Covet

John Galliano for Christian Dior Spring 2011 Couture

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 07:41:00 +0000

John Galliano's extravagance never gets old... not for me anyway.

Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2011 Couture

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 07:39:00 +0000

A lot of this was actually really shit and I like the detail shots better than the full outfits. Full show here

Elie Saab Spring Couture 2011

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 07:34:00 +0000

Standout dress...

Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2011 Couture

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 07:31:00 +0000

Alexis Mabille Spring Couture 2011

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 07:29:00 +0000

Alexis Mabille has a feminine style. Some of the peasant girl looks have not been brought into the future IMO, they look too raw.

Armani Prive Spring 2011 Couture

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 07:23:00 +0000

Armani Prive did a shiny outer space thing using bridesmaid dress material!

Lots of reflective jewel-toned hues.

I actually liked the leathery material (bottom) the best.

Bouchra Jarrar 2011 Spring Couture

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 07:16:00 +0000

Was not a fan of anything they did except these two black pantsuits. I don't think Bouchra Jarrar is one to watch generally.

Full show here.

Robinsons' Exciting New Pantomime Promotion

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 01:58:00 +0000

It's an unlikely scenario: British squash company Robinsons is getting into children's pantomimes.
'Pantomimes have always been a highlight for families at Christmas and Robinsons continues to refresh generations of families, so we felt this was the perfect partnership."
At the heart of this very creative promotion is an interactive website. Children are guided every step of the way with the help of fun graphics, sounds and cues.
Robinsons' site makes the pantomime process engaging and fun for kids. There are even pdf scripts and instructions for someone (probably a frazzled mother) to make costumes!
So what is a pantomime? The form has changed much over the years and is always adapted to suit audiences and contexts.
Wikipedia does, however, list certain 'conventions':

The leading male juvenile character (the 'principal boy') - is traditionally played by a young woman, and usually in tight-fitting male garments (such as breeches) that make her female charms evident.
An older woman (the pantomime dame - often the hero's mother) is usually played by a man in drag.
Risqué double entendre, often wringing innuendo out of perfectly innocent phrases. This is, in theory, over the heads of the children in the audience.
Audience participation, including calls of "He's behind you!" (or "Look behind you!"), and "Oh, yes it is!" and "Oh, no it isn't!" The audience is always encouraged to boo the villain and "awwwww" the poor victims, such as the rejected dame, who usually fancies the prince.
A song combining a well-known tune with re-written lyrics. The audience is encouraged to sing the song; often one half of the audience is challenged to sing 'their' chorus louder than the other half.

Direct your kids to the Robinsons site and bring your own family pantomime to life.
(Robinsons are also running a 'Search for a Star' contest. Young performers are encouraged to audition for some big shows).

Prom and Graduation Dresses For Summer

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:07:00 +0000

Some best sellers for upcoming proms/balls follow:

These three prom dresses are from promgirl. The site has just enabled a comments function (it's pretty interesting to read what people think) and you can pay using PayPal! They also accept VISA, Amex, Mastercard and Discover.

The site is very easy-to-navigate: you can browse by price, by designer, by event (homecoming, graduation, ball -these all have slightly different looks) or even by what everyone else is wearing. Top ten dresses is a nice new addition. There is also a big SUMMER MADNESS SALE and a 2008 STYLES BLOWOUT if you don't mind wearing a cast-off (I guess they would have to be low-sellers) from last year!

That last dress in my best-seller trio (the champagne coloured one) is really something special. It is 'prom dress 19719', for everyone else who likes it, and the design is Paris by Tony Bowls. Those gems have a sandy look - it's so unusual. Also doesn't hurt that the girl is gorgeous and pulling the best pose!

Sister site 4prom also deal in prom dresses. With a glitzier look and a more compact design, the site is a good choice. The designs on offer (the dresses) overlap somewhat with promgirl but there is some nice different stuff, and less of a 'warehouse'/outlet feeling - Prom dresses, homecoming dresses, 2010 prom dresses and gowns declares the tagline. I'd say this is where you're likely to see next year's designs FIRST, as they become available.

The 'newest 2010 collection' has already arrived here.

