Trend Spotters Look into Fashion's Crystal Ball

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fashion forecasters predict that New York's fashion week, starting on Friday, will bring everything from a return to conservative dressing to a taste for Latin American-styled clothes in the months ahead.

But pressed on how they know or why so many designers pick a single trend season after season, they're far less specific.

"Divine inspiration," suggested one.

"It's sort of in the air all over," said another.

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Laura Bush makes appearance at New York Fashion Week

NEW YORK (AP) The models on the runway included Christie Brinkley, Sheryl Crow, Venus Williams and Paula Abdul, but all of the fashion world's eyes were on First Lady Laura Bush Friday when she attended The Heart Truth show at New York Fashion Week.

Bush wore a deep red velvet jacket perfect for the occasion: a charity fashion show called The Red Dress Collection that aimed to raise awareness about heart disease in women. Twenty-six designers, including Vera Wang, Zac Posen and Narciso Rodriguez, donated their time and dresses and celebrities wore them on the catwalk.

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Did designer blast Nicole Kidman’s figure?

The fashion world is atwitter after one of the world’s top designers blasted Nicole Kidman’s looks.

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Making matters worse, the designer is Karl Lagerfeld, the man behind Chanel, where Kidman is a pitchwoman. Kidman stars in ads for Chanel No. 5 — wearing a gown by Lagerfeld — in a deal reportedly worth $5 million.
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J.Lo to close New York Fashion Week

Jennifer Lopez debuts her new fashion collection, Sweetface, in the final time slot of New York Fashion Week, which started Friday and ends February 11.

Her show is being taped for an hour-long MTV special, "Jennifer Lopez: Beyond the Runway," that is set to air February 24. The special will focus on her design career, which began when the singer-actress launched a line for teens in 2001.
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Frill Seekers

The Lacy Confections of Spring

With fantasy and femininity preoccupying designers this spring, lace was used in many a collection. At Nina Ricci, Tuleh, and Temperley, pale mesh was layered over pastel solids, which highlighted its delicacy. Jill Stuart and Sari Gueron addressed the see-through issue by tiering and draping great swaths of lace into vintage-look party frocks fit for an ingénue, while Sonia Rykiel went the racy route, showing a black style against bare skin. The French, after all, have a special place in their hearts for lace: Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel once said, "I consider [it] to be one of the prettiest imitations ever made of the fantasy of nature."

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The Color Purple

Purple reigns when it comes to glamorous eye options this season, but it can be a tough sell to even the most intrepid 'nista. The wrong hue can leave you looking like you're nursing a shiner, too much shadow and you're starring in your own personal I-Love-The-80's segment. Have no fear!

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Spring and Summer Fashion Fun

Tiered skirts, polka dot bomber jackets and all-in-ones

Fashion UK looks at Spring-Summer 2005 and forecasts fashion with a little fun.

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Spas and Salons: Northeast

Drop $387 for a facial and you too can look like Gwyneth and Liv!

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Transformations: Scarlett Johansson

She just may be the hardest working girl in showbiz these days, and she's not showing any signs of slowing down. In 2004 Scarlett Johansson appeared in five movies, including A Love Song for Bobby Long, and this year will see her in three more. Her latest is In Good Company with Dennis Quaid and Topher Grace. Not bad for someone who's all of 20 years old.
Click here to watch Scarlett go from drab to fab

Christian Dior: Fashion Review

John Galliano produced an absolute dream collection at Christian Dior couture for spring—a dream that recaptured all the romantic, gasp-inducing poetry he used to infuse into his shows and that delivered everything, from surpassing technique to a fresh proportion, that sends a fashion audience into a state of bliss. Gone were the flashing lights, ear-splitting music, and vertiginous runway. Gone, the stilted, masklike makeup, the outrageous costumes paraded on limb-threatening footwear. At last, Galliano has had the change of heart for which his critics have been praying. "In my quest to make a corporate image for Dior, I had become a bit predictable," he said. "So I wanted to get off the podium, to be more exclusive and less MTV."
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Eyespy: New hairstyle alert

It's more than a mite embarrassing to walk into a Frédéric Fekkai party with your hair looking less than perfect. But I've been a hermit since the mercury plummeted, and blow-out or no blow-out, I had to get out of the apartment. Last Tuesday, I joined 50 beauty gurus from the city's top magazines, including Vogue's Maggie Bullock and Allure's Amy Keller, at the venerable salon for a press sneak peek at the lord of locks' new curl-enhancing line, not to mention some makeover magic from the fairy godmothers and godfathers on his staff.
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Inside Scoop on Runway Beauty

BACKSTAGE CONFIDENTIAL: Anna Sui Spring 2005

Earth Girls
"Anna and I were on a nature kick," said Garren, who conceptualized the hair for Sui's show. "So I separated the hair into ropey waves." (Rusk Being Rubber gum product gives great definition.) He also packed light—hairbrushes weren't a part of his down-home hairstyle. "It's not a clean cut, so don't comb through it. Do that, and you'll wind up with the Gisele." While Garren admitted that Ms. Bündchen's smooth, voluminous layers have a well-earned place in fashion, they gave way to an earthier style on Sui's prairie.
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Rules of Attraction

Who knew that Pamela Anderson, she of Band—aid—size bikinis and platinum blond glory, is a role model of sorts to scientists (at least those who study the laws of sexual and physical allure)? “she's a classic, although exaggerated, example of sociologically feminine qualities,” says Victor Johnston, PhD, a professor of psychology at New Mexico State University. But those without Pam's assets need not despair. According to recent research, what society deems sexy is more inclusive than ever.
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Teri Hatcher says her figure’s no fake

Teri Hatcher may admit to having been a “has-been,” but the star wants to set the record straight on one thing: her breasts are real.

