#Movember Spotlight: Father/Daughter Duo Behind Print Studio Rosekei

To mark the end of Movember (and also keeping with the theme of giving thanks for loved ones), we here at HEUCY wanted to highlight a truly special father/daughter duo we recently have come to know.  Meet Mr. Han and his daughter Carol of Rosekei Print Studio.

We have known about Rosekei and their beautiful hand painted prints through the years, but have not had the pleasure of working closely with them until now.  Look out for our collaboration – the HEUCY Spring 2015 prints (coming out Feb 2015!!).  We went to them with ideas for prints and they brought the ideas to life – providing seamless, expert and full art services that wow’ed us. Proof: Here is Mr. Han modelling our Spring 2015 Animal Burnout Print in Citron.

Wow!

On top of great work and service – what makes this team really special and fun to be around are the way Mr. Han and his daughter Carol work as a team.  Mr. Han works the artistic and technical sides of the business while Carol promotes and sells the work.  When you work with them it is immediately clear they actually really enjoy one another’s company.  Adorable!

For more info on Rosekei, please visit: https://sites.google.com/site/rosekeicompanyinc

We’re Thankful for…Food Delivery and Meal Kits

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving this year, and even if you’re not — you may be “DONE” with cooking come Friday. And the thought of waiting in line at Whole Paycheck…I mean Whole Foods…is not something you’d like to conquer on a holiday. Fortunately, there are lots of great meal kit delivery options out there these days.  The ingredients and the instructions are delivered right to your door.  Now that’s something to smile about!

Here are a few food delivery services we recommend, which might make your Thanksgiving holiday even sweeter.  Shameless plug: HEUCY’s chic, super-comfy jersey dresses and jumpsuits are made for Thanksgiving revelry and the aftermath.  Just sayin.

1. Plated

HEUCY hearts Plated.  The tagline sort of had us at hello: “Reconnecting people and food in thoughtful, convenient ways.”  The Plated website is VERY simple and incredibly easy to navigate, the food and ingredients are organic and thoughtfully chosen, and Plated gives back to the community. Plated supports wonderful organizations like Teach for America, and has a waste-free mission: it donates any remaining ingredients to local food banks.  This service is very similar to Blue Apron, the next on our list, but you don’t have to subscribe.  It’s a great option for someone who is testing the waters but doesn’t want to commit just yet.  And the recipes take about half an hour.  We like.

1. Blue Apron

We also recommend Blue Apron for many reasons.  The website, like Plated, is very simple and easy to navigate, and there is also an emphasis on sustainability.  Delicious menus like Butternut Squash & Brussel Sprout Hash and Shrimp & Mustard Green Laing are sourced from seasonal ingredients. Delivery is free and is available for most the U.S., and menus start at $9.99 per person per meal.

We also really love Blue Apron’s emphasis on saving time.  Meals take 35 minutes to prepare (on average)…a bit longer if you’re a novice in the kitchen and/or use your oven to store sweaters.  We don’t judge.  And the recipes look really nice and they’re very easy to follow.  One catch: you have to subscribe (it’s a once a week service), but you can opt out pretty easily.

Another great thing about Plated and Blue Apron: an emphasis on creating as little waste as possible.

3. Naturebox

If you indulged a little too much over Thanksgiving (again, we don’t judge…ever) then Naturebox might be the way to go.  This is also a great service if you have a lot of snackers in your household.  Subscribe to Naturebox, and you’ll receive 5 full-sized snack packages throughout the month.  You can choose your snacks or get a surprise…it’s up to you, and the snacks change often so there’s good variety.

Another awesome thing about Naturebox: for every snack box it delivers, Naturebox donates one meal through Feeding America® to help the millions of Americans who go hungry.  Their goal is to reach 1 million meals.  So you really can’t feel bad about snacking.  And why should you ever, really?  A girl’s gotta eat, after all.

Happy Thanksgiving!

xx,

The HEUCY Team

#Movember Homage to Silver Foxes…and Top Five Quick Hair Fixes

The other night (sadly, I think it was Saturday) I was watching TV with my hubby and we came across an amazing “Dynasty” retrospective.  Narrated by none other than Rob Lowe!  Talk about a career turnaround.

I was thinking, it’s #Movember…so we should celebrate silver foxes like Blake Carrington, who demonstrated how men (and women) can grow old gracefully.  This guy always kept his cool amidst feuding ex-wives, scheming illegitimate children and a variety of other obstacles thrown his way.  Remember when Alexis orchestrated a hostile takeover of Carrington Oil?  Stress alert.

