Vintage fashion: Unzipping the mystery
At surface level, the obsession with vintage clothing among young people may be baffling. In an age when newer is better in most industries, that many people are choosing to wear blatantly outdated apparel seems counterintuitive. From Etsy to eBay to the fast-growing vintage retailer, Nastygal, it’s hard not to notice that older styles have made monumental comebacks in recent years. The wave of vintage-wearers over the past two decades proves that fashion isn’t like technology, transportation and pharmaceuticals in that newer isn’t necessarily more desirable.
British philosopher Francis Bacon said, “Fashion is the only attempt to realize art in living forms and social intercourse”. This living form of art holds power – power to control a part of one’s image. A person can play a role, embody a story, or represent an era based on what he or she chooses to wear.
If you’re not a vintage-wearer, you may be wondering why everyone wouldn’t want to present him or her self as a modish work of living art by choosing to dress in the smartest, most chic outfits. While not everyone appreciates the vintage trend, it’s useful to understand some of the inspirations behind it. Before you label the next girl you see sporting an embroidered chiffon dress as a hipster or poser, consider the historical implications that the outfit holds.
Vintage, not to be confused with grunge (oversized sweaters and flannel shirts) brings us back a few decades further. The term vintage usually refers to garments from or inspired by the 1920s, although people do use it to describe anything old — up through the 1980s. Grunge refers to 90s trends, but there are commonalities between vintage and grunge. Both styles can be found at secondhand shops, the grunge at more economical prices, for obvious reasons. There is also something to be said about nostalgia, as wearing clothes from another period can be a sort of escape from contemporary stresses for twenty-first century Americans. But herein lays a major difference between the two: Most grunge-wearers can at least remember running around a playground in the 1990s, but most vintage-wearers didn’t live through the 1920s. One is a matter of celebrating one’s younger years, and the other celebrating points of historical pride.
That vintage style begins with, and keeps 1920s fashions at its core is no coincidence. In many respects, 1920s American society represents the good old days of prosperity and fun to the average Joe (or Joanna) in 2012. Of course, the twenties weren’t flawless, but they were a relatively peaceful period between two storms. It was a decade of indulgence, rapid economic growth and change. The First World War was finally over. Cinema became an instant obsession for Americans because films suddenly had sound. Automobile ownership became more affordable and accessible, connecting people despite geographical distances. Urban environments flourished as the Modernist movement took shape. Artists and musicians began to blossom in new ways, surrounded by the cultural excitement of the Harlem Renaissance.
Perhaps most relevant to the topic of vintage clothing, women gained new rights and roles in society. Their new abilities to vote, work outside of the home and pursue life as more than just housewives, makes the 1920s a revolutionary decade for American females. Flappers and their followers seized and celebrated these freedoms by dressing differently, in what was considered to be rebellious attire. Women embraced head wreaths, cloche hats and bobbed cuts instead of traditionally acceptable hairstyles. Bold women wore whatever they wanted to – from garters with silk stockings to above-the-knee skirts and dresses, cigarettes in hands.
In the context of America today, this period is not an irrelevant or forgotten one; in many respects, it’s the beginning of contemporary society. Coco Chanel, the queen of 1920s fashion, was also a goldmine of inspirational lifestyle quotes. She encouraged females to pursue freedoms – from choosing how they dressed to where they worked, serving as a living example of the success a go-getter attitude can bring. “The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud,” she said. How better to keep this spirit alive and this decade relevant than through the living art of fashion – a tasteful and graceful way to do so.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
Sox salvage series finale in dramatic fashion
Sox salvage series finale in dramatic fashion
Pedro Ciriaco blooped an RBI single in the 10th inning for his latest big hit against the New York Yankees, and the Boston Red Sox squeaked out a 3-2 victory Sunday night moments after manager Bobby Valentine was ejected.
Felix Doubront held the Yankees scoreless until Russell Martin homered leading off the seventh inning. Martin also hit a tying single with two outs in the eighth off closer Alfredo Aceves (2-6), who went the rest of the way for the win.
Ryan Sweeney hit an early two-run double for the Red Sox, who took two of three in their first visit to New York this season despite grounding into four double plays against Hiroki Kuroda.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia drew a leadoff walk from David Robertson (1-4) in the 10th and Will Middlebrooks squared to bunt. Robertson's inside pitch appeared to deflect off Middlebrooks' right wrist, and the rookie yanked his hand away immediately as he spun to the ground.
The next thing the ball hit, however, was the left knee of plate umpire Brian O'Nora, who tumbled to the ground in pain. Trainers checked on Middlebrooks and O'Nora during a long delay, and Middlebrooks finally started toward first base.
But the umpires ruled the ball didn't hit him, and told Middlebrooks to come back to home plate. Valentine engaged in a lengthy discussion with the umps that finally grew heated and animated. He was ejected by O'Nora and threw his chewing gum in foul territory before returning to the dugout.
It was Valentine's third ejection in his first season as Boston's manager, and the 40th of his managerial career. Moments later, Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett was tossed by third base umpire and crew chief Tom Hallion after apparently jawing from the dugout.
Once play resumed, Middlebrooks grounded the next pitch through the left side for a single. Sweeney bounced into a force play that left runners at the corners, and Ciriaco plopped a soft fly into shallow right beyond the reach of a drawn-in infield.
Ciriaco had go-ahead hits in all three Red Sox wins over the Yankees this season, including a ninth-inning triple Saturday. He is 11 for 22 with six RBIs against New York.
Andrew Miller pulled Boston out of a dicey jam in the seventh and got the first two outs of the eighth before Andruw Jones doubled into the left-field corner. Martin lined Aceves' first pitch to center, and Jones scored without a play.
It was the fifth blown save for Aceves in 27 chances.
Martin moved up on a wild pitch but was stranded when Ichiro Suzuki flied out. Suzuki stranded five runners on the night.
Aceves plunked Nick Swisher with a two-out pitch in the 10th, then struck out pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez to end it. After winning the long battle with Ibanez, Aceves pumped his fist hard in front of the mound.
Kuroda allowed seven hits over eight innings in his latest strong outing.
NOTES: The 62-year-old Valentine took a few cuts during early batting practice. “Power stroke,” he said. “I think I was out in front too much.” ... LF Carl Crawford was back in the lineup after sitting out Saturday because Valentine said he was instructed by the team's medical staff not to start Crawford more than four days in a row. Crawford said Saturday he anticipates his elbow will require ligament-replacement surgery at some point, but Valentine said Sunday he's never been told that the speedy outfielder needs an operation. “I don't think that that's a definitive situation,” the manager said. ... Ciriaco started at shortstop instead of Mike Aviles, who is battling a sore toe that's affecting him at the plate, according to Valentine. “I'm hoping only a day, but we'll see how he feels tomorrow,” Valentine said. ... Boston opens a 10-game homestand tonight against Detroit, with Clay Buchholz scheduled to face Max Scherzer. ... Yankees RHP Joba Chamberlain (dislocated ankle) struck out three in 1 1-3 scoreless innings during his rehab outing for Double-A Trenton. He threw 23 of 30 pitches for strikes and earned the win in relief against Harrisburg. ... Valentine was also ejected twice during his playing career and once as a coach. ... Swisher returned to New York's lineup as the DH after missing seven straight starts with a strained left hip flexor. ... Music man Paul Simon was in the sellout crowd of 48,526.
Pedro Ciriaco blooped an RBI single in the 10th inning for his latest big hit against the New York Yankees, and the Boston Red Sox squeaked out a 3-2 victory Sunday night moments after manager Bobby Valentine was ejected.
Felix Doubront held the Yankees scoreless until Russell Martin homered leading off the seventh inning. Martin also hit a tying single with two outs in the eighth off closer Alfredo Aceves (2-6), who went the rest of the way for the win.
Ryan Sweeney hit an early two-run double for the Red Sox, who took two of three in their first visit to New York this season despite grounding into four double plays against Hiroki Kuroda.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia drew a leadoff walk from David Robertson (1-4) in the 10th and Will Middlebrooks squared to bunt. Robertson's inside pitch appeared to deflect off Middlebrooks' right wrist, and the rookie yanked his hand away immediately as he spun to the ground.
The next thing the ball hit, however, was the left knee of plate umpire Brian O'Nora, who tumbled to the ground in pain. Trainers checked on Middlebrooks and O'Nora during a long delay, and Middlebrooks finally started toward first base.
But the umpires ruled the ball didn't hit him, and told Middlebrooks to come back to home plate. Valentine engaged in a lengthy discussion with the umps that finally grew heated and animated. He was ejected by O'Nora and threw his chewing gum in foul territory before returning to the dugout.
It was Valentine's third ejection in his first season as Boston's manager, and the 40th of his managerial career. Moments later, Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett was tossed by third base umpire and crew chief Tom Hallion after apparently jawing from the dugout.
Once play resumed, Middlebrooks grounded the next pitch through the left side for a single. Sweeney bounced into a force play that left runners at the corners, and Ciriaco plopped a soft fly into shallow right beyond the reach of a drawn-in infield.
Ciriaco had go-ahead hits in all three Red Sox wins over the Yankees this season, including a ninth-inning triple Saturday. He is 11 for 22 with six RBIs against New York.
Andrew Miller pulled Boston out of a dicey jam in the seventh and got the first two outs of the eighth before Andruw Jones doubled into the left-field corner. Martin lined Aceves' first pitch to center, and Jones scored without a play.
It was the fifth blown save for Aceves in 27 chances.
Martin moved up on a wild pitch but was stranded when Ichiro Suzuki flied out. Suzuki stranded five runners on the night.
Aceves plunked Nick Swisher with a two-out pitch in the 10th, then struck out pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez to end it. After winning the long battle with Ibanez, Aceves pumped his fist hard in front of the mound.
Kuroda allowed seven hits over eight innings in his latest strong outing.
