality now called Ethiopia. Little by little it spread around the Earth and now is cultivated in various regions: Latin America, Indonesia and even Hawaii. Coffee taste depends on region a lot; it also varies depending on roasting, blending and of course on the way of beverage preparation. The coffee you find in a store can be characterized as “commercial” or “specialty”.

Commercial one is usually blended and ground already, packed in collapsed bricks or cans; while specialty coffee contains roasted wholebeans that you can grind your self and blend with other types of coffee. Some of specialty coffees even come un-roasted, so coffee lovers can roast them the way they like at home. Commercial coffee (including instant one) is ready-to-use product for those who save their time.However if you really adore coffee, you should try to prepare the beans yourself. Also keep in mind that coffee begins to stale right after it is roasted and ground, so when you buy ready-to-use coffee it already has big part of its taste and aroma lost. Amazingly, there are more kinds of “specialty” coffee than “commercial’ one.

When coffee is grown not in huge plantations but in small farms, more attention is dedicated to the quality than quantity. This type of coffee contains unique taste and it’s very rare, therefore it is appreciated among coffee lovers. They compare these extra quality coffees to special wine, cheese and other splendid food. These kinds are very expensive; also they are recognized and very popular in coffee market.

The most expensive coffee in the world is Kopi Luwak. It grows in three islands of Indonesia; the beans are selected by small mammal called Luwak. Coffee lovers claim it’s the best coffee you can find. Only 500 pounds of Kopi Luwak is produced every year, therefore it is evaluated $160 to $600 for one pound.

The runner-up in the most rare and expensive coffees is the one from Boquete, a region of Panama. Coffee named “Hacienda La Esmeralda's Geisha” grows in the shades of guava tree; this renders a special taste. Hacienda La Esmeralda costs $104 per pound. The third place goes to Island of St. Helena Coffee Company. This coffee became popular when Napoleon Bonaparte (who was exiled to this island) praised it for its great flavor. Island of St. Helena coffee costs $79 per pound and it’s still popular after couple of centuries.

The more unique coffee’s taste, smell or region is, the more it is expensive. Sometimes coffee is highly priced because of small amount available; some kinds of coffee are not even on sale, they can only be found in special auctions.

You can find two types of coffee drinkers. The first type claims that milk, syrup, liquor and other additions ruin natural rich and strong taste of coffee. And the other type says that some extras add special flavors to coffee. While nobody wins this war, there are a great number of diverse coffee drinks.
The most known drink is espresso, a shot of extremely strong coffee. It can be used to make cocktails. Additions to brewed coffee vary on a nation or region: Caribbeanone contains baked coconut and milk; American mocha is spiced with cocoa (or chocolate), vanilla and cinnamon; Italian caffe e latte is flavored with hot milk. Mexicans prepare coffee from coarsely ground beans and add some brown sugar with cinnamon stick. The famous Irish coffee contains sugar, whiskey, huge foam of whipped cream and is usually served in a special glass.

There are many coffee drinks around the world; coffee-houses mainly offer 10 to 30 of them. A cup of coffee may wake you up in a morning; warm you up in a cold day and give you energy shot on a break. Give yourself a minute to feel its layered taste and aroma.

6 Steps to Buying a New Dress

Don't let shopping for a special occasion dress intimidate you! With a little help and a plan, you can start early and find the perfect dress for your next occasion. Here's how

1. Decide on Formality

Usually the event invitation will clue you into the formality of the event, whether it's casual or black tie. But sometimes even that will cause confusion (short dress or long?)

In general, the later in the day the event (after 6 p.m.), the dressier. Long dresses are usually reserved only for formal (black tie) occasions.

While some fabrics are year-round -- silk, brocade, organza, jersey -- fabrics like velvet and gold spangles are best reserved for winter holidays.
More about dressing for occasions: Dress Code Definitions: Black Tie, etc.

2. Flatter Your Figure

The most important feature of your new dress -- more important than its trendiness, designer or color -- is how well it flatters you.

Not every dress silhouette will work for your body so you'll need to do some quick research on your specific needs.

