Spotted this stunning art by Nick Knight on Pinterest the other day (follow me here!), and couldn't help but think that this gorgeous watercolor wrap would be a great way to wear the look!
*Layout by Sarah Sherwood
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This look was back from during one of the more drizzly days of NYFW,
which feels appropriate since it's supposed to continue raining here
for the next 48 hours. (Oy vay.)
Keep reading for the rest of the outfit shots, and I hope that you're able to stay warm and dry no matter where you are today!
My favorite hairstyles on Anne, Giuliana & Charlize!
I don't do red carpet recaps here very often (see past S&P favorites here), but I rarely miss watching an awards show - if only for the sake of having an excuse to sit on the couch eating popcorn and sipping festive cocktails, while participating in the banter about celebrity style choices on twitter.
If you were following along there or on instagram, you already know that I was less than impressed with the overall fashion of the evening, and that getting creative with our snack and drink choices ended up being the most entertaining part of our night. That said, I'm very curious to hear what you thought of the looks that you may have seen live or across the follow-up coverage, and I may as well share my favorite trends (and some corresponding cocktails!) with you at the same time!
And finally, just for fun: My absolute favorite dress of the evening - and the one I would have wanted to wear myself - was this stunning Versace number on Halle Berry. I probably would have paired it with these emerald-green earrings, a hard-box clutch & some edgy heels, but that's just me. ;)
Your turn to tell me in the comments... Which were your faves, and which you would have wanted to wear yourself?!
I've really been feeling inspired by bringing the occasional tomboy-ish pieces into my everyday looks, and one of the easiest ways to do this has seemed to be by the tried and true addition of a hat.
In this case, a simple black baseball cap(also worn here), added just the amount of quirk the look needed by balancing out the vintage lace blouse & statement jewelry, but I thought it also felt like a nice tie-in for my favorite new pair of boyfriend jeans (they're actually the "rail straight" from Madewell, but I purchased in a size up for the fit I wanted).Topped everything off with a few of my favorite accessories, including my embroidered coat by Vanessa Bruno, and a swipe of hot pink lipstick before zipping off on my way.
Keep reading for the rest of the look, and be sure to swing by tomorrow morning for a recap of the red carpet from last night's Oscars (plus a special cocktail dessert recipe)!
I
know it's been a few weeks since posting the other two 2012 S&P
recap posts (see favorite outfits here and me movin' around here), but
this one got a little lost in the shuffle of the past month.
I
thought I'd share some fun detail shots of last year's looks, in hopes
that it might inspire a bit of extra accessorizing when you get dressed for
anything fun you have planned for this weekend. (You can click the numbers below each image to take a peek at the whole look, if you'd like.)
It's the end of a short week for most of us, and I'm seriously SO happy that it's Friday! I've been feeling under the weather for the past few days, and am looking forward to some time off to relax by partaking in the following:
Attending a birthday party for a super-cool dinosaur-loving kiddo and am thinking that I'll bring him a little something to learn from and also a little something that's just for fun. :)
Trying a new cardio-barre class at the new studio I've been going to for the past few weeks... Been loving the ballet-inspired workouts and honestly started seeing results in just a few days! (If you're in/near Hoboken, you MUST. TRY.)
Watching the Oscar's from the couch with a big bowl of homemade popcorn between us (this kit has everything you need to make your own), and we like to spice ours up with seasoning salt, Cholula & dried herbs!
I hope you have a fun few days no matter what adventures you decide to tackle, and I'll see you back here next week with a fun new little S&P feature for you! Has to do with spicing things up, so GET EXCITED. ;)
*Layout designed by Sarah Sherwood.
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I had a chance to attend a fun party at the Schutz Shoes flagship store here in NYC a few weeks ago, and although I was already fairly familiar with the newline, I could not get over how gorgeous all of the pieces were in person. Getting to try on (and prance around in!) several pairs from the Spring/Summer collection prompted me to pick out a quadrupling of my own favorites for a footwear-focused Four to Adore.
After perusing a little further on their site, I started to notice a theme amidst all of the pairs that I was drawn to, and then realized that after nearly a year back on the shoe-scene, pointy-toe pumps are just really continuing to have a major moment right now - with good reason, too! Not only do they create an optical illusion that makes legs look longer and leaner than they may already be, but many of them also have an ankle strap or more substantial back panel that gives them a bit of extra sturdiness that many heels lack.
