Give me one reason

Life has been crazy busy recently, and has left me dreaming of far off destinations, which ultimately inspired this look. This photograph was taken on a chilly afternoon down by the historic train station in old down town. :)

Darling, No regrets

"Darling, no regrets
I'm so glad we met
And even though we made a mess,
I'm glad that we said yes.
Darling, no regrets.
You know I love you still.
And I always will
And love is not a test.
I know we did our best.
Darling, no regrets
Oh darling, no regrets
Oh darling, no regrets
Darling, no regrets.
Here's to your success
May all you do be blessed.
I wish you every happiness.
Darling, no regrets
Oh darling, no regrets
Oh darling, no regrets." Forest Sun

The Art Of Dressing

As an independent fashion stylist I am not unacquainted with people watching and trend spotting. One of my favorite activities is to watch what seasonal article of clothing becomes the fashion blogger or street stylist favorite. That one piece that rapidly transforms into a season MUST-HAVE. That one item that generates more and more intrigue with each and every wear. Without fail, there is always a seasonal piece that catches the attention of the most stylish groups of people. It could be as complex as a gothic trench coat or as simple as a piece of jewelry. In the end it's not the item that matters, but the personality that the wearer brings to this item. When people of diverse backgrounds and style preferences use one similar piece of clothing and turn it into something their own, that, to me, is The Art Of Dressing!

As this summer turns to fall, one of the most notable trends I have found is that this particular Jumper has caught the eye of many a chic person. I have also noticed that this special jumper can be found at so many different online locations: Sheinside.com (as listed), Romwe.com, jovonnalondon.com vjstyle.com, WildFox couture.com and plenty more! 

The first blogger I ever observed wearing this lovely jumper was Elle Ribera.
After that post of Elle's, I started seeing this floral jumper pop-up all over in so many diverse and creative ways! These are some of my personal favorite stylings by many fashionable ladies from Lookbook.nu! 

#1
You Can Be The Boss: By Heather C.

I love the sheer effortlessness of this outfit. It is cleanly simplistic in a modern minimalist sort of way. All of the colors that Heather used in this here are creamy whites, denim tones, or rich red floral tones. Even without the addition of the fantastic leather back-pack, this outfit speaks for itself. Also, it is definitely no mistake on Heather's part pairing these shades of creams and red with her lovely ruby locks. Cool shades of white and blue are in perfect contrast with her warm skin-tone and rich hair. All in all, this look is classically cool.

#2 
There's a word for people like us: By Olivial Harrison.

Here we have another lovely red head playing with the same color schemes and floral jumper, but with a completely different vibe! Olivia has consciously played up the shredding detail on the jumper more than the fact that it is a floral. Taking this holey sweater to the next level, she pulls in strong leather and hardware details. The particular way that the leather leggings and choker are placed gives the soft sweater an almost confined place in this outfit. However, between the rough-and-tough leather detailing this sweater definitely is far from downplayed. Due to the combination of the flower-filled sweater, the lush greenery in the background, and the cascading red hair, there is still a girlishness displayed in this outfit.

#3
Rosy:By Analisa Nguyen

Fully fledged feminine. Analisa has taken a completely different approach to this look than the first two ladies. Here she has most definitely taken what might be a fall sweater and turned it into a beach or park appropriate outfit! I love the subtle pattern play that Analisa uses. You might note the dotted headband, distressed sweater and denim, and sleek gold hardware details. Why do these work here so seamlessly without being over styled? First of all, the simple addition of the knot in the shirt and the sunglasses adds a round feel that pairs perfectly with the dotted headband. As for the distressing, I think that is clear. The pants mirror the sweater, or the other way around. :P  Finally, the metal hardware works as a perfect finishing touch because it is brought into the outfit in small doses at every open location: the bag, the bracelets, the rings, the shoe buckles, etc. One last thing I really love about this look is the way Analisa used her sunglasses not only to pair with the polka-dot headband, but also to bring a the elongating effect of a V-neck to this typically crew-necked sweater.

#4 
- the comeback: by Johanne D.

