ALL 'TIED' UP

"TYING THE KNOT"

WINDSOR KNOT

An essential part of any professional look for men is quite obviously the 'Neck tie'. The Neck Tie a man wears tells a lot about his personality and style. If tied properly in one of the various knots, it can mean the difference between being well dressed and just simply

wearing a tie. Most men will know how to tie a 'Neck Tie' in only one way. This may be out of laziness or even convenience and will match that knot to every single shirt we encounter.This may not be a crime but doing this may distort the look of both the collar of the shirt as well as alter the look of the shirt.

There are a few basic rules to follow when choosing a necktie knot;

1.  The shirt collar- what type of collar is it and what knot creates the best angles for the outfit?
2. Your body type- as rule of thumb men with larger necks should go for proportion while those with slimmer necks should aim for slim but elongated knot.
3.  The design of the Neck Tie- what knot will best display the design on the tie as well as type of the tie being worn.

There are several types of knots that can be learnt. These include the Windsor, the Double Windsor and Half Windsor as well as The Four in Hand and various others. If you have never attended an institution where ties are mandatory you can watch tutorials on line just to learn and or sharpen your Neck Tie tying skills. 

See Windsor Knot demonstration below

http://youtu.be/ludlN-K68f0

FASHION WRITER

KARIM SMITH

BELIZE TAKES THE LEAD AGAIN-MISSION CATWALK

Rebecca Stirm leads the pack on Mission


 Catwalk Season 2


MISSION CATWALK HAD TONGUES WAGGING TUESDAY NIGHT- RELIVE THE EPISODE AND CATCH UP ON WHAT YOU MISSED - IT'S ALL ABOUT HEIGHTENED SENSE OF HIV/AIDS AWARENESS THROUGH FASHION-
SEE OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE BELOW AND FAB WINNING DESIGN!

Rebecca Stim's winning dress

Rebecca Stirm's winning dress

Caribbean fashion reality series Mission Catwalk is on its sixth episode and Belize’s Rebecca Stirm-the only contestant to win more than one challenge since the start of the second season on March 27th- has copped her third win with a dress designed around the red HIV/AIDS awareness ribbon.

In Rebecca’s design, the ribbon framed a high neckline and continued down the back of the dress forming a dramatic scoop and crossing at the lower back. Rebecca said she wanted to create a look that would portray strength and courage since HIV is “nothing soft or pretty to face.” She found the perfect grey jacquard fabric with a subtle print in the upholstery section at Pablo’s, and complimented it with a red underskirt that balanced the piece.

“I made an effort not to over-style and keep the emphasis on the neckline and HIV ribbon by sticking to a simple color palette and styling with a pair of chunky studded earrings.”

For guest judge Dr. Sharlene Jarrett Ph.D., M.Sc., Senior Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at the National HIV/STI Programme, “Rebecca’s chic interpretation allowed the red ribbon to be the focus without overpowering the design.” She added, “The woman who wears the winning piece will be making a powerful statement on behalf of persons living with HIV.”
Just as impressed by her work were the regular judging panel of host and executive producer Keneea Linton-George, Jamaica Observer lifestyle editor Novia McDonald-Whyte and celebrated menswear designer Carlton Brown who stressed to the designers that their interpretations had to make both a fashion and social statement.

Rebecca strikes a pose with her model Abenah Gonzalez 

The next best design came from Janel Jolly followed by fellow Jamaican Gregory Williams who was last week’s winner. Trinidad’s Ryan Chan, who consistently ranked in the top four until episode 5 where he was safe, found himself in the bottom three. Last week’s runner-up Ryan Berkeley (of Guyana) landed in the bottom lot for the second time. Jamaican Natalie Rochester ranked in the lowest scores for a third time and this week became the latest casualty of the show.

In a dramatic turn of events, Trinidadian Shannon Kwong quit the series and asked Kerin Scott of Barbados to be her replacement. What a lucky break for Kerin who was eliminated last week!

Designers were tasked to make a social and fashion statement on Mission Catwalk episode 6

Tune in to Television Jamaica every Tuesday at 8:30 PM for the newest episode from Mission Catwalk Season 2, presented by NCB, Supreme Ventures and Digicel. For those in Trinidad the series airs Tuesdays at 9:30 PM on TV6. Thanks to Rebecca’s strong showing, the series has been picked up by Channel 5 of Belize. Viewers in that country can tune in at 7:30PM each week to see how she and the other designers fare

 Guest judge Dr Sharlene Jarrett shares a laugh with Carlton Brown.  

