Lovestruck

Sometimes things don't go as planned... Like how I  planned a grand vacation to the shores of sunny California to watch the fireworks on the beach, mingle with fashionable designer friends at the Hester Street Fair, and sip coffee in the early morning while the salty breeze found its way through my flowing hair.

So I am positive that at this point you can understand why I was a bit depressed when my very real and very grand plan did not go as planned. And yet, sometimes the falling through of one set of plans leads to an even better plan, one that perhaps you couldn't have planned at all. And that is exactly what happened last night, as my husband and I set out to celebrate a blissful 4 years of marriage!

Believe it or not, this is actually the first time we have had the opportunity to celebrate our anniversary since we said "I do" on July 5, 2008. 

With all of the fine dining options in the Phoenix metropolitan area to choose from we finally settled on Tarbell's in Biltmore/Arcadia, for one and one reason only, I'm a huge fan of Iron Chef America and owner Mark Tarbell was the only chef to win in all of season five. The atmosphere and food were both amazing... the perfect romantic setting. {Also they have the most exceptional homemade chocolate mousse!!!}

As with any new dining experience I was concerned about the dress code (I'll just tell you right now I NEVER get it right), and thankfully Tarbell's website had the answer: "'Resort Casual.'  We see everything from denims to diamonds." As soon as I read those nine wonderful words, I knew the exact outfit I would be celebrating in. 

This outfit was actually meant for seaside firework watching, but it found it's way to a different set of fireworks 

(the love kind...awwww). 

I absolutely love this metallic gold cross over top by Karen Kane. I had no problem dressing it up with a cute pair of wedges and a stack of bangles. But the best part is that I can look totally cozy chic even in a 100+ degree weather! The fabric is ultra lightweight making it perfect for layering with a long sleeve for an evening by the water or with a simple cami {as I did} for a hot date with your man {I did that as well}!

We took a little stroll through Biltmore Fashion Park afterward... and yes my husband is the one behind the camera. That's why I look so happy! 

 Cross Over Top: c/o Karen Kane | Blue Ankle Pants: Target | Snakeskin Wedges: Chinese Laundry (similar style) |  Nolita Satchel Bag: Jessica Simpson 

Blogger Style

Once again I have fallen off the blogging wagon, but those of you who are students will understand when I say, "It is the last month of the semester."

Now that I have your sympathy, lets talk style--blogger style. At one of the most recent fashion events where I met up with my fellow Phoenix Fashion Bloggers, after gushing about how cute we all looked, we started talking about what we all look like when we don't see each other... You know like now, when I'm in my old PJs laying in my bed (and the hair oh the hair) or later when I'm alternating between writing and washing the clothes. 

As if that weren't enough real talk for you, let's get really real, we all say (okay more like Tim Gunn says) that PJs are a no-no, getting ready is a must, track suits are so Jenny From The Block, but when you spend most of your time in front of the computer (in your own home) then I don't expect you (me) to wear sky-high heels, a pleated maxi skirt, and your favorite Vince blouse. 

If you are not already, it is time to get comfortable, grab some cereal and your laptop, hop into to bed and check out my  blogger/student/writer wardrobe wish list!

At Karen Kane $90

Don't get me wrong being comfy does not mean that we can't look ah-mazing. I mean you never know when the the door bell will ring and the UPS man is standing at  the door... With this Karen Kane Lace Back Striped Dolman you won't have to pretend you aren't home anymore. I love the comfort the silhouette offers while the lace back takes your look from comfy to casual chic. 

At Vince Camuto $49-$120

A pair of ankle-length black leggings should be a staple in everyone's closet and these Vince Camuto classic leggings are great with a tunic, oversized sweater, or even that Karen Kane Dolman!

Bling Yoga Tank $32.50

Campus Crop Pant $44.50

If you're going to go the route of sweat pants and a tank then there is no better way to do it than with PINK!

littlemissmatched $13

If you're at home with no intention of seeing the light of day, tucked away in your cozy office with all of your favorite electronics... then do yourself a favor and get a pair of adorable, fun, and crazy knee high socks... because you can!

Neiman Marcus $158

Some of you may not be convinced by my stay-at-home wardrobe suggestions... in which case I say, fine, then if you must, do a maxi dress--a Splendid max dress. You'll be comfortable, and only a pair of sandals away from walking out the door.

