Shoe Trends for 2010

New Year is already here but you haven’t got a perfect pair of shoes to complement you dress? No problem. Here you can find a few fabulous pairs for a stylish New Year!

Above: Alejandro Ingelmo bianca zipper bootie

Above: Alexander Wang Freja lace up stiletto boot with zip detail

Above: Aperlai Lace up platform sandal

Above left : Aperlai platform metallic sandal,

Above right: Anna Sui-Bailin for Anna Sui butterfly short mesh open toe boot

Above left : Aperlai suede lace up sandal with shagreen heel ,

Above right : Balmain embossed leather high heel sandal with beading

Above left : Balmain Suede lace up boot with studs,

Above right : Calvin Klein metallic leather sandal with lacquered heel

Above left : Chanel 5 O'clogs mule,

Above right : Christian Louboutin satin D'orsay

Above left : Derek Lam leather Myrna sandal,

Above right : Dolce & Gabbana patent leather leopard print pump

Above left : Dries Van Noten raffia bootie,

Above right : Gucci leather knee high boot with cutout detail

Above left : Hermes leather spectator sandal,

Above right : Jimmy Choo embossed leather quito sandal

Above left : Manolo Blahnik lace up leather sandal,

Above right : Manolo Blahnik leather heart sandal

Above left : Manolo Blahnik slim back bootie,

Above right : Miu Miu Printed platform pump with crystal detail

Above left : Pierre Hardy Gold multicolor transparent sandals,

Above right : Roberto Cavalli suede gladiator flat

Above left : Sonia Rykiel Metallic python and leather ankle strap sandal,

Above right : Sonia Rykiel python and embossed leather ankle strap

Above : Alexander McQueen leopard haircalf Alla wedge mule sandal

No Longer Wedged on the Fashion Highway

Have the desire to improve your fashion style sense and change your life ?

No matter what age or shape you are, a few small steps can change your whole perspective on how you look and how you feel.

Are you stuck in a fashion groove?

Do you ignore current fashion trends and consider that style is only something that comes with money and fame?

Do you go for the same safe styles and colors when out shopping?

Do you wear the same “best” outfit to every important meeting or social occasion?

Do you turn down invitations because you have nothing to wear?

Are You Stuck in a one-style fashion?

If you are the kind of person that stares at your wardrobe yet still cannot find something suitable to put on, then you may well be stuck in a one-style fashion. If thinking what to wear to the office every morning has become a nightmare, then it is time to update your look!

First of all, just remember these major rules:

SIZE DOES NOT MATTER! (when it comes to fashion styles)Being stylish has nothing to do with your SIZE. It is about making the most of your shape.

Being stylish does not have to break the bank. In the words of Victoria Beckham in her latest book That Extra Half an Inch, (2007) “Whether you’ve got £20 to spend in Top Shop or £2,000 to spend at Gucci, looking good isn’t about money, it’s about style, and style never goes out of fashion.” (great advice,Posh!)

Getting older (or poorer) is no excuse to become stuck in just a style. If you are unemployed or a stay-at-home mum, whilst having children and keeping house may mean you have less time and money to spend on yourself , that doesn’t mean that you should feel any less attractive and desirable than you did when you were young, free and single or working!

ATTITUDE + CONFIDENT = FASHION STYLE + TREND SETTER

Fashion style is also about ATTITUDE. Feel CONFIDENT in yourself about the way you look and that will affect others too. In the words of fashion designer icon Coco Chanel, “Fashion is architecture. It’s a matter of proportions.”

Try not to think much about the word “fashion” and think “style” – it may be mentally less intimidating or more “wearable".

Even if you stay at home, make an effort to dress or wear makeup/accessories everyday as if you are going out. This changes your whole approach to even the most mundane household chores. You will find you have a more optimistic attitude and are less inclined to be reduced to a couch potato, in your slovenly sweat pants and baggy T-shirt.
Overhaul your wardrobe--Get rid of those items which are outdated, do not suit you or simply do not make you feel good. Make room for that new wardrobe of clothes that you are going to build, slowly, piece by piece.

