Fall Into Color...

Sweater, Dress, Belt & Purse francescascollections;

Sunglasses and Boots MichaelKors; Necklaces liasophia

It's officially fall in AZ and the leaves are changing into bright, vibrant hues; well up North anyway. I love this time of year. You can break out the sweaters, scarves and boots and layer clothes without having to bundle up. How better to celebrate my favorite season, then with bursts of color!

What I Want Now!!!

http://www.jcrew.com/

I am in love with colored pants! They remind me so much of the 60’s and I love that vintage, laidback, casual, look. Pair it with adorable heels and clutch and you're good to go! So here is to my next, must have, fall purchase! Hope you find a color you love too!

My New Favorite Piece of Jewelry!

Ring: Omega, Pearls: Charming Charlie



My new favorite piece of jewelry! I recently picked up this ring on my trip to New York and have found that I will determine my outfit for the day based on whether or not it will go with this ring. My mother has always joked to anyone who has asked her what to get me as a gift and she has always said, ‘If it’s pink and it sparkles, she’s happy!’ And how better then to pair it with then pearls! Plus who doesn’t love an awesome cocktail ring!

My Long Lost Bedazzler!

I was out to eat lunch yesterday and due to it being a busy time of the day, it was easier to sit in the bar area; plus it’s way more fun to people watch in the bar. In walks this lady and all I could think of was Atlantic City here I come! (Don’t get me wrong I am slightly partial to NJ, but still, come on!)  So she walks in with a floral, sparkle, torn up top, silver metallic gladiator sandals and her hair is so big and teased back, all I could think of was ‘how many cans of Aqua Net did that take?!’ To top it off, and save the best for last, were the rhinestone knee length leggings! Wow! There were so many rhinestones on that spandex I thought, ‘Oh my gosh she had found my long lost Bedazzler! Can I please have it back, JK!, You can keep it!’ There were so many crystals on there she looked like an out-of-control disco ball! I thank for the entertaining lunch, but this is definitely a fashion DON’T! I think the Bedazzler went out when I lost it 20 years ago.

Arizona Summer Storms

It’s early August, and one of the most amazing things about Arizona summers, are the storms; better known as Monsoon Season. Tonight, I am sitting on my couch in my living room and can hear the wind howling, the thunder pounding, the lighting flashing through the windows and it is all echoing through my fireplace. I then remembered of some pictures, a friend took, of the famous Arizona storms and our lightening and had to share them. Even though the summers in AZ are absolutely brutal they are made incredible by the magnificent storms.

The smell of the desert rain and the lightening flashing through the sky will stay etched in my memory for all eternity. And I just had to share it with you.



Photos by Jay Samuel

How Short Is Too Short?...

I recently was sitting in the bar of a restaurant, after work one day, with my boyfriend. I had my back to the door as my boyfriend faced it. I noticed his eyes widen due to a girl walking in, but not in the oh-la-la way, more in a way of complete shock. I turned around to see what was so shocking for him to notice and there it was...the TOO short shorts. Now this girl was not by any means overweight, but she definitely was not in shape. Her shorts were soooo short that I was able to see the entirety of the pockets.  

I fully understand short shorts are in, but I also feel there comes a point where you have to have some self-respect...I don't care how amazing your body is, there IS a point were certain fashions are not appropriate in any situation. And why is it that it usually the ones WITHOUT the killer body wearing the short, short, tight shorts, I’m sorry, but it’s not attractive! Please ladies lets wear some longer, looser shorts.

My New Obsession…Turquoise!

White hat: boardwalk boutique; Turquoise necklace and bracelet: Francesca's collections

http://www.francescascollections.com/

So I have recently become obsessed with turquoise jewelry. I grew up in Arizona, so to me, I have always viewed it as the tacky stuff that you pick up in those ridiculous touristy shops just to say that you bought something “Arizona-ish”. Or call me weird, but I have always associated it with grandmas, maybe, because growing up I have sent mine so much of it over the years that I always see her and her friends in it.

