Can’t believe just how fast this year has passed. This year, I feel like I felt it all :  love, joy,  happiness, excitement but also I have been disappointed, heart-broken and melancholic. I think there has to be natural balance between all these feelings and at some point we all have to go through these things that will in time shape who we are.  I’ve learned that I have to stand up and be strong no matter what, that friends can heal wounds, that passion can make magic, that life can taste like chocolate and that stunning dresses can really make your day …or evening for that matter.

This year’s party dresses are special and sexy. Even if you decide to go for a LBD and style it up for evening with sparkling accessories or make-up, or your choose a statement dress, you cannot go wrong as long as it represents who you are.

Go for niche or boutique dresses and try to avoid popular retailers such as H&M, Zara or Topshop… the chances may be your dress can also be somebody else’s dress. Try other brands and search for more unique pieces. Vintage also works if you can bring your dress to year 2012 - accessories are key!

Check out the list for the most stunning party dresses that we found online this year. Remember they are personality based! So keep an I both on the trend but also on the twist you give your outfit.

Fall collections are knocking at the door, but we are still trying to keep the summer in our hearts and in our outfits. I really love how easily you can drift into a fall mood by simply choosing a few key pieces that make this transition almost invisible.

I have selected some of the coolest outfits worn by celebrities on street or at events, but where you can see that the outfits are starting to become more suitable for the fall season.

Maxi skirts are such a great option to welcome the new season because you can slide into cooler temperatures and you won’t feel a thing! I really like how the short booties look with maxi skirts, but you can easily wear them with flats, Alessandra or Selena chose,  or even with wedges.

Jackets add the perfect finish touch on any fall outfit. No matter if you choose a light leather jacket, a jeans jacket or a tuxedo jacket you can easily refresh your looks for fall because jackets are truly a fall must-have. I am sure you all have a nice jeans jacket such as this one worn by Busy Philipps, but I think that the hardest one to find is the black blazer jacket. I have been searching for a long time for a nice affordable black jacket in the Solange Knowles style and have finally found a cool one at Zara. I think the cut is the most important feature of this item, followed shortly by the quality of the fabric.

Minis are definitely a chic way to maintain a stylish and sexy look, ever during the fall season. You can go for printed dresses or less fancy cotton styles which you can wear with flats. Mini skirts or dresses can easily be paired with jackets or short boots, and because the temperatures are still high you don’t need any tights or leggings. What you need to watch is the sheerness of the dresses, try to go for thicker fabrics and dresses with a well-defined shapes as opposed to soft and transparent summer dresses. Check out Lauren Conrad’s printed dress and Taylor Shift’s orange A-line shaped dress, these are lovely choices for the fall 2011 season.

It seems that the flared jeans and silk blouse combo is a winner for this fall. Even if we have seen it mixed in the summer season, I think this trend has not fully bloomed during the hot months. Katie Holmes and Zoe Saldana sport this cool casual look which is probably suitable for many of our office attires.

My current obsession is LEMONADE, or better CITRONADE :))

I just love these colors, they are so fresh and alive, so mouth-watering! In fact, the citron print has been very popular on the runways as well. Brands such as Moschino Cheap & Chic or Day Birger and Mikkelsen pioneered the colors and also the lemon prints  in their summer 2011 collections and since then, it has all bloomed. Or, so to say…the lemon has been squeezed :)

I think orange, yellow, lime or bright orange are the star colors of the summer season, besides the white and coral, of course. I really love Blake Lively’s outfit in her Glamour photo-shooting, soft white and orange is a perfect mix, so very feminine and fresh. I think this goes for the electric yellow dress which resonates so well with the bright summer sun.

Jamie Chung Lexington and Olivia Palermo wearing the signature citrus shades. You can get more inspiration from the citrus palette. Fun right?

As a general style rule, I would wear these citron shades with neutrals, so white and beige for a classy effect, however if you try brights in the evening you can most definitely choose a second bold accent such as electric blue, fuchsia or even gold - like in Brittany Snow’s outfit.

Have a Summer Lemonade!

Lizzie.

I really love how all these bold colors are popping up everywhere this season! Even if you decide to choose cobalt blue or vibrant green or choose this wonderful coral red, you will most likely create some smashing ensembles.

Lately I have been obsessing over this lovely mix : CORAL or RED, BLACK, WHITE and NUDE.  Katie Holmes does a very good job at styling this summer 2011 look.  Everything about her style is practically a must have for this season, starting with the nude silk blouse and accessorizing with a cool animal print bag and some awesome strappy sandals.

I also found some cool outfit inspirations on net-a-porter.com, that make the look very simple and easy to achieve!

Like in every bold color combination, all you have to take in consideration is the golden rule : wear with neutrals!

Spring 2011 focuses on freedom of expression and of movements, a color symphony and the best accessories out there. Prom dresses are part of the fashion scene for a while now and it is now easier than ever to search for inspiration everywhere around. The web is full of fabulous red-carpet looks and tons of examples, not to mention the large variety of online stores which include even virtual makeovers!

I really believe that the runway looks and trends for Spring 2011 and the stars outfits are the major inspirations when choosing a dress. This way you can get a feeling of how a particular shade or silhouette fits and you can also read reviews to see if the particular dress had a big impact among the audience and will be suitable as your Prom Dress.

