The internet is giving a lot of coverage to this weekend’s big game, and when it comes to the millions of parties that will be going on Sunday night, most of the focus is on the food.  (I’m definitely making this scrumptious looking dish from The Pioneer Woman.)

Now, far be it from me to ever imply food isn’t important, (believe me, I think food is really, really important), but I appreciate Jaime at The Fashionable Housewife taking on the question of style.  Because what’s the point of slaving away in the kitchen if you can’t look cool and collected during the game?  That’s like the icing on the cake, right?  Making everyone think you can whip up a feast without batting an eye?

Taking Jaime’s thoughts into account, I think I’ll be sporting something like this:

That’s a model from a shoot we did for our Painters Shirt, but her look meets many Super Bowl style requirements.  Casual?  Check.  Chic?  Check.  Tailored enough to look pulled together yet loose-fitting enough to allow comfortable snacking?  Check!!!

So what about you?  Have you given much thought to how you’ll dress for the game?  And don’t you feel that while we’re obsessing over what to serve our hungry masses, we ought to give just a few moments to making ourselves look chic, confident, and stylish?

And we have a winner!  Many, many thanks to everyone who participated.  We LOVED your responses and hope everyone will be getting some wonderful kisses this Valentine’s Day!

Keep checking back for more contests and giveaways in the future!  Here’s the result from Random.org.

Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster rolling around in the Pacific in From Here to Eternity

To romantic ones…

Perhaps the most romantic dinner ever in Lady and the Tramp

And sweet ones…

Drew Barrymore saying goodbye to E.T. in E.T.

Win me! Just Comment Below!

In fact, I don’t believe I could pick my favorite kiss.  While nothing beats a good lip-lock with my awesome husband, I also adore it when my nephew squeezes the life out of me so he can plant one on my cheek. Likewise for the way my dog nuzzles my arm, or the way a beloved, aging relative takes my hand and gently presses it to his lips.

How about you?  Whose kiss are you dreaming of these days?  Just Comment on this post letting us know who you want to kiss and you might win our fabulous Beverly Hills Kiss, Kiss Pendant!*

Here Are the Rules:

1. You must comment on this post and tell us who you want to kiss.  You could write “my spouse” “my baby” “my old high school sweetheart” “Don Draper“- really, it can be anyone.
2. There’s no need to use your full name in your comment, but please be sure to enter your correct email address.  It will not be visible online, but if you don’t enter it correctly, we won’t be able to get in touch with you if you win.  So it’s important!
3. No entries will be accepted over the phone or email.  If you want to enter, just comment on this post, which is so, so easy!
4. Entries must be received before 3 PM Pacific on Friday, February 5th.  At that time, the contest will be closed and no more entries will be accepted.
5. A winner will be chosen using random.org.  The winner will be 100% random, so even if you claim you really want to smooch World Peace, it won’t make any difference.  Which means you might as well go ahead and admit it’s Don Draper.
6. We’ll notify the winner via email, and the winner will then have 48 hours to reply and collect the Kiss, Kiss Pendant!  If we don’t hear from you within 48 hours, we’ll have to pick another winner, so please check your email!

The Screen Actors Guild Awards never get as much press as the Globes.  Whether that’s because they’re broadcast on cable, manage to come in well under three hours, or simply because they give out fewer awards- who knows?  Regardless, for those of us who follow fashion, the SAGs still offer a lot to look at.

So of course I read most of the style critiques of Saturday’s awards show, but I often found myself shaking my head! In fact, I can’t remember a time when I’ve been in greater disagreement with the fashion consensus.  Some of my biggest points of contention:

Mo'Nique (from Style.com)

Consensus: She played it safe and should have opted for a more daring look.

My Take: There is nothing safe about wearing a white evening gown (particularly when you’re not a size 2).  It’s beautifully tailored, elegant, and Old Hollywood- a great way for her to show a different side of her personality.  Plus beautiful hair and makeup?  One of my favorites of the evening!

Carey Mulligan (from Style.com)

Concensus: The blouson style overwhelmed her.

