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Vintage clothes are chic without a care, stylish but not over-thought, windblown but meticulous. Vintage apparel is fun and unique and lets your own style show through – Here are the steps to dressing funky and out there.

1. Get all your clothes from thrift stores.(optional)You can even make clothes yourself, or shop at boutiques in other cities. Add flair to clothes you already own, too. Add patches to your shirts or jeans, add on buttons and sorts. If you create your own clothes, it will be guaranteed that no one will own what you have!

2. Raid the charity shops. You wont be a tramp if you do. One girl bought some hotpants from a charity shop and it turns out they used to belong to kylie Minouge!

3. Mix and match your clothes. but don’t mix them up too much. Balance it off with some neutral colors.

4. Try layering your funky colorful shirts, and wear a flowy skirt with leggings and flats!

5. Accessorize. This is the one thing that really makes an outfit pop and look funky and so retro. Thrift stores offer vintage jewelery that you usually can’t find anywhere else! Try colorful bangles, headbands, pearls, vintage looking necklaces and dangling earrings!

6. Wear a lot of new and wild makeup. Try green eyeliner or neon yellow eyeshadow! Design new makeup looks everyday.

7. Have some unique hair that’s all your own. Get a short choppy cut with bangs or have long layered hair, which you can style in interesting hair do’s. Waves are very pretty for long hair. cute clips work for short hair. If you can, dye your hair an interesting color, like purple bangs.

8. Although retro is usually 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s retro means things that have gone out of style and are more than a decade old. This means if you are expected to dress retro for an event, get creative and dress up as a dinosour. Have fun!

9. Find old pictures of your parents or grandparents from the era you like if they were around then. Even better, look through their yearbooks.

Does it work? So many new trends in diet and exercise and the world keeps getting fatter. TV shows are made of it and so many new experts with so many new theories. How do you keep track? Find the one that works for you, of course. After all, statistics don’t mean anything if they don’t work for you personally. Let’s look at this thing called Bursting. It’s been around for a few years, but is really getting some more attention lately for the results some are getting. First of all, what is it?

The key difference between bursting and other forms of exercise – especially traditional methods including long periods of low intensity, such as walking – is that this is done in ‘bursts’. It teaches your body to become a better fat burner. Burst training is short, but intense periods of an exercise for 30 to 60 seconds. It’s a matter of giving it your all in just a few moments until you feel like you’re going to burst. Your legs are on fire or your lungs are burning. You feel like you can’t go on another second. It’s exhilarating.

Here are some technical facts behind it as shared by J.J. Virgin, a bursting instructor and absolute fitness expert. “When you burst instead of just going at a steady pace, you create lactic acid which in turn triggers the rise of Human Growth Hormone (HGH). This is good stuff! In fact, movie stars pay big money to have HGH injected into them. It helps you hold onto or build more muscle mass, burn off fat weight and keeps your skin supple and younger looking. Your body will also take more time to recover from bursting than traditional aerobic exercise which means a bigger boost to your metabolism post exercise.”

She recommends that you incorporate at least 4 minutes of total burst training every other day. “Burst for 30-60 seconds with an active rest break between sets. Your bursts should be a 9-10 in terms of intensity on a scale of 1 to 10. You truly need to feel like you can’t go another second during your burst. If you can go more than a minute then go harder. The goal isn’t to exceed that one-minute mark, but to incorporate more intensity as you get better. In fact, you will be amazed at how quickly you get better.”

The specifics will be different for everyone, but the main thing is to totally exhaust yourself in just a minute or so. Do the exercise until you feel like you can’t go on another moment.

Here’s a routine she recommends:

Ideally, do a three minute warm-up. Then Burst for 1 minute, recover for 2 minutes and repeat 4 or more times and then Finish with a three-minute cool-down. She points out that the entire session should take just a little bit over half an hour.

Pick your own favorite way to burst. Sprint/walk, Stationary cycle, Stairs, Jump rope, stationary stepping machine – the important thing is bursting and then relaxing, then bursting some more. Why not try it and see if it works for you?

This year, the Hong Kong Fashion Week is Monday, July 5th, to Thursday, July 8th. Some of the main categories and highlights follow.

Under the category of Fashion Accessories, they have 1154 items. Some of the items will be: belts and bow ties, bridal accessories, and footwear, eyewear, gloves and handbags. Handkerchiefs and hats, scarves and shawls will also be on display with the latest styles incorporated.

Under the category of bridal and evening wear, we find a single veil. Not a strong category this year, it appears. But there’s much more the show has to offer in other categories.

By the way, according to the 2009 show they said the ‘Chinese mainland pavilion is larger than ever’. Among the companies exhibiting here, the four largest groups come from Ningbo, Wenzhou, Jiaxing and Hangzhou. We can safely assume this has expanded with China treating Hong Kong more and more as its own and China itself having more and more to offer the marketplace. Now back to more products.