Remember that darker colors and simple cuts (a sheath, an A-line) are the most flattering.

The best way to look special is to show off your best feature. If you have gorgeous eyes, then play them up with beautiful makeup, off-the-face hair and jeweled earrings in a complimentary shade. If your legs are spectacular, then show them off with a short, fitted dress and stilettos.

Dressing to flatter your figure is as much about playing up your best features as it is about hiding what's not perfect.

Not sure what your best asset is? Ask a friend or significant other. Or go to a store that sells special occasion dresses and enlist the salesperson's help.
More about dressing for your body: Dresses for Every Body Type

3. Choose a Color

You could just wear black (classy, flattering and slenderizing), but why not explore some of the other dressy options?

Red, bold prints, even gold are dramatic enough for evening wear. Pastels, mid-range brights and soft prints look great for dressy day occasions.

Blue (from navy to royal), pink (from cotton candy to fuchsia) and white (from candlelight to cream) look great on almost everyone. Remember that the "Don't wear white to a wedding" wisdom is still considered a fashion don't by most women.
More about flattering colors: 7 Style Secrets from the Red Carpet

4. Pick a Style

Once you know what type of dress you need, it's time to coordinate that with what you want.

Catalogs, the internet and magazines are a great places to seek special occasion dress inspiration.

Instead of going with something trendy, try to find a dress that reflects classic, timeless elegance. Remember that you'll have to look at photos of you in the dress for years to come.

Enduring special occasion dresses are often deceptively simple, but they usually let the beauty of the wearer shine through. A few examples: the little black dress (a.k.a the cocktail dress), a goddess gown (draped and rouched), a ballgown, a slip dress.
More about dress styles: Dress Glossary

5. Shop

With your research behind you, it's time to shop, either online or off.

You should definitely set a budget before shopping because it's easy to fall in love with a $1000 dress and then try to justify buying it.

Special occasion dresses usually cost more than $100, but if you comparison shop you can find one that works in your price range. Don't forget to use alternative methods like shopping secondhand stores and sales to save even more money on a dress. Vintage looks are all the rage in Hollywood and on the runway now.

If you shop in a store, dress for the day by bringing along heels, any special accessories you know you want to use and a strapless bra (just in case).

When shopping online, make sure you understand both the sizing (know your measurements and check against a size chart on the site) and the return policy.

There are some boutiques that don't allow you to return special occasion dresses, so make sure you're a smart shopper.
More information: How to Shop

6. Accessorize

The trimmings will take their cue from the dress, but for special occasions your jewelery usually gets bigger and your bag and shoes get smaller (as in strappy sandals).

Although you may want to add tons of glitz, remember that you can kill a look with too much matchy-matchy accessorizing. Find earrings, necklace and bracelet that compliment each other without being a matching set.

Sparkly brooches, flowers and hair pins are all great ways to add special dazzle, too.

Your bag should be large enough to fit lipstick, tissue, phone and keys.

One confusing element for most women is whether or not to wear hose. Use common sense here: if your legs need camouflage and you don't like to wear leg makeup, then opt for super-sheer hose.
More information: How to Accessorize a Dress

Fashion trends for 2007 spring/summer

What to wear? It's perpetual question that gives no rest for stylish people and followers of the fashion. What trend is going to win sympathy on the spring and summer 2007? Check the main guidelines.

This spring comes with soft and light colors. No more high contracts, no more dull and grave colors of last season. Even combinations of black and white became softer and changed into shady grey and off white. Try these colors to be on the top this spring; featured combinations are white embroidery ornaments on black background or vice versa. Remember, ornaments and applications are small this season and preferably botanical. Small flowers and herbs grow on dresses, tops, swimsuits and even bags.

Romantic vision is strengthened with a palette of soft colors. They come bleached, creamy, imitating old paper and shady fruits. If you are not into black & white mentioned above, try porcelain elf image. This style contains subtle colors of alabaster, sand, linen white and mixes different textures for contrast look. Use vintage knit work, embroidery on edges of clothing and beaded patterns to create feminine look. Faded and detailed applications give retro feeling. To warm up porcelain white and chalk image, get some medium violet red, eggshell brown or chartreuse green accessories.

