“I’m on a boat!”
Nautical trends are ubiquitous with Spring/Summer. The navy blue and crisp white stripes with canary yellow accents will pay homage to a well advertised Chanel line this season. Imagine how fresh and so clean, clean a bias-cut, tunic style, frock would look nipped in at the waist with a bold, yellow belt. Or how about a pair of gold, anchor earrings to provide the perfect amount of kitsch on a day you’re feeling whimsical? A rope bracelet in a bronzed or antiqued gold would provide a nice contrast to a feminine dress and just the right amount of trend-setting for a busy day at the office. A little black dress can easily be taken to sea with a gold or silver necklace featuring rope accents. Channel your inner pirate with a plaid, triangle scarf taken straight from Fall 2009. No matter what route you take, the nautical trends this Spring are sure to make you want to scream “I’m on a boat!”
Sequins&Sweatpants
You’ve been influenced by dance, maybe you don’t know it, but you have. It doesn’t matter whether you can flawlessly perform the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy with your eyes closed or just rock out in front of your mirror when getting ready for a night out (don’t play, I know you blast the music, your hairbrush is a microphone and you probably even bust a couple of sweet moves). In fact I would go so far as to say that dance has influenced your fashion choices throughout the years. I grew up dancing and traveling to and from dance competitions almost every other weekend. Those magical weekends were just as much about the dancing as they were about the fashion. It was everywhere…during classes (you absolutely had to look your most fabulous self during auditions), onstage during the competition, and of course it was crucial you were at your most fierce during the awards.
Looking back through pictures and re-watching old dance vids from all of these competitions and recitals it has become quite apparent that over the years there have been quite a few hits and just as many misses, but who knows maybe eventually the “don’ts” will become “do’s.” I mean, we’ve all seen what’s happened with the 80s…whoever thought tacky could be so hot?
As for tacky you can decide for yourself about the following, but I’ll bet tickity-tack or not (to borrow from Christian Siriano) you’ve tried at least one of these trends.
Sequins (want to take a guess as to what one of the hottest trends for spring is?). Spandex (all colors). Rhinestones and glitter (we can always use that extra bit of sparkle). Faux-hawks. Chuck Taylors. High-Tops. Crush Velvet. Menswear. Lingerie as outerwear (Victoria’s Secret and the ever classy Frederick’s of Hollywood is a favorite for costumes). Layering (of course there was the unfortunate era of “let’s wear jazz pants with sweats over them followed by another layer of shorts or possibly even a skort” I know right?!?.—we must’ve looked the like the Michelin Man!)
Jersey girls a la Snookie of the “critically acclaimed” Jersey Shore may have been “poofing” their hair for years without the help of the “bump-it” but so have dancers (in fact this trend is actually on its way out). I’d also like to say that we perfected the “dumpster chic look” long before the Olsens were pairing their Chanel bags with oversized shirts and the ever-present Starbucks. In fact the dancer takes this trend to the extreme—we’ll spend $150 dollars on sweatpants (truth), $15 on Juicy Couture socks, but then purchase $5 tees from Walmart (Hane’s men’s tees are the absolute best!), then carefully assemble an ensemble just to look like we threw it on…perfecting hotmess fabulousness.
Do you think Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and Rihanna are really the first people to wear leotards out in public? Or that LiLo’s perfectly trashed leggings are a first? It used to be the more holes and runs that were in your tights the better and if you were wearing those tights over the leotard instead of under…even better. And clearly leotards are a staple in any bunhead’s wardrobe and have been found sexy and seductive for years on the Broadway stage as part of the legend that is Fosse.
Ballet, itself, has had a huge impact on fashion. Ballet flats. Tights/Leggings paired with anything and everything. Wraps (sweaters/dresses, etc.). Need a quick and easy bad hair day fix? Look no further than a clean classic ballet bun or even a slightly undone messy one will be sufficient. Even everyone’s favorite sex columnist, Carrie Bradshaw succumbed to the whimsy of ballet, flaunting a tutu down busy New York streets.
Dancers are also famous for wearing things the way they shouldn’t be wearing them or altering them so much they are barely recognizable. T-shirts are cut up (honestly who hasn’t at least cut the neck out of one sweatshirt as made famous in Flashdance?), tights are worn as shrugs, sweatpants are worn inside out, and sometimes socks even become arm accessories—who could forget Britney’s 2001 Superbowl performance? Even lace knee-highs can double as gloves!
