NOTES ON FASHION: January 2010

Saturday, 2 January 2010

How To Wear Skinny Jeans

Skinny jeans & cigarette pants aren’t going away… it’s a trend that’s here to stay (at least for a few more seasons). So if you haven’t already joined the band wagon, jump on!

Ok, I know what you’re thinking. Most of us aren’t stick skinny and have perfect legs like Victoria Beckham or Lindsay Lohan. Don’t worry, you too can wear skinny jeans.
I had my reservations before buying my first pair. I was hoping the trend would fade away before having to invest in something that made me look like an inverted triangle from the waist down. However, since that time, I’ve found a few fun ways that mere mortals with curves & wear larger than size 00 can also wear skinny jeans.

As you can see from the picture above, these celebrities have paired their skinny jeans with flowy sweaters and tops (thus cleverly hiding the waistband/hip area). Larger tops lend balance to the upper half of the body and keeps the focus of the skinny jeans on your legs. Wearing a t-shirt or tight top only really works if you’re Kate Moss.

If you have any afford to pinch an inch (or even a half inch)–and I know most of us aren’t perfect like the celebs who are on strict diets and have personal trainers–avoid pairing tight tops and skinny jeans–leave that to the professionals. If I haven’t already convinced you to pony up for a pair just with the simple fact that these jeans can show off your killer legs, let me ask if you’ve ever tried tucking your bootcut or trouser jeans into calf high or knee high boots? Or worse yet, tried to wear those high boots under your flared leg denim?

Ok, so how cute does Jessica Alba look in her skinny jeans and boots? Do you believe me yet? I’m not saying you should throw away your bootcut or trouser denim… but if you haven’t already done it, just at least go try on a pair of skinny jeans that you feel comfortable in and play around with some ballet flats or some sexy knee high boots (it can be another excuse to buy new shoes and frankly… what girl doesn’t ~~want~~ need new shoes!?!)
So, hopefully, you’re now resolved to at least try skinny jeans… but you’re not ready to plunk down $150+ on a new pair of True Religion Jeans? Well, here are some cute affordable options out there…

Start with a dark pair of skinny jeans. They are the most versatile to wear with both casual and dressier outfits. The ones above are from Hydraulic and the denim has stretch in it so they are very comfortable and hug in all the right places. ($39.99 at www.tillys.com)

After you’ve mastered the basic dark wash skinny, move on to other colors and washes. White denim is coming back (I know, I’m slightly scared) but if you’re not quite ready for that, move on to grey wash or even black denim (Punk-rock-glam baby!!). The ones pictures above are ecoSkinnys made from organic cotton $78 from Levis and come in grey, white, black
When I first found out about Gio Goi's crystal wash jeans (£65) I just had to see them for myself. Designers are continually trying to end the skinny jeans phenomenon but most people (myself included) can't seem to give them up. The jeans looked very unflattering in the picture so I wondered how I might wear them.

When I first put the jeans on I was impressed by the fit. I am not Kate-Moss-skinny but I don't think you have to be to wear skinny trousers. The waist wasn't exactly loose but, as you can see from the picture, the leg was baggy enough to look flattering. To what to wear with these jeans just read more.
The jeans are shaped slightly higher at the back too so you avoid the infamous builders-bum problem! The jeans are available in several lengths but being 5'8" I thought the long would be best suited. With flat shoes (far right) they were too long but I always try and get jeans for heels as it's more flattering. You can always turn them up to make the length flexible.
It's not clear in my photos but the jeans have a faint glitter finish and thick stitching around the pockets. On the label it warns that the colour might fade over time but I think they'd actually look better when they'd faded slightly. The glitter aspect immediately made me want to wear them for dancing so I added in a bright pair of heels and a sheer top that picked up the silver in the shoulder detailing (far left). For day wear, I added a long black top or stripey jumper with either flats or ankle boots.
Finally, I cannot resist wearing a dress over jeans so I went for a purple floral style to brighten up the look. If you worked in a casual office this would make a great daytime ensemble. What do you think of the jeans?

How To Wear Saree

Saree – how to wear ?

