Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Unlikely Umbrella

There is something mesmerizing about this photo by Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist. It is not only a beautiful image, but I am also captivated by this woman's use of her fur coat as a shield against the rain. I could never look that chic in a storm.

Image credit The Sartorialist

Steal some of her elegance with over-sized crystal earrings (in blue of course!) and the perfect red lip.

Revlon Matte Lipstick, Really Red 006


Top Row: Forever 21 Colored Teardrop Earrings & Colored Bead Teardrop Earrings
Bottom Row: Kate Spade Statement EarringsRevlon Matte Lipstick in Really Red

Monday, January 21, 2013

Feeling Blue

In the process of magazine recycling, I ripped this page out of Elle to add to my inspiration notebook (I am too old school for Pinterest). Blue is my favorite color, only further evidenced by my matching manicure.

Huge fan of that Lanvin statement necklace

To achieve my blue topaz manicure, I used one coat of Matésse Elite in Neon Lightening Blue and two coats of Sally Hansen Diamond Strength in Tender Teal. For a similar look, swap out the now discontinued (I think, mine is at least 5 years old) Matésse for any teal base like Sally Hansen Xtreme wear in Blue Me Away. Top it off with Sally Hansen Spectrum.

Now all I need is the ring to match the manicure. This Eddie Borgo piece would definitely be on my dream birthday wish list.

            Eddie Borgo ring


Eddie Borgo ring   (see more eddie borgoes) Image credit: Polyvore


 All that glitters is certainly not gold.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

My Kind of Beauty Secret


I have been a beauty junkie since the 8th grade. This is no secret. Back then I owned (and wore) Urban Decay blue lipstick. I was avant garde: Lady Gaga before Gaga even existed. To this day I still love experimenting with crazy makeup -- maybe not blue lipstick -- but lots of colored eyeliner and of course, nail art. And while I do own my fair share of department store cosmetics such as Chanel nail polish, Armani mascara, and YSL lipsticks,* that does not mean I don't know where to score some bargain beauty booty. I have an arsenal of drugstore products that I use daily and while I have previously shared some of them, it never hurts to do a little recap:

- Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash
- Neutrogena Healthy Skin with SPF
- Palmer's Cocoa Butter Stick
- Maybelline brow pencil
- Revlon Lipstick
- NYX Liquid Liner
- NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss
- Pssssst dry shampoo
- Sally Hansen nail polish (Xtreme Wear is my favorite)

Horrible picture of some of my faves: Revlon lipstick in Siren (creme) and Pink Pout (matte). NYX Studio Liquid Liner in Crystal Gold, Extreme Silver and Extreme Sapphire, NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Nude Peach, Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear polish in the amazing Pacific Blue. And lying out front is Maybelline Expert Wear brow pencil in Blonde.

But what is better than drugstore products? Knowing where to find them at a truly great price. Amirite?

This is where I let my fellow Manhattanites in on a little secret. Okay, it isn't really a secret, I talk about it all the time, but I don't think many of my NYC friends truly comprehend the greatness of...here it goes....Bed Bath & Beyond. It is not just for vacuums and pajama jeans my friends!

First of all, Manhattan doesn't have an Ulta. Or many beauty supply shops in general (there are a few, but I may keep those to myself, even though they are fully google-able), and Target isn't super convenient to everyone in the city. But there are three locations of Bed Bath & Beyond (Lincoln Center, Chelsea, Upper East Side) and at least two of them (Chelsea and UES) have large internal drugstores known as Harmon. The pictures below speak for themselves:

Bed Bath Price
Duane Reade Price

Bed Bath Price

Duane Reade Price

Bed Bath Price - blurry but reads $4.99
Duane Reade Price

Now you know where to go. Go now. Just make sure you don't buy the same things I do, I need them to not sell out. Thankssomuch.

*Ed Note: I work for a department store that offers me 20-36% off on cosmetics, so I am able to procure designer products at a lower price. However I would never recommend a product that I wouldn't pay full price for, budget permitting.

**Ed Note Note: My last blog post raved about Kérastase products. I do believe 100% they are worth the price but my recent spending concerns would normally prohibit me from making such an expensive purchase. I happen to be lucky enough to have a Hair Fairy Godmother (otherwise know as Mom) who feels the same way towards Kérastase and was happy to help with the cost. 

