Fashiona

Fashiona, in between  building her fashion empire and then writing about it, reads A LOT.  Her range is from romance novels (yes the kind  Aunt Bee reads with Fabio on the cover) to empowering books like Eat, Love, Pray to a controversial books like The DaVinci Code.

She also reads your comments, each and every one - whether she posts them or not.   Fashiona can also see where she comes up in searches and why.  Fonzworth Bentley and his mythical umbrella line keeps coming up so Fashiona searched for his line.

While Bentley (born Derek Watkins) has been keeping busy, writing a book, touring, popping up in videos and launching a reality series.  Apparently the umbrella line has taken a back seat.

It was to have launched at Bloomingdales in 2004, Fashiona has combed the net and can’t find evidence that it has happened yet.  If and when it does, Fashiona will write about it.

It is Saturday morning and Fashiona normally watches old movies…yes the classic black and white films, Sis is rolling her eyes. But  today Fashiona was channel surfing and stumbled across High Heel Confidential on WE TV.

Fashiona admittedly has a teeny shoe habit.  Yes Mom, she does pay her bills on time before indulging.  She does not yet have  a shoe closet but give her time… a goal she WILL accomplish by 40.   She does keep her shoes in impeccable condition(otherwise fashion aloof Dad was big on this growing up): polished, cleaned and in clear plastic boxes. Fashiona is not a morning person so this helps with tough dressing decisions.

High Heel Confidential was interesting to Fashiona because  they talked about shoes from the creation to the celebrities that swear by them.  According the show, Jimmy Choos and Manolo Blahniks are the “royal couple” of shoes addicts. Most of the top line shoes are still hand crafted in Italy by shoe artisans that have learned  shoe making skills passed on for centuries.

What is it about high heels that keep women coming back: they look sexy and heels make them feel empowered… studies have shown this.

Even with a bad hair day and “that” time of the month and an otherwise casual outfit - slide on a sexy high heel and you are transformed.

Your boomies are perkier, your bum is lifted, your calves  are rounded and you are ready to conquer the world… or at least your day.

 Oh ahh, pretty.

Check out more at http://www.highheelshoemuseum.com/

People ask Fashiona all the time:

Is the fashion industry as catty as the media  and the shows like Ugly Betty and the movie The Devil Wears Prada portrays? 

Well… yes and no.  Fashion is a business like any other business…people just dress better, eat less  and wear higher heels.

Seriously when you design (clothes, jewelry, dolls) for a business… the designs are legally theirs not yours. That is the crux of the battle between Barbie and The Bratz.  Carter Bryant was working for Mattel in 2000 when he came up with Bratz doll concept- one that made $800 million for MGA.  Gold Star for MGA, right… kinda.

 Photo Credit: Dan Burn-Forti from Telegraph UK

Well  this week a  California jury awarded Mattel $100 million in damages; a drop in the bucket of the $1 billion that Mattel wanted.

Barbie is almost 50(shocking) and the Bratz are only 7. Youth(or the illusion) of,does have the advantage in the Fashion game and apparently the fashion doll game.

Up until recently Barbie was reluctant to show the ethnic diversity  of the global population. The Bratz  produced by MGA Entertainment sports a sexy, urban look that young girls love and represents every ethnic group imaginable. 

Fashion is an every changing sport… and Miss Bratz is winning this bout in some fierce jeans no less!!

Banana Republic is 30 this year and has been celebrating all year…Fashiona has been helping them out by becoming one their favorite and frequent customers. Why does she love them so much?

Well the fabrics are great expensive. Most pieces are lined (a huge plus in Fashiona’s eyes), the silhouettes are iconic and the vanity sizing… just makes her feel pretty.

Banana Republic has long been a place where both men and women can get clothes that are “safe” for work in the age of sometimes “tricky” business casual dressing. Banana Republic also expanded into more of a lifestyle brand offering: shoes, accessories and handbags. This year they also introduced their monogram line.

The monogram line is at a higher price point and heavily marketed for a reason. The style detail is incredible. There is a lot of tasteful top stitching and contrast linings… fabulous for hanger appeal AND looking great on the body. The fabrics and finishes are all top of the line.

Fashiona loves the whole line but especially this piece:

BR Monogram wrap-collar pinstriped suit blazer