Solitaire or Pave Rings?

You can’t go wrong buying a single solitaire diamond that is flanked by two other stones. The solitaire diamond can be cut as an:
• an oval,
• heart
• square
• oblong
• star
• marquise
• round
• pear
• baguette (oblong)
• You will also see rings that look like they feature one big stone, but in reality the sparkle is created by a cluster of tiny stones together. She would probably not like this type of ring as much as she would one large solitaire stone.
Sometimes the center stone in a solitaire ring is set a little higher than the ring in a clawed setting that resembles a cradle for the stone and sometimes it is embedded right into the band.
However, the main stone in the solitaire engagement ring does not have to be a diamond. The very old traditional route is to contrast diamonds (as either the flanking stones or center stone) with other valuable gems such as emeralds, citrines, topazes garnets rubies or sapphires. You can also buy an engagement ring that suits her birthstone. This is where knowing her favorite color or favorite stone might come in handy. For instance, if she is a redhead who wears a lot of green, she might appreciate a square cut emerald as the solitaire stone rather than the usual diamond.
A pave setting is one that features a row of five to nine glittering stones either raised or embedded into band. Common combinations are sapphires and diamonds, rubies and diamonds and emerald and diamonds. One benefit to buying this kind of ring is that it can serve either as a wedding band or an engagement band. If you present her with a pave ring, she then has the option of going out with you to choose her own solitaire stone.
Although the ancient belief is that diamonds were fired in the flames of love they are actually fired in the flames of the earth’s crust where they are compressed until they create unique four sided crystal that is harder than anything on earth. It is most likely that the diamond you find in today’s stores is mined in South Africa, but for years India and Brazil were the principle providers of diamonds. Diamond stores have also recently been found in the Yukon.
The brilliance of diamonds is accounted for by the stone’s high reflective index which is 2.42. This is many times higher than a rhinestone which is only 1.6. The ability of a diamond to sparkle is also depended on how the stone is hewn by the diamond cutter.

Finding An Inexpensive Wedding Ring

Diamond manufacturing companies suggest spending at least three month’s salary on an engagement ring. Of course they would say something like that because they want you to spend as much money as possible. Still when it comes to engagement rings, you should plan spending on over a thousand bucks and I will tell you why. Anything below that tends to feature a tiny, flawed or man made stone. You have to remember that she is expecting to wear this ring every day for the next few decades of her life so make sure that you are buying something that is going to last.

Sometimes you can’t find just the right ring. Sometimes you see the stone you want in one ring and the setting you want in another. This means you might have to have it custom made. A commissioned ring is a wonderful and romantic way to start your engagement as it will have been designed to match your girlfriend’s style and personality (as well as your pocket!). However, do remember that it takes around six weeks for most jewellers to create e a commissioned ring by handand some girls just can’t wait!

While you are surfing the net or plodding around in the mall looking for a ring, you will probably notice that you can buy just the engagement ring or two sets of rings called the Bridal set. A bridal set usually consists of an engagement ring, which contains a single solitaire stone flanked by other stones and a wedding band. The wedding band can either be plain or paved with stones.

Usually you can save a hundred bucks or so by buying a bridal set. On the other hand, shopping for wedding bands together is an ages old and quite fun tradition as she will enjoy picking out the band that most matches her engagement ring as well as a wedding band for you.
In general a gold or platinum setting is considered to be better than a silver setting. This is because silver wears more with time. Gold (which by the way also comes in silver and pink tones) is softer, actually melds to the shape of finger over time. Platinum is the choice of metal for rings holding big or expensive stones as it is very sturdy. There is little chance of you losing that $800 solitaire diamond down the sink one day.

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Avoiding “Uncool” Wedding Rings

There are just some wedding rings that do not say “I love you” with the same ardor as a real diamond.

I can tell you right now what kinds of rings to stay away from. Stay away from any style of ring has the names Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears or Princess Diana attached to them. Millions of people sport these huge rocks as costume jewellery all over the world.

You want to give her something that is unique. Also stay away from the words “cubic zirconia” unless you are fond of the words “you are cheap!”

Another thing to be very careful of his the hand me down ring.
You may or may not be a lucky boy if you have an engagement ring that is a heirloom handed down from your mother or another relative. This means that you can spare yourself the agony of choosing a ring. In general women tend to love vintage style rings and the ring that is passed down from your mother that is..unless.. she absolutely hates your mother.

Not every bride to be is sentimental or wants your grandmother’s old wedding ring. However very often the gold and diamonds in these rings are very expensive. One option is to get this type of ring reset into another more contemporary setting.

