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10-04-2012
Americana sale hopes rise after Bench and Hooch clothing ranges perform well abroad
International success has rekindled hopes of a sale for the
Manchester-founded fashion group behind the Bench and Hooch brands.
Newly released accounts for the year to June 2011 reveal that Americana
increased turnover from $121m to $148m despite a six per cent decline in
UK sales. The major successes for Americana came in Europe, where sales
surged by 49 per cent. Management said that profits before interest,
tax, depreciation and amortisation increased from $26.6m to $27.The girls in leggings
key to dressing to body-type is accentuating a woman's best features.
By showing off her best features, any woman can look great and feel
amazing.2m.No matter how beautiful your flower girl is, if the icicles glass dildos
is pretty uncomfortable, it distracts your little girl from looking
good and feeling beautiful while walking down the aisle. The strong
performance enabled the group's private equity shareholders, HG Capital,
to collect a $15m dividend. However, looking ahead to the second half
of 2011 and 2012, the group said that current economic conditions still
create uncertainty over demand.
There are further concerns about the increasing cost of raw
materials and labour prices in China, where the vast majority of
Americana's products are made. Currency fluctuations are also a concern
for the company. It was reported last year that HG Capital had appointed
NM Rothschild to advise on options for Manchester-based Americana last
year. It was reported that a proposed sale had been put on hold due to
the uncertain consumer spending climate. Headquartered in Ardwick,
Manchester, Americana has 130 staff in the city and a 700 across 30-plus
stores worldwide. HG Capital acquired Americana from Isis Equity
Partners in a 2007 deal valued at $190m.Instead of wearing the kids halloween costumes
on which pair of shoes in your wedding on the beach, consider the idea
of going barefoot. She likes the feeling of cool sand between your
toes to crush.
"Our Spring issue focuses on a world of direction and escapism, and
having a visually stunning videogame franchise such as FINAL FANTASY
work alongside us and a leading fashion brand like Prada to create
something so unique is incredible," said Max Pearmain, Arena Homme+'s
editor. "I've always been interested by the power of videogames and
their place in society,If you would like take a chance and wait ahead of
a final possible second, sometimes you'll have access to loads and you
may even need to along with a differentgood vibrations toydress.
and the amount of work that's gone into this project blows my mind.
We're incredibly pleased with the result."The CGI images of the
characters and clothing were made by Square Enix's Visual Works studio.
The character designers from the FF games also contributed.
Kate Middleton's Fashion Fertile Ground for Knock-off and Counterfeit Clothes!
Kate Middleton's stunning good looks, style sense,Short women can look
taller and leggier by choosing dresses with asymmetrical hemlines and
short girl halloween costume.
Many petite-size young ladies look especially pretty in delicate
feminine styles. and marriage into the British Royal family has
certainly been at the top of the discussion for more than a Therefore im
not really an expert upon Lolita my wholesale women g-spot and clit vibrator is through research depending on an interest and the knowledge that it is growing rapidly.year.The top large glass dildos
are an ideal solution for any elegant or casual event. It is the outlet
for your next gala. Top experts make strong emphasize on the need of
black proposals. Of course, as everyone clamors to buy the exact same
fashion that the Duchess of Cambridge models in the tabloids on a near
daily basis,However the occasions possess transformed now-a-days the
actual curvy in addition dimension style business is actually gaining
interest that provides numerous shops to look for that correct creative halloween costumes. an entire generation of knock-off goods and counterfeit apparel has appeared on the black market.This is hardly shocking.
Middleton probably has more influence on fashion right now than any
designer or model. So, Asian knock-offs were inevitable. One only has to
look as far as eBay. That's right. Kate Middleton wears a blue designer
dress and within days, there is a fake version of the expensive
designer dress made at a fraction of the cost. Consumers are buying
these counterfeits believing they are getting the same clothes that the
Duchess of Cambridge has worn.This obviously puts a huge dent into the
profits of the designers of the original outfits. It is also a cash cow
for the sweat shops creating the cheap, low-quality fakes.
