Catch 'em in kika! ... Jodie and Nancy

I love seeing my clients wearing their kikaPaprika items when I am out and about. I am going to try to remember to take photos of them when I see them. I will do something special for them like if they have their own business, I can promote it in my blog and Facebook too. If they don't then maybe I can do something else. Let me know what your ideas are!

This week, I went to a networking meeting and was surprised that two of the ladies were wearing kika! I had asked Jodie to wear her item since I haven't seen it in that color before but Nancy surprised me by wearing her item in the same color! Sorry for the cell phone photos as the quality isn't the same as my regular camera. I think they both look fab. What do you think? 

Stella in Iris (custom color) ~ $84
Jodie Solberg with Mary Kay
www.marykay.com/jsolberg

Gwyneth in Iris (signaturecolor) ~ $62
Nancy Burritt with SkyMania Trampolines
http://www.skymaniatrampolines.com/

Capri or Regular Length?

I wore the same outfit a few days apart and decided to see which look I like better. Wearing the capri leggings or the regular length ones. Which do you think look better? 

Capri on the left ... Regular on the right

Kendall in Peony (custom color) ~ $88
Capri Leggings in Black (signature color) ~ $56
Drew in Black (custom color) ~ $40

Back view

Kendall in Peony (custom color) ~ $88
Leggings in Black (signature color) ~ $58
Drew in Black (custom color) ~ $40

Scotty Dog

I went out for Karaoke as a last minute decision and just got the Camille in the Scotty Dog print and HAD to figure out an outfit to wear it. I knew it was going to be warm so my options were a bit limited. The skirt is a bit short and the material is lightweight so I put on some leggings under it so I didn't have to worry about people looking up my skirt on stage. I also wasn't sure how much it would cool off in the evening so I figured I better be safe than sorry. Turns out I didn't need to worry about the chill or the stage. Oh well! 

Daphne in Black (custom color) ~ $85
My own tank top
Camille in Scotty Dog print (signature color, very limited) ~ $58
Capri Leggings in Black (signature color) ~ $56

Back view

Easy Breezy

Again, last week was unseasonably warm and I was trying to think of a new outfit with some capris but still keeping it business looking for my networking meeting. I had also gotten a new pair of shoes that I was anxious to wear and the White and Ocean combo just seemed to be very easy to pull together. I get comments every time I wear Leslie too. It is so easy to wear and looks different than a lot of other cardigans/jackets out there. I wore my own capris because the kika ones are not my size. What do you think? 

Leslie in White (custom color) ~ $68
Lisa in Ocean (custom color) ~ $58
Capris in White (my own)

Back view

Lisa in Ocean (custom color) ~ $58
Capris in White (my own)

Back view

Here they are! My new shoes! I think I might be addicted to ballet flats now. I own a few pairs now and this is the 2nd from this company. I was looking at other stripe sandals but didn't find anything I liked or was comfortable enough. These have been on my wishlist for awhile and I just went for it. I decided it was my Mother's Day present to myself! 

The great thing about these shoes (ok there are a few) is that they fold in half so they are great for packing when you travel or just tucking into your purse. They come with their own carrying bag so if you wanted to wear heels to an event but then want to change into more comfortable flats, then you can. However, what I really liked (besides the stripe pattern) was the fact that for every pair sold in their Vegan line, they plant a tree through the The Nature Conservancy. How cool right? 

Tieks by Gavrielli in Sunset Stripe (vegan) ~ $165

Tieks by Gavrielli in Sunset Stripe (vegan) ~ $165

Vera in Marble

It took me a long time to get the Vera in the Marble print. I am not sure why though.... I wasn't super crazy about it at Runway in January when we see the whole collection and the default print I got in my sample pack was Valencia which I also wasn't crazy about. I never wore it because that print had a lot of Tangerine and that isn't a color I like. So, finally I tried on the Marble print and was surprised how much I liked it! I think it looks great layered under something else and I actually got a lot of comments when I did wear it. What do you think? 

Vera also comes in 12 solid colors too and the fabric is a really neat woven Tencel. I invite you to come check it out in person as the solid color I have is not my size. Unless I can get a model to volunteer and who wears kika size 4 or 5 (women's size 10-16) .... you won't see it in my blog. 

Here is my fellow kika consultant Daphne wearing Vera in Valencia print and it looks pretty awesome on her. Check out her blog for more photos and style tips!  

