The Last Word by Karen

The Beauty of Flowers/Belles Fleurs

My look:  Jacket,Vince Camuto

                Wide Leg culottes, White House Black Market

                Shoes, Trouvé

Botanist estimate that there are over 240,000 species of flowering plants.  Flowers personify beauty, life and are an important part of our Eco-system.

Flowers are used for beautifying spaces, they are the most common means of adding spice to a table or a party venue.  Flowers are given in celebration of important life events.

I love flowers!  Every year my yard is festooned with  tons of flowers; they are in the ground, in pots, they are everywhere in my yard.  During my second bout of cancer two years ago, I was unable to garden.  Not being able to get in the yard dampened my spirit.  I was  surprised  two years in a row by the kindness of  my co-workers.  I pulled up to my home after an appointment with my oncologist to find my work family, including my boss, planting flowers in my flower beds. I have never been so overwhelmed and appreciative.

This year I was able to plan and plant my own flower gardens and I am grateful.

You can satisfy your flower cravings without gardening.  Flowers are also an integral part of spring and summer wardrobes. Many of this year's floral dresses are shown on dark backgrounds or with mixed media.

Left: Clover Canyon, Saks  Right:Vince Camuto, Nordstrom

Left: Adrianna Papell, Nordstrom  Right:Betsey Johnson, Lord & Taylor

If you have friends, family or someone in your life  who is ill, think  about doing some small thing that will bring beauty and light to their life. Give a loved one a flower, one of Gods most beautiful and amazing creations. With that being said, if  you aren't into flower gardening, wear them!
Add beauty and decoration to your wardrobe. Enjoy the beauty of flowers!!!

On day at a time.

Karen

Chris's/Kris's Closet (Kristin) May 29, 2013

Kris's Closet

Inspired by some great bloggers, my partner and I decided to start our own blog almost a year ago. In this blog post you will get a glimpse of pieces in my closet,learn where I found them

 and where I wore them.  

My name is Kristin. Welcome to my closet!

Wednesday I attended career day at Columbus Africentric Middle School. Christina and I spoke with six classes about fashion styling and the process of creating fashion/jewelry collections. We had a great time with the kids! Afterward I spent time with my mom and did a small amount of work. This is what I wore.

I love to pattern mix! I paired a army green floral camouflage pencil skirt with a army green and white pin stripe/diamond pattern oxford shirt. The skirt and shirt are both thrift store purchases from Valley Thrift Store in Dayton. The shirt is by Geoffrey Beene and I paid $0.99 for it and the skirt is by Leslie Fay and was $1.99. My look before accessories was just under $3.00. This may be my cheapest outfit to date. To find similar skirts check out these options: skirt 1, skirt 2 and skirt 3.

My belt came from a seller on etsy. I love it but I have only worn it a few times now. It is black leather with gold and silver metal tiles. It is a vintage 80's belt by Jose Cotel Paris. The necklace is a thrift store purchase made of leather and metal. I forget where I found it. Find lots of great leather necklaces here.

 I was really feeling my inner rock star so I pinned my hair into a mohawk and accessorized with a lot of my leather and studded accessories. The sunglasses are vintage Liz Claiborne. Find similar sunglasses here.

 The green lucite ring came from Forever 21 and the black and white marble ring is from a vendor at the Macy's Festival. My 'arm party' bracelets include: snake bracelet from etsy, 'Kalahari bangle' and 'Artemis cuff' from Stella & Dot and the alligator 'Creature cuff' by Tasha from Nordstrom.

 My metallic studded oxfords are by Sam Edelman. They are called the 'Jayden' oxford. They are very comfortable.

This concludes another Kris's Closet. What do you think about my pattern mixing look?

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Check out our newest collection at our etsy shop! 

Be blessed! Be free! Be fashionable!

Kris,

Thursday's Inspiration

Twice a week Kristin and I both create collections on a site called etsy. On etsy these collections are called treasuries. The reason why I enjoy doing them so much is because I feel like a fashion editor creating a cohesive display of items for a magazine. I am usually inspired by the collections I create either in my own personal life, or through my designs. So I decided, why not blog a little more in depth about the inspiration behind the treasuries I create.

