The weather is getting warmer, the sun is out, and that means it’s time to get outside. No more excuses about the weather to stop you from getting out there! I love to run, and nicer weather is always that extra inspiration.

Famously Fit

Here are some celebrity runners to inspire you to hit the streets. You don’t have to have a personal trainer or the most expensive gear to run, just a good pair of shoes and the will power.

Reese

Kate

Nicole

What are the Stars Wearing?

Black capri-length bottoms are the perfect fit for running, whether you are a famous movie star or not. Show off your rock hard calves and draw attention away from anything you are trying to run back into shape. The Running Room version below are called the “Be Fresh” capri because they “silver infusion” makes them “odor free and anti bacterial”.

These panties from Vivvos feel like you are running around without anything on at all. They are made from a material that doesn’t leave lines and are great for wearing under athletic wear, yet pretty enough to wear under formal clothing, too!

If running makes you feel less than glamorous, you can add some icing by accessorizing with your sunglasses – like these cool black shades from Oakley – which match the panties above, by the way! (As an added bonus, part of the proceeds go to the Young Survival Coalition which focuses on young women affected by breast cancer.

Mr. Muscle

Still not ready to strap on your shoes? Celebrity Icing offers you some eye candy to get your motor running… Yummy.

Matthew

Matt

Jake

Running Man

Will Smith on the importance of running and reading, two of my favorite hobbies…

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Celebrity Icing Features Favorite Looks for the Winter Olympics

Of course, all of the 1200 torchbearers are celebrities for at least a few minutes, while they participate in the relay. Many of them are already famous in Canada as well, if not the whole world. Everyone knows Wayne Gretzky, but not everyone will be familiar with Sam Sullivan – Vancouver’s former mayor.

Vancouver, British Columbia, is often referred to as ‘Hollywood North’ so it sort of makes sense that they’ve invited 15 international celebrities to carry the Olympic torch during the relay. These celebrities include everyone from the Hollywood governator Arnold Schwarzenegger to Bollywood superstar Akshay Tumar.

Carrot Tops Arnold Schwarzenegger Turn at the Torch Relay

In what could have been a serious international incident, a man dressed up as an organic carrot swooped in and stole the torch away from Schwarzenegger during the relay.

What you didn’t see that on the news? Just kidding, it’s just a funny spoof. He did get mobbed by fans however and it raised some concerns about security…

Shania Twain Fireside Singalong

Canadian singer Shania Twain ran through her home town of Timmins, Ontario with the torch. Here’s Shania singing cover songs by the fire during her visit back home to Canada.

Fashion Inspired By The Olympics

Make your own fashion statement inspired by the torchbearers and put on a white leisure suit, a knitted cap (‘toque’ in Canadian), and red mittens. This must have been super fun for the participants who ran their part of the relay during the summer!

Or, just buy some red mittens – (hurry, they are going fast) – $10 at Hudson Bay Company, Zellers, and Home Outfitters, but they don’t seem to be selling the mittens online.  They are the most popular clothing item from the games by far, and the money goes straight to Canadian athletes. If you’re not in Vancouver, people are selling them at Amazon.com for $50. I’ve also found a website called buyredmittenscanada.ca that sells to US and International shoppers – and it looks like you can bid on the them. Note: These sellers are not affiliated with the Olympics and Celebrity Icing is not in any way endorsing or guaranteeing their legitimacy – please check them out for yourself!

You can choose from a wide variety of souvenirs online at hbc.com (Hudson Bay Company), like this cute charm bracelet ($185).

Or, you can let the style inspire you and buy yourself a similar sterling silver bracelet for half the price ($90).

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Have You Ever Had Your Colors Done?

During the 1980’s women would often get their ‘colors done’ – a trained specialist (like for example, one of your mom’s friends) would evaluate your coloring (hair, complexion, eyes) and then tell you if you were a Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter. You would be told what colors you should wear based on this evaluation.

This type of oversimplification and rigid rules of style went out with those scarves you were supposed to be able to wear in 150 different ways (instruction booklet attached).

Yet, there are colors that suit different people – and they can still be a good foundation to build a personal look on.

Today fashion rules are much more flexible (and fun) but not everyone has the confidence to break the rules (or the eye to do it well). In that case, we start a fun 4 part series based on the 4 seasons:

Are You A Spring, Fall, Winter or Summer?

