Heart of Haute Blog

With September not too far off, we'll soon be saying “So long!” to Sweet Summer.  Warm nights will turn into crisp evenings as Autumn makes its way in.  To ease the transition into the next season, add a bit of fashion heaven to your wardrobe with our Angelica Collection.   Summer doesn't officially end until the Autumnal Equinox on September 22^nd, so there's still plenty of time to take advantage of “bare shoulder weather.”  The Sweetie Dress, in Angelica Purple (top) and Angelica Pink (bottom) is perfect for enjoying the still warm evenings at the end of summer.  Show of your tanned shoulders with this halter dress which has princess seams and ties in the back for a great fit.     Though our Sweetie Dress is one of our best-selling styles.  Don't worry, we have other styles to choose from!  The Hillary Dress in Angelica Pink also has princess seams and ties in the back.  This dress also has an empire waist (for an even better fit) and a bow tie at the collar for a finishing touch (I don't know about you, but I LOVE bows!)   Not a fan of an empire waist?  Or maybe you're looking for a more simple silhouette?  The Monique Dress in Angelica Turquoise might be more to your liking.  This dress has a bateau neckline with an A-line skirt – simple, but equally as flattering.  It even comes with a matching belt!     Once the summer heat starts to fade, the cooler air might have you wanting a bit more coverage.  Pairing these dresses with a cute cardigan usually does the trick, or you might opt for a style that will cover your shoulders.  The Beverly Dress in Angelica Purple has those same features for a great fit – princess seams, ties in the back, and an empire waist – all in one fantastic dress (with sleeves!)  Another one of our best-sellers, this dress also has a rounded collar with a cute self tie.     Want even more coverage? Then the Mallory Dress in Angelica Turquoise is the dress for you. This dress has a full skirt, empire waist, and ties to cinch in the middle. Its overlapping V-neckline is also great for Haute Honeys with a more voluptuous figure. It even has cute little bows at the sleeves for an added detail (more bows!)   My favorite part about this line, is that the fabric itself has a subtle metallic detail that shimmers in the light.  Whether it reflects the sunlight during summer when the days are longer, or glows under the moonlight in the crisp fall air, the Angelica Collection will have you looking heavenly.     With Love & No Regrets, Katrina Marie

It is complete. The thing I work the hardest and longest hours on. One of the most important pieces of media we create over here at Heart of Haute. It's like "The Book" in the movie, The Devil Wears Prada

Luckily I'm much happier than Merril Streep's character and I don't really drink coffee a certain way and I am very kind to my assistants. In fact, I find myself assisting them more often....What? You haven't seen that movie? I swear it's not a chick flick. It's really good.

Anyway- what am I talking about? OH YES!  It's our Bi-Annual catalog. Yes, I make this catalog for our wholesale customers (those are customers who purchase our garments in bulk to resell in their shops), but I also make it available for everyone to view. Why? Well, honestly after all that hard work I put into it- and this time I shot and edited about 40% of the images myself- I want to TELL EVERYONE ABOUT IT!!! Yes, I am proud and usually exhausted when this project is complete.  The great thing about working on this catalog is that each one gets better and evolves from the one before it.  I am always learning new things about editing and photography when I make this thing.  I dread the 3-4 weeks I spend working on this book, but I also look forward to the challenges it brings. The headaches and heartaches, but in the end, the finished product is well worth it.

I share it with everyone because we group our products in fabric families so you can see the line as a whole rather than figuring out what prints the Beverly does or doesn't come in. You also get a sneak peak at what will be available in the coming months....so you know how to plan out your wardrobe for next Spring of course!!!

With Love & No Regrets!

Mandie Bee

Heya Heart of Haute Fans! It's Mandie Bee here. I wanted to share with you a little somethin' new I've been promoting recently.  The "Like" it and Win it contest!  1-2 times a month, I will post a specific item that will be up for grabs! 1 lucky random winner will be chosen within days of the contest start and win the featured dress!

This Week's Like it and Win it dress is the Sweetie Dress in Black Cerise!

