Category Archives: Style

Beach Babes!

A few days ago, I got 4-5 inches cut off my hair. It’s still below my shoulders, but what a difference…my dry, fried ends are gone! My daily use of a flat-iron got me in trouble. I know that summer is extra hard on your hair–the sun, chlorine and weather-induced over styling can all take a toll. My plan? To avoid heat appliances as much as possible and use a weekly deep conditioning treatment.

If I’m going to stick to this less is more approach with styling I need an option besides pulling it back in a ponytail or putting it up in a top-knot, neither of which will make me a slave to a blow-dryer. For hair inspiration I looked to Gisele, Sienna Miller and Alexa Chung, all modern style icons and all known to sport variations of the beachy wave style. No matter what length your hair, the key to pulling off this subtle “non-styled” style is long layers.

  1. Begin with freshly washed and conditioned hair.
  2. Apply your product. Use a texturizing cream or sea spray for fine, straight hair, a styling lotion for medium, straight or slightly wavy hair and styling cream for thick, wavy to curly hair. To do, rub a bit of product in hands, from palm to fingertips and take random sections (choose slightly different widths) and cover each section from root to end as you twist it. This look is all about separation and this is how you get it.
  3. Air dry or use a diffuser to keep the wave or curl intact and don’t touch. When completely dry, loosen a bit with fingers.
  4. Spritz with a light-hold hairspray if desired.

Products to try: Ouidad Wave Create Sea Spray, $23 at ouidad.com, Kiehl’s Creme with Silk Groom, $18 at kiehls.com or Bumble and bumble Curl Conscious DefiningCreme, $29 at sephora.com

(photo courtesy of whowhatwear.com)

 

 

 

Look What I Found…Your New Summer Bag!

New season, best reason for a new bag!

For day, play and evening:

Sturdy leather on canvas with a nautical motif. Pottok Geoff McFetridge Canvas Tote in Charcoal Wales, $165, at pottokprints.com.

Boho vibe with leather trim, wool exterior and canvas interior. Mexican Bazaar, Blue Leather Tote, $105 at shoplatitude.com.

Envelope style straw bag with gold metallic threads woven throughout. Hat Attack Clutch, $78 at clubmonaco.com.

(photos courtesy of pottokprints.com, shoplatitude.com, clubmonaco.com)

Sole Searching…

I’ve done a bit of sole searching…for the perfect flat that is, and I think I’ve finally found it in Tieks by Gavrieli.

I’ve always loved the look of ballet flats, but have never found one with enough arch support and a comfort level that makes me want to wear them all day. Until now. Tieks by Gavrieli are made of fine Italian  leather, available in a slew of colors and patterns, have a non-skid blue rubber sole and are even designed to fold and fit in a purse. They’re not inexpensive, but sometimes you really do get what you pay for.

Here, the reasons they’re worth it:

  • Cushioned back so the heel never chafes.
  • Foldable, compact and lightweight so on your feet or in your purse they won’t weigh you down.
  • They’ll stretch and mold to your feet becoming so comfortable you won’t want to take them off!

Tieks by Gavrieli, prices start at $165, available at tieks.com.

(photo by Tieks by Gavrieli)

Pony Up!

A ponytail as beautiful as this isn’t as simple as just pulling your hair back and hoping for the best, it actually takes some effort. No matter what your hair type, the right products and a step-by-step will have you looking just as polished.

This look was created by Aveda Global Creative Director, Antoinette Beenders, for the Stella McCartney Fall/Winter 2013 Collection in Tokyo, Japan. I don’t know about you, but I’m not waiting for fall–I plan on sporting it all throughout the summer!

Aveda’s Damage Remedy Hair Repair, Smooth Infusion Style Prep and Air Control are available at aveda.com.

(photography and how-to courtesy of Aveda)

White Out: 5 Perfect Pieces

Everyone wears white after Memorial Day…5 perfect pieces to get you through the summer in style!

  1. a white tee, linen tee, $19.90 at zara.com.
  2. white jeans, matchstick jean in white denim, $115 at jcrew.com.
  3. white shorts or skirt, vince tropical stretch tennis shorts, $195 at bloomingdales.com.
  4. a white top, wendy poplin shirt, $139.50, at clubmonaco.com.
  5. a white dress, blanca jacquard dress, $148 at madewell.com.

And the accessories to keep it cool:

  • Pair with a neutral or black shoe.
  • Add a bright bag.
  • Gold jewelry always looks chic.
  • Black sunnies keep white from looking too precious.

 

(photography courtesy of Pinterest)

GIVEAWAY!!! Enter to win Grace in LA Jeans

Win it! Grace in LA is giving away jeans to 3 lucky thebeautywall.com readers!  Grace in LA jeans feature detailed pockets, a body-hugging fit with just the right amount of stretch and contoured waistbands that won’t gap. Available in bootcut, boyfriend, straight leg, skinny and capri styles.

To enter:

  1. You must be a subscriber to this blog, thebeautywall.com to win. If you’re not already one, simply enter your e-mail and click the aqua subscribe button.
  2. Leave a comment for this story with your name and e-mail address so I can contact you for details if you win. ***Earn an additional entry by forwarding this post to a friend or sharing it on your facebook wall. Let me know you’ve done that in your comment.
  3. Winners will be randomly selected by end of day Thursday, 5/23/13. Surprise styles will be chosen by the company and mailed directly from Grace in LA.

GOOD LUCK! xoxoNancy

 

photography courtesy of Grace In LA

 

Hats Off!

