Archive for July, 2011
Ladies night
12 years ago
This weekend we’re throwing my sister her Bachelorette party. We wanted to keep this a classy affair, so we opted for a night of drinking champagne and dancing at some of the coolest spots in the city. While I’m excited to celebrate this special time in my sisters life, I’m also excited to go out and actually get “dressed up!” I still haven’t found anything to wear, so I went to one of my favorite sites (Polyvore) to create a few ensembles. This way, when I’m out shopping I can look for specific or similar pieces.
Sexy and Sophisticated
Fun and Flirty
Cool and Classic
Elegant and Edgy
Not sure which route I’ll go yet. I like the bold colors, but knowing me, I’ll probably end up wearing something black.
Kendi Oil / Dry Oil Mist Review
12 years ago
My hair is frizzy and wavy, so it needs to be styled in order to be seen in public. My biggest problem when I style my hair are those pesky fly-away hairs that I yield into submission with lots of hair spray. Recently I learned about Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist by Alterna , which is used for to control the fly-aways and gives the hair a nice shine.
This lightweight, instantly absorbing mist can be used as a treatment or a style primer to eliminate frizz, shield hair from heat styling tools, enhance shine and protect color while boosting your hair’s health.
In my case, I had mixed results, my hair is thicker so the product didn’t help me with the frizz. Whether I styled it with a flat iron or a clipless curling iron, the dry oil mist did not control the frizzyness. But it did give it a nice shine and I liked that it didn’t weigh my curls down.
I tried the product on a friend of mine who has fine, straight hair. I was so jealous, in her case Kendi Oil immediately made her hair look sleek and polished, it did control the fly-aways and later on she told me that effect lasted for hours; she loved the product.
But now that I had a chance to go over Alterna’s other collections and I’ll be sure to try some of their other products.
Bamboo. Strength * Flexibility * Sustainability
Pure Organic Bamboo Extract from our planet’s most resiliant botanical resource immediately boosts hair’s intrinsic strength and lays the foundation for healthier hair
Caviar. Anti-Aging
CAVIAR Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner are clinically proven to minimize the visible signs of aging. 100% of women showed visible improvement in shine, texture, softness and manageability after just one use.
Hemp with Organics
Sweet Orange Peel Extract, rich in anti-oxidant Vitamin C, protects against free-radical damage and gives dull, lackluster hair instant shine.
Life Solutions
LIFE Solutions blends the strength of easern extracts with innovative technologies to effectively nourish hair that has specialized needs, so it can function at its best. Lightweight formulas support hair’s internal balance, increasing vibrancy and protecting color.
Style Lab
A collective of Alterna’s Greatest Hits. Seasonal stories and trendsetting techniques brought to life in irresistible collections.
Ten
The perfect fusion of ten key elements from around the globe. Infused with African Cacao Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Caviar Age-Control Complex®, Color Hold® White Truffle Oil, Champagne Grape Seed Oil, Bulgarian Evening Primrose, Arabian Frankincense, Moroccan Quillaia Bark and Arnica Flower.
Super Fertile Murder
12 years ago
Super Fertile is out with its latest politically charged jewelry collection called Murder. This collection is themed specifically around the murders of innocent civilians in the war in Sri Lanka, where Super Fertile jewelry designer Kali Arulpragasam (sister of MIA) was born. The murders of innocent civilians in Sri Lanka is what ultimately led the Arulpragasam family to flee to the country for London while Kali was a girl. The collection features bullet wounds, cuts, and knife slashes done in beautiful detail with rubies, sapphires, and garnets. Like her sister, Kali Arulpragasam claims she is not trying to shock people, but instead encourage conversation about the topics she addresses in her art.
Off the Cuff: Rules of the Wrist
12 years ago
Amanda Brooks, Fashion Director at Barney’s New York has created a great piece on Rules Of The Wrist on Barney’s New York fashion blog The Window.
