Saras Fashion Blog

Short, long, formal or informal, winter, spring, summer, for young or old, these are all things that need to be considered when buying an evening dress. The evening dress is a garment that most women like to spend time and effort to ensure the right choice is made. Throughout the decades evening dresses have been regarded as the pinnacle of fashion, and very often an evening dress is chosen for a formal event, however there may be less formal events that require a dress to be worn.

Evening dresses generally follow the fashion trend for the year or season, the dress may be short or long depending on the fashion trend, the evening dress may be bright and coloured or patterned or subdued and monotone. The current trends are for feminine dresses, but some are short and colourful and some very long, floaty and feminine dresses but all are fashionable. The little black dress is perhaps the most famous evening dress trend, and most women with an interest in fashion will have a little black dress in the wardrobe. Even the little black dress is subject to trends in fashion, sometimes it is short and little, other times it is long and statuesque. Not only is the style subject to trend but also the fabric, ranging from satins, velvets to cool cotton.

Evening dresses enable women to dress up and show themselves off to the best, every woman wants an evening dress that flatters, so perhaps it is not the trend that is important but the wearer of the dress that should be the most important consideration. Accessories and shoes are also important to enhance the look of the evening dress and should complement the dress rather than challenge it. Most seasons have an evening dress style to suit the majority of women, and a really good quality evening dress suited to the wearer will always be on-trend.

So you’ve seen some trendy fashionista out and about with that shabby chic look and want to know how to copy it?  Well firstly you’re gonna have to learn the rules sister!

1)      Skinny jeans – not everyone’s favourite attire but they look fantastic with a baggy threadbare jumper.  They’re also massively versatile, so you’ll get your money’s worth with a variety of different looks that can be achieved.

 2)      Hold back on the makeup!  Don’t go overboard, keep it simple, so that means no giant nail extensions.  If you want some help with that classic look invest in a shabby chic dressing table for your bedroom to help inspire you!

 3)      Every little thing counts – that means jewellery, that means shoes.  Anything too pristine, however subtle will look out of place, so carefully grow your look with some choice items, don’t mix and match!

 4)      Distressed materials are your friend – the quickest way to achieve the look is with the right materials.  Threadbare linen works well, as does distressed & worn leather.  Distressed leather jackets can be a great buy, keep it light so you can wear on colder summer nights and when bar-hopping in the colder months.  This key piece can be worn all year round.

According to my daughter, anyone who is anyone wears Henry Holland tights and apparently they can be seen on the legs of the great, good and infamous of just about every continent.  What is so brilliant about them, in my opinion, is that they are so affordable that they aren’t just the preserve of the rich and famous and can be worn just as easily by you and me. Holland’s work has a young, fresh and exciting edge yet still has enough of a classic feel to be appreciated and worn by women of all ages.

I have several friends whose designer label buying habits have had to be severely curtailed by the recession.  Some of them re-invented themselves as Primark divas but a couple seemed to go into something of a decline without their regular designer fix.  When they discovered the joys of hosiery, it may not be going too far to say that Henry Holland tights  saved their sanity!  At last a celebrity endorsed designer label that wouldn’t break the bank (and lest we forget, looks pretty cool too!).  One enterprising (and it has to be said, also self-deluding!) friend of mine has actually turned buying designer tights into an act of pure frugality and commonsense, as she claims you save time, money and potential embarrassment when you buy Henry Holland suspender tights – you don’t have to buy a separate suspender belt, waste time fastening them or face the excruciating embarrassment and attendant twanging if your suspender belt decides to give up the ghost!

In these gloomy, recession hit days, where we all feel a bit anxious about enjoying ourselves or guilty if we spend on anything other than essentials, Henry Holland hosiery is a reminder that it’s okay to give yourself a little treat now and then and that scaling down your clothes budget doesn’t have to mean scaling down the style.

Believe it or not, many men take their wardrobe just as seriously if not more seriously than women do. These days men cannot just wake up and throw the nearest shirt on over faded jeans. The market for mens clothes has gotten huge over the last few years, and it is slated to continue at the same rate. The greatest aspect of this trend is the fact that men now have high class designers churning out entire wardrobes that they can follow if they choose. This means that men have all the selection and the style choices that women do.

Since the rise in importance of mens clothes, the styles have not only grown and diversified, but they are constructed of better materials and fabrics. That’s because men want their clothes to last, not wear out after a couple washes. The standard has gone up and designers and manufacturers are more than willing to meet the demand. Men can now walk into virtually any store and have as large of a clothes section as women to choose from.

The standards for mens fashion have gone up considerably over the last couple of years. Men are slowly but surely realizing this fact, and they are starting to enjoy it at their own pace. Men clothes are a great way that men everywhere can begin to identify themselves using their style and class.

GHD is a company that manufactures a variety of straighteners and other hair styling tools, such as blow dryers and hair brushes, as well as a line of shampoos, conditioners and finishing products. GHD straighteners come with a 2 year guarantee when purchased from the official GHD website and free next day shipping in the UK. The most popular straightener is the GHD IV Styler, which is an all around styler and ideal for all hair types. It has standard 1″ plates and is great for adding curl and waves. The GHD IV Salon Styler has wider plates and is more appropriate for thicker hair. The salon styler can create fuller curls and softer waves and flicks. The third straightener is the GHD IV Mini Styler and has narrow 1/2″ plates and is ideal for thin, short and mens hair and creates tight curls and waves.

All GHD straighteners come with an exclusive offer of a GHD Opulence gift bag and combined with the free shipping, this is a steal! For a limited time you can spice up your life with a straightener from the GHD Color Collection. You will receive a quilted heat resistant pouch and protective carrying case with your order. Colors that you can choose from are Red Lust, Blue Serenity, Purple Indulgence or Green with Envy! I recommend heading over to GHD for your next hair straightener because you will not find a better quality, affordable product.

Embroidery is a technique in which a needle and thread are used to create a decoration on a piece of cloth. It is a very popular skill that people enjoy as their hobby. Embroidery has been in existence for decades as it formerly signified affluence and prosperity when worn in Europe. Nowadays, embroidery patterns can be seen on bed linens, clothing and decorative housewares. Technology has improved the art of embroidery, where, sewing machines are now capable of doing embroidery. There are also firms in the dealing of logo creation using embroidery. People still enjoy doing embroidery by hand. There are five stitches that characterize hand embroidery. They are:

1. Outline – this is a running stitch that outlines the pattern on the fabric.
2. Satin – this is when stitches are done closely to fill in a gap to resemble satin.
3. Lazy Daisy – this type of stitch is mostly used for flower petals.
4. Cross stitch – this is also used for filling open gaps.
5. French – this stitch is used to create small dots like eyes.

For someone who is experienced in sewing, outline stitching which is the easiest type of embroidery should be fairly simple to master.

EMBROIDERY KITS

Embroidery kits are very popular these days and they are really efficient in assisting even novices to successfully embroider. These kits comprise all the essential materials to get you started. The major contents of a typical embroidery kit are:

• cloth
• Embroidery needle (these usually have bigger eyes than the normal needles to enable the embroidery yard)
• Embroidery yarn or thread
• Pattern
• Directions
• Embroidery hoop – this is very crucial in embroidery. It is a circular wooden frame that consists of two rings of wood that fit together. It is used to stretch the fabric and keep it rigid and flat to facilitate neat embroidery.

HOW TO EMBROIDER

Materials:

A plain piece of fabric (100% cotton or calico are the easiest to embroider).
Sharp lead pencil or washable marker
Embroidery pattern you desire
Embroidery needle
Embroidery yarn
Embroidery hoop
Scissors

Steps:

1. Choose your preferred fabric and use pencil or washable marker to draw a simple pattern on it. The pattern is easily viewed under light-coloured fabric. If you are using a dark coloured cloth, tape the pattern to a well lit window pane and tape the fabric over it to make it easily seen.
2. Fix your embroidery hoop onto your fabric making sure that the fabric is stiff.
3. Use scissors and cut about 25 inches of the yarn.
4. Embroidery threads are typically made up of 6 strands. Separate the strands and use 2 or 3 strands and make a knot at the end.
5. Thread the embroidery needle.
6. Thrust the needle through the fabric from the back. From here onward, make stitches to form the sketch of the design on the fabric. Continue until the entire drawing is finished.

Crochet is a process whereby cloth is produced by using thread or yarn and a hook. Crochet is alike knitting as the two processes comprise pulling loops of yarn through other loops. The only difference is that only one loop is active at one time and a crochet hook is used rather than needles. Crochet has been around for centuries and numerous designs are produced through trial throughtout the years. Today crochet is used to create articles of clothing, blankets, scarves, decoration in the home and even bikinis. Unlike knitting, crochet is only produced manually.