My goal is to not only inspire you the reader, but also take my inspiration to the next level. I hope you enjoy this series as I much as I enjoy creating it!

*Chris*

This week I am inspired by print, more specifically floral print. I used to be pretty opposed to wearing flowers on my clothing, but recently, I have added more pattern to my wardrobe, and want to try pattern mixing with florals. In today's etsy treasury you will see a collection of 16 items all florally inspired, from photographs to head wear.

Pictures taken from L-R: www.typhaniepeterson.com,www.fashionforbreakfast.com,www.fashionsexpert.com,www.hbloom.com

To avoid looking like a bridesmaid, try mixing this romantic print with some studs, different textures or add a little contrast with print. If you are really daring pair up different floral prints in one look!

Pictures take from: L-R: blog.fabric.com,www.itspatriciaprieto.com, www.favim.com www.vantagepointvintage.com

Don't forget to check out this floral etsy treasury!

What do you think? Are you open to wearing florals?

Until Next Time, Ciao!

*Chris*

Style Crush

 DemestiksNewYork

A friend emailed me and asked for help finding a dress to wear to a fashion event. She kind of knew what she wanted, but to get a visual I suggested she send me pics of dresses that tickled her fancy. The image I received was color and pattern overload, with a lady like silhouette, I was in awe! When I found out that this dress was easily accessible on etsy, I was even more excited. After perusing through the online boutique, I quickly added this chic designer to my list of "favorites".


The creations are very moderately priced, especially knowing these beautiful pieces are hand sewn,made to order, and high quality. Make sure you check out the shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/DemestiksNewYork! To find more in depth info about Demestiks, I found a great recent article here http://www.designsponge.com/2013/02/interview-reuben-reuel-of-demestiks-new-york.html.








 

All photos taken from:www.etsy.com/shop/demsestiksnewyork 

   



What do you think about Demestiks? Would you wear it?

Until next time, Ciao!

*Chris*

Chris's/Kris's Closet (Kristin) January 19, 2013

Kris's Closet

Inspired by some great bloggers, my partner and I decided to start our own blog. In this blog post you will get a glimpse of pieces in my closet,learn where I found them

 and where I wore them.  

My name is Kristin. Welcome to my closet!

CAUTION! THIS POST IS NOT FOR THE COLOR SENSITIVE!

Color Overload Below! This post may cause blindness,sensitivity to the eyes or may alter your mood positively. =)

Saturday I spent most of the day doing household chores and gathering things for my ladies night meeting. I met some friends at Danes Dessert Cafe where we had sweets and talked about future events and randomness. I had a great time laughing with ladies I had not seen in a while. Laughter is the best medicine!
I took these photos in front of the house hours before I left. It was sunny out so I sat outside a while to get some vitamin D. This is what I wore.

I am not a huge fan of winter but I love winter clothes and accessories. Boots are my favorite kind of footwear.  I love to wear bright colors all winter to keep myself in a great mood. Color is known to very much effect a person's mood.

I started with my favorite pair of denim. They are Skyline Skinny jeans by Paige. I got them from Nordstrom.

The sweater, I bought in Dayton at the Goodwill in the Oregon District. It was $3. I loved the colors and the large hounds-tooth pattern. My guy hates this sweater and many of you will probably as well. It is a Rafaella sweater from the 80's. I found a similar sweater by Rafaella at http://www.etsy.com/listing/116854071/80s-neon-rainbow-sweater-1980-new-wave?ref=sr_gallery_12&ga_search_query=rafaella+sweaters&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all

I found this jacket a month ago at the Ohio Thrift Store. I paid $2.50 for it on a half off Wednesday. It is a colorful hounds-tooth cropped blazer by Ann May.  It is my favorite blazer at the moment so expect to see it again in the near future. I did not locate anything similar.

My earrings were given to me by my sister's friend many years ago.

These are my favorite boots! They are over-the-knee color-block suede 80's boots with zippers. I found them online at etsy.com. Some similar boots from etsy can be found below.

