KristinHassan.com: The Blog!

NYC: Travel Looks

2012-02-20T08:35:00.000-06:00

Travel looks are always tricky. For me, it's fighting that urge to put jeggings and a sweatshirt on and fly in comfort. But wen your destination is NYC for a fashion bloggers conference, best to leave the jeggings home. Anyways, I think these looks did it for us - comfy, warm, cute. Mission accomplished!

What's your go-to travel piece?

My Look:

[ Pants by Akira / Sweater by Victoria's Secret / Booties by Seychelle's / Wrap Watch and Bangles by Kristin Hassan / Silver Watch by Betsey Johnson / Belt by J. Crew ]

L's Look:

New York, New York!

2012-02-14T12:52:00.000-06:00

Last week I was thrilled to jet set to NYC for the Independent Fashion Bloggers Conference. So this week I'll recap all of my adventures... and outfits, duh!

Accompanying me on my trip is friend and new KH Sales Manager, L! It was the perfect trip - we learned so much and had even more fun!

At the airport... Pre-Flight cosmos required!
\p]..,

Destination: NYC! Such awesome scenery on the way in!

Check back all week to see all the fun!
XO!

Outfit Post: Windy City

2012-02-01T15:55:00.000-06:00

[ Jacket c/o Francesca's Collections ... Pants by Akira ... Shoes by Steve Madden ... Necklace and bracelets by KH. ]

The wind is no joke here. So on days like this one, you just have to go with it. These photos date back a few weeks - it's actually the outfit I wore when we hosted our first Arm Party by KH. What's an Arm Party by KH? Check back tomorrow darlings!
XO,
mrs. H

KH Valentine's Day Promo

2012-01-26T10:40:00.002-06:00

KH Cyber Monday!

2011-11-28T05:00:00.000-06:00

Outfit Post: Sale on Yellow Shirts

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

[ Pants by Akira / Heels by Steve Madden / Top by Target / Watch Wrist Wrap and Triple Wrist Wrap by Kristin Hassan ]

Yellow is currently my favorite color. So when I saw the abundance of tops in this perfect yellow color just sitting there at Target, I went a little nuts. Another 'nuts' moment... I was walking through Macy's with a cranky toddler and I saw these shoes. And just as fate would have it, they were the last pair, and they were my size. Done and done.

Have a super Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I'm so thankful for all of your reading, comments, and support! I'll see you back here on Monday!
XO!

Outfit Post: I Wore Sequin Leggings to Work

2011-11-22T11:39:00.000-06:00

[ Top by Target / Necklace, wrist wraps, and bangles by Kristin Hassan / Sequined leggings by HUE / Heels by Forever21 ]

Normally, I've reserved these leggings for special occasions only. A dear friends birthday dinner, and of course, the Lady Gaga concert. But I got to thinking about my age and enjoying my youth and I decided that there might come a day when it would not be ok for me to step out in sequin leggings. So before the days where Violet will inevitably say "Mom, are you really wearing that?!", I thought it would be best to forget the special occasion rule and just go with it. That, my friends, is how I ended up wearing these amazing leggings to "work". (More on "work" later.)

And just for the recorded, the one who commented was my mother... "Only you, Kristin..." :)

Outfit Post: Souvenir

2011-11-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

[ Sweater by Chloe K / Dress by Converse / Boots by Steve Madden / Necklace gift from my mom / Ring by Charming Charlies ]

Fun Kristin Fact: I studied French for nine years. So I know that the word souvenir translates as 'to remember'. So how sweet was it for my Mom to remember me when she was traveling with Daddy to Boston... she found this killer necklace I'm wearing. Yep, I'm forever 13 and get crazy excited when my Mom brings me souvenirs from her trip. SWEEEET! Thanks Mom!!

Pot Luck Friday: Updates and More!

2011-11-18T11:27:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday Readers! Hope you've all got a fantastic plan for this weekend. In the meantime, today's post is a bit of a mish mosh.

First up, I've put up a temporary but updated version of KristinHassan.com. In June, my hosting service decided to stop supporting my web design program, can you believe it??! So I was left with no way to edit my existing site. Since then, I've been experimenting with different design programs, not really liking any, and worse, not having enough time to invest in learning a new program. But with my knowledge of blogger, I was able to get up all the most important info for you guys... I've got tons of holiday events planned, and I'm even more excited at the growing list of retailers that are now carrying the KH brand! Please give a special warm welcome to our newest retailer, Frill Boutique. You absolutely must get into both of the locations soon... Lots of great accessories for all those festivities just around the corner!
So keep checking in at KristinHassan.com for the most up to date info on everything KH. I'll be spending some of my time over the holidays exploring the next web related adventure for my site, but I promise, the results will be fabulous... Stay tuned!

Next, a special THANK YOU to all of YOU in honor of Thanksgiving. I'm very thankful for all of your support, comments, tweets, and overall encouragement for me and my brand - you guys are the best and it means the world!

And finally, a few weeks ago I attended the kick off party for the Chicago Blogger Network, #CBNTRIBUTEPARTY. At the party, a professional photographer snapped some style photos and they've chosen a select few to participate in a Most Stylish Voting Contest to win an iPod touch. So click on over and vote for your truly! #10! Thanks in advance!!

*I'm wearing my signature wrap skirt in grey and black polka dot. This skirt will be available at Gray Boutique by the end of the month!

TGIF!
XO!

Outfit Post: Fun

2011-11-16T13:17:00.001-06:00

[Vest by H&M / Dress by Forever21 / Leggings by HUE / Heels by Mossimo / Bangles and Wrist Wraps by Kristin Hassan / Earrings by Kate Spade]

Now that I am transitioning into the accessories world, I feel like I don't absolutely have to wear KH apparel to events. Which actually makes getting dressed even harder. On this night, I was attending a special Buyers Evening at Macy's on State Street as an alumni of the Chicago Fashion Incubator. It was a meet and greet between designers and buyers, and I was happy to have had a few minutes to catch up with my fellow DIR (designers in residence). So I went with this look, I'm not even really sure what you would label it, but it made me feel fun, so it worked.

Anyways, sorry for my absence... I was sick and then I got V sick of course. But we are all better and back to our normal crazy selves. See ya tomorrow!
XO!

Outfit Post: #CBNTRIBUTEPARTY

2011-11-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

[ Skirt by Kristin Hassan / Tank by Target / Tights by Spanx / Heels by Dolce Vita / Bag c/o Francesca's Collections / Necklace by Francesca's Collections / Wrist Wraps and Bangles by Kristin Hassan ]

Last night was such fun! I attended the Chicago Blogger Network party at Tribute in the city with my gal pal Lisa. Mingling, drinks, and good convos were all around. Seriously so excited for the existence and potential of the CBN! It was great to meet all of you other bloggers, too! XO!

Side note, the skirt I'm wearing is my signature wrap skirt, only available at Gray Boutique this month!

2011-11-01T12:11:00.001-05:00

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Outfit Post: Mrs. Pickle

2011-10-31T10:34:00.000-05:00

[ Faux Fur by Rachel Zoe / Necklace c/o Francesca's Collections / Jeans by Seven for All Mankind / Blouse by Nordstroms / Heels by Forever21 / Bangle by Kristin Hassan ]

I've long wanted to tell the story of Mrs. Pickle, and on this day I truly channeled her, so here we go!

I was twelve years old when I met Mrs. Pickle. My family had to get all dressed up for a very important evening for my father, and so he sent my mom and I to a salon with some other ladies to have our hair and makeup done. I remember looking at Mrs. Pickle in awe... she had the most outstanding shade of coral lipstick on. I loved it, so I asked to wear coral lipstick, too. But it didn't look the same on me as it did on her. Mrs. Pickle had these two peaks on her upper lip that made her mouth look picture perfect. I looked at my mothers lips... she had the peaks, too. Me... I had no peaks. For years after I only wore lip gloss. But then something funny started happening. I noticed that the older I got, the more defined my lips became. My lips don't and probably won't ever measure up to Mrs. Pickle... but it was one of those defining moments in a young girls life when I realized what dressing up and being a woman was all about.

To Mrs. Pickle... this one is for you ;)

Outfit Post: Color Party

2011-10-26T12:19:00.002-05:00

[ Top c/o Francesca's Collections / Pants by H&M / Necklace by Rachel Zoe / Bangle by Kristin Hassan / Heels by Dolce Vita ]

Yay! So happy to introduce one of my first c/o Francesca's Collections items! My new 'Color Party' top is so perfect - it's flowy and comfy but still classy and chic. And how awesome is the back button detailing?? I wore it to dinner with a pair of heels and slacks, but this top has just been thrown into regular rotation and will be worn with jeans asap! Do you guys do that? Find an amazing item and then wear it to death?? I hope I'm not the only one!

Outfit Post: Fall's Wrap Dress

2011-10-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

[ Wrap Dress by Kristin Hassan / Jacket and Heels by Forever21 / Necklace by Frill Boutique ]

Ta-da! Introducing the new fall print for the KH Signature Wrap Dress - Neutral Foliage! For those of you who don't know, the KH Signature Wrap Dress is our best selling style, and for good reason, too! It's a flattering cut that compliments any shape, and has great features like a gorgeous v-neck and side seam pockets. In fact it's such an awesome dress, I produce it every season in a fresh, new must have print. This print is hitting the racks at Cerato Boutique this month. Happy Monday!

Outfit Post: Practicality

2011-10-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

[ Sweater by Victoria's Secret / Shorts & Belt by American Rag / Ring by Kristin Hassan / Boots by Born ]

Ok so not all my outfits are practical. Sure I felt uber cute in my sweater and shorts and boots. But really? It was 55 degrees and so windy! So before we took V to pick out her pumpkins this season, I switched into jeans. Ugh, sometimes comfort over fashion wins!

Outfit Post: My Most Important Accessory

2011-10-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

[ Jeans by Seven For All Mankind / Top by Target / Necklace, Wrist Wrap and Bangle by Kristin Hassan / Heels by Kelsi Dagger / Jacket by DKNY ]

What is it... A killer pair of heels? An amazing handbag from Italy? On any other day, yes, maybe. But on this day my most important accessory was a tiny, black, hair rubber band. You see, Little Miss V has this fantastic new trick - when she doesn't get her way, she stomps and PULLS MY HAIR!! O-M-G! All you moms out there are more than welcomed to leave comments on how to handle this one. It's only happened twice, but I'm trying to figure out my reaction mode for next time. Until then, enter pony-tail mom.
To be continued... ;)

The little hair-puller

Outfit Post: The Night of Five Dozen Roses

2011-10-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

[ Trench by Mossimo / Handbag by Versace (Milan) / Dress by Francesca's Collections / Belt by Francesca's Collections / Boots by Born / Necklace by Rachel Zoe / Bangle by Kristin Hassan ]

As you all know, Mr. Wonderful and I celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary on Friday night. I was told nothing - just to have myself dressed for dinner and the baby ready to spend the night at her grandparents by 6pm. What a sweet night I had ahead of me! First, he walked in the door with five dozen roses, one for each year. Then we were off to dinner to Bistro Margot, a French restaurant in Old Towne; a nod to our honeymoon in Paris. And finally, we hit the late show of 'South Side of Heaven' at Second City. We didn't get home until well after 2am, but I enjoyed every single minute of the evening my wonderful husband planned. XO!

Pot Luck Friday: Happy Anniversary!

