Jul 05

Something Gold, Something New: Julia Failey Brings A Jewelry Party To Your Door!

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imageLooking to plan your friend’s bridal shower this summer and all out of creative ideas? Well, if you’re in the Chicago area, Julia Failey has opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Her line of nature-inspired jewelry, worn by the likes of Kate Bosworth and Vanessa Minnillo, is available for you to customize. For any special occasion- from bachelorette parties to Mother’s Day- you can have her deliver to your door everything needed to make one-of-a-kind pieces. You choose the project (such as earrings, bracelets, or necklaces) and they bring over everything that you need to create it such as clasps, beads, and charms. Then your guests leave the bridal shower or bachelorette party with a one-of-a-kind hand made piece of jewelry. Sounds much better than leaving with cheesy lingerie or edible underwear! Check out the slideshow to see some of the line and book your own jewelry party! Visit www.juliafailey.com for details.

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Jul 01

Summer Beauty Picks To Keep You Fresh-Faced And Flawless On Your Wedding Day

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imageSummer weddings are beautiful, with the blue skies, lush greens and thriving flowers. The outdoors are alive– what a perfect setting to dedicate yourself to your life-long love! Embrace the season and play up summer’s zest with a beauty regimen that will put you in steep competition with the ravishing landscape. There are, however, some things to caution with such a fruitful time of year, like the heat that can turn a bride from stunning to sweltering. Oil-free foundations are a must, as are formulas that are light and airy to let your pores breathe. However, sometimes light and airy is synonymous with flaky, non-lasting makeup, so you’ll need some of these dependable picks to last you on your ceremony of a lifetime. In the heat of the moment, you’ll need a moisturizer first to start off fresh (oil-free of course), followed by a primer to make everything stay all day. A summer wedding is code for flawless skin, so you’ll want to play up your skin tone with the some sunshine accents. More importantly, you’ll want to brighten up without upstaging your skin with too much color splashing other areas of your face. While you’ll want shimmer and bronzer to brighten your base, you won’t want to get too bold with autumnal plums or merry reds sprinkled on your eyes and lips. For your eyes, soft summer colors will certainly be staple items in your makeup bag: you’ll use those to match your wedding theme’s color composition. Don’t let the lips overdo the statement your skin is making either by choosing a natural, more matte look that will make your lips a kissably-soft surprise for the leading man. Any color like Stila’s Long Wear Lip Color in Darling (Golden Champagne) would be a perfect fit. If you must be bold with color, choose a nail color with some botanical bite. When it’s all said and done, the beauty picks in this slideshow will make you an amazing summer queen!

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Jun 30

10 Outdoor Entertaining Tools You Need For The 4th Of July And Beyond!

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imageThe 4th of July is rapidly approaching and I’ve been busy figuring out how I’m going to go to all the barbecue parties and picnics I said I’d go to! (I mean, how could I say no to juicy burgers, grilled veggies and cold drinks with all my friends and family?) Anyway, I know I have plenty of capable people who can work the grill as well as Bobby Flay so I can definitely count on a delicious meal. They’ve got the grill and the charcoal ready, but the last time I went to an outdoor grilling party, I noticed that all their tools have seen better days. I’m looking to replace their ratty and singed oven mitts with a suede bbq grilling mitt instead. There are some things that they didn’t know they need too like the magic seasoning sheets that lay on the perfect flavor. For more outdoor entertaining tools that will make your 4th of July (and beyond!) tastier, check out my slideshow!

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Jun 28

Go Red, White And Chic For The Fourth Of July!

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imageEvery year, the fourth of July rolls around and I’m left rummaging through my closet that consist of mostly neutrals and end up showing up to a fourth of July party looking dressed for a funeral and not a BBQ. Quite often the thought of parading around in extraordinary bright colors and mixed patterns and still looking fashionable is extremely daunting. After reviewing some of the spring runway shows I see that red white and blue, when not taken too literally with stars and stripes, can be amazingly chic. Taking cues from Michael Kors’ retro Pleasantville-with-a-twist look, I’ll be able to put together a fantastic 4th of July ensemble. I’ll make the “Plaza Estie” striped skirt the cornerstone of my outfit– it covers all the necessary colors for the holiday and its flared puffy skirt will leave lots of room for hot dogs and potato salad. A ballet flat with a loud print like Betsey Johnson’s circle flat can funk up the primness of the skirt and is great for outdoor events because the last thing you want is your stilettos getting stuck in the grass. Top the look off with a plain white tee, grab a red, white, and blue bikini for a dip in the pool, and you’re looking as festive as the fireworks. Check out the slideshow for how to get the look, and other chic red white and blue picks!

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Jun 24

Wedding Gowns That Don’t Cost An Arm And A Leg

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imageIf we could have it our way, money would be of no object in the budgeting of our wedding day. And while the recession may limit our spending, it doesn’t have to limit our fun in planning the perfect nuptials. Sure, Heidi Pratt may have looked great in $20,000, but perhaps it says a little something more if you can look great in $500 or less. These days, that extra $19,500 or so might look a bit better in house, car or food form than it does on your already beautiful self — you’d probably be surprised just how good a $500 or less dress looks, anyway! While I’ll always be here to give you slideshows of dream gowns made for Cinderella herself, don’t skip over the ones we’re actually more likely to catwalk down our own aisle!

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Jun 19

Make Sure Your Occasion Jewelry Is Conflict-Free With Diamond Nexus Labs

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imageNot all diamonds are a girl’s best friend. No one wants to look down at their jewelry and know that their stone caused conflict in far away countries and harm to their planet (thoughts we can’t escape after seeing “Blood Diamond” and reading eco-friendly websites). So what do we do? Give up diamonds? The answer lies in Diamond Nexus Labs. This company was eco-friendly long before the “green” craze, and all of their diamonds are both environmentally friendly and conflict-free. However, with all the benefits to these stones, you won’t be sacrificing quality– something you’d never dream of giving up when it comes to engagement rings or special occasion jewelry.

To see the rest of the story, plus more fashion and style news, click over to our friends at Whatswear!

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Jun 18

Last-Minute Gifts To Save Your Behind This Father’s Day

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imageWhen it comes to gift shopping, I can dish out plenty of advice on picking out the right presents for every kind of recipient, but I’m definitely guilty of not following my own words of wisdom regarding planning ahead! If you’re like me and often find yourself smacking your forehead in frustration upon realizing that you are yet again empty-handed just days before Father’s Day, you will be relieved to know that not all hope is lost. While scoring that just-released gadget your dad has been eyeing or shipping in a thoughtful personalized present may be out of the question if you’re looking to be prompt with your gift-giving, you might just be able to save yourself from being deemed your dad’s least favorite or “the heartless forgetful one” by making a quick trip to your local Target or Walmart. From Father’s Day themed candy gift boxes to men’s accessory essentials like wallets and watches, these gifts may be impromptu and kind of corny, but at least you didn’t put in zero effort. Check the slideshow for more last-minute Father’s Day gifts, perfect for a guy who doesn’t shop enough to know the difference!

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Jun 17

Father’s Day Presents For The Pampered Papa!

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imageFather’s Day is pretty much here and if you haven’t gotten your dad a gift yet, you better get on it quick! Men in general are notoriously hard to shop for, and fathers are the hardest of the bunch to find a great gift to give. In an effort to solve this dilemma for ourselves, we’ve researched and written about numerous gift ideas and suggestions. Here is one more attempt to help find you that perfect Father’s Day gift that is not a tie and that dad will love! If your father already seems to have everything, then get him something useful but completely superfluous! He probably has a couple of drugstore razors in his medicine cabinet. Why not get him a beautiful silver or wood finish shave set? I’m sure he already has a wallet, or maybe a money-clip, but perhaps a new soft Italian leather wallet will look even nicer! Women feel entitled to numerous pampering procedures, but men deserve the prince(ss) treatment from time to time too! Maybe a spa and massage session will help lift the stress off his shoulders… or perhaps he’s a fashionable father and a great piece of statement jewelry is all he needs to add a little pep in his step! And what makes these luxe gifts even better is that they’re from you, so check out the slideshow for some more great gift ideas to spoil your dad!

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Jun 17

Extravagant Bridal Gowns By Ilana L and Romy Collection Take The Cake!

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imageA one-of-a-kind girl, her one-of-a-kind day, and certainly, a one-of-a-kind gown to dress her in — the gowns by Ilana L Designs and sister-designer Romy Collection fit the bill! On your wedding day, perfection isn’t too much to ask, and it’s easy to see why these gowns make for the perfect compliment to any bride’s body. The dresses are so meticulously intricate, it’s almost as if they belong in a gallery rather than a boutique. Both branches offer dresses from four collections: Elegant, Sexy, Romantic, and Royalty… but really, you could use any of those words to adequately describe any dress they carry! As if the very femininely-shaped cuts weren’t flattering enough, the trademarked cut-outs and sheer fabrics make the happy bride who chooses these ensembles a sure sight for sore eyes. Feasting your eyes upon their collection will definitely satisfy your hunger for artistic and stylistic beauty, as the tremendous beauty of Ilana L and Romy Collection’s works are as addictive as rich, red-velvet wedding cake!

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Jun 15

Do Dad A Favor This Father’s Day With Stress-Free Clothing Gifts

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imageWe all know that generally speaking, men hate shopping. Although it would probably be a useful excuse to say that your addictive shopaholic nature comes from fierce bargain-hunting genes from both your parents, realistically your dad would probably rather be watching TV than trying on clothes in the dressing room. So while shopping-savvy gals like you or your mom might be insulted by seemingly obvious or “no-brainer” gifts like dress shirts or tube socks, you might be surprised to find out that when your dad says he needs practical gifts like clothes, he really means it. Forget that expensive newfangled GPS (’cause he’ll never even read the directions to assemble it anyway) and think of all the time, boredom, and moaning and groaning you’ll spare your dad by going out and doing his clothing shopping for him. By sticking to practical yet stylish gifts like a lightweight zip-up jacket, button-down striped shirts and sleek ties (after all, nothing says Father’s Day like ties!), you’ll be playing it safe in a good way by sticking to things you know Dad will actually wear and get good use out of. Check the slideshow for some easy-to-buy clothing picks that will keep your dad dressed to impress without him having to set foot in the hellish mall!

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