Join us as we look at the characteristics for each season and the colors that compliment them.

Which season are you?

Perhaps you will be surprised by the results. Perhaps we’ll inspire you to try out some new colors. Or, you can use the seasons as a gift guide for the Winter and Spring folks on your Christmas list (that’s probably how far we will get this month). And, of course, in true Celebrity Icing style – we will include some sparkly Stars and some starry sparklers for you to enjoy -with some fun nods back to that colorful decade, the 80’s along the way…

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Last week our two favorite gossip girls Blair and Serena’s friendship turned downright frosty – but here at Celebrity icing we focus more on the frosting – in other words, the delicious designer duds that almost steal the scene from all the drama on our favorite show.

Did you take our quiz yet?

Go back to the previous post to find out Which Gossip Girl’s Style Suits You.

Are You a Vanessa, Blair, Serena, or Jenny?

Spotted: Sweet Shortcuts to Gossip Girl Style…

Jenny

When it comes to black eyeliner and social climbing, Jenny likes to lay it on thick….

Here’s a how-to video from Smashbox make up artist Hank Hoffman.

A little bit couture, a little bit rock n roll

Here she is in a Missoni dress, but you can honour Jenny’s budget roots by shopping for this look at H&M instead…

Vanessa

Vanessa has that whole boho thing going on. She dresses like a free spirit; however, if you look closely you can see that a lot of thought actually goes in to her outfits, which suits her character. Often she is wearing more bangles and necklaces that a carnival fortune teller, and has the big earrings to match.

Vanessa wears designers like Catherine Malandrino – affordable compared to the other Gossip Girls’ clothing, a Malandrino dress can be purchased for $300 (check out her sale page for even better pricing). Of course, a real-life Vanessa would also be able to walk out of thrift store with an entire outfit for less than $50… (less than $20 if you get lucky!).

Serena

Generally Serena looks like you wish you would look if you rolled out of bed wearing the same clothes from the night before… tousled hair, and thrown-together outfits, with skirt lengths and footwear inappropriate for daytime. Recently, she’s cleaned up her act quite a bit so picture the same look only with clothing fresh from the dry cleaners (and it looks like she finally found her hair brush – it only took her two years…).

Okay, I’m being a bit hard on her – I have to admit, I’m jealous – I miss the days where I didn’t feel self conscious in mini skirts and heels. This look definitely has an age limit – if you dress like Serena during the day and you’re under 35- you’re edgy; if you’re over 35 you’re something else… not sure what…

Blair

Oh, Blair. Not everyone can pull this one off. Many of us would end up looking like a sunday school teacher or a time traveler from 1985. You can get a similar look by shopping at any store that caters to older women (Ann Taylor Loft for example). Of course, this only works if you’re not actually already old. Just add a headband, or scarf-choker, and presto! At best, if this style appeals to you, I would recommend that you shoot for the ’sexy librarian’ look – that might work. Don’t forget to add some pretty (and preppy) jewelry, like the bracelet below.

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What’s your favorite Halloween costume?

Last  year my husband went as Captain Hooker (pirate from the waist up, miniskirt and fishnets from the waist down) and I went as Stinkerbell (imagine Tinkerbell crossed with the Peanuts’ character Pig Pen). My friends dressed up as Alice in Wonderbread (she wore an Alice costume with those big wonderbread dots all over it) and Phantom of the Grand Ol’ Opry – I’m a sucker for these kinds of ‘play on words’ costumes…

Halloween Costume Advice from Celebrity Icing

Don’t use Halloween as an excuse to wear your sleaziest clothes – do something interesting! Do we really need to see another naughty nurse, hooker, or French maid? This year we think smart, ironic, witty, or a combination of all three is much sexier (if it involves fishnet stockings or stilettos, that’s fine – but they should be part of the costume!).

Today celebrity icing celebrates some cool and creepy jewelry and stars in honor of the season.

For more ghoulish jewels, Halloween gift ideas, and some star-inspired Halloween costume ideas, check out last year’s Halloween feature ”Halloween Brings New Meaning to Costume Jewelry“.

Diamonds are a Ghoul’s Best Friend

The jewel below is not a real diamond, it’s resin that has been cast into a diamond cut shape. And, that’s a real Green Rose Chafer Beetle inside – the perfect gift for your Ghoulfriend.

