Men's Fashion Friday : Cognac, the Color

Cognac is the oh-so-versatile color that can pair with all other colors in your palette - both neutrals and fashion - including black. Make this hue the new basic you can utilize across your wardrobe.  If you're not sure how to find "cognac" start shopping for dark camel colored pieces that have an orange-espresso tint. Become acquainted with the color by viewing some pieces below. 

This Ralph Lauren leather cognac belt is rich in color and in style. 

Steve Madden's Kraymer cognac shoe is sleek and trendy and will pair well with any combination of color. 

This J. Ferrar 2-Button sport coat is a great essential. It is a softer cognac with more taupe but still survives in the same color story for the trend. 

Rain, Rain....Come Today?!

The rainboot trend was a big hit over the past couple seasons and they became more of a statement than a necessity. In the event you never slipped into a pair of rainboots for those dreary, rainy days because you're just not a boot person, then check out the alternatives to waterproof footwear by the brand, dav.  Nonetheless, if you do like your boots, dav also has an eclectic collection of traditional rainboots with lace-up and cowboy styles that are worth looking at!

Slip on a pair of sleek rain flats for a stylish look that will keep your feet dry! You can pass them off as patent leather and add a splash of color, not rain, to your outfit. With added cushioning, they are just as comfortable as they are functional. 

Take a puddle plunge with the rainboot sneakers knowing you won't have to leave them out to dry! You can easily pass them off as your everyday foot fashion with classic colors and pops of vibrant prints!  

'Couture' for Little Girls

Curls, Cupcakes, Cuties and...Couture!

Stella & Dot has a special new collection for little girls that any blooming beauty is sure to love!

Dress up a dainty Stella doll in pearls, charms, ribbons and more with necklaces, bracelets and headbands galore!

The collection only gets cuter! CLICK HERE to view the entire line and to place an order!

Men's Fashion Friday : Casual-Tee

There is nothing like cool comfort in hot weather. Being casually comfortable doesn't mean you have to forfeit fashion. There are great casual tee shirts that can be classy, cool and comfortable.

Instead of pulling out the shirt that is oh-so-comfortable because you've broken it in for the last ten years, go ahead and get one of J.Crew's Broken-In Tee's while they are on sale for under $10! They have labored in the wear for you so it's ten-years-of-comfort in a brand new tee!

 

For just $7.50 at Old Navy, you can stock up on a rainbow of solid colored tee's! The V-Neck styles tend to add a dressier vibe. 

Mix it up with some dimension by throwing in a look like this Joe's Jeans Burnout Striped Tee. The burnout is soft and the weight is light which is perfect for a hot summer day. 

Graphic Tee's are still popular and can add some flare to a casual look. A lot of prints this season resemble nature or still life photos similar to the Ames Bros styles above. 

DIY = Design it Yourself

For all you artsy girls out there that like DIY projects that don't involve getting dirty, here are some fun Design it Yourself sites where you can Do it Yourself without getting down in the dirt!

Customize your own soda cans by using the Soft Drink Generator site. Choose your colors, font, text, icons, everything! Great for showers, BBQ's, parties and more! Or, if you just want a little flare in your fridge, custom create a can just for yourself. 

Customize your pet's kibbles at Red Moon Custom Pet Food for cats and dogs. Pick the base ingredient and select additional supplements from their grain and gluten free options. Then, give your pet food a name of its own like "Dino's Doggie Delights"  and wait for your bits to arrive. (free shipping, too!)

For those of you who like decorative liquor bottles on your bar then check out 1800 Tequila's  Essential 1800. Forget printing your artwork onto a canvas, now you can load your own images onto their design site and they will send you a custom created tequila bottle in 4-6 weeks! 

If you have a specific design and color scheme in mind for a new bedroom and you just can't find that perfect comforter, then design your own bedding at inmod! Choose from design themes and templates and play around to place your perfect combination! 

Introducing "Little Girls" by Stella & Dot

Introducing little girls by Stella & Dot

Start any girls jewelry collection with a piece from Stella & Dot's little girls selection!

