Tuesday, February 28, 2012

What Are The Hottest Swimsuit Styles For 2012

Even though it may seem like the year has just begun, it is not too early to start thinking about what kind of swimsuit you should wear this summer. Every year, top swimsuit designers from around the world will present their latest designs, and you will find many women wearing such swimsuits when you hit the beach. If you do not want to look out of date, check out this list of top swimsuit styles for 2012.

1) Romantic Ruffles - Swimsuits with romantic ruffles are cute yet sexy. They can come with subtle frills or extravagant cascades, and they can suit all kinds of body shape. Ruffles can make you look curvier, bustier, or slimmer, depending on where they are located.

2) Tie-Up - This year's hottest tie-ups are those with restraining lace-ups, statement straps, and gift-wrap-style ties.

3) Monokini Mania - Cut-out monokinis with linked tops and bottoms are the perfect swimsuits for accentuating the right curves and covering areas of concern. They look like one-piece swimsuits from the front and two-piece swimsuits from the back.

4) Black and White - Black and white is a timeless combination, and it is no surprise that the pairing is still considered trendy today. Whether you are on the beach or poolside, you cannot go wrong with this iconic combination.

5) Juicy Citrus - Orange, lemon, and lime-colored swimwear will make you look more youthful and radiant. Forget neutrals and hit the beach in these refreshing swimsuits.

6) On the Fringe - Whether they drew inspiration from the Native Americans or hippies, many swimsuit designers are incorporating fringe into their designs. Fringe swimsuits can make you the center of attention on any beach.

7) Structured Bikini Tops - Bikinis with structured molded tops provide great bust enhancement and support. If your busts are not as big as you want them to be, these trendy bikini tops will do the trick.

8) Call of the Wild - Both young and old women can enhance their sex appeal by wearing swimsuits that feature animal prints. Animal prints vary in size, and they can come in the form of tiger stripes, leopard spots, or others. You can add a new twist to the classic trend by opting for a fun color combo.

9) Sexy Snakeskin - Snakeskin prints can create a sleek, sexy, and mysterious look, and they are appearing on many top swimwear designers' creations. If you want to look irresistible this summer, get a swimsuit with snakeskin prints.

10) Tie-Dye - The iconic tie-dye look of the 1970s is back. No longer just for the hippies, this psychedelic look has become a part of the current swimsuit culture.

11) White Hot - Crisp white bikinis and one-piece swimsuits may look simple, but they are the pure and powerful new basic in swimwear design.

12) Bling It On - Sparkly clothes are no longer just worn at night. Swimsuits with sequins, jewels, and glitter are now one of the hottest swimwear designs, and they will make you shimmer and turn heads on the beach.


Friday, February 24, 2012

Online Fashion Store 2012

Why an online fashion store? Would you not say walking through a mall is an essential to gaining a good shopping experience? Well, the malls will always be there, but will you always have the time? Also, the items in the mall are not the only options available to you these days. Want to get something truly different and unique from the crowd? Then you need to consider online fashion stores.

There are several advantages to an online fashion store that people are not aware of yet. They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Internet stores are also created to be a virtual experience to be enjoyed. Some stores are designed for you to walk past virtual shop windows and pick out what want, while others enable you to create an avatar in your size to try on various garments. The ideas are numerous and a fun alternative to the same old shopping centre. However, it does not have to be an either or choice. You can use the internet store selections to find what you would like to try out in store rather than having to hunt for what you want around the city.

Internet purchases are cheaper when compared to stores with their operating overheads. Shipping is usually free to most parts of the world and if something does not fit or you have changed your mind, there is a free return shipping option or equivalent. It is quite ironic that the relationship you build with an online store is usually more intimate than the one between you and the store at the mall. Upon registering with an online store you supply them with all your size related details only once. Your personal file with them will contain everything from your secure payment method to your birthday and anniversary. On these days you are often remembered with some type of special offer.

Online stores will always carry a larger range and have more variety on individual designs since they are not restricted by space. The associated forum or blogs can help you with valuable information on garment care or what to watch out for next season amongst many things. The final thing to bear in mind, sizes. Make sure you are familiar with your sizes for different garments: dresses, pants, shoes, etc. Also make sure you understand your different fits for different designs and how you like these. You could also be sneaky and try out things at conventional shops just to find out your preferred fit, then go to an online fashion store and have fun.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

The Right Sort of Jeans

Since they first originated in the United States in the Nineteenth Century, jeans have undergone two major changes of image that are probably unique in the history of clothing. Initially devised by the founder of the firm of Levi Strauss as tough, hardwearing work trousers, they became the cult object of the rebellious young in the 1950s. Studded blue jeans shocked the parental generation in postwar. Europe even more than in the United States, where jeans had been around for a long time as cheap, nondescript trousers, while the idea of inexpensive, robust, washable pants that could be bought in your local drugstore or supermarket was entirely foreign to Europeans. For the young people of a continent shattered by war, these jeans, like other everyday products from the United States, came to symbolize liberty, adventure, and a new start.