Here is the Lotus Spider Ring offered by Kabiri. I love the heart detail and the bed of diamonds… (and yes, they are real diamonds).

Subtle, Yet Spooky

Here are some nice nods to the season if you’re not dressing up. You don’t just have to wear these on Halloween either!

An Owl pendant with a black crystal ball chain.

Or, grey pearl drop earrings with sterling silver posts.

And, remember – Eat, Drink and Be Scary on Halloween, but for heaven’s sake don’t drive home after the party!

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I’m due to have my baby very soon so I guess I have babies on the brain more than usual.

Should Babies Wear Jewelry?

Some cultures seem to prefer jewelry on their children very young (bracelets, earrings). My mom bought all of her girl grandchildren tiny engraved bracelets when they were born – not sure if this is  German thing or just a personal predilection – she also buys child-size silver cutlery for all the kids…

This week we feature baby bracelets:

I also know other people who are passionately against the whole concept of adorning their precious little ones in precious metals.

Of course, if you are going to string your baby with bling make sure it is safe.

Always observe the age guidelines for jewelry – most of it is not practical for children under 3 (it is only worn during a photo session or special ceremony like a christening and then kept as a keepsake or heirloom). For specific information about recalls, please refer to ConsumerReports.org. Here are some basic guidelines:

• Don’t leave children unattended (this includes naptime, bedtime)
• Purchase jewelry from a reputable jewelry store (you get what you pay for).
• Be suspicious of any jewelry purchased from a vending machine or dollar/discount store.
• Watch for small pieces and jewels that might detach (choking hazards).
• ”Breakaway” clasps or weak elastic is the best choice for all jewelry worn around a child’s neck (or better yet, just avoid this jewelry until the child is older).
• Ask the store to confirm what metals are contained in the jewelry. Good jewelry stores (online included) will provide this information on their websites.

Guaranteed Goodies

For example, the Danforth Diamond website informs you that their 14K Yellow Gold Baby Girl charm is made from Harmony Recycled Metals (and you receive a Certificate of Authenticity with your purchase).

Charm The Little One

A great gift idea for a little girl – buy her a charm bracelet. You can buy her charms for years to come, making gift shopping easy! She may not be able to wear it right away, but it can grow along with her – the charms you select while she grows up can symbolize milestones in her life (shoes for first steps or ballet shoes for first dance recital, for example). It’s also a nice way to show your commitment to be in this little girl’s life – perfect for divorced dads, distant grandparents, or mom’s best friend!

Traditional Baby

The Gingham Grasshopper offers bracelets that are like the bracelets babies used to get at the hospital, only much fancier. The bracelet pictured below is made from .925 Sterling Silver and freshwater pearls (read their safety issues link for their guarantee).

Yummy Mummy

Dr. Bloom’s Chewable Jewels – are actually for mom, but baby gets to chew on them when teething.

Here’s one of Celebrity Icing’s favorite celebs, Milla Jovohovich, a fan of Dr. Bloom’s jewels.

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This week celebrityicing compares two famous and iconic American boys: John F Kennedy Jr and Nick Simmons.

Sadly, JFK Jr’s plane crashed tragically in 1999, so he is no longer with us (although our crushes on him will live forever).

A Life Built on the American Dream

The original Kennedy, Joseph (John F Kennedy’ father), still held the tenacity and ambition of his Irish immigrant family – making his fortune in banking and the film industry. Gene Simmons came to the US with his mom Florence (a holocaust survivor) from Israel and built his fortune in the entertainment industry using raw talent, ingenuity, and excellent business and marketing skills.

Controversial Dads/Grandads

According to time.com, Franklin D Roosevelt called Joe Kennedy (JFK Jr’s grandfather) a ‘crook‘ (although indirectly). According to wikipedia.org, Al Franken (now a US Senator) described Gene Simmons (Nick’s dad) as “the most awful person I’ve ever met” during a 2002 interview.

Famous Family

The Kennedys and the Simmons are the closest thing Americans have to the royal families of European countries. The average person is very familiar with their lives, which are covered in the media in detail. They are affluent, exciting, inspiring, and -most importantly – photogenic.