My Take: I couldn’t disagree more!  I love how this thoroughly modern gown chicly recalls Regency-era frocks.  And the color is AMAZING!  Manages to be both youthful and sophisticated.

Penelope Cruz (from Style.com)

Consensus: Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!

My Take: Okay, yes, Penelope Cruz is gorgeous, and the dress is great.  But she looks about 10 years older in it.  She’s such a red carpet star, I just wanted more.

Meryl Streep (from Style.com)

Consensus: Weirdly casual- like a garden party in Boca Raton, not an awards show.

My Take: Don’t we all know that overt glamour isn’t Meryl’s thing?  Purposefully dressing down can be quite chic, and in this case, it was.  The pattern is fun and pretty, and the gown is a great shape for her.

Lea Michele (from EW.com)

Consensus: A big step down from the gown she wore to last week’s Golden Globes.

My Take: I wasn’t a fan of her Globes gown.  The vibrant color and refined feel of this dress is much more to my taste.

Marion Cotillard (from EW.com)

Consensus: Bold and fashion-forward!

My Take: Ugh.  It hurts me to say this because I love her, but this is a hot mess.  I couldn’t help thinking of an infamous fashion faux-pas.  I’m only consoled because I know she’ll give us something better at the Oscars.

And speaking of getting it right the next time around, a special shout-out to…

Diane Kruger (from EW.com)

I hated her Globes dress, but she more than made up for it with this gorgeous look.  It’s like a master class in fit!

So what did you think?  Did you catch the red carpet?  And if so, did you find yourself screaming in incomprehension at the fashion prognosticators?

Can vivid color chase the blues away?

Did you hear about that British researcher who declared this past Monday (the 18th) the most depressing day of the year?  Monday wasn’t so bad for me, but today is leaving something to be desired.  Isn’t Wednesday more of a challenge than Monday on the average week?  I mean, Monday is so full of promise and verve.  By Wednesday, you’re equally removed from Monday’s optimism and Friday’s earned reward.

Of course, it could have something to do with the massive storms in LA today.  We Angelenos simply aren’t prepared for this weather and don’t cope very well.

Anyway, if you’ve got the winter blues, I highly recommend you read this post by Angie at You Look Fab.  She suggests a fashion-based antidepressant (that doesn’t involve any pharmaceuticals!).  And I say Bravo to that!

Well, I have to admit to some disappointment over last night’s fashion.  I kept hoping I would LOVE something, but nothing got me too excited.  However, there’s a silver lining; few red carpets have so vehemently reflected and forecast trends.  Anyone looking for fresh wardrobe ideas could have picked up on plenty of signals about where the trends are heading.

First we’ll talk about color.  There were three big color stories of the evening.

1. PURPLE

Sandra Bullock*, Rose Byrne**, Jane Krakowski+, Leona Lewis+

2. METALLICS

Toni Collette*, Jennifer Garner*, Olivia Wilde**, Anna Paquin**

3. PALE/ PASTELS

Maggie Gyllenhaal*, Nicole Kidman+, Drew Barrymore*, Felicity Huffman+

And there were two major structural trends.

1. ARCHITECTURAL

Marion Cotillard*, Christina Aguilera**, Kate Hudson+, Tina Fey+

2. RUFFLES, RUFFLES EVERYWHERE!

Heidi Klum+, Anna Kendrick+, Christina Hendricks+

So what’s the takeaway from the red carpet and how might someone incorporate it into their wardrobe?  I’d concentrate on three elements:

1. Definitely get something purple. It’s been a hot hue for a few seasons now, and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere.  There’s at least one flattering shade for everyone, so add a splash or two to your closet.  I’d check out purple shoes, scarves, jewelry, and cardigans.

2. Add a dash of shine. Metallics appear to be a hot look for spring and summer.  Check out shimmery tanks, camisoles, and handbags to incorporate this trend.

3. Find a ruffle that works for you. Yes, this is a love-it-or-hate-it look, but if you want your wardrobe to look totally up-to-date, I’d find one you like.  One blouse or skirt should do the trick, and just remember: Ruffles don’t have to be juvenile.  With the right piece, they can be sophisticated, softening, and sexy.

