Bicycles

Bicycles are enjoyed by many walks of life ranging from children to adults for reasons ranging from recreation to sport. This is two-wheeled fun for many reasons and applications. Push those pedals and be on your way to a fun ride. Or if you're the more adventurous or rebellious kind, you're into mountain biking or even BMX stunts. Whatever the case, bicycles may well be worth your time. This blog post is all about bicycles.

I haven't been on a bicycle since childhood. Do not think that this is any information based on personal experience or anything like that. I am simply providing all of this for entertainment and educational purposes.

WARNING: This post includes a number of YouTube videos. Your viewing performance may be slow depending on your connection. You may view the individual videos in links if you are unable to view any of the videos.

--- Bicycles at a Glance ---

^ from: bicycletouringpro.com - Two-wheeled fun awaits you when you ride a bicycle.

A lot of us may have started out riding tricycles. I certainly remember riding tricycles before moving up to a bicycle. My memories even include riding a bicycle with training wheels. Bicycles have been around since the 19th Century. As with most inventions, the bicycle has been enhanced and innovated over time to become and remain a fun form of both transportation and recreation. Some cities and nations have bicycles as the most effective mode of transportation.

I remember when I was younger and had a bicycle. I previously had a scooter that I enjoyed riding. My first bicycle had training wheels since I was not comfortable going on two wheels yet. Over time, I would learn to properly ride a bicycle and be able to ride it properly. I sometimes challenged a little girl to a race when at my grandmother's house. I would be on my scooter while she was on her bicycle. We had to go to this one intersection in our neighborhood back to my grandmother's house. Fun times. One time, I even once had a dirt bicycle. I think it was too big for it and didn't get to ride it too much, though.

--- Kinds of Bicycles ---

A bicycle from a retailer can cost anywhere between $100 US Dollars (or less) to even four-figure US Dollar amounts! Some of the more expensive bicycles (namely racing bicycles) have carbon fiber construction and can be quite expensive. Bicycles are usually sold based on the wheel width. Some bikes even have gears to them. So not every bike is created equal. Here are a few different kinds of bicycles (thanks: about.com):

Road Bicycles.

^ from: amazon.com - A men's road bicycle from Schwinn.

These bikes were meant to take on concrete and asphalt. Bikes like these were meant to be ridden around the neighborhood or in the park. They can even be performance-ridden as you could compete in bicycle racing events with road bikes. A number of manufacturers make road bicycles... even including Mercedes-Benz and Peugeot!

Mountain Bikes.

^ from: amazon.com - A Men's Mongoose mountain bike.

Mountain bikes are rugged and durable bicycles. They are best made for taking on natural terrain, yet many others do have them around town or on tarmac. Mountain bikes have wide and rugged tires. These are performance bicycles meant to take on undulating terrain.

Hybrid Bikes.

^ from: amazon.com - A women's hybrid bicycle from Schwinn.

The hybrid bicycle is best suited as a happy medium between road bikes and mountain bikes. You get the ruggedness of a mountain bike coupled with the city-happy nature of a road bike.

Cruiser Bicycle.

^ from: amazon.com - Women's Pacific cruiser bike.

Just like cruiser motorcycles are meant more towards style than outright performance (as opposed to sporty motorcycles), cruiser bikes are meant more towards style than being some kind of performance-oriented bicycle. Only difference is that nobody will look at you as a poser/poseur on a cruiser bike compared to a cruiser motorcycle. :)

BMX Bikes.

^ from: amazon.com - A Mongoose BMX bicycle.

BMX stands for "bicycle motocross" ("X" instead of cross). Think of these like non-motorized dirt motorcycles. They are best known for pulling off stunts like most motocross and supercross riders do. BMX bicycles are meant for those action sports types who ride while doing tricks. Everything from bunny hops to rail riding is what the BMX rider is all about. They are the rebellious riders who are all about pulling cool tricks and being real cool while riding.


These are the basic kinds of bicycles. Have you a favorite kind of bicycle?

--- Bicycles for Recreation and Sport ---

Before I begin the next section, I would like to thank the people who allowed their videos to be embedded. It's great to know my readers could view these videos without having to leave my blog (not to say that my readers/visitors would rather be any place besides "John's Blog Space").

Bicycles for Recreation.

A bicycle can be a fun way to go around the block or through the park. Think of kids who enjoy going around on bicycles as they ride. There are older bike riders who may enjoy bike riding at a park- whether a city park or a dedicated skate park. Whatever the case, a bicycle can be fun to ride around on. Some people even have their own custom bicycles. Bicycles are as much a casual expression of who we are as any other thing. Basic bicycles to creative bicycles are out there for riding enjoyment.

Want to make a scene and have fun? Try a tandem bicycle! Tandem bicycles are meant to have more than one person ride along with others. When coming up with this blog post, one person's YouTube channel shows that there is an actual science to tandem riding. While it may seem cute to have more than one person riding one bike, check this video out for more insight on tandem riding:

^ "Tandem Bike Riding"

Some people make custom bicycles; some even turned into tricycles. Look no further than with Lowrider bicycles. These bikes may have custom-made frames and accessories while also being fully tricked out. Talk about riding in style! Check out the lowrider bikes in this video:

^ "Lowrider Bike Commercial"

Bicycles for Sport.

In the sporting realm, bicycles have been great for working out. There are stationary bicycles

Bicycles can also be great sporting equipment for those doing outdoors sports. There are a number of people who'll ride their bicycles in outdoor settings. Mountain bikers ride their bikes on some undulating and hilly trails. Here is an example of mountain bike riders going all-out:

^ "GoPro HD HERO camera: Mountain Bike Clip"

Those into action sports have seen bicycles being used at skate parks and at half pipes. Dave Mirra is one of the finest in performing amazing stunts and tricks on a bicycle. He is a multiple-time champion of BMX competition. A lot of these stunt bikes have bars on the wheels so they can pull off tricks riding on rails. This video below is an example of BMX stunts. This is Morgan Wade and his gold medal run in the Action Sports World Championships round in 2007 in Dallas, TX, USA:

^ "BMX: Morgan Wade's Gold Medal Run in Dallas, 2007"

And of course... let's not forget those who take part in bicycle tours and rallies. Here in the Houston area, we have a famous event called the MS 150, a 150-mile bicycle rally from Houston to Austin benefiting the fight against Multiple Sclerosis (or MS for short). There are many cycling events worldwide. The most of famous of which, is of course... the Tour de France. This is a look at how brutal bike rallies and tours can be:

^ "Tour de France 2011 Highlights"


You now know about cycling both for recreation and for sport.

--- Bicycle Safety and Gear ---

When riding a bicycle, are you geared? Do you know about being safe while riding? A few pieces of advice are mentioned here in this section.

Bicycle Gear and Parts.

Here is a brief look at bike parts and accessories.

• Training Wheels - if you're starting out trying to ride a bicycle, training wheels are a great way to start. I remember I had training wheels on my bicycle once I went from a tricycle to a bicycle.

• Custom Saddles - bicycles may have custom seats designed for various applications, ranging from racing to just average bike riding. Some seats are even recommended by doctors and physicians.

• Baskets and Carts - some bikes can be equipped with carts for carrying around things safely.

• Water Bottle Cage - if you have a water bottle, equip one to your bicycle to be able to take water with you on the go as you ride.


These are among many other different items and accessories for bicycles.

Bicycle Apparel.

Most casual bike riders usually wear street clothes. Serious cyclists usually wear specialized cycling apparel. Some of these items include bicycle jerseys as well as bike shorts. There are also bib shorts worn by cyclists, which are kind of like overalls for cyclists. There are also shoes and socks specially designed for cycling. Here is an example of someone wearing dedicated cycling apparel:


^ from: redkiteprayer.com (best I could find) - This men's cycling outfit is an example of what cyclists wear as part of their outfit.

I am not any kind of cycling expert, but my best guess is that wearing such bicycle apparel helps you better perform as you're cycling. Those who compete in bicycle races will probably find wearing dedicated cycling apparel to better help you aerodynamically as you ride. Those bicycle racers often tuck down (just like motorcycle racers do) as they ride to get as little wind resistance as possible while at speed. Some cyclists wear bicycle gloves for protection and better grip.

For female bicyclists, there are special active skorts designed for those who want to wear a skirt while still being covered. These cycling skorts have attached shorts or bloomers to keep a cycling girl covered while also looking cute. There are even cycling dresses from one site I saw in preparing this blog post.

Bicycle Safety.

