StyleWhipped

Time for a little DVF...

Whenever anyone asks me who my favorite designer is, I answer instantly and without hesitation: Diane von Furstenberg. This is for a number of reasons. First, anyone who can create and manipulate an amazing print as well as she can deserves to be knighted. Second, she created an empire from one single wrap dress...a dress that helped mold the future of fashion and style. Third, on a personal level, she clearly enjoys life to its fullest and is extraordinarily inspiring as a woman. But really, it's about the clothes. And now, it's about her accessories as well...bags, shoes, jewelry (her collaboration with H.Stern has made me swoon more than once...).

And this bag, the "Tonda" clutch, is no exception. A teeny-tiny hard case covered in silk twill, this is like a little piece of art. In a white, chocolate brown and robin's egg blue print (there she goes with the fabulous prints again!), this screams summer, wealth, elegance and (my constant own favorite) '70's-inspiration. DVF also always uses the very hardware (this one sports a black & silvertone clasp) and offers major versatility (this one has a hide-able chain if you don't want to hold it as a clutch all night). It also works beautifully with skinny white jeans and a brightly colored silk top (let the clutch stand on it's own by carrying it next to an "opposite" color...try bright yellow, saturated orange or a deep plum), just as well as it does with a silver evening gown (add in some platinum jewelry and nude heels and you're all set!). 

So thanks DVF for still being my favorite...for yet even another reason!

~ Alison.

Danielle Aspromatis: Nest Egg, Knick-knack, or Something New

When invited to a wedding, sometimes we all drive ourselves crazy about the gift...give money? how much? Something off the registry? Somehow, when you are very close with a bride and groom, getting a knife block just doesn't say "You really mean a lot to me." And for some couples, writing a check (although very nice!) is not the route you want to go either. So what do you do if you want to get them an actual, tangible, thoughtful gift? I put together my top 10 list for you so you don't have to think at all!

1) If you know where they are honeymooning, it is always a really useful gift to get a gift certificate to the resort or hotel they are staying at...they can use it for whatever they like!

2) If you are like me, and enjoy the pampered moments of life, a gift certificate to a fancy spa is a GREAT gift. But make sure the groom is the type that would enjoy this too! This can also be a wonderful shower gift for a few girls to chip in on as a surprise for the bride before the big day.

3) If the couple you know is adventurous, how about a gift certificate for an adventure on their honeymoon? Lots of the top resorts offer gift certificates for things like scuba diving and helicopter rides.

 

4) For a close family member, a great gift is to give them one or two nights prepaid at a Bed and Breakfast or cool hotel for the weekend, to be used for their 1st anniversary...after all the wedding festivities are over, it's nice to have something else to look forward to in the future!

Forty1 North is a, a chic, modern, and luxurious hotel in Newport, Rhode Island...Close enough to drive to from the tri state area, but far enough to feel like a vacation...any bride and groom would be thrilled for a first getaway as Mr. and Mrs. here! Check out their website, it is A-mazing!

www.forty1north.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5) Cooking lessons! Fun to do together and always needed, no matter if you are Martha Stewart, or my sister, Alison Stewart (Love you Alison, but sorry, that was too easy!).

6) For the couple with a new home...arrange for a garden makeover or new plantings with their local landscaper! They will look at their perrenials and think of you!

7) For the couple that loves to drink champagne, get a very nice bottle to be opened on their 1st anniversary, and make a custom label for the bottle just for them! Check out www.personalwine.com, where you can not only purchase wine and champagne, but each bottle can be either etched, engraved, or customized with your own label that you create!

8) As a new homeowner, I would have absolutely appreciated this...a gift card to Home Depot or Lowes! A wedding sometimes forces a couple to put home renovations on the back burner...help them out a little by giving them money towards supplies or appliances!

9) A gift certificate to a fancy restaurant is always appreciated. For a dining experience to remember, get a gift certificate to Blue Hill at Stone Barnes in Pocantico Hills, NY. It is on the top of my restaurant lists!

Blue Hill, www.bluehillfarm.com, 30 miles north of NYC, is a working four season farm that serves ingredients right from the surrounding fields and pastures, as well as from other local farms. There are no menus, just a list of over a hundred ingredients, updated daily. Their tasting menu (or farmers' feast as they call it) is absolutely INSANE and to my surprise and joy, they were able to accommodate all my many food allergies! Set on the most gorgeous grounds, this would be a dinner and an evening to remember for any couple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10) Last, but not least, arrange a day for them doing whatever it is that they like....wine tasting at a vineyard, tickets to a concert...the list goes on and on depending on what the couple enjoys

Don't forget, if you put a lot of thought into it and it's heartfelt, you can't go wrong!

-Danielle

Sherin Botros: Opa!

