StyleWhipped

Just Peachy

I've been on a major spring trend kick, and I can't even say "spring trends" this year without addressing colored denim. Going way outside of the regular blue, black and white, this season continues to bring us denim in every color of the rainbow. While cherry red and electric blue were the biggest & fastest on the "most popular" list, I'm already over both of them. Instead, I set out to find the perfect pastel color that also manages to be flattering (look, none of us are perfect...and even Gisele might not look that great in super tight pale yellow or lavender jeans!). And guess what...I found them!

The "Halle" from True Religion are called "peach" but are really more of a warm, slightly peach-y nude. Because they are almost skin-colored, they are super flattering and make your legs look reeeally long (score one for us minis!). This subtle shade is also so much more sophisticated and elegant than in-your-face, bright primary colors. It works with almost any other color you can think of (beyond just white or black, think grey, navy, gold, silver, turquoise, red, plum...), and easily transitions from day to night because they are super easy to dress up with higher heels and some serious bling (score one for any of us with real lives!). They will work now, all through summer, and into fall. And if you pair them with a cozy sweater, high black boots and a leather jacket, they will even take you right into next winter.

What a peach.

~ Alison.

Danielle Aspromatis: The Year Long Shower Gift

When I found out that one of my best friends, Lisa, was getting married, I wanted to do something really special and different for her bridal shower. So when she first got engaged, my friends and I started to, little by little, collect different items for each holiday/month of the year. It takes a little planning ahead, but it's such a great gift to put together for someone. If you happen to forget to pick something up during the season when it's offered in stores, don't worry, you can always find something online off-season.

Here are some suggestions for each month and how to put the gift together:

January - pick up two really pretty and special champagne glasses for their first New Year's Day toast

February - choose something fun and sexy for Valentines Day!

March/April - something for Easter, like an Easter serving plate, or something for Passover, like a matzah box or Sedar plate.

May/June - A great Memorial day Americana chip and dip bowl would be fun, or anything to kick off their BBQ cooking. We chose to get Lisa outdoor friendly plastic bowls and wine glasses.

July/Aug - We got Lisa a tote bag with her new initials on it, with a cute beach cover up inside. Anything that helps the couple beat the heat is great! Beach towels would be another great idea.

September - We got Lisa a Jewish cookbook to prepare for the Jewish holidays, but another great September gift would be a cookbook for BBQ receipes, so the couple can reap the last benefits of cooking outdoors in the nice September weather and for Labor Day.

October - Halloween decor!

November - A great serving plate for all those relatives that are going to decend on Thanksgiving!

December - Snowmen plates, Hanukah and Christmas serving platters...get creative and get the couple their first Christmas tree ornament as a married couple, or a set of Christmas stockings.

To put it all together, go to your local florist and ask if you can have one of their discarded flower boxes. Wrap it in wrapping paper, or a metallic paper, and then wrap each gift in tissue paper (red for Valentines Day, bright green for the spring months, orange for Halloween, etc) and then place each tissue wrapped gift in a cellophane bag. A handwritten note in construction paper tops off the look to let the bride know which gift corresponds to which month.

Take a look at my personal pictures of the gift we put together for our bride to be. She loved it!!!!

 

 

-Danielle

Double Down

I am the worst gambler in the world, and that's pretty much the only gambling term I know. But here, I'm using it to refer to a style of earrings that I have become way too excited by: oversized double drops in saturated colors. These are simultaneously a little bit 1960's retro, a little bit super modern, and really impactful. There is something about the shape & silhouette that makes these stunners a little sexy and a lot glamorous, but also playful and whimsical. The ones I'm featuring here could easily double as "wish list" items for many women, but also aren't so outrageously priced that they are "never going to happen" items...

Ippolita has always been one of my very favorite jewelry designers. Everything they make reminds me of sun-drenched beaches in St. Barth's and decadent parties with only beautifully tanned guests. And these earrings are no different. Handmade in 18-kt gold with dainty diamond detailing, these green chrysoprase stones are immense and instantly garner all the attention in the room. The rich color is not only unusual, but it works with so many other colors, easily making these your signature piece of jewelry. Another equally gorgeous pair is these from Larkspur & Hawk. The uniquely sparkly quality of the topaz stones comes from their foil backing, which also gives them a gorgeous vintage feel. And while these aren't a bright color, that same silhouette makes them so noticeable that they don't need anything extra. This is the piece of jewelry that you will wear to work, to a wedding, on a date...and in rose-gold dipped sterling silver, they manage to come in just under $2,000 (the ones from Ippolita will set you back $3,500). 

Either way, you can bet on a pair of double drop earrings as your new favorite accessory. (Just as you can bet on me making a silly pun at the end of my articles...)

~ Alison.

