SHOP RASTA GEAR NOW!

Springtime symbolizes many things: birth, re-birth, new beginnings, growth, romance, etc., but this year, for me, spring simply stands for the season before summer. And with summer, comes reggae, which has been all I’ve been listening to for the past several weeks. I have found so many cute rasta-colored accessories and clothing, which I have included in my Rasta Wear for Girl’s buyer’s guide.

Once you see how cute these things are (um, a.k.a. the Rasta Bow Hair Clips!), I guarantee you’ll be switching your iPod to Legend quicker than you can say “I shot the sheriff.” Make sure you check out all the products I hand-picked for the guide - there’s definitely more than one page’s worth of rastafari-approved gear up on there!

Kidrobot, designer and retailer of art toys and apparel, has been around for 7 years and, since then, has collaborated with top international artists to create hundreds of limited edition, collectible toys that merge urban/street trends with fashion and pop art. Kidrobot doesn’t stop at toys, either. Founder, Paul Budnitz introduced vibrant men’s and women’s apparel lines in ’06, along with tons of Kidrobot accessories to choose from (keychains, books, backpacks, shoes, home décor, jewelry, posters . . . The list goes on).

That all being said, I love the unique aesthetic of the entire Kidrobot collection and have compiled lists of my favorite picks on Kazowie. You should definitely check ‘em out:

Click here to see Cool Kidrobot Clothes for Guys.
Click here for Girl Kidrobot Apparel.
Click here to check out My Favorite Kidrobot Toys.
Click here to view Random Kidrobot Stuff.

I discovered this young up-and-coming designer on Etsy a few weeks ago when I was in the beginning stages of searching for my wedding dress and I fell in love with her drapey designs and amazing photos. Last week she was featured in Daily Candy and I’m sure that we’re going to see more and more of her in the future.  Her prices are totally reasonable, and the turn around time for ordering is only 4-6 weeks after providing her with your measurements. If I didn’t already have my dress in progress I would have definitely ordered from her! Oh yeah, some of the proceeds go to charities. Amazing…

A few of her dresses for bridesmaids or brides who want to go with something a little less traditional (left to right): The Raspberry Perfection Dress, The Flock Dress, The Robin’s Egg Dress, and the How She Sparkles Dress.

Amazing dresses for brides (left to right):The White as Snow Dress, The Athena Gown, The Pink Petals Dress,  and the A Peaceful Afternoon Gown. Check out some more amazing pieces- Sarah Seven Wedding and Bridesmaid Dresses.

Whoever came up with split expanders is a genius. I’m so glad that I am able to wear some of the most beautiful, hand-crafted, organic earrings I’ve ever seen without spending months to irreversibly stretch out my ear lobes to an unnaturally large size. Check some of my fave picks out on my Handmade Split Expander Earrings guide. I own a pair and there’s no way anyone can tell it’s not the real thing.

Quiz: Can you tell which are real expander earrings and which are split? (Answers below)

Split expander earrings create the illusion that you’re wearing one big fatty tapered (bone, wood, coconut, whatever) earring through an expanded lobe piercing but, in fact, you’re wearing two separate front and back pieces that connect together in your ear with a regular-sized steel earring post. If you want the look without the commitment, this is definitely the way to go. I’ve found some other very Pretty Stick Earrings (pictured below with split expanders) that also require no stretching of earlobes. Perf.

Aren’t they pretty?

[answers: a.stretch, b.split, c.split, d.stretch, e.stretch]

So far, the most fun that I’ve had with wedding planning has been picking out our save the date cards. At the beginning stages of planning, you’re allowed to go with something a little more fun that doesn’t necessarily have to match with the rest of the wedding theme. We picked cards that highlight San Francisco to prepare our out-of-towners excited for a fun visit to a great city.

In my week-long search for save the date cards, I came across some real gems. I especially like the cards with the initials of the be-trothed carved into the tree: The Weeping Willow cards come in 4 colors.

Hello Lucky makes some amazing cards that you can get in either digital or letterpress depending on your budget. You can get as simple or as fancy as you like with cards like: (left to right) the Monogram Letterpress cards, the Fancy Feather Cards, or the simple  Meadow Digital Grass and Gravel Card .

I’ve also seen a ton of DIY brides and grooms making their own cards. My favorites are the ones made by Miranda that are posted on Flickr. She even made the envelopes.

Check out some more Save the Date Cards

SHOP PICNIC DAY NOW!

Poll: Will you wear a dress or shorts to Picnic Day this year? Vote now!

