Style + Beauty - Page 333
Want to instantly whittle your waist, enhance curves, appear slimmer, and look chic no matter the occasion? Simple: stock up on the coveted pencil skirt.
READ: Skirts: The Long and Short of the Trends
No longer your grandmother’s go-to ensemble, this timeless wardrobe must-have has been boosting the confidence of women everywhere for decades and it’s now hotter than ever, thanks to celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Christina Hendricks making it a red carpet staple. And no matter your body type, rocking the pencil skirt can flatter your figure and make the most out of your favorite accessories. It’s no wonder this hip-hugging skirt has withstood the test of time.
READ: Celeb Stylists On How To Make The Wrap Dress Work For Any Body Type
“The history (of the pencil skirt) is quite fascinating,” explains image consultant Thea Wood. “Dior introduced the design to relieve women of the impractical hobble skirt, named after a restraint for horses.”
READ: 10 Ways To Make Your Waist Look Smaller
Yikes. Fortunately for us, the pencil skirt is a lot easier to wear and is perfectly stylish for day or night.
READ: 10 Super Stylish Shopping Sites for Curvy Women
“It highly contrasted to Dior’s ‘New Look’ A-line skirt, which is full and allows for movement. (However), if you feel bottom heavy in an A-line, the pencil skirt is your best alternative.”
READ: 12 Tips For Looking Thinner
Los Angeles-based stylist Laurie Brucker agrees that this simple, yet sizzling hot silhouette continues to be in high demand.
READ: The No-Exercise Way To Banish Your Muffin Top Forever
“Forget A-line skirts being ‘universally flattering,’” says Brucker. “For me and my clients, it’s all about the pencil skirt. I’ve worked with women of all shapes, sizes, and proportions and pencil skirts are ‘for the win’ in every wardrobe. I’ve seen them work on every frame and every shape.”
READ: How to Dress a Curvy Body
How can this once-office must-have work for you? Several celebrity stylists reveal how to make the pencil skirt your new thing for whenever and wear–ever.
When socialite turned fashion designer Nicole Richie posted her latest photo on Instagram, she raised eyebrows, thanks to her new purple hair.
PHOTOS: Katy Perry's Eye-Popping Hair Colors
However, the wild, random makeover was only for a brief moment.
READ: We Tried It: Hair Chalk
Refinery 29 is revealing that the image was “cleverly Photoshopped,” but this isn’t the first time a celebrity has gone over the rainbow with their tresses. Back in December, actress Sienna Miller stirred headlines when she debuted her rose gold ombre on the red carpet, sparking a trend among women on the prowl for a bold new look. However, dramatic color transformations have been having a major moment lately, and we’re not just talking about the usual suspects (we’re looking at you, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry).
PHOTOS: Actresses You Only Thought Were Redheads
Singers, models, and actresses are all hopping on the bold tresses bandwagon and no mere platinum or red will do. This whimsical hair trend is all about embracing fluorescent hues and edgy, sparkling shades that may scream punk, but are actually viewed as chic on star-studded events.
WATCH: How To Get DIY Hair Extensions
While not everyone can get away with fuchsia, sapphire, or simply gray, they’re certain to shock and maybe possibly inspire you to take the plunge on that brand new ‘do you’ve been eyeing.
READ: Going Gray? Here's What to Do
Check out the many wild hair colors of the stars below and see when Richie did actually take the plunge:
For some tragic reason, winter just won’t end.
READ: 9 Ways To Combat Winter Skin
The results of this seemingly never-ending, excessively frigid season? Our lips won't stop peeling off, leaving a flaky, chapped mess. Sure, you can slather on the Chapstick every 10 seconds, but nothing perks up a tired, weary face quite like your favorite bright lipstick. But let’s be real here, would you really want to lather on a red hot color on top of a painfully cracked pout? Gross.
READ: Winter Hair Care Secrets
Fortunately, there's no need to choose substance over style.
READ: The 10 Most Asked Questions About Lips
There are a slew of tinted lip balms that quench thirsty, dried out lips, all while providing a punch of much-needed color.
READ: How To Stay Warm Throughout The Winter
Check out our picks below:
That classic little black dress hanging in your closet may never go out of style, but you’ve been taking that same look from morning to evening for years now.
READ: 15 Chic Little Red Dresses to Replace the LBD
Fortunately, spring 2014 is all about embracing color.
PHOTOS: 10 Ways To Make The Year's Hottest Color Work For You
You may not be wowed by glaring yellow or migraine-inducing fuchsia, but it’s time to give that basic black outfit you’ve had for years a much-needed break. And with so many jewel-hued shades to choose from this year, the possibilities for easily revamping your wardrobe are endless.
READ: How To Get Perfect Red Lips
And if that’s not enough to make you cross over from the dark side, stylists say there are numerous benefits to wearing more bold, look-at-me shades in 2014.
READ: 10 Ways to Revamp Your Little Black Dress
“Color psychology tells us that cobalt blue is a great staple to have in your closet because it gives off the appearance of capability and confidence without being threatening,” explains style expert Hilary Kennedy. “Red is a color that has the power of attraction and men consistently rate it as the sexiest color on a woman. Green and yellow are colors that instantly lift our moods, so keep a beautiful mint green sweater or a pair of lemon yellow pants in your closet for days when you need a boost.”
“And if you are feeling especially sassy, orange and tangerine are ‘notice me’ colors that always attract the right kind of attention,” she adds.
We understand the fear of going brighter. Some women may feel certain colors age them or stack on the pounds, while others believe black is just easier to dress up or down for any occasion. However, we beg to differ.
