Picture Perfect...gift ideas for MOM!

A picture last forever and these sites allow you to alter your favorite photos into works of art!

wowbabygifts.com

mydavinci.com

meart.com

Pictures from mydavinci.com and wowbabygifts.com

Lovin' Louisville

Since I was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, I can't help but love when Louisville gets great press!...especially during Derby week! Food Network TV's Road Tasted guys, Bobby and Jamie, (who I just love!!!) recently visited L'ville and tried some local favorites - by the way, Jamie says 'Louisville' just right:)

Bronzer is the new Blush

Jump start your summer glow... with the haute face for this summer: bare-faced & naturally sun-kissed.

It's quick and easy to achieve this look with the newest evolution of bronzers from Physicians Formula that include a touch of pink to beautifully bronze and add a hint of color with one swipe of the brush.

Some favorites...

Physicians Formula Powder Palette in shade 3869 (Multi-Colored Light Bronzer)-provides a healthy and luminescent sheen.

Physicians Formula Bronze Gems Light Bronzer is a dual-finish bronzing powder that provides a glamorous bronze glow or a more natural flush, depending on application & the desired look.

Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Bronzer, Blush & Eye Shadow works everywhere...cheeks, eyes, shoulders...use the shades individually or swirled together (or both!)

See for yourself! Win one of 3 goodie bags with all you need to get this haute look! Send us an email at hautemommas@hautemommastuff.com with "Bronzer" as the subject to enter. Hurry! Winners selected by random drawing & notified on Friday, May 4th .

Hautie Pants

For your little fashionista!

Check out the precious couture tees and bloomers at hautiecouture.com.

And while you're there, head to sister site, eleven boutique for some haute stuff for momma...like this 3.1 Phillip Lim dress, handbags from Goldenbleu, and Missoni bikinis.

images from elevenboutique.com

A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style

A haute must-read.

Tim Gunn's new book offers warm and witty fashion advice that is actually useful...discussing every aspect of creating and maintaining your personal style. Edit your closet, get tips on finding the right fit, choose a fashion mentor (not icon) and more.

Make it work!

Locks of Love at Seasons Spa

Get a free cut and donate to a wonderful cause.

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.

Seasons is putting on a fabulous party at their location on Blake James Drive (behind the Gold's Gym on Palumbo Dr.). Win amazing prizes including a basket of fab finds from the Hautemommas, a catered party in your home, and much more!

Admission is $40 in advance and $50 at the door (or gratis with donation of hair), with proceeds benefiting Locks of Love.

image from locksoflove.com

Get Out of Town!

It's time to make your summer travel plans...Here are some great resources:

Travel for Kids has tips for kid-friendly must-sees - a complete family travel guide

i-Escape find and book unusual and exciting places to stay in some of the world's most beautiful and fascinating places

Home Away marketplace of vacation rental properties representing more than 80,000 options in more than 90 countries.

Ciao Bambino reviews global destinations for travelling families.

Side step searches over 150 travel websites to bring you the very best travel values on the web.

photo of la corte del lago in Lake Como from ciaobambino.com

Spring it Home!

Since I've been shopping for new furniture and other home accessories, I thought I'd share some of the great websites I've found!

A few of these are a bit modern for my taste, but I searched and searched on them and found things I liked. So don't be 'put off' if some sites, at first, don't look like your style.

decor8 - it is a blog but with great shops listed in the city directory on the right hand side.

English Country Antiques - gorgeous things! a must see!

curbly - a design community where you can discuss tips, share great finds etc...

Citylivinghome.com - GREAT stuff here! a must see - again a little modern but cool

Greentea Design - Asian inspired goods

Delight.com - a fun sort of e-bayish type store

Zanisa - another environmentally friendly find! check out these wares!

OM home - fun accessories!

Branch - Eco-friendly!!!

Horchow - lovely love it


picture from English Country Antiques

Lush!

My husband just returned from Switzerland and brought me some great Haute stuff from the coolest place...LUSH!

Perfect timing with it being Earth Day month! for him to bring me some Fresh and all handmade bath products and cosmetics!

The bath bombs rock as well as the skincare! You would not believe the smell it is so clean! and fresh!...very LUSH!