NOTES: The 62-year-old Valentine took a few cuts during early batting practice. “Power stroke,” he said. “I think I was out in front too much.” ... LF Carl Crawford was back in the lineup after sitting out Saturday because Valentine said he was instructed by the team's medical staff not to start Crawford more than four days in a row. Crawford said Saturday he anticipates his elbow will require ligament-replacement surgery at some point, but Valentine said Sunday he's never been told that the speedy outfielder needs an operation. “I don't think that that's a definitive situation,” the manager said. ... Ciriaco started at shortstop instead of Mike Aviles, who is battling a sore toe that's affecting him at the plate, according to Valentine. “I'm hoping only a day, but we'll see how he feels tomorrow,” Valentine said. ... Boston opens a 10-game homestand tonight against Detroit, with Clay Buchholz scheduled to face Max Scherzer. ... Yankees RHP Joba Chamberlain (dislocated ankle) struck out three in 1 1-3 scoreless innings during his rehab outing for Double-A Trenton. He threw 23 of 30 pitches for strikes and earned the win in relief against Harrisburg. ... Valentine was also ejected twice during his playing career and once as a coach. ... Swisher returned to New York's lineup as the DH after missing seven straight starts with a strained left hip flexor. ... Music man Paul Simon was in the sellout crowd of 48,526.
Friday, July 27, 2012
JustFab Secures $76 Million in Funding as it Leads Personalized Fast Fashion Category
JustFab Secures $76 Million in Funding as it Leads Personalized Fast Fashion Category
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., July 26, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- JustFab, the innovative fashion styling service and contemporary fashion brand, today announced that it has secured $76 million in funding. Rho Ventures led the round with participation from Matrix Partners, Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV) and JustFab parent company, Intelligent Beauty. The primary capital will be used to further JustFab's aggressive international expansion, move into additional fashion categories, and provide cash flow for future acquisitions. Mark Leschly, Managing Partner at Rho Ventures, will join the board.
"At a time when others are retreating from the subscriptions and international markets, we see massive growth and opportunity," said JustFab co-CEO Adam Goldenberg. "Our rapidly growing, extremely loyal membership base is a resounding endorsement of JustFab's merchandising and sales model."
JustFab is the leader in the fashion subscription space, with more than 6 million members. The company combines fast fashion with the industry's highest level of personalization through its unique community, impressive style panel and high quality, affordable products. Members gain access to discounted pricing, exclusive promotions, and fashion consultants 24/7 in addition to receiving a host of other benefits. Casual shoppers make use of JustFab's pay-as-you-go pricing, giving consumers the option to try the service before they commit to a monthly subscription.
Company Continues Aggressive International Expansion
JustFab continues to change the way women shop for fashion both in the US and abroad, with more unique visitors than anyone in the industry. It is also rapidly acquiring users in Germany and Canada. Based on its current international success, the company plans to launch in the United Kingdom in September 2012, with several other major European markets added by the end of Q1, 2013.
In addition to furthering its global reach, JustFab plans to use its latest round of funding to expand into new fashion categories requested by its members. JustFab currently offers shoes, handbags, jewelry, denim and other accessories.
"Finding the right partner to grow with us is key at this stage in our business," says Don Ressler, Co-CEO of JustFab. "Rho's commitment to building sustainable brands while maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit makes them an ideal partner as we continue our upward trajectory."
"Adam and Don have aggressively grown JustFab's membership base, both in the U.S. and abroad," said Mark Leschly from Rho Ventures. "With impressive revenue every quarter, we are excited to be a part of its continued expansion. This team has a big vision with an established track record of success. We look forward to helping them redefine fashion e-commerce."
"JustFab has flawlessly executed its plans, proving that there is a right way to do subscriptions," added Josh Hannah, general partner at Matrix Partners and JustFab board member. "When you combine great value, selection, quality, and personalization with a fun, social shopping experience, you attract and retain members. JustFab has masterfully done what no one else has been able to do, and the team has accomplished it in record time.""With its innovative and interactive approach to online fashion sales, JustFab has created a powerful formula for tapping the tremendous growth potential in the global Internet retail market," says John Drew, TCV general partner and a director on the JustFab board.
To learn more about all that JustFab offers members and new shoppers, please visit www.justfab.com .
About Rho Ventures
Rho Ventures is an established, proven firm with a multi-stage investing strategy focused on high-growth companies in large markets. Rho Ventures' investments span new media/internet, information technology, healthcare and energy technology. Rho Ventures brings nearly 30 years of venture experience, combined with its partners' deep sector expertise and its far-reaching network to assist each portfolio company. This approach has allowed Rho to participate in the growth of some of today's most innovative, leading and successful companies such as Capstone Turbine, Ciena, Compaq Computer, Coulomb Technologies, EverydayHealth.com, Gloucester Pharmaceuticals, Human Genome Sciences, iVillage, Medimmune, Medical Present Value, OMGPOP, ReachLocal, Tacoda and Tapjoy. Rho Ventures is currently investing from Rho Ventures VI, a $510 million fund. The firm has offices in Palo Alto, New York and Montreal, with investments across the globe. More information is available at www.rho.com .
About Matrix Partners
Matrix Partners is a premier venture capital firm that has generated outstanding returns for over three decades. By focusing on early-stage investments and emphasizing long-term relationships with entrepreneurs, the firm has delivered several of the industry's top performing funds of all time. Matrix Partners has offices in Cambridge and Waltham, MA; New York, NY; Palo Alto, CA; Mumbai, India; and Beijing and Shanghai, China. Matrix Partners has invested in several game-changing, industry-leading businesses such as Apple Computer, Gilt Groupe, JBoss, Netezza, Phone.com, Starent Networks, Sycamore Networks, Veritas, Zendesk, and Zong.
About Technology Crossover Ventures
Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV), founded in 1995, is a leading provider of growth capital to technology companies, providing funds to later-stage private and public companies. With $7.7 billion in capital under management, TCV has invested in over 150 technology companies leading to 53 initial public offerings and more than 40 strategic sales or mergers. Representative investments include Altiris, C|NET, eHarmony, ExactTarget, Expedia, Facebook, Fandango, Groupon, HomeAway, Netflix, RealNetworks, Redback Networks, RiskMetrics Group, Solect Technology, Splunk, TechTarget, and Zillow. TCV has 11 partners and is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA with offices in New York, NY. For more information about TCV, visit www.tcv.com .
About Intelligent Beauty
Founded in 2006 by Don Ressler & Adam Goldenberg, Intelligent Beauty is a leading ecommerce business incubator focused on building innovative brands in the health & wellness, beauty, and fashion industries. With annual revenue of nearly $400 million, Intelligent Beauty is an innovator in brand building, technology and marketing. Intelligent Beauty is backed by Technology Crossover Ventures and headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.
About JustFab
JustFab ( www.JustFab.com ) is an online fashion styling service and lifestyle fashion brand that offers members a fun and engaging personalized shopping experience lead by Creative Director, Kimora Lee Simmons. Members of the fashion membership service are given the celebrity treatment every month as they receive a customized selection of shoes and handbags, handpicked by personal stylists, along with the JustFab essentials including denim and sunglasses. Members have exclusive access to fashion tips and content, clickable style boards to shop complete outfits and the team of JustFab fashion consultants for expert advice. At $39.95 an item for VIP members, JustFab offers high-fashion looks off the runways at affordable prices and shipping is always free.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., July 26, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- JustFab, the innovative fashion styling service and contemporary fashion brand, today announced that it has secured $76 million in funding. Rho Ventures led the round with participation from Matrix Partners, Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV) and JustFab parent company, Intelligent Beauty. The primary capital will be used to further JustFab's aggressive international expansion, move into additional fashion categories, and provide cash flow for future acquisitions. Mark Leschly, Managing Partner at Rho Ventures, will join the board.
"At a time when others are retreating from the subscriptions and international markets, we see massive growth and opportunity," said JustFab co-CEO Adam Goldenberg. "Our rapidly growing, extremely loyal membership base is a resounding endorsement of JustFab's merchandising and sales model."
JustFab is the leader in the fashion subscription space, with more than 6 million members. The company combines fast fashion with the industry's highest level of personalization through its unique community, impressive style panel and high quality, affordable products. Members gain access to discounted pricing, exclusive promotions, and fashion consultants 24/7 in addition to receiving a host of other benefits. Casual shoppers make use of JustFab's pay-as-you-go pricing, giving consumers the option to try the service before they commit to a monthly subscription.
Company Continues Aggressive International Expansion
JustFab continues to change the way women shop for fashion both in the US and abroad, with more unique visitors than anyone in the industry. It is also rapidly acquiring users in Germany and Canada. Based on its current international success, the company plans to launch in the United Kingdom in September 2012, with several other major European markets added by the end of Q1, 2013.
In addition to furthering its global reach, JustFab plans to use its latest round of funding to expand into new fashion categories requested by its members. JustFab currently offers shoes, handbags, jewelry, denim and other accessories.
"Finding the right partner to grow with us is key at this stage in our business," says Don Ressler, Co-CEO of JustFab. "Rho's commitment to building sustainable brands while maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit makes them an ideal partner as we continue our upward trajectory."
"Adam and Don have aggressively grown JustFab's membership base, both in the U.S. and abroad," said Mark Leschly from Rho Ventures. "With impressive revenue every quarter, we are excited to be a part of its continued expansion. This team has a big vision with an established track record of success. We look forward to helping them redefine fashion e-commerce."
"JustFab has flawlessly executed its plans, proving that there is a right way to do subscriptions," added Josh Hannah, general partner at Matrix Partners and JustFab board member. "When you combine great value, selection, quality, and personalization with a fun, social shopping experience, you attract and retain members. JustFab has masterfully done what no one else has been able to do, and the team has accomplished it in record time.""With its innovative and interactive approach to online fashion sales, JustFab has created a powerful formula for tapping the tremendous growth potential in the global Internet retail market," says John Drew, TCV general partner and a director on the JustFab board.
To learn more about all that JustFab offers members and new shoppers, please visit www.justfab.com .
