428/2011

Vintage Crush

Posted in Fashion & Stores, Fashion Collage

I’m Crushing on These Vintage Bags

What is it about a purse that makes me go all aflutter? I never get bored of purse shopping. Perhaps it is something about finding a transportable home for all of the things that keep my life on track – my Blackberry, wallet, calendar, lip gloss, a book / fashion mag, a pen, a notebook, a camera in case I get inspired by what someone is wearing. Those things must be with me when I’m on the go, thus they need the proper carrying case.

I’m particularly getting interested in vintage purses. They have so much personality. They also make me wonder about the woman who carried the purse prior to my use. Who was she? What did she need to haul around in order to keep things going and on track? Who did she meet up with when carrying the purse around? There is always a back story to vintage items. I like to think that some of that story rubs off on the object and becomes a part of its identity.

So, I’ve been looking at vintage purses lately. Here are some of my faves –

Such a great summertime purse!

1970′s Straw and Leather Handbag from Adrian Company Vintage ($23.00).

This 1940′s Ornate Brown Corde Clutch is from Allen Company ($98.00).

I wanted to include this 1960′s Pocketbook Full of Sunshine Wallet as an example of vintage wear that is on ModCloth ($24.99). ModCloth carries new clothing that is vintage inspired, but they also have a small vintage section on their site. I don’t know who their buyer is, but he / she has a fantastic eye. The buyer is so good, in fact, that it can be difficult to purchase items because things get sold as soon as they are listed! So, if you see something you love and it is available go ahead and make that purchase!

This purse isn’t normally my style, yet there is something about it that I find quite appealing. Maybe it’s because it looks a bit like a 1960′s Easter Basket? I found it on Rusty Zipper where you can shop for purses by decade or by style. Also, on the homepage you will find clothing in different categories including “Hippie Clothes.” Ha!

Finally, this purse is from Couture Allure Vintage Fashion (otherwise known as the store I talked about in yesterday’s post!). I can’t help but talk about them once more because of this lovely bag:

It’s a 1950′s Soure Embroidered Straw Purse ($125.00). In my mind’s eye I can picture my Grandmother carrying around a purse like this in 1950′s Miami. Here’s a close up of that romantic flower detail –

It’s chic and tells a story. Two excellent qualities when it comes to vintage!

Have you found a great vintage bag? Where did you get it? Any other online stores we should know about? If so, leave links!

427/2011

Royal Wedding Wear

Posted in Fashion & Stores, Fashion Collage, Fashion Event

What I’m Wearing to the Royal Wedding

The Royal Wedding is only days away, so it’s time to decide what to wear! It would be very pressing issue if I was actually attending the event. Alas, I will be watching on television like the rest of the world. But, a girl can dream, right? So here is my hypothetical outfit (which was purchased with my hypothetical budget).

Here’s the thing – I found the PERFECT dress. It’s vintage and faboosh.

Isn’t it amazing? I love how it looks sugary like a cake decoration.

I found it at Couture Allure Vintage Fashion for $325.00. Couture Allure gives part of the backstory for each piece listed. This dress is from the 1950′s and was originally sold in a department store in Portland, Oregon. Designer Syd Rappaport sold it as part of a formal wear line called Rappi. I wish more contemporary party dresses looked like this. So beautiful.

For shoes I love this Crystal-Set Suede Sandal by Jimmy Choo.

This heel is delicate and whimsical just like the vintage dress. I like that it is a pinkish / nude color with a little bit of sparkle. At $1,850.00 I’m glad that these shoes are coming out of my hypothetical budget.

Next, you have to help me with the hat situation. Apparently hats are a must-have at a Royal Wedding. (Check out this great online gallery of hats worn by royals at weddings.) I took this assignment very seriously and looked at a variety of headpieces. The search took me to some faraway corners of the web where I came across many Kentucky Derby hats. But, the one I like best I actually found on Etsy.

The Grey Kentucky Derby Wedding Fascinator Hat is from Hats by Cressida for $120.00. It’s fanciful, whimsical, a bit absurd, and very bold. I might wear it if I was feeling particularly brave.

These hair clips from BHLDN are much more my style:

The Dewed Vines Hairpins have Swarovski crystals, are handmade in the U.S, and sell for $140.00.

