Capri pants are many things all at once: chic, sexy, fashionable and comfortable. The basic Capri style, attributed to Sonja de Lennart has not changed much, but how and where we wear our Capris has, thanks to Audrey Hepburn, Mary Tyler Moore, Stockard Channing and Uma Thurman.

European fashion designer Sonja de Lennart debuted her Capri Collection in 1945, and it included skirts, pants and blouses. Three years later she modified the Capri pants to make them tighter, and in turn sexier. She shortened the pants to the familiar three-quarter length, just below the knee that is common today. The original version even had the small slit up the outside of the material.

Fashion and film icon Audrey Hepburn breezed around in a pair of Capri pants with ballet flats in the 1954 movie Sabrina. More than five decades later, Capris paired with ballerina flats still work. The style was popular as resort wear in the 1950s, although the pants continued to evoke sex appeal on screen.

American women traded in their skirts for Capris in the mid-1960s thanks in no small part to Mary Tyler Moore. As Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show, Moore was given credit by Time Magazine for having made Capri pants “the biggest trend in U.S. casual attire,” while at the same time the sponsors of the TV show reported that American women were not thrilled by the site of Mary Tyler Moore in the skin-tight pants.

Capris were the pants of choice for top Pink Lady Rizzo in 1978’s Grease starring Olivia Newton John and John Travolta. Stockard Channing’s signature look included her Pink Ladies coat with black Capri pants.

The Capri pants also caused a sensation when Uma Thurman wore them in the dark Quentin Tarantino film, Pulp Fiction, in 1994.

Today’s Capri pants can be worn in the office, on holiday or for exercise . This style of pants is ideal for showing off the latest sandals, flats or wedged shoes of your collection.

Sources

Cotton, Inc., http://www.cottoninc.com
Sonja de Lennart, http://www.sonjadelennart.com/gallery.html
Laura Petrie’s Capri Pants, http://www.tvacres.com/clothing_pants_laurapetrie.htm

Dressing stylishly is about much more than the perfect pair of jeans, although that’s a great place to start. It’s about putting the right pieces together to make a great outfit that can go from one setting to another with only a couple of changes, and the right accessories.

Let’s start with shopping and lunch with your girlfriends. These great jeans are 7 for All Mankind high waist boot cut jeans in a stretch denim with dark wash, designed to flatter your figure, and to be fashion forward while making a nod to fashion’s past. Top it with this chic tie neck A-line top in a dark sapphire from BCB Generation.

Add a funky jacket like this Gaultier in off-white that curves in to the waist and flares out to the bottom back. The double floret button front adds to its appeal, as do the puffed sleeves. Yes, it’s shorter than the top – that’s OK. The perfect day shoes are ankle boots from Charlie One Horse by Lucchese with a cushioned insole and a two and a half inch heel. Make this outfit really pop with this Damascus Satchel in a spring-time violet, with enough room for wallet, shades, and even a bottle of water.

To change this outfit for an evening out with your significant other, just switch to a Robert Rodriguez jacket in Carbon, with a two button closure and shawl collar that lets the lovely neckline of your top be seen. The three-quarter inch sleeves are accented with double buttons for an extra touch of style. Change your shoes for evening to a pair of sexy gladiator sandals from Promiscuous, in black patent. The final touch? These feminine and oh-so-sexy marcasite and pearl drop earrings from Judith Jack. Keep the satchel because it adds that touch of brightness that gets you noticed.

Styling it is not that hard, you just need the right pieces with great accessories, and you too can be runway ready!

Fickle celebrity hearts are fluttering this week with break-ups, make-ups and the inevitable cheating heart. Last week, reality TV star Jon Gosselin was accused of cheating on Kate, his wife and mother of his eight kids. According to People magazine, he was quick to deny these accusations, claiming that mystery woman Deanna Hummel is just a “female friend.” It seemed like the accusations of infidelity might be put to rest, but alas – it seems like Jon may have been less than honest. New pictures and video have emerged online, including one picture of Ms. Hummel sunbathing in a bikini on his lawn while Kate was away. The most damning evidence, however, is a video taken of Jon apparently leaving Ms. Hummel’s house around 7:00 a.m. The strangest thing yet? While everyone else, including Jon, Ms. Hummel, her brother and his friends, have spoken out about the “affair,” Kate Gosselin has yet to say a word. Now, if he weren’t cheating, wouldn’t she want to clear her husband’s name?

The world’s most famous on-again, off-again lover Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson, seem to be on again (at least for the time being). Although she’s been seen spending the night at her (ex?)girlfriend’s house, neighbors say they scream at each other almost non-stop, according to the Daily Mail. I could be wrong, but it seems yet another break-up is in the works for LiLo and her DJ gal pal.