If you're a high-heel gal like me - have you bought in to the pointy-toe trend yet? I'd love to know which one of this particular Four to Adore is your top pick... And if you were going to say "all of the above", I've already beat you to it!!! ;)
Note // Right now, Schutz Shoes are available for purchase in store (655 Madison Ave, NYC) or by phone at 212-257-4366. Be sure to follow them on FB and twitter for updates, and in the meantime, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll be shoppable online very soon!
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Mr. Pepper is back with another great Guy Style post for you today! Keep reading for his take on Spring-layering for dudes, and as usual - feel free to pass this post along to the stylish men in your life!
This month's edition of Pin Party has a decidedly love-inspired feel to it, but for the folks who like to stay away from being too theme-y, here's a round up of a few details that can be used to show your loved ones that you care, but is neutral enough to be used throughout the year.
In the case of this collection, it was the gilded metallic block lettering and the botanical silhouettes in the design piece that first caught my eye, and then the actual name "Gerard" that really drew me in... Perfect for celebrating my Sweet G!
Drink // How chic do those simple pink drinks look with the easy addition of fresh flower buds? As long as you made sure that the blooms were food-safe (look for them in the produce section of your grocery store!) it would be such an easy way to make an outstanding impact. Would look SO cute in this vintage pair of silver polka-dot tumblers!
Decorate // These pastel colored leafy eucalyptus branches (by the lovely and talented Jillian Nicole!) add such a soft touch to the organic floral arrangements, but to keep things from looking too sweet, a few dark "black" blooms add just the right amount of edge.
Design // The branding work for fine art & furniture store, Maison Gerard, is serious perfection. I love everything from the color/texture of the paper, to the gilded lettering, to the stark silhouettes of the branches.
Dress // If you're hosting a cozy dinner at home, I'm of the school of thought that says YOU get to decide how upscale or casual the dress code will be. In the case of creating an atmosphere that would work just as well for romance with your beau or quality time with friends, I'm a big fan of a comfy sweater (extra points for hearts!) and a well-fitting pair of black ponte leggings (I swear by them!) - just make sure they're not faded or stretched out.
Dine // This tasty dish needs hardly more than a bit of assembly, and could be put together by even a novice in the kitchen. Swap in different spices/toppings according to the tastes of your guests, or make it even more interactive by setting out all of the different condiments (red onions, rosemary, cream cheese, lemon curd, watercress, capers, spicy mustard, etc), and let people put stack up their own! Me thinks it would be a great case for this bread tray, and a few of these gorgeous white bowls.
As I look more closely at the layout above, I'm realizing that this concept would also work really well for a casual Easter Brunch, as well... Might have to start getting one in the works! Are you planning on hosting any get-togethers any time soon? I'd love to help by featuring your questions about hosting here, so email me and your project could be featured on S&P!
//
Pin Party is a feature where my assistant Sarah and I share images,
recipes, decorating ideas & outfits all inspired by a piece of art
or tidbit of graphic design from my Pinterest boards.
*Layout & links by Sarah Sherwood
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These photos were taken last weekend, and yesterday may not have been snowy but the wind chill was 10 degrees, folks. I spent my entire yesterday dreaming about life back at the beach, and we're already working on finalizing the plans for our next trip (in April!). Until then, I'll pile on my quirky layers to keep warm, and Sadie will slip into her shearling sweater for frequent trips to the park. (View a fun video of us romping in the snow on my vine channel, and follow along at @styleandpepper!)
Check out the rest of my snow-tromping look below (including nearly-bare legs, gold lame and bright red boots!), and I hope you're having a fabulous three-day weekend so far.
I had about eight people tell me I reminded them of a teddy bear* when I wore this outfit the other day. I guess when you're in chocolatey brown from head to toe, and more than half of you is covered in snuggly materials on a snowy blizzard-y day, people are going to see what they want to see, huh?
Dressing decently during inclement weather is always a bit challenging for me, but I try and add as many layers as I think I'll need, and keep the patterns/accessories/colors interesting so that I don't get bored (and hopefully neither do the people who have to look at me). :)On this particularday, I took a cue from the Candela FW13 presentation from last week, and I bedazzled up my knit-cap with little brooch-like earrings... Such a fun way to spice things up!
Keep reading for the full look and outfit details (plus, a little known secret about me), and I hope you have a cozy three-day weekend filled with less snow and more snuggles!
Whether you're planning to celebrate Valentine's Day by having a romantic date with your significant other, or a girl's night out with a group of your best pals, I'd like to make a case for the comfiest style choice you could possibly make - The T-shirt.
I've loved making such a simple basic become more of a style staple in my own wardrobe (recently with a blazer + high heels, and then again with a maxi skirt + tennies!), and I think that it could just as easily translate to a date-night look no matter who you'll be hanging with tonight.
Feeling especially smitten with the latest Manifesto tee for February - the featured piece is actually a sweatshirt this go-around, and it would make for the perfect thing to throw on and snuggle up with for the rest of the chilliest month!
Are you more of a cupid cutie or a laid-back lover? If you're looking for a little extra dose of romance today, check out the online magazine Cartas de Amor by Jen Ramos to see how some of my fellow bloggers feel most loved by their sweethearts! (Mr. Pepper is in there, as well!) I was so touched reading all of the precious notes, and if you love LOVE, I think you'll enjoy it. :)
Happy Valentine's Day, Sweet Friends!!! XOXO
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My Culinary Chic tabletop design... See below for details!
Last fall, I took a moment to share with you a little bit about my experience getting to know the folks at Lean Cuisine during a trip to Central California several months ago, and this past December, they made the trek out to this side of the country for a bit more scheming + dreaming, and a day full of major fun here in NYC.
I was honored to be a Style Expert at another one of their Culinary Roundtable events along with fellow bloggers Jenny Komenda & Liz Stanley, and we had a great time creating, styling + eating with the brilliant chefs and the team behind the brand.
Keep scrolling to watch a quick video sharing a sneak peek of our time (below), and a fun look at a few of the design details of the event...
Just watching the video makes me hungry... We all ate SO well that day!
After kicking off the morning with a brief chat about "our mission", we met with our teams and started mapping out our game-plan for the rest of the day. Each group was tasked with creating a menu of multiple dishes using several of the fresh produce ingredients featured in the Lean Cuisine varieties, and styling up a tabletop scheme inspired by the meal.
Each of the Style Experts were given a budget and a car to scoot around the city, and my favorite part of the day was definitely sourcing the different pieces for our look from various thrift shops, flower markets and home design stores.
Left // Liz went for a modern zen-garden look & I love that she used real carrot tops as place card holders!
Right // Jenny and I were stemware twins with these beauties from West Elm... Faceted gold for the win!
When we sat down around the tables to enjoy the family-style dinner (my
favorite!), we had the unique chance to share with the rest of the group
about our experience and how we came to our design decisions based on
an overall cohesive theme and direction.
Our team's table // The Morroccan flavors and preparations of our particular dishes lent themselves to a fairly easy inspiration for my design, and I used a very layered look with a rich color palette for extra depth. A few of my favorite extra details were: shiny gold flatware, a burgundy table runner made from scraps of leather from the garment district, vintage jewelry draped over the glossy black tagine, and individual rhinestone earrings that secured real corn husks around the natural linen napkins at each place setting. Pine boughs and seasonal blooms were contained in a grouping of chalkboard counter-top canisters from Canvas Home, and real birch candleholders from the flower district looked just right amidst the thrifted brass extras and floral chiffon tablecloth.
As I've said before, reaching for pre-packaged frozen meals is not always my first choice, but I'm a HUGE fan of keeping Lean Cuisines on-hand for when I need a delicious and tasty meal in minutes, and want to know that it will fill me up and fuel me with what my body needs for my busy schedule and active lifestyle. I know that not everyone has access to or time for sourcing, preparing
& creating wholesome meals from scratch, and that's when I think
it's more than acceptable (and in many cases, totally necessary) to
call in the back-ups for an acceptable stand-in.
Not only do I keep a nice big stack of them in my freezer, but I just love
an organization that embraces their story, and Lean Cuisine's line of
creative and healthy frozen meals is truly a great example of a company
who holds freshness, flavor & innovation at the forefront of
everything that they do. (Be sure to read about my last Culinary Roundtable experience for a more complete run-down.)
I'm really looking forward to sharing more of my Culinary Chic experiences with you here throughout this year, and I'd love to have you follow along as I explore and sample some of the many new and exciting products that the iconic brand has to offer!
