A practical guide for any fashionista in distress who wanted to wear sneakers but wasn’t certain she’ll hit the right style note hereby: Arizona Muse from Vogue US June 2012’ issue. Photographed by Craig McDean and styled by Tabitha Simmons, Arizona is on the move, wearing sneakers and looking stylish from tip to toes. Let’s take a closer look, join me after the jump (or click here for the gallery)!

You have so many models to choose from: sleek Celine pony hair flat slip ons ($720); Chanel calfskin knicks ($795); Maison Margiela leather sneakers ($795), the all too coveted Isabel Marant wedge sneakers ($750) or the more affordable wedge See by Chloe leather sneakers ($395) and Nike Liberty Collection sneakers ($130).

In a very fash – athletic pictorial, Vogue tries to convince us that wearing sneakers is a stylish gesture, if done right. And if I was really into the Isabel Marant wedge sneakers until now, I realized that there are so many options and there’s no need to close the possibilities drawer and make an unnatural fixation on Isabel Marant.

That is, of course, if someone can really convince me to leave my Converse behind (wink)!

How To Wear Sneakers And Be Stylish And Fashionable

It’s summer, after all, that alone needs to be celebrated! And since the weekend is almost upon us and some of you already have plans for parties, cocktails or dinner with friends, I thought it would be a good time to show you these. I picked some party dresses I’d wear myself, on various occasions, fancy, casual, pretentious or precious, there’s a little something for everyone. I think. Hit the jump button, let’s get to it!

Heavily inspired by Candice Swanepoel’s bike ride outfit, I picked this Haute Hippie Strappy Printed Dress because it can be glammed up or down depending or what you need it for: for day, suffice to wear it like it is in the picture. For night or special occasion, just add a few golden details (like shoes and more festive jewelry) and you’re set! (currently $395 at Neiman Marcus)

Also a printed gown, the Bella Dress falls into the same versatile category – you can either wear it for day to day routines or for a nice dinner with friends, pair it with a sweet cardi or a rolled sleeves jeans jacket for a retro feel. (currently $98 at Fossil)

Now for a nice spin off of the classic little black dress, there’s this lovely number from Blu Moon: The Summer Lovin Dress with a dramatic back detail I’d really love to wear (currently $157 at Planet Blue). And then there’s the pleated gorgeousness from Donna Mizani – Pleated T Back Dress (currently $189 at Revolve Clothing)

To radically change the black thing, let’s go for red with a Pins and Needles High – Neck Chiffon dress (currently $109 at Urban Outfitters) and a strapless tiered red silk dress from BCBG Max Azria. Because you know I have a thing for layered ruffles! (currently $184 at 6pm)

Now, another thing I love almost as much as I love ruffles – stripes! And here’s my party approach: a highly colored Twist strapless dress (currently $365 at Milly) or a simple black and white, chiffon two – tone shift dress from Phoebe Couture (currently $350 at Neiman Marcus)

Yellow is always big during the summertime and it would only be unfair to ditch that option when it comes to choosing party outfits. So, I stumbled across this Alice and Olivia Shari Off – the – Shoulder dress and found it lovely, simple and charming! (currently $368 at Neiman Marcus)

However, if you want to make an impression, please consider wearing this ah-mazing Tracy Dress Multi color blocked dress! It’s perfectly summery, it’s really trendy and the color combination does hit the right style notes! (currently $288 at Tracy Reese)

Now for the precious dresses: there’s the Robert Rodriguez exquisitely retro sequined pleated dress (currently $495 at ShopBop), Adrianna Papell’s Matte Jersey and Shimmer ruffle dress (currently $126 at Lord and Taylor)

I just recounted the selection and it appear that we have no maxi dresses for this party gowns wish list: how about two exquisite beauties one in black and one in yellow. The Mixed Lace and Mesh long dress ($598) and the Crinkled silk chiffon maxi dress ($398, both currently available at Max Studio)

…and the best for last: the most precious of them all, Aidan Mattox Niteline’s Halter Cocktail dress with beads and sequins and dramatically open back! Isn’t it gorgeous? (currently $350 at Neiman Marcus)

(useful links: NM, Fossil, Planet Blue, Tracy Reese, Shopbop, Revolve Clothing, 6pm, Milly, Urban Outfitters, Lord and Taylor, Max Studio)

15 Summer Party Dresses You’ll Want To Wear!

An asymmetric draped stretch – jersey Maxi Dress from Cult’s CLU label in coral and a watercolor print silk maxi dress from Theysens’ Theory. Now if it were up to me, I wouldn’t stop and look twice at these two gowns. Because they’re not on my fashion alley. However, when the right styling comes along, not only do I look twice, but I’d also like them both in my closet! What changed my mind? Hit the jump and see for yourself!

