Celebrity branding is a method of advertising which uses the services of a celebrity to promote a product or service with the help of their fame and status in the society. This method has several approaches; it can involve a celebrity simply appearing in a commercial and the celebrity can be signed for attending events for promotion. Another method is to start a product line using their name as a brand. Perfume and garments are the largest product lines involving such a promotion. All the top actors, singers and models are known to give their name to a certain brand or licensed products. Jennifer Lopez started her own line of clothing a while ago which features designer clothes personally designed by her.

A customer’s buying behavior is hugely influenced by famous people. Marketing experts, using associative learning principles, analyzes the lifestyle of the celebrities to properly assign them to the brand which depicts them perfectly. Their fashion sense, appeal, awareness, fame and public image are reviewed thoroughly to assign them the right charity work or product. Repetition, blocking, CS pre-exposure, extinction, overshadowing, belongingness, and association set size are the principles on the basis of which analysis is done like the famous Miss World Aishwarya Rai of India who has very beautiful eyes was chosen to campaign for eye donation project. Some of the celebrities are known for their distinct voice. This concept led to the voice-over method in advertising. Their voices merely attract customers when used in a commercial.

Today, nearly twenty percent of the advertising industry utilizes celebrity endorsement. A celebrity is bound to endorse many products and brands over a course of time. Each time a different image of the celebrity is being projected to the public. The company should keep in mind the previous identity and play accordingly. Projecting a different person every time will sustain the interest of the customers, but at the same time the two identities shouldn’t conflict with each other. The captain of England soccer team David Beckham has endorsed many products. While advertising for Gillette, his taste for hairstyles was considered and he was given a bald look. When campaigning for Police his passion for fashion was portrayed all over and heavily jeweled David Beckham was depicted.

If a celebrity isn’t comfortable with being pictured differently each time he or she can create a graphic image or logo of their own which can be used each time they advertise for a particular product. The logo can reflect the personality of the respective celebrity, like the font can be stylish if the celebrity is fashion conscious like Jennifer Lopez who created a logo of JLO, which is used to advertise perfume and even clothing line of her own. Another advantage in this approach is that the brand can still be appealing to the crowds even after the celebrity has lost his or her looks as they won’t require visual recognition and aids in the long-term negotiations. The celebrity logo itself carries the style and attitude.

Millions of dollars are being invested by marketers to get the promotional support of super stars every year. Davie Brown Entertainment has an agency completely devoted to the purpose of choosing a celebrity for a product. They not only judge a celebrity’s caliber to affect brand affinity and consumer’s taste but also design the advertisements for the celebrities to feature in it.

 

Whether we idolize them or criticize their behavior, there’s no denying that celebrities now are the epitome of beauty. But how come they are often mistaken for their age- at their flattery at that. Well, let’s find out some secrets why celebrities look younger than they are.

Eating lots of citrus and vegetables

Greens and citrus like lemons, grapefruit, and oranges are high in Vitamin C, a natural antioxidant. This wonder worker serves as a primary ingredient of collagen, a glue-like protein that binds cells together to form tissues, and makes up about 25% of the whole-body protein content. Collagen production is vital to skin suppleness, firmness and averts the onset of premature wrinkling. Collagen is, in fact, a much-endorsed ingredient in facial moisturizers and hand lotions Therefore, the more citrus and veggies celebs eat, the softer their skin becomes.

Avoiding excessive alcohol

Celebrities going in and out of rehabs due to alcoholism look worn-out and spoiled. That is why a lot more celebrities keep their alcoholic intake to a minimum. Despite the sparkling delight it brings, alcohol causes skin damage and loss of moisture due to its dehydrating effects. In turn, this will cause sagging and wrinkling of skin.

A High School Musical star says its even better to soak one’s self o he beach without sun protection that drinking too much of alcohol.

Alcohol causes dilatation of the blood vessels in the skin and every time you drink, the blood vessels will dilate and stay permanently dilated until they lose their tone. Abusing alcohol will also deplete the body of Vitamin A, an important antioxidant.

