In Perfect Balance

The jacket with the contrasting sleeve...

Stuck on what I wanted to spotlight this week, I decided to go through my own closet.  What's a piece/style/trend that has recently come into my possession that I can't get enough of?  And just as soon as my search commenced, it ended: I deduced from my infinite love for jackets and blazers that the perfect post would be one that simultaneously engaged my obsession and added something a little different.  Hence, the contrasting sleeve.

For my birthday this year, I asked for and graciously received the Helmut Lang linen and leather-sleeve jacket (see below). And, when I say obsessed in this case, I mean obsessed.  I can't get enough of this unbelievable jewel.  The leather adds that razor-sharp edge to an otherwise understated and simple white linen jacket.  Furthermore, it works with pretty much anything: a sexy LBD, jeans of any style or color, a casual T, a classic cami, statement necklaces, huge scarves, boots, pumps, sandals, flats.  Seriously....anything.

Since said reception, I have noticed that some of my other favorite designers have taken on this classic-with-an-edge (my self-professed style of choice) look: camilla and marc, Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, Derek Lam, Malene Birger, and of course, Burberry Prorsum.  And as such things often go, the beauty of such a style has trickled down into the more affordable realms: Zara, Topshop, BB Dakota, etc. And let me say, the limited price range did not limit the level of style.

Below are some of my favorite finds:

Contrasting Sleeves $1-$300

Top to bottom, Left to right: Denim Jacket, by CORPUS, Urban Outfitters, $79; Belmont Fog Coat, BB Dakota, lulus.com, $90 ($36 on SALE); Safari Jacket With Leather Sleeves, Zara, $129; Grey Coated Raincoat, Boutique by Topshop, $240; Moto Jacket, Pencey, Shopbop, $264; Game Player Jacket, Antipodium, Shopbop, $269; Lace Moto Jacket, Forever 21, $30

Current Favorite: Zara Safari Jacket w/leather sleeves- So far, the jackets I've purchased from Zara have been of incredible quality and fit for such an affordable price.  I love love love the tough army green and leather juxtaposed with such a ladylike fit!

Contrasting Sleeves $301-$600

Top to Bottom, L to R: Jean Jacket w/Leather Sleeves, Rag & Bone, Piperlime, $495; Convertible Belted Trench, Mcginn, Nordstrom, $570 $270 on SALE; Washington Trench, Veda, Nordstrom, $550; Silk Blazer, Tibi, Piperlime, $398; Oline Knit Jacket w/Leather Sleeves, By Malene Birger, $565; Leather and Jute Baseball Jacket, Maison Scotch, Shopbop, $341

Current Favorite: By Malene Birger Oline Knit Jacket- Not quite a cardigan, not quite a jacket.  Even though it's a bit pricier, this little nugget could be worn spring, fall AND winter.  Gotta love that versatility.  And it must be said that By MB is an unbelievable line.

Contrasting Sleeves $601 Plus

Top to Bottom, L to R: Crew Neck Jacket, Derek Lam, Shopbop, $1,550; Linen and Leather Sleeve Jacket, Helmut Lang, Saks, $695; Two Tone Motocross Jacket, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Shopbop, $1,500; Josephine Leather Jacket, DSQUARED 2, Shopbop, $2,185; Mid Length Leather Moto Jacket, Just Cavalli, Shopbop, $1,395; Division Blazer, camilla and marc, Shopbop, $699; Colorblock Field Jacket, L'AGENCE, Saks, $795; Leather Gabardine Trench, Burberry London, Neiman Marcus, $1,995; Muslin Leather Parka, Bally, net-a-porter, $4,285; Floral Jacquard and Lace Jacket, Creatures of the Wind, net-a-porter, $1,520

Current Favorite: Helmut Lang Leather Sleeve Jacket (duh) and camilla and marc Division Blazer- love the pink and black contrast; the structuring is impeccable.

As always, enjoy and happy shopping!