A riding helmet is the best method of protection. It is also a good idea to invest in knee pads. These (especially a riding helmet) can be very helpful to have if in the event of a head-on crash. I thankfully have never experienced an incident where I was thrusted off of my bicycle for all the times I've ridden a bicycle.

It helps to wear light-colored clothing, especially if riding at night. Speaking of night bicycle riding, have reflectors at the front and the back so you can be better spotted in darkness. Don't also forget to let people behind and in front of you know when you're turning. Links to much more detailed bicycle safety measures will be showcased later in this blog post.

Equally important in all of this is making sure your bike is secure and protected. Be sure the bike is properly secure to a bike rack with a lock and a cable.


I hope you all are able to dress nicely and ride carefully while riding your bicycle.

--- Bicycle Manufacturers ---

Click on the hypertext link in each heading to visit the official websites of these bike manufacturers. The majority of these are mostly suited towards my American audience. I am not sure if any of these can ship overseas or are also available in other nations. These are only a few of so many different bicycle manufacturers and retailers:

Bicycles: From Dedicated Bicycle Makers.

They are known for their bicycles. Visit any or all of these links to learn more about their products.

• Schwinn - Well-known for producing great bicycles. In addition to riding bicycles, they also offer stationary exercising bikes.

• Mongoose - a very popular bicycle maker with a vast variety of bicycles to choose from for various applications.

• Huffy - Maker of many bicycles as well as scooters and other sporting equipment.

• Kent - With over 100 years of cycling, they offer a variety of bicycles for many age groups and in various styles.

• Trek Bicycle - Bicycle maker with loads of experience, having been around since 1976.

• Brodie - They offer many bikes mostly for adults. They go by the slogan of, "Real bikes for real people."

• Surly Bikes - Surly sells complete bicycles as well as bicycle frames.

• MIRRACO Bikes - a bicycle company founded by multiple-time BMX World Champion, Dave Mirra. Frames and parts are offered in addition to the many different bicycles offered.

• Terry Bicycles - a feminine-exclusive brand that offers bicycles for women as well as bicycle apparel and parts.

• Renovo Bicycles - a bicycle manufacturer featuring wooden frame bicycles.

• Chubby's Cruisers - A maker of cruiser bicycles offering various styles for adults and children. Accessories for ordered bicycles can be added to each bike upon ordering.

• Specialized Bicycle Components - A maker of sophisticated bicycles. Their bikes are made for many applications, for both adults and children. It even includes a bicycle made in conjunction with the McLaren Formula 1 racing team.

• Waldmeister Bikes - a German maker of wooden-frame bicycles.

• Prestigio Bikes - a bicycle manufacturer based in the Republic of San Marino. Site is in Italian, but is also available in Spanish and English.

• Shimano (North American link) - Japanese company that sells bicycles, and they also make various parts and apparel for bicycles. The Osaka-based company was established in 1921 and incorporated in 1940. They also offer products for rowing and fishing.

• Sexy Bicycles - Yes, this Australian bicycle maker is actually called Sexy Bicycles. They make stylish bicycles designed with an exciting array of colors.

Bicycles: From Auto Makers.

Did you know that auto makers have provided their own bicycles? Only links to legitimate, commercially-available bicycles are featured here.

• Peugeot - Having made bicycles in the past, world-renowned automaker Peugeot offers a line of bicycles thanks to a new partnership with a well-respected bicycle maker. Peugeot bicycles are only offered in select European nations (including its native France) as well as Japan.

• Ferrari Bikes - Anyone even remotely educated about cars knows what kind of exotic ecstasy Ferrari provides. While they may not go as fast as their gasoline/petrol counterparts, Ferrari does provide some bicycles for your enjoyment. These bikes don't come cheap, though. Their cheapest-priced bike sells for about

• BMW - BMW makes both automobiles and motorcycles. They also make bicycles. Are these bicycles, then... the ultimate bicycle riding machines? I don't think they are sold outside of Germany or Europe because prices are only offered in Euros.

• Volkswagen (of Ireland) - Volkswagen and its long heritage of making automobiles also makes a number of bicycles. The bikes offered from this link are featured only for Volkswagen of Ireland.

• Mini Cooper Bicycle - The Mini Cooper is one of the finest automobiles of all time. Its heritage is prevalent on these bicycles. There are bikes offered for both adults and kids bearing the Mini Cooper namesake.

• Maserati - Better known as the luxury arm of Ferrari, Maserati made a bicycle called the Montante for Maserati 8CTF. It is an elegant bicycle from the Italian company.

• Land Rover - Land Rover is best known as a maker of rugged vehicles for off-roading. They also make bicycles for adults and children for multiple applications.

• Porsche - Pure pedal-pushing Porsche power. Porsche provides some bicycles that are as elegant and as capable as their cars. It isn't likely you'll draw stares on a Porsche bicycle as you would in a Porsche automobile. Of course, you could always fly the Porsche flag by attaching a Porsche bicycle to your Porsche Cayenne. :)

• McLaren (links to more info on the bicycle) - In a joint effort between the McLaren Formula 1 team and Specialized, the world's fastest bicycle was born- the S-Works + McLaren Venge. Visit the Specialized link to see the Venge Aero Road Bike co-developed by Specialized and McLaren. Or as an added bonus, let me share with you a video on this bicycle. Enjoy!


^ "Specialized S-works+McLaren Venge"


I may include more links in the future if I find more bicycle makers to feature.

--- Bicycle Resources ---

Resources for bicyclists and those into bicycles. Have a look around, this being my way of thanking you for reading this blog post:

Individual Links on Bicycles and Cycling.

• People for Bikes
• Bikes Belong
• International Mountain Biking Association
• Cyclingnews.com
• PedalHouston (Houston/Galveston area)

Bicycle Safety.

• Bike Safety - KidsHealth by Nemours « advice for children on riding bicycles
• Bicycle Safety - How Not to Get Hit By Cars
• Kids and Bicycle Safety « provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Kids Bike Quiz « test your knowledge of bike riding for kids.

Bicycle Dealers, Parts, and Accessories.

• Shop for bicycles and bicycle parts on Amazon
• Performance Bike
• Cambria Bike
• Wheel World Bike Shop
• Just Bicycles
• PV Bicycle Center - Palos Verdes, CA, USA


More links may be included in any future edits.





I have never really been too fond of cycling to say I am any sort of bicycle person. I do hope you cycling fans have enjoyed my blog post. Remember to Subscribe and Follow if you love my work. If you're indulged in social media, GET SOCIAL WITH ME! Thank you for reading!

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Visual Merchandising in Fashion

When following certain fashion bloggers and those into fashion, I've heard of fashion visual merchandising. I had no idea was visual merchandising was until I saw a few YouTube videos. This specific post is about visual merchandising in fashion. Now to educate my audience on visual merchandising in fashion to my readers, I want to bring this to light and showcase what I've learned about fashion visual merchandising. You can thank me if you like if I somehow get you into fashion visual merchandising. ;)

A special hello to any of you who are into or working within the realm of fashion visual merchandising! Maybe I can do you proud with my blog post to my readers. Welcome to "John's Blog Space!"

NOTE: Everything here is based on my own understanding of this topic.

About the Label: "Careers"

The "Careers" label is a look at certain careers. A real positive I look to draw from this is to maybe get some people interested in certain careers. Everything is all based either on what I've learned or what I believe about certain fields people may be interested in. Regardless, I am hopeful to perhaps get people interested in certain careers if they find my posts inspiring. I don't expect people to be interested into certain fields when they visit my blog, but it would be nice to know I at least inspire people in some way.

--- Fashion Visual Merchandising at a Glance ---

Let's begin with an example of visual merchandising. It was this video where I felt like I learned the most about visual merchandising. This is a long video at nearly eight and a half minutes long. If you have the time, please take a look at this video:



I'm sure you female readers have been to the mall or to department stores and became attracted to items you see in the window. You see a cute outfit or some foxy shoes. Maybe you guys out there seen a cool suit or a nice casual outfit. No matter what the store- Hollister, Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, Pacsun, Hot Topic, Torrid, Saks Fifth Avenue, or whatever fashion store(s) you like- part of the attraction of these fashions is in how stores are arranged. Visual merchandising is the first step in drawing in visitors. The finest of fashions all mean nothing if you don't arrange a store properly to make the shopping experience fun.

The best way to set a store up with fashion is to arrange everything in a special way based on the clothes being sold. I've been to various stores with clothes nicely arranged. The character of a certain retailer can also help in its appeal. For example, I remember going to a Hollister store once. Since Hollister is marketed towards the teen and young adult set while also having beach/surf-influenced style, you can afford to be very casual with the clothes while still offering that beachy experience. What works for a Hollister store, however, won't work for a place like Neiman Marcus or Saks Fifth Avenue. You don't want an upscale and classy retailer to have something better suited towards teenagers than those with money to burn or serious window shoppers (no disrespect to my younger audience).

