Ava's Faves: Custom-made luxuries

Today's Annoyance: Forgetting to adjust the clocks after daylight savings time
Mantra of the Day: It is impossible to overdo luxury. - French proverb

I'm a big fan of custom-made products, especially if they're super luxurious. A few weeks ago, I listed a few websites where you can create your own clothing, accessories and home goods. I recently found a few sites where you can kick things up a notch and customize some of your more fabulous "necessities":

• Anna Lunna is an online atelier for some of the most fabulous custom-designed boots that I've ever seen. You choose your boot style, heel height, leather type and color. Once you place your order, they send you a measurement kit and Voila! - six weeks later, you are your Anna Lunnas will be inseparable.

• Blue Nile gives you the chance to custom-design your new best friend - diamond jewelry, that is. How fab will you feel wearing an extra special ring, earrings and pendant? And, it only takes a couple of days between order and delivery.

• Maison Guerlain will create your very own fragrance. You even get to name it and personalize the bottle! (Even the website is dripping with luxuriousness.)
  

Can you imagine receiving any of these items as gifts? (not-so-subtle hint implied)

Peace, love and luxury,


[IMAGE: Courtesy of Anna Lunna]

Ava's Faves: Custom-made luxuries

Posted by Ava Pierce at 7:50 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Safety pins are the newest fad accessory?

Today's Annoyance: The dwindling standards of our educational system
Mantra of the Day: We wore our safety pins on the inside of our clothes. - Tina Weymouth

Here I was thinking that safety pins were cool as a resource to quickly repair tears, fallen hemlines and other such wardrobe malfunctions. Little did I know that they don't need to be carefully hidden while they're at work. I can now wear them boldly and I can even bling them out a bit:

Vivienne Westwood safety pin necklace $1,540

It has happened with zippers, why not safety pins? I get a shiver just thinking about it but...is velcro next?



[IMAGES: Courtesy of E! Online, Refinery29]

Safety pins are the newest fad accessory?

Posted by Ava Pierce at 9:16 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Ava's Faves: Sheath dresses

Today's Annoyance: My increasingly small closet
Mantra of the Day: What a strange power there is in clothing. - Isaac Bashevis Singer

Is it possible not to feel like a total girlie girl in a sheath dress?




These dresses look good with flats, strappy sandals, pumps, or wedges. It's about as close to fashion perfection as you can get!

Ava's Faves: Sheath dresses

Posted by Ava Pierce at 8:19 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Ava's Faves: Kevan Hall

Today's Annoyance: People who don't clean up after their pets
Mantra of the Day: Fashions fade. Style is eternal. - Yves Saint Laurent

When I feel the need for classic, uber-feminine styles that are made in America, Kevan Hall's name always comes to mind. It's simply impossible not to feel like the ultimate girlie girl in any of his garments.






Who are some of your fave fashion designers?



[IMAGES: Courtesy of zimbio]

Ava's Faves: Kevan Hall

Posted by Ava Pierce at 7:48 AM | Permalink 0 comments

More shopping in Singapore

Today's Annoyance: Still not having a G5
Mantra of the Day: I am the fiercest of them all!

One of my favorite designers just gave me another reason to get my cute little booty down to Singapore. Diane von Furstenberg just opened a new shop at the Ion Orchard - #01-08A 2 Orchard Turn, 65 6509 9062, for those of you already in the area.


The classic wrap dress is made of silk blend jersey, so not only does it feel great against your skin and move with your body, it tends not to wrinkle. (I previously wrote a tip about jersey dresses and how great they are for traveling; given the occasion, I think it's worth repeating.) Needless to say, wrap dresses are easy to pack since they roll up nicely. On top of being comfy, they always leave you looking effortlessly stylish and are perfect for dressing up or down. It almost goes without saying that DVF not only invented the wrap dress that we know today, but also still makes the best ones on the market. If you want to go off the beaten path a bit, Issa London makes great wrap dresses that are a little more luxurious and thus expensive, but look fabulous.

