Wedding list: Flowers, church, liposuction?

LONDON - More than half of Britain's brides-to-be and 39 percent of grooms are considering cosmetic surgery or an aesthetic treatment in preparation for their wedding, according to a new study.

Treatments and procedures under consideration ahead of the big day range from botox through to breast augmentation, cosmetic surgery advice website www.goodsurgeonguide.co.uk said.

"A wedding is the single most important day in plenty of men and women's lives and a large number want everything to be perfect, including their appearance," said goodsurgeonguide.co.uk co-founder Christiana Clogg.

The website, which says it is Britain's only review and recommendation site for cosmetic practitioners and clinics, asked 512 engaged women and 509 grooms-to-be whether they are considering having a cosmetic treatment prior to their wedding day.

It found that 58 percent of the women and over 1 in 3 of the men were considering cosmetic treatment.

The results also showed that 11 percent of the women and nine percent of the men who took part in the research had already had some work done.

The most common reason for women wanting to have surgery before their wedding day was to look good in their photos, with 64 percent claiming it would make them feel better about themselves.

Men were more concerned about pleasing their partner, with 3 in 5 saying they would consider surgery to be more appealing to their other half.

In a multi-answer question, the website asked them which procedures appealed to them most.

The most popular considered by women were:

1. Botox - 68 percent

2. Teeth Whitening - 62 percent

3. Liposuction - 55 percent

4. Breast Augmentation - 47 percent

5. Face plumpers - 43 percent

The men went for:

1. Veneers - 78 percent

2. Botox - 62 percent

3. Hair Plugs - 41 percent

4. Liposuction - 33 percent

5. Chest Reduction - 25 percent

taken from : China Daily


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Burberry creative head wins Brit Designer of Year

LONDON - Luxury goods group Burberry said its Chief Creative Officer Christopher Bailey has won the 2009 Designer of the Year prize at the British Fashion Awards.

Burberry also won Brand of the Year at the ceremony held at The Royal Courts of Justice in London on Wednesday night.

Bailey said the 153-year-old British maker of raincoats, fashionable clothes and accessories will continue to show its Burberry Prorsum womenswear show during London Fashion Week.

Burberry, which runs 122 retail outlets, 255 concessions, 90 franchise stores and an e-commerce business in over 25 countries reported better than expected second-quarter revenue forecasts last month, helped by demand for handbags, leather goods and snoods.

It said it expected to open about 15 mainline stores over the full year, at the top end of its previous guidance.

Bailey has previously been recognized at the British Fashion Awards with the Menswear Designer of the Year award in 2008 and 2007 and with the Designer of the Year award in 2005.

He is responsible for the design of all Burberry collections and products, as well as all advertising, corporate art direction, architectural design, multi-media content and overall brand image for Burberry.

taken from : China Daily


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A Minute With: Tom Ford on dressing his "Single Man"

LOS ANGELES - Fashion designer Tom Ford is best known for reinventing the house of Gucci in the 1990s and more recently, launching his own Tom Ford label.

But Ford has shifted gears in recent months to movie directing and his debut "A Single Man" begins playing in U.S. theaters on Friday after a run in festivals earlier this year.

Based on Christopher Isherwood's novel, the film stars Colin Firth as a man who can't bear to continue living after suffering the tragic loss of his lover.

Ford spoke to Reuters about the movie, his switch from fashion to film, and his idea of "enhanced reality."

Q: How does filmmaking compare to fashion design?

A: "Filmmaking is a totally different expression. Fashion for me is a commercial endeavor. Filmmaking is an artistic endeavor and a commercial endeavor. Working on 'Single Man' was the truest expression of anything I've ever created. It had nothing to do with fashion."

Q: Still, you had to get someone to give a fashion designer money to make a movie. How did you do that?

A: "You don't. You pay for it yourself, which is what I did. We had financing set up, but then the Lehman Bros. crash happened. The people who were investing money pulled out in early September when we were already in pre-production."

Q: What brought you to the decision to finance it?

A: "I was talking to (billionaire businessman) David Geffen, who's a friend of mine, and said: 'David, I'm trying to decide if I should just use my own money but everyone keeps telling me that's dumb.' He said: 'Invest in yourself. It's always the best investment.' I realize I'm very, very fortunate to have that ability."

Q: Exactly how much did you put in?

A: "All of it, so I know exactly how much. We worked with the union ... and the maximum you could spend was $7.2 million dollars and we came in below that."

Q: Julianne Moore was the first actor on board. How did you convince a triple Oscar nominee like her to sign on?

A: "I've known her for a long time. I've dressed her. We're friends. At one point, I said something to her about being sweet to consider this part. She said: 'I'm not sweet. I like the script. I wouldn't do this if I didn't love the script.'"

Q: You had someone else in the lead before Colin Firth.

A: "Colin was my first choice, but he wasn't available because he was going to be shooting 'Dorian Gray.' So I cast another actor but when our production schedule moved, he dropped out. Colin was wrapping 'Dorian Gray.'"

Q: He won best actor at the Venice film festival. Now there's talk about a shot at an Oscar. What do you think?

A: "He absolutely deserves an Oscar. We shot this film in 21 days, shooting night and day and Colin's in every single scene. He has an ability to show an enormous amount of what his character is thinking or feeling without moving his face -- just telegraphing it. That was very important for this character."

Q: Every person in this movie is drop dead model gorgeous -- like they could appear in one of your fashion campaigns.

A: "Honestly, I didn't even notice it was populated with beautiful people. Although Colin's character is going through what may be the last day of his life, so he's struck by beauty everywhere. I believe in a kind of enhanced reality. A long time ago, movies used to be that way. If I were working in a different era, I would have had to have been at MGM."

Q: How so?

A: "Alfred Hitchcock -- and I'm certainly not comparing myself to him -- everything he did was stylized and every single person was gorgeous. It was enhanced reality. Style without substance isn't worth very much."

taken from : China Daily


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Hepburn's wardrobe sells for double estimate

Former Royal Ballet principal dancer Darcey Bussell poses in a Valentino black ruffle-edged cocktail gown from 1970-1971, in London, December 7, 2009.[Agencies]

LONDON - A collection of dresses worn by film star Audrey Hepburn fetched 268,000 pounds ($437,800) at auction, more than double the pre-sale estimate, organizers said on Wednesday.

More than 40 items from her wardrobe, including dresses worn in her films, were auctioned in London in a sale described by organizers as "the like of which will never be seen again."

The highest price, 60,000 pounds, was paid for a Chantilly lace cocktail gown by Givenchy which Hepburn wore in "How to Steal a Million" in 1966 -- against an estimate of 15,000 to 20,000 pounds.

Givenchy was the designer most closely linked with Hepburn, but also up for auction was the ivory satin bridal gown designed by the Fontana Sisters for her planned marriage to James (later Lord) Hanson, which sold for 13,800 pounds. Hepburn later called off the wedding.

Hepburn, who won an Oscar for her first starring role as a runaway princess in "Roman Holiday," is also known for roles as divergent as cockney Eliza in "My Fair Lady" and a terrorized blind woman in "Wait Until Dark."

The actress, who personified the svelte, chick, minimal European post-war look, became renowned for her perceived purity, innocence and vulnerability, the fashion auctioneer Kerry Taylor said before the sale.

The collection was sold by Tanja Star-Busmann, a life-long friend of Hepburn's, and 50 percent of the net sale proceeds will be donated to The Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund.

Organizers at La Galleria had expected the auction to fetch a total of 100,000 pounds, but in the event it made 268,320.

"Tanja is pleased that all these lovely clothes and accessories that she has treasured for so many years will go to collectors and museums throughout the world," Taylor said in a statement.

Hepburn's clothes do not often come up at auction, despite the actress hating waste.

She died in 1993 at the age of 63.

taken from : China Daily


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Celebrities Nicole Kidman,Cruz and Fergie arrive at screening of film "Nine" in L.A.

