This Saturday, Erykah Badu will be performing at the O2 Academy in Brixton, if you haven’t got your tickets yet, too late, the gig has already sold out. Erykah Badu is a pioneer of all things. Music? Of course. Fashion? Undisputedly so.
Badu is well known for her range of crazy hair styles; huge afro wigs, ornate head dresses, at one point she had a shaved head. I like her style because she always stays true to her roots whilst adding a futuristic touch. Perhaps that’s the best way to describe her music too.
Recently she made headlines following the release of her controversial video for the single ‘Window Seat’. The video shows Badu walking through the streets of Washington, shedding her clothes one by one until she is completely naked, bearing the word ‘EVOLVING’ on her back. She walks up to the point where JFK was shot near Dealey Plaza and then collapses as if she too has been shot. Some present at the time voiced their objections saying it was offensive and not performance art. The video was shot guerrilla style in one take, no licenses were applied for and the Police have confirmed that it was not legal but apparently she went without charge.
A poignant message is spoken at the end of the video:
“They play it safe…Are quick to assassinate what they do not understand. They move in packs ingesting more and more fear with every act of hate on one another. They feel most comfortable in groups, less guilt to swallow. They are US! This is what we have become, afraid to respect the individual. A single person within a circumstance can move one to change, to love our self, to EVOLVE.”
This should be applied to how we feel about fashion too, don’t be afraid to be an individual!
A lot of people don’t advocate the use of tights all year round. In fact, in staying abreast of the other fashion blogs out there I have even come across an article debating whether opaque tights can be worn in the summer time at all. I think however, there is a time and a place for tights in every season, especially with the British summertime’s erratic behaviour; they can often get you out of a (excuse the pun) tight spot. How many times have you woken up in the morning expecting it to be a really warm day and then buy lunchtime you’re freezing? All hail footless tights! Perfect for those more like spring time, summer days. Another bonus of course is that the need to shave, wax, epilate, exfoliate, buff, fake tan, and whatever else the beauty magasines would have us believe is a mandatory part of our morning regime to ensure perfect summer pins, is totally removed. One pair of tights can save a lot of time and money and effort.
Only a few days ago whilst we were all enjoying the heat wave in the UK, I saw a girl in Victoria Park wearing barely black see through tights with cute little denim cut off shorts. A look I will definitely be emulating.
In the evenings, when it starts to cool down, I think there is definitely a permanent place for tights in every girl’s summer wardrobe. And why not be slightly adventurous; these awesome Henry Holland for Pretty PollySuspender tights can be bought from Mytights.com for only £12. The cute Betty Boop style looks brilliant on feminine curves and the fact they are not opaque all the way to the top makes them suitable for summer wear.
As seen on the likes of Lily Allen and Frankie from The Saturdays, and also Princess Eugenie! One has to say, well, if it’s good enough for a Princess…
Over the last few weeks World Cup fever has taken over. Living in such a cosmopolitan city like London the hype surrounding each game has been electric. I personally witnessed the Portuguese community out in force on the streets of Stockwell creating a carnival-like atmosphere, heard the sound of Vuvuzelas being blown along the streets of central London, the boos and hisses from fans watching the Ghana v Uruguay penalties and the fateful day that England faced Germany, silence, as pubs up and down the country filled and roads emptied.
Capello can be in our bad books for two reasons this year; firstly for the shocking performance by the English team, yet again a letdown – I also blame the media for making us believe we had a chance in the first place – and secondly, for banning WAGs. By comparison, the World Cup in 2006 in Baden-Baden was a fashion circus, this time round, nothing! As a woman, watching the WAGs strut their stuff in the latest fashions is a World Cup highlight, alongside appreciating incredibly toned thighs and shirt swapping at the end of each game.
Whereas the World Cup has totally out shone Wimbledon in headlines of the back pages of the papers, in the fashion stakes, the TWAGs (Tennis wives and girlfriends) were the front runners. The best way to describe them is ‘polished’. Every one of them oozes classic chic. Tailored jackets, light fabrics and huge sunglasses, all designer labels no doubt, but with high street stores doing great imitation pieces the TWAG look should not be impossible to re-create on a budget. So take inspiration from Kim Spears (Murray’s TWAG) and Xisca Perello (Nadal’s TWAG) apply some St. Tropez bronzing mist or something similar, get yourself a smart summer jacket and some heavy duty shades and start eating strawberries and cream by the bucket load.
If there’s one item I’d like to see come back into fashion, it’s the hat. Remember the old black and white films, when no-one was properly dressed without a hat? I love hats, and wear them all year round. When it’s chilly in winter, I wear them to keep warm, and in the warmer weather I need to protect my head from the sun. They also look good and add a stylish touch to any outfit. Think you don’t suit hats? Think again. Take a browse around the ladies wear shops and try on lots of different styles. You’ll be sure to find something that suits you – maybe a type of hat that you never thought was ‘you’.
