[FashionRatty] tag: re-air

Orlando Bloom And Miranda Kerr NOT Engaged

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:45:05 +0000

Fangirls can breathe a sigh of relief!

Orlando Bloom is denying that he and girlfriend, model Miranda Kerr, are engaged.

Miranda refuses to answer any questions regarding her situation with Bloom, recently telling reporters to go speak with her boyfriend himself if they're so curious.

Famewhore!

[Images via WENN.]

Why Would Anyone Stalk Drunkst???

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:15:28 +0000

We're not sure who would bother stalking Kirsten Dunst, but apparently someone was found trespassing on the "actress'" canyon property in the Hollywood Hills.

And it's not the first time this has happened with this particular tresspasser.

Dunst wasn't home at the time the incident occurred, but has had security stepped up since.

Scary!

[Image via Mavrix Online.]

Do We Need To Follow Fashion Trends????

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:39:45 +0000

Fitting in- slavish, sensible or sensational?

Renato Palmi from The ReDress Consultancy-South Africa asks if following trends is a good practice for young South African fashion designers.

Seasonal change cues fashion media editors to present the public with "must-have" and "no-no" listings, which, no matter how individualistic or judicious we might think we are, subtly compel us to reconsider the stock in our private wardrobes.

In these times of economic strain and budget adjustments, does "fitting in" with rapidly changing fashion cycles not pose challenges to designers and consumers alike? Are we prisoners of fashion dictates, or could we consider co-creating new looks with minimal expense? How can local fashion designers sustain themselves by working around and within global and local market forces?

Through aggressive marketing, our individual identity can become effaced by homogenised clothing, a veneer that suggests we are part of a recognisable whole. Trend forecasters, retailers and brand conglomerates launching new styles, fabrics, cuts and colours stoke the coals of peer pressure that conditions us to be seen in the latest ranges. As social beings, we are construed as a collective commodity travelling in a continuum of design renovation that is dictated by a few but embraced by the masses, often with little thought to suitability or personal imagination.

Being seen in the right brand wearing the "in" label of a particular designer neutralises our individuality and leads to a contradiction of the purpose of fashion: individual style portraying human uniqueness; instead, we become fashion clones.

By conforming to seasonal trends, are we not impeding the innovation and growth of young fashion designers emerging in the market? There are a few designers who have created distinctive aesthetics and have steadily built a brand following. These looks are not confined to the examples seen on catwalks at Fashion Weeks events; idiosyncratic, semi-mass-produced, wearable garments are also available.

The old saying, "catch them when they are young" can be applied to fashion education. For example, when experts visit fashion colleges and advise students on the latest European trends - as if these are the unassailably essential forms of good design and as such, critical to design success - are we not diluting their imaginative resources?

Both student and established designers are required to be in touch with global fashion directions, but is it a prerequisite to emulate these trends without any re-interpretation? The colours for 2009 are, according to the style forecasters, moving away from metallic finishes to a more earthy, subdued colour palette; ripped denim might resurge, and for younger women, appropriation of men's jeans (known as "The Boyfriend Jeans") will be in vogue and Deep-V-T-shirts and jerseys could be the 2009 new style for men.

We need to respect the genius of our learner designers, and support them in steering away from reliance on European trends. This information is available for reference, so rather than delivering lectures on trend templates, their curricula should cover instruction in sourcing, assimilating, and interpreting the data, with a view to redefining trends in the local context and according to their own design sensibilities.

Continue Reading At...........
Image Credit : myddnetwork.com

Should Brad Keep the 'Stache?

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:30:01 +0000

While Angie was taking Maddox toy shopping, Brad had a little fun on his own toy, tooling around his adopted home of New Orleans on his bike Sunday. Now, we know that mustache is for a movie role, but we're kind of digging it. Should Papa Pitt keep the porn 'stache or shave it off? Well, Tom Selleck he ain't, but I might not want to let him shave it off right away...

Could Angie Be Preggers Again Already?

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:00:29 +0000

Now, any woman would be overjoyed to look this slim after giving birth to twins just a few months ago, but this is Angelina Jolie we're talking about. She probably left the hospital at what most of us would consider our "goal weight", so we couldn't help but wonder if that little bump is another member of the Jolie-Pitt soccer team. Course, it could just be that Angelina ate too much stuffing for Thanksgiving! Here's the mom-of-six out with her eldest, Maddox, for a trip to the toy store in New Orleans Sunday afternoon. Wonder what Maddox would say to yet another bun in the Brangelina oven! Course, by now, he should be used to it!

Black Friday: The Real Deal, Please

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:31:05 +0000

The reports on Black Friday are in, and it looks like the day wasn't the retail bust everyone feared. According to ShopperTrak (it's a sort of newswire for retail information), nationwide Black Friday sales were up 3% compared to last year, with the South seeing the best improvement (3.4%) and the Northeast seeing the worst (2.6%). And according to WWD, the Macy's in Herald Square drew 5,000 shoppers out of bed at 5am for their unprecedented discounts.

But even though they also report that Target drew lines outside their store as early as 4am, there have also been reports that at least one Target was "depressingly empty."

Our date? We were out on Black Friday in Soho, and here's what we saw: No bigger a crowd than usual on Broadway, and barely trafficked stores to the east. Upon entering a certain (read: super expensive) boutique on Prince Street, the first thing the shopkeeper said: "Everything's 20% off, but if you see something you really like let me know. I'm wheeling and dealing today."

So we're wondering: Are all these reports of massive shopping true? Or are some people just trying to raise our confidence with (perhaps) inflated reports? What did you see for yourself on Friday? Or were the only things you saw leftovers and Love Actually?

