Little Silver boutique doing FDJ French Dressing Jeans Fit Clinic May 1-13

Lynne's Fashion Boutique, 84 Oceanport Ave., Little Silver, will be the local site of a Jeans Fit Clinic sponsored by FDJ French Dressing from May 1-13.
FDJ French Dressing, a Montreal-based women's clothing company, swears it has come up with just the right formula to ensure a perfectly fitting pair of jeans.




A select number of stores across the country will be doing the Jeans Fit Clinics in which they help women determine what works best for them - regular or petite, low rise or regular and so on. There are even tummy slimming and butt lifting options available.
Of course, missing from all of this are any options for plus sizes !!
But for those of you regular and petite ladies, put your best leg forward.
For more information and hours call Lynne's Fashion Boutique at (732) 530-5443. For more information on the FDJ French Dressing Jeans Fit Clinics go online at www.fdj.ca

American Idol - April 24

The magic of draping was the fashion star of last night's "American Idol."
Draping fabric in just the right way can highlight one area of the body and take focus away from other parts of the body. It can hide, it can complement and it can take an outfit from eh to wow.
The same can be said for tailoring in men's clothing, by the way.
It's interesting to note that of all the Final 6 contestants, only one of the performers - Blake - seems comfortable enough to go his own way, fashion wise, week after week.
On the other hand, performers like Melinda, seem like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, glowing in their new, more colorful persona. In Melinda's case, I think it's a case of a young woman being pushed towards beautiful elegance and finding she likes it as much as the look likes her. In Jordin's case, it's a young woman who has found a way to make a grownup look work for her.
Here's a look at the fashion winners this week.



Melinda.



Blake >>>>>>>.



Jordin.

Reem Acra Evening Wear and Bridal Sample Sale

It's sample sale time!

One of the great joys of this time of year are the sample sales happening in New York.
Reem Acra is holding its sample sale today and next weekend with samples marked at 75 percent off.
The evening wear sample sale is from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. today.
Next week, the bridal sample sale will be 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 29 and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 30.
The sale will be held at 14 E. 60th St. (between Fifth and Madison Avenues), Suite 212 (2nd Floor). For information call (212) 421-3200, ext. 25.



******

Another sale to keep on the radar is the Fashion Institute of Technology and Design Mavens sale.
This sale is a chance to pick up one-of-a-kind creations by 21 designers selected by a panel.
The sale will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. April 27 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 28 at FIT's Reeves Hall, Seventh Avenue and West 28th Street in New York City. Admission to the sale is free.
Designers include: Dres who recently showed his rubber accessories at LA’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week; ekeko knits and accessories; Kahri rocker chic clothing & accessories; L Line over-the-top new and recycled knits; Glam 606 jewelry; Denise Conboy accessories; Anne DePasquale millinery; Domestikit vintage glamour lingerie; Pietra Banchi women’s wear; Zoe Schneider for babies; Maria Pantino coconut seed jewels; The Original Beadscarf jewelry; Trepo, Inc. tees; Drifting Thought for kids; Robyn Webb streetwear; Little Mac Designs hand dyed tops; Wasita Kanchanaskul sportswear; Jhoomer jewelry.

Top Models

The new issue of Vogue is must-reading, especially a cover story by Jonathan Van Meter on the demise of the supermodel and the top 10 models on the scene today.
The story talks about how the modeling world went from supermodels to the anonymous face and talks to the models about how things have changed.
Most interesting is the discussion on how a lot of designers and bookers have told the girls not to smile, not to be distinctive.
Of course, part of what makes these 10 stand out is that they somehow manage to leave an impression on you. This is especially true of the ingenue of the Vogue group - Chanel Iman.
Yes, she's gorgeous. But when you see her on the runway, she has a presence. There's an intelligence and sense of humor in the eyes that is captivating. It's one of the reasons why I've long been a fan of Carmen Kass, too.
I've got to say that looking at the Vogue top 10, makes it even harder to swallow "America's Next Top Model" this season.
I'll be the first to admit that I like to watch "America's Next Top Model" because, let's face it, it's entertaining television. I think Miss Jay is hilarious and his antics with Tyra and droll comments are a highlight of each episode for me.
But there are a lot of people who look at this show and think this is what modeling is all about. At some point, "ANTM" is going to have to rethink its guidelines a bit to be taken seriously.
Here's a look at three of the Vogue top 10, all in photographs from Vogue by Steven Meisel.



