Fashiontribes.com Fashion Blog - Style, Beauty, Luxury Lifestyle & Shopping

Celebrate New Year's Eve with Your Closest Pals from Coast to Coast at NewYearsNation.com

For separated couples, the year's first kiss will be substituted by enough "xoxo" messages to cause texting traffic jams over several major wireless networks (sadly many will probably never reach their final destination). So party promoter Jann Yogman founded New Years Nation as a way to connect thousands of pretty young things scattered across the country on the biggest party night of the year...without having to rely on congested cell phone systems.

No Plans for New Year's? Throw a Virtual Surprise Party for Friends Far & Wide

A clever new way to surprise friends, family and co-workers is at USurprise.com, a cool new site that enables an unlimited number of users from anywhere in the world to easily collaborate and "attend" a virtual party.  "USurprise.com allows you to throw an impressive Virtual Surprise party without the hassle of trying to gather people from all over in one location at the same time," explains the owner and founder, Steve Rogers.  "With USurprise.com, not only can users participate in the party from practically anywhere in the world, but they can also personalize their greeting with their own photos and video clips, creating a virtual scrapbook for the guest of honor."

Clear Out Some Space for New Year Prosperity

Drawing on an aspect of feng shui known as space clearing, expert Christan Hummel says that clearing away clutter around the house or office can produce major improvements by unblocking the flow of the invisible life energy - or Ch'i - through the space. It may sound woo-woo, but the anecdotal evidence proves otherwise: "When a group of us did a space clearing in the downtown area of San Paulo, Brazil, the traffic cleared up the very next day. All 77 people in the workshop arrived a full hour earlier as a result!" exclaims Hummel, noting that in cities where communities have done space clearing:

- the crime rate dropped 30-50% in a single month
- drug-related deaths fell by 25% (Frankfurt)
- three properties long languishing on the market unsold were snapped up for the asking price within a week (Sonoma, California)
- the polluted Salton Sea (at the time, North America's most polluted body of water) improved so dramatically within months, that it was eventually found to be free of toxins (California)

"How you behave when you get home and how you arrange your home and office spaces can make a tremendous difference in the flow of energy," explains Hummel, offering these tips on Do-It Yourself space clearing:

Before You Get Off Yours, See Which Celebs Need to Get Off Their Asses & into the Gym

Veteran personal trainer, fitness expert and author Marty Tuley has long advocated a no-frills, no-gimmicks, no-nonsense, not-so-subtle approach to looking your hottest, and recently released his 5th Annual Top Ten Celebrity Get Off Your Ass List. "Mathematically, the equation of "fat ass" looks something like this," explains Tuley helpfully: "eat more than you should + sit on your ass more than you should = Purple Ribbon State Fair FAT!"   

So at least when you head back to the gym brimming with New Year's Resolutions, you'll know you're not alone (or, in these cases, shouldn't be):

Glamorous Party Coiffure Ideas from Kevin Mancuso

With red carpet clients like Sienna Miller, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway & Halle Berry, Kevin Mancuso knows his way around a glam party 'do. In addition to his secret styling weapon (Nexxus VersaStyler Artistic Design Lotion), here are his step-by-step how to's on doing romantic waves, a sleek half-up, half-down "beehive" or a classic up-do:

Weekly Web Snob Roundup: The Best Posts of the Week from Our Fave Online Fashion & Lifestyle Publishers: The Top 10 for 2007

From trends to designers to celeb style, its the Best of 2007 - FabSugar
Bag Snob counts down the biggest trends in bags for 2007.
My Fashion Life runs down the Top 10 Fashion Trends of 2007
Coquette reveals her favorite Top 10 in Fashionable Technology for 2007.
Top 10 must-reads for 2007 - The Fashionable Housewife
Bags, Bobs & Blogs: the Top 10 Fashion Moments of 2007 - Fashiontribes
Stiletto Jungle dishes the Top 10 Sites for Designer Bargain Shopping.
The Ten Best Emerging Fashion Designers of 2007 - Fashion Indie
The 10 most disappointing moments in fashion for 2007- Papierblog
Last year? So passé! 10 Fashion Predictions for 2008 - Second City Style
Top 10 moments for celebrities and their designer handbags - Bag Bliss
With an eye on women of color, 55 Secret Street gives you the Top 10 Beauty Secrets of 2007.  
The Top 10 untraditional places to jet to for New Year's Eve - Stylehive
Do you agree with eBeautyDaily's top ten beauty items she can't live without?

