Dive Into Memorial Day

Memorial Day weekend has always been one of my favorite long weekends of the year. Going to the beach, having ice cream, sand in my shoes - it's like a little taste of summer before it really begins. I'm really looking forward to this weekend, and I've already started to plan my outfits. Here's a taste of what I have in mind to make this weekend into a chic-end. Cheers!

Fabulous K

SHOP: Anthropologie Santee Maxi Dress / Anthropologie Arvette Maillot Swimsuit / Tory Burch Printed Thora Sandal / Stella & Dot On The Mark Necklace / Elizabeth & James Thorn Hoop Earrings / Sublime Sun Sunscreen / Lavanila Lip Screen / DVF Sunglasses / Kate Spade Beach Towel / Poolmaster Beach Ball

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So, what are everyone else's plans for this weekend? Whatever you do, do it stylishly and plan your style from now!

Have fun, fashionistas.

xx, ZM

White Jean Wednesday | Paradis Blanc

There's a certain aura about white that's so special. It's clean, pure and perfect on a hot day when the sun is shining down. After all, it is white jean Wednesday. But summertime white, now that's classic. It dates back to the Great Gatsby and probably even before. It's still big today. White is posh, pretty and perfect for the summer. Bright white can make a bold statement.

J Crew shell shirt, $35
Mango boucle jacket, £80
Jimmy Choo patent leather high heels, $695
Dune silver clutch, £65
Jolita Jewellery chain necklace, $251
H M sparkle jewelry, £3.99
1928 stretch jewelry, $12

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Isn't this white divine? With nude heels and jean bottoms, the white top sticks out even more. Also, white apparently keep you cool in the hot sun. But we're not worried about the climate here, we're more concerned with the chic-factor. And white has a chic-factor off the scale! Make a style conscious decision and be white hot.

-Stylishly yours-

xx, ZM

GUEST POST: Emily [of So Anthro] on Alex & Ani

So, the Boston fashion community is a funny thing. Two months ago, Emily Geaman of So Anthro and I stood in a warehouse studio in South Boston posing for the Boston Globe as two of the city's top bloggers. And just last week, we ended up in press seats next to one another at Mass Art's "Reveal" fashion show. It was so great to catch up on the latest trends and what the both of us have been up to. In the midst of our chatter, Alex and Ani bangles [my favorites] were brought up. Emily attended an event at the Newbury Street store last Tuesday, yes I'm jealous, and she has provided us with a lovely guest post. She knows just how much I love my A&A bangles, and did a wonderful job covering the event. Take it away, EG.

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Last week I had the pleasure of attending a Smiling Stiletto Girls Night Out shopping party at Alex and Ani on Newbury Street. Your lovely Fashion is Freedom host Zoe is actually the one who introduced me to this adorable positive energy jewelry brand, so I immediately thought of her upon receiving my invitation! Eco-friendly, this line of jewelry is manufactured in the United States with recycled materials, so I was especially excited to visit their Boston store and get my hands on a few of their darling charm bracelets!

I was so impressed with the number of charms available, each designed to "uplift and inspire all who wear them." Their mission is to "design products that adorn the body, enlighten the mind, and empower the spirit." You feel that walking into the store-- despite the overwhelming number of attendees at last Tuesday's event, every employee was so kind and at ease, each eager to help me find just what charms would fit for me + my interests. I can only imagine that sales associates at the brand's other locations would act such the same.

As far as jewelry to choose from goes, the possibilities seem endless... charm bangles, embellished bangles, expandable necklaces and rings, even earrings. They also offer a number of special collections, including Charity by Design, Team USA for the Summer 2012 Olympics, The Kentucky Derby, and Major League Baseball (go Sox!).

Huge thanks to darling Zoe for hosting me today and letting me gush about our shared love for this brand! I'd love to hear what you favorite Alex and Ani charms and pieces are-- find me always at So Anthro! 

-Stylishly yours-

xx, Emily

Play it Safe, Blazer Safe

Rainy days, lazy days, wake-up-late kind of days - these days all call for simple, go-to fashion and a blazer should land at the top of your list for that. I mean, it's a jacket. Put it on, cuff up the sleeves, wear a decent top underneath and you're good to go. Talk about easy. But easy sometimes translates to boring, and that's where the color comes in. Colored blazers. It's an essential to keep one [or two...] around this time of year. You never know what kind of fashion situation you might run into when you need a go-to piece. Wear it with shorts, cropped trousers, jeans, anything. Like I said before, it's easy yet chic.

mimi + meg

Elie Tahari Wendy Jacket / Rebecca Minkoff Becky Jacket / Rag & Bone Tuxedo Jacket / Rag & Bone Bailey Tweed Jacket

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See what I'm saying? Blazers are really easy to work into a look. They're fun to color block, they work for monochromatic looks, you can pair them with your favorite jean shorts and you can never go wrong with a colored blazer and patterned shorts. These jackets fit into just about everything trend that's popular right now. And the best part, anyone can wear them - older women, younger women, someone who's a size 12, someone who's a size 2. With so many ways to be worn, it's no wonder blazers are all the rage. They're easy to find in stores, easy to wear and they look fabulous on every kind of body.