If the hand me down ring is not going to please her then it is best to buy her a new one. For one thing you want her to have a ring she is going to like. For another you want to remain on good terms with your mother or grandmother who may not want the vintage setting destroyed.

If you are wondering why this ring thing is so important to her, you have to understand that it is a tradition that goes back as far as the ancient Egyptians. The reason the ring was worn on the fourth finger is that it was thought to be connected to the Vena amoris - the vein that runs directly to the heart. In the Christian tradition, rings were actually worn on the third finger of the left hand until the fourteenth century. The tradition was altered when it became the custom for the priest to first place the ring on the first, second and third fingers while saying “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost” and then finally ending the marriage ritual it by slipping the ring on the fourth finger.

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Make Up Your Face to Look Like Barbie

Looking as smooth and together as a Barbie doll is quite fashionable today. That is because Barbie turned fifty just last year. The Barbie Doll look is also very much like the make up in the television series MadMen.
You may not ever be able to achieve the figure or neckline of Barbie but imitating her make up is easy. The reason it is so hard to look like Barbie is that her proportions are 35 pounds underweight and a neck that thin could never hold a head up.
Cover the entire eyelid with shimmering white or light blue eye shadow with a small eye shadow brush, making sure to add a little extra to the inner corner of the eye where the tear duct is located.
Take a small eyeshadow brush and apply purple eye shadow in the crease of your eye. Fan the eyeshadow upwards for about a quarter of the way until it reaches the brow bone. This should make you look very sexy. Make sure that your eyebrows are also plucked in a Barbie like way. Usually her brows were lighter than her hair if she was brunette and dark brown if she was blonde.
You should then take a shimmering white eyeshadow and blend it upwards into your brow bone. Make sure it is a neutral color that is one shade lighter than your skin tone. Using bright white gives the most dramatic effect.
Take your eyeliner and apply it so that it is thinner on the inner corenr of each eye and have it gradually thicken until it is wide at the outer corner of the eyes. You can use black eyeliner but using very thick brown, green or powder blue eyeliner works as well.
Take an eye curler and use it on your lashes so they furl upwards. Apply it on both the lower and the upper eyelashes. The thicker you apply it the more you will look like Barbie.
Rub a bright pink blush on the apples of your cheeks only. You can even go so far as to make it look a little doll like by having it be in a complete rosy circle.
Line your lips with a dark brown pencil and then apply a bright pink lipstick over it. A pink that has a bit of orange in it is truest to Barbie’s look. Place a layer of shimmering sheer lip gloss over the lipstick to add some real gleam to the look.

Trends That Are Hot Right Now

The fashion runways don’t always predict what is going to be hot. Sometimes fashion is dictated by what a celebrity wears or what is seen on the street.

One of the hottest styles right now is the pea coat. However instead of being in its usual navy cover it is more fashionable in a pea green or military green color.

Puffy coats are still fashionable, but mostly for men. The designer Valentino was recently seen wearing one on the streets of Paris thus starting a big fuss about how these throwbacks from the eighties are hot again.

It is also not enough just to wear a scarf. The nattiest looking people are wearing scarves with sequins or fringes. This is a trend seen on actress Anne Hathaway. The other trend is to wear a really big wool scarf that is almost as big as a blanket. These are not exactly patinas but they are very thick and heavy and come down to the knees.
Bright purple is also a very “in” color especially in coats. You also see it as a popular color of paint in condos lately as well.

The Abba look is still around even though it really did peak about four years ago. Suede mutlucks with fur fringes are still hot as are suede coats with big puffy collars, embroidery and fringe details. The reason this trend is so alive still is because it is a favorite style of supermodel Elle McPherson.

The military look is also very much in fashion. This is thanks to the band Cold Play and their retro civil revolution look. Gwyneth Patrol is the lead singer’s wife and she is often seen wearing vintage military style jacked and lace up boots.

When it comes to casual work out where everything that is Daddies including those old fashioned work sweats with the double striping down the flared pant legs. Big celebrities such as Iman (model and wife of David Bowie) are seen wearing these.

When it comes to purses the color gold is coming back. This is the bronze tinted metallic leathers we have seen in the past few years. To be very cool the purse must be oversized and a pale platinum gold.
One of the most popular looks when it comes to hats is to wear a short fedora. This is a favorite look of both Kate Hudson and Kate Winslet who are both highly imitated in Hollywood.

