Pencil Shavings Studio - Iphone cases

Awesome, girlie, chic, fun, vibrant Iphone cases from the Pencil Shavings Studio.  I'm loving their Painter's Palette Collection :)  So fun for summertime.

Mavericks Laces. Melbourne.

I stumbled across Mavericks Laces while perusing the internet for a gift for Duane since his summer birthday is on the horizon.  I rarely blog about Men's Fashion, but felt it necessary with this brand, due to it's cool branding. 

The coolest thing about their site?  They've dedicated a section to showing you different ways to tie your shoelaces.  Pretty hip if you ask me.

Kate Spade Saturday

I'm a huge fan of Kate Spade, so of course it makes perfect sense that I adore their new sister-line, Kate Spade Saturday, that has just recently launched.  Kate Spade Saturday is chic, fun, relaxed, and has more of a youthfulness to the styling.

On weekends, who doesn't love a quirky, vibrant, but carefree fashionable outfit or accessories?  And the best part of all, it's less expensive than Kate Spade.  Tennis shoes from $65.00 and weekender bags from $40.00!

Thankfully, we now how Kate Spade Saturdays here to help style the inner weekender in all of us :)

Brother Vellies

I came across this new (to me) shoe vendor, Brother Vellies, & I've fallen completely into shoe heaven. My favorite are the neon toed style (pictured below) & for all my mommy readers out there, they even have matching ones for your little ones!

I love the backbone & essence of how this company came to be and that they are currently employing 8 gentleman in Swakopmund, Namibia (Africa) who make 20 pairs a day by hand.  They are individually crafted from wild kudu leather, and each shoe is one of a kind and made to last.   No nails are used in the process.  They are finished by hand, using a knife to perfect the outer texture of the leather.

Definitely check out their website to see a lot of other styles and colors for men, women, & children.

The Iconic Chanel Jacket: Behind the Scenes

A fashion essential that never goes out of style, the iconic CHANEL jacket.  Sixty years later and this jacket has revolutionized the fashion industry and is still as relevant as it was decades ago. 

Watch this film revealing the story behind the CHANEL jacket.  (*First 20 seconds in French*)

Geo Drusy Jewelry

My ultimate new jewelry obsession this Spring are these geo drusy rings and earrings from Leif.  As I was doing some online shopping over the weekend I came across them and I'm absolutely in-love.  My favorite is the 'double drusy ring in dusk (blue & brown stacked gems).

Reasonable pricing too for statement jewelry pieces, ranging from $76 to $128.  See below for some of their selections they have via online.

I hope everyone's Monday is off to a great start!

Eat Well. Travel Often.

A recent gift from my husband was this American Apparel athletic tee from Skreened, with the phrase "Eat Well. Travel Often."  Two of the core foundations in which we live our daily lives.  It was a perfect gift and it's been in the weekly wash ever since.  It's two best qualities is that it's super soft and beyond comfy.  

I paired it with white denim (winter white denim video) and black knee boots for a casual, yet chic look, for our Friday lunch date in downtown Boulder.  

White denim: A Year-Round Trend

Okay gals.... so 'white denim' is no longer a fashion trend that has to be worn after Memorial Day and no later than Labor Day; it's a seasonless fashion staple that can be worn year-round.   I love a white crisp pant, with a high heel boot underneath, paired with a blazer.  Here's a video I've found on Vogue.com that has a similar styled look, that's trendy and yes, winter appropriate!  So pull out those white jeans from your closet and make a fashion statement by pairing it with a boot this Winter 2013.

Blue Jean Ladies

An ARTICLE I came across & had to share! 

________________________________________________________

ASPEN, COLORADO, MAY BE KNOWN AS A WORLD-CLASS SKI DESTINATION, BUT IT'S ALSO THE UNLIKELY HOME BASE OF A FAST-GROWING COMPANY THAT IS REVOLUTIONIZING THE WAY WE BUY DENIM. STEP INSIDE THE MOUNTAIN-TOWN HEADQUARTERS OF THE BLUE JEANS BAR.