Chanel Iman, the lone American and black girl in the bunch.
Age: 16.



Coco Rocha.
Age: 18



Sasha Pivovarova.
Age: 22

America's Next Top Model

I'm still waiting for the "it" girl to arrive on "America's Next Top Model."
This past week's episode was interesting. Not only did the girls have to make a commercial, but they had to do it with an Aussie accent.
Surprisingly, the best one, hands down, was Russian girl Natasha. Okay, fine. But isn't this "America's Next Top Model"? Doesn't this mean that the winner needs to represent America and be able to speak ENGLISH well? I'm just sayin'.
I'm still not feeling Brit.
Renee? Hmmm. Good, but she doesn't have a youthful vibe to me.
Jaslene? Awkward and way too drag queenish. It's scary though how much she looks like Janice Dickinson.
I think my favorite is really Dion. She's funny, intelligent, speaks well and knows how to adapt to different modeling situations. My only quibble: she also seems a mite too mature.
Ah well.
One thing is for sure: none of these girls make you forget Miss Tyra. Her place is secure. Not one of these girls makes you forget who is really the star of the show.


Tyra Banks.
None of the current crop of contestants impresses as much as Miss Banks.

American Idol - April 17

There were some true star moments, fashionwise, onstage Tuesday night on "American Idol."
To me, a true star moment is when you see a performer who, from head to toe, commands the stage and just has that certain glow or presence.
Country night is always an interesting proposition on AI, vocally. Fashion wise, last night was interesting as well.
Here are my top fashion picks from the night.


Jordin Sparks.
She's simply gorgeous here. The gown manages to remain youthful and the color not only flatters her but pops on camera. She may be 17, but most of the time, she knows what she's doing in terms of how to present herself.



Phil Stacey.
Phil not only found himself vocally, he also found himself sartorially as well. He ditched the hats and showed off his dome. And this black shirt with the silver pinstripes is the epitome of dressed down panache.

Limited Edition Collection at The Gap - White shirts by Doo.Ri, Rodarte and Thakoon

Gap introduces a new limited edition collection for women on April 17. The collection will feature designs by hot American design labels Doo.Ri, Rodarte and Thakoon and will be exclusive to Gap stores.

Items in the collection - three unique interpretations of the classic white shirt from each designer - will range in price from $68 to $88. Look for the collection in Gap stores at Garden State Plaza mall in Paramus, the Mall at Short Hills, and the Willowbrook Mall in Wayne. You can also find the collection online at www.gap.com.

Called Gap Design Editions, the collection, which is being featured on the cover of the May issue of Vogue, is part of a new partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Vogue magazine's Fashion Fund. The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund is an initiative established to support and encourage new American design talent. The Gap collection is a way to introduce these up-and-coming designers to a broader audience.

Here's a look at the collection:


DOO.RI.

Doo-Ri Chung, winner of the 2006 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund competition, attended Parsons School of Design and actually started her label working out of the basement of her parents' dry cleaners in north Jersey. Her celebrity fans include Eva Longoria and Chloe Sevigny. Her collection will feature a shirt with a scarf drape at the neck ($68), a tailored camp shirt ($68), and a belted shirtdress ($88).




RODARTE.

This is the label created by sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy that has become the darling of the editors at Vogue. The sisters, who hail from Northern California, have won a prestigious Ecco Domani award and were the runners-up in the 2006 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund competition. Their celebrity fans include Cate Blanchett and Zooey Deschanel. Their collection will feature a sleeveless blouse adorned with bows around the neckline ($78), a trapeze sleeveless top ($68), and a trapeze mini-dress with front pockets and bow detail ($88).




THAKOON.