- Lesley Scott

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The Fashiontribes Week in Chic

This week, we:

...looked back at the Top 10 Fashion Moments of 2007
...gave away $7000 in fash & beauty loot
...planned to glitter brighter than the New Year's Eve Ball
...resolved to make 10 small changes for big beauty results

$7000 Worth of Fashion & Beauty Prizes are Up for Grabs, Just For Playing Online Stylist at FashMatch.com

What: $7000 in fashion & beauty loot!
Who: FashMatch & Fashiontribes
Why: to celebrate the recent launch of Outfit Factory, the FashMatch application on the social networking giant Bebo.com; Outfit Factory lets you play fashion stylist & put together chic outfits, and have them rated by other online fashionistas
Where: register at FashMatch or at Bebo.com(Outfit Factory)
When: now! the contest ends on Saturday, January 5th & the following prizes will be announced January 11th:

* a shopping spree worth $2000 from YOOX.COM (for the top-ranked #1 match)
* a $1500 gift certificate from IntermixOnline.com (#2 match)
* one of three gift certificates worth $500 (each) from Bluefly.com or $500 worth of NARS Cosmetics (for matches #3, #4, #5 & #6)
* a Deluxe Gift Certificate from Bag, Borrow or Steal valued at $1500 plus an editorial feature about the match here on Fashiontribes (our special Editor's Choice Award)

- Lesley Scott

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Glitter Brighter than the Ball this New Year's Eve

by Dawn Del Russo, fashion stylist & image consultant

The Ball won’t be the only fabulous thing glittering this New Years Eve Night.  This holiday season is all about sparkle & shine, so here are some fun & fabulous looks based on how brightly (sparkly?) you want to ring in the  New Year in glamorous, classy style:

Tuck a Makeup Pro in Your Makeup Bag with Clever colorOn Insta-Eyeshadow Pads

Having "done" makeup is back, but an eyeshadow quad can present a bewildering makeup mystery of knowing where/how/how much of which color to apply where. These fun instant applicators come laden with waterproof & crease-proof mineral eye shadows in a range of designs from low-key professional beige to full-on club kid peacockery.

When in Bora Bora, the St. Regis Offers Service as Fabulous as the Locale

From the natural Oasis Pool to the central pool with a swim-up bar, private saltwater lagoon brimming with native fish & stingrays - and getting pampered at the Miri Miri Spa located on its own private island - this plush & award-winning resort encourages diving into the many pleasures of paradise.

- via Stylehive

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Carly's Chic Steals and Fashion Deals of the Week: Glittering Snow Princess Must-Haves

by Carly J. Cais, Fashion Designer

As a designer - my line is RIVETED Clothing & Accessories - I've developed an eye for style over the years...and right along with it, a nose for a bargain. Half the fun of fashion is looking fabulous without needing to declare bankruptcy.  Each week, I showcase five hot designer-style steals (each for $100 or, in most cases, for much, much less)...along with one splurge-worthy item.

However, with my recent birthday followed almost immediately by Christmas, I decided to draw up a fantasy a-girl-can-dream wish list of five fashionable trinkets that up the chill factor for maximum iced-out fabulousness:

Top 10 Small Changes for Big Beauty Results

Draconian New Year's resolutions virtually guarantee failure, so this year, why not try setting more realistic goals?  "The key to sticking to resolutions and achieving the ultimate goal of looking and feeling great is setting simple, attainable everyday goals. Achieving realistic targets will provide the motivation to continue with resolutions long after the New Year has passed," advises Health and Beauty Expert Dr. Cheryl Perlis who specializes in non-surgical, cutting-edge aesthetic procedures. "The important thing is to believe in your natural beauty. The happiest, healthiest people have a positive outlook onwho they are and what they project to the world."

So instead of vowing to deny yourself dessert for the rest of your life, here are the Top 10 time-tested tips that help a girl get mind, body, health & confidence into the shape you've always wanted:

Swing Stylishly in the Ultimate Chill-out Zone in a Suspended Beanbag Hammock

The fun of a kid's beanbag & swing with a grown-up's eye for style, Le Beanock is fashioned from hard-wearing terylene sailcloth - similar to material that's weathered storms on the high seas - with chain & eyelets that would be right at home in a traditional boatyard. "The beauty of it," says its designer, Tracie Herrtage, "is it's simple, cool and extremely comfortable."

