Rachel Burklund Designs

Archive for the ‘fashion’ Category

Valentine’s Day: how to be jeweled with style

Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011

This Valentine’s Day turn up the heat with a few subtle jewelry, fashion and style tips. Valentine’s is just another reason to look amazing, splurge a little on yourself and charm your sweetie to heaven. So here is what I recommend.

First, your outfit must read sexy yet sophisticated. Men like to see a little skin so that they feel teased and tempted, yet this should be done in a classy, elegant way. The best choice this season is a long sleeve dress with a low neckline, a one-shoulder draped dress or a fitted printed dress. Here are my inspirations.

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Second, your jewelry should be sexy. It should draw attention to your neck, your bust or shine in a way to compliment your outfit. These are my top picks for sexy jewelry. I also like to mix and match wearing an assortment of new and vintage jewelry, to create an eclectic look that states you know how to dress. Try this with vintage bangles or large over the top clip-on earrings and the jewelry below. First featured is the Double Line Necklace, the Asymmetric Tassel Earrings and the Bi-Quartz Gunmetal Bracelet.

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Lastly, add some shimmer to your make-up routine. Add body shimmer to glow and create a “look” with your make-up, accentuating your most radiant feature. If it is your eyes, wear lashes that are sexy and tasteful. If it is your lips, dare to wear a bold dark color of red wine or burgundy.

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Enjoy! Have fun, be bold and daring and try something new! Happy Valentine’s Day!

A Beautiful fashion shoot & color inspiration of the moment!

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

Simply Gorgeous. British Vogue.

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How the perfect white shirt can meet all your jewelry needs

Friday, October 29th, 2010

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The white shirt is a staple to all of our wardrobes, yet the styles, shapes and silhouettes change from year to year. This year the white shirt varies in length, proportion and cut, but overall is making a statement on the runway as one of the main trends. Above Dries Van Noten uses the white shirt in a unique way mixing his stunning prints with a long silky skirt. Below at Celine, the cool, loose white shirt has some innovative details with seams and paneling. The last Spring 2011 runway shot is of Band of Outsiders featuring a white shirt dress with a white blazer, the perfect white on white look.

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For our jewelry collections and statement pieces this could not be a better time to find several white shirts to add color and style to with your jewelry. Jewelry paired with a long white tux shirt is a brilliant way to be unique with the shirting and pop out your jewelry. The key with this styling is to make sure the neckline matches with your jewelry choice. So choose an open unbuttoned shirt collar with a large high neck statement piece or choose a mandarin collar shirt with center-front detail worn with a long pair of dangle earrings. With the white shirt, you can experiment, wear bright colored jewelry and wear your large over-sized pieces, the rules can be bent; that is the beauty of the white shirt, you use good taste and make all the rules.

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2011 Chanel… gold & oxidized: draped, layered + dripping chains!

Monday, October 18th, 2010

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This color story at Chanel is stunning, gray ash with canary yellow mixed with gold and oxidized chains, it is a beautiful mix of hues. The tassel earrings below are a great length proportion paired with tweed short shorts; extra long jewelry and barely there garments… I like where Karl went with this collection. His Spring 2011 show highlighted the color gray. We are seeing gray as a huge statement for Fall, yet I like how he merged the color into Spring, it is a nice transition from heavy to light and a subtle gateway to a brighter season.

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Jewelry to Accessorize: Sweaters, Jackets & Trousers

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

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The Autumn season is all about bundling up, layers of light tops, jackets and scarves, yet winter moves us into the heavy tweeds, long wide trousers and furs, if we dare. The styles that have reached my closet this season are inspired by Chloe, Dries Van Noten and Marc Jacobs.

Fur is one of those fabrications that I wear infrequently, but this season, we are so saturated with options I decided that I might blend in on the streets and ward off activists. My rules for fur are vintage only, absolutely real and they must be in pristine condition. That said I only have a fur trim leather jacket. Living in Seattle it is a high risk situation wearing a full length fur, although this season, a vest, shrug or cape are perfect, less noticeable options that I will definitely be adopting. Marc Jacobs covers the fur category perfectly, I love his modern day seventies girl with her light dress or high-waist trousers.

For trousers and blouses, Chloe is the most amazing choice. I love the seventies inspiration, with the wide leg trousers, long necktie blouses and draped bohemian coats . Dries Van Noten is always spot on with prints, and brilliant hues. This bright army green jacket has an amazing neckline, perfect for a fur wrap or cashmere scarf, the shape and styling of Dries garments are always very current and forward.

Now the most important topic. What jewelry to wear with your multi-layers? First, since you will be layering, it is important to wear post back earrings, like the ‘Dark Chains Earrings‘. If you wear hook backs they might slip out of your ear and go MIA, so wear post back and it will not matter if they are long, draped, short or circular, what ever your preference they will be sure to stay on with all your moves.

Second, earrings and rings are the easiest and simplest options for layers. Rings give a pop of interest and do not distract from your layers of knits and scarves; the ‘14k Black Diamond Ring‘ is a great choice this season. Earrings are easy when you wear post back because you don’t have to worry about tangles or pieces coming off when you are adding or removing layers. Here are my favorite pieces for heavy winter dressing: Cleo earrings, Long Petal Earrings, Layered Ring.

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