Summer 2009 Fashion: Get Ready!

Hi Ladies,

Here is a brief summary of what's in style for Summer 2009...

The HOT colors are brights, follow the umbrella in the animoto. :) There is also a tendency towards some neutrals, such as salmon rose, dark citron, lucite green, or if easier, pale green.

FOCUS ON ACCESSORIES!!! All accessories are oversized: hoops, balls, circle necks, add a touch of the 1960's and 70's. Look for big, oversized rings and pendants. Straw hat with ribbons. Rediscover a youthful freshness and invent a modern techno romanticism.

In the animito above, I am featuring some top designers and most are hurting, as well, from these challenging times. Therefore, their focus is on big, bold accessories!



What can do to still look glamorous, professional, and "in style?" Let's GET CREATIVE!

Floral is in... Okay, all of us (well maybe not me.. lol)... MOST of us have a basic dress. Just purchase some floral pins. Wear two on your top, right-hand shoulder, or on a lapin jacket. Even on a T-shirt! Purchase a flower motif necklace, too. PLEASE DO NOT FORGET A BIG STATEMENT ring! You can find some bold ones in cubic zirconia on my site, www.BlingQueenFashions.com. Straw hats are in.. as bows.. You can purchase a straw hat in any store! Yes, I did say store not boutique! Place a ribbon around the rim, tie it in a bow in the back leaving some flowing satin. PCs flirty loose. Oh, there is so much we can do with a modest investment. Wow! Maybe I can finally use some of my clothing still hanging there with the price tag! Yes, we must all be price conscience.

What really makes it very easy to achieve this is that fashion is simple for 2009, almost basic I would dare to say... making it conducive to look great, feel great and recession proof.

As a side note, I think we're finally over this....


try this instead. ;)


PEACE LOVE& FASHION
Bling Queen;)

Donnie Klang supports the Bling Queen?

Yes, this is a picture of Donnie Klang from Bad Boy Entertainment. Most of you all know him from MTV's Making The Band 4. This picture was taken a while back when he was promoting his debut album, Just A Rolling Stone in the Moon Club at the Palms Hotel and Casino.



Click to enlarge!!
Photo taken by a friend of mine, Rory Mack, Consultant, Promoter and DJ of Record Systems Las Vegas and 98.5 KLUC

La Voce: The Voice of Las Vegas

I was dining in a typical trattoria near my office, and a colorful newspaper caught my eye. It was called, "La Voce: The Voice of Las Vegas' Italian Community." It's publisher, Mr. Dominic P. Gentile, is a prominent criminal attorney that resides here in Las Vegas -- a colorful, witty man with a trail of many successes. His "experience" in high-profile cases, representing business leaders, elected officials, leading media outlets, and respected businesses throughout the nation. Dominic is the unconventional "you got to love this man!" He owns all the Palomino Clubs, etc. As a hobby, he is the publisher of La Voce; never forgetting his roots.



I called the editor, Anthony Sperduti, and first purchased my full-page advertisement. I told them I wanted to write and place my photos on it I would give them the finished product. When they received it, they loved it so much. The second, I purchased a 1/4 page. I was thrilled and honored when I was asked to write a fashion column in La Voce. Here is the page I wrote. Cool no? This was just the prototype, trying to fit all the pictures alongside the article. This obviously wasn't the final product, but you get the gist of it. ;)


I used two girlfriends of mine that were here from OC, California to visit as models. I remember it was on a Sunday. I live in a community that gifts us with a very beautiful "fun zone" worth $15 million. Because of the setting, lighting, and my envisioning, we thought the "fun zone" would be a perfect place to shoot.

Mind you, it is said that many celebrities live here, and picture taking is not allowed.

Heck, I own a couple of homes here and never get to use the amenities available.

Well, HOA raised hell. But we still managed to get some nice shots.

Oh yes, James (one of the Board of Directors of La Voce), thought these photos were showing to much skin and it was not published. I called Dominic on his cell bringing it to his attention. His response was, "Anna, I own the Palomino Clubs... Too much skin? I'm leaving for... (was is Cuba??) Talk in one week."

Dominic P. Gentile

Brilliant man, great newspaper, and great work we did on it. Don't you think?

Here's a letter from Anthony J. Sperduti, the editor.


Visit http://www.lasvegaslavoce.com for more information on how to register and/or subscribe. Subscription rate is $20 per year.

Designing in the USA: The Good Times!

I was living in Orange County, California. Business was crazy good. It was most of all fun, at least it was for me. Long hours in the wholesale biz, flying to Providence, Rhode Island to design my new collection for the season. Getting down and dirty in the old factories where I always found an old mold amongst the discarded ones. I remember the pure joy I felt as I envisioned the old mold come alive with a few changes I was about to create. I would go over walls and walls of stones of all kinds and shapes. I didn't care what the trends were, I made my own trends.

