Archive for August, 2009

Love Jon Hamm and his character, the dapper Don Draper, on Mad Men? You’re not alone. The man is charming and impeccably dressed, with a gorgeous head of dark, smooth hair. Though the era of mad men is gone, now you can help your own man look sleeker–in the hair department, at least.

Coming in September from AXE Hair is the Shine Pomade, a styling product that can help create a polished, put together look easily. The Shine Pomade provides extra shine and control so that your guy gets smooth, sophisticated hair. Whether he throws in a side part or slicks it back, you’ll see a Draper-esque ‘do in no time. Of course, AXE makes sure that their products truly create “girl-approved” hair, so his hair will still be soft enough to run your fingers through. Pick up the AXE Shine Pomade for your man next month for a gift you’ll both appreciate.

One of my favorite things to do when traveling is peoplewatching.  No matter what city I am in; Paris, New Dehi, Nassau, Taipei, Milan, Tokyo, or Burlington, New Jersey (don’t ask, it was for a business trip), just to name a few of the ones I’ve been to this year, I need a spend a least a few hours in a cafe somewhere watching foot traffic pass by.  Part of the amusement I get from this is to observe cultural differences and life outside of the U.S., but also to observe international street style, which is just as much indicative of a country’s culture.

By now, everyone has already heard of the two most famous international street style net bloggers, The Sartorialist and his French female counterpart, Garance Dore, who have pioneered capturing the stylish best of what each country’s citizens have to offer. I also love browsing their sites on a daily basis.  But a recent favorite click for me has been to visit Lookbook.nu, where stylish people from all over the world submit photographs of their own outfits to be a part of the self proclaimed “Internet’s Largest Source of Fashion Inspiration From Real People All Over the World.”

It sounds like a lofty statement to make, but is not an empty one, with thousands of pictures sortable by brand, country, or clothing category. This means that if you want to see how the Balmain strong shoulder trend is playing across in Sweden, you can simply sort yourself for all recently submitted Swedish pictures.  Curious to see how people are dressing in Iceland?  No need to wait for Scott Schuman to arrive, you can see for yourself by clicking through all Icelandic photographs.

Many of the self-submitted photographs have the dreamy editorial quality similar to Rumi Neely’s at FashionToast, making them just as artistically pleasing and beautiful to look at, as those you would see at other street style blogs.  If you feel that you are more of a street style trend setter than follower, you can even join Lookbook.nu by creating a username and uploading photographs of your favorite outfits.  If members of Lookbook.nu like your look, they can vote and “hype” your looks, increasing your chances of being on the front page.  This means you no longer have to stalk the sartorialist to be a style ambassador for your own country.

Are any of you members of Lookbook.nu?  Let us know so we can see your outfit choices!

I went over to the Coach site to check out their latest offerings and absolutely fell in love with some of their new shoes.

First up, how can you not love these adorable little Gene boots with the foldover top and buckle. They’re so cute and would be perfectly chic this fall with skinny jeans and blouse.

If you’re looking for something similar to wear now, get these totally fierce Brandie heels.  I adore the peep-toe and all the buttons. It’ll add some edge and instant style to almost anything you wear.

Most of all, I am seriously coveting these Joele riding boots in black.  I am in love, love, love with them. Both the logo and the buckle are subtle.  They’ll go over the knee easily and could pair with almost my entire fall wardrobe. I’m thinking of wearing it with tucked in denim and some edgy jewelry. This boot goes right onto my wishlist!

Erm…while I’m at it, why not one of these coats like the trench or leather jacket? Oh and the new Brooke bag or the amazing Parker convertible shoulder bag, which has been on my wishlist since earlier this summer? View the full collection at Coach.com and tell us what you’d want!

As much as I like fun and funky eye shadow colors, I’m also a big fan of the simple neutral shades that you can wear during the day.   But a lot of times, I’m not sure exactly what shades go together, so I love when I can find a palette that shows me exactly what to do.  If you’re the same way, I suggest checking out Too Faced‘s new Natural Eye Neutral Eye Shadow Collection.

It’s a little box filled with nine different shadows, all in natural shades, in three different groupings – Day, Classic, and Fashion.  The shades come in a wide variety – for the Day look, the shadows have a matte finish, while for the Fashion look, they’re shimmery (perfect for a night out).  What’s really great about this palette though is that it comes with cards that tell you exactly what colors to use and where to put them to get each look.  It makes creating the perfect neutral look for any occasion practically mistake-proof!  You can just take out the card that cooresponds with the look you’re going for and follow the instructions (complete with picture) to make your eyes stand out.  And since the cards slide right into the side of the little box the shadows come in, you don’t have to worry about losing them (a common problem for me).

