Think with your head...

You all know my absolute favorite accessory is a headband. It all probably stems from my obsession with Gossip Girl and Blair Waldorf. However, even as a 5 year old I always wore headbands. Around the UConn campus may sorority women walk around with headbands and it's somewhat become a norm. Bows and flower headbands are the most popular. With fashion always evolving and changing these are statement pieces I absolutely adore v>

Karl Lagerfeld recently displayed his pre-Fall 2011 show in Paris. I basically want the filigree headbands he put on his models ontop of their messy beehive bun. It dresses up a casual wardrobe.

Another statement headpiece is the Prada turban headband. This Boho-Chic accessory

is hard to pull off and needs certain styling. (AKA Kourtney Kardashian fail) Here MK/A (Idk who this one is haha) wears it very simple. I can see Nicole Richie wearing this as well. This headband is perfect for those days you wear your hair au naturale without straightening it and leaving it a bit wavey or when you don't have enough time to take a quick shower and need to pull your hair out of of your face.

What do you all think?

XoKA <3>

College for fashionistas

Sorry I haven't blogged in awhile. It's hard to keep up with two blogs. I hope you all are having a fantastic holiday season so far! This coming January I will be going back to school as a post-bac student for pre-medical studies so I might not be able to blog as frequently. To get in the college spirit, I have chosen the topic of college for this blog.

So what schools did some designers go to??

1. Parsons, The New School For Design in NY

Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Narciso Rodriguez, Alexander Wang, Anna Sui, Jason Wu, Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock (Vena Cava), Thakoon

2. Central Saint Martins in London

Stella McCartney, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Zac Posen, Paul Smith, Giles Deacon,

3. Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in NY

Nina Carcia, Carolina Herrera, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Nanette Lepore, Ralph Rucci

4. Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale in Paris

Andre Courreges, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, Nicole Miller

5. Istituto Marangoni in Milan also London and Paris campuses

Domenico Dolce, Franco Moschino

6. University of Westminister in London

Vivienne Westwood, Christopher Bailey, Michael Herz (Bally)

7 Royal College of Art (Post Graduate program) in London

Philip Teacy, Christopher Bailey

8. London College of Fashion

Jimmy Choo

Networking and workshops with these alumns can be found with these schools. Just imagine someone in your lecture can be someone famous in the future...

On a side note, have you all heard that Blake Lively is the new face of Chanel?! Being Anna Wintour's new obsession definitely has it's perks! Not only does Anna fly Blake out to fashion shows to sit front row with her at Dior, Chanel, and wherever she wants but she has been on the cover of Vogue 3 times. She was in attendance at the reopening of Chanel in SOHO. Lively also has an obsession with Louboutins and Louboutin named a shoe after her after meeting her. Wow isn't she such a luck girl? She also claims she doesn't use a stylist...

Fashionably yours,

Karen xoxo

new obsessions of the day

I was in an accessories mood so I decided to share my 2 obsessions for the day. These items are timeless, elegant, and exude modern opulence.

The first piece is a BVLGARI pendant from the Tondo collection.

This pendant is made in 18 kt yellow gold and steel with pave diamonds (3.10cm diameter)

PRICE: $2,950.00. I like the contrast between the gold and steel with a hint of diamonds. You can wear this with either a gold or silver chain. It's a perfect pendant necklace to wear everyday. (Carrie from Sex and the city wore a Tondo Bvlgari pendant necklace in one of the seasons)

(Carrie wearing her Bvlgari necklace from the Tondo collection)

Obsession #2 Cartier's Love Bracelet

Remember in middle school the best thing to have on your wrist was a Tiffany & Co. bracelet? For me it's Cartier's Love Bracelet collection. It's simple yet sophisticated and matches with everything. Also comes in different colored golds.

It has been popular since the 1960s. Cartier just introduced a new twist for the original bracelet, the love Charity.

Who's a frequent wearer of the love bracelet?

Kourtney Kardashian wears her two love bracelets almost in every episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians/ Kourtney and Kloe take Miami. I know I would if I had one!

What are your accessory obsessions??

Fashionably yours,

Karen

21 more days!

Get your sleeping bags ready for H&M for the Lanvin for H&M Day! More pictures have been posted and I CAN'T WAIT to get my hands on these pieces!! Love LOVE LOVEEEE the romantic fabrics and the delicate draping. These are so different from other Designer diffuser lines, they look expensive!

