highlights

Farfetch is throwing its weight behind Web3. In July, it said their Dream Assembly Base Camp accelerator programme would be fully focused on Web3 fashion startups, in partnership with Outlier Ventures. Now, it’s announced the eight companies that will participate in the first 12-week camp. Out of 200 applicants, Altr, Curie, Iindyverse, Metav.rs, Mintouge, Reblium, Sknups and WearNFT were selected.

Farfetch was looking for founders that show “next-wave thinking” in key areas of digital fashion and immersive experiences, says Carol Hilsum, senior director of product innovation at Farfetch. The goal was to onboard a diverse array of startups, all of which were past the ideation stage — Farfetch wanted companies ready to build further, not from scratch.

Some are focused on new customer use cases; Altr is focused on the potential of fractional ownership, says Hilsum, working to digitise and alter archival fashion, while contributing to physical archival preservation. Metav.rs and Iindyverse are building immersive experiences. The former is a management platform providing tools to create metaverse experiences, and the latter helps musicians, artists and designers to build Web3 experiences and campaigns.

Infrastructure-driven startups looking at how best to scale the tech were also a focal point. E-commerce plug-in Mintouge enables brands to onboard their product catalogues to Web3 and create digital twins. Sknups creates collectible skins for cross-platform gaming. WearNFT is an NFT platform geared towards luxury players, providing brands creation, curation and monetisation services. All three are all focused on how to scale Web3 technology, though they’re coming at challenges posed by this tech from different angles, proposing different solutions, says Hilsum.

Reblium and Curie are geared towards 3D and avatar assets that make Web3 technology work — and making these “beautiful” with “high aesthetics and scalability”, says Hilsum. Reblium builds hyper-realistic avatars, and Curie converts existing physical products to 3D assets to be worn in digital worlds. This taps into wider debates in the fashion world about Web3 aesthetics, what counts as cool, and where this technology fits into an industry that can be averse to change.

The accelerator is in keeping with Farfetch’s intent to establish itself as the tech infrastructure of the fashion world. With Farfetch Platform Solutions, the company is working to become the “global platform for luxury”, founder and CEO José Neves said after a 2021 earnings call. Its recent acquisition of Yoox Net-a-Porter, which had its own tech hub but will now use FPS services, bolsters the company’s tech presence.

This Web3 accelerator underscores how influential Web3 technologies will be on the future of fashion. “We’re really focusing on creating those connections between brands and new technology,” Hilsum says. In this case, Farfetch wants to bridge the gap between digital and Web2 and Web3 in order to develop a “building block” for Web3 luxury strategy, as Neves said following the YNAP acquisition announcement.

The companies that applied provided some key insights indicative of interest in the potential of Web3 tech. Hilsum notes the multitude of Web2 founders moving into the Web3 space. Not only was there a high level of startup experience, but fashion experience as well. “It’s interesting to see people either transition over or be advisors as well,” she says. This is promising, as it’s an indicator of both eagerness to build into the Web3 space and developments in industry understanding.

In a departure from past Farfetch Dream Assembly programmes, Base Camp is fully virtual — a fitting approach for an exclusively Web3-geared offering. Metaverse innovation lacks a centralised hub, illustrated by the global origins of the participating startups, including the US, UK, Hong Kong, France and the Netherlands.

Over 50 mentors will help to educate the companies on all things Web3 and fashion — a “dream group” of experts, Hilsum says. Some are Web3-native digital fashion founders, including The Dematerialised co-founder Karinna Grant, DressX co-founders Daria Shapovalova and Natalia Modenova, and The Fabricant co-founder Adriana Hoppenbrouwer-Pereira. Other mentors include industry leaders such as Megan Kaspar, MD of crypto and blockchain investment and incubation firm Magnetic, and education-focused contributors from Learning Lab Paris and the Edinburgh Futures Institute.

The 12-week accelerator programme will educate startups on the key factors at the intersection of fashion and Web3, such as use case design and token economics and structures, with the view of working closely with them in the future. The accelerator is also designed to get startups investor-ready, helping them to nail down their company stories and pitches.

Industry leaders are keen to help. “Dematerialised was an early mover in the space and we built our business on Marjorie [Hernandez] and I’s intuition and experimentation, as there were no similar companies before us,” Grant says. “The Web3 fashion community is tight and we have always been close to our direct competitors, often helping each other out and collaborating in a way that Web2 businesses just don’t.” Hilsum considers this enthusiasm an exciting signal for the future of innovation and pace within the fashion, tech and Web3 space.

Grant thinks of the programme as a formalised way to facilitate both experimentation and mutual support. Plus, it will benefit veteran Web3 innovators as well. “Because this sector is still relatively nascent, the learnings are two way, which makes it a win-win for both mentors and mentees — as well as for the programme owners,” she says.

Farfetch, says Hilsum, is looking at what comes next. “It’s not enough to just create an NFT,” she says. “We’re really looking for people that are building scalable, long-term projects, so that’s what we were focused on in this cohort.” Scepticism is healthy, she says, in that it’s the industry asking “what’s next?” It’s Farfetch’s hope that this cohort will help to answer that question.Read more at:long evening dresses australia | formal dress australia

Signature art meets fashion in the Wearable Art Sweet 16 event presented by the Dunedin Fine Art Center Saturday, Aug. 27.

The Pre-Glow Party will kick off the festivities at 7 p.m. The runway show will start at 8 p.m. and the After-Glow Party will get underway after the show concludes.

After a three-year hiatus, the 16th mash-up of wearable art and fashion will showcase a growing contingent of top artists working in fashion-related arts, including Mark Byrne, Rya DeMulder, Neva Durham, Bay to Bay Designers, Kikimora Studio, Cindy Linville, Olga Sarestky, Frank Strunk III and Lina Teixeira + Ensemble.

Adding to the festivities this year will be a gallery exhibit by Leslie Joy Ickowitz titled "Windows in Time." Hair and makeup for the models will be provided by Salon GW.

The event was conceived of 16 years ago by DFAC’s former assistant curator, Kaya Parwanicka Jill, and became an instant hit, attracting sold-out crowds.

Both the Pre-Glow and After-Glow parties will take place at the Dunedin Fine Art Center, 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin.

The runway show will be presented at the Dunedin Community Center, adjacent to DFAC parking lot.

Tickets to the runway show range from $85 to $135.

The party ticket for $20 provides access to both the pre- and post-parties. This indoor standing-room option offers an opportunity to enjoy music and other activities and watch the runway show on a large video monitor.

Meet The Artists

The Bay to Bay Wearable Art Collective, formerly known as the Garden Fairies, is a group of seven artists who all have a passion for designing, constructing and sometimes modeling their wearable art clothing and headdresses. This year, the collective will present its “Ocean Oddities” collection, featuring an array of unique hand-crafted “artfits.”

Mark Byrne has been a professional balloon artist and magician for more than 30 years. The Clearwater resident has traveled to China, Australia and Europe to perform his unique brand of balloon artistry. He has also done numerous tradeshows, including several featuring his trademark balloon dresses.

Rya DeMulder is a multimedia artist who is new to the Tampa Bay area. Drawing inspiration from her unconventional upbringing in the woods of upstate New York, DeMulder marries her background in the visual and theatrical arts with technical garment construction skills to create dramatic ethereal inspired by high fashion, geometry and spirituality.

Neva “The Diva” Durham of Lakeland is the owner of Diva Designs Makeup. She is a creative makeup artist, body artist, face painter and wearable art designer who provides fashions for fashion shows, photo shoots and weddings.

Born and raised in Pinellas County, Cindy Linville graduated from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. She specializes in repurposing and reusing for her fashion designs, paintings and body paintings.

Olga Saretsky of Kikimora Studios in Miami grew up in a Russian family in Kazakhstan. She launched her performance career at 15 as a dancer and later organized a dance company called Effect where she designed and produced costumes for her company along with choreography. After spending eight years traveling to different countries as a performer, she arrived in the United States in 2006 and began freelance work for local circus and entertainment companies as an independent performer. In 2010, she organized Kikimora’s first fashion show. Saretsky now teaches and produces wearable art.

Frank Strunk III inspired metal runway creations, pushing the boundaries and categories for wearable art. Strunk has participated twice in the international World of Wearable Art competition held in Nelson, New Zealand, winning both times and WOW purchased his works for its permanent collection. He is one of the American artists featured in a coffee table book called “World of Wearable Art: 30 designers tell their stories” (2015).

Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, to Portuguese parents, Lina Teixeira is a busy mom of two, business owner, published author, special concepts director, wearable art artist and a recently elected city council member of Clearwater. She loves turning everyday items into wearable art, and has exhibited internationally.Read more at:australian formal dress shops | short formal dresses australia

Spying an ultra-chic, future-stylish get-up on some far-off fashion runway? You can admire the attire, and even long to own the outlandish look, but chances are obtaining the outfit any time soon will not be within the realm of the possible.

