Happy One Year!

My oh my how time flies!! A year a go this month I started my fashion blog, hoping I could keep it going. So I want to say thank you to everyone who reads this, & I hope there are many more years to come! I'm trying to get diverse as time goes on & cater to everyones different styles, so if you have a question or suggestions PLEASE tell me! 

Now, onto some great fashion from the American Music Awards! If you read the last post, then you won't be very surprised to see all the sequins and shimmer everywhere. I think hands down Selena Gomez was the best dressed of the night. At such a young age I think she has perfected her mature but sexy style.

Selena in Armani

Taylor Swift

Sarah Hyland

Julie Bowen

Vanessa Lachey

xoxo,

Christina

source: MTV online

Treat yourself to sequins

I love everything that sparkles. Actually, most girls love anything that sparkles. The allure of sequins will be timeless, and it's something that will never fade. But why is it that we see so many more sparkly items for sale during the winter time? The answer to that is very simple. During the fall/winter we have to wear tights with our dresses, and coats, and scarves, and basically we are covered head to toe. Women want to feel sexy and cute even when its -32 degrees outside. Therefore, the addition of some pretty sparkle is exactly what's needed. A shimmery tote to add to your all black/grey outfit? Yes! Some rhinestone sparkle earrings to wear with your blazer? Yes! Sequins and shimmer are in this winter & I have a few great pieces to share with you! I am the kind of person that goes ALL out with a trend if I love it. Therefore I don't just want a sparkly bag or headband. I want full on sequin pants (which by the way yes, thanks to Siwy I DO own). I want a mini dress that is ALL gold sequins. Don't be afraid to be kind of crazy because I promise you people will look at you with admiration & maybe a little jealousy of why they didn't take the leap themselves first. Just to spark your interest ....

Siwy Hannah Sequin Pant

Urban outfitters

Sequin Dress

asos

xoxo,

Christina

It's All About The Men..

I'm convinced men are equally as concerned about their appearance, but the majority of them just don't show it. They know that dressing well is major brownie points with any girl, so let's be honest they want to make that effort. So all right guys, here are a few fall must have's that are in trend & should be staple pieces in your closet. You can wear most of these in multiple ways & get creative, so investing in a nice item will go a long way I can promise you that! As I've said hundreds of times, every great trend starts in England. I look to the British to see what's happening and trust me they always know. This also means it takes some time to come to the main stream American retail, and takes even longer to come into trend in cities outside of LA and New York. My biggest piece of advice is don't be scared to take a risk. Just because you are the only one of your friends to own corduroy pants doesn't mean you should shy away from wearing it. It's called being a trend STARTER. You wear something new and fresh, and people follow. Who doesn't want to lead the pack?

1. Pea Coats - Camel & Tan
Pea coats are a timeless look that is very uni-sex. In the past few years it's been all about the basic black and grey pea coats, but for this season it's all about freshening it up. Camel, khaki, and tan colored pea coats are coming back into style strong for Fall/Winter. The 60's and 70's era influence is being seen more heavy during the coming months, and that includes having brighter colored wool coats. Basically, let's channel your inner Mad Men. The Camel color is soft, easy on the eyes, and can really give a nice pop to just about any outfit. This coat looks great when it's a little tightered and tailored to fit your body. The best part of the color Camel is that is matches almost anything (well except for grey...), and it just makes the outfit brighter. The look is great with a chunky cable knit sweater, some dark jeans, and suede loafers. Complete perfection. You can throw it on with almost outfit and it will give it a pop and majorly turn ladies heads.

Versace

2. Staple Black Blazer
I can't possibly emphasize the importance of every guy to have a tailored black blazer. It's not an option, it's a necessity! If someone can tell me what's hotter then a guy with a loose button down (top button open) & a tailored blazer ill be impressed. Because in reality, that is just about as good as it gets. Wear a blazer with black pants, wear them with dark jeans, wear them with corduroys (ill get to that next), and most importantly wear it out to a bar. Seriously. What I wouldn't do to walk into a bar and see a guy in a blazer who didn't just come from a wedding or a race track. It basically screams "hi, I'm mature, sophisticated, charming...you want to talk to me." Yeah... if you're a guy you need it.

Theory

3. Corduroy Pants
This trend is taking a spin on the basic khaki pants. You might have a closet full of every shade of denim, every shade of khaki (including the navy and red), but what you don't have is probably fitted corduroy pants. What I love about this trend is that you can wear them in almost any color without looking ridiculous. Do you want to wear maroon pants? Olive green? Corduroy makes that looks flawless, where as khaki in those shades can come out looking kind of funky. These pants look best when paired to dress up your outfit. So I suggest it with a nice collar shirt, button down, and/or a blazer. Hey... better yet imagine this with a Camel pea coat. Now we're talking.

Polo Black Label

Gucci

Levi's

4. Plaid
So this might seem a little lumberjack-ish, but plaid is actually getting revamped. The thing about plaid is that it needs to be done in moderation. You can only pick one piece to wear per outfit. What I love is a plaid tie because it's so unique and makes a boring outfit fun. Other options are plaid trimmed blazers (how great is that?!), and of course the ever so loved plaid shirt. A way to make plaid look less homely and more sexy is to avoid wearing it with jeans. Khakis are okay, but the best option is with black pants and maybe even a blazer to spice it up.

