| Fashion |
The Beat Goes On |
| The 60’s will swing until the last boomer stops breathing.
That’s my fashion decree for the coming decades about the decade
that will not fade. To quote no less a diva than Cher – “the
beat goes on.” |
| Fashion’s high priest Andre Leon Talley
- right hand to Anna Wintour and disciple
of the late, great Diana Vreeland - recently
quoted designer Michael Kors as describing
today’s fashion as “all over the place with no rules”.
He also credited the Bouvier sisters - Jackie Kennedy
and her sister Lee Radziwill - with setting
standards. That was one interview that caught my eye. |
It wasn’t so much the observation - although I do agree and
applauded the clean lines and classic direction of Kors’ work.
But once again there was the recurring reference to a 60’s style
icon. I don’t think we are looking for rules in fashion so much
as a reference.
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Sienna Miller in Factory
Girl
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| Once again artists are looking back to the fashion and culture of
the 60’s and 70’s for inspiration. Consider the Broadway
run of Grey Gardens – a play about
Jackie Kennedy Onnasis’s infamous eccentric aunts who lived
in a decayed Hamptons Mansion. Then there is the hit Indie film Factory
Girl, documenting the relationship between Andy
Warhol and his muse Edie Sedgwick.
At Christmas yet another Audrey Hepburn
picture book sold off the shelves. |
| Why is this happening? I’m not completely sure, but I have
a suspicion. The world changed in the 1960s. Love, marriage, the family
- none of it was ever the same. It was also a time that celebrated
youth and optimism. Despite some of the bad things that happened then
- campus riots, race riots, the war in Vietnam - the 60’s and
early 70’s were fun from fashion, and nostalgia point of view.
It was an extreme and funky time, from flower-power and the mod look,
to Jackie and Lee’s short little shifts and tailored suits |
| So this spring, the patent leather, the minis, the big belts all
have a 60’s flair. The metallic nails and eye shadow are familiar
too. There is definitely a fresh twist to it all, so don’t go
vintage all the way. But if you’re looking for fashion inspiration
you can do worse than Sienna Miller in Factory
Girl. Don’t like the 60’s? |
| Had with all the mods and flower power? Fear not; many designers
have moved onto the 70’s by following their favourite icons
- Jackie and Audrey - into neat little trenches, jersey dresses a
la Diane Von Furstenberg, and long slim
trousers a la Lauren Hutton. Even hot pants
and big, long sleek hair are haunting the runways specters of Charlie’s
Angels and Foxy Brown. |
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Fashion Original |
Is all this 50’s and 60’s fashion boring you? If so,
run and buy a basic and fabulous belt. Keep it short. Or get pants
paired with sexy patent flats, a fabulous scarf, add your signature
piece, and viola - a fool-proof personal strategy for riding out any
unwanted trend. Adapt the line and let it go. Remember: keep the trousers
slim, the skirt on the short side, and the accessories on trend! (See
our archives we have lots of great sources).
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| A fabulous belt can be the answer |
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If you are having a bit of Andy and Edie moment, check out these
new handbags from designer Lee Kirsty. Lee describes the bags from
her Eden Ever After collection as art and arm candy. We think they’re
fun. At $50 (CND) the bags are the perfect pop for a casual spring
outfit. She ships to Canada and the US.
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| Beauty |
Beauty Alert
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| At DolceDolce we just love a beauty bargain! There
are so many gorgeous things to buy that - when you get a chance -
pick up on something that works and leaves more cash for shoes. |
Miracle Eyes from BuyBeauty.com
for $29.95 (USD) has all the ingredients found in pricier potions.
Rich with hyaluronic acid, safflower oil, and botanicals, Miracles
Eyes smoothes puffiness, reduces bags, and helps fade
fine lines. Seriously, this cream is exactly like some we have tried
at double the price. Worth a try, if you are shopping for a new eye
cream or feeling a budget squeeze!
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| I just love mascara that works and doesn’t eat up my shoe
budget. So do most professional make artists. Why not? It’s
a “must-have” item for most women. I remember when $28.50
bought you the Maserati of mascaras. But
those days are gone, darling, and prices can be crazy. But do you
need to spend it to get a great mascara? Maybe not. Try a new value-priced
mascara from Cover Girl. Cover Girl VolumeExact
and LashExact are fabulous. Lash
Exact will darken your lashes with just one coat. For
more lush over –the –top lashes try VolumeExact
using several coats. It doesn’t clump, thanks to the new “chamber”
brush. At under $10 - in any currency - can you afford not to try
it? It’s the perfect thing for making the lush, dark lash look
that is so big this spring. Think Sienna Miller
in Factory Girl, or Beyonce
and Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls –
it’s all liner and lashes! |
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| Scent is a harmless addiction. And at the end of a long day, a hot,
scented bath can be therapy. Glow All Over Body Polish
by SunFX packs a one-two punch with a scent
so delicious you’ll want to eat it, and an exfoliation cream
so rich it leaves you silky-soft. Packed with shea butter and exotic
oils, this is absolutely one of the most decadent exfoliation products
we have ever used. It’s a mind-body experience. Divine. And
with no calories, this is perfection. The same company also makes
a spray on tan product. www.sunfxusa.com |
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| Not registered yet to receive DolceDolce’s free
weekly email newsletter? Help us grow; sign-up
today, and forward
to your friends. Because life should be sweet. |
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| Health |
Keep Fit, Stay Fabulous, Make it Fun
and Fast! |
For the last few years, it seems that almost everyone in Hollywood
has been seen swinging from a pole, or taking lessons in the art.
We even tried a DVD, Carmen Electra’s Aerobic Striptease, a
very mild workout. We didn’t love it.
www.amazon.com / www.amazon.ca
But, pole dancing seems here to stay. Women who like to dance seem
to love it. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but experts
say you can get a workout in high heels - not to mention fabulous
calf muscles.
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| A tricky move by a Flirty Girl instructor. |
Photo by Natalie
Chiu
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| Most studios and clubs that offer pole dancing are strictly women
only and discourage nudity. It’s not for everyone. But if high
heels and a boa are what it takes to get you to work out, then go
girl. |
| DolceDolce staffers Anne Gravel
and Natalie Chiu attended the first anniversary
of Flirty Girl, a fitness club in Toronto
that offers pole dancing courses. www.flirtygirlfitness.com.
“It certainly looked like a challenging workout,” Anne
said, after watching the instructors. She was impressed that even
students could do some of the trickier moves. The club also offers
private dance and styling parties. “It sounded like fun for
a girl’s night,” said Anne. |
Also check out in California www.funfitweb.com
and www.polelateaz.com
in Atlanta.
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| DolceDolce’s
Anne Gravel with Flirty Girl
owner Krista Knee. |
Photo by Natalie
Chiu
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If the idea of pole dancing leaves you cold, and any kind of gym
is just discouraging, pick up a copy of The No Sweat Exercise
Plan. Written by Harvard University medical professor
Harvey B. Simon, this plan makes fitness
attainable to even the most discouraged, time- and fitness-challenged
individual. Dr. Simon sets modest, doable goals. His plan can work
for real people who may not feel comfortable even being seen in exercise
clothes. If you have been resisting fitness, buy this book. It could
change your life, darling. www.mh.professional.com
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| Food |
Something Sweet and
Simple
And It’s Not Even a Recipe |
| This week’s recipe is so simple it’s not a really recipe
at all. I would be surprised if you don’t make it already. So
here is a guilt-free sundae you can eat for breakfast or lunch. |
| Sweeten ¾ cup of non-fat or low-fat bio yogurt (the kind
that’s good for digestion) with Splenda
or Stevia (a sweetener available at health
food stores) and 1 tsp. vanilla. Freeze for 20 minutes (take a shower
or something). Top with unsweetened berries - fresh or a really good
flash-frozen brand, such as Europe’s Best.
Add half a banana and maybe ¼ cup fresh pineapple. If you are
not dieting, chop a few almonds over it. |
| So there we are, another week gone. It’s time to head off
and dance somewhere. According to her make-up man, the 50’s
film star Doris Day spent an hour a day
doing dance moves in her room. She kept her figure and her vigor into
her 80s. Jackie used a mini trampoline to stay in shape in the White
House, and her jogging and walking in New York are legendary. |
So until next week, darlings, get moving, have a sundae for breakfast,
spread the sweetness, sign-up for DolceDolce (we’re free!) and
please forward us to a friend.
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| Gracey Hitchcock |
| Editor |
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