Hasta La Ideas

This past Monday, the much-anticipated two-hour premiere of Dancing With The Stars Season 8 aired in its full stage makeup and sequined glory, and boy was it an eyeful! The earliest stages of every season are always hectic, as host and judge commentary are cut short and dancers are practically shoved onstage to ensure enough time for all 13 unseasoned pairs to perform; meanwhile backstage commentator Samantha Harris appears progressively more awkward throughout the night as she clumsily searches her brain for more original questions for each panting contestant awaiting their scores. However, Season 8’s premiere was considerably even more frenetic than usual, as contestants Holly Madison and Melissa Rycroft were announced as the last-minute replacements for injured drop-outs Jewel and Nancy O’Dell, and were pressured to perform with less than a week of preparation behind them. While audiences love to see certain stars shine, like graceful Shawn Johnson, studly but little-known “Sex And The City” star Gilles Marini, and the unexpectedly poised Lil’ Kim, viewers also take pleasure in seeing others clunk around the floor Cloris Leachman style, like Apple whiz Steve Wozniak and Belinda Carlisle did this time around. Our favorite pro dancers faithfully lived up to expectations — Edyta looking enviably toned as ever in her usual barely-there costumes and Maksim, in true “bad boy” form, already making his partner cry within the first couple weeks of practice (I think that might be a record, even for him). And then there were the costumes. Oh, the costumes — you just never know what the stars will be sashaying across the dance floor in next, or just how far they’ll take the Cha-Cha as an excuse to wear the most ridiculous or risque outfits on national television. I’ll admit — if I had a body like Kym Johnson’s, there are plenty of onstage outfits I wish I had an excuse to wear just so I could strut down the street in an obscene display of self-confidence, but others were straight-up too “snazzy” for their own good. Vote below for which premiere outfit you think made the gaudiest first impression!

It’s no coincidence that Kate Moss is always 2-3 months ahead of the curve. She sets the curve, and designers scramble to put clothes on the market that mimic her eclectic, always surprising style. Moss seems to live by only one key rule of fashion, which is to wear beautiful clothes authentically. She seems to effortlessly throw together outfits that you never think would work. Whether it’s layering neutrals over grey skinny jeans and red booties (months before anyone is even wearing black ones!), sporting heavily layered jewelry, or throwing a blazer over anything, Moss keeps visual interest without seeming over-dressed. She always seems comfortable, her clothes look tailored to fit her body, and you most often see her wearing flats. Her lesson to be learned is wear what makes you feel comfortable. Fun fact: Moss is only 5’7″, and though very slight, her style can be mixed and matched to flatter many body types! Check out my slideshow for ways to adopt Kate Moss’s eclectic style! Photo credit: PR Photos

One of the year’s most anticipated films, Watchmen, officially opened this weekend, and if a nerdy boyfriend of yours hasn’t already dragged you to the theaters to see for yourself, the big screens are abuzz with comic book fans flocking to see how the film version will compare to the beloved 1986 book. At last week’s Hollywood premiere on Monday, however, the Watchmen stars, crew, and famous fans cleaned up impressively well, setting the pocket protectors and bookmarks aside and looking much more superhero chic than geek. Blonde bombshell Malin Akerman left the latex behind & shined in a gorgeous layered ruffle gown designed by Season 4 Project Runway finalist Rami Kashou while Carla Gugino looked stunning in a sparkling green one-shoulder dress that complemented her dark hair. As for the men, Patrick Wilson and Billy Crudup proved that despite their characters’ alarming appearances in the film, they can still look put-together and undoubtedly dapper in suits. While I’m curious to see how this politically-charged “realistic” superhero film will rate compared to other recently raved-about action movies of the same genre (could it really be even darker than The Dark Knight?), I’m sure the year-long hype will keep theater seats packed throughout the weekend. Whether or not you can relate to all this superhuman comic book mania, you have to admit — life would be pretty sweet if you had powers. Think about how fast you quickly you could change your outfit, how much easier you could avoid pesky crowds at the mall, and how good you’d look if you had to kick that much butt on a daily basis! Check out some of the Watchmen stars’ premiere looks below, and vote on which of their character’s “powers” you would most like to have!

Photo Credit: PR Photos

Madonna, Oprah, Bono– it doesn’t take a last name to know who these celebs are. Taking that idea in mind, there are plenty of other first names you’d know if they were grouped together. Los Angeles-based The Names Brand was inspired by the iconic John & Paul & Ringo & George T-Shirt by Experimental Jetset, a design group from Amsterdam. The Names Brand has taken that idea and ran with other pop culture icons from the Jolie-Pitt family to the Spice Girls. Show your “Gossip Girl” pride with a Dan & Blair & Nate & Jenny & Chuck & Serena shirt or geek out politically with the names of the Supreme Court Justices on your chest. Best part is, they’re not reserved just for t-shirts. Get hoodies, tote bags, buttons, baby onesies and bibs all with your favorite names on them. You can even contact them for custom orders too! Order by 3/12 and get 17% off your order with code MARCH19 with a $25+ purchase. Click the slideshow to see more names you’ll be proud to show off.

While this year’s Oscars may have gone to the Slumdogs, everyone was a winner on the red carpet when it came to show-stealing looks in fashion and beauty. While we’ve already gone ga-ga over the gorgeous gowns that floated from the carpet to the stage on all of Hollywood’s stunning starlets, everyone knows that an Academy Award ensemble isn’t complete without an equally glamorous up-do. After all, a girl’s got to look just as breathtaking in her close-ups! From elegant swept-back styles like Best Actress winner Kate Winslet’s to chic side buns like Marisa Tomei’s and loose and tousled half-down waves like Jessica Biel’s, award show-worthy hair may look like a million bucks, but according to Frederic Fekkai stylists Renato Campora and Adir Abergel, creative coifs like these don’t need to cost an arm and a leg — in fact, you can even do it yourself with the right products and tools! First, vote on your favorite Oscar hairstyle below, then click “Read More” to see how you can achieve these red-carpet ravishing looks at home with tips straight from the pros!
Photo Credit: PR Photos