At the Barre

You may have already seen our love of Pilates, but we're also big fans of the ballet barre workout. Depending on where you live, you may know it by many different names, but the results are the same nationwide - thinner thighs, a lifted tush and toned arms.

Our first experience with the barre method was at Pure Barre in Saginaw, Michigan. Pure Barre is owned by fellow Michigan-native, Carrie Rezebek, and has grown by leaps and bounds in the last few years. You can find Pure Barre locations across the country and you can also buy Carrie's fantastic DVDs on the Pure Barre website.

Here in Houston, we're lucky to have Hank Richardson and Define. With two locations in town, they've mixed it up at Define by offering classes such as Define Caliente, Define Pop and Define Baby.

Check out both Define and Pure Barre on Facebook.

Blog We Love: P is for Party

http://pisforparty.blogspot.com

P is for Party is blog packed with inspiration for those of us who want to entertain! Blogger (and Houstonian) Christi Bennett writes about a range of parties from baby and bridal showers to her own birthday celebration and other grown up get-togethers. The site is packed with photos of various parties, providing loads of inspiration for any occasion. P is for Party is a must-read!

Dear Arcona, I Love You

Arcona's Bronzer/Self Tanner is amazing! If you don’t have time to layout, or are concerned with getting too much sun and want to still look sunkissed then this is a great product to try.  It gives you an instant glow when you apply and gradually gets darker. 

Decorating Inspiration

Obsessed with this living room designed by Jeff Andrews Design. Inspired for some Memorial Day weekend furniture shopping!

A Watercolor Wedding

My wedding dress - worn for a total of maybe 10 hours - is now preserved in a box which resides on the top shelf of my husband's closet. It is a little sad that a dress I spent so much time shopping for, working out to fit in and that wowed my husband as I walked down the aisle is stored away and rarely seen.

Well, that has changed now that I received a painting of my dress as an anniversary gift. My mom sent artist Kristina Bailey several photos of our wedding and she painted this lovely watercolor piece. We plan on hanging the painting in the master bedroom of our new house.

Along with the wedding dress paintings, Kristina has several other works - and she also does decorative and faux finishes for the home.

Visit Kristina's website here to learn more about her and her work.

Love the Hair You Wear

I find that when it comes to hair the grass always seems to be greener on the other side. Girls with straight hair want curly, brunettes want to be blonde, blondies want to be red…. the list goes on. There are ways to make these things happen, but at the end of the day the most important thing is to take care of the hair that you have. Here are a few ways….

1. Do a treatment on your hair. I love Aveda’s Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring Treatment.

2. Get a hair cut!! I know if you are growing your hair out this seems like torture, BUT your hair will be healthier (and grow out much nicer). Rule of thumb is about every 8-10 weeks.

3. Don’t wash your hair every day. It will make it dry and brittle. Learn to wear your hair in some other ways, like a front braid.

For The Love of Tory

I put on my first pair of heels at the age of 12 and never looked back.  I saw my sister with the cutest Tory Burch flats and I was actually tempted to get a pair.  I went to the Tory Burch store at the Santa Monica Place mall and was overly excited that I found the same style but in a wedge! These are so comfortable and I feel more dressed up wearing them instead of flip-flops with my leggings. I basically love anything Tory Burch makes!

Blog We Love: Manolos and Martinis

If you haven't already, you must check out Manolos and Martinis. For "your daily dose of fashion, food and all things fabulous," M&M is on our list of daily reads. You'll want to check back at least once a day (we recommend more!) for fashion finds, outfit ideas and fantastic personal style!

Social Style

We love our friends and new followers! We hope you've enjoyed our first month of posts on The HSS Feed. We've been having a great time and can't wait to bring you more great finds.

Keep up with the latest on The HSS Feed by:

Liking us on Facebook

Following us on BlogLovin

Following us on Twitter here and here

Jet Set Chic

Stylish travel accessories make trips so much more fun! Henri Bendel carries pieces that are classic. They are a good investment because they won’t go out of style. I get very excited to pack up my “pretty Bendel things!”

Cosmetic Bag

Go Anywhere Travel Set

Puppy Travel Set






Laptop case (I use this almost every day)

Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum

Celebrate the release of Pirates of the Caribbean 4 with a little bit of rum! When we were recently in Hawaii I had a great drink.  It was equal parts fresh orange juice, pineapple juice, and lime juice with dark rum floating on top.  Start the weekend right with some rum and some Johnny Depp!

Why is the rum gone?

Wine to Try

I found a perfect white wine that will be my new drink of choice for Spring/Summer. I love cold white wine with warm weather and I am so excited that I found the 2009 Curran Grenache Blanc from Santa Ynez Valley. It is a very balanced wine….. not too sweet and not too tart. If you can’t find it in stores you can order it on www.brix26.com. It is a MUST try!

Poilâne s'il vous plaît

Being a self-proclaimed "foodie" I'm a firm believer that the highest quality ingredients produce the best outcome in cooking and baking. Giada De Laurentiis is a go-to person for us when it comes to recipes. On a recent show of hers she said that great bread comes from Poilâne Bakery in France AND the best part about it….. they ship the bread right to your door! Fresh French bread without making the trip to France. Try Giada’s recipe for Pain Perdu.

Give Your Hair Ibiza

We have fallen in love with the Ibiza Boar Bristle Brushes! They give your hair shine and volume to get that bouncy blowout that everyone is wanting. With these brushes you can get the tension that you need to make the hair smooth and it dries so much faster than other round brushes. They are also much more gentle on your hair than round brushes with metal. We swear by them!