Avoiding Coffee

Despite its antioxidant content, too much coffee causes skin dehydration, and even causes the body to eliminate needed liquids and minerals. It causes skin to look like crepe paper and have very little elasticity if you pinch it up into a peak. A country music diva even shared that drinking too much coffee stains her teeth and causes little winkles around her eyes to look horrible.

Celebrities who drink coffee suggest drinking a cool glass of water after a cup of coffee.

Drinking LOTS of Water

No one can dispute the role good hydration plays to a healthier skin. If hydration does not come from sodas or alcohols and only from clean water, then it has potentially helpful effects on your skin. Furthermore, water helps cells move nutrients in and toxins out, which leaves skin looking better.

Paris Hilton disclosed that she drinks more than ten glasses of water a day cause if not she notices her skin to look dull, vapid, and gray.

Limited exposure to sunlight

More exposure to sunlight puts the skin at higher risk for aging caused by free radicals. But if you cannot avoid it, use a quality high sun protection factor lotion.

A former Mickey Mouse club member uses SPF50 on her neck and face and SPF35 on her body to develop nice brownish tan where she likes.

Moisturizers

Lastly, for celebrities, using a night time moisturizer is the simplest yet one of the most necessary parts of their beauty routine. They choose a night cream with proven age-fighters like retinol.

 

You may have seen advertisements on the television, the radio, or online. Your celebrity is vacationing aboard a cruise ship and they want you to join them. The advertisement you heard is for a celebrity cruise. Celebrity cruises are gaining popularity in the Untied States and all around the world. The question that many want answered is, are they worth the money?

Celebrity cruises are not to be confused with the popular Celebrity Cruise Lines. Celebrity cruises are cruises that are offered by a wide range of different cruise line companies. The intention of a celebrity cruise is to attract travelers. To do this, celebrity cruises are booked with well-known television stars, movie stars, and musicians. For some reason, and they are right, cruises lines know that fans follow their idols.

If you are interested in determining whether or not a celebrity cruise is worth the money, there are a number of factors that you should first consider. One of the most important factors is the purpose of the cruise. A number of well-known musicians, television stars, and movie stars are compensated for their appearance. While this may not have a direct impact your reservation, it may be in your best interest to know.

In addition to being compensated for their appearance, a large number of movie stars, television stars, and musicians use a celebrity cruise to promote one of their upcoming shows, movies, or music albums. It is not guaranteed, but you may be granted behind the scenes information and footage. To many fans, this information makes a celebrity cruise worth it.

Promoting a charity or another good cause is another reason why a number of well-know celebrities make the decision to participate in a cruise ship voyage. If you are interested in promoting a specific charity or cause, you may find it beneficial, in more ways than one, to attend the cruise. In addition to being able to meet one of your favorite celebrities, you could be helping to bring awareness to one of the many world charities that need assistance.

Another important factor to consider when deciding on a celebrity cruise is the amount of time the celebrity will be onboard. Due to busy schedules, celebrities may be unable to stay onboard for the whole length of the cruise. To determine whether or not a celebrity cruise is worth the money, you will want to know how long each celebrity will be on board. If they will only be onboard one or two days, you may find that the cruise is not worth your time or money.

In addition to the length of a celebrity’s stay, you will want to know when certain promotional events are scheduled. These events should be established ahead of time. To determine when you may be able to dine with, meet, or get an autograph from your favorite movie star, musician, or television star, you should check the ship’s itinerary. This will enable you to determine if you will even get a chance to meet the celebrity onboard.

It is also important to estimate how many passengers will be the celebrity cruise you wish to take. The number of onboard passengers may have an impact on how much time you get to spend with the cruise ship celebrity. If there are a large number of onboard passengers and the celebrity will only be on the ship for a short period of time you may be unable to meet with them. This is something that should be closely examined when determining if a celebrity cruise is worth any value to you or your family.

Finally, the cost of the celebrity cruise should be closely examined. The cost of a celebrity cruise is often higher than other traditional cruises. This is because you are often paying to meet the person who is onboard. That is why it is important to take the above mentioned factors into consideration.

Celebrity cruises are nice, but a celebrity is not the only reason why you should plan a vacation on a cruise ship. You can still enjoy a cruise, with or without a celebrity.

