Maya H., Author at Blueprint for Style | Monica Barnett

Donwan Harrell: Style Hunt for Denim Designer

Brand: PRPS Heirloom, an affordable version of PRPS ($130-$1,350) Designer: Donwan Harrell Dossier: Founder of King Krash, PRPS, and Akademiks; a father; a car mechanic; and….a denim designer! Claim to Fame: He’s had a hand on the butts of Halle Berry and T.I. (not literally)…we mean jeans of course! Goods can be Found: Nordstrom, Shopbop, Farfetch, Tobi We’re on the hunt to find Donwan Harrell….we found very little information about him, but love his inspirations and use of color and

2010/11/24

(Selectively) Less is More

Less is more today, but the key is to be selective about what that less is! When packing for a quick business trip, too many shirts isn’t useful, but not having enough underwear can leave you feeling a little too open…. So, when we’re talking about travel packing, the first basic is a good suit that is comfortable and cut well, but can also work with you as you move through airports, taxis, meetings, and restaurants. My recommendation is a

2010/11/23

Black Friday BIG Money-Saving Tip

People spend more money during the Holiday season than at any other time of the year….and retailers know this! Save yourself some time (time is money) and extra money by creating a list of must-have items for yourself and others; and a list of nice-to-haves. Once the ‘spirit’ of Black Friday and Holiday shopping kicks off, you’ll at least have some sense of direction.

2010/11/23

Brown Shoes, Navy Suit, Black Shoes?

You have a navy blue suit – do you wear brown or black shoes? Your shoes should be at least as dark as your suit, so either color works! BTW – black and navy blue go together….ask any Navy person.

2010/11/23

Loving Helmut Lang…for Everyone!

As we continue to think through how to be more stylish with less, and knowing that less is more, this dress and blazer by Helmut Lang are absolutely fabulous – for everyone! * This wool jersey cowl neck dress will work for any shape including plus sizes and maternity! The draping cowl neck highlights the decolletage; the mid-thigh length can work by itself for a sexy date-night, or with tights for a little more coverage and colder temperatures; and the draping

2010/11/22

Manly Monday Style Meter

A stylish start to the week from last week’s lessons learned… Weekend Hair Growth: If you work in a professional/conservative environment, consider growing your hair on the weekends to avoid looking too much like the Marlboro man during the week. Male Version of the LBD: Stay tuned for a post later week to learn what the most essential element is in a man’s wardrobe (if you’re over 25 years old). Styling Tip: Avoid a potential mix-up with Mr. Rogers simply

2010/11/22

It’s Finally Friday’s Fashionable Yet Quirky Q&A

This week’s everyday dapper don is a left-coast Dr. Welby with southern inclinations. He loves seafood, shoes and sports, and can likely keep up with the best them since he boxes! Let’s read a little more about this southern gent with modern proclivities…. Occupation: Physician Age: 42 City/State of Birth: Tacoma WA Current City/State of Residence: Raleigh NC Status: Not sure Shoes or Sneakers? Shoes Lace-ups or Slip-ons? Lace ups Blazer or Sportcoat? Sportcoat Cashmere or Wool? Cashmere Baseball cap

2010/11/19

Black is Beautiful

Black dresses are basic…and beautiful. Here are an array for any occasion, style, season, shape or months with bump. Most are available from size 2 thru size 16 or 18. Enjoy! Great everyday dress that can dressed up with accessories; ideal for hourglass shape Perfect for the professional mommy who wants to look haute for date-night or a Holiday party! Nice for the smaller/petite frames for everyday, Holiday party…belt creates shape! Wonderful, fun party dress for the lady with legs…

2010/11/19

D&G Holiday Dapper

Gentlemen, what Holiday function could you attend and not look smokin’ in this?

2010/11/18

Like It, Love It, or LOSE It?

I dig it….plus because it’s Corso Como that means they have a cushion and those booties are made for walkin’! It’s on sale thru Tuesday at Swirl!

2010/11/18

Luxe Leather Lusciousness

Depending on your job, this jacket can cover Friday business casual to hump-day date to Saturday afternoon about-the-town. This Vince cowl neck leather jacket ($880) is in the season’s hauteness hue of camel, has extra long sleeves, a touch of spandex to keep it fitted, and an asymmetrical closing that creates a little ‘forgiveness’ near the midsection. Jeans, any pencil skirt, black slacks, or boho-chic long skirt…it rocks!

2010/11/18

Affordable Holiday Outfit Options

I’m digging Shopbop right now…and here’s why: they created several Holiday-ready outfit options whether you’re uptown chic, chic professional, sensual siren, or downtown edgy….head to toe, most are around $400! #6 and #7 are my favorites: #6 is understated elegance [ruched mini dress & fur jacket] with a touch of edge [booties]; and #7 is everyday chic [dark, skinny denim & white button] with panache [fringe jacket]! Click the pic to shop…

2010/11/18

Puttin’ on the Ritz at the Ritz Carlton Tokyo

The lobby entrance is done up grandly in a massive 3-foot tall flower arrangement that is changed regularly….and then you head to the main registration floor (45th floor) and you are likely greeted by a smiling face but definitely by a sense of majestic openness. I loved staying at the Ritz Carlton Tokyo: their reputation for fabulous service precedes them and, in this case, is totally warranted. We are asked for our name and escorted to our room on the 52nd floor where our

