The One Shoulder Dress

The First Lady introduced herself to the world at her husband's inauguration in a white one-shoulder gown, and she couldn't have looked more classy and beautiful if she tried.  But, Michelle Obama is such a beauty with such an awesome bod, anything she rocks will look excellent.  I mean she could look hot in a hemp sack.  Really. 

But for the rest of us, the one-shoulder dress has the potential to make us look like we're an extra in Napoleon Dynamite, or worse yet, ice skater turned assault plotter, Tonya Harding, if we're not careful.

If you choose something like this:

www.torrid.com $50.00

Or this:

www.belk.com $81.99

or even this:

 www.swimsuitsforall.com $18.00

you can't go wrong.  They are simple, tasteful and they keep the ruffles and the cheep-looking add ones at bay.

Wear your hair up or down with pearl earrings and a necklace, and you've got yourself one (I love this work) heck of an outfit.

The Tankini

 Born in the late 1990s by Anne Cole as a beautiful baby daughter to the bikini, the tankini, is the best thing you're not wearing this summer.  The tankini is essentially a bikini bottom and a halter top with spaghetti straps.  As a two-piece of swimwear that covers just about all of the midsection (except the bellybutton), the tankini is modest, smart and classy.  It is naturally made for swimming, but is versatile enough to run, bike, shop or just hang out in.  And the two piece design makes it more convenient to change in and out of than the one piece.

Why we're not wearing them?  We see tankinis or our nieces and daughters and other girls and think the tankini is not for us.  But Donna Karin, Nautica and a few other designers make the tankini hip and sexy for adults.

www.swimsuitsforall.com $59.00

www.justswimming.com

www.nordstrom.com $130.00

I recommend the tankini for women who have undergone a mastectomy, smaller cup sizes, and women who have a little extra in the middle.  Take charge in your Tankini!

Made in the U.S.A? Olympics Opening Ceremony Uniforms Under Fire

While the opening ceremonies start with the carrying and lighting of the torch, Ralph Lauren is also finding themselves under fire for the garments that they created for the event.  The Ralph Lauren company, which took over licensing in 2008, found itself under intense pressure, after the ABC news report that gave broad exposure to the fact that the uniforms were being produced in China, even though they have been produced overseas, or in Canada for more than a decade, with little protest.  But, politics is jumping into the fray, and are making big statements to get big points from the public.  Under the weight of the people, Ralph Lauren released the following statement:

“For more than 45 years, Ralph Lauren has built a brand that embodies the best of American quality and design rooted in the rich heritage of our country. We are honored to continue our longstanding relationship with the United States Olympic Committee in the 2014 Olympic Games by serving as an official outfitter of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams. Ralph Lauren promises to lead the conversation within our industry and our government to address the issue to increase manufacturing in the United States. We have committed to producing the opening and closing ceremony Team USA uniforms in the United States that will be worn for the 2014 Olympic Games.”

Politics aside-there was also great unrest about the actual design and price of the garments.  People have been up in arms about that berets that have been specifically designed for the event, and the affordability of the items themselves. Ralph Lauren stated that the "outfits embody the spirit of American athleticism and sportsmanship" but many are questioning the inspiration and voicing their unhappiness with this particular design.  What do you think? Are the uniforms by and for the people?

I've Got a New Way to Walk…American Apparel's New Model

American Apparel's newest model is a fabulous 60 year old woman, who is not clad in spandex, I had to check to see if there was a new CEO. Jacky O’Shaughnessy is the new face for American Apparel's "advanced basics line." It is very refreshing to see American Apparel try on something new. It will be interesting to see if they stay with it, or if they fall back into their spandex ways.

Ahead of the Curve: Queen Latifah

How many queens do you know that can beat box?

Some queens inherit their title.  Other queens are given their title by the media (She's the "Queen of this, or the Queen of that...).  But some queens earn their title by staying on the grind.  Queen Latifah is one of those queens.

Born in Jersey with a Baptist Church and Catholic school upbringing, Queen bucked the conventional stereotypes of woman and hip hop artist.  She released her first few albums by the time she was 22-all edgy anthems of unity and respect and empowerment for women--and was no doubt a pioneer in the male-dominated genre.

Since the then, she hasn't stopped pushing and stretching to new territories.  She released a jazz album in 2004, her own perfume called "Queen" a few years ago, and has starred in more sit coms and movies than most professionally trained actors.

But, it is her revolutionary attitude toward fashion that sets her apart from the rest.  She has redefined beauty...literally.  With her own line of cosmetics for Cover Girl and her own clothing line, she has illustrated that beauty comes in all sizes, shapes, colors and packages.  She has also lead the charge of throwing out the term "plus-size" in fashion. 

She's an actor, a singer, a hip hop artist, a designer, an entrepreneur and a queen.  And she's way ahead of the curve.

Peek Aboo...

If you get only one pair of shoes this summer, get comfortable sandals.  But, if you're like me, shoes in the summer are like flowers or margaritas--better when you get several.

So, if you get more than one pair of shoes this summer, be sure to make one of them peep-toed shoes.  Peep toes are a fun and flirty alternative to sandals, and more comfortable than your average pumps.  They are designed, of course to show off your toes (a few of them anyway), so if and when you wear them, I have one word in three syllables: ped-i-cure.

http://www.amazon.com/ $55.00

www.katespade.com $325.00

http://www.net-a-porter.com/

http://www.avenue7.com/ $25.00

Wear peep toes with sassy fitted jeans, a garden dress or even a pencil skirt and you'll have no trouble being seen... 