I have come to realize though that turquoise is actually quite beautiful and in the right setting, pretty gorgeous. I personally love it on gold. It just seems to bring out the brilliant color even more so and I really just LOVE gold. So I have recently started collecting it here and there. And with my luck I live a convenient place to buy it.

I have paired my turquoise pieces with yellows, purples, floral’s and so much more, but my all-time favorite is against white. It helps the turquoise pop even more! And to top it all off, I add a big white floppy hat! Come on, who doesn’t love an over sized floppy hat; especially in the AZ heat!

The Era of Disco

Halston Heritage Line: http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/

There is something about the 70’s disco era that I absolutely love. People were still trying to hold onto a sense of glamour, but one that was changing with the times. A simple night out to go dancing required extravagant outfits, covered in gold jewelry…YEAH, perfect for me!!!!!!! I love when certain fashions make a comeback; especially this one! Wide legged pants aka bellbottoms, wrap dresses, jumpsuits, platform shoes and gold accessories! Some of the most well-known and sought after designers of the times were Yves St Laurent, Halston, & Diane von Furstenberg. I ran across this dress and knew it had to be mine! Everything about it reminds me of the pictures my mother has of herself on nights out to go dance the night away; plus her favorite color is purple. And who better to bring that nostalgia back then the wonderful Halston line itself!

GET YOUR GROVE ON!!!!!!!!

TAN LINES & SUNSHINE

Alright Ladies!, I know that we live in the wonderful ‘Valley of the Sun’ and love to have a gorgeous tan, but sometimes we can take it just a little too far…. Now we all get those infamous tan lines, you know, the ones that show the triangle top or the funky cut-out swimsuits, but sometimes we forget the sunscreen in certain places, or just forget to let the sun in… Don’t fall victim to the funky and very awkward tan lines ladies! We don’t need you walking around like this…Yikes!!!
 

And remember to wear ‘some’ sunscreen. You don’t want to have sun spotted, leathery skin that ages you. Remember we as women LOVE to look younger and too much sun won’t help that…. So here’s my kind of SUNSHINE!

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik

Modern Day Flapper

Dress: H & M; Shoes: Christian Louboutin;

Necklace: Charming Charlie;

Bracelet: BCBG; Clutch: Vintage

So the other night I was digging through my closet trying to find something to wear for dinner. Just then I stumbled on it, across all the heels on my floor, the perfect LPD (little pink dress). I had completely forgotten that I had this cute little pink dress in my closest and just knew it would be perfect for dinner. Frilly and girly, with tons of pearls! It is my modern day version flapper dress!



Paris in the 1920's

Scene from the movie Midnight in Paris with Marion Cotillard and Owen Wilson

So I recently went to see the movie Midnight in Paris. Check out a preview from their website; http://www.sonyclassics.com/midnightinparis/. Maybe it was the movie itself or the fact that Paris is one of my favorite cities or just that I love the 20’s, but I fell in love with it. Marion Cotillard plays the character Adriana from 1920’s Paris. Whether you like her performance or the movie itself, I LOVE her wardrobe. It is classic 20’s, Golden Age of Paris, flapper style.

There is one dress in particular that is my absolute favorite!(dress above) The delicate, intricate bead work on this dress I find to be breathtaking. At first glance it doesn’t seem like much, but as you come into focus you notice the draping of row upon row of seed beads going in every direction. This isn’t something you see much in the 21^st century, unless its couture, but dresses like these where a little more common to night life. Today nightwear seems to be jeans and heels, not that I’m against this, but there is something less delicate and feminine about jeans.

The 1920’s were filled with gorgeous dresses, dripping with bead work, fringe, embroidery and so much more. Even though the waistline was lost, and considered unfeminine for the times, there was still something so feminine and intriguing about the beads, lace and the extreme risqué low backed dresses. I feel as though we have lost that sense of beauty in something so simple as a cocktail dress, but without fail I believe we can bring it back! At least in our own modern way...

So go out and find your perfect cocktail dress, dripping with gorgeous feminine elegance!



