Handbags Fashion

Do you know your face shape?
Knowing your face shape can help you make better haircut and eyebrow tailoring choices.
Characteristics of an Oval face shape.

forehead is wider than the chin
prominent cheekbones
face gracefully tapers to a narrow oval chin

What kind of haircut should an Oval faced person consider?
Oval faces are in perfect proportion so this face shape is easy to work with in terms of hairstyle. There is a lot of flexibility

Celebrities with Oval shaped faces Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Ashley Judd

Characteristics of a heart shaped face.
Similar to the oval, but the face narrows below the cheekbones, reaching a defined pointy chin.
What hairstyles are best for a heart shaped face
Styles that are fuller around the ends will widen the appearance of the chin and jawbone, thus making the face appear better proportioned and basically oval.
Celebrities with heart shaped faces and their haircuts
Julia Roberts - Julia realizes that a short cut will not flatter a strong jawline and a prominent chin. She avoids fringes, prefers off-centre partings and uses her hair to slim the widest parts of her face. Her hair looks best when it’s long and loose - whether straight or surfer-babe wavy. Subtly graduated long layers at the front create movement and again deflect attention from her chin.

Characteristic of a Round face shape
What kind of hairstyles for a round face?
Your face is full-cheeked and circular. Keep hair sleek at the sides and you can lengthen the face by choosing a hairdo with plenty of volume on top. Avoid round or geometric styles because they’ll only accentuate the roundness. Also avoid hard lines and wide block fringes that sit above the eyebrows. To object is to achieve a hairstyle that can help lengthen the face. Feathered or layered hair falling on to the face will help create sleeker proportions. Keep curly hair all one length and ideally long, to avoid bulk. Full curls accentuate roundness, but scraped-back styles, high pony tails and updos with loose tendrils around the hairline are very flattering.
Celebrities that have round shaped faces?
Vanessa Williams, Uma Thurman, Marilyn Monroe, Cameron Diaz

Charactieristics of a Square Face
 
Square
forehead, cheekbones and jawline all about the same width
squared jawline is the most obvious feature
Hairstyle ideas for a square face?
A broad forehead and a strong square jawline dominate your face. Slim those broad cheekbones with chin-length layers and, if you want a fringe, opt for a long wispy one. A graduated or classic bob makes an ideal shorter style because it hugs the face. Curls falling onto the cheeks will slim down the widest points of the face and help rebalance it.
Celebrities with a Square face
Paulina Porizkova, Demi Moore, Brooke Shields, Minnie Driver

Characteristics of a Long Face
 
Long forehead, cheekbones and jawline are all about the same width
can tend to have a prominent chin
has an elongated appearance
Hairstyle ideas for people with long faces?
Stay away from very short hair. Soft layers around the face are always good.
Celebrities with long faces?
Jenniefer Love Hewitt, Claudia Schiffer

Diamond/Angular Shaped Face
Characteristics of a Diamond/Angular Shaped Face
 
not as common as the other face shapes
typically the face is highly angular
the forehead is somewhat short
the face is widest at the temples
What hairstyles are best with Angular/diamond shape?
A fusion of square and heart proportions. Chin-length bobs and feathered shoulder-length styles will emphasise those dramatic angular features, while still rounding out the chin. Heavy fringes are a good look, as are flicks or a mane of dishevelled curls. Very Sassy.
Celebrity with angular/diamond shaped faces.
Reese Witherspoon and Katherine Hepburn

No lady’s wardrobe is quite complete without the little black dress. We take it so much for granted as the life saver that it is, that we kind of assume it’s been around forever. Actually before the 1920s black dresses were reserved for mourning periods for widows. In those days there were different stages of what could be worn during mourning including accessories, design detail and types of materials.

Nowadays it is considered an essential part of fashion that every lady should own a little black dress that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. When choosing the dress it is important to veer away from current trends but to go for something classic. But where did this trend originate?

It was in 1926 that Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel had a picture in Vogue of a simple, short black dress. It was straight and calf-length and something that could be worn by any woman. At the same time soon after the First World War there were other radical changes happening in fashion. The bouffant style hair was giving way to short bobs, but more radically some women were no longer wearing corsets and rummaging in male wardrobes, and they were indeed beginning to dress like boys!