I’m a big ring person, so when it comes to jewelry I think I would like to go in that direction instead of having big earrings or a statement necklace. I was drawn to this Antique Cameo Ring because it eludes to a sense of family and tradition and is a lovely light pink color.

It’s from Paris Couture Antiques and goes for $595.00.

What do you think? Should I go for the hat or the hairpins? What would you wear to the Royal Wedding? What do you think of the different pieces? Are you going to do anything to celebrate? Do tell!

For more information about the Royal Wedding go to the official site here.

420/2011

This Hallway as an Outfit

Posted in Fashion & Stores, Fashion Collage

Interior Decoration & Apparel

One time I was visiting my lovely friend Rian and I noticed that the outfit she had on matched her living room perfectly. The colors, design, and overall feel of the outfit blended right into her home decor aesthetic.

When clients have trouble understanding how to build an outfit based on color I often bring them paint samples. I’m especially fond of those cards that show a picture of a room and then give paint chips of all the different colors that are utilized. They give a sense of how color can make something pop.

I know that this isn’t a new blogging concept, but I wanted to take a picture of a beautiful room and turn it into an outfit. The room I’m focusing on is actually a hallway.

Picture: Elle Decor

It’s so summery, isn’t it?

Side note: I’m pretty obsessed with dogs, and I call each one I see Buttons. Because I want a dog named Buttons. So, isn’t that a great picture of Buttons? That actually might be the real reason I selected this picture.

Here is the outfit:

M Missoni Bold Stripe Chevron Dress ($695.00)

Girl, That’s Sandal-ous Sandal from ModCloth ($69.99)

This shoe represents the wooden flooring in the hall. Plus, it’s a great way to ground an outfit that has bold colors.

Thuret Earring from Chico’s ($34.00)

Just like the orange bench makes a statement in the hallway, these earrings draw out the bright color within the sundress.

Yellow Colour Block Mini Cross Body Bag from TopShop ($40.00)

I like how this bag complements the overall feel of the outfit without being too matchy-matchy. The yellow is soft, but the gray lines give it structure.

What do you think? Does the outfit draw out elements of the hallway? Do you know of any other apparel items that would evoke the feel of the room? If so, let me know!

412/2011

Hate Makeup?

Posted in Uncategorized

Makeup Options for People Who Hate Makeup

“I don’t make an effort to be sloppy. I just don’t consider a perfect hairdo and a perfect face to be beautiful.” – Juliette Lewis

Isn’t that a great quote from Juliette Lewis? It’s such a wonderful reminder. Sometimes I think we strive for perfection / to look like other people, when in reality beauty is comprised of who we are, our attitude, and how we carry ourselves.

Thus, I don’t think that makeup is in any way a necessity. It can be something we partake in or not. Yet, when I find myself in discussions with clients who don’t wear makeup most of them are not entirely against it. Usually people fall into one of three categories:

1. They think they don’t have enough time to apply it in the morning.

Mornings are hectic. The last thing we want is to add more “to do” items to our schedules before we even get out of the door! Yet, a simple makeup routine should only take a few minutes. A great instructional guide is The 5-Minute Face by Carmindy (otherwise known as the makeup artist on What Not to Wear). The photographs are clear and helpful, she gives both expensive / inexpensive product recommendations, and she talks about age appropriate makeup. A solid resource.

2. They are completely overwhelmed by all the products on the market.

Two products that are really great entry points into the world of makeup are Tinted Moisturizer and Tinted Lip Balm.

Stila Tinted Moisturizer

Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer Oil-Free SPF 20

$32.00 from Sephora.com.

Tinted Moisturizer is exactly what it sounds like – it is moisturizer that just has a little hint of color. Many of these products include SPF protection as well. So, your face is getting moisture, sunscreen, and just a tad of color all at the same time. It’s a fantastic option for those who don’t want to bother with foundation. Just rub it in like you would any other moisturizer and you are out the door in about 30 seconds. Easy Peasy.

CoverGirl Tinted Moisture

Covergirl CG Smoothers SPF 15 Tinted Moisture

You can find it at drugstores for around $7.00.

(I’ve never worn Covergirl’s Tinted Moisturizer. Has anyone out there tried it? I’ve heard / read such great reviews about it that I wanted to point it out.)

For lips Tinted Lip Balm is where it’s at. They aren’t as vivid as a regular tube of lipstick, but have more color than a normal lip balm product. One of my faves is from Burt’s Bees.

