Fashion Frenzy in ATX

North Loop Sidewalk Sale

This weekend was an exciting one for all local Austin fashionistas. First off, the North Loop Shopping District hosted their Spring Sidewalk Sale from noon to 9 p.m., designated by the Austin Independent Business Alliance. However, this was no ordinary sale. The North Loop Sidewalk Sale featured indie shops with special sales, events, and in-store performances. There were 23 independently owned business that showcased their goods. Plenty of cute vintage items could even be found between the price range of $1-$15!

Also this weekend, the Domain played host to Simon Fashion Now, a yearly event in which Simon Malls around the country hold runway shows to highlight the upcoming trends for the season. The fashion at a mall show is obviously not supposed to intrigue and inspire your wardrobe creativity, but rather to inspire you to buy these wearable items. Everything that walked the runway was safe and well put together. This was definitely different from your usual outrageous couture runway shows, which was good but slightly boring. However, the biggest difference between a big corporate fashion show compared to the spontaneous local Austin shows is that the models are professional and actually know how to walk the runway. The Simon Fashion Now show gave you a real look at what trends we can expect to see in stores right now and in the next couple of months. According to these shows, it looks like bright colors, color blocking, crochet tops and floppy beach hats are in for summer.

Cole Hann

Macy's

Dillard's

Sources:

keep austin stylish

Austin Chronicle

North Loop IBIZ District Facebook Page

Five Secrets for Better Looking Skin

Remove all traces of makeup before you sleep 
 It's 4 a.m. and you have just got home from a late night out. You're tired and the last thing you want to do is take that makeup off of your face. However, nighttime is when our pores open up to breathe, and having a face full of makeup can clog the pores, causing dirt and oil to be trapped under your skin. Simply using a facial cleansing wipe can make all the difference, preventing you from break outs the morning after. Besides, there is nothing worse than waking up with your eyes sealed shut with caked mascara.

Feed your skin

Your skin loves a healthy diet. This means more intake of vitamins E & C, and at least five servings of fruit a day. Eating fruit, especially ones with orange or red skins, is also effective in preventing acne because they are packed with vitamins. Not only it is tasty and great for your body, but it is also great for your skin.

Do not pick or squeeze at your spots
Ok admit it, we have all done it. It's as if we have that false hope that squeezing it will make it disappear. Not only can picking and squeezing your pimples lead to scarring, it can also lead to them becoming inflammed with bacteria. Instead, let your own body take care of itself. It may take a while, but it's definitely worth it. You can also dab some acne cream if you wish. When I get spots, I use the Origins Spot Remover and apply a little drop which will last me for the whole day. The Origins Spot Remover reduces the redness of the spot, disinfects it and treats the pimple while preventing future break outs and drying out of the skin.

Sleep on your back

Sleep is fantastic for the skin. Many of us have different sleeping positions we each deem comfortable. However, by sleeping on your back, you are preventing premature wrinkles from forming. Apparently, if you sleep on your side or face down; you are creating pressure on the face and cause the skin to fold and wrinkle. You can also grab an extra pillow so you sleep with your head more elevated than usual. This will help any retained water stay away from your face so you won’t wake up with puffy eyes.

Submerge your skin in water
Drinking water is the simplest beauty secret that so many people forget. Water is the key to clear and beautiful skin because it stimulates the circulations of blood & fluids inside our body. It hydrates, revitalizes, detoxifies and oxygenates our skin. Washing your face with warm water also helps cleanse your skin because the steam helps open your pores and wash out your impurities. Always remember to apply moisturizer afterward to avoid drying out your skin.

Sources:
Pictures from Google Images
The Beauty Bean
BubzBeauty

First Ever Unretouched Beauty Ads

The new Make Up For Ever High Definition line of products, which promise to be of such high quality that even an HD camera would fail to pick up blemishes. For the Make Up For Ever Unretouched Make Up ad campaign, four different women are pictured taking self-portraits using their own mobile phones. Obviously they are all young and gorgeous and generally flaw free to start with but what you can clearly tell is that the PhotoShop wizards have not been near them; lumps and bumps are still visible, you can see the uneven skin tone on their arms, misplaced shadows and even shiny foreheads! 

Think back to the Dove "Campaign for Real Beauty" viral ad which went round our emails a few years back showing the before and after shots of one of their advertising models. The industry is infamous for its heavy reliance on airbrushing to achieve perfection. Thighs can be slimmed, pores can be shrunk and imperfections all but disappear with the swift click of a finger on PhotoShop. Despite the models not looking perfect, this campaign is sure to be a success, as it's clear the make-up actually works.

Although I usually stick to my usual MAC and bareMinerals cosmetics, this ad makes me want to try some of this High Definition Foundation. If my skin can really look like her's in the ad, then I’m convinced. Let me head to the nearest Sephora. Right. Now.

As much as I love flipping through magazine pages and looking at all of the colorful ads and glamorous celebs posing for Dior, Mabelline or Lancome, it is important to let people know that people don’t really look like this. However, with certain types of makeup you could cover up those blemishes and enhance your features. Make Up For Ever's HD products shows that although you won't be completely flawless and poreless like models in other make up ads, you can realistically have flawless-looking skin. 

I’m a firm believer in loving the skin you’re in. If you take a look at this girl’s arms you can tell that they aren’t airbrush smooth, trimmed, cut or edited. It looks the way an arm is supposed to look, and when she waves she’s probably got some extra stuff that wiggles. That’s perfectly normal. Way to go Make Up For Ever for doing this campaign because it’s refreshing to be reminded that there’s always something perfect in every imperfection. 