{ Fuller's desk boasts breathtaking views of Red and Smuggler mountains  }

                   {  Courtney Sheely, Sydney Prikryl, Sammy and Lady Fuller in The Blues Jean Bar headquarters.  }

{ The Blues Jean Bar-branded packing tape; ski posters, fresh flowers and a cookie jar decorate the office }

When you walk into The Blues Jean Bar offices in the heart of downtown Aspen, Colorado, Sammy is the first one to greet you. The Bernese mountain dog ambles up, tail wagging wildly, and leans his stout body against you in a not-so-subtle plea for attention. This welcoming committee is just one of many only-in-Aspen qualities that sets The Blues Jean Bar apart from the rest of corporate America.

Lady Fuller is the woman behind this denim empire, which now includes 100 employees and 17 stores (none of which are in Aspen). She moved her headquarters from San Francisco to Aspen in 2009 when her husband, Chip, found a job in the area. Fuller’s parents had a second home in the mountain town and she’d always loved it, so she decided to live where she really wanted.

From her desk overlooking the mansion-laden hills of Aspen’s tony Red Mountain, Fuller—a mother of two small children—runs her ever-growing company. In addition to her brick-and-mortar retail shops, she also oversees an online store (thebluesjeanbar.com) and a mobile Blues Jean Bar service that travels to special events, providing the same unique, customized shopping experience as the retail stores do. Her success lies in stores that offer more than 40 denim brands for men and women, complete with “jeantenders” who help customers select the best options for their size, shape and need from behind an actual wooden bar.

___________________________

If you haven't had the opportunity to check out The Blue Jean Bar yet, they carry a vast majority of great denim brands. My guess would be, as the year 2013 continues to progress, this brand is going to be seen throughout the country on a more mainstream basis.

xx, 

Colleen 

Free People.

Clothing:
Free People has always been and remains to be one of my favorite designers.  As I was recently looking through their January catalog, I can admitingly say, I wanted every styled outfit in it. I'm beyond stoked to have moved to a city where there are 3 Free People stores & one happens to be in downtown Boulder, which is extremely close to my abode.

Here are a few of the January looks I love.... I'm tempted on purchasing the open back white dress today (very bottom).  It'll be such a fresh fun day-time look for Spring! All looks & styles can be found at Free People

Hair:

At least once a week, I go to FP's Fashion Blog because it's loaded with tutorials where they have helpful fashion friendly videos on hair, nails, makeup, styling, and just about anything else!  Here's a hair-style I wanted to share, that is not only 'FP helmet friendly' but 'winter hat friendly'.  I'll be styling my hair like this soon for my next trip out to the ski-slopes, so I'll be sure to share a few photographs with you in the coming weeks!

Free People Helmet-Hat Hair Tutorial

*I'm a maxi gal... & this is a beautiful colorful floral rendition* 

**Absolutely in-love **

Cozy & Comfy in the Cold

As the temperatures drop below freezing outside, the last thing I want to do is to not be cozy & comfy while running my weekend errands in the bitter cold. Here are two similar styled suggestions of outfitting options of how to obtain a fashionable in-style look, while being comfy.  The key for me this winter has been warm leggings, oversized shirts/sweaters, with a scarf, and my boots.

( Red Moose-Snowflake Sweater $48.00, Bagis Earphones $35.00, Minnetonka Cally Moccasin $50.00, Marc by Marc Jacobs iPhone InCase $34.00)

Feature on 2 items above: 

If you don't own a pair of Minnetonka moccasins, I suggest adding them to your wish list & purchasing asap.  I've suggested them to many of friends (who all thank me) because they are so comfy, budget friendly, and warm for winter.  I love mine so much, I purchased a slate grey pair as another color option.

To my surprise, Marc by Marc Jacobs has partnered up with Incase to create iPhone cases. If you haven't had the opportunity yet to purchase an Incase cover, I suggest it (coming from a girl that drops her phone quite frequently; whoops!).  Incase truly does a great job when it comes to durability + being fashion savvy.  I've had my fair share of 'fashion savvy' iphone cases from Lilly Pulitzer to Kate Spade & this one surpasses them all. 

 Not loving the red holiday color above? 