The main prom dress trends that I’ve identified for 2011 are focused on 4 big pillars: soft tones, classic lines, abstract prints and bold colors.

Strapless Tulle Ball Gown with Beaded Bodice - Chiffon Gown with Cascading Ruffle Detail - Beaded Ball Gown with Tulle Skirt

Soft pinks, light peach and yellow, white, nude, beige are the top ingredients to achieve the Cotton Candy look. You can by now imagine that the princess type of dress is the most popular in this category, but you can also get it right by choosing a simple flowing gown that will make you look like a goddess.

Sleeveless Jersey Dress with Beaded X-Back - Floral One Shoulder Silky Knit Pleated Gown

Old Hollywod Glamour is the second big trend that I’ve identified for party dresses in 2011. Rihanna works this look very well, the Burgundy lace dress by Elie Saab is a very good choice as it highlights her silhouette and defines her hourglass shape. Prom dresses can also be adjusted and embellished so you can easily get that classic, Hollywood elegance. Red, black or white are my top recommendations because I think they are very powerful and versatile tones. If you are bold you can choose a black and white dress, this is quite a timeless statement piece!

Short Strapless Beaded Taffeta Tiered Dress - Short Strapless Dress with Organza Ruffle Skirt

Bold and Short is the next trend that I love for dress trends in 2011. Coral, cyan, pink, purple, magenta, electric red,  emerald or citrus shades are all very much allowed this season! Try short volumetric designs with ruffles and tulle which give you a flirty attitude. Bold shades usually go with metallics so be sure you accessorize properly.

Silky Knit Print Tank Dress with Beaded Waist - One Shoulder Stretch Satin Multi Print Gown

One of the most powerful trends on the runways for awhile now are The Prints. Even if you have a floral printed dress, animal print or abstract, you will definitely make a statement by wearing this type of dress. I think that this is also a bold choice as prints are not necessarily very easy to wear, be sure to balance your outfit and don’t go overboard with heavy accessories.

Winter 2010 has its own rules. And when it comes to nail-polish and lacquer trends, the season is jolly indeed :)

The main thing we need to consider this season is that innovation and experiment are new directions taken also by the beauty industry. It’s not just color and shine that are important, but also the texture of the nail-polish and nail lacquers. Besides the usual glossy and slick look, nails are taking 2 new finishes : MATTE and GLITTERY.

When you think about it, these finishes are quite the opposite: the  matte finish stands for classy and more of a softer look while glitter shouts party all the way! I particularly love the matte metallic tones. Silver and gold don’t stand a chance in the daylight if they aren’t matte. You can use the matte effect to dress down an edgy look and to give it a more friendly effect.

The other nail-polish trend for this winter is the glittery nail. Strong shades give the perfect jewel nail effect and they go perfectly with light colors and romantic looks.  For a festive look glitter nail-polish can be just the ingredient you needed! Gold and silver tones are full of whimsy and charm and they are the perfect choice for a homemade Christmas party. There are some risks, so you should be careful how you pair them, as Christmas trees are only in fashion for a short time and you don’t want to be looking like one ;)

If you want long lasting colors, OPI has great glittery options but I’m sure you can also find many others.

Rich and dark is the way to go normally throughout the cold season, but there are so many chic options out there. Some of the holiday offers include cool bags in which you have the essential colors for the holiday season. For example, Chanel has this top 3 hottest color bag - in RUBY, RED and GOLD - you can get it here.   You can either go for nail-polish with a Black or a Navy base but you can drift from bright red tones  until the Dark Ruby Tones.

OPI’s new collection called SWISS makes me wait eagerly for my holiday in Switzerland next week. :)) curious to see what nail colors do the Swiss fashionistas  choose… :D

I noticed that so many designers have focused on deep solid colors for their fall collections. Burberry Prorsum created these amazing deep hued coats and statement outerwear whereas Oscar de la Renta dressed his models in gemstones! Or at least gemstone colors because rubies, jades, amethysts or emeralds were the key notes of major designer runway shows. These luxurious jewel-toned cocktail dresses have become the season’s must-have.

I have to admit I have always liked these types of colors because they are able to turn heads instantly!

Satin materials add extra vibe to the outfit and also black tights can really enhance the color of your dress. All  that needs to be done is to choose great accessories. As the dress is the center of the entire outfit, you need to adjust the impact of the accessories depending on the event so you can easily go for metallics or neutrals if you want to dress the outfit up or down.

There are so many chic special occasion dresses out there. For instance, I found all these gemstone party dresses at great affordable prices, some of them even on sale!

From left to right: Charmeuse Glitter Mesh Bubble Hem Dress -  $99, Taffeta Halter Dress with Rosette Neckline - $99, Stretch Dress with Bow Detail and Pockets -$80, Ruffled One-Shoulder Slim Dress -$80, Strapless iridescent taffeta short dress - $120

I’ve seen this trend popping out recently in magazines or even trendsetters. Looks like the Kanye West signature item is getting very popular. I don’t know though if I like these sunglasses, I mean they are cool and colored..but the shutters? How do you even see through them? :) (pictured bellow : NeonShutter Shades - 80s Purple ).

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