Weekend Links: Rad Award + Giveaway Edition

from Rad by Rad Hourani lookbook [via Refinery29]

This week, in lieu of normal weekend links,
I thought I would name ten blogs to accept this award,
given to me by lovely blogger Janetteria...

Sugar Doll Award



The rule is simple: list ten interesting facts about yourself,
then pass on the award to ten other "Sugar Doll" bloggers!

Here are ten random facts:

1. My husband and I dated for nine months before he proposed. When I tell this story to some people, they look shocked and unnerved somehow. Sometimes, when you know, you know, right? Sometimes nine months or less work for people, and for others, two years is not enough time to really know if you want to spend forever with that other person...
   
2. I was born in Utah. Not even Salt Lake City, either. My family moved around a bit due to my father's post-graduate education, before finally settling in California. To avoid the long geographically exhausting story, I usually tell people that I grew up in California. Which, I suppose, is only partly true.
   
3. I may not be good at cuisine, but I took a class in Cooking 101 last year. I think cocktail making is more my speed: I took two cocktail making classes that same year. Priorities.
   
4. When I was in college, I was obsessed with vintage clothing from the early 60s, and, like most absolute beginners, dressed in a rather costume-y way, taking a clipping of Jackie Kennedy or Audrey Hepburn, then trying to cop their look from head to toe. I still enjoy these photos of myself, especially ones from Halloween when I was convinced that a saggy white sequin dress I got at a charity shop plus a flip bouffant wig would make me a dead ringer for Diana Ross from that time period. :)
   
5. My younger sister and I wear the same dress size, and yet she towers over me at an imposing height of 5 feet 10 inches. I'm convinced she drank my milk! Sometimes, I still think she's not over her growth spurt yet...
   
6. I have never owned a furry pet.
   
7. I love doing laundry. It's a sick fascination with my washer/dryer.
   
8. I eat some form of sour candy every day. Sour Patch Kids are probably my favorite at the moment.
   
9. I'm a very methodical shopper. If I'm familiar with a store's brand, I generally look through every single nook and corner of the boutique and almost every piece. There's a method to my shopping madness.
   
10. I'm crazy about the movies. I could watch movies all day, one after the other, and not get sick of it.
    

I would like to pass this award to a few blog crushes.
Please check out these blogs, because they are extraordinary!

1. Musie for the coolest visual inspirations
   
2. Fashion Daydreams for the latest fashion "goss" and because she's just a cool girl
   
3. Style Symmetry for her unique style
   
4. Haute World because her coverage of shops around the globe is amazing
   
5. Midtown Girl for her dedication to covering the dating scene
   
6. dramatis personae for keeping it real, in fashion and life
   
7. Ciao Chessa for capturing the most amazing photos
   
8. Carlotta My Way for being an inspiration, always
   
9. Reanna Time, for keeping it lovely 24-7
   
10. Should Be on the Nanny because... well check it out for yourself...
    

Moxsie Giveaway Winner!

And now to announce the winner of the latest giveaway....
The lucky reader who will be rocking the Necklush courtesy of Moxsie is...



Comment #70: Deka!!!

Thank you for your comments and congratulations to the winner!

Hope you all enjoy your weekends. I am not sure what I will be doing.
A lazy summer weekend, I hope!

Two Things to Read, Retweet and Eat

images courtesy of Necklush

Two Things:

(1) Necklush!!!!

Have you entered the Moxsie sponsored Necklush giveaway yet?

You have until 11:59 pm NYC time tonight.

Click here to enter!

You know you want it...

(2) Reader Poll!!!!

I would love to hear your feedback about

regular features on Dream Sequins.

Check out my sidebar poll on the right.

What would you like to see more regularly on this blog?

