Ready, Set, Kick-Start

I spend way too much time procrastinating. I have grandiose plans. I think big.

Problem? I don't aways execute.

Solution? I decided to make monthly to do, must complete, mini-bucket list if you will.

Kick-Start List: November 2014

(in no particular order)

1. Start holiday shopping. Big family. Long list. Need time.
2. Buy a pair of comfortable heeled ankle boots. Ok maybe two pairs.
3. Bake a batch of cookies from Grandma's recipes. This just needs to happen.
4. Make something. Anything. With my hands. Just stop talking about it and do it.
5. Take a class because I want to.
6. See the Henri Matisse the Cut Outs exhibit at the MoMa. This goes without saying.
7. Read a book. I haven't decided which one yet, but I will. Really, I will.
8. Christmas cards. Every year I buy them. Every year I get as far as to... date... and then never send. Let's try again.
9. Plan a vacation before 2014 allotted days expire!
10. Cook something new and exciting to bring to Thanksgiving dinner (open to suggestions)

What's on your November list?

Spring into Autumn

There's no denying winter is coming on this brisk Monday morning. However, I'm not quite ready to let go of sunny lazy beach days, fresh-cut flowers and soft hues. For a few more days I am going to obsess in keeping the spring in my step.

Pictured above:

• Pink Studded Club Monaco Pumps
• Coco Chanel Mademoiselle Perfume
• Paper Pinwheels

Patterned in Nature

Just breathtaking.

Photo rights Love Nixie Girl 2014

Inspiring Style Quotes Worth Quoting

“What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.” —Miuccia Prada

"Anyone can get dressed up and glamorous, but it is how people dress in their days off that are the most intriguing.” — Alexander Wang

"People will stare. Make it worth their while." —Harry Winston

"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different." —Coco Chanel

"Playing dress-up begins at age five and never truly ends." —Kate Spade

"The fashionable woman wears clothes. The clothes don't wear her." 
—Mary Quant

"Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live.'" —Gianni Versace

"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous." —Coco Chanel

"Fashion should be a form of escapism, and not a form of imprisonment."
— Alexander McQueen

"The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It’s the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows and the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years." —Audrey Hepburn

“Shoes transform your body language and attitude. They lift you physically and emotionally.” — Christian Louboutin

“Trendy is the last stage before tacky.” — Karl Lagerfeld

“Fashion is not necessarily about labels. It’s not about brands. It’s about something else that comes from within you.” — Ralph Lauren

“Conformity is the only real fashion crime. To not dress like yourself and to sublimate your spirit to some kind of group identity is succumbing to fashion fascism.” — Simon Doonan

“Buy less, choose well.” -Vivienne Westwood 

"You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.” -Edith Head

“Style is a simple way of saying complicated things.” -Jean Cocteau

“When a woman says, ‘I have nothing to wear!’, what she really means is, ‘There’s nothing here for who I’m supposed to be today.”–Caitlin Moran

A Color Story

Inspiration is everywhere and in everything. Pinks, reds, burgundies and natural hues provide the perfect amount of warmth for the autumn. What colors inspire your world?

Photo by Love Nixie Girl
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Photo by Steven Kreuzer
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Photo by Steven Kreuzer
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Photo by Steven Kreuzer
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Photo by Love Nixie Girl
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Obsessing Over Style

Leopard Print Pumps

I just am.

Vince Camuto Westin2 ($118)

Pink Wool Coats

I love the softness of this pale pink. It is perfect for winter.

Helene Berman Button Front Collarless Coat from ASOS ($358.16)

Pajama Sets

Just because you are sleeping doesn't mean you shouldn't look your cutest. Sweet dreams!

ASOS French Bulldog Tank and Legging Pajama Set ($45.48)

Shop Your Closet

You know the feeling before an event when you have no idea what to wear. Or maybe you are just so busy you put off shopping? Or perhaps, you just aren't in a position purchase right now.  

Anticipating a friend's wedding, panicked with no time to shop and coming down with a cold, I knew I would never find a dress in time. Solution- I shopped my closet. 

Did you retire that amazing black cocktail dress after you broke up with your ex? Umm, why? It looked amazing. Maybe it's time to rethink that decision (the dress, not the boyfriend.) What about the gold heels you lovingly bought on sale only to later realize they matched nothing you owned. Oh wait, since then didn't you buy a dress that would match them perfectly? Turns out you had the perfect outfit in your closet!

These are also great moments to get a bit adventurous. Don't discount your favorite little black dress. A colorful scarf, killer heels, or that sequined evening bag from your cousin's wedding can redefine a standby garment. Pair your fav daytime pencil girl with a sequined tank and slip on a leather jacket, stilettos and hello cocktails. 

Point is, don't give up on what your own. Search for the buried treasure. Break the rules. You will be surprised what you find. 

(Tip: Properly storing cleaning and storing formal wear after each wear really pays off. Keep garments in garment bags to insure great condition. When you peak in, it's like finding something new.) 

(Tip: Properly storing cleaning and storing formal wear after each wear really pays off. Keep garments in garment bags to insure great condition. When you peak in, it's like finding something new.) 

Static Be Gone

We have all been there. Rushing out the door, before a meeting, generally running late and there it is- static. Your dress is clinging in every which way and panic. Do not give up. There is hope.