Sarees were very much in fashion in a traditional Indian wedding. In today’s wedding functions woman prefers to wear saris in different styles. Fashion designers have come up with new ways to drape wedding sarees, which are quite popular among today’s woman. Saris always had a sensuous and elegant look at the same time. The wedding sari or Bridal sari is given a lot of importance in India.

Indian Saris come in different fabrics from cotton to silk, from georgettes to crapes, from traditionals like Banarasi to Kanjeevaram or a silk. Wedding saris are given a lot of emphasis in Indian family. It ranges from few thousands to few lakhs of rupees. Saris today have a lot of work done on them. They come in various varieties and styles. Zari, embroidery, organza, zardosi, sequence, cut work, mirror work, patchwork, pearl work, kasab, kundan, are all different kinds of work, which are found in sari.
Earlier it was compulsory for Indian brides to wear heavy Benarasi sari for her wedding but now it is not so but still brides are preferring to wear saris for their wedding. Though the styles and embroidery has changed. Earlier it was lot more heavy work and rich now it is lot more sleek and light in fabric.

Saree makes a woman look graceful, elegant, stylish, and sensuous. But sarees should be draped properly. Here are some tips on how to buy a saree, which suits your personality.
Women who are a bit heavier should buy saris, which are light like georgette, silk chignon or chiffon. For the gorgeous option they can try heavy Mysore silk sarees or silk based Kanjeevaram, which looks beautiful and one tends to look slimmer.
For shorter women they should buy saris with small borders or no borders. They should definitely avoid big borders as big borders make one look shorter. Big border are mainly for women who have a good height. For short woman they can go for self or single color it will make them look taller.
Thin women should buy saris, which are a bit fluffy like organza, cotton fabric, tissue and tussar saris. These saris give a fuller effect and give a broad look.
Avoid large prints in sarees, as it gives a gaudy and a huge look. Delicate and sober print on a sari gives a delicate and stylish look.
Dark skin color women should generally buy dark colors like maroon, green, dark pink and avoid light colors and bright colors.
Saris can be really elegant and stylish if worn properly and with right accessories.

I am fascinated by Bollywood and Indian stuff. I love watching Hindi movies because both the hero and heroine are always good looking. I like what the heroine was wearing, and observe what jewelry she was wearing. I have some collection of Indian stuff like Sari, bindi, henna tattoos, and some jewelries.

Now, talk about how to wear Sari. The success of the Sari is attributed to its total simplicity, practical comfort, and sense of luxury a woman experiences when she wears one. A sari is an outfit which reveals as much as it hides. How to wear a sari is an art which require practice. A Sari properly draped transforms a woman to become graceful, stylish, elegant and sensuous. But a clumsily draped Sari brings down the look of the Sari and spoils the whole appearance of the woman.

Step 1

1. A waist - to - floor length petticoat tied tightly at the waist by a drawstring.

2. A tight fitting blouse that ends just below the bust.

Step 2

After step one you take the saree and tuck the plain end of the sari into the petticoat for one complete turn from right to left. Make sure that the lower end of the sari touches the floor.

Step 3

Beginning from the tucked-in end start making pleats in the sari, about 5 inches deep.

Step 4

Make about 7 to 10 pleats and hold them up together so that they fall straight and even.

Step 5

Tuck the pleats into the waist slightly to the left of the navel, and make sure that they are turned towards the left.

Step 6

After step one you take the saree and tuck the plain end of the sari into the petticoat for one complete turn from right to left. Make sure that the lower end of the sari touches the floor.

Step 7

The end portion thus draped is the pallu, and can be prevented from slipping off by fixing it at the shoulder to the blouse with a small safety pin.

You are now draped in a sari . . . Now stand before the mirror and get enchanted by the grace you exude!