2011-10-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Anniversary to us! Today, five years ago, WE GOT MARRIED!!! I seriously have the best, most supportive, handsome, loving husband and am truly blessed to get to walk through the rest of my life with him! XO!

Outfit Post: Not Jeans and a T-Shirt

2011-10-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

[ Jeans by Lucky / Top by Topshop / Moonstone Ring from a shop in Mackinac Island / Necklace by Vita V. / Sunnies by Nine West / Shoes by Kenneth Cole ]

Well, not a t-shirt I guess. On my average busy mom days, it's so hard to wear anything but jeans and a t-shirt. It's my mom uniform. But this day was my brothers birthday and I needed to ditch the band shirt with toddler sized cheetos fingerprints. Enter this top. This top is from Top Shop. No, not the new one that opened on Michigan Avenue (which I am DYING to visit), but the original one in London. And I bought it on my honey moon. Take that t-shirt.

KH Weekly Update: Francesca's Collections & Gray Boutique

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today I am so excited to announce and welcome two new KH supporters! First, please welcome Gray Boutique in Winnetka, IL as the newest retailer of the KH collection! Located at 821 Chestnut Court in Winnetka, the boutique is so adorable and the staff is fun and friendly! Gray is now carrying all the KH bangles and wrist wraps, and will be getting an amazing delivery of holiday skirts and dresses. So get in there now and check it out now before it's all gone!

And second, KristinHassan.com: The Blog! has now partnered with Francesca's Collections! I can tell from your comments you've been loving Francesca's Collections just as much as I have, so keep the love coming because we've got some great plans in the works. In the meantime, hop in to one of there 41+ locations and get something for yourself - from apparel and accessories to shoes and gifts, there is seriously something for everyone. Or in my case, lots of things for one person!

Tastefully Tuesday: Banana-Bo-Bana Bread

2011-10-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

Everyday I think of the same thing... what can I make that is healthy and tasty, and most importantly, that my 16-month old will eat. You see, the girl is on a cupcake kick. They're sweet and it's fun to rip the paper cups up. I remembered a recipe I had up my sleeve, swapped in some whole wheat flour instead of all purpose, put it in cupcake tins, and viola. Healthy breakfast cupcakes, (that mom and dad love too!)... bon appetite V!

Ingredients
2 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. canola oil
2 large eggs
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1/2c. buttermilk
3 medium bananas, mashed (get your guy in the kitchen by telling him he can mash something! Hey it worked on mine!)
1/2 c. walnuts, finely minced (about 2 oz.)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk in three additions. Gently stir in the bananas and nuts.
3. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Carefully turn out the loaf to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Outfit Post: Fall-ing / KH Weekly Update

2011-10-05T11:31:00.001-05:00

[ Jacket by Mossimo / Jeggings by Old Navy / Sweater Tunic by Francesca's Collections / Bangle and Wrist Wrap by Kristin Hassan / Earrings by Charming Charlie / Necklace by Vita V. / Boots by Born / Scarf (gift) / Sunnies by Nine West / Watch by Marc by Marc Jacobs ]

Well finally! The crisp cool weather of Fall has arrived! I will be soaking it up as much as possible because honestly, Fall lasts for like 2 weeks here. Ugh not ready for snow yet!

Anyways, today you're getting a double feature! Outfit post plus Weekly Update! We are stilllllll waiting to here on the new house, probably will be for a few weeks more. Our house is still for sale. Wamp, wamp :(

On the business end - I've opted to not participate in the runway show for Chicago Fashion week. Honestly, I took the summer off, aka probably spent a little too much time with V at the water park, and now the deadline to have the clothes ready to my standards is scary. I don't half-ass things, so I'll be releasing my collection at a later date. You can still visit me at fashion weeks biggest shopping event though! Click here for more information about Style Chicago's shopping event.

And last but not least, today is Mr. Wonderful's birthday! Happy birthday to a smart, funny, handsome, loving husband and father who nothing short of wonderful ;)

PS - Do you follow me on twitter and/or like me on Facebook? If not, you should because I like to release special things to my readers and followers, XOXO!

Outfit Post: Seein' Red

2011-10-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

[ Red Jeans by Akira / Belt from Cerato Boutique / Heels by Target / Bangle by Kristin Hassan / Sunnies by Nine West / Necklace by Kristin Hassan / Earrings by Francesca's Collections ]

Like I said on Friday, I've been taking a lot of pictures lately. So on we go with the outfit posts.

This outfit was summoned by Kristina over at Pretty Shiny Sparkly for her amazing Bloggers Do It Better movement. The challenge was dubbed "Animal Instincts". And what better to go with a killer pair of red skinnies than a leopard top? I can feel you smiling from here :)

Outfit Post: Apparel Obligations

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

[ Plaid Shirt by Nordstrom / Leggings by Old Navy / Boots by Steve Madden / Tagua Nut Bracelets by Mackinac Island Gift Shop / Gold Bracelets by Forever21 / Necklace by Kristin Hassan ]

Sometimes you are obligated to wear your sister's hand-me-downs. Sometimes you are obligated to wear an ugly bridesmaids dress. And sometimes, in early fall when the county fair comes to town, you are obligated to wear plaid and cowboy boots.

Every September the Allegan County Fair happens near my lake house. We ALWAYS go because it's tradition to blow twenty bucks on the squirt gun game and eat as much of an elephant ear as you can without getting sick, (impossible). Daddy went as a kid, I went as a kid, and now V is going as a kid. The fair is so sentimental to me, I even did my Spring 2011 collection photo shoot there - a little girls dream come true.

So yes, I wore cowboy boots and plaid, V sat in a tractor wheel, and we let her pet a cow. Although when she pet the cow, she giggled and said "Yummmm!", so we quickly busted out the veggie sticks. Maybe next year she'll be into elephant ears because after all, it's tradition.

Pot Luck: Outfit Post / Casual Friday

2011-09-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

[ Sweater by Forever21 / Tank by J. Crew / Jeans by Delia's / Necklace by Jess L.C. / Wrist Wrap by Kristin Hassan Watch by Marc by Marc Jacobs (gift) ]

Introducing: Elephant-Dog. Half elephant, half dog. A gift to Baby Hassan from my baby shower.

This Friday's pot luck is an outfit post on account of I have a few of these lined up, so here we go! This is also my second attempt at trying to post a casual outfit. I think this is as casual as it gets. Because let's be honest, I can't wear a dress and heels to chase V and her Elephant-Dog around the park... or can I?

PS - I know there's a few of you out there reading this... leave a comment below to let me know you stopped by! (You should get in the habit of this because it might come in handy one day ;) #justsayin'

Outfit Post: Surprise!

2011-09-29T10:46:00.000-05:00

[ Dress by Kristin Hassan / Belt by Francesca's / Necklace by Francesca's / Wrist Wrap by Kristin Hassan / Shoes by Forever21 (Times Square) ]

I made my dress. Are you surprised? Ha, yeah didn't think so. It's finally that kinda weather here in Chicago, you know, the maxi-dress-socks-with-heels kinda look.
I wore this to a super special event at Panozzo's an Italian deli in the city. My dear friend John in the chef there and he hosted a 12-course meal paired with wines, all based off of Sicily. Course after course was beautifully presented, and delicious! Ok, except I'm not a fan of sardines, but John knows I love him anyways. My favorites - the coddlefish ink pasta that turned everyones mouth black, the rabbit, and of course the cannoli and pistachio gelato! Such a great, great evening!

But back to the dress... when I saw this fabric I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. To be honest, it's been a really really long time since I actually made myself something to wear. Something that I didn't grade into a bunch of sizes, produce, and stock the in boutique and website store. But after the way this dress came out, I think that might be exactly what I'll be doing!

PS - Did you see the new KH wrist wrap? It's faux leather with just the right amount of studs and rhinestones. I couldn't choose so I went with both! Gotta have one? Enter BLOGGERJEWELS10 to get 10% off!

Outfit Post: Fashion's Night Out + A Special Guest Post!

2011-09-26T10:52:00.000-05:00

[ Dress by Kristin Hassan / Belt by Forever21 / Shoes by Steve Madden / Red Ring by Charming Charlies ]

Fashion's Night Out was a few weeks ago and although it was a rainy, gloomy day it was a must to attend. My first stop was at the 900 Shops where there were 3 different levels of fashion and fun - everything from make up applications to fantastic appetizers, dj's, photographers, and of course, shopping! My second stop was at my favorite boutique, Cerato. A few other local designers and I were doing an in-store appearance for the special shoppers of FNO. It was a perfect fall night all about fashion, so of course I had to go with one of my dresses. The style pictured is the Violet Dress. We originally shot it for the Fall 2011 collection, but we'll be doing a similar version that should be available for the Holiday season.

In other news, I am super excited to share with you a guest post I did (all about how to become a fashion designer), for my wonderful friend Megan Nielsen! As a fellow mommy-designer-blogger, Meg and I have truly bonded over our lifestyles and passions for great apparel and even greater kids. Check out more on the super-talented, mega-sweetheart Meg, her collection, blog, and my guest post here! Thanks again Meg for inviting me to be a part of the Becoming a Designer series! XO!

Pot Luck: Dear Violet

2011-09-23T08:03:00.000-05:00

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be beautiful but not damaged, for it’s the damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the the beauty.

When the crystal meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half and stick with beer.

Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the nearby subway platform, crossing 86th street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock N’ Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from acting but not all the way to finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes and not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the drums to the fiery rhythm of her own heart with the sinewy strength of her own arms, so she need not lie with drummers.

Grant her a rough patch from twelve to seventeen.

Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, for childhood is short — a tiger flower blooming magenta for one day – and adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers and the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, for I will not have that shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 a.m., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.
“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck.
“My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a mental note to call me. And she will forget.
But I’ll know, because I peeped it with your God eyes.
Amen.

Written by Tina Fey

Outfit Post: Leopard is like, so in right now.

2011-09-22T10:19:00.000-05:00

On my way to our lake house in Michigan, we always pass this staircase. It's a simple three step wooden staircase that leads to... well, nothing. There's a picture perfect corn field behind it. But the stairs really serve no purpose. I thought that if I climbed them they would lead me to a secret portal or maybe a glimpse into heaven, but alas, I am still here.

PS - Aren't you loving the new KH skirt?! It's available now (in limited quantities) in the store.

KH Weekly Update: 9/21/11

2011-09-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hey locals! I'm so excited to announce that I'll be participating in the coolest shopping event of the season, Fashion Chicago - a designer shopping event with 35 local jewelry and apparel designers at Millennium Park!
Admission is FREE so RSVP here now! The first 100 shoppers receive a $100 signature gift bag!
Saturday, October 22
10am - 6pm
Millennium Park - Chase Promenade North, Chicago

On the home front... we were at the new house for over four hours on Monday completing a home inspection, and here's what we learned: There's going to be a lot of things to do in our 100+ year old 'new home'! Eeks! I better start tivo-ing more DIY shows! Nonetheless, I'm still super excited (maybe more excited?), and I've been pinning renovation ideas like crazy! Excited and nervous... hopefully all the paper work goes well and I can start packing already!

Not Tastefully Tuesday

2011-09-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

[ jeans by lucky / jean jacket by forever21 / watch by francesca's / sweatshirt by mackinac island gift shop / bag by mackinac island gift shop / gym shoe heels by steve madden ]

Excuse the interruption in our regularly scheduled post, this is clearly not Tastefully Tuesday. Today we will be doing my last outfit post of the Mackinac Island, MI Family Vaca. And a few extra vaca photos. I'm tempted to load my entire photo album of the trip to this blog post but I will refrain and just give you the highlights. I mean how many adorable photos of V do you really need to see?

So one of the best highlights of the trip was on the last day when we toured the Grand Hotel. It was nice and cool but the sun warmed us, so we sat on the porch - largest porch in the world - and just soaked in the amazing view.

From the rest of the trip... it was fairly simple:

We saw amazing views...

We biked 8.5 miles around the entire island with this scenery...

We fished...

And V's favorite, we ate ice cream. Lots of it.

Outfit Post: More from Mackinac, Island, MI

2011-09-19T09:59:00.000-05:00

[ jeans by forever21 / top by target / necklace by vita v. / gold bangle by kristin hassan / watch by francesca's / sandals by bakers ]

Getting dressed on vacation should be pretty easy. I plan most of my looks ahead of time, and then when I pack I throw in a handful of random pieces that can be styled with different items. This look though, was not planned. The top was one of the extras, the jeans were to be paired with a simple tee. But I found myself with a few spare extra minutes one night while getting ready, (baby and husband both sleeping, yay!), and so I took my outfit a step above casual. This is totally easy and achievable for anyone to do with a vacation wardrobe when you do one simple thing - pack in a color scheme. Everything should match everything, including shoes, accessories, and handbags. When everything is in the same color palette, you have the ease of mind to stick to outfits as planned, or when you're just not feelin' it - and we all have those days - you have the freedom to go rogue. Try it next time you leave town, you won't be disappointed!

And what outfit post would be complete without my mini me? XO
Happy Monday everyone!

Tastefully Tuesday: Salsa

2011-09-13T16:29:00.000-05:00

By now you know my family has a thing for Mexican food because I've posted about it over and over again. And you also might remember that my father has a pretty awesome garden. Put the two together and whaddya get? Homemade Salsa!

Ingredients:
5 Roma tomatoes
3 fresh jalapenos, stems removed
1/2 lg. Vidalia onion, quartered
2 cloves fresh garlic
2 Tbs white vinegar
2 tsp salt
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
A sprig or two of cilantro
splash of lime juice or lemon juice

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a blender and pulse so it's still chunky but not too chunky. Pour into a medium saucepan and heat over medium about 15 minutes. It'll be pretty frothy. (You can can this like we did, in a boiling water canner, process for 15 minutes.)

Then, the boys got a little carried away. You see, this all started months ago when my brother, yes the one that makes the cannoli, and my husband and my father got together and decided to plant a bunch of hot peppers. Well the plants flourished and we had mounds of jalapeno peppers, banana peppers, habenero peppers, and green peppers. In order to put all these fresh veggies to good use, they created hot sauces, specialty salsas, and even pickled peppers!

My creation: Mango Salsa!

And last but certainly not least, Mr. Wonderful showed off his kitchen skills by concocting "Ramz-berry Salsa", a raspberry infused salsa. While all of us were sceptic during the preparation, the truly original "Ramz-berry Salsa" was a delicious crowd favorite! I'd share the recipe but he got a little excited and doesn't remember all the ingredients.

Outfit Post: Table for 3

2011-09-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Dress by Nordstroms / Earrings by Forever21 / Shoes by Steve Madden / Belt by Target / Bracelet by Kristin Hassan

I may be reaching a point of frustration when it comes to eating out with a 1-year old. But on last weekends trip to Mackinac Island, MI, eating out was about our only option. So I tried my best to calmly endure four nights of dining out with V. Her normal tolerance for sitting in a restaurant lasts about thirty minutes, then, the fun begins... the banging of silverware, the throwing of food, the laughing and pointing. This is all fine when you're at a normal family style restaurant with twenty other kids doing the same thing. But when you're at a white tablecloth restaurant with wonderful harbor views, and candlelight, and a piano man... well then it just gets awkward. I'd say my favorite part was when V decided it was appropriate to yell "Doggy Doggy Doggyyyyyyyy!" at the top of her lungs to a young couple sipping champagne.

And then I remember, we used to be them. We used to be that couple, dressed up to the nines, quietly talking over our dinner that we've taken two hours to eat, and being annoyed that a screaming child was out, and probably past her bed time, too. Well, the tables turned for us, and they will turn for them. Hopefullypefully, they will make the same decision we did. They will go out and not leave their toddler at home. They will expose her to the places and people and the behavior they hope she will soon have. And when she throws pieces of her mother's surf and turf on the floor or puts her hand in her father's glass of merlot, they will remain calm. Because dining out with her if far better than dining out without her.

Outfit Post: Prom Night

2011-09-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Skirt by Forever21 / T-Shirt by Mossimo for Target / Sandals by Bakers / Amber Hear Necklace from my Grandmother / Sunglasses by Steve Madden

I'm a little behind on things since going on vacation. So while I'm busy unpacking and editing photos from the trip, here's an outfit post from a few weeks ago when the weather was still very much summer. Every Tuesday afternoon V and I do lunch with Mr. Wonderful. I was quickly getting ready while V napped, (unlike the other day), when I stumbled upon a tube of lipstick that I hadn't seen in years. Even Mr. Wonderful said, 'Whoa, your lips are pink!' I've usually been sticking to red lip colors lately, but when I saw the pink it took me back... all the way to Prom Night, 2003. You guessed it... I went to Prom with Mr. Wonderful and yes I wore this bright pink lip stick.

I've never done this before but, because of Taylor's comment below, I've gone back and added to this post! I should have thought to post these prom night photos originally, but didn't have the energy last night to go dig out my scrapbook. But nevermind, because here they are! (Sorry for the poor quality, they were shot on my iPhone out of my scrapbook.)

Official Prom Photo:

My grandfather and I:

So yes, my mom and I made my prom dress. We bought royal blue satin and hot pink organza and layered the two. It was simple and completely pink... exactly what I wanted. I wore clear Cinderella high heels and my grandmothers real crystal necklace and bracelet. I was even nominated to be on Prom Court, woohoo, haha! Afterwards, my parents hosted an all you can eat Mexican buffet, and then we headed off the to the Wisconsin Dells in the morning. Looking back, the funniest part didn't even happen at Prom, it happened the week before when my parents had to sign a permission slip allowing me to bring a college guy to Prom! Hehehe. Oh well... perfect look, perfect date, perfect night!

Outfit Post: No Time for Make Up

2011-09-05T22:59:00.000-05:00

Jeans by Levi's / Wedges by Michael Antonio / Top by Nordstrom / Bracelets by Bauble Bar, Target, and Kristin Hassan / Belt by Target / Diamond Earrings (gift)

Any mom out there will tell you that her 'alone time' is very limited. And when you only have a few hours/minutes to yourself a day, what you do with that time is pretty important. Some days when nap time hits, it hits me, too. Other days, I'm super mom tackling chores, prepping dinner, getting a little work done... We've all got our to do lists, and on this day, putting make up on was just not on the list. This day was meant for going to my parents house and making a mess in the kitchen... (that'll be explained tomorrow.) This day was about relaxing and laughing and just being completely comfortable and casual. This day, make up didn't matter at all. Maybe it will tomorrow.

ps - yes, my brothers have a soccer field in my parents backyard. and no, they wouldn't pause their game for sake of my photos.

Potluck Friday: Family Vaca!

2011-09-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

By the time you read this we will be hanging out in one of the coolest places in the Midwest, Mackinac Island! My camera is glued to my side and I can't wait to post vaca updates and new outfits! Then, next week I'm super psyched to be partaking in the Indie E-Conference... so much good stuff coming up! Hope everyone has a happy Labor Day weekend!

Outfit Post: Daddy's Garden

2011-09-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Dress by Roxy / Necklaces by Jess L.C. / Bracelet by Kristin Hassan / Sandals by Bakers

It's a summer ritual to over indulge in fresh fruits and veggies straight from our backyard. My Dad always plants the best gardens with amazing variety. This year he went a little crazy with the tomato plants. Then the boys, my brothers and Mr. Wonderful, got the awesome idea to plant peppers - jalapenos, habaneros, banana. Grandma came over and helped pick through the entire garden. We've all got a long list of recipes we're dying to make, mostly hot sauce and salsa. Til then, I'll be chopping up tomatoes and drowning them in Ali's Dressing.

Tastefully Tuesday: Survivor Toffee

2011-08-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

My mom has worked as an oncology nurse for the last 35 years. When you treat cancer patients as a living, there's no doubt that it can way on your emotions, so it's always nice to hear stories like this one. One patient, a forty-something mother, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Every time she came in to my mothers office for her treatments, she always brought the nurses a treat. On one visit, this patient brought in a homemade toffee treat... Unfortunately, the nurses won't be getting anymore treats though; the patient is now cancer free! So when you're cracking open the fridge to grab another piece of this toffee (because you're going to become addicted to it and start nibbling at it around midnight like I did), say an extra prayer for those that are fighting the cancer battle, those that lost, and those that won. And then wash it down with a gulp of milk straight from the carton, be thankful for your health and remember that life is pretty sweet.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks salted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
saltine crackers
3-4 Hershey's dark chocolate bars
crushed walnuts

Directions:
Line a cookie sheet with the saltine crackers, salt side down, packed as tightly as possible. I also used parchment paper to remove the toffee easily. Break all of the hershey bars into pieces and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan with the brown sugar. Boil and stir until it becomes thick - this is your toffee. Pour immediately over the crackers and spread with a spatula evenly over the whole surface. Place the broken pieces of chocolate over the hot toffee and let it sit for a minute or two until the chocolate becomes shiny. Once the chocolate has softened, use a spatula to spread it evenly. Top with crushed walnuts, patting them down lightly. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Outfit Post: Ha-ppy Ha-ppy!

2011-08-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

VFish Dress / Target belt / Bauble Bar bracelet / Kristin Hassan bracelet / Steve Madden shoes

We had three birthday parties to attend on Saturday. After that many times of singing 'Happy Birthday', V got really good at it. All day she's been toddling around the house repeating 'Ha-ppy Ha-ppy!' On a different note, I got this dress from the VFish store in Chicago that my friend Jess introduced me to. It was a really easy buy - it fit great and it was on sale for $40! This made me one Ha-ppy Ha-ppy momma.

KH Weekly Update

2011-08-24T08:00:00.003-05:00

Well the house is being painted as we speak! Our house is officially listed as for sale, and we've officially put in an offer on a new house. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the switch could happen overnight? Old house sold, new house moved in, renovated and decorated. Eh, a woman can dream can't she? In the meantime, I've been slowly packing things up. I know it's early but sorting through V's clothing alone is a weeks worth of work. The girl has a lot of clothes!

Alright let's talk Fashion Week(s). NYFW is coming up! To get an inside scoop I've signed up for the Indie Fall 2011 e-conference sponsored by Tieka at Selective Potential and Elizabeth and Delightfully Tacky. It's an e-conference these wonderful girls put together for those who can't attend the IFB Blogging Conference; it's focused on fashion but will discuss all the ins and outs of blogging, plus behind the scenes coverage of NYFW from a bloggers point of view! I think it's perfect for those of us fashion bloggers who want to attend but can't, or for anyone looking to amp up their blog. I'm sooooo excited for this!! Awesome idea ladies!!

