A Lovely Summer Look From Zara
June 9, 2009
It has been so sunny and beautiful lately that I was inspired to bring out an old favorite. I love the simple details of this dress, from the thin straps, to the shape and lines, and even just how wonderful it feels.
You can get a better feel of this look for yourself from the video posted here on the site- I’ve also added a necklace that I found some time ago at a boutique shop in Miami. I love how it has a delicate feel with the gold leaves and drops so deep. It adds another contrast against the lines of the dress that I think brings the look even more together.
The shoes are my Vince Camuto Veronica heels which I do love to wear any chance I get, they are gorgeous and fun! But I’m sure you know that by now from my previous posts on them- a very lovely find.
Speak with you soon! xx
Pretty New Pink Toy, Shiny & Ruffled Fabulous Jacket
June 7, 2009
If you’ll recall my first post from when I discovered yesstyle, you will remember how much I instantly fell in love with this insane jacket. It is an elegant shade of pink- more like a very light rose, feminine and elegant without being overwhelming. Very delicate and subtle. The material of satin shines beautifully, and just look at that texture- mesmerizing.
It began with being on my wish list, but that didn’t last too long. I knew I had to have it! So when it arrived I was ecstatic. My camera delay has been acting strange so here are some detailed shots below of the fabric- you can see more of the movement and look of the jacket above in the video I have posted for you!
This is the “Elbow Sleeve Satin Jacket” from HAEGAL, a featured designer label from yesstyle, and a fabulous one at that. The jacket also comes in a classic black color, but I couldn’t resist the subtle charms of this amazing rose hue.
In the photos they include on the site, the belt wrap is tied in the back- but when it first arrived to me I felt like wrapping it around the front, in a more traditional belt style. Both versions work fabulously, and I like the versatility.
I tied the jacket in the front so you could see both styles and how they differ- one is with a cinched waist while the other is a flowy and beautiful look.
And the jacket really is this beautiful, it just moves so naturally and each ruffle falls perfectly. It feels lovely on, as well. This definitely will give any look a haute makeover. This is fabulous.
Pink And Checkered With An Adorable Updo: Girlie!
May 29, 2009
Warning: This post is extremely “girlie” and loaded with everything from a bubblegum pink and checkered dress to an insane and adorable updo. Alright, I warned you! Here goes..
When I saw this dress from across the store, and yes you may have guessed it by now, TARGET. Am loving them lately, so fabulous. The dress can be seen from a great distance- with this bubblegum pink of a color it is difficult to miss. It was in the wrong place, and also the only one to be found. Yes, I made it mine.
Yes, this is a very *very* girlie dress. It is just the right shape and size, too- with a lovely detail of a tied ribbon in the back. So delicate and feminine, yet the pattern and color makes it bright and youthful.
It is comfortable and cute, and the pattern does it all. I didn’t want my hair to drown the dress, so I decided to do an updo. Something cute and different to keep up with the style of the dress. One twist led to another and let to another, before I knew it I had created this little number.
I didn’t hold back on this one, when I decided to go girlie I went all for it. So I divided my hair up in sections to work with and ended up creating some braided bows- two, one on each side.
It is clean and elegant in the front, since it just gives a peak of what is to come. The side, depending on which angle you are looking at is anywhere from subtle to unique. The back is where it all lives, and is a fun and playful look. I’m enjoying it!
So there you have it, girlie in the extreme with bubble gum pink and braided bows!
For The Love Of Cheese
May 15, 2009
I ♥ cheese. I truly do- and during my last shopping adventure I was fortunate enough to taste some lovely cheeses to take home and indulge in. Wow, these are exceptional… two of which make a magnificent dessert!
From rich and creamy to crumbly and potent, these are some wonderful cheeses to love.
First up on our plate is the Bucherondin, a cheese made from Goat’s milk that is truly exceptional. The gentleman working in the cheese section stated that he would have this cheese as a dessert- simply put on a plate and drizzled with some orange honey.
Wow, I can only imagine how it would be with the honey- but honesty it is magnificent on its own! Don’t let the brie like appearance fool you- though it has a creamy coating (that can be eaten by the way) the cheese itself is quite chalky in texture, much like feta.
But it is rich enough to where it dances between chalky and creamy in the mouth- it is heavenly and a delicious treat. This is a mild flavored cheese, nothing too intense to frighten away or alarm you, I think the balance is just perfect here.
This gorgeous, creamy, delicious cheese is a cow’s milk cheese from France called Delice De Bourgogne from Licet. It is a Triple Cream Soft Ripened Cheese (oh, I do love the tripple creams… they can be very potent though mind you). Let’s look at it again, shall we?
