stealing from friends

Last month, I attended a health and beauty exchange with some of my favorite ladies.  For those unfamiliar with this type of event, it is like a Yankee Swap but far more fabulous.  Here's how it works: you set a price point for a favorite health or beauty item; buy enough for all who will be in attendance; and get together to exchange and dish on your health and beauty secrets.  So fun, right?! 

I picked up some helpful tricks of the trade, and a few particulars have already been implemented in my own personal regime:

All About Eyes, $30 for 0.5 oz.
by Clinique
Available at Sephora

The lovely Genevieve shared a beauty secret she learned during her time in France: under-eye cream is a MUST.  She swears by Clinique's All About Eyes, applied twice daily as part of her morning and evening routine.  Since my under-eyes haven't exactly received rave reviews since my adventures as a fashionista became the unheeled adventures of fashionista and baby, I had to try it for myself.  I have been using All About Eyes for only a couple of weeks now so I can't speak to the long-term results, but I already love the restorative, moisturizing lightness of this cream and the fact that a little goes a long way.  Hopefully I am also on my way towards looking as fresh-faced as Genevieve and the tres chic women of France.

 

Almond Supple Skin Oil, $40
by L'Occitane

The lovely Mary shared a very helpful beauty secret for expectant mamas, the Almond Supple Skin Oil from L'Occitane.  Having recently moved into my third-trimester, this seemed like a necessity.  Made of almond and Cameline oil, your skin is left feeling deeply moisturized and more toned.  It is safe to apply all over, and since I find the summer to be a very drying season, particularly as Harper and I frequent the pool, I've also been using it on my legs to combat dryness.  I had shied away from oils in the past for fear that I would feel greasy or sticky, but this oil is light and absorbs into the skin quickly.  Those who know me also know that I am olfactorily-challenged, but from what I have heard, the scent is delicious too!

Sugar Shine Lip Treatment, $18.50
by Fresh
Available at Sephora

 
The lovely Aimee introduced me to Fresh's Sugar Shine Lip Treatment, and I am a total convert.  In the past, I have used and loved their Sugar Advanced Therapy, and so I trust Fresh implicitly.  While it is difficult to compete with Sara Happ's Lip Slip, which has been my glossy go-to for what feels like forever, the Sugar Shine Lip Treatment brings the amazing powers of Fresh to a shiny new place.  This all-in-one lip remedy is neither heavy nor sticky, but it moisturizes while also adding gloss and a subtle sheen.   All of this has earned it a place in my handbag to be used for any and every occasion; I am completely obsessed.

I feel very fortunate to be in the mix with some totally dialed-in girlies and to have the opportunity to beg, borrow, and steal their secrets to health and beauty.  Hopefully this will be the first of many health and beauty exchanges to come!

I Am Thankful For My Fashionista Friends, Episode 14: Soft Hands

Shea Butter Mini Hand Cream, $10
by L'Occitane

With the holidays fast approaching, not only have I been thinking about the people, places, and things that have inspired me, but I've also given much thought to the amazing gifts I've received over the years--both big and small.  I received one such gift--small but mighty--during high school, when Irma, mother to my dear friend Luke, gifted me my very first tube of L'Occitane hand cream.  I didn't know then that one little tube would have such a profound influence on me (and more specifically, my hands) so I remain thankful to my other mother, Irma, and the gift of soft hands.

Made of 20% shea butter, honey, and sweet almond extract, L'Occitane's Shea Butter Hand Cream is designed to heal, protect, and moisturize dry or dehydrated skin.  What I love most about this hand cream is that it is fast absorbing, leaving hands soft and refreshed rather than icky and greasy like some hand creams.  Plus, the handbag-friendly 1-ounce mini tube is easy to tote, and a girl on the go never knows when she might need to moisturize at a moment's notice!  What started as a gift has become a cosmetic staple, and I've been carrying a L'Occitane hand cream mini around with me ever since.  So thank you, my dearest Irma, for this fabulous gift--and for the secret to the softest hands ever.