My impression of prom dresses from Mori Lee is that they are more exclusive (even though this is another sister site). There is a smaller prom range, and wedding dresses, bridal dresses, general formal wear and even flower girl dresses are available! While the site is easy to navigate, there are few search options - you can search by style or find an authorised retailer. Less emphasis on secure internet shopping

Obviously the designs are mainly Mori Lee by Madeleine Gardner, and she does some nice work.

Everybody Needs an Alexander McQueen Moment

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:24:00 +0000

This English designer (the son of a taxi driver, and a Pisces, for what it's worth - every second blog mentions it!!) grew up in London's shabby east end. One of his earliest memories, he says, is drawing a dress on a piece of bare wall where the wallpaper had peeled off in the family's council house. McQueen calls it his 'first design sketch!'

There is a quality to McQueen's work today (a luxuriousness and a sense of abundance) that looks like a reaction against those times - the young boy saturated with a working class aesthetic (mass culture over high culture, practicality over whimsy, function over form, Cats over Faust and Strauss's Blue Danube over Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier) has blossomed into 'the hooligan of English fashion', allowing inner vision to propel him beyond the 'classic' (bland) and functional.

The late 00s provided fertile ground for McQueen to indulge - he continues to push the 'sculptural shoe' trend (in particular) to stranger, more wonderful places.

Debt Consolidation Site

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:56:00 +0000

One of the banes of the shopper's existence is credit card debt. US site 3DebtConsolidation.com is a comprehensive online resource designed to help manage debt, particularly what they call 'bad debt' (Auto loans, store credit cards, credit card debt and gambling debt). Is there such a thing as good debt? Yes, according to this site (business loan, real estate loan, mortgage, student debt).

Full of useful things like a recent article on How To Negotiate Debt With Creditors (apparently this is ALWAYS preferable to dealing with a collections agency so call your creditors directly). They have a phone line, fora (forums haha), lots of articles about credit card debt consolidation and bill consolidation and services directly relevant to your US state. There are also reviews of financial institutions and debt consolidations companies.

Recent Debt Consolidation Facts

1. If you spend more than 50% of your credit limit every month, this indicates to the Credit Bureau that you do NOT have enough cash on hand to meet your monthly expenses. This will identify you as a high credit risk and will actually reduce your credit score by 60 - 70 points overnight (Fair Isaac).

2. If you miss 1 or 2 payments on your credit card debt, the issuing company will skyrocket your interest rate to a whopping 27% - 30%!

3. Out of a random sample of 3 million American consumers (included in Experian's National Score Index), 51% of them have at least 2 credit cards and 14% of them have 10 or more credit cards.

Eye-Popping Designs from Lingerie.com

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:21:00 +0000

Where would you go for lingerie but the site that has scored the Holy Grail (that is, the most basic, obvious and search-friendly) domain name? Lingerie.com is an absolute lingerie mecca.

Click the images for more information

$21.99

Stretch Lace Bra and Boy Shorts
By Dreamgirl

Dreamgirl are marketing this as sleepwear! Are they kidding?!? The strappy boy shorts look much too uncomfortable for bed, or for that matter, to wear under anything! This would give you the ultimate visibly panty line.

Still fabulous though! Maybe to wear around the house ? ;p

$49.99
Reversible Corset 3 Piece Set

By Dreamgirl

Another Dreamgirl piece. Very vampy, the corset could even be 'underwear as outerwear' (a trend some people hate) if you're very bold.

$29.99
Halter Lace Babydoll with Matching Thong

By Dreamgirl

A nylon, lace and tassel piece. The stretch lace neck collar is included!!

$28.99
Mesh Chemise with Matching G-String

By Leg Avenue

Very sexy! And sweet too. That is sheer polka dot mesh on the body - the dots don't really show up in the picture. Did you notice the heart detail on the trim? A best seller :)

$31.99
Bell Sleeved Chemise with Matching G-String Panty

By Dreamgirl

Another best seller! The beauty of these sprawling internet lingerie sites is you will find so many things you'd never find in the stores.

Available in a nice maroon colour too. Probably quite flattering but would look especially good on people with long stomachs and bony collarbones.

For literally thousands more pieces on a simple, very browsable site click here.

Impulse Buying with Elastic

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:55:00 +0000

Just a note about the Elastic shopping aid.

I went overseas recently and had a very scary experience being stuck at an airport in Japan with no wallet.

NEVER lose your wallet while you're travelling!

