Your Weekly Dose of Sugar & Spice:
Summer Bucket Lists & An Ode to the Scarf
The chic must-have purchase of the moment, plus feisty tips and tricks to make your week a little bit sweeter.
Forget the holidays! This is the most wonderful time of the year. Summer is right around the corner and we can finally shed our extra layers: sweaters, coats, boots. Here’s to throwing open the windows, breathing in the fragrant, fresh air and baring hints of skin for the warm sun to kiss.
Last year I started off the summer with some lofty goals that I didn’t accomplish, like going shark cage diving and learning how to surf. Although these are not impossible feats, they do take a little extra time and money, perhaps more than other worthwhile (and albeit safer) summer exploits.
Whether you are strapped for cash (ehem, like moi!) this summer or money isn’t a problem (lucky you!), you deserve to have the best summer yet! Sit down, pull out a blank piece of paper and pen (it makes it more authentic if you use pen and paper versus the computer or a smartphone) and create a summer bucket list for yourself.
Write down five to ten different endeavors you want to pursue or tasks you want to accomplish this summer. I don’t mean cleaning your room or vacuuming out your car. These must be all fun. Maybe you’ve been dying to paint a room in your place a vivid shade of violet. Maybe it’s buying that plane ticket to visit friends or family you rarely see in another state. Maybe your dream is also to learn to surf and go shark cage-diving(!)
Summer Bucket List Rules
~Keep the list to ten or less adventures: otherwise, you might run out of time and feel defeated when your list isn’t checked off by the end of August.
~At least half should be inexpensive, easy to accomplish tasks, like making sandwiches and picnicking at a local park, doing cartwheels in the sand or twisting your post-beach locks into a fishtail braid (see Lauren Conrad’s super easy how-to video here.)
~There should be at least one outdoor event on the list (obviously!)
~Feel free to create this list with friends, family or a significant other. Getting other people involved is the best way to ensure you won’t let these great plans pass you by.
Looking for some inspiration? Here’s the start of
My Summer Bucket List:
1. See one of my favorite artists in an outdoor concert.
2. Go to Six Flags and ride as many roller coasters as possible.
3. Try wine tasting at a new vineyard out east.
4. Watch a sunrise and a sunset (preferably on the beach.)
Best of luck with your listing!
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The Best Fashion Investment of the Summer (And Quite Possibly Year-Round):
The Scarf
There is nothing worse than walking into your office building or meeting friends at a restaurant on a 90 degree day and having to pull out your winter parka to battle the arctic cold of the air conditioning temperatures. It drives me crazy. (I admit, this comes from someone who has survived some very humid summers without air conditioning.) Instead of lugging around a huge sweatshirt, opt for a scarf instead.
Even on cool nights, a light-weight scarf provides welcome warmth and adds an immediate cool factor to whatever outfit you have on. Dressy or casual, a scarf always looks great swept around your neck. It fits into your bag (or can be tied onto the strap for hippie-chic style) and on super hot summer days, you can wrap it around your hair to protect it from the sun’s harsh rays.
If you usually wear bright colors, look for scarves in muted tones, like gray, black and navy. The opposite is true if your summer wardrobe consists of jean shorts and simple tanks; look for bright scarves to liven up your outfit and keep you warm while on the job or out and about.
Check out the scarves above - two of them are less than $10 - there are a range of colors and styles, from blinged out, like the Anthropologie scarf on the bottom, left of center, to casual and gauzy, like the H&M picks, top and center. It’s the easiest, breeziest summer look and the best part is you can effortlessly incorporate them year-round into your wardrobe.
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Sugar & Spice Tips of the Week: Belt it Out and Pin it Up
Feisty tips and tricks to make your week a little bit sweeter.
//Sugar//
Memorize the Lyrics to a New Song
How good would it feel to memorize and flawlessly deliver every line of say, Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass?” Pretty damn good, even if your only audience is your cat.
Fitting this in to your schedule for the week is super important. There is nothing like the natural high of coming across a new song that sounds oh-so-right and that you effortlessly connect with. Being able to sing along and know each and every lyric gives you a healthy channel for everyday angst and frustration. It’s an easy, simple way to boost your mood for the day.
Pick a fun, upbeat song like “We Are Young” by Fun. or “Part of Me,” by Katy Perry (which I’ve had stuck in my head since she performed it at the Grammys.) Then set aside 10 minutes to watch the lyric video on YouTube or look them up online and make that song all yours!
(Bonus: Perhaps no other soul, except for your poor cat, will hear you belt out the lyrics to your song. But, if you find yourself at a karaoke bar in the near future, you now have the perfect tune lined up!)
