Covet It: Let Your Hair Down

My lovely and amazing mother was born with stick straight hair--the kind that I will never have, despite my best efforts with a flat iron. My sister has beautiful curls, which are a soft nutmeg color, flecked with gold. My hair is somewhere in between: not quite unruly enough to be curly or obedient enough to be straight. And so I covet, while alternating between a flat iron and a curling iron every morning. Do we all want what we can't have?

As for the fashionistas who were bold enough to take my survey, I was interested to note that there were absolutely no overlaps in your coveting. Clearly we are a different breed; like snowflakes, no two fashionistas are alike! Though your unique (hair)style sensibilities put the ix-nay on my plan to do a "top five" list, I did want to share some inspiration. So let's let our hair down, shall we? Without further a'do (pun totally intended, obvi!), allow me to introduce five from the coveted crowd:

1.) Victoria Beckham: Jen loves Victoria's oh-so-posh straight a-line bob. Of course, so does Katie Holmes.

2.) Mary Kate: Chloe hearts Mary Kate's hair--especially when wavy.

3.) Mad Men's Joan Holloway: Suz covets Joan's perfect hair/clothes/accessories. Oh, for a day in those power pumps!

4.) Gisele Bündchen: Annie is just a tad bitter about Gisele's perfect wave.

5.) Vanessa Hudgens: Annie Rose is all about Vanessa's fabulous hair, plus/minus the pricey extensions.

As for me, I've made it no secret that Jennifer Aniston's locks are the equivalent to a happily ever after (though a Chanel handbag wouldn't hurt either--and my birthday is just around the corner). I love her carefully crafted color and the way--whether straight, wavy, up, or down--her hair always looks perfectly polished. Over the weekend, I gave my best effort in trying to convince my husband that I should color my hair like Jen's, but he was able to convince me that he's all about the brunette. So for now I'll stick with what my mama gave me, at least in the color department. But perfect and polished style? That's on my "to do" list. Stay tuned.

Images, in order of appearance: (1) Victoria Beckham, photo from Make Me Heal (http://www.makemeheal.com/); (2) Mary Kate Olsen, photo thanks to another blogstar(http://luffisadrug.blogspot.com); (3) Joan Holloway on Mad Men, photo courtesy of the Budget Fashion Report (http://www.budgetfashionreport.com/); (4) Gisele Bündchen, photo courtesy of Celebrity Hair Fashion Blog (http://celebrity-hair-fashion.blogspot.com/); (5) Vanessa Hudgens, photo courtesy of Shopping Lifestyle (http://www.shoppinglifestyle.com/); (6) Jennifer Aniston, photo from Hollywood Crap (http://hollywoodcrap.com/).

Covet It(?)(!)

Covet It(?)(!)

Fierce fashionista friends, your opinions are needed!

The question for today is this:

Whose hair do you covet--and why?

Post a comment or send me an email.

XOXO Lolly

Image: Jennifer Anniston, from the Toni&Guy Hairdressing Blog, online at www.toniguyblog.com.

The Best Things In Life Are Free: An Ode to Sephora

True story: I paid a visit to Sephora about a week ago to get a refill on a few cosmetic staples. When I got to the register, I simply could not find my Beauty Insider card anywhere. Weirdly enough, they weren't able to "find me" in their system either (the nerve!). Fortunately, the fix was an easy one; I just signed up for a new card, problem solved. And I thought nothing more of it.

Then, a few days later, I received a welcome email from Sephora. Though I wasn't technically new to the program, this was great for two reasons. For one, they called me "gorgeous" (flattery will get you everywhere), but more importantly, they offered me a free Philosophy Miracle Worker Kit with my next purchase. How did they know that I looove Philosophy? Again, I didn't think much of it--having recently filled my Sephora needs and all. That is, until today, when I realized I needed a new bottle of Fekkai Coiff Perfecteur Anti-Frizz Silkening Creme.

With a mission to get online to place my order (so as to cash in on the Philsophy promotion, obvi), I decided to check my gmail first. Waiting in my inbox was another Sephora email, this time wishing me a happy birthday and offering me a free lip gloss tri-pack in honor of my birth month. More gifts? Needing no further motivation, I scurried off to Sephora.com to place my order.

Now, if you're a Sephora addict like me, then I don't need to tell you that you get three free samples with every online order. I opted for: Urban Decay lip stain in sellout (their products have the best color names, hands down); Bare Escentuals primer; and Hourglass tinted moisturizer. Never say no to free gifts, right? And this is how, for the total purchase price of one item, I walked away with more free make-up and samples than I even know what to do with!