Available for order on April 26, 2010

Jewelry ships in keepsake Stella & Dot tin boxes as shown in the photo above

View the line and place your order by visiting www.stelladot.com/aliwright

Men's Fashion Friday : Spring Coats

Pack up your peacoats, if you haven't already, because your warm winter cover-ups need to hibernate! Now that spring is here and summer is near, mix in a season appropriate style for the days you need to layer up. Since the weather patterns these days are merely unpredictable, it's a good idea to keep a few looks wardrobe ready!

Zara has a great selection of spring raincoats including the one above which has a trench-like look to it, minus the belt. It's modern v-shaped style is paired with button detailing and epaulets for a streamlined look.

This lightweight cotton coat from Banana Republic is great for those unexpected cool spring/summer days. Cotton seems like a hot and heavy fabric, however, with its lightweight version in this style makes it a "cool" cover up. The linen color is perfect for the hotter seasons. 

 

A trench is always great to have on hand, even in the warmer months. J. Crew's Sutherland trench hits mid-thigh and has a more casual, belt-less look. This is a great piece to throw on when there is a mid-day shower, a cool spring breeze or even for your traditional "trench" needs!

Fingertip Fashion :: Minx

Go ahead and consider freehand nail-art a thing of the past. With the introduction of Minx, 'nail decal' is the new look in town! Even though Minx made a breakthrough prior to 2010, more and more salons are supporting the more professional application of nail design, which in turn, is making the look more popular.

What exactly is Minx? It's a press-on design that requires no drying, doesn't smudge and lasts two to three times longer than regular polish. Not to mention, any design you can possibly think of can be plastered on your fingertips!

Options are endless and include popular designs like animal prints, fishnet, wacky waves, nautical impressions and much more. As you can see, no one can freehand such dainty detail so in order to get a perfected look, Minx is the way to go! On the contrary, if you don't like rockin' a design, you can still lacquer your nails with a solid Minx color and receive the same advantage of the long-lasting, no smudge benefit.

Celebs like Beyonce, Rhianna, Lady Gaga, Giuliana Rancic and Eve are all rocking the trend from subtle to sassy! Contact your local nail salons to find out if they support Minx.

Zac Posen for Target

“We made the ruffles detachable, like a Judy Garland apron...You can wear it as a skirt over the dress; undo it and drape it over your shoulders à la Cristóbal Balenciaga; or if you don’t want any frou, take it off and you have a sexy date dress.”

-Zac Posen on his new Target line

 First, Posen was exclusively a Red Carpet name and unless you were an A-list star who is wealthy enough to afford his couture gowns or popular enough to have one loaned, then fashioning a Posen masterpiece is merely a slim-to-none chance. That was until he launched an affordable sportswear line under the name Z Spoke at Saks. However, even then you had to be willing to drop no less than $70 for a piece of Posen.

Now, who else to follow a Sak's debut of the designer other than...that's right, Target?! April 25th is etched into my calendar for the launch of Posen's Target line and I could not be more excited for this brief partnership. The collection includes pieces like sailor and ruffled dresses that can be worn up to three different ways, tuxedo styles, swimwear, belts, jewelry, prints full of pizazz and even a gown!

The line will only live at Target from April 25-May 30 before it's gone for good. Prices will range from $16.99-$199.99 making Posen insanely affordable for mainstream fashionistas!

Men's Fashion Friday : Best Boardshort Battle

Men's swimwear used to be a segment that was ignored. Now, it's turned into the industry's battle of the best boardshort!  Design houses are taking these garments to more extreme measures by adding in technical fabrics and innovative elements in order to one-up the competition.

Spring/Summer 2010 perks include product features such a velcro-free flies, seamfree technology to eliminate chaffing, visual impact + functionality, fused seams, mesh lined waistbands, concealed zippers, wicking technology, stretch, stretch, stretch and MUCH more!  

