Friday Favorite. 8/26/11

It's finally Friday! I know I already wrote about pink shoes this week (see post here), but I had to share one more pair with you since I've been staring at them all week. (No seriously, maybe I have been staring at them for two weeks now, I'm not sure.) Anyway, enjoy this glorious eye candy:

{Alexander Wang, Anais Metallic Leather Loafer Pump, $670.}

Feminine blush color? Check.

Fabulous tassel detail? Check.

On trend loafer appeal? Check. Yes, please.

Have a great weekend. xo

Treat everyday like you are on the runway.

I'm Not Really a Surfer.

Working with clients, I always recommend that once you find a basic that works for your style and body type, you should stick with it. It could mean finding the brand of jeans that always fit you off the rack (J Brands for me, they are all I own now), always reaching for that fit-and-flair dress silhouette if you are pear-shaped, or the perfect blouse (love Equipment, see post here) that you buy in ten different colors and patterns. This 'stick with what works for you' rule extends beyond clothes. Right now, I'm talking about hair.

Ombre hair. Balayage. Have you heard of it? This hair trend has been around since it took Hollywood by storm back in 2009. Some trends come and go and some stick around for a while. For me, this is one trend that will stick around for a while, because I can't let it go. Why? Because, I had ombre hair long before ombre hair had its name. It's something that works for me, so I'm sticking with it.

The main characteristic of the ombre effect is hair that is darker at the roots and gets lighter toward the ends. There are several versions of it, from subtle to dramatic, for blondes or brunettes. I have been highlighting my dark brown hair for ten years. While away at college or traveling, as my blonde hair grew out, my roots would be dark and the ends would be light. While living out in Los Angeles, I started seeing some of the top celebrity hair colorists in the business and this is where I learned about ombre hair. Waiting for my appointment with Negin Zand at Sally Hershberger or Lorri Goddard-Clark when she was at Neil George Salon meant dealing with roots. But these skilled artists would intentionally color my hair so that that the time in between appointments only made my hair look better. Low maintenance color they called it. I was in love.

Two years later and I am not ashamed to say that I still am in love with the effect. I don't worry about my roots and I love my dark to light hair because it works for me. I love that it never looks too perfect and that it always balances out my polished outfits. I love that people still mistake me for a California girl even though I've been back in Massachusetts for a year. Today, I will see the talented Michelle Rozopoulos at Philip Ciampa Salon in Andover, MA for my upkeep appointment. I can't wait. She always does an amazing job and is the only person I trust on the east coast with my hair. I've already followed her to three salons and must say she is worth the trip.

Here are some beautiful examples of my favorite hair.

The blondes. (Love that hot pink lipstick Lauren Conrad is wearing! See post here.)

The brunettes.

And something in between.

So, what are your thoughts about ombre hair? Be honest. Love it? Hate it? Over it?

Treat everyday like you are on the runway.

Expecting.

My beautiful friend, and former college roommate informed me that she will be adding a new member to her family in March. I couldn't be more excited for her. She is the kind of woman who I always knew would be an amazing mom.  With another girlfriend of mine expecting her second child in just a couple of weeks, I think about just how much must be on their minds. Clothing should be the least of their concerns, so here's a little help from a stylist. ;)


First things first. You are a sexy woman. Dress like it. Here are two amazing dresses that are incredibly versatile. This maxi dress is a fabulous fall color and perfect for layering. It would look great with a sweater, some flat boots, and camp socks when it gets a little cooler outside, but right now you can wear it with your favorite sandals. 

{Gap, Long Racerback Dress, $49.95.}

This little black dress is sexy and understated. It would work for daytime with tights and a pair of chunky heeled loafers or knee high boots. It is also perfect for date night with a nice pair of heels and could easily be worn to work.

{Maternity Jersey Dress, $74.50.}

Two great bottoms are the next important building blocks to your new maternity wardrobe. (If you have the budget for a third pair, purchase some comfortable black leggings for off-duty days and weekends.) For jeans, choose a classic dark blue denim that you can dress up or down. Since you will be wearing these all the time, invest in a pair you love. Then pick up a nice tailored pair of black pants. You can wear these to work and fancy them up for a dinner out.

