Kate Young x Target Lookbook

This time around Target's designer collaborations take a twist by partnering with a famed stylist instead.  Kate Young who is considered by many to be one of the most influential celebrity stylists in the fashion industry will be introducing a limited-edition collection of women’s apparel and accessories, including handbags, shoes and jewelry.

Young began her career at Vogue magazine. After spending time assisting Anna Wintour and styling the first cover of Teen Vogue, she quickly transitioned into one of the most sought-after stylists in the fashion industry. Her clientele includes Natalie Portman, Michelle Williams, Jennifer Connolly, Rachel Weisz and more. In addition to celebrity styling, Young consults for various labels and often styles runway shows for designers such as Jason Wu, Derek Lam, Nina Ricci, Peter Som, Yigal Azrouël and Vena Cava. No stranger to Target, Young styled a number of the brand’s campaigns, such as Jason Wu for Target, as well as Target’s well-remembered vertical fashion show in New York back in 2005. In 2012, Young topped The Hollywood Reporter’s list of the 25 most powerful stylists, recognizing her ingenuity and expertise in the fashion industry.


So what does that mean for us consumers? It means that we can snag red carpet worthy looks and sharp separates for a great price. This is $29.99 to $89.99 for apparel and $14.99 to $49.99 for jewelry, handbags and shoes.  Kate Young for Target will be available April 14, 2013 at most Target stores and online at Target.com.

As for the designs they are a bit sweet, a bit glam and sexy all rolled into one. Sheer tops, layered with tuxedo blazers for a look that is all play! Sweet Peter Pan collar chiffon dresses make me think of Brooklyn hipster girls on a bike. Cocktail dresses with bow fronts have plenty of sass while maxi length dresses bring on the glamor.

There is a wide variety of dresses and looks for all occasions from the tuxedo romper to the pastel dress that would look great at a wedding, to the black and white dress that would look perfect at a formal function. I particularly like the polka dot number with the keyhole back! Kate Young did not forget the accessories with fun party ready clutches, statement shoes and sweet jewelry. While none of this is ground breaking, it is bound to make you look very put-together in a good way. What more could a girl ask for from a stylist extraordinaire?

DIY: Custom Wedding Signage

A couple weekends ago I wandered into an art supply store with Jeff because he had a plan to make a Jackson Pollock inspired painting. While looking around the shelves I saw some super affordable wood board panels called "Birch Board", so I picked up a 5 different sized pieces and some acrylic craft paint all for the grand total of $16.89 with the grand ambition to make some cute a cheerful wedding signage the likes of which I've been seeing on Pinterest.

Unfortunately I failed to pick up a decent paint brush and after some failed attempts to paint signs with a terrible paint brush, I decided to help Jeff splatter his painting instead. Fortunately this past weekend I found a couple of better paint brushes at home and I took a second go at painting. I used some nylon bristle size "0" and "4" brushes along with Navy Blue and Silver paints for some signs that I am very excited to have at my wedding.
You'll need:
A couple of decent paintbrushes
Some Birch Board Panels
Acrylic Paint in your wedding colors
Paper Towels to clean up and smears and dry your brushes between colors
A cup of water to rinse your brushes
A plastic plate/tray to mix your paint

First I thought of a few of the types of signs I wanted and then the ways that I wanted to say them. I then Googled a few ideas on the internet for the placement of words and was inspired by the scrolls that were on a stamp that I'll be using for the wedding. I penciled in approximate placement on the boards and I started painting away over the pencil. Don't worry if you don't cover all the pencil because you can erase this later, although you should wait until your paint is completely dry first.

One thing I learned about using the acrylic paint was that if it was too thick it wouldn't spread nicely, but if it was too thin, it would bleed out on the wood. So I experimented by mixing a few drops of water into the paint for a smooth consistency. While my signs didn't turn out perfectly, I am going to sand a few smudges away later and I think it sort of adds to the charm. Don't worry if you make mistakes, because my failed attempt of a board was easily fixed by painting over the whole debacle in black paint and adding letters in a contrast color once the black paint dried. The magic of acrylic!

Another tip is to start at the top corner that is farthest away from where you will end up in the end. Since I am a righty I started in the top left corner and moved right and down as I progressed. This will help prevent smudges on the hand which will inevitably lead to smears on your pretty boards. I also started with the text and then later went back to add pretty swirls where I saw fit.

Anyways I am pretty darn pleased with my efforts and it ended up costing me a lot less than if I were to have bought the signs from someone else. Hurray! I call this a win!

Kensie Jewelry Party

A few weeks ago I was invited to hang out and have a drink, while scoping out the latest jewelry collection from Kensie. Bloggers mingled over treats from both Crumbs Cupcakes and Baked by Melissa. We were also treated to our choice of a pair of super cute Kensie Jeans or lingerie for attending the party (Full disclosure: I was gifted a pair of bright blue skinny jeans).

I learned that Kensie's jewelry collection is pretty darn adorable but also quite affordable with prices starting at just $16 and nothing over $58! There were plenty of pieces that I thought would make great additions to any wardrobe.

Bracelets with chevron patterns are modern and bold. The fringe necklace adds a lot of drama to any outfit for $58.

Tassel beaded necklaces and bib necklaces are playful and add a fun touch of glamor.

Horn shaped jewels and bracelets give a rock and roll vibe.


Meanwhile the Stone Frontal Necklace in bold pop colors was one of my favorite pieces. It retails for $48 and is sure to brighten up your wardrobe for Spring.

Bright colored pendants are now $38, while the triangular necklace that has a bit of a tribal feel is $28.

Rhinestone bracelets are $24 while the elasticized bracelets are $18 a pop.

You can purchase Kensie jewelry at a Macy's or Lord & Taylor near you.