{such a } Five Must-Have Indie Dresses - Summer '09

Baby, it’s hot, hot, hot outside, and while the temps and humidity may keep you running for the chill of a nice air-conditioned room, these cute summer dresses can heat up your wardrobe without burning up your budget. Try these five trends in totally wearable, completely unique styles. Every dress listed is made by an independent designer - support these fab up-and-coming labels!

Maxi Dress - the maxi has been spotted just about everywhere this summer. With its long sweeping lengths and forgiving fit, the maxi dress is easily glamourous, and can transition from daytime to nighttime with minimal effort.

Long Wildflower Dress - Prodiji by Brittney Kelley


Tiered Dress- soft layers give ethereal dimension to a simple dress shape, while skimming over any problem spots. Ideally look for silks or blends that move with you, and stay away from overly heavy fabrics.

The AK Style - Anavaa Kisasa


Delicate Boho - Continuing the trend towards colorful swirled prints with an earthy sensibility, the delicate boho dress has a simple, flowing style and unique handkerchief or embellished hemlines.

Green Multi-Dress - Blue Plate Fashion


A-line Dress - Retro fabulous and updated for summer, the a-line has returned to the market with a vengeance. Another chic option in the “forgive me I’ve sinned and eaten cookies” category, the simple “a” cut of this dress lets you breathe easy and still be on-trend.

Assymetrical Dress- Tulle


Goddess/One-Shoulder - as the name implies, the style of this dress invites you to channel your inner Aphrodite and show off your shoulders and arms with a unique neckline. Yet another all-around flattering dress, look for solid colors if you’re not feeling daring enough to wear this style.

One Shoulder Wrap Dress- Sammy Lenko



All photos courtesy of the respective sites.

{such a} Packing with RedKat

I admit, I am a hopeless over-packer. Yes, I’m the one that packs enough clothing for a world vacation, when I only need enough for 5 days. I will mentally go through the “what if” scenarios, and pack outfits for each and everyone. Safari in Vegas? I’m prepared. Skiing in Honolulu? Check. Let it be said that no matter where I go when I’m out of town, I have just the perfect ensemble tucked away in my suitcase.




As one who over-packs, there are certain strategies that I must employ to ensure that even though my bag may be stuffed to the gills, it won’t weigh more than 50 lbs and cost me any of my fun money. Here are just a few of my pointers:

Roll your clothes - yes, roll them up, military style. You’ll be surprised how much more you can fit into one suitcase. Wrinkles are virtually eliminated, as rolling keeps your clothes from getting crunched. In some instances, proper clothes rolling can result in being able to take a carry-on instead of a checked bag. Score!

Keep a list of your outfits - if your suitcase has more clothes in it than a shopping bag full of Nordstrom’s sale items, you know you’ll have a tough time keeping track of just what’s in it. Make a list. Write down each outfit you put together, and if you are really detailed, assign the outfit to a particular day. This ensures that you’ll have your bases covered, and allows you more room in your suitcase for packing non-essential things (formal gown for a trip to the Alps, anyone?)

Try on everything - try on each and every outfit you plan to take with you. There is nothing worse than laying out a week’s worth...okay more like ten days worth...of clothes, only to arrive at your destination and realize that certain items don’t work together. Trying everything on also ensures that you don’t wind up with any embarrassing moments, like striped undies under white pants, or a black bra and a strapless dress.

The accessories - as you try on all your outfits, add in the accessories you plan to wear with each. If you see opportunity to repurpose a silver pendant with two outfits, do it. Shoes are a major suitcase spacehog, so try to limit yourself to no more than 3 pairs. Nest your shoes inside each other, and line the edges of your suitcase with them, thereby creating a little space in the middle for items like jackets to be packed flat. With necklaces, I like to sort mine out into little cinched jewelry pouches so that they don’t get hopelessly tangled in transit.

Makeup and perfumes - the TSA regulations have made carrying perfumes, lotions and other feminine sundries a true pain. But, if you smartly pack two of your favorite perfumes rolled inside a shirt, or a pair of socks, you’ll save space and cushion them from breaking. NOTE: This doesn’t work for carry-ons. With a carry-on, your best bet is to head to Sephora and stock up on the free-with-purchase samples. Use your trip to audition new perfumes to find new faves. Hairspray and body lotions can be rolled inside of pant legs, thereby saving space in your makeup bag for lipsticks, eye shadows and moisturizers.

Now, reading this you may think that my goal is to pack as lightly as possible by only taking what I need. Au contraire! By following my pointers, you not only can pack all your favorite “what if” outfits, along with any “maybe I might need it” selections. Not to mention that by smartly organizing your suitcase, you are guaranteed to have room to shop, shop, shop wherever your travels to take you! That is what a true fashionista would do...

{Such A} Fashion No-No, the Vegas Edition

There is nothing better than "don't spotting" when you're out of town. Add to that the mish-mash of people that you see in a place like Las Vegas, and you literally get hours and hours of viewing pleasure. I was in Las Vegas last weekend, and I want to share a few of the big no-nos that I saw one evening, as my friends and I enjoyed cocktails at Cherry Bar at the Red Rock Casino and Resort.

#1: The Look Alikes
Under no circumstances is it ever okay to wear the same dress as your BFF. Ever! A true friend would not only tell you that the dress is tacky, but would never suggest that dressing like the Doublemint Twins is a good idea.



#2 Rare Sighting: The Smiling Whale Tail
I admit, I thought whale tails were long gone, but this fashion faux pas proves that no only are they not out of style, but they've been reinvented with a new twist - an expression! I have to believe that this fashion mistake was not only deliberately made (check the buttons on her top) but is thought to be attractive in a "come hither" kind of way. I'm pretty sure I don't want my undies grinning at people...



Without question I could've taken more pics of the wardrobe-challenged people at Cherry Bar that night. Birks and socks, fanny packs and plenty of women in dresses that didn't fit...but to unduly pick on tourists is mean. Just remember that the mirror is your friend and check yourself before heading out for a night on the town to avoid being a fashion disaster.

For more fun photos of don'ts from around the country (including Las Vegas), visit Glamour Magazine.

{Such A} Lookbook - M641 Clothing

With summer right around the corner, it's never too soon to be trend-watching for the things you need to have in your hot weather wardrobe. Lucky for all fashionistas, M641 has served up their Summer '09 lookbook...and ladies, it's chock-full of breezy, colorful pieces to pop your outfits, but not your budget!

Madras 641, or M641 in fashion shorthand, is the indie designer brand launched by BFFs Subu and Ina. Both partners believe that fashion should be the perfect blend of feminine, sexy and wearable, but most importantly, should be affordable. All pieces by M641 are made of sweetly soft cotton, and each season's collection includes a foundation of tunics, blouses, dresses and shirts. Uniquely identifiable by the beading, embroidery, bold patterns and some of the most unexpectedly ladylike necklines, M641 is designed to be dressed up or down, which makes their collections perfect for work, play or any unexpected invites.

Summer Simpatico is the name of M641's summer collection and every single piece is an example of the uncomplicated elegance of the brand. My favorite piece by far is the Simple Socialite. With an almost empire-like waist, this dress can easily be worn by any woman of any shape. The detailed straps are made of beaded Zari tape, and curve up around the shoulders behind the neck. A row of delicate buttons accent the back, and one simple ruffle layer finishes of the knee-length hem of the dress. The overall look is playfully uptown, and I can easily see wearing this to Bootsy's for cocktails, to the ballet, or paired with a light jacket, to work.




For a top that's not quite a tank, not quite a cami but 100% pretty, the Simple Excellence is perfect for adding a dash of girly-girl to a pair of jeans or slim cut pants. Alternating rows of coins and beads accent the cleavage, and three flirty ruffles extend down from the elasticized under-bust. Since I'm not a shorts kind of girl, I'd opt for jeans, or even a plain black straight-cut skirt and a jean jacket to wear this to work or to a casual outdoor party or a cookout.




I've highlighted only two out of the many fab pieces in the Summer Simpatico collection. For more information on the company, to download your own copy of the M641 Summer Lookbook, and to buy your very own stuff, visit M641's site and shop their online boutique. Locally, M641 has been spotted at Mustard Seed, and likely will appear at your favorite shop soon. Follow Ina on Twitter (@M641) to keep current on the happenings with this fast-growing brand.

{Such A} Winner of the Redkat Contest and Krimson by Kwame Trunk Show Details

Congratulations to 5chw4r7z, the winner of the first-ever Redkat Contest. Bob wins a lunch with myself and Kwame Jackson, season one finalist on The Apprentice. We will be dining at McCormick and Schmicks downtown. 5chw4r7z selected the Malibu as his favorite tie, and says,

"The blue plaid just make me think spring, short sleeve shirts and afternoon drinks downtown."



