Navy on the Cape

This past weekend, I was with some amazing girlfriends and we had one of the nicest, most relaxing weekends I can remember. On Friday night, we enjoyed a lobster and New England clam chowder dinner with fresh summer corn and a cobbler for dessert. Saturday was spent lying around on the beach followed by a nice dinner out. On Sunday, we had a lovely brunch and then spent the afternoon shopping before heading back to our various homes. For me, it was the first Saturday I've had off since starting my new job and I really enjoyed the break. I think I might make a point of always taking a little mini-vacation in mid-August as long as I'm working in the bridal industry. It really helped me re-charge and I know this little bit of down-time will help me through the last few weeks of wedding season.

While on this fabulously relaxing mini-break, we spent most of our time in casual attire, primarily bathing suits or shorts and t-shirts. However, when we did get "dressed," there was a theme that seemed to dominate all of our outfits: navy. Of the five of us ladies in attendance, I believe all but one of us wore an outfit of navy when "out." It made me realize what a great color it is and how under-utilized it is, at least in my wardrobe. So, in honor of the fashionable women in attendance this weekend, may I present several navy outfits inspired by each of our navy outfits:

Beth- Navy by rtboo featuring a beaded wrap bracelet

Beth wore a solid navy, feminine dress to dinner and accessorized with a lush brown leather handbag, and fabulous open-toe, high heeled sandals. A simple necklace finished off the look, but I mixed it up with a cool bracelet instead.

Amy- NAVY by rtboo featuring a mini skirt

Beth's sister Amy rocked a navy mini-skirt, fitted top and a flowy vest with really cool crochet details. Her open-weave flats kept the super-fitted mini in the PG-13 range and her funky yellow bag added a pop of color to the outfit.

Renee-NAVY by rtboo featuring an oval ring

With my combination of navy, white and a pop of yellow, you might think that Amy and I coordinated our outfits. But the truth is that we both just happen to have fabulous yellow handbags. Instead of a mini and cool vest, my navy and white combination involved a cool, striped halter dress and some tall wedges. I felt very feminine and cool in this look.

Adele- NAVY by rtboo featuring steve madden sandals

If Amy and I were on a fashion wave-length together, Beth and Adele seemed to be channeling each others sartorial vibes as well. Adele's breezy, navy dress was perfect for our afternoon shopping excursion. She turned a simple dress into a luxurious look with an awesome belt and a Marc Jacobs handbag.

I, of course, did not take a single photograph all weekend. I was far too focused on relaxing and spending time with amazing women, and didn't take my camera out once during the entire trip. So, you'll have to take my word for it that we all looked as fabulous as these Polyvore sets imply. Do you have a fabulous outfit centered around a navy piece? Be it a dress, skirt, top or jacket, I'd love to see how you styled it. Send me a photo and I'll post it here on the blog!

Beauty Product Review:

Not too long ago, I stocked up on some make-up while Sephora was having a huge sale. One new product I decided to try was the Stila One Step Primecolor:

I purchased it in "Kitten" which happened to be the color that was on sale at the time. It's also a color of Stila's that I love for eye and lip color, so I figured it would work for me. This product is intended to be used for pretty much any area of the face- lips, eyes, cheeks, etc. I've been using it on my cheeks and eyes as a base for blush and shadow. It is amazing! Because the color is fairly neutral on my fair skin, it just adds a touch of shimmer and a great base for the blush or shadow to cling to. On my cheeks, the effect is like a dewy glow. On my eyes, it's a gentle shimmer. This product will definitely be a part of my regular make-up routine from now on- I'm completely hooked! 

Etsy Find- River of Romansk

I was perusing some items on Etsy the other day and discovered the most fabulous Etsy store- River of Romansk. I just fell in love with all the dresses- the colors, the fabrics, everything about them, really! They are also perfect for this time of year- the weather is still warm enough for light, flow-y dresses like these:

Rose Tea Party Dress, $43.80

Chiffon Flapper Dress, $43.90

Bubble Hem Dress, $39.80

Chiffon Flowy Dress, $43.80

I love all the shades of nude, pink, ivory, etc.- they are all so romantic! Chiffon can be a tough fabric to pull off, but when the dress has a nice structure to it (as these appear to), it's a little bit easier. My favorite is the Rose Tea Party Dress- I would LOVE to wear it to just about anything- a bridal shower, a dinner out, or even to work! Maybe I'll have to order one for myself... 

Go Graphic

I've written before on this blog about the importance of selecting a print that is in proportion to your body. Click here if you would like to read that post (it's still relevant and useful, after all). However, if you still struggle with that concept, or just have difficulty executing it, may I offer you another option: rather than purchasing clothing with an all-over print, go for something that has one well-placed graphic design. Here are some great options:

African Water Color Tank Dress, Karma Loop, $30

BKE Boutique Graphic Top, Buckle, $38

B. Darlin Petal Applique Dress, Dillard's $35.40

Not only is this technique great for solving the issue of "what size print can I wear?" but it also helps balance out your body if need be. For example, if you are top heavy, choose a garment that has a bold design on the bottom half. The reverse also works, or if you want to draw the eye up to your face, then select a garment with the design close to the neckline. 

Questions? Comments? I always want to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment! 

Shoesday Tuesday- Amazing Louboutins

Christian Louboutin Maggie Cap-Toe Pumps, Neiman Marcus, $995

At least now I understand my attraction to the Shoe Dazzle "Amour" shoe from a couple of weeks ago. They are a pretty blatant knock-off of these amazing Louboutins. 

Happy Shoesday Tuesday! 

Project Runway Season 9 Episode 3

Wow. I don't really have a lot to say about this episode except to say that is was whacked. Seriously- there were a lot of "huh?" moments for me. First, let's talk about how it's apparently impossible to walk even close to normal when you're on stilts. So, even the winning look, as elegant as it is, was awkward in motion because the model clearly HAS to walk with her legs spread apart. I laughed out loud when I saw it! At least it was pretty and as the judges said, it looked like a really great dress that had just been "stretched." Anyone could see how this would translate to ready-to-wear:

Laura and Anthony Ryan's Look

I'm not sure how I would feel if I'd won a challenge like this. It's just so bizarre. I really love the fact that the challenges are so creative and out-of-the-box, though. Kudos to the producers for keeping it interesting! 

Anyway, since I don't really feel able to discuss the many monstrosities that walked the runway this week, I'll focus on some other "looks." 

1.) I totally own this dress Becky is wearing (it's Target circa 2007) and I can't wait to pair it with a yellow cardigan: 

2.) Olivier's outfit reminds me of Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption. He wore his chambray prison shirt buttoned all the way up, too:

3.) Do you notice something interesting about this photo? 

I did. I see not 6, but 7 "stilt" models on the stage and one of them (to the left of Heidi) was never seen on the episode. Since this episode's runway show took place outdoors in front of a live audience, we have to assume that the two designers who have already been "auf'd" were part of the challenge as well. Or at least that's how it must have appeared to the live audience. This is common practice with PR, although up until now it's only happened for the final runway shows. Typically, when the finale is filmed at fashion week, the show has only aired to a certain point. The producers have some of the designers who have already been "auf'd" and they create decoy runway shows, too. That way, no one in the audience can know if they are seeing an actual competitor's show or just a decoy. It's kind of amazing, actually. What's not amazing is that horrific decoy design! 

Well, folks- that's all I've got this week, aside from saying that I mostly agree with the judges' decision this week. But I wouldn't have been upset if Bryce had gone home instead of Fallene. If he snarled his lip one more time and complained about how she didn't cut the fabric "on the grain," I think I might have thrown something at the TV in complete exasperation. I think he deserved to go home for being snide. I suppose it's a good thing I'm not a PR judge if I want to send people home for being rude and annoying. 

What about you? What did you think of the episode? Leave a comment and tell me! 

Accessories Anonymous: A Fabulous Fascinator!

You all know how much I love a great fascinator, right? Well, this weekend, there was an absolutely PERFECT new accessory at work and I am seriously considering purchasing it! It's available as pictured below, but also in black. Isn't it amazing?

I am seriously in LOVE with it. The design is by Sara Gabriel, who makes some really gorgeous veils and headpieces. I love this fascinator as it is in a creamy ivory, but wouldn't it also be amazing in black? I may just have to splurge on it....