About Rho Ventures
Rho Ventures is an established, proven firm with a multi-stage investing strategy focused on high-growth companies in large markets. Rho Ventures' investments span new media/internet, information technology, healthcare and energy technology. Rho Ventures brings nearly 30 years of venture experience, combined with its partners' deep sector expertise and its far-reaching network to assist each portfolio company. This approach has allowed Rho to participate in the growth of some of today's most innovative, leading and successful companies such as Capstone Turbine, Ciena, Compaq Computer, Coulomb Technologies, EverydayHealth.com, Gloucester Pharmaceuticals, Human Genome Sciences, iVillage, Medimmune, Medical Present Value, OMGPOP, ReachLocal, Tacoda and Tapjoy. Rho Ventures is currently investing from Rho Ventures VI, a $510 million fund. The firm has offices in Palo Alto, New York and Montreal, with investments across the globe. More information is available at www.rho.com .
About Matrix Partners
Matrix Partners is a premier venture capital firm that has generated outstanding returns for over three decades. By focusing on early-stage investments and emphasizing long-term relationships with entrepreneurs, the firm has delivered several of the industry's top performing funds of all time. Matrix Partners has offices in Cambridge and Waltham, MA; New York, NY; Palo Alto, CA; Mumbai, India; and Beijing and Shanghai, China. Matrix Partners has invested in several game-changing, industry-leading businesses such as Apple Computer, Gilt Groupe, JBoss, Netezza, Phone.com, Starent Networks, Sycamore Networks, Veritas, Zendesk, and Zong.
About Technology Crossover Ventures
Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV), founded in 1995, is a leading provider of growth capital to technology companies, providing funds to later-stage private and public companies. With $7.7 billion in capital under management, TCV has invested in over 150 technology companies leading to 53 initial public offerings and more than 40 strategic sales or mergers. Representative investments include Altiris, C|NET, eHarmony, ExactTarget, Expedia, Facebook, Fandango, Groupon, HomeAway, Netflix, RealNetworks, Redback Networks, RiskMetrics Group, Solect Technology, Splunk, TechTarget, and Zillow. TCV has 11 partners and is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA with offices in New York, NY. For more information about TCV, visit www.tcv.com .
About Intelligent Beauty
Founded in 2006 by Don Ressler & Adam Goldenberg, Intelligent Beauty is a leading ecommerce business incubator focused on building innovative brands in the health & wellness, beauty, and fashion industries. With annual revenue of nearly $400 million, Intelligent Beauty is an innovator in brand building, technology and marketing. Intelligent Beauty is backed by Technology Crossover Ventures and headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.
About JustFab
JustFab ( www.JustFab.com ) is an online fashion styling service and lifestyle fashion brand that offers members a fun and engaging personalized shopping experience lead by Creative Director, Kimora Lee Simmons. Members of the fashion membership service are given the celebrity treatment every month as they receive a customized selection of shoes and handbags, handpicked by personal stylists, along with the JustFab essentials including denim and sunglasses. Members have exclusive access to fashion tips and content, clickable style boards to shop complete outfits and the team of JustFab fashion consultants for expert advice. At $39.95 an item for VIP members, JustFab offers high-fashion looks off the runways at affordable prices and shipping is always free.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Fashion News: Katie Holmes' clothing line sales up, post-Cruise
Fashion News: Katie Holmes' clothing line sales up, post-Cruise
Katie Holmes and stylist Jeanne Yang plan to present their Holmes & Yang women's ready-to-wear line at New York Fashion Week for the first time in September. Interestingly, reports say that sales of the clothes have increased since news came out about Holmes' divorce from Tom Cruise -- the couple is pictured here in happier times.
Naomi Campbell's new model-search reality television series, "The Face," has a casting call scheduled in L.A. on Saturday, according to a news release. It's slated for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the W Hollywood, 6250 Hollywood Blvd., in Hollywood. Applicants need to be 18 years old or more and at least 5 feet, 7 inches tall. More information is available on the show's casting website.
You might have thought the days of dressing for success at work were over, given the encroachment of casual Friday into the rest of the week. But you'd be wrong. A new survey says co-workers will look down on you if you come to work in hoodies and flip-flops. Unless you're Mark Zuckerberg.
Rag & Bone debuted its first advertising campaign on Tuesday, starring Kate Moss photographed by Craig McDean. And Wednesday it opened its first European store, in London.
Spanish swimwear designer Dolores Cortes has made a 10-month-old girl with Down syndrome the face of her 2013 kids collection. The tyke, Valentina Guerrero, walked the runway at Cortes' show during Miami Swim Week, and she's pictured on the catalog for the collection, called DC Kids. The designer told AdWeek, “People with Down syndrome are just as beautiful and deserve the same opportunities. I’m thrilled to have Valentina modeling for us.”
A gauzy white Louis Vuitton frock seems to be the most popular dress of this spring, appearing on at least nine magazine covers around the world and seen on red carpets worn by actresses Elle Fanning and Fan Bingbing.
Katie Holmes and stylist Jeanne Yang plan to present their Holmes & Yang women's ready-to-wear line at New York Fashion Week for the first time in September. Interestingly, reports say that sales of the clothes have increased since news came out about Holmes' divorce from Tom Cruise -- the couple is pictured here in happier times.
Naomi Campbell's new model-search reality television series, "The Face," has a casting call scheduled in L.A. on Saturday, according to a news release. It's slated for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the W Hollywood, 6250 Hollywood Blvd., in Hollywood. Applicants need to be 18 years old or more and at least 5 feet, 7 inches tall. More information is available on the show's casting website.
You might have thought the days of dressing for success at work were over, given the encroachment of casual Friday into the rest of the week. But you'd be wrong. A new survey says co-workers will look down on you if you come to work in hoodies and flip-flops. Unless you're Mark Zuckerberg.
Rag & Bone debuted its first advertising campaign on Tuesday, starring Kate Moss photographed by Craig McDean. And Wednesday it opened its first European store, in London.
Spanish swimwear designer Dolores Cortes has made a 10-month-old girl with Down syndrome the face of her 2013 kids collection. The tyke, Valentina Guerrero, walked the runway at Cortes' show during Miami Swim Week, and she's pictured on the catalog for the collection, called DC Kids. The designer told AdWeek, “People with Down syndrome are just as beautiful and deserve the same opportunities. I’m thrilled to have Valentina modeling for us.”
A gauzy white Louis Vuitton frock seems to be the most popular dress of this spring, appearing on at least nine magazine covers around the world and seen on red carpets worn by actresses Elle Fanning and Fan Bingbing.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Top Real Women in Fashion 2012
Top Real Women in Fashion 2012
The phrase ‘Real Women’ became popular after the Sundance Film Festival made its debut of the independent film “Real Women Have Curves” in 2002, introducing a new era of women who embrace life.
Since 2010 the words, ‘Real Women’ have been associated with women that are role models because of their support and contributions to their communities, giving us a new meaning to these words.
View slideshow: Top Real Women in Fashion 2012
In our efforts to highlight fashion, Miami Fashion Spotlight teamed up with the house of ‘PETIT POIS,’ by Viviana G to pay tribute to 13 “Real Women” who have passion for fashion in an exclusive “All White” event on July 25th at Villa Azur Restaurant & Lounge, located in South Beach.
These amazing women include: philanthropists, businesswomen, journalists, reality stars, artists, photographers, designers, publicists, models, and entrepreneurs, and have been honored as ‘Real Women’ due to their grace, courage, and valued contributions--they always stand up, they are true to themselves, and all of them love fashion!
Let’s begin by defining how these 13 ‘Real Women’ became the ‘Top Real Women in Fashion,’ through a fashion designer’s vision and our fashion blog’s inspiration.
1- TV Host, Silvana Camargo
This Bolivia native is a renowned host of “Noticiero Telediario” of Telemundo Channel 43 and director of www.conestilotv.com. Camargo has been a model and beauty queen since she was very young, winning “Miss Latina SW Florida, Miss Latina International Bolivia, and Miss Latina USA 2010-2011. She founded “The Silvana Save a Child Foundation,” which operates cultural events to entertain children in hospitals. Recently, this beautiful “Real Woman” was awarded in her country with “Premio Joven Bolivia” for being a Bolivian citizen who exalts internationally.
2- Anchor/Reporter, Natalia Cruz
This three-time EMMY award winner and energetic mother of four is a successful anchor/reporter. Born in Colombia, Cruz always had a passion for written works. In 2001 she was hired by New York Telemundo affiliate WNJU as a reporter for “Noticero 47.” With only one month on the job, this “Real Woman” covered the World Trade center terrorist attacks, being one of the first reporters on the scene at Ground Zero. Today, she often sits in as news anchor for shows on Univision, such as “Primer Impacto,” “Primer Impacto Extra,” “Despierta America,” “Noticiero Univision Fin de Semana,” and “Desayuno Alegre.” She also inspires women with her fabulous style at Miami’s red carpet events.
3-Actress and Art Dealer, Adriana de Moura
Best known for her role on the cast of Bravo TV show “The Real Housewives of Miami,” De Moura is also a “Real Woman” who organized an exhibit in Rome drawing 600 guests and extensive press coverage last year. Her best art is the kind she shares with her son Alexandre, her “pride and joy.” She performed a piano duet with him at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami in 2010. She is best known for being on the cast of “Real Housewives of Miami,” “Brazilian Bombshell,” as well as her glamorous and romantic style at the red carpet events. She is filming a feature motion picture named “Apollyon” to be hitting theaters this Fall.
4- Businesswoman, Linda Ebersberger
This licensed interior designer has owned her own business for over 15 years. Ebersberger is proud to be the mom of a talented daughter who is also in the fashion industry, with Hugo Boss. Recently, this amazing “Real Woman” was diagnosed with breast cancer, an experience that made her “A SURVIVOR,” giving her great courage to help other women battling this disease. She was drawn to the clothing business by PETIT POIS—now she owns her own boutique and runs two businesses, in addition to working some trade shows.
5- President of JEJE Consulting, Jennifer Heegaard
Graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Political Science, and Latin American and Caribbean Relations, Heegaard began her career in the fashion and public relations industry at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bal Harbour as the Marketing Director. In 2007 the talented Colombian native founded a public relations and fashion company with a partner. After 2 years, this “Real Woman” embarked on a new journey by founding JEJE Consulting--leading her to work with high profile clients such as The Adrienne Arsht Center, ACNUR (The UN Refugee Agency) Zoo Miami, Unique Hotel Solutions, Deyland Ecuador, La Orquesta Filarmonica de Bogota, The Colombian Consulate, The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, Trio on The Bay, BeLive and many more. In addition, she supports many non-profit organizations in the community and currently sits on the Board of Directors for Dress for Success Miami.