Lane Bryant Does This Summer Well

I haven't had the opportunity to feature Lane Bryant's clothing on here much.  While they are one of the biggest, oldest and most established names in all-sized women's clothing, they designs are either hit or miss--either they put out a really hot line for a season...or they don't.  However, Lane Bryant's line of summer dresses, illustrates why they are the designers to beat in all-sized women's clothing.

They have obviously gotten my memo to all-sized women designers about patterns and cuts that flatter curvy figures.  Look at the scoop neckline for instance here, and the A-line pattern with the empire waist here

and the funky sleeves on this floral

Lane Bryant's summer dress line is impressive and a welcome addition to the summer fashion line up.

Fashion in Action-Everyday Models in Motion

Fashion in action showcases the real women who know how to work it in everyday life!

For our first Fashion in Action feature meet Annelynne-she shows us how to rock a royal blue frock! Well done, Annelynne!

Make fabulous a reality!

...And They Called Dennis Rodman the Worm

In a fashion move that outdoes all of her previous attempts and makes Lady Gaga look like she wears a Catholic School girl uniform, Bjork rocked the Denmark's RoskildeFestival this weekend wearing black snake-like tubing. 

Bjork, 46, is no stranger to the daring side of fashion.  She has worn every thing from really platform platforms, to harp belts, to bright orange wigs.  She definitely does her own thing and has a funky eclectic fashion all her own. 

But, after this weekend, I don't know whether to applaud her fashion independence, or use her outfit to go fishing.  I'll let you be the judge...

A Fashion Hole in One...

I am not really a fan of golf, but I have played a few rounds and I certainly know who's hot and who's not on the both the men's and ladies' tours this year.

Michelle Wie, created waves this past weekend at the LPGA Tour, not necessarily for what she shot on the golf course (she disappointed fans with a 78.  For non-golf people, that's not good at all), but rather what she wore of the course.  Shown above, she wore a purple, figure-hugging, shirt dress.

It was fabulous, to be sure.  It goes without saying that golf fashion, particularly for the LPGA is most conservative, so Wie's purple was a bold and radical move. 

Serena Williams has gotten the world, if not the tennis world used to bold, fabulous wardrobe moves on the tennis court.  Is the world ready for Wie's new bold fashion on the golf course? Let's stay tuned...

Ain’t Nothin’ but a String Thing, Baby….

The Bikini

Today, we celebrate the anniversary of the bikini being introduced to the world.  It has a checkered and interesting history.

 In France in 1946, Louis Reard, an engineer who was running his mother's lingerie store, introduced the bikini and billed it as "the smallest bikini in the world."  As the first bathing suit to9 expose the navel, the bikini was considered so risque, that Reard could only get strippers to model them.  Needless to say, the modern bikini was not an immediate financial success for Reard, so he went back to selling less revealing clothing and undergarments.

By the 1950s, the bikini had gradually become wildly popular.  Life Magazine had done several spreads of wholesome women wearing bikinis and Hollywood actresses like Ester Williams, Brigitte Bardot, Betty Grable and of course Marilyn Monroe.

Save for some anti-kini sentiment in the 1970s by some feminist groups, the bikini has since sailed smoothly into our culture and our wardrobes.

Grab Your Bikini and Work it!

Thrill with Espadrilles

I'm not morally opposed to following a great fashion trend--that is after all what we who love fashion (even casually) do.  But, it's even better when we can create a trend.

And the fine shoe designers at Travelsmith have taken a classic and made it accessible and hot for the summer.  Espadrilles, originally created by the Spanish and French, makes pizazz comfortable.  Traditionally, Espadrilles are flats made with a canvas top and a hemp or rope sole.  But, Travelsmith has given this shoe a heel, cotton tops and a lot of attitude as you can see below.

www.nextag.com $68.00

www.twenga.com $59.00

www.nextag.com $120.00

Wear them with garden dresses, sun dresses or capris.

Be thrilling and comfortable this summer!

A Size 6 is Now Considered Plus Size?!?! Are You Kidding Me?!!!!!

Denise Bidot, who has been taking the plus size modeling industry by storm.  She has been working it for the likes of Monif C, Igigi, and Nordstroms, among many others.  She recently sat down with Yahoo Shine to shed some like on the shift in the modeling industry and to let curvy girls know everywhere that size 6 models are often times, now modeling plus size clothing.  "Twenty years ago, the average model was eight percent smaller than the average American woman -but today, models are 23 percent tinier than the rest of us. Want proof? According to Denise Bidot, a popular plus-size model and recent cover girl, size-six women often model what are supposed to be size-14 samples for plus-size catalogs"  Shine Interview

Bidot wanted to bring this to the forefront to let people know this is not ok, and to remind curvy women that "when it comes to their bodies, it's all about being the size that's healthy for YOU, not what the fashion and advertising worlds expect you to be." Well said, Denise!   I am appalled by the fashion industry trying to give us some cockeyed presentation of what plus size fashion is. How are we supposed to know how a dress is going to look on a curvy body, if the body in the dress has to be clipped into it? I think it is unacceptable and infuriating! It's right up there with stores only being willing to offer sizes 14-20 online, but refuse to offer them in the store, even though those are the sizes that sell out the fastest!

-Cosmo says your fat, but I ain't down with that! Sir Mix-A Lot has been speaking the truth for 2 full decades! It's such a shame the fashion industry is so short sighted. 

You need curves to make these outfits look good! Now get out there and work!