A perfect fit: Edmonds Halloween costume swap draws families

When Green Halloween Edmonds organizer Melinda Knight arrived at the Edmonds Coldwell Banker Bain office Saturday morning, she wasn’t sure what to expect: Would families show up to the first-ever Edmonds Green Halloween Costumer Swap event, one of many Costume Swaps sponsored nationally by the Puget Sound-based non-profit Green Halloween? And more important, would there be enough costumes to choose from?

Success on both counts: Families did show up by the dozens, and for many kids, the problem was too many choices, as 9-year-old Alexandra Smith could attest. Alexandra, who came with her brothers Jared, 4, and Michel, 7, tried on several outfits, from princess to cheerleader to Star Wars storm trooper, before deciding on a snazzy pirate outfit complete with ruffled shirt and black knickers.

Parents and grandparents accompanying the children to the Costume Swap were equally pleased with the event. “I just like the idea of recycling,” said Edmonds resident Karen Orstad, who accompanied her 9-year-old son, Jarod.
Marsha Moore of Lynnwood brought her daughter Trinity, age 5, who decided on a Princess Jasmine costume. “This is the third year in a row she’s been a Disney character,” Moore said.

Knight, who runs her own Edmonds-based online business for women inventors, Womentorz, will continue her Green Halloween presence at the downtown Edmonds Halloween Extravaganza from 5-7 p.m.  She and other Green Halloween Edmonds sponsors, including My Edmonds News and Sustainable Edmonds will be hosting a booth offering a variety of healthy treats and fun activities. Green Halloween is a Puget Sound-based national movement to make Halloween more healthy for children and more sustainable for the planet.

POLL: Wonder Woman's New Costume - Love It Or Hate It?

So... Wonder Woman has a new costume (again).

As we reported earlier today, the DC heroine is getting a new look in today's issue of "Wonder Woman" #600, as designed by comics veteran and DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee. And though this isn't the first time Wonder Woman's look received a redesign (and certainly won't be the last), it's caused a fair amount of debate around the comics world.

Thus far, the new costume hasn't been received very favorably by fans, and the iconic heroine's fashion sense has been attacked by all manner of critic, fan, and armchair pundit alike. But is the new costume really that bad? I want to hear from you!

Voting in this poll will end Thursday, July 1, at 12 PM EST. Make sure to post a comment here (or via Twitter) with your reasons for voting the way you did, as I’ll select responses from readers to feature in a post with the results.

