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FASHION YOUR PASSION

Women and girls have been competing with unrealistic beauty standards their whole lives. Throughout my 18 years of life, I’ve seen many trends rise, fall, then slowly disappear.  

This year, many women aim to achieve “the clean girl aesthetic.” The clean girl aesthetic is meant to highlight your natural beauty with minimal makeup. Other things go along with this aesthetic like slicked back hair, basic clothing and minimalistic accessories. This aesthetic doesn’t seem to be an issue when just looking at the surface level facts but, in reality, it’s unrealistic to many.  

The clean girl look doesn’t necessarily work for those with acne-prone skin, freckles and people without disposable income to throw away products. The look of a “clean girl” is pricy, even though it’s supposed to enhance your natural self. If the point of it is to highlight your natural beauty with makeup, why not just keep it all-natural to truly emphasize one’s beauty?

Many of the brands used and clothes worn by those achieving this aesthetic are quite expensive. Brands like UGG and Dior are often prevalent. This isn’t to say you can’t achieve the look if you’re purchasing off-brand clothes or cheaper makeup, but social media influencers touting themselves as “clean girls” often opt for the pricier option — and encourage their thousands of followers to do the same.  

I’ve tried many times to achieve the “clean girl” look, but it just does not work for me. I don’t look great with slicked back hair and the clothes and makeup are out of my price range. No matter how hard I try to achieve the look, I’m always unsuccessful.  

Even the name of this aesthetic being “clean girl” doesn’t sit right. If

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At The Royal Poinciana Plaza in Palm Beach, shoppers can experience high-society glamour, carefree family moments and fun.

With 180,000 square feet of retail space and lush gardens, the center offers a wide range of services, from retail and hospitality to restaurants, events and the fine arts.

The women's clothing store LoveShackFancy is one of the many fashion boutiques at Royal Poinciana Plaza. It

The women’s clothing store LoveShackFancy is one of the many fashion boutiques at Royal Poinciana Plaza. It

Designed by world-renowned architect John Volk in the late 1950s, the landmarked property has been restored to its original mid-century glamor while remaining true to its retail roots.

The plaza houses a curated selection of luxury brands spanning fashion, accessories, lifestyle, beauty and more; upscale eateries; and art galleries for exhibitions and performances.

Best hours to shop, and on what days

The Hermès store at Royal Poinciana Plaza offers fashion accessories, scarves and ties, belts and ready-to-wear, perfumes, watches and jewelry.

The Hermès store at Royal Poinciana Plaza offers fashion accessories, scarves and ties, belts and ready-to-wear, perfumes, watches and jewelry.

Fashion boutiques at Royal Poinciana Plaza are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

The center has many food and beverage options, each with their own set of hours. They include: Sant Ambroeus (8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday); Palm Beach Grill (5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday); The Honor Bar (11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily); Celis Produce (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday); and TooJays (8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily).

Parking options in and around the area. Best way to get there? 

The Royal Poinciana Plaza, at 340 Royal Poinciana Way, is in the heart of Palm Beach, at the entrance to the Flagler Memorial Bridge on the east

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Fashion designers are the new painters, X’avier Alexander says. But it’s not the ‘80s anymore, where people flocked to see Warhol or Basquiat at an art gallery; it’s the moment for wearable art, he explains.

Alexander is a VCUarts fashion design student who won the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s 2023 CFDA Design Scholar award. He’s one of a dozen recipients to be awarded out of 340 students that applied. Alexander won $50,000 through CFDA, thanks to a donation made by clothing company Eddie Bauer. He is appreciative and sees it as a stepping stone.

His thesis “Who You Be” involves the theme of Black identity and what it means today. Under this large umbrella, there are collections with subtopics such as consumerism, or how a false sense of empowerment can come through the consumption of luxury goods. Another collection touches on challenging environments his own community faces, such as food deserts and a lack of resources that can lead to hardships and even crime. The artist is also trying to build a better future and show what that would look like.

“It’s taking the good, bad and the ugly about our culture and conceptualizing it into collections that speak on these real life things that go on within our community,” Alexander says.

The artist has a larger vision in mind. He wants a multi-sensory experience involving what you’re seeing, hearing, smelling and how the space feels, Alexander says, adding that he thinks he would need more than $50,000 to create his vision exactly.

“I’m just super big on that; how can you experience fashion in a different space or in a different way, and having it be longer than like a 10 to 15-minute show where models are just walking,” Alexander explains. “I want you to come here

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We live each day holding two thoughts in our minds at once. The horrors? They never cease. And also, time marches on. Babies are born, the holidays come again, the ginkgo tree yellows, and Leonardo DiCaprio has a birthday. These things we can count on for the most part. The actor turned 49 this year, and he threw a big bash where he allegedly kissed his girlfriend, Vittoria Ceretti, 25, and the crowd dicaprio-showed-off-pda-with-vittoria-ceretti-at-birthday-bash-exclusive-8400809″allegedly hoisted him into the air. One gets the sense that DiCaprio has long been good at balancing the solemn and frivolous—all that yachting balanced with excellent work balanced with his philanthropic endeavors.