Mesa Blues - Karen Kane Spring Show

 

Last Saturday I had the chance to attend a Karen Kane fashion show at Dillard's at Scottsdale Fashion Square. Though the show itself was exciting (more on this later) what made this an extra special occasion was the beautiful lady waving at the crowd-- yep Miss Karen Kane herself! Even better she didn't just show up, but the designer, known for her California Coast aesthetic, even shopped with her customers (aka fans) and obliged the over excited bloggers (we are fans too). 

Guests and bloggers were the lucky recipients of the very first preview of Karen Kane's newest Spring Collection, "Mesa Blues."

 From the first look to hit the runway, this Aqua tie-dyed print, open shoulder blouse & super hot Riviera ruffle skirt, there was not doubt that the rest of the show was going to be fun, fresh, and of course all about Spring on the California Coast. 

This open knit sweater made me want to hop in my car and drive west until I saw waves (of course only after I had seen the rest of the show). 

A beautiful blue tie-blouse perfect for a breezy spring day and I'm loving the white denim too.

The striped dress and the very similar outfit below were my two favorite looks of the show. Not only because I have a huge love for stripes, but also because these aren't just any stripes, the way the black and white alternates give it an almost ombre effect. 

Karen Kane and I :)

She's wearing the Scarf top from her Mesa Blues Collection.

To purchase pieces from Karen Kane's Spring 2012 Collection visit: www.karenkane.com 

P.S. Mesa Blues is available starting today! Lucky you...

Thank you again Karen, Lonnie, Michael and the Dillard's team for a fantastic show and a great day!

R.O.I. Designer Eyewear - Karen Kane

A few weeks ago I was invited to the Eyewear by R.O.I. headquarters to meet with John Alofs, founder and C.E.O.,  to talk about the Karen Kane eyewear collection. As you know from a recent post, I wear glasses, and as a fashion blogger and consumer it is important for me that my eyewear is as equally fashionable as my wardrobe. So when I was offered the opportunity to find out more about the eyewear collection of one of my favorite clothing brands, I could not help but be excited about discovering just how these two seemingly incongruous worlds come together.

Yes it says "Eyewear by R.O.I. Welcomes Kristianne Young" ... I was excited LOL!

John Alofs founded R.O.I., which designs, manufacturs, and distributes eyeglass frames and sunglasses, 26 years ago because according to him, "I couldn't play shortstop for the Yankees." Athletic dreams aside, Mr. Alofs moved to Arizona after completing optical school in Buffalo and started building the company in 1985--a company that went from selling 15,000 frames in its first year of business to selling well over a million frames last year.

You may be thinking that selling a million frames just means that a lot of people can't see, but I'm sure you'll be as surprised as I was to find out just how much those million frames have to do with fashion. For starters R.O.I. has a creative director whose sole job is to design all of the collections. To accomplish this the creative director works with the creative director of each of the R.O.I. brands {Bulova, Karen Kane, Richard Taylor, B.U.M., Colours by Alexander Julian, and Wittnauer}. In the case of the Karen Kane collection the creative director works directly with Karen herself {lucky lady}. Mr. Alofs explains how the process works, "We work off  of their seasonal releases--they say here is the color palette we're going for, here's the patterns we're working with.  They work  with my creative director and the whole process takes 8 or 9 months from the time we start to the time we actually release the product to the market."

As if you aren't already impressed by the fact that the creative director gets to work one on one with the likes of Karen Kane, she also happened to be in attendance at New York Fashion Week--sending back emails about color, accessory, and material trends as seen on the runways. Mr. Alofs understands the importance of fashion, "Eyewear is a fashion statement. We [the creative director] are at Fashion Week in New York right now, we have to be very involved with fashion. We know exactly what’s happening; how its happening. We spend a lot of time going to trade shows in Milan. We're in Hong Kong, China three to four times a year . We have to monitor, because you can’t be behind… Eyewear is a fashion accessory, not just sunwear, eyewear itself is very much a fashion accessory."