 

What better way to show the world that you are in love than by the act of giving and receiving a diamond engagement ring? With many actresses and other famous women sporting bigger and sparklier diamond rings, celebrity engagements have become a delight for the jewelry lover. The size of the diamond is not necessarily the key as to what makes some of these rings so famous and recognizable, rather it seems to be a combination of the engagement ring itself and the famous lady it is associated with.

The history of diamond engagement rings

Maximillan I of Austria gave the first diamond engagement ring on record to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. He had the ring commissioned to unite their two houses and make their marriage a unifying symbol to the country.

The smallest diamond engagement ring ever made was given to Princess Mary who was married by proxy to the Dauphin of France in the year 1518. Princess Mary was two years old at the time.

Throughout history diamond engagement rings have become larger, more elaborate, and have included a wide variety of other jewels and metals. Diamond engagement rings settings can be made of silver, platinum, white or yellow gold or a mixture of these elements.

Famous ladies and their engagement rings

Celebrities and other famous people influence the look and style of many aspects in fashion and also set trends. Diamond engagement rings are no exception to this rule. The following is a partial list of the famous ladies and their equally famous engagement rings:

Royalty:

• Queen Elizabeth II received an engagement ring from Prince Phillip that was made from diamonds from his mother’s tiara.
• Grace Kelly was given a 12 carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring from Prince Rainier.
• Lady Diana was engaged with a ring made of an 18 carat blue oval sapphire that was circled by fourteen diamonds.

Actresses:

• Elizabeth Taylor was engaged to her third husband, Michael Todd, with an emerald cut diamond that weighed almost 30 carats. However, she is more known for her other pieces of jewelry, one more striking than the other: the 39 carat Krupp diamond, the 69.42 carat pear-shaped Taylor-Burton diamond and the 17th century heart-shaped Taj Mahal diamond.
• Priscilla was engaged to Elvis with a 3.5 carat diamond engagement ring that was circled by another 21 smaller diamonds and diamond chips.
• Sharon Stone was given a three diamond, 3 1/2 carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring by Phil Bronstien.
• Catherine Zeta-Jones’ promise to Michael Douglas was finalized with a 10 carat antique marquise diamond estimated at amost $2 million.
• Joan Collins got a heart-shaped diamond ring in a nineteenth-century setting from husband Percy Gibson.

Pop stars:

• Madonna received from Guy Ritchie an antique Edwardian three-stone diamond ring with a decorative platinum band. The Neil Lane ring was supposed to represent their family: mother, father and son Rocco.
• In the case of Toni Braxton, drummer Keri Lewis designed a stunning 4.5 three-stone diamond ring with an oval-shaped center stone and 2 heart-shaped diamonds on the sides.
• Paris Hilton, even though not a pop star but a diva anyway, received 2 diamond engagement rings from billionaire Paris Latsis, a $5 million 24 carat canary diamond ring and a $2.1 million 15 carat white diamond ring.
• Britney Spears has two engagement rings also: one that she bought for herself before the wedding, a $40,000 4 carat cushion-cut diamond ring with a platinum pave setting, and one that she received 9 month after the marriage from husband Kevin Federline.
• Christina Aguilera became engaged to Jordan Bratman after he presented a $54,000 20-carat diamond engagement ring designed by jeweler Stephen Webster.
• Whitney Houston sports a stunning 4 carat oval-shaped center stone with trillions on the sides which she received from Bobby Brown.

Replica diamond engagement rings

Of course there is the very famous pink diamond ring that Ben Affleck gave to Jennifer Lopez. This 6 carat radiant shaped pink diamond quickly caught the attention of the public and has become a highly sought after replica. It is completed with a platinum band as well as three baguette white diamonds on each side. The pink diamond engagement ring is reported to have been purchased for $1.2 million in 2002. The ring, while easily identified is also very feminine and modern looking.

Replicas of the famous pink diamond ring are now available for a moderate price. The cost of the replicas depends on the quality of the stones and the materials used in reproducing the pink diamond engagement ring.