All garments of spring and summer are loose-fitting, flying and fluttering in a wind. Blouses keep their length between an inch below navel and half of hips. No more hip-hugging trousers or skirts, remember where your actual waistline is! However this rule has an exception for wearing belt; if you don't want to accentuate your waist, feel free to gird a belt around low line of your hips. Dresses and tunics stay belted at empire-waist, for womanlike image. Remember, this kind of waistline fits larger figures as well as slim built ones.

If you have a bubble skirt from the last fall's trends, don't through it away. But be aware that this spring and summer shine with subtle colors and indistinct glitter. Combine bubble skirt with light flower-patterned jacked and deep pink purse and you will be the stylish one. But change metallic shine garments to silky gloss.

Safari ornaments holds they position this season and are joined by tropical ornaments for exotic vision. Hawaiian patterns even influence men's wear; one should get bright flowered shirt or trousers for guy-on-holiday image. Remember, trousers and shorts became loose again. Loose fitting clothing comes to city boy look as well in form of natural or bleached linen costumes and sensual pirate shirts.

Back to women wear; meet gipsy style and sweet colors, if light and exotic images don't attract you. Mix lime green, papaya and tangerine orange up with sky blue, indigo and all tones of blackberry to create chaotic combinations. Feel free to combine incompatible patterns and colors for careless image. Get long colorful skirt dyed in batik technique.

If none of described color palettes get you in, you probably are the serious person. Try Celtic checked or slight striped costumes. All the shades of sea blue and green go to form the image of harmony and purity. Choose simple patterns and combine several clear colors. But get a couple of foliage printed blouses in your wardrobe, as spring and summer come romantic.

If you want to be on the top, choose garments made out of natural fabrics with handmade looking decorations. Get pleated dress to fly in a summer wind. Try to combine paled colors clothes with deep colored shoes or purse or accessories. This season gives us a vision of light, sweetness and freedom.

A Guide to Wristbands

Wristbands serve a number of purposes. People can buy certain wristbands to show their dedication to a particular cause. Other wristbands are used as proof that someone has paid admission to an event such as a concert or a carnival. Some wristbands are used simply as accessories or jewelry. Wristbands can be made of many different materials. Paper, silicone, rubber, and leather are some of the most popular materials used.

Many are made of a sturdy type of paper that does not tear easily. These are often used at concerts or festivals as proof that someone has paid admission. Many paper wristbands are imprinted with designs like colored stripes or American Flags. Paper wristbands usually have one sticky end that is used to fasten the band around the person’s wrist.

Other wristbands are made of silicone or rubber. Silicone or rubber wristbands come in several different colors and designs. The most popular colors are yellow, pink, red, and black. Silicone and rubber wristbands come in a solid ring that can be stretched to fit over a person’s hand and worn on the wrist. People often wear these wristbands to voice their support for a certain cause or show that they have donated to a particular charity. One of the most popular wristbands of this type is the yellow “Livestrong” wristband. World-renowned bicycle racer and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong designed these wristbands. These bands are given to people who pay a dollar to his cancer charity and have become popular fashion accessories.

People also wear leather wristbands, which can come in many colors and are often elaborately designed. Leather wristbands are usually a flat piece of leather with fastening snaps on the end to hold it on the person’s wrist.

Wristbands are gaining in popularity. They are versatile accessories that are worn in a number of situations.



About the Author

Wrist Bands Info provides detailed
information about rubber, silicone, and leather wristbands, plus free and custom
wristbands, including charity, and cancer wristbands. Wrist Bands Info is
affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.

A Brief History Of The Cowboy Boot

Historically horsemen have always needed protective footwear as well as preferring boots with a higher heel. The origin of the cowboy boot that we know today comes from various boot styles including the Wellington boot, which originated from Britain's Duke of Wellington. At the time it was a straight plain leather boot with one-inch heels and straight tops. Cowboys also wore the Hessian boot, which had a V-cut in the front, and some of these had a silk or leather tassel hanging down in the V.

