New Year's Glam Inspiration

{photo by Mario Testino, Vogue 2006 via here}

Since entering my thirty-somethings, I haven't had that stamina to party "like it's 1999" in years, nor the energy to stay up until midnight. Since I live in California, I partake in the New York City countdown and call it a night around 10pm. Lame I know. However, when the time rolls around that I will go BIG on the most hyped evening of the year, I will be popping Veuve Clicquot champagne bottles looking glamourous as ever. I'll hold the picture above as a keepsake for inspiration.

In the meantime, I plan on ending 2011 spending time with those I love most, quietly and comfortably at home.

Farewell 2011, here's to an amazing 2012.

Gold Gets Rosy

{"Oui" Ring - Christian Dior, Watch - Michael Kors}

I am typically cloaked in head to toe gold jewelry and accessories, but lately, I have wanted a bit of change and took upon a new interest in rose gold jewelry. I have piqued my interest with a Michael Kors watch from here (thank you Santa mom for my Christmas present!). Rose gold adds a feminine element against skin tones. I am looking forward to building a new collection of wrist candy around my new accessory, mixing both gold and rose gold pieces together.

DIY Style Lookbook

All my husband wanted for Christmas this year was a new assortment of clothes.  To add a little more excitement to his opening of a new shirt, a pair of jeans, etc., I got creative and made a style look book for him to reference outfits. In the comfort of my own bedroom, I held a mini fashion photo shoot using black butcher paper as my back drop and a step ladder for over head shots. For every new clothing item he received, I made 3 new outfits using current pants, accessories and shoes sitting in his closet.  The looks ranged from dressy office wear to as casual as football game attire.  While I had fun with it, making him outfits a little out of his comfort zone (e.g. mixing plaids and stripes with scarves), we will see if my outfit suggestions are actually worn!

Denim Blues

{JOES Jeans Shirt, Jcrew belt, GUESS by Marciano denim + scarf, Stuart Weitzman shoes, Ray Ban Sunglasses}

As a Christmas getaway, my family and I stayed at the Ojai Valley Inn for some resortful rest and relaxation.  Since chambray shirts are my most recent obsession, I chose an all denim look for our drive to Ojai. I felt it was a look fitting for the small country town.

Coffee Table Book Collection

I admire Tamara Mellon, awe-inspiring founder of the Jimmy Choo empire, for many reasons.  For one, she is iconic to the fashion industry.  She lives in a gorgeously designed Manhattan apartment decorated by the infamous "Million Dollar Decorator" Martyn Lawrence Bullard.  But most of all, she has got a to-die for shoe closet fully stocked with thousands of pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes as seen here.

Since I don't have the means yet to launch a multi-million dollar empire, or build an arsenal shoe collection (5 and counting), she's inspired me to start small and build a collection of coffee table books full of fashion and designers as pictured below.

Image courtesy of travel and leisure.

As a foundation to my collection, for Christmas this year I have asked Santa for the following books.  All are designers that I LOVE.

New Year, New Blog

It is one of my New Year's resolutions for 2012 to start a blog notating the things I am most passionate about: fashion, arts + crafts, and most of all, being a mother.  Since my success rate of previous year's resolutions are fairly low, or non existent for that matter, I have decided to get a head start and begin blogging a week before the beginning of the New Year.  Why do I need to wait to countdown? Perhapswithout the NE party fluff and champagne, this will be the key to my success.

Cheers to a new year, and a new blog.