Amanda’s role as trendspotter for womenswear at Barneys allows her access to both established and emerging designers, members of the press, visual teams, and merchandising teams. It’s safe to say she has the down-low on how to pull off all current and up-coming trends.
Here are Ms. Brooks golden rules for cuffs:
When it comes to cuffs, I like to wear one on each wrist. The bold balance of two chunky objects can really anchor the rest of the outfit. By trial and error, I have developed three golden rules for those who dare to wear cuffs:
1. Coco Chanel and Diana Vreeland looked fabulously eccentric mixing cuffs with lots of other jewelry, but I prefer the modern simplicity of cuffs worn on their own.
2. The scale of the cuffs should match the volume of your outfit. If your cuffs are huge, wear a puffy sleeve or a strong shoulder that will stand up to them. If your cuffs are more delicate, go with a streamlined silhouette.
3. Play with price point! While Gaia Repossi makes some of the most exquisitely drool-inducing cuffs you can imagine, Dana Lorenz designs equally chic versions that are great starter pieces for the budget-conscious.
Here are the best cuffs to get you through Summer and into Fall.
House of Harlow Antiqued Arrow Cuff. $175Kora Grand Petit Cuff from Shopbop. $198The Horizon Cuff by Obey. $22Wide Patterned Textured Cuff from ASOS. $25.86Low Luv x Erin Wasson Thunderbird Etched Cuff. $110
Clean Break Cuff from Anthropologie. $158
About Barney’s New York Fashion Director Amanda Brooks:
Amanda is a New York-based fashion writer and owner of the fashion consulting firm Amanda Brooks Inc, Ms. Brooks has earned industry credibility through her work experience at top design houses and her celebrated sense of personal style. She began her career working for Patrick Demarchelier and Frederic Fekkai, and went on to become Creative Director of Hogan — and then Creative Director of Tuleh. She currently consults for Diane Von Furstenberg, Tod’s, Thakoon, Roger Vivier, American Express, and Revlon.
Ms. Brooks is a contributing editor and writer for Men’s Vogue, and has also written style-related articles for Vogue and The New York Times. She has authored a book about finding one’s own personal style entitled I Love Your Style (Harper Collins, 2009). She has appeared as a fashion expert on programs such as The Today Show, The CBS Early Show, Inside Edition, and NPR Radio. Last but not least, Amanda has appeared on Vogue‘s Annual Best Dressed list five times since 1999.
Falling for Fall
12 years ago
Last week I was quite excited about finally being able to dress for summer. But after enjoying a week of San Francisco sunshine and a weekend of Los Angeles heat, I was happy to see that San Francisco was back to it’s old self again – gloomy. Don’t get me wrong, a little sunshine is good for the soul, but when it comes to getting dressed every day, I prefer to dress for Fall. To me, Fall is the most exciting season in fashion. I love the layers, colors, fabrics and boots.
With the mid-50 degree weather we had today, women were dressed in some amazing pre-Fall looks (it was like a constant fashion show on the streets).
Here are a few looks and pieces that I’ll be wearing this Fall:
Key pieces: flare leg denim, motorcycle jacket, neutral colored cape, non-black blazer and a smile.
Key pieces: leopard print scarf, wedge ankle boots, faux fur vest, snakeskin bag, and neutral colors.
Melissa Hutton – A Contemporary Artist To Get Excited About
12 years ago
Melissa Hutton is a contemporary artist living in San Francisco. Her work draws from her personal experience and emotional reaction to the environment while confronting themes of isolation, abandonment, destruction and resilience. Melissa’s work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions across the United States. She is currently represented by the Hespe Gallery in San Francisco.
Some of her most well-known pieces are pop-inspired stormy panoramas littered with abandoned barns, looming gas stations and country highways slicing through fields (find examples below). Melissa explores the complexity of the American landscape by mixing mediums including spray enamel, resin and photography.
