Greek Godtressess

In the Fourth Grade, after reading D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths, I became obsessed with Greek Mythology. I mean, when else can you dress up as Demeter wearing a bed sheet toga and a headband adorned with plastic leaves without the suggestion of psychiatric help? Sigh, the memories. Now that I am an adult, my idea of Grecian inspired fashion has manifested itself into drape-y gowns, long dresses, and braids. Oh how I love braids!

I have alluded to my affinity for plaits in my post on headbands, and I stand behind the belief that there is nothing greater than a braid/band combination. As you know, I have written about humidity acting like Medusa towards my hair, and have since then discovered a Greek inspired hairdo that combats against its damage as would the warrior Perseus. And while I was somewhat influenced by the recent visibility of celebrities donning Heidi braids, my take is a twist on the typical country 'do, and instead, is a little more ethereal.

My interpretation of this braided hairstyle is the perfect option for shorter, finer hair. While the Heidi--over the crown--braids are great for long, thick hair, mine just does not have enough length or volume to make the proper impact. So, rather than pulling the braids over my head, I pull them under. Below you will hopefully find a helpful, step-by-step picture guide, to give you a clear idea of the process in creating this sweet and practical look.

1) Whether you part your hair in the middle or side, create two even sections of hair


2) Braid each side



3) Pull one braid under your head and pin



3) Pull the other over, and also secure with bobby pin



4) Add a headband to cover the hairties and ends, pin, and voila!


I love this hairdo because it is incredibly easy to create (takes no more than 10 minutes, even for a perfectionist like me), is much more polished than just pigtail braids or a ponytail, and looks completely put together despite how simple it is to do. It's a little taste of Mount Olympia, no supernatural powers required.

About Face

Contrary to popular belief, I hate buying makeup at department stores. It is like walking into a war zone, attacked from all angles by sales professionals armed with weapons of perfumed tear gas and sharpened makeup brushes. Each counter is a land mine, with the possibility of a surprise attack lurking around every corner. For this reason, I prefer not to purchase products from large retailers. Unfortunately, my love of luxury products (and my employee discount), compel me to buy certain basics such as mascara, foundation, and many a lipstick at a department store. However, when it comes to the staples of my beauty routine, I am just as much a patron of Duane Reade as Bloomingdale's.

A sufferer of acne throughout my teens, I have used a multitude of prescription and over-the-counter products, with my only success resulting from Accutane. It was not until I reached my mid-20s, that I determined my most effective skincare regimen came quite cheaply.

Let me first state a disclaimer: I am not a dermatologist. I do not know your skin type. I just know what works for me and that it works well - so I'm sharing my experience, hopefully for your benefit. That being said, here are my favorite (and inexpensive!) beauty products:

1) Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash: It is orange. It is just under $8. You can get it at any drugstore. And it works. My skin has never looked better.

2) Neutrogena Healthy Skin Lotion w/ SPF: Sunscreen is key. It's not too greasy either, especially for my combination skin. It's around $14, but, even with everyday use, usually lasts a long time.

3) Johnson & Johnson Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment: The commercials don't lie when they say 100% (yes, that's right!) of people in clinical testing showed improvement within a day. It's about $8 and it effectively eliminates surprise breakouts.

My last drugstore obsession coincides with my infatuation with lip products: balms, glosses, sticks. You name it, I've tried it. As a younger girl, I had quite the Lip Smacker collection. But that doesn't surprise you, I'm sure. If a new lip product was marketed, I had to have it. (Does anyone remember the chocolate flavored glosses from The Body Shop?) If it was innovative, made lips glossy, or hell even just made them smell, I bought it.

As I got a little older, I was swayed less by the novelty of a product, and more by claims of being a great lip balm. I moved from Chapstick to Lip Medex to Kiehl's to Rosebud Salve. And while all of these are pretty good (Rosebud would be my top choice), none of these products come close to how great my favorite lip balm is, and you can get it at the drugstore for $3.50! Behold Palmer's Cocoa Butter Stick. It smells great, feels amazing, and, like many lip balms are, it is not addictive. Sure, it looks more like a glue stick than anything, but I'll take the stupid observations over dry lips any day.

