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2010 Spring: Calvin Klein, CK Jeans, and CK Underwear

FabSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:30:22 -0800

Clean. Precise. Minimal. Three terms Calvin Klein wants you to use when describing its Spring '10 collection. Staying true to the house's less-is-more aesthetic, Francisco Costa has delivered a line of basics with a sexy utilitarian nature. You'll find organic fabrics and most colors of the rainbow: sand, white, and khaki as staples, canary, melon, poppy, fuchsia, turquoise, and cobalt as accents. Drawstring cargos, denim vests, fitted blazers, parkas, denim judo pants, and shirt dresses are all solid. But one print piece stands out as the cool black sheep: a black-and-white, tie-dye dress that's feminine and bold.

Swimsuits are also part of the Spring family - a two-piece in warm gray and a one piece in solid gray or gray Bengal print. The handbags are equally minimal; hobos, totes, and rounded clutches are smooth and unstructured, with gold and silver hardware. Wooden-stacked heels and flat sandals are au naturel and sporty.

To see more from Calvin Klein's Spring '10 line, read more.

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Casa Beta: Home Decorators Annandale Jute Area Rug

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:00:52 -0700

Jute/natural fiber rugs are a great versatile, nondescript choice for every room in the house when you're not trying to make a statement but rather just pull a space together. I'd been looking for one for a sitting area in my home, and found that the prices really ran the gamut. I've seen super-simple 5-x-8-foot sisal rugs for only $50, and thicker jute rugs like Pottery Barn's Flat-Braided Jute Rugs for $300. For such a faceless style, I really wouldn't spend more than $200. I like the thick cushioning of the more expensive jutes, but I've also found that some designs are too rough underfoot. So I'm definitely particular about them.

Home Decorators Collection recently sent me the 5'6-"x8'6" Annandale Jute Rug ($159, reduced $199) in Natural to review. Wondering what I think of it? Then read more.

I've found the Annandale to be a really high-quality rug. It's thick and durable, like anything you'd find at Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel - always my comparison. But this one in particular is woven with both jute and chenille, making it softer than a 100 percent jute rug. This is definitely a plus.

I've given myself some time with the rug, and found that it stays in good form with foot traffic and vacuuming, both things that can cause many rugs to lose their luster. It also has a latex backing which keeps it from slipping and stabilizes the weave, so you don't have the added expense of a rug pad.

The rug also gives the space the casual look I was looking for, and instantly pulled the seating area together. So I would definitely recommend the rug to any of you on the hunt for that same effect.

My beef with the rug, though, is that it really doesn't resemble the product image on Home Decorators site - at all. The natural color is much, much lighter online than in person. Luckily, it seems to work in the room. But also the rug's weave looks only vaguely like the product image. Home Decorator's site does disclaim, "The digital images on our website are as accurate as possible. However, different monitors may cause colors to vary slightly." But really I think that's no excuse. Capturing candid photographs is no mystery anymore, and plenty of retailers seem to have it down.

This Just In: Lauren Conrad Quits the Hills, Geographically

CasaSugar — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:00:23 -0800

Rumor has it that reality star slash fashion designer Lauren Conrad plans to leave her two bedroom Hollywood Hills rental, which she shares with Audrina Patridge, for a charming 3,009 square foot, three bedroom, two and a half bath Spanish style villa on the Hollywood flats just off Sunset Boulevard. Do you hear that? The Hollywood flats. The house was last listed at $2,495,000, but the final sale price is unknown. It features a detached guest house with an additional bedroom and bathroom, refinished hardwood floors, a custom kitchen with Lagos Azul counters and high-end appliances, Carrara marbled baths, a pool and yard, as well as original wrought iron work, moldings, antique light fixtures, and Spanish floor tiles. She is said to have been shopping for a house for a year now, and is set to move into her dream pad in six weeks or so. Of the mansion, a realtor source tells Page Six, "The house is beautiful inside and out, Lauren has found herself a gem. This area is so happening right now." What do you think? Would you drop two and a half mill. on this dream pad?

