butter LONDON Olympic Medal Metallic Nail Lacquer Trio on QVC

*Fashion & Beauty Tip: This season use texture and metallics to add interest and depth to your look!

With the London summer Olympics in full swing, it’s hard not to have metallics on your mind.

US team Skeet Shooter, Kim Rhode, did it again, and wore her latest gold metal with as much style as she wears her string of pearls. Kim is natural, and most definitely one of the USA’s golden girls; she’s been winning medals for us at the Olympic Games since her first gold medal in the 1996 games in Atlanta.

Fashion designers and beauty artists must have had the Olympics in mind when they sat down to create their latest collections.

On the Ready to Wear front, the catwalks were abundant with rich texture and fabrics were treated so that they shimmered. This extended to quite a few of the swimwear we recently saw at the Mercedes Benz Miami Swim shows. Some of the most memorable were not straight gold silver and bronze but unexpected colors such an aubergine at the Red Carter show.

What this translated to in beauty is nails through the infusion of glitter particles and metallic and holographic finishes. The butter LONDON colour line incorporates all of these elements giving you some wonderful options to accessorize your newest RTW and Resort treasures. Butter London’s rust, shimmering greens and silvers feel future-forward but not weirdly futuristic.

The easiest way to tap into the metallic trend is to start small, with nails. Here is your chance to try the look for less, but only for a very limited time.

butter LONDON Olympic Medal Metallic Nail Lacquer Trio is scheduled to launch on QVC on Tuesday, July 31 at 9 PM (ET) during “Tuesday Night Beauty”

(QVC Item #A229333, Approximately $29.75)

This commemorative set includes three metallic nail lacquers: The Full Monty, Diamond Geezer and The Old Bill

These products will be available while supplies last through QVC.com, the QVC apps or by calling 800.345.1515

TRESemme’s Tropical Waves at Agua Bendita Swim

Every year at the Mercedes Benz Miami Swim shows, there’s a notable hair and makeup story. This year, TRESemmé had the hair story and made it public at the Agua Bendita’s Cruise Collection show.

Beach hair is sexy hair and if you’re not convinced, watch the trailer for Oliver Stone’s Savages. Blake Lively never looked more beautiful. Hers is wavy, down and undone, whereas TRESemme artists, Elsa Candedo and Marco Pena kicked it up a notch for Agua Bendita by slicking down the sides and pulling the waves away from the face. It looked great with the playful swim collection shown on the runway.

TRESemme’s Hair Look for Agua Bendita, Backstage, Pre-Show

Blake Lively’s beach hair in “Savages”

Agua Bendita named their resort 2013 the “Lovely Heroes” collection as a tribute to the 700 people who worked on the line and the modern day heroes [military, cowboy and marine]. Look closely – those are ammo belts in neon pink, orange, and green on top of that snakeskin cut out one-piece suit. There were beads, appliqués, sequins and bold colors aplenty and a playful feeling to the designs. Agua Bendita also hit on the jungle-rainforest theme that we saw at every collection this Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim.

: Agua Bendita Show Invite

TRESemme at Agua Bendita – Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2013 – Show

HOW TO GET THE HAIR:

On slightly damp hair, part the hair from ear to ear and apply TRESemmé Ultra Firm Control Gel from the part to the crown. Comb through with fingers.
Blow dry sides and front of hair straight back for a sleek wet look.
Apply TRESemmé Split Remedy Sealing Serum to the ends working through the lengths of hair, but avoiding the roots.
Spray the gelled section at the top and sides of hair with TRESemmé TRES Two Ultra Fine Mist Hairspray, set the style with a hit of hot air from blow dryer. - Vivian Kelly

ERIN by Erin Fetherston Resort and Holiday 2013

Erin Fetherston burst onto the fashion scene in 2007 when she inked a deal with Target to design a designer collection for the quirky mass retailer. America fell in love with her femininely quirky designs.

At first glance, a high-low partnerships seems like a great deal for an emerging fashion designer. They get name brand recognition and a check that enables them to fund their eponymous collection; that’s the sweet end of the deal.

Now that we’ve had five years worth of these collaborations to look back on, we can reflect on the other outcomes of the deal. True, the designer is now “a name” but the customers who bought Erin Fetherston at Target were happy to do so – at Target prices. The real sales pitch comes in convincing them to buy Erin Fetherston at Contemporary Designer price-points at retails specialty stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Bracelet Sleeve Bird Print Dress

The problem young designers face is that Americans dig fast fashion and possess the attention span of a gnat. And, why wouldn’t they? You can blame technology for this one; it has made everything fast, faster, fastest, when it comes to getting new merchandise on the floor. Designers have to produce at a dizzying pace and some fall off the carousel. Some never get back on, but some, like Erin Fetherston, regroup and come back stronger than they were in that first flush of popularity.

I hadn’t seen Erin’s designs in quite a few seasons so I entered the downtown showroom with Scott French of The Fashion List, not knowing what to expect.

Empire Waist Evening Dress

Both Resort and Holiday hung on the racks. There were festive colors – popsicle pink orange and blue for daywear. For night, there was a black and nude bird print dress, a sweet melon A-line dress with a lace overlay, and my favorite, an empire waist sheath dress with metallic pussycat bow, placed in the center of the empire seam.

I was smitten with the color, the metallics and the girly enthusiasm that these clothes gave-off. It was easy to imagine a group of young girls giggling and chattering excitedly, dolled up in the flirty dresses accessorized with funky tiara-headbands and dark rimmed eyes dressed in ERIN, walking en masse into a party.

