My favorites: Bags

When it comes to accessories, bags are without a doubt my favorite.  In fact, I'm shocked it's taken me this long to write about them.

It's difficult for me to even begin this post because I don't know where to start- maybe that's why I haven't wrote about bags yet.

I love a big hobo bag for everyday because I always carry around a ridiculous amount of stuff.  A big hobo bag sends off a very relaxed vibe and I like to think my style is based around that.  At night, I can get by with a small clutch bag but I definitely prefer bigger bags to smaller ones.

I prefer bags in basic colors like blacks and browns, but a colorful bag catches my eye every once in a while.  I love to take an all black or neutral outfit and add a pop of color with a bright or patterned bag.

Believe it or not, something that really stands out to me in a bag is the zippers and other hardware.  Big bold zippers and other hardware make a statement and I'm usually attracted to that.

Bags are absolutely the ultimate accessory.  Below are my top three favorite bag lines:
1. Rebecca Minkoff
2. Balenciaga (I dream of the day when I'll own one)
3. Be & D

Spring Fever

Images from ELLE magazine spring 2011 trend report

In the fashion world everything is done so far in advance.  Orders are placed now for the spring, so it's no wonder spring 2011 trends are already popping up everywhere.

I was reading ELLE's spring 2011 trend report today and was giddy with excitement.  I'm happy to announce that we can expect to see lots of lace, blue jean and sheer fabrics.  We can also expect to see a continued comeback of 70's inspired clothing and "tomboy toughness" as ELLE calls it, which is a punk inspired look.

I'm most looking forward to the sheer fabric trend and the lace trends.  When it starts to get warmer out I love to layer a sheer top over a fun bandeau or bustier.  Lace is exquisitely feminine and I've always loved a touch of it in an ensemble.  What's truly different about this year's use of lace is that it's constituting the entire outfit rather than just a part of it. 

I'm probably least looking forward to wild animal prints such as zebra and snakeskin.  I think these are repeated trends and frankly, I'm over it.

Clever Costumes

Jester costume- American Apparel

With Halloween quickly approaching, creative costume ideas have been all I can think of.  Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays and the thrill of picking out a costume is something I look forward to all year.  I love the idea of taking on a role that isn't your own and becoming absorbed in it for just a day.

As a little girl, I dressed up as a princess, a motorcycle chick, a cheerleader, Princess Jasmine (I think I wore that costume at least 3 Halloweens in a row), a witch and many other costumes typical for young girls.  As I get older, I find it more challenging to find a costume that I think is appropriate and unconventional.  I don't want to be a witch or a maid- I want something truly clever.

In more recent years, I feel as though my costumes have been put together last minute because I can never quite find something that I really want to be.  I tend to throw something together last minute and never truly feel absorbed in the character I am supposed to be personifying.  This year however, I want that to change; I really want a costume that is put together well and cohesive.

As I was online shopping this morning I came across brilliant costume ideas on American Apparel's website.  The designers put together some really innovative ideas with pieces from their site.  Their ideas are so well thought out and there's really a costume for everyone.  They have ideas for kids, men and women.  There are some more typical costumes, like a witch for women, and some more unconventional costumes like an archaeologist for men.

The best part is that you can get 15% off when you buy the entire suggested costume.  Not to mention that a lot of the pieces you will purchase can be added to your wardrobe after Halloween; they don't need to be put away in a costume bin because they're really not a costume.

My personal favorites are the bellydancer costumes and the jester costumes.  Check them out for yourself here.

Lipstick lovin'

Chanel Coco Rouge lipstick

There's something about lipstick that gives a look an instant touch of glam.  I've always been a little intimidated to wear lipstick and I tend to believe its because I grew up in a more lipgloss oriented generation.  In fact, many cosmetics companies are attempting to lure my generation back into the lipstick market. 

I'm never sure when it's considered appropriate or too much to wear a bold lipstick, which is probably why I avoid wearing it.  Although I don't think there will be a time soon where I want to wear lipstick everyday, I do love it for a night out and special occasions.

Lipstick is timeless and I look forward to a time where I don't feel as intimidated to wear it more regularly. In the meantime, below are my favorite lipstick colors for fall.

"Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick."
-Gwenyth Paltrow

1. M.A.C Venomous Villains
2. M.A.C Cunning
3. Nars Jungle Red
4. M.A.C Creme de Nude
5. YSL Rose Bergamasque
6. Chanel Coco Rouge (the entire collection is amazing)

Style stalking: Sienna Miller

Sienna's outfit choices push the envelope

I love her red lips here

Sienna Miller's boho braids and natural makeup

A more classic look for Sienna

Sometimes I try to pick out an outfit but feel relatively uninspired.  If I feel this way I try to look to some amazing stylish celebrities for inspiration.  I head to Google images, type in a name and click on picture after picture for some style ideas.  One of the celebrities I almost always "style stalk" is Sienna Miller.  Sienna Miller is a style goddess and I don't think anyone could disagree.