Some replicas are styled as more antique diamond engagement rings. These rings have an everlasting quality and symbolize tradition and heritage. The recent engagement of Camilla Parker Bowles in February of 2005 featured such an antique engagement ring. The platinum ring has an emerald-cut center diamond with three diamond baguettes on each side. This ring originally belonged to the Queen Mother and is believed to be valued at over $1 million.

Since few people can afford the original item, there will always be a market for replicas of these one of a kind diamond engagement rings. The quality of the replicas varies, as does the price. It is important to note that the styles of diamond engagement rings that are popular with celebrities will soon become the styles that are sought after by the not quite so rich and famous.

Celebrities are putting their fame to use by calling attention to the subject of global warming. Famous people in the entertainment industry are using their knowledge of film-making to create documentaries about global warming. Others are simply using their influence to make a statement.

One project is designed to help people become more informed about and involved with global warming. The venture is called Global Cool, and its lofty goal is to get one billion people to lower the levels of carbon emissions they put into the environment. Celebrities involved with this global warming initiative include Orlando Bloom, Josh Hartnett, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Pink. Some bands have also joined the fight.

Leonardo DiCaprio is actually very involved with the movement to stop global warming. He has a website devoted to the topic. On it, you can take a look at two films DiCaprio has worked on, with others. One is called Water Planet and the other is simply Global Warming.

This actor also started the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998. Its purpose was to steer people towards involvement in environmentally friendly organizations.

The foundation also addressed the central themes of global warming such as greenhouse gases and fossil fuels. Now, DiCaprio has worked on a documentary about global warming about earth’s 11th hour, which details the problems and innovative solutions.

Other actors are getting involved in the stop global warming movement, too. Brad Pitt is the narrator of a series on green architecture. The shows discuss ways to build that will help the environment.

Another documentary features Keanu Reeves and Alannis Morrisett as narrators. The global warming film, entitled The Great Warming, is all about the changes in the climate caused by excessive global warming.

Earth Day has always been a magnet for celebrity attention. As time goes by and more is known about global warming, the list of celebrities speaking out on Earth Day becomes even more impressive. It seems that the earth has become more precious to those in-the-know and they use this day as a platform for change.

Al Gore, aside from his Vice Presidency and his Presidential aspirations, has earned a certain amount of celebrity himself. With the release of his movie, An Inconvenient Truth, Gore has entered the limelight in a new way. He appears to be trying to use his status and fame to influence people to aid in the fight against global warming.

Perhaps the most powerful environmental activist on the scene today is producer Laurie David. She is the wife of actor Larry David of Curb Your Enthusiasm. She has lobbied for governmental change to promote the cause. Then, she started organizing the Stop Global Warming Virtual March to rally support among the everyday people. She has so far encouraged hundreds of thousands of people to join her.

No one can ever know whether actors are trying to get attention or whether they are truly citizens concerned about global warming. There are probably some whose motives are not exactly pure. In the end, though, all celebrities who live by their environmental principles are a good influence.

Kate Winslet was born in Reading, U.K. on October 5, 1975 to Roger Winslet and Sally Bridges-Winslet. Her birth name was Kate Elizabeth Winslet. Having Blonde hair and hazel eyes Kate Winslet has proved herself to be one of the most beautiful and talented actresses to be around these days. The actress is popular for portraying courageous and straightforward pretty girl roles. The actress has built quite an impressive resume with movies ranging from Shakespearean tragedy to mystic movies to erotica. Acting was not difficult for her as she born in the family of stage actors. Her parents were stage actors, her maternal grandparents ran a theater and her uncle was a fixture in London’s West End Theater. So, naturally it was easy for Kate to get into acting after having realized her acting talent at an early age. She started off doing gigs and she did her first gig at the age of eleven for kid’s cereal. She took acting classes around the same age and also got formal training in a performing arts school. She kept doing regular stage shows for next few years. Ultimately this landed her into sitcoms doing bit roles.

