Friday, September 6, 2013

Pantone's Top Colors for Spring 2014

While worldwide economic and political stability still remains out-of-reach for many, designers are using a more balanced color palette to restore some equilibrium. 

Testimony to the fact that they are not entirely sold on vivid brights or soft pastels, the season's top 10 colors for women and men offer a healthy sampling of both. Dazzling Blue leads the charge for women, ranking first with the more subdued Violet Tulip second and the more vivacious Radiant Orchid third. The considerably, softer Placid Blue topped the men's list, followed, respectively, by Paloma, a faintly earthy gray, and Dazzling Blue.

"What's interesting is we're seeing exciting and fashionable colors as well as more neutral ones. It's not as though everyone is willing to wear the bright colors from recent seasons from head-to-toe. There need to be equilibrium, and that is a more serious world than balance. The world still need the stability of soft neutrals but we're not just talking about grey, beige and taupe," said Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone Color Institute's executive director. "When Placid Blue is redefines as a neutral, more people understand that it's not just a traditional color but one you can depend on. There is a reason people look outside each morning, knowing the sky is out there and hoping that it's blue."

Whether Placid Blue's seventh-place ranking for women is a case for veiled optimism is open to debate, but the prevalence of crossover colors for spring cannot be disputed. In addition to Dazzling Blue, Paloma and Placid Blue, four other colors appeared on both lists - Celosia, Orange, Freesia, Cayenne and Sand. "It's all about the sense of balance. All designers want everyone to have fun with our clothes and to enjoy what we're wearing but there still need to be a bit of practicality", she said. "Colors talk to the idea of optimism in fashion. The economic standpoint is still very much part of it."

Music: Fenech Soler "Last Forever"

The Chainsmokers remix of 'Last Forever' by Fenech-Soler. 

Art & Sole: 150 Fantasy Art Shoes

A spectacular selection of more than 150 Fantasy Art Shoes from the Stuart Weitzman Collection. 

When Stuart Weitzman opened its first boutique on Madison Avenue, its displays of specially commissioned fantasy shoes quickly became a destination, drawing crowds from all over the world to its magical windows. The best of this carefully curated collection is on display in book form for the first time in this unique gift volume, where these imaginative creations are presented in vivid detail. With its inventive and beautifully crafted footwear in a vast range of materials - from watercolor paper to playing cards, from fresh flowers to frosting - this stunning showcase where fashion and fantasy meet with thrill shoe and art lovers alike.


Thursday, September 5, 2013

Superga Joins Forces with The Man Repeller

Superga has enlisted Leandra Medine, of fashion blog The Man Repeller, to create a capsule collection of trainers for autumn.
Stylistas eagerly awaiting the release of Man Repeller can look forward to another fashion tit bit from Leandra Medine this summer. 

Madine, the mastermind behind the fashion blog The Man Repeller, has collaborated with trendy trainer brand Superga to create an autumn capsule collection.

Superga's low and high-top styles have been given a luxe velvet makeover from Medine, who has chosen and autumn-appropiate palette of black, blue, burgundy, green, winter white for the pumps. The collection also boasts metallic boucle line, in both silver and gold, to capture the imagination of trainer enthusiasts.

Each Superga will also come with an additional pair of longer laces, so buyers can style laces wrapped around their ankles - a la Medine. 

"Partnering with Superga has been a real treat," notes the Man Repeller of her venture into footwear. "I've been wearing the sneakers (care of my Italian mother) since I was 6 and so to try my hand at creating my own felt like a privilege. "

Available in mid-August from Superga, and online retailers Shopbop, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, a pair of Man Repeller X Superga pumps will set  you back at $150 each.

Finally, a foot friendly shoe to take on September's fashion weeks in.

Just recently we discovered that Nordstrom already has some syle available, check them out! 

Hearing Test: How Old Are Your Ears?

Must watch in 1080p and use headphones. 

How high can you hear? Take this 'test' to see how old your ears are!

Pink's Fall Leggings

The PINK Leggings that we all love are back and they are edgier than ever!

Our Favorite Fall Styles

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Tracy Anderson's 15 Minute Workout

Thanks to Goop, Tracy Anderson has created a quick 15 minute workout that will help you get in shape. 

Naked Sports Gear

Naked Sports Gear offers the avid outdoors athlete one of a kind sports apparel made from tan-through, moisture wicking material. Made in New York City, Naked Sports Gear makes it possible to enjoy your favorite sun-soaked activities without getting unwanted tan lines. 

