Chic in the Heat

Summer brings sunshine, and you can finally break out your miniskirts and brights.

But dressing for the varieties of summer activities, from beaches to air-conditioned offices and cinemas to barbecues, to poolside cocktail parties can be daunting. It requires a fair amount of creativity and strategy.

Summer Essentials:

A printed dress, a basic shift cardigans galore, a smart tote, a flat sandal or a cork wedge and oversize sunglasses will take you from the beach to a five-star in style.

- Sundress: They're light, summer hued, comfy and airy. Nothing can beat the heat like a nice summer dress. It's not only fashionable but your respite from the callous heat. Wear a nice summer dress in white or the hot neutral hues and accessorise with necklaces or go for floral or tribal prints. Make sure you pick the right fabric, cottons or linen, to beat the heat ad keep you cool.

- Cardigans or smart blazers: darting in and out of air conditioning can attest to the frustration of runnin hot and cold. Smart cardigans in array of colours or stylish blazers (boyfriend blazers are huge this season) are your saviour and summer staples.

- Oversize Sunglasses: Yes, a nice pair of oversized sunglasses are a total must-have for Summers. Not only they immediately upgrade your glam factor but also protect your eyes and the delicate areas around your eyes from the harmful UV rays.

- Roomy Bag: Summer requires your bag to have the extra space to fit in your glasses, sunscreen, facial spritz, gloss, wallet and a small bottle of water. It's useful to have something roomy like a smart tote.


Colours Trends for Spring Summer 2010

White - White spells class, serenity and SUMMER!!!!! No spring/summer wardrobe is complete without the soothing whites. The summery white does the trick of cooling you off and bringing in the chic to your look. Come Summer and a LWD replaced the LBD, wear all white monochromatic look or add a punch of colour to your ensemble using brights. At the very least, a crisp white shirt should be on top of your shopping list.

L-R: Michael Kors, Fendi and Gucci

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Blush - This ultra-feminine shade is THE COLOUR OF THE SEASON. The pastel shade works for all skin tones, giving fair to dark complexions a rosy glow. It looks best when paired with soft neutral separates during the day and bright iridescent accessories at night. Experiment with lace or chiffon or for a more statement look pick a blush-colored dress or blouse with embellishments. Other neutral hues like nudes, beiges are also in this season. Wear them with the same mantra as Blush and remember playing with layers and textures and mixing the neutral hues would look great.
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Helena Christensen and Sarah Jessica Parker in Stella McCartney Blush Dress

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Acid Yellow - Most of the girls would probably shy away with the thought of adding yellow to their wardrobe, but don't let Acid Yellow intimidate you. Make a sunny statement in a neon shift paired with heather grey sandals and a matching clutch. The color even works at the office—brighten a dark suit with a lemon-kissed camisole or a blouse with a splash of citrine. While acid yellow looks ideal against olive and dark skin tones, fairer complexions can opt for softer versions of the eye-catching hue.


Related Posts:
Sunglasses for your Face Shape
Spring/Summer 2010 Trends and Must Haves
Pastels Dominating Spring Catwalks
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Who Are These People?

And SJP and Kim Cattrall got the worst of it. Who in the world photoshopped this movie poster? "Carrie" looks cross-eyed, "Samantha" looks like somebody else, only "Charlotte and Miranda" came out looking like some semblance of themselves. "Sex in the City 2" movie poster people? Ya'll need to do better.

Victoria Beckham's Designs

Victoria Beckham's luxury dress label has quite the celebrity following. Ever since the launch of her label, celebs from J Lo to Cameran Diaz to Blake Lively to Jennifer Hudson have been spotted in her classy chic dresses and praised her work.

Such is the popularity of her designs that her Fall 2009 collection completely sold out on the luxury online shopping store Net-a-Porter.com. Her designs are classy, simple, chic and stylish - forever pieces.

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Gwyneth Paltrow in Victoria Beckham

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow attends the 2nd Annual Bent on Learning Benefit at The Puck Building in NYC in a shimmering gold Victoria Beckham's minidress.

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J Lo in Victoria Beckham's Creation
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Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow were spotted in a beautiful body-flattering pencil dress by Victoria Beckham. Gwyneth wore VB's dress in grey for an Iron Man 2 photocall while J Lo picked the dress in lovely blush colour and was seen wearing in Washington D.C. with a pair of nude Louboutins. Both the ladies looked gorgeous in their respective dresses.

Looks like Gwyneth has fallen head over heels for VB's dresses, as she wore two of her designs in a short span of one week.
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Rumour has it that Victoria Beckham would be designing a few outfits for Beyonce for her next series of concerts, as Beyonce completely loved her designs.

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Good work Posh, but we wish she creates some affordable line for other fashion savvy females, who don't want to loosen their bags as much.

Image Source

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Related Posts:
Celebrity Watch - February 2010
Style your Hair
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Halle Berry & Gabriel Aubrey Are No More.

I have to tell you that I was shocked, SHOCKED when I heard about Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubrey splitting up. Then to hear it was about their age difference? (she's 43 he's 34) Wow. And it's being reported that it was Gabriel, NOT Halle who was the one getting antsy and tired of the relationship. Sources are saying that Gabriel's a "stand up dude" so he didn't want to cheat on her, so he just decided to end things. Reports are also saying that they've already worked out custody of their daughter Nahla. If this is upsetting to me, imagine how Halle feels. Sad. Well if someone doesn't want to be with you, it's really a waste of time trying to hold on to them. Just hope this dude knows what he's doing. [source]

10 Year Old Designer Cecilia Cassini Making a Name for Herself in Fashion.

Cecilia Cassini is making waves in the fashion world...and she's only 10 years old. She's started sewing at age 6, writing letters to Chanel at age 7 and now she's dressing young Hollywood. Check out her interview with Today's Jenna Bush Hager.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Fruit of the Loom New "Perfect Pair" Bra...

Are you an A cup on one side and a B cup on the other? Hard to find a bra that fits? Well now you can pick your perfect pair! Choose a right cup size and color then choose a left cup size and color. Use the front and back closures to connect the cups and create a bra that has been customized just for you! Lots of different patterns to choose from so you can mix and match! What a genius idea.

Smile

smile because it's the weekend ;)

SHOCK: Sheila Johnson BET Co-Founder is ASHAMED of It.

EDITORS NOTE: That "SHOCK" in the blog title? Purely for dramatic effect. 

via The Daily Beast:
Black Entertainment Television, the network that Sheila Crump Johnson and her husband Bob started three decades ago with $15,000 in seed money and a $500,000 investment from media mogul John Malone, made her one of wealthiest women in America. When Viacom bought them out in 2000, Sheila and Bob pocketed $1.3 billion—making them, pre-Oprah, the nation’s first African-American billionaires.

So today she must be extremely proud of her baby, right?

“Don’t even get me started,” says the 60-year-old Johnson, who has since divorced and remarried (charmingly enough, to the Virginia circuit court judge who presided over her divorce). “I don’t watch it. I suggest to my kids [a twentysomething daughter and a college-age son] that they don’t watch it… I’m ashamed of it, if you want to know the truth.”

Well alrighty then Ms. Sheila. Don't hold back, no really.. lol. And most of ya'll already know that she's only voicing what most people have been saying about BET for the last few years. Shout out to her for being bold and not letting anything stop her from saying it (she has nothing to lose really, because she no longer has ties to BET) Still, I'm sure Debra Lee will be none too happy about any of this. Click HERE to continue reading what else Ms. Sheila Johnson has to say.

Sandra Bullock is Making a Home in New Orleans...

Sandra Bullock graduated to being on "ninja status" after making the covert, stealth move of announcing her new son Louis without anyone knowing what was going on. Now, she and her new son are making a move into a beautiful new home in New Orleans. And can you really blame her for wanting to start over fresh in a new place? Just so *excited* that she chose our neck of the woods, New Orleans, Louisiana! Moving vans were spotted unloading furniture at the house on Thursday April 29, 2010 one day after she unveiled her new baby Louis and announced that she was divorcing her husband of 5 years Jesse James. I wish her and her cutie baby nothing but the best and I sincerely hope she finds peace here.

TIME Magazine's 2010 Most Influential List...

Click the pic to see TIME Magazine's full list of 2010 influentials.

107 Year Old Lady Meets POTUS. Then Hits on Him, lol.

President Obama was in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa recently where he met 107-year-old Frances Asher. The President asks her what her secret is for looking great at 107, she tells him garlic, the rest... well, you should see and hear it for yourself :)

Praying For Our Gulf Coast...

I don't want to know a world without fresh Gulf shrimp and oysters. No joke. Praying that that get this "flow" under control quickly for the fishing industries and the environment.

Project Runway Holding an Open Casting Call in NYC...

Project Runway is now casting for Season 8!!! Have what it takes to show your stuff at New York Fashion Week? This is your chance!

The minimum age to apply for the show is 21.

For more details, information and to apply, please fill out the application (Download) and follow all directions that are on it.

The deadline for us to receive applications is April 27th. Please disregard the April 22nd deadline on the application.

That said, our invite only casting calls begin in late April. Getting your submission in as soon as possible guarantees that you can be invited to the call that is geographically closest to you. Please don't wait until the last minute - fill out the application and get us all of your info immediately!

All applications should be sent, overnight, to:
Project Runway Casting
Bunim-Murray Productions
6007 Sepulveda Blvd. Van Nuys, CA 91411
See our application for information on how to make an audition tape. You must include a 3-5 minute personal video, on mini-DV or DVD ONLY. If you submit on DVD, it must be a full-size DVD, NOT a mini-DVD.

NEW YORK CITY OPEN CALL INFO:
MAY 7th 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
575 7th Ave., New York, NY 10018
(Between W. 40th St and W. 41st St)

Please bring five or six of your most recently made garments that demonstrate your sewing skills and fashion point of view. Please do NOT bring bridal, costumes, or garments designed by you but sewn by someone else. Also no models please.

Be prepared for only two of your garments to be looked at so choose accordingly. Also please bring a portfolio if you have one.

Questions? Send your e-mails to prcasting@bunim-murray.com.

Is The GAP Dressing Guests for the MET Gala?

via NYMag:
Turns out the Gap, which is sponsoring the Met ball this year, is dressing famous attendees, as rumored. Well, sort of. CFDA darlings Alexander Wang, Rodarte, Sophie Theallet, and Thakoon will collaborate with the Gap and its designer, Patrick Robinson, on gowns for the Gala on Monday night. God forbid a famous person just wear the Gap not prefaced by a designer name. M.I.A. and Zoë Kravitz will wear Alexander Wang for Gap; Kirsten Dunst and Jamie Bochert will wear Rodarte for Gap; Kerry Washington and Riley Keough will wear Thakoon for Gap; and Jessica Alba and Vera Farmiga will wear Sophie Theallet. The dresses will be auctioned the day after the Gala, with proceeds going to the Costume Institute.

Garland

Adore this pretty wedding... via here

in studio, dusk

It was dusk in the studio when I took this photo. I loved the blue-gray light and how it tinted Su’s set drying on the shelf. Click on the image for a larger view.

COLLEGE STUDENTS DON'T EVER BUY A TEXTBOOK AGAIN!!!!

SORRY I HAVEN'T BLOGGED LATELY I'VE BEEN SUPER BUSY GETTING SITUATED IN SOUTH CAROLINA.  YUP I AM PRESENTLY HERE WORKING AT A NEW RADIO STATION.  AT THE SAME TIME I AM GOING FINISHING UP MY DEGREE ONLINE.  TO MY SURPRISE I WAS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED AT HOW MUCH TEXTBOOKS ARE.   I FORGOT HOW COLLEGE TEXTBOOKS CAN BE SOOOOO EXPENSIVE!  FOR ONLY THREE COURSES LAST SESSION I SPENT $500 DOLLARS!!!! THREE BOOKS!!!  ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!  WELL, NOT TO LONG AGO I FOUND OUT ABOUT RENTING TEXTBOOKS!

THERE'S LOT OF DIFFERENT SITES THAT OFFER THIS SERVICE AT UP TO 85% OFF THE LISTING PRICE OR WHAT THE BOOKSTORE CHARGES.  MOST DO FREE SHIPPING AND HAVE FROM 45 DAY TO 120 DAY RENTALS.  I FOUND A BOOK I NEEDED FOR $15 BUCKS!!!!!!! IF I WOULD OF BOUGHT IT THROUGH THE SCHOOL BOOKSTORE THEY WOULD OF CHARGED ME $126!

THAT IS SUCH A HUGE SAVINGS!!!!  PARENTS IF YOU HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL IMAGINE HOW MUCH MONEY YOU ARE GOING TO SAVE IN 4 YEARS!!  THAT'S A VACATION OR A CHANEL BAG! ;)

HERE ARE THE TOP WEBSITES FOR TEXTBOOK RENTING!

WWW.BOOKRENTER.COM

WWW.COLLEGEBOOKRENTER.COM

WWW.CHEGG.COM
DISCOUNT CODE FOR 11% OFF USE CC112479

WWW.ECAMPUS.COM

WWW.SKOOBIT.COM


ENJOY YOUR SAVINGS TRICK!


JOCELYN LA DIVA

Halle Berry Spotted Being Stunning in China in Vera Wang...

Halle Berry is championing charity causes this year, she went from one charity event to another, as she hosted the Jenesse Centre fundraising events earlier this month (<--she wore a cute dress to that). Bringing her Hollywood glam to China, Halle Berry wowed in this sequined organza Vera Wang gown (above) at the 8th annual Bazaar Charity event in Shanghai on April 25th. Halle Berry will next help host the REVLON Run/Walk for Women in May.

Spotted Out: Ed and Lisa Wu Hartwell from RHATL...

Edgerton (<--Wow) Ed Hartwell and Lisa Wu-Hartwell attended D.A.N.I. House Celebrity Hoop Jam at John F. Kennedy High School on April 27, 2010 in Paterson, New Jersey.
 

Adore Tights...

I love the weather around this time of the year, when I fold all my jeans neatly away and start wearing tights...

{via my little ice cream}

2010 People Magazine's Most Beautiful...

Zoe Saldana. The mega-success of Avatar has landed the native New Yorker on red carpets all over the world – and on countless best-dressed lists. Her secret to mastering the red carpet? "I have learned to have at least one arm on my waist," Saldana, 31, tells PEOPLE. "And I have also learned not to talk when I'm am posing."



Jake Gyllenhaal. My new WGC ♥ He plays the adventurous – and buff! – Prince of Persia this summer, but off-screen the actor, 29, is a regular guy who doesn't need much to make him happy. "I feel my best after a home-cooked meal with family and friends," he says.



Isaiah Mustafa. Ladies, look at your man, now back to him. Yes, the ex-football player scored a touchdown with women everywhere after starring in that unforgettable Old Spice commercial. But the low-key actor, 36, says the only pampering he does in real life is "dropping off my girlfriend in front of the nail place and then picking her up."

 See more of the People Magazine's 2010 Most Beautiful list HERE.

OMG, OMG. Kids Performing "The Hills"

Ok, I haven't really watched "The Hills" since Lauren left and Kristin was added, but watching this thing with small children performing it just made me lol.

Sandra Bullock Files for Divorce. Adopts a Cutie Baby.

via HuffPo and People:

Sandra Bullock has filed for divorce from her husband, Jesse James, and is adopting a baby boy as a single parent, a story posted Wednesday on People magazine's website. "Yes, I have filed for divorce," the 45-year-old Oscar-winning actress said in an interview with People. "I'm sad and I am scared."

Bullock and James, 41, began the adoption process four years ago, the report said, and brought 3 1/2-month-old Louis Bardo Bullock home in January but decided to keep the news to themselves until after the Academy Awards.

In the interview, Bullock said she is savoring her new maternal status. "You wake up, you feed, you burp, you play, you do laundry," she said. "I'm still in that stage where I'm just amazed with him and at life." Click below to read the rest.

 "All I said when I met him was, 'Oh, there you are.' It was like he had always been a part of our lives." The baby, called Louie, is named after jazz great Louis Armstrong, who had particularly touched her with his signature song, "What a Wonderful World," said Bullock. The child was born in New Orleans, a city where Bullock and James had both spent time after Katrina.

Bullock said she got the call that a baby might be available for adoption during what she described as "the media craziness of the awards season." Deciding to shield Louis from that turmoil, she kept his existence a secret from all but a few trusted associates and loved ones. Her life (and his) became an ongoing process of secrecy and diversion.

"Just the doctors' visits were filled with decoys and dark cars," she said. "People that I had worked with for years couldn't understand why I wouldn't let them into my house for (Oscar ceremony gown) fittings."

