the week in photos

From breakfast at Estelle's to training at Dive Bar, from mermaid tails to mermaid hair,

all the way to my three new favorite nail colors from Wet & Wild :)

Love Is A Four Letter Word

Currently Listening to:

"The World Should Revolve Around Me" by Little Jackie

(Tee from Anchor Blue, Vurt plaid from PacSun, cutoff high-waist shorts from Heritage1981,

faux fur fox-tail from the alleys in LA, B.C. ankle biker booties)

Hello, lovelies! After a long Labor Day Weekend and the flu, I thought I'd post a new outfit for you! Pretty simple and relaxed, really. A tank top layered with my favorite graphic tee and I decided to rock my favorite plaid button-up as a sort of skirt, channeling 90s Grunge if you will. I kind of liked how it looked over shorts too though. The look kind of reminds me of  elementary school days, when we wrapped our sweaters and jackets around our waists at lunch time and recess... A great trip down memory lane...

Anyhoo! I've been running around like a mad woman today, trying to get things done (including some school work and some new graphic/website design commissions) and sorted out before the big FNO event tonight. It should be a ton of fun and I'm looking forward to seeing some of my favorite fashion-forward faces there!

Hope you all had a fun, safe Labor Day! <3

xoxo Coco

Afternoon Tea + MORE AMAZING FOLLOWERS!

Currently Listening to:

"Fidelity" by Regina Spektor

(Tripp NYC "Pop Tart" leopard print dress, White House | Black Market convertible polkadot

clutch/purse, JC charm bracelet, Forever 21 black platform maryjanes)

I was feeling a bit girly and quirky for my Sunday lunch date with a friend of mine at this adorable little cafe up in Placerville. It was a bit hot, but the weather was still nice, and due to the fancy nature of having tea; I opted for a cute little dress! This leopard one is by Tripp NYC and its called "Pop Tart" which I absolutely love. Taking full advantage of the fact that we were having afternoon tea, Dee and I got pretty gussied up for our fun day together; and I couldn't help but get a bit fancy with a birdcage veil and cute charm bracelet my sister got me from her trip to Monterey a while back. We felt a little bit like royalty and made sure to have our pinkies raised at all times! I was reminded a little of the very, very funny Saturday Night Live skit called "A Spot of Tea" with Russell Brand, Andy Samberg, and Bill Hader.

Needless to say, I really, really wanted to yell "Seismograph" at the top of my lungs the whole time we drank tea and ate our lunch, but managed to keep it together. Afterward, we drove up to the ranches to pick some of the last of the berries before we transition into Fall, but not before enjoying some of the famous pie near Apple Hill of course! (Delicious!) It was so much fun. We plan to go back this labor day weekend for the opening of the apple ranches too and maybe go to the sneak preview for the new movie Fighter.

Goodness knows, I love me some Tom Hardy!

To my delight, I have some more amazing new followers to thank and urge all of you to check out! First we have Amalia, a nineteen year old style blogger from Greece with the coolest hair I've ever seen. (I've been a big fan of her blog for a while now and adore her style!) Second is Shay of donewithconformity, a blogger with some seriously skills: she runs The Blogger Project in which she features some of her favorite bloggers by turning them into an awesome work of art! DEFINITELY a must-see. Then there's "Fashion Kat" Rita, a stylish blogger who loves fashion, shoes, and - you guessed it! - cats! (Among other things!) Then there's the romantic Russian herself, Miss Annushka Litvinova with her quirky and whimsical fashion sense! She's so sweet and I always look forward to seeing what she's wearing! I can't forget Beth from Stylish Confessions either. I love her blog and her casual and oh-so-cool style...

Last but not least, Michelle and Hiven, who don't have personal blogs, but I still wanted to thank them for the follow! It means a lot to me that they enjoy reading MTB so much.