Mission Catwalk: ‘Hat Couture’

Twelve (12) competitors “took their hats off” to the Belizean beauty on episode 4, the sizzling season 2 of “Mission Catwalk” as Rebecca Stirm rose to the top winning the third challenge. Challenged to create an ensemble inspired by a hat, the competitors dug deep to create a design that would complement the hats they chose. The night saw some really great designs, as well as some dare we say it- not so great ones. The looks ranged from “Old Hollywood Glam” to… “A box of Kleenex”? Uhm what? (see below-r)

See all 13 Designs

Well that was the critique made by lifestyle editor for the Jamaica Observer and Mission Catwalk's head Judge; Novia McDonald-White, with reference to Trinidad’s Shannon Kwong who may have tried a little too hard to match her outfit to the colours of the hat. Also falling victim to “matching” was Shellane McFarlane who also found herself in the bottom two along with Kwong.  However, at the end of the show, it was McFarlane who failed to rule the catwalk and was sent home. Teary eyed McFarlane(featured below-L) made reference to the show’s inability to acknowledge talent and beauty outside of draping. The judges believed that given a beautiful hat, the dress simply did not live up to the requisite fabness Ouch!!! 

Outside of fashion, the episode also showcased how cut throat and serious the competitors are as they claw for the crown; from Gregory not wanting to ‘mingle’ to almost everyone basically ignoring Shannon after she accidentally cut her finger during sewing. With the prizes on the line and the limited time they have to complete their designs, I can’t say I would have done differently. (Don’t judge me -_- lol)

As usual, my eyes were glued to the social networking sites and the fans surely had a lot to say. Most are amused by Gregory and Keshon’s personality and lauded their favorites, whether they flew or flopped. Among the recurring names were Rebecca Stirm, Gregory Williams, Ryan Chan, Janelle Forde, Kerin Scott and Keshon Hawthorne. The designers’ personal style also came into play as persons tweeted about the lack of effort on the designers’ part to “look fashionable” but praised Gregory for his unique style and personal style.

Personally I agree, designers should be walking billboards, constantly selling their own product. How you look shouldn’t be an indication of how you design and style, but often times it is. Impressions made in fashion are purely visual, so the designer’s need to pay keen attention to their personal appearance.

Gregory Williams

Join me next week as we review episode five (5); the designers who stood out and the ones who got trampled. Who will rule the catwalk? Stay tuned and remember to always keep it fashionable because you never know if you’ll get picked up by the fashion police.

                                       Winning Design & Designer

                                 Rebecca Stirm

Fashion Writer

Nadejah  'D'Jah' Deacon

FIERCE FASHIONISTAS FASHION FACE-OFF

HAPPY EASTER FASHION FANATICS,

IT’S FASHION FACE-OFF FRIDAYS, AND THIS FRIDAY IN PARTICULAR HAPPENS TO BE GOOD FRIDAY SO THE FASHION GODS DECIDED TO BE EXTRA NICE. CHECK OUT OUR FIERCE FASHIONISTA FACE-OFF DOUBLE TAKE. WHO WILL WIN THIS THROW DOWN? SEE DETAILS OF THEIR LOOKS BELOW;

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

RIRI BAD GIRL GONE GOOD

RIHANNA SEEMED TO HAVE TONED THINGS DONE A BIT SINCE HER LAST PERFORMANCE ON THE X FACTOR 2010 IN A BARELY THERE COSTUME;LITERALLY UNDIES,FISHNETS & A BRA. NOVEMBER OF 2011 SAW THE PERFORMING DIVA MOVING TO A FASHION EXTREME AFTER BEING CHASTISED BITTERLY FOR 2010’S RAUNCHY LOOK. HERE RIRI ROCKS A SCHOOL GIRL INSPIRED DEMURE TARTAN DRESS, SHE PAIRED HER NAUGHTY SCHOOL GIRL OUT FIT WITH STOCKINGS. THIS FIERCE FASHIONISTA STILL MANAGED HOWEVER TO MAKE A VERY CONTROVERSIAL FASHION STATEMENT IN HER GRAFFITI INSPIRED SHOE WITH THE PHRASE “F***OFF” WRITTEN ALL OVER IT.

KATHERINE JENKINS, WELSH SINGER AND ‘DR WHO’ ACTRESS WAS SPOTTED WEARING THE SAME DRESS. SHE REPRESENTED HER STYLE BY PAIRING THE LOOK WITH OPAQUE BLACK TIGHTS AND HEELS.