1. http://www.etsy.com/listing/96698404/size-8-colorblock-multicolor-leather-80s?ref=sr_gallery_13&ga_search_query=color+block+boots&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=2&ga_search_type=all

2.http://www.etsy.com/listing/115666626/vintage-90s-otk-knee-thigh-high-25?ref=sr_gallery_24&ga_search_query=color+block+boots&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=1&ga_search_type=all

3. http://www.etsy.com/listing/116178843/mondrian-color-block-suede-slouch-boot?ref=sr_gallery_37&ga_search_query=color+block+boots&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=1&ga_search_type=all

The skull ring is a closet post regular. It came from Nordstrom. I came across a similar one on etsy at http://www.etsy.com/listing/104433397/black-skull-ring?ref=&sref=

This concludes another Kris's Closet. Thank you so much for stopping by!

Check out our newest jewelry additions on etsy by selecting shop on the homepage of our blogspot or go to etsy.com and enter ChristinaKristin. 

Be blessed! Be free! Be fashionable!

Kris,

Style Crush

Hey it's Kristin!!!

5 Fall trends I'm crushing on!!!

A couple weeks ago, Christina did her top five fall trends. I decided this week would be my turn. I loved her list but my list is completely different from hers. This year's fall trends inspired me in a different way. I was drawn to the color for fall this year. I noticed that a lot of the bright colors from the summer carried over into the fall. The accessories are classic but finished in interesting and fun ways. I also loved the emphasis on pattern and texture mixing. Here is my top five.

5. The Fedora!!!

The fedora, known to be a men's hat usually made of felt, hit the runways for the fall for women. It was seen in collections like Juicy Couture, Giorgio Armani, Ann Taylor, Donna Karan & Ruffian. This style of hat is easy to wear because it looks good with just about everything. I have been a fan since high school, so I have a decent fedora collection for all seasons. I have straw ones for summer and velvet, polyester and felt for the fall and winter. This year's fedora is so much more fun!
 I have seen the hat in so many interesting colors, sizes, patterns and my favorite, color-blocked.

left to right: Juicy Couture, Giorgio Arnami & Ruffian

Here are some of my favs!

1. Collection XIIX Knit fedora Nordstrom $28
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/collection-xiix-knit-fedora/3327771?origin=keywordsearch&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=Phantom+Blue&resultback=3422

2. Juicy Couture Colorblocked Floppy Fedora Nordstrom $38.90
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/juicy-couture-colorblocked-floppy-fedora/3317279?origin=keywordsearch&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=Red+Ginger&resultback=6481

3. Silk Twill Band Fedora by Ann Taylor $39.50
http://www.anntaylor.com/ann/product/AT-Accessories/AT-View-All/Silk-Twill-Band-Fedora/287339?colorExplode=false&skuId=12122882&catid=cata000025&productPageType=search&defaultColor=5682

4. Wool hat H&M $17.95 http://www.hm.com/us/product/04198?article=04198-C

5. Goorin Brothers (The Kern County Fedora) Karmaloop $54
http://www.karmaloop.com/product/The-Kern-County-Fedora/256049

6. Hammeren 100% fur felt fedora (It's mens but I love it anyhow) Aldo $44.98
http://www.aldoshoes.com/us/men/mr-bs/accessories/86715583-hammeren/98

4. Smoking Slippers!!!

I have recently become obsessed with smoking slippers. They are THE most popular shoe trend for fall. I am all about them! I am so into flat shoes especially when it's cold and wet out. They have been seen on celebs like Beyonce, Rihanna, LaLa, Kanye West and Alexa Chung. You can find smoking slippers color-blocked, studded, covered in sequins and they even have faces. With all of the variety, I doubt I will be in heels much this season.

Here are some of my favs!

1. Kelsi Dagger (Francie) at Dillards $109
 http://www.dillards.com/product/Kelsi-Dagger-Francie-Studded-Smoking-Slippers_301_-1_301_503360500?cm_sp=searchbox-_-product-_-Kelsi-Dagger-Francie-Studded-Smoking-Slippers_301_-1_301_503360500

2.Charles Philip Shanghai (Lana) at Neiman Marcus $155
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/p/Charles-Phillip-Shanghai-Lana-Herringbone-Tassel-Smoking-Slipper-smoking-flat/prod152910172___/?icid=&searchType=MAIN&rte=%252Fsearch.jsp%253FN%253D0%2526Ntt%253Dsmoking%252Bflat%2526_requestid%253D48968&eItemId=prod152910172&cmCat=search

3.Jeffrey Campbell (Leon) at Nordstrom $124.95
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/jeffrey-campbell-leon-flat/3312666?origin=PredictiveSearch&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=445

4. Dolce Vita (Nalla) at Bloomingdales On sale for $95.40
http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/dolce-vita-smoking-shoes-nalla-tassel?ID=607851&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

5.Jeffrey Campbell (Elegant) at Nordstrom $199.95
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/jeffrey-campbell-elegant-studded-bow-flat/3310080?origin=PredictiveSearch&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=874

6.Marc by Marc Jacobs at Bloomingdales $250
http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/marc-by-marc-jacobs-smoking-flats?ID=635314&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

7.Vince Camuto (Liliana 3) at Macy's On sale for $89.99
http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/vince-camuto-shoes-lilliana-3-smoking-flats?ID=708827&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

3. Mixing Patterns & Textures!!!

Since I was in my early twenties, I have been into mixing patterns. Marc Jacobs is best known for that and I am also a big Marc Jacobs fan as well. I fell in love with mixing patterns and Marc when I was doing floor sets and dressing mannequins for Forever 21. This year, I saw pattern & texture mixing in spring collections and the trend has carried over into fall. Designers like Rag & Bone, Dries Van Noten and Chanel were a few who sent models down the runway wearing layers of texture and patterns. Dries Van Noten's collection had garments that even looked a little like patchwork. Skirts and tops had a possible two to four sections of different patterns or colors. This is not a trend for the faint of heart. You have to really know what you are doing and be confident to pull it off.

left to right: Rag& Bone, Dries Van Noten & Chanel

Look 1!!!

This is an easy way to pull together this trend. I just pulled together two patterns with similar colors. I started with the color-block shoe, also a great example of a mixed texture/pattern item and I created an outfit
around the shoe. This works because the colors in the plaid and leopard go well together.Then the leopard infinity scarf and the leopard in the shoe creates a since of harmony.

The look
1. Volcom Mad Plaider Pant at Karmaloop $52
http://www.karmaloop.com/search?keywords=plaid+pants&limit=20

2.Chief Elegant Officer Blazer $47.99
http://www.modcloth.com/shop/blazers-vests/chief-elegant-officer-blazer

3. Christian Louboutin Aeronotoc Calf Hair & Lace Red Sole Bootie at Neiman Marcus$2395
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/p/Christian-Louboutin-Aeronotoc-Calf-Hair-Lace-Red-Sole-Bootie-leopard-shoe/prod147340150___/?icid=&searchType=MAIN&rte=%252Fsearch.jsp%253FN%253D0%2526Ntt%253Dleopard%252Bshoe%2526_requestid%253D13966&eItemId=prod147340150&cmCat=search

4. Leopard Infinity Scarf at Express $29.90
http://www.express.com/leopard-infinity-scarf-31302-559/index.pro

Look 2!!!

This look is a little more obvious because you have two patterns very close together. I started with the dress, then I found the jacket. Finally I found the accessories and pulled it all together. The shoe is the same color that is in the dress and the studs present another texture. The lace clutch presents an additional texture that works with the dress. The dress is covered in flowers and the lace repeats that pattern.

The Look
1.Jack by BB Dakota Tomio Mesh Neck Dress (picture from Need Supply Co. limited sizes) $62 also at Urban Outfitters
http://needsupply.com/womens/new-items/tomio-dress.html?gan_clickID=0004cb27daeecfdb0a2a37435900292b&gan_affID=k108283&gan_affName=ShopStyle.com#

2. Vintage plaid blazer at http://www.etsy.com

3. Perusia Pump in Peach Yellow at Aldo $100
http://www.aldoshoes.com/us/trends/playful-glam/women/90634823-perusia/67

4. Poppie Jones Bow Lace Clutch at DSW $34.95
http://www.dsw.com/dsw_shoes/search/?q=lace+bow+purse&segment=FEMALE

2.Cobalt!!!

