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Lives of Style’s DatingSpeak™©2015 addresses questions about dating, relationships and communication. We are audience-based and questions directed at us at LoS DatingSpeak™©2015 or our authorities may not appear due to limited space.

Lives of Style authority–Laura Pugliese, shares must-know dating “Do’s and Don’ts” that will help you find success in your relationships.

Here are questions posed by our audience:

Lives of Style: I have been asked out on a first date from a man who lives out of town. He asked me out for Thursday at 6:30pm. I don’t finish work until 7p and couldn’t meet him until 8p. I asked to see if he could do another day and he replied that he couldn’t because he was leaving town. What can I say because I am not on my “A Game” after a long day of work?

Laura: If you have an interest in this man, then I think you should do your best to meet him while he is in town. You could say to him, “Thank you for inviting me out. I want to say yes, but unfortunately I will still be at work at the time you suggested on Thursday. I would be able to meet you by 8pm on Thursday if you want to do that. What are your thoughts?”

Lives of Style: I just started seeing a man who lives in another city. I live in Malibu, CA and he lives in the Valley—about an hour away in traffic. He asked me to figure out a place for us to eat. I suggested three places and he said to choose. I don’t want to be a leader. What do I say to him? Do I make a reservation? Do I ask if he is delegating the choice to me?

Laura: He may be asking you to choose because he’s not familiar with the area and also wants to be sure you are comfortable. In order to let him know that you feel most comfortable following his lead you can say, “Thank you for delegating the restaurant choice to me. Respectfully, I suggested three places in response to your request, but I would feel most comfortable following your lead and respecting your decision as to which one you want to take me to. What are your thoughts?”

Prabal Gurung was quoted at his Fall Winter show saying that he loves a woman of substance.

One could say the same of his latest collection, which was inspired by the Adirondack Mountains.

Gurung admixed minimalism infused with references to the natural world, like a snow leopard printed velvet coat and a shift dress resembling white cliffs.

It was all about the American hustle at Dennis Basso’s Fall Winter show at NYFW.

Inspired by the stylish jet setters of the disco era, there was no shortage of glamour. Models were swathed in velvet drape gowns in metallic gold. Ensembles brought to mind Studio 54 in its heyday—with highlights reminiscent of the ‘70’s, such as hand-beaded brocade frocks, chiffon jumpsuits and slinky bias cut halters.

Following a holiday at a 450 year-old monastery in Cartagena, Columbia, Mark Badgley and James Mischka infused their Fall Winter collection with retro allure worthy of the silver screen. Hourglass silhouettes and beauty queen beehives were reminiscent of ‘60’s femme fatales Sofia Loren and Brigitte Bardot.

Zang Toi treated attendees at his Fall Winter show to the type of extravagance featured at Venetian masquerades in the 16th century. The collection was certainly a renaissance for the Malaysian-born designer, who deviated from his usual palette of jewel tones. Toi said, “I decided to surprise my audience without the signature Zang Toi colours. I decided to go with what I call a non-color color collection.”

For Hervé Léger’s Fall-Winter collection–a celebration of of 30 years of Léger–Max and Lubov Azria found divine inspiration at Antoni Gaudí’s famed La Sagrada Família cathedral in Barcelona. Lubov’s personal photos of the sparkling stained glass windows and ceiling were transformed into rich patterns and body-con knit jacquards. Even Gaudí’s miniature wooden models of the cathedral gave rise to taupe bandage dresses. Azria credits the church’s facades for the collection’s three acts.

                    As New York is headquarters for fashion–Richard Chai is design-central for New York.

Chai had a passion for design from an early age. At thirteen, he signed up for night classes in graphic design at Parsons School of Design, but a chance peek into a fashion-drawing session rocked his world.

“I was like, ‘What is that class?’” he told Teen Vogue in 2008. “I knew then and there I wanted to be a designer. It was intoxicating.”

After graduating from Parsons years later, Chai apprenticed for Geoffrey Beene and then went on to design for Donna Karan and Marc Jacobs.

He created his own line in 2004, winning the Ecco Domani Award a year later, and in 2008 the world finally got to see Chai’s brilliance.