Ever since the first time I watched Factory Girl I have been in awe and envy of Sienna Miller's effortless beauty.  Sienna is stunning both on and off the red carpet.  She can rock a pixie cut or long messy waves.  She can work a smokey eye or no makeup at all.  She looks amazing in a maxi dress or jeans paired with a blazer.  I guess it's safe to say I have a bit of a crush on her.

Sienna is probably most famous for her boho look.  She has the ability to make any outfit cool with the use of her accessories.  She carries enormous bags, wears large sunglasses and is a huge fan of scarves or jewelry.

The coolest thing about Sienna's style is that she always seems comfortable and confident in what she's wearing.  Sienna is fearless in the world of fashion and I applaud her for that.

Can't get my mind off of RRR.

Pieces from the RRR line. Can be found on the Rachel Roy website.

Anything designed by the beautiful and talented Rachel Roy has always caught my eye.  She designs pieces that are funky enough for a night out, but appropriate enough to be worn to the office.

Rachel Roy has a couple of to-die-for lines but my particular favorite is her Rachel Rachel Roy (RRR) line.  Within that line, I cannot get enough of her jewelry.  The pieces create synergy between strength and femininity.  In her ability to create such harmony her creative genius is evident.

The Rachel Rachel Roy jewelry truly speaks for itself (you can check it out here).  The pieces are incredibly feminine with details such as crystal embellishments, or dramatically hard with aspects like skulls and chains.  The line incorporates mesh, lace, ribbon, jewels, spikes, studs and other out-of-the-box elements.

Rachel Roy is quoted to have once said, "My biggest influences are strong, creative women that chart their own path, lead their own lives and drive the course of history."  I love this quote and I LOVE her line.  I couldn't pick my favorite piece so I included many above but be sure to check out the whole line for yourself!

Tricky Trend: Playful prints and patterns

http://bit.ly/cagkYC

Though mixing prints and patterns is considered a fashion faux pas to many, lately I've come to disagree.  When done correctly, mixing prints and patterns can make for a notably playful ensemble.  This combination look was all over the runways at NYC fashion week and I'm glad to see a rule- breaking trend emerging.

In order to mix appropriately and correctly within an outfit, it is important to create balance.  For instance, if you're wearing a striped shirt and leopard print flats then it's necessary to balance it out with a plain, simple jean.  If your shirt and pants are two different patterns, you can balance it out with plain shoes, a simple hairstyle, a classic blazer or a plain belt.

Fashionistas beware of the tricky trend; the mixture look is fabulous but can quickly turn into a tangled mess when done so incorrectly.

The ELLEments of Personal Style

[http://bit.ly/9eVjAk]

Since my entire blog is dedicated to sources of inspiration I couldn't stop myself from writing about this book when I came across it today.

If you know me, you know that I'm a reader; I love to sit down with a good book.  For me, a book has the ability to place me in an entirely unknown world yet make me feel as though I am a part of it.  Not to mention books are just another source of influence in my life.  The sense of escape that seems to emerge while reading is something that never gets old.

ELLE's new book The ELLements of Personal Style is a book that will be on the top of my Christmas list. (Is it too early to start making one? I think I've mentioned it in several blog posts now)  I have no doubt that it will be a plethora of unimaginable fashion, incredible home decor, the best beauty secrets and more.  I'm so excited to get my hands on a copy.

Imagine an entire book dedicated to inspiration, it's as though it were made for me.

Creating a clutch

8:12 pm Kristine made a basic envelope snap clutch with some crystal embellishments in about an hour and a half.  It has been both fun and interesting to watch my sister show me what she does everyday.  I am inspired by her ability to make amazing pieces all while doing what she loves.

8:12 pm Kristine places the lining inside of the leather and topstitches the top edge.  The lining is now secured.  She drops it into the bag and the bag is COMPLETE!

8:08 pm Using a very thick hand sewing needle, Kris will now sew crystals in different sizes and shapes onto the flap.  She tells me this is purely for decoration.  For the sake of this demonstration, she only sews on one of the crystals.  At a later date she will go back and sew the rest to finish the bag.

8:07 pm Kristine inserts the snap into the leather. 

7:56 pm I always knew my sister was talented, but I am still amazed at how well she has put together this bag in such a short amount of time.  Not to mention, she's doing this out of our basement.