Thanks for sharing and caring :)

Copenhagen Fashion Week Preview Part I: bARBARA i gONGINI and Moonspoon Saloon

With Copenhagen Fashion Week taking place next week, I thought I would use a few posts to review some innovative Danish labels. First up: bARBARA i gONGINI and Moonspoon Saloon. While they cater to different sensibilities: one dark gothic and another rainbow bright, they do have this in common: both labels are shunning the traditional runway this season, with bARBARA i gONGINI presenting a virtual runway show and Moonspoon Saloon debuting its work on film.

bARBARA i gONGINI

Designer Barbara Gongini, a graduate of Danmark Designskole, uses monochromatic colors, draped jersey and pleated tulle to create strong new textures and silhouettes in her collections. I love the voluminous, unexpected halo effect of tulle used throughout her Autumn/Winter 2009 collection. Despite the ghostly pallor of the models, her design details have a warm touch of humor and I've fallen hard for her accessories. A select range of her more affordable designs can be found at Pixie Market.









Moonspoon Saloon

Moonspoon Saloon is a new discovery for me. Now approaching their third collection, the Copenhagen-based fashion meets art collective includes key members, designer Sara Sachs (a Central Saint Martins grad), painter Tal R and photographer Noam Griegst. The key concept behind Moonspoon Saloon's fashion collections is that only 99 pieces of 99 styles will be released; once the limited editions have run for the label, the "project" will be considered finished. Their Autumn/Winter 2009 collection was a clash of eclectic colors, knits and furs, some of which was less than successful and others simply breathtaking. All of it unique and limited edition, of course. Select pieces from their first collection are currently available at Seven New York.









all images courtesy of the Copenhagen Fashion Week website

For more information about bARBARA i gONGINI, check out her website here. And to learn more about Moonspoon Saloon, click here. Copenhagen Fashion Week officially kicks off on August 5th.

I'll be eagerly anticipating the spring collections of these labels. What do you think of their work?

Sign(s) of the Times: The Windows of West Broadway

This week, the Mr. and I were walking down West Broadway, a prime stretch of retail in Soho, when we started to notice a trend among the window displays: sale signs, each seemingly larger than the next, almost shouting to be noticed. It has been a while since I walked down these streets, and in just two short blocks, I managed to capture all the pictures you can see here.

I apologize for the quality of these images. As I reached into my purse for my camera, I noticed that my battery was low. So I took all of these with my iPhone camera. Not nearly as gorgeous as the window displays captured by blogger Modelizer, but these are indeed sign(s) of the times, no?

Hope you are enjoying your "Hump Day" so far. And if you haven't had a chance to check out my Necklush giveaway with Moxsie, please enter today!

Designer Profile: Francis New York

from left to right: Wendy Brandes (Wendy Brandes Jewelry) wearing Francis Spring 09, me in Francis Holiday 09/10, Christian Francis Roth and Kimmie Smith (Kitten Lounge) in Francis Spring 09

On Sunday afternoon, I had the pleasure of checking out a private shopping event at the Nolita studio of designer Christian Francis Roth for his new label, Francis New York. Gorgeous jewelry designer and blogger Wendy Brandes, who is collaborating with the designer on a blog for the new venture, invited a few lucky ladies to check out sample pieces from spring, along with a peek at the fall and holiday collections. I jumped at the chance to meet Wendy for the first time, but never expected to meet the womenswear designer in person as well. Christian was a charming and humble host, offering gracious assessments of the real women in his studio, none of us glamazon size 0s, as if we had been clients of his previous incarnation as a couture designer.

In the early 90s, at the precocious age of 21, just after his first runway show, Christian was embraced by the fashion elite as the Next Big Thing. Of his playful prints and color-rich pieces, Holly Brubach of the New Yorker wrote: "These clothes would look first-rate in Paris or Milan or Timbuktu. It is already too late to call him promising. There is, in his clothes, nothing more to wait for."

And yet, years later, perhaps there was something more to wait for-- as evidenced by the strong Spring 2009 debut of his affordably priced label. The collection for spring, entitled "The Gangs of New York," was inspired by high school cliques, ranging from graffiti-splashed downtown dresses to uptown, undone black-tie-inflected pieces, infused with a quintessentially "Christian" sense of humor and playfulness. These are quality, seasonless pieces at contemporary price points.

Here are a few photos from Sunday's adventures along with some of my favorite looks from Spring 2009 and a peek at Fall 2009, which will soon be available for viewing on the designer's website...






apres shopping for peach sangria = heaven!


