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Even though it is August and we are still enjoying summer it is time to put a little thought into the fact that fall is right around the corner. While heavy coats and shearling boots may be a distant thought, the Fall 2011 OPI Touring America Nail Polish Collection is a good way to ease into fall and many of these colors can be worn with ease right now and are great end of summer colors.

Recently I was sent the OPI Touring America Collection to sample and here are my thoughts about these colors.  Most of the colors in this collection are rich creme colors but there are a few shimmer colors as well.

In this collection there are two great grey nail polishes. French Quarter For Your Thoughts is a medium grey that has a bit of a purple/ blue  undertone to it. It is a great all around grey shade of polish to wear and will work on all skin tones. Suzi Take The Wheel is a very similar grey though the undertones are subtle yellow / green. If the lighting is not ideal you will not be able to tell the difference between the two colors and even in ideal lighting the differences are so subtle. In my opinion there really is not too much different between the two and you really do not need to buy both colors since they are so interchangeable.To sum up the greys, French Quarter is a cool grey and Suzi Take The Wheel a warm grey.

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Uh-Oh Roll Down The Window is an interesting name for a polish and the shade is a mix between a military green and a murky smokey olive green.  The color is a bit too bright to be considered a true military green and definitely stands out from the crowd. I really have not seen another green from OPI or any other brand to compare it to. This is a must have color from this collection.

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In the bottle A-Taupe The Space Needle looks like a warm taupe brown with a bit of a military brown mixed in. When applied though the color appears to have more of a greenish gold tone to it which is a bit unexpecting in a good way though. This color is definitely unique because of the fact that the color shifts so much in different lighting.  In bright sunlight and perhaps strong indoor lighting it definitely can be classified as an khaki green taupe but in dimmer lighting it is more taupe with a green undertone. When I saw the bottle I was not expecting to like the color too much but once on the color warmed up to me and I would wear it again.

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Get In The Expresso Lane is a deep dark brown very close to the a dark roasted espresso bean in fact. This color is so dark that it is almost black. You can really see the rich brown tones when in sunlight. This is not one of my favorite colors from this collection though I should say that browns are not a favorite of mine in general. I may wear this color on my toes or use it for some nail art stamping.

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Moving on from all the neutrals and dark colors there are some great pink/ coral colors in this collection. My Address is “Hollywood” is a dusty rose pink polish with subtle gold and pink flecks of shimmer infused. The shimmer is very minimal and can really only be seen in sunlight. In the sun, you can see a bit of a coral undertone to it. The formula is a bit on the thin side so you will most likely need 3 coats of polish to get full coverage.  I really like this color but to me it is a bit too bright for a fall color, it is more appropriate for summer though you can wear it in early fall and have it still look appropriate.

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Are We There Yet? is a pink coral color that leans more towards orange than it does to pink. It  has a pink / gold shimmer that can really only be seen in the sun.  I like this color, not a favorite but not at the bottom of the list. I would put it somewhere slightly above the middle and had it been released during the summer I think I would have like it more. It really is not a fall shade in my opinion. Like the previous color, the formula for this polish is on the thin side so you will need three coats to cover the nail well.

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Of all of the brights my favorite is I Mainely Eat Lobster. I do not know if I like it because I love lobster or the shade is that great. It too is more of a summer color than a fall one but if you hurry and buy it now you can get a lot of wear from it before it gets to be too far into fall. The shade is a pink coral but leans more towards the pink side and can almost be considered a neon shade. Like the other shimmers, the formula is thin and the shimmers are very demure unless in the sunlight. This is a must have color for me and I can see wearing it a lot now as well as next spring.

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The last of the shimmers, is also the darkest and is the most shimmer filled. Color To Diner For is a deep dark ruby red with flecks of gold, pink, and magenta shimmer infused into it but again you really need to be in the sun to see it. I am not a fan of red polishes in general so this is not my favorite of colors. I do not know if I will wear it again but once the weather cools I will see if my mind changes, even if it is on my toes that I use it for. The formula seems a bit thicker and two really good coats of the polish should do though you may want to use three just to play it safe. This is the most fall ike of all of the bright shimmers.