But let’s be honest.  If I let my grays grow out like Blake’s, I think strangers might point me to the nearest hair salon.  And since most of us don’t have that much time for grooming, I’ve listed our Top Five Quick Hair Fixes.  A must for the holiday and end-of-year mayhem that is coming up!  Hope this helps.

1. Dry Shampoo

We’ve tested A LOT of this stuff, and the best by far (in our opinion) is Klorane.  This brand is also sustainably made out of botanicals (oat milk and nettle, specifically) which makes us love it even more.

2. Root Touch Up

Tree roots are wonderful.  Hair roots that don’t match the rest of your head…are not.  We love L’Oreal’s Root Rescue because it works, and you can buy it at most drug stores.

3. A Comb That Really Combs

My daughter loves to comb my hair with her My Little Pony brushes.  A better option is Ricky’s ARGAN+ Detangler Comb.  It’s cheaper than a My Little Pony brush ($3.99) and it conditions your hair with Argan oil while you comb.  And it won’t get lost in your bag.  Dream.

4. Clear Hair Bands

I know, we don’t want to look like we’re channeling our high school hair do.  But, a clear hairband can come in handy when you need to pull your hair back and get down to business…and you don’t want people to actually see that you’re wearing a hairband.  Goody’s Elastics can be found on Amazon and in most drug stores, in a variety of sizes and in bulk.  And you don’t need to worry if a few land on a Pony’s head, because you have tons more in your secret stash.

5. Fight the Frizz

If you’re one of those people who has straight hair, even during a monsoon on the hottest, most humid summer day…well, then, we don’t like you.  Just kidding.  We love you, but we are seriously jealous.  If you’ve ever been challenged by frizzy hair, you must buy Tresemme’s Anti-Frizz Secret Smoothing Creme.  I wore this in Atlanta in August, and my hair maintained its shape.  Honest.

As you can see, most of these products are easy to find, easy to buy and are not expensive.  Fully endorsed by HEUCY.  Let the holiday merriment begin!

xx,

The HEUCY Team

We’re Thankful for…Friends Who Live in Cool Places (Like London): London Travel Guide

Our friend and HEUCY Gal Brett, the founder of whimsically chic, fabulous London-based handbag line Wilbur & Gussie, is one of those people who can dip her hand into a bag of junk and pull out diamonds.  What I’m trying to say is…if you’re going anywhere, Brett is the type of tastemaker whose tips and opinions are really worth noting.  She’s traveled the world and, fortunately for us, has given us her “best of” London Guide.  Brett lives in London, too…so if you want to be like a local, read this!  And a shameless plug: Wilbur & Gussie is favored by none other than one of our fave women, the D.O.C. (aka “Dutchess Kate”) and her sister Pippa.

Below is Brett’s list of the “Best Of” in London.  Thanks, Brett!

Restaurants:

1.The Mall Tavern is a great gastro pub just off Notting Hill Gate with a really interesting menu of British pub cuisine. It’s always busy so you have to book!
2. Les Trois Garcons. A converted pub in the East End which is filled with extraordinary findings and kitsch decor. It’s a feast for the eyes and guaranteed fun French dining.
3. Scott’s. Uber-elegant restaurant in Mayfair with fantastic service and delicious food with a focus on seafood. It’s a real ‘treat’ place
4. Carrafini’s. Delicious Italian just off of Sloane Square. In the Summer you can sit outside and watch the world go by in true Italian-style.
5. Royal China (Baker Street/Bayswater). Best Dim Sum in London, but prepare to wait!
6. Quality Chop House, Clerkenwell. Sounds like a chain steak house but set in a little Georgian townhouse in a funky part of London, it has a fantastic menu. Can’t recommend highly enough.

7. Two bars that are good/traditional: Dukes Hotel is renowned for having served Ian Fleming his martini’s, and they do make them well! At Zetter Townhouse in Clerkenwell you can sip your cocktails in cosy, quirky style surrounded by all sorts of curiosities.