Poor Elizabeth Edwards appeared on The Oprah Winfrey show this week to talk about her husband John Edwards highly-publicized affair. According to People magazine, Elizabeth, who threw up when first confronted with the news of her husband’s affair, is still trying to make it work. This is due in large part to John Edwards support as Elizabeth battles cancer . However, when Oprah asked her if she still loved her husband, her answer was less than clear. “You know, that’s a complicated question.”

Did you ever wonder why seemingly-happy couple Lance Armstrong and Sheryl Crowe split? Turns out, it was just a matter of timing. In a new book, Lance opens up about their relationship, claiming it was not unhappiness but her biological clock which caused the split right around her 44th birthday. “She wanted marriage; she wanted children; and not that I didn’t want that, but I didn’t want that at that time because I’d just gotten out of a marriage, I’d just had kids.” It’s good to see that at least one Hollywood couple parted on good terms.

Coverups, loose flowy dresses and long bandeau-style gowns are the top picks from the fashion front this Spring, so now is the time to stock up on the bold and bright prints and hues of the season and undergo your very own seasonal makeover. This season’s top trends in the dress department include oversized floral designs, frock-style sundresses and splashes of color from the tropics. Whether you’re a strapless dress loving diva or just want to show off your tan in a minidress, here are some of your best picks in dresses this Spring:

Gauzy Sundress
Leave it to Tommy Bahama to lead the way in one of the coolest looks of the season; the semi-sheer Burned Out Dress is the perfect swim cover-up or the dress you can lounge in when you’re off on a cruise. It’s designed with a burnout weave and leafy print gauze pattern, and the loose fit and lightweight material make it a great match for almost all body types.

Strapless Denim Dress
Yes, you can get away with denim this Spring, so long as it’s part of a dress. Lightweight denim cut with a tube-top style bandeau or ruching across the chest is the perfect spring/summer ensemble for those carefree days of shopping sprees, relaxing on the beach or just for enjoying a few cocktails on the patio. It’s easily paired with superwedge heels or espadrilles; the perfect summer look!

The Bandeau Maxi Dress
Maxi dresses are back for yet another year, and this is the season to deck yourself out in bold, tropical hues. The maxi dress is suitable for almost all body types and the more flowing fabric, the better. Get yours in a vibrant turquoise, green, orange and purple combo to be the ultimate showstopping ensemble.

The Halter Ruffled Dress
The halter dress designed with a tier of ruffles is the ultra-feminine look of the season, and a great way to make a fashion statement at the next social get-together. Just pin up your hair in a chic bob or updo and enjoy life in the glamorous lane!

The Classic Jersey Dress
A simple, chic jersey dress will keep you looking sharp on those weekend errands and is a great piece to throw into your weekend travel bag. Comfortable, soft and oh-so-versatile, this one’s a must for your spring and summer ensemble.

One of the hottest looks on the fashion runways for this summer was the classic black and white look. The black and white combination has been a classic look for quite some time, but it was seen all over the runways for summer 2009. It is one of those fashion trends that is classic but has its popular and not-so popular times.

The black and white look is actually one of the easier runway trends to pull off for the everyday woman. This is true, because it is a classic look and almost every woman has a piece of clothing that is white or black.

If you want to try to fit in with this fashion trend and keep it modern, then opt for pieces of clothing that are both black and white instead of layering a black and white piece. Fashion designers are really getting into this trend making dresses, shirts, handbags and even shoes that are black and white.

You can keep this look more casual, like this black and white shirt from Paul Smith or you can go for a night on the town look with this Just Cavalli dress. This fashion trend is one that will work for both casual and dressier occasions.

If you are not liking the patterns of the black and white look, then you can always achieve this look using the separates. Pair a black blouse with a white belt. Or take the black blouse and pair it with a pair of white trousers and a white scarf. You can even incorporate this look with your jewelry. If you find that you are wearing all black, try a beaded white necklace or look for a necklace or bracelet that is black and white.

The black and white fashion trend is one that will be a classic style, so you don’t have to worry about spending some money on your clothing or accessories and only wearing them for a couple of months. Instead, splurge on a great piece that will have you ranking high on the fashion meter and you can strut your stuff like you are on the runways.

Superheroes and comic books have long been studied for their influence on fashion. But it’s not the capes and the masks that made Watchmen so fashion-relevant. Rather it’s the showcasing of looks from the 1980s, which have been slowly but surely making a revival over the last year.

While there had been much talk of updating the setting for Watchmen, it soon became clear there was no way to tell this story of an alternate mid-80s world filled with masked heroes, nuclear dread (not to mention a Richard Nixon who, thanks to the repeal of term-limits, keeps getting re-elected) without the 1980s backdrop.

The film uses both music and clothes to make sure everyone knows exactly what time period it’s set in, even if the political landscape of the film is a bleak, alternate universe fantasy. From leggings and sweatshirt dresses to big hair and bigger earrings and giant shoulder pads, Watchmen takes place in both a past era and a time that never quite was.