But enough about him and the horrors. What about everyone else who went to the party? There were many: Kim Kardashian, Rita Ora, Zoe Saldana, Olivia Wilde, Salma Hayek, Lady Gaga, Chris Rock, Snoop Dogg, and the reportedly recently affianced Zoë Kravitz and Channing Tatum all attended. What do you wear to Leonardo DiCaprio’s birthday party? The overarching theme was little black dress (many guests were arriving from the 2023 Baby2Baby Gala, Los Angeles’s biggest night for babies, and were dressed all the way up).

Kate Beckinsale, however, did something a little different than the little black dress. She wore a little black dress from the Blonds’ fall runway, which came with a surreal belt. It was deeply reminiscent of two fictional gems that have crossed paths with DiCaprio on film. 

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One is the the blue square-cut sapphire and beckinsale-makes-an-epic-callback-with-her-dress-at-leonardo-dicaprios-party-214758″diamond necklace that DiCaprio’s character Howard Hughes gave Beckinsale’s character Ava Gardner in 2004’s The Aviator. The other is the Heart of the Ocean, immortalized in the 1997 DiCaprio vehicle, Titanic. The Heart of

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 Warm, but cool outfits for cold weather (Photo: iStock)

It has been raining cats and dogs lately, and getting out of your warm house can seem like a task. However, life must go on. Errands have to be run, you probably must report to work and events must be attended.

How do you keep warm amid all these though? To those who drink hot beverages for warmth, you know you can’t get them all the time. If your closet has not adjusted to the weather, it is time you buy some warm clothes.

However, it is important to note that warm outfits don’t have to be bulky. You can keep warm but still look cool and cute.

For those going to work in this cold weather, having more garments under an official outfit is better than spoiling the outfit with heavy coats and sweaters.

This means that you should put on a vest, brassiere for ladies, and a tiny T-shirt among other undergarments before putting on your official top and blazer.

Turtle necks are one of the saviours during such times since you can pull off a casual or official look with those that have a heavy material.

If the material is warm enough, you can just combine the turtle necks with the undergarments, step out and the cold will have nothing on you. It is important to have a coat or a jacket. You can never go wrong with a winter, leather or trench coat that is long enough to cover past your knees.

These coats can help when you feel like showing some skin, which is not advised during such weather. Remember that the colour of the coat matters, especially if you are using public transport.

For instance, you decide to rock a white or bright-coloured coat

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COLUMBIA — On Nov. 10, 2023, the Columbia Museum of Art held its biannual Arts & Draughts event, and it was a celebration of art on the cutting edge. 

Centering around the current exhibition gallery show, “Rendezvous: Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray,” the event curated a high-fashion feel with a noteworthy CMA-exclusive hospitality and all-in participation from guests. Live music from locally revered artists Candy Coffins, Gamine and DJ VooDoo Child set the tone for the evening.

Throughout the evening, local designers featured styling demos and runway walks to display their work. Upstairs, a silent disco featured select tracks inspired by McQueen’s runway shows and downstairs bring-your-own material screen printing offered an exclusive Arts & Draughts t-shirt, designed by a Catawba Nation artist.

The evening night sparkled with delightful tunes, fabulous food and drink as Columbia’s fashionable folks got their slice of avant-garde limelight.







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Designers for Anton + Maxine watch models strut their designs at the Boyd Plaza during the Columbia Museum of Art’s biannual Arts & Draughts event on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (Photos by Eden Prime/Special to the Post & Courier)










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Models styled by Nori Noir strike poses in formation to kick off the festivities at the Columbia Museum of Art during its biannual Arts & Draughts event on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (Photos by Eden Prime/Special to the Post & Courier)










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Candy Coffins serenades museum goers as the middle act of the night during the Columbia Museum of Art’s biannual Arts & Draughts event on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (Photos by Eden Prime/Special to the Post & Courier)










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Fashion is alive, well and on display all over the Columbia Museum of Art during its biannual Arts & Draughts event on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (Photos by Eden Prime/Special to the

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New sculptures installed for Art Walk Albert Lea

Published 5:17 am Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Five new sculptures from mostly local artists were installed last week between the Albert Lea Public Library and Dress Island around Fountain Lake as part of the Art Walk Albert Lea initiative.

With the addition, there are now seven pieces in the Sculpture Walk after the first two pieces were installed this summer — one at the top of Fountain Lake Park and another at Edgewater Park.

Shane Koepke, one of the Sculpture Walk organizers, said he hopes the sculptures enlighten people’s experience around the lake, whether walking or driving.