//Spice//
Join Pinterest
Pinterest is a social network where you request an invite to join and then build your own page with images of people, places, quotes, art and fashion that you adore. Think of it as a virtual bulletin board, just like the one on your bedroom wall that you may have pinned magazine cut-outs to in your teen years. This is the grown-up, sophisticated, artsy version of that.
Attach images from the web to your Pinterest page by adding the Pin It button to the bookmarks or favorites section of your internet browser (click on the link above for instructions.) Find a great pair of ballet flats on the J. Crew Web site or a stunning view of Tuscany on a travel site? With just the click of the Pin It button, it’s added to your Pinterest page and you don’t have to worry about photo credits, as long as it’s from an authentic Web site (i.e. linked back to the original source.)
“Repin” images from others that you follow or upload your own into the Pinterest universe. It’s just another way to share your unique dreams, desires, guilty pleasures and wishlists with the world, all in a beautiful form of display.
What better way to perk up your weekend than adding a touch of highlighter-yellow to your outfit?
Mix this shade or another neon color with neutrals for a pop of color. If you’re feeling extra bold, try color blocking and sport two or three solid colors at once.
The Cambridge Satchel Company satchel at the top left is the bag I am currently lusting after. The fruity studs from H&M add a dash of juicy fun to any outfit.
I couldn’t resist adding in Mat Kearney’s album cover. He is an amazing singer and songwriter. I have seen him live two times and I could gush about him all day, so if you don’t already have his newest album on repeat, take a listen! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
The centerpiece is the lovely Loft clutch. Snake-print with neon trim: perfection!
How will you wear your neon?
Sugar & Spice Tips of the Week: Visit Lovely Boston (at any cost) and Avoid Painful Heels (at all costs)
//Sugar//
Travel (To Boston)
Well hello there, my fellow Sugar & Spicers! I regret that I have not posted for over a week, as I have been away from my computer, visiting my friend Maggie in Boston. If you have been to Boston (or lucky you, live there at this moment), then you know what a beautiful, incredibly historic city it is. It may not be easy to drive through, as any New Yorker will point out, but it is chock full of trendy spots and gorgeous architecture.
Fashion-wise, Boston was nominated as worst-dressed last year by GQ magazine. Despite this, I eagerly took note of how Bostonians dressed everywhere I went, from Cambridge (a city apart from Boston) to Jamaica Plain (a trendy neighborhood, not unlike Brooklyn) to Beacon Hill and Newbury Street (think New York’s 5th Avenue, but Boston-style) to South Boston, affectionately called “Southie.”
I expected to see super preps everywhere I looked, especially in Cambridge. I did in fact see lots of chic, preppy styles, but I saw even more ruggedly polished hipsters. I disagree with the (rather mean-spirited) GQ article. After all, Boston is not, say, New York and it’s not meant to be. In fact, it is very proud not to be New York! I saw plenty of men and women wearing incredibly on-point outfits. In fact, the very college students that GQ blasts were the ones that I found to be so well-dressed. I couldn’t take my eyes off of a young woman’s demur olive green wedge booties, delicately rimmed with faux fur. She was sitting across from me on the T (Boston’s subway line) with her just-as-fiercely-trendy friends at her side. It’s safe to say that I loved Boston to the nth degree and plan to make a trip back as soon as I can.
I highly encourage every Sugar & Spice girl to put Boston on your must-see list.
//Spice//
Beware the Pitfalls (literally) of Painful Heels
I didn’t stop traveling once I got home from Boston, which was on a Wednesday. I was ecstatic to be commuting into New York City (an hour and a half train ride from my house) on Thursday and Friday for two different writing pursuits.
Friday I decided to dress up a bit more than usual. I wore a short-sleeved black sweater with a bright teal pencil skirt and black tights. On my feet I wore black suede pumps. I didn’t think much before slipping them on; they matched my outfit and I had worn them to the city before. I figured I would have no problem wearing them. Boy was I wrong! They started to get uncomfortable as I walked from my car to the train station, about 200 feet. My heel kept popping out of the back of the shoe, causing me to nearly topple over or lurch to the side in an oh-so-sexy way. Add to that a limp that gradually increased with the pound of each step due to my sore soles and I was a sight for, well, sore eyes.
By the time I got out of Penn Station and was walking (read: hobbling) along 34th Street to the subway station at Herald Square, I was behaving not only as if it were my first time in heels, but my first time walking on land. It must have been painful to watch! I looked longingly at an H&M as I very slowly passed by, wishing I had time to dash in and buy some inexpensive, low-heeled pumps, but alas, I was out of time. It would be an understatement to say I felt ridiculous. I arrived breathless, a few minutes late, to my job because of my laboriously slow pace.
