Pantone Fashion Color Trends for Fall 2009

Pantone the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, announces the PANTONE Fashion Color Report Fall 2009. The report features the top 10 colors for women's fashion for fall '09. The report is available free-of-charge from the Pantone Website. Must haves for fall:
• Tailored riding jacket in Gunmetal Gray or Black
• Leather jacket - Leather is definitely a must-have for fall. Aside from "rock redux" another hot trend for fall is "everything leather."
• Something draped -I think drapes are quickly becoming a mainstay, just like capris. But then again, there is something very classic and elegant about drapes, especially on long, flow-y dresses. Check out Versace's fall collection for romantic, draped dresses. If you're into draped accessories - you read that right - accessories, Style.com recommends Viktor & Rolf's draped clutch.
• Over-knee-boots – They aren’t just for stripers anymore. They've got to be one of the sexiest footwear/apparel pieces ever created and they look delicious when paired with mini.
• Strong shouldered jacket - I cringe at the shoulder padded jackets, but Fall collections this year are obsessed with big shoulders. Prominent shoulders are everywhere - on full dresses, mini dresses, and of course jackets. Can you say hello 1985?
• Color - After last year's back to black theme, designers take us to happier and more hopeful territories. So go ahead and wear something colorful, go for neons if you must even if it’s as an accent color in a fedora hat or scarf.

It's rough being a Princess

I saw these pictures online and loved them. They are from a collection entitled Fallen Princesses by photographer Diane Goldstein. The ones below are a few of my favorites.

Snow White - Living the Dream!

Cinderella A tough day at the castle.

Jasmine - War can really ruin a girl's happy ending!

Bell - We all have to go through alittle pain to be beautiful.

Jimmy Whooo?

Charlotte Russ has made every budget shoppers dream come true. A knock-off pair of Jimmy Choo's cutout shoe bootie that are a dead ringer for the designer original . Charlotte's version is selling for $26.99. These shoes would look great with a pair of rolled up boyfriend jeans or add a little bit of edge to a white femine flirty dress.

Seasonal Sales

I love shopping! I love shopping even more when I feel I’m getting a great deal. With that in mind here are some of my favorite finds on seasonal sale items. Happy shopping!

Outdoor pillows from
Restoration Hardware $15.99

Bronze lanterns from
Restoration Hardware $13 - $35

Outdoor oil lamps from
Restoration Hardware $5.99

A set of 3 wall hanging baskets from Pottery Barn $39.99







Wine and cheese tote from picnicfun.com $28

DIY Wine Bottle Torch

I saw this and absolutely fell in love with it. If you’re a wine enthusiast or your having a wine themed party these torches would be great in any backyard or on a deck. The idea comes from Erik Anderson of Gerardot & Co.- a creative branding and design agency in indianapolis. Erik was kind enough to share this fantastic project that turns an everyday bottle into a modern backyard tiki torch on his blog. For instructions for this do it yourself project click here.

Not that I need a reason to open a bottle of wine, but now there is reason not to be disappointed when the bottle is empy.

2010 Color Trend Forecast - Part II

Color- it’s all around us and it influences our moods even if we don’t realize it. The colors that we choose to wear or decorate our homes with are a reflection of ourselves. So let’s continue our look at the color trends for 2010 to see the hues that will be popping up in fashion, home décor and event décor.



Pantone’s Galaxy is well reflected in a palette that truly illustrates the harmony of hue found in the nocturnal sky. Mirroring the colors of the earth, the greens, called Greener Pastures and Peridot, are powerfully contrasted against the deepest extraterrestrial blues, silver and stormy violets. Brilliant sprays of turquoise and a radiating orchid tone enhance the atmosphere, while Rich Gold embodies the energy and splendor of the epicenter of it all – the sun.

Benjamin Moore’s the new luxury is more about values and less about wealth. Sophisticated deep and rich tones. Bold translucency and art-inspired brights contrast against beige grounds. Gold, bronze, copper. Sustainable color choices accented with luxurious chromas of organic brights….think eco-chic. Colors include: sandlot gray, granite, wild orchid, caponata, summer plum, gold.

