2012年1月30日星期一

This dress is on the top with it's strange sheer red and white effect

Kara is on the bottom. Georgina says, "I couldn't quite get the passion in the dress. I think the colors are letting you down." DVF adds: "It's just not flattering." hey all think it looks kind of pregnant.Anthony is also in the bottom, though Isaac likes his explanation about melting green tea gelato. The construction is messy. DVF loves the skirt and concept, but that's about it.For Mila, Isaac says, "I think this says cherry ice cream so clearly." I'm sort of surprised this dress is on the top with it's strange sheer red and white effect, but I think it was slim pickings this week since the designers had only six hours. (The only thing I can effectively complete in six hours is a "Project Runway" marathon.) DVF comments, "It's beautiful and the design is nice, but it kind of looks like it was done in short time." I agree.
Michael kisses some DVF butt and calls her an idol. She loves his dress, calling it "very fluid" and tells him to "call her." Georgina and Isaac think a "tartness" is missing from the color. I sorta think it looks like nicely draped satin pajamas, but whatever.April's dress is a problem. "The back is scary," says Isaac. "The colors are nice," the judges offer. These guys are so nice and gentle compared to Nina, Michael and Heidi. It's so different.
Mondo's cantaloupe dress is a hit. DVF says, "I think it's great. It does look like a cantaloupe." Georgina says the colors and patterns shouldn't work together, but they do. They aren't sure about the bright orange he used, but -- I mean -- it's cantaloupe, so.The Becker's Bridal Story.They mostly agree: Anthony was ambitious, but his piece looked amateurish. Kara designs sweet clothing, but got stuck. Angela feels that Kara got scared of using brown and says, "What's wrong with chocolate brown?" Isaac retorts, "There is plenty wrong with chocolate brown." A bit of a disagreement -- finally! DVF says April's dress was like Halloween.Michael's fabric was questionable. Mila's styling was heavy. Mondo's dress was gorgeous, but didn't show enough skin for Isaac. Then, Miranda Kerr comes up with my favorite reason yet for not picking a dress to win, saying that she's concerned about wearing Michael's dress without a bra while breast feeding. I love it! Now that is reality. (She is crazy pretty, by the way.)
It's between April and Kara and ultimately, April is out. And yet, it's Kara who flips. She turns to the judges through rising tears and practically shouts, "I am really passionate about what I do!" Wait a minute, girl: You're not the one going home! Backstage, when she screams with happiness at getting to stay, Anthony has to remind her, "But that means April is going home." Tacky tacky all day long.

2012年1月18日星期三

The Becker's Bridal Story

There's a very old saying: "Every time a marriage takes place, a new world is created."In 2012, does this sound impossibly quaint? Does it sound na?vely romantic?We all know about the odds of divorce today. We've seen how little the marriage vows can mean in the Kardashian age. Indeed, a recent Pew Research poll shows that 39 percent of Americans now believe marriage is becoming "obsolete." That's up from 28 percent who felt that way in 1979.And yet, at a small-town bridal shop in the American Midwest, I found reasons for hope -- and I found a measure of magic.
As a journalist and the father of three girls, I set out last year to write a nonfiction book reflecting on the love we all wish for our daughters. I recognized that I needed a place to set the book, a place with great emotion. I considered many possibilities. Maybe I'd visit maternity wards, dance studios, daddy-daughter date nights, or spas where mothers and daughters go to bond. But then my wife suggested I find a bridal shop. Maybe that would be a place to set my story. "There's something about a wedding dress..." she said.I was willing to go anywhere in the country to find the right store and the right stories. My search ended in the tiny, one-stoplight town of Fowler, Mich., a place with just 1,100 residents -- and 2,500 wedding dresses. The town believes it has more bridal gowns per capita than anywhere in the United States.
Fowler is home to Becker's Bridal, a 77-year-old institution on Main Street. It's been run for all those years by the same family -- a great-grandmother, grandmother, mother and daughter.The store is housed in a stone structure that was once a bank, and since 1934, more than 100,000 brides have made a pilgrimage there. After they select the dress they think might be "the one," they're invited to step inside what used to be the old bank vault. A ten-foot-by-eight-foot space on the second floor, with mirrors designed to carry a bride's image into infinity, it's called "The Magic Room," and with good reason.
Brides and their mothers routinely melt into tears in the Magic Room, as they reflect on all the moments that led them to that dress, that room, that moment. Fathers are sometimes overcome with emotions, too. They excuse themselves and head out for a walk on Main Street, where they can be seeing wiping their eyes and blowing their noses.