On my lunch break, you can bet that I wobbled out of the building I was working in and burst onto 5th Avenue, only to find (what luck!) another H&M right on the corner. I spotted sensible heels that matched my outfit in less than five minutes. I didn’t realize until I got to the register that they were a cool $60 – ouch! But I didn’t have much time left on my break and I was desperate. I flew back up the street (at a snail’s pace) and made it to the 33rd floor of my building just as my break was ending. Phew!
The real dilemma was that I was meeting my friend Sam for dinner after work and I couldn’t bear having to suffer anymore on my feet. I was so thankful for the H&M shoes, no matter what the cost. Despite the painful blisters that had built up, my new pumps were like a breath of fresh air. I might have been walking on puffy white clouds, compared to my black shoes. I was able to enjoy the rest of my night without looking like a total nitwit (or worse yet, fashion road kill.)
The moral of the story? Well, first off, I need to get more practice walking in heels, since I am obviously rusty. Secondly, this whole extravaganza proved how important it is to test drive or at the very least “break-in” heels before trampling across New York City in them. If your heels are popping over the back of the shoes or your foot is stuck in a painful position, it’s just not worth it, no matter how great they look or how low the price tag is. Take it from a girl with the blisters to prove it.
I can’t help but question the phrase my grandmother used to quote, “Il faut souffrir pour être belle.” You must suffer to be beautiful. There are limits to everything and in the end, no one looks good hobbling down the street in obvious pain, no matter how gorgeous her shoes are.
Here’s to finding creatively trendy looks that are (dare I say?) comfortable too!
♥
(Pictured above are Boston’s Trinity Church and the John Hancock Tower, the tallest building in the city, taken by yours truly.)
Sugar & Spice Tips of the Week: Be Enthusiastically Nerdy and Don’t Miss the Oscars!
//Sugar//
Embrace Your Inner Nerd
“Nerds like us are allowed to be unironically enthusiastic about stuff… Nerds are allowed to love stuff, like, jump-up-and-down-in-the-chair-can’t-control-yourself love it. When people call people nerds, mostly what they’re saying is “You like stuff.” Which is just not a good insult at all. Like, “You are too enthusiastic about the miracle of human consciousness.”
—John Green, author and vlogger
There is something special about nerd enthusiasm. It’s not trying to be cool, it’s not liking something just because it’s different or underground or totally ambiguous. It’s unabashedly loving a film or genre or artist just because it touches something in you, inspires you and brings you great joy. It doesn’t matter what it is. It doesn’t matter what other people feel about it or what they might think, it’s all about what it means to you. The cool thing is that you are bound to find other people throughout life who share these passions. People who like the same type of food, the same book, the same town and who know every detail about it, just like you do.
While it’s important to be wise about who you share your greatest nerd passions with -often someone will take the opportunity to belittle you – at the same time, it’s important to unleash them. Let them free and revel in the healthiness that is enthusiasm in something that you really love. In the end, no one can take that away from you, because that is distinctly what makes you, you!
//Spice//
It’s Oscar Time!
The 84th Annual Academy Awards will broadcast this Sunday from Hollywood, with Billy Crystal hosting for his ninth time(!) That means you have less than a week to brush up on your Best Picture nominees, if you haven’t already.
Don’t waste a minute! Download the Oscar app to your smartphone or tablet, check off the list below and vote on who you think will win! Then tune in for one of the most elegant and glamourous nights on television.
Here are the nine Best Picture picks:
★”The Artist”
★”The Descendants”
★”Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
★”The Help”
★”Hugo”
★”Midnight in Paris”
★”Moneyball”
★”The Tree of Life”
★”War Horse”
Check out the Oscars Web page for videos, a schedule of events and a printable ballot.
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Sugar & Spice Tips of the Week: Let’s Pretend (That We Have Front Row Seats to Fashion Week)
Whether you are panting over New York Fashion Week photos wishing you were there or going “Fashion Week what?” there is fun to be had for all. Here are your Sugar & Spice tips for the week: incorporating some haute couture into your Monday through Friday.
//Sugar//
Invoke a Different Designer Each Day
Every street is yours to saunter across, every sidewalk is yours to pound in heels, in flats, in your toughest boots and in your coolest kicks. Whether you realize it or not, the world is your runway. It’s time we all start enjoying it a little more!
For the rest of the week (Fashion Week, that is) pick a designer “theme” for each day. Take tomorrow, Tuesday, where headliners like Tory Burch, Vera Wang, J. Crew and Badgley Mischka will be sending models down runways in their finest Fall 2012 picks.
