4th of July Fashion

The 4th of July is right around the corner! Will you be sporting red, white, and blue (RWB)?

If you are looking for a trendy RWB outfit we recommend:

Skirt - Pleasure Doing Business High Waist Band Miniskirt in Navy/White - $132

Top - Classic White Top or Wilt Slub Jersey Crop Tank - $29

Shoes - Pair with a nude wedge or metallic flats

Jewelry - Layer, layer, and layer! From string bracelets to bangles to necklaces, the more the merrier!

Stayed tuned for more RWB looks by the Ex-cessories gals!

Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing

Caesar salad is a menu staple that many love but few indulge in due to the heavy calorie count in the dressing.

We came across this recipe for a vegan caesar salad dressing - lighter in calories, not taste!

1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup Vegan Parmesan cheeze
6 tbsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 tbsp sunflower oil (or EVOO)
1 garlic scape (or 1 clove garlic)
1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup water

Directions: In a blender or food processor, add the lemon juice, water, and oil and blend/process until mixed well. Now add the rest of the ingredients and blend/process well. Scrape sides down as necessary. Blend/process until smooth. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Dressing will thicken up in the fridge and you can add more water to thin it out of necessary. Makes about 2/3 of a cup.

To find out how to complete this recipe, click here to see what creator/blogger Oh She Glows has to say.

Vintage Filigree Bracelet - $824

Ex-cessories.com Item Spotlight:

Everyone goes crazy for Vintage! So why not pick-up your own piece of vintage? This is a beautiful vintage amethyst bracelet that can be worn day or night with any outfit.

* Stamped 14KT white gold & platinum lady's combination cast & die struck amethyst and european-cut diamond vintage filigree design bracelet

* The bracelet is 7 inches in length

* The diamond is mounted in the center of the bracelet

* The two amethysts are mounted on each side of the center diamond

* Total appraised value - $1,500

* Click here to learn more about this bracelet.

5-minute granola

5-minutes is all you need to make this nutritious snack - how can you beat that?! Added bonus... this recipe is also raw and vegan.

(makes about 10-12 bars)

Ingredients:
Dry (use scant measurements):
1 & 3/4 C rolled oats
1 C crisp puffed brown rice cereal
1/4 C pumpkin seeds
1/4 C sunflower seeds
1/4 C chia seeds
1/4 C unsweetened coconut
1/8 C finely ground flaxseed

Wet (use generous measurements):
1/2 C brown rice syrup
1/3 C creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:
1. Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl. Mix them together.

2. In a separate (microwave safe) bowl, mix together the wet ingredients, then microwave them for about 20 to 30 seconds. This will make it easier to mix and add to the dry ingredients since it’s really sticky!

3. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix! Keep mixing until the wet binding ingredients are as well distributed as possible. Put some muscle into it!

4. Then, put the mixture into a shallow pan and flatten it down. Done and done!

Click here to read more from the recipe creator fANNEtasticfood.

Go Team USA!

Team USA won an amazing game of soccer in the World Cup Games yesterday. They beat Algeria to advance to the round of 16 where they will face Ghana.

See what winning goal scoring Landon Donovan has to say below...

Go USA!

Kenneth Cole T-shirt store via Facebook

WWD reports, designer Kenneth Cole has opened an online t-shirt store via Facebook to raise money for the Oil Spill cleanup.

The funds will go to Awearness, the Kenneth Cole Foundation to support the Gulf initiative. The tee can be ordered in 12 different colors with different phrases printed on them, like "I Clean Up Well," and are priced at $35 each.

Click here to visit the Kenneth Cole Facebook page.

There is nothing better than fashion with a cause!

Bethenny's Frittata

We are absolutely loving Bethenny's (NYC Housewife and Skinnygirl Chef) "easy, impressive frittata"!

This recipe is easy, delicious, and healthy and can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You can also constantly mix-up this recipe by experimenting with different veggies.

Ingredients:

1 c of vegetables (your choice)
1 egg yellow
2 egg whites
1 T of feta or parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place 1 c. of sauteed vegetables to small nonstick pan over medium heat. Use your favorite. Bethenny likes to use onions, spinach or zucchini or broccoli, and tomatoes. You can use pre-sauteed, roasted or steamed vegetables of your choice.
3. Add 1 egg yellow and 2 egg whites (beaten) with salt and pepper to vegetable mixture. Move mixture around until slightly solidified. transfer pan (with ovenproof handle) to oven.
4. Bake until fritatta is almost firm to the touch. sprinkle with feta or parmesan cheese (1 T) and bake until firm.
5. Voila!

