www.flutnut.com

  Maria Menounos shows off her toned body in the flirty trend I call “tied-up.”  The more strings and straps, the sexier!

www.bikini.com

     Ruffles seem to be everywhere this season, and it’s no surprise why.  Ruffles add girly sweetness to any swimsuit.  Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s ruffled and printed bikini adds feminine curves to her super model frame. 

www.twylah.com

This guy loves spandex ALMOST as much as we do!

www.miraclesuit.com

As you know, we are fans of all things spandex at Pine Crest Fabrics.  We especially love seeing spandex take over prime time with shows like Dancing with the Stars and Dance Moms.  This is why I was pleasantly surprised to find that former DWTS costume designer Randall Christensen has created a line of swimwear for Miraclesuit!

After 5 years of designing eye-catching dance costumes for the hit show, Christensen knows how to get our attention.   By adding trendy dance-inspired sparkle and structural details like ruching to simple one-pieces, Christensen has created sophisticated swimwear styles for the everyday woman. 

Not to worry, you will still get all the figure-flattering benefits of your favorite Miraclesuit.  Their famous 2-layer spandex will cinch you in all the right places while Christensen’s designs will satisfy your craving for bling!

www.instyle.com

www.abc.com

Last night, season 14 of Dancing with the Stars hit its fifth week on the air.  This week, the show celebrated Latin Week with the salsa and, to my delight, performances by Carlos Santana. 

The favorite this week was Telenovela star William Levy dancing with partner Cheryl Burke.  Even after an ankle injury he scored 29 of 30 points! 

As for the costumes, Green Bay Packer Donald Driver and partner Peta Murgatroyd stood out in their bold red and black coordinating outfits.    Murgatroyd’s extremely scanty red dress was enhanced with strategic placement of cutouts and so much sparkle, you can’t look straight at it!  The judges did not like their performance as much as last week- but Driver didn’t wear a shirt last week… Coincidence?

BemBem Red Hologram Sequin Fabric (click the image for details!)

www.mylifetime.com

The first season of Dance Moms Miami is off to a crazy start!  Last night the second episode of the season aired, revealing outrageous behavior that I thought could only be displayed by infamous Abby Lee Miller of the original Dance Moms.  If you like mom on mom showdowns, you have found your program!

Through all the chaos, the one thing I count on to hold fast after being stretched to its limits is the spandex!  The unusual costume choice for one group number (shown above) reminds me of adult content I dare not speak of… However, the judges seem to like the nylon spandex blends that made it all possible! 

While I prefer the slightly more conservative costumes of the original Lifetime hit Dance Moms, Dance Moms Miami is certainly setting trends for young dancers everywhere!  And the guy behind the scenes in charge of censoring?  He needs a raise for all the extra blurring this year!

www.lifetime.com

Lifetime aired a new episode of its hit show ‘Dance Moms’ last night.  Crazed dance instructor Abby has me questioning current child labor laws as she works her students to bone.  In this episode, we get to see the girls of the Abby Lee Miller studio audition for the Joffrey Ballet in NYC.  ”But not in those outfits!” Abby screams at the girls…

These young dancers have been setting trends for performers everywhere.  Even during rehearsal they dress in adorable outfits with ruffles, sequins, and sparkle!  I was pleased to see dancer Maddie Ziegler wearing our very own “Welcome to the Jungle” print in the form of a cute two-piece ensemble (shown above).  Click the swatch below to learn more about our fabric! 

www.pinecrestfabrics.com

Now that March Madness is over, I have taken a step back to reflect on the most eye-catching part of the tournament- the uniforms.

Although our favorite fiber spandex took a back seat (for the men at least), polyester jerseys shined on the court in unique new forms.  With the start of March Madness, Adidas introduced its new line of basketball gear under adizero performance apparel.   According to Adidas, the adizero uniforms worn by teams such as Baylor and Louisville are 28% lighter than before, are unlined, and even have built in compression features.  That’s the kind of active-wear apparel we’ve been waiting for!

And for all of you who wished fashion week would return instead of NCAA basketball mania, you were no doubt pleasantly surprised with the style of the uniforms this year.  From Kansas’ classic ‘Americana’ jerseys to Marquette’s stylized blue, navy, and yellow stripe details, the runway hit the courts this year.  Check out Baylor’s neon yellow tribute to fashion week above and click the image to see the new uniform trends that swept the nation faster then you can say….Kentucky?