The owners of the different factories, from Enterprise Jewelry, Inc. to Vanity, Inc., to... Oh my, too many to mention. However, my favorite was Enterprise Jewelry, Inc. The owner, Jack, an old, Italian-American, "old-school" guy, knew to leave me alone because when I entered my magical world, I left all behind. When I would be ready, placing stones aside metals molds, I would be creating not only a line that was 3 years ahead of the rest, but a line that would grant me exclusivity for 6 months. Then they would sell my designers all over the world. Japan was a big fan of my designs. The manufacturers at that time kept their words. No need for a formal contract. As for me, well I was simply happy that I had my passion. I didn't even think I should have asked for a royalty fee. I was too young and exited about my passion.

Money was unimportant, but it came in anyhow in other ways by selling to Dayton Hudson, Marshall Fields, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Cache, ect. I was the first one to create the mesh bold choker with a big, geometric Swarovski Crystal Triangle slider. Going into the factory from the daytime in to the evening. Who had heard of mixing Lucite with crystals in gorgeous geometric designs?!

Yes, it was me. The dark hematite mystical line consisted of multi layered toilette chain with a big, bold star and moon in bright orange and purple colors. Of course in the many trade shows I displayed at, from the Fae in NY to Dallas to LA to Magic in Vegas, it was always a hit! Many magazines in these trades were wring up and taking photographs of my babies ;) Write-ups from Accessories Magazine to Marie Claire to Accent... OOOHH what great times.

Then after working hours, I would go back to the Marriott in Cranston, Rhode Island. Getting ready for dinner was always a special surprise. The manifacturing company I would be working with that day would find the perfect fun, typical Italian restaurant where laughter, great company, fantastic food, and champagne and wine were flowing. There are so many nostalgic moments and events that I will always cherish and place a great smile on my face. We simply took over the restaurant! Once, a team of Japanese old school buyers were in the group. I went in to the restaurant kitcken, and came out with a huge tray of pastries and cannolli. I had the chef follow me with a can of whip cream. Well, can you imagine the expression on the foreingn guests when we started spraying whip cream all over the table?

OHH yes, I got mine as well. Yes, those were the days Made in the USA. Of course, with an Italian twist. Here are some of the write-ups to share with you.

LOVE, Peace, Laughter! Bless your day today and always!

BACIONI

Bling Queen
Anna;)

My Amazing Experience Accessorizing The Movie "Casino"

In the midst of my crazy schedule, I had all the trade shows and was flying in all over the country. Those were the times when designing your line meant exactly that. (Later thoughts on that subject)

The designers were so super cool and ahead of the times. My line then, was called Enotria Imports (Yes, it was called that. I was present at trade shows all over the country. Tons of media were scouting new trends new designers; therefore, I was one of the fortunate ones to catch the eye of many magazines such as Accessories, Marie Clair, Accent, etc. One day, I landed in Las Vegas to meet with clients. Late afternoon, I received a call from Rita Ryack and her assistant, Johnn A. Dunn. After a brief introduction, they wanted to meet and scout out the possibilities to accessorize the movie, Casino, that was being shot in Vegas! Okay, somebody pinch my ass. Is this for real?

When I first met Rita, my thoughts were on her. In her extravagant simplicity, a true artist shined through. I remember they were in such a rush. We met at Caesars Palace, then upon opening and handing the sample trays, the look Rita and Johnn exchanged told me it was a go! They quickly pulled samples of interest aside, talking about this outfit, that outfit, this scene, that scene. Then when all was done they asked me to provide doubles of everything. See if something breaks, they need a replacement ASAP! They later invited me to the trailer where the most beautiful dresses from Valentino were hanging there with Sharon Stone's name on it and scene. We went over different ensembles for more needed jewelry. I flew back home to California where I resided, put together the doubles, and had some other original designs made up quickly. It was so super exiting! Even more exiting was the chemistry and passion we all shared. So super cool ;) When Mr. Martin Scorsese and Ms. Fina were filming, I had to fly out from wherever I was to be on the set, as this was what Ms. Stone wanted. Universal Pictures was so generous to grant me screen credits amongst such giants as Bvlgari, Valentino, and Anna Natace (I know Anna personally). She was the real furrier of the character played by Sharon, her name was Ginger. The movie took a month longer to wrap. It was truly an amazing experience to be there on the set and see how much work and time goes in to filming!

AHHH!! Meting Mr. Robert De Niro? Sooo very charismatic and down to earth. Rita was also super cool to ask me if I wanted to be one of the country club wives in the scene where De Niro gives the acceptance speech. HAHA No. I also loved hanging out with the design team.

I was to pick up the stills from MCA, the legal department of Universal signing off a disclosure. I would not use them for publicity or sell to the tabloids. Life is full of surprises and irony. Reminds me of the song, Ironic by Alanis Morissette. "Isn't it ironic?"

"Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids good-bye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
'Well isn't this nice...'
And isn't it ironic ... don't you think"

...and so on with similar parodies. Anyhow, one morning, the end of November 2004, I was struck by a facial paralysis! December 13th, I was operated at St. Vincent hospital in LA for a 7th nerve decompression surgery. Needless to say, I wanted no one to know or see me. I simply vanished for 3 years until I worked on myself to recuperate from my facial paralysis. Even by a luminaries such as Dr. Brackmann, I am considered his miracle. Their diagnosis was not good.

Have faith, be strong, and believe in the power of the mind!

Love& Peace

The Bling Queen

Umm... maybe I will call, soon, Universal and get my stills ;)


Click to view original size!

The 81st Academy Awards: The BlingQueenFashionz Review

Every year, actors, actresses, film makers, producers, and everyone else in the film industry come together for a special award ceremony. It's called, The Oscars. The Oscars or Academy Awards is not only a dream come true for these celebrities, it also gives them a chance to show off their fashion sense.

The 81st Annual Academy Awards was hosted by Hugh Jackman. The Best Actor Award went to Sean Penn for his role in Milk. The late Heath Ledger also won an award for his role in The Dark Knight. However, the film that took most of the gold men was Slumdog Millionaire taking home eight Academy Awards.

But let's be honest, most of us only care about what they wore. So let's break it down and take it back to the red carpet.

This year, it was about bold dresses. We saw a lot of light-colored, princess dresses coming down the red carpet. Among the few, we saw a lot of dynamic colors like red, pink, and blue. Then there were the "simple black dress" that you can never go wrong with. However, everyone talks about the dress. They talk about the simplicity of the dresses, the tailoring of the dresses, and the designer of the dress. We tend to forget that these actresses can't go down the red carpet without accessories. We'll tell you how you can look like these celebrities for a fraction of the price.


The young Miley Cyrus walked down the red carpet in her Zuhair Murhad gown and her Neil Lane jewels. Even through her lawsuit against the Asian community, she can still look glamourous in those drop earrings. For $26, you can achieve a similar look. These heart-drop earrings can get the job done for you. Whether you hate Miley or you love Miley, you have to say that those earrings give her a more classy look.



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Angelina Jolie went for a different approach. While most actresses this year went for the princess gowns, she wore a black dress from Elie Saab that complimented the contours of her body. Some say it was "witch-like," I say she's still hot. How did she accessorize? She did it with emerald-colored Lorraine Schwartz tear drop earrings. Of course she looks bangin' with anything she wears, but nothing should stop you from achieving this look. The Bling Queen can hook it up with these drop earrings for just $16. Now most of your money can go to your dress. =]


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Amy Adams wore a red Carolina Herrera dress accented with a multi-colored Fred Leighton necklace. Talk about BOLD. Of course Fred Leighton offers one of a kind pieces for his clients, there's nothing the Bling Queen can't offer. This necklace may not be multi-colored, but the size and simplicity can offer a similar look for $60. This necklace is made with turquoise and clear Swarovski Crystals, and comes with matching earrings. Even shopaholics can confess that this is the way to go.


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Ryoko Hirosue from the Oscar-winning foreign film, Departure, wore a light pink Valentino dress. Her jewelry and clutch bag were from Jimmy Choo. For $82, you can get a similar necklace, and for $36, you can rock similar cubic zirconia earrings.


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Slumdog Millionaire star, Freida Pinto wore a royal blue gown from John Galliano and "Private" platform sandals from Jimmy Choo. Not sure who the earrings are from, but according to bloomacious.com, her earrings diamond earrings were mined from India. In other words, they're priceless. You can find similar earrings at BlingQueenFashionz.com for $32.


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For Beyonce, she didn't need a necklace or earrings to compliment her, I guess, House of Dereon dress. She used big, bold rings to do that. Of course her rings were around $10 million. If you're looking for a similar look, click here to see some bold rings that BlingQueenFashionz has to offer.

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The elegant Diane Lane wore a black Dolce & Gabbana dress and a choker from Neil Lane. If you're looking for a similar look, The Bling Queen has your back with this cubic zirconia choker worth $300.


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Virginia Madsen graced the red carpet in her red Kevan Hall gown, and jewelry from Laurie Rodkin. Now do these look similar? (Don't worry, we have it in gold) It's only $30.


Now there were a lot of other celebrities who worked the red carpet, and we'd be here all day just talking about their jewelry and outfits. Kate Winslet finally won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in The Reader. She even looked like a winner in her Atelier Yves Saint Laurent dress by Stefano Pilati and her jewels were Chopard. Heidi Klum made a huge statement, not only with her Roland Mouret gown, but with her big, bold coral-stoned earrings with matching bracelets.

Some ladies like Anne Hathaway, Vanessa Hudgens, Jessica Biel, Natalie Portman, and Sarah Jessica Parker kept it "simple" with their jewelry, while others like Alicia Keys, Taraji P. Henson, and Amanda Seyfried wore bold pieces of jewelry. No matter what occasion it is, jewelry is an important accessory for women, and these celebrities sure prove that.

Written by:
Ramzy Salvador, Executive Assistant
BlingQueenFashionz.com















credit: Steve Graitz/WireImage/Kevork Djansezian/GettyImages