Make Up Trends Report

It takes just a glance at some of the popular music videos to see the make up trends that designers previously showed on the runway. Of course, everything in the show business is a tad more dramatic (salute Lady Gaga), but these trends are perfectly wearable in real life, if subdued a little (ok, maybe a little bit more).

So, what are the trends?

Emphasis on crease
(Christina Aguilera, Lady Gaga)

Eyeliner
Practically everyone is showing off the glamorous comeback of the black eyeliner old Hollywood look (Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera)

Long/False eyelashes
Oh, everyone is doing it!

Colorful lips and Nude lips.
Yes, both! This season, there really are no taboos when it comes to lipstick colors.

Abstract and dramatic make up touches, asymmetry, animal motifs, bright eye shadow colors (Rihanna, Kelis, Christina Aguilera, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus)

All of us make up lovers have a lot of room to get creative, experiment and have fun, so enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by!
XOXO

Fashion Trend Accent: Ruffles

One of the fashion trends that dominate this season is definitely *Ruffles* ruffles and more ruffles! 
Here's how leading designer names introduced this playful, youthful and feminine accent in clothing, on dresses, bags, shoes, skirts, jackets and even leather. Enjoy!

Valentino

Stella McCartney

Nina Ricci

D & G and Givenchy

Oscar de la Renta

Chanel

Photographs: Style.com

It is definitely worth giving this trend a try and don't forget to have fun with it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Black and White: The timeless couple

 I was immediately inspired by Jamie Nelson's photography. This black-and-white project really shows the true beauty of of this classic duo. White, the fundamental, all inclusive color, and black, the absence of color, symbolize complete opposites. Yet, when they work together in a pattern or an outfit, they only complement each others.

Black-and-white does not have to be a boring combo, or only associated with the corporate world. On the contrary, these two colors can convey a lot of different nuances to an outfit. The pattern is often  times what matters most, or at least how you play with black and white solid pieces. The end product can be a lot of fun. It can be edgy and hip (Yves Saint Laurent) or delicate (Oscar de la Renta, Tommy Hilfiger, Badgley Mischka). Black and white floral patterns can immediately suggest colors (DKNY), even if you're not wearing any (other than white and black, that is). Black and white stripes can create a very structured look with geometric elements (Givenchy). The possibilities really are endless.

See how some of the big names in the fashion world displayed Black-and-white ensembles for Spring/Summer 2010.

Runway photographs: Style.com

Thanks for looking!
Have a great day!

Shoe time: a pair of gorgeous Fendi heels

My hearth foes after these fabulous Fendi Silk-Tulle Ankle-Cuff sandals.  This suede stiletto is a brilliant example of this season's fashion trends in shoes: sky-high and chic. The silk tulle ankle cuff is a visually interesting detail that accentuates ankles which are an admired part of the female body. These would be just perfect with a little black dress or any mini. The heel is perfection 4 3/4'' (120mm) and the platforms is 1'' (25mm) so the heel actually compares to 3 3/4'' (95mm).

You can find these beauties at Saks Fifth Avenue (pictures above) for $675.

Thanks for checking out today's fashion pick.
Have a wonderful day!

Item of the Day: Youthful spring clutch

This Miu Miu Bird Suede and Python clutch (with optional braided rope shoulder strap) is an exquisite spring accessory. The striped fold-over clutch with bird embellishment and scalloped trim has an underlined youthful feel. The clutch has two interior compartments, internal patch pocket and magnetic fastening.

You can purchase this Miu Miu beauty from Net-a-Porter (pictures above) for $1,495.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Timeless Little Black Dress

Coco Chanel is definitely one of my idols and a real role model: a strong woman, a talented artist, a successful entrepreneur and a free spirit. However, this post is not about her fascinating persona, it's about what she gave to the world, and among many things, she gave us the little black dress. Any woman ought to have one and wear it proudly. There is nothing as brilliant as the simplicity, elegance and versatility of the little black dress. If I can pack only three items of clothing, one of them would definitely be a black dress (the other two being jeans and a blouse). That kind of dress will never go out of style and is constantly reinvented by designers, season after season, after season.

Here's how prominent designer names see the unique lbd. Enjoy!
Picture source:  Style.com

Add Instant Style with a Scarf (part 2)

The previous post showed how much celebrities love to keep warm in scarves and how uniquely versatile this little piece of fabric can be.

Now, let's see how some of the top designers used scarves in their collections for Spring  2010.

Chanel had some beautiful tulle wraps that are completely appropriate for a romantic look.

D&G show that a slim scarf goes well with any outfit and can even replace necklaces in a more casual ensemble.

Ralph Lauren and Nina Ricci used soft, delicate fabrics to top of a beautiful feminine line. Scarves were mostly tied in an European loop.

Make up trends for Spring/Summer 2010

Apart from clothing and accessories, it's worth noting what the make up trends are for Spring and Summer 2010.

It is definitely a time to highlight natural beauty.

The first must-do is: take care of your skin! Radiant skin is all we want to see for the months to come. Most designers emphasized flawless complexion with a minimal effect of 'visible make up.'