{J Brand Perfect Bootcut Jean, $198.}

{Theory Maternity, Rosel Pant, $255.}

A gorgeous top is the next element of your maternity wardrobe. Skip the boring t-shirts and opt for pieces that offer some visual interest. Try a top in a trendy color like the berry one below, or one with an interesting neckline like this pretty one in navy. The richness of both colors works for fall and they are also easy pieces to layer.

{Old Navy, Pintucked Henley, $15.}

{Old Navy, Pleated Empire Top, $25.}

For added interest, and a nice feminine touch, choose a top with a print. My personal favorite is the sheer tie neck blouse. I love the subtle neutral feather pattern on it! 

{Gap, Ruffle Tie Top, $44.95.}

{Liquid by Nell Couture, Maternity Blouse, $175.}

This beautiful silk shirt could be part of your uniform. (See post here.) Wear it tucked in with the black pants to work, or untucked with jeans for an easygoing chic look.

{Vince, Relaxed Fit Silk Blouse, $235.}

For the crisp autumn air, pick up a sweater. I love that this charcoal sweater is form fitting and will show off a beautiful baby bump. Pair it with jeans, earrings, and a structured top handle bag and you are ready to go anywhere.

{Drape Front Maternity Sweater, $165.}

If you are not looking for something so streamlined, this gorgeous blush colored wrap sweater will accent your waist and look great with the jeans, black pants, maxi dress, and black dress shown above.

{Gap, Wrap Sweater, $49.95.}

As you head into winter, think about more layers. Choose an oversized cardigan with a dramatic drape like this comfy grey sweater that will fit over everything. Or you can try a jacket like this one.

{Velvet, Cascade Maternity Cardigan, $299.99.}

{Asos, Double Zip Parka, $103.43.}

Lastly, those of you expecting are in luck! Capes and ponchos were still all over the runways for the fall and winter season. And remember, for extremely cold weather, there's always the black puffer classic.

{Asos, Longline Jacket, $120.67.}

So mom's-to-be, what was an integral part of your maternity wardrobe?

Happy Pregnancy lovely ladies. And congratulations L. Love you. xo




Treat everyday like you are on the runway.

Having a Moment: Pink Shoes

Looking for a way to transition from summer into fall? Try a pair of hot pink shoes. The punchy color will show off your end of summer tan, and it will be a gorgeous contrast to the darker colors of your fall wardrobe. The rich shade looks great with camel, navy, and black or put together a color block outfit of assorted bright colors (see post here). Below, Sophia Bush and Emma Stone show us how it's done.

For an edgier take on this trend, opt for a pair of boots. These would look sexy and sleek with an all-black look.

{Dolce Vita, Jemma Suede Platform Boots, $224.}

{Alexander McQueen, Suede Ankle Boots, $1075.}

For a classic look, try a round toe pump with a skinny jean or pant. This shoe style will also work with a mini skirt or dress.

{Brian Atwood, Maniac Calf Hair Pumps, $735.}

{Ivanka Trump, Amoro Pumps, $120.}

A pointy toe pump version offers a more sophisticated look. These will look gorgeous with a pencil skirt, wide leg trouser, or wide leg jean.

{Kate Spade, Licorice Suede Pumps, $285.}

{Sam Edelman, Portney, $120.}

Not into boots or pumps? Here are three other chic, feminine, and on trend options.

{Kate Spade, Crown Slingback, $350.}

{Jill Stuart, Kiara Suede Platform Pumps, $525.} 

{Kors by Michael Kors, Vail Pumps, $195.}

What do you think? Will you sport a hot pink shoe this fall?

Treat everyday like you are on the runway.

Oh! The Places You'll Go... With This Bag!

If you haven't planned one yet, let me just tell you: weddings are expensive. My fiance and I are working hard on the details of our dream day and finding that many sacrifices have to be made. Unfortunately, one of those sacrifices just might be our honeymoon as finding additional time off from work and digging a little deeper into our pockets the week following our wedding just may not be possible.

That said, I am still dreaming about the week off that I will spend with my honey after all of this planning is over. In my head that week will be full of days on a beach, naps in a hammock, amazing meals next to the ocean, and the sound of the waves lulling us to sleep each night. It will be glamourous in that delicious sun-on-your-skin, wind-in-your-hair, time-spent-with-your-great-love, kind of a way...

OR we might just be home enjoying a stay-cation in our one bedroom apartment. If we're lucky we will take a quick weekend to a B&B in Maine - lovely in its own way, but like always, I will have to bring the glamour. When I stare at this new duffle bag from Kate Spade, I am transported from my wedding planning stress to my fantasy honeymoon so I am pretty sure that it will transport me from that B&B to the glamourous private island in my head.

{Kate Spade, Westward Runaway Duffle, $1295.}

Is that not the most gorgeous duffle bag you have ever seen? I can barely bring myself to call it a duffle since it is not the least bit reminiscent of the beat up sports team bags or wrinkled canvas bags that share the same name. It's just lovely. And glamourous. I must have it. But I must have flowers at my wedding too. So, it looks like I will be going with the duffle's fabulous cousin instead. This clutch:

{Kate Spade, Westward Ingenue Clutch, $545.}

A terrific compromise, no?

This morning I awoke with a poem in my head. It was one I remember receiving from my mother when I graduated from high school. Dr. Seuss. Now, fourteen years later, parts of it I have carried into adulthood and I will now carry them into my marriage. I read it today and I think I will read it again on my wedding day. My personal highlights from the poem:

"Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!"


"You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, 'I don’t choose to go there.' With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street..."


"Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done..."

"And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!"

For richer, for poorer, in sickness, and in health, in good times and in bad, I'm excited to take this life journey and tackle our mountain. Now I just need to go pack my fabulous bag and we can go anywhere life takes us. ;)

Treat everyday like you are on the runway.

Gold Standard

I have been on a serious gold kick lately. It's all things I love: glamourous, nostalgic, and regal. The tone is also perfect with my skin tone. Here are three things I can't stop staring at this week:

1) My toes! What female doesn't love a little sparkle? My recent pedicure is perfect for the end of summer.   I'm wearing this pretty gold glitter polish over a very pale pink. After all of the bright shades from spring to summer, this neutral metallic is a welcome change.

{Deborah Lippmann Polish in Boom Pow, $20.}

2) We were updating our bridal registry at Bloomingdales when these caught my eye. Now they are my favorite cross-my-fingers-we-receive wedding gift. This table setting would bring glamour to even the most boring dish. I think I would eat my cereal with this and some feather slippers.

{DVF, Night, 5 Piece Place Setting, $105.}

3) The silverware above would look amazing with these drinking glasses. I would add a huge vase of light pink peonies and some fabulous white china to complete my fantasy table-scape.

{Dwell Studio, Gold Triangles Drinking Glass, $62- $72.}

*Sigh.* A girl can dream...

Enjoy your weekend.

xo

Smitten.

In addition to launching my business in a new state, I am busy planning my wedding. The process has had its highs and lows thus far, but the best part is daydreaming about my big day. That, and all of the wedding magazines!


I hate to admit it, but I can't remember the last time that I read a good book. The reason being that I am unable to put down my fashion magazines. Since getting the IPad last fall, I have taken my love to an all new level now that I can tote as many around as I want and not feel like I'm back in grade school lugging around the weight of my textbooks. The new magazine to catch my eye is an online-only wedding publication called Smitten Magazine. Can we discuss the bouquet of white peonies on the front cover? Swoon-worthy. The wedding fashions inside are just as beautiful.

The focus of their first issue is Southern Style. It contains beautiful photos and stories of real weddings, and the southern ones featured are the perfect eye candy for anyone planning a wedding. My favorite section is the breakdown of southern bride style. Southern Chic? Traditional Elegance? Or Ethereal? I just can't decide on my favorite... 

What do you think? Gorgeous right?!


Their stylist also made some fabulous suggestions for bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts. I love the bow ties and monogrammed soaps.

What is your favorite part of wedding planning? Do you use magazines for their amazing tips? Then check out Smitten.


Treat everyday like you are on the runway.

J Crew Does It Again.

I am currently assisting all of my personal clients with the transition into their fall wardrobe, so my mind right now is not on this gorgeous sunny day. Yesterday I was focused on boots, but today I am focused on coats. Of the J Crew variety, that is.  

Every fall J Crew does some of the best classic outerwear on the market. It always has a stylish twist that is appropriate for all ages. Good bones as I like to call it. You can't go wrong with a classic style when it comes to something like a fall coat because unless you have the money to buy a new one each year, you want to make sure the one you buy today will look good next year and perhaps the following one. Here are three coats I would like to applaud them on and recommend this year.


Do you have your trench yet? This is a classic that every woman should own. It is perfect for a fashionable rainy day and will definitely help ease your summer wardrobe into the fall season. J Crew does it with a reasonable price tag ($400), as compared to the almighty Burberry outerwear. I love the super feminine silhouette of this version and it has a detachable tulle underskirt for a little added style. The trench is timeless. Get the J Crew Encore Coat on their website or here.

Who doesn't love a navy blue classic? You can wear this coat with every color you can think of.  The amazing hood, cropped batwing sleeves, and zipper on this wool capelette make this anything but your boring navy blue topper. It is perfect for weekends and running errands. Throw it on over your favorite pair of jeans, leggings, and/or chunky sweater and you looked pulled together in a glorious unfussy way. And I love the oversized pockets! You can find this J Crew Capelette on their website or here.

Lastly, a classic peacoat in an on-trend color. Other than burgundy red, this golden mustard was the other color all over the fall fashion runways. This peacoat is full of thoughtful details like the pretty collar, seams on the sleeves, and dark round buttons. It is impeccably tailored at the waist and can be worn buttoned or unbuttoned. It would look gorgeous with an emerald scarf or one with a fuchsia and ivory print. What will you wear yours with? Buy it at J Crew or here.

When you purchase a classic piece, remember to always make it your own. With a fall coat, take the time to choose the right scarf, gloves, hat, and boots to go with it. 

Treat everyday like you are on the runway.

Looking Forward to... Boots.

I hate the winter. I hate the cold. The people who know me best joke that I am solar powered. There is a reason I moved to South Tampa and then to Los Angeles the first chance I got.


Now that I am back in New England (and much more settled than this time last year), I dare say I am looking forward to the beautiful crisp fall days ahead. I'm trying to anyway. I must embrace the inevitable: it's going to get cold again. Really cold. The layers and wool are coming back out from storage in a matter of weeks! That's why, pouring over all of the fall fashion in my favorite magazine publications are good for my psyche this time of year. Right now, I am focused on the boots.

Here are some of the beauties I have my eye on for this fall season to distract me from the cold:


1) The perfect 70's inspired glamour. In the color of the season, this rich burgundy suede sets my heart aflutter, while the fringe gives this pair an immediate cool factor. The chunky heel is on trend and I can already think of twenty outfits I could make with these boots from clothes already in my closet. 

{Diane von Furstenberg 'Penn' Suede Fringe Boot. $550.}

2) Edgy and unique. For the day I wake up and think, today I want to look like a fashionable astronaut. Fashion should be fun, always be open to taking risks! The menswear inspired detail on this pair is great, and a wedge is always comfortable. These shoes beg for an outfit with clean lines and a mod silhouette. They are also a fabulous option for dressing up a black blazer for a night out. Not into the silver? Jeffrey Campbell has some other gorgeous funky pairs in this collection. (Check them out here, here, and here.)

{Jeffrey Campbell 'Bonnie' Boot, $119.95.}

3) Beautiful twist on a classic. This is as close to a hiking boot as you will ever see me wear. The tassels, soft camel colored leather, on-trend chunky heel, and thick rubber sole have me daydreaming about apple picking and cidar donuts already. Big chunky wool sweater and pumpkin carving are optional.

{See by Chloe 'Wallabee' Calf Boot, $415.}

What are you looking forward to this fall season?


Treat everyday like you are on the runway.