My boyfriend & I rented a cottage -complete with chickens roaming around in the front yard or rather the entire island really:

The island is best known for the amazing beaches & pink sand. The beaches are very remote but I found a friend:

I went diving for the first time at Valentines Resort with Shawn. He was such a patient instructor! This was probably one of my favorite adventures yet – the underwater world is so amazing:

Of course I wanted to check out the local style. I found a shop that sells sarongs made from the island of Andros (also in the Bahamas). They are so cute with various prints of sea turtles, shells & seahorses. I also found a really nice rustic clutch from a local straw shop. I paired it with heels from H&M and my jade piece from Dalia Koss.

I also found an organic Parisian/Bahamian eau de toilette that is the “scent of warm sun & cool lagoons” – perfect for summer:

If you find yourself in the Bahamas it is so worth it hopping onto the ferry & visiting Harbour Island. The people here are so very friendly & I everyone zips around the island in golfcarts. Which reminds me of this:

We leave the island tomorrow & off to our next adventure. Maybe back to California for a bit or maybe Costa Rica…keep you posted. You can also read more about our adventures on the bf’s site: http://livingonimpulse.com/hollywood-austin-bahamas X

P.S. Isn’t this the funniest? The local grocery store…not your average “Piggly Wiggly” – love it.

Fashion has Brains

Edited by Ashe

Every week I am always surprised by the selection of posts we receive here at IFB.  I think back to before I started my blog, the discrimination I felt working in retail and adoring fashion, because it was shallow and it wasn’t academic.  Now I look at the community I am a part of and think– how could anyone accuse fashion enthusiasts of being shallow? Or fashion designers, lovers of style?  Indeed, like any frowned upon medium or niche, fashion has brains; it has ingenuity, it has controversy, it has creativity, and it has depth.

This week I want to celebrate those putting fashion and intellect together, to show that there’s more than meets that glittering eye…

Oh, and if you’re looking for something to do this summer… IFB is looking for interns!

Links à la Mode : April 22

• Agent Lover: – On The Search For The Perfect Retro Bathing Suit!
• Alice in Stilettos: – Interview with Edgy, Up-and-Coming Designer Chelsea Sutrisno
• Bay Area Style File: – Interview with Model turned Eco Friendly Beauty Brand owner Josie Maran.
• Bobbins and Bombshells: – Fashionable History: Lilly Dache – A True Fashion Success Story.
• Denim Debutante: – Meet US-Made NAEM Denim and Win Your Own Pair
• dramatis personae: – Back to the Future
• Fashion Pulse Daily: – Cynthia Rowley for Roxy Spring 2010
• For Those About to Shop: – Crystal Renn’s inspiring story of transformation may make you think twice about modelling industry:
• krameymartin: – Being pregnant doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your fashion sense. Check out this post to learn how to jazz up simple maternity pieces.
• La Chanelphile: – “The Allure of Chanel” by Paul Morand with Illustrations by Karl Lagerfeld
• M.I.S.S.: – The Rag Trade: The Sale Mentality. This week’s article looks at how we will get consumers to break the sale mentality and pay full price again.
• Night Watch: – DIY Tutorial: Burberry Prorsum F/W 2010-11 Inspired Blazer
• Oh, the Places You’ll Go!: – ASOS Curve Models – Plus, or not plus enough?
• Oranges and Apples: – Some thoughts on weight, fat activism and health
• Poetic & Chic: – Hamish Bowles, European Editor at Large for Vogue, visits the de Young in San Francisco to announce a new Balenciaga retrospective slated for spring 2011.
• Retro Chick: – Made To Measure – Dresses for those who aren’t a standard size
• shrimp salad circus: – DIY Spring Flowers Headband/Belt for Under
• The Coveted – Craving Miu Miu Clogs?
• the fashionate traveller: – Discovers the emerging Japanese fashion trend Dolly Kei, as seen through a visit to Grimoire, Shibuya’s premier vintage store.
• The Fashionista Lab: – I gave up shopping and gained a new perspective on using and building my wardrobe (hint: shoes are important)
• True Queen: – Warning: Men In Skirts – Examining a taboo trend that attempts to go mainstream

PLEASE READ IF YOU’D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE

:

If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode group will be published later today. ~Jennine

I actually moved to L.A. when I was 11 years old so I don’t remember much that much of my childhood there. I feel like my collection is a blend between L.A. and New York. My NY side made me design silhouettes that are a little edgy with subtle details here and there but to complement that, I used a comfortable heavy knit fabric. I feel like LA exudes comfort.

I picked up this vintage 70s boho dress at a vintage store in Sarasota and I love the color on my skin tone. I found these clogs on ebay right before the “clog craze” hit; they’re also from the 70s.