7:54 pm With the needle replaced, Kristine has finished sewing the leather pieces together.  She will now sew the lining together.  This will be easier and quicker, she tells me, because it's fabric as opposed to leather. 

7:47 pm Kristine laughs and tells me that because she was rushing she broke the needle.  She will need to replace the needle which will set her back about five minutes.

7:36 pm Kristine is about to sew the seams of the front and back of the leather to each other.  This will take about 15-20 minutes she tells me, so stay tuned readers!

7:35 pm With double stick tape, Kris tapes the felt to the leather on the inside.

7:26 pm Using a skiving machine Kris thins out the edges of the leather.  I ask her why this is done and she says it guarantees that the seems will not be bulky.  NOTE: Kristine is kind of rushing this project for the sake of demonstration and time.  If she were making this bag for purposes other than to demonstrate to me she would be taking more time she tells me.

7:20 pm Kristine uses the original pattern (the one without the allowance) for tracing onto the felt.  She then proceeds to cut the felt in this pattern.

7:15 pm The leather cutting is a little difficult.  I'm amazed how well my sister works with her tools and how natural this seems to her.  She now traces the pattern (the one with the allowance) onto the twill fabric and cuts those out as well.

7:06 pm Kristine traces the new pattern pieces (which contain seam allowance) on to the leather and then proceeds to cut the front and back piece from the leather with the exacto knife.

7:02 pm Kristine traces both pieces onto new pattern paper and adds a quarter of an inch for seam allowance on each.  I ask her why she needs the seem allowance.  It's important to cut seam allowance, she explains, because when you sew the two pieces together some of the fabric will be lost in the seam.  You need to account for this when creating the pattern and cutting the fabric or else the bag will be smaller than intended, Kristine tells me.

7:00 pm Kristine adds 8 inches to the top of the pattern she just drew for the back side of the bag.  This will be the fold-over flap of the clutch. Kris has now created both a front and back piece for the bag.

6:54 pm She now traces this shape on another flattened and scored piece of pattern paper.  This will eventually become the back of the bag.

6:53 pm Kristine cuts the newly drawn pattern from the scored pattern paper with the exacto knife.  She unfolds the scored paper.  In doing so, what has been cut to one side is cut symmetrically to the other.

6:50 pm Kristine has pre-drawn a sketch of the bag she wants to make.  She now draws half of that shape on the scored pattern paper.  The scored paper has a fold and Kris is only drawing on the top side of the folded paper.

6:48 pm Kristine begins by cutting the pattern paper, which comes on a large roll.  She then straightens/flattens the paper with her ruler.  She then begins to score the paper.  I had no idea what scoring was, so I asked her to explain and included a link above to better explain it for my readers.

6:46 pm Kristine has pre-purchased leather (for the outside of the clutch), felt (for the layer in between), and a twill fabric (for the lining of the bag).  She has also purchased thread, crystals of various shapes and sizes (for embellishing the clutch), and a snap, which will be used to shut the clutch.  Kristine owns pattern paper, an aluminum ruler, an exacto knife and a pencil among many of her other art supplies from school and work.

The real Jersey Shore

This past weekend was unbelievably refreshing.  The Jersey Shore may get a bad reputation, but where I'm from is the real Jersey Shore.  The real Jersey Shore is in fact charming and peaceful and being home felt nothing short of fabulous.

While at home, I started my days early with runs on the local boardwalk.  Running in 70 degree weather with a slight breeze behind your back cannot be described in any way other than perfect. 

During the day, I shopped with my sisters and ate meals at all my favorite restaurants in the area.  We also pampered ourselves with manicures and pedicures.  (Don't worry, I chose a color that is in tune with the fall trends.  I'm wearing a shade of purple!)  The most interesting store we made a visit to was an antique shop in Red Bank.  We're re-doing my bedroom at home and my mind is all over the place in which direction I want to take my room.  I was really hoping to find some inspiration amidst the antiques.

I was immediately drawn to the countless antique mirrors and vintage magazine collections.  I want to collect a bunch of antique mirrors and display them the way Emily from cupcakes and cashmere does here.  There was also an incredible antique globe that caught my eye.  The globe was gold and had clocks monitoring the time zones of the world.  My sisters teased me for the fact that the globe was my favorite piece in the entire store, but I found it strange that they couldn't get away from vintage beads.

At night, I most often stayed at home on the couch with my dog, my mom and sisters.  We enjoyed countless episodes of trashy television, much to my mom's dismay.

As the long weekend comes to a close, I realize how inspired I am by my surroundings at home.  My environment, I realize, had me wanting to blog about little aspects everyday.  Since I've started this blog I've been looking for inspiration in all sorts of places, and although I've found it in those places being at home made me realize how much of it has been right under my nose too.

Liveblogging

I'm really looking forward to liveblogging tomorrow while my older sister, an accessory designer makes a clutch bag.  It should be really fascinating to watch (and blog about) her creative process.  Follow along with me if you're interested!

Music in fashion

DJ Necklace: Threadsence.com

Hey DJ Triple Finger Ring in Brass: Threadsence.com

Music Notes Two Finger Ring: Threadsence.com

Although music and fashion may seem to have little in common, they are surprisingly alike.  Each are a means of expressing yourself universally and each give rise to new trends.

Music and fashion have one very major aspect in common: creation.  It always excites me when two creative mediums overlap as the possibilities for creation immediately become endless.  

Today's post is dedicated to a trend I've been seeing more and more of, that of accessories which reflect aspects of music.  I think these accessories are really playful and fun.  I feel they're great for fashionistas who are musicians and/or fans of music and want to reflect this fact in their everyday lives. 

I can picture a DJ wearing the triple finger ring (above) while turning tables in a club in LA or NYC.  I can see a music student at Julliard wearing the music notes two finger ring (above) while practicing her violin before her next performance.

Whether it be through fashion, music or art, creative mediums have the ability to express feelings or thoughts which cannot be put into words.

Cool Comebacks

Return, recover, triumph and improve - these are all synonyms for the word comeback, which is exactly what some pieces of the past are doing this fall.  Whether it be a t-shirt with shoulder pads, or a black patent Mary Jane, vintage pieces are coming back with a vengeance.

Here is a list of some of the coolest comebacks we can expect to see this season:
1. Shoulder pads
2. Mary Jane shoes
3. Oxford shoes
4. Structured satchels
5. High rise, wide leg jeans
6. Trousers   *my personal favorite!

The beauty of pieces that are making a comeback now is that they are guaranteed to make a comeback sometime again in the future.  Comeback pieces tend to do so over and over.  In other words, any of these items are a fair investment!

Solace in spice

As I unwind and settle down from a very busy day I cannot wait to get in bed.  My throat hurts, my eyes are heavy and all I can dream of are cozy pajamas and the warmth under my heavy down comforter.  To my dismay, the weather nor my workload seem to be getting any better this week.

I'm a little hungry after all the energy I've exerted studying, and after an unsuccessful rummage through my kitchen I've concluded a bowl of chili seems to be the only thing that would ultimately satisfy my taste buds.  Unfortunately, I have neither the energy nor the resources to craft chili at this hour, but I'm happy to share my favorite recipe.  This recipe is my dad's and I think I'll put in a request for this when I'm home on break this weekend.

There is nothing better than a warm, spicy, flavorful bowl of chili.

As a relatively dissatisfying substitute, I've resulted to some throat losengers and a cup of tea.

Goodnight everyone.

Ingredients:
1 large white onion
2 bell peppers (any color)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Chipotle chili powder
1 lb can of diced tomatoes
2 cans red kidney beans
1 Qt box of chicken broth
1 lb of lean ground turkey

To make:

Cook onion and peppers in oil over medium heat in soup pot. 

Add ground turkey and cook till brown.
Add spices and cook for a minute or so before adding tomatoes with juice,
beans, chicken broth and salt and pepper to liking. 

Bring to a boil and simmer for about a half hour.  

Serve warm with some cheese on top or crunched up tortilla chips.

Sloppy chic

[Audrina Patridge with a messy side braid http://bit.ly/9mlqHz]

As I was catching up on some reading via Elle magazine's website, I paid particular attention to the hairstyles.  I have become increasingly bored of my normal hair routine which consists of blowing my hair straight and wearing it down.  I desperately needed inspiration for a new look.

My hair is naturally wavy and thick so I was really hoping to find a look that could work with the natural texture of my hair.  The first look that seemed to pop up over and over again was the messy side braid.  The messy side braid is effortless but still maintains the ability to be worn day and night.  It was seen on countless runways during fashion week and celebrities wear this style for a day out shopping or red carpet events.

It's perfect for girls with naturally textured hair because the texture is what really makes the braid work.  If your hair isn't textured however simply use a texturizing wax or spray to create the feel needed to make the braid.  This tutorial (BellaTV) shows exactly how to create the braid.

The next look that I noticed repeatedly was the high bun.  For years, a sleek bun has been considered the chicest of all looks.  What's great about this bun is that it can be worn messy or really clean.  I'm a big fan of buns and always wear my hair in a bun to class when I've got little time to style it.  I was excited that I can justify my lazy look as a trendy one now.