On Coolhunting

True story: when I was little and my dad was a 27 year old single dad with no idea what to do with a two year old girl, he used to entertain me by taking me to jump on the beds at The Conran Shop on Beacon Street in Boston. Although some parents would have recommended the park (and to be fair, we did that too), this turned out to be an excellent way to occupy me. The Conran Shop was more than just an international furniture shop- it was one of Sir Terence Conran's fiefdom of leading boutiques selling cutting-edge furniture, a curated selection of books, and other lifestyle wares for selective consumers. Although a TGI Friday's has replaced Conran's on Newbury Street, the empire is flourishing in the UK and I have had the chance to confirm my memory of its awesomeness at the Marylebone branch in London several times.

A few years later, when I was a teenager, I remember reading a story in a fashion magazine about coolhunting, or the profession of basically having a nose for what's next. The idea that this was a career baffled me then, but as I've gotten older I've begun to notice that some people not only have a great eye and keep their ear to the trend ground- some people just seem to have a sixth sense about what's about to explode. Are they taste-makers or taste-sussers? Arguably, all magazine editors, store buyers, literary agents, and people in the advertising industry are to some extent coolhunters, but I'd say there are a few superlative arbitors lurking- Simon Doonan or Scott Schuman, for example (to be fair, I like Garance Dore much more). In a sort of ironic meta-michrochosm of this field, Malcom Gladwell, himself a sort of intellectual-pop culture coolhunter, wrote his breakout New Yorker article on this pseudo science, through the lens of sneaker culture and the footwear supernezes who find the most badass footwear around- and thus inform the preferences of the masses. For perhaps a more ubiquitous pop culture reference, I refer to the scene in The Devil Wears Prada in which Miranda Priestly schools Andie about the reasons for which her sweater is blue.

But I digress.

A few years ago, I was casually perusing some homewares blog and came across the first of what would be many references to Colette. This Parisian concept store has a mega cult following, and I was so excited when Laura came to visit that we had the opportunity to check out the hype. It was the sort of hybrid place I love- a tightly edited selection of merch, cool music, sick photography, awesome staff. We bought a pretty rad blue nail polish by new cult fave Uslu Airlines and promptly decked out our previously nude nails. While we were in Paris, we also checked out another amazing concept store Lex raved about over at dtangled, called Merci. I shared Lex's enthusiasm- it was the kind of place with which you can't help but fall in love. A multilevel emporium of impossibly chic Frenchness, Merci showcases an eclectic selection of clothing for the ladies and the gents (think mix-and-match bikinis for girls, updated workshirts for boys, etc), two floors of ubercool home goods, and various smaller areas dedicated to such goodies as neon Repetto flats, bespoke Annick Goutal fragrances, and a darling pick-your-own selection of Caran D'Ache colored pencils. On our visit, I fell head over heels for a long chain necklace with a small heart-shaped pendant proclaiming "Merci La Vie" and continued to long for it in the next several weeks. I had an unexpected chance to spend another night in Paris en route back to London from Istanbul last week (thank you, volcano Esfsofijgosifogidoifjgaoijweoria) and carped the diem to return and acquire it. I also enjoyed a lovely breakfast in Merci's enchanting book-lined cafe - baguette and apricot preserves, natch (I bootlegged the proffered Escrire butter and smuggled it back to London in my makeup bag). Merci also takes the idea of concept store to a new level, donating all its proceeds- once it breaks even- to a charitable organization in Madagascar. C'est tres chic et c'est tres bon. Or is it bien?

I have a smattering of other concept store faves scattered throughout my fave cities- Liberty in London, Takashimaya and Henry Bendel (to some extent) in New York, even Carly Simon's Midnight Farm on Martha's Vineyard. They are just the places you go when you need the perfect thing and you need to rely on someone else's critical eye. I'd argue Anthropologie, Barney's, and even J.Crew sister store Madewell are almost scaled up/mass retail concept stores, but I'm open to being challenged on that one. Regardless, I highly recommend checking out your local concept stores, or dropping into one of these finds when next you find yourself in New York, Paris, or London- they are well worth a visit, even if just to give you a little peek into what's looking hot- or maybe more accurately, cool.

