Monoque Lhuillier Trunk Show This Weekend!

At work these days, I'm up to my eyeballs in alterations appointments- brides are constantly coming in for fittings. It's so busy, in fact, that I sometimes forget that the store also functions as a place for brides to shop for and purchase a wedding gown. Until I remember that we have an amazing trunk show happening this weekend and then I can't help but notice. This weekend is our annual Monique Lhuillier trunk show and I am SO excited!

A Monique girl is a bride who not only wants to feel stunning on her wedding day, but she also wants to wear something more fashion-forward and special. She wants the finest fabrics and textiles for her gown- from smooth silk satins to the softest tulles and the most sparkly rhinestones. My absolute favorite gown in our store right now is a design by Monique Lhuillier and every time I see it, I swoon:

Bellflower by Monique Lhuillier

I wish this photo did the dress justice, but it truly does not. The fabric is an amazing textile that almost seems as if it was embossed with a delicate floral pattern. The skirt is enormous and on the whole, wearing this dress feels like wearing a cloud, or at least that's how I imagine it. 

I'm looking forward to our trunk show this weekend because I'm going to get to see lots and lots of beautiful brides in stunning gowns. Hopefully there are quite a few who will actually find their dream dress this weekend. I hope at least one of them falls in love with Bellflower. It's just too pretty for words. 

Sucker for Seersucker

What is it about that crinkle-y striped fabric in pale blue and white that just gets me every time? I especially love that seersucker is so readily available in other color combinations, too! I've seen green, yellow, red and pink and loved every one of them! These are some particularly fabulous seersucker items that are calling my name:

Game Day Dress, Genealogy, $98

Jessica Howard One-Shoulder Seersucker Dress, Stage Stores, $49

Tiana B Striped Seersucker Crisscross Bodice Dress, Dillard's $79

Of course, it's not all about dresses. There is seersucker for everyone, including men. The obvious choice might be a pair of great flat front seersucker pants or a fitted seersucker vest. But I prefer the seersucker bow tie, in traditional blue and white: 

Blue and White Seersucker Bow Tie, Etsy, $19.99

I actually made a seersucker bow tie for my friend Brance last year as part of a whole collection of (awesome) bow ties. But there's something about seersucker that I just never tire of it. I suppose if you're going to keep on reading my blog, you can expect a post on seersucker annually at the very least. 

Leave a comment and tell me what you think about this summer-y fabric. Do you wear it a lot? Or not at all?

Inspiration: Noon & Night Dress

I was flipping through the Anthropologie catalog last weekend when I saw this:

Noon and Night Dress, $158

Cherry Piped Oxfords, $398

Yabusame Necklace, $598

I fell in love with the entire outfit- from the texture and silhouette of the dress to the perfect piping in the shoes and the ceramic steeds hanging on a delicate ribbon. The entire look is perfection. Too bad it's about $1200 for the entire look. What got me thinking, though, was the idea of this "Noon and Night" dress. After all, it's true- this dress is perfectly appropriate for a day at work, followed by a nice dinner out or evening on the town. It's all in the styling. So, I decided to find some other "Noon and Night" dresses to see if I could easily transition them from one to the other. Here's what I came up with: 

First, the original dress styled for both a day at the office and an evening dinner date: 

Noon and Night by rtboo featuring a beaded bib necklace

I like that the dress is a muted shade of red- it isn't so bright that is will be inappropriate for work, but it's still a great color for a date. The styling changes are very simple. First, the shoes change from a sensible heeled oxford to a patent nude stiletto with a lovely feminine detail of a bow in the back. Next, the chic scarf is replaced by a bold statement necklace. It's eye catching, but not over-the-top. While the scarf is a cool accessory, the necklace is a better date night choice because it not only dresses up the outfit a bit more, but it also allows for the neckline to be a bit more open. Finally, the bags- the noon option is practical, but still stylish. It is also big enough to hold the smaller, leopard-print clutch, which means a super simple transition from one look to the next.

Next, I tried a dress that was a little more challenging: 

Noon and Night 2 by rtboo featuring a cropped jacket

At first, this one seems clearly destined for nighttime, but with a prim cropped blazer and flats instead of heels, it can be tamed for the workplace. Remove the jacket and add some stunning accessories including great earrings and tall, but chunky heels and suddenly you're the coolest chick at the bar after hours with your girlfriends. I kept the color palate the same with both styling options because I just adore the idea of an outfit made using shades of grey with just one pop of fabulous color. In this case, deep purple keeps the look mature and sophisticated, whereas bright pink or red would have taken the look to another place entirely. 

