Thursday, March 15, 2012
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Fashion As We May Know It
Foods That’ll Make You Beautiful
Blueberries and PomegranatesBoth of these fruits are bursting with antioxidants called anthocyanins, which help protect you from fine lines and dryness by neutralizing the free radicals that weather your skin. Plus, their high vitamin C content enhances the production of collagen, which keeps your skin nice and plump. (And weighing in at less than 100 calories a cup, they have the opposite effect on your waistline.
Dark Chocolate
The sweet stuff contains high levels of flavonoids, potent antioxidants that can help protect your skin from sun damage and amp up blood flow to your tissues, keeping skin nourished and glowing. Look for chocolate that's at least 70 percent cacao (it has more antioxidants), and use restraint. If you've been known to take down a giant chocolate bar in one sitting, buy individually wrapped nuggets instead and stick to one or two (about one ounce) a day.
Spinach
Spinach is another powerhouse of vital nutrients and antioxidants that help fight inflammation and free-radical damage—precursors to fine lines and wrinkles. It's also loaded with a kind of antioxidant called lutein, which helps eyes stay healthy and bright. Most important, spinach is an all-star source of vitamin A (beta-carotene), which helps speed up skin cell turnover and keeps skin supple. (And from this beta-carotene, your body generates its very own retinol, which makes skin firm and resilient.) All this and it's nearly calorie-free: One cup of raw spinach has just seven calories and 55 percent of your RDA of vitamin A (700 IU). For variety, swap spinach for kale, collard greens, and Swiss chard—all of which have similar look-pretty powers.
Walnuts
You don't have to gnaw more nuts than a squirrel to enjoy their many perks—smoother skin, healthier hair, brighter eyes, and stronger bones. Eating just one ounce of walnuts (about 14 halves) by themselves or in your salad, pasta, or dessert will supply you with your daily dose of the nutrients (namely omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E) that are responsible for these radiant results. Other top nuts include hazelnuts, pistachios, and almonds.
Eating one cup of plain low-fat yogurt knocks off nearly half of your RDA of calcium with about 450 milligrams of the nutrient—and calcium is key for strong nails and teeth. Plus, eight ounces is packed with two grams of zinc (25 percent of the RDA), which helps calm skin inflammation, treat rosacea, and prompt regeneration of cells.
Green Tea
Warm up to this soothing brew’s antioxidants, called catechins, which can help prevent certain skin cancers and stave off sunburns. The variety of tea with the highest concentration of catechins is called matcha.
For all the pretty perks, drink two cups a day. If you aren’t into tea, try sprinkling green matcha powder (available at health-food stores) into a yogurt parfait or homemade smoothie. And if you’re trying to cut down on caffeine, worry not. With just 26 milligrams of caffeine per six-ounce cup, green tea has about half as much as a cup of black tea.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Ways to Soothe Your Winter Skin
Hydrate with Honey
Los Angeles aesthetician Kate Somerville's product line is coveted by celebs like Rachel Bilson, but sometimes she advises her clients to use products in their pantry. ?Honey is a great hydrator, so it will attract water to your skin cells and then lock it in. It also has antimicrobial properties, so it?s great for all skin types, especially the acne prone.? Her secret recipe: ?Take a teaspoon of honey and massage it onto clean skin. Leave it on for about ten minutes and then rinse with warm water. Your skin will feel so soft and smooth.?
Bring Humidity Indoors
?Air is naturally drier in the winter and we spend so much more time indoors getting dried out by heating systems, so humidifiers are a must,? says New York City dermatologist, Cybele Fishman. We like the Air-O-Swiss Travel Ultrasonic humidifier ($50; amazon.com).
Get Steamy
?Avoid the sauna, which is dry heat. But embrace a steam bath or long hot shower,? advises Fishman. ?When you get out, immediately lather a thick moisturizer on damp skin. Since the steam has opened up your pores, your skin is extra absorbent." We like to slather on Aveeno Calming Lotion for extra dry skin ($8; drugstore.com).
Soften Your Soles
If you?re brave enough to rock a strappy stiletto in single digit temps, your feet better be on their A game. Fishman suggests rubbing in a decadent foot cream and sleeping in socks, ?so the moisturizer will penetrate the thickest layers of the skin.? We love Just Shea Foot Cream ($55; justshea.com), made with orange peel and sesame oil; net profits from the sale are reinvested to charitable causes, like the One Village Planet-Women's Development Initiative.
Lighten Up Your Moisturizer
Stars like Madonna and Liv Tyler have facialist Tracie Martyn on speed dial. Martin says, ?The holidays makes skin even worse as alcohol is over-consumed and drinking water gets forgotten. As skin can get congested from fried party-food a light moisturizer or serum with hyaluronic acid is preferable to heavy creams based on mineral oil.? We love her Firming Serum ($185; traciemartyn.com), which delivers quick results and smells fresh
Day to Night Makeup Looks
Weekday A.M.: Pretty and Polished
Smooth skin. When you wake up, your skin is in its most dewy state, so you don’t need to cover it up much, says NYC dermatologist Francesca Fusco. Just apply a thin veil of a sheer foundation. Then dab a creamy concealer over blemishes and under-eye circles.
