Style Bust
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Inspiration For An Engagement Photo Session
14 years ago
There is a lot to love about so many engagement photo sessions featured on wedding blogs like Snippet & Ink and The Ruffled Blog (to name a few).
Our engagement shoot with photographer James Thomas Long is taking place tomorrow afternoon. I’m excited to check off such a major pre-wedding task on this holiday weekend!
Below you can find some images that should set the tone of our engagement shoot. Enjoy!
Plus Sized Dresses for Summer
14 years ago
It may almost be the summer, but that doesn’t always mean sunny days and warm weather! This is where sweater dresses come into play. Sweater dresses are a great alternative to a jumper and jeans and look perfect teamed with boots and on-trend opaque patterned tights.
If you are little worried about the clinginess of such a style, simply pop on a light support garment underneath, this will in turn make you seem more svelte and a lot more confident.
Sweater dresses are a great option for the more curvaceous woman as they offer a figure flattering shape, which even suits the most athletic of body types.
The basic black dress is an absolute must in every woman’s wardrobe, whatever your shape or size. It’s a staple item that can be both dressed up or dressed down and is a fail-safe option when you feel you have nothing else to wear!
When you need to look good and look good quickly, reach for the trusty LBD. It’s certainly one statement item that every plus sized woman should have in her closet
Look for a dress that fits perfectly. Opting to wear a strapless full-length camisole underneath the garment will work wonders on the figure. The black dress is also a great option for women who have curvy assets to show off. Invest in a form-fitting dress for best results.
Team with glossy locks, lashings of mascara, killer heels and a good lip color for the maximum wow factor, or alternatively with flat pumps and opaques for an office look! Adding a shawl or some statement jewellery is a great way to dress the LBD up a little and the contrast between the two, really make accessories stand out.
You can find some great deals on plus size clothing online. Read more information here Onestopplus.co.uk and find a new chic dress for your next night out!
Last but not least, here is my favorite pick for a summer dress.
Concert Review: Andrew Belle & Matt Hires at Lincoln Hall
14 years ago
It’s no secret that my favorite venue of all time is House of Blues in Chicago. In my mind, nothing compares to the architecture, history and overall vibe of the place. However, I stopped by Lincoln Hall on Sunday night to catch Chicago’s very own Andrew Belle perform and I will say that Lincoln Hall has definitely made its way up there as another one of my favorite venues, at least in Chicago anyway.
Andrew Belle
Seeing a show at House of Blues is an experience in itself, no matter which band you’re going there to watch. Lincoln Hall instead, absorbs the vibe of the crowd to create a different atmosphere at every show. The sound quality is fantastic – probably the best I’ve ever experienced. The size is very intimate and the place is simple, allowing you to focus on the brilliance on stage.
He’s a fairly new artist, he’s from Chicago, and I’m always curious to see what kind of musicians this city is putting out. (I’ve also been somewhat consumed in the hip hop industry for the last couple months and have been needing a break so, I was looking forward to checking out this show.) You may have noticed recently that Andrew Belle’s music has been making the rounds on all your favorite TV shows. I’ve always liked what I’ve heard from him. My favorite track “Open Your Eyes” was featured on Grey’s Anatomy last season.
Overall, it was a good night. Belle played with his full band, which added a lot of different layers and elements to the music that really don’t come across on his albums. However, the constant fog emanating from the stage was a bit of an annoyance. One song after another, starting off softly, building into an eventual explosion with the band blowing your face off, this became tiresome as well. In the grand scheme of things there is nothing wrong with that type of vibe, but when it happens during every song, there’s no opportunity to appreciate it.
Sorry to say that I guess mostly, Belle’s performance was disappointing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a big fan of Andrew Belle. This guy is a lyrical genius who tells some incredible stories through his music and he has a beautiful voice. But the band overpowered him and were a distraction from the real talent. However, the performance did show me that Andrew Belle is a diverse artist and not your run-of-the-mill acoustic, singer/songwriter.
In general, the show was very Coldplay-esque. If you’re into that type of sound, I definitely recommend checking Belle out. However, if you’re expecting to hear what you have on his albums, there’s not of much of a connection there.
Matt Hires
The night wasn’t a complete disappointment. It was actually far from that. Matt Hires flew in from Tampa to open the show. I thought I knew what to expect from him. I had seen him 3 and a half years prior at House of Blues here in Chicago. I liked his performance back then, enough to remember his name. More recently I had heard his song, “Honey, Let Me Sing You A Song,” here and there. I was looking forward to catching him perform again, but not necessarily excited.