For only $34, it’s a great value, especially if you travel a lot because you can throw this in your bag and not have to worry about bringing any other neutral shadows with you.  (I would bring your own brushes though – the set comes with a double-sided brush, but it’s not going to be as good as brushes that you’ve bought separately). You can pick yours up at Sephora.com.

There are just scents that we will forever identify with summer – from salty sea air to suntan oil. And just because the summer months are winding down shortly doesn’t mean you can’t continue to enjoy it!  We came up a list of scents that will totally transport you instantly to the beach and ocean – and simply, what we think embodies summer:  (more…)

Italian hotelier Valeriano Antonioli certainly knows a thing or two about style.  As the Managing Director of the InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa in Paradise Valley, Arizona, Antonioli’s discerning taste has made the InterContinental brand’s first US resort one of the most fashionable luxury destinations in the country. Having spent 23 years managing hotels and resorts in Italy, Germany, Russia, England and the United States, Antonioli brings a certain international flair to Montelucia.

Prior to joining the InterContinental Hotels, Antonioli managed another one of TDO editors’ favorite places- the W Westwood in Los Angeles.  He was also the force behind the Diana Majestic in  Milan, Italy, the go-to destination for the fashionable jet set. When I was on property at Montelucia earlier this year, I had to chance to meet and chat with Antonioli and learn a bit more about his favorite things and personal style that brings so much sophistication to the hotel. (more…)

We’ve written about our love for Skeem candles before–we simply adore the whimsical, reusable packaging, and the beautifully fragrant scents. I just had a chance to review their new 3-Wick collection, featuring candles with 3 wicks that have a burn time of up to 80 hours. Of course, true to Skeem style, the 3-Wick candles come in gorgeous glass jars and vibrant colors and fragrances.

The 3-Wick candles are definitely larger at 24 oz., but they are so fun to burn and smell really great. I’ve been burning my candles, especially when guests are over, and everyone always enjoys the scent! I tried Tea Leaf (left), a combination of sage and tea, and Sweet Pea & Vanilla (right), a warmer, floral and vanilla fragrance. I’m in love with the gorgeous art on the tin tops, and the designs on the glass jars. When the candles are burning, they definitely bring a welcome warmth to the room, and I honestly can’t wait to reuse the jars, as well. Check out the entire 3-Wick collection on skeemshop.com, and you’ll be as charmed as I am by the variety of floral, fresh, and Asian-inspired arts and scents.

During one of my lunchtime web browsing sprees, I found this vintage Lucky Elephant necklace on Etsy.  I love the look of tarnished looking silver (or in this case, pewter) for its old world charm and sophistication, and the juxtaposition against this playful elephant pendant.

I am also a bit of a closet Franco-phile, with France being one of my favorite countries in the world. This necklace has a bit of French charm for me, since it reminds me of the famous Babar the Elephant early 90′s cartoons that I read as a child.  Try pairing this pendant with a nautical inspired blue and white Breton striped shirt as seen here on Alexa Chung in a casual look.  She pairs hers with skinny dark jeans, flats, and a playful large bird pendant, and I plan to rock a variation of it this Fall to embrace the nautical trend.

I like this version from Urban Outfitters from Silence and Noise, which is a looser fitted blue and white striped tunic with a blue grosgrain ribbon tie back.  For a more authentic version, try this Jersey Tank from beloved French basic purveyor, Petit Bateau in the Light Khaki/Nautical Navy color.

Carrying your own toiletries while traveling can be a little annoying. They have to meet size requirements, fit in a plastic baggie, and it’s hard to find small sizes of more luxe products that you may have at home. Philip B. actually has a great Travel Kit that is fantastic–it meets travel requirements, and the conditioner in the set is also paraben free! So you’re getting that great Philip B. luxe quality, even away from home. I recently toted this with me while flying to a wedding, and I wanted my hair to look its very best. It was super convenient to bring along, and my hair looked great! What’s in the kit?

• Peppermint & Avocado Volumizing & Clarifying Shampoo
• African Shea Butter Gentle & Conditioning Shampoo
• Nordic Wood Hair & Body Shampoo
• Light-Weight Deep Conditioning Crème Rinse

All these are 2 oz. and meet all hair type needs. Take a look on philipb.com and you just may want to bring the Travel Kit on your next trip!