The Coffeyville-style cowboy boots originated in Coffeyville, Kansas around 1870 and were normally black leather with a low Cuban heel. The front of the boot, known as the "graft", was higher than the back and was usually a different color. Texas cowboys were known to have a lone star inlaid in the graft.

Cowboy boots continued to evolve through the late 1800s and the designs were influenced by the European cavalier style of boot, which were characterized by higher heels and better-quality leather.

The toes of cowboy boots were square or rounded and this did not change to pointed until the 1950s.

The straight lines of stitches across the top of the toe of the cowboy boot are called a toe wrinkle. Boot makers in the early 1900s started to add decorative stitching on the toes in addition to the wrinkle and these designs became and have remained to this day the personalized signature of custom-made boots.

In the 1920s and 1930s cowboy boots became a fashion item as a result of the movies and radio shows about the Wild West.

After 1940 boot designs became more colorful and intricate incorporating images of the west such as cacti, eagles, horses and horseshoes.

In the 1950s when rodeos became a popular form of entertainment and country music started being heard, the popularity of cowboy boots skyrocketed and millions of pairs were reportedly being made in all shapes, colors and styles.

After this the designs of cowboy boots followed the fashions and styles popularized in the movies - if John Travolta or Tom Cruise wore cowboy boots then those styles were immediately in demand.

Since the early 1990s boot makers have become even more adventurous and we are now seeing styles incorporating studs, conchos, rhinestones and precious stones, no doubt partly as a result of the interest in line dancing. Of course it is still possible to buy an attractive plain leather boot.

Part of the enduring appeal of the cowboy boot is that they can be worn by anyone.

There is an excellent book that covers everything to do with the cowboy boot called appropriately The Cowboy Boot book, which you can get from Amazon.

Copyright © Jakki Francis,(UK), 2005



About the Author

This article is copyrighted. Please feel free to use it in it's entirety
including copyright information and information about the publisher. Jakki
Francis operates the website
http://www.1st-For-Boots.Com

Dress to impress

By Mehmet Aksoy, January 17, 2004 (From the book Want a Girl)
How should a man dress to impress? First, always wear clothes that correspond to the occasion. Second, always wear a well put-together outfit.

If you have trouble deciding on what to wear, it is always better to be overdressed than underdressed. You wouldn't want to show up in casual wear for dinner at an expensive restaurant with a woman dressed to kill. A man should always be dressed to meet the occasion or situation. No matter where you are going with a woman, you should always be wearing clean, well-kept clothes. Believe it or not, women prefer clothes that are well-kept and clean to clothes that are worn out or dirty! That may seem obvious to you, but it is important to remember. By taking care of how you look, and by showing some style, you show women that you really care about your presentation - and women notice!

Always... Look Your Best! You should always take the time to look your best whenever you go out. You never know when you may have the opportunity to meet a stunning, beautiful woman - the grocery store, Laundromat, or coffee shop. Be sure to pay attention to the whole outfit. It's worth the extra money to buy yourself some nice clothes to wear out. And don't forget about the shoes or boots, a new belt and a nice watch. Accessories do make a huge difference. If you wear a well put-together outfit you will look sharp and portray more confidence.

The way you dress actually will change how you behave. Think about it- if you wore a clown costume all day, you would feel silly and goofy. So if you want to have more sex appeal, wear something that makes you feel sexy. Women will respond to the image you project. Figure out what image you portray now and then make the necessary changes in your wardrobe to attain your desired image. Whatever image you want to give women be sure to act the part. You should consider all behavior that attributes to your overall personal image - physical gestures, eye contact. Use your clothes to emphasize your desired image.

With all my experience, and from talking with other guys, a successful look to maintain is to wear a pair of nice pressed or ironed pants and a sport shirt. Add to these basics a trendy blazer, leather jacket or simple sport coat. Wear some good-quality stylish leather shoes or boots (match your leather jacket if you wear one!) and be sure to always keep your shoes polished.

