Spring Fashions are HERE!

hey ladies!
spring is ALMOST here!! Every month I get Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP email newsletter...and I love all of the dresses and jackets she has in here...i live in babydoll dresses, as you know! she shows how great it is mixing florals with stripes and military jackets...tres chic! (although she is bone-thin and i hate her. Eat something, girl!) lol

To accessorize these Hot, Spring Looks... Remember to get visit my online Stella & Dot store! Let me know if you are ready to book a Spring Trunk Show for you and all your gal pals! I have dates in March & April open!! I can do Wine & Cheese any night of the week... Mimosas & muffins any weekend! Big Sale going on right now too! Woot! And FREE jewelry for the hostess :) www.stelladot.com/melissarush

ciao bella!
mel

PS: H&M has a lot of these looks right now for cheap! www.hm.com And I love the new stuff at Banana Republic www.bananarepublic.com and Ann Taylor too www.anntaylor.com !

HERE is the text from GOOP!

Spring Fashion:
I just indulged in a teeny bit of spring shopping (ah, the joy that spring could be around the corner!) and I think I may have found the best store EVER...It’s called Hirshleifer’s and it’s in Manhasset, Long Island of all places, and it’s been a Long Island girls’ secret for far too long. The girls at this family owned shop are incredible buyers and stylists — everything from Chanel to Boy, Brunello Cucinelli to Acne. It is so worth a trip out there, I can’t even tell you. If not, you can visit their online shop from wherever you may be. They have an exceptionally good menswear selection too. I thought I would get our girl Annie, a stylist at Elle Magazine, to come help us put together a few ideas for spring outfits. As ever, we goop girls need things that are comfortable, chic and versatile that will go from a meeting to a school run/ballet practice to dinner with ease. See below.
Love,
Gwyneth

Military:
“Classic military shapes and colors were made totally wearable this season, and the key is all in the details. Balmain showed us how to make blazers sexy with slick, skinny leather pants and shredded T’s. If you’re not bold enough to make this statement, soften this look with flirty chiffon tops and tailored blazers, epaulets and other military-inspired details.”



Graphic Prints:
“Forget what everyone told you about mixing prints – more is more this spring! And we don’t mean just plain black and white. All-over prints, stripes, textured zig-zags, tie-dye and embellished fabrics were remixed and refined by designers showing the playful side of fashion.”


Solid:
“Hands down, our most coveted, most transitional must-have for spring is the dress. Put it in a rich royal sapphire color with classic details that DVF does so well – a fitted waist, tiered bottom and flirty cut - and you have a piece that will take you effortlessly from day to night. Gwyneth shows us how to wear it 3 different ways. With a nude heel, throw on a cardigan or make it wintery with opaque tights and a bootie.”

Florals:
“Colorful, romantic florals are blooming everywhere for spring. Stella McCartney made them modern and effortless with mini-knife pleats to create a textural, voluminous silhouette. Mix delicate, micro-flowers with leather to give the sweetness some edge.”

The LWD:
“The little white dress, in all its incarnations, is the perfect piece to pack for all your summer getaways. It showed up in many different forms across the runways, from lacy and vintage-inspired, to crisp cotton frocks that look like they just walked off the tennis court. Balance the innocence of a simple dress with a chic, oversized cape or anorak in tan and camel.”

Annie Ladino is a New York-based stylist, fashion editor, and current contributor to Elle Magazine, where she is working on a book about fashion icons and their personal style. She got her start as a stylist's assistant at just 19 years old, when she moved to New York City to attend F.I.T. She went on to work hand in hand with Joe Zee, the Creative Director of Elle, on dressing celebrities on more than 30 cover shoots. Her work has also appeared in Teen Vogue, Vanity Fair, Vogue China, Purple Magazine, and men.style.com. Annie lives in the East Village, downtown Manhattan where she spends her time watching old French films, practicing yoga and reading astrology charts for her friends.

Boston's South End - Hot Dining Spots!

Boston's South End is the hipster, foodie part of town, a high-end residential area where the city’s architects, lawyers, artists, bankers, and designers mingle to eat, drink and be merry. It is the epicenter of Boston's thriving gay community and more recently, home to urban young professionals and married couples pushing baby buggies. The South End is filled with trendy shops, bars and galleries. Parking is almost non-existent, but many places offer valet parking. Better to take a cab or walk from the Back Bay train station. The South End is Boston’s answer to SoHo or The Village. It’s cool, hip and somewhat exclusive. Prices are on the higher side, and reservations are most definitely required. Be sure to check out The Beehive, Gaslight, Union, Stella and many more, including my personal favorites, reviewed here.


B&G Oyster – South End, Boston. If you are an oyster freak, like I am, then B&G is the place for you. My boyfriend Andrew and I always sit at the bar, which resembles a Scandinavian sauna with wooden floor and tiled walls, and watch the chefs in action. More of a date place due to it’s small size, B&G is our favorite spot to sit down and devour a gigantic tray of oysters from around the US and Canada, and sip a few glasses of Prosecco. I love the sweet and plump East Coast Wellfleet’s and Duxbury’s while my boyfriend prefers the slim and briny Pacific Coast bivalves. The zesty vinaigrette is a great alternative to the ubiquitous cocktail sauce. (I always hope to find a pearl, but no such luck.) You have to try the house favorite Maine lobster roll and for dessert, yes, fried oysters on a bed of sea salt…I just can’t get enough, they melt in your mouth.


Masa – South End, Boston. Beautiful, rustic d?cor in this Latin bar and eatery. The “especiale de la casa” is the Banderita, a trio of shots which involves taking fresh lemon juice in your mouth first, then adding the tequila, swallowing, then doing a sangrita chaser (tomato juice). Down the hatch - uno, dos, tres! Any of the house margaritas are great, including the Masarita (with apple), Mangorita and Watermelon Margarita and can be made for the table. My girlfriends and I popped into Masa for drinks on a Saturday night to toast my friend’s birthday, and it was jam packed in the small but cozy bar area. As we were waiting for a table in the bar area, we didn’t realize we were inadvertently crowding the owner and his guests. We were really friendly with them, and as he left he said, next time he saw us he owed us drinks for being so patient, yet persistent. (Let’s hope he comes through on the promise!) They have a huge tapas menu…so sky’s the limit. Taquitos, calamari, chorizo, plantains…and for dinner are upscale Mexican entrees of lamb, steak, fish, chicken and more. Thursday nights are Salsa Night from 9pm – 1am, with lessons, drinks and dancing all night. Cha Cha Cha!


Rocca – South End, Boston. A nouveau Italian hot spot - divine in design, drinks and food. Described as a “kitchen & bar,” Rocca is much, much more. A hipster restaurant with multiple floors, outside seating and a popular lounge. Stop first in the bar for one of Rocca’s signature drinks with authentic Italian flair. I recommend the Ligurian Lemonade (lemon vodka, Campari, home made Limoncello, honey & fresh lemon juice) or the White and Stormy (white rum, Cointreau, lime & ginger beer). The menu is set up so that you can get a lot of little plates to share. We enjoyed the Meatball Slider, Rigatoni Baked in a Pot (with veal, tomatoes and Parmigiano), Hand-rolled Trofie (pasta) with pesto, the Braised Lamb Shank, and Roasted Whole Fish. They are on-trend with the “late night menu” until 1am consisting of many of their most popular items. There are monthly house music dance parties which bring out all the Euro boys & girls to sashay their night away. Rocca is a happening spot…get it while it’s hot.