Share Your Look:your fashion hub

ShareYourLook is a new niche community for “fashion addicts, trendsetters, shoppers and designers” that’s currently in beta. The site was co-founded by fashion journalist Melissa Ceria, whose articles have appeared in The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. The idea is simple and appealing: upload photos of yourself in your latest outfit, and allow others to rate your look and leave comments, including compliments and quick style tips. There’s tagging, too, plus the ability to send photos to others, add them to your favorites and post them to your “styleblog”. They also make it super-easy to grab an embeddable photo for your blog or profiles on Friendster, MySpace, hi5 et al (I assume MySpace is popular with the it-crowd, too).

Using the familiar social filters that seem to have been popularized by YouTube, you can find the most recent looks, the most viewed, the most discussed, the top favorites, the top rated looks and the top country. That’s a nice element of ShareYourLook: it’s truly international, with looks being posted from all around the world. Yet more filters let you sort outfits by price and category.

Being a social network, users also have profile pages with a pic, and the ability to add friends and send messages. You can even subscribe to another user, and see all their latest outfits in your account. The weakest element, meanwhile, is probably the blogging section - these are obviously based on Wordpress, which some might say is lazy, and others might see as resourceful. In truth, its not really an issue that they’ve used Wordpress (many big name publishers already do), but they could have at least removed the Wordpress URLs, default comments and other telltale signs - a bit more integration with the site would also be nice.

ShareYourLook is a half-decent implementation of a good idea. Its success, of course, will come down to marketing - either by getting the cool people to post these pictures to their blogs and MySpace profiles or (more likely) through the close-knit network of magazine editors and fashionistas. Other new social fashion sites include Fashmatch, StyleHive and TeamSugar.

The Different Face Shapes

We all know the basic face shapes: Oval, Oblong, Square, Round, Diamond, and the Inverted Triangle. However, many times people find it difficult to recognize these shapes when they see them. Some are obvious, of course, but others can be harder to classify. Our aim here is to show you some well-known faces and explain what makes them the shape they are.

The Oval face shape is considered the ideal in the world of beauty and cosmetics. The reason for this is that the proportions of the oval face mean that virtually any hairstyle will be flattering. The oval face is roughly 60% longer from chin to hairline than from cheek to cheek. This figure is cited based on the ratio of what is called the “Perfect Proportion” (1:1.618) and is widely-held as the most esthetically pleasing balance of proportion.

The Oblong face shape is another common shape, and is one characterized simply by being more than 60% longer than it is wide. In practice, the oblong face is one of the most readily identifiable, and can be angular (rectangle) or rounded (oblong). The key to dealing with the oblong face is to introduce a style with added width and an emphasis on horizontal lines. For the angular version smooth curves should be included to create contours.

Our celebrity examples, Searah Jessica Parker of “Sex in the City” and Elizabeth Perkins of “Weeds” both have oblong faces, though Ms. Parker’s face is more oblong than Ms. Perkins. These selections were made to illustrate the variance that is possible. It is notable that both women are sporting hairstyles that offer low volume on top of the head and fullness on the sides. This helps to balance the proportion of their heads and create the illusion that their faces are more oval.

Square:
The square face shape is characterized by having strong angles at the jaw and forehead. The proportions in height and width of the face may be close to the ideal, but the angles at the lower and upper sections of the face are the key. In more pronounced cases, the face shape can be easily recognized, but is often mistaken for other face types unless the shape is obvious. Dealing with the square face shape requires implementing a style that features curves at the forehead and jaw line with some volume on top and the sides to soften the angles of the face.

Celebrities Amy Poehler of “Saturday Night Live” and Debra Messing of “Will and Grace” are both square faces. Interestingly enough, the photos available of these two stars feature hairstyles that aren’t necessarily what I would recommend for them. Ms. Messing’s style does perform some rebalancing by using curved, asymmetrically-parted bangs to camouflage the corners of her forehead. Ms. Poehler’s hairstyle however, only emphasizes the boxiness of her face. Both women would have been better served by wearing their hair down and styled in loose waves to frame their faces.

Beauty tip:The single best thing you can do for your skin

Beauty Tip:

What is the single best thing you can do for your skin?

Quite simply - wear sunscreen. Ultraviolet radiation damages the skin and can lead to wrinkles, premature aging, age spots, and cancer. Take extra precautions to make sure your skin is not exposed to the sun's rays. Use a natural sunscreen, or a moisturizer that contains sunscreen (at least SPF 15) everyday.