Theyskens’ Theory silk maxi dress worn with a leather jacket (in this case, a Kelly Bergin jacket) looks like the perfect choice for dressing up but not too much type of occasions. Like fancy cocktails, special events and summer (or even colder weather) parties. Not bad, huh? The coral asymmetrical jersey maxi dress, although with a very interesting cut, is definitely more catchy when paired with the right scarf (the We Are Owls gray and white scarf is perfect in this occasion, for a casual finish). What do you think about these two style twists? What are your secret accessories for bringing out the best in an outfit? (both dresses were seen at Net- a – Porter)

Bring Out The Best In Your Dress With The Right Accessory!

I’m actually waiting for Anna to give her her fashionably blessings and put Katniss on a Vogue cover soon enough. But until that day, let’s check out Jennifer Lawrence’s braid updo for the premiere of Hunger Games. Isn’t it pretty? And it’s actually quite simple to do!

The “light” version (light on styling products, that is; for the “full” styling products version, you can read here): you need medium to long hair to pull this look – braid the headband / s of your choice into a single, low braid. (hit the jump to see the rest of the braid DIY)

If you don’t have the proper headbands to pull this look, you can use skinny belts or necklaces instead. After you’ve braided them into the hair, roll the braid into a bun. Pull some thin hair strands on the sides, for a light undo touch. Generously pin it with hair pins and there you have it! The Katniss look!

Glamorous Hair Must: Jennifer Lawrence’s Braid Updo

And if you don’t believe me, all you have to do is hit the jump to see how you can wear one dress in three different ways from day to night and look gorgeous each and every time! So this first style below is Anthropologie’s suggestion. After the jump let’s see what I would do for a normal day outfit:

Now for a chilly spring morning, you can always take a cardi with you, and, if you’re always cold, like I am (I’m a summer child, remember? I can’t befriend the chilly weather under no circumstances), you can take your ballet flats. Or, be courageous and go for the flatforms. As far as the bag goes, you can choose between a roomy tote and a colorful clutch (or both) depending on what errands you have to run for the day.

Later on, you can try the smart approach with a dark blazer with pink rolled sleeves and either a pair of gorgeous sky high wedge sandals or flat tongs with golden details. Here too you can choose between two bags – a nice, summery tote and a silver, perforated tote. Bottom line is that you have one dress and three ways (or more) to wear it and be uber stylish and ultra fashionable all the time, at all times. Smart or casual, it’s up to you. (all the pieces are from Anthropologie; and no, Anthropologie still doesn’t have the slightest idea who I am and how passionately I love their clothes! – wink-)

One Dress, Three Ways To Wear It

If I were to put together everything I know about curly hair, everything I found out over the years, I could easily write a paper with a pompous title like “the curly hair science”! (they should teach that in school. Where needed). I’m curious of nature and pretty much a self taught individual, because of my curiosity. And I gathered some very interesting facts about hair, over the years! If you’re as curious as I was, click through to find out more:

Now that you’ve made it so far, let’s break some of those (curly) hair myths:

{5} did you know that you “change” your hair, pretty much with every change of major season? Yeah, it’s basically the same phenomenon we notice with our pets: shedding the winter / summer coat happens to humans too. Oh, and in case you’re worried if it ever grows back – have you ever seen your pets without their hair?

{4} did you know that once the “split end” occurs, there’s no way to seal it back again? Yes, every product out there that’s claiming to seal split ends back together is a big, bottled illusion! It’s like trying to fix a broken nail – could you ever seal that split end? No, you just have to cut it! Well, it’s the same with hair!

{3} did you know that trimming your hair doesn’t make it grow faster? Regularly trimming your hair only keeps it healthy, it’s from the inside that the hair is growing, not from its ends (split ends go up on the hair, so if you don’t cut it before that happens, you’ll have to cut more just to eliminate the split end).

{2} did you know that in order to keep it healthy, you have to keep your hair moisturized at all times? Basically, if your hair is dry, you have to envelop it in a protective (sometimes greasy) film which doesn’t allow it to lose any more inner moisture and keeps it (artificially) moisturized, on the outside.