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Going back to some darker colors there are two deep purples that are a bit similar in color. I Brake For Manicures  is a deep, dark, dusty purple. The purple really comes though in the sunlight though when indoors it is still purple, unlike other dark colors that appear almost black. Honk If You Love OPI is also a dark purple but this one has a red tone to it though not a strong one.  It can be described as a purple grape. While not identical, these colors are close enough that you can get away with only buying one of the two colors. If I had to describe the difference between the two, I would say that Honk is a bit more of a visible purple than Brake is.

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I saved the best color for last. Road House Blues is a rich dark blue, not quite a navy because it has a bit of a purple color to it. I love that the blue is dark enough to make it appropriate to wear all of the time but not too dark that it can be mistaken for a black.  Once the weather cools down I think this will be my most used color from the series.

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Overall Thoughts and Opinions: This is a great collection of nail polishes.  I love the names and most of the shades. There really is a color that will appeal to everyone.

I do wish however that the bright colors were well, a little less bright. With the exception of Color To Diner For, the other shimmers were thin and would be better in the spring and summer rather than fall and winter. I also wish that the shimmers were a bit stronger and could be seen easier but you can always apply a shimmer top coat to enhance them. Had the shimmers been released during the spring or summer I think they would be more of a success for as it stands now, most will have a short wear time and will have to be put away until next spring.

Had I not been sent these colors to sample , I would definitely have bought Road House Blues, French Quarter For Your Thoughts, Uh Oh Roll Down The Window, A-Taupe The Space Needle,  and Honk If You Love OPI.  I am on the fence as to whether I would buy Mainely Eat Lobster and My Address is “Hollywood” though they both would be a must have had they come out earlier in the year. Most likely they would be bought and saved for next spring or worn right away because I think I would regret not owning them. The remaining colors are ones that I personally am not a fan of in general and tend to shy away from in general as they are not the best for my skin tone.I do not think that there needed to be two such similar greys and purples though their subtle difference are enough that owning both is not necessary but understandable.

To develop 12 colors for a nail polish collection is not an easy feat and OPI has succeeded yet again with this collection. I love all of the great names and variety of shades, and as said earlier there really is a color for everyone no matter taste, desire, or skin tone.

Click Here To Buy OPI Touring America Collection

Spring and summer are a time when pop up rain showers are quite common. It can be a bright and sunny day and then all of a sudden the skies turn grey and buckets of rain come crashing down. It is best to be prepared for this type of weather with a coat of some sort. As practical as they may be a beige trench coat is not always the most attractive and fashionable choice.  The good news is that there are so many other colors of trench coats that you can wear. These brightly  colored coats will may a dreary day bright and enhance your outfit.

The ASOS Pleated Swing Trench Coat is available in a bright blue color that will be sure to brighten up the dreariness outside. Most trench coats are shapeless and a belt is needed to create any sort of shape but this trench  is pleated at the skirt and  has a defined waist so it will enhance your figure. The gun flaps at the shoulders and belted cuffs add to the style of this coat.

ASOS Pleated Swing Trench

Though it is available in camel as well as black, the green ASOS Classic Trench Coat is the perfect choice for a coat that is traditional in style but not in color. This coat is a belted double breasted cotton trench coat with a pleated vent at the back to allow movement. The gunflaps at the shoulder are button down adding to the style of the trench. The sleeves have a belted buckle detail that matches the belt at the waist.

ASOS Classic Trench

Orange is one of the “IT” colors for spring and summer 2011 so it is great to find a trench coat in this vivid color. The ASOS ’60s Trench With Contrast Trim is the perfect shade of orange and has a modern 1960s feel to it. This A line coat with a large vent in the back is very figure flattering. The contrasting black piping on the rounded collar, shoulders, and neck area give this coat a very mod vibe to it. If you like the style and shape of the coat but are a bit hesitant about the color, this is available in a great shade of blue as well. This trench coat is a bit shorter than others so keep that in mid if wearing a mini skirt, you want to make sure the hem of the skirt is longer than the coat, otherwise it may appear that you are not wearing anything on the bottom.