But there is a fashion show just ahead, in Laguna Beach, where much of the material used in the clothing is probably somewhere in your kitchen, bathroom, and even waste can right at this very moment.

It's the Festival Runway Fashion Show at the Festival of Arts, an over-the-top affair that prompts creative types to put together ensembles from the everyday items we typically chuck in the trash or recycle bins.

And we're talking all sorts of "recycled, reused, and reclaimed material": Think compact discs, coffee filters, plastic and paper bags, boxes, and almost anything that's sitting around your home at this very moment.

PVC piping has been used to make festive frocks in the past, and artfully cut-up window screens, too. And shiny cans of La Croix water? Those, too, have added an element of light-catching glitter to bygone gowns.

The celebrated event, which mashes up haute couture with common goods, took 2020 and 2021 off, it will be back to strut its eye-popping stuff on Sunday, Aug. 21.

"The Festival Runway Fashion Show is one of the most popular events of the summer and we are so excited to bring it back this year," said Sharbie Higuchi, Marketing and PR Director for the Festival of Arts.

"This event never disappoints, even after all these years, our Festival artists' creativity and originality keeps it fresh with many surprises!"

Cash prizes are up for grab in four intriguing categories, themes the artists keep in mind as they create their quirky fashions: Most Creative Concept, Most Innovative Use of Materials, Most Glamourous & Elegant" (and ready for the Met Gala), and a timely one: A category inspired by "Wonderful World," the 2022 theme of the Pageant of the Masters, which takes place next to the Festival of Arts.

Emmy-nominated film production designer Nelson Coates is the 2022 host, while the panel of judges will hail from the world of entertainment, fashion and design, and the nearby pageant.

Entering the Festival of Arts on a Sunday? It's $15. Do arrive on the early side for the fashion show, as seats by the runway are snapped up well before the fun and funky proceedings begin.Read more at:formal dresses sydney | formal dresses

Electric. New-age. Unapologetically stylish. You could delve deeper into the fashion lexicon to find more ways of describing Hussain Rehar’s initial work, back in 2017. It was such an anomaly compared to the pretty sartorial finery that dominated the fashion scene that it made people sit up and take notice.

Freshly graduated from the Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design (PIFD) and after a few months’ stint working with designer Khadijah Shah, Hussain launched on his own with an eponymous label. His aesthetic was so unique that it immediately caught the eye. Who is the designer, you wondered, as you saw some of the designs while scrolling down Instagram.

This query was quickly followed by a survey of his prices, where he stocked and whether his clothes could be purchased easily. “[He] could become one of fashion’s future trendsetters,” I wrote, in my very first review of his work.

Shortly afterwards — in March 2018 to be precise — Hussain made his catwalk debut at the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week (PSFW) in Lahore. Walking out at the end of the show with a coterie of models, Hussain was quite as fashionable as the clothes that he created. Dressed in a striped jumpsuit with a zipper down the front, he grinned bashfully as he took a bow.

Since then, Hussain has become a permanent fixture in the Lahore fashion circuit, making waves back when fashion weeks were still functional and even riding out the pandemic with flair, rolling out successive collections online for his growing customer base.

To date, his personal fashion statements tend to be at par with the fashion that is his claim to fame: oversized blazers in eye-popping colours, power suits, loose kurta pajamas all complemented by a delectable array of accessories. It’s a wardrobe to die for — and it’s testament to how much this young boy from Gujranwala loves clothes.

Long before he made fashion design his raison d’etre, a young Hussain Rehar would mix and match his clothes and dress up for family gatherings. The relatives would be enthralled. Possibly, Gujranwala — city of sun-baked fields and wrestlers grappling in dusty akhaaras — hadn’t experienced such a fashion savant before!

“I have always loved putting an outfit together,” he tells me. “The wardrobes in my homes are chock full with clothes that I constantly buy and then wear in different ways. I love to dress up and go places!”

This admission makes me curious: what did he do during the coronavirus lockdown when no one was going anywhere? “I would dress up and go have dinner with my mother,” Hussain laughs.

The personal penchant for standing out has translated to creating clothes that stand out. Over a six-odd-years-long career, Hussain has honed his craft, worked on pattern and finishings and mastered the balancing act between design that is commercially viable and yet distinctive.

He’s won two awards — Designer of the Year Demi-Couture at 2019’s Hum Style Awards and Achievement in Fashion Design (Luxury Pret) at the Lux Style Awards last year — and put out a solo show in 2020 at a time when Covid-19 had temporarily been at bay.