Rosy cheeks. Because your circulation is slower in the morning, your cheeks will look kind of pale, says Dr. Fusco. Amp up your flush factor with cream blush, then swirl on a powder bronzer for a subtle boost
Weekday P.M.: Gorgeous and GlowySmooth skin. When you wake up, your skin is in its most dewy state, so you don’t need to cover it up much, says NYC dermatologist Francesca Fusco. Just apply a thin veil of a sheer foundation. Then dab a creamy concealer over blemishes and under-eye circles.
Rosy cheeks. Because your circulation is slower in the morning, your cheeks will look kind of pale, says Dr. Fusco. Amp up your flush factor with cream blush, then swirl on a powder bronzer for a subtle boost
Silky skin. By night your skin is dehydrated, says Dr. Fusco. Reach for a moisturizing foundation to look fresh. Then hide blemishes with concealer and dust shiny spots with a light layer of powder.
Gleaming cheeks. Ever notice how your face seems to get ruddy as the day goes on? Stress and caffeine intake can create extra redness by causing blood vessels to swell and expand under the skin, says Dr. Fusco. So don’t pile on more blush — just brighten your existing shade with a sweep of gold shimmer powder.
Weekend A.M.: Bronzed and Breezy
Sun-kissed skin. Extra sleep on the weekend helps boost blood flow, making under-eye circles less obvious. So just use a tinted moisturizer with SPF and top it off with liquid bronzer.
Radiant cheeks. Chances are, you’re already rosy, since you’re getting more heart-pumping activity (like power shopping) than during the week, notes Dr. Fusco. Play up your natural flush with a hint of cream blush on the apples of your cheeks.
Weekend P.M.: Seductive and Sexy
Iridescent skin. After the sun goes down, it’s prime time to connect with guys. That means you’ll want to reveal more of yourself, skin included. To really glow, apply shimmer powder on key areas — the brow bone, cheekbones, and décolletage.
Tawny cheeks. Adjust to the darkness of your surroundings with a more dramatic blush than you’d wear during the day. But apply it before you go out. Bar lighting tends to be cavelike, so you could overdo it by accident.
A Guide Before You Start To Shop
TRY LOTS OF SIZES
SHOPE ALONE
Friends are fun for a second opinion, but the best way to concentrate on what you’re looking for (and to save time!) is to go solo. In the end, you're the one who will wear what you're
CHECK YOURSELF OUT
Take your time trying things on: Look in a three-way mirror, walk, bend, stretch and sit down to see how the garment will wear. If you can, see how the piece looks in different lighting.
BUY FOR THE BODY YOU'VE GOT
Even if you’re planning to lose a little weight, don't buy clothes that are too tight—they'll only make you appear heavier. Remember, the idea is to look good now, and you will—even with that extra five pounds—if your clothes fit your body properly. You can always have a piece taken in post-diet
ACCESSORIZE ON THE SPOT
Try on a dress with or without stockings; with a thin belt and a thick one; slip on a heel, then flats. Do not be embarrassed to ask salespeople to help you get whatever you need.
DON'T FORGET YOUR KICKS
Try on pieces with the right shoes—you'll never get the full effect in your flip-flops. Forgot your heels? Borrow a pair (with permission) from the shoe
Drop a Dress Size in 6 Weeks
This easy-to-follow workout, appropriate for all fitness levels, targets your butt, abs, hips, waist, thighs, and upper arms. Here's the drill.
• Before starting, stretch and do a five-minute warm-up (a quick walk or stair climb).
• Use a pair of hand weights: three to five pounds each if you're a beginner, eight to ten if you're already working out.
• Count to three as you do the move, and as you return to the start position. Exhale as you lift, inhale on the way down.
• If you can't do more than eight reps, you're using too much weight; if you can do 15 without trouble, you're not using enough.
The Plan: During weeks one and two, complete all six exercises (this is called a circuit) for the number of sets listed. Starting with week three, increase the number of sets; by week six you should be completing three sets of each exercise. Do a circuit two to three times a week, giving yourself at least 48 hours of rest in between each session.
The Legacy Lives!!!
From super low-slung trousers to skull scarves, extreme shoes to sharp tailoring, British designer Alexander McQueen, who was found dead on Thursday, was the darling of the fashion pack. But exactly what difference did he make?
Lauded in the style industry and among those who keep a close eye on emerging trends, Alexander McQueen's contribution to fashion could, nevertheless, be lost on many others. But many High Street favorites of the past two decades bear his influence. So how did McQueen shape the things we've worn?
LOW-SLUNG JEANS
The bumster... worn low - very low
Alexander McQueen was the man who made the builder's bum fashionable. His "bumsters", which appeared in 1996, spawned the trend in perilously low-rise, crevice-revealing jeans.
"The bumster for me is what defined McQueen," says Michael Oliveira-Salac, the director of Blow PR and a friend of McQueen's from his early days in the fashion industry. "For me it was the look that put him on the map because it was controversial."
"Those little bumsters were in his first shows. It was like 20 people in England were wearing them back then."