There have been countless examples of fake clothes and jewelry and
there is almost no way to stop it.Unfortunately these people are using
Kate Middleton's image as their advertisement for these goods and not
only taking advantage of unsuspecting consumers, but putting a major
dent in the wallets of the fashion designers whose clothing and
accessories she wears. How much of a dent? Estimates are that companies
stand to lose multiple millions of dollars because of counterfeit Kate
Middleton clothes.
Buying clothes, particularly from overseas sellers, can result in the
customer being hit with expensive shipping costs if an item needs to be
exchanged or returned.So before buying clothes online, you need to shop
carefully.The glamour and beauty of these special day hand blown glass dildos
tend to be enough for making jaws fall. Come springtime and summer,
youll have a few short sleeve dresses for day time wear and glam
nights.Ebay's head of fashion in Australia and New Zealand, Jo-Ann Hicks
says depending on the seller or retailer, the costs of returning or
exchanging items can differ greatly."Return policies do vary and it does
depend on the seller," she says."A lot offer free shipping because it's
becoming the standard."Retailers are learning to engage with consumers
and in order to attract key consumers they need to offer free shipping
and need to offer customers a good service and low or free returns as
well.Certainly creates an attractive real g-spot stimulation gazebind bra stronger statement. If you are the trendy ladies along with attractive prominence."
Ebay statistics show the online shopping site is a haven for web
shoppers and in 2011 clothing, footwear and accessories were purchased
every eight seconds.Hicks urges shoppers to be thorough before making a
purchase and to check the sizing especially if buying clothing overseas
because sizing is different to Australian sizes.Lisa Gerrard, webstore
manager from Australian fashion store Pilgrim, says she's seen huge
growth in online shopping, but warns shoppers to read the website
thoroughly before making a purchase and understand the terms and
conditions.
"You need to be mindful of the exchange and refund policy before you
shop," she says."Shop with brands you know and trust and keep an eye
out for online methods of communication where you can get instant
feedback."Is their good customer service,This might additionally result
in the give up upon design whilst choosing dr. laura berman lila vibrating bullet.
There are numerous creative designers who're having to pay unique
interest is actually creating gown along with range within the in
addition dimension site. if you're unsure about making a purchase can
you get instantaneous feedback."Pilgrim has 19 stores in Australia and
Gerrard says online shopping allows the fashion outlet to have a wider
reach of shoppers."Only in the last nine months we've been shipping
internationally,There are many wholesale women halloween costumes 2012
that are more complicated in their detail within the use of
decorations. These cheap dresses decorated having sequins Herve Leger
and stones according to individual taste." she says."Prior to that it
was just Australia and New Zealand, and through our Ebay store currently
it's just Australia wide."
Now that we're in the fourth week of Fashion Star, the underwhelming reality spectacle aimed at making a fashion star out of a nobody, we're asking ourselves: Is there anything that Jessica Simpson doesn't like? Not surprisingly, she's a fan of both the good and the bad, whether it sells or not.Granted, there's been a ton of sales. Host/supermodel Elle Macpherson, channeling Axl Rose circa now in black leather pants and black feathered shoulders, says that more than a million dollars have been made from sales. That's still the only attraction to the show: attainable designs rapidly available online and in stores.
This week, the designers are asked to create a high-end look and a counter low-end look with mass-market appeal. Such emphasis of both markets shows that the designer has versatility. As mentor John Varvatos tells the designers during his studio visit, both looks must have a common thread.As Simpson makes her rounds, she tells Orly Shani, who doesn't consider herself a high-end designer, that her high-end looks low-end and vice versa. Shani takes her advice and swaps the looks. Sarah Parrott, an H&M favorite and our personal pick to be the first Fashion Star, is having a mini-breakdown in the studio as she attempts to make a red dress look high-end.
On the runway, Shani presents high-end first via black "Hollywood" pants that convert from high-waist to low-waist by simply folding them down. All right, obviously this girl loves her "two-for" inter-changable looks, but pants that folds up and down at the waist scream "maternity wear." Her low-end look is a drappy, loose-fitting "slouchy" trouser pant that can also be adjusted with the drawstrings at the sides. Parrott shows two dresses: a high-end, red v-neck and knee-length dress, plus a low-end white short dress with defined shoulders and exposed sides and back.
