Wrapping 2010 up on a Fabulous Note

Women across the globe have shopped (or are still shopping) to find the perfect thing to wear on New Year's Eve to ensure that the last night of 2010 is a memorable one. In case you’re among the thousands of women still rushing to find a NYE dress that will turn heads, here’s a little inspiration, whether you’re looking for a casual cocktail dress or a fabulous holiday gown.

Red has been the go-to color for fall 2010 and what better way to end the year than to wear a dress in the definitive color of the season? Carrie Underwood looked stunning in a red Basil Soda gown with sheer embellishments at the 2010 American Country Awards (above left). As the year wraps up, stars are still wearing this gorgeous hue to premieres and parties. Whether short and sassy, or long and glamorous, a red dress would be an excellent choice to wear for NYE.

Another color that has been on fall 2010’s color palette is yellow, and many celebs have been stepping out in beautiful yellow-toned gowns, like Eva Mendes and Diane Kruger’s elegant one-shouldered dresses pictured below. Wearing a yellow toned dress this New Year's Eve is one sure way to be outstanding at your party or celebration.

If you want to be safe and stick with the classic little black dress for NYE, put a twist on the typical LBD by choosing one with sheer additives. Whether you prefer pretty lacy sleeves like Kristen Dunst (below right) or a sheer, feathery bottom on your dress like Blake Lively (below middle), both are beautiful ways to make your LDB stand out from the others.

If you really want to go out on a whim and be the talk of your NYE celebration, a dress that sparkles and shines is a fabulous choice. Bronze toned clothing has been the staple metal tone for 2010 and a dress in that color, like Erin Fetherson's (below right) and Olivia Wilde's (below middle), would be perfect a perfect way to make a statement this New Year's Eve. On NYE, however, any dress that sparkles and shines will be a hit regardless of the color. I love Mandy Moore's printed gray, blue, and yellow dress that she wore to the American Music Awards this year (below left).

Happy New Year from all of us at Kendra Scott! May 2011 bring you much happiness, joy and laughter.

KS Corporate Office Experiences the Joy of Giving with Austin's LifeWorks

Yesterday, the Kendra Scott Corporate office looked more like Santa's workshop as we spent the day wrapping gifts for a family we adopted through Austin's LifeWorks. LifeWorks is Austin's main non-profit organized that provides continued service for at-risk youth and families, and each year as the holidays approach, they offer opportunities for volunteers to adopt a family. LifeWorks matched us with a deserving family and provided us with information on their hopes and dreams as well as a list of gift wish items for each member of the family. My corporate team and I had an absolute blast playing Santa as we each shopped and purchased items our family and wrapped their gifts in festive paper and bows.

After we were finished wrapping, we filled up my mom's van and took two whole loads full of wrapped Christmas presents to LifeWorks, who will make sure the family has the gifts under their tree by Christmas morning. There is no greater feeling than the joy that comes with the gift of giving and it will warm my heart on Christmas morning to know that this deserving family will have presents under their tree! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone and may you also experience the incredible feeling of giving this season!

Kendra's Philanthropy Wednesdays: Dress For Success

As I’ve mentioned before, the holidays are a time to indulge in the spirit of giving. One of the organizations that we generously support is the Dress For Success program. Founded in New York City in 1997, this non-profit organization helps over 50,000 women find jobs and learn how to dress successfully for the industry in which they are employed. Upon their first visit at a Dress For Success facility, each woman receives a suit and accessories, and they can continue coming back to build their professional wardrobe for as long as they are in the program.

Rachael Ray, also a huge supporter of this amazing program, earlier this year filmed a segment of her show at the Kendra Scott Austin Headquarters, where we pledged to donate one of our Hope Pendant Necklaces (left) and $7.50 for EVERY single item purchased online at Kendra Scott until we reach our goal of $25,000 in donations. (You can see a clip of the show here.)

This means for every item you order on our website, you essentially are donating $7.50 per item and a Hope Pendant Necklace to the Dress For Success program.

Keep this in mind as you place your orders for holiday gifts and goodies from the Kendra Scott website...remember that YOU are also helping women to find jobs and learn to dress successfully. Thank you so much for your support of Kendra Scott Jewelry and the Dress For Success Program!

