by Mo on December 11, 2009
What’s Going On
Tis’ the season Darlings! We are sure you are in a tizzy finishing or starting your holiday lists, shopping, and most of all – celebrating! What better way to be all a-glitter than winning a Darling giveaway! MoDarling is just back from spreading the good Darling word at the SCOPE Art Show in Miami. Shoppers loved hearing about Darling designers, TrishDarling’s DOT shirts were a sell out item and NAIK FUR hats were a total hit! We’re about to pull 5 names out of a smashing hat and award some lucky SCOPE shoppers each a $100 Darling e-gift card. Good things happen to Darling friends!
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What’s New
But wait, there’s more. If you are blogging about all the amazing indie designers out there, this one is for you. Bloggers have all of December to enter a post at WHAT Designers.com in their Independent Design BLOG OFF to win some more great ($) Darling prizes! While you are there, vote for your fave little black dress, lots o’ Darlings to vote for there.
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Darling Holiday Events
Darling designers have events happening all over the country as well as online. Keep an eye on the blog for events near you.
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Smashing Kudos and tidbits
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Holiday cheer to all! ~ the Darlings
by trish on November 12, 2009
Brooklyn Chic Meets Central Park West
As we come into fall, our attention has gone to layers – warm layers; to protect us against chilly breezes as we stroll through Central Park or bustle down the streets of Brooklyn. Autumn in New York is amazing; the tree leaves boast brilliant shades of bright amber and burnt pumpkin. Here’s our perfect outfit, complete with accessories and beauty necessities to accentuate our fall style.
The Clothing
Krelwear Blue Hooded Sweater ($219) – This pima cotton beauty is mutli-season functional; from fall to winter, we can wear it with wide leg pants, leggings or skinny jeans and boots!
Mountains of the Moon “Sophie” Pant ($104) – The Sophie pants are truly LUX – while they are perfect for spring and summer, we can add thick cotton tights underneath them to extend them into fall.
The Accessories
MiMo “Mia” Satchel ($180) – We love structure of this satchel, as well as the rich tan coloring. Every woman must have a medium brown colored tote; it’s one of those staple items.
Sigma Gilady Gold Circle Necklace ($49) – This necklace as an accent piece. Jewelry doesn’t always have to make loud, bold statements. There’s something to be said for subtlety.
Eutectic Small Gold Hoop Earrings ($14) – Keeping with our dainty accessories theme, these delicate hoops go beyond this outfit and pair themselves with about 70% of woman’s wardrobe. We love them and can’t beat the price!
Beauty Essentials
bareMinerals All-Over Face Color ($18-20) – Let’s face it, unless your lucky enough to call sunny California or Florida your home, a girl doesn’t get much sun during fall. We know that tanning is bad, so what do we do? We fake it of course! The bareMinerals all over face blush gives you a little color “umph” without harsh chemicals or damaging UV rays.
Laura Gellar Lip Heal * Seal Lip Gloss ($18) – A girl gets chapped lips due to blustery winds. Laura Gellar’s lip treatment does double-duty as a lip conditioner and gloss. Protection and just a bit of shimmer, that’s LUX.
About LadyLux:
Once upon a time, there was girl named LUX. She believed in humanity, doing good for the sake of good, and all things beautiful in our world. As she grew older and began to take stock of the world around her, her mission in life became clear: be a Change Agent. The tasks associated with being an “Agent” is to use her mind and voice to help fix what is broken in the world and empower the people in it to do the same. Thus was born The Lady LUX Network.
Founder Elizabeth Wahler
At LadyLUX, our motto is “Good for the Sake of Good.” We believe in doing good and being good, while looking good. We believe in fashion, life, love, philanthropy, eco-luxury and laughter. We empower women to follow their passions, live authentically, and to honestly know and love themselves. Choosing health and your best self, being good to others and good to the environment is simply living the LUX life. In each outfit we put together, we always include organic and “green” items that were created with the idea of sustainability.
See last week’s LadyLux Editor’s Picks here.
by trish on October 22, 2009
Posted by LadyLux
Plums & Passions
created by LadyLux with Polyvore.
Now that the glitz and glamour of Fashion Weeks around the world has receded for a bit, and the holiday party circuit hasn’t started, we are ready for a fabulously laid-back outfit to sport during the fall chills.
