Ankle strap shoes for fall 2012

There are so many shoe trends for the fall 2012 season, and many of them are modern takes on old classics. One of the fresh twists to a timeless shoe style, which is hot for fall, happens to be the ankle strap! Loathed by some due to the fact that ankle straps can shorten the look of one’s leg, the ankle strap is a classic shoe feature which can be found in many different forms over the years.

Ankle straps have faded in and out of fashion over the past several decades and have shown themselves in the forms of bow-ties, ribbons, buckle straps, single straps and double straps as well as large pieces of leather or fabric. For the fall 2012 season, the ankle strap is mainly found as a solid piece of leather, faux leather, patent or fabric. The strap is normally ultra-thin, although thicker “ankle cuffs” have also been spotted for fall; there is no medium size ankle strap for fall 2012.

The ankle straps shown on shoes this season offer a standard buckle free from embellishments and “bling.” The wider ankle straps or “ankle cuffs” offer an avant-garde vibe while the thinner ankle straps this season are flirty and lighthearted.

For those of us with short legs, the thinner ankle straps are more flattering than the thicker ones since ankle straps can shorten the look of the leg. Lighter colors are also more flattering for short or thick legs. If worn with dark tights, or another type of leg covering, dark colored ankle straps and thick ankle straps can easily be worn by a short leg since the color of the leg is tonal.

We found a few fabulous pairs of ankle strap shoes online and assembled them into the Polyvore set below. Hope you love them! Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 

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Shopper totes for fall 2012; ditch the disposable shopping bag

Shopper totes for fall 2012 are offering a fresh take on a classic handbag style for running daily errands, going to the office and shopping at the mall. Gone are the days of the solid colored basic tote or the logo embellished tote which reflects the price of the handbag rather than any sort of fashion-sense or personal style.

Practical yet fabulous shopper totes for fall 2012 are being shown in seasonal trends including color blocking, textures, mixed fabrications, rocker-chic studs, leopard print, in prints and with embellishments. The fall 2012 shopper tote is also being shown in a medium to large size; perfect for carrying home a few pairs of shoes, some jewelry, a new top and more after a day of shopping.

Shopper totes are also versatile. This classic handbag style can easily be worn to the office too. A shopper tote can carry an extra pair of shoes, an iPad or small laptop and a clutch for use during a lunch break or for going out on the town after work.

The silhouette for fall 2012’s shopper tote is being shown in both east/west and north/south. Most shopper totes for fall feature an open top with one clasp or snap; making it easy to fill up with purchases. J

Shopper totes are an essential handbag style for every Fashionista; even non-fashion conscious men and women. Gone are the days of carrying around a paper or plastic disposable shopping bag after making a purchase at the store; food, clothing or otherwise. Shopper totes are better for the environment and can also free up your hands from carrying multiple disposable shopping bags. Of course, sometimes your purchase is too big to fit in the shopper tote and that is OK; the system is not perfect J

We found a few fabulous shopper totes around the web and assembled them into the Polyvore set below. Hope you love it! Happy shopping and stay fabulous 

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Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo lipstick review

Dolce & Gabbana is one of the most important designing duos in the fashion industry, so it is no wonder that their cosmetics line would include the season’s newest and hottest colors. The “Passion Duo” lipstick collection by Dolce & Gabbana is a large line of thin lipsticks which offer two parts; lipgloss on the inside, creamy lipstick on the outside.

“Passion Duo” lipstick is packaged in a shiny, golden container which is slightly longer and thinner than other brands’ containers. This enables Dolce & Gabbana’s “Passion Duo” lipstick to fit nicely inside a small clutch, box clutch or any small handbag for easy mobility. I also noticed the lipstick is easy to apply with this size container.

When I first opened the “Passion Duo” lipstick container there was a faint, sweet powder scent which was fresh and feminine. This was a nice fragrance which I found to be pleasant in comparison to other lipstick brands which smell a bit waxy.

Dolce & Gabbana’s “Passion Duo” lipstick glides on smoothly without clumping and applies evenly. I tried three colors; “Tropical,” “Exotic” and “Royal.” All of the colors I tested glided on easily with one to two coats and provided full coverage.

There are some lipstick’s out there which need a lip balm or moisturizer applied underneath. This was not the case with Dolce & Gabbana’s “Passion Duo” lipstick. I applied all three of the colors I tested without any lip balm or moisturizer underneath and they all stayed moist without drying my lips or making my lips look chapped. This is a very important point and my favorite part about “Passion Duo!”

I found Dolce & Gabbana’s “Passion Duo” lipstick to be more on the creamy side rather than lipgloss side. The color saturation is amazing and the hues are vibrant. What you see in the container is the color that you see on your lips; this lipstick does not change color on you! Love that!

After testing Dolce & Gabbana’s “Passion Duo” lipsticks for ten days, I give them five out of five stars for being fabulous! By fabulous I mean perfect color saturation, moisturizing, nice scent and convienent packaging.

Dolce & Gabbana’s “Passion Duo” can be found at Saks Fifth Avenue Stores, Saks.com and atDolceGabbanaMakeUp.com. They are priced at $34 each

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Photos: Passion Duo lipsticks c/o Dolce & Gabbana