Copycat Fashion: Celebrity Couples Halloween Costumes

Halloween is less than three weeks away, and that means it’s time to decide on a costume! Many of you will be celebrating All Hallow’s Eve at parties with your friends, getting dressed up for each other in your most ghoulish attire. I love looking at costume ideas online, and always see some pretty fantastic ones from celebrities. They get to go to elaborate Halloween bashes and seem to always pick the most outrageous and creative costumes. This year I thought, “why not take some inspiration from the stars?” so I’m bringing you my favorites from some pretty cool celebrity couples (past and present).

First up – Christina Aguilera and ex-hubby Jordan Bratman got ghoulish in 2006 as a corpse bride and groom.

This is one of my favorite couples costumes, especially for an engaged couple or newlyweds. And it’s surprisingly easy to pull off. I don’t know about you, but every time I go thrifting at a local Goodwill or Salvation Army store I always see that one sad, lonely, and totally 80’s wedding dress. For the corpse bride look I think the tackier, the better! (Plus you won’t feel as bad destroying it with rips and fake blood.)

What you’ll need: Wedding dress, veil, silk flower bouquet, suit and tie, silk flower boutonniere, white costume makeup (or even very fair foundation, if you have a dark skin tone), and fake blood.
Optional accessories to complete the look: Opera gloves (tear them up a bit), fake eyelashes (if you want to go all out with the dramatic makeup), baby powder (put some in his hair to make him look dusty and decayed) a red lip liner pencil (draw on some cuts and scratches).

Next, it’s Kate Beckinsale and husband Len Wiseman as horror royalty Frankenstein and his bride from Halloween 2010.

I am a big fan of these two, and would expect nothing less than horror-ific from the Underworld star and writer/director themselves. Everyone loves Frankenstein, and this couples costume is easily one of the most classic choices of all time. Again, it’s very easy to pull off, and your guy wouldn’t have to do much in the way of dressing up, so they’ll love it.

What you’ll need: Old wedding dress, white dress or store-bought bride costume (get creative!), Bride of Frankenstein wig, white costume makeup, Frankenstein mask, black blazer or jacket, big black boots.
Optional accessories to complete the look: Ghoulish jewelry (check out the stitch choker below!), black costume makeup (rub some under your cheekbones for added drama), sunglasses, leather pants.

Here’s another fun one – Sophia Bush and Austin Nichols went as now famous exes Katy Perry and Russell Brand in 2010.

Ok, so this really may just be an excuse to dress slutty and don a blue wig, but you have to admit, it’s pretty funny. For the Katy Perry look any low-cut dress will do – just remember, the more cleavage the better, and stick to wildly bright colors or patterns. For Russell Brand, a long curly wig is a must, and of course, the half unbuttoned shirt.

What you’ll need: A fun, California girl inspired dress, blue wig (you could also go with lavender), curly brown wig, men’s button-up shirt (not fully buttoned, as mentioned afore), lots of necklaces.
Optional accessories to complete the look: Vest (unbuttoned, of course), sunglasses, scarf.

There are so many more great costume ideas from celebrities…

(Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart as nerds; Emma Roberts as her aunt, Julia Roberts, from Pretty Woman; Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough as Bonnie & Clyde; Gwen Stefani as Jesse from Toy Story; Kim Kardashian as Poison Ivy; Scott Disick as American Psycho Patrick Bateman; newlyweds Shenae Grimes and Josh Beech as Frankenstein and Bride; Lauren Conrad as Minnie Mouse; Katy Perry as a vampire.)

Of course, you could always choose the trusty (and my fave!) Lois Lane & Clark Kent/Superman costume!

Happy Halloween!

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Character Fashion Inspiration: The Girls of “Spring Breakers”

My husband and I watched the movie Spring Breakers last night. Let me start by saying this is not a movie for the faint hearted. This extremely controversial film follows four best friends as they embark on every college student’s rite of passage – Spring Break (obviously). It stars Disney alums Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Pretty Little Liars Ashley Benson, and relatively unknown (to me, at least) Rachel Korine. With a cast like that you are expecting good girl behavior, right? Well my friend you couldn’t be more wrong. These girls are wild, unpredictable, rebellious, and extremely violent.

