Sustainable Styles on Reve en Vert - Shop My 5 Faves!

Last spring, I had the pleasure of meeting the ladies behind the socially conscious online marketplace, reve en vert.  Aimed at being a "sustainable version of Net-a-Porter" the site offers a range of uber chic everything from housewares to ready-to-wear, all with an ethical ethos.

After spotlighting their mission for an Earth Day post in April, Cora and Tash asked me to select my seasonal faves for a feature on their site.

[CLICK HERE] To shop my fall picks from reve-en-vert!

NYFW: Where I Went & What I Wore Part 1 via Guest of a Guest

"Uptown, downtown, and running all around town. Our Fashion Correspondent, Natalie Decleve (aka @natty_style) brought us the best of what’s happening at New York Fashion Week. Of course, she had to look her best while she was at it, while staying comfortable enough to make her rounds. Click through to see Part 1 of where she went and what she wore to NYFW!"

[CLICK HERE] To view full PART 1 via Guest of a Guest

[CLICK HERE] To view PART 2 via Guest of a Guest

Interview w/ Daniel Silverstain on His First Presentation at NYFW

Daniel Silverstain has been making waves in the fashion community ever since he arrived on the scene in 2011. Early on, Daniel was selected by Vogue Italy as one of Muuse’s Top 10 Most Promising Designers, and in 2013 was a finalist in ELLE’s Fashion Next Fashion Show. Daniel was very recently accepted as a member of the CFDA+ and recognized for his outstanding achievement in Womenswear Design. With design experience under his belt from working at Calvin Klein Collection, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Ellie Tahari, the young Israeli designer is finally showing his own collection at NYFW for the first time. I caught up with the newbie to find out who inspires him to create, and how he’s learning to let go.

[CLICK HERE] To read full interview via Guest of a Guest

NYFW: Interview w/ Designer Kaelen Haworth on the Importance of Staying Local & Having Fun! via Guest of a Guest

Canadian cool girl Kaelen Haworth has the sort of self-possessed ease of manner typical of someone twice her age, with a sense of style that’s as authentically hip as they come. So it’s no surprise that her eponymous womenswear line, KAELEN reflects the same statement-making, yet effortless presence of the designer herself. Kaelen’s aesthetic tends toward minimalist designs with stand out elements like bold volume and luxurious textures – each more covetable than the last.

This season, we took a moment with Kaelen during her spring show at the High Line Hotel to find out more about what drives this young designer’s dedication, how she pulls it all off and still manages to have fun during NYFW!

Click below for more photos and link to full interview via Guest of a Guest

[CLICK HERE] To read full interview via Guest of a Guest

Top 10 NYFW VIP Lounges via Guest of a Guest

New York Fashion Week is upon us and editors, stylists, bloggers, and hundreds of other industry insiders from around the globe are gearing up for the week-long fashion monsoon. With packed schedules full of runway shows, presentations, and of course parties, it’s easy to burn out. Suddenly it seems like your phone dies every hour thanks to constant use and posing for photos in NYC’s humidity has rendered your face a sweaty mess. Thankfully, many magazines, as well as fashion and beauty brands, sponsor VIP lounges that pop up during NYFW. These oases offer exhausted show attendees the opportunity to recharge. From outlets for tech accessories to beauty treatments and bubbly – Fashion Week lounges are truly a fashionista’s saving grace during NYFW!

Check out my round up of the top 10 lounges to look out for this season!

[CLICK HERE] To view full post via Guest of a Guest

A Decadent Chocolate Feast in A Mod Mini Dress

Although many love to believe that women in fashion don’t eat; for the most part that couldn’t be farther from the truth.  (Seriously, you should see how fast the catering disappears backstage before a runway show.)  Plus, let’s be honest – we ladies love our chocolate.  So it makes perfect sense that Belgian chocolate and ice cream brand, Magnum has a close knit relationship with the fashion industry – starting with Karl Lagerfeld as it’s spokesperson back in 2011.  It also makes perfect sense that at 5pm on a Wednesday night, the brand had no trouble filling seats for a dinner party hosted by James Beard award winning chef, Andrew Carmellini in the private dining and wine cellar of his gorgeous NoHo restaurant, Lafayette.  The occasion?  A celebration of Magnum’s latest collaboration between Carmellini and fashion designer, Christian Siriano to create “The World’s Most Fashionable Dessert.”

