Holiday Gift Guide: Steals and Splurge

‘Tis the season to…shop your heart out! Whether you’re hunting for deals or ready to splurge, there are so many reasons to indulge your shopping senses!

Ready to splurge? Accessorize the princess in your life with Aruna Seth London’s metallic Gold ‘Farfalla’ heels ($775.00) and ‘Butterfly’ clutch ($554.00) available at www.arunaseth.com  (also available in Navy, Red, Grey and Suede) – a favourite of the Royal Family

A sexy, yet safe gift she will love! Blush’s ‘Midnight Kiss’ gown (matching robe also available). Under $100 steal at just $98.00 at www.blushlingerie.com.

Trina Turk’s ’Gold Tulip’ dress a steal rental for just $75.00 or a gift card from www.renttherunway.com.

About Blush Lingerie:  Founded in 1988, Blush Lingerie creates soft, feminine fashion-driven intimates and sleepwear. Blush is committed to handcrafting premium quality intimates with a high cachet of style. Backed by over 50 years of family experience in the textile industry. For additional information and images, please visit: www.blushlingerie.com. 

About Aruna Seth: Faced with lacklustre options when satisfying the footwear needs of her own social calendar, socialite and new generation ‘It’ girl Aruna Seth set out to design shoes that would appeal to the inner-princess in every woman. The collection designs includes Swarovski-embellished stilettos, chic ballerina flats, pumps and exquisite, fur-trimmed après ski boots.  Aruna Seth London shoes are all about luxury- produced in small quantities with the highest quality materials and offering clients a special footwear experience. www.arunaseth.com

About Rent the Runway

Rent the Runway is the premier online destination for dress and accessory rentals. With a revolving roster of over 150 top designers, 25,000 of the season’s hottest dresses, and 4000 accessories, Rent the Runway is designer fashion delivered to her doorstep for a fraction of the price. For all of life’s special occasions, www.renttherunway.com  provides the Cinderella experience for women everywhere.

Lauren Conrad and Kohl’s treat deserving teens to some retail therapy

In the spirit of the holiday season, Lauren Conrad teamed with Kohl’s to treat four deserving teens from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles with a shopping spree of a lifetime at Kohl’s, to add some cheer to their holiday. The girls each received a $500 Kohl’s Gift Card to shop. Lauren gave the teens a holiday stocking full of beauty products and accessories and helped each girl shop for a fun holiday outfit from her LC Lauren Conrad collection.  Lauren also helped style each girl with shoes and accessories for their favorite look!

Entertainment sensation (“Laguna Beach” and “The Hills”) and New York Times best-selling author Lauren Conrad is making a new name for herself as a fashion designer. After launching her first collection in 2008, Lauren launched LC Lauren Conrad exclusively at Kohl’s. Her collection includes tops, bottoms, dresses, shoes and accessories.

MARNI TO DESIGN A SPRING COLLECTION FULL OF SIGNATURE PRINT AND PATTERN FOR H&M

H&M is proud to announce a spring designer collaboration with the Italian brand Marni. Famed for its original prints and inventive spirit, Marni is one of fashion’s most-loved labels, and its founder and creative director, Consuelo Castiglioni, has created a spring collection for H&M for both women and men that captures the essence of Marni. Available from March 8, 2012 in over 250 stores worldwide and online, the collection features both clothing and accessories, all at H&M’s prices,  allowing everyone  the chance to enter Marni’s world.

“I wanted to create a true Marni wardrobe by revisiting all our favorite pieces in signature fabrics and prints. As always, I love juxtaposing prints and colors, mixing modern tribal with Bauhaus graphic and adding sporty utilitarian elements,” says Consuelo Castiglioni. Founder and Creative Director.

“We all love the collection here at H&M and we believe that our customers will  feel the same way. Marni has such a modern touch with everything they do, mixing prints and accessories in a playful but chic way. It’s fantastic to see how Consuelo Castiglioni coordinates her designs, matching new combinations of prints and colors, with such incredible craftsmanship behind every piece. The collection will arrive in stores at just the perfect time. as the collection will truly prove to be a lovely statement for spring,” comments Margareta van den Bosch, Creative Advisor for H&M.

Marni is a label that follows its own path and sets its own trends for prints, cuts and silhouettes, which are always playful and elegant. Marni has remained a family- owned business even as it has grown to become an international luxury brand with stores around the world.

Marni’s collection for H&M has all the freedom and experimentation for which the label is renowned, with all-over prints in strong colors intended to be worn together in layers that both match and clash. For women, the colors are vivid, and the prints are bold, be they African-inspired or simpler color blocks. The silhouettes are all Marni staples, with full pleated skirts, dresses, cropped pants and jacquard knits; fabrics range from silk to crisp cotton poplin. To complete the look, the collection also includes jewelry, shoes, bags and scarves.

For men, the colors and fabrics are softened for a relaxed take on menswear staples that  are truly Marni. The use of prints is subtle; they often appear as a lining or as a contrast detail for shirts; the silhouette is a modern, relaxed take on masculine classics. The Marni collection is the latest designer collaboration for H&M, which has previously collaborated with brands such as Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Comme des Garçons, Jimmy Choo, Lanvin, and most recently Versace.

Information about Marni: www.marni.com.