Nail Polish Trends

Just as we are breaking out our summer nail polishes, the fashion industry is unveiling what hues we will need to sport for Fall 2010. Gone will be the days of our neon and pastel nails and we will be saying hello to...

...moody and muted shades, such as gray and violet.

Earlier this year, Chanel broke out with a neutral nail tone that everyone just had to get their hands on as well as the famous jade nail polish. Now, Chanel has released their Fall 2010 makeup collection, rife with chocolate grays, deep plums and smoldering khakis. "Global creative director Peter Philips created a look that pairs soft smoky eyes with paler lips to pay tribute to Coco Chanel's proclivity for the bold contrasts that first defined her iconic style."

What nail polish colors are you sporting this summer? Do you get frustrated with the fashion industry always being a season ahead or do you enjoy knowing what trends are coming up? Will you be sporting chocolate and gray-purple shades this fall? Let us know under "comments".

Get rid of oily hair with...

...baby powder!

Do you need more time in between blow-outs, but feel that your hair gets too oily? We recommend trying baby powder to get your hair through the extra day or two.

Sprinkle baby powder on hair and rub into the roots. Sprinkle on hands, rub together, and smooth over oily sections of hair. The baby powder will help to absorb the oil and keep your hair looking great!

Do you use baby powder for your hair? Do you prefer dry shampoo? Let us know your favorite hair tricks under "comments".

Fashionable or Ridiculous?

Gucci's new Apple iPad case - prices start at $230.

Fashionable or Ridiculous? Let us know under "comments".

This item is available via Gucci online - click here to see the Apple iPad cases on the Gucci website.

FIFA - The World Cup

The world is closely watching the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Have you been watching?!

Click here to learn more about the matches this year.

Other than the Olympics, this is one of the few times the entire world gathers to celebrate and cheer on a sporting event. View two versions of the World Cup theme song (one by K'naan featuring David Bisbal) below and catch a little world cup fever!

TGIF Recipes

Friday is here! Enjoy your Friday evening with a light cocktail by Bethenny Frankel - Skinnygirl Gin Julep.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons Gin
4 tablespoons Club Soda
8 Mint Leaves
2 teaspoons Honey
1/2 cup CRUSHED Ice

Preparation:
Heat honey in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Combine all ingredients over crushed ice (use blender).

Pair this cocktail with another one of Bethenny's light recipes - Citrus Shrimp Refresher.

Ingredients:

2 large shrimps, split in half, tails removed
1/4 of a cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/4 of a segmented pink grapefruit
1/4 of a segmented lime
1 teaspoon fresh minced cilantro
1/4 of an avocado, cubed

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
Serve in a chilled cocktail martini glass.

Happy Friday!

Dawn - Helps Save Wildlife

1 bottle = $1 to SAVE WILDLIFE!

Each bottle of Dawn you purchase can contribute $1 to the important wildlife conservation efforts of the Marine Mammal Center and the International Bird Rescue Research Center.

With the horrific effects the BP oil spill has had and continues to have on Gulf wildlife, it makes the rescue and conservation efforts of nature and our natural habitats that much more urgent.

Get involved today! Help in any way you can... even with the small change of purchasing Dawn products at your local grocery store.

To learn more about Dawn and their rescue efforts, click here.

"In Mourning" by Mignon Faget

New Orleans jewelry designer, Mignon Faget, has introduced a collection of designs to raise awareness and funds for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster.

Ironically, Mignon Faget jeweler was born over 40 years ago with a collection inspired by the natural beauty of the Gulf of Mexico — beauty now being destoryed by the BP oil spill.

To help raise funds to fight the environmental damage, Faget has introduced “In Mourning,” a special line of jewelry. For the collection, she has redesigned pieces featuring threatened Gulf Coast wildlife such as redfish, speckled trout, oysters and pelicans. The pieces are designed as pins backed with black ribbons or pendants on black cords. An oyster necklace is oxidized to an oil-stained silver, and sterling crab and shrimp charms dangle from oxidized black-chain bracelets reminiscent of the chains found on oil rigs.

Proceeds from the sale of the “In Mourning” jewelry will benefit the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. The jewelry is available in Mignon Faget galleries in New Orleans and Baton Rouge and online at www.mignonfaget.com.

Sex and the City 2 Style by Patricia Field

Stylist, Patricia Field, is the face behind Sex and the City's fashions. Field has made a large mark in fashion history with her unique and trend setting stylings of Sex and the City.

This year, Field singly handily brought back the brand Halston. Field has acknowledged this as one of her biggest marks on the fashion world and Halston dresses, shirts, and bags can now be found in department stores and boutiques throughout the country as well as on Carrie in Sex and the City 2.

Are you loving Patricia Field's Sex and the City stylings? Are you searching the internet for Carrie's clover necklace and other items you ohhhhed over in the sequel? Go to PatriciaField.com and pick-up your favorite Sex and the City 2 items.

"The Lucky Charm" Clover necklace is available from $56-$72. Click here to see more.

Carrie's sunglasses in the opening scene - Mykita & Bernhard Sunglasses, Limited Edition - $525. Click here to see more.

Sex and the City 2 - Black Diamond

If you have seen Sex and the City 2, you know what we are referring to when we speak of the "black diamond".

Carrie's present from Big was a 5-Carat Black Diamond by Italian designer Malkin. A crystal clear diamond would just never do for unique Carrier Bradshaw...

According to a media release from Malkin, during prep for the film, the search was on for black diamond rings. Writer/director Michael Patrick King and actress Sarah Jessica Parker sifted through designs from more than 20 jewelry designers before selecting one of two rings anonymously submitted by Malkin.

To finalize the design, Malkin worked in collaboration with Parker and costume designer Patricia Field, debuting on the big screen a 5-carat black diamond ring set in 18-karat white gold and surrounded by 80 round natural colorless pave diamonds.

Fans of this ring will be happy to know the Malkin will produce a replica ring in a limited-edition series, each stamped with limited-edition serial numbers and certificate. Retailing at $10,000, the Itay Malkin Sex and the City 2 ring is available for sale online at PatriciaField.com or through private sale by contacting Itay Malkin at (888) 429-4884 or ItayMalkin.com.

What do you think of this ring, pictured above? Would you purchase this ring for $10,000?

Friday Night Cocktail

TGIF! This Friday, gather a group of girlfriends and/or friends and relax with good food and drinks.

Our Friday drink recommendation - "Everyone's-A-Little-Bit-Psychic Sangria" (by the Purcell Sisters).

This drink keeps health and calories in mind. Red wine contains antioxidants that may help prevent heart disease. Don’t forget to eat the fruit garnish for an extra dose of vitamin C. Calories per serving: 123.

Makes 1 pitcher (20 drinks)

Ingredients: 1 (1.5-liter) bottle red wine, 1 cup rum, ½ can frozen limeade or pink lemonade concentrate, 1½ cups orange juice, 1 cup lemon-lime soda (such as Sprite) or Collins mixer, Ice for glasses, 3 oranges, sliced into wedges for garnish, 5 limes, sliced into wedges for garnish

Directions: Combine first 4 ingredients and refrigerate overnight. Add lemon-lime soda no more than an hour before serving. To serve, pour sangria into ice-filled glasses, and garnish each with orange and lime slices.

Enjoy and happy Friday!

Top Secret - Our Favorite Strapless Bra!

Finding a properly fitting and comfortable strapless bra can be extremely difficult. Over the years we have settled with strapless bras that have been uncomfortable and always slightly off in terms of fit. Recently, our strapless bra discomfort has been squashed and just in time for strapless summer tops and dresses!

Top Secret strapless bras have become our new best friends! We love their "Femme Fatale Bandeau". This strapless bra is comfortable and actually give us a nice lift, which is always a bonus! Click here to purchase Top Secret bandeau bras. Click here to learn more about Top Secret and view their entire collection.

Another Pregnant Kardashian?

Reports are circulating that Khloe Kardashian, wife of Lakers player Lamar Odom, is pregnant.

Apparently, Khloe is 2 months pregnant, but is keeping the news a secret until she can announce the news on her reality show. We are excited for Khloe and Lamar, but want to get our readers opinions on exposing every detail of one's life to the world for fame and publicity.

What do you think about Khloe waiting to expose her pregnancy news for her television show? Go for it while you can or inappropriate? Celebrate your joy with the world or keep your private life private?

Let us know your thoughts under "comments".

Odom, 30, has children Destiny and Lamar Jr. with his ex-girlfriend Liza Morales. Odom and Morales also had a son Jayden who died at six-and-a-half months from SIDS while sleeping in his crib in New York on June 29, 2006.

Sea Bags

We came across the brand Sea Bags and wanted to share their unique product that we think makes the perfect summer beach/pool tote.

Since 1999 Sea Bags have been making custom tote bags out of recycled sails. "Every bag we make has sailed around the world before it even leaves our shop, and we like that."

The best part... each bag is durable, water resistant, and washing machine friendly. Beach sand or sun tan lotion spill will not ruin this bag!

Sea Bags come in small, medium, and large and are available in a variety of colors. Click here to learn more about Sea Bags.

We recommend their "Cure Bags", which are limited edition with 50% of all proceeds going the Maine Cancer Foundation. Click here to see the "Cure Bags", ranging from $35 to $150.