Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Style Sophisticate's Reader Giveaway: Win A Scrunchy Cashmere Scarf!



Congratulations to the FOUR wonderful bloggers who scored the PH8 jacket! Please check out the winners' blogs at Breakfast at Saks, Thumbelina Fashionista, Alpha Beta Chic, and Glitteryeyesxx. Thank you so much to all my readers who entered! If only I had a jacket to give to each one of you!

Today I have an amazing giveaway courtesy of Nepali by TDM Designs. If you haven't heard of the brand, sold at Shopbop.com, Saks, Bloomingdale's and more, you will! Designers Michelle Baldwin and Michelle Taylor-Spearman work with over 125 female artisans in Nepal to create beautiful, luxurious scarves. The line offers Nepalese women an opportunity to earn an income and contribute financially to their society; profits also support Nepalese women and children with health care and education.

Now Nepali by TDM Design has kindly offered one of their bestselling scarves for one Style Sophisticate reader! Made of 100% cashmere and available in an assortment of colors, the Scrunchy Cashmere Scarf is one of my favorites on their site. I'm definitely partial to the golden poppy color (pictured above)!

To enter to WIN, all you need to do is...

1) Follow my blog & add my site to your blog roll (http://www.stylesophisticate.net).
2) Leave me a comment on this post & make sure there's a way for me to contact you if you're the winner!
3) Get an extra entry for posting about the contest on your blog!

The winner will be chosen randomly and the deadline for the contest is 12/27/09! This contest is only open to readers in the US and Canada (apologies to my sweet international bloggers)! Good luck, everyone!

Monday, December 7, 2009

Comic books

I'm posting about this a little late but the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader newspapers were kind enough to interview me for my participation in America's Most Stylish Blogger. They sent a photographer, Scott Smeltzer, over to my place for a mini shoot and below are some behind the scenes shots. I don't have my hands on any of his pictures yet but he was so much fun to work with, as was Zain Shauk who interviewed me and wrote up the article. Thank you so much to both Zain and Scott for everything! Check out the Q & A here.











(PH8 funnel neck dress worn as jacket, BDG silk shirt, Pleasure Doing Business skirt, Forever 21 red tights, Kenneth Cole boots, J. Crew necklace)

Last Friday, my good friend Henry Bow (whom I call Bow Bow, much to his dismay) invited me to meet Mike Mignola, a renowned comic book artist and author. Henry's a wonderful photographer and took some quick shots of me while we browsed the cool comic book store The Secret Headquarters in Silver Lake. Thank you, Bow Bow!









(Banana Republic trench, Goodie Two Sleeves tee, American Apparel mini, Nine West boots)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and is enjoying the holiday season! Since it's been rainy and cold in Los Angeles the past few days, I've been taking full advantage and wearing my thick coats, scarves and boots!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Clothespin by Gale Parker

















I'm a little late in posting this, but a couple weeks ago, I was lucky enough to attend the opening of Gale Parker's new store Clothespin on Melrose Avenue. Gale Parker is known for serving as a model and muse to greats like Valentino and Yves Saint Laurent (a portrait of a young Gale by Andy Warhol is displayed in the store), as well as being a former fashion editor at Vogue. Clothespin is her first boutique and offers one of a kind, printed dresses, blouses and skirts. Her stuff is amazing... all flowy, easy, carefree pieces made with vintage fabric and buttons. Possibly the greatest thing of all is that Gale and her team offer custom-made dresses (you can choose from hundreds of unique fabrics) and are even willing to design a new piece from a customer's old fabric or dress.

I was also so fortunate to meet Patricia Ziegler (pictured above), one of the founders of Banana Republic, at the party. I told her how I used to work at the store as a college student! Patricia was incredibly fascinating, compassionate and down to earth, and shared some of words of wisdom with me.

If you're in the Los Angeles area, please go visit Clothespin! It's worth the trip just to enjoy the inviting, whimsical ambiance of the store, decorated with tokens from Gale's past, shabby chic furniture, flowers and old-fashioned suitcases.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Reminder: One week left to enter the PH8 giveaway!

There's one more week left to enter the PH8 giveaway! Thank you so much to those who've already entered. Remember: there are FOUR winners so more chances of winning!

Click here to enter!

Quick rundown of the rules:
1) Make sure to follow my blog!
2) Leave me a comment telling me your first name and making sure there's a way for me to contact you if you're one of the FOUR winners!
3) Brownie points for voting for me in the America's Most Stylish Blogger contest! You can vote once a day!

Contest ends on 12/2/09 and is open to my readers in the US and Canada!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

America's Most Stylish Blogger Week #5: Tie-dye leggings













For our last challenge item, Bluefly.com sent each blogger charcoal tie-dye stretch leggings by Plan B. I don’t own anything like them in my closet, so the leggings were both a pleasant surprise and a bit of a challenge! With their tapered leg and contemporary fit, they turned out to be comfortable and fun to wear.

To allow the tie-dye leggings to take center stage, I made sure the other elements in my outfit were basic black. I layered a cropped leather jacket over a plain silk tee, then tucked it into a drapey wrap skirt. I picked out a few strong accessories to complete the look, including a pair of studded boots, a studded belt and a silver statement necklace. Against the solid black pieces, the unique pattern of the leggings is an unexpectedly chic twist!

I think the final look is young and experimental, giving off a N.Y. meets L.A. vibe. While the silver studs and tie-dye are fun, trendy details, the outfit is still sleek and polished. This is something I’d change into after work on Friday, an outfit for a spontaneous evening when you don’t have any plans except to have a fun time.

Please don’t forget to visit StyleList.com and Bluefly.com to vote for this outfit on America’s Most Stylish Blogger! I can't believe this is already the last challenge. I owe Bluefly and StyleList a huge thank you for allowing me to a part of this competition, and I'm so grateful to my readers and supporters who continue to vote for me and leave so many sweet messages!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Congratulations & NEW PH8 Reader Giveaway (FOUR winners)!


(Photo Credit: PH8)

First of all, congratulations to the beautiful Andy of Style Scrapbook for winning the Wildfox Couture tee contest! I'm such a fan of her blog and her amazing style, so it's an honor to announce her as the winner of my first giveaway! I wish I had enough tees to give to EVERYONE who entered--you all deserve it, without a doubt--but to make up for that, here's a brand new contest with FOUR winners!

I'm happy to announce Style Sophisticate's second reader giveaway with Bebe's new concept store PH8, which I blogged about earlier! To celebrate the launch of the store, PH8 and Style Sophisticate are giving away FOUR Taffeta Shawl Collar Jackets (pictured on model above) which retail for $89 each! I'm having a little love affair with PH8 at the moment; the idea of sporty-yet-sophisticated pieces is hugely appealing to me! Below are the contest rules:

To enter to WIN, all you need to do is...

1) Follow my blog!
2) Leave me a comment telling me your first name! Make sure there's a way for me to contact you if you're one of the winners!
3) Brownie points for voting for me in the America's Most Stylish Blogger contest! :) You can vote once a day!

The winner will be chosen randomly and the deadline for the contest is 12/2/09! This contest is only open to my readers in the US and Canada (so sorry to all my lovely international bloggers, but next time, I promise)! Good luck, everyone! Remember, there are FOUR winners! Thank you so much again for visiting my site, leaving me comments and just making fashion so fun for me! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

America's Most Stylish Blogger Week #4: The plaid shirt







Although plaid shirts are enjoying a wave of popularity right now, I rarely wear them, mainly because I’ve yet to find one that I absolutely love. That was before Bluefly.com shipped each of us this Priorities plaid shirt in my favorite color—red! This was no ordinary plaid shirt. In soft, almost flannel-like cotton, the shirt features girly ruffle details and a very distinct pattern. It was plaid love at first sight!

Immediately, the shirt evoked to me images of the English countryside (the truth is I’ve only ever visited London, but hey, that’s what imaginations are for!). I wanted to do a modern take on that look, so I buttoned up a brown tweed vest over the shirt and pulled on a pair of dark jeans, then added a belt and boots to tie it all together. The outfit is a classic, comfortable look, but still very fresh and contemporary. I can easily see myself wearing this indoors, curled up by the fireplace on a cold day, or out on a Saturday afternoon Christmas shopping with the girls. And maybe—just maybe!—one day I’ll really have a chance to wear it in the English countryside!

Please visit StyleList.com and Bluefly.com where you can find out more and watch this week's guest judge weigh in on our outfits! And to my all old and new readers, thank you so much for supporting me in America’s Most Stylish Blogger and for all the kind comments! I will make sure to respond to each and every single one!

Friday, November 13, 2009

"It must be PH8!"









(Photos courtesy of PH8)

On Saturday, November 14, I'm attending the grand opening of PH8 (pronounced 'fate') at one of their Los Angeles stores. They're hosting in-store events all over the country in cities including San Francisco, New York City, Dallas and more, so check out their website to see if there's one near you. PH8 is Bebe's newly launched retail concept replacing BEBESPORT stores throughout the US and Canada. After looking over their selection of clothes, I'm impressed. The collection is composed of effortlessly sexy, streamlined pieces that easily take you from the gym to a lunch date to a night out--modern sportswear designed for stylish women on the go. I can't wait to attend the grand opening tomorrow and will be sure to post pictures!

I also have an exciting PH8 giveaway coming up, so keep an eye out for that. In the meantime, please don't forget to enter the Wildfox Couture giveaway with Shop Moderne which ends THIS Sunday. Love you all and hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

America's Most Stylish Blogger Week #3: The mini skirt









(All photographs by the amazingly talented John Erick Pabalan)

No color really speaks to me more than a lovely shade of pink. There's something so fun and deliciously girly about it, so I was delighted to find that Bluefly.com had sent over a Necessary Objects mini pencil skirt in just that color!

I scoured my closet for pieces that would balance out the va-va-voom vibe of the fitted, slip-on skirt. To put a modern twist on a classic look, I first chose a feminine cream blouse with a few cascading ruffles, then a short-sleeve collarless jacket with large gold buttons. Accessories, like black pointelle tights, simple lace-up oxford heels and an embellished cuff, completed the outfit.

I wanted to portray a look that was polished enough for work at a hip, young office, yet still downtown chic for grabbing after hours drinks with a friend. As any urban professional will tell you, comfortable pieces that can make a seamless transition from day to night are treasured finds! This Necessary Objects mini skirt, made of a soft stretchy poly knit, is definitely one of them and should be a staple in any working girl’s wardrobe.

Please visit StyleList.com and Bluefly.com to vote for this outfit on America’s Most Stylish Blogger! To all my wonderful readers and friends who have shown me so much support, I can't thank you enough and love every single one of you!

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Reminder: One week left to enter the Wildfox Couture giveaway!

Just a quick reminder that there's one more week to enter the Wildfox Couture giveaway with Shop Moderne! Thank you so much to those who've already entered!

Click here to enter!

Quick rundown of the rules!
1) Follow my blog!
2) Leave me a comment telling me your first name and your sign.
3) Brownie points for letting me know if you're anything like your sign!
4) Finally, I'd love your continued support in the America's Most Stylish Blogger contest, so please keep voting for me! :) You can vote once a day!

Contest ends on 11/15/09 and is open to international readers as well!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

America's Most Stylish Blogger Week #2: Studded ankle boots















When I tore open the box from Bluefly.com and uncovered a gorgeous pair of suede studded ankle boots as our second challenge item, I was breathless with excitement! After all, it’s not every day you receive gorgeous Prada boots in the mail! The shoes’ ash gray color, rounded toe and serious sparkle factor were just screaming for a good party outfit, and I wasn’t about to deny them some fun.

I threw on a slinky, one shoulder mini dress in rich eggplant purple, one of my favorite fall colors, then added a gray faux fur vest to complement the boots. Several chunky pieces of jewelry—a huge gator ring, spike bracelet, rhinestone earrings and necklace—offered just the right amount of dazzle to my I-just-partied-with-the-band look. I love the idea of combining studs, fur and rhinestones—a fusion of edgy yet luxe details, very appropriate for fall 2009!

Each piece in the outfit is sophisticated and mature, yet still manages to retain a fun, youthful edge, perfect for that on-the-go girl in her twenties living it up in the big city! The studded boots take her from the office to the concert to the afterparty and then…to wherever else the night will take her!

If you like my take on the boots, please make sure to visit StyleList.com and Bluefly.com to vote for this outfit on America’s Most Stylish Blogger! Remember: you can vote once a day and each time you do, you'll be entered to win a $1,000 shopping spree from Bluefly! A big thank you and hugs to all my readers for their kind words and support!

Friday, October 30, 2009

Style Sophisticate's First Reader Giveaway: Win a Wildfox Couture tee!



Hey everyone! To thank all my readers, both old and new, for their support of me in the America's Most Stylish Blogger contest, I'm thrilled to announce my first reader giveaway courtesy of Shop Moderne! The site offers the best online price guarantee to ensure you're getting a great deal and carries brands ranging from Degaine to Yumi Kim. You can follow them via Twitter: @lovemoderne!

Shop Moderne and Style Sophisticate are giving away ONE Wildfox Couture's "Nobody's Perfect" astrology tee which retails for $64! The unisex, one-size-fits-all shirt is made of soft, 100% cotton jersey and features an astrological sign along with a word or cheeky phrase describing its darker side. I'm a Virgo and mine says "Perfectionist," which is most definitely me!

To enter to WIN, all you need to do is...

1) Follow my blog!
2) Leave me a comment telling me your first name and your sign. If you win, we'll send you the tee with your specified sign on it!
3) I'd love to find out more about my readers, so brownie points for letting me know if you're anything like your sign!
4) Finally, I'd love your continued support in the America's Most Stylish Blogger contest, so please keep voting for me! :) You can vote once a day!

The winner will be chosen randomly and the deadline for the contest is 11/15/09! I'm also happy to add that this is open to my international readers as well! Good luck, everyone! Thank you so much again for visiting my site, leaving comments, voting for me in the contest and simply allowing me to be a part of our fab online fashion community!

Happy Halloween!



Hope everyone enjoys a fun and safe Halloween tomorrow! Halloween is definitely one of my favorite days of the year, especially since I'm lucky enough to work at an office where we all get into the spirit and dress up! We definitely receive some strange stares in the elevator, though!

I also wanted to give a BIG, heartfelt thank you to all my family, friends and fellow bloggers who voted for me this first week in the America's Most Stylish Blogger contest! Your support means so much to me, and I'm so grateful to have such amazing people in my life! I also have a cool blog contest coming up for all my wonderful readers, so make sure to check it out!

Happy Halloween!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

America's Most Stylish Blogger Week #1: The boyfriend vest

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Usually a boyfriend shirt or blazer or, in this case, vest translates into a laidback “I-just-grabbed-this-on-my-way-out-of-the-bf’s-apartment” vibe, but when I lifted the Priorities navy boyfriend vest out of the Bluefly.com box, I knew I wanted to dress it up. Los Angeles’s slightly cool fall weather called for a mustard yellow tweed skirt, ankle lace-up boots and just one extra delicious, over the top detail—a cascade of silk organza ivory ruffles.

The menswear-inspired Priorities vest is an incredibly versatile layering piece. Made of stretch gabardine, its lightweight enough for the warmer months, but perfect right now for pairing with fall-friendly fabrics. I added vintage pins on the lapel for a bit of sparkle, then tossed on a skinny belt for ladylike flair. The finishing touch? A pair of geek chic frames! An avid reader since the age of four, I used to wear thick glasses everywhere (very likely a result of reading under the covers way past my bedtime), but I’ve avoided them since the introduction of contact lenses. However, I wanted to embrace my inner bookworm with this look. Because hey, even four-eyed brainiacs can be geniuses in style, too!

Visit StyleList.com and Bluefly.com to vote for this bookworm as America’s Most Stylish Blogger!

And as a bonus for my dear blog readers, I had so much fun playing with this vest that I tossed it together with a few other outfits. I just couldn't help myself! Take a peek and tell me which one you liked best!

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket