June Favorites: Color Theory

It’s June already? Crazy how time flies. In just a few days, my month spent on the East Coast will be over, and I will be basking in the California sun for the rest of the summer. Hooray! This will be the longest span I’ve spent in the Bay Area (2 months!) and I’m quite excited to explore.

This gets me to another topic, what I will be wearing. Unless you are living under a rock, it’s clear that brights are this year’s “thing”. Here are a few of my favorite pieces I’ve picked up recently.

J Brand 811 Mid-Rise Jeans (in several colors) – J Brand makes my favorite denim, hands down. They always fit me perfectly. In fact, I’d say 95% of my “denim wardrobe” consists of J Brand, with some odd pairs of Citizens of Humanity and True Religion thrown in. The 811 is my ultimate: mid-rise (no risk of underwear peeking out) and skinny. The fun colors they had this season were an extra bonus. I’ve been wearing these with everything – boxy tee shirts, silk blouses (J. Crew’s are my fave, and much more affordable than Equipment!), and neutral colored sweaters on chilly nights.

Zara TRF Floral Pants – I bought this pair back in India, but Zara still has an awesome selection of floral pants. Ever since I spotted prints like this on the Celine S/S runway, I was obsessed. This pair fits well, has adorable tuxedo detailing, and best of all, was super affordable, since unfortunately, I don’t think floral, skintight pants are exactly considered a classic.

Multitude of colorful tees – Joe Fresh, Aritzia (my favorite store for basics), James Perse, Alternative Apparel, J. Crew,  Leslie Fremar for Fruit of the Loom. I love plain tees, and stock up on them every season. There is nothing like a well-fitting tee shirt to wear with everything from boyfriend jeans to pencil skirts to tie-dyed cutoffs a la Isabel Marant (I picked mine up from Forever 21). I am currently loving H&M and James Perse’s mens tees, which I buy in a size small, for that effortless “boyfriend” look, tucked into pants and worn with an oversized rhinestone necklace.

Fun, citron heels from Thailand – Ever since Miu Miu’s polka dot platform sandals from last spring, I’ve been hunting down an affordable pair that uses dots as an accent. I found this pair at Zen Department Store in Bangkok, Thailand, in April, and I love how they add a touch of whimsy to an otherwise simple outfit.

My favorite jewelry right now – Woven Skull bracelet (unknown brand), Tai Shell Bracelet, and Tiffany & Co. Key necklace with additional charms by Dyanne Bell.

The best part about the “brights” look is that dressing is as easy as one, two, three – pick a bottom, add a contrasting color top, and finish with fun jewelry (vintage rhinestone necklaces from Ebay are my go-to).

It's a HOLIday

           Every makeup artist dreams of a day where they can splash their wildest colors of MAC pigments and Make Up For Ever Flash Creams on everyone they encounter. Well in India, my dream has come true, with a holiday called Holi. Celebrating the onset of spring, businesses, colleges, and just about everything else is closed so that friends and family can take to the streets and literally go hog-wild, splashing brightly colored pigments and water around until they resemble Dr. Seuss characters.

          On March 8^th, which was Holi this year, I was advised to stay inside, as the pigments can stain light colored hair for weeks or even months. Since I’m the first to admit that my hair is a bit of an investment, I obliged. But looking at photos of Holi on Pinterest gave me the urge to at least see what it was all about. If nothing else, the color-mixing would serve as tremendous photoshoot inspiration.

From Pinterest

         I decided to walk around the area I live, and was greeted by numerous smiling faces who were happy to pose for photos showing off their Holi “best”. And by best, I mean brightest. The vivacity of the color and spirit was amazing. Almost all I came across spread a little pigment on my face (avoiding the hair) to wish me a “happy Holi”.

         I have far too many bright colors in my makeup kit to not use Holi as an inspiration for an upcoming shoot or two. Combined with minimal white clothing, the effect could be stunning. Stay tuned.