Artist We Love: Elisa Mazzone

Artist, designer, and stylist Elisa Mazzone has a unique flair for creating all that is feminine, dreamy, and nothing short of beautiful. The South Australian native focuses primarily on female subjects, whether it be a portrait of Kate Hudson, anonymous watercolors, or looks for a fashion magazine. Her unique pieces often incorporate mixed mediums to achieve the whimsical, often playful effects for which she aims. To view more of her allluring illustrations visit her official website.

Above are some of our favorite Mazzone illustrations. Below are 3 winter looks she has put together working as a stylist, along with the Nina Nguyen pieces that would be stunning with her outfits.

Since most of the pieces included in this style feature have high necklines and collars, earrings or a bold ring would be the best choice. A classic design like Nina Nguyen Petal Earrings would be a fantastic way to complement this sophisticated look.

For this vintage-inspired, jet-setter outfit a statement bracelet would be ideal. Try pairing Nina Nguyen’s Emerge Black Druzy Bracelet with an A-line dress, snazzy scarf, and over-sized bag. Easy fall/winter chic with little effort.

If you plan on rockin’ the faux fur, bold colors, a hat, and wide-leg pants all in one, keep the jewelry minimal. One statement piece, like an over-sized ring, maintains the bold look without throwing it off balance. We like Nina Nguyen’s Lennox Geode Ring with this fun outfit.

Celebrity Style Profile: Blake Lively

from Lively’s Marie Claire photoshoot

While Blake Lively is certainly no exception to the celebrity privilege of having designer clothing, her ability to take the pieces and style them in a unique, fashion-forward manner makes her a true style icon. Her refreshing take on wardrobe ensembles is also enhanced by her easy-going, confident persona, healthy-looking body, and her signature tousled blond beach waves. Here are some of our favorite street style and Red Carpet looks that Ms. Lively has sported as of late.

Diesel Jeans, Diesel Leather Jacket, Frye Boots, Theodora & Callum Scarf, Givenchy Bag

When not on set, Lively keeps it cool and urban-chic. Her thick scarf, oversized bag, and bomber jacket are a perfect complement to her fitted jeans and boots. Her nude make-up and barely-done hair complete this grunge-inspired city look. Once the scarf is off, Nina Nguyen’s Bella Necklace in brown druzy would be a perfect finishing touch.

Lanvin Suit, Lanvin Necklace

For her appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Blake chose this chic Lanvin suit and necklace. The boldness of the suit and necklace call for simple hair, make-up and shoes. Lively styled herself accordingly, looking stylish while casual enough for the late night comedy show. Nina Nguyen’s Perdita geode earrings would be a great way to finish this emsemble.

2009 Emmys. Versace dress.

For the 2009 Emmy Awards, Lively stunned everyone in this dramatic red Versace gown. With the plunging neckline and high-cut slit, Lively chose a simple diamond cuff, studs, nude shoes, and a neat braid. This look exemplifies Lively’s impeccable ability to wear sexy, eye-catching pieces without looking overtly sexual or tacky. The more dramatic the garment, the simpler the accessories and hair should be. A bold ring like Nina Nguyen’s Amelia white druzy ring would also work well with this Red Carpet look.

LA Savages premier. Zuhair Murad dress.

In one of her most exciting and memorable looks to date, Lively sported this glamorous Zuhair Murad dress. The black accents that match her curves play up the Old Hollywood glamour vibe she channeled with her red lips and voluminous curls. With few accessories and a neutral palette, Lively again struck the perfect balance between sexy, chic, classic and fashion-forward. If you plan on mimicking this glamorous look at home (maybe with a less dramatic dress), try Nina Nguyen’s subtle Nimbus studs in black druzy.

Which celebrities do you find the most inspiring?

Playlist Lookbook

Whenever you need some extra fashion inspiration, try creating a playlist of your favorite artists. Or, ask someone to introduce you to new music. Below are a few fall looks we put together, inspired by some of our favorite songs.

BB Dakota Lala Dress, Sigerson Morrison Booties, BauXo Belt.

This look mimics the wonderfully unpolished notes in “Skinny Love” while maintaining the understated beauty of Bon Iver’s most popular tune. The stripped-down acoustic style inspired this low-key, rustic, feminine look. Loose-fitting denim shirts and vintage booties balance the flouncy nature and girlish qualities of any floral dress. For those cooler fall nights try layering black leggings or wearing knee-high boots with the dress.

Click here to listen to “Skinny Love.”

Kain Tank Top, Roberto Cavalli Jeans, Sara Designs Watch, Ray Ban Sunglasses, Nina Nguyen Bella Necklace, Naturalizer Boots

When you want that extra boost in the morning to strut your stuff, make sure the Black Keys’ “Sinister Kid” is in your playlist. Buckled boots, embellished jeans, a simple tank, and heavy metal accessories are sure to make you walk tall. To go from fall to winter, add a chic bomber or leather motorcycle jacket.

Click here to listen to “Sinister Kid.”

Gucci Blouse, Alexis Bittar Ring and Bangles, Tory Burch Bag, J Brand Jeans

For a little more mystique in the 70’s inspired styles trending now, try doing them in dark neutrals with deep denim hues and edgy, modern accessories. This look, inspired by Florence + The Machine’s “Bird Song,” balances the whimsical beauty and minor notes of the song with the breezy top and edgy coloring. To go all out with the 70’s theme, pair with a hippie couture headband and platforms. To modernize the look, try it with skinny jeans and heels, boots or flats.

