There is a good reason that it's used in jewelry-making as as alternative to gold & platinum...not to mention counterfeit gold bars with a thin veneer of gold on the surface. Tungsten Carbide is as scratch-resistant as a diamond (the hardest element on the planet), doesn't need polishing, and will look as good at your Paper Anniversary (your 1st) as your Diamond Anniversary (60th).
On the Moh's scale, here's how the various wedding band metals stack up:
So if you, or your spouse, are at all active, expect that gold band that was so shiny & pretty when you slipped them on each others' fingers at the ceremony to quickly get scratched, bent, & damaged from daily wear & tear. And if you're looking into alternative, do beware of cheap-ass tungsten bands with cobalt: it means they contain a low-quality, alternative binder which easily marrs, corrodes, cracks, and is known to cause skin itchiness & rashes.
Which is why we love Tungsten Affinity which guarantees your ring against scratching, tarnishing, and breakage - plus a 30 Day No Questions return policy.
Madison Avenue is the street of every window-shopper's dreams. From the iconic windows of Barneys NY (whose creative director Simon Doonan decorated the White House this past Christmas) to the chic elegant dressings of the finest shoppes - Valentino, Donna Karan, Anne Fontaine, Dolce & Gabbana, to name a few - and beautiful mannequins, adorned from head to toe in the ultimate of pricey chic beckon. And like modern-day Holly Golightly's, we sip our Starbucks lattes and press our noses to the glass.
Designer Lisa Perry, who counts Dylan Lauren as one of her fans of her pop fashion and accessory collection inspired by the 60s, stopped us in our tracks, and we felt right at home. In honor of Donald Goerke, creator of SpaghettiOs who recently passed away, Lisa has put SpaghettiOs in her windows and her store, tempting customers to come inside for a spoonful. We love her clean lines, geometric shapes, primary colors, and minimalism fashion - and enjoyed shopping from her whimsical vintage-inspired collection...and ate more than a few spoonfuls courtesy of Lisa and Campbell's Soup.
Anyone whose fashion alter ego is fabulousy French is okay by us. "I find myself constantly pretending I'm a chic Parisian," admits the L.A.-based Olivia Wilde to Lucky Magazine. "I even dream of buying a Balmain jacket with really sharp shoulders. If I can pull off that look, I will have succeeded, at least partially, in my quest." Her quest also involves more affordable hunting grounds. "Coats from H&M are inexpensive and usually have something extra going on—so even with a simple sheath dress, your outfit is still
interesting."
As long as you've got something cute to wear, even the most inclement weather can be most welcome. Pouring rain is the perfect opportunity to show up fellow soaked schlubs in your uber-chic Moschino trench and zippy Marc by Marc umbrella. Of course a coordinating print bag (Marc Jacobs) and dry feet (classic wellies) never hurt.
If your nails have the "blues", then your fingers are firmly on the pulse of the chicest manicure in town. Betsey Johnson was just one of the many designers whose models rocked Fall 2008 Fashion Week with of-the-moment electric blue polish.
To steal the runway look at street prices, nab some Fing'rs Color Crush in Metallic Midnight. A quick, no-chip alternative to messy polish in a totally wearable, short length, you can either glue them on or use the stick-on tabs for temporary tips. Available for $6 (!) - purchasing info at Fingrs.com.
Staying on top of the trends & how to incorporate them into your closet can seem somewhat overwhelming, so we brought in stylist Dawn Del Russo - who has been featured in InStyle, Redbook, Real Simple, Elle Girl & Fox 5 News - to the wardrobe rescue.
"There are quick, simple ways to update your look, hide what you want to hide and accentuate what you want to accentuate," she explains about her list of 10 no-fuss must-haves that make it easy to stay au courant:
This fall, prepare to pile on the pounds....of fabulously fluffy fashions. From Fendi's oddly cool wool-dreadlock & feather bag to a chic Moschino puffer coat, this is the season to enjoy the fur-covered, feather-trimmed, tulle-encased rewards of being a girl.
Some fab puffy & fluffy fashion frippery for fall:
(Victoria & David Beckham arriving in Italy to attend the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes wedding; photos: Just Jared)
Someone seems to have smacked Victoria Beckham with the stylish stick - and hard! Out went the hair extensions, leaving in their wake a truly chic fashionista with an editor's taste in clothes. While it's been rumored that designers previously went to great lengths to not be associated in any way, shape or form with the former Posh Spice, these days, she rocks cutting edge ensembles like a pro. (However, a note about that whatever her husband David is wearing: unspeakably weird & headscratching, especially paired with the tough guy mirrored aviators...the less said, the better.)
The secret to pulling off Victoria's look - especially with so much fabric covering up almost every inch of skin - is the proportion of the skirt: build the cost of going to the tailor into the purchase price. One possibility is to have him/her create a fish-tail silhouette (slightly shorter in the front - great for the extremely petite fashionista). Either way, make sure the hem ends exactly at the point on the lower leg where the calf curves gracefully inward toward the ankle - this is the most visually slimming & proportionally correct length.
Steal Victoria Beckham's prim but sexy librarian look with panache:
I know I'm completely incapable of being objective about my booty - as is pretty much ever other body image-neurotic fashionista I consort with - and god knows, none of us would actually be anything close to honest with each other on the topic. But thankfully for innocent bystanders everywhere, that clever duo at JackandHill.net have come up with the solution: DoesMyAssLookFatInThesePants.com
Simply snap a pic of your booty in the questionable pants - like these brave souls did - and internet pundits will weigh in with their opinions: good, bad, mocking...but at least honest.