//
This post is kindly brought to you by Lean Cuisine. I was invited to the Lean Cuisine Culinary Round Table and was provided with a stipend for the visit and experience. All thoughts and opinions surrounding the experience are authentically my own.
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Despite my best efforts at being prepared, I'm taking the morning off to regroup after a busy weekend and prepping for these final few days of Fashion Week events.
Before I head out the door, I wanted to take a minute to mention one of the fun projects I've been working on recently: Very excited to be contributing to the technology and lifestyle blog, MyLifeScoop, and my first article went live today! The piece is all about creating custom clothing from the comfort of your couch, and it features a pretty comprehensive resource list along with a some photos from a few years ago of yours truly in a custom gown. ;)
I have some great posts lined-up here on S&P for the coming days, so stay tuned for those and I'll see you back here very soon!
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With the impending red-and-pink-fest right around the corner, it could hardly be helped that the colors made their way into a heart-felt Sunday Sprinkles post. ;) Check out the lovely links below, and I hope you're having a fun and relaxing weekend, my Sweethearts!
one // Everything you need to plan a Valentine's Day brunch for your friends. Love the idea of quality girl-time on a quiet weekend morning!
two // I've been a huge fan of Brook&Lyn's statement-making jewelry for quite a long time, but the line's gorgeous yarn art is the most recent project that has me swooning.
three // The perfect pillow to snuggle up to on the couch... Would also make a darling Valentine's Day gift for your partner OR a dear friend.
No shortage of statementcoats around here, huh? This is one of my heaviest and happiest, and I've been wearing it with everything from denim to dresses lately! Speaking of denim... You may remember me mentioning that I've been on the hunt for the perfect boyfriend jeans for quite some time, and I've finally found a pair that I love! I picked up these "rail straight" jeans from Madewell (thanks to People StyleWatch Style Hunters), and even though they're not technically a boyfriend fit, I just made sure to size up from what I normally wear, and they seem to work just fine!
Keep reading for the full look below, and don't forget: If you're wanting an insider look at my most current NYC Fashion Week adventures, you can follow along with me on instragram, Facebook & twitter!
I'm also excited to help them celebrate their anniversary is by joining a few of my fellow jewel-loving style bloggers (including yours truly!) at their pop-up shop in the Meatpacking District next Tuesday night! I'll be there alongside Julia Engel, Nicolette Mason, and Caroline Knapp for a sparkly little styling session with some of our readers, and I'm really looking forward to a laid-back ladies night with sweet friends, new and old!
BaubleBar Unwrapped
344 West 14th St (at 9th Ave)
February 12, 6-8 pm
Will you be able to join me and and few of my best gals for some glittery fun? I'd absolutely LOVE to see you there!
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Full disclosure: I stared at this coat/skirt combo for the longest time before walking out the door the other day because I just couldn't quite figure out how badly the colors clashed. After reaching the final verdict (which was just a half-hearted maybe) and hearing Mr. Pepper's response to the look (which was a hesitant "...interesting"), I decided to try to just go ahead and own the look as best as I could.
Adding as many warm layers as I could, plus a courage-inducing pair of over-sized sunnies and some of my boldest orange lipstick (big smiles included), gave me just the right amount of guts I needed to get my butt out the door.
See below for the full look and outfit details, and feel free to weigh-in on the clash factor in the comments!
A mere 5 steps inside nearly any store you walk into this weekend will remind you that Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and although we don't normally make as big of a deal out of the holiday as some couples, I'm feeling a bit inspired to carve out a special date night together towards the middle of this month.
It might have something to do with the fact that G and I have been apart all week (I'm in AZ until Monday), or it could be that I know I'll see him very little because of the impending fashion week madness. No matter the reason, I'm taking a cue from the cupid-less vibe of this stunning heart print from Ampersand Design, and am dreaming about pairing it with a non-traditional (read: non-pink-and-red) gorgeous lacey sleep set from True & Co. Tres chic without being tres "theme-y", no?
Do you have any special plans set for the 14th? I know that there's usually quite a mix of emotions and outlooks surrounding that particular date, but I like to just use it as an excuse to go out of my way to show a little extra love to everyone I come in contact with - Why not, right?
(Plus, CONVERSATION HEARTS and CHOCOLATE. Yum.)
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