Not So Fabulous Yoga Experience

So I recently went to yoga, bikram to be exact; you know that crazy hot yoga where it’s 105* at like a 100 million % humidity! I love going when I feel like I need a bit of a detox. You walk out completely soaked head to toe, but you feel refreshed…it cleanses you; well not all of you apparently… While I was there the other day I wasn’t feeling 100% and had to sit down a few times. It was rather crowded, too. Now I’ve been numerous times, but I guess I never stopped to notice ‘the feet!’ Now I have a bit of an issue with feet and cleanliness and let’s just say my not feeling so well was just intensified by what I saw…the dreaded ‘athlete’s foot’! YUCK! And not just on one person, but on almost every single person in the room. This wasn’t just a little bit of some dead icky skin, it was taking over every inch of their feet; all consuming, flesh eating, skin deteriorating, nasty fungus. By the end of the session I was so freaked out that I might catch it I ran, quite literally, to the store to buy some preventative spray so I WOULDN’T get it too! When I got home I decided to do a little bit of research. Not that I didn’t know what athlete’s foot was, but I just wanted to see what the internet had to say. Now I know Wikipedia is not a medical journal, by any means, but this is what it had to say, ‘Athlete’s foot, also known as ringworm of the foot, is caused by a fungi…..which is typically transmitted in moist areas where people walk barefoot....’ For those of you who aren’t familiar with this type of yoga, or any yoga for that matter, a requirement is that you must be barefoot and in this particular kind of yoga it is incredibly moist. At this point I don’t know if I can ever go back for my detox workout without the absolute fear that I might step in the wrong place and get it too. Ewwwww!

Oh, on top of the freak out with feet I noticed something rather peculiar; more like inappropriate. Although, it does get extremely hot and sweaty people still manage to wear clothing; most do anyway. While sitting down a guy in the class I do believe was wearing underwear…I mean ONLY his underwear! Now, I am glad that people chose to wear underwear, but no one needs to see it, not in public anyway…ever! To top that off, at the end of class when I was grabbing my bag a women walked out wearing only her underwear as well. Boyshorts and a basic bra, not a sports bra. I think we may have had the same boy shorts too, which I don’t think I can ever look at again. Listen people there is a reason why these garments are called ‘underwear’, because YOU WEAR THEM UNDER YOUR CLOTHING! For the sake of all mankind and other yoga participants, please cover up what is designed to be covered up. Thank you!  

*All the more reason to take care of my feet, so I can wear my cute new sandels that show them!

Shoes; Dolce Vita

A Little About Me...

I live in beautiful sunny Scottsdale, Arizona. The pools are always warm, the drinks cold and there’s always a scene. This town definitely has some beautiful women and even men. I have heard from men who visit here say that ‘they want to live here, there isn’t anywhere better’ on the other hand, women who come to visit say, ‘they would never live here in a million years; there is way too much competition’. It definitely has that; competition. The main appeal here is; gorgeous, tall, skinny, blonde, with big boobs. Well they are at least are blonde, with big boobs; those seem to be the key components. To say the least, they start to all blend together as one women/look.

Women go to all lengths to achieve the above mentioned goals and sometimes to such an extreme that they forget who they are and that even though a look may be amazing for one woman, it doesn’t mean it will work for you too. Find what does and don’t fall into the trends if they don’t flatter you.

I find that I am constantly people watching and a good 90% of the time my eyebrow shoots up and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Seriously!, Did you look in the mirror before you walked out the door?’ or ‘Who told you that looks good?, because they are lying and they don’t REALLY like you’.

I am a bit too critical and have a few too many pet peeves, but hey that is just me. I am fully open to criticism. If I walk out the door and my bff doesn’t tell me I look ridiculous and I do; let’s just say we may not be friends much longer. 

So here begins my rant of the things I don’t like, freak me out, drive me crazy and even the things I love!

Love of Art

Shoes; Escada

Fashion is wearable art. It is our way to express our unique individuality. As with art, some may find it beautiful, breathtaking, unique, ugly, disgusting and even grotesque. We each have our own style, but as with art, the smallest tweak could make the viewer see it as beautiful or even hideous. 

                Wear your art that is unique to you, but that always makes you look and feel beautiful. For those of you who don’t, well let’s just say please pay attention…

Oh and I judge everyone by their shoes…ha!