Art of the Steal

Guest Post by Sally Kendal (soon to be married).

[Ed: Congratulations Sally.]

Gone are the days where the bride would dictate the attire of the bridal party at large. The choosing of the perfect bridesmaid dress has long since become a more democratic and versatile affair. Many brides-to-be are now more inclined to set their bridesmaids off on their own personal shopping challenges in order to find the right kind of bridesmaid dress for them within a certain set of specifications.

Some brides will insist that each bridesmaids dress must be of the same colour or slot within a common colour family. Others will specify a structure, such as floor-length or sleeveless. Chances are, there will be some element of uniformity working within the bridal party but guidelines are certainly much looser compared with the more traditional weddings of the 80s and 90s.

When looking for the perfect bridesmaid dress it really pays to shop around. Use the marvels of the world wide web to help you as there are a vast number of outlets and shopping tools available at your fingertips with just a few clicks of the mouse. Choosing to buy through a reputable online outlet such as the Coast website (where you stand a better than average chance of finding your perfect bridesmaid dress) will certainly save you a lot of time and effort by avoiding the stresses and strains of the high street trawl, though it is worthwhile to note that you should only buy from online brands offering a free returns policy.

But if you’re first commercial search proves fruitless, don’t despair: there are a range of more creative possibilities at hand. A number of innovative websites now allow you to design your perfect dress online offering a service where you can choose your fabric, cut, size and style. This is a great solution for when the high street market falls short of meeting your bride’s requirements and designing your own bridesmaids dress permits you the luxury of entering your measurements and picking a style that is flattering to your figure. Within a week or two you’ll have a made-to-measure, one-off occasion dress delivered direct to your door.

I enjoy fashion in all its various guises. In my youth, I was interested in keeping up with all the latest trends, swapping style tips with friends and even attempting to start a few fads myself. Most of them never caught on but I like to think I can take some of the credit for one or two crazes that became popular at my high school. I’d be too embarrassed to mention what they were now that my tastes have matured, but you get the picture – I’m pretty interested in fashion and probably spend more of my time and money than the average punter.

So, having established my credentials in the fashion stakes, and therefore hopefully having reassured you that I’m not against fashion in general, I’d like to talk about something I’ve been meaning to get off my chest for a while. And that’s dog fashion…

Dog Fashion

I usually take the attitude that people should live and let live. But when it comes to dressing your dog up in clothes that make them look human, and worse still, making them wear stupid accessories that cause discomfort and distress to the dogs, I find myself getting quite angry.

The decadence of western society today has gotten completely out of control, check out the official pet fashion week website if you’re in any doubt. We feel the need to dress our animals up as if they were our spoiled little children. We buy dog collars encrusted with jewels that costs the equivalent of several months wages for a third world worker. It’s vulgar and I want no part of it.

Fair enough if your dog’s natural coat of fur is too thin for the harsh winters where you live, or if it has a medical condition that demands extra warmth or protection from the sun’s UV rays. But dressing a dog up purely for your own amusement is just plain wrong.

Dog Fashion Show

I had the misfortune of attending a fashion show recently where, unbeknownst to me, there was a category for dogs. The outfits were pretty outlandish to say the least and I had to leave the room at one point because some of the dogs were clearly distressed. If it hadn’t been for the presence of a vet, who had been hired to keep an eye on the animal welfare side of things and who stepped in to rescue the dogs in question from their sartorial torture, I would have been on the phone to the authorities.

Small Dog Fashion

One area of fashion that seems to be getting more and more popular these days is the “accessory dog”, popularised by wives and girlfriends of footballers and the rich and famous who jump on every bandwagon going. These poor pooches (usually something like a Chihuahua) are dressed up in the most sickening outfits, stuffed into a handbag and then paraded around like a piece of jewellery. It’s no wonder that Chihuahuas tend to be so bad tempered.

Fashion Dog Collars

Now, dog collars are just about the only fashion item that I would be comfortable putting on a dog of my own. I mean every dog needs a collar, so if you want to get them a nice looking one then I say go for it. You could even get different collars for different occasions or ones that match with your own outfit. Knock yourself out!

High Fashion Dog Collars

Where things get a little over the top for me – even where collars are concerned – is when the owner loses all sense of proportion and ties a collar round the neck of their dog that would pay for innoculating an entire third world country against every disease known to man. When I see examples like that it makes me so angry that I invariably shout at the television, radio or whatever medium beamed the shameful facts into my stream of consciousness. Come on people, get a grip!

So, to return to the question posed by the title of this article, are high fashion dog collars a step too far? The answer, to which any right thinking individual would attest, is clearly a resounding, “yes”.

Nautical stripes came back in the early summer, and they’re here to stay! This is one of the hottest plus size fashions for 2011.

Nautical influences have been popping up left, right and centre in the shapes of sailor stripes and cute boat collars and, the best news; such a style of luxurious plus size clothing really flatters the fuller figure!

One of the most sought after everyday essentials is the cool and comfy boat neck tee, which is a must have investment if you wish to jump aboard this trend. Many of those seen on this season’s runways featured cute embellishments such as statement corsages, which appeared attached at the neckline.

This season’s colour palette was a little different to what you would usually associate the nautical theme with and boasted shades of navy, bluebell, violet and a super hot pink.

Such a piece is a great investment if you are looking for a casual yet on trend tee to throw on with a pair of favourite jeans. For a look that is a little dressier, team the on trend boat neck tee with a pair of white Capri shorts. This is a great look for a summer day and when teamed with heels and a few bling accessories, it can instantly be transformed into evening attire.

Other boat neck tees that are hot for 2011 include a red and white stripe ensemble or alternatively a navy and white stripe piece. Many come complete with 3/4 length sleeves, making them perfect for those cooler mornings, when the sun hasn’t quite reached us.

Click Here for Latest Price Information

If you’re looking for a steal, check out this amazing price for the RB3025 Aviators worn by lots of Hollywood stars.

Don’t say I’m not good to you. As the summer comes rolling in it’s time to start thinking of our summer look. But does your man take care of himself? Why not introduced him to the timeless classic that are Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses?

Tom Cruise: Loved by fans all over the world

Regardless of what the kids on South Park think of him, Tom Cruise is still a man’s man. No wait, he’s a ladies’ man. Well, whatever way we look at it, he’s a good looking man. Don’t those sunglasses look pretty sexy? Ray-Ban sunglasses are like a good pair of jeans. Anyone can wear them and they make whoever is wearing them, cooler.

Still on the fence? Check out a bit of sunglass catching. Say what?

Just because you have a larger shape this doesn’t mean hiding your fuller figure is the best option. Rather than making it disappear, it will in fact make you look larger, so for this reason you should always stay away from baggier clothing but also anything that is too tight.

When choosing a shirt opt for one that will enhance your figure; if you have a pear shape choose a shirt that is cinched in at the waist but wider at the top. This will balance out the bottom heavy part, whilst showing off your best assets.

If you are wishing to invest in an outfit suitable for the office then you will probably also want to invest in a smart blazer. This looks killer with plus size dresses. There are however a few points to consider when choosing a blazer. Pear shaped women should always avoid wearing a blazer that hits the widest point of the hips, instead choose something that ends slightly above the hips or alternatively at waist level. A blazer with puffed sleeves is a great option for pear shapes, as it will balance out the shoulders in proportion to the hips.

Choosing a skirt can be a difficult task, especially when there are so many lengths and styles available. Both tight skirts and trousers should be avoided at all times if you possess a pear shape. Instead choose a skirt that offers a slight A-line cut as this style will work to skim over any problem areas and it will also smooth the hip and thigh.

A skirt with a waistline that lies slightly below the natural waistline is a good option as without those extra fussy layers you can make your waist look even smaller and your torso a little longer.

Finish the look with a killer pair of heels and you are good to go.