UPCOMING ACTRESS AND NEW KID FASHIONISTA CHLOE MORETZ SEEN HERE WEARING A MINIMALISTIC CHIC VERSION OF THE LOOK. SHE FOCUSED ON ACCENTUATING THE LOOK BY POPPING THE EYES WITH BLACK EYE LINER.

EMMA WATSON  ALSO SEEN WEARING SAME TARTAN DRESS, BUT MANAGED TO MAKE  IT HER OWN BY GIVING THE GIRLY HOT TICKET A SOPHISTICATED ROCKER CHIC EDGE. THE ACTRESS PAIRED IT WITH BIKER JACKET AND RED SOLE LOUBOUTINS.

DIE HARD DENIM

TRENDING DENIM

Hey Fashion Fanatics, the Denim Jacket is timeless and has been reinventing itself over and over; riding the fashion wave for a few yrs now; most definitely a closet ‘must have’ for both males and females. Grab those denim jackets that you have had for umpteen years in the closet, or that one tattered denim or in fashion parlance - distressed jacket that you only wear when it’s cold, dust it off and make your fashion statement.

So if you are one who likes to look good, then you can relate to that one moment when you stare helplessly in your closet; fingers crossed-silently wishing, depression sets in as you browse through your drawers and come up with nothing. You then call your friend or friends that you were suppose to hang or party with-give them the headache/tummy ache pill and you pillow jam in your room while everyone else is out having fun-Sad.

Spruce up your closet and fashion lifestyle by giving your ‘once in a blue moon’ denim blazer a good wash, take out some of those cool tees  and like ‘magic’ you add a milieu of timeless outfits to your closet that can suit many occasions. Denim on a whole is timeless and most are familiar with the proverbial denim shorts while the denim jacket is reserved for that last resort statement piece or an indicator of the climate you are experiencing. #Get with the Trend!

As it relates to styling, the denim jacket is uber dynamic and can be paired with just about anything, from leggings, skinny jeans, maxi dresses, skirts, flats or heels-add some sass and throw a scarf around it, do you and let your inner style star shine. It’s a classic article of clothing and a great wardrobe investment  rocked worldwide by some of our favorite style stars including Kate Bosworth, Nicole Richie, Miranda Kerr, Rachel Bilson, Rihanna, Kanye, Amber Rose and many other movers and shakers of fashion.

When picking a new denim jacket consider the following style elements:

The Cut & Style: Do you want a classic, blazer, bomber style or the over-sized style? Choose a style that looks best with your body type. For an edgy look find for a modern style with studs or a motorcycle jacket cut with asymmetrical zippers. Also consider a denim vest which is pretty popular among celebrities in fashion forward cities like London, NYC and Los Angeles.

The Wash: Anything goes! The classic acid has made a huge comeback. Or you can opt for the basic dark denim color or faded blue wash.

The Fabrication:  Also try to go for a denim jacket that has a thicker weave so it will last long and be durable.

Fashion Cop; Cat

Mission Catwalk Season 2 Premier:

All Claws Out!!!

Tuesday March 27^th saw the premier of the fashion reality TV show; Mission Catwalk. The show is in its 2^nd season and has built much anticipation and buzz around the premier. The 1^st episode introduced us to the top 15 competitors, this time around, from all around the region. The initial challenge separated the cats from the lions and the best 15 clawed their way to top, sealing the opportunity to compete in the weekly challenges and ultimately winning the competition with a chance to show their collection at London’s Fashion Week 2012. Among them are; Kesia Estwick, Janelle Forde, Ryan Chan, Ryan Berkeley, Rebecca Stirm, Shannon Kwong, Shellane McFarlane, Kerin Scott, Gregory Williams, Crystal Powell, Kimbally Smith, Janelle Jolly, Keshon Hawthorne, Natalie Rochester, Maria King-Beadle.

The premier never showed much fashion from the designers yet, but that certainly did not stop viewers from already selecting their favorites. Keeping my eyes glued to the social networking scene, the crowd favorite thus far seems to be Keshon Hawthorne whose name was in the tweets and statuses of many on Tuesday night; more so for his “out of this world” personality than anything else.

Based on episode one of season 2, the show promises to be a good one and has been getting great reviews. Dania Beckford, a PR specialist says Mission Catwalk is “fashionably scintillating with a promise of the creation of fresh trends.”