Whether it is clothes, shoes, accessories, or whatever; it is very important to showcase everything in an appealing manner. It has to be appealing while also being completely marketable. So is the job of a visual merchandiser.

Fashion Visual Merchandising, as I Understand It.

To the best of my understanding, visual merchandising is an element of fashion involving properly showcasing clothing to the masses. In other words, this is like housekeeping. You are trying to market fashion to consumers by nicely decorating and arranging a clothing store properly. Fashion consumers likely are attracted to the fashions featured at a store. However, no one will want to visit any fashion store if you fail to arrange it properly.

Fashion Visual Merchandising Analogy.

Think about it for a moment. No one wants to go a store or certain section of a store for any special reason if you don't properly promote it. Think about when a holiday or any other special occasion is celebrated. As of this blog post, Mother's Day goods are offered at stores. How, as a merchandiser, do you promote your Mother's Day goods to your target audience? A well-arranged layout will make the shopping experience fun. A haphazardly set up store looks sloppy and uninspired, and no one person will want to shop at a store or a location that is arranged in a sloppy manner.


Therefore, visual merchandising is a VERY important element to those who are trying to sell and/or promote goods to others.

--- Fashion Visual Merchandising Blog Example ---

I usually feature multiple blogs whenever going around the blogosphere. However, I will feature the only blogger I best know as a visual merchandiser. This is a blogger named Christina, and her blog is called "Heart Made." She studied Visual Merchandising in college. I want to share with you two examples of her visual merchandising work. Here is your inspiration:

• Visual Merchandising Windows - Part 1 - Heart Made « fashion example
• Visual Merchandising Windows - Part 2 - Heart Made « non-fashion example

You now have a little insight from a blogger on visual merchandising. To see more of Christina's posts, visit Heart Made.

--- Want to Get Started in Fashion Visual Merchandising? ---

Want to get started with visual merchandising? As I like to do in my blog, I want my readers to get the full experience. Let me offer you these resources so you can get started considering getting into visual merchandising. All resources listed below are primarily for my United States audience, and maybe even Canada too. If it is a non-American or non-Canadian resource, I will make note of it. So have a look around:

America and Canada.

• Merchandise Marketing - FIDM « FIDM = Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising
• The Art Institutes' Schools "fashion visual merchandising" search results « based on search results.
• Visual Merchandising - Career Profile - fashionschools.org
• LIM College
• Fashion Visual Merchandising Jobs - Job is Job « Fashion Visual Merchandising Jobs in Canada

International.

• Visual Merchandising - Fashion - Central Saint Martins (United Kingdom)
• Visual Merchandiser - Creative Way (United Kingdom)
• Master in Fashion Styling & Visual Merchandising - Domus Academy (Italy)
• Fashion Visual Merchandising training course in Milan (Italy)
• Professional course in fashion visual merchandising - Accademia del Lusso (Italy)
• Visual Inspirations Australia (Australia)
• Fashion Retailing, Marketing & Merchandising Part Time course - AIFD « AIFD = Australian Institute of Fashion Design (Australia)

Online/Other.

• Fashion Visual Merchandising | Fashion - acadenia.com


I hope I could spur your interest here. As always, more links could be added depending on if I can find some more resources for you all. Feel free to contact me with any more links if you can further assist my audience.





If any of you in fashion visual merchandising can offer any extra advice that may interest my readers, please be sure to contact me. I will update this post with more information in case this blog post becomes popular and useful. Thank you for reading!

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United Kingdom and Ireland Beauties

The United Kingdom and Ireland boasts some beauties worthy of being posted on John's Blog Space. I will try to feature some of the many in this Beauties-themed post. I regularly get hits from the United Kingdom, so I hope my UK readers can find some enjoyment in this post. This is a look at many different ladies born in this specific region.

BEFORE I BEGIN...

I'd like to send a special hello to those of you from the United Kingdom and Ireland. I hope I can showcase some of your lovely ladies in this post. This is the least I can do since I get so much support and views from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

I will update this blog post if there are pictures that I can not use. I don't have pictures for every featured personality, but I will do my best to keep my audience entertained with pictures I can actually use. Please let me know I can not use certain pictures for some of the people I will feature here, and I will find some other way to showcase the featured people here. All images were as a result of Google Image searches.

WARNING: This post features many YouTube videos. You may have some trouble viewing this blog post if on a slow connection.

About the Label: "UK and Ireland"

All topics relating to or about either/or the United Kingdom or Ireland are featured under this label. They may even partially involve topics relevant to being featured under this label.

--- United Kingdom and Ireland Beauties ---

While I do value my readers all around the United Kingdom, there are some who may feel sad that I may be neglecting certain parts of the United Kingdom. Like there are some people who are proud the UK is represented, but would feel better if the various individual nations of the UK are featured. So I broke this up into the different representative countries to spread the wealth (so to speak). Because I also value my readers from Ireland, I lovingly included Irish beauties. This is how my post will work:

• England - ladies born in and/or of British descent.
• Scotland - ladies born in and/or of Scottish descent.
• Wales - ladies born in and/or of Welsh descent.
• Northern Ireland - ladies born in and/or of Northern Ireland descent.
• Ireland - ladies born in and/or of Irish descent.
• UK Crown Dependencies - ladies born in or of descent; such as those from the Isle of Man, Jersey, or Guernsey among others.

The featured ladies may be fully of certain descent or of part descent from the nations represented in this post. So let's talk lovely ladies of the United Kingdom and Ireland! Please remember- you can visit official websites, fan pages, and other material if you click on the heading of each featured beauty.

One thing to note about my "Beauties" posts is that this is not a post featuring all of the various beauties. These are usually people I find off the top of my head or during searches. They are all whom I think are lovely. And often times, I do include others that I think people MAY appreciate I make mention to. Otherwise, these are all my own personal picks for lovely ladies of the blog post's category.

Some of these featured beauties have been covered in my blog before, so click on any blog post links I've included to read my blog post on certain ladies featured here.

--- United Kingdom Beauties: England ---

(THIS REGION: England)

I love all of my readers worldwide. One of the biggest regions regularly is the United Kingdom. One of the biggest countries? England. When I usually learn of people who visit my blog(or even my YouTube channel), I don't usually get that it's a certain country within the United Kingdom. It just comes out at United Kingdom. However, a good number of hits I get usually come from England. Most of the hits I usually see are usually from around either London or Manchester. Regardless, I love and respect all of you people from England. It's time I talk about some of the loveliest British ladies. Cheers, mates!

Leona Lewis.

Leona Lewis was the champion of the UK's X-Factor in 2006. Leona has a beautiful voice both singing and in speaking. She is an Afro-Guyanese singer born in Islington in London, England, United Kingdom. This (born: April 3, 1985)-year old has come up with great songs such as "Bleeding Love" from her debut album, "Spirit."

My blog post on Leona Lewis: "Leona Lewis" - John's Blog Space. And if you've never heard her sing, introduce yourself to Leona Lewis by listening to this song:

Layla Kayleigh.

^ from: recent-movies.com - The gorgeous Layla Kayleigh.

London is a lovely city, and one of its loveliest natives is Layla Kayleigh from South London. This (born: January 26, 1984)-year old first caught my eye during G4TV's coverage of E3 one year. A lovely face with gorgeous hair and a lovely voice made me fall head-over-heels in love with her. Her media work has mostly been as a reporter and as a correspondent. Layla Kayleigh was also the lovely lady who covered The Feed for G4TV's "Attack of the Show!" For the longest, I've wanted to do an individual blog post on her. Never found the time to do so (or at least make a quality post). So therefore, I am here to announce it- Layla Kayleigh is one lovely London lady. Here is a sample of her speaking:



Layla Kayleigh, ladies and gentlemen...

Kelly Osbourne.

^ from: www.stylenow.info - British beauty Kelly Osbourne.
If you are a regular watcher of "Fashion Police" on E!, you may have heard of Kelly Osbourne. I only know of Kelly Osbourne as the daughter of the great Ozzy Osbourne as well as in hearing a remix of "One Word" by her. She's from Westminster, England, UK.

Adele.