Be sure to show good taste. The whole outfit can be relaxed, trendy, conventional, or professional, but any route you take you must look sharp. Try to stay away from wearing a tie. You want to stay loose and approachable - not uptight or snobby looking. A simple well put-together outfit is best. You'll be more successful with women than you've ever imagined if you wear a clean, classic, well put-together outfit that exudes style and self-pride.

Refine Your Looks
Women notice every little thing about a man's grooming. Every time they see a guy they go through a mental checklist. Is his hair washed and styled? Are his fingernails clean or manicured? Are his shoes polished? Clothes clean? Is he bathed? Does he smell good? These things really matter to women! Clean and neat counts! Find a grooming regime that works for you and stay polished!

Always, I repeat ALWAYS, shower and shave and use deodorant before going out to meet a woman. You might think the smell of your sweat is manly and sexy, but most women would strongly disagree! Hold off on sharing your rugged body odor until you're hot and heavy in bed. If you are going out specifically to meet new women or for a date, be sure to take some extra time getting ready. Show women that you care about your appearance.

Make sure your hair is done properly and your nails are filed and cleaned. Brush your teeth and use cologne - not too much though, as women generally have a better sense of smell than men. Take pride in how you look, and you instantly improve your chances of success!

Tips for a Better Body Image

Do you loathe and despise your body? Or maybe you wish if you could just change this one thing…

Well, you're not alone. Far from it. Whether you feel you are too fat, too skinny, too tall, too short, too hairy, not hairy enough, too-something -- or just not something enough - everyone feels like there's something they'd like to change about their bodies.

Yet there are lots of reasons to appreciate even cherish the body you have. For one thing, accepting yourself is a lot more fun, and wastes waaay less time, than constantly obsessing over what you don't like, don't have, or want to 'fix.' Your body is yours, uniquely yours, to use, take care of, and to treasure.

Here are some things to help you appreciate all that is -- you ! (Yay you!)

1. Think About What You're Missing

Consider this: What do you miss out on when you don't accept your body and treat it well? What has it cost you so far? Aside from the physical and mental health risks, think about all the things you refrain from doing, trying, being . Think about all the people you don't meet, the cool things you never experience, when you let a pesky negative body image stand in your way.

2. Make a List of People You Admire

Who rates high in your book? Who do you think is cool? What do you think are the most important traits a person can have? List who you admire, or people you recognize as having made a difference in your life, or in the world. Are they all supermodels? (I bet they're not.) Likely your list is chock full of smart, kind, creative, inventive, funny, talented, self-confident people. And hey, aren't you a couple of those things yourself? (And if self-confident isn't one of them, why not start today?)

3. Stop Talking About Your Weight (or your hair, face, whatever)

Every time you disparage yourself somebody is listening. Literally, your body 'hears' what you say and your negative feelings are reinforced and further internalized. So knock it off won'tcha? Because you're hurting the one you love you.

4. Don't Believe the Hype!

Remember: The objective of the fashion, cosmetic, diet, fitness and plastic surgery industries is not to inform, serve, guide or help you. It is to make money. And how do they make their gazillions of dollars? By suggesting that you need to be different, and that you need to spend money to get that way.

Think about it: Their very existence is predicated on you not liking you the way you are. Remember: You're the boss of you. Don't define yourself by arbitrary, external dictates. Instead, work on developing your own style. Have fun. Wear something weird. Or don't. Do what feels right, and you won't go wrong.

5. Concentrate on Things You Do Well

Why focus on what you don't like when you could just as easily focus on what you do like? Keep busy; there's nothing like talking with a friend or playing a vigorous game of volleyball to make you forget about your silly ole appearance. Change your focus, and you'll soon see a change in how you feel.

6. Get Physical for Fun

Your mood and your body both benefit from exercise. Take walks, dance around your room, plant a garden, jog. Or challenge yourself with team sports, snow boarding, surfing or mountain-biking. Just remember that moving is great for your heart, lungs, muscles and your mind. You gain so much; it's not just about losing weight.

7. Think of Yourself as a Role Model

Think people are watching you? You're right. Your little brothers, sister, cousins, the kids you baby-sit for, your neighbors they all look to you for guidance and inspiration. Show them they can be confident and self-loving by being that way yourself.