6-Model and Actress, Athina Klioumi de Marturet
This Berlin native “Real Woman” has worked as a top model for international brands such as: L’Oreal, Cutty Sark, Old Parr, and Angel Sanchez. Athina won the “Most Beautiful Face In The World” award at the International Latin Model Competition. She has performed in several films and video clips. Klioumi works as ambassador of the Miami Symphony Orchestra, helping young musicians and artists through her fundraising events.
7- Actress and Model, Diana Laura.
Born in Puerto Rico, Diana Laura pursued her passion at “Stella Adler Acing Studio” in NYC. She has graced the covers of renowned magazines and newspapers such as: “Vanidades,” “Cosmopolitan,” “Latinox,” “Sun Sentinal,” “Miami Herald,” “Inside Celebrities,” etc. Her latest projects include a variety of shows, movies, and mini-series, gaining respect from industry insiders such as: Michael Bay, Steven Bauer, John Leussenhop, Sam Patrick Hill, and others. She is a fashionable star that grows brighter every day.
8- Actress, Jeanette Lehr
Graduated in Social Communication, this Venezuelan actress has had an artistic career for over 30 years in theater, TV, and film. In 2002, she came to Miami connecting immediately with the industry; acting in Spanish soap operas such as: “Amor Descarado,” “Anita No Te Rajes,” “El Cuerpo Del Deseo,” and “La Viuda de Blanco,” among others. This talented “Real Woman” has been honored for numerous awards such as: “Sin Limite” award for best actress; special mention in “Carteles Magazine” as best actress; “Ace” award, and “Antoni de Oro” award. She has been invited twice as judge of Emmy International award. Recently, Lehr was featured as one of the best looks at Latin Billboard’s red carpet.
9- Photojournalist, Debi Pittman Wilkey
Pittman’s career as Emmy-winning Television producer, award-winning community newspaper editor, Magazine editor, celebrity features writer and reporter has taken this “Real Woman” image from St. Louis to Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and New York City. She loves documenting the fashion business; taking amazing images of Rock Media Fashion Week, Miami International Bridal Week, and Miami Beach International Fashion Week, among others.
10- Iconic Footwear Designer, Lisa Pliner.
This Miami native ‘Real Woman’ was formally trained at the Parsons School of Design in Paris, launching her signature collection in the Fall of 2010 with great success. Working side-by-side with her husband, Donald, Lisa polished her expertise in the fashion realm incorporating her unique style into each shoe she designed
11- Philanthropist, Kimberly Shenker-Bacardi
Originally from New York and raised in South Florida, Bacardi earned a Master’s degree in Mental Health and Counseling Psychology, as well as a Master’s in Social Work from Barry University. Her mother, a graduate of F.I.T. and owner of several boutiques, instilled in her at an early age two things; a love of fashion and a passion for helping others.
At the present time, Bacardi works with ‘Food for the Poor’ and the ‘Florida Marlin’s Village’ in Haiti. After visits to different regions in Haiti, this amazing “Real Woman” made a vow to continue to help and not forget these people. She still serves on committees and as a board member of 27 different groups, all of whom share her vision for service to those in need.
12- Founder and President of MBIFW, Beth Sobol.
Born in Atlanta and raised in South Florida, this “Real Woman” is recognized as one of the world’s premier fashion show producers. She has contributed to launching the careers of the world’s top emerging designers through MBIFW, which she founded in 1999. MBIFW is an organization that has been recognized as the most prestigious international fashion event in the USA, leading Sobol to be awarded by the most renowned magazines, Miami Chamber of Commerce, and World Trade Center Miami, in addition to five keys to the city of Miami Beach from two past mayors.
13- Philanthropist and Writer, Alison Thompson.
Thompson works as a full-time humanitarian volunteer. This Australian born “Real Woman” is fondly known in Sri Lanka as “Angel of Galle,” where she ran a field hospital and internally Displaced Persons Camp. In January 2010, along with actor Sean Penn, she helped with the earthquake aftermath in Haiti. She also founded ‘We Advance,’ an organization that involves gender-based violence in Haiti. Thompson inspires women all over the world with her philanthropic heart and her fashionable style.
The phrase ‘Real Women’ became popular after the Sundance Film Festival made its debut of the independent film “Real Women Have Curves” in 2002, introducing a new era of women who embrace life.
Since 2010 the words, ‘Real Women’ have been associated with women that are role models because of their support and contributions to their communities, giving us a new meaning to these words.
View slideshow: Top Real Women in Fashion 2012
In our efforts to highlight fashion, Miami Fashion Spotlight teamed up with the house of ‘PETIT POIS,’ by Viviana G to pay tribute to 13 “Real Women” who have passion for fashion in an exclusive “All White” event on July 25th at Villa Azur Restaurant & Lounge, located in South Beach.
These amazing women include: philanthropists, businesswomen, journalists, reality stars, artists, photographers, designers, publicists, models, and entrepreneurs, and have been honored as ‘Real Women’ due to their grace, courage, and valued contributions--they always stand up, they are true to themselves, and all of them love fashion!
Let’s begin by defining how these 13 ‘Real Women’ became the ‘Top Real Women in Fashion,’ through a fashion designer’s vision and our fashion blog’s inspiration.
1- TV Host, Silvana Camargo
This Bolivia native is a renowned host of “Noticiero Telediario” of Telemundo Channel 43 and director of www.conestilotv.com. Camargo has been a model and beauty queen since she was very young, winning “Miss Latina SW Florida, Miss Latina International Bolivia, and Miss Latina USA 2010-2011. She founded “The Silvana Save a Child Foundation,” which operates cultural events to entertain children in hospitals. Recently, this beautiful “Real Woman” was awarded in her country with “Premio Joven Bolivia” for being a Bolivian citizen who exalts internationally.
2- Anchor/Reporter, Natalia Cruz
This three-time EMMY award winner and energetic mother of four is a successful anchor/reporter. Born in Colombia, Cruz always had a passion for written works. In 2001 she was hired by New York Telemundo affiliate WNJU as a reporter for “Noticero 47.” With only one month on the job, this “Real Woman” covered the World Trade center terrorist attacks, being one of the first reporters on the scene at Ground Zero. Today, she often sits in as news anchor for shows on Univision, such as “Primer Impacto,” “Primer Impacto Extra,” “Despierta America,” “Noticiero Univision Fin de Semana,” and “Desayuno Alegre.” She also inspires women with her fabulous style at Miami’s red carpet events.
3-Actress and Art Dealer, Adriana de Moura
Best known for her role on the cast of Bravo TV show “The Real Housewives of Miami,” De Moura is also a “Real Woman” who organized an exhibit in Rome drawing 600 guests and extensive press coverage last year. Her best art is the kind she shares with her son Alexandre, her “pride and joy.” She performed a piano duet with him at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami in 2010. She is best known for being on the cast of “Real Housewives of Miami,” “Brazilian Bombshell,” as well as her glamorous and romantic style at the red carpet events. She is filming a feature motion picture named “Apollyon” to be hitting theaters this Fall.
4- Businesswoman, Linda Ebersberger
This licensed interior designer has owned her own business for over 15 years. Ebersberger is proud to be the mom of a talented daughter who is also in the fashion industry, with Hugo Boss. Recently, this amazing “Real Woman” was diagnosed with breast cancer, an experience that made her “A SURVIVOR,” giving her great courage to help other women battling this disease. She was drawn to the clothing business by PETIT POIS—now she owns her own boutique and runs two businesses, in addition to working some trade shows.
5- President of JEJE Consulting, Jennifer Heegaard
Graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Political Science, and Latin American and Caribbean Relations, Heegaard began her career in the fashion and public relations industry at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bal Harbour as the Marketing Director. In 2007 the talented Colombian native founded a public relations and fashion company with a partner. After 2 years, this “Real Woman” embarked on a new journey by founding JEJE Consulting--leading her to work with high profile clients such as The Adrienne Arsht Center, ACNUR (The UN Refugee Agency) Zoo Miami, Unique Hotel Solutions, Deyland Ecuador, La Orquesta Filarmonica de Bogota, The Colombian Consulate, The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, Trio on The Bay, BeLive and many more. In addition, she supports many non-profit organizations in the community and currently sits on the Board of Directors for Dress for Success Miami.
6-Model and Actress, Athina Klioumi de Marturet
This Berlin native “Real Woman” has worked as a top model for international brands such as: L’Oreal, Cutty Sark, Old Parr, and Angel Sanchez. Athina won the “Most Beautiful Face In The World” award at the International Latin Model Competition. She has performed in several films and video clips. Klioumi works as ambassador of the Miami Symphony Orchestra, helping young musicians and artists through her fundraising events.
7- Actress and Model, Diana Laura.
Born in Puerto Rico, Diana Laura pursued her passion at “Stella Adler Acing Studio” in NYC. She has graced the covers of renowned magazines and newspapers such as: “Vanidades,” “Cosmopolitan,” “Latinox,” “Sun Sentinal,” “Miami Herald,” “Inside Celebrities,” etc. Her latest projects include a variety of shows, movies, and mini-series, gaining respect from industry insiders such as: Michael Bay, Steven Bauer, John Leussenhop, Sam Patrick Hill, and others. She is a fashionable star that grows brighter every day.
8- Actress, Jeanette Lehr
Graduated in Social Communication, this Venezuelan actress has had an artistic career for over 30 years in theater, TV, and film. In 2002, she came to Miami connecting immediately with the industry; acting in Spanish soap operas such as: “Amor Descarado,” “Anita No Te Rajes,” “El Cuerpo Del Deseo,” and “La Viuda de Blanco,” among others. This talented “Real Woman” has been honored for numerous awards such as: “Sin Limite” award for best actress; special mention in “Carteles Magazine” as best actress; “Ace” award, and “Antoni de Oro” award. She has been invited twice as judge of Emmy International award. Recently, Lehr was featured as one of the best looks at Latin Billboard’s red carpet.