By far the biggest category is garments. With 3713 products on offer, it is sure to stimulate and fascinate. Some of the new items to peruse will be: blazers, cardigans, casual wear, items for babies and items for men as well as jackets, knitwear ad maternity wear. So many new items to check out, this category will keep you busy in the 4 short days to shop.

Although children’s wear can also be found in other categories, it is also a category unto itself. Just like for adults, jackets, pajamas, shorts and trousers, coats, dresses, skirts and suits can all be found. Even cardigans and uniforms will be available, so don’t miss this category of items.

Another category which usually stirs some interest is intimate wear, which is called underwear as well. Not flashy names, but perhaps some flashy items. Besides boxers, briefs, panties and slips, there are also 8 items to be found in the sexy underwear category. Don’t miss them.

The final category is yarn, piece goods and textiles. These are miscellaneous items you may need to manufacture clothing. There are 55 items in the yarn subcategory and even some vegetable fibers available. This rounds out our list of categories to cover.

Shoppers the world over plan to come from places like Lebanon, The Netherlands, Russia, Brazil and France. One buyer from Argentina had this to say: “We specialize in clothes for large-size women, everything from sporty to elegant. I’m keen to find new factories that can make garments for our market in Argentina and our internet business in Europe. We can also investigate the market for bigger sizes in Asia. I’ve already met with factories that will be suitable for our younger range, and an Indian supplier of scarves and other accessories, and even jewelry suppliers. The organization of this fair is perfect – staff are very kind and efficient.”

It looks like the Hong Kong Fashion Week is going to top last year and prove to be an interesting place to be. So, if you can be there to check it out, hop on a plane and show up. Hong Kong is an exciting and electric city with many things to offer during your visit. Nightlife, food, history and stunning views are all there and waiting for you. Have a great time!

This summer, a replay, enhancements on last year and something new, too. Here’s a sampling of what’s on and off the runway these days in New York.

Latex: It isn’t just for surgical gloves.

There is a sexually charged trend taking place among American pop stars in 2010: latex. While the concept of latex isn’t 100% new, the trend returns this year with the current crop of copycats: Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Ke$ha and, most recently, Christina Aguilera. Originality is not required in this trend; most of the ladies are even wearing the exact same designer.

The Mullet Dress

Have you seen the hair -usually worn by men and some gay women – that has a sort of wide tail in the back? A favorite of only some, we hope the new mullet style dress will also be limited in its appeal. At the annual American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers awards in Hollywood, Katy Perry wore a mullet dress by Manish Arora. This we hear was also seen last year in the 2009 spring fashions. Hm.

Overalls in the City

For those of us not used to country-wear USA-style, overalls are a staple. Basically jeans that don’t fasten at the waist but become an open shirt at the top and fasten with brass buttons with two straps front to back. Usually worn by men bailing hay or driving a tractor, this outfit has gone international. Designer variations of OshKosh B’Gosh for grownups are becoming hard to ignore. Katie Holmes went shopping in some recently, and Magdalena Frackowiak rocked Ralph Lauren’s version on the cover of Russian Vogue in February. Jean Paul Gaultier also showed some made of crocodile skin during Couture Week, while Diesel Black Gold featured them on the fall runway.

Trench Coats – Kind of

These are trench coats that Bogart never wore. Dior has a cropped version, Burberry made it frilly, and Céline? It’s the whole outfit. But these incarnations of the immortal trench coat are barely like the original. That’s why the style is so perennial. Start with a basic look that keeps its essence despite voluminous variations and, voila!

Also on display recently were LWD: little white dresses, pantsuits and military styles. And also,  Scissors. Scissors are “figure-enhancing slits in unexpected places made for curve-hugging styles and arty peekaboos”. Clothes with slits. Want more slits? Shreds? Then you want Threadbare.

Threadbare means exactly what it sounds like.

Have you seen the remnants of a friend’s ‘blankie’ that they had when they were 2? It doesn’t look very good when they’re 37, does it? Well imagine designing an entire wardrobe of moth-eaten, falling-apart, hanging by a thread clothing. Then you’ve got threadbare. I guess buying new clothes that look worse than a beggar would wear (sans the stench) has a certain appeal. I guess.

That’s it for the current line-up. Stay tuned. There’s always more sashaying your way and we’ll keep you up to date.

BUY luxury, buy quality, buy something that will become an iconic piece in your wardrobe – from Miuccia’s Prada’s chandelier dresses, to Jil Sander’s raw and ripped chiffon, to Dolce’s knickers or McQueen’s metallic snakeskin marvels, to Lanvin’s most beautiful dresses ever, to Peter Pilotto’s prints, to Burberry’s trench dresses, if you buy one thing for spring/summer, make it a big story. If the recession isn’t letting up yet, buy one thing and the thrill will last.

If hemlines are to be believed as the rule of all things financial, though, things are certainly looking up – skirts are creeping up the thigh and bottom-revealing bloomers, henceforth known as hotpantaloons, first appeared in New York and bred across the fashion cities fast.

