A Dainty Heart To Wear Everywhere

I have never really been a heart person.  I never wear hearts, I don't decorate with hearts and I avoid wearing red on Valentine's day.  With that being said, I am not quite sure why I find this dainty little heart ring so adorable.  In fact, I have been so taken with it, I found myself heading back to look at it many times today.  And now, I am writing about it...

The St. Kilda Tiny Heart Ring is available exclusively at MZ Wallace.  It is a hand-painted enamel heart on a sterling silver ring, and was designed and crafted in NYC.  It is the perfect pop of color for any day of the week, and will look fabulous with all of the pinks and yellows this spring.

I love the idea of stacking this ring, but what I was really taken with was how uncomplicated it was.  On a day such as today, when I am dressing up my yoga pants with cashmere, I find the simplicity of this ring very appealing.  It is the perfect complement to the "less is more" moments when your statement pieces are just too much.

While visiting MZ Wallace's website a hundred different times today, I also spied some other great "Valentine's" gifts that would be just as perfect for the big day as they would for the entire spring season.

Mimi in Cayenne... a very sexy "go anywhere" nylon tote!

The Fuschia Snake Leather Angus Pouch is perfect for the girl on the go.  It can be thrown in a bag or carried on it's own while adding the much needed pop of color this season.

For the sophisticated traveler, we have the Neon Red Passport Case.  Need I say more?

MZ Wallace has a website full of great bags that are as indestructible as they are quite chic.  I do not own one yet, but I am hoping to sooner than later.  The problem is with so many fab & functional styles, how are you supposed to decide on just one?!   

                                               - Allison

*Photos courtesy of mzwallace.com.

Fun with Maks, Tony & Val

Aside from meeting Rachel Zoe and Ken Downing, my night spent hanging out with Maks, Tony and Val from Dancing With The Stars was of the coolest and a lot of fun!  You might wonder where such a fun event would occur?  Why, it would be Neiman Marcus of course!

This night of champagne, fashion, hors d'oeuvres and drooling over the men of DWTS was in honor of Maks' birthday.  The highlight of the evening was special performance courtesy of Dance With Me Studios.

Check out the slideshow below for a quick slideshow.  For a full report on the evening, plus a chance to watch the dance performance, check out my post on NMdaily.  I have a sneaking suspicion you might want dance lessons for Valentine's Day after watching this...

                                  - Allison

*photos courtesy of Ken Goodman.  Music is Waka Waka by Shakira.

The Epitome of Cool

Do you have a favorite designer label that you always look to for inspiration?  When you start to really think about it, it's hard to just name one brand that consistently strikes a chord.... right?

I was pondering this question as I scrolled through my FB news feed.  There was a post from Burberry about their new Spring/Summer campaign.  This is it!  Burberry is definitely at the top of my cool list.  I can't quite put my finger on what it is exactly, but they just have this cool factor.  It's the same sort of cool that I equate with a lot of the models.  When you see them in photographs outside of work, many of them have this seemingly effortless style that is just so... cool.  

As far as Burberry's overall look is concerned, Christopher Bailey is to thank.  He has reinvigorated the brand.  It still screams luxury and is timeless, but with an edginess that makes that plaid look brand new.  Every season, I can personally say I love everything... shoes, bags, coats, clothing...  Then I think, so what?  First, I can't afford to wear head-to-toe Burberry.  Secondly, if I could, would I really want to?  Definitely not.  That would be very uncool!

When you think about it, the coolness factor is about personal style.  It is about really knowing yourself, what you like, what looks good on you and sticking to that style.  It's not about trying every single trend.  You definitely need to change things up from season to season, but stick the trends that make sense with your personal style.  For example, if you are dying to try animal prints and have a professional/classic look... don't buy the animal print mini dress. Go for the pencil skirt or sheath dress.   For this particular style, a classic cut will have much more longevity in your wardrobe.  I guarantee that you will wear it for years to come.

Back to Burberry for a minute... Christopher Bailey is the Chief Creative Officer of Burberry.  This means that he works very hard to create this "effortlessly cool look".  A tremendous amount of time and energy is put into making sure that all aspects of the brand maintain this look.  It is not as easy as it seems.  So, for the record, no one is cooler than anyone else.  It's just that some people are better able to identify their style and stick to it.  Anyone can do this, it just takes a bit of time and reflection.

With spring on the horizon, this is the perfect time for some reflection.  Try to hone in on what exactly is your own individual "look".  When shopping for new clothing, approach it as you would any other major purchase (it doesn't matter if it it is at Forever 21 or Burberry).  Evaluate the item in question and make sure that it fits into your style guidelines.  Stick to your style, don't deviate with crazy impulse buys and don't buy something just because it looks good on someone else!  Keep to the plan and you will also begin to look effortlessly cool!

                                                                                                        - Allison
*Photos courtesy of Burberry.