9- Photojournalist, Debi Pittman Wilkey
Pittman’s career as Emmy-winning Television producer, award-winning community newspaper editor, Magazine editor, celebrity features writer and reporter has taken this “Real Woman” image from St. Louis to Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and New York City. She loves documenting the fashion business; taking amazing images of Rock Media Fashion Week, Miami International Bridal Week, and Miami Beach International Fashion Week, among others.
10- Iconic Footwear Designer, Lisa Pliner.
This Miami native ‘Real Woman’ was formally trained at the Parsons School of Design in Paris, launching her signature collection in the Fall of 2010 with great success. Working side-by-side with her husband, Donald, Lisa polished her expertise in the fashion realm incorporating her unique style into each shoe she designed
11- Philanthropist, Kimberly Shenker-Bacardi
Originally from New York and raised in South Florida, Bacardi earned a Master’s degree in Mental Health and Counseling Psychology, as well as a Master’s in Social Work from Barry University. Her mother, a graduate of F.I.T. and owner of several boutiques, instilled in her at an early age two things; a love of fashion and a passion for helping others.
At the present time, Bacardi works with ‘Food for the Poor’ and the ‘Florida Marlin’s Village’ in Haiti. After visits to different regions in Haiti, this amazing “Real Woman” made a vow to continue to help and not forget these people. She still serves on committees and as a board member of 27 different groups, all of whom share her vision for service to those in need.
12- Founder and President of MBIFW, Beth Sobol.
Born in Atlanta and raised in South Florida, this “Real Woman” is recognized as one of the world’s premier fashion show producers. She has contributed to launching the careers of the world’s top emerging designers through MBIFW, which she founded in 1999. MBIFW is an organization that has been recognized as the most prestigious international fashion event in the USA, leading Sobol to be awarded by the most renowned magazines, Miami Chamber of Commerce, and World Trade Center Miami, in addition to five keys to the city of Miami Beach from two past mayors.
13- Philanthropist and Writer, Alison Thompson.
Thompson works as a full-time humanitarian volunteer. This Australian born “Real Woman” is fondly known in Sri Lanka as “Angel of Galle,” where she ran a field hospital and internally Displaced Persons Camp. In January 2010, along with actor Sean Penn, she helped with the earthquake aftermath in Haiti. She also founded ‘We Advance,’ an organization that involves gender-based violence in Haiti. Thompson inspires women all over the world with her philanthropic heart and her fashionable style.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
'Stylish' kids: fashion or farce?
'Stylish' kids: fashion or farce?
It was American design great Bill Blass who said in perfectly understated terms: "Style is primarily a matter of instinct."
What the late Blass might say, then, to learning that a six-month-old is on the "most stylish children" list is probably best left at a long, bored, groan.
A UK website, TwistedTwee, has gone out of its way to coax public opinion as to the world's most stylish child.
The resulting rollcall, a who's who of children in celebrity news, is as stultifying as it is tawdry.
The winner is... Suri Cruise. At the age of six, the progeny of the ill-fated Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes union reportedly has a wardrobe valued at an astonishing $1.96million.
While her parents fill column inches for all the wrong reasons, Suri is apparently able to hold her own in the style stakes. This, despite not being allowed to cross the road alone.
Next up is Beyoncé and Jay-Z's baby, Ivy Blue - and this is where the list descends from risible into the downright farcical.
I have seen precisely two photos of six-month-old Ivy without being shrouded from lenses. Ever. I could no sooner isolate her style as I could guess how many feeds she has a day.
She can't sleep through a night or sit up, for goodness' sake, let alone exercise her fine aesthetic judgement when it comes to her complex daily wardrobe needs.
In third place is Willow Smith, of Will Smith fame. That old-timer, Willow, 11, is an edgy dresser (and has been since the tender age of seven) there is no doubt - what this says about her days of play and innocence is another question.
Fourth is Nicole Richie's daughter Harlow, who, at four, we hope is mastering her alphabet rather than agonising over which pair of shoes she should wear to the sandpit.
Capping the top five is Harper Seven Beckham. She may only be one, but Harper is no stranger to sartorial accolades. In fact Victoria and David's girl was recently named most stylish celebrity baby - and was named, at JUST TWO MONTHS OLD, the hottest young celebrity under the age of 25. To put that in perspective, Lady Gaga, international pop star, came in at 99th.
These children (ok, Willow, you are excused) are wearing clothes bought for them, given to them, gifted to them from designers. Like hand-me-downs and school uniforms, they don't have much choice in the matter - their designer rags are taken care of by mothers, fathers and nannies.
Call me old-fashioned, but shouldn't children be out playing and getting up to mischief, not watching runways and taking style notes?
And any baby whose fashion prowess is being celebrated before they can eat solid foods is probably going to have a warped view of their place in the world as they do learn to walk, talk... and, yes, dress.
At its best, the list of world's most stylish children is something of a ludicrous misnomer, perhaps more accurately named the richest children list, the probably-quite-spoilt children list, the children most likely to be styled. Or simply, a list of children who happen to have been born to very famous, PR-driven parents.
At its worst, the tally is a terrifying indictment of how fame and money at a young age somehow translate to natural talent and style instinct in the adult world.
It was American design great Bill Blass who said in perfectly understated terms: "Style is primarily a matter of instinct."
What the late Blass might say, then, to learning that a six-month-old is on the "most stylish children" list is probably best left at a long, bored, groan.
A UK website, TwistedTwee, has gone out of its way to coax public opinion as to the world's most stylish child.
The resulting rollcall, a who's who of children in celebrity news, is as stultifying as it is tawdry.
The winner is... Suri Cruise. At the age of six, the progeny of the ill-fated Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes union reportedly has a wardrobe valued at an astonishing $1.96million.
While her parents fill column inches for all the wrong reasons, Suri is apparently able to hold her own in the style stakes. This, despite not being allowed to cross the road alone.
Next up is Beyoncé and Jay-Z's baby, Ivy Blue - and this is where the list descends from risible into the downright farcical.
I have seen precisely two photos of six-month-old Ivy without being shrouded from lenses. Ever. I could no sooner isolate her style as I could guess how many feeds she has a day.
She can't sleep through a night or sit up, for goodness' sake, let alone exercise her fine aesthetic judgement when it comes to her complex daily wardrobe needs.
In third place is Willow Smith, of Will Smith fame. That old-timer, Willow, 11, is an edgy dresser (and has been since the tender age of seven) there is no doubt - what this says about her days of play and innocence is another question.
Fourth is Nicole Richie's daughter Harlow, who, at four, we hope is mastering her alphabet rather than agonising over which pair of shoes she should wear to the sandpit.
Capping the top five is Harper Seven Beckham. She may only be one, but Harper is no stranger to sartorial accolades. In fact Victoria and David's girl was recently named most stylish celebrity baby - and was named, at JUST TWO MONTHS OLD, the hottest young celebrity under the age of 25. To put that in perspective, Lady Gaga, international pop star, came in at 99th.
These children (ok, Willow, you are excused) are wearing clothes bought for them, given to them, gifted to them from designers. Like hand-me-downs and school uniforms, they don't have much choice in the matter - their designer rags are taken care of by mothers, fathers and nannies.
Call me old-fashioned, but shouldn't children be out playing and getting up to mischief, not watching runways and taking style notes?
And any baby whose fashion prowess is being celebrated before they can eat solid foods is probably going to have a warped view of their place in the world as they do learn to walk, talk... and, yes, dress.
At its best, the list of world's most stylish children is something of a ludicrous misnomer, perhaps more accurately named the richest children list, the probably-quite-spoilt children list, the children most likely to be styled. Or simply, a list of children who happen to have been born to very famous, PR-driven parents.
At its worst, the tally is a terrifying indictment of how fame and money at a young age somehow translate to natural talent and style instinct in the adult world.
Monday, July 23, 2012
2012 Teen Choice Awards fashion: too sexy for kids?
2012 Teen Choice Awards fashion: too sexy for kids?
The 2012 Teen Chioce Awards rocked L.A.'s Universal Amphitheater Sunday night, but some of the fashions on the red carpet looked more suited for a night at the Playboy Mansion than an awards show for kids.
Taylor Swift wore a "next to nothing" version of the classic Marilyn Monroe "Seven Year Itch" dress with a skimpy ballet skirt and what looked like half an apron made of gauze--all of which appeared ready to drop to the ground with one little tug at the flimsy tie in the back.
View slideshow: 2012 Teen Choice Awards fashion: too sexy for kids?
Demi Lovato looked like she was ready to star in a Showgirls-style Vegas revue is a Native American themed skintight sequined dress that featured lots of sideboob.
Selena Gomez wore a barely-there hot pink tennis dress with a hip length hemline.
"So You Think You Can Dance" finalist Kathryn McCormick wore an eye-popping sundress that seemed ripe for a wardrobe malfunction.
Granted, most of the sexed up numbers on the 2012 Teen Choice Awards red carpet were worn by the 18+ crowd, but it still seems like Teen Choice fashions are getting teenier every year.
The 2012 Teen Chioce Awards rocked L.A.'s Universal Amphitheater Sunday night, but some of the fashions on the red carpet looked more suited for a night at the Playboy Mansion than an awards show for kids.
Taylor Swift wore a "next to nothing" version of the classic Marilyn Monroe "Seven Year Itch" dress with a skimpy ballet skirt and what looked like half an apron made of gauze--all of which appeared ready to drop to the ground with one little tug at the flimsy tie in the back.
View slideshow: 2012 Teen Choice Awards fashion: too sexy for kids?
Demi Lovato looked like she was ready to star in a Showgirls-style Vegas revue is a Native American themed skintight sequined dress that featured lots of sideboob.
Selena Gomez wore a barely-there hot pink tennis dress with a hip length hemline.
"So You Think You Can Dance" finalist Kathryn McCormick wore an eye-popping sundress that seemed ripe for a wardrobe malfunction.