READ: How to Wear White with Slimming Results
Find out why you should add a pop of color or two your closet this very second, as well as which Hollywood stars are rocking it best:
She may be the mother of England’s future king, but that doesn’t mean this royal is immune to being a tad thrifty.
PHOTOS: Prince George is Christened in Royal Family Gown
It’s no secret Kate Middleton loves wearing her dresses more than once, a surprising trait for a woman who could easily never repeat a look. For a Feb. 17 Buckingham Palace reception honoring TV and film royalty, the 32-year-old Duchess of Cambridge stood out in a red hot Alexander McQueen dress, one she previously wore in 2012 for the Diamond Jubilee festivities in London. And it’s not the first time Middleton put her thrifty side on display.
READ: Kate Middleton Wears Kim Kardashian's Red Dress
Sale guru Mark Ellwood, author of “Bargain Fever: How to Shop in a Discounted World,” is all too familiar with Middleton’s love of making the most out of her wardrobe. While researching for his book, Ellwood tells The Daily Mail he chatted with a Reiss outlet store employee who confirmed that Prince William’s wife is a fan of saving big.
READ: Kate Middleton Dons Yoga Pants
“She said, ‘Oh, its Kate Middleton -- she’s in here all the time,” says Ellwood. "'You look up and there’ll be Kate and her same two friends going through the 60 percent off rack. You have no idea she’s there and security must be outside, but she comes in all the time.’”
READ: Queen Tells Kate To Wear Longer Skirts
But why the fashion repeats? According to stylist Marcus Stewart, Middleton is actually sending a bold message to the world in consciously sticking to her beloved favorites, inspiring women to be just as thrify, as opposed to splurging on the latest trends.
PHOTOS: Kate Middleton's Many Royal Looks
“This is huge. It takes the pressure off of consumers to acquire so much and it actually humanizes us all a bit more. Now we are able to relate a bit more with the Duchess,” explains Stewart. “It’s so much bigger than a lack of clothing or the Duchess running behind schedule. It’s her saying, ‘We are all the same.’ It’s actually less about fashion and more about making a strong political statement.”
PHOTOS: Kate Middleton Stuns With Royal Diamonds
And how can anyone be thrifty like the royal? It’s all about looking for timeless pieces that can be worn for any occasion, as well as having the confidence to proudly wear them while changing up your look with simple accessories or the right pair of shoes.
“I always shop for multipurpose items for my clients,” says Stewart. “If you wear the Prada shirt dress with flats and a woven belt during the day, don’t be afraid to wear it again at night with a strappy open toe high-heel sandal and beautiful statement jewels. Fashion is meant to be enjoyed and lived in.”
For some inspiration to get your fashion recycling on, check out some of Middleton’s many stylish repeats below:
The Duchess of Cambridge is once again harnessing the power of red.
READ: Kate Middleton Dons Yoga Pants
And in an odd turnabout, she's doing it in a dress that also was worn by Kim Kardashian.
PHOTOS: Kim Kardashian's Revealing Outfits
For a Feb. 18 Buckingham Palace reception honoring TV and film royalty, the 32-year-old mother of Prince George stood out in an electrifying Alexander McQueen dress. The Daily Mail is reporting that Middleton flaunted her statuesque figure in the pleated skirt paired with a satin black clutch and matching heels, along with gold chandelier earrings for extra sparkle. Middleton was there to celebrate her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, and her 60 years as a patron of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
READ: Queen Orders Kate To Wear Longer Skirts
People Magazine reported that it was Kardashian who first sported this red hot look back in August 2011 while visiting New York City. The now-33-year-old fellow mother dress wore a thigh-grazing, sleeveless version, accessorizing it with snakeskin platforms, a metallic clutch, and a statement-necklace necklace.
PHOTOS: Kate Middleton Heats Up Valentine's Day with Body-Hugging Dress
Staying true to her love of recycling, this isn’t the first time Middleton chose the McQueen creation for a special event. She first wore the vibrant dress in 2012 for the Diamond Jubillee festivities in London with a matching fascinator and nude heels to elongate her legs.
PHOTOS: Kate Middleton Stuns in Giant Diamonds
Check out Middleton’s little red dress below:
Not a fan of radiant orchid, the hottest color for 2014? Perhaps you’ll enjoy going red hot or channel your inner royal instead.
READ: 10 Ways to Make 2014's Hottest Color Work for You
Though fall is months, the Pantone’s Color Institute has already unveiled its top colors for three seasons from now. And thankfully they're shades most women will find more flattering than orchid.
Among the "it" colors for fall: Aurora red, sangria, and bright cobalt, just to name a few.
READ: How to Wear Pastels with Style
“Designers are trying to establish wardrobes that have more of an artful presence,” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone’s Color Institute, told Women’s Wear Daily. “They understand that, unlike before, customers want to get a little fun and creative with their wardrobes. It’s as if they’re saying, ‘Let’s not be quite as serious.’”
Mentioning popular shows and upcoming film adaptations such as “Downton Abbey” and “Fifty Shades of Grey” as inspirations for this year’s It-shades, Eiseman hopes they'll encourage shoppers to unleash their creative sides, better expressing themselves with fashon.
PHOTOS: 'Downton Abbey' Star Stuns in Daring, Low-Cut Dress
“This season is really all about ingenuity, imagination, and artfulness,” she adds. “Designers are not saying, ‘It’s fall. We really have to have an orange on this or that.”
And let’s face it, who really wants to look like a pumpkin in October?
While we’re patiently anticipate the arrival of the steamy summer season, it doesn’t hurt to think ahead.
READ: 10 Ways to Revamp Your Little Black Dress
Check out the photos below to discover the top fall 2014 colors, as well as how celebs are already rocking them:
