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celebrity, Chloe, denim, denim on the runway, denim-on-denim, jeans, Ralph Lauren, Spring trends, Summer trends

Denim Diaries

In Designers, Fashion, Trends on March 24, 2010 at 2:34 am

To say that “denim is back” would be an inaccurate statement because its never been just a fleeting trend. Denim has been a fashion staple for decades and it has evolved into a ‘must-have’ textile for many designers, season after season. Though the denim trends have been endless and vary with each decade, one thing’s for sure – the perfect pair of jeans has always, and always will be – a solid investment.

For the Spring/Summer 2010 collections denim ruled the runways. The latest trend — denim on denim. Various designers showcased their own versions of this trend, including Chloe, Ralph Lauren and Dolce & Gabbana.

I know… I know… for years now we’ve been told it’s a fashion “don’t”- but don’t let that discourage you from trying this trend. Of course, we have to keep in mind that as much as we’d like to think of the world as our own personal runway, it’s best to interpret the trends and customize them to fit our daily lives (bring it down a notch).

A perfect example is Reese Witherspoon– she looks trendy, chic and is pulling off the denim-on-denim look effortlessly. (The key is to mix two different shades of denim.) The most flattering combination is a lighter denim on top and a darker wash on the bottom. Not to worry, for those hot summer days coming up just trade in your long jeans for a pair of cut-off jean shorts!

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Fashion tips, Go Green, Look Chic, St. Patrick's Day

Get Chic in Green!

In Fashion, Trends on March 17, 2010 at 5:17 pm

Today is St. Patrick’s Day aka the one day everyone is Irish, even if your dad is Italian and your mom is Indonesian… like me! Show your pride by looking chic in green! Here are some tips on putting together the perfect St. Patty’s Day outfit!

Jersey Gown $20 Old Navy

Green Velvet Dress

Of course, wearing green on St. Patty’s Day is a must…unless you like everyone pinching you because of your clothes. When you and the girls go out tonight, wear a long green spring gown or a short green velvet dress to really embrace your holiday spirit. Layering is a hot trend right now so finish your outfit with a beige cardigan.

Natural and simple colors like beige, brown and white work well with green. One of my favorite looks is the professional chic look of tweed bottoms. A pair of beige pants (perhaps tweed to dress it up) with brown heels and a green dressy shirt will look fabulous for St. Patty’s Day festivities!

Jessica Simpson Plum Bracelet $48 Macys

Since wearing green is the key feature to your St. Patty’s Day outfit, wear accessories that complement this earthy color. Stop the search for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and try just wearing gold! However, I think the best way to really make your outfit pop is to wear accessories with the color burgundy or purple. Opposite colors on the color wheel will always make you look super stylish! If contrast isn’t your thing, cool it down with a hint of blue to match the earthy tone of green.

One last tip… mostly everyone will be wearing green today so make sure you’re giving a chic twist that stands out in a crowd of green! Have fun and let me know how your St. Patrick’s Day went!

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fashion show, Fashion Week Tampa Bay, Rhonda Shear

Fashion and Fun Down to a Science!

In Designers, Events, Fashion on March 11, 2010 at 4:42 am

Who ever thought that fashion and science could go hand in hand? Well, Friday, March 12, 2010 from 11:30a.m. to 2:00p.m. at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg, we’ll get to see the two worlds combined. The Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation will be celebrating its newly formed Florida chapter with an inaugural luncheon and fashion show fundraiser to benefit graduate students at the University of South Florida studying science, medicine and engineering.

Fashion and Fun Down to a Science will showcase featured designers from Tampa Bay by holding a trunk show along with a model presentation. Rhonda Shear, featured designer at Fashion Week Tampa Bay for the past two years (2008 and 2009), will be showcasing her sexy and sensual lingerie, shapewear and intimate line from her local boutique Maison Rouge. There is no doubt that she will bring the spice to the science lab!

Along with this fashionable showcase, ARCS, an all-women volunteer nonprofit organization, hopes to raise enough funds through this event to support two $15,000 scholarships for USF Colleges of Marine Science and Cancer Biology. This event is open to the public. To purchase tickets ($75/person), contact Elaine Smalling at Elaine@StPetePartnership.org or (727) 821-5166.

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boyfriend blazer, Fashion, fresh looks, Spring trends, style, Summer trends, white blazer

White Blazer

In Fashion, Trends, Updates on March 10, 2010 at 4:23 pm

The Boyfriend Blazer has been a fashion staple for quite some time now, so it’s no surprise that along with the fashion seasons our boyfriend blazers must also be revamped. Instantly update your wardrobe this Spring by swapping your black blazer for a white one.

With your new white blazer, the possibilities are endless! Dress it down with a basic tee and a pair of shorts for a day-time look while running errands, shopping or meeting the girls for lunch.

