Links a la Mode - this week`s 20 best blog posts voted by the Independent Fashion Bloggers

+ A La Modest: 7 Common Reactions to Style

+ Best of Bklyn: In Favor of Knickknacks – How to Personalize Your House Into A Home

+ Boheme Noir: The definitive IN/OUT list for Fall 2010 bags

+ Closet Confections: Fashion Bloggers Take On Product Placement: A Video Response

+ Cute and Little One: Product placement and blogger responsibility: a blogger’s role in influencing product advertising.

+ Daisy Dayz: Inspiring locally-designed headwear

+ Fashion Cents: 3 Tips to Consider for Open-Toe Boots/Shoes for Fall

+ Fête à Fête: YSL’s new Rouge Pur Couture lipsticks

+ Holier than Now: 11 Great Jewelry Sites You Might Not Know About

+ Hunting and Gathering: Why Classic Jewelry Never Goes out of Style

+ Independent Fashion Bloggers: Want to be a professional blogger?

+ Interrobangs Anonymous: On going grey in your twenties

+ Love Brown Sugar: Why Don’t You Love Me? A curvy girl’s ode to outfit posting on fashion communities

+ Miss Viki: AND_i captivating jewelry show coverage, with video

+ OK, Bowtie: Underneath: why everyone needs pretty underwear

+ One More: Does a bloggers dress size affect readership and is the blogging community becoming divided over it?

+ Ruby-Eyed Okapi: A Modest Approach to Halloween Costumes

+ Style Every Day: How to change that horrible mess of jewelry on your dresser to supreme organization

+ The Lingerie Addict: How to Buy Vintage Lingerie for the Perfect Pin-up Figure

+ Tickle Me Chic: Fashion-inspired Halloween Costumes

+ Vogue Mornings: Ten Tips for Achieving Work/Life Balance



Source

Style icon Marlene Dietrich & Dior`s D`Trick collection

MARLENE DIETRICH (1901 - 1992)



When Marlene Dietrich died at age 90, the headline of her New York Times obituary decreed her a "Symbol of Glamour."



"Dietrich artfully projected cool sophistication, self-mockery, and infinite experience," said the article. "Her sexuality was audacious, her wit was insolent and her manner was ageless. With a world-weary charm and a diaphanous gown showing off her celebrated legs, she was the quintessential cabaret entertainer of Weimar-era Germany."



Dietrich's infamous role as Lola-Lola in iconic German film The Blue Angel (1930) made her an international star. Yet she shed none of her risqué sexiness as she became a household name: rather, she brought it along with her, and helped pioneer Victor-Victoria chic, often donning tails and a top hat in her films and on stage.



"She has sex but no positive gender," critic Kenneth Tynan once wrote. "Her masculinity appeals to women and her sexuality to men."



Her height was Height was 5ft 6 and her measurements were 35-24-33.



"Glamour is what I sell, it's my stock in trade."



"I dress for the image. Not for myself, not for the public, not for fashion, not for men."



"Don't ever follow the latest trend, because in a short time you will look ridiculous, don't follow it blindly into every dark alley. Always remember that you are not a model or a manniquin for which the fashion is created."



"Elegance is rarely found today. Woman are not brought up to know about it and therefore lack even the desire to acquire it."







In his summer 2004 collection John Galliano revived her glamour in his Dior D`Trick collection, adding even more sex-appeal through chiffon & lingerie and more edge through leather & tattoos. The result was an luxurious, uber-glamorous collection that was loved by today`s style icons like Gwen Stefani, who wore complete D`trick looks in her "It`s my life" video.



Runway video





Sources: 1 2 3 4



Marlene may be gone but her heritage remains forever.

LONG LIVE GLAMOUR!

White Chocolate Caramel Pears (or Apples)

I had the idea to use pears (instead of the traditional apples) after seeing white chocolate covered pears on Martha Stewart. Meant to be Halloween ghosts, they were cute, but the chocolate cracked right off when you cut them up to eat. I figured the caramel would help hold things together, so I tried it. Amazing flavor, and you won't find them anywhere else.

Plus, pears seem very Christmas-like. Partridge in a Pear Tree and all that.

You want a pear that's not quite ripe, otherwise the stick just comes right back out, and you won't have anything to hold on to while you dip it. The boiling water and warm caramel starts them ripening, so by the time you eat them, they're just right.

The big secret to caramel dipping success is simple: dip the fruit in boiling water for about 10 seconds. This removes any waxes or other residue, and the caramel is guaranteed to stick.

I can't recall where I ran across this valuable nugget of information, but it wasn't on Martha.

So, here it is, my personal recipe/directions for making your own gourmet caramel pears/apples.

4 D'Anjou pears, or 4 Granny Smith apples
 4 sticks (usually included in bag of caramels)

small saucepan of boiling water

1 14 oz bag of Kraft caramels (about 50) or 11 oz bag of caramel bits

1 Tbl water

microwave-safe bowl

Waxed paper

Butter for waxed paper

cookie sheet

2 Tbl sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

12 oz bag Nestle Premier white chocolate chips

2 Tbl shortening

Prepare fruit by washing thoroughly and inserting stick. Then dip in boiling water for about 10 seconds, and allow to dry. This removes all residues and waxes from the fruit, which allows the caramel to stick. (this will also discolor the fruit a little, so make sure the top part that will not be covered in caramel is not dipped in the water, to maintain a nice appearance)

Butter your waxed paper and set on a cookie sheet (in case you need to move it) or on your counter.