Sights:

-I always recommend the sightseeing bus (The Original Tour) as the first thing to do because it really helps get your bearings in the city. It’s 2.5 hours if you don’t hop off and a great way to understand how the city links together. Tickets last for 24 hours so you can always go back the next day for free and hop off to see a sight.
-Somerset House in the Winter is super fun because the courtyard is converted into an ice-rink.
-Walking around Hampstead is a great way to spend an afternoon. The streets and homes are a feast for the eyes, not to mention the Heath, which you can’t believe is smack in the middle of London.
-The Victoria &Albert museum has a little bit of everything from every country around the world. If you are into Design, it’s a MUST.
-The Museum of London has a collection of wonderful British curiosities dating from centuries past and is fun for adults and kids alike.

Shopping:

-Fortnum and Mason and Liberty’s are two of London’s shopping institutions and very special places to visit.
-Opposite Fortnums is the Burlington Arcade, which is filled with beautiful traditional British shops. It’s always fun to walk down here.
-London is mainly full of ‘high streets’ and my favourite is Marylebone High Street. Most of the great British high streets are vanishing, but this one is thankfully still with us. It has the usual high street stores, but with a few one-off boutiques thrown in the mix, and a fabulous book store (Daunt Books). If you like shopping, it’s not to be missed.
-Markets-London has some fantastic markets: Borough for food, London Fields, Columbia Road for flowers, Portobello for antiques and curiosities. It’s always worth seeing what is on.

Brett’s fave HEUCY outfit for travel: the #AlterEgo Jumpsuit.  You can become a local wherever you go, in maximum comfort!

Happy Travels.

xx,

The HEUCY Team

Kicking Off A Week of Giving Thanks…

We’re thankful for so much here at HEUCY.  Our families, friends, HEUCY Gals and Dudes like you all, a successful launch…and — now, more than ever — we are really thankful for partners like our factory owner Susan, without whom we wouldn’t be able to provide jumpsuits and dresses for waiting customers!

This week, in addition to rounding out #Movember, we’re going to highlight specific people and places and things that we’re thankful to have in our lives.  (Spoiler alert: this includes food delivery).  So for starters, here’s to Susan.  She’s a mom, a business owner and a pretty cool chick who can rock the #AlterEgo jumpsuit like the best of them.

xx,

The HEUCY Team

#Movember Special: Levle Framing…Trust Us. You’ll Like It.

We’re about to share something that may make you smile.  HEUCY Dude Josh Hubball (husband of our friend and — natch — HEUCY Gal Harriet Hubball) recently launched a really awesome web tool that is made for busy people craving a little simplicity.  It’s called Levle — and it’s a way for you to frame all of those prints/photos/maps/posters/flat things that have been sitting in your closet purgatory waiting to be framed…but it just hasn’t happened yet.  We know why.  It’s because you’re either too busy to physically get to the framer and/or so busy you forgot this stuff was sitting in a closet.  Or you bought a cool screen print at a yard sale and couldn’t wait to to get it framed…until you realized that it’s an odd size and would require finding and paying for very expensive framing.  Arduous = not fun.  And not realistic.

Luckily, now there’s Levle!  Here’s how it works.  Go to www.levleframes.com and provide the dimensions of your poster, print or photo, and then preview different frame and mat combinations until you find the one that suits best. The final frame is handcrafted and shipped to your door within a week. When it arrives, simply insert your artwork and mount on the wall using the included hardware.  Seriously.

And, to make it even sweeter, Levle has been beta testing printing and framing its customer photos for the last few weeks, and wants to open it up even wider. You’ll be able to do this on your own using the site relatively soon, but in the meantime Levle is providing personal service on each photo order to make sure you are completely satisfied. They’re also printing and mounting your photos for free right now – you just pay for the frame!

Here are the steps:

1. Email the photo(s) you’d like to frame to photos@levleframes.com
2. Hang tight while Levle checks the image resolution and prepares your options
3. Levle will send back a link that you can use to size and customize a frame
4. Upon purchase, Levle prints your photo, mounts it in the frame, and ships it out

All you’ll need is a hammer to hang the framed photo when it arrives.

I mean, this is pretty awesome.  Josh, did Harriet give this idea to you?  Just kidding.  We love our HEUCY Dudes/Entrepreneurs!

Happy Friday — and Happy Framing!

xx,

The HEUCY Team

#TBT: Jumpsuits.

The jumpsuit is clearly having a moment.  Its design has evolved over the years, but the intention is still pretty much the same.  It’s a simple, versatile silhouette that can accommodate any lifestyle.  Whether you’re dodging paparazzi or simply getting morning coffee, the jumpsuit can work for you.

