the other designer i decided i liked: rebecca taylor

here's vanessa hudgens outfitted by rebecca taylor!

and just some of her other clothes /outfits that I like:

where is her head!

Ya ya, you want to know who i chose to wear in NYC already. But I can't until I tell you who I liked best, just in case you get stuck in Holt's too and have no idea who to like or where to go. It's your fashion edumacation! We are almost at the finish line and then I'll post the pic of my dress! But before then, I want to tell you I REALLY liked almost every dress I saw from designer Rebecca Taylor. It's all so "bo ho chic" but a little bit of business at the same time. Here are some samples!

fashion crash course 2: elizabeth and james

So entering Holt Renfrew was scary. Let's cut to the chase: The second floor, where the dresses start is TERRIFYING. There really is not much in the way of an explanation at Holts; you are left to figure it all out on your own! I wanted a serious legend or map to follow to each designer! But anyway, 2nd floor = very dramatic; the styles scared me; and the price tags were even more horrendous. We're talking like $2000 per dress! Get me outta here! Fast track up to the third floor - this is where I belong I think! Much younger, funkier stuff, and the price tags, while still high, are at least within a normal-ish range! So I won't beat around the bush...there were really only 3 labels that really seemed my style (or, shall I say, Bloomer Style).
Designer #1 that Melanie Bloomer Likes: Elizabeth and James.
Ever since Shayna Bloomer was Mary Kate's stunt double on a movie, we've been a bit fascinated with the Olsen twins. They are really beautiful (you should see them in person...smokin'!). And funky! Especially Ashley. Hah. And since they are mini and wee, I just KNEW they would have stuff to fit a small person. Here are some of my favs from their collection:

love this dress

i see socks under heels a lot on their collection...new trend?

i may be wrong, but i feel mary kate and ashley were very instrumental in popularizing the blazer over dresses.

yep, i would wear it!

this takes a special person to pull it off methinks!

more socks under heels! love the sweater cinched with the belt over the dress...

I fell in love one with one of their dresses in Holts...I want it! But it was too cottony for an evening function. I'm a dork...this is my idea of a model pose...good stuff eh? HAHA. But anyway, it's a neat dress...and so darn comfy...if I could have bought it it would have worked for any summer function!

melanie bloomer's fashion crash course 1

Next week, Melanie Bloomer (me!) is going to New York City, to play the part of a Manhatten Socialite at a fashion event honouring designer Norma Kamali. Yes, I am getting paid to do this. And anxious as I am to not be BEHIND THE SCENES for once, I took this opportunity to learn about fashion. Hey, I could tell you where to get furniture or how to design your wedding but...I really am not a "fashion" goddess. I like H&M, and maybe if I'm really looking for something good, Banana Republic or BCBG. But when they asked me if I had a Diane von Furstenburg wrap dress, I said, who? Then I googled, and saw her wrap dresses are like $500, and I said uh oh, a Banana Republic dress from the closet might not cut it this time. A trip to the very overwhelming Holts was in order!

Ok ok but who is Norma Kamali anyway. Well, ONLY the designer of Farah Fawcett's famous red bathing suit! Hello! Oh and she's also dressed, you know, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani, Halle Berry, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez. Ok we get the picture. She's a fashion staple. Lesson 1: There is more to this world than Dolce and Gabbana and Louis Vuitton. And seriously is the best of the best at swimsuit design, as you will see. Nearly all the magazine shoots I've seen are the sexiest, most feminine, bathing suits ever!

So, check it out...she has some HOT stuff:

This is what started her career...Farrah's red bathing suit!

More celebs in her swimsuits...

hello! this woman seriously knows the bathing suit.

i liked this one in her current collection...

Her dresses...Katherina Heigl wearing her dress in Vogue...

I like this line of these dresses from her current jersey knit collection:

As well as the line and colour of "sable mesh" dresses from her current collection too...

these just plain remind me of Katy Perry, no? cute cute cute.

AND you wouldn't believe this... she has a Walmart line in the US...pretty freaking cool stuff...

so what to buy what to buy for myself on this adventure...I don't want to buy Norma Kamali because that's a bit needy no? Stayed tuned for my adventures in Holts!

giant paper lunch bag!

So, a few months ago, us Bloomers helped out The Record Collection (my Craigger's hilarious tv show) create a GIANT paper lunch bag to break a world record in conjuction with Second Harvest. The bag was over 10 feet tall...it was seriously MAYBE one of the hardest things I've ever worked on. It took like 5 days of straight serious labour to construct it...and then it was transported to Dundas Square (in the rain to boot!) to break the record for the longest time to sit inside a giant paper lunch bag...dressed like a banana of course :P They took donations for Second Harvest during their "Lunch Money" Event Day. The results? Well, decide for yourself...watch it here...what do you think...was it worth it?! Watch allll the way to the end...it made me laugh pretty darn hard!

red wagon party!

Our friend, Elissa, from One Stone Events in Florida, showed us pics of her son Benjamin's (really cute by the way!!) first birthday party! She did a Red Wagon theme...she certainly outdid herself...wow the details...take one look at this and you know that Elissa knows what she's doing! Bloomers Proud!! AND, Amy Atlas featured the Red Wagon Party on her blog yesterday.... woah nelly what an honour. Great job, Elissa. It really is incredible and amazing and awesome!

holy gorgeous candy bar! love the blue wall behind it!

hee, cute party hats...and ONE yellow pom pom...my mismatched hooks with the random yellow one reminded Elissa of the pom poms!! i agree!

after our heart...a sock monkey! cool shelf and shelf decor too!

love the pinwheels!

note the little signs...super cute...in addition to the lemonade glasses with stripey straws and apple pies! mmm apple pie...

i really love the wagon cuppies...their little wheels! hee.

need i say more about the candy display?

love this set up...the bail of hay is a cute touch!

again, fond of the pin wheels...and all these funky blues!

nummy!!!! i'm so hungry right now.

a pretty outdoor setting...with Benjamin on the tree!

Elissa had to get the Pop Shoppe bottles in Canada...so worth it!

maybe my fav detail of all...the napkin and fork wraps! Love the layered effect!

these sock monkeys make me larf!

These pics made me laugh! I am biased of course because I love them so much, but the story these pics tell is just too much for me. Shayna Bloomer and Joelle Bloomer keep trying to get their babies together and take a photo of them being sock monkeys for my Dad's house. But it never really works! Time and time again they try, but one baby goes one way, and the other goes another way. However, the silliness of them trying actually works BETTER than a staged pic in my opinion!

Sage: Hmmm what the heck are they making us wear now? Noam: I dunno.

Sage: Ok, let's play nice just for a second to make them happy. Noam: Nom nom good.

Uh oh, Noameo is going down...

Sage: I want your hat, I want your monkey hat! Noam: Noooo!

Oopsies, Noamenclature is officially down!

Mommy fixes Noameo, Sage REJECTS her monkey hat!

...And then Sage decides she wants Noameo's monkey hat again. Noameo: I don't really know.

Sage: I'm gonna get it whether you like it or not! Noam: Ok. Just don't scream in my face.

Noam: See told you I'd let you have it.

Sage: Well that wasn't nearly as fun as I thought! Hee hee, I'm a cute little rascal, what can I get into next? Noameo: Right behind you.