Sugar Plum Delight

...Mmm I know strong red lips are big this fall, but I feel like that is a classic, a given if you will. I always love red lips, matte and bold. Red lips will always be in style in my book.

But, the lip shade I love this fall is….purple. Yes!!! After seeing the Teen Vogue shoot with Emma Watson, I fell in love. I currently am wearing Butterfly Ball in Goodbye, by Lipstick Queen. It is a surprisingly easy to wear purple that looks stunning for this season and beyond. If you aren't ready for purple try a nice wine color, which is also a gorgeous shade choice.

Intriguing, But False

My past blog on "lickable wallpaper" was erroneous, erroneous on all accounts. Sadly, I found out that this wallpaper is only of the scratch and sniff variety. So, I am sorry if I got anyone as excited about this product as I was; I completely misled you. On the upside, the wallpapers are still bright and fun!

Electric Canvas

So far in my blog, I have written about scouring for beauty in your everyday world and in the people around you, seeing with your eyes wide open if you will. But, I also find great inspiration from art, whatever I deem worthy, therefore art is to be defined only in the loosest sense of the word.

One of my favorite modern artists is Randall Stoltzfus and I was lucky enough to see his work in San Francisco at the LIMN Gallery in the Spring. The paintings are simply breathtaking in person, he incorporates gold leaf, palladium leaf and oil to create the most delicate illusions to the eye. The Van Goghesque repetition to show movement is surreal. I find I get lost in his paintings...

http://sloweye.net/

Awake and See

"With new eyes, a new world can emerge. See the beauty in others and your days become magical. See the beauty in nature and preserve it with all of your heart and soul."

This is the quote on the box for Eye Hope by Philosophy. I believe in this statement; I don't know how much not having fine lines and puffiness around my eyes actually effects my vision, but it may aid in lifting my mood. Nonetheless, the statement on the box resonated with me and I wanted to share it. Even though it is a Monday morning crowded with all the chaos that is the beginning of another week, I hope you can see the beauty in others, nature and yourself.

The Trouble with Jeans...

...finding the right pair for you. So far, my jean search is not successful. I love the skinny jeans look, but honestly I keep trying and trying to find a flattering pair, but I go home disappointed every time. I have been trying other styles of the straight and bootcut varieties, but no luck there either. And of course, I want to avoid the dreaded muffin top-yikes.

Truth be told, I don't actually love jeans, nor do I feel the need to wear them everyday. I have always preferred skirts and dresses, obviously paired with tights in the colder months. But this fall I just want a good pair of jeans, and the weather is already starting to cool down. I am starting to realize that maybe the reason I prefer the skirts and dresses, is that somewhere in my subconscious I have always known I look miserable in a pair of denim pants? The hunt remains on!

Easy Like Monday Evening

Living in Manhattan. The harbor, the history and the Statue of Liberty. The sail boats. Walking along the water with a breeze of almost fresh air. Well, these are some of the things I am discovering in NYC. While strolling along the water, I felt removed from the hustle, bustle and grind of the city. I don't think I was the only one who felt the calm of the early evening, everyone was in relaxed mode with weekend jeans and t-shirts. Refreshing.

Tasty Decor

Lickable Wallpaper…could it be? Why yes, yes it can. While wandering about in the Meatpacking District, I discovered a delightful little place called Wonderland. The boutique/salon sold lickable wallpaper, yes, just like in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory-unfortunately the paper didn't come in "schnozzberry".

Maybe this lickable paper is quite common, but this was an astonishing find for me. How fascinating? In what room would you put this tasty treat?????

Style Note

In regards to the differences in fashion on each coast, one thing stood out to me most. New York City has much more variety in style, whereas in Los Angeles, there is less deviance from the relaxed path of a West Coaster. Simply put, LA is defined by their laid back look. NYC has every fashion variety under the sun and you can see it by just sitting back and watching the NYC inhabitants rush past you.

Rising in the East

I haven't been able to blog due to the fact that I have been in a car driving across the country, literally coast to coast. I just made the move from LA to NYC. On my drive, I was reminded of a song "America, the Beautiful". I could post some gorgeous picture, but nothing would do the majestic mountains of Colorado justice or show the vastness of the wide open plains in Iowa or the complete desolate lands of Utah. No words or pictures can express this, so I will stop trying. What I will try to do is challenge you to explore the world around you and discover the beauty in it and get inspired. I am going to do the same thing in my new town!