Although I’d received notice of the event via email weeks before, one week before the party, I received by messenger a giant bar of chocolate engraved with the details of the party.  “Now THAT’S an invitation”, I thought to myself as I broke off a corner and popped it into my mouth.  Being a full-fledged foodie, as well as half Belgian – I really can’t say no to a lavish meal punctuated with chocolate.  Even better when the meal itself is locally sourced and mostly organic… Lucky for me, chef Carmellini knew his crowd for this fashion-meets-food event and whipped up a meal filled with just such guilt-free ingredients.  Organic carrot soup, wild black bass from Long Island, and fava beans from an organic upstate farm called “Buried Treasures” were just a few of the delights that warmed us up for the main event: The Dessert. Double caramel with champagne mango and pineapple, coconut cream and basil: the chocolate “lace” trimmed bar is as much a mouthful to say as it was to eat… At one point I remember chef Carmellini gesturing to the plate while explaining something about the importance of champagne mangoes, but to be honest I could barely hear him through the symphony of my senses as I focused on the decadent flavors in front of me.  It’s a good thing (and definitely no accident) that the meal leading up to dessert had been fairly light, because from my left to my right and all around my table, not a single scrap of the bar remained on anyone’s plate.  In fact, one eager guest even snatched up the display dessert that Carmellini had used to explain the dessert to the crowd.  Seconds anyone?  Yes please.

CLICK BELOW for more photos & wardrobe credits

[WARDROBE CREDITS]

Lime green mini dress with pearl detail: DARLING

White leather & pearl purse: CHANEL from BELLA BAG

Black patent leather heels: ALAIA

White, blown glass ring: TRE

Cateye sunglasses: KAREN WALKER

xx

Natty

My Daily Summer Essentials - via Today.com

"NYC-based stylist and The Hippie in Heels blogger Natalie Decleve is famous for her impeccable gypset style and natural approach to beauty. Natty took a minute out of her summer travels to share with us the well-edited products she's never without."

[CLICK HERE] To read full post & see 2 other blogger's beauty favorites on Today.com

Packing Like a Pro for Darling Magazine

Tis the season…to travel!  With Memorial Day just behind the bend, and summer Fridays creating long weekends for many – getting out of town is a must.  But nothing weighs down a vacation like excess luggage.  At the same time, the fear of spending time without our entire repertoire of clothes to choose from makes it easy to overpack.  But more isn't always more, and having a bunch of clothes that don't necessarily fit your needs is as useless as having nothing at all.  The key to smart packing, is to edit your options to only the most versatile and necessary items.

Part of being able to relax on a holiday is not worrying about anything - including your wardrobe.  While that may seem difficult for some, it can be easy to achieve with a little planning.  To get prepared for your next trip, check out these tips for a perfectly packed bag!

[CLICK HERE] For essential packing tips via Darling Magazine online.

Swimwear for Every Body via DARLING Magazine

Unlike winter's cloaking costumes, bathing suits reveal bodies for what they are: natural, complex, ours. This kind of exposure can be intimidating as we bare what is otherwise mostly hidden behind bedroom walls. Prancing around in next to nothing, we open ourselves up to scrutiny -- that of others, maybe -- but mostly, of our own. We tend to be our own harshest critic, agonizing over the differences between our body and say, a supermodel's.

Women come in all shapes and sizes, though the media often tends toward a narrow-minded viewpoint on what is beautiful and aspirational.  We are constantly being promised “ultimate diet secrets” and ways to “get the perfect body” by magazines and TV shows, yet through that we are also being programmed to feel ashamed of our imperfections; leading to a disappointing self-image and insecurity. Yet, rather than focusing on the so called flaws in our figure, the true path to contentment is found by embracing our bodies in full, the way one embraces a friend or a loved one.

As we bask in longer days and balmy temperatures, so too should a healthy body should be celebrated. Having a swimsuit that suits your figure will help give you the confidence to enjoy the warmer months in style. And nothing is more beautiful than confidence.

So drop your doubts along with your towel, and dive in with one of these bathing beauties!

[CLICK HERE] To view full post via Darling Magazine, or below for just the basics.

SMALLER ON TOP Balance a smaller top with a larger bottom by wearing ruffles, prints and light colors on top. Solid bottoms draw less attention, and a high waist with structure can flatter curves.

• Halter One-Piece with Ruffle
• Boho Print Swing Top
• Printed Bandeau with Solid Bottom
• Tie Dye Bralette with Ruffle
• Black Triangle Top with High Waist Bottoms
• Striped One Piece with Solid Bottom

SMALLER ON BOTTOM Embellishments on hips add volume and help to balance a fuller bust. Prints and ruffles also draw the eye, while halter necks are perfect for broad shoulders.