I can now say that watching Hires perform made me want to come home and book a flight to see his next show. I am completely blown away by how much he’s grown as a performer – it was like night and day. And although it was obvious that the talent was always there, the performance quality was lacking before. Hires went from shy and slightly boring (sorry Matt!) to an incredibly charming, seasoned musician – and talk about someone that can tell a story! His set was completely captivating and I’m not sure I ever took my eyes off of him. (Not bad for someone that’s on stage with only his guitar). Matt Hires has so much character in his voice (think Mumford, Bob Dylan, Wilco, Ryan Adams), but at the same time he has a sound all of his own. With a vibrato unlike any I’ve ever heard before, plus his whistling which packs a punch slightly less than that of Andrew Bird, but adds more of a soothing melody, I had no idea what just hit me. He made it all look so easy.
What Hires is able to do on stage is anything but simple. It is raw, honest, and real. I think I even used the word “magical” that night and I was revived. It reminded me of my passion for music.
Sometimes it’s hard to remember why I wanted to work in this industry in the first place, as Lady Gaga and American Idol are what people are paying attention to. It’s so easy to become jaded and cynical. But Matt Hires reminded me why I love this business and the kind of music that matters to me. I feel like I owe him something for saving me. I definitely needed someone to kick me into gear so I could keep pursuing my dream, and to remind me what I’m fighting for. One listen to his song “Rock N’ Roll Heart” and I knew that we had an understanding of one another. Finally my dear Stylebust readers – someone I can share with you guys that is a complete life changer! He stole the show.
This isn’t the last you’ll hear about Matt Hires from me. Check out his latest Live Sessions EP. He’s also going to be on the West Coast touring with Marc Broussard in a couple weeks (maybe I’ll see you there)! There’s also been a lot of buzz recently surrounding his cover of MGMT’s “Kids.” Check out the video of him performing it below:
Weapons of Mass Seduction
14 years ago
There’s a relatively newcomer to the fragance world, a line called Juliette Has a Gun launched in 2006, but the creator is certainly not new in the perfume industry. Romano Ricci, great-grandson of Nina Ricci, was initiated into perfumery by his grandfather Robert (creator of L’air du Temps). After years of apprenticeship he launched his new project at Colette in Paris.
Ricci’s philosophy approaches perfumery as an inspired art, drawing inspiration from the popular Shakespearian heroine, Juliette. Juliette goes wild as she is transposed into the 21st Century, armed…with a gun (the gun being a metaphor for the perfume). Juliette intrigues the world with her captivating and seductive scents – symbolizing the liberation of women from men and sometimes with a taste of revenge.
This romantic collection includes five original scents:
- Not a Perfume
- Miss Charming
- Lady Vengeance
- Citizen Queen
- Calamity J.
- Midnight Oud
Rechargeable purse fragrance in the shape of a bullet; filled with a special oil you can apply in your pulse points.
Scented Candles with an aproximate burning time of 50 hours, in the following scents:
- Mary Jane
- Lucifer
- Marilyn
You can find the perfumes in very select locations in the U.S. and you can also order them online through Juliette Has a Gun site.
Scotty McCreery Crowned American Idol
14 years ago
The was quite possibly the worst Idol finale that I have sat through. But I have come to terms with the fact that Idol is never going to be exactly how I think it should be. I actually didn’t even vote for the finale. I just didn’t seem to care. So we finally have a winner… Scotty McCreery. I have to say that even leading up to the finale I just didn’t think it was possible for him to win the whole thing. I was wrong. I find it interesting how some people say there is no way he could be played on country radio (most reasons given are because of his quirkiness) and then others are all about him and think he’s perfect. I’m anxious to see what happens. There’s no way radio can just black ball the American Idol winner, but truly his single is not impressive. I think its beyond corny, which won’t help with the naysayers. But yet, most of the other first singles from winners weren’t that great either.
The finale was rather boring. The performers were not that impressive. I think Casey got sort of screwed performing with Jack Black. I wasn’t the least bit surprised seeing JLo perform with her hubby. Remember a couple weeks ago how I mentioned how it was disappointing that we never got to see her dancing skills in her performance? Well, she’s not the type that wants her talent to go unnoticed. So they found a way to work it in, just to show that she’s worthy of something. I thought the girls Beyonce medley was pretty great and I liked that it was topped off with queen B herself. I have to wonder if Jennifer is a little envious of Beyonce. I mean she just slaughters her in every category, it’s like JLo just move on over. The two do not even come close to comparing. What was TLC doing there? Like, where did they even come from? I’m not ok with seeing them on stage without Left Eye, it’s just not the same. And they lip-synced, really… just go away. I didn’t like the compilation of songs that the boys performed. I thoroughly enjoyed Steven Tyler’s performance, felt it was the best one of the night but entirely too short. That note he hit at the end, wowza!
Scotty’s performance with Tim McGraw was magical. I thought Lauren was completely overpowered by Carrie Underwood, who looked fab by the way. I could not get over her legs, someone please put me on her diet!
I, of course wanted to see a Paul performance with Bob Dylan or Rod Stewart. Or even Ryan Adams, his cover of “Come Pick Me Up” was a big highlight for me, and I thought Idol was going in the right direction after that… but maybe there’s just not enough mainstream followers for someone like him to come on. It’s also probably a lost cause to get Indie music lovers to even try to watch American Idol. I’m one of the few that tunes in, I’m sure.