Bottom line: I believe in the products I promote, but no cosmetic item is ever worth breaking the bank for.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Saturday PSA

This is my hair on drugs
This is my hair on Kérastase
 Any questions?

(Okay, the top caption is a total lie, but you knew that already.)

The top photo, rather, is what my hair looks like when I wash it, put it up in a bun, don't wash it, then let it down. As that picture was taken, I was about to spray in some dry shampoo because there was no way in hell I was getting in that shower. Major #ThailandVacationProblems. My life is so tragic, clearly.

The second caption though is a major truth. I took a quick little photo booth pic of myself to show you what happens when my perfectly straight, flat-ironed hair is left out in the rain after using Kérastase Oléo-Relax products. I do not have any pictorial evidence of what my hair would look like post-rain under normal, non Kérastase circumstances, because you would have to pay me a significant amount of money to wear my hair down, let alone allow for it to be photographed. My Facebook photos can attest to that. You will just have to believe me when I tell you that instead of what is pictured above, you would see a hot mess of frizzy curls that feel less like actual hair and more like a barrel of hay on the top of my head.

While Kérastase doesn't come cheap, you definitely get what you pay for. And since you don't need to use it every day, it is pretty easy to make it last. (I'm guessing here, but I think my shampoo and conditioner last about 8 months. I am just now trying the serum, so I will have to report back on its shelf life at a later date.) Plus, it is produced by L'Oreal so...you know...you're worth it.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Heaven is a Place on Earth

Belinda Carlisle had it right, even if she didn't know that for me, Heaven on Earth is otherwise known as Ricky's.

I think the reason here is obvious.

A Wall of Nail Polish. What brands do you spy?
Wall of nail polish via Ricky's tumblr



And Then There Were...

So for the first time in who knows how long, because my recent manicure post made me curious, I decided to count the number of nail polishes I own. I had previously been avoiding this task for fear of what I might learn.

And the results are in: It seems as if my newly gifted Chanel varnish has brought my collection total to exactly 365 (I do have 9 nail art pens but I don't think they count).

So this my friends, is what 365 bottles of nail polish looks like. Two full small makeup cases aren't pictured because they are too messy.

Neons and Reds


Chanels, Blues, Greens & Purples
Chanels, Blues, Greens, Neutrals

Holos, Magnetic, Dark Blues & Purples
Glitters, Shimmers, Holos, Duochromes (and a festive Menorah!)

Mish Mosh of some Dupes, Glitters, older polishes.

Welcome to crazy town, we don't judge here. 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Snapshot - Accessories of the Day

Temperatures in NYC reached a high near 50 degrees today, which compared to last week means it basically feels like summer. So naturally I felt the need to sport some neon accessories to brighten up my mood and my outfit.


Shoes: Miu Miu (old in season, forever new in my heart)
Bracelets: Purchases from Thailand, J. Crew Timex Watch Band (also seen here)

Self Reflection


Rag and Bone Keaton SunglassesFashion Latitude

When staring into mirrored lenses, it is impossible for me not to face the fact that I am obsessed with them. Like, couldn't-stop-thinking-and-dreaming-of-owning-a-pair obsessed. Ever since Rag & Bone introduced the Keaton glasses pictured above, I had been dreaming of owning a similar pair. But at such a steep price tag (not to mention that I already own more than enough pairs of sunglasses...stop judging me), I perished the thought. That is, until I came upon this blog post, and my desire returned with a vengeance.

Topshop nail polish
How awesome are these glasses worn by Karen of Where Did U Get That??

As soon as the spark was reignited, mirrored sunglasses started invading my Google Reader feed; taunting and tempting me with endless options. But it was this post from one of my favorite bloggers, Geri of Because I'm Addicted, that pushed me into the deep end.


image credit Harper's Bazaar 

Instantly, I was mesmerized. But while the fantastic frames pictured above were attributed to Westward Leaning, a San Francisco based brand with some pretty awesome products, I ultimately realized that the credit was a mistake.