It was a look that spread and spread, although few dared go as low as McQueen's signature buttock-baring style. As hipster jeans became ubiquitous throughout the 1990s and 2000s, a new term, "muffin top", was coined to describe the resulting over-hang of hip flesh caused by low-riding waistbands.
Today the sight of muffin tops over jeans or a sneaky flash of bottom cleavage might not seem too shocking - unfashionable, perhaps, now women's waistbands have edged closer to the waist once more - but when McQueen first sent out his models in bumsters, it was a radical departure and attracted many column inches of comment and debate.
Mr Oliveira-Salac says the style achieved what McQueen set out to do. "It wasn't about it being frivolous, it was about being different."
SKULL PRINTS
Skulls on bags, scarves, dresses...
One enduring motif which McQueen transported from catwalk to the High Street was the skull. His trademark scarf bearing the design has become a celebrity must-have. Johnny Depp, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Ritchie and Cameron Diaz are among the stars who have been snapped wearing it.
"It is a trademark heritage scarf which is being copied by the world and his wife," explains Faye Sawyer, a stylist and fashion editor of 125 magazine. "You can go into any High Street store and buy one," she adds.
The McQueen skull clutch bag is another sought-after accessory that has sparked many a counterfeit.
TAILORING
McQueen trained on Savile Row, then moved to theatre costumiers Angels
McQueen started as an apprentice on Savile Row - the spiritual home of bespoke British men's tailoring. It was grounding that helped earn him a reputation in the fashion world as an expert at creating an impeccably tailored look.
As Alexandra Shulman, the editor of British Vogue explains: "He was incredibly clever at cutting clothes."
In cutting his teeth at Anderson & Sheppard, and Gieves and Hawkes, McQueen learned the disciplines of shape and proportion in traditional tailoring. During this time he even made a suit for Prince Charles.
As Eilidh Macaskill, the editor of InStyle magazine explains, McQueen wasn't just about crazy looks on the catwalk.
"He also created beautiful, beautiful wearable clothes… the razor-sharp suit, the pencil skirts, the beautiful prints in the spring and summer collection."
Sawyer believes the way McQueen's clothes were tailored had an impact beyond the catwalk. "The cut is everything. It affected fashion and it filtered on to the High Street."
THEATRICAL CATWALK SHOWS
He had a taste for drama and shock
Birdcages, butterflies, feathered wings, towering heels and even a catwalk filled with water - McQueen is credited with bringing theatrical drama to the catwalk.
McQueen used new technology and innovation to add a twist to proceedings. In 2006 he projected a holographic 3D image of model Kate Moss on to the runway. He also experimented with streaming his catwalk shows live on the internet. Earlier shows featured a volcanic catwalk that erupted in flames, and a giant Plexiglass snowstorm.
He envisioned fashion and the different aspects of art at many different levels. "His shows were always ahead of their time, it was like a full-on production.
And his extravagant and colourful shows were always a hot ticket in the fashion world. "I've seen people fighting in the queues at his shows to get in," she says.
MOULD-BREAKING MODELS
Theatrical in every way
McQueen liked to shock and surprise people at his catwalk shows, and wasn't a designer who liked to conform to fashion industry norms.
In 1998 he caused controversy when double amputee Aimee Mullins, a former Paralympian, modelled on the catwalk wearing a pair of hand-carved wooden prosthetic legs.
"You always expected the unexpected with Alexander McQueen. Everyone was waiting to see who was on the catwalk, and what they were wearing.
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"Supermodels were never treated like royalty. He was one of the designers who didn't care about that social standing," he says. "When he worked with top models he loved to get them out of their comfort zone."
EXTREME SILHOUETTES
Making the beautiful ugly, or the ugly beautiful?
Some of McQueen's most memorable designs were outlandish, unconventional and plain bizarre.
"He didn't just create fashion, he created spectacles," says the fashion designer Scott Henshall.
For McQueen the creative palette extended further than just clothes, says Mr Oliveira-Salac.
"It wasn't just about the clothes - it was the whole look. The lipstick and the make-up was very prominent."
Some of his gothic inspired make-up creations had fashion editors divided. The heavy eyes, and clownishly defined lips were inspired by McQueen's theatrical side. He even collaborated with the cosmetics company MAC to devise make-up ranges.
"He was a creator. He wasn't just a fashion designer," says Helen Boyle. "He just upped the tempo in the way that he designed."
No mention of Alexander McQueen's influence would be complete without reference to the towering high-heeled footwear he was responsible for.
Pop star Lady Gaga managed to get through an entire music video wearing a pair of McQueen's Armadillo Shoes, which are 12cm high and resemble a lobster claw. And he was never one to simply make a hat when he could turn it into part snood, part gimp-mask, part taxidermy installation.
His silhouettes have been credited for adding a sense of fantasy, rebellion and edge to fashion.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Fall 2011 trend Geometric color blocking
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Antonio berardi, Celin, DKNY, Costume National all images via Style.com   |
This fall season, the fashion designers are using geometric color block against black and brown background. These creative graphic stripes and angle prints will flatter your body by directing attention to your flattering features. For this bold statement, you need to wear a geometric print top with solid color bottom.
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