Luckily, what we wear can.

Wear Shoulder Pads

Sounds like something from the 80s, no? I’m not talking over-the-top padding to make you look like a football star. Just a light shoulder padding that gives a bit of a boost. Be sure to find padding proportionate to your body… Otherwise, you’ll look like a little boy lost in dad’s jacket.

Nix the Pleats

Find pants with a classic cut and a flat front. Opt for straight leg or boot cut looks and avoid skinny jeans–inevitably, they’ll make you appear skinnier. Patterns are good, too, ensuring the look is with the current season.

Find Your Length

Jackets should fall right at your buttocks. If the jacket is too short, it will emphasize your skinny body; too long and it will make you look like you’re drowning in fabric.

Find the Right Fabric

Heavier fabrics, like thick corduroy in the winter months, can add bulk with the right amount of style. Stick to thick wool sweaters over thin, long cardigans, and heavy wools for suits and dress clothes. Always dress is layers when the opportunity and weather is there.

Kick Up the Colour

Say goodbye to monochromatic colour schemes. Single colours from head to toe–especially black–will make you look even skinnier. Lighter colours are good options, such as white, cream, gray, light blues, and beige. Add horizontal stripes and stylish patterns.

Take on the Turtleneck

Turtleneck sweaters in cooler  weather is a perfect choice, compared to the V-neck sweaters that show off a thin neck and upper body. Again, layering is good.

Image

The new look? Shorter inseams a la James Bond – showing a little more leg and bringing back a classic style.

The article outlines popular New York swimwear store Parke & Ronen, owned by Ronen Jehezkel and his partner  Parke Lutter,  on Ninth Avenue in Chelsea.

Although the store does include many styles – from tiny briefs to mainstream boardshorts, the store’s best seller are the classic swim trunks with a two-inch inseam.

With some inspired by vintage sport shorts, this style is definitely back in – without the elastic waistband.

For women, though, the newest look is in the cutout swimsuit.

Filled with rips, slashes, and shards of material, these one-piece looks show just the right amount of skin.

Designed for showing off your body, popular companies such as Victoria’s Secret have created a few suits of the new look after seeing them on runways earlier this year.

“It’s one of those easy translations from the runway,” said Sharleen Ernster-Lazear, senior vice president of brand design at Victoria’s Secret, in a recent article. “It was a no-brainer. It was a good fashion trend to jump on as a brand.”

Designed for fashion – not function – this is the season’s must-have for women, those who are ready to flaunt their gorgeous curves.

Image: Victoria’s Secret

Timely, too, with Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary, and highlighted at Earth Day New York’s EarthFair exhibit in Grand Central Terminal.

“It is an exciting time in fashion to see the transition from runway to retail! We are making eco-fashion more accessible to consumers by taking the garments presented at The GreenShows runway shows, as well as other eco-fashion designers, and offering a selection from their collections for purchase in an eco luxury retail environment,” explained Eric Dorfman, Founder of The GreenShows Eco Fashion Wee in the press release.

Featured designers:

• Samantha Pleet
• House of Organic
• Bahar Shahpar
• deux fm
• STUDY by Tara St James
• Allison Parris
• c. marchuska
• Auralis Herrero Lugo
• Joann Berman
• H Fredriksson
• reco jeans
• Redhanded Bags
• DLC Brooklyn
• Wired
• Real Jewels
• Rebecka Froberg
  
• and more!

In addition to the great designers and planet-friendly promotion, Divine Chocolate will be there highlighting their Fair Trade chocolate and Sambazon is providing complimentary sustainable and certified organic açaí smoothies and juice.

The GreenShows EcoLux is produced alongside Harvey Russack, Founder of NY’s world famous UCW Unique Clothing Warehouse 1973-1992.

For more information, visit www.thegreenshows.com.

The GreenShows EcoLux

Earth Day New York’s Annual EarthFair
Monday, April 19 through Saturday, April 24, 2010
10:00am to 7:00 pm
Located in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, 42nd Street and Park Avenue

Image courtesy of recojeans.com

This week, the new and highly anticipated Garden Collection by H&M is hitting stores and malls. The eco-inspired collection includes florals, colours and patterns – all with a bit of a green twist.

You see, the collection is made from organic materials, such as cotton and linen, some of which are recycled, too.

“We are extremely proud of our Garden Collection for women, which has organic and recycled materials in every single garment,” explains Ann-Sofie Johansson, Head of Design at H&M. “The mix of floral prints and khaki classics works brilliantly for day to evening wear. I particularly like the sheer floral ruffle dress, the drawstring khaki jacket and the beautiful red rose bustier dress.”

It goes past the women’s section though, with organic cotton slim-fit suits among the many highlights for the men’s department.

In addition to the clothes, H&M is also introducing certified organic skincare, with a range of body lotions, lip balms and other everyday essentials developed with only organic and natural ingredients.

“It felt like a natural step, since we’ve worked with organic cotton garments for some seasons now. There’s also a strong demand from our customers for organics, and I hope they will be as excited as I am about the new products,”  Johansson explained.

Moving toward sustainability isn’t just trendy, but incoming increasingly necessary. The Garden Collection is in conjunction with their other organic cotton goods, first introduced in 2004 in its baby and children’s range, and then later in its fashion collections in 2007. In 2008, the company committed to increasing it’s organic cotton use by 50% per year until 2013.