I was very lucky- I was rescued by an American air force pilot. He gave me a phone card and 7000 yen. His name was Dustin Canedy. Thank you Dustin! He will see this if he ever googles himself :)

But I'm a young girl and people tend to find me sweet. Imagine if I was an old guy. No chance!

I researched a bit and found out that in some cases people in similar situations have been stuck at airports for months. In one famous case (an Asian man who lived at an airport for almost a decade) even years.

What I'm writing about today won't help you in airport emergencies, but it will help you in shopping ones!

Elastic offer prepay debit cards and small loans specially designed for urgent impulse buys. Say when a sale is about to end and you don't have any cash that day. Or when there is only one item left in your size and you just know it will be gone tomorrow.

Elastic can act as your heroic American air force pilot and come to the rescue.

Can also help with some other urgent purchases. I hesitate to recommend it for travel because I just don't know how accessible it is around the world.

For shopping (especially around sale time) - perfect! Visit their site here

Prom Dresses For 2009

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:01:00 +0000

It's prom time again for some! Here are some of my picks for this year.

Click for more information...

Tony Bowls 2009

Paris by Tony Bowls Chiffon Dress
$358

One eye-catching trend this year is trains! No longer confined to wedding dresses, the train adds
glamour, extravagance, and an extra dash of contrivance and inconvenience to any prom outfit.

You meet people who don't mind sporting fussy hair, corsets, painful shoes etc. as long as they look amazing. Pretty much everyone turns into that girl on prom night! So what's a little train? They do look wonderful. Watch out for people's feet!

Mauri Simone 2009

Mauri Simone light pink metallic prom dress
$318

Mauri Simone is a popular prom designer and they love those shiny fabrics! There's a conventional edge to Mauri Simone- they're very well suited to high school girls who want something safe that will flaunt their figure. Something that none of the school bitches could fault!

I guess I mean there' s not much edge or imagination to these. But they are beautifully made and quite elegant. My male best friend is sitting next to me right now and he wants me to write 'the slinky fabric accentuates the feminine physique and will capture the imagination of every male'. So there you go!

This one was my favourite because of the ruching and detailing around the bust, which gives it a 'Cleopatra' feeling.

Dave and Johnny 2009

Dave and Johnny blue strap dress
$189

These guys strike me as quite versatile. The dresses run the gamut from short to long, from fussy to simple, from sleek, shiny and 'evening' to printed, colourful and summery. And there are nice eye-catching details, like this blue design with the single back strap!

These designs are also very well priced and will probably be popular. The blue strap dress I've chosen has sold out in sizes 0 and 4, which might show how skinny American high school students have gotten. Or it might show that the other girls think they can't get away with slinky fabrics :(

Night Moves 2009

I liked a few of these!

Night Moves prom dress

$378

This one is ruched all the way down and will make you look like an expensive foil-wrapped chocolate.

Night Moves prom dress

$289

Another train design. It looks great in motion! The site has a shot from the back where the woman is not moving and the fabric seems to settle nicely. But this is clearly designed for someone who will dance!

My best friend doesn't like it, he says: 'the eye is drawn to the fabric, and not to the woman'!

Night Moves prom dress
$269

This tight fishtail design wood be good for enhancing the figure. Is it just me or does the fabric look a bit like vinyl?! I don't know how they got that chunky effect but I like it.

I sometimes think gilt touches on these sort of gowns (like the gold speckles on this one) look cheap, especially close up. But these look ok. You can see how flattering this dress would be overall!

Night Moves prom dress
$289

This is an example of a dress I would really like (it would probably be my favourite) if the dots on the bottom faded away a bit more nicely!

It actually looks good in this small picture so you'll have to click on it to see what I mean!

You have to PAY for beautifully executed details and I don't think many prom/school ball people have that sort of money.

I want to emphasise that overall Night Moves was one of my favourites, though :)

La Femme 2009

La Femme prom dress
$398

So, so pretty! So girly! La Femme lives up to its name by producing dreamy, very delicate designs. For people who are less about flash and in-your-face allure and more about looking like a princess.

These also have that nice quality of *looking* more expensive than they *are*. At least I feel that way about the dresses in the pictures.

La Femme dress with back detail

$338

4Prom has so many prom dresses it's not funny! Even if nothing I've featured caught your eye I encourage you to check it out because you really can't go wrong. There were looks and trends I couldn't feature because it would take all day.