Color Bar for the Bride

The February 2011 edition of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons just hit the stands and we are excited about our online Color Bar tool being featured as a great idea for brides.

They state, "Customizing wedding-day baubles is completely effortless and downright fun." If you have yet to experience it yourself, take some time to visit the Color Bar...you may find yourself having so much fun that time just simply slips away! And creating a custom design for a loved one is a great holiday gift!

Kendra's Fashion Fridays: Make a Statement at Holiday Parties

The holidays are absolutely my favorite time of the year. The Christmas lights, delicious food, cheery music and the special moments shared with family and friends bring out the joy and happiness in everyone. Another one of the things I love about this season is the plethora of holiday parties that people host during this time of year. Who doesn’t love enjoying delicious food and refreshing drinks with family and friends?

It’s always fun to decide what to wear to a holiday party, and one thing that’s been on my radar this time of year is statement necklaces. Celebs from New York to L.A. have been spotted wearing these bold necklaces to parties, premieres, and other events, like the one Carey Mulligan smartly paired with her python print dress above. Vera Wang added a clear over-sized beaded statement necklace to a gown and looked gorgeous as always at the New York & Company Foundation Leadership Awards earlier this December. Mandy Moore donned a bold bib necklace over a casual sweater dress at a recent premiere while Jessica Alba and model Elisa Sednaoui paired statement neck wear with cocktail dresses at recent events.

A stunning statement necklace would be perfect for your upcoming holiday party. Whether you pair it with a casual top and jeans or a flirty cocktail dress, these jewels are sure to make heads turn when you walk into the room. At Kendra Scott, we have several amazing statement necklaces that can take your holiday party ensemble from drab to fab! Our Galeana Bib Necklace in Smokey and our Nell Bib Statement Necklace in White Lily are both great neutral colored necklaces that can be worn over any top or dress. If your looking for a color that will really pop, check out our Ava Statement Necklace in Basil, and our Ignacia Necklace in Blue Onyx, which was recently featured in Time Out New York magazine. Click here to check out the array of statement necklaces that we have to offer at Kendra Scott.

Kendra's Philanthropy of the Week: Blue Santa

This past Tuesday, I had the privilege of hosting the Austin Women Magazine's Tiara Tuesday at my new retail location. Over 100 amazing women from the Austin area came out to for a grand tour of our new store and corporate office, while enjoying some delicious food and wine. The women were encouraged to bring toys to donate to the Austin Police Department's Operation Blue Santa. For every toy brought, the women had the chance to win fabulous prizes including some Kendra Scott jewels. It was a spectacular event and Blue Santa seemed to truly enjoy himself!

The holidays are a time for spreading joy and giving, and APD's Operation Blue Santa does just that. Blue Santa is a non-profit organization that began in 1972 and is organized every year by our wonderful police officers with support from the Texas National Guard, Austin Fire Department, Austin Parks and Recreation Department and Austin Energy. APD's Operation Blue Santa will provide full holiday meals and wrapped Christmas gifts for over 3,500 Austin families this year with the help of giving Austinites. You too can help by volunteering, droping off toys or donating cash to this amazing philanthropy that spreads great joy and cheer for the holidays. Click here for details on how you can help an Austin family in need.

Happy Holidays from the Kendra Scott corporate and sales team!

Kendra Scott Sample Sale

Gather your girlfriends (or your man) and come out to shop the Kendra Scott Sample Sale at our new retail location this week. You'll find hundreds of unique, one-of-a-kind sample pieces and beautiful pieces from our previous jewelry collections - ALL at amazing discounted prices! It's a great time to do some holiday shopping for your family, friends, or for yourself, and to check out our beautiful new store if you haven't already.

The sample sale is happening this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm at our new retail location on 1400 South Congress Avenue, right next to Perlas, between By George and Service Menswear. Bring in a non-perishable food item to donate to Austin Area Food Bank and you'll receive a $5 coupon towards any of our sample sale items!

Enjoy your holiday shopping and hope to see you there!

Ashlan Gorse from E! News Wearing Kendra Scott Nolita Necklace