Etre Autumn/Winter 2012

It's fun looking ahead to S/S 2013 but remember, Autumn 2012 has just started! Why not live and shop in the present? Let's enjoy the moment with Etre's new lookbook. Etre, a London based design agency, has published their A/W 2012 collection, inspired by understated but characterful traditional British work wear. In 2007, Etre were inventive in their development of the Etre Touchy and Fivepoint Gloves. These simple and elegant gloves allow you to use modern touchscreen devices while keeping your hands warm. Genius, right? I sure could of use those last winter.

              About the utilitarian apparel collection, "...includes traditional fishermen's sweaters, knitted to a pattern familiar to generations of fishermen's wives and customised with motifs originating in the centuries-old fishing communities of Polperro and Staithes...Work wear jackets are fabricated from 100 percent Melton wool, manufactured by a 150-year-old family business in West Yorkshire. Gansey sweaters are knitted from the finest 5-ply worsted wool, spun and dyed in Yorkshire mills that have been turning out the same material for generations. Leather gloves are made by a family business established in 1944, now one of the last surviving British glove manufacturers. Satchels and holdalls, crafted from the same high quality Melton wool as the jackets, are fabricated by a small Cornish leatherwork company" -- Etre

Colors of navy and rustic red as well as simplistic white stripes were prominent. There are other colors available such as sage, black, camel, charcoal, and olive. You can check out the lookbook here! A little reminder, Etre ships around the world :)


*All photos were available courtesy of Etre

Autumn Wish List

Every season I have a little shopping wish list. Do I go out and buy every item? Hell no! But I can dream and window shop. So, if you see a hand and nose print on a shop's window, it was me. Right now I'm into the it colors of Autumn like cobalt blue, camel, and oxblood. I'm also becoming a fan of eye catching details like zippers, sequins, and studs - such a marvelous way to add a little Oomph into an ordinary piece.

Blazers
Boots

Every girl needs a well fitted long sleeve blazer. It's usually in navy or black but why not add camel into the mix? The Autumn classic hue is very easy to add into a wardrobe because it goes well with almost any other color.

The peplum shape has been around for a couple of years and I really doubt it'll be fading in the limelight nor do I think it should. The feminine cut is fun, flirty, and brings back a fun retro feel. This simple blue dress can be dressed up and down for almost every occasional. Again, navy blue works wonderfully with lots of color combinations like tangerine, aqua or turquoise, red, camel or nude, black, and metal. 

I love the faded oxblood sweater with the studded shoulders. It looks so comfortable and cozy without losing its edge and spunk. The black sequined purse is a fun item to have especially for a night out on the town, what girl doesn't like sequins and glitter? The boots are sexy and accommodating with its simple design and bold colors. The lined zipper effect is a fantastic effect!

What's on your Autumn Wish List?

Chic, Cute, Cheap - Fall Edition

Today was the first day it felt cold and chilly. I actually had to put on fuzzy socks and a sweater to keep warm. In keeping with tradition, I thought it was about time I write Fall's edition of Chic, Cute, and Cheap. In this edition everything you see is $50 and under. I chose pieces which incorporate Fall's exciting trends as well as few classic staples. Hope you find something that speaks to you.

If you need a refresher on what's hot, please visit here, here, and here.


Jackets

Leather Jackets
Casual Jackets

Patterned Pants

Skinny Denim
Skinny Denim

Tops

Tops
Tops

Sweaters

Cardigans
Cardigans

Dresses

Day Dresses
Cocktail Dresses

Leather

Mini Skirts
Black Dresses

 Skirts

Long Skirts
Mid-length Skirts

Handbags

Satchels
Belts

Hair Accessories

Hats
Hair Accessories

Scarves

Scarves & Wraps
Scarves & Wraps

Belts + Tights

Hosiery
Belts

Jewelry #1

Necklaces
Bracelets

Jewelry #2

Necklaces
Sunglasses

Jewelry #3

Earrings
Earrings

 Jewelry #4

Rings
Rings

Shoes

Boots
Pumps

Now you've see some fabulous finds, treat yourself! 
Shop 'til you drop!

