April | 2013 | garden of glam

Apr 30 2013

Wedding Guest Fashion: Formal & Cocktail

I think it is fair to say that the most common dress code for weddings is formal or cocktail attire therefore today’s Spring/Summer Wedding Guest Dress for Success Guide is dedicated to the broad spectrum that is formal wedding wear. Formal is wonderful because you can go short or long (and you know how much I love long). Formal is of course a step down from black tie and lends itself to many different styles, silhouettes, colors and fabrics. And cocktail is a slight step below formal. However, when experimenting with fabrics and volumes always be mindful of the location of the wedding and if it is indoor or outdoor. Take it from someone who tends to overheat quickly, the last thing you want is to be stuck outside in an oppressively heavy dress. With that said play around and find what works best for you, your body type, the venue, and make sure your shoes are comfortable enough to dance the night away in.

A very special thank you to my fabulous collaborators that made this post possible! Thank you Carine’s Bridal Atelier for providing the gorgeous gowns, Charm & Fornash for the flawless baubles, and Drybar for the beautiful blow out!

Dress: Marchesa (c/o Carine’s Bridal), Jewels: Charm Georgetown & Fornash, Hair: Drybar

One of the most amazing things about spring/summer wear is that brights are always in. Make sure that one aspect of your ensemble is a true stand out.

Just because the dress is bold does not mean you have to shy away from accessories and bling!

The exaggerated fan sleeve is my absolute favorite! Because there are a lot of components to the dress a more conservative hemline is crucial.

Tagged bling, bold colors, bright colors, gold, one shoulder, sheer, spring/summer, wedding fashion, wedding guest style, wedding style

Apr 29 2013

6 Comments

Wedding Style

Wedding Guest Fashion: Black Tie

My life has completely been taken over by weddings! By the end of September I will pretty much be able to add professional wedding guest/bridal party member to my resume. Weddings are the ultimate party and the most special of celebrations. Everyone is happy, ready to have a good time and you can feel the love in the air. Weddings are also so wonderful because they provide the perfect opportunity to dress up, which if you are a follower of the blog you know I love to do. Dressing fabulously and flawlessly for weddings can be tricky at times and because of this I decided to put together a weeklong Spring/Summer Wedding Guest Dress for Success Guide.

To put this post together I turned to some of D.C.’s glamour staples. Carine’s Bridal Atelier provided the gorgeous dresses. I also sat down with Carine and chatted with her about wedding trends, bridal market, her beautiful boutique and so much more. For the video of this interview head over to Carine’s blog & Facebook page. For the baubles I, of course, turned to Charm Georgetown & Fornash. As you know accessories provide the perfect finishing touch to each look and must be given as much attention as the clothes themselves. Special thank you to Jackie from Charm for graciously opening up her store to me and helping me complete each ensemble. Also, in case you missed it check out my exclusive (vintage) interview with Jackie here. For the hair I turned to none other than Drybar. This was my first Drybar experience and it was absolutely amazing! The staff was super friendly and knowledgable, the atmosphere was absolute perfection and of course the blow out was impeccable. My stylist even instructed me on how to secure an easy and fabulous up do. I could not recommend Drybar more highly!

And now for today’s wedding look feature….the black tie wedding. Black tie is less common, but with that said it is virtually impossible to make it through wedding season without being invited to one black tie wedding. I love long dresses so I jump at the opportunity to wear a long gown. Floor length gowns are also the most appropriate for a black tie wedding or function, but a shorter dress can work, but really go long, when else will you be able to! Long gowns are also flattering for all body types and just truly stunning.

Gown: Nicole Miller, Jewelry: Charm Georgetown, Blowout & Up do tips: Dry Bar

Gown: Nicole Miller c/o Carine’s Bridal, Jewelry: Charm Georgetown, Blowout & Up do tips: Drybar

The draping of the dress is incredible, but also calls for an up do. Always make sure your hair complements the gown.

The back is just EVERYTHING!

If you choose a more subdued color, vamp up your look with a bright lip or dramatic eye.

One of the most magical things about this gown is that the bottom is sequins with a chiffon overlay, which gives the gown a subdued sparkle.

When going long remember the hemmed length is crucial.

Seeking shade and showing off the gorgeous jewels.

Whatever you wear, make sure you have fun in it!

Tagged backless, black tie fashion, black tie weddings, draping, Gowns, jewelry, nude, nude gown, sequins, sparkle, wedding guest style, wedding season

Apr 25 2013

5 Comments

harem pants

Harem Pant (part II)

Harem pants are one of my absolute favorites! They are fashion forward (with a hint of the past), bold and so comfortable. Anytime stylish and comfortable are in the same sentence I am on board. Harem pants are definitely a wardrobe staple for me. They are just simply wonderful and can be worn anywhere and to anything.

These leather harem pants are to die for!

Photo courtesy of Carolines Mode

black and white perfection for spring

Photo courtesy of Gal Meets Glam

comfortable and fabulous

Photo courtesy of fashion.hr

so bold & the oversized shirt compliments the pants perfectly!

so bold & the oversized shirt complements the pants perfectly!

Photo courtesy of 25.media.tumblr

in love with cropped tops this spring!