8. Love It -- It's Yours

Your body is constantly doing all these great things for you (it pretty much gets you where you want to go), why dis it? Think of it this way: If you bought a cute puppy, and then one day he didn't look the same anymore (puppies have a way of doing that) would you get rid of him? Would you love him any less? Of course not you love that dog unconditionally. Why not show yourself the same consideration you'd show a dog!

Ties - Not Only Men Exclusive Accessory

What can you say about ties? First thought which comes to almost everyone‘s mind is that ties are the main men’s‘ accessory for smart look. But that’s not the only use of ties. Women want to have the tailored sleek look so they also wear ties.

Ties are also good for women who want to be women. Sleek, skinny ties look good with the secretary look. It adds to the 'separates' i.e. the shirt/skirt or the shirt/trousers - the tailored, a sleek office girl look.

Of course ties are accessories. With the boyish chic look last year and the androgynous look previously, ties were certainly important. If you want to look like a woman looking like a man – use a tie as an accessory. The thing is that women want to be women. They want to use ties in their own way.

Some stylists might say that a tie isn't necessary to complete the tailored look. It is too much of an extra and they may be right. But you can use ties as a centre piece in the 'look'. You can wear the office chic look and for this a tie is important but it may not be essential of course. Some 'looks' for office girls do not have any ties. However, regarding skinny ties on a tailored shirts clinging to the body, this is an important look.

This is an office look. What about wide ties instead of the skinny ones? When summer season starts - can a tie be important for your look? A wide glossy 'glam' tie, which gives the 'color' to a look. For men, the tie was a 'color'; it added color to the whole appearance.

Sometimes, women are different. For them, a tie seems to be above all an accessory; it is not as important as for a man but that doesn't mean a tie doesn't have it's place in women fashion.

The boyish look was important in 2006 when ties were needed for this. Now, as fashion moves on from a boyish chic and military before this, ties are still important because they give color and glamour.

A tie can be the center piece. It can be a 'piece of color' in the center or it can be a piece of color around the neck (short tie). A tie is an accessory but it can be an accessory which aims to add color.

When we think of ties, it is men's wear accessory which go with suits. It is a necessity for smart look but a tie for women is an accessory, i.e. as regards fashion. As a boyish look and a military look go - a tie can be used. Yes, it will always be there for the 'sexy office girl look' which is popular and also as an accessory in high fashion. Tailored shirts will always be in fashion for women and a tie is an important extra to this kind of look.

But maybe there is more to ties than skinny ties. What about a broad short tie which adds color? What about a 'neckerchief'- a covering for the neck or a bow tie or a jabot shirts? Remember ties were the 'color' for men's suits. Maybe they can be the same for women.

So for all those women who still think that a tie is just a men accessory it should prove that it is not. Women can play using ties as well as men. For different looks ties fit women very well.

Bring a bling on!

Accessories can present a style, renew boring outfit and accentuate a personality. There have been various types of adornments in history: various necklaces, rings, bracelets, body piercing, but it seems like it’s time for new generation to come. You no longer need to string beads to wear them nor pierce your skin for jewellery. Instead of it, you can simply stick gems on you skin.

Jewellery for skin usage started in about 2000, but it already made its way to popularity. It’s a new way to show creativity and originality. Sticky beads are sold all over the world. You can find various shaped pieces (i.e. rounded, hearts, stars, triangle, flowers shaped, etc.) and apply them to the skin to compose a wanted ornament, or you can buy already designed crystal tattoo.

Crystals for tattoos are not necessarily actual crystals. They can be made out of various materials like glass, plastic, gemstones, noble metals or even precious stones. The price and usage depends on fabric and using purpose. Plastic and glass pieces are pretty cheap and can be found in most jeweler’s or make-up shops, while beads used in high fashion are made out of more precious elements.