Be sure you join us on Facebook to get in on the fun!

http://facebook.com/heartbreakerfashions

With Love & No Regrets,

Mandie Bee

Prom as we know it today has is origins in formal banquets that universities held in spring for their graduating classes. The popularity of Prom increased with American prosperity and the cult of the teenager in the  mid-twentieth century. Prom fashion has thankfully become more personal and flexible in recent years - no longer is it required to have your satin shoes dyed exactly to match. If you are looking for a unique (and handmade) look for prom, Heart of Haute has the options you have been searching for. The layered satin Juliet dress is romantic and elegant, with floral scalloped lace and a bare back.  The Antoinette Dress covers your shoulders while having a see-through lace back, in burgundy or black. Looking for a classic 1950s style? The Marseilles dress can be worn over the shoulder or as a halter.  The Milan dress has a vintage shape in a trendy shade of pale green sateen, or classic black. A vintage prom look requires more than just a dress : hair, make-up and the perfect accessories are needed to complete the image.  Retro hair styles are perfect for prom, and you don't have to have long hair. Check out the ultra-popular Vintage Hairstyling Book, or any of pin-up model Cherry Dollface's hair and make-up tutorials. If you have naturally curly hair like me, check out Angelique Noire's  vintage hairstyle tutorials. Don't forget a hair flower or two to add to your updo! The Glamour Girl Shrug can add a bit of rockabilly or even punk style to your prom dress. For the perfect retro cat eye, I use gel eyeliner. Give yourself time for a test - it takes a bit of practice.  I find that it is easier than liquid, but gives you a sharper, darker line than a pencil. Keep the brush really clean for the best result. A retro or vintage inspired prom dress is just one of many styles that can help you look (and feel) great on the big night, even if you are old enough to chaperone your friend's kids, like me! Mrs. V

The Sweetie Dress has been with Heart of Haute since day 1.  It fits well, it's classic, and ladies just love it how it flatters their figure. We love it, too! This halter dress features the oh-so classic sweetheart neckline, full swingin' skirt, and princess seems through the body for a versatile fit. This dress really does looks wonderful on every kind of figure! It's no wonder we offer it in 21 different ways! I say it's the ultimate sundress. Why? First of all, the majority of the materials we choose are 100% cotton and machine washable! That's right. No trip to the dry cleaners for these sweet things.  The Sweetie Dress is also a simple piece, making it open to many interpretations to accessorize. Add a belt. A petticoat, perhaps. A cute lace slip to pop out above the neckline. It's also rather cute to pair with on of our Betty Boleros. Most importantly, The Sweetie dress FITS. I can't tell you how many of these dresses I've had in my closet over the years. It's a good standby for those summertime parties, weddings, and outings.  We continue to offer this style in new fashion prints each season as it has proven to be a staple in many ladies' fashion diets.  If you were on the fence about this style, maybe now is the time to take the plunge and find yourself lookin' sweet in one of our Sweeties.   I recently received this e-mail from a happy customer named, CarlyAnn, about our ever-popular, Sweetie Dress.

My name is CarlyAnn, and I just have to say I love your Sweetie Dress. I have never, NEVER been able to find a dress that fits my body off the rack without a single alteration- and certainly not online! I took a chance and purchased my second Sweetie thinking that maybe I just got lucky with the fit of the first one. But low and behold, it's two for two! I simply need to thank you for your amazing product! Please don't ever retire this cut!

Thank you, CarlyAnn for your testimonial!!!

With Love & No Regrets,

Mandie Bee

I can't wait until tomorrow night - Mad Men is finally back! My Sunday nights will again be filled with style, scandal and scotch on the rocks. One of the things that I truly love about Mad Men is the diversity of the characters, and the women in particular. Not all women want the same thing, or go about finding it in the same way. Many shows have explored this territory - 10 years ago, the question was; are you a Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha, or Miranda? Now, the choices are Betty, Joan, Peggy, or Megan. Heart of Haute can help you express your inner Man Woman! For the polished, traditional Betty, try the Ella Top by Mandie Bee - crisp cotton, sweet prints, and a prim bow. The structured Milan dress from HoH in the Katherine floral print is a retro style dress right out of Betty's closet. Joan's looks is sexy, but not overly revealing. She wears a lot of rich colors. The Vanessa Dress in a new green stretch sateen is a perfect choice, and of course every Joanie needs a great sexy high waist pencil skirt in a bright red. Peggy's style is a little more subtle, a professional mix of her youth and conservative past. The Beverly Dress is new Mint Lynette is soft without being too sweet. The Moxie Skirt in Black Plaid can go from the office to happy hour. Hip, well-traveled Megan Draper would love the striking mod style Doreen Dress in Black Plaid - great for a night out seeing your friend's band, or maybe an audition. The Tara Top in bold stripes is a comfortable 100% cotton knit, great for your long days of rehearsal and modern dance classes. I know that the new season of Mad Men will bring us excitement, intrigue, and loads of fashion inspiration. If you want to dig deeper, my favorite recaps that focus on the incredible visual style of Mad Man is the Mad Style series on Tom and Lorenzo. Happy watching - join me with a whiskey on the rocks tomorrow night! Mrs. V      