The long boho-chic dress has been around for some time, made popular by style setters in the 70s. Something about it seemed so easy, breezy, cool, so laissez-faire that it begged to be called up again during stressful and tight economic times.Prom Dress Giveaway in Norwalk on Saturday. A street style favorite, and seen on spring runways from Chloe to Haider Ackermann, the maxi dress is headed straight for "new classics" territory.
While runways often feature ankle-length skirts and dresses in a very specific regard (evening, edgy-cool, or Daisy Buchanan), they have the potential to supplant your favorite pair of boyfriend jeans or cut-offs to be THE piece you grab for in your closet when you're stumped about what to wear. They work for date night, errands, brunch, and even summer cocktail parties under the stars. Grab a basic version in black or grey jersey knit and some tips about how to dress it up or down, and you'll find yourself with a few extra dollars in your purse for lack of needing an entirely new spring wardrobe.
Try pairing your maxi with a fitted blazer and a pair of flat sandals. Wear your signature jewelry pieces and revel in the chic that simplicity brings. If you're an accessories girl, feel free to wrap a decorative scarf around your neck or brightly colored silk scarf around your wrist for a pop of color.Often times, a woman's shape is her greatest asset, which is one reason why the maxi is so brilliant. If you buy it fitted, with a touch of Lycra in the weave, it'll hug you in all the right places, emphasizing your hips and waist differential. If you buy it a little bit loose, you've given yourself the opportunity to play with belts to give your curves the spotlight.
Like wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses, prom dresses are rarely donned more than one special night. That's why Christian Community Action (CCA) has been able to collect over 400 sparkly, satiny, glamorous gowns to give away free to area high school girls just in time for prom season.CCA's fourth annual Prom Dress Extravaganza takes place this Saturday, March 31, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Norwalk Y, 370 West Ave., Norwalk. The Y's racquetball courts will be staged with garment racks and dressing rooms with mirrors, and a staff of doting prom moms will be on hand to help out.
Dresses are free, one per girl, for girls from Norwalk and all surrounding communities. First come first served!Christian Community Action Coalition Executive Director Christi Pope says most dresses have only been worn once, many are new, and some even have $200 price tags still attached. Many dresses were collected by the New Canaan High School Fashion Show Committee, and others were donated by the Wilton Women's Club. Pope says that, in addition to traditional prom dresses, there are usually a few bridesmaid and wedding gowns in the mix.
Girls can also pick up evening bags and select from more than 50 pairs of brand-new strappy evening shoes, donated by Chou Chou in Wilton.CCA's main mission is to help provide basics like food, furniture, and financial assistance to Norwalk area residents in need. A prom dress doesn't fall into the basic needs category, but Pope says the program helps people feel good in spite of circumstances. And, she adds, the event is as exciting for the women who volunteer as it is for the girls. It's so fun to be a part of helping girls get dressed up for the prom, Pope says.
Junior League's Cinderella's Closet offers gently used & affordable new formal dresses
Fairy tale endings don't have to be fiction, at least not according to the Junior League of Scranton.For the ninth year in a row, the women's organization is sponsoring Cinderella's Closet, a unique boutique that offers gently used and affordable new formal dresses perfect for teens' proms or semiformal occasions on Wednesday, April 11, from 4 to 8 p.m. in Shopland Hall at Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple.All dresses are $10 and shoppers also can pick up accessories such as shoes, jewelry and handbags in a range of styles, colors, shapes and sizes for under $10.Dress Up Your Baby Bump In Style.
"I think you'd have to really work hard to not find something that can work for you. We have such a variety," said chairwoman Krista Pasko of Lake Winola, who has been involved with Junior League and the fundraiser for the past six years."We just think with the economy being the way it is now, we like to offer this option to young women at a rate they can more readily and easily afford," Mrs. Pasko continued. "We don't want to hear about anybody being deprived of the option of going because of the cost."She added that the price of prom tickets alone has skyrocketed in the last several years, and though the League can't help students with that, Mrs. Pasko is proud to be part of the effort to make the rest of the experience as stress-free as possible.
