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”
Posted by À La Mode on December 24th, 2009 in Holidays ·
Merry Christmas Eve! Now that the holiday season is officially upon us, I wanted to talk about what everyone’s going to wear to all those holiday parties. Calvin Klein hosted a Polyvore event earlier this month to see who could create the best holiday outfit. Although I didn’t win, I wanted to share my Christmas-y outfit with you all. A simple red dress can make the best holiday statement, and that’s what I went for. That matched with a cute jacket and heels say Merry Christmas to me. What are you wearing this holiday season?
Posted by À La Mode on December 16th, 2009 in Holidays ·
It’s time to start thinking about purchasing last minute stocking stuffers. Of course, these can be the trickiest gifts to buy. They need to be small — but not just some McDonald’s Happy Meal toy — something that the recipient might actually use. Try getting something sexy or just plain useful this year to put in that special someone’s stocking. Who knows? Maybe Santa will get a surprise in return.
- Love Coupons are always an exciting gift to get for that special someone. Redeem it at a time of their choosing, and everyone involved might be in for some fun.
- Panties are another great stocking stuffer. They’re small and the recipient will definitely use them whether they’re cotton lace panties or boxers for men .
- Jewelry or Toiletry Bags make the perfect gift for any frequent traveler.
- Knee Highs fit well into any stocking and are certainly trendy right now. Get multiple pairs for various occasions.
- A Cami (like this snow white mesh one) makes a very sexy and comfortable gift. Role it up and put it in the stocking for a Christmas night to remember.
- A Christmas Argyle Bra and Panty Set helps to celebrate the season in style. Pick both up on sale this week only at Lingerie Diva.
- Wristlets and Clutches fit well into any fashionista’s stocking, whether she likes Ed Hardy or Ecoist (pictured above).
Posted by À La Mode on December 14th, 2009 in General Fashion ·
The legging trend is definitely growing on me. At first, I thought there was no way that this ‘80s kid was going to step into another pair of leggings. But as the trend continues to stick, it turns out I was wrong. It’s mainly because I love boots and dresses, so the only logical thing to wear with them is a pair of leggings — definitely sans stirrups though.
I usually just wear plain black opaque footless tights , but for a night out on the town, I have a sexy little pair of fishnet footless tights . I haven’t ventured into the land of patterns yet, like footless tights with skull prints or ones with sheer horizontal stripes , but I’m sure the trend will continue to suck me in.
What about you? Do any other kids of the ‘80s feel a bit torn with this trend?
