You may have noticed toe capped shoes appearing everywhere as of late—either on street style blogs or that one really well dressed girl in your morning class. To get your own pair, you should consider doing this easy shoe revamp! This tutorial doesn't take much time to do, and you get to save money and add a little flair to an old pair of shoes that you're not ready to toss out yet.Materials: an old pair of shoes, a large cardboard box, some sand paper (a rough nail filer will do), Mod Podge, tape, a paintbrush, and glitter*.
TalkFine's “She Never” is one of those songs you’d hear as you strut down the street of a ‘70s sitcom set high-fiving passerbys. Built around an infectious disco string arrangement and soul-pop vocals, the track glows with simpler times optimism - sounding at times like Stevie Wonder, being covered by Metronomy. It’s off the group’s upcoming album, Lesser Known Hits which is out now.
Like it or love it, The Shutes’ “Echo of Love” is just one of those tracks that’s impossible to ignore. It’s an instant pick-me-up piece of pop, paved with jangly guitars, androgynous vocals, and 58 mentions of the word echo (trust us, we counted) - resounding in your head long afterwards like any great pop gem should. The track is off the group’s debut EP of the same name. Stream or download another one from their album here.
A hit mail-order company in the 1960s and 1970s, British fashion house Biba was relaunched in 2010, pleasing both old and new fans with their vintage-inspired designs. Recently, the fashion house has recently released a long-awaited, elegant range of wedding dresses with designs reminiscent of the 1920s and 1930s.
Each piece in the Biba bridal collection is feminine and graceful, and all of the pieces are available for less than $1300. The gowns vary from simple and strapless to sophisticated, long-sleeved designs.
The Zoe embellished gown is one of the brand’s best-selling pieces, which is no surprise thanks to the gorgeous detailing on the front panel of the silk and chiffon gown. The Alexa bell-sleeved gown is also popular for those looking for a classy wedding dress -- the modest neckline contrasts well with the plunging backline, and the dress’s clinched waist adds femininity.
Mirror Kisses, our favorite new wave worshippers from Harrisonburg, VA are back with a new single, “Takeover”. It’s one of the more emotive tracks from the duo to date, laying down thick reverb and synth over heartachey crooning. Somewhere Robert Smith is crying… in a good way. Get the track for free via the soundcloud link.
To quote the Fugees, the new track from Daniel Woolhouse aka Deptford Goth is "Killing us softly with his song." The song is Goth's new demo “People Get Still” — though a track this good really calls the use of the term demo into question. It's a moving and haunting number, with echoing drums and delicate vocals that fade in and around a lush synthy ambiance. Get it while you can via the soundcloud link.
A little over a year after John Galiano’s infamous meltdown, and a fashion season filled with more swaps than the NBA at draft time, Dior has finally named a new replacement. Effective immediately, designer Raf Simons will join Dior as its Creative Director. The more than yearlong search has had many twists turns along the way, with many names thrown into the mix, including Alber Ebaz, Ricardo Tisci and Marc Jacobs.
Simons will take over after stepping down from his position of Creative Director at Jil Sander this past February. Rumors persisted that he was fired. However, talks with the Chariman LVMH, Bernard Arnault, allegedly began in December, meaning the swap was more than likely already in the works. Back when Simon’s name was among many in the rumor mill, he received the approval of many important industry figures like Carine Roitfeld and Cathy Horyn. This follows the announcement Hedi Silmane, former menswear designer at Dior, will take over the women’s collection for YSL perhaps sparking a new rivalry between the two.
Raf Simon’s first collection will be shown in Paris in July during the fall haute couture shows, and all eyes will certainly be on the runway.
I tried Urban Decay’s De-Slick oil control makeup setting spray ($29.00) after receiving a sample when I picked up some Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion and 24/7 eye pencils (amazing products which I highly recommend). Since I have combination skin and tend to get greasy in the T-zone, I was interested to see how this product would react with my skin.
Unfortunately, the spray didn’t work as well as I had expected. It made my skin almost too dry -- my forehead and nose stayed shine-free for hours, but my cheeks ended up looking sallow. If you tend to oil up all over, this spray might be a good option. But if you only get oily on your forehead and nose, I would recommend the De-Slick in a tube product, which I have also tried and can easily be applied to specific areas. Of course, it’s still spring, so this product may be a better option in the summer months when you’re likely to be greasier.
In terms of makeup setting, the product was fair. The directions suggest spritzing before applying foundation as well as after you’re done applying your makeup. But if you already use a primer in addition to serums or pore minimizers, this can seem like overkill and won’t be very effective. Most of the time, I just spray it on after my makeup because I’m satisfied with my primer’s effects. If you use a good primer, including eye primer like the one by Urban Decay, you don’t need to spritz twice. But if you do choose to use this spray pre-foundation, applying it before primers and serums will give you the best shine-fighting results.
Spring has sprung, and with the new season follows new trends and fashionable wardrobe options. One easy way to spruce up a wintery wardrobe is the addition of hot new spring accessories.
Luxury handbag designer, Khirma Eliazov does just that with the launch of her new collection. Eliazov launched her brand in 2009 after seeing a need for true statement pieces in the luxury goods market. Khirma Eliazov handbags feature classic silhouettes with exotic detailing and offer the wearer a way to express individuality while still achieving a timeless look.
The designs grace the arms of style-savvy celebrities such as Alessandra Ambrosio, Blake Lively, and Sienna Miller. Khirma Eliazov handbags aren’t just arm candy, a portion of each sale goes to help the non-profit Pencils of Promise which raises funds to help build schools in third-world countries. What could be better than looking good while doing good for the global community?
As a part of the new spring collection, Khirma Eliazov includes a hot new look with her oversized chain wallets. The luxurious leather and stingray handbags come in a stunning array of colors including coral, camel, teal and yellow. This unique accessory retails for $325 and can be purchased exclusively through luxury retailer Henri Bendel and the Khirma Eliazov site. So if you are in the need of a shot of style for the new season, look to Khirma Eliazov to liven your wardrobe.
Clint Lofkrantz is no stranger to the north-northwest indie scene. Along with fellow bandmate Felix Fung, he’s already given us the dark and dreamy sounds of Mode Moderne, and the ‘50s/60s garage pop of Shimmering Stars. Lofkrantz’s new project is Grey Gardens which feels like a mesh of the best bits from the previous two, swathing their tracks in loose percussion and sad bastard guitar. Download the song “Baby” for free via the Soundcloud link.
A little over a year after John Galiano’s infamous meltdown, and a fashion season filled with more swaps than the NBA at draft time, Dior has finally named a new replacement. Effective immediately, designer Raf Simons will join Dior as its Creative Director. The more than yearlong search has had many twists turns along the way, with many names thrown into the mix, including Alber Ebaz, Ricardo Tisci and Marc Jacobs.
