Day 2 of 5: Beaded Details and Mind Blocked

Day 2:

Today was a day spent on details. I beaded all day and I am still currently beading. Designing your own clothes is a crazy thing and 5 days to finish an evening gown, is an even crazier experience. 

 As fun as it is, the whole situation is rather unpredictable and chaotic. Part of my head thinks about the beading I am doing, and the other part of me is contemplating the bottom half, and what I will do. The creative process is never a smooth ride, and I have moments of complete mind blocks that leave me completely frustrated. However, other moments are filled with energetic bursts of ideas that make the whole chaotic mess worth it. 

Stay tuned....

xo,

Maya

Day 1 of 5: The Making of a Spring Evening Gown

Day 1 of 5

In case you missed the announcement yesterday, in celebration of Spring 2015, I will be attempting to design, and create a dress all within 5 days. The challenge is to have it completed by the first day of Spring ( this Friday, March 20).

The dress I am designing, is inspired by the beautiful pink cherry blossoms of Japan. The color palette is soft, sweet, and very pink. The fabrics chosen, are vintage embroidered lace, organza, and chiffon.  I also found pink silk flowers in the flower aisle and would like to somehow incorporate them into the dress.  I will most likely be adding other materials as I go along and my vision changes.

Day 1, was a slow day.  I felt a bit of frustrated, as my mind was blocked with the direction of my design. I only finished the top portion of lace, which is shaped to my frame. I did also attach a zipper in the back. However, I did not have time to finish the inner linings or add any details. Tomorrow will need to be met with more speed and efficiency to make up for lost time. Stay tuned!

Wish me luck, ❤

xo,

Maya

5 Day Fashion Design Challenge?

Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, it can only mean one thing. Winter is ending and Spring is finally here.

The "5 Day Fashion Design Challenge", is an ambition attempt to design, create, and finish a Spring 'inspired' evening dress, all by Friday March 20, 2015 (The first day of Spring). The Challenge will begin tomorrow, Monday, March 16, 2015, and the progress of the dress will be published everyday until the completion this Friday.

The dress will be inspired by the gorgeous cherry blossoms of Japan, and as you can imagine, there will be a lot of pink flying around the studio. Check in everyday, and hopefully by the first day of spring, an evening dress will be born!

❤

Maya

Trends gone Bad: Beanies During Heat Waves?!

I don't know about you guys, but where I live, the past couple of days have been so hot people are literally passing out from dehydration and over heating. Even massive brush fires have been popping up left and right from the heat. To my great surprise, this still did not stop several "trend" lovers from covering their burning head with a knitted beanie? What?!

This seasonal mish-mash of trends has been going around like wild fire, and it's about time some one said something. Yes, I know even Rihanna has been spotted on numerous occasions supporting this "beanie love", but does that mean you should copy it?

I am not saying that the trend is bad, but don't be crazy. If there is a heat wave and you are literally in a tiny tank with short shorts, do NOT put a heavy knitted hat on your head! Your head which contains your brain is where heat from your body escapes. Blocking it makes anyone with half a brain wonder, what happened to your logic?

       

If you must follow this trend then here are some tips to prevent you from looking crazy. 

1.) Temperature: The overall temperature should be cool enough that you need a cardigan. The heaviness of the knit and material should match the type you would wear in the given day. If you do not need a cardigan, this is a sign the weather is much too warm for a beanie.

2.) Material: Make sure the beanies you wear in Spring/Summer are lighter knit, and wider in stitch. Your head needs to breath during warmer months, and keeping it warm is counter productive.

3.) Comfort: Never forget beauty comes from how comfortable you are. Just like wobbling around in 4 inch heels is not sexy, a sweety head of hair is not fashionable either.

4.) Logic: The most important tip is ALWAYS, ALWAYS listen to your own logic. It doesn't matter who wore it which way, or how popular it is. Trust your own judgement. 

x

M

        

Fashion Style Inspired by Flowers

Spring is here, and Nature is in full blossom. No one can deny the beauty that comes with this cheerful season, and like the singing birds in the sky, this is your time to shine. Who better to get inspired by than Mother Nature herself?

Here are my Style tips on how to be as beautiful as flowers themselves.

                                         ROSE BEAUTY

When you look at a rose what do you see? First you will notice the softness of the petals, and the curves of beautiful lines the petals make. This dress is a perfect representation of the softness and beauty a rose brings to the eye. Normally, people would match this dress with a deeper purple, or some strappy gold or silver heels. This is standard and predictable. However, use a rose as your inspiration and you can look for an amazing green color shoe with sharp edged rhinestones mimicking the stem and thorns. Voila! Pure Rose Seduciton.

                                    TEXTURES and LIGHT

Spring time is beautiful not only in the sense of "flowers" but the dance of colors that change with the changing light throughout the day. Be observant to the colors changing and gain inspiration on how to add these combinations to your own outfit. 

                     OMBRE and NEIGHBORING COLORS

One of the current trends is "ombre" but did you know this idea is nothing new? Nature has been doing it since the beginning of time. Usually, with flowers, you will see a gradual blend of colors intoit's neighboring  color. "Neighboring" is in reference to the color wheel that follows the order of the rainbow. Play around with matching up accessories and clothes with different shades of the same color family.

                                               SHAPES 

Flowers also are abundant in textures and color combinations, and Nature never gets it wrong. Don't be afraid to play around with the shapes and lines you see in flowers. 

                                   COLOR COMBINATIONS 

If there is a master of color, it would be flowers. They have a way of creating the most magnificent cor combinations  that you would never imagine could work. This dress is gorgeous, but wouldn't your first instinct be to buy a shoe within one of the colors in the dress? A white strappy heel or if your daring maybe a pink pump? 

Would you ever go searching for an amazing textured blue sandal pump? If you observe flowers you would. Looking to nature will give you a whole new vision of endless possibilities.

                                             LAYERING

If flowers can teach you anything, it is to look outside the box. Don't be afraid to layer polka dots on polka dots, and why not add an orange ombre clutch? If it works for a dalmation orchid it will work for you as well. 

Be forever inspired...

Golden Goddesses in Dolce & Gabbana Spring Collection

Spring 2014 Collection, Dolce & Gabbana mixed Sicilian elements with the majesty of the ancient Greeks. They payed tribute to the grandeur of Grecian temples, and the sprinkling of Roman and Greek coins all over their entire collection. From belts, to dresses, to handbags and earrings, these golden coins were sprinkled in golden rain all over their creations. 

The models had their hair up in braids like Greek goddesses and wore tiaras made of almond flowers or gold coins. 

The Almond tree was of huge inspiration, and blossoming almond flowers can also be seen throughout the collection.

A collection that celebrates the femininity of a woman, as if blossoming from a beautiful tree. The accents of gold, empower women, as a strong force of glamour and strength, balancing the hard and soft, that works so beautiful the Spring season!

How to Get the Make-Up look of Dolce & Gabbana Spring!

“THE PURE AND DELICATE IMAGES OF BLOSSOMING ALMOND TREES, PRINTED AND HAND-PAINTED ON OUR CLOTHES, WERE THE CREATIVE INFLUENCE BEHIND THE MAKEUP AS WELL. THIS IS HOW WE SEE THE DOLCE&GABBANA WOMAN: NATURAL, HER FACE GENTLY GLOWING IN THE MILD SPRING SUNSHINE, HER LIPS BROUGHT TO THE FORE IN CORAL PINK OR RED.”

DOMENICO DOLCE AND STEFANO GABBANA

The FACE of D&G this Spring is very natural, full of shine and a sense of a feminine glow. I have collected the exact products used for their Spring 2014 runway show, and hope this will inspire you to try it out. 

Good Luck!

x

m

EYES: Sticking to neutrals with touches of glimmer and soft pinks and purples, this Spring Make-up look is fresh, natural, and vibrant.

               Eyeshadow Quad Desert 123

                     Eyeshadow Quad: Golds 123

LIPS: Sweet "berry" toned lips that give just a touch of color to a fresh face. 

                       Classic cream: Bellissima 515

               

                          Classic Cream: Traviata

NAILS:

                                      Pure Nude 215

Gorgeous Denim in Balmain Spring 2014!

Who knew Denim Could be so Glamorous?

Balmain has mastered the art of Denim. Spring and Resort 2014 features amazing pieces that feature denim in a fun, flirty, and ultra glamorous way. Balmain achieves unexpected glamour with gold accent pieces that are chained or embroidered into delicate flowers. The collection also masterfully intertwines rhinestone and lace, with denim to create a fresh new look that balances the hard, with the ultra soft.

This new idea of combining denim with chains, lace, or rhinestones, should inspire those when they reach into their closets this Spring. Take out those old denim pieces that you never imagined as high fashion, and style them with a lace top, gold chain, or belt. Match with a high heeled boot that is ultra glamorous! 

Have fun styling pieces you never thought would go together!

xo

m