The headlines from the seventies (“elegance” and “one easy piece”) are still relevant, too.  Fortunately, the hair styles are not.

Our friend and HEUCY Gal Veronica recently asked us how to style the Alter Ego when it’s freezing outside.  A very good question, now that the polar vortex has officially arrived and we’ve started scouring the web for sun lamps.  Here are some ways a few HEUCY Gals have accessorized their Alter Egos.

1. Anna paired hers with a colorful scarf – great for winter temps and gray days

2. Fashionista Kim is wearing hers with a black cardigan and ballet flats.

You can’t go wrong with a classic jean jacket, which Anna is wearing in this shot.  Take your puffy off, leave the jean jacket on!

3. And if you’re pondering what footwear to go with, here are a few options.  Susan, HEUCY’s awesome factory owner, wears her Alter Ego with wedge trainers. Randi Zinn, the dynamo behind Beyond Mom, wears hers with Toms.  And super chic Claire paired hers with pearls and kitten heels.

The best accessories, of course — in addition to the ones above and regardless of temperature — are confidence and a sense of humor.  The latter is definitely required when it dips below 30 degrees!  And maybe some frequent flier miles, too…in case your Alter Ego needs a warmer climate in January.

Stay warm!

xx,

The HEUCY Team

#Movember and The McConaissance

We just realized yesterday, it’s (past) the middle of November and we haven’t really done anything to celebrate #Movember and the men in our life.  We are polling some HEUCY Dudes for holiday gift guides and other awesome top ten lists…but in the meantime wanted to celebrate a man who successfully reinvented himself from vapid sex symbol (okay, truth be told, we like those too) to serious actor.  Yep, we’re talking about none other than Matthew McConaughey.  His McConaissance is a “second act” worth noting (especially if you love “True Detective” as much as we do).

And since we mentioned “The New Yorker” in yesterday’s Top Ten reading list, it seemed only appropriate to share a great article written by Rachel Syme back in January, after McConaughey was nominated for an Oscar.  Check it out here.

More #Movember to follow!

xx,

The HEUCY Team

Top Ten Tomes (and Some Outfits) for Travel.

EN ROUTE…  

AND THERE…

I’m guessing many of you will be traveling for Thanksgiving next week.  And if you’re not, you’re hosting a lot of people!  The holidays are a crazy, messed up, mashed up whirlwind of love, excitement and maybe a little bit of drama…hopefully not the “I lost my luggage” or “I missed my flight” sort.

Anyway, we’ve found that plane, train or car travel can be great for two things: reading and sitting in silence.  If you’re traveling with kids, an iPad can help you grab a few minutes of solace.  So, as you prepare to pack for yourself and others who may be incapable of packing for themselves (you know who you are…or do you?), consider downloading or buying some of our favorite books for your trip!  We polled some of our most literate, and fun, HEUCY Gals to compile this Top Ten Reading List.  Enjoy!

1. “Yes Please” by Amy Poehler.

A book by Amy Poehler.  Nuff said.

2. “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt

It’s clear why this book won the Pulitzer Prize.  In case you were in a cave last year and didn’t hear (it’s okay, we sort of were too), “The Goldfinch” is a sweeping tale that spans from New York City to Las Vegas to Amsterdam…and includes a lot of info about art and antiques.  It took us a while to get past the first 200 pages (did I mention how long this book is?)…but once we did, it was really hard to put this one down.  Tartt is sort of a genius.  (PS, download to Kindle if you can, it’s heavy!!)

3. “The Four Hour Work Week” by Timothy Ferris

HEUCY Gal Emily turned us on to this book.  Here’s a synopsis from the back cover: “Whether your dream is escaping the rat race, experiencing high-end world travel, earning a monthly five-figure income with zero management, or just living more and working less, The 4-Hour Workweek is the blueprint.”

Okey-dokey. We’ll try it.

4. “Me Before You” by Jojo Meyes

We haven’t read this one yet, but HEUCY Gal Lisa recommended it and we usually defer to her opinions.  She’s the type of person who is in a book club and actually reads the books.  We also like the cover, because it looks like the heroine is wearing the HEUCY #ProblemSolver dress.  Here’s a synopsis from jojomeyes.com (warning, this book might make you cry):

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than her tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair-bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and he is not interested in exploring a new one.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, Lou sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?