In that year alone, the designer launched a menswear line, designed a capsule collection for Target, and made it into the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund’s top ten finalists.

Now, Chai is a major worldwide fashion brand.

He creates casual clothes with innovative fabric combinations—like silks mixed with wools—adding perfect architectural touches, such as French seams and origami folds, earning his work a global reputation for minimalist, menswear-inspired touches.

His pieces are executed with an understanding of form and finished with an old-world attention to detail. “There is a classic side to me,” Chai told W in 2010. “I still draw with a No. 2 pencil.”

And not only are Chai’s creations brilliant in their design, but in the principles behind them as well.

While some other designers create pieces to reflect a trend, Chai stands out as a designer who creates collections that speak to his personal aesthetic.

“You have to feel comfortable [in your designs] and know what works for you. There’s always going to be trends, and there’s always going to be fly-by-the-minute each season, but they don’t work for everyone,” he says. “So you have to dissect and really know who you are and what works for you.”

And above all, Chai has a keen appreciation for individuality. “There should always be a sense of who you are.”

                    Described as the brand “that dresses America” by The New York Times, J.Crew started from very humble beginnings but grew to be designer of choice by prominent figures like First Lady Michelle Obama andVogue’s Anna Wintour.

Always in the sweet-spot of fashion, J.Crew has been winning the hearts of Americans for more than six decades.

Helmed by CEO, and world-renowned merchant, Mickey Drexler–(who for years was the creative genius behind Gap, Inc and who Lives of Style was fortunate enough to interview at length several years ago)–and with Creative Director Jenna Lyons overseeing design, the brand’s success stems from its ability to understand who their consumers are and what they want.

Originally founded in 1947 as Popular Merchandise Inc., the company sold low-priced women’s clothing through in-home demonstrations. By the 1980s, it changed its business strategy to focus on catalog retail. Under the name Popular Club Plan, the brand focused on leisurewear for upper-middle-class customers. It was the clothing solution for young professionals who wanted a “look” but couldn’t yet afford more expensive alternatives like Ralph Lauren. With great success in catalog retail, Popular Merchandise Inc. changed its name to J.Crew and opened its first retail store in 1989 in Manhattan.

J.Crew’s ageless design–and surprise innovation, allows us to fall in love with it time and time again.

As expressed by Eric Beder, a retail analyst for Brean Murray Carret & Co., “J.Crew has become an expert in recasting timeless classics into current fashion must-haves.”

From its top-selling metallic ballet flats to its schoolboy blazers, J. Crew takes classic cuts and changes them into modern day wardrobe staples. Selling items for shoppers with any budget, J.Crew’s recession-proof strategy allows women and men to dress how they want without the huge credit card bills.

Now, the brand’s signature look is under the auspices of Creative Director, Jenna Lyons. One of the recipients of last year’s Glamour Women of the Year Award, the 44-year-old’s unique style is believed to be a main inspiration for the brand.

From ankle jeans to preppy sweaters and retro reading glasses, Lyons’ androgynous playful look has made her a style icon in her own right. Her icon status has spawned a monthly “Jenna’s Picks” feature in the J.Crew catalogue and website and several fan blogs such as TheJCRGirls and JCrewIsMyFavStore.

A brand made for the everyday American, J.Crew gets its consumers and isn’t afraid to take them to new places.

This past Saturday, Buckingham Palace opened up a special exhibition commemorating nine generations of royal children spanning more than 250 years.

Royal Childhood—a title as apt as could be—brings together an eclectic variety of toys, gifts, outfits, unseen photographs and film footage culled from the Royal Collection, the Royal Archives and the private collections of members of the Royal Family.

Set to remain open at the royal residence until Sunday, 28 September, this showcase offers a unique look into the lives of many young members of the royal family from birth to adolescence.  Among the many items on display is an assortment of rocking horses. Two of them are contemporaneous with the Queen’s childhood—one having belonged to her Majesty, and the other having belonged to her sister, Princess Margaret. Included in this collection is also the rocking horse gifted to Prince George of Cambridge by President Barack Obama of the United States.

