2011 Academy Awards Red Carpet Faves

alright, i'll make this fairly quick because overall, 

i was very bored with the dress choices from last night.
(especially compared to the globes, which i thought were awesome.)

 my favorite, by far, was cate blanchett's dress.

it was very different, and i felt like i could have stared at it for hours.

loved the color, but would have liked to see her have on a bright color lip or something.

not a fan of the pale makeup, pale hair, pale dress look.

gwyneth's dress was gorgeous, and despite the folks who said she looked like a fembot,

i thought it was glam, and again, a departure from the norm.

i definitely would have considered wearing something like this.

i did, however, think that she could have used some more volume in her hair.

i know the stick straight thing is kind of her "look" 

but even a slight wave would have softened the overall ensemble.

mila's dress was beautiful. loved the cut, the draping, and the color, 

but didn't love the peek-a-boo lace down the skirt.

i keep going back and forth on michelle williams dress.  

all of the pictures i could find make it look like a silvery white color, 

but i thought it looked more baby blue on tv.

the sleeves were different, and i thought they worked,
and the column shape looks great on her.

i have always loved her hair that way, 

but did anyone else think it looked like she had her lips done recently?

during the interviews i saw, she looked like she was having a hard time moving them.

(i thought the same thing about sandra bullock... thoughts?)

i cannot even believe i am including celine dion in this list, but i thought she looked fantastic.

the floor length and long sleeves were age appropriate, and i thought her hair was much softer

and more youthful than we've seen in the past. 

more silver, though, which i'm only just "meh" about.

there was so much of it last night! where was all of the color?

there's so much to say about the hosts from last night, but i don't even want to go into it.

(ok fine: anne is a MAJOR dork and james was totally high.)

out of all anne's costume changes, the following two were my definite favorites:

love the color, the interesting beaded pattern, and the neckline.

not everyone loved this last one, but i think if i had to pick one dress to wear

to wear to my next red carpet event (HA), 

it would be this one (out of the options we saw last night).

cobalt blue is one of my favorite colors, i'm a sucker for a strong shoulder, 

and of course - i think you pretty much can't go wrong with bright pink lipstick.

ok, so i'm dying to know what you thought about everything!!

which looks were your faves? did you hate any dresses? 

can you tell me where all the color went?!?!

let's dish about it in the comments! XOXO

Concrete Catwalk // Dinner Guest

this is what i wear/bring if you invite me over for dinner:

i look a little disheveled in these photos, but i'm blaming the wind.

my necklace is off-kilter, and those socks were not supposed to show

(at least they didn't have cartoon critters all over them or something).

speaking of critters...

this is muffin.  

we're not sure if it's a boy or a girl, but it has lived 

in our neighborhood since last summer and she is seriously the sweetest thing... 

SUPER tame, loves saying hi to our dog, and comes when you call her.  

she has miraculously lasted all winter (we think someone feeds her regularly) 

but i'm sure she'd love a home to call her own and some care and affection.

i think she'd do best in a home where she could still spend time outdoors,

(which is why we haven't taken her in), and she seems great with other animals.

we're pretty sure she is just under a year old, 

because she was a pretty small kitten when we first met her, 

so she still has a lot of life to live!

if you are even remotely interested, and would like to meet her

feel free to send me an email.

hope you have a great weekend!!!

denim shirt - j. crew

necklace - vintage, garage sale

skirt - vintage, thrifted

socks - j. crew

boots - steve madden

satchel - vintage

vino - tamari

TCC TV: NYFW Haul Video

i've had several requests to share my shopping finds from NYC...
if you're interested, check out this haul video i made
featuring all of the fun goodies i scored on my trip!

*special thanks to levi's, aldo & market publique!

Street Style // Kansas Couture & the Midwestyle

today post features not just one, but TWO incredibly fabulous street style finds

and even more fun, they are BOTH local fashion bloggers.

katy from kansas couture and i had lunch at nara (see what i wore here) 

and chatted about life, fashion (natch), and being the best dog-mamas we can be.

 

sweetie pie jeff, of the midwestyle, and i ran into each other while shopping on the plaza

and i couldn't resist snapping a photo of him in his new blazer.

i always love connecting with other local fashion bloggers...

meeting likeminded and loveable new friends is one of my favorite things!

do you have any others you think i should know about?

feel free to leave your suggestions and favorites in the comments!

XOXO

As Seen On: Design*Sponge

photo courtesy of the nelson atkins museum website

if you are clicking over from the newshinyandupdated 

kansas city design guide on design*sponge, then

welcome!

so glad you stopped by!

feel free to check out some of the concrete catwalk's

most popular features:

jessie's outfits, kansas city street style (two great new ss posts tomorrow!),

tcc tv videos, and updates on local fashion & events.

as always, i'd love to hear what you think, so comment freely

and if you love our site, please share it with your friends!

if you're a regular reader of tcc,

(especially if you live here in kansas city)

DEFinitely hop over to check out the guide i put together!

lots of my favorite spots for dining, shopping & otherwise!

don't forget to follow us on twitter and like us on FB
for up to the minute shopping tips and to hear about all of the places we love to frequent in kc!

happy reading!

Beauty // CND Shellac for Nails

the product:

i am obsessed with nail polish.

i love the process of painting my nails, 

the detail it adds to an outfit,

and the shininess of the lacquer in the first few days.

these could all be reasons why i was so resistant to try the latest craze in nail product,

but my mom swears by this "fabulous" shellac, and the last several times i have seen her nails,

they looked gorgeous.

so when a new salon opened just blocks from my house,

i called to see if they carried the CND line of shellac

(that was the brand i had heard the most about) -

they said yes, and i booked my first appointment for that day.

only $20 for the shellac, and it would have been $30 if i had wanted a mani with it.

the verdict:

this was TWO weeks ago.

since then, i have traveled to and from NYC

(on 5 different planes!),

styled/produced an outdoor photoshoot,

and replanted several of my new houseplants...

ALL things that normally wreak havoc on my nails.

how do they look, you ask?

not. a. single. chip.

the shellac is still shiny, intact, and going strong.

this super dark color in the front is the one i got

tips & tricks: 

i became fast friends with the gal who did mine (diane at oak nails)

and she told me all of the pros and cons of the other brands

and it sounds like CND is going to be the one i stick with... 

it's cheaper, gentler on your nails, and comes off the easiest.

she also made a great point in telling me that if you want the absolute best longevity,

choose a lighter color so the regrowth at the nail bed doesn't show up quite as much

(this can also depend on how quickly your nails grow).

bottom line:

i love the process of painting my nails, 

so i'm sure i'll still do it myself from time to time,

but for things like traveling or special occasions,

or even just busy ladies who like to keep their polish looking perfect,

i think this is the best (and most affordable) option!

weigh in:
have you ever had shellac on your nails?
i'd love to hear about your experiences and what you loved/didn't love!
where did you have it done? will you do it again?

all images borrowed from the CND website

*i am not receiving any sort of compensation for this post... i am truly excited to have tried and loved this product and am so pleased with the salon that i went to.  if you're in kansas city, you should definitely try them out!*

Concrete Catwalk // Floral Kimono

got all gussied up to speak at a local social media club of kansas city event about dating

(my specific topic was dressing to make a great first impression)

and decided to wear one of my fave NYC outfits that i never had a chance to photograph.

that's right folks, even fashion bloggers re-wear outfits!

necklace - pressie from mom (peregrine turquoise necklace)

kimono-style tunic - vintage, thrifted

belt & bag - j. crew

faux-leather leggings - UO, by way of a clothing swap

heels - forever21

Sale at the Spice Rack

i'm trying to clear some space for the FABULOUS spring lovelies
i've found over the last few months and that means, the cold weather goods have got to go!

(don't forget, winter isn't gone yet!)

mint quilted jacket

all coats, jackets and blazers at the spice rack are $10 off their original price
which means some are going for as low as $10-$16!!!

veggie burger puffer jacket (w/ detachable sleeves)

crazy good deals, folks.

 filet crested blazer

also, i have had many inquiries about whether or not a pick up option is available in kc, and the answer is YES.  just purchase the item, as usual, but send me a message when you do and i will refund you the shipping charge.

happy shopping!

Concrete Catwalk // Rose Ceremony

we spent valentine's day having a delicious dinner 

with the two other couples that we watch the bachelor with each week

(not the most romantic, but much less pressure and waaay more fun)

the guys did EVERYthing, and let the ladies relax on the couch

and then they surprised up with our very own rose ceremony

(don't worry, we each got one!)

g and i also surprised each other with a few small gifts

even though we said we weren't exchanging any this year.

i got him a set of 1950's cufflinks with a handpainted horse on each one

and he got me the pretty little feather ring on my right hand (above),

the stila for j. crew lipgloss set, the essie for j. crew nailpolish set,

and some other pretty unmentionables. ;)

tee - j. crew

belt - vintage, thrifted

skirt - forever21

tights - target

clogs - jessica simpson, endless.com

coat - vintage, boomerangs

scarf - forever21

Event // West 18th St Fashion Show

speaking of fashion events,

kansas city's got it's own production that is always QUITE the show...

the west 18th st fashion show is a major strong point of local fashion

and i LOVE seeing what the designers in our city come up with.

this year is the 11th annual (on june 11th!), and the theme for the event is "summer in spain"

if you are a local designer and would like to get in on the action,

now's your chance!

the call for designers has already begun 

and the deadline to submit your application is march 7, 2011.

NYFW // Kimberly Ovitz

another highlight of my week in new york 

was attending the kimberly ovitz presentation at the pace gallery.

i was flattered to be invited and really enjoyed all of the pieces in the collection!

kimberly's F/W2011 collection was extremely modern
and heavily inspired by architectural shapes,

but also had elements of lovely draping and the incorporation of chunky knits as well.

my favorite parts were the crazy shoes
and the bright pops of citron (which i cannot get enough of right now!)

i have to say, watching all of the fabulously dressed people mill around

was almost just as amazing as being at the presentation itself!

 at one point, i was looking around at everyone's incredible ensembles and i realized i was standing next to jenna lyons! i mentioned to her that i loved the coral-colored-leather prada clutch she was carrying and noted that it matched the logo on my business card, and we ended up talking for several minutes.

(you can actually see jenna if you click on the 2nd collection of my photos above... she's in the background on the top left wearing glasses and holding her adorable bag.  she was just as tall as the models! and i had no idea she was in the shot when i took it!)

she was just as warm and as lovely as she could be, and her genuine interest in our conversation floored me. i cannot stop thinking about the fact that if i could have chosen to bump into and meet any person i look up to and admire in the fashion community, i'm certain she would have been my number one pick.

plus, she kept my card and tucked it into her chic bag before tucking it back under her arm...

i'd say it was another great day in new york!

IFB Evolving Influence Recap

wow, i feel like i have SO much information and inspiration to process 

after such an amazing week in NYC...

i'll start with the IFB evolving influence conference:

the content itself was wonderful and i learned so much from many different bloggers, some of which i have followed closely for quite some time. i took lots of notes and hopefully as i continue to work on improving this little space of mine, you will notice some positive changes!

probably my favorite part about the whole day was all of the new friends i made...

two of my faves! taylor and pamela...

chatting with laura from on the racks

 image from kings rule together

and yes, i DID get to chat with the lovely leandra and snap her photo...

 

also loved talking with:

andrea and kathy from aldo, christine from my style pill, keiko from keiko lynn, curran from kings rule together, amber from venz edits, morgan and ashley from DBA, monica of ciao chessa, angie from norwegian wood, kristin from bon bon rose girls, francesca of love lace luxe, lacee swan, lynzy from sparkling footsteps, francesca from le kiss kiss, and jamie of from me to you.

if you're interested in my outfit, here are a few more snaps...

 image from kings rule together

 image from kings rule together

 image from the lovely monica of ciao chessa

(please excuse my weirdo frowny face)

the day ended with sushi/wine with many of my new friends

and then dinner with a dear friend of mine from high school

who took time out of her SUPER busy week (as a shoe designer for marc jacobs!)

to take me out to a lovely dinner and catch up on life.

tomorrow i'll recap the kimberly ovitz presentation i was fortunate enough to attend...

special highlight to include meeting one of my all-time faves, jenna lyons!

stay tuned... xoxo

outfit details:

turban (silk scarf) - j. crew

blouse, sweater, belt & pants - vintage, thrifted

ankle socks - j. crew

heels - asos

brooch turned necklace - vintage, was my nana's

leather jacket - forever

mink stole - vintage, was my meema's

(love this stole because i can clip it to the lapel of my jackets/blazers!)