Crochet Stitches

Crochet is very easy to learn and there are many differences in addition to the main methods. These stitches are constructed on string of loops called chains. The stitches can be worked alone or combined to create patterns. The basic stitches in crochet are:

1. Chain – series of loops
2. Single crochet
3. Half-double crochet
4. Double crochet
5. Treble
6. Double treble
7. Triple treble
8. Slip stitch

How To Crochet

Materials:
Crochet hook
Crochet yarn

Instruction:

1. Hold the crochet hook between your index finger and your thumb like you are holding a pencil.
2. Next form a crochet chain. To do this, form a slip- knot around the hook. Wrap the yarn around the hook and draw it through the loop you made in the knot. The yarn is now wrapped around the hook.
3. Draw another loop through that loop and repeat until you have created several loops and is able to hold the yarn fairly firm, i.e., not too tight and not too loose.
4. Then you are going to single crotchet. To do this, hold the chain and insert the hook into the second chain from the hook.
5. Wrap the yarn over the hook like you did when you were making the chain and draw it through the chain that you inserted the hook into. You must have two loops on your hook.
6. Bring the yarn around the hook and pull it through the two loops on the hook to make the single crochet.
7. To form the next stitch, insert the hook again, this time into the next chain on the row of chains and repeat the exact directions at #5 and #6.
8. Continue until you complete the row where you should now make a chain so as to begin row 2. This chain is called the turning chain.
9. Turn your work so that the row you just created is in front of you. Insert the hook under the two top loops closest to it.
10. Yarn over and draw the loop through to produce two loops on the hook.
11. Bring the yarn over the hook and pull through again. Continue until you have finished the row and repeat until you are ready to move on to other types of stitches.

If you like designer clothes but are not able to afford to pay designer prices then these hints and guidelines will help you get the clothes you really love at affordable prices. Online shopping is a fantastic way to find the clothes you want from one suitable location. There are even websites that offer full lists of online stores so you don’t have to do as much research. You won’t have to worry about spending outrageous prices on the clothes that suit you best. Dress expensively at prices that are within your range.

A few websites that you should find helpful include some of the following.

• eBay: Using eBay may not be your quickest alternative however, it is a wonderful way to get affordable clothing. All you will need to do is bid on any item that you prefer using this online auctioning service.
• HauteLook: To use this website you will need to sign up for free membership if you intend to buy pieces that you like. You will get email notifications of limited time sales, many of which can save you up to 75% on designer clothes.
• Overstock.com: Sells a wide range of items. You will have to search for the area on this website that relates specifically to designer clothing. You can search by designer, category and price.
• Gilt Groupe: Like most other websites you will be required to sign up for free membership to browse and buy any items. The site intermittently offers 36-hour sales which can see prices being slashed by as much as 70%.
• Ideeli: Is a members only site. In addition to sales on designer clothes they also have habitual give-aways. Membership was stopped during the May 2009 period however, they do have a waiting list which enables prospective customers to sign up until there are membership positions available.
• ShopItToMe: Is branded as “your free personal online shopper”. Once you sign up for the service by entering specifics including size and preferred designer you will be sent weekly emails informing you of any new sales that have items particularly to your tastes and needs.

It is important to look for online retailers that offer bargains on items bought over a certain amount, free shipping, or coupons. There are various online sites that offer great deals to keep their customer base. You may also consider shopping at wholesalers online. However, you may need to get a few friends together to get the bulk prices.

You can also consider using a fashion blog such as Budget Fashionista and Frugal Fashionista which will keep you informed about current trends and where you can get the best deals. You should be able to locate information about coupons and current specials being offered by retailers.

There are a few essentials that even man needs to have in his closet. With these key items, you can build an outfit for any occasion, and look great doing it. From formal events to the club, you will want the basics to assemble a look that will get you noticed.

The perfect pair of jeans goes without saying. These can be casual enough for a party, or formal enough with the right coat. A blazer that fits you perfectly is also a great item, that has the same diversity as a pair of jeans. It can make, or break, an outfit, so investing in the perfect coat is a must.

A good set of t-shirts is important, however one must be vigilant when choosing, as many men’s t-shirts are embellished with graphics or other designs. When speaking of essentials, it means basic, solid colored t-shirts. These are perfect for wearing under button up shirts, or even under a blazer. It is subtle and great for supplementing an outfit without making a statement. You will find them just as useful for the workplace as you will the club. If you plan on wearing jeans with embellishments, or a fancy coat, you will want a simple t-shirt to tone down your outfit for the occasion.