Spring 09 plaid look (this skirt reminds me of Alicia Silverstone in Clueless, and I have one in my size on hold!)


Spring 09 subversive black tie inspired look


Spring 09 mod tuxedo dress


Fall 09 look - back to school??


Fall 09 print dress

For more information about the label, check out: http://francisnewyork.com.

More Designer Profiles:
Wren
Sophomore
CRHEE

Behind the Blog: Life in Travel

all images courtesy of Life in Travel

If you have a thing for labels like Lanvin, Givenchy, Balmain, Rick Owens and YSL, then meet your BFF, Dallas-based blogger Hanh, of Life in Travel. I stumbled across the blog a few months ago and have been hooked ever since. Life in Travel features style photos of the gorgeous Hanh and her latest shopping finds (shot beautifully by her husband). In addition, the blog features posts about travel and food, two of Hanh's other passions. For someone with an enviable shoe collection and two adorable girls, she comes across as surprisingly modest and radiates genuine warmth. Please read on to learn more about this week's featured blog: Life in Travel...

Five Questions for my Favorite Bloggers

Who are you?

I'm a good mom, a great wife, a thoughful child to my parents, the only chef of my family, a person who loves to see my kids and husband laugh, a lady who has a passion for fashion.

Where are you?

I'm everywhere from north, east, south, west. You may see me in Texas somewhere. And for sure, you'll see me at my blog.

What is the concept behind your blog?

I've been traveling many places with my family, have a chance to eat different foods from different places. And I like to make journal of what I have experienced. I also love fashion. All that, I would love to gather into my blog as my journal and I also would love to share with you all. I see the blog world as a good opportunity for me to make long distance friends or learn something new out there.

When you are not blogging, what else do you enjoy doing?

When I'm not blogging, I of course run some errands, driving my kids to gymnastics, ballet, ice-skating...go to the grocery store, cook for my family. All the little daily things that come with being a mom and a wife. I do enjoy cooking and I Iike to make up my own recepies. I enjoy baking with my kids, it's fun. And I love travel with my family as well. Oh, one more thing, I enjoy shopping too, as you all see that through my blog. I used to love listen to music for hours, since I have kids that passion seems fading away.

More importantly… what are you wearing? :)

When I do a mom's job, I wear whatever tee from Madewell, Gap or something from Forever 21. When I'm going out, I love to dress up in things from Rick Owens, Givenchy, Balenciaga...to Urban Outfitters, American Apparel or Forever 21.


Hanh in summer white denim and Margiela boots


Just a peek of her epic shoe collection, which was featured in this post


Hanh in Lanvin


In a pretty DIY skirt

Thanks for the interview, Hanh! Skip over to her blog here: http://life-in-travel.blogspot.com.

More Behind the Blog interviews:
Dapper Kid
District of Chic
It's Unbeweavable!

**New Giveaway on Dream Sequins: Win a Necklush courtesy of Moxsie! Click here to enter!**

Weekend Links: Strawberry Country Cake Edition

Last weekend, the Mr. and I went to visit some friends at a country house in the Catskills. When they told me it would be rustic, I imagined our large group rolled up in sleeping bags, the room heavy with the scent of mosquito repellent and burnt out logs from a fire pit. Instead, what we got was a lovely five bedroom home with miles of creek, greenery, a pool and even a tennis court! We all ate and drank too much, told bawdy stories and passed out well past our bedtimes in the city. Overall... a lovely weekend!

I thought I would share some belated pictures of our weekend with you (after a few weekend links)... The strawberry country cake pictured above, by the way, was a birthday cake for a friend of ours at the house-- the dreamiest lemon cake layered with hand-whipped cream and strawberries. The recipe, if you're dying to know, can be found here. Enjoy your weekend and these lovely weekend links!!!

READ

A few new blogs that may interest you:

• Unfunded is a blog based in California that focuses on edgy, affordable fashion-- something up my alley. And I love the layout!
• An Experiment in Poverty checks in on the adventures of a lovely couple in Los Angeles, who used to grapple with financial issues (hence the name), but now share relationship advice and enticing food photos with you.
• The Staple covers men's fashion and music-- two topics which are not at the top of my expertise list. So I'll be reading. And learning.