US President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacquie Kennedy, daughter Caroline Kennedy, and son John F. Kennedy Jr make up the most famous first family of the United States of America and belong to one of the most famous, wealthy, and influential US families (“the Kennedys”).

Rock bassist, vocalist, actor and successful businessman Gene Simmons, girlfriend Shannon Tweed, daughter Sophie Tweed, and son Nick Simmons make up one of the most famous rock n roll families (perhaps a close second to the Osbournes?).

Surprisingly Vulnerable

Despite all of the advantages that good looks, wealth, and popularity bring –  both JFK Jr and Nick Simmons seem(ed) to be rather flustered by the attention and even embarrassed by their situation. (JFK Jr grew out of this so perhaps will Nick Simmons.) The tousled hair, eye-rolling, and awkwardly long limbs during the post teen years help purvey this image of course.

Professional Pursuits

John F Kennedy Jr was a talented actor but was discouraged by his family and studied law instead. He also founded the magazine George. Nick Simmons is also an actor (he plays himself on a reality TV show about his family) and creates comic books.

Tall, Dark, and Handsome

Here at celebrity icing we get style inspiration from our favorite stars. To get the JFK/Nick look above:

Meaningful Necklace

Swim Trunks

speedousa.com

Tousled Hair

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The fifth installment in our astrology series!

Give Your Accessories Some Star Power

If your birthday falls between July 23 and August 22 you are a LEO just like some of Celebrity Icing’s favorite stars: Amelia Earhart, Zelda Fitzgerald, Mick Jagger, Dustin Hoffman, and my friend Darcy! (Happy Birthday Darcy!)

This week we will look at some classic Leos from the black and white era of film…

According to astrology-online.com, Leos are “the most dominant, spontaneously creative and extrovert[ed] of all the zodiacal characters” (astrology-online.com).

Clara Bow

The characters played by silent film star Clara Bow fit this description perfectly: a real ‘go-getter’ who would always get her man. According to a fansite, she “was the first actress who visibly flaunted her sex appeal” and has become “an icon of sexual freedom for women everywhere” (clarabow.net).

Note that Ms. Bow didn’t feel the need to wear showy jewelry to get attention – her natural charisma and confident poise would have been enough. Instead she wears a simple gold watch and a yellow gold link bracelet.

Myrna Loy

Another favorite of mine, Myrna Loy is best known for her role as Nora Charles in the Thin Man movies.

Here’s a glimpse of her wilder side. The picture is from an early role in the movie “Across the Pacific”. Note this famous Leo’s wild mane – perfect for a lioness. Hair like this is the only accessory you need (and I should know, trust me!) Perhaps a flower tucked behind your ear is a nice touch; otherwise, simple gold earrings would be enough.

Her most famous roles cast her as a perfect wife – her response to this was “Some perfect wife I am,” she said, referring to her typecasting. “I’ve been married four times, divorced four times, have no children, and can’t boil an egg.” (wikepedia.org)

Happy Birthday Leos!

Here are some gift ideas for the Leos in your life.

Amber or yellow stones are always a favorite of the feline friendly…

The Tiger Eye stone traditionally belongs to Capricorns, but also suits Leos.

It also reportedly helps you gain personal empowerment and courage (not that most Leos need help in those areas). Here’s the perfect gift for the stylish Leo man in your life:

Charm Your Leo

A sweet tiger will charm your Leo.

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We all know that A list celebrities can afford the very best of the best. We also know that most of them are following strict diets to maintain their famous figures.

What if you have a sweet tooth and a fat bank account but you’re on a calorie budget?

It’s all about quality not quantity…

Featured in our very first Celebrity Icing article, Jessica Simpson might want to sweeten up with some of these tasty treats  now that her and Tony Romo’s relationship has gone sour. (See “Jessica Simpson Covered in Icing“, September 2008.) The couple got together in 2007 and there were rumors in 2008 of engagement ring shopping, which Jessica denied. Rumors of an impending wedding surfaced again as recently as January 2009 (USmagazine.com).

I never met a chocolate I didn’t like. (Deanna Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation)

The Best Chocolate in the World (and most expensive chocolate)

Amedei Porcelana

The Chuao bar from Amedei has received Chocopaedia’s highest rating so far (9.3 out of 10). It shares this rating with four other bars – you can see the entire list at Chocopaedia – they describe themselves as an “encyclopaedia of fine chocolate, with lists and information about fine chocolate makers and reviews of the chocolate bars they produce.”