Granted, most of the sexed up numbers on the 2012 Teen Choice Awards red carpet were worn by the 18+ crowd, but it still seems like Teen Choice fashions are getting teenier every year.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Fashion ramp gives glimmer of hope
Fashion ramp gives glimmer of hope
Hope springs eternal in the human breast. So wrote the much-quoted 18th century English poet, Alexander Pope. And, although this has all too often described the futility of chasing after rainbows and never finding a promised pot of gold, hope continues to sustain millions of people in situations that, to the more fortunate, might seem hopeless.
But, even amid drudgery and disappointment, there can be Cinderella moments: times when there is a glimpse of what may be possible; times when even the humblest and most exploited may be able to indulge, however briefly, in the illusion of what a better life might really be.
Carnivals of one kind or other – from New Orleans to Notting Hill, let alone Cape Town – do not qualify as such moments. They have become spectacles of fantasy, opportunities for the downtrodden and oppressed to strut their stuff in often outlandish disguise, masters and icons for a day or more in cities where they are often widely despised. The real masters and official icons are those who line the streets to applaud and who even become involved in the carnival processions and organisation.
Real Cinderella moments tend to contain a social bite, for all their contradictions, because they retain their moorings in reality. At best, they amount to sticking two fingers up at the world of exploiters and oppressors, even if this remains an inside joke, little observed beyond the participants. So it is probably no coincidence that the best example of this emerged in Cape Town in the wake of the 1976 anti-apartheid uprisings.
Since then, Cape Town has annually hosted just such a moment. It belongs to the garment workers of the city, that almost exclusively female workforce that has cut and sewed the lingerie, shirts, blouses, dresses and suits worn by millions of usually much more affluent men and women.
These are workers who often make clothing they could never afford, but who can still dream of a world where they could – and would – buy and wear such finery.
Today, the greatly diminished numbers of workers in the industry are faced with still more thousands of retrenchments, but hope lingers on. It does so in preparations for the annual Spring Queen pageant, staged by the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu). Amid the clatter of machines in sometimes dusty environments, are workers who dream because they have not denied their ability to do so, or become too scared to dream.
In the midst of the chill of an unusually cold winter, these workers are planning, designing and sewing, preparing in each of the remaining factories to select their plant’s pageant queen, who will go on to walk the Spring Queen fashion ramp, to compete to be the Queen of Queens.
The winner will be acknowledged with a paste tiara and a sash.
The trappings are irrelevant. This will be the main focus for the workers although the pageant, especially in recent years, has become a promotion for local designs and for the faltering “Buy SA” campaign. As such, it is an attempt by Sactwu to position Cape Town as a global fashion capital.
At the grand finale, workers from competing factories are able to model casual wear and there are prizes for “Miss Personality” and “Miss Best Dressed”. Local singers and dancers are also given the opportunity to display their talents.
However, for the workers, the pageant is primarily about claiming their dignity and showing off their potential. “It’s the one chance that we, as factory workers, get to shine and feel like queens,” a 2007 Spring Queen participant, Bronwyn Asher, told researchers from UCT.
This quote is one that now graces the walls of an exhibition at the UCT Hiddingh campus that highlights the largely unknown history and background of what has been, since the late 1970s, the garment workers’ pageant of dreams. The curator of the exhibition, Siona O’Connell, has accurately described it as “Spring Queen – the staging of the glittering proletariat”. For throughout, the women identify themselves solely as factory workers, although with dreams of something more, something infinitely better.
This attitude is summed up by Daphne Jantjies, who walked the Spring Queen ramp seven years ago: “We are all factory workers. But we will show Cape Town that even ordinary factory workers can be models and queens, even if it is for one night only.”
The commercial, economic, and all too often political agendas that intrude into the pageant pale into insignificance beside this desire to show that “ordinary factory workers” can be as good as – if not better than – the queens of film and fashion who grace the screens and the covers of glossy magazines, let alone the middle-class fashion plates who parade the works they create.
The pageant is also a bittersweet experience for many younger workers who hoped to escape the clock punching, low status and lowly paid drudgery of factory work. In interviews, O’Connell, who has a fine arts and African studies doctorate from UCT, and her research assistant, Dale Washkansky, discovered a number of workers who noted: “I have a matric. I shouldn’t be in the factory.”
Like so much else about the pageant and the exhibition, this comment raises many questions which, say O’Connor and Washkansky, is the aim of the exhibition. And they point out that this could perhaps be “a space where fragments of freedom can be imagined” amid the superficial glitz and glamour of a Cinderella moment.
Many of the former Spring Queens have joined the ranks of the jobless, but they and their employed and often younger sisters continue to look to the pageant as a symbol of both hope and defiance.
It is an attitude summed up by Ayesha Hendricks, who walked the ramp in 2009: “Always believe in your dreams and never give up.”
The dreams are simply for a better life, of a world without drudgery and exploitation. And never giving up means working towards achieving this.
Hope springs eternal in the human breast. So wrote the much-quoted 18th century English poet, Alexander Pope. And, although this has all too often described the futility of chasing after rainbows and never finding a promised pot of gold, hope continues to sustain millions of people in situations that, to the more fortunate, might seem hopeless.
But, even amid drudgery and disappointment, there can be Cinderella moments: times when there is a glimpse of what may be possible; times when even the humblest and most exploited may be able to indulge, however briefly, in the illusion of what a better life might really be.
Carnivals of one kind or other – from New Orleans to Notting Hill, let alone Cape Town – do not qualify as such moments. They have become spectacles of fantasy, opportunities for the downtrodden and oppressed to strut their stuff in often outlandish disguise, masters and icons for a day or more in cities where they are often widely despised. The real masters and official icons are those who line the streets to applaud and who even become involved in the carnival processions and organisation.
Real Cinderella moments tend to contain a social bite, for all their contradictions, because they retain their moorings in reality. At best, they amount to sticking two fingers up at the world of exploiters and oppressors, even if this remains an inside joke, little observed beyond the participants. So it is probably no coincidence that the best example of this emerged in Cape Town in the wake of the 1976 anti-apartheid uprisings.
Since then, Cape Town has annually hosted just such a moment. It belongs to the garment workers of the city, that almost exclusively female workforce that has cut and sewed the lingerie, shirts, blouses, dresses and suits worn by millions of usually much more affluent men and women.
These are workers who often make clothing they could never afford, but who can still dream of a world where they could – and would – buy and wear such finery.
Today, the greatly diminished numbers of workers in the industry are faced with still more thousands of retrenchments, but hope lingers on. It does so in preparations for the annual Spring Queen pageant, staged by the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu). Amid the clatter of machines in sometimes dusty environments, are workers who dream because they have not denied their ability to do so, or become too scared to dream.
In the midst of the chill of an unusually cold winter, these workers are planning, designing and sewing, preparing in each of the remaining factories to select their plant’s pageant queen, who will go on to walk the Spring Queen fashion ramp, to compete to be the Queen of Queens.
The winner will be acknowledged with a paste tiara and a sash.
The trappings are irrelevant. This will be the main focus for the workers although the pageant, especially in recent years, has become a promotion for local designs and for the faltering “Buy SA” campaign. As such, it is an attempt by Sactwu to position Cape Town as a global fashion capital.
At the grand finale, workers from competing factories are able to model casual wear and there are prizes for “Miss Personality” and “Miss Best Dressed”. Local singers and dancers are also given the opportunity to display their talents.
However, for the workers, the pageant is primarily about claiming their dignity and showing off their potential. “It’s the one chance that we, as factory workers, get to shine and feel like queens,” a 2007 Spring Queen participant, Bronwyn Asher, told researchers from UCT.
This quote is one that now graces the walls of an exhibition at the UCT Hiddingh campus that highlights the largely unknown history and background of what has been, since the late 1970s, the garment workers’ pageant of dreams. The curator of the exhibition, Siona O’Connell, has accurately described it as “Spring Queen – the staging of the glittering proletariat”. For throughout, the women identify themselves solely as factory workers, although with dreams of something more, something infinitely better.
This attitude is summed up by Daphne Jantjies, who walked the Spring Queen ramp seven years ago: “We are all factory workers. But we will show Cape Town that even ordinary factory workers can be models and queens, even if it is for one night only.”
The commercial, economic, and all too often political agendas that intrude into the pageant pale into insignificance beside this desire to show that “ordinary factory workers” can be as good as – if not better than – the queens of film and fashion who grace the screens and the covers of glossy magazines, let alone the middle-class fashion plates who parade the works they create.
The pageant is also a bittersweet experience for many younger workers who hoped to escape the clock punching, low status and lowly paid drudgery of factory work. In interviews, O’Connell, who has a fine arts and African studies doctorate from UCT, and her research assistant, Dale Washkansky, discovered a number of workers who noted: “I have a matric. I shouldn’t be in the factory.”
Like so much else about the pageant and the exhibition, this comment raises many questions which, say O’Connor and Washkansky, is the aim of the exhibition. And they point out that this could perhaps be “a space where fragments of freedom can be imagined” amid the superficial glitz and glamour of a Cinderella moment.
Many of the former Spring Queens have joined the ranks of the jobless, but they and their employed and often younger sisters continue to look to the pageant as a symbol of both hope and defiance.
It is an attitude summed up by Ayesha Hendricks, who walked the ramp in 2009: “Always believe in your dreams and never give up.”
The dreams are simply for a better life, of a world without drudgery and exploitation. And never giving up means working towards achieving this.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Fashion News: All sweetness and light at 'Dark Knight Rises' premiere
For the world premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises" in New York City on Monday night, leading ladies Marion Cotillard and Anne Hathaway were all sweetness and light, in white and cream dresses.
Giorgio Armani created the bespoke suits Christian Bale wears in the film as Batman's alter ego, the wealthy Bruce Wayne. And the suits have a customized label: "Giorgio Armani for Bruce Wayne." "In the lexicon of superheroes, it's an honor to be associated with such an intriguing character as Bruce Wayne," said Armani, who also provided clothes for 2008's "The Dark Knight."