Adele is among my Plus Size Beauties. She was born in Tottenham, North London, England, United Kingdom; but her origin is from West Norwood, South London, England, United Kingdom. Her brand of music is primarily rather soulful and with passion. Adele is very loved by many people. While I'm not any crazy fan of hers, I do respect the (born: May 5, 1988)-year old. "Rolling in the Deep" remains my favorite song of hers... and really the only song I really like from her. Others enjoy some of her other songs, like "Someone Like You," "Set Fire to the Rain," and songs like that.

If you are on YouTube, you can check out Adele on YouTube through this VEVO channel: "AdeleVEVO" on YouTube.

Natasha Bedingfield.

She has a pocketful of sunshine. Today is where your book begins, and the rest is still unwritten. This lady can only be one (born: November 26, 1981)-year old Natasha Bedingfield from Sussex, England, United Kingdom. I personally love both "These Words" and "Pocketful of Sunshine" from Natasha Bedingfield. Have a listen to Natasha:

Melissa Peachey.

Melissa (or Mel) Peachey was a host of a former Game Show Network show called "PlayMania." PlayMania was a phone-in show whereas people called on their cell phones to play games to win cash. This British beauty was one of the hosts of the show along with Missouri native Shandi. This video below features her as the host of a game show similar to PlayMania in Scotland called Brain Box. Here is a look at Mel Peachey:

Kate Moss.

^ from: topnews.in - Kate Moss- perhaps the world's most famous muse.

Who into fashion HAS NOT heard of Kate Moss? The (born: January 16, 1978)-year old is perhaps one of the world's most famous models. She was born in Addiscombe, Croydon, London, England, UK. She has gone from a controversial sort of figure to a style icon. She was best coined as exhibiting "heroin chic" as well as even being caught doing cocaine. Look at this video to get a profile of Kate Moss and her style: "Fashion File: Kate Moss" - YouTube.

Vicki Butler-Henderson.

I was first introduced to the sweet and sultry Vicki Butler-Henderson back when Speed Channel shown episodes of "Fifth Gear." I have even seen Vicki cover pit reporting duties for ITV Sport for the British Touring Car Championship. Vicki has been racing in her past and still does a good bit of racing. She hails from Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom. Here is a sample of Vicki Butler-Henderson in a car as sexy as she is:



:D

Pippa Mann.

Do you know what makes my own picks different from others? I actually can talk about certain people based on fields and sports I am familiar with. One of those is motorsport. Among the many ladies I featured in my "Women in Motorsport" blog post, (born: August 11, 1983)-year old Pippa Mann is a beautiful British blonde who knows a thing or two about going fast. One of her best performances was when she led the most laps at an Indy Lights race at Kentucky in 2010 and ended up winning the race. She is immensely talented. Then again, can you expect anything less from a factory of racing talent like the United Kingdom?

If you're interested in seeing Pippa Mann talk about her win at Kentucky in Indy Lights long ago, I invite you to have a look at this video: "Pippa Mann Wins Kentucky" - YouTube

Katherine Legge.

As one of many of England's finest racing talent, Katherine Legge of Guillford, England, United Kingdom has loads of experience in single-seat formula cars as well as some DTM experience. The (born: July , 1980)-year old was someone I first heard of in the former Champ Car World Series. I think she is a very solid racer. I love Danica Patrick, but I have immense respect for Katherine Legge.

I think this video tells you everything you need to know about Katherine Legge:

Elizabeth Hurley.

Elizabeth Hurley (also known as Liz Hurley) is a lovely British actress. She hails from Basingstoke, Hampshire, England. Among her many roles has been in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" as well as "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" among others. The (born: June 10, 1965)-year old has been involved in many different arenas. Despite her age, she looks as fabulous as any much younger celebrity.

Sarah Brightman.

^ from: amazon.com - Sarah Brightman sings as beautifully as her looks.

One of the loveliest and most diversified singers is (born: August 14, 1960)-year old Sarah Brightman. Her music career spans a few decades, starting out in 1976 including many lovely soprano pieces. I am a fan of hers. I've had two of Sarah Brightman's CDs- "Time to Say Goodbye" and "La Luna." I absolutely love her "La Luna" CD much more than "Time to Say Goodbye." My favorite song of hers is "La Luna" from her 2001 CD. If you've never heard Sarah Brightman sing, I invite you to look around on YouTube or something to hear Sarah Brightman sing. Sarah Brightman hails from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England. She is a beauty both in looks and in singing.

Georgina Doull (Cupcake's Clothes).

The delightfully sweet fashion blogger Georgina Doull has a very lighthearted blog called "Cupcake's Clothes." This plus-sized British beauty is very creative with her fashion style. Many of her looks are very cute and charming. Georgina really has fun showcasing her looks and her outfits. I got exposure to her blog based on a post from my blogging friend, Principessa Gabriella. Besides fashion, she also takes part in making accessories through her Dolly Darling (formerly Dolly Mixx) line.

Charlotte Doull (Sugar and Spice).

Georgina's younger sister, Charlotte, is the creator of "Sugar and Spice." Charlotte Doull is every bit as beautiful as her older sister. The fashions aren't as fantasy-like as on "Cupcake's Clothes," but Charlotte does a great job showcasing very cute and girly fashions in her blog. Her contribution besides fashion is in her Pet Pawtraits, a collection of lovely pictures drawn by Charlotte featuring animals.

Queen Elizabeth II.

I believe this is the very first time I have featured a political leader in my "Beauties" posts. This is probably the best way to thank my readers from the United Kingdom than to offer my respects to Queen Elizabeth II. She was born in Mayfair, Greater London, England. She has reigned as Queen for over 60 years. Only Queen Victoria has reigned longer- 63 years.

Queen Elizabeth turned 86 back on April 21, 2012; so happy belated birthday to Queen Elizabeth II! Here is a video showcasing Queen Elizabeth II from her younger days to now:



More may be added in future edits, so if you enjoyed this post, I may feature a few more!





That concludes England, but I still have many more parts of the United Kingdom to mention! Also, I haven't even discussed Ireland yet! Nor have I mentioned the United Kingdom Crown Dependencies. I am including this Jump Break to improve the performance of this blog post for those who are not reading the blog's main page or some archived page. Are you reading the full blog post? You are NOT reading the full post if you see "Read More" below this paragraph. So click on "Read More" to continue your reading experience if you enjoyed this post! Or of course, disregard this paragraph if you are reading the full post.

--- United Kingdom Beauties: Scotland ---

(THIS REGION: Scotland)

How about I pay some respect to you Scottish folk? Here are some Scottish sweethearts I'd like to feature in this section...

Ashley Jensen.

^ from: www.dailymakeover.com - Scottish actress Ashley Jensen.

Christina on "Ugly Betty" is Scotland's Ashley Jensen. She is from Annan, Scotland. Her television and film resumé extends as far back as 1990. I became fond of Ashley Jensen in "Ugly Betty" as she played Christina. This is a beautiful blonde with plenty of acting talent.

Susie Stoddart (or Suzie Wolff).

Another British girl that knows how to go fast is (born: December , 1982)-year old Suzie Stoddart (now Suzie Wolff). She was born in Scotland. So I have her in the Scotland part of my blog post. She was born Suzie Wolff. Her racing resume ranges from single-seater races to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM). She was recently (as of April 2012) signed as a development driver for Williams F1.

Watch as Suzie pilots the beautiful Mercedes-Benz SLS GT3 and talks about her progression through racing: "Susie Stoddart tries the Mercedes SLS GT3" - YouTube.


I may have some more Scottish ladies I may want to feature in future edits. These will do for now.

--- United Kingdom Beauties: Wales ---

(THIS REGION: Wales)

Wales can be quite a beautiful place. I usually know Wales for their great rugby football. The only two cities I know of in Wales are Cardiff and Swansea (I know of Cardiff more than I do Swansea). Here are some Welsh ladies whose beauty are as hard-hitting as the Welsh national rugby team:

Charlotte Church.

Charlotte Church captivated audiences worldwide with her glorious singing voice as a teenager. This singing beauty was born Charlotte Maria Reed from Cardiff, Wales on February 21, 1986. She was marketed as having the "Voice of an Angel." She would later progressively change her music style from soprano to pop. One of the most transitional pieces was felt in her fourth album, Enchantment. Her pop debut came with her "Tissues and Issues" album in 2005. One constant has remained true ever since the world learned of her- Charlotte Church is one beautiful lady from Wales.

More thoughts on Charlotte Church can be seen in my blog post on her: "Charlotte Church" - John's Blog Space.

Sophie Moulds.

