Nail Polish Trends S/S 2011

Chanel La Fleur d`Ete 2011

 It’s almost sandal season again which, aside from warmer weather and longer days (finally), can only mean one thing: time for pedicures. But before you pull out your stash of nail polish from last summer, take a look at what’s hot this season. Put down the neon and make way for pastels and nudes.
 June is the beginning of the colorful season, but until then, its all about the  nude colors. This nail color has always been a classic option for every woman out there. And this year, it’s another big nail polish trend.

 Another of the nail trends for 2011 are laced nails. And this is how you can get it done yourself.
 First the things you will need: basecoat, nude or white nailpolish, topcoat, scissors and lace.
1. Cut pieces of lace the same size as your nails. Put the pieces aside for a little while.
2. Put on your basecoat and your color nailpolish.
3. If your color nailpolish is dry put a coat of your topcoat on top. Let this topcoat dry a little bit till it's half dry and you can still damage the nailpolish.
4. Then put the pieces lace on every nail.
5. To seal the lace into the nailpolish, put the topcoat over the lace.
 If you find it too difficult to use real lace, you can always fake it. Paint lace with a stripper of toothpicks onto your nails.

 Back in the spot light is the half moon manicure. Popular in the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s, the Half Moon Manicure is a hot nail trend that resurfaced on the Fall/Winter 2009 RTW catwalks but has been slow to gain mainstream attention.  Championed by Ruffian and early adopters Dior and Thakoon, we saw on runways again for Spring 2011 – but this time, it’s getting nods beyond the beauty blogger posse.

 What may seem impossible to recreate at home, try these simple steps to DIY the Half Moon Mani:
 Step 1: Paint your entire nail the colour you want your half-moon to be.  For a more understated look, choose a clear base coat instead of bold colour.

 Step 2: Allow the nail to dry completely, then use hole reinforcement stickers and place them on the base of your nails. Use french manicure tip guides placed upside down (like a smile) along the cuticle edge to achieve the “lunar landing” version.

 Step 3: With your other colour, paint only above the sticker.  Wait for the polish to dry before removing the sticker.
 
Step 4: Apply a clear topcoat, if desired.

 Here are some more pictures for inspiration purposes:

 

Jessica Alba`s Possessions

 

 Swiss luxury jewelry and watch brand Piaget has tapped actress Jessica Alba to be an ambassador for its new Possession jewelry collection.
To create the imagery for the collection, Piaget commissioned photographer, Patrick Demarchelier, stylist Brad Goreski, make-up artist Lauren Andersen and hair stylist, Renato Campora.
The team created six distinct looks, each showing a different side of Alba, the company said, from a chic and casual look in a soft, relaxed sweater; or looking sexy, sharp and sophisticated in a leather blazer. Piaget’s Possession jewelry provided the accent for each in layered pieces along with the mix of white, yellow and rose gold.
Check out the pictures and the video of the photo shoot:

 

 

*Pictures & Videos courtesy of:

 

The Bolder, The Better: Vintage Sunglasses

 Two distinct designs Prada sunglasses for 2011  were spotted on the runway in Milan, both embracing precisely round lenses. One style is a colorful play on geek glasses, with exaggerated flat frames and accenting outlines creating an uber-nerd bottle-glasses effect. The second look is Prada perfection: large summery white frames of asymmetrical color swirls and elegant scrolls extending from the temple along the frame’s arm. The second trend is known as Baroque, metal frames are out, plastic frames are in.

 70`s inspired vintage sunglasses are back for 2011. This trend is known as Baroque. Metal frames are out, plastic frames are in. Intricately detailed Baroque-style sunglasses have made a return in 2011 and Prada and Chloe are leading the way.  How about you, are you a fan yet?

 

 

 

Neroli Portofino by Tom Ford

 Ever since I inhaled the mixture of luminous citrus oils with floral and amber undertones of Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino fragrance years ago, I always thought it would make great scent for a bath range due to its’ crisp freshness and impressive longevity. It seems, I was right and this season Neroli Portofino has a revamped look and a full line of body oil, a bath scrub, a body moisturiser, a shower gel, and a bath soap as well as a eau de parfum. The range combines a cocktail of neroli, bergamot, citrus, amber and herbs with, he says, a “crisp and effervescent quality”.

  Neroli Portofino, Tom Ford's reinvention of a classic eau de cologne, instantly evokes the seductive essence of the Italian coast. Inspired by and infused with this exhilarating scent, the Neroli Portofino collection of bath and body products revitalizes and nourishes the skin with nature-rich ingredients such as olive fruit oil, grape seed oil and date seed extract that are indigenous to the Mediterranean.
 Despite his recent rebranding towards being Mr. Tom Ford, the purest of gentlemen, Ford's latest campaign leans towards those old. Not old Italian coast, but old Tom Ford. The old Tom Ford who's name didn't make a mark just for his quality offerings, but also for the overt sexuality, often replete with nudity, that he was lavished throughout his ad campaigns.
 The new range has arrived on counters May 1st,  and ranges in prices from $750 for the 250ml decanter down to $50 for the bath soap.

 The campaign imagery for Tom Ford's Neroli Portofino scent comes right below:

Shoe Fetish: Alexander McQueen

 Once L’enfant terrible de la mode, Alexander McQueen has grown up to be quite a terrible designer. Terrible in so many ways, its so hard to describe him. Unpredictable yet true to his clichés. Alexander McQueen is a master mind! An angel sent for all the not so tall women. True, most of Alexander McQueen`s shoes aren`t made for walking, but the art that it represents and with its unique style is incredibly hard, secretly, not to wish for a pair.
 And today is a great day, Alexander McQueen lovers everywhere can take a collective sigh, his brand will continue with the same brilliance as it was when he was alive.
  Sarah Burton is precisely the kind of quiet powerhouse who has what it takes to grab hold of his legacy and drag it where it needs to go to survive and prosper. As much as she worked beside McQueen for 15 years and clearly had a symbiotic connection to his very particular vision.
 What hadn’t changed with the 2011 collection was the fantasia that defined McQueen’s work. Burton has already said that there were so many ideas left to be explored in her work with the designer. Now that she has proved her absolute fealty, her absolute familiarity, it’s going to be riveting to watch her apply the craftsmanship and teamwork that made this collection such a success to a new vision for the house.

 Here is some of Alexander McQueen`s SS/2011 Collection:

 

Alexander McQueen Sculpted Resin and Leather Sandals $3,495.00.

 

  

 More, from his past Collections: