Une Soirée Française & the HANAair Review

Will & I recently attended a French themed charity fundraiser. Une soirée Française inspired me to bust out the perfect lace dress. I found this interesting gray number on my December California trip, and paired it with a cropped, black blazer, gray tights and a pair of slick black boots. Will looked great in his Parisian-inspired floral print top, sweater vest, cord pants and red balloon tie.

This night reminds me of a wonderful movie, Heartbreaker, one of Ailyn's favorite films. It's a hilarious French romantic comedy with a charming lead actor.  It's on Netflix and we highly recommend it!

Jacket:  Final Touch, Chantell, Melrose Boutique
Dress:  Final Touch, Chantell, Melrose Boutique

Tights:  Gray, Spanx | shop

Boots:  Nine West | shop similar

Necklaces:  Thrifted

Ring:  Angl, Melrose Boutique

c/o Misikko HANAair

I'm pretty low maintenance when it comes to my hair, but I wanted to do try something a little different for this fun occasion, so I was excited that Missiko kindly sent me the HANAair professional hair dryer to try out and review.  As this was my first experience with Missiko, I was pleasantly surprised by the prompt service and quick shipping.  After some exploration of the site, I noticed that Missiko carries a variety of products ranging from some of the best hair straighteners on the market to styling products--like beauty blogging community fave Moroccan Oil.

This hair dryer came beautifully packaged and was fully stocked with a plethora of products like Paul Mitchell hair products, brushes, etc. Let me just say that this thing is a machine! Ailyn even thought it felt like a "tornado." As such, I think it is quite heavy, but it made the drying time a very quick process... especially in comparison to my current less-than-awesome $20 dryer. I used a round brush with the diffuser attachement, and finished the front pieces with a large-barreled curling iron. I love this ease and volume of the hairstyle... and hope I can pull it off again!  All in all, this dryer is high-end, quick, and powerful; the downside: it's heavy and expensive.  If you're looking to invest in a quality blow dryer, then I recommend checking out the Missiko website.

Linked up to the Monday Mingle & the Transatlantic Blonde, and BDIB.

Boardwalk Empire: Loft Mod Shift Dress

Clearly, I love the Loft Mod Shift Dress as I have purchased it in black & red!  It's simple, chic, and lends itself to any and all types of styling.  I'm going for a fancy night out on the town, so I'm channeling my inner flapper a la Boardwalk Empire.

Happy February!

Linked up with the Pleated Poppy & the Transatlantic Blonde.

Dress: Mod Shift Dress, Loft | shop -- See the orange version here 

Necklaces: Old Navy & Big Love 21

Ring:  H&M

Headband: Modcloth

Tights: Reversible Tights, SPANX | shop

Hair Inspiration: Karmin (not entirely successful - lol)

Shoes: Perfect Patent Pump, Ann Taylor | shop

JCrew Double-cloth Lady Day Coat Review

January is in full swing with plenty of snow and blustery winds. It's the perfect time to pull out one of my favorite coats. 

JCrew comes out with a version of this classic lady day coat each winter in a variety of colors. You also have the option upgrade to the "3M Thinsulate" version of the coat. I highly recommend the more costly Thinsulate because I believe it really does keep you warmer than a coat without Thinsulate. This technology is neat because it does not add any bulk to the coat, but has a thin layer that protects you from the elements. I must confess I've not tried the non-Thinsulate version of this coat, but have confidence in the 3M innovation. Plus, who doesn't love technology?

3M technology aside, the coat is classic, chic and it's always fitting for any venture into the cold!

Coat:  Double-cloth Lady Day Coat with Thinsulate, JCrew | shop

Dress:  Rue 21

Boots: Erynne Boots in Black Suede, Nine West ($189 currently on sale for $94.50) | shop

Tights:  Gray, Spanx | shop

Ring:  Express

Earrings:  Express

Lipstick:  Round Case, Chaos | shop  

Happy Birthday to one of our top style icons:  Mrs. Obama! You can follow all of her great looks on one of our favorite blogs - Mrs.O.com. She, too, is a Crew fan!

Linked up with the Pleated Poppy & Transatlantic Blonde!

Holiday Fête: Gap Kids Sequined Cowlneck Sweater Dress

I love any excuse to rock sparkle and sequins. When browsing my local Gap Kids (gotta keep Baby JET in style), I spotted this delightful sweater dress in the little girl's section and decided to give it a go in the dressing room.  To my surprise, the dress fit well; plus, I find this sequined style to be a little unusual--especially compared to what's currently in stores.  I'm seeing some scattered use of this material and sequin design in a few of the Gap family designs, i.e. Banana Republic Luxe items, but not much elsewhere.

Roomie Will & I are off to another holiday event.  Needless to say, I love this time of year.  It's not everyday you can wear this much sparkle and appear festive as opposed to disco-ball-gone-wrong.  I'll be back in 2012 with a NYE recap. Until then, we hope you have a fabulous New Year's celebration!  Cheers to a safe and happy New Year's Eve!

Dress:  Sequined Cowlneck Sweater Dress, Gap Kids | shop

Belt:  Gap

Tights: Reversible Tights, SPANX via Ann Taylor ($34 ) | shop

Boots: Erynne Boots in Black Suede, Nine West ($189 currently on sale for $94.50) | shop (also styled here)

Headband:  JCrew

Earrings:  Charlotte Russe

Lipstick:  Color Sensational in Revolution Red, Maybelline | shop

Nail Polish: Urban Ballerina, OPI x Sephora | shop

Purse:  Thrifted

Mod Mrs. Claus: Loft Mod Shift Dress

I recently discovered this mod inspired dress from the Loft. It has an interesting shape and is easy to pair with several items. I thought this orange frock needed some depth so I added a chunky beltl according to Ailyn, this is pretty reminiscent of Mrs. Claus - so here's my ode to her! I also showcased it without the belt so you can see the cut of the dress unhindered by any accessory. Now I'm all set for my friend's holiday party! 

Dress: Mod Shift Dress ($79.50 $39), Loft | shop

Tights: Reversible Tights, SPANX via Ann Taylor ($34 ) | shop - These are a legit pair of tights that I picked up during Ann Taylor's 40% off + 30% off sale for a a decent price of $14.28.  They are reversible (allegedly one side is black & the other brown, but both sides look the same to me. lol).  They are a little short, so I'd size up if you're interested.

Belt: Express (so old)
Headband:  Claire's

Necklace: Borrowed from Wilma

Shoes: Minas Ankle Bootie, Jessica Simpson | shop