So thank you, thank you, thank you, everyone! You are all amazing <3

xoxo Coco

P.S. I'm so glad you guys like my Back To School outfit; I want you to share your's too! So don't forget to send in photos of yourselves in your favorite back to school gear for my "Back To School Special" coming up! Be sure to include your name, age, and link to your blog! Send to: cocol@muffintopbaby.com for a chance to be featured here on MTB :}

Take A Peek Inside My Purse + The Free People AUG 2011 Lookbook + MY NEW OMBRE HAIR!!!

At the current moment, these would be the contents of my purse:

As you can see there's nothing too spiffy going on. I have my M*A*C essentials for retouching my makeup when I'm out and about (I like to keep things natural for the most part), my clutch, which contains my ID, license, cards, etc., for when I want to switch from a big, bulky side-bag to something a bit sleeker; my sunglasses to fight off this blazing Sacramento sunshine and of course my copy of the new Free People "in Venice" August 2011 Lookbook that arrived in the mail for me! I really love the look of 70s inspired separates for this Fall and definitely plan on taking a page (no pun intended) from FP's book for style inspiration this season.

Here were a few of my favorite looks:

I wish I could just walk into my closet and walk back out wearing all of these ensembles! I especially love the maxi dresses and the shaggy coats, both of which I plan to buy and wear many, many more of! You all know that I love my Summer and that I tend to be a summer and springtime girl, but I have to say that FP's August Look book has me itching for Fall. I seriously can't wait to try some of these layered looks for myself. I also realized that I am in dire need of a really big, really floppy hat! So if you guys have any suggestions as to where I can shop the perfect one, let me know! I'm all ears!

In other news... (Drum roll please...)

I played with my hair!

I know, I know... AGAIN, COCO?! (Or "you're killin' me, girl" as Katie put it! Lol!)

But you guys know me. I get bored easily and I just could not resist the calling of the Ombre. (Plus things have been so hectic as of late that I just felt like I needed some sort of change or overhaul or something.) I've been a little obsessed with the relaxed and messy, laid-back, over-grown hair trend recently, which is not surprisingly still going strong - there's something grungy, but still very glamorous about it. I kept flipping back to Drew Barrymore's take on Ombre (or "Balayage" which is the formal name) hairstyle last year, which I personally think she rocked the heck out of. Other honorable mentions definitely have to go to Hillary Duff, Rachel Bilson, and of course miss Rumi Neely of Fashion Toast, who was actually one of the first people I saw to sport the style.

Its not for everyone, but I really, really love it. I feel free in a strange way. I don't know why. Possibly because the whole idea of it; is to look like you've skipped months and months of salon appointments to let your roots grow in wild and free. That being said, Ombre is pretty much the perfect style for any girl who wants something low-maintenance and its easy to do at home with a highlight/lifting or bleach kit. All you do is paint from the tips of your hair upward in graduation, let it set for a bit, then rinse, and repeat the process until you're happy with the lift/how light it is. There are several great DIYs online if you feel like being adventurous too! Be sure to check out these awesome step-by-step tutorials by Zoella and Brittnee Caan of L'ing the L :}


What do you guys think of Ombre hair? Think its still hot or just a hot mess?

xoxo Coco

...And I’ll Remove The Spell You’ve Put On Me Again.

Currently Listening to:

"Abracadabra" by Brown Eyed Girls

(Photo by Jeanatte Salazar, Hair/MU by moi)

The last few days have been so busy, but so much fun! I apologize for not posting in favor of making mischief with my good friend, Molly. Right now I am sitting in her amazing bedroom, talking fun girl stuff with her and her long-time friend (and my new friend) Bri. Anyhoo! Molly and I have been up to some really exciting things, including planning a trip to LA next weekend, which has been a long-time coming! So you can bet I will have tons and tons of fun posts and photos for you guys. We're going to be shooting with some really amazing photographers while we're there, we're also hoping to visit Huntington Beach (my home-town) and get some shopping in. I also have a really important meeting that unfortunately I can't discuss right now, but I will have plenty of juicy details for you next week! :}

On Saturday, I'm going to be shooting with Jeanatte Salazar who is a really, really talented photographer here in Sac. (She took that photo above :D) Well, technically Roseville, but whatever. Lolol... I love Jeanatte. Not only is her work awesome, but she's such a great person too! We always have so much fun when we shoot together and I'm super excited about updating my portfolio with some newer, fresher looks. That shot above is one of my personal favorites that we've ever created, because we based the look on the Smoky Eye and Rhinestone Lip one used in the John Galliano SS08 Ready-to-wear show, which as you all know is one of my all-time favorite shows to date! Lol!