Vera in Valencia Print (sold out)
Carly in Peony Tweed (signature color) ~ $135

You may recognize the jacket I am wearing? It is a piece from last season that has been dyed into a current season color. I only have a few sizes in this color available but I also have it in Peony too. If you like it, let me know ASAP. I only have my kika trunk (items from past seasons sent to me from the kika warehouse) for another week. These items are sold at 25% off retail prices. My price below includes tax. I am not selling the piece I am wearing however because I love it! ;) 

Gracie in Imperial (trunk item) ~ $77
Vera in Marble print (signature item, limited) ~ $66
Capri Jeans ~ mine

Back view

Vera in Marble print (signature item, limited) ~ $66
Capri Jeans ~ mine

Back view

I had a hard time with deciding what necklace to wear with this outfit. I wasn't sure a long necklace over a pattern would work but I think it was okay? I was going for something with gold and I don't have many pieces to choose from. 

Vera in Marble print (signature item, limited) ~ $66
36" Gold Plated Circle Necklace ~ $36

Summer Lovin

Last week we had some incredibly warm weather that we don't normally see until August! So unseasonal but it was such a nice change. I was very happy to finally break out some of my summer pieces and flip flops! People just really loved this skirt. I love the elastic around the back of the waist so it fits very nicely. From the front, it looks like a tailored waistband. What do you think of this look? 

Loren in Peony (signature color) ~ $65
Camille in Feather Print (signature color, limited) ~ $58

Back view

I finally have an outfit where I can wear this necklace with it! I thought this color of blue would go with our Ocean color this season but it isn't the right shade. I found that it worked really well with the blue in the skirt though! I forgot to take a detailed photo of the necklace with this outfit so here is a close up on my mannequin form.

16" Copper Necklace with Agate and Cultured Freshwater Pearls ~ $47.20

Dressed to Inspire

I had a big presentation in one of my networking groups where I had to inspire and motivate the group. It wasn't supposed to be about my business but since we just had Earth Day the week before, my head was filled with all sorts of information about being green and eco-friendly with clothing. So, I took those facts and tried to see if I could inspire everyone that they can make a difference with clothing. I got them thinking differently about where and how their clothes are made. Even simple things like shopping local and made in the USA does huge things to help the economy and the environment. Of course, I also shared how horrible the cotton industry is for our environment, other textile alternatives and how you can be chemical free by buying clothing made in the USA. I think it went over pretty well! 

I wanted a really great outfit for this presentation and tried something different which I really liked. I wore a belt! I had bought this belt when I first started with kikaPaprika because someone suggested having different belts might be handy for my customers when they try on clothes. After 9 months, I finally wore it and really liked it! It was also a bit chilly that day so I threw on some leggings. What do you think of it? 

Daphne in Black (custom color) ~ $85
Alice in Cocoa (custom color) ~ $99
Capri Leggings in Black (signature color) ~ $56

Yes, it has pockets!

Daphne in Black (custom color) ~ $85
Alice in Cocoa (custom color) ~ $99
Capri Leggings in Black (signature color) ~ $56

Back view

Blake goes to a book signing!

A good friend of mine and fellow kika lover had a book launch party last week and it was so much fun to see how far she has come. She is my social media guru and for many others too. Pick up her book on Amazon which is called "Six Word Lessons for Successful Social Media". I highly recommend it!

Anyway, I thought I would try something new this night which was wearing Blake in Imperial. It is a unique piece that you can wear forwards or backwards. I never took off my coat that evening so no one got to see the cool back on the piece. However, I got lots of compliments on the necklace, color of Blake and my jacket too. I guess the outfit was a hit! What do you think? 

Penny in Mineral (signature color) ~ $152
Blake in Imperial (signature color) ~ $72
Skinny Pants in Black (signature color) ~ $88

Blake in Imperial (signature color) ~ $72
Skinny Pants in Black (signature color) ~ $88

 I wore a camisole shaper under Blake but I was still a little body conscious wearing this outfit without a coat to cover my butt and tummy. I am sure I looked fine but it is a little tighter than I am using to wearing. I think I would go up a size in Blake just so I can have a bit more coverage for my comfort level. I just kept tugging at the elastic at the bottom of this piece. Maybe I just need more practice wearing it!

Back view

Trying a new pose so you can see the pants better!

Blake in Imperial (signature color) ~ $72
Skinny Pants in Black (signature color) ~ $88

Pippa, Twill Capris and Daphne

I took the Twill Capris that I wore a few days ago and paired it with one of my favorite tops ... Pippa in Stripe! I have a duplicate that I can keep in my closet so I don't have to worry about keeping it clean for my shows on the weekend. I put it with the Daphne in Ocean which is my new favorite jacket. How many favorites do I have this season? Too many. What is your favorite? 