Even if you didn't win the contest, you can still meet Kwame in-person and view his entire collection of elegant silk ties. Local clothier Corwyn Apparel is hosting a trunk show featuring Krimson by Kwame. Attendees are encouraged to bring a gently-used necktie for donation to Career Gear, a national charity that helps outfit poor and underprivileged men obtain business apparel. Each donor will receive $10 off their entire purchase by bringing in an unwanted tie. A portion of all sales from the evening will also go to benefit the charity. So come to the trunk show to meet Kwame and buy yourself (or the significant man in your life) a gorgeous piece of neckware.

When: April 23, 2009 at 5:30 p.m.

Where: The Bankers Club of Cincinnati
511 Walnut St # 3000
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 651-3660

Cost: Free



Thank you to everyone who entered my contest. I love seeing your feedback and I enjoy knowing that you find my tips, tricks and fashion trend watching interesting. I welcome any suggestions as to fashion and beauty-related topics you'd like to see on Redkatblonde.com. Being fashionable isn't always as simple as it seems - believe it or not this Kat has had her fair share of don'ts - but as the memorable ad slogan goes, "You've come a long way, baby." Email me directly or leave a comment below.

{Such A} All tied up and the first Redkat Contest!

Recently I was questioned by a male friend about the right way for a man to coordinate a tie with a dress shirt. My first answer was, "Easy. Solid shirt and a patterned tie. End of story." My friend was unimpressed with my answer, which spurred me to wonder...could there actually be more to it than that? Happily (and you'll see why at the end of this post) I was half-wrong with my simple answer. Yes, solid/print is a win but what about stripes, plaids, prints? Here are a few basic rules I've crafted based on my research.

SOLID SHIRTS
• White shirt -anything can go with a white shirt. It's the same idea as a blank canvas...any color of tie will work.
• Color match - if you have a blue shirt, go for a navy tie, yellow shirt, darker yellow tie -- you get the idea. If you go tonal, you can't go wrong.
• Solid shirt/Print tie - think about the complimentary colors that you know of - a blue shirt with a crimson tie, a creme shirt with a brown tie, a pink shirt with a red, blue or yellow tie. If you aren't sure what are complimentary colors, try taking a look at color wheel.

PRINT SHIRTS
Now we get into what I used to think was the complicated matching, with print shirts and print ties. But really, it's a simple process.
• Striped shirt - stand back from the shirt and determine what color is the main color. This is the color that needs to be most prevalent in your patterned tie. You also need to make sure your pattern works with stripes. If you happen to have a striped tie with a striped shirt, follow the ratio of 2:1 and go for a tie that has stripes twice the width of your shirt stripes.
• Plaid shirt - same as with a striped shirt, you will need to step back and evaluate which color is the main color in the shirt. You'll want to pick a tie with this same prevalent color. If you choose a pattern of dots or boxes for your tie, you want to make sure that they are larger than the check pattern on the shirt.

I'm sure you're wondering why I'm spending an inordinate amount of time talking about men's ties. I am holding my first blog contest, and the topic is ties! See, I told you there was a happy reason for this post.

Kwame Jackson, former contestant from season one of the Apprentice has designed a line of men's neckties called Krimson By Kwame. Polkadots, paisley and gorgeous stripes -- these ties are serious neck-candy for men. Kwame will be in Cincinnati to show off his ties as part of a trunk show on April 23rd with local clothier Corwyn Apparel.



But, if you'd rather just "do lunch" with Kwame, then enter my contest. Simply visit Krimson by Kwame and pick your favorite tie. Vote using the comments at the bottom of the post. Include the name of the tie and the reason why it's your fave. The winner of the contest will meet and have lunch with Kwame, as well as be invited to the trunk show on April 23rd at the Banker's Club.

My fave? The San Francisco. Why? It's an elegant dark red paisley tie that I would absolutely figure out a way to wear...I'm thinking maybe as a sash to dress up a simple shift? In any case, it's my favorite Krimson by Kwame tie -- what's yours? Contest ends on April 17th!

An update a day keeps the (fill in the blank) away! WE Lead today, so it will be a great day.