From: http://splashpage.mtv.com/

STYLE girl check

The Sonam Kapoor-starrer, Aisha, is the quintessential chick flick. Loosely inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma, the film is very high on fashion. Producer Rhea Kapoor’s brief to Delhi-based costume designer, Pernia Qureshi, was to come up with a style that was feminine, flirty, delicate and fun.
Since leading lady Sonam is a budding fashionista in her own right, Aisha’s styling had to be better than perfect. As Pernia says, “Sonam’s special quality is that she is open to trying new things all the time. She has a great eye for fashion and is very well versed with the industry and new trends. Her attitude helps her pull almost anything off.”
It took Pernia over two months to prepare for the film. Sonam’s wardrobe is a mix of clothes from New York (designer, local, vintage and thrift), Indian designers and foreign brands like Dior. The inspiration for Aisha’s look was Audrey Hepburn. Come August 6 and Pernia is confident that every young girl in the country will line up to have the Aisha wardrobe.
Of course we get a peep much before that. We got Pernia to walk us through Aisha’s most coveted closet of this season. She picked five moments from the film.
The outfit is from Ayesha Depala. She is a Dubai-based designer whose creations we have used in the film. Her sensibility as a designer is very close to Aisha’s character. She does a lot of clothes with lace, pearls, ruffles and ribbon detail and that was exactly what I needed for this character. For this poster, we needed a beautiful fluffy gown where Sonam looks like she is waiting for Mr. Right.
The outfit is by Rajesh Pratap Singh, the flats are by Dior, the necklace by this uber-talented jewellery designer, Nitya Arora and the bag by Ferragamo. This scene takes place at an animal shelter so we wanted to give Sonam a bit of a sombre look but also didn’t want to compromise on the ‘girlie’ aspect. Aisha, the character that she plays, is someone who will always dress up—- even if she is going to the animal shelter. You’ll never catch Aisha dead wearing tracks. I love the pants that Sonam is wearing. They really accentuate her tiny waist and since she is tall, she can really carry them off.
This outfit is from Atsu. He is a fabulous designer and we have used his creations very often in the film. It’s chic, smart and girly at the same time. The inspiration behind it is that we needed a beautiful outfit for Aisha to have tea in and this was perfect. It completely compliments her masi’s saree. The colours are earthy, the colour palette almost like a garden with pretty flowers. The earrings are from a small store in New York that I picked up because I loved them and ended up pairing with this outfit.
This is actually one of my favourite scenes in the film in terms of costumes. The actors are at a polo match and we wanted them to look stylish and classy. Sonam’s dress is by Acne with a vintage belt, Christian Louboutin shoes, Dior handbag, and a really cool headpiece from a store in New York named Pixie Market. I thought Sonam looked very Audrey Hepburn in this scene. Since we kept the dress colours neutral, we gave her red lips to brighten the look. The headpiece adds a fun, feminine element to the outfit. Ira Dubey, who plays Pinky in the film, is dressed in an Oscar de la Renta, the shoes and bags are from New York and her headpiece is also from Pixie Market. Her ensemble is actually a top, which we have used as a dress because only Ira could pull it off. It’s a striking colour that looks even more trendy with the purple net hat. Amrita Puri, who plays Shefali, is wearing a Dior creation with shoes by Aldo. We wanted her to look pretty and classic so this Dior dress was perfect. The outfit’s light material, its soft print and classic shape look good on her.
I absolutely love this dress. We used it in a song sequence. It’s from a store in Soho in New York. I love the lace detail and the black flowers give it a slightly stylish and edgy touch. For me, it makes her look sweet and innocent. I paired it with a fabulous metallic Chanel bag that is actually from Sonam’s personal collection. And then we used a simple back headband so as to not overpower the look.

From: http://www.screenindia.com/

Costume bling the big thing

BRASH, bold and attention grabbing, designer costume jewellery is having a moment. While the over-produced and over-hyped "It" bag has struggled to maintain desirability in a post-recession climate, costume jewellery has made a comeback as an accessory that packs visual punch and potential investment value.

Oversize costume jewellery was everywhere during the autumn-winter collections shows, with labels such as Prada, Balenciaga, Marni, Marc Jacobs and Christian Dior adorning their clothing with bright and shiny baubles. Off the runway, Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Daphne Guinness, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna and Rachel Zoe are among the celebrities with a penchant for accessorising with high-fashion neckpieces, cuffs and rings.

In fashion magazines costume jewellery is now enticingly photographed with the same glamour and attention to detail as real jewellery and even clothes.

The trend to eyecatching costume pieces can be partly explained by the present wave of minimalist, palate-cleansing collections. Pared-back garments are the perfect canvas for for blockbuster bijoux.

"Jewellery is coming to the fore because people are questioning 'where do I go now?' in terms of fashion," says Christine Barro, whose Melbourne boutique Christine is a treasure trove of designer costume jewels from the likes of Lanvin, Tom Binns and Lady Gaga favourite Erickson Beamon.

"Your wardrobe is the base canvas and the accessories are the three-dimensional embellishment of you . . . that's the fun you can have." Barro's views are shared by Anna Della Russo, fashion director at large and creative consultant at Vogue Nippon magazine. Della Russo is one of the fashion world's most photographed women, mostly due to her obsession with flamboyant jewellery and over-the-top accessories.

"Accessories lift spirits. Accessories lift tastes. Accessories lift fashion," she says. "I love to wear catwalk [clothing] pieces from fashion designers, but I was looking for some personal touch. I have found it in the jewels impact. They express my passion for colours and symbolic signs." Della Russo follows in the tradition of women such as Coco Chanel and Paloma Picasso, known for expressing their personal style through costume jewellery.

It was two years ago that rock-sized statement pieces first made a catwalk comeback, just as global stock markets were hitting rock bottom. "It's almost a cheaper way of managing your wardrobe at the moment . . . introducing change with jewellery, rather than a bag," Barro says.

In this respect, fashion brands see non-apparel categories such as jewellery and accessories as key to expanding their appeal and attracting new customers.

But while "It" bags are notoriously counterfeited, designer costume jewellery still holds a sense of uniqueness due to its connection to artisan craftsmanship. Many pieces are made of unusual materials such as Austrian crystal and pate-de-verre (poured glass), and identifiable by a brand's signature plate placed at their base.

"The designs, workmanship, and originality elevate vintage jewellery into a league of its own," Barro says. "I just get totally blown out with what Lanvin does from one season to the next because it's stretching the boundaries of the producers' imagination on how to make it function as much as with the materials they use." Lanvin even draped its male models in costume baubles during its spring-summer menswear show in Paris in June, which featured tribal-style jewellery including industrial chunky chains and neckpieces made of horn and snake.

"We had a lot of debate about the jewellery: Is it too feminine, is it butch, is it macho? But in the end, I think that when women can wear pants, men can wear jewellery," Lanvin menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver said backstage after the show.

Lanvin's coveted jewels are created by the label's highly respected jewellery designer Elie Top, who is now facing increasing competition from other luxury houses.

Last year costume jewellery designer Camille Miceli was poached from Louis Vuitton and appointed artistic director of Christian Dior's costume jewellery lines. She followed a similar path to Victoire de Castellane, who was the former head designer of Chanel costume jewellery before jumping ship to steer Dior's jewellery collections. Accessories designer Pierre Hardy is now creative director of Hermes jewellery, while fast-rising star Husam el Odeh creates costume jewellery for Swedish brand Acne and French jeweller Maison Gripoix recently produced items for Marc Jacobs.

Their pieces have investment as well as aesthetic appeal. Leading vintage costume jewellery dealer Bruna Harrison, owner of Sydney's Harlequin Market, says the demand for costume pieces by Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel in particular has been recession proof. "Costume jewellery has the ability to reinvent and rebirth itself," Harrison says.

"The name has a lot to do with it [but] you're not just buying a name, you are buying part of the creative bent which only that label has. There is only one Chanel. There is only one Dior, Lanvin, or Yves Saint Laurent."

Shapiro Auctioneers managing director Andrew Shapiro is expecting a strong bidder turnout when the auction house holds its second vintage couture jewellery and accessories auction in Sydney on Monday night. There are more than 50 lots of of costume jewellery in the auction including 30 Chanel pieces (all in their original boxes and all from a single owner's collection) as well as pieces from the likes of Christian Dior, Moschino, Valentino, Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Marni and Christian Lacroix.

"Vintage costume jewellery like Chanel is widely known to hold its value almost to the point that it can cost as much as the real jewellery because it's exquisitely made and lasts," says Shapiro spokeswoman Olivia Humphry.

Coco Chanel was not the first to produce costume jewellery, but she wore it with such flair and daring that her confidence imbued it with a new value. Chanel popularised many costume looks that have since become collectible classics, such as the Maltese Cross, the chain necklace and ropes of pearls.

"I think the reason that Chanel costume jewellery holds its own and keeps its status and its value is that it has been created initially with impact," says Chanel communications manager Susie Stenmark. She says the "strength and impact" of the pieces means women can see the value in adding them to their wardrobes "to change a look, or to finish a look".

None of this comes as any surprise to Dello Russo: "One of my favourite rules is: Flashy jewels personalise your style," she says.

From: 

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/

Our picks for fall fashion finds at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

I experienced the first signs of fall at Nordstrom's Anniversary sale -- the rich smell of leather boots and handbags, the soft feel of cashmere hoodies, the creamy texture of lipstick in new fall shades and colors that rival the rich hues of autumn. Every department was full of hot trends at cool prices for the upcoming season.

What's in store for the most fashionable time of year? Take a look below.