While there was a touch of sparkle in the front row of every single show, it’s a trend that is built to last and whether you wear it on your tights, on lamé socks with high heels, around your neck, woven into your chiffon evening gowns or tied to your handbag, a little bit of glitter always does a girl good. Shoes are still big statements but heels are coming down too; kitten heels have even been mentioned and so have clogs (Chanel, Celine, Louis Vuitton).

The big story for summer though, is nudity – the vast majority of shows opened with nude, ice-cream colours, making cut and drapery the big style statements as opposed to eye-popping colours. Where last summer we obsessed about colour blocking, next will be about subtleties of tone: nude with peach with washed out nutmeg, or grey with icy blue. A general lack of clothing will be approved of too – your underwear must look its best next summer because if it’s not on show it’s not worth wearing – only to be covered by swathes of knotted and ruffled sheer chiffon – and a touch of lace will keep things interesting (Stella McCartney, Fendi).

White is always a trend for summer, but 2010 is expecting a full washout – bleached cotton came tailored and masculine or bulging and ruffled. And if you want colour, make it a check (Christopher Kane, Louis Vuitton).

So what to buy, if you will be shopping? Party dresses – lots of them, to be worn day and night: with interesting (and forgiving) folds around the hip for added shape. A jumpsuit – single shouldered or strapless if you dare. Loose trousers that taper to the ankle, preferably in silk. Bring shoes down a level or two, and if you venture from the washed out palette, make it a bold, tribal or ethnic print (Dries Van Noten). A trench coat, long or short (or turned into a party dress at Burberry). A belt – skinny ribbons or wide leather versions; the waist intends to allow you to show off your curves next summer. And if your curves are that good, swimwear is teeny weeny as can be.

And everybody’s new favourite model? Australian model Abbey Lee Kershaw appeared in all the key shows, surely with plenty of ad campaigns to follow. Certainly no recession hangover for her.

Next February’s London Fashion Week is already off to a flying start with the recent announcement by Christopher Bailey, Designer of the Year 2009, that Burberry will once again be joining the hometown schedule for the autumn/winter 2010/11 season.

Burberry will be joined by other returnees including Matthew Williamson, Antonio Berardi,Pringle of Scotland and Jonathan Saunders, together with established British labels such as Vivienne Westwood , Paul Smith,Betty Jackson, Margaret Howell,Nicole Farhi, John Rocha, Jasper Conran and Julien Macdonald.

he BFC NewGen scheme, sponsored by Topshop, meanwhile, will feature nineteen emerging fashion designer businesses. NewGen, established in 1993, is one of the world’s most recognised talent ID projects and has launched the careers of many acknowledged British designers, including Alexander McQueen, Boudicca, Giles Deacon, Williamson and Saunders and, more recently, Christopher Kane, Richard Nicoll, Erdemand Marios Schwab, who continue to show at LFW.

For the autumn/winter 10/11 season, Mark Fast,Mary Katrantzou, Meadham Kirchhoff and Peter Pilotto, will all once again show on the NewGen catwalk, while presentation sponsorship goes to Holly Fulton, Louise Gray, Maria Francesca Pepe, Sykes; and exhibition sponsorship to Atalanta Weller, Christopher Raeburn, Craig Lawrence, David Koma, Dominic Jones, Fannie Schiavoni, Holly Fulton, KTZ, Louise Gray, LP.BG, Maria Francesca Pepe, Mark Fast, Mary Katrantzou, Michael Lewis, Michael Van der Ham, Natascha Stolle, Peter Pilotto and Sykes.

The NewGen Men line-up, meanwhile, sponsored by Topman, will feature new recipients, Christopher Shannon and J W Anderson, who will join the two inaugural designers, Carolyn Massey and James Long.

London Fashion Week will be held at its new official HQ, at Somerset House, The Strand, Friday, 19th February – Tuesday, 23rd February, with Menswear Day on Wednesday, February 24th.

Photo by: fashionising.com

pub H&M Jimmy Choo 2009

Madonna for Louis Vuitton A/W 2009, courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Madonna in New Vuitton Ads (WWD)
“Marc Jacobs was so pleased with this spring’s Louis Vuitton campaign featuring Madonna and he was eager to do an encore.  But he want very quickly and want something  different,’ related Antoine Arnault, Vuitton’s communication director.”

Plus-size fashion: style for the fuller figure (Telegraph)
“On Sunday night, as the British soul singer Adele commanded the stage at the Hollywood Bowl, her faultless appearance in a form-fitting, black, silk taffeta, box- pleated cocktail gown was yet another style triumph for fashion’s new generation of plus-size heroines.”

New Bangladesh textile protests (BBC)
“Thousands of textile laborer in Bangladesh have clashed with police for a third consecutive day in a protest over pay and conditions.”

West End to capitalise on London Fashion Week fever (Drapers)
“For Fashion retailers at London’s West End will host a High Street Fashion Week in early September to promote shopping in the capital  to London Fashion Week.”