As far as Chicago's fashion week, I've been asked to participate in Chicago Fashion Focus again! I've shown my collection for the last 3 years in the tents, and I'm super psyched to do it again! I'll be participating with the Chicago Fashion Incubator as an alumni from the first year. Now in it's 4th year, there are a lot more designers and wonderful talent that will be presented. Stay tuned for more details over the coming weeks. In the mean time, I'll leave you with these sketches to ponder what exactly will be walking down the runway :) (In Chicago? Check out ChicagoFashionResource.com for all the info on Chicago fashion events!)

Tastefully Tuesday: Holy Cannoli

2011-08-23T08:00:00.002-05:00

Dear Violet,
Everyone in our family cooks. EVERYONE. Your Babcia makes you homemade soup, and I made all of your baby food. By now you've realized Grandma and Grandpa make everything from scratch, too - spaghetti sauce to chocolate cakes, nothing comes out of a box in their house. Uncle Nick has gotten pretty comfortable in the kitchen now that he has a girlfriend to cook for, (yeah, she's pretty lucky). But the real shocker here is your Uncle Andy. Uncle Andy makes the best cannoli. Yes, the same Uncle Andy who rides a motorcycle, plays soccer, and taught your how to do the running man dance... Yep, you two are pretty good buddies.

I love how your little eyes pay close attention when I cook, and I can tell you're gonna be a natural in the kitchen. Right now though, you're our official Taste Tester and you're doing a great job!
Ciao bella!

Uncle Andy's Cannoli

Ingredients:
*1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 cup marscapone cheese
3/4 powdered sugar
a few drops of almond extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips
*cannoli nuts (green)
*cannoli shells

*I bought these ingredients at my local Italian deli, Rubino's.

Directions:
In a large bowl and with a mixer, mix together the ricotta cheese and marscapone cheese until it's fluffy, about 2 - 3 minutes on medium speed. Add in the powdered sugar and 8-10 drops (depending on your taste) of the almond extract; mix until smooth, about 1 - 2 minutes on medium speed. Fold in about half of the chocolate chips. With a butter knife, stuff the cannoli shells with the filling, packing it in to ensure no air space in the middle. Pour the remaining mini chocolate chips and/or cannoli nuts in a plate and dip in each end of the cannoli. Refrigerate immediately.

Outfit Post: I Was Not Overdressed

2011-08-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

Striped top from Von Maur / Big Star shorts / Steve Madden boots / M2 leather cuff bracelet / Nine West sunnies

We've been doing A LOT of house hunting. And on this particular day, I was not over dressed for this task. We spend a good part of our Sundays driving up and down the streets of neighborhoods and walking in a lot of houses. Some of the old homes are a little creepy and I make Mr. Wonderful open the closet doors and check out the basements. But fingers crossed, our search might be coming to an end. We found a great big home built in 1908 that has tons of potential, aka tons of places for me to try out all those projects I've been watching on the DIY network. Like I said, though, fingers crossed... the whole process of buying a house is a tricky one. Good thing I married someone who works in real estate though, ha!

Potluck Friday: Pinterest

2011-08-19T09:21:00.002-05:00

Maybe I'm a little behind these days. Being in 'mommyland' will do that to you sometimes. But maybe a few of you are too, so today I introduce you to (or remind you of) Pinterest. My awesome friend Diandra told me about it. It's a super cool website/tool that collects all the things you bookmark around the web into nice, neat little bulletin boards. I started some of my favs - fall fashion wish lists, renovations for our new house, recipes, etc. You can follow your friends pins, post to facebook, and lots of other great social networking things. So get on the bandwagon already! Go create your own, follow me, and I'll follow you!

Have a happy weekend!

Outfit Post: You Say it's Your Birthday

2011-08-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

The fun part about having babies with all of your friends - there were 9 other women pregnant at the same time as me - is that a year later you get to celebrate all the 1st birthdays! And yes, I was probably a bit over-dressed for a back yard 1st birthday, but think about it, when am I not over dressed? Hmmm, I'll work on that post soon ;)

KH Weekly Update

2011-08-17T08:00:00.004-05:00

Moving the studio out of my house has been bittersweet. While I miss the mess of fabric and patterns everywhere, it's so refreshing to watch V and Max run around in all the open space.

So bracelets. Moving my label from apparel into accessory design is the start of a new chapter for me. Obviously all the moms out there know how hard it is to be a working mom, and what I think is even more difficult, a work-from-home mom. Shifting focus to a product that is a little less labor intensive on my part will help me balance my mommy duties with my creative duties. I've got a lot to learn and figure out on this new path but I'm excited for the challenges it brings. My first bracelet collection is now up in the shop, so check it out. I've made limited quantities so grab yours now before they're all gone! And because you're such great readers/followers/friends, you can use my special code, BLOGGERJEWELS10, to receive 10% off your first jewelry order!

I know I will always be consumed with fashion and apparel. I plan on continuing to run my most popular styles - the wrap dress, wrap skirt, etc. - and maybe I'll throw out a few new ones here and there too! My bulletin board is still full of ideas and fabric swatches keep rolling in. So no worries, KH clothing isn't going away! In all honesty, I'm having way to much fun being a mom. I love my little business, but it's going to be a life long work in progress... so stick around, things are fun around here!

Tastefully Tuesday: Burritos

2011-08-16T08:00:00.002-05:00

I wasn't kidding when I said Mexican food is my sixth food group... my family is loco for this stuff! I used to stick to making tacos or tostadas, but once I learned how easy it was to wrap a burrito and fry it, these suckers are now the new favorite.

Ingredients:
1 lb. organic ground beef
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 package shredded mexican cheese
1 can refried beans
Large flour tortillas
Corn oil (for frying)

Toppings - lettuce, tomatos, guacamole, etc.

Directions:
Prepare your meat according to the directions on the taco seasoning packet. Then follow the photos below...

Best topping for this burrito? My killer GUAC!

Outfit Post: Chillin' On a Dirt Road

2011-08-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

Kristin Hassan dress / Jessica Simpson heels / Charming Charlie's necklace and bracelet / Steve Madden sunglasses / Gifted ring

I like country music. And I like the country dirt roads by my lake house in Michigan. When I was a kid, almost every road in town was a dirt road. Now, this patch is one of the only left. Obviously I'm a fan of progress and I support change for the better, but there's some kind of charm about a dirt road, ya know? It enhances the feeling of separation or adventure I get when I'm at the lake house and away from the suburbs and the big city.

Anyways, this black floral wrap dress is currently available only (on sale!) at Left of Trend - sale ends Tuesday so shop now!

KH Fall Preview

2011-08-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Kristin Hassan Dress / Ann Taylor Loft Multi Chain Bracelet / Charming Charlies Cuff / H&M Necklaces / Forever21 (Times Square, NYC) Heels

Introducing the Victoria Dress from the KH Fall 2011 collection. While most of us are still wrapping are heads around the fact that it's August and fall will be here before we know it, this fall dress is old to me. You see, to play in the hamster wheel that is the fashion industry, I made my Fall 2011 collection back in March... But more on that tomorrow. It's still a pretty fabulous faux silk dress, in an amazing Fall color. I've just been wearing it now, but keep your eye out and snap it up so you can wear it when the time is right!

On a different note, I love when my mom takes my blog pictures. We usually make an afternoon of it, driving around, getting lunch, finding fun places to use as backgrounds - like this alley in the city. It's some good bonding time... and I think she's pretty good at it.

KH Weekly Update

2011-08-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

It continues to be busy around here. Perhaps the most significant project that we're working on, is the transformation from studio to playroom. I've long been out growing my workspace in the basement of our house, and it's always been a challenge to work from home. And with V being so proficient and walking and running and making the entire house a mess, a dedicated play space would be ideal. Last night the tables were taken down and the fabric has been boxed up. Some stuff was moved into storage, other stuff will go to the factory. It's all part of our big preparation to move - the house goes up for sale at the end of this week!

While all that is happening, I've launched my first accessories line of bracelets! We're having a special launch flash sale over at Left of Trend. Be sure to sign up and then shop away! It's a flash sale so everything listed is currently only available on LOT at these prices. After the sale, the bracelets will hit other places on the web and in your town at regular prices. So get over there now to be one of the first to own KH accessories!

You can also check out some pretty sweet summer styles that are for sale on LOT.

And don't forget, there's a pretty killer party happening on Friday night...

Off to the basement... I've gotta vacuum up all the pins before we spread out the toys!

Tastefully Tuesday: Veggie Fake-Out

2011-08-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

V may only be 14 months old but I'm sensing that this "I don't wanna eat the green stuff" isn't going away anytime soon. So during her nap time the other day, I scratched my head on how to get her to eat tonight's zucchini with her spaghetti and meatballs. The later goes down, no problem. It was the images in my head of me wiping chunks of zuch off the floor that was plaguing me. How do I get the veggies to go down with the good stuff? Then it hit me... what if it was one in the same? My mission was clear - hide veggies in the meatballs. It didn't seem rocket science and I'm sure I'm not the first mom who's done it, but here's what I came up with... Keep in mind, I'm Italian and I've been groomed to make one hell of a meatball since I was old enough to stand on a chair and help. My meatball recipe is a variation of my great Nana's, taught to me by my father. But this little beauty here, she's all mine, so I do hope you enjoy.

Homemade Meatballs with Hidden Veggies

Ingredients:
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 lb. organic ground meat
2 eggs
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
2 fist fulls of parmesan cheese
1 fist full of chopped parsley
2 teaspoons onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
the zest of one orange (the secret ingredient!)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together by hand in a large bowl. Take a spoonful of the meat at a time and roll it into a ball. Fry in oil for 4-5 minutes, flipping to ensure cooking on all sides. Serve with your favorite noodles and sauce! These aren't just for kids - I've been gobbling them up, too!

CYO: Cut-Offs

2011-08-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

My husband is a little obsessed with the Beatles. So when he dropped a pretty penny on tenth row seats to the Paul McCartney concert at Wrigley Field last week, I wasn't even shocked. This was supposedly Paul's last concert. Yeah I've heard that before, when Mr. Wonderful did this same thing in 2002 for Paul's 'last concert'. But what an ahh-mazing show! We sat on the field, so close to Paul you could spit on him... Not that we would. It was the most amazing concert I've ever been to. (Sorry Lady Gaga.)

Concert apparel is easy and difficult. Easy because anything goes, super casual to dressy. Difficult because with so many options it's, well, difficult. After some various outfits, I knew I wanted shorts. White shorts. I didn't have white shorts. I had white capris that I haven't worn since Lord knows when. So I (step 1) tried them on and put a pin in where I wanted them to hit. (Step 2) I took them off and measured the legs so they were even. (Step 4) Nip measured line with scissors big enough to fit your fingers in. (Step 5) Rip. Don't have your husband rip or you'll end up with a tear that goes the wrong way like I did. But you can fix it by stitching it down the rip. Now they're definitely one of a kind ;)

Pot Luck Friday: Bag of the Month

2011-08-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

In an attempt to refine my Friday posts, I found inspiration from grade school. My mom always made our lunches everyday except Friday. On Fridays we would get $5 and took joy in the most exciting thing since sliced bread: pot luck. Some fridays there would be pizza, others chicken nuggets with this fantastic little cup of barbecue sauce I haven't tasted since 5th grade...

Bag of the Month... #001. Like any pair of shoes on any pair of feet, I think the contents on the inside of your bag tell a lot about you as a person. It might be telling of your true personality, maybe it's just reflective of the mood your in. Either way, these little things help paint a more well rounded picture of who you are. This month, I introduce to you my handbag from yesterday's neon and neutral post, the Guess Bag. I bought this bag the week of Easter because I was tired of carrying a handbag and a diaper bag to church. Solution = get a really big handbag bag. This bag is perfect for all of my little goodies, yet roomy enough for diapers and wipes and bottles. Mission accomplished!

Contents:
1. US Weekly - just following Princess Kate's style a bit...
2. I.D. Case - originally I think it was a cigarette case, but I put my credit card and driver's license in for easy access.
3. Flip Video - for capturing all of V's precious little moments. Like how she started walking the day after Easter at 10 months old.
4. Eco-Friendly Spiral Notebook - for jotting down blog post ideas, recipes, to-do lists, etc.
5. EOS - the best lip balm ever.
6. Moo Cards - mini business cards
7. Keys to the Benz
8. Nature's Valley Peanut Butter & Nut Bar - keeps me from hitting the drive through some days.
9. Steve Madden Sunnies - got these at Carson's for like 60% off!
10. Pamper's Diapers - I wasn't kidding.
11. Guess Faux Croc Handbag - purchased at DSW.

Trend Experiment: Neon & Neutral

2011-08-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes when taking blog photos, things are little more planned out, a little more 'professional'. Other times, you're late for dinner with your grandparents and your mom is snapping some photos in the backyard... and your dad is on the phone and there is a floating plastic duck in the pool.

So neon and neutral... this trend is everywhere now. To be completely honest, I was a baby on this, trying just a hint of neon and lots of neutral. I like it, I think I need to find better neon pieces, and honestly with fall approaching, that's not on my fall shopping list. Eh, you win some, you lose some.

In other news - I accidentally erased my hard drive last night. Can you imagine how awesome I feel? Ugh.

KH Weekly Update

2011-08-03T11:41:00.000-05:00

Come out this weekend for the final trunk show in my series, Saturdays with Kristin! This one is a super special one because not only will you be able to preview and order from the Fall collection (not even in stores yet!!), but it is the launch of the 'Bloomingdale' Collection - my Fall 2011 line of metal bracelets! Print the coupon above and receive $5 off your first bracelet purchase!

In other news, we've been working away getting new wrap dresses and skirts ready to ship for the pre-fall season, while simultaneously designing and producing the Spring 2012 collection. Yes, my head spins most days. C'est la vie!

Tastefully Tuesday: Guac

2011-08-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Mexican food is like my sixth food group. So naturally I was determined to create my own, super delicious recipe for guacamole! I'm pretty proud of this one...

Ingredients
4 ripened avocados, peeled and diced
2 - 3 big tablespoons of sour cream
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 - 3 tomatoes, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
4 teaspoons Cholula hot sauce (secret ingredient!! Add more if you like it super spicy, less if you don't.)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
With a potato masher, smash up the diced avocado. In a bowl, combine all of your ingredients and mix til incorporated. Serve with tortilla chips, or eat it by the spoonful :)

Outfit Post: Note to Self - Never Wear Yellow Nail Polish

2011-08-01T09:19:00.005-05:00

It would be pretty ridiculous to pretend that every outfit I wear or post photos of is perfect. Or that every fashion choice I make is the right one. We are all flawed and opinion is subjective. So when my mother told me the yellow nail polish I was sporting last week was "UGLY", I shrugged it off. Now, I've always been a red nails kinda girl, so what in God's creation possessed me to try 'Banana Bandana', I have no idea. Actually, yes I do. It was somewhere between wanting to step out of my rouge box and only having the nanny for a few hours to run all my errands. And so, pressured by a little oriental man who kept saying 'Pick color! Pick color!', I panicked and made the wrong decision.

So thanks Mom for so kindly informing me of my fashion faux pas. I only hope to be as blunt and honestly with V on these matters. :)

KH Weekly Update

2011-07-26T22:40:00.002-05:00

I think I'm in denial that we're about to enter August. But nonetheless, I'm closing out the summer with a few fun events!

First up, it's a fall collection preview at Cerato Boutique!
Saturday, August 6th
11am - 5pm
Come in for your chance to preview and order from the fall collection before it hit stores!

And then, a summer party with Left of Trend!

So if you're in the area, I'd love to see your bright and smiley face! To stay posted on all KH events, check out www.KristinHassan.com! Ta-ta for now!

XO,
K

Tastefully Tuesday: Ali's Dressing

2011-07-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Any mom will tell you that it's a rare day when she can sit down to a nice, homemade, healthy meal... and then eat it in peace and quiet. Like a lot of mommas, I've fallen victim to the fast food while running errands kind of lunch. But after a pretty awesome girls weekend at my lake house in Michigan, I learned a pretty awesome secret weapon. All of us girls collectively made a fantastic chicken parm dinner with salad, garlic bread, and even had cake for desert. My dear friend Ali solved the problem of not having any salad dressing in the house by whipping up some herself. In a room full of women, none of us had ever tasted a salad dressing so delicious. And who knew homemade salad dressing was this easy? I've made this recipe but doubled the proportions and store it in the fridge to quickly top off some fresh tomatoes or salads while V is chowing through her lunch. Whatever you do with it, it enhances any dish... even if you have to eat it standing up.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake. Pour over desired vegetables. Pictured above: Heirloom tomatoes with red onions and fresh mozzarella.

Obsession Confession: Stylemint.com

2011-07-22T09:42:00.004-05:00

Around high school age a lot of people thought I looked like the Olsen twins. As our fashion sense grew, I became obsessed with them, as they did with me ;)

So naturally when I received an email from The Zoe Report (I'll obsess over her at a later date), I signed up immediately for their newest venture - Stylemint.com. It's a project entirely devoted to my obsession with t-shirts. (Hey, I'm a fashionable mom but I'm still a mom!) There's a quick and fun survey to determine your t-shirt style... I came in at Runway, naturally. They release new t designs monthly, and best of all, their only $29.99. Just ordered my first one!

To this day I still take resemblance comments as a compliment... even when Mr. Wonderful says I'm nothing but sunglasses on toothpicks.

Outfit Post: I Felt Like Carrie Bradshaw (except I've never smoked a cigarette)

2011-07-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

It's ridiculously hot here. Like it was 91 degrees at 8:30am. So I did it. I wore a shirt that slightly bared my midriff. And I have to say, I'm gonna do it again.

Get more info on my bracelets here.

KH Weekly Update

2011-07-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

In between all the diaper changing and play dates, I spend my few spare moments working on my clothing line. And while things may seem quiet right now, I've been dabbling with some exciting things!

First things first, you may have noticed a new look to the blog. Well today I've finally pushed the publish button on the KH website, too! Please bare with me over the next week or so as I work out any last tiny kinks in the new programming. Every time I redesign my site, my goal is to provide a better, more professional, easy to navigate, fun site. (Yes, I do my own web design.) I'm so happy with all the work my little fingers have done - It feels so refreshing!

Next, hop on over to the KH store and you'll notice all of your favorite KH styles are available. Be sure to check back frequently, as we've got new items being sewn as we speak! (And then I'll be praying for V to take a great long nap so we can photograph them!) Also new in the store are a few little gems that I've been working on - bracelets and rings! It's only natural having designed clothing that the jewelry bug would bite me. I'm so very excited to launch my first batch of accessories this summer, and I'm even more excited for the next round that's coming soon! So excited, that if you shop this week, plug in your special blogger discount code, BLOGGERJEWELS10, and receive 10% off your jewelry order! (Just a side note, for those of you who aren't, take a second and sign up on our mailing list to receive additional discounts, promotions, and fun stuff!)

Don't forget - this weekend I will be co-hosting a trunk show at Cerato Boutique, so those of you in Chicago, stop by and see me!

Thanks for checking in today! Come back tomorrow!
-K

Tastefully Tuesday: Cheeseburger Pie

2011-07-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

You may recall a column that used to appear here called the Better Crocker Chapters. Since everything else is getting a little face lift around here, as did said post. (Re)Introducing: Tastefully Tuesdays. Because lately, my life is all about getting dressed and getting dinner on the table.

Tastefully Tuesdays will bring you a new and Mom-Friendly recipe each week. Gone are the days where I could spend 4 hours experimenting in the kitchen. I need quick, easy, scrumptious foods for me, the baby, and the husband. (The dog thinks the scraps aren't that bad, too.) So get hungry, you're gonna love what's coming your way.

Today's taste: Cheeseburger Pie

This one's a no brainer in my house. We love our cheeseburgers. But making it in a pie version is such a refreshing twist. Top it with your favorite burger condiments, and serve it with chips or veggies on the side. Easy-peasy.

Ingredients:
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef (I use organic ground beef from Trader Joe's)
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 oz)
1/2 cup Original Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
2 large eggs

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
2. In a 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread beef in pie plate and sprinkle with cheese.
3. In a small bowl, stir the remaining ingredients with a fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 10 min
Bake: 25 min
Serving: 6

The Outfit: West Side Story, Opening Night

2011-07-18T11:55:00.005-05:00

A true, all out date night with Mr. Wonderful is everything a girl swoons for and then some. Yes, I lucked out and got one of those guys who loves to take his wife to the theater. Since we were running late as usual, we grabbed a few scoops of ice cream before the show. Our dinner reservations were for after, but by 10pm we were just getting out of the theater and weren't up for taking down 10 oz steaks or anything. So we made the happy little ride back to the burbs, grabbed some sandwiches from our favorite joint, and called it a night. See, dinner and a show can be done differently. The show, btw, was fabulous...makes me wish I would have stuck out my dance classes a little longer.

Welcome Back Rewind

2011-07-18T10:18:00.003-05:00

Hello again long lost blogging world, I'm back! I've already got posts lined up, so fear not, I'm not going anywhere! Where have I been and what's been going on? Well you're just gonna have to keep checking back to get the full story. But let's just start off with balancing motherhood with anything is tough! There's lots of other exciting little things taking up my time that I will be sure to update you all on as the days pass. So enough with the small talk, let's just jump right back in!

Today's outfit post is a bit of a rewind... to the Fourth of July weekend. It's my favorite holiday ever! We always spend the holiday weekend at my parents lake house in Michigan. The best part is I impose a packing rule on everyone - red (and pink), white, and blue clothing ONLY!

I don't normally wear heels at the lake house, or get this dolled up for that matter. But I took advantage of a quick ride to town, so for these photos it was just a little dress up fun in the country! Isn't my necklace ridiculously awesome?! A brilliant combo of all kinds of colored chains and metal balls. My mom makes them! (Leave a comment, or email me to order, they're $36.)

Food is a huge part of the celebration. I always make my traditional patriotic cake. Brand new for this year, my older brother Andy bought a smoker and smoked ribs, and chicken, and brisket, and it was ah-mazing!

The rest of the weekend is spent jet skiing and wake boarding, more eating and drinking, watching the fireworks... it's just perfect. And I'm so happy my baby is a water kid! V LOVED playing in the lake!

But the weekend highlight might have been our family trip to an ice cream factory... I had cheese cake ice cream, yum!

(Side note - ok there is a more typical lake house weekend outfit. And probably the only time you will ever see me wearing flip flops!)

Check back tomorrow for an update on an old column I used to feature! XO!
-K

All Wrapped Up

2011-03-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

What's up with the sporadic posting? I guess you can really tell when S#@! hits the fan over here... But thanks for checking back. I'm trying!

Anyways... the wrap dress... the wrap skirt... and the wrap. All my wrapping started years ago with this piece, the Veronica Wrap. Named after my late grandmother, this is just another one of those pieces you HAVE to have in your closet. Wear it open, wrap it up, wear it anyway you want. Right now it's available ONLY at Cerato Boutique. Tracey, the wonderful owner, took one off the rack and wore it right out the door. Love her :) So get in there now and get yours before someone else walks out the door with it.

Behind the scenes - styling with Oscar. Don't you LOVE the city in the back? I do :)

The Outfit
Wrap: Kristin Hassan
Tank: J. Crew
Jeans: Forever21
Heels: Jessica Simpson
Necklace: H&M
Earrings: Forever21

The Victoria Dress... @ Le Dress!

2011-03-15T11:55:00.002-05:00

I don't know about you, but I'm so ready for some warmer weather already! And the Victoria Dress is the perfect frock to celebrate the season ahead. The Victoria Dress is another KH signature that's going to be rolling out in lots of fabrics, colors, and prints. The multi floral print is available right now at my newest retailer, Le Dress. I'm so excited to be among the great dress designers that are carried at this Wicker Park boutique. A designer that's all about dresses in a boutique that's all about dresses = perfect!

NYC: Day 2

2011-02-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

On Day 2 in NYC we made a plan to see a few things and SHOP! We've been to NYC before so we avoided all the usual tourist sites (Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building...)

One must-see NY landmark though, is the Museum of Modern Art. We both had never been, so off we went! As a college art major, I was infatuated with every square foot of this building: 6 stories of all kinds of art! Paintings, photography, sculptures, special exhibits... my favorite was the special Andy Warhol motion pictures exhibit. We even downloaded the MoMA apps on our iPhone's so we could learn more about what we were looking at. Super fun!

Then another must-see was Grand Central Terminal. It was beautiful! But it was cold so this was an outerwear blog photo shoot! I absolutely love this coat! It was a gift from my mother-in-law at Christmas. So me, perfect fit. Thanks again Mom!

Coat: Nine West
Boots: Born

(Haha, isn't he adorable when I force him to take photos?!)

The day ended with lots of shopping downtown and in SoHo. There's a TopShop in SoHo (I fell in love at this store in London), and it's rumored that it will be coming to Chicago soon! Can't wait! I was so exhausted but Mr. Wonderful convinced me to go to out. We had dinner over in Hell's Kitchen at a place called Eatery, (concierge said it's where the locals eat), and my oh my! was the food delicious! Then we hit a late night show at a comedy club on our way back to the hotel. (Another silly tradition we like to do when we're in NY.) I was even more exhausted than before and our flight home was early... all in all, a great little getaway! Thanks Hubs!

NYC: Day 1

2011-02-03T11:50:00.004-06:00

Mr. Wonderful had a business conference to attend in New York City last Friday, and SURPRISE! I got to go too! We flew into LaGuardia on Thursday night - a night when the east coast got hit with 15" inches of snow and hundreds of flights were cancelled. Except ours. And to be honest, once we were on the ground, it didn't even look like that much snow had hit the city.

So Day 1 I slept in! (All the Mom's out there can share my excitement and reasoning for this much needed activity!) Since we were traveling for business, we stayed on an executive floor that had a huge lounge with free breakfast and a great view and electric outlets to charge my laptop! So I stayed in the lounge and worked for a few hours. I know, lame, but again, all the Mom's - especially work from home Mom's - understand. When I started to get stir crazy, I ventured out to get lunch. I absolutely love the little popsicle stands that are on every corner that sell Falafel sandwiches. For those of you that don't know, falafel is like an Arabic meatball - except it's made out of chickpeas, not meat. Mr. Wonderful (who is half Arabic) introduced me to these delicious little things years ago, and I've been hooked ever since. By the time I got back to the room and scarfed this sandwich down, Mr. Wonderful was finished at the conference and we headed off to a couples massage. And then we quickly got ready for the most exciting part of the trip: BROADWAY!

Top: Forever21
Necklaces: H&M
Skirt: Mossimo
Shoes: Jessica Simpson
Purse: Whitney Davis
Tights: Target

Side note: Mr. Wonderful and I are HUGE theater dorks. As a musician, (and a chior member, band member, musical theater member, etc, etc.) he obviously has a strong interest in Broadway shows and musicals. And I just absolutely LOVE live performances. Our favorite productions include RENT on Broadway and Phantom of the Opera, which we saw in London.

So on Friday night, we walked to Del Frisco's - an amazing steak house in Midtown! - and then through Times Square to the St. James Theater. It started snowing on our way to the theater and it was so romantic! We saw Green Day's American Idiot and it was soooo freakin' good! Best part - Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day played the role of St. Jimmy in the production that night! It was ridiculously cool to see him onstage.

It was a long, cold walk back to our hotel but on the way I saw the biggest Forever21 in my life in Times Square. And guess what... it was open until 1AM! WHAT?! Yep. So it was 11:30PM and Mr. Wonderful took me on a little shopping spree.

What started as a slow, down day, ended in one of the most fun, romantic, happy nights ever. :)

Check back tomorrow for Day 2!

All Wrapped Up

2011-01-20T08:31:00.002-06:00

Wrap: Kristin Hassan
Cami: BP by Nordstroms
Jeans: Forever21
Scarf: BP by Nordstroms
Shoes: Mossimo
Earrings: Charming Charlie
Red Bracelet: Nordstrom
Leather Bracelet: A gift

I've been such a slacker on posts this week! My apologies. I've been so wrapped up in... well, everything! V is almost crawling and she is running all around in her walker. I'm literally baby proofing something everyday. And Max is running from her as she chases him around the dining room table like a crazy little drunk person. It's actually quite hilarious.

And then I hired two new interns and did a little company restructuring for the upcoming season of the KH label. We've got some exciting events coming up and even more exciting clothing in the works. Check back often for details!

But speaking of all this wrapping (corny transition?), I introduce to you the Veronica Wrap! It's a super easy and comfy piece that every woman MUST have in her closet. And it's truly versatile - I wear it now, tied around my waist or worn open and flowing, and I even wore it when I was pregnant. My mom has one, and my grandma has one. And so does my yoga-teaching friend out in California. The wrap is also a multi-occassion appropriate: I wore this look to work yesterday, but I've worn my black one over a dress on a night out to dinner and the theater. The KH team is preparing a bunch of these fantastic pieces in an assortment of colors (any color suggestions??) for this coming spring, so check back to get your hands on one of the colors... or all of them!

Black & Navy: Chic or Geek?

2011-01-14T08:00:00.001-06:00

Blouse: Petticoat Alley
Pants: Jolt
Heels: Kenzie
Bracelet: Forever21
Ring: Macys
Necklace: Forever21

What's with all the experimenting?? To be completely honest, I've hit a horrible point - my closet is a disaster and I have days of laundry to do. So I absentmindedly went out and bought a few new random pieces and mixed it with whatever came out of the dryer... and voila. (V's tooth should pop through any second, returning us to our normal schedules... and giving me a chance to do some laundry.)

In the mean time, the idea of wearing black and navy was introduced to me over ten years ago by some unexpected trend setters: my brothers. I'm the only girl and middle child between two lovable guys who were heavy into the punk rock scene. In those days, they stuck to their uniform: t-shirts, Dickies (work pants!), chain wallets, and spiked hair. I remember my mother and I used to roll our eyes when they would appear in navy Dickies and black concert t's. I can't still hear myself saying, "but black and navy don't go together!"

Flash forward twelve years and I'm the one with a career in the fashion industry taking inspiration from an unlikely source. Maybe black and navy aren't so bad together after all?

Momma said there'd be days like these...

2011-01-12T15:52:00.003-06:00

Maxi Dress: Old Navy
Shirt: Forever21
Belt: From a flea market in Florida... years ago
Bracelet: Charming Charlie
Watch: Betsey Johnson
Earrings: Jess L.C.
Boots: Steve Madden

Baby V finally has a tooth poking through! While this is all exciting - it's exhausting! She's fussy most of the night and her normal two hour naps are lasting almost an hour. But for the moment she's all smiles and running into the walls in her walker, so I'm going to quickly post an outfit from the weekend :)

This weekend we went out to dinner and went house hunting. I'm very casual when I say house hunting, because to be honest, we've been 'house hunting' for four years! What can I say, finding your dream house takes time??

Gotta go... V and Max think it's appropriate to rip off leaves from my plants and eat them... Is it bedtime yet???

Trend Experiment & A Little Story About "Mom Hair"

2011-01-10T08:00:00.003-06:00

Hoodie: Forever21
Shirt: Forever21
Jeans: Kasil (from Cerato Boutique)
Boots: Kelsey Dagger
Necklace: Gift from my Mom
Belt: Macys
Gloves: Von Maur

As a kid, I remember wondering why moms always had the same hairstyle. But now that I am in full swing mom mode, I understand why my mother-in-law has rocked the same 'do for 30 years: time! It's quick and easy if you just do the same thing everyday. There isn't any time to fiddle around with new clips or fancy buns or braids when you're busy changing diapers and picking up toys. While I don't have a single hairstyle that I stick to, I do have a routine. Day 1 - smooth hair... blow dried straight and worn down. Day 2 - hot rollers or curling iron. Day 3 - ponytail.

So on this day, I took advantage of Vi's two hour nap and washed and blow dried my hair straight. I used to wear my smooth hair look almost 3 times a week. Now I'm a huge fan of the go-to-bed-with-wet-hair look.

I'm also a fan of this mixing prints trend that started over the summer. I'm a little late debuting it on the blog but hey... better late than never! PS - aren't those jeans AHH-MAZING?? They're Kasil jeans that I bought at Cerato Boutique. They were pricey but I haven't bought a new pair of jeans since before I was preggers. I call them my "Butt Jeans" (hence the "Check out my Ass" Photo :) They were so great, I bought another pair for my sister-in-law. Yeah, I love her! And these jeans!!

What do you think? Will you be mixing prints??

Goodbye Christmas, Hello Perfect Boots

2011-01-07T08:00:00.001-06:00

My house is so depressing right now. And it's all because Christmas is gone. Gone is the white tree with white lights and green and red ornaments only, with packages overflowing so one can't see the tree skirt. No longer does garland line my kitchen windows. Violet's five foot Mickey Mouse stocking isn't there to block the view of our fireplace. No more snowflake bedsheets. And my collection of nutcrackers have disappeared... including Mr. Kensington, the three and a half foot tall guardian of the basement stairs.

It was a blistery day when all of the festiveness was boxed back up. I tried to wear something comfortable. But amid the sadness of it all - I even feel sad writing this! - I found a glimmer of happiness in my new boots. Boots I've been searching for since September. And finally, a week before Christmas, the clouds parted. I've been very picky about what boots I was to buy this year. I buy a new pair every year, but this year was different. I'm a mom now and so I felt I needed a very practical I'm-a-mom-watch-me-carry-my-baby-through-the-snow-and-still-look-cute kinda boot. I knew I wanted a boot with a bit of a heel, but not too high. Mid calf or to the knee. With a buckle somewhere. Warm and comfortable. All in a shade of grey. Just when I thought that this boot was impossible to find, there it was in a mess that was known as Carson's shoe department two days before Christmas. It stood on a table with a bright orange tag that said DOOR BUSTER. My heart pounded as I calculated... original price $195.00, minus 40% door buster, minus 20% coupon... I paid just over $90, well under my budget for my new boots.

So while I think of ways to bring back the ambiance of Christmas, without putting Now That's What I Call A Country Christmas on repeat or lighting candles named Holiday Sugar Cookies, I will wear my new boots and smile. Farewell Christmas, see ya next year!

Top: Macys
Pants: Old Navy (Yes, the same ones that appeared yesterday, but I didn't wear them to days in a row, obvi.)
Necklace: Charming Charlie
Bracelets: No idea, ha!
Boots: Born
Glasses: Chanel

The Livia Top

2011-01-06T08:00:00.001-06:00

Blouses. Tops. Shirts. I'm making a mental note that I need way more of these in my wardrobe. More blouses for sure.

This is the Livia Top from my holiday collection. It has the same flattering cowl neckline of the Naomi Dress. But the real star here are these pants! Talk about a comfortable pant! I would label myself as a dress girl since I'm not a fan of any type of trouser, except jeans. But when I tried these suckers on at Old Navy, I was hooked. Of all places, Old Navy. So, comfy black pants, welcome to my closet. (Editors note: This could be considered another outfit recap since we shot these before the weather turned bitterly cold and snowy...)

Is there something that you just won't wear? Or do you have a particular piece that defines your style? For me it's dresses all the way!

Top: Kristin Hassan
Pants: Old Navy
Purse: Charming Charlie
Earrings: Forever21
Shoes: Seychelles
Glasses: Chanel

Outfit Recap: Holiday Party at Cerato Boutique

2011-01-05T08:00:00.002-06:00

I might have taken some time away from the blog, but that doesn't mean that I wasn't getting dressed! Or taking pictures, ha!

On this day, I was at Cerato Boutique to celebrate their 12 days of shopping event. December 3rd was the kick off night which invited shoppers to meet and sip cocktails with me and to try on all of my holiday merchandise. And they even received a special discount.

I wore the Naomi Dress - a floor length, cap sleeved, cowl neck dress. And OMG! I LOVED wearing this dress! I felt so glamourous. I'm itching for another event that I can wear this to... anyone throwing any fancy parties in the new year??

Dress: Kristin Hassan
Bracelets: Macys
Earrings: Forever21
Belt: My Mom's, circa 1985
Shoes: Jessica Simpson

December 31, 2010

2011-01-04T08:00:00.005-06:00

New Year's Eve had us back at the Double Door in Chicago, for the second night of Songs From a Scene. After a quick and delicious dinner at Blue Line Lounge across the street, we drank, danced, and sang the night into the New Year with all of our friends.

I was channeling some kind of 1970s glam look for the evening. Mostly because I bought this black fur crop vest that I have been trying to work into an outfit for two years. Usually when Mr. Wonderful and I are getting ready, he waits until I am finished picking out my outfit before we pick out his. (Avoids clashing.) But seriously for the first time ever, he got dressed and I put together my outfit around his. It was actually a lot less stressful knowing I had to work within a certain color palette. Hmmm, a process that might be repeated!

How did you spend your New Years?? I hope it was filled with lots of fun, sparkles, and good cheer!
Happy New Year!!

Tank: Luxe (gift)
Skirt: H&M
Vest: Forever21
Necklace: Vita V.
Purse: Guess
Bracelet: Macys (gift)
Boots: Steve Madden
Ring: Guess
Tights: Spanx

Songs From A Scene

2011-01-03T08:00:00.004-06:00

Hello Hello! And Happy New Year everybody! As you may have noticed, I've taken a little time away from the blog. To be completely honest, the holidays got the best of me. But get ready for a return to a regular posting schedule with fun new treats to come!

Thursday night, lots of friends, family, and so many fans gathered to celebrate the tenth and final year of Songs From a Scene at DoubleDoor in Chicago - an annual showcase of local talent that originally included bands like Lucky Boys Confusion, Penny and the Loafers, Swizzle Tree, Close Enough, Back Drop, The Dog and Everything and the Plain White T's. My husbands band, Penny and the Loafers, got back together after eight years for a special reunion show. It was absolutely an evening filled with fun and reminiscing!

So of course this exciting event was a major excuse to get dressed up. I was a little nervous about wanting to wear a dress that had back cutouts... is this appropriate for a mom?? I mean I was going to a rock show, it was a 21+ event, and it was New Years Eve Eve. After a last minute text to a fellow mom, I went with it! (Thanks Lisa!) I think I did it in a fun and classy way, what do you think?

Top: a dress from Forever21
Skirt: Kristin Hassan, custom piece
Tights: Spanx
Shoes: Forever21
Purse: Versace
Necklace: H&M
Earrings: Kate Spade
Watch: Betsy Johnson

The Zoe Skirt

2010-11-24T08:00:00.005-06:00

The Outfit:
Skirt: Kristin Hassan, $78
Shirt: Target, $19.99
Belt: I don't know, haha.
Shoes: Steve Madden, $89.00
Thigh Highs: Nordstrom, $14.00

Thanksgiving is this week, and Christmas will be here before you know it! The Zoe Skirt is a fantastically simple piece that mixes or matches for any holiday party from now til New Years. (Zoe is an adorable little girl who is Mr. Wonderful's goddaughter. And this skirt will be totally appropriate for her in twenty years!)

I work in a very artsy field so I can get away with a look like this. Plus I'm weirdly obsessed with plaid shirts right now - so warm, so comfy! Still, I'd probably get some looks walking through Trader Joe's... But let it inspire you - what will you mix with your Zoe skirt?

As always, a limited run of the Zoe skirt is available in the KH store! Use my blog reader only super special code BLOG30 to save 30% off on this skirt from now until December 15th!

the Dorothy Wrap Skirt

2010-11-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

If you're not already familiar with this piece, get ready! The Dorothy wrap skirt is by far one of my most popular pieces, and therefore, a KH signature piece. It's an a-line style skirt with sashes that belt all the way around your waist. Belt it high, belt it low... and, best feature ever, side seam pockets! A silver exposed zipper in the back completes this super easy piece. This particular skirt in this particular color is an exclusive for my favorite boutique in the city - Cerato Boutique.

Cerato is located at 3451 N. Southport Avenue and super amazing owner Tracey stocks a few other pieces I created exclusively for her store. I only saw a few left on the rack when I was in last week, so get over there today!

The Outfit:
Skirt: Kristin Hassan, available at Cerato Boutique
Tank: Old Navy
Jacket: Target
Heels: Jessica Simpson
Socks: Mr. Wonderful's
Clutch: Forever21
Necklace: gift from a dear friend :)

Let's hear some love for this skirt - do you have one? How or when do you wear it? If not, is it something that you could work into your closet? Keep checking back - the Dorothy wrap skirt makes regular appearances, always in a fun color or fantastic print! Happy Monday everyone!

Introducing... the Stella Dress!

2010-11-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited to reveal my first WEB EXCLUSIVE item! Today's dress is the Stella Dress. It comes in a gorgeous blue, black, and white paisley print and it's fully lined. There's a little elastic waistband that creates soft gathers around the waistline. Little ruffle sleeve caps and a back keyhole closure to top it all off.

I seriously LOVE this dress. And now is the perfect time to wear it! The Stella Dress is available now over in my online store. This dress original retails for $152.00, but now thru Monday, November 22 you can get it for only $68! But get it quickly... as with all KH Web Exclusives, there are limited quantities!

The Outfit:
Dress: Kristin Hassan, $68
Tights: Spanx, $34
Heels: Dolce Vita, $98
Necklace: H&M, $16
Belt: J. Crew, $32.50

So what do you think of the first KH Web Exclusive?? Post your opinions below!

Changes and Updates

2010-11-17T10:51:00.005-06:00

Hello my dear readers! I know I've been gone for way to long, but I've been hard at work!

First off, you may notice my new banner, etc. There are still a few more cosmetic changes to come, so please bare with me - I'm doing all the edits myself, so I'm learning as I go!

KristinHassan.com: The Blog! is going to give you a more in depth look at my clothes - you'll be seeing more of the pieces that I design as well as what I buy and how I mix it all together. Upcoming posts include introduction to new styles, more behind the scenes at KH, and even polls on what designs and fabrics I should use for my next creations. You'll also be privy to special offers, discounts, and exciting events - all because you're a follower! If you haven't already, make sure you click the FOLLOW ME link to stay on top of new posts and to be automatically entered in upcoming giveaways!

You can also sign up for my newsletter here. When you sign up, you'll receive monthly announcements from yours truly.

As always, please be sure to leave comments so I know you've stopped by! I love hearing your thoughts and sharing opinions - I'm so excited to refresh things and get back into posting here and commenting on everyones blogs, too. Hope to hear from you soon!

I think I'm Falling for Fall

2010-11-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

Just as the leaves were changing we snapped these photos. I've been so wrapped up in work and then the vaca that I feel like I'm missing out on the most beautiful time of the year. So let's pause on everything else KH and just take a fresh breath of fall.... ahhhhhh.

In an attempt to keep up with Blogging for Breast Cancer Awareness, I wore my pink sapphire ring that Mr. Wonderful gave me for Christmas the year we got engaged. Two rings in less than 6 months - yeah the guy is crazy. Sorry Melissa - I've failed you miserably in this blogging challenge!!

Side note - that's Maxwell Silverhammer... he was having a clingy-mommy day.

The Outfit:
Dress: Forever21
Jacket: Target
Necklace: Forever21
Bracelet: I have no idea!
Shoes: Michael Antonio

Jamaican Me Crazy

2010-10-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

In true rock star style, Mr. Wonderful and I jet-setted off to Jamaica the morning after my show at fashion week. After working my butt off for weeks and making sure Baby V was back being healthy (she is and she is great now - thanks for all of your love and concern!), I was sooooo in need of a few days of ocean side r and r. So literally on 3 hours of sleep, we jumped into the limo and were off to the airport with two other great couple friends.

There's so many photos and too many good stories about our adventure... but I'll just be posting a quick photo story.

We stayed at an all-inclusive resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We encountered some light tropical storms everyday.

But eventually we got some sun.

There was an island we dubbed 'Naked Island' where guests of the resort could sun bathe in the nude. Obviously we are not that mature because ewe laughed and giggled every time we mentioned the island or saw miniature naked people across the way. hahahaaaaa.

There was unlimited food... and unlimited drinks.

So super excited and proud to cross off an item on my bucket list - I have officially wake boarded in both oceans (wake boarding in Hawaii).

Floyd Jonas, me, Rico, Fridge, Zeebs, and Marty.

And really that's it... Friends + Sun + Drinks = a wonderful week off. Back to reality...

#Jamaica.

KH Spring 2011 Video Look Book

2010-10-22T16:56:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm back! Well, sort of...

Prepping for my show during fashion week was crazy! And then, Mr. Wonderful and I jet-setted with four of our friends to Jamaica! We're not due back until Monday, but I've scheduled the next few days of posts to catch you up on everything KH!

First up... I can finally post the video from the Spring 2011 photo shoot in Allegan, Michigan! This video was shot by the amazing Ben Mahoney and my photographer was the equally awesome Nick Gerber. I'm ecstatic with the results and really think these photos and video bring my label to a whole new level. Check it out for yourselves:

Kristin Hassan 2011 Spring Collection Video Look Book. Video By BMP. from Kristin Hassan on Vimeo.

Let me know what you think! More photos and videos to come. Take care and keep checking back!

It's A Sweatpants Kind of Day

2010-10-12T12:17:00.002-05:00

I know I vowed to never be a mom in sweatpants. Well all bets are off after last night. Violet spiked a temp of 103.5 and was vomiting, so we rushed her to the emergency room. 6 hours, 2 rectal temp readings, and one blood test later we were released to go home. My poor baby, I know! Watching your 4 month old have blood drawn from her arm is seriously the worst! The whole time I'm thinking that I have to be strong for her, but as soon as the nurses left, my eyes flooded with tears. Poor little Violet.

The Outfit:
Baby Hospital Gowns... who would thought they made these??

What led up to the ER visit started on Friday. Vi had her 4 month shots and spiked a fever of 102 that evening - which they said was normal. But she's had fevers between 99 and 102 since Friday... things mellowed out on Sunday with no fever. But by Monday evening the fever was back and was at it's worst. I've been in touch with our pediatrician the entire time... and I'm getting pretty disappointed because no one can tell me why four days after having shots, she still has a temperature! This isn't normal! So we're are awaiting some results from tests done last night.

So yes. I am in sweatpants and a t-shirt today. No heels will be worn when I go out to grab some diapers. No earrings to make my outfit sparkle. Just a baby monitor clipped to my elastic waistband and a burp cloth over my shoulder. And ya know what... I feel great. Hey, I'm a mom and my baby is sick. Who cares what I'm wearing.

Fashion Series / Part 3: One Dress, Three Ways

2010-10-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

And last but not least (it's actually my favorite), here is my Forever21 dress styled up as a shirt. I simple tucked it into these skinny khakis and added the jacket. Easy to do because it's a little dress...

The Outfit:
Shirt: Forever21 Dress
Khakis: Forever 21
Jacket: H&M
Boots: Sketches (old old old... from like 9th grade old. and yes, my shoe size hasn't changed since 9th grade.)
Necklace: Target

I also wanted to draw special attention to my pink bracelet. Mel, over at A Working Mom's Closet, has challenged us bloggers to wearing pink in as many posts as possible for a great cause: Blogging for Breast Cancer Awareness. Mel is doing a great job at wearing pink everyday - keep it up girl! So my bracelet is a nod to this great campaign and to my grandmother who passed away from breast cancer when I was 13. And while we're on the subject, to my mother who has been an oncology nurse for 30 years.

Gift Card Giveaway Winner!

2010-10-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

As promised, today, Violet's 4-month birthday, I am so happy to announce the winner of my $20 Forever21 Gift Card!

Congratulations to Holly!

Thanks again to everyone for entering! Check back tomorrow for the continuation of One Dress, Three Ways!

Fashion Series / Part 2: One Dress, Three Ways

2010-10-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I showed off my floral dress buy from Fall shopping in it's intended state - as a dress. But since I never wear the same outfit twice, here's another version of how to wear something like this. It's a more casual look as opposed to yesterdays going out look. The sweatshirt makes the dress not feel so body conscious. Sometimes I just want something simple to wear but that's still different than every other mom in the grocery store. Do you think this look satisfies that?

The Outfit:
Skirt: Forever21 Dress
Boots: Steve Madden
Sweatshirt: Bears sweatshirt I bought at Walmart
Earrings: Lia Sophia

Today's the last day to win twenty bucks to Forever21! ENTER NOW!

PS - Today is Mr. Wonderful's Birthday! Happy Birthday Babe!

Fashion Series / Part 1: One Dress, Three Ways

2010-10-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday! Today I am excited to introduce to you an article I plan on doing every once in a while... The idea is to buy one article of clothing or an accessory and style it differently so you can have three separate outfits. It's a great concept for those bigger ticket items and for those of you who are big into 'Cost Per Wear'. But today I start with the most simple concept: a t-shirt dress.

This dress was a purchase from Forever21 on my Fall Shopping trip this year. (More on that in a later post...) I was initially drawn to it because of the pattern - I'm slightly obsessing over floral prints nowadays. It's a body conscious jersey dress, the colors were just great and it was only about twenty bucks, so really, a no brainer. (At $20, if I wear it three separate times, it only cost me about $6.50 every time I wear it. But honestly, I'll probably wear it a lot more than three times!)

So here is look number 1 - just the dress. It's fall so boots and dresses go together like peas and carrots, but this is probably a going out look. It's getting chilly so I could have thrown on a sweater or jacket, but I love it just on it's own. Le Dress:

The Outfit:
Dress: Forever21
Boots: Report
Leg Warmers: H&M
Scarf: A gift from my in-laws trip to China
Earrings: Jess LC
Sunnies: Marc by Marc Jacobs
Bracelets: Street Vendor in Vegas

So what do you guys think? Is this dress worthy of two more styling posts? Eh, I thought so - Check back tomorrow and Wednesday to see how I style it two more ways. Annnnnd, don't forget to enter my Forever21 Gift Card Giveaway!

Kristin Hassan at Chicago Fashion Week!

2010-10-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am sooooo super excited to announce that I will be showing at Chicago Fashion Focus week for the 3rd year in a row! Last year I pulled off an amazing show with Gen Art... and I was 6 weeks pregnant!

Anyways, I cordially invite you, my dear readers! Here is your official invitation to my show! Follow the directions below if you want tickets... you don't want to miss this!

PS - Don't forget to enter my Forever21 Gift Card giveaway!!

(email events@KristinHassan.com to reserve your tickets!)

A Working Family

2010-09-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Taking blog photos is sometimes a family affair. On this day, Violet and I stopped in at Mr. Wonderful's office and went out to the back of the building to shoot some photos. Mr. Wonderful has Violet in one hand and my camera in the other. And we always end up shooting pics of her, obvi.

So yeah, I'm still channelling Drew. Something about these days where you can actually feel summer dying makes my inner flower child come out. And I'm so getting off the skinny jean boat... Just for bit.

The Outfit
Jeans: Delias
Top: Nordstrom
Shoes: Kenneth Cole
Necklace: A gift from Mr. Wonderful last Christmas (story in a future post)
Earrings: Borrowed from sis-in-law, Mandy

Passing on Good Fortune

2010-09-29T08:00:00.001-05:00

I found twenty bucks in the pocket of my Lucky Jeans that I wore the other day. And it's something about the fact that it's September, I'm loving the feeling in the air, and the fact that the jeans I had on were LUCKY, that has prompted me to do my first giveaway. My good fortune is now yours - I went out and bought a $20 gift card to Forever21 (every girls guilty pleasure). Want to make my gift card yours? Post a comment below with your email address and become a follower of my blog and you are entered! I'll announce the winner 1 week from today, (on Violet's 4 month birthday!) So all of you blog readers who never comment - ENTER NOW!

Casual Friday

2010-09-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

There was a time when I once owned 37 pairs of jeans. I have since edited my jean collection and am left with only my most favorites. Jeans are usually the only type of pant I like to wear. (By now, most of you can guess that I am a dress and skirt kind of gal.) On Friday when I had to interview interns and play mommy all at the same time, a dress or skirt wouldn't do. Like a lot of the things I own, there's a story behind these jeans.

These jeans are called the Zoe Jean and they are from Lucky Brand. Whenever I find myself in Vegas, I always shop and I always get a pair of Lucky Brand jeans. Well a few years ago I was in Vegas with my parents on one of Daddy's business trips so my Mom and I checked into Lucky. I fell in looooove with the Zoe jean but they wouldn't sell it to me because they were brand new and weren't for sale for two days! In two days I would be in San Francisco! I just had to have these jeans. So the Vegas store manager tracked them down in San Fran, but they wouldn't even put them on hold! After I drove (yes, I drove my parents!) through the desert we arrived in San Fran... My mom and I raced to the store and sure enough, there were my jeans waiting for me.

The Outfit
Jeans: Lucky Brand
Top: Forever 21
Tank: Old Navy
Necklace: A gift from a friend
Shoes: Two Lips
Bracelet: Healing Bracelet Mr. Wonderful gave me during one of my many bouts of strep
Jacket: Mossimo for Target

Is this normal? What kind of lengths have you gone to just for a pair of jeans or a coat or just something you had to have??

Sunday Dinner

2010-09-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Ugh... in my exhaustion I scheduled this post for tomorrow, not today. Oops! Enjoy...

Sundays are for running errands with Mr. Wonderful. Sundays are for homemade family dinners and gossip. And comfy clothes and football games and sweatshirts and cowboy boots and earrings just because. Sunday, sunday, sunday...

The Outfit
Sweatshirt: Pink by Victoria Secret
Skirt: Nordstrom
Boots: Steve Madden
Earrings: Nordstrom
Necklace: Gifts from my mother and mother-in-law
Bracelets: Vita V.

What do you do on Sundays???

Wardrobe 911 Follow Up

2010-09-19T21:56:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone!

No, I'm not dead. Just super hard at work. I'm in the middle of running production and packing and shipping boutique orders. So here's a little rewind:
Last week I asked my dear readers to help me choose an outfit for Fashions Night Out in Chicago. First, thank you to everyone for your suggestions and opinions! It really did help and I really did go with what you said - The Pearls and Lace look by far had the most advocates, so I put the entire outfit in my garment bag and headed to the city. Finally after a long meeting, I was headed to my sister-in-law Mandy's condo... and in true girl-fashion, I didn't want to wear what I had brought with anymore. So I made some adjustments - I kept the lace cami and necklace, threw on jeans I had from my overnight bag, and borrowed Mandy's amazing Free People jacket. It was a more practical look for shopping. Unfortunately, we spent too much time getting ready and going out to dinner that by the time we made it to the stores, they were all a ghost town.

The Outfit

Jeans: Lucky Brand
Cami: Victoria Secret
Jacket: Free People
Shoes: BCBG
Necklace: H&M

Am I the only one who does that? Or have you spent hours planning the perfect outfit only to change it last minute??

What a Tease!

2010-09-15T08:00:00.002-05:00

I'm baaaaack! Just got back home Tuesday night...

I've missed home and my family and I feel like I've been working non-stop, and honestly, I have no idea what day it is. But the shoot is finally over. The verdict - IT WENT AHH-MAZING!

Check out this teaser clip my videographer put together. The whole crew was unbelievable and I am so excited to share the rest soon! Thanks again to everyone who was a part of such a successful weekend. So happy I'm dying!

Wardrobe 911

2010-09-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Last week I mentioned a super cool event called Fashion's Night Out. Well it's here! Today is Fashion's Night Out! And OMG, I don't know what to wear.

Option 1: Home Grown

Dress: Kristin Hassan
Bracelets: Vita V... my mom :)

Option 2: Pearls and Lace

Dress: Top Shop, London
Slip: Victoria's Secret
Necklace: Forever21

Option 3: Well Vested

Dress: Basil & Maude (It's actually a skirt but I wear it as a dress)
Vest: H&M

Ok so VOTE! Help me decide what to wear tonight because I can't!
Happy Friday!

Photo Shoot Prep Work

2010-09-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

The KH Team is like a bunch of busy little elves from here on out! The photo shoot is 5 days away! (This is where I tell myself to take a deep breath...)

So right now we are doing all the prep work. Pulling together our final thoughts on inspiration, getting tear sheets of hair and make up looks, creating the shot list, organizing and styling all the looks and accessories... Everything will come together I know (I hope!), but right now there are still some holes I need to fill. So in the mean time, please enjoy the inspiration...