Finally, I want to show you how a simple white dress can literally be a blank canvas for switching from noon to night:

Noon & Night 3 by rtboo featuring cole haan shoes

As you can see, this simple white dress can easily go from brunch with your girlfriends to a sexy nighttime outfit with just a few accessory changes. It works perfectly with a floral cardigan, tan wedges and a straw tote for a Saturday morning spent running errands or at an early afternoon bridal shower. But if that shower turns into a bachelorette party, all you need is a simple change of accessories. Black is the ideal option not only because of the strong contrast against the white, but because it still allows you to introduce another color and texture into the look. In this case, I chose a rose gold metallic clutch and gold chandelier earrings to finish it off. Super sweet to sexy and glam in just seconds! 

Do you have many situations where you need to transition an outfit from day to night? How do you do it? Is it something you find easy or difficult to do? Leave a a comment and tell me! 

Shoesday Tuesday- Anthropologie's Best

I think my favorite day lately has been the day the Anthropologie catalog arrives in the mail. This week, I must have looked through it at least half a dozen times in one sitting, just taking in all the beautiful clothing and shoes. Honestly, their styling and photography is so wonderful- it's all very inspiring.

That is why this week's Shoesday Tuesday is all about Anthro- I've selected what I think are the best of their new shoes to share with you. With the heat of summer upon me, I didn't think anything could get me drooling over fall shoes right now, but apparently there is and it's a tiny little catalog.

Cherry Piped Oxfords, $398

Lake & Land Heels, $178

Loretta Heels, $298

Points of Light Oxfords, $388

Satin Swoop Heels, $168

I'm currently drooling for each and every one of these shoes, but if I had to pick just one to own, it would definitely be the Points of Light Oxfords. You all know how I feel about oxfords in general, but these are at once chic and whimsical. They have a touch of Mad Hatter to them that makes them just a touch more special than any other oxfords I've encountered. 

What do you think of these shoes? Do you love them? Hate them? Which ones would you wear? Leave a comment or tweet your response with our special hashtag #ShoesdayTuesday

Beauty Product Review: Buxom Rock Stars

Sephora recently had a sale and I decided to take advantage of all the amazing prices. I'm not one to purchase items simply because they are marked down, but if my favorite products are discounted, I'll definitely take the opportunity to stock up. Or, if I know I like a certain brand, and I want to try another one of their products, I might do so when I can get that product at a hefty discount.

I spent a little over $50 on my order and I got:

Buxom Babes Rock Stars Lip Plumpers, $15

Stila One Step PrimeColor, $10

Stila Convertible Eye Color, $10 

Sephora Color Flip, $7 (I got THREE of these- one for me, one for my mom, and one more for good measure, since it was such an AMAZING deal. I figured someone I know will want it!)

While this is a LOT of make-up, don't worry- there's only one product I plan to talk about today- the Buxom Babes Rock Stars lip colors. I have been a HUGE fan of the Buxom Lip Polish for years. My every day lip color is Brandi and I make sure I am never without it. It goes on a bit sheer, but the color is still deep and the formula is definitely a decent plumper. I don't want to have duck lips or anything obscene, but this particular plumper makes my lips just a tad fuller. Also, it's a lip gloss that goes on smooth, lasts a long time and isn't too sticky. As a product in general, I'm hooked. Anyway, a single color in this product typically runs about $18, so when I saw that I could try out four different colors, albeit in smaller quantities, for only $15, I could hardly resist! 

The Buxom Babes Rock Stars is a collection of four fabulous colors: Gabby, Tonya, Julie and Blanche. None of these are colors that I would typically purchase, but that is exactly what was so appealing to me about them. Online, they all looked pretty wearable. In person, I was actually nervous about some of them. Tonya, for example is about as neon pink as they come, at least when you see the bottle. But when it's on, the color is surprisingly tame. The neon quality completely disappears once it's on and you are left with a pretty, pink, shimmery lip. I'll be wearing it for the rest of the summer, guaranteed. 

Another pleasant surprise was Gabby- I thought it would be too brown, but it's a luscious, deep, complex color with justa bit of brown mixed in with a plum wine. It will be perfect for a nighttime look- especially for a date! The other two- Julie and Blanche- are wonderful nude/pink colors. Both are shimmery, but neither is very dark, so they are great for daytime or to layer on top of a deeper color. 

Overall, I'm really happy not only with the product and how it works, but also with the way the colors flatter my skin tones. It's rare to find an amazing product that is also great in nearly every shade you try, so with Buxom Lips I really feel like I've hit the jackpot! 

As of right now, this package is still available for just $15, so snatch one up before the sale ends or before they're all gone! If you try this product (or use it currently), leave a comment and tell me what you think! 