Every year in April, my alumni college town hosts “Picnic Day.” This all-day event is “designed to showcase the richness and diversity of campus life, as well as the community” of the small town and has been a tradition for the past 95 years. It’s super fun to walk around town and celebrate springtime with friends literally from morning ‘til night. Picnic Day is one of the major events of the city which everyone knows about and practically everyone looks forward to. You’re going to be seen, so you’ve got to look cute!

I will be taking a drive up for my 6^th Picnic Day this weekend and I can’t wait to see all my old friends! My Picnic Day Picks buyer’s guide is full of tops, dresses, shoes, and accessories that are perfect for a day in the sun, whether you’re going to Picnic Day, or you’re hosting your own picnic in the park! The key is bright colors, light fabrics, and comfortable fits.

SHOP MORE PICNIC DAY PICKS HERE!

Pictured, from left: Not Rated Women’s Jammin Jelly Flat, Simple Woven Dress, Elastic Lotus Bracelet, Dark Wash Bermuda Short, Embroidered Flower Plaid Top, Petal Earring, Cavalry Twill Patch Pocket Pants, Stripe Boy Tank, and Stuart Weitzman Women’s “Cleopatra” Gladiator Sandals.

I’ve noticed in my search for the perfect wedding dress that designers seem to be adding all kinds of dreamy fabrics to their dresses; it’s like an updated version of the princess ball gown. If you’re looking for that slightly romantic look on your wedding day, layered fabrics will really give you a spectacular, ethereal silhouette.

Of these three dresses, my fave is the one on the left by Monique Lhuillier. The subtle layers add a bit more interest to the dress than having just a plain sheath. The dress on the right, also by Monique Lhuillier, from her Platinum Collection, has a delicate but slightly heavier feel to it and the embellished tulle is amazing. The Tiered Analisa Gown is, believe it or not, from JCrew; definitely made for the more fun and flirty bride. I could see this dress in a vineyard wedding.

I also found two very similar dresses, one from a designer on Etsy (on sale for $280!) and one at Nordstrom by Robert Rodriguez. Both equally amazing with ruffles galore:

Check out some more tiered dresses in my Layered Wedding Dresses buyer’s guide.

Tough-looking jewelry with feminine accents seems to be the hot new thang that will help us transition our accessory-wearing from the warm-weather days into the Fall months. I know you’re just getting into  Springtime wear, but fashion’s always two steps ahead, honey! This style of jewelry is hot for exactly that reason, though; it’s bold enough for the cold, but girly enough for the heat, a.k.a. it can be worn year-round and you’ll always be in vogue.

What do you think about tough-looking jewelry for Spring? Sport it or scrap it? Click here to VOTE NOW!

The Spring 2009 Fallon Jewelry line features super-sexy, machine-age spikes, studs, and stones. Stephen Webster, with Christina Aguilera as his muse, has also created a sleek new line of silver , scaly, shattered pieces that were made to stand out from the crowd. To really make a statement, sport a silver coiled serpant around your neck. Snake Jewelry is so sexy and daring! But is it a spring thing?

Shop Webcams Now.

If you have friends and loved ones who live in far-off lands (a.k.a. you don’t see them as often as you’d like to), I highly recommend investing in a webcam, if your computer doesn’t already have one built-in, that is. It makes everyday chatting with friends more fun, too. Trust me, it’s a hilarious good time. I did some research on the best cameras on the market and came up with a Top Desktop Webcams buyer’s guide, with cams for your desktop computer ranging from about $26 to $130.

The Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is overwhelmingly listed as a top performer, and I’ve got it on my list at a really sweet price. If you want a less expensive cam that’s listed among the top budget webcams, go with the Logitech QuickCam Communicate STX. Learn more about webcams, view prices, and snag one of your own on my Top Desktop Webcams guide. Happy chatting.

Webcams from left: Logitech QuickCam Orbit AF Auto Focus System, Logitech Quickcam Pro 9000, Logitech QuickCam Communicate STX, Microsoft LifeCam VX-6000.

In case you didn’t already know, Spike Jonze and writer Dave Eggers, have created a movie based on the classic book, Where the Wild Things Are.  One my favorites when I was little; the illustrations were so perfectly dark and creepy and I’m interested to see how it translates into the movie.

I found the cutest pic that I had to share of a Max costume that someone made on Etsy.  I would snatch up this one up if I knew someone that could wear it!

I also found some really cute merch:  Where The Wild Things Are Wrist Clutch,  One of a Kind Buttons, and Handmade Recycled Glass Pendant.  Check out more good stuff to get you excited for the movie in my Where The Wild Things Are buyer’s guide.