Give a rest to your favorite red lipstick, because we're keeping lips nude. It is still very much advisable to use chapstick or lipgloss (especially with SPF). You can also go for a peachy shade of gloss, or lipstick, as long as it is fresh-looking and natural.

We want to keep the eyes fresh as well. No heavy eyebrows or extremely black smokey eye make up. If you are a fan of the smokey eye (like myself), use slightly paler shades (grays and, yes, even colors). However, we want to see long eye-lashes, so do not hesitate to experiment with fake eye-lashes this season.

Here's what designers showed...

Versace went for a light, fresh and very girly look with lavender eye shadow, which apparently can look good on any complexion and eye color. Lips were kept nude and complexion - flawless.

Zac Posen also kept things simple and elegant. Eyes were very fresh with some emphasis on the crease and lashes. Lips were very natural, yet healthy-looking and lustrous. Careful blush placement created a very feminine and charming look.

Roberto Cavalli, Oscar de la Renta and Valentino also kept lips nude, but highlighted eyes with a generous hand of eye-liner.

Ralph Lauren kept make up absolutely natural-looking, where the only focus is keeping complexion flawless and emphasizing natural beauty.

I am very happy with the make-up fashion trends this year. Emphasizing natural beauty should never go out of style, and anyone can look and feel beautiful. I am pleased that this year's fashionable image is focused on a healthy feminine image.

Remember that no amount of expensive make-up is as important keeping your skin clean and nourished. There are many ways to do this effectively, and not all of them involve ridiculous amounts of money. Look for future posts on this topic.

Feel beautiful!

Chanel Spring/Summer 2010

When I talked about the fashion trend in accessories for Spring/Summer 2010, I intentionally left behind a prominent designer name - Chanel. I felt Chanel deserved a separate post with pictures from the collection. I really liked the line, which was very much traditional tweed/romantic chic feel with a fairytale spell.

Flowers appear to be an important inspiration for the designer as we see them in jewelry (and a saw a lot of beautiful pieces), shoes and bags. A lot of the purses looked like a piece of jewelry. Embellishments on clothes and belt added more to the romantic, princess-like silhouette.

Again, we saw big bangles and ornate bracelets, necklaces and rings.

Not surprisingly, we saw the signature ornate leggings. I am rarely a big fan of these, but this time i found Chanel's idea very charming. The 'kind-of-edgy' leggings counterbalanced the 'little-red-hat' image to create a very interesting look.

Enjoy!

There were quite a few minis in various colors - whites and pastels, but also more dramatic black dresses and black-and-whites.

Suits were also making a hit comeback (as was the case in most other designer collections).

(Photography: style.com)

Trendy Accessories Spring/Summer 2010

What are some of the leading trends in accessories for Spring/Summer 2010?

Big necklaces, bracelets, bangles, colorful handbags and clutch bags, belts, hats, brooches, ruffles, flowers, embroidery and lace.

If you're one of those gals who love to accessorize, you'll be happy to hear that this is the season when fashion gurus say: Go for it! Accessorize all you want, ladies, as it has never been more fashionable to do so. No color is a taboo, and bold color and pattern combinations are encouraged. Ruffles are to be found everywhere; on dresses, jackets, belts, handbags, shoes and even gloves. Flowers are also dominating the fashion runways, as jewelry, prints in fabrics, embroideries and, of course, in shoes. Hats are a trendy accessory, prescribed by many leading designers. Belt are a must have accessory for virtually any outfit.

See for yourself ...

Hats

Many designers had hats to complete their ladylike look, but we saw a variety of styles, textures and colors.

Bags

Bright and ornate clutches were not an isolated event of the fashion runways. Many of the handbags and clutches had a metallic element, chains, buckles and/or cuffs. In some cases, the clutch was also a beautiful piece of jewelry.

(Above: 1. Nina Ricci 2. Versace 3. Oscar de la Renta 4. Alexander McQueen)

(Above: 1. Chanel 2. Versace 3. Oscar de la Renta 4. Prada)

We also saw that ruffles, bows, embroidery and intricate embellishments look gorgeous on bags.

Belts

This season belts come in all shapes, colors and sizes. And who said you shouldn't wear a bright blue belt on top of a green-and-purple dress? It's the perfect time to be color-creative!

(Above: 1. Yves Saint Laurent 2. Alberta Ferretti 3. Oscar de la Renta 4. Ruffian 5. Tommy Hilfiger)

Bracelets and Bangles

Bracelets and bangles are a very trendy accessory this season. Oversized ones are especially in style. Floral elements were preferred by many designers, while others went for a more abstract designs. In my opinion, they are are all gorgeous.

(Above: 1. Yves Saint Laurent 2. Proenza Schouler 3. Chanel 4. Oscar de la Renta 5. Vera Wang 6. Valentino 7. Alexander McQueen)

Necklaces

Super bold and artsy necklaces are all the buzz.

(Above: 1. Zac Posen 2. Vera Wang 3. Roland Mouret 4. Oscar de la Renta)

Brooches

These are the ultimate ladylike accessory.

Photographs: style.com