Even though the coronavirus has generally brought down sales for luxury fashion-wear, Hussain’s business has continued to mushroom. His clothes are seen everywhere — at parties, weddings and worn by celebrities — and he has streamlined his business module, syncing it to the omnipresent demand for fast fashion. He has his many fans — and also, some critics.

“I haven’t been able to plan out a [second] solo show because business has been doing so well,” Hussain says. “Customers want to see new collections every few weeks. There’s a constant pressure to keep creating new designs and there hasn’t been enough time to conceptualise and create a collection for the catwalk.”

His debut solo show, which took place at a time when most designers were still trying to recover from losses incurred during the pandemic, had taken people by surprise. On a brisk winter afternoon, Hussain had transformed a backyard at a private home in Lahore into his catwalk. A tree, right at the centre, had formed the main focal point; the models walked around it and gathered underneath it for photographs.

There was dhol dhamaka and a whirl of colours, with the collection delving into the many festivities that comprise a traditional Pakistani wedding. Unlike most solo shows, the set-up had not been elaborate or over the top. Instead, it was simple and effective, a fledgling brand choosing to flex its fashion muscles all on its own, without the aid of fashion councils.

Did flying solo, when earlier he had only shown in collective fashion weeks, help Hussain’s brand? “It definitely helped build more awareness of the brand,” he says. “It showed that we were willing to stand in the spotlight on our own, without the hype generated by a collective designer show at fashion week. Nothing at all was happening in the local fashion scene at the time. My show was one of the very first shows to take place since the pandemic had broken out. I think people found that refreshing. It gave them hope that things were going to get better.”

But the show took place almost two years ago. Since then, Hussain has been off the catwalk, although he is churning out multiple collections that run the gamut from heavy duty formals to funkier luxury-wear to unstitched fabric. His designs are distinctive and really quite lovely, but they certainly aren’t as avant-garde as his initial collections used to be. Has Hussain toned down his wacky side in a bid to haul in more business?

“I still enjoy edgy design but, ultimately, the clothes should sell,” he admits. “Even internationally, designers may make crazy statements on the catwalk, but they will make more subtle versions of the clothes for retail. With no fashion weeks taking place, my priority right now is to create clothes that are different but, at the same time, client-friendly.”

He continues, “I think my clients appreciate my brand ideology, the way I fuse traditional hand embroideries with modern silhouettes and colour. It may be market-friendly but it isn’t boring. I make sure that the fabric and embroideries are of great quality and I try to keep prices competitive.

“And then, there’s always so much variety. Every collection has a different vibe and aesthetic from the previous one. Even before I create a collection, I think about how I want to market it, the model and the styling for the shoot. Once the concept is in sync with the designs, the images become more impactful. The shoot doesn’t have to be elaborate. I prefer product-oriented photography which is still unique.”

I agree that the imagery he creates is very eye-catching, calculated to make you want to make a beeline for his online store. And yet, some of these shoots — not all — have occasionally been critiqued for being too similar to those of other designers. A recent collection, released last fall, for example, drew immediate comparisons with an international brand’s shoot also released that same year. The colours and the styling were uncannily similar.

It has also sometimes been pointed out that Hussain is far too ‘inspired’ by certain major brands from across the border. How inspired is he, really?

“I think that it’s very normal to get inspired,” he says. “We spend so much time flipping through fashion magazines, that sometimes we will subconsciously register certain images. Now that my brand has become more established, I have become very concerned that there should be no replications. Still, I don’t mind getting inspired by a brand and styling a shoot a particular way or placing jewellery in a certain style. Above all, the design should be my own.”

Connoisseurs of handcrafted embellishments have also sometimes critiqued that Hussain may have a way with bling and stone-work but his embroideries do not have delicacy and finesse. Does he agree?

Of course, he doesn’t. In fact, he starts to laugh. “I have my own aesthetic. If Elie Saab creates delicate embellishments and Alexander McQueen goes over-the-top with thick layers of sequins, does that mean that one is inferior to the other? My style may be different from others — actually, that’s how I’d like to be!

“When I create luxury-wear, I want it to be glamorous and sparkly. I’ll put together sequins and stones in certain patterns to create that look and aim for a particular price bracket. On the other hand, the traditional bridal-wear that I create has very delicate hand embroideries and is priced accordingly.”

He’s also dipped his toes into the crowded market for unstitched fabric, releasing seasonal collections of lawn and winter-wear. How’s that doing?

