bye bye, bikini

okay, maybe that title is a little dramatic. but one piece swimsuits are going to be a big trend this year and i am really excited. no matter how good of a body you have, bikinis have the keen ability to make you feel self-conscious. i mean, it makes sense - it's like wearing underwear in public. except sometimes more revealing.

in my opinion, one pieces are far more flattering too, in addition to being more comfortable. and cliff jumping in a one-piece > cliff jumping in a bikini. here are some of my favorite one-piece suits out there:

volcom.com

i can't help it, i love this suit from volcom. they had a similar one out last year but i almost like the eccentric pattern of this one better. it's just weird enough to be cool.

oldnavy.com

this suit is so pin-up chic! i don't know if the hip covering would be flattering on everyone, but it could be worth a try.

nordstrom.com

i'm not sure quite how i feel about "swim dresses" but i kind of like this one...

nordstrom.com

if i had a ton of money, i would get this suit. in the meanwhile, i'd love to see some knockoffs. the crochet is so demure!

that's a little sampling - modcloth and target both have solid collections of pretty suits. i know it won't be swim suit weather for awhile, but i can't help planning ahead...

bisoux!

teamwork makes the dream work

so a little while ago i posted about the neiman-marcus/target collaboration. turns out, 2013 is setting itself up to be the year of fashion collaboration. already, there are super exciting new partnerships sprouting up between the likes of lily pulitzer and estee lauder, givenchy and h&m, and my personal favorite: prabal gurung and target. these collaborations are very much in the spirit of MCA - getting high-style looks at a big discount. a lot of these collaborations have been announced but lookbooks have not been released, so let's look at two of the most exciting ones:

lily pulitzer has made a set of makeup bags that come free with a purchase from estee lauder. some stores have a lower minimum purchase requirement than others (usually around $35-$45), so some scouting is necessary for the best deal:

image from 44fashionstreet.com

this morning i woke up to this stunning partnership between prabal gurung and target. seriously, i'm going to have to make a budget and pick and choose what i want because everything is stunning. this nepali-american designer is a favorite of the first lady, and hey. if it's good enough for michelle, it's good enough for me. here are some of my favorite pieces:

 

seriously? i could go on and on. but if you want to see more, go here.

what collaborations would you like to see?? kate spade x j.crew!? (in my dreams). h&m x comme les garcons?? like kevin garnett, anything is possible!

lucky number 13

happy new year, cherry amours! i don't know about you, but i find it hard to find imminent things to look forward to once the holidays are over. i'm already antsy for spring - if only so things will warm up a little bit. in anticipation of spring, i'd like to share some of my fashiony predictions for the new year. these are based on nothing except my personal preferences, but you all should be used to that by now.

first up: nautical neon.
neon was big last year, as we all know. to ease the transition into this bright color palette, lots of places took the neutral+neon approach. a lot of neutral, splash of neon. this year, i predict that the nautical look and the neon look will collide - and it will be wonderful! i'm thinking it'll be kind of like this:

this gap shirt combines the dark-blue nautical stripe look with neon green embellishments. i'm excited for this prediction to come true.

second: workout clothes

the i'm-going-to-the-gym-later look has been in for awhile, but it seems like workout clothes are getting cuter and more multi-functional. lululemon stuff is gorgeous, but completely out of my price range:

on the other end of the spectrum, forever 21 recently came out with an activewear line that has a lot of very cute things, like this neon colorblock pullover. 

third, i predict baubles will come back with a vengeance. like workout clothes, you can find them at a variety of price points. jcrew has lots of pretty bubbly necklaces:

until that comes on sale, though, i'll be getting my bauble fix at charming charlie. unfortunately, i can't show you any of those right now because their site is getting an overhaul, but i know you trust me.

in the coming days, i hope to post more entries on nail art, visualizing your resolution, and some of my favorite trends in design and decorating NOT of the clothing/jewelry variety. stay tuned!

bisoux!