Jewel of the Nile

Good Morning! We hope you're enjoying le matin! Today we have a big topic to cover so finish eating your Wheaties and drink those last sips of OJ because our FASHION FIXATION du jour is, Jewelry: the top 10 must haves!
We love jewelry. Bracelets, rings, necklaces, earrings, watches, everything. All of these pieces are essential to any fashionista's wardrobe due to the fabulous fact that they add personality and flare to any ensemble. Before presenting all of you with our list, there are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for your jewelry. Those things are color, size, practicality, personality, and cost.
Color: enough to add a pop but not too much that it is overbearing- a color that you can wear often and that goes with a lot- don't forget: silver or gold?
Size: too big is too much, it is usually easy to tell but think; if your necklace has bobbles and beads that are the sizes of golf balls, it may not be the most flattering piece.-small jewelry usually works, it is dainty, delicate, and pretty.
Practicality: jewelry should not be a "one hit wonder" (trendy and well-priced jewelry is an acceptable exception, however)
Personality: unique and eye-catching
Cost: if the jewelry is an investment piece, (one that you will own for more than 2 years and will be worn often) a higher price can be justified- if it is just an addition to your collection, keep a low price point in mind
**Now for the Top 10 Must Have Jewelry Items!**
1. Silver and Gold (necklaces, earrings: hoops and studs, bracelets, rings)
2. necklace with WHITE in it
3. bold statement necklace (should sit on the collar bone or should have dramatic length/design)
4. pearls: long strand of pearls, stud earrings, classic short strand (preppy-style)
5. long pendant necklaces (with color)
6. cocktail rings
7. bangles
8. cuff bracelet
9. watch
10. dangle earrings
Wondering where to find all of these fabulous pieces? Try looking in small 'unique boutiques' because they always have the best and most exclusive designs. J. Crew , American Eagle Outfitters , Forever 21 , Anthropologie , Urban Outfitters , francesca's collections , and T.J.Maxx all have great jewelry options as well. You can go classic, preppy, boho, or glamorous with your accessories. Whatever you choose, remember to.....
Stay Flawless and Fabulous!

Love,
Lyndsey and Jenn
:)

**original photo**

Love. Hope. Courage.**

Hello to all of our young and chic followers!! We hope you all had a great weekend and we want to send you back to work in style with a new post!!

Sometimes in the summer we get so busy with barbecues, concerts and other fun things that we often forget the more important things in life.  Sometimes while we are shopping for the perfect summer sandal or checking out the new movie coming out, we loose sight of things that should be a priority.  Fashion usually gets a pretty bad reputation for being superficial and elitist but today's FASHION FIXATION du jour shows a side of the industry that many people do not usually see.  


Lady Gaga.  Victoria Beckham.  Karl Lagerfeld.  Nicole Kidman.  Orlando Bloom.  Blake Lively. These are just a few of the celebrities (ten to be exact) who came together to design t-shirts to raise funds for disaster relief in Japan.  Japan Vogue, UNIQLO, GQ and SAVE JAPAN! are also all involved in making this project possible.  The t-shirts, each designed by one of these fabulous celebrities, has an inspiring message (**the title of this blog is Karl Lagerfeld's design) bringing hope and sending love to the thousands of people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.  UNIQLO will donate the profit of approximately 100 million yen to the Japanese Red Cross Society through the sale of these T-shirts at its stores around the world, to back recovery efforts in notheastern Japan.


The t-shirts are about $20 and the money is going right to people who need it the most!! This is an amazing cause and one that is in great need of help!   Check out the t-shirts at http://www.uniqlo.com/ut/savejapan/us/ and see if you can help out! 


Stay Flawless and Fabulous!
Love,
Lyndsey and Jenn
:)

"I got my toes in the water...."

Happy Summer!
Yes the Summer Solstice has come again! We hope you are as excited as we are to head outside and enjoy the sun, the beach, and time off from school! Speaking of the beach, it seems as though we have arrived at our FASHION FIXATION du jour, which is Beach Bag Essentials!

You know how the story goes: you plan this wonderful day at the beach, get all of your friends together, pile into a fully-stuffed car, and head to paradise! But, once you've arrived, you realize you've forgotten something absolutely crucial to fully enjoying your day by the water! Even if this has not been your experience, you may be concerned that it could one day. Well, fear not because we have the perfect list to ensure a fully-stocked beach bag!

1. Start with the actual bag itself. It should be a durable material like canvas or a water-resistant material. It should also zip at the top so as not to allow sand and other beach stuff inside. A good dimension to keep in mind would be 13"W x 13"H x 7 1/2"D, or larger. The two straps on the bag should be long enough to allow the bag to be carried easily on your shoulder. Check out L.L.Bean Tote Bags, Vera Bradley (check out their whole site, they have other great beach accessories!), and SCOUT. All have great bag options!
2. Flip Flops
3. Towel
4. Beach chair
5. Sunglasses
6. Sunscreen (SPF 30+ or Tanning oil ;) )
7. Change of clothes (don't forget the clothes that don't show)
8. Large t-shirt
9. cute cover-up (dress)
10. baseball hat or sun hat (fedora, floppy straw, or cowboy)
11. iPod
12. hair elastics, clips, headband, etc.
13. plastic baggies (to protect electronic items from the sand and sea)
14. books/magazines
15. camera
16. snacks (contained in a cooler perhaps??)
17. chapstick
18. water toys (beach ball, frisbee, kite, sponge balls, paddle ball, volley ball....)
19. WATER! and 'lots of it
20. you, your itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie-yellow-polka-dot bikini, and your smile
With a fully-loaded beach bag, you are ready to enjoy your day as a beach bum! Keep this list in mind this summer for whenever you want to go coastal!

Stay Flawless and Fabulous!
Love,
Lyndsey and Jenn
:)

**Style Spotlight**

Happy Father's Day!!! We hope you're having a nice relaxing Sunday and spending some quality time with your dads!!

In the summer when it's raining out and you can't head to the beach or go to a barbecue there is nothing better than putting on some comfy sweats and and watching a great old movie like Casablanca, Breakfast at Tiffanys, A Streetcar Named Desire or, An Affair to Remember...just to name a few.  You're transported to a different time, when women wore dresses and pearls on a daily basis and men wore fedoras and suits.  Being fashion obsessed however, we do not just watch these movies for their fantastic plots and the chance to hear stars like Humphrey Bogart say amazing lines like "here's lookin' at you kid".  No, we also watch to see what fabulous garment Audrey Hepburn will step out of a cab in front of Tiffanys in.

When one hears the name Audrey Hepburn the words fashion icon immediately come to mind.  That is why we decided to shine the STYLE SPOTLIGHT on her.  Starring in films like Breakfast at Tiffanys, Sabrina, My Fair Lady, Funny Face, Charade, Roman Holiday and many more, she gained popularity for not only her acting talents but her unmatched ability to pull off a L.B.D (little black dress).  In fact, she is responsible for bringing the little black dress into the closets of women everywhere.  When she stepped out of that cab on fifth avenue in front of Tiffanys she created an image that will go down in history and a garment that will never go out of style.

We can also thank her for making things like flats and cropped black pants fashionable.  In films like Funny Face she showed the world that a woman could wear flats and cropped pants and still look stunning.  Many things we still wear today can be traced back to Audrey Hepburn donning them in one of her movies.

Audrey Hepburn will forever remain a fashion icon.  The epitome of style and grace and not to mention one of the single greatest actresses to ever hit Hollywood.  Next time you pick out your favorite little black dress that goes perfectly with every occasion, thank Audrey for making it a staple in your wardrobe.

So spend your Sunday watching a few cinematic classics, you won't be sorry you did!

Stay Flawless and Fabulous!
Love, 
Lyndsey and Jenn
:)

The Wave Craze

Hey Chic People!

Sorry for this week's delay, but we're here now with a great post! One of the most popular hair trends right now is loose summer waves. Many complain that this look is too hard to attempt. However, our response to that is: au contraire. To help with these doubts, our FASHION FIXATION du jour is Wavy Hair.

Your "wonder waves" can be achieved in just a few simple steps:
1. Begin by brushing your hair and then parting it down the middle. This helps to keep an even amount of hair all throughout your head to make curling the hair easier. (don't forget to plug-in your 1" barrel curling iron)
2. It is time to take your iron to your hair. Using your 1" curling iron, curl the hair away from your face. The curl should be directed towards the back of the head rather than the face. Continue this until each strand has been curled.
TIP: If you have thick or very long hair, it may be helpful to divide your hair into sections to pin up to free up space.
3. After your entire head of hair is filled with curls, take a comb and run it through the curls to loosen them up. This will create a more natural and flowy look.
TIP: Instead of a comb, you could simply run your fingers through the curls.
4. To finish this look, spray a light-hold hairspray throughout the hair to keep your look together all day!

We hope you find these steps helpful! This is such a great summer look that is very easy to put together! We hope to have step-by-step pictures on our facebook page up for you soon!

Stay Flawless and Fabulous!
Love,
Lyndsey and Jenn
:)

Fun in the Sun-Dress

Hello!!

We hope your all having a great week!! This recent heat wave has presented some definite outfit issues.  Looking cute in 100 degree weather is not always such an easy feat.  Which brings us to our FASHION FIXATION du jour, sundresses!!!