The items found in Cinderella's Closet have been gathered through dress drives at schools and donations from local businesses and individuals. Items still are being collected at designated drop-off points, including the historic Tripp House at 1011 N. Main Ave. in Scranton this Tuesday and April 3 from 6 to 8 p.m., and on the second floor of The Mall at Steamtown near the escalator on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.A preview of the clothes that will be available is scheduled for Monday, April 9, at 6 p.m. in center court of The Mall at Steamtown during a fashion show. Local high school students will model some of the fashions that shoppers can buy later that week during the Cinderella's Closet event.
Have you stopped outing with your family simply because you are pregnant and not able to find out stylish and comfortable clothes suitable for pregnancy?Pregnancy is a period that needs special care in clothing. But hunting for maternity wear sometimes proves to be very tough and tiring.Now choose and embrace the comforts of season's best trends with one simple click. New Look, an award winning fashion retailer, has launched a new Online Maternity Shop to celebrate the vibrant range of maternity collection.
The new Online Maternity Shop offers gorgeous, stylish, maxi dresses that complement the new curves.If you are more concerned about your favorite maternity brands, don't worry. The shop has some famous maternity brands including "Mamalicious," a brand that allows expectant mothers to dress up their bump than hiding it.For the latest range of "Heavenly Bump Styles," designed by mums for the mums to be, just log on to the website and select from a large collection of maxi dresses, tunics and jeans with an affordable price.
Just follow New Look's maternity jeans style guide and choose from an under bump waistband that shows off the curves by sitting low on the waist or over bump for jeans that sit high on the waist and offer more support.The latest on-trendy skinny jeans in the shop look great with long line tops and tunics and boot cut jeans that help balance out the new body shape.
Every girl worries and obsesses about getting that perfect dress for that perfect night.They spend hour after hour trying on dress after dress. Many girls don't even know where to start, and many brand-name dress stores are overpriced for low-quality dresses. So, to begin finding a memorable dress, the question might not start with "what dress,"but maybe "what store?"Relative but 'Unfit for Optical Nutrition'in Some Occasions and Places. The first piece of advice: do not start at the most expensive stores. They most likely will have very simple, solid-colored dresses, so unless that's what you are looking for, don't shop at them. It would be better to start in places that have a small section of dresses, because they will be a little more unique. Stores like Macy's, Dillard's and Nordstrom would be perfect for this .
If you can't find a dress you want in places like this, don't give up just yet. The most beautiful and unique dresses are found in the store that seems least probable. Do not be afraid to go to a vintage store. These types of stores have the most unique styles. You will definitely be the only one wearing a dress you bought at a vintage store at your dance, and it might even be the dress that gets the most attention. Another positive factor is that these stores are not as expensive! Two great places to consider are Rockin Robins in Niwot and Candy's Vintage Clothing in Boulder.
Relative but 'Unfit for Optical Nutrition'in Some Occasions and Places
We do acknowledge that more extensive changes, requiring more time, money, and effort to effect, may span generations.The rate of change of fashion varies, and so modifies the style in wearing clothes and its accessories within days, or months, especially in small social groups or in communications media-influenced-modern societies.When fashion changes, the message communicated by clothing, changes too- a change that requires serious scrutiny or else social scandal may arise. A good number of young people today, perhaps with a few adults, take this social change in clothing as being modern if not liberal in terms of dress code.
They may be liberal and modern, but it is awkward seeing a person in places like funerals, church, hospital, or visiting old parents in the villages, wearing outfits that leave little to the imagination, such as fishnet mini dresses, micro-minis, tight-leggings, extreme 'balance'(for men)... and many other provocative clothes.Is that being modern really, or dressing up for the wrong occasion? Why not save it for the right occasion?Dress codes are written and, more often, unwritten rules with regards to clothing. Clothing like other aspects of human physical appearance has a social significance, with different rules and expectations being valid depending on circumstance and occasion.
