Let’s do a little new season overview. Still with us (hurrah! hurroo!) we have ripped jeans, feature trainers, every shape of high heel as long as it’s not a platform stiletto and flat shoes of all kinds. There’s never been a better time to buy them, so if you’re a fan: invest.

Normcore (dressing for comfort, like a US college student) still has its place and you can keep rolling out all your sweatshirts, whether with rolled-up chinos and aforementioned trainers for day, or with a lavish skirt for evening (sequins, brocade, fluoro digi-prints, PVC, leather…).

 

(Photo:short prom dresses uk)Purists would say it’s time to rest your statement necklaces, but I’m not ready to let mine go yet, if ever. They are a new staple for me. Very much the best friend of anyone wishing to distract attention away from their mid-regions. The new jewellery focus is statement earrings and the once extreme-looking ear cuff has moved into the mainstream. But do remember, it’s the earrings or the necklace.

Of the new trends, the midi skirt is probably the one that most clearly says Now. It makes everything around it look refreshed. Although, while it’s easier to wear than the high-waisted styles of recent vintage, it will take a little getting used to.

Designers tend to show it as a ’70s style, with an unforgiving tucked-in shirt, but the fashion editors photographed outside the designer shows these past weeks gave a free masterclass how to make it work in other ways.

If you’re top heavy, a narrower cut skirt, more streamlined around the hips, just kicking out near the hem looks better. Or choose a silky draping fabric and you can put a longer top over the top, but do beware a full top and a full skirt.

This skirt length look particularly good with a heeled sandal – the open foot balancing out the mass of fabric.

Other trends that take a little more commitment but look great if you can hack it are the plaid blanket coats (sometimes, an actual plaid blanket…) and capes. Although much as I love the latter, they are a bit of an obstacle course for real life, making it very hard to negotiate a handbag of any kind.

I’ll be admiring those on other people, while I re-embrace the tailoring of the 1990s (mostly in jackets and coats I’ve had since then…). Soft shoulders, a cocoon shape and a longer length are the key elements, although I’m not going to give up wearing my sharp-cut blazers of recent seasons. They’re just too snazzy to give up.

Black and white head-to-toe, not even an accent earring, as discussed last week, is the simplest styling trick to update your look instantly, but if none of these ideas appeal to you, there is a whole other genus of a look: hippy luxe is back.

And look who’s working it perfectly, at the Burberry show in London a couple of weeks ago – wearing Burberry, which was the whole point because it was designer Christopher Bailey who pretty much launched this trend… Why, it’s my style idol (stydol?) Olivia Palermo, looking so great I had to forget my efforts not to use pictures of her every week. I’ve lasted since June 1.

It’s all part of the ’90s revisit, but that venture into boho deluxe was more Talitha Getty, this time around it’s Stevie Nicks and Joni Mitchell. Pioneer mid-West, and grandma’s trunk, via 1970s LA.

If you have the height and/or the narrowness for such a fussy look, it’s very romantic. Leather and lace, as Ms Mitchell mentioned in one of her peerless lyrics of that era.

In fact, if you listen to her song Ladies of the Canyon as you dress, you will probably emerge in a perfect combination of long dress, knotted leather belt, wafty scarves and floppy felt hat. Trina wears her wampum beads, indeed.Read more at:long prom dresses uk

 

(Photo:princess prom dresses uk)Autumn has begun. If you missed the fall runways and want to style your wardrobe according to the latest fashion trends, just follow these styles

Swinging sixties

The sixties are back in a major way, so a dress with sixties’ fashion style is a must-have. A bunch of designers got together and decided to bring back miniskirts, knee-high boots, and accessories that remind us of yesteryear.

Novelty prints

Fall 2014 isn’t boring: it is actually super vibrant. Bright, loud novelty prints and graphics — even on the most casual pieces — will bring your look to life.

Robe coats

This season, the housecoat makes a huge comeback in almost all designer shows. The coats are generously cut and close with a sash.

Dresses over pants

For next season, designers are challenging us to wear pants and a dress.

Pastels

In addition to brights and bolds, pastels will make their way into the fall circuit. And instead of putting spring and summer clothes away, you can pair them with sweaters, jackets, tights, and boots. That way your style will be trendier.

Sportswear

Fall 2014’s sportswear translates to quilted mini-dresses and silk shorts, according to pieces by Miu Miu and Fendi. So, in place of jackets or sweatshirts, opt for a tank top or T-shirt — or even make the look office-appropriate by pairing shorts with a button-up blouse.

The classically tailored suit

For ladies on a fashionable mission, only the sharpest tailoring with a masculine edge will do.

Fur and feathers

Dresses in feathered materials are pretty inevitable for fall fashion this season. Designers are experimenting with new shapes all over the runways.

Military khaki

The dominant colour on the runway this fall is military khaki. The rules and rigour of the army have captured designer attention, inspiring a fashion soldier’s uniform with stricter silhouettes and structured looks.

Aspen chic

The cult argyle sweater is making a big return this season. Paired it with a classic piece like a sixties leather miniskirt, or cinch it with a skinny belt.

Goldmine

Gold was in the spotlight as it cascaded across this year fall/winter runways. The sixties’ designs were revamped in gold fabrics, and this adds to the autumn’s vintage kitsch vibe.

The ‘it’ jacket

The must-have jacket for fall 2014 features a contrasting collar of shearling or fur, nipped in at the waist and falling to the mid-thigh.

Zips

Zip up! Designers have gone mad for the functional clothing feature.

Blanket scarves

The bigger the better, scarves have gone blanket-like this season.

Extra-large coats

An eternal classic, the three-quarter-length coat goes to a new, longer length this season. The men’s classic overcoat has a feminine look and a defined waist.

Knit wit

This season, knitwear is no longer a supporting act — it’s the star turn. This comfortingly soft, full look in wool works best in neutral tones. From cozy pants that promise to alleviate the need for tights, to similarly warm varieties, the sweater is no longer relegated to the top half.

The bigger the better

The oversize trend is the best way to hide an extra few pounds. All hail bigger sweaters, pants, and coats!Read more at:mermaid prom dresses uk

 

(Photo:sexy prom dresses uk)See it on the catwalks next week. See it in the shops in a month’s time. When the ready-to-wear shows start in Paris on Tuesday, teams of designers for high street stores will be poised to spring into action.

Thanks to their efforts, strikingly similar mass market versions of the latest designer outfits will be in the shops within weeks — and at a fraction of the price.

Some call it ‘taking inspiration’. For others it is copying or ripping designers’ work off. Nearly everyone agrees it is pervasive and that there is very little the industry’s top talents can do about it.

Nine days of ready-to-wear fashion shows begin in Paris on Tuesday with collections by nearly 100 labels for spring/summer 2015.

But before the catwalk models have even kicked off their high heels, designers for big-name retailers will be poring over the pictures on the Internet and homing in on the trendiest looks.

In some companies, specialist pattern cutters and tailors will be on standby ready to “whip something up literally within 24 hours”, according to Jane Banyai, of the British designers’ trade organisation ACID.

In the 1950s, copies of Paris Match magazine with images from fashion shows appeared covered in thick black lines to prevent the designs being copied.

Thanks to teams of designers for high street stores, strikingly similar mass market versions of the latest designer outfits will be in the shops within weeks — and at a fraction of the price

Fashion shows then were exclusive affairs at which only a few privileged invitees were lucky enough to get a glimpse of the next season’s trends.

Today, designers have far less control and pictures from the shows can be zinging their way around the world within seconds with just a few clicks of a smartphone.

“It’s terribly easy for things to be reproduced. A photograph can be out in Asia within seconds and they can be in production within minutes,” Banyai told AFP.

‘COMPARISON SHOPPING’

With so many imitation garments in circulation, fashion magazines delight in showing their readers pricey designer pieces and high street versions with more modest price tags.

Kal Raustiala, a law professor at UCLA and co-author of the book “The Knockoff Economy” said the practice was so widespread that most designers felt powerless to stop it.

“Knock-offs are everywhere. They’re almost an accepted part of the reality of this world,” he told AFP.

Experts say most big brands are too busy with the next season to care about who may or may not have copied them last season

Raustiala said he became interested in the subject after a friend who worked in fashion told him about a “comparison shopping” trip he had been on to London.

“I think there are different phrases used but what he was doing was going around London looking at clothes, taking pictures and bringing things back to copy,” he said.

“I was surprised to find out that it was legal and that it was common practice,” he said, adding that he believed it was the legality rather than the Internet that was responsible for “accelerating and turbocharging” copycat fashion.

Michael Chan, a New York-based intellectual property lawyer, said he usually advised clients not to go to court.

“If it’s a question of ‘I have a particular leopard print pattern’ and someone else makes a slightly different one — well, the cycle is too fast to do anything,” he said.

“I would not advise clients to go after it. They might, but you’re probably just taking resources away from your business.”

“Unless you have some particular reason you want to do it, you just have to let it go,” he said.

FLATTERY

Designers do sue sometimes. Yves Saint Laurent famously sued Ralph Lauren for copying a tuxedo dress from his 1992/3 couture collection and won.

More recently, in 2007, British store Topshop had to bin over 1,000 dungaree-look yellow minidresses after losing a copyright case brought by the Chloe fashion house.

Topshop boss Philip Green at the time utterly refuted that the dress was a copy.

But he said the company agreed to pay £12,000 ($19,500, 15,100 euros) in compensation plus legal costs in order to avoid a protracted legal wrangle and “get on with the rest of our lives”.

Banyai said most big brands were too busy with the next season to care about who may or may not have copied them last season, but that it was more of an issue for smaller designers.

“There’s a real dichotomy between the small players and the big players. For the small ones whether you sell a particular range can be the bread and butter on your table.

“For the big ones, they have another three collections that year to worry about and so they don’t seem to be so concerned about it. They see it as flattery,” she said.

All acknowledge, however, that copying is far from a new problem.

“You can go back to the great depression and there are accounts of how within 24 hours dresses are being copied,” Raustiala added.

