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{favourite five: rent the runway}

It's almost wedding season and aside from new beginnings and catching bouquets, there is just one thing on everybody's mind: what to wear? Jennifer Hyman and Jenny Fleiss have the most delightful solution, and it involves a mountain of haute couture and never having to wear the same gown twice.

Jennifer and Jenny, who met Harvard Business School, realized they were not the only ones who adored high-end fashion, whether for black-tie affairs or casual first dates, used their business backgrounds in business and entrepreneurial spirit to launch, Rent the Runway, a membership-only designer rental company where women can rent dresses and accessories from over 100 of the most luxurious labels including Herve Leger, Proenza Schouler, Missoni and Badgley Mischka for only 10 percent of the retail price, making shopping in Carrie Bradshaw's closet no longer something in our dreams . . .



. . . and since Jennifer and Jenny's mission is to assist modern-day Cinderellas find the perfect dress to whisk away Prince Charming, we naturally wanted to know which dresses were the most sought after, so we sat down with them this week to find out:

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{the top five most coveted dresses}

5. Jenny Fleiss: "All Herve Leger dresses do incredibly well on Rent the Runway. It's such an iconic brand. The Berry Ombre Dress is a top rental as customers have really been drawn to one shoulder dresses the past several months."

4. Jennifer Hyman: "The teal Yigal Azrouel dress is also a top pick -- again, one shoulder dresses are really on trend right now. "

3. Jenny Fleiss: "For any girl looking for a classic mini dress, the Robert Rodriguez Black Label Sequin Insert Mini is a popular choice. Black is flattering on every body type and what girl doesn't love sequins!"

2. Jennifer Hyman: "The Badgley Mischka Screen Siren Gown is arguably the Rent the Runway dress that makes the biggest statement. For any girl attending prom, a formal wedding, or red carpet event, this is the dress that is most sought after."

1. Jennifer Hyman: "The Key Hole Goddess Gown by Nicole Miller has been an all time hit -- it looks great on every skin tone and is especially popular this time of year with prom and spring weddings approaching."

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{p.s.} previous favourite fives:
* designer: rachel ashwell
* actress & fashion muse: chloë sevigny
* floral stylist: denise porcaro

~ laily


{images: painting by susan calloway via elements of style; mali sabatasso green turquoise ring; backstage at balmain; giuseppe zanotti design diamante sandals; mona johannesson in plaza magazine via a glamorous little side project; champagne & macarons from a previous post}

{this is glamorous} on facebook & follow on twitter

copyright © 2007-2011 {this is glamorous} all rights reserved

Asia Society: Hutongs

Click Link Below For Movie

I always have the highest of hopes for the Asia Society's web site, but it always manages to underwhelm me. Its web site seems somehow anchored in the nineties, with timid multimedia features, and its navigation is confusing. It almost seems to me as if I ventured in a government web site, with dry, clinical and unimaginative display of its many events.

Having said that, it has featured an interesting collection of videos on the Hutongs, the traditional narrow streets or alleys, most commonly associated with Beijing. Hutongs are alleys formed by lines of traditional courtyard residences. Many have been demolished to make way for high rise buildings, and the few remaining are threatened.

Hutongs were created during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) when Kublai Khan founded Beijing as the capital. All closed courtyards were built in a neat layout, and the hutongs were originally all 30 feet in width, allowing plenty of sunshine. During the dynasties, small hutongs were formed within the existing ones, making them overly crowded.

Don't miss the still photographs slideshow of old hutongs!

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The Travel Photographer's 2011 Tripbase Award

www.Tripbase.com

The Travel Photographer blog was selected for a Tripbase 2011 Blog Award for Photography!  Tripbase's panel of judges reviewed hundreds of sites selecting the best ten for each travel category, and my site is one of those.

An excerpt from the Tripbase website:

"Listed below is a comprehensive list of the best blogs dedicated to travel photography. They exhibit beauty and creativity as well as a plethora of knowledge for the new and experienced travel photographer. They tell stories of where they have been the amazing sites they were able to see."

Let the good times roll!

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