Fashion of Ball Gown

HE MOST SUMPTUOUS evening gowns designers had to offer for the spring '05 season were on display at a recent charity ball luncheon recently held at Saks Fifth Avenue in tiny Greenwich, Conn. The 25 members of the Bruce Museum's Kaleidescope Ball committee oohed and aahed over the exquisite gowns the Saks couture team culled from their top stores around the country.
Greenwich couture manager, Theresa Walsh, shared interesting tidbits about some of the gowns as a model tried-on and displayed the ladies' favourites. ‘Did you know,’ she asked the gathering, ‘that Nicole Kidman wore this black velvet gown in the now famous “paparazzi” Chanel No. 5 TV spot?’ Everyone loved the dangerously low-cut back on the “Nicole gown” but colour, and bright colour at that, won the day.
The gowns that generated the most excitement were the Bill Blass "kaleidescope" gown, which sold that very afternoon to one of the committee chairs, and a Vera Wang stunner in emerald green chiffon that Ms Walsh accessorized with matching Manolo Blahnik strappy stilettos. Other favourites were Robert Danes' turquoise bias gown and Oscar de la Renta's flounced "snow white" and coral affair. The winner though, was a coral silk jersey column dress by Yigal Azoural that Grace Kelly herself would have loved. •

Vivian Galtier Kelly is features editor-at-large for Lucire.

INSET: The Chanel No. 5 gown as worn by Nicole Kidman. TOP RIGHT: Nicole Kidman in her Chanel No. 5 advertisement. CENTRE RIGHT: Vera Wang. BELOW RIGHT: Oscar de la Renta.

Source : http://www.lucire.com/2005a/0730fe0.shtml

Strapless Fashion

At last, a strapless dress you can wear to work. Bare shoulders were everywhere at New York Fashion Week, but so was a new take on the layered look: strapless dresses with knit tops underneath.

Monday's fashions were better suited to women who don't need a job, though. Uptown girls who lunch will have plenty of options come fall from classic designers who stayed true to their styles.

Carolina Herrera, Halston and Oscar de la Renta were among the early marquee shows. The looks were tailored and trim (Herrera), flowy and retro (Halston) and embellished (de la Renta).

There was barely a touch of the trendy fashions that have dominated the runways so far, including rock 'n' roll style and miniskirts. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week runs through Feb. 8.

Carolina Herrera
When Carolina Herrera does country, only an English countryside manor will do. The fall collection she presented was full of brown, blue, mustard yellow and a lot of feathers.

Models donned Peter Pan hats with their windowpane coats, riding pants and even taffeta cocktail dresses. Many of the outfits also featured ornithology-inspired prints — one was delicate wing print and the other was a more colorful bird print.

The bird print was stunning on a chiffon embroidered gown dotted all over with ostrich feathers. For those who prefer a more subtle look, there was a strapless gown in bronze taffeta with a feather waistband.

Herrera definitely continued with the emerging trend of adding something fancy to an otherwise more casual outfit, or the reverse — adding something cozy to an elegant evening ensemble.

Peter Som
Peter Som's newest collection featured many of the traditional trappings of fall — tweed, flannel and a little bit of fur — but he tweaked them just enough to keep the fashion crowd wanting a little more.

And more they'll get. While Som previewed his own label Monday morning, he'll debut his collection for the Bill Blass label on Thursday to largely the same audience of stylists, editors and retailers.

The first Som look was a "bathrobe" — apparently a code word for a cozy coat — made of navy plaid flannel worn with a blue ink-blot chiffon dress. Another unexpected look was a black goat shrug, with a long, double-layer cashmere cardigan with a full boucle skirt.

Some of the designer's colors, especially the pretty blues and greens on his "ivy" print, seemed more likely candidates for a springtime scene in a Monet painting, but worn under a subtle black-and-gray, panther-print coat, the bright colors provided just the right pop.

Miss Sixty
Good times were rolling for Miss Sixty as the brand, which made its name in denim, sent out a full-fledged fall collection that largely got a thumbs' up from a fashion-savvy crowd that included Anne Hathaway, Chloe Sevigny and Ashley Olsen.

