Weddings Dresses - Mermaid Style

The Mermaid wedding dress clings to your body from bust to the knee, then flares out to the hem. This very sexy look highlights all your curves. This dramatic style requires some amount of confidence and poise. The flamenco dress is the best known mermaid style with gathers in the front of the lower part of the dress.

Just about all necklines and sleeve lengths can be worn with the mermaid wedding dress so you can reveal or cover as much skin as you wish. With this style even a high neck and long sleeves will create an alluring look but without being too sexy. If you want to show off your shoulders, you can opt for a strapless style, a halterneck with a plunging v-neck has an especially striking effect.

Various skirt styles are suited to the mermaid style. The skirt can flare out at different heights to give slightly different silhouettes. Both the skirt and the hem can be any of a number of shapes. A round skirt will give you a totally different look to a trumpet shape or a train.

The mermaid dress can either be soft and flowing or more tailored, depending on the fabric used.. A slip style dress will lightly hug the body, so light-weight silks and satin are the best choices. To emphasise a more dramatic shape of the dress, stiffer fabric such as brocade are needed. Either way, the mermaid style is sophisticated and sexy, whether it is worn at a casual beach wedding, or a formal evening affair.

By Wanda Arnold

Best Hairstyle Fashions and Beauty Trends for 2010

Hairstyle and beauty has become quite a fashion statement lately. We have seen prices for a good cut or style skyrocket with no end in sight. Some cuts are going in and out of style every day it seems. As some beauty experts say - your hair can make you or break you. What will be the hot styles and beauty cuts for 2006? Some of these will surprise you.

1) The classic up-do. It has been one of the longest trends but seems to be a temporary style - something to do for a social party or event, but not every day. The hollywood stars like Jessica Simpson and many others sport the updo for Awards banquets and such, but they have personal hair stylists that can have their hair back in whatever style they want the following day. This style is best suited for medium or longer length hair.

2) Hair stenciling for uniqueness - this has been hot overseas in Japan, Milan, Paris, and London and is starting to make its way into the U.S. This is where you or a stylist create a stencil which you then attach to your hair and you use glitter and paint to make a bold, brazen fashion statement. Everything from animal prints (like tiger stripes) to symbols have been used. This works on any length hair, but is more predominantly displayed on shorter hair. Stencils have been used frequently lately on Runway models in shows by Gucci, Calvin Klein, etc...

3) The wedge. This was popular in the 1970's and is once again becoming popular. This was the cutesy do that made the likes of Dorothy Hammil America's sweetheart of that era. This style is gaining popularity amongst 30-40 year olds in search of a short and easily maintained style. The wedge tends to draw attention to your face, not your hair and looks natural. So, if you already have a beautiful face and skin this is a real winner, as it will draw people in to your good looks. We recommend natural, mild makeup with this do.

4) The mullet. Yes, I know we thought it died off in the early 90's, but it is making a surge again. No one knows why, except that is is a very low maintanence style - or basically no style. It is basically a mop of hair for head banging music. "Business in the front and party in the back." It has been popping up all over the south and has been seen on the rise even in New York, Chicago, etc... This is a bad style that just won't go away.

5) The Fullet. The female version of the mullet. Just as bad if not worse, but, once again it is making a comeback. Maybe that means the Bangles will make a comeback also? Heavy makeup is common with this do.

6) The flip. The style from the roaring 20's is back as can be seen at the recent awards shows. This style has always been equated with glitz and glamour. It is another easy style and is easy to maintain. The flip goes with almost any makeup regimen. All the stars have worn this do at one time or another - from Jodie Foster to Rita Garbo.

Most of the hairstyles trends for 2010are comebacks and are easy dos. Basically, people want something that is easy to manage and want variety - a cut that can be easily transformed from one style to another for different events or just for that different look. Women also want a style with easy, light makeup. According to numerous fashion sources these hairstyle and light makeup trends trends will be the big styles of 2010.

By David Maillie

Spring 2010 Hair Styles For Women

Spring is just around the bend and everybody's excited for the anticipated leap forward, but more than that it's telling us to shake off the winter blues. And what better way to do that than to smarten up your style with a new hairstyle?

