House of Holthus Shows Edgy and Fun Designers

The game changers of fashion are carefully cultivated at House of Holthus. 

House of Holthus has curated jewelry, clothing, outerwear, shoes, swimwear, and lingerie for the most tasteful and cutting edge of fashion.
Global brands converge on the fashion world - in the most fortuitous way for the customer by bringing all the best designers to one place to shop.  

These innovative designers have brought together a special blend of artful items. This fabulous e-commerce fashion site brings the most exciting items together in one place for fun, easy shopping.

In 2014, the goal of sharing new fashion perspectives emerged via House of Holthus hungry with an original and insatiable appetite for fashion, while constantly reinventing themselves. 

Spotlight on New House of Holthus Designers: 

Dady Bones

Dady Bones

New designer LA-based Lola of Dady Bones has a fun and playful take on jewelry- sparkly dice earring,
puffball necklaces, leather chokers to showcase your edgy, funky style.

Fun textiles add dimensions to these unique pieces of jewelry. 

Future Glory
San Francisco company Future Glory is pretty excellent- bring together futuristic handbag styles with unique marbled designs and you’ve got yourself a work of art. 

Future Glory

Brass hardware merges with unlined vegetable tanned leather overlaid with traditional marbling for each bag to be a super-special gift that you deserve. 

Over time, the leather will develop special characteristics such as a beautiful patina.

Nanushka

Nanushka

Nanushka is a new customer favorite- fun, casual-chic sweaters, wide-legged pants, sweaters, and contrast-stitched trousers. 

Head designer Sandra Sandor was born in Budapest, Hungary, and Nanushka was her childhood nickname. 

As a kid, she loved working with bright fabrics and fun designs for the everyday wanderer.

Specially chosen designers with innovative designs and fabrics come to life every day on the pages of House of Holthus - so check back weekly for the clothes and accessories that are one of a kind- just like you!

Photos courtesy of House of Holthus. Find them at https://www.houseofholthus.com.

*Sponsored Content

Engchik Holiday Gift Guide: Create Wearable Art

Need a great holiday gift? 

Everyone from trendy teens to famous fashionistas can begin exploring the infinite uses this easy-to-follow guide provides to making handbags so fashionable, you won’t actually believe they’re made of duct-tape. 

Part art-piece, part usable accessory, Fabian Morgan shows how each of these gorgeous handbags can be recreated one manageable section at a time.

Duct Tape Bags provides DIYers with 40 fun projects using duct tape, including:

• Clutches and wristlets
• Hobo and Shoulder Bags
• Satchels
• Messenger and Flap Bags
• Tote Bags
• And tons of other one-of-a-kind bags!

With detailed step-by-step instructions and primers on duct tape "fabric," different types of closures from magnet snaps to jeans buttons, and bag accessories like bows and luggage tags, Morgan catapults this trend from the streets into the stratosphere. A mix of pop art and urban style photos of each project and a cool vibe throughout will make you want to immediately roll up your sleeves and begin making duct tape bags.

About Richela Fabian Morgan:

Richela Fabian Morgan began her duct tape odyssey 8 years ago with a simple bi-fold wallet, before writing the best-selling crafting books Tape It & Make It, Tape It & Make More, and Tape It & Wear It. She is an indie crafter specializing in paper, adhesives, and found materials, and has taught craft projects at elementary schools, public libraries, and charitable organizations around the U.S. Her newest duct tape crafting book, Duct Tape Bags is available nationwide. Website: www.RichelaFabianMorgan.com

Quintessential Style : Do's and Don't of Fashion, Dressing, and Organizing Your Closet and Your Wardrobe

This book was written for me. 

Once, a friend joked, if you die, what would you come back to haunt us in? and I said, "ooh a flowy nightgown to be all scary and ethereal."

And my friend said, "No, no you have to pick something you wear when you passed on."

oh.  "Tank top and yoga pants," says I.

Always. My uniform!

Quintessential Style will teach you to become your own personal stylist by showing you the importance of wearing color, what to wear for your body shape, the do’s and don’ts of shopping, the artistry of makeup, steps to beautiful skin, and much more. 

Combine all these steps to create your personal package and communicate your authentic, one-of-a-kind style.

“When I look in some people’s overstuffed closets, I can’t help but want to say, ‘Your closet is supposed to be a river, not the Dead Sea,’ ” says Janna Beatty, an image consultant and co-author with Sharon White of Quintessential Style: Cultivate and Communicate Your Signature Look  (www.Qstylethebook.com).

By that she means clothes should flow through a closet the way water passes through a stream – there for a time, then gone. Clothes shouldn’t be held in captivity forever.

