Monday, February 25, 2013

RAAD Trend: The Gentlewoman


RAAD Trend: The Gentlewoman
What it is: This androgynous look takes power-suiting to a whole other level. Bright/printed/monochromatic suits, chest-baring blouses, collars and bow ties, and a little bit of leather. There's nothing butch about this.  
Why it's RAAD: Never mind the fact that it's feminine, edgy and seductive without having to wear a mini. But the RAADest thing of all is that it's completely effortless and unexpected. If you want to make a statement without trying too hard, this is how you do it.
When to wear it: The obvious answer: for work. Interviews, meetings, presentations...anything that requires a more sophisticated dress code. But you gotta take this look outside of the office if you really want to look RAAD. Pair your suit with a crop-top for cocktail hour. Or wear leather flats with a skinnier leg to lunch downtown.

Check out some more gentlewomen below:

Friday, February 22, 2013

RAAD taste: Margarita Popcorn

Clearly, Cinco de Mayo isn't enough to satisfy our tequila craving...we need two holidays (thank you America).

So HAPPY NATIONAL MARGARITA DAY!

But before you whip out your blender, let me introduce to you your slushy's ultimate sidekick: Margarita Popcorn.

Popcorn is already addicting, let alone a tequila-infused recipe. But it's a holiday today, so GO CRAZY!

Chile Lime Tequila Popcorn
www.101cookbooks.com
Chili Lime Tequila Popcorn:
4 quarts freshly popped popcorn*
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon tequila
1/2 small jalapeno, seeds and membrane removes, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Preheat the oven to 300F degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat (hs note: or unbleached parchment paper). Set aside.

Put the popcorn in a large, clean paper bag or a washable muslin bag. In a medium-size bowl whisk together the butter, lime juice and zest, and tequila. Add the jalapeno. In a small bowl combine the black pepper, salt, red pepper, and cumin.

Drizzle half of the butter mixture over the popcorn, fold over the top of the bag, and shake until the popcorn is coated and moist. Taste. Add more of the butter mixture if you like, and give a second shake. Sprinkle (most of) the pepper mixture over the popcorn, fold over the top of the bag, and shake a few times to coat. Taste, and if you'd like more pepper flavor add the rest of it.

Spread the popcorn evenly over the baking sheet and bake until the popcorn is dry, five to seven minutes.

*To pop 4 quarts of popcorn, heat 1/4 cup clarified butter, coconut oil, or olive oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Add a few kernels to the pot. Once they pop, add 3/4 cup popcorn kernels and shake the pot until they cover the pot evenly. Cover the pot and shake intermittently until the popping slows to 5 seconds between pops. Remove the popcorn from heat and transfer it to whatever bag you are going to use for tossing.

Make 4 quarts of popcorn.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

STRIPES + SPOTS


Voila. My leopard + plaid + minor floral concoction. 

Being that I live in the desert-land of Scottsdale, I decided to take this feline look into the wild (otherwise known as my backyard).

We got leopard, plaid, florals, leather, jewels – there's definitely a lot going on. BUT it's all about balancing the color tones when mixing a variety of elements together. I kept the overall tone of my shorts, shoes and accessories pretty neutral so that the prints could make its statement.

If you aren't feeling this print on print action, then you can easily swap out my plaid for a solid color, or just completely eliminate the leopard coat. But a good way to approach this bold trend is to accent your accessories and shoes with these prints first, then move onto the clothing.

Check back tomorrow for some different leopard + plaid options. 

Monday, February 18, 2013

TREND OF THE WEEK: LEOPARD & PLAID PRINTS


+

"Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking."  
                                                                                                                                                   –Miranda Priestly 

I'll let that quote settle in your head while I introduce the new go-to prints for Spring/Summer '13: PlaidLeopard. Leoplaid? Pleopard? Whatever. These linear and spotted prints have made their grand entrance this season, putting floral patterns on the back-burner.

Plaid shirts, grid pants, spotted everything...these are your color-me-rad staples that will get you through this upcoming Spring. You can wear them in small or large doses, but if you want to take this rad style to the max, then I suggest merging the two prints together.

But don't worry, florals aren't completely out of the picture. They're just taking a more 3D approach in the form of appliquéaccessory embellishments, and head pieces – great accents to enhance a look.

Check back tomorrow to see how I take on this bold combo.


Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Get the Look: Suit Up


Suits are too damn chic, and I order all of you to wear one...especially this Valentine's Day. 

You don't have to buy a full suit set; you can definitely mix and match like I did above. I paired my Juicy Couture tuxedo jacket with a pair of H&M silky lace shorts, a baby pink button up from Zara, super chunky Jeffrey Campbell platforms, and my Moschino heart belt. I originally had my hair down, but I felt like it was too expected. So I opted for a cheerleader pony to give it a more flirty look. 