Crystal stickers are mostly used for make-up and sticky tattoos. It is still innovation and common people don’t dare to exhibit these glossy adornments. However you don’t need to be a hip-hop diva to afford blingy style. Several crystals can finely accentuate make-up or even replace it at all. Crystal jewellery is comfort to wear stuck as a necklace or a bracelet. Once it is applied to body, it lasts for a few weeks and after taken from skin beads may even be used again and again. Therefore you can have one set of crystals and compose countless variations of accessories. Although field of usage seem to be pretty wide, sticky beads are mostly popular for tattoos. Young people decorate arms, necks or back with small ornamented pictures like butterfly, flower, initial letters, heart, dolphin and others. But if you are really patient and have a helper, crystal tattoos may become charming clothing.

Designer Jeanette Maskrey creates skin jewellery for more than six years. She is the one who decorated superstars like supermodel Kate Moss, Oscar winner Halle Berry and scandalous singer Britney Spears with spangly tattoos. Even Yoko Ono decided she was not too old to look stylish! Men want to shine as well, actor Josh Hartnett and rapper Diddy are fans of J. Maskrey. However it was not tattoos that made her famous. She was so into Swarovski crystals that she decided to dress up her models half in garments and half in gems. The collection was extremely successful, so J. Maskrey kept on going this way. Her models wear little dresses or shorts and have arms and legs tattooed with crystal ornaments.

More amazing outfits contain trousers/skirt and whole top created with gems stuck directly to skin. It may sound kitschy, but it looks glamorous for sure. These tops seem to be too daring to wear in public, but they idea of sticky crystals is adored by many celebrities. Shakira wore them at her hit “Hips don’t lie” video shooting. Glittering gems made her moves even more sexual. Although other designers often cooperate with J. Maskrey for her crystal ornaments, but whole outfits made out of gems are not very popular.

Skin jewellery definitely joined fashion business and everyday life. A lot of known accessories companies produce sticky tattoos beside other adornments; fashion designers choose them to suit their clothes. If you want to express yourself in a new way, crystal tattoos might be what you’re looking for.

Choose your lingerie carefully

Lingerie is one of the most intimate parts of our wardrobe. Women all over the world are having the same problem. How to choose the right lingerie, which will make you look astonishing, desirable, sensual and be comfortable at the same time?

There are so many different types and colors; you can almost loose your head. But first of all, you need to consider one thing; are you buying this underwear for yourself or for your man to look at.

Not always men appreciate the lingerie you choose. Obviously, men are more likely to admire sexy and exotic thongs or bare skin, rather then boys’ knickers or boxers. But, also, there are some general rules, which will help you to find the color, which suits you the most.

Strong colors, like rich green, dark blue and purple look better on brunettes and they will surely compliment your face and hair. And blondes will look wonderful in all the pastel shades of purple, blue and pink. This will not shade their bright hair and face features. If the nature gave you a nice red head, you can also take something from her, like all earth tones. Blue and green will accentuate your look. Those, who are changing their hair color often, will be pleased with white, black and red, these colors look excellent on everyone.

Skin color is also very important if you really want to buy the most suitable lingerie. Ladies, whose skin is light tanned, can wear a bit darker colors. Pastel colors suits women with pale geisha type of skin the best. The biggest options are for dark and ebony types of skin. They can put on all the pastel and powdery colors. Bright lingerie will accentuate the contrast of your skin. However, don’t forget, that blending your skin, hair and eye colors is very important too.

Not all women feel comfortable with their bodies. That is the reason, why a large number of ladies are concentrated on their body type when choosing lingerie.

Here are some tips how to accentuate your positive features and hide all those negative, you hate the most:

• -Women, who have very small hips, breasts or waist are recommended not to wear tight fitting but choose loose lingerie.
• 
  
• -If the nature gave you small breasts, you are able to divert all the attention to your legs and bottom, body area, which you are happy with.
• 
  
• -Not always large bust are an advantage. For many women it’s a problem, and they want to minimize their breasts. Stretch materials, like Lycra and Spandex, are able to fix up and decrease their size.
• 
  
• -If you are short and you think it’s a negative thing, you’re very wrong. You should simply choose lingerie that is not too long and loose. Specialized petite shops are proposing a large number of different type and style lingerie.
• 
  
• -The main tip to tall women is not to choose lingerie, which looks too short but supposed to be long. You should wear something that accentuates your long legs. The best styles are white and vertically striped.