About a month ago, we made the epic 3-hour journey to Las Vegas, Nevada to show at the semi-annual MAGIC trade show.  Heart of Haute has been going twice a year for over 4 years. This particular trade show is one of the best known in the fashion world. Apparel companies of all styles and business size attend and show their collections. Out of a 10x10 space, Katrina and I sell to retail shops so they can make Heart of Haute dresses available to you in your local town!   We always-always-always encourage our customers to shop with our retailers. If you step into any department store, you'll see a lot of well known brand names like: Levi Strauss, BCBG, and Betsey Johnson , even our beloved Hello Kitty.  Any retail store that carries multiple brands has a buyer to plan and stock the shop. All of these companies show at the MAGIC tradeshow.  Also in attendance?  Our friends at Fables, Queen of Heartz, Lux DeVille and Unique Vintage! In this Photo:  Lauren Shade, Barrie Kaufman, and Stephanie Castro Here I am with pieces from my Spring collection for Mandie Bee.  I'm wearing the Ruby dress in the Blue Anchor print. My dress form has on the newly-popular Etta Dress in Yellow bees. On another day, I wore the Marleen dress from Heart of Haute. Seriously- this dress is one of my favorite wiggle dresses. On our last night, we had to make a stop at Frankie's Tiki room.  I know this is a regular stop for many Vegas visitors. If you haven't been there yet, you just gotta check it out!   With Love & No Regrets, Mandie Bee!      

Dapper (adj.): neat and trim in appearance; very spruce and stylish There are two things that this particular Heart of Haute fan always has, and probably always will, love with every girly fiber of her being: Disneyland and getting dressed up (or as I like to say, “getting fancy!”) Thanks to the brilliance of a fellow named Justin, an event that combines these two loves of mine was created: Dapper Day.   [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Morganeli for Welton Becket and Associates, 1965 Tomorrowland[/caption] Inspired by the original concept artwork of Disneyland's designers, who portrayed park guests enjoying Disneyland's attractions dressed in their finest threads, Dapper Day is held twice a year (an all day event in Spring, and an evening affair in Autumn.)  It is also celebrated at Walt Disneyworld in Florida, and EuroDisney in Paris. A schedule of meet-up times is available, giving event goers a chance to meet like-minded stylish people, and make new fancy friends, (this year, they even had a singles mixer!) However, participants are encouraged to enjoy the Disney Parks at their own leisure. The Dapper Day events have also expanded to include a cocktail party called Folly, which is held in Los Angeles at different venues throughout the year.   While the Dapper Day website encourages participants to dress to the nines, they like to remind guests that this can mean anything from vintage to contemporary chic, and even dress uniform for those in active military duty, or retired military. I, of course, love to take the opportunity to choose from the Heart of Haute dresses I happen to own myself. Dapper Day has become an event that I keep in my calendar, and look forward to. I attended the most recent one last month, which marks my third Dapper Day Event. This time, I decided to rock the Beverly Dress in Peacock Dimensions (this dress never fails me!) as well as my favorite sunglasses of all time, the Ultra Lux cat eye sunglasses by Tres Noir in Pearl Horn.   Take a peek at some of the photos from that fancy, fun-filled day. (There were even a few Heart of Haute fans, showing off their Heart of Haute dresses!)   This lovely lady was spotted in our Monte Carlo dress!!!   And check out this Heart of Haute in our Beverly Dress in Cerise.   The Beverly really is popular. Here it is in the new Peacock Lynette!   I could go on and on about why Dapper Day has become so special to me, but I don't think anything I could say would really do it justice. There's something about being at Disneyland, surrounded by fellow fancy Disney-goers that's wonderfully magical. Whether it's the nostalgia for a time when dressing your best meant more than buying a skin-tight mini-dress at the mall, or the twinkling lights on King Arthur's Carousel at night as the backdrop for a picture perfect evening, Dapper Day has a way of enchantment that doesn't even need pixie dust (sorry Tinkerbell!)   With Love & No Regrets, Katrina Marie  >^.^<