If you're not already familiar with Our City Lights, I would recommend checking out her blog (a gorgeous blend of photography and musings on Geek Love). Her ongoing photo collaboration with another blogger entitled 6,768 Miles Apart is really so original and beautiful. Please head over there to take a peek!

CHECK OUT

The blog-o-verse is once again buzzing with giveaways. Enter these now!!!

• Femme Rationale is offering readers a chance to win a pair of Current Elliott boyfriend jeans from Chick Downtown!
• It's Unbeweavable! is giving away your choice of some awesome headbands from Mandizzle (fo shizzle)...

Nina of Femme Rationale tells me that she's opened an online shop. And there are some affordable goodies for you right now, including a cool Hussein Chalayan top that is sadly NOT my size. Hurry and check it out!

Starting Monday, all Project Transaction items will be 20% off - leather belts $64 and cuffs $36 at Alice and Isa!

ON DREAM SEQUINS

If you are just catching up on Dream Sequins, it was quite an eventful week, as we covered the pros and cons of using fashion's latest mangled descriptor "poorgeois," went Behind the Blog with fashion blogger Dapper Kid, checked out Fall looks from emerging label Octopi, learned more about new indie marketplace, Moxsie along with a new giveaway and announced the winner of last week's Mademoiselle Style giveaway.

Dream Sequins just reached 200 Google Friendconnect followers today! For those of you who are new to the blog, feel free to leave a comment, and I will return the favor as soon as possible. In case you haven't noticed, I posted a poll in the sidebar because I would love to learn more about what you enjoy on this blog and what features you would like to see more regularly. Your opinion matters! I'm open to your comments in the poll and in the comments!

CATCALLING

And now back to our regularly scheduled pretty nature pictures...

What will you be doing this weekend?

Mademoiselle Style Giveaway Winner!

Last week, we hosted a giveaway from Mademoiselle Style, the new personal style consultation service from the inimitable Mademoiselle Robot. And... after Mademoiselle sorted through your lovely entries, we have a winner!

Congratulations...
carly of a girl and her blog!!!!!
You are the recipient of a Style Booster service from Mademoiselle Style.

Here are a few words from Mademoiselle explaining her choice:

carly said "hey. i wasn't going to enter this because i thought what could be helped. but then i got to thinking when i went out yesterday. i look frumpy? not so much i look frumpy but i feel it. i think i need some help in feeling the fashion. and getting my style a little bit of a revival. i'm ready to take on the world. i just need that little umph that is missing."

My reason for picking her, is that out of all the ladies who commented, she is the one who could benefit the most from the Style Booster.

The Style Booster is a very light consultation, that focuses on inspiration and injecting a little bit more "oomph" through new ideas. It is not a full on consultation like the others, and as such, it doesn't offer the same depth of help.

Here are the consultations I would recommend for some of the others (and I am more than happy to do them all online at a reduced price especially for the lovely ladies who commented here!)

For Brunch at Saks, I would recommend the "wardrobe detox".

In her comment she says "I finally graduated college after a few setbacks, but unfortunately my style has yet to "graduate" into the real world." She is genuinely interested in Fashion, so I am sure she already knows where to shop etc. She has just had a change of life, so what she really needs is to dive deep into her wardrobe and get rid of the vestiges of her past life to "start fresh". Build new bases if you will.

For Lori Smith, I would recommend the "wardrobe basics"

In her comment she says "Dressing up is fine, as I've found a handful of great dresses and tops which work well, but as soon as I dress more casually I end up back with my old frumpy stuff and the glamour vanishes!" Sometimes, a few good basics are enough to take from frumpy to sexpot, especially if you have problems with your more "casual" outfits.

For Ashe Mischief, I would recommend a "full style consultation"

In her comment she says "Within the last year, I've graduated, got my first professional job (slightly outside my field), and gained quite a bit of weight. As a result, I'm feeling very disconnected with myself" I know Ashe a little bit from chatting online, and I know she has the most wonderful personality, which is why the "full style consultation" would be perfect, because it would really teach her how to let that personality shine through her clothes in any situation. Ashe also says she knows her style, so it would be a good time to put this to the test!

