Flamingos, Peacocks, and Bluebirds

The runways and racks are vibrant with color this season.  Crayola enthusiasts--the year is yours again.  Designers haven’t gotten tired of rainbows! 

Brilliant blues, riotous reds and gorgeous greens are amazing mood lifters and entirely appropriate after winter’s slushy grey and black mood.  Walking into a store this season is like diving headfirst into a kaleidoscope, but, oh what a trip it is!  Oscar de la Renta, Tracy Reese, and Proenza Schouler were inspired by the hues found in handmade quilts, lush forests, Eastern culture, photography, and pop culture.  And yeah, Pantone’s website is ultra cool.  Dusk blue, emerald, lemon zest, poppy red and African violet are some of their favorite hues this season.

Go ahead and jump into the jade pencil skirt, or punch up your attitude with purple patent pumps. Think a minute--would daffodils be as beautiful if they were grey?  Is a monochrome sunset breathtaking? Which bird would you prefer looking at--a pigeon or a cardinal?

So, here’s what I want you to do--color yourself glamorous and slip into that lemon zest jacket.  It’ll put spring into your step.

Highs and Lows--the Shoes of Spring

Jimmy Choo

Ladylike pointy toe pumps are smokin’ hot this spring, and so are sporty, menswear inspired oxfords.  Here’s why you want them both:

Pointy toe pumps have an amazing leg lengthening ability, and will make your limbs look sleeker and sexier.  They lend a classic glamour to everything and you’ll feel elegant when you stride into the board room or ball room.  My favorites this season include the elegant Coach “Ellin” pump, which comes in a multitude of colors and finishes, including a Coach signature fabric in black or khaki.  It’ll add about $168 to your credit card balance.  I also love Calvin Klein’s “Dolly” leopard print pumps.  They’ll set you back $89, but you can choose from sumptuous suede, sizzling snake print, or a metallic finish.  J. Renee has a simply irresistible sky blue patent leather pump for $99, and GoJane.com is featuring a $19 orange faux patent leather pump that will glam up any look.

At the other end of the spectrum are super cute oxfords.  I‘m delighted to see these fabulous lace ups in the spring 2013 lineup.  These are my weekend go-to shoes--they‘re perfect for errands, gallery hopping, or hanging with your besties.  This year’s models combine comfort with sassy styling and unexpected punches of color.  Here’s what I like at DSW.com: the $34.95 "Not Rated Lulu" oxford flat which comes in a pretty paisley print with a shot of neon color at the heel; and the $39.95 "Envy Waltz" oxford in metallic leather. The steal of the day is at Eddiebauer.com--the Bass "Ramona" oxford which is clearance priced at $49.99.  The Ramona features a 3” heel and the trademark Bass red rubber sole. At Lulus.com I fell for the adorable Michael Antonio Peter "Rhinestone" wingtips for $48.

Bass's Ramona Oxford

These luscious treats are healthier and less fattening for you than candy, so indulge!  You know you want to!  I know I want to!!

At the Boutique with Ms. Laverne and Ms. Kim

Ms. Kim (l) and Ms. Laverne (r)

Another Saturday and I’m at one my favorite small businesses, The Wardrobe Boutique.  Today Ms. Laverne (sales and training coordinator) and Ms. Kim (sales associate) are managing the store, and they are busy! 

Ms. Laverne is supervising a team of tiny teen volunteers from a local high school who’re styling mannequins.  Window dressing and merchandising can be lots of fun, but it’s a challenge today because the mannequins tower over the girls.  They’re quiet as church mice as they buzz around grabbing sweet little pieces from H+M, The Limited, Anthropologie, and Banana Republic to dress their models.  I hear occasional bangs and thumps as the girls disconnect arms and legs from the giant albino women, but there are no casualties.  Later I hear murmurs of approval from the team as accessories are tied and draped over re-costumed mannequins.  Looking good!

Ms. Kim and Ms. Laverne greet and banter with customers while helping them find fierce leopard pumps for a special occasion, crisp white button downs for the office, or the perfect pair of tall black boots.  Ms. Laverne chats amiably with a woman buying a navy skirt with cream piping, and suggests complimentary shoe colors.  She smiles while folding the skirt and says, “Oooh, this is nice…I was looking at this myself!“  No doubt she was!

One of my assignments is tagging costume jewelry for sale.  Ms. Kim immediately busts out laughing when I sit down with tagging tools and a box of necklaces and bracelets.  She tried to show me how to tag clothing a few weeks ago, but I developed anti-tagging disorder which manifested itself by tags missing their targets and flying through the air, landing on the floor at my feet.  I coulda put an eye out--mine!

All day the ladies ring up and bag purchases for shoppers who are ecstatic with the amazing bargains they found.  Sales from the 50% off racks are hot.  “Frequent shopper cards” are punched and distributed to loyal customers (the ones who usually score the authentic Prada bags because they stop in every day and see the bags the moment they go on display).

I love going to a retailer who makes everyone feel welcome.  I love working with folks who are sharp, funny, and open-hearted, and I feel good about the time spent.  The best deal is friendship, which Ms. Kim and Ms. Laverne give in spades.

Vintage Beauty - Bill and Betty

Bill and Betty

Here we are in the late 1940s digging on my ultra-glamorous mom and her favorite cousin Bill.  From the many stories she told me during her lifetime, Mom and Bill were childhood best friends.  They spent countless Saturday afternoons at the movies rooting for the guys in the white hats, roller skated all over Winston-Salem together, and routinely risked their young lives hiking along train tracks. 

Check out my mom in her belted velvet coat.  Have you ever seen such a gorgeous topper?  I wish I'd been there to touch it--I bet it felt like corn silk.  I’ve looked at this photo millions of times and wondered what color the coat was.  What do you think--sapphire blue or forest green?  And the shoes--burgundy or coffee brown?

Everyday Beauty - Never Enough

Everyday beauty is found in small gestures.  It can be a surprise, like looking up from stormy grey thoughts and seeing a rainbow.  Like passing an abandoned warehouse dressed in a breathtaking mural.  A clear sunny day in the midst of a relentlessly bleak January.  Breathtaking sunsets, the romance of a full moon. 

Everyday beauty is loving and being loved.  Knowing that you are treasured adds to the equation of daily life.  Being cared for when all is right with the world, and when all is devastatingly wrong.  Everyday beauty is a gift that unlocks the heart and soul.

Everyday beauty is in bloom at "Casual Friday."  For Groundhog Day seek out your own everyday beauty. Surprise yourself.