In fact—horses seem to be a royal trend, exemplified by a pedal-powered horse and carriage used by Prince Charles and a door-turned-height chart taken from the nursery at Royal Lodge, Windsor which features horse shoes hammered into the wood from five childhood ponies.

Many of the well-loved objects also include baby progress books, milk teeth, a polo mallet, and a miniature Aston Martin. Among these treasures is one of the oldest artifacts–a wooden dollhouse crafted in the 1780s by a carpenter on the royal yacht for the daughters of George III. Also very relatable to little girls is a lovely, sparkly fairy dress worn by a young Princess Anne—often thought of solely as an equestrian—and a photograph featuring Anne in full fairy outfit, with fairy wings, a wand, and a matching doll.

The never-before-seen film footage is truly a one of a kind glimpse into the life of a childhood royal, and shows Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret playing peek-a-boo, learning to dance, having pillow fights, and gardening with their mother, then the Queen.

This exhibition is a gem—a rare glimpse into Buckingham Palace and the Royal Childhood.

This summer your hair can take a beating. The sun, humidity and chlorine stress out your gorgeous strands.

Lives of Style is here to save the day and your tired tresses.  This week you can win a hair healthy prize including @Organix_KSA Conditioning Kit + @SexyHair Big Sexy Hair Spray.

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1) FOLLOW us on Instagram (Instagram.com/livesofstyle)

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The much talked about Pirelli Calendar has been teased for 2015—and the news about the calendar is already making waves.

The calendar, nicknamed “The Cal” by those in the industry, was shot by famed fashion photographer Steven Meisel and styled by CR editor-in-chief and former French Vogue editor-in-chief Carine Roitfeld. The 2015 edition is set to veer from the typical representations of beauty and seeks to show a more intense, fetish-themed aesthetic—think bustiers and latex.

The shoot features well-known models, including Adriana Lima, Isabeli Fontana, Raquel Zimmermann, Joan Smalls, Sasha Luss, Karen Elson, as well as newcomer—and Tom Ford face—Gigi Hadid. Not only are we seeing new faces in this year’s issue, but the calendar will also feature Candice Huffine—the first-ever plus-size model to be featured in the calendar’s 50-year history.

”My presence on this set—the most glamorous in the world—is a sign that things are really changing,” Huffine admitted.

Although this will be a first for the Pirelli Calendar, Huffine is no stranger to the modeling world.  She was featured inVogue Italia’s “Curvy” issue in 2011 as well as in W Magazine and Harper’s Bazaar.

Also featured in the 2015 line-up is supermodel Joan Smalls. Smalls—who also appeared in the 2011 Calendar—said this edition is particularly special, because it was shot by Steven Meisel. “I was [pleased] because this is my second time,” she said. “But shooting it with Steven Meisel, he’s a legend.”

The long-awaited Pirelli Calendar, which will be sent to a select few within the fashion industry, will debut this November.

Choupette Lagerfeld–designer Karl Lagerfeld’s Siamese cat, just landed a major modeling deal. Choupette will now be the face and inspiration of Shu Uemura’s holiday beauty campaign.

Under the auspices of Japanese cosmetics line Shu Uemura, Choupette will have her own capsule cosmetics collection, cleverly named “Shupette by Karl Lagerfeld for Shu Uemara.” The “Shu” refers to Shu Uemara and “pette” to the cat. “Shupette” is the first admixture of a beauty brand name and a house pet, according to WWD.

The new holiday make-up collection—created by Karl Lagerfeld, will allow beauty enthusiasts to channel the Siamese cat’s feline allure, and although no details on the specific products are available today, there is speculation that eyeshadows, eyeliners and dramatic furry false lashes meant for creating a cat-eye look will most likely be part of the line.

Press materials include a quote from Choupette, calling herself “queen of catnaps,” and “social media’s most wanted,” referring to Choupette’s 37,000 Twitter followers.

Perfect gifts for fabulous, feline-loving fashionistas!

It’s official! Hermès International has appointed Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski as its new artistic director of women’s ready-to-wear.