Actress Nicole Kidman, star of director Rob Marshall's new film "Nine", arrives at a special screening of the film in Los Angeles, California December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

Actress Nicole Kidman, star of director Rob Marshall's new film "Nine", arrives at a special screening of the film in Los Angeles, California December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

Actress Nicole Kidman, star of director Rob Marshall's new film "Nine", arrives at a special screening of the film in Los Angeles, California December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

Actresses (L-R) Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman and Fergie, stars of director Rob Marshall's new film "Nine", pose at a special screening of the film in Los Angeles, California December 9, 2009.[Agencies]

Actresses Penelope Cruz (L) and Nicole Kidman, stars of director Rob Marshall's new film "nine", pose at a special screening of the film in Los Angeles, California December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

Actresses (L-R) Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman and Fergie, stars of director Rob Marshall's new film "Nine", pose at a special screening of the film in Los Angeles, California December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

Actresses Nicole Kidman (L) and Fergie, stars of director Rob Marshall's new film "Nine", pose at a special screening of the film in Los Angeles, California December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

Actresses (L-R) Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman and Fergie, stars of director Rob Marshall's new film "Nine", pose at a special screening of the film in Los Angeles, California December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

Actresses (L-R) Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman and Fergie, stars of director Rob Marshall's new film "Nine", pose at a special screening of the film in Los Angeles, California December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

Actress Nicole Kidman, star of director Rob Marshall's new film "Nine" arrives at a special screening of the film in Los Angeles, California December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

taken from : China Daily


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Prenatal yoga: pregnant poses, great expectations

NEW YORK - Modern mothers-to-be are turning to the 4,000-year-old practice of yoga to put mind over pregnancy matters as they strengthen their bodies for the road ahead.

"There's a level of comport and presence women cultivate when they're practicing regularly through their pregnancies, so the changes that come are not going to shake them," Elena Brower, a New York City-based yoga instructor said in an interview.

The founder of the Virayoga studio in Manhattan, Brower has worked with celebrities Gwyneth Paltrow and Christie Turlington Burns during their pregnancies. She also has developed the DVD "Element: Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga."

"It's about teaching women how to safely strengthen their abdominals," said Brower, herself the mother of a toddler. "And strengthening is complemented by learning how to stretch, so that you can be as limber as possible when that baby comes."

Yoga can also help women to get to know themselves a little better.

"You have a level of presence that allows you to ride the wave of the contraction/pain into another place. You don't think intellectually about it. You breathe."

A study of 335 pregnant women in Bangalore, India, found that those who practiced yoga experienced shorter labor, less pregnancy-induced hypertension, and higher birth-weight babies than the control group.

More than 11 million Americans are estimated to do some form of yoga. The name derives from the Sanskrit meaning yoke or union, and the practice strives to unite movement and breath.

Brower cautions that some of the pretzel-like contortions that characterize the practice are not suitable for expectant mothers, even if they are experienced yogis.

"Don't lie on your belly, don't twist. You want to keep the house as big as possible for the baby," she advises. "Do inversions if it feels right."

Dr. Jacques Moritz, Director of Gynecology at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City, says yoga is a fine idea for pregnant women, as long as they inform their instructors of their condition.

"Yoga is a great relaxing exercise. It's good for flexibility, it limbers people up," he said. "Part of the process of having a baby is opening up your pelvis. Yoga is one of the good ways to do that. It strengthens your core muscles and pelvic diaphragm."

Moritz, who is featured in the 2008 documentary film "The Business of Being Born," said it also helps the back pain that nearly all women get during pregnancy.

Post-natal yoga can help new mothers re-tone and strengthen the pelvic floor but Moritz warned they should wait six to eight weeks after the birth before resuming yoga.

"You can't do something if you're still fatigued," he explained. "Most women are still breast-feeding on demand every three hours. So the last thing on their mind is exercise."

Then there's the challenge of losing that postpartum weight. The average woman puts on about 30 pounds of it during pregnancy.

Moritz is familiar with those celebrity supermoms who seem to drop their baby weight in the time it takes the rest of us to complete a sun salutation.

"For celebrity clients it's all about getting back in shape immediately," he said. "Most of them are doing yoga and Pilates."

taken from : China Daily


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Health Garlic, chili ineffective against A/H1N1: Officials

Despite popular belief, neither garlic nor chili is an effective weapon against A/H1N1 influenza, health officials said yesterday.

The price of garlic - a popular flu remedy in traditional Chinese medicine - has skyrocketed by more than 500 percent this winter amid public fear about the spread of the potentially deadly virus. Recent media reports said that the demand for chili is also increasing.

