Rose Gold

Rose gold is on trend and is popping up everywhere. What's nice about rose gold is that it doesn't seem as high-end as traditional gold, but it's not as casual as silver. It's warm hue makes it easy to wear no matter what your skin type, plus is has a bit of a blush tint to it making it an especially complimentary color for home décor and weddings.

Pantone's Color of the Year: Marsala

Marsala is a subtly seductive shade, one that draws us in to its embracing warmth.

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute^®                

Here's what Pantone has to say about the color:

Sensual and bold, delicious Marsala is a daringly inviting tone that nurtures; exuding confidence and stability while feeding the body, mind and soul. Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this robust shade incorporates the warmth and richness of a tastefully fulfilling meal, while its grounding red-brown roots point to a sophisticated, natural earthiness.

No Pricetag on Happiness

I love this blog entry from Apartment Therapy called No Pricetag on Happiness: 11 Entirely Free Ways To Make the Holiday Extra Wonderful. At a time when everyone is trying to sell you something, it's refreshing to have a site encourage you to simply use what you have or adjust your behavior to enjoy the holidays.

Whether you're hosting Thanksgiving or visiting loved ones as guests, whether your gathering consists of two or thirty, the holiday feeling we all hope for can be summed up in the following all-encompassing phrase: love and be loved. Ranging from physical ways to set the mood, to some unseen ways to make the holiday more meaningful, here are a few ways to add an extra touch of warmth and light to your special days. Here are the first two. Click here to see all eleven.

1. Light candles. These touches of light really do add instant warmth and festivity to any occasion, so make it part of your daily routine at this time of year. Remember to use unscented candles at the table, and to place them out of the way of children or animals who may knock them over.
2. Simmer something wonderful. I've known about the heavenly smelling stove top simmers for years. This year I want to actually do it. I think the key is throwing everything in a bag, ready to go, ahead of time so I'm not trying to "cook" up a nice smell when I'm trying to cook the pumpkin cheesecake.

True Style Is Self-Acceptance

One of my very favorite online sites is StyleLikeU. I've shared posts from it before, most recently the one featuring designer Betsey Johnson. I am a big fan of the Closet video series that allows us a peek into the personal style of select people along with their inspiring stories of what has shaped them. Mother-daughter team Elisa Goodkind and Lily Mandelbaum are amazing at seeing and showing the beauty in people who are not mainstream but always stylish, often quirky and sometimes misunderstood. Their latest venture that is receiving much attention is their video series What's Underneath. It's sort of the opposite of their Closet videos. In What's Underneath, a person shares about their struggles to accept their body, all the while shedding layer after layer of clothing until they are almost bare - because true style is self-acceptance. Clothing is really just a window dressing for the body and soul, and style is more about who we are than what we wear. Sometimes these videos are raw and hard to watch but at the same time they are inspiring and reflective. I ask myself  who am I without all the layers of protection and self-expression that my clothing gives me? Do people see who I am, or what I want them to see? Do my clothing choices really tell my personal story? Now a Kickstarter project called I Am What's Underneath, this video series will become a feature-length documentary that we can all help fund.

Trend Alert: HAIR STENCILS

Check out these amazing images of hair stencils. Spray-on color is applied using stencils to create temporary patterns on the hair. They'd be perfect for special occasions and events like Coachella. Would you wear one of these looks? I think I would if I could get the same effect.

 

Holiday Glitter

It's time to get in the holiday spirit, and what better way than to add a little sparkle to your wardrobe! From retailers to DIYers, glitter is making an appearance. Let your inner glitter goddess shine without the sparkly mess by using this product.

 

 Pottery Barn Teen

 P.S. I Made This...                                  Ashish SS15

 

Style Bubble

 

 

 

 



Art History-Inspired Costumes

 These art history-inspired costumes are amazing. Check out more here. 