Not only are the brushes amazing, but the company has a heart. Read up on them at ibizahair.com

A Welcome Addition

We have a lot of friends having babies lately and one of our favorite gifts are these New Addition Notes by Spice Paper Designs in Houston, TX.

You pick flat or folded, the ink colors and envelope colors. Spice Paper Designs will send you a proof within 24 hours and you can place your order. 

Pucker Up!

I discovered Laura Mercier’s lip glacé while playing at the Sephora store on 3rd street in Santa Monica. It gives you a lot of gloss with a touch of color.  It is a thicker texture (but isn’t sticky) and it smells really good. I LOVE the “Meringue” color! 

Bold Beauties

On our trip to Hawaii, we received these pretty beach bags as a gift from our parents to kick off the vacation. The bags are designed by Annapolis-based designer, Ellen Allen. The Eastport bag (which we both got in steel navy, and mom got in calvert green) is a perfect tote for a day at the pool.

Ellen Allen also makes smaller accessories and handbags, as well as scarves and ties in bright, modern prints and bold colors. Check out her site here!

Out of Office: Research and Relaxation

It is going to be a little quiet around The HSS Feed this week. We're taking a family vacation to celebrate our parents' 30th wedding anniversary. During our week of rest, relaxation and celebration, we'll be sure to get out and discover some great finds to share with you when we get back.


We'll miss you all this week!

TGICF - Thank Goodness its Casual Friday!

I'm fortunate that, at my day job, practically every day is casual Friday. We dress up for client meetings, but on office days, we're lucky enough to be able to wear jeans. With summer coming, I've been looking for some options to wear with my white jeans. This is one I love that is perfectly, casual Friday appropriate!

All items from Cusp.com - 1. 7 for All Mankind, Clean Skinny Jeans...$149 2. Ali Ro, Printed Flutter Top...$195 3. Belle by Sigerson, Zuma Cutout Flats...$250

4. Erika Annenberg, Pebble Across-Hand Ring...$134

Boho Chic

The boho chic trend encompasses a hint of hippie with modern glamour. Stars like Nicole Richie and Sienna Miller are icons for this look. The effortless beauty of messy curls and braids mixed with flowing dresses is a perfect style for spring.

Save Up to Splurge: Boxer I by Reed Krakoff

I simply cannot deny my obsession with the lineup of Boxer bags by Reed Krakoff. My absolute favorite is the Boxer I, which has just the right amount of room for my purse necessities (and then some!) in a clean, classic design. There are 12 fabric/color combinations, starting at $990. The Boxer I clearly isn't an every day purchase but I know what I'm saving up for now!

Chanel: Summer 2011

I've added to my always growing makeup collection with the entire look from Chanel's summer collection.

Moisturizing Bronzing Powder in Bronze Corail...Quadra Eye Shadow in Lillium...

Long-lasting Eyeliner in Rose Platine

All of which I'll be pairing with my Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara in Excessive Black, Chanel Nail Polish in Orange Fizz and Chanel Glossimer in Wild Rose

Buy the entire look at Neiman Marcus, Saks or Nordstrom.

Mother's Day Gifts: Beauty and Comfort

1. Kai Lotion ($37) and Body Wash ($37)... 2. Bliss Glamour Gloves and Hand Cream ($58)... 3. Tea Forte Rejunvenation Gift Set ($42)... 4. Pashmina Wrap ($69.99)... 5. Chanel No. 5 Iconic Luxuries Gift Set ($100)... 6. Claridge & King "The Tunic" ($125)

Tip Toppers

I was one of those who said they didn't care about the royal wedding, then on the day of, I got a bit carried away and couldn't get enough. Now that the event has passed, one thing I took away was a definite need to start a collection of hats! I've been researching and here are a few that are on my "to purchase" list:

Preston and Olivia Covered Pillbox Hat
$215

Teardrop Cap with Birdcage Veil
$175

If hats aren't really your thing, I also found some great headbands that might do the trick!

Jennifer Behr Dusted Gold Feather
Headband - $225

Adia Kibur Pearl Lace Headband
$33

Straight to the Core

Pilates isn’t just a workout, it’s a way of life. The thing that I love most about Pilates is that it not only tones you, but it balances your entire body and mind. It is said that after 10 sessions you will feel better, 20 you will look better, and 30 you will have a completely different body. You can always use a DVD (I like Ana Caban's DVD's), but I recommend finding a studio near you to be sure you are doing everything correctly. If you are in the Santa Monica, CA area I LOVE Pilates Place on Montana Ave.

Erin Ferro Jewelry

Erin Ferro Jewelry, an LA based designer,makes my new favorite earrings. I love how they hang

in the front and the back….

They are simple, but fun….AND you can dress them up and down. You can get them in stars, hearts, leaves, and lightening blots. Plus she makes all kinds of fun jewelry that isn’t something you can find everywhere.

Check out Erin Ferro online at mamacita jewelry and Etsy.com

Photos courtesy of Erin Ferro Jewelry

Classic Custom

We were so excited to recently discover Chloe & Reese and their custom online shop. There are currently 36 styles of skirts, dresses, tops and jackets available, and you can choose the color and fabric for the pieces you want. From black tie dresses to flirty party skirts, Chloe & Reese has the classy, custom pieces that would make a beautiful addition to any wardrobe.

Our favorites include:

Silk Faille Black Tie Dress - Deep V - $660.00

Silk Faille Party Skirt - $320

Gathers Galore Dress - $370

Photos: ChloeandReese.com