Unpredictable: Sass & Bide

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sass & bide is the namesake label of Sarah- Jane Clarke (sass) & Heidi Middleton (bide). A former accountant and advertising art director, the label offers a full range of women’s ready to wear, denim  & accouterment collections. Bold yet free-spirited, you can always find unique pieces in their collections.

The In Love With Romance Snake Chain Harness is a good example. Full bodied jewelry that can be worn over tees, dresses and jackets. Novel and unpredictable, the label is awfully fun to follow.

Crowning Collaboration: Isabel Marant for H&M

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H&M will team up with Isabel Marant for its latest design collaboration. The collection of must-have clothing and accessories inspired by Marant’s signature laid-back Parisian style will be available in 250 stores worldwide as well as online November 14 – and there will be menswear too, which will mark Marant’s first foray into catering for men.

“I am flattered by this collaboration: H&M works with the best designers and this invitation is an exciting honour,” Marant said this morning. “I aim to create something real, that women want to wear in their everyday lives, with a certain carelessness, which I think is very Parisian: you dress up, but do not pay too much attention and still look sexy. The collection is infused with this kind of easiness and attitude. Everything can be mixed following one’s own instincts: my take on fashion is all about personality.”

Let’s just hope it doesn’t sell out before we can get our hands on it…

Spring Shoe: Single Strap

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Showcased in many Spring and Fall runways is the single strap heel. Also known as the ankle strap, these shoes are classic, simple and chic.

The ankle strap heel can be found in a multitude of variations. From chunky heels to ornate details, this strappy heel is super versatile and wearable.

I love the simplicity of the single strap. Even in bold and bright colors, the design is classic. This shoe can be worn with everything. Great when wanting to show-off some leg, the small detail makes any pair of shoes slightly more flattering. The strap draws attention to the ankle, the thinnest part of the leg. Thinner = longer in this equation.

Available in a wide array of colors and styles, here are a few of my favorite single strap heels:

Alexander Wang ~ Antonia Sandal: $495.00

Manolo Blahnik ~ Chaos Cuff Sandal: $695.00

Prabal Gurung for Target ~ Ankle Strap Pump: $39.99

ASOS ~ Hollywood Heeled Sandals: $69.83

Spring Beauty: Mint

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Minty-fresh hues are not just for fashion, apply them to your beauty routine as well. Not only is it a fun pop of color, but this pale, cool-toned color has an immediate brightening effect.

Apply it all over the lid for a sheer wash of color or try the “Thin Mint” and line just under the eyes for a bright and instantly awake look. Both drugstore and luxury brands have a wonderful selection for a “Minty Mani” but if you feel bold and daring, wear this amazing Lime Crime lipstick in “Mint To Be.”

Here are a few of my favorites:

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics ~ Cosmetic Glitters in Mint: $14.00

bareMinerals ~ Velvet Eyeshadow in Velvet Pistachio: $14.00

NYX Cosmetics ~ Jumbo Eye Pencil in Horseradish: $4.50

China Glaze ~ Nail Lacquer in Re-Fresh Mint: $7.50

NARS Cosmetics ~ Eyeliner Pencil in Parrot Cay: $22.00

Illamasqua ~ Cream Pigment in Bedaub: $26.00

Lime Crime ~ Opaque Lipstick in Mint To Be: $15.99

Stila ~ Eye Shadow in Cha Cha: $18.00

Ellis Faas ~ Creamy Eyes in E117 Mint Green: $36.00

Spring 2013: PANTONE Color Report

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PANTONE LLC, an X-Rite company is the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries. This past September, PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald, a lively, radiant, lush green, was announced as the Color of the Year for 2013.

The Color of the Year selection is a very thoughtful process. To arrive at the selection, PANTONE quite literally combs the world looking for color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films that are in production, traveling, art collections, hot new artists, popular travel destinations and other socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention.

For more than a decade, PANTONE’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design.

Twice a year, during the spring and fall Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks, PANTONE surveys couturiers about the color choices and inspirations for their collections; that intelligence is used to create the PANTONE Fashion Color Report. The report features the top 10 colors for women’s and men’s fashion for the upcoming season, along with designer sketches, quotes, headshots, and recommended CMYK equivalents.