Take stock of how many classic items you currently have in your closet. Start building new outfits which will prove versatile and timeless – go anywhere and do anything. You should aim to have a wardrobe base of well cut, classic pieces and a few cheap fun, fashionable outfits that are right on trend, which can be replaced every season.

Treat your wardrobe as an investment. Create a closet that is full of must-have pieces rather than make-do ones.

Ensure that your wardrobe is built around some style staples which will take you from season to season and can be dressed up or down. A good coat/blazer, a little black dress, well cut denims, a classic pair of black/plain coloured pants, and a stylish crisp white or plain shirt. Update these looks every season or 3-4 months with some fabulous accessories.

Don't forget, buy a really great bag and a pair of stylish shoes which will transform any simple outfit to superb.

Dress accordingly to your body shape. Are you a pear, apple, brick, hour glass or inverted triangle?
It is important to tone down your flaws and make the most of your assets.

Shop smarter. Ask yourself a few key questions regarding what suits you before you shop and plan what to buy in advance.

There is never a better time than the start of the new year to create a brand new you.

Detox your wardrobe, clearing out those outfits which do not make you feel good. The second is to learn what cuts and colors work best for you and the basic style rules of women's fashion.

Have you checked these essential items in your wardrobe?

1. Little Black Dress (for plus sizes too)

2. Bag (courtesy of Christian Dior A/W 2010 python detective briefcase)

3. Shoes (courtesy of Tabitha Simmons A/W 2010 suede trim lace up bailee sandal)

4. Long Pants/Jeans/Skirt

5. White/Plain Shirt

6. Accessories (courtesy of Sonia Rykiel A/W 2010 studded resin bracelets)

Now you can feel more relax since you are no longer wedged on the Fashion highway;)

source: Women's Fashion by Gill Hart

My top ten fashion show songs

There are loads of songs that are inspired by fashion and they are even perfect for runways.I rounded up my current favourite ones that can inspired any fashion shows. Below is my list of the top ten fashion related songs:

10. Black Eyed Peas - Meet Me Halfway

9. Fashion- Lady Gaga

8. Return to Innocence (Remix)- Enigma

7. Desert Rose-Sting

6. Sweet Dreams- Beyonce

5. Please Don't Stop the Music -Jody Broeder Remix by Rihanna (I used this song during my fashion show last year ;);)

4. Round Round(Remix) - Sugababes (I played this song during my first fashion show in 2003 ;);)

3. Forever- Chris Brown (This was my second choice of song during the last year's runway. But sorry Chris, I chose Rihanna for the show ;);)

2. Heartbreaker - Will.I.Am

1. Sexy Bitch - David Guetta Ft. Akon (Robson Michel Remix)

Halloween Fashion and its seven deadly sins

I excerpted this interesting article on Halloween fashion by Alexa Altman;)

The seven deadly sins of Halloween fashion

Ever since my parents could wiggle me into a pink bunny costume with built-in footie pajamas, I have been a complete Halloween freak. Not the typical cover-myself-in-blood-and-play-with-a-Ouija-board kind of freak, but one that obsesses over every detail and gets legitimately mad at people who just stick Halloween in the category of Hallmark cash cows. The most crucial aspect for me has always been my costume – the outfit with a night-long lifespan that can either make a statement or fall flat like molded pumpkin pie.

To deter anyone from a dreaded ensemble faux pas, I have assembled a Divine Comedy of the Seven Deadly Sins of Halloween Fashion, and how you can avoid them.

1. The “too soon” costume is bound to appear this year, following the recent deaths of pop culture icons like Michael Jackson, Patrick Swayze and Farrah Fawcett. While these legends have always been public idols, it might not be so politically correct to portray them post mortem. Anyone who offers themselves up for public scrutiny, however, is fair game. That means you, Kate Gosselin.

