{Vogue: Top Trends of 2011}

Today, I am loving...

Vogue: Top Trends of 2011

For many, Vogue is the holy grail of the fashion world. It is the source of all things sacred and desired in the fashion industry; a medium by which trends can not only be captured but glorified. A place where one goes to understand the artistic expression behind fashion, beauty and style. It is an escape into a colorful world of creative thinking, risk taking and hard work. Therefore, in honor of reflecting back on a wonderful year of fabulous ideas and exciting new fads, I present to you...

Vogue's Top Twelve Fashion Trends of 2011

1. Wideleg Pants

2. Fruit Prints

3. Minimalistic Dresses

4. Western Attire

5. Bold Stripes

6. Decorative Edging

7. Punk Influence

8. Statement Suits

9. Earthy Florals

10. Colorful Lace

11. Accentuating Plaid

12. Snakeskin Couture

"Adornment is never anything except a reflection of the heart."

  -Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel

Images via Vogue

{Passionate for Perfume}

Since the times of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, the art of making perfumes has continued to be further refined...sometimes for better and for worse. Perfume is very interesting to me; I once read in a magazine that you should think of perfume as a musical metaphor: top, middle & base notes. As I remember it, the initial scent from the application are the top notes which quickly fade. When the main body of the perfume starts to mask the initial scent, you experience the middle notes, followed by the remaining rich scent which make up the base notes. Who wouldn't remember something so quirky? Perfume can be a fickle thing; on the one hand, when worn properly, it can give us a pleasant smell but, when abused, can be obtrusive to our nasal passages. For some, perfume represents individuality; it is a trademark of a person's daily beauty routine. For others, perfume is irritable or simply non-useful, as the applied scent doesn't linger long enough to be desired. In my opinion, the wearing of perfume is an expression in & of itself; a scent represents an attitude, whether it be bold, sensual, carefree, etc. Perfume can be a powerful mechanism; at a moment's notice, its scent can flood a person with memories, images & emotions that render them defenseless for an instant in time. As Christian Dior put it: "A woman's perfume tells more about her than her handwriting."

A Few of My Favorites:

Clinique Happy

Favorite of Summer 2010

Chanel No.5 Elixir Sensuel

Favorite of Fall/Winter 2010

Marc Jacobs Daisy

Just got for Spring 2011!

{Lovely Lacquer}

For the first time in my 23 years of existence, I have long, strong, beautiful nails. My experience with nails is simple: it started with biting them in my younger years to picking them during my long haul of wearing braces (this is an instance when my resourcefulness was not helpful) to just nipping at them when I was bored. However, on my recent trip to the Grand Canyon & Las Vegas this past fall, I was so busy going from one adventure to the next, I simply didn't have time to even glance at my nails...until the end of the trip. When I finally noticed my awful stubs had lovely white tips, I grabbed my sweetheart (and with much enthusiasm) yelled LOOK! I have always envied my grandmother's gorgeous nails (in the best way possible) and the way she has taken care of them all of these years. Now, after kicking my bad habit for good, I have finally reached a point where my nails feel strong enough to indulge in some of winter's fabulous nail lacquers: think metallic, natural, or deep red. The past always finds its way back to the present, and this season metallic nail color has come back in full force. Not an 80's fan? Natural tones like greige (a mix between gray/brown/beige) are being made popular by fashion labels like Chanel on the runways. In the end, one can always rely on a deep, rich red color to pull off a great look...long and stubby nails alike.

Nicole Collection by OPI

Particuliere by Chanel

Masquerade Belle by Essie