Fashion | Journal Gazette

Maintaining your manicure

Keiara Carr — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:00:00 EST

The manicure in its perfect state should be considered an endangered species. As the prey of spiky car keys or a cellphone lurking at the very bottom of your purse, your freshly polished nails live in peril of nail chips and smudges that will have you hiding your hands in shame.

Shellac treatment is worth the price

Kimberly Dupps Truesdell — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:00:00 EST

I am not sure I've ever made it out of the salon with a perfect manicure much less made it a week. I would smudge it on the drying table, nick it getting into the car, slice through it making dinner.

Money bags

Journal Gazette — Tue, 07 May 2013 03:00:00 EST

Most women know the power of a purse. A great handbag is a cherished accessory, which is why local organizers are using purses to help raise money for early childhood programs in Allen County.

Shoppers face hurdles finding ethical clothing

Anne D'Innocenzio — Mon, 06 May 2013 03:00:00 EST

You can recycle your waste, grow your own food and drive a fuel-efficient car. But being socially responsible isn't so easy when it comes to the clothes on your back.

Fair-weather friendly

Samantha Critchell — Thu, 02 May 2013 03:00:00 EST

If you're craving a little more summer in your springtime wardrobe and you're hesitant to break out the white pants (it's OK, but that's another conversation), try espadrilles.

Prom meets red carpet

Samantha Critchell — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 03:00:00 EST

You might as well roll out the red carpet in front of the school gymnasium or hotel ballroom and line it with parental paparazzi: Prom season provides many girls a chance to have their moment in the spotlight. It's likely that this year's parade of fashions will include a few starlet look-alikes. And why not.

Flowers branch out for prom

Leanne Italie — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 03:00:00 EST

The elaborate invitation has been proffered and accepted, the limo rented and the outfits coordinated, so what's next when planning for prom.

Peek at spring's closet

Jennifer Barger — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 03:00:00 EST

Neons. Warm-weather leather. Enough black and white to outfit a million Coco Chanel clones. So many trends are buzzing around this spring, a stylista could suffer whiplash. To avoid visits to the fashion emergency room, we suggest a prudent treatment. Dose your closet with a single new item at a time: tropical-print shoes, a lace top, maybe jeans in "it" color mint.

Shape up in maternity style

Samantha Critchell — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 03:00:00 EST

Kim Kardashian: Take note.

Fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer dies at 81

JENNIFER KAY — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 18:12:29 EST

MIAMI Lilly Pulitzer hosted parties in her bare feet and wasn't afraid to get a little messy just as long as she looked good and had fun, too.

Fashion for cancer survivors unveiled

Robin Givhan — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 03:00:00 EST

Many thoughts flash through a woman's mind on the eve of a double mastectomy - most prominently fears about her mortality.

Seeing whatworks

Holley Simmons — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 03:00:00 EST

Landing the right pair of glasses is as crucial for your appearance as it is for your eyesight.

Recall exposes the sheer lunacy of yoga pants

Monica Hesse and Jessica Goldstein — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 03:00:00 EST

The abject horror of the see-through yoga pants recall crescendoed to new, tragic heights when customers attempted to return their PG-13 garments.

Spring into style, beauty books

Janet Bennett Kelly — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 03:00:00 EST

Before spring blooms beckon us outdoors, prep for the new season with one new and two not-as-new titles on fashion and beauty.

Thrifty musicians

Mesfin Fekadu — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 03:00:00 EST

Macklemore Ryan Lewis aren't the only ones poppin' tags at thrift shops.

Gray hair moving from destiny to choice

Patti Ewald — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 03:00:00 EST

Hairdresser Judy Atkinson said as long as she has an ounce of strength in her body, a gray hair will never be seen growing out of her head. And she might be onto something - at least for herself. The attractive hairstylist looks at least 10 years younger than her 69 years.

snake charmer

Janet Bennett Kelly — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 03:00:00 EST

That seductive serpent in Eden may have taken the rap for Adam and Eve's fall, but to the ancient Greeks and Romans, snakes represented wisdom and immortality. In any case, the lowly reptile is enjoying a high-fashion profile. Slick python skins and prints showed up in fall and spring collections from Tom Ford, Proenza Schouler and J. Crew.

Christian fashion show highlights modest looks

Tamara Lush — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 03:00:00 EST

The organizers of Christian Fashion Week have a message: modest does not equal frumpy.

Acting not in Beckham's plan

Samantha Critchell — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 03:00:00 EST

David Beckham has a knack for keeping his name in the news, and his face - and well-sculpted body - in front of the cameras. The newest ad campaign for his bodywear collection for global retailer HM is being released on the heels of the announcement that he's joining the French Paris-Saint Germain soccer club.