Unwrap all the caramels and put in a microwave safe bowl. Add 1 Tbl water. Microwave on high for 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Caramels will not all look melted;

stir to complete melting.

You can microwave for 30 seconds more if needed, but it’s important not to overcook. If the caramel seems really stiff, you can add a little more water, but not too much, or it will be too runny to stick to the pears.

Tilt the bowl, and dip and swirl fruit in melted caramel until evenly coated, then set on buttered waxed paper to cool.

It should take at least ½ hour to set up enough to dip in chocolate. (You can set up faster if you place your cookie sheet on top of ice or other frozen stuff. I have a serving platter with an insert you freeze to help keep the platter cold on a buffet, and I use that under my cookie sheet when I'm in a hurry.) You'll know it's set up enough when you can touch it without it sticking to your fingers.

(if you have more caramel, but no more fruit ready, scoop up caramel with a pretzel, and press another pretzel on top of that. dip in chocolate later, or not. yum.)

Mix together 2 Tbl sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon in a shallow bowl and set aside.

Place white chocolate chips and 2 Tbl shortening in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high 1 ½ min. Not all the chips will look melted;

stir to complete melting (use a metal spoon - you don't want any extra moisture in this mixture).

Tilt bowl, and dip and swirl carameled fruit in chocolate until evenly coated.

Hold over bowl and swirl to allow excess to drip off. You can also run the edge of the spoon across the bottom of the fruit to help scrape off excess.

Dip and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture, and/or hold fruit over bowl and spoon/shake cinnamon sugar onto fruit. This is a little messy (and difficult to photograph by yourself - both hands are busy), because the chocolate will still be dripping a little, but you have to do it before the chocolate sets up, or the cinnamon sugar won’t stick. I discovered that if I put some in the bowl, to set the fruit on, and some in a shaker, to sprinkle over, it's a little less mess. You'll have some cinnamon sugar coated white chocolate drips in the bowl - but that's okay, because they're a tasty treat once they set up.

Set back on waxed paper and allow chocolate to harden before serving.

These will keep for only a few days. I don't recommend refrigerating them, just put in a covered container. If you refrigerate, they tend to get too chewy, plus, the juices will run, making it a bit soupy. I generally make them the night before an event, or, if I have time, first thing that morning.

Granny Smith apples have a tart flavor that I think goes nice with the sweetness of the white chocolate. Fuji are sweeter, and seem to go better with milk or dark chocolate. You can use any kind of apples, as long as they are crisp and fresh.

Substitute regular or dark chocolate chips for a different look and flavor, drizzle more melted chocolate over the first coating, or double or triple dip the fruit in different layers of chocolate. Use crushed cookies, chopped nuts, crushed candy bars, or sprinkles instead of cinnamon sugar.

If you already have a home-made caramel recipe you like, you can use that instead of melting commercial caramels. I just do it this way because it's reliable and easy.

Note to those not in the US: not sure what kind of caramels you guys have available. For this recipe, you want a soft chewy caramel.

Edit: should have said - coming to you from House Full of Monkeys

Countdown to Twelve Days Of Creative Christmas

                                                                   

The time is drawing near!

Twelve Days Of Creative Christmas will soon be here!

I've been happily crafting, and sewing, for the

Joyful Holidays upon us!

Twelve Days Of Creative Christmas will

spotlight 12 days of delightful Christmas Ideas for 

HOME and FAMILY! 

 Chocolate and Candy Canes are on the list!

(photo credit/inspiration: Martha Stewart)

Come along!

BELIEVE in the magaic of Christmas!

I will see you all on November 1st

Happy Halloween!

Drawstring Purse - Detailing Needed

I've finished my first Christmas project - almost. It's a drawstring purse, a very simple design made from a Burda tutorial (it was on their old English site, before they merged with Burdastyle.I'm pretty happy with the outcome, how the purse looks and I'm pleased with how the handles came out, they are pretty sturdy for being so thin, it comes from the fact that the fabric is folded four times. I'm not happy with the ribbon I bought for the drawstring, I think it overtakes too much. They are at the moment quite long and will be shorter either way, but I'm not sure I would like them anyway, they shine too much.

So I'm left with a few questions (ah, it's a great thing I joined this blog). Should I use black ribbon or perhaps a burgundy to better match the flowers in the purse? Should I try and make some out of the fabric? However the fabric is a china satin and frays a lot and gets very thick if layered, which was what worked great for the handles. It's not something I need to focus on right now, but I need to figure this out before Christmas at least.

I'm also thinking about adding a detail. The original pattern had a flower, I'm thinking either that or a bow, a flat bow made out of the fabric. It's true what they say, the last 5% of a creation - the details - is what matters most.

I will make another purse out of the same pattern (it's simple and if anyone's interested I can share the basics). It will probably be quick since I've already made one. Well, quick until I get to the same point as this one and need to worry about the details.