eShakti

eShakti is a unique boutique that allows you to customize clothes for under $10 - and your first custom piece is on the house - how fabulous is that?! The thought of being able to have clothes that are form fitting to my exact figure was quite intriguing, so I had to try it out. I chose the Waterfall Dress, since it would be long enough to wear to work, as well for play.

When I first tried on the dress, there was a lot more material in the "waterfall" than I was expecting, it reminded me more of a maternity dress. After I styled it up, it was much more wearable for someone who is not expecting. The material was extremely soft and just comfy overall. Great for a casual weekend, perhaps at a winery...

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post and received the dress for press review, however the opinions above are my own.

Fashion Watch: SAG Awards

Reminiscent from the Golden Globes, there were plenty of ponytails and nude gowns, but last night was lacking the lavishness of gowns that I am accustomed to. That being said, here are the few looks I enjoyed, and a couple that were not so hot.

Hits

Kyra Sedgwick in Pucci. Love the cutout, and the low cut back. So chic!

 Lea Michele in Versace. I love the structured bodice, although I wouldn't have made the slit quite so high...

Rose Byrne in Elie Saab. She took a risk wearing a jumpsuit on the red carpet, but she rocked it!

Misses

Kelly Cuoco wearing Romona Keveza. Cake topper anyone?

Kristen Wiig in Balenciaga. Hiding a hickey perhaps?

Sh*t Fashion Girls Say

If you haven't seen this yet, it's pretty spot on. Happy weekend!

Trend: Peplum

Peplum is a flirty little flare pinpointed at the waist. This feminine touch turns a basic outfit into a trendy "look at me" piece. Vogue UK calls it, "spring's big silhouette story." What do you think of this trend? Will you incorporate a piece or two into your wardrobe this spring?

Day Dresses by Jason Wu
Evening Dresses by Givenchy

Here is one of my faves rocking the trend, Blake Lively in Chanel.

Wishlist Wednesday

I have been searching for an apron for over a year now, and could never find one that's really "me." I finally found one that I love - just in time to add to my birthday list!

Crate and Barrel Marimekko Pieni Unikko Apron

Tag!

It's always fun to get to know other bloggers a little more in depth than what you read on their daily blog. Kristin from Love, Lipstick and Pearls tagged me in this post and so it goes...

Rules:

-You must post the rules

-Post 11 Fun Facts about yourself 

-Answer the 11 questions that the tagger posted for you in their post & then create 11 questions to ask the people you've tagged

-Tag 11 people and link them in your post

-Let them know you have tagged them

11 Random Facts 

1. I've self-diagnosed myself with a deviated septum

2. Sometimes my first thought in the morning is "I NEED a diet coke"

3. I sit directly next to my fiance's brother at work

4. Right out of college I applied to several jobs in Italy

5. I want to retire in Santa Barbara, even though I've never been there before

6. Visiting the Maldives is on my bucket list

7. I am neurotic about morning alarms; I have two set, and after the first one goes off, I check again to make sure the second one is set

8. I physically cannot live without lipgloss; I have stashes everywhere in my house, car and every purse I own

9. I cannot wait for babies!!! Ever since I can remember, all I wanted to do was be a mom...and now I'm hoping for a honeymoon baby

10. My charity of choice is always ASPCA, because animals cannot fight abuse

11. I am never without nail polish

11 Questions about Cheryl
1. What magazines do you subscribe to? InStyle, Brides, Lucky
2. What is your best quality? Confidence
3. What movie(s) do you always watch when they're on tv? The Devil Wears Prada
4. What tv show do you watch, but don't know why you do? RHOBH - but I know why, it's so darn entertaining!!!
5. What drink do you order when you're out? Chardonnay/Diet Coke
6. What celebrity do you think you'd be friends with if they were your neighbor? Blake Lively
7. Would you rather attend the Oscars or the Grammys? Oscars
8. Do you prefer regular or flaming Cheetos? Puffy or crunchy? Neither
9. Do you use regular or aerosol hairspray? Aerosol (I know, I know, I'm killing the environment!)
10. Who is your favorite Harry Potter character? I've never watched HP before
11. If price was no bother, what one indulgence would you have? Massages, mani/pedi, spray tans, etc? Spray tan!!!