The winner of Miss Wales is one young (19 years old as of this initial post) Sophie Moulds. Many say her looks vastly resemble Kate Middleton. This beauty will be among many to contest for Miss World for 2012 in Mongolia. The young beauty from Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales stands 5'10" (177.8 cm) and beat out Theresa Ashley and Alice Ford (both from Cardiff) for the honor of Miss Wales.

See this link for more images of Sophie Moulds, and how much do you think she looks like Kate Middleton? See for yourself: "Sophie Moulds, Kate Middleton’s Look-A-Like, Crowned Miss Wales" - The Inquisitr

--- United Kingdom Beauties: Northern Ireland ---

(THIS REGION: Northern Ireland)

This one was tough. I had to basically look on Wikipedia to find certain ones to feature here.

Charlotte Coyle.

^ from: celebguru.com, by way of www.instablogsimages.com - Curvy Irish beauty Charlotte Coyle.

Born in 1982, Charlotte Coyle is a plus-size beauty from Derry, Northern Ireland. She is perhaps best known for her reality TV series called "Plus-Size Beauty Contest," dedicated to finding the most beautiful plus-size women in a pageant setting. You can learn more about this lovely lady by reading this page on www.judgmentofparis.com.

Nadine Coyle.

Representing the group Girls Aloud, Nadine Coyle is a (born: June 15, 1985)-year old beauty from Derry, Northern Ireland. She has both beauty and singing talent. How hot is Nadine Coyle? I think this music video says it all:



I can't find too many more to feature.

--- Irish Beauties ---

(THIS REGION: Ireland)

I don't know as much as I'd like to about Ireland, but I do know there are lovely places like Dublin, Limerick, Galway, and places like that in Ireland. Time to showcase some Irish beauties that are as beautiful as some of Ireland's many lovely locations. You ready?

Pearls, Lace, and Ruffles.

Here is a beautiful lady from Ireland with an eye for girly and vintage fashions. Dee is a lovely young fashion blogger. Her blog posts feature a handful of lovely looks of hers. Become enveloped in her beauty by visiting "Pearls, Lace, and Ruffles."

M.N.A.

M.N.A. is an Irish pop trio featuring three lovely ladies. From youngest to oldest, MNA consists of Shauna Buckingham, Shauna Kavanagh, and Jenny Bowden. All three are from Ireland. This is their song, "Flying" from Eurovision Ireland in 2009:

Maggie Flecknoe (Honorable Mention!).

While she was born in Aurora, Colorado, USA; Marguerite (better known as "Maggie" or nicknamed "Blondie") Flecknoe has some Irish heritage in her. Many people know Maggie for her voice overs as well as various anime roles. She is now popularly known for "Online Dish With Maggie" as part of the CW Networks' Eye Opener program. "Online Dish With Maggie" is all about Maggie expressing her opinions on certain interesting topics. Through it all, the native of Aurora, Colorado, USA delivers with sassy style and a voice that is both sultry and sweet at the same time.

I cover "Online Dish With Maggie" in more detail here: "Online Dish With Maggie" - John's Blog Space.

Ana Ortiz (Honorable Mention!).

Ana Ortiz is perhaps best known for her role as Hilda in Ugly Betty. The reason why she is featured here in the Irish section is because she has both Puerto Rican (father) and Irish-American (mother) heritage. Ana Ortiz was once a fledgling actress before finding real fame playing the saucy Hilda on Ugly Betty. In addition to being a great actress, she also has some great singing talent.

--- Beauties from U.K. Crown Dependencies ---

(THIS REGION: Isle of Man, [Bailiwick of] Jersey, Guernsey)

I will try to feature some ladies from the United Kingdom Crown Dependencies. This one will be tough, but I'll do my best. Remember that in regards to Jersey, I am talking about the Bailiwick of Jersey, not the state of New Jersey, not the Jersey Shore- I'm talking about the Bailiwick of Jersey.


I'm sorry I couldn't find a famous lovely lady from the Isle of Man. So I'll move on. My apologies to my readers from the Isle of Man. Maybe I'll replace this part with a Manx lady in the future. For now, let's move on.

Nerina Pallot.

Though born in London, Nerina Pallot's origin is from Jersey. She is a singer-songwriter representing the Bailiwick of Jersey. Meet Nerina Pallot now. Here is her in one of her songs, "Put Your Hands Up." Pretty good singing voice in my view:

Heather Watson.

Heather Watson is a tennis player whose origin is from the Bailiwick of Guernsey. This (born: May 19, 1992)-year old resides in Florida but was born in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey. There is a little South Pacific in Heather because her mother is a national of Papua New Guinea. Here is a look at the young Guernsey girl:



That's it.





Just so you know... I've done North America, South America, Africa, Asia, the South Pacific... and I hope to do a series of Beauties posts regarding continental Europe. If I do, then my beauties of continental Europe will be broken up into multiple sections. That's for if I eventually do beauties for Europe. Thank you for reading!

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When Colors Trend

(UPDATED: April 5, 2012)

Regardless of the latest clothing trends, colors themselves sometimes trend as easily the clothes they appear on or in. It doesn't take too much to sense when certain colors become trendy. Certain outfits and posts are noted more for certain colors rather than the clothes themselves. These color trends are not only restricted to color blocking. When it comes to fashion, color sometimes is as trendy (or more so) than certain fashion pieces themselves. This blog post is a brief one offering some thoughts on color trends as well as highlighting three trendy colors as of this blog post. I want to know how you feel about when colors trend, so please be sure to comment on this topic if it interests you.

--- When Colors Trend ---

There are lots of colors out there, and fashion designers usually dictate the pace of what is a trendy color. Some fashion shows basically have fashion items of a certain color. When the same sort of color appears on fashion runways or during a Fashion Week, it usually means it is a must-wear color for those who follow such shows and collections. For example, if one show features multiple designers with red as a common color, it means that more fashionable types will want to wear red items inspired by the certain fashion designs and collections. Multiple designers showcasing multiple shades of blue usually will note how trendy blue will be. Sometimes, even fashion bloggers try to generate trends.

Sometimes, it isn't so much about specific colors, but often times TYPES of colors. Pastel colors, for example, may become trendy during certain seasons or just overall. Neutral colors can also be trendy, as they are now.

I actually created this blog post based on how trendy coral, mint green, and aqua blue have become in the blogosphere. Almost as if I NEEDED to create a blog post to highlight on color trends. I swear I've seen a number of different posts where ladies have worn some sort of mint-colored items and accessories, for instance.

AN ADMITTANCE: I wanted to blog about neutral colors as part of my Fashion and Style series of posts. But because I don't KNOW about neutral colors much, I didn't blog about this topic. I don't blog about anything unless I want to know more about something or have enough understanding to post a quality post on something.

--- Color Trend Samples ---

Here are some recent color trends coupled with some examples. Some of these are the best ones I could find, so I may have to edit this post in case there are some images I can not use:


• Coral - sort of a pale, somewhat neutral pink color.

^ from: thisnext.com - Coral is like a medium of light pink and dark pink. It has become a VERY popular color as of late among fashionable types and fashion bloggers.


• Mint Green - a bold, popping green (almost blue) color that is a bit pale.

^ from: www.dailydoseoflies.com - Not only is mint green famous for clothing, it is also trendy for nail polish (among many other things). Another popular color of late.


• Aqua - a bright blue color midway between blue and green.

^ from: bryllupe.com (best I could find) - The blue alternative for mint is aqua. It has a bold, almost pastel-like hue to it. It can be a beautiful color ranging from a dark sky blue or a more teal-like blue.


Coral, mint, and aqua have become three of the trendiest colors of late. Those who try to go with these colors often try to incorporate them into their wardrobe by coming up with some nice outfits. A lot of fashion bloggers I follow sometimes go for certain colors or color types. Advance to the next section to get some examples of certain bloggers wearing certain trendy colors and trendy types of color.

--- Trendy Colors Across the Blogopshere ---

Want some examples of these colors? Here are some bloggers wearing the colors I mentioned above. I'll try to mention different blogs rather than show more than one post from the same blogger:

Of course, subscribe and follow these blogs if their work interests you.

• Coral Example: "OOTD: Its far from over" - Pearls, Lace, and Ruffles

• Mint Green Example: "THE MINT LONG DRESS WITH LACE - new at www.hauteandrebellious.com" - HAUTE AND REBELLIOUS

• Aqua Example: "Aqua Sensation." - Maytedoll

• Pastel Example: Fun with Fashion: Playing Dress Up! - Principessa Gabriella (Outfit 1)

• Neutral Example: "Flower Child" - Deconstruction (couldn't really find anything better)

And there you go. See how trendy certain colors can be?

Should You Focus on Color Trends?