“Very well,” he says, “the market for unstitched fabric is huge. One of my brothers is handling just the unstitched fabric market. The other one looks over the finances overall.” His is a family-run business, evidently. “Yes, I am not good with numbers, so my brothers joined me.”

There was no pressure to return home to Gujranwala once he had graduated from the Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design (PIFD)?

“No, my family and I always knew that I would be starting my business in Lahore.”

He has only one brick and mortar store in Lahore to date. Has he considered expanding to more stores or is he focusing more on online growth?

“So far, we’re happy with the studio in Lahore,” says Hussain. “It caters not just to Lahore but to all the surrounding cities in Punjab. And the online world is amazing, it can’t be beat. You put up a clock on Instagram that counts down to the launch of a new collection and, suddenly, you tap into a worldwide marketplace.

“It’s such a high when orders filter in overnight, right after you’ve launched a new line. It means that you’re doing something right. We’re very vigilant about making sure that we deliver on time. We want the customer to come back to us again.”

How does he think that he has improved over time? “I definitely know my market better. When I started out, I wanted to constantly experiment and try out new techniques. Now, I understand that, most importantly, the clothes need to be wearable.

“I’ve also become more experienced when it comes to selecting embroideries and fabric. Right at the beginning, I would use the wrong thread and sometimes it wouldn’t be able to hold sequins in place and they would fall off. I know much better now!”

The threads certainly aren’t falling off anymore and the sequins are right in place, twinkling away. Modern. Mystical. Eclectic. High fashion simmered and tweaked for the desi palette. As I said earlier, one could go on.Read more at:evening wear | long formal dresses online australia

Yoga, veganism, tattoos, wearing secondhand clothes, Glastonbury: the roll-call of stuff that once signalled an “alternative lifestyle” and has now been comprehensively mainstreamed is endless, and gets longer every year. The very best thing on that list? The kaftan.

I have so much love for kaftans. A tinsel-silver one with a low V-neck and statement sleeves – a bit Kate Bush circa 1978 with a dash of Paris Hilton circa 2002, although actually I bought it in Maje in 2016 – is one of my most prized possessions. “Pucci kaftan” has been one of my eBay alerts for years; one day, my friends, I will track down the perfect one.

Why? Kaftans are both dramatic and laid-back. They bring the party without you having to faff about with complicated underwear “solutions” or bling. Clothes that are comfy can often be a little low-energy; glamorous ones tend to feel a little stiff and formal. A kaftan is high-energy, but low-effort. It is grand but not pompous. Am I making myself clear? This is a hard recommend.

“Khaftan” is a Persian word, but kaftan (or caftan) is used in fashion to refer to a variety of loose-fitting tunic-style garments which have their origins in the Middle East and north Africa. A true kaftan is a long robe with defined sleeves; the less structured garment, with butterfly-style sleeves – an airy kind of poncho, almost – is closer, in fact, to the abaya. This generous, loose silhouetted garment, traditionally worn by both men and women, is designed for ventilation and sun protection in hot climates. There is plenty of the trademark tone-deaf crassness of 2oth-century popular culture in how this long-established practical garment was “discovered” by western fashion, and became a souvenir from the hippy trail. But in the decades since, the kaftan has evolved from a symbol of exoticism into an easy, elegant staple that reflects the globalisation of modern fashion.

What we wear for high days and holidays is what drives fashion now. The old spring/summer, autumn/winter trend wheel? Not so much. Looking in our own diaries and seeing an event is what prompts us to think about clothes. The rhythms of real life – of Christmas parties and summer festivals, of starting a new course or a new job – ring the changes in our wardrobes these days, not a new print that arrives in September, or a new spring colour that fills the shops in March.

Because holidays are the ultimate high days, they are now to fashion what hemlines used to be. They set the pace. And the kaftan is the ultimate holiday wardrobe talisman. The fashion name to drop is Taller Marmo, an Italian label that makes extravagant luxury kaftans trimmed with extra-long silk fringe. They are being spotted worn as party dresses this summer.

The party kaftan has a distilled essence of “aspirational OOO”, representing sophistication and alfresco langour, rather than free time spent looking at your phone in front of the TV. Some version of stretchy athleisure (a tracksuit, say, or leggings and a tank top) has become a default evening and weekend at-home wardrobe for many of us. But those hours tend not to feel enormously satisfying as R&R, encroached on as they are by work emails and doomscrolling, so it’s nice to put clear blue water between your at-home athleisure and your on-holiday wardrobe.