ERIN by Erin Fetherston is just the thing for young girls who want to put on a dress that will make them feel pretty, but a tiny bit edgy, at the same time.

After seeing Resort, I can’t wait to see the spring 2014 collection this September at NYFW.

- Vivian Kelly

*Images courtesy of LaForce & Stevens

Fashion Muse: Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma

Fashion Muse, Countess Edwina Mountbatten

Designer Misha Nonoo’s Resort 2013 Collection Inspiration Statement reads as follows:

“Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma,

a sybarite of regal proportions and last Vicereine of India.”

: Above, Edwina, dressed for the coronation of George VI, 1937

Edwina Wearing Her Cartier Bracelet

What a muse Edwina is! After a morning of research, I learned that she was one of the six best-dressed women in the world and had an incredible jewelry collection that reflected the time she spent living and traveling between distinctly different cultures. The stunning platinum set ruby, sapphire, diamond and emerald, bandeau made by Cartier Edwina bought in London in 1928, was ade of stones allegedly taken from Indian jewelry.

Edwina’s Cartier bracelet/bandeau

Edwina Mountbatten was born to be a fashion icon. She had all the credentials and then some, including, great wealth, fabulous social connections – the British Royal family attended her wedding to Louis Mountbatten and Edward VII was the best man.

Edwina and Louis Mountbatten

Edwina was also according to all accounts, incredibly stylish, loved to play, and had a scandalously non-traditional streak when it came to her marriage. She flouted conventions whenever it suited her, even dropped out of sight for long periods to pursue whatever pleasures struck her fancy.

She grew up after she and Lord Mountbatten, were sent to serve as the last Viceroy and Vicereine of pre-Partition India following the end of WWII. Lord M. was given full powers to govern India and transition turmoil-torn British India to independence as he best saw fit. At that period, Edwina added a new entry, relief worker, to her glittering resume, and the title, Countess Mountbatten of Burma.

- Vivian Kelly

Nonoo – Resort 2012

Designer Misha Nonoo had the most wonderful inspiration for her Nooo Resort 2013 Collection. Her Inspiration Statement reads as follows:

“Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma,

a sybarite of regal proportions and last Vicereine of India.”

The inspiration is very apropos, given Ms. Nonoo’s background; like Edwina, she was raised in London. The designer was born in Bahrain and you can see the exoticism that makes these easy to wear clothes something special.

I was hooked at the prospect of having a new fashion muse to research and obsess over, and a resort collection I loved.

The stunning platinum set ruby, sapphire, diamond and emerald, bandeau made by Cartier Edwina bought in London in 1928, was made of stones allegedly taken from what was originally Indian jewelry. It would look wonderful with Look #11 from the Noonoo Resort collection, a sapphire blue French lace blouse and pencil skirt. You’d wear the bandeau, just as Edwina did, very casually, wrapped twice around your wrist as a bracelet.

The fabrics of note at Nonoo were French lace, four ply silk and chiffon mixed in with some classic botanical and lattice prints. Details such as beading on jet collars and cuffs gave just the right touch of Eastern opulence to the quirky tailored separates and elegant skirt suits and dresses.

Edwina, were she alive now, would surely approve of look #5, a persimmon double face crepe skirt suit with transparent pailette detail over a silk georgette blouse for her daytime duties as Viscountess.

Botanical print crepe de chine blouse paired with cropped tailored silk shantung trouser, Look #2, would be perfect for lounging in a hammock at the end of the day while sipping an ice tea while contemplating her busy day.

- Vivian Kelly

Patriotic Dressing for July 4th

Calling all patriots!

The Fourth of July is the USA’s biggest party day and fun red white and blue dressing is in order when you’re watching the fireworks.

Kesha is completely in the Stars and Stripes spirit on the cover of V Magazine’s summer issue. Draw some inspiration from her sexy red white and blue flag makeup and outfits inside V and put together your own rendition of 4th of July fabulousness.

: Above, Kesha Covers VMag’s Summer Issue 77. Photo, Inez &Vindooh

Following is a selection of clothing and accessories we’ve curated for you that will make it clear that you’re all about showing your spirit for the grand old flag, whether you’re going for preppy, edgy, pretty, tongue in cheek, eccentric, or anything in between. Be sure to add a little spirit to your makeup; I’m crazy about Laura Mercier’s burgundy-red mascara from her new Art Deco Collection!

On our luxe extravagance list: Charlotte Olympia, Robert Clergerie, Gemvara, Dannijo

Charlotte Olympia Priscilla Stars and Stripes, $1,050

: Robert Clergerie Jalino Loafer, $650

: Gemvara Ring

Dannijo Liberty necklace bib $895, Lincoln bib, $995

On our affordable fun list: Hush Puppies, Victoria’s Secret, Laura Mercier, Shoshana, Charming Charlie, and Boast, in collaboration with Park + Bond. Scoop up a couple of these limited edition custom embroidered shirts with classic American slogans embroidered at the bottom of each – ‘Land of the Free’, ‘Liberty or Death’, and ‘And Justice for All’. I just ordered my first Boast polo in red. Happy Holidays!

- Vivian Kelly

Hush Puppies’ Notice Thong Sandal, $75

* Below, a 4th of July GIFT for you from BOAST

Boast’s Special 4th of July Promo Code

Victoria’s Secret Patriotic Themed Lingerie

Charming Charlie Tank, approximately $10

Shoshanna’s Elegant Shorts Outfit – not just for the 4th of July

*Shopping Information

All of the above available on their individual company websites, with the exception of the Robert Clergerie Jalino loafer, which is available at Barneys New York.