I can't forget that Ms. von Furstenberg creates unbelievable gowns and other types of dresses, one of which I recently wore to a ball in Monte Carlo. Now, I am trying to decide if I should wear a DVF dress on the flight to the new DVF store in Singapore. Hmmm...




[IMAGE: Courtesy of brightstarlights]

More shopping in Singapore

Posted by Ava Pierce at 8:37 AM | Permalink 0 comments

DIY clothing and accessory designs

Today's Annoyance: My limited creativity
Mantra of the Day: My appreciation for artists grows by the day.

Crowdsourcing totally rocks, imho! For those of you who haven't heard of it, in a nutshell it simply means outsourcing or delegating a task to a large audience in order to (inexpensively) generate new ideas and products. This lovely concept is being increasingly applied to clothing and accessory designs. Just think. If you are creatively inclined - unlike me - you can custom-design a whole new wardrobe without spending a fortune:

• Dresses at StyleShake
• Vintage-style dresses at Studio 28 Couture
• Personalize your lingerie at Evlove Intimates
  
• Stilettos! Yes indeed, ladies. You can create kick-ass stilettos at Dream Heels
  
• Handbags at Elemental Threads
  
• Although I'm not big on t-shirts, except to sleep in them, there are tons of sites where you can design your own, such as Threadless, Derby, Yerzies and La Fraise, among many, many others
• Design your own fabric at Spoonflower and Bon Bon Kakku
• Sneakers at Ryz
• Sleep in your own designs by creating a custom duvet at Inmod
  

On some sites, you can also purchase other artists' designs. As if that's not cool enough, you can also win cash if your design gets the most votes.

(sigh) Gosh, I just love being different. Don't you?



[IMAGE: Courtesy of pssstt via Dream Heels]

DIY clothing and accessory designs

Posted by Ava Pierce at 7:26 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Scarf-tying 101

Today's Annoyance: People who don't make an effort
Mantra of the Day: Few accessories add drama like scarves.

Unlike many of my European diva friends, I wasn't born with the scarf-tying gene. So, scarf-tying how-to videos like the following ones have really helped me to create some fantastic outfits.


Costume Designer and Fashion Consultant Cate Adair shows a couple of ways to wear a scarf as an accessory
Cate also has videos on how to wear a square scarf and how to wear a long scarf.


Stylist Amy Salinger shows several ways to tie scarves for winter

With videos like these, there's no reason not to be chic. Have fun!


[VIDEOS: Courtesy of YouTube]

Scarf-tying 101

Posted by Ava Pierce at 8:17 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Ava's Faves: Trina Turk

Today's Annoyance: Mediocrity
Mantra of the Day: Don't just look for rainbows. Be the rainbow!

It can never be said that designer Trina Turk shies away from color. Every one of her collections bursts with beautiful hues and classic style. Long live Trina Turk!

[IMAGES: Courtesy of Trina Turk]

Ava's Faves: Trina Turk

Posted by Ava Pierce at 8:35 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Beads saved my waistline

Today's Annoyance: That tasty restaurant food can make you fat.
Mantra of the Day: I will not be a statistic quoted at fat camp.

We all know how hard it is to save your waistline from complete ruin when you're perpetually on the road. I've made a little discovery that may help us. Technically speaking, it is not my discovery, any more than Christopher Columbus "discovered" America when there were already people happily living there for hundreds of years before he arrived.

A few years ago, a friend of mine who was traveling through different parts of Africa brought back a simple souvenir that she passed out to all of her friends. They were a single strand of beads, each a different color and the strands were varying lengths. The idea behind it was that you take the strand of beads and put it around your waist, underneath your clothes. Even though they are cute and stylish, they are meant to be kept in the unmentionable category of your wardrobe. Wearing these beads day in and day out provides a great barometer for how your weight may or may not be fluctuating. If the beads start to get a little tight, you might want to skip dessert.

For me, it has been great since I am almost always traveling and do not always have access to a scale (especially one that gives my weight in pounds). Also, I'd rather not obsess over the numbers. (OMG, I can't believe that I'm 124 pounds today when I was only 121 yesterday!! Whatever.) Plus, if you've been working out, it is a good way to tell if you are losing inches and not necessarily pounds.

