Camo Print That Won't Blend In

I have to start by saying that I usually hate anything with a camo print. I think that this stems from being brought up in a tiny town with millions of trees. The color green is almost enough to make me shudder.

However, I do like the idea of a camo mini skirt. I'm not sure why, but just the fact that camo seems so masculine and mini skirts are the epitome of girlishness...well, it rubs me the right way, I suppose.

I could definitely dig wearing a camo mini with a ruffled blouse, or a satin camisole. Add some classic black pumps and you've got yourself an outfit that works for day or night.

Victoria's Secret is having a huge sale right now and the mini in the picture is on sale for $25. Not bad, at all.

But here is a warning for all: save the combat boots for another day. Keep it simple with a skirt like this, unless you actually want to join the army. And I doubt they'd let you wear this hot little number to battle, anyway.

Sorry, Lovies!!

I know it's been 10 days since my last post...but I broke my pinky toe and I've just been all-around busy. Expect like 10 entries or something in the next week! Mwah! Stay fab!

LBD is now LPD--Because I Said So

Let me explain in English.

The basic fashion item that we are all supposed to have is the LBD--Little Black Dress. It is the clothing staple that can be used for formal occasions, backyard parties, and even work with the appropriate accessories.

But I am taking a stand. This LPD (Little Plum Dress) from American Eagle just screams glamour and class. I must have it.

The reason why it works is that the cut is simple, much like the typical LBD, and the color is highly saturated (aka: dark). This is a slimming dress that would be flattering on a size 2 gal and on a size 14 lady! The low v-neck style elongated the neck and makes ya look like a tall model-esque type. And who hates that idea?

I would totally wear this to a wedding, the beach over a swimsuit, or to the mall. If it were socially acceptable, I would by 7 of 'em and wear them everyday for the rest of my life.

LPD--I love thee.

Sparkle and Shine Overdose

On my morning commute to work this morning, I was blinded by a strobe light-esque brightness. What was it, you ask? A crazily sequined bag much like this offensive number:



Now don't get me wrong--I'm all about a bit of bling from time to time, but let's save it for the nigh time people, shall we? I'm already jilted away by my alarm in the morning, I don't really need a follow-up seizure caused by tons of shimmering sequins shaking in my face.

Enough is enough.

If you simply must have some sparkle in your everyday life, try a tote trimmed with something shiny. San Diego Hat Company (click on the purse for link) has a great red tote that will brightened up any wardrobe without causing accidents on the street:



This is a great option for you loons who need so much bling that it overlaps into your daytime life. Shine on!

Blue "Suede" Shoes for the Masses

Fun Fact: Cobalt blue rocks my socks off. It is the hottest color of the season, and surprisingly goes well with the blue eye shadows that are so tempting these days as long as you pick a hue that contrasts a bit. No one likes a matchy-matchy gal.


The color is so unexpected. Not quite a navy blue, certainly not a pastel blue; cobalt blue is in its own league. My fave way to wear it? A hint of blue poking out either with a cobalt cami under a cardigan or with some groovy looking platform pumps with some casual jeans. Or even with a LBD (little black dress for the fashion un-savvy).


Payless has a great pair that they are practically giving away for $16.99 so you have no excuse to jump on the blue train of delightful fashion.

Mind you, they are flip flops, in a sense, but also they are chic and look vaguely like a wedge/heel combo.

They would look adorable with some khaki capris. Enjoy!

Bad Hair day? HA--I Laugh at Thee

A great trend this season is a headband. There are so many ways to wear them and there are tons of different styles out there. One so sure to tickle your fancy, The hottest ones now are the bohemian scarf look, like the one above, from Avon's Mark line. It is $10 for two of 'em--the other style is just as cute; a burnt orange hue perfect for heading off to the beach. Plus the bands are actual headbands. I mean I've tried and tried to wear regular scarves like headbands but they constantly slide off and bunch up and tangle in my hair. It's ridiculous. This is a great alternative. The band is hidden inside the scarf part and it is pretty stiff (in a good way; it won't move but also will not give you a migraine from tightness). So you pretty much just slap it on your head and tie the cute ties underneath. They flow out and blend in the the hair. I enjoy wearing them over one shoulder so all can admire the great print.