2012年1月16日星期一

Couture catastrophes hit the catwalk on 'Runway'

Now that we have the horrid "turn random junk into a dress" challenge over with, it's time for our intrepid designers to actually make something nice. I'm sure they're just as relieved as we are, as it can't be fun to bypass Mood for a bag of extra large black plastic garbage bags or a roll of Dixie cups, and I'm not sure what such a challenge really proves, except that some of our designers are more committed to recycling than others.
Speaking of recycling, model-turned-"Runway" hostess and gung-ho environmentalist Angela Lindvall seems to be the biggest bust, at least with viewers, of the season.Bridal show is one-stop wedding shop.I'm not ready to turn on Angela just yet, though. She looks a little scared and not quite sure what to do (check out Molly Sims' Heidi/not Heidi flip-flopping on "Project Accessory" for another example), and I'm hoping she finds an individual voice sooner rather than later. If I had to single out anyone who's really a disappointment, I'd have to say Joanna Coles. As good as she was as a judge, those same tough love qualities make her a harsh mentor. What made Tim Gunn so special was his ability to be both honest and compassionate. I can't see Coles doling out hugs anytime soon, honestly.
This week is all about high end glamour, according to Angela. To underscore that fact, the guest judges will be Mark Badgley and James Mischka, who make pretty fabulous evening wear and wedding dresses (and, of course, the usual perfume/shoes/handbags/sunglasses wherein true profits lie). The challenge? A night at the opera! Indulge your fantasies, designers! Mark and James want couture; they want feminine; they want soft. The designers get $350 and one day to do it. Austin is appalled. You need weeks, months! This is couture we're talking about! Yes, Austin, but it's also "Project Runway," and if they ever gave everyone the time they needed, no one would get eliminated. 
There's some sketching, then it's off to Mood. April wants to use red. So does Michael. What is up with these two? It's like they have some weird psychic connection neither one particularly wants, which is what I imagine it's like for the Olsen twins on a daily basis. It's driving Michael insane! April doesn't care that they're both going to use red, but he does. Michael makes a quick change to a black matte jersey. Oh, Michael! Do what you want to do, for crying out loud!  
Even if their mop dresses were a little similar, I doubt their designs for this challenge would have had anything in common. April is hand-dyeing her dress. Mila thinks April is stupid to be wasting time on a dye job, but she doesn't care. If she screws up, it's only good for Mila. I wish Mila would apply her color blocking aesthetic to her hair so that she could more fully embrace her inner Cruella de Vil. I mean, she has the overplucked eyebrows and harsh make-up down already.  

