terhi for tuesday

Something beautiful for Tuesday. Terhiteja shoes are so beautiful, feminine and unique in their design along with the natural elements they are created from, including ecological reindeer leather and curly birch. One of woman's greatest obsessions and means of expression are through their shoes, which Terhi Polkki taps into. Terhi "designs shoes for women who want to stand out from the crowd" so if you, like me, are obsessed with shoes, please enjoy...

www.teriteja.com

scarves are like ties

Scarves are like ties, they should never be worn without a jacket. The successful execution of wearing an accessory such as a tie or scarf is of the utmost importance concerning men's fashion. Please see for yourself in the examples below...and take notice & notes for yourself:

Photos 1 & 2: AW09 looks from Raf Simons, Creative Director Jil Sander. Notice how put together the first model looks & how the second is lacking a polished completeness to his look. This is nothing against Raf Simons in the least, as I think he is a genius with mens fashion and quite creative pushing the edge in certain areas, while maintaining the traditional structure and masculinity of mens fashion, which is what draws me to his designs.

Photos 3, 4, & 5: The Fall/Winter09 collection from Louis Vuitton illustrates my point about scarves...looks good with a jacket, looks a little incomplete with just a sweater--it needs a large peacoat to embrace the large scarf to bring the look together.

...just my preference, happy scarfing!

dace

d a c e, I think I love you...

Get to know dace in the short film below highlighting the Spring 2010 line...I want to live in this beautiful video!

DACE Spring 2010 from Dace on Vimeo.

I love discovering new designers that I love, it's like meeting a new person and finding out how beautiful their heart is. Dace is the beautiful creation of Dace Moore from Canada. Dace Moore is a true inspiration for any new up-and-coming designer, I'd like to consider myself as one of these. She worked her way up from the bottom teaching herself how to sew, and altering vintage patterns and selling them to consignment stores before she decided to go back to school and pursue a career in design. She is an inspiration for me, as I find myself in the dreamer/sketching/teaching myself how to sew stage of my dream.

Now, Dace is well known brand in Canada, the USA and abroad. I wish dace all the success she deserves for the beautiful pieces she creates! Each piece embodies classic femininity with conservative lines but occasional flirty ruffles (I love ruffles if you haven't noticed yet :) ).

The top four designs below are my favorites for Spring and the last two are from the Fall '09 collection that could easily transfer over into your Spring wardrobe. Pretty, pretty, pretty!

left to right, top to bottom: celle blouse, $160 & danny pants (love these shpants!), $160; dian jacket, $298; annabella dress. $212; martin dress (so cute! & on sale!), $96; thunder one-piece, $140; casey blouse, $105 & charlie skirt (I think?), $98.

zac posen for target

So Zac Posen has done a line for Target, yippee!!! Here are some of my favorite looks from the lookbook. Check out Zac's, yes we are on a first name basis, new line especially for Target, appearing in stores April 25th. I love some of the pieces Zac has put on celebrities--which is of course how he caught my eye, but he gets a little more funky with his line for Target. I will admit that patterns are difficult for me, I love the idea of patterns, especially florals, that are done well; but I have to confess that this is a big step for me, as I am not a huge pattern wearer myself. I'm taking some baby steps here, but I was drawn to the two patterned dresses for their cut, so I hope you enjoy them as well. I will be virtually wearing these, and let you know when I face my fears and actually purchase a patterned article.

tank dress in tie-dye print 29.99

sailor dress in tiger print 39.99, w/braided belt in black 24.99

gown in safety-pin print 69.99

john varvatos

Okay, so I've had a friend who has been bugging me to do a guys blog, so here is my first attempt at men's fashion...Jimmy, this is for you. I love john varvatos. I went to a fashion show in the Fall of '08 and fell in love, with the models and of course the clothes. I love how slim and clean the lines are in his collections. This is any slim man's perfect clothing line. The shirts are super soft--the type of material you never want to take off (I will admit that I own a John Varvatos v-neck t-shirt I wear with a tank and jeans & I love it!). Certain looks that are put together can look a little too feminine for me, but I love the pieces shown below--manly, yet stylish.

Also, for those of you who live near me, there will be a fall/winter sale at the John Varvatos store at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, with up to 70% off!--because let's be honest, it's a bit on the expensive side. Just mention the "friends and family" discount! The sale lasts from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mon-Fri; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; & 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, 714.545.5551

Left to Right, row 1: short sleeve slub v-neck, $98; slim fit spread collar dress shirt, $225; 2 button notch lapel slim suit w/center vent, $1595; row 2: zip utility pant, $198; row 3: multi stitch peacoat sweater, $598; slim fit peak lapel jacket, $895; cotton stripe bandana w/fringe, $225; row 4: utility patch pocket jacket, $325; aviator glasses, $395 & canvas/leather bowery oxford shoes, $598; coated cotton plaid trench coat; $595.

sienna miller

It was my British friend's British themed birthday party the other night and I was very excited that I could go as on of my fashion idols--Sienna Miller. Even though she was born in New York, I legitimized my costume because she grew up in the UK and she has an accent. So in doing research for my role as Sienna, I came across her clothing line twenty8twelve. Here are two of my favorite pieces below: the Truman coat & the Freda dress.

photos from: http://www.twenty8twelve.com

H & M Spring 2010 Garden Collection

I am absolutely smitten with H&M's Spring 2010 Garden Collection!!!! These are my favs! Flowy, feminine, & fun...and even floral! This is what I will be flaunting this spring!

tunic $9.95; shorts $24.95; hat $9.95

dress $19.95

dress $49.95

tunic $14.95; shorts $24.95

dress $39.95

All photos from H&M Garden Collection lookbook on their website.

Light & Airy

There is something in the air....it's not quite Spring yet, but it feels like it is in Southern California. So here are some of my favorite finds to inspire your soft, light, and airy side for pre-Spring. Enjoy!

Spiral clockwise from top left: Shabd: pink top & skirt, via shabdismyname.com; Escada Jacket: taffeta jacket w/ruff & bell sleeves, Harpers Bazaar UK, June 2007 mag., via wharperbazaaarelle.blogspot.com; Fendi-wrap lycra & plexi platform sandals, $1277, luisaviaroma.com; photo from anthropologie catalog, Spring 2010, anthropologie.com; Florid Orbs Necklace, $198, anthropologie.com; Free People Ruffled Military Jacket, $148, bloomingdales.com; Scallop dress & slip, $395, Loup Charmant

Edgy it up

I vacillate between hard edgy lines in fashion and soft feminine silhouettes along with juxtaposing these in an ensemble. But today, I offer you my edgy inspiration board, specifically inspired by vampires...via my love for the Twilight series. In naming this blog, I can't help but sing the Edgy 8 Ball song by my friend Molly Jenson--she is kind of amazing. I have to point out this amazing necklace (top left) by Adrienne's Jewelry--it makes the perfect statement with a leather jacket; I just love it! Also, the shoes by Anastasia Radevich pretty much speak for themselves.

Here are the deets: from top left, clockwise: black garnet wrapped in 24K yellow gold, $180, www.adriennes.us; shoe, http://www.anastasiaradevich.com; Rachelle Lefevre in Louis Vuitton dress, photo by Max Abadian, flare.com; Flare Magazine Cover, via tengossip.com, Rachelle wearing Herve Leger dress by Max Azria; Junior Wayfarer sunglasses, $63, ray-ban.com; leather biker jacket, Diane Von Furstenberg, $745, net-a-porter.com; photo via instyle.com

thread social spring 2010

2010 is here!

This is what I will be wearing (if I had money to burn on clothes). I am so in love with the innocent & flirty look of Thread Social. The bows, ruffles, and draping of this spring collection are so whimsical, almost fairytale-esque. Thread Social reminds me of clothes a little girl would wear, but transforms them into super fashionable clothes for young women.

let's have a party!

Fwoosh...this is the sound I made when I saw this dress. This dress makes me want to go to some big fancy party and dance. I recently discovered Rita Saardi and her eclectic designs, which are quite amazing! Each of her collections are different and unique, yet, all carry the common thread of femininity and amazing garment structure. This dress below is my favorite from her Waiting To Be Kissed collection.

image from ritasaardi.com

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I pray that your homes are filled with love & joy, and your hearts with thankfulness & hope! I love the energy that new beginnings bring, so I am quite excited about beginning this New Year...yeah for 2010!

me in front of the tree at the Plaza, NYC

prairie underground holiday 09

I'm not sure where I discovered Prairie Underground, but the first piece I saw was a jacket similar to this one, below, with the amazing pouffy collar. I love this jacket because it looks so feminine and fun and comfy.

Below, is a cute little cowl neck dress that looks super cute with tights; but what really stood out to me were the pairing of these two colors--so pretty.

Finally, below is a dress style I've been noticing a lot lately--the "too-much-material-you-can-get-lost-in-here dress", i.e. Mary Kate Olsen-esque. With so much material it allows for some different looks, which could be fun to play with, but might get tricky or lumpy...personally I might get claustrophobic.

All in all, I love their stuff. Prairie Underground has very pretty and comfortable(looking) pieces--I'd love to own a jacket by them someday.

New York

New York...the first thing I noticed when I ventured out of our B&B to roam the streets of the city was a strong scent of cologne that wafted with each new crisp breeze; it was inviting and seductive, not over-powering like the perfume counters in a department store.

As I soon caught up with the pace of the city, my stride became like steps in a dance, deliberate and in time with the rest of the inhabitants.

My favorite neighborhood would have to be Greenwich Village--I could roam around here all day and window shop and pop into a cafe for a coffee refuge to rest my feet and perk my energy. It's hard to describe the feeling you get when you combine such old buildings, quaint streets, unique boutiques, a diverse population, the welcoming feeling of home, with the smells of coffee, cigarettes, and a je nous se qua sweetness.

Here are some of my photos from the trip, enjoy!

Central Park.

Time Square.

Bree & I in Greenwich Village.

The street I want to live on in Greenwich Village.

Cool building in Greenwich Village.

photo credits: moi, laurenlhanson

rockin' new year's eve

The perfect outfit for New Year's Eve! Funky & Flirty for a time to rock in the new year! Look like a million bucks, for just over a hundred. Check out forever21.com--I love getting all the latest trends but not paying designer prices.

New Year's Ensemble! by hansi777 featuring Forever21

Items in this set:
Forever21.com - Tops - Dressy - 2054820753, $18
Leatherette Biker Jacket, $33
Urban Faux Fur Vest, $25
Zip Peep Toe Bootie, $30
Genevieve Faux Leather Tote, $35