Wednesday, November 26, 2008

New Fall/Winter fashions trends

The New Fall /Winter ('08/'09) Season is upon us and with all the trends circulating right now, it's hard to sift through the stores for a sophisticated outfit. What to wear this holiday season?

I'm relying on Fashion Director Michael Fink, from Sask Fifth Avenue to give you a visual.

The Sask's WANT IT! LIST, provides women and men with basic wardrobe pieces to be stylish during the holiday season.

I agree with Fink, dresses are IN!

Try a pretty fitted dress for the Holiday Office party. A solid color or a soft print, with a bold necklace, tights, a gorgeous handbag (or clutch) and a pretty ankle boot, all topped by a great coat is classy and appropriate.

Invest in a three quarter length coat; try a soft color like Cream or Camel (it's always more sophisticated than the usual black or gray).

To be adventurous, try color tights...a beautiful wine color with your brown boots and fitted dress. Or a metallic tight to give a plain black boot a punch of color. However keep it classy, otherwise it can look costume-y.

Boots are essential this winter season and something to splurge on. Go for quality, rather than brand name. A well-made boot will last for many seasons and will keep you warm, dry and fashionable. Also it will make any outfit look "expensive"!

Man can invest in a great pair of ankle boots. Celebrities (like Colin Farrell, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and many more) are wearing the trend this season, from worn out slip-on boots to patened zippered boots. Wear them with casual and classy clothes for an edgy look.

Bold jewelry is also all the rage this season. Do a bold necklace on a soft blouse or a chunky bracelet with a clean lined dress. Cocktail rings are bigger and bolder, carry one from day to evening, by wearing it with any outfit, it's a statement piece! Do not wear too many bold pieces at once! If you wear a bold necklace then keep the earrings smaller. If you do a bold ring then move the chunky bracet to the other arm.

Keep the handbag in proportions with your body size. A bigger body frame needs a bigger bag, while a more petite body size needs a smaller bag.

Scarves are still hot. Pick a thin tweed one (Missoni style) to wrap around your neck to dress up a jeans, T-shirt and leather jacket outfit; or a big scarf to wrap around your neck to dress up a plain turtle neck sweather.

Skinny jeans are still hot! Wear them inside a favourite pair of boots. If skinny is not great for your body type, then opt for a straight leg pair of jeans, and wear them with ankle boots or a favourite pair of colorful pumps. Trouser jeans are also great and suit a more semi-professional environment; they can be dressed up or down, and are fantastic for the woman with the more sophisticated taste.

Have a Happy Holiday and Be Fabulous!

Ella

Personal beauty, fashion trends, style, glamour like celebrities.

http://www.beautybyella.com/

http://community.beautybyella.com/

Monday, November 17, 2008

Standard of Beauty

Beauty: Monica Bellucci

What do Monica Bellucci, Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp have in common?

Beauty!!!

They are all "beautiful people"!

Even though they don't look alike, (like many others) they all fit in a "beauty" category.


We see it every year, magazines around the world: the most beautiful...sexiest...most attractive man/woman in the world!

The world is fascinated with beauty ranking: readers out there, buy millions worth of magazines which showcase the beauty of a certain star, and get wrapped up in the gossip and at time not so pristine lives of the Beauty: Angelina Joliecelebrity.

But is beauty in the eye of the beholder? If so, why do so many people agree on classifying these celebrities as beautiful? And who decides?


The truth is, that there is a standard of skin-deep beauty which is universally agreed upon. And the Beauty industry thrives on it!!!


What and who is beautiful then?
From facial features, to body parts, to general appearance, most people Beauty: Halle Berryagree on certain standards of beauty... and therefore giving plastic surgeons and cosmetic companies a hefty salary!


Many may argue this theory, but if looked closely, a lot of these stars share "the beauty standard" most people in the world strive for.

What makes a person's physical beauty? Starting with the face: baby-like features!


