New Look's dedication to Little Black Dress shows enduring love for classic piece

The Little Black Dress, as iconic a fashion piece as they come, continues to see out season after season as the quintessentially stylish wardrobe piece. Short, long, tailored, tight, structured or strapless, it shakes off other trends as the sure-thing in fashion.So why does such a little black dress carry so much weight in the fashion world?Yves Saint Laurent in the 70s, Alaia and Lagerfeld in the 80s and 90s and a host of emerging designers are making these dresses their own today, from Gareth Pugh's black leather sleeveless dress on the catwalk, to New Look's range of modern-day takes on the wardrobe must-have. The enduring obsession illustrates just how revered this dress is.
The colour and the simplicity of this dress lends itself to complete versatility. It managed to stay reassuringly familiar and able to adapt to new trends effortlessly. In this way, it always remains modern. It also benefits from needing very little accessorising.The length of cocktail dresses can be ranged from mid-thigh to knee length.With cultural attachments that bestow a certain mythic grandeur to this piece of wardrobe royalty, it is enough to simply wear the Little Black Dress on its own. Pearls and neckties are optional accessories that work well with its simplicity, but equally, a stylish pair of good shoes and a clutch will finish this ensemble with fuss-free effectiveness.
New Look, who offer a wide range of party dresses are fashion favourites on the high street, offering seasonally spot-on pieces throughout the year. In tribute to the iconic wardrobe staple, they have dedicated an entire section to the little black dress, which is set to stay. The variety is extensive, ranging from the chic and simple, to the flamboyant and sequinned. Their criss-cross chiffon black dress nods to Alaia's influence, whilst their belted chiffon dress has sophisticated shades of Chanel.Its remains the go-to number to wear for all and every occasion; it's dramatic and elegant, theatrical and demure.New Look are award winning fashion retailers, and offer a wide choice of clothing to suit all tastes. From jackets to handbags, maternity clothes to jumpsuits, mens shoes to kidswear, New Look offers glamorous clothing at affordable prices.
PUBLIC health worker Tat Gray, from Hackney, east London, says of Posh: "No woman, certainly no mum of four, is a size 6 without working seriously hard on their figure."I see pictures of her looking exhausted and I want to feed her a burger."Towering heels and tight dresses are just not comfortable or sexy for a size 16 woman. I wear cut-off jeans and cotton tops most days."I felt ludicrous in her 6in black heel boots. My boyfriend Nick and most UK men would not think Posh is average and would prefer a size 16 woman."

The length of cocktail dresses can be ranged from mid-thigh to knee length

You can decide the skirt length according to your body shape. A mid-thigh length dress is fabulous for a woman with nice legs, while a knee length dress suits for all-figures. However, the lengths of evening dresses are generally from knee length to floor length. Floor length is absolutely the most popular one when you're attending some formal events like a cathedral wedding. It is not appropriate to wear an above-knee length dress in a formal occasion.
Cocktail dresses are available in a wide range of colors and patterns. Bold colors like pink or tiger brindles are sure to turn heads in a cocktail party. Don't worry about that you might be more attractive than the bride in a wedding or you might not look graceful in a bright shiny colored dress in a white tie occasion. On the contrary, you need to pay attention when choosing color of an evening gown. As usual, monotone or uncomplicated color combinations are appropriate for formal dresses. Stay away from the bright hues like red or pink at funeral.
As for the fabrics, dresses and formal dresses are basically the same. Satin, taffeta and organza go well with any gowns. But materials can differ. Traditionally, evening gown or dress is made of heavier materials like velvet, silk, taffeta while dress is made of a mixture of feather-weight silk or wool, a high-quality blend of synthetics and the above materials, but almost always never pure cotton (then it would be a sundress). Also the cut can be different. One thing that stands out as an evening dress is the wide-shoulder cut while one-shoulder or demurely-cut halter can signify the cocktail dress.So, an evening dress and a cocktail dress are alike in a way that they are dresses made of high-end, sometimes luxury fabrics, but, in many ways, that is where the similarity ends. Each is worn for a different occasion, falls to a different length and is complemented with different accessories. Cocktail dresses are a little more casual than evening dresses.
The two beautiful dresses worn by the two princesses had the same ivory color, the same re-embroidered lace long sleeves and the same classy A-line skirt beautified with hand appliqué flowers. The necklines are the elements that make these two dresses unique and different. While Kate's Middleton's dress had a deep V-neck, Grace Kelly's dress featured a more simplistic and modest high neck.

