Heart of Haute Blog

Who doesn't love a gorgeous shiny metallic?  Whether your favorite is cool silver, classic gold, bohemian bronze, or shimmering pearl, metallics flatter your skin tone and provide eye-catching detail. Our new 'Odyssey' print features a lovely light-catching tableau of gold, bronze, silver and pearl bursts on a black background.  Available in the Monique Dress, Twirl Skirt, and new Marie Dress. The 'Azteca' print has been a fan favorite since it's debut a few months ago.  This fun fabric features multi colored patterns between gold strips. Available in the Gypsy Skirt and the flattering Marie Dress. We have a few new metallic fabrics also in the works - the 'Shimmer Slate' and 'Shimmer Gold' prints are lovely soft shimmering bursts in blue or gold on ivory backgrounds.  These little beauties are still being developed, swoon over them in our 'Coming Soon' section!

As you may or may not know, Heart of Haute was started by and is stilled owned and designed by a mother & daughter team.  Designing fashions for young girls is nothing new to Teresa Marie, as she owned and operated a mother/daughter boutique in Downtown Covina for 8 years.  Even before then, she had a toddler line called "Sibling Rivalry"  So here at Heart of Haute we've had the Ava Adorable line since Teresa's granddaughter, Ava, was born! It's always been possible to match up Ava Adorable dresses with mommy size dresses, but we decided just in time for our Crowned Kitties print's release to put together some matching styles!

 

Introducing our new cute crown kitties print - in a lovely matching set for mamas and their little kittens!  Shown here is the Monique Dress, and the Enchanted Child Dress. We've also brought back an old favorite for the little honeys - the Baby Beverly Dress!  Just like Momma's Beverly, the Baby Bev features a cute square knot around the collar and contrasting belt! Start your lil sailors early!  The classic Sailor Dress for mommy and the Baby Sailor dress for daughter! Another sailor style, the Chambray Anchor print - in the Irene Dress and Ava Adorable Baby Sailor Dress. Also available the Russian Dolls print - shown here in the Monique Dress, and the Ava Adorable Enchanted Child Dress.

Also, if you're into more of a Mary Blair flair pattern, try the Diamantes print! Shown here in the Aline Skirt and the Enchanted Child Dress, but you can mix and match to your favorite dresses! It's easy to mix and match, whether it be a skirt and top combo, or the matching dresses!  You can also custom order your pair of dresses in any print you like, just send a detailed email to orders@heartofhaute.com and we'll put together your perfect matching frocks! 

Follow Heart of Haute's board Ava Adorable on Pinterest.

 

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

Summer's in full swing, Heart of Haute-lovers, and we have great new styles perfect for all the fun in the sun you'll be having! To help you stay true to your style, and stay cool in the heat, take a peek at our new Sugar Stripes Collection.  

The Maybeline Dress (shown below in Purple Stripe and Blue Stripe) is the perfect dress for your next BBQ, beach party, or even a night out at the local county fair. This sleeveless dress, with adjustable straps, is perfect for those hot summer days and warm summer nights. The Maybeline Dress even has pockets (and who doesn't love a dress with pockets?!)

Model: Stephanie Weber

Summertime is known for concert season! Headed to go see your favorite artist or band? Whether you're off to see a hot act at the Hollywood Bowl, or the LA Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Hall, you'll be a show stopper wearing the Regina Dress (shown below in Purple Sugar Stripe.) It's just casual enough to be comfortable, but dressy enough for any special occasion. (If you're anything like me, fantastic live music is always a special occasion!) For a fancier venue, dress it up with your favorite pumps, or keep it simple, and more on the casual side, with a cute pair of ballet flats.

Model: Dollie Deville (www.therockabillysocialite.com)

  My favorite part about summer is that it stays light out later into the evening. Take advantage of the extra sunshine and show off the Vee Dress. Reflect the blue summer skies in the Blue Sugar Stripe fabric (shown below.) This dress has pockets, also! (Have I sold you on the pockets yet, ladies?)

Model: Dollie Deville (www.therockabillysocialite.com)

    Step into the sunshine and off to your next adventure while showing off your fabulous sense of style with our new Stripes Collection.  Don't forget the sunscreen!

Models: Stephanie Weber (left,) Dollie Deville (right, www.therockabillysocialite.com)

    With Love & No Regrets, Katrina Marie =^.^=      

Cherries have a strong identification with retro pin up style. Where did this correlation come from? With many trends, the answer is a mix of influences. As early as the 1800s, fabric manufacturers printed images like fruit, animals, city scenes, and people on fabric. These novelty, or "conversational" prints continue to be popular even today. Cherries were a particularly popular image in America in the 1930s. Cherries decorated dresses, kitchens, jewelry, and more. "Representations of this exuberant, cheerful fruit might have appealed to consumers wearied by the Depression. Within the United States, the popularity of cherries and cherry blossoms might have been linked to the April 1934 Washington D.C. cherry blossom festival." Cherries continued as a popular motif through the 1940s and 1950s, commonly appearing on everything from tablecloths to bathing suits. I am not sure if it is due to their color, shape, or taste, but cherries also have an undeniable association with sex. The combination of such a sweet vintage image with subversive feelings is probably what makes cherries a sexy subculture stable, from rockabilly and punk fashion to tattoos.  Cherry prints are a sweet retro motif with a sensual undertone - perfect for pinup style! Heart of Haute has an orchard of retro cherry print style! For an adorable retro mother and daughter photo, our Baby Beverly dress is available in Cerise - Mom can try our matching Diane wrap dress, or the Rebecca halter dress with a full swing skirt. Our popular and versatile Beverly and Sweetie dresses come in black or red cherry prints. For a smaller serving of cherries, try our A line skirts in Fresh Cherry on White or Cerise. The perfect summer sun Maybelline Dress has a full skirt, adjustable straps, and bright red contrasting trim. These prints really pop when accessorized with bright red, so break out the red lipstick and your bright shoes that don't get worn enough. 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

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  >^.^<