If a “beach dress” used to mean a big T-shirt, now it means something more: an off-the-shoulder pastel gingham, or a jewel-coloured slip dress. Or, in my case, a kaftan.Read more at:red formal dresses australia | pink formal dresses australia

While one traditionally chooses to opt for darker colours like blue, black and shades of grey, this monsoon has seen an increasing use of bright colours. In sync with the trends that were set in summer, neons, pinks, yellows and other such happy colours have found a predominant place in the wardrobes of people this season. These not only look trendy but can also brighten up an otherwise gloomy rainy day. Colour therapy at its best, we say. So this rainy season, chuck the dull colours and add some bright ones to look vibrant and confident in your attire. Here are five amazing colours for you to explore this monsoon season. Happy Monsoon!

The overarching trend for 2022 has been dopamine dressing, and the colour yellow is the flag bearer of this trend. After spending two years inside our homes in loungewear, people are ready to step out into clothes that evoke optimism and joy.

Rains remind us of aquatic colours and green surely is in vogue during monsoon. A charming and lovely colour, outfits in green look amazing for the season. This monsoon, choose a stylish bottle green outfit to look radiant and gorgeous in the attire.

Look monsoon-ready and slay the season in style with the bright blue colour. A perfect choice for a dull, gloomy day, lift your spirits wearing this bright attire and look completely trendy. Adding hints of orange can make the outfit stand out more.

Red rules all seasons and monsoon are no different. One of the hippest and hot colours, red looks fabulous for any occasion. This monsoon, you can choose a bright red to put on a stylish boho look. Just pair it with the right accessories and feel the transformation.

Stripes have long been a wardrobe staple. However, this monsoon designers favoured stripes of a colourful kind, giving the classic stripes a twist in the form of thick bands of orange, black, yellow and white and making them perfect for the rainy weather.Read more at:perth ball gowns | red evening gowns online

You’ve come to the right person. As a sexologist and the co-owner of sex toy concept store Posmo, I’ve acquired an extensive amount of erotic toy-related knowledge over the years. Learning about sex toys has taught me there’s no one-size-fits-all gadget and it’s important to experiment with your own pleasure.

My hilarious friends gave me my first vibrator on my sixteenth birthday. At that age, masturbation was very much a taboo topic, making owning a sex toy the height of comedy. What my friends didn’t know was that my self-pleasure journey was already well underway by the time I received that first vibrator.

For more sex talk, head on over to our Life section.

As a sexually curious person, I’ve discovered a number of tips and tricks over my time using sex toys. Below are some of my favourites to help you find new and exciting ways to use your tried-and-true toys.

Layer up

To start with, find the intensity that’s right for you. Vulva skin is very sensitive, which can make the higher (or even lower) settings on some toys feel like too much. By adding layers between you and your toy, you can increase orgasm anticipation while circumventing that overwhelming sensation.

Using a toy over your underwear is the easiest way to reduce that intensity of vibration. You can also try peeling back layers by slowly removing your duvet, blanket, sheets, underwear, etc.

The longer the build-up, the better the result – so take it slow and drop into that pleasure zone. And for a fun textural experience, try experimenting with fabrics. Use silk for a smooth, cool feeling, cotton for a soft, gentle feel or wool for rough, scratchy contrast.

Noise control

Factors like housemates, partners, pets and thin walls can make sex toy noise levels a concern during that all-important self-pleasure time. The easiest way to remedy this is by purchasing quiet toys – from Posmo, I can suggest the We-Vibe Touch X or the Iroha Uki Dama Hoshi.If your favourite toy is on the louder side, absorb the noise with a doona or pillow (or both).

Just place a hand with a sex toy on the genitals and with the other hand, keep a doona or pillow over the top. You can also pretend to take a shower and use the running water to mask the noise. It’s not the best for water conservation, but easy if you want a quick moment to yourself without the worry of someone walking in.

Get creative

Find your self-pleasure sweet spot by thinking outside of your toy’s intended use. If you love your rabbit or dildo, try using it in a new way. Make it your go-to clit vibrator by using it externally, or use your rabbit vibrator to stimulate your perineum (gooch) or anus rather than your clit (the reach of your toy will be dependent on your anatomy).

The Lelo Soraya is particularly great for multi-purpose use because of its fully flexible and extendable arm – so you can change between your clit, perineum and anus. You can also use a bullet vibrator to enhance oral sex by placing it on your cheek. While performing oral sex, that vibration in your mouth will transfer to your partner’s genitals (this works for both vulva and penis-owners), adding another layer of sensation.