White Haute

We're not surprised by this season's follow-up to black nails...white polish. Chanel led the way, introducing Blanc Ceramic alongside the cult-fave Noir Ceramic at the end of '06.

There are lots of great white polishes out there (and by white, we mean pretty, shiny and sheer...not "I was bored at work and painted my nails with white-out") including-







Lippmann Collection Amazing Grace (pure white) and
A Whiter Shade of Pale (translucent snowflake white-pictured)




OPI Fit for a Queensland (elegant white with pale iridescence)


What do you think...haute or not?

Haute Site

MakeupAlley...is one of my daily must-reads. Although I rarely post on the message boards, I do skim the fashion board daily and always check reviews in Productville, where products are reviewed by category with a "lippie" rating and text review, prior to purchasing an untried product.

MakeupAlley ( MUA ) offers easy to navigate topic-specific message boards for fashion, makeup, fragrance, skincare, food/cooking, hair, and weddings and the cafe board for OT (off-topic) subjects where anything goes!

It's free, so check it out!

image from makeupalley.com

The Earth is Getting Haute!

Are you an ECOIST?

Earth Day 2007 is April 22 and we want to share with you a lot of informational resources you can use to better educate yourself, family and friends on how to save our PLANET!

Everywhere you look, there are more and more options for reducing your carbon footprint on THE Momma (Mother Earth) and reducing your exposure to dangerous chemicals. I am no scientist, so for all the technical info, check out Carbon Footprint , Not too Pretty and Carbonoffsets.org

For more info check out the following:

1. Environmental Tips Video Series

2. Light Bulbs - pledge to switch!

3. 'An Inconvenient Truth' - What do you think?

4. Ecomanor has great tips for eco-interior design, building and designing your home effectively and much more!

5. Stopglobalwarming.com

6. DrivingGreen.com and lets you figure out how to offset your events. (You might rethink the destination wedding.)

7. Silverjet, the new all-business class British airline, claims to be the first carbon neutral airline.

8. ClimateCrisis.net


picture from ecoist.com

Going Green Fashionably is Possible!

There can be a misconception that just because you enjoy Botox, fashion and other Haute stuff, that you are not environmentally conscious....NOT SO!

It is important, however, to reduce your family's exposure to dangerous chemicals.
Avoid exposure to Parabens, Artificial Fragrances & Colors, Phthalates & other hormone disruptors. You don't have to be the crunchy/granola type-there are lots of luxurious products available...



Mineral Makeup from La Bella Donna (available at Belle Vie Medspa), Glo Minerals (available at Laser Perfect Med Spa) and Bare Minerals (available at Ulta). All provide beautiful results without scary chemicals.

Sulfate and Paraben-Free Bath and Body Products from 100% Pure, Burt's Bee's, Decleor, and Trilogy.

Toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate - free
nail polishes including Chanel, M.A.C. and L'Oreal Paris PRO manicure.

And how cool are the Cargo PlantLove Lipsticks ? The box can be planted in the ground to grow wildflowers, the tube is made of a polymer made from corn that is greenhouse-gas-neutral, $2 from every tube sold goes to St. Jude Hospital, and the colors are beautiful (and were designed by some haute celebrities including Lindsay Lohan, Mariska Hargitay, and Sarah Chalke).

Fashion-wise, consider one of this Spring's haute trends...cork shoes. Cork is one of nature's most renewable materials...

or the fun and funky recycled fashions at ecoist.

We could go on forever...there are so many easy ways to make a difference...and every little bit counts!

images fom chanel.com, 100percentpure.com, bergdorfgoodman.com, cargo.com, and saks.com

Lexington Derby Ball 2007

Be part of this annual event hosted by The Lexington Foundation, Inc. and held at Donamire Farm.

Friday, May 4th
8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

~Black tie/limited seating

For more information on tickets and availability please visit www.lexingtonfoundation.org or contact Kristi Martin at 859.388.2620

Pendants are Haute

Looking for a little Spring Bling - A Steal and a Splurge or two....

My personal favorite from givingtreejewelry.com $370.00 (free US shipping)

Mother Love Pearl - alltherageonline.com $11.00

Maya Brenner Jewelry Box Pendant Necklace - Shopintuition.com $124.00

Fallen Leaf Pendant - Alltherageonline.com $18.oo

Mother's Day Giveaway!