For how long have many U.S. clothing companies outsourced manufacturing to Asia? Why does it take the combination of a dual Olympics/presidential election year to draw Congress' attention to this fact? So now in the ongoing flap over the Ralph Lauren Olympic opening ceremony outfits for Team USA being made in China, a bipartisan group of 59 members of Congress has written to the U.S. Olympic Committee expressing outrage. "American manufacturing is critical to the soul of the country," the group said. "The U.S. textile and apparel industry provides the backbone to many cities and towns."
The annual Pirelli Calendar -- so exclusive it goes only to select VIPs around the world -- specializes in elegant nudes of A list models and celebrities. The 2013 version, shot by photographer Steve McCurry, could be called the "calendar of the soul," according to Vanity Fair Italy, for its showing of "women protagonists involved in the support of foundations, NGOs and humanitarian projects." (They include a pregnant Adriana Lima, marking the first time the calendar has featured a noticeably pregnant woman).
EBay is teaming up with designers including Billy Reid, Chris Benz, Fallon, Jonathan Adler, Ruffian, Steven Alan and Tibi to create items for this year's holiday season.
Milliner-to-royals Philip Treacy plans to stage a runway show Sept. 16 as part of London Fashion Week.
Singer Lana Del Rey is the face (and voice) of H&M's fall ad campaign.
Giorgio Armani created the bespoke suits Christian Bale wears in the film as Batman's alter ego, the wealthy Bruce Wayne. And the suits have a customized label: "Giorgio Armani for Bruce Wayne." "In the lexicon of superheroes, it's an honor to be associated with such an intriguing character as Bruce Wayne," said Armani, who also provided clothes for 2008's "The Dark Knight."
For how long have many U.S. clothing companies outsourced manufacturing to Asia? Why does it take the combination of a dual Olympics/presidential election year to draw Congress' attention to this fact? So now in the ongoing flap over the Ralph Lauren Olympic opening ceremony outfits for Team USA being made in China, a bipartisan group of 59 members of Congress has written to the U.S. Olympic Committee expressing outrage. "American manufacturing is critical to the soul of the country," the group said. "The U.S. textile and apparel industry provides the backbone to many cities and towns."
The annual Pirelli Calendar -- so exclusive it goes only to select VIPs around the world -- specializes in elegant nudes of A list models and celebrities. The 2013 version, shot by photographer Steve McCurry, could be called the "calendar of the soul," according to Vanity Fair Italy, for its showing of "women protagonists involved in the support of foundations, NGOs and humanitarian projects." (They include a pregnant Adriana Lima, marking the first time the calendar has featured a noticeably pregnant woman).
EBay is teaming up with designers including Billy Reid, Chris Benz, Fallon, Jonathan Adler, Ruffian, Steven Alan and Tibi to create items for this year's holiday season.
Milliner-to-royals Philip Treacy plans to stage a runway show Sept. 16 as part of London Fashion Week.
Singer Lana Del Rey is the face (and voice) of H&M's fall ad campaign.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Fashion plates make us tweed off!
At a new eatery in Greenwich Village, you can get your “all-natural” and “local” chicken topped with pretzels and salted caramel, or a Buffalo-style sauce made from aged balsamic vinegar and maple syrup.
The chicken is prepared three ways: baked, fried or “naked.”
And we’re not talking just any old piece of chicken. Rather, Sticky’s Finger Joint is devoted exclusively to “gourmet” renditions of that childhood cafeteria favorite — the chicken finger.
The gourmet trend has been going on for more than a decade, but surely this is the final act, a sign the trend has jumped the shark, since every food option has seemingly been exhausted.
If chicken fingers aren’t your thing, there’s a brand-new East Village water cafe called Molecule specializing in “hyper-filtered, perfectly pure, eco-conscious” H2O. Love sandwiches? Empire Mayonnaise Co., which opened in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, this spring, sells $6 jars of mayo — and nothing else — in flavors such as lime-pickle and preserved lemon.
“There are certain things that make me roll my eyes: fancy grilled-cheese sandwiches or food trucks serving PB&J,” says Zach Brooks, founder of the popular food blog midtownlunch.com.
“My line is, ‘Can I make something at home that you’re selling me for five times as much?’ Certain things you can’t improve on. That’s why they’re classics.”
So what kind of reaction does the $19.50 grilled cheese with brie and truffles at Flatiron bistro Artisanal elicit within the darkest part of your heart? How about Handsome Dan’s Stand, a recently opened bespoke sno-cone shop (shoppe?) in Williamsburg serving flavors like Earl Grey cream, thyme and rose-pomegranate?
“When you look at the big picture of food trends, the bigger trend is wanting familiarity in foods,” says Mitchell Davis, vice president at the James Beard Foundation.
“Coming out of a movement of science and gastronomy, where nothing was ever as it appeared, it’s a natural reaction to want to do something with a hamburger or food that’s recognizable.”
But this effort to revamp recognizable items is now frequently taken to an absurd degree — and the backlash has begun. Brooklyn’s Empire Mayonnaise Co., for one, has been heaped with a shocking amount of scorn online and in the media.
“Hellman’s [sic] not good enough for you?” wrote one angry commenter on food blog Grub Street. “Support the city, support the borough you continue to destroy with this ridiculousness, stop with the overpriced gimmicks already.”
The chicken is prepared three ways: baked, fried or “naked.”
And we’re not talking just any old piece of chicken. Rather, Sticky’s Finger Joint is devoted exclusively to “gourmet” renditions of that childhood cafeteria favorite — the chicken finger.
The gourmet trend has been going on for more than a decade, but surely this is the final act, a sign the trend has jumped the shark, since every food option has seemingly been exhausted.
If chicken fingers aren’t your thing, there’s a brand-new East Village water cafe called Molecule specializing in “hyper-filtered, perfectly pure, eco-conscious” H2O. Love sandwiches? Empire Mayonnaise Co., which opened in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, this spring, sells $6 jars of mayo — and nothing else — in flavors such as lime-pickle and preserved lemon.
“There are certain things that make me roll my eyes: fancy grilled-cheese sandwiches or food trucks serving PB&J,” says Zach Brooks, founder of the popular food blog midtownlunch.com.
“My line is, ‘Can I make something at home that you’re selling me for five times as much?’ Certain things you can’t improve on. That’s why they’re classics.”
So what kind of reaction does the $19.50 grilled cheese with brie and truffles at Flatiron bistro Artisanal elicit within the darkest part of your heart? How about Handsome Dan’s Stand, a recently opened bespoke sno-cone shop (shoppe?) in Williamsburg serving flavors like Earl Grey cream, thyme and rose-pomegranate?
“When you look at the big picture of food trends, the bigger trend is wanting familiarity in foods,” says Mitchell Davis, vice president at the James Beard Foundation.
“Coming out of a movement of science and gastronomy, where nothing was ever as it appeared, it’s a natural reaction to want to do something with a hamburger or food that’s recognizable.”
But this effort to revamp recognizable items is now frequently taken to an absurd degree — and the backlash has begun. Brooklyn’s Empire Mayonnaise Co., for one, has been heaped with a shocking amount of scorn online and in the media.
“Hellman’s [sic] not good enough for you?” wrote one angry commenter on food blog Grub Street. “Support the city, support the borough you continue to destroy with this ridiculousness, stop with the overpriced gimmicks already.”
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Fashion Seating Spotlights Its Commercial Furniture Items Suited for Outdoor Event Halls and Wedding Venues
Fashion Seating, a commercial furniture retailer available online is now spotlighting its collection of all-weather furniture in advance of wedding season. For restaurants, event halls, and other venues that frequently host weddings and other outdoor events during the warmer months, Fashion Seating aims to offer an assortment of restaurant and bar chairs ideal for alfresco vow exchanges.
“Trends in event planning have driven people to think outside of the box when it comes to selecting wedding and party locations -- instead of religious institutions or country clubs, many couples are now considering outdoor areas, gardens, restaurant backyards, and other natural spots. I can say with confidence that our restaurant and bar chairs would be a beautiful addition to any outdoor wedding, and the event venues and restaurants seeing an uptick in couples choosing to wed outside would be wise to invest in durable and attractive all-weather furniture. We’re thrilled to show event hall owners and restaurant managers how Fashion Seating can add to their furnishing options,” said Eli Flesh, CEO of the commercial furniture supplier.
Fashion Seating’s economical price points make it a compelling option for event hall owners looking to update their commercial furniture offerings to accommodate a greater number of outdoor events. By utilizing Fashion Seating, restaurant managers can rest easy knowing that investing in extra bar chairs can remain within budget. The supplier even caters to venues searching for low-cost options with its Clearance Corner section of the site. There, restaurant and bar managers can find commercial bar furniture pieces whose prices have been reduced by up to 50%.
Though Fashion Seating specializes in wholesale orders, restaurant owners have the ability to customize their selections to meet specific wedding schemes. Fashion Seating employs a team of skilled designers and craftsmen who create commercial furniture on-site using solid wood and durable iron. Because customers can shop directly with Fashion Seating’s one-stop manufacturing and supply center, there is no middleman involvement when purchasing bulk orders. In order to expedite the customization process, clients can apply shopping filters based on materials and purpose, tapering the search results to reflect their precise needs.
Restaurants hosting traditional wedding parties might consider investing in the Metal Gold Banquet Bamboo Chair, as well as other items from the Metal Gold line. The striking piece features elegant gold molding designed to imitate a bamboo rod’s curve. The restaurant chair additionally boasts a comfortable, padded cushion with a cream, diamond-patterned fabric. Managers whose establishments veer towards modern aesthetics can check out options such as the Underscore Aluminum Chair, meanwhile. The Underscore contains sleek lines and an anodized polished finish that maintains its shine even after repeated use.
“Trends in event planning have driven people to think outside of the box when it comes to selecting wedding and party locations -- instead of religious institutions or country clubs, many couples are now considering outdoor areas, gardens, restaurant backyards, and other natural spots. I can say with confidence that our restaurant and bar chairs would be a beautiful addition to any outdoor wedding, and the event venues and restaurants seeing an uptick in couples choosing to wed outside would be wise to invest in durable and attractive all-weather furniture. We’re thrilled to show event hall owners and restaurant managers how Fashion Seating can add to their furnishing options,” said Eli Flesh, CEO of the commercial furniture supplier.
