If you are in need of some movie-love, then head to your local theater and check out Amelia. An amazing woman, an inspiration and a style icon. The fashion in the movie just about sent me over the edge!

With such a independent and fiery spirit she chose to be inspired by menswear, and it couldn’t be a more perfect time to follow her lead and let your man’s closet be an extension of your own.

To pull off Amelia’s menswear-chic attitude, look to the Quiksilver Women’s closet. Start with a basic tee and the Revenge Skinnies, layer on the Breathless dress and then pull on the Privilege Coat. To keep it on trend, find some over-the-knee black boots for that last bit of perfection.

Shop the look: Privilege Coat, Breathless Dress, and Revenge Skinnies

This fall you don’t have to search high and low for the perfect statement accessory. All you need is a little tube of black cherry lipstick. Choose a gothic-inspired or lighter, feminine hue.

A tee and skinnies step up a notch with cherry stained lips! Pick one up before they all run out and I promise you will make a statement.

Images: Hussein Chalayan Fall 09 Style.com, Rihanna Splendicity, Vena Cava Elle

Fall is all about that tough – urban – edgy girl who wakes up, rolls out of bed and the minute her feet hit the floor she exudes style.

She tousles her locks, jumps around in tight and sexy skinnies, pulls on a lacey tank and grabs her biker-inspired jacket as she runs out the door.

The sweet tunes of rock-and-roll play in her mind, she grabs her morning coffee from around the corner and begins a day that will be filled with color, creativity and inspiration. She is passionate and works hard to make things happen.

She is the rock-goddess inside us all. Live it up in Quiksilver Women’s Fall 2009 collection!

The Tanzania Adventure was an incredible experience for our three E.P.I.C women and here are some of their final thoughts and highlights from the experience.

Tennille decribes one of her highlights from the trip.

After we drill each well, we like to give hygiene and sanitation talks to the kids in the school, and to some of the women in the village. The kids at Mangalali Primary responded so well to it this year, which made it really enjoyable! We play games with them, teaching them about good and bad hygiene and sanitation practices, germ transmission, and the importance of washing hands, and brushing teeth.

We got to try out the song that Alexi and I made up about brushing teeth as well (we learned to sing it in Swahili after Amani translated it for us) so that was a lot of fun too! The kids LOVED it, and it was so much fun to act it out with our “Good Teeth” and “Bad Teeth” puppets!

If only one child understands the importance of washing their hands before they eat, or after they use the bathroom, and if that child teaches what they have learned to their children, and then they in turn do the same, we have begun to improve on a culture.

When Alexi and I come to each new village, we don’t come with the intention to change things, we come with the intention to share, and again, we are given so much more from the people than we could ever give to them, so if we are able to teach them anything of value at all, we feel we have done what we have set out to do.

Jen lets us in on her feelings about the impact that E.P.I.C and Quiksilver Womens is having in these Tanzanian villages.

Each day I spent in Tanzania was incredible, but my experience on the last night was critical to my understanding of the water crisis there and the perception of water. Bibi had helped to gather several women from around Kawe to meet with us and discuss the issue of water and the impact of E.P.I.C.’s first well. The meeting didn’t go as we expected.

Many of the women in Kawe have access to pipes. Even though they are aware that people cut into the pipes to steal the water (which in turn contaminates the water), they see the water as clean. Even though 100% of the women in our meeting had family members experience diarrhea and cholera on a regular basis, they see the water as clean.

In addition to the lack of access to clean water, a large part of the problem is the lack of education regarding water, hygiene, and sanitation. Bibi explained to us that in the 20 years she has lived in Kawe, E.P.I.C. is the first group of people to come and teach them about hygiene and sanitation. It’s overwhelming to think how much work there is to do, but completely inspiring at the same time to be a part of something that is so critical to so many people’s lives. There are some areas that we visited where people dig into the ground in search of water because they have no other choice. We set out to help support young women who are making a difference in the world. When we decided to help support E.P.I.C., we didn’t realize how many lives we could change, and that we’d be empowering women on the other side of the world.

Alexi lists off her highlights from the trip.

Witnessing the pride the villagers of Mangalali took in the well we provided them by building a protective wall around it in order to ensure it’s safety!

Playing with my African brother Gordon…quite possibly the CUTEST kid in the whole world!

Watching the kids we’ve known for 4 years now grow up.

And as always, meeting some amazing new friends.

In my time here there were so many things that made this trip what it was. The people. The communities. That unwavering spirit and hope that each individual we meet carries with them. It will all come home with me and last a lifetime.

P.S.- I want to thank all of you personally for being a part E.P.I.C.! Whether you’re a QSW customer or just a reader of the blog, you’ve helped immensely. Thank you for initiating a positive change in our world!

Our girls, Alexi and Tennille of E.P.I.C. (Everyday People Initiating Change) recently set out on an adventure to  continue their mission to drill clean, sustainable water wells in communities that don’t have access to clean water. Inspired by our E.P.I.C women, Jen Barrios of Quiksilver, felt a desire to join in on the efforts and booked a ticket to join them in Africa.

Three women willing to give up their free time and comforts of home to make a difference – AMAZING! Over the next few days we will get to hear some of their stories and find out what they were feeling on this E.P.I.C. adventure.

Let’s tune in to their initial thoughts as they began their quest.

Jen

Alexi

“Our fourth year in Tanzania… I can’t believe that we’re here again.  It seems every year times goes a little faster, and the days in between trips grow shorter and shorter.  I have mixed feelings as we enter our “Africa home” in Kawe, Tanzania: anxious, excited, tired and (always) hungry.

We have a lot to do this trip: drill a well at Kibebe Village and hopefully one in Kibaha Village (if the hydro-geological test says we can find water!), conduct our hygiene and sanitation program with both the kids and adults of Mangalali Village (the site of our water well from last summer) AND scope out some new villages for next year!  (And I must add, I’m quite excited to bust out the “good teeth” – “bad teeth” sock puppets Tennille and I made during our hygiene program!)”

Tennille

“When we pulled into Kawe, feelings of excitement filled me as I anticipated seeing everyone again!  First there was Babu, sitting outside his shop, awaiting our arrival.  The children in the neighborhood all greeted us with enthusiastic cries of, “Wazungu! Wazungu!” which means, “white people” in Swahili!

In Tanzania, life is about love, and respect for the community.  It is about fulfilling basic needs, and coming together in order to survive.  We come here to help in whatever small ways we can, but each time we come, we remember that they do so much more for us than we could ever do for them.  I am forever indebted to them for opening my eyes up to what really matters in life, and I hope that I will never forget!”

Knowing what a photo should look like and how to use the software can really do a lot for you. -Matt Wignall, photographer

Taking pictures of you makes me want to eat tabbouleh.

We invited six of the top fashion bloggers to preview the Quiksilver Women’s spring line and style their own photo shoot. The photographer, Matt Wignall, was the one who captivated my attention. He works with Cold War Kids and other notable bands and his work is brilliant. This is what Wignall, a self-proclaimed “social lemon,” had to say about working with models. (He’s actually a good guy.)

Check out his website:
http://mattwignall.com/

And Blog:
http://www.mattwignall.blogspot.com/

She is currently the Senior Style Editor at Elle magazine. She has a wicked sense of style that consists of grey, black, grey, white and grey. She does menswear-chic better than the men of GQ. Her signature platinum locks and razor sharp cut keep things modern. She is the definition of effortless – a few layered classic pieces, skinnies or harem pants, and killer shoes.

She is Kate Lanphear, our QUIKSILVER WOMAN OF THE WEEK. Channel the menswear-chic look in QSW’s Western Cape Boyfriend Jeans.