Tipster Thursday: Photographer Blue Franswa shares the virtues of girdles

Fashiona interviewed Haiti born photographer Blue Franswa earlier this month about his upcoming celebrity calendar to raise money for Haiti and the last question she asked him was:

Every girl wants to look GOOD in photos! What are your two top tips for helping ordinary women have better photographic moments?


Blue:  

1. My best tips for women would be having a great makeup artist who knows how to contour, accentuating facial features and hiding flaws.
2. Girdles I think most women who are size 8 or bigger should wear girdles...at photo shoots only because the camera adds 10 pounds. The girdle helps to smooth the body out. Beyoncé wears them all the time.

Photo Credit: Studio X

Beyoncé performing Sweet Dreams at the VMAs in 2009

Take it from a photographer and B ladies...cameras don't lie.

Read the rest of the interview with Blue at Examiner.com

Social Sunday: Sex in the City 2 Event A+, Movie C

Last week on Wednesday night...Fashiona squeezed in a size 4 black and white dress...from White House Black Market to attend Atlanta's first showing of Sex in the City 2... 

Photo Credit: Sal Photography

Another Garner Circle event...everything about the screening Carrie on with Moët was high end and sexy...the movie inspired cocktails...the attendees...fashions on display and even the popcorn!

From the Red Carpet

Moët and Chandon introduced "Sex and the City 2" inspired champagne cocktails:

The Fashionista, The Socialite, The Player, and The Bombshell.

Fashiona indulged in  The Fashionista...

Fashiona ran into the ever fashionable Shane again...this time she was wearing these amazing platforms.

Fashiona was busy interviewing  and snapping  pictures so she didn't get actually eat the popcorn.

These gems were encased in glass in the VIP reception room...definitely "champagne shoes"...can't even cross your legs with these on without injury!

Fashiona's favorite gown of the night was Cythnia Bailey's.  She was amazingly styled by Kithe Brewser.

Photo Credit: Rick Diamond/WireImages

And Cynthia's gown was the highlight of  Fashiona's evening because the much anticipated sequel left much to be desired....if you haven't seen the movie...stop reading now... just  kindly revisit  when you have seen it.

Recap  Fashiona's Style:

After Liza Minneli's umm...version of Beyoncé's Single Ladies, the foursome learn via Samantha that they are going on a first class all expenses paid trip to the Middle East.  The plot could have really gone many places with that amazing set up but sadly commercialism and stereotypes filled most of the frames.  The residents of the Middle East were depicted in broad strokes as conservatively Muslim and frankly backward.  All the women were covered except for the stars who made a barely passing attempt of respecting the local modest culture. 

What drew Fashiona to the groundbreaking series on HBO was the deep and honest bond of the four friends, their sophistication and their budget-less wardrobe.  The sequel was true to the unshakable friendship but the fashion in  Sex in the City 2 was so over the top it was disappointing.  Wearing designer heels and couture to ride camels was just ridiculous and frankly insensitive to the plight of people struggling to survive this sluggish economy.  Fashiona expected more relevance from the supposedly sophisticated ladies of New York.

Menopause fighting  Samantha was in Fashiona's opinion the strongest performance in the movie.  The Carrie/Big/Aiden triangle was more like a blip rather than a flushed out story line.   Carrie's whining confession on the phone to Big was very "unCarrie" like but ended with Big giving her an enormous black diamond as punishment...Fashiona would dearly love to be punished in such an ostentatious fashion.

So does Fashiona hope there is a Sex in the City 3...only if the plot is less airy and the cast is more diverse and the fashion while aspirational... fits the sign of the times.

Bell Bottoms are back via Rachel Zoe and Piperlime

Skinny and slim leg jeans have dominated the style scene for a few years now but Fashiona personally favors bootcuts and bellbottoms. WHY you ask?  Well Miss Fashiona has Beyoncé like curves and  a tiny waist so proportionally...they look better on her.

Feeling the need to revamp your denim gear...score the very same Bell Bottoms that  Rachel Zoe...the stylist turned designer rocked  on her show The Rachel Zoe Project. 

Photo Credit: BravoTV.com

 Lucky for womankind...Seven for All Mankind is re-leasing them exclusively on Piperlime.com.  Hurry it is  limited collection available until supplies last...

*Courtesy of Alison Brod PR*

 Can't get enough Rachel Zoe see her must have  10 favorite trends!

Shoes, Shoes and more shoes

Fashiona's latest subject of "closet envy" is Beyoncé's shoe closet...or wing..or private island...or wherever she keeps her growing collection.

Apparently PeopleStyleWatch has a love affair with Beyoncé's taste in shoes as well. Check the mag's April 2010 issue, page 153. Fashiona's favorite pic from this spread...B wearing some amazing Louis Vuitton brown shoes with gems encased in silver.



In other news...this is Beyonce's "casual" look...easily 4 1/2" on these.

 Photo Credit:

Demis Maryannakis/Sipa/PeopleStyleWatch.com

Beyoncé has no budget restrictions but for the rest of us with "champagne dreams and ginger ale budgets"...shopping around is the key to acquiring great looks for less. 

One of Fashiona's recommendations is DNAFootwear.com.  Here are two of the top selling shoes for the week ending March 18.  