Spring Breakers was fascinating to me. I honestly can’t say that I didn’t like the movie but I also can’t say that I particularly liked it. It was very intriguing, kind of like a car wreck – you don’t want to look at it but you can’t help wanting to see what happens. In addition to a graphic snapshot of our current society’s Spring Break beach activities (think lots of drinking, drugs and promiscuous behavior) the girls set the tone of the movie when a few of them decide to rob a restaurant for the money they’ll need to go on Spring Break. And that doesn’t even come close to the drama that ensues after James Franco’s character, Alien, comes in to the picture.

I am a huge Franco fan, and think he was brilliantly funny / disturbingly realistic as a dangerous rapper and drug dealer. I found myself wondering several times throughout the movie if this is what it’s really like to be a young adult in the world today, and I will admit, it scared me.  The fashion of Spring Breakers was really fun, though. Set during Spring Break, the cast mostly wore bikinis or beach attire the entire movie. There were some really cute bathing suits and accessories, and it definitely gets you in a summery, beachy mood. Here are a few fashion inspiration boards that I created with Spring Breakers in mind via Polyvore (click on each board for info on the pieces). You can also shop official Spring Breakers inspired clothing and merchandise here.

 

 

Have you seen Spring Breakers? If so, leave me a comment telling me what you thought of it.
Did you love it or hate it? 

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Bag Envy

While perusing through a local department store last weekend, I suddenly found myself in the handbag section gawking at all the amazing bags on the shelves. I quickly convinced myself that I absolutely need a new purse, since I haven’t had a new one in almost a year now. Plus, a lot of them were on sale so this helped in my convincing tremendously. However, the ones that I liked the most were not on sale, so after nearly stroking out at some of the price tags on the bags I left the store without a purchase, telling myself that I’ll shop around and find the perfect new purse at the perfect price somewhere else.

I’m looking for an everyday bag, which for me means giant big enough to hold all of the crap that I carry around everyday (because one never knows when they’ll need a mini flashlight, dental floss, or wet wipes, do they?). In my search efforts I have come across many bags that I am totally in love with, possibly borderline obsessed with in some cases. Most of them are way above my budget but a girl can dream, right? Here are some of the latest bags that I am currently in awe of.

Balenciaga Lambskin Large “Giant Work Bag” available here for only $1,471

Kate Spade Cobble Hill Small Leslie, available here for $348

Hobo Kinley, available here for $328

Fossil Explorer Tote, available here for $238

Frye Vintage Stud Tote, available here for $348

Rebecca Minkoff Cupid Satchel, available here for $495

I would take any of these bags in a heartbeat!

Which one would you choose? 

Character Fashion Inspiration: Catwoman

In the second installment of my Comic Book themed Character Fashion Inspiration (click here for Superman inspired fashion), I decided to cover Catwoman. I chose this character for several reasons – she’s an extremely well-known character in both comics and movies, she’s got wicked style, and I might be a little obsessed with cats.

Catwoman originally appeared in 1940 in the first issue of DC Comics’ Batman as “The Cat”, the alter ego of Selina Kyle, a whip carrying burglar (get it, The Cat…cat burglar, see what they did there?). A popular villain, she and Batman have exhibited a love/hate relationship over the decades, and she is one of the most widely recognized female comic characters. Her costume has evolved over time from just a mask to a dress with a hood and ears, and eventually to a full-on sexy catsuit.

The original Catwoman, circa 1940’s

Our more modern Catwoman appearing in comics from 1993-present

Catwoman hasn’t just appeared in comics, though. She appeared in the television series Batman from 1966-1968, and reappeared in 1992 in Tim Burton’s classic, Batman Returns. In 2004 the movie Catwoman introduced a new character named Patience who is killed and brought back to life by an Egyptian cat, after which she develops strange, cat-like qualities. This movie was more of a spin-off of the Catwoman character, and was not directly associated with DC Comics. Finally, our most recent Catwoman came in the form of Anne Hathaway in Christopher Nolan’s brilliant film The Dark Knight Rises, just last year.

1) Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises (2012) 2) Halle Berry in Catwoman (2004) 3) Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns (1992)

For this post I want to focus on the film costumes for Catwoman, like the ones above – dark, sexy and lots of leather. I think these are all things most people associate with Catwoman’s style. Here’s what I would choose for a daytime outing and a fancy dinner affair if I were Selina Kyle.

via polyvore

via polyvore

via polyvore

I adore those Charlotte Olympia kitty heels. That’s my favorite outfit, by far!
Which one is your favorite? Would you wear a Catwoman inspired outfit? 