By virtue of saying that colors are more important than most fashion items, you note that you mostly get a certain garment or fashion accessory just for its color. It is always best to find garments and styles that suit you best. Trendy colors usually come and go. It may be colors like Army Green or Navy Blue at one point, then the trendy color becomes something like brown or orange. So color trends are almost as much as any other fashion trend.

--- Final Thoughts on Color Trends ---

It is often times colors that can be more trendy than individual fashion pieces themselves. Just like any trend, color trends come and go. It is still best to simply find clothes, accessories, beauty products, etc. that suit you best regardless of its color. So don't just buy something of a certain color just to keep up with any trends.

Some items do become trendy and classic thanks in part to a certain color. One such example of late has been white jeans. Certain specific items often are trendy because of a certain unique color.

--- Cross-Promotion (not related to this topic) ---

This one is not specifically about any related posts, but rather some posts I think you should be interested in if you are a regular loyal "John's Blog Space" reader. I sometimes like showcasing other peoples' blogs in many of my other posts. Some posts of mine are especially about certain blogs I respect. Many of them are on the Blogger/Blogspot service. So please have a look at these blog posts to get to meet many more bloggers online:

"Fashion Blog Shout-Outs!" - John's Blog Space
^ Attention all JBS fans who love fashion... I've created a post like this to salute all of the different fashion blogs I am a fan of and/or regularly read. You are free to check out this massive blog post to get to see various blogs I am a fan of.

"General Blog Shout-Outs!" - John's Blog Space
^ This blog post highlights on many blogs of many categories that I am a fan of. Maybe you're visiting JBS for the first time and want to know what all I enjoy online.

"Meeting Other Bloggers" - John's Blog Space
^ Why should you meet other bloggers online? There are many reasons. You have a certain love of blogging. Why not meet other fellow bloggers who love to do what you do? Meet some new folks I've gotten to know recently (at the time of the post) in my post, "Meeting Other Bloggers."


Again- I appreciate it if you love my blog and my work. However, I want to also credit some of the many people here on Blogger/Blogspot who enjoy my work. That also includes a few blogs not on Blogger/Blogspot. So as much as you appreciate my material, please help support the various other blogs that I am fond of. You also get to meet many more bloggers if you enjoy blogging just by looking at favorites I've posted. And just like any other blog post, I will be sure to update these posts regularly if need be.





What do you think about certain colors or certain types of colors trending in fashion? Thank you for reading!

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TOMS

TOMS shoes have become popular for two reasons- the shoes themselves and the fact that purchases of these shoes will help provide shoes for children in need. This sort of ethical chic has made these shoes trendy. Usually, TOMS shoes have become the new "it" shoes for the casual set, especially their slip-on espadrilles. These shoes usually either are seen in canvas or in glittery designs. Either way, these casual shoes have become trendy. These shoes are for both males and females, both young and old. TOMS also makes T-shirts and sunglasses among other things.





In case you don't know what TOMS shoes are like, here are some of the ever-popular TOMS:


^ from: amazon.com (best I could find) - TOMS' quote: "One pair sold = one pair donated." This Santa Monica, CA, USA-based company is all about providing shoes for needy children. All it takes is a purchase of one of their shoes.

A lot of people, however, think TOMS are incredibly ugly with truly no sense of style. There are those who would think of TOMS as the warm-weather alternative to sheepskin boots. Some people may even question if efforts are TRULY going to children most in need of shoes. You know you have a crowd that buys into one's practices, and then you have the crowd questions one's practices. I want to believe that these shoes have caught on mostly due in part to the ethical side of these shoes. You're buying a pair of TOMS to help out others who could use a pair of shoes. You aren't giving people in need a pair of designer shoes, but you are providing shoes for the less fortunate to wear. Any sort of benevolence is always in style all year long.

A TOMS Rival?

Skechers' answer to TOMS is called BOBS. These shoes are similarly styled to TOMS but share the same purpose- giving shoes to children in need. A link to BOBS will be provided later in this post if you want to learn more about BOBS.

What Do I Think About TOMS Shoes?

From a fashion perspective, I think TOMS shoes are the successor to VANS slip-on sneakers or the ubiquitous Converses. From an ethical perspective, there is one thing that will NEVER go out of style- benevolence. Knowing your money is going towards helping someone in need is always a great feeling. I am not going to go question others' practices or anything. I am not that kind of person. I am very sure that if I were to buy a pair of TOMS, that I think my purchase would go towards helping a child most in need of some shoes.

These shoes are just the latest of the comfortable and casual shoes. So whether you think these are horridly ugly or stylish, (at least from TOMS) the most important thing is that you are getting these shoes to help children in need of shoes.

--- Resources and Links ---

Here are various resources and links for you on this topic;

• TOMS official website can be found here: www.toms.com.

• To get an idea of what TOMS is trying to accomplish, there is a campaign online called One Day Without Shoes. My vast feminine audience certainly wouldn't want to imagine a day without shoes (especially girls who love shoes). However, imagine if we didn't have any shoes to wear. Learn more by having a look at this website: One Day Without Shoes.

• I mentioned Skechers' BOBS. If you want to learn more about the BOBS collection from Skechers, please have a look at this site: BOBS Shoes by Skechers.


I may provide more material if I decide to edit this with new information. But for now, have a look at these links.

--- Cross-Promotion/Other Readings ---

These are some blog posts of mine that may interest you based on some of the topics discussed here. Have a look at these posts (as well as comment if you choose to) and see what all else I have blogged about similar to this topic:

• "Espadrilles" - John's Blog Space
The popular TOMS shoes are essentially slip-on espadrilles. This post of mine talks about espadrilles in general.

• "Eco-Friendly Fashion" - John's Blog Space
TOMS shoes are environmentally-friendly. A long time ago, I blogged about eco-friendly fashions, including various vegan shoes and more. This blog post called "Eco-Friendly Fashion" is a discussion of environmentally-friendly fashion. Why look stylish at the expense of harming the environment?


These are really the two real blog posts really with relevance to this topic.





You can visit www.toms.com to learn more about TOMS. If you don't mind shopping for some TOMS, I'd like for you to look at these TOMS shoes below. I would appreciate your business and kindness if you were to support my work in this way. Consider this my way of thanking you for reading my blog post:

• TOMS Shoes on Amazon

So have a look around on Amazon.





What do you think about TOMS and what all they are trying to accomplish? Please be sure to share your ideas here. Thank you for reading!

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High-Low Skirts and Dresses

(UPDATED: May 17, 2012)

The high-low (or mullet) skirt and dress have become quite popular these days. It is a hark back to vintage glamour with the arrival of these skirts and dresses. They combine the appeal of a short skirt/dress and the elegance of a longer skirt/dress. While there are other high-low garments and designs, the focus in this blog post is only on high-low/mullet skirts and dresses.

This is not a fashion blog, but I do discuss fashion from time to time. Welcome to [I'm hoping] one of your new favorite blogs- John's Blog Space- a personal blog about anything and everything that crosses my mind and can make a semi-decent post about!

NOTE: While they are sometimes called "mullet skirts" and "mullet dresses," I will refer to them mostly as high-low skirts.

LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

MAY 17 2012 - added another inspiration

--- High-Low Skirts and Dresses ---

So what kind of skirts and dresses are we looking at? Here are some pictures:


^ from: tags.com - A high-low/mullet skirt. Take note of how the skirt is high up in front but long in the back. It's one of the latest trends in skirts and dresses.


^ from: buzzworthy.mtv.com (best I could find) - This high-low/mullet dress demonstrates the elegant appeal a high-low/mullet skirt can provide, especially to a formal dress like this one.

The reason why they are often called "mullet" skirts/dresses goes to the deal of "business up front, party in the back." Well with high-low skirts/dresses, it's more like "hot up front, elegant in the back." These are sort of skirts and dresses for females who can't decide on wearing a short skirt or a long skirt (not necessarily maxi length). High-low dresses can be both playful and elegant at the same time. Some of these can be short skirts that have long ends; or they may even be short skirts and dresses with a somewhat longer end to them, essentially a short skirt that remains short- just with a long back to them. Some high-low/mullet skirts and dresses can be long (below the knees) and with a slightly longer back to them. No matter what, the high-low/mullet skirt or dress is designed to have a high front with a low back. These touches can be either comfortable or elegant depending on the skirt/dress and how they are styled.

Shoes to Wear With High-Low/Mullet Skirts and Dresses.

I personally find most high-low/mullet skirts and dresses to be elegant. Therefore, I am not as fond of seeing them paired with sneakers or tall lace-up boots. Even flip-flop/thong sandals are fine with these skirts and dresses. There are still a good number of females who may still wear sneakers with these shoes.

