glamorous fashion and whimsical gifts

As always, the last few months of the year flew by. Between shoots, shoots, and more shoots, and prepping for the holidays - so magical with a toddler in the house! - it was busy in the best possible way. I styled two shoots for the December issue of Hour Detroit, a gorgeous fashion story and cover shot by one of my all time faves, Lians Jadan, and a whimsical holiday gift guide shot by EE Berger.

For the fashion story, it was all about glamorous eveningwear in rich colors, all accented with luxe accessories. I love the textural contrast between the fur pieces and the gorgeous silks.

The gift guide was the playful counterpart to the dramatic fashion shoot. It is always so much fun putting together a gift guide. This year, my amazing styling assistant, Jennifer, helped pull together a selection of gifts from all over the Detroit area. We focused on some of the best local and indie shops and came up with a beautiful assortment of items for men, women, children and even pets!

For info on where to shop both shoots, visit hourdetroit.com.

stepping out with the stars sneak peek!

Earlier this year Hour Detroit signed on as a sponsor of Stepping Out With The Stars, a fundraiser for Turning Point, a shelter and service organization for victims of domestic and sexual violence. The event is modeled after ballroom competition Dancing With The Stars, and guess what? I'm a star! I am so excited to represent Hour at this event. I've been rehearsing my routine for months, and a few weeks ago I got to perform an excerpt at a preview event at Arthur Murray Sterling Heights. Check out the video above for a sneak peek of my routine and a bit more about the event!

Stepping Out With The Stars is two weeks away, and I am both nervous and so excited! If you are interested in attending, visit here to purchase tickets!

Can't make it to the event? You can still help me win by voting online here! Every vote raises more funds for Turning Point, and every dollar counts!

physical education

It's here!!!! I have been dying to share my shoot for the September 2015 issue of Hour Detroit, and now that the issue is out, I finally can! Styling this shoot was such a dream. When Hour's art director, Valerie, shared the concept and told me Lians Jadan would be shooting it, I literally squealed with excitement. I have always wanted to do an athletic-inspired shoot combining actual fitness apparel with actual fashion, and with an incredible high school sports facility as our backdrop, it was pure magic.

When we were planning this shoot, Lians, Valerie and I all agreed that gold sports equipment was a must. I'm sure I was quite the sight at Play It Again Sports, pushing a stroller (Graydon is the best assistant ever) and trying on helmets, pads and what not to make sure they were the right size for the model. Once I sourced everything I thought we might need, I spray painted it all gold - and voila! Amazing 24k sports gear!

The day of the shoot, we arrived on set early in the morning, and I was giddy when I first laid eyes on the football field. I am a huge - HUGE - fan of the fantastic television series Friday Night Lights, and there were so many moments when I felt like we were on the set of the show. The only things missing were Tim Riggins and Tammy Taylor's perfect hair.

Check out all the images from the shoot below. Clear eyes. Full Hearts.

where the wild things are

I was wandering around Target this morning during a cat food run, and as usual I meandered through the baby area to see if there was anything Graydon "needed." I turned a corner, and there it was - this amazing hoodie.

Target has an entire mini-collection of Where The Wild Things Are clothing for babies, toddlers, and big kids (they say it's for boys, but little girls would look just as cute in these clothes). Check out these adorable tees and jungle print pants!

Rumpus Henley / Monster Tee / Jungle Pants

Like so many people I know, Where The Wild Things Are was one of the defining books of my childhood. I am so happy that I can pass that legacy down to my son. The book is already one of his favorites (we do a little rumpus hand dance every time we read it - so cute!), and these darling clothes will no doubt be beloved as well.

And because he's so cute I can't stand it, here's Graydon dressed as Max for Halloween last year.

tea summer sale!

I am a big fan of Tea Collection. The concept behind the brand is to bring worldwide cultures and modern design to children's fashion, helping kids become "little citizens" of the world. Tea finds inspiration in far flung destinations like India, Germany, Argentina and more. Their sweet little clothes tell a story, and they look super cute while they're doing it.

Tea Collection's summer sale is happening right now, and there are some fab deals on pieces from the India and Citizen Blue collections. Graydon is constantly growing, so I stocked up on some great t-shirts that will get him through the rest of the summer. Check out my picks from the Tea sale for big and little kids below!