It’s also a great showcase of how we can borrow fashion ideas from the 1980s and make them work for the 21st century.

What was one of the great lessons of the 1980s? Men can and should wear color. Okay, maybe that bright purple jacket that Adrian Veidt wears is more than a little over the top, but vibrantly colored ties and dress shirts are definitely in right now. Forget about white collar or blue colors and look to burgundies, purple, dark greens and more.

For women, you can create a great 1980s look and still skip the legwarmers. Think brightly colored leggings under dresses, brightly colored high heels and bold patterns. If you wear eye glasses, consider owning more than one pair so you can have frames in multiple colors. And while blues and pinks were overused in makeup in the 80s, a hint of vivid color in your eye make-up can be fun to play with for evening looks.

Speaking of evening, the 1980s were all about metallics , and they’re making a resurgence now. Look for cocktail dresses in silver, gold or copper, but be careful of some of the weirder 1980s silhouettes, which might not necessarily flatter every figure.

Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner...just hearing the names has teenage boys and girls (and some of their moms) swooning. Since taking the leading roles in the film adaption of Stephenie Meyer‘s Twilight series, Pattinson, Steward and Lautner have suddenly been thrust into the celebrity limelight. Along with the recent release of the film Twilight on DVD, it’s upcoming release on Blu-Ray , and the filming of New Moon, the second book in the four book series, these popular celebrities have been busy lately. But many a teenager still wants to know: are they making time for a personal life?

Twilight star Robert Pattinson, who plays the vampire lead Edward Cullen, has been the object of much dating speculation in recent months. Rumors have swirled around the 23 year old Pattinson and his dating habits. Unfortunately for him (though fortunately for Pattinson’s fan base) the star is still single and keeping busy with work. In a recent interview with People Magazine, co-star Kristen Stewart de-bunked rumors that she and Pattinson were dating. He also told interviewers in December that he wasn’t currently out searching for a girlfriend. Breathe easy girls, Robert Pattinson isn’t taken just yet.

Rumors around Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are twice as funny when you realize that Stewart is already spoken for. Stewart has been dating Michael Angarano since 2007 and the couple are still spotted together when their schedules allow. Though the couple are together, she was seen celebrating her 19th birthday with co-stars recently, as the day coincided with the filming of New Moon.

After Pattinson and Stewart, fans are swooning for Taylor Lautner, who plays Jacob Black in the Twilight film series. Lautner, just 16 years old, has been seen out and about in society lately, mostly socializing with co-stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, as well as Nikki Reed. Luckily for fans, it appears that Lautner, like Pattinson, hasn’t been spoken for just yet.

These Twilight stars are expected to stay in the spotlight over the next few months as they finish filming New Moon and look forward to Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Hopefully Kristen Stewart’s relationship with Michael Angarano will continue to flourish, and Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner will find someone who strikes their fancy.

Sources:
People Magazine; http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20260882,00.html and http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20244162,00.html
National Ledger; http://www.nationalledger.com/ledgerpop/article_272625657.shtml

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are no strangers to rumors and media attention. This superstar couple first gained media attention when they got together following Brad Pitt’s publicized split from Jennifer Aniston. Now regular targets of the paparazzi and often gracing the covers of supermarket magazines and tabloids, much of the attention showered on Brangelina relates to their rapidly expanding brood.

US Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, People Magazine, and Pittwatch have all had a close watch on the couple and their family lately, as rumors have started to gather momentum. Recent rumors sprouted around Jolie and Pitt concerning the addition of a new family member. When a report circulated last week that Jolie had fainted on the set of the movie she’s filming, it quickly fueled rumors that the couple might be preparing to welcome a new addition. US Weekly reports, however, that Angelina Jolie’s rep has brushed off these stories, saying that she never fainted.

Rumors of another baby were also fueled with a whirlwind of adoption questions. With a family comprised of both adopted and biological children, the Jolie-Pitts have made no secret of their love of international adoption and their desire for a large family. However, People Magazine reports that recent adoption rumors are without basis, so if Brangelina are considering another addition to the family less than a year after the arrival of the twins Vivienne and Knox, they’re still managing to keep it under wraps.

Though there seems to be no merit to stories concerning an expanding Jolie-Pitt brood, the couple has certainly been spotted enjoying the six children they’ve already got. With recent press about trips to the Shop and Stop and photos of regular dad Pitt dropping off the kids at school, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt might not be planning to add another child to their family yet, but they certainly seem intent on making their high-profile partnership work and keeping the kids as down-to-earth as possible

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are certainly no strangers to rumors and media attention. In this case, however, rest assured that the Jolie-Pitt’s clan is set to remain at 8 for just a little while longer. However, speculation seems certain to continue to swirl around Angelina, Brad and their large family.

Sources:
US Weekly
People
Pittwatch