But to me, platform wedge sandals and various kinds of high-heel pumps go best with these skirts and dresses.

--- High-Low Skirts/Dresses Around the Blogosphere ---

Want to see some ladies sport their high-low skirts and high-low dresses? If so, you are invited to have a look at these outfit posts from various other bloggers. You have my approval to Follow their respective blogs if you enjoy their outfit posts. These are only a few recent examples from a variety of fashion bloggers. So have a look at these to see the bloggers sport this look. I'll take you to three different parts of the world with these three inspirations:

High-Low Inspiration: Maytedoll.

Maytedoll is a blog created by the beautiful Mexican Mayte. Mayte is a beautiful lady, and she wears a beautiful high-low skirt here: "Aqua Colors." - Maytedoll.

High-Low Inspiration: Trendsurvivor How To ...

Meet Nina. This Greek fashionista has many different ways for her to showcase her style to all of you. Nina goes high-low with a floral high-low skirt in "My Lookbook : How I wore my high/low floral skirt?" - Trendsurvivor How To ....

High-Low Inspiration: .a little princess..

This Indonesian princess wears a cute black high-low skirt along with some golden sandals "under the sun" - .a little princess.. In a later post, Veren Lee went with a different style of shoes to go with a very elegant high-low skirt. See for yourself: "Another Asymmetrical & GIVEAWAY WINNER" - .a little princess..

High-Low Inspiration: HAUTE AND REBELLIOUS.

A recent blog I encountered was a from a beautiful lady named Maria de la Cruz. She was born in Panama. This petite Panamanian princess showcases some high-low style in one specific blog post. Here is a change of pace- a high-low dress worn by Maria. See how else she styles her high-low dress by looking at this blog post: HIGH LOW CHIFFON DRESS new at www.hauteandrebellious.com - HAUTE AND REBELLIOUS.

High-Low Inspiration: Song of Style.

Aimee (pronounced "Aw-Meeh") Song goes high-low for you with her outfit. While her denim jean jacket provides some toughness, this lady knows style like the back of her hand. See how flirty and appealing a high-low/mullet dress can be as Aimee Song walks with confidence in this blog post: "The Art of High and Low" - Song of Style.

High-Low Inspiration: keiko lynn.

(ADDED: March 14, 2012) Keiko Lynn may just be one of the most fabulous bloggers on the Internet. She went high-low (and a bit edgy) pairing a high-low/mullet dress with a leather jacket. How do you think Keiko Lynn showcase her high-low/mullet style in this post: "rock ballad" - keiko lynn?

High-Low Inspiration: Principessa Gabriella.

(ADDED: May 12, 2012)
Here are two high-low garments from Principessa Gabriella. First off, Gabriella would gladly tell you that there is only one way a girl celebrates her birthday- in style! This is the kind of dress that's lovely to wear when celebrating a birthday: "2 Birthday Dresses! Polka-dotted and High-low Dresses!" - Principessa Gabriella. A recent post of hers features her in a high-low skirt. Take a look as Gabriella blossoms beautifull with this floral high-low skirt: "Casual and Party Outfits! and Haircut!" - Principessa Gabriella.

High-Low Inspiration: Little Petite.

(ADDED: May 17, 2012)
Don't think petites can wear high-low skirts or dresses and look fabulous? Say hello to Adriana. The Californian shows you her high-low style with this beautiful high-low dress. This colorful dress she wears is complimented with a lovely pair of shoes. Adriana allures with this look: High-Low minty dress - Little Petite.

High-Low Inspiration: AMIClubWear (YouTube).

(ADDED: April 5, 2012)
Here is a style report from YouTube featuring High-Low/Mullet skirts and dresses. Check out the YouTube video to get some video insight on the high-low/mullet look: "Hot, High and Low Hemlines" - YouTube.


Do you want to be featured in my blog for any of my posts regarding fashion? If you have a look relevant to the blog's topic, feel free to Contact Me via E-Mail, type on my Facebook Fan Page's Wall, or contact me on Twitter. I will link to your post on your blog if I like what I see. And this goes for ANY of my blog posts where I feature bloggers.

--- The High-Low Skirt/Dress: My Thoughts ---

I think these skirts and dresses can be quite lovely. The front has to tease a bit while the rear offers a bit of elegance and modesty. Styled right, the beauty of these skirts and dresses can be vastly exaggerated. These high-low skirts and dresses can be very modest, especially from the rear. A discomforting element of some shorter skirts and dresses is in not letting the rear view provide such a discomforting view.

In essence, a high-low skirt or dress offers up the playful short skirt but with the coverage and modesty in the rear. The most flattering designs and the softest fabrics can make these skirts and dresses truly beautiful and fun to wear. They have been dressed up with some chic shoes and sandals, and they have certainly been dressed down with sneakers and combat boots. Personally, I think most high-low/mullet skirts and dresses are too elegant to be worn with sneakers or any sort of lace-up boots. That's just me, though. However you style a high-low/mullet skirt or dress, you're wearing a very feminine and very stylish skirt/dress that's really become trendy lately. How will YOU rock the high-low/mullet skirt/dress?

I like these to be honest.


ADDED: March 15, 2012)
If you want to look for some high-low/mullet skirts and dresses I've found on Amazon for you, visit my complimentary "John's Shop Space" blog post on high-low/mullet skirts and dresses:

"High-Low/Mullet Skirts and Dresses" - John's Shop Space

Again, if you're interested in shopping for items based on posts of mine (including some exclusive content), please visit "John's Shop Space." Support my work if you love what I do and what I bring to the Internet.





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Beach and Surf Fashions

(UPDATED: March 28, 2012)

Even if you don't live in a coastal area, there are lots of people who like dressing in beach-inspired and surf-inspired fashions. There was a time in the mid-2000s when surf-inspired fashions was trendy. Beachy fashion styles make up the basis for this blog post. Even if you don't live near water or a beach, you can still have beach-inspired and surf-inspired fashions as part of your wardrobe. This blog post takes a look at beach and surf inspired fashions. As the weather warms up here in the United States, it won't be too long before Spring/Summer fashions take form.

BEFORE I BEGIN...
You may have noticed that John's Blog Space looks a little different. I am actually working on trying to make this blog nicer-looking and more elegant. I will be making a number of changes to this blog that may eventually lead to an updated layout. So enjoy your time here and don't forget to Subscribe and Follow if you haven't already!

LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

MAR 28 2012 - made multiple edits, added more content, added another blog post (Cross-Promotion and Other Readings)

--- Beachwear-Inspired Fashions at a Glance ---

There is no way to beat the heat than with various fashions catered towards a day at the beach. Some who fancy warm weather lovingly are ready to break out the shorts and the flip-flop/thong sandals to embrace warm weather. It is understandable considering those who love wearing shorts and sandals.

A look at beachwear fashion influence:


Let's move on now.

--- Common Beachy Fashions ---

Here is a look at some of the many different popular garments for warm weather. Some of these pictures are the best ones I could find to represent each section, so I will need to find other pictures if I am disallowed to use them.

Shorts (Short).

^ from: www.polyvore.com - Short-shorts provide the perfect opportunity to bare legs and feel comfy on a warm day. These specific girly shorts are the "Sweetheart" shorts from Sound and Matter, famous for its heart-shaped back pockets.


^ from blog.swell.com - Whether heading out to the beach, water, or going surfing, boardshorts are great to wear on your beach-going adventures.

If there's one reason to enjoy warm weather, it's seeing short shorts being worn. Short shorts are usually a tell-tale sign of warm weather. Girls (using this term loosely) often will wear either denim short shorts or some non-denim short-shorts on warm days. Because I've gotten tired of denim jean short-shorts, I've liked certain non-jean shorts. Immediate attention-grabbing short-shorts are shorts with flap pockets either of a cotton blend or of linen. Some females who have a cute bikini bottom usually wear short-shorts as a coverup. Even if the beach (or some other water recreational locale) isn't your destination, a girl just wants to look hot on a hot day by wearing a cute pair of short shorts.

The usual sort of footwear to accompany short shorts are usually flip-flop/thong sandals. They are primarily simple and easy to wear. I have actually never disliked these sandals even as more people started to wear them. That is, unless these sandals are worn as a lazy fashion choice when a better kind of shoes or sandals could be worn instead. Short shorts can also be paired with ballet flats in regards to beachy fashion. A combination that has grown on me is wearing short shorts with boat/deck shoes. Short shorts can be pretty cute when worn with boat/deck shoes. And since we're talking about beach-inspired fashion, it is pretty cool to know you're wearing some shoes that are just fine in case you have a boat party or something. The most popular boat shoes are, of course, from Sperry Top-Sider.

