High School Musical sensation Vanessa Hudgins at the 2009 Oscars. If you like Hudgen's red carpet look, jewelry designer Lisa Freede created an affordable cocktail ring, pictured above, that matches this look.

Hollywood’s hottest stars dazzled on the red carpet at the 2009 Oscars.  Halle Berry, Frieda Pinto, and Penelope Cruz were just a few of the A-listers decked out in jewels.  For those watching from home lusting after the stars’ shimmering baubles, Lisa Freede Jewelry provides a more affordable option. 

Creating everything from earrings to rings, bracelets to necklaces, and hair jewels to headbands, Lisa Freede now carries a variety of unique designs to suit any jewelry need. 

Take a look at our StyleSeenDaily.com slidesow below to see some of Lisa Freed’s designs.  

Visit www.LisaFreede.com to scoop up this jewelry.  

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Heidi Klum – Blackened Platinum earrings and bracelets by Lorraine Schwartz. Photo credit: Getty Images.

Super mom/model/mogul Heidi Klum earns our Style Seen Daily pick for most amazing jewelry spotted on the red carpet so far this year.  Above she is pictured in blackened platinum earrings that are absolutely breathtaking on her and frame her face perfectly.  Take a cue from Heidi, don’t be afraid to wear big jewelry and lots of it.  

SSD friend, and jewelry expert Michael O’Conner, loaned Heidi these amazing earrings for her to wear at the Oscars.  He also loaned jewelry to Natalie Portman, Penelope Cruz and Kate Winslet to name drop just a few  (these ladies also looked amazing and you can find out exactly where their jewelry came from in our SSD slide show).  Now he is disclosing to our SSD readers what he’s heard from today’s hottest A-listers about red carpet sparkle.        

“This year, celebrities draw inspiration from the timeless Hollywood icons of the 1930s depression era to bring a unique combination of understated elegance to the red carpet. The hottest styles are classic vintage and art deco Platinum pieces that are as sophisticated today as they will be tomorrow.”

Elegance & Sophistication

Understated elegance rule the red carpet with celebrities choosing to accentuate one area while downplaying others. “We’re likely to see high quality Platinum pieces that have both intrinsic value and long-term durability such as vintage necklaces and bracelets that have the ability to go with every style and color choice,” comments O’Connor.

Penelope Cruz – Platinum and 69 carat diamond necklace, Platinum and 21 carat yellow diamond ring, Platinum and 11 carat diamond stud earrings and Platinum bracelets by Chopard. Photo Credit: Getty Images.

Mix and Match

“A newer trend is mixed and matched jewelry styles. Look for unique pairings such as a luxurious statement piece like a platinum and diamond bib necklace paired with simple Platinum and diamond stud earrings,” says O’Connor.  

One is Never Enough

Whether they are simple Platinum bangles or chunky Platinum and diamond cuffs, one is never enough.

 “Stacked bracelets piled on, is a popular trend. Some celebrities choose to forgo large earrings and necklaces, making bracelets the focus of their red carpet look,” expresses O’Connor.

 Colorful Glamour

From Platinum and turquoise oversized earrings to sparkling ruby cocktail rings, “colorful Platinum and gemstone jewelry will be noticeable on the red carpet.  Celebrities use bright colors to stand out on the red carpet and enhance their gowns,“ O’Connor comments.

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Affordable Options

Also, for those of you loving these stars jewelry but don’t have the budget just yet to buy these amazing authentic jewels, check out the following Style Seen Daily entry:

Oscar Jewelry Looks for Less

This entire outfit, every single item pictured from the sunglasses to the shoes, costs a total of $101.40.

To see the breakdown and find out how to purchase these items: Forever 21

At the 81th Annual Academy Awards held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood 2009, Slumdog Millionaire Star Frieda Pinto was one of the many starlets wearing an asymmetrical dress.

The red carpet at the 2009 Oscars in Hollywood, California proved that the shoulder and collarbone is the current “it” body part.  

Starlets wearing asymmetrical or strapless one color gowns to highlight this new sexy area were everywhere.  In fact, I dare you to find me an amazing dress at the Oscars that had 2 straps.  Go on post it below….    

Also, it’s all about picking a color and sticking with it.  And the good news here — monochrome (ie outfits that are all one color) are great for helping you appear more slim.    

We have a mini fashion round up for you —  take a look at some highlights of the fashions below in our Style Seen Daily slideshow.  

You’ll find actress Amy Adams and super model Heidi Klum both in classic red long gowns.  They made their look more fashion forward with adding statement jewelry.  Adams decided to stick with one statement necklace while Klum forgo the necklace and added huge drop down earrings and 6 bangle bracelets (3 of which she designed herself for charity).

Beyonce’s look wasn’t the best marketing tool for her or her fashion line — the dress was her own, from House of Derion, and fashion critics everywhere are saying they did not like the mermaid dress.  It was too gody.  What are your thoughts?

