Steph & Greg Are Married

A glorious day for a wedding, and you don't have to be an ex-President's daughter to have a very special wedding. You only need to come to the Hawthorne Hotel, where we treat every couple as "royalty".

If you have been following this wedding blog for the past year, you already know about Steph and Greg. Today was their wedding day, and I took a lot of photos (with their permission) to document the special day on our blog.

Here are a few photos to get you started. I will be posting more over the coming weeks.





Many of our couples choose to have photos taken in the Gazebo located on Salem Common, right next to the Hawthorne Hotel. While the photos are being shot, we send over a server, with hors d'oeuvres and pitchers of water (no alcohol is allowed there) so that the wedding party is well taken care of while they are having their photos (and sometimes video) taken.

That is the case with these photos.



I hope these photos are helpful to you. Stay tuned.

Juli

fall 2010 - alexander mcqueen last works

McQueen had turned away from the world of the Internet, which he had so powerfully harnessed in his last show. "He wanted to get back to the handcraft he loved, and the things that are being lost in the making of fashion," she said. "He was looking at the art of the Dark Ages, but finding light and beauty in it. He was coming in every day, draping and cutting pieces on the stand." The 16 outfits shown had been 80 percent finished at the time of his death.

(style.com)

Mcqueenova zadnja modna revija. Pravijo, da se je pri nastajanju te kolekcije čisto odmaknil od virtualnega sveta in iskal navdih v mračnih časih, zraven pa dodajal svetlobo in lepoto.

80% outfitov je bilo dokončanih pred njegovo smrtjo!

I love the boots but I'm not sure about the skirts. I mean.. ok.. they look great on the models but if you have 5 pounds more it would be a disaster.

Čevlji so čudoviti, krilo pa se mi zdi zelo delikatno - na puncah s par kilogrami več bi namreč izpadlo obupno. :S

I want those boots!!

Hočem te škornje!

Pure perfection!

Weekend Reading - The Complete Claudine

For some reason, I'm not sure why, I've never seemed to get around to reading anything by Colette.
So, I recently started reading Claudine at School, the first book in The Complete Claudine.
Unfortunately I find every character in the book, and most importantly the main character Claudine,  totally unsympathetic.  In spite of the fact that I'm not enjoying the read, I will slog through the book because I find 19th Century and Belle Epoque history interesting.
As for Colette herself, I would like to read a well written biography. Can anyone suggest one?  Ms. Cavendish perhaps? Forget the lesbian affairs, what I would really like to know is why she seduced her 16 year old step son when she was 40 and continued the affair for 5 years.  Yes I know, how very French.

Sharing the LOVE

And what's not to love?

Go over to Fashion's Most Wanted and share the love with Christina for Love Magazine

The Wedding Rehearsal

As we continue to follow Steph's wedding, we thought you might like to see some shots of the rehearsal. We are always able to find ways to do rehearsals, despite what is going on in the hotel. Tonight there was a wedding reception in the Ballroom, so Liz took the group up to the second floor to rehearse.

Liz is very serious about making sure that weddings go perfectly, so she is all over the rehearsals.

But she is able to make sure everyone has a bit of fun at the same time.

I hope you enjoy this "behind the scenes peek at what we do.

Juli

Mid-Summer Musings About Travel

Since it is mid-summer and I have this on my mind

I thought that I would share with you this article from the WSJ

A Hotel Executive on How to Get Good Service

When Mr. James is checking into a hotel, he always makes sure he's nicely dressed. Typically he'll show up in a suit or slacks and a jacket. "If you look the part, you'll tend to get looked after a little bit better," he says.

I tend to agree with this advice as I've found from many years of travelling.  Certainly the better I am dressed, the better I am treated. So for me no shorts, t-shirts or flip flops for travel attire.

This summer I can't get my act together for a trip to the south of France but the gorgeous (and talented in a DIY way) Tabitha has posted about her swanky sojourn at the Eden Roc, Hotel du Cap and more. 

Check out her Bourbon and Pearls blog.

And as for travel attire, do not miss James Andrew's posts about his recent trip through Italy.  I particularly love what he wore to La Sireneuse. He must get incredible service. But I wonder, with all his fabulous clothes, how many suitcases does he travel with. Check out his What is James Wearing blog.

What do you wear when you travel and do you think that it makes any difference at all in how you are treated?

The ALL-IMPORTANT Detail Meeting

Here you see Steph meeting with her Wedding Planner, Christine Turner (seated) and her Wedding Coordinator, Liz Dube. The Detail Meeting is a kind of hand-off from the Planner to the Coordinator, and this meeting is probably the most important part of the entire preparatory process of holding a wedding here.