Melissa recently began creating belt buckles using her art as her inspiration. Each belt buckle is crafted by hand using a variety of materials including found objects, paint and resin. The leather belt straps are made from fine quality cowhide and are custom paired to each buckle. These belts are one-of-a-kind masterpieces that will certainly accessorize an outfit. I’m imaging the belts completing the simple white v-neck tee, skinny jeans and boot look. Here are a couple of examples of the belts she’s created.
To inquire about Melissa Hutton’s artwork and to see a complete list of available belts please contact Melissa directly.
Finding the Best Leather Sofas
12 years ago
It seems that leather sofas are back in a big way this year. They have lost the bachelor pad reputation and can be found in homes across the country. But because of this boom in sales some places are trying to sell cheap leather for top prices, so before you step foot in any store it’s important to understand the types of leather out there and their characteristics as there are several types of great leather to keep an eye out for.
One of the most basic types of leather sofas available is made from corrected grain. This has a protective coating which gives a uniformed feel to the leather and makes it fairly soft, while being exceptionally durable.
If you are looking for a high level of protection while still maintaining a softness to your leather sofas then the fine grain leathers are for you. Fine grain leathers have a luxuriously soft feel while being highly protected; this is a great option for leather sofas that will be used every day.
Natural waxed hides are growing in popularity at the moment. They are one of the most natural looking hides available for leather sofas. All the natural elements (some might call them imperfections), such as original scarring and colors are left in to give natural waxed leather hides an original, unique look. These leather sofas are prone to scratching and may discolor, however they will re-color when rubbed or when protective cream is applied. Natural waxed hides come with a light coating of protection to allow the hide to shine through.
If you are looking for a touch of luxury in your leather sofas than look no further than full aniline leather, this is one of the softest leathers on the market. The leather is soft because there is very little protective coating, allowing the softness of the natural hide to come through. Full aniline leather often come as designer leather sofas and are dyed so they do not scratch like natural wax hides, but it is recommended you use protective creams on them about 4 times a year.
Shop The Far Out: Find Style Online
12 years ago
Shopping online boutiques has become an obsession for style conscious women who value a good deal and quality product. But even the most savvy online shoppers consistently find themselves asking, “Does it look like it‟s worth the price they are asking?” and “Will this look the same on me as it does on this model?” The owners of Shop the Far Out have made it their priority to make the answers to these questions a resounding “YES!” Shopthefarout.com arrives at the perfect time with product that is wearable, functional and represents the best of what you want for your wardrobe.
Shopthefarout.com is a new boutique and complete fashion online destination for women. The goal of the site is to make great fashion more accessible by providing high quality designer products styled for the everyday woman. Stressing the quality of product, fit and design, the finely curated shop brings the true ’boutique’ experience back online. Founder Geraldine Calixte, views clothing and accessories as a form of self-expression. There are no rules to personal style, no limitations to how a woman can show off her panache. 
This is where Compliments of You (known as C. O. Y. within the sites navigation) becomes an integral tool of the website. This section features real women who have styled their own looks by incorporating their favorite pieces with items from Shop The Far Out. Whether your personal style is edgy like Rihanna‟s, refined like Emma Watson‟s or on trend like Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian, Compliments of You enables the shopper to envision how to incorporate new pieces from Shop The Far Out into existing wardrobe or become inspired to try something new!
“Ultimately it’s not about filling a trend, it‟s about finding items that work for your features. The best accessory is confidence, and when you find a piece that fits and looks great, that confidence inherently shines through” emphasizes Geraldine, who passionately focuses on individuality. No two women are alike; some women are more downtown a la Zoe Kravitz while others prefer Blake Lively‟s uptown chic. Shop the Far Out recognizes this and embraces those differences. It gives women permission to find something different.
With brands such as Bleulab Reversible Denim, Fallon, Madison Harding, NSHA and Rebecca Minkoff, Shop the Far Out has something for everyone. There is a personal touch to the items selected and finding these specific gems on other retail sites might be a difficult task. Check it out at www.shopthefarout.com
