I’ve been busy this week shopping for cute new outfits for all the upcoming spring weddings I plan to attend. What I need to wear varies with the type of wedding and time of day, so I’ll be needing several new dresses.

For example, business attire is OK for an informal daytime wedding, but an informal wedding in the evening calls for a cocktail dress. Semi-formal usually means a short dress in the daytime and a cocktail dress in the evening.

For those formal weddings, a short dress with a hat and gloves is fine if it’s during the day, but if it’s in the evening, a long dress or extremely dressy cocktail dress is all that will make the grade. Not too many people have white tie, or ultra-formal weddings anymore. Those usually call for a long gown with lots of glitz, including diamonds and furs!

While your dress can be almost any color other than white, it’s a great idea to pick a bright, fun color for spring. If you aren’t sure what colors are flattering to you, any shade of blue or pink is usually a good choice. While pastels are great for daytime weddings, you may want to look for bold colors like red or gold when choosing attire for an evening event.

And, of course, glam heeled shoes or sandals and a cute handbag are always a must for a spring wedding. I like a little sparkle in my handbags, especially for weddings. That’s why I’ve designed several Star 50 handbags with glitter and glam!

If you are lucky like me and get to dress your date, a dark suit and a conservative tie will work for almost any occasion. While you don’t want to get to cutesy with the suit, it’s always a nice touch to have your man’s tie blend with your dress.

Of course, if the invite states white tie or black tie, your date will need to wear a tuxedo with the corresponding tie color!

Have fun and I can’t wait to hear what you’re wearing this spring!

Whether you’re the bride, the bridesmaid or just an honored guest, you have to be prepared for torrential downpours or blazing sun when getting ready for a spring wedding. Time to get a coordinating umbrella to tuck inside your favorite handbag so you don’t have to run and hide at the first sprinkle of spring.

Yet, most spring weddings see plenty of sun, making them just as much fun for the guests as for the bride and wedding party. With the weather finally warm enough for outdoor ceremonies and receptions, guests can bask in the sun or look up at the stars and find their own bit of romance right in the middle of the ceremony or on a quick private stroll outside the wedding or reception hall.

After a winter of jackets and layers, we can finally shed those coats and show off the vibrant florals that spring inspired. What better excuse to buy a new dress or handbag than going to a spring wedding. And what better place to wear last year’s classic dress?

Spring also affords some glorious options and fun for the bride and groom. I always love to see what flowery color combinations brides will choose for spring weddings. Pink, tangerine, lilac, lime and yellow are all popular colors for spring weddings this year. I’ve always loved these pastels in the spring, but I’ve also seen some lovely weddings themed on hot pink or fuchsia.

One good thing about a spring wedding is that so many types of flowers are in season. A bride can choose just one or many combined into a colorful nosegay. Roses, tulips, hyacinth, lilies and Gerber daisies and multi-colored calla lilies are all in season now and add to the fanciful romance of a spring wedding.

I’d love to hear about your spring wedding or the ones you plan to attend. Post a comment to tell me all about it!

I’ve also been checking out St. Patrick’s Day events across the nation so I‘ll have somewhere to wear all that green. Every pub in the world, of course, will be celebrating with Irish music, dancing and beer and most large cities are having parades.

Here in Denver, Colorado, we’ll kick off the holiday the Saturday before with the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade west of the Mississippi with more than 200 floats and 10,000 marchers. The parade features floats, marchers, step-dancers, bands and bagpipes.

Wonder which U.S. city has the largest parade in the nation? It’s New York City, where the city’s Irish population shows it’s pride by marching up 5^th Street clan by clan. Every year the archbishop of New York reviews the all-marcher parade from the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade has been around since Irishmen living in New York organized it in 1762 – fourteen years before the Declaration of Independence was signed! Of course, with New York City’s huge Irish population, one parade just isn’t enough – more than 15 boroughs, including Queens and Brooklyn, host their own parades.

If St. Patty‘s Day ever catches me in the deep south I‘ll head to New Orleans, Louisiana – the city that has a parade for everything. The Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Committee expects this year‘s St. Patrick‘s Day Parade to be the largest it’s ever had. In New Orleans, parade participants start with a special Mass, then march up Magazine street dressed in formal attire. What could be better than well-dressed Irishmen for a St. Patty’s Day bash?

Though the parades are the public display of Irish spirit in the U.S., the parades are just the beginning. It all ends in a pub full of Irishmen and lovers of all things Irish wearing and honoring Ireland’s patron saint with drink and song.

We want to hear from you!  What kind of information are you looking for–travel or fashion?  Unfortunately we didn’t get the kind of response we were looking for last time we asked, so we’re going trying it again.

Here at Star50 we love to talk about the quirky, the kitsch, and the undiscovered but we also love to discuss fashion.  I mean, who doesn’t love to talk handbags, hats, shoes, and makeup, right?

So give it to us straight.  We created a survey on www.constantcontact.com

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2fzz171fq76t5vh/start

Let us know how we can help you have a better, happy-feel-good experience with us; whether its shopping on our site our reading this blog,  give me the chance to do it right.

Thanks and enjoy the trip!

Amity

The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.

So how do you feel when all the chocolate is eaten and the cards thrown in the trash? I don’t know about you, but I feel a serious let down by all the V-Day hoopla. The key is how to make these kinds of traditions more personal and valuable on an everyday level.

Of course, you can always make something for your loved one but to connect on a deeper level try the following with your special someone this coming Valentines Day:

1. Focus on your partner: Instead of stressing about ‘the day’. Share all the reasons why you chose him or her.

2. Under-promise and over-deliver: In a nutshell, call before coming or going; hold door open, and use words to express your feelings

3. Tune in to your loved one’s moods. Expressing empathy by identifying with another’s experience can take you a lot farther than just a nod and a glass of wine.

4. Sticky Please! Love notes are a sure way to inspire a loving connection every day of the year.

5. Plan together a special trip, night out on the town or night in, whatever you choose. The anticipation of what’s to come makes way for connectedness, excitement and intimacy.

6. Remember to make every day count for yourself and your loved ones. We’d like to know what you all are planning to do for your sweetheart, Valentines Day and any other day.

You’re responses will be posted below and one lucky Starlet will win our Missouri Creve Coeur. Don’t be left broken-hearted, and one bag short of a romantic interlude.

Until next time enjoy the trip,

Amity

Hello all.

We’re having some internal discussions about our blog. We love sharing our thoughts and experiences about traveling in the States and know many of you look forward to reading our posts. But some of us who enjoy fashion always have questions and thoughts about how to create our signature look. We survey our budgets while we study fun new trends and classic wardrobe pieces – how do we pull them all together to fit our individual styles?

Our question to you: Would you like to see more travel posts or fashion posts? Should we concentrate on one or the other? Please send us your thoughts – we want to get this show back on the road!

It’s time to shop, ladies! Visit the Star50 Myspace page Tuesday, June 17th for another fun Star50 Handbags Purse Party.

Rules are the same…a special discount will be given on bags purchased Tuesday. Get ready to stock up on summer essentials and make your closet the envy of all your friends.

Or, you could be nice and invite them to the party too! 

Summer is officially here which means it’s time to pack away the winter bags and break out the fun! This season, almost anything goes. It’s all about texture, color and design. Head from the beach to brunch with a durable, bright-colored bag like the Hawaii Weekender by Star50 Handbags. Available in seven fun colors from canary yellow to pacific blue, the wood handles and kicky flowered lining take it worlds away from your usual purse. After all, it’s all about the details!

 
For an evening out you can’t go wrong with a hot clutch in a unique design. The Wisconsin Porter embodies just that. Not only is the nylon body rugged, it’s sleek and sophisticated! A double whammy! Available in six colors, you’ll be the envy of the party when you show up with this little number.

 
 
This summer, celebrate your unique self with a fun bag that tells a story. Visit Star50 Handbags to see even more!

Star50 has been busy! First there were the purse parties and now — a girls night!

Star50 Handbags will be participating in Shecky’s Girls Night Out in Denver, CO May 29th from 5-10 p.m.! Check out this great shopping party and stock up on your favorite Star50 bags!

What does the day include?

Shop up to 50 hot brands in the emerging fashion & accessories pavilion.
Sip delicious cocktails & refreshments at the 5-hour complimentary bars.
Sample fabulous products & services by their supreme sponsors.
Scoreloads of goodies in Shecky’s Deluxe Goodie Bag.

Click here for full details.

But that’s not all! Star50 Handbags is on a roll! On June 10th Star50 will be participating in the Holiday Gift Guide Media Event in New York City sponsored by The Gift List Media and AdVance Public Relations. Details to come!

This weekend is your last chance to shop the Star50 Purse Party! It all ends May 12th at 5pm MST. 
 
Click here for complete contest rules and blog addresses. Enter at each blog and get your shopping code for 50% off at www.star50bags.com.

Last minute gift for Mother’s Day? Gift for the soon-to-be graduate? A treat just for you?

Don’t wait! An offer like this doesn’t come around often.

Happy Shopping!