All posts tagged the chic curve

• 4th, Jun, 2013

  New Blog Design and Arm Party Giveaway

  

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  I’m beaming with excitement right now because I get to share with you something I’ve been working on for the last couple months – a newly redesigned The Chic Curve blog! And in case you are already enraptured with the new design and you can’t possibly remember what the blog looked like before today, I did a side-by-side comparison of old and new (above).

  If you are interested in why I changed up the look of this Seattle fashion blog, or who helped me along the way (including the amazing new hand-drawn logo) read below; but if you are just looking for the giveaway skip on down to the entry widget!

  About the design: Focusing on Content

  First off you should know something about me – I’m not actually a graphic designer but I’m obsessed with design. My Pinterest boards are chalk-full of design inspiration, and while I haven’t taken the time to fully immerse myself in some of the tools of the trade, I have an eye and lust for good design. So I was ready to give the Chic Curve a fresh, minimal makeover. No more clunky date boxes or post frames. And I’m hoping that you can tell – the new design is clean, simple and focuses on what matters most: content. Big beautiful photos, light easy-to-read text, and a beautiful hand-drawn logo that ties everything all together is what the new blog is all about.

  And I’d like to take a (big) moment to give a (huge) shout-out to the pretty little lady who designed (by hand) the new Chic Curve logo: Andrea Hilliard. She’s an amazing designer and an even better friend – and I always joke about her being my friend who lives the “real life of Pinterest” because everything she touches and owns is adorable. Thank you Andrea! You can check out her design portfolio and follow her (perfectly curated) Pinterest boards.

  Win a Marrin Costello Arm Party!

   

  

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  Time for the pretty, free stuff: an amazing Marrin Costello jewelry giveaway! I’m lucky to call Marrin a friend, because her jewelry (which she hand-designs) is absolutely stunning. Marrin Costello bracelets are always on my arm party VIP list – and I’m excited because now you have a chance to win your very own bundle of wrist candy. I am giving away a set of 3 bracelets: the Bowzer bracelet in gunmetal, the Natasha bracelet (named after – you guessed it – me!) in gold and the Buddha bracelet in pink. Check out more of her designs by following her on Instagram.

  Entering is easy – just follow the instructions on the widget below. Good luck! The contest runs until Sunday June 9th!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

  xoxo

  Natasha

  

  7 Comments / announcements, blog giveaway / Natasha

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• 20th, May, 2013

  The Ugly Pin

  A Narrative Lesson in Pinterest Naivety

  

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  If you are like me – Pinterest has become that secret online affair that you turn to whenever work, life or blogging gets you down. You type the letters into your URL bar, and instantly you are transported to a magical online world full of beautiful photos. Nothing is too expensive or out-of-reach as you gracefully click and pin away all of your hopes, dreams and fantasies. Your boards are your own personal vacation and there are no budgets  or responsibilities to limit the possibilities of imagination and inspiration. Each board is sacred – holding a small piece of your soul – and careful time and consideration goes into the decision to pin each and every picture onto your profile.

  And then, just as you are entering a state of ecstasy, you see it; the most awful thing that can show up in a girl’s Pinterest feed: The Ugly Pin.

  You don’t know why this joy-sucking leech of a picture has invaded your otherwise harmoniously tiled screen. You try to quickly click into the (evil) user who pinned it, unfollow them, and then return to your feed; but by the time you take those steps and refresh the page your Pin-flow has been interrupted and you just can’t achieve the same state of euphoria. It’s official – you’ve left Pinterest paradise.

  And we’ve all been there – stuck wondering how and why you ever followed the person who committed this abominable act. How could you have been so naive? Perhaps they once pinned something so amazing – it didn’t occur to you to check in on the rest of their boards – you just blindly followed them after seeing that one amazing pin. Maybe you followed this user when you first signed up for Pinterest and you were thirsty for content – your standards were so much lower then – you hadn’t yet learnt proper curation and discipline in following.

  Don’t get too down on yourself – we were all once new to Pinterest. We were more forgiving of lower-quality content. Our tastes hadn’t matured to the level at which they now sit.

  And if you followed so many regrettable users that your Pinterest feed is beyond saving – go unfollow every single user. Wipe your slate completely clean. It will take time to build back up – but it will be worth it.

  Bonus! Below are 7 ladies who you should be following, but you have probably never heard of. These women so carefully curate their Pinterest content – I have never once seen even an ounce of questionability in their pins. Follow them now or forever hold your piece:

  • Audrey, Owner of Urbanic Paper Boutique (LA)
  • Andrea, Graphic Designer at Julep (Seattle)
  • Paola, Fashion Design Student
  • Catie, Blogger (Seattle)
  • Marion, Illustrator
  • Hannah, Blogger (NYC)
  • Brittni, Owner/Blogger at Paper ‘n Stitch (Seattle)

  And you can also follow me on Pinterest (and on Twitter too).

  xoxo

  Natasha

  

  1 Comment / Dear Diary, trends / Natasha

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• 24th, Apr, 2013

  San Francisco & A Blue Hat

  

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  First off, I have to say…I’m completely enamored with San Francisco. It reminds me so much of Seattle – but bigger and more compact; you’ve got more people and more square footage in a smaller area. It’s got the big-city feel paired with charasmatic-city charm, and I almost felt at home strolling down the sidewalks from the sunny Embarcadero waterfront to the shopping district at Union Square.

  Though I was just visiting SF for work, I was able to spend a few hours catching up with the lovely Amanda of Fashionablee Me - a necessity while I was in such close quarters with her! If you’ve never checked out her fashion blog – do your self a favor and head there now. Oh, and did I mention she’s responsible for much of the marketing over at Poshmark? Yea – Amanda has got it going on (with a side of sass – a favorite friend trait).

  If you’ve never had a chance to explore San Francisco – put that on your list of things to do. And bring layers, because just like Seattle and my emotions, the weather tends to be a bit unpredictable!

  My Outfit Details:

  Hat: Forever 21 | Scarf: Zara (old, similar here) | Cross-body bag: Gifted | Sheer top: H&M (old) | Skinny star print jeans: GAP | Ballerina Flats: J.Crew

  

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   xoxo

  Natasha

  

  3 Comments / Outfit Files, Outfit Post, Seattle Fashion / Natasha

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• 25th, Mar, 2013

  Inspo 1: Summer Mantras

  

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  Click the image above to play Alt-J

  

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  xoxo

  Summer Loving Natasha

  

  No Comments / Vintage / Natasha

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• 3rd, Oct, 2012

  Vogue’s Front Row Fashion Show

  

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  The Vogue Front Row Fashion Show, put on by the Bellevue Collection, was way too much. Not only was I impressed by the excellent production & organization by the Bellevue Collection, but the outfits & styling were so well done! Seattle & the Pacific Northwest often gets knocked for our fashion sense, but this show blows that stereotype out of the water!

  There aren’t too many words, just lots of pictures. I hope you enjoy! (and apparently you can shop all the looks from the show here!)

  What I Wore

  

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  After hearing that Oxblood was the trend of the season, I ran out and bought some amazing baroque lipstain from YSL and pulled back my hair, focusing on a light smokey eye, bold brows & blood red lips.

  

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  For my outfit, I went for something bold but practical – and a little sailor themed 

   

  The Show

  

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  Wonderful hosts Anne Vincent and Lawrence Zarian!

  

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  Can you spot me in the row of press?

  My Favorite Looks

  

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  xoxo

  Natasha

  

  No Comments / Outfit Files, Outfit Post, Seattle Fashion, Seattle Files / Natasha

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