2012年1月11日星期三

Prada Dresses Michelle Williams and Berenice Bejo

Prada is great at creating cocktail dresses, not so great at gowns. Structured evening gowns are simply not the house's speciality. So while we're more likely to see the Italian label on men at upcoming awards shows, two of the chicer women at Palm Springs were wearing Miuccia Prada's creations.
Michelle Williams Red Carpet Evolution: From 'Dawson's Creek' to the Oscars (Photos)'The Artist's' Cast and Crew Discuss Making of the Film (Live-Stream Q&A)The Artist's Berenice Bejo wore a two tone dress in orange (the bodice) and black (the skirt). "Prada asked if they could send me some looks, and of course I said yes, and I picked this one," Bejo told The Hollywood Reporter. "Orange is my favorite color, so I was very happy."Meanwhile, Michelle Williams' silver satin and bead embellished Prada cocktail dress was a true stunner - certainly the standout dress from the crowd. It was a short cocktail number with a tiny waist, but the bodice portion was covered in silver and crystal large embellishments, looking like slivers of shiney gems and rocks. The effect was dazzling, and worked well with the fact that the skirt of the dress was embellishment-free, and very simple.
Williams looked both very dressed up, and very comfortable and girlish. Bejo, likewise, looked comfortable and relaxed. In fact, the entire affair wound up being all cocktail and no black tie looks for women. Looks like 2012's awards season is going to do the gradual build up. Most of the major women at the Palm.Dame Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham also appears in a long-sleeved, teal silk dress. as worn by Thurman in the same 2000 film.Despite the cost cutting measure, some characters, such as Samantha Bond’s Lady Rosamund Painswick, were dressed entirely in outfits hired from outside.Recycledmoviecostumes.com, showcases many similar examples from other period dramas. One brown dress has appeared in seven productions over the past 15 years, including Pride & Prejudice, Vanity Fair, Little Dorrit and The Secret Diaries Of Miss Anne Lister.
Meanwhile, a yellow ball gown created for the 1994 film The Madness Of King George has made six more appearances, one of them in a 2006 episode of Doctor Who. Downton Abbey, which tells the story of a fictional estate in North Yorkshire, first aired in September 2010 and has since been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards.A third season will be broadcast in September this year.

2012年1月9日星期一

Bridal show is one-stop wedding shop

Thirty different vendors were on hand Sunday to help brides-to-be plan their special day during J&B Bridals and Tuxedos annual bridal show at Wilson College."We've been doing this show for well over 20 years," said Jim Resh, co-owner of J&B Bridals. "It's a nice way for brides and grooms to see everything they'll need for their wedding."Vendors ranged from venues, photographers, disc jockeys, limousine services, jewelry stores, decorators, caterers and more as about 600 people made their way through the show.
"Basically whatever they think they'll need for the wedding is represented here," said Barb Resh, co-owner of J&B Bridals.Having all the vendors in one places not only makes things convenient, but helps brides find quality vendors that are in some sort of partnership with J&B Bridals, Jim Resh said.My Fair Wedding: 'Springtime in Paris' Recap.Many of the vendors were also offering attendants special offers and promotions as part of Sunday's show.
Vickie Clark, photographer and co-owner of Clark Photography, said they attend the bridal show each year to help get brides excited for their special day."Brides are looking for memories and want to have a little fun and really just capture their day," she said.As part of Sunday's event, Clark Photography was giving an Amazon Kindle Fire with their wedding proofs loaded onto it to brides who schedule with them this month for their upcoming wedding, Clark said. Phantom Shadow was offering specials for their various services to any brides who booked Sunday and paid a 50 percent deposit, said Jennifer Yaukey, vice president and co-owner.
For instance, brides who booked and paid 50 percent for the photo booth service received 30 percent off and those who registered for limousine service received 15 percent off the H2 Hummer limousine or 10 percent off the Lincoln Town Car Sedan limousine. "We just like the opportunity to meet so many brides and grooms and show them what we have," Yaukey said.
In addition to the vendors, door prizes, a $1,000 cash prize and a bridal gown giveaway took place for those in attendance.Wedding gown designer Madeline Gardner was also on hand as her dresses were modeled during a runway fashion show.The runway show included a sample of the different bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses from Gardner's Mori Lee Spring 2012 collection, Barb Resh said."A lot of the things your seeing (Sunday) haven't even hit the stores yet," she said.This current collection is about lightness and texture, featuring light, flowy fabrics, intricate beading, tulle and lace, Gardner said.