Initially the designers did not seem to take to this change so well but after time they embraced it and lady’s wardrobes had a more androgynous style. The full outfit showed a waistless, bustless figure but was dressed up with flamboyant accessories. Coco Chanel was a fashion icon and she helped along the sporty look, the little black dress and the use of jersey knit for ladies clothes.

During the Great Depression the little black dress retained its popularity due to its elegance and affordable price. Hollywood helped this along as many of the dramatic female characters were seen wearing halter neck versions of this fashion staple and the less dramatic ones were wearing the normal version. The style continued to spread during World War 2. The 1950s were conservative so the style became more of a uniform again and also synthetic fibers had become popular during the 40s and 50s. But then arrived the 1960s.

The 1960s brought changes of all sorts and this style was affected also. There was a lot of shortening of skirts, with the younger crowd creating a mini skirt version. Slits and cutouts were fashioned in the bodice area and the use of sheer fabrics was also part of these changes. By the 1970s there were more lacy, feminine versions of this style but at this stage other colours were more favoured in fashion. In the 1980s they made a comeback now with shoulder details being popular.

Possibly the most famous visual of this style is Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys. Her character, Holly Golightly, wore the Chanel ideal with the black dress accessorized with a simple string of pearls. The great singer Edith Piaf performed for her entire career wearing a black sheath dress, and this got her the nickname of the “little black sparrow.”

Present generation fashion conscious women appreciate straight hair looks mostly and they can achieve the same with so many different types of hair straightener available on the market. The concept of straight hair is not new but old and that too was achieve by few women who dares to take the risk of straightening their hair with iron for clothes and did much damage to their hair. The concept remains the same but the technology has changed that provides hair styling with much safety and ease.

It is amazing to learn that women few years back when there was no tool like hair straightener dared to go beyond any limit to look beautiful and so realizing the necessity of such tool today we have the product in several different forms like curler, hair dryer, hair styler, hair straightener and etc.  Always remember that higher quality plate is the most desirable asset of any flat iron as better plates straighten the hair more easily and cause much less damage. Genuine hair straightener has very hard ceramic coatings that are sprayed in layers and baked. This tends to perform best. While less expensive units usually do not have ceramic, heating elements and some may have a paint-like coating that gives the appearance of ceramic plating. The shortcomings of these hair accessories are that the cheaper coatings wear off very quickly and cause more damage to the hair and using these appliances will surely damage your hair.

There are two types of hair damages that these flat irons may create and they are damage due to heat and mechanical damage. Heat damage and mechanical damage can be avoided only if you are happy with what you are born with. Since the hotter the flat iron the better it works in changing the original structure of the hair forcibly so heat damage is unavoidable but since we are living in this modern era where creating fashion statement is important so everyone of us desire to look best paying attention to our look especially so we cannot avoid this. Next is the mechanical damage and that can be avoid with smoother plates. Hair straightener with ceramic plates is safe for your hair. You will come across several cheap hair straightener that looks like the original but their plates are made of aluminum and coated with something such as a hard ceramic coating. It gives you the impression of original hair straightener and anyone can get ditched especially if anyone is new to this field. With few use the cheaper coatings wear off and the level of mechanical damage increases that leads to split ends, hair breakage and many other hair problems.

We can do something to minimize the damage. First, you must focus on purchasing a quality product and not the cheap one that fake and does not guarantee safety and replacement if there is any problem. People exclaim at the selling price of the quality hair straightener but they are justifiable. Next we must follow the instructions strictly that comes with the product and try to use these appliances when required. Also must follow hair care regime properly to keep our hair in healthy condition. Following these steps will surely make our hair straightening experience enjoyable.

The last time we saw a shift towards lingerie as outerwear was the 1980s, and while I exude a general disdain for that decade I can’t help but admit that certain fashion elements which emerged from it do have a place in this decade and the next. And so it is that we see various pieces of underwear return to the fore as outwear to feature amongst 2009 and 2010 fashion trends. And in many ways this may become one of the ubiquitous fashion trends; one that is transseasonal, and one that emerges as we pay fresh attention to tights and stockings as a feature piece, and not just an accessory, courtesy of the ripped stockings trend.