Miley Cyrus also did not pass the fashion tests with many fashionistas.  Cyrus said the dress she wore was the first one she tried on… perhaps she should have tried on some more.  Again, it was too gody.  And it wasn’t age appropriate for the teenager.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Anne Hathaway both are examples of the several cream shimmering strapless dresses we saw on the carpet.   Both dresses looked amazing on the two style setters.

Mickey Rourke chose a white suite — sunglasses go without saying for this actor — and he had a necklace with a picture of his recently deceased dog, Loki.   

Angelina Jolie also wore a strapless long gown in black.  She had amazing drop down green earrings that added a pop of color.  Jolie ofcourse wins for the best accessory  –  Brad Pitt!  

And the lady of the night, best actress winner Kate Winslet, wore a two-tone Yves Saint Laurent by Stefano Pilati dress.  Again, note the “sexy shoulder.”

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From:  Reuters

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Teen clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF.N) beat Wall Street profit expectations on Friday and said it is optimistic about international expansion, lifting its shares more than 13 percent.

Abercrombie also said it is reviewing its operating expenses, has already started to cut costs and plans significantly less in capital expenditures this year.

Management is “actively managing expenses, while at the same time protecting the brand for the long term,” Credit Suisse analyst Paul Lejuez said in a research note.

Once a high-flyer in teen apparel retail, Abercrombie has seen a protracted sales slump as rivals such as Aeropostale (ARO.N) take market share by cutting prices.

Net profit fell sharply to $68.4 million, or 78 cents per share, in the fourth quarter that ended January 31 from $216.8 million, or $2.40 per share, a year earlier.

Excluding impairment charges and costs tied to a new employment agreement that extends CEO Mike Jeffries’ contract until 2014, Abercrombie’s profit of $1.10 per share topped analysts’ average forecast of $1.01, according to Reuters Estimates.

Sales fell 19 percent to $998 million. Sales at stores open at least a year fell 25 percent.

Abercrombie’s strategy of keeping prices higher than competitors to increase its cachet has put off many U.S. shoppers looking for bargains, although the retailer has discounted clearance items.

On Friday, the company stood by its strategy.

“We are not promotional and will not be promotional, and by promotional I mean 50 percent off a category, buy one, get 17 free, or somebody whispering to you about a secret sale; we don’t do stuff like that,” Jeffries said during a morning conference call.

The company has cut some prices at its Hollister and abercrombie kids chains, but said the changes were not significant.

OVERSEAS MARKETS

Abercrombie is “very bullish” on the potential it sees in international markets, while it is “not bullish on U.S. malls at this point,” Jeffries said.

The retailer said it is committed to opening some stores, such as its namesake ones in Milan and Tokyo in 2009, but would postpone opening its namesake store in Copenhagen and an abercrombie flagship in New York to 2010.

Jeffries said he sees the opportunity for 30 Hollister stores in the United Kingdom. There are currently three Hollister stores in London. 

Abercrombie had warned last month that its fourth-quarter earnings would be significantly below the outlook of $1 to $1.05 per share that it had previously issued.

The company said it expected a difficult selling environment to continue in 2009 and did not issue an earnings outlook for the fiscal year, citing volatile sales levels.

Abercrombie expects capital expenditures of $165 million to $175 million in the fiscal year that began this month, a major portion of which is tied to new stores and remodeling.

The company spent about $370 million on capital expenditures last year.

Its shares were up 13.3 percent at $23.46 on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Additional reporting by Aarthi Sivaraman in New York and Alexandria Sage in San Francisco; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn, Dave Zimmerman)

From:  Lethbridge Herald

February 20, 2009

TORONTO – Sears Canada (TSX:SCC) has laid off 300 employees to prepare for what a company spokesman calls a “tough” year.

That represents less than one per cent of the company’s workforce of 38,000. About half the laid off workers are at the company’s Toronto headquarters, while the rest are at Sears repair centres across the country.

Sears Canada spokesman Vince Power says the cuts will have no impact on customer service either in the stores or at Sears’ repair business.

“We made these job cuts to prepare for what’s widely known to be a year with a tough economic climate,” Power said Friday.

The impact of the global slowdown has been felt unevenly, with some retailers or retail sectors feeling more pain than others.

Hudson’s Bay Co., whose Bay department stores compete with many Sears stores, announced this month it was cutting 1,000 jobs or about five per cent of its full-time Canadian workforce.

Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. (TSX:SC), on the other hand, reported last week that it expects to open between 120 and 130 new stores in 2009. The pharmacy chain increased its fourth-quarter revenue by 14 per cent to $173 million, partly as a result of adding 142 stores.

Analysts have noted that retailers who sell must-have goods, such as pharmaceuticals and groceries, often do well during recessionary times while others that depend on customers’ discretionary spending see a decline.

Clothing and furniture sales, two department store staples, have struggled this year as home sales have plunged, prompting cautious consumers to shift their spending to such basics as food.

Sears Canada shares traded at $19.46, up 21 cents, on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

From:  KHOU HOUSTON

Associated Press, February 20, 2009

NEW YORK — J.C. Penney Co. reported a 51 percent drop in fourth-quarter profits as customers sharply cut spending on clothing and other more discretionary purchases as the recession deepened. The department store chain also said that losses in the first quarter would be wider than analysts had predicted amid a deteriorating environment.