Anyhoo! I will definitely try to get in an outfit post (or something of equal fun) for you guys tomorrow or Saturday!

In the meantime... Do you guys have any fun plans for the weekend? :}

xoxo coco

P.S. I don't know why, but I've been on a super K-Pop kick for the past few days XD

Shop The Pinkage 'Adieu 2010' Sale!

Currently Listening to:
"White Christmas" by Elvis

I hope you all had a wonderful, wonderful Christmas! I myself enjoyed a great day with my parents and (step?)grandparents, which consisted of eating tasty treats and listening to Elvis Christmas songs :} Now that it's over though and the New Year is fast approaching (only 4 days until NYE!!!), to celebrate saying goodbye to 2010; MTB's sponsor Pinkage is having a great sale over at their Ebay store!




Until December 31st enjoy 15% OFF select items throughout the Pinkage Ebay Store! With so many fun styles to choose from, you too can ring in the New Year with a New Look! (I know I had a blast changing up my look with my Pinkage wig!) And be sure to check out some of these awesome new styles for sale :D



(The "Christmas Eve" Full Hair Wig $68.99 + FREE SHIPPING)


(Thick Swing Wave 12 Peice 22" Clip-in Hair Extension $59.99 + FREE SHIPPING)


(Chignon Bun Drawstring Hairpiece $27.99 + FREE SHIPPING)


(Clip in Hair Extensions Chic Bangs in "2 Tone Brown" $16.99 + FREE SHIPPING )


Happy shopping! <3

xoxo coco

Embrace Your Inner Pinup Girl!

Currently Listening to:
"A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody" by Artie Shaw

As many of you know, along with plus modeling I also dabble in pinup and I'm a firm believer in that every girl should embrace her inner vintage vixen from time to time!

(Photo taken by my sister.)

I've been blessed with the chance to have had such great experiences in my career ranging from signing with Click Models to working for companies like Mervyn's and to having even been published in Retro Lovely Magazine back in October. I love being a plus model and a pinup model, because both have room to positively promote full figures. In fact, one of the things I love most about the classic 40s and 50s pinups is the fact they had curves and were praised for it. Back then, before the 60s saw the rise of uber skinny supermodel Twiggy, what we consider plus sizes now were embraced, loved, and even celebrated! In a world where negative self-image and body issues are on the rise among women young and old everywhere, we should try to remember the words of the great Sophia Loren: "Sex appeal is fifty percent what you've got and fifty percent what people think you've got." You don't have to have an hourglass figure in order to be a pinup wonder - a little red lipstick, a smile, and confidence go a long, long way! But in case you're curious, here are some great resources and inspiration to help you release the time-traveling temptress within!

Burlesque & the Art of the Teese

(Left: Burlesque & the Art of the Teese cover feat. Dita by photographer Danielle Bedics.

Right: author Dita looking sweet and sophisticated for the camera, photographer unknown.)

Written by Dita Von Teese, perhaps my biggest inspiration and personal style icon. Dita is a powerhouse of beauty, brains, and business savvy. She has built an empire as a face for MAC cosmetics and as a voice for PETA, she is the current spokeswoman for Perrier, Wonderbra, and a noted muse for designers such as Jean Paul Gualtier and even my own favorites, Elie Saab and John Galliano! She is hailed as the modern pinup girl and is hugely responsible for bringing classic Burlesque back into the mainstream. She also puts Cher, Christina, and notorious faux-lesqueteers The Pussycat Dolls to shame! The thing I admire most about Dita Von Teese though is what she stands for and her message for women of all ages: love yourself, above all else.

Dita's book, Burlesque & the Art of the Teese is not only a warm look into the history of early and modern burlesque, but is also an autobiographical memoir and a guide to vintage glamour for any girl looking to embrace her inner vintage vixen. It is available for purchase at your local bookstore or online at her official website. (Signed copies are also available!) Expect to see a beauty book from Dita soon, as well, you can catch her performing live at The Roxy theatre in Los Angeles this Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Tickets available at the Roxy Box Office or Ticketmaster.

Johanna Ost

(Left: Johanna modeling a fancy bow by Vinny & Vernelle. Center: Pinup Postcards

featuring Johanna, available for purchase on her Etsy store. Right: artwork by Johanna.)

27 year-old Johanna Ost is an artist, blogger, and fellow girl anachronism from Vallentuna, Sweden. In addition to writing and making things, she studies history and is also an 18th Century re-enactor! (You can check out her 18th Century Blog here!) This Blonde Bombshell has talent and style. She is the complete girl power package with Marilyn Monroe's hair, Marie Antoinette's bedroom, and an amazing wardrobe straight from a 1950s McCall's catalog. (And did I mention she had quite possibly the best costume this past Halloween? She was Debbie Jellinsky from Addams Family Values! Check out her hand-made costume here.) I adore her fanciful artwork and every time I look at it, I just want to get everything tattooed onto my body! Then I remember I'm deathly afraid of needles and how horrible it was just to get my nose done... Anyway! Her long-time beau Henrik takes all of her photos, he also designed and developed her adorable little website and blog. Johanna is another of my biggest inspirations and I'm sure she'll inspire you too!

Pin Up Girl Clothing

(Left: Pin Up Girl Clothing "Violet" Dress in Pink and Black,

Right: Pin Up Girl Clothing "Violet" Dress in Pink and Black for Plus.)

A great place to find Vintage and Retro-inspired wear is Pin Up Girl Clothing! They carry a wide variety of dresses, seperates, swimwear, shoes and accessories (for women and men) in figure-flattering, curve-hugging styles from brands such as Pinup Couture, Deadly Dames, and Dixiefried. Perfect for every pinup girl! Whether you're a cheesecake cutie, a vivacious vamp, or a mad woman, Pin Up Girl Clothing has something for you! They are the premiere place to purchase pinup and also one of the few companies to proudly use plus models to promote their products and stock full figured sizes. Shop their online store or visit their blog.


Lucy B. Lingerie

(Left: Bernie Dexter for Lucy B. Lingerie "Sweet Tart" Matching Bra, Panties and Garter set.

Right: Lucy B. Lingerie "Gold Digger" Vintage-inspired Two-Piece swimsuit.)

Every pinup girl needs the proper under-pinnings and I can't think of a better place to get them than Lucy B. Lingerie! This woman-owned and woman-run company specializes in vintage-inspired 40s and 50s style lingerie that is affordable, durable, comfortable and cute all wrapped up in one. These aren't your grandma's bras and panties! (Or are they? ;D) Lucy B. Lingerie's retro reproductions are fit for any Pinup Glamour Girl or Burly-Q queen who is looking for fun, fabulous, and foxy underwear! Also, be sure to check out their Pinup of the Month section where they feature a pretty new pinup girl every month!



Aaaaand here are some of my favorite simple, easy-to-do hair and makeup tutorials to help you polish off your pinup look. (Perfect for vintage virgins and pinup style first-timers!)

Vintage Pinup Girl Makeup
by Amy B. of Ask Me Makeup

 



Pink Vintage Pinup Makeup
by Amy B. of Ask Me Makeup





Pin Up Rolled Bang (Faux "Bettie" Bang)
by ThePinUpSweetShoppe





Side-part Victory Rolls
by ThePinUpSweetShoppe





Barbie Ponytail
by ThePinUpSweetShoppe





No matter if you're a long-time fan of the style or a newbie taking your first peek, these are some great places to get a taste of pinuppery! If you're looking for something new and fun to try, I definitely suggest taking some inspiration from these fantastic femme fatales. You can't go wrong with classic vintage-inspired looks like these and they're a great way to feel glamtastically girly for just a special occasion or even every day!

