Golden Globes 2014: My Hot and Not Lists

Well, the 2014 Golden Globe Awards show has come and gone and I must say, yet again, the SNL duo did a fabulous job hosting.  These ladies are witty and just down right funny!  Though I didn't love Tina Fey's gown when she arrived, I did appreciate some of her outfit changes during the show.  And congrats to Amy Poehler on taking home a big win!  Not only was she a fab host, but now a fab GG winner...how exciting!  I just love seeing strong women in show biz doing some amazing things.  Seems like many of the SNL alums were there and winning in big ways, so kudos to them for making something of their careers, even though their time with the popular late night sketch comedy show has ended.   

Enough about that the hosts and awards...blah, blah, blah, let's get down to business and discuss what we really care about, the fashion of the night!  

So, what were some of the trends?  

My word for the night was simple.  I noticed a lot of simple styles, cuts and colors.  Don't get me wrong, there were some outrageous looks, but it just seemed that many kept it classic and elegant, that's what I really mean when I say "simple."  Reese looked stunning in this very simple and elegant turquoise number.  She wore the dress, the dress didn't wear her!

Lots of green and black on the red carpet.  I do always love the red on the red carpet look, but green is a new one!  Emerald was the color of 2013, so maybe the color just struck a cord with some of the stars and they just had to continue the trend on into this new year.  I don't know what it was, but I LOVED it!  Black is always a classic and I loved seeing it done in easy and gorgeous ways.

             

The other trend, which is something that I discussed last month, was the tiered hem length.  For this coming year, I mentioned that longer length hems, such as the tea-length style, would be a big hit and we were definitely noticing that on the red carpet last night!  Instead of going with a traditional gown, some of the ladies opted for a "high low" style where the front just kicked up a bit to their mid-calf and followed down in the back to a beautiful train or longer length.  I love this look especially when the ladies are wearing some amazing shoes, what a great way to show them off! 

                  

Alright, enough about the trends...here's my TOP 5 HOT list.  These ladies get the Best Dressed Award in my book!  My favorite of the night definitely goes to Kate, the trumpet style silver gown is STUNNING and she just stole the show in that beauty!  Hello, nobody could pull off that STUNNING Ralph Lauren cape dress quite like Lupita has and I couldn't resist the black lace with a gorgeous open back on Cate Blanchett. Amy Adams definitely knows how to do red on the red carpet with her two-toned simple cut low-plunging gown.  Margot has done the "green on red carpet" trend so beautifully with her classic gown with emerald stones, and I love that she is rocking that high slit!  As I said, the feel for the night with simple and classy and my favorites definitely fit that trend.  

                    

Honorable Mention:  Love the gorgeous artwork, stunning royal blue (my favorite gown color choice) and chic style of these looks, so had to show them off as well.  I guess I just had too many favorites last night! Shout out to Julia Roberts and Diane Keaton for rocking my "masculine meets feminine" trend that I discussed last month...thanks for making me look good! ;) 

                    

So, now that I've showed you my favorites, here's some that made my NOT list.  Sorry ladies, you may be fabulous on screen, but I was just not loving your choice of gown last night.  I know everyone loves Jennifer Lawrence and I think she is the most level-headed actress out there now, but really?  I'm not sure what she was thinking with this one, it's so not flattering!  I also didn't love the "hawaiian tropics" dress, big puffy sleeves, velvet shoulder pads or the just plain weird dress that Zoe wore.  I think these ladies need to have a "come to Jesus meeting" with their stylists! 

                     

Best Accessory of the night?  Definitely the baby bumps.  These ladies were absolutely glowing!

                                     

How do you rock YOUR runway?

I posted a challenge this week on my facebook page for my blogger friends.  I've asked them to blog about what they consider their "runway" to be and to explain how they rock it and then I will share their story here.  I'm excited with the response that I've gotten so far!  So, be on the lookout soon for posts from some of my lovely friends.  

But, they aren't the only ones that I want to hear from....I want to hear from YOU!  

What is your runway?  
Maybe it's your family, or your work or some hobby that you have.  Your "runway" is basically just something that you are really passionate about, that thing that when you are with it or spending time participating in it, you feel like you are on top of the world!  Something that when someone asks, "do you know someone who....(fill in the blanks)?" You are always the first person people think of.  What is that in your life?  

How are you rocking it?  
By this I mean, how are you sharing what you are passionate about with the rest of the world?  If it's something that you love, then the people around you will know it and get joy from it because of how you share it.  So, how are you spreading your joy? 