• Printed Halter One Piece
• Black Top, Printed Bottom One Piece
• Printed Bikini with Wide Bottom
• Bandeau with Embelished Hip Bottom
• Cobalt Halter Top with Side Tie Bottom
• Solid Bandeau with Ruffle Print Bottom

BOYISH FIGURE Create shape using angled stripes, peplums and plunging v-necks. A slightly padded top with a print is ideal for adding curves, or embrace a slim frame with a delicate string bikini.

• Tankini with Peplum
• Black Ruffle Strapless One Piece
• Striped Sporty Bikini
• Printed String Bikini
• Ruffled Crop Top
• Flamingo Printed Balconette with String Bottom

HOURGLASS FIGURE Support a full bust with a balconette, or structured top.  A sporty tankini smooths out extreme curves, while criss-crossed styles celebrate shape.  Accentuate a narrow waist with side paneling and ruching.

• Ruched Balconette Halter
• Black & White Paneled One Piece
• Orange Pom Pom String Bikini w/Padding
• White Criss-Cross Bikini
• Sporty Tankini with Neon
• Black & White V Neck One Piece

FULL FIGURE Vertical stripes or paneling streamline the figure, and thick straps provide support. Create smooth lines and avoid uncomfortable pinching with a halter neck and low back on top, and a boy short or soft-waisted bottom.

• Black Halter with Boy Leg
• Vertical Stripe Halter
• Black & White Mixed Print Bikini
• Plunging Pink Twist Front One Piece
• White Mesh Panel Strapless
• Underwire Halter Top & Fold Over Bottom

[PHOTO CRED] Shop Sweet Things

Shop My Closet with Bib & Tuck!

[CLICK HERE] To read my full interview for Bib & Tuck, and SHOP MY CLOSET!  

Where I Went & What I Wore: Guggenheim Young Collector's Party

If the Guggenheim Young Collector’s Party had a theme, it would be simplicity and decadence combined. The stark white, multi level museum provided a sexy back drop for the gaggle of young, wealthy and beautiful guests in attendance. Party-goers were treated to an unlimited Pointy Snout caviar bar, where servers dolled out porcelain spoons and oyster shells filled with black pearls one after the other. DJ Chelsea Leyland spun from the center of the room, dressed in a red peplum dress and braid crown. So what does one wear to an evening of grandeur on a windy 12-degree night? My answer: a sequined white sheath dress, layered over a thin cashmere tank and Uniqlo Heattech tights. Yes, the secret to dressing up in the dead of winter; is hiding layers of warmth wherever you can! So while my sparkling sleeveless dress appeared cool, especially when paired with a dark plum lip and copious amounts of arm candy – I was anything but cold. Click through to see what I wore, and tips on winter cocktail attire.

Our Fashion Correspondent, Natalie Decleve is always out and about at the best events in NYC. Follow her posts here to see where she went and what she wore, and learn helpful tips to dressing for a fashionable life.

[CLICK HERE] To view full post via Guest of a Guest

NYFW: Winter Style Survival Tips from 9 Industry Insiders via Guest of a Guest

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[CLICK HERE] To view my full post via Guest of a Guest

Full Post Here: http://guestofaguest.com/washington-dc/fashion/winter-style-survival-tips-from-9-industry-insiders

For industry insiders, Fashion week is always a test of stamina. Grueling schedules tackled in photo worthy but often uncomfortable outfits is fun, but it's also hard work. Add a polar vortex and buckets of snow to the mix and well...things can get messy. I surveyed some of the regulars on the NYFW scene to learn how the diehards keep calm, warm and stylish during February fashion week. From the best underpinnings and practical footwear to what REALLY gets stashed in those big, beautiful bags - these helpful tips will get you out of your everyday puff coat and stylishly through the last of winter.

NYFW: Day 6 Street Style from the Tents via Guest of a Guest

Personal style was the main attraction inside the crisp, white space at Milk Studios. Frigid temperatures forced show-goers to keep cozy in their hats and coats. Luckily, said coats were anything but boring. From chic capes to vibrant colors and textures, the outerwear here was as fashionable as functional. But the real star of the day? Miss Fuego: a blonde haired, blue skinned, transgender... Puppet. Yes, the West Hollywood based, Puerto Rican character is a part of Milk Studio's Fashion Week program - and we got a chance to meet her (and her man of the moment) in the flesh... er, fur.

[CLICK HERE] To view full post on Guest of a Guest