Channel Tory Burch with preppy, lady-like flats and big Jackie O. shades. Get the J. Crew look with a bright, jewel-toned shirt and any vintage-style accessory you own, like a strand of pearls.
Badgley Mischka has glamorous, elegant designs that often accent the collarbone and neck. Try a boat-neck shirt and sweep some bronzer along your neckline and collarbone.
For Vera Wang, don a blouse in a pretty pastel or a dash of faux-fur in the form of gloves, a scarf or ear muffs.
The idea is to wear something a little different than normal, even if the only person who notices is you! If it adds a bit of sunshine to your day, that’s all that matters!
(For Wednesday, we have Whitney Eve, Michael Kors, J. Mendel and Anna Sui. Head here to the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week official site for more inspiration and designer bios and here for New York magazine’s complete schedule of designers.)
//Spice//
Throw Your Own Post-Fashion Week Bash
The last day of Fashion Week is Thursday, so why not throw a runway party of your own? First roll out a “runway” by using a long rug or material from a thrift shop or craft store. Then put together a funky, upbeat soundtrack. Tell your friends to each bring an outfit or two to show off (the crazier and more offbeat, the better!) Prepare chairs on either side of the “runway,” set out some hors d’oeuvres and don’t forget to practice your catwalk!
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My sister, a frequent shopper of Urban Outfitters, loves this shade, along with its cousin, an olive color that leans more towards brown than green. She always looks cool in a grungy, hipster, not-trying-too-hard way. This is because she wears one piece at a time, like a bag or a beanie. I fear if you wear this shade head to toe, you might end up looking like a bag lady.
These earthy tones are more than just trendy, they’re reminiscent of the 70s, when such colors were splashed on bell-bottoms, fringed vests and whole living room sofa sets. Not that I’m suggesting you get a mustard couch; depending on the color scheme of your living space, it might be an eye sore.
Take a tip from my sister and incorporate this edgy color into your wardrobe, even if it’s with a small accessory, like the faux-leather trim satchel by Ecote from Urban Outfitters or the vintage-style Fred Flare sunglasses, $14! I adore the Flouzen Api bow-tie blouse from ASOS and the Chelsea Crew canvas wedges from ModCloth. Donning this color is a fashion “risk” with street cred written all over it!
(P.S. The links on Polyvore say that the two blouses pictured, one from ASOS and the other is Alexa Chung for Madewell, are sold out, but they’re not! In fact they’re on sale, so grab ‘em quick before they’re gone!)
If the name Jason Wu doesn’t ring a bell, think of Michelle Obama’s flowing white inaugural dress; yep that was Wu! (Natalie Portman, Diane Kruger and Blake Lively are also fans.) Needless to say the Taiwanese designer has made a name for himself with his timeless, feminine, youthful but sophisticated collections. This line, created especially for Target, features lots of hard-to-resist dresses and straw bags, plus a scarf and bag printed with the image of a fabulous black cat. (Wu says one of his inspirations was the idea of an American girl living in Paris. Mais, oui! I’ve got my eye on the cat-print scarf and tote!)
The last time Target featured a limited-edition big-name designer, it was Italian brand Missoni. The day the collection premiered, the Target Web site crashed and people camped outside the stores for hours before the opening in a Black Friday-worthy scene.
I myself don’t have any death wishes, so I will not be fighting for the best designs with fellow fashionistas when stores open at 8 a.m. (Ehem, I also have work at 8:00, so I miss the opening anyway!)
You can be sure that when I get out of work at 5:00 p.m., before heading to a Super Bowl party, I will rush to Target to scope out what’s left behind. Last year I didn’t get to the store until several days after the Missoni line premiered. I came across the last pair of shoes, magically in my size! I slipped on the supercool round-toe pumps in black suede with the famous zig-zag pattern across the toe and all I could think was: Score!!
Good luck to the Giants (and Patriots) tomorrow and to all of you scrambling for Jason Wu at Target!
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In honor of hipster cool logo TOMS coming out with a line of ballet flats, I’ve rounded up a rainbow supply of eye-catching styles. There are few shoes as timeless, sophisticated and versatile as the ballet flat.
One of the best-known names for classic ballet flats is London Sole. (Vogue has named London Sole shoe designer Jane Winkworth the “Queen of Ballet Flats.”) Check out the sparkly gray pair on the bottom left. The adorable bee applique orange flats are from Anthropologie. The canvas flats with the rhinestone star splayed across the toe are gorgeous, from Nine West!
Whatever your price range, there is a juicy pre-spring pair of flats here for you, from stores like Target, Madewell and H&M!
Now all you need is some shoe inserts for extra support and a hop (or shall I say a twirl!) in your step as you hit the pavement in the finest of ballet flats.