Color
The color purple in shades from lilac to eggplant was omnipresent in leather and suede boots, heels and handbags; lipstick and eye shadow shades; panties and bras; wool and leather coats; sweaters, tops and tights. You'd be remiss not to add something to your fall wardrobe in this color. Play with the shades, there's something for everyone. Purple-gray is still going strong, especially in sweaters, dresses, bags and boots. Add something in green-toned gold and that just about covers it.

Leopard print
The print adds a rich elegance in small doses, but overdo it and you'll look like a big cat with bad breeding. Choose a pair of well-heeled pumps, a slinky top underneath a chic black jacket, a soft faux-fur scarf with your jacket or an a-là-Mrs. Robinson bra-and-panty set.

Luxe Handbags
They continue to be wonderfully textured and embellished with serious hardware, leather tassels and zippers. Sometimes the bags are too heavy even before you put anything in them, so I give them a heft first. There were many great choices on the sale table, save one egregious mishap: a silver metallic snake bag that looked like a disco ball gone berserk. In contrast, the classy Oryany bag in a pale-gray stone leather with a woven satchel handle and crossbody strap was fabulous and a steal at $189.90 ($289 after the sale).

Boots and booties
From just above the ankle to thigh-high, the boots the season are especially tempting and add punch to any wardrobe staple. Try one of the styles with lace-up fronts, suede-and-leather combinations or anything in shades of gray.

Ladylike sheath dresses
These are indispensable. You'll always have a go-to dress that works during the day and can be accessorized in the evening for a sexy ensemble. These fitted dresses come with or without faux-jewel embellishments or interesting necklines, such as the Trina Turk dress ($169, $258 after the sale). The secret for day wear is to add a short, fitted cardigan.

Sweaters and cardigans
You'll still find plenty of ruffles, drapey styles that barely skim the heinie, and flower-embellished cardigans. They go with everything from jeans and pants to short skirts and dresses.

Jeans
There are lots of brands and styles of jeans, from skinny to bootcut at a third of the price, including Joe's Jeans, True Religion and 7 For All Mankind.

Lingerie
Unlike the muted tones in other departments, the lingerie department is exploding with color and patterns from fuchsia to prints. I love the silky "Lush Lace" Felina boyshorts ($7.90, $12 after-sale) the cashmere hoodie ($64.90, $98 after-sale) and poly/rayon sleep pants ($27.90, $42 after-sale) from Shimera.

Alas, Nordstrom falls flat in the jewelry department. The sparkly rhinestone and crystal jewelry is too conservative and staid, the silver earrings and bracelets uninspiring, and generally the costume jewelry is too costume-y. This department should be rockin' to support all the other pieces in-store.

I showed enormous restraint and bought two Caslon rib-knit cardigans for $39.90 each (still a bargain at $59 after the sale) and a pair of tights for $6.90. I'm still mulling over a pair of Sam Edleman gray leather boots ($199, $299.95 after the sale). I'll need to think fast -- prices go up on August 2.

Did you find anything you love at the sale? Let us know in the comments below.

From: http://www.nwsource.com/

Buy Best Costume and Fashion Jewelry

In the modern era the designs and weight of the fashion trinkets has altered a bit. Now ladies don't want to load themselves with heavy ornaments, in fact they prefer lightweight ornaments matching to their clothing.The wholesale fashion jewelry dealers come to the rescue from this problem.

Rhinestone jewelry is as pure in quality as is offered in the ornaments retail stores. Many people miscue over the low ornaments prices and think it to be of cheap quality. However this is not right and the low prices are due to bulk order as dealers save a lot of money on bulk purchases.Almost every branded company now has online wholesale fashion jewelry stores which provide shipping facility to almost every part of the world. This also enables customer to compare the prices from various organizations and keep a close eye on the rates.

Ornaments prices keep on fluctuating all the times and various wholesale dealers provide luring discounts and offers from time to time. It depends completely on the customer how he grabs opportunities.The latest and finest ornaments is available at these online wholesale fashion crystal jewelry stores.The biggest concern is to pick the right jewelry store for your bulk shopping.One can easily read the various ads on the newspapers, televisions and internet sites by the wholesale jewelers.

Various wholesale fashion jewelry stores have the aim to reach out for the maximum number of jewelry lovers with their elegant, vibrant and sparkling products. The fashion jewelry and costume jewelry trends and styles keep on changing frequently so customers must keep their fingers crossed over the latest trends as outdated jewelry don't look that attractive. The exclusive range of wholesale silver jewelry needs to possess the hallmark sign of the company. If there is no hallmark sign then it is not wise to buy that piece. Customer should also look for the best prices as some dealers claim to be wholesale suppliers, but they actually are not one of them and sell accessories at the same prices as customer will buy at the retail showrooms. A wise customer can make best deals if he has good knowledge of the latest fashion trend.

Francisco Costa Thinks Fashion Is Ready for Women; Dress-Rental Site Gets Tons of Money

• Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa continues to say lovely things about the face of his collection for fall, Lara Stone: “My clothes look better on a more diverse casting — to represent the women who actually buy them. They can be 35 or 25 but they need to be worn on intelligent, experienced women ... Lara was our exclusive four years ago. We've never had someone who really represented our houses and all our licensees in the same way. She is very current, very beautiful and very womanly. It's time for that persona and for that body. She's divine, gorgeous and we will support her in that." [Vogue UK]

• Milliner Stephen Jones will make a cameo in Madonna's new movie based on the life of King Edward VIII. But will that make you see it? [Vogue UK]

• Rent the Runway — a site that rents designer dresses to members — recently raised over $15 million from Highland Capital and Bain Capital, and is relocating to a 9,000-square-foot office. [WWD]

• Véronique Gautier, president of Jean Paul Gaultier, is reportedly ready to step down. [WWD]

• Balenciaga designer Nicholas Ghesquière will receive Fashion Group International’s Superstar Award this year. [Vogue UK]

• The Barneys Warehouse Sale begins August 19. Dun dun dun. [Racked NY]

• Jeffery-West, the British shoe line worn by David Bowie and David Beckham, is coming stateside. [T Magazine/NYT]

• Nicky Hilton is still designing, and is launching a line of rhinestone-heavy costume jewelry this fall. [WWD]

• Ruben Toledo is illustrating Louis Vuitton’s latest batch of city guides, which will be available October 15. [WWD]

Nike SB Dunk Low “Neon JPack” Rumored For 2011 Release

When previews of the The Nike SB Dunk Low “Neon JPack” surfaced back in 2007, Nike SB fanatics were psyched for their release, which was said to be set for sometime during the Spring of 2008. Unfourently though, Nike SB decided against a public release, leaving consumers with nothing but pictures to drool over.

That all may change come 2011. According to rumors by N-SB, the Nike SB Dunk Low “Neon JPack” is expected for a release once again, this time during the Spring of 2011 at a Quickstrike. Could somebody just be playing with our heads again or will the sneakers actually make it to retailers this time? Only time will tell. After all the anticipation that originally built around the sneakers, we’re sure these would be one of the most sought after Nike SB releases for the 2011 calendar year. As the story develops we’ll be sure to fill you in on the important details, so stay tuned for more.

More Nike Dunk SB Info...

Labs Are Favorites, but German Shepherds Come Close

For the 19th consecutive year, the Labrador retriever is the most popular purebred dog in America in 2009, according to the American Kennel Club and based on its registration statistics.


Courtesy of Isabella Francais


Its reign on top, however, may be slipping, based on statistics from 50 large cities.

More of these cities reported other breeds were more popular than Labs than they did in 2008.

For example, German shepherd dogs, which overtook the Yorkshire terrier to become the second most popular dog nationally, was the most popular breed in Columbus, Ohio, Detroit, Honolulu, Memphis, Miami, Providence, R.I., and West Palm Beach, Fla..

“The German shepherd dog has gained ground recently, quite possible due to the increased attention they receive for their security efforts at home and abroad,” said Lisa Peterson, AKC spokesperson. “Hailed as the world’s leading police, guard and military dog, this energetic and fun-loving breed is a loyal family pet, ideal companion and dependable canine partner when duty calls.”

Yorkshires overtook Labs as the most popular breed in Tampa, Fla., and remained most popular in New York and Philadelphia.

Perhaps because of their skateboarding ability, Bulldogs took over the top spot in Los Angeles and the No. 2 in San Diego.

Looking at 10-year trends, the AKC noted rapid rises in popularity for the bulldog (from No. 21 to No. 7 nationally), French bulldog (No. 73 to No. 24), Cavalier King Charles spaniel (No. 58 to No. 25), and Havanese (No. 92 to No. 32).

Working breeds popular with law enforcement also showed steady 10-year climbs: (Belgian malinois (No. 95 to No. 81), border collie (No. 71 to No. 52), bloodhounds (No. 51 to No. 43), and Doberman pinschers (No. 23 to No. 15).

Finally, the Obama’s selection of the hypoallergenic Portuguese water dog as their family pet helped it climb four spots in 2009 to No. 60. It has climbed 20 spots in the past 10 years, the AKC reported.

Most Popular Dog Breeds in 2009

1. Labrador retriever
2. German shepherd dog
3. Yorkshire terrier
4. Golden retriever
5. Beagle
6. Boxer
7. Bulldog
8. Dachshund
9. Poodle
10. Shih Tzu

From: http://www.petstylenews.com

DJ Leigh Lezark's Raven Locks

Once you go black, you never go back! Gorgeous DJ-slash-model Leigh Lezark is known best for being one-third of the famed DJing trio the MisShapes, but you've probably seen her on magazine covers, runways and ad campaigns worldwide. With distinct jet black hair, she stands out in a crowd.

Making a switch to black hair is rather daunting, yet it's actually easier than going lighter since bleach isn't involved. As with any drastic change, the maintenance is more intense the lighter your original hair color. If you're thinking of going all the way, here are some tips:

Try out a semi-permanent dye before getting the real deal. Think of it as a trial period in case you hate it.

If you have blond hair, dye your hair dark brown first. Some of the chemicals in black dye can cause light hair to have a green tinge—and no one wants that.

If you've never dyed your hair and are thinking of an at-home job, have a friend help you out. You wouldn't want to miss a spot!

If you can swing it, hit a salon. It's always best to leave the big changes to a professional.

Check out different shades of black like natural black, rich black, soft black, blue black.

Have fun! Let us know how it goes!

From: http://www.stylebistro.com/

Crystal Renn Triumphs in Jean Paul Gaultier's Fall Campaign

In another victory for fuller-figured models, Crystal Renn has landed Jean Paul Gaultier's fall campaign. In the ad, Crystal poses with French model Kelly Moreira and both gals look absolutely gorgeous. Who says models need to be stick thin to do high fashion?

Crystal has been the focus of criticism recently after pictures where she looked less curvy were released. Her agent confirms Crystal is still a size 10 and simply capable of artfully posing. Crystal's also been taking advantage of the warmer weather and hiking, meaning she's toning up and being healthy.

It's an odd predicament for Crystal; she's applauded for being curvy, yet when she does something healthy—like hiking—she's criticized. With these ads, Crystal is bound to get mixed reviews. We think she look positively amazing. What do you think about Crystal's ad?

From: http://www.zimbio.com/

New Balance 576 x Offspring “Covent Garden” Pack

New Balance and Offspring have a history together which dates back to the mid 90’s, a time when collaborations where far and few. The UK retailer was the first boutique in Flimby, the same area in the United Kingdom where New Balance has their plant, to collaborate with the Boston-based footwear manufacturer on a store specific model way back in 1996. The two have since released a bevy of c0-branded shoes together but their latest project takes us back to that faithful day in the 90’s when the friendship first began.

Offspring and New Balance go back to their roots of working together for the first time, presenting us with the “Covent Garden” Pack honoring Offspring’s first flagship location in the Covent Garden district of London where their relationship started 14 years ago. Featuring three version of the New Balance 576, the sneakers are constructed in varying colorways from a mixture of suede and nylon, with a touch of 3M for good measure. Displayed across the tongue of all three is a street map which marks the location of Offspring’s first brick and mortar location on Neal Street.