Kate Winslet’s first break in movies came at the age of seventeen when she took the role of an obsessive teenager in “Heavenly Creatures” released in 1994. Although the film got a lukewarm response at the box office it was highly acclaimed by the critics. Still a novice to Hollywood she attended a cattle call audition for Ang Lee’s “Sense and Sensibility” in 1995. Kate Winslet who outperformed hundreds of other aspirants immensely impressed the film’s star Emma Thompson. She played the character of plucky Marianne Dashwood. She was rewarded for hard work with a British Academy Award and also an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress and she holds the distinction of being nominated at the youngest age. Her string of impressive performances continued and she worked in two more period movies “Jude” in 1996 and “Hamlet” in 1996.

The turning point of Kate Winslet’s career was her role as Rose DeWitt Bukater in the record-breaking movie “Titanic” in 1997. The role won her an Oscar nomination again for the best actress once again creating a record to get nominated twice in Oscars at the youngest age. Winslet was over the cloud nine after the resounding success of Titanic, which made her the star in demand. She played the role of adventurous soul searchers in “Hideous Kinky” in 1998 and “Holy Smoke” in 1999. Her association with period never seems to be over when she was back with a period film again in 2000 in “Quills”. There was no dearth of Oscar nominations for Winslet as she was nominated to Oscar for best actress for the movie “Iris” but the luck eluded her once again and she lost it to Jennifer Connelly for “A Beautiful Mind”. Winslet struggled at box office in 2003 but had a better year in 2004 with Jim Carrey in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” for which she got nominated again for the best actress. Kate Winslet seems to have a particular liking for period films when she starred again in a period film called “Finding Neverland” in 2005.

In 2006 she gave her voice to animated movie “Flushed Away” and also starred in “All the King’s Men” opposite Sean Penn. She was also part of the extremely successful “Little children” which won her an Oscar nomination again for the best actress.

Apart from being a successful person Kate Winslet is known to be a good person who plays mischievous pranks and is extremely devoted. She got married to James Threapleton with a daughter in 1998, but the marriage was short-lived and they divorced in 2001. She got married for the second time with director Sam Mendes in 2003 and also gave birth to a son. With the amount of talent this actress has one would hope that she is rightly rewarded with an Oscar at least this time.

When deciding on whether or not to get a tattoo, the first thing to think about is how the tattoo will be a permanent mark on the body. The next thing to consider is what the preferred style might be. Most tattoo parlors have samples of previous designs that can be altered to suit the customer. But what many people enjoy is sampling and mimicking what many of those whom we idolize might have already had created.

Today, celebrities influence much of what is done in society. Clothing styles, hair dos, things to eat, places to hang out and, yes, even tattoos are often influenced by many celebrities. There are more famous people that have tattoos than what has been originally thought. Some may be quite surprising.

As many people know, Angelina Jolie is one of the most popular tattooed actresses today. She flaunts over a dozen tattoos, each with their own meaning. Angelina Jolie is such a fan of tattoos that there are always plans for more in the future. In fact, she’s made the tribal dragon tattoo the most popular among women.

When it comes to tattoos and famous actresses, it’s certain that Pamela Anderson’s name will be brought up. The arm band was made popular almost entirely due to Pamela Anderson. She also put an emphasis on the barbed wire tattoo as it’s one of her most well known marks.

Mike Tyson sports a facial tattoo that is of Maori influence. While the tattoo didn’t exactly cause a boom in applied facial tattoos, it does prove interesting among tattoo enthusiasts.

Johnny Depp is one highly acknowledge actor for having tattoos. He’s decorated with over twelve known tattoos all with stories behind them. Depp’s tattoo on his right bicep is the most well known. When Johnny Depp and Wynona Ryder were together, he had “Wynona Forever” tattooed on his arm. When the relationship ended, it was modified to say “Wino Forever.” A good example of why tattoos should be thought through before taking the leap.

A group tattoo was made for those actors in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Each actor received a tattoo of the word “nine” written in Elvish script. Tattooed on different areas of the body, and a first tattoo for some, each member now has a permanent mark commemorating the making of the movies.

Other movie celebrities where we will find many tattoos to admire or copy include Drew Barrymore, Julia Roberts, Gillian Anderson, Alyssa Milano, and Christina Ricci. We can also find tattoos in music artists such as Billy Idol, Eminem, Henry Rollins and Brittany Spears. Kobe Bryant, Dennis Rodman, Anna Kournikova, and Stone Cold Steve Austin make up just a few of the sports models that flaunt their own ink.