Enjoy!

xoxo coco

P.S. Only 5 more days until I'm 21!!!

No Candy In Your Till, No Cutie Left to Thrill.


Currently Listening to:

"Chick Habit" by April March

I'm so sorry for my lack of personal posts the past few days, guys! I swear I had a good reason though! Namely this one: I have a new hair color!

(Self-portraits by moi, Hair color by Manic Panic)

Thaaaaaats right! I said 'to H-E-Double Hockey Sticks with it' and I took the pastel color plunge!

It was quite a process to say the least, one that took 3-4 days to complete (hence why I didn't put any photos of myself up lolol), as I waited in between bleaching, toning, and dyeing. (Instead of cramming all that hair damage into one day, I give my curls the rest they needed over a few days lol) Luckily I only needed to bleach once, though because of my red hair I had to tone several times to get rid of some of the brassiness. I decided to keep the blonde on the warmer side. I have an olive complexion and I didn't want it to totally clash with my skin tone, as well I kept the pink on the darker, warmer side for the same reason. I used a Violet Based Bleach Powder by Kaleidoscope mixed with a 40 volume creme to lighten my hair. (I suggest asking a professional before you pick the creme, depending on your hair type, some may be too strong for your hair.) I toned twice with Manic Panic's Virgin Snow White Toner (I had to, because of how red my hair was and how much of it I have lol) and then used Manic Panic's Cotton Candy Pink to streak some of my individual curls. I mixed in Conditioner with the pink in order to dilute it and make the color less over-powering...

The color reminds me a little of strawberry shortcake (the dessert, not the character) and it makes me feel quirky and girly; just the way I like it! I was inspired by early Gwen Stefani (particularly the Simple Kind of Life music video) and I'm also feeling very Smashley Simpson - like I could knock someone out, but instead I'll just roll along on my skates and keep doing my thing. I love it!

On another note, I woke up to a bunch of e-mails with really great questions for the Q&A session and I can't wait to answer all of them for you, so keep 'em coming! OR leave a question for me on my new Formspring  and I'll incorporate them into the Q&A too! Also, a big thanks to those of you who have filled out my survey so far! If you haven't already, you can do so HERE.

Now I am off to finish getting ready for the Created In California Shopping Tweetup downtown at the Hot Italian. My blogger buddy Kari of Juniper * James is hosting the event. I can't wait!

xoxo coco

P.S. My birthday is in 9 days! Yay!

Going Gaga for Girly Pastel Hair

Currently Listening to:

"What You Waiting For" by Gwen Stefani

What did My Little Pony, JEM and Lady Lovely Locks all have in common?

Why, their amazing heads of candy-colored hair, of course!

(Collage made by me. I do not own any of the photos used in it.
Please do not use without permission.)

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm absolutely in love with the pastel and dip-dyed hair trend that's still holding strong since this Summer. I think its quite possibly the funnest thing that could ever happen to fashion. (And I confess, I don't want it to go away!) From Lady Gaga's Turquoise Dip-dye job to Kelly Osbourne's Violet Marilyn-inspired 'do (though she did recently go back to blonde), I adore the candy colors that swept us up earlier this year.

We must give props where props are due though, as undoubtedly the title of Princess of Pink for the past few years definitely has to go to Miss Scene Dream herself, Audrey Kitching with her cotton candy tresses that would make The Holograms so jealous; they'd go cry their makeup off and write a song about it!

