At Milan Fashion Week, Designers Offer Visions for the Future

At Milan Fashion Week, Designers Offer Visions for the Future

The Milan Fashion Week collections ended on Sunday with a guest appearance by American designer Tommy Hilfiger, whose race car runway set a new speed-to-market record for fast fashion. There was a pop-up shop constructed right in the middle of the track. But even before that, there were several examples in Milan of designers who are cleverly adapting to a world where turmoil has become commonplace, and consumers need new reasons to buy.

Francesco Risso’s Marni collection on Sunday morning was one of the highlights of the week (some were calling it the best show of Milan), with its combination of weird sweeping-bell silhouettes and quirky cat prints on voluminous coats. I’m quite sure a lot of street style stars are currently trying to get their paws on the pink one, and I’d place a bet on seeing someone wearing it in Paris. Laminated raincoats in bright blue and green brought lively pops of color throughout the show, and many dresses were spliced together with crude stitches, suggesting they had been recycled from the scraps of discarded garments.

The setting played with the theme of production, and the environmental problems associated with over-production, which are especially visible in fashion. Guests found themselves sitting on benches made of piles of old clothes, bags of blazers, bales of dress shirts, undergarments bagged in plastic, or stacks of old newspapers, which could easily be read as Risso’s acknowledgement that all of this—while great today—will soon be yesterday’s news.

Lucie and Luke Meier, the excellent new designers at Jil Sander, were more explicit in their intent to create clothes for modern times. Their padded coats incorporated attachable blankets, and nomadic models carried pillows and duvets, accessories that were both comforting and a little frightening. If we get to the point where we literally have to survive with the clothes off our backs, I doubt anyone is going to be worried about doing so stylishly or in a multi-thousand dollar coat. But they were fabulous, nevertheless, and will make wonderful conversation pieces for the most discerning of socially conscious customers.

SASHES AND TIARAS.....Miss Earth 2017 National Costumes Competition: MY TOP 15 BEST!

SASHES AND TIARAS.....Miss Earth 2017 National Costumes Competition: MY TOP 15 BEST!

Filipiniana Winner: Miss Earth Philippines wins the Gold Medal for Asia at the "Miss Earth 2017 National Costumes Competition"--Century Park Hotel Manila Philippines

Photos courtesy of Miss Earth Facebook Page, OPMB Worldwide Facebook Page

Last night was the much-anticipated National Costumes Competition of the 2017 Miss Earth Beauty Pageant, occurring in the Philippines. The contest--which took place at the Century Park Hotel in Manila--featured the 86 contestants from all over the world showing off their National Costumes grouped by geographical regions including Central and North America, South America, Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa and so on.

Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded for the top costumes (as deemed by the judges) for each geographical region. The Gold Medals (top prize) for National Costumes went to Miss Earth Philippines for Asia, Miss Earth Russia for Eastern Europe, Miss Earth Portugal for Central Western Europe, Miss Earth Bolivia for South America, Miss Earth Ghana for Africa, and Miss Earth Guatemala for Central and North America.

Medal Costume Couture: Winning costumes at the "Miss Earth 2017" National Costumes Competition, Century Park Hotel Manila Philippines

Now that we know the judges' picks, here are MY TOP 15 FAVORITES of the Miss Earth 2017 National Costumes beginning with NUMBER ONE:

1. Miss Earth Philippines Karen Ibasco: Karen won the Gold for Asia, and she gets MY GOLD PRIZE for BEST COSTUME of all the contestants! "Miss Earth Philippines'" costume was a Filipiniana Terno designed by Louis Pangilinan. It was EXTRAORDINARY! From the statement-making necklace...to the off-the-shoulder Mantilla top...to the fan...

Charles James Meets Filipiniana: Charles James gowns (left) and an example of a traditional Filipipiana Terno Dress (right)

...to the intricately designed and cross patterned multi-godet paneled Charles James-like crinoline gown-skirt...WOW! This costume should be in a museum! Kudos to the designer and all the very talented artists and sewers who made this.