For tor (fabfrocks), I would recommend the "Vintage Introduction".

In her comment, she says "i'm getting so bored of the highstreet and would love some tips from the queen of vintage on what kind of vintage styles will suit my shape!" All Tor needs is a little bit of guidance to buy Vintage, and that's exactly what the Vintage Introduction does!

For DCMetroreader I would recommend the "full style consultation"

In her comment she says "My style is definately blah. I could use some serious help!" I think you could really benefit from a long session to discuss you current style and the improvements we can make to it.

For Sheena I would recommend the "Credit Crunch Consultation"

In her comment she says "I'd love how to find ways to maximize the wardrobe that I currently have and only seasonally add a few pieces here or there. I'm trying to save money, so my budget is pretty tight, so I'd love to work with someone to help me find what works best for me and my body type." The Credit Crunch Consultation is like a Full Style Consultation, but on a budget. We will work on building a core wardrobe for you on a budget we agree on, but generally under £75 / $100.

For Andrea and Angel I would recommend the "wardrobe detox"

Andrea says "I would love to learn how to make new outfits from what I already have!".

And Angel says "i have a varied wardrobe and would love to learn how to mix and match it to create different looks." The best way to do this is to go shopping in your wardrobe! Once we clear it out, and find new ways of wearing what you already own, it will transform your style.

For SHIRK MAGAZINE I would recommend the "Full Style Consultation"

She says "i want a fresh start in ... everything. even my personal style!" Nothing like a Full Style Consultation to get your Style a clean slate! We will work to make your clothes fit your brand new life!

For wheretheprettythingsare I recommend the "New Mum Consultation"

" I'm thinking about a big career change (yes that's what happens sometime when you turn 30), had a baby about 8 months ago. Those tiny t-shirts don't work so well for me now and on top of that I'm back to being flat-chested." As a maman myself, I have been through the same, and I created the New Mum Consultation especially to make new mothers feel great about their new shape by adopting a brand new style. I read your site, and I am French too, so we could even have the consultation in French!

For BetseyJ I recommend the "Vintage Introduction"

She says "I used to be the fashion queen in my family and friends, and now I feel so boring." Betsey has lost a lot of weight, and she feels "boring" as she complains about losing her "spunk". I think there is nothing better than a gorgeous vintage frock to boost your confidence and give you the extra sass you need to feel yourself again!

For Aspiring Couture I really recommend the "lunch time consultation"

She says "I really have a limited amount of time to actually do anything for myself anymore and I am only 21!" The way you help everyone is amazing, and I think the best way for you to keep on top of your style is to try the Lunch Time Consultation. we would have a few email exchanges and a short chat on the phone, and then I go shopping for you online and send you links to the items that would be good for you. You can decide to buy or not! I created this consultation with people like you in mind!

Finally, for Amber I would recommend the "full style consultation"

She says "new career, newly single, new life = a need for new style!" To find your new style, nothing better than a long talk about what YOU want and who YOU are! You need a day where it is all about YOU.

So for all of you ladies who are on this list, here is what I offer - 50% off the consultation I recommended for you (and you can book when you like) + one month FREE membership to the STYLE HOTLINE which includes one Style Booster and 4 "Mega Fashion Crisis" calls."

Thanks to everyone who entered and shared their very personal stories with us. Intrigued about Mademoiselle's services? Check out Mademoiselle Style to learn more...

Shoptalk: Moxsie (Plus a Giveaway!)

all images courtesy of Moxsie

Moxsie, a new San Francisco-based website for independent fashion, may have a slick Silicon Valley look and an executive team with veterans from Zappos and Netscape, but its goal of seeking out cutting edge brands at affordable prices brings out the mushy West Coast native in me. I’ve fallen for the simple interface and navigability of the site, and the steadily growing roster of international labels for womenswear, menswear, shoes and accessories: a virtual buffet for all tastes and budgets (a small sample includes cult fav shoes by 80%20, bestselling jewelry by Potluck Paris, organic basics by Spun, edgy accessories by Necklush and vegan-friendly bags by Deux Lux). A helpful bio and photo of each designer accompanies their “shop,” which is always useful information when encountering a brand for the first time. Read on to learn more about this addictive new site from my interview with Director of Marketing, Julia Kung and to enter the amazing related giveaway!