Another big story from last night’s fashion?  Divisive dresses.  Several of the evening’s big dresses left stylewatchers divided- most notably Chloe Sevigny’s, Drew Barrymore’s, and Sandra Bullock’s.  My thoughts on those three?  Hmmm…

Chloe Sevigny was what I’d call a noble failure.  Floating down the red carpet, her extreme ruffles looked absolutely diaphanous.  But viewed head on, the whole gown was much too imposing.  I believe the gown would have worked if it had featured an asymmetrical ruffle down one side instead of so much cascading everywhere.

from EW.com

Drew Barrymore was a total miss for me.  Much has been made of those weird sea urchin details and the odd placement of the one on her hip.  But the biggest problem in my opinion is the drab color, which is totally unflattering for her.  She’s looked much, much prettier before, and I have no doubt she will in the future.

from EW.com

After a little thought, I’m giving Sandra Bullock a thumbs-up.  My first impression wasn’t great.  Anytime you wear a vivid color, you’re fighting the “80s prom” effect, and the peculiar, iridescent material didn’t mitigate that one bit.  Overall, though, the purple flattered her enormously, the fit was great, and I loved the sheer sections of the gown, which gave it a very couture feel.

from EW.com

Oh, and my favorite and least favorite from last night?

Ginnifer Goodwin- So chic she wins me over even though I'm not a fan of knee-length for black tie events! (image from Style.com)

Diane Kruger is so gorgeous, but nothing about this worked for me! I'm looking forward to her Oscar gown... (image from yahoo.com)

* image from EW.com

** image from Style.com

+ image from yahoo.com

Obviously, I love Oscar fashion.  There’s no denying it’s the grandest, most tradition rich night for stylewatchers.  But I’ll be tuning in this Sunday to see my favorite red carpet at the Golden Globes.  It seems that the looser (read boozier) environment of the Globes combined with its less intimidating cache allows stars to be more creative with their choices.  Sometimes that’s a good thing, and sometime’s it’s not, but I enjoy it either way.

EW.com has a good photo gallery of their picks for Best & Worst Globe Style of the ’00s (which I guess we’re calling the Aughts even though I still find that very awkward).  Among others, EW raved Scarlett Johansson and Nicole Kidman, who both wore beautiful color and formfitting silhouettes.

Nicole in '05 (from EW.com)

Scarlett in '06 (from EW.com)

And they noted that beautiful Lara Flynn Boyle really missed the mark with her tutu terror.

Lara in '03 (from EW.com)

I hate to say “What was she thinking?” but really, WHAT WAS SHE THINKING?  Just an awful idea from start to finish.

It’s not easy to evaluate an era that has just passed, but if I had to pick a look that will always be associated with the past decade, I’d definitely say “Goddess”.  Dozens of women walked the red carpet a la Helen of Troy, and my three favorites are below.

Felicity Huffman in '06 (from people.com), Keira Knightly in '06 (from people.com), Ali Larter in '07 (from InStyle.com)

We saw so many goddesses during the Aughts (ick!) that I doubt we’ll see much of this trend in the coming decade.  One thing I know for sure: this Sunday, I’ll have my sauvignon blanc and my critical eye ready.  Will you be watching?

Many people mentioned enjoying Zina’s photos from her travels in Southeast Asia, so we thought we’d share some other pics from her adventures!

These are from various trips she took to Israel, Africa, and China.  Enjoy!

Penguins in South Africa

Rainy Day in Shanghai

Preparing for Prayer in Jerusalem

Begging in Tel Aviv

Ancient Seedpod, Jerusalem

We wanted to share a wonderful note we received from our customer Susie.  She is a fan of our Hana collection, and she loves it for reasons that go beyond fashion.

