i heart you bear-y much!

There are bears in the air here at TrustYourStyle this morning, so pull up a seat and have a warm cup of coffee with me! Oh, and because it's Monday, there's a little creme brulee for you too...Speaking of bears, I added a couple more vintage perfume lockets to my shop and just adore this one:



Doesn't he look like he's saying "Hey guess what, I have a crush on you"?

Dog lovers, I didn't forget you! There's a sweet little vintage pooch that even has a little daisy in it's hair!



Yesterday the rain stopped and it turned out sunny and bear-y nice {sorry, I couldn't help myself}. How was your weekend? Do tell!

eye on style: jeffrey fulvimari

Today's Eye on Style guest is Jeffrey Fulvimari, one of my favorite fashion illustrators in the world! His new illustrations for Tiffany's valentine's day ads (click here to see the angels) have been popping up everywhere--including the front page of the NYT.com, and I couldn't be happier for him! A lot of people don't know that in addition to being a fashion illustrator, Jeffrey has also modeled for David Lachapelle, Steven Klein, Richard Burbridge, Stephen Meisel, and appeared in Interview, Calvin Klein Billboards and lots of other chic places. I adore Jeffrey not just because he's super stylish and talented, but because he's also a cool and super nice person--which in my book is what style is all about. Enjoy!



Jeffrey Fulvimari

location: Mt. Tremper, NY/New York City/Akron, OH - I live in a few places at once.

occupation: fashion artist/cartoonist

favorite designers: Martin Margiella for Menswear because he fits me perfectly every time. Viktor & Rolf for Womenswear, because they are the Edge of Shocking, the Edge of Revolting, and the Edge of the Sublime every time.

wearing: Pringle coat, DKNY jacket, Levis special issue, Paul Smith boots, Bottega Veneta belt, scarf by Urban Outfitters, North Face sweater, white stretch T by Calvin Klein, Bottega Veneta bracelet, Brooks Bros. watch, scent: Ambre Fetich by Annick Goutal.

I thought it might be nice to have two totally different ideas/looks to show how I like to go from one thing to a completely different style. I like to do that in my daily life. This is HipHop vs. GQ mentalities.



wearing: Dior jeans; belt by Bottega Veneta; Yankee Fitted hat by 50fifty; shoes by Martin Margiella; custom made leather knapsack by Allen Midgette around my neck, vintage diamond brooch from Castaways; fragrance Listerine Mouthwash

I'll leave you with Jeffrey's Pop vs. Traditional style.




wearing: jacket by Scotch and Soda; favorite Levi's plaid special issue; Fila shoes; Theory sweater; Merona shirt; tie by Chanel...and he's gone!

Want more scoop on Jeffrey? Check out this interview he did with tys here or his LA show here.

it's friday!

Photo via Mochatini

Good morning everyone! Before today's Eye on Style post goes up, I wanted to announce the winner of the its-laS-tik giveaway: the winners are Sarah Klassen (backpack, shopper, cosmetic) and Katie Osumi (large tote, shopper, cosmetic). Congrats ladies! Please email me with your addresses and color preferences so that I can make sure your bags are sent to you asap!

I also wanted to say thank you to everyone who left comments and emailed yesterday--I really appreciate it, it cheered me up!

If you want to view the prettiest pre-Fall '10 bags that I've seen so far, please check out my post today over at Senora Cartera here. By the way, Dania of Senora Cartera is looking for writers for her other handbag blogs Star Style and Senora Cartera on a Budget, so check them out, and if you think it might be a fit, please contact Dania through her sites.

Please stay tuned for the next Eye on Style post that will post within the hour.

taking a break

My father passed away a year ago today. I hope you'll understand, I'm taking the day off. Hope to meet you here tomorrow for a new Eye on Style.

xo Mary Jo

glam hair!

Let's face it, hair is glam. Or it can be. Working as a beauty editor, I've had my hair styled by some of the most famous stylists in the world, and in between those fabulous appointments, I've had my hair cut and colored by tons of not-so-famous stylists. Like most professions, one of the things that separates the men from the boys, as the saying goes, are the details.



