Accessories | Gourmet Fashions

Perfect Gifts for Fashion Lovers

For those who love fashion, there is no way you can go wrong with a gift if you pick up the right designer handbag or a few accessories from their favorite clothing designer. With many options on the market, all it takes is knowing what he or she enjoys in fashion to know what to buy.

Tips for Finding the Gift

For those who are fashion lovers, name brands are important. However, giving something that is going to impress them takes some creativity. Be more creative with these helpful hints.

Give something vintage by their favorite designer. This is a fantastic way to show you care enough. Take a look at some of the designer’s first pieces, or original lines, and pick something your loved one will enjoy.
Buy something that matches what they own. For example, they may have their favorite designer’s handbag. Buy the matching wallet or makeup kit that goes along with it. Find accessories that add to the look. Consider the accessories at CostumeExpress.com, for example.
Buy those items they will not buy for themselves. It may be a high-end perfume or that luxurious scarf and leather gloves. Buying what a person wants is an important step since your tastes may not match your gift recipient’s tastes.

If all goes wrong, or you just don’t want to risk buying them the wrong gift, go with a gift certificate to a fashionable boutique in the area. This is a surefire way to give them something usable and fun. Chances are good the gift recipient will love heading to the best fashion boutique in town to pick something out.

Filed Under: Accessories, Fashion Trends Tagged With: Fashion, Fashion design, Scrip

Be Fashionable While Traveling

Image by blmiers2 via Flickr

Vacations and traveling are supposed to be a time of rest and relaxation but that does not have to mean that the fashionista in you has to take a vacation as well. Fashion on vacation can be stunning, comfortable, and practical.

Most of the time we plan a vacation to exotic locations that are completely different from the places that we live. Think of your vacation as your own private runway. You are strutting your stuff in outfits that you will probably not wear again for years.

Many travelers spend hundreds of dollars on winter wear equipment and clothing that they wont wear again until the next ski season. Since you will be purchasing the clothing anyway, why not add your own personal touch. Rather than just buying plain black snow clothes, dress up your winter gear with color and accessories. If you normally wear stylish clothes, find stylish snow coats.

The same can be applied to tropical locations. The weather is beautiful and the temperature is warm so there is no need to wear dull colors. Tropical vacations are the perfect time to break out those heavily beaded tank tops that you never wear and string those chunky beaded necklaces around your neck. Accessorize your outfit with great pieces like floral print purses and a great pair of sandals.

Vacations are a time to relax and the fashions that you chose to being with you should not inhibit your from enjoying your time away but there is not need to wear sweats for the duration of your trip.

Filed Under: Accessories, Fashion Trends Tagged With: Clothing, Sleeveless shirt, Wear

Vacations: Supposed to Relieve You from Stress, Not Cause It

Traveling is a complicated experience, because you have to consider so many additional factors. Even common activities such as shopping can become very different when you’re traveling. Your needs are different and the environment through which you’re navigating is different; it’s easy to give over to impulse and behave in ways you wouldn’t at home, such as buying too much.

In fact, it’s often the case that people on vacations tend to spend too much. That’s not because spending is an essential or pleasantly-indulged part of vacationing (although some would probably argue that). When you’re on vacation, it’s easy to buy something without thinking about it. Perhaps you’ve bought a bunch of memorabilia (itself a questionable expense, but you’ve got to have some kind of memento, right?) and need something to carry it in, so you buy a new suitcase. Or you want to attend a party but you didn’t bring much in the way of formal wear, so you buy a suit. Expenses such as these which you might think twice or thrice about at home become second nature on vacation, because you’re deliberately setting aside the normal operations of your life, and that often includes budgetary concerns.

Unfortunately, the bill collectors don’t smile and nod understandingly when you explain that you don’t really owe your debt because you were “on vacation.” It’s a good thing then that you can get a Reach Card prepaid visa. With the prepaid card, you can control your expenses with a clearly defined limit, so you always know what you can afford and what you can’t, whether you’re on a quick trip by yourself or an extended vacation with the family.

