Block Party

It's only January but I'm getting into a Spring mood with one particular style trend: color blocked bright hues. Especially on the shift-style dress. Vogue's Lauren Santo Domingo rang in the new year in Cartagena wearing Gucci's Resort 2012 tri-colored tiered dress. All of a sudden, retailers can't promote it enough.

Photo courtesy of Vogue.com

Personally I love this look as you are able to wear several colors at the same time without taking on stripes, florals or any kind of print. And generally speaking, solids flatter just about everyone. So here are a few picks of my own if you don't feel like shelling out $1900 for Lauren's Gucci dress...

I just purchased this piece & can't wait to wear it w/ a white blazer & nude heels, Alice + Olivia Haven Colorblock Dress

D Squared, just in time for Valentine's Day...

Marc Jacobs Clutch, perfect for Spring

j Brand Denim: Pair with nude heels and solid blouse of your choice. So easy and effortless.

Fit for a Queen: Dead Sea

If it’s good enough for Cleopatra, it's good enough for me. The queen of all things luxury opened the world's first reported spa on the banks of the Dead Sea where she discovered that the dense mineralized waters, thick mud and heavy salts could help her with excess flab and make her skin glow, among other benefits.  

And today people flock here from all over, soaking up the minerals and painting themselves with the sea's vitamin-rich mud in hopes of reaching some kind of wellness nirvana. Located between Jordan and Israel, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth, and boasts 32% minerals – the highest concentration of any body of water in the world.


Elle Mag just published a great piece on the Dead Sea and its beauty benefits.
And while I haven't had the chance yet to visit this intriguing destination, as I write this my hands are benefitting from the Dead Sea waters thanks to my newest skin care obsession - AHAVA Dead Sea Water Mineral Hand Cream.  

Ahava is Hebrew for love, and I give this line a lot of love. It's mid-January, and my hands are dry and tired from the weather and frequent washing. But a dab of this cream goes on my hands like silk gloves and stays that way for hours. Key ingredients include dead sea water, witch hazel and allantoin. Ahava is not a new line, it's been around for 30 years, but to me that says a lot. 

Pharmaca has generous sized samples, and you can also buy it online. Not cheap though, at $20 for 3.4 ounces. And if you can't quite make it to the Dead Sea, I suggest a trip to the charming little town of Calistoga, California. A mere 1.5 hours north of San Francisco, mud baths and fresh spring watering holes abound, for the Cleopatra in you. 

Start Spreading the News

It's official: the Jazz Age era of elegant dressing is back. It's all over the pre-Fall 2012 runways, and magazines and retailers are going gaga over it. And no where else in the world (except Paris) can one find true inspiration for 1920s fashion than in glorious New York City. A simple stroll down the avenues of this fashion capital can influence and inform your wardrobe like nowhere else. 

Couture brands like Gucci, Marc Jacobs and Chanel have all integrated the elegance and geometric emphasis of art deco structures like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building into their latest collections. 

Adding a bit of Great Gatsby to your wardrobe can be easy and fun with a few key separates. Take a look: 

A pretty camisole-style blouse by Sabine screams art deco... 

This mother of pearl knob ring is constructed with brass and adds art deco flair to a well-manicured hand. 

For a very bad hair day, enter the cloche hat. This number gives off a slightly seductive twenties look, as it falls just above the eye. Great for avoiding eye contact if you're just not in the mood to deal. And the cloche needn't break the bank, this one is from Target. 

Cuff Bracelet by Tinley

I'm a big fan of cuffs as an easy means to make a statement, and this metal bracelet will jazz up any clothing ensemble... 

A Charmed Life

A very "charming" piece of mail arrived at my house today - a 46-year-old charm bracelet that belonged to my mother. She found it during a recent move after it had been tucked away for years, and I guess she was ready to part ways with it. Lucky me! 

I'm truly excited not only because I adore jewelry, but because I really love heirloom jewelry. Now don't get me wrong, if you want to buy me a new bauble or two just because you love me, I'll gladly accept. However heirloom pieces represent history, family, and time and place, and sorry but Cartier and Tiffany do not sell these things. 

Check out the charms on this beauty - each one represents a significant event in my mom's teenage to early adult years in Corpus Christi, Texas. Her sweet 16, her '67 high school graduation, her marriage (short-lived) to my Father in her early twenties - yee-ha! For me, it's an historical treasure, and something I'll pass down to my daughters when I'm old and rickety. 

In the meantime, I plan to wear this baby! Perhaps with a pair of jeans and t-shirt. 

So with the start of a new year, take a look through any pieces you may have inherited. Clean them up and wear them proudly! After all, heirloom pieces never go out of style. 

In-Flight Pajama Party

I always struggle with what to wear on the plane. Many factors play into my wardrobe choices - how long is the flight, what's the weather like at the destination, are my kids tagging along, etc etc.

Now that pajama wear has officially taken hold as a trend du jour, this opens up a few options when it comes to looking fresh, yet staying comfortable on a short flight or a long haul.

Check out this pajama top from j.Crew - it's pure silk guaranteeing comfort, and it's black which will hide any spills from sudden turbulence.

(I'm a big fan of black-on-black dressing for flights. It hides everything, and can pretty much give you a fresh look regardless of miles clocked.)

Tuck the pajama top into a pair of black stretch jeans. DO NOT WEAR PAJAMA BOTTOMS. A high quality black stretch jean worn with this top will prevent you from looking like a slob who just slid out of bed.

And then add a warm cashmere scarf for a dash of color and ultimate warmth. Finally step into some basic black flats or go for any kind of boot depending on climate and season you travel. Et voila, you are ready for a stylish, comfy take-off!

Feeling Green in NorCal

Temps are WAY up in the Bay Area with nary a drop of snow in the Sierras... Green feels like just the right complement to the warm sunshine this January. So I've stolen this fun ensemble of green wardrobe ideas from LUCKY Mag and posted it here as inspiration to add a bit of "kelly" to your life...

Best of Offline Shopping, Silicon Valley

Forget about Facebook, Google, and the numerous other tech companies that call Silicon Valley home. This bustling region of northern California nestled between San Francisco and San Jose offers a whole off-line world of reality-based things to do, including some pretty decent shopping.

So grab your iPhone, log onto Facebook, and hit “Like” for these Silicon Valley brick and mortar shopping gems:

In her Shoes

A shoe boutique that donates 100% of its profits to charity? Indeed! Bay Area Philanthropist Pamela Rosekrans opened doors to this stylish store in 2006 to channel all proceeds into two of her fave non-profits - the Global Fund for Women and Single Mothers Connect. And the result is a well-edited selection of stylish shoes and accessories for women. Look good and do something good at the same time. Pssst: If you round the corner to nearby café Calafia, you may see the ghost of Steve Jobs who ate here often. 855 El Camino Real #45, Town & Country Village, Palo Alto, 650-326-9644

Brick Monkey 

No computers or tech gadgets in sight at this attractive store in the heart of Redwood City’s revitalized downtown. Here you will find a treasure trove of pretty home accessories like suede pillows and sumptuous candles, curious home objects and a great selection of distinctive jewelry. Need a hostess gift for a tech IPO party? You will find it here. 2400 Broadway, Redwood City, (650) 260-1155

Stanford Shopping Center  

Ground zero for where the techno-riche spend all their new stock option dough. If you are looking for a swank new suit from Emmanuel Zegna or a new bauble from Tiffany’s, this is your place. A stroll through this perfectly manicured outdoor garden mall will lead you by the heavyweights of luxury retail – Louis Vuitton, Neiman Marcus - and an outpost of SF’s legendary retailer Wilkes Bashford.  Don’t be surprised to run into Google’s glamorous Marisa Mayer buying yet another Oscar de la Renta gown. 717 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, (650) 617-8200

Cantor Arts Center Museum Shop – Step onto Stanford University’s Palm tree-populated campus and make your way into this whimsical museum boutique where the smart set shop. Connected to Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center filled with modern arts, European works, private American collections and even a Rodin sculpture garden, this charming store features cool take-home items like jewelry, glassware, one of a kind toys for kids and art prints. Linger on campus and you just might run into the next tech gazilionaire cycling to her next biz school lecture. 328 Lomita Drive, Stanford, 650-723-4177

Kepler’s Bookstore 

A true local's kinda place, this community bookstore is consistently busy with engaging author events, creative children’s programs, and is simply a great spot to just peruse the aisles and aisles of books. Buy your reading materials (WIRED Mag?) and then go next door to Café Barrone’s for a cup of coffee. You may spot Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg or even Palo Alto-born actor James Franco sitting at a nearby table… 1010 El Camino Real #100, Menlo Park, (650) 324-4321