One of these details is hair oil, or what some stylists call polish. I'm a convert because I've seen how it can transform every day blah hair into a more glamorous you! Ideally, you start with loose wavy curls, (but it works with straight hair too) and massage some of this nice smelling stuff into your hands--in the case of Trust Your Style's Magical Mind {just one drop} Organic Hair Oil, just use one drop--no more, no less. Using your fingers as combs, lightly run it through your hair and smooth away fly-aways or any frizz. It will relax your hair just enough but won't weight it down. More details here if you're interested in a natural non-toxic version of this magical stuff.

p.s. The shiny shimmery its-laS-tik bag giveaway has been extended to this Friday so that more people have the chance to enter! Click here to enter to win a set of 3 of these fabulous bags! There will be 2 winners this week!

And just giving you a heads up, Trust Your Style's Saturday Business of Style post will be taking a week off but will resume on February 13.

valentine goodies galore!

Do you have Valentines Day on the brain? Me too! The Trust Your Style shop is finally stocked for Valentine's Day and I couldn't be happier!



Not only are there all kinds of Natural Perfumes--from concentrate to mini-roll ons--there's also vintage perfume lockets and vintage boxes with solid perfume and I've finally had a moment to add the lovely scented vintage hankies (more coming soon!) and a bit of fun vintage valentine's jewelry into the mix.



I've combed all sorts of vintage dealers to bring you what I think are the prettiest and sweetest one-of-a-kind vintage bits--and probably driven them crazy in the process (I'm very picky and everything needs to be in close-to-perfect condition). Not to mention that it's hard not to get attached to vintage pieces--I debated about keeping this sweet vintage compact for myself as I love it so, but went ahead and added it to the store late last night--I woke up to find that someone in Spain had purchased it--but I'm very glad it's found a happy home!



I should also mention that you can now find Trust Your Style Natural Lip Balms and Organic Hair Oil in the Trust Your Style etsy shop too! Believe it or not, I've been making organic/all natural lip balm for over 3 years and have made hundreds and gotten tons of feedback along the way. These are four of my favorite balms that have also gotten rave reviews, and I thought you might want to try some now that kissing season is upon us! Learning to make natural balms (after I researched how toxic the major brands were) is what got me hooked on natural perfume and ultimately led me to study with a Master Natural Perfumer.

p.s. In case you're craving a bit of style goodness, I'm over here today talking about the new "it" bag and the high flying 70s. Hope you're having a happy Tuesday!

xo

oh hello there! happy monday!

Just popping in to say hello and wish you a happy Monday! I'm over at Soma Bhattacharya's Stepping Into Project Management blog today talking about business style. If you're rejoining the work force or need to upgrade your work wardrobe, you might want to check it out.

On a related note: if you missed my latest Business of Style post, just scroll down to find out the low down on business plans.

I'm updating my shop today (new natural lip balms and more!) so I'll be back soon with the latest happenings. Hope you're enjoying the first day of February!

the business of style: planning your way into profitability

For creative/designer types, the concept of a business plan can be a hazy at best. When I was first starting my business, a friend whose husband was a Harvard MBA, put together a serious business plan for her and pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into her start-up business. Five years later she owed twice what was put into the company and called it quits while I was still chugging along with my little company. It makes you wonder about what good a business plan really does.

Over lunch a few weeks ago, I asked one of my oldest and dearest friends, Sergé Wilson, what he thought about business plans. I value his opinion because when it comes to business, he's very practical. He started a small and humble internet-commerce site without much fanfare, and in less than two years grew it into a company that was acquired in a $34 million dollar deal. I hope you'll appreciate what Sergé has to say about business plans as much as I did.



Small businesses can look at business plans one of two ways, either as a marketing document to attract investors, or as an internal road map to build a profitable company. Those two documents are as different as tiramisu and castor oil. While both styles of plans have their uses, confusing the two is perilous.

Venture capitalists expect 1 in 20 portfolio companies to 'hit the jackpot', that is to have a liquidity event that is so significant that it pays for the 19 failed investments as well as investor return and VC overhead and profit. Given those odds, VCs are not looking for companies that will make steady, measured, organic growth out of profits and conservative expansion. They are looking for a business plan that shows explosive growth and revenue potential, the ability to make or seize massive market share in their category, and a company that in a few years would be irresistible as either a M&A target or IPO darling. If you are chasing these dollars, your business plan had better be singing that song - in harmony.

