Posted by À La Mode on February 5th, 2010 in General Fashion ·
I have to admit I’ve never been a vest person. When I was little, pullover vests that my mom made me wear were my worst enemy. And I couldn’t understand the craze when puffy vests came into style in the ’90s. It was as if several marshmallow Michelin men had take over the streets. However, I kind of like the latest vest trend. Designers have finally found a way to make vests work, whether they’re long and flowy or short and studded.
The long vests or (sleeveless sweaters) that drape over any outfit really do go with anything. I recently bought one with an uncertainty in the back of my head, but I’ve come to find that they add an extra element to any outfit. Lindsay Lohan (pictured above) is rockin’ this trend in a gray one that looks very similar to mine. I also like the shorter vests with a couple of studs on them that continue to adorn various hipsters to date. Here’s Beyonce in a studded vest that certainly shows off her diva ways. Maybe it’s the rocker look that I like, but these 21st century vests have certainly changed my mind about this once-hated piece of apparel.
Posted by À La Mode on February 2nd, 2010 in General Fashion ·
I wanted to direct all of my readers to one of my favorite sites that I try and go to every day — not necessarily to shop — but to click. The Hunger Site is set up so that if you click on their “Click to Give-it’s FREE!” button, 1.1 cups of food are donated to the hungry. I know it sounds too good to be true, but it actually works. Once you click the button, the site displays ads from their site sponsors, and 100% of the advertisers’ money goes to fund programs that give food to the hungry. You can also donate money directly to help survivors of the earthquake in Haiti. So far, the site has raised $253,162 for immediate relief and health supplies towards Partners in Health, a non-governmental health care provider that’s been in Haiti for almost 25 years.
That’s not all you can do either. You can also shop on the site! The site has several clothes, purses, jewelry and other gift items that you can purchase. By purchasing from the site, the Hunger Site will fund an additional amount of food based on how much you buy. For example, I love this Priya Handmade Sundress (below), and I can get it for just $42.95. But more importantly, if I buy it, 50 cups of food will be donated to the hungry.
Continue reading “Help Out Haiti By Shopping”
Posted by À La Mode on January 29th, 2010 in General Fashion ·
Are we ready for spring yet or what? With the winter well underway, here’s a bright and shining light to think about at the end of that dark, very snowy tunnel: Spring 2010 Fashion Trends. Each spring seems to get bolder and bolder, and this year is no exception. From bright colors to corsets to sporty wear to a possibly-Lady-Gaga-inspired “warrior” trend, this year’s spring and summer fashion trends cover such a large variety of styles that they may include just about anyone.
Tie Dye:
The seventies are still here to stay with a new tie-dye trend that’s becoming ever so popular. And not just a pick up a tie-dye shirt to take to the Bonnaroo Music Festival kind of tie dye. This trend is reaching new levels as designers incorporate tie dye into cocktail dresses and red carpet attire.
Continue reading “Looking Forward to Spring 2010 Trends”
Posted by À La Mode on January 26th, 2010 in General Fashion ·
One thing that I’ve noticed more of this winter is umbrellas. These weather protective devices have suddenly turned from just that to a trendy fashion accessory. They’re not just standard black anymore. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors — I recently spotted a green one with frog eyes on top of it. Along with this new-found trend, I’ve noticed hefty price tags. You can’t buy an umbrella anymore without spending at least $30 or $40. While I understand the need for an umbrella when you’re walking twenty minutes home from a bus stop, I don’t understand the people that use them to walk three minutes to their car door. It’s times like those when I find umbrellas pointless. It takes me at least a full minute to open mine. And while mine does have a button that dramatically opens it up with the same shooting force as a light saber, it never works when I need it too. All the while, I’m standing there dripping wet when I could have made it to my destination already. One other thing that deters me from umbrellas is wind. Just last night, I was walking along — umbrella in hand — and a big gust of wind turned it inside out from its natural mushroom shape to the shape of a very well-nourished tulip. It’s times like these when I think there is no reason to spend more than $10 on an umbrella. That’s why I’m a rain-jacket-with-a-hood kind of gal. What are you?
Posted by À La Mode on January 21st, 2010 in Purses and Bags ·
I’ve been looking for a cute spring bag, and I think I’ve found it. Surfing around on one of my favorite bag websites, World of Bags, I recently saw that they added a new bag brand: Amy Kathryn. I had never heard of the designer, but I certainly love the bags. The pastel and earthy colors mixed with unique floral and line patterns make these bags perfect for spring. And they’re reasonably priced — anything from $50 to $100. I’m thinking about getting the Signature Bronze bag for just $75.60. What do you all think?