I’m planning on interviewing people/doing celebrity roundup videos for the celebrity gossip site, SleekFly and attending the L.A. Fashion Corner 2010 Eco-Friendly Fashion Show as a contributor for Modern Hippie Mag. Are you in L.A.? I would love to connect, I always love new friends! O yea, check out more of my travels on this blog: Living on Impulse too.

I’m Jody Marich,

I’m a mixture of boho chic meets downtown glam. My fashion icons include Kim Kardashian, Nicole Richie, and Reese Witherspoon. I attend Flagler College for communications and one day hope to be a fashion journalist.

Working in retail, allows me to see the most popular trends out there that won’t break the bank.

Here are the five top trends in retail:

(both featured skirts from Express)

1. Ruffle me up!

Ruffles have been a fashion staple for a while. This season they include lose, flowing ruffles, that create a soft romantic look, and tight, tiered ruffles, that make a bold statement when added to any outfit. One of my favorite skirts has tight tiered ruffles in a royal blue color with an elastic band top.

Tiered dresses and ruffled skirts are great choices for this spring and summer season. These pieces will give you that fashionista edge. Pair a ruffled skirt with a form fitting top, cute belt, bangles and gladiator heels and you will look super cute while staying stylish.  Add a military shirt into the mix, and your style just jumped up another notch.

(both featured dresses from Forever 21)

2. Embellishment

From dresses to shirts, shorts to jeans, embellishment and hardware on clothes are super hot this spring and summer. Accessories are even sporting the trend.

Popular embellishments include rhinestones, studs, beading, and sequins.

(both tops featured from Anthropologie)

Check out some dresses or tops that have removable embellishment or hardware. This season spring/summer tops are popping up everywhere that have removable necklaces, a perfect way to add accessories without having to think a lot about which one to choose. An added plus is you easily remove it when you have to wash your clothes!

Embellished necklines and pocket details seem to be the most popular but look out for shoulder embellishment. Shoulders are getting a lot of attention this season. With trends bringing focus to women’s shoulders, this added detail is perfect without taking the big plunge and wearing shoulder pads or a strong shoulder piece.

3. Short shorts aka: shorties, hot pants, and daisy dukes

This spring and summer it’s all about showing off your legs. With temperatures heating up, this big but oh so little trend is sure to be one to try. They give you a super cute look while keeping you cool and stylish. Shorts shorts include frayed edges, cuffs, and sailor buttons. Depending on what your style is, you can also find patterns that work for you. Add accessories to spice up the look and you can easily go from a day to nighttime look. Also, check out the mini skirt trend, another great way to show off your legs!

(both shorts featured from American Eagle Outfitters)

Shoes to consider for this trend include the gladiator sandal, wedge, and cowboy boots.

4. Jumpers

Jumpers can be a fabulous change from the little black dress. The best part about this trend is that all body types can wear it. There are many styles to choose from including jean/chambray, beachwear, loose fitting jumpers, floor length, and short jumpers. Be sure to choose the one that best fits your body. You don’t want to end up looking like a potato sack.
For a daytime look, pair a jumper with a cute pair of gladiator sandals and bright jewelry to add a sunny feel to your outfit.

(Left- from Urban Outfitters; Right – from TopShop)

For a nighttime look, vamping up this trend is a cinch. Switch your shoes to a wedge or a gladiator high heeled sandal and you are good to go. Include a few great accessories, like a cocktail ring or bib necklace, to add a little va-va-voom to your outfit.

5. Floral detail

Every spring floral prints seem to pop up. This season florals are everywhere. From dresses to shirts, floral prints are a must have this spring. Floral hair accessories are another great trend to try.

(dress from Urban outfitters & shorts from Forever 21)

Small, dainty prints are always a plus in a girl’s closet. This look gives a touch of femininity.

Big, bold prints are a fun way to spice up an outfit. You can easily have the print be the focal point or pop of color in your outfit. Just remember that bigger prints usually draw more attention and are harder to pull off, so if you are trying to disguise something, choose a smaller print.

Jody Marich is the creator of the blog, Tickle Me Chic. She writes about everything fashion. From news to trends, she reports on it. She is a Fashion Expert who is dedicated helping people express themselves with fashion. Remember, fashion is fun. It is uniquely you.

DIY NATION

Edited by Fashion Pulse Daily

It seems that across the board, there has been a resurgence in DIY, as we are very much living in a world of ‘Do it Yourself’ everything; ranging from creating or updating or garments’ silhouettes and decorative details to showcasing our own versions of runway looks, virtually styling with tools like Polyvore, tackling self-photography, and of course self-publishing via our blog platforms. We reign supreme in the DIY world on a daily basis, and I only see this trend gaining momentum. The roundup of this week’s links is definitely an indication, directly and indirectly, of the incredibly creative, innovative, persevering, motivated folks that are part of the new DIY frontier, and of course, IFB!

As expected, there was a fabulous round-up of links in the forum as well, all worthy of your eyeballs!