Thakoon Panichgul was born in Thailand but raised in Omaha. Like Chung, he's a Parsons School of Design graduate. Thakoon was a runner-up in the 2006 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund competition. His celebrity fans include Rachel Bilson, Amanda Peet and Demi Moore. The Thakoon collection will feature a tie-neck blouse with puffed sleeves ($88), a belted shirtdress with puffed sleeves ($88), and a shirtdress with ruffle detail at the waist ($88).

American Idol - April 10

Latin night had nearly everyone hitting the right notes - vocally and fashion wise.
Here were two of the top winners on the fashion front from last night's show.



Chris Richardson.
Loved the short jacket suit with the red graphic tee. It was hip and hot without looking corny, phony or out of step with the mood of the evening.



Melinda Doolittle.
This dress was close to perfection for our Melinda. The asymmetrical neckline let us see her neck and minimized her torso and shoulders. And the cut of the dress overall was sleek and sophisticated. She did NOT look too old, Simon!

Rutgers Women's Basketball

I had thought about posting about the Rutgers Women's Basketball team last week after watching them play in the semifinals and finals of the NCAA championship.
I was impressed by their polish and the way they handled themselves, on and off the court. Even in defeat, they were so classy and mature.
But I had refrained from commenting because I thought it would seem well, superficial. These were impressive and accomplished athletes, after all. Wouldn't it seem silly for me to comment in a fashion blog about how these young women always managed to look so together with their sleek ponytails and headbands.
After all, I had always thought it was a back-handed compliment when people would write about how beautiful WNBA star Lisa Leslie was. I mean, yes, she's pretty, but, she's also a heck of an athlete.
So I didn't write about Rutgers.
Then Don Imus opened his mouth. Slip of the tongue? Right.
In one foul moment, Mr. Imus sadly demonstrated that for some, no matter how polished and put together, no matter how accomplished and classy, some ignorant people will only see what they want to see.
Well, here's what I see. Rock on, Rutgers Women's Basketball team. Let's hope the world remembers you for all that you are. And yes, you ARE beautiful in addition to being very talented athletes and extremely poised.
And y'all can really rock those headbands, too!


Matee Ajavon with Coach C. Vivian Stringer after a victory at the NCAA.
Note, the headband.


Rutgers team members at a NCAA tournament press conference.
Like I said, classy.




Kia Vaughn.
How could anyone look at these young women and say what Imus said? As Coach Stringer said, what if it was your daughter?

American Idol - April 3

Better late than never.
The blogger magic is working against me again so I'm finally posting on AI last week.
The Tony Bennett jazz night on "American Idol" was a golden opportunity for the singers to show their elegant side. There were several who really got it right.
Sorry, no photos this week, thanks to the computer gremlins.
My favorites: Haley's green cocktail dress and Melinda's grey and black dress.
If I'm able to put the photos up later, I'll add them.
By the way, am I the only one who isn't loving the white shirt worn out with pants and vest look. Jordin wore it Tuesday night and I went "ugh". Poor girl looked like a waiter after a busy night. Then, last week on the "The View", Toni Braxton wore the same look (albeit in grey pinstripes) and I had pretty much the same reaction. The grey and pinstriping helped but I'm still not feeling it.

Customizing your own Daddy Yankee Reeboks

If you've never tried your hand at customizing a pair of sneakers, I highly recommend it.
And Reebok is adding another fun element to the mix. You can now customize a pair of the new signature Daddy Yankee Reeboks at rbkcustom.com.
I know a lot of people for whom customizing sneaks has become like their latest hobby. And why not? It is a lot of fun to create a pair of crazy colored shoes or some sneaks that complement your favorite outfit or your favorite colors. I know quite a few dance teams have gotten into this as well.
Daddy Yankee is the hot Reggaeton artist. You probably have heard his music even if you don't recognize his name. Even if you haven't heard of Daddy Yankee, you may find yourself loving the new DY shoe.
And Reebok is coming out with a new Daddy Yankee shoe, the DY Court, this summer.
Aw yeah!!