Hats off to a returning trend in menswear

ALEJANDRA MATOS — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 03:00:00 EST

Long before Don Draper and Justin Timberlake brought sexy back to the fedora, hats were once as common on a man's head as socks on his feet. Simply put, a man was not properly dressed without one.

Fashion trend: Fewer trends

Samantha Critchell — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 03:00:00 EST

The biggest trend in fashion for the new year might just be that there isn't anything especially trendy.

Put your best face forward

Kimberly Dupps Truesdell — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 03:00:00 EST

New Year's Eve is meant to sparkle - the wine, the lights, a glitzy outfit. Even your face. With a light hand and a few makeup tricks, your face can light up the party.

Occasion for formal

Janet Bennett Kelly — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 03:00:00 EST

Heartthrob Daniel Craig, aka 007, looks doubly dashing in a tuxedo, on screen in "Skyfall" or off. As menswear fashion heads toward more fitted, formal attire for New Year's Eve and inaugural festivities, now's the time to add black tie to your closet. Jack O'Connor, men's style director at J.

Why is cashmere so expensive?

Aisha Harris — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 03:00:00 EST

Winter is upon us, which means that cashmere sweaters - a staple of holiday gift-giving and cold-weather fashion - have returned to store shelves.

Fashion moments that turned heads in 2012

Samantha Critchell — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 03:00:00 EST

Every year fashion offers up the good, the bad and the ugly. But what the industry is really built on - and consumers respond to - is buzz.

Decipher holiday party dress code

SAMANTHA CRITCHELL — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 03:00:00 EST

The holidays are often a highly social season that provide a good reason to wear the things you might not often have the occasion to pull out of your closet: sequins, a fancy red dress, the sexy black one.

Ugly job but somebody has to do it ... we guess

Terri Richardson — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 03:00:00 EST

Starting in September, things start to get ugly in Fremont. At least when it comes to sweaters.

Moving in on class ring territory

Terri Richardson — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:00:00 EST

Greg Muncy has been sliding class rings on and off of high-school students' fingers for 30 years. An employee of Jostens in Fort Wayne, he spends many days traveling to area schools showing off rings to soon-to-be graduating students.

Have fun with seasonal sweaters

Samantha Critchell — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:00:00 EST

The good, the bad, the kitschy. A "seasonal sweater" is one way to start a conversation at a holiday function. It's a look that can mean all sorts of things: sequins, bows, Fair Isle patterns, bird motifs or even antlers. There's a fine line between a good seasonal sweater and a good one gone bad.

No full head of hair needed

BILL WARD — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 03:00:00 EST

Marcus Genzlinger had no idea how bad it was until his girlfriend forced him to face the truth. "She showed me a picture from a wedding where I had see-through hair," he said.

Designer sees gift wrap as extension of present

SAMANTHA CRITCHELL — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 03:00:00 EST

A pretty package can make up for a so-so gift, stylist-designer Rachel Zoe says.

Selecting right wedding shoes

SAMANTHA CRITCHELL — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 03:00:00 EST

No offense to Cinderella, but she sort of had it backward. The shoe should be at the end of the to-do list for a wedding fairy tale.

ON THE SPOTS

Holley Simmons — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 03:00:00 EST

Blame it on Minnie Mouse's skirt or Comme des Garcons' dot-heavy collections, but circle prints have popped back into the, er, spotlight this fall.

Go with energetic' red as color to spice up fall wardrobe

Holley Simmons — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 03:00:00 EST

To "see red" conventionally means to become really angry. But this fall, sightings of scarlet signify blazer-friendly temperatures, foliage-rich road trips and pinot noir-fueled chats.

Fatshion' rethinks curvy styles

Sapna Maheshwari — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 03:00:00 EST

For years, fashion advice for larger women came in one size: wear black and avoid stripes. Now, many women are embracing their curves and demanding that retailers cater to them, not the other way round.

Gossip Girl' costumer talks fall fashion

Marie Elizabeth Oliver — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 03:00:00 EST

As the man behind some of TV's most talked-about trendsetters, Eric Daman knows his way around a wardrobe closet. The Emmy-winning costume designer hosted an All Access Fashion event near Washington recently, and he caught us up on what it's like to create looks for the Carrie Bradshaw character in "Sex and the City" and Blair Waldorf in "Gossip Girl."

Designers trot out equestrian-inspired looks

Janet Bennett Kelly — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST

Well before the Summer Olympics (and Ann Romney) focused world attention on the precision, privileged sport of dressage, prescient designers had translated the costumes of the riding ring to the runway.