 After discussing a friend's honeymoon in Greece recently, I naturally became obsessed with all things Greek and decided to submerse myself in all its glorious tropical Mediterranean influence; its rich culture, amazing food, picturesque scenery, and of course, its remarkable impact on interior design!

The Greek Mediterranean approach to decorating is simple and uncluttered, yet beautiful and sophisticated. It’s traditional style evokes easy living and consists of white stucco walls, stone floors, woven wall-hangings, bare windows, rustic style furniture, natural clay pottery, and just the right amount of tile accents. 

While most of us don’t have homes on one of the Greek islands or live in a tropical oasis, we can take some design elements from their beautiful way of life and add touches of it into our own homes.

One inspirational trend that can be carried easily into your decor is the Greek key motif, which has often been used as an accent in fashion, architecture and interior design. The Greek key is an ancient ornamental motif consisting of a continuous band arranged in rectilinear forms and was the most important symbols in Ancient Greece, symbolizing infinity or the eternal flow of things. An elegant simple way to display this could be through these
beautiful linens from leontinelinens.com. 

And since this trend is classic and timeless, it translates just as beautifully to furniture and textiles. You can play with an enchanting color palate which evokes a Mediterranean oasis in shades of turquoise blue, as in this bold rug from The Rug Company 

Some homes feature this motif in decorative black or aged gold ironwork pieces for vintage charm while others prefer it on column shaped stands and Greek statues or busts for opulence. Whatever your preference may be, just be sure to let out your inner Greek goddess and while you're at it, I hope you find your Adonis to open the KEY to your heart...

 

-Sherin 

 

 

Short Shorts & Long Sleeves

I am the world's biggest devotee of a good romper or jumpsuit. They are easy (one piece! no choices to make!), they are sexy (especially when they are short or strapless), they are extraordinarily versatile (they can go from being a bathing suit cover-up to a wardrobe choice for a fancy night out), and they are super comfy (they are often made from silk or jersey). They are even fairly universally flattering...there are so many different versions out there that everyone should be able to find at least one that works perfectly on their body type. But I also understand that not everyone wants to wear one that has short shorts and a strapless neckline. So if you want to cover up either your top or your legs, you can choose one that has long pants (my suggestion would be to find one that has wide palazzo-style pants to keep with the breezy, '70's inspiration) but is strapless. Or you can go the opposite route...

This little number from Zimmermann (always a fave over here at Stylewhipped) has loose short shorts...but really flattering long sleeves. There's also a deep-v neckline and cheeky side pockets (I loooove pockets...I think everything should have them!). It is covered in a lovely, slightly faded wildflower print, and has a user-friendly, removable self-belt. In airy voile, you will still be cool in this all summer long, but you also don't have to "give away the farm" by covering up your upper body. It is still extremely sexy, and lends itself to being perfect for lunch with the girls (a slouchy shoulder bag and summery cork wedges complete the look) or equally appropriate for a fancier dinner date (add in a tiny gold clutch, serious platform stilettos and some oversized but dainty bohemian jewelry).

So just as Coach Taylor would say "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts...Can't Lose," I'm countering with "Short Shorts, Long Sleeves...Can't look anything but perfect!"

~ Alison.

Reach For Outrageous

I don't know if it's the heat of this past week or the fact that I've been waiting for the same email for two days, but I'm suddenly in the mood to be slightly outrageous. Or maybe a little more than slightly outrageous. I want to make a scene, cause a spectacle...but most of all, I want to wear ridiculously outrageous shoes. (I am currently wearing triple-platform 6" white heels. My feet are already tired and I have two sets of plans tonight. But it's ok. I need to be outrageous today.)

So I started browsing around online for even more outrageous shoes than I already have on. I found two pairs that I was instantly madly in love with. And while one pair is definitely a little more outrageous than the other, I'm not sure exactly how long my mood will last. So I thought I'd feature both here for you...

On the "tamer" side of nutso, I am dying over these "Denise" sandals from none other than my girl Rachel Zoe (who is, quite simply, outrageous all on her own). In stunning black and hematite-silver leather, they of course have an over-5" heel, a super-cool zipper closure up the back, a sexy t-strap, and a sizable platform. The thing I like the most is that while these are technically "sandals," they could work all year long (actually making them quite the steal at $295)...wear them now with a perfect pedicure, and all winter with a tiny skirt and black tights. 

Now for the truly outrageous, enter the "Kylie" sandals from Jeffrey Campbell. With an incredibly on-trend curved 5.5" heel, these have a single strap covered in gold studs, as well as an oversized ankle cuff, reeeeally covered in the same studs. They deserve a simple but rocker-inspired outfit (go for short satin shorts, a white wife-beater and one amazing cocktail ring), and come in black (my fave), super summery turquoise, a gorgeous saturated orange, and a really, really chic tan. 