With Dresses like These, Your Evenings Just Got a Whole Lot More Interesting

Bruce Springsteen sings about "girls in their summer clothes, in the cool of the evening lights," and the professionals at Our website have managed to capture the essence of that romantic image with a diverse selection of breathtaking evening dresses. Warmer weather is quickly chasing away the doldrums of winter, and the sun is lingering in the sky a little longer each day. As the sun sets, we are going to see the ladies out in force, displaying evening dresses of every size, shape, and style. For party dresses that single you out from the crowd, no online retailer beats the prices and quality found at Our website.
Finding that perfect dress can be a time-consuming and frustrating task. The team at Our website has made that search easier and more affordable than ever, with a user-friendly, easy-to-navigate, and informative website full of dazzling pictures of the newest and hottest party dresses. Imagine showing up at your next event clad in a scintillating crystal encrusted straight dress from Jovani, one of the many world-renowned designers on display at Our website. You can choose from such established names in fashion as La Femme, Mac Duggal, BG Haute, to name but  a few.
Our website also offers head-turning bridal dresses, prom dresses, graduation dresses, and so much more. As positive word-of-mouth continues to spread, women of all ages and walks of life are flocking to this innovative company's website to find out more about what they offer.That success led Ashbrook to launch Film Fashion.The first thing they find out when they try to make contact is just how committed the professionals at Our website are to exceptional customer service. These people are passionate about fashion, and they are always eager to help customers find something that will suit them perfectly.
When you shop at Our website, you get a guarantee: if you find the same dress featured on their site somewhere else at a lower price, they will not only match that price, but they will also offer a further 6% discount. That is how confident they are about the affordability of their dresses. You will also get a free accessory of your choice once you reach the shopping cart, and no matter where you are in the world, you enjoy FREE shipping. It's these kinds of deals, combined with the unrivaled quality of their dresses, that keep loyal customers coming back.

That success led Ashbrook to launch Film Fashion

Ashbrook would be reminded of that lesson years later, while working as a publicist for designer Richard Tyler. As she tried to get fashion magazines interested in doing stories on him, they brushed her off until she mentioned Mick Jagger and Julia Roberts wore his clothes. Soon, he was known as "the designer to the stars."That success led Ashbrook to launch Film Fashion, her own company that matches designers with celebrities.Her first client was Ralph Lauren. When she struggled to get actresses to wear his bright neon-colored dresses on the Oscar red carpet in the mid-1990s, she decided instead to pitch his sleek tuxedos to male stars. Actors like Denzel Washington were among those who bit.
Ashbrook also scored a big hit for one of her German-based clients, Escada, who at the time was unknown to the celebrity world. In 1998, they sent a custom-designed pistachio green satin gown to Oscar nominee Kim Basinger for consideration. Not only did she love it and wear it, but she won the best supporting actress Oscar for "L.A. Confidential" that night."Every year, when the Oscars come around, we see pictures of her in (the gown) in the ‘Who won in the past' stories, and they mention the Escada gown," Ashbrook said.
That's not to say all of her efforts have been as well-received. Her book's title is actually taken from one of the low moments in her career.Ashbrook once rushed to a Los Angeles hotel at 2 a.m. the night before the Oscars with several pairs of her client's shoes because "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" actress Ziyi Zhang had just flown in and expressed interest in them. To Ashbrook's dismay, she found a few other stylists like herself waiting there with their clients' shoes.
Zhang ultimately passed over what she offered. Sitting in the lobby in despair, Ashbrook remembers thinking, "Here I am. I'll work for shoes."She thought she might have a problem when best actress Oscar nominee Viola Davis ("The Help") chose a bright orange dress designed by one of Ashbrook's current clients, Parisian designer Herve L. Leroux, for the NAACP Image Awards. When the photos of her in the dress were published, Leroux was upset to see how much cleavage Davis was showing, Ashbrook said.
"He thought people would think the dress was awful ... but everyone loved it," she said.
While Ashbrook now lives in Los Angeles, she regularly returns to the Northwest suburbs to visit her mom and sister in Mount Prospect. In her down time, she loves riding horses, and writes about it at Our website."I really do enjoy working in Hollywood ... but my life is completely separate of Hollywood. I'm in the service business. I'm not best friends with any celebrities. That's not my job," she said. "My job is to help them look great and help my clients."