It can hang from any height & angle, and the  larger size (2 metres x 1.75 metres) holds up to 200 kilograms - more than tough enough for two at rest...or play.

- via Stylehive

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Smooth, Conceal, Reveal, Contour & Hem with the Right Underpinnings

Festive occasions call for glamour, which generally means showing more skin. Keep it classy & keep from flashing fellow partygoers - along with back fat, muffin top, or even excessively draggy hems - with these handy solutions to the well dressed partier's typical dilemmas.

Cleavage Control Instead of trying to conceal with a clunky safety pin, try a clever Bosom Button which is made to be seen.  Handcrafted with Swarovski crystals, it controls gaping stylishly. Alternatively, the Winkee is a clever insert that attaches to your bra for the look of a less-is-more cami, but without the additional bulk.

Burn Off Holiday Calories by Shopping the Post-Xmas Sales

Bluefly Coats & Jackets sale - up to 75%
YOOX.COM Fall/Winter Collection - an extra 40% off
Intermix Online Deals & Steals

Bags, Bobs & Blogs: The Top 10 Best Fashion Moments (& Trends) of 2007

#1 THE BLOGGERS WEAR PRADA

After Time Magazine so famously proclaimed all of us the person of the year for 2006, it helped confer legitimacy on content created by blogs (at a fairly steady rate of 1.6 million fresh new posts daily, according to Technorati). And this year, fashion & lifestyle bloggers really solidified the fashion blogosphere as a viable alternative to the old-school fashion & beauty mags for both advertisers & readers...and created a new form of fashion media in the process.

Instead of needing the right social connections just to get a lowly assistant editor job in fashion publishing at a big-name print magazine - and a trustfund to survive on an annual starting salary of somewhere around $25,000...in NYC (!) - fashion bloggers succeed the democratic way: talent, taste, and the hard work it takes to update with quality content daily.

Dumb Blond Angels, Zombies, Murder & Mayhem: Celebrate a Heartwarming Tale of Xmas Terror with "The Stupidest Angel"

"Christmas crept into Pine Cove like a creeping Christ thing: dragging garland, ribbon, and sleigh bells oozing eggnog, reeking of pine, and threatening festive doom like a cold sore under the mistletoe."

So begins Christopher Moore's madcap tale of the possible death of a beloved holiday icon by shovel, and a Christmas "miracle" gone dreadfully awry - as the town's dead come back to life and feast on the living. As Publisher's Weekly put it, Moore's "little slice of perverse Christmas cheer is enough to make a cynical Scrooge guffaw."

The Stupidest Angel is available at Powells.com. 

- Lesley Scott

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Bad Santa Wishes You a Mostly Miserable, Decidedly Drunken Holidays

I've been to prison once.
I've been married twice.
I was once drafted by Lyndon Johnson and had to live in shit-ass Mexico for two and a half years for no reason.
I've had my eye socket punched in, a kidney taken out, and I got a bone chip in my ankle that's never gonna heal.
I've seen some pretty shitty situations in my life.
But nothing has ever sucked more ass than this.

Pretty much the best start to a completely child-unsuitable holiday movie...ever.

A Very Demented Clark Griswold Xmas to You + Cheery Holiday Light Abuse from a Suburb of NYC

In honor of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, one of my fave heartwarming holiday movie traditions (Bad Santa being the other) & its 25,000 colored-light ode to ridiculous Christmas **B-L-I-N-G**, here are some of Chevy-Chase-as-Clark's best lines:

Happy Festivus for the Rest of Us!

Thanks to Seinfeld's Frank Contanza, there is a tinsel-free, pro-aggression way to enjoy the holidays. However, in order to celebrate Festivus in all its every-man glory, it's important to get a few things right: the aluminium pole, physical contact, and an extended gripe session. How fabulous!

 

Fashiontribes Week in Chic

This week, we:
...enjoyed a festive Sex & the City Movie holiday window in NYC
...completed the $1-$1Billion Gift Guide, with a holistic life makeover, $6000+ gold & diamond ear buds, a luxury eco-spa hidden away in the jungle, groovy diamonds & black rubber (!) & some fab last-minute gift card ideas
...matched our bag with Fido's leash a la Kim Cattrall from the Sex and the City Movie
...tried to win $7000 in prizes just for playing online fashion stylist
...fought AIDS with Ziggy Marley, Chicks on Speed & Rihanna
...found out