Maximum Springtime

I clearly understand that we all want to instantly wear a mini dress or our denim cut-offs the minute the mercury rises. But if that happens early like it is this year, we still need to take the season into consideration. That is, please don't wear your most "summery" looking dress before it's actually summer...even if the tempurature does reach 80 degrees. It makes you look like a teenager, and scares little children and us fashion stylists alike (um, please get a tan before sporting anything overly exposed!). However, there is also no need to sweat to death in skinny jeans when it's that warm in early April.

My solution? A maxi dress. This one from Velvet is an absolutely perfect example. In treated jersey (it has a bit of texture to it), its turquoise-heavy print doesn't look overly summery-white. And because it's a maxi dress, your legs (and their lack of bronze-y-ness...) are strategically covered up! However, it is still strapless (perfect for getting some sun on your shoulders in the park during your lunch-break), and also gauzy enough to keep you cool. And speaking of cool...imagine this with a tiny, cropped black leather motorcycle jacket over it at night when the tempurature drops. Instant cool-girl cred will ensue, I promise. 

So go ahead, pile on the jewelry (to go along with the built-in boho chic factor), wear your new platform sandals, rock your biggest sunglasses. Just remember that it's April and not August.

~ Alison. 

Halston. You Know, One of the Very Important Things In Life.

When I hear the name "Halston," I think of some very specific things. The glamorous '70's. Studio 54. Liza Minelli, Iman, and Andy Warhol. And pretty much one continuous, gorgeous, decadent party. And sometimes, those are the things that we need to allow to be important. We can focus on curing cancer and saving the poverty-stricken children in third-world countries the rest of the time...I just want the three minutes it will take you to read this. Because more often than not, making ourselves feel fabulous and look beautiful is just the motivation we need to help the rest of the world out on those...well, those actually important things...

Halston was one of the greats. And his legacy lives on today with the Halston Heritage line. And these teeny-tiny little black sequined shorts are exactly what he would have wanted me to wear out to something amazing this summer. They are actually covered in paillettes (which are basically oversized sequins), making them a party all on their own! They sparkle and shine and instantly make you the center of everyone's attention. I would wear them bare-legged, with a super simple white or black tank top and black patent platform peep-toe heels. Add in some amazing earrings and a giant cocktail ring and the look is done. You can also cover up a little more (again, they are pretty teeny-tiny...) by adding in black opaque tights, and a tuxedo or leather jacket over the tank top (plus, that tuxedo jacket would also give the whole look that perfect retro touch, making Mr. Halston even more proud...). 

See? Three minutes. Important stuff, right?

~ Alison.

Danielle Aspromatis: Gadget Gifts

I love kitchen gadgets. I am a big sucker for something new, something convenient, and generally, anything I can order off the internet or an infomercial (yup, it's a problem!). My husband obviously knows of my small addiction, and somehow still enables me by telling me when he's found something new that I would either want, or want to buy as a gift for someone. He found such great ones this time, I wanted to recruit him to write this article instead of me!

So the next time you have to buy a hostess gift, housewarming gift, engagement or shower gift, you should consider one of these fun and new kitchen novelties (Especially if you are giving ME something!)

The first product that I think is genious is the S'more To Love S'More Maker. You can purcase this on www.amazon.com and it's less than $15!

The S'More To Love S'More maker offers you a fast, easy way to make that S'mores treat right in your oven, toaster oven or on your grill. This innovative treat-maker allows you to make 4 tasty S'mores in just minutes. Stack your ingredients, lock and place on your grill or in your oven. Easy!

Have a friend that is into tattoos and creative art? These frying pans are the coolest gift for your friend who is part Martha Stewart, part Rock and Roll...Guy Fieri frying pants, designed by Guy's personal tattoo artist ($24.99 for the 8 inch, $29.99 for the 10 inch, $34.99 for the 12 inch). They are not available yet to the public, but you can call Lifetime Brands for information at  800-252-339.

How cool are these?

The last one I love (and my husbands pick for a shower gift) is Kizmo's Flower Pot Tool Set...a turner, a slotted spoon, ladle, spoon and masher that looks like flowers and arranged in a cute ceramic vase. This will add color and a whimsical touch to any kitchen. And at $29.99, they have a great price tag! Available soon at retailers including Beth Bath and Target, you can check these out at www.lifetimebrands.com/kizmos

-Danielle

Letter From the Editor: I (Still) Love New York

I have had a decade-long love affair with New York City. With the exception of a brief we-could-live-in-London moment in 2006 and my annual threats to move to Miami during the winter months, I could never imagine living anywhere but Manhattan. However, in the recent months, I started becoming a bit...well, disillusioned. Or maybe defeated? Either way, I became tired of fighting for taxis, paying outrageous amounts of money for everything, almost getting run over by aggressive cyclists while out running (every single day), and taking literally an entire afternoon to run three errands (hey, it takes awhile to walk 15 blocks in 5-inch heels!). But could I actually leave my beloved NYC? I've lived in the suburbs (honestly, that was just a bad idea...), I've lived in Hoboken (even at 25, I felt old...), and really am a city girl at heart. But I needed a sign. A sign that being permanently exhausted from keeping up with my own life was worth it...

