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For those of you who had to endure a year of shockingly short skirts and dresses there is finally something on the racks for you. It seems that the maxi, or the long, flowing, down to the ankles dress, is now taking the place of the mini in many fashion circuits. Red Carpet celebrities like Paris Hilton, Vanessa Hudgens, and Eva Longoria have been spotted both on and off the carpet donning this super feminine dress.

Why You'll Love It

For many of us, celebrities bodies are something we dream about but seldom can achieve. This makes showing off the mile of leg in a mini dress a complete nightmare. Not only did it leave you feeling less than comfortable, it wasn't always practical. Sometimes there is a definite call for a little extra length and the maxi has answered the prayers of many. Another terrific characteristic of the maxi is it's ability to flatter just about any figure. With a vast array of styles there are enough dresses out there to compliment the larger,thinner, smaller, taller, busty, or flat chested women of America.

The appeal of the maxi doesn't stop there. This dress can easily be taken from formal to casual with a few easy accessory changes. Going to the beach? The maxi paired with cute flip flops and a wide brim hate can be perfect beach attire while a pair of heels and some elegant jewelry can have you ready to wine and dine under the stars but

How to Find the Perfect Maxi Dress For Your Body

No matter what the latest trend in fashion is there are often subtle differences that can make it look great or less than great depending on your particular body type. Your hight, width, and bra size can change the way a dress looks on you making choosing a the one for you a bit of a challenge. While your friend may look terrific in the tiny printed someone fitting maxi, you may look far better in something a little more free flowing. Here are some tips for choosing a dress to compliment your body.

• If Your a Little on the Shorter side you may want to by pass the flowing gypsy skirts that the tall and slender stars seem to look to good in. This particular style dress can make you appear even shorter and often times wider than you really are. You want to stand out in a fashionable way, not get lost in your dress. If your lacking in the height department choose dresses that are a little more fitted and don't leave you swimming in the your clothing.
  
• If your little wider in the waist, don't think this mean you can't rock this dress just like any other woman. The key here is to keep it fitted up top with only a slight flow at the bottom. A-line dresses are perfect for your figure since they offer the room with out creating a tent affect and can make your body look lengthy.
  
• If your below average height wear chunky heels to help create the illusion of length. This will also work to create a slimmer silhouette something many of us definitely want to have.
  
• The general design of the maxi is great for taller or wider women because it offers enough coverage while making you feel feminine. If your super tall look for those gypsy inspired dresses mention above. They work well with your height and are simply elegant.
  
• For heavier women, bold prints and colors are can be terrific while the light colors and small prints can add width and depth to your body, something you want to avoid.
  
• For women with a bigger bust the maxi dress can be complicated to pull off but it is definitely possible. Look for dresses that have halter tops since they are more flattering. Stay away from spaghetti strap style dresses as they draw attention to all the wrong places.

by Jen Wasilewski

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Now that the holidays are officially over, and the days are getting longer, it's time to turn your focus from shopping for other people to shopping for yourself. Late winter is the perfect time to revitalize your wardrobe and get ready for spring. The big question on every fashion-forward gal's mind: What trends are hot this season? Last year, it was all about fussy fabrics and flouncy details, which made it hard to wear bold jewelry, which couldn't compete. This year, all the pomp has been relegated to the back of the fashion closet, and style gurus, including me, are calling for clean, classic lines with little or no fuss.

For jewelry lovers, this spring's sleek fashion forecast is welcome news: The minimalist styles we're seeing all over the hottest designer runways and in top fashion magazines' spring fashion previews are the perfect blank canvases on which to showcase our most spectacular jewelry. Now is the time to add a few fun jewelry pieces to your collection and dust off pieces that have been in hiding in your jewelry box waiting for their time to shine.

As Clairee Belcher, Olympia Dukakis's character in Steel Magnolias said, "The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize." Indeed. Without further ado, here are my top six jewelry looks for spring 2008, along with the celebs who love them.



1. The pendant necklace. Like a charm bracelet, a pendant necklace is the perfect accessory if you're looking for something to personalize. Take a chain or cord, and add anything that will give the world a glimpse of your personal style. Whether it's a pretty stone in your favorite color, a teardrop-shaped pearl or an item that means something to you such as your grandmother's wedding ring, a peace symbol, locket, heart or other lucky talisman, you can thread it on a chain and make it the focal piece of your ensemble. Wear the necklace long if you want to draw the eye down and create the illusion of a longer neck, or shorter if you want to accent your face. Pair the pendant necklace with an open-necked oxford, a simple dress or a vee-neck top. Jennifer Aniston has long been a fan of the pendant necklace, which is a perfect accessory for her boho vibe. For a super modern take, do like Jessica Simpson does and display your pendant on a leather cord rather than a chain.