I also want to say that I've focussed on dresses that make a *bit* of a statement. I know a lot of people want to keep their prom outfit traditionally stylish because that's the sort of event a prom is! Just so you know - the bulk of dresses at 4prom are in that vein. I just didn't feature them because I'd start repeating myself and it would get boring.

But please, please check it out! Also have a look at:

prom dresses Clarisse

and

short prom dresses at promgirl

Magical Interiors by Tony Duquette

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:48:00 +0000

'If I could trade places with anyone for a day, it would be the dashing Tony Duquette' - John Galliano

Costume and Set Designer and Interiors genius Tony Duquette died in 1999, and he's one of designs best kept secret. I think of him as a kind of Walt Disney of design. Actually he has a kindred spirit in all of the arts - it's weird how quickly I can pinpoint them and how right it feels.

In Literature Tolkien is Duquette-esque, because he's fantastical and because he's able to construct whole imagined universes from scratch and make them feel real. In music Michael Jackson has the Duquette quality because he's fantastical and because he gets away with being over the top. You might have a split second where you'll recoil at how *tacky* or *maudlin* this all is, but there are other qualities - the great craftsmanship, the sheer force and boldness and inventiveness - that melt you. You just can't ignore him. Design has a Duquette in John Galliano himself, for obvious reasons - the vibrant colours, the mish-mashed textures, the soaring inventiveness and the showmanship.

Above: Duquette's Main Room in his famous studios.

An Eastern motif in pastel colours.

The orient seen through a Hello Kitty lens.

Table with chunky, Dali-esque 'legs'.

A winter ball in Los Angeles decorated with crystal snowflakes
and silver lame by Tony Duquette.

Duquette interior with his signature animal print tablecloth.

'It's interesting because Tony is probably more honest as a creator of spaces than many people because it's about the heartfelt desire to create what he perceives as a beautiful space.

Through his interiors he was able to give people the feeling they had been there for a long time, that they were very important, that they were very glamorous.

I look at decorative Tony Duquette work, its baroque roots, and it's very much about people. His interiors were about trying to create an environment where people feel they've been there forever. It is creating a false aristocratic history, a fantasy, a type of magical festival, it's a bit like Louis XIV - the fountains, the amazing sculptures, and the belief that you can make something out of nothing. It was just entirely out of his imagination.'
designer Catherine Martin

The part about 'false aristocratic history' is spot on. There's that grandeur and self-importance (in a good way) and - I've noticed - nods to stuffy upper class traditions from all cultures! Like in this shot above: you have intricate beaded pillows and expansive couches, all you need is a veiled Egyptian princess to languish on them. BUT on the walls are murals straight out of a Baroque Polish castle so you know, maybe the princess has shacked up with Sobieski's daughter.

Interior complete with very unusual wall feature constructed from scratch.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have the *sense* of aristocratic history in one's home without actually having the dubious family legacies, like slave ownership, colonialist expeditions,
whoring, stuffy, penny-pinching ancestors, deaths from cholera and connections
to powerful religious zealots?

Cream and red walls with the ever-present Baroque influence.

Duquette's own toilet!!

This reminds me of so many things at once: a place in an Indian Jones movie where he stays around the middle of the expedition, after he enters the Orient but just before all the action scenes; a stage set from the King and I, and... Christmas! There is a Christmasey feeling to much of Duquette's work. It's the lights, sparkles and ornamentation.

Mrs. Duquette's dressing room featuring a 19th century cabinet lined in blue felt and decorated with her collection of precious jewels.

Duquette called his wife Elizabeth 'Beegle' because she had 'the industry of the bee and the soaring poetry of the eagle'! There were also times when he called her 'Beegle jewel fiend'!

images: tonyduquette.com

Amazing Diamond Jewelry from Ross Simons

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:13:00 +0000

This has to be one of the web's best kept secrets. Ross Simons has an amazing range and they're the exclusive distributors of the Christie Brinkley collection. A marketer's dream and a magnet for starry-eyed fashion bloggers. So why haven't I heard of this company before?

If celebrity ranges turn your stomach, head straight to the diamond jewelry range - not an eyebrow-raising affiliation to be seen! Just a lot of beautiful diamonds...

