The Art of… is a monthly series featuring various people and what inspires their style…
Name: La Fashionista
Age (if you dare)/Astrological Sign: 32 / Libra
Occupation: Writer, Editor, Blogger
City of Residence: Somewhere in the good ol’ US of A
Website: StyleCynics.com
Twitter: @StyleCynics

What’s your favorite color?
Pink, although for some strange reason, I’m currently obsessed with orange, a color I used to hate.

What are your 3 favorite accessories and why?
My pink trench coat, because everyone needs a good trench coat, and well, it’s pink!
My Kate Spade Tarrytown Quinn handbag, for its classic lines and the way it goes with nearly every piece of clothing I own. Also, I have a little designer crush on Kate.
OPI nail polish in Prune Danish on my toes. I never go bare toed! It’s discontinued now, so I use it for about every third pedicure. I’m running out!

What is the one accessory you can’t live without?
Does a laptop count as an accessory? (YES! I believe my TamTam is an accessory) I think it should these days, especially since they now come in so many colors and designs. I can work from anywhere with it, stay connected to family and friends, and feed my Twitter addiction. I’d be lost without my laptop!

What’s your style inspiration?
Anyone who wears something unconventional and is totally at ease in it, not caring what the trends are or if it’s popular. That said, there are exceptions. Hammer pants? Uh, no. There’s a difference between unconventional and just ridiculous. Stop with the Hammer time.

What do you splurge on?
Shoes, shoes, and more shoes. I have pairs I’ve owned for years and have yet to wear. They’re too pretty—I don’t want to get them dirty! Seriously, I need to have a shoe museum or something.

What is your favorite gift to give?
I know it will sound lazy or unimaginative to some people, but a gift certificate, because it’s also my favorite gift to get. I’m very particular about what I wear, from clothing to shoes to perfume, so I’d rather just be able to pick them out myself. I think it’s like giving someone possibilities rather than an errand if they have to return whatever you got them because it doesn’t fit or they just don’t like it. Takes the pressure off everyone. Plus, then you get to go shopping!

What are you currently obsessed with? (accessory, person, tv show…whatever)
I’d have to say it’s the Vivienne Tam HP Mini featured right here on The A of A recently. I can’t stop looking at it! My laptop is still fairly new, and I keep imagining it having some sort of “accident” so I’ll have an excuse to get the Mini!
Other than that, it’s trying to become a better blogger, learning what works and what doesn’t, and improving those skills, and my site, as much as possible.

The Art of… is a monthly series featuring various people and what inspires their style…
Name: Sheena Harper
Age (if you dare)/Astrological Sign: 25 soon to be 26/Virgo
Occupation: Working by day in political advertising
City of Residence: Chicago, IL
Website: Clandestinechic.com

What’s your favorite color?
Purple. It can be such a deep and bold color, and I believe it’s a color that you can make a strong statement with, no matter what you pair it with. Fall is my favorite season and I always mark the first day of Fall by wearing purple.

What are your 3 favorite accessories and why?

1. Headbands: I’ve been wearing headbands for the longest time and I’ve built up quite the collection. I started with really simple Goody headbands and now I’m into the feather head bands and anything ornate. I’m at the point where I rarely leave the house without putting one on.
2. Ballet Flats: It’s become a problem, but I only wear ballet flats these days. I love wearing heels for going out, but I always carry an extra pair of flats in my purse (if it’s big enough) or in the car. I have fancy flats, casual flats, and everything in between.
3. Lip Gloss: Even if I’m too lazy to put on any type of makeup, I’m going to put on a gloss. My favorite is Nars lip lacquer in Butterfield 8. I actually didn’t even know if I would like the color at first, but I bought it anyway because it was named after my favorite restaurant. Almost 2 years later, and the lip lacquer has stuck.

What is the one accessory you can’t live without?
A big and comfy handbag. I don’t care if the trend is in or out, I will never be able to live with a clutch or any small handbag. All of my handbags are roomy and they can carry all of my items (books, Moleskine journals, wallet, and random accessories). Even when I go out, my friends always make fun of me because I’m the bag lady with the huge handbag, but they always ask me to carry the cameras!

What’s your style inspiration?
I used to gain a lot of style inspiration from women who wore classic and timeless pieces such as Jackie O and Audrey Hepburn, because I’m always working to make my style more streamlined and classic. And in that sense, those elements of my style will always remain. However, there are other elements that influence my take on style and that can be from people watching, movies and books and traveling. If I see a cool color combination being used in an ad and I never thought to pair the two colors together, I might try and see how it works with my clothing and jewelry. Or if I see someone wearing something that is way far “out there” I might take it and try to adapt it to my own style sense and see how that works.

What do you splurge on?
Definitely jewelry. Especially with necklaces and earrings. I’m always willing to splurge on those items because as long as I love it, it will never go out of style, in my opinion. I can be a 90-year-old woman in a nursing home and I’ll still be wearing the same jewelry from when I was a 25-year-old woman. And to think of all of the sentimentality that will have for me throughout all of those years and the places I’ve worn that jewelry. You may be able to do that with some clothing items, but I’d be more inclined to go with the jewelry.

What is your favorite gift to give?
Picture frames or journals. It’s become a bit cliché for me, but I don’t think anyone can have too many picture frames or journals. I try to pick out the most unique frames and journals, so I try to use as many shopping sources as possible when looking for the gift. Etsy has been a great source because there are so many unique handmade items and they’re all one-of-a-kind!

What are you currently obsessed with?
Cupcakes! Okay, this is an obsession that I’ve had to back away from, but I love going on cupcake crawls around Chicago and trying to find the best cupcakes. I used to go with my friend once a week and try out a new bakery. We had a rating system and everything. I’ve slacked off a little bit, but I still read cupcake blogs and scour the Chicago scene for new cupcakes, because if a bakery pops up then I just have to go and visit them.

The Art of… is a monthly series featuring various people and what inspires their style…

Name: Kenesha Williams
Age (if you dare)/Astrological Sign: Soon to be 30, Libra
Occupation: Soon to be SAHM (Stay at home Mom) – Now I work in the non-profit world
City of Residence: DC Metro Area
Website: The Baby Head Diary

What’s your favorite color?
For clothes it’s black, but for the home it’s aqua blue.

What are your 3 favorite accessories and why?

1. My white gold heart necklace with diamonds from my mother.
2. My white gold heart necklace w/ mom and baby that my husband gave me last year for Mother’s day.
3. My diamond studs.

What is the one accessory you can’t live without?
Earrings, gotta have earrings!

What’s your style inspiration?
I really love how Halle Berry pulls off the hot mom thing, she can go from red carpet glamorous to hottest mom in the room so easily and I aspire to that.

What do you splurge on?
Food and Books! They’re both such sensorial pleasures both entertaining the taste buds and the mind.

What is your favorite gift to give?
Something that really resonates with the receiver, in this day and age people are too willing to give or get a gift card to somewhere (which usually shows zero thought) rather than really explore the essence of the gift receiver and what makes them happy or could enhance their day to day existence.

What are you currently obsessed with?
Softly sculptured clothes for fall.

If you are a blogger or someone in the fashion industry and you would like to be featured in The Art of… Series please email dwj@theartofaccessories.com

The Art of… is a monthly series featuring various people and what inspires their style…
Name: Jessica Caldwell
Age (if you dare)/Astrological Sign: Leo / I’m turning 30 this month
Occupation: Interior Designer/Design Blogger/ future Lifestyle Expert
City of Residence: the suburbs of Washington, DC
Website: DesignWonderland.net

What’s your favorite color?
That’s the hardest question here! There’s so many beautiful colors to choose but I’ve drawn to the depth and richness of the color aubergine for a while.

What are your 3 favorite accessories and why?

1. Heels!!! From kitten to super high! Right now I have a pair of Calvin Klein platform strappy heels that I love because they are super high and comfy.
2. A Wonderful oversize patent clutch because it makes the most casual outfit look chic.
3. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Truffle. I don’t dare step out the door without blush. It makes you look awake and alive (even if you are not feeling that way). I’ve known about Bobbi Brown for a while but I just came around to her cosmetics last year. I love her philosophy of enhancing your own natural look.

What is the one accessory you can’t live without?
Earrings. I’ve had my ears pierced since I was a baby and It’s the one accessory I wear everyday. I feel a little naked without them.

What’s your style inspiration?
Old-soul chic. My style is a melange of vintage finds and bohemian touches. It’s evolving a little as I find myself mixing the vintage/boho elements with cleaner lines for a more gamine style. Think the two Audreys; Hepburn and Tatou. I also draw a lot of inspiration from old Hollywood and vintage pictures of the women in my family. From my great grandmothers to my mom and my aunts they always seem dressed in such a chic way. One of my grandmothers actually wore high heels everyday of her adult life. How fabulous is that?!

What do you splurge on?
Plane Tickets. I have regretted a trendy purchase but never a trip! And you don’t need to go far! I believe a person can learn much more in the way of style from traveling than from a magazine or a website. There’s so much inspiration that comes from it; from seeing how the world lives and dresses to just seeing how the sunset looks in a different place.