But what elements exactly? And how do women play to the racy element without going so far as to look cheap?

Of all the looks to emerge around underwear as outerwear, exposed stay-ups and suspenders are inarguably the most risque and the most difficult to pull off. But that hasn’t stopped the most daring of women trying, and I’ve already spotted it on the streets, in street style blogs, and on the celebrities such as Mischa Barton (see more updates on who has worn it below).

Though difficult to pull off, thanks to a come-back of patterned-stockings and tights women have a huge array of options. Take, for instance, Agent Provocateur’s snake stay-ups whose snake-motif will distract from the fact that these are indeed stay-ups.

One thing I would say in this area: avoid wearing stockings as outwear. Yes, Sienna Miller got away with it at the New York after-party of Factory Girl. But there are two points to make here: the first is that it already looks dated, the second is that she is Sienna Miller. And it’s the second point that allowed her to get away with it.

OIL, gas and minerals might be driving the boom in the west, but Melbourne fashion designers are striking gold in Perth, too. Lured by a surging economy, population growth and predictions of higher retail spending than anywhere else in the nation, Melbourne designers are heading west.

In April, Melbourne men’s wear label Calibre opened its first WA store in the plush Perth suburb of Claremont. It will open a second store later in the year. This month, they will be joined by Melbourne jean queen Bettina Liano when she makes her first foray into Perth with a store in Claremont. Meanwhile, Arthur and Mimi Galan — who run men’s and women’s wear brand AG — are close to signing deals on three retail outlets in the west.

The fashion retailers are being driven by increasing demand for their high-end clothes from sandgropers, who regularly fly over to shop in their Melbourne stores.

“We were finding from our database that we had a massive Perth clientele, and it was growing,” says Carlo Colaianni, from Calibre. “People were literally flying over from Perth and spending up big … and they were desperate to know when we were coming to Perth. Coupled with the boom that is happening over there, we just felt that the time was right.”

Strong economic growth — expected to increase a further 6.25% in the next year — has fuelled robust retail spending in the state. In the past decade, retail turnover in WA has risen by 61% and Access Economics predicts that will grow by an average of 5.1% for the next five years — significantly higher than the national average, and well above Victoria’s predicted retail growth of 3.4%.

At the same time the state’s population — which has grown by almost 15% in the past decade — is expected to continue at the fastest rate in the country.

Fred Clohessy, associate director retail services at CB Richard Ellis in Perth, says he has never seen such demand for fashion retail space — particularly at the mid-to-high end of the market. “I can’t think of a market that’s been like this, ever. Though it’s not really surprising given our growing population, the fact that there’s money here to be spent and that it’s a market that has been neglected, to a certain extent.”

Perth publicist Brigitte Doucet is thrilled Melbourne designers are heading west. Frustrated by the lack of fashion options in Perth, Ms Doucet flies to Melbourne several times a year for her fashion fix.

“I think it’s great,” she said. “In the past I did most of my shopping while on trips to Melbourne or Sydney, especially Melbourne. A lot of my friends would do the same — plan a trip to Melbourne just to go shopping.

“It could be quite frustrating because you’d see something you liked in a magazine but you couldn’t get it unless you bought it online or had a store in Sydney or Melbourne send it over. Now we can actually go into a store and try it on.”

Melbourne accessories label Mimco has expanded its presence in Perth, opening a second store, in trendy Mount Lawley, just two weeks ago. It is planning two more WA outlets within the year.

And Melbourne designer Alannah Hill will also spread her pretty wings, with a second eponymous store set to open in the Perth CBD in December.

Mimco general manager of operations Greg Puchert says he is not surprised Melbourne retailers are finally choosing to set up shop in Perth. “There has been a lot of press about the boom over there and I think it’s made people in the eastern states, who might previously have thought Perth was a bit hard and unknown, to sit up and take another look at it,” he says. “They are probably seeing there is a big demand for (high fashion) — that there is that woman who will come to Melbourne on a shopping spree and spend a lot of money with them, and they’ve obviously decided it’s time they took their stores to those women.”