MY PICKS:

A Bargain:
Diamond Heart and Toggle Necklace in Sterling Silver

An extravagance:

Diamond Station Necklace in Two-toned Gold

The perfect gift:

Diamond Solitaire Necklace

A bit quirky:

Diamond Dog Bone Necklace

The dog bone necklace is available in other designs! This one has a diamond bone lodged in 14kt yellow gold!

You'll find something whether your taste is classic or quirky and out-there. Some of the finest diamond estate necklaces on the web here.

Ross Simon offers extensive customer care and secure online shopping options.

Shirts from Charles Tyrwhitt

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:55:00 +0000

Who knew the humble white shirt could be such a puzzle? Charles Tyrwhitt is a veritable shirt mecca, and a quick browse through their site raises dozens of shirt questions and dilemmas you'd never have dreamed of. This is always the case when you speak to an obsessive. Steer clear if you enjoy a fashion plateau and don't want your wh ite shirt comfort zone shaken up.

This London clothing company retails some of the best classic clothing on the market, emphasising quality fabrics and tailoring. The site offers a 14 day refund guarantee, and allows you to purchase in US dollars or euros.

Choose from a mind-boggling array of mens shirt styles which include Organic Cotton Shirts, Oxford Button-down Shirts, Poplin Shirts, Non-iron Shirts, Black Label Shirts and Superfine 180s shirts.

Click on the images for more information.

White Twill Twofold 180s Classic Shirt
Desribed as 'the lobster of the crustacean family, the Bugatti of
the automobile world and the Lafite of wines'

Cream Poplin Classic Shirt
Poplin is smart, cool and performs well under stress

Toddington Grey Pinstripe Sea Island Quality Classic Shirt
Woven in Italy from two fold 140s yarn, Sea Island cotton is
quite simply the best cotton you can find.

Haslemere Navy Check Non Iron Classic Shirt
Our non-iron shirts are as beautiful as our other shirts,
but they don’t need ironing (and no synthetic fibres in sight)

Specify your collar and sleeve length down to the half inch.

And get in quick - they're having a sale!

Tacori Jewellery at JR Dunn

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:38:00 +0000

*Blissed-out sigh* The Tacori range ... it doesn't get any better than this. These prestigious rings are so beautifully crafted... They really are small works of art. Craftsmanship makes all the difference with an engagement ring. This is why some will just POP, they'll catch the eye, and others won't. It's the WAY the silver and diamonds are set, the way they swirl around each other, the way they're cut, and the small juttings and arrangements around the stones. Oooooh... silver and diamonds...

I just received a wedding invitation from a girl I've known since I was four. I'm 25, so I'm at *that* age - people I remember in diapers and school uniforms are freaking me out by starting to wed each other. The invitation was a masterpiece of feminine meticulousness, from the calligraphy on the enclosed maps to the faux flowers pinned lovingly to the front. 'I feel so sorry for the husband in this' said my (male) best friend. 'She'll be like: THE INVITATIONS HAVE TO BE PERFECT' *mimics hyperventilation*...

The ring pretty much has to be perfect too! Next to the dress, the engagement ring will be the source of the most fuss. So... here are some choices from JR Dunn, a retailer of the beautiful Tacori range.

Tacori engagement rings are created so painstakingly they could have been overseen by the rabid, hyperventilating brides themselves. See some of my favourites here and here and here. And here.

Known for elevating craftsmanship to an art, Tacori's signature diamond rings fuse old world elegance with modern glamour and style. Each Tacori ring is hand-crafted by their expert artisans to fit the individual needs of every customer.

Engagements are so exciting. Give yourself the best with this range, which is destined to become classic. Tacori rings are created to become heirlooms, so they really will last forever...

Your One Stop For Jewelry on the Web

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:35:00 +0000

My Jewelry Box is an online shopper's dream: Secure purchasing options, free Fed Ex (for purchases over $150), free gift wrapping, a 30 day returns policy, an enormous range and an accessible customer service information line. What else do you need?

The jewelry can be searched by type (pendants, rings, necklaces, earrings or bracelets) and there are seperate sections for engagement rings and gifts. Alternatively, you can browse by price (Under $100, $100 - $200, $200 - $300, all the way up to whoppingly expensive, Elizabeth Taylor-worthy pieces 'above $5000'). You can even shop by stone!

