FabSugar

Cheap & Chic: Color Your Legs

FabSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:00:22 PST

We've been seeing colored stems for a while now. But it's an opportune time for a refresher. Geri Halliwell, here at her book signing in the UK, shows us how to pull it off successfully. The key is to keep the rest of your outfit monochrome, preferably dark. That way your legs aren't upstaged - and you don't look like Punky Brewster.

It's an easy and inexpensive way to incorporate color into your Fall wardrobe. Take a cue from Geri - wear a short black skirt, a sleek coat, colored tights, and patent pumps. Beret and leather gloves optional, though encouraged!

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How Would YOU Wear It? Paris Hilton

FabSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 07:00:22 PST

Based off of the show What NOT To Wear, I'm deeming this edition of How Would YOU Wear It? "How NOT To Wear Colored Tights."

I'm all for colorful tights but Paris killed her beautiful Nanette Lepore dress by pairing it with tacky pink tights. Was she trying to match with the pink carpet?

If I were Paris and standing next to my stylish sister (love the plaid and Chanel shoes, Nicky!), I would have burned those tights. Instead, I'd go bare-legged like little sis. The peep-toe pumps are a bit questionable as well, so I'd ditch those for something more festive.

How would YOU wear it?

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Fabworthy: French Connection Colored Tights

FabSugar — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 10:03:14 PDT

Colorful tights are nothing new. But you have to be pretty bold to wear them and Halloween doesn't count! Sure, Gossip Girl Blair Waldorf wears black and white tights all the time, but colored tights are a whole different ballgame.

Take these French Connection purple tights, $15. They are the perfect way to liven up a moody Fall ensemble. I recommend pairing them with a heather grey dress.

If you're not ready to go colorful....yet, try these Sparkle & Fade Crochet Tights, $14, a la Ashley Olsen.

The One Thing You Need to Do a Bright Lip Look Right

Jessica Cruel — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:37:00 PDT

Perhaps you want to try the bright lip trend this Spring but steer clear of it to avoid ending up with smudged color all over your face. Dick Page, artistic director for Shiseido, assures a bold lip look can be done a lot easier than you think. In lieu of a primer, he recommends turning your lip pencil into a contouring tool to keep everything inside the lines. Not only does this makeup must have add staying power, but it also helps shape the lips and balance out unwanted tones. Just be sure to draw thick lines starting from the corner on each side (top and bottom), leaving the central area liner-free. Continue reading to get more lipstick application tips.

Beyoncé Wears a See-Through Feathered Givenchy and Makes a Nod to Blue at the Met

Katie Henry — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:56:07 PDT

Beyoncé Knowles was one of the very last to arrive at the Met Gala in NYC tonight, but she still managed to make quite the entrance! Beyoncé's wore a sexy lace Givenchy gown that pooled into a long train of vivid blueish-purple feathers. Beyoncé's light blue pedicure peeked out from under her gown, so even though she was out on the town, B still kept Blue Ivy close to her heart. Beyoncé has been rocking the nail color since giving birth to her baby girl just a few months ago. Last year, Beyoncé needed some help from husband Jay-Z to get up the carpeted staircase in her tight Pucci number, while this evening she was joined by friend and Vogue's former editor at large, Andre Leon Talley. What do you think of her latest look? Vote on Fab and Bella's fashion and beauty polls, and be sure to check back for more photos from the Met!

The Avengers Hit the Runway

Anna Monette Roberts — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:30:07 PDT

It seems like everyone is gearing up for the release of Marvel's The Avengers on Friday - even the fashion world. To kick off Australian Fashion Week on Monday, Australian label Romance Was Born partnered up with Marvel Comics to create a Spring/Summer 2013 collection based on The Avengers. The 25 looks were inspired by the graphics of comic-book artist Jack Kirby and evoke comic sentiment through zigzags, halftone patterns, dazzling colors, and shoutouts to superhero costumes, like arm cuffs, leotards, and tight bodysuits. Click through to be amazed by the marvelous looks.

Look of the Day: Refined Denim

FabSugar — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 03:00:02 PDT

Fab reader Brunetteblogging dressed up a denim button-up with cool-girl accessories and a dash of neon. First, she paired the casual topper with a mauve skirt, then added a wide-brimmed hat, white handbag, textured tights, and black suede booties into the mix. While these pieces amp up the chic factor on an everyday denim essential, we love that she polished the outfit off on a totally colorful note via her neon-infused necklace.

Congrats Brunetteblogging!

Everyone else, submit your looks, and we might just feature you on FabSugar!

As Madewell's Epic Road Trip Begins, Creative Director Shares Her Wardrobe Must Haves

Noria Morales — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:23:41 PDT

Madewell launched a massive road trip yesterday, using a vintage Airstream as a kind of nomadic pop-up shop to bring its awesome (we can personally vouch for this) denim to cities and college campuses from Boston to Seattle. We stopped by the Airstream yesterday morning to share coffee, donuts, and Spring shopping tips with Kin Ying Lee, the ever hospitable and eternally cool creative director of Madewell who, by the way, was wearing a pair of floral-print corduroys from the forthcoming holiday collection. That means printed pants are not going away, yay! To get Kin's rundown on Spring basics, read below, and if you want to see this seriously cool refurbished Airstream (boasting dressing rooms, a denim bar, racks of clothes, and iPad docks so you can order whatever you want from the Madewell site), check out its special map for this road trip paved in denim.