 ( Here's a similar style in Rose. She Inside Rose Snowflake Sweater $32.26 )

( OASAP Sweater $52.00, Steve Madden Boots  $100.00, Michael Kors Clutch $98.00 )

DIY Watermark Tee

What I love about this project is that it's completely customizable! You can use favorite quotes to decorate your shirt but you could also use song lyrics, bible verses, favorite book excerpts, etc. You can also choose whatever color you like. I think it would be a very kid-friendly project as well; for all my Mommy readers out there! :) 

Materials:

Elmer's Blue Gel Glue (it must be the blue gel, white won't work)

Fabric Dye (RIT is the best brand)

A white cotton Tee, Tank, ect.

Tutorial:

Step 1: Prepare

Wet your tee with cool water and place a water resistant board between the layers of fabric.

Step 2: Design

After you finish designing your shirt with the Elmer's Gel let it dry completely.  Drying will take several hours.

Step 3: Dye 

Your dye bath should be prepared using cool water. Experiment with different amounts of dye until you find the right concentration. Keep in mind that the color that comes out of the dye bath will be a couple of shades darker than the dry, finished garment. Continue dying until you get the color you want.  When you are finished, let the garment  completely dry.

Step 4: Wash

When your tee is dry (to let the dye set) soak it in cool, soapy water for about 15 minutes. This soak washes the extra glue out. Throw it in the washer and dry as you would normally.

             Step 5: Wear & Enjoy! 

Winter Purse Essentials

Purse dump! Oh' no... every girls worst nightmare!  Or maybe just mine...  I seem to keep way too many items in my purse as a 'just in case', from receipts, to coupons I may need, to invitations/cards with event info, to name a few. I have decided in 2013, I'm going to stick with the basics and my absolute essentials that I can't live without.  I'm sure other things will end up inside my handbag as well, but I wanted to share my 'top 5'.  

My top 5 items this Winter:

1. Earmuffs: Why waste your time you spent styling your hair with a winter toboggan that will ruin it in minutes? Earmuffs prevent that scenario, while keeping you warm.  Similar style Nordstrom Black Ear Muffs

2. Lip Balm: Seal & protect your lips with SUGAR by Fresh 

3. Wallet: The favorite wallet I own is Louis Vuitton Zippy Wallet.    On a budget & don't want to splurge, but you like the chocolate leather & the all around zip? Check out Fossil Explorer Wallet

4. Perfume: So handy to have a fresh fragrance touch-up available at all times of the day. Marc Jacobs Daisy Rollerball Perfume 

5. House Key: Something you use at least once a day, should be feminine, fun, & practical! A key that isn't the 'standard shape, color, size' is surely to speed things up when you're getting in the house & also allow for a bit of fun flare to your key ring.  Home Depot House Key 

(Kate Spade purse shown above. Similar Style Grove Court Thea in Black/White 

or Grove Court Large Maise in Green/Black )

A new year, calls for a new agenda!

For most of us, the new year indicates a time to get back on track from our Holiday vacation—committing ourselves to a new workout routine, checking off the list of places to travel, events to attend, & books to read.  To conquer all of the above, you're going to need a new agenda to assist in organizing your busy daily schedule. 


Last year, my husband purchased me the Tiffany's Agenda for a surprise stocking stuffer, which is a perfect size to fit into every sized handbag that I carry (small-medium-large), but I quickly realized, that it just wasn't big enough for all the items I consider a necessity to write down for my weekly reminders.  If you find yourself not scribbling up everyday in your agenda with reminders (like 'me'), then this planner is chic, fashionable, & in my opinion, 'perfect' for you!  Surprisingly too, it's not that expensive for the Tiffany's brand, as we all know how pricy designer planners can get... but it's worth every penny if it keeps you organized and sane throughout our hectic daily lives! 

          (My planner from last year. Tiffany Planner)

Here are a few other options that I personally 'love' & are some of my personal favs if you're in the market for a new agenda. 

(Customizable Leather Journal. GOOP Leather Journal)

( Dries Van Noten: Delfonics Weekly Diary) 

( Italian Neon Agenda: Graphic Image )