Karen Dubs, a yoga instructor and flexibility trainer, shows off her Reebok EasyTones {Brian Krista, b}

If you’ve been struggling to fulfill your resolution to get your butt in shape, don’t look to the next fad diet or exercise craze. Instead, look down — at your shoes.

With the right pair you could find your butt firmer, your legs shapelier, your weight reduced — all by simply going about your normal, everyday activities.

At least that’s according to Reebok, MBT, Skechers and other companies touting muscle-toning shoes. The shoes are based on technology that mimics an uneven platform to create instability, forcing your muscles to work harder.

Skechers promises their “Shape-ups” will help you do just that — “without ever stepping foot in the gym.” Ads for Reebok’s “EasyTone” shoes say wearers will “leave 78 percent of men speechless and 81 percent of  women jealous.” MBT says it can improve posture, reduce joint stress and increase muscle activity as you stand around.

Does this sound too good to be true? Well, probably, say local fitness and foot experts who stress regular exercise if you want to get in shape. But they also agree that a good pair of shoes is a good place to start.

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…For him

$38 Buffalo check scarf
ArmaniExchange.com
Scarves are always a simple way to add that finishing touch to any look when it’s a little nippy out. This example from Armani Exchange features a two-toned plaid pattern and fun-to-play-with fringe detail.

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Michael Jordan (left) and Dwyane Wade show off the new Jordans {thanks, HYPEBEAST.COM}

Big news for sneakerheads and basketball players. The Air Jordan 2010 will hit stores Feb. 13 and cost $170. While the retro Jordans have seen a huge resurgence in streetwear/hip-hop circles (did they ever really leave?), the newer editions have been greeted less enthusiastically. Time will tell how much the 2010 style is embraced, but by the looks of the shoe, Jordan sneaker enthusiasts will have plenty to debate. After the cut, check out the interview with legendary sneaker designer Tinker Hatfield and Jordan Brand creative director Mark Smith break down their vision of the latest Jordan.

Spotted at Hypebeast.

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This is worth more than your car {thanks, STREETLEVEL.COM}

Hip-hop producer/artist/mogul/etc. Pharrell Williams probably hasn’t been penny pinching lately. A known fan of haute couture, Pharrell’s collaborated with Hermés in the past (his purple tote, made exclusively for him, costs as much as a high-end Mercedes Benz). Skateboard P skipped another travel bag and went with a hooded sweatshirt this time around. It’s one of one, and made of crocodile skin. Oh yeah, its cost has been pegged between $18,000-$75,000, according to streetlevel.com.

Dude, that’s kind of expensive. Nice looking, though!

At last.  An advertiser who truly understands how to put together a compelling product demo.  New Zealand  sports bra manufacturer ShockAbsorber, has launched the Bounce-O-Meter, an online simulator that offers visitors an up close and wonderfully personal view of the physics behind breasts and activity.

Voted Evilest Invention in History by Chauvinist Pig Weekly {via shockabsorbersport.com}

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Baltimore fashion designer Steven Strawder strikes a pose {Brian Krista, b}

The inaugural Baltimore Fashion Week added a welcome dash of Milan to the mid-Atlantic last year. What’s on tap this year? Nothing less than a “fairy tale.”

Well, technically a “fashionista’s fairy tale.” That’s the theme for the second BFW, ruling the catwalk at the War Memorial Building from Monday-Friday.

“As we all know, fairy tales have a happy ending, and this fairy tale will be absolutely astonishing,” said Sharan Nixon, BFW’s founder and CEO. This year’s fashion lineup features 41 mostly local designers and, Nixon said, “we have stepped everything up a few notches.”

Via e-mail, we asked six BFW designers who’ll be stepping up those notches about how they got into fashion, what to expect on the runway and the answer to that ever-elusive question: Just what the hell is Baltimore style, anyway?

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“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” romanced $22.2 million from moviegoers in midnight showings Wednesday {thanks, Warner Bros.}

Harry Potter has conjured up a record-breaking witching hour.

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” took in $22.2 million domestically from midnight screenings, distributor Warner Bros. said Thursday. That breaks the record set by “The Dark Knight,” which grossed $18.5 million from midnight shows last summer.

“Half-Blood Prince” also topped this year’s biggest hit, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” which pulled in $16 million from midnight screenings on its first day in June.

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This year’s Preakness was notable for its docile Infield, a triumphant filly and a smaller attendance that just made audacious fashions stand out that much more — for better or worse. Our judges took a few days to contemplate, and here’s what they said:

No. 1

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The Baltimore Rich Girl aka Jenna B. More

Which is better when you live somewhere in the Baltimore metro area to be rich or to be wealthy? Take it from a leader amongst Baltimore Rich Girls it’s better to be rich, much better. When you hear the word rich used to describe someone you may instantly have negative thoughts. You may think materialism, self-centeredness, or superficiality. But what about that which you don’t see? What about the transformation from everyday person to a diva or divo? No, it’s not about a person consumed with themselves. It’s more about a person who has developed self-confidence, is self-assured, and shows that they have one key word swagga. Those who carry themselves well know just what it takes to have the proper appearance, but they carry themselves with dignity, because they’re proud of who they are.  Get insights into what makes one rich and remember if not’s what a person has, but it’s who they are. Learn that style is very personal but it’s also one’s signature identifier, and get that lesson from Baltimore’s Rich Girl and the belle behind Baltimore Rich Girls.

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Laura G. Creates

Self-made fashion never goes out of style especially as many people try to get the most for their money during difficult economic times. For 21-year-old Laura Gordon a recent Hopkins grad who lives here in Baltimore, self-made fashion is more than just a hobby, it’s a way of making money. That’s right designing and creating unique and custom headbands is Laura Gordon’s side hustle. So BTheSite.com talked to Gordon about her business venture. 

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