“Both women and men add tons of clothing, shoes and accessories to their closets, but they never seem to get rid of anything,” Beatty says.

Beatty and White say that an overly extensive wardrobe actually can hinder your lifestyle. Just to get dressed in the morning you may have to rummage past apparel that should have been tossed years ago.

They offer a few tips for making that closet a more inviting and organized place:

• Use it or lose it. Nothing should be in your closet that you can’t wear right now, Beatty says. That means anything that doesn’t fit, is in need of repair or is out of season shouldn’t be taking up space. If you have extra closet space, move the out-of-season clothing there. If you plan to lose weight, do the same with clothes that don’t fit.  Mostly, though, donate or toss the excess. “Be brutal in deciding what to keep and what to get rid of,” Beatty says. 
  
• Organize your collection. Once the clutter is gone, it’s time to organize what remains, White says. Dressier clothes should hang toward the back of the closet unless you wear them often. Types of garments – skirts, pants, tops – should be grouped together and organized from casual to dressy.
• Customize your closet. Builders mostly build generic closets, using standard measures for clothing racks and shelves. People then just use whatever space is there, whether it works for them or not. Beatty and White suggest that instead of working with that generic layout, you should make your closet work with your wardrobe. That could mean bringing in more storage for shoes, or deciding whether you need more or less hanging space than what’s available.

Once you’re done organizing, you aren’t really done, Beatty and White say.

“You can’t expect to stay organized if you don’t regularly tidy up,” Beatty says. “Make sure you hang clothes back up after you wear them, or put them in the hamper if they need to be washed. Put clean laundry away promptly. If you aren’t careful, your closet will be a quagmire again.”

About Janna Beatty

Janna Beatty, owner of one of Texas’ premier makeover studios, is co-author of the bookQuintessential Style: Cultivate and Communicate Your Signature Look(www.Qstylethebook.com). She has studied in New York and Paris with some of the most respected advisers in the fashion and beauty industry. A successful business owner for more than 30 years, Beatty speaks to corporations, professional organizations, and women’s groups. She also has been a guest on radio, podcasts, and television.

About Sharon White

Sharon White is an award-winning author who lives and writes in Central Texas. She has written for New York Daily News, Huffington Post, Fashion Bible and other online and print magazines. She publishes a popular lifestyle blog (qstylethebook.com) based on her book,Quintessential Style.

Normcore Living with Brad Goreski

While fashion trends shift constantly, Normcore – a style made of unisex, ageless and time-tested pieces – is here to stay. 

Now, Normcore has evolved into a lifestyle…from the shows we watch, to the food we eat, and even to the electronics and products we use.

Celebrity Stylist Brad Goreski, who works with Sarah Hyland, Lea Michele and Rashida Jones among others, is obsessed with the trend. To share his obsession, Brad created a list of the hottest and most functional pieces to incorporate into one’s wardrobe and beyond that will last a lifetime.  

From Catwalks to Sidewalks, Summer Shoes are on Parade

From the runway to the real world, women are ready rock the summer footwear. “Women love wearing heels, but the resulting pain is not glamorous,” says Lou Paradise, president and chief of research, Topical BioMedics, Inc., Rhinebeck, NY. 

“Wearing high heels and squeezing feet while thrusting toes forward can lead to such problems as Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, sprained and swollen ankles, blisters, aching feet, hammertoes, corns and calluses, lower back pain, and knee strain, as well as other painful conditions.”    

According to podiatrists, more than half of Americans regularly experience aching feet, and 80% of those who go for treatment are women. Compounding pain issues is the fact that women not only wear high heels, they walk, on average, three miles farther than men each day.

As heels rise, so do women’s foot problems.  According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), women’s visits for foot- and toe-related complaints jumped up 75% between 2005 and 2009.

KEEPING FASHIONABLE FEET HAPPY AND HEALTHY

What can women do to reduce the physical dangers of wearing high heels? Here are some helpful tips from Topical BioMedics: 