ASOS ’60s Trench With Contrast Trim

Though it is not bright and colorful, the ASOS Striped Collarless Trench is vivid in pattern. With all over horizontal stripes all the way around this coat, cropped length sleeves, and no collar, this coat is far from your basic everyday trench. This coat is tapered at the waist so it will help define your shape. The collarless trench is a great coat to wear not only in bad weather but over a dress or skirt on a cool day when you need an extra layer. Like the previous coat mentioned, this is short in length so keep this in mind when getting dressed.

ASOS Stripe Collarless Trench

While a dreary day is full of grey and the sun is nowhere to be seen, a small glimmer of the bright yellow sun can be seen in the ASOS Collarless Belted Trench in Yellow. An adjustable belt with gold tone eyelets and full length sleeves make this a practical and fashionable trench coat. This is the perfect color, shape, and length coat to wear with jeans a T-shirt.

ASOS Collarless Belted Trench

The best thing about all of these coats is that since they do not look like a traditional trench coat, you can wear these coats when it is not raining and look like you are wearing a normal spring coat. These coats will carry you over to the fall and future years so you will get your money’s worth out of any of them. If you like any of the shapes of the coat but are unsure about the color, many are available in traditional beige colors as well as other bright and fun colors.

Summer for me is a time for being casual and laid back . I love to wear comfortable casual clothing and think that a handbag of the same look is needed. It does not look right to wear shorts and flip flops and carry a formal leather purse.  I much prefer on the days when I dress down to have a handbag that is casual. I love that Marc Jacobs has put out a line of bright and fun colored nylon bags of different sizes. There are small bags for times when you only need a few items and larger bags that you can take to the pool and stuff a towel, magazines, and a bottle of water in.

The Marc by Marc Jacobs Pretty Nylon Medium Tote comes in so many great colors: Ocean Sapphire , Bleached Green (pictured) ,  Sunrise Gold, and  my favorite Talc Multi (Simone Stripe). I love the textured quilted letters across the bag and the two outer pockets.

If you like the look of the above bag but are interested in something a bit larger then there is a slightly larger bag called
Marc by Marc Jacobs Pretty Nylon Tate Tote. This bag comes in so many colors including Rock Lobster (pictured), Ocean Sapphire, Sunrise Gold, and Gettysburg Blue. This bag also comes in neutral colors or patterns if you would prefer.

Sometimes you may want to just take a few essentials with you and do not want to carry a purse or perhaps you want a small pouch to keep in your purse. Either way the Marc by Marc Jacobs Pretty Nylon Pouch is a great choice. This pouch comes in bright colors as well a black and my favorite Talc Multi (Simone Stripe).

I personally do not have a need for a diaper bag but if I did the Marc by Marc Jacobs Pretty Nylon Baby Bag is a great bag that comes in so many great colors including Talc Multi (Simone Stripe).

I hate commercials especially during long awards shows so I always use my DVR to record them so I can fast forward through commercial and parts of the show that I have little interest in seeing. The 2011 Grammy’s are not an exception. I had a plan with watching this show, to see the performances of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Eminem, and Bruno Mars. I would fast forward though the majority of the show unless something caught my eye. The Cee Lo / Gwyneth Paltrow caught my eye so I watched. Their performance was definitely one of a kind, and besides Cee Lo wearing a costume that reminded me of Elton John from the 1970s, the thing that was most memorable to me was the shoes that Gwyneth Paltrow was wearing. I knew that they looked familiar to me, in fact I briefly talked about them in a post I made a few weeks prior about Bright and Bold Spring 2011 Shoes.

The shoes that Gwyneth wore are Christian Louboutin Color block Booties and they are most definitely out of my price range. I knew that since this was the second time these shoes caught my eye, the search had to begin to find similar more affordable color block shoes. After a bit of research I found that Jessica Simpson makes some fabulous color block shoes and they are a great affordable alternate to the more expensive Louboutin shoes. Below are the two most popular Jessica Simpson color block shoes and a couple of other brands that are also very stylish and chic. I hope you enjoy.

The  Jessica Simpson Scarletta is a peep toe pump with unique detailing at the ankle. The brown allows the shoes to match so many different items in your wardrobe and the pops of blue and orange are bold but not overpowering.

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The  Jessica Simpson Women’s Ely Mary Jane Pump is a bright and colorful colorblock Maryjane Heel that is priced under $100. This shoe has a high heel, 5″ to be exact so make sure you are comfortable walking at such a height before buying them.

