There in the corner sits the lonely chair I bought years ago at a flea market. Of course I had every intention of stripping the old paint and gracing it with a shiny new coat that very same weekend. We all know how good intentions can go; I never got around to doing it. Finally, this weekend I thought to do a bit of research. As much as I love my Ben Moore paint, I felt this chair needed something special and all its own. As I start my internet search I stumbled upon “The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company,” which I am impressed with right away. Can we all say GREEN and free of any VOC?! Love it! To top it off they are a local company here in Massachusetts, even better. The Milk Paint Company literally makes their paint out of milk protein, lime, clay and earth pigment. It arrives in a small package and you just add water to the desired thickness. They state there is a bit of a milky odor when you first start to paint, but as soon as it dries you are left with an antique looking color.

Most of the photos they show online are of very “old fashioned”-looking pieces, but I think in this age of the “vintage” craze, an older looking piece mixed in with some contemporary pieces will give it the spotlight it deserves. In other words don’t get scared off by the pictures, think outside the box!

Fabulous, I have made some progress, now off I go to wait by the post for my “Soldier Blue” milk paint to arrive. I will post some pictures and give a review when it arrives…then again don’t hold your breath, we know how long it has taken me just to pick the paint!!

Still have some room in your suitcase? Shoes tend to be the area where most of us overpack…they’re cute AND heavy, leading to some serious overestimation. You should be able to make it through a beach vacation with just three pairs of shoes…if they’re the right ones.

Flip-Flops

Everyone I know wears the cheap Old Navy flip flops. Stand out in–gasp–a Forever 21 pair instead. They come in several different colors, but I like the gray pictured here.

Dressy Sandals

• I have a severe “thing” for gladiator sandals. Brandon, my fiance (otherwise known on here as THF), calls them my “Russell Crowe shoes.” My sister calls them “Jesus sandals.” However you decide to look at them, you can’t deny their inherent hotness. This pair from Madden Girl is less than $50.
• Target has some great summer sandals right now. This bejeweled pair is so pretty, and dressy enough for dinner, etc.
• I love red shoes and this strappy, bare pair from Target is firmly on my “to buy” list.
• Payless is a good place to pick up inexpensive footwear, like these strappy sandals which would look smashing with a skirt or dress.
• The wild card here are these sandals from Alloy. They’re a great deal money-wise, but the serpent design and bright colors might be hard to pull off. My suggestion is to wear them something neutral on top, like a casual black or gray dress.
• These elegant Forever 21 sandals have sexy ankle ties. To keep the ties up on your legs, spray them with some hairspray after they’re tied. Gross, but it works!

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All right, we got the hardest part of a planning for a beach vacation out of the way: the swimsuit. Let’s continue to work our way down the ultimate packing list, shall we?

Beach Cover-ups

• This Urban Outfitters coverup is chic, roomy and made of a light, flowy fabric. Wear at home with skinny jeans and a belt (to add shape) so you get more mileage out of it when you’re not at the beach.
• I love this casual coverup from Target. It has a classic dress shape, but an unexpected hoodie on the back and is made of a nubby, towel-y texture.
• This coverup from Target is a bit more classy than some of the others, which would be perfect if you actually want more coveragefrom your cover-up.
• Sarongs are the ideal beach accessory. You can wrap them in different ways around your body, depending on how flexible you are. Me, I’m not super-talented at tying sarongs, but I admire those who can turn them into halter dresses and whatnot.
• This minimalist (as in minimal fabric) cover-up from Bluefly looks like a cute beach dress. Alas, it’s quite see-through and flimsy, so try and limit it to only beachwear, hmm?
• If you want a bit more freedom of movement (read: bloated after that second cheeseburger), this trapeze shape from Victoria’s Secret is ideal.
• One of my favorites here is this cover-up from Jessica Simpson, who apparently now makes beachwear. The open-back is deliciously sexy.
• For a youthful, fun cover-up (with a bit of a scandalous v-neck), this one from Victoria’s Secret comes in this print version and other solid colors.

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When I pack for vacations, I tend to fall into the following two traps:

1. I pack too much. And by “too much,” I mean that I literally have to sit on my suitcase to get it closed. It then resembles something my sister fondly refers to as “the bloated whale.”
2. I pack too much black clothing. It’s easy, yes, because everything matches, but it’s boring.

For a beach vacation, you shouldn’t pack too much (think about all the shopping you’ll do!) and you also should not pack black, unless it’s a swimsuit. Who wears black skinny jeans at the beach?

Here are the absolute essentials you’ll need to pack:

1. More than 2 swimsuits and less than 5. If you take 5 or more swimsuits, you won’t ever wear them all as you’ll end up wearing your favorite over and over anyway. Besides, leave some space for picking up a new one at the local boutique. Mix and match bikinis, one-pieces, tankinis…whatever you prefer.
2. 2 beach cover-ups. Make one more athletic and casual, and one a little more dressy.
3. 1 sarong. Tie it around your waist, at your bustline, or turn it into a halter dress. Make sure it’s large enough–don’t skimp on size. Look here for some tips on tying sarongs into different shapes.
4. 2 dresses. Like the cover-ups, you should aim for one dressier piece and one more casual dress, but don’t go too overboard: beach towns are generally laidback and you shouldn’t have to worry about feeling underdressed. You’re on vacation! Leave the Spanx at home!
5. 2 pairs of flip-flops. Bring one pair in a fun color and the other pair in a neutral color, like brown or black.
6. 1 pair of dressy sandals. Try some with ankle ties or beading.
7. 1 pair of comfortable flats. Just in case you do some serious shopping or walking, pack your most comfortable flats.
8. 1 blouse/shirt with sleeves.
9. 1 tanktop or sleeveless shirt.
10. 1 pair of stylish shorts. Look for linen fabrics, cuffed bottoms and a slightly baggy style (avoid the Daisy Duke syndrome!)
11. 1 hoodie or light sweater. It’s sometimes cool at night by the water, so don’t forget a layer.
12. 1 beach tote. Keep it a little more formal than a backpack so it can double as your handbag for going out.
13. 1 wide-brimmed hat.
14. 1 pair of sunglasses.
    
15. Self-tanner/sunblock.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you hanging…I’ll post my suggestions for all of these items over the next few days. Let’s get the one that causes us gals the most consternation out of the way, shall we?

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Start saving up your paycheck for these three stand-alone pieces. Different styles and designers for sure, but who wants to be predictable? Here are two rings and a sweater to match your mood. Keep ‘em on their toes, girlfriend.

A cozy, slouchy fancy designer maxi-cardigan is an indulgence for sure, but this Stella McCartney stone-colored sweater made of heavy cotton mixes nautical with High Street. The white twill tape forms a cool hipster crucifix in the back, while the toggle-type closures look slick open or loose. Throw it on over cargo pants for a mad dash through the airport, or toss on over your fanciest black trousers. Either way, the $1345 knit is a knockout.

Jill Platner is a surfer, sculptor and one of the hottest jewelry designers around these day. Lenny Kravitz proudly loops one of her black corded chokers around his neck, and Mandy Moore stacks rows of the organic bracelets up and down her arm — each one a sculptural masterpiece. Jill’s pieces are not cheap — this dazzling “Sprout” bracelet runs $815, but the cord is made of gortex and the silver is all but bullet-proof. Wear it while you swim, sleep shower and sprint — just as Jill would herself.

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We’d be surprised if you hadn’t heard about ideeli, but have you scored an invite yet? The members-only shopping community offers privileged access to luxury lifestyle brands (the latest and the hottest handbags, jewelry and more) with prices up to 90% off.

The catch? Sales and giveaways last only a few hours, quantities are limited and membership is by invitation only.

Consider yourself invited by Stylefeeder! Click here to join, or go to ideeli.com and enter “stylefeeder22″ as your invite code. After you join, you will be notified by email each time a sale starts. You’ll save enough cash on those oversized Michael Kors shades to book that holiday in Anguilla.