1. Carefully run the long side of a metal hanger between your skin and your clothing. This works particularly well on delicate fabrics, such as silk. 
2. Apply lotion to your skin. The moisture will help eliminate the static electricity. (Tip: Lotion and water can also be applied to hair to reduce static.)
3. Rub a dryer sheet on your clothing. (Tip: This method is also hair safe.)

Back to the Beach

Yesterday was so sunny in New York City that while it may really be autumn, in my mind, it's summer. Let's go back to the beach to get a bit retro.

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Style Inspiration... A Lady in Red

Sometimes don't we all want to be the lady in red running alongside the train. Wait. No. Sometimes don't we all want to be the lady in red on the train being chased after.

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Inspired by... The Ocean

I runaway to the beach when I need to make sense of the chaos. What I cannot control inspires me to let go. What does the ocean inspire in you?

East Hampton, NY 2014 by Love Nixie Girl

Hats On

Hats make me happy. The perfect hat can speak volumes, exclaiming our personality, our mood and our individuality, without saying a word. They can be bold or understated, simple or ornate, fashionable or functional but one thing they all are is a reflection of the who we are.

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Organize Your Closet Now

I am not, by nature, an overly organized person. Couple that my overly sentimental/ save everything mentality with my shopping addiction and then pack it into a 700 square foot apartment and you see where I am going. 

I hit my breaking point three years ago when my closets wouldn’t close. It was then I made it my mission to get organized. Before long I had shelves free, hanger space and a whole new outlook on space. How did I do it?

Throw It Out

• Do you love it? 
• Do you need it?
• Do you use it?

You get my point.

Find It A Home

• Donate it. 
• Re-purpose it. (Tip: clean t-shirts, towels etc. that are not in the condition to be donated are perfect for cleaning.)
• Give it away. If your sister, bestie, co-worker always loved those boots, why not give them to her. Make her smile. 

Ready, Set, Organize

• Compartmentalize and stack. There are endless option from shelves (permanent or temporary,) baskets, totes, boxes, tension rods and racks. 
• Non-slip hangers. Amazing. Available in a variety of colors.
• Use specialized hangers for ties and scarves. Lifesavers.
• Use garment bags for formal wear, full length, beaded/ sequined clothing and coats. 
• Hang clothing facing in the same direction. 
• Use vacuum seal bags for out of season clothes, spare comforters, towels, etc. You will be fascinated by the amount of space you discover.
• Store shoes in original boxes, plastic boxes, shelves, or on sturdy shoe racks. Just no piles!
• Most important, use a system that works for you. I can’t stress this enough. If it doesn’t make sense for you, you won’t follow it.

(Tip: Label boxes, garment bags, boxes, etc. to save time looking for your items later. You won't regret the upfront effort.)

Inspired by... Movement

Watching boundries dissolve, stories unfold and grace redefined, emotion is sparked and creativity is enhanced. Beauty beyond words.

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Sometimes It Rains

And it's fanastic.

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Style Inspired By... Rainy Day Dress-Up

How much do you love this skirt? The softness of the fabric against the leather jacket... Kind of makes of want to spend a rainy day running in an alley on your way to a rock and roll soiree', doesn't it?

 

Rain Style by ChaChaWei 

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Hair We Are

Having worked in a salon and with many close friends being hair stylists and salon owners, I have picked up a few trade secrets when it comes to proper hair care.. After years of struggling with styling tools, embarrassing at home blowouts and hair as dry as the dessert from over dyeing, the wrong tools and too much time in the ocean, I am proud to say no more. 

Tools of the Trade

• Invest in good tools. Poor quality blow dryers, flat irons, curling irons, etc. will burn your hair. Two fantastic product lines include BaByliss and Kenta 
• Using quality hairbrushes result in quality blowouts. I am obsessed with Y.S. Park brushes 
• Do not underestimate the importance of using hair brush specifically for wet hair when needed

The Blow-Out

• First tousle dry/ finger dry your hair to eliminate some of the moisture before getting started.
• Leave few inches between your hair and the dryer to allow for air circulation.
• Dry in sections
• Apply tension but be careful not to pull or tug on your hair
• Keep the blow-dry moving; do not hold it stationary

Deep Conditioning Steps

• Apply coconut oil to dry hair or olive oil to very dry hair 
• Place hair in plastic shower cap. (Tip: Plastic bags works in pinch.)
• Leave on for a few hours, or preferably, overnight in order for your hair to absorb the oil
• Wash as usual

Inspired by... Mannequins

There is just something about this photograph. The colors, angles, positioning; I had to share. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

The Couple by Johnathan Nighingale
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Best Eye Make-up Remover Ever

With so many eye make-up remover options on the market ranging from the ultra-high end to the everyday drug store variety, which is truly best? Personally, I could hardly keep track of neither what I used nor the money I spent. That was until I tried baby oil. No more scrubbing. No more harsh drying chemicals. And if it's unscented (and please use unscented products when it comes to your delicate eye area) it will virtually never expire. Not bad for a few dollars. 

1. Apply unscented oil, any brand, on a cotton ball or pad. (Tip: Cotton swabs work best to remove make-up close to the lash lines.)
2. Close your eyes.
3. Gently dab one eye or, as necessary, wipe in direction of the lash line and inwards using your ring finger for the least pressure.
4. Repeat using a different cotton ball, pad or swab for the second eye to avoid any possible infection.

Inspired by... Juxtaposition

I am obsessing over the contrast between her amazing outfit and the grocer in the background. Bellissima! 

By Gabriel Moginot (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

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