Not surprisingly, trending spring colors include florals and fruits to evoke freshness, and growth. According to a PANTONE statement, the colors represent “consumers’ desire for self-expression, balance, and the need to re-energize.” The spring hues offer balance, and, “allow for unique combinations that offer practicality and versatility, but at the same time, demand attention and earn an appreciative glance,” states the group in a release.

Black Friday Favorites

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For great cardio après-Thanksgiving, tackle the stores or stay inside with great online deals. Whatever you choose, get a jumpstart to your Black Friday shopping with Glow-T’s favorite deals.

Opening Ceremony: Score 30-40% off collections, including Opening Ceremony, Band of Outsiders, Juun J, Mary Katranzou, Carven, Jeremy Scott x Adidas, PushBUTTON, Goen J, and Jean Paul Gaultier.

Topshop: Nov. 23, the retailer is hosting 30% off select merchandise online and in stores. Plus, spend $30 and get $10 off, spend $50 and get $20 off, and spend $100 and you’ll get $50 off your purchase.

Goldyn: From Nov. 23-26, treat yourself with 25% off everything from the retailer’s extensive array of designer goods with special code GIVEANDGET25.

H&M: Find fall fashions starting at just $5, and the first 100 people in line at H&M stores will get scratch-off tickets, valued up to $300.

A-Thread: Nov. 23-26, receive 10% off orders up to $150, 15 % off orders between $151-$200, and 20% off orders $200 or more with the following codes: BLACKFRIDAY10,BLACKFRIDAY15, and BLACKFRIDAY20.

AllSaints: Get select merchandise at 20% off, like biker boots and holiday dresses for $220.

Nordstrom: Not only will you be able to score clothes, shoes, and accessories on the cheap, stop by Nordstrom’s for pre-sales of the latest collections from Prada, McQueen, and Michael Kors.

Saks Fifth Avenue: Stock up on cold weather duds for him and her for 40-50% off and take an additional 50% off sale items. You’ll also receive a $25 Saks gift card if you spend $100 or more in cosmetics or fragrances, and after noon, you’ll get an additional 10% off sale merchandise if you use a Saks credit card.

Rebecca Taylor: Take an additional 25% off all sale items with secret code RTEXTRA2512. This deal is good from Nov. 22-25.

French Connection: From Nov. 21-26, receive free shipping, plus 30% off all orders of $150 or more.

Yoox: Get a deal on top of a deal at this luxury designer outlet on Nov. 23 and get up to 50% off your favorite pieces from the likes of Isabel Marant, Givenchy, and Marc Jacobs.

Mackage: From Nov. 23-26, save up to 25-50% off the brand’s sleek designs online and in-stores.

Bare Necessities: Nov. 22, you’ll score 25 percent off sitewide, but the sale doesn’t stop there — Nov. 23, get up to 40 percent off.

Sephora: Shop Sephora’s $10 One Day Wonders, which include cosmetic packs from brands like Stila, Tarte, Lorac, and Buxom.

Target: Receive special prices on everything, from clothes to electronics, with additional 5% off everything if you use a REDcard.

In The Know: Kate Spade Saturday

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This Spring, Kate Spade will launch a budget-friendly line, appropriately titled Kate Spade Saturday. The collection is meant to “capture the spirit of Saturday, every day of the week.”

Featuring everything from dresses and jackets to handbags, jewelry, home decor and eyewear  – all bright and bold in true Kate Spade fashion. The new lifestyle brand is targeted towards the younger fashionista – and priced 50% lower than the brand’s current offerings ($30 to $130).

While no stand-alone U.S. stores are planned as of now, you will be able to nab all the Kate Spade Saturday line at www.saturday.com – launching early next year.

Fashion Favorites: NYFW S/S 2013

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A few of my favorite fashions from New York Fashion Week S/S 2013:

Tory Burch

Donna Karen

Reem Acra

Rag and Bone

Diane von Furstenberg

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Have a wonderful weekend!

XO Ashling

Salubrious Subscription: KLUTCHclub

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With so many subscription boxes out there to choose from, how do you decipher the best? From beauty, fashion and food to boxes specifically made for moms, men even dogs, it is hard not to form a “subscription box addiction”.

KLUTCHclub is a new monthly subscription service (launched April 2012) that sends a curated box of health, fitness and wellness products right to your doorstep. You will learn about new, niche brands and products that suit your lifestyle and also get access to exclusive deals and offers from companies that share your values. Perfect for woman-on-the-go who need help with healthy eating options and staying in shape in this busy, demanding world.

