Pink Holiday Style

The holiday season is here! In the US this encompasses Thanksgiving and for people in the rest of the world the halls have all ready been decked and trees ready to be trimmed for Christmas. The holidays to me mean parties, celebrations, dinners, and gatherings of all kinds, sizes and calibers.

Everyone has a certain combination of colors for their interior (and exterior) decor to reflect who they are and I would guess that the same is true for their holiday wardrobe. From casual chic to gown gorgeous you know, through color what says holidays to you.

SHOP - Vintage pink velvet Gown $80

I personally have a broader scope from the traditional red, green and gold that is typical at this time of year, even beyond silver, blue and white ... what about PINK?

It is a fabulous accent to silver and winter white and in pretty opposition to the seasons traditional fiery red. Pink is not a "traditional" holiday color or even usually part of the fall/winter color pallet but for me it is a beautiful option for holiday dressing! 

THINK PINK with EVOLUTION VINTAGE

 Vintage Pink Textural Dress With Fringe - $85

 Pink Floral Gown - $90

 Hand Beaded & Chiffon Gown - $350

Image: Tom Fowler

 Vintage Chiffon Gown With Crystal Waist Detail - $150

Image: Tamara Wickstrom

 Vintage Pink Beaded Dress - $120

Image: Tamara Wickstrom

Pepto Pink Gown (color in this image varies from actual - it is darker) - $80

Will you have a PINK Holiday Season?

Pink Sequin Nutcracker - $29.95 (Save 15% Use code MERRY15)

The 30 Day 30 Dress Challenge

Image by: Tamara Wickstrom

This concept has been percolating in my style brain for some time now. I have many discussion with friends about fashion and personal style and it got me thinking about dresses. Why did they cease to be a woman's daily uniform? During war time when women stepped into men's job's we saw pants come on the scene (20's and 30's). Flash forward to the present and I am of the personal belief that women wear more pants than dresses day to day.

Meet my friend Sydney. She is a huge proponent of the dress as the daily "uniform". Her theory is that it is much easier to slip into a dress than it is the standard jean, legging or yoga pant that I see everywhere, everyday. I wanted to put this theory to the test. 

1935 Dress Ad

I thought it would be an interesting  project if we, for the next 30 days wore nothing but dresses. 

Challenge Rules:

1) Nothing but dresses for the month of November

2) changing into work out or yoga gear to attend the gym or a legit class permitted, You must leave said activity in the dress you have arrived in

3) Snap a creative photo each day and share it on social media. Hashtag 30Days30Dresses

4) You may wear the same dress more than once. Flex that creative muscle and style it differently.

Participation is open to ALL. Size of your closet or budget for clothing are both irrelevant, It is about working with what you have. Try and think about what it would be like to re-style what is considered an evening look for daytime or what could you add to a dress to change the look completely? 

Before the excuses start to pop up: If you live in a climate that is transitioning into fall's cooler temperatures consider the the two L's Layering and Leggings. The same goes for people who's work environment that requires a lot of movement, hands on work, like a teacher for example, remember the 2 L's.

If you are just tuning in and the month has started you may still accept my challenge for as many days that are left in the month.

This challenge will build your style stamina and force you to be creative in your closet. 

Sydney's look Day 1: 

Dress: Vintage

Shoes: Just Fab

My Look: 

Vintage Mexicam Sundress

Shoes: SJP Collection TARTT Mary Jane's

Are you up to the challenge? Sydney and I would love for you to join us. 

I wont be posting here daily with our looks (maybe for a few special pieces) but follow my Instagram or LIKE my FB Page to see the looks.

Bloom Where You Are Planted

Nordstrom Catalog - Feb 2015

I love this notion of blooming where you are planted, in other words there is no geographical excuse for not being who you are in this exact moment. There is also no excuse for not being able to express yourself authentically, in essence wearing what you want.

This notion is a very powerful and empowering one. It disables you from handing away your power to the universe or external circumstances. You may wish to be in another place in your life, geographical or otherwise but really all we have is NOW. Dig into your life as well as your closet and bloom right where you are.  You feel like wearing a cocktail dress to a lunch? DO IT  you think you will be over dressed? SO WHAT. For the purpose of this blog I'm using fashion as part of the metaphor but truly dig your heel's into your life, in this very moment, exactly where you are, as you are. Enjoy the sun on your face and know the grass is greener where you water it, where you are planted, not way over there ...

Need some floral inspiration?

Vintage Floral Gown (available via Evolution Vintage

Pink 'Fawn' Vintage Glass Foil Pimps via SJP Collection (available via Nordstrom with black Grosgrain detail as pictured) or with Nude Grosgrain Detail at Neiman Marcus

Where will you bloom?

Michael Kors Floral-Print Cotton-Voilé Tunic (SALE: $595)

Vintage Floral Dress & Vintage Necklace

Both available via Evolution Vintage

Vintage BoHo Floral Dress, Vintage Hat & Belt

Both Available via Evolution Vintage

Check It

Checkers are one of my favourite prints.  If you have been around for any of my other blog posts you will know that I love how Fashion is a wonderfully constructed web, with various individual facets, yet all interconnected. Some may say that it is a cyclical industry. What's created will always come around again but with a new take. Each decade grabs elements from the ones that came before as we move along the human time continuum.