2010 Color Trend Forecast - Part I

Pantone and Benjamin Moore, two companies that know a thing or two about color, have released their forecast for 2010’s hottest color trends. From muted, subdued shades to bright and bold the color trends for 2010 promise to be fresh, yet sophisticated. These new shades will inspire hope and bring comfort to our day-to-day lives. We will see these colors everywhere from home décor, to fashion, to special event and wedding decorations. Color can be a powerful influencer of mood and a reflection of who you are. Where better to wield the power of color than your home, wardrobe or next soiree? So let’s take a look at some of these exciting color palettes.

Let’s start with my favorite –Pantone’s Greenmarket. The local farmers market was the inspiration behind this palette. The colors in this collection have wonderful and appetizing names like Tomato Puree and Beaujolais, with the tang of Super Lemon or bite of Apple Green, to the more exotic flavors of Dijon, Paprika and Chutney. Greenmarket contains representational hues that entice and appeal to both the eyes and the taste buds.

Both Pantone’s Gatherings and Benjamin Moore’s Genesis color schemes brings together a compilation of colors that are warm, earthy, and comforting and that is demonstrated the appropriately named colors: Pantone’s Cypress green, Smoke Blue, Sand and Oasis mixed with the magic of Twilight Mauve, the piquancy of Lemon Curry and Benjamin Moore’s Abby Brown, Forrest Moss, and Fruit Cocktail.

Paris, Part II

Bon joir! There is nothing more exciting than your first day in Paris as you embark on a day of sightseeing and there is nothing more deflating than spending hours waiting in line or arriving at a museum to find out that it is closed. So here are a few tips to consider before heading out that might save you some time and frustration.

· Plan on being at major attractions 30 minutes before they open in the morning to avoid the long lines. There will still be lines, but not as bad.
· Purchase your tickets online in advance if possible. I know you can do this for the Louvre and most of the museums and Versailles. You might also want to look into the Paris City Pass.
· Always have a plan B so that if it rains or several tourist buses just pulled up right before you got there you have an alternative plan.
· Early in your trip take a guided walking tour. I am not a huge fan of guided tours. I enjoy discovering an area for myself, but I have found it helpful and very interesting to take a small group guided walking tour. You can learn a lot of things from your guide that you won’t read in travel books and the guides tend to have great tips since they live there. The one that I took a few years back was through http://www.paris-walks.com/ . On my recent visit my sixteen year old daughter was with me so we went on a Ghost Tour. It was very interesting and different. The guides weren’t as polished as some, but they were very entertaining and had some very cool “creepy” stories. This group was http://www.mysteriesofparis.com/ .
· I have always found that taking the metro in the morning or when changing attraction locations during the day is the most cost effective way to navigate the city which is why it is essential to have a good Metro Map. However, after a day of sightseeing and walking you will be exhausted take a taxi back to the hotel. Trust me this little splurge will be a life and feet saver. I never spent more the 10 Euro taking a taxi back and the average was between 6 – 8 Euro. Try to take a taxi before 4:30 or after 6:00 pm.
· Not all metro stations have person to buy metro tickets from. They have machines that you can purchase a book of 10 1 trip tickets for 11 Euro. However, these machines only take coin Euros so make sure that you have that on you.
· I have found the book of 10 1 trip tickets the most convenient especially if you plan on taking taxis at the end of the day. We purchased two books of 10 and I still have a couple left.
· Unlike USA subways a lot of their train doors do not open automatically at each stop. You have to push either a green button or pull a lever. The first time I went to Paris I did not know this and stood at the doors waiting for them to open. They never did and the train left the station. I sat down and waited for someone to get off at the next stop to figure out what to do.
· Also, unlike US subways their trains aren’t air conditioned. This leads to a not so nice aroma by mid-afternoon in the summer. Another reason to take a taxi.

I hope these tips help you navigate the City of Lights. Happy travels. Au Revoire!