BrandHabit

Ruby Roxanne @ the Holiday Charity Boutique

Recently I attended the Holiday Charity Boutique in Scotts Valley, CA with a few of my girlfriends. The purpose of the event was to raise money for local charities while having a few cocktails and shopping.  Local designers had tables assembled with their merchandise. Ruby Roxanne had her booth set up and it was booming!

I met Ruby a few years ago when she started making cuffs from her house.  Ruby created her own company, Ruby Roxanne Designs and she makes custom-fit, unique, one-of-a-kind leather cuff bracelets. Ruby uses the finest leathers and workmanship is of the highest quality.

My cuffs, from a few years ago, are still in great shape and I continue to get a lot of use out of them.  As with any designer, I love seeing the evolution of the design and seeing how their creativity blossoms and expands as they branch out to other areas.  Ruby’s cuffs come in every color and texture imaginable. She has double wrap, triple button, and fringed leather cuffs! The possibilities are endless. She also expanded her line and now creates clutches with vintage brooches.

Cuffs are an easy way to accessorize an outfit.  Since the cuffs come in a myriad of choices—you can personalize your look. My favorite feature of Ruby's cuffs are the clasps. She uses button-like gems. My first cuff has hot pink buttons. Pink is my favorite color and adding a splash of that to a patent black cuff is perfect.  It’s subtle, eye-catching while not being overkill. If you are afraid to wear color or prints in your clothing, a cuff is great way to break away from the norm and spice it up!

Below are pictures of things that caught my eye at the Holiday Boutique. The clutches were in mohair leather and they had vintage brooches surrounded by feathers.  They reminded me of something that would be in old Hitchcock films!

 
Ruby’s cuffs have also been spotted on celebrities and musicians.  Everytime I wear any of Ruby’s designs, people ask come up to me and ask, “Where did you get that?” I’m very happy and proud to say, "Ruby Roxanne from Scotts Valley". Ruby is a talented, lovely, and self-made business woman.  I can’t wait for the next trunk show and see what Ruby is up too. 

Check out Ruby’s website at http://www.rubyroxannedesigns.com/. You can also find Ruby on Facebook.

Happy Holiday Fashionistas!

xoxo Sunny

 

 

 

Sweaters: 101

One of my favorite clothing items for Winter is sweaters. The right sweater makes an outfit polished, adds instant style and keeps you warm. If you luck out and buy the right item-- it will be timeless. Shopping for sweaters is not easy. I want something that is comfortable, good quality and fashionable. I’m excited to share my findings with you as this is one part of my wardrobe that is lacking and needs sprucing up this season!

 STYLES: An open sweater such as a cardigan that clasps or ties is great. This will give you several wearing options: wear the sweater closed, open, or if you invest in a nice belt--pair it with your sweater. This looks polished and it’s an easy way to incorporate runway style into your daily life. I recommend steering away from cardigans with a lot of buttons—these look dated and are trickier to accessorize.

I also like fur lined sweaters. They add a little sexiness and are fun. Wearing these sweaters makes me feel like I’m walking on the set of an old 1950’s film-- I feel glamorous and lady-like.

Over the weekend, I was window shopping in Palo Alto, CA and I came across this Vince sweater (pictured to the left).

http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374306442011&PRODUCT%3C3Eprd_id=845524446414385&R=822508905591&P_name=Vince&N=4294912466+306442011&bmUID=jeE_OM7

 It is cozy, comfortable, and classy, plus the fur is also detachable. Now, imagine this sweater with a belt (viola!).

COLORS: Grey, black and brown hues are my favorite colors for sweaters. They blend well with my existing wardrobe and complement my skin tone. Ivory sweaters are stunning but given my clumsiness, I stay away from them! If you are a true fashionista and already own these colors, I suggest going for a hunter green or navy sweater this season.

MATERIAL/BLENDS:  When purchasing sweaters, be sure they aren't itchy or snag-able. I have tried on so many sweaters and to my disappointment, many sweaters were itchy, uncomfortable and shedding. Be weary of acrylic blends—I’m not a fan of these as they irritate my skin. Alpaca is soft as are wool blends. Cashmere is also a safe bet and sometimes can be handwashed. Note: if you handwash your cashmere, never twist (the sweater) and blot the sweater with towels. Sweaters aren’t cheap and you don’t want to drop a lot of money on something that will get ruined easily.  The sweater pictured to the right is by Isabel Marant and its 100% alpaca
. A must have for every fashionista’s closet! http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/170891

CARE & MAINTENANCE:   Invest wisely in your sweaters as they are delicate and often require dry cleaning. Your sweater may break down over its life span. A friend of mine had this beautiful sweater she purchased six years ago. Even after proper caring, the sweater is pilling and has a funny odor in the underarms from dry cleaning. Also, when you pack your sweaters away, remember to use cedar moth balls.  

I bought this sweater last month (shown to the left). http://www.singer22.com/c107864950.html  Its so soft and cozy. It reminds me of baby’s blanket. This sweater was unique---it clasps like a shawl or can be worn open. It looks great with jeans or worn alone as in the photo. I can’t wait to wear it with a high waist pencil skirt and my Dior pumps. A sophisticated and eye catching look!

Please share your fantastic sweater-finds with me!  I can't wait to see what you find! Happy Shopping!

xoxo,

Sunny