For More Information or To Buy Click Herel

7 for All Mankind Women’s Farran Strappy High Sandal is a more muted colorblock sandal prefect for days when you want more neutral, not bright and bold colors. With a mixture of different textures and patterns, this T-Strap 3 3/4″ heeled shoe is practical and visually pleasing.

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French Sole FS/NY Women’s Wedgewood Ballet Flat are a great colorful flat shoe that can be worn for work or for fun. This shoe comes in three color combinations : bright multi (as pictured), cognac multi, and multi metallic. All three of these color choices are perfect for the spring 2011 trends.

I love to change my purse often and while I try to pick something new and different style, I find myself drawn to similar styles. For me nothing beats a large hobo bag. I love the cure of the bag so that my arm is comfortable and does not rub or press against the bag itself. I love that there is only one strap and I do not have to worry about keeping two straps on my shoulder.  Spring 2011 also loves the large oversized hobo bags and many of the top designers have rolled out some great hobo bags this season that I do not know which one I want the most. A great thing about many of these new hobo bags is that many come with a detachable longer strap which many women find a more desireable and functional way to carry their bag.

The Rebecca Minkoff Nikki Hobobag is bright, bold, and most importantly a functional handbag to carry this spring. Available in 8 great colors including blue, red, bling, and fuschia there are so many choices you can pick from. With both studs and buckles as the hardware, this bag is quite fashionable. Only the  highest quality leather is used for all Rebecca Minkoff bags and the Nikki is no exception.

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The Sorial Fortune Cookie Ruffle Flap Hobo in Fuchsia, is definitely one of the more stylish hobo bags that is new for Spring 2011.  The ruffles give the bag a very modern look. The logo lock at the front of the bag also adds to the uniqueness of this bag. A bonus to this bag is that there is a detachable long cross body strap that you can use if you want to make the bag longer. There is no doubt that you will be stopped and complimented on this bag no matter where you are.

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The Marc Jacobs Classic Q Hillier Hobo Bag in Ellsworth Blue is another great hobo purse. This bright blue bag is bright and fun and youthful looking.  The Classic Q Hillier also has a classic look to it and should be a staple in your closet for a long time. This bag also comes with a detachable longer strap if would prefer to carry the bag that way.

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Besides large hobo bags and long straps for bags, another big trend for Spring 2011 is tassels. The B. MAKOWSKY Dakota Drawstring Hobo in Dijon covers two of these trends, large hobo and tassels. This drawsting closure bag allows for east access to your valuables and the tassels add some great stlye to this bag.

If a large hobo is not your preferred choice when it comes to choosing a purse that is OK. There are plenty of smaller hobo style bags with long straps  and tassels that you can carry this Spring 2011 so take the design ideas and adapt them to what works for you.

Not many women enjoy the winter because  practicality takes the front seat to fashion since everyone is  bundled up and covered. Sure you can show off your great winter coats and accessories, but after a while  even this becomes quite tiring.

With winter about half way over, it is time to start thinking  about spring fashion, particularly shoes. This season some of the most renowned  shoe designers have created fun, colorful, bold footwear.  They embody the theme for Spring 2011 which is  bright, bright and more bright.

Christian Louboutin,  has taken a big bold step towards bright colors and fun dessigns without giving up the sophistication that he is known for. This spring expect  skyscraper and platform heel shoes with bright detailed patterns to be adorned with bows, buttons, fringes, and flowers. The bottom left shoe has recently been seen on Gwyneth Paltrow during her Grammy performance with Cee Lo.

This year all eyes are on Yvan Mispelaere who has taken over as creative director at Diane von Furstenberg to see what the first collection under his helm would look like. With the release of  the spring line, he has most definitely not disappointed.  DVF has already been known for bright colors so his collection did not stray from what we have been accustomed to. With a palette of mainly blues, greens, and colors in between,he has  put his own stamp on the shoe line while keeping true to the brand.

Christian Dior shoes this spring are nothing short of art. These shoes are almost too perfect to wear, but at the same time too irresistible not to.  Dior Spring 2011 shoes are adorned with feathers, beads, and ropes. There is nothing simple or basic about any of these funky shoes. They will surely grab everyone’s attention and sure to be a hit this spring through summer.