Confused by all the options out there (hemp? chia? omegas?), not knowing which brands to trust – and unwilling to invest hundreds of dollars on products that she could not distinguish from the latest gimmicks vs. something that is truly hollistically healthy – founder of KLUTCHclub, Julie Bashkin, wanted an expert to just curate a collection of healthy products and then magically deliver them to her door. Because the idealized option did not exist, she created KLUTCHclub.

“I founded KLUTCHclub to find a solution to my own struggles with maintaining a healthy lifestyle while working demanding 75 hour-weeks and managing a heavy travel schedule” says KLUTCHclub founder and former McKinsey and Company Engagement Manager, Julie Bashkin. “I was on a perpetual quest to find products that would make eating nutritious food and exercising on-the-go more convenient.”

KLUTCHclub subscription service is a great way to sample new product, try new foods, wellness items and activities that you might never purchase yourself. One of the first subscription companies to give you pricing options – KLUTCHclub is extremely affordable at – $16 per month, if you sign up for a year subscription, $17 per month for a 3 month subscription and $18 per month for 1 month subscription.

KLUTCHclub currently has a monthly subscription box for KLUTCHwomen and KLUTCHmen. In the future the company plans on adding KLUTCHmom, celebrity curated boxes and boxes that donate to charities. KLUTCHclub is a wonderful option for those of us that want to improve our health without doing the research. Let KLUTCHclub do the work for you.

Girl Crush: Vanessa Mooney

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Currently crushing on jewelry designer, Vanessa Mooney. Impeccably detailed, her pieces are fresh and always on-trend. Inspired by her travels, Mooney sources her materials from all-over the world. From bracelets to rings, the designs are unique but wearable, perfect for stacking and layering. Mooney is currently expanding her art with collections of handbags and footwear.

Here are a few of my favorite pieces:

Acacia Spike Necklace: $60.00

The Mesa Bracelet: $45.00

Akha Earrings: $79.00

Silver Pyramid Stud Earrings: $38.00 (sale)

The Juliet Black Statement Necklace: $250.00

Pewter Shark Tooth Ring: $45.00

Small Brass Cage Cuff: $200.00

Gold Ghetto Chain Necklace: $70.00

About Vanessa Mooney:

Born in 1980, Vanessa Mooney is a rare breed of a Hollywood rebel, harnessing a unique look and attitude, which transcends into her distinctive accessories line.  The great-granddaughter of Harry Warner (one of the original Warner Bros.) has been infatuated with the freedom that art provides and obsessed with all forms of art, music and fashion, her entire life. It was in 2009 when she founded her eponymous line under a core idea: let uninhibited design intuition lead the way. Self-taught, Vanessa designs everything in her studio in Downtown Los Angeles, combining unexpected materials and techniques that make each design feel brand new.  Eclectic in her personal style choices, she portrays “model-off-duty” fashion with a rock ‘n’roll, boho-chic edge.  An avid traveler with a keen interest for unexpected beauty, she derives inspiration from different ethnicities and cultures.With an ever growing following embracing her designs including celebrities like Katie Holmes, Vanessa Hudgens, Venus Williams, Jennifer Lopez, Lily Allen, Juliette Lewis, Devendra Banhart and Hayden Panettiere… Vanessa Mooney may just be the one to watch.  Her pieces can be found in over 500 of the top specialty stores and boutiques in the U.S. and abroad, including Bergdorf Goodman, Cusp, ShopBop, Madison and American Rag Cie. She can also be found in pages of Harper’s Bazaar, In Style, Nylon, Cosmopolitan, Us Weekly, Marie Claire and Glamour to name a few.  She has scored high-profile collaborations with premiere U.S. retailers like:  Calypso, Urban Outfitters, Club Monaco, Madewell, and is now expanding into handbags and footwear. Handcrafted, often intricate, always unique and ever imaginative; Vanessa Mooney is a brand, a lifestyle, a state of mind.

4th of July Fashion

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Fun, 4th of July Fashion.