The Plano-based retailer said Friday that earnings for the three-month period ended Jan. 31 were $211 million, or 95 cents per share. That compares with $430 million, or $1.93 per share in the year-ago period.

Sales dropped almost 10 percent to $5.76 billion from $6.39 billion in the year-ago period.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected 92 cents per share on revenue of $5.76 billion.

Same-store sales or sales at stores opened at least a year fell 10.8 percent in the quarter.

Same-store sales are considered a key performance indicator because they measure growth at existing stores rather than newly opened ones.

“Throughout the year, we took steps to significantly reduce our inventories and operating expenses in order to withstand the impact of the economic conditions,” said Myron E. Ullman III, chairman and chief executive in a statement. “At the same time, we stepped up the style we offer and focused on effectively communicating the newness, excitement and value in our merchandise.”

Penney said that as of Jan. 31, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $2.4 billion and long-term debt of $3.5 billion. Merchandise inventories totaled $3.3 billion and were about 13.5 percent lower than last year on a same-store sales basis. Capital expenditures were approximately $970 million in 2008, moderately lower than the company’s $1 billion plan.

Penney said that it expects a per-share loss of anywhere between 20 cents to 30 cents in the first quarter. Analysts expect a loss of 19 cents, according to Thomson. Penney also said total sales would decline anywhere from 10 percent to 13 percent and that same-store sales would drop between 12 percent and 15 percent in the first quarter.

Retailers such as Ann Taylor, Sears and Talbots face store closings, bankruptcies, takeovers in 2009

From:  New York Daily News

This holiday season hit retailers hard.  As a result, many are facing mass store closings and bankruptcies.

Retailers will close 12,000 stores in 2009, Howard Davidowitz, chairman of retail consulting and investment-banking firm Davidowitz & Associates Inc. told Bloomberg News. 

Retailers such as Ann Taylor,Talbots and Sears are among the many retailers expected to close underperforming stores, Bloomberg News reported.

Britt Beemer of America’s Research Group dubbed this ”the worst holiday retail season in four decades.”  He predicted a 2.8% drop in sales nationwide from last Christmas season.

Citywide, the number of shoppers in stores Friday through Sunday fell 15% from a year ago, he said. Due to Wall Street woes and tight-fisted tourists, the amount of money spent could easily be down 30%.

Many retailers such as Circuit City, Linens ‘n Things and Sharper Image have already sought bankruptcy protection. The abysmal holiday sales may spur consolidation and further bankruptcy filings, Gilbert Harrison, chief executive officer of retail advisory firm Financo Inc, told Bloomberg News.

“You’re going to see deals that you never thought you were going to see before because of the necessity of both parties,” Harrison said in a Bloomberg Television interview Dec. 26.

The International Council of Shopping Centers tracking survey found that 6,387 stores had closed this year as of Decemeber 10, and that this number would likely hit  6,600 for the year, as reported by Bloomberg News. 

“The situation is not going to right itself in January, it’s going to be a long while that discounting’s going to be around,” Patti Freeman Evans, an analyst at Jupiter Research in New York told Bloomberg News. “Consumers are going to get used to it and it’s going to very difficult for retailers to move forward in a full-price mode.”

At the 80th Annual Academy Awards held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood in 2008, actress Actress Katherine Heigl choose to be fashion forward with the asymmetrical shoulder while at the sametime being classic glam in a long red figure flattering gown and hair in tight curls.

It’s Oscar weekend in Hollywood and the town is packed with stars and filmmakers dressed to impress while they go party hopping.  We have already talked to quite a few of them and have noticed a huge trend with the A listers:  light purple dresses, asymmetrical dresses with big bows or flowers at one shoulder, forehead headbands, and the “it” shoes are definitely Christian Louboutins.  Those red heels are everywhere.  

In case you are not aware, the 81st Annual Academy Awards is Sunday February 22 live 5PT / 8ET on ABC.   

Make sure to check back in to get your Oscar fashion fix and let us know your red carpet style reviews as well.

Marc Jacobs Fall 2009 Collection.

Marc Jacobs made quite a statement with his Fall 2009 Collection at New York Fashion Week.  The designer known for making celebs and A listers wait hours for his shows  pulled a 180.  He shocked many by doing the unheard of at a fashion show:  NO celebrities were seated in the front row, his fashion show was two minutes EARLY, and he ONLY allowed a limited amount of press and buyers in — instead of a packed house of 1500 people he cut it down to 500 people and, yes, there was room to breath!

Why did he do this?  He wanted to bring it back to the clothes.  And it seemed he wanted people to pay close attention.  And if you wanted to take in the looks, you had to stay alert and focused as they went speeding by.  In 10 minutes he had 60 models walk the catwalk and he wanted the attention on them, not the atmosphere.

Super sized shoulder pads, fluorescent colors, mohawks —  it seems Marc also took inspiration from the 80s for this line.  And then added his unique fashion forward take.

Below are some highlights form collection.  Let us know your thoughts.

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