BellaSugar

Trend Alert: Painterly Pleasures

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:30:00 PDT

Whatever the style, paintings will never go out of fashion. But there's a new trend I've noticed on the horizon . . . designers are taking the term "painting" to a whole new level, introducing painterly home décor with visible brushstrokes and daubs and washy watercolor patterns. From chairs and rugs to napkins and dinnerware, the trend is everywhere.

I'm crazy for the paint daub print on this wacky new Soren Chair ($1,598) at Anthropologie. But for what could very well be an ephemeral trend, I'd rather integrate some painterly pleasures via a more affordable piece, such as West Elm's modern silk throw pillows with painted stripes. Check out how the trend is playing out in the design world below.

Mateo Napkin - Sold Out	Verdant Acres Dinner Plate - $16.00
DwellStudio Painted Tweed Cobalt Throw Pillow - Sold Out	Francine Sofa - Sold Out
Chevron Pillow Cover - Sold Out	Briza Rug - Sold Out
Lenox Table Linens, Chirp Collection - Sold Out	Russian nesting dolls set of six - Sold Out
He Loves Me Rug - Sold Out	CLOSEOUT! Calvin Klein Home "Brushstroke" Duvet Cover, Queen - Sold Out
Georgina Rug - Sold Out	Painted Stripe Pillow Cover - Sold Out
Vera Table Linens, Flights of Fancy Collection - Sold Out	Rain 20" pillow - Sold Out
Watercolor Cosmetics Clutch - Sold Out	Artist's Tenet Rug - Sold Out
Marimekko La Botte Floral Napkin - Sold Out	Hand-Painted Sunflower Linen Lumbar Pillow Cover - Sold Out
Ombré rug - Sold Out	LOWEST PRICE OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON! Sphinx by Oriental Weavers "Profile" Andy Warhol Pop Area Rug - Sold Out
DwellStudio Painted Tweed Blush Throw Pillow - Sold Out

New Product Alert: MAC Painterly Collection

BellaSugar — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 09:00:59 PDT

Okay, so I know I sound like I've reverted to sixth-grade Bella, but seriously, you guys: This is so cool. MAC has just released a line of new eye shadows called Paint Pots. The highly pigmented shadows go on creamy, but dry to a vibrant matte or pearlized finish. You'll need a makeup brush to apply it, but with these colors, I think it's worth it!

MAC has also introduced Technakohl (yuk yuk), a mechanical pencil liner, and I'm completely crazy about these Featherette lashes. Practical? No. Fabulously fantastical? Absolutely!

Kate Spade Fall 2012

Chi Diem Chau — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:16:45 PST

We've yet to visit the famous Cour d'Honneur at the Palais Royal, Deborah Lloyd's inspiration point for her Kate Spade collection, but we can almost feel the excitement translated into her vibrant array of floral dresses, colorblock skirts, electrifying trousers, and irresistible accessories. The designer added a boyish twist - influenced by Garance Doré Parisian chic style - to her signature polish, pairing slouchy sweaters with cheeky printed skirts and casual tees with girlie feathered skirts. The amount of prints could have been overwhelming, but stylist Brad Goreski managed to temper the bright patterns through structured pea coats and separates. Accessories, Kate Spade's bread and butter, did not disappoint; we were enamored with the polka-dot ankle boots, snakeskin envelope clutches, metallic gold loafers, and ladylike satchels. More details from the collection below.

Trends: Graphic colorblock, statement trousers, painterly florals, polka dots.
Colors: Mustard yellow, maraschino red, aqua, forest green, bright orange, red, black, white.
Key Piece: We loved the oversized sweater paired with the girlie full skirts.
Accessories: Oversized envelope clutches, fur satchels, leather gloves, polka-dot pumps and booties.
Who Would Wear It: Ladies who lunch and girls who crave a vibrant, polished touch.

Richard Chai Love Fall 2012

Chi Diem Chau — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:29:44 PST

Inspired by the idea of "handsome femininity," Richard Chai showed a Fall collection that was simultaneously simple, yet statement-making. “I didn’t want to do anything that was tricky,” Chai told The New York Times. “I didn’t want to create looks that were just for the show. I wanted it to be approachable and believable, but also be really aspirational. At the end of the day, it’s pieces that I want people to wear.” Chai's boy-meets-girl vision was interpreted into gorgeous slim-fit striped trousers, structured oversized blazers and coats, cozy knits, blanket-stripe coats, and moody florals. The latter was cut into diaphanous sheer skirts, corduroy pants, and jackets, adding a feminine streak to his city-slicker style. Furthermore, his outerwear was something to contend with; Chai's selection of oversized structured jackets and coats were perfectly tailored and ideal for topping off just about any Fall look.

Trends: Menswear, painterly florals, blanket stripes, boxy blazers and coats.
Colors: Dark red, pinks, gray, black, navy blue, brown.
Key Piece: We loved the multi-colored blanket-stripe dress and trousers.
Accessories: Black ankle booties and lace-up boots.
Who Would Wear It: Downtown girls looking to add a menswear-inspired touch to their look, like Olivia Palermo.

Kate Middleton Makes a Solo Stop to Check Out Lucian Freud's London Exhibit

Allie Merriam — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:50:59 PST

Kate Middleton, wearing a dress from the UK store Jesire, undertook a solo appearance this evening in London. With her husband, Prince William, away in the Falklands, she's now focusing on the institutions near to her heart. At the end of 2011, Kate announced her plans to become a royal patron of London's National Portrait Gallery. She has a long-standing interest in painting, having studied art history when an undergraduate at St. Andrew's in Scotland.

Today, she stepped out to check out the museum's new exhibit from recently deceased London painter Lucian Freud. It was Kate's first solo public appearance since marrying William back in April of 2011. There may soon be a more permanent royal feature at the National Portrait Gallery. It was announced today that Kate will pose for a portrait bound for the museum.

Found: Shop Drew Barrymore's J.Crew Dress Now on Sale

Chi Diem Chau — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:41:39 PST

Celebrities usually don designer brands to their red-carpet and TV appearances, but every once in a while, they wow us with their style savvy. Last night, Drew Barrymore appeared on The Tonight Show to promote her latest movie, Big Miracle, wearing a gorgeous painterly floral dress by J.Crew ($188), paired with Aurélie Bidermann jewels. The long sleeves and moody floral print are perfect for Winter, and we love how she finished her look with black tights and gold jewels. Shop below to get Drew's same J.Crew dress - now on sale for $120.

Jules dress in Ashbury floral - $188.00	Cole Haan - Chevron Cotton Tights - $25.00
Wgaca Vintage Vintage Chanel Letter Dangle Circle Necklace - $2,420.00	Five-Piece Textured Bangles - $78.00
Christian Louboutin black suede 'Vicky Booty 120' ankle boots - Sold Out	LORD & TAYLOR 18 Kt. Gold-Plated Long Oval Hoop Earrings - $60.00

Link Time: Francis Ford Coppola's New Hotel, Interior Lighting Tips, and On-Trend Painterly Florals

CasaSugar — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:07 PST

On trend: painterly florals. - Houzz
Six designer tricks for a more comfortable home. - House Beautiful
Check out some of the design changes in the new issue of Dwell. - Stylelist Home
I'm dreaming of warm-weather backyards. - California Home + Design
Get some interior lighting tips from the experts. - Real Simple
Go shopping with architect Alexander Gorlin. - Dering Hall
Tour Francis Ford Coppola's new hotel, located in a 19th-century palazzo. - WSJ Magazine

Celebrity Baby Names: the Best and the Worst

Celebrity Baby Scoop — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:36:39 PST

We're excited to share this post from our friends at Celebrity Baby Scoop! Every week, we will be bringing you the best celebrity baby stories from the Celebrity Baby Scoop, including this post from Jenny Schafer about the best and worst baby names in Hollywood.

With the recent arrival of Blue Ivy Carter - the first child of R&B royal couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z - we couldn't help but reminisce on the best and worst baby names out of Hollywood.

Who will be the next Shiloh, Suri, Pilot Inspektor, or Moxie Crimefighter?

There's a fine line between unique and just plain cruel when naming your child, and nobody does that better than our favorite celebrities! Let's take a look through some of the best, worst, and wackiest celeb baby names . . .

Your Winged Eyeliner Problems Are Solved Forever

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:02:00 PST

Even if you have nothing but a nub of pencil and notoriously shaky hands, you can have perfect winged liner in a minute or so. The following trick makes those concerns a thing of the past. And having your eyeliner ending up completely different on each side? Also no longer a problem. To find out what you need to do to get it right every time, just check out the tutorial now.

"Failed Painter" Angelina Jolie on Defying Rules, Clint Eastwood, Defining Success

Allie Merriam — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:55:40 PST

Angelina Jolie's directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey, a love story set during the Bosnian War in the '90s, opens here in the US on Friday. She was in NYC earlier this month doing press for the film and joined her cast for a press conference at the Waldorf Astoria. Leading ladies Zana Marjanovic and Vanessa Glodjo, as well as actors Goran Kostic and Rade Serbedzija, sat with Angelina on a panel moderated by NPR's Tom Gjelten. The conversation was all about the movie, with Angelina speaking about the process of creating the script with input from survivors. She also touched on the directors she has learned from and the challenges of making a movie in a foreign language. Angelina said:

On learning about directing: "You learn from everybody. Clint Eastwood taught me a lot about working with people that you love, that you think are great people, and making a family - working with nice people, good people. He's also very fast, so I had to learn about the economy of a shoot and a budget."
On deciding to make the movie in Bosnian and English: "When you want to do a film about this subject matter, many people tell you, 'Well, you're going to have to do a lot of different things in order to get people to see this.' One of them being, English, and the other being you're going to have to cast people who people recognize. We decided to do neither."
On how she'll define success for the movie: "We had a very low budget, so we're starting at a good base. It's gonna be alright I think . . . I hope it's received as a film. I hope people see it as a piece of art as well. I hope the actors involved are recognized for being extraordinary actors. So my fingers are crossed for that."
On the importance of art themes in the film: "I think Zana and I are both failed painters. We both tried to paint. I would have loved to be a painter. This part of the world - they're artists. During the siege, a film festival started under the siege of Sarajevo! Plays were put on, art was made. It was their art that just stood stronger and stronger while they were being starved and shot at. Art is representative of the region. As a woman and an artist it was a beautiful tool to express the internal side of a character."

To read what Angelina said about her road to making the movie, using real-life stories from the cast in the plot, and finding her directorial voice, just read more.