Items in the above set:
Star Gazer - Chestnut, $95
Gladiola - Slate, $88
Heather - Slate, $88
Freesia Black, $76
Posted by À La Mode on January 18th, 2010 in General Fashion ·
It’s officially awards season, and, just like every year, the red carpet plays a key role. Last night, the Golden Globes were filled with fashion hits and misses from Hollywood’s elite stars. The one-strap dress is very in this year, and while I’m not a huge fan of the trend, they ended up being some of my favorites at last night’s awards show. So, I thought I’d take the time today to discuss some of my faves and not-so-faves. One of my favorite dresses of the night was a Christian Dior, lingerie-inspired gown, worn by a gorgeous Marion Cotillard (nominated for her role in Nine). The dark green was more unique, combined with a lacy black slit and one shoulder strap, which made it one of the sexiest of the night. Another dress that I thought added variety to the red carpet hooplah was Maggie Gyllenhal’s peach RM Roland Mouret gown. Not many of the fashion critics liked this number. And while I’m not crazy about peach, I thought the detail in this dress was exquisite and truly stunning. Another peach gown that I surprisingly liked a lot was Christina Hendricks’ (of Madmen) Christian Siriano strapless gown. Her voluptuous curves really stood out due to the corset-inspired strapless top that made her ta-tas shine. Continue reading “Best and Worst Dressed at the 2010 Golden Globes”
Posted by À La Mode on January 15th, 2010 in Lingerie ·
Has Valentine’s Day lingerie gotten sexier, or is that just me? In past years, there have been tons of items with big red bows and heart nipple cut-outs, but this year I’m really excited about the items I’ve been seeing. They’re the usual colors — red, pink and black — but the items are definitely appropriate for year-round use. I don’t know if it’s because of the economy or what, but designers are really starting to understand that customers want quality, not cheesy. Anyways, I recently created a Polyvore set with some sexy items that I think would be perfect for Valentine’s Day. I compiled the items from three gift guide press releases that I got from my favorite lingerie stores: Lingerie Diva , Gigi’s Closet and Fully Intimate . Each of the stores offered gift guides with seven to 10 items in them, but I just chose my favorites. I especially love Lingerie Diva’s vinyl rose corset by Allure Leather. I already have Gigi’s Closet Betsey Johnson tricot black chemise , and it’s adorable. It’s perfect for a Valentine that likes fun patterns and flowy garments. And it offers some serious cleavage, which I like too. If you want to see even more options, read the press releases below:
Posted by À La Mode on January 14th, 2010 in Beauty ·
I wanted to follow up on my blog from last week about body image because I just found another article in the New York Times which gives a very honest perspective from a size 12 model. Crystal Renn is the highest paid plus-size model, but she went through hell and back to get there. In her recently published memoir Hungry, she discusses a six-year-long eating disorder that she had because of the fashion industry. Much of it stemmed from a modeling scout that told her she could be a model if she went from a hip size of 43 inches to a mere 34. Needless to say, Renn drank Diet Coke and ate only sugar-free Jell-O for three months. She lost 42 percent of her body weight, but she wasn’t happy. Continue reading “Size 12 and Fabulous”
Posted by À La Mode on January 8th, 2010 in General Fashion ·
A recent article in the New York Times discusses the age old question: Should plus-size models be featured in fashion magazines? The debate comes out just in time for the V magazine debut of their “size” issue. (For a preview visit models.com). The February issue of V features plus size models in swimsuits, lingerie and more to prove that everyone is beautiful no matter what shape or size. Of course, the internet is buzzing over whether or not people actually want to see plus size models. With the average woman being about 162 pounds and a size 14, I think that this is a great step in the fashion world. Too many women look to fashion magazines as a guide for body image, even though most of the models are impossibly thin. I think that the popularity of the latest Dove ad campaigns for Real Beauty proves that people want to see more realistic body types modeling the latest fashion trends. However, many others disagree. What do you think?
For those interested in plus-size lingerie this Valentine’s Day, visit Fully Intimate for some great plus-size items up to a size 6X (the equivalent of a 24 or 26 dress size).
Posted by À La Mode on December 29th, 2009 in Lingerie ·
As 2009 comes to an end, I wanted to reflect on some of the best trends of the year. It was a year of thigh-high boots, metallic colors and leather fabrics, but my favorite trend of the year was definitely wearing lingerie as outerwear. Sexy but simple, people finally started to bring their intimatewear out of the bedroom. Corset sales increased, musicians adorned themselves with sexy costumes, and hosiery of all colors, patterns and even sizes (read Sexier Toes) became a must have. Lingerie even made several appearances on the runway. Whether you’re Lady Gaga or the president of a major corporation, sexy was certainly in this year… and Justin Timberlake didn’t even have to bring it back for us. Here’s some fun lingerie looks from the 2009 season:
Continue reading “Reflecting on 2009 Lingerie Trend”