Big eyes (color doesn't really matter much), high rounded cheek bones, small button-like nose and big pouty lips. Man usually need in addition a strong jaw line, dimples and a great smile.

A tall, lean figure seems like a common beauty trait. Women share an hourglass body shape, with a medium sized chest, small waist, flat stomach and pretty hips.
Beauty: Brad PittThe body is not too skinny, but fit and (appearing) flab-free.


Men are also taller, lean and fit and at times, sporting a well defined torso.

Big shoulders frame a smaller waist line and a flattering hair style to frame the pretty facial features.

According to the standard, Beauty is:


Youthful skin-it is a must! keeping the face wrinkle-free, age and sun spots-free, and meticulously cared for. No big pores, no facial hair (trimmed and well kept for some men), a well bronzed or porcelain-like skin color, with even texture. The face has to be blemish-free, well exfoliated and with a radiant glow.

Hair has to be shiny (a sign of health), well trimmed with a modern, face framing hair cut. Highlights usually follow a nicely bronzed skin, while a more saturated hair-color follows a sunless skin complexion.

The body is fit and hairless. The extremities (hands and feet), well exfoliated and manicured.
Beauty: Johnny Depp

Do these celebrities really look that way though?

Well, likely for us mere "mortals", they don't!!!!
They spend countless hours and dollars to achieve the standard, taking care of their health, diet and overall physical appearance; but it's virtually impossible to be flawless as the standard claims!

Modern science, in the vest of plastic surgeon, cosmetologist, stylist and well trained photographers transform the celebrity to what we get to see in the magazines.


Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, regardless of what people claim, however when the beholder relates to a certain standard of beauty, the product is a most beautiful/sexiest/attractive woman and man in the world!

Be fabulous,

Ella



Personal beauty, fashion trends, style, glamour like celebrities.

http://www.beautybyella.com/

http://community.beautybyella.com/

Saturday, November 8, 2008

My Fast Life in the Fashion Lane

Back from working another Runway Fashion show at Fashion Week... and have to say, backstage it's a whole different world! Mercedes-Benz Fashion Show- Ella Bonanni

A world made of chaos, piles and piles of clothes, emotional roller-coasters and the drama...oh my, the drama!

But as much as I enjoy watching beautiful models parade a designer's latest fashion collection, being backstage at a fashion show -where the magic happens- is just my favorite part.
The adrenaline rush that you experience from the fast changing, the smell of hair spray and the dilemma of a missing shoe is addictive!


Funny how you find yourself in the dust and concrete walls of a Runway fashion show's backstage (which is so crude, compared to the pristine white runway the public gets to experience) and yet it feels like you always belonged there.

I often wonder if the models feel the same way... I dare to guess they prefer the flashing attention of the photographers.


As for me, I keep wanting more and more; this drug-like addiction leaves you exhausted and yet exhilarated.

All the tension and the rushing, often resulting in models crying and designers frustration, is all lifted once the runway fashion show is over, the models' smiley faces leave the runway and the public exits the fashion venue heading down to the after-party.

The only things left then are a number of white chairs - no longer lined up in a meticulous row- a few people who stick around to network and a messy-messy backstage.
Now, the busy dressers are left scooping off the floor the designers' beautiful fashion pieces they so carefully steamed before the show; meanwhile, as all the workers sweep all the pieces of paper with the models' names and line-ups, the hair stylist pack up their hairspray, the Agency people celebrate by taking off their shoes and the designers pack their precious clothes into plastic bags!

A whole day of preparation, a whole month to put it together, a whole season of designing...all over in 20 minutes! Everything wrapped up by the media and the critics by either thumbs up or down!

The designers leave excited, hoping some big department store, or fancy boutique will now carry their line.
As for us, behind the scenes people, it's off to the next show.

It's a wonderful crazy world of its own, the "Fashion Show", and I feel blessed to be a part of it all.

Be Fabulous,

Ella

Personal beauty, fashion trends, style, glamour like celebrities.

http://www.beautybyella.com/
http://community.beautybyella.com/