Play it safe and look great.

xx, ZM

Did Somebody Say Dark?

I’ve seemed to have always preferred lighter, brighter rooms, but with these rainy days and the inspiration of different homes in magazines, I’m leaning towards darker toned decor. Dark colors add a certain depth that makes a room sophisticated.

Dark is dramatic and I love a home that can give off a sophisticated feeling, you know? I’m certainly no expert, as a seventeen year old with a pastel pink and green room, but it never hurts to have some comments. I’ll have a home someday! Another reason I’m digging the dark tones is that they seem to give off a certain kind of warmth, and that’s always a great feel when you’re at home. My living room is a dark green and it’s a comfortable, inviting room to be in. I love a dark study with the only color coming from the sides of books and the covers. That’s such a classic decor style I’ll never get sick of. Deep, dark color accents are very glamourous. It’s a chic experiment to try out with the change of seasons. What do you think? After all, that’s most important. 

 Decorate deliciously.

xx, ZM

GUEST POST: theTrendyDwarf on Menswear

Menswear has never been recognized as a big industry or even seen as popular. There haven't been too many advances in the menswear industry until recently when designers such as Simon Spurr, Michael Bastian, and Alexander Wang have revolutionized menswear as we know it. These designers along with several others have made mens clothing exciting all over again by punching up classic American apparel. 

Menswear is about sticking out from the crowd subtly without too much effort. For example, rather than by carrying a standard backpack try carrying a tote bag or simple black leather backpack. Try purchasing a club collar shirt rather than the standard collar shirt or if you are into ties try purchasing a collegiate patterned tie rather a plain colored tie. It's simple differences like these that make menswear exciting and will make you stick out. 

Current trends for menswear are: 1) Patterns such as camouflage, floral, vertical stripes, polka dots, cheetah, and basically anything with a repetitive pattern 2) Pastel colored items 3) Neon colors or bright colors. Remember that an essential thing in menswear is the fit! Fit is everything. Make sure that clothing fits you correctly. No, you don't have to be model-like material to look good, you just have to spend some extra time to figure out what clothing item looks good on your figure and what doesn't. The fit can do a lot for a man. 

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A big "thank you" to Michael Tornato of theTrendyDwarf for this guest post.

[all street style images were also provided by him]

Head to his blog for the latest street style looks and emerging trends.

xx, ZM

GlossyBox Makes a U.S. Debut

This month, I've been introduced to a wonderful cosmetics sampling service called GlossyBox. Similar to Birchbox and MyGlam, GlossyBox is a beauty sampling box that comes once a month with five products from high end brands. The best part - it's $21. For this price, you're getting five totally different products from well-respected companies. I've been wondering for a while when it was going to come to the United States because so many beauty bloggers in the UK and France have been raving for so long. I was lucky enough to try this month's box and now I'm hooked. It's put together so nicely and luxuriously!

Everyday Makeup Blog 

I couldn't have been more excited to open it. This month's GlossyBox had Basq cucumber tea eye gel, OPI "Kiss Me on My Tulips" nail lacquer, C.O. Bigelow lavender and peppermint body lotion, Cargo eye bronzer [love it], Kryolan high gloss brilliant lip shine and Erno Laszlo Hollywood Collection creams. My mom and I sat in our kitchen and were amazed that these five luxury products all came in the same box! Also, the packaging was so pretty and it was special to open up. The box is reusable and a great place to keep your makeup without having to worry about dirtying it up. I can't thank GlossyBox enough for sending a preview box my way and I look forward to subscribing and receiving more in the future. If you're interested in buying this fabulous beauty box, click here to purchase a box for yourself and indulge in deluxe beauty items. Have fun!

Stay pretty.

xx, ZM

Monday | Setting The Mood

Looking at the calendar for this week, I almost want to take a step back. But with business comes a lot of opportunities, so I'm going to embrace my hard work. With the help of Fabulous K and this fabulous visual, I'm setting the mood for the week. To keep cheery during the rainy days this week, I'll dress in brights. And even when it isn't rainy, I'll still dress in brights. Statement jewelry, colored skinnies and other springtime chic accessories are in the fashion forecast, too. I have some weekly tasks for all of you readers, too! See below.

• If not already, check out www.huffingtonpost.com/zoe-malliaros to see my blog on The Huffington Post. It mainly focuses on fashion news, with posts on health in fashion and the importance of preserving ideas.
• Follow @fash_is_freedom on Twitter for constant blog updates.
• "Like" Fashion is Freedom on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fash.is.freedom

That's all I ask of you this week, and of course don't forget to keep returning and reading the blog. New posts will be up throughout the week and new ideas will blossom. Good luck to everyone facing a busy schedule and don't forget to smile.

I'm as busy as a bee and loving it.

xx, ZM

It's All in The Details.

