Archive for October, 2010

Jonathan Saunders may not be a name popular yet Stateside, but be on the watch for this up-and-coming London designer who received raves from fashion critics and the Sartorialist for his fresh and architecturally cool color-blocked looks in his Spring 2011 collection. London Fashion Week is usually the city I pay least attention, but seeing the latest snaps of Jonathan Saunders Spring 2011 has made me re-consider.

The bright spray paint inspired splotches of technicolor orange, sky blue, kelly green, and pure white, splashed onto classic ’50s silhouettes were invigorating after seeing a Spring season of mostly pastels and neutrals.  I know that Fall and Winter are just starting but looking at these pictures, makes me want to run out to buy his jaunty, pleated white skirt and the fun green and blue sandals he featured in his runway show. I’m ready to add those to my warm-weather wishlist already.  As the looks progressed, the silhouettes became filmier and less schoolgirl-collar crisp, with overlays of light transparent chiffon over shocks of bright color.  See some more pictures from The Sartorialist and Style.com after the jump: (more…)

Travelers to San Francisco looking for accommodation have no doubt come across the Personality Hotels, a quartet of boutique properties located in downtown Union Square.  On my last trip out there, I popped into Hotel Diva for a night to check it out and found it to be a great option for those (especially for a girls trip)  who want the convenience of being right in the center of it all, at an affordable price. (more…)

Nail polish peelers—this mask is for you.  If you secretly get a thrill out of peeling off your nail polish, and live for when you can remove one long strip in a swift, uninterrupted motion, then you will love Boscia’s Luminizing Mask.  A mineral-rich, black pigmented no-rinse face mask designed to improve skin clarity and radiance through deep-pore cleansing and exfoliation, the mask is pure fun in a tube.  The peeling comes in at the end, after the mask dries on your face and you get the fun of peeling the whole thing off your skin.

Easily squeezable out of the tube, the mask comes in a soft, black clay formulation made out of kaolin clay and phellodendron bark, which you spread in a generous layer across your face for about 5-7 minutes until it dries.  Be careful not to make the layer too thin, as it will make it difficult to peel off.  And yes, the mask comes out of the tube pure jet-black, so it’s not best to test this mask in front of a new boyfriend just yet, unless he wants to join in on the peeling fun too.  The peeling off is admittedly addicting–it’s not painful at all (nothing like pulling off a Band-aid), and the texture isn’t sticky, so you remove dead skin, toxins, and impurities with ease as you peel off the mask. There might be a few little pieces of the mask remaining after you peel as much as you can which you can easily rinse off with water. (more…)

Are you in love with the beautiful green onyx earrings above yet? I am, and I have to introduce you to my latest obsession–Taara Jewelry. Taara is an inspired, gorgeous line of jewelry out of Hong Kong by designer Megha Jain, an old friend of mine from Boston College (go Eagles!). Megha has always loved jewelry and been the type of girl who builds her outfits around one statement piece. She’s been dabbling in jewelry design since childhood, but took it took a new level last year after beginning to work with her aunt in India. Inspired by her Indian heritage, yet drawn to modern shapes and colors, she began crafting unique pieces that are forward-thinking and still reflective of her culture.

Taara Jewelry features two collections at the moment: the Mughal Collection and the Silver Collection. The Mughal Collection is influenced by its namesake, the Mughal Empire, and the contrast of bold reds and greens against golden desert sand. Megha is especially inspired by her travels to India, especially to Udaipur, the City of Lakes. Many of her pieces feature glass and mirror work that is literally reflective of the blue lakes and white buildings in the city. The end result of her handmade work and inspiration? Amazing, unique pieces that are opulent and elegant.

Both collections feature earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and cocktail rings, all priced around $40-$100+. Even if you’re not in Hong Kong, Megha ships pieces directly to clients around the world. Be sure to check out taarajewelry.com for the complete collections, or click for more pictures of my favorites!

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For awhile now, I’ve been in desperate need of both a new iPhone case and a new laptop bag.  The case I had my iPhone in was seriously the plainest, cheapest black case ever and my laptop bag was a last minute purchase years ago right before I had to get on a flight with a new computer.  (Hence, the ugly bright orange color and bulky outside pockets).  So when I got a chance to try new ones from Agent 18, I jumped at the chance.

They sent over the FlowerVest Case for my iPhone 3GS (I’m dying to upgrade to the new iPhone 4, but AT&T won’t let me do it yet) and it’s just a really great change from my previous case.  I requested the purple and white one because I wanted a shade bright enough so that I’d be able to see it in the big bag I’m always carrying around and that totally works – no more disappearing iPhone!  The case is made out of silicon, so it’s soft but protective, and its surface stops my phone from sliding when I inevitably toss it onto the counter or put it in my pocket. (more…)

It’s been raining nonstop this week in New York City, which means I’ve finally had to break out my new Sorel rainboots, the Sorellington, which I’ve been hoarding in my apartment since May! Now, I didn’t think I’d be able to wax poetic about a pair of rain boots, but these Sorel ones are possibly the best pair of rain boots that I’ve personally tried.  Unlike your typical wellies, the Sorellingtons are not too heavy or clunky and actually form quite well to your feet.  Since I’m usually changing into heels, I never wear socks with my boots which usually results in some kind of chafing, if not (horrors!) bleeding.  The Sorrelingtons, however, are made of a super soft rubber which make them extremely comfortable to wear and the heels bend with my feet to prevent any irritation.  And lastly (and the best part), the boots have built-in arch support which is so key especially if you live in a city like New York where you’re always walking.  I’ve never felt more comfortable in a pair of rainboots than my Sorellingtons!

Fall styles are now available on  Sorel.com starting at $100 but their fun spring colors are now on sale for $82.  I’ll be rocking my green ones all season long!