I love the all-over look (as damaging as all that bleach can be) and I think a few well-placed streaks here and there would be just as cute! But what do you guys think? Do you love it, or hate it? Would you try it for yourself if you could, or would you leave all the fun to the celebrities and the models? I've heard many people say, "I'm not edgy enough to pull that off," but neither are the runway models who sported these looks to begin with. In my opinion, most of them look like your cute girl-next-door (well, an incredibly tall and skinny one of course), some of them coming from little corn fed towns and humble beginnings in small villages in countries far, far away... Yet they look great!

So I firmly believe you don't have to have tattoos and piercings to pull off Pastel.

I think this is something that every girl should try at least once, perhaps this Spring/Summer when it comes back around (something fun to try with your girlfriends!) or maybe as a temporary treat for New Year's Eve this year! If you're a little too shy to commit to the look entirely, I suggest taking baby steps first and getting yourself some clip-in extensions when you want to feel funky. If you're daring though and looking for something fun to spruce up your look, I say go for it! Just be sure to go to the salon or get the help of someone who knows what they're doing/is an experienced dyer. There will be less chances of a hair color horror story that way! ;}

xoxo coco

It's Just Another Year That Slipped Away

Currently Listening to:
"New Years Day" by Audrye Sessions

(Audrye Sessions Band Cardigan, F21 Beanie)

Oh, my gosh! I totally pampered myself today and got my hair done! I needed this so bad, especially with the holidays around the corner... And guess how much I paid? How much would you pay for a sleek and stylish 'do like this?

Speaking of the holidays... I hadn't realized just how close December was getting! Christmas AND my birthday are a month away. (Where did the year go!?) Its weird to think I'm going to be turning twenty-one. I feel like just the other day I was in high school! The real dilemma though is that I have no idea what I'm going to do for my birthday. Other than legally purchase myself a drink for the first time of course. Lol. I like the idea of staying in San Francisco and just shopping 'til I drop, but at the same time a part of me kind of just wants to party at home.

Orrr maybe a trip to LA for a live taping of Conan is in order? Hmmm. What to do, what to do...

xoxo coco

P.S. Does anyone else wish Forever21 would make knock-off Jeffrey Campbell's?

Baby, There's A Shark In The Water.

Currently Listening to:
Shark In The Water by VV Brown





(Vintage jumper, thrifted old lady frames. Images by Kody James Photography.)

I shot these photos several months ago (when I was still blonde) downtown near the water front with this really great photographer named Kody, who looks like Leonardo DiCaprio. I digress...

I don't know what to do with my hair. I feel like its getting super out of control lately (boy, do I wish I had nice, straight, shiny hair!) and I'm getting restless with the color. Its getting to that point where I need to re-dye it (my roots are showing a little more than I'd like), but I'm wondering if I should keep the red I have now or if I should go back to blonde or brunette, or...Perhaps try a new color? I don't know what I could do. I have a job interview tomorrow, so I'm not sure doing anything too crazy would be the best idea, but... What do you guys think?

Any suggestions or ideas you think I should try on for size? :}

xoxo coco

Soft & Hard.

(Keyhole cardigan souvenir from Paris, vintage blue satin swimsuit, pink stud and zipper heels from Dollhouse, F21 two-finger pink rhinestone ring, polkadot sweet nothings convertable clutch/purse from White House, Black Market)

Straightening my hair takes forever to do, so when I actually do it, I always make sure to crunch in as much action while it still looks nice; and before it starts to fluff up and get raggedy looking. Plus, I had a meeting today and for some reason, straight hair looks more professional to people than curly. Curly has some weird stigma to it, I've found, and people automatically assume you're kooky and weird in a bad way and probably spend your time reading palms and tea leaves like you're Professor Trelawney or something. I actually read about some study regarding 'straight hair vs. curly' and it was scientifically proven that initially, even men prefer the look of straight hair over curly hair. The sheen of straight hair reads as a sign of healthiness and richness, which subconciously told men that a woman with straight hair would make a great potential mate. Curly hair doesn't have the same effect because of its shape and texture. Anyway!