“In the 1930s they would just steal a sketch from the art boy.”Read more at:backless prom dresses uk

 

(Photo:cheap prom dresses uk)Noted fashion designer and writer, Renaissance man Wendell Rodricks analyses the power behind Priyanka Chopra’s knockout style. Exclusively for Cine Blitz!

The memory of chopra stayed with me

I first saw Priyanka Chopra at the Holiday Inn in Pune. She was freshly minted from the Miss India contest, en route to the Miss World pageant where she would win the crown. I recall the distinctly disciplined girl with the best pout this side of Angelina Jolie. And when she spoke, her wonderful voice was so low-toned, it hovered between a husky whisper and a mating call.

That day I flew back to Bombay, unable to do the show for personal reasons; leaving the reins to another beauty… Shyamolie Verma. The memory of Chopra stayed with me… and resurfaced when I walked on the sets on Madhur Bhandarkar’s FASHION for a walk-on cameo playing myself at a fashion show. Priyanka recalled nothing of the Pune incident but she was warm, friendly and shared the lunch Madhur Bhandarkar’s wife sent to the set.

Like all actresses I know, I was struck by the patience and professionalism stars possess when doing a movie. Priyanka was no exception. With the Miss World sash behind her and a couple of films to her credit, the girl I met in Pune had now become a star. Her role in FASHION would seal her repute as an actress when she walked away with Best Actress that year. Many golden awards followed.

What is it that makes Priyanka a Red Carpet queen?

Too many qualities to list here. Apart from her stellar good looks, always perfect make-up, well thought of accessories, fashion sense and inborn elegance coupled with mega oomph, Priyanka knows what it is to be star quality. All on her own. She does not need arm candy nor fellow star support as she poses alone and supreme on the catwalk or red carpet. She is solely in the spotlight surrounded by a caterpillar of flashbulbs that adoringly follow her sexy swagger.

Does not need the ‘it’ bag

Here is an actress who is no bag lady. Look at the photos to prove it. She does not need the ‘it’ bag that most women wear like a badge…or crutch! Admirable for a lady. What? No bag? There must be a mistake. But it’s true. A lesson all women can learn from. You do not need the Prada, Gucci, Dior, Chanel bag. All you need is Priyanka’s confidence.

Can swing a dress in style

And those legs. Whether in a micro mini or demure calf length dress, Priyanka can swing a dress in style. Her affinity for pointed shoes and ankle boots is a lesson in class, no chunky clogs needed for our fashion icon. Just sleek, slim, superb, elegant heels point the way to the red carpet.

Colour Wise

The colour palette reigning for Priyanka is black, white, denim and brights. Bright as in jewel brights. Very few pastels make the scene. When they do, they are for Indian garments. One should excuse the occasionally overly bling saris.

No one-headlight drape

Chopra is one of the few actresses who drapes her sari with old world elegance. Not the new trend of the one headlight drape, showing off one breast. Nah! Leave that to the item girl wannabes. For Chopra’s abs, even a sheer drape sari is worn the proper old fashioned way. That’s why we love her.

Other important lessons…

What else can we earn from the no-bag, hands-free Priyanka? Show off the well-toned arms with an occasional cuff, bangles or watch. Keep the hair glam: whether coifed, swept upward, tousled long ‘fat hair’ locks or swept to one side. Even reading glasses can be a la mode when coupled with subtle, sensual clothing. Lastly, wear all styles and silhouettes. Experiment and play with fashion. Enjoy its many facets. Luxuriate in it from a jeans and cropped top to a gold embroidered peplum on a black strapless gown.Read more at:uk prom dresses 2014

Cereal brands are continuing to struggle as more and more consumers turn away from traditional sit-down breakfasts of sugary cereals, with new research suggesting they are favouring on-the-go, high-protein alternatives.

A survey commissioned by sports nutrition company Bodybuilding Warehouse of over 2,000 people who work out regularly, found that 57% of female gym-goers have ditched cereals and now enhance their diets with specially made protein-filled breakfasts and supplements, such as protein pancakes, shakes and even protein coffee.

Consumers in search of nutritionally beneficial substitutes to cereals are favouring items such as nutritional bars and shakes that are easy to access and can be consumed as an on-the-go breakfast as they travel to work. Protein supplement breakfasts are becoming increasingly popular as a result, with sales up by 46 per cent since February.

Managing director of www.BodybuildingWarehouse.co.uk, Kieran Fisher commented: “People are exercising more control over what they put into their bodies and, with even some fruit bran cereals containing more sugar than a doughnut, understandably people are looking for alternatives.

“We’ve seen huge growth in the popularity of protein products being used as an alternative breakfast. This is often used alongside a morning workout or as part of a general fitness regime. They provide a satisfying, filling and tasty alternative to traditional breakfasts, with the added benefit of being part of a healthy lifestyle for those who exercise regularly.”

As a result, Bodybuilding Warehouse, has responded to demand by taking popular breakfast items and redeveloping them into healthier options with reduced sugar and fat. The ‘Breakfast Booster’ range includes healthy protein pancakes that are low in sugar and fat but don’t compromise on the traditional taste, along with a healthier protein coffee and protein hot chocolate.Also read at:celebrity dresses uk | prom dresses london