Now you don't really have to rush into a drastic change without consulting somebody in-the-know just to update your looks. Your hair cut and style or even your hair color is as important as when you go for a new wardrobe, so consult your hairdresser. They would be in the best position to advise you on what will look good with the type of hair you have, face shape and skin tone.

Spring hairstyles for women call for excellent cuts that show off soft layers and wispy fringes for easy and versatile hair styles. It's the perfect time to bring out that soft feminine look to complement open necklines, flowing floral fabrics and silky smooth pastel makeup apt for the season.

It seems straightener is temporarily relegated to the drawer, at least until after the sunny seasons; soft textures and curls rule and will most likely dominate the hair waves in the following months. It's all about that carefree, natural look with plenty of texture and not as much hair products.

Here are some basic guides to get that trendy new look:

Sassy Short Hair

This season, shorter hairstyles are a study in contradiction; an amazing blend of soft and sharp, if you want to put it that way, with a touch of the playful and the rebellious. Most women seem afraid of short hair because they're quite unsure that they wouldn't end up with blunt cut and straight edges. But if it's done right, you'd end up with the trendiest short hair style.

How to get the right style: Hair should be shorter on the sides and longer through the top with lots of volume. Ask your hair stylist to create choppy, asymmetrical layers on top. This will ensure that hair doesn't lie flat to the head and has slight volume. Sweeping fringes or heavy bangs that taper from shortest to longest in a left-to-right fashion, add a delicate finish to an edgy look. This style also allows you to wear your hair all brushed forward, swept to one side or parted and tucked behind the ears.

Sexy Mid Length or Shoulder Length

An all-one-length hair looks boring and dull; and there's a chance that it won't frame your face as it should. So avoid it at all cost. Layers are still very much in and they generally give your hair that bouncy movement, glossy shine and silky smoothness.

How to get the right style: Have your hair stylist add longer layers at the back with shorter strands in front to better frame your face. Give firm instruction not to over-layer though, as this can result to hair getting a tad too wispy and thin at the bottom, and may create "fly-away" strands.

If your hair is on the thin side or you have very fine strands, use volumizing shampoo and only apply conditioner at the tips. For extra lift, apply volumizing product to the root and scalp area and briskly massage with your fingertips in an upward direction. You can either air-dry your hair for messy but sexy look or blow-dry straight with a paddle brush. Complete the style with some squirts of hairspray for added texture and volume.

Chic Long Looks

The good thing about long hair is there are dozens of ways you can style it whether you have natural waves and curls or very straight long hair.

How to get the right style: Rather than taking off a uniform length, your hairstylist should trim and shape in layers to frame your face better. Layers give the illusion of lighter look.

If you have wavy or curly long locks, wear it loose and relaxed with long tumbling waves. With the classic model center parting, the "just-from-the-beach" look provides a carefree, chic and sexy appearance. You can still sport this hair style even if you have straight hair by following these simple steps:

* Blow-dry and section your hair
* Twist into ringlets and secure with hairclips; then, allow to cool
* Remove grips and gently run your fingers through the tresses

Spring 2010 hairstyles will see a resurgence of one sided braids and side plaits. This hair style is very easy to create. First, apply a texturizing or styling product that provides soft hold. Then sweep hair to one side and plait loosely, securing the bottom with a natural colored band. Run your fingers over the braid and tease out the short bits to create a messy but playful finish.

Up-do is still a hit in hot 2010 long hair styles that include the classic ballerina buns. But loose buns are also chic and sexy and easy to do, too. Buy a hair donut from a dance shop. Pull your hair into a pony tail and secure with a naturally colored elastic band. And don't worry about making it perfect - messy looks great! Thread the hair through the donut and wrap your hair around it. Use a few hair grips to hold it in place.

Take the hint from the catwalks this spring and hug your hair's natural texture. Go for 2010 spring hairstyles that bring out the essence of a woman: simplicity and femininity.

By Tim Faber