Beauty & Fashion Tips - Rags & Rouges Style Tips

Ah yes, another gentle marriage of fashion and art once again. We spoke quite a bit last year about how big the ballet flat thing was, and how many designers were working towards more functional, yet pretty, shoes that looked and felt like dance shoes. Bloch London has picked up on this to show us that the dance shoe craze is not leaving us any time soon. And even better, they are getting prettier and prettier. If you are worried about functionality, worry no more, these are the real deal. In fact, Bloch International has been creating professional dance shoes for both prima and principal ballerinas for almost an entire century. Bloch saw a need for pretty dance shoes that were street friendly and this is Bloch’s first true line of mainstream dancewear. Classic Bloch style is jazz, pointe, ballroom, ballet, and even tap. Creative director here is Jozette Hazzouri who using her feminine and fantasy inspirations in this beautiful selection of shoes that are so delicate, yet so easy to wear every day. Whether you have two left feet or not, you too can wear these pretty things. Your biggest problem will be in deciding which ones to buy!

These, and others like the
Bloch Luxury Ballet Flat
are available at Shop Bop!

Going to throw in a little bit of a melting pot today. Yes, Rags and Rouges has been on yet another hiatus due to health, life, work, and all of it. So let’s ease back into the swing of things with some giveaways and FREE samples.

ELLE magazine is highlighting a summer getaway before summer. You know how it is, summer is so close you can almost smell the beach, yet you’re still forced to throw on that boring, but pretty trench coat every day still. How ‘bout a beach visit before the temps start to climb? Nice! Enter here!

MAX Factor Cosmetics is sponsoring a Customize Me Blend in and Stand Out contest. And who couldn’t use a little pick me up makeover right before summer hits? Enter HERE.

Who doesn’t want a free wardrobe from DKNY? Answer this small survey (took me less than 5 mins) about your exercise routine and what fancy threads you wear when working out and you’re entered. Check it out HERE.

Happy Face Sweepstakes sponsored by ELLE and St. Ives. Hey, it’s bridal season and if you are looking to score a free honeymoon, this romantic trip to Hawaii may be just the ticket. Enter HERE.

DOVE is giving away a bunch of FREE loot. I LOVE Dove products and use them everyday. And who doesn’t want FREE stuff? Check it out here.

Have you been wanting to stretch some creative muscles lately? How would you like to do that AND get $1000 in prizes at the same time?

ELLE Magazine and Eufora hair care are developing a new all-natural clarifying shampoo, and they need your help deciding what to call it!

Come up with the perfect name, and you’ll not only see your idea printed on thousands of bottles (launching in May), but Eufora will donate $500 to the environmental charity of your choice and give you a Eufora product gift basket worth $500.

Entries may be no longer than 18 characters, including spaces, and should make clear that this is a natural way to remove mineral build-up from hair. The formula contains an aloe vera base and will be enriched with antioxidants. Current Eufora products include Daily Balance Conditioner, Pure Cleanse Shampoo, and Illuminate Shine Mist. All entries are due by February 1st, 2008. One entry per day allowed.

Click HERE to ENTER!

This baguette is not one that is going to send you to the treadmill with guilt-induced hysteria. This is the famous Fendi Baguette and it has reached its 10th anniversary. The Fendi Baguette if you recall was a late ‘90’s must have and was the inspiration behind the term “It Bag”. This was of course with many thanks to the extensive collection of Carrie Bradshaw. You may recall the episode where the Sex and the City girls were hunting down Fendi knockoffs in California, THIS was the bag they were hunting. This year Fendi is being kind to its loyal customers and you can see this bag all over the Spring runways in a much more contemporary form. The Pantone is appearing in clutch and messenger bag forms, and even in enlarged convertible creations as Fendi realizes today’s bag is changing with today’s woman. Yes, the Pantone has changed, but so have we, and even after more than 1,000 variations, the Pantone baguette remains as the bread and butter must hound of any fashionistas collection. If you only have ONE designer bag in your collection, THIS is the one to have. As you can see, it is exquisitely timeless. Let’s have a look!

Here you see the Fendi Anniversary baguette, this design has been in the works well before the 10 year mark even came. And you can see why. This clutch was released as part of the Pre-Spring ’08 collection. Buyers will know exactly which bag they purchase in this limited collection, as the white and black beading contains exclusive numbers by the “Limited Edition” written in beaded script across its red satin lining. The Pantone simply does NOT get more luxurious than this.

And here is my personal favorite. Known as the 10+ Fendi Baguette, this bag turns buyers into designers as the all white blank canvas comes with its own set of pantone markers. This way, you ensure that each baguette becomes an original piece of Fendi history. Who said fashion wasn’t artistic??

And to give you a taste of what is appearing on the runway, here is the Fendi Baguette from the Spring 2008 collection. This bag was created with the versatile woman in mind. Not a clutch you take on a night out with the girls, but definitely a clutch you can manage at work. Who would have thought of a clutch that you can take to work, and STILL fit everything you need in it. Fendi, naturally.

Photos Courtesy of ELLE Magazine