2. Miss Earth Thailand Paweensuda Drouin: My second favorite was the costume worn by the stunning Paweensuda Drouin, Miss Earth Thailand. This stunning creation represents the Hmong Thai tribe, showcasing the gorgeous intricate silver headdress and batik printed fabric of the Hmong. The exquisite detail on the headdress alone deserves a medal! And I do love how chic the top and skirt look. Take that crown away and that outfit alone could be worn at a very fancy black-tie gala in Bangkok!

3. Miss Earth Nepal Rojina Shrestha: This costume was stage impacting, beautiful and fab enough to make my Top Three! The mixing of the Sari with the Hindu gods imagery...and those striking red and gold colors and silk fabrics...everything about this looked regal and very Costume Couture!

4. Miss Earth Guatemala Maria Jose Castaneda: Maria Jose's costume won the Gold for Central and North America. And I can see why; it was my 4th Best among the 86 contestants. This gorgeous creation was made and designed by Guatemalan designer Cesar Alejandro Portillo who creates many of the national costumes for "Miss Guatemala" contestants. This costume is to me THE BEST one in the "Pre-Columbian Fantasy Diva" category. The Guatemalan fabric, the colors, the feathered headdress, the sequined cape...I can't imagine how much work and time went into this and I really hope Cesar was paid A TON of money for this! Muy Bien! 

5. Miss Earth Ghana Maud Fadi: "Miss Earth Ghana" was my 5th Best and the  highest spot for a contestant form Africa. I was blown away by her presentation (she came out covered partially using her cape) and then opened it up to reveal the fabulous Kente cloth patterns. The aqua blue mermaid-shaped gown featured multicolored sequins at the bust and torso as well as bottom portion of the dress--and if that wasn't enough, it had a matching Kente cloth pleated peplum. Oh, and then there was her Ghana Coat of Arms headdress! This was a National Costume MOMENT Ladies & Gentlemen!

6. Miss Earth Japan Yasuyo Saito: "Miss Earth Japan" wore this multicolored kimono robe and dress--and she looked GLORIOUS! The costume itself was superb: The colors and the silk brocade fabrication were INCREDIBLE. Kimono DIVA!

7. Miss Earth Costa Rica Fernanda Rodriguez: At No. 7 in my Top 15 Best National Costume List is "Miss Earth Costa Rica". I loved the look of this costume, especially the bold colors and prominent feathers in the front. The costume itself represents the exotic plants and migratory birds that live together in Costa Rica and was designed by Filipino designer Maestro John. I wished he could have also designed fabulous shoes to have gone with the costume--as opposed to these off-the-rack nude platform heels.

8. Miss Earth Canada Jacqueline Marsh: OK, there are Drag Queens in Canada DYING to get their manicured hands on this costume!! This white and red UBER snowflake costume was created by Filipino designer Tohe Rojas Gantuangco and he did a FABULOUS job--take a look at all those HUNDREDS (possibly thousands!) of maple leaf snow flakes attached to her bodysuit and "wings". And the red sequined headdress as well as matching red details throughout the costume really brought home the "Go Canada!" theme.

9. Miss Earth Sri Lanka Shyama Dahayanaka: I loved "Miss Earth Sri Lanka's" Bird Couture costume at the "Miss Earth 2017" National Costume Competition. This feathered and multicolored costume represents the Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl (seen in lower top photo) and was very impacting for many reasons including that fabulous headdress, the sequined applique and of course, the actual fowl feathers. She was a Bird Goddess in this!

10. Miss Earth Malaysia Cherish Ng: "Miss Earth Malaysia" wore this costume titled "Khatulistiwa: the Goddess Flora" which was created by Borneo Republic Malaysia Creations. It was my No. 10 out of 15 Best Costumes of "Miss Earth 2017". The costume is inspired by the Latin name of Flora, the goddess of plants, flowers, and fertility as well as “Khatulistiwa”--the Malay word for equator. On Earth, the Equator is an imaginary line on the surface, dividing the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres. As a country surrounded by the sea and located near the equator, Malaysia naturally receives plenty of sunlight. As a result, various species of flower can be seen across Malaysia. This costume symbolizes beautiful flowers in Malaysia. During the production of this costume, recycled items were used namely aluminum pull tabs from drink cans, plastic bottle caps, used buttons, used wire phone and used floor rugs. In other words, not only is this fabulous for the "Miss Earth" Beauty Pageant...this design would be great for the "Project Runway" Unconventional Challenge! 

11. Miss Earth Mongolia Tugs-Amgalan Batjargal: I liked this costume worn by "Miss Earth Mongolia". It looked refined, expensive and still stage-impacting. The silk fabric with fur trim looked rich and that headdress with jeweled and sequined details really took her to a Mongolian Queen level!

12. Miss Earth Vietnam La Thi Ha Thu: Made by Vietnamese designer Nguyen Minh Cong from one of his recent collections entitled "The Dreamers", this costume worn by "Miss Earth Vietnam" represents a strong female soldier. Made of a natural silk fabric, as well as glittering lame fabric, the look features a leotard/body suit, midriff peplum corset, overskirt and lotus flower details. The lotus flowers symbolize the "sturdiness and softness of Vietnamese women" according to the designer. I thought it was chic, modern and costume-impacting. I just wished she would have worn THE SAME DIVA shoes she wore in the pre-pageant photoshoot above--as opposed to the actual contest! What happened to those fabulous shoes? Were they lost in a luggage snafu?

13. Miss Earth  Panama Erika Parker: My thirteenth choice for Best Costume is "Miss Earth Panama". I loved the colors, the story, her presentation and yes--the CROWN! Her costume is entitled "Pollera Congo" (a pollera is a full skirt). This folkloric costume comes from the Panamanian province of Colon...

The costume represents the women of this area and their traditional dress. The woman is THE QUEEN and head of the family and therefore, the crown. The mixed pieces of fabric comes from when the ethnically African people in Panama were slaves, their masters would only give them leftovers of their fabric to use on their clothes and therefore, that's how they made their polleras...using discarded fabric from their Masters. The costume and overall look just made me smile. She may be barefoot but she looked RICH and EXUBERANT.

14. Miss Earth Mexico Karen Bustos: Karen comes from San Luis Potosi in Mexico and therefore, her costume paid tribute to the fabrication used in San Luis Potosi traditional dress. I loved the fashion-fab design (sleek column gown with side front slit!), the great red-and-white print, and super headdress adorned with red rose-shaped satin. I think it's so great when a designer can take a traditional folkloric dress and take it to another, almost-red carpet level! Muy bien!

15. Miss Earth Venezuela Ninoska Vasquez: Finally, I wanted to add the costume worn by "Miss earth Venezuela" in my Top 15 List. Ninoska's costume was designed by Carlos Perez and it was a sequined bodysuit of Earth Flora-and-Fauna...and Water Gorgeousness...

The look includes details representing Venezuelan Orchids, as well as the mountains, the rivers and birds of the country. To top it all off, the blue and silver crystals falling from her arm represent the glorious Angel Falls. In line with the "Miss Earth" theme, this costume is very representative of "Mother Earth" and all the natural wonders of that troubled South American country.

Just for fun...I wanted to add this "Miss Earth 2017 National Costumes Competition" Costumes Extra...Guess what country this "National Costume" is from?

No...not the nation of "McDonalds"...this is Miss Earth BELGIUM! And yes kids, she wore a costume featuring "French Fries". Why? Because if you know your food history...French Fries are actually from Belgium! Historians claim that potatoes were being fried--since the late 1600's (!) in Belgium. Soooo, yeah, that's Miss Earth Belgium's national costume. And I LIKE IT!

CONGRATULATIONS Miss Earth Philippines! Your costume was MY Number One Costume of the "Miss Earth 2017" National Costumes!

And don't forget about my PAGEANT COLORING BOOK!! Enjoy making your very own Pageant Evening Gown Contest via my coloring book! Click the photo to purchase on Amazon.com NOW!

Pregnancy Outfits Ideas - Cool Trending Styles For Pregnant Women

Pregnancy Outfits Ideas - Cool Trending Styles For Pregnant Women

Outfits for Pregnant Women. Pregnancy shouldn’t stop you from looking stylish and staying trendy. If you are looking for ideas on how to get a look glamorous look while being pregnant? What are the latest fashion for pregnant women, then this post is for you.