I Found Them

I mentioned before how hard it was for me to find a well fitted faux leather skinnies. Well, I finally found them! While on my trip to visit my family, I dropped on by the local Forever 21 (LOVE that store) and found these. The skinnies aren't all leather, only the front side, but the fit, style, and cut is just right. I found a wonderful woven cream and black blouse with faux leather collar and sleeve cuff to complement the skinnies.

I also got this cute oxblood lace dress and two pairs of tights, one in off white with polka dots and the second black with hearts. When I saw the polka dotted tights, I instantly thought of blogger Keiko Lynn and her outfit. Now I'm all set for autumn and can't wait to wear the new pieces!

More Forever 21...

Oxblood Obsession

Take a hike tangerine, one of Fall's IT colors, oxblood, owns my heart. I'm just obsessed about it! It's luxurious rich tone is dark, mysterious, dramatic, edgy and sexy. The best complimentary colors are black, gray, navy, and creamy nude. If you could only add one piece into your wardrobe for fall, I suggest anything in oxblood. Check out my favorite pieces in the moody tone.

Fab Selection

1 2 3 4 5

Every Item Is Under $100!

Dress Heels Clutch Bracelet Earrings

Jeans Top Blazer Heels Handbag Earrings

What are your thoughts on oxblood?

Fall 2012 Nail Art Trends

I briefly went over one trend here but I wanted to expand on the subject. There are about 7 major nail trends this Fall and I know you'll love them all. These trends were seen on the Fall 2012's models' nails multiple times. They're fun, seasonal, and call for a change in the classics.

Matte 

Dark, stormy, and vamp colors do well in matte style. If you don't want to buy all new colors in matte finish, pick this up to matte all your old favorites.

Metallic

Shiny metallic nails, especially silver, are big this season. You can go full out metal or paint only the tips of the nails for a metallic finish.

Duo Colors

Instead of sporting one solid color, now we're seeing multiple colors on each nail or hand. The first image is also an example of a French Twist (look below). This trend leads to a large array of creative ideas that you can't go wrong with.

French Twists

We're changing up a classic and it's been real fun doing so! More colors and materials (look below) have been added and it's not all neutral and proper.

Added Material

We're not just changing up the color, why not go bold and add texture and material? The leather look is superb as well as the fishnet tips in picture two.

Creamy Nudes

If you're feeling for a more classic preppy look, try the creamy sugary nudes out today! Add a little

sparkle or keep it clean and simple. This is a great alternative to the popular dark vamp look. 

 Polka Dots

 Polka dots are also a trend in clothing. The icon white on black or white on navy are classics that will rightfully never go away. If you're tired of seeing white dots, try a white background and colorful dots.

Little Extra Something!

Whether you do your nails at home or get them done professionally, eventually the polish will chip or smear. Unfortunately, it tends to happen a lot sooner than we like. I have the latest expert advice on how to make your polish last AND list of manicure destroyers.

Make Polish Last

Nix the soak -  Water undermines manicure because nails absorb water therefore changing its shape. Later, when the water evaporates the shape returns back to normal, leaving stress to the polish. 

Extra layers - About 4 hours after getting a manicure or doing your nails, apply an extra top layer. Repeat at least twice a week to keep your nails looking fresh. Remember that with each new layer, patience!

Patience - You really do need 25 minutes for polish to set and fully dry. Those quick dry top coats are no good because only the top layer will dry first which means nails can still get smear.

Manicure Destroyers 

Hand Lotion - Lotions high in alcohol (pretty much all of them) damage nails because it makes the color dull while slowly stripping off the top coat.

Heat - No folding warm laundry or cooking on a hot oven for you! Poor ;) Like alcohol, heat from laundry and stove softens the polish and dulls color. 

Scrubs - Exfoliaters remove dead skill cells and  can also weaken or remove polish. If you must use an exfoliater, try sporting gloves for the application.

Stickers - Removing anything sticky like stickers, price tags, tape, etc. can do a number on your manicure. You can have chips and polish removal while trying to scratch off an annoying piece of tape.