What is your favorite gift to give?
Two things: I love to give tea and accessories for the home. Both are personal and nurturing and help bring a bit of sanctuary to your everyday life.

What are you currently obsessed with?
I’m lucky that being obsessed is a part of my job. I’m currently obsessed with the workbook Style Statement: Live By Your Own Design. It’s the idea that your style should be reflective of the essence of who you are as a person. I can’t agree more. Authors Carrie and Danielle created this workbook to take you through a very thoughtful process to help them whittle everything down to 2 words that epitomize you and your style. Afterwords, you take to rest from there. My goal is to have it completed by my 30th birthday.

My Polariod Pogo is another obsession. I bought it as an a blog accessory and for my sketchbook. I used it on my Paris trip and the pics print out in a minute or less and you can just stick them in the book! Its so fun I actually forgot to sketch.

The Art of… is a monthly series featuring various people and what inspires their style…
Name: Sydne Summer
Age (if you dare)/Astrological Sign: Pisces
Occupation: Editor/Blogger
City of Residence: Los Angeles
Website: www.ThinkThruFashion.com

What’s your favorite color?
Yellow.

What are your 3 favorite accessories and why?

1. A necklace my mother made for me on my 21st birthday using the diamond from the engagement ring my father gave her (he passed away when I was younger).
2. My grandfather’s gold watch with brown leather straps, because I have great memories of him wearing it when I would spend time with him down in Florida.
3. My turquoise Manolo Blahnik d’Orsdays. They were one of the first high end designer shoes I bought. They’re lined with the most beautiful pastel stripes. When I’m wearing them it’s like a pretty secret that only my soles and I share.

What is the one accessory you can’t live without?
This is a really tough one. I switch up my accessories so often. Of course, I could never live without shoes but I have a feeling you want me to be more specific. Oh! Got it. My Louis Vuitton day planner. I know it’s the technology age, and everyone records events in their Blackberry or iPhone but I’m still old school and use paper. There’s something so satisfying about being able to cross off something on your to do list (I actually use a highlighter when I complete a task so my planner is filled with pretty colors). I’ve had the planner for about 7 years now and plan on keeping it for at least another seven. That’s the great thing about Louis Vuitton. It might cost a fortune but you get what you’re paying for. Their leather really holds up.

What’s your style inspiration?
I can’t say that one person or thing inspires me. I think everything offers some type of style inspiration whether it’s a well-dressed woman on a street, the way a model’s hair is styled on the runway or even a woman that makes you say, Note to self: Do NOT dress like her. Art is very inspiring for me as well. I paint whenever I have spare time (which is usually never, but I try) and I find my clothes sometimes
reflect my artwork. I was painting this really dark, depressing piece a few months ago and unintentionally started wearing more black than normal.

Often, I don’t realize I was inspired by something until I look back at a photo of myself and say, Wow, that outfit reminds me of what Mary-Kate wore to the Met Gala or that color combo looks just like the painting hanging in my living room.

What do you splurge on?
Shoes. I have a bit of a problem because I have more shoes than my closet can hold. I actually started storing my sweaters under my bed so I could have room for my new shoe purchases. I arrange my heels by color then hang my flats in a shoe holder behind my door. I’m not picky either. Sure I have my “OMG, I can’t believe I just spent my whole paycheck on those” heels but I also love my $8 gladiator flats I found at Ross.

What is your favorite gift to give?
Something personalized. I always think personalization makes a gift special, no matter what it is. I recently created an ice cream for my best friend’s birthday from eCreamery using all her fave ingredients. I name it Coco Michelle Celebration, since loves Chanel. If it’s someone I don’t know very well, I usually go with makeup. A lip gloss set is always safe. Most women like lip gloss. And if they don’t, they usually at least have a daughter who is happy to take it off their hands.

What are you currently obsessed with?
I’m weirdly obsessed with this show called Say Yes to the Dress. I’m not getting married, nor do I have plans to get married anytime soon, but that show is addictive! It’s basically just brides-to-be visiting Klienfelds (a big bridal store in NY) and picking out wedding dresses. Some brides have beautiful taste, others are just comedic. I don’t know why anyone would want to walk down the aisle in a bedazzled sheer lace corset, but hey, to each her own.

My other current obsession is neon. Perhaps it’s because I grew up in Miami but I just love anything fluorescent! My friend (the same one I created the ice cream for) bought me neon yellow Manolos for my birthday and I’m constantly creating outfits to wear them with.