 Last week’s Met Gala still has me in lala land, but what dug me even deeper into it was these very photos on From Me to You photo blog. The other articles and posts I read [and written] have been all about best dressed, but nothing has explored the details of the couture on that night one week ago. These photos show the smallest, yet brightest, accents of the night and highlight the little things that go unnoticed but shouldn’t. Admire the underlying beauty that creates a look and peer into the photos from behind the lens of this sneaky, quirky fashion photographer.

 Beauty lies within the details.

xx, ZM

"Impossible Conversations" // Met Gala 2012

   Occurring annually in the first week of May, the Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art celebrates the addition of a new fashion exhibition. This year, the new exhibit is “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations” honoring designers Miuccia Prada and Elsa Schiaparelli who have and continue to make and impression on the world of fashion. The event, May 7, was hosted by Carey Mulligan, Anna Wintour, and Miuccia Prada herself, along with honorary cochair of the Met, Jeff Bezos. 
   The newly added exhibition is titled "Impossible Conversations" because a conversation between Prada and Schiaparelli is, well, in fact impossible. With Prada still alive and Schiaparelli deceased, a conversation between the two never did, and can no longer take place. But through their designs and creations, much can be said about their similar and legendary impacts on the history - and future - of fashion.
   In addition to Prada and Schiaparelli's impact on history, this year's Met Gala will be going down in history, too. Vogue, Amazon and the Met Museum made it possible for anyone to watch the red carpet of the gala on a live stream that ran on all three sites. Viewers were able to watch the guests arriving and being interviewed by Vogue's William Norwich and model Elettra Wiedemann, the two hosts of the live stream. As a viewer myself, this was a very exciting and engaging way to experience the gala while sitting at a desk at home, three hours away from the party itself.  It was very interesting to see the way a red carpet unfolds and the chaos that surrounds it. [Anyone who heard the photographers yelling knows what I'm referring to.] Vogue, the Met and Amazon made this coverage possible, and now it will be a large part of the event for years to come.
   But along with the historic relevance of the event, it's fashion's biggest and boldest night out of the year. A guest list of nearly eight-hundred attendees was compiled and the red carpet was full of interesting outfit choices. Although each guest was dressed for the occasion, only certain individuals separated themselves from the bunch and truly showed their unique sense of style. Below are photos (courtesy of Getty Images from The Huffington Post) of Fashion is Freedom's best dressed guest from the 2012 Met Gala.

Anna Wintour in Prada

Camilla Belle in Ralph Lauren

Tim Tebow in Ralph Lauren

Ivanka Trump in Peter Pilotto

January Jones in Versace

Claire Danes in J. Mendel and Van Cleef & Arpels and Hugh Dancy in Prada

Sofia Vergara and Leighton Meester in Marchesa

Leslie Mann in Fred Leighton Jewels

Beyonce in Givenchy - Perfect example of, "if you've got it, flaunt it."

Ashley Greene in Donna Karan

Emma Stone in Lanvin

Roland Mouret and Doutzen Kroes in Roland Mouret and Robert Clergerie Querry

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Okay, so it's time for the number one best dressed gown of the night. It's not just me voting this, I've seen countless blog posts and tweets about this dress all day. Drum roll, please... The winner is Ms. Solange Knowles. Not only does the yellow in her Rachel Roy dress bring out her flawless skin tone, but the peplum waist is the icing on the cake. Peplum is so trendy this spring I can't even begin to explain it. It's the perfect pop to a plain dress, and it's the right amount of detail. With her natural hair, minimal jewels and a simple clutch, all the attention was on the color and peplum, and boy, did she look stunning. I can't get enough. The simplistic beauty of peplum is so sophisticated and the tailoring of this gown is perfect.

Such a perfect look, I can't get over it. My jaw dropped when she arrived on the red carpet and I just knew there wouldn't be a look the rest of the night that topped it. But in a close second place, is Jessica Paré in a gold L'Wren Scott number. Similar to Solange, Jessica's makeup, hair and jewelry was minimal, because it was all eyes on the gown. And a stunning gown nonetheless! The gold was a perfect match for her coloring. It brought out her warm brunette look nicely and it was just a perfect shine for the evening. I'm a big believer in gold, so that made me love it even more. The tailoring of it was magnificent and the neckline really complimented her body. Despite hating her character, Megan Draper, on Mad Men, I fell in love with her Met Gala gown. I've said it before, "shimmer, shine and strive for style."

I already can't wait for next year's Met Gala. With the live stream and the history behind Prada and Schiaparelli, it was such an enjoyable experience [the live stream]. I can't wait to venture to the Met to see the exhibit for myself! I still glance back at my McQueen book from last year's exhibit and I'm amazed at the creations a single person is able to produce. It's so special for these talented designers to be celebrated and showcased, and it's extremely inspiring for young bloggers who are yearning for their big break. That's a wrap.

I hope you all agree with the best dressed pick!

xx, ZM