Creative Director for Madewell Kin Ying Lee's Spring shopping essentials:

A chambray shirt: "This is key. I wear one ALL the time. It's great because you can layer with it, and wear it open. I wear it as a jacket as well."
Skinny ankle: "These look amazing with heels, sandals, short boots. It's a great denim jean for Spring because it's got a shorter inseam so it hits right at your ankle. You can show off those manicured feet. It's really sexy."
The boy jean: "I think in Spring and Summer you want something that's not so tight. A boy jean gives you that little slouch, and that casual, more effortless look. This and the skinny ankle are my two go-to jeans."
The crisp jacket: "More for layering, I like that it has a little structure, a little more tailored."
A burst of color: "Even if it's just a great t-shirt or a silk shirt, it gives you a little splash of color."
Shift dress: "It's straighter, that fit is great and friendly, because not everyone can wear a waisted dress."

Hunger Games Set Decorator Larry Dias Shares Stories and Decor Details From the Film

Elka Karl — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:17:42 PDT

Watching The Hunger Games at a press preview, both Angela and I were scrambling to jot down notes on the fantastic set design showcased in the film. Now, we have the answers to all of our set design questions. Set decorator for The Hunger Games Larry Dias was integral in making the film come to life, from the Appalachia-inspired homes seen in District 12 to the opulent palace of President Snow. Dias was nominated for an Oscar for his production design work on Inception, and he's worked on the set design for films including The Village, The Last Airbender, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Keep reading to find out more about the process of designing the look of The Hunger Games. CasaSugar: I read that much of the decor for District 12 was sourced from local antique shops in North Carolina. How were you inspired by these antiques, and how did the look for this district develop?
Larry Dias: When [production designer] Phil Messina discovered the North Carolina location that serves as District 12 in the film, it just made sense to utilize the local antiques sources. In the book, District 12 lies within what is formerly known as the Appalachians. It could not have been more perfect. We found a number of dealers that had an abundance of unfinished "as is" antiques with rotting wood, peeled finishes, broken drawers, and rusty hardware, and they were items from the region. It was a perfect fit.

CS: The train car seems to have an art deco feel. Was this an influence for the look? How did you decide on the color palette and wood choices? What items did you include that seemed particularly important for these scenes?
LD: Phil came up with the design of the train cars, and the palette was an early idea that we toyed with changing a number of times but we always went back to the blue. The velvet I used in the upholstery was from Dedar, and at first we were having some trouble having it fit within our time frame. It was milled in Belgium, if I remember correctly, and we tried numerous times to find a replacement close to our original choice and just could not find a suitable one, so we played the odds and got it at the last minute. I'm glad we did because it had such amazing depth and was a really regal-looking hue that ended up being the perfect complement/contrast to the muted blue dress that Judianna Makovsky had designed for Katniss.

Of course we compared our swatches, but I think it really told a story when she entered that train car. The wood tones were chosen by Phil. As my team and I were sourcing the furniture for the train it became apparent that we would need to do part antique and part reproduction mainly because of quantities and also because Katniss drives a knife into the dining table! A lot of deco furniture is veneered, and we found a lot of great pieces that had irreparable finish issues or pieces that were too diminutive in scale, so we ended up finding some good reproductions that we could get quantities of. Because it was really difficult to get the woods to work well together on pieces coming from all over the US, we had our lead scenic Rick Riggs and his amazing crew faux finish the furniture to tie it all together.

A funny thing is the barrel chairs that play prominently were pieces that my buyer Sara Gardner-Gail found online, and they were really inexpensive but had the perfect shape. I had the legs cut off and added a swivel platform base, had them painted and upholstered, and they looked like the finest antiques. One of the things about set decoration is that you have to be ready to improvise as well as accommodate change. Unlike the design of, say, a hotel lobby where everything has been drawn in will not change, a film set is quite the opposite. Once the actors, camera, and crew are in the set, furniture starts flying, literally.

First, just to accommodate the cast and crew, usually at least one half of the set will be cleared of furniture, then as the shots and camera angles are being set up, the director may decide he needs things to rearrange a bit to accommodate a scene. It can be a little improvisational so having a few extra chairs, lamps, or occasional pieces hanging around is a good thing.

Keep reading for more of our interview with Hunger Games set decorator Larry Dias!

5 Places to Find Cute, Cheap Workout Clothes

Leta Shy — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:22:50 PDT

Having killer workout gear can help motivate you to stick with a routine, but that doesn't mean you have to invest in an all-Lululemon wardrobe. If you're looking for activewear that's cute, cheap, and somewhere in between a ratty old t-shirt and whole-paycheck performance wear, here are five inexpensive options.

Old Navy: The retailer known for cheap basics has an activewear line that also lays the foundation for your workout wardrobe. Old Navy workout clothes include colorful tanks and tees and basic black leggings and capris, all in material that's made for fitness, like compression fit and moisture-wicking material.
We like: Fold-Over Yoga Pants ($20)

Target: Target's C9 by Champion collection is one of my favorite low-cost options for many reasons. The simple staples are comfortable and made of a sweat-wicking cotton blend that never feels too tight, and the cuts, while looser, always look flattering. Not only that, but all the basics come in a wide range of colors - perfect for stocking up.
We like: C9 by Champion Power Workout Tee ($10)

Keep reading for more affordable workout clothes options after the break.