Best known as a former contestant on Project Runway and recent red carpet host and correspondent for TV Guide Network, celebrity fashion designer, Nick Verreos, recently launched his brand of bright, feminine and sophisticated dresses now being carried by Lord & Taylor stores.“Inspired by the Amalfi Coast, the collection is filled with vivid, bright pops of color and graphic prints evoking the Italian Riviera,” said Nick. “Whether you are having a girl’s night out or even going on a job interview, these dresses are meant to give you an ego boost. I guarantee they’ll make you feel confident, stylish, a little glam and maybe even sexy!” Nick adds his famous draping techniques that flatter every shape into each design, allowing every woman to have her own personal "red carpet" moment.
What woman wouldn’t want to embody the style and vibe of a modern Mediterranean goddess this summer? Let’s talk about colors. Olive, salmon, lemon – so fresh you can imagine yourself dining al fresco on a steep cliff of the Italian landscape, toasting the night, limoncello in hand. Turquoise and aqua – they add a splash of the Tyrrhenian Sea to your warm weather plans. Prints like “impressionist” and “watercolor” will be the masterpieces of your closet this season, while the “sunburst” print recalls the beautiful hand-painted ceramics of a Sorrento market.
Many enhanced with embellished waistbands and shoulder details, asymmetrical styles round out the collection, and give three-dimensional interest and sculptural detail to the line. It’s obvious that the strong, structured silhouettes and Body Con dresses are for women who are not afraid to take risks. Though Nick mentions wearability for job interviews, this fashionista thinks DC ladies might opt to save these beauties for going out (unless you’re looking for a job in the fashion industry).
I really miss exotic vacations. It’s been far too long since I’ve felt the white sands of a Caribbean beach between my toes, sipped homemade rum from a laundry detergent bottle at an open-air bar, or sampled Jamaica’s local herbs (turmeric, of course!). The hot blast of tropical wind that would greet us as we stepped off the plane is a distant memory, and the thieving “naughties” that would swoop down to steal bites of my breakfast seem like figments of my imagination. Yes, traveling has changed a lot since I became a parent. I find photos of friends and their children in foreign countries perplexing, since any sensible customs agent would probably deny entry to my snarling, fussing family.
My parents never traveled for pleasure, and they rarely went out to eat. I, on the other hand, craved adventure – not only to see the world, but to pacify my curious palate. So I slowly started to save money under my mattress. I had limited funds in that stash, but once it would build up – and I was old enough – I would invest it in an airline ticket or imbibe in some new culinary treasure. Whether it was in town or across the globe, I eventually became a bona fide travel junkie.
All Hues on Deck
Fifty percent of marriages stay together— through sickness and through health, until ultimately death does them part. Nearly all of us walk down that aisle with the intention of being part of this exclusive group. Unfortunately, nearly half of us don't make the cut. If there were only some kind of blueprint to a successful marriage, a list of rules we could follow to remain as happy and in love as the day we said “I do.” Well, perhaps there is one, and maybe it's not as complicated as you imagined it would be to follow.
If you find yourself looking for a celebration beyond the Jordan Almond variety white wedding, you’re in good company. A Google search for “alternative weddings” will yield approximately 70 million hits. Scouring the information, you’ll find ideas from the gothic cemetery wedding (yes, the officiant will carry a scythe), to boutique, glamour-camping weddings in Ireland.