        Everyone has an inspiration; it may come from lyrics to a song, or even the beautiful pastels of springtime.  Heart of Haute Fashion is inspired by 1950’s and 1960’s fashion.  Honoring our logo “Made with Love and No Regrets”, we create timeless designs that inspire women to feel as if they are part of the 50’s and 60’s era.     The eternal fashions of the 50’s and 60’s are classic, and some of the most iconic styles and silhouettes have become staples in fashion design.  Times have definitely changed since the “Good Old Days”, and it is becoming more difficult to find original vintage fashion.  As a vintage follower, I am able to find these rare pieces, but sadly one of the main problems with vintage apparel is size.  It is very difficult to find a particular size in, what is now, a one-of-a-kind garment.  This can be heartbreaking, but at Heart of Haute we can make your 50’s and 60’s fashion dreams come true.  Our styles and silhouettes can fit almost any body type, from the Pretty Petites (X-Small) to the Voluptuous Females (2X).     The sweetheart neckline was a classic shape in the 1950’s and in the early 1960’s.  From cocktail gowns to day dresses, this neckline was a very popular style.  If you are looking for a sweetheart neckline dress to add to your collection, look no further; our Sweetie Dress will certainly make your heart sing sweet songs.  Our Sweetie Dress in Fresh Cherry Blue is a perfect day look for the Spring and even for the Summer.      So we have the daywear covered, “What about evening wear?”, you ask.  We have that covered as well, from the Heart of Haute collection the Marseilles Dress in black.  We also offer the dress in red.  This ideal cocktail dress can be converted into a halter dress, or into razor back straps!

   

    Another ageless style is the Shirt Dress.  This dress speaks to the gal that wants to look classy for work and tasteful for lunch with the friends.  If your heart is going “pitter- patter” for this dress, then we have what your heart desires.  The Monte Carlo Dress from our Heart of Haute Line.  We offer it in a variety of colors, and can guarantee a comfortable fit!  We even offer it sleeveless, in our Milan Dress.

    And to our groovy mod gals, I didn’t forget about you!  To all the mod gals digging the mid 1960’s fashion, we too can contribute to your fabulous wardrobe! Let’s take a look at this little hot sleeveless number!

        Perfect for some fun in the sun, or for riding your scooter!  We now carry our own little mod version as well.  From our Mandie Bee Line, the Doreen Dress in Houndstooth is a great addition to your 60’s collection. We also offer this dress in a variety of prints.

    Here at Heart of Haute, we are always getting inspired from the timeless vintage and retro looks. With our guarantee of great quality, as well as a comfortable fit, you can’t go wrong.    Signing out Miss. A Heart of Haute Contributer   

 

Happy New Year Heart of Haute Fans!

What better way to start off the New Year, than by getting a sneak peek into what Heart of Haute is planning for 2013.  We are known for our choice of prints and silhouettes, and we have some great prints for you this coming year.

Our latest version of the Peggy Sue Dress is showcasing the On The Dot Print. The print has a black background that is filled with different shades of gray dots.  The Peggy Sue has a full swing skirt, with princess seams to fit through the body.  It buttons up the front and is made with 100% quality cotton.The ever popular Sweetie Dress demonstrates here how fun our new Funshine print really is.  The Funshine print has a white background with sprinkles in light blue, yellow, orange, and brown dots.  Our Sweetie Dress is also a full swing skirt with halter ties around the neck.  The princess seams make this dress a comfortable fit, and is crafted in 100% quality cotton.

A new look for our Milan Dress is featuring the Carmen print.  This fabulous floral print has a white background with beautiful white roses outlined in black.  The Milan Dress is part of our Heart of Haute Collection, and has a full  skirt with a knife pleat in the center back.  The fabric is a 100% cotton batiste print.

This classic cut Monique Dress is shown here in the new Lacey print.  The print is a great way to wear a faux lace look.  This gorgeous black brocade print is perfect for any occasion, and is paired with a contrasting black sash.  Our Monique has a bateau neckline and a full A Line Skirt, made with 100% cotton.

Our Gypsy  Skirt looks cute as ever in the Lacey print, with contrasting black sash.  The skirt is paired with a Gigi Top.   This daring off the shoulder top is a knitted fabric, and fits comfortably.  Both items are made with 100% quality cotton.

 Ladies, a round of applause please for our newest dress, the Elsie.  This form fitting dress has an empire waist bodice, darted fitted skirt, and an ideal little black bow in center front to tie the dress together.  Part of our Heart of Haute Collection, the Elsie is made of 100% cotton pique and the bodice is cotton lined.  Perfect for warm days, and dressy enough for nights.

 Well Ladies and Gentlemen, this is but a taste of what Heart of Haute is planning for 2013.  I would like to thank Mitzi, from Mitzi and Co., for allowing me the opportunity to snap some photos from our up and coming catalog.  Stay tuned to see when these items are up for purchase through our site, and we will definitely have more new and exciting things in store for you. Signing Off, Alexis  Heart of Haute Contributor