The bottom line is this: I love luxury products. Unfortunately, expensive skincare is not in my budget, and most of the time I find that the effort (and body armor) it takes to find a product worthy of its insane price tag is much more than I'm willing to commit. Instead, I have proven that you don't have to spend lots of cash to get great skin and soft lips. Sometimes a simple regimen is all you need. Now, don't you feel just a little more...

At Ease?

Arts & Crafty 101

As a kid, I was totally into arts and crafts. In school, at camp, in the home, wherever, whenever. In fact, there was a brief period during my childhood where I proclaimed that I was going to be an artist. You know, as a career. I loved to draw and paint, I even dabbled in lanyard key chains and friendship bracelets. For awhile there, I actually felt I had some talent. Soon enough, however, my little girl dreams were brutally crushed when I learned the unfortunate fate that befell most artists: poverty. At the time, I probably couldn't even comprehend what it meant not to make any money, but based on the tone of my parents' voices when they explained this to me, I came to the conclusion that it was not a path I would want to take.

Despite no longer yearning to be an artist, I did not lose my creative tendencies, but rather, I began to channel them into different mediums - clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry. I found a way to express my creativity through fashion, and instead dreamt of becoming another kind of artist. I considered many options, from writing about fashion, to personal shopping, even styling. I have toyed with all of these ideas, but one recently stood out to me as the perfect opportunity to put my latent artistic talents to work.

As an accessories freak, I tend to look for fun jewelry at stores like H&M, Forever 21, and Urban Outfitters in order to build my collection without depleting my bank account. Sure, it's not the best quality, but it's inexpensive, and I can get the look of gold jewelry at a good price. However, because cheap "gold" jewelry is nothing but painted metal, the longer you own it, the more it loses color and starts to look like silver instead.

In the past few weeks, two pairs of my earrings were getting to be so faded, that they resembled nothing of their former selves: what used to be shiny gold looked instead like dull, gray, sadness. ::Pause for dramatic effect:: The choice was clear: my cheap earrings were in need of a serious makeover. See, that's the other great thing about not investing in jewelry. When you purchase something for $5, you lose that squeamish feeling at the thought of getting a little experimental. The task is simple, all you need is a few minutes, and a few bottles of nail polish. (And we all know how I have more than that!)

About a month ago, in a discussion with a friend of mine when wearing one of my lackluster pairs of earrings, I spoke to how I was most likely going to revive the muted metal by coating it in gold nail polish. My friend, being ever so crafty herself, explained that I did not necessarily have to stick to just gold, but that I could paint them however I damn well pleased. Poetic license, if you will.

So guess what? That is exactly what I did. I brought out some neon polish, a little glossy topcoat, and created my very own masterpiece:



Now, if that is not modern art, I am not sure what is. Class dismissed.

Step (It) Up, To Bat

We live in an age of artificial enhancement. You can fix almost any aspect of yourself that you find fault with, which, in turn leads people to constantly pose the question: "Are those real?" Even I am no stranger to such an inquisition.

Get your mind out of the gutter, people. I'm talking about my eyelashes.
Sure, when it comes to the debate between what is real and what is fake, one's eyelashes don't normally figure into the picture. Or so I thought. Sure, I know how easily one can waltz into a drugstore and purchase false lashes, but I never thought it could be possible for someone to assume that those same people would want to put that kind of effort into their everyday routine. I mean, I get it if you want to dress up your make up for a special occasion, hell, even for just a regular night on the town. But to work?

Let's get this straight. I love makeup. I like experimenting with different looks and I am not afraid of color. But the idea of having to apply false lashes every day before work sounds incredibly tedious. And if you know me at all, you know that laziness is one of my best qualities.

Okay, I am not going to deny the fact that I have naturally long eyelashes just to sell you some product. But they are blonde and you can't see them. As a self diagnosed makeup maven, I'm telling you, if you want the look of fake lashes without the effort of applying the real thing, just follow my two simple beauty rules:

1) Always use an eyelash curler
2) Follow with a single application of Yves Saint Laurent Volume Effet Faux Cils mascara (on both top and bottom lashes)

TRUST ME. I have sold tons of my friends (and random strangers) on this mascara. It works. It's the best. I have used a over dozen different brands and formulas, and this is the only one I've stayed loyal to for years.

