Happy New Year!

It is time to say goodbye to 2010, and hello to a fresh new year! Hello 2011! Of course with the new year, comes new goals, resolutions and all around inspiration with the thought of a new and fresh start. We have put together a list of some of our fashion, style and less serious resolutions for the new year. Maybe they will inspire you to add something new and fresh in your life in the coming year!

1. Take bigger fashion risks- Start off small...mixing metals and textures with your jewelry, or mixing prints, and textures with your clothing. Stripes with florals, muted prints with something bright, lace and polka dots...the combinations are endless. So take a risk, and freshen up that wardrobe without even having to go shopping!

House of Lavande bracelets:

 Gold filled Bangle ($648), clear channel set bracelets ($648 each), Silver bangle ( $448)

2. Subscribe to International magazines- One of our favorite ideas yet. Seeing what is featured, and loved by people all over the world will give you a great new look on things that inspire the fashion icons that inspire us everyday. A local news stand will have magazines from every corner of the globe. A favorite of ours is Italian Vanity Fair.

3. New beauty- We are all always reading about the newest products that "you can't live without"  and makeup tips and tricks that "instantly change your look'' but if you are like many of us, we read and we have great intentions of taking the extra few minutes to learn these things, and then it never happens! So after this weekend, grab a few magazines make a list of what you'll need, run to Sephora and stock up on new products and learn some new techniques! 

4. Travel- Make a list of the top 5 (or maybe even 10) places you want to visit in the world. Come up with goals and a plan and make it a point to visit them. It's easy to get caught up in daily life and let opportunities pass, so check the status of your passport and get moving! Like St. Augustine says "The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page."

5. Food- No resolution list could possibly be complete without the mention of food. Most of us have the eat healthier, exercise more goal looming somewhere in the back of our minds. But why apply so much pressure on ourselves? Especially with all of the other fun resolutions we have to take care of! This year, keep it simple. Buy a cookbook with healthy recipes, go to more fresh markets, buy more produce and cook at home more often. Without thinking about it too much, just introduce fresher products into your life an you will instantly look and feel better! Check out Williams Sanoma's Eat Well cookbook for some freah ideas!

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Mood Board: White Lace

Its almost a new year, so out with the old and in with the new. Set your new year's resolutions and dress your new good self in head-to-toe angelic white lace. This fresh new take on lace is a hot new trend for spring, so there's soon to be ample new choices to choose from. Whether you go soft and pretty or sex it up, its a New Year and New You.

The Dolce & Gabbana SS2011 collection offers white lace looks perfect for any occasion; 1950's Juliana clamper bracelet with white teardrop stones in an outline of blue aurora borealis stones, House of Lavande; Christian Louboutin Tsar 140 satin pumps, net-a-porter.com; Givenchy Fall 2010 Couture collection, the beginning of a trend; 1960's Kenneth Jay Lane square diamante pendant earrings set in japanned metal, House of Lavande; Denisa Dvorakova shot by Johan Sandberg for Marie Claire Italia, fashiongonerogue.com Tweet

History Repeating

*Schiaparelli Necklace ($698)

This week we are featuring one of the industries most innovative and successful female costume jewelry designers, Elsa Schiaparelli. Born in Rome italy in 1890, Elsa was drawn to the arts at an early age. She opened her first couture fashion house in Paris, where she became a direct competitor to Coco Chanel, and later became known as her biggest rival. With the onset of  World War II, Elsa left paris and headed for New York City. In 1949 she opened up her of fashion house, where she created designs that were daring, bold and cutting edge. She was the first to popularize the shocking color pink, in the 1920's among the standard color pallete of brown, blue and black. She frequently used synthetic fabric, and zipper closures, making designs that reflected her sense of fun and inspiration she found from her friends in the surrealist painters movement. She was also the first major designer to open a ready to wear boutique in New York City. In the 1930's she began designing jewelry. Each piece had her distinct flair to it, and it was a collection of whimsical designs, circus characters, signs of the zodiac, and surrealist pieces inspired by her friend Salvador Dali. Elsa Schiaparellli  was a true visionary who's designs and influence can still be seen in the designs of clothing and jewelry of today.

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Look Of The Week - Stacy Nichols

WHO Stacy Nichols, Masters in Education, USF

THE LOOK Kassatly sweater layered over a James Perse cotton dress
THE JEWELRY 1960's Monet long tassel gold necklace ($448), 1980's Chanel gold bracelet ($1,848) House of Lavande
INSPIRATION Traditionally classic with a mix of current must-have updates. Audrey Hepburn for today's modern girl
FAVORITE ADORNMENTS: Simple and classic. Diamond studs are a favorite go-to for all occasions
STYLE TIPS Take Stacy's prepping day look into evening by pairing up her classic turquoise sweater with a long flowy skirt, statement multi-colored jeweled necklace, and a simple strappy sky-high heel. Perfect for cocktails in Palm Beach. Tweet

A Dior Christmas

For a second year running, John Galliano is making Christmas a little more special for the Claridge's hotel in London. Decking the halls with a dazzling Dior designed Christmas tree is what Galliano does best this time of year. Using the ocean as his muse for the "Under the Sea" theme, this special holiday delight comes to life with sparkling silver leaves, pink coral, sea horses, fish, anemones, starfish and jelly fish. I wonder if Mr. Galliano is available next holiday season for perhaps a signature House of Lavande tree? Tweet

Mood Board: Silver & Blue

This holiday opt for a silver & blue color combo. This go-to metallic works perfectly with all hues of blue, from rich tones like midnight and navy, to pretty pastels such as robin's egg and the always oh-so-chic Tiffany blue. Try using this festive duo for dressing your table, front door or even yourself! You simply can't go wrong. Happy Holidays!

Silver & Blue work well for both the holidays and year round. This striking pendant is the perfect add-on for both casual day looks like your favorite skinny jean + boot ensemble, or will instantly add glam to any evening cocktail number. 1910 Unsigned blue glass pendant necklace set in silver, House of Lavande; the ultimate ball gown from the Dior resort collection, style.com; these heels are meant for a holiday cocktail or 2, Rene Caovilla; get creative and use this chic color combo to dress up your table or front door for the holidays, decor ideas from delish.com and marthastewart.com Tweet

Holiday Eats and Tasty Treats

This weekend is time for family, friends and presents. But let us not forget the best part of it all... eating and drinking all of the yummy food and drink we shy away from during the rest of the year! Here are a few delicious and fun ideas that you can bring along with you to your holiday gatherings!

Dip:
Greek Artichoke and Garlic Dip. Easy to make and delicious!

What you'll need:
1 garlic clove
6 cooked artichoke hearts
juice of one lemon
1 cup yogurt cheese
2tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

*Simply combine everything (except 2tsp of lemon juice) into the food processor and blend until smooth. Add additional lemon to taste as well as salt and pepper. Serve with pita, crudites, or cracker, and enjoy!

Appetizer:
Pigs in a blanket. Simple, non fussy and always a hit.

What you'll need:
2 sheets of pasty dough
12 all beef hotdogs
1 large egg
1/4tsp of salt
poppy seeds for garnish

*Roll out pastry dough and cut into 6 equal sized squares. Pierce hotdogs several times and roll into pastry dough. Dip entire rolled hotdog into egg wash to seal. Place on baking sheet and garnish with poppy seeds. Bake until golden and puffed (about 20 minutes on 425 degrees.) Cut each roll into five sections and serve with mustard.

Cocktail:
Brandy Alexander. A go to Holiday favorite.

What you'll need:
2oz. Brandy
1oz of creme de cacao
1oz. heavy cream or half and half
1/4tsp. grated nutmeg

*Combine Brandy, Creme de cacao, and heavy cream into a shaker half filled with ice. Shake well, pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with nutmeg.

Dessert:
Turtle bars. A tasty treat that children and adults will love.

What you'll need:
Dough (save time by buying a pre made baking dough)
14oz. can of condensed milk
1 large egg, beaten
1tsp. pure vanilla extract
1cup coarsely chopped pecans
3/4 cup of sweet chocolate chips
1 cup of toffee chips

*Spread dough into a greased 9x13 inch pan and bake until just golden (about 13 minutes at 350 degrees.) Whisk egg, milk and vanilla together and pour over the baked crust. combine pecans, chocolate chips and toffee together and sprinkle on top. Bake for about 25 minutes until filling is set toffee is melted and edges are golden brown. Let cool completely in refigerator for about 2 hours, cut and serve.

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List Of The Week

Introducing our List Of The Week, where we showcase our top picks of what's hot, what's happening and what's must-have for the week. Since we are full swing into the holidays, here are a few of our festive favorites. Tis the Season.

 

List of the Week - Dec 20, 2010

1. Be stylish like the Cruise family and take in a showing of The Nutcracker (The New York City Ballet, Kravis Center West Palm Beach) 

2. We adore the stylish blog Coco+Kelley, especially the featured Cocktail at Six series. Cozy up this week with her recipe for White Hot Chocolate (with Rum!)

3. Give Baaaa-ck this holiday with a gift that keeps on giving through Heifer International, who's mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth. Choose a meaningful gift to give a loved one and help children and families around the world receive training and animal gifts that help them become self-reliant. 

4. Jazz up your mani and pedi this week with Merry Me nail colour from Sephora by OPI holiday collection.

5. Need to pick up a few last minute gifts this week? Our new House of Lavande gift cards are the perfect present this season. Available in any denomination, and with the option of four different chic House of Lavande images, this could be the perfect gift for any friend or loved one. 

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Ladies in Lavande

This week the celebrity ladies have been loving House of Lavande earrings! 

Jessica Alba wearing House of Lavande Art Deco earrings ($598)

Beau Garrett wearing House of Lavande gold tassell earrings ($348)

Jessica Lowdnes wearing House of Lavande diamante drop earrings ($448)

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Holiday Gift Guide

Christmas is only one week away! If you, like many of us are at a stand still for what to buy those particularly difficult loved ones that are on your list, don't fret, we have put together some fantastic ideas for you! With a little something for everyone from the fashionista, to the teen, the gentleman and everyone in between, this holiday list is sure to give you some gift giving inspiration. Happy shopping everyone! 

1. Coach- Poppy Tartan Cashmere Scarf ($128) 

2. Coco Chanel: The legend and the Life ($40)

3. Seda France Lavande Provencale candle ($32)

4. Whiskey Stones ($20)

5. House of Lavande 1950's Boucher Earrings ($428)

6. Give Pandora as a gift ($36)

7. Wooden iPhone accessories from KARVT ($25)

8. The Essential New York Times Cook Book ($40)

9. Oliver Peoples Isobel sunglasses ($280)

10. House of Lavande vintage watch movement cufflinks ($448)

11. Limited edition YSL makeup set and clutch ($65)

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Mood Board: Minimalism Comeback

The clean chic vibe that ruled the 1990s is back in a modern way. First spotted on the spring/summer 2011 runways, and now gracing the red carpet on some of fashion's most trendsetting individuals, this clean and straight-lined look is fresh and inspiring. And it appears to be staying around for awhile as some pre-fall 2011 collections are shaping up to be minimal and chic.

Kate Bosworth wearing Jil Sander SS11 to the Hollywood Style Awards featured on people.com; Prada Saffiano Lux clutch, Bergdorf Goodman; Yohai 6 strand gold twisted snake chain bracelet, House of Lavande; inspiration board from Reed Krakoff; Kate Moss for Calvin Klein in the 1990s; Phoebe Philo, creative director of Celine wearing Celine featured on T magazine's style blog Tweet

History Repeating

This week we take a look back to the beginnings of one of the most well known vintage jewelry brands out there, Miriam Haskell. In 1924 Mrs. Haskell created not only a brand of jewelry, but an entirely new concept. Fashion jewelry as an accessory to fashion clothing. Inspired by her good friend Coco Chanel, who paved the way for fashion jewelry in Paris, Miriam was welcomed with open arms by all of her friends in the fashion world. Some of the best known, and best dressed women of New York wore her jewelry. In 1926 Haskell established the Miriam Haskell Company which included a wholesale manufacturing devision. Each piece, from the very beginning, was made by hand and never mass produced. 

*Miriam Haskell earrings $848

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Look Of The Week - Tara Tobin

WHO Tara Tobin, Manager, Mary Mahoney, Palm Beach

 

THE LOOK J.Crew blazer, Levi's skinny jean rolled up, agnes b blouse, Gianvito Rossi lace-up bootie
THE JEWELRY Oscar de la Renta multi-colored long tassel necklace ($468), House of Lavande
INSPIRATION Katharine Hepburn, masculine meets feminine, a touch of old world charm with a young modern twist.
FAVORITE ADORNMENTS: brooches hanging from long chains as pendants, old pocket watches with tiny faces, bold cocktail rings and oversize earrings
STYLE TIPS To glam up Tara's look for evening, add a colorful statement cocktail ring, and trade out the classic navy schoolboy blazer for a trend-on sequin jacket and strappy heel. Tweet

Ladies in Lavande

Check out who was wearing Lavande this week!

Sophia Bush in a House of Lavande necklace and ring

Norah Jones in a House of Lavande cuff

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Get It While It's Hot!

The latest and greatest for members-only online shopping has emerged. Moda Operandi (modaoperandi.com), founded by Gilt Nior's Aslaug Magnusdottir, and headed by Vogue editor and New York socialite Lauren Santo Domingo, Moda Operandi is like no other shopping site before it. The site caters to those who wish to have designs from the likes of Thaikoon, Proenza Schouler, Vera Wang, Narciso Rodriguez, Alexander Wang, Prabal Guhung, and Giambattista Valli, only four months after they hit the runways in Paris, New York, London and Milan. 

The site will be launching during New York Fashion Week in February 2011 and will be members only, and members will be able to invite friends. Members will put down a 50% deposit and anything that doesn't fit can be returned. Four women's collections will be available every year from Spring, Resort, Fall and Pre-Fall. There will be 50 designers total and in between collections there will be fun editorial content like interviews, backstage looks and styling recommendations. 

We can't wait for February!

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Mood Board: Black Feathers

Every girl should own a black feathered piece this winter and setting the tone oh-so-perfectly are the couture costumes Rodarte custom created for the film The Black Swan staring Natalie Portman. As much as every ballerina in us would love to hit the streets in a couture tutu, realistically we really don't recommend it. So here are a few other trendsetters rocking the black feather look we do recommend. And to finish off the look we showcase the perfect House of Lavande necklace that accompanies any black feathered look perfectly.

Black feathers and a plume purse setting the stage from an archived shoot featured in Harper's Bazaar; 1960's unsigned silver collar necklace with a black cameo in the center, worn by Jessica Alba, House of Lavande; Natalie Portman as The Black Swan; go bold with statement feathers adorning the head, archived shoot featured in Harper's Bazaar; black fur and feathers can look practical and modern if styled the right way like trendsetters Kate Moss, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen and Olivia Palermo, peoplestylewatch.com; have fun adding 1 or 2 key statement accessories to your black feathered look, try a bright tight, chain necklace or chunky cuff. Tweet

Gift Giving Made Easy

One of the biggest concerns we encounter from customers who are gift shopping here at House of Lavande, is the worry that the receiver won't like the piece of jewelry that is chosen for them. Is it their style? Will it fit? Will they like the color? Well we have a solution for you! For the first time ever House of Lavande is offering gift cards! Available in any denomination, and with the option of four different chic House of Lavande images, this could be the perfect gift for any friend or loved one.

Don't forget ladies, we have cufflinks available for the gentleman as well! 

Vintage Watch Movement Cufflinks ($448)

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The Look

Brooches are making a chic comeback. These decorative pins can be worn so many different ways and make for the perfect gift come holiday season. When styling, the key is to keep your look feeling modern. Have fun grouping small brooches together and pinning them to sweaters, cardigans and blazers for an instant small touch of glitz. Add decorative accents with brooches pinned to a simple black cocktail dress in unexpected ways. And you can even add a small brooch to the hair for a special evening out or wedding.

Option 1: the little black dress 2 ways

Chanel brooch ($1898); unsigned Schreiner green and purple brooch ($1148)

For an evening out, add a touch of glitz by pinning a brooch to a little black dress in unexpected ways. Here we took 2 separate brooches and pinned them in 2 different places on the same dress to show you how 2 looks can be achieved with 2 simple adornments. The first style shows a brooch pinned on a large bow tied to the front side of the dress. The second option has the black bow tied in the back and a brooch pinned to the center front.

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Red Carpet Love

Check out two of our favorite leading ladies showing off their love for House of Lavande this week!

Fergie in House of Lavande crystal cluster earrings at Billboards Woman of the Year Celebration

House of Lavande earrings ($548)

Jessica Alba in a House of Lavande necklace at the CNN Heroes Gala, also featured in Life & Style's top 10 looks of the week!

House of Lavande cameo necklace (Sold)

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L-Atitude

We just discovered this new website and love it so much we wanted to share. Introducing L-Atitude, the perfect go-to site for all you chic jetsetters and worldly travelers with a flair for style. The site's motto "Shop The World, Flaunt Your Where's" says it all. With an online boutique filled with worldly wares from some of the hottest cities across the globe, the site also features a must-visit-often blog that will help your travel style stay savvy day-to-day. With fun features like city secrets, street smart, currency exchange, globe-trotters and zip code guide, it can also be used as a travel guide for your next exotic getaway. Not to mention it features some of the chicest stylesetters, right now its Garance Doré, and highlights their secret style spots and shopping tips. Globetrot and shop the world at shoplatitude.com Tweet

Mood Board: CandyLand

Art Basel Miami Beach is in full swing this week, so today's mood board is all about the bright lights and brights colors as the international art world comes together to celebrate. In keeping with the theme of color, we're excited about Paper magazine's Rainbow City installation, including a life size Candyland board and a live performance by N.E.R.D with Pharrell Williams and DJ Mia Moretti. All happening in Miami's Design District, Dec 2nd, 8-11pm. Hope to see you there.

Archival image from Vogue magazine; unsigned Hattie Carnegie multi-colored stones and turquoise oriental style pendant clip earrings, as seen in Harper's Bazaar, House of Lavande; Christian Louboutin suede and patent multi-colored heel from the SS11 collection; invitation to the Paper magazine's Rainbow City exhibit during Art Basel Miami Beach; archival image from Harper's Bazaar of a Versace couture gown; archival image from Vogue magazine; candy couture at its finest, multi-colored jewelry pieces look just as chic on the table as they do being worn. Tweet