Plaid Tie

Polo

xoxo,

Christina

Watch Out: Chocolate brown time pieces

This past year we saw a flux of rose gold watches and accessories. It was the color of the season, and everything from shoes to handbags to even pants took on the hue. So what's going to be new for the upcoming season? Chocolate brown. Chances are we all might own a silver watch, a gold watch, black, maybe a leather band watch, perhaps one thats white, and then of course Rose gold. Well, now it's time to make room in that jewelry box for one more shade.

The Chocolate brown watches are something we will see coming out in late Winter (due to its darker shade), but it will make a full appearance in the spring. This isn't quite the same as the tortoise shell we have seen before. This is more a solid metal that is brown, or a solid rubber that is all brown. It's something unique and different which is what consumers are craving. We all want the next unthought of item and we are getting just that. A few watch companies have already begun unleashing their chocolate creations, and I expect many more to jump on the bandwagon. It's an unusual choice because it does not match everything, but I think if you do invest in this choice it will be very smart. Just imagine how a brown watch would pop with a bright autumn orange sweater and some light flare jeans. Complete hotness .... here are a few of the watches out so far.

Michael Kors Mens Chronograph

Emporio Armani

Okay so yes ladies there will be options available for you as well in this department. It's something new so there isnt much out there just yet. By Spring 2012 the chocolate brown watches will be everywhere for your buying pleasure, and I'll do an update then as to where you can buy them!

xoxo,

Christina

Fall Must Haves!

As the leaves start falling and the pumpkin spiced lattes are in everyones hands, it's all too obvious that fall as arrived. There are a lot of fabulous new fall trends, but there are a few must have items that are core pieces for every wardrobe. They can all be worn many different ways & are completely versatile staple pieces.

1. Chunky Knit Scarf: A big knit scarf (black or grey) is perfect for adding a cute touch to your outfit or coat. Not only is it warm, but it will match with just about anything. If your feeling sweats and a hoodie this scarf will dress it up, or if you're in skinny jeans,  boots, and a top it will match perfectly with that as well. Super versatile, super cute, and super warm

Paula Bianco

2) Flare leg Jeans: You can't avoid the 70's style that is just about taking over the fashion industry. Skinny jeans are amazing, but on the flip side flare legs are perfect for giving legs an elongated look. Put on some heels, tuck in your top, add a skinny belt and you are looking casual sexy just like that. A few brands I trust and love to get this look just right for any body type is J Brand, and for women with a bit more curve and high rise fit I like Not Your Daughters Jeans. 

J Brand Bianca

J Brand Velvet Martini

Not Your Daughter's Jeans

3. Gold Statement watch: With the fall hues its easy to find outfits that are darker hues. Darker painted nails, darker shades of eye makeup, dark jeans... you get the point. With that in mind, it's extra important to add a pop of sparkle. A big gold boyfriend watch is a great statement to your wrist to break up the darkness throughout the rest of your body. 

Michael Kors

Guess

4. Trench: When its cold enough to wear a coat, but not cold enough to go full on puffer jacket, what comes next? In my book, a trench coat. A Khaki or black trench is the perfect cute dress up coat that can be worn with jeans or worn with a dress. It adds feminine curves to any body type and is easy to wear and style. If you really want a splurge, Burberry has perfected the trench to an absolute masterpiece. However, for those of us looking for a more reasonable piece to the wardrobe, here are a few great trench coats.

Michael Kors

Victorias Secret

INC

happy fall shopping everyone!

xoxo

Christina

Best Dressed Award goes to...

The Emmy red carpet did not disappoint this year! Although I had a lot of favorites, the one look I instantly fell in love with was that of Miss Nina Dobrev. She was one of the first arriving on the red carpet, and once I saw her dress I could not get it out of my mind! I caught myself comparing all of the following dresses to it, and somehow none of them stood a chance. Nina picked an absolutely gorgeous Donna Karen gown in the color of the evening... Red. So perfect.

xoxo,

Christina

pictures: People.com

My inspiration & idol... Rachel Zoe

To me, Rachel Zoe is much more then simply a fashion icon. She is my inspiration, and if I could be 1/4th as amazing as she is, my life would be complete. She styles, she designs, she runs her entire empire, and its always flawless. My whole life I knew I had I had an obsession with clothing, and not just in the materialistic sense. The way a beautifully designed piece can make me feel inside is unlike any other feeling. It's beauty to my eyes, and my soul just feels happy. Ask any artist what they feel when they see a deeply moving painting, and equate that to how I feel when I see a breathtaking collection. While in college I just knew I couldn't hide my true passion but I was always scared to take that leap in the "unconventional" route. People expect you to go to Grad school, or Law school, and certainly NOT fashion school. Watching Rachel, reading her blog, and hearing her words is what finally gave me the courage to stop thinking about what everyone else wants me to do, and doing what I love. She has always been my idol and I can't get enough of her work.

Rachel taking this jump into designing is something I have long awaited and expected. I knew it would be flawless, but when I saw just what she had created I almost had no words. Each piece was inspired by the Parisian girl, just lost in the Paris streets. It's old Hollywood, it's chic, glamorous, and it's completely heavenly. Her debut at fashion week gave me chills to watch, and I want to share with you this beautiful line. Style.com has all the coverage for anyone who wants to re-watch the show itself, but here are the highlights below.

xoxo,

Christina

Tracy Reese - Resort

This collection is fun, flirty, and makes me want to head to a 5 star beach resort ASAP! So far, its been one of my favorites I've seen. The use of umbrellas, fun flower patterns and powerful color make it a complete treat for the eyes! Visual eye candy is commencing below..

xoxo,

Christina