Tag Archive | "Fashion Trends & Women’s Lifestyle"

Nails Did: Neon Safari

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Nails Did: Neon Safari


Animal print has always been a fashion trend for the ladies. As of late last year, sneaker brands like Nike and Adidas have applied the trend to several of their releases.

I think Nike did an excellent job with this pair of Nike Air Max 1. The leopard print and bright coral perfectly accent the black suede on this classic model.

For this nail design, I used Essie Camera for the bright coral. I used Wet n Wild French White Creme underneath to make the coral really pop. As for the leopard print, I started off with Nails Inc. Hampstead Gardens, and then used a dotting tool with black polish to  create the splotches resembling leopard print.

If any of you ladies are interested in the mustard yellow color I used, it’s actually on sale at Sephora right now! I purchased mine in store,  but you can also find it online on Rstyle. I thought it seemed like a hideous color at first,  but it’s actually the perfect base for leopard print, and the formula is top notch.

Who else is a fan of animal print? Would you rock these tips?

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My Latest Obsession: Kirna Zabete and The Curiosity Shoppe for Target

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My Latest Obsession: Kirna Zabete and The Curiosity Shoppe for Target


My Latest Obsession: Kirna Zabete

My Latest Obsession: Kirna Zabete

I love when Target develops special collections for the masses. Their latest design-centric program, The Shops at Target, aims to connect consumers with specialty stores and boutiques that they might not otherwise have access to. The result? Limited-edition collections (who doesn’t jump at the sound of that) that make our homes and closets that much more fashionable and interesting.

There are four Shops featured in their latest offering, but this week, I obsess over two of them: Kirna Zabete and The Curiosity Shoppe.

Kirna Zabete has been a staple in the lives of many New York women for over a decade, but this is the first time that the owners, Sarah Easley and Beth Buccini, have stepped out on their own to showcase their own designs. There’s plenty of pieces in the collection that are drool-worthy, but I fell in love with the outfit I pulled together for the collection (see graphic above), especially the leather jacket. The collar is interesting and draws attention. It’s long enough to layer and fit comfortably, but tailored enough to flatter. I’ve already got a healthy obsession for leather jackets, so this one was a definite stand out and no-brainer for me (when is pay day again?). The handbag and clutch selection is also worth checking out, as you will be able to find larger totes  and colorful clutches. The collection is full of pieces that are meant to layer (a way of life for a San Franciscan like myself) so instead of just getting one or two staples, indulge!

My Latest Obsession: The Curiosity Shoppe

My Latest Obsession: The Curiosity Shoppe

The Curiosity Shoppe is a local store here in San Francisco, and I was thrilled when I saw their collection at my local Target. I’m not really a fan of things matching all over my kitchen. I like pieces that are from all over, are slightly nostalgic and add that special something to the overall look and feel of the space. This is where The Curiosity Shoppe really shines. Their pieces are very unique, and if you live here, or want to, very San Francisco. The actual Curiosity Shoppe is a tiny space (or just feels that way now that it’s gone national) in the Mission and I have popped in during shopping days in the district, or after brunch. There’s always something interesting to look at and I always find myself smiling at the tongue-in-cheek nature of the pieces in the store. For Target, they’ve made their pieces accessible, but still eclectic and fun. I love their cafe au lait mugs (they’re on the shorter, squatter side, which I adore) and I couldn’t stop laughing over the rainbow straws (I use straws to drink everything from coffee to milk). I also took a fancy to the America cutting board and could easily see myself yelling in the kitchen, “Honey! I accidentally whacked off Maine! Now what?!” Note, this has nothing to do with the quality of the board (it’s well made), but has more to do with my sense of humor and how easily I can picture this in my kitchen.

These pieces (and the rest of the collections) will be available for only six weeks, so don’t delay on getting out to your local Target!

Until next week (and my next obsession)!