When Fashion Meets Eyewear - Karen Kane

I could attempt to paraphrase the story of how the Karen Kane eyewear collection came to be, but I think that Mr. Alofs does a much better job:

"We were looking for a women's brand, a specific women’s brand…We wanted something that Americans--knew it was a U.S. American brand. And so a licensing company that we've used before out of New York gave us a list of people … I passed it around to our sales people and some of our customers, our big customers, and the one that everyone seemed to have the most interest in was Karen Kane. Then the licensing company approached Karen and Lonnie, because we were the first licensed brand, eyewear--first category. So it was unique, we actually had to go talk to them and say what we do and how we do it, and they couldn’t have been nicer. It was a new process for them because everything they sell they make, everything that has their name, they produce."

**Side Note- Prior to our "official" interview Mr. Alofs and I shared a mutual appreciation for how kind and down to earth the Kane family is.**

The R.O.I. design team works with Karen by mirroring what she is currently doing in her clothing collections, "We try to incorporate some of her fabric onto a temple, onto a sunglass design." He then tells me I must visit their operation in L.A. {an experience I would no doubt love to have} where they do the producing, designing, and shipping because it's amazing and because, "Karen, you start talking to her and the next thing you know she's drawing on a piece of paper and tacks it up on the wall--she's had an inspiration. She's extraordinary!" 


Karen Kane eyewear is currently in 2,000 stores, and I had the opportunity to check out the collection {plus those that have yet to be released...sorry no pics of those you'll just have to wait and see} first hand at the R.O.I. headquarters.

These were among my favorites, love the details on the temples. 

Seeing that I am also an avid sunglasses collector, I was beyond excited when Mr. Alofs handed me this beautiful case with my very own pair of Karen Kane Glorious Lilly sunnies! 

Thank you again John Alofs and Marcela Johnson for this great opportunity!


To view more of the Karen Kane eyewear collection visit: Eyewear by R.O.I.

For fabulous Karen Kane fashions click here

Karen Kane Holiday 2011 Fashion Show

This weekend I had the pleasure to attend the Karen Kane Fall/Holiday 2011 fashion show at the Dillard's at Scottsdale Fashion Square.

The crowd enjoyed complementary treats and bottled water as they watched loyal Karen Kane customers show off their best model-walk  in the sexy, yet comfortable and easy to wear collection. This wearability  stems from Karen's California Coast inspiration designing toward ease, luxury, and longevity. 

There is a lot to love about this collection: sparkles, lace, animal print, and of course the highly trend conscience polka dot blouse that debuted in WWD. 

The inspiration for this collection comes to us in three waves of Holiday fashion:

November After Dark - crisp black and white intermixed with a vibrant bordeaux

December First Frost - wintery mix of cool colors fun and easy casual pieces and shiny items for nights on the town

January Sweet Dream - polka dots, zebras, and pink bow ties take flight

Being as I had a little trouble with my camera before the show, I whipped out the ever handy iPhone and took some video instead. In the end I was actually quite happy to relive these looks. So here is my little recap in video form a la Frank Sinatra :) 

My Favorite Looks Up Close

Holiday 2011 After Dark

Got curves? Show them off in this sexy ruffle dress. It is perfect for any holiday party. The lovely customer turned model looked fabulous in this! The rayon/spandex combo will also ensure that you'll be comfortable all night long as you hit the dance floor and indulge in a Holiday treat or two.

Holiday 2011 After Dark

Okay, I seriously cannot resist sparkle--in any form. So, you can only imagine how excited I was to see this Sequin Pencil Skirt come down the catwalk on our favorite model, Sheila, and the girl worked it! 

Fall 2011

This sweater print dress is genius on the part of Karen Kane, no doubt understanding that those of us  in warmer climates can't always participate in the fun fall and winter wear that east coasters get to, this sweater dress is actually extremely light weight and the coziness is found in the nifty knit-print! All of your friends will be jealous of your cool but cozy sweater dress. Thank you Jackie of Jackie Style, a local image consultant I met at the event, for pointing this out to me!

Thanks to Michael Kane, the models, and the Dillard's Karen Kane specialists for a great show!

Get these looks and more at Karen Kane  or at your local Dillard's store. 

Also be sure to check out my favorite fashion bloggers for more Karen Kane coverage:

phoenixishaute.com

abitofsparklefarkle.com

global-runway.blogspot.com

sunshine-cupcakes.com

forwardfashiondiary.com

indiestitch.com

scottsdalefashionista.com