News: Many Friday Shoppers Stayed Home (But Still Shopped), Schiffers The New Star Of YSL..

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:00:40 +0000

1. According to early data released over the weekend, online spending on Black Friday rose slightly from last year. We hope the trend continues this lovely Cyber Monday. [WSJ]

2. Claudia Schiffer will star in the spring ad campaign for YSL, which will premiere in magazines this February. Maybe she'll don the coveted Pur Gloss for the cameras. [WWD]

3. This Xmas, many are looking to discount stores such as KMart to provide them with thrifty yet creative ways to host a holiday bash. We're also big fans of Target, where you can score some Thakoon later this month. [NYTimes]

4. Shop designs for Count Me In and support women entrepreneurs. Purchase a bracelet from Julia Bristow or necklaces from Payson & Co.

Karl Loves Britney For Her Art

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:04:00 +0000

If you, like us, were in the woods for four days eating sickening amounts of turducken and cranberry sauce topped off with pumpkin pie and whipped cream, you missed this gem.

Germany held their Bambi awards last week to honor those in media and entertainment. (To give you a vague idea of their merit, Meg Ryan took home the lifetime achievement award.)

Anyway, Britney Spears performed Womanizer, minus Chuck Bass, in a very Madonna-esque ouftit before Karl Lagerfeld presented her with the Pop International Award. We're not positive what that means exactly, but we do know that Karl admires Britney, "not only for [her] art, but also for [her] energy," (emphasis ours) and is thrilled she's come "back not just as a phoenix but as a Bird of Paradise."

You can't really catch the rest due to the German translation, but Meg Ryan's priceless face kind of says it all.

Pants That Work for Work

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:01:00 +0000

Filed under: Clothing, Flatter Your Figure

Pants That Work for Work

Now that you're feeling braver about making suits from separate pieces, let's all admit that finding pants that fit is one of the hardest parts of filling out a wardrobe. Why? Because most of us suffer from crazy proportions whether our thighs are thicker than our waists, our hips are low (or super wide, or too slim), or we're constantly battling a muffin top pants are ... a problem.

Since I spend a lot of time trying pants on with women of all different shapes and sizes, here are my recommendations for finding a reliable fit -- no matter what struggles you're having with your bottom half.

For basic go-to-work pants, Express has a nice-fitting style called The Editor. They're lower rise which can work well with a tummy that's not too large (the pants won't cut you at the widest part of your stomach, and worn with the right top or jacket, that little extra you're carrying will be effectively masked). The wide-leg a-line shape of the pants also works for heavier legs and lower hips. Trust me on this, I've seen these look good on a size 2 and a size 14.

Buy it here

Express

For those of you who insist that a lower rise just accents your muffin top, this mid-rise velvet pant by Old Navy fits great. It's a straight leg, so not great for anyone who's overly hippy, but they will accommodate a fuller leg (because they're not contoured through the thigh) and they come in both small and large sizes. Plus, the velvet makes a great bottom for a winter suit.

Buy it here

Old Navy

Old Navy also carries a fine wail flared leg trouser cord for those with more hip in their silhouette. The rise is classic, a bit higher than you may be used to these days -- but paired with a tucked shirt and jacket, these pants can work great as a suit-like option, or even on the weekend with a longer top and boots. Both dark night and bitter chocolate are rich versatile colors to have for the bottom half of your wardrobe.

Buy it here

Old Navy

Ann Taylor's Loft does a nice job making pants that fit more bottoms than your average designer. These stretch flare faux denim pants are perfect for those who are very curvy on the bottom and need a little smoothing over as hips and bum are incorporated into your silhouette. The lower rise and wide waistband accentuate hips in the right way, while the flared bottom balances out your overall proportion.

Buy it here

Loft

For those with fairly proportioned hips and bum, or for those in need of a little more shape, these flat front stretch flare leg pants from AT Loft are contoured through the hip and thigh and fit great. A very flattering and versatile look overall.

Buy it here

Loft

I can't say enough good things about Michael Kors' line. He understands that real people need to wear clothes too! My mother (nearly 70), my sister (40), and my assistant (24), all wear this line. It's cut really well, no frills to mess with your figure imperfections, and the size range for most items is 2-16. Here's a great petite option by him, the perfect trouser pant.

Buy it here

Michael Krors

And for the more standard sized among you, the Gramercy pant by Michael Kors. They fit great in the whole range of sizes-- really!

Buy it here

Michael Kors

Lastly, for anyone with a post-baby body or who's filling out a little after 30, Kenneth Cole is a spot on designer for simple pants (flat front, non-pleated, low and mid-rise, flared leg, fuller cut thigh, and a little stretch) that come sizes up to 16 -- and look great even at the larger end of the size range. These dark denim trouser options are a perfect example, but you'll find the whole bottoms line is very accommodating.

Buy it here

So, just remember, if you're spending a lot time trying to find pants that fit, you are not alone! It's worth holding out for the right pair. I hope this narrows your search!

Kenneth Cole

Pants That Work for Work originally appeared on StyleList Blog on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Pay Less for Christian Siriano

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:29:07 +0000

A puzzle:

Christian Siriano, arguably better known for structured jackets and layered ruffles than for popularizing the word "fierce" as an acceptable adjective, has just signed a deal with Payless to do a line of bags and shoes for Fall 09.

Apparently, the tired economy has gotten to his customers (and potential buyers), too, and he wants to ensure that "everyone" can get a piece of his brand.

The line debuts at Fashion Week in a couple months, but no word yet on the general design direction.

We're not sure what platform, ruffly booties would look like, but we have a feeling we'll be able to tell you all about it very soon.