Mr Puchert also believes having stores in WA will help cushion any lull in other states.

But it is not just Melbourne retailers who are cashing in on Perth’s economy. A handful of luxury international labels are also moving in.

Bally opened in Perth’s King Street in April and will be joined by Tiffany’s soon. Prada, Burberry and Polo Ralph Lauren are also rumoured to be looking for digs in the city.

Meanwhile, Sydney labels Wayne Cooper and Leona Edmiston have recently opened new stores with Zimmermann and Little Joe rumoured to be joining them.

Do you know your face shape?
Knowing your face shape can help you make better haircut and eyebrow tailoring choices.
Characteristics of an Oval face shape.

forehead is wider than the chin
prominent cheekbones
face gracefully tapers to a narrow oval chin

What kind of haircut should an Oval faced person consider?
Oval faces are in perfect proportion so this face shape is easy to work with in terms of hairstyle. There is a lot of flexibility

Celebrities with Oval shaped faces Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Ashley Judd

Characteristics of a heart shaped face.
Similar to the oval, but the face narrows below the cheekbones, reaching a defined pointy chin.
What hairstyles are best for a heart shaped face
Styles that are fuller around the ends will widen the appearance of the chin and jawbone, thus making the face appear better proportioned and basically oval.
Celebrities with heart shaped faces and their haircuts
Julia Roberts - Julia realizes that a short cut will not flatter a strong jawline and a prominent chin. She avoids fringes, prefers off-centre partings and uses her hair to slim the widest parts of her face. Her hair looks best when it’s long and loose - whether straight or surfer-babe wavy. Subtly graduated long layers at the front create movement and again deflect attention from her chin.

Characteristic of a Round face shape
What kind of hairstyles for a round face?
Your face is full-cheeked and circular. Keep hair sleek at the sides and you can lengthen the face by choosing a hairdo with plenty of volume on top. Avoid round or geometric styles because they’ll only accentuate the roundness. Also avoid hard lines and wide block fringes that sit above the eyebrows. To object is to achieve a hairstyle that can help lengthen the face. Feathered or layered hair falling on to the face will help create sleeker proportions. Keep curly hair all one length and ideally long, to avoid bulk. Full curls accentuate roundness, but scraped-back styles, high pony tails and updos with loose tendrils around the hairline are very flattering.
Celebrities that have round shaped faces?
Vanessa Williams, Uma Thurman, Marilyn Monroe, Cameron Diaz

Charactieristics of a Square Face
 
Square
forehead, cheekbones and jawline all about the same width
squared jawline is the most obvious feature
Hairstyle ideas for a square face?
A broad forehead and a strong square jawline dominate your face. Slim those broad cheekbones with chin-length layers and, if you want a fringe, opt for a long wispy one. A graduated or classic bob makes an ideal shorter style because it hugs the face. Curls falling onto the cheeks will slim down the widest points of the face and help rebalance it.
Celebrities with a Square face
Paulina Porizkova, Demi Moore, Brooke Shields, Minnie Driver

Characteristics of a Long Face
 
Long forehead, cheekbones and jawline are all about the same width
can tend to have a prominent chin
has an elongated appearance
Hairstyle ideas for people with long faces?
Stay away from very short hair. Soft layers around the face are always good.
Celebrities with long faces?
Jenniefer Love Hewitt, Claudia Schiffer

Diamond/Angular Shaped Face
Characteristics of a Diamond/Angular Shaped Face
 
not as common as the other face shapes
typically the face is highly angular
the forehead is somewhat short
the face is widest at the temples
What hairstyles are best with Angular/diamond shape?
A fusion of square and heart proportions. Chin-length bobs and feathered shoulder-length styles will emphasise those dramatic angular features, while still rounding out the chin. Heavy fringes are a good look, as are flicks or a mane of dishevelled curls. Very Sassy.
Celebrity with angular/diamond shaped faces.
Reese Witherspoon and Katherine Hepburn

The fashion world is buzzing this year as metallic fabric takes the heat up a notch. No longer are we confined to gold, silver, and bronze.

There are some new kids on the block - lavenders, greens, and pinks to name just a few. These metallic fabrics will go the distance - a light weight metallic jacket over white dinner dress will be outstanding.

Or dress up a pair of dark denim jeans. If a metallic wardrobe choice is not what your looking for, don’t fret, metallic is available in handbags, belts and in shoes - the stilettos are exceptionally sexy!

Metallic is perfect at any age. It’s a soft flowing fabric so its complimentary to women of all ages. These fabrics are glamorous and quite simply irrisistable.

Dress up a pair of jeans or casual look, or add a classic finish to your evening wear. No matter your age there is a something for you.

If your in your 20s or 30s indulge yourself because you can carry glamour to the max! That said don’t over do it.

If your in your 40s go with a matte shine metallic fabric. The matte finishes are perfect as they don’t draw attention to those trouble spots we all develop.

50s or older try metallic brocades, matte finishes in smaller doses like a pair of flats. Don’t overdo it or you’ll look like a show gal instead of a classy gal.

So have some fun with this seasons new and improved color palette for the metallic fabrics. There is something for everyone. Add a little dazzle to your day!

Earrings are an important part of every woman’s wardrobe, whether we are headed for a day at the beach, to the office, or to a wedding. Your earrings give a subtle hint about your personality.

You can change the entire look and feel of your wardrobe by adding the right earrings. You can bring out your softer feminine side, the sexy goddess, or present simple charm, sophistication, or elegance. For both men and women, today earrings are a definite fashion statement.

Earrings have been a part of human culture since 3000 BC. In past times, earrings actually established your position in society, because only royalty and very wealthy were able to afford expensive jewelry.

Fine jewelry was worn by only the wealthy. The rest of the population also wore earrings to decorate their body, but they were replicas of high society jewelry.

There are many styles of earrings. There are quite literally thousands of choices. There is an earring style for every personality. Fine jewelry remains popular with precious stones such as sapphire and emeralds.

Semi precious stones are also very popular. But even more popular are the costume jewelry earrings. These are affordable, look great, and are great for staying trendy and in style.

From dangles, to chandeliers, to droplets, to hoops, to studs. The choices and styles are never ending. If you don’t have pierced ears, no worries!

These days there is a terrific selection or clip on earrings available. You can be dazzling, subtle, glamorous, sexy. You can be highly refined, professional, high classed, or fun and funky, and trendy!

You can never have enough earrings. Your earrings can add the finishing touches your outfit. Change your earrings and you can change the entire appearance of your look. Think about that little black dress you own. A

Add a pair of sapphire studs and you’ll be highly refined. Add a pair of large chandelier rhinestones and you’ll be Hollywood glamour. Add a pair of wood dangles, and a pair of flip flops and you’ll look fun and funky.

Add a pair of red button earrings with a red bead necklace and you’ll be “so sexy.”

It’s amazing what a pair of earrings can do to your look! So keep a good selection of earrings on hand to meet all your fashion needs. Earrings are the most important wardrobe accessory you can own.

You’ll get great value from your earrings. Choose earrings that meet your life style, your personality, and your tastes. T

There is no point in buying a pair of trendy earrings that you’ll never wear because they don’t feel like “you.” Earrings also make a great gift as they can be very personalized.

Choose a style to meet their personality. From gemstones to beads, you can spend a little or you can spend a lot. The gift recipient will be thrilled that you were so thoughtful as to buy such a personal gift.

Use your earrings to make a lasting impression, from the board room to the beach. Be sure people remember who you are. It’s important to always Make Your Fashion Statement!