Eugenia Kim: Max 7 Raffia Fedora, A.P.C: Washed Denim Playsuit, Converse: All-Star Premium Flag, Free People: Tattered Flag Scarf, Madewell: Perfect Racerback Tank, Haute Hippie: American Flag-Print Stretch-Denim Shorts, Steve Madden: Pita Boot, Urban Outfitters: Flag Wayfarer Sunglasses, Enza Costa: Stripe Tank, Citizens of Humanity: Avedon Low-Rise Skinny Jeans, TKEES: Lipstick Red Leather Sandals

Fashion & Function: Bleulab Reversible Denim

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Having a hard time committing to new denim trends? Try reversible. Bleulab has created a new breed of denim that is the perfect combination of fashion and function.

Bleulab’s founder and inventor Carl Jones discovered a double-faced fabric during a trip to China in 2009 and brought it back to the U.S. to begin testing various washes and treatments. The jeans’ design uses a double-headed tack button and a reversible zipper with five pockets featured on either side to achieve two distinctive looks per pair.

Built for today’s woman “an adventurer who is constantly in motion” the styles are named with that in mind: shortcut, paved, curve, rotate, detour and interhoodie.

Great for travel, reversible jeans mean more suitcase space and spending money. These jeans will take you from day-to-night with “superman-like” abilities. And lastly, I love how one is able to dive into a new trend (i.e. colored denim, coated denim, printed denim) without bellyflopping. The reversible side is always a neutral more mainstream style, wearable for years.

Double your outfit options with Bleulab.

NY Fashion Week Favorites: Fall 2012

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New York Fashion Week packed-up Thursday to continue on the runways in Europe. Over the past eight days, the runways were enveloped with menswear-inspired tailoring, leather, military looks, fur, winter white, metallics and colorblocking. From beautiful gowns to leather and knits here are a few looks and shows that I favored: Theyskens Theory, Derek Lam, Oscar de la Renta, Badgley Mischka, Diane von Furstenberg.

Give the Gifts that Give Back…

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Tis’ the season of giving. Let’s not forget what this time of year is really about. Give the gifts that give back, locally and around the world. Companies make charitable-giving easy with wonderful gift options, suitable for anyone.

✳  Tory Burch: 100 % of all profits from the purchase of these adorable cosmetic cases benefit the Tory Burch Foundation, a cause committed to providing economic opportunities to women and their families in the United States.

✳  Paul Mitchell: A portion of all gift set purchases benefit Amnesty International, an organization that protects human rights worldwide.

✳  JBrand: Purchase a pair of JBrand Jeans in one of these exclusive colors and 100% of all proceeds are donated to City Year, a non-profit organization that fights the national high school drop-out crisis.

✳  Clarins: With the purchase of a Clarins FEED 25 Bag, 25 meals will be provided through the (WFP) United Nations World Food Programme.

✳  TOMS: With every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.

Cyber Monday Deals & Steals: Fashion

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Happy Cyber Monday! Take advantage of these stellar sales from your favorite fashion sites around the web.

AllSaints: Take 20% off all merchandise, including menswear, womenswear, and accessories when you enter Code: ALLSAINTS at checkout.

Madewell:  30% off sale items and free shipping with exclusive Code: ENJOY

Bloomingdales: For purchases of $250 or more, take $50 off plus, free shipping when you use Code: FREESHIP11

Shopbop: Spend $250 or more, take $50 off your order; spend $500 or more, take $100 off; spend $750 or more, take $150 off; spend $1,000 or more, take $250 off; or spend $1,500 or more, take $500 off. Use Code: BIGEVENT 

ADAM: 40% off sitewide with Code: ADAMBF2011, plus free ground shipping on all orders.

DKNY: Receive 28% off your entire purchase plus free shipping.

Intermix: Take an extra 15% off sitewide Code CYBER15

J.Crew: 25 percent off plus free shipping – use Code: SURPRISE

Net-A-Porter: End of season sale – up to 50% off selected items.

Steve Madden:  30% off sitewide sale — plus free shipping — when you use Code: STUFFING 

Bluefly: Shop already discounted designer goods at an extra 10% off

Rachel Roy: Take 40% off Rachel by Rachel Roy and 20% off Rachel Roy all day.

Tory Burch: Limited edition tote with any purchase of $150 or more; spend $250 get 20 percent off, spend $500 get 25 percent off, spend $750 get 30 percent off when you enter Code: GETGIFTS

Proenza Schouler: Enjoy free ground shipping on all orders placed on Monday.