3.31.2010

Trend Watch Wednesday: The Palette


Happy Wednesday...Trend Watch Wednesday, that is.

This week has been a beautiful one thus far and it looks like spring has finally arrived for good, (let's hope I didn't just jinx us!)

With the flowers in bloom and the thermometer at a steady 65 degrees, it's probably safe to say we can pack away the winter wardrobe. Bye coats and scarves, see you next year....

Although vibrant, vivid hues, (think day-glo orange and electric purple) will be all the rage this summer, the color palette for clothing and make-up is very soft and subtle for our spring season. Need some inspiration, girls? Let's take a look together:

Behold, some shots from the spring '10 Celine and Jil Sander runway shows. As you can see, khaki and taupe reign supreme. And how much are we loving the crisp white shirt on the first model? So nice and squeaky clean...


I plucked a few of my favorite items for these collages below:


1. Elke bangles in Buff
2. Essie nail polish in Flawless
3. Gary Bigeni silk jersey dress in Lavender
4. Zimmermann wool and silk jacket
5. Christian Louboutin shoes



6. Charlotte Olympia gold platform shoes
7. Lonely Hearts bras in Lavender and Sky Blue

So as you're out and about this week doing your warm-weather shopping, consider a softer palette.

Today is the last day for the Devon Baer giveaway, so don't forget to go enter! I'll announce the winner sometime tomorrow, so stay tuned...it might just be you ; )

Be blessed, lovelies-








3.30.2010

Cravings Corner: {Braids, Road Trips and Other Stuff}

What is it about this time of the year that is so darn inspiring? The photos that I've been seeing in the mags and online lately are just plain gorgeous. I mean, beautiful photos are the driving force behind this blog and the inspiration behind a little weekly column called "Cravings Corner". Ya'll remember when I did that for a while, right?

Yeah, I'd pretty much forgotten about Cravings Corner until I was trolling the web looking for photos last weekend and I suddenly remembered, "Oh yeah...Cravings Corner. Hmmmm, haven't done that in a while...."

So, please give a warm welcome, (once again), to CC. Maybe it will stick around for awhile this spring : )

This week, I'm craving:

1. A road trip

Windows down, full tank of gas, ice cold Coca-Cola Classic in my cupholder, some great music blaring from my speakers and my girlfriends gabbing away in the backseat. Sign me up, I'm ready to go...somewhere!


2. Braids


Yeah, random, right? I know. But I'm seeing the messy braids everywhere at the moment and I really, really want to try this look out on myself.



3. Missoni Scarves


Have you guys SEEN the newest Missoni scarves for spring? Oh my dear. They are wonderful. Please go here and look, if you haven't already. The colors, the interweaving of thread....it's almost too much to handle.



4. Platforms

No, I'm not an exotic dancer, (though I do own a copy of the Carmen Electra work-out dvd, HA!), but I am a sucker for a pair of ridiculously tall shoes.





As you can see above, Nicholas Kirkwood and Louis Vuitton are doing the platform proud this spring.


5. Picnic


I love to eat outside, preferably sitting on a blanket atop soft grass. In Arkansas, we have about a 5 week window between the middle of April/beginning of June in which to do this comfortably, as picnics are NO fun in 1,000 degree heat and humidity.

My fave picnic foods: PB and J, Baked Lays chips, fresh fruit (mmmmm...pinneapple) and sweet tea. Yum.


6. Pink hair

Ok, I would probably never try this, even with temporary color, (I hear it's almost impossible to get out of blonde hair.) But I LOVE this look.


Please, someone out there dye your hair like this so that I can live vicariously through you, haha : )

What are you craving this week? Do tell!

Be blessed, lovelies-














3.29.2010

Spring Fling


Hello and welcome back from the weekend, pretty people! I hope everyone has enjoyed a couple of days of relaxation and is as ready as ever to take on the week ahead.

Spring has definitely arrived. Know why? Because I woke up this morning to the sound of birds chirping. No kidding. I thought that only happened on TV.

It would have been a lovely way to awaken on a Monday morning, but unfortunately the birds weren’t aware that I get up at 6:30, not 5:30 like apparently they do. So I put my iPod headphones on and went back to sleep, birds chirping full blast right outside my window, haha.

Nest of noisy birds aside, this morning has been a beautiful one. The sun is shining; no rain in the forecast and it’s above 40 degrees outside. This girl can’t complain.

Know what else is beautiful? (Besides all of you, of course ; )

This spread in the March issue of Glamour magazine.


To quote my favorite fashionista Rachel Zoe, “I die.”




These exquisite photos were taken by the brilliant Koto Bolofo and styled by Xanthipi Joannides.




Which of the pictures above is your favorite?

Personally, I’m torn between the umbrella photo and the bicycle photo.