Posted in accessories, Design, FASHION, jewelry, lifeComments Off

My Latest Obsession: Man Ray and Lee Miller

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My Latest Obsession: Man Ray and Lee Miller


My Latest Obsession: Man Ray and Lee Miller

My Latest Obsession: Man Ray and Lee Miller

I’m on an art kick! After last week’s memorable trip to the SFMOMA (and a successful bus-wrap campaign that caught my eye), I ventured out to the Avenues of the Outer Richmond to explore the Man Ray | Lee Miller: Partners in Surrealism exhibit.

I was first introduced to Man Ray in an Art Appreciation class in high school, having studied “Violin d’Ingres,” “Object to Be Destroyed,” and “Observatory Time.” I was curious to see additional works by this Surrealist master, as well as learn more about his muse, Lee Miller, who started out as a model, but was a photographer in her own right. While Man Ray’s name was enough to get me in the door, it was Miller’s talent that left the greatest impression on me.

While Ray and Miller only lived together for three chaotic and passionate years, it’s quite apparent that their time together heavily influenced their art. For Miller, it was an immediate affect, resulting in different development techniques in the dark room; for Ray, it was a pain that haunted him for years afterward, but also inspired two of his most recognizable pieces (the aforementioned “Object to be Destroyed” and “Observatory Time”). One of the more poignant pieces in the collection are typed out letters from Ray to Miller after she left him in Paris and returned to New York City to open her own studio.

My Latest Obsession: Man Ray and Lee Miller

My Latest Obsession: Man Ray and Lee Miller

After leaving Ray, Miller worked for Vogue and became a war photographer, covering the first use of napalm in France, the liberation of Paris and documenting the horrors that occurred in the Nazi concentration camps at Buchenwald and Dachau. Through Miller’s trained Surrealist eye, these events transcend their horrifying roots and become art that compels you to see brutality through another perspective.

Outside of the pieces that Ray and Miller composed on their own, the exhibit also explores their inner circle, which included the works of Duchamp, Picasso, Le Corbusier, Calder and Miro. There is a sketch of Miller that Picasso drafted on what looks like a paper placemat; Le Corbusier also sketched a surreal, disjointed Miller (which is incredibly interesting to see, given his modern architecture background); a small wire weight lifter from Calder is on display, made from the remains of a Muselet. Wrapped within this great passion, the viewer is given a cultural sense of the world around them, and the incredible talent that they surrounded themselves with.

Featuring more than 115 photographs, various paintings and drawings, the May Ray | Lee Miller: Partners in Surrealism exhibit is a memorable look at two talented artists and the unseverable creative connection they had with each other.

Until next week (and my next obsession)!

 

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My Latest Obsession: Downton Abbey

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My Latest Obsession: Downton Abbey


Downton Abbey

I have a new addiction, thanks to PBS.

I just can’t get enough of Downton Abbey. I know that it’s a little silly to be obsessing about a show that aired their season 2 finale just a few weeks ago, but good TV is worth checking out regardless of when you decide to start watching it. Downton Abbey had been recommended by several people, and I knew was receiving a lot of buzz, but I kept forgetting to set the DVR to record it or watch it when it was actually on. But once I actually sat down to watch it, I literally couldn’t stop watching.

At first glance, the show doesn’t sound like it would ensnare audiences on both sides of the pond: The Crawley family (who live in Downton Abbey) risk losing their home due to an inheritance clause and the sinking of the Titanic (the show starts the day after it has sunk). The resulting episodes follow the Crawley family and their servants and they struggle to maintain their home. Doesn’t sound too difficult to do, right? Wrong. The new heir doesn’t really want to be an Earl; the Crawley girls are incredibly headstrong; intended suitors just don’t seem to be working out; people die; people are bribed; people are plotting; World War I devastates the country; attitudes about the different classes are changing; the dog’s gone missing…oh, and the Spanish Flu wreaks havoc on an already reeling cast. Simple? Far from it!