But Wu Jiang, head of the immunity division under the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said garlic and chili are not a cure for H1N1.

"There is no scientific proof that either garlic or chili is effective against the flu," Wu said during a live web cast on Qianlong.com, the municipal government-run news portal.

"The two ingredients may work for people to improve their digestive functions and stay healthy, but they are definitely not useful for curing the flu," said the official.

Yesterday, the price of garlic remained high at 7.40 yuan per 500 g at the Xinfadi market, the largest vegetable market in Beijing.

It cost less than 1 yuan per 500 g before the H1N1 outbreak. Chili cost about 7.50 yuan per 500 g, compared to 4 yuan earlier this year.

Liu Tong, head of Xinfadi's market department, said there are signs that the price of garlic will soon drop, the Beijing Times reported.

"It is pure rumor that red pepper farmers and sellers are stocking up on the ingredient and waiting for the prices to soar like garlic," Liu said.

"The price is rising because it needs to recover from a major drop earlier this year amid the economic slowdown."

"Pet owners should pay attention when playing with them. I would suggest people not to kiss their puppies during this particular period," Wu said during the web cast.

But the official denied that the virus was spreading among pets, including dogs.

She also said that 2.16 million people in Beijing had received H1N1 vaccinations by Sunday and 621 people, or three out of 10,000 cases, reported side effects.

Deng Xiaohong, vice-director and spokeswoman of the Beijing municipal bureau of health, said the number of flu victims is expected to peak during the upcoming New Year holiday.

More than 3 million vaccines are still available to residents in Beijing.

Local and foreign residents can apply by Dec 15 to receive the vaccine.

taken from : China Daily


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Miss Arab beauty pageant

An Israeli-Arab contestant has make-up applied before the 2009 Miss Arab beauty contest in Shefaram, near the northern Israeli city of Haifa, December 6, 2009.[Agencies]

Israel-Arab contestants posebackstage during the 2009 Miss Arab beauty contest in Shefaram, near the northern Israeli city of Haifa, December 6, 2009.[Agencies]

A woman looks at an Israel-Arab contestant during the 2009 Miss Arab beauty contest in Shefaram, near the northern Israeli city of Haifa, December 6, 2009.[Agencies]

An Israel-Arab contestant walks the runway during the 2009 Miss Arab beauty contest in Shefaram, near the northern Israeli city of Haifa, December 6, 2009.[Agencies]

Israel-Arab contestants take part in the 2009 Miss Arab beauty contest in Shefaram, near the northern Israeli city of Haifa, December 6, 2009.[Agencies]

Manar Dabah, the newly crowned Miss Arab beauty queen, poses during the 2009 Miss Arab beauty contest in Shefaram, near the northern Israeli city of Haifa, December 6, 2009.[Agencies]

Israeli-Arab contestants prepare before the 2009 Miss Arab beauty contest in Shefaram, near the northern Israeli city of Haifa, December 6, 2009.

Manar Dabah, the newly crowned Miss Arab beauty queen, takes part in the 2009 Miss Arab beauty contest in Shefaram, near the northern Israeli city of Haifa, December 6, 2009.[Agencies]

Manar Dabah, the newly crowned Miss Arab beauty queen, is seen during the 2009 Miss Arab beauty contest in Shefaram, near the northern Israeli city of Haifa, December 6, 2009.[Agencies]

taken from : China Daily


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Health Cigarettes kill, but don't tell smokers

SINGAPORE - Cigarette pack warnings that remind smokers of the fatal consequences of their habit may actually make them smoke more as a way to cope with the inevitability of death, according to researchers.

A small study by psychologists from the United States, Switzerland and Germany showed that warnings unrelated to death, such as "smoking makes you unattractive" or "smoking brings you and the people around you severe damage," were more effective in changing smokers' attitudes toward their habit.

This was especially the case in people who smoked to boost their self-esteem, such as youth who took up the habit to impress or fit in with their peers and others who thought smoking increased their social value, the researchers said.

"In general, when smokers are faced with death-related anti-smoking messages on cigarette packs, they produce active coping attempts as reflected in their willingness to continue the risky smoking behavior," the study said.

"To succeed with anti-smoking messages on cigarette packs one has to take into account that considering their death may make people smoke."

