GET the BEST shopping deals around at Planet Lulu!! Why? Because there is no car, no getting all dressed up. You can shop in your jammies and get the best deals on name brand denims, clothing, accessories and score major fashion points by NOT paying full price. It doesn't get any better than that. Check out the LA STORY BLOG for all the details.
The sale starts Thurs night 3/22 at 9:30 PM EST ( 6:30 PST) and ends Friday 3/23 at 12 midnight (9 PM PST)
Handcrafted necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings & brooches - inspired by the sky & sea, along with creatures both real & imagined. Available at SpaceMermaid.com.
DIY is all good & well if you've the time & the inkling. Very Designer's helpful & easy-to-follow beading kits will have you crafting in a snap, or, figure it's the thought that counts & order them up ready-made. Starting in January, new styles will be introduced weekly, and keep an eye out for a 10% discount on the style of the week. Available at VeryDesigner.com.
With the arrival of November, darkness sets in early and the brisk, balmy nights of fall are but a memory. Instead of succumbing to gloom and doom, spread some joy. A classy way is by penning an old-fashioned handwritten(!) note. Yes, email cards are quick and easy, but
imagine how nice it would be to unlock your mail box and instead of a
stack of bills and flyers, discover a friendly message on gorgeous
stationary. Another way to beat the blues is, of course, by indulging. Even if your budget doesn't currently permit a full-scale shopping extravaganza, window shopping - both online and on foot - can be just as pleasurable. Why not round up all those holiday catalogs overflowing from your mailbox, snuggle up in your fave chair with a glass of wine, and treat yourself to an evening of ogling all the fabulous gadgets, gifts and goodies? For sheer shock-and-awe, nothing beats the famous (infamous?) extravagance of the Neiman Marcus holiday catalogue.
Of course the holiday season also means parties & get-togethers. Rather than drop tons of cash on outfits you might wear only once or twice, look to the better-dressed celebs (with the A-list stylists at their disposal) and steal ideas for accessories, makeup & shoes that give any outfit a festive touch without putting an unfestive dent in your bank account. (Scarlett Johansson is frequently an A+ for these purposes.)
And don't forget to treat yourself to a yummy new fragrance...you deserve it!
Great holiday shopping recommendations from some of the Glam Network's best blogs:
Get in the holiday spirit with the ultimate fun book, the incredible Neiman Marcus holiday catalog. From diamonds to $40K tandem bikes to $1.75 million trips into space, this is the place to find everything over-the-top. As She Finds notes: "Yes, Virginia, such unbelievable gifts really do exist."
For timeless glamour girl style that's red carpet- & party-ready, Catwalk Queen picks Scarlett Johansson as the starlet to emulate.
The season's makeup is "done" - easily accomplished with the finely milled pressed powder tucked into this gorgeous Yves Saint Laurent Opium compact recommended by Beauty Addict.
Ever since the Three Wise Men set out on their lengthy journey some two millenia ago, gifts of frankincense, myrrh, and gold have never gone out of style. Why not celebrate with some gold-encased Billet Doux (Love Letter) from Fragonard? According to The Scented Salamander, this is a re-launch of an original fragrance from the 50s, and inspired by a painting by Jean-Honore Fragonard (after whom the house was named).
Say "Happy Holidays" or "Thanks" with some stylish stationary - made from real, live paper thankyou - recommended by Oh Joy!
For more dish & up-to-the minute fashion & lifestyle info, check out the Glam Network of blogs.
(French rapper Uffie; Anjuna in Paris; a four-finger ring from Anjuna)
Bling is not a universal thing. While the notion translates, the execution can vary significantly across countries & cultures. "There's a different style of bling in Europe that's more sophisticated," British designer Shaun Leane – who includes the Sultan of Brunei as a customer - recently told WWD. "It's not about the size of the rock, it's about the style and design." While bling is still a strong trend in the UK, where heavy gold chains & pendants are flying off the shelves at mass fashion retailers like H&M and Topshop, designers are starting to trading in size for creativity. "[Alexander] McQueen's fall show will also be very bling," says Leane, who has collaborated with McQueen for over a decade. "We've reached a stage where we want to bring the jewelry up a level and give it a couture feel.”
The fact is, European designers take a more jeweler-like approach. "Whereas U.S. brands tend to use heavy Thai silver that's cheaper and has a darker finish, we produce hand-polished chains made from rhodium metal to give a Tiffany-like, preppy vibe," says twenty-something Georgi Philip Pecenikov of the under-the-radar label Toy Me which mixes high & low: American cowboy’esque Sheriff badges & dollar signs along with charms inspired by toys tucked into chocolate eggs, quality diamonds from Antwerp, and the influence of other cultures such as India, known for bright, bold gold jewelry. "Britain's bubbling street scene is notorious for borrowing from its immigrant cultures, such as Jamaican or Indian," explains A-list London stylist Chloe Beeney.
Additionally, the British way of rocking bling is to nix the stereotypical tracksuits in favor of more fashion’y looks from designers like Burberry & Lacoste. European performers like French rapper Uffie tends to opt for bling from the continent rather than stateside. "France is the land of couture, and we've always been about individual style," says Beatrice Philippeaux of Anjuna in Paris, known for tattoo-inspired, customized jewelry. With a less than enthusiastic opinion of American bling and its tendancy to recycle "machine-made logos" such as the symbol for Coca Cola, she notes, "It's about mixing street spirit with creativity."
To hear the Fashiontribes Podcast, visit the Fashiontribes Daily 5-Minute Podcast Show at PodcasterNews.com.
- Lesley Scott
(Photos: Uffie - Ludovic Belmonte; Anjuna Store & ring -
Dominique Maitre; all via WWD)
This fire-engine red Ann Taylor wool crepe suit was recently featured in Shop Etc. for good reason: the color rocks, it does double duty both as a suit and as one of the season's must-have dresses, and the cut of the skirt is flirty & flattering fabulousness. While black is an obvious choice to pair with red, why not try baby blue? A pair of kicks, enormous bag, a wide belt, and some earrings, and you're good to go:
(From
Ellen Barkin's stash for sale: Cartier cuff, antique pearls, JAR thread ring)
We should all make such a lucrative clean break. In October, the future ex-Mrs. Ronald O. Perelman will auction off more than 100 of the baubles she acquired during her high profile marriage to the Revlon chairman. Ellen Barkin’s impressive collection of bling includes almost 20 pieces from cult label JAR, designed by native New Yorker turned chi chi Place Vendôme Parisian jeweler who is collected by the social A-list such as Lily Safra and Princess Firyal of Jordan. Other labels in the sale lineup include estate pieces from Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, and the collections of the Duchess of Windsor and Doris Duke. "It's not practical for me to keep it. I wouldn't wear it. It's just not who I am," remarked Barkin in a phone interview to WWD, where she is in Las Vegas with George Clooney, Brad Pitt & Al Pacino shooting "Ocean's 13."
Buzz over the upcoming Christie’s auction is high. Not only is it projected to rake in $15 million, but there is a special added draw for jewelry buffs & collectors with cash: a scant 70 or 80 JAR pieces are produced each year, featuring Golconda diamonds, Burmese rubies, sapphires from Kashmir sapphires and Indian emeralds. "Less than 50 JAR creations have appeared in the auction market and all of them fetched considerably more than their retail price," explains Christie's Europe chairman & head of jewelry, Francois Curiel. "They are considered museum pieces, so rare that there is virtually no limit to what collectors are willing to spend to own one. Our estimates appear to be always ridiculously low and I have even considered no longer publishing them when JAR pieces come up for sale. JAR defies all the rules of appraising jewelry."
While part of the draw of the auction is indeed the JAR mystique, part is without a doubt the irresistible lure of celebrity. "A diamond is a diamond, but a diamond owned by a star is a legacy," says Carol Brodie of Robb Report. "When we hear about Elizabeth Taylor or Doris Duke sales, you're also buying a piece of history. For collectors, it's a huge win." Some of the potential winnings include a diamond inspired by a Venetian gondola, some signature JAR pave-set "thread" rings, and a monster 16.94-carat diamond briolette pendant necklace (expected to fetch around a cool mil) which the actor apparently slept in. "I didn't treat it with preciousness," says Barkin, stating the obvious. "So much of the jewelry is big and bold, and I wasn't afraid to wear it. I didn't just take it out at night."
In terms of the market for her treasure trove, Barkin’s timing is flawless. There is growing interest in vintage and antique jewelry as fashionistas tire of seeing homogenous mass-produced accessories. Fall’s big fashion trend is layers – vests & knits worn over dresses or skirts over skinny pants and leggings – which creates more opportunities for expressing your fashion individuality. And a large part of looking different than everyone else is with accessories. At the same time, there is a renewed emphasis on quality and handmade. Vintage and antique jewelry meets both requirements handily: not only is it generally well made, but also one-of-a-kind. Which is probably what prompted Barkin to keep at least one piece: a diamond ring from Rosenthal. "He is the single greatest jeweler of our time. It's like looking at a Rothko; no one else could have made that painting." (via WWD)
To hear the Fashiontribes Podcast, visit the Fashiontribes Daily 5-Minute Podcast Show at PodcasterNews.com.
Late summer the stress begins. What do I need to buy for fall and what can I continue to wear that I already own? Most importantly, which trends do I know won't work on me and which ones can I embrace openly? Everywhere you turn, there are conflicting reports on the new "it" trends of the season. Fortunately, I love culling the fall fashions as much as I do breathing, so I have done the research for you.
The color scheme for Fall '06-'07 is a little murky, and by that I mean the color palette. Black is back as is brown, gray, moss, navy and white. There are punches of color like red and deep yellow. Metallics are still hot, but in smaller doses, so opt for either shoes, a belt or a handbag and make it antique'y gold.
1.Layering Notice a trend in oversized clothing? Thanks in part to Marc Jacobs, sweaters, jackets, pants, shorts and shirts have become larger. They have also become longer for a leaner silhouette.
2. Sweater Knits There are many choices on the knitwear fornt: chunky sweaters worn with feminine dresses, knitwear skirts, oversized sweaters, sweater dresses and knit tunics over skinny leg jeans or leggings. You know your body, if chunky knits make you look...chunky, then opt for the finer gage knits or try a knit dress.
3.Menswear Inspired Prints Plaids, pinstripes, houndstooth are huge this fall. You may notice that the scale of the print is huge as well. Do NOT wear prints from head-to-toe and consider choosing less tailored and more feminine pieces.
4.Boots and Booties Tall boots are big again this year and look best with skirts and dresses. However, you may notice that the bootie is making a comeback. Best worn with skinny leg jeans and drainpipe trousers, be careful not to wear them with skirts unless you have terrific gams and are under the age of 30. Don't be afraid of color, make a statement with your footwear.
5.Skinny Jeans and Pants The skinny jean made its debut last year, but is still hot for Fall '06-07. The darker, the better.
6.Leggings & Tights Leggings and patterned tights are wonderful with dresses and tunics. Be careful, because this is a hard trend to pull off. First, if you are going to try leggings, make sure they are black. If you are over the age of 25 do NOT wear leggings with a skirt or you will look like you stepped right out of the movie "Flashdance."
7.Dresses & Tunics Dresses are carrying over from spring and I couldn't be happier. For one, it's easy ...all you have to do is toss on a dress and you are ready for anything. For another, the choices are infinite. From feminine silks to wrap dresses to knit tunics to loose jersey styles to kimonos, the dress is it.
8.Black & Gold Bags Black bags with gold chains, black suede boots with patent leather and gold buckles, big gold chains, gold earrings. Think early 90's (without the bad hair).
9.Red Accents Chose red for a punch of color. Red lipstick, red belts, red shoes and boots, red handbags...just don't wear them all at the same time. Remember the goal is not to be matchy matchy.
10.Belts Wide belts were shown by most of the designers on the fall runway. Belts were over dresses, coats and suits. Look for obis, wrap styles and wide leather belts. Choose bright colors, gold and leopard prints. The belt is best worn at the waist or right under the breast bone, not at the hip.