The Prism Bullet is great for using with a partner because it’s super smooth and long, helping you to get a good grip while you’re pleasuring your partner. Another trick is to use a cock ring or finger vibrator while fingering your partner. With a small and versatile toy like the Dame Fin, the vibration will transfer throughout your whole finger. This goes for the cock ring as well!

Full vulva pleasure

While getting creative with your self-pleasure, remember toys aren’t just made for the clit! Switch it up by focusing on your outer labia, gooch or pubic bone (where your pubic hair is). A dual-ended toy like the We-Vibe Touch X is perfect for targeting those different areas.

You can use the pointy side of the We-Vibe to focus on the labia and tease around your vaginal opening, while the rounded, smooth side can be great to place over the vaginal opening for a broader, less intense sensation. A contrast like this helps to keep your self-pleasure sessions interesting.

The pubic bone is an often ignored area during masturbation but can provide a subtle, pleasurable feeling. If you place a massager like the Doxy Die Cast 3r on that bone it starts vibrating behind your clit, which gives a wonderful sensation. Locate the front of the pubic bone by pressing down on the area where your pubic hair grows (above your clit) or hold a vibrator on your vaginal opening to locate the back part of the pubic bone.

Temperature play

Add another element to your foreplay or self-pleasure session by experimenting with temperature. Toys like this dildo or any of our glass range are perfect for heating or cooling down. If your toy permits, submerge it in ice or pop it in the freezer for an experience that’s invigorating and a little shocking (in the best way). When an icy toy is placed on sensitive areas like the nipples, inner thighs, inner labia or clit, it can give a nice intensity.

On the flip side, you can soak your toy in hot water (just be careful not to make it too hot!) for a warming feeling. During those numbing winter days when the idea of getting naked isn’t so appealing, a heated toy can help get things started (and feels amazing on the clit).

Squirting 101

If you’re a pussy owner looking to explore the world of squirting, sex toys can be an excellent tool. When positioned at an angle that targets the G-spot, hard toys (those made from materials like metal or glass) can be really effective in achieving that squirting experience.

Once you’re turned on and targeting your G-spot, you just need to keep stimulating the area. Stick with it! You’ll probably feel like you need to pee – but to squirt, you have to keep going past this feeling. Keep stimulating that G-spot and you’ll get there. For a more in-depth tutorial and an explainer of what squirting is, head to my guide here.

Full-body pleasure

Even with all the right tools, it can sometimes be hard to get your mind in a relaxed state to receive pleasure. To get that erotic mood happening, try grinding while masturbating. Sex toys don’t just have to be used with your hand, and grinding can provide an intuitive whole-body experience. Kick things off by putting a toy between a pillow and your sheet to keep it in place, or stand a wand massager up between two pillows so it sticks up in between.

A bigger wand massager is great for this as it won’t get lost between layers. If you’re wanting the ultimate grinding experience, the Orion Vibepad is an innovative toy made for riding. In conjunction with a stimulated mind, full-body motion can make for an amazing self-pleasure experience.

Start on the low

As I said earlier, a slow build-up can often make for a nice end result. Start your self-pleasure session off slow by putting your toy on a soft vibration setting. It helps to think of your orgasm like a balloon – the more air you fill it up with, the better it will be. So breathe through your motions, start slowly and build your pleasure up.

Imagine if a partner started sex by stimulating you really rapidly. You’d probably prefer to gently ease into things, right? So do the same for yourself. You might find you don’t even need to go past the lowest level on your toy. Test out different settings and see what works for you.

Partner play from afar

Explore new erotic frontiers with your partner with app-controlled toys. While you or your partner is going to the gym, out on a walk or grocery shopping, toys like the We-Vibe Moxie allow the other person to control pleasure from afar. The Moxie magnetically clips into your underwear, so your partner can discreetly control the vibrations.

You could also try this after a sexy dinner out or in the comfort of your own home. The We-Vibe Chorus is amazing for this; it slips in and stays in place with two different types of vibrations for your partner to play with. Let them control the settings while watching you reach orgasm – tapping into a voyeuristic and exhibitionistic side of sex.Read more at:unique formal dresses | short cocktail dresses

The collaborations that the fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) had with Surrealist artists, such as Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau and Man Ray, are spotlighted in a new exhibition in Paris.

Shocking! The Surreal World of Elsa Schiaparelli at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs explores Schiaparelli’s innovation and how her collections were influenced by the Parisian avant-garde of the 1920s and 30s. By adopting this angle, the museum revisits Schiaparelli’s legacy through a different theme from its 2004 retrospective.

