Singer Rihanna has become a fashion icon in today’s world of pop culture. The confidence she exudes allows her to pull off daring outfits, makeup, and hairstyles. But tomorrow night on ABC’s 20/20 News Special, the world will see more of Rihanna than her fame and beauty. During the hour-long special, Rihanna will finally open up to the world about her relationship with Chris Brown and the very public, and violent, fight that shocked her fans. By accepting her role as a victim of domestic violence, Rihanna will hopefully become a role model for young women struggling to put an end to volatile relationships. So from now on, Rihanna is much more than a 21st century style icon–she is a woman who is unafraid to stand up for herself and be an example for girls around the world.
Image courtesy of NewsCom
Why leave behind notions of a Disney happily-ever-after as an adult when you can continue to dream as a Disney princess? It may be a small world after all, but every little girl can now continue growing up as a princess!
Images from disneyconsumerproducts.com
Kirstie Kelly, a renowned couture designer, teamed up with Disney Consumer Product to launch a line of princess-inspired wedding rings and gowns. The Tiana gown, named for the latest African-American addition to the Disney princesses, will be the signature piece among the collection that includes the Snow White Diamond Edition gown, “Maidens” for bridesmaids, “Blossoms” for flower girls.
The jewelry collection, Kirstie Kelly for Disney by Mouawad, includes a showcase of diamond and platinum engagement rings and weddings bands. The collection evokes the spirit of each princess without being unnecessarily tacky (a red diamond or ruby for Snow White would be a little much!). Rather than highlight the princess through the ring with obvious and tacky details, subtle references of each princess can be seen throughout. For Cinderella’s ring, it evokes grace and charm with its pave and millgrain borders. For Ariel’s ring, there is more of a boldness and artsiness.
Are the rings and dresses cute or tacky? Let us know!
Image from thesartorialist.com
Clicking through numerous fashion websites and blogs today I eventually found my way to a page stocked full of bright and interesting photos. These photos did not contain the latest trends or the newest fall coat, but real life people in their real life outfits. These pictures, taken from the streets of various cities such as NYC, Paris and Milano, portray people running to grab Starbucks or hailing a cab for work, all while displaying impeccable style. Scott Schuman, the writer and photographer behind the blog, envisioned his site as a place to display photos of people who, in turn, would give inspiration to his viewers.
Schuman says, “My only strategy when I began The Sartorialist was to try and shoot style in a way that I knew most designers hunted for inspiration. Rarely do they look at the whole outfit as a yes or no but they try and look for the abstract concepts of color, proportion, pattern mixing or mixed genres.”
Check out The Sartorialist to get your own inspiration!
Editor’s note: We’ve blogged about The Sartorialist before, but it’s always refreshing to hear another opinion! If you like The Sartorialist, check out Jak & Jil and Garance Doré (Scott’s girlfriend!). Don’t forget, you can buy The Sartorialist’s book – not your typical coffee-table-sized book, it’s perfect for reading on the go. It’s almost entirely pictures – some from the website, some previously unseen. It’s sold at Barnes & Noble (both Durham and Southpoint stores), and I’ve seen it at Anthropologie at Southpoint as well. Seriously, it’s totally worth the money!
I have always been a firm believer that sweats belong in the gym. I cringe every time I see a pair of sweatpants – baggy, fitted, cropped, bootcut – at the grocery store, the airport, the dentist, and let’s not forget the ubiquity of sweatpants on a college campus. Bright colors, logos splayed across the rear, even our beloved school name emblazoned down the side of the leg, only make matters worse. But this year, many designers are bringing back the grey sweatpants from fashion suicide to its forefront.
Image from style.com
Image from gap.com
Image from Garance Doré
Alexander Wang showed a decidedly athletic collection for Spring 2010, pairing sweatshirts with corsets and briefs. Stella McCartney’s collection for Gap Kids launched this morning and featured this silk cashmere hoodie (for $88!), but styled over a tutu and snow boots. Garance Doré photographed a woman wearing Isabel Marant sweatpants with a basic white tank and navy blazer. Perhaps the secret to wearing sweats is in the details: sexy, girly, or chic pairings keep these girls from looking sloppy. What do you think??
Image from olsen-twins-news.com
They’ve inspired a following of fans with their straight-to-VHS movies, produced a K-Mart line to allow their fans to dress in their name, designed their lines Elizabeth and James and The Row, and now, although they’re not the young little babies that they were on Full House, Mary-Kate and Ashley are at it again, still sticking together.
The lower-priced junior brand, called Olsenboye, will be sold at jcp.com starting November 6th for a limited time before the official launch in February 2010. The line is described as “a casual sportswear and accesories collection that includes denim, bottoms, tops, dresses, skirts, shorts, jackets, handbags and shoes.” Olsenboye pieces will retail between $20 and $50.
In the new movie Amelia, starring Hillary Swank, audiences will see classic examples of the aviator bomber style that has become an integral part of the fashion industry. What began as a way for pilots to stay warm in high altitudes has become what some would consider an item that should be in every woman’s wardrobe. But, where did this timeless item originate? It was Amelia Earhart herself who, when she wasn’t breaking boundaries for women in the world of aviation, was designing her own fashion line. She helped to adapt the typical pilot’s clothing for women – who knew that she was groundbreaking in the fashion world, too? The great thing about the leather bomber jacket is its versatility. It looks great with jeans and heels, but it can also create a cool combination when paired with a chic knee length dress. So, here’s to Amelia! Thanks for breaking ground for women in the aviation and fashion worlds!
Hayden Panettiere rocks a bomber with a chic dress and heelsImage from splashnews.com
.jpg)
Lauren Conrad pairs a cropped leather bomber with a unique belt and wide leg pants to create a casual, but classy, lookImage from bigpicturesphoto.com
Image from elle.com
Now through November 9th, Bergdorf Goodman is helping introduce the new Adamo laptop from Dell by displaying these gadgets in their complementarily-dressed windows on the streets of New York. Douglas Little, creative director for D.L. & Co. Purveyors of Curious Goods, partnered with Dell to create a chic and luxurious line of PCs that incorporate Douglas’s designs, including crocodile skin and Swarovski crystals. The laptops go for around $4000, but honestly, who wouldn’t want to pull a grand piece of artwork out from their satchel everytime they have to log on to Blackboard? Makes doing those quizzes and writing on those discussion boards 100 times better. What do you think?
Image from flickr.com
When Paul and Susan Shareshian learned that Franklin St.’s only movie theater was closing down, they decided to not only buy the theater, but also to give it a makeover. Reopening in November, the fresh Varsity theater will have elaborate new molding and classic red carpeting to go with its “Old Hollywood” style. The Varsity regularly plays both current and classic movies for a much lower cost than other cinemas. In renovating the venue, the Shareshians want to “keep the community in mind and get their opinions, because ‘classic’ means different things to different people.” The couple is seeking the help of UNC art majors to suggest and carry out new looks for the theater’s lobby. Soon enough, you will be able to get a first-hand dose of Old Hollywood romanticism just down the street from campus.
Lady Gaga's Poker Face by MAC
This Halloween, make sure you aren’t frightening your friends with your makeup job! But don’t be afraid to get creative and go all out – your makeup can easily make or break your costume. Simple additions like fake eyelashes or a strong lipstick add an interesting and dramatic pop. A creative and unique look can drastically improve a simple costume. Need a little help? Try Sephora’s Halloween kits, $19 at Sephora.com, designed to provide the best look for any costume, whether its a vicious vampire or a pretty peacock.
Sephora makeup kit for Doll, Fairy, Angel
Sephora makeup kit for Greek Goddess, Peacock, Cleopatra
Sepora makeup kit for Vampire, Rock Star, Witch
Urban Outfitters Faux Leather Back-Zip Skirt paired with a satin blouse and tights
S.W.O.R.D Norvara leather jacket paired with jeans
Flashback to the 80’s… Leather is back in! Throw on a motorcycle leather jacket, with a pair of jeans and boots, to add an edge to your look. The leather skirt, matched with black opaque tights, and a silky blouse, looks fabulous. Not to mention, leather boots have never gone out of style. A must have accessory for this season is something leather.
