Thursday, June 17, 2010

American Apparel: No "Off Brand" Employees

In February the Cornell Pi Phi Sorority came under fire after their fashion rules were revealed. The girls have specifics do's and don'ts, including no American Apparel leggings. Ironic since both organizations like to tell their underlings what to wear.

American Apparel Eyewear Guidelines



Last week rumors started flying regarding American Apparel's employees and their hiring practices (full body and close up photos required!). Now, the fashion rules have been revealed in an email sent to store managers:
(Taken from Gawker.com)
"a) Makeup is to be kept to a minimal- please take this very seriously. Liquid eyeliner, pencil eyeliner and eyeshadow are advised against; mascara must look very natural (ie. should not be clumpy or a color that does not compliment your skin and haircolor). Blush must not be overdone- should not have glitter or sparkles. Liquid foundation is prohibited (undereye concealer is understandable if it looks natural- ie. not clumpy or caked on, must match your skin tone). Please do not use a shiny gloss on your lips; any lipcolor must be subtle.
b) Eyebrows must not be overplucked. Full eyebrows are very much encouraged. Please do not dye your eyebrows a different color.
c) We encourage long, healthy, natural hair, so please be advised of the following:
-Hair must be kept your natural color.
-Blow-drying hair excessively could cause heat damage, so this is advised against.
-"Bangs" or "fringe" are advised against. It is not part of the direction we're moving in.


d) Jewelry must not be distracting. Please do not wear accessories with another brand's logo on it- this includes watches. No gauges whatsoever. One earring per ear is encouraged. Earrings, necklaces, watches, bracelets, etc. must be simple and tasteful."

American Apparel Watch & Belt Guidelines



Don't worry, they don't discriminate between guys and girls, the guys have rules too:

"a) Hair should look natural. Excessive product to the extent of creating stiffness and an unnatural or greasy appearance to your hair is advised against.

b) Eyebrows should be natural. Please do not dye your eyebrows a different color or overpluck them.

c) Males should not wear makeup.

d) Facial hair needs to be kept clean and well groomed. Any mustache or goatee of a contemporary style are advised against.

e) No gauges allowed whatsoever.

American Apparel Eyebrow Guidelines



Reminders about basic dress code:
a) Button-up shirts must be tucked in to trousers.

b) Sneakers of any style are not allowed. Plain white clean Keds or Keds-like shoes are allowed.

c) Please do not wear any earrings. All accessories and watches must be clean, simple, and tasteful. They cannot distract from the garments.

d) Garments must fit properly. Trousers cannot be too tight or too baggy- and must be clean. Shirts cannot be oversized or too tight. If there is an employee that does not wear garments that fit properly, please contact me ASAP so we can resolve the matter.

e) Belts must be worn with trousers that have belt loops."

American Apparel Good Outfit

Acceptable Outfit Save for Torn Tights, From Gawker.com
See more do's and don'ts, plus employee feedback and experiences here.

American Apparel Perfection



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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

My Favorite Lines Series: Anna Sui

Anna Sui, educated at Parsons The New School for Design, is one of Time magazine's five iconic designers of the decade. She is also the recipient of CFDA's lifetime achievement award; Sui is in the company of Yves St. Laurent, Diane von Furstenburg, Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Bill Blass, Carolina Herrera, Valentino, Calvin Klein and more.

Anna Sui High Neck Blouse


High Neck Blouse, $237.50 from The OutNet.com


Her first runway show was in 1991 after friends Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell encouraged her work. Besides being a fashion staple, Sui is passionate about the industry and has been one of the loudest voices in saving the garment district in New York.

Anna Sui Orchard Scarf Print Dress


Orchard Scarf Print Silk Dress, $442 from Shop Bop


Sui finds inspiration from all aspects of life, including punk rock, vintage finds, her Chinese heritage, fantasy and whimsy, different time periods and eras, art, music, designers Theirry Mugler and Jean-Paul Gaultier and much more. She loves learning and researching topics she finds interesting, so inspiration is always abundant for Sui.

Anna Sui Painted Stripes Dress


Painted Stripes Dress, $317.10 from Shop Bop


The Detroit native has her namesake label, Dolly Girl by Anna Sui, Anna Sui Mini and several perfumes and a cosmetics line. Along with all the clothing design work she does, she also collaborated with Samsung to design cell phones. You can even personalize your Google Chrome browser with an Anna Sui theme.