-M

FREE. PEOPLE. LOVE

I love, love, love looking on Free People's site from time to time to ignite some style inspiration. As a former wholesale rep for Free People, this beautiful line captured my heart years ago. Oh the days when I could purchase endless FP samples right out of our showroom.... As I am still destined and determined to attend Coachella next year - for both music and (honestly, mostly) fashion- I have been completely captivated by viewing every and any source that reveals Coachella style from the past few weekends of the festival. The style that is captured at Coachella is unreal and completely right up my alley. Many looks I have seen entailed bits and pieces of Free People as their line consists of very Coachella-esque wear. I am downright infatuated with all of the crochet and fringe. Many of these looks went straight to my wish-list.... hope they catch your eye as well. xx-A-

         

 SHOP FREE PEOPLE

Bachelorette Bonanza

Once upon a time, there lived a group of oh-so-pretty girlfriends. Some friendships rooted way back to gradeschool while others met, grew and flourished in the high school and college years. All in all, several bonds held these girls strongly together. Within this group of girls was a little bitty girl named Jen who just so happened to be engaged to a guy in which she had been dating for (nearly) decades. On a very special day in April, each of these girls all came together, from near and far, to celebrate little Jen's last official day of singlehood. With a group of gorgeous girls, dressed head to toe in top trends galore, heading off to the races with cocktails in hand, and each containing an unyielding desire to party like its 1999...one would assume that these gals had a good time. And indeed they did....

* With SEVERAL bachelorette parties completed and many more to come, I am quite positive that we have mastered the art of throwing a successful party for a bride-to-be...and here is what I believe validates such a successful event! *

Evidence of a Successful Bach Bash (part I of an impending series to follow):

Smiles, smiles, and more smiles...

Lots of laughs....

Singing & dancing...

Great conversations...

Witty games....

Making new  friends...

And in our case, staying up WAY too late...

While this is not my typical "fashion/trend" post... it is most definitely my favorite...and how GORG and FASHIONABLE are my friends?!! Here's to a wedding-festivity-filled year gfs! xx-A-

Crushin' on K.Amato

    First and foremost, check out the first half of this post/interview about one of my most FAV designers on The Over-Analyst HERE. I love this designer oh-so-much that I had to devote two posts to her- and I wanted each and every reader to take advantage of the discount code found at the end of this little diddy.
   Once upon a time when I managed a boutique in Chicago, I fell in love with a local jewelry designer's pieces that were on display (and consistently selling out) at the store. This was back in 2006, and to this day I continue to sport the pieces I bought way back then as they are that classic...as well as new treasures of hers that I have accumulated over more recent years. Much to my delight, Kristen agreed to answer a few questions I had for her as I am a huge fan and completely intrigued by her current "totally made it big" status. The long list of popular publications her jewelry has been featured in (People, InStyle, Redbook, Glamour, Lucky, and Us, just to name a few) is obvious proof of her great success.  As mentioned on The Over-Analyst earlier today, I learned that Kristen Amato is a purely self- taught  jewelry designer whose original career path was in the world of Chemistry. When you take one glance at her jewelry it will strike you with complete amazement that she has never taken a jewlery design class before! When I asked her how she acquired the techniques and skills, she explained that along with reading and research, she would often just stare at jewelry in stores and observe the different techniques and pieces that were used to create the jewelry.

The Astor
Kristen mentioned these earrings
are one of her biggest sellers.

     Throughout our discussion, Kristen made many statements that had me immediately inspired. I was most captivated at the point in which we discussed her inspiration. When asked where her inspiration was drawn from, her answer was quite simple, "Everywhere I go." Kristen went on to explain how much of her inspiration comes from "being aware of the environment." She added, "I look around and draw inspiration from the everyday woman." After hearing that her greatest inspiration is us, the everyday woman,  who wouldn't want to buy her jewelry?! As I have made quite clear, I have been head-over-heels in love with Kristen's designs for many years now (coming from a girl with total jewelry committment issues), and this interview with her sent me to the moon. Her genuine personality matches right up to her great success and enviable talent. Check out a sneak peak of her jewels below and head over to her site or www.maxandchloe.com for the larger scale collection!