Tinted Lip Balm from Burt’s Bees

$7.00 online (can also be found at drug stores / health food stores).

I like this product because it has just enough color. Many tinted lip balm products look okay when you pop off the cap, but when they are applied the color is nonexistent. I’ve found that I can swipe these guys on when running to meetings or while I’m on Metro and it gives me a nice hue that says “yeah, I’m totally together!”

Total time for applying tinted lip balm = 10 seconds.

Total time of having a non-makeup makeup routine = under 1 minute. Love it.

3. They don’t know how to apply the products or think they are doing it incorrectly.

I completely understand why this can stop women from wearing makeup! Learning application techniques can be tricky. But, there are some resources out there that can put us on the right track.

If you are a book worm I would suggest Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual

Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual

It’s a beautiful book. It’s also a thorough resource about skincare, how to pick the correct colors, and basic application directions.

There are also many amazing makeup artists who can do your makeup for a special occasion or teach you basic techniques.

One of my favorite makeup artists in the DC area is Irina Gerasimova. We have worked together on photo shoots a number of times and I’ve always been impressed on how she can put together such a wide range of looks. She does a soft and natural face just as well as she does something that is bold and avant-garde. She does makeup for brides / bridal parties, runway shows, photo shoots, individuals who are just learning about makeup, etc. etc. Plus, she’s just a lovely person on top of everything else.

For those of you who are in DC Salon Roi in Woodley Park conducts 45-minute private makeover sessions. For the month of April they are running a special where this makeup application session is just $40. For more information click here.

What about you? What is your relationship with makeup? Love it? Hate it? Have any other makeup resources people should know about? Do tell!

45/2011

Pop Up

Posted in Fashion & Art, Fashion & DC Boutiques

A Very Cherry Shop

The concept of a pop up shop isn’t anything new, but I’ve been so impressed by the ones that have sprouted in DC this past year. (One of my faves was the Temporium, which you can read about here.)

Adams Morgan is the current home of a temporary art and retail store called the Very Cherry AdMo Pop Up Shop.

The store features local indie designers / artists. Here are a few examples:

Bands from Fisticuffs Leather

Knitted hats by Scarvelous

Scrabble Cuff Links!

Stylish Wear for Kiddos

The Very Cherry Pop Up Shop is located at 2421 18th Street, NW.

It’s open through April 16th.

Hours

Sunday – Thursday: 12:00pm -9:00pm

Friday & Saturday: 11:00am-10:00pm

44/2011

Street Style

Posted in Fashion & Art, Street Style

Art Gallery Style

I ran into Catherine at the opening of Michelle Peterson-Albandoz’s exhibit REVIVE at the Longview gallery this past Friday.

Her high-waisted skirt was the first thing that caught my eye. Then I started noticing all the small elements of how she pulled together her outfit.

The skirt is vintage. Notice the subtle stitching details on the front.

Her bag is from Anthropologie, and I loved how it mimicked the art that was on display at the gallery. Mixed-media artist Michelle Peterson-Albandoz works with reclaimed wood that is then put together in interesting patterns. The way this bag utilizes different colors of leather that are pieced together complimented the spirit of the exhibition.

Her top is a piece that she has had since middle school. Yeah for clothes that last, fit, and are classic enough to be in style!

Finally, Catherine had her hair up in a messy bun with a printed barrette. Refinery 29 was just reporting about this hair style the other day and identified it as a spring trend.

Many thanks to the lovely Catherine for being such a good sport when I came up and said, “Can I take pictures of you?!” I always feel like somewhat of a crazy lady when I approach people like that, but I just get so excited over what people wear!

I also would encourage you to visit Longview Gallery to see REVIVE. It’s open now through May 1st.

Longview Gallery

1234 9th Street, NW

Washington, DC 2001

Hours: Wednesday – Saturday 11-6

Sunday 12-5

And by Appointment

41/2011

Today’s Fashion Crush

Posted in Fashion & Art

Fashion in Lace

I love Etsy for so many reasons. I love that it gives us a way to support small business owners / crafters, that the products are diverse, and that every so often there is someone who demonstrates fantastic artistry.

Lisa Bruemmer from Tree and Kimball is one of those people. I came across her work online the other day and instantly had a fashion crush on her necklaces.