I am a super fan of color. It is part of what wakes me up in the morning. It makes me happy! So I was super excited to see so many bright colors for a season that is usually so dark and drab. I am only going to touch on my favorite two colors in this top five and one of them is Cobalt aka Electric blue. It is vibrant and fun! 

left to right: Stella McCartney, Balenciaga, Moschino, Aberta Ferretti, Milly by Michelle Smith & Chanel

Here are some of my favorite items in cobalt!

left to right:

1.Helene Berman Asymmetrical Collar Coat at Nordstrom $298
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/helene-berman-asymmetrical-collar-coat/3321889?origin=keywordsearch&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=444

2.Illamasqua Nail Varnish (Force) at Sephora $14
http://www.sephora.com/nail-varnish-P241720

3.Zoe Brooke handbag by Cole Haan $398
http://www.colehaan.com/colehaan/catalog/product.jsp?catId=100&productId=649363&productGroup=649362

4. Peep-toe pump (Ivorie) in blue suede at Nine West $99
http://www.ninewest.com/Ivorie/9929850,default,pd.html?variantSizeClass=&variantColor=JJ0ETB6_1&cgid=10207770&prefn1=catalog-id&prefv1=ninewest-catalog

5. V-neck dress with zip pockets at H&M $29.95
http://www.hm.com/us/product/03023?article=03023-C

1.Red!!!

Red is my signature color and I am sooo happy this is a fall color trend. It is my favorite color and because it is a season trend, I have seen and will see more of it than usual. That means options! The color is bright, beautiful and very sexy. It was seen on the runways of  designers like Donna Karan, Jason Wu & Alexander McQueen.

left to right: John Galliano, Jason Wu, Monique Lhuillier, Donna Karan & Alexander McQueen

Here are some of my favorite items in red!

1.The Noah Jacket at BCBG Maxazria $248
http://www.bcbg.com/product/index.jsp?productId=13215213&cp=4213681.2769029&clickid=cat_leftnav_txt&parentPage=family

2.Figara Swirl High-Heel Bootie at Neiman Marcus $450
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/p/B-Brian-Atwood-Figara-Swirl-High-Heel-Bootie-red-shoes/prod151510030___/?icid=&searchType=MAIN&rte=%252Fsearch.jsp%253FNo%253D30%2526Ntt%253Dred%252Bshoes%2526_requestid%253D53121%2526N%253D0&eItemId=prod151510030&cmCat=search

3.Must Be Ruffle Wrist Warmers at ModCloth $34.99
http://www.modcloth.com/shop/gloves/must-be-ruffle-wrist-warmers-in-red

4. Studded Cross Blouse at Go Jane $36.80
http://www.gojane.com/77297-tops-studded-cross-blouse.html

5.Lulu Lip Platform Pump Neiman Marcus $875
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/p/B-Brian-Atwood-Figara-Swirl-High-Heel-Bootie-red-shoes/prod151510030___/?icid=&searchType=MAIN&rte=%252Fsearch.jsp%253FNo%253D30%2526Ntt%253Dred%252Bshoes%2526_requestid%253D53121%2526N%253D0&eItemId=prod151510030&cmCat=search

6. Red at Night Dress at ModCloth $69.99
http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/red-at-night-dress

7. Coach Legacy Leather Medium Candace Carryall at Bloomingdale's $398
http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/coach-legacy-leather-medium-candace-carryall?ID=640507&CategoryID=1000358&PageID=21533*1*24*-1*-1*1


This concludes my top five fall trends. What are some of your favs? What do you plan to incorporate into your wardrobe? Lets us know!

Be blessed! Be free! Be fashionable!

Kris,

fashion photos from: vogue.com & style.com