James and Bullock separated in March after five years of marriage, following reports that James had been unfaithful. Bullock won the Oscar for best actress for her role in the blockbuster hit "The Blind Side," on March 7. Within days of her win, the cheating allegations became public and Bullock went into seclusion.

The motorcycle mogul publicly apologized to Bullock and his children, Sunny, 6; Jesse Jr., 12; and Chandler, 15. He recently returned home after a 30-day stay in a treatment facility where he sought help for "personal issues," the People story said. When asked about whether James had cheated, Bullock said she "had no idea about anything."

"I did the only thing I could do, and that was to pack enough clothes to live on, get all of Louis' things and get out of town. My main concern was Louis." When asked whether James will have any formal parenting role, she replied: "I will be adopting as a single parent. Anything else will be taken day by day."

Of her relationship with James' three children, Bullock said, "I don't want to know what life is like without those kids. ... Whatever we need to do, in the healthiest way, we are going to be co-parenting."

Looking ahead to life without James, Bullock said, "I really don't know how our paths will intersect in the future, but the father I have known Jesse to be with all the kids is one that I hope Louis can experience one day, no matter how Jesse and I go on with our lives."

What in the World is She Wearing?

And what is this material? I'm perplexed by the whole thing o_O



Producer Lisa Maria Falcone attends the "Mother and Child" premiere at the Paris Theatre on April 26, 2010 in New York City.



Especially the back.

Car Show Model Hits the Deck with Her Face. Hard.

I've watched this and can't figure out what happened. Did she trip? Whatever happened, it looked like it hurt.

Gwyn & Scarlett in Armani at L.A.'s Iron Man 2 Premiere

Scarlett Johansson and Gwyneth Paltrow lit up the red carpet at Iron Man 2‘s L.A. premiere in chic Giorgio Armani designs. For Johansson, the designer chose a sculptured one-shoulder organza Armani Prive cocktail dress from the line’s ethereal Moon collection, which he sketched in a pale green hue. Armani’s selection for Paltrow was a metallic silk jacquard short suit from his signature collection. [source]

Joss Stone is Designing Shoes (SHOES) for Nine West.

via NYMag:
23-year-old soul singer Joss Stone will collaborate with Nine West’s creative director on a capsule collection inspired by the many facets of her personality (their description) and also her floral tattoos.

Besides the fact that a person who doesn't really wear shoes is designing a shoe collection, the whole collaboration is a little off, owing to the fact that the Nine West Vintage America imprint, which Stone is “designing” under, is based on the idea of "rugged American individualism," says WWD. And, of course, Stone is a British pop star.

In any case, the Fall 2010 collection is all for a good cause. Proceeds of the $70-to-$120 goods will go to the charity Soles4Souls.

I'm a Dreamer

I am a dreamer, and I adore this "Dreamer" collection by Karla Spetic

Where Are All the Black Plus Sized Models?

via Jezebel:
Something is lacking in the current push to include plus-size models in mainstream fashion publications (or "separate-but-equal" media outlets such as Vogue Italia's "Vogue Curvy").

What's lacking, specifically in the fashion establishment but less so in the satellite world of "fatshion" blogging, is representation of models/women of color. I want to speak specifically about black plus size models/women because there is a very particular perception of blackness conflated with female fatness as compared to other races, and it's an identity I inhabit on a daily basis. Read the rest of this article HERE.

Christian Louboutin Spring/Summer 2010 Ad Campaign

Christian Louboutin's creativity now running in their advertisements too. Inspired by the fairy tale, Christian Louboutin's has come out with some very unusual adverts for its Spring/Summer 2010 Collections.

Shoes, sandals and boots have become fairy tale characters - Alice in Wonderland with its White Rabbit and Mad Hatter, Cinderella and her white mice, Thumberlina with her colorful butterflies; and even Mermaid and her underwater castle.

Related Posts:
Chanel Paris Fashion Week - Fall/Winter 2011
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cascades of type: an exhibit by bruno maag

“I wanted the viewer to have childlike fun when standing in the middle of the approximately 5,500 suspended letter forms.” – Bruno Maag on his Shape My Language exhibit in Vienna.

photographs courtesy of fontfeed.com