The sundress is summer staple.  It is a perfect solution to extreme temperatures while still looking cute and cool. Patterns, bright colors and other adornments make these dresses the perfect summer outfit! When looking for a sundress for this season there are some things to keep in mind.  First is the style.  Some styles are more flattering on certain body types than others.  Try your choices on in the store before purchasing.  While sometimes annoying this is a very important part of shopping.  It allows you to see the garment you're purchasing from all angles (they usually have triple mirrors that help with this) and maybe even get some opinions from the friends you went shopping with! 


Another important thing to remember when getting a sundress is the pattern.  Some loud, busy patterns do not always look great on everyone.  Once again, try it before you buy it!!! You will be happy you did! If you are looking for a dress you can wear over and over again to different types of places, we suggest a more subdued pattern, sometimes the best fashion statement is no fashion statement.  But when your going to a fun summer party or barbecue break out your florals and polka-dots!!! 


Lastly please keep in mind the under-garments you are planning to wear with your dress.  A strapless dress means a strapless bra!!!  Don't ruin a completely ah-dorable dress by having your bra straps hanging out, pas jolie.  


Some great places to pick up the perfect sundresses are J. Crew, GAP, Banana Republic and an amazing website Piperlime.  So pair your dress with some cute sandals (you can find great sandals on Piperlime or at Steve Madden) and some great jewelry and you are set for a perfect summer outing!! 


 Stay Flawless and Fabulous!
Love,
Lyndsey and Jenn

:)

Denim Days

Happy Monday!

We hope that you all had a great weekend and are ready to talk fashion! We're just going to jump right into today's FASHION FIXATION du jour which is jean jackets!

Jean jackets have been in the fashion world for so long. They are so classic and versatile. Stores such as GAP and J. Crew have had jean jackets on their racks forever and have helped to introduce many new ways to update and wear this key denim piece. For example, a perfect spring outfit could be your denim jacket and a cute plain or patterned sundress with fun sandals and jewelry. Or, a great pair of shorts and a blouse could also be topped off with a jean jacket. However, please avoid head-to-toe denim. To quote a friend, we do not want you wearing a "joutfit", a jean-outfit. Think Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake at the 2001 American Music Awards. Spears in a jean dress and Timberlake in a denim suit and hat... ya. A jean jacket should always be paired with an outfit that has fabrics other than denim. Florals and navy always look great. Your jacket should be fitted but should also allow room to layer pieces of clothing underneath it. A medium wash matches most articles of clothing. A light wash is great for summer; where as a dark wash is great in the fall. Embellishment was cute in the 90s, but is not so cute in 2011. Keep it simple because you are going to want to be able to wear this with a lot of your wardrobe.

We hope this insight into one of the most classic facets of the denim world is helpful. We want you to enjoy a stylish spring season!

Stay Flawless and Fabulous!
Love,
Lyndsey and Jenn

:)

Summer Lovin'

Hello there!! We hope you're all having a great week!!

Memorial Day weekend is the official beginning of summer!!  Along with it comes...bathing suit season.  Yes, its finally here.  The reason we have all been killing ourselves at the gym and hitting the tanning salon.  Bathing suit season does bring about one positive thing though...a new reason to go SHOPPING (as if we needed one hehe) !!!

It also brings us to our FASHION FIXATION du jour, bathing suits!!!  It happens every year, we pull out our bathings suits that have not seen sunlight in about nine months and try them on and OH NO! it doesn't fit!! We don't want to believe it but the perfect suit that fit like a glove last year just doesn't quite make it this year.  This presents another problem...finding a new go to bathing suit for the season.  But not to worry we have some fantastic tips to make this process completely painless!


First, where to start your search? Department stores like Nordstroms, Bloomies, Macys and Lord and Taylor are always a great choice.  They have a ton of options, all colors, all sizes, all styles and all age groups.  Some other companies that have great choices are Victoria's Secret, Juicy Couture and Ralph Lauren.


When you get to the store the next most important thing is whether or not the suit is age or occasion appropriate.  We recommend always keeping the places you will be wearing this bathing suit in mind when shopping.  A super small bikini is not always the most appropriate or acceptable option.

Next you want to make sure the style is flattering and sensible.  The first thing to think about it tan lines!  If you have an event coming up where you are wearing a strapless dress PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not have huge tan lines pas jolie!!!!!!! Invest in a bandeau style suit that will keep those tan lines away so you aren't sorry later!  Another thing to keep in mind is metal accents on your bathing suits.  Some metal accoutrements can get really hot in the sun and actually burn you!! BE CAREFUL!!

The last thing to think about when shopping is color.  We all know the colors that are not the most flattering to our skin tones and that never holds truer than with our bathing suits.  Make sure the color looks good on you so you feel good about the suit! Your signature color is your signature for a reason!! STICK TO IT!!

With these tips you will be looking great on the beach or at the pool!! Don't forget your sunscreen and shades and head outside to catch some sun and surf! ENJOY!!


Stay Flawless and Fabulous!
Love,
Lyndsey and Jenn
:)