 SHOP THIS LOOK - HERE

This 1960's Navy/Green Check Dress by Designer S. Howard Hirsch reminded me of the Louis Vuitton S/S 2012 show. The essence of the non-stop square prints in unique colors struck me. Plenty of long sleeved maxi dresses in this collection with varying print sizes. The undertone was 60's MOD for sure so it always makes me wonder where the contemporary designers get their inspiration?

Check it ... Fashion's past is ALWAYS present.

Shoe Tour: SJP Style

Fall is upon us which means certain parts of our wardrobe could use an update. I like to work for the bottom up, start with the SHOES!

My FAVOURITE collection currently is from a Style Icon of mine, Sarah Jessica Parker. The collection is a really chic blend of timeless and trend. As a stylist and a lifelong lover of fashion when shoe shopping I adhere to three important rules:

*You get what you pay for. The SJP Collection is high quality.

*I am making an investment. I have a daughter and all of my major fashion purchases I consider an investment for her (or some other lucky soul if she doesn't end up having mamma's size 9). This collection has timeless pieces that you can wear for decades to come and in my case style with decades past, (I'll explain more in the next SJP shoe blog).

*I DESERVE it, and so do YOU! We all work hard in life no matter what our vocation, we deserve to be well heeled and to feel fabulous!

SJP pictured wearing Marlene ($375)

Meet Sarah Jessica on her shoe tour in the following US Nordstrom locations:

8/21 - The Galleria in Houston, TX @ 4pm

8/22 - Tyson's Corner in McLean, VA @ 5pm

8/23 - Roosevelt Field in Garden City, NY @ 2pm

If you can't attend this fun, live, in store opportunity to shop and meet SJP you can shop on-line or try the shoes on in a Nordstrom location nationwide. 

Let Sarah Jessica's designs inspire your fall wardrobe.

Pink Perfect: Hall & Valena

Jerry Hall 1970's

I am in the middle of a MAJOR style overhaul in my eBoutique Evolution Vintage. I have enlisted the help of a great team to make this evolution possible. I have used the most beautiful local models, for which I have hand selected to represent a cross section of beauty and culture. My talented team mate and photographer, Tamara Wickstrom and the help of a few of my closest friends. Inspiration is all around and for this particular shot I choose the lovely and talented model, Amanda Valena to make my vision of a 70's chic moment come to life.  She just screamed Jerry Hall circa 1970's to me. She's a beautiful blond that the camera loves and she has excellent energy. She can vamp it up and made this 70's pink polyester gown a perfect mix of Jerry 1970's and Amanda 2014.

Amanda by Tamara Wickstrom

Styling/Art Direction: Lisa Graystone

Jerry Hall by Richard Avedon

Vogue Aug 1977

It's not that she is Jerry's doppelganger or twin but the same essence was present in these images.

The location is the coolest BB (Bed and Brunch) located in Cambria, CA - Victoria's Last Resort.

Dress is available for purchase.

Vintage 70's PINK maxi dress with front rouching detail around the bust. Back zip. No labels or tags. Polyester. Garment has stretch. ~ $80

B=34"

W=32"

H=48"

Sl=21.5"

L=54"

Family In Wonderland: Christmas Card Edition

Recently I spent an afternoon in Wonderland. A Wonderland of my own creation for no reason other than to get the perfect shot for my holiday Christmas Card.  I wanted a card that represented my family, a little mad, unique and a full cast of characters that fate has bonded together. I enlisted the help of my fabulous make-up artist, Hanna Fisher of HannaF Makeup Design,

 Photographer extraordinaire Tamara Wickstrom (BreezyBlue Studios) and my two BFF style partners in crime, Jensine and Sydney. They were 'on set' to help wrangle kids,assist with prop set up and champagne consumption. They were instrumental in having the shoot go off perfectly! Thanks girls! xo

The concept was MY version  of "Alice in Wonderland". I shared both versions/films with my children and envisioned something in between. I sourced and styled all the costumes, chose concepts for makeup with Hanna's professional input and acquired all the little details for the set that brought the shoot together.

My Family Cast:

Myself : The Queen of Hearts

Husband -David: The Mad Hatter

Son -Blake: March Hare

Daughter -Kaleigh: Alice

Step-Daughter -Danica: The White Rabbit

Step-Son -Dylan: The Cheshire Cat

THE QUEEN OF HEARTS

THE MAD HATTER

ALICE

 THE WHITE RABBIT

THE MARCH HARE

THE CHESHIRE CAT

~~ The Tea Party ~~

~~The Rabbit Hole ~~

~~The Picnic~~

I had a REALLY hard time choosing the image for our Christmas Card. But with a great background and some metallic paper I made it happen. They have been mailed so stay tuned. I have all ready starting planning next years!

Did you have a Christmas Card Theme? Did your family have fun?

SHARE in the comments below!