Different societies and cultures have different dress norms, although Western styles are commonly accepted as suitable.The dress code has built in rules or signals indicating the message being given by a person's clothing and how it is worn.Seamstresses turn a little know-how into Little Dresses for Africa. This message may include indications of the person's gender, income, occupation and social class - political, ethnic and religious affiliation, attitude and attitude towards comfort, trend, traditions, gender expression, marital status and sexual orientation.
Seamstresses turn a little know-how into Little Dresses for Africa
From the dark confines of Madison-area linen closets, pillowcases will soon reappear in African sunlight on the backs of girls who'd otherwise be wearing rags.A group of women gathered recently at the new Sewcial Lounge on Monroe Street to turn pillowcases into dresses that will be sent to orphanages, community groups and churches. The Little Dresses for Africa project, which was founded in 2007 in Michigan, has so far sent 560,000 dresses to 33 African nations.Turning a pillowcase into a dress is a beginning level sewing project that can be completed in about an hour, according to Sewcial Lounge owner Sara Myers. "We didn't want anybody not to come because they're not a good sewer."
For the project, machines were loaned to volunteers free of charge and some people brought their own."Some people use new pillowcases, but some use vintage pillowcases as long as they're in good condition," Myers said. "Pillowcases don't wear out as fast as sheets."The premise of Little Dresses for Africa is that any individual or group can sew dresses at their convenience and send them to the organization.Wisconsin's contribution to the project has been enormous, said project founder Rachel O'Neill. She was invited to appear on Nancy Zieman's nationally syndicated PBS show "Sewing with Nancy" to talk about her project.
"After that appearance, dresses started pouring in from all over the U.S.," she said.A partnership developed between the nonprofit and Nancy's Notions, which is based in Beaver Dam.The company, with volunteer help, accepts the donated dresses, sizes and sorts them and gets them ready for shipping."So far we've received 69,208 dresses," said Lori Bartruff, vice president of human resources at Nancy's Notions.Dresses have come in from all 50 states and other developed countries, and many area women drop off dresses at the company's headquarters.
Students make getting prom dresses easy, affordable
The glitz and glamour of prom is coming soon. For girls, it means the perfect hair and make-up, a beautiful manicure, and of course that stunning prom dress. But many parents cringe at the thought of spending hundreds of dollars for a dress that can only be worn once.Pearl City High School sophomores, Korissa Blasing and Morgan Curry, wanted to help. They call their project "The Girl in the Green Dress" because it is like recycling prom dresses."I really, really wanted to do it when a girl at our school said she couldnt go to prom because of money issues," Blasing said. "I figured that if we found dresses that we could give to people cheap.
It is pointless to buy an expensive dress for one night for only one person to wear it."Spanish teacher Kim Hanson said, "Korissa came to me with the idea and I like planning things. I thought it would be fun to involve all the girls. We decided to invite all of the smaller schools in our volleyball conference. I know Freeport and East Dubuque do like a prom dress drive. They have so many girls in one school, all they have to do is invite the people in that school and they have the selection. So, we had to invite a lot of schools to get those numbers up."
Curry added, "We invited Lena-Winslow, Stockton, Warren, Aquin, Dakota, Pecatonica, Milledgeville, Orangeville, West Carroll, Pearl City, and Eastland."Hanson said each school has a coordinator. They have seen more dresses come from the schools close to Pearl City. People have a choice of donating or selling their dress. Those who donate receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win a large basket filled with beauty products. Those who sell their dress at the silent auction place a desired price on it. Bidding starts at that price. The Green Dress project gets $20 and anything above the asking price. That money is "seed money" for future Green Dress events.
At Museum of Vancouver, a dalliance with art deco dresses
Imagine time-travelling back to depression-era Vancouver just as rum runner and millionaire George Reifel opens the Commodore Cabaret, now the Commodore Ballroom, for the first time. It is the biggest nightclub in Vancouver,Plus size mother of the bride dresses and its art deco design and sprung dance floor have been the talk of the town for weeks. The December 1930 grand opening features an 11-piece orchestra and sumptuous full-course dinner for a sold-out crowd of 1,500 people. You are one of them. What will you wear?