Anna Sui Embellished Denim Dress


Embellished Denim Dress, $399 from Net-a-Porter


Anna Sui Nylon Ruffled Trench


Nylon Ruffled Trench, $275 from Net-a-Porter


Anna Sui is available at various online retailers; visit her site for a store locator.

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For wardrobe & image consulting visit TheStylista Website

Photos from The OutNet.com, Net-a-Porter, Shop Bop

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Shades

A great pair of sunglasses can make your look standout whether you are at the beach, on a boat, or strolling through shops. A unique pair will garner tons of compliments, but will also protect your precious peepers at the same time.

Alexander McQueen Wrap Around Sunglasses in Brown


Alexander McQueen Wrap Around Sunglasses in Brown, $119 from Beyond the Rack


Fendi Dot Logo Square Sunglasses in White


Fendi Dot Logo Square Sunglasses in White, $99 from Beyond the Rack


Trying on sunglasses is key since there are so many shapes and styles available. If you are buying sunglasses online, be sure you can return them.

Coach Aubrey Sunglasses in Navy


Coach Aubrey Sunglasses in Navy, $99 from Beyond the Rack


Fendi Belt Sunglasses in Pink


Fendi Belt Sunglasses in Pink, $99 from Beyond the Rack


Hugo Boss Solid Sunglasses in Gray Green


Hugo Boss Solid Sunglasses in Gray Green, $69 from Beyond the Rack


Valentino Rhinestone Shield Sunglasses in Silver


Valentino Rhinestone Shield Sunglasses in Silver, $109 from Beyond the Rack


Keep your sunglasses in their case when you aren't wearing them to avoid scratches and damage. If you are prone to throw your sunglasses in your bag, beware!

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Photos from Beyond the Rack

Monday, June 14, 2010

Summer Weddings

Wedding season is upon us and the big question for the guests...what to wear? You have to take into account the time of day, the location and the couple getting married.

Time of Day

The time of day will dictate a range of appropriate attire. Weddings held before lunchtime are more casual and get progressively more formal throughout the day. There is no rule, as far as I am concerned, regarding the length of a dress, unless the invitation says black or white tie, then a gown should be worn. Maxi dresses, tea length dresses, and above the knee dresses (no micro minis!) can be worn at anytime, as long as the style is appropriate. You can wear more color and patterns during the day than at night. You can also wear strappy sandals and chunky heels.


ABS Rose Floral Maxi Dress


ABS Rose Multi Print One Shoulder Dress, $149 from Rue Lala


ABS Aubergine Cowl Neck Gown


ABS Aubergine Cowl Neck Gown, $129 from Rue Lala


ABS Black & Ivory Cocktail Dress


ABS Black & Ivory Cocktail Dress, $129 from Rue Lala


Location

The location of the wedding also plays a part in deciding what to wear. You can wear strapless or thin strapped dresses to an outdoor wedding; you can even wear a silk jumper. Wearing a shrug or jacket may be an appropriate addition to your outfit for a church wedding, depending on the church. Wedges and more colorful footwear can be worn at beach weddings, but you may want to go slightly more conservative for garden weddings, and stick with traditional pumps for church ceremonies. A similar rule of thumb should be followed regarding jewelry and accessories: bright, colorful and chunky jewelry is appropriate for beachside weddings and more delicate pieces should be worn to more formal unions.


ABS Rhinestone Drop Necklace


ABS Rhinestone Drop Necklace, $39 from Rue Lala


ABS Silk Jumper


ABS Silk Jumper, $99 from Rue Lala


The Couple

You know your friends and you know what they like. The bride may love purple and would be ecstatic to see you and your date wearing purple. Perhaps the bride likes 50's inspired dresses and would be thrilled to see you in a dress with a full skirt. Maybe the wedding is at the beach and the bride and groom are fun loving people- a Hawaiian print could be perfect! Is the bride a shoe-aholic? Funky shoes would fit right in. If the couple mentions a dress code on the invitation, follow it (no jacket or tie required, tea length dress recommended, more bedazzled the better!).


Charles David "Sassy" Suede Heels


Charles David "Sassy" Suede Heels, $99 from Rue Lala


basix Black & White Dress with Flower


basix Black & White Dress with Flower, $99 from ideeli




jack rogers Raspberry Maggy's Party Dress, $78 from ideeli


There are just a few things to remember: you are going to a wedding, not a club or bar; it is the bride and groom's special day, so don't wear anything that will compete with them (like a long white dress!); have fun and be yourself!