Most of all, I love this for "bad" hair days. You know what I mean. You overslept and have no time to shower, let alone do anything to your hair. Either throw on the band and leave you hair loose, or for those particularly nasty days, do a low ponytail with one. The result is chic and groovy. I wore one today and even flipped out the ends of my hair to give myself a retro 60s look.

The most hilarious part? I stole the headband from my mom. I'm sure I will have to give it back, but she let me use it last night when I went for Mother's Day and now I'm hooked. Moms with style are pretty groovy themselves.

P.S.: I'm an Avon lady so feel free to order this from me! Oh glorious self promotion!

Clean and Gaaageous

I am in love.

Let's rewind and I'll tell you all the story. I recently read a blog (I think it was on Styledash, which I love love love). Anyway, one of the blogette's wrote a review of oodles of foundations and Cover Girl's "Clean Makeup" was quite near the top of her list.

I had been looking for a new foundation for some time. I like Clinique, but they don't usually have a good color for me (I find them to have a lot of yellow-ish grey undertones and my face is practically neon pink). I tried some Neautrogena and it actually hurt my skin, so I knew I needed something different.

I should probably explain that I have severe eczema all over my face and often times I have what I like to call a goatee of redness. Not very attractive to say the least. So it is often a struggle to find makeup that doesn't irritate my skin, looks pretty, and covers up any redness I may have.

This foundation is pretty rockin'. And I really am in love. First of all, the color I got was, of course, the lightest and it actually matches my skin exactly. That never happens. The coverage is great-- not wicked sheer, but it doesn't get cakey even if you reapply throughout the day. I think it is fragrance-free, but whatever the case I don't even feel it on my skin. If anything, it feels like a nice lotion. But it is oil free. It's pretty much perfecto.

The only sucky bit is that it doesn't come out of the bottle. I have to pound it ketchup-style on my hand for a few minutes to get anything. But it is less than $4, so for that price I would be willing to smash open a new bottle daily to get it out.

Happy Mother's Day!

In honor of Mother's Day, I give you a picture of me and my mom. Of course I look disgusting and am holding a pig puppet (why, I cannot even remember), but my mom looks gaaageous as always.

Pamper your mom's today, ladies!! They gave birth to you, raised you, and made sure you didn't wear the wrong shade of lipstick. Well, my mom at least.

I'm Smitten with Just Bitten

I love a bright red lip color. The thing is, I don't usually wear red lipstick because it is such a pain to keep up. I mean you've got to touch it up every 5 minutes to avoid having it it smudge and fade in weird spots. And forget about giving your boyfriend a smooch--it ain't happenin'.

That's why I was excited when I saw an ad for Revlon's new lip stain, "Just Bitten". It comes in four colors (a pink, an orange, a red and a purpleish color). My fave is "cherry tart". I searched all through my local CVS for this, but couldn't find even the ridiculous purple shade! Finally, I randomly ended up in the makeup department at Target and found the last one on the shelf! It was clearly meant to be.

Anyway, I took the stain for a test run yesterday. It was my day off and I spent it with my boyfriend who isn't shy about a good 'ole smoocharino, so I knew the lip stain would really get a good test. Amazingly enough, it lasted all day and even after I washed my face, slept, and showered this morning there was still a faint tint.

But remember ladies: if you're going to do a bright red lip color, tone down the eyes or else you'll look like a hooker. Sorry, but it is true. A bold lip goes with a fairly neutral eye and vice versa.

Another fun fact: this stain can be layered to achieve different looks from a sheer rose to a deep blood red. Just delightful. I really am smitten.

Beauty Boo-Boo: Eyebrow Blunders

Is there anything worse than un-groomed, ridiculous, thick eyebrows? I think not.

Since I live in Boston and take public transportation daily, I see a lot of uni brows, and general brown unruliness. I'm very close to packing some tweezers in my bag and pulling them out to help these unfortunate people when I come across them in my travels. I think that the MBTA frowns upon that, sadly.

So the best I can do is try to convince the people who stumble upon this blog to tame their brows.

Here are the worst mistakes people make with their eyebrows:
1) Not doing anything to them
2) Plucking too much
3) Waxing once and then letting them grow back in (and thus creating a beard-esque patch over your eye)
4) Plucking random hairs and having uneven brows.

What people don't understand is that eyebrows are actually quite important. Whether you know it or not, well groomed brows make you look younger, more awake, and just plain gorgeous. People generally look at each other's eye area and guess what, gals? The eyebrows help shape that area. And FYI, they are noticeable.

The bottom line is: if you don't groom your eyebrows, you make yourself look less attractive. And it is so simple to take care of them.

Here are your options:
1) Plucking (best if you naturally have decent brows but just have a few out of place)
2) Waxing
3) Crazy laser treatments that I do not recommend just yet

For those who choose to pluck, I highly suggest getting a stencil for your brow shape. Sephora has some good ones, I think by Anastasia. But if you can't get one that is fine. I usually like to take a white eye pencil and "white out" the hairs that I don't want to be there. Then when I go to pluck, I don't really pluck anything else by mistake. Get yourself a good pair of tweezers (go for more expensive because they last longer and grab the hair more precisely--meaning it hurts less). Just grab the offensive hair with it and pull it out! Very simple.

If you lack this sort of motor skill, go somewhere and have them waxed. These waxing peeps know what they're doing and you'll look great. Just make sure to keep going back to avoid the eye-beard. There are some DIY waxing kits, but they are tricky and it can be very easy to take off your whole eyebrow by mistake.

So those are the basics. I'm just begging you people. I can't bear to see anymore of these people with painted on brows, eye-beards, or uni brows. Something has to change. Take it from me, you'll be happier once you give in and embrace the idea of beautiful brows.

This Just in: Silver is the New Pink!

The rumors are true. Silver is the color for nails this season. Beauty experts everywhere are telling us to throw away the pale pink shades and go for the gold. or, uh...silver in this case.

Silver is a great neutral color and is much more flattering than that ridiculous black that was oh so popular this winter. The look is fresh, young, and easy to maintain.

The great thing is that there is a shade of silver for everyone out there from pale-skinned ladies (such as myself) to ebony beauties! Pale gals should opt for a light color (like beige) with silver mixed in. The result is very low-key, but pretty and noticeable at the same time. Darker ladies can pull of the mirror shine of a true silver. Everything in between is fair game. And to be honest, I'm even thinking of giving the bright chrome a go.

A good color for all: Essie's new "Loophole"polish. It's one of those middle ground shades that looks amazing on everyone.

So Wild, You'll Need a License to Have it

I'm a firm believer that using the right brushes can make your makeup look amazing and flawless. Now there are a lot of great brushes out there--the choices are endless. But finding a set as groovy and cool as Jilda's "Custom Couture Makeup Brush Kit" is near impossible.

With leopard print satin lining, bright pink piping, and matching cotton-candy colored brushes, this kit is the absolute coolest. The kit is small enough to throw in your bag for afternoon touch ups on the go, yet the brushes are large enough to use for your morning makeup routine at home.

The best part? The retail value of the kit is around $52. But lucky you, b-glowing.com is practically giving them away for $29.20.

Safety First!

Sephora's news "Sun Safety Kit" is totally fabulous. The set includes: 1 oz Murad Waterproof Sunblock SPF 30, .17 oz Bliss Sunban Face SPF 30+, .10 oz Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control Eye Contour Care SPF 30, .15 oz Juice Beauty SPF 15 Tinted Lip Moisturizer in Playful, .25 oz Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Defense Moisture Lotion SPF 30, .5 oz Korres Natural Products Watermelon Sunscreen Face Cream SPF 30, .5 oz Cosmedicine Global Health Face SPF 30, and a .09 oz DDF Glossy Lip Therapy SPF 15.

Yet it is only $22.

I bought one of these bad boys for my mom for Mother's Day. It's a really great gift because who doesn't love lots of travel-sized products specifically designed for summer? It all comes in a cute little mesh makeup bag that is perfect for taking to the beach, or just throwing in your purse. A bonus that really goes without saying--every product keeps the gift-ee safe from the harmful rays of the sun( that causes 90% of all skin cancers).

There's still time--show your mom you love her with a gift that could quite possibly save her life. And is totally stylish to boot.

Kathy Van Zeeland Handbags are ROCKIN'

So, I decided to treat myself to a fun spring purse with my tax return money this year. I spent hours looking online trying to find a good quality one that was stylish and would go with a lot of my outfits. But I just couldn't pick one from online--and all of the ones I found were over $100.

Last night, my boyfriend Tyler and I went to Marshall's and I figured I'd have a quick look at the bags just in case. Well, I found two really great Kathy Van Zeeland handbags for $29 each! I bought the one in the picture, and another bronze-y brown shoulder bag complete with charms galore.

The best thing is that these bags retail for a lot more. The bag in the picture goes for about $99. So the way I see it, I got two bags for less than the price of one!

Now, I hadn't really ever heard of these handbags before. I saw them once on some home shopping channel and thought they were cute, but never really thought about getting one. But once I saw them in person I realized that they actually look like they are very expensive (she uses a lot of hardware and charms and such) and they are roomy. Also, they have a lot of little pockets inside that are quite convenient for my cell phone, lip gloss, etc.

These are great bags to have if you want to treat yourself to something fab, but don't feel like spending hundreds of dollars. I love them.

If it were socially acceptable, I would probably marry one of my new handbags. Creepy, huh?

Fashion Faux Pas: Sandals and Socks

Socks and sandals are a huge no-no. Even my fashion-ly challenged boyfriend knows that. But apparently, Marc Jacobs does not.

Marc by Marc Jacobs platform sandals and socks were a focal point from Marc’s spring 2007 New York fashion week show. And I am not a fan. Granted, this looks better than the typical Adidas sandals with white athletic socks. But how much cuter would these look sans socks?

I'm worried that now people will see this line and think that wearing socks with sandals is now a fashion trend. Don't be fooled. Even major fashion designers make mistakes sometimes.

Fashion Faux Pas: Overalls Make a Comeback

I was browsing on the Guess website today to see if they had some fun summer clothing options--which they do, by the way. But I found a whole section devoted to the most ridiculous item of clothing since tapered jeans: overalls. Or shortalls, to be more accurate.

This particular pair features a zipper on the top, a denim belt, and short shorts. I don't know...it's not that I hate overalls. I can comprehend wearing maybe a baggier pair with a cute cami for some sort of juxtaposition of fashion. But something like this just isn't flattering. The gal in the picture looks good. But I mean, she is a stick and has awesome legs. But even looking at her, I can see that it makes her look like an auto mechanic gone wrong.

And the heels make her look like a cheap hooker.

So steer clear of this summer's "trend". If it looks to ridiculous to be true, then it probably is.

Be Your Own Makeup Artist

Though it isn't really portable, Sephora's new "Summer Blockbuster Palette" is perfect for experimenting with new looks at home.

This kit offers 24 flattering eye shadows, 24 gaaaageous lip colors, 5 blush hues, and 1 shimmer powder all for a mere $36. I mean, come on! This is pretty great. I love trying out new colors and such, but I hate having to throw away an entire eye compact because I ended up hating the color. With this divine array of colors, even if you hate half of 'em, you're still getting a bunch of great colors. Another plus: this kit is sans kelly green and hot pink (two of the least flattering colors for ANYONE), so the chances of actually hating any of the colors are slim to none. My only qualm would be that most of the blush colors look too dark and tan for me. But I'll settle for the pink one in the upper right corner and all the shadows and glosses.

And at least I'll be able to try some unflattering shades for pale-skinned mavens and know for certain that it doesn't look good without spending the funds on individual compacts. And I can use the offensive shades for 80s themed parties. It's really a win-win situation.

Singin' the Blues

As a gal with pasty white skin and green eyes, I never really thought I'd be able to pull off wearing blue eye makeup. The last time I tried, I had swiped some of my mom's 80s neon blue liner on my lids and found myself looking at a circus clown in the mirror.

But that has all changed. Makeup has gotten more advanced and now there are blue shades that flatter everyone. Neon blue hues are forever gone.

I love the look of a smokey eye--especially when done with a color other than the predictable black. Blue is perfect for this. Avon just came out with a really great palette of blues, the "Denim Blues Quad". Here's how to wear it:

1) Brush the lightest color (the second from the right) under your eyebrow and on the inside corner of your eye.
2) Take the next lightest shade (on the right) and brush it over entire lid.
3) Next, brush on the second darkest shade (second in from the left) right on the lash line (almost like a liner) and under the eye a bit (again like a liner).
4) Brush the darkest shade only on the outside corner of your top lid and blend upwards. If you have a darker complexion, use this color as the liner instead of the second darkest.

The result is a smokin' smokey eye that is unpredictable and gorgeous. Finish it with some black mascara and you'll be good to go. The best part? Blue intensifies every single eye color--especially brown.

Shoes of Sea Grass

These Stella McCartney Sea Grass sandals are gracing the pages of practically every single fashion magazine this month. Cosmo (I think it was them) loved them so much that they featured the sandal in two separate sections in different colors!

They seem like they'd be great versatility-wise. I could see wearing them to work with some business-y capri pants, to the beach with a sarong, or even out to dinner with a little black dress.

That said, I'm not totally sure if I think that these sandals are the best shoes EVER...They're very cute, but for $575, I think I'll probably pass on 'em.

Mother's Day Swag

Clinique is doing a great Mother's Day promotion, that involves this crazily great tote bag. All you have to do is purchase two fragrance products, and you get the tote bag AND a purse-sized Clinique Happy spray. And I don't hate it.

Clinique usually has great "free" gifts and I've been a fan since I was in high school. I'd spend $25 on a foundation or something and get a huge makeup back full of sample sized products. It was pretty fab back then and I still love it to this day.

But I really have to give Clinique props this time. The tote bag really is perfect for Spring and it almost has a Coach-ish feeling to it. Very cute.

Alas, I've already done my Mother's Day shopping. So I might have to use the deal for myself. What a shame.

Fashion Faux Pas: Tapered Jeans

I read somewhere that tapered jeans are God's ugly gift to the world. I can't say that I disagree.

I'm now inspired to write about why tapered jeans are the worst pants in the world. Here's a bit of a lesson for those who aren't as fashion savvy.

If you don't know what tapered jeans are, you might be wearing a pair of them right now. Gasp! The telltale sign of these ridiculous jeans is as follows: the opening at the bottom of the pant leg is smaller than the circumference of the jeans at your knee. Hence the word, "tapered". Here is a picture for those of you who still don't know what I mean.


Photo: zafu.com

Now, this is from a website that is trying to sell the idea of wearing these jeans. But when you look at the model (who must be around a size 6), it becomes apparent that she looks big in the middle. And she is not big. The reason for this is that because the bottom of the pant legs are so small, the hips look HUGE by comparison. Unless you have the body of a 6 year old child, they will not be flattering on you. In addition to this, the wash of the jeans is light which magnifies flaws and makes everything look larger in general. There is not a worse pair of pants in the world to own. Throw them away, if you have a pair, and never look back.

Instead, find yourself a pair of flattering jeans like this:


Photo: people.com

The bottoms flare out a bit (don't worry--I'm not telling you to wear flares). They are called boot-cut jeans. Because they go out a bit at the bottom, this is very balancing for someone who possesses hips. These pants literally make you look two sizes smaller than the other jeans. The dark wash helps too--there is some truth to that whole "wearing black makes you look thin" thing. But not only black accomplishes this. Any heavily saturated color (dark denim, burgundy, navy blue, etc) can do this.

So that is my lesson for the day. Please, please please. Throw out all of your tapered jeans and embrace the idea of looking good!!!