It isn’t just the material of the clothing, though. H&M works hard to deliver a good working experience for it’s employees, as well as increasing consumer knowledge of environmental awareness.

See more of their Garden Collection on their website: H&M

When to wear

If an invite ever says the tuxedo is an option, then it’s a must. If it’s a night of romance, it’s recommended.

What to add

The Tie

You have three options: a pre-tied bow, an actual bow tie, and a black tie. Choose the former if you’re in a rush, the middle if you’re able, and the latter if you’re a twenty-something or under, and trying to go a more casual route.

The Collar

The tux classic is the band collar with duo-points facing down. Alternatively, you might want to go with the pinpoint French-cuffed route. Both are classic and slick.

The Shoes

Black leather and nothing else – and keep them scuff free and polished.

The Links and Studs

Go with basic silver which says class without overdoing it.

Which to choose

The single-breasted jacket - basic, all purpose and clean.

The double-breasted jacket – a boxier fit, it looks better on taller men.

The shawl-collar jacket – is a thing of the pass. Step away.

The white dinner jacket – if you’re getting married, perhaps only then.

Image courtesy of askmissa.com

According to People, the Sex and the City star will reign as its chief creative officer as well as president.

Parker is enthusiastic about a new venture. “I think this is a brand new kind of business model, and it illustrates how serious I am about this position,” she told WWD. “I think it’s wonderful to feel invested in something.”

Realizing the risk involved, Parker is certain what she’ll bring to the company: “good manners, a point of view that is inspiring, that is hopefully smart, and an incredible passion and excitement and enthusiasm, as well as some experience of what I know about women, that having been pretty much the focus of my role in ‘Sex and the City.’”

Read full reports from People and WWD.

Image courtesy of actualite-francaise.com.

Coffee

If you can wash the item right away, regular laundry will work just fine. Also, you can pre-treat the stain with liquid bleach. If that doesn’t work and the fabric is white, mix one part of peroxide with six parts of water and rub it on the stain.

Antiperspirant/deodorant

Soak the stain in white vinegar for 30 minutes. Then, launder the shirt in the warmest possible water for the type of fabric using an enzyme detergent like Tide. (We like to stick with the original Tide Powder Detergent).

Cooking or motor oil
Remove the excess oil, and dampen the stain with cool water.  Apply liquid detergent directly onto it.

Blood
Soak it in cold water with a sprinkle of ammonia for 20 minutes.

Grass
Sponge ethanol on the stain, then wash with cool, soapy water.

Juice
Soak the fabric in cool water, then rub with a bar of soap.

Ink
Apply rubbing alcohol and then rub in detergent.

Winter salt
If regular cleaning methods don’t work, stir together one tablespoon of white vinegar with one cup of water. Use a clean rag and buff stains from the shoes.

Wine
For red wine, pour salt onto the stain if it’s fresh, but don’t rub. Wait two minutes, then rinse. For white wine, blot, then use club soda after blotting up as much as the wine as possible.

For all stains…

After these steps, then simply run it through the laundry.

But we’re seldom seeing it in stores, the exquisite style of the overlapping jacket; the heritage of the classic design; the slick, swagger of those who wear it.

Menswear is turning increasingly casual and fewer men are opting for choosing the double-breasted alternative. But we think that you guys just need to build the confidence to pull it off.

Best suited for medium and tall builds, ensure that the jacket is tailored at the waist, giving illusion to even the shorter guys have more prominent shoulders and fill out the classic look. The best amount of buttons is six, with two rows of three buttons on the outside, along with an additional closure on the inside.

And for the fine details:

For the fabric

Choose an all-season wool that can be worn nearly year round.

For the colour

Opt for dark navy or pinstripes – classic without the strictness of basic black

For the pants

When you go with double-breasted styles, choose pleats and cuffs – they are vital to complete the look.

For the shirt

Take advantage of the broad shoulders for a wide-collar shirt, instead of choosing the simple straight collar. Go even more formal with French cuffs and cuff links to complete the look.

For the accessories

A pocketsquare. Do it. (And match every event with a 17-pack of Silk Solid Pocket Squares). Gorgeous.

Can you pull it off? Post us a link with your signature swagger, killing it in your double-breasted duds.

Don’t have one? Choose your favourite from these designers.

Image courtesy of thatswaycool.wordpress.com

This isn’t the case with the market basket from Williams-Sonoma. The frame is made of a sturdy, attractive wicker, akin to a classic picnic basket that you might remember from years past. With a classic European styling, the planet friendly shopping basket is an attractive alternative to the run-of-the-mill reusable bags.

With two wheels and a convenient handle, it’s perfect for your day-to-day duties – and you’ll want to use it more than just to take to the supermarket.

But if you can’t make it to Williams-Sonoma, we love Reisenthel Germany’s Collapsible Bag or Market Basket, the Overseas Connection Market Basket and the Collapsible Market Tote by Dots.

Carrying both a high-end line, The Row, and a mid-priced label Elizabeth and James, they’ve seen a 500% growth since just 2007.

And today they’re also the owners and co-presidents of Dualstar Entertainment Group, the company that made them multi-millionaires in the first place.

A smart duo, those two, who own their brand and are committed to growing their fashion business.

Read the full story from TheStar.com.

(Need a gift idea for a fashion fan? Check out Mary Kate and Ashley’s book Influence, filled with candid, revealing letters, interviews and artwork from fashion icons and famous designers.)