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{I LOVE 80'S PARTIES!} Style Icons of a Fashionable Decade

Anyone who is a product of the 80's or lived through this memorable decade most likely has embarrassing photos of themselves in ostentatious clothing. Whether it be wild hair, flamboyant colors, or off the wall accessories, 80's trends were and still are a staple in fashion history. On the flip side of all of this, a lot of fabulous fashions were not just fads; they have either stayed wildly popular until the present or have resurfaced in modern, sophisticated ways. Let's take a peek at three of my totally bodacious and favorite fashion icons.

Madonna. Madonna first moved to NYC in hopes of a career in modern dance; boy did her life take a different turn. To me, Madonna epitomizes a style icon. She has reinvented herself countless times throughout the years and has managed to stay on top of her musical and fashionable game. Love her or not, you can't defend that she she hasn't made a stylish impact in pop culture. My favorite fashion technique that Madonna has used throughout the years is that she plays with different fabrics. From spandex leotards to leather jumpsuits, from jeans and a button down shirt to flowing saris, Madonna experiments with textiles in inventive ways that reflect where she is at in her life, whether it be young and 'material' to spiritual and sophisticated. Her look exemplifies what a performer should look like.

Michael Jackson. It's hard to believe that someone of such phenomenal fame and importance in musical history is no longer with us. He joins Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and so many other musical geniuses in a different realm, but his legacy has and will stay alive. A documentary about Michael Jackson called 'This Is It' is in theaters right now. It's two week span has been extended until Thanksgiving weekend, so I definitely plan to see that in theaters so I can experience his would have been last performance in as real of a setting as I can. Let us commemorate the style of MJ. Of course he is known for so many trends, most notably his cropped pants with white socks, but my favorite pieces that Michael sported so well throughout the years were fabulous jackets. He inspired millions to wear zipper-accented red jackets, slick leather suit jackets, sparkling moonwalk jackets, and military-inspired garb. He did not shy away from hats, embellishments, color, or arm bands. A true style icon in his own right, Michael paved the way for so many pop icons, celebrities, and normal everyday people to take risks with their clothing.

Molly Ringwald. She made her mark in 80's favorites such as The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Pretty In Pink...to name just a few. Though she played the quintessential teen girl, she was always striving for individualism in her everyday life, which definitely reflected in her clothing choices. Ringwald has noted that Edie Sedgwick, Marilyn Monroe, Diane Keaton, Dianne Wiest and Brigitte Bardot as her fashion role models. Known as John Hughes' muse, her style reflected femininity and quirkiness. In my opinion, her most notable fashion techniques were pairing lots of things that didn't quite go together, but seemed to make sense at the same time. She defined youth and always managed to achieve that girl-next-door, school girl look. And who can forget her short red do? A refreshing staple in a world of blonde bombshells and brunette babes. She has a nostalgic quality about her, which undoubtedly makes her iconic.

All of these icons can inspire tons of looks for everyday life as many fashion designers such as Marc Jacobs and Betsy Johnson (to name a few) have done. Not only can you make 80's clothing wearable and very today, but they are always festive for Halloween or appropriate for a decade themed party. I must say that 80's parties are all over college campuses nationwide, and is the ideal theme for a birthday party because it's so easy to achieve and fun to do. Start with a Totally 80's Party Invitation that plays up the neon hues of the decade, or perhaps this Stylish 80's Invitation will inspire people to wear something fabulous. Take cues from these style gurus and individualize them! Be your own fashion icon or inspire others! Stay Fab*ulous!

Madonna Image Credits: Madonna photo and ankle boot, celebrations print, & Cameron Diaz as Madonna photo via Polyvore.com. 

Michael Jackson Image Credits: Black & White image,  embellished black jacket & red leather jacket via Polyvore.com

Molly Ringwald Image Credits: Pretty In Pink image and Tiered Skirt & Hat image via Polyvore.com.

My Favorite Tablescapes

I took these photos of events I have had. The tablescapes are simple and really focus on the food. From birthday parties to holiday parties to baby showers. 

For my dad's party I selected navy and silver as the table colors to signify wisdom, maturity and a classy combination.

My friend's chose pink and brown for my baby shower because they are a trendy color combination that is both chic and sweet.

For our holiday parties I always incorporate red into the tablecloths and very often into the partyware. Mixing red with green or gold or silver is a festive choice. 

Choosing two inks for a tablescape is just perfect.

{Fab*Bride} A Bridal Spotlight on Leda!

We're back with our third edition of Fab*Bride! This week's choice comes from a nomination by Sarah Rhoads Photographers, a husband and wife team based in Seattle, Washington. I adore each and every one of the photos I've seen them produce. They have such a freshness to them - truly unique! When they nominated Leda, I could not believe my eyes! The wedding is so artistic and stunning, and the bride is truly beautiful. I asked Sarah a few questions about Leda. She responded with willingness to chat about our lovely Fab*Bride!

What makes Leda fabulous?  What makes Leda fabulous is her heart for others. She is one of the most selfless and kindhearted brides I have had. She knows how to put her friends and family before herself and I really admire that in her. On another note she is extremely stylish and beats to the tune of her own drum!

What is it about her that makes her interesting?  Well Leda is naturally breathtaking. She has a very unique look to her that instantly draws you in. Beyond that, she has an extremely dynamic personality and charismatic style.

What was your favorite part about photographing her? What makes her stand out from other brides?  My favorite part about shooting her was she was completely natural in front of the camera. She let her guard down with me and we got fantastic photos because of that. What makes Leda stand out is her heart for others and her flawless sense of style ;)

Without further ado, let us introduce Leda!

Your wedding is stunningly modern. What is it about this aesthetic that you love so much? What advice do you have for other brides out there who want something clean, yet totally chic?  Like many brides, the style of our wedding evolved over the course of planning it.  I always wanted an outdoor wedding and 'tent' reception, but the logistics became difficult taking into account our budget and geography (Seattle...rain!).  We ended up choosing a hotel near the Museum of Glass and were really inspired by the beautiful glass art throughout the hotel.  The black-on-black look seen in our wedding just seemed really classic and modern.  I really liked the idea of using a lot of black but in different textures.  Usually the more simple and clean, the more impact.  We had black chairs, table cloths, runners, tall black vases and bright flowers really popped against all the black. 

How did you know that Jonathan was ‘the one?’ He was the one who could always make me laugh.  I think that's the key to a happy marriage.  Find the one that makes you laugh and you're set for life.

Your photographer told us that you are super stylish! When we saw these photographs, we could not agree more! Who is your fashion icon + why? Oh do I have to choose just one?  I'd have to say Sarah Jessica Parker, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Blake Lively and Diane Von Furstenberg not only because I love their style, but they're not afraid to be themselves.  I admire people who aren't afraid to step out of their comfort zone. 

If you could label one song as the theme to your wedding, what would it be? Definitely "First Day of My Life" by Bright Eyes.  We had it as the background to the slide show we played at our reception and it was one of my favorite moments of our wedding.

{Fabulous Flashback} It's a Jolly Holiday with a Mary Poppins Tea Party!

'Tis the season to snuggle up with your sweetie, cozy up by the fire, and watch classic movies that remind us of why it is so wonderful to be young at heart and imaginative. This week's post pulls from an old favorite of mine...Mary Poppins! A lot of my friends poke fun at me (and some join in my love) because I adore timeless musicals, Disney movies, and other classic flicks filmed before my time. My parents always exposed me to these films, which I'm certainly grateful for, but there are those that weren't acquainted with classics such as Mary Poppins. So if you're totally confused right now with my favorite-movie-rant, let me expand your imagination with a Mary Poppins Tea Party! If you already familiar with Disney's cinematic genius, you'll find this post "practically perfect in every way!"

A Mary Poppins Tea Party is ideal for a young girl's birthday party or a leisurely ladies day out. With the holidays just around the corner (can you believe it's already almost November?), we've tailored this party to have a festive flair. The caramel apple imagery and adorable tablescape seen above is courtesy of the Party Wishes blog. She has literally pinpointed every detail of the movie and incorporated them into the party's theme. Some favorite ideas are:

• have everyone wear Mary Poppins inspired hats: (perhaps the white tie around the neck number tickles your fancy, or you'd like to be a little more casual with a plain black one adorned with little flowers)
• provide artful activities such as kite decorating (to fly to the highest height of course) and sidewalk chalk (to jump into their drawings)
• play games such as "Tuppins Toss" or "A Spoon Full of Sugar" relay
• set up a photo shoot with a carousel horse

Some other ideas we came up with are:

{Wednesday Trendsday} Fabulous Feathers

Brides.com has always covered the bridal fashion runway with pizazz, offering reports on the latest styles from top designers- including among others Vera Wang, Amsale, and Melissa Sweet (my favorite).  On the Spring 2010 runway, some of the designers were showing more than gowns and many featured incredible and unique headbands and hair pieces. They sparked my interest right away because I have a slight obsession with headbands. Headbands are half of the reason I watch Gossip Girl.