Shorts (Long).

^ from: kaboodle.com - Long shorts can be just as comfortable and wearable on warm days. These are fashionable for both males and females.

I've personally not really been into Bermuda shorts, but long shorts are often a great alternative for those who can't sport the short shorts. Any shorts that extend to mid-thigh or past mid-thigh are what I will consider long shorts. Men's boardshorts are obviously long length. There are also stylish long shorts appropriate for warm weather for females. Those who wear longer shorts usually sport some flip-flop/thong sandals to go with them. Or, they may wear some sneakers or some Converses.

Summery Dresses.

^ from: fashionbasha.com - Dresses for the beach can either be short or long. Some even serve as coverups for your swimwear.

Some dresses openly embrace warm weather. These dresses may even be worn as coverups for when you're ready to head to the beach. At least you know you can head to the beach in style. Stylish dresses for the beach can either be short or long.


^ from: asos.com - Don't prefer a traditional dress? Try a romper/playsuit dress.

In addition to short shorts, rompers/playsuits also make good shorts to wear for those warm days. Some rompers/playsuits serve as coverups for the beach. These one-piece shorts are just as fun to wear as any traditional pair of shorts. Rompers/Playsuits serve as shorts alternatives to dresses.

Hats for the Beach.

^ from: bestontop.com - A big floppy hat! Such hats can even help protect your head and neck from damaging sun rays.

Bucket hats, floppy hats, all of which help your head cool (while looking cool) out and about. It is best to have a hat to help protect you from damaging sun rays. Some hats are even recommended by doctors to shield your head and neck from sun rays. On females, I think nothing is cuter than a big floppy hat. There is just something (to me) about a girl who wears a cute floppy hat while looking great.

Sunglasses.

^ from: www.backcountry.com - Protect those eyes in style with sunglasses. You look cool with them too! :)

Sunglasses (or "sunnies" as some fashion bloggers call them) provide protection for your eyes on bright days out in the sun. Of recent times, sunglasses with huge lenses have become trendy. These include your aviator sunglasses as well as your Jackie-O sunglasses. It is always best to have the most functional sunglasses to suit your needs. If you want to just look cool/cute with a certain pair of novelty sunglasses, that's cool too. :)


And of course...

Flip-Flop/Thong Sandals.

^ from: yourstylefashion.com - Many fashionable types think flip-flop/thong sandals are ONLY for the beach and not for casual outfits.

Some people basically live in flip-flop/thong sandals. They are simple and inexpensive (most of them) to wear. I have actually never hated flip-flop/thong sandals. Many others, however, dislike them since you see them so often. They even come in varieties ranging from flat flip-flop/thong sandals, to platforms, to wedges, and even platform wedge flip-flop/thong sandals. They come in many varieties and styles. These sandals are comfortable for both males and females. I think they are cute on girls in showing off their feet and toes in a stylishly inexpensive pair of sandals. They come in many varieties. If the traditional flip-flop/thong sandal isn't your spot of tea, gladiator thongs and thong booties are interesting alternatives. Some of the most common flip-flop/thong sandals you will see are from Old Navy or Havaianas.


There are your comfy and cool warm weather fashions.

--- Beach/Surf Brands ---

You now have a basic look at beach and surf fashions. Ready for the real deal? You may visit the following websites to seek fashions from brands and retailers that specialize in beach and surf fashions. While this post is not about this topic, some of these brands and retailers also make and offer fashions for those of you into Winter sports (like skiing and snowboarding). Click on the links in the headings to visit the official websites. Some of these links may also offer international shipping and even international links (in case you want to shop for clothing from these companies).

PLEASE NOTE: I am not paid anything by anyone to discuss these companies the way that I am in this section.

Hollister Surf Co..

Hollister is perhaps the most popular beach/surf-inspired clothing company in the United States (and perhaps the world as well). They make fashions for young men and young women (or Dudes and Bettys as they call them). The familiar seagull is almost unmistakable in knowing just who makes the clothing.

Interesting facts...

• Hollister, California, USA is completely landlocked even though Hollister Company specializes in surf and beach fashions.

• I've been in Hollister stores before. The "Surf City, USA" live view is the view from Huntington Beach, California, USA. The Surf City in the camera view shouldn't be confused with Surf City, North Carolina, USA.

Abercrombie and Fitch.

The principal rivals of Hollister are that of Abercrombie and Fitch. Unlike Hollister, Abercrombie and Fitch offer fashions for kids, in addition to adult males and adult females.

ROXY.

ROXY is a feminine-exclusive clothing line for Girls, Juniors, and Women. Their fashions are fun even for when the beach doesn't come calling. They've been providing quality fashions since 1990.

Billabong.

Billabong provides surf fashions for males and females in addition to fashions for skating and snow fashion. They are also very involved in sponsoring events on the ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) World Tour, as they sponsor a number of events on the Billabong Pro Tour.

Hurley.

Hurley features fashions for both males and females, and even includes a line just for boys.

Volcom.

Volcom (Alternative Link)

Since March 1991, Volcom has been providing quality fashions for snowboarders and skateboarders. Their concept is "Youth Against Establishment." Their fashions are as unique as the philosophies and principles they fall on.

Rip Curl.

Rip Curl calls themselves as "The Ultimate Surfing Company." Their clothing line pertains to a broad spectrum for kids and adults. They even have accessories and wetsuits for the hardcore surfers.

O'Neill.

If you visit the O'Neill website, you'll know that they are celebrating over 60 years of innovation. Their lineup includes various swimwear as well as Winter wear (for you snowboarders). Items offered by this company are for both adults as well as kids.

QUIKSILVER.

QUIKSILVER has everything from surf and snow fashions for adults and kids. They even have a lot of accessories for people and for home. It's all about the surf and snow lifestyle with QUIKSILVER.

Ocean Pacific.

The Wal-Mart exclusive Ocean Pacific brand has been around since 1972. Based in Irvine, California, USA; OP Apparel Corporation makes stylish casual clothes for young males, and they make fun and cute fashions for Juniors. These fashions range from everyday wear to beachwear. So there's something for everyone for teenagers on up. You can find these affordable OP fashions at Wal-Mart stores and online.

Pacsun.

A retailer of surfing fashion, Pacsun provides comfortable and fun fashions for males and females.


More brands may be featured in future edits.

--- Cross-Promotion and Other Reading ---

More reading and related reading for your pleasure are offered in this section.

• "Swimsuits" - John's Blog Space
^ Heading to the beach? If so, why not take a look at swimsuits with my blog post on swimsuits?

• "Short Shorts" - John's Blog Space
^ This blog post of mine is all about short-shorts. If you like 'em short, this is your post.

• "Boat/Deck Shoes" - John's Blog Space
^ (ADDED: March 28, 2012) Boat shoes (also called deck shoes) are very preppy unisex shoes. I mentioned these kinds of shoes when talking about short-shorts. Read my blog post on boat/deck shoes to learn more about them and to see them being worn.

• "Rompers/Playsuits" - John's Blog Space
^ Shorts can be fun to wear- even one-piece shorts. There are rompers/playsuits that serve as the covered alternative to dresses.

• "Sunglasses" - John's Blog Space
^ An old post about sunglasses can be read here. I actually considered deleting this post and making a new one, but I am keeping it here for now. Posts regarding certain shoes or accessories don't seem to generate too many views seems like.

• "Floppy Hats" - John's Blog Space
^ If you find floppy hats to be fun and stylish, this is my blog post talking about floppy hats.

• "Flip-Flop/Thong Sandals - Cute or Lazy?" - John's Blog Space
In this blog post, I've debated whether or not flip-flop/thong sandals are cute to wear... or lazy to wear. Some think these sandals are only meant for the beach and not for outfits around town. Have a look and share your mind with this post.

• "Surfing" - John's Blog Space
^ This blog post is all about surfing. Have a look at some of the many different things that make surfing so fun to watch and take part in.

• tiny sailor
This section highlights on the only fashion blog I follow that is very much into the beach culture. She's the beachy fashion diva with a lovely sense of style. Her name is Niki, and her blog is "tiny sailor." It is full of beachy and vintage fashions and even includes some inspirational fashion posts. Visit her blog and take a look at her many styles.


I may set something up for John's Shop Space in case you're interested in shopping for fashions based on this topic. I still, however, need to work on that blog and make it updated. Thank you for reading!

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