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Character Fashion Inspiration: Comic Book Characters

So we’ve already established that I have a nerdy side (see examples 1, 2 and 3) but I also really enjoy fashion and other girly things. A thought crossed my mind the other day and I about fell out of my chair: Why not do a Character Fashion Inspiration post based on comic book characters!? How I did not think of this sooner is beyond me. Think about it, comic books are filled with color and artistry, and superhero costumes are so sleek and stylish… all things that inspire fashion. There have been many cases where superhero art has inspired runway fashion and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC even held an exhibit on this subject in 2008.

So, which character do I cover? There are so many directions I could go and I’m thinking there will have to be multiple posts on different characters. A few of my favorites that I am having fashion ideas for at the moment are The Hulk, Batman, Dr. Who, Poison Ivy and Iron Man. Let’s start with my all-time favorite male superhero…

Superman!

Superman is an American icon who was created in 1932 and first appeared in comics in 1938. It is said he stands for  justice, morality and righteousness and has developed to a hero seen not only in comics but also in movies, television, video games and on merchandising worldwide. So, he’s pretty much The Man, y’all.

When I think Superman the colors red and blue immediately come to mind. But let’s not forget that he is also the Man of Steel, and the new movie of that same title coming to theaters this June will focus more on the “steel” aspect of Superman. From the trailers I’ve seen (which are ah-mazing, by the way – go here to see the latest) this new Superman costume is going to be more of a dark red and blue color. So I’ll do both a more traditional Superman outfit and a modern Man of Steel inspired one. Here we go…

 

 

What do you think? I would wear either of these but like the navy pinstripe dress and those maroon booties the best!

Which comic characters can you imagine fashion inspiration coming from?

Red Carpet Review: Vanity Fair Oscars After Party

By now we are all caught up on who wore what to the Oscars last Sunday. We saw several show stoppers, my favorites being Jessica Chastain bringing some Old-Hollywood glamour in a stunning Armani Prive gown; Charlize Theron reigning the red carpet in a crisp, white Dior Haute Couture ensemble;  and Naomi Watts looking downright fierce in an edgy, metallic L’Wren Scott dress. There were many other notable dresses this year but the focus of this post is not what was worn during the big show but rather when the fun really started: post Oscars at the infamous Vanity Fair Party. Let’s get to it!

The big winners of the night were Anne Hathaway for Best Supporting Actress and Jennifer Lawrence for Best Actress. For the awards show, Anne chose a baby pink Prada gown, (which I was not too fond of, honestly) and JLaw wore a spectacular Dior Couture ballroom gown (that she proceeded to trip over while trying to accept her award, bless it). For the after party they traded their gowns for more comfortable, party-appropriate dresses. Also doing a costume change was Naomi Watts who changed in to another stunningly sequined dress.

Anne Hathaway image via

Jennifer Lawrence image via

Naomi Watts image via

Here are some of the other noteworthy fashion sightings at the party:

Leslie Mann  image via

Lily Collins image via

Natalie Portman image via

Amy Poehler image via

Isla Fisher image via

Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez image via

Amy Adams image via

Rashida Jones image via

Olivia Munn image via

Zooey Deschanel image via

I hope you all enjoyed the Oscars!

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Unforgettable Oscar Red Carpet Moments

The Oscars are one of the most viewed television events of the year, and tonight the world will be watching as the stars shine on the red carpet. Some will shine brighter than others, of course. From Gwyneth Paltrow’s pretty, pink princess Ralph Lauren gown in 1999 to Angelina’s leg in 2012, there have been many hits and misses on the red carpet over the years. I’d like to take a moment to reflect on some of the highs and lows throughout the years, so please join in taking a walk down red carpet memory lane…

Gwyneth Paltrow in Ralph Lauren in 1999. Quite possibly my favorite Oscar red carpet look of all time. Sweet, romantic and elegant!

Hilary Swank brought sexy back in a navy blue backless Guy Laroche gown in 2005. She looked extremely dramatic in this jaw-dropping dress.

In 2011 Mila Kunis chose a breathtaking lilac Elie Saab lace gown. The intricate lace detail and color of this dress made it one of my favorite looks in Oscar red carpet history.

Last year Angelina Jolie and her leg stole the show in a black velvet gown by Atelier Versace with a thigh-high slit up the side. People will be talking about this red carpet moment for years to come!