If you want to feel very comfortable, you need to choose between all the natural and cozy fabrics, such as flannel and cotton.

Fabrics like satin, velvet and silk would be preferable for those, who like the soft touch.

If you are not able to choose any lingerie, wear none, like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.

High Fashion Elite – Solely for gays?

Men these days become more and more interested in their style comparatively to their interest in vogue one hundred or even twenty years ago. Although considerable part of guys seems to care about their clothes and look, the main customers of fashion market are women. There is a paradoxical situation there: almost all fashion production is dedicated for women, but almost all fashion designers are men. More surprising fact – numerous part of vogue professionals are gay men. It’s not a big sensation as homosexual men are often considered to be related to creative and artistic jobs, but how they took up fashion world? Don’t women know their own style better?

First of all, let’s remember the fact that not long ago main women “job” was to look after children, tidy a house and cook a dinner three times a day. In other words, it was inappropriate for a woman to take other responsibilities than household. Therefore, fashion business as well as all the other jobs was basically taken by men. Those times have passed, women fought for their rights, they proved they are equal or even better than men.

Yet we have surprising situation, approximately 85 percent people trying to enter fashion world are women, but those who achieve big success in haute couture are mostly men. How come females don’t reach the top? Probably they still are considered not to have characteristics and ambitious needed for leadership or as American designer Norma Kamali said “Women still prioritize getting married and having babies”. There were prominent women in the industry as Coco Chanel, Miuccia Prada and Donna Karan, however there were much more men who made an influence.

No matter what stop women from high success in fashion career, there must be something more that brings men, especially gays, to the triumph.

According to psychologists, women better ask a man’s opinion about their look. And also a woman prefers to receive an advice from a man to other female. If a woman can’t be impartial, there are reasons why straight men can’t make objective judgment as well. Everyone has their mind about style, but if a man tells a woman what to wear, he will most likely dress her up to please him. Think about it, if feminine fashion would be created by straight men only, women wouldn’t wear much clothes at all. Women find gay stylists more reliable adviser than others, because they seem to have fewer prejudices about females. And if one can put his prejudices apart, he becomes more opened for new ideas and solutions, which is very important for fashion designers.

There is no denying the fact that gay designers brought many great things to high fashion, not because of their different sexual orientation, but because of different kind of aesthetics. Giorgio Armani started a trend of formal suit jacket which could be worn by both men and women.

Calvin Klein spread unisex style even more with modern and simplified outfits and fragrance. He also impelled advertising to more sexual in Western Europe and North America when he introduced men underwear campaign billboard which pictured muscular guy with nothing but white panties in 1982. This scandalous campaign was followed by Klein’s jeans advertisement with expressive Brooke Shields saying she wouldn’t wear anything between her and Calvin’s clothes.

Once it was in question if a gay designer can accentuate femininity, but it was finely proved by famous Dolce & Gabbana, partners in creative work and ex-partners in personal life. Their collections show a woman in emphasized silhouettes, see-through puckered tunics and furs. She stuns with glamour and never takes off her high-heels. They both define their client as not a skinny model but a real woman, as they say “woman with hips and breasts”. D&G production is extremely popular among superstars as Madonna and Nicole Kidman.

Another outstanding man who’s not interested in girls, but surely can make them look wonderful is Tom Ford, designer that created clothes for various fashion companies like Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. He brought more sexy appearance to men and women wardrobe wherever he worked.

Ball gowns design by Tom Ford especially needs to be mentioned. They are adored by many celebrities for feminine and sensual look, like the one Charlize Theron wore at Oscar ceremony in 2004. There are much more great designers to mention; Gianni Versace with clothes that flatter a body finely, Yves Saint Laurent who promoted elegant formed dresses and many more who created present fashion.

Today’s trend slowly changes from unisex to accentuated differences in sex, but there aren’t such things like strictly womanlike fashion or strictly manly clothes no more. If a person can create wonderful garments, who cares about sex or sexual preference?