Comment here, I'd love to know!!! 

How to Rhinestone Shoes

My first DIY post and I'm so excited to share this one with you! 

Okay, so anyone who knows me, know that I LOVE to add bling to just about anything.  But, what most people don't know is just how easy it is!  Love those rhinestone heels, but not in your budget?  No worries...I'm here to help show you how to make your own!  For this tutorial, I'm going to show you how to rhinestone your own heels, so here's a photo of mine.  I bought them on ebay for $20.  They have some glitter to them, but that doesn't really matter because I'll be covering that up with lots of stones! 



Next, glue.  This is essential!  I have used different types of glue, but of them all, GEM-TAC by Beacon has proven to be my favorite.  You can purchase this at your local craft supply store for just a few bucks.  I have used Jewel-It by Aleene's and that works fine, but I've had more success with stones not falling off with GEM-TAC.  Do not use E-6000!!!!  Though it's a great glue for many things, it's often too stinky, stringy and just down right messy for most projects!  GEM-TAC goes on white, similar the old school Elmer's that we are used to using as kids, but dries clear.  I like it because when working with shoes especially, you can move the stones around as you are working because it doesn't dry instantly, which is good thing for this project.  The spray adhesive shown in the last photo is great for adding glitter to the bottom of the sole or heel.  Just spray on and dump the glitter onto the surface. Make sure you lay down paper underneath to catch the excess glitter that falls so you can continue to reuse it!
 

Next, you'll need your stones.  How do you know what to get?  Well, it all just depends on budget and project.  If you have a tight budget, then the acrylic rhinestones are perfect for you.  They aren't the most sparkly, but they are cheap and will still give off some glimmer when on stage.  I like using inBloom by Bead Design.  I purchased this one pound tub at Hobby Lobby for $9, thanks to coupons!  They sell them in all sorts of colors, sizes and shapes.  I usually just get the variety pack of round ones and have purchased in clear and colors.  For these shoes, I'm making them for a Valentine's pageant, so I'm going with reds, pinks and purples.





RGA stones in ab crystal and jet ab

If you want a more "expensive" look, then Swarovski is really the way to go.  I will warn you, though you can typically buy them in bulk, they can be a bit pricey.  So, the cheater version are RGA stones.  I use these often.  They are less expensive, but give the same effect and actually, for stage and longer distance viewing, they tend to be better because their surface cut is typically larger, so picks up the light nicely.  If you are working on something that will be viewed up close, then Swarovski is still the best option.  Here's two bags of RGA stones that I currently have.  I found them online, 1440 stones for just $15! 


Now it's time to stone!  The glue has a nice needle nose tip, so you can either apply the glue directly to the stone or directly on the shoe.  I usually use my fingers, but it can be messy, so tweezers are good to have on hand.  Don't worry about applying too much glue because remember,  it will dry clear.  I'm kind of an over-gluer, but it's never failed me!  When stoning with colors, I usually just place them randomly so they create a nice multi-color effect.  You'll want to use different sizes to cover the whole shoe and sort of fit them in like a puzzle...find the size that fits the area you are working.  The toe, especially if more pointed, can be the most difficult part of the shoe, so I usually use the smaller stones to fill in that area.  Continue until the entire shoe is covered.  You can create patterns, stone the heel, don't stone the heel, stone parts of the shoe...it's YOUR custom creation, so do what you want! 

Once you are done creating the look you want, it's important that you let them dry overnight.  Set them somewhere where they won't be bumped into or bothered so they can fully dry, untouched.  And...THAT'S IT!  Yep, that's right....it's just that easy!  So basically for under $40, I have my very own custom rhinestone heels.  I've done these even cheaper with less expensive shoes because it doesn't really matter what they look like on the outside as you'll be covering them anyways, so this is also a perfect way to re-furbish old shoes and bring new life to them!  Here's my finished product...

You can take these tips and really stone just about anything!  When adding rhinestones on fabric, you won't be able to move them around in place though like you can with shoes, so I suggest laying out your pattern ahead of time and then adding the stones one-by-one in their exact spot. 


Check out the other things that I've rhinestoned!

Rhinestone swimwear using blue RGA

purple acrylic stones in various sizes

jet ab RGA stones on lace

rhinestone gown using red and ab colors

randomly placed Swarovski stones on nude peep toes

crystal acrylic stones

acrylic



Made these for my friend, a breast cancer survivor.
I just used smaller stones to spell out the words!



Still not sure if you can do this on your own?  Contact me and I'd be happy to custom stone for you or help answer any questions you might have! :)  Happy Blinging!