The summer season is almost upon us and women everywhere are stocking up their wardrobes with those gorgeous summer dresses, but as they do so the age old question of what footwear to wear with them springs to mind.

Traditionally it seems that sandals have always been the obvious choice. Not only do they add a touch of summer to any outfit, they also keep your feet nice and cool as well as being some of the most comfortable footwear around. But with the unpredictability of the the UK seasons, they can leave your feet feeling a bit too cold, especially when you step in a puddle from one of those infrequent summer showers. So it seems that pumps would be the next obvious choice, usually associated with the autumn and spring months they act as a bridge between shoes and sandals. They are open topped for coolness, but they also keep your feet protected and most importantly dry!

It seems the one type of footwear we would never consider would be the boot for spring time. But could it possibly be the footwear to wear with a summer dress? It is possible and it seems this season the fashion world is pushing us this way. It seems as if women’s boots are moving out of the winter collections and merging with the summer. But if we stop and think about it for a moment it does seem that women’s boots are the ideal accessory for those shorter summer dresses. Not only do they give more length to our legs by the way of their heel, they also protect our feet from the spring elements and complement every dress out there.

Women’s boots come in such a variety of ranges they can match the weather as well as your dress. On a warm day why not opt for a shorter boot, either picking up an ankle boot or a peep toe boot. For a night out, or those miserable looking days, there is always a higher boot to choose from.

It seems that women’s boots have been overlooked for too long in the summer collections and they are here this season to make their stand. If you’re looking for the best women’s boots for this season, then visit http://www.very.co.uk/ and browse their selection online. They have a fantastic range available on their website.

Check out Sharon Stone’s fur fashion choice. I reckon she’s wrong to be wearing that primarily because she looks ridiculous! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not morally opposed to wearing fur. But we have to draw a line somewhere. And it looks like the line is behind Sharon Stone. If you’re gonna wear fur, do it right, or not at all.

The Anti Fur Society (http://www.antifursociety.org/) suggests on their website that we should do a simple test to tell if the fur that we are going to buy is real or faux.

Before buying what you think is FAUX but which could be real fur (dog/cat/fox/rabbit), please do the simple test:

1) REAL FUR: Feels smooth, soft. Blow on longhaired fur, it divides such as soft hair. Often made of several layers of thin hair, the fibers form a dense under-wool through which the longer hairs stick out. The base is leather and resists a pin. It burns like human hair, smells similar.

2) FAUX FUR: Feels coarse, simpler structure; pierces easily with a pin. Individual hairs are often the same length and have and even color. Burns like plastic; hair feels hard between finger and thumb. Close to light, its shine is different from real fur.

Yeah, that’s right. We should bring out a lighter and burn a bit of a fur coat to tell whether it is fake or not!

Anyway, what’s all the fuss about wearing fur anyway? I mean, unless you’re a non-leather wearing vegan, don’t you think it’s a bit hypocrytical to be telling people they shouldn’t be wearing fur?

Fair enough, when you watch videos of some of the cruelty to animals that goes on it’s plainly disgusting. But the fact of the matter is that even people who wear fur will find this sort of thing repugnant. Skinning animals alive is just sick. The video below comes from PETA (http://features.peta.org/ChineseFurFarms/ftf.asp)

Just because this sort of thing goes on in some cultures, does this mean that people the world over should not be allowed to wear fur? Animals are grown for meat. Isn’t it just the same thing to grow them for fur? If they are killed humanely, what does it matter if it is their meat or their fur that is used?

Before jumping on your high horse, it might be a good idea to take a look at your own actions. Do you eat meat? Do you eat fish? Do you have any leather shoes? Telling people not to wear fur coats is in some respects similar to demonizing drug users. Sure, there are arguements against this sort of behaviour but wouldn’t proper government regulation serve to stamp out inhumane fur farming practices. This could ensure better treatment for animals, profits for farmers, tax revenues for the state and ethical fur products for people who want them.