She’s No Fad Hatter
“I look at fashion from a technician’s viewpoint,†says designer Laurel Fenenga. “It’s all very practical.†The Oakland milliner’s hats are certainly functional--fashionable too, whether she likes to admit it. She considers it “rude to do something that could only be worn for a year or two.†What’s more, the hats travel well. She innovated the now widely imitated collapsible straws eight years ago. In addition to wool, her romantic chapeaus this season come in hand-dyed velveteen with silk details.
Eye Care
Cold chamomile tea bags on tired eyes have long been a beauty tip to eliminate puffy, post-party peepers. Much like aloe vera, chamomile can sooth and smooth the skin and reduce inflammation. With a skin care product line based on this flower, CamoCare uses a strain with the highest concentration of levomenol--the repairing agent. The extraction process is patented, says spokesman Edward Gully, making its Under Eye Therapy among the most effective of such products available. “It’s a natural alternative,†he says, to other brands. It’s sold at health food stores, such as GNC (at $24 for 0.5 ounces). With natural hyaluronic acid, it also helps eliminate fine lines, he adds.
Science as Art
Initially, Irwin Sternberg, president of neckwear label Stonehenge Ltd., admits thinking that using atoms as tie art “was a little too hokey.†But as the maker of Deadhead Jerry Garcia’s art ties, Sternberg decided to take a chance. Research scientist Michael Davidson used a microscope, camera and optically polarized light to capture the molecular structure of vitamins such as C and folic acid. Each hang tag features statistics about the vitamin. “We can take anything, crystallize it and make a fashion statement,†he adds. Proceeds from the silk ties (about $25 to $30) benefit the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Fla.
Don’t Follow Mrs. Trump
Brides are taking an untraditional approach to their weddings in ‘94, reflecting current aversion to the excess of the ‘80s, says Millie Martini Bratten, executive editor at Bride’s magazine. She says gowns are still romantic, but there’s a modern ease to shapes and fabrics, fashioned after evening wear. Passe are flashy details such as sequins. Also out is the bridesmaid’s curse--hard-to-wear-again dresses. “Cocktail party-inspired dresses and slim sheaths are getting very popular. Dark colors, rather than pastels, make them easier to wear again,†she adds.