If, on the other hand, you are looking to write a sober, realistic plan for building a profitable company, your business plan is going to look a lot more like Marcus Aurelius' 'Meditations' than it is a P.T. Barnum poster. Most small businesses fail because they don't consider cash flow when it comes to expenditures. The adage "you have to spend money to make money" is baloney. Let me tell you the truth: you have to make money to spend money - ignore that at your peril. Starting out, keep your recurring (fixed) costs as low as possible. Make sure advertising returns are quantifiable. Eschew advertising for PR wherever possible - it's cheaper (often free) and far more effective. Be prepared to change your business plan if you find out your assumptions were off-base when the rubber finally hits the road. Look at your big, repeat customers and figure out what value you provide to them and make that the focus of your business. Focus on customer service. Expand judiciously. Keep good employees by rewarding them, dump bad ones without delay. Be fair in your dealings with everyone - customers, suppliers, partners, investors, and employees. This kind of business strategy is not sexy, but it will drag you screaming into profitability and growth. I've seen thousands of sexy failures - it's not pretty.

So that's it - figure out who you are talking to (VCs or yourself) and write your business plan accordingly. If for yourself, be prepared to revisit your assumptions in the face of reality and to rewrite the plan as needed. Give yourself grades on the operation and devote more time and energy to the areas where you need to improve. Good luck - small business is not for wimps.

Thank you Sergé for your valuable advice and for being part of the Business of Style series!

Before I sign off, I want to announce that Treacle of Confessions of a Lingerie Addict left such a thoughtful plan of how she will grow and promote her business in the Business of Style comments section a couple of weeks ago, (those comments were carried over to last week's giveaway) that she was the hands-down the winner of the Business of Style post-card give-away. If you haven't entered the new TrustYourStyle shimmering its-laS-tike giveaway, be sure and comment here--a shiny bag can come in handy while you're researching your business plan!

eye on style: yelena of lenkalovee designs

It's been awhile since I've done the Friday Eye on Style series, but lately I sort of missed it, and thought it would be fun to introduce you to one of my readers. I think you'll enjoy meeting Yelena Bosovik, an aspiring designer who writes the blog LenkaLovee Designs.



name: Yelena Bosovik

location: Missouri, United States

occupation: College Student; Blogger; Receptionist; Aspiring Fashion Designer; Daughter of the King of Kings

wearing: black GAP tank top, black and white sleeveless White House/Black Market blouse, yellow LOFT cardigan, skinny belt, black Michael Kors pencil skirt, opaque tights and black patent shoes from Target. This is a typical work outfit for me. For the past year, I have been working first in an office, then a car dealership as a receptionist, so my dress code is business casual. Many days I have to transfer from casual for morning classes at the university, and then to business casual to work. An outfit like this is dressy enough for work, yet cute and comfy enough for a few hours of schoolwork!

favorite designers: I tend to not pay attention to designers when I shop, since I just pick whatever appeals to me. I love Banana Republic, GAP, and LOFT. They have great business casual clothes (I work in an office environment), that are stylish, yet are simple and classic! On the more expensive side, I like BCBG, Max Azria, Chanel and Moniquie Lhuillier (for her amazing gowns). Last but not least, myself - I would wear my designs everyday if I could find someone to produce my designs into clothing. {Long story - see my blog if you want to know more!} These are just some off the top of my head, but there are many more favorites.

what style means to Yelena: Style is feeling comfortable with yourself and radiating that confidence and inner beauty to the outer world. Style can be shown not only in fashion, but by kind acts and a humble spirit. Style is unique and has no boundaries. Style is turning something ordinary into something that reflects you and your personality. Style is stepping out of the current of society and trends and doing your own thing. Style is about being yourself no matter the circumstances. Style is you.


Thanks Yelena for stopping by! I also want to mention that my friend Meli of Bikes In the City and the very first participant in my Eye on Style series was just featured in BUST Magazine for her amazing style!



Go Melie!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend! p.s. Tomorrow my Business of Style series continues. Hoping you'll stop by if you're working on a new creative enterprise!

xo Mary Jo

shiny object of desire: its-laS-tik giveaway!