 

 

Picasso

 

Gustav Klimt

 

Roy Lichtenstein

Quick & Easy Last Minute Halloween Projects

Just checking in so you know I haven't left the country. I've been home sick with a nasty cough and cold all week long. That means being stuck on the couch with a box of Kleenex and a variety of meds to get me through.The silver lining in this?...I get to watch a lot of daytime TV that I don't ever watch otherwise. With Halloween just a day away there are many shows pushing last minute décor and costume ideas. This morning on the Today Show Martha Stewart made an appearance wearing colored contact lenses and fake teeth. I have to say, Martha is so much more likeable since she spent time 'away'. If  you need to get your Halloween groove on but have let the week get away from you, just click here to get some great project ideas. Happy Halloween!

Painted Fall Leaves

I know, I know.............it's not even Halloween yet and I'm already talking about Thanksgiving. But I thought these painted leaves were so inspiring, and I wanted to share this with you so you can gather leaves before they all fall off and blow away. Here are painted leaves found on Pinterest and Apartment Therapy.

Cat String Lights

I saw this Halloween DIY project on the Urban Outfitters blog and just had to share it. I love it! Click HERE for the complete tutorial.

Something Blue

In the last two days I've have two emails alerting me to a top trend color for weddings for 2015: Blue. Cobalt weddings are on the trend radar on Etsy's blog, and BHLDN, Anthropologies' wedding site, is calling out various shades of blue for bridesmaids dresses. If you are planning a wedding in 2015, you may want your 'something blue' to be color theme.

 



 

 

 

 

BHLDN

 

 

 Pinterest

 

 

Pop of Pottery

 

I was flipping through the fall 2014 Cloth Paper Scissors Studios magazine recently and absolutely was knocked over by this photograph of the pottery from Luna Garcia Pottery. It is so visually appealing! While each of these pieces are individually beautiful, when presented in a grouping like this, they make such a strong and dramatic statement! Great eye candy!

Leather Fringe

 

The 70s... one of my favorite decades for fashion is making another appearance. Hotter than ever is the bohemian style that includes flowing dresses, moccasin boots, tie-dye, and leather fringe. The runways at Milan's Spring 2015 Fashion Week were all about the 1970s and music festival dressing.

 

Leather fringe accessories can be found at retailer like Free People and Etsy, while P.S. I Made This... gives a tutorial for creating your own leather skirt.

Hair Tapestry Trend

This is the perfect example of taking one trend and pairing it with another. (1) The fiber arts trend - weaving, knitting, crochet, macramé, etc., - is hot for the home. (2) Women are increasingly incorporating artful decorations to their crowning glory. Put these two together, and POOF! Hair tapestries...

 

Created by Bleach London hair guru Alex Brownsell, hair tapestry blends together traditional hair wrapping with woven techniques from friendship bracelets and loom bands.

 

 

 

How the Sun Sees You

I am a white girl. I mean really white. Pink, really. In 2007, I had a funky freckle on my upper arm that led me to a dermatologist. I found out it was stage 1 Melanoma. I had it removed, and have worn sunblock religiously since then. If you don't think you are damaging your skin by exposing it to the sun, think again. This video is amazing! I hope it will inspire you to wear your sunblock!

Hand-Painted Burberry

I love hand-painted fabric and leather, and when I saw the bag (above) by Burberry for fall 2014, I fell in love. Burberry has an entire line of hand-painted garments, shoes, and bags that are available for the artsy sort. I am not sure that I love them all - some seem to be painted a bit amateurish and in less than exciting palettes. In fact, I wish they would have just left the alligator bag in it's original state. I mean, it seems rather disrespectful to the gator who looks like he got tagged and spray painted before leaving the swamp. And now he is a bag that sells for (GULP!) $37k. No, I am not kidding!

 

 

Overall, it's a gutsy move to put paint on such expensive substrates. We sell fabric paint, and I've watched people struggle to muster up the guts to paint a t-shirt. (Why is it so scary to commit?) What do you think?