Fabulous and fashionable umbrellas

One of the more cumbersome parts of a rainy day is the need for an umbrella. Fashion savvy men and women spend time on their hair and putting an outfit together, the last thing anyone wants to happen is to look like a bucket of water was dumped on top of their head. Although a hooded rain jacket can sometimes do the trick, hat head can happen easily, therefore ruining a perfectly good hair day. What every fashion conscious man and women needs is a fabulous and fashionable umbrella.

Say goodbye to a boring black umbrella! Unless you are taking public transportation or plan to be outdoors where you might need to place your umbrella on the ground, there is no need for a black umbrella. Black umbrellas are a must for any umbrella collection as they serve a practical purpose, but, when a black umbrella is not needed to hide the dirt, a fabulous umbrella is in order.

There are plenty of ways to express your fashion savvy knowledge through an umbrella. There are classic umbrellas such as the nova check umbrella from Burberry or a signature G umbrella from Gucci and there are also fashion forward designer umbrellas such as the patterns from Marc Jacobs. These are both good ways to express your fashionable side as the sky opens up.

There are also umbrellas which fit into the current trends. A vintage umbrella is a great way to match your umbrella to your vintage, fall outfit. Why not use a 1960’s umbrella paired with a mod dress and fabulous, brightly colored rain boots! A vintage floral umbrella can easily blend with the current feminine trend and carry you into spring when the rain showers appear and you are wearing spring’s hot floral print trend. A floral umbrella can even spice up a solid, pale colored outfit; another trend for spring 2011. A floral vintage umbrella can also double as a parasol when the sun is shining bright in the spring and summer.

Getting married during the rain? There are even wedding umbrellas to match that fabulous Vera Wang wedding gown! Why not use a petticoat white umbrella which can easily double as a parasol in warm weather.

Although umbrellas are practical and a necessity of life when it comes to a rainy day, there is always a reason to find a fabulous and fashionable umbrella. Even better if that umbrella can double as a parasol in the warm weather. Classic and fashionable umbrellas can be found at stores such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom. Unique umbrellas can be found at umbrellas.net. Happy shopping and stay fabulous. 

Spring 2011 Shoes Trends: Ankle Straps

Ankle straps are making a comeback on everything from flat sandals to sky-high heels. The last time the ankle strap donned the well-heeled was about five to six years ago when Manolo Blahnik created bow tie ankle strap heels and Chanel strapped the ankles of the fashion savvy everywhere.

The high heels and flat sandals on the runway in New York, Paris, London and Milan showed varied sole heights and color combinations. Some of the trends that were visible were bold colors mixed together, suede, flowers and embellishments. The one common theme on shoes was the ankle strap. The ankle straps on the runway at Louis Vuitton featured both buckles and bow tie’s. While John Galliano featured platforms with buckled ankle straps. Christian Dior featured bow tie ankle straps that wrapped around the ankle a few times; a nod to the Greek sandal. Nina Ricci featured both single and double buckled ankle straps as well as the bow tie ankle strap. Dolce & Gabbana also featured both the bucked ankle strap and the bow tie version. Versace showed thick, buttoned ankle straps which gave a nod to the 1960’s trend. Gianfranco Ferre featured a triple, buckled ankles strap on his runway. Gucci showed the single, buckled ankle strap. Anna Sui’s take on the ankle strap was with two thick, criss-cross straps that buckled in the back. Rodarte also featured thick, buckled ankle straps on the runway as well as Bagley Mishka. Marc Jacobs featured scarf bow tie ankle straps on his New York Fashion Week runway which stood out against neutral, everyday separates.

The verdict is in! The ankle strap is back and it is coming in many different forms from bow tie’s, to single, double and even triple straps. The criss cross ankle strap, although not as visible, will also be part of the trend. This is a great trend for shopping your closet. The ankle strap comes and goes every few years, so if you do not already have a pair in your closet from the last time around, this is a great trend to invest in. The high heels are showing in both platform and flat soles. There is mix of colors and textures. You cannot go wrong with any color combination or fabrication. Metallic, pastels, bold colors, candy colors, exotics, patterns. . . the list goes on for what will hot for spring 2011 shoes. Happy shopping and stay fabulous 

Brazilian Blowout Controversy: thankfully there are safe alternatives

The Brazilian Blowout controversy has exploded since Women’s Wear Daily published an article on October 8, 2010 detailing the excessive amounts of formaldehyde found in Brazilian Blowout products. When the news broke, many beauty salons began pulling the products from store shelves. Unfortunately the Brazilian Blowout products had been advertised as “formaldehyde-free,” thus sparking the controversy over the large amount of fomaldehyde which was actually found in the products. The controversy sparked Health Canada to issue a firm warning to salons in Canada. Distributors of Brazilian Blowout have stopped shipping their products to Canada as of Wednesday, October 12 2010 in response to Health Canada’s warning.

According to Women’s Wear Daily, the Oregon Health and Science University’s Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology conducted a study and then released the lab results which show that the Brazilian Blowout product contains between 5% and 10% formaldehyde. According to Health Canada, the levels were at 12% in lab tests. There have also been health related problems reported in Canada due to the formaldehyde levels in the Brazilian Blowout products.

Thankfully there are three products on the market for Fashionistas seeking the same sleek, healthy hair and manageable results a Brazilian Blowout provides.

Shu Uemura Art of Hair ShuSu Sleek entered high end salons in September 2010 and provides both an at-home solution and a traditional salon treatment. Clients have the choice of which product they wish to use; salon or at-home.

Kerastase Paris Oleo-Relax Slim has already been on the market for awhile and also offers an at-home treatment as well as the salon option.

blow Ready Set Blow launched in September 2010 in fine salons in New York. Hopefully this line will reach California soon!

All of these products are safe to use and provide fabulous, smooth silky blowout results. the results can last anywhere from three to six months depending on how you care for your hair at home. Happy shopping and hairstyling! And of course, stay fabulous