The second change of image - from a display of rebellion to a socially acceptable item of designer clothing - began in Europe in the late 1960s. The idea of designer jeans then went back from Europe to the United States in the 1970s. In the 1980s, a European trend centered on the fashion for 501 jeans. Trendsetters of the early 1980s had shrink-to-fit 501 Levi's imported from the United States, some time before they became the "in" thing again in the 1900s. They were worn with Kiton sports jackets and experience English shoes. Jeans therefore became established in Europe, slowly but surely, as an indispensable part of the leisure look among well-to-do young people. It became increasingly important to have the "right" sort of jeans, and the only right sort was shrink-to-fit Levi's 501s. In the 1980s their straight cut was in great contrast to the wide-cut trousers with front pleats that were popular at the time.

By the early 1990s the excitement over jeans had died down to some extent and for a while they fell out of fashion. They no longer had a place even in the gray world of fashion. But as so often happens, this trend was reversed and by the beginning of the new millennium jeans were back in favor. The attractions of unwashed dark blue denim were suddenly rediscovered. The old looms that had produced denim fabrics were dusted off and brought back into service. Designers combed through their archives in search of original models and revived them as part of vintage collections. Jeans were suddenly more expensive than ever before and the words "red selvage" were on everyone's lips. This term refers to the red selvage edge on old denim materials, which was visible when the hem of the original jeans was turned up. Suddenly, this feature was just as important a detail to fashion experts as hand-sewn buttonholes on their shirts.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Vivienne Westwood: Fashion Icon

Dame, fashion goddess and business maven, Vivienne Westwood is a living legend. Her quirky yet sophisticated image introduced looks from new wave and punk into the fashion and cultural mainstream decades ago. Today, she is one of the most recognised and sought-after fashion designers in the world.

From humble beginnings as an art student in London, young Vivienne became enamoured with the burgeoning punk movement which began in the 1970s. Her fashion and style drew inspiration from the reckless abandon personified by early punks. She mixed unusual fabrics and asymmetrical cuts to create looks which in time would take her to the top of the fashion world. Now a fashion establishment, Westwood has expanded her line considerably. While here women's line is of course popular, Vivienne Westwood shoes, accessories and handbags are also a hit. Often less expensive than the dresses, Vivienne Westwood shoes are popular due to their unique use of colour and materials.

Despite her punk origins, Westwood has found many clients in the mainstream. Most notably, the women of British royal family are often spotted at events adorned in Vivienne's outfits. Always a hit with celebrities, Westwood's garments are a staple of Hollywood red carpets and galas. In 2008, a Vivienne Westwood wedding dress was prominently featured in the film Sex and the City, where the film's main character Carrie is gifted the dress by Vivienne herself.

Even at 70, Westwood shows no signs of letting up. Her latest collection has been a hit on the runways and in stores. Filled with greys, dark blues and black, the 2012 collection evokes a powerful image. On the runway, the looks pay homage to distinctive looks in the past with references to Victorian England and Japanese Geisha girls. Models were adorned in dark makeup and teetered upon high Vivienne Westwood shoes while strutting down the walkway.

After decades of continued success in the very fickle fashion industry, Vivienne has achieved an iconic status that very few people experience. Breaking through cultural and social norms, she brought a tough and wild image to the public and was received with open arms. In 30 years she has gone from dressing punk rockers to princesses and has also been the subject of an art exhibit at the prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum in London. A pioneering force in fashion and business, the Vivienne Westwood brand is sure to remain a staple in fashion houses for years to come.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Add Some Spice to Your Style

Fashion is a great form of self-expression, but it is all too often that people forget how to reflect themselves in their fashion choices. The pressure to conform to established standards prevents many shoppers from making more daring and fun choices. However, fashion should never be boring and no matter your age or profession, it never hurts to add a bit of kick to your style.

Next time you go shopping, opt for a more unfamiliar design and type of garment that you would normally avoid. You will probably discover a number of new styles and cuts that look fabulous on you. Also make sure you try on a wider range of colours and patterns to find what suits you best. At home, combine pieces that may not traditionally go together, or wear them in different ways to add variety to your look.

Accessories are an excellent and economical way to make a look unique. There are a huge range of high street shops that offer low-priced and fun items to add to traditionally drab outfits. Try a scarf that compliments your outfit's colour, but has a funky pattern. Add a flirty pair of Fly London sunglasses on a sunny day and you will immediately stand out from the crowd. For serious shoppers, head out to a vintage market to find some fabulous costume jewellery and handbags. Vintage items are not only stylish, but are great conversation starters as well.

The right footwear will add spice to even the most boring outfits and these days, they come in such a wide variety of designs and colours that there are an endless amount of possibilities. Fashionable flats from Fly London are a simple way to spruce up work attire whilst staying comfortable. When it comes to heels, the sky is the limit. The versatile Fly London Blythe heel is perfect for work or play and comes in a range of fun colours including purple and ruby.

There is no doubt that adding some pizzazz to a drab outfit will spice up your style and put a spring in your step. The choices are endless, but a great place to start is with accessories. They are cheap, versatile and fun to shop for. Take a look at vintage or handmade markets to find more unique items to add to your outfit. Shoes are a bit more of an investment compared to accessories, but before not to ruin your outfit with the wrong pair. Finally, make sure to have fun with your style and feel free to express yourself.