because it's awesome

OOPS. for continued inspiration from the blondes,

visit tobe at her new home, because it's awesome.

aid for japan

some friends and i are raising funds for the people of japan. details here.

new things

well, ladies and gents, it's time for some changes around here. while the twotallblondes partnership will remain firmly intact, my passion for blogging seems to have outgrown the business. because the blog tends to be a reflection of my own interests versus a representation of the blondes as a whole, i have come to realize that it's time to break away and start fresh from a truly individual point of view.

past ttb posts will stay right here because we can't bear to delete all of the amazing resources collected thus far. i do hope -- if you so wish -- that each and every one of you will come with me to my *awesome* new home on the web.......

here's to new endeavors! ox

{ Holiday } :: Valentine's Day Dreamin'

i'm thinking i should be donning an outfit like this

and hubs and i should start with a little something like this

and then head to a cozy little someplace like this

and go home full for a little bit of this

sweater, clutch, jeans, studs, booties, champagne flutes, champagne, cheese board, cheese illustrations, public restaurant, 

scrabble, chocolate scrabble, hot chocolate

{ Interiors + Type Tuesday } :: What. Is. This.

i'm not sure i've ever actually divulged my profession? i spend the better part of my days as a graphic designer, emphasis in typography. which means that i play with fonts and lettering all day. which is awesome.

as is the idea of letter wallpaper. i die.

so there you have it. the type tuesdays and letter obsessions, finally explained.

wall & deco wallpaper spotted via.

{ Artist } :: Sally King Benedict

this one wants to come home with me...poor husband. i'm so into pink lately.

hot pink

more of sally's work here.

{ Paper Goods } :: Rifle Paper Co

oh, you know i'm going to need these.....due out this fall.

see what else rifle paper co. is revealing soon here.

{ Holiday } :: Be My Kate Spade Valentine

these are crazy cute.

check out some of the interactive options as well.

{ Interiors } :: Bold Bits of Blue

1 || 2 || 3

{ Quote } :: Get Motivated Monday

because sometimes you just need a reminder...

buy it here. via.

* if we have the time, the blondes will start designing these ourselves each week.

{ Fashionista } :: Snakes in a Field

via.

{ Giftables } :: For You

thanks to each and every one of you for making this a delightful place to share our inspirations. without your frequent and endearing comments, we would have felt like blogging was a lonely place and, therefore, stopped. no one likes to be lonely, right?

so this one's for you. have yourselves a very beautiful weekend. ox

image via.

{ Brand Crush } :: XO

in light of the upcoming holiday (which hallmark did not invent, but lovingly acknowledges), i give you the work of karin soukup. i am crushing hard on her branding solution for urban fox lingerie.

p.s. urban fox boasts some very cute eco-friendly numbers, and resides in the midwest. woot woot! two extra points, if you ask me.

{ Guest Post } :: A Brunette! and a SAG recap

hello world! can i just say how excited and honored i am to be a guest blogger on TTB? i am VERY new to blogging, and really appreciate the Blondes giving me a chance here. thank you, Tobe and Jess!!

i am a sucker for all things red carpet. i don’t know if it’s because i like judging others, fantasizing about being a size 2 myself, or just looking at pretty things in general, but it amuses me to no end. the 2011 awards season is actually what motivated me to sign up for cable again after a lovely six months without television (after LOST ended, i figured, “what’s the point?”). so let’s get to it. here are some of my thoughts on Sunday’s SAG Awards red carpet.

belts.

belts were everywhere last night (Claire Danes, January Jones, Mila Kunis, Diana Agron), a risky move as they have the power to make or break a dress.

making it:

via.

everyone keeps talking about what a diva Lea Michelle is, and the gossip is probably true. just look at her here; you can tell it’s true, right? she is obviously trying really hard to be sexy, but her efforts are paying off: girl is owning this dress, which is gorgeous and a wonderful variation from her poofy pink Globes number. her accessories perfectly and quietly complement it, which i appreciate.

breaking it:

via.

for me, this look is already broken. it reminds me of the scene in Cinderella when the evil stepsisters tear apart her dress before the ball. except in this case, Cinderella is a Las Vegas call girl who just finished spin class before heading over to Circus Circus. i’ve read a few reviews elsewhere that actually like this Oscar de la Renta, but i just can’t. perhaps i should blame the matted, over-sprayed hair and mismatched earrings for throwing it off? it just looks like a hot mess to me. could someone else wear it better?

earrings.

when it makes sense, i LOVE a little pop of color at the ears.

i covet Rosario Dawson’s pair here.

via.

Mariska Hargitay is gorgeous. this almost made my best-dressed list. the color is amazing on her and the earrings really keep it fresh. think of how boring this would have been with something else.

via.

bumps.

blah, blah, Natalie’s pregnant, blah blah. my award for working the bump goes to Jane Krakowski, hands down. so fun.

via.

musings.

some nice, some not so much.

via.