After much Google-ing, hemming and hawing--my friend Jamie can attest to that--and a lucky stroke of good memory, I found them. (If only I put so much effort into other aspects of my life? But then again I am running trained for a marathon so...whatever.) Before I knew it, they were in my shopping cart. However, with a description of "orange lens" (don't they look red?), I was still a bit unsure if they were in fact the glasses worn by the ever fashionable Viviana Volpicella. Blame my anal retentiveness, but I knew I had to be entirely certain I was going to receive the exact sunglasses I had been lusting after.

After emailing the company directly, I received the nicest and most enthusiastic response (from the owner and designer no less!) and it was confirmed that I ordered the correct pair. They arrived early November to much excitement and I am just as obsessed with them in person. At $150 after shipping, while they are by no means cheap, they are certainly less expensive compared to your average designer frames (I know these look nothing like pair I purchased, but I happen to like them). I can also guarantee that few other people will be sporting the same shades.

Each pair on Spektre's site is gorgeous, made in Italy, and most (if not all) are limited edition. Not to mention that I believe in the importance of supporting small businesses, and this one couldn't be any friendlier.


My new sunglasses, sunning themselves in Thailand

To learn more about and/or purchase Spektre, you can go here, here, or here.

For US local options (and to ensure I stay unique, of course), I recommend:
- Oakley Frogskins
- Ebay
Asos
Super
- Westward Leaning

Now that I've done all the research, all you have to do is shop!

Monday, January 7, 2013

Manicurious

(My post title sounds a bit like some disease or a hush-hush, private deviance, doesn't it?)

I don't need to remind you that I love nail polish and painting my nails. You already know that my desire to accumulate more nail colors and change up my manicure two to three times a week is borderline obsessive. So rather than tell you anything, I have decided to intermittently post my favorite nail polishes (new and old) and well as manicures, because the nail varnish that covers my fingertips is just as important an ingredient to my personal style as say, a pair of fabulous shoes.

With that, I leave you with my most recent manicure (soon to be replaced with Chanel's Malice, courtesy of my wonderful coworker, whose mother so graciously gifted it to me). Early in the weekend I painted my nails with OPI's "Lincoln Park After Dark," a rich and creamy shade of brownish purple that was released in 2005 as part of the Chicago Collection but has since remained a permanent fixture in OPI's line (you can find it at your local drugstore or beauty supply). I actually may have purchased my bottle in 2005, and I also think I hadn't worn it in well over a year. This is the problem one encounters when one has more nail polish than there are days in the year...I haven't checked recently but I'm pretty sure that's the case.

















 


This polish may be an oldie, but it is definitely a goodie. Perfect formula, perfect fall/winter color.


Sunday, January 6, 2013

Lucky 2013

I have never had an aversion to the number 13. I would not be concerned if I found myself staying on the 13th floor of a hotel (they exist...in Canada...I think...), nor do I worry when the 13th of a month manages to fall on a Friday. In fact, I wholeheartedly believe that my life ends up being more enjoyable during the odd years than in the even ones. Not 100% sure of all the factors contributing to this feeling, so I am going to chalk it up to the birthday fiasco of 2008. "The Birthday Fiasco of 2008." (For some reason I really felt the need to put it in caps and give it title significance.) Those who know me know the story, and those who don't, it is a really long one. Trust me though, it's pretty crappy.

But I digress...

The point is that I am hoping to make 2013 a good great year. I am not going to write out a list of resolutions because I am never that good at following all of them, which only leads me to feeling like a giant failure  I do however, want to be a better blogger because I love to write. I just so happen to also be my biggest roadblock, editing my posts into oblivion, barely posting anything on time, and sometimes not posting anything at all. My last published entry was almost one year ago. That. Is. Pathetic. Capital "P." Hard, resonating "C."

What this means for me is that 2013 is going to be the year of the blog. Well, of my blog anyway. So until my next fashion related post, I leave you with the following:

I went to Thailand. It was amazing. The scenery was stunning, and the jewelry was cheap. And you know I am a girl that loves her accessories.



Floating Market outside of Bangkok

Thai attendees to upcoming arm parties.




































I didn't run a marathon. But I trained all summer...and I trained hard.

I was obsessed with many beautiful things, but recently, this hologram Proenza Schouler PS 11 has taken the cake.


Image credit Forty Five Ten

Happy New Year everyone. May 2013 find you happy, successful, and of course, fashionable.