• Always choose comfortable high-heeled shoes that fit well, Studies show that 88% of American women wear shoes that are too small. As we age, feet expand, so it’s helpful to have them measured periodically.
• Try on shoes at the end of the day since feet swell as you stand and walk around during the day.
• To ensure a comfortable fit, try on both pairs of shoes as your feet may not be identical in size and the shoes may not be identical in size either.
• Choose high-heeled shoes with an “air bag” or very comfortable sole that protects your feet from rubbing and provides shock absorption. If the shoes you love do not have a padded sole, get a cushy insert.
• A heel that provides more surface area puts less stress on your feet, making wedges, chunky heels, and platforms a better choice than a slim or stiletto-style.
• Spend less time perched on high heels. Limit your walking and standing when wearing high heels, and whenever possible give your feet a break during the day by switching to sneakers or flats, at least for a while.
• Stretch tight shoes with shoe stretchers to make them more comfortable.
• Elevate your legs for 15 or 20 minutes to reduce swelling. This is especially important if you tend to cross your legs, which hinders circulation and causes blood to “pool” in your feet.
• Massage your legs and feet after wearing high heels, applying Topricin Foot Therapy Cream for maximum relief. Running your feet over a reflexology roller or golf ball is an effective way to massage the soles.    
• For soothing relief at the end of the day, soak feet in warm water with Epsom salts (adding a few drops of pure essential oils for an extra relaxing touch). Dry well, and massage feet, ankles, and legs with Topricin Foot Therapy Cream.    
• “Topricin Foot Therapy Cream is ideal for women who want to strut around in heels during Fashion Week and not suffer afterwards,” says Paradise. 

“It’s formulated from natural biomedicines that actually help to prevent/reduce pain and injury and then help the body heal the damage that is causing pain.”

 Foot Care that Works 

Topricin Foot Therapy Cream targets ankles ankle and foot pain and contains fourteen natural biomedicines medicines that naturally support and assist the body by helping the subcutaneous skin layers of the feet to drain toxins and excess fluids from the tissues which increases blood flow and helps heal the damage that is causing the pain.

“Applying Topricin Foot Therapy Cream to feet before strutting out in heels helps to reduce pain and injury," says Paradise. “Then apply it afterwards to help relieve any burning, throbbing nerve pain in the feet. As an added plus, Topricin Foot Therapy Cream treats dry, cracked skin of the feet.”

Patented for treating the pain associated with neuropathy, Topricin is safe and natural and doesn’t use any volatile oils such as camphor, menthol, petroleum or lanolin, fragrances or irritating chemicals. The cream is fast absorbing, odorless, greaseless, and will not stain clothing. Formulated for maximum absorption, it can be applied as many times as needed to relieve foot pain with no fear of overuse or interference with other medications. Topricin Foot Therapy Cream has no known side effects and is safe for pregnant and nursing women and diabetics.

Fall Fashion Week footwear doesn’t have to be torturous. By taking a few precautions and giving feet proper care and attention, fashion-minded women can indulge in the trendiest heels.    

For more information visit http://www.topricin.com.

Book Review: Maria’s Adventurous Life

Maria Dominick, the daughter of a diplomat, has lived a glamorous life filled with international travel, love, and friendship. She speaks five languages and has been married and divorced three times. 

Currently, Dominick splits her time between her European homes and New York City. Maria’s Adventurous Life is her debut novel.

Based on a true story (with names changed to protect the fabulous!), Maria’s Adventurous Life,  by new author Maria Dominick, begins as a young Maria decides to escape her homeland to the parent-free, exciting lights of Europe.

As a beautiful Brazilian fashion model, Maria is thrilled to have fun with friends and explore love, Paris, and the world. Along the way she meets the men of her life – some of whom bring her much joy, but also great disappointments… and, occasionally, affect her confidence. 

Surrounded by wealth, celebrities, beautiful people, and glamorous places, Maria overcomes the ups and down of her affairs with the support of her family, friends, and most of all, her own courageous spirit. 

“Everything has its time in life and I did it all at the right ones,” says Dominick. “Now I am enjoying Milan, my apartment, and mostly, being a ‘Nonna’ for my gorgeous grandchildren. I hope to stay here for a long time!”

Maria’s Adventurous Life is available for purchase at Amazon.

500 Days of Beauty- Makeup Eraser

Makeup Eraser was created by three generations of women in 2012.

Love your makeup but don’t sleep in it!

Take it off with JUST WATER! No chemicals, no soap. Just water! 

You can use this magic cloth up to 1000 times with just water, and then wash it with soap and water. I throw it in the wash each week, and comes out looking great and gets back to work removing my makeup when needed!

A friend of mine uses this magic cloth after wearing tons of studio makeup in her line of work as a top supermodel and actor. She finds that all she needs is water and this cloth. The Makeup Eraser to takes off the thickest TV makeup in less than one minute. Then she washes the cloth with soap and water and air dries, all in less than 2 minutes!

No makeup remover products needed to take off your mascara, blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, even removes lipstick.

Super Supermodel Debbie Dickinson says, “After I apply my tonic and cream, my complexion glows. I am less fatigued by the process when I get out of the studio or meetings to take makeup off, and the process is so much quicker!

MAKEUP ERASER is found at www.makeuperaser.com and at Ricky’s, AOL, Sephora, and many fine beauty supply companies across the Globe. Available in Pink or Black.