This year is flying by, can you believe that Summer is almost here?!  With a new season comes the urge to clean out closets and update your look.  Footwear is always a key player to your look, but with Spring and Summer’s shorter hems and bare legs, your feet (and shoes!) are on major display.   And with all the great sandals out there, it’s hard to remember what you actually need…  a shoe that gets you to all the places you need to be without blisters, bandaids, and a change of flip flops in your purse!    Not to say that you don’t absolutely need the 5 inch strappy, studded, snake-embossed heel.  You do!  There’s just a time and a place, and I want you looking put-together everyday, not just the days that you pull out those bad boys.

So here is a look at some of my favorite comfy sandals for the season.  All of these will give your look an effortless feel- try pairing a bright bold color or metallic with white to make a statement,  or choose a neutral for a more classic look.  There’s definitely one to suit every style here.   The best part is that these are all great shoes to walk in.  Imagine that!

And for those that need help with the Spring cleaning.   Make an appointment with me for Closet Consultation.  What are you waiting for?

This lookboard was created on LivingCloset. See your actual wardrobe online, create outfits, and get stylist recommendations all on LivingCloset! A Q the Stylist created site.

1.  MICHAEL Michael Kors Grayson Tribal Wedge, $135.

2.  Vic Matie Masai Hidden Wedge Sandal, $332.

3.  J.Crew Kira Sandal, $80.

4.  Gentle Souls ‘Break My Heart’ Sandal, $185.

5.  Loeffler Randall Filippa Flat, $236.

6.  Sam Edelman Trina, $100.

7.  Coach ‘New Savannah Sandal,’ $158.

8.  Madewell The Whistlestop Sandal, $138.00

Walk on my friends.

–Q the Stylist

The Academy of Art University had their Spring show last week where a select number of chosen graduate students sent their collections down the runway.   It was held at the historical Cannery in San Francisco – a brick warehouse at Fisherman’s Wharf that was long ago converted into three levels of winding walkways, balconies and bridges surrounding a courtyard.  Perfect for a fashion show.  The evening’s guest of honors were; Philip Treacy, Sarah Burton, and Your Royal Highness Princess Reema Al-Saud. Other notable guests were Suzy Menkes, Fashion Editor of the International Herald Tribune, Cathy Horyn, fashion critic of the New York Times and Stephan Rahim Rabimov, Editor-in-Chief of Depesha magazine. This is by far one of the best shows to attend in San Francisco and certainly one of the most talked about events in the San Francisco fashion community.

Visit The Academy of Art University blog Fashion School Daily to find out more about the show and the designers featured.  Below are a few of my favorite looks from the evening.  I’m loving how wearable all of these looks are – beautifully tailored separates with thoughtful detailing, dresses that show movement, subtle prints, and sumptuous knits.   A big congratulations to the designers and the school for putting on such a great show!   I hope we see a lot more where this came from!!

Photo Credit: Dario Smith

Designer: Hely Nguyen

Designer: Hely Nguyen

Designers: Erica Laba & Liza Quinones & Emma Mengchen Yang

Designers: Erica Laba & Liza Quinones & Emma Mengchen Yang

Designers: Erica Laba & Liza Quinones & Emma Mengchen Yang

–Q the Stylist

Bali is known for its batik fabric made by using traditional methods.  First the pattern is hand drawn on to the fabric with wax and then the fabric is dyed.  This is done repeatedly until they get the color and pattern they desire.

Another thing Bali is famous for is woven fabric that is made on a loom, especially the ikat pattern.  I learned how these beautiful fabrics are made and all of the lengthy steps necessary to make one.

Bali also produces all of the jewelry in the Indonesian market.  People in Bali have the best skill to make these items so all of the raw material from the other Indonesian islands are sent there to be made.  All of the detailed work is done by hand, hardly any machines are used!

At the silver workshop I was able to see how certain items are made.   The video shows a ring, a bracelet, earrings, and pendants.  There is also an option to make your own jewelry under professional guide.  I didn’t get a chance to create a piece this time, so a return trip is a must!

Below is a video of my experience at Artika’s art shop and Legong fine art of Batik.  I hope you enjoy it.  Until next time Bali. . .

–Q the Stylist

Dreamland Beach

Today I’m off on an overdue and highly anticipated honeymoon.  We were married last May over an incredible weekend in Palm Springs.  During the wedding preparations the honeymoon was long talked about, but never planned.  The tropical South Pacific destination known for it’s incredible beaches, friendly people, and beautiful crafts wasn’t settled on until this January.  And as I write this, I’m wondering if deciding on a location might be the only New Year’s resolution I’ve ever kept!

We waited through the first few months of this year to allow the rainy season to pass.  And now, with less than 24 hours to go – the 10 day forecast still predicts rain nearly everyday.  But I could care less!