It has arrived!!!!

No, I'm not talking about the blizzard of '14 either!  Pageant season....it's finally here!  That means preliminary pageants, prep and more is taking place now.

The beginning of a new year might be perfect for resolutions, but it's also a perfect time to give pageantry a try.  Lots of charity pageants and local, city and state prelims take place now so that their next level can happen in the spring or summer.  So, if you are getting ready for a pageant, there's no time like the present to start preparing!

Through my studio, Studio K Coaching, my schedule has been filling up with girls and women getting ready for their time to shine on that pageant stage.  County pageants competitors, state prelim contestants and those just getting ready for their national event have been booking and I couldn't be more excited!  I love working with each person individually so that they can feel confident and ready for whatever it is that they are involved in.  No two pageants are the same, so part of my job is researching the different systems out there and learning more about them, which is also so much fun for me!  Natural pageants, glamour pageants, semi-glitz, glitz (which I don't work much with), pageants with swimwear, some without, some with talent and some with optionals...the possibilities are endless and because of that, there is always a pageant out there for everyone...there are even some for boys and men to take part in!

Now, I know pageantry has it's stereotypes, but I only wish that people could meet all of the wonderful people that I have met through competing.  It is because of the great experiences that I have had over the years, that I enjoy helping others gain their own fun experiences through pageantry.  And because there are so many different styles of competitions with different divisions and requirements, I especially love helping people find the right one for their own personal goals!

So, the point of this blog is this....pageantry may not be for everyone, but if it's something that you've considered, then you're in luck because NOW is the perfect time to jump right in and test out a pageant...there are lots coming up!!!  And with the different types of competitions out there, you're sure to find a right fit for you!  Oh, and for a shameless plug for my side biz....hire me to coach you to success because I just know we will have so much fun together!!!! ;)

What about the guys?

Some of my husband's New Years Day finds,
especially love the white Cole Haan wing tips! ;)

So, New Years Day, the hubby and I decided to spend our snowy afternoon shopping.  I heard there were some great deals, naturally, I was excited to see what bargains I could find.  Well, as it turned out, my husband ended up really scoring on this trip!  We stopped by a few department stores and one of his favorite men's clothing stores, and he was really able to add to his wardrobe without taking too much away from his wallet.  I had to check his temperature throughout the day just because he was actually enjoying the shopping trip!  Believe it or not, he wasn't sick, he's just finally started to appreciate fashion...it only took me 15 years to train him!  haha!  Anyways, our trip has prompted this post, some of my favorite men's fashion trends for 2014.  Now that you know what you are wearing in the new year, how do you dress your man?  Here's some tips that will hopefully help!

Floral Shirt.
Photo courtesy of "Details"

Florals.  That's right, I am talking men's fashion and I just used the word "floral."  This look is a sure hit for this spring and summer.  Floral dress shirts, floral printed shorts or sport coats, if it has flowers on it, then it's in!  The question is, is your guy man enough to pull off this trend?!

Suits.  We're not talking your typical boring black though, men's suits for the upcoming seasons are light, colorful and down right fun!  If going with a printed pattern, bold blue or pretty pink is pushing it just a little too much for your man, then start off with a cream colored jacket or light gray suit and he'll still be on trend.  Oh, and make sure it's a double-breasted suit, this style is a classic look that is making it's return in a big way!

Denim, denim, denim.  This happens to be one of my favorite trends that always seems to be in style.  Pairing dark denim jeans with a sport coat or going with the lighter, more casual denim button-up for a fun summer look, your man can't go wrong with denim.  With this trend though, fit is important.  So guys, take note...tailored, well-fitting denim is what we want to see on you, and yes, that may mean actually making a trip to your local tailor.

Layering.  Photo courtesy
 of "The Fashionisto"

Layering.  Most guys know how to do this, but this trend has a twist for 2014.  Layering a long sleeved sweater over a button-up can be perfect for the colder months, but as we approach the warmer temps, have your man dress in a short sleeved sweatshirt or henley overtop a long sleeved shirting option.  This look will be easy to do and will show that he has style!

Color-blocking.  Yes, I know us females know this trend all too well, but what about the men in our lives?  Have they really fully embraced the effect that a cool color-blocked top can create?  This graphic play on colors can keep your man looking cool, calm and collected in 2014. 




Now, some of these options may have your man rolling his eyes at you, but if you could get him to incorporate just one of these fun trends, then he'll be sure to have a fashionable start to the new year!