I know, I know- it looks like butter:
And the consistency is rich and satisfying like butter- wow this cheese, along with the bucherondin, are new favorites of mine that I cannot get out of my mind. They are lovely.
This one in particular has a lovely character of sweetness and just the slightest tang or sourness to keep things interesting. It is a subtle bite- so subtle you might even miss it, nothing overpowering just a beautiful melting of flavors.
The flavor is more distinct than the Bucherondin, as is common with triple creams. If you ever run across this little gem, you surely will not be dissapointed.
Up next is the Campo De Montalban, a Spanish cheese with a very distinct taste and surprising texture. What distinguishes this cheese most from the others is the tripple blend- a marvelous blending of cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, and goat’s milk. On appearance, it resembles a Manchego and slices with a similar consistency and texture. But once you place it in your mouth, it becomes creamy with a distinct but wonderful flavor.
Something about cheeses from sheep and goats have this distinct taste- some call it gamey, and it can vary in potency. This one here was perfect- just subtle enough to give intrigue and satisfy and not overpower at all. The blend works perfectly to create an amazing balance and texture.
I highly recommend this cheese as much as I do the two above, if you are new to being adventerous with cheese this one may be a good cheese to start with. Truly a treat- indulge when you are able to.
I saved the potent cheese for last- the Roth Kase Gruyere Surchoix. This is unlike most gruyeres which are mild in taste and texture- this one is *extremely* sharp!
It is called “Surchoix” meaning top choice because after nine months of aging, the celler master hand selects the finest ones.
This hard cheese is very robust and highly concentrated with flavor- it is nutty, earthy, and just the right hints of sweetness to bring it all together. This one is strong- and for the stinky cheese lover.
Wow, what wonderful cheeses, I cannot get them out of my mind they are all so lovely. Any of these would make a fine choice and I highly recommend tasting them for yourself.
Much love and a great love of cheese- xx
Absolutely Charming, Absolutely Decadent
May 13, 2009
I love a charm with a secret, and when the glamorous touches of vintage are involved a beautiful look is created. The latest from this charming collection are ones to love:
I adore LOVEMADDS, and when I was looking through her latest collections my eyes were instantly drawn to the Samantha necklace- a pendant case complete with a vintage manicure set. This is a necklace with a secret! I love how vibrant the red is on the handles of the set- so bold and bright yet hidden in the delicate golden case dangling on a gold strand. Beautiful!
It is feminine, delicate on the outside and powerfully armed on the inside- very real and glamorous in presentation. This is something I would love to have dangling around my neck.
Ah, the charm of charms… aren’t they lovely?
They inspire us with past memories and create a place for new ones to come.
I’ve been loving the decadence of gold jewelry this year, and with bold pieces like these they just scream rich and luxury. The details are right and ready to be worn.
I can see single piece bold charms making a great appearance especially towards the later part of the year- with a simple cocktail dress, a large and magnificent golden charm delicately resting from the neck makes a beautiful and fashionable statement.
These golden charms also make for a lovely touch to a casual day outfit- adding the extra elegance and femininity to make a casual outfit all the more inspiring.
Don’t you just love these new pieces? There are even more gorgeous items in her collection you will have to see for yourself.
It’s like Walking Around In My Bed, Only Adorable!
May 8, 2009
You know that feeling when you slip under the covers of a freshly made bed- the extra coziness surrounds you and you melt into the sheets? That is exactly how this dress feels the moment you put it on- I didn’t know that was possible. I love it.
I decided to wear my adorable new dress from Dodostyle found on YesStyle.com - this one is the first one that caught my eye on the site. With delicate frills and lace I knew I had to have it, also for those who know me well.. if it has ribbon on it chances are strong that I will be getting it.
What first caught my attention with this dress was the sleeves- they called them Lantern Sleeves. The print has just the slightest sheerness to it (the body of the dress itself has an incredibly silky black slip attached to it, preventing the dress from being see-through and adding that additional layer of coziness). And then the sleeves flare out with black lace- matching the bottom of the dress as well.
This is an adorable dress that makes for an easy and stylish look- not much is needed here as the print and frills are a nice balance. I wore this dress with my Marcianno black patent heels, if I added anything else to this look it may be black tights, but honestly the dress is so cozy I would prefer to leave it as it is.
The dress also comes in an off white/cream shade which is lovely for the spring in summer. I am enjoying the black version here as it will also be great for the winter.
I cannot get over how cozy this dress is, it seriously feels like I am walking around while being tucked in bed- I love it! I just have to remember to stay awake when my cocktail comes around 
Does Your Dress Have Wings?