Now that summer is here, I’m on the lookout for a trendy yet practical hat to keep cool and help keep the sun off my face. In fact I’d recommend that everyone wears a hat when out in the sun. There is such a vast range of styles available, and you’re sure to find something to suit. So when you pack your case for your holidays, don’t forget to include a hat. A wide-brimmed straw or cotton style will be perfect for the heat, and there are many hats that are designed to fold up, so that they won’t get squashed in your case or bag.
When winter comes round, I love getting out my collection of headwear. There is even more choice than in the summer. I have wool caps, berets in different colours, a floppy 70s vintage hat, a fedora, and fake fur. I’m always on the lookout for more styles and particularly love rooting round vintage stores, where you can be sure of finding something different (who wants to look like everyone else!). So why not join me in the hat revival?
Celebrities are very important to a large section of the public, especially the young. Some are only celebrities for a few weeks, but their moment of fame is no less significant. Using them to sell a company’s products and services can prove of great benefit and can significantly boost market share. Whether a company chooses to do so or not would depend on the product they are trying to sell or advertise and the expectations of the company.
A local celebrity provides a vastly more cost effective means of gaining publicity for a business. You can pay a few hundred pounds for a local hero or a few million for a national celebrity. This would clearly be way outside the budgetary constraints of most businesses.
A local slimming club that is very popular in the area may choose to use last year’s ‘biggest weight loss entrant’ to advertise what a great idea it would be to join them. That person could be a figure-head for the company who could spread what joining them had done for her. A number of book stores will get the author to their store for a book signing session. This has been known to significantly boost both interest and sales.
Whilst this could be a real boost for a local business, it is debatable whether this would assist a large public company. It is unlikely that sufficient market share would be generated to interest a Tesco or Woolworth’s. Their bottom line would not be impacted enough to get the interest of the powers that be.
It would also depend upon the type of company that is utilising the celebrity. It is improbable that a local accountancy or law firm would benefit greatly as most of the clients are wealthy individuals and other businesses. The entire basis of how the firm generates business is very different to a local store, gym or fitness club.
Webtogs are a new company which sells outdoor clothing and camping equipment. They sell brand-name footwear such as craghoppers & keen shoes, outdoor jackets, tents and rucksacks. They also have a ‘carbon neutral delivery’ policy in place.
With the increase in retailers offering their wares online, coupled with the busy lifestyles that today’s modern women have, it’s no surprise the more women are choosing to ditch the busy high streets in favour of using the internet for their clothes shopping.
Shopping online for clothes has its advantages. Firstly no travel costs and no time spent travelling to the shopping malls or queuing: this is better for the environment AND your stress levels! In addition to this most retailers have a wider range of sizes and products available online than in their stores, and all retailers are still covered by the same laws which govern their high street shops, so if an item is faulty you’ll still be within your rights to demand a refund. Shops normally deliver within a few days so you won’t wait long for your goods and they offer returns if something doesn’t fit. Additionally if you make the purchase on your credit card the credit card company will provide compensation if the retailer fails to, provided you have spent over a qualifying amount (in the UK, it’s £100 under the Consumer Credit Act or CCA).
Of course there are disadvantages of buying clothes online, the main one being you can’t try anything on, however if you know your measurements and check carefully what size you are buying this shouldn’t be too much of a problem, particularly because you can exchange or return the item if you order the wrong size. If you’ve already bought clothes from a store though, you should know what sizes of theirs fit you properly. The other disadvantage (and this is a major one for some people!) is that when you’re shopping online it’s a lot easier to get carried away, and so perhaps a lesson for us all is to set a spending limit before venturing onto the web in search of new garments! If you can do this and stick to it, you can enjoy all the benefits of shopping for clothes but without the hassle of the high street!
An Oxford shirt would definitely count as a classic shirt due to its over all style and look. Wearing an Oxford shirt really makes you look as well as feel the part. It is arguably best to get an Oxford shirt out of your wardrobe (or if you have not got one go and buy one) when it is vital that you make a big impression.
On the other hand whilst Polo shirts have long been considered to be a classic shirt they have lost a bit of their class in recent years. Polo shirts have become increasingly popular as part of work place uniforms as companies have gone from the traditional collar and tie look. I do not know about anybody else but I would not like to go out in a Polo shirt if it looked like somebody else’s work uniform.
Even sports shirts are now been described as classic shirts. If you support a Football League club the chances are that you can buy a replica shirt from the 1950s or the 1970s that will cost the same as their current shirt and will not be able to buy them half price at the end of each season.
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RT @MyTights: Everyone is still talking about tan tights - they are officially in this summer! Check out the 2nd @Grazia_Live article ht ... .2010/08/12