With the economy in a tailspin, you can't afford a new dress so you pull out one you bought two years before. It's a flapper dress embellished with thousands of shiny black sequins and glass beads machine-stitched onto silk mesh. It is classic art deco style very fancy surface on a simple shape. The beaded fringe hem draws attention to your legs as you dance and the beadwork presses against your frame, hinting at the beauty beneath. It's a bit short for the year, but it still feels stylish.Now this dress is part of a 60-item exhibit of art deco fashion spanning the 1920s and 30s. Curated by fashion historians Ivan Sayers and Claus Jahnke, it opens this Thursday at the Museum of Vancouver.
And were it in better shape, you could easily wear the dress to the Commodore or an art gallery opening today. Many of the other exquisite dresses with labels such as Chanel, Lanvin, Vionnet, Patou, and Schiaparelli would fit with red carpet styles of this season.It could be that everything in fashion comes around again. Or it could be pop culture's influence 1929-based period film The Artist just won best picture, and a remake of The Great Gatsby comes out later this year but art deco styles, be they bead work or geometric designs, are showing up everywhere. Even the backdrop for the Academy Awards was in the genre.
With today being 29th February, that special leap year day where traditionally ladies can propose to their lovers, we are sure there will be a flurry of women out there tomorrow looking for plus size mother of the bride dresses! However finding those plus size mother of the bride dresses isn't always easy it's a fine line between finding an outfit which won't upstage the bride herself, but also isn't frumpy. Luckily we're here to do all the hard work for you, and have found some absolutely stunning dresses to help give you some ideas for the special day!
Our first find in stunning plus size mother of the bride dresses is the lovely Simply Be Georgette Pleated Maxi Dress ($33).the floaty dream comes in a choice of black or toffee colours, and is available up to a UK size 32. It has a cleavage showing v-neck which is balanced out by it's demure length with an elasticated detail at the waist to really nip it in and show off those curves.The vertical raised seams ensure that the dress is both slimming and elegant and is perfect matched with a silvery-grey shrug or bolero.
Our final favourite in our search for plus size mother of the bride dresses is the pretty Simply Be Long Beaded Maxi Dress ($90). Available in black, cinammon and mink, the dress is a stunning maxi-design with a sequin bodice and georgette layered skirt. It's back tie detail defines your shape, whilst the stunning bead-trim makes this the ultimate in wedding chic.Yesterday, Mets relief pitcher Tim Byrdak crashed practice at spring training dressed as wrestling icon Hulk Hogan circa 1980s. The lefty was dressed in yellow boots and red underwear topped off with the trademark feather boa and Hogan's signature red bandanna.
Yes, winning leading lady, Meryl Streep, arrived at the red carpet in a dress resembling ghastly, golden drapery. Its true that Sandra Bullock proved that even Marchesa gowns can go wrong. And sure, George Clooneys girlfriend Stacy Kiebler walked the carpet in a dress that made her look as if she had a large golden tumor growing on her hip. But for the most part, Oscar 2012 dresses were notably glamorous. Strapless and sedate ruled the evening.Message in a Mini-Dress. Neutral hues and classic shapes dominated the ranks of the best dressed. The relatively simple cuts of the best gowns harkened back to an old Hollywood glamour that (at least I!) hadnt seen in a while.
Milla JovovichFor her first time at the Academy Awards, this actress absolutely killed the red carpet. Her one-shoulder, beaded Elie Saab gown was stunning. The red lipstick and classic updo completed the glamorous and polished look.Rooney MaraClad in a white Givenchy gown with a classic, but structurally interesting look, Mara shined on the red carpet.Jennifer LopezIm shocked to be including her on this list. Im never a fan of Lopezs normal ill-fitting, overly revealing, somewhat trashy dress choices. Tonight, however, hers was one of my absolute favorites! She wore a sparkling, neutral Zuhair Murad dress.