Many of my friends have expressed a fear of using an eyelash curler. You know what I say to that? Get over it. You must not be afraid of the eyelash curler. It is not your enemy, it is your friend. Sure there is the slight possibility you might pinch some of your eyelid, so be extra careful. A steady hand is key. Don't be nervous, and you'll be surprised how much easier it is than you anticipated. If you are too scared, however, I refuse to be held accountable if the mascara alone does not do your eyes justice.

Okay, so that was a lot of talk. You are probably asking for me to provide proof that these two simple rules are truly the key to flirty eye makeup. So, if you still don't believe me, I have provided the following evidence.


Exhibit A: Yes, I like dramatic, winged black eyeliner


Exhibit B: A better view



And finally...

Exhibit C: Just in case you are yet to be convinced




And with that. I rest my case. Batter up!

An Outfit Not Waisted is Just a Wasted Outfit

It's official: I am totally into belts, they are my new crush. I can't stop thinking about them. How to wear them. Where to wear them. What to wear them with. And ultimately, that I could use some more. I mean, think about it: you and a belt could have the perfect inanimate relationship. A belt is good looking, quiet (yet can speak volumes about your sense of style), and it gives just the right amount of hug.

In high school, and even into college, I thought of belts as just a friend. You know, the kind you turn to when you need--dare I say--a pick me up. They were function over fashion, and they bored me. You also have to know that I wasn't really into cultivating my personal style until I moved to New York City, so the idea of experimenting with accessories other than basic jewelry did not enter my field of vision. Not as if belts actually worked with sweatpants anyway. Ha.

I was trying to think back to when I first started dating the belt. I couldn't really remember, but I think it was prompted by my first love - my green Gucci. It is kelly green, perforated leather, shiny gold buckle, and was on sale at Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets. I begged my father to buy it for me, promising I wouldn't ask for anything else...that day. When he gave in, I was delighted. I found any way to squeeze it into an outfit, wearing it as often as I could. And just like that, I was hooked.

From there, my collection grew. I picked up Linea Pelle and Theory belts at sample sales. Random nautical striped elastic belt on sale at Big Drop. I turned a long Pucci scarf into one, and bought a brown distressed belt from H&M. Of course, there is also the dePalma belt from the flea market. I belted cardigans. Wore them with pencil skirts. The whole nine yards.

Another great thing about the belt, is that there are so many varieties. You can't have any one "type." You can fall in love with a waist belt, a ribbon belt, a low slung hip belt, a feminine belt, or even the studded, grommeted, bad boy that your mom told you to stay away from, kind of belt. With so many choices, it is nearly impossible to get bored.

Just over Memorial Day weekend, I bought this Michael Stars dress which, while it does have a shape, looks even more perfect and put together with something at the waist. Since being purchased, I have worn the dress three times, changing up the belt and shoes at each wear. I'm obsessed. And you want to know the best part? You get to decide when you are so over them, and they can't dump you first.

Now, if only men were this easy to work with.

A Small Idea

As a girl, you most likely own at least one tiny purse. It's what you use when going out at night, and a big bulky shoulder bag just won't do. Then again, maybe you take the chance, and risk knocking into someone's drink with your ginormous handbag. You know, the one that also doubles as an instrument for hitting unwanted suiters. (I've never actually done this, but I bet it's pretty effective.)

If either of the two scenarios above sound familiar to you, then I have something you just might find useful. I've been promoting the ID/business card case since sophomore year of college as both an alternative means to a wallet, or just as a neat way to store your important cards for quick access in the black hole of your handbag.

If you couldn't already guess, I happen to have a few small purses. And, as a girl that likes to carry her life around with her (Life = iPod, phone, makeup, money, metrocard, license), I struggle with fitting everything into my little bag. Or, for the times that I do decide to lug my duffel-like purse with me out to bars, I prefer to know exactly where to find the most important items.