The past few days I've been watching nothing but teen movies from the 90s and was moved to style my hair in what I've lovingly dubbed 'The Sarah Michelle Gellar' for the day. Can I just say how adorably innocent and sweet-looking the down-the-middle, tucked-behind-the-ear part is? I love that. Thanks to Miss Vampire Slayer herself for the inspiration! As for my outfit... I kind of wanted to do something that was both soft and subtly hard, so I decided to don my favorite vintage satin sunsuit and cardigan (a souvenir I picked up while in Paris) with scalloped collar and crystal buttons, and my favorite pink Dollhouse heels, complete with tons of studs and zippers. I topped it all off with my W&B polkadot clutch with the convertable chain I got for Christmas last year <3

xoxo coco

P.S. I'm always amazed how my hair color never looks the same lol

Obsessing.

So along with the swimsuit I posted earlier, here is a small list of my current fashion industry crushes; what I'm currently obsessing over like there's no tomorrow!


SILVER HAIR (WITH LAVENDER WASH)

(c. Getty Images, Google Images)
I've really been envying Kelly Osbourne's premature gray, but I especially love the faint hint of purple in it--which is achieved with a light Lavender wash, just in case you were wondering. (Any salon can do it for you.) Others who have recently been spotted donning the same do' are Kelis, Lady Gaga, and supermodel Katherine McNamany. Now, I love my red don't get me wrong, but if I could; I would go Silver in a heartbeat. Unfortunately it'd fry my curls and I can't have that, now can I? =P


FATALE PLATFORM PUMP

(c. Free People, Getty Images, Google Images)

I'm crushing sooo, super hard on these platform pumps by Gee WaWa. So fierce. I love the contrasting look it creates--it makes the feet look clunky and the legs so petite, sort of like Bratz dolls. Lolol. The leather gives them a rough rider sort of look though, which makes them so awesome. You could easily combine the girly girl look with the tough chick look by pairing them with a pretty and delicate neutral-colored maxi and a leather jacket or an acid-wash jean jacket, like the military style a'la Pierre Balmain! (As pictured above :D)

P.S. A flowy, empire-waist style like the maxi shown above is a great way for us curvy girls to take attention away from the love handles and the muffin tops. As well, the look is sort of a throw-back to Ancient Greece and the ultra figure-flattering styles the noblewomen wore; and will make you look positively divine. You'll undoubtedly rival Aphrodite herself in a sweet and super feminine style like this!


SHEER, COLORFUL LACE

(c. Getty Images)
The look of sheer lace against the female form is so sophisticatedly sexy in a simple way, its very subtly seductive I think and something I've always loved the look of. So of course, I was positively elated to see this style as a staple of the Christian Dior Spring 2010 collection. And while the floral silk slips they featured throughout the show may be too springy for fall, I do plan on incorporating lots of just-rightly-see-through lace in my fall wardrobe this season.


PROENZA SCHOULER

(c. proenzaschouler.com)
A deliciously awesome designer, when I saw pictures from her Fall 2010 show I seriously swooned. Especially the layered looks she showed off; pairing charming summer dresses with cropped sweaters and turtlenecks and thigh high stockings. The look was sharp to say the least and definitely a great reason to hang onto your summer minis. Needless to say, I will be trying this look for myself! Her other collections are just as charming, incorporating school girl style with clean lines and plaid patterns.


ETHNIC REDHEADS

(c. Ford Models, Boss Models, Rachel Waniewski)
Scientists say that over the next 100 years, via natural selection redheads will be prized even more than they are now. Within the industry, its almost already a phenomenon to come across a ginger model (and I say 'ginger' with love). Striking, natural hair colors like red and blonde are already viewed as exceptional due to the escalating rate of the inter-marrying and mixing of different races; but red in particular will soon be sorely missed. (Blonde is estimated to last significantly longer than it's crimson counterpart) What's more rare are the 'ethnic' redheads which make up an even smaller percentage of the world's population. Almost a sub-let of the redhead gene, ethnic redheads like Sabina Karlsson and Carmen Solomons are far and few, and a hot commodity in the fashion world.

xoxo coco