Sources:

Make Up For Ever HD

Marie Claire

Her Campus

PR Newswire

Style X 2011

Last week was the 25th anniversary of South by Southwest, a media and music conference and festival celebrated around the world as one of the great institutions of independent music, film and interactive media and anyone else in search of the next cool thing. 

This year, however, SXSW decided to mix things up and showcase a new fashion event that celebrates the long-standing relationship between music and style, with a sharp focus on emerging talent. Style X (pronounced Style By) was a free two-day style event at the Austin Convention Center that showcased emerging designers, style shows that showcased SXSW musicians turned models and shopping opportunities that could keep fashionistas occupied for hours. Did I mention the American Apparel Flea Market had items that were marked down from 60%-80% off?

Founder of this event, Joah Spearman, made it clear that this was not "New York Fashion Week," and the purpose of this event is to focus on up-and-coming brands, not who sat in the front row and who didn’t. This event was done SXSW style, featuring merchants not only from Austin, but from all over selling really neat stuff.

Just like how SXSW is known for its fair share of celebrity appearances, Style X hosted a few familiar faces of its own with a series of insightful panel discussions on various fashion-related topics. Chloe Dao, Project Runway season two winner and owner of Houston boutique Lot 8 hosted a conversation on fashion vs. style and tips on how to break into the industry. 

Not knowing what to expect for its first year, the turnout for Style X was quite impressive. Maybe next year they could incorporate it more with SXSW and have some live music playing. Overall, I loved seeing this event emerge to bridge the gap between technology and fashion.

Sources:

Pictures from Fashionista.com

New York Times

Style X

Austin-American Statesman

The most wearable trends for spring 2011

Judging from the spring 2011 trend reports, you never would have guessed that New York, London and Paris just went through a season of being hit by brutal winter storms. From hyper colors to crazy prints, there's plenty to shake you out of your seasonal winter drab. Sexy '70s glamour made a return to runways with wide-leg pants, platforms, midi- and maxi-length skirts and slinky jersey dresses—in addition to bold prints, bright colors, sheer, a true-waisted silhouette and dolman sleeves. That’s not to mention the season’s citrus sorbet color palette. We are seeing a warming trend!

Hyper Color 

Christian Dior

There hasn't been a season in which fashion has wrapped its arms around color like it has for Spring. Designers embraced a plethora of colors, including poppy citrus hues, teal and electric blues.

"Color blocking will also carry over, and it's nice to see color back – like cobalt and green," said Noelle Cellini, owner and personal stylist of My Best Foot Forward. 

Taking note of the rich colors that ran the runway, Wemi Opakunle, designer, stylist and wardrobe consultant, says cobalt blue and emerald green made their mark, along with marigold and burnt orange (Hook 'Em!). While black may have dominated the runway in many collections, bursts of vibrant colors couldn’t be missed. 

Marc Jacobs

Jil Sanders

Colin T. McDonald, celebrity/fashion stylist and commentator says, “Rich and bold color patterns showed up a lot and are great in adding a bit of flair to any look. Marc displayed this beautifully in his Marc by Marc Jacobs collection.” 

To get more of a bold ‘70s-style fashion, find a floppy hat. For more formal occasions, a fabulous mini dress with velvet detailing or halter maxi dress is so chic, so ‘70s.

Midi is the Message

Calvin Klein Collection

Chloé

Rodarte

The calf-length skirt may cover up more, but it's endlessly feminine and pretty. With the return of ladylike dressing, it is definitely the time to invest in this new hemline. 

Three-quarter-length skirts are on the rise everywhere from Calvin Klein Collection to Rodarte. They can either be second-skin tight, or pleated, sheer fabrics that flow as you walk. 

  

The midi skirt is another ‘70s resurgence staple for the spring. Whether the skirt is patterned or not, try a printed top tucked into any one of these skirts and you’ve got an instant hit.

Prints Revolution

Prada

Given

Mary Katrantzou

Mixing bold prints can be something totally unexpected and cool. This season, the designers went bananas (literally, in Miuccia Prada's case) for quirky patterns this season.

Some eclectic pattern combinations included flora, fauna, fruita—you name it, they printed it. Leopard, python, and polka dots ruled at the runway. On the wilder side, models wore houses and quotes on their backs for Mary Katrantzou and Marco Zanini. 

A top comprised of a sophisticated blend of patterns will be a key standout item in your wardrobe come this spring. Worn loose and flowy, cinched into a waistband or layered with another top for extreme mix and match style, multi-pattern tops are sure to be trendy.

  

Wear the Pants

Derek Lam

Michael Kors

Zac Posen

Tailored trousers were also a focus this season. Piled on in a delightfully messy way, louche menswear seemed to have a cool, undone appeal. 

At Derek Lam, a high waist and relaxed leg were in step with the seventies trend, while at Michael Kors, it was all about borrowing from the boys. The whole collected, queen of the world- swagger that oozes from this trend is perfection.

Wide-leg pants are not only incredibly comfortable and cool when it’s warm out, but they are also one of this season’s signature pieces. These pants are perfect for mix-and-matching and are an easy, different way to dress up this spring.

Sources:

Style.com

Her Campus

Noelle Cellini, owner and personal stylist of My Best Foot Forward, located in Chicago

Colin T. McDonald, celebrity/fashion stylist and commentator

Wemi Opakunle, designer, stylist and wardrobe consultant