BrandHabit

Elle.com

By the Devil wears Marc Jacobs

Fresh faced and tanner than Giselle Bundchen on a Victoria Secret summer shoot, circa 2005, I return to my beloved San Francisco after a much needed vaycay to the west coast. After a long week of no Perez Hilton, people.com or coverage of New York Fashion Week, I navigate the web and take in as much as my brain can handle, after 8 hours of nonstop catch up, my brain goes into shut down mode. For complete coverage of the catwalk I know Elle.com has me covered. As the omnipotent New York Fashion Week nears closer to its end, Elle already has full shows of Carolina Herrara, Isaac Mizrahi, Peter Som, Chris Benz, Marc Jacobs and so much more. One of my favorite sections of Elle.com is when they have photographs of what fashion patrons wear on the streets near the Bryant Park tents. It is under "Street Chic Daily: the best of New York Fashion Week". A few of my favorite shots: this trendsetter is in a league of her own, wearing gorgeous harem-like pants with a great off the shoulder flowy top and SJP ala "Sex and the City" belt. You can never go wrong in all black, and with two of this season's hottest trends, lace and ankle booties, this New Yorker works her own catwalk, work it girl! Now she looks adorable and comfy in her ever trendy jumper and sassy gladiators, aka my favorite of the moment shoe! Always the trendsetter Kanye West never misses the shows, and this year is no different, in an all plaid suit Kanye pulls the "geek chic" look like no other. The beauty is rockin' the leather vest and looks sleek in her skinnies and stratigically placed accessories. And last but not least an oversized shirt always looks great under Tsubi jeans and Chie Mihara chunky heels.

   These are some of my favorite looks so far, there will be plenty more to come, stay tuned or go to Elle.com and check it out for yourself!

It's great to be back home!!!!

Fall Fashion Picks

by Carla Morton

While big bold prints and lace are hot for fall, for me, these looks are hard to pull off. 

I'm totally drawn to the rock and roll biker chic look with everything in black this season.
There are just a few items I want to add to my wardrobe which I think should endure the test of time.  The entire look brings me back to my days in NYC in the 80's when my go-to outfit was leggings, with a lycra mini skirt, cropped boots and a leather jacket. 

I tend to avoid looks I did 20 years ago but there is something timeless about a good old biker jacket and black from head to toe.

Here are a few items on my wish list this season!  Click on any of these pictures to purchase these items too!

This dress captured my attention while combing the web.  I have several black dresses but this Vivienne Westwood number is too sexy to pass up!

This Linea Pelle Handbag has just the right amount of edge and polish at the same time.

This Smythe Biker jacket is not over the top.  A good old classic I will keep in my closet for years!

I love the mix of leathers on these Donald J. Pliner cropped boots.  I'll feel like a "bad girl" in the city with these on! Don't mess with me!

While I love all of the layered silver chain looks, I know I have enough chain in my own collection of jewelry parts to throw something together...But this Gold Chain necklace has a fantastic retro look that  is a real statement piece!

Finally, I stumbled across this gorgeous top by Foley and Corinna! I love the mix of ethnic and rock glam!

Master Bath Remodel

My husband and I are thinking about selling our house.
It's a bit nuts as our current home is beautiful.
We have built and remodeled 3 houses together and as crazy as it seems, I think we are just ready for a new project.

In anticipation of putting our house on the market, we are finishing the little things that have been left undone.

One project we have put off until now is our Master Bath. 
I have had a vision for what I want to do here and yesterday in only 2 hours, I drove to the tile store, picked out the tiles, had them packed in my car and drove home.

While Most people laboriously obsess and plan these things, I had a clear vision and it was done!   Then again, I am the type of gal that can get ready to go out in about 5 minutes so.. this isn't much of a surprise.

So, my vision is to do kind of an Asian, Clean yet earthy Spa look in the bathroom.  You'd think that since theoretically we are just finishing this bathroom to sell, that I'd go with a standard faux limestone beige ceramic tile... but I just couldn't stomach it.
Every detail in our house is special and custom .. and we might have to live with the bathroom for a bit.. so I went all the way.

Here is what I am doing:  Brazil Green Slate 12 X 12 tiles on the floor. Green River stone pebbles on the floor of the shower (which is open and has a GIGANTIC floor to ceiling window that looks out to the back patio) and light green 12 x 12 marble on the tub surround and on the walls of the shower.

Everything will be set straight and clean. No diagonals, no fancy cut outs, no insets, no fussy stuff... I might put one 4 inch stripe of the river stone in the in the shower between the marble tiles but that's it.  Clean, simple, Asian... not too shiny and polished, not too textured and earthy. 

I think I am painting the walls in a light tan, to bring out the earth tones of the stone and I think we will do Cherry wood accents in the vanity and baseboards.

I go to this amazing tile store called Import Tile Company in Berkeley.  The prices are reasonable and they stock the tile.  So, for do-it-yourself-ers like us, it's perfect. 
Get this:  all of the tile.. ALL of it was only $1500.  Labor is free in our household!

Here is a picture of the bathroom before and a picture of the tile. 
I'll post a shot when we are done!
Ugh, HOW WILL I ever let this bathroom go???

Blue Dot Event, San Francisco

by Carla Morton

I just LOVE it that San Francisco is putting together more and more shopping events. This year, BrandHabit was a promoter of the Blue Dot Event at Fort Mason in SF. All of the best boutiques in San Francisco came together under one roof! The event was flooded with all of the colors and styles of this year’s hottest designer fashion and yet each store still maintained their boutique charm while portraying the owner’s unique personality. 

Photos By Kathleen Harrison 

Each boutique was clearly marked and the venue was bright and gorgeous. There was plenty of room and the space was not frantically crowded, so it felt more casual and relaxed than other shopping events can be. 

There were fantastic finds at fabulous prices… although in some cases, there was only a small selection of sizes.  Good mirrors and changing rooms were scarce.  With this in mind, it makes sense to wear something that makes trying clothes on effortless and arrive early next year!  We will keep you posted on future Blue Dot events as they come up!

Photos by Kathleen Harrison