Fashion Faves: Book Edition

Hello lovelies,

I love to read, and there are so many great books with style and fashion tips out there, so I thought I would share my favorites with you. Maybe you'll pick one up and be inspired! Or you might learn a few new tricks. Either way, all of these books are great guides for shopping, organizing, determining fit, and more. Some of them even have advice on getting your foot into the fashion industry.

1. Style A to Zoe: The Art of Fashion, Beauty, & Everything Glamour
by Rachel Zoe with Rose Apodaca

This book is full of amazing tips on everything from accessories to tailoring to traveling essentials. It contains a hair and beauty section, and has special pages with insight from red carpet celebrities and high-fashion designers. I look up to Rachel as a person and as a stylist, and she has great opinions and ideas. The suggestions are both helpful and useful, and both a home decor and event planning guide is included. I highly recommend this book!

2. Lauren Conrad Style
by Lauren Conrad

I think this book is a great overall guide book. It includes recommendations for different events and occasions, weather types, and trips. It also includes a fit guide and style pairings and tips. It contains a small beauty and hair section as well. It has a little bit of everything and I loved reading it!

3. The Teen Vogue Handbook: An Insider's Guide to Careers in Fashion  
by Teen Vogue

Live like you work in fashion. A must-read for anybody interested in fashion. From aspiring designers, stylists, editors, and photographers to fashion obsessives who want behind-the-scenes secrets about industry stars and tips on how to live a creative life.

4. Seventeen Ultimate Guide to Style: How to Find Your Perfect Look  
by Ann Shoket and the Editors of Seventeen Magazine

Seventeen's Ultimate Guide to Style is all about teaching young women to cultivate their own unique style. The book draws advice from the magazine's editors, real-girl style experts, Hollywood stylists, and celebrity fashion icons. Its chapters explore seven timeless fashion vibes: Classic, Edgy, Girly, Glam, Sporty, Artsy, and Boho. Each section breaks down all a girl needs to know about mastering the look and giving it her personal twist. Throughout its beautifully illustrated pages, the book also provides young women with endless ideas to maximize their wardrobe, stretch their dollar, and make everyday basics work in hundreds of ways. Seventeen's Ultimate Guide to Style is an indispensable resource for young fashionistas everywhere.

5. Harper's Bazaar Fashion: Your Guide to Personal Style  
by Lisa Armstrong and Meenal Mistry (Editor)

Through fabulous photos- including a gallery of gorgeous celebrity shots, from Kate Moss to Michelle Obama- Harper's Bazaar Fashion helps readers express their personality, create a “uniform” they can build on, and choose the right pieces to put a distinctive stamp on their wardrobe. Harper's Bazaar Fashion both inspires by exploring iconic moments in the history of personal style and instructs by offering the rules of dressing for every occasion from the office to an island getaway.

There are so many great guide books that I didn't mention in this post, but if you have any suggestions, be sure to let me know! 

xoxo,
Martha

Mint Madness

Hello beauties,

Spring is finally here, and what better way to start off the season than with a brand new color palette? Switch out your burgundy, black, and brown colored clothes for pastels, whites, and nearly-neons. Green, or more specifically emerald, has been named the Color of the Year for 2013. But if you aren't into the emerald trend, or you're just not as bold, mint is making a comeback this spring.

Mint is a pastel shade that's in between a light blue and green. It can vary in color, leaning more towards blue or more towards green. Finding the right shade of mint for your skin tone and overall complexion is crucial to pull off this color, so don't be afraid to experiment with different shades until you find the perfect one for you.

Photos from 2012 Spring Chanel Runway

Nail Polish:

Essie 'Mint Candy Apple'

Lacy mint dress from here.

Click here to see a whimsical yet classy mint outfit.


















Try out some mint accessories if you're not too sure about the color...shoes, bags, and jewelry are great ways to test a trend!


I hope you enjoyed this post and I also hope it gave you some ideas on how to experiment with mint this season...I know I will be!

xoxo,
Martha

cargo + crochet

Jacket: J.Crew. Top: GAP. Shorts: Nordstrom BP. Shoes: Sam Edelman. Sunglasses: Local boutique. Necklace: Nordstrom BP. Bracelet: Dillard's. Ring: Vintage. Nails: Essie 'Butler Please' and 'Mint Candy Apple'. 

All About Moi

Hi beauties,

I thought I would share a little bit of information about me today. I think it's important to know someone's fashion interests and preferences in order to understand their perspective. These are my some of my interests in terms of fashion, and I'd love to hear yours!

Favorite Designers/Design Labels:
Oscar de la Renta
Balenciaga
Chanel
Marchesa
Valentino
Hermès
Elie Saab
Louis Vuitton
Ivanka Trump
Elizabeth and James


Favorite Stylists:
Rachel Zoe
Cher Coulter
L’Wren Scott
Brad Goreski
Wendi and Nicole Ferreira 
Ilaria Urbinati


Favorite Magazines:
Elle
Harper's Bazaar
Marie Claire
Vogue
Vanity Fair

Favorite Celebrity Style Icons:

Jennifer Lawrence
Emma Watson
Taylor Swift
Selena Gomez
Sofia Vergara
Giuliana Rancic
Nicole Kidman
Gwyneth Paltrow
Ashley Greene
Charlize Theron
Kate Middleton
Pippa Middleton
Keira Knightley 
Olivia Palermo

Favorite Brands:
Wildfox Couture 
Lush
Frenchi
h.i.p.
House of Harlow 1960
Gibson
Free People
Sam Edelman 
Miss Trish
Miz Mooz

Favorite Stores:
Nordstrom
Bloomingdale's
Saks Fifth Avenue
J.Crew
Anthropologie
Topshop
BaubleBar
Francesca's
ModCloth
Local Boutiques


Do we share any interests? Let me know in the comments section!

xoxo,
Martha

Where Have I Been?

Hello lovelies,

I have not posted since the end of September, 2012, and it is now the beginning of March, 2013. October was such a busy month that I had to set blogging aside and when the craziness ended, I just didn't get back into my routine. I apologize for my absence and the significant lack of posts.

To say the least, I have been completely MIA, including from Twitter. For those of you that have continued to follow me, I cannot express my gratitude enough. I will not be resuming my former schedule of blogging; however I have made a goal to blog twice each week, which I think will be manageable. I will announce new blog posts on my Twitter, @fashion_amour. Unfortunately, I cannot predict which days new posts will be up, so just check back here often or follow me on Twitter. My posts may be a little less formal, but I think that will be a good motivator for me to blog more. I am looking forward to posting again, and would love to hear from you!

You can contact me at: fashionamourblog@gmail.com.


Je vous aime tous (I love all of you),

Martha