Lykke, The Great

Lykke Li…one of my personal style favorites of this generation. She wears what she likes and literally rocks it. It doesn't appear that she is concerned about the trends, only what she likes. I also love that she is still layering necklaces-that is a look I still very much enjoy. Her music is even more amazing than her style persona and I love her confidence on stage. I captured the video below of Lykke performing "Let it Fall" at her concert at the famous Wiltern in LA. Adoration.

Feet to the Ground, Eyes Wide Open

These floorboards were so alluring to me. With wear and tear, these boards gained a great deal of character and became very interesting. They aged with perfection. I noticed these boards while waiting in line at Malibu Seafood. It is funny what we see when we actually stop to look...

Malibu Inspiration

Everywhere I go, I try to find something that is delightful to the senses and my trip to Malibu over the weekend was no exception. I must admit with the scenery in Malibu, it was easy because I was surronded by beauty! Malibu is gorgeous-the mountains seem so close and almost surreal. California's terrain is truly spectacular.

Style note: Malibu has a mix of surfer style and beach glamour, but overall the laid back look won out.

The French Influence

I admire the French style that plays muse to so many, that je ne sais quoi. I had that reminiscent feeling of sitting at a Parisian sidewalk café the other morning at Breadbar in LA on Third Street. The breakfast was perfection, an almond croissant and steaming hot coffee. Enough to evoke a very French experience.

I vow to learn how to speak French. It will be the capstone in learning the art of French style. One of my favorite books is My French Life, by Vicki Archer. It is a must read coffee table book and the photography by Carla Coulson is stunning. The entire book is full of inspiration!

A Question of Red

Yesterday's post posed a question for some…With what and how do I pull off the red lipstick? The first answer that came to mind was…confidence. With that being said, the red lipstick is a commitment for the day and will be the focal point. Therefore, it is best to keep the rest of your face fairly bare. A wonderful tip given by Poppy King, CEO and founder of Lipstick Queen, is to apply your lipstick first and you will be surprised how much less makeup will be needed on the rest of your face! I have tested this method, and couldn’t agree more.

And don't be afraid or over think things, there isn't anything special you have to wear with red lips. Honestly, I love the look with a white v-neck tee and boyfriend jeans.

Tips for application: I find that putting the lip liner all over my lips as a base of sorts helps the lipstick to stay on better and gives me that more true red color. For the first application, apply the lipstick with a lip brush. You will have to reapply during the day, so make sure to throw the lipstick in your purse. Enjoy feeling glamorous all day!

Throwing Glamour Into Your Everday Life

I love the idea of wearing red lipstick and drinking coffee. There's no rhyme or reason, I just love red lipstick and it instantly makes me feel glamorous, even if I am just sitting at home reading the paper. Maybe I feel so wonderful because I pretend that I look similar to Eva Green as Vesper in Casino Royale.

I sometimes run into the problem of red lipsticks appearing pink on my lips. If you have the same problem, try adding a lip pencil under the lipstick (my favorite is NARS)…the color stays on sooo much better. Also, I personally do not enjoy a glossy red, I prefer the more matte variety.

Why is it that red lipstick is so glamorous? Maybe a nod to old Hollywood à la Rita Hayworth….

Taking on the World.

I define my personal style simply as ‘laid-back glamour’. But, I should also note that description is always changing and in constant transformation. This is what I enjoy most about my style; it is constantly changing and growing with me. Every city I live in, every job I take on affects and alters my style, so that I never get bored. I love being inspired by the world around me. Views from a hike in my current city...loving la.

Making Style Your Own

Style is a tremendously difficult word to define and can only be defined by oneself. It is not the latest fad or trend to hit the market. It is simply what you like.

While wine tasting in Napa, California, one of the kind vintners imparted this wisdom on me: “It doesn’t matter if the wine is $10 a bottle or $300, it doesn’t matter what year and harvest the grape is, the important question is…do you like it?”

I look at fashion the same way - it is not about what’s trendy, how much it costs or who designed it…the most important question is do you like it? Once you start answering only to yourself then you can begin developing your style, which takes a great deal of time because you must experiment A LOT!

Confidence and one’s self-assurance are the keys to personal style. Style needs no one’s approval but your own! (cheesy I know, but sometimes we need that little reminder)

Check back with me for inspiration and my latest takes on style!