At the 2003 Oscars Kate Hudson glowed in an amazing golden lace Versace gown. She looked stunning and graceful. If I were to ever go to the Oscars, this is the dress I would choose!

Bjork showed up on the red carpet in 2001 in a swan suit. I mean, really. We were all shocked and more than a little confused, and she definitely made her mark on the “worst dressed of all time at the Oscars” list.

Another really confusing red carpet moment was Celine Dion in a white satin backwards tuxedo by Christian Dior in 1999. That’s right, I said backwards tuxedo.

In 1995 costume designer Lizzy Gardiner wore her own creation to the Oscars: a dress made of 254 expired American Express Gold cards. That night she took home the award for Best Costume Design.

At the 2002 Oscars Halle Berry walked the red carpet in a dramatic Elie Saab gown. Halle Berry always looks ravishing, but this floral, sheer and deep burgundy ensemble took her to the next level of glamour.

Michelle Williams looked like such a sweetheart when she wore a sunny, canary yellow Vera Wang gown in 2006. I think we can all agree though that her best accessory that night was her date, Heath Ledger.

In 2012 Jessica Chastain walked the red carpet in a gorgeous organza Alexander McQueen gown. She looked radiant in one of my all-time favorite Oscar looks. Her flawless, radiant skin and long, cascading curls completed the look.

Cher channeled her inner showgirl in 1986 in a custom Bob Mackie creation, complete with headdress made of rooster feathers. This look left many speechless.

What are your favorite/least favorite Oscar looks throughout the years? I can’t wait to see what everyone wears tonight! I’m sure more red carpet history will be made, both good and bad.

Enjoy the Oscars, everyone! 

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Valentine’s Day Nail Inspiration

With only four more days till Valentine’s Day I think it’s time for a post about Valentine’s Day nails, don’t you? I found some really great nail inspiration on Pinterest and most of them are fairly simple designs (which is wonderful for people like me whose extent of nail art reaches to painting one nail a different color). Just click on each picture to be routed to the image source.

Chevron Ombre (includes tutorial)

Heart Tips

Diagonal Pop of Color

Tainted Love (includes tutorial)

Two-Tone

All Dotted Up

Red Hot

I really like all of these but the pink and red two-tone and the diagonal pop of color are my favorites. And I think I could actually do those!  Follow me on Instagram to see my nails from time to time and find out what I end up doing this week for Valentine’s Day!

Which is your favorite? 

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Sweet Valentine’s Day Date Looks

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and many of us are making plans with our sweeties. Maybe it’s a romantic dinner, a fun date movie (think Safe Haven or Warm Bodies), or maybe you’re karaoking with your girlfriends at a local bar. Whatever your plans are be sure to take advantage of the one day of the year it’s ok for us to go all out with the romance and glamour and dress accordingly.

When we think Valentine’s Day we think pink and red, flowers and hearts. Why not incorporate those in your look this year? Here are three ideas to get you started – floral, red and lace – yes please!

via polyvore

via polvore

via polyvore

Which look is your favorite? Happy Valentine’s Day!

Character Fashion Inspiration: The Women of “Once Upon A Time”

Being the Disney lover that I am, of course I’m a fan of the hit ABC series Once Upon A Time. The show follows classic storybook characters like Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, Captain Hook, and Rumpelstiltskin, but instead of them dwelling in their magical, make-believe lands they have been transported to the small New England town of “Storybrooke” by The Evil Queen (who else would do such a nasty thing!?). We flash back to the fairy tale world in every episode to learn a little more about each character’s alter ego, and of course magic and mystery surround the plot of this fantasy show. There are three main female characters – Emma Swan, Mary Margaret/Snow White and Regina/The Evil Queen – each one a strong and powerful woman with their own unique style. Here are my picks for fashion inspired by these lovely ladies…

Emma (played by Jennifer Morrison) is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming and serves as the local sheriff. Sent to our world as a baby she grew up knowing only this land and is just now discovering that she has magical powers of her own, which she uses to serve up justice in the small town. Emma’s look is practical and slightly rugged, almost always consisting of skinny jeans, a leather jacket and durable leather boots. I created a look that I think she would happily wear!