Goodwill fundraiser offers formal dresses at a fraction of the cost

Goodwill gears up for one of its biggest fundraisers of the year.  On Friday, March 23, it invites people to attend the "Diva's Night Out" fashion show.  The show features formal dresses, including prom and wedding styles, children's outfits, and accessories that have come from Goodwill stores throughout the Rockford region.The fashion show is at the Clock Tower Resort from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Tickets cost $25, or $10 for visitors 18 and younger.
The next morning, the dresses in the fashion show, plus hundreds of others, are up for grabs, many as low as $20 or $30.  That sale is also at the Clock Tower Resort from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 24.  Admission is free.  First preference goes to people who attended the fashion show.Dress up but stay safe, high schoolers advised.If you bring your ticket from the show, you can attend the sale starting at 8:00 a.m.Proceeds from the fashion show and sale go to Goodwill's many programs to improve the community, including financial services for people in need.
Rihanna has fired back at reports she dresses provocatively to attract attention, insisting she never wears anything to cause a stir.The a singer recently hit the headlines when she was photographed bra-less in a sheer top, but she insists the flashbulbs of paparazzi cameras made her outfit see-through and she never intended to bare her chest when she dressed in her New York hotel suite.And Rihanna tells "Access Hollywood" she always dresses for comfort and to match her mood – and not because she wants to thrill or titillate.
She explains, "I don't do things for the response or for the controversy. I live my life like I want to, I have fun and the clothes that I like and the clothes that I'm attracted to, sometimes are sheer … sometimes are very daring."If I don't wear a bra that means I didn't wanna wear a bra. It's not usually for attention, it's just because it would mess up the outfit completely."A local wedding dress sale is drawing in people from as far away as Alabama and Texas.
Rivergate Mall and Goodwill are hosting the "Goodwill Wedding Gala" Saturday morning.The first group of shoppers arrived at the mall at 7:30 Friday night, and a large line had formed outside the gala by the time it opened at 6:00 Saturday morning.The sale features more than 300 wedding dresses, as well as a large selection for bridesmaids, flower girls, and other wedding guests.  Most of the dresses are brand new, and have been donated by local bridal shops.The dresses cost anywhere from $49 to $400.  Other dresses, such as those for proms and formals, start at $30.

Seamstresses turn a little know-how into Little Dresses for Africa

From the dark confines of Madison-area linen closets, pillowcases will soon reappear in African sunlight on the backs of girls who'd otherwise be wearing rags.A group of women gathered recently at the new Sewcial Lounge on Monroe Street to turn pillowcases into dresses that will be sent to orphanages, community groups and churches. The Little Dresses for Africa project, which was founded in 2007 in Michigan, has so far sent 560,000 dresses to 33 African nations.Turning a pillowcase into a dress is a beginning level sewing project that can be completed in about an hour, according to Sewcial Lounge owner Sara Myers. "We didn't want anybody not to come because they're not a good sewer."
For the project, machines were loaned to volunteers free of charge and some people brought their own."Some people use new pillowcases, but some use vintage pillowcases as long as they're in good condition," Myers said. "Pillowcases don't wear out as fast as sheets."The premise of Little Dresses for Africa is that any individual or group can sew dresses at their convenience and send them to the organization.Wisconsin's contribution to the project has been enormous, said project founder Rachel O'Neill. She was invited to appear on Nancy Zieman's nationally syndicated PBS show "Sewing with Nancy" to talk about her project."After that appearance, dresses started pouring in from all over the U.S.," she said.
A partnership developed between the nonprofit and Nancy's Notions, which is based in Beaver Dam.The company, with volunteer help, accepts the donated dresses, sizes and sorts them and gets them ready for shipping."So far we've received 69,208 dresses," said Lori Bartruff, vice president of human resources at Nancy's Notions."I get asked that question all the time."Dresses have come in from all 50 states and other developed countries, and many area women drop off dresses at the company's headquarters.
Nancy's Notions pays shipping costs, which are high, and has donated fabric, elastic and double bias tape to people willing to sew.The project got another major boost when NBC News accompanied O'Neill to Malawi to deliver dresses.Girls were targeted by the nonprofit because many are treated poorly throughout the continent."Girls do everything," O'Neill said. "They take care of kids, work in the fields, do the housework and if there isn't enough food, they're the ones who don't eat. I wanted to do something to honor them. And I want the boys to notice that we are honoring the girls.".

Dress up but stay safe, high schoolers advised

There are many special events in the life of a high school girl, especially prom. Part of the excitement and experience is finding that special dress.Scores of local girls did just that Saturday and they found it in the unlikeliest of places — the Pueblo Police Department.The work place of sleuths that most people generally try to avoid was transformed into a boutique, an impressive showroom for dresses of all styles and colors.Instead of arguing over a parking ticket, the only debate was about size and fit.
The event was "Aware With A Flair," which helped high schoolers with their prom outfits. It also served to educate youth about the importance of being safe on that renowned night of fun.There were numerous booths and activities to educate youth about drinking, driving, sex and sex assault, abduction, domestic violence and the consequences associated with prom night temptations.More than 130 students from 10 area high schools walked out of police headquarters with a prom dress, all which were donated by citizens and local bridal shops.Admin readdresses new code.While the event focused mainly on girls, boys were also able to sign up for free tuxedo rental.
Free limo rides and dinner coupons were given away as door prizes.But before the fittings and prizes, students had to visit each booth and participate in safety activities, which also staged in the department's parking lot."It's all about prom and safety," said Detective Patsy Archuleta, who organized the event with victim advocate Jan Martin and officer Randy Ramos."This has been 10 months in the making. We got a lot of donations," Archuleta, said, putting emphasis on a lot.The idea started with helping impoverished teenagers get dresses for prom. After working with area high schoolers it was decided to expand it so poor kids wouldn't be singled out.
Student volunteers in the participating schools collected names of those who would like to participate."A lot of people were excited. Everyone was like 'Free prom dresses! Cool!'” said Centennial senior Jessica Dismuke, a girl's cabinet member who coordinated the effort at the school and was intrical in Saturday's event.Kym and Dennis Smith donated six dresses worn previously by their daughters. As they entered the department they saw a girl walking out with one of their donations."I'm pretty sure that's one of our dresses," Kym Smith said with slight surprise."I was glad to get rid of them," her husband said. "They were taking up a lot of space."