Do you know a Hautemomma that deserves a day of pampering?
....We know, what a dumb question!:):):)

Enter the Hautemommastuff Mother's Day Giveaway!

Try for a chance at a luxury facial, hair cut, style and conditioning color-gloss, makeup application and gourmet lunch with Hautemommastuff's Jen and Gretchen - all at HAUTE local businesses!

Unfortunately we can randomly select only one lucky winner from the Lexington area.

Please submit your nomination (you can nominate yourself) to hautemommas@hautemommastuff.com

We just ask that you send us at least one topic of interest you would like for us to post/review. It can be a trend, a hard to find item you would like for us to look for, travel, food, family, children, books....whatever you like! Just let us know what you like!

Good Luck to all!!!

Color!

Pops of pretty color are everywhere...here are a few fun ideas:

Savoy Monaco maggie Yellow Hobo $330

Seychelles 'And The Winner Is' Pump $74

Armani Exchange Grosgrain Cross Back Strap Cami $60

Velvet Torch V-Neck Tie Back Dress $48

photos from Nordstrom.com, armaniexchange.com and savoyaccessories.com

HauteSpot Interview: Riki Altman, Freelance Journalist

Riki Altman - Jet-setting Journalist
Freelance Journalist and President, Wordstar Ink.
Offices in Chicago & Fort Lauderdale / Miami

Riki Altman, talk about one serious hautemomma, has not only graduated from one of the top journalism schools in the nation, Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, but she has worked as the editor of many affluent luxury lifestyle magazines and on America Online's City Guide. She is currently working with the Atlanta Peach magazine, which also publishes Ocean Drive and the soon to be published Michigan Ave., debut Summer 2007.

Ms. Altman is attending the Lexington Foundation Derby Ball this year with Hautemommastuff's Jen and Gretchen for her article in the Atlanta Peach specific to Derby 2007.

Read on to find out more about this accomplished, empowered and stylish hautemomma!

_______________________________________


Favorite vacation Spot?
I’ve been to Turks & Caicos twice and just loved it. The water there is electric blue, the sand is soft, and the conch yield without a fight when I jam them into a bowl with lime juice, onions and Tabasco.

Favorite restaurant?
That’s a tough one since I’ve made it a point to eat my way around the world. But I guess it has to be Camille’s in Key West. It not only has an ever-changing breakfast menu but it’s also the only place I’ll eat Key lime pie.

Style Icon?
My heart broke when Gianni Versace was killed. He really understood how to dress a woman with the perfect combination of daring, sexiness and elegance. But I guess I’d choose Sarah Jessica Parker—not in the role of “Carrie”—if I wanted to emulate a modern gal.

Favorite gift to give?
I’m a fan of anything homemade. Baking cookies, gluing a photo collage, or making personalized bars of soap say, “I may go to the mall to shop for me, but I actually made an effort to create something for you.”

What's in your beauty bag?
I swear by that Burt’s Bees’ Peppermint Coconut Oil foot goo. It smells and feels like utopia. I’m sure it tastes good, too, but I’m not going there. Oh, and thanks to my dermatologist for introducing me to the Obagi skin care line. The products cost as much as my rent, but I’ve cut my concealer consumption in half since beginning the regimen.

Favorite hotel?
I’m a sucker for a Westin. I slept so good on one of those “Heavenly Beds” that I don’t even remember what city I was in.

Cocktail of choice?
I’m not a drinker, but if I was forced to slug down a gallon of something it would have to be a mojito.

Style advice?
Please, for the love of G-d, don’t let your belly fat/spare tire hang out. Michael Stars makes nice, long shirts to cover all that. [If my mom were to contribute, she’d say a lady should always spend her money on her hairstyle, makeup and skin products. You can always find a pair of Choos on sale, but bargain basement foundation is a no-no.]

What is style?
To me, style equals confidence. One can have crazy hair like Betsey Johnson or dress totally off-the-wall like Patricia Fields, but if a gal holds her head high, she’s got flair.

What is at the top of your style / wardrobe wish list?
Sigh. If only I had enough spare change to buy a daring Roberto Cavalli or a funky Etro patchwork dress…

Favorite Mantra?
“I eat. Therefore, I am.” Nah, really I like Nike’s “Just do it” slogan taken one step beyond: “Just do it NOW.” Perfect for a journalist who likes to creep her way toward deadlines. I’m actually procrastinating right this instant.

What do you like best about being a Journalist?
Seriously, I’m convinced I have the best job on the planet. I get to travel, attend amazing parties and fashion shows, and meet interesting people. But my favorite aspect of the job is knowing what’s going on in the world before anyone else.

What is your most memorable / exciting moment as a journalist?
I was planning to write a story about stargazing for a February/Valentine’s issue of a magazine, and when I interviewed an astronomy professor at the local university he told me about his campaign to get a new observatory for the students. The school wouldn’t put forth a dime. I sensed there was more of a story in that, so I changed the angle of the piece.
Just the other day, he e-mailed to tell me that someone saw my article and agreed to donate the money. Yea! I get to have fun and get paid while helping people at the same time.

Style Icon and Haute Read

Thanks to FabSugar and Bag Snob I found out about this wonderful new book about one of my all time favorite women and of course style icon....Princess Grace Kelly.

The book is Grace Kelly: A Life in Pictures (hardcover) around $31 - find it here.

picture from amazon.com

Chic Shades

Michael Kors Bamboo Arm Sunglasses ($225)






Tom Ford "Jennifer" ($290)








Marc Jacobs ($156)




photos from neimanmarcus.com and bluefly.com

Fab for under $40

Great Spring Trends at great prices!


Rafe bag - target.com $39.99
(p.s. all the Rafe bags are pretty haute!)

Red peep-toe espadrilles urbanoutfitters.com $38.00

Seagrass Tote with patent trim - target.com $12.99

Black and white braided belt - forever21.com $8.80

Black and white straw hat - forever21.com $19.80

pictures from target.com, forever21.com and urbanoutfitters.com

Cropped and Cute

I wasn't so sure about this trend, the cropped jacket, but I just purchased an adorable one from Express that is on sale now for $29.99 - way haute!

Here are a few others to check out and add to your Spring trends! They look cute with a longer tee or tank with jeans, pencil skirts or dress pants.

The red one to the right - is Express $79.50

(not the one I just bought)

Cute black and white - forever21.com and only $27.50 - don't forget they have a store in the St. Matthews Mall in Louisville now!....also check out all the other cute jackets!

This is a great 'can't go wrong' with Black option - INC - Macys.com - $119

ElizabethHurley.com

Looking for a great bikini and other gorgeous resort clothing? Why not buy something from Ms. Gorgeous herself, Elizabeth Hurley. She has had the site for a few years and recently added the ability to Buy Online!

Check out this Leopard bikini and many more!!!!

Waiting to exhale

"As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again!" -Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara

Thank heavens, skinny jeans are being overshadowed by forgiving wide-leg jeans. Here are a few great looks:

J Brand's Joplin Plazzo ($230)

Hudson Wide Leg Tailor Jean ($187)

Chip & Pepper Arctic Fox Wide Trouser Jean ($198)

photos from barneys.com and shopbop.com

Bravo!

Add Bravo's Reality Shows to my ever-growing list of addictions. It all started with Project Runway, then Top Chef, Real Housewives of Orange County, Blow Out, Work Out, and Queer Eye...Now Top Design and I'm sure I'll end up addicted to their new show, Shear Genius.
If you are a Top Design fan, who are you cheering for in Wednesday night's finale? I can't imagine Matt not winning. I can only guess what Kelly's hair will be doing.

Speaking of hair...Shear Genius premieres after the Top Design finale & is hosted by Jaclyn Smith with Sally Hershberger as one of the judges. Check out the stylists' bios and you'll see that this show promises to be really entertaining!

photos from bravotv.com

Metal-Mania

You can't open a magazine without noticing one of the season's hauteset treands...metallics. It's easy to incorporate this look into your wardrobe with accessories - here are a few options...

A haute handbag like this YSL tote. A more moderately priced option is this DKNY metallic tote in gold or Michael Kors' Metallic Gold Clutch.



















Shoes are a great way to wear metallic. The Kors Dame's stacked heel and strappy style is definitely haute!




These super-shiny Stuart Weitzman ballet flats are adorable!

Now go get your shine on!!