One of the things that our customers tell us over and over again is how smoothly everything runs at a wedding or other event that they might host or attend at the Hawthorne Hotel. We think that the reason for that is the DETAIL meetings that we have with our clients ahead of time.

We adore Steph, who is getting married here this weekend, in part because she is such a sweet, nice person, and also because she is super-organized, which makes the Detail Meeting go very smoothly.

Christine Turner is going through the boxes of things that we are going to handle for Steph this weekend, from favors, to menu cards, to special glasses for their toast, to table numbers and so on.

Since Steph found our hotel an appealing site, in part because of our use of social media, she also agreed to let me document her wedding from start to finish on our blog. Thanks, Steph!

I hope you enjoy learning more about weddings at the historic Hawthorne Hotel, where our building is graciously-old, but our ideas about how to run our business are definitely on the forefront.

Juli

LVMH - Why Is This Man Smiling?

I've always thought that we lived in a world with an oversupply of luxury goods and that in the event of a deep recession a strong correction was bound to hit the large luxury goods conglomerates. Apparently I was wrong.  But I do wonder, where does all the growth come from? China?

Yes, I'd be smiling too if I were Bernard Arnault

From the WSJ
LVMH First-Half Profit Soars, Showing Luxury's Return
PARIS–French luxury goods behemoth LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton Tuesday reported a 53% jump in first half net profit, heralding a strong return of high-end consumption and, in a departure from cautiousness seen in previous quarters, expressed confidence in the rest of the year.
All divisions, from perfume to wine posted double digit sales growth with the highest increase coming from watches and jewelry, up 28%... 
not that you asked but

The Christian Dior Group (Paris:CDI) recorded revenue of 9.5 billion euros in the first half of 2010, an increase of 16%. Organic growth (at comparable structure and exchange rates) stood at 14% compared to the same period in 2009. The Group performed particularly well in Asia, the United States and Europe.

Profit from recurring operations in the first half of 2010 increased by 33% to 1,812 million euros.

Group share of net profit increased by 68% to 422 million euros. 

Jewelry Biz- Stephen Webster Will Open 1st US Store on Rodeo Drive

 Jewellery brand Stephen Webster is opening a flagship US store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
From Retail Jeweller
The retail space design will mirror the London and European mono-brand boutiques, which incorporate Stephen Webster’s signature style of glamour with a rock and roll edge. The space will combine Webster’s love for traditional craftsmanship with his passion for contemporary music, fashion and art to produce a modern, unconventional retail aesthetic for showcasing his collections.

“The store on Rodeo Drive will be our first flagship in the US,” said founder and creative director Stephen Webster. “Over the past 10 years we have built strong ties with the LA community including the world of entertainment based there. The opening of this store is set to be extremely significant in our development.”

He added: “This project is very exciting to me and my team who feel that the Stephen Webster brand is shifting to become an all encompassing lifestyle experience”.

Well, I'm not going to make my usual snarky 'well there goes the neighborhood' comment about this.  We welcome all retail jewelers to the neighborhood.  The more jewelers on the street, the better for our business.

Besides, I love Stephen Webster's whole glam rock vibe and his crystal haze jewelry.  God knows that Loree Rodkin needs some local competition.
Plus...now that we have the new Tom Ford store about to open a couple of doors away, we might as well have Stephen Webster on the block too. 
And just think, soon we will all be able to go up and down  Rodeo Drive and experience, boutique by boutique, each all encompassing lifestyle experience!

Stephen Webster Tsavorite and Tahitian Pearl Earrings $1450

Or, we could skip all the retail 'lifestyle' hype and just buy our jewelry online from Beladora.com.

Paris Fashion Week Spring 2010/2011 Trends

2011 Fall Winter Fashion Trends

For fall or winter seasons, colours those we put on could being as lively as possibles. Fall fashion trends, Sometimes though gray appears to being next good factor on colours as 2011, on fall or winter we needs to cheer top with few hot color. Fall fashion trends, Get red, orange and yellow or combine those with gray or brown. sweaters those we put on could being on most colorful combination: concept to get little of colour on you. boots those we put on shouldn’t being dull. Yellow and green good as latest trend trends. accessories could being colorfuls as well, or we could being of huge sizes. Though we need to purchase bag, select additional huge length or strange color. For detail visit here

Fashion Design Business

Get a Job as a Fashion Designer or
Start Your Own
Fashion Design Business

As a fashion designer, you will have a creative and

exciting career that many people only dream about.

Design by Louis de Gama

There are many fashion design career paths for you to

choose from. Some fashion designers work for top

houses such as Tommy Hilfiger and Chanel. Others

are employed by mass-market manufacturers of men's,

women's and children's apparel. children's

Or you could start your own fashion design business,

establishing a distinctive style and overseeing fashion

creation from initial concept to manufacturing and distribution.

In this field, there is a long history of people rising from

humble beginnings to become fashion designer stars.

• Laura Ashley got her start as a secretary.
• Vera Wang began designing when she became engaged at age 39 and couldn't find a suitable wedding gown for the mature first bride.
• Ralph Lauren was born into a middle-class family who lived in the Bronx, and used to buy suits with his pocket money at age 12. He is now one of the richest and most famous fashion designers in the world.

Of course, it takes hard work, creativity, and a true passion for

fabulous designs to achieve success as a fashion designer,

but you can break into this career much more quickly and easily

How to Wear Vintage Animal Brooches

A couple of days ago I wrote a post about blogger Jane Aldridge and her menagerie of vintage animal brooches.  It's one thing to wear a discreet little grouping of bee brooches on your lapel, it's another thing entirely to wear an entire zoo on your jacket. 
So here is how I like to action (verb totally stolen from FF) a vintage animal brooch. 
Wear one quality statement piece, like this gemstone fish, for impact
and leave the menagerie at home.

Right now I'm loving this beautiful brooch in mother of pearl, pink tourmaline and diamonds in 18K. This is one of the prettiest animal brooches that I have seen in a long time with each piece of mother of pearl and pink tourmaline cleanly cut to fit the design.
(Not to mention that I like wearing a tropical fish on my on my summer LBD because it is the closest I've gotten to a beach vacation in ages....and I'm desperate for one.)

Not too big...not too small, but certainly impressive with 3 plus carats of bright white diamonds.
So what do you think, would you wear this vintage brooch?

it's my b-day :)

and I was partying the last 4 days so today I'm at home :DD

I got the phillips toothbrush sonicare flexcare. Love it soooo much :)

have a great evening everyone!

Twisted Prep or How to Wear Your Hilfiger Duck Boots

Tommy Hilfiger's tailgating ad campaign is continuing to get play in the blogosphere, with Look Muffy An Ad Campaign For Us! at Habitually Chic.  Perhaps for me there is more nostalgia for the vintage 1980's Jeep Wagoneer than excitement about the actual clothes themselves.  Still, now that I see Hilfiger's OTK duck boots in action in this photo, I'm becoming more partial to them.

Christy Turlington by Steven Meisel and Karl Templar - Modern and Classic Indeed

If you haven't already picked up the latest edition of Italian Vogue...go out and spend $18 to buy it right now!

The Christy Turlington cover story photographed by Steven Meisel and styled by Karl Templar is one of the most beautiful fashion editorials that I have ever seen.  (and I'm not just saying that because Beladora was asked to provide jewlery for the shoot, which they didn't use but was fine with us because the jewlery was barely noticable)  Each of Turlington's looks were wonderful, from the big hair to the fabulous frocks to the gorgeous gloves to the stylish shoes, and she has never looked more beautiful.

Vintage Brooches - When Too Much Actually Is Too Much

Usually when I get dressed up I pile on the jewelry.  In fact when it comes to estate jewlery our office motto is "too much is never enough".  But sometimes wearing it all at one time is better as an idea than a reality.
My case in point Jane Aldridge of Sea of Shoes
the society/vintage/her mother has a huge closet/debutante blogger

I've blogged before about how much I love vintage brooches...especially animal brooches
but really, this is out of control.
Now, if you can get beyond the over-brooched photos of Miss Aldridge she links to the incredible website of photographer Douglas Friedman who shoots portraits, interiors,celebrity homes and architecture.
Here's an example of his work

I have no idea where this celebrity home is...but I want to live there

And I'm just loving this pool in the middle of what looks like an olive grove.  Very nice.
Check out his website.

Creme of Nature featuring Argan Oil

So I really hope all you ladies follow me on Twitter! I'm @antihairslave just in case you didn't already know. Anyway, if you do then you would already know that Creme of Nature is launching a brand new collection available this Wednesday featuring Argan Oil.

The New Creme of Nature Argan Oil Collection features:

Replenishing Sheen Spray

Intensive Conditioning Treatment

Foaming Wrap Lotion

Gloss & Shine Mist

Gloss & Shine Polisher