    Destiny  High Heel Shoe

•4" heel


•Wrapped heel


•Bow decoration wraps the vamp for a lively finish


•Heart-shaped cushion at footbed for added comfort
 
 
Formosa High Heel Pump

 
 
•5" heel



•1" platform


•Leather sole
 
 
 
 
 
Now what Fashiona's readers have been waiting for...the discount code: SHOEDIVA...handpicked by Fashiona herself.  But before you get all shoebuying happy, please read the not so fine print.
 

• The code SHOEDIVA  will save you  10% on any purchase over $50. 
• Not valid on sale items, gift certificates, store credit or any UGG items.
• Cannot be combined with any other offer.
• $49.99 pre-tax minimum purchase required.
• No expiration date...yes ladies...true story!!

Go forth and shop!  To see DNA's full collection or if any of these catch your eye go to www.dnafootwear.com and enter SHOEDIVA when you are ready to checkout. 

Social Sunday: Directness vs. Diplomacy

"Keeping it real." People use the expression all the time but what do they really mean.  Of course it depends on the person but often it is a catch phrase for justifying whatever they do or say, good, bad and indifferent.  For the sake of this post, Fashiona will define the pop culture phrase:

"Saying you feel without any pretense"

The case for "keeping it real" had some major blows in 2009.  For example, a very plastered Kanye West was justified in thinking that Beyoncé did have the best video but it was in poor taste at best to jump on the stage and steal Taylor Swift's thunder. 

 

Photo: Chris Polk/ Getty Images

"Fashiona" even more so than her creator Alicia is known for her directness but she still  feels the need  to edit her commentary.   She is certainly a free thinker but she does try to be fair and balanced and well informed before she "goes in" so to speak. Even Fashiona feels that there is always a tactful way to say most things...now having the patience always be that tactful...that is another story.

Will everyone agree with she says...no and that is ok because she loves a good debate.  Her love of debate is just one of the reasons that she loves watching the political "talking heads" on CNN in particular.  The reporters are duty bound to be impartial and the commentators from left and right spar  like they are fighting for the heavyweight title...drama at its finest. 

While Fashiona has the highest respect for journalism and reporters in general, she enjoys the freedom of being "unscripted".  She is at her best when she is partial and opinionated rather than strictly stating the facts.

Having that said Red Carpet season begins in two weeks, with the Golden Globes as the first major event where the stars are out in their finery and Fashiona will be watching with her critical eye and publishing her thoughts for all to read.  She does implore her readers to let her know if she crossed the line from slightly snarky to brutal unnecessarily  harsh.

Fashiona's favorite trends for 2009

In planning out her week, Fashiona had an OMG moment...Christmas is next week and New Years the week after...she is sending out e-cards this weekend...no time for snail mail this year.

It also dawned on her that she only has 2 weeks to round out 2009. 

So first up, Fashiona's favorite fashion trends of the year:

• Statement necklaces are everywhere AND as long as they make a great (and not tacky) statement, Fashiona loves them.

Photo Credit: Steve Grantiz/Wire Images

• Cuff bracelets, Fashiona typically wears bangles but she owns a few cuffs...her favorite is in her blog header. This year's cuffs are fabulous especially this one created by Gara Danielle featured in Halle Berry's perfume ad. 

Jumpsuits: Fashiona really does love them.  She is still searching for one that is flattering to her shape. Now rompers that is other little story,pun intended.

Photo Credit: George Butler

• 
  
  Thigh-high boots, great when worn correctly and absolutely frightening when not.  Monica wears them well.
  
  
  

• Sequins: Once regulated to costumes, prom and New Year's Eve celebration, this year sequins hit main street in a very tasteful way. Monica wears those well too.  

Photocredit: Arden.com

Of course Fashiona had to add one that she hated, strongly disliked.  Leggings...Fashiona isn't a fan mostly because women seem to think that leggings are pants...umm not so much!!

Photo Credit: People StyleWatch

Jean leggings or jeggings...worst industry term of all time...Fashiona prays that they won't make more appearances next year.

Victoria Secret Show Recap Fashiona Style

Fashiona enjoyed the Victoria Secret show last night.  With the high energy and the elaborate costumes, last night's rendition was by far her favorite the show first started.  

Post Preggers Heidi Klum who is changing her last name to her hubby Seal's sirname of Samuel, looked absolutely gorgeous...clearly motherhood and marriage is really agreeing with her.

The Black-Eyed Peas was a great choice for the opener. Fergie's gams look amazingly chiseled.  Fashiona wonders just how intense her workouts must be and who does more daily lunges Fergie or Beyoncé! 

Fashiona's top three looks of the night:

$3 million Harlequin Fantasy Bra designed by renowned Italian jeweler Damiani and worn by Supermodel Marisa Miller...a bra that pretty and blinged out practically BEGS  to be seen.

All Photos from  www.cbs.ccom

Fashiona on Paris Fashion Week Spring 2010: Elie Saab

"Fashion Week" is really  a month of fashion shows starting in New York mid September  and travels around the fashion capitals of the world.  This week  the shows are  in Paris and in blogworld, Louis Vuitton's oversized Afros are getting a lot of chatter...and rightfully so.  Just check out  blogger Afrobella's say so on the matter.

Controversy aside, Fashiona loved Beirut based Elie Saab's Spring 2010 and just wonders which dress  is (or dresses) Beyoncé is going to rock on the red carpet??  They are all so worthy of  Hollywood and Hip Hop royalty.

Elie Saab RTW Spring 2010

All Photos by Dominique Maitre/WWD.com