Daphne in Ocean (custom color) ~ $85
Pippa in Stripe (signature color) ~ $50
Twill Capris in Khaki (custom color) ~ $88

Back view

Pippa in Stripe (signature color) ~ $50
Twill Capris in Khaki (custom color) ~ $88

Back view

I didn't have a chance to photograph a detailed image of the necklace I wore but here is the stock photo from the manufacturer. I really love this necklace and it goes with so many things! 

18" Jasper & Agate 14K Gold Plated Necklace ~ $78.50

A day in white

I decided to change up my Portia look by taking Charlotte and putting it with white! So refreshing and I am so glad the weather is nice enough to allow skirts. I finally got to pull out a skirt that I ordered last season (Simone) and while it is no longer available to order, you could easily get the same look with Elle or Jenna depending on how tall you are. I am short so Elle would be a good replacement for me. If you are taller then pick Jenna. What do you think of this look? 

Leslie in White (custom color) ~ $68
Charlotte in Meadow (signature color) ~ $64
Simone in White (previous season item)

Back view

Charlotte in Meadow (signature color) ~ $64
Simone in White (previous season item)

Back view

Others in kika ... Elle!

I just realized that we don't have photos on our website with Jenna or Elle! We have had Jenna from last season and you can search for photos on my blog for that piece. It is a longer pencil skirt and Elle is the new "Simone" if you remember it from last season. Elle is a short pencil skirt or for some people it is a mini skirt. Just depends on how tall you are or how long your legs are. 

I only recently got Elle in a size that I could wear so soon I will have my own photos but in the meantime, I want to share some photos of Elle from fellow kika consultant Daphne who has a great blog. I encourage you to visit her blog for style tips and ideas too! 

First up is her client Veda who tried on lots of different outfits. This was my favorite look with Elle but check out her blog and see what look you like best! 

Daphne in Khaki (custom color) ~ $85
Drew in Black (custom color) ~ $40
Elle in Khaki (signature color) ~ $60

Here is another one of Daphne's clients ... Samantha! Again, she models many different looks on Daphne's blog but this one is my favorite! So classy! It inspired me to wear black and white one day and you can see that look on my blog. 

Leslie in White (custom color) ~ $68
Drew in Black (custom color) ~ $40
Elle in Black (custom color) ~ $60

A shorter version of Portia

This next round of photos shows Portia in the shorter skirt version which I kind of love. I have it pulled all the way up and then the top folded down all the way to my waist. I think if I am going to keep Portia, I might have it hemmed because it is so long. What do you think?

Daphne in Black (custom color) ~ $85
Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95

Back view
Daphne in Black (custom color) ~ $85
Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95

Here is Portia without the jacket. I don't think I would ever wear it without a jacket but if I did I would go up one size so that the print isn't so stretched out. 

Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95

Back view
Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95

Many ways to wear Portia

I had a very busy week at the end of April. I had lots of different meetings during the week and I had two kika shows on the weekend. I challenged myself to only wear 3-4 pieces during the week so I didn't have a lot of kika laundry to do before my weekend shows. I like how different you can look by just having a few pieces. Imagine if you mixed it up with a pair of jeans or leggings or something else in your closet? I didn't have time to document all my different combos during this week but I am pretty sure I wore my Bootcut Pants in Black with Charlotte. 

First up was a maxi dress style where I "cheated" and used two pieces to make it look like one. 

Daphne in Ocean (custom color) ~ $85
Charlotte in Meadow (signature color) ~ $64
Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95

Back view
Daphne in Ocean (custom color) ~ $85
Charlotte in Meadow (signature color) ~ $64
Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95

Here I just changed the look by swapping out the Daphne with a different color. It is also one size smaller (can you tell?) than the Ocean. 

Daphne in Black (custom color) ~ $85
Charlotte in Meadow (signature color) ~ $64
Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95

Again, I changed the jacket for a new style and it changes the look again. 

Leslie in White (custom color) ~ $68
Charlotte in Meadow (signature color) ~ $64
Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95

Here I am without any jacket so you can see the Charlotte and Portia as a long skirt combo.

Charlotte in Meadow (signature color) ~ $64
Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95

Charlotte in Meadow (signature color) ~ $64
Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95

I pulled up Charlotte so you can see how these are indeed two pieces and how I folded over the top of the dress (Portia) to make it a long skirt on me. That is my nude shaper you see between the garments not my skin! 

Charlotte in Meadow (signature color) ~ $64
Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95

I also figured out a day or two later that I actually liked it better when I tucked in Charlotte and ruched up Portia so it gave me more of a defined waistline. Both work but now I want to try this combo in a solid color. I am curious if the two pieces will blend together as nicely as the print. Now ... What color should I pick? 

Charlotte in Meadow (signature color) ~ $64
Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95

Full size version of the close upCharlotte in Meadow (signature color) ~ $64
Portia in Meadow (signature color) ~ $95