Gwyneth PaltrowAdmittedly, I was at first skeptical of the cape. However, the more I observed the actress in her white Tom Ford dress and matching cape, the more I realized how flattering and elegant the look was. The cuff added to its sleekness and sophistication.Angelina JolieJolie gets yelled at for wearing too much black, but I have to hand it to her. She looks awesome in it. The black Atelier Versace piece exhibited a shocking slit that showed off Jolies long leg.Michelle WilliamsThe star of My Week with Marilyn rocked in a red strapless Louis Vuitton dress. One of the riskier dresses seen tonight, the Vuitton gown featured complex crepe detail that took it from average to unique, from just another red dress to fabulous Oscar number.
My colleague Elissa Strauss, in this Sisterhood post, asks why I focused on the way author Deborah Feldman is dressed in recent press photos promoting her memoir Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of my Hasidic Roots.As Elissa notes, I wrote in my Sisterhood post that Feldman seems somehow immature, that in photos she looks like nothing so much as one of the 13-year-old girls I see on the bat mitzvah circuit who wear super-high heels and super-short dresses. These girls look like they are playing a sexy version of dress-up.Elissa observes, correctly, that Feldman is dressed no differently than countless other young women today, including herself, and writes: Never did it occur to me, and I assume, to many of them, that dressing like this in 2012 would cause anyone to think of us as childish and therefore take us less seriously.
Elissa continues: Your assessment of Feldman did tap into some of the same fears about a woman's body and how it should be hid, to some degree or another, in order for the world to take us seriously Why bring in the skinny jeans?I understand Elissa's point, but it is not quite the one I was attempting to make in my post about Feldman and Unorthodox.It's true that I described the way Feldman was dressed when trying to convey my sense that she is, in some way, immature. But I really got that impression, at least in part, from the way she poses in the photos, and the expressions on her face, and the way she is holding her cigarette in one of the pictures. There is something in them that conveys to me that this is not a woman who is centered and confident.
I wasn't making any general point about grown women who wear sparkly mini-dresses or skinny jeans (which I wear myself. The jeans, I mean). Or to suggest that women who dress that way ought to be taken less seriously. There is a discussion that could be continued about the messages sent by what we choose to wear, since of course everything about the way we present ourselves sends messages, whether they are intended or not.
Rachel McAdams dresses ten years younger than boyfriend Michael Sheen as the pair enjoy a low-key pizza date
They share a 10-year age gap and it somewhat showed in their wardrobe choices today.While Michael Sheen looked ever the 43-year-old dapper Welshman gentleman in a pair of tan trousers, a navy coat and flat cap, his leading lady Rachel McAdams went for a more youthful choice.The 33-year-old Vow star slipped into a pair of bright orange jeans paired with a black puffer jacket as the pair grabbed some take-away pizza in Toronto.The pair who strike a darling couple on the red carpet at premieres, often avoid Hollywood at all other times to play house in McAdams' home city of Toronto.
And they are obviously grateful to finally be spending some time with each other following McAdams promotional tour of her latest film The Vow.Last week they were pictured kissing one another as they walked down the street.'Michael and I never spend more than three weeks apart - we rack up a lot of air miles - but you have to be quite adaptable in this business whether you are in a relationship or not,' McAdams told Stella Magazine recently.'Trying to establish roots somewhere is a bit of a joke. You need to trust each other and be able to talk to each other and be best friends.'
Rachel added that she was thankful that she and Sheen developed a strong friendship before becoming romantically involved, and waited until after filming Midnight in Paris to become romantic.'Michael and I didn't get together while we were filming Midnight In Paris, Before the Dresses, the Ideas which I feel strongly about not doing when I'm working,' she revealed.'We became quite good friends, which I think is a great way to start. I felt very blessed to have made a Woody Allen film in Paris together.'
The high-fashion designer, known for his pricey gowns, is launching a digital inspiration board and opening it up to the masses. For the next three months, anyone can upload an image or a video to appear on a 27-inch screen in Mr. de la Renta's office to inspire his resort collection."The Board," as the brand is calling it, will be open after its runway show Tuesday evening through May, when the collection will be shown to retail buyers and editors."We like the idea of trying to collaborate with our fans," said Alex Bolen, chief executive of Oscar de la Renta LLC. "There are people who love our brand and have ideas about what would be beautiful."