When we saw the Hubba Jumper from Erhart Street Wear, we knew we were on to something. What a great way to stay warm and stylish! This is an easy style that can be dressed up or down, and is sure to look killer on most body types. Accented with a racer back, princess seams, and a bubble hem, and delivered in a pretty charcoal color, it is sure to delight as a perfect layering piece.
To make sure we keep our ensemble LUX and feminine, we paired the casual jumper with a pretty blouse. The Button Back Top from Poppy Sam is a darling cotton poplin number with four feminine pearl buttons in the back, and a flattering A-Line design.
Grey looks fantastic with periwinkle, so we wanted to throw in some pieces in that color scheme. To make sure our casual divas are warm, we paired a Nuno Felt Scarf Stormy Night from NESchwab. We often profile Nancy Schwab, as we find her scarves to be fun, warm, beautiful and feminine all at the same time. According to Nancy herself, “Ebony black, on handpainted black silk, is mixed with dark charcoal and deep periwinkle that makes it wearable with just about every other color you love.” The icing on this snuggle-worthy, elegant cake? The fibers are hand-mixed and organic, for a true LUX item! To match our scarf, we picked the Angela Bag from ZJN4U, which is roomy enough for work or play, while retaining a high-end look and feel.
We know that no outfit is complete without some “bling”, so we picked these classic, casual glam pieces: Hammered Classic Goldfilled Hoop Earrings from TAH, Mutli Strand Necklace with Ribbon from Marie Marie Jewelry and Vintage Jewelry Finding Adjustable Ring from Mattie Reid Chicago. The earrings feature 14-gage, gold filled and hammered wire oval hoops. We nabbed a beautiful melange of silver and gold chains for an updated spin on a multi-strand necklace with a ribbon closure. And finally, we topped our ensemble with a large vintage ring, which was repurposed from another jewelry piece, and set on top of fabric. A casual spin on a cocktail ring, we are pretty sure there’s not another one like this in the world.
About LadyLux:
Once upon a time, there was girl named LUX. She believed in humanity, doing good for the sake of good, and all things beautiful in our world. As she grew older and began to take stock of the world around her, her mission in life became clear: be a Change Agent. The tasks associated with being an “Agent” is to use her mind and voice to help fix what is broken in the world and empower the people in it to do the same. Thus was born The Lady LUX Network.
Founder Elizabeth Wahler
At LadyLUX, our motto is “Good for the Sake of Good.” We believe in doing good and being good, while looking good. We believe in fashion, life, love, philanthropy, eco-luxury and laughter. We empower women to follow their passions, live authentically, and to honestly know and love themselves. Choosing health and your best self, being good to others and good to the environment is simply living the LUX life. In each outfit we put together, we always include organic and “green” items that were created with the idea of sustainability.
See last week’s LadyLux Editor’s Picks here.
by trish on October 8, 2009
We got so hooked on retro glam fashion after putting together last week’s set, we decided to repeat the retro theme this week. The minute we found the Meibury dress by Mahtab Azimi, we knew it was “the one” to build the ensemble around. A simple and sophisticated dress, it flows freely to the floor, while hugging a woman’s curves. What a flattering design for just about any body type! Maxi dresses are extremely hot this season, and allow any woman to feel like a princess. The slit detail on the sleeve is a perfect addition to this elegant and simple.
Because our our dress is dark, we decided to offset it with a cream colored purse. The Oversized Heather Envelope Clutch in Cream Capo by Brynn Chicago spoke to us with its supple leathers and an oversized design. Finally a clutch that can actually fit all of your belongings. Our favorite thing about this lovely handbag though, is the fact that it’s individually handcrafted in the Windy City!
Speaking of wind, we are well into the fall, and the weather will start to get colder and colder (well, for those of us who have seasons anyway). This means one thing: we all need a fabulous scarf to add to our closets. The Enchanted Cashmere Nuno Felt Scarf by NESchwab is as warm as it is elegant. Made with cashmere, fine merino wool, silk and bamboo fibers, it’s extremely sheer, thin and elegant. The designer herself calls it a “sheer symphony of fiber, color and texture”, and we tend to agree. The icing on this fabulous cake? It’s handcolored and handpainted!