I know you have a green bag. I can just tell. But do you have a bouncy cute metallic green bag? You might if you win TrustYourStyle's Its-laS-tik giveaway!


Photos via what'Surbag/its-laS-tik

I'm always happy when something that's good for the planet is actually stylish! Its-laS-tik bags reduce the need for paper and plastic--trust me, you're going to reuse this bag over and over. It's so cute it's hard to believe that it's actually green! I'm such a smitten fan that I keep my silver its-laS-tik tote tucked inside my every day handbag! My favorite part about the whole Its-laS-tik concept is that this company gives you the opportunity to recycle--once you're through with your its-laS-tik bag, if you send it back, the recycled bags will be re-created as rag rugs and other products, giving its-laS-tik a second life.


One more really wonderful thing is that Sue Princiotto, owner of what'Surbag™ and its-laS-tik®, wanted to give back to New Orleans in whatever way possible, so in an attempt to put money back into a struggling and deserving economy, almost every aspect of the product is outsourced to native New Orleans residents. The bags are manufactured in a factory run by a New Orleans native and survivor of Hurricane Katrina, and even the packaging and labels are created and distributed by a business established in New Orleans in 1948.



I have TWO great giveaways for you! The FIRST giveaway is a shiny Large Tote, Grocery Bag, and Cosmetic bag -- the SECOND giveaway is a Backpack, Grocery Bag and Cosmetic bag. Winners get to pick out the colors of their choice--exciting no?!



What are you waiting for my bright and shiny readers??? Tell me why you'd like to win one to be entered to win. If you sign up to follow me on Twitter or Google Friends (all you need to do is click on the buttons on the top right hand index of my blog) and then leave a comment with your email letting me know that you did and you'll earn an extra chance to win! Good luck!

In case you just can't wait, visit the its-laS-tik shop to snag one for your very own. Did I mention they're affordable too!

** Before I sign off: Congrats to the winners of last week's Yak Pak Liberty Bowlers, Soma Bhattacharya & Paula Cadill are the winners! **

fashion's silver lining: we're talking chanel baby!

I was out the door and working in Los Angeles all day yesterday, so I didn't have a moment to return your many lovely comments--hoping to do some catching up today! I did manage to check out the new Chanel couture show yesterday, and I haven't been able to get the silvery spectacle out of my mind! As some of you know, I'm a huge Lagerfeld fan, so when I heard that this was the first time in his entire career that he hasn't used black or navy, I had to see! What can I say? The hair! The clothes! The boots! It's just--to quote Rachel Zoe--bananas!!!















photos: style.com

And because I can't seem to get enough of silver today I'll be back in a few hours with a couple of wonderful shimmery give-aways for my sparkling readers! See you soon!

xo

the simple things

This post is all because of Christina, who writes my favorite prose in all the blogsphere. She and her family are donating $1 to Doctors Without Borders in Haiti for every blog that posted today about simple things that make your soul sing.

To me simple things are about
being happy with what is.

Enough herbs in the garden ~ parsley, oregano, mint ~
to chop into the most wonderful pasta ever.

Dozing off on a rainy afternoon, wrapped in a blanket,
just watching the rain coming down on the hills across the way.

Green tomatoes turning red in a milkglass bowl in the window.

The mama and her baby kitten sleeping,
heads together at the top of the stairs

A comfy bed and clean sheets.

A great, and I mean great song playing,
so good I just have to dance!

A good kiss
{oh you didn't expect that,
did you?}

That you come along with me,
right by my side
every day here at tys.

I wonder if I'm the girl running
or the deer trying to keep up with you?
Doesn't even matter;
just so nice
we're here together.

* * *

So tell me, what are the simple things that make your soul sing?

elegance of vision

"To make an object that you love without too much fascination..."



I came across an interview with Philippe Starck over the weekend and found myself taking notes about his ideas of what good design is. Design lovers, to find out why Mr. Starck believes that 90% of design doesn't deserve to exist and what that elusive 10% is all about, you must check out this interview below. Thank goodness fashion doesn't have to be about more power and less volume to be good!




photo via All Things Fabulous.