11 People I Tag

Lauren - LA in the Bay
Michelle - barb & jo
Chelsea - Rebecca J Designs
Jessica - First Came Fashion
Shannon - Shannon Hearts
Laura - Style Notes
Sarah - Coming Unstitched
Amanda - feast.fashion.faves
Chris - Granola2Glam
Nat - It's a Charmed Life
Ashley - Ashley in DC

11 Questions for the People I Tag
1. Where do you live?

2. What is your profession?

3. Where do you draw your inspiration from?

4. What is your favorite mainstream store to shop?

5. What is your favorite boutique to shop?

6. How would you describe your style?

7. What trend are you most looking forward to for spring?

8. If money was no object, what is your favorite brand (clothing, handbags, shoes, etc.)?

9. If you were in celebrity, who would be your best friend?

10. What's your favorite thing to do in your spare time?

11. If you're married, what one piece of wedding advice would you share with me?

Simple Luxuries

Frederic Fekkai makes some of the most amazing hair products I've ever used. I was drawn to them a few months ago when I was on a girls trip and one them was using their products. I'm always interested in trying new shampoos/conditioners so I asked if I could try it out one morning. First off, the scent was one of the best I've ever smelled. It stayed with me the entire day and I couldn't get enough of it. Not only that, it made my hair feel silky smooth as well. This post is titled "simple luxuries" because if you didn't think shampoo and conditioner could be outrageously priced, think again! But once you try it, you'll be hooked too.

Brilliant Glossing Collection

Even Ashley Olson is a devout fan of Fekkai products, as mentioned on Who, What, Wear.

Sunday Inspiration

I am so ready for spring - and this is a perfect outfit for it!

Photo credit: Pinterest

Lily Pulitzer+Delta Gamma

Lily Pulitzer has developed a line of sorority prints, so of course I had to highlight DG! Want to check if your sorority has a print? Check out the rest of the collection here. If I have any college readers - have you seen these around campus?? I have to imagine they are plentiful in the south...

Lily Pulitzer - The Delta Gamma Collection

Trend: Polka Dots

Spring trends are already getting buzz and polka dots are at the top of the list! Even housewares is getting in on the trend...

Honor

Red Valentino

ABS

Forever 21

Charlotte Olympia

Kate Spade

Wedding Wednesday: Engagement Photographer

I have made the first purchase of the entire wedding - our engagement photographer! We chose Omar Carter Photography, who is based in NYC and had previously photographed for a friend. The photo shoot won't be until May (once it warms up!) but I'm very excited about sharing my vision with him of what I want out of the session. Here is a sample of his fabulous work!

2012 Color of the Year: Tangerine Tango

Pantone has named it's color of the year for 2012, Tangerine Tango, and it's a fabulous shade of orange! Our wedding colors are fuchsia and orange, so I'm looking forward to seeing it everywhere and getting more ideas for our big day!

Fashion Watch: Golden Globes

This year I joined some fabulous ladies to chat live about the Golden Globes using Spreecast - have you all ever used this? It was a really fun and Jessica from First Came Fashion was in there on camera discussing the red carpet fashion as well!

I used this event to gain inspiration for my wedding gown, as I want something more red carpet than bridal. With all the nudes and blushes, it did not disappoint!! I die over Charlize's frock and Elle looks stunning in that mermaid silhouette.

Charlize Theron in Dior Couture

Elle MacPherson in Zac Posen

Giuliana Rancic in Basil Soda

An awards show wouldn't be complete without a worst dressed list as well. While Sarah claimed her daughter chose her dress, I think she needs to realize this could be fashion suicide and should simply wear this dress around the house to appease her little one. I adore Frieda's necklace (Chopard), but her gown is not flattering at all for her fabulous figure!

Sarah Michelle Gellar in Monique Lhuiller

Freida Pinto in Prada

Sunday Inspiration

Shellac Review

I finally tried the Shellac manicure (a gel formula) and I have to say - I'm VERY impressed!! This is what they look like 2 weeks after I got them done.

Pros: I had a consistent shiny nail, no chipping and it lasted for a very long time. Even when I get a basic manicure, it always begins to chip on some of the fingers I use the most, in a few days. I never had to worry about a touch up! Also, they were so smooth!! If you've ever had acrylic nails, they feel very similar.

Cons: Price - it's not cheap! My salon does it for $35, compared to a basic mani for $15. Next, you have to go to a salon to remove the gel. Finally, you can only use Shellac nail polish, and their color selection is slim. Currently there are 50 colors in rotation, and while I did find a couple I liked, I can't incorporate the fabulous polishes I have in my personal collection of Essie, Butter and Deborah Lippman. I've heard some complaints about having your hands under the UV lights, thus exposing them to pre-mature aging. However, for my regular manis, they use the same UV lights to dry my nails, so either way I'm being exposed.

Overall, I'll probably continue to get gel manicures on a regular basis, just because the maintenance is so low and I don't have to worry about at-home manicures every week (or more, for touch ups). I'll probably take a break here and there so I can use some of my colors, but I'll be hoping they come out with more colors soon! Have you had a Shellac manicure? What do you think?