Some great pieces (click for more information) are:

Blue Topaz and Aquamarine Gemstone Earrings

Sapphire Gemstone Bracelet

Tahitian Black Pearl Earrings

Diamond Ring in White and Yellow Gold

I was especially impressed with the diamond rings, and there's an exceptional selection of promise rings. You're sure to find something beautiful...

Karl Lagerfeld's Russian Fantasy for Chanel

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:09:00 +0000

Chanel Pre-fall 2009 can be summarised in one word: HEADPIECES. Lagerfeld wanted to fuse the old and the new, which sounds like a tired old philosophy until you realise what a broad palette of 'old' looks is on offer (fashion has been evolving and mutating alongside human history for thousands of years). The trick is to make intelligent choices. This season Lagers cherry-picked from Russian inspirations. Sculpted heels like faberge eggs and brilliant headpieces evoked the regality and extravagance of monarchs. Pieces had a rich, textured wintery feel. BUT he'd couple them with black dresses, adding a touch of Soviet asceticism (there were a few versions of this but the one above was my favourite).

Quaint Russian peasant uniforms also got a makeover.

And those gold stockings kept appearing!

Think this will never find its way off the catwalk? Just wait, Lady Gaga will be on it in a heartbeat.

Then again, as much as fashionistas have hope for her, I worry that her look is stubbornly futuristic in a static way. Even if a marriage of old and new becomes the way forward (as it seems to be) she will stubbornly stick with her mod prints, clean lines and structured shapes, because they look 'traditionally' futuristic. By being 'traditionally' forward she is being traditional! Do you get what I mean?

Another eye-catching trend at Chanel was women's jackets on men!

Does this have its place? I can sort of see masculine fashion-forward men grabbing onto it. Remember that pink shirt craze a few years ago? I noticed that only gym-toned beefcakes hopped on it, as if they were saying 'I'm uber-macho and this pink shirt doesn't make a dent in that. It merely offsets my macho-ness (machismo?) in an interesting way'.

These women's jackets could be like that!

images: style.com

Lingerie from Flirty Lingerie

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:27:00 +0000

Are you bored with your everyday underwear choices? Stuck in a rut? Have you practically melded into your black bra and flesh coloured underpants? Perhaps you need an adventure.

Not all the lingerie from Flirty Lingerie is for the faint of heart (Garters! Suspenders! Crotchless Underpants! Fishnet bodysuits! Nipple covers like the one on Janet Jackson's boob at the Superbowl!) but you're bound to find something fab that suits your taste.

A good guide might be:

For beautiful, delicate pieces- La Perla;
For extravagant, bright, erotic things- Agent Provocateur;
For a boundless, titillating, mind-expanding postmodern underwear experience (on a budget)- Flirty Lingerie!

Even if you're just after a bra, prepare to see exotic shapes, nipple-exposing contrivances, and push-up technologies you'd never dreamed of. There is also a wide selection of plus size lingerie.

(Click images for more info)

Polka dot 'thong' and bra
with Peek-a-Boo Back and Lace Bows

Lace push-up 'Shelf' bra
'Exposes your breasts while supporting them' (a Best-Seller!)

Stretch Lace Open-Crotch Satin Panty

Sheer Stretch 'thong' panty with
pearl detail and butterfly applique

Strapless Bra and thong set in Checker pattern

An enormous selection of teeny, tiny skirts

For pages and pages of sexy lingerie options visit the Flirty site.

Jonas Brothers Merchandise

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:35:00 +0000

I know I have a lot of readers who love The Jonas Brothers so I'm going to 1) admit that the middle one is dreamy, and 2) let you know about the large selection of merch available at their most sprawling fan site, JoBroFanClub.com.

Until the Jo Bros came on the scene the 00s could not lay claim to a real pop merchandising phenomenon. The nineties had two that I can remember: that brief period after Michael Jackson's world tour, when obsessives papered their walls with every snippet they could find in magazines, and those two weeks after Hanson came out, when waifish pre-teen girls went mad for three blonde guys who looked exactly like them.

The Jonas Brothers are clearly in the Hanson mould, though their look is more smouldering than sunny and girlish; maybe that follows automatically when you have a trio of brunettes. In addition to the usual media and links sections, JoBroFanClub.com has a large selection of Jonas Brother stuff.

