Prep talk for Kiwi blokes

Kindle, Wi-Fi, Graphite, 6" Display with New E Ink Pearl Technology - includes Special Offers & Sponsored ScreensaversOver the past few seasons, fashion has taken a well-documented turn for the preppy. But the buttoned-up shirts, sharp tailoring and cardigans have not just washed up on the shores of womenswear. No sir. Manly Bay has also succumbed to the tides of librarian lookalikes.

I'm not sure whether it was caused by the rise of Gossip Girl or street style blogs documenting the seemingly effortless style of European men, but either way, it's a turn for the good. And I'm not the only one pleased that ill-fitting jeans, T-shirts, hoodies and jandals are no longer the only options for Kiwi menfolk.

Auckland-based blogger Isaac Hindin-Miller, of isaaclikes.com, has long been New Zealand's champion of the preppy look. His daily uniform of well-cut trousers, buttoned-up shirts, cashmere sweaters and beautiful blazers is a perfect example of how to look like ivy league material........ Read More

Coming to a woman's magazine near you

Remember when Kate Moss appeared at Glastonbury 2005 sans-bra in a pair of Hunter wellies and gold lamé mini dress (man accessory more on the lame side)? From a fashion point of view, it marked a rather significant moment. Prior to that, 'festival fashion' pretty much consisted of jeans and t-shirt - crazy hat optional. Sure, there were some boho types wafting round (literally, those long skirts don't do too well in the portaloo), but generally people worried more about the fabric of their tent than playsuit. Smart times. 

However, post-Kate in her pleasingly eye-catching yet surprisingly festival-friendly getup, clothing has become a main priority - rather ironically ensuring everyone now looks the same, much like they did back in the jeans and t-shirt days.

So, aside from wearing a nappy and baseball cap with cup-holder and drinking straw, how do you ensure you have practical festival experience whilst wearing contemporary dress? Listen and learn. If you don't like what we say, just buy a ticket for V Festival: ..........Read More

[PHOTOS] Alyssa Campanella Wins Miss USA: See All Swimsuit Contestants

Miss California emerged victorious in the 2011 Miss USA beauty pageant, edging out 50 other contestants from all around the country.

Alyssa Campanella, 21 year old, took the crown in the 60th Miss USA competition last night.

   

      

The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant.

She is originally from New Jersey and competed to be Miss New Jersey couple of times. She came close both times but never won the title.

However, She was named Miss New Jersey Teen USA in 2007. 

The 60th Anniversary Miss USA pageant was aired live on NBC on Sunday, June 19 from the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas at the Theatre for Performing Arts.

The pageant featured contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Contestants was judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview.

The following are photos from the swimsuit contest. ..........Read More

Live Review: AMI ClubWear Bikini Fashion Show @ Belasco Theater

The Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles was home to the AMI ClubWear Bikini Fashion Show this past Saturday. More than 1,200 attendees gathered at the historic, remodeled 3-story venue to dance, drink and watch beach bodied models grace the catwalk wearing the skimpiest bikinis ideal for summer. The fashion show was also coupled with a graduation celebration at the recurring club event, “Entitled Saturdays.”

If you missed the show, don’t fret. We’ve got video and photo coverage of the notable outfits. The first bikini to hit the stage was accessorized with knee-high stockings, a hat and a corset as pictured below.

A notable bikini to hit the stage was the pink striped swimsuit coupled with bows for a girly, flirtatious touch. ..........Read More

3-D Printed Bikini Tests Fabricated Fashion

Bespoke tailoring usually applies to men′s suits, and conjures up an image of Seville Row craftsmen doing things the old fashioned way. The introduction of the 3-D printed bikini flips that image on its head, showcasing how computer generated tailoring can produce the custom fit needed for female apparel that demands high quality in form and function. Designed by Continuum fashion, in cooperation with Shapeways 3-D Printing, the N-12 bikini tests the limits of fabricated clothing as much as it looks good on the beach.

The bikini itself is composed of small nylon disks held together like pieces of armor. The nylon is laser sintered into place using Shapeways' 3-D printing machine. According to Fabbaloo, each component such as the cups, the halter and the strap are custom-designed and sold separately, for a total of $275.

While a bikini usually has less material than any other piece of apparel, make no mistake, it is a high-performance piece of equipment that really taxes a design scheme. The bikini top has to cover irregular shapes, support what can amount to significant weight, fit closely against an asymmetrical area, retain its shape and function in wet and dry conditions, and withstand the pounding of waves and the stress of diving without shifting in position. Needless to say, that's more complexity than one expects out of a t-shirt..........Read More

Just don’t mention the discount, darling

On a high street near you lurks a shadowy underworld protected by a code of silence. Those involved dare not speak of what goes on for fear of reprisals. Ask people in the know and they slam the phone down. "I can't talk about this," said one anxious girl when I called her yesterday. "Good luck finding someone who will."

What is it they are protecting? What Mafioso-style outfit exists under our noses? The truth, for many women, will be hard to bear: for the thing these people will not speak of is the fashion discount card.

We are not talking about the ordinary store card that gives shoppers 10 per cent off once they have signed up for crippling interest rates nudging 30 per cent. No. We are talking about something much bigger: bits of plastic that come with no strings attached, bits of plastic that only the very important will ever see. These cards, handed out by everybody from Miss Selfridge's to Topshop to Chanel give celebrities, fashionistas and socialites the kind of reductions we mere mortals can only dream of. And as ever, those who need these things the least are the ones who get them the most. ..........Read More

Why the tutu is enjoying a major fashion

WHEN Natalie Portman gave her Oscar-winning performance as a prima ballerina in horror Black Swan, we weren’t just admiring her Brando-like attention to the craft, we were in awe at what she wore for every painstaking plié.

The costumes, made by Rodarte, inspired a trend for beautiful ballet fashion, and now Julien Macdonald is paying tribute to the beautiful dance with his own take on the iconic dance costume.

Welsh designer Julien is one of a host of top designers including Erdem and Moschino putting their spin on the tutu in a new collaboration with the English National Ballet. ...........Read More