Filed Under: Accessories Tagged With: Formal wear, MasterCard, Stored-value card

Silcone Watches

: Image via Wikipedia

Watches are a tricky fashion, but can be a fun accessory. Originally a gentleman’ item, a pocket watch, preferably with some sentimental value, was a must. It was as much a sign of status as a time-keeping necessity. Gradually, ladies’ delicate wristwatches came into vogue, and now, you can find every type of watch imaginable. Watches can say a lot about an outfit, and about the person wearing it.
If you want fun and amusing for the kid in you, go for a cartoon-style watch, plastic or rubber, with any of your favorite characters on it. You can go out for a ritzy night on the town with a classy precious metal watch, and there are plenty of high-end retailers and jewelers who will be happy to find the right time-teller for you, for a price. However, most people want a watch that will tell them the time without a lot of hassle (which usually means they want a digital watch) and will still look good. Now, there’s a watch available that does all this.
A new, imaginative product has hit the scene and is making waves: silicon watches. Sometimes called “jelly watches”, they are flexible and elastic, so they can fit any size of wrist. Since i’s made silicon, it won’t rub, cut, or friction-burn the skin. They’e extremely easy to see, set and change the time, and look fashionable with a functional twist. Since they’re simple with basic parts and are almost completely made of silicon, these watches are extremely cheap, usually costing between $7 and $22. They’re perfect for athletes who can’t be bothered with a bulky or heavy watch, those with sensitive skin, or for anyone who just wants a cool-looking watch that will tell them the time and say something about their style at the same time.

Filed Under: Accessories, Fashion Trends Tagged With: Fashion, Precious metal, Watch, Watches

“Studious Glasses”

Oh, how the tides of fashion turn. Anytime during the 1990s or first half of the 2000s, and a kid would have been shoved in a locker for wearing dorky wide-rimmed glasses. Nowadays, though, nerd glasses are the new big thing.

With the ’80s fashion revival in full swing, it is a small wonder that big glasses came back. In the real 1980s, contacts were just coming out, and most folks with eye problems were still wearing large-lense glasses. Now, the fashion has resurfaced with the rest of that decade; day-glo accents, exercise wear, etc. However, since most people have contacts now to correct their seeing difficulties, the glasses no longer have lenses, just frames for show. That’s right: the cool thing now is empty glasses made of large, unflattering black plastic.

Bands like Cobra Starship, which is working hand in hand with ’80s renewal with their synthesizer-heavy music, have made dorky glasses cool again, and Taylor Swift wears a pair in the music video for her hit single Love Story. Pop singer (and sometimes actor) Justin Timberlake sports a pair of prescription glasses, done up in nerdy style (although, his actually have the lenses in them.) The rich and the famous wear these, and so will everyone else. That is, until this fashion era ends and a new one takes its place.

So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen: what once was normal and acceptable became nerdy, unpopular and a social death sentence, and has come full circle to once again being not only acceptable, but will score you some indie cred with the local hipsters. So dig out your old pair and pop the lenses out, or head to any outlet store like Hot Topic, Wal-Mart, or a dozen websites where you can get your own brand-new pair of dork glasses.

Filed Under: Accessories, Fashion Trends Tagged With: Glasses, Taylor Swift, Wal-Mart

The Indomitable Blue Jeans

: Image via Wikipedia

Everyone wears them. From the old man puttering around the house to the grandma in the garden to literally every student in a high school to the biggest fashionistas on the runway, everyone owns at least a pair or two of jeans. And small wonder too: Jeans have a lot of life in them. They can take a beating and keep going. It doesn’t matter if they are sopping wet or full of sand, blue jeans can take it. Life involves lots of hard work, and jeans are designed to be worn during that work. For one thing, they use rivets instead of stitching at the important sections of the cloth, so rips are less likely. If a pair of jeans dies of anything, it will be worn out knees, not ripped seams.

Jeans can also be stylish. One of the new vogues is colored jeans; instead of just blue, try black or grey, or red or yellow or green. The other great aspect to jeans is that they go with absolutely everything. White button up tops? Got it. polo shirt? sure. Plain t-shirt or graphic tee? Of course, duh. It’s one of, perhaps the most, versatile article of clothing on the market today. While they can be paired with dressy tops like button-ups and suit coats for men or knit-tops or trendy shirts for women, it’s still frowned upon to wear jeans to a fancy get-together. Save them for the day-to-day stuff. Jeans are simple, good pants. They don’t try to be pretentious, they just do their best and look good while they’re doing it. Flashbulbs and wineglasses isn’t really their thing.

So, if you don’t have a pair of jeans, go out and paint the town red (or blue.) And if you already own a pair of these hard-working, hard-partying pants, go get another pair of two. Everything good happens in jeans.

Filed Under: Accessories, Fashion Trends Tagged With: Business, Casual, Clothing, Jeans

Dressed like an Empress

500 years ago, clothes made the man (or the lady) and it is still true today. While high starched collars, frilly lace, doublets and rapiers may not be the nouvelle vogue, nothing says your hip like a good set of threads. You might not have a cape to throw down in the mud like certain gentlemen, but you’ll have a stylish coat on the arm you offer.