via polyvore

Mary Margaret’s alter ego is Snow White and while in her fairy tale land she was a powerful heroine, in our land she is a humble school teacher, hopeless romantic and ultimate do-gooder. She comes across as a motherly figure and often is the voice of reason in Storybrooke. Played by the adorable Ginnifer Goodwin, M.M./Snow’s graceful, feminine look consists of cardigans, lace and floral patterns. I chose a few pieces I felt captured her charm nicely.

via polyvore

Regina Mills is the Mayor of Storybrooke but as the Evil Queen (responsible for wiping the memories of all the fairy tale characters and placing  them in a new land) she  has a hand in just about every evildoing in town. She is the character that you just love to hate! Her closet contains smart suits and sleek, stylish dresses. Oh, and don’t forget the signature fuchsia lips – gorgeous!

via polyvore

What do you think of these character’s styles? I think I can identify more with Mary Margaret’s or Emma’s fashion choices, although I do envy Regina’s trendy power suits. For more fairy tale fashion be sure to tune in to Once Upon A Time on Sunday nights at 8/7 Central Time on ABC.

Whose look do you identify with most?

Swoon Worthy Christmas Party Looks

Christmas is a little more than two weeks away! Tis the season for Christmas parties, so start planning on looking your best at your family, friend or work holiday function now. Stick with red, emerald (Pantone’s 2013 color of the year!) or gold and you can’t go wrong. I love a cute party dress, but my heart also melts for black skinnies paired with a festive top and sassy heels.

Here are my favorite Christmas party looks this year.

 The Sophisticate

via polyvore

The Life of the Party

via polyvore

The Trend Setter

via polyvore

Pair any of these looks with a red manicure and lip color and you’re all set!

via polyvore

Which is your favorite Christmas party look?

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Winter Must-Haves

Winter is just around the corner and will be here in just a few weeks! I absolutely love this time of year and always look forward to cooler weather down here in the deep south. Although we haven’t had any really cold weather (unless you consider the low 50’s cold) I am getting prepared for Winter by making a list of things I consider to be “must-haves” this year. Here they are…

Shorts Over Tights

I used to rock this look as a child in the 80’s (thanks, Mom!) and couldn’t be more thrilled that certain throw-back styles like this one are back in fashion. I’m looking for corduroy, wool or plaid shorts for Winter, particularly in black or red. Plaid would be the best! Here are a few examples of the look I’m loving right now.

via Mandy on Pinterest

via Mandy on Pinterest

via Mandy on Pinterest

Riding Boots

I love, love, love tall riding boots! They have been a weekend staple for me lately, and I usually throw mine on over some skinny jeans for stylish comfort. Here are some boots that I dream about.

via Polyvore

Hand & Lip Moisture

When the weather gets cold my skin tends to dry out a lot, and I can’t stand dry, itchy knuckles and chapped lips. I always keep lip balm and lotion in both my purse and bedside table and just want to drench my hands and lips in it during the Winter. I prefer all natural, chemical-free products and can’t get enough Burt’s Bees, especially their beeswax lip balm (the menthol is so refreshing!). Also love their new tinted lip products in place of lipstick.

 via Polyvore

Cozy Cardigans

Cable-knit, oversized, and warm please! Kinda like this one…

via Mandy on Pinterest

 via Polyvore 

What’s on your Winter must-have list? 

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Fall & Winter Nail Polish

I like to pick out my nail polish colors according to the seasons and there are so many fantastic shades to choose from! In the Fall I like deep, berry colors and warm, nutty hues. Around Christmas all I can think is classic holiday red, and in the Winter I want cool metallic tones and maybe some sparkle. I found some great colors from OPI, Essie and Nicole – some of my favorite brands and all are “3 Free” polishes (no Dibutyl Phthalate, Toluene, or Formaldehyde). Here are my picks for each month.

Which is your favorite color?

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Get Your Nails Did! Halloween Nail Art 2012

Halloween is just around the corner and I know you all are planning your costumes, right? Don’t forget to do your nails!  I decided to revisit my Halloween Nail Art post from last year (which was one of my very first posts, by the way) with some new designs for 2012. Here are some of my favorite finds from the web…click on each image for the source and some tutorials, too!

Happy Halloween!