The theme of Sunday night's runway show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week was the free spirits of the late 1960s and early '70s, with a backdrop of old Volkswagen bugs to emphasize it. Notes from creative director Wichy Hassan highlighted Miss Sixty's commitment to sexiness, glamour and irony.

The opening look was a navy, brown and ivory strapless print dress with a tiered skirt that was worn with a beaded, fringed belt. There was an earthy sexiness to the outfit that set the tone for the rest of the show.

Gap
Just as there's no reason to reinvent the wheel, there's no reason to reinvent the basics of the American wardrobe such as the leather jacket, cargo pants and the boyfriend sweater.

Patrick Robinson, the new chief designer at Gap, wants to give them an update instead.

Robinson unveiled his debut collection for the retailer Sunday — and it's worth noting that Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour was among the first to see the presentation that included airy blouses under button-front blazers for women and a jersey hoodie sweater for men.

Come fall, expect to see new fabrics, including suede on a great cream-colored drawstring coat for women, and a more sophisticated color palette. Instead of the primary colors, you'll be seeing a lot more teal, dark purple and charcoal gray at your neighborhood Gap.

Source : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23000116/

fashion Trends camisole sets have dramatically grown in popularity for women and men only

In recent years,in fashion Trends camisole sets have dramatically grown in popularity for women & men. Part of this growth is due to a new trend in wearing the camisole top as outerwear. Trendy camisole feels comfort for every occasion, all age group accept & enjoying a surge of recent popularity.Camisole sets, like many sexy lingerie items too, have a rich and varied history.

Chemises Besides loincloths, chemises are perhaps the oldest known form of underwear for both men and women. Historically, chemises were long, simple pieces that were worn underneath the clothes of both men and women, beginning in the medieval era. Although Gradually camisole change in to vest shape that acceptable by men and women both and chemises never really disappeared until the early 20th century, changing fashions required variants on the chemise to be created. Perhaps the biggest changes in the history of lingerie occurred with the rise of the corset.

Of Corsets and Camisoles Corsets began in the Renaissance period, when straight, boyish figures went out of fashion and décolletage became the new ideal. Corsets of this era were fairly rudimentary and fit easily underneath the chemises of the time. As corsetry became more elaborate and dress styles changed, however, it was necessary to find a garment that would hide the corset without adding unwanted bulk. The solution was the camisole. Camisole sets, however, were far in the future.

By the Victorian era, a tiny waist and large bosom were considered the height of fashion. This effect was achieved through the tight lacing of heavy corsets. However, traditional chemises were quite long, effectively hiding the corset but adding the illusion of weight. The new camisoles, by contrast, were short and light. They easily hid corsets but were not bulky. Camisoles quickly joined chemises as must-have fashion items. As modern panties had not yet been invented, however, camisole sets were not yet available.

The 1920s The flapper era of the 1920s was a time for increased liberation for many women. This era marks the beginning of the sexy lingerie age. As teddies became shorter, tighter and sexier, some designers experimented with separating the two pieces. This was the beginning of modern camisole sets.

The 1930s to the 1980s Sexy lingerie styles gradually became progressively more risqu, particularly during the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. However, it was the heady aftermath of the sexual revolution that would dramatically change lingerie styles forever.

The 1980s Stars like Madonna ushered in a new trend - underwear as outerwear. For the first time, lingerie came out of the bedroom and onto the world stage. This underwear as outerwear trend set the stage for the camisole sets of today.

Modern Camisole Sets

Today, camisoles are a basic staple in the wardrobes of females from teens to adults. Camisole tops and matching panties are generally sold as camisole sets. The panties may remain hidden, but increasingly, the tops are designed to be worn as outerwear. A typical camisole top serves multiple functions. It can be worn alone with jeans or a skirt. It can provide an interesting layered effect when worn under a sheer top of a contrasting colour. It can also provide an important layer when dressing for cold weather.

Of course, camisole sets can also be highly erotic. Camisole sets that are designed for the bedroom are available in a wide range of colours, styles and fabrics. The pieces are soft and comfortable yet sexy and daring, offering an option for sexy lingerie that many women love.


Source : http://anthonifashion.instablogs.com/entry/fashion-trends-camisole-sets-have-dramatically-grown-in-popularity-for-women-men/