What is the second best thing you can do for your skin?

Drink lots of water. That means at least 8 glasses of water a day. Drinking water is one of the best ways to keep your skin healthy. Water helps to hydrate the skin and move waste and nutrients through the system.

Beauty Tip:

Things you do daily for your skin.

Aside from the sunscreen and the water consumption, exercise, rest, and good nutrition lay the foundation for beautiful, healthy skin. A proper diet is not only good for your overall health, it also helps to ensure that your skin will receive all of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that it needs to maintain and repair cells.

Ways to combat the dry skin that comes with age.

Older skin has fewer sweat and oil glands than younger skin. Dry skin may be caused by frequent baths, certain cosmetics or medications. Avoid using harsh soaps when bathing, and if possible, cut back on the number of baths or showers each week. A sponge bath with warm water may help to clean and revive skin without stripping the skin of its valuable moisturizers. When you do use soap, try using a natural very mild soap that does not contain any dyes, parabens or perfumes. Follow up the bath with a moisturizing lotion concentrating on problem dry areas. A good all natural moisturizer is one of the foundations for a healthy skin care regimen. Continue moisturizing throughout the day to keep skin healthy. Your hands and face are particularly susceptible to daily damage, and may need to be moisturized several times.

Summer Shoes for men

To beat the summer heat, we have an exclusive variety of cool man summer shoes, which provide ample space for your toes to breathe. A classic range of fashion summer shoes for men including men summer sandals, cool slip ons and the funky sneakers are selling like real hot cakes among people of all age groups. Men, who are fed up with the foul smell from their shoes, now don't need to worry because there is an excellent solution for them. You'll be astonished to check out the exquisite summer footwear collection, which is designed just for you.

Sneakers are the best deal this summer. Stylish and trendy, they are a great comfort to wear. They are apt for casual purposes. Check prints among sneakers are hot and happening. They are ideal for weekend pub parties. Attire them with a nice funky pair of jeans and it is bound to create oomph all over. For particular sporting activities there are distinct kinds of sneakers. For example for the tennis court there are different sneakers.

We have sneakers for walking, running, hiking, swimming etc.Slips ons are a great fashion statement. For vacation purpose, they are just too cool. You can attire them with a pair of funky T-shirt and shorts. They can also sail smoothly with Khaki pants. Thong sandals are urbane and modernistic. They are just apt for the shooting high temperature and give you coolness on that hot sunny day. They look simply sensuous on cool sleeveless T-shirt and trendy blue jeans. So, don't let the summer stop you from chasing your dreams and go and buy a pair of cool comfy shoes.

Cool Sport Shoes for men

To enjoy the cool breeze in the morning while walking or going about jogging to keep yourself fit, you need to have that comfortable footwear that can provide your feet with the necessary grip and support thereby preventing you from slips and falls. You will be astonished to see the exotic variety of cool man sport shoes that are flooding the market and are selling like real hot cakes. There are special sport shoes for athletes.

On the basis of different activities, the casual sports shoes for men that are gaining momentum are walking sports shoes, shoes for aerobics, basketball, football, hiking etc. For water sports, there are different kinds of footwear. There are specialty shoes meant to be attired in the tennis court. Usually made up of rubber or polyurethane, these sport shoes come up in different shapes and sizes. Some have pointed toe tip while some have circular tips.

These sport shoes have a very soft sole and provide that cushioning effect. For aerobics and fitness workout, you can look out for a pair of running shoes or else opt for cross trainers. Cross trainers are ideal for evening practice dance classes. Made up of rubber, with a canvas like top, Canvas shoes are ideal for a heavy gym workout as in weight lifting. For rugged and rough terrains, we have hiking shoes. For games like basketball and football, we have the special shoes called 'Cleats' which consist of little spikes. If you want to truly enjoy your athletic activity, then choose the right pair of shoes ideal for your kind of sports.

Trendy Sneakers For Men

Shopping is definitely an art and is not everyone's cup of tea. Today, the market is flooded with a commendably fabulous variety of trendy sneakers for men and making the right choice is a real cumbersome job, which requires a complete understanding. There is a variety with a difference, specially made for you for your specific activities. These men fashion sneakers are hassle free, a great comfort to wear and just ideal for that sporty look. They come up in different colors and sizes and are driving people crazy. In fact sneaker business is witnessing a boom.

For sporting activities there are distinctive types of sports man sneakers depending upon the sport you are engaged into. For tennis we have tennis sneakers, meant not for all time activities but which are specially designed to be worn at the tennis court. Likewise we have football shoes, basketball shoes, hiking and skate sneakers etc. But in case you are not actively involved in any particular type of sport, then you can try out a pair of cross trainer which can be attired while walking, running and jogging. They provide your feet with the necessary support and cushion effect and thus take care of your feet health.

Well people whatever type of sneaker you may buy, just give due consideration to its fit. If you have broad feet or longer feet or you are suffering from some foot problem, you can opt for custom sneakers. They are specially made shoes, which are just apt for your toes. Ill-fitting shoes can be cause of many problems like disrupted walking style, limping, ankle sprains etc so do not compromise with fit and comfort.

Men's Jutties and Mojri

The catalogue of traditional men footwear is incomplete without the mention of Jutties and Mojris for men. When attired with an ethnic outfit like Sherwani, Jodhpuri etc, Indian footwear Punjabi juttis for men look simply fabulous. Man Rajasthani jutis and mojris for males come up in beautiful bright rainbow colors. Sometimes you can find them in single color but to add on a little sparkling effect, a combination of multiple color threads is used to give a glittery look as the special occasion demands. Elaborate designs using multiple beads are incorporated.

Jutties usually have a pointed toe, which sets it apart from other footwear. They consist of network also known as 'jaali' made up of golden fine threads. These jutties include beautiful embroideries, which add the real glow to the footwear. The reservoir of juttis is comprehensive consisting of multiple varieties like King Wedding jutties, Sytle jutti, Khausa jutti, Punch Zari and Comfort jutties, Energise jutties and Mesmeric Embroidery jutties. Made up with silk and gold threads, King wedding jutties are indicative of rich craftsmanship. Punch Zari jutties, as the name suggests uses a lot of Zari to create splendid designs.

Mojris are an equal competitor and encompasses mind-blowing options ranging from Ruby Red Mojri to Marbal Punch Mojri, Nari Silk mojris, Achkan Mojri, Sherwani Mojri and maroon Mojris. Nari silk mojris are an epitome of delicacy and sophistication. Sherwani jutties are specially designed to be worn with designer Sherwani suits. So, experiment with different jutties and colorful Mojris for that special look that the festivity deserves.

Some fashionable dress

Brights
Runway: Brights are worn mixed and matched with each other, sometimes in eye-popping hues.
Reality:You're better off choosing a bright that flatters your coloring (blues and pinks are often easiest) than just choosing what's hot (like bright yellow).
Don't be tempted to mix the brights with black (too '80s). Pair with white, denim or other brights for the freshest look.
















Ethnic Prints
Runway: Strong tribal prints show up on everything from dresses to accessories.
Reality: Ethnic prints are a classic, but that doesn't mean just anyone can wear them. First, you'll need to scale the size of the print to your body type (larger prints for larger or taller women, and vice versa). Brights

































Fun Florals
Runway: Blooms are a perennial spring fave, but this season they come in fun sizes and colors.
Reality: To look modern, you need to pass on the ditsy little prints and go for something bright and bold, like hot pink or bright blue; graphic black and white floral prints are great, too. Floral embellisments don't have to just be in a print; look for flower embellishment, tone-on-tone embroidery and accessories, too.




















Donna Karan Collection

































Don't be tempted to mix the brights with black (too '80s). Pair with white, denim or other brights for the freshest look.

Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesRunway: Teensy little shorts -- some so tight and tiny they looked like panties -- appear up on the runway. Reality: Shorts lose their "for tourists only" status and make a comeback in both short and longer lengths.
Longer-length shorts -- a.k.a. bermudas, walking shorts, skimmers -- look best in a slim cut (beware cuffs: they add weight). Anything too full and knee-length will add lots of heft around the hips, where most women can least afford it. With a matching jacket, the bermuda short can go to to work.
Make sure you don't ruin the casual-dress vibe of shorts with a shoe that's too dainty or dressy: a chunky platform, ballerina flat or simple thong sandal works better than a stiletto.

Red dress and its attraction

There are few things that all women can agree on. One is the persuasive power of a red dress and another is the importance of spreading the word about heart-disease awareness to your nearest and dearest.

To show your support, join the Go Red For Women movement and don a crimson, cranberry, or scarlet frock throughout the month of February—American Heart Month. By opting for one of these designer dresses, showing one’s support will never have been so chic.

Fashionable Boots For Men

In the gamut of stylish men footwear, the most shining name is that of funky fashionable boots for men. Winter Boots for males are the most practical and comfortable footwear, as they provide warmth. Boots are selling like hotcakes mainly among youngsters. These long length shoes showcase an exclusive variety ranging from Casual man boots to Eskimo boots, Worker's hiking boot, Executive's boot, funky leather boots for men and Risk taker's boots.


In colder regions, boots are the best way to beat the cold winds. For each occasion there are distinct boot types. For daily wear purpose, casual boots are just apt. Among casual segment, Leather shoes are simply rocking. They look stylish and trendy. Leather boots just go perfect in winters as the leather base provides traction and support to your feet. The best part about boots is that they can smoothly sail in all occasions. You can attire them with jeans and trousers.

For sportsmen we have a special variety of boots known as the risk taker's boots that provide you with the necessary support just perfect to fight with the poor weather conditions. Such boots have a very thick sole. Eskimo boots are a great comfort to wear and are primarily worn by people in colder places. The best thing about these boots is that you do not require heavy fabric thick socks because the footwear only gives enough warmth and coziness. Well, fashion boots apart from being comfortable and practical footwear have become more of a fashion symbol today.

The Essential summer looks

The essential summer looks to get you through the season from head to toe involve new handbags, bright colored shoes, light airy dresses and plenty of metallic. See our picks for the season.

Tote this
The latest brand of luxury handbags and leather accessories to hit the United States is Bolzano. Known for unique styles that suit modern women, Bolzano hand crafts and hand delivers only the finest quality product. From their summer collection we like the Caprice in Sable Weave ($175) and the Maribella ($178), available at bolzanohandbags.com .

Metal musts
The ideal way to showcase metallics this season is via the jewelry designs of Ara, by Anna Dannon. Designing for the last twenty years, Dannon’s pieces reflect both her personality and experiences in life. Using silver combined with gold, semi precious stones and pearls she portrays contemporary pieces that are classic and timeless. Her motto for inspiration, “Wear something beautiful and unique and you’ll feel the same way.” To view her collection visit thenomadeye.com .

Lady like
Flowing dresses and skirts are very popular right now. Vintage store looks in retro bold hues, bright patterns and florals in loose fitting styles are ideal to wear in warm weather. If you can’t pull off the no-waist-pregnancy-look stick with a staple. One can never go wrong with the enormously trendy wrap dress (made popular via Diane von Furstenberg in the early 1970s). Pair a pretty dress with a fabulous straw hat and your ready to hit a day of sight-seeing or frolicking surfside. Several fun looks we like: Solid cotton jumper dress ($150, jcrew.com ), Justin Wrap ($325, dvf.com ), IISLI Tennis Wrap Dress ($268, Bergdorfgoodman.com ) and Pleated Fan Dress ($388, Saks.com ).

For skirts stick to pleats that are short (not too short), a few inches above the knee, and sophisticated. Cotton and linen breadth well and are easy to mix and match in colors of off-white, cream or light yellow. One item we like: Peter Som’s Pleated Skirt ($279, eluxury.com ).

Bottoms up
Seersucker slacks are hot for lazy days of summer worn traditionally with a button down shirt. Mix it up a bit with a colored tank or bright halter for a more edgy twist. Cropped pants with a cuff have also made a come back—if you’re not a fan of the crop look, settle for a wide leg trouser or jean, like Ann Wide Leg Belted Pants ($59, anntaylorloft.com ). If you prefer to show some leg, grab a set of Drawstring Walking Shorts ($39, anntaylorloft.com).

Fancy feet
Whether they’re small, medium or large, polka dots return in ladies footwear. Additionally the high-gloss sheen of patent leather seems to have taken the summer streets full force. Color-wise think red and yellow. Heel-wise anything goes from chunky to stiletto and wobbly wedges. Retro looks for feet are also fun, including the ever-so-iconic ballet flat. The days of needing a heel to flatter long legs have taken a break with a flat-mania. A few of our favorites include: Betsey Johnson Lidia, Joan & David Monterey and Soho Lab Lealea, available at piperlime.com .

Makeup tips:Foundations, Concealers & Minerals

With the plethora of products on the market to cover, hide and disguise blemishes, dark circles and age spots how do you know what to use when and why. See what the experts recommend.

The skinny on foundation

Oil-free and matte liquid foundations
This type of foundation offers a fluid finish with no shine that lasts several hours, providing a sheer to medium coverage. Oil-free and matte formulas partner well with oily skin. One to try: Bioelements Mid Coverage Makeup ($32, Bioelements Spa, (800) 533-3064 or Bioelements.com ) is fragrance-free and contains skin-strengthening botanicals (Bioelements Adaptogens) that support and strengthen the skin, helping it to withstand stress.

Oil-based foundations
Oil is the top ingredient and water typically second or third so after time makeup can cause skin to feel chunky and cakey and / or look greasy. For women with dry or wrinkly skin the emollient ingredients from the oil base give a soft and moist appearance masking tiny lines and wrinkles.
One to try: NARS Balanced Foundation ($38).
Water-based and standard liquid foundations
These foundations are concentrated, intended for light to medium coverage on skin that is normal to dry. The oils inside this makeup blend nicely with shadows and blush allowing for a homogenous application. One to try: L'Oreal Visible Lift Line-Minimizing Makeup SPF 12 ($12.69).
Plant-based makeup
The consistency of this formula does not contain mineral oil, talc or lanolin, coal tar or FD & C coloring agents. Natural plant-based ingredients like conditioning flowers, plant extracts and beneficial vitamins and antioxidants are included. Gabriel DeSantino, CEO and founder of Gabriel Cosmetics explains, “What we put on our skin gets absorbed into our body so, it’s important to use products made with only naturally derived ingredients. Our Plant-Based foundations are great because they keep skin supple and resilient while providing excellent coverage for all skin types.” One to try: Gabriel Moisturizing Liquid Foundation ($25.50, gabrielcosmeticsinc.com )

Mineral Makeup
Foundation in a mineral powder form is non-comedogenic, does not block pores and does not enhance wrinkles like traditional powders. It is based on a hypoallergenic loose powder that naturally nourishes the skin and contains no perfumes talc, alcohol, dyes, mineral oil or preservatives. Mineral makeup is commonly used for people that suffer from skin conditions like, acne, rosacea and redness following treatments of chemical peels and laser resurfacing.

According to Alima Cosmetics founder, Kate O'Brien, “The best mineral makeup in powder form contains only pure, powdered minerals, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, mica, and iron oxide.” In order to get the right coverage that lasts from day to night Kate offers these tips. “For a light to medium application, a dense, soft brush works best. Take care to select a high quality brush that is non-irritating, and buff the minerals into your skin gently.” For heavier coverage, she adds, “A flocked sponge works well.” If you tend to be more on the oily side, Kate recommends, “A natural foundation primer works well to control oil and help mineral makeup last through the day.” One to try: Alima Cosmetics Satin Matte Mineral Foundation ($18.95, alimacosmetics.com )

Vacation Clothing For Men

Vacations act as great refreshment, that helps us in forgetting our worries for a while and enjoy the beauty of nature. During such holidays, you should complete relax and enjoy the cool breeze, scenic beauty consisting of beautiful flowers, hills, lakes etc. But mind you men; we cannot expect you to be chillaxing in your business suits. There is special vacation clothing for men and they are just apt for chill out purpose. The collection of Men holiday clothing is really cool consisting of funky summer vacation men clothing and the man winter clothing for vacations is simply mind-blowing.

In summers, the most practical outfit seems to be one that soaks sweat quickly and at the same time provides ample space for free flow of air. But what matters most to modern men is the styling. If you are planning a night out, then the casual sweatshirts are just too good. Denim jackets are apt for the rough and tough men. You can don them with any pair of trousers be it the baggy type or the skin fit kind.

Polo T-shirts are simply amazing and the best part is that these preppy wear can be attired with all as in jeans, track pants and drawstring shorts. But if you are looking out for a more formal top style then the best is to go in for short sleeve button down shirt. It adds on grace and embellishes your personality. While enjoying the evening tea in the home garden, cargo shorts are absolutely impeccable. Another good alternative is the 4 and 6 pocket pants. And guys do not forget to carry your sexy swimsuit. Floral patterns in swimwear are hot and happening. So, you young men out there go buy funky vacation clothing and get set to rock and roll.