DONT TELL ME, SHOW ME

Oscar de la Renta is one of the world's leading fashion designers. Trained by Balenciaga, he became internationally known in the 1960s as one of the couturiers to dress Jacqueline Kennedy. De La Renta is particularly known for his red carpet gowns and evening wear.

Now de la Renta is giving you the opportunity to assist him with his upcoming Resort collection. When you visit his interactive website you will see a slide show of various inspirations and themes from people all around the world. Consumers can upload anything they like onto the Board including vintage photographs, fabrics and color schemes. The Board allows Oscar de la Renta to interact with consumers and have them communicate with one another through social media functionality using Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

You simply make an account and starting posting away. It allows you to share a photo, photo link, video and a description of your inspiration.

This is great for de la Renta fans such as myself. You get to put your skills to work and send this leading fashion designer your vision for a new collection.

Consumers who want to know more about the creative process behind the Board can watch a video of Mr. de la Renta by clicking on the “What is the Board” icon on the top right-hand side of the page.In addition, there are links to Oscar de la Renta’s Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest feeds and a link to OscardelaRenta.com.

-Ariana Chung

❤

The Man Repeller

As I was visiting my numerous blogs that I follow and visit on a daily basis, I came across one of the most interesting blogs I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot of different types of blogs. It is called The Man Repeller, and the basis of the blog is that this women in her mid twenties, living in New York, and obsessed with fashion posts trends for the current seasons. However they are not your ordinary trend postings, they are trends that women love and men hate. "Think harem pants, full length jumpsuits, clogs, shoulders pads, [and] loads o'fur" said by The Man Repeller herself. It is hilarious, kitschy and informative. Below is one of the most recent posting about over the knee boots and her take on them.

Like I said I love this blog because it is so different, and pokes fun at the fact that men think that they know better when it comes to fashion, but we all know thats not true. Anyways hope you visit the blog. And thats all for now, until next time.

Arabella

Stepping outside of your bubble..

Fashion in 2012 has no limits. You can mix and match any possible pattern, print, colour, accessory, and it will be seen as fashionable. But what happens when you’re a simple girl in today’s world and all of those choices are beautiful, yes, but they also seem overwhelming? There are simple things that can be done so you can stay trendy without feeling uncomfortable with all the choices. Accessories are the best way to add a little pop to any outfit. You don’t need to throw on every single thing you own, but you can mix and match necklaces, bracelets, rings, and bags to spice up your neutral outfit, all while still feeling comfortable. Other things you can do to feel a little more fashionable is to wear a bit of colour on your lips, it’s a very easy way to freshen up your look without going overboard, or paint your nails a fun colour! Now because colour blocking is very in style right now, it doesn’t mean you need to colour block your outfit; a simpler way to do it is to mix up the colour of your accessories, lip colour, or nails. Use any of these tips, and you will feel like a brand new version of your fashionable self.

www.maccosmetics.com

www.winners.com

www.essie.com

<3 elise

Jennifer Lawerence Emerging Style Star

The Hunger Games is finally being released, and Jennifer Lawerence finally gets her moment to shine. Although she was in the summer smash X Men: First Class, as well other movies and appearances in shows. did anyone really know who she was before. Looking at her now her beauty stands out, and her style isn't too bad either. At the premier of Hunger Games she was a stunner in her gold gown by Prabal Gurung. (right) an d again she ravished in another gold dress this one by Ralph Lauren (Left)

I know I am not the only one excited to see what she wears to premiers around the world. I also love that I have someone new to look at. The whole cast is just stunning, but I really enjoy seeing all of Jennifer's outfits.

She definitely knows what works with her. The Hunger Games may be her start but it's not her end, with sequels to the Hunger Games, and three other movies in production. Seeing her on the red carpet will be a pleasure. and seeing her on the cover several magazines (Parade, Glamour ect.)means we will definitely being seeing her a lot more.

ps. She definitely makes a great Katniss Everdeen.

Loooove

Natalia

The future of fashion magazines?

With the end of school approaching, people are asking me what I want to do when I finish school. When I tell them I want to work for a fashion magazine, one of the most common questions is, "Isn't that kind of a dying field?" While I had never really paid much attention before, I started to realize that there is a rapidly growing number of 'fashion & style' websites that are easily accessible and updated much more frequently than the monthly or quarterly magazines. So I started a little investigation, in 2011 a large number of fashion magazines including Harpers Bazaar, Marie Claire, and Glamour were facing 15-20% declines in sales, but their digital versions weren’t taking off either. If you look at several fashion magazine websites, you will notice that they have incorporated frequently updated fashion news, a live twitter feed, exclusive interviews, and so much more. Its almost as if they are creating a second magazine for just their website content. The Ipad app for numerous fashion magazines provides a convenient way for readers to go through the magazine. These apps are certainly more advanced and where our future is headed, but with online luxury retailer sites like Net-a-Porter, Shopbop, and Shopstyle all providing magazine-like look books with the option to buy the clothing as they view a look, what will fashion magazines do to stand out once they turn completely digital? These online luxury retailer sites have already been so innovative by making a shoppable online fashion magazine that the current magazines will be years behind, and unless they can find something different to offer their readers, they will soon be extinct. Net-a-Porter releases weekly magazines as opposed to monthly or quarterly.

Net-a-Porter Ipad app. Shop while you read.

I have been reading fashion magazines since I was 8. Starting with Seventeen magazine, to the pages of Harper’s Bazaar and Elle (UK editions of course!). For me, nothing beats sitting down with a coffee and a magazine and indulging in the latest trends and creative editorials. One thing you can never do with an Ipad is cutout images and use them for school projects or inspiration boards. So to all of you fashion lovers out there, don’t let the print magazines die! Let me know what you love about your favourite fashion magazines!

The PAST.

The FUTURE.

Next time….

I’ll be writing about trends that need to disappear!

Jamie Duncan

@JamieLDuncan

The Hair Product That Saved My Life by Christina Di Pede

This hair product saved my life. Seriously. About two and a half months ago, I took out my glued-in keratin bond hair extensions, which I had maintained for exactly one year. This left my hair dry, thin, and basically looking like it had gone through a shredder. Not to mention about 20% of my head was covered in bald spots. Yes, actual bald spots where, over time, the extensions had ripped my hair out by the follicles.

Upon taking them out, I was anxious and terrified that I would have self-inflicted bald patches on my scalp forever. I frantically began researching natural remedies to make my hair grow. My googling led me to Castor Oil. Armed with my Whole Foods purchase of an almost half litre bottle of pure, cold pressed oil, I spent my 2 and a half weeks of vacation tanning in the sun with it by my beach chair. Let me tell you, this stuff is unbelievable.

Also known as Palma Christi, or Palm of Christ, castor oil is absorbed by your skin all the way to the most inner layer of your dermis. It contains a high dose of natural essential fatty acids, which is why it builds and strengthens both your hair and skin. It stimulates your follicles, increases circulation, and speeds up hair growth exponentially. Within exactly one month, my hair had grown almost one inch, was about 30% fuller, stopped breaking off completely, and about half the hair that had been ripped out by extensions had started coming in. Two and a half months later, I’m still amazed by the rate at which my hair is growing. I know I sound like an infomercial right now, but seriously, this product will give you the hair you’ve always dreamed of.

The best brand is Tropic Isle’s Jamaican Black. It has more ash content in it, which makes it far more effective than the regular cold-pressed version. It's a little harder to find, but you can try beauty supply stores that specialize in African American hair, or you can order it online at Amazon. http://www.tropicisleliving.com

To use:

· massage into roots

· leave for a few hours or overnight

· wash out with a small amount of baking soda mixed in your shampoo

· repeat at least 2x a week but is safe for every day use

Dr. Gladstone

The Gladstone bag or doctor's bag was once a workingman’s asset, but today it has become a woman’s arm luxury. Functional, elegant, and back in our sights for 2012, the Gladstone bag is an accessory worth investing in.

A bag with the potential to be minimalist, classic and statement-worthy all at once, is by default considered a part of Celine’s equally sharp uniform. In their Fall 2011 runway show, models marched with the Gladstone tucked under their arm. The original doctor’s bag shape was maintained with small handles, a sturdy rectangular base and a magnetic-centre with the trademark floppy feature. Celine’s latest offering for Spring 2012 is a modified version of the Gladstone. It’s got corporate sophistication with hints of perky colours, giving the trend another opportunity for an appraisal.

-Ariana Chung❤