break service

being red is taking a little break...

will be back in full-force in a couple of weeks!  feel free to scroll through the archives...one year of goodies.

xo

Bon Jovi said it best...

I've completely fallen for this shirt...

[lowry's farm]

True Romance

Romance Was Born is the all-fun (lace, fringe, mini, bold, fluffy, etc.) brainchild of Australian design duo Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett. M.O.: outrageous, dramatic (but, still wearable) designs, integrity in production, and adored by musicians/rock stars/me. It sort of screams late 80s/early 90s meets Woodstock, right?

[Romance Was Born]

Out of this World

Oh mama. How cool are these daily photos from the NASA archive? Enjoy the weekend! Hopefully, I'll be back to a regular posting sched next week.

[unruly things]

Copy Right: Lace Up Pumps

Jane Aldridge's shoe collection is the most envied on the web, yet probably the most difficult to emulate.  For many of us, a pair of Chanel pumps aren't exactly something standard to pick up at the mall.  That's why when I spotted these Steve Madden pumps, I almost died.  They look similar to the Christian Louboutin's Jane featured last week.  It's good enough for me.  We may not have the labels, but we'll have the look, for sure.

P.S. Stay tuned for the Kahina-Giving Beauty giveaway winner announcement later today!

1940s Vogue

Don't you sometimes wish the covers were this thought out?

No airbrushing, just pure, sheer, artistic talent...

[conde nast]

My turn

Last week, I asked Katharine L'Heureux to answer my tiny version of a Proust questionnaire...I think it's only fair that I follow suit...

Your idea of perfect bliss? Laying in a hammock with the latest issue of Vogue/Dwell/T+L in hand / Greatest fear? Not crossing everything off of my to-do list / Your most prize possession? My raggedy, old baby pillow! / Song describing your current mood: "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder / Words or phrases you most overuse? “Is that a joke?” / Which talent would you most like to have? A steady hand to paint perfect nails (READ: DYI manis that don't look like I went to the butcher) / Where would you most like to live? Somewhere dainty, maybe a cottage of some sort / My favorite snack food is... ANY variation of cheese and/or cheese products (i.e. Laughing Cow, Cheese Doodles, a block of Munster, etc.) / If you could be anyone, real or fiction, who would you be? 1. Martha, 2. Blair Waldorf, 3. Giada / Your motto? What goes around, comes around. / On a plane, sleep or get some work done? Sleep. Sleep. Sleep.

If you have a minute, play along! It IS Tuesday after all...

xo!

Ashley Olsen

Look at the zippers from wrist to elbow!

This is why she is my favorite.

[marie claire]

Reel to Real: Coming to America

1988's Coming to America showed a glimpse of luxury in a world filled with colored-leather jackets, defined shoulder pads, and ripped acid wash denim. It also just so happens to be a movie that re-runs on Comedy Central about 20 times a year and one that I've become strangely familiar with (in the category with Goonies, Home Alone, and My Best Friend's Wedding). No surprise that when I spotted this Matthew Williamson rabbit coat, I knew EXACTLY where I had seen it...

1. Matthew Williamson Long Belted Rabbit Coat
2. Angel Jackson Woven Studded Atena Bag
3. Balmain Peak-shouldered Leather Jacket

4. Sheila Fajl Glow Round Chips Bib Necklace

5. Searle Long, Silk-lined Leather Glove
6. Forever 21 Patent Ballet Slipper

Obsessed much? Clare Tough Autumn/Winter 2009/2010

Self-explanatory!  Somehow, the British Clare Tough makes knit sweaters the sexiest, yet endearing piece of clothing you would ever want to own.  Looks like there might be a Balmain influence with the strong shoulders?  It works.  It really, really does.

[knit kicks]

G is for GIVEAWAY! Kahina-Giving Beauty...

In the age of crazy, regulated TSA guidelines (very grateful!), it's almost commonplace to make it onto the plane with a much lighter carry-on. In Katharine L'Heureux's case, her 2007 trip to Morocco began with a checkpoint confiscation of her coveted luxury face cream. But, as fate would have it, she was surrounded by good company upon her arrival in Marrakech. Her guide walked her to an apothecary, where she encountered Morocco's native argan oil...a meet cute that changed her life, and the lives of Berber women, forever.

Her skin care line, Kahina-Giving Beauty, focuses on the notion of women helping other women with their regional, natural beauty rituals. She gives back 25% of her profits to the Moroccan women who work in her co-op! The products are made of sustainable, natural ingredients that work...I've even heard a friend comment that "one treatment feels like you just got a facial". Her main ingredient? Argan oil, of course.

Over the weekend, I had the chance to chat with Katharine L'Heureux, founder of Kahina-Giving Beauty. All-inspiring and...she likes the Beatles!

Your idea of perfect bliss? A hot bath / Greatest fear? Global warming and that it won’t stop raining / Your most prize possession? My volumetric flask / Song describing your current mood. “Fixing a Hole” by the Beatles – it won’t stop raining / Words or phrases you most overuse? “It's my Destiny” / Which talent would you most like to have? Speaking Berber and Arabic / Where would you most like to live? Fes, Morocco / My favorite snack food is... raw almonds / If you could be anyone, real or fiction, who would you be? Michelle Obama / Your motto? I believe in Destiny / On a plane, sleep or get some work done? Both

VR: I love the concept of women helping women. In what ways does this philosophy help women beyond Morocco?

KL: The mere concept of “women helping women” raises awareness of women’s issues around the world. The more that people know about the struggles of underprivileged women, the more we can make a real change.

VR: Volunteering is something I've done in the past and really want to get back into. How can women give back? Are there opportunities to help the Berber women face-to-face?

KL: There are so many organizations that can provide direction for people interested in volunteering, depending on their schedules, their locations and their interests. And if a person doesn’t have the time, it is easy to donate money to many causes online. If it is helping women there is the Global Fund for Women for Women International which help women in need around the world. There are also great sites like Nest which provide micro-loans to women in third world countries, often in exchange for goods which are for sale on the website.

Big, big thank you to Katharine for working with me on this! She's a gem! For more on her story, visit Kahina Giving Beauty or check out the behind-the-scenes on her blog. I'm sure we'll be seeing more great things from her in the near future! xo

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*To enter the being red giveaway, leave a comment below with your favorite beauty secret and/or beauty ritual. It can be anything from generic chapstick to high-end face wash to all-natural egg whites! Spill the juicy beans and your entry could be the one randomly selected on August 17th!

GRAND PRIZE: Kahina Giving Beauty Travel Kit (Facial Cleanser, Facial Lotion, and Argan Oil)

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UPDATE: The lucky winner is Underfunded Heiress! Congrats, Melanie! xo

Monday Madness

Happy Monday! I had an amazing weekend which, of course, ended too soon. Here are some things to keep me trekking through the week:

• Most important: Julie + Julia on Friday!
• style.com posted their Fall '09 trend reports last week! "Boudoir crossing" and "Party like it's 1983" are at the top of my list.
• August 3 is National Watermelon Day. August, altogether, is National Eye Exam Month! :)
• I need calling cards! Can anyone make me any? All I need is: pretty, professional, and catchy.
• A friend told me about this book (Nickel and Dimed). Has anyone read it?!!
• Tyra on Gossip Girl...
• I would move to the West Side!

photo via lookbook