Bali, see you tomorrow!!

–Q the Stylist

Now that we are coming out of the cold and dreary winter, there is nothing better than a Spring getaway before summers busy months.  This is the perfect time of year to head somewhere tropical, warm, and exotic for some much needed rest and relaxation.  Here is your excuse to wear some color, paint your toe nails bright pink, and go shopping for a whole new look.  When going shopping for a trip it is always important to consider a couple things; think about where you are going, what you will be doing, what you will need and be sure to pack and dress to the occasion.  Here is a list of 12 essential items I would suggest before jet setting off.

1. Anthropologie familiar tune bikini $108
2. Old Navy woman’s tie hem drape shirt $26.99
3. J Crew Tank top $24.50
4. J Crew high waisted white jeans $98
5. Tory Burch Dalcin High Wedge $395
6. Jimmy Choo oversized round fade sunglasses $265
7. Cheap Monday “Lori hat”  $30
8. BCBG Max Azria Dee color blocked silk maxi dress $398
9. Shannon Carney blue chandelier earrings $1,265
10. Mango Massai long robe dress $495
11. Rebecca Minkoff “Boyfriend” Tote $195
12. Lodis passport wallet $58

–Q the Stylist

About a month ago, I had the pleasure of attending the PROJECT Show in Las Vegas! PROJECT (founded in 2003) is not only a fashion trade show, but also a fashion event that successful brands, designers and retailers come to do business.

There were also barber shops, nail salons, photo studios, and lectures. After a quick meeting with AG- they invited me to have lunch at their restaurant. It was catered by Nobu and came completed with cocktails.  It was delish and much appreciated!

Project was really exciting, but also overwhelming and should be at least one week long.  Three days is NOT enough to see everything.   The heavenly part for me was being inspired by all the sheer creativity through the product.

This is what I noticed:
- A further exploration in updating heritage items in new fabrics and detailing
- Rich use of color and color combinations pushing forward a notion of individuality
- Global inspiration for with a focus on function, form, and quality

New Menswear lines I saw and LOVED:
-Pointer Footwear
-Neuw Denim
-Soh

Here are a few pictures from the event!

Each registered brand or designer was given a booth that they were able to set up with their vision.

1st Street at PROJECT Show (went up to 22nd Street and Avenues A-H)

Project Wooster - an exhibit of products curated by Nick Wooster

Project Wooster - Nick Wooster himself (much photographed by the Sartorailist)

The enormous entrance to PROJECT

Capped shoes!  – my prediction is that these will soon be a MAJOR trend and it will be lasting (like years)

Spool installation

BCBGeneration’s booth.  I Loved their back to school theme, complete with a cafe board and lockers.

Show’s over! I decided to head over to grab a drink at the Chandelier lounge at The Cosmopolitain – Vegas’ newest hotel.

Watch the Las Vegas recap video from The Official Project website below to get a glance of what my three day experience was really like.

PROJECT Las Vegas Recap from PROJECT on Vimeo.

–Q the Stylist

Want to try the Colored Jean trend but are afraid to look like a fashion victim?  Like tomorrow?

Not to worry.   Let’s see if we can get you comfortable with this.

The colored jean began in London a few years ago with red.  They quickly became a must have on the high streets and like all good British imports it took a little while for them to drift across the Atlantic, but now we are making them all our own.  We have them in red, coral, green, pink, purple, sky blue, wine, teal, yellow, and to be continued…  I just don’t see it ending because though we see color in every Spring collection – this season’s Spring colors are much more saturated than in previous years.   And this week’s shows at Paris Fashion Week for Fall were also filled with color.  The message?  Color is fresh!  Get on board!!

And don’t worry about the color of the jeans making you look bigger than you are.  The real culprits in unflattering jeans comes down to material content, pre-fading and pre-whiskering, ill-placed back pockets, and SIZE.  So just stick to clean washes and find the right size you should be ok.  After all, who doesn’t do the butt check?

While the color denim trend isn’t going anywhere soon, next to Spring’s PRINT Denim – they may look quite tame.  I am in fact the proud owner of AG – snakeskin legging jean in teal.  I recently paired it with an off-white silk and linen blend tee, a long boyfriend blazer in black, an open toe bootie, and some major accessories.  It was a total hit.  But I digress.

To give colored jeans a chance without breaking the bank – try these at Nordstrom for $88, Urban Outfitters’ BDG jeans all run around $58 and they have a ton of colors, or Gap’s Always Skinny Skimmer jean which comes in a pretty blue, purple, and fuchsia.

I myself, am partial to Whistles Skinny Jeans in Coral through ASOS.  Bottom line, while bright denim is definitely a trend – color is fun and after being in dark denim for so long I think you’ll agree.  Rock on.