2. Layered necklaces. After several seasons in the spotlight, the layered necklace look is still going strong. Dare we say the style might even become a classic? It's certainly interesting, giving the eye a lot to take in, and, because it's versatile and the combinations are endless, it works well with many different types of necklines. To pull off the look, pair a shorter, 16- or 18-inch necklace with a much longer chain or three. For added contrast, choose different thicknesses, metals or materials. For instance, pair a pearl pendant and a long, pearl-and-chain rope. So fun because it allows you to wear two or more of your favorite necklaces at once, the layered look is favored by fashion-forward celebs like Maria Menounos and Joy Bryant.



3. Dangle earrings. While I adore diamond or pearl studs for day, dangle earrings are all the rage this season for both day and night. Cate Blanchett and Rihanna love the style, and who can forget the huge turquoise dangle earrings Marcia Cross wore to the Emmys? Those giant blue babies, by designer Lorraine Schwartz, were the talk of the awards show! That's because dangle earrings are anything but subtle, adding punch to any hairstyle or outfit. Just make sure you don't wear other jewelry that will compete. Let the dangles do the talking.



4. Interlocking Hoops. Because bare skin is in this season, it'sokay to forego wearing a necklace once in a while so that your earrings (and sleek, bare neck) can be the focus. Want to be in vogue? The hot earring style right now is the interlocking triple hoop. What it is: three hoops starting at your earlobe that gradually get bigger to form a triple hoop style that' fun think hoops and sophisticated think dangle. Gold hoops are especially popular right now, as are diamonds, if you can afford them, or CZs, if you're on a budget. Jessica Alba and Uma Thurman have both been spotted with this sassy style, so you know the triple hoop earring is a trend worth emulating.



5. Oversize hoops. Like the layered chain look, oversize hoops are here to stay. Kate Bosworth, Alicia Keys, Ellen Pompeo and Katherine Heigl are fans of the style, and it's no wonder: Oversize hoops have an edgy feel that adds a funky, playful, urban vibe to an otherwise staid outfit. No wonder J.Lo and Jessica Alba rock the style so often. To make the style even more exciting, choose big hoops with dangling stones in a springy color, like green aventurine, or sterling silver hoops with peridot drops.



6. Cocktail rings. Cocktail rings pack a surprisingly big punch in a terrific little package! Draw attention to your hands (and look younger) by choosing unfussy rings with one big stone rather than stones with diamonds or other detailing. Choose rings made of bold, colorful materials like turquoise, onyx, mother-of-pearl or jade. Black pearls and oversize white pearls make great cocktail rings too. Trendsetters like Eva Mendes, Jennifer Lopez, Heidi Klum, Cameron Diaz and Catherine Zeta-Jones are all fans.

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About the Author

A graduate of the Gemological Institute of America's Graduate Pearls program, Amy Drescher is a fashion writer and accessories buyer for http://www.moonriverpearls.com/. Visit her blog at http://www.amysstylecafe.com/. She welcomes your questions. Reach her at adrescher@moonriverpearls.com.

Fashion accessories are considered as distinguishing elements that keep every woman stay in touch on the latest fashion trend. Although these accessories are comprised of small things, they do hold big importance in helping women achieve an outstanding and fashionable look they desire. Since fashion accessories have specific place in every woman's heart, different selections of accessories with unique and innovative styles are now available on the market. One such significant accessory is a handbag which is known as woman's best friend because of fulfillment, satisfaction and enjoyment that she feels whenever she carries it.

All sorts of handbags are intended for different uses and purposes depending on the needs and wants of women. For most of them, they are using handbag as their basic necessity helping them to carry more things at a more convenient way. With the help of handbags, they can able to bring their make-up such as lipstick, press powder, blush-on, mascara and other cosmetic products which are used to stay fresh and beautiful all day long. They can also keep their personal belongings on their handbags such as cell phones and wallets that they can never leave at home. Bringing a handbag also helps them to keep these things in a more secure place instead of placing them on their pockets and handling them on their barely hands. Aside from these necessary benefits, they have also been used handbags as their main fashion accessory. Since fashion puts much emphasis on handbags, most women own an average of three different styles of bags suitable in every different occasion. Today, they have become the most popular fashion accessory that helps out women transformed their outfit from an ordinary look into such lively, attractive and elegant style. Just by changing handbags, doing mix and match is so simple and easy. Looking attractive and stylish is effortless to achieve just by using different handbags. For this reason, women who desire to achieve such fashionable and trendy outlook recognize the essentials of handbags to their daily outdoor activities.