May 7, 2009
A dress with wings- and yet subtle and elegant still. I love the way this dress moves and feels- so beautifully silky and delicate. The design is simple but unique, and a discovery found unexpectidly at an all too common place, too-
TARGET, yet again another beautiful discovery!
The straps have a subtle and elegant detail to them as well which I love- simple twists making it a modern and lovely design.
Now, as much as I adore this design there is an image that will not vanish from my mind since I heard it- when I first purchased this dress and went to wear it out, my fiancee made a certain comment that horrified me. For those who dislike bugs as much as me, you may not wish to continue to read this line… but he dared to call it a ‘cockroach’ dress!
I was disgusted and horrified when he first said it, especially since I could then see it too! But you know what, despise the horrors of that description, I still love the dress (and deteste the bug). It is a comfortable and elegant dress and so be it if it resembles the insect… the insect wished it was this luxurious!
So here it is, my dress with wings.
Child’s Play In Mirrored Elegance
May 6, 2009
When was the last time you played with a rocking horse of your very own? Maybe its been too long… fortunately now there is an elegant and fashionable alternative!
From YesStyle, one of the designer brands offered is Sweet & Co♥. With adorable and creative designs, some child-like and colorful, others subtle and elegant- the opportunities are playful and beautiful.
My latest purchase is this absolutely adorable rocking horse ring! It is mirrored and just the right size to make it noticeable but not overbearing. It has a delicate and feminine look that speaks memories of childhood now all grown up.
I like the idea of wearing this playful and youthful ring with a cocktail dress when going out with the girls- how much will this dazzle in the dim lights looking gorgeous against my cocktail or wine.
I love that subtle shine that bursts with the right light- and this ring will do it gracefully.
And the packaging is perfect, also- it comes in an pretty pink little pouch enclosed within an adorable pink envelope- ready to be received as a gift. I think my kitty, Aveline, thought so too- right when I opened the package she went for the pink envelope first!
Adorable, isn’t it? And as you can see there were other items I had purchased as well- but shhh, those are to be revealed soon! Enjoy your sneak peak, for now I’ll be playing with this marvelous new ring!
1920′s Vintage Wedding Dress Find
May 5, 2009
Here it is, finally- my 1920′s wedding dress discovery! And did I mention the price tag on this little gem- I couldn’t even believe it when I heard it.
We were visiting our great friends in Seattle, having an amazing weekend, when us girls decided to go shopping out on Whidbey Island while the boys stayed home and went over some business. The last time we were here, we discovered a beautiful little antique shop where I found these gorgeous jewelry sets for an amazing price as well. Back to this visit though-
Of all the amazing items I found on this visit and have shared with you, this one is exceptional. We all admired this delicate wedding dress sitting gracefully on in the window, dreaming and not daring to consider the price. It looked so elegant with such a story to tell. The tag on it was resting at the top very high, and we could only just slightly see the number three written on it. If that was the start of the price or the item number, we couldn’t tell. As we were leaving we casually asked the attendant the price of the dress, to which he answered $39.99.
I didn’t know what to do at first, honestly. My mind was wowed.
So after a little walking and thinking I decided to at least give the dress a try on while my mind continued to absorb the concept.
This dress fit me in every way possible- you could even see how delicately it had been altered for a custom fit. The buttons are small metal ones (which I left unbuttoned for these photos as they are difficult to close by yourself, with assistance it is a simple task though) and some eye hooks.
Even the clasp at the end of the sleeves fit me perfectly. This was incredible, how unusual to find a dress of this style and condition, at this price, and fit like a custom made dress.
Incredible. The dress is beautiful as it is and definitely a look of the 1920′s- I am planning on giving it a modern twist that will remain classic and elegant. The sleeves will be going- they are a bit much for me. I think some antique lace continued just over the shoulder would make a very sleek and elegant look.
The front, too can be altered a bit- removing some of the rosettes and bringing the line a bit lower, this will be something I will have to play and experiment with. Over all I don’t want to do too much to this dress, but I think some simple well thought alterations and touches will blend some modern elegance into the feel (and make it my own).
The back is gorgeous, too- with a very long and graceful train.
With a little cleaning, pressing, and alterations this dress will have a complete turn around. I am very much looking forward to it! A slip will also need to be created with antique lace at the bottom so that heels can be worn with the dress. Little things!
Oh, it also came with a veil, the headband can be used but the material will have to be replaced as it is old and tattered. I may eliminate it completely, I haven’t quite decided yet- opinions? It may be a bit much!
So here you are- the original before photo shots of my $40 wedding dress find, I still don’t know what I think of this amazing find- or that it is real. But here it is!