5. “Getting Things Done” by David Allen

Because, honestly, what is more fun than planning your new, super-organized life…while away from work and home?  Aspirational, yes…but there are some good tips in here.  Specifically, Allen says that our ability to be productive is directly related to our ability to relax. We can achieve stress-free productivity when our minds are clear.  Right on, David!

6. “Where’d You Go, Bernadette” by Maria Semple

This book was so funny, we finished it in two days.  It’s an incredibly dry, witty portrayal of a woman — Bernadette — who is trying to prepare herself for a cruise trip to Antarctica with her husband and daughter.  But there’s one big problem: Bernadette is agoraphobic and doesn’t like the general public at all…so she finds herself on the verge of a meltdown.  Bernadette decides to outsource all of the trip planning to someone in India.  The e-mails to and from Bernadette’s Indian counterpart are hilarious. After a charity event snafu, Bernadette disappears and chaos ensues.  Seattle’s tech culture and the darkly comic nuances of private school parenting provide incredibly funny color to this book.  A quick, easy read that will make you laugh out loud.

7. “State of Wonder” by Ann Patchett

Also recommended by Lisa.  We haven’t read it yet (even though it came out a few years ago), but we plan to.  Honest.  Here’s a synopsis from amazon.com:

As Dr. Marina Singh embarks upon an uncertain odyssey into the insect-infested Amazon, she will be forced to surrender herself to the lush but forbidding world that awaits within the jungle. Charged with finding her former mentor Dr. Annick Swenson, a researcher who has disappeared while working on a valuable new drug, she will have to confront her own memories of tragedy and sacrifice as she journeys into the unforgiving heart of darkness. Stirring and luminous, State of Wonder is a world unto itself, where unlikely beauty stands beside unimaginable loss beneath the rain forest’s jeweled canopy.

8. “Becoming Fully Present” by Thich Nhat Hanh

HEUCY Gal Emily meditates often, and she credits this book with getting her on the road to inner peace. We’d like to meditate too…and always want some inner peace…so we will put this in our shopping cart.

9. “The Imperfectionists” by Tom Rachman

When I was gallivanting around Rome in my HEUCY outfits, I couldn’t stop thinking about how good this book is.  It’s a funny, moving (and fictional) account of the lives of reporters and editors who work at an English-language newspaper in Rome.  Highly acclaimed, for good reason.

10. “The New Yorker”

Yes, this is a magazine and not a book.  But we think it should be included, because it’s incredibly light, and — if you’re like us — you’ll feel very accomplished and informed after finishing “The Talk of the Town” or half of one article.  We should have mentioned, you can also save our list for a real vacation if you need one after Thanksgiving.

And don’t forget to pack your HEUCY!  The #BonVoyage and #AlterEgo make wonderful traveling companions…as well as anything else on heucy.com.  Use code “THANKYOU20” for 20% off now til Thursday!

xx,

The HEUCY Team

French. Translated.

At HEUCY, we are crushing on French women in general.  They defy our 21st century puritanical “wisdom” — dairy, alcohol, sugar, caffeine and cigarettes seem to make these women look better than us.  While we drink our green juices and pound out e-mails and cross off to-do lists, our counterparts in Paris are eating steak frites and having boozy lunches.  (Our biggest girl crush now is Mimi Thorisson, whose blog Manger is a must-read for any HEUCY Gal.  She cooks, parents, works, writes, grows wine…and clearly enjoys eating.  Love her.)

I know this isn’t news to anyone.  Countless books and articles have been written on the topic.  So why am I writing about it now?  Well, HEUCY thinks the most inspiring thing about French ladies is their ability to look great — nay, amazing — at all times of the day.  Their casual, “day” dressing looks chic and effortless.  You don’t see a lot of workout gear on the Champs Elysees.  And French women prove that it’s possible to keep a few, well-made pieces — a uniform — in the closet, and use your personal style to make your clothes, and YOU, look great.  HEUCY wants to bring this French ethos to American ladies who are craving the same French look…via thoughtful, American-made garments.  Because, guess what?  American women are pretty awesome too.  Yes, that would be you 🙂

Here’s our across-the-pond translation of the HEUCY #ProblemSolver going from day-to-night…this is a dress that screams “Audrey Tatou cute meets Marion Cotillard cool meets the reality of modern woman’s crazy life.”  And in the spirit of classic, timeless dressing, all of the accessories are “HEUCY’s own” — including the martini fixins for a night out on the town and our fave @wilburandgussie bag.

Enjoy the week.  And the weeknights!

xx,

The HEUCY Team