Angie, dear, this is not the Oscars. And if it were, Penelope Cruz already wore that. Better.

via.

i think Christina’s dress looked better on television than it does in photographs. philosophically, this is an improvement over her red Globes mess. the long sleeves and belt help add balance to her curves. even if it does look like a fancy robe, it’s SO close to working. but the shoes aren’t nearly awesome enough. finally, her makeup is a shame; the heavy eyeliner washes her out and ruins her beautiful face. time to get a new stylist, sister.

via.

has she posed in Playboy yet? it has to be in her future, right?

via.

did you see Sofia’s interview with Giuliana on E!’s red carpet coverage? this woman is hilarious and i’d love to have a cocktail with her sometime. i would have preferred to see her in something less vava-voomy, though. hello, it’s obvious to the world that she’s gorgeous. i wish she’d given it a rest on Sunday. beautiful color, though. 

via.

i feel like i might love this dress. it looks much better in photographs than it did on television.

via.

i did not see this one coming. but i have to say this is somehow working, even though my head keeps telling me that’s impossible. too bad she left her feet at home.

most improved.

the SAG awards is a great opportunity for redemption from Golden Globe missteps. i was pleased to see Jayma Mays take advantage of this. she is so adorable on Glee and i covet her every outfit and accessory on that show. so i was so disappointed when she showed up at the Golden Globes looking like an emaciated Evan Rachel Wood:

via.

but Sunday night:

via.

i love the soft color on her, the details at the shoulder, and the drape of the dress. her shoes and clutch are a bit dark, but i am letting that slide. she looks healthy and happy here, and that’s how i like my guidance counselors.

the best men.

this is always hard, because there are so many attractive men in Hollywood and HONESTLY, how easy is it for them, they just have to shower and put on a suit.

CHRIS COLFER

via.

i love chris on Glee and am thrilled that he appears to be so nice and likable in real life. i adored the modern cut of his suit and his narrow lapels. the unbuttoned collar and slightly loose tie created the perfect tone for the SAG awards without being disrespectful in the least. tre appropriate all around.

JOHN KRASINSKI

via.

Jim Halpert was dreamy in this midnight blue Prada number. the color was divine and more fun than the rest of the black-on-black attire we saw (no disrespect, LL, you were looking fine as always).

the worst men.

ugh. as aforementioned, HONESTLY, you to just have to TAKE A SHOWER and put on a suit.

ALEC BALDWIN

via.

i love you, Alec. you are wonderful on 30 Rock and the most dependable host in SNL history. i am glad you won, but seriously, didn’t you know you were going to? why, then, did you not have a properly sized dress shirt at the ready? and why was your BROWN  tie SO CROOKED all night? i wish one of your castmates or wranglers had helped you out here.

JESSE EISENBERG

via.

shampoo. smile. repeat.

the best women.

i am so excited to see what these ladies do at the Oscars and Emmys.

DIANA AGRON

via.

i hope Diana here keeps working after Glee, because i love her on the red carpet. she’s very well-spoken, and she always wears something fresh and different. i love that she said she wanted a break from worrying about people stepping on her train, because that must really be annoying. i even like the bow on this, and that’s crazy because i usually hate bows on principle. the navy and black totally work, the shoes are killer, and her hair and makeup were perfection for this dress. bravo, kid.

TINA FEY

via.

red is not black. win.

HAILEE STEINFELD

via.

this striped Prada was among the first dresses of the evening i saw and i thought about it all night. the colors were perfectly on trend, i loved the kickstand bottom, and the whole tone was perfect for the SAG awards. this is the ideal combination of glamour and fun. it’s also exactly age-appropriate, and that scores major points with me. Hailee was also one of my best-dressed picks at the Golden Globes. i REALLY hope she doesn’t blow it at the Oscars.

MILA KUNIS

via.

i was most excited to see what Mila would wear last night, as she was one of my tippy-top faves at the Globes. she didn’t disappoint. this Alexander McQueen is perfection and my favorite of the night. bring on the Oscars.

the worst women.

there is no excuse for what these ladies did last night. they are beautiful, rich, and (should) pay people to make them look good.

NATALIE PORTMAN

via.

i thought that after all the hullabaloo she got over the ridiculousness of her Globes outfit, Natalie would get back on track and knock it out of the park for the SAGs. she came close, but i consider this a PASS/FAIL situation and i am FAILING her. i like that her gown hugged her bump, and the shimmer along the top was flattering, to be sure. but, and i hate to say this, it didn’t do her backside any favors. it was pulled funny back there and was not flattering. but the real killer for me was Natalie’s hair. i found it SO distracting. the way the front was swooped straight up and shellacked into a wave over her ear was so harsh. i desperately wanted to see her with soft, flowing hair. this is too stark.

AMY ADAMS

via.

i have trouble breathing just looking at this thing. the halter looks even more uncomfortable, and the color is terrible on her beautiful fair skin. but even if it were a size bigger and in a better color, i think i’d still be bored.

WINONA RYDER

via.

too easy.

JENNA FISCHER

via.

why does Jenna Fischer always look terrible at these things? this Fendi dress might actually be fab on someone six inches taller with darker hair (Olivia Wilde, maybe?). here, it’s too matronly.

KATE MARA

via.

whose idea was this? and why is she wearing an old pair of hose as a headband?

NICOLE KIDMAN

via.

i could have posted a shot of the whole ensemble, but really, this captures the heart of what’s wrong with it. i am FIRMLY against a necklace of any kind with this high neckline. Nic should know better, even if she is up with a newborn all night. the color is great on her, and i could almost forgive the feathery lace at the neckline and the lace overall if it weren’t for the huge crosshair embellishment on her chest. there is just TOO MUCH happening on the top one-quarter of her frame. she is gorgeous and there’s no excuse for her to not look perfect.

so there you have it, the SAG Awards according to someone you do not know. i'd love to hear what you readers--and the Blondes themselves--thought about the fashion in the comments! and again, many thanks to Tobe and Jess for having me here.

cheers,

karen

...................................

i like karen's sweet assumption that she's broadcasting to the whole world here....don't disappoint her! let us know what you think. pretty please?

thanks for playing resident fashionista, karen!! you are spot on. see you again for the oscars, sista.