While they can't accommodate an extremely large amount of cards (especially credit), I have been able to fit my metrocard, license, and at least a credit card or two in my ID case, pictured above. I would suggest that you could squeeze some cash inside, but it really doesn't hold much. When carrying a smaller bag, I use the case to store my cards and license, and have the bills I need loose in my bag, or in an inside pocket. This way, there is plenty of room for the rest of my things, as it's barely larger than my iPod nano. (Yes, it's true, the nano was also purchased with my teensy purses in mind. Is it that obvious?)



On an average day, when I carry my much larger purse, the case makes it super quick to access my metrocard, or even business cards if I need them. It sits in an internal pocket (almost any large bag comes with a few for cell phones) where I can see it, so I don't have to dig around the cavernous inside. Not to mention it fits easily in a pants or jacket pocket if you decide to ditch the purse altogether. But best of all, you get to listen to all your friends "Oooh" and "Aahh" when they realize how ingenious you are for thinking of such a cute and alternative way to use a business card case. Now, doesn't that feel good?

For a personal touch, find a metal case with room for engraving your name or initials. A monogram can be done by machine in only a few minutes in the diamond district, for about $12!

'Band Aid

I hate my hair. That is right, there are times that I have wished I had the guts and the self confidence to go ahead and shave my head. Okay, so that's a little of an exaggeration, but on those bad hair days when it seems like I just can't make it look anything near acceptable, I figure it would be easier if I didn't have any.

Humidity is my hair's kryptonite. If there is any hint of moisture in the air, my hair recoils in fear, and, as if under Medusa's evil stare, turns to hay. No amount of weapons can protect me, not a ceramic flat iron, not Frizz Ease, and while using Kerastase was the closest my hair got to perfection, the price tag was far from it.

In attempts to ease the frustration of getting ready on rainy mornings, I would tie my hair back in a messy bun, because a ponytail that turns from straight to coarse-like waves during my commute to work was the furthest thing from pretty. After awhile, however, I became bored with this routine, and was determined to find a way to turn my bad hair days into something along the lines of "just not as cute as usual" hair days.

One afternoon, as I was getting ready to meet my friend for a walk around Central Park, I had a hair epiphany. Okay, so like most things in my life, it was really a by-product of my laziness. See, I hadn't taken my regular evening shower, and as the walk was a last minute plan, I didn't have time in the morning to take one either. There I was, with borderline greasy hair, and no clue what to do about it.

So, I just started to braid it. Two pigtail braids. To hide the roots where the grease would soon show, I wore a headband. I had recently purchased the cotton one from American Apparel, and I slid that over my head. Sure, I kind of looked like I was going to work out, but I also thought it looked kind of cute. (The cute half was later confirmed when I tried my new look out at work, so wipe those "She's delusional" notions out of your head.)

And there began my slippery descent into the world of headbands.

For some, the headband may remind them of their childhood, wearing thick or thin bands of fabric adorned with glitter and/or bows, or the plastic ones with the teeth that left comb marks in our hair and excruciating pain behind our ears. Since then, the headband has evolved and has become more than just a way to tame the mane on humid days, but rather a fun accessory to add some color or personality to what may be an otherwise simple outfit.

Now that I have discovered their multi-purpose use, I have found many more ways to style my hair. While I have to pin many of them in (which requires wearing my hair in either a straight or side ponytail, or even a messy bun), the plastic ones look cute sitting atop my hair when it is worn down.

To get a similar look, here is my current list of head-wear favorites:

For a funky edge, I adore this plastic one by Marc by Marc Jacobs, but it's definitely a splurge. However, I found a great silver faux snakeskin one at Century 21 for less than $4!

To add a little sunshine to a rainy day, American Apparel has a few different styles in a large array of colors. Personally, I love both the shiny and the lame in bold hues such as fuchsia or turquoise.

If you are looking for function over form, in addition to the cotton one from American Apparel that first launched my obsession, Goody has "no slide" products that are great for working out or running errands.

For those that think incorporating headbands into their lifestyle may not sound very practical, exciting, or maybe it seems like too much of a hassle, just think: What would Blair Waldorf do?

I don't know about you, but I love a good Gossip Girl challenge.