Axel Dumas, the brand’s chief executive, brought in the 36-year-old current design director of The Row only days after announcing Christophe Lemaire’s departure. She will start her new job just after the coming spring women’s show season.

“We welcome the arrival of Nadège. Her talent and her creative track record will be great assets in the continued development of women’s ready-to-wear,” said Dumas.

Vanhee-Cybulski began her career at Maison Martin Margiela, worked with Phoebe Philo, then Céline from 2008 to 2011, and finally joined The Row, where she has been instrumental in crafting the brand’s aesthetic of ageless style in ultra-lush fabrics.

Vanhee-Cybulski, whose first collection for the house will be for the autumn/winter 2015 season, shown during Paris Fashion Week in early March 2015, said she was “…delighted to be joining Hermès, a house I so admire and whose values I share wholeheartedly”.

Appointing Vanhee-Cybulski suggests that Hermès values talent and experience over the star-power of a designer’s name. With Vanhee-Cybulski now at the helm, this talent should not be hard to come by.

Interested in winning some trendy and completely free merchandise?

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This week’s prize is a SUPER COOL THREE-PACK NAIL POLISH SET FROM ZOYA in purple, pink, and metallic silver.

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Remember, even if you don’t win this time, be sure to enter next week for a new Lives of Style Instagram Contest—with a chance to score a new prize!

Share this with friends and followers & we wish you trendy fashionistas the best of luck!

The prodigiously talented Tom Ford has officially been chosen as the recipient of amfAR’s Award of Inspiration.  Ford will accept the award at amfAR’s fifth annual Inspiration Gala – in Los Angeles on 29 October.

The Inspiration Gala – which celebrates men’s style, will acknowledge Ford’s stellar contributions to the creation of men’s clothing, as well as his efforts in fighting the AIDS epidemic.

Lives of Style supports and has covered amfAR on both our broadcast TV show—featuring Lady Gaga, Meryl Streep, Russell Crowe, and many other celebrities, and with the development of special broadcast segments to highlight amfAR, featuring model Maggie Rizer.

Under chairs Kenneth Cole, Bryan Lourd, and Aileen Getty, and co-chairs Simon Halls and Matt Bomer, the gala–set to take place at Milk Studios, is set to be a star-studded, black-tie event–with proceeds going to a most worthy cause–amfAR’s AIDS research.

Lives of Style’s friend, Alexander McQueen creative director Sarah Burton proved her genius once again–with a Fall 2014 collection for the luxury fashion house that evokes mystery and desire.

Now the new Alexander McQueen fall ad campaign, shot by Steven Klein and starring model Edie Campbell, highlights the “romantic and wild beauty” of the collection.

Campbell, a noted equestrian who appeared on her horse at the Gucci Masters event last December, has previously worked with Alexander McQueen, thus marking the upcoming campaign as the second time Campbell will appear in the brand’s advertising.

The ads will run in September in magazines such as American, British, and Italian Vogue, American and British Harper’s Bazaar, Interview, Vanity Fair, and W magazine.

On Wednesday, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Vogue magazine announced 10 finalists for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund’s grand prize winner.

The winner will receive a grand prize of $300,000 while the runner-up receive $100,000.

This year’s finalists include four womenswear designers, four menswear designers and two accessories designers, including Wes Gordon, Tanya Taylor, Paul Andrew, Daniel Corrigan and Jake Sargent of Simon Miller, Brett Heyman of Edie Parker, Natalie Levy and Grant Krajecki of Grey Ant, Eva Zuckerman of Eva Fehren, Gigi Burris, Ryan Roche, and Orley’s Matt Orley, Alex Orley, and Samantha Florence.

Past participants in the program have included Rag & Bone designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville, who competed in 2006.  Despite losing the competition that year, both designers have gone on to great success, thus proving that each of these 10 finalists truly have a promising future ahead of them.

Finalists were announced at a cocktail party at the Oculus, which was hosted in conjuction with the Westfield World Trade Center, who has recently teamed up with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.

The winner of this prestigious award will be unveiled at a gala dinner on 3 November.