** Use the following code at purchase on K.Amato's site HERE to receive 30% off your order!(offer valid now through 4/23) Code: Spring30

Happy Weekend!!! xxx-A-

A little birdy told me...

...about a very exciting S/S 2012 trend: the bird.   That's right, my favorite of all prints and themes, in all the world of fashion, has taken flight!  

Last week, while indulging in a lengthy and much-needed Naples respite, I was surrounded by birds: seagulls, water fowl, hawks, pelicans, you name it I saw it.  As I lounged in the sun, on the beach, sipping iced tea/cocktails (jealous yet?), my mind began to wander:  Now that I have concluded my research/posts for the Neiman Marcus List, what, pray tell, should I do next????  The answer was right in front of above me.

And although, ironically, the live version tends to irritate me (greatly at times, especially pigeons (gross)), the fashion version excites and enthuses me.  Immediately upon my realization that the bird would be the perfect post-vaca post, I combed the racks in a number of stores throughout Naples.  What did I find you ask?  Well, plenty of bird-themed merchandise of course: shoes covered in feathers, silk wrap dresses and full skirts, beach totes, scarves, even home goods!

This season, designers like Kate Spade, Marc Jacobs, Reed Krakoff, and Diane von Furstenberg have taken this fabulous motif under their wing (hmm).  And yes, they have done me proud.  For you, my avid readers, I have (as always) included a number of exquisite examples to shop.

Bird: $1-$200

Top to Bottom, L to R: Bird Notecards, Fabulous Stationary, Neiman Marcus, $55; Bird Charm Bracelet, Tai, Shopbop, $70; Soaring Bird Jacket, Forever 21, $28; Mother of Pearl Eagle Charm Bracelet, Aurelie Bidermann, Net-a-Porter, $110; Kiting Along Dress, Modcloth, $85; Bird Print Canvas Shoulder Bag, Amici Accessories, Nordstrom, $28; Bird Print Pyjama Jacket, Topshop, $80; Bird Print Shirt, Zara, $60; Blue Bird Ballet Flat, Sweet Ballerina, Nordstrom, $199; Peacock Feather Earrings, Alkemie Jewelry, Shobop, $155; Multi Pave Bird Ring, Lucky Brand, Piperlime, $25 SALE; iPhone Case, Rebecca Minkoff, Nordstrom, $38; Printed and Embroidered Bird Scarf, Zara, $60

Bird: $201-$500

Top to Bottom, L to R: Hummingbird Print Cotton T-Shirt, Jil Sander, Net-a-Porter, $260; Petal to the Metal Shoulder Bag, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Neiman Marcus, $440; Birds of Paradise Straw and Patent Leather Tote, Kate Spade NY, designer's website, $298; Bird Print Shift Dress, See by Chloe, Saks, $475; Easy Bird Print Combo Dress, Tibi, Neiman Marcus, $398; Finch Flight Print Silk Top, Marc by MJ, Nordstrom, $258; Music & Color Print Skirt, sass & bide, Shopbop, $385 SALE; Daddy Print Blouse, Equipment, Nordstrom, $228

Bird: $501 Plus

Top to Bottom, L to R: Blue Bird 18K Gold Enamel Ring, Solange Azagury-Partridge, Net-a-Porter, $2,450; Printed Silk Blend Sateen Chiffon Top, Reed Krakoff, Net-a-Porter, $890; Birdlady Wrap Dress, SUNO, Shopbop, $989; Marlene Feather Suede Sandals, Jimmy Choo, Net-a-Porter, $1,995; Birds of Paradise Platform Pump, Nicholas Kirkwood, Neiman Marcus, $695; Feather Miniskirt with Tulle, Matthew Williamson, Shopbop, $728 SALE; Pandora Feather Perspex Box Clutch, Charlotte Olympia, Net-a-Porter, $995; Night Bird Taffeta Dress, Marc by MJ, Saks, $628; Dancing Birds Dress, Collette by Collette Dinnigan, farfetch.com, $544

Enjoy!