Check out a selection of the type of merchandise available on ideeli in what amounts to a daily designer sample sale, with names ranging from upstarts like Olivia Gryson to stalwarts like Balenciaga:

Coat racks, hangers, and hooks: they are all very useful but often an eyesore when not covered up by some piece of clothing. This post introduces you to some coat racks you can show off. Both useful and decorative, that’s dual functionality! Need I say more?

Among the coat racks found in my stylefeed my current favorite is the Ivy modular coat rack. Besides having great lines and functionality I love the fact that its modular. This allow you to both adapt the size of the coat rack to your needs and to the space it inhabits. If you are a family of 13 you can expand the coat rack so there is room for everyone’s coat. And if your hallway is the size of Taj Mahal you can decorate an entire wall with the Ivy coat rack. No need to hold back!

I also like the curvy and girly Forget-me-not coat hooks by Charlotte Lancelot. They come in white, black, orange, and red.

I have inherited a love for trees from my dad. I do think he would approve of these Hall Tree coat hooks and the Tree coat hanger by Michael Young and Katrin Petursdottir, even though I suspect he would have preferred the prior in wood rather than stainless steel. He loves anything wooden… Maybe Aysia, the Tastemaker Diaries’ in house eco fashionista would agree with him?

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Looking to drop some dough on a designer item that you’ll wear far beyond the coming summer season? Here are my picks for pieces you’ll adore long after the temperature drops.

Everyone needs a trench, and this one is the ultimate head-turner. In fact, you may cause whiplash in this Marc Jacobs number. The shiny satin olive green looker flatters just about every skin tone, while the wrap front style compliments most body types. $1900 is no small change, but trust me, you’ll be throwing this over your yoga sweats and Chanel sheaths for years to come without a second thought.

Kick-ass tough meets Tinkerbelle sandal you will wear all summer every day and maybe to bed. These ikat gladiator open toed sandals are worth the $500ish price tag. Pair them with a diaphanous long white tank dress, high-waist metallic linen shorts or dark ink fitted jeans…these kicks are Roman classics.

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So you want to give your space a face lift and get a fresh look. Why not make your walls stand out? I already covered photo wallpaper and photo tiles in a posting on customizing your space with your photos. Let’s see what other alternatives there are beyond good old paint and common wallpaper…

Transparent Concrete Walls Anyone?

The last thing I think of when hearing the word transparent is concrete, but despite this, the Hungarian architect Áron Losonczi has invented something as incredible as light-transmitting concrete. He calls this new material LiTraCon, and I can’t wait to see what people will do with it!

Transparent concrete walls requires some planning ahead, and most of us are stuck with already existing walls. But don’t despair! There a lots of ways to make your walls stand out without rebuilding them from scratch.

Light Emitting Wallpaper

The Dutch designer Jonas Samson has designed light-emitting wallpaper. It looks pretty interesting, but his website doesn’t explain the details of the concept. In particular, it doesn’t explain how you make your walls light up. It looks to me like his wallpaper requires entire light walls, in which case, it will involve a considerable amount of work. Let’s find an easier way to decorate our walls shall we?

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I love those spreads in fashion magazines that detail, “A Month of Style!” with a photo for every day’s ideal outfit taken from a gigantic wardrobe of things to pick and choose from.

Alas, I am not wealthy enough to afford to buy their wardrobe suggestions. $300 for a dress? Not gonna happen! I’d like to have a settled career, thanks, before I start spending large chunks of rent and food money on clothing. As fun as that is, a girl’s gotta eat!

My thought was to re-create the same idea: a week of fashion, made from a few simple items, but all affordable. Mind-blowing, right?

Day One - Bohemian Chic

Pair these great (and cheap) sandals from Forever 21 with a Lux skirt by Urban Outfitters and a top from Delias.

Why should you wear this? It’s got a great, “oh-this-old-thing” casual look, but still looks like you took time in choosing your appearance.

To mix it up - Add a bright colored scarf, a couple gold bangles or hoops or a light, loose jacket.

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