One of the sweetest head pieces was the feather band featured above from the Melissa Sweet show. It looks like a crown that could be worn during an autumnal garden wedding. It may be a little over the top for traditional brides, but it's a very elegant jumping off point for hair accessory inspiration. Etsy seller TessaKim offers this headband with soft assorted feathers and a pearl button. It's pretty, whimsical, and a statement piece. 

We have our own way of being inspired by nature's feathered flocks. Featured above are Fine Feathers,  Thicket, and Peacock Feathers. Check out more garden wedding invitations.

So what do you think of this fine feathered trend? Would you wear feathers as a bridal hair accessory?

It's a... Baby! | Stylish Baby Must-Haves

It's been a while since we've seen a baby post here on Fab*Blog, so the time is right for a little baby love! I've put together a pink and blue post with lots of adorable birth announcements and irresistible baby must-haves.

Start out with a colorful birth announcement like the ones shown here (middle column). Each have a unique style and is a great way to inform friends and family of your new bundle of joy. Make it even more special with a picture-perfect photo of your baby, like the ones here (top left, top right), taken by photographer Paula Kennedy.

Then, pick up a handmade onesie from etsy. I found these two (middle left, middle right) from etsy seller CantaloupeCorner. With lots of super-cute options, you're sure to find something just right!

Finish off with a pair of stylish booties from Robeez and you're set! Sure, socks are the go-to for infant footwear, but why not change it up with a great pair of tiny shoesies for your little one?

These are just the beginning to some great shopping options, so get out there and have fun with it. Whether you are out buying for your own little one or for a friend, you can definitely find some cuter than cute and highly unique gifts!

Image Credits:

Baby girl photo, Baby boy photo, Girl onesie, Boy onesie, Girl shoes, Boy shoes.

Birth Announcements:

Sweet Dreamer, Polka Dotted Arrival, Argyle Diaper Pins, Special Delivery in Blue.

A Vibrant Dia de los Muertos Wedding

Have you ever heard of a Day of the Dead wedding? The Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans throughout the US and Canada on November 1st and 2nd which is also All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day. The celebrations are festive, full of color, and often involving sweets like sugar skulls and delicious foods. You can read more about Dia de los Muertos here on Wikipedia, including information about the rich culture of celebrating those who have passed on. Wiki says that the celebrations are often comical, and that to me explains the use of vibrant skull motifs and figurines.

I stumbled across the adorable and lively Dia de los Muertos wedding above on Offbeat Bride, and the bride Julie was sweet enough to share her photos with me. I love all of the details- from the bright blue, fuchsia, lime, and orange decor to the spread of sweets at the candy buffet. I think the cake may just be the best part. Julie and her husband were married in Las Vegas, so their cake topper featured a bride, groom, and Elvis skeleton. How kitschy cute?! The festive colors didn't just lend itself to the cake and candy, but also to her retro floral printed dress, colorful paper poms, and her candle lit centerpieces. 

A Dia de los Muertos wedding is brave & unique and oh-so-fun! The idea can easily lend itself to an everyday celebration or birthday as well. Consider these adorable sugar skulls from Dean & Deluca, a skull cake design one of our consultants saw at a friend's recent 40th birthday party, and Mexican party invitation Fiesta Grande.

Have you ever been to a Day of the Dead wedding or party? If so, let me know in a comment below. I would love to hear about it!

{Fab*Bride} A Bridal Spotlight on Kerry-Ann!

Meet our newest Fab*Bride: Kerry-Ann! Kerry-Ann and Jason exchanged vows on Saturday, August 1, 2009 at a catholic church in Miami Beach, Florida. Family from around the world traveled to witness their special event that fused Kerry-Ann's Chinese-Jamaican culture with Jason's Filipino background.

Our nomination of Kerry-Ann for Fab*Bride comes from Agnes Lopez Photography, a top wedding photographer from Northeast Florida, whose photographs have been featured in Grace Ormond Wedding Style Magazine, The Knot Magazine, The Bride and Bloom Magazine, Southern Weddings Magazine, Jacksonville Magazine, and on the cover of Jacksonville Luxury Living Magazine. Aside from wedding photography, she also specializes in fashion and editorial photography. When asked why Kerry-Ann was an obvious choice for a Fab*Bride, Agnes was,

"so impressed by Kerry-Ann's ability to plan from afar and pull off such an extraordinary  event. The wedding was so beautiful and I loved how they were able to mix their cultures and traditions seamlessly. One of the unique things about her wedding was her beautifully custom designed dress. According to the article in the Jamaica Observer,  'after watching the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, Kerry-Ann fell in love with a Pogah Couture dress worn by reality star Lauren Conrad and immediately tracked down the designer. That done, mother and daughter flew to Los Angeles for a consultation with the designer who agreed to turn the dress into a wedding gown for her special day.' Kerry-Ann and Jason also had a surprised choreographed first dance.  They kept it a secret from everyone including me.  It was so much fun to photograph their dance and everyone's reactions."