{1} did you know that you’re not supposed to cut curly hair like you cut straight hair? Curly hair’s particularity is its curl. Not all curls are equal, but one thing’s for sure: don’t expect your cut to style your hair but the other way around. Cut curly hair like the curl demands it: if you notice that your curls lose shape towards the end and don’t have the same loop as the previous, lose that end! It’s no longer good for your hair’s shape. In order to properly trim curly hair, forget wet haircuts – you have to see those curls to know where to cut!

Treat your hair with respect, don’t expect it to be something it’s not (i.e. don’t expect volume and waves from straight hair or shine and moisture from curly hair), try to do as your hair tells you to and you’ll be just fine. You and your God – given hair! (all the images were taken with consideration from here)

Top 5 Facts About Hair

Well, anyway, last week or the one before that, Gwyneth was all fashionable and cute in a stylish newsletter talking about her key looks for Spring Summer 2012. The French have their weekly Elle issues, we have Goop. Right? So if you were to pick some really fashionable pieces for this season, this could be your perfect guideline! (hit the jump to see the rest of the looks!)

Gwyneth is swearing by jeans – boyfriend jeans , skinny jeans, shorts or jeans skirts, she’s definitely into Jeans this spring. Gwyneth is also into skirts – leather skirts, pencil skirts, gathered skirts, she said you need them all! A body hugging dress and an orange dress, a jumpsuit and oh- so many blazers! Not bad for a Goop day, huh?

Top Spring Looks From Gwyneth Paltrow

As such, Kate Moss offering advices about personal style is something to consider whenever you’re putting together an outfit or defining a fashion personality for yourself. So there it goes: Kate Moss’s top style advices (with a little help from 1, 2, 3, 4)

3. Find a vintage icon and emulate her style!

“It’s important to have some inspiration or a reference point when you’re dressing.” – consider asking yourself, if you fancy that particular era – “Would Audrey Hepburn wear this?”

2. Don’t overdo it on the accessories!

“Wearing too many accessories at once can look very bad. […] say not to wear a hat with glasses because I look as if I’m trying to wear a disguise.” The only exception to that rule is overstacking on jewelry – Kate thinks you can’t ever have too much of those!

1. When in doubt, wear black!

“I just throw on whatever I feel like wearing at the time, which tends to come from the palette of black, grey or red. If I’m having an off day, I’ll wear full black.” (I’m convinced that’s Angelina Jolie’s capital style rule too!)

Top Style Advices From Kate Moss

Regardless of the brand and the occasion (you can tell that the red hearts were especially made for Valentine’s Day), the shoe clips are a wonderful accessory in any wardrobe! And you don’t have to limit yourself to hearts and bows! When it comes to accessorizing, the sky is the limit and you’re only bound by the time you have to be creative! (because I came to find out that creativity needs a lot of time! A loooot of it!) Have you seen these before? Have you thought of one of these yourself? (hit the jump for more)

I always find little treasures in ban.do’s newsletters. They’re one of my favorite girly getaways and a precious source of inspiration for all kind of crazy beautiful little things! The shoe clips are just one of those charming, precious possessions I’d wishlist any day, eyes closed! You may notice, if you visit their lovely website, that the bow ties are out of stock and that the only shoe clips available right now are the sequined hearts (and they cost $25). If you think they work with what you have in your wardrobe, go for them!

However, if you think there’s room for more, do consider making a shoe clip of your own! You can use whatever left fabric you find around the house to do a simple bow and attach it to your shoes using clips or the glue gun (my. favorite. tool. ever!) or check out some of your hair accessories you’re not too fond of anymore, disassembly them and use them as shoe clips – it may sound complicated, but believe me, once you’re digging into it, there’s no way out! You’ll be trapped in this creative vortex and you might just discover that you skipped breakfast, lunch and dinner altogether! But you’ll have a bunch of beautiful shoe clips at the end of the day (wink)! (a quick example of shoe clips diy here; and here; oh, and here too!)

Turn Your Old Shoes Into New Fancy Shoes With Shoe Clips!

If I knew then what I know now… Here’s how you can avoid the boxing – look and get the glamorous star Smoky Eyes look instead! In just two easy steps, with tools and products that you may already have in your makeup case? (yeah – about that – remember to check the expiry date regularly and get rid of turned makeup. Not only it won’t beautify you, it may even give you allergies and serious side effects!) Back to the smoky eyes, let’s see the how to:

How To: Smoky Eyes Makeup