2010/11/17

Dresses for the Occasion

The Holidays are a popular time to “pop” the question, thus a fabulous time to start culling all of your wedding options and resources. I love the pomp-and-circumstance around a wedding but dislike the inordinate amount of money spent to make it happen, so David’s Bridal has to make the short-list. The David’s Bridal website provides access to some of the snazziest and chicest special occasion dresses including bridesmaids and bridal gowns. As if special occasion wasn’t enough, you can

2010/11/16

The Wedding Resource

I am in love with the ideal of being married although, I am admittedly not sure marriage is for me. Every spring, I prepare myself for the onslaught of Save-the-Date letters for summer weddings and I also prepare myself to do commando-style home invasions aimed at creating outfits for otherwise too-busy-brides. Along with a host of other resources, I now offer brides this website, The Wedding Salon. The Wedding Salon is a bridal expo and one-stop-shop for everything from knowing

2010/11/15

Monday (Late) Morning Power List

A week’s worth of fashion, faux pas, follies, fabulosity, finds, forgettables, regrettables, and the like…… Mondays are Awesome: Choose a day of the week to be your Power Day. For me, it’s Mondays— since everyone else hates Mondays, it’s my day to shine and ‘knock it out the park’! What is Style?: Style is not derived exclusively from the name of number of clothing items you have, but rather from a conscious selection of those pieces that create the image you

2010/11/15

A Man’s Power Accessory: The Tie

Yet another fabulous shot by David Lewis Taylor for Four Seasons Magazine. The pieces were artfully selected by Mark Grischke and I wanted to share. Ties have been around since King Louis XIV, but never have they been such an important part of completing a man’s ensemble. At Blueprint for Style, we love the bow tie but recognize the four-in-hands as the staple with a business suit especially in conservative DC and the perfect compliment to a black suit in place

2010/11/15

“Elevated” Style

I recently glanced upon an article by Susan Weissman for Four Seasons Magazine and, along with the photography by David Lewis Taylor, loved this piece. It was simple yet effective: it showed a fabulous picture of this season’s towering heels stacked high! Picture perfect! [pictured shoes include Giambattista Valli‘s 5-inch platform in vitello nero | Christian Louboutin‘s military-inspired olive flannel | Manolo Blahnik‘s classic teal plaid | Christian Louboutin‘s violet suede slingback | Brian Atwood‘s burgundy t-strap with gold lamè bow | Burberry‘s black sandal with

2010/11/12

It’s Finally Friday’s Fashionable Yet Quirky Q&A

This week’s everyday dapper don has a weakness for suits and looks every bit the part of a stylish man about DC. He’s a hometown favorite who prefers custom suits and cashews, so read more about him and judge for yourself: Occupation: Sales Professional/Cash Management Consultant Age: 48 City/State of Birth: The coolest city on the planet Washington, DC Current City/State of Residence: Lanham, MD Status: ? 1. Shoes or Sneakers? Shoes 2. Lace-ups or Slip-ons? Lace ups 3.

2010/11/12

Tokyo Fashion: FugaHum

FugaHum had a fabulous multi-media exhibition for their 2011 Spring/Summer collection called Wake Up cwhile I was in Tokyo. It took place in an open space and featured a video display of something straight out of the Twilight Zone, loud music, and, oh yeah, clothes! I loved the pieces. My two favorite pieces are pictured, but allow let me share my excitement over the line: Akiyoshi and Asuka are using fabric to create depth and dimension The line has several

2010/11/12

Tokyo Fashion: Lesson Learned….

For most Americans, Tokyo is expensive. Consider this: a tall Starbucks soy chai with flavoring (I get french vanilla) is about ¥650 which is about $8.50 using a generous conversion of ¥75. To get into a taxi, the starting fare is ¥710 which is about $9 before you even start moving….! With that said, walking the streets of Tokyo (which is just about all I can afford to do…..LOL) you will find Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci on just about

2010/11/11

Men Why Not….

….try more color in your life? If there’s a great takeaway from Tokyo, it’s the use of color by men and women alike. Color adds depth, flavor and panache to an everyday outfit. C’mon give it a spin….

2010/11/10

Tokyo Fashion: deuxcotes Designworks

I had the opportunity to visit a number of designers and retailers while in Tokyo, but one of my favorite retailers was abahouse Designworks in Ginza. Have a look at their A/W 2010 fashions. They know how to work knits, asymmetrical styling, clean lines, and fur!! I feel in love with most of their knots which run around ¥ 24,000 to 28,000 (approx $320 to 375). *The leather is sumptuous but requires some ‘working in’…it’s all been polished to a shine!

2010/11/10

Our Blog

News, Articles & More

Donwan Harrell: Style Hunt for Denim Designer

(Selectively) Less is More

Black Friday BIG Money-Saving Tip

Brown Shoes, Navy Suit, Black Shoes?

Loving Helmut Lang…for Everyone!

Manly Monday Style Meter

It’s Finally Friday’s Fashionable Yet Quirky Q&A

Black is Beautiful

D&G Holiday Dapper

Like It, Love It, or LOSE It?

Luxe Leather Lusciousness

Affordable Holiday Outfit Options

Puttin’ on the Ritz at the Ritz Carlton Tokyo

Dresses for the Occasion

The Wedding Resource

Monday (Late) Morning Power List

A Man’s Power Accessory: The Tie

“Elevated” Style

It’s Finally Friday’s Fashionable Yet Quirky Q&A

Tokyo Fashion: FugaHum

Tokyo Fashion: Lesson Learned….

Men Why Not….

Tokyo Fashion: deuxcotes Designworks

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