The Naked Sports Bra is a racer-back style sports bra that covers the shoulders and upper torso with a tan-minimizing micro-mesh fabric. The micro-mesh fabric is a stretch material that provides moderate support for the bust. The racer-back design and heavy elastic band that circles the under bust provide the support structure for the bra. To increase comfort and support, as well as provide modesty, a moisture-wicking dry-tek fabric with sweetheart style lines is used securely around the bust. 
Available in Red, Green, Orange, and Blue

Alexandra Von Furstenberg: Modern Acrylic Furniture

Los Angeles, California based Contemporary Furniture Designer, Alexandra Von Furstenberg created Alexandra Von Furstenberg, LLC the brand in 2007, to create luxurious, innovative, modern furniture made of acrylic. She originally began by designing acrylic tables for her personal home, and then realized there was a market for her designs. Following her passion, she launched her first division, a collection of acrylic neon tables, titled Fearless in March of 2008 and the second division, Voltage, in 2009, which consisted of acrylic tables in a smokier color palette. AVF Accessories were added to the collection and include a variety of tabletop accessories like trays, bowl and much more are soon to be come. All the collections of acrylic furniture and home accessories are continuing to grow and evolve. 

Our Favorite  AVF Accents

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Michael Kors: One Million Meals (and counting!)

The 100 Series Watch, designed by Michael Kors to help fight global hunger, is back in stock! 

1 Watch = 100 Meals
Michael Kors has joined forces with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to fight global hunger. For every sale of the 100 Series watch, WFP will deliver 100 meals to children in need. The support so far has been overwhelming, so far over 1 million meals have been delivered around the world. 

For every 100 Series watch sold, Michael Kors will donate US$25 to WFP.

You Are Bad At Assessing People (But So Is Everybody Else)


We like to think we are objective, rational people when it comes time to hire a new employee, evaluate an existing member of your team, or form a new partnership. We are confident we can assess people based on their merits. But in reality, we easily succumb to a well-documented and much-researched cognitive bias known as “the halo effect.”


In1920, the psychologist Edward L. Thorndike published a study showing that employees, soldiers, teachers, and aviators all seemed oddly similar across a variety of seemingly unrelated attributes on performance reviews. For example, highly reliable workers were also rated as being highly intelligent. Unkempt soldiers were rated as being physically weak. Enthusiastic teachers were also prompt, and prompt teachers showed integrity.

Thorndike was skeptical, especially of the ratings of pilots who were routinely evaluated very highly in just about every category. The pilots were thus recommended for leadership roles despite being young and lacking in the sort of training a military leadership position requires. Thorndike realized that flying aces were great at doing something that was impressive, and it provided them with something he called a “halo of general merit.” The halo influenced commanders’ assessments and raised the ratings of all their other traits, including those that got them jobs they were not qualified to hold. He called it the halo effect.
The halo influenced commanders’ assessments and raised the ratings of all their other traits, including those that got them jobs they were not qualified to hold.

When contemplating something complex, your evaluation of one highly salient trait creates an invisible halo that taints how you perceive other unrelated and less-salient traits. For example, when scientists told subjects a photo attached to an essay was of the author (it wasn’t), subjects who saw attractive people in the photographs rated it as being better written than did people who saw a less attractive person in a photo attached to the same essay.
This is possibly why taller people make more money. One 2004 study showed that for every extra inch of height above normal a person earns on-average an extra $789 a year. This is also why candidates for president eat corndogs at state fairs. It makes them seem nice and approachable. A halo of niceness and approachability makes a person seem trustworthy enough to have access to nuclear launch codes.

The effect is not always positive. Researchers once asked two groups of students to watch two different interviews of the same professor who spoke with a Belgian accent (think Jean-Claude Van Damme). In one video, the professor pretended to be laid-back and aloof. In the other, he pretended to be mean and strict. About half of the students who believed the professor was easygoing also said his accent was endearing, yet among the group who believed he was a hard-ass about 80 percent said his accent was grating. Objectively, of course, the accent was neither good or bad, but the halo made it so.
This is possibly why taller people make more money.


If you find yourself rating a person, product, or company positively or negatively across the board on every characteristic and attribute, know that you are likely experiencing the halo effect. The important thing to remember about this phenomenon is that you can’t avoid its influence, but you can learn to recognize when you are under its spell and how to avoid its enchantment.

·      Notice when a single positive trait or credential makes a person seem desirable for a role in which that trait or credential would not improve your project. Individual attributes like attractiveness, height, recent successes, impressive former employers, and respected alma maters will skew your judgment, especially during first impressions. Make a list of what is not important and have a third party delete that information about a potential new hire, collaboration, or partnership before it reaches you.

·      Periodically destroy old halos. A powerful first impression, positive or negative, creates a halo that can survive for years. Look for consistency instead. Toss out your first impressions and periodically assess everything important as if it’s the first time you’ve judged it.

How about you?
Have impressive credentials or other traits caused you to make hiring or partnership decisions you later regretted because of the halo effect?