the color lab blog — jewelry

I love a good slip dress. Whenever I see a really special one, I grab it. They are so easy to wear, figure flattering and widely size inclusive. Almost every womenswear brand has at least 1 or 2 in their offerings because they have become a classic fashion staple. I think designer Carly Cushnie does them the best so when I was late to the budget-priced and hyper colorful Cushnie x Target collab this Summer, I panicked. Fortunately, I was able to snag 2 lovely slip dresses before they sold out. I never got to wear either so instead of packing them away until the next warm weather season, I thought I'd try working both of them into my appropriate-for-public Fall & Winter wardrobe plus one of my other favorites. Scroll down to see all of the looks!

 I hope you love the products I recommend! While this blog post was not sponsored, it may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to bring you color commentary like this. You can find more about our site, privacy, and disclosure policies here. Thank you for your continued support!

left: Dress: Cushnie x Target (sold out but a similar dress here) | Earrings: JulRe Designs Studio | Necklace: JulRe Designs Studio | Shoes: Nine West | Hair: Shakeria at NJnaturalstyles Hair Studio

right: Sweater: Lou & Grey (from a few years ago but here are some goodies) | Boots: Nine West (available in black only, limited sizes)

left: Dress: Cushnie x Target (sold out but lots of great styles available here) | Earrings: JulRe Designs Studio

right: Sweater: Lou & Grey (no longer available but LOVE this lookalike) | Earrings: JulRe Designs Studio 

left: Dress: Lou & Grey (gone but here's a goodie!) | Earrings: JulRe Designs Studio | Shoes: Nine West

right: Hoodie: Uniqlo (currently not available but this one is fabulous!) | Earrings: JulRe Designs Studio | Booties: Nine West

Here are a few more slip dresses I adore:

Free People Forever Yours Smocked Slip Maxi Dress

ALICE + OLIVIA Harmony Drapey Mini Slip Dress - Nordstrom

VINCE Satin Midi Slip Dress - Nordstrom

Until next, may your life be filled with COLOR!

No gold glitters like that which is our own. - Eliza Cook

I hope you love the products I recommend! While this blog post was not sponsored, it may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to bring you color commentary like this. You can find more about our site, privacy, and disclosure policies here. Thank you for your continued support!

As a jewelry designer, I have the privilege of working with many wonderful brides, helping them to create unique earrings and necklaces for their bridesmaids, mothers and of course, themselves. I'm always honored when I receive an invitation to their extra special day but due to my schedule, I'm often unable to attend. I hope to change that in 2020. I currently have 3 invitations and more may come but my super ambitious commitment is to attend every wedding. Once I made that decision, the heart-pounding panic set in. What am I going to wear? And since I'm not a "one dress for every event" type and I'm all in on any excuse to shop, I decided that the easiest solution would be to invest in a monochromatic capsule wardrobe that I could systematically create new looks from by starting with a few amazing dresses as a base and interchange accessories for each occasion. But color. What color would be right for almost every wedding whether it's during the day or at night, semi-formal or formal? I chose Metallic Gold for its ease and versatility. Shimmery colors the "glam neutrals" of the color spectrum. Gone is the time when shimmer was relegated for after dark affairs. Metallics, including Bronze, Silver and the ever-popular Rose Gold are easy to wear, can be found in almost every clothing store for every budget and in all sizes. 

Here is my capsule wardrobe, starting with 3 amazing dresses, all from Nordstrom:

dresses from left to right: 

GLITZY:  FRENCH CONNECTION Emille Sparkle Long Sleeve Sequin Sheath Dress

SEXY:  LULUS Love & Luxury Metallic Plissé Cocktail Dress

GLAMOROUS:  ELIZA J Ruched Evening Gown

A great handbag with exquisite detailing is a must for me but it must be functional as well. These 3 clutches from Bloomingdale's get my sparkly thumbs up!:

clutch handbags from left to right:

ROMANTIC:  Marc Jacobs Metallic Leather Clutch

SOPHISTICATED:  MICHAEL Michael Kors LouLou Envelope Clutch

CHIC:  From St Xavier Chevy Beaded Clutch

Finally, a comfortable pair of shoes complete the looks - HEAVY emphasis on COMFORT. Since lots of mingling and dancing are the 2nd best parts of any wedding (the nuptials are the 1st!), selecting the right footwear is so important. I don't normally associate comfort with a high heel. Frankly, I rarely find any that I can honestly say are a pleasure to wear but all 3 of the shoes I found at Macy's are well made and after considerable testing, I can say will get you through several hours of socializing without killing your feet. And they're gorgeous too!:

shoes from left to right:

STYLISH:  Vince Camuto Reesera Dress Sandals

CLASSIC:  kate spade new york Sterling Dress Shoes

POSH:  Katy Perry Rayann Ballet Flats

Don't be afraid to mix different shades and textures of whatever Metallic Gold or whatever metallic you choose. There are no rules! Gold on gold just works for almost any formal-leaning event! 

Until next time, here's to living a color-filled life!

P.S. Follow me on Instagram for a look at how I wear this looks at each wedding plus more color commentary!

You can depend on this color combo to bring the summertime sizzle. Limelight and Sulphur Spring bring new meaning to brightness! It's eye-catching but never gaudy. Always current and filled with the promise of life at its most vivid. 

image: Tumblr - Mykukula

We've been seeing variations of this color duo in fashion for years. Glowy neon yellow-greens have become a staple in activewear and accessories. I designed these Lemon Tree Earrings using these vibrant shades and will always have this palette somewhere within my jewelry collections. But I'm seeing it pop up more for home interiors lately and I love the trend! I'll admit, I'm not brave enough to incorporate it into my home in a substantial way but I will use it to accent in an area that craves energy. The kitchen below has a proportionate balance that refreshes the senses and doesn't overwhelm. This highly functional room is a natural fit for such "health-conscious" colors.

image: Better Homes & Gardens

Bathrooms are unsurprisingly another perfect space for colors that pop. I adore the floor-to-ceiling tiles as a bright focal point. Green and clean!

image: Elle Decor

The color palette is so appealing that I've used it in our company branding and incorporated shades of Limelight and Sulphur Spring into my design studio. The matching Slipper Chairs you see below are a steal right now on Amazon (although not currently available in the color shown, Basil Velvet).

image: JulRe Designs Studio, South Orange, NJ

If you're not filled with the audaciousness that the tones of Limelight and Sulphur Spring require, then I've selected 6 fab, fun home decor items that will let you dabble with these high volume shades without a huge, long-lasting commitment. Have fun shopping below!

For more color inspiration, check out our Color Craze: Limelight and Sulphur Spring board on Pinterest!

Keep living a color-filled life!

With a gracious nod to Pantone, the Gods of Color and keepers of all things sacred to hues and palettes, I'm striking out on my own and presenting my first commentary on the colors I'm loving for the rest of this Spring and into the Summer season. I must admit, the colors I have selected are already on heavy rotation in my own life but I'm now seeing them on other colorful women too, in their wardrobe, makeup as well as in their home decor. This collection of colors makes a striking fashion statement and ranges from the energetic orange, Bird of Paradise, to the soft-spoken pink, Rose Shadow. Squarely in the middle is the sophisticated Moroccan Blue with the pristine lilac, Orchid and my absolute favorite minty fresh, Opal completing the group. I'm drawn to them, well, because they are all exciting and fresh and yet distinctly independent enough to hold their own without a complementary partner to give them a boost. 

I couldn't believe my luck when I discovered the nail polish brand, Cirque Colors a few months back. I started using their vegan, cruelty-free, non-toxic (no formaldehyde!) colors (I live for their pinkish-brown "Fast Fashion" shade) after doing some personal research on cosmetics and first highlighted the brand in my Spectra Yellow and Flame post. The color range for this line is so extensive, that I found a coordinating polish for each of the hues in this palette. Your nails will be so on trend!

Cirque Colors Creme Nail Polish on Amazon: (top left, clockwise): Fire Island, Sartorial, Midnight Cowboy, Key to Gramercy, Uptown Girl

I'm a huge proponent of tone-on-tone dressing. I make it a regular practice to put some of my daily outfits together based on one color family not only because it gives a sleek, rich, pulled together look but because it's easy! I'm not proposing that you carry that fashion theory all the way through to matching eyeshadow and lipstick but pairing a great dress like the ones from Nordstrom that I'm featuring in my style board below, with a contrasting pair of shoes and handbag and completing the look with nail polish in the same color family is so, so chic!

Shop these versatile, right-for-many-occasion dresses in my Spring/Summer Color Trends palette from Nordstrom (the MaxMara is in my closet!):

1.  Leith Chic Midi Dress

2.  Lewit Kimono Sleeve Stretch Silk Dress

3.  BB Dakota Cara Lace Cocktail Dress

4.  MaxMara Cordoba Sheath Dress

5.  NSR Grace One-Shoulder Lace Sheath Dress

Until next time, live a color-filled life,

a savory, sumptuous color duo that's decadent, rich and full of flavor. 

Benjamin Moore Paints show you just how grand this color combo can be when used in a small space. the left side of the image below looks like a one piece sitting/wall unit but it is actually a clever use of their paint color, Vintage Wine and strategically placed shelving and antiqued clothing hooks highlighted by Olive Tree walls.

the right side of the image creatively illustrates an eclectic use of furniture and accessories in the complementary colors to form a sophisticated reading space.

images (above left): Apartment Therapy (above right): HGTV

food is not only nourishment for our bodies and taste buds but when created artfully, it can be appealing to the eye as well. i felt like I'd been tapped by a magic wand when I came across the food styling and photographic artistry in colors much like our duo of Aimee Twigger of Twigg Studios in the UK. her recipe for the Earl Grey Ice Cream captured below is equally divine too! the Twigg Studios Instagram page smolders!

dangle gemstones from your ears that I personally handcrafted in the Olive Oil and Sangria palette with these one-of-a-kind Briana Earrings in Garnet and Prehnite (below). available here on January 21, 2019. 

until next time, wishing you a color-filled life!

*This post DOES NOT contain affiliate links.