The Desperate Housewife is denying rumors that her breasts are not her own.

“I think they should have been cast in bronze at some point because there was so much hysteria surrounding them,” Hatcher told the London Daily Mail.
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Where the Boys Are Is Where the Girls Should Be

Only when you see the men's wear collections of Hedi Slimane at Dior and Raf Simons do you realize how inept women's fashion is at reviving itself. The designers of women's clothes receive most of the attention, yet it is squandered on third-rate talents, clichés of femininity, and actresses frightened into submission by silly television frock pundits. If you want to know what's new in fashion, what's exciting, ask the boys.
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For Those Who Want a Little Work Done -- or Just to Read About It

Cosmetic surgery has nipped its way into the likes of popular movies and reality television. On Jan. 17, NewBeauty, a glossy magazine billing itself as "the ultimate cosmetic enhancement guide," went on sale on newsstands across the country.

"We have everything from the ultimate guide to breast enhancement to everything you need to know about lasers and injectables," said Yolanda Yoh, the magazine's editorial and creative director.

Plastic surgery articles have long been a staple of women's beauty magazines, and plastic surgeons are longtime advertisers. To compete for advertising dollars, NewBeauty will publish 13 regional editions featuring advertisements for local board-certified cosmetic surgeons, dermatologists and cosmetic dentists.

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The perfect 10: a fanfare for the new goddesses of Hollywood

They are a great deal more than just actresses, and are heading for territory beyond stardom. The ten film stars chosen by 'Vanity Fair' for its film issue are on a fast track to immortality.

So this is what the Ladies Cloakroom on Mount Olympus looks like. Draped across some nondescript furniture on a run-down stage set in Culver City, California, these 10 actresses represent the dazzling epitome of modern female beauty. They were chosen to adorn the cover of Vanity Fair - by some way the world's top celebrity magazine - for its 11th "Hollywood Issue".

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Make your Valentine's Day soft, silky and sweet

Egyptian cotton PJs, cocoa butter just as romantic as chocolates, flowers
Valentine’s Day is all about romance. One definition for “romantic” is “appealing to the emotions by its imaginative or heroic or picturesque quality,” according to my trusty old Oxford American pocket dictionary. When it comes to a gift for her that means her emotions, not his. So the overpriced flowers and candy in the heart-shaped box are fine, even appreciated, but the red lace panties and the latest manual on Kama Sutra sexual positions may not be. So what does she really want?
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Dark Angel

The unconventional allure of Anjelica Huston

She couldn't have been more different than the all-American blondes who were landing magazine covers and ad campaigns in the late sixties. But all it took was one meeting with Vogue's Diana Vreeland, and Anjelica Huston, daughter of Hollywood legend John Huston (himself son of revered character actor Walter), was off to Ireland for a Richard Avedon shoot.

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Kiss & Tell

The sweetest lips are bright, bold and sexy

Irresistible, kissable lips are doable in five easy steps. Sephora makeup artist Mally Roncal (whose makeup kit has glammed up Beyoncé Knowles and Angelina Jolie) shares her top tips for making your lips supersexy.

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Spring's Hottest Accessories

Not for the faint of heart, spring's bold accents are big on style

Beaded necklaces, big bangles, cool shades, oversize bags, the wedge, and wide belts. See what marie claire says is hotter than hot for Spring.
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Beyonce Crazy in Fashion

Beyoncé Knowles' new destiny is selling her own line of designer duds.

The "Crazy in Love" singer is apparently crazy about her side career as a burgeoning fashionista, announcing a licensing deal with Tarrant Apparel Group to distribute Beyoncé-branded couture aimed at young women ages 18 to 28.

Knowles' agreement means her House of Dereon collection--named after her seamstress grandmother Agnes Dereon (and not the Bootylicious One's derriere)--will be coming to a mall in the fall.

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Functional Fashion

What To Wear To Make It Through Airport Checkpoints

Rolf Reifgies always got in trouble at the airport security checkpoint because of his suspenders. Whenever the Wisconsin businessman flew out of Minneapolis, Milwaukee or Madison, Wis., the metal in his suspenders set off the magnetometer. Then he discovered BuzzNot, a brand of suspenders with plastic clasps.

"Works like a charm," Reifgies said of the $19.99 pair he found on SuspenderStore.com. Now when he takes off on trips to sell his milking equipment, Reifgies glides right through security. "It's a nuisance if I wear regular suspenders."

In this era of tightened airport security, retailers are coming to the aid of the aggravated traveler, offering new products - such as bras and shoes - designed to get passengers through the checkpoints without the indignity of a pat-down.

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Anatomy of a Classic: The Trench

How could something which completely covers your body be so glamorous, timeless and sexy?

Click here to take a tour of the trenches

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