T-shirts and jeans are the mainstay of Rihanna when off stage. A point of interest is that she has now joined forces with Emporio Armani to help create and promote a collection of casual outfits, in other words, skinny jeans, biker jackets and T-shirts.
For those of us who have not got the super slim legs intended for skinny jeans then there are plenty of alternatives in which to feel comfortable in, for instance with a 2-way stretch. The stretch is accomplished with a blend of wool and crepe. The trousers are tapered so the wearer feels she is not only being pampered in sumptuous fabrics, but beautiful tailoring too. Extremely flattering pairs of trousers are those that are artfully made to keep unwanted curves under control.
For the on-coming party season, trousers are quite acceptable, especially with a luxurious jacket, perhaps of sheepskin. Sheepskin is very light in weight to wear; there is nothing burdensome or heavy about it. The ‘hippie’ image of sheepskin is outmoded because the jackets of today have a shapely waist and are beautifully tailored. Darker colours, such as chocolate brown look ravishing when worn with luxurious gold earrings.
If a more elegant look is required for a party, any soft tailored jacket such as a jacquard will perfectly complement any trousers.
Glamorous tops with elegantly tapered trousers of today were also considered highly fashionable in the 1950’s but with one crucial difference - high, narrow stiletto heels were never worn to complete the outfit as this was deemed vulgar. This seems regrettable because stilettos and heeled mules looked absolutely fabulous in this era, worn with a couture sheath dress, renowned for its small waist and tight skirt. This is also a great look for the modern office.
Another style of ladies’ trousers, pedal pushers, was popular with teenagers in the 1950’s but it was the close fitting tapered trousers with short tops & a matching bra that had a universal appeal. The trousers could be full length, mid-calf or just below the knee. It became a cool, sophisticated style, capitalised on by the likes of model and film star Grace Kelly.
The eminent fashion house of Christian Dior was more interested in ultra-feminine styles which he called his ‘New Look’. A wool coat with sloping shoulders for example, revealing full billowing skirts falling to mid-calf length was this look. His feminine hour-glass figure was complete with a pair of stiletto heeled shoes.
This ‘New Look’ was condemned by thrifty post-war dignitaries who thought it frivolous and wasteful in a time of austerity measures. This is a fair point because one wartime dress required three metres of fabric, whilst Dior’s dresses needed much more.
![Floral dresses off the shoulder strapless bra]()
Floral prints are back. At the New York Fashion Week which officially took off on Monday, a new line of collections from fashion designer Carlos Miele showed attractive floral prints. Models were seen in the runway wearing clothes with bold colors and bright whites. Curved lines of yellow, orange and red can be seen on the form-fitting dresses which the models successfully strutted down the catwalk. Off the shoulder dresses featured highly, along with single strap dresses which signals the necessity of the strapless bra.
These kind of prints are making a presence these days in recent fashion shows, as is the continuing popularity of maxi dresses. At the recently concluded Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, the spring collection of Carolina Herrera also showed strong floral prints on her layered dresses. These kinds of dresses can either be dressed up for more elegance and glamour, or dressed down with a sharp jacket for a more everyday look that could be worn in the office.
Fashion designers Donna Karan, Jenny Packham and Tracy Reese also joined the bandwagon as flowery prints can be seen on their upcoming collections.
More than a hundred thousand stylists, buyers, fashion editors and celebrities are expected to grace this fashion event that’s currently ongoing.
Multitalented television celebrity Martha Stewart announced that one of her newest shows will make a grand debut next month on the Hallmark Channel. Aside from that, she’s expected to bring her other top shows in the channel as well including the hour-long “Whatever” satellite radio show hosted by her daughter, Alexis Stewart, and Jennifer Koppelman Hutt.
Stewart will also launch “Martha Stewart Presents,” a new series of primetime interview specials that will debut on September 13. Her premiere show will celebrate the American women who dress for success. Her guests include fashion designers Donna Karan, Jenna Lyons, Diane Von Furstenberg and Tory Burch.
These events seemed to jive with the upcoming New York Fashion Week. Stewart was quoted as saying that she’s looking forward to a long-lasting relationship with the Hallmark Channel. The channel has a larger female demographic which is fitting with Stewart’s shows.
Actress Lindsay Lohan confirmed that she has ended her partnership with fashion designer Emanuel Ungaro and his fashion house.
This ended several months of speculation that the “Mean Girls” actress is no longer a part of the French fashion house. She personally announced that she no longer works as “artistic advisor” of the company.
Lohan was asked recently why she was not present at the Ungaro show at the Paris Fashion Week, Lohan said that she doesn’t work for the company anymore. When prodded to add more information, she said that there’s a lot of legal processes going on which prevents her from talking about the matter further.
Ungaro’s former CEO Mounir Moufarrige denied rumors last year that they are letting go of the actress after her first collection for the company did not meet expectations.
At that time Moufarrige said that the controversy brought by Lohan’s appointment increased the interest of the public to their collection.