An entire room will focus on Schiaparelli’s collaboration with Dalí, tracing their shared inclination towards scandal and provocation. Most famously, the duo worked together in 1937 on the Lobster Dress, a cream silk evening gown emblazoned with a red lobster strewn with sprigs of parsley. It was among the 18 pieces that Schiaparelli designed for Wallis Simpson on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Windsor following his abdication.

Cecil Beaton photographed Simpson donning the dress, with its erotic implication, for Vogue magazine. The inspiration for the design came from Dalí’s Lobster Telephone (1936), made for the British poet Edward James. Also on display will be Schiaparelli’s Shoe Hat (1937-38), a black and pink hat in the shape of high-heeled shoe, which was inspired by a photo taken by Gala, Dalí’s wife, of her husband comically wearing a woman’s shoe on his head, the other on his shoulder.

Born in Rome in 1890, Schiaparelli travelled extensively and made her name in Paris, where in 1935 she opened her couture salons on the venerable Place Vendôme. Besides Surrealism, she also drew inspiration from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the Commedia dell’Arte (Italian theatrical comedy in the 16th to 18th centuries), and Louis XIV at the Château de Versailles. As well as silhouettes and accessories by Schiaparelli, creations designed in homage to her by fashion luminaries such as Yves Saint Laurent, Azzedine Alaïa, John Galliano and Christian Lacroix will also be on view.Read more at:formal dresses brisbane city | formal dresses in adelaide

Low clothing prices may be tempting to purchase, especially with rising inflation costs. However, there may be a reason behind the small price tag.

NMU student Molly Birch said fast fashion is a term used to describe the clothing industry model of replicating high-fashion designs.

“Because there are consumers who demand clothing at such high rates and we want it now and quickly, to be cute and fit right but we don’t want to pay a lot of money for it,” Birch said.

Because of high demand from consumers, Birch said fast fashion brands continue to produce items while underpaying workers in less-developed countries.

“In these countries where the labor laws are already pretty lax, it gives them that financial incentive to continue having lax labor laws and continue oppressing these people,” Birch said.

Birch said examples include Shein, H&M and Forever 21. Fast fashion also has negative impacts on the environment.

Boomerang Retro & Relics Owner Nick Dupras said the majority of mass-produced clothing ends up in the trash.

“The speed at which it goes through the system leads to massive landfills full of mostly polyester,” Dupras said.

In order to combat fast fashion, resale owners and consumers say people should shop second-hand.

“It’s easier and more fun than most people think. The way I do it is thrifting. I thrift almost everything that I own otherwise if I’m not thrifting I support small businesses,” Fancy Free Owner Greta Hillstrom said.

Dupras said to pick timeless, high-quality items.

“Many companies are known for their items and clothing that do last and by doing that you get good-quality clothing that will last for years,” Dupras said.

You can also shop second-hand stores online with websites like Poshmark.Read more at:formal dresses in australia | short formal dresses

今日はオーストラリア出身のファッションブロガーpepamackさんの、シンプルで中性的なベーシックアイテムを着こなした高級でエレガントな女性らしさをご紹介します。

デニムを合わせると清潔感が出てすっきりしますが、これには欠点があります。特に骨太な体型の女性にデニムスーツを合わせると、平たくなりすぎてウエストとヒップのバランスが崩れてしまいます。

定番はプチスーツ×デニム。いつまでたっても間違いのない着こなしだから、あと何十年たっても好きな人は多いかもしれない。

藏蓝色高級感は一種の持参の色、それの色合いの大気沈着、そして顕の白着やせ効果、それに運用されてtシャツのデザインでできる体型カバーと浮き出さ気質の役割と、それと青色のデニムスカートコーディネート一绪に简単には美しくて、快适にまた、日常は優れたおしゃれ感をあらわす。

とり入れチョッキは明るい眼に、独特の個性を見せ、とり入れ飽和度が高いというのが、白い肌に合った人より、深い色の女の子を试みないで、もっとになる黒、一条の高い腰ジーンズを履いて、腰の线の位置を高めたが、改善した全身に比例し、高顕が顕に足が长い、わき腹の腹部の肉もできる、お代の女の子には、とても友好、その生地は弾力性がとても大きくて、着心地が良くて、緊張を感じることができなくて、色は薄い青色ので、タンクトップと組成して色にぶつかって組み合わせて、潮範は十分で、非凡なファッションのセンスを体現します。

オレンジ色のtシャツに黒の九分丈パンツというおしゃれな組み合わせです。Read more at:black formal dresses | blue formal dresses