Need a fresh look for a night out on the town? Pick your favorite cocktail dress and instead of reaching for that black blazer, go with your white one. Don’t be afraid to pair it with a cute floral dress or even bright colors! The white blazer has a lot more potential for the Spring/Summer color palettes and looks amazing with vivid colors and bold patterns. For a more casual look pair your white blazer with your most flattering pair of skinny’s, a simple top and a fierce pair of pumps! ( a la Gwyneth Paltrow)

Not only does the white blazer update your existing wardrobe for this year’s Spring and Summer looks, but it’s the perfect addition to those chilly nights we’re still having! (Burrr…)

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fashion show, fashion shows, Fashion Week Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Fashion Events

Fashion Events This Weekend

In Designers, Events, Fashion on March 3, 2010 at 12:26 am

American dolls, expectant mothers, superheroes, villains and sexy take the runway! Don’t worry, they won’t ALL be mixed in the same fashion event! Hmmm…actually, that would be a lot of fierceness on one runway so it might make for a very entertaining and crazy good show! On a serious note, March 6, 2010 will be a very busy day in Tampa Bay and surrounding areas! Check it out…

The American Girl Fashion Show:

This will be the 2^nd annual American Girl Fashion Show presented by the Junior League of Manatee County. This Saturday, March 6, 2010 at the historic Bradenton Municipal Auditorium. There will be three show times throughout the day – 10:00am, 2:00pm and 6:00pm. This event is both fun and educational by showing how girl’s individual styles have changed throughout history. Plus 100% of the proceeds from this fundraiser are guaranteed back into our community benefiting local children in need. Click here for more information and tickets!

Life in Fashion Show:

Model4Jesus presents the Life in Fashion Show – A Vision of Compassion! This fashion event will be held this Saturday, March 6, 2010 at the Wesley Memorial UMC (Family Life Center). The doors will open at 6pm and the fashion show starts at 7pm. The fashion show will be both fashionably entertaining and beneficial to the Pregnancy Care Center. Click here for more information and tickets!

Out of this World Fashion Show:

Talented fashion design students from the International Academy of Design and Technology- Orlando will show their stylish take on comic books and fantasy- superheroes and villains. This Saturday, March 6, 2010 at the Orange County Regional History Center the fashion event doors will open at 6pm for everyone to mingle, then the fashion show will begin at 7pm. The special guest judge is no stranger to Fashion Week Tampa Bay, as Ben Chmura was a featured designer in our event in 2009. Ben is also a featured designer in this season’s Project Runway (Season 7), the runway-reality hit on Lifetime TV. Call (407) 836-7010 for more information and reservations. Seating is limited.

And finally, the Remarquably Sexy Fashion Show:

A very sexy and seductive fashion show from Essence Flowers, featured fashion designer in Fashion Week Tampa Bay 2008 and 2009. The event will debut her latest collection at the Tampa International Jet Center on, again…March 6th! The doores open at 6pm and the unleashing of her collection begins at 7pm. Click here for more information or tickets.

Looking fabulous is the easy part! Choosing which fashion event to attend… the hard part! Do it Seven Dresses style and see if you can make it to them all!

Have fun this weekend and share your reviews below!

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Essence Flowers, Fashion Week Tampa Bay designers, Tampa Bay events and fashion shows, The 2010 Remarquably Sexy- UNFORGIVABLE Event

The 2010 Remarquably Sexy Event

In Designers, Events, Fashion on March 1, 2010 at 9:02 am

One word to describe this upcoming fashion show- SEXY! Swimsuits, corsets and gorgeous dresses from Essence Flowers – one of the featured designers in Fashion Week Tampa Bay 2009. Victoria’s Secret better watch out because this event will unleash everyone’s sexy secrets!

The 2010 Remarquably Sexy – UNFORGIVABLE event will debut the latest collection from Essence Flowers. The event will be held at the Tampa International Jet Center on March 6^th, which is located at 4751 Jim Walter Blvd Tampa, FL 33607.

The doors will open at 6pm but no worries if you’re fashionably late because the unleashing begins at 7pm. All seats for the show will be general admission.

Tickets are only $25 each (plus tax) and the ticket price can be applied towards the purchase of a garment or donation made on behalf of Essence Flower’s Foundation. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.

Come out and experience the unleashing of your own inhibitions on March 6, 2010! Hope to see you there to witness how Essence Flowers brings sexy to Tampa Bay!

CLICK HERE for more information about this event.

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Spring 2010 Trends

In Events, Fashion, Trends on February 19, 2010 at 9:51 am

This years’ Spring 2010 Runway collections were absolutely divine! Designers unveiled fresh and innovative looks ranging across the fashion spectrum. While it’s common to associate floral prints to many Spring trends, it was refreshing to see that the 2010 collections had far more to offer. On the contrary- they were edgy and consisted of neutral color palettes such as grays and even nude. Some may even say “beige is the new black!”

Among these looks you had your fearless trends like the hot pants– something you are more likely to see on Lady Gaga than on your typical night out. The hot pants (also known as boy shorts) are a bold fashion statement and yes, they are meant to be worn outside… in public. Think vintage pin-up girl with a modern twist. Since the hot pants exude an adequate amount of sex appeal on their own, tone it down by pairing them with a long-sleeved blouse- as seen on the Marc Jacobs runway- or even a blazer, and be sure to keep the shoes looking a bit demure.

For a more “wearable” every-day trend, knee- high socks are a fabulous addition to any outfit. Alexander Wang incorporated knee socks for his “school-girl” runway look and it was genius. However, I do have one little concern about this look…you have to be certain that you are pulling off the “modern” knee-high trend and not the Cher from “Clueless” knee-high trend. There is a fine line between the two and please be careful not to cross it. In order to avoid any confusion never ever pair your knee socks with plaid or you will instantly morph yourself back to the 90’s.

I realize some may find these trends to be a bit audacious for every-day wear at the office, but keep in mind that you have the ability to take these looks and make them your own. Alter these Spring 2010 trends to fit your style and take them from runway to real-life!

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Fashion, sales, shopping deals, steal the deal

Steal the deal!

In Fashion, Trends on February 15, 2010 at 2:33 pm

For most girls shopping is their guilty pleasure. It’s a real buzz kill when you find the perfect outfit but can’t afford it or decide to buy it anyway and wait until the end of the month where you’re faced with the credit card bill. Ouch! Luckily I have some great online shopping tips for you!

If you search “shopping deals”, Google will offer 89,800,000 sites in .34 seconds. Incredible! However, that’s a lot of web surfing! Let’s simplify your search and actually find what you’re looking for!

HOW TO SPOT THE DEALS:

1. Email: Subscribe to your favorite designer or stores email news letter to receive updates on sales, new items, special discounts and etc.

2. Social Network: Become friends with your favorite designer, store or fashion news provider on Facebook or Twitter.You’ll receive information on sales and news items. Be sure to follow Fashion Week Tampa Bay on Facebook and Twitter, where we keep you in the know as well!

3. iGoogle: I absolutely love iGoogle! It’s my online blog newspaper with exactly what I want to read about. It’s very simple to create! First, click iGoogle in the upper right corner on Google’s homepage, then subscribe to the RSS feed of the blog you want to follow…like this one!

4. Become a member: Most stores have a members club where you’ll get special discounts and updates on new items. There’s the Macy’s card, Victoria’s Secret Angels card and American Eagle members card… just to name a few that I have.

There are so many clothing, jewelry and accessory companies to explore online! A few that always seem to have great deals are stores like Victoria’s Secret with $10 off any $100 buy and sales up to 65% off. Express now has jeans, tops and blouses buy one, get one 50% off.

New York & Company always e-mails special discounts and now has pants buy one, get one free. Macy’s is a classic shopping department store and always has great deals. They currently have sales up to 75% off on their website, plus you can get an extra discount for having a Macy’s card.

Lucky Magazine is great with providing readers a deal every day in their “sales in a flash” section. Elle magazine always informs readers on shopping deals and tips. You can subscribe to their blog, visit their website and/or grab their latest issue for shopping deals. Of course, you can also read our blog and Facebook fan page for deals we personally spot for you! (Another shameless, plug – I know!)

Now you don’t ever have to feel guilty about something as pleasurable as finding that perfect outfit!

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Fashion Week Tampa Bay, valentine's day fashion

Red Hot Valentine’s-What To Wear

In Fashion on February 8, 2010 at 3:26 pm

Throughout the years our perception of Valentine’s Day has continually evolved. Gone are the days when the most exciting part of it all was going to the store to pick out our girly V-day cards to hand out to our classmates. I remember one year I chose Sleeping Beauty cards- I specifically picked out my favorite one and wrote it out to my class crush. *sigh…

Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Whether you’re planning a romantic dinner with the significant other or painting the town red with your friends, one thing’s for sure– when you look good, you feel good – so you’ll need a fabulous outfit!

This is the one day out of the year when I suggest to trade in that timeless “LBD” for a “LRD” (little red dress). Opt for whatever cut best suits your shape but definitely go with a fun and flirty look like this red French Connection “Wizard” strapless dress or this Bebe strapless “Tiered Temptress” dress . It’s the perfect ensemble for that swanky new place your date scored a reservation to or a Girls’ Night Out.

Keeping it low-key? Then pair your favorite jeans with this cute Olivia Moon ruffle silk top that I found at Nordstrom or something comparable for a casual yet classy look. With these solid red looks any accessories should be neutral and kept to a minimum. Think simple and subtle.

On the other hand if a bold red look isn’t your thing, simply switch it up! Keep your basics neutral and go all out with red embellishments. Think red belts, bangles, shoes and even a cocktail ring (not all at once please). Polish it off with bright red lips and your look is subtle-yet festive.

Whatever your Valentine style is “wear your heart on your sleeve” and have a fabulous day!

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Fashion Week Roundup: Day 2

In Designers, Events, Fashion, Trends, Updates on October 9, 2009 at 4:21 pm

Day 2 of Tampa Bay Fashion Week was a mixture of sexy and ultra-feminine. There was something for everyone, from red hot lingerie (literally) to elegant evening gowns. Each collection was filled with illuminating color.

Rhonda Shear tapped into our inner pin-up girl with lingerie in body conscious silhouettes and glitzy accents…

Michael Della Penna wasn’t afraid to pair colors with lavender as the staple color for the collection. Ruffles gave each look a feminine appeal in an array of colors…

tbfashionweek tbfashionweek5 tbfashionweek3