I have a total love-hate relationship with this season. I think they had some truly talented individuals, Casey, Haley, Paul, Pia, and James. All five of them had their own style and brought something new to the stage. It’s always exciting to see where they will go from here. Thanks for checking in with the blog all season long. I have had a lot of fun getting to talk to you all about the show every week. Keep following the blog, I have some exciting stuff coming up to share with you. Adios to Season 10! Congrats to Scotty!
The Australian way
14 years ago
Usually I just pay attention to NY Fashion week, because trying to keep up with London and Milan is a hefty task. But recently I saw some photos from RAFW (Rosemount Australia Fashion Week) which took place May 2-6, 2011. I loved that there were only about 50 designers who showcased their collections (compared to NY’s week long extravaganza). And I realized that I love Australian fashion! From the loose silhouettes and subtle shapes to the laid-back take on runway fashion. One line that caught my eye during RAFW was Nookie.
Celebrating the courageous urban woman, Nookie embodies on-trend designs with a unique edge. Australian made, Nookie’s bold signature look uses color and print to complement the brands cheeky and playful aesthetic. Designer, Nikita Sernack’s strong design principle underlies each collection and resonates confidence through her stylishly sexy and edgy designs.
Photos from Daily Gloss, Fashionising & Studded Hearts
S/S 2011 Onia’s Swim Trunk Collection
14 years ago
When Carl Cunow needed to find new swim trunks he went to the dependable men’s floor at Barney’s Co-op and was thoroughly disappointed with his options. Rather than settle for loud surf shorts, or the unthinkable mankini, he decided to design his own. He left his job in Product Development at Steven Alan and started Onia. Carl designs the swimwear while his partner Jake Post headers up the sales team.
Carl Cunow brought a lot of personal experience to the table when designing the collection. He opted for a cotton-nylon blend for the suits because it has both a soft hand and dries quickly. Carl also notes that unlike traditional swim trunk material (nylon suplex) his cotton-nylon blend doesn’t stick the wet legs. The styling of the trunks themselves was intended to be versatile. Men prefer to wear the same trunks on the beach, playing beach volleyball and to the bar.
The collection consists of 3 styles: snap-closure “Calder” trunks, “Alek” board shorts and the “Amaury” board shorts, each available in two lengths. The trunks sell for around $130 a pair. All trunks feature a zip fly, and come in an array of colors from neutral khaki and black, to burnt orange and forest green, to ocean blue. Select prints are also available (and are more expensive than the solid colors).
Onia swimwear can be found in New York at Rogan and Steven Alan. You can also find the trunks online at Bonobos.
Photographs by Douglas Lyle Thompson.
American Idol Recap
14 years ago
Here’s a short recap for ya’ll. Haley Reinhart was sent home tonight on Idol. If you have been keeping up with this blog, I’m sure you are aware of how disappointed this has made me.
Haley started out the night singing a gutsy Led Zeppelin song and killed it. She followed up with Stevie Nick’s track, Rhiannon, I thought it was brilliant. Then came the judges pick. The judges chose Alanis Morisette’s, “You Oughta Know.” Hmmm… I don’t understand. They wanted Haley to sing an emo/angst bad ass song? Had Haley of chosen this for herself, the judges would be freaking out and tell her how wrong the song choice was. The entire competition they were pushing her towards a jazz/blues sound, and that music worked for her. I mean I just don’t get it. I love Alanis, that album was one of the first that I bought & I have so much respect for the entire movement. But for Haley, why did they choose such an angry song for her? Regardless of tonights outcome Haley had one of her best nights performance wise, so she definitely went out with a bang. I was hoping she would stick around and be able to pick up some of James Durbin’s votes to make it through to the finale. Onwards and upwards Haley Reinhart, I couldn’t be more impressed with an American Idol contestant. She truly was the best in my eyes.
But alas we have a finale with Lauren and Scotty. They both had spectacular performances last night. I think Scotty seemed more nervous than usual. Possibly being in the bottom two last week rattled him. I liked his decision to sing Lonestar. As I watched him perform I wondered how many times he had sang along to that song casually back home in North Carolina. Who doesn’t like that song anyway? It was enjoyable.
I was disappointed with Laurens rendition of The Band Perry’s track, “If I Die Young.” It’s one of my favorite songs right now and I think the appeal to that song is the beautiful harmonies. The band is a group of siblings and in my opinion no one can sing together like family. Lauren didn’t impress me much with it. I encourage anyone who hasn’t heard that song to check it out, it’s phenomenal.
I have no idea who I want to win between Scotty and Lauren. They are both extremely likable kids. I think both would make great American Idols. Scotty is definitely the front runner. You never know what can happen though. I’m just looking forward to the finale. I’m ready to see Paul McDonald, Casey Abrams, and of course Haley Reinhart back on the stage. Who are you rooting for?