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Shoe Winter Spring Fashion Trends

Simplicity and quality are the main themes when it comes to the looks in footwear for winter and spring 2010. Timeless, comfortable footwear is in style which is good news for those of us with sore feet.

The color palette is quite dark with black, dark green, dark violet and deep reds leading the way. Dark blues and purples are also in style. For spring we are going to see shoes in more neutral leather and taupe tones. The most popular of the browns will be a cognac shade.

Shoe styles range from shortened and from square-toe styles to the so-called iron tips. The hottest of the trendy heels are 6-inch stilettos, Stable Square or trapezoid heel of different height, the higher and the better. Ankle boots and over the knee boots will still be in style all winter.

Detailing is not as heavy as in previous years but you still see the stones, fringes and flowers on shoes that has been a trend with all kinds of footwear for quite some time. The detailing we have seen recently has been a bit seventies and hippie like. That will probably give way to styles that are more seventies in style.

When it comes to boots, both ankle and over the knee styles, we are still going to see fabric tops that allow them to be pushed down in a casual way. Material soused are leather, suede, silk and lace. The most popular colors are black, grey, brown and red. The over the shoulder boots look good with trousers, skinny jeans, miniskirts and short dresses.

Ankle boots are a must for women for spring and there will be many Cuban heel styles in evidence. The platform and wedge style of heel for ankle boots will also still be in style for the spring rains. Metallic details, lace tops and lace up details were evident on the runway.
Clogs are back for spring. Some of them are high and sculpted platforms worn with socks. Some styles are rimmed with fur. You might also see the return of the Roots Earth shoe where the heel is lower than the rest of the shoe.

The biker and military themes that were popular last year stay popular this year. Lace boots and shoes will still be much in evidence.
As for office wear the Mary Jane style of shoe is still a sensible, yet trendy and polished look that goes from day to night easily as well.

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Tips for Sexy Eyes

Eye shadow is back with a vengeance. If you are going to wear it you might as well learn how to apply it so that you can use shadow and light to “sculpt” flaws away. Let’s face it! Nobody is born with the perfect face. Most people would say that they feel that their eyes are too close together or too far apart. You can use a few simple techniques with eye shadow and eyeliner to improve this.
Thankfully we live in a day where makeup can create all sorts of illusions.
To make your eyes look closer together sweep a light eye shadow over the entire eye area. Then dust a medium color on the inner half of the eyelid and blend it outward to create a natural finish. Line from the inner corner of the eye to the middle and then blend outward.
However most people feel their eyes look close together as it is and want them to look further apart. To create the illusion of the eyes being set further apart keep the inside corners of your eyes light and the outer edges darker. Then sweep a concealer one shade lighter than your skin at the inner corner of your lids. Be sure to blend this well. Then take a matte eye shadow in a medium to dark shade and stroke it outward and slightly upward from the middle to the outer half of your lid.
Start the line just a bit in from the inner corner of your eye, tapering the line up and out, just a bit past the outer corner of the eyes
The key to making eyes bigger is to focus on light shades. Dark shades will make eyes appear even smaller. Sweep a light shade over lid, and then shade the outer corner of the lid and the crease with a darker shade. Line the outer upper and lower lids with eyeliner making sure to taper a bit outside the eye (elongating it). Then take as dab of white or cream shadow in the middle of the brow bone will make eyes pop. Make sure your eyebrows are well lucked or this look will not work for you.
To make your eyes look less droopy apply shadow to the outer corner of the lid, extending color up and out like a cat eye shape. Add a light highlighter color to brow bone and skip the eyeliner — it will only exaggerate the ‘droopy’ contour. Apply mascara, concentrating on the inner corner of the eye. Lastly, you can try smudging a silver show on the inner corners of the eyes to help ‘lift’ them and make them look bigger!

