Happy Launch Day!

Today's the official launch day of Adored Austin! I started putting some content up on the site on July 2nd with the goal of finding my rhythm and strengths as a writer before my official, official launch. I'm incredibly excited about the response and the readership Adored Austin has already garnered, and I am so happy that you're here!

Now that I've officially launched, I hope to incorporate more of the following:
1. Video blogs and video tutorials and reviews
2. Weekly giveaways
3. Spotlight on other bloggers
4. Profiles on independent designers, artists, and shops
5. Etsy discoveries
and much, much more!

My promise to you is unique content and an honest voice. I will write on here just like I'm talking to my best friends, and I will never shy away from humor. Haha! Even if it's the humor of a fourth grade boy! [insert a joke here about boogers...]

date: 31 July 2009
occasion: celebrating the launch of Adored Austin!
blazer: estate sale
tank: Old Navy
chunky chain necklace: F21
mary janes: Isaac Mizrahi

Please let me know what would you like to see on Adored Austin. But if you said Jacob from Twilight shirtless, shame on you! Need I remind you? He's a child! Okay. FINE. Great. I feel dirty now.

Giveaway: Studio 3

To celebrate the official launch of Adored Austin, the fantastic people over at Studio 3 have generously offered to give away a tea towel or a set of napkins to a very lucky Adored Austin reader! Why have boring, mass produced kitchen towels when you can have something incredibly unique and whimsical?

The tea towels and cloth napkins are printed on vintage textiles. The fabric is rehabilitated and then silkscreened with eco-friendly ink. How freaking sweet is that?

If you are the lucky winner, you can have your pick of any of the tea towels or napkins sets on their website. My personal favorites are the feather napkins and the mustache napkins:You have until midnight central time this Wednesday, August 5th to enter, and here's the awesome part: You get your name in the hat once for leaving a comment, twice for leaving a comment and reblogging, or three times for leaving a comment, reblogging, and Tweeting (shortcut URL: http://tr.im/uRH7).

Here's what you gotta do by Wednesday to be eligible:
1. Check out Studio 3's online shop.
2. Comment on this post saying two things:

• What you'd choose from their shop if you are the winner, and
• You favorite messy food.

3. Note if you reblogged and/ or tweeted.
example:
I would choose the peacock feather napkin set.
I love crumb donuts.
I reblogged at www.adoredaustin.com and tweeted @adoredaustin!

I'll be drawing a winner on video on Thursday, August 6th. Check back here for the announcement. Prize must be claimed by Monday, August 10th.

Good luck, everyone! And thanks, Studio 3, for being Adored Austin's very first Giveaway Friday!

Links

[created 4 January 2010]
[please read this to get listed]

American fashion/ style bloggers (by state):

Alabama
Alaska:
• Delightfully Tacky
• Just My Style
Arizona
Arkansas
California:
• Bright Side Dweller
• La Quaintrelle
• Signature Styles
• Sterling Style
• Style Fyles
• Wear Necessities
Colorado
• Closet 365
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida:
• Hello H
Georgia:
• Fell 4 Fashion
• Sidewalk Chalk
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois:
• Between Laundry Days
• Clothes, inter alia
• The Lesser Panda
Indiana:
• Stars for Streetlights
Iowa
Kansas:
• Kansas Couture
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts:
• Bargain Hunter Extraordinaire
• Jen Love Kev
• Orchid Grey
• Punky Style
• Small Town Chic
• Toil and Trouble
• Wily Wiley
Michigan
• Selective Potential
Minnesota:
• Spoils of Wear
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada:
• This Time Tomorrow
• Second Skin Style
New Hampshire
New Jersey:
• Jennifhsieh
• Kookulai
New Mexico
New York:
• Dream Sequins
• Idée Géniale
• Lizzie Jeanne
• Preppy with a Twist
• What I Wore
• Wild as a Mink
North Carolina:
• Dea Diaries
• PinQue
North Dakota
Ohio:
• Paper Gown Fashion
• What I Wore Today
Oklahoma
Oregon:
• Have a Cute Day
Pennsylvania
• Crowded Closet
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota:
• Fashion for the Economically Challenged
Tennessee:
• Cosmic Caroline
Texas:
(Austin fashion blogs)-
• Austin Etc.
• Disheveled Stars
• In Her Stilettos
• Save for Later
• We Hate Nike Shorts
• Wicked Whimsy
• The Year of the Man Makeover
(outside of Austin)-
• Distinctly Desiree
• God's Favorite Shoes
• Kendi Everyday
• Work with What You've Got
Utah
Vermont:
• Waking Life
Virginia:
• Another's Treasure
• Chicfaced
• The Daily Fashionista
• Finders Keepers
• In Bug's Drawers
Washington:
• Lizzy Punch
• What I Wore in a Little Town
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

The Worldly Ones (fashion bloggers outside the U.S.):
• An Affair With Fashion (Australia)
• Blue is in Fashion This Year (Italy)
• Confessions of a Wannabe Fashionista (Canada)
• Cultivating Style (Canada)
• Extra Dressing on the Side (Canada)
• My Edit (Canada)
• Fancy Pants (Australia)
• Fee-AMore (Singapore)
• Geisha Rock (England)
• Lux Vita et Iocus (Mexico)
• Mahyska's Daily Dose (Dubai)
• Pop Your Fashion Pill (Manila)
• Rosemary Mac Cabe (Ireland)

Vintage Shop Blogs:
• Delena Vintage (Texas)
• Lemondrop Vintage (Texas)
• Leproust Vintage (Tennessee)
• Haberdash Vintage (Massachusetts)

Austin blogs (not necessarily fashion or design based or link exchanged)
• Austin Eavesdropper
• Do 512 Blog
• Hip-ster-krit

Favorite design sites (not link exchanged)
• Apartment Therapy
• Creature Comforts
• Decor8 blog
• Design*Sponge
• Making it Lovely
• Oh Joy!
• SFGirlbyBay

Adored Austin Sponsors' Blogs
• Clyde's Rebirth
• Lindsay Burck Designs
• Vignette Photography

[v.2]

Spotlight on: Cory Ryan Photography

Cory Ryan, one of my favorite photographers in the entire world, was the photobooth photographer for last night's Bleet-Up (hosted by Tolly of Austin Eavesdropper). I already placed my order for three of the photos she got of Husband and me, including this little gem:
I just love Cory Ryan. I first saw her business postcard in a swag bag that I got from 2007's Stitch Fashion Show. In fact, it was this very image that made me develop a very deep photography admiration crush on her:
I was able to meet her a year or so later when I found out that she played bass for Hollywood Gossip, a darling pop band of which my friend Justin is also a part.

She recently won the Austin Fashion Week award for best commercial photographer. I think her work is fantastic, and it's so exciting that everyone else agrees! She always uses such bold colors, and she's quick on the trigger, able to capture the best expressions on people's faces.

If you were at the Bleet-up, make sure to check Cory Ryan's Flickr page and then scootch over to her ordering site to get your copies. If you're in need of an incredibly talented professional photographer, I can't recommend Cory enough.

More info:
CoryRyan.com

A letter to my absentee friend RAIN

Dear rain,
You're such a tease. If you're going to send your little minions (also known as the rain clouds) to see us, please don't wuss out of actually appearing yourself.

Thank you sincerely,
The City of Austin (also known as Drought City, U.S.A.)

date: 30 July 2009 (It's also my best friend's birthday! Hi, Bee! I miss you!)
occasion: hoping for rain, gardening, painting, & celebrating National Cheesecake Day!
dress: Jonathan Martin
summer sweater: estate sale
wellies: Costco!!!
wedges (in hand): Soda

Yes, that's a necklace on my head.

I know, I know. Arden Wohl has been doing the whole necklace on your head as a headband for years. No one ever said I was completely original all the time!

date:29 July 2009
occasion: shopping solo on South Congress today
tunic: Angie (new merch from Buffalo Exchange)
shorts (under tunic): XOXOX (Macy's)
wedges: Donna Lawrence
necklace (as headband): Charlotte Ruse

I haven't yet decided if this is what I'm also going to wear to tonight's Bleet-Up. The Bleet-Up (what a ridiculous name, right?) is at The Four Seasons, and there's going to be wine tasting. Sounds swanky! So I should maybe put on a nice dress and brush my hair.

Help: complimentary paint colors

Confession: it took me TWO YEARS to finally pick the colors we recently painted the living room and kitchen. This is sad because one of the reasons why I couldn't wait to have a house was because we would finally, finally, finally be able to paint any color we wanted.

Next week my mother is coming to visit me in Texas for the first time. This is the first time she's seen my house! Before she gets here, I would like to paint the downstairs room (which will become Husband's music room/ office), but I just can't commit to a color! I don't have two years to get this done-- she'll be here next Tuesday! Dear readers, I need your help!

Below are the colors that we already have in our downstairs.

I would like the music room to be a complimentary color since it's right off the living room. It also has a guest bathroom attached to it (the most used guest bathroom, since it's the only bathroom we have downstairs). Any suggestions for one or two complimentary colors? I'm in quite a pickle, as the Husband isn't a fan of pastels or earth tones. My trim and ceilings are off white, and the color can't be girly because I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to start referring to the music room as the Man Cave, since Husband and his man friends will be spending quite a bit of time in there. They so would not appreciate a nice, bright fuchsia.

The ugliest shoes in the world just keep getting uglier.

Honestly?

I had no idea there were so many ways that Crocs can continue to horrify me. What is their women's designer smoking? Seriously. Even though there's 100 million pairs of these hideous shoes out there, when they're charging $50 for HIGH HEELED CROCS, it's no wonder the company is facing financial woes.

Are you pretty? Want to work for American Apparel?

You tell me:
Is it just a coincidence that I got this in my inbox

on the same day that this was published?

Event: All Austin All Handmade Bash

I just got an email from Tribeza about this, and I'm so excited. It's happening this Friday, and even the Husband said he would come!

There's going to be DIY projects by The WonderCraft and a fashion show by Team Fabrication, Broken Ear Productions, W3ll People, and Siren’s Salon. Siren's will also be doing free up-dos for attendees! In addition to the up-dos, there will be massages by Meador Massage, manicures by AZIZ Salon, and photo-booth by Trevor Ray Thompson.

Sublime Stitching, annemarie, Opal-Black, and Peace Boutique will set up shop, and food and drinks samples will be provided by Treaty Oak Platinum Rum, Sweet Leaf Tea, Paula’s Texas Spirits, Blue Note Bakery & NadaMoo!

There will be goody bags for the first 100 guests (sigh, I always get there just as they've run out of goody bags), and GET THIS! The cover is only $2, which is a steal! BUT you can get in for only $1 if you sign up for the guest list by Thursday. And, all the proceeds from the cover charge will be donated to Austin Dog Rescue. Aw, puppies!

If you're from Austin and you're reading this, I hope to see you there! More information is online at: Electric Promotions.

Video: American Apparel Circle Scarf how-to

Wowzer. I got several requests for instructions on exactly how I fashioned my Circle Scarf into Weardrobe's Date Night contest winning dress. My instructional video is below, and additionally, I've included a bonus of five other completely... original ways to use your Circle Scarf.[note: the see the real/ official Circle Scarf videos by American Apparel, go here]

bass in your face, style all over the place

I was feeling inspired by blogger Idée Géniale's latest post, so I, too, put on a headband and a skirt pulled to my waist line. I quite like it, and fully admit that I love getting inspiration from other people's blogs.

date: 27 July 2009
occasion: video blogging, bass playing, and acting class
tube top: F21
skirt: American Apparel
shoes: Unlisted
headband: Goody

This morning I shot a video about how to recreate my American Apparel Circle Scarf dress. The video is being a total jerk and is taking forever and a day to upload to Vimeo, but hopefully it will be online later tonight. I have acting class at 7:00 tonight, so if it isn't online by then, I'll have to post it tomorrow. Sad face! finally online HERE.

Winner winner chicken dinner

Oh my stars!

So, over at Weardrobe.com, they have a weekly contest with different themes. I've entered every week since joining the site, but I never truly expected to win!

But guess what? (Chicken butt). My Circle Scarf dress won me a $50 gift certificate from Angela's Runway. The theme was "date night", which is perfect considering that I wore my scarf (as a dress) to date night last Friday.

I just did a quick perusal of Angela's Runway, and I am crushing on this Foley + Corinna dress. One of my best guy friends is getting married in September, and this may be the perfect dress for the occasion.
My winning streak is HOT right now! Thanks, Weardrobe for being so freaking awesome. Truly, you're one of my favorite sites on the web.

Circle Scarf dress with help from a belt

One of my favorite American Apparel purchases has been the ever versatile Unisex Circle Scarf. I've had the scarf for ages, but I have never been brave enough to wear it as anything other than a scarf. Until now.

date: 24 July 2009
occasion: date night at Sushi Saké and The Cookie Lounge
scarf (as dress): American Apparel
elastic studded belt: new merch from Buffalo Exchange
shoes: Christian Louboutin
bag: Marshalls

When Husband got home from work, I asked him if he liked my dress. Not having seen it before, he eyed it suspiciously and asked, "Where did you get it?"
Me: "It's my Circle Scarf! Does it look strange?"
Him: "No. It looks like something you would wear."

Has anyone ever said that to you? "It looks like something you would wear"? I never know what to think when people say that to me. Sometimes I'm insulted... especially if we're shopping and they hold up something hideous and exclaim, "Hey, this looks like something you would wear!". But sometimes, like last night, I'm just plain confused.

Nonetheless, my new bravery with my Circle Scarf has inspired a video idea. Hopefully I can shoot it this weekend and get it online by Monday night!

Help: Jellyfish t-shirt

One of the best things about the Sanctuary anniversary party last night was the Studio 3 screen printing station that was set up outside. Carmen and I brought t-shirts we had purchased at Target, and we each picked out a design and got our print on.
Carmen did an awesome feather print and I did a hilarious jellyfish. Why a jellyfish, you ask? Well, because 1- jellyfish are funny, and 2- when Husband was just Boyfriend, he and I went on a date to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and we bonded over our mutual awe of jellyfish.

date: 24 June 2009
occasion: just trying on the t-shirt that I made last night
shirt: Mossimo with Studio 3 jellyfish print
jeans: Tommy
shoes: Toms
bag: thrifted via Buffalo Exchange
earrings: made with the help of Megan Fenno of FENNOfashion during Austin Fashion Week

Perhaps you can help with this quandary: I don't usually wear t-shirts. And on the rare occasion that I do don a t-shirt, it's not usually with jeans. The jellyfish print is so low that I can't tuck the shirt into a skirt or high waisted shorts, and quite frankly, I just don't know what else I can wear with it. Do y'all have any suggestions on how I can make this shirt more fashion-y? I would love to wear it more often.

Street Style: Sanctuary's one year anniversary party

I was so excited to be able to make it to Sanctuary's one year anniversary party yesterday. Owner Hannah Curren was working the cash register, and she was just as sweet and adorable as I hoped she would be.

While I was looking at some fantastic little vases, I saw a lovely red dress out of the corner of my eye. I made a mental note to ask that person if I could take her photo for the blog. I looked up and saw that in the red dress was Nikki, a gorgeous actress I run into sometimes at auditions. Her friends were also stunning, so in an Adored Austin Street Style first, I took a group shot. I really liked the way they all had a different take on a floral summer dress.

NIKKI (left)
red dress: Ross
belt: Target
turquoise drop earrings: Leila Rowe

MEREDITH (center)
white dress: Goody Two Shoes (Austin)
bag: Gucci

COURTNEY (right)
lavender dress: Caroline's (Austin)
clutch: Leila Rowe

Now this is getting bizarre

Dear Plinky,
Please see my posts from yesterday.

Dear Universe,
What are you trying to tell me?

Love,
Indiana

The most winning-est day of MY LIFE

I just screamed so loud that I am 99% sure that I woke up everyone on my block!

So remember that stunning BB Dakota dress that I blogged about last week? Well, turns out that I WON IT THIS MORNING! I just now found out!

That is crazy! This along with this afternoon's ModCloth win officially makes this the most winning-est day of my life.

Thanks so much to Danielle over at Fell4Fashion for this super amazing giveaway! I seriously cannot wait to have my BB Dakota dress and take photos in it for my daily style files. I was just telling someone how I need to incorporate more purple into my wardrobe.

Um, since this is the most winning-est day of my life, and it's not yet midnight, I should maybe seriously consider going to buy a lottery ticket...

Thanks again, to Fell4Fashion! I am dumbstruck!

Thanks, ModCloth!

I am smiling so much my face is going to peel off my head! This just happened! I just now won ModCloth's I Spy Thursday! I thought I won the dress from the photo, but I was wrong. Oops! I just re-read the rules, and it says that I win an accessory. Any accessory? Or do they choose? Because if I get to choose, I might choose this beautiful thing:But if I don't get to choose, oh well! I don't care! I'm so excited! I've never won anything awesome, ever! See, kids, great things can happen if you have no life and just sit at home on Twitter all day! Thanks for doing such a freaking awesome giveaway every week, ModCloth! I love you like whoa!

Leslie Hall: Gem sweater genius

Speaking of going to Hobby Lobby...


This song gets stuck in my head every time I get crafty. If you are not yet familiar with the awesomeness that is Leslie Hall, I feel sorry for you. Please watch this video immediately and thank me later.

For additional reading, please see Leslie Hall's Wikipedia page. This is easily the best Wikipedia entry about anyone, ever. Period.

If you would like extra credit in my book, you can also read this brilliant NPR article about her. Two things I adore: Leslie Hall + NPR. Yes!

Linebacker shoulder pads

Do you remember the first time you bought a really, really expensive pair of jeans? I do.

These jeans were my first very expensive denim purchase. While in college I saved and saved my hard earned Clinique counter commissions, and I finally had enough to buy these Paper Denim + Cloth jeans that fit like a dream. However, the very first night that I ever wore them, I went downtown with my friend Glen and I fell off a bar stool! I spilled my drink on some poor girl and I ripped a hole in the knee! I felt like crying.

date: 23 July 2009
occasion: eating Indian food with Abby and going to Hobby Lobby
silk jacket: thrifted 1980's Maggie London via Savers ($5.99!)
jeans: Paper Denim + Cloth (circa 2006)
tank: F21
bag: Marshall's (no tag)

Today it's only 83º outside. Notice how when it gets below 90º, I put on long pants and sleeves! This jacket was a recent-ish find from Savers. The shoulder pads are MASSIVE, and a girl at my church called my jacket "hilarious". I think she secretly meant "awesome". Right?

Event: Sanctuary one year anniversary party

Tonight at 6:00, my friend Carmen and I are going to check out the Sanctuary one year anniversary party.I am so excited to check out this shop, as it won the Austin Fashion Week's reader's choice award for Overall Best Decor Boutique. I am especially excited that Studio 3 (an eco-conscious screen printing company) will be there doing t-shirts on site. I could really use an awesome space man t-shirt. Ha, ha. I sincerely doubt they'll have an astronaut scrim, but... you never know!

Yes, this is a hamburger bed

Austin's infamous hamburger bed recently sold on eBay for $3050.00.Yes, we were all fools for not placing a bid.

[photo by owner Heather Leah Kennedy]

Housewives, represent!

I don't think I've mentioned this on here, but for the last three months or so, I've been in full-on housewife mode. I had jaw surgery last April and along with jaw surgery comes a set of adorable pre-pubescent braces. You can't get acting work as an adult when you have a mouth full of metal. More than likely, they'll come off in October, and then I can get back to work!

So today, whilst in full-on housewife mode, I am attempting to make zucchini bread. Husband picked some ginormous zucchinis from our garden, and he asked if I would pretty please make some zucchini bread. He's just so charming that I had to comply. I wasn't planning on doing a style file photo today since I'm just schlepping around the house, but my apron is so cute that I just had to show it off.

date: 22 July 2009
occasion: baking zucchini bread for Husband
dress: Star Vixen (???) thrifted from Buffalo Exchange
1960's apron: estate sale
shoes: Target, Xhilaration

This apron was another find at an estate sale. In fact, it was the same estate sale where I found this suitcase. I cleaned up at that estate sale! I think I spent more there than my last few excursions of Buffalo Exchange. If I had more free time on my hands, I would start some sort of vintage shop with treasures that I find from estate sales. And just so you know, I would not call my shop "Dead Grandmas", mainly because Husband informed me that that would be poor taste... even though I asked my Grandma what she thought about this, and she thought it was funny.

I'm all for Cheetos, but...

This is gross.
In fact, I can only think of one person who may think this idea is genius.

Two of my favorites

I am about to confess something to you:
My favorite pair of shoes are not my Simple Nappa Pumps or my new Minnetonka Calf Hi boots. Nope, my favorite pair of shoes is a pair of falling apart, Target flip flops that I got four years ago. The soles are coming off, the jewels have fallen out, and they are for sure on their last leg. They're so nasty that my jaw surgeon, who is a male and is at least 35 years old, said they were sad looking. You know it's bad when a male in his 30's notices and then vocally bashes your fashion choices.
Nonetheless, I vow to wear these flip flop until the day they no longer flip. Or flop. And today, on this glorious day when I have absolutely nothing to do and no where to be, I wore said flip flops.
date: 21 July 2009
occasion: doing absolutely nothing and loving every minute!
dress: GAP (last summer, on clearance)
tube top: Express (Eegads, can you imagine how scandlous this dress would be without a tube top?)
flip flops: Target
necklace: another treasure from my Grandma

My grandma collects owls and my high school mascot was an owl. So when owls got trendy a while back, I was like "Score!" This owl necklace is my end all favorite out of all the costume jewelry pieces my grandma gave me.
I saw an identical one at Feathers last week going for $60. I don't plan to sell mine, ever. I'm probably going to be buried in my falling apart Target flip flops and my grandma's owl necklace.

Event: Bleet

I am going to this. Are you?It's called a "Bleet-up" but to my knowledge, there will not be any goats present. Unless, of course, the goat has an Austin based blog...

Austin Fashion Week WINNERS

Congrats, Launch 787 on a successful Austin Fashion Week! I'm already looking forward to next year's... I just hope it can be in a month OTHER than July. The Beautiful People of Austin look so much more beautiful when they're not melting from outside temperatures of 104º. Jake Holt's photos from the red carpet are online here.

The complete list of Austin Fashion Week winners is posted on their official site, but here I've posted links to the winner's websites and linked where the hairstylists work, just in case you want to shop online or book appointments with Golden Boot winners.

FASHION AND DECOR BOUTIQUES
Best Overall Fashion Boutique:
Reader’s Choice: Touch of Sass
Critic’s Choice: Estillo
Best Overall Women’s Boutique: Solid Gold
Best Overall Men’s Boutique: Service Menswear
Best Vintage Boutique: Feathers (Myspace)
Best Denim: Hem Jeans
Best Accessories: Touch of Sass
Best Shoes: Creatures
Best Jewelry: Eliza Page
Best Handbags: Touch of Sass
Best Customer Service: Soigne Boutique
Best Kids or Baby Boutique: Wee
Best Store Atmosphere/Interiors: Girl Next Door
Best Quality While Keeping Budget in Mind: SoLa
Most “Austin” Boutique: Austin Handmade

Best Overall Decor Boutique:
Reader’s Choice: Sanctuary
Critic’s Choice: Aviary
Best Atmosphere/Interiors: Mercury Design
Best Customer Service: Aviary
Best Gifts: Sanctuary
Best Antiques/Vintage: Uncommon Objects
Best Modern/Contemporary Decor: Kirk Gallery
Best Home Linens: Wildflower Organics
Best Furniture: Nest Modern
Best Quality While Keeping Budget in Mind: Room Service Vintage
Most “Austin” Home Decor Boutique: Mercury Design

SALONS
Best Overall Salon:
Reader’s Choice: Avant Salon
Critic’s Choice: Ann Kelso Salon and CitySpa
Best Atmosphere/Interiors: SALON by Milk + Honey
Best Customer Service: Roar Salon
Best Women’s Cut: Jackson- Ruiz
Best Men’s Cut: Wet Salon (Yelp)
Best Color: Sirens Salon
Most “Austin” Salon: Birds Barbershop

DESIGNERS
Best Overall Designer:
Reader’s Choice: Catherine Nicole
Critic’s Choice: René Geneva
Rising Star: Broken Ear Productions
Best Jewelry Designer: Dean Fredrick
Best Handbag Designer: Sweet Potato Island (Etsy)
Best Women’s Clothing Designer: René Geneva
Best Men’s Clothing Designer: Mint Owl (Myspace)
Best Bridal Designer: Linda Asaf
Best Children’s Designer: La*Tee*Da*Kids (Etsy)
Best Home Accessories Designer: Deborah Main Designs

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHERS
Best Overall Fashion Photographer:
Reader’s Choice: Jonyrose
Critic’s Choice: Chad Harlan
Best Product Photographer: Cory Ryan
Best Lighting: Tania Quintania
Best Editing (Photoshop): Andrew Chan
Most Creative Photographer: Darla Teagarden (Myspace)

HAIR STYLISTS
Best Overall Hair Stylist:
Reader’s Choice: Angela Casler (Ann Kelso Salon)
Critic’s Choice: Lisa Brooks (Grapevine Salon)
Best Women’s Cut: Brandi Cowley (Bo Salon)
Best Men’s Cut: Rory McNeil (Roar Salon)
Best Color: Lisa Brooks (Grapevine Salon)

MAKEUP ARTISTS
Best Overall Makeup Artist:
Reader’s Choice: Lecia Harkins
Critic’s Choice: Mandy Morrison
Best Use of Color: Maris Malone Calderon
Best Technique: Nisa Nicole
Most Creative: Maris Malone Calderon

MODELS
Best Overall Female Model:
Reader’s Choice: Laura Ann (Model Mayhem)Critic’s Choice: Zion Francis (Agence Talent)

Best Overall Male Model:
Reader’s Choice: Christian Ramirez (Model Mayhem)Critic’s Choice: Rush Kemp (Premiere Image Agency)

Congratulations, Berkley Illustration!

A couple weeks ago, I blogged about Ryan Berkley's Mr. & Mrs. Cardinal set (i.e. the lone print Husband and I have hung up in our house). So imagine my delight when I was flipping through the latest Urban Outfitters catalog, and saw some framed Berkley Illustration prints.

One of my favorite things is being way ahead of a trend, but one of my other favorite things is seeing independent artists having market success!

There are so many hard working artists and designers who tirelessly hawk their goods on Etsy and at craft fairs. Every once in a while, something awesome happens (like being picked up by Urban Outfitters). So when that happens, we should all rejoice and find renewed vigor for our own independent ventures.

One of my goals for this site is to celebrate local designers and artists and other noteworthy independent designers and artists. If you are interested in being profiled on Adored Austin, please don't hesitate to contact me. Keep up the hard work. Oh, and Ryan? Congrats!

Power color, GO!

Do you have a power color? It's a color that you wear that instantly makes you feel beautiful, unstoppable, and full of life. For me, that color is sunshiney yellow. The closer to a rubber duck, the better!

date: 20 July 2009
occasion: recovering from Austin Fashion Week (i.e. the busiest week of my life!)
dress: Karta (via Buffalo Exchange)
flip flops: Macy's
vintage train case: Room Service Vintage

The train case is another fantastic find. It sits on top of my entertainment center and I keep the tv and stereo remotes in it, but every once in a while, I dump the case and use it as a day purse.

They're at it again...

Oh, Uncle Jean-Charles! You and cousin Gaga's partnership is just too ridiculous for words.
How many plush frogs were killed in the making of this coat? Watch out! PETM (People for the Ethical Treatment of Muppets) is gonna getcha'.

P.S. I was not kidding about the Fozzie bear coat.

Well, they sure spelled Kreativ creatively

Someone high five me! I would like to thank Leproust Vintage for bestowing the "Kreativ Blogger" award onto me. Leproust Vintage has an envy-inspiring blog, so it truly is an honor to get that from someone as awesome as she is.

The cool thing about this award is that we're supposed to share seven interesting tidbits about ourselves and then we give out the award to seven other bloggers. So without further ado, here are my tidbits:

1. When I was a kid, I thought it was perfectly acceptable to wear costumes to school. I clearly remember wearing a grass skirt to school in the dead of winter one year.
2. About every other day, I say I'm going to get bangs and color my hair, but I can't man up to do it!
3. French tip, acrylic fingernails kind of freak me out, and I have no idea why!
4. I find all my best clothes and home decor at estate sales.
5. I'm from a tiny town in southern Indiana, where the nearest mall was two towns over.
6. My biggest fashion mistake: 7th grade. High water pants. Full length yearbook photo for student council.
7. My fashion weaknesses: moccasins, yellow dresses, gray sweaters, and skirts with pockets.

And now I honor the following seven bloggers with the Kreativ Award:

• Blue Colar Catwalk
• In Bug's Drawer
• Pop Your Fashion Pill
• Idée Géniale
• Denoto
• Beautify My Life
• The Punky Cucumber

Nominee Rules: • Thank the person who nominated you for the award• Copy the logo and place it on your blog• Link to the person who nominated you for this award• List seven things about yourself that people might find interesting• Nominate and post links to the seven Kreativ Bloggers you nominate• Leave a comment on each of the blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.

That's why her hair is so big. It's full of secrets.

In an attempt to satiate my new desire for big hair, I broke down and bought a box of As Seen on TV's Bumpits.

Big hair love

I love big hair. Last night's hair show has got me thinking about ways to pump up the volume on my own coiffure.
But as much as I love big hair, I obviously do not love it as much as our ole friend Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (yes, the same Jean-Charles de Castelbajac from Thursday's Animal post).

What is with this guy? I kinda wish he were my awesome, eccentric uncle.