That said, fans won't get paid for anything they submit, even if their ideas are found useful.The move piggybacks on the surging popularity of Pinterest, an online pin board where users swap photos. It also is the latest chapter in the increasingly intertwined worlds of fashion and technology. Once-secretive design houses are using social media to let the masses peek into their exclusive circles, cultivating fansand would-be shoppers.At New York fashion week, happening now, dozens of runway shows are streamed in real-time online. And brands are posting behind-the-scenes photos, with glimpses of makeup application, model rehearsals and even full ensembles shared before the show starts.
The new Oscar de la Renta initiativewhich will be found online at TheBoard.OscardelaRenta.commakes the designer-fan relationship one step further, giving outsiders a potential say in the creation of a collection.Most designers use an inspiration board for a collection, typically just a bulletin board pinned with photos, swatches or even phrases. In this case, the inspiration board will be digital and interactive. At the beginning, everyone will be invited to upload anything they choose. Submissions need only be visual in some waymaybe a painting, a vintage photo, a graphic design or advertisement, a beach sunset, a dog, a chair fabric.
Barbara Tfank shows lush feminine frocks fit for Betty Draper and 1st lady too at Fashion Week
Barbara Tfank wants to correct all those "Mad Men" references to her clothes after all, the designer says, "I was doing this five years before the show came on."Point taken. But it was still hard not to imagine Betty Draper truly rocking the delicate, feminine, and yes, seemingly 60s-inflected dresses on display at her fall/winter 2012 presentation Monday in a Manhattan art gallery.One creation in particular, a luscious pleated frock in blush embroidered jacquard with a tulip motif, seemed perfect for Betty, but also for anyone wanting to look seriously pretty and just a little retro.
For evening, there was a luxurious satin-lined fox jacket with a blush skirt, an outfit that Tfank seemed particularly fond of as she wandered among her models.Posh & Pink dress sale back this year.Asked her goals for the collection, Tfank, whose designs have been worn a number of times by Michelle Obama, replied simply: "To find enchantment and beauty."She was inspired, she explained, by what she called "the magic hour" "that moment that happens every day when the sun sets, and the lovely colors come out there's a lot of glow and sparkle, and a sense of joyfulness."
There was certainly joy in Tfank's own home when she turned on President Obama's recent State of the Union speech and saw Mrs. Obama enter in a shiny cobalt blue dress from her 2012 resort line. The dress won raves."It always comes as a great surprise," she said of the first lady's patronage. "It was a thrill to see."One dress in the new collection seemed ideal for the first lady AND Draper: an emerald green number with cap sleeves and a balloon skirt.But back to that "Mad Men" thing Tfank does not see her designs as connected to any particular time period. "They're not vintage," she said. If anything, "They're futuristic. They're an amalgam of all periods of time."
With Western Christian College and High School scheduled to close in the summer and unable to host the Posh & Pink dress sale for the second year in a row, the future of the event was up in the air.But thanks to Eye Inspire Events in Regina, and continued community support, young women will once again have the opportunity to purchase previously "loved" graduation dresses for no more than $80 on March 18 at the Conexus Arts Centre."We just felt that it was too good of an opportunity to pass up," said Mackenzie Kulcsar, event planner at Eye Inspire.
"There are young women in our city who need the kind of help that this dress sale offers them, which is a chance, an opportunity, to go to their graduation in a dress without being left out or feeling they're not wearing the right, expensive fancy dress."Kulcsar added the event has a "double impact on women in the city." Through a partnership with the Leader-Post, funds raised from the event will support the Leader-Post Cheer Fund, which helps four organizations in the city that shelter women and families from physical, sexual and emotional abuse.There is a new aspect to the Posh & Pink dress sale this year. Organizers have partnered with the What Women Want trade show, an extensive shopping experience scheduled for March 16-18 at the Conexus Arts Centre.
Organizers of the trade show are giving space to Posh & Pink to sell its dresses. On March 18, mothers and their daughters will get into the show for free and have the opportunity to shop for grad dresses at the same time."It's about doing the right thing," said Michelle Strawford, show organizer."We have the venue and, because What Women Want has always been extremely passionate about giving back to the community - women in particular - it was a nobrainer.