Now we come to our closing look by the ever stunning Johanne D. I love this outfit for the way that it contrasts sides of fashion: comfort with chic and cozy with cool. The upper half of this outfit leans toward the warmer side of things with a sweater and comfy mixed material jacket, and the lower half is summery and free spirited. I love that she chose a jacket in the same shade of muted green as the leafy details on the floral jumper. The slight element of surprise that Johanne has pulled off here adds an element of intrigue that makes this outfit work together as a whole. If you only looked at the photograph on the right, you'd suppose she had on flats of some sort, or maybe you wouldn't consider shoes at all. But, once you look at the photo on the left you realize the chic addition of the Jeffrey Campbell style ankle boots. All together this look is clean, chic, and styled to a T. 



Well, that is all folks!
~MaryAlice

Home Decor

My mom has been needing a new accent table for the living room that we are redecorating, so she and I headed down to the local antique mall. I instantly fell in love with a 60's modern triangular glass and wood table. My mom was skeptical about that particular piece working in our living room, but I was convinced. After a good bit of bargaining with the owner of the table I got the price down to $60, so my mom bought it. I scouted around for a great center piece for the glass table, and I stumbled upon a great decorative 60's ash tray to add to the mix. When we got home and arranged it, Mom and Dad both fell in love with the two items.
What do you think? Was $60 a GREAT deal for this masterpiece?

 Perfect couple.

~MaryAlice

Pinboard inspiration

As I have been working on projects for my intern ship with TheShopLIFT.com 
I have been using Pinterest.com for lots of inspiration, These are just a few of my very favorite and most inspiring pins.

                     

                            

                   

                            

                     

                                                                                     

                 

  

Source: fieldoffoxes.tumblr.com via MaryAlice on Pinterest

Someone to watch over me

 I wore this outfit to a GORGEOUS wedding for a close friend! I had planned what I was going to title it for LB. nu as lyrics from an old favorite song, and to my surprise the song was played at the wedding. That just made it more clear that the title was just right!
 I ordered this dress quite some time ago, and it is so much more stunning than it appears in photos. Really just an all around perfect tunic dress. :)  So easy and comfortable.
Photos taken by my dad in my favorite spot in old down town!

                                    

Dress: FreePeople, Shoes: JellyPOP, Jewelry: Vintage

 

 

 There's a somebody I'm longin' to see
I hope that he, turns out to be
Someone who'll watch over me

I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood
I know I could, always be good
To one who'll watch over me

He may not be the man some
Girls think of as handsome
To my heart he carries the key

Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
Follow my lead, oh, how I need
Someone to watch over me

Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
Follow my lead, oh, how I need
Someone to watch over me

Someone to watch over me
Someone to watch over me

Let's Make-up!

So, in case you don’t know me, I am a little bit obsessed with make up. I love the fun things you can do with it. To quote one of my old art teachers, “I like waking up every morning, getting ready to put on my makeup, and thinking ‘hmm, Who am I going to be today?’”

So Who will you be today?

Source: aleygreenblo.tumblr.com via MaryAlice on Pinterest

Source: bourbonandpearls.tumblr.com via MaryAlice on Pinterest

Source: gemgossip.com via MaryAlice on Pinterest

Source: google.com via MaryAlice on Pinterest

Source: allrightmrdemille.tumblr.com via MaryAlice on Pinterest

Source: misscheriedior.tumblr.com via MaryAlice on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via MaryAlice on Pinterest

Nature inspiration

I don't know about you, but I am very inspired by nature. Nature inspires my, art, my fashion, my life. I've noticed a growing trend in couture gowns. They are tending more, and more to imitate the glorious nature around us. Personally, I love this new trend, and I am excited to see what nature inspired fashion springs forth this year.

  Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.
~John Lubbock

One of my absolute favorite pieces of--what I consider art--fashion has to be this gorgeous work. I wish I knew who created this masterpiece.

Rodarte’s fall/winter 2008

Aura Tout Autumn/Winter

fish scale inspired top. Source unknown.

Lavender bud gown. Source unknown.

Alexander McQueen. Ocean inspired dress

 Everything is in some way inspired by the natural artwork around us.

( photos not taken by me unless stated otherwise)

 Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.
~~Khalil Gibran

That’s all for now. I must bid you adieu. I hope you found some inspiration within this post!
Much love,
~MaryAlice