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Ready to Roll? Shop Fashion Trucks This Fall

My hubby and I recently took a road trip and I saw it as the perfect opportunity to catch up on reading the stack of magazines that has been piling up in my house for the past few months. While turning the pages of the April issue of Lucky Magazine (that’s how far behind I was, y’all), I came across something I found so delightful that I just had to share it with you all! Fashion Trucks. You heard me. And you might be asking yourself what exactly a Fashion Truck is (I sure did). They’re kind of like the increasingly popular Food Trucks, but it’s an actual store.  On wheels. Amazing, right?

Le Fashion Truck was born in 2010 as the result of a collaboration between two groovy ladies who loved all things fashion and vintage. (Sounds like my kind of girls!) This particular truck was the one featured in Lucky and is based out of LA. It travels around town to different spots weekly (you can see a schedule on their website here) setting up shop truck and selling women’s clothing, accessories and shoes.

But LA isn’t the only place you can find this fantastic shopping experience. Fashion trucks are popping up in many large cities across the US like Portland, Boston and New York City.

The StyleLiner cruises through NYC and the Hamptons during the Summer and Palm Beach, FL during the Winter. Created by 29-year-old Joey Wolffer, it features women’s apparel and accessories, a lot of which were designed by Joey herself.

Wanderlust (how perfect is that name?) is based out of Portland, OR and was founded in 2010 by husband and wife team Vanessa and Dan Lurie. Their cute little trailer is packed full of  vintage goods and handmade accessories. Anyone want to take a trip to Portland with me??

The Fashion Truck was the brainchild of Emily Benson, a lover of fashion and retail, and has been in operation since 2011. The Fashion Truck can be found around Boston, MA and features apparel and accessories personally selected by Emily and all under $100.

I wish there was a fashion truck near me, I would love to try out this unique way of shopping! Maybe I need to plan a vacation around finding one…

What do you think about the idea of fashion trucks? Have you ever been to one or would you consider shopping at one?

Character Fashion Inspiration: Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) from “The Hunger Games”

Happy Hunger Games! Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock or cut off from all contact with the outside world, you are aware that The Hunger Games was released on DVD this past Saturday. Super fans can now watch the film adaptation of the overwhelmingly popular novel over, and over, and over… Well, you get the idea. Being a big fan of the book myself, I loved the movie and am really looking forward to watching it again. One thing about the adaptation that I was happy about was the way they kept so much (not everything, but a lot of it) true to the story from the book. Including the fashion. It was amazing to see the futuristic clothing, makeup and hairstyles from the Capitol come to life on the big screen.

Those looks are cool and all, but they’re not really practical for my everyday look. But with Fall just around the corner and an itch for my favorite season’s clothing coming on strong, what is practical for me is Katniss Everdeen’s District 12 look. Consisting of weathered leather, tall boots and rugged jackets, her style was right up my alley (minus the whole hunting in the woods aspect).

Here are some items I feel are very Katniss-worthy that I would love to add to my wardrobe.

Is your fashion more along the lines of Katniss or Effie from The Hunger Games?

Beat The Summer Heat By Dressing Cool

We have officially hit the Dog Days of Summer. Here in the coastal Southeast where I live, the daily heat index averages around 100 degrees.  That is HOT y’all. After just 1 minute of being outdoors in the sun you can start to feel the effects of the heat as you break out in a sweat and feel your skin beginning to burn. A few weeks ago during my morning commute to work my attention was caught by an NPR news story discussing how to dress during the hottest part of summer. I cranked up the radio volume as the reporter gave tips to ensure you keep your body temperature at a safe level so as not to fall out from heat exhaustion. It gave basic do’s and don’ts…

 Don’t Wear:

• Black or dark clothing
• Fabric that doesn’t “breathe” such as polyester or rayon
• Tight clothing

 Do Wear:

• Light colored clothing
• Fabric such as cotton or linen
• Lightweight, loose fitting clothes
• A hat to shield the sun

This is all pretty much common sense, right? Still, according to the National Weather Service, “Heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year. In fact, on average, excessive heat claims more lives each year than floods, lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes combined.” Crazy! So, to ensure that none of my readers fall victim to the summer heat, I encourage you to dress appropriately. And I’ve even provided you with some great examples below of clothes that are sure to keep you cool (and fashionable) during the sweltering summer.

Of course, there are other tips to avoid overheating in the summertime besides just what you wear. The other obvious choices are stay hydrated, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and find a shady spot if you do have to be outdoors for an extended period of time. Oh and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Stay cool, everyone!

Comic-Con Fashion

July has come and gone and once again, so has another Comic-Con that I did not attend. Comic-Con is a 4 day convention exhibiting all things comic book, science fiction, horror, and related pop culture in film/television, novels and video games. It’s held every July in San Diego and I’d really like to experience it in my life (you may remember this showing up on my recent Bucket List post). I wouldn’t say I’m a huge comic book nerd or anything, but I probably do enjoy super heroes and zombies a little more than the average person. The idea of going to a 4 day convention celebrating these things where almost everyone is dressed up like it’s Halloween sounds absolutely fantastic to me. So maybe that does make me a huge nerd, after all.

Another really great thing about Comic-Con is the celebrity presence. Actors, directors and writers attend to represent their film or show, and the public are welcome to attend panels where they can get up close and personal with celebrities to hear them talk about their work, and possibly even meet and get an autograph. What people may not realize though, is that Comic-Con is as much for the actors as it is for the fans. Celebrities have been known to put on a costume and walk around the convention floor along with the public, completely disguised.

Although dressing up is not required to attend Comic-Con, if you’re gonna go you might as well go all out. I love watching the coverage every year and seeing some of the completely insane creative outfits people show up in – a lot of them homemade. Here are some of the highlights from the 2012 Comic-Con a few weeks ago.

Doesn’t that look like fun!? One day I will attend. Oh yes, it will happen. Until then, I’ll try to think of a creative costume.

What would you wear to Comic-Con? 

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Summer Trends To Try

Summer is in full swing and so is Summer fashion. For now, stores are stocked with shorts, tanks, flirty maxi dresses and skirts, and there are a lot of designs that seem to be showing up everywhere I go. Here are some of the trends that I adore this year and definitely will be trying out in the next two months.

Nautical

The Chevron Print

The Half Tuck (possibly invented by a frat boy…)

Cat Eyes

What trends do you love this Summer? 

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Pet Fashion – Love It or Hate It?

This week Bret Michaels and PetSmart released Pets Rock, a new line of rock and roll inspired pet accessories for kitties and canines. While I was a little confused at first by Bret’s new business endeavor, I liked the idea since I think a little dressed-up animal is just about the cutest thing ever. And after reading more about him online I found out that Michaels is a longtime animal lover and proud pet parent of  two German Shepherds, Diesel and Phoenix.  So I guess the partnership makes sense, right? All of this pet accessory googling led me to a newfound fascination with the pet fashion industry, which in turn led me to this blog post. Are people going overboard with pet fashion?

An estimated 63 percent of Americans own a pet, the majority being either a cat or a dog. So, with over half of the population calling their furry, four-legged friend a member of the family, the pet fashion industry is kind of a big deal.  And I’m not talking about just a rhinestone studded collar or fashion bandana, either. These days you can find everything from designer diamond jewelry to pet nail polish. I think that Paris Hilton started this craze when she began toting her cute little Chihuahua Tinkerbell around town decked out in diamonds and pink satin. And of course people jumped all over that because if Paris is doing it, then it must be the right thing to do…

Here are some items that I found online for pets that I am still trying to decide if I love or think are a little bit ridiculous.

Dress your pup like a canine celebrity at UrbanPup.com, where you can find affordable outfits inspired by Beverly Hills Chihuahua and even Bruiser’s outfit from Legally Blonde.

Walk your pooch on a designer leash, where you’ll be sure to turn heads with 100% leather and some bling-bling. AndreaLevineDesigns.com has some really cute accessories if you are looking to spend up to $350 on a leash.

BitchNewYork.com carries multiple designer pet brands and features many celebrity clients. I found a line called Kiki Hamann that makes couture costumes for pups, and for just $2,000 you can dress your pet like an “Amazon Fairy” or for $3,800 like “Little Red Riding Hood”. No, I’m not kidding.

OPI has released a nail polish that is safe for pets, appropriately called “Pawlish”. You can choose from one of the six colors at UpscalePup.com.

Don’t forget the bag! Tote your kitty or pooch around in style in a designer Louis Vuitton carrier starting at $2,340.

 

Would you buy any of these products or similar ones for your pets? I think if I had an endless supply of cash I would, but for now, I’ll stick to the occasional ribbon for photo ops. Below are my two cats, Pretty Princess on the left who I know would let me dress her up (and is probably wondering why I don’t already) and Wild Man on the right who would destroy anything I put on him.

What do you spoil your pet with? 

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