Project Runway Season 9 Episode 2

Ah, the infamous "Unconventional Challenge." I love this challenge, but you would think that the designers would learn after all these years, right? Even more upsetting than some of the designs was the judges totally insane reactions to them. For example, please tell me WHY, OH WHY was Bryce NOT eliminated for this hideous monstrosity:

Bryce's Look

Seriously? I understand that Joshua C's look was not amazing, but the difference to me is that Joshua C's design is something you might actually be able to purchase somewhere. Also, I thought the point of the unconventional challenge was to create something using unconventional materials that looks like it was made with conventional materials or at the very least, it doesn't look like it's made out of groceries or pet supplies or plants or car parts or whatever. I'm not a fan of Joshua C's design, but at least the wee-wee pads are disguised, unlike Bryce's look above. 

Joshua C's Look

Does it look dated, poorly styled and a little slutty? Yes, absolutely. Does it look like a dress made out of wee-wee pads? Not so much. Apparently, in the judges' estimation, clothing that actually looks like clothing is more offensive than totally unwearable. The other thing that irritated me about this decision was the fact that Bryce hardly even manipulated his materials. The wee-wee pads and hamster bedding were both blue to begin with. He simply glued the bedding to muslin to create an ill-fitting bodice and then layered lots of wee-wee pads on top of each other to create an ugly skirt. Meanwhile, other designers used dye techniques, braiding, weaving and all sorts of other methods to make the unconventional materials look beautiful. Which brings me to the top designers of the episode- Olivier (who pronounces his name "Oliver," btw) and Anthony Ryan:

Olivier's Look

Anthony Ryan's Look

Again, I'm irritated with the judges on this one. Anthony Ryan used the bird seed to create an absolutely stunning design. The effect on the neckline is truly impressive. Yes, it's a little too mini for most, but I find it hard to believe that would keep him from the win. Especially when contrasted with Olivier's design which is made using a dog bed. Again, it's the most conventional material choice you could make. I admit, he did a nice job creating an ombre effect with the hamster bedding skirt, but to say his overall look is superior? I disagree completely. 

Anyway, some other memorable moments for me were: 

Danielle's Look- Again, I'm impressed by the manipulation of the materials. This looks like acid-washed denim and loosely woven macrame. Well done, Danielle! 

Becky's Look- This is another one that should have been in the bottom, if you ask me. It's like Toucan Sam turned into a tacky party dress. Terrible. 

Julie's Look- At least she manipulated the materials, right? And if you recall the unconventional challenge involving car parts, there was a similar dress made using seatbelts. The difference? This one is just crafty- looking. I honestly don't know what the judges have ever seen in Julie's designs. Her southwest-themed outerwear is hideous. When did Aztec print and ponchos come back en vogue? I am NOT a fan. 

Joshua M's Look- Lucky for Joshua M, the 80's are back right now. The neon printed top is actually kind of cool and I agree with the judges (just this once) that it's actually a good pairing with that skirt. (Is it me, or is that skirt totally sheer?) The styling works for me, too, even if I would never wear this look. Unlike Fallene's design:

Fallene's Look- This week's winner for the the look I'd like to wear is Fallene. I know the judges thought her design was boring and the colors were outdated, but I actually liked the texture and color of the skirt. The top was very simple, but the belt was awesome. The silhouette would work well for me, too. 

Overall, it was another exciting episode, and I'm really enjoying this season a lot more than I expected to a few weeks ago. Leave a comment to let me know what YOU thought of the episode! 

Mad Men-Inspired Line from Banana Republic

The much-anticipated return of the next season of Mad Men has been delayed, but the capsule line from Banana Republic will still launch this month- August 11th to be exact. Click here to view a slide show of the collection.

Critics are saying the styling of this line is more 60's- inspired than the actual clothes and accessories. I am inclined to agree, however, I think it was smart of BR to create a line that is current as opposed to a bunch of costume-y pieces. In order for the clothes to sell, they need to translate to 2011, so to the critics I say, "Shut your trap and just enjoy the line."

These two dresses are my favorite looks in the entire collection:

I am usually partial to full-skirted silhouettes, but the color of the dress on the left and the print of the dress on the right were every bit as appealing to be as the shapes. I also really adore the neckline and bodice of the solid-color dress on the left. And while I may lean towards full skirts, there is a dynamite sheath dress in an amazing oversize houndstooth print that is making me drool:

It isn't all for the ladies, though- there are suits, sweaters, ties, and even fedoras for the gentlemen in this capsule collection:

The accessories are also really appealing- I especially love the leopard print bag and the multi-strand pearl neacklace:

Skinny ties and bow ties are both part of the collection for men and I'm thrilled to see them. I hope to see some guys around town sporting such a cool, retro look.

What do YOU think of the new line from Banana Republic? Are you a fan of Mad Men? Would you have noticed this line if it hadn't been associated with the TV show? Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear what you think!