Tag Archives: Las Vegas

Fashion Sparkle and Shine

by Barbie Brady
September 14, 2009 - 12:40 pm

Toki Doki

The world has to wait another 6 months for the massive fashion trade show MAGIC to come around again…February simply seems eons away. Until then I thought I’d leave you with a few impressions from this season. The show was full of colorful characters, beautiful clothing, painting on both objects and people, creative booth designs, and sparkle. In fact, if there is one thing that will not be OUGHT (effect Heidi Klum accent here please) is the sparkle. If you are sick of it, you better hide your eyes via hibernation for the next 6 months. Everything from jeans to jewelry is still bright and shiny. If they can pop a rivet into it they will.

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Fashion Featured Iron Fist: Fashion with Fangs

by Barbie Brady
September 14, 2009 - 12:37 pm

Iron Fist Pumps

Maybe you are into rockabilly, hot rods, punk rock, or vintage. Maybe you are just into pop culture, comic books, or zombies. Maybe you are just into shoes in general. Any way you slice it Iron Fist delivers on “cool”. Their tag line reads “Clothing made for a heartless world with love.”  This season’s selection of zombie pumps designed by Pale Horse is both playful and sexy. Who doesn’t want to stand apart a little when out at your favorite bar or club. You can dress ‘em up with a sleek pencil skirt or dress ‘em down with jeans. I am always amazed at the amount of attention men actually DO pay to a ladies shoes. Try rocking a seriously unique pair of shoes on an average night out and I could almost guarantee the boys will have something flattering to say about it.

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Fashion MAGIC Style

by Gala Darling
September 14, 2009 - 12:30 pm

Micheline Pitt


As you would imagine, the style on display at MAGIC was pretty diverse & inspiring.  The foremost fashion trade show features wholesalers from all across the United States, competing with one another for attention & of course, retailers’ money!  I feel like I saw everything imaginable, from Lycra jumpsuit-clad promo girls to Suge Knight prowling the aisles.  Here are a few examples of the looks exhibited.  Who’s your favorite?  My pick is Micheline Pitt, the girl with the fabulous beehive who just happens to be an incredible make-up artist, stylist & clothing designer.

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Fashion Exact Science

by Barbie Brady
September 10, 2009 - 11:07 am

Exact Science

With so many t-shirts on the market I have a hard time getting excited. Since the t-shirt became a staple of the American teenage uniform since the beginning of the last century (going back almost as early as 1913) it has monopolized the wardrobes of society, young and old alike. There is nothing like finding a favorite T and then wearing it within an inch of its life. But lets face it, the basic t-shirt doesn’t really change much…its all about the graphic. And its super hard to stumble on a graphic that speaks to me enough to actually reach down in my pocket for my wallet.

The guys at Exact Science might have gone and changed that for me. Their philosophy is one of collaboration motivated by urban art. And they are pretty true to the source. The above photo is of a painting and the below photo is the t-shirt graphic inspired by that painting. I have to say I’d be happy to own either.

Exact Science

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Fashion MAGIC’s 5 Most Fabulous Shoes

by Gala Darling
September 10, 2009 - 10:31 am

Dollhouse
Best use of pyramid studs: Dollhouse

Pyramid studs have been — & will continue to be — huge.  I saw approximately one million different interpretations of the pyramid stud on a shoe while I was at MAGIC, but Dollhouse won out with this simple but fantastic platform heel.  Managing to look clean & simple while maintaining a tough edge is tricky, but they nailed it.  Every girl should own this shoe.

Chinese Laundry
Best neon sandal: Chinese Laundry

The resemblance to a Barbie shoe is not lost on me, but these were so much fun I couldn’t resist.  In blue, pink, black, yellow or green, they come with a whopping big wedge & three straps to keep them on your foot.  These would be très fantastique for poolside lounging or midsummer beach pilgrimages.

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Music Busta Rhymes at Body English

by Gala Darling
September 10, 2009 - 10:24 am

Busta Rhymes

Of all the places I expected to see Busta Rhymes, an after-party for the MAGIC trade show in Las Vegas was not one of them — & yet, there he was, bouncing around on stage at the Hard Rock Hotel’s Body English nightclub.  I was there by pure chance: some fortuitous browsing of the Las Vegas Weekly had alerted me to the show’s existence only a couple of hours earlier, & before I knew what was happening, I was throwing on clothes so I could run downstairs to experience the madness.

Body English is decorated like a bachelor pad on steroids.  There’s an enormous chandelier which changes color, leather couches galore & huge VIP areas all around the perimeter of the club.  It’s a really fun place to go for an experience verging on the ridiculous, & in this respect, it never disappoints.

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Fashion These Are a Few of My Favorite Things…at MAGIC

by Gala Darling
September 9, 2009 - 2:43 pm

Switchring

I am always attracted to the gaudy & sparkly — my magpie instinct is strong.  Switchring is a ring made of two parts, the base & the wedge, which separate easily.  This doesn’t sound like a terribly novel concept until you realize that the wedge can be switched out for any OTHER wedge… & that Switchring has a huge variety of designs.  They started off with printed wedges, but recently brought out their Sparkler range, in which the wedges are bedazzled with Swarovski crystals in a rainbow of colors.  What does this mean to the average punter?  Bling that matches your mood.  Genius.

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Fashion Sailor Jerry Vs. Ed Hardy

by Barbie Brady
September 3, 2009 - 7:17 pm

Ed Hardy

When I got my first Tattoo 20 years ago it was still considered not a very mainstream thing to do. I thought about my decision for almost a year before the ink settled under my skin for good. Looking back now, with nearly half my body decorated with art from at least 7 different professionals, my work tells the story of my life. My tattoos follow my trials and tribulations documenting my history and accomplishments. I literally wear my heart on my sleeve.

Not everyone takes it so personal. A few years back when tattooing lost its taboo every cheerleader, housewife, accountant and kid with disposable income lined up for a little pain. The industry got smarter, the idea got popular, and the apparel industry got crafty.

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Fashion The Fashion of MAGIC

by Barbie Brady
September 3, 2009 - 7:17 pm

MAGIC FALL 09

Watch me pull a fur lined hoodie out of my fedora! Its once again time for the mega-fashion trade show in Las Vegas, MAGIC (Which stands for Men’s Apparel Guild in California – in case you were trying to reason out the whole “magic” conundrum).  However its not just the Men’s fashions that are represented in the overall space of the Las Vegas Convention Center, there is also the WWDMAGIC (Women’s Wear Daily), MAGICkids, SourcingMAGIC and the POOL Trade shows that function concurrently. (POOL by the way doesn’t stand for anything – nor does it mean swimwear…I KNOW…it IS confusing).

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