2012年1月4日星期三

Dress up with A Black Dress to stand out on a very Special Occasion

A woman loves to look truly beautiful especially on her most special occasions. Most often, it depends a lot upon how she carries herself and how she dresses up. A simple make-up and hair style would definitely add more glamour to her look, thus making her appear more genuinely sophisticated a black dress plays a magical effect.Looking great is not that easy to obtain, you have to make time for it and a good planning on what to wear, what is the best type of cosmetics to use and what hair style would suit you the best must be carefully considered. All these three must match each other for you to achieve the desired look.
For this, it is imperative to choose a black dress to wear especially if you are attending formal and special occasions. You must select the type of dress that best suit you and certainly makes you stand out among the rest. In selecting one, the style, color, size, texture, design, shape, fabric, the accessories like beads or other styling materials used to make it appear more lovely are just some of the essential stuffs you have to think about to have the dress you have always dreamed of.
This elegant and decent V-Neck sleeveless and knee length charmeuse black dress absolutely fits any woman. Its style is very simple yet very cosmopolitan. It is particularly tailored and designed to give you much comfort. The black dress which is made up of fine quality fabric and materials that make it more appealing and soft to touch. It appears to be so expensive, timeless and great for formal or special gatherings. Wearing this type of black dress will certainly make you feel confident and will give you the feeling of being able to deal with even the kind of people more superior to you. A black dress is a great choice for it not only helps you look better but feel good as well.As the saying goes; black is beautiful. The black dress is always best for any occasion. Black matches any color well. This V-neck sleeveless dress is conservative yet very sexy, a black dress helps you flaunt decency and appear to be reserved. It’s everything you will love about pretty and classic black dress. A woman deserves to be treated and dressed well, be noticed and appreciated.
For every woman, a black dress is a must have. A woman who can wear black well is considered sophisticated, modern and sexy. Despite the fact that black used to connote a negative meaning, the black dress has become a symbol of beauty and fashion. Women who cannot afford a black dress are considered very lowly and poor.  There was even a story of two sisters who never went out together. Their neighbors found out later that they were sharing just one black dress.  So, when one of them went out, she just put a lace and when the other one wore it, she removed the lace to make people think that the dress that they wore were different.

2012年1月3日星期二

My Fair Wedding: 'Springtime in Paris' Recap

This week, My Fair Wedding is focusing on Christina and Vincent's wedding. The couple met in a record store in California where Vincent worked. They started dating and soon fell in love but Vincent didn't want to marry Christina unless she could eat a piece of their wedding cake. Christina was sick and suffered from anorexia.Christina worked hard to get over her anorexia and finally told Vincent that she would love nothing more than to share their wedding cake with him.
David Tutera came to help Christina because she felt her wedding plans were a big mess. The couple wanted a Paris-themed wedding and Christina had a collection of French/Paris items that she bought.Herve leger is the weapon for women. She had Eiffel Towers, little mustaches on a stick, and many other little things that she knew would not create the wedding she dreamed of. She wanted her wedding to be a mixture of France, Marie Antoinette, and romance. Only David could give her that dream wedding.
The first thing that David had to see were the bridesmaid dresses. Christina told her maids to buy a dress in pink. That was her only requirement and she never even saw the dresses. When she first saw them with David she admitted that she didn't like the choices since every bridesmaid had a different style. Christina also said that if David wasn't around, she wouldn't have seen the dresses until her wedding day. Those dresses were going to be changed.
Christina's wedding dress was lovely and she looked beautiful but she told David that she felt that any bride could wear it and she didn't feel special in it. David wants all his brides to be special, so the wedding dress was going to be changed, too.David and Christina went to the venue but the she told David that the ceremony was going to be in one place and the reception in another, and that the two venues were about an hour away from each other. Yet another change was going to be made.
Then the best part of the wedding had to be picked out—the cake. Since eating the cake was very important to Vincent and Christina, the perfect cake had to be found and it had to be decorated. David took Christina to the place where the cake was going to be made and they got a class in cake decorating.Christina did a great job making the sugar flowers and putting them on little cakes. David had some trouble but he had a good time trying.