This article is written by Cecille Gamas, who works as an article contributor in StyleRunway that offers the convenience of shopping online for various quality fashion accessories. Just visit this site to get the best deals on designer hangbags and other women's accessories at reasonable price.

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By Michael Rad

A fashion conscious person never misses the fashion trends for the year to come. If you are already reading this article, this means that you are interested in what to wear in 2008. Do you like the fashion of the fifties? Well, you should, because it will come back in 2008 and that entire craze will be in style again. As a matter of fact, this trend of the 50s comeback has already started before 2008, so you are at least a bit familiar with the concept.

First things first: the spring summer fashion for 2008 will contain a lot of interesting models that clearly reminds us of the 50s. Baggy dresses below the knee for day wear or vaporous dresses for evening that will make the fashion in 2008. The trousers will be in fashion as well, and mini trousers may be worn as well. Capri trousers are still in style and may be worn with extra large sweaters. However, there is a trend that will mix styles, so sporty style will mix with the chic and there will be an ethno mix, which will result in some interesting combinations. The urban style will thus be a functional wardrobe with sporty details. This highly unlikely combination that comes as a surprise is like a breathe of fresh air.

The colors that are dominant for the style for 2008's spring and summer are the grey, black, white plus yellow. This color is a problematic color that does not suit with everything, so it must be worn with great care. However, next year, dare to wear yellow and see how it looks. The prints on the dresses or blouses can be floral, but they will become more abstract and even geometric or will totally lack. So uni is back in style. The accessories will match the outfit. The oversized bags are still in style, while the super huge earrings and necklaces will compliment the overall clothing.

The jewels may be made of plastic or more natural materials such as wood or even clay. These can be ethno influenced and create a great effect on the entire apparel, making the body look small and giving an interesting perspective. So, are you ready for spring and the summer of 2008? Get your wardrobe ready for this year's style and buy some great new trendy apparel online or in the stores that you usually visit. Now you know what to hunt for, just go and get them.


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Visit the author's website to learn more about:American apparel fashionChildren's clothing fashionDiscount clothing trends

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Rad

So many times we see celebrities wearing certain articles of clothing and accessory items that we decide we just have to have them. But the bigger question is why do we care? Is it that the celebrity in all of us just needs some validation to our current wardrobe or style? Or does it make sense for us to follow new trends to keep our look fresh and updated?

Validating Our Wardrobe

As women, we are constantly being judged on our appearance, clothes, hair, and make-up. It's been said that women can judge a person in three seconds. That's a pretty quick assessment of someone, especially other women. When we see celebrities wearing something that is pleasing to our eyes, we want to duplicate that look because we immediately decided that we like it. If we do not like the trend, or fashion accessory, we will not duplicate the look because it is of no interest to us.

Fresh Looks

A lot of times we look to magazines and the celebrity world to see what the latest styles and trends are going to be so that our wardrobe won't get stale. It's interesting to see how many times styles and trends will come from New York or California, and then sweep across the country over several months. By the time most of us catch up to the trend, a new trend has emerged and the process starts all over again. This is not necessarily bad, because it keeps all of us on our toes to keep an updated look.

Those Who Don't Care

Some women have their own style and fashion cents who really don't care what celebrities or anyone else is wearing. These women tend to stand out and dress differently that the majority and they are happy with their decision to dress and accessorize according to their own tastes.

The great thing about fashion trends is that we can adopt the ones we like and enjoy, while discarding the ones we don't like and don't choose to follow.

The fun thing about trends is that we can see something in a magazine and laugh about it, and then we can be wearing it the next week. If we keep a sense of humor about fashion and trends, we can enjoy all aspects of it, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

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Rene Fletcher is the President of Sales & Marketing for http://www.fleurdelisfashions.com/. She is also the sites webmaster. For items that are the latest in fashion trends, please visit, http://www.fleurdelisfashions.com/fldelishawa.html and http://www.fleurdelisfashions.com/fldelisap.html.