So you see, it won't hurt you to embrace your outrageous side. And in the ridiculous category...a gorgeous pair of shoes is always better than a public temper tantrum ;)

~ Alison.

Danielle Aspromatis: Garden Princess Party

As I took a walk today in my neighborhood, it seemed like everyone was cutting their grass. Drawback- I started uncontrollably sneezing. Benefit- I got inspired to write about grass today!...Usually I post for adults, but let's face it, a lot of fabulous Stylewhipped readers have children. Having a kids' party does NOT mean you have go all bouncy house clown on me. If you have a little girl that is a mini fabulous version of you, think about throwing a party with grass placemats..they add color, texture and pop to any table, and can be easily paired with a theme of fairy princess, butterflies, tea party, or just an addition to great florals. String a few of the placemats together and VIOLA! A table runner! Now that I'm writing this...why was I thinking this was for kids only? Maybe I'll have some girls over for lunch in my backyard...I just love these! If you want to incorporate this fabulous fun look into your next table, you can buy them for $9.99 a piece (flowers included!) from the SassyAlice shop on Etsy.com

Take a look at the endless possibilities for your next princess party whether you are 5 or 35!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Danielle

Rebecca Gordon: Forever is a Mighty Long Time, or Two Weeks

My neighbor Fred and I are in a middle school relationship.  We hardly talk to each other or spend time together, but I talk about him to my friends for what seems like hours on end so I can figure out just what to do about my relationship with Fred. We communicate by passing each other short notes written on lined paper with three holes along the side.  This week, I yelled at a mean girl he was hanging out with.  When I can’t seem to get the right message to Fred, I ask someone else to talk to him for me and then report back.  In this moment, our relationship feels incredibly significant to my life, so much so that I am having trouble sleeping because of Fred.

And like middle school, forever last about two weeks.

Some of you may recall that a very long time* ago, Fred had a late night party right outside my bedroom window and this party led to a note exchange between Fred and me in which Fred offered his “sincerest apologies” and promised this would “never happen again”.  Apparently, Fred meant this will never happen for the next two weeks, because he was back at it again Friday night.  When I got home at 10pm** with plans to go to sleep almost right away, Fred’s party was going full force.  I decided that instead of being the mean old lady next door that tells the young partiers to quiet down, I would go to sleep with the window closed and then I could open it if/when I woke up later in the
night. I had, after all, been a young partier not long ago (I think it was three weeks ago) . When I woke up at 3am, I was really hot and wanted to open my window to enjoy part of the reason I live on such a high floor in New York City (I can open my windows and the rush of traffic sounds more like waves on the ocean than taxis speeding down the west side highway). So I opened the window and was hit with the sounds of Fred’s party still going full force. I shut the window and decided I would just sleep on the living room couch. But the noise in there was basically the same. I then did what any sane person would, I went back to my bedroom, turned on the light, opened the window and yelled at the group on the terrace “You have to quiet down, I am so effing*** tired.”  This had no effect and the party continued for another 30 minutes until I decided that I would rather be sleeping than watching DVR-ed Jimmy Fallon. I called down to the doorman and he sent someone up and the party ended and I went to sleep for two hours because I am incapable of sleeping late.

I woke up tired, angry at Fred and even angrier that I was out of coffee in my apartment. When I saw the doorman on my way to get coffee, he told me I could file a noise complaint and then the management company would send a “legal notice” to Fred.  As angry as I was, I just wasn’t ready to take that step with Fred. It felt like I would be reporting him to the Principal and he would only take action like a middle school boy can by picking on me more and I would sleep less.  The doorman, who apparently sees Fred all the time coming home really late at night, said he would tell Fred to knock it off and would also tell him I am the wrong person to make angry (I have a reputation from the apartment flooding fiasco).

The doorman made me feel a little bit better, but not as good as the note I wrote to Fred (written on his original note to me, of course): FRED – We have to figure something out here. This is not working for me. Rebecca

And then I slid it under his door, hoping he was not home. Because like any good middle school girl, I don’t know what I would actually say to him if I had the chance to talk to him.

~Rebecca

*two weeks.

**Don’t judge me, I worked non-stop all week and was exhausted.

***I used the real world.

Jennifer Corcione: Summertime...the Vintage Edition

As summer rolls in, I find myself in a weird state of musical euphoria: vintage. Yes, while I do love all different types of music based on my iTunes (and record/CDs/tapes) collection, when that summer frame of mind hits, I just want to put on the classics and breathe in every bit of the season that I can! And it isn’t until I feel it’s summer that I’m ready to start getting ‘old school.’ (In this case: the first warm summer evening I drove home with the windows down…such bliss.)