  The glow or radiance of a pearl is the most important quality. Avoid pearls that are chalky or dull as they will be weak and may crack or peal.The surface of the pearl should be blemish free - no bumps or cracks. Inspect under a bright light. Baroque pearls are the exception to this rule - their charm is in their irregularities.
  Pearls are measured in millimeters. The larger the pearl the higher the cost. A 6 mm pearl is going to be much less than a 12 mm pearl
  The least expensive pearls are the freshwaters which mainly come from China. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Average size is around 7 mm
  The best way to care for your pearls is simply to wear them. The natural skin oils keep them moisturized. Do not put them on until you are done with your cosmetics. This includes hair, facial, and perfume. The residues from these products will ruin your pearls. Do not wear your pearls in the water - chlorinated and salt water will damage them. Polish with a soft cloth and never use jewelry cleaning products on your pearls.
  Quality pearls are not cheap but they will last a lifetime. Freshwater pearls are becoming very affordable. Not all of us will be in the market for “Real Pearls” and lucky us there are plenty of options. Swarovski makes a crystal pearl that is of the finest quality and quite difficult to tell from a true pearl for a fraction of the cost and they are available in a variety of colors.
  There is an endless supply of imitation pearl or costume jewelry pearls on the market. These are offered in a wide variety of styles and colors. Great fun at affordable prices. Do you think Jennifer Garner wears the real thing for bumming around?
  So you ask what’s “In Style” this season? Well I’m glad you asked!
  Pearl rings get the green flag - from low settings to monster large solitaire pearls, they are all the rave. A pearl ring can go from romantic and simple to sleek and stunning.
  The Bib Necklace makes a very dramatic statement. A broad necklace that tapers towards the back just like a baby’s bib [thus the name]. They range from extremely wide to as narrow as a “. This style works great with a simple black dress or strapless neckline.
  The multi-strand necklace is ever so preppy. They range from 12″ to 18″ and pearls are usually small to medium. The object of these necklaces is for every pearl to be in perfect placement. Very versatile and fashionable.
  The opera length necklace simply never disappears from the fashion scene. They measure 36″ or longer and they can be worn as a long single lean line, doubled up, tied in a knot, wherever the moment takes you. These long strands are terrific for dressing up a pair of jeans or semi casual look.
  The tassel necklace from the footloose and fancy free1920s has made a come back, and rightly so! Today tassels are often made from tiny seed pearls or irregular baroques. They range in length fro short at 16″ to navel length at 36″. The tassel necklace swings and sways with your movement making it a must have for those night of dancing.
  This season for first time, we are seeing pearls mixed with colored gems such as amethyst, peridot, or topaz. They compliment each other nicely - pearls with their soft and subtle shades mixed with semi precious gems with their vibrant and bold color. Picture it - what a fashion statement!
  Pearls mixed with silver is also new this season. Long silver chain dangle earrings accented with pearls, or freshwater droplets set on silver.
  This season the pearl is all about the color. Pearls are available in many hues but this season the “hot spot” is “lavender” and the lavender family ranging from pale iris to plum.
  If you already own a beautiful classic pearl necklace its very easy to transform it into something from this season. Try adding a group of charms or pendants, fastening a vintage brooch or clip[ on earring at the bottom. You could mix various lengths or sizes of pearls together or entwine a silver or gold chain. How about mixing your real pearls with your fake pearls? The options are as endless as your imagination.
  Remember when you freshen your wardrobe for the spring, freshen your costume jewelry too and Make Your Fashion Statement!

    Today I’d like to give you some tips which could make you more attractive!
    The very first thing you need to put in your bag is a small compact mirror, double sided preferably. You can purchase a nice size travel mirror complete with protective cover for around $5.00.
    Next make sure to include essential brushes. Brushes such as blush and eyeshadow are most important. Or you can purchase a compact set of miniature brushed for around $10.00. That will ensure you’ll have every brush you need.
    Include your foundation or powder. If the original container is too large, then purchase a compact bottle or transfer some to an after market container that seals well.
    Don’t forget to include your favorite lipstick [only one please] Remember your building a compact version of your real makeup case. You can add a lip gloss if you like.
    Same goes for eyeshadow. Choose a palette of colors you can wear or use anytime. There is no good way to pack a variety of colors, so it’s best to choose your most reliable colors.
    Or, you can purchase one of the pocket eyeshadows that has 8 or 12 variations. However, I find usually there’s only a few colors you’ll actually use in these. Don’t’ forget to add mascara and eyeliner.
Blush can be a bit tricky because the containers are usually quite bulky. Again look for a small version of your blush or find a comparable one that comes in a travel size.
    To keep you fresh, you can also add some prepackaged facial cleansing cloths, a travel toothbrush and toothpaste, and a travel size deodorant.
    That’s it, you’ve just built the ultimate travel makeup bag. All the basics, to get you through the day. No wasn’t that easy?