Finding Color in a Sea of Black

I make it no secret that if I could wear every color of the spectrum every single day in the form of prints, patterns, color blocking and whatever else, I would do it. Unfortunately, I now work somewhere where the dress code mandates black. Black, black, black.

Black - /blak/
Adjective
Of the very darkest color, the opposite of white; colored like coal, due to the absence or complete absorption of light.

Are you as depressed as I am right now?

Being on the visual team, I am allowed to wear a colorful top (as long as I have my "black layering item," of course), accessories and shoes ... but every time I look in my closet, I realize that most of my colorful stuff is cardigans, dresses and collared shirts. So what do I do? I resort to wearing head-to-toe black. I even skip the fun shoes these days, simply because my feet get so sore that I now wear squishy Crocs flats, sneakers, and ohmigawd....... DANSKOS. Ewwwwwwwwwwwww!! I'm embarrassed to admit that I recently purchased a pair of Danskos, but I maintain that I did it out of necessity. They're clunky and strange to walk in, but my feet are so happy when I have them on, that I almost forgive these shoes for being so damn ugly.

Please don't judge me.

Let's pretend like I never confessed to that bit of fashion faux pas. Moving along.

So, here's my question: If you were forced to wear black every day, but wanted to infuse color into your work wardrobe, what would you do?

Chambray, Four Ways

There must be something wrong with me, because despite the heat and humidity, I can't stop thinking about my fall closet. Granted, I spend more time wearing all black than is socially acceptable (thanks a lot, dress code!), but I daydream about rich fall colors, textures and layers. I also daydream a lot about chambray. I have two chambray shirts, which is already one too many, but I keep seeing cute chambray tops everywhere and want to buy them all. I even styled one in my Cashmere display yesterday (see my previous post, here).

Since chambray is a relatively light fabric, I figured I would share with you a few ways chambray can be styled from the summer's warmer temps (and frigid indoor AC) through the chillier temps of fall.

Chambray, Four Ways by emilyofboston

Do you have a chambray shirt? What's your favorite way to style it?

High hopes for Mario Badescu

Image from MarioBadescu.com

It kills me that I'm 28 and still get the same acne I got when I hit puberty. I've tried everything - Proactiv, prescription medication, prescription lotion, olive oil, fresh wash rags/drying towels every time, every face wash/polish under the sun, Zeno HotSpot, Clarisonic Mia... the list goes on. PLEASE tell me it's not just me!

I love my Mia - it gets my skin cleaner and fresher (more fresh?) looking than anything else I've used before. But it's really not helping me with my real issue, which is cystic acne. I'm prone to getting them on my chin. Now, as honest as I like to keep this blog, I'm not willing to post a photo of the monster currently residing on my face (I'm sure you're thanking me for this - you should). Suffice it to say, it's big, it's red, it's painful, and it's NOT welcome here!

I recently started a second job at a local day spa, and got to chatting with a coworker. Apparently she also has an issue with cystic acne, and has had good luck with Mario Badescu's buffering lotion. Since I'm clearly willing to try anything (see: the first paragraph of this post), I put an order through on Amazon a couple days ago. My little $17.00 bottle of buffering lotion arrived today... and boy, does it smell (bad)! My hope is that the chemical smell means that it's going to vaporize this zit right off my face.

As it turns our Mario Badescu has a fairly extensive line of products, and a very informative website (more about the buffering lotion here). I probably should have checked it out before I ordered, but whatever.

What are your favorite skincare products? What have you found to work well for your skin type?

Cashmere

Soft Sweater, Warm Sweater, made of goat fur, Snuggly Sweater, Pretty Sweater, perfect lay-er!
Big Bang Theory fans might enjoy singing the above lyrics to the tune of "Soft Kitty."

My store is one of 42 Macy's locations across the country selling Charter Club cashmere earlier than normal... which seems crazy, considering it was 90-100 degrees last week. I'm not convinced that our customers are ready for sweaters, but I still love the shop. It's so pretty (and snuggly, and soft, and warm)! I had a lot of fun working on this project, and it's the first time I've done all of the visual by myself (lettering on the wall, the mounted sweater bar, the light box, the mannequins and the bust form), so I feel like a proud mama. Here are some photos I snapped with my phone (hence the crazy lighting):

Maison Jules launching at Macy's next month

Have you heard the news? Macy's is introducing two new private line Millennial brands in August - Q Mack and Maison Jules. The store I work at will be making room for Maison Jules, and I am very excited to work with the product. Seriously, I can't wait to set up the visual collateral for the shop! We're getting a red beach cruiser bicycle to raffle off, but before it leaves the store, it will be part of my visual presentation. (I already called dibs for the first ride through the store... if I manage to get some photos, I will be sure to post them here!) I wish we were getting Q Mack as well, but I will have to go to the Boston store for that. In the meantime, I've been drooling over their Facebook page!

Maison Jules is a "Girl Next Door" collection with Parisian flair. Who doesn't love a little Paris-inspired flair for their wardrobe? Picture it: tees in quirky (but cute!) conversational prints, feminine A-line dresses belted at the waist, color-blocked skirts, leggings, skinny pants, and cardigans. The collection is all about knits, cute little dresses, and layering pieces which are perfect for mixing and matching. Here are some of my favorite pieces and looks:

I'm obsessing over the polka dot dress, yellow boyfriend cardigan, and that cute bicycle printed tee. My rule of thumb when shopping is to come up with three to five different ways to wear an item with the stuff already in my closet. These three pass the test with flying colors... Macy's might as well keep my pay check. To see the entire line, head over to your local Macy's next month, or check it out on their website, here.

Also, here's some of the hype about this new private line at the following sites:

• Refinery 29 - Macy's And Garance Doré Team Up For A New Parisian-Inspired Line — Ooh La La!
• Elle.com - Maison Jules Creates Bikes with the Martone Cycling Company - Macy's New Maison Jules Brand

And check out Jeanne Damas, the "It Girl" behind the collection. Her personal blog has some gorgeous photos! http://jeannedamas.blogspot.com/