BellaSugar

Posen Prepares Pretty Perfume

BellaSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 11:00:53 PDT

Sometimes, when I think of designer Zac Posen, I imagine him switching places with Zack Morris from Saved By The Bell. He'd be the suave sartorial guru of Bayside High, and his catchphrase would be "Zac attack!" Except if that were the case, he wouldn't be one of the fashion world's biggest darlings, and I wouldn't be telling you about his new, in-the-works fragrance.

WWD reports that Posen has signed a fragrance deal with Selective Beauty, the company behind John Galliano's forthcoming perfume. Set to launch in the spring of 2009, Posen's scent is unnamed thus far (although I'm guessing he'll take the eponymous route).

It's too early to know about fragrance notes, but Posen mentioned wanting a fragrance with naturalness and freshness with WWD. "This is about having a really fresh perspective," he said, "and reminding people of their own adventureness and creativity. We need new forms. Others are just playing off of old ideas."

Are you looking forward to Posen's fragrance? Or are you now stuck imagining him trying to outwit Principal Belden, too?
Source

Go Bananas Over Rachel Zoe's Rock and Roll Look For Fall

BellaSugar — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:27:50 PST

Backstage at Rachel Zoe's Fall 2012 show, models sported a cool, downtown vibe with messy and sexy hair. Makeup was inspired by Kate Moss, Marianne Faithfull, and a little Mick Jagger - a high-drama look that begs to be seen on stage as well as the runway. Rachel herself was wearing one element of the look just days before the show. Watch now to see what made Rachel hand-select a key part of her collection's beauty look.

Jason Wu Fall 2012

Chi Diem Chau — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:20:49 PST

It was chinoiserie-chic and brocade abound at Jason Wu's impressive Fall 2012 show. The designer paid homage to his native Taiwan - the show kicked off with the opening of two dramatic red doors and the burst of a gong - breaking down his collection into three distinct themes: Mao military, Qing Dynasty, and the '30s and '40s Hollywood version of China. For his military category, Wu showed a sleek selection of Mao military jackets punctuated with luxe details like fur and quilting. The Qing Dynasty was all about sharp-shouldered sheath dresses, inspired by the traditional Chinese cheongsam dresses. Wu played up the nonauthenticity of Hollywood's depiction of China in the olden days, adding over-the-top embellishments and even quirky tasseled hats to his undeniably gorgeous array of high-slit gowns paired with sexy black and gold studded sandals.

Trends: Military, ornate Asian embroidery, tassels, brocade.
Colors: Army green, red, hot pink, black, burgundy.
Key Piece: Wu's Mao military theme set, particularly the Mao jackets and shirts, showed perfect tailoring and detailed work.
Accessories: Black and gold studded sandals, wide belts, tassel earrings, quirky tassel hats.
Who Would Wear It: Dresses will be worn by red-carpet beauties like Blake Lively, while sporty separates will dominate style setters like Amanda Brooks.

11 Fun and Useful Photoshop Tips and Effects to Try

GeekSugar — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:01:38 PST

Now that you've polished up your photography skills, it's time to take your photos to the next level by having some fun with Photoshop. Editing and tweaking your pics isn't considered cheating - it helps bring out the beauty in your images, and keeps things interesting. Here, I'll cover ten fun and useful Photoshop tips and effects that you can use every day, or when you want to add some pizzaz to your pics.

Get Photoshop for free - Don't have Photoshop? No prob! Get Photoshop Express for free!
Take in some free tutorials - Get the low down on Photoshop basics free of charge.
Get rid of blemishes - Who doesn't want clear skin? Make it a reality with this tip that ditches the zits.

See the rest of the tips, and learn about some sweet and simple effects you can add to your images after the break.

February Must Reads

Tara Sharp — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:31:16 PST

Ready or not, February has arrived! And with Valentine's Day around the corner, we're feeling the love. This month brings the holiday for lovers along with a diverse selection of book releases - from heartbreaking memoirs to fictional love stories to beautiful odes to cities and icons. So set the mood with some of the sexiest and romantic books out this month, or simply take advantage of the chilly weather by cozying up to one of our riveting recommendations. Dive in to the most promising books of February now!

Source: Getty

Color Inspiration: Ivory and Brass

Elka Karl — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:49:26 PST

Last night, Viola Davis glowed at the 18th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. Decked out in a white Marchesa gown with a metallic embroidered bodice, the color read more brass than gold, especially when compared to the color in her gold bracelet. I love the contrast between the milky dress and the metallic accents and set out to find some home decorating pieces that embraced a similar color scheme.

I'm a major fan of brass lamps, so it makes sense that three of the items I've chosen are types of lighting. Start with your overhead illumination needs with the infinitely affordable Brass Tiered Pendant Shade ($64). Made from a material mix of plastic, brass, copper, and glass, it's an inexpensive way to get in on the brass trend.

My favorite lighting choice, however, is the Hammered Brass Sconce ($165) from Serena & Lily. A concave, hand-hammered brass oval shape reflects light and will cast a warm glow throughout your room. I'm tempted to switch out my bedroom sconces with a pair of these brass sconces - they'd add such ambiance!

The ladylike curves of the Ethan Allen Hepburn Sofa ($2,200) would work perfectly with a classic, feminine decorating scheme. The sofa is a beautiful piece, from its modern straight tapered leg to its rolled arms and sleek camelback.

Shop the rest of the brass and ivory selections by clicking on each image.

Best Apps and Tools For Serious Photographers

Kristy Korcz — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:21:19 PST

Serious photography requires a serious camera, but that doesn't mean you have to be chained to a laptop or desktop to process them. Paul Pierson, app designer and photo nerd, tossed his laptop aside for six months in order to find out if the iPad and iOS apps could handle a professional photo work flow. He found that the iPad is actually quicker and more efficient in processing photos than the traditional setup of a computer and Photoshop software, not to mention a lot less expensive.

At this year's Macworld, Paul shared some of his favorite tools and apps to help you create a love match between your DSLR and iPad. First tip? Get a Card Reader from Photojojo ($30) so you can get those beautiful images captured on your DSLR to your iPad and, thus, your camera apps. Duh. Also you'll probably want an iPad with lots of storage - 64GB ($700), please.

Load up your iPad with the apps below for professional photographers, and experiment with more than one to create stunning images with less equipment.

Sunseeker ($5) - Helps you find where the sun is, or it will be, with the help of augmented reality. Great for landscape photos.

ioShutter ($70, coming Feb. 12) - Turns your iPhone into an intervalometer. This tool plugs into your iPhone and SLR, allowing you to fire your SLR again and again with the app and help you create beautiful time-lapse sequences.

Ollo Clip ($70) - This clip-on lens gives your iPhone or iPad an advantage with three different lenses built right in - fish-eye, wide angle, and macro.

ACDSee Camera Flash ($1) - Brings out details in underexposed images.

Snapseed ($5) - Won Apple's App of the Year because of its variety of filters, edit tools, and selective adjust tools like edge detection that applies changes to objects within the perimeter.

Ready for more? See the rest of the list after the break.

How to Stop Keeping Up With the Joneses

LearnVest — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:15:16 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

At first glance, it doesn’t seem like there are many money lessons to learn from The Real Housewives.

One spent a season building a $1.8 million mansion and driving around a $1,280-per-month Escalade, only to file for bankruptcy with almost $11 million in debt.

Shortly postbankruptcy, she dropped another $60,000 on a shopping spree so she could continue to fit in with those in her social circle.

Even if you don’t end up with millions of dollars in debt - or have friends who are millionaires - trying to keep up with the Joneses (or the Gorgas, in this case) can not only make you feel lousy about yourself, but also inspire bad spending decisions. We call this phenomenon “money comparisonitis.”

How Having "Comparisonitis" Affects Us

In our own lives, the dangers of gazing enviously at the Real Housewives’ spending sprees, our neighbor’s new car, or that family down the street who can send their kids to private school are not only the fact that it makes us feel bad, but that it literally distorts our view of reality.

In other words, we look at celebrities like the Kardashians or the wealthier people we know, and we try to emulate their spending habits. “You’re not being truthful with yourself,” says Susan L. Hirshman, president of She Ltd., a consulting firm focused on enhancing women’s wealth, and the author of Does This Make My Assets Look Fat?. “As they make more money, that allows them to live a certain lifestyle.” In other words, you have to face facts and spend in accordance with your own budget, rather than feeling entitled to live a certain way just because other people do.

Read on for more.

The Detox Market Opens Its Doors in San Francisco

Miriam Lacey — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:01:00 PST

There are endless "natural" beauty and health brands out there making claims, and sometimes it feels like a second job just wading through all the information. Which is why The Detox Market is a great idea. The store's concept is simple: the founders curate one exemplary natural product in each beauty category (a sole lipstick, the best sunscreen, etc.) and sell everything in an uncluttered boutique. So instead of walking in and being overwhelmed by inconsistent labeling and hundreds of ingredient lists, you get a single high quality, prescreened option.

There are already two Detox Market locations in LA, but northern California just got its first, at 969 Valencia Street in San Francisco's Mission neighborhood. We paid a visit intending just to have a chat and a look around, but ended up buying half the store. As it turns out, most of the beauty selection includes stuff we already love or have been dying to try. They even carry some longtime Bella favorites, including sunscreen obsession, Suntegrity, and they were the first place we've seen actually carrying cult favorite Ilia lipstick, which we now can't stop applying. It might not be the store for people who love overwhelming variety, but for us, it made buying natural beauty fun again.

Golden Globes: Natalie Portman

FabSugar — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:05:43 PST

Presenter Natalie Portman brought statement-making brights to the red carpet, opting for a strapless, fuchsia-hued Lanvin gown. The actress needed little else to glam up her standout gown, selecting a subtle pair of diamond studs and a coordinating bracelet. As for finishing touches, Natalie stayed true to her natural-beauty vibe with an understated updo, pretty pink lips, and a gorgeous smoky eye. Thoughts?

Vote on all of our Golden Globe Awards polls here!