The most exciting part about music as of recently is the emergence of artists who try to replicate that vintage sound, creating those familiar melodies through use of analog recording methods or introducing particular instruments into certain tracks. In place of a playlist, here are some fun albums to “set the mood” for Summer 2012!  

For those beach days (or when you want to kick it poolside)

Summer Twins – Summer Twins: This Riverside, CA female duo delivers an almost island-like feel with their sound! (And only recently did they add an additional guitar player & bassist for their live show.) Drawing inspiration from 50’s & 60’s rock, their self-titled album is sure to mellow anyone out while they’re laying out working on their tan. (I even dare you to watch the waves roll in to the song Stars Aligned…you won’t be disappointed!)

For a night on the town (or something a little more cozy)

Time’s All Gone - Nick Waterhouse: I love the idea of a current artist not afraid to record analog instead of digital. (Think old-school recording studio vs. auto-tune.) Waterhouse delivers this retro-soul style that has me grabbing for a tea-length cocktail dress, peep-toe heels, and a dirty martini. His 50’s/60’s R&B vibe with an impressive horn section and backup singers is also a perfect fit with the swing of a warm summer night with the windows open, a bottle of red wine, and the hums & cracks of your favorite vinyl record. (And before you wonder what track to start with, I say start at the beginning with Say I Wanna Know. While I love the entire album, the title track grabbed me enough to want to purchase before hearing the rest!)

For the trip ahead (on your way to another exhilarating destination)

Tell Me (What’s On Your Mind) – Allah-Las: While this could fall into the same category as ‘beach music’, this particular EP stands out and makes you envision summer road trips with the windows rolled down and the wind in your hair going down the highway. If ever there was modern music that embodied that “surfer rock” sound (aside from Chalk & Numbers), this would be it: a California-based band not afraid to bring back memories of quintessential retro west coast. (On your next road trip, try turning up the track Long Journey to get you through that bumper-to-bumper traffic.)  

************************************

Whatever your listening pleasure may be, be bold with your summer soundtrack. Summertime creates some of the most memorable moments we hold onto…let’s make sure the music can resonate just as strong.

~ Jenn

One Purple. Two Ways.

There are very few colors that are universally flattering, and purple is one of them. This is because purple is made up of two other colors (red & blue), so there are an infinite amount of shades that can be created. There are purples in everything from the palest lilac (great on darker skintones) to the deepest plums (perfect for those of you with porcelain complexions). Right now, one of my favorite purples is bright and warm and skewed to blue, with grape/perwinkle undertones. 

Not only have I found some amazing pieces in this shade, but I have found two specific pieces that are a version of each other...one for when you're feeling really good about your body and want a to flaunt a little extra sex-appeal, and one for when you want to cover up a bit more and give off a super-feminine vibe. From Charlie Jade, we get the "Juniper Romper" (which, for the record, I think I need to order rightthisminute...), with its little shorts, gorgeous macrame'd neckline, cinched waist, and pockets (my favorite!). This one breezily shows a lot of skin, and a lot of leg. Another equally '70's-inspired look is the "Macrame Cami Dress" from our beloved Rebecca Taylor. Same shade of my new favorite purple, same macrame'd detailing...but this one has a loose skirt that is so on-trend with its longer-in-the-back hemline. Instead of being coyishly sexy, this is as girly as you can get (which I still consider sexy...).

Either way, one of these purples will definitely do the trick. (And I guess that "trick" is whatever you want it to be...wink, wink...)

~ Alison.

Stars & Stripes

I have always enjoyed a good flag motif. Whether it was nautical, Americana, a cheeky Union Jack...you name it, I like it. However, for me to actually wear it (usually in an accessory), there needs to also be some element of irony or abstraction. A flag for flag's sake isn't fashion. Taking any influence too literally means you don't truly understand "style." 

So finding this bag from TOTeM Salvaged...well...as a friend of mine would say, it made me smile until my cheeks hurt. Handmade in LA from reclaimed materials (in this case, canvas and leather), this is not only ecologically friendly, but just amazingly fabulous. Element of irony? Check. Abstraction? Check. Ability to be immensely versatile? Check. Here's the thing with this bag...not only does it do you proud as an American (it's always good to bring some stealth attention to our country...and as we are right in-between Memorial Day and the 4th of July, this is as good a time as any...), but you can have an incredible Bruce Springsteen moment with it (try faded, destroyed denim and a white wife-beater) or be a bit more creative and use it as a focal point in an otherwise formal outfit (think a long black column dress, gold heels and lots of gold & diamond jewelry).

Sometimes, the perfect amount of simplicity (no sequins, no designer label) is exactly what you need to imply just the right amount of a wink too...

~ Alison.