Be blessed, lovelies-








3.26.2010

Adventures of the High Heel Mafia- Part 1


Ok, diving right in to today’s blog topic…it’s the 1st official edition of the High Heel Mafia. Whoop, whoop! BTW, can a mafia consist of just two people? Because it’s just Donna and I…so…yeah…just curious if we’re legit or not.
Anywhozit, the topic of today is “7 Things Every Woman Should Know How to Do." I’m only 25 and Donna is young too, but combined we’re like, really old. So we’re meshing our life experiences together to share what we think every woman should be able to do.

1. Dress to Fit Your Body Shape

To look your best, you gotta know what you actually look like. You laugh, but SO many women have no clue what shape their bodies really are.


A great way to figure out your shape is to decide where you are widest, (across the hips, the bust, etc.) and where you are narrowest.

Are your hips the widest part of your body? You might be a pear shape. Does your waist curve in or is it square? If your waist is significantly narrower than your hips, you are likely an hourglass. Broad shoulders and bust? Hello, you gorgeous apple.


Check out my post earlier this year about how to dress your body type. You can also check out this really great article from Glamour magazine about dressing “skinny”.


2. The Art of the Quick Escape

There is truly an art to the graceful exit. Whether it be cutting out early from a bad date, leaving early from a dull party or just getting away from the lady in accounting who can’t stop talking about her cats, there is a very specific skill set involved in making a smooth get-away.


So make sure that prior to any event, you have an arsenal of back-up plans and excuses for leaving at the ready. It sounds bad, but you’ll be glad you did.


3. Make One REALLY Good Meal

Whether you’re cooking for your significant other, a prospective significant other, your friends or your family, you should always have one go-to recipe on standby. Trust me from experience, never, EVER, try out a new recipe on a new audience. The repercussions are usually not pretty.


Do you make a mean pot roast? Maybe you’re best at frying chicken. It doesn’t have to be fancy, as long as it tastes good.

My go-to gal for any big meal…Paula Deen! She never requires weird or expensive ingredients and most of her stuff is relatively easy to make. I personally love her Bacon Rubbed Roast Tenderloin. Now that’s a girl who knows her way around the kitchen.


4. Write a Good Thank-You Note

In this day of e-mail, Facebook and texting, the simple hand-written thank-you note is almost extinct. But there is nothing that puts a smile on my face quicker than to receive a heartfelt card or letter.

The first step is to buy some really amazing stationary. I love Delphine for their custom-made cards and stationary.


Now it’s time to get to writing…

Use a good quality pen and, if you’re super OCD like me, lightly trace a few straight lines on the card with a pencil so your writing is level. You don’t want your recipient to think you’ve been drinking one too many mint juleps : )

Lastly, speak from the heart and address your recipient by name. If they’ve sent you a gift, remember to call it out specifically and maybe include a line about what you intend to use it for. Writing thank-you notes. It’s the classy thing to do.

Alright, that’s my schpeel. Now I’m going to turn it over to Donna. Donna, what have you got for us?

Thanks Leslie. (Why do I feel like I’m doing a newscast, haha?)There are a few precious things in life that I’ve learned how to do that I feel EVERY woman should know how to do. These things have made my life easier and better. And hopefully they will yours, too.

5. Buy the Right Size Bra

Ok, I bring this one up because I just read an article about how 80% of women wear the wrong size bra. I’ll confess. Until a few years ago, I was one of the 80%.

So many stores now have “fit specialists” or special events to help you find your “true size”, (and that size may surprise you). It could take a while to find a brand or style you like and works for you, but it’s worth the time and money. AND having someone to help you out makes the process a lot easier and less frustrating!

Wearing the right size bra improves your posture, which makes you look taller and thinner. Hey, anything that can do that is worth it right?


6. Trust Your Instincts

Have you ever met someone for the first time and there is just something about them… something that’s not quite right… something maybe even a little creepy.

Maybe you get that funny feeling walking back to your car in that parking lot at night. We’ve all had instances where we’ve felt a certain way and we just can’t explain why.

It’s important to recognize and act on “your gut” sometimes rather than acting on logic, (which is what we’re taught to believe.) Just talk to any behavioral expert or psychologist and they’ll tell you, having strong feelings of intuition about a person or situation can speak louder than any words.

Think about the times you should have “gone with your first instinct” or that time you though, “I always had a feeling about that.” Call it what you want; instinct, going with your gut or ESP. It can save your life.

Ladies, if your first instinct is that something isn’t quite right or a person shouldn’t be trusted, don’t discount that feeling.

7. Simple Car Maintenance

Ok, I’m not saying you need to learn how to change the oil in your car or rotate the tires, although my Southern dad would be proud if I was! I’m talking about the quick little “checks” like checking the oil and the tire pressure. Of course, when you take your car in for regular maintenance, they check all of these things for you, but it always makes me feel a little better ,(and a bit tough and manly, haha), if I check those things out before a road trip.


Ask your dad, brother, significant other or male co-worker who knows a thing or two about cars to give you a quick lesson.