Here we bring amazing outfit combination for pregnant women this season. Whether you are in early weeks or pregnancy or last weeks, we bring some stylish maternity outfits in this collection. From casual maternity style to formal look you can get a lot of ideas from this collection. Scroll down to see how these pregnant women dressed up to have a chic look.

Nowhere it has been written that you can not wear stylish clothes during pregnancy. Pregnant women usually throw their old clothes that do not fit them. You must, in fact, keep the old clothes and redesign them with the help of a professional tailor. With the exception of few clothes that don’t fit you. You can keep them aside. The truth is that when you are expecting a baby and during the last months you need to buy clothes that are loose and flowy. You can then wear them after your pregnancy too so that money doesn’t go to waste. Today we will discuss the top outfits that you should have in your wardrobe during the pregnancy time.

How to use your existing clothes with the maternity wear:

Usually, women throw away their old pieces but you can utilize them smartly and make some amazing outfit combinations. For example, your old scarf, tight or leggings, a favorite handbag, a cool statement necklace can altogether completely pull a maternity look together. Even you can use your cardigans, t-shirts or jackets to wear over your clothes. That way you can hide your baby bump too and look stylish as well.

A great option to wear during the pregnancy are dresses that are flowy such as a wrap dress. These kind of dresses are very classy and they easily pull off the look really well. By being a little creative you can look smart. Other than that you could wear a T-shirt with a blazer on top, a short dress with leggings, cool t-shirt with a jacket and a lot more. You can check out the pictures below for more ideas.

Stylish Clothes for Pregnant women

  1. Pencil skirts? Yes.
"I preferred tighter midi-length pencil skirts while I was pregnant because it accentuated my bump," fashion blogger Tanesha AwasthiI of Girl With Curves told BuzzFeed Life. "I think the key is finding what you're comfortable in and just going with it."

2. Button-ups? Yes and yes.

Get oversized button-ups in either the women's or the men's department. Roll up the sleeves and let the loose material love on your belly. When your bump gets big, wear your button-up open over a tee, according to Sara Qaddoura, curator of e-commerce at London-based fashion startup Not Just A Label.

3. Flared skirts? Why not.
"The flared skirt definitely balances out your proportions, especially at the end of the pregnancy when the belly is so big," says fashion blogger Sara Strand. "The whole belly is less visible—since the skirt isn't high-waisted—and your upper body looks longer."

4. Asymmetrical hemlines? Why yes please and thank you.
"A hemline that's higher in the front won't be so tight on your bump," says Qaddoura. Comfytown USA, here we come!

5. Color-blocking? Cute!
"Color blocking tops can be either really great or seriously awkward," Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere told BuzzFeed Life. "If the color change is higher up and doesn't cut across the largest part of your belly, then yes, go for it! It's a fun way to embrace the bump."

 6. Horizontal stripes? OMG.
"Horizontal stripes were my favourite while I was pregnant," Strand says. "I was really proud of the growing belly, and the stripes showed it off in a nice way."

7. Bright colors? Of course.
"It helps to wear more colorful pieces on the days when you don't feel too good," says Strand. "At least my skin tone looked that much better!"

8.Tight dresses? Go for it.
"Experiment with wearing things you already have in your wardrobe," says Awasthi. "I only bought 2 items from the maternity section! The rest were things that had a lot of stretch or were oversized, so they worked to accommodate my bump."

 
10. Heels? If they feel comfy enough, do it.
"If you're having a healthy pregnancy and aren't experiencing any pain while wearing heels, I think it's a really great way to feel sexy," says Schuman. "While I don't wear mine for a 9-hour work day anymore, I'll certainly still throw on a pair for a date night with my husband or to head out for a party."

11. Chunky accessories? Get it, girl.
"I think bold accessories add a hint of luxe and polish to any look, especially when dressing on the casual side of style," says Awasthi. "Adding bold accessories allowed me to feel a bit more put together, which is sometimes hard to accomplish in the later months of pregnancy."