M

BRIGHT-EYED ON BRIGHT EYES


This past weekend, I was having one of my monthly urges to tryout a new makeup look. As you can see in my posts, I am all about the brights when it comes to lip color. For as long as I can remember, I have stuck to the same (and much coveted) Laura Mercier bronze-colored eye shadow in Cognac and have NEVER ventured out of this comfort zone (with the exception of Halloween perhaps). So, after being totally turned on to a bright purple eye that was showcased by Corri McFadden on House of Consignment (amaze show on VH1), I decided to give bright-eyes a shot.

 My first thought: Where do I go? Nordstrom is always my go-to for makeup due to their variety of makeup lines and experts. Call me "high maintenance" but I really prefer to have an expert trained in that particular makeup line to apply and sell me the goods (i.e. a Chanel makeup artist selling Chanel). So often, they will hop over from a different makeup line and I feel the immediate anxiety come on as I know that there is a distinct chance that they actually no nothing about the line I am eyeing!  My next thought: Which brand do I try for a bright look? ..... Nars of course! Their selection of bright eye colors made me googly-eyed. I was immediately torn between an electric blue and the bright (almost neon) purple that I ended up going with.

             

To my relief, there was a Nars makeup artist present and available and she was SUPER helpful. She applied the fabulous Daphne shadow and gave me guidance as she painted my eyes with color. I took mental notes of course: {After applying an eye primer, she described that she making a "v" shape with the shadow along the outer corner of the eye and blotted the shadow along my lid as well with a heavier brush. She then filled in the rest of the eye using a lighter brush with sweeps of the purple and a light peach to blend}. I l o v e d the end result.....it definitely took the statement "make your eyes pop" to a new level!

....DARE you to give it a try- you won't regret it! I foresee a lot of BRIGHT-EYED looks in my future (get it, its the name of my blog?! ).

Happy Hump Day All! xxx-A-

CONTRIBUTOR CHECK-IN

Be sure to check out my post on The Over-Analyst today covering the on-going trend of DENIM.


Find this post plus more MUST READS here: THE OVER-ANALYST 

HAPPY TUESDAY!!! xx- A-

Weekend WEARwhere: Holy Versatility

In my opinion, American Apparel is the epitome of a completely versatile clothing line. Point one: I tend to wear American Apparel pieces all year long. I 'll buy a casual mini dress and sport it all  Summer, and then pair it with leggings (and if necessary, cardi or jacket) for the colder months. I LOVE the amount of wear I get out of American Apparel pieces, and they offer a completely reasonable price point which allows for guilt-free purchasing (yes!) The amount of wear (rewear galore)  + the affordable prices = the American Apparel wearer totally benefitting. Point two: American Apparel allows for some super easy day-night transitioning. This weekend, I was looking for an outfit that I could wear during the day to go shopping and then just switch up with heels to transition for evening cocktails. What I ended up choosing? Aside from the shoes, a head-to toe American Apparel ensemble... but of course!

Here's what this look was all about: the Baby Rib Mini Shift Dress (which is about three years old) + Shiny Nylon Tricot leggings (new & L O V E) + Circle Scarf ( which I highlighted on The Over-Analyst HERE last week).

 As I'm sure it is COMPLETELY obvious at this point (and several A.A. posts later), I am just a tad obsessed with all that American Apparel has to offer: fashion forward styles, totally bold colors, and TOTAL VERSATILITY. Happy Monday!! xxx- A-

Saturday's Stimulus: APRIL SHOWERS

Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day.

While today's weather makes me want to do nothing besides watching movies in bed all day long, I am going on a bold adventure today. Yes, I am going to a place that is almost unknown to me as I only venture here upon very rare occassions.....the mall. As Nordstrom calls to me today, I will set aside my mall phobia and conquer what needs to be done. How are you spending this rainy Saturday? xxx-A-