Click here to listen to “Bird Song.”

Frye Boots, Erdem Silk Blouse, Diesel Jeans, Maurices Ring, Lucky Brand Earrings

Blitzen Trapper’s music is a refreshing blend of folk and alternative. Their song, “Black River Killer” would be perfect for roadtrip through the Pacific Northwest. Embrace the rugged and natural landscape as a fantastic fall wardrobe inspiration: look comfortable and cool in distressed jeans and boots, unpolished jewelry, and an easy, flowy top. Keep the jeans on the skinnier side and the boots shorter so your legs don’t get overwhelmed by the baggier top.

Click here to listen to “Black River Killer.”

Juicy Couture Top, Rag & Bone Jeans, Bing Bang Studs, Jules Smith Bracelet, Marc Jacobs Bracelet, Diane Von Furstenberg Clutch

Sia’s quirky, unique, and colorful image is a perfect inspiration for fun weekend looks. Her song “The Co-Dependent” is irresistibly yummy music, with a bubbly beat perfect for getting in the groove with the neon accent trend. When incorporating this much color into an outfit, make sure to keep your jewelry and accessories neutral and simple. Later in the fall season, you can always opt for just one boldly-colored piece by swapping the top or bottom for a neutral.

Click here to listen to “The Co-Dependent.”

Fall Trend Report: Tiny Waists and Padded Hips

A curvy silhouette is one of the more noticeable, dramatic, yet wearable trends this fall. Peplums, padded hips and panniers all give volume to the hip area, while emphasizing the smallest part of a woman’s body: her waist. On the runway, designers played with the styles that dominated women’s fashion from the 1500s through the Victorian era. The updated version of these historical looks, however, does not include the painful corsets or frilly undergarments that prevent all forms of natural movement. Rather, the designs frequenting the runway this fall are ideal for every-day looks. Because they exaggerate the natural curves of a woman’s body, they are flattering on a variety of body types, making this trend one of the most exciting of the season.

Top Left: Alexander McQueen, Top Center: Bottega Veneta, Top Right: Hakaan, Bottom Left: Peter Pilotto, Bottom Right: Pannier undergarment

While panniers generally describe a type of undergarment, pepla are normally on the surface of the garment, taking the form of structured flaps that are placed at the top of the hips. In the looks above, the bottom right, top center, and top right pieces incorporate the use of a peplum to complete the “curvy” fall look. The top left and bottom right looks are examples of panniers, with more dramatic, almost horizontal padding.

This trend’s ready-to-wear looks will make any woman’s body look fantastic and feminine, while still maintaining a trendy edge. Keep your look sophisticated by pairing the bold looks below with simple accessories and solid colors (neutrals are always a great choice for this style).

(1) Theyskens’ Theory jacket; (2) alice + olivia peplum dress; (3) Rebecca Taylor Peplum top; (4) Shoshanna Jane strapless dress; (5) Rebecca Minkoff leather peplum tank; (6) Tibi Simona jacquard open back dress

To purchase the pieces featured above, visit shopbop.com.

Splendor: Nina Nguyen Designs

SPECIAL THANKS to Carlotta from SPLENDOR for her post about NINA NGUYEN DESIGNS
Read her post below: 

Located along the banks of Vietnam’s Perfume River is the Thien Mu pagoda, a 17th century Buddhist temple touted as one of the country’s most beautiful structures. Vietnam is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Nina Nguyen.

Who says expensive jewelry is the best jewelry out here?  Don’t get me wrong, plenty of high-end jewelry brands are gorgeous!

On the other hand, in my opinion fashion jewelry designers like Americans Melinda Raney of Melinda Maria Jewelry and Wendy Culpepper, German brand Bastian InverunHovey Lee (China) and Aya Azrielant (Israel) have their finger on the pulse of the everyday woman.

They understand that she is not a celebutante or jet setter.  They know that she is someone who is often pressed for time and money.  They recognize that she is someone who would love to indulge in what is fashionable without hurting her pocketbook.

Florida-based Nguyen is among the growing number of jewelry designers who create stunning, quality pieces at affordable prices.  Nguyen’s brand, Nina Nguyen Designs, is informed by worldwide travels and the hands-on experience its designer acquired during visits with her goldsmith uncle.

“In 2004, after a trip to India, I decided to change my career path from working in the financial industry to starting a jewelry design firm.  My collections including Hoi-Anand Sai-Gon are carefully handcrafted by skilled artisans in my company’s Women’s Co-Operative in Vietnam.Nguyen excels at delicate and buoyant designs that highlight varied textures and colors within pared down outlines of lush 22-karat gold plated sterling silver.  There are beautiful pendant necklaces, leather wrap bracelets, multi-strand necklaces and gemstone earrings showcasing briolette cuts of moonstone, blue topaz, labradorite, peridot, rose quartz, pink tourmaline and raw druzy and geodes.

It gives me much pleasure to contribute to the beauty of women. My hope is that every woman will enjoy wearing my jewelry as much as I enjoy designing each and every piece.””My jewelry is a reflection of my spirit. I design each piece to be unique, feminine and stylish. I envision my pieces empowering the wearer.