Check out interior photos of the house, when you read more

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Before and After: A Sophisticated and Glamorous Nursery

CasaSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:00:44 -0700

Su Casa member mianakao recently moved into a new home, and turned this dull room into something absolutely spectacular. Her fabulous results prove that even the most dull room can be transformed into a gorgeous, glamorous space with a little imagination and a lot of hard work.
She writes, "We just moved into our new house (a sprawling foreclosure), so I had free reign with this room! As you can see in the before photo, the room was dull, dingy, and needed lots of TLC."

The results are truly astounding. To see how mianakao turned this dingy, dull space into a beautiful nursery, read more.

Can you even believe it's the same room? I am truly amazed! Mianakao explains, "My goal was to use black and white in a tasteful way to help the baby's visual development. My first choice was stripes around the room, but I figured that might just make the baby dizzy after a while. So, instead, I went with a high-gloss black latex paint, and brightened up the room with tons of white. (The green is an after thought accent color to warm up the space)." "Also, in an effort to be somewhat creative, I stuck a vinyl decal of a tree on the wall, painted over it, and then cut out the vinyl with an X-acto knife. Had I thought ahead, I could have incorporated the accent green on the tree. Sticking a vinyl decal on the wall wasn't creative enough for me . . . and I didn't want to deal with all of the air bubbles."

I also love that mianakao kept to a strict budget for this makeover. She writes, "Since we're in a tight economy, everything you see (with the exception of the crib and the chandelier) was found on Craigslist. Nothing was over $40! I also found items for free from the freecycle network. I just sanded the furniture and painted it flat white to match everything else in the room . . . well, my husband handled all the hard work. Small accents like the beautiful black and white crystal chandelier just added a touch of chic for our new baby girl!"

Take the full tour when you check out the gallery. I'm truly inspired!

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Sugar Bits - Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy Married?

PopSugarUK — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:00:00 -0700

Ask Casa: Best Ways to Store Vinyl?

CasaSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:00:39 -0700

Hi Casa,

I recently had the idea to start a record collection because I found some old vinyl albums that belonged to my parents and I live near a record store, and I also have a few CDs as well.

I was keeping one of my favorite vinyls in my bedroom but for some reason when I took it out of the cover it had cracked, now I'm wondering what is the best way to store vinyl records so this does not happen again as well as possible ways to store my CDs.

Do you have any design or organization tips? I've checked out Ikea or the Container Store but I don't want a bunch of separate containers scattered all over my room and I live with my parents so I can't just put a music collection in another room. Any ideas?

Thank you,
Peachy

To hear my suggestions for Peachy, read more.

Hi Peachy,

Between my husband and me, we probably have around 1,000 vinyl records at our house (at a minimum), so I understand your concerns! We used custom-made shelves that we bought inexpensively and stained (you can see them on the right side of this photo). Check out our other music storage solutions here.

Another great, inexpensive way to store records is by heading to Ikea and picking up some Expedit shelves. Record geeks note that each space holds 90-100 albums, so that should easily accommodate your needs (and the need to grow your collection).

I also love the solution that Gemma Ahern used in her apartment, which you can see in the top photo. She simply used a floating wall shelf from Ikea that she hung at a height about an inch above the height of a record, and then painted the shelf to blend in to the wall. This created instant storage, as well as space for books, a turntable, and sculptural objects.

As far as keeping your records in tip-top shape, always store them upright (not stacked) encased in the sleeve and a plastic or paper insert. Keep them out of direct sunlight, and if your record happens to warp, place it between two pieces of heavy glass, and lay it in mild sunshine for several hours, until the record lies flat.

Does anyone else have a brilliant storage solution? Tell Peachy about it in the comments!

Cheers,
Casa

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Shoe Review: Nike Lunar Glide

FitSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:47:42 -0700

After wearing my new Nike Lunar Glides ($100) around the house to break them in, I took them on all sorts of runs while visiting the East Coast.

These shoes are light - one sneaker is just barely over half a pound (8.75 ounces according to my kitchen scale) - so they are great for traveling as well as running. Nike considers them stability shoes, meaning they help prevent overpronation, rolling too far to the inside of the foot. As one prone to overpronate, I was curious to try these sneakers out, since they rely on "dynamic support" technology rather than a lot of extra bulk to buttress the arch. Learn what I thought of these shoes when you read more.