Photo courtesy of 26.media.tumblr

Tagged black and white, bold prints, harem pants, leather, spring trends, summer trends

Apr 23 2013

5 Comments

harem pants

The Harem Pant

The 90s are back in a big way with this week’s trend highlight. Well, back, modernized and more fabulous than ever! The harem pant danced its way into history thanks to MC Hammer and luckily has been revived and can be seen strutting down runways, sidewalks and every where in between. Contrary to popular belief, the harem pant is for everyone! Like all clothes, the fit is crucial and it could not be more true in this instance. The harem pant is already a bold piece, but it is truly perfect for all occasions! They are so playful and depending on how you put the look together can also be more conservative, well as conservative as a harem pant can be. One of my favorite things about the harem pant is that they are whimsical and allow you to experiment with proportions, which always results in an eye catching one of a kind look. Oh and did I mention they are incredibly comfortable!

Pants: Aqua (old, similar here & super affordable!), Top: H&M (similar here), Shoes: Aqua (old, similar here)

Just lounging in the most comfortable pants

Playing with proportions and lengths

Wonder Woman pose

Tagged bold colors, harem pants, pop of color, proportions, spring trends

Apr 18 2013

Dinner with Scratch DC

I had the most delicious dinner last week and it was courtesy of Scratch DC and my kitchen! Scratch DC is latest in culinary innovation and my latest obsession! Just think, delicious affordable dinners made easy! Scratch DC delivers, right to your front door, prepped, measured, and mixed meals that are ready for cooking and they provide easy to follow cooking instructions (that also have a sense of humor). I apologize for always repeating myself, but I am no chef and my least favorite part about cooking is the prep work and Scratch takes care of all of that for you! Everything you need is included in the box, in small perfectly measured containers with pre-chopped ingredients. And that isn’t even the best part! The best part is that the meal was BEYOND delicious–perfectly seasoned with perfect portions!

I also interviewed Ryan Hansan the ingenius founder of Scratch DC. So scroll for some mouth watering pictures of my home cooked Chicken Marsala dinner and for an inspiring interview with Ryan.

Special Delivery

Ryan Hansan, founder of Scratch DC

Delicious prepped dinner ingredients

Everything you need for a delicious dinner!

Studying the (super easy to follow) instructions

Spicing the chicken

Adding the mushrooms!

marinating the mushrooms

All the spices needed for a perfectly seasoned meal

Flavor party

Dinner is almost ready and doesn’t it look good

The most delicious chicken marsala EVER

The amazing finished product!

The perfect finishing touch

And now for the interview!

Tell me about Scratch DC.

We make amazing meals easy. Each day we create bundles of fresh, locally sourced organic ingredients that are chopped, measured, marinated, packed with an amazing recipe and delivered to you door ready to cook – saving you the time, money and food so often wasted when making an amazing meal at home. We’re still very much in our infancy, having launched in the last week of August, 2012, but we’re growing very quickly!

What is your culinary background?

Besides that I REALLY like to eat, I have no professional training other than growing up watching my mothers wizardry in the kitchen.

What inspired you to start Scratch DC?

I was frustrated. As a busy young professional, with a rather unpredictable and social schedule it was difficult to make a good meal. I tried to go to the grocery store once a week, but when I did, I rarely had a meal in mind. So, when I wanted to cook something other than easy mac I’d have to look up a recipe, trek back to the store and buy a ton of ingredients that I’d only use a fraction of… (spices, herbs, etc). It was a huge waste of time, money and food and I just thought there must be a better way!

Why DC?

I was born and raised in Northern Virginia then came to school for college. Haven’t left the city yet! (Hail to the Redskins!)

What is your specialty?

My specialty is making people realize that they can make the best food they’ve ever tasted in their own kitchens.

If you could cook a meal with any chef who would it be and what would you cook?

I would cook the suckling pig entree from Komi with Alton Brown so he could tell me all about the science of the meal… that would be the highlight of my life.

How do you decide what the Scratch weekly menu will be?

In any given week we try to have something to please every palate. We usually have a vegetarian dish, some seafood, some pasta and a protein. Each week we test 2-3 recipes. To make it on the menu they have to be relatively easy, relatively quick, able to be cooked with common kitchen equipment, and above all – incredibly delicious. If it meets our criteria, and our taste test, we have a round or two of tweaking and then its on to the menu!

What tips do you have for an inexperienced chef?

Go to www.scratchDC.com.

What tips do you have for people starting their own business?

Find a problem that you’re passionate about and try to solve it.

What are your hopes, dreams, and goals for Scratch DC?

They’re big and bold. There are a lot of bizarre things going on in the food industry that I feel like we can improve. There are disconnects and waste everywhere you turn. I hope that we can create a scalable product that will efficiently benefit multiple levels of the industry – from the local farmer to the first time cook to the new parents looking for a time saving way to eat the best meals of their lives. A retail location is in the works and we hope that’s just the beginning.

Want to know more about Scratch DC? Visit its site and definitely check out the “How It Works” video (it’s pretty hysterical)

Tagged chicken marsala, dinner, easy meals, food, local, pasta, Scratch DC

Apr 15 2013

4 Comments

Shoes

Aldo Goes Glam

Today I had the pleasure of hosting an event at Aldo Shoes in Pentagon City to celebrate the re-opening and renovation of their store. The party had cupcakes, giveaways, discounts, a dj, a little bit of dancing, a lot of fun and of course some serious shopping. I am thrilled to support such an incredible brand that always has innovative styles and fashion forward designs that are incredibly affordable. I spent most of the night with two different shoes on my feet, because I literally fell in love with everything I tried on! The biggest shoe trends this spring/summer are sky high heels (as always), a chunky heel (which is a personal fav of mine), ankle straps, neon and color blocking. Basically, get ready for your feet to have all the fun this summer!

Thank you so much to everyone that came out this evening! It was such a wonderful event made infinitely more special by the amazing guests!