B is for...

One of my goals this year is to help women see & own their unique beauty.

I struggled with seeing myself as beautiful while growing up

& only recently have I truly been able to say

"I am beautiful"

without hearing the voice inside my head disagreeing with me.

Its one of the main reasons I was inspired to start Ch'Armz.

I wanted to give women the freedom to show their style & express who they are without being self-conscious about their arms.

Clothing has amazing powers!

Now hear me out, I may sound crazy, but I grew up mesmerized when looking at pretty dresses, colorful outfits & shiny jewels. 

And when all combined together to create a look, the wearer of this magical outfit floated!

You could tell she knew she looked good, felt good - she was a BEAUTY!

I wanted to achieve that feeling, I wanted to float!

And until I could claim my own beauty from within, I let each emerald green sweater, each vintage floral dress, each flowy silk top help me believe I was beautiful while wearing it.

When I found my style, I gained my confidence. 

I could enter any situation knowing if I was dressed well, I could handle it.

Slowly but surely the exterior bravado began to sink in & I could see my beauty.

Would I have gotten there without fashion? Maybe eventually...

but it was much more fun playing dress up along the way!!

So, in this new year ahead I hope to inspire women to have fun playing dress up, trying on new styles & finding their BEAUTY along the way!

Summer Nights...

Summer fun time has begun!!

Gorgeous sunny days line up one after the other, 

outdoor activities are in abundance from concerts in the park & outdoor screenings, to play time at the beach ~ day and night.

If you're anything like me, once it heats up, I want very lil touching my body so my Summer go-to style is sundresses ~ lightweight, flowy & feminine.

I find they are so easy to do casual during the day with sandals, switch to a heel & you're good for a night out!

While its been extremely hot out during the day here in LA lately, 

the nights have been a lil chilly (god bless it!).

My SOLUTION this Summer has been our Convertible Shrug in a soft lightweight knit, just enough to keep me warm but loose enough to keep me cool too!

Super easy to keep in your bag & pull out when/if needed... 

It came in perfect for date night, as I knew I'd be fine in my dress for dinner,

but afterwards as we strolled, I wrapped it around my arms & was completely comfortable.

 The beauty of this shrug is that it can be worn in a variety of different ways & create so many different looks.

The snaps let you convert it to your favorite style.

Above, I'm wearing it as a shrug, with the center snaps open

Below, with all the snaps undone, I can easily use it as a wrap, a scarf & in case the top comes down on his convertible (most likely), as a head wrap to save the hair ;)

(I love the Old Hollywood glamour vibe of this style!)

 Dress: Anthropologie  Shoes: Indigo by Clarks  Shrug: Ch*Armz

Here's even more ways you can rock our Convertible Shrug ~

We'd love to see how you'd style it too!!

Send us your pics!!

"Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak"

~ Rachel Zoe

So, what are you saying?

Cheers to a great week of style!

xo

*Also, if you want to keep up with my daily musings & adventures in dating, checkout Insights at 39 and if you love a good love story read, First Love at 37 (be sure to start at the beginning)

Summer in the City

And, if you're on the West Coast, summer has been arriving here in the afternoons. 

Lately, our early mornings have been greeting us with gorgeous gray skies!

Ahhhh glorious June Gloom, my favorite LA "season"

This is when true Angelenos master their art of layering ~

Mornings are gray & sometimes misty, usually chilly.

Afternoons are bright & sunny, warming with each day.

Evenings see the marine layer roll right back in, along with the crisp air

(perfect sleeping weather if you ask me)

So, the general option is to keep a sweater or jacket handy, which usually works out well, until you leave it in your car, the office, etc because you didn't want to carry it along 

& then sure enough in rolls the cold.

I know this cuz I do it all the time!

I've been on a kick lately of wanting my hands free & wanting to be easily mobile, so jackets are the first thing to go, I don't want it weighing me down.

But then I'm the one suffering early in the morning or late at night...

silliness...

This is exactly when Sleeves come in handy!!

I've been playing with my new summer goodies & these black attachable sleeves completed today's look :)

First, I scored this cute lil striped knit dress at Target for only $20!!! I know!!!!

So needless to say, I've been dying to wear it!

Here's play by play on the day's style ;)

Pic 1 ~ cute & casual, but a lil basic for a day of meetings downtown, plus the sun wasn't out yet...

Pic 2 ~ decided to add my black sleeves to keep me warm, because I knew I could pop them off & throw them in my back as I walked from meeting to meeting vs. carrying my blazer which I was guaranteed to ditch within an hour or 2...

Black attachable sleeves available at Ch*Armz 

Pic 3 ~ Pop of a bright color against a black & white palate and the fun begins!

If the sun ain't shining, I'll wrap it around my neck ;)

Pic 4 ~ Ditch the sleeves, keep the pop = summer in the city!

Had a GREAT day!

I'm a big believer in when you're feeling good in your clothes & owning your style, 

no matter what it is, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL

& the world takes notice!!

ENJOY YOUR STYLE!!!!

"People will stare. Make it worth their while"

~ Harry Winston ~

Dress: Merona (Target)    Booties: Clarks    Belt: GAP    Sleeves: Ch*Armz

Shop here to show your style-inality on your arms

DRESS ME!

POPAVINA Designer Marina Rahlin & hubby

 I miss the days when ladies dressed to be ladies...


That's why I was so excited to run across this collection last month while @ the Summer Unique LA show!
I love love loved this zig-zag print dress as I walked by, it totally caught my eye, & had to snap a pic of her. As we got to talking she told me it was her design & then showed me more amazing dresses in her booth - all she does is dresses - amen!

Thank you Marina for bringing back the lady & putting her in style!!


Check out her fabulous collection @
www.popavina.com

It's Lily's Style

Fitted & fun - leopard is always a classic standout from the LBD

 Lily Aldrin on "How I Met Your Mother", played by Alyson Hannigan, is your everyday kind of gal with some BITE.


Costume Designer, Julie Bennett Block, creates the Lily's signature with a mix of fun prints & bright colors, along with current trends paired with a retro vintage-vibe.
As a school teacher, Lily has an approachable-ness that's sweet, yet she also is smart, bold & brassy. Her artist side & sensibility is definitely expressed through her style choices.

An everyday girl look that combines feminine, trend & a pop of color

Black & White - pops when paired with dark denim

A girl who loves a print

Feminine with a lil funky artsy twist

Almost prim & proper, yet modern & girly

Want to create your own Lily style - try these combos ~

Top either dress off with this Belstaff "New Broad Bomber" in black leather  at J.Crew

Fun bold graphic, can play it sweet or funky
Dress by Danish brand Numph

Take this retro vibe dress modern with patent flats & leather bomber
Dress by Tulle Clothing 

Pair with the pink/red print dress
Suede bootie by 9West

Patent black pointed toe flats shine with a loafer twist
Belle by Sigerson Morrison

Tip-toeing thru the daisies

Long summer days are upon us, don't you just want to kick off your shoes & stick your toes in the cool grass?...


I love this time of year - colors are popping out everywhere!! So much for the eye to feast on. Lately I'm finding myself drawn to the color GREEN everywhere I go, especially that BRIGHT GRASS GREEN. Here's some pieces that have caught my eye recently...enjoy

The perfect Summer fabric print -GINGHAM! Shirt by Cissus

While some faded boyfriend jeans or cut-off denim shorts would look great with this shirt, why not add a lil pop of COLOR or MIXED PRINTS 

Add a splash with these AG Stevie Ankle Jeans in Bright Red for a hot summer look 

Have a fun moment and pair it with these black with mini white polka dots by Seeing Spots

 And when it comes to Summer evenings out, definitely go with COLOR! Save your LBD for the Winter! Check out this gorgeous green dress by Halston

A flattering fit on just about anyone, you can keep it simple or add a belt - I recommend a skinny gold belt for a night on the town

Enjoying my summer, inspired by all the green around me, what better way to soak it all up than sipping iced tea at my local french cafe...Au revoir for now

Hope you Have your Galoshes!

Rain in the month of May?! We're curling up next to our space heaters and fireplaces! We don't particularly mind the drizzle, in fact, we're a little inspired by it! When you're reaching for your umbrellas, don't forget to grab your Ch*Armz sleeves to add some warmth to your outfit!