Nakisha Wynter, of Nash Wynter Designs; a fierce competitor in last year’s season, says that the show already seems better than last season as it relates to the production. She applauds the creators as it “allows designers to be expressive while gaining confidence in their craft.” She recalls being scared to enter, but decided to take a risk and a leave of absence from school to take on this challenge. She says the competition has done a lot for her as it eliminated her fears which subsequently made her a better designer and hope it will do the same for timid, amateur on looking designers. Among her favorites is Rebecca Stirm who she fell in love with when she said “Competition? What Competition?” followed by a coy giggle; that to her, she said, was a great first impression, and well, was damn good for TV.

Also among the viewer favorites are Gregory Williams, Kerin Scott, Rebecca Stirm and Kesia Estwick.

The season has just begun and we promise to be there every step of the way as we talk about the designs, the designers, their technique, the models, the good, the bad and the plain old ugly.

Stay tuned for weekly reviews of the show and fashion tips. And remember, in all you do, keep it fashionable, because you’ll never know when you might get picked up by the “Fashion Police”.  

See you next week!

Nadejah “D’jah” Deacon

Lifestyle Writer
Fashion Police JA.

BONAFIDE ALBUM LAUNCH - March 28, 2012

BONAFIDE FASHION-SOLD OUT!!

THE BONAFIDE ALBUM LAUNCH (TITLE OF THE ALBUM WHICH WE FOUND RATHER WITTY IS "SOLD OUT")WAS HELD AT THE VENETIAN AT THE TERA NOVA HOTEL LASTNIGHT. A RATHER HOLLYWOOD TYPE AFFAIR, WITH THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR OF THE RED CARPET. PAPARRAZI CAMERAS EVERY WHERE WHILST THE STYLE STARS AND STARLETS WALTZ IN AT LEISURE. AT THE ENTRANCE THE FASHION POLICE NOTED THAT LAS VEGAS FASHION FABULOSITY WAS IN ALL ITS GLORY WITH HOTESSES DRESSED IN FULL LAS VEGAS MARDI GRAS ENSEMBLE (PROVIDED BY MS. BARBIE-GREAT JOB). DÉCOR WAS NOTHING SHORT OF SUPERB WITH FOOD AND DRINK TO COMPLEMENT. 

THE FASHION HOWEVER-AH BOY-THE FASHION WAS FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM ALMOST DORMANT FOR A MOMENT UNTIL  LIKE RARE DIAMONDS, WE SPOTTED A FEW NOTEWORTHY LOOKS. WE SAW A FEW PIECES WHERE THE OCCUPANTS (DESERVE A BEATING) AKA REALLY DESERVED TO BE ARRESTED FOR DUI(DRESSED UNDER THE INFLUENCE).

THE ALBUM LAUNCHERS (BONAFIDE) IN PARTICULAR-THOUGH CLEARLY TALENTED MISSED ALL THE STYLE NOTES -PRETTY MUCH FASHIONABLY OFF-  KEY FOR A BAND BASED IN ONE OF THE CATWALK CAPITALS 'LAS VEGAS'. WORD TO THE WISE, NEXT TIME- BE SURE TO TURN UP THE VOLUME ON THAT DEPARTMENT ALONG WITH THE MIKES. ETANA MADE A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE IN A BLUE OUTFIT AND PINK LIPS THAT ADDED A REFRESHING POP OF COLOR TO THE OUTFIT. MR. D. CRAWFORD (MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM)LOOKED RATHER DASHING AS THE MINISTER ALWAYS DOES AND NODDY VIRTUE’S SHOE WAS A SIGHT TO BEHOLD(IT’S ONE OF THOSE THAT YOU CAN ONLY DESCRIBE AS INTERESTING). 

YOUNG ARTISTES ON THE RISE, MS. ALEXANDRIA LOVE IN A ROCKER  CHIC OUTFIT, D’JAH-BOHO URBAN CHIC & STAR KHALIBA LOOKING HIS USUAL DAPPER SELF ALL MADE AN APPEARANCE AT THE LAUNCH ALONGSIDE THE SELF PROCLAIMED SEVEN STAR GENERAL WHO IS CONVINCED TO GET ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF FASHION-YOU MUST WEAR WHITE, DARE WE COMMENT ON THE ATTIRE……EPIC FAIL WE MUST SAY TO THE GENERAL-WE GIVE IT TO YOU THOUGH. YOU ARE IN YOUR OWN FASHION LANE.

FASHION COP: CAT