Fashion Seating’s economical price points make it a compelling option for event hall owners looking to update their commercial furniture offerings to accommodate a greater number of outdoor events. By utilizing Fashion Seating, restaurant managers can rest easy knowing that investing in extra bar chairs can remain within budget. The supplier even caters to venues searching for low-cost options with its Clearance Corner section of the site. There, restaurant and bar managers can find commercial bar furniture pieces whose prices have been reduced by up to 50%.
Though Fashion Seating specializes in wholesale orders, restaurant owners have the ability to customize their selections to meet specific wedding schemes. Fashion Seating employs a team of skilled designers and craftsmen who create commercial furniture on-site using solid wood and durable iron. Because customers can shop directly with Fashion Seating’s one-stop manufacturing and supply center, there is no middleman involvement when purchasing bulk orders. In order to expedite the customization process, clients can apply shopping filters based on materials and purpose, tapering the search results to reflect their precise needs.
Restaurants hosting traditional wedding parties might consider investing in the Metal Gold Banquet Bamboo Chair, as well as other items from the Metal Gold line. The striking piece features elegant gold molding designed to imitate a bamboo rod’s curve. The restaurant chair additionally boasts a comfortable, padded cushion with a cream, diamond-patterned fabric. Managers whose establishments veer towards modern aesthetics can check out options such as the Underscore Aluminum Chair, meanwhile. The Underscore contains sleek lines and an anodized polished finish that maintains its shine even after repeated use.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Fox Mocks U.S. Olympic Team For Sporting "French" Headgear
Fox Mocks U.S. Olympic Team For Sporting "French" Headgear
Fox & Friends contributed several minutes of their Wednesday program to mocking the United States Olympic team uniform which includes a "French beret." While suggesting that the wearing of berets is unpatriotic, the co-hosts seemed to forget that most of the United States military wear berets until receiving emails from their viewers pointing out this fact.
On NBC's Today, American company Ralph Lauren unveiled the design for the United States Olympic team opening ceremony uniforms, which are topped off with a navy blue beret with red and white stripes. Fox mocked the decision to top the uniform off with a "French" hat.
Not only did they fail to mention that the United States military wear berets as part of their uniforms, but that the 2002 Olympic uniforms for the Salt Lake City Olympics also featured powder blue berets.
A basic Google search reveals that berets have been in use by the United States military "unofficially as early as 1954," and as part of the official uniform as early as 1961.
Fox's mockery of the "French" headgear continued until they received "a lot of email" from viewers pointing out the military connection to the Olympic team's headgear, forcing co-host Steve Doocy to make a disclaimer: "There is a team that's already wearing a Beret for America, and that's the special forces guys, and they look great."
UPDATE: During today's edition of Fox News Radio's Kilmeade & Friends, guest host Peter Johnson Jr. and Fox News anchors Martha MacCallum and Bill Hemmer also mocked the U.S. Olympic team for having a "French" uniform.
Johnson Jr. wondered: "Is this the American team or the French fashion team?"
Hemmer asked: "How about a baseball hat? How about a cowboy hat? How about no hat?"
MacCallum replied to Hemmer: "I had the same reaction. I was flipping through the paper this morning and I was like, 'What the heck is this? It looks like a French flight attendant.' Nobody looks good in a beret, OK? Show me people who look good in berets. You know, it's very rare. I think no hat would look better."
Fox & Friends contributed several minutes of their Wednesday program to mocking the United States Olympic team uniform which includes a "French beret." While suggesting that the wearing of berets is unpatriotic, the co-hosts seemed to forget that most of the United States military wear berets until receiving emails from their viewers pointing out this fact.
On NBC's Today, American company Ralph Lauren unveiled the design for the United States Olympic team opening ceremony uniforms, which are topped off with a navy blue beret with red and white stripes. Fox mocked the decision to top the uniform off with a "French" hat.
Not only did they fail to mention that the United States military wear berets as part of their uniforms, but that the 2002 Olympic uniforms for the Salt Lake City Olympics also featured powder blue berets.
A basic Google search reveals that berets have been in use by the United States military "unofficially as early as 1954," and as part of the official uniform as early as 1961.
Fox's mockery of the "French" headgear continued until they received "a lot of email" from viewers pointing out the military connection to the Olympic team's headgear, forcing co-host Steve Doocy to make a disclaimer: "There is a team that's already wearing a Beret for America, and that's the special forces guys, and they look great."
UPDATE: During today's edition of Fox News Radio's Kilmeade & Friends, guest host Peter Johnson Jr. and Fox News anchors Martha MacCallum and Bill Hemmer also mocked the U.S. Olympic team for having a "French" uniform.
Johnson Jr. wondered: "Is this the American team or the French fashion team?"
Hemmer asked: "How about a baseball hat? How about a cowboy hat? How about no hat?"
MacCallum replied to Hemmer: "I had the same reaction. I was flipping through the paper this morning and I was like, 'What the heck is this? It looks like a French flight attendant.' Nobody looks good in a beret, OK? Show me people who look good in berets. You know, it's very rare. I think no hat would look better."
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Lahore ambush: Militants kill nine Pakistani police
Reports say up to 10 masked gunmen arrived on motorcycles and stormed a rented building in the Rasool Park area where the trainees were staying.
All those killed were from the north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and training to be prison police.
The Pakistani Taliban said they carried out the attack.
"We were looking for [the police] for a long time as their attitude with our people in jails is very inhuman and insulting," Taliban spokesman Ehsnanullah Ehsan is quoted as saying.
He said that they had been targeted for not treating Taliban detainees well.
A rescue official quoting witnesses told the BBC that the attackers first shot and injured a security guard and then climbed to the first floor of the building where they opened fire on the policemen there. They then escaped from the scene, the official said.
This is the second such attack this week in central Punjab province, of which Lahore is the capital.
On Monday, Taliban gunmen killed seven security personnel at a campsite in Gujrat district of Punjab province.
Most recent assaults have taken place in the restive north-west and correspondents say Punjab has been largely peaceful over the past year.
In March 2009, the Taliban launched a major attack on Lahore's police training academy, leaving at least 18 people dead.
All those killed were from the north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and training to be prison police.
The Pakistani Taliban said they carried out the attack.
"We were looking for [the police] for a long time as their attitude with our people in jails is very inhuman and insulting," Taliban spokesman Ehsnanullah Ehsan is quoted as saying.
He said that they had been targeted for not treating Taliban detainees well.
A rescue official quoting witnesses told the BBC that the attackers first shot and injured a security guard and then climbed to the first floor of the building where they opened fire on the policemen there. They then escaped from the scene, the official said.
This is the second such attack this week in central Punjab province, of which Lahore is the capital.
On Monday, Taliban gunmen killed seven security personnel at a campsite in Gujrat district of Punjab province.
Most recent assaults have taken place in the restive north-west and correspondents say Punjab has been largely peaceful over the past year.
In March 2009, the Taliban launched a major attack on Lahore's police training academy, leaving at least 18 people dead.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Subtle, useful Android 4.0 lands on Samsung Galaxy Note July 10
AT&T will start upgrading its Samsung Galaxy Note to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich tomorrow, and CNET got an advance look.
After a week with the updated phone, I can say that existing owners will be pleased with the boost from Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich. The OS won't look very different; in fact, a glance at the home screen is indistinguishable from the view on Gingerbread. However, press down on the home button and your recent tabs appear, press the Galaxy Note against another NFC phone to engage Android Beam, and hop into the Settings menu for a new layout with usage monitoring.
These are all useful features, but since Samsung isn't changing the Galaxy Note's TouchWiz interface, the update would look a little ho-hum. Enter an update to the Note's stylus-friendly productivity tools, which Samsung is calling Premium Suite.
What's new in S Note
To be clear, Premium Suite refers to S Note, S Memo, and a new My Story app, which isn't preinstalled, but which is available from Google Play.
S Note offers the most exciting new features of the three. You're now able to import and annotate PDFs, which is enormously useful for taking quick notes on existing documents. In addition to importing PDFs, you can also import and annotate S Memo files, photos, maps, and other images you cropped and saved with the S Pen.
There are also new templates that help you create more information-rich multimedia notes. These are definitely inspiring, but will still take time, especially if you share my one-two combo of sometimes perfectionism mixed with a lack of artistic skill. Either way, Samsung's two tip sheets are great for orienting new users.
Shape Match is another new feature within. Draw a diagram with the S Pen and the app will render your lines straight, convert your sloppy arrows into straight sticks, and close your circles. However, you can't be too casual with your squares and squiggles or you may find yourself with some unintended trapezoids and with figures that look more like hieroglyphs than you intended.
After a week with the updated phone, I can say that existing owners will be pleased with the boost from Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich. The OS won't look very different; in fact, a glance at the home screen is indistinguishable from the view on Gingerbread. However, press down on the home button and your recent tabs appear, press the Galaxy Note against another NFC phone to engage Android Beam, and hop into the Settings menu for a new layout with usage monitoring.
These are all useful features, but since Samsung isn't changing the Galaxy Note's TouchWiz interface, the update would look a little ho-hum. Enter an update to the Note's stylus-friendly productivity tools, which Samsung is calling Premium Suite.
What's new in S Note
To be clear, Premium Suite refers to S Note, S Memo, and a new My Story app, which isn't preinstalled, but which is available from Google Play.
S Note offers the most exciting new features of the three. You're now able to import and annotate PDFs, which is enormously useful for taking quick notes on existing documents. In addition to importing PDFs, you can also import and annotate S Memo files, photos, maps, and other images you cropped and saved with the S Pen.
There are also new templates that help you create more information-rich multimedia notes. These are definitely inspiring, but will still take time, especially if you share my one-two combo of sometimes perfectionism mixed with a lack of artistic skill. Either way, Samsung's two tip sheets are great for orienting new users.
Shape Match is another new feature within. Draw a diagram with the S Pen and the app will render your lines straight, convert your sloppy arrows into straight sticks, and close your circles. However, you can't be too casual with your squares and squiggles or you may find yourself with some unintended trapezoids and with figures that look more like hieroglyphs than you intended.
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