Smoky Eyes Are Trendy

The smoky eye has been more popular in the past few years. It is a very eighties look that originated in black and white movies from the beginning of the last century. It darkens the eye socket area and brightens up the brow bone. This type of make up makes your eyes look very intense. It is also very glamorous. It is an effortless make up trick that greatly enhances the look of any type of face and gives an overall all sexy and sultry look.
It is easy to create a basic smokey eye. You only need two colors of eye shadow. One should be a deep contouring shade and the other should be a highlighter. The highlighter is usually applied over the entire upper eye socket up to the brow. The contour shade should be used to highlight the socket of the eye. You then take this shadow and use it to highlight the outside of the eye and fade it as you move it in towards the nose.
Keep in mind that you should do a lot of blending or the effect will be quite harsh. However you might want more of a stark effect for evening. The contour shade does not have to be a dark color nor do you have to stay with a monochromatic color scheme. The most modern looks feature two strong stark colors.
There are also lots of other things you can do to enhance the effect. You can line your eyes with dark liquid eyeliner and then use a smudging tool to make it look sexy. Many women layer their liquid liner with yet another coating of smudgy pencil eyeliner.
Some women just don’t use eyeliner and instead prefer to use a darker version of an eye shadow as a liner for a smokier look. If you are going to use this type of eye shadow use a brush with very stiff short bristles. The shorter the hair fibers, the higher the concentration of application. Yet another tip would be to wet the brush before you dip into the application for a strong effect.
To make sure you don’t go too far make sure you apply the eye shadow in layers. If you experience flakes of shadow falling beneath your eyes when you put it on it might be a good idea to apply some powder and concealer so that you don’t end up with unattractive raccoon eyes.

Color Trends for 2010

Every year the color trends for the season are announced by major players in the fashion and decorating industry. You will see these colors appear in every aspect of decorating or fashion from stoves to wastebaskets to purses to wedding gowns.
According to Pantone, the top the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries the colors we will see for spring are Turquoise, Tomato Puree (a pinkish red), Fusion Coral (a flesh toned coral), Violet, Tuscany (a mushroom neutral color), Aurora (a dull pale yellow), Amparo Blue (a bright blue), Pink Champagne (a mushroom toned pink, Dried Herb (an olive green) and Eucalyptus (a grey with a touch of olive.)
According to TFL Fashion and Color Inspirations the current trends for this winter and spring can be divided into three groups of ten colors. There is a Chic group, a Classic group and a Casual group.
The Chic group is dominated by solid and cold tones. There are a lot of midnight blue and deep pinks that are contrasted with lighter blues and dark browns.
The Classic group is characterized by crisp clean colors that are offset by earth tones in brown and gray. This is a more demure and archaic selection of hues.
The Casual colors contain juicy oranges, rip reds and numeral nuances that are contrasted with pavement grays.
The fashion group Stahl also does a quarterly prediction for color in fashion. This company gives color groups poetic names. For instance Unexpected Poetry involves colors that play with midnights and shades of black. Yet another group is called “Being the Fabulous” and features sugary pinks and blues. The third main group is called Artisan Richness and plays with the burnt oranges and dusty browns associated with the Wild West. Their fourth selection is called “Warrior Temper” and is filled with a mix of military greens and bright Asian reds and oranges.
Forecasting color is big business with these fashion groups who almost always get it right. They are very influential with every kind of designer – from make-up to furniture maker to shoes. What is interesting is that even those these groups are separate companies they come up with a lot of the same ideas about what color is going to be a hot color combination for spring.

Ways to Wear the Little Black Dress

The Little Black Dress is always in style. You can wear it to any cocktail party. However you can also wear it to the office. In fact the little black dress goes nicely from office to cocktail party. All you have to do is change your shoes and your hose and you are ready for a fancy night out.

You can go for the Jackie Kennedy look by wearing a black dress with a pearl choker and pearl earrings. The look is even more complete if you pair it with gloves, pale stockings and chunky square toed shoes. Be sure to wear a tennis bracelet to complete the rest of this slightly preppy look.

More delicate is the Audrey Hepburn look which mans wearing long black loves and a black or white multi-strand necklace. Wearing a little collar of rhinestones with a black dress is also very Audrey Hepburn.
You can also wear heels to reinforce the elegance of a black shift dress. A pair of hounds tooth shoes is ideal. There are all kinds of designer shoes out there on the market that can dress this up. You can get pumps with bows, ribbons and buckles. You can even wear delicate ballet flats if you want the dress to have a more casual look.
A splash of color can completely brighten up the look of a black shift. You can select a bold color like purple, pink or yellow and coordinate it with a purse or shoes. A long glittering or sheer scarf with a fringe can give a black dress a very eighties look.

Black also lends itself well to the “Safari” look. Wear leopard skin or tiger print scarves and shoes with the dress and add African inspired beads or bangles to give the dress a classy look.

A black dress can also look very sixties (think Edie Sedgewick) if you add shiny high heel boots and hem the dress so it is quite short. Try wearing a single dangling pendant to help complete the look.
All little black dresses look good paired with a black jacket but if you want to look especially nice pair it with an old vintage jacket with sequins or in a contrasting color in velvet. For instance a red velvet jacket with black piping and red shoes would really look good with a classic little black cocktail dress.

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