So next time you put on something you just aren’t quite sure about—does it look fab or slightly busted?…question it for a hot minute then just go for it. Work it. Wear it with confidence and make that sidewalk your own personal runway. Maybe you’ll inspire a trend and influence someone else to try something new.
Mayonaise jar and 2 beers
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in
front of him.
When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty
mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the
jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full.
The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’
The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured
the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space
between the sand.
The students laughed.
‘Now,’ said the professor as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to
recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things—your family, your children,
your health, your friends and your favorite passions—and if everything
else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house
and your car..
The sand is everything else—the small stuff.
‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no
room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never
have room for the things that are important to you.
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Spend time with your children.
Spend time with your parents.
Visit with grandparents.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your spouse out to dinner.
Play another 18..
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.
Take care of the golf balls first—the things that really matter.
Set your priorities.
The rest is just sand.
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer
represented.
The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’
The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there’s always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.
LIFE ISN’T ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORM TO PASS…
…IT’S LEARNING HOW TO DANCE IN THE RAIN
Author Unknown
Scarves
Belts
4th Annual Feed A Family
Feed A Family 2009 was a huge success, thanks to Chef Peter Gennaro and his gracious staff at the Myrtle Beach Hilton, the hundreds of kitchen volunteers, drivers, donors and of course the kids that showed their artistic skills in painting the delivery boxes. We succeeded in delivering 550 cooked whole turkeys with sides and dessert to 550 grateful families on Christmas Eve. We also distributed another 600 pounds of turkey breast with sides to local organizations in need.
Thank you to every person involved in this event. Your generosity and kindness are what make this project happen. It truly was a special day. It shows that amazing things can happen when we all come together with a single purpose.
Arm Candy
GET BOLD– Bracelets featuring vintage baubles bring an air of whimsy to any ensemble; immediately modernizing it.
BE BEAUTIFUL– The best thing about this season’s arm candy is their transformative ability. An oversized, pewter bracelet featuring a vintage elephant emblem provides a whimsical edge to the distressed leather jackets and riding boots of fall. The 80’s and 90’s are back in a big way, again this fall, and rather than doing the same old accessories, these floral, zipper bracelets modernize the grunge revival pieces those decades encompassed.
Ruffles are huge for fall again, so picture a super girly dress with one of these rocker chic, studded, faux leather bracelets to add texture. These super comfortable bracelets are easily stacked to create a sassy cuff. Perfect for day or night with a plain top.
Accessories speak a volume about you and all these bracelets say BOLD and BEAUTIFUL. Bijuju offers a varying array of stunning bracelets to adorn your wrist and complete your ensemble so be sure to stop by one of our locations or online store
Rocker Chic
ROCKER CHIC bracelets are taking over trendy wrists everywhere. From the heavily studded bangles, to the geometric designs of an antiqued silver cuff, these bracelets posses the inherent quality to take a little black dress or any other “plain” piece of apparel from fail to FABULOUS.
NAUTICAL inspirations are still a driving force in fashion and these mesh, knotted bracelets are no exception. Perfect for day or night to add just a touch of SPARKLE.
Glove Love
I actually could not be more obsessed with gloves than I am right now. They make wonderful Holiday presents. EVERYONE needs gloves. It’s supposed to be one of the coldest winters ever, according to over-zealous meteorologists. Fortunately, Bijuju currently offers the super technology savvy, TEXTING gloves. Everyone today is either texting, e-mailing, facebooking, twittering and or playing with the new Britney Spears application on their iPhone and full use of all fingers is required. These gloves, ranging from $10 to $16 for the insulated ones, come in a variety of fashion forward colors with cute, little heart medallions. Bijuju also offers a chunky, cable-knit, long version of the shorter texting glove.
For the fashionista, the fan of Holly Golightly from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and Blair Waldorf of “Gossip Girl” there are stunning, elbow length gloves in stores now. Super soft, slouchy and adorned with bows these are perfect for the capes and metallic elbow length jackets of Winter. Bijuju also offers a chunky, cable-knit, long version of the shorter texting glove.