We were so compelled by Cimber Designs in Jewelry’s glamorous pieces, that we chose two items to include in our set. The Black & Gold Snowflake ring is perfect to dress up our dress. Containing a mixture of semi precious stones, it’s a one-of-a-kind creation that’s worthy of a royal hand. The Black Onyx Briolettes will delight and play with light as they dangle from your ear at a cocktail party. In a true LadyLUX fashion, these two beauties are handmade.
They say that it’s what on the inside that counts. So what does a lady wear underneath her fabulous glam ensemble? Well, we would never tell, because we are real ladies! But we also know that a true lady would wear Smashing Darling inside and out. The Sassafrass Camisole from On The Inside Lingerie is sure to delight as it supports. You can even match it with Forget Me Not panties for a delicate lace set.
About LadyLux:
Once upon a time, there was girl named LUX. She believed in humanity, doing good for the sake of good, and all things beautiful in our world. As she grew older and began to take stock of the world around her, her mission in life became clear: be a Change Agent. The tasks associated with being an “Agent” is to use her mind and voice to help fix what is broken in the world and empower the people in it to do the same. Thus was born The Lady LUX Network.
Founder Elizabeth Wahler
At LadyLUX, our motto is “Good for the Sake of Good.” We believe in doing good and being good, while looking good. We believe in fashion, life, love, philanthropy, eco-luxury and laughter. We empower women to follow their passions, live authentically, and to honestly know and love themselves. Choosing health and your best self, being good to others and good to the environment is simply living the LUX life. In each outfit we put together, we always include organic and “green” items that were created with the idea of sustainability.
See last week’s LadyLux Editor’s Picks here.
by trish on September 24, 2009
SmashingDarling4_EW by LadyLUX on Polyvore.com
As Fall draws near, it is time to buckle down and head back into the office or back to school. For our outfit this week, I wanted to select something that is appropriate for the office, but something that can be glammed up with some beautiful accents for after work activities.
The Maddy Blouse from Kate Boggiano was a perfect place to start our office chic outfit. It looks great with just about any pair of pants or jeans, slim or wide, or a pencil skirt for the office. The dramatic ruffle neck and single-button turned-back cuff transform it into an unapologetic showstopper for that special night out. Put a wide colorful belt with it for additional drama, and cars will be stopping in their tracks. Tailored silhouette and slim fit through the hip will surely make any woman feel sexy in any setting.
Because our blouse is the focal item in this set, it needs to be paired with a simple monochromatic bottom. We chose the Crystal Pant by Yana Collection. Made of poly gabardine, this pant is easy to wear and easy to care for. It doesn’t wrinkle, and takes any fashionista from office chic to social butterfly. Flattering for any figure, the pant creates an illusion of an elongated silhouette, ensuring that every woman feels elegant, refined, lean and sexy.
We needed a bag that’s versatile and can be used either at night or during the day, so I chose the Leather Fan Bag by Adolfo Sanchez Boutique. At LadyLUX, we love ‘one of a kind’ pieces, and we were thrilled to find this handbag because of the detail and artistry that goes into making it. “Individual pieces of calf skin are sewed and gathered to look like a fan, then are each hand stitched to the exterior of the handbag,” says the designer.
At LadyLUX, we pay special attention to environmentally and socially sustainable pieces. When we went hunting around for the perfect eco accessory, we just had to add the relaxed glam of the Nuno Felt Periwinkle Scarf from NESchwab. Because there is so much drama around the neckline as it is, we recommend tying the scarf around one of the purse handles for a beautiful style statement. The scarf is a lovely deep periwinkle, accented with deep violet and plum and interwoven with real silk fibers, which makes it perfect for Fall. And best of all, it is handmade and made from organic fibers!
Because our blouse looks best with a wide belt that screams for attention, we chose the Sue Rock Originals Vintage Blue Cinch Belt, a fantastic throwback to that ‘80s style. This is also an accessory you can feel good about wearing, because a portion of every purchase goes to support the lives of domestic violence survivors in transitional housing.
To make the outfit ready for a fabulous night out, we recommend adding some beautiful sparkly jewelry, such as Parisian Earrings from Passementerie. They feature black spinel, cascading tendrils of solid sterling silver, and mystic topaz. Finally, we are rounding out these complex and beautiful earrings with a simple and understated Siren Cuff bracelet from Cynthia Jones.