Chuao, Baby!

“The often-quoted price of this chocolate is $90 a pound” (wikipedia). The cocoa beans used to make this chocolate are very rare so that only limited quantities of the chocolate can be made each  year, contributing to the high price.

While Amedei Porcelana has often been called the world’s most expensive chocolate, the truffle pictured  below is $250. For. Just. One.

La Madeline au Truffe, by Knipschildt Chocolatier

Knipschildt Chocolate

According to their website, Knipschildt Chocolatier was “voted as one of the top 3 chocolates in the world by Gourmet Magazine” (knipschildt.com). Not all of their chocolates are priced so high – you can get their Giant Chocolate Box for $25.00. Warning – it only contains 9 chocolates (the term ‘giant’ refers to the fact that each chocolate is slightly larger than the regular size).

“All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt!” (Lucy Van Pelt, Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz)

Not Rich and Famous, But Still Want a Taste the Sweet Life?

Pralus

In contrast, the ‘Le 100%’ bar from Pralus is ranked equally with the Amedei bar mentioned above – and you can buy a 3.5oz bar online for $7.75 .

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Let’s face it, it’s hard to come up with good names for your kids. You might go out of your way to give your child a unique name only to have 5 other kids with the same name in his or her kindergarten class. A few years ago, no one would have said Isabella was common but now the playground is teeming with Bellas and Ellas. Isabella (or a version thereof) is the new Jennifer and Ava is the new Stephanie…

The trick is to come up with a name everyone involved is happy with, that isn’t too common -but that is also easy to pronounce and spell. My own pet peeve is ‘unique’ spellings of common names – the Jenyfurs, etc –  I’ve always thought it just makes it look like your parents can’t spell. Is your child really going to thank you after the thousandth time they’ve had to correct the spelling of their name? 

Celebrities seem to be be very challenged in this area – I guess their approach is different because they know that little “Rebel” or “Free” will never have to put their name on a resume or seek employment in the real world. A world where studies have shown that any name that is too hard to pronounce, or even just too ethnic – means less interviews… 

Well, here at Celebrity Icing we like to celebrate our favorites, so rather than making fun of all the goofy names selected for celebrity spawn we thought we’d spend some time featuring some of the names we like!

Beckett is the bee’s knees

Melissa Etheridge and Julie Cypher named their son Beckett and their daughter Bailey (presumably before Grey’s Anatomy went on the air…). The name Beckett means ‘Bee Cottage’ which is rather cute and inspires one to all sorts of nursery room decorating ideas. Beckett may have been named after the famous Irish writer or (and I hope it’s this one) Scott Bakula’s character from Quantum Leap. What child wouldn’t want to be named after the mysterious and adorable time traveler?

Coco is classy yet cute 

Courteney Cox Arquette  and David Arquette named their daughter Coco (rumor: after Courtney Cox). This name meets all of my criteria: if you see it in writing, you immediately know how to pronounce it – yet, at the same time, it’s very rare. According to thinkbabynames.com it is originally from Spain and is the short form of Soccoro (which means ‘lover of soccer’? no, just kidding…). It is cute, yet with a classy hint of Coco Chanel. My only fear would be that people might not take my daughter seriously – but that won’t be a problem if she turns out to be funny like her dad or a strong personality like her mom… 

Tallulah springs to mind

Bruce Willis and Demi More AND Simon LeBon and Yasmin Parvaneh both named a daughter Tallulah. This name means “leaping waters” in the Choctaw language (behindthename.com) or “jumping water” (babynamewizard.com). There is a waterfall named Tallulah in Georgia, where famous Tallulah Bankhead came from. It’s a beautiful sounding name and very rare. According to the namevoyager at babynamewizard.com – it’s never been in the top 1,000 names in any decade on record. (In contrast, Gertrude was ranked #24 in the 1890’s and Isabella was #2 in 2007.)  Tallulah Bankhead was actually notorious for her promiscuous behavior, boozing, drugging, and is actually thought to be the inspiration for 101 Dalmation’s Cruella Deville so I’m going with the idea that these children were named after the waterfall! Then again, so many parents named their daughters “Paris” in 2004, that it is ranked #156 in popularity – so nothing can surprise me anymore… yuck… 

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