I Love Paris, Part 2

As you might have gathered from last week's post, there are many reasons why I love Paris. Among them is one that I haven't yet mentioned: the fresh, new shops. No matter where you go in the U.S., you're mostly faced with the same selection. I suppose that's what happens when department stores take over the world? Of course, while you can usually find charming independent boutiques scattered throughout our great cities and towns, there's often repetition with the lines they carry. So what's a girl to do?--Go to Paris!

Shopping in Paris is like starting over. With the exception of the big designers (the blessing and the curse of that pesky fashion monopoly I mentioned earlier), there are countless lines that (a) I have never heard of, (b) are unavailable in the States, and/or (c) both. There are the fabulously infamous concept stores like Merci and Colette (to be discussed in more detail by Miss Sarah when she returns from Egypt--did I mention how jealous I am of my jet-setting friend?), as well as the smaller--yet equally edgy--independent shops as well. And somewhere along this fashionable spectrum is Swildens.

Anne Sophie, the enchanting and bubbly shop girl (as a fellow shop girl, I mean that as a term of endearment--just to be clear) who was part British and part French, might have had a liiiittle something to do with my new found love for Swildens. With the size and appearance of a pixie and the energy level of Mary Poppins, she went above and beyond--going so far as to swap music recommendations with Sarah and telling me that I looked like the model in a music video her ex-boyfriend produced (yes, she actually proceeded to show us the video). Definitely one of my more unique shopping experiences, shall we say? But I digress... The point, dearest fashionista friends, is this: Swildens offers a stunning array of boho chic apparel--made of luxurious fabrics in a variety of solids and prints, always with a flattering cut. And you can't really argue with that.

I, for one, totally fell for a long hippie-esque maxi dress with bell sleeves, which miraculously filled a void in my closet: a maxi dress with sleeves. Anne Sophie helpfully offered some style advice about how to effectively work the dress: wear my hair loose with just a few strands pulled back from my face (the ultimate flower child 'do), with an assortment of long, delicate chains at my neck. While I don't really go for long necklaces--with the obvious exception of pearls--I could definitely agree to the hair style, seeing that it's not all that different from my daily look.

So, if you haven't already guessed, I bought the dress--which is now waiting patiently in my closet for its summer debut. Clearly, Anne Sophie is one fabulous sales person--and with that bit about me looking like a model? Please, she had me at bonjour.

Images, in order of appearance: (1) Paris street scene, photo thanks to the uber-talented, jet-setting fashionista, Miss Sarah Barton; (2) Merci, store homepage (online at http://www.merci-merci.com/); (3) Swildens, shop window, photo thanks to Little Style Box (http://www.littlestylebox.com/); (4) Swildens, summer 2010 dress selection (online at http://www.swildens.fr/).

J'adore Paris!

Last week, I had the opportunity to spend three glorious days in Paris, though it took merely a few hours for Sarah and I to agree that Paris might be the most amazing city in the world. Between the food, the history, the gorgeous architecture, and the striking fashion--well, I die. But since this is a fashion blog, I bet you can guess where this is going...

The truth is, dearest fashionista friends, j'adore Paris--and the masses of lovely little fashion plates running wild all over the city. Comparatively speaking, I have never felt like such a hobo (hobo chic?--not so much...), and I have never been more inspired. Merely walking the streets, I was struck by countless trends, and while shopping--well, you can only imagine how much I could have spent (if I didn't have Dallin to answer to, OR Bank of America trying to freeze my spending--true story). But barred by my pledge to carry on my bags, I had to (somewhat)control my urge to splurge. Yet, fortunately for me, many of these fabulous Parisian trends can be replicated right here in the good ol' U.S. of A.--though they're probably a bit more fabulous on Parisian soil (sigh).

Allow me to share a few noteworthy fashions that you might wish to incorporate into your American wardrobe:

Stripes are everywhere. The classic Parisian look, embodied by a thin-striped boat neck tunic, is back, and arguably better than ever. In almost every shop Sarah and I visited, we saw versions of this timeless look, sometimes embellished, cropped or reinterpreted--though I'm partial to keeping traditional with this particular trend. I mean, if it ain't broke, why fix it?

Ooh la la, hello short skirts! With my height, I would likely be arrested (though perhaps not until I returned to the U.S.) if I were to embrace the much, much shorter hemlines favored in Paris. Mostly donned in the style of form-fitting minis, itty bitty skirts were everywhere, often wore over opaque--mainly black--tights, which makes this look a bit more wearable.

And speaking of tights... I have never seen more fabulous variations of leg-wear than the few days I spent in Paris. Beyond the spectrum of colors or your basic fishnet that you can get in this country, I saw tights that were bejewelled and/or embellished like you wouldn't believe. In fact, I got SO excited about shopping for tights that Bank of America (who I'm NOT so happy with right now for reasons about to be mentioned) put a hold on my card for suspect purchases as I went stocking crazy at the Gallery Lafayette. Don't worry, I just used my other card; stirrups and seams, anyone?

Military-inspired leather jackets: Moving beyond the basic appeal of the bomber style, Parisian fashionistas have appropriated all military finery to the leather jacket--often double-breasted, with a high collar, defined shoulders, and perhaps featuring antique brass hardware. From what I observed, this trend has carried over to London as well (which came first, I can't say), which bodes well for its arrival on this side of the pond, especially considering the exchange rate isn't exactly in our favor these days. I should also note that, though we're officially in spring, the temperature wasn't always so cooperative during my travels. Happily, this gave me the opportunity to see the military look applied to some fantastic wool coats as well. I'm seriously considering it for next winter...

Not for nothing, there were also many trends I observed in Paris that are also present here: Converse are everywhere, skinny jeans appear mandatory, flowing scarves abound, and red lipstick is as pretty there as here. It seems some trends are global, which made me happy--as I would hate to be a completely unfashionable globetrotter! But despite many similarities, there are clearly some things that the pretty, pretty Parisians have a leg up on. I'm happy to report that, after returning home, I feel a bit more dialed in--and ready to make a few choice purchases. What can I say? J'adore Paris!

Special thanks to the lovely Sarah Barton for allowing me to use some of her amazing photographs for this post!

Images, in order of appearance: (1) Metro sign, photo by Sarah Barton; (2) Macaroons, also thanks to Sarah Barton; (3) Striped Tunic, photo thanks to Modelinia (http://www.modelinia.com/); (4) Girl in military-inspired wool coat, another gorgeous photo by Sarah Barton; (5) My less-than-glamorous Converse and jeans, also by Sarah Barton.

If You're A Barbie Girl...

If you're a Barbie girl, then this will be the ultimate tease: Christian Louboutin and Barbie have joined forces in celebration of Barbie's 50th birthday. If turning 50 means special treatment from Monsieur Louboutin, then count me in.

According to Stephanie Cota, Senior Vice-President of Marketing of Barbie at Mattel, it is a match made in runway heaven, for Barbie has a long history of working with various designers and artists who use Barbie as a muse. It was a natural for Barbie, not only with her fashion heritage, but also because of her passion for shoes. She has a billion shoes and we needed to do something special for her shoe collection.

It may be time to dust off the old Barbie collection--even if you chopped all their hair off before realizing, sadly, that Barbie's hair won't grow back (but I'm not speaking from personal experience or anything). The Barbie Collector site dishes that the premise behind the Louboutin line is that Barbie (international fashionista that she is) spent a year in Paris with Christian himself, exploring his favorite places and experiencing his fashionable world. What's more, Christian Louboutin has actually designed three new Barbies, soon to debut. As part of Barbie's Louboutin-inspired makeover, she also gets four pairs of itty-bitty Louboutins to call her own--equipped with their own little boxes and shoes bags.

No doubt, these limited edition dolls will go like, well, limited edition Louboutins! And the VIP pre-sale list is already closed so it looks like we're just going to have to be patient. Be sure to stay tuned for details, and click here to sign up for the exclusive designer update from Net-A-Porter. Ahhh, life in plastic--it's fantastic.

Image: Louboutin for Barbie, email from Net-A-Porter (www.net-a-porter.com). Quotes and additional information from Barbie Collector (www.barbiecollector.com) and M.I.S.S. (www.missomnimedia.com/).