Make Pie Not War Giveaway

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Alana Little has picked the coolest name I've ever seen for a jewelry company - Make Pie Not War. SO AWESOME! Her creations are just as creative and memorable. Each necklace, earring and ring is handmade with love by Alana.

Formerly a corporate accountant, Alana quit her day job in 2007 to pursue her passion for jewelry and founded Make Pie Not War. Her risk has paid off, and since her debut she has been featured in Lucky Magazine and MarthaStewart.com, not to mention several other notable publications.

I hope to one day meet Alana in person because she seems so fun and light-hearted. I'm sure you'll love her creations just as much as I do. Each piece is completely unique, and her pricing is really affordable.  AND.....

You can WIN a handmade necklace courtesy of Alana this week!

Alana has selected BLACK Vintage Crystal Goodness to be given away to one lucky blog reader.

The necklace includes a delicate gold chain, with Swarovski crystal rondelles, big black faceted beads and calfskin leather bows. It's a necklace that can be worn with ANYthing (picture below with Alana as the model).

So, how do you enter? You can enter up to two times by...

1. Visit Make Pie Not War's Etsy site and leave a comment in this blog post with your name, city and which Make Pie Not War item is your favorite.

2. Become a fan of Make Pie Not War on Facebook and leave a comment on their wall with this message, "Thank you for the giveaway on AVE Styles' blog!"

The contest starts today, September 14, 2010 at 12:00pm and ends on September 21, 2010 at 12:00pm. The winner will be announced via Twitter and notified via email.

Good luck!

Spring Buns

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Well, ladies, you may not want to schedule that appointment for your annual fall chop. It looks like the the Spring 2011 runways are showcasing buns left and right. I, personally, have yet to master a good messy bun, but hopefully between now and April I can figure it out.

Let me know what you think of this elegant trend.

Images found via StyleList.com.

My Top 5 Fashion Films

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There are so many films that have spurred fashion trends such as Breakfast at Tiffany's and Clueless. Though those are definitely films I know well, there are so many others out there that evoke a desire to dress a certain way, make you want the wardrobe or just explode with so much beauty that  it makes you feel beautiful and pretty. Here are my top five without any order of importance because, well, that's just too hard. =)

1. Pride & Prejudice (2005) - This film OOOZES beauty! The art direction is INSANELY good. Sunlight plays a huge role in the film giving enhancing the antique and vintage ambiance. The actual clothing isn't something that I long to wear, but the lace, ruffles, cool earth tones, simple makeup and hair create a desire for feminine simplicity.

2. Sweet Home Alabama - This may be a cheesy chick flick, but I just think that Reese Witherspoon looks flawlessly beautiful throughout the movie. From New York elegance to southern casual, there's a part of me that just wants to be her. Maybe it's also because she plays a fashion designer. =)

3. Pretty Woman - This is no brainer. I mean, the title gives it away. From the black lace cocktail dress to the red full length gown, every woman just walks away not only wanting her body, but desiring the confidence and elegance Julia carries with each outfit.

Marie Antoinette - The talented director, Sophia Coppola, gave her costume designer a dream job with this film. The clothes are nothing short of decadence, frill, royalty and avante garde.

5. Funny Face - Audrey Hepburn is a style icon for many reasons. Most people remember Breakfast at Tiffany's when they think of her, but my all time favorite Audrey film is Funny Face. A musical with Fred Astaire as a fashion photographer and Audrey Hepburn as his muse. The black capris and black turtleneck that she wears is the simplest combination, and I adore it. There honestly are SO many gorgeous looks throughout the movie. Watch it!

So, if you need a fashion pick-me-up, rent one of these films!

Golden Nuggets - Model Makeup

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It has been awhile since I've shared what AVE Styles has been up to, and more importantly, any golden nuggets of knowledge I have gleaned. So, I've decided to start a blog category called "Golden Nuggets" where I'll tell you guys any practical tips I pick up from the biz.

So, here's my first bit of gold...Most models are trained on how to do their own makeup and hair for local fashion shows.

I was a dresser for a fashion show a couple weeks back over at Scottsdale Fashion Square with models from The Agency Arizona, and I really loved the hair and makeup they were all sporting. So, of course, I asked who the makeup artist was, and they replied that THEY were the artists.

So, how do they make sure that they are all going to look cohesive? The Agency tells them to wear natural makeup and shows them how to apply it during orientation. They also show them how to do their hair properly.

No wonder models always look awesome, right?

Well, it got me thinking that as much as we read about makeup trends in fashion magazines, learn how to execute a smokey eye or draw an awesome cat-eye...clean and natural is always the way to go because it matches everything. I follow some street style blogs such as The Sartorialist, and whenever they show models in every day life they always have simple makeup.

So, in the past week I've experimented by not wearing as much makeup, and it's weird...I'm getting MORE compliments. Maybe Coco Chanel was really on to something, less REALLY is more.