And then this past Friday happened. Stylewhipped's interior design expert Sherin Botros asked me to go to the Architectural Digest Home Design Show. Of course I said yes (um, of course). So she drove in from NJ, and somehow, we found her an unheard-of parking spot in my downtown neighborhood. We then found a taxi less than one minute later. We made our way uptown to Pier 94 right on the Hudson River, and as soon as we walked in to the event, we met a fabulous vendor who asked our little magazine to host an event with them. I even ran into a friend who is an amazing art dealer. We drank the free champagne and didn't have to worry about driving anywhere. And on our way back downtown, we stopped at our "secret" wholesale jewelry store and bought really, really great presents for ourselves (seriously, everything is $3.25. And no, we aren't telling you where it is...). 

Fast-forward a few hours, and we have walked my dog, touched up our make-up, and walked to an amazing Mexican restaurant near my apartment (where they don't even blink when I make a million changes to everything I order). From there, we walk three blocks to a bar that NY Ranger Sean Avery owns. Where I run into someone I haven't seen since high school, and end up talking for hours to one of his friends (who was beyond interesting...and of course, just for the universe to prove a point to me, a true New Yorker...). When Sherin and I decide to move on, she says "I really want to hear some jazz." My response was that I didn't think we had a good jazz lounge in Tribeca...at the exact moment that we find one. Two blocks from where I live. I know it's a cliche, but all day, these were exceptional, "only in New York" moments. And they were exactly what I needed.

Because I really do love New York. Sometimes it's just a bit tempermental. But then again, so am I.

~ Alison.

Spiked Up

Nope, not about to talk about some rockstar's hair. Also not about to talk about my blood sugar after the (way too much) peanut butter I just ate. I am, however, talking about an incredible necklace that I can't stop thinking about...

From designer Joomi Lim, this is one serious piece of hardware. Made from brass dipped in matte yellow gold, this choker (it can expand from 14" to 16") is further embellished with a double row of luxe-but-tough grey steel spikes. Now, on paper that sounds maybe a bit scary (and kind of like a dog collar choker from the '80's). But the way that this piece is crafted, it is somehow rather feminine and looks really, really rich and glam. It has tiny proportions, so you actually have to be pretty close to it to realize what the spikes are. And the chain is open and airy and not at all heavy-handed or overly unisex. 

I want to wear this with oversized diamond stud earrings and layered with a dainty diamond pendant to make it even more unexpected. It can also be worn with everything from a gauzy white romper in the summer to sleek black leggings and a tonal beaded top. But however you style it to work with your personal aesthetic, make sure you add in an extra dose of attitude. Because this is definitely not for anyone who hides from a little experimentation...

~ Alison. 

Danielle Aspromatis: Make an Exit

Back in simpler times, it was a standard and necessary tradition to attach some sort of "just married" sign to the car that would either whisk you away from the church to your reception or from your reception to the airport for your honeymoon. Sometimes people would attach cans as noisemakers, or decorate the car with flowers. Somehow, over the years, this tradition has fallen by the wayside. I don't know why...is it not cool? not chic? I beg to differ! I think this is a wonderful tradition, a wonderful photo op, and it should be brought back immediately! Whether you are leaving the church together or the reception together, attach some form of annoucement to the vehicle (or bikes? or golf cart?) that you and your new husband or wife will be leaving from. Make sure the photographer gets a picture of it, because it will be a picture to treasure for years to come.

This old picture I found really made me happy to look at it...they are smiling, waving and ready to jet off to their new life together as husband and wife.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whether you opt for a homemade sign or one you can purchase, there are many options, just like their are many options to your get away vehicle...limo, old bentley, bicycle, golf cart or even motorcyle!

Take a look..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Danielle

Like Jewelry For Your Feet

This year, Spring has so many amazing trends...I am especially excited about color-blocking, accordion pleats, intricate detailing, and the continued influence of the 1970's. In particular, the shoes we are seeing have amazing hardware, details, and use of unusual or unexpected materials. Some are slightly outrageous and some are downright drool-worthy. And some (those drool-worthy ones) even combine other trends within the same shoe (making them even more drool-worthy...). 

One of the best examples of found of this is these platform sandals from BCBG. In a warm shade of coral mixed with red (they call it "curry"), they are both 100% vintage-inspired by my beloved '70's (the platform, the thick cylindrical heel, the ankle strap...) and also really, really modern. That heel is actually done in enamel with a tribal print (tribal is another important trend right now), making these feel...well, sort of special. You can dress them up with a long dress (that ankle strap makes them perfect for dancing the night away), or wear them with skinny jeans and a flowy-but-revealing top for a night on the town (think about other colors that compliment this shade...yellow, bright blue or grey/silver would be amazing). 

So when you think about what jewelry to wear...don't forget about your feet. Because these are way more than just a pair of shoes.

~ Alison.