CRUSHING ON CRUSHED VELVET: KCFW SS'19 OOTD

I have been crushing on crushed velvet for a while now. So I could not wait for the weather to get a bit crisp, and I could wear this beauty. Kansas City Fashion Week seemed to be the perfect occasion.

Amongst the various trends of the 90s which have made a comeback, I must add that I was pretty skeptical about crushed velvet. And I had my own reasons for it. A lot has changed in my life since the 90s. I have a mom bod, I proudly sport my grey strands, so I had a tough time, visualizing myself in this 90s staple.  What made me fall in love with it, once again, were the newer silhouettes of this fabric.

First, let's talk about the color. What is more Fall-perfect than a shade of brown! This dress reminded me of the leaves changing colors in Fall when I had first set my eyes on it. Yes, maybe I should have shot for this outfit post, against a different backdrop, and not a brick wall, which does not do it justice. But you get the broader picture, don't you? If I had concerns about my midriff, then did you notice that its a wrap dress. Honestly speaking, what's not to love in a wrap dress, as they flatter, every body type.  If all this was not enough to make you fall in love with this dress for Fall, then did I mention that it has ruffles along the front. It's all in the details.

I really wanted the dress to stand out as a neutral. So I went bold with a handcrafted statement necklace from a boutique in India. Nude pumps, strawberry red lipstick, and silver hoops, I was ready for the runway shows.

So are you in love with crushed velvet again or are you still on the fence about it? The fabric has its charm, it's up to you to find a style that compliments you. I found mine.

Stay tuned to my Blog for detailed recaps of the KCFW SS'19 events, that I had covered recently.

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DUCK DONUTS, KC

What's not to love about Donuts? From breakfast to mid-day snack, to a post-dinner snack, there is always time for donuts in my life. If you have a sweet tooth like me and have a serious love for donuts, then you should head to Duck Donuts. The Kansas City location opened its doors in Leawood, Kansas, this Summer.

Fresh,.  made to order donuts, topped with your choice of toppings. yes, you are allowed to go crazy with your choice of toppings.

Duck Donuts, Kansas City, is headed by husband-wife duo Ryan and Katie Mc Neill, who surely know how to woo people with a sugar high. Legend has it, that the owners were holidaying in the Carolinas when they saw a long line outside a donut shop. They decided to join the line with their family. Vacation done, Duck Donuts was still on their mind. So they just decided to bring it to Kansas City. And we could not thank them enough for doing that.

 
When you walk into the store, you can see the donuts coming out fresh from the fryer and you get to choose your toppings from the gazillion topping options available, including Oreos, shredded coconut, Graham Crackers, to name a few. Or you can go old school and have yours rolled in some cinnamon sugar or some plain powdered sugar. I was a bit less adventurous that evening, so I decided to stick to the menu, which was super impressive. Duck Donuts start off with a  vanilla cake donut, which is then frosted right in front of you. It does not get any fresher than that, does it!

Everything is tastier with bacon, and the star of the regular Menu of Duck Donuts is surely their Maple Glazed Donut with chopped Bacon. I must have stuffed my face with a few of those before I started tasting the rest. I think this is one donut which can easily transition from Summer to Fall, and still be a favorite. One of their Summer specials was a donut with an orange glaze, which I also loved. Their Fall specials include an Apple Topping, a Streusel Topping, and Pumpkin Icing. They all look so good and taste so good, I always have a tough time, making a choice.

If you are wondering why the name Duck Donuts, its because it was started in Duck, North Carolina, where the chain's founder, Russ DiGilio, was vacationing in, and could not find a place which served warm donuts. And if you are like me, and you associated Duck Donuts with Rubber Duckies, when you first heard of the name, then you are in for a surprise. Not only do you pick warm donuts with amazing toppings, but you can also buy unique Rubber Duckies. My 5-year-old, not only loves the donuts but is already building up her Duck Donut Rubber Ducky collection as well.

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SUMMER HAIR REHAB

Summer is finally behind us. And our hair needs some much-needed rehab. Exposure to the blazing sun, long dips in salt water and chlorinated water, sweat, and humidity need I say more. The Summer months literally wreak havoc on our hair and even though we might realize it subconsciously, do we do enough, for a hair rehab. While we are prompt enough to change our skin care and makeup products, as the weather changes from hot to cold, we often do not give as much attention to our hair care.

I have dry, frizzy and textured hair, which is colored. And I was heavily traveling in Summer to hotter climes. Needless to say, my hair was in need of  R&R. So we caught up with my hair stylist, Amanda Pogue, of Studio A Salon, Overland Park, Kansas, for my Summer Hair Rehab. Amanda has been taking care of my hair for the last 9 years, and is the best, to say the least. She always starts a consultation with the client, over their vision, and then she advises on what can be done. This consultation is key. Amanda has been providing customized hair care for the last 14 years. She enjoys making people feel beautiful. Her passion for the beauty industry, her love for hair art and her ability at being a great listener, has her clients coming back.

Now let's hear it from Amanda on all things Summer Hair Rehab: 

Hair is usually lacking strength and moisture after months spent in the sun and wind. If a lot of time was spent in the pools, a Clarifying Shampoo is a great first step to remove the chlorine residue.

If you have not lived the pool life, switching to a healing/repair shampoo, like L'anaza Healing Strength Shampoo and Conditioner will help repair the straw-like ends of your hair and make it stronger.

As the hair has undergone a few months of torture with the elements, a deep conditioner used once a week, takes you further along the road of hair rehab. The deep conditioner can be used for 10 minutes, which will help soften and repair the "traumatized hair." L'anza Trauma Treatment is an example of this category of products, has UV protectants and heat protectants built-in so you can also use it daily as a leave-in conditioner. You can find a deep conditioner which suits your hair and your pocket.

Having parched Summer hair not only looks dry, but it can also affect the way in which your hair takes hair color. It is best to do this repair regimen, prior to hair coloring as well as getting a trim ahead of time.

Hoping it will help you to rehab your Summer damaged hair and embrace Fall in a healthier way!

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FALL FLORALS FOR KCFW SS'19 GARDEN PARTY

Florals for Fall! Those were my exact thoughts when I had first seen this dress. Kansas City Fashion Week kickstarted its Spring Summer'19 with Garden Party and moody florals seemed like a perfect idea. This dress and KCFW does have some history behind it, and I thought of sharing it finally. I was browsing for outfits for last year's KCFW scheduled at this time of the year.  I also knew that we had a family trip to Iceland. When I was outfit planning and shopping, little did I know that the dates were clashing. So the Garden Party plans were delayed by a year, but the dress was hanging in my closet. 

Miranda Priestly herself had mentioned, that Floral for Spring, was groundbreaking! So when it gets colder, do not retire your florals The moodier the floral, the apter, it is was for Fall. Florals have been dominating the Fall Winter runway shows for the last two years, and they are here to stay. Fall florals are pretty versatile and can be paired in quite a few ways. When the weather gets cooler, throw on a leather jacket and tights and booties. Its all in the details! The Fall Floral number, which I have been in love with, since last Fall, has the cutest of details. One can neither miss the fun sleeves nor the lace. 

 As far as accessories go, I played up the blue tones of the florals, with a statement earring. Skipped the necklace altogether, as I wanted the lace details to shine through. The cognac leather sandals and the Jord wood watch were a perfect homage to the earth tones of the outfit. Prada Cat Eyes and we were all set to party, KCFW style! 

Stay tuned to my Blog, to know what happened at the KCFW SS'19 Garden Party.  

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