What do you guys think??

Fashionably yours,

Karen xoxo

Are you fur real?

As you all know, fur is the new obsession for this fall season. From fur detailing to oversized fur vests. Every where you go you see fur! Here are some fur pieces that I absolutely adore!

This Fendi Red Fox Trim Coat ($1,863.41) combines the camel coat trend with fur trimming. It's simple yet very chic. Pair it with a pair of light jeans creates a day look or layer it over a black dress for a uptown look.

On the right are Michael Kors fur clutches. I love the smooth metallic leather and the metal lock embellishments pairing with the soft fur. These clutches are perfect to dress up a simple outfit when going out at night. I can see myself having all 3 because they all are so beautiful. The top brown is perfect with a black shirt and dark wash jeans. The left brown is perfect with a day look of a white oxford button down shirt with a pair of relaxed jeans and brown riding boots. The grey clutch is for the fashionistas who love to wear the all black look.

This mink and velvet necklace from Louis Vuitton is something you see in Vogue photos or on Anna Wintour's neck. This is the to die for accessory. The detailing is strategically done- rather it looking like furry handcuffs on your neck it looks very luxurious and delicate. You can wear this with a very plain outfit and still look chic and fashionable. You can wear this necklace with a white tshirt and jeans with your hair up in a pony tail and look casual chic like Reese Witherspoon. Or Pair it up with a blazer and black pants with your hair down like a Kardashian. I can also see this necklace on Rachel Zoe.

This Burberry Fur Collar Trench Coat will definitely keep you warm while looking fabulous! The fox collar is removable so you can tone down the wow factor. This double breasted coat is very sliming.

I am obsessed with these Tory Burch Rabbit Fur Buckle Boots. The brown leather detailing and Gold Tory Burch embellishments makes these boots the fall winter boot. I can see so many girls with leggings and capes wearing these boots this fall.

This Nina Ricci Fur Collar Cardigan puts the cardigan/cape and fur trend together. This light weight cotton cardigan allows movement from the garment while having a relaxed fit. The cropped sleeves also adds comfort so it doesn't feel heavy or bulky when wearing this cardigan.

How uptown are these fur earmuffs? These ear muffs from Lanvin (found at Bergdorfs) are a fancifully adorned piece made by fox fur. It is made with folded navy satin ribbon with red dyed fox muffs. The jeweled brooch on side makes this earmuff very Blair Waldorf. So this is a perfect piece for you headband lovers!

What do you think of the fur trend? Of course I prefer faux fur!

Fashionably yours,

Karen xoxo

look of the day

There's something about the pairing of shear fabrics of black and beige that I absolutely adore. Here's Reese Witherspoon wearing Jason Wu.

Reese Witherspoon attends the 10th annual Avon Foundation For Women Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on October 26, 2010 in New York City. (Getty Images North America)

Fact of the Day

Hermes Birkin Bag Background:

The hand-built Birkin Bag is named after the actress/singer Jane Birkin. The price of the bags range from $9,000 to $150,000 according to the quality of the material/ rarity of the leather. As a result of limited quantities the bags are very exclusive. The bag was created in 1984. In 1981 CEO of Hermes, Jean Louis Dumas got on a flight from Paris to London and sat next to Jane Birkin. Birkin placed her straw bag in the overhead compartment and then her items from her bag fell. Birkin explained to him that it's difficult to find a leather weekend bag. In 1984 he created a black leather bag for her.

The Birkin bag comes in 25, 30, 35, and 40 cm sizes. The 50 and 55 cm bags are meant for traveling. (colors:pink, red, brown, orange, baby blue, navy blue, orange, white, black, gold tan) The metallic hardware are plated with gold or palladium (both don't tarnish) Diamonds are another custom addition. The bag comes with a lock and keys. Keys are enclosed in a leather lanyard known as a 'clochette' carried by looping through a handle. The lock and keys are number -coded.

The bag has a variety of skins to choose from: calf leather, ostrich, crocodile, and lizard. The most expensive is saltwater crocodile skin. Bags with smaller scales cost more than those with larger scales. The bag is lined with goat-skin. The color matches the exterior.

Once known for having a wait list time of 6 years, it was announced in April 2010 that the wait list no longer exists. (Maybe because of the recession)

So what kind of Birkin do I want?

Black/ brown calfskin with gold metallic hardware. Just like Posh Spice :)

Fashionably Yours,

Karen xoxo