Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Fashion Police

Last night I watched a rerun of E!’s "Fashion Police". If you are wondering what this is and you are a fashion lover, it definitely needs to be on your list of shows to watch.

The show is hosted by the outspoken and unpredictable Joan Rivers accompanied by the anchor of E! News, Giuliana Ransic, fashion expert George Kotsiopoulos and Kelly Osbourne.  In the weekly program, the hosts comment and critique celebrity fashion. And by critique I don’t necessarily mean constructive criticism. The group of critics is not afraid to speak up and say what they really think about celebrities’ fashion choices.

The program includes different segments such as "Bitch Stole My Look", where two celebrities are spotted wearing the same outfit at different events, "What Were You Thinking?", where celebrities are criticized for their outrageous fashion choices, among other different segments. In every episode they also elect the best and worst dressed celebrity of the week. 


Here are some of the highlights from last week's episode, which I found the most interesting.

It is no news that the cast of MTV's "The Jersey Shore" has been all over the news, but what it is new is Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and  Jenni "JWoww" Farley trying to change their style to a more "classy and conservative" look. JWoww was spotted in a black fitted Bebe dress with a black blazer over it. 


The commentators did not provide positive feedback to her attempt to change her style. Kotsiopoulos said that when you have obvious fake boobs like JWoww's, you need to hide them very well to achieve a classy look. I do agree with Kotsiopoulos, but I think JWoww's attempt was better than Snooki's.


The short guidette was seen in a mini Guess by Marciano dress. "Somebody needs to send her a note letting her know size 16 does exist," commented Rivers about Snooki. As usual, the dress was short and VERY fitted. I agree with Rivers, if Snooki wants to achieve the classy and conservative look, she will not be able to do it with this kind of skimpy choices. 


In the "Bitch Stole My Look" segment, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Cheryl Hines battled it out. The three blondes wore a sparkly BCBG gown. My vote for who wore it best is between Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood. I am not a huge fan of the dress, but I do like how it fits Carrie. Even though it shows off her pretty curves, I believe the dress is most appropriate for Taylor.
Cheryl Hines, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood in BCBG dress.
Courtesy of eonline.com
Carey Mulligan
Courtesy of eonline.com
 After critiquing several celebrities and their attires, the hosts voted the best and worst. As the best, they chose Halle Berry, she wore a bronze sequenced short dress. I liked  Halle's dress, but I did not consider it the best. I loved Keira  Knightley's Chanel couture dress. She wore the shimmery elegant dress to the premiere of "Never Let Me Go" in London. 
Keira Knightley
Courtesy of eonline.com




For worst, the vote went to Carey Mulligan who wore a pleated Vionnet dress. I totally agree with the critics on this one. The dress has no shape and does not accentuate her beauty at all, the colors are not my favorite and they make the dress very dull. 


To follow celebrities and their fabulous or horrible fashion choices, tune to E! to watch "Fashion Police" every friday at 10:30/9:30 Central Standard Time. 

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

In with the old

Hairless and bony is a thing of the past.

Until recently, the prevalent male image on catwalks and in advertising campaigns has been that of bony, hairless young men, if you can even call them men.

Designer's demand for bony and boyish looking models seems to be disappearing. If you followed the recent runway season, you might have noticed that labels like Prada and Louis Vuitton used older masculine models to show off their fall/winter collections.

The New York Times recently published an article, "From Boys to Men" , which discussed how the boyish image is being overtaken by a mature weathered look.

“Maybe it’s that as consumers are getting older, they want to see something that reflects what they look like in the mirror,” said Jason Kaner, the president of the men's division of Major Model Management, in the Oct. 15 New York Times issue. 

“For a long time it was just those skinny guys, those boyish Prada types,” he said, referring to men like Cole Mohr — a model with jug ears and the body of a teenager — long a favorite at labels like Prada and Louis Vuitton.

Cole Mohr Courtesy of models.com




The article argues that part of this transformation of models from boys to men has to do with the current economic situation. With the economic struggle the nation faces, many men are unemployed, which means their image as strong men vanishes.

“Men have always been defined by their jobs — always,” said Joe Levy, the editor in chief of Maxim, in the Oct. 15 New York Times issue.“Suddenly the notion of having a job or a career is in doubt, so you fall back on old notions of what it meant to be a man or to look like one.”

People wanna be reassured that strong reliable men still exist. 

"In tough times, people want a strong man,” said Sam Shahid, director of Shahid & Company, in the Oct.15 New York Times issue. 


He also said that this trend is not only happening in the fashion world with models, but also with actors and advertising. More designers, editors and photographers are  now embracing this trend of featuring "masculine, manly men" in their work. 


V man, a men's-wear magazine, had an issue titled "The Coming of Age" where its cover featured Josh Brolin, not a skinny teenage-looking model, but a 44-year-old man. The latest Vogue French men’s-wear issue, "The Prime Life", features a star model of the '80s on the cover. 
V Man- "The Coming of Age" issue
On cover: Josh Brolin
www.ftape.com
The editor of  the recognized magazine for men GQ says in the article that when they are casting for models, they want someone with some heft to him and a few years on him, someone who has aged a little bit and who feels like he's a man. 


The recent runway season was a perfect example of  how designers are adopting this new generation of handsome and mature models, but we will have to be on the lookout to see if this continues or the waxed boyish look returns. 


Wednesday, October 13, 2010

House of Gasoline Glamour-Out of the Ordinary

Everything but ordinary is the label House of Gasoline Glamour. The unusual brand offers eccentric and striking accessories from glamourized aviators to crazy jewelry and funky shoes.

The line is definitely not for those with a conservative style, it is more for the wild and liberal fashionistas who like Lady Gaga's style.

The overly adorned shoe collection is probably the most popular collection from the line. The shoes are made of chains, studs, glitter, jewelry and much more. It is more than just pair of shoes, it is a piece of art.

The line has been a big hit for celebrities and models. Celebrities have been spotted at red carpets and other events wearing Gasoline Glamour's killer heels or jewelry. Adam Lambert , Katy Perry and Pink are among the celebrities who enjoy wearing items from the outrageous line.

Eva Marcille was spotted at the 2010 BET awards wearing a pair of Gasoline's embellished platform heels.


http://www.gasolineglamour.com/photogallery.html 

Gasoline Glamour's accessories and shoes can also be seen in magazines, videos and concerts. America's Next Top Model photo shoots featured pieces by Gasoline Glamour. Cosmo Germany, Italia Vogue and Rouge are some of the magazines who have also had photo shoots including the striking accessories.











Italia Vogue
Gasoline Glamour shoes
http://www.gasolineglamour.com/ivogue.html

The accessories are not only available to celebrities and models, the line is also available for the general public. Fans of the brand are able to purchase through the website.

If you liked some of the pieces from this brand, don't get too excited. You may want to be warned before falling in love with a pair of the extravagant heels as each pair can range from $3,000 to $8,000 or more.

The good news are that some items from the line, such as jewelery, are more reasonable and affordable. The prices of many items are listed on the website.

Gasoline Glamour can ship anywhere in the United States as well as internationally.
The line has many retailers all over the country as well as a couple out of the country including Canada, United Kingdom, Scotland, China and Australia.

The biggest concentration of retailers is in California, where more than 40 stores and boutiques offer Gasoline Glamour accessories.

Luckily for us intrigued by the unique brand, there are three boutiques in Austin, Texas that retail Gasoline Glamour accessories. Atomic Cherry Boutique on Burnet Road, Storyville on Duval and Bombs Away on West North Loop 1 carry some of the funky items from the line.

With Halloween being just around the corner, you might want to visit these retailers to find the perfect complement from Gasoline Glamour to complete your costume.



Vanity Mirror Shoes 

Chiquita Spike Shoes 

Gutterstud



Gasoline Glamour Necklace 

                                                                              Pussy Kat Kitll Thigh High Boots                                                                                           




http://www.gasolineglamour.com/deluxe_store.html