Chill Out In Chinos

Chill Out in Chinos

This Holiday season, don’t be chilly…grab a pair of Chinos! With an array of seasonal colors, these chinos by Life/After/Denim are on trend year round. Fashionable and versatile, the chino pant is the perfect staple to every guy’s closet. Work to play, dressed up or dressed down, they go with every outfit. Life After Denim’s chinos are constructed in fine woven cotton twill so they are functional and comfortable for those day to day duties. So treat yourself to a gift this holiday season with a pair of Life/After/Denim and make the chino a yes.

Slim Fit Chino- Core Colors $84

Slim Fit Chino- Seasonal Colors $84

life/after/denim designs and crafts clothing in which to live your life, creating classic pieces that seamlessly fit into your wardrobe. Available at www.lifeafterdenim.com.

Adding the right amount of holiday sparkle to your look at EVERY AGE

No matter how young or old, if there is ever a time of the year to play up your inner diva, it’s NOW!  What’s the best part of the holiday season you ask?  Parties!  What’s second-best? Sparkles!

Bust out your sequined duds, glittered pumps, and blinged out jewelry. From sparkling accessories and beauty finds to the killer party dress, this is a trend that makes every outfit feel special.

Make this trend work at every age with the suggestions below!

• In your 20’s, this is your chance to be fearless. From full sequin dress to Blue Nile’s festive Leaf Chandelier Earrings, play up the trend with bold statement pieces. While it’s fine to incorporate more than one sparkling item at a time, avoid looking like a disco ball by sticking to just one major sparkle item.
• In your 30’s, while your look might not be as loud as in your 20’s, it’s still time to stand out with bold pieces and daring beauty trends. Make heads turn and your date drool with Pure Romance’s edible body bling to highlight your décolleté. 
• In your 40’s, incorporating subtle shimmer, like Boot’s Lip Glace, into your beauty routine is a great age appropriate alternative. Sparking, bold lips provide a festive holiday glow without seeming over the top. 
• In your 50’s, it’s all about the great accessory. For example, Henri Bendel’s Box Clutch pairs well with almost any outfit and can instantly transform basic cocktail attire into something much more special.

In Your 20’s

 Clockwise from top left:

Juicy Couture’s “Viva La Juicy Solid Perfume Necklace”, $48 www.Sephora.com

BB Dakota’s “Derora Sequin Dress”, $100 www.ShopBop.com

Pure Romance’s “Shimmertime”, $12 www.pureromance.com

Blue Nile’s “Leaf Chandelier Earrings”, $30 www.BlueNile.com

In Your 30’s

 Clockwise from top left:

Collection XIIX “sequin Circle Scarf”, $34 www.Nordstroms.com

BCBGMAXAZRIA “Reeve” Cap-Sleeve Sequin Dress”, $498 www.Bloomingdales.com

Pure Romance’s “Kissable Body Bling”, $20 www.PureRomance.com

Enzo’s “Angiolini ‘Tolten’ Slingback Pump” www.Nordstrom.com

In Your 40’s

 Clockwise from top left:

Blue Nile’s “Green Quartz Cocktail Ring”, $130 www.BlueNile.com

Kate Spade, $325 www.KateSpade.com

Rachel Zoe’s “Minelli Sequin Top”, $350 www.Bloomingdales.com

Boots’ “No7 Lip Glace”, $10 www.ShopBootsUSA.com

 In Your 50’s

  Clockwise from top left:

Henri Bendel’s “Miss Bendel Box Clutch”, $198 www.HenriBendel.com

Pure Romance’s “Shimmering Body Silk”, $18 www.PureRomance.com

Karen Kane’s “Sequin Front Cardigan”, $138 www.KarenKane.com

Blue Nile’s “Carnelian Drop Earring”, $310 www.BlueNile.com

Etre Touchy and Etre FIVEPOINT gloves

Etre FIVEPOINT Gloves are a stylish way of keeping your hands warm while using your iPhone, iPad and other touchscreen cell phones and devices. (As you may know, it’s impossible to use these types of gadgets while wearing a normal pair of gloves, because normal gloves stop you from making contact with their screens. Etre FIVEPOINT Gloves’ contactwoven® fingertips solve this problem.)

Etre Touchy Gloves have missing thumb and index fingertips, providing even more freedom to text, tweet and touch (and to take photos, shoot film and apply make-up) in wintry conditions.

Both collections are designed and ethically manufactured in the United Kingdom; and are made from pure new wool. (Cashmere and leather versions will be available soon.)

The gloves are available for customers to purchase from our online shop (www.etreshop.com); and also from leading U.S online fashion stores, including Park & Bond, Bonobos and Fair Indigo.
Etre Touchy Gloves retail at £35 GBP (approximately $54.80 USD); while Etre FIVEPOINT Gloves retail at £40 GBP (approximately $62.60 USD).

Visit the following websites for more information:

• http://www.etretouchy.com/
• http://www.fivepointgloves.com/

Stretta Apparel

GET ALL WRAPPED UP WITH STRETTA

Stretta is a contemporary brand that combines American ambition and aesthetic with European design sensibility and superior fabrication. This uber feminine collection is made for strong and confident women who want to make a statement. Season to season, these figure flattering dresses, skirts and leggings come in a variety of body hugging and eye-popping designs. Stretta offers intricate designs with bold color combinations and embellishments of premium leather and lace. First class style at a sensible price, these dresses range between $200 and $500.  Stretta is sold at select fine retailers such as Madison, Ron Herman, Intermix, etc. Check out the Stretta Collection at www.strettaapparel.com.