“It’s a really popular walk and drive,” Koepke said. “It’s all in making our community more beautiful and being able to have something interesting as we go about our days.”

He said good art inspires people to think through things — no matter their opinions about the art — and sparks conversation.

The sculptures are a combination of art made from found objects and inspiration from the world. The new sculptures include a dragon reading a book across from the library, a pair of roadrunners at the end of Grace Street and Lakeview, a snail at Dress Island and an armored horse head on Broadway outside the Albert Lea Art Center. The roadrunners are made to spin with

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November is when the Cruise fashion collections begin to hit stores. Also labelled as Resort, Holiday or Pre-Spring, they comprise of versatile clothing pieces designed for those who travel to escape winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

That said, they can work for other occasions too – like year-end festive parties or, if you already live in a warmer country, beach getaways.

For this year, the exciting offerings bridge the gap between feminine chic and whimsical edginess.

Destination dressing is the usual theme. After all, fashion houses stage shows in exotic locations around the world to debut their Cruise collections.

For example, Dior presented its designs in Mexico City back in May. The weeks after that saw Gucci flying into Seoul to do the same, while Carolina Herrera chose Rio De Janeiro and Max Mara picked Stockholm.

The list is endless, as every brand wanted to create a spectacle with their Cruise collection runway show.

To really stand out for the Cruise season, you need to literally shine. Photo: Carolina HerreraTo really stand out for the Cruise season, you need to literally shine. Photo: Carolina HerreraTrends for the season are also as varied as the jet-set destinations – just pick one that can suit your personality, or go by whatever specific reasons you are dressing up for.

Read more: When they go short, we go long? Maxi skirts are fashion’s latest trend

Positively sweet

The Barbie film really revived the appeal of pink. This is apparent on runways, where the sweet colour stood out.

Chanel’s Cruise collection featured several all–pink outfits. Whether in the form of two-piece suits or maxis dresses, as well as easy-to-wear separates, the models looked very pretty in variations of the shade.

Dior also included several hot pink looks for the season. This very vibrant bubble-gum hue stood out among the more demure outfits – especially since the runway show took

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Special to Independent Newsmedia

Arizona Costume Institute will host its annual holiday luncheon, a fashion fundraising event for the Phoenix Art Museum.

The event raises vital support for fashion-design exhibitions, education programs, and acquisitions at the museum. This year’s event will feature designer Jonathan Simkhai and will celebrate the philanthropic efforts and achievements of Honorary Chair Eileen Yeung.

The luncheon takes place at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 4 inside Cummings Great Hall at the Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave.

Tables of 10 for the luncheon are sold out. Individual tickets are available at https://phxart.org/special-events-series/aci-holidayluncheon2023/.

Yeung is a Phoenix native, a graduate of the University of Arizona, and a longtime supporter of the Phoenix Art Museum.

She served on the Phoenix Art Museum board of trustees from 1996 to 2011 and was also active in the museum’s Circles of Support program during that time period. From 2013–2018, she was a member of the museum’s Asian Arts Council, during which time she served as both president of the support group and co-chair of its gala.

 

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Singer Tallia Storm is flaunting her fit physique in order to promote some new music!

The 25-year-old singer released her new single “Used Girl” on Friday and her 607 thousand Instagram followers can’t get enough of her new tune!

Tallia Storm Leaves Little To The Imagination In Her See-Through Black Dress

The “Boyfriend” singer donned a see-through black dress that left little to the imagination to promote her new single, “Used Girl.” She brushed her long blonde hair back out of her face to show off her glossy red lips. Only her face and her shoulders were exposed by the strapless dress and appeared to be glowing in the dim light as she used the photo as the cover art for her new single. In the caption, Tallia celebrated the release of her new song:

“HAPPY NEW TALLIA MUSIC FRIDAY 🥹 ‘Used Girl’ is out everywhere 🫶🏻 u can add to ur sad gal anthems & stream till the tears are dry !!!! thank YOU @spotify for giving me my own ‘This Is Tallia Storm’ playlist🥺🥺🥺 Cloud 9!!! So happy to share this song with u, my dms are OPEN. I wanna know what u think & feel & relate to Used Girl!!!!! Tallia has BEEN THERE. Thank u @mikeseaberg on the mix🫶🏻🥰🎧🎶 link in bio.”

Her mother, Dr. Tessa Hartmann, commented, “Love love love this song but my heart is aching for you – but we’ve all been there. Congrats – stunning performance and insane string arrangement. Proud of you Missy T.” Tallia responded to the comment with four red heart emojis. “Love Island” season 6 reality star Eve Gale also dropped some love on her post, simply writing, “Wow” along with a heart-eye emoji.

Tallia Calls ‘Used Girl’ Her ‘Most Fav Song Ever’

On Saturday morning, the

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