The style, design, quality, and artistic beauty remind me of my mother.  This Hana design would have appealed to her and she would have bought it and worn it all the time… I used to watch her get dressed for an evening out.  I’d sit on my parents bed and watch her from start to finish…and the finish was always certain pieces of jewelry (she didn’t have a big collection, mind you) and her perfume.  I can close my eyes and envision her selecting this time and time again… It would have been her signature… Now it will be my signature and, in some ways, a remembrance of her.

I know how she feels.  As women, we’re such experts at relating, aren’t we?  We keep those relationships going– even after a loved one has passed, and something about jewelry is so lasting and personal.  It can be a hotline to memories.

After I lost my grandmother, it took me years to open her jewelry box.  I had every right to it, but it didn’t feel that way.  After all, only a real low-life goes rummaging through a woman’s jewelry box or purse without permission, and she wasn’t around to give that.

Of course, curiosity and nostalgia eventually wore me down, and I opened The Box.  And there, right on top, was a piece I knew well, the coral necklace she regularly wore as a jazzy accent to her trim Chanel suits.  But there were other pieces I’d never seen before, like an Edwardian-era ring sized for a child’s plump, little finger.   And how surprising that the razor-sharp woman I knew had left her jewelry box in a revelatory, chaotic jumble!

I stumbled on a couple of other enlightening finds from my grandmother’s life.  A folder filled with her school-aged compositions and clippings (She was valedictorian?  Who knew?).  And then there were her enthusiastically annotated cookbooks, brimming with gem-like observations such as, “Helen uses 1 c of sugar for this, but that’s why she’s fat.”  HA!

All of these brought her back for me, but nothing made me more emotional than the jewelry.  Maybe we hold onto people by cherishing the things they loved, or in Susie’s case, the things we know they would have loved.  The things that remind us of them.

Have you had this experience?  Do you treasure a certain piece of jewelry because you associate it with a loved one?  Or an old romance?  A particularly delightful vacation?  What is it about jewelry that captures an experience/ emotion for you?

The other morning, I actually yelled at the TV. I was getting dressed and listening to a Today show feature about smart money management. It was all going along sensibly until the end of the segment when the commentator bemoaned, “Some people are returning to bad spending habits.” As evidence, she cited a $46,000 purse, recently advertised in a Saks catalog. I couldn’t help asking, “Hi, have you ever been to Saks?” True– when I hear $46,000, I think “college fund” not “purse,” but there’s no harm in looking, right?

I cringe when people start critiquing others’ spending.  I’m just not going to judge someone who wants a really expensive (okay, exorbitant) purse– even if my priorities are different. Yes, everyone’s more careful with money these days (generally a good thing), but that’s no excuse for fashion fascism.

That was then... (Carrie Bradshaw of HBO's SATC)

Still, there’s no denying that restraint is our new ideal, shoving out the excessive tendencies that dominated the last 10 years or so. Our First Lady is the best example of this  new disciplined fashionista (dischinista?). She’s known for her sassy ensembles of Talbots and J. Crew ancestry, and when she steps out in designer apparel, it’s someone you’ve barely heard of, attainable rather than aspirational.

Naturally, this hasn’t escaped the notice of fashion royalty. Who can forget Oscar de la Renta’s snide comment to WWD: “You don’t go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.”

Well, I’ll remember that the next time I meet the Queen.

and this is now. (Michelle Obama's official White House portrait)

For once, though, it appears that Oscar is on the wrong side of trends, since even the highest-end retailers are revamping their private labels, hoping that consumers will bite. There might be something more than practicality at work, though.  According to the Wall Street Journal,  there’s a seething consumer anger towards “the cult of glitz and boom-style spending,” and notes that, “While that went beyond fashion, (luxury) department stores… have been hit hard by the backlash against the sort of overspending and focus on fancy brands that they promoted.”

I get it; personally, I feel a little buzz whenever I score a great deal.  But do you think we lose anything in the process?  When everybody’s focused on the bottom line, is there any room for romance?  Or has leisurely browsing the newest designer apparel become as old-fashioned as the typewriter?  And are you missing the Carrie Bradshaw-like devotion to excessive fashion, or are you welcoming our new, more restrained attitude towards style?