The Glossarie

I have been on the hunt for the ideal concealer ever since I realized that my current one doesn't last the whole day. I use MAC's Studio Finish, which I like in general, but I just need it to last longer. I had been seeking referrals through friends, but thought that consulting a beauty blogger would be a good idea as well.

Enter Lara from The Glossarie, a fellow DC blogger. I contacted her to obtain her opinion on what was the best of the best. Her suggestion was not what I expected - but perhaps even better! She uses Benefit's Stay Don't Stray under her concealer. It's essentially a primer for concealer (works for eyeshadow too!). She says that you can use any concealer you like, but what holds it for the whole day, is this product! I'm excited to try it out and hope it will work just as well for me.

Wishlist Wednesday

Liz from So Much To Smile About highlighted Gioielli by Nikki Baker and I fell in love with these earrings! They would be perfect for wedding events...and possible even the big day, depending on my dress.

White Topaz Oval Drop Earrings

Jason Wu + Target UPDATE

Photos have finally surfaced of Jason Wu's line with Target, set to debut in stores on February 5th. Do you think it will be just as crazy when Missoni collaborated with them? What do you think of his designs? Will you be running to your closest Target? This isn't my style, but I'll still be stopping in to check out his other pieces.

 

Photo credit: Fabsugar

Bookworm

This week I am in an five day boot camp to prepare for my Project Management Professional (PMP) exam...you know, between my MBA program and full time job, let's throw in another certification that I must study my life away for :) So while I have my posts setup for this week, don't expect too much interaction! I'll be back in full force next week...

Sunday Inspiration

projectPosh

Shelley from projectPosh has asked me to guest blog my wedding planning experience on her company's blog - how fun is that?! projectPosh is an award winning wedding planning and events firm based in the DC area. So for the next year I'll be doing a monthly post, discussing different elements of the process that I'm going through in planning my nuptials. Want to follow along? Check out the first post here projectAmour: A Bridal Memoir.

Bloggers Do It Better - Sequins!

I truly believe that sequins were made for New Years Eve celebrations. Not that wearing them during other times is off limits at all! What a way to start off 2012, with a fabulous new Bloggers Do It Better by Pretty Shiny Sparkly post. Did you wear sequins over the holidays?

 Robert Rodriguez Make You Blush Dress

Wedding Wednesday: Bling Bling

I thought this linkup would be a fun way to change up my normal wedding posts! C. Mae from Happiness is... is hosting the linkup and requested a photo of the ring and a story about it. You all may recall my engagement story, since it was so recent, but if you are a new reader you can catch up here.

One thing to note about my fabulous ring (and fabulous fiance!!) is that he allowed me to help choose exactly what I wanted. I have some friends who are wearing something on their finger that they frankly just don't like, and I wanted to ensure that was never me. Chris was very accommodating in letting me in on the process. It was custom made, so I saw the CAD drawings and provided input on what I wanted changed/added. I am so very lucky to be able to look down at my ring everyday and gush over it!!!

The link up asked the specs of the ring: the center stone is a 2.25 carat cushion cut with halo, and a split shank diamond encrusted band. It also asks us to note where we keep it at night. After a lot of searching for a cute little bowl to put on top of my jewelry box, I finally came across this while we were registering. It's absolutely perfect! I love Nambé and the heart is perfect for my ring.

Nambé Crystal Heart Bowl

Jewelry Steam Cleaner

Ever since I got engaged, I've been wanting a heavy duty jewelry cleaner. I hadn't begun my research when I received this jewelry cleaner for Christmas.

The Sharper Image Jewelry Steam Cleaner

I'm not going to lie - it is a process to get this contraption together, considering I'm used to just dropping my ring in the solution my ring's designer gave me. However, after I saw the power of this steam, it seemed like a "deeper" clean to me. What I also like about this cleaner, is that it can be used on all my jewelry as well! So while I don't think I'll be using this as often as the other solution, I do think it's a good machine to use every now and then to clean my entire collection.

What do you use for cleaning your baubles?

New Years Resolution

Last year my new years resolution was to wash my face every night. As easy as this sounds, I'm lazy and if it gets too late, I just don't want to get out of my warm cozy bed. However, as I get older and more fine lines are popping up, I really need to get serious. Therefore, I am repeating my new years resolution. Here is the roundup of my current beauty products; is there anything I'm missing that you love to use?

1. MAC makeup wipes
2. Clinique 7 day scrub cream
3. Aveda tourmaline charged radiance masque
4. Billy Jealousy anti-aging serum
5. Oil of Olay Pro-X day lotion, night and eye cream
6. Clinique rinse-off foaming cleanser
7. Clinique clarifying lotion

Sunday Inspiration

Blair from Atlantic-Pacific always has amazing outfits of the day, but I couldn't pass up sharing this one with you. So major! Even The Look 4 Less provided a guide to re-create this outfit, check it out here.