Can you tell us a bit about the background of Moxsie? What is the concept behind the site?

Moxsie.com launched in January 2009 with the idea of being the destination to find independent designers- designers you really hadn’t heard of. We wanted it to be a curated, eclectic selection and we wanted it to be affordable.

I love the name-- does it have a particular meaning?

The name Moxsie (a slight misspelling of “moxie”) expresses the spirit behind our company. Our team and our audience are scrappily confident, curious and just a tiny bit crazy, in a good way.

Our motto, “Discover Independent Fashion” is also really important to us. We want to tell the designer’s individual story- that’s why you get a bio of the designer, you get lots of details about the product and the background. We hope you have a deeper understanding of the pieces and that you fall in love with the pieces even more that way.


Deux Lux tote

How do you select the designers and merchandise? If an emerging designer was interested in selling items through your site, what advice would you give them about submitting pieces for your approval?

Our merchandising team is in constant research mode looking for new designers. We try to select the pieces ourselves after poring over look books, going to trade shows and showrooms, etc. Also, through my marketing research I see what the bloggers are buzzing about and I pass it on to the merchandising team. We’re on Twitter as well and I’ve had designers approach us through Twitter who we’ve then added. But the best way to get directly in touch with our merchandising team is to email our lovely director of merchandising, Shilpa at moxsie dot com. She has an incredible eye!

Can you tell us about some brands that you’re excited about right now?

Right now I’m very excited about Necklush-super versatile and fun- all the girls at Moxsie bought one. We just shipped a few to an online magazine to use on a photoshoot. I’m living in my Sust sleeveless boatneck dresses for work with Matiko’s statement sandals.

In the last week of July we’re adding two new brands that are going to be huge. One is called DustieDoll- It’s got extraordinary details, a little punky and girly. Think tie dye legging or a mini dress with draped chains and studs. The second one is TT Collection, 100% pure silk- simple but luxurious and sexy dresses that might show a little bit of skin or be demure and flirty.

Who are the ideal Moxsie customers?

I think anyone has the potential to be a customer for Moxsie- as long as they don’t want to wear things just to fit in... We encourage bold sartorial statements (see Dimepiece), but if you want your style to whisper a little je ne sais quoi (see Ach Ach Liebling), we carry that too.

Dimepiece "Scrabble" leggings

I noticed that you have a separate sneaker and jewelry shop on the site. Can you tell us about those and about any future projects and collaborations in Moxsie’s future?

We created the sneaker and jewelry shops because these were our top selling categories and we wanted to make a destination to enable our customer to browse quickly through the categories. We will be adding a few more focused shops and remodeling the entire site to make it easier to navigate. Lastly, we are exploring collaborations that will promote designers who don’t have any manufacturing process set up- designer contests, giveaways, etc. The exploratory stuff should all begin happening in late fall or early winter.

MOXSIE GIVEAWAY

Did you know that Moxsie donates a portion of your purchase to a charity of your choosing (from a list of pre-selected worthy causes)? In the spirit of giving, we’ve arranged for a special related giveaway courtesy of Moxsie! One lucky reader will win a Necklush neckpiece (a seriously cool piece to jazz up a boring neckline). Rules are set forth below. Good luck!

Necklush neckpiece

RULES:

• To enter to win a Necklush (color may differ from picture above): follow this blog via Google Friendconnect and leave a comment in this post about what intrigues you the most about Moxsie. Please leave an email address so that we can reach you if you win!
• For a second entry, link to this giveaway on your blog or Twitter and leave another comment about the link.
• This giveaway is open to citizens of the world and one lucky ducky will be chosen by a random number generator.
• Deadline is Thursday July 30th at 11:59 pm NYC time. The winner will be announced the following day!

To learn more about Moxsie, visit http://moxsie.com!