Oh, Coco....

how do you do it?

Summer makeup collection by Chanel. As always, click the pic to zoom in.

I've been looking for the perfect fun fuchsia lip color. It's a great way to glam up a casual summer outfit for night. Think jeans, a white tank that has feminine details gently slipping off your tan shoulder, and a great punch of lip color.

And don't worry, green and blue nails aren't going anywhere soon.

I'm pretty good with a bow...

Bows are great. They toe the line between sweet and cheeky. For the spring, tough military looks are in (cargo pants, etc.). A great way to soften up the look is with bow accessories. (Remember yin yang outfits?) There are lots of great bow accessories out right now. Here's a couple of my favorites:

Tote bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs Available in department stores like Nordstrom.


Necklace by Tiffany & Co.

Pattern

Patterns, both of the floral variety and ethnic inspired prints, are having a moment (Although, they are timeless. Some things are always fashionable, but it's like a bunch of people get excited about the same thing at once.). I'm really happy about this. But when you're used to wearing solids and very subtle patterning, it can be daunting. I loved watching The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency on HBO because it takes place in Botswana, Africa where patterns are layered and mixed with gorgeous results. It's inspiring.


A single patterned item is a great way to enliven an otherwise neutral outfit. I am in love with these shoes. I would wear them with cropped pants and a slouchy t-shirt.


You can get them from Osborn Shoes.

Clothes should be fun. If your closet is feeling a bit stagnant, inject some pattern which will change how you look at everything else.

Hot nails!

I've been looking for the perfect orange-sherbet-coral nail color for spring. Chanel has one but it won't be out for a few more weeks. As I was buying my salad for lunch I noticed the girl ringing me up had the perfect color! I asked her what it was and she told me it's from the new OPI Hong Kong collection and it's called Hot & Spicy.It looks even better in person. You can buy it in salons, as I will be doing.

She also recommended the chocolate hazelnut cookies. So I got one. Some people just know their stuff.

Purse-onality

Last weekend while shopping at Filene's Basement, this bag caught my eye and I couldn't resist.

If you can't make it to the Basement, you can buy it here.

Usually, I like classic leather handbags, but there's something about Tokidoki that just strikes me in that fashion bliss part of my heart. Plus, if I drop it in the snow, I'll be able to find it. See, sensible.

But I LOVE it.

In a recent post in the Stylephile blog on Boston.com, Courtney Hollands used the following picture to illustrate how shag carpeting is a 1960s nightmare.

But all I could think was: Where is this place? Do such wonders still exist? Can I move there? A balcony? You know there's at least 3 wet bars in that room.

It seems like it's in a swanky New York high-rise or in a Hollywood mansion . But what if it was the interior of a cabin in the woods? Or if you stuck it in the back of your property as a sort of grown-up fort/studio? Your living space needs to be, well, livable, but if you're designing a camp for example, you should be able to have fun.

Why don't you...

Put fruit on a cake stand.

Make your food do double duty as decor.

Wishful thinking

This weather has me thinking about spring.
I liked the idea of lady-like ruffles with some fun details. The necklace has a little elephant charm and the tiny hoop earrings (on chest) are made of little hearts.



Oh, and obviously I have a new camera! Thanks, mom! Now I can post pictures again. Like this outfit with my framed portraits of MLK, JFK and RFK. As always, you can click on the pictures to make them larger.

New Year...

New Earrings.

I just picked up these beauties for 50% off at Swarovski.
Love them! They were featured in the January Lucky Magazine. The thing that makes them unusual is that they're clip ons!

Clip ons are coming back. The good thing about clip on earrings is that your ears can hold more weighty earrings without getting that saggy earlobe look.

Check out these beauties by Siman Tu:


You can buy similar ones at Vivre.

In addition to awesome clip on earrings, another trend I foresee for 2010 is:

Friendship bracelets!!!

You can buy them, like this gorgeous one from Etsy (here), but you should break out your stash of embroidery floss and make your own.

Trends should be fun and these two definitely are. Happy New Year!

Color Obsession

This is my blender. I love it.
Photo by Kitchenaid.

In addition to it's ability to make frosty margaritas, what I love about it is the color. In fact, I'm obsessed with it. I stayed in a hotel recently where the plastic room pen was sea foam green. Forget that we're in Miami, look at this pen! I also posted about the Chanel Jade nail polish.

I don't know what it is about that color, but lately it's been taking up at least 10% of my brain functioning. Mint green, jade, sea foam. Whatever you call it, I love it.

I want to have it in my wardrobe, but it's hard to find the right piece. The trouble is that the color can look a little "old lady" if not done right. For instance, if you wore a mint green trench coat, people would probably ask you if you needed help crossing the street or carrying your groceries. Trust me. Don't do it.

I think the color is best done in a way that would look sexy and lux. Picture a slinky jade party top, paired with long gold chain earrings and a large gold cuff bracelet. Le sigh.

Now I just need to find it.....

Need is a strong word...

But I need these.

Picture from Bloomingdales.com . Click here to buy them.

After the rain and slush on Wednesday, I realized I need boots that could stand up to Boston weather but still be cute/classic enough to wear in public. ( I love my bright blue and pink rain boots but sometimes I feel silly wearing them at 8:00 a.m. in December. I just do.)

The hard part is deciding which color. Black and green would both go with everything. But there's something fun about a yellow or red rain boot. I'm leaning toward green. Or black.

The list is up...

Again, I'm not on it (shakes fist at Linda Pizzuti Henry).

The Boston Globe's 25 Most Stylish Bostonians 2009 is out. Some I thought we dull, some expected, but some were inspirational. My favorite, far and away, was Marie-Claude Mendy. I just love fuchsia in the fall!

Another great one of the 25 was my favorite blogger, Martine Severin of Beyond Boston Chic.

Who was your favorite? Did you get any inspiration from the list? How the hell do I get on it? Discuss.

It's a holiday...

so I made cupcakes.

And by made I mean followed directions on a box.

They're no Kickass Cupcakes, but they'll taste good and that's all that matters. Still, I guess I'm not ready to open my own bakery (to be named: Have a Cupcake, Bitch).

Happy Halloween!

Spice up your fall.

Everyone knows that the best part of October is that you can eat pumpkin 3 meals a day. And, yes, I do actually mean normal things flavored with cinnamon and sugar. Even Dunkin' Donuts becomes festive and special this month.

Thanks to my friend Meera, I have a new October obsession (Whatever, the Red Sox, you've been replaced (But don't get mad, we're OK, you're going to be my February obsession)). Sunset Grill & Tap in Allston has a great soup called "Pumpkin Harvest". It is October in a cup. Unlike, other pumpkin soups, it's savory with chunks of chicken. And unlike some other "pumpkin" goodies, this one contains actual pumpkin.

Also, at the Sunset, you can order one of their many pumpkin beers with a cinnamon sugared rim. Because, mmmm, sugar.

Hockey Shirted

I don't want to talk about it, but let's just say that I'm glad I flaked and didn't buy that "wildcard" hat I posted about. Sigh.

Anyway...hockey!

So I've always liked the Bruins but I've never been too into hockey. The baseball season is so long, then it's the holidays, then it's oh-God-I-hate-winter-when-will-it-end, then it's spring training. But this year feels different. I'm going to throw myself into it and see what happens. And what would a new obsession be without apparel?


Photo from the NHL.

There are plenty of tops to choose from at the Bruins team store. I like this one for it's color and classic logo. You can buy it here. Go Bs!

Yin and Yang and Outfits

The idea behind the Yin and Yang is that when things are bad, there is a little good in them, and when things are good, there's a little bad in them. It means that there are no real absolutes and that things that are opposite are truly part of one another. I like to think of this when I make outfits.

Really.

Take for instance a floral patterned dress. On its own it may look too sweet. Pair it with punk inspired stud earrings and the dress feels more hip.

If you wear a t-shirt and ripped jeans you may look sloppy. But add a crisp blazer and the sloppy pieces are transformed.

Pearls want leather.

Lace craves combat boots.

Yin needs Yang.

Confucius says: Pink satin peep toes look best with those black side zip jeans.

The Sox are in the Playoffs!

Once again the Red Sox made the playoffs as the Wild Card. Shouldn't they just call it the Red Sox Card? This hat says it all:

Photo from www.boston.com

I think I might need it. Get it here. Booze-soaked Wakefield not included.

Chanel-Je t'aime

Such an unusual and beautiful nail color:


Photo: Chanel
Buy it here.

It's called Jade and it does make me think of the jade bracelets and rings you find in shops in Chinatown.

I've been wanting to go beyond the normal warm tone nail polish and this is a great way to do it without just going to black.

Love.

Love. Love this watch.
Photo from www.luvcharlie.com
Get the watch here.

Maine Inspiration

On Labor Day weekend Eric and I went up to York, Maine to get away. It was gorgeous.


This it the Nubble Lighthouse. I love the colors in this picture: Clear Blue, Khaki, Red. If we had come here in June instead of September, I think I would have worn nautical outfits all summer.