By just taking a few minutes to check the oil, tire pressure and gauges, you could save yourself a lot of time, money and heartache. Believe me! If my cousin and I would have done that in college, we wouldn’t have been stranded on the wrong side of town at 3 a.m…but that’s another story. All I can say is thank goodness for guy friends who answered their phones.

Back to you, Leslie, (in my best Katie Couric voice.)

Haha, thanks Donna! Ok, we’ll I hope ya’ll have enjoyed reading this as much as we’ve enjoyed writing it. Stay tuned for next Friday’s edition in which we’ll discuss…(cue that weird sound from the opening of Law and Order)…dating. How to play the field gracefully and keep your dignity intact.

Be blessed, lovelies-





3.25.2010

Pastel Perfection


Jolly good Thursday, to you! (Do I sound British?) It's raining, it's pouring and frankly, it makes me want to go back to bed. Spring rain brings beautiful flowers though, so hopefully all this water will result in some gorgeous gardens.
Did you all get a chance to sign up for the Devon Baer Designs giveaway yet? I'm super-jealous of whichever lucky girl wins the necklace, haha. I know it will be such a lovely spring accessory on whoever's neck it happens to land : )

So since Easter is almost upon us AND it is now officially spring, we can dive head first into pastels! And let me tell ya'll, there is nothing more that my sweet, southern heart loves more than a gorgeous palette of perfect pastels...


Our friends at Elle always keep us up-to-date on the latest trends, which this month is, (not surprisingly), the use of lighter, brighter colors in decorating and fashion.
Oh how I'm pining for pale pink and lusting after lavender....



...and speaking of pink, what do you think of this? It's called the Traditional Moroccan leather pouf from Imports of Marrakesh. Are you in love or are you in love?



Or how about this set of porcelain dinnerware by Anna Weatherly?
I dont know about you, but I'd love to snooze in this baby blue bed from House Beautiful.





Next, let's look at this beautiful pastel blue and pink room, which just so happened to win Met Home of the Year for Metropolitan Home Magazine. Gorgeous, darling.



Of course, if you're going to decorate with pastels, you might as well wear pastels. I'll take one of each of the following, (Gold and semi-precious stone bangle by Lppolita and Saffiano leather bag by Prada):

These lacquered wooden boxes by Pacific Connections would certainly be a stylish place to store your jewelry, passport or other valuables.
Speaking of blue, why not throw in this Anderson linen upholstered wing chair by William-Sonoma? Did you notice the nailhead trim? Two trends in one. Are visions of pastels dancing in your head this time of year, too?




Be blessed, lovelies-













Photo credits: Style At Home, Elle, Metropolitan Home, Dustjacket Attic




3.23.2010

Devon Baer Designs (and a giveaway!)


Hi guys and happy Tuesday! Today's post is special, because I'd like to introduce you to my new favorite jewelry/accessories designer and her Etsy store. (And how much do we LOVE Etsy?)

She is the newest sponsor of A Blonde Ambition, (notice her oh-so-lovely banner on my side nav) and a very sweet person. Her name is Devon Baer and her online store, Devon Baer Designs, is truly one-of-a-kind.

One of my favorite things about Devon is her use of color and pattern. Bright pinks, vivid turquoise and funky animal prints can be seen in many of her pieces. And, as we all know, bold hues and cheetah/zebra prints are super "in" this season. Two of my favorite items: the Beaded Beauty turquoise belt (photo below) and the Luxe for Spring belt.


Another one of my favorite elements of Devon's collection is the use of lace, pearls, crystals and ceramic objects within the designs. Items like her Lace and Pearl necklace and her Gray Bumble Clutch will totally show you what I'm talking about.

(Pictured above: Lace and Pearl Necklace and the Pearl Prepster Necklace)

Looking for a statement piece to wear with your Little Black Dress? Or, maybe you just need a new necklace to amp up your jeans and T-shirt ensemble...

Pictured above: Sparkle Bow Belt


Girls, I promise, you will LOVE what Devon has to offer. It's got A Blonde Ambition's seal of fashion approval, haha.

Note: Guys, (I know there are a few of you out there who read this blog), any of these items are guaranteed to please the lady in your life. They might even help get you out of the doghouse : )

Now, the moment I've been so excited to tell you about!

Devon has graciously offered to give away one of my personal fave items, the Pom Pom Flower and Chain Necklace, to one very lucky reader of A Blonde Ambition!




Entering is simple. Each of the Here goes:

1. Visit Devon's site and tell me which of her items is your favorite, (besides, of course, the Pom Pom and Chain Necklace : )
2. Become a follower OR let me know you're a follower
3. Tweet this
4. Blog about this

Each option counts as 1 entry, 4 entries maximum per participant.

The winner will be drawn at midnight, April 1, 2010. Unfortunately, this giveaway is only open to residents of the United States and Canada, but I will have another giveaway VERY soon that will be open to my international followers, as well, yay!

So hurry! Go visit Devon's store and let me know what you think!