Tuesday, 22 May 2012

Colour of the Moment- Yellow

I'm one of those pale, freckly, brunettes that avoids all "beauty rules" and wears whatever colour I want.  And in my years of experience, I'm pretty sure it's because I can.  One colour I have always been weary of, however, is yellow.  I have avoided using it in any of my seasons,  and I only have ever worn it in the form of an accessory like a clutch purse.  Then one day, while at the gym, I saw the most beautiful pair of pants.



They were on Zanna Rassi, the senior fashion editor over at Marie Claire magazine (which, by the way, I have always said is one of the best go to mags for putting together an outfit!)  They looked sensational, and would look amazing with just a simple black ribbed tank.  The brand is Tibi, and can be purchased here, however if $450 is too steep, Anthropologie has a great version, and The Outnet has some wide leg and trouser style yellow pants by M for Missoni on sale right now.

These not only changed my mind on the width of my pants, but on what colours I could wear on the bottom half of my body.  And of course, yellow would look good on someone with blond hair and impeccable style....but how would it look on me? I am only *one* of those things.

To avoid looking too "loud", if you are going to attempt to wear something that covers as much real estate as a palazzo pant, pair it with a simple tank, as I said above.  Or, a chic print, something simple.

Tone down the yellow with a softer colour for a more conservative and less easter best look.  The printed Paul Smith skirt in my Polyvore set is made up of shades of grey and pastel, so it is not too crazy!

When it comes to a head to toe item such as a dress or a jumpsuit, keep the accessorizing simple and tonal.  Compliment the one piece with a white or black shoe and keep the focus on the garment.


YELLOW!




Classic makeup looks always showcase golden shades on the lid with a bright red lip.  Amp the look up by using a bright yellow shadow this spring, with just mascara and an orange-red lip.  Some of my favourite yellow shadows are Rated R by Nars, and Pure Pigments Col #2 by Makeup Forever.


I recommend starting off slowly and maybe doing a shoe, then shadow and work your way to pants if you are unsure.  And remember, this colour is a great compliment to the mint and coral hues that have been mega trends this season!


Monday, 21 May 2012

Etsy Monday - Happy Victoria(n) Day!

Here in Canada it's our first summer long weekend! Today is Victoria Day - named in honor of Queen Victoria (who I must say I adore strictly based on how much I love Emily Blunts portrayal of her in The Young Victoria.)

As a little play on words, today's Rtsy Monday features some beautiful Victorian style items! Hope you're enjoying the arrival of summer as much as we are!
1. Vintage Book Print by PRRINT 2.Victorian City Leggings by Carouselink 3.Riding Hat by BuyGail 4.iPhone 4 Case by wallsparks 5.Steampunk Necklace by steampunknation

Sunday, 20 May 2012

Tropical Tango Mimosa

A while back we promised you Mimosa recipes so you could start your days as classily as we do(?)! Figured it was about time we delivered on that little teaser!

Here is a delish concoction I created recently to share with you!

Tropical Tango Mimosa:
1/2 glass sparkling wine
1/2 glass Oasis Pineapple & Tropical Fruit juice
Drizzle of grenadine for that tropical sunrise effect

These mimosas were delish and looked pretty fancy while they lasted (not long)!

Make a batch of these up for a fun and beachy brunch!

(Always drink responsibly!)


Monday, 14 May 2012

Etsy Monday - Lovin' Lemon!

Inspired by the beautiful summer-is-coming sunshine, this week's Etsy Monday is all about lemons! This citrus fruit is zesty, juicy and fresh - just the way we strive to look during the summer season!

Here's some sweet picks from Etsy!!


1. Romper by devowevoshop 2. Handmade stationary by pinkbathtub 3. Lemon Sugar Cookie lotion by SakuraBathAndBody 4. Earrings by kawaiiculture 5. Skirt by BarryBeaux


Monday, 7 May 2012

Etsy Monday - Crazy about Coral!

It's Etsy Monday time!

This week I feature my OTHER favourite spring/summer 2012 color (we've gone over mint and peach already)... CORAL!

This bold, bright hue brings instant cheeriness and looks oh-so-good when paired with mint (yay!) or turquoise!

Here are some fun Etsy finds in this stellar shade...!
1. Beaded Necklace by Trendydeals  2. MANGO Restorative Lip Color by PerformanceColors 3. Coral & Cream Full Skirt by Eclectasie 4. Pillow Covers by MyPillowStudio 5. Sack Dress by JoDemontis

Friday, 4 May 2012

Falling!

First things first.  After 2 years and 4 seasons, I have FINALLY learned how to correctly sew a two piece collar.   If any of our readers are fashion students/seamstresses, you will be laughing at me I'm sure, but hey, I can make at least 3 ready-for-the-floor evening gowns in a day so blllpphtttt (tongue wag).

Onto business.  Being a designer that works on consignment, I always work very close to the season.  I have been putting a valiant effort into making earlier and earlier deadlines for myself, in hopes for wider distribution.  I am working on my fall 2012 now, and I'm feeling very inspired by not only the vintage blouses in my wardrobe, but all the street style I'm seeing with blouses and woven tops in general.  True, I will always love the Alexander Wang style jersey knits, but I'm really glad the blouse is back-with a vengeance!

I don't want to reveal too much about the upcoming collection, as I have a great photoshoot coming up, however, using bold prints and classic cuts, I'm sure this one will fly off the shelves.  And now that my production time has LITERALLY been cut in half thanks to the collar construction, I should be able to produce more.

The theme for this season is "stripe safari"...the picture above is pretty self explanatory.  The gathers in the skirt conceals the tucked in hem of the blouse- which is also long enough to wear with tights.  I have been living in jeans for the past 7 years of my life, so I base all of my tops on what can be worn with every style in my wardrobe.  What do you think?  The great thing about working so close to the seasons is the ability to change details based on the fast street trends.

After solidly working for about 8 hours (what can I say, I freelance...there's a lot of Law & Order breaks) I took a break for what Allison and I are now calling Taco Thursdays.  Shells, ground round, veggies, unnamed "sauce" from the taco kit.  Really gave me the fuel I needed to continue my sewing adventure.  Darryl, Allison's new band mate, gave it the thumbs up.

Full of mexi-goodness and premade margaritas, I continued.  Once I sewed a pocket on the reverse side of a blouse, I decided it was time to stop and to watch Lost.  Please note I do not condone drinking and sewing, however, after 10 years of operating the machine, I think I have a pretty good grasp of it until at least the third beer.

In other news, I have finally joined Polyvore.  Here is my first set, to continue my woven top love, called Blouse Power! Get into it.


Wednesday, 2 May 2012

Spirits & Stones, Stage Style

Hello darling readers,

I feel like I'm constantly starting blog posts with apologies for our neglect, and this one is no different! SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY!

On top of my already crazed schedule I went ahead and started a band... and then before we'd even played together I booked us our first gig (I really like throwing myself head first into the fire)!

So I have had 3 weeks to write, prepare and practice for my new bands first ever gig! Eep! 2 weeks to go and two writing/practice sessions in, my nerves are starting to fade. My guitarist and I work well together (thank goodness) and we've already got 4 songs ready to go! Not too shabby!


TA DA! We've called ourselves Spirits & Stones (click the image above for our website which links to our social media).

I am a lucky lady to live with a fab designer who happens to be crafting me up a sweet little sleeveless blouse for my first show! Here's what I've got in mind for my debut Spirits & Stones look...
Spirits & Stones - Stage Style



What do you reckon? Could I be on my way to the frontwoman fashion elite? (Here's hoping!)