I’ve been looking for a spring jacket with a little extra oomph, so it’s easy to see why I instantly fell in love with this adorable offering! The cute cropped length and fabulously feminine ruffles are a stylish added touch that truly sets this jacket apart.

It’s a stark contrast to most of the long trench inspired spring jackets I gravitate toward, but variety is the spice of life, no?

Cropped Trench with Ruffle Collar is available from Ann Taylor Loft for $89.99.

I’ve been doing a lot of painting, staining, cleaning and other nonsense here in Kauai that’s been detrimental to my manicure. This means my nails have been naked, jaggedy, and basically a hot mess for the last several weeks.

The good news is that 1) our new restaurant is slated to open in less than a month (THANK THE HEAVENS ABOVE!) and 2) my sister and daughters have continued to happily paint their nails in my absence.

This week, Bree and my sister Monica dug into the new Zoya Sparkle Collection and came out like champs with Monica wearing Zoya Charla (tropical blue sparkling metallic) and Bree wearing Zoya Ivanka (mermaid green sparkling metallic):

Zoya Charla (worn by Monica)

Zoya Ivanka (worn by Bree)

Sadly these pictures are super blurry, but hopefully you get the idea. My Nikon camera is here in Hawaii with me so they’re trying to make it work with a point and shoot.

The other colors in this collection are:

• Mimi (Royal purple sparkling metallic)
• Alegra (Fuchsia pink sparkling metallic)
• Nidhi (Rich red sparkling metallic)
• Gilda (Fashion pink sparkling metallic)

Zoya Summer 2010 Sparkle Collection is available online at zoya.com for $7 each.

Nothing gives your lips that “just-bitten” look like lip stains, so I’m dying to see how this new MAC Pro Longwear Lip Stain Marker performs!

It promises sheer coverage and long wear, so it’s the perfect choice for a beautiful summer stain.

MAC Pro Longwear Lip Stain Marker is available from Nordstrom in nine sheer shades for $16 each.

I love how these sandals are city chic and still totally functional.

I am totally digging the bronze metallic, even though I’m usually a black sandal kinda gal. Somehow these exude a little earthiness without losing sight of their sense of glamour.

Kate Spade Illumina Sandals are available from Nordstrom for $198.