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For wardrobe & image consulting visit TheStylista Website

Photos from Rue Lala, ideeli

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Sara Burton for Alexander McQueen

Several weeks ago Sara Burton was named creative director for Alexander McQueen. The label promoted from within; Burton was the head designer for the women's wear line. She has been with McQueen since 1997, just one year after her graduation from Central Saint Martins. McQueen attended the same school. She was the logical choice to promote since Burton has been McQueen's go-to assistant for quite some time. Burton courageously completed McQueen's Fall/Winter 2010 collection after his death in February.

The CFDA Awards were held June 7, 2010 with great anticipation for the McQueen tribute. Sarah Jessica Parker introduced the tribute which included the entire Fall/Winter 2010 collection being shown. The collection wowed, but at the end it was all tears after a video showed McQueen waving after his Spring/Summer 2010 collection show.

McQueen CFDA Tribute

CFDA winners included Marcus Wainright and David Neville for Rag & Bone (Menswear Designer of the Year), Alexis Bittar (Accessory Designer of the Year), Jason Wu (Swarovski Award for Womenswear), Richard Chai (Swarovski Award for Menswear), Alexander Wang (Swarovski Award for Accessory Design), Michael Kors (Geoffery Beane Lifetime Achievement Award), Tonne Goodman of Vogue (Eleanor Lambert Award), Christopher Bailey for Burberry (International Award), Iman (Fashion Icon Award), Kim Hastreiter of Paper (Eugenia Sheppard Award).

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For wardrobe & image consulting visit TheStylista Website
Photo from Getty Images/Andrew H. Walker

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

My Favorite Lines Series: AKA New York

If you do a search for "AKA New York" you will come up with results for Tiffany Pollard, aka New York from Flavor of Love. Do not be scared! New York has not created a clothing line.

AKA New York Tropical Black Romper



Jessica Simpson, Audrina Patridge & Hilary Duff were seen in a similar romper recently, Black Tropical Romper, $318 from Revolve Clothing


AKA New York Silk Layered T Shirt Dress


Silk Layered T Shirt Dress, $198 from ShopBop.com


AKA New York was founded in 2004 by Abigale Levinson, Karen Reinitz and Ana Maria Pimentel. The three ladies worked for Elle as fashion editors when they decided to combine forces to create their own line.

AKA New York Cream Oaxaca Dress


Cream Oaxaca Dress, $328 found at various boutiques



AKA New York Batik Dress


My personal favorite, Batik Dress, $200 from 25Park.com


Their goal was to create a line that was affordable, yet fashionable. They have succeeded; some of my favorite dresses (that I can even wear to work!) are from AKA New York. Besides being fashionable and affordable, the clothes are also comfortable!

AKA New York Sequin T Shirt Dress


Sequined T Shirt Dress, $138 from ShopBop.com


Find AKA New York near you!

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For wardrobe & image consulting visit TheStylista Website
Photos from AKA New York, RevolveClothing.com, ShopBop.com, 25Park.com

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Skin Secrets Revealed

You finally get over teenage acne and have a few years free of face trouble. Then, adult acne hits followed by fine lines, discoloration and dark circles under your eyes. Instead of layering on more makeup and trying every product under the sun (I have tried everything), I will save you the time and frustration by telling you my magic secret.

First, to get rid of the acne, which I unfortunately still get, I just dab a bit of Rite Aid benzyl peroxide cream on each trouble spot for a day or so. If you have more troublesome acne, follow Dan's Regimen and you will see immediate results. Note: I tried using generic Cetaphil products and they don't work as well.

Now, for the best part: Arbonne's RE9 Advanced Set. A friend gave me a sample set with just .1 oz in each sample and the sample set last me over a week! Besides being long lasting, this stuff really works. I could tell a difference in my under eye area after a day. You simply follow the facial routine in the morning and night, using an exfoliating scrub twice a week (I like MAC's Microfine Refinisher and Arbonne's FC5 Exfoliating New Cell Scrub), and your skin will feel softer and more plump. You skin will look more even and velvety, plus those annoying little lines start to disappear.

Arbonne RE9 Advanced Set


The RE9 Advanced Set includes the following:

If you order the RE9 Set, you will receive a travel sized Age Defying Neck Crème complimentary!

For a sample set, contact Christina Hayward. To order the RE9 Set, or other Arbonne products, contact Christina Hayward, or visit her site.

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For wardrobe & image consulting visit TheStylista Website
Photo from Arbonne