I always miss the mark on buying a summer hat–I start a little too late in the season and all the good ones are gone. This year will be different! Since it’s almost time for fun in the sun, it’s definitely time for a new summer hat. Here, some great picks:

  1. Olona Wide Brim Sunhat. $135 at barneys.com. Bright orange, 100% cotton, canvas soigne hat with an extra wide sun protecting brim.
  2. Biltmore for Madewell Panama Hat, $43.50 at madewell.com. A beach-ready, floppy, panama hat made from toyo paper.
  3. Jonathan Adler Print Bucket Hat, $98 at nordstrom.com. Playful typography and a raw-cut brim adorn this jute bucket hat.

photo courtesy of Beso, Bop Basics Floppy Raffia Sunhat, $98 at shopbop.com.

 

Eat, Play, Love Everything at ABC Home!

I’ll find any excuse to head to ABC Home in NYC. It’s the best place for browsing, shopping and eating and it’s also my go-to place to recharge and get inspired! There are 6 floors to lose yourself in and hunt down that perfect piece or meander to your heart’s content.

Exquisite antiques and modern furniture live side by side. Looking for throw pillows? No matter what your taste, you’ll find them. They have the most gorgeous jewels by numerous designers, two favorites being Gabrielle Sanchez and Pyrrha. Need a children’s gift? Their tot department is overflowing with extra-special items that you won’t find elsewhere. Into celeb sightings? In the past I’ve seen Uma Thurman (with her head on Ethan Hawke’s lap!), Goldie Hawn, Betsy Johnson and  many others.

When it’s time for a bite, the on premise restaurants are phenomenal…my favorite being ABC Kitchen. It’s Jean-Georges  so you know the food is unsurpassed. The changing menu is organic and as local as possible, with the dishes beautifully presented. When dining there, I feel like I’m on one of those food shows except that everything is unique and delicious every time!

My kids (especially my daughter) love the experience almost as much as I do. When they were small I would bring them to ABC and tell them to keep their eyes open and observe, we were in a special place where things morph and change at a moment’s notice. I’d say there were hidden rooms and secret passageways–their imaginations always ran wild! I should probably feel a little guilty, but I don’t. They had a blast and I got my ABC fix. In my book that’s a win/win!!!

ABC Carpet & Home, 19th & Broadway, NYC

blogshot-pillows blogshot-tots blogshot-gabriellesanchez

The Things That Matter

Does your home tell your story?

When I spotted Nate Berkus’ book The Things that Matter I never imagined I’d be blown away by his story and his message.  I was literally transported and didn’t put the book down for 2 days straight!

Most design books are all about the images and Berkus’ book doesn’t disappoint there…but, The Things That Matter is so much more than that. It’s filled with intimate stories of his life that really give you a sense of what this man is about. FYI, he’s a good, kind, smart, funny and easy-on-the eyes man! It’s also filled with gorgeous visuals of his homes through the years, as well as beautiful interiors of twelve others and portraits of the inhabitants, some clients and some just people/homes he admires.

Nate Berkus believes that personal possessions matter, you should surround yourself with things you love and things that have meaning to you. I couldn’t agree more…these “things” are what makes a beautiful house a home with meaning!

Here’s a peek at a few beautiful shots from the book…but it’s the words that will stay with you forever.

blogshot-nate1blogshot-nateblogshot-nate2

Before & After: From Junk Room to Home Office

As I previously posted  in “I’ve Got a Secret…” (read here) I love my home…all except the room I’ve had pegged for my home office. With good southern light and decent wood floors it had the potential to be stylish, but it was greatly hampered by extreme clutter and baby blue walls. I knew if I wanted to use it as a home office I’d need to practice some crowd control and ruthless editing.

My first order of business? Declutter! I made three piles: Donate, Put Away and Yard Sale. Because I started feeling nostalgic while going through it all, it took a lot longer than I anticipated. So many of my things have memories attached–for me, it’s what makes a house a home–but I realized if I was going to make any progress and use this room for its intended purposed I’d need to get moving. I bought large bins and stored the things I wasn’t ready to part with (and maybe never would be). I tucked away beautiful drawings my children made when they were small, sentimental letters and cards I’ve received over the years from loved ones, magazines with stories I’ve written and/or been a part of. I took lamps, mirrors and other accessories and stored them in the attic because periodically I like to switch up my rooms and certain items are keepers. The ones that didn’t tug at my heart will be in my upcoming yard sale.

The only two items from the room that made the cut were my desk from West Elm (for its practicality) and a stained glass window I bought off-season in the Hamptons when my husband and I were dating (because it makes me happy). I pushed them to the center of the room and covered them with some sheets before painting the room in Benjamin Moore’s Calm, a wonderful shade of white that makes me feel at home. To furnish the rest of the room on a budget, I brought in an Ikea bookcase as well as a cozy, charcoal corner chair, creamy white shag rug and green storage baskets, all from Home Goods.

I added a few personal touches like  a family heirloom art deco clock for my desk and some favorite family photos atop the bookshelves…and because I realize the importance of all our senses and I love candles I placed a new favorite, Bath & Body Works Candle in First Bloom. When lit, it fills the whole room with this delicious, “I could be standing in a garden” scent. Amazing!!!

blogshot-candle1

I couldn’t be happier. My home office is clean, organized and best of all, it’s a room I can be productive in. I’m still looking for a few special items to complete the look:

  • a proper pillow for the chair. I’m thinking a green or bright pink.
  • curtains to frame the window. Most likely smoky grey linen panels that hang just shy of the floor.
  • an over-sized, vintage chalkboard for my to-do lists.
  • a comfortable, lived-in looking chair for the desk.

 

find us elsewhere

subscribe via email

Enter your email address: