i have been having a love affair with neon this summer.  whether my bold neon yellow necklace, a neon tank top peeking out from under a grey t-shirt, or just a tiny stitch of neon thread…it’s making me smile.  plus i experienced the joy of neon paint pens at Summer School PDX (i took the Packaging 101 class with the lovely and talented Sally and Joke).

but i only like it in small doses – and preferably an accent to a simple gray or navy.  with my Summer Color Story – i decided to pair neon yellow and neon pink with a simple heather gray and a dreamy pastel-y aqua for balance.  i LOVE it.   hope you do to!

here’s the 411 – in case you want to know more/buy:

Dress: $52 bobi at Revolve ( i could wear this everyday)
Shoes: $62.50 Shelly’s at Imeldas & Louies (on sale!)
Earrings: $340 Tom Binns at Net-a-Porter (a splurge – but oh my!)
Ring: $129 Janish Jewels on Etsy (love the aqua chalcedony)
iphone cover: $39.99 Pencil Shavings on Etsy (lots of cute designs)
Baby dress: $64 Splendid Littles at Amazon (so adorable! – maybe it will go on sale soon)
Tote: $23.92 at Everyday Life Store

i just have to comment on one of my all time favorite designers (since it’s my birthday!).  the spring 2010 collection is why i fell in love with Trina Turk over 10 years ago (and was spending more than i could afford on a pair of crazy pants!).  the colors are vibrant, bold, sublime.  the prints are crazy, colorful, retro.  the styles are sexy, original, timeless.  but mostly, the clothes make me smile and dream about living a lifestyle that involves cabana boys, large sunhats, incognito sunglasses and cocktails.

this Wildflower dress is so bold and delicious.  perfect for beachy cocktails and a pair of flippity flops.  some crazy large hoops would complete the look.

then there’s the preppy girl on the boat.  you’d be the skipper for part of the day – and the rest would be spent giggling with the captain and sipping wine as the wind whipped through your hair.

this look reminds me of something you could throw on after a long day of work (or shopping).  a couple friends are coming over to enjoy beers on the patio and you’d be the perfect backdrop for the garden in these whimsical stripes.

peruse all the lookbooks for a variety of fantasies come to life.  and pray that a store near you buys your favorites!!

buyers:  if you don’t carry this line and it’s available – i strongly recommend it.  even though the prices are a little higher – it always sold quite easily.

shoppers:  these looks won’t be available until after March (sigh) – but there are plenty of yummies to shop for right now!

during my first year of ownership at ooma – i was contacted by a professor at the Academy of Art.  She wanted her class to use my store for a project involving the planning & management of a fashion show.  i love community involvement – so we got started right away.

the class was amazing – they did everything from the invitations, PR, model casting, styling, decor, window design, marketing, catering and running the show day -of (and clean up!  yay!).  it was so fun to watch the students work their magic.

there are many ways an independent boutique can assist an art/fashion class and vice versa.  contact your local school and talk to a professor in retail management, fashion design, merchandising,  or event planning and see how you can work together to create both a learning and marketing opportunity.

who knows?  you may find yourself with a new designer, sales person or other super star (not to mention clients).  the most rewarding part of my own experience was connecting with the window display designer – Carlo Casareo.  He created several more window displays while in school to build his portfolio - and upon graduation, he became my Chief Window Designer.  my windows always received rave reviews and “wows!’ from passer-bys.  i truly miss working with him – but am pleased to announce he will be a regular guest blogger on the Proprietress – so keep a look out for his first post in the next few days…

in the meantime – check out some of these schools to get inspired: FIDM, Art Institutes,  Parsons

did anyone say “cocktails?”  when i see Trina’s collection – it makes me want to have the glamorous life i used to have pre-baby.  the dresses are such a scrumptious mix of modern + vintage + sexy + classic.  it’s pretty close to perfect, in my opinion.  her new collection (9/30x) dubbed Cocktails Remixed is not as holiday-ish as previous years.  naturally, there are some smashing dresses – but the collection is geared to last beyond the party scene.  which is smart given what i call the “economic situation.”

i just can’t get over how cool this dress is.  i crave it.  it’s the perfect retro – not too sexy – but ooh!  a little shoulder surprise!  reminds me of the hijinx dress = which was a great seller the last few years.

by the way – the photo shoot for this collection was at Trina’s personal residence.  tres chic, naturally.

contact Nicole (or your local rep) at Trina Turk for orders and inquiries.