Clothes: Buy, trade, sell

Katherine Boyle — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST

Once upon a time, picking up pre-loved clothes was reserved for bargain hunters. Now, thrifting, swapping and consigning are widespread money-saving tactics and lucrative hobbies for those who choose to buy low and sell high.

Ruffled up

Kimberly Dupps Truesdell — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST

In fashion, what's old is new again. And as the case is for fall, what's really old is really hot - again.

Mix in new pieces to update look

Jennifer Barger — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST

Remember when getting ready for fall signaled a whole new wardrobe (grunge-rocker flannels and pleated jeans back in 1993, harem pants plus Tory Burch tunics for 2007)? Yeah, we really don't, either. In recent years, street-style creativity and old-time thriftiness have dominated fashion.

Designers need to have a theme

JOCELYN NOVECK — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST

The luna moth. Oscar Wilde. Eighteenth-century Japanese scrolls. An obscure Bauhaus artist. Antique porcelain. Quick, what do these things have in common? Don't know? Try this: The Duchess of Windsor. The Arab Spring. The Beatles' 1960s encounter with the Maharishi. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" - not the play, silly, the 1935 movie. The dragonfly.

Don't give white the cold shoulder

Jaclyn Youhana — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST

heck, even today - my mom has been a follower of that Fall Fashion Rule.

Celebrity lines help boost sales

Cotten Timberlake — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST

Once upon a time, celebrities were happy to slap their names on merchandise and take the money.

Michelle Obama reaffirms love of designer

Katherine Boyle — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST

It's a familiar tale in presidential politics: a chance meeting on the campaign trail that leads to an enduring partnership. Such is the story of Tracy Reese, the womenswear designer who met Michelle Obama at a campaign fundraiser for President Obama in 2008.

Osbourne on fashion

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST

Kelly Osbourne was a reality star, actress and musician before anyone took notice that she had a knack for style.

Smithsonian blogs history of clothing

Holley Simmons — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST

On Threaded, the Smithsonian Institution's nascent-yet-fascinating fashion blog, editor Emily Spivack unearths "You don't say!" facts about some of the collection's most notable clothing and costume artifacts (Blogs.smithsonianmag.com/threaded).

Style bloggers post ensembles

Jennifer Barger — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST

Call them the clotheshorse sirens of cyberspace: fashion bloggers who post photos of themselves swanning in their latest outfits, often daily. In a sort of online high school cafeteria/runway, such people as Los Angeles' Emily Schuman (CupcakesandCashmere.com

Vogue stylishly rides economic turns

Ned Martel — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 03:00:00 EST

At 4 pounds, 10 ounces, Vogue's September issue has weight. Its heft carries some hope, a sign of economic life, a pulse that subverts the flat-lining CBO numbers. This single edition of one magazine suggests that even in bad times, someone is up for a good time.

J. Crew CEO carves out trendsetter niche

SAMANTHA CRITCHELL — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 03:00:00 EST

There's no ivory tower surrounding J. Crew CEO Millard "Mickey" Drexler. He visits every office, store and distribution center, and makes an effort to meet every new employee, although he's always Mickey, not Mr. Drexler.

Fashion takes cue from food trucks

KELLI KENNEDY and BIANCA DAVIE — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 03:00:00 EST

The first time the brakes went out in her trailer/store, Joey Wolffer ran a stoplight and worried what would happen to her high-end accessories inside. Two years later, she has a close relationship with a mechanic, knows the best spot to park in New York's Meatpacking district and has a devoted summer following in the Hamptons.

Technology seeks best fit

Janet Bennett Kelly — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 03:00:00 EST

Picture this: You click on a new e-commerce site to shop for a shirt, a dress or a pair of shoes. A few days later, your purchases arrive and you try them on. And they fit. No trek to the post office for returns, no cursing the shipping fees. Just perfectly tailored, figure-flattering clothes.

Top designers turn eyes to children

Anne D'Innocenzio — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 03:00:00 EST

Juliet Sandler dresses in the latest $650 dresses and $400 shoes from Parisian fashion house Lanvin. Juliet is 3.

Luxury handbags making splash at auction

ULA ILNYTZKY — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 03:00:00 EST

Hermes, Chanel, Louis Vuitton. What woman wouldn't covet a handbag by one of these iconic fashion houses.

Salons offer braid bars to get new twist on hair

CARYN ROUSSEAU — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 03:00:00 EST

A staple of the stylish grade-school set, braids have moved from the playground to the red carpet and now, local salons.

Ryan's attire calculated or careless?

Katherine Boyle — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 03:00:00 EST

On Saturday, Mitt Romney introduced his running mate, Paul Ryan, describing their shared ideals and shared vision for America. The two, evidently, do not share a tailor.