The study was based on 39 psychology students, aged between 17 and 41, who said they were smokers.

Participants filled in a questionnaire to determine how much their smoking was based on self-esteem, were then shown cigarette packs with different warnings on them, and then after a 15-minute delay, the students were asked more questions about their smoking behavior that included if they intended to quit.

"One the one hand, death-related warnings were not effective and even ironically caused more positive smoking attitudes among smokers who based their self-esteem on smoking," the study said.

"On the other hand, warning messages that were unrelated to death effectively reduced smoking attitudes the more recipients based their self-esteem on smoking."

The researchers said this finding can be explained by the fact that warnings such as "smoking makes you unattractive" may be particularly threatening to people who believe that smoking makes them feel valued by others or boosts their self-image.

The study was published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

taken from : China Daily


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Johnny Depp attends a news conference to promote his movie "Public Enemies" in Tokyo

U.S. actor Johnny Depp waves at a photo session prior to a news conference to promote his movie "Public Enemies" in Tokyo December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

U.S. actor Johnny Depp poses at a photo session prior to a news conference to promote his movie "Public Enemies " in Tokyo December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

U.S. actor Johnny Depp poses at a photo session prior to a news conference to promote his movie "Public Enemies " in Tokyo December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

U.S. actor Johnny Depp poses at a photo session prior to a news conference to promote his movie "Public Enemies" in Tokyo December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

U.S. actor Johnny Depp waves at a photo session prior to a news conference to promote his movie "Public Enemies " in Tokyo December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

U.S. actor Johnny Depp waves at a photo session prior to a news conference to promote his movie "Public Enemies " in Tokyo December 9, 2009. [Agencies]

U.S. actor Johnny Depp greets his fans upon his arrival at Narita International Airport, east of Tokyo, December 8, 2009. Depp arrived in Japan on Tuesday to promote his movie "Public Enemies". [Agencies]

U.S. actor Johnny Depp greets his fans upon his arrival at Narita International Airport, east of Tokyo, December 8, 2009. Depp arrived in Japan on Tuesday to promote his movie "Public Enemies". [Agencies]

U.S. actor Johnny Depp greets his fans upon his arrival at Narita International Airport, east of Tokyo, December 8, 2009. Depp arrived in Japan on Tuesday to promote his movie "Public Enemies". [Agencies]

U.S. actor Johnny Depp greets his fans upon his arrival at Narita International Airport, east of Tokyo, December 8, 2009. Johnny Depp arrived in Japan on Tuesday to promote his movie "Public Enemies". [Agencies]

taken from : China Daily


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Sexy minnie Megan Fox

Megan Fox dresses up for a Minnie Mouse look in her new photo shoots.

taken from : China Daily


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Cast members arrive for premiere of the film "The Lovely Bones" in Hollywood

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-12-08 16:09

Cast member Saoirse Ronan arrives for the premiere of the film "The Lovely Bones" in Hollywood December 7, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Saoirse Ronan arrives for the premiere of the film "The Lovely Bones" in Hollywood December 7, 2009. [Agencies]

Executive producer Steven Spielberg arrives for the premiere of the film "The Lovely Bones" in Hollywood, California December 7, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Rachel Weisz arrives for the premiere of the film "The Lovely Bones" in Hollywood, California December 7, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Rachel Weisz arrives for the premiere of the film "The Lovely Bones" in Hollywood, California December 7, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Saoirse Ronan arrives for the premiere of the film "The Lovely Bones" in Hollywood December 7, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Rachel Weisz arrives for the premiere of the film "The Lovely Bones" in Hollywood, California December 7, 2009. [Agencies]

Executive producer Steven Spielberg and director Peter Jackson arrive for the premiere of the film "The Lovely Bones" in Hollywood, California December 7, 2009. [Agencies]

Alyson "Aly" Michalka (L) and Amanda "AJ" Michalka arrive for the premiere of the film "The Lovely Bones" in Hollywood, California December 7, 2009. [Agencies]

Director Peter Jackson arrives for the premiere of the film "The Lovely Bones" in Hollywood December 7, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Michael Imperioli arrives for the premiere of the film "The Lovely Bones" in Hollywood December 7, 2009. [Agencies]

taken from : China Daily


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