Links à la Mode : March 25th

• Alex Loves - The Chanel Tattoo Cast
• Alice in Stilettos - DIY Faux Fur Ankle Cuffs Inspired by Thakoon
• Denim Debutante - How Would You Change the Denim Industry?
• Despising Life is so Passé - Spring Cleaning: Detox your Space
• Fashion Pulse Daily - The DYI Glue-On Pedicure: Reviewing Revlon’s Perfect Pedicure Kit
• Fasshonaburu – Vyque & Alyssa review the “Project Runway” video game and give you a chance to win your own copy!
• For Those About to Shop – Designer NADA’s Fashion future – how about a 3D film?
• Haute World – My real life encouters with Balmain and an exclusive tour inside the label’s only boutiqe in the world.
• Idiosyncratic Style – The Personal Style of Fashion Designer, Breeyn McCarney
• Independent Fashion Bloggers :  Evolving Influence business, ethics, and the future of fashion blogging videos
• Inny Vinny – See No Evil, Hear No Evil: Jezebel exposes photographer Terry Richardson
• Lady Peach -The men that have shaped the fashion scene… 5 Male Style Icons
• M.I.S.S. – Interview with Gabriela Hernandez, founder of Besame Cosmetics
• Retro Chick - How Vanity Sizing is damaging your health
• Shrimp Salad Circus - What does color do for your life?
• Skinnypurse - Skinny Cargo Pants: Love Them or Hate Them?
• Style Eyes - The Wang Effect – A discussion about the phenomenal popularity of all things Wang
• Style Symmetry: Style Me Challenge! Wear an Outfit Styled By Someone Else
• The Working Wardrobe – Show this rainy season who’s boss!
• The Coveted – Do you alter vintage?
• Tweet - Dark and intricately sculptural clothing by a young, Hungarian designer named Dora Mojzes with an amazing talent
• Ventures of Jenn - Vice interviewed Karl Lagerfeld; I broke it down

PLEASE READ IF YOU’D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE:

If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode group will be published later today. ~Jennine

From Lavazza 2010 Calendar

V-Confession Editorial

Vogue “New Mood” spread | YSL | By Irving Penn

Keith Haring by House of Field

Penelope Tree 1969 Vogue

]]> http://aliceinstilettos.com/chatty-fashion/feed/ 2 http://aliceinstilettos.com/diy-faux-fur-ankle-cuff-inspired-by-thakoon/ http://aliceinstilettos.com/diy-faux-fur-ankle-cuff-inspired-by-thakoon/#comments Sun, 14 Mar 2010 02:14:48 +0000 Ashley Spiker http://aliceinstilettos.com/?p=3390 I’m always “altering” my clothes. Right before I left for fashion week I had a tan faux fur jacket and I wasn’t happy with the shape so I took the sleeves off making it a fabulous vest. I had the fabric from the sleeves left over and held onto it. This season Thakoon’s show featured many different types of fur ankle cuffs which I loved! My fabric was perfect for this project.

Thakoon’s & My version

I don’t even own a sewing machine so this project is pretty easy.

Materials:

1 yard of faux fur fabric

Ribbon, leather cord or both (I used both)

Thread

Needle

Scissors

Velcro strips (optional)

How to:

There are a couple of ways you can execute the concept. You can 1. either sew them onto leggings 2. use strips of velco or 3. just sew the fur cuffs completely together. Just make absolutely sure when you are sewing the fur together that you size them right so you can get them over your foot onto your ankle!

After you decide how you are going to assemble the cuffs, start by hemming the fur on each side (top & bottom). Fold the fur down only a couple of centimeters and begin hemming it around the circumference. Repeat on the other end.

After hemming, take your scissors – confession *I used a knife because the scissors weren’t sharp enough* and make 8 even slits (4 on each side) creating holes for the leather or ribbon to slid through. Whatever tool you use be careful!!

Next slid the leather/ribbon through the holes making a criss-cross. Then either make holes at the top and knot the fabric on the inside or make a bow in the front.

]]> http://aliceinstilettos.com/diy-faux-fur-ankle-cuff-inspired-by-thakoon/feed/ 18 http://aliceinstilettos.com/my-favorite-vintage-shots-of-fashion-pets/ http://aliceinstilettos.com/my-favorite-vintage-shots-of-fashion-pets/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:03:57 +0000 Ashley Spiker http://aliceinstilettos.com/?p=3361

Jean Shrimpton & Bertie by Eugene Vernier, February 1963

Balenciaga

Siri Tollerod in “The Vagaries of Fashion” by Miles Aldridge for Vogue Italia May 2008.

Valentino

January 1955 Vogue

1958 Ladies Home Journal

1982

Natalie Wood

Christian Dior, 1940

All photos unless otherwise indicated are not taken or owned by me. They are used solely for the purpose of discussion, comment and as a visual aide to convey the beauty of the object to you, the viewer. These images are not intended for any commercial purpose.

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