Clothes express a lot of messages. In the very instant someone sees you, they take you in by sight, which means they see your face, head, hands and whatever else you are showing. Everything else they see, is the clothes.

So, how to dress like the royalty you are? Remember, it all comes down to portraying the image you want people to see. The healthiest one is yourself because, hey, you’re yourself. That said, you don’t have to be sewing your own clothes. Do you like the skirt Ingrid Michaelson sported during her Everybody tour? Great. Go for it. You can rock it like a goddess. It shows your trendy, independent, and have good taste in music. Admiring President Obama’s tie from the State of the Union address? Nothing wrong with sending a message of well-put-togetherness and adding a dash of patriotism at the same time. Don’t be afraid to wear what you like; big, Texas-sized belt buckles didn’t come back in style on their own. Set the image you want people to see. Businessmen wear suits for a reason; soldiers wear uniforms for the same. Set your own style, and use manufacturers’ products to express that style.

What people wear is what they want to be. So much of a person’s self is wrapped up in what they wrap their body in. However, it’s important to remember that you’re portraying yourself; you’re not just a skin-and-bones coatrack.

Filed Under: Accessories, Fashion Trends Tagged With: Barack Obama, Clothing, Ingrid Michaelson

What They’re Wearing

: Image via Wikipedia

With lots of cash and lots of dress-up opportunities, celebrities get to be the ones who try on a lot of fashions before the rest of the world does. Some of these trends are fabulous, some are flops. That’s up to you. But before making any decisions, here’s a rundown of what some celebrities are wearing today. What do they have that might look good on you?

Keira Knightley normally dresses like a pirate, but for one premiere she dropped the bucklers and boots and went for a more divine look. Arriving at the foot of the red carpet, Keira stunned onlookers with a gorgeous purple dress, made by Matthew Williamson. The dress is cut in the Greek halter-turns-dress style, with gold accents across the bodice and around the neck. Officially called the silk goddess dress, it makes it easy to imagine Keira relaxing on Mount Olympus. Her left wrist carried a metallic bangle from Wright & Teague and added to the ambiance of her Greek goddess look, showing that Hellenism won’t ever die.

Donald Sutherland, on the other hand, is putting on his signature well-dressed fatherly fashion (quick side note, he also played Keira’s father in 2006′s smash hit Pride and Prejudice). At the 2010 Winter Olympics, Sutherland, a Canadian by birth, not only participated in the opening ceremonies in an ice-white tux, but also cheered from the sidelines in top fashion, as Canada won the gold in hockey. Wearing a light blue button-up shirt, it said humble and familiar, yet striking at the same time. Donald topped that with a handsome red tie and a mauve scarf, both standing out nicely from his shirt. The whole ensemble was rounded out by a multi-layer black coat, at once both stylish and functional as Donald cheered his team to victory. He’s living proof that trendiness can always be a part of your life.

Filed Under: Accessories, Fashion Trends Tagged With: Donald Sutherland, Fashion, Keira Knightley, Matthew Williamson

What to Wear and What to Avoid

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Being in fashion means knowing what is in and what is out. If you do not know what to wear and when to wear it, you run the risk of being out of style. There are a few key things to remember when it comes to the ins and outs of fashion.

-Keep up with the times. Read the latest fashion magazines and even the gossip magazines. These are great tools for knowing what the celebrities are wearing. You can then create outfits based on what others are wearing.

-Add your personal flair. No matter what you are wearing, make it yours. If you are dressed professionally, add a pin, purse or other accessory that fits your personal style. Little touches of flair make the outfit stand out and people will take notice.

-Never add too much flair. Instead of winding up on someone’s “What was she thinking?” list, keep your flair simple and understated. Unless you have a craving for negative attention, avoid the odd, weird and downright silly touches.

-Retro is good, to a point. Several items are coming back into style. Flared jeans are one example. The flare at the bottom of the legs reminds people of bell-bottom pants. Remember that these are not bell-bottoms and you should never drag out the polyester, paisley-printed pants from 1968. Wear retro styles that are re-created, not the originals.

-Less is not always more. Showing more skin is not always the best choice, especially as you get older. Dress appropriately for your age. This does not mean having to dress in your grandmother’s clothes. Find flattering styles that keep you covered while hugging you in all the right places.

Fashion and style is about looking good and feeling great. Follow these tips and you will soon be the one your friends try to mimic.

Filed Under: Accessories, Fashion Trends Tagged With: Arts, Bell-bottoms, Fashion, Wear