Keep an eye out for O'Neill's Hyperfreak line which is an expansion of the Superfreak collection from seasons past. Hyperfreak is centered around utilizing stretch fabrics -- 150% stretch! This innovative line has topped the charts for leading boardshorts in the industry. The perks are endless and include bonus features like shaping elements, no chaffing design, seamfree, and memory fabric. Read-up on the revolutionary punch this collection has at O'Neills Website.   

Quicksilver has suits composed of their "Diamond Dobby" construction in order to reduce skin contact and chaffing.

Billabong has a collection of incredible performance suits. In addition to quad stretch fabrics, engineered printing and "PX Infinite Seam Technology", Billabong has a new H2 Repel fabric which makes your suit just as comfortable outside of the water as it is completely submerged! The perk :: this technology allows your shorts to dry in less than 5 minutes! No more walking around with a soaked suit!!

Fox apparel is dipping into the stretch factor as well with their Quad-Stretch series. What's the fuss about so much stretch? Fit. Fit. Fit. Oh, and comfort!

Perhaps the most durable boardshort on the market? Test it for yourself. Hurley's Phantom collection unites with Nike Flywire Technology for the 'ultimate' in performance boardshort.  With a "2009 Boardshort of the Year Award" for their Phantom 120 styles, Hurley has a title to defend for Spring 2010. Key features: Phantom fabric, water repellant, EZ Fly, seamless technology and now Nike Flywire.  

Give Your Locks Some Love :: Moroccan Oil Treatment

Spring & Summer Sun + Water + Daily Processing = Thirsty Tresses

Rehydrate your locks with Moroccan Oil conditioning products and restore your hairs elasticity, moisture and shine without weighing it down! Plus, not only is this product good for your hair,  it's also great for the environment. Moroccan Oil uses recycled packaging materials and does not test their products on animals.

The Moroccan Oil Treatment restores over-processed and damaged hair without leaving behind residue or weighing it down. Your hair absorbs this product like a drink leaving behind shiny, weightless results. Also safe for hair extensions and wigs.

The Hydrating Styling Cream replaces frizz with shine and volume! No need to fear humidity with this product! Only a pea-sized drop a day will keep the humidity away and leave your hair in the perfect state for styling!

The "facial" for your hair! Moroccan Oil's Restorative Hair Mask is therapy for your tresses! Put a little love back into your locks with this penetrating mask designed specifically to restore even the unsightly damage done to your hair. 

Traveling can be torture for your hair -- especially if you are hopping from sunny to 'sunnier' spots! Pack your Moroccan Oil Travel Kit with you so you can resuscitate your hair no matter when you have a 911 moment! The reusable kit is equipped with their shampoo, conditioner, hydrating styling cream and Moroccan oil treatment.

Spring Shoe Trend : Stone Embellished

Spring has barely been here and we have already covered 5 different shoe trends for the season: Nude, Caged, Cuffed, Studded and Ghillie Tie. Now, another week, another trend : Stone-Embellished. Take this look hand-in-hand with springs Tribal Trend that I highlighted a few weeks back and make a 360 statement. 

Nine West style 'Livlovlif" Sandal is embellished with turquoise and red stones with metal studded tribal enhancements.

The 'Earth' Wedge style by Castillo is a great statement sandal. The chunky stones make the thong of this style pop with fresh color.

'Trezure' by Steve Madden is full of texture! Snake-embossed leather material stretched over the stacked platform heel and decorated with stones and studs.

The Vince Camuto Emily Platform style demonstrates a more neutral stone vibe. The earthtone hues make this shoe more versatile while mixing in other shoe trends :: caged and cuffed.

BCBG does rhineSTONES. This flat is nude, monochromatic and simple. Yes, simple. Even with the stone embellishment, it's not over done and it's a great way to add a a little sass to a basic ensemble.

I love the combination of clementine coral, espresso and speckled eggshell white stones in Linea Paolo's Janelyn Sandal.  The wedge is classic, the straps are simple and their choice of stone makes for a great statement.