2. As Lindsay Lohan put it in “Mean Girls”: “Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it. The hardcore girls just wear lingerie and some form of animal ears.” While many store-bought costumes come with more glances from male creepsters and less fabric, the notion of “tomorrow is November” is occasionally overlooked. This is increasingly evident on Halloween, when college girls might as well be streaking in Antarctica due to their lack of body coverage in frigid temperatures.

3. At every Halloween party, there is always “that guy” without a costume. When you ask what he is supposed to be, he sheepishly replies, “I’m dressed as myself.” Even if it is 6 p.m. on Halloween and you are at a loss for ideas, pick up a mask from a costume shop. They are less expensive than a full costume, and you will avoid being tagged as “that guy who hates Halloween.”

4. Overspending is a major Halloween sin. Packaged costumes are outrageously priced, with the added disaster of bumping into a hundred people wearing your same outfit. Assembling a costume yourself is drastically cheaper and exponentially more creative, and fabric stores and thrift shops will generally carry any raw materials you might need.

5. Couples who come in costume together are risky. Opting for something straightforward, like Bonnie and Clyde or Caesar and Cleopatra, makes paired costumes exciting. Venturing down the path of “ketchup and mustard” and “plug and socket” is when couples’ costumes get downright creepy.

6. With most of your focus directed toward what is happening below the neckline, it is easy to forget about the magic of makeup. It is the easiest way to play up your Halloween look, and just for one day no one can mock you for channeling Mimi from “The Drew Carey Show.” Cosmetics giant MAC has just assembled a look book of makeup layouts good enough to stand alone as costumes, making it even easier for the artistically challenged to paint their way to a more chic Halloween costume.

7. Perhaps the most deadly of all Halloween sins is thinking inside the box. Witches, fairies and cats are a dime a dozen and drain the holiday of its creative rapport. Prevent yourself from going as something predictable and search for inspiration. You do not have to break the bank for a costume; most of your supplies for an innovative getup are already in your closet. Do not hesitate to turn heads and raise some eyebrows. Even if you earn the occasional “I can’t believe she’s wearing that!” comment, Halloween is supposed to be about the wow factor, so slap on some crazy makeup, wear something that would make Lady Gaga proud and have a stylish Halloween.

Have a Ga-Ga halloween everyone!!

Paris Spring 2010 runway: The Lack of Couture Touch

No doubt, it was a brilliant and nice show for the Paris Spring 2010 season.Part of the runway show seemed too young but it’s refreshing to see a viewpoint that is chic, together and mature. It would have been nice to see more designs and some skirt lengths dropped a couture touch even it's for the Spring.

To me, all they were missing some eccentric fashion(except for John Galliano ) that obviously would attract the show and make people talking about it for at least the whole season.

Anyhow, things have wrapped up but the desire to look couture yet chic hasn’t gone away. It’s going to be interesting to watch how the runway plays out for next season....;);)

Valentino

Haider Ackermann

Junya Watanabe

John Galliano

Jean Paul Gaultier

John Galliano

John Galliano

Comme des Garcons

John Galliano

source:style.com

Paris Spring 2010 Ready to Wear: Red Carpet Trends

If you are lacking inspiration for your award show on the red carpet or any gala dinner, the recent Paris Spring 2010 Ready to Wear is a great resource. You can see upcoming trends & styles, and the colors that are hot right now, and use these as a starting point for dreaming up your fabulous evening look!

John Galliano

John Galliano

John Galliano

John Galliano

John Galliano

John Galliano

Hussein Chalayan

Elie Saab

Elie Saab

Costume National

Collette Dinnigan

Collette Dinnigan

Christian Dior

Christian Dior

Christian Dior

Ann Demeulemeester

Andrew Gn

Andrew Gn

Andrew Gn

John Galliano

source:style.com