Last but not least, they're really ultra sexy!

Beads saved my waistline

Posted by Ava Pierce at 9:43 AM | Permalink 0 comments

What is going on with men's fashions?

Today's Annoyance: Designers taking the metrosexual thing a wee bit too far
Mantra of the Day: I will not date a man with better accessories than mine.

Having spent a substantial amount of time in Europe for the past few years, I have grown to accept the "man bag". American sports figures have helped me to accept lots of men wearing large earrings in both ears. Tattoos can be kinda sexy, depending on what and where they are. However, the latest lineup of men's fashions to hit the runway has given me pause:

I get that fashion is art but do forgive my ignorance because I didn't get the memo that we were in the middle of a unisex fashion phase. As usual, I'm the last to know. (sigh) So much for being an "in-the-know" diva. lol



[IMAGES: Courtesy of Refinery29, Luxury Launches, E-mancipate]

What is going on with men's fashions?

Posted by Ava Pierce at 8:40 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Trends, schmends

Today's Annoyance: Relentless trend-chasing
Mantra of the Day: Elegance is refusal. - Coco Chanel

Plenty of my life's years have been spent at the altar of the capitalist gods. Being a child of the '80s, I've gone through a wide variety of fashion phases: leg warmers, shoulder pads, ripped jeans (several times), overalls, grunge (I still love you, Eddie Vedder!), colored denim, scrunchies, tapered jeans, bodysuits, and chunky shoes. While I feel a slight rush of embarrassment by admitting that to you, I can gleefully report that I never, ever wore harem pants, butterfly clips, stirrup pants, door knocker earrings, biker shorts (alone or under a mini-skirt), or underwear as outerwear (thank you, Madonna, Prince and Vanity 6).

I'm not sure what's come over me but I much prefer investing in classic pieces that I'll still want to wear several seasons from now. Obviously, this rules out holding onto those neon-colored Doc Martens until the style comes 'round again. lol

A few women who embody truly classic beauty and style (imho):

Coco Chanel, Grace Kelly, Michelle Obama, Cate Blanchett

I could also add Isabella Rossellini, Sophia Loren, and Princess Diana of Wales to the list. And no list is complete without the one and only Jackie O. I really admire these women but my style is just that...my style. I doubt that I'll ever be a fully recovered shopaholic but I now rely more on my own instincts when I decide what to buy. Occasionally, I'll look for inspiration and ways to reinvent what I already have but my lengthy days at the altar are long gone. Yay for me!

Peace, love and elegance to you.


[IMAGES: Courtesy of fashioncapital, fashionablepeople, telegraph, herdaily]

Trends, schmends

Posted by Ava Pierce at 1:16 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Travel must-haves from Lug

Today's Annoyance: Unattractive travel gear
Mantra of the Day: Being anything but fabulous is not an option.

In my ongoing search for cool travel gear, I happily found Lug. Yay! Here are pics of some of their goodies:

Nap Sac Travel Blanket - $28
Featured in Oprah's November O list

Shuttle Bus Weekender Bag - $99
Perfect for a weekend getaway

Puddle Jumper Overnight / Gym Bag - $75
Another Oprah O Lister; lots of compartments; made for a jet-setter

All of these products come in a variety of fabulous colors like crimson red, ocean teal and sunset orange. And, of course, if Lady O gives them a thumbs up, they have major cred. ;o)

[IMAGES: Courtesy of Lug]

Travel must-haves from Lug

Posted by Ava Pierce at 7:58 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Ava's Faves: Herve L. Leroux

Today's Annoyance: Bumps and bulges
Mantra of the Day: I will some day own an entire season's collection of Herve L. Leroux dresses.

Formerly and famously designing under the name "Herve Leger", Monsieur Leroux continues to amaze with his ultra feminine and super chic designs. I personally don't care what name he goes by, he is simply wonderful. I'll let his work speak for itself.






[IMAGES: Courtesy of BCBGMAXAZRIA, C.O.C.A Style, Getty Images]

Ava's Faves: Herve L. Leroux

Posted by Ava Pierce at 9:29 AM | Permalink 0 comments