“Holiday Cocktail Dresses”Holiday season is fast approaching, which means it is time for holiday parties, office parties and charity events.  As all women know, this means the search for cocktail dresses is going to begin.  It is always difficult to find something that will be unique but still versatile, because if you are anything like me you have to find cocktail dresses that are not only appropriate for office functions, but still fun and sexy enough for friendly get togethers.

There are many options when it comes to holiday cocktail dresses.  One can purchase relatively inexpensive dresses from department stores and other mall stores, especially during big sales or markdown periods.  Other places to find cocktail dresses include specialty dress stores or bridal salons, which offer more customer service and a different selection than standard stores, but it all comes at a price.  Dresses from these stores generally will be more expensive, but again if you can catch a sale you can get a deal.  If you are really looking for a different outfit, though, this type of store will be the place to go.  However, you can also find higher end holiday cocktail dresses at some department stores, and these dresses will be well made and somewhat rarer due to their cost if you are willing to spend the money.

One of the best solutions for a versatile dress is a simple black wrap dress.  While they look plain on the hanger, if they are worn with dressy accessories they can look fantastic and classy.  Wear more conservative jewelry for those office functions, but wear more trendy and daring accessories for those friendly parties.  This type of dress can generally be found for a relatively inexpensive price, but they can be worn for years to come to just about any function you can think of.

If you want to be more daring, go for glitz and glamor.  Which is very in for winter 2007 and 2008 Holiday Parties. Shiny shimmery, or sequin dresses are very in for  holiday Cocktail dresses this season.

Some are available in strapless, spaghetti strap and even long sleeved styles, so you are surely going to be able to find something that suits both your needs and personality. Other cocktail dresses can be dressed  up with a silk or beaded top and great jewelry and you will fit right in.  There really are no rules when it comes to evening wear, so if you feel comfortable in an outfit and feel it reflects you, go for it!  It isn’t taboo any more to wear pants, either, if that more suits your style.

“MINI DRESSES”

In the world of fashion, styles come and go and then come back again. It may take decades, but you’ll see them again. In fashion, designers do, after all, want to offer something new each year to tempt their customers to buy this new fashion. As cuts and styles vary from year to year, hemlines tend to stay more stable, remaining de rigeur for a number of years. Hemline trends tend to follow patterns describing what’s going on on in the world. This is just what happened with the mini dress and skirt revolution of the early 1960’s.

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Economies were prospering, we were not yet at war in Vietnam and people were feeling pretty good about life. A young designer named Mary Quant, selling her fashions out of a small shop in the hip Chelsea district of London, put the mini dress and mini skirt on the international fashion map.

It’s generally agreed that the mini dress and skirt began with Mary Quant’s drawings of the short concept in the late 50’s, and were first a fashion must as “street clothes” for the Chelsea hip crowd.

Whether it was an accident or by design, the mini was an instant hit, quickly spreading from London to all over the world.

There are a few other designers, including Andre Courreges, the haute couture French designer, who launched the mini dress and skirt look into the arena of public and international respectability. He associated his white thigh-high “Courreges boot” with his mini dress look thus gaining distinction in his particular take of the Mod statement.

When Diana Riggs showed up in mini dresses on the 1965 hit “The Avengers”, this popularized the mini dress even more, making the Mod fashion style an institution.

Supermodel Jean Shrimpton made headlines when she attended an Australian event wearing a short white mini dress. That and the fact that hat and gloves were not part of her ensemble nearly created a scandal in 1965 Australia.

The rule of thumb defines a mini dress or skirt as one whose hemline is at least seven inches above the knee. This being the case, it was not possible to wear the regular stockings and garters with the mini. Therefore, tights and pantyhose, often in exotic colors, patterns and embellishments became all the rage.

Popularity of the mini didn’t start to fade until the mid 1970’s, when the mid-calf and maxi lengths came (back) into style.

Now here we are in 2007, and the mini dress is once again being flaunted on the runways as a new hot fashion trend. If you’re young and have got the legs for it, these are good looking clothes!

TO READ THE 2007 FALL FASHIONS CLICK HERE
“2007 fall fashions 2 ”

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“The Little Black Dress”

When women think of classic fashions, the little black dress, also known as the LBD, is sure to come to mind. Every woman has at least one. Some have many. The little black dress is a wardrobe staple, one of the most versatile pieces of clothing you can own. Spanning the entire breadth of fashion and all seasons and occasions, it’s one piece of clothing no woman should be without. The LBD has stood firm in the fashion industry for the best part of a century.

We have Coco Chanel, of the House of Chanel, to thank for this revolutionary classic. Coming out of the Victorian days of long, layered, voluminous, fussy and uncomfortable fashions, Coco Chanel’s little black dress was a fresh breath of comfort and chic in a single universally appealing garment. Chanel’s creation became an instant and amazing success in the fashion world.

The LBD has adapted throughout the decades to changing hemlines, fabrics, cuts and accessories, not just surviving but reigning on the very short list of women’s must-have clothing. Hollywood luminaries, including Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn immortalized the little black dress.

Your little black dress is a chameleon of fashion, at home and up-to-date in just about any setting, given the right accessories.

WHERE YOU CAN WEAR YOUR LITTLE BLACK DRESS: Cocktail Dress with Sash

o For office wear or a business lunch, low-heeled pumps, an Italian silk scarf and a gold bracelet render an elegant and unfussy appearance. Tres chic!

o A date at the ballet calls for some sparkle – gold or silver jewelry, belts, scarves, hair or shoe ornaments, a beaded or sequined shawl lends a sophisticated feel to the ensemble. Key to a show-stopping look is less is more. A single spectacular pendant diamond necklace and matching earrings will do the trick.

o Clubbing? Here’s an open frontier for the little black dress. Dig out those red stilettos and the jewel-toned belt. Maybe a red lamé bolero as a wrap will finish the look.

o What about shopping? If you’re shopping for jewelry, jackets, coats, shoes or hats, the LBD is the perfect backdrop. It goes with everything,and lets you see the possibilities of whatever fashion partner you have in mind. The fabulous magenta velvet hat just won’t show so well with your pleated plaid skirt. The little black dress offers the latitude of vision you need to see the virtues of that Renaissance-style necklace, or faux-fur jacket that would simply not be apparent with a turquoise linen pantsuit.

The LBD is also great for homecoming dresses, prom if worn with the right accessories, it can make the perfect cocktail and evening dress.
The little black dress flatters every body type, shape and size. Black is slimming and trims many a fault away. The longevity of this fashion item is well deserved and earned. Millions of women have relied on this simple but revolutionary creation of Coco Chanel for almost a century. So, if you don’t have one, get one. Long sleeved, short sleeved or sleeveless, the little black dress is history and the future in one sublime piece of women’s fashion.

TO READ THE 2007 FALL FASHIONS CLICK HERE
“2007 fall fashions 2 ”