Post 2 of 2: Most Wanted Items for Spring 2012 via Belk!

In continuation of last week's post of Belk's Arlene Goldstein's 10 Most Wanted Items for Spring, let's break down the last five items on the list!

1. New cardigan: Belt it, wrap it, button it, grab it in a novel material or shade. Wrap it over a maxi dress or belt it over your fave tank.
   
   
2. Color blocking: Yep, more color blocking! But this spring you'll spy big block of color in everything from shoes with mixed materials to bangles, and, of course, a plethora of clothing.
   
   
3. Wide leg pants: I'm really crushing on a pair of cream or white wide leg trousers. The images I saw from the Belk presentation ranged from bold prints to streamlined blends. Be sure to pair said pair of fresh, wide leg pantalones with a high stacked heel or...the next item on the list...


4. Fashion wedge: Who else is jacked that the wedge still reigns?! ME. Glossy nude patent shades, bright corals and cobalts - it's all great for spring.  
   
   
5. Statement necklace: While there are still plenty of long, drapey options, we'll be spying plenty of necklaces closer up on the neck. That includes metal collars...hawt.

Cardigans by Kate Hill
Platforms by Diane von Furstenberg

Have you started a spring shopping list yet?!

Product Review: DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, B+

So, we're back to putting oil on our faces. You can read my ode to face oil from a month or so back. In the spirit of EVOO, a friend and I were chatting about DHC and their ah-mazing line of skincare products, one of them being their Deep Cleansing Oil. I did a bit of poking around online and ordered a few products and I'm happy to say that I'm pretty much in love with this item.

About DHC's Deep Cleansing Oil: 
Try this amazing cleanser and you’ll see why it’s our most popular product worldwide. Dirt, excess oil, makeup—even waterproof mascara—and other pore-cloggers dissolve easily, leaving your face a grime-free zone that is soft to the touch. Its unique water-soluble formula rinses completely, so you’ll never see a greasy residue. Olive oil and vitamin E help ensure you won’t see dryness either.

My Review:

The Good: While it seems counter intuitive to throw oil over a make up face, this cleansing oil removes 90% of my makeup (some eye makeup requires just a bit of remover) and leaves my skin super soft and moisturized. The pump disbursement is nice and hey, if you dig the scent of olive oil, you'll lurve it.

The Bad: Well, 6.7 oz. for $23 is no bargain. But hey - you really only need to use one pump to properly cleanse your mug.

The Verdict: B+ from me. It does the job and does it well. Just like a cheesy cheer - I like it, I love it, I want some more of it.

If you have any interest in ordering some goods from DHC, shoot me an email and I can set you up with an individual discount code and send you free samples courtesy of my account.

Post 1 of 2: Most Wanted Items for Spring 2012 via Belk!

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of attending a spring fashion preview at Belk's SouthPark store, hosted by the illustrious Arelene Goldstein. Arlene is Belk's Vice President of Trend Merchandising and Fashion Direction...and she's fantastic. I so thoroughly enjoyed hearing her chat about what's coming for spring and some creative ways to wear the new trends.

What shall we expect for Spring 2012? Bright colors, more color blocking (in creative ways and mixed materials), '70s bohemian chic, American classics (polka dots, bold prints), asymmetrical cut tops and dresses and romantic blush tones. Women will have tons to choose from when it comes to hemlines, styles, and colors. Nice.

I'm such a big fan of lists, I really gravitated towards her 10 Most Wanted Items for Spring 2012. Without further adeiu, below are the first five items...the next five will come next week...stay tuned!

1. Long skirt: Ah, the maxi skirt. This season is grows up from a beachy staple to a multi-occasion piece. Extra points if you can score said fabulous skirt with pleats.
2. Striped dress: Long, short, brights, dark, flowy, cut close to the body, whatever works for you. Savor the stripes, ladies.
3. Boxy top: Perfect for pairing with bright skinnies or layered over tanks and skirts.
4. Open work: Think big knits in sweaters, light-weight scarves, cardigans and more.
5. Colored bottom: I'm personally crushing on a pair of pale coral skinny jeans, but look for colored bottoms in every cut and shade. Big colors for spring 2012: cobalt, yellow, coral and pastels. 

And how about some of my faves for interpreting these five trends...

Tees by BCBG MAX AZRIA
Long Skirts by Vince

So, which of the first five of Arlene's Most Wanted Items for Spring 2012 are on your shopping list?! 

My Top Three Gowns of the Golden Globes

I'm sure many of you caught some of the Golden Globes last night! While the show itself didn't blow me away, there were a handful of gowns I absolutely loved. LOVED. Here are a few!

Photo via Jason Merritt/Getty

Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang and a boatload of Harry Winston jewels. This dress perfectly encapsulates her stunning curves. I love the bottom of this mermaid gown - it looks like waves! Plus, the styling and simple, straight locks ensure that she doesn't look too stuffy in this gorgeous gown.

Photo via Steven Granitz/WireImage

Next up is Shailene Woodley from The Descendants. She's sporting a lovely, art deco Marchesa that I just loved. The structure of this gown was not only different than others I saw on the red carpet but it's fairly different for Marchesa! The streamlined elegance of this gown looks amazing on Shailene.

Photo via Steven Granitz/WireImage

In general, if I could look like one celebrity, it would be Kate Beckinsale. Girlfriend is all sorts of beautiful. And last night was no exception while she sashayed along the red carpet in Roberto Cavalli.

Some other celebs I loved last night include Jessica Alba in Gucci (holy cow her skin is incredible), Nicole Kidman in Versace (her bod looked amazing), Evan Rachel Wood (the color and texture of the green/black Gucci dress was so beautiful), and Emma Stone (that berry colored Lanvin was lovely with her skin tone).

Which gowns were your favorites at last night's Golden Globes?

Celebrity Style Stalker: Angelina Jolie

It brings me joy when I see a simple, gorgeous celebrity style. It can be tough to find star ensembles that are easily replicated with "fairly priced clothing." i.e. I don't know to many people who can run to their closet on a whim and fetch Ms. Jolie's Ferragamo silk top, leather skirt and pumps.

Photo via Dave Allocca/Startraks

I love this look. It's incredibly versatile and with the right cut and fit of the leather skirt, would look amazing on a myriad of body types. Pretty pretty! Here's Angie's look for less...

Button Front Tops by Victoria's Secret
Pumps by Nine West

Who's excited for the weekend?!

New Year, New Stitch Fix

It's the new year and time for a new Stitch Fix, January style!

This month, the fine folks at Stitch Fix sent out some great transitional pieces that can easily bring me from "winter" (I use quotations because Charlotte's winters are usually super mild) to spring! Here's what this month's fix had in store for me...

1) Lovemarks teal Ellen top, Stitch Fix price: $42

BCBG pencil skirt, Vera by Vera Wang belt, Citizens Avedon jeggings, Urban Outfitters circle scarf.

Riley was dying to get in the shot, so I figured it was fitting to give him center stage. Anywho, yes, this top...I love the ease of it and the funky tribal print. My issue with mullet tops? (i.e. mullet top = short in front, longer in the back) They are not super flattering on ladies who are packing a bit more in the chest area. Who wants to look heavier than she is? Not me.

2) Lovemarks Corin tank, Stitch Fix price: $44

SFAM bell bottom jeans, Limited jacket

What's that I see?! Silver, stretchy tank with a beige sheer back? Yes, please. This tank is uber comfy and the length is great to wear with straight jeans or tuck into a cute pair of shorts. One issue with this item? The arm holes were pretty deep and if I don't layer a tank under this item, you're going to see bra. 

3 & 4) Theme Graham zipper dress, Stitch Fix price: $86 & Marilyn Schiff silver mini disc necklace, Stitch Fix price: $40

Citizens Avedon jeggings, House of Harlow boots

This sweater dress was much more tunic like than dress like. This would have been incredibly skankerific without jeggings or leggings. Regardless, I loved the zipper detail and sleeve button additions. However, this dress is pretty boxy on my and doesn't nip in at the waist like I would prefer. For all those expecting ladies, this is a pretty awesome choice and it leaves much room for growth, if you know what I mean.

5) Theme Stanly ruched dress, Stitch Fix price: $75

Soooo...my camera konked out on my for this last item, but it's a cute ruched dress that would be pretty flattering on most! Perfect for cocktail hour or a casual rehearsal dinner. Plus, if you have a cute vest, it would look smashing with this dress. Here's an image of the dress at Piperlime so you can see the front.


Thoughts? What do you dig from this month's Stitch Fix?!

Zoya Goodies: 2 Free Nail Polishes Through January 9

If you haven't tried Zoya nail polishes yet, you're really missing out. Thanks to my buddy Rosa, from the uber cute blog Rosa Loves DC, for letting me know about Zoya's free polish promo!

The kind folks at Zoya ran this a few months back and now they're at it again...you can score two free polishes, just pay $6.95 shipping. The code is ZOYA2012 and it's good through January 9.

About Zoya Nail Polish:
The new color of fashion. Zoya Nail Polish combines the most sought-after fashion nail colors with the longest-lasting, safest technology in nail care. Zoya's 300-plus stylish nail polish shades are all formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and camphor free. The cutting-edge formula has also won a Women's Health Magazine independent panel award for longest-lasting polish. The release of Zoya's four seasonal polish collections is always hotly anticipated by beauty editors, beauty lovers and the salon & spa community alike.

Some of my fave polishes:

Caitlin, Riley, Pandora, Noel

 Which two polishes did I order?

Kiki, Astra

Happy polishing!

Working Out In 2012

I'm not crazy about resolutions. I prefer to add goals and aspirations into my life versus a black or white, what I can and cannot do for a resolution. That being said, working out more often is a common resolution for many and one of my personal goals for 2012. And what makes me motivated to work out harder? New athletic gear! Woot.

Whether you aspire to bench your body weight, run a 10k, hit that Bird of Paradise or anything in between, fab workout gear will help you get there. And you'll look so good getting there!

Sports Bras: For the ladies with ladies, or if you're just seeking a really supportive, well made sports bra, look no further than Moving Comfort. I particularly enjoy the Calli and Juno varieties. Try Amazon for some awesome deals. 

Yoga Pants: I love me some lululemon, but if you're not game for splurging for a pair of (extraordinarily awesome) yoga pants, both Prana and Zobha make fantastic, stretchy and long lasting yoga leggings. They're not cheap, but expect to spend $40-$70 instead of $80-$100 for lulu. 

Multi-use tops: Whether you're weight lifting, biking or dancing, plain tees from American Apparel are an affordable, well cut choice. If it's tanks you seek, lululemon and Stella McCartney's Adidas line make the cutest sleeveless options. You have a right to bear arms, rawr.

Cold weather gear: Both Under Armour and Nike make great cold gear lines. My faves include the Under Armour's Cold Gear fleece turtlenecks (great for outdoor running) and Nike's Hyperwarm long sleeve shirts. As for vests, nab a cheapie fleece vest from Old Navy and pop that over for extra warmth without the cost.

Socks: Say it with me, Balega. The most comfortable running socks I've ever put my feet into. Check your local running shop or find 'em online. Blisters be gone!

Shorts by Prana
Bras by Moving Comfort