Admin readdresses new code

School administrators have changed course on a student dress code policy that caused a stir when it was proposed last month.The School Board could vote on the new code on Thursday. As it was originally written, it would have prevented students from wearing clothing "not in keeping with a student's gender."That language — though only a small part of the code, which also prohibits short skirts, ripped or sagging pants, revealing shirts and other clothing deemed inappropriate — caused backlash from civil rights groups who said it took away students' right of expression and others who just felt it was a distraction from larger issues like the budget.
In a letter sent last month, the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia said the policy was unlawful, unconstitutionally vague and "a virtual invitation to litigation."The school division has put forth different wording based on the reaction of School Board members last month. The new version includes no reference to gender.School Board Vice Chair Thelma Hinton, who lobbied for the original wording, said she feels the policy has been "melted down." She first raised the issue last year based on complaints she had heard about boys wearing dresses and makeup at one of the city's high schools.
She contended that her concern was about safety, because the boys reportedly did not use the student restrooms for fear of being beaten."My concern is, are we putting them in danger to some degree," she said Tuesday. "My concern was the safety issue."According to the letter from the ACLU, schools are liable for allowing students to be harassed based on gender perceptions.Hinton said she intends to raise some questions with the School Board attorney during Thursday's meeting.
"We've got to face the issue," she said. "Is it that individuals have a right to do freedom of expression? People can be whatever they want to be, but what really are the policies?"The new proposed dress code would require principals to document, in writing, that certain clothing is causing a substantial disruption, distraction or health concern. Only after it is documented could the clothing be banned."This policy is dancing around it," Hinton said. "If we rubber-stamp something, then we'll be back at square one again. I have some tough questions that I need to know."The meeting begins at 7 p.m. Thursday in City Council chambers, 441 Market St. It also includes a public hearing and discussion on the budget.

The dress code makes particular note of short-skirt concerns on "Mass Days"

Each year QND students and parents are required to sign a "dress code contract" in which they agree to abide by the school's dress code rules and regulations. A fine of $5 may be imposed for each infraction, with a one-hour detention also possible after three violations and an in-school suspension possible after a seventh violation."A contract is a contract," Heilmann said "The bottom line is we're just asking parents to be supportive of school policy."
Short skirts are a particular concern at the Catholic co-ed school. The current dress code emphasizes that girls may only wear skirts, jumpers or dresses that are "modest" in length. Though left up to the discretion of teachers and administrators to determine if the length is proper, the code says the hem ideally "should be slightly above the knee."
The dress code makes particular note of short-skirt concerns on "Mass Days." The policy reads: "Young ladies will wear either school pants or nice pants outfits for Mass. Dresses and skirts that were too short have presented problems in the past. Walking up and down the bleachers (as Mass is held in the gym) is difficult while wearing a short dress or skirt.Redefining the Sensual Woman.Our goal is to attend the school liturgy with an attitude of modesty, respect and adoration for the Eucharist."
One proposed policy change being considered for next year wouldn't allow any skirts or dresses to be worn. Heilmann said going this route would make it easier for parents to determine if clothing choices are proper -- something that can be difficult to determine with the ever-changing fashions that come along.
"Female fashions are about as changing as you can imagine," he said. "I mean, you write a Student Handbook (entry) about female dress and then 10 days later fashion has changed."Heilmann said the aim of the proposed new dress code is "to get to that middle ground where we're not at the whim of every fashion change."Heilmann said the reaction from some students has been negative because they feel a "need to be their own person" through their clothing choices. However, he said "the bottom line is what's best for the overall school -- and also what makes it easier for parents to say ‘No, you can't wear that because it's not even close to the dress code.'"
Heilmann said QND's administrative team is still determining the proposed dress code language that might be incorporated into the Student Handbook next year. The team will then have to "run it through our School Board" for the policy to be adopted.He said the goal is to have a policy developed by late spring so students and families will know in advance what the dress code rules will be next fall. That way, everyone will have a better understanding of the rules "before they go out and buy clothes for the following August."