Top: Maritime Stripe Dress / Seafarer Striped Hoodie Tee / Whale's Tail Graphic Tee

Bottom: Flamingo Festival Raglan / Submerged Graphic Tee / Priyanka Halter One-Piece

Top: Sundarbans Jungle Baby Dress / Alwars Hoodie Romper / Matsyanari Graphic Tank

Bottom: Crocodilian Baby Pajamas / Majestic Cranes Ruffle Tank / Frequent Flier Zip Sweater

This post contains affiliate links, but all thoughts and opinions are my own!

brides and ballerinas

The latest issue of Metro Detroit Bride is on stands now, and this issue made one of my styling dreams come true. I love ballet - I love seeing it live in the theatre, I love taking class - and I have always wanted to do a fashion shoot that included ballet dancers. For this issue's gown shoot, I had the pleasure and privilege of shooting backstage and in the theatre at the Detroit Opera House, a truly spectacular venue. Shot by the wonderful Cybelle Codish, the spread features the incredibly talented students of Ballet Detroit. It was so inspiring to work with each of the dancers, from the adorable, earnest little girls to the elegant, exuberant advanced students. And of course the gowns aren't bad either - each one is fit for a prima ballerina. See all the looks from the gorgeous shoot below!

figo's fashion aliens

Late last year I collaborated with my favorite salon, FIGO, on a submission for the 2015 North American Hair Awards. Unfortunately the submission didn't make the cut - there is some seriously stiff competition in the Avant Garde category - but I am still so proud I got to work on this shoot. Morgan Kruizenga, the lead stylist on this shoot, wanted to created a trio of fashion aliens through cutting-edge fashion, insane makeup, and out-of-this world hair. She wanted an almost fetish quality, so that meant one thing - latex! After a little research, I found an amazing designer, Leigh Ann of Vital Vein, who was an absolute dream to work with on this shoot. The beehive pieces were stunning and helped create the idea of a hive mind among our three alien creatures. I love it when I get to push myself and shoot something so edgy - it's certainly the polar opposite of my pretty-as-can-be bridal work, and I love the opportunity to explore my dark side!

fairytales and legends for hour detroit

The shoot for Hour's Best of Detroit issue is always quite a production, but this year took things to another level. The theme was fairytales and legends, and between the cast of nearly 20 characters, the special effects, the incredible crew, and the stunning venue, it felt more like being on the set of a movie than on location for a photo shoot. The entire shoot is imbued with a dark romance, a signature of photographer Roy Ritchie - our inspiration was definitely more Grimm than Disney. From a styling perspective, it was so exciting to think about the shoot as a storyteller. It was honestly more costume design than fashion styling, which felt a bit outside my comfort zone, so I am so proud of how everything came together. I couldn't have done it without the help of two of my Halloween-loving friends - Kelly Lynne and Kellyjean Passage, thank you for letting me raid your costume closets! If you follow me on Instagram, you've seen highlights from the shoot, but you can see the full story below. Enjoy!

better brows - part 1

Eyebrows - they're kinda a big deal right now in the fashion and beauty world. The trend has moved away from ultra-plucked, super thin brows to full, bold, natural brows that frame the eyes. (For more of Risa, above, and her out-of-this-world eyebrows, click here and check out my shoot for the April issue of Hour Detroit.) 

So what's a blonde with pale brows - me - supposed to do to get in on this action?

On Tuesday, I got to find out. I had an appointment with the amazing Sarah West at her lovely space dedicated 100 percent to giving women better eyebrows - The Brow Bar. Sarah gave me her signature "Tint & Tweeze" treatment, a custom color tint and shaping that makes the brow look natural, full and beautiful. There are so many things that I loved about this experience: 1) Sarah is super cool and really wonderful to talk to. 2) There was no wax involved! My skin is super sensitive and anytime I've waxed my brows, the entire top half of my face has been red for about a week. Since Sarah just uses tweezers, I went home with a normal face. 3) My brows look so much better than they did before!

Earlier this week, my eyebrows looked like this:

Not the greatest pic of me (I hate selfies), but just pay attention to the cutie in the pilot hat - he has fabulous brows! ;)

Pretty pale, right? They naturally get blonder as they go toward my temple, to the point where they basically blend in with my skin.

Here is what my brows look like now:

Ta-dah! Eyebrows!

Darker, fuller, more defined. I feel like they draw all the attention right to my eyes. And that's not pencil, that's all thanks to Sarah at The Brow Bar.

As great as my brows look now, Sarah did put me in eyebrow rehab - no plucking for 4-8 weeks while they grow out so she can fix my arch for me. I'm a little terrified what they will look like by the time I sit back in Sarah's chair, but I can't wait to see what they look like when she's done with them.

I received a complimentary "Tint & Tweeze" treatment at The Brow Bar, but all thoughts, opinions and excitement about eyebrows are my own.

spring accessories with fox 2 detroit

Fox 2 News Headlines

Every now and then I get to go on TV to talk about my work for Hour Detroit. Today I got to showcase some lovely accessories inspired by the shoot in our April issue. I'm totally in love with that Gomelsky Moon Phase watch from Shinola - it is so gorgeous! And how much fun is all the fringe? Here is a full list of the products featured on the air:

- Shoes -
Dieppa Restrepo loafers, $322 at Willys Detroit
Stuart Weitzman gladiator sandals, $398 at Neiman Marcus
Elyse Walker fringe sandals, $495 at Tender
Laurence Dacade studded sandals, $1,175 at Neiman Marcus

- Handbags -
Suede fringe bag, at Tender
Rebecca Minkoff fringe bag, $195 at Neiman Marcus (this color isn't on the Neimans site as of right now but you can get it here)
Sam & Libby Bow crossbody bag, $45 at Target
Alexander McQueen padlock satchel, $1,695 at Neiman Marcus
Marc by Marc Jacobs leather backpack, $478 at Neiman Marcus
Mossimo backpack, $30 at Target

- Jewelry -
Alexis Bittar necklace, $395 at Neiman Marcus
Stephen Dweck ring, $690 at Neiman Marcus
Necklaces, $17 each at Target

- Shinola -
The Gomelsky Moon Phase watch, $650 at Shinola
The Runwell Triple Wrap watch, $575 at Shinola
The Birdy Double Wrap watch, $525 at Shinola
Accordian Crossbody bag in poppy, $395 at Shinola

shake it off: high energy spring fashion for hour

For the April issue of Hour Detroit (wow, took me long enough to post this), I got to shake off the winter blahs and shoot some super cool spring fashion with one of my all-time faves, photographer Lians Jadan. This shoot was so fun. So much energy, gorgeous clothes, and some seriously fierce eyebrows. Check out all the looks below and in the April issue of Hour!

league of extraordinary gentlemen

As a stylist, I spend most of my time dressing lovely ladies, but I always love it when I get to work with cool dudes like the gents in the March issue of Hour Detroit. Working with shoot producer Jeff Newsom and photographer Marvin Shaouni, the Hour staff cast some far-from-regular metro Detroit men as the models for our men's spring fashion feature. It was important to not only showcase the latest menswear trends but also each of the model's unique styles. From artists to chefs and even the Honorary Consul General of Namibia, each fashionable gentleman was a blast to work with. Check out all of the images from the shoot below, and learn more about all of the gentlemen in the March issue of Hour.

oh-so-lovely bridal fashion

Gena Conti hat; Modern Trousseau gown.

I know I always say this, but I LOVE STYLING BRIDAL!!! And I absolutely looooooove my latest shoot for Hour. The look and feel of this shoot was inspired by vintage fashion images, particularly the work of Richard Avedon. That translated into a 1950s glamour - tailored silhouettes, nipped in waists, ladylike gloves, red lips, and oh yes, lots of hats! For this shoot, I was able to reunite with my favorite Detroit milliner, Gena Conti. I've worked with her on many shoots in the past, and she created the gorgeous headpiece I wore for my own wedding. Her work is stunning, and I highly recommend her for all your chapeau needs! Anyway, on to the shoot! Check out all the oh-so-lovely images by the fabulous Jenny Risher below!

irresistible style for cadillac magazine

Paul Smith tuxedo and Tom Ford bow tie, Neiman Marcus. BOSS Hugo Boss dress shirt and Prada shoes,
Saks Fifth Avenue.

When our brilliant art director, Cassidy, left Hour, I was so, so sad to see her go (but at least we went out with a bang!). Fortunately, she didn't go far, and I recently had the chance to work with her again on a shoot for the Winter issue of Cadillac Magazine. Combining colorful fashion with whimsical illustrations by Lucille Michieli, this shoot was irresistibly fun. Look at all those amazing cakes by Love & Buttercream! And the gorgeous peacock! Between the props and the wardrobe, this was a big job, so many thanks to fellow stylist Janeea Simelane, who came onboard to assist. Check out the full shoot below!