Everything is about this show is flawless. The costumes (which are stunning and incredible). The acting (Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern star). The sets (how gorgeous is Highclere Castle). The writing (Julian Fellows, the creator wrote Gosford Park, The Tourist and The Young Victoria, among others). It’s incredibly difficult not to get wrapped up into the lives of the Crawley’s and their servants. Julian Fellows and his team of writers have crafted fully realized characters that audiences can bond with. The show isn’t just about a bunch of entitled aristocrats who sit around sipping tea and their servants are a bunch of poor people who wait on their every whim. History and a rapidly changing culture are very present characters in this series, as audiences watch world events have very real consequences. Characters get pushed to their emotional brink before some happiness finally smiles on them, and even then, that happiness isn’t guaranteed. But, it’s that type of writing that brings audiences back for more.

Season 2 ended on Christmas, 1919. Bring on the Roaring 20s! Season 3 can’t get here fast enough!!

Do yourself a favor and check out the series if you haven’t yet. It’s perfect rainy day fare. It won’t disappoint!

Until next week (and my next obsession)!

Layout by: Michelle

Posted in CULTURE, FASHION, filmComments (2)

My Latest Obsession: Oscar-Worthy Fashion

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My Latest Obsession: Oscar-Worthy Fashion


Oscar Fashion

Oscar Fashion

The Oscars have wrapped for another year. The winners are a part of history. The other nominees are…well, let’s not go there. The Best Dressed and Worst Dressed attendees have been chosen, but Oscar’s Best Costume Design is always floating around in the back of my head every time I go see a movie.  I look at costume design the same way that I look at the score of films - a very important way to portray the emotional state of characters in any given moment. Here are my picks for Best Costume Design for 2011:

The Artist: What’s not to love about this film? I have a great love for silent films, because the story is told through so many different levels. How do you express something without talking about it?  I wish hats would come back as an accessory the way they were in the 20s (especially the ones with the netting). I also love seeing men in well-tailored suits. An additional detail that I appreciated was the fact that these clothes were clearly made in color, even though this was a black and white film. When Peppy (Berenice Beja) finally lands an on-screen role, you can easily imagine that the dress was probably made out of gold and black beading, instead of what you see on screen. The lack of color on-screen doesn’t distract; in some ways it allows your imagination to determine what the actual color might actually be!

My Week With Marilyn: Let’s face it, Marilyn Monroe could have paraded around in a burlap bag and still would look amazing in it. She’s dressed down through most of the movie, but the pieces are still classic today. She knew what looked good on her and accentuated it, even when relaxing. I wish I could fill out a white shirt and pencil skirt the way she did. I also loved her coats and the famous black and white checked pants with black sweater and white scarf.

The Help: The differences in clothing between the ladies of society go way beyond the uniforms for work. You can tell just by looking at the prints and cuts of dresses how divided these two classes of women are. The Southern Belles dress up for anything and everything; the Maids dress up for Church and Skeeter (Emma Stone) doesn’t really care what she wears.

Girl With a Dragon Tattoo: Lisbeth’s clothing probably has more to do with her own self expression than any of the other movies. Yes, it’s rough, industrial and not flattering in a traditional sense (given what she’s been through, can you blame her), but it absolutely represents her. Even when she cleans up a bit to wreck a little revenge, you don’t quite buy it as a look she could potentially get used to. The shirt she sleeps in gets my vote for fave tee of the year (you know which one I’m talking about!).

Anonymous: I’m a little biased on this one, since I studied Shakespeare for the better part of six years. I love Elizabethan collars, as impractical as they are. These pieces truly are works of art, as they are so layered and detailed. Beautiful beading, heavy silks and velvets, wigs and heavy necklaces, and let’s not forget the square necklines and those gorgeous bell sleeves. Stunning recreations of an intriguing time.

Who gets your vote for best costume design?

Until next week (and my next obsession)!

Layout by: Michelle

Posted in CULTURE, FASHION, filmComments Off

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