Notascuratoriales.com – The guide to all things of fashion

Pearls never go out of style – they are always a classy and traditional wardrobe accessory that will never disappoint you. But this year they are a “front and center” fashion statement! Just ask celebrities like Sandra Bullok, Jennifer Anistan, or Courtney Cox.

So with more people in the market for pearls now is a good time for some “pearl talk.”

The pearl has always been a rather prim and proper piece of jewelry – classic and seeped in tradition. Well things they are a changing! The pearl is has had a very glamorous make over!

Yes, the classic strand still exists as it always will. But we warned we are seeing some vary daring looks from the pearl this season. Extra long lengths, tasseled multi strands, pearls with semi precious stone accents, pearls on gold or silver chains. The pearl has been transformed into a fun and fashionable accessory.

So if you’re going to be in the market for pearls this year here is what the Celebrities say you should know.
• The glow or radiance of a pearl is the most important quality. Avoid pearls that are chalky or dull as they will be weak and may crack or peal.
• The surface of the pearl should be blemish free – no bumps or cracks. Inspect under a bright light. Baroque pearls are the exception to this rule – their charm is in their irregularities.
• Pearls are measured in millimeters. The larger the pearl the higher the cost. A 6 mm pearl is going to be much less than a 12 mm pearl
• The least expensive pearls are the freshwaters which mainly come from China. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Average size is around 7 mm
• The best way to care for your pearls is simply to wear them. The natural skin oils keep them moisturized. Do not put them on until you are done with your cosmetics. This includes hair, facial, and perfume. The residues from these products will ruin your pearls. Do not wear your pearls in the water – chlorinated and salt water will damage them. Polish with a soft cloth and never use jewelry cleaning products on your pearls.

Quality pearls are not cheap but they will last a lifetime. Freshwater pearls are becoming very affordable. Not all of us will be in the market for “Real Pearls” and lucky us there are plenty of options. Swarovski makes a crystal pearl that is of the finest quality and quite difficult to tell from a true pearl for a fraction of the cost and they are available in a variety of colors.
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Choosing a bridal gown is probably one of the most important items ever purchased in a girl’s life. It is a reflection of her heart. Yet, weddings can be quite expensive nowadays, but the bridal gown does not have to be! Bridal stores across the country have a huge inventory of brand new sample wedding gowns that need to be out of their store and into brides’ hands! The gowns are beautiful, brand new designer wedding gowns! They are offering these gowns at incredible savings to you so any bride can have the bridal dress of her dreams at a price she can afford.

SampleGowns carries a varied selection of Designer Bridal Gowns that will suit any bride’s dream for her special day. For those brides looking for affordable bridal gowns and/or informal wedding gowns, SampleGowns is the place to shop. SampleGowns also has an impressive selection of exquisite but inexpensive mother-of-the-bride and mother-of-the-groom dresses, as well as, the availability of a selection of very pretty yet inexpensive flower girl dresses. Be sure to check out SampleGowns where those in need of formalwear will find many different designers, fabrics, and colors to choose from at a fraction of the cost!

The availability of sample bridesmaid dresses, prom dresses, and evening gowns may also be found at SampleGowns at great savings. Women will look like they spent a fortune on their dress for any special event, when in fact they didn’t!
The superb aspect of SampleGowns is that all gowns are in stock and are available for immediate shipment! If you have an immediate need for a wedding dress, or an evening gown for a special occasion, or for a mother of the bride or groom, or a flower girl, take a look at our inventory.
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With prices ranging from $70 to $80 for the standard white or black Nike Air Force One and up to $300 for customized colors and logos this modest shoe has continued to hold a market share ever since.

Corresponding with the release and growth in popularity of the Nike Air Force One shoes was the growth of the Hip Hop movement and the growing popularity of Hip Hop clothing. Hip-hop fashion had begun to gain a foothold in the late seventies and continued to climb as a major culture and fashion through out the eighties. Marked by clothing with a distinctly African American influence the early Hip Hop fashion included the wearing of large glasses, gold necklaces, rings on many fingers, oversized clothing in pallets of red, black and green and an emphasis on brand name footwear that was comfortable and reflective of personal style.

The Nike Air Force Ones became very popular as a brand of footwear within the Hip Hop fashion culture. Bright colored with over sized laces, or white sneakers peaking out from under overlong pants Nike Air Force Ones maintained their hold on the Hip Hop market through the late eighties, nineties and continue to hold a strong place now. Whether high top, low cut or standard height these shoes that were once mostly for sporting uses are now a casual wear footwear seen on the streets and in the classroom as well as on the basketball court.

Currently there are many stores that sell the brand name Nike Air Force Ones, prices ranging from $70 upward, averaging out a bit over $100. In order to combat these prohibitive prices online websites such as urbanhotlist.com have appeared, offering discounted prices on these shoes as well as other popular brand names.
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Do any of you remember Marilyn Monroe sexily purring “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend?” Do you have any idea what that did the engagement ring market. Guys are still paying for that statement. Sure back in the 50s women knew it wouldn’t be sensible to wear such a large engagement ring but that didn’t mean a gal couldn’t yearn for it. Today a women wouldn’t feel in the least bit guilty about wearing such a diamond, in fact there are many a women that judge how well they are loved by the size of the rock they are wearing because they “know” what Marilyn knew, that “diamonds are in fact a girls best friend.”

When we see the engagement rings worn by stars like Madonna or Catherine Zeta-Jones we take notice and their choices influence the trends that follow. Celebrities are the leaders in setting fashion and jewelry trends. Madonna with her Edwardian engagement ring and Catherine Zeta-Jones’s antique styled 10 carat diamond ring has revived the desire to own a beautiful antique engagement ring. In fact it’s one of the hottest engagement ring styles in 20 years. The size of the diamonds in current styles has also grown from the average one carat to over three carats. That’s a pretty big rock that’s going to set you back a bit. But girls know they deserve it!

If you aren’t sure whether bigger is better than have a look at the jewels at this years Oscars which are said to total over $50 million dollars in value. Wonder how many vaults it took to keep those locked up for the night? With bling being the in thing one has to stop and wonder how the heck normal average working guys plan to pay for these rings. When their fiancés are asked the standard answer is “doesn’t matter I’m worth it. That’s great if your guy is earning a 6 figure salary but wait what if he’s not. What if he’s joe average living from pay day to pay day. What should he do move into the bush and give up his home, perhaps take up walking and sell his car?
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