Supernatural Botanicals

   “I have one pair of skinny jeans that I keep trying to wear, but they last all of seven minutes on me.  I feel like a pork sausage.”  Michelle Pfeiffer on skinny jeans. 

The consensus on the newest trend, the maxi dress is…..He says, “no way!”   She says, “I love it!”  That seems to be the latest consensus from an unofficial poll I’ve been taking about the latest trend in women’s fashion, the long maxi dress.  From Rodeo Drive to your street, the maxi dress is making a fashion statement.  The question is, what is the statement?  Women seem to think the overall statement is cute and comfortable.  Men seem to think the overall statement is frumpy and unflattering.

A wildly popular trend now, the maxi dress is being worn by women who want to be cute and comfortable at the same time.  However, the negative input by the men may have you changing your mind….along with your dress.

Every male I had asked about this new trend gave a luke-warm response with, “it’s okay, but not form-fitting enough.”  Some even responded with “dresses like this need to be burned.”  Ironically, I couldn’t find one male response that said, “gorgeous, sexy, I love it.”

Women, on the other hand, simply loved the maxi dress.  Women find this dress to easily transition from casual to dressy.  The biggest response I received from women was “it looks so comfortable.”

What do you think about the maxi dress?  Love it or lose it?

Deal of the day!  Snag this super-cute sun dress from Victoria’s Secret for only $29.00 today.  I live all summer long in these dresses!  Very comfortable, very sexy, and very girly.  Bring on the summer!

A beautiful tribute to my ultmate style icon, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.  …..thanks for sending this, Grace.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzx4AnsSS3w

Miss Drew Barrymore has been looking incredible at the premieres of her newest flick, Grey Gardens.   This whole Valley of the Dolls, Barbarella meets Brigitte Bardot look is inspiring me.  I love it!  The hair pays homage to the 70s, but in a new millennium, sexy way.  Her dresses have been so perfect, showing her sculpted arms and newly slimmed down body.  Fierce!  Steal this look…which will require lots of long hair, and lots of backcombing.

Gladiator shoes…..let’s discuss.  Everywhere you look, you see gladiator-inspired shoes.  Why?  Why would you take a part of your body that you want to be small and dainty, and decorate it with buckles and brass half way up your calf?  Why would you want to elongate your foot to make it look longer?  Before you jump on the gladiator trend bus, keep in mind that this is (A) just a fad and (B) makes your foot look equivalent to Shaq’s!  Who wants that?  Check out some serious offenders below.  This style shoe is heavy and chunky, making a beautiful dress look off balance.  It’s just a highly unattractive look and I hope it goes away soon.  Avoid straps and attention to the center of the top of your foot.  When you have too much going on there, it makes your foot seem enormous.  Unless, enormous feet are what you’re striving for. 

We’ve all been there.  We’ve all looked at the magazines Kim Kardashian is in and wondered….how does that body go together?  How can she have a more than ample backside, yet her thighs are small?  How can she look so curvy, yet so skinny?  It’s something that makes you want to throw the magazine against the wall and jump on the treadmill for another hour.

There’s absolutely no denying that this girl oozes good looks.  She’s beautiful!  Beautiful enough to make you jealous.  And the reality is, even though she is beautiful, she doesn’t have skinny thighs and a flat belly like we see in magazines.  Thank goodness for photo-shopping!  It’s out there just to make us feel horrible about ourselves.

I understand it.  Beauty sells!  Even though we say we do, we really don’t want to see cellulite and flabby bellies on magazine covers.

But I do love that this picture has slipped out.  That is reality.  When we wondered how her thighs seem so tiny compared to her backside…now we know.  She doesn’t have tiny thighs.  That’s the magic of photo-shopping.  When we wondered how her belly seems so flat compared to the rest of her…now we know.   They have photo-shopped about half of her belly out of the picture.  They have given her a lift in the chest region, and also made her skin lighter.

Photo-shopped or not, Miss Kardashian is a stunning beauty.  I adore her fashion style.  And secretly, I’m glad Miss Kardashian isn’t the freak of nature that magazines make her out to be.  If anything, I’m all about promoting self-confidence and a healthy lifestyle.  So take a long look at this before and after, and remember that the next time you are looking in magazines and feeling bad about your appearance.

   My friend Debba is a girl about town.  She’s in the know of everything, from networking, social media, blogging, pod casting, fashion, business, all things Cincinnati, and of course, the founder/creator of Girlfriendology and Cincinnati Women Bloggers.   Girlfriendology is a great website that celebrates friendships of girlfriends.  Debba just went to LA and hung out with Brooke Burke, selected by Frito Lay to help launch A Woman’s World.  Check out her home page for pictures and details.  You’ll love Girlfriendology.  There’s something for everyone there.  

Levi’s…they’re still the sexiest, most classic jean around for guys and girls.  And now, Levi’s has gone Green!  Levi’s new Eco line of jeans are made with 100% organic and recycled cotton, grown without synthetic chemical fertilizers or pesticides.  Lots of great styles to choose from for you or your man, with that classic Levi’s fit.  Always perfect.  I’ve never had a pair of Levi’s I didn’t like.  I’ve even belted on some of the Irishman’s 28 inch, super-broke-in jeans back in the day when boyfriend jeans were all the rage.   (okay, well I said it was back in the day, as in early to mid 90s.)  Let me tell you, when you start exploring on his side of the closet, it opens up far more wardrobe possibilities. 

Levi Strauss is another great company that recognizes our impact to our fragile eco-system.  Way to be Green, Levi’s.  Love that eco line!

What could be better than a holiday cocktail party?  How about looking drop-dead-gorgeous at a holiday cocktail party?  Holiday cocktail party season is upon us.  If you like to shop online, it’s time to start shopping, ladies.  Order now to ease the pain of hitting the mall this time of year.  Don’t forget those accessories, like fabulous earrings and necklaces and, of course, a great pair of heels.   If you’re looking for bling without the sting, try www.emitations.com for great, inexpensive jewelry pieces.   

I mean, seriously, could I be any more in my element here?  Love, love, love this time of year!