Not only do I think these running shoes are cute - a hard thing to accomplish in white sneakers - I think they are super comfy to boot. They provide a lot of cushion in the forefoot, so the ball of my foot felt quite cushioned when running. I paid a lot of attention to my stride in these shoes, so much so it's lucky I didn't run into a stop sign. I couldn't feel myself overpronating and I couldn't feel the shoes really correcting my gait. But my knees, feet, and ankles felt great post-run, so I think the Lunar Glide's dynamic support kept my alignment spot on. The toe box is a bit roomier than other Nikes I have worn.

The extra arch support, which you can adjust by tying your shoes tighter, is helpful as is the "bunion" cutout. I ran with these shoes in the rain, on flats, and on a couple of hill workouts, and I loved them. I do think the insole should be a bit beefier, though. If you need motion-control shoes, the Lunar Glide will probably not provide enough support, but for neutral runners whose form wanes as the miles add up, this shoe will work for you. They are also Nike+ compatible and run a bit small, so if you're in between sizes, I would go up a half size.

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Have any of you tried the Nike Lunar Glide? If so, tell me what you think.

Style for Style: House of Holland Tights

FabSugarUK — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:30:21 -0700

One of the things I admire about Henry Holland is that his collections always have a theme. He blatantly dedicates an entire range to one central point and runs wild with it. Who can forget the tartan of Autumn '08, the florals of Spring '09 or the pantone colour blocking of Autumn '09? It's the latter which has inspired this collaboration with Pretty Polly tights. It's an obvious move for House of Holland, which has previously joined forces with Levis and Kickers. When I heard about this latest venture, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a pair and they did not dissapoint!

To hear my tips on how to wear these tights, just read more.

The colour block legwear are available in a range of colours including black, blue and lilac all retailing for £10 each. They will be available from John Lewis, Debenhams and River Island from September. The lilac pair were very attention grabbing so I tried to keep everything else simple teaming them with black and grey, and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy they were to dress up. I particularly loved them with denim shorts which created a cool daytime look. I think they look best with heels, but a flat ankle boot would work too.

What do you think of these looks? If you've been rocking some funky tights recently, why not show me how you wear them?

School Year's Resolutions: The Buttoned-Up Classroom Mom

LilSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:55:33 -0700

The kids aren't the only ones who need a few items as they head back to school. If you are a mother who plays by the rules, put a little punch into this conservative wardrobe by adding your own splash of color to these buttoned up basics. With a few simple pieces that require little thought during the morning rush, you can mix and match your way to the head of the class.

For a simple and sweet relaxed mommy look, put a twist on the classic cardigan with this Merino Maya sweater, a pair of cropped corduroys, and a Tory Burch flat that will look pretty even when you are making a mad dash to get the kids into school on time.
Wrap up the whole package with an essential trench coat that can hide whatever lays beneath. This season is all about plaid, but putting a ruffle detail on a fitted shirt and pairing it with some skinny jeans turns it into a can't-lose outfit.
Take a cue from the man of the house and steal his blazer look. A boyfriend blazer over a crisp white shirt and a pair of black leggings takes little effort and goes a long way. Finish it off with a pair of flat black boots, and a new daily uniform is born.

Enter to win a $1,000 wardrobe for your child from Tea Collection!

On Our Radar: Gap and Nicholas Kirkwood Pop Up Stores

FabSugarUK — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:00:35 -0700

Start saving your pennies ladies as this September not one, but two pop-up stores are arriving in the capital. First up, is Gap's touring pop-up store which will be based at Kingly Court (just off Carnaby Street).

You might wonder why we need a Pop-up version of the High Street giant, but this one off boutique will offer many limited edition pieces from collaborations with Pierre Hardy and will also house an exhibition of Garance Dore's work. There will be specially created music by Pharrell Williams.

Nicholas Kirkwood is also opening a new temporary shop in the capital, or a "shop-in-shop" as the footwear designer opens at Dover Street Market. Exclusive styles will be stocked there including Kirkwood's first ever flats! Both of the stores will open on September 10th – just in time for London Fashion Week!