Check out some different short suits below:

Suit Up
Suit Up by raadstyle featuring leather wedges
Bardot summer shirt, $52 / Sass & Bide tailored jacket / Maison Martin Margiela leather wedge / Jennifer Meyer Jewelry heart stud earrings
Suit Up
River Island black and white shirt, $32 / Moschino Cheap & Chic single breasted jacket, $710 / Hot short shorts, $17 / Pink wedge heels / ASOS diamante jewelry

Monday, February 11, 2013

TREND OF THE WEEK: SHORT SUITS

Trend of the Week: Short Suits

Men and their suits (cue double take)...the most seductive collaboration to happen to us women. So why not reciprocate this power-look for your man?

This Valentine's Day, take "sexy" in a new direction with a very feminine and very sultry short suit. It's the perfect look for this romantic holiday because it allows you to keep it classy while showing a good amount of skin. You can choose a monochromatic suit, a fitted suit, a printed suit, a high-waist suit...there's tons of options. And if you're working late this Thursday night, you can easily take it from work to your date with some minor tweaks.

3 tops to wear with this look:

1) A button-up blouse, preferably on the sheerer side, with a sexy bra that peeks through. Or, for the more conservative types, a printed blouse.
2) A bustier, which gives you a more form-fitted look.
3) A crop top, for those bold enough to wear it. The best way to do this look (without looking too scandalous) is to only allow an inch of your midriff to show.

Polish it off with some booties or ankle-strapped heels, and you're ready for your night

Stay tuned for the Get the Look post tomorrow

Friday, February 8, 2013

RAAD ATTACK: VINTAGE GLAM

Throughout my entire love affair with fashion, I've always embedded the "make it your own" rule in my mind. I believe that anyone can take any style and tailor it to their liking (hence the purpose of my blog). So my RAAD ATTACK posts are dedicated to showing how I "attack" distinguished styles from different eras and moments in time...starting with Vintage Glam.

Vintage closets are my drug of choice...I will sniff one out in seconds. So naturally, at my great grandmother's house in little old Windsor, Nova Scotia, I found my lace coat...in here:


Tucked away in the back of her closet, inside this suitcase (that remained to be unpacked +30 years later), I found my lace love.



It's my new staple that I'm wearing with everything. It's the perfect long-layer, transparent piece that spring season is requesting. Today, I paired it with a button-up blouse (white, of course) with a jeweled collar, plum corduroy jeans, nude sandals, my favorite cat-eye sunnies, Pinky (my pet bunny), and topped it off with some light pink lipstick. I love deep-side parts and anything that resembles finger-waves, so I styled my hair in a very tousled – RAAD – way. 

Thursday, February 7, 2013

BEAUTY CLOSE-UP: BARELY THERE


Yes, those are my real lashes =)

Lately, I've been ditching my signature cat-eyes for a more simpler approach: mascara, contouring, and lipstick...DONE. A huge trend this upcoming season, not to mention a big time-saver, is this minimal look.

Just focus on using quality foundation that matches your skin tone, and finish with proper contouring, highlighting and a bronzy blush. Then, apply a few coats of mascara, a bright lip, and you're done! 
It's a great way to embrace a natural look without looking too plain-jane or washed out. Just pull your hair up in a messy up-do, throw on a t-shirt and layer on some necklaces. Crazy chic, major time-saver, and the easiest trend to pull off.  

Barely There Makeup

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

WHITE OUT





To compliment this week's trend, I chose orange as my pop of color, using it only in small doses. It's important to have the white/nude take front and center, adding too much color would defeat the purpose of this particular look. 

But don't be afraid to throw in some metal in the mix. Gold, silver and black accents break up the outfit in a subtle way. In this case, I used my gold cuff and over-sized watch to balance out the white-on-orange action. 

Check out some different variations below:

White Out
Topshop sleeveless dress, $72 / By Malene Birger wedding jacket / Carven t-strap shoes / Reed Krakoff patent leather bag / Collar necklace / Yellow gold jewelry

White Out
H&M short shirt, $24 / Wildfox Couture short jean shorts, $190 / Wallis white sneaker / Sass & Bide genuine leather handbag / J.Crew stone necklace

White Out
TIBI / Valentino flat shoes / Diane von Furstenberg / Valentino yellow gold bracelet / Giuseppe Zanotti

Monday, February 4, 2013

Trend of the Week: white+nude+color

Let me just start out by saying this: white + me = dry cleaner's DREAM

I've been involuntarily dubbed "stain-magnet" since 1989, forcing me to ban all things white and light from my wardrobe (by mother, of course). It was a rather painful childhood having to sit through Clueless while watching Cher fail her driving test in that stunning sheer ensemble. Oh how I dreamed of such an outfit...

But 23 years later...I think it's time, MOM

Trend of the Week:
white+nude+color

Whites and nudes, my long-lost trends, are making a powerful statement this season. We've already seen it walk classically down the red carpet this year, but it's taking a different turn in the ready-to-wear department:
  • Monochromatic suiting
  • Pops of color (preferably orange or pink)
  • Leather everything (jackets, shoes, accessories, etc)
  • Nude + white color blocking
  • Denim overload
The list goes on, but fear not (!)...as for every "trend of the week" that I introduce to you, I will highlight on key purchases, explain how to integrate it into your wardrobe, and show you how I put my RAAD spin on things.







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