Lacer party wear sari

Hand embroidery work done

Chikko colour saree with exclusive contrast pink Sequin and beeds ,stone work done

Beautiful exclusive worked pallu

Saree length - 6.3 Meters (with attached blouse material)

Blouse with sequin work

Very elegant to wear

Wash Care - Hand washable

How To wear Menz Scarf

Ladies, we didn’t want to leave you out of this, and gents, you need to know how to tie a scarf, too. The gentleman’s scarf is generally an accessory that only comes out when the mercury plummets, often joining the usual suit-and-tie combination. With that approach, you can stick to entry-level scarf tying. When your scarf is for practicality and not just fashion, the key thing to remember is that looping is better than tying. If you tie a scarf when it’s cold, you use up extra length that could be keeping your neck warm. Unless you have an exceptionally long scarf, simply wrap it one or two times around your neck. Let the ends hang at different lengths. Tuck them into your coat for extra warmth if you live someplace especially cold. That’s the simple side of tying a scarf. David Beckham smiling wearing scarf

How To wear Scarf

Being that Fall is officially in, the most convenient and fabulous accessory is also back: Scarves, Check out how celebs wear them:

There are several ways to wear a scarf. You can check out WhoWhatWear’s How-To video here to see their featured examples. Being that it’s Fall and there are so many trends to keep up with, scarf’s are the safest and most fashionable ways to keep up with the trends without spending a fortune. Although your whole look may be basic, a scarf can really elevate your look to the next level.

Their are many many ways to wear a scarf, as seen above, my favorite being the way Jessica Biel wore her leopard print scarf while out in Rome. The most popular way to wear a scarf is how Rihanna wore her fringed Balenciaga scarf while dining in NYC and how Beyonce wore her scarf while landing in the Philippines.

There are silk scarves (Beyonce), lightweight scarves (Rihanna), heavyweight scarves (Jessica Biel, Monica) and knit scarves.

There are many places to purchase a scarf depending on your budget. You can go to Forever 21 ($6-$20), H&M ($10-$40), Urban Outfitters ($20-$50), Bloomingdales ($55-$300), Net-A-Porter ($135-$1000), and many more chain department stores and boutiques.

Here are some of my picks:

Stay fab ladies!

How To wear Tie

Simple Steps to wear a tie.

How To Wear Tie

Good Examples of tieing a natural looking tie

Before you wear a tie you should consider if you want a thick tie or a narrow tie. The two most common types of tying a knot are called the four in hand or the Windsor. Knowing the two ways to properly tie them will be helpful for you for proper Mens Fashion.

The Four in Hand knot is a narrow knot that is discreet and asymmetrical. According to this Mens Style Guide this is the best tie for a standard button down dress shirt. This knot is easy to tie when you use a tie that is made of heavy and wide fabric. When considering Men’s Style anyone can wear this type of knot. It looks best on a man with a short neck rather than a long and narrow neck.

With the influence of music being heavily featured in fashion (skinny jeans and ties etc.) The time is right to ditch the wide knot. A lot of people look up to professional footballers and these are responsible for those horrible wide knots you see on a lot of men these days. They scream of over compensation for their own egos and fashion failures. Please don’t look up to these people for fashion tips. For every David Beckham there is a Stephen Ireland, Djibril Cisse or Jermaine Defoe! Your tie should always look natural (like you tied a tie dummy!) and even slightly scruffy/uneven. If you want an example of people who do it right, look to the movie stars – George Clooney and Brad Pitt just know how to rock a suit – and you don’t see them wearing knots as wide as their own neck.

When you tie the Four in Hand knot choose the tie you want to use and stand in front of a mirror. Pull the tie around your neck and hold the two ends in front of you. The wide end of the tie should extend lower than the narrow end of the tie about 12 inches. Cross the wide end of the tie over the narrow end. Then turn the wide end of the tie underneath the narrow end and bring the wide end over the narrow end again. You will pull the wide end of the tie up and through a loop around your neck holding the knot with your index finger. You will bring the wide end of the tie down and through the front of the knot, removing your finger and tightening carefully.

The Windsor knot is known as the easiest knot to tie when you put a tie on. Choose your tie and stand in front of a mirror to make sure you get it right. Always extend the wide and of the tie 12 inches lower than the narrow end of the tie and cross the wide end over the narrow end. You will then bring the wide end up and through the loop from your collar and tie and back down as you pull the wide end underneath the narrow end. Then you will pull the wide end to the right and back through the loop, to the right again, which will actually place the wide end inside out. From the right to the left bring the wide end across the front and pull it through the loop again and down through the loop. As you bring the wide end down through the knot you will carefully tighten and have a great look.