About LadyLux:
Once upon a time, there was girl named LUX. She believed in humanity, doing good for the sake of good, and all things beautiful in our world. As she grew older and began to take stock of the world around her, her mission in life became clear: be a Change Agent. The tasks associated with being an “Agent” is to use her mind and voice to help fix what is broken in the world and empower the people in it to do the same. Thus was born The Lady LUX Network.
Founder Elizabeth Wahler
At LadyLUX, our motto is “Good for the Sake of Good.” We believe in doing good and being good, while looking good. We believe in fashion, life, love, philanthropy, eco-luxury and laughter. We empower women to follow their passions, live authentically, and to honestly know and love themselves. Choosing health and your best self, being good to others and good to the environment is simply living the LUX life. In each outfit we put together, we always include organic and “green” items that were created with the idea of sustainability.
See last week’s LadyLux Editor’s Picks here.
by trish on September 3, 2009
About LadyLux:
Once upon a time, there was girl named LUX. She believed in humanity, doing good for the sake of good, and all things beautiful in our world. As she grew older and began to take stock of the world around her, her mission in life became clear: be a Change Agent. The tasks associated with being an “Agent” is to use her mind and voice to help fix what is broken in the world and empower the people in it to do the same. Thus was born The Lady LUX Network.
Founder Elizabeth Wahler
At LadyLUX, our motto is “Good for the Sake of Good.” We believe in doing good and being good, while looking good. We believe in fashion, life, love, philanthropy, eco-luxury and laughter. We empower women to follow their passions, live authentically, and to honestly know and love themselves. Choosing health and your best self, being good to others and good to the environment is simply living the LUX life. In each outfit we put together, we always include organic and “green” items that were created with the idea of sustainability.
Smashing Darling Set: LadyLUX by MsLadyLUX on Polyvore.com
As the anchor for this outfit, I chose the Miranda top from the 615 Project. It’s an extremely wearable piece – offering femininity, comfort and a bit of LUXury. I love the cut and how it drapes over a woman’s body, accentuating her curves, making her look like a Greek goddess. It blends the classic colors and fabrics with an updated silhouette via the flowy silk material.
I paired the free flowing top with a more retro, 80’s inspired pant, that’s basic and grounded as much as it is modern and fun. The Organic Crop Pegged Pant from designer Laura Dawson is made of organic cotton, with silk detailing. Fashionable pants that are also made with the best ingredients? Well, that’s simply LUX!
Continuing with the good for you / good for the environment theme, I continued this story with a Sustainable Benie Club Clutch from the rlee Collection. This clutch purse is not only gorgeous and whimsical, it’s also made with Mother Earth in mind. Made of recycled plastic bottle fabric, it’s adorned with Italian Leather and Brooch. Now that’s a way to combine environmental responsibility with utmost style! You can wear multipurpose clutch out to a party, date or cocktails with friends, as well as to work, lunch or a movie.
And of course, no outfit is complete without a slightly to die for pair of lace up gladiators. Since spats are all the rage this season, I have paired these Mariana Cut-Out Spats from Ashes and Empires, to be worn with a basic black stiletto heel pump. I selected these shoes to accent our cropped pant and show off the lace front detail.
As far as accessories, I decided to start with a perfect scarf. I’m a huge scarf aficionado, and wanted this outfit to reflect my personal style. At the same time, for such a summertime outfit, it’s important to select a scarf that’s light as air. This gorgeous gossamer “Confetti Scarf” from Pamela Penney is certainly one of a kind. I am not quite sure how this web-like concoction of fabric, yarn and fibers holds together, but it looks amazing.
Even though our scarf can be worn without jewelry, I wanted to pair it with a few equally unique pieces from Dina Varano, a jewelry artist I’ve come to know and love through Smashing Darling. Dina has an extraordinary ability to combine sculptural and ephemeral, wrapping it all into a delightful cocktail of precious and semi-precious stones and metals. Her pieces are full of movement and mystery. I have chosen Bone Earrings to go with our burnt orange scarf; they are made with sterling silver and Carnelian Stones.
I’m not huge fan of being matchy-matchy with my jewelry, so I didn’t match the bracelet or the necklace to the earrings; however the bracelet and pendant reflect a similar theme. The Millipede Necklace, also from Dina Varano, is made form 14kt gold and brushed sterling silver, and was showcased in the American Craft Magazine in 2007. The pendant’s delicate wirey look is a perfect complement to the Crowd Bangle Bracelet; both items full of movement and spontaneity.
Live. Love. LUX.