This is just a sampling of a few of the tattoos that are likely to be found among celebrities. These people are acknowledged and admired for their style and personalities. Many of them have caused booms in the tattoo trends throughout the years with special emphasis on designs that closely resemble their own. It’s not unusual or unheard of by tattoo artists to receive requests for a tattoo that looks just like one sported by the hip celebrity of the times.

When they walk the red carpet, celebrities make a statement. After each awards gala, popular magazines showcase the best- and worst-dressed stars, and ready-to-wear clothing designers quickly copy the best of the couture gowns and styles so the rest of us can feel like princesses. It’s no surprise, then, that the latest trend in accessories is celebrity inspired jewelry.

The Most Sought After Celebrity Inspired Jewelry

When it comes to celebrity inspired jewelry, replicas of Jessica Simpson’s engagement ring and wedding band are extremely popular. Regardless of the status of her marriage to Nick Lachey, the popular engagement ring replicas are gold or rhodium plated on sterling silver with a cubic zirconia pear shaped center stone and two cubic zirconia side stones. The stones come in a variety of colors, including white or clear, light blue, tanzanite, pink, yellow, and red. The replica wedding bands are available in rhodium plated, yellow gold plated, or rose gold plated, encircled with over 20 cubic zirconia stones.

When she became engaged to Kevin Federline, Britney Spears chose a five-carat ring. The celebrity inspired jewelry replica may be made from 18k gold filled or sterling sliver with a cubic zirconia center stone available in clear, pink, amethyst, and blue topaz.

There’s no doubt that Jennifer Lopez has exquisite taste, so replicas inspired by the engagement ring she received when she was engaged to Ben Affleck are extremely popular. In addition to the engagement ring with a square center stone, matching pendants and earrings are also the rage.

Other Jewelry Trends

In addition to celebrity inspired jewelry, three other jewelry trends stand out this season: interchangeables, pearls, and turquoise. Interchangeable jewelry is popular because of its versatility. If, for example, you have a pendant, you can switch out one gemstone for another so that the pendant complements every outfit. You might, for example, interchange black onyx for tiger-eye, mother of pearl for rose quartz, and so forth. Interchangeables not only make a fashion statement, but because of their versatility, they are an exceptionally good value.

Pearls, of course, are a staple for every season. These classic beauties are a must-have. Freshwater pearls are both affordable and a wonderful heirloom to pass on to your children and grandchildren. Pearl bracelets, pearl earrings, and pearl necklaces are timeless, and should be a part of every woman’s jewelry collection.

Turquoise goes in and out of fashion, but this season, it’s definitely in. Turquoise comes in such a variety of shades and shapes that you’re bound to find a necklace or earrings that complement the shape of your face and your skin tone. Jewelry designers are also mixing it up this season, pairing turquoise with another gemstone (or several gemstones) to provide you with the style statement you’re looking for.

So, if you’ve seen photos of a celebrity’s knockout ring, don’t hesitate to explore celebrity inspired jewelry. It’s definitely in fashion this season, and is very affordable. While you’re at it though, don’t pass up the opportunity to pick up interchangeables, pearls, and turquoise. You can’t go wrong with these gems!

It is not really surprising to learn that many celebrities love tattoos, nor is it surprising that those who are in the public eye and in the media have quite a significant influence on the American population’s fascination with tattoos. The stars have tattoos, so all of their fans want tattoos also. For celebrities, age is not a factor; older stars as well as the younger ones have them. We know all of these people– but how much do we know about what unique styles of artwork they have?

One of America’s most longtime popular movie stars, Robert DeNiro, has appeared in movies sporting numerous tattoos. Whether or not his fans realize that they are only accessories for his films, the fact is in real life Robert DeNiro has only one tattoo, that of a black panther. Another actor who shows off many tattoos in his movies is Johnny Depp; all of his, however, are real. Bruce Willis also has a few tattoos; most notably the symbol of his movie “Die Hard.”

Tattoos have long been in style with musicians. Former teen idol Justin Timberlake has a guardian angel, amongst others. Rapper Eminem has more tattoos than can be counted, including his daughter’s name and his own. The wording on Keith Urban’s wrist, “Omni Vincit Amor” is Latin for ‘Love Conquers All;’ he also has an eagle on one arm.

Some sports celebrities also go for tattoos. Michael Jordan has his fraternity symbol tattooed above his heart, while Dennis Rodman is a virtual canvas of artwork.

Not to be outdone, many female stars also show various degrees of artwork. Young actress Drew Barrymore is essentially a canvas full of tattoos; it is said that she created most of the designs herself. Reese Witherspoon is more subtle, wearing only one small star tattoo which is rarely visible. Pamela Anderson has a variety of tattoos also, the most notable being the word ‘Mommy’ on one finger, which reportedly used to read ‘Tommy.’ Spice Girl Victoria Beckham has five stars to represent each member of her family, her husband’s initials, and the traditional Jewish phrase ‘I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.’

Some of today’s supermodels also sport tattoos. Kate Moss, Christy Turlington, and Stephanie Seymour all have these permanent forms of fashion accessories. Most supermodels who opt for tattoos show fewer and smaller designs than celebrities in other fields.

While many celebrities have had tattoos for a very long time, the popularity of tattoos amongst stars has been increasing, both in the number of celebrities who have them and the number of tattoos that they have. A very few have only one tattoo; more and more are taking on a large number of tattoos as well as more and more visible tattoos, using skin as a canvas for nearly unlimited varieties of permanent artwork.

As celebrities show off their tattoos, and this is picked up by the media, it presents an ever-increasing influence for their fans, especially amongst the younger generation, to want to do likewise. As with anything else that stars do in the public eye, their influence with tattoos helps this form of artwork become more widespread, more popular, and more acceptable to most of the American population in general.

Do any of you remember Marilyn Monroe sexily purring “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend?” Do you have any idea what that did the engagement ring market. Guys are still paying for that statement. Sure back in the 50s women knew it wouldn’t be sensible to wear such a large engagement ring but that didn’t mean a gal couldn’t yearn for it. Today a women wouldn’t feel in the least bit guilty about wearing such a diamond, in fact there are many a women that judge how well they are loved by the size of the rock they are wearing because they “know” what Marilyn knew, that “diamonds are in fact a girls best friend.”

When we see the engagement rings worn by stars like Madonna or Catherine Zeta-Jones we take notice and their choices influence the trends that follow. Celebrities are the leaders in setting fashion and jewelry trends. Madonna with her Edwardian engagement ring and Catherine Zeta-Jones’s antique styled 10 carat diamond ring has revived the desire to own a beautiful antique engagement ring. In fact it’s one of the hottest engagement ring styles in 20 years. The size of the diamonds in current styles has also grown from the average one carat to over three carats. That’s a pretty big rock that’s going to set you back a bit. But girls know they deserve it!

If you aren’t sure whether bigger is better than have a look at the jewels at this years Oscars which are said to total over $50 million dollars in value. Wonder how many vaults it took to keep those locked up for the night? With bling being the in thing one has to stop and wonder how the heck normal average working guys plan to pay for these rings. When their fiancés are asked the standard answer is “doesn’t matter I’m worth it. That’s great if your guy is earning a 6 figure salary but wait what if he’s not. What if he’s joe average living from pay day to pay day. What should he do move into the bush and give up his home, perhaps take up walking and sell his car?

Wait guys maybe you can get away with a really good quality cubic zirconia. No guarantees but it might be worth a try. Most of the high end ones can only be identified by a quality jeweler. Then again maybe she won’t care as long as it’s big and impressive. Ok girls lets be real here. Dreaming and lusting for that big 5 carat rock is just fine. No problem with dreaming, but when it comes time for your man to buy that ring remember that the ring is not what you are marrying so perhaps it’s time to consider the quality and quantity of the husband to be rather than the ring. Big diamond or little diamond it doesn’t matter as long as the two of you are blissfully happy. Let the celebrities wear their big diamonds and let them sparkle and shine in the lime light. It doesn’t matter because you got your man! That’s what counts!