For Camp Rock Fans, there's a range of merch inspired by the latest film phenomenon. Go nuts!

"The Jonas Brothers are the hottest teen band in years. Their popularity has spawned many products from leading internet retailers. They include The Disney Store, Target, WalMart, Sears, Limited Too and many more. Some of the Jonas Brothers branded merchandise includes t-shirts, buttons, magnets, totes, posters, pillows, mousepads, clocks and more. The JoBro store at http://JoBroFanClub.com has the largest selection of JoBro merchandise available."

Lani Hammett- What Does a Metallica Wife Wear in the 00s?

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:44:00 +0000

Kirk Hammett's low profile wife Lani gave birth to a son on June 28th this year (the bafflingly named Vincenzo Kainalu Hammett). Lani was not one to strut around Nicole Richie-style in hip maternity outfits, so to answer my own question (what ARE the rocker wives wearing?) I've rounded up some pre-baby shots.

Black, leather, corduroy, no-fuss hair and cheap-looking shoes. Is that a purse she's holding or an envelope? 'Dear Lani, kudos to you for the rock spirit.' Metallica may have sold out but you sure didn't.

The only thing that's 'now' about this is the slightly emaciated look, but you know it's drugs-debauchery-and-partying induced, not the result of fussy, painstaking lifestyle choices (gym, dieting, macrobiotic foods).

A little more stylishly rock. Check out those tatts! Kirk was having a hotel mogul moment, with that Hawaiian shirt and velvet (is that velvet?) suit. His curls are tight-tight-tight, like individually stacked springs. Hers are loose and lazy. Like all great loves, they balance one another.

A playful moment captured in the tropics. You've got a red dress and a pretty hairpiece, and your husband is having a Chris Cornell moment. Can I be you?
Then again, the head segment in the lower right (from the original article) could be some woman he was supposed to be cheating with. Trouble in paradise...

Lani enters the present millenium, with sleek looking hair, a new fringe, modern makeup and a bit of effort in the clothes department.

Katie Holmes Finds A New Way To Wear Makeup

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:37:00 +0000

A new way to wear blush, to be precise. Not on the apples of your cheeks but at the sides of your eyes!

The look has been appearing on the catwalk as well, and it's not clear to me whether Katie was the trendsetter or the follower. It looks pretty good on her, though.
How long before we start seeing tragic versions of this in suburban shopping centres?

Prom Dresses From Promgirl

noreply@blogger.com (aesthete12345) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:51:00 +0000

Have you ever actually spoken to anyone who had a stress-free prom/school ball experience? There's always something that leaves the prom girl a nervous wreck, and I'm not even talking about the part when you arrive and your skeletal best friend collapses from pre-event starvation, or afterwards when Willy from the football team makes a grab for your virginity because he's heard that initiation is a prom tradition. The majority of prom stress happens beforehand, with the Homeric ordeal of getting ready.

I've been looking around for prom dresses and my favourites by far have been from uber-store Promgirl:

'Promgirl.net carries all of this season’s most sought after designers and popular dresses. This includes gowns by Jovani, Alyce Designs, Mori Lee, Riva Designs, Faviana and Tiffany – all of which can be seen in major prom magazines like Seventeen Prom, Elle Girl, Teen Prom, Teen People and many more. Look for the prom dresses 2009 coming soon to our site.'

The Prom Dresses 2009 are available here. Overall Promgirl's selection and prices are great, and there are secure online purchasing options - important for me and for the rest of that herd of buyers who have migrated to the web this decade. There's a section of prom dresses for under 100 dollars, and I thought one or two of these were passable. For the really chic stuff, though, you've got to look at the recent season. They're grouped according to designer and you can really see differences in look and philosophy. Some of my favourites were:

Faviana prom dress, $249

A really fresh design that almost looks like lingerie

Quinceanera, $350

Very princess-ey; for the prom traditionalist

Paparazzi, $358

Flashier sorts of dresses, and prints and colours that would go with a spray tan. If Paris Hilton had a prom, and a budget of hundreds (not millions) she'd go for one of these.

Paris Prom Dress, $278

A short design, in case that's the way you swing

Sherri Hill, $460

A little more expensive, and it shows. Black tie stuff that still looks modern.

The full selection of prom dresses (with new colours and styles; overall there's a huge selection for 2009) can be browsed here.