–Q the Stylist

The perfect brow can either make or break an entire look.  It is the ultimate beauty accessory and when beautifully shaped, eyebrows have the power to transform your entire face, enhance your natural beauty, and make you look well put together, even with little or no make-up.

Today I’m going to tell you what my best kept secrets are for great eye brows and what products I use to get them that way!

Here are some “Universal Plucking Rules” from RunningwithHeels:

1. The eyebrow should always begin directly above the inner corner of your eye.

2. Your brow should frame the entire eye — no exceptions.

3. To find the highest point of your arch, hold a make up brush, eye pencil, or a q-tip even with the outside edge of your iris.  The inner section should go up to the peak and the outer section (usually a third or less of the brow) should travel downward and taper off.  When the prominence of the bone is visible under the arch, it lifts and opens the eye area taking years off the face.

4. To find where the brow should naturally end, hold the make up brush so the handle stretches from your nostril to the outer corner of your eye. The spot where the handle intersects your brow is the perfect ending point.  If your brow ends before that point, extend it with a powder or pencil. As we age, our brows grow less dense from the outside in.  So the longer you maintain your brows proper length, the more youthful you look.

Now that you have a good place to start, here are some great products I use one a daily basis to keep my brows in tip-top shape:

1. Brow Express by Anastasia Beverly Hills

This brow kit by Anastasia Beverly Hills is a new and innovative way to keep brows looking well groomed on the go. This palette is your one-stop essential kit to complete an effortless and natural look anytime, anywhere. It contains four brow stencils that are used as guides to suit various brow shapes and styles, two brow powders to custom blend the your natural brow color, an angled brush for  precise application, a cream highlighter for application along the brow bone to lift and enhance the eyes, and a wax cream to hold your brows in shape from day to night.

This product is for you major “Over-pluckers”!  The Brow Enhancing Serum is a colorless and odorless gel, consisting of a unique blend of top proteins and vitamins designed to condition, repair, and restore the eyebrows.  The unique gel-based formula is designed to help restore thin, over-plucked, and undernourished eyebrows.  Brow Enhancing Serum is not harmful to the eyes or the surrounding skin area, plus as an added bonus, it also slows down excess hair loss, which results in a healthier fuller-looking brow.

“Blonde” is a taupe brown with warm undertones that I  use for filling in my brows.  This silky, matte powder glides on effortlessly and blends to perfection and doubles as a great day eyeshadow.  The densely pigmented formula can be layered for extra drama.

So high-brow.  ;)

xo, q

–Q the Stylist

No matter what the season, the cuff bracelet is always a wonderful accessory to have in your boudoir. It’s a great transition piece from Spring to Winter and you can incorporate a cuff bracelet with any outfit whatever your style may be. Whether it be a simple hammered metal band or a bejeweled thick bangle, wrist accessories are seen on and off the catwalk to give any outfit a little “kick”.
The awesome thing about cuff bracelets is that they can be worn a ton of different ways: you can wear them stacked, mixed and matched with other accessories (rings, bangle bracelets, etc.), wear them “double cuffed”, or (depending on the look you’re trying to achieve) one can be used as a signature piece to pull your ensemble together.
Here are some of my fave picks:

Anndra Neen Cuff $510.00

Hermes Collier de Chien Cuff Bracelet $795.00

Anndra Neen Monogram ID bracelet $225.00

This amazing monogrammed cuff takes your personal brand to a whole new level.  These also happen to make adorable Valentine gift.  Personal, but not fussy.  Either way, this piece helps you make a statement while being a statement piece in itself!

–Q the Stylist

What is a “hi-lo” hem?

A “hi-lo” hem is one of the biggest trends spotted in today’s runway shows, fashion magazines, and in casual street wear. These garments can be characterized by their uneven or asymmetrical hemlines and can easily become staple or “go-to” pieces in your closet.

Here are some of my easily accessible and super cute hi-lo hem picks:
 

Black Chiffon Hi-lo Hem Skirt from Windsor

Price: $22.90

Hi Lo Skirt from Nasty Gal

Price: $38.00

Hi-lo Hem Skirt from Urban Outfitters

Price: $49.00

What do I wear?

Sarah of The Stylist Heart

Adrian of Fake-Leather

Blogger from A Style Manifesto
The great thing about hi-lo hem skirts is that they can be worn during any time of the year. When it’s cold out side, you can pair your patterned or solid asymmetrical skirt with a cozy over-sized sweater and boots, giving you a “comfortable-chic” look, and for warmer weather I’d suggest a feminine lace crop top and a semi-sheer hi-low hem skirt for a breathable and fun outfit. These garments can also transition from day into night and casual to formal depending on what you’re going for.

So have fun with it gals! Mixed, matched, or layered, these skirts are a must have in your closet!

–Q the Stylist