In the fast-paced society of today, it is easy to miss out on the simple pleasures of life and overlook the organic beauty that is derived from our very own cosmos, such as light. So often are external facades of an object critiqued, but so rarely are its core elements acknowledged with similar interest. We devote a lot of attention to 'color,' yet pay little recognition to it's source of being: light; a form of energy present in our everyday lives, granting us the ability to perceive the extraordinary world we live in. The purity of cosmic light energy can be very healing and vitalizing to our stressful lives. If we'd only all just take a moment to recognize its powers...

Well, there is at least one woman who has taken the time and devoted her heart to sharing with others the beauty she's discovered. Her name is Lee Rhodes, founder of glassybaby, a line of exquisitely colored, hand crafted glassware. Glassybaby's are small, precious pieces made through a multi-layered glassblowing process, that may be used as cups, candle holders, vases, or really anything the heart desires. Glassybaby began in 2001, during a grueling seven years of lung cancer Rhodes was struggling with, while also occupied with raising three young children. In search of a cure to the chaos bestowed upon her, she eventually discovered a tranquility and calmness in glassblowing and further rendered it into the products she'd carry home with her each day. Thus, glassybaby was born.
Glassybaby's come in a wide variety of colors; some rich and bold such as the red Happiness, some soft and quiet such as the sheer peach Thistledown, some subdued and sophisticated such as the Whiskey, some transparent and others opaque. Due to the multi-layered hand-blown process, every glassybaby is distinctive in color and shape. Glassybaby represents more than just pretty objects, it is a living breathing story, every last product of glassybaby is an individual fraction of evidence of Rhodes' fight for life and her desire to share hope, energy and peace with others. Each piece speaks for itself, playing with light in its own manner, and when illuminated from the inside with a candle, emitting its own unique wavelengths of energy.

Additionally, it should be noted that each year a certain group of colors is chosen under glassybaby goodwill and 10% of sales made towards a glassybaby in that group of colors will be donated to various organizations and research towards cancer care. To learn more about glassybaby goodwill, Lee Rhodes' story, and how to purchase your own glassybaby, please visit the website and make sure to check out their blog too!

Street artist East Eric uses color to abstract the ordinary. In his monochromatic series he spray paints everyday objects, such as a street bench, into a monochrome, obscuring their shape and function. The monochromatic color, disguises the object's depth and form within it's environment and gives it an entirely new character.
Other work Eric has done with color, involves brightly spray painting objects of nature, such as a tree stump, provoking conversations between that which is organic and that which is artificial. The paint's vibrant color, such as a hot pink, draws a sense of vitality and playfulness into the dry background of natural greens, grays, and browns upon which it lays. Eric's provocative use of color amongst natural environments commands attention and will undoubtedly seize the glance of a passerby in a flash of a second.

[images pulled from East Eric's website]

 Nail polish is no recent addition to the world of style, but in today's fashion it seems to play as significant a role as any accessory. One's nail color may act as the final touch to an outfit or even as the beginning inspiration for the entire look. We no longer live in the simple days of nails--when the color red polished the elegant long slender nails of older women; or when a pearly pink polish was used during the playful dress-up of younger girls; even when wearing black polish meant you were a hard core goth. Today, nail lacquers are in abundance. Women (and men at times) change their nail colors regularly and with careful attention to integrating the color in a fashionable manner. With so many stylish colors to choose from, the decision can be quite difficult, but nail polish companies such as Essie and O.P.I., make it much easier for us with their constantly evolving collections.

Essie's seasonal collections are comprised of hues that resemble colors found in nature and treats particular to the season, like a refreshing glass of iced tea or fresh vegetables at the farmer's market (click here to read Essie's blog). To coat one's nails with such colors leaves a subtle and warm reminder of the little things in life that can be appreciated. Essie's Fall 2010 collection, which comes out September 1, features a number of neutral Autumn colors which resemble hues that the Color Association forecasted for Fall/Winter 2010. For example, In Stitches by Essie resembles the dusty pink CAUS color "Cosmos" while the deep red Limited Addiction is very similar to our "Red Red".

Along with its seasonal lines, O.P.I. has collections inspired by various places around the world, families of color, fabrics (such as their suede collection), and finally a 'designer series.'  O.P.I. nail lacquers go beyond the typical nail polish; their colors carry impressive associations (such as that of an entire country) and thus when applied to the nails, transcends the image of the individual's personality and can be associated with a greater entity. Their Swiss Fall/Winter 2010 collection features a number of icy cool colors, such as Cukoo for this Color and I'm Suzie & I'm a Chocoholic, which are similar to our Forecast's "Blue Green" and "Flambé".

Today, nail polish is branded as another accessory even amongst fashion labels that don't have beauty lines, such as American Apparel. American Apparel's selection of nail polish is quite large, with colors that can be paired specifically with their clothing items; all matte coatings with some hues muted and some bright, but all are quite simple and chic. Various colors in their line are similar to our Fall/Winter 2010 forecast, such as Pinto--comparable to our muted red "Rose", Malibu Green--bearing likeness to our aquatic "Blue Green", and Hunter-- reminiscent of our dark green Spruce.

So, with the glorified assortment of nail colors in the fashion/ beauty market today, which will you choose this season?

Japanese designer Tsumori Chisato never fails to produce a product of majestic brilliance. Her Autumn/Winter 2010 RTW line beckons history to the stage, calling to mind gypsies of nineteenth century orientalist art and delicate Japanese kimono prints. Her spirited use of rich hues conjures up both a sense of royalty and whimsy. Tsumori's line exhibits no fear of color; an elegant combination of deep shades of plum, cobalt, and burgundy mixed with brighter accents of fuchsia and turquoise, and subtler accents of rose, peach, and cream. The line is a creative explosion of exaggerated styles from different pasts, vibrant textile patterns, and extreme variations of color and fabric. Tsumori's talent lies not only in the beauty of her work, but also within her ability to fuse together this eclectic mix of elements using a few simple features: bold stripes, a camel hue, a coral hue, and a luxurious gold.

Twenty-six weeks, zero days, fifteen hours, forty-nine minutes and nine seconds from now you could be awarded a one of a kind designer garment for the selfless act of giving blood. Each day, every two seconds, someone needs blood to survive. The Red Rail label was established to create awareness among the younger generation, about the importance of donating. The line debuted at Amsterdam International Fashion Week on July 16th. After the show, the garments were displayed on the website to persuade people to give blood--and life--to those in need. The runway show was a powerful visual as the models walked down the dimly lit catwalk with a red laser beaming through their heart to remind the audience of the significance of donating. Foundation Nobel, the organization that created the Red Rail label, is a group of 12 business professionals who develop projects to tackle social issues and not only create social awareness, but also provide solutions. The pieces included in the line are one-of-a-kind, from eighteen carefully selected designers. Each designer created a piece for menswear, womenswear and an accessory under the mentoring eye of Claes Iversen (the Danish-born designer with a well established name in the Dutch fashion industry). To register to win one of the beautiful designs, first donate your blood, then go to the Red Rail website, enter your given donator ID number, and select the garment that you’d like to win.