We at Fab*Blog cannot agree more! Kerry-Ann was a perfect candidate of what we consider a Fab*Bride! Not only is she gorgeous (her smile is so contagious, right?), but she has so much confidence! Without further ado, the ten grueling (aka fun!) Fab*Bride questions!

{Wednesday Trendsday} On TV: GLEE!

My mom typically won't talk to me on the phone on Wednesdays because she thinks I'm grumpy. No one else seems to notice, but my mom has told me that all my life I've disliked Wednesdays in a strange way. Well, I know you're reading mom and you should know I LOVE Wednesdays now! Glee is on FOX on Wednesdays, and it is such a delightful show. It's pretty popular too, and the fashion on the show is becoming trendy. Several of the characters, including the ambitious Glee club lead singer Rachel, don school girl plaid and modest collars. I've heard numerous places that plaid will be all over the place this fall and winter- from runways to the mall. Other characters on the show play into high school staples like nerds, jocks, cheerleaders, goth kids, and fashionistas, but the show blends the line between 'popular' and 'not popular' with all of the archetypes participating in the glee club together. It's campy, it's colorful, and it teaches great lessons, all the while singing and popping-and-locking to show tunes and top 40 hits. I hope this Wednesday Trendsday finds you gleeful and not at all grumpy.

Featured above: Photos of Glee characters Rachel, Finn, and Emma, all from imdb.  Hit Record Necklace, Rad Plaid Dress, Art History Dress (what a great name!), and Style Coach Necklace, all from Mod Cloth.  Classic Patch Plaid and Savvy Houndstooth invitations from Whitney English. Shop more patterned invitations. Or, music themed invitations.

Preston Bailey Wedding Invitations | Let Color Inspire Your Wedding Story

We are on cloud nine at Invitation Consultants and it's all due to the fabulous new wedding invitations created and inspired by Preston Bailey!

An internationally renown event designer who has crafted beautiful events for so many A-list clients, Preston takes ordinary to extraordinary with his sumptuous and theatrical "art installations."

The purpose of these invitations is to allow the flowers to inspire your wedding and let the colors and bountiful centerpieces act as the basis for your wedding story. For those who dream in color (as I have always done), let these exquisite designs expand your imagination and help guide you through choosing the details of your wedding. We've taken four invitations and built a colorful wedding story around them. Let's take a peek!

The elegant 'Held Dearly' wedding invitation features a green floral background with multiple shades of sages and pops of periwinkle. Green can be translated so many ways from energetic and crisp, to soothing and natural. It is a symbol for growth and renewal, the perfect inspiration as you begin your new life together. Colorful candies, beautiful jewels, and a tropically modern cake are all ideas that we pulled from this wedding invitation.

The whimsical nature of Preston's 'Signature Sweetness' invitation shimmers and blossoms as every bride should do on her special day. She must feel royally special. Purple can be soft and feminine, or bold and noble. It is a color for all seasons - use lavenders for Spring and Summer and deep eggplants and fuchsias for Fall and Winter. We've paired this lovely invite with an extravagant tablescape and chic purple heels.

The sunny 'Sunflower Fantasy' invitation is vibrant and optimistic. You feel instant happiness from these sunflowers and you can't help but fall in love with the modern design. It's clean and refreshing, warm and pure. Parasols, coordinated tie+bout, and zingy lemon-tinis exude cheerfulness on your wedding day.

'Rose Bloom' is a romantic choice of invitation for the elegant bride and groom. It's sheer and simple aesthetic allows the over-sized flower to truly tell a love story. Creamy corals, espressos, pinks, and creams are all seamlessly represented in this unique design. Neapolitan ice cream and a stylishly-sweet creamy gown with coordinating brown sash make your heart skip a beat.

It is easy to see how the lavish and sophisticated designs of Preston Bailey inspired fabulous invitations. Planning a wedding is simple if you have a core idea. Choose your invitations first and let them create a statement for your wedding. It's the first glimpse your guests have at the style of your wedding. With these invitations, the first page of your wedding story will take you all the way to happily ever after. The End.

All wedding invitations are courtesy of Preston Bailey for Invitation Consultants. Inspiration imagery are courtesy of real weddings from Project Wedding and The Knot.