Nail Trends S/S 2011

   Chicago didn't get the memo on Spring yet, but one can always hope! As we get ready to say hello to spring, say goodbye to your winter nails. The bright pinks, soft pearls and neutrals are pushing away last winter's navys, blacks, and dark greens!

 Here are some of the colors I like for Spring and Summer this year!

Pretty Pinks

Pink is IN in a big way! Beautiful shades of Pink and Fuchsia, Rose and Peony and just the hint of blush in the enamel will make you giddy with joy, and your nails ready for spring! 

Style Delights Droolworthy Pick- Dior Vernis
Pink Boa $21

                                Shiny Pearls and Champagne

For a sophisticated clean look, go for the neutral shades of Pearl and Champagne. Powder lilac and  pastel peach shades are in vogue for this spring

Style Delights Droolworthy Pick Chanel Vernis
Pearl Drop $25

                      Corals, Oranges and Jewel tones

                                

I have been seeing Coral and Orange colors back every spring for past couple of years. This year too they are back. These shades look specially great with white summer dresses or beige/neutral outfits! 

Jewel tones are in this spring for clothes and shoes. You can shine your nails too with deep jewel tones! Revlon has a beautiful line of jewel tone scented nail enamels.

Style Delights Honorable Mention - Orly Nail Lacquer
Crush On You $ 7.50
        

           Serene Aqua Blues

Set the stage for summer with these ocean blue colors. I love the opaque finish in the blue lacquers.

Style Delights Droolworthy Pick - Hello Kitty Liquid Nail Art
Blueberry (Perriwinkle blue) $10 

Timeless Red

If you want to go against the trends, I'd bet my money on the Red. Don't match the red lips with red nails though!

Style*Delights Droolworthy Pick- Yves Saint Laurent
Sublime Red Nail Lacquer $20

So, now you can have spring on the tip of your fingers even when the temperature in your city still hovers around 30s!! Happy painting:-)

BTW, whats your favorite shade??:-)

Image courtesy - Getty Images

Live With Flair!

The 70s are back! Not in their full glory (who would want that anyways!), but the wide leg pants and jeans are making a come back this year.

It was the hottest trend in pants on the runway and now many retailers including Gap, 7 For All Mankind, Lucky Brand Jeans, Forever 21 have wide leg pants in their stores.

a. 7 For All Mankind Jeans $155

b. Elizabeth and James $265

c. Forever 21 $17.80

You can find the wide leg pants in a variety of fabric from jeans to herringbone, to suit pants and stretch cotton. The fit is very comfortable and the amount of flair in the legs can vary. 

d. Rock and Republic Jeans $105

e.Donna Karan $895

f. Style& Co at Macy's $24.98

g.Ann Taylor Loft Jeans $69.50

The key is to find a pair that fits perfectly at the buttocks otherwise it could look little frumpy. I recommend wearing heels with wide leg pants, but make sure the hem covers the heel.  Also, wear something form-fitting top or a feminine blouse to balance the wide look at the hem.

How To Wear The Red Shoes

Remember The Red Pumps? I am in love with them and as promised in my earlier blog post, I put together some outfits to rock the red shoes! So here you go!

The demure white and cream linen dress gets a little more "dressed up look" with the red shoes.  You can wear  this look for a lunch date, even dinner on a summer evening. Add a tailored white jacket to wear this in workplace.

The little black dress becomes bolder with the punch of color from the red pumps.  I recommend not matching the clutch with the shoes. Use a simple black or dull silver handbag clutch to emphasize the red.

The casual blue jeans and white shirt get a sophisticated makeover with red pumps. Casual Fridays are reinvented!

If you have a busy day full of walking around, you can forgo the heels for these simple red flats. This look packs the punch without needing an hour long soak in the foot-tub! 

Tired Blogger!

When Hermes Paris have the lights out, whats the hope for a fashion blogger??? 

I am back from a stylish California vacation, will be back to blogging soon!

Elizabeth Taylor 1932 -2011, Stylish Forever

She captured our heart the minute she appeared on screen for the very first time on screen at the tender age of 9. Today we say goodbye to a great actress, philanthropist, and a style icon  

Elizabeth Taylor.

                        Captivating smile and the timeless beauty of  
                       Elizabeth Taylor will forever be alive!

The Wedge Edge

Paint that toenails bright and scrub the heels smooth! The hottest trend in spring/summer 2011 shoes is the wedge sandal! Here are some of the looks I am loving this year..and I could find them in Champagne and Beer Bottle budgets! Pick your favorite!!

The Quirky Cork

a.Christian Dior $360 

b. Ed Hardy $77

c. Forever 21 $ 24.80

      d. Jimmy Choo $ 825

Classic Wood

a. Yves Saint Laurent $1035

b. Nine West $99

c. Christian Siriano for Payless $49.99

d. Frye $123

Casual Chic - Denim

a. Christian Louboutin $ 595

b. Payless 49.99

c. Target $ 19.99

                                                   Essential Espadrilles

a.Burberry $375

b. Charlotte Russe $35.50

c. J Crew $118

d. Jimmy Choo $39

Nine Rules of Style!

1. Love thyself - You will look good if you feel good.

2. Respect your body - Make the dress fit your body not the vice-versa. Remember every size is beautiful!

3.Work with what you got - The physical attributes - Trust me on this. I grew up feeling not-so-sure about myself and gradually discovered that its not fun to wish to be somebody else. When I started loving my face and my body for what it is, I realized people really think of me as STYLISH!

4. Work with what you got - In your wardrobe - Fashion industry is here to make money. So every season "they" will tell you whats in and whats out. The purpose is - you guessed it - to make you buy more. Even though I am all for enjoying shopping, I will not suggest anybody to go out and shop just because a magazine says you can't live without it. Try to add into your wardrobe and create new outfits from your existing pieces.

5. Accessorize - I am a big fan of accessories. Shoes, earrings, bracelets, and scarves can change your look without changing much in the outfit.

6. Invest and bargain - There are certain items you could and should invest in - A Louis Vuitton bag is forever and  Burberry trench will never go out of style, but we all do not have Paris Hilton shopping budget! The trick is to mix and match the splurge and bargain!  Target, Forever 21, Ann Taylor and even flea market can go hand in hand with your designer pieces to make you look like a star! By investing wisely and bargaining stylishly, you can always look the million bucks even without the million bucks!

7. Exercise and eat healthy - Whatever your schedule is, you can always take time out for exercise. No gym, no problem - take the stairs, walk, jog, run outside, play with our kids outdoors, walk the dog..Just MOVE. No matter what weight/size/height, a FIT body makes clothes look great!

8.Groom! - Pluck the brow, remove the chipped nailpaint, loose that scrunchy!

9. Don't whine and please be humble - It REALLY makes you look oh-so-pretty!

Essential Pieces for a Timeless Wardrobe

Anytime Handbag - Every woman needs a no-brainer carry it all bag! Chanel has it all figured out. You can get the similar quilted design for less at many retailers from Ann Taylor to Forever 21

Black Pumps - Works for most dresses, jeans, pants, can do double duty from workplace to the club!

Strands of Pearls - What can I say, its the classic! Add the  instant sophistication to any outfit.

Red Lipstick - Pastels come and go, Corals and Pinks are tricky, but Red is always in vogue! Make sure to keep the face and eyes neutral and work the red lips!

BTW - Dior Rogue Lipcolor sells for $30, while Wet&wild has a tempting red for 99 cents!!!!! You are covered on any budget! 

Little Black Dress - From dinner out to a wedding to corporate luncheon, we will always NEED a LBD!

Trench Coat - Polish your look with a Khaki trench coat. London Fog trenches are very stylish. If you can afford to splurge go Burberry!

Blue Jeans - Come on, need I say more?

White Shirt - Truly timeless with the blue jeans! Wear it under a blazer or over nothing (gasp!) for a surprisingly sexy sleepwear! Wink Wink!!!

Riding Boots - Every year we hear about new trends, over-the-knee, calf-length, pointy toe, almond toe..But classic riding boots never go out of style. Gives an earthy beauty to any fall outfit! Invest in good leather brown ones!

Running shoes - This should be THE essential item in any wardrobe. Bring on those happy hormones after the workout! Afterall we gotta rock that LBD! - 

Image Courtsey - J Crew, Dior, Cathay Gems, Levi's, Frye, London Fog

Outfit of the day!

As we saw during the NY and Paris fashion weeks, this spring is all about bold colors, be it clothes or accessories. Its middle of March but spring has not yet arrived in Chicago! But this does not deter me from trying the spring 2011 fashion trends!  And its even more beautiful when you get it all on a budget!*

This is a comfortable outfit (thanks to the flats!) perfect for running errands, meeting friends for lunch, playing outdoors with your kids or for some retail therapy in the mall!
I am loving the bright blue of the outfit and the pop of bright yellow from the shoes!
Here is the close up of the feather earrings and the necklace.

                          *Top, Jeggings, Jewelery - Forever 21

Shoes - Target

Paint the town red!!

I saw them in the window, looking directly at me! They were gorgeous with the promise of making whoever they touched beautiful! What a girl to do? Resisting the temptation is one thing I never mastered, so I went ahead and committed to them! Yes, it takes COMMITMENT to buy RED SHOES! You know you will not use them every day, not with every outfit and chances are they will grace your closet more than they grace your feet, but boy do they seduce you!!! So here is the sneak peak of my red pumps...

Spring 2011 is all about bright colors and jewel tones, whether for accessories or clothes. Can't wait to wear my bright red pumps!

Will do another post with more pictures showcasing how to wear them with different outfits!