The moral of the story is that I am loving Sephora right now, and loving the concept of free gifts more than ever. Hot tip for all the budget fashionistas out there: it (quite literally) pays to be a Sephora Beauty Insider. And as the saying goes, the best things in life are free!

Image: (1) Sephora ad, courtesy of Guest of a Guest (http://guestofaguest.com/).

Let's Get Nautical!

Though it's hard to believe that August is here, the calendar doesn't lie--and so I have to admit that the last days of summer are upon us. What does this mean for summer fashion? Well, we must embrace it while we can! After all, I don't have to remind you that we don't wear white after Labor Day, do I? Rules are rules!

Probably my favorite summer trend is nautical style. After conversing with my sister (who also happens to be preparing for a semester at sea--so she should know), we decided the key to nautical-done-right is that you shouldn't look like you belong on a boat--but definitely by the ocean. While I'm pretty much a sucker for anything with anchors, Annie leans more towards blue and white stripes and maritime-inspired jewelry pieces.

So, darling fashionista friends, the time has come: let's get nautical! The following are my top five nautical-inspired picks (in no particular order):

1.) Swimming Starfish Bikini Bottom: A summer fashion "must" is mismatched swimwear. I love swapping out bathing suit bottoms in different patterns, prints, and bold colors. You can pair them all with a solid color top and magically have a million different bathing suits!

2.) Nautical Espadrilles: If you don't have a pair of espadrilles, then now is the time to jump on the bandwagon. I love the Vanna Shoe from Kate Spade, which adds a maritime twist to the more traditional espadrille style. It's all in the details, which includes sailor stripe lining and rope lacing--because who doesn't want to take their espadrilles boating?

3.) Yacht Club Vintage Button Bobby Pins: Like I said, I'm a sucker for anything involving anchors so--obvi--I'm obsessed with these cute retro bobby pins. On a boat? Use these nautical-themed hairpins to avoid a hair crisis. On dry land? No worries, you can still be sailor chic.

4.) Recycled Sail Tote Bag: Though I love designer handbags as much as the next girl, sometimes utility comes first. This bag combines function with fashion, repurposing an actual sail into a tote bag. Feeling lucky? This one features lucky number seven in red.

5.) Wish on a Sand Dollar: Some people wish on stars, but fashionistas take no chances when it comes to wish-making. From Dogeared's Make a Wish collection comes this delicate bracelet, featuring a sterling silver sand dollar on turquoise thread.

You're smelling the ocean just looking at these maritime-inspired items, admit it! As with any easily-exploited trend, subtlety is the name of the game when it comes to the nautical look. As Annie so aptly put it, "It should be just enough so that when people see how relaxed--yet put together--you look, they want to go to the ocean!" So, how about it? Are you ready to get nautical?

Images, in order of appearance: (1) Photo of the Ocracoke Island Light House on Ocracoke Island, NC, taken by me; (2) Swimming Starfish Bikini Bottom, on sale for $29.99, from J. Crew (http://www.jcrew.com/); (3) Vanna Shoe, on sale for $146, by Kate Spade (http://www.katespade.com/); (4) Yacht Club Vintage Button Bobby Pins
$10, by Strungoutandwired, available online from Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5409913); (5) "Red Number 7" $75 by Reiter8, also from Etsy (www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5074317); (6) Dogeared Make A Wish Bracelet
with sterling silver sand dollar on turquoise $26, by Dogeared (http://www.dogeared.com/); (7) Harbor of Dubrovnik, Croatia, photo also by me.

Did You Just Google "Finance?"

When Confessions of a Shopaholic first hit theatres, I joked that it was the ideal movie for me. The truth is, some might classify me as a "shopaholic" with a penchant for getting a bit credit card happy--and who also finds herself working for a finance company. Coincidence? Clearly, the Louboutin fit.

However, if you have actually seen the movie (or read the book, which I confess I have not), then you know there is a more serious subtext: debt. It's all fun and games until you're running from the debt-collector, wearing 4-inch stilettos. But joking aside, debt has driven the economy into troubled waters, taking many victims along with it.

Perhaps you read the recent New York Times coverage of Annie Leibovitz's financial woes? Frozen by the headline earlier this week, my first thought was: no, not Annie! My photographic hero (next to my amazingly talented Aunt Suzie, of course) on the brink of financial ruin? How could it be possible? Then I read the article and was sobered by the realization that success doesn't necessarily require financial smarts. Or, as my Daddy so bluntly put it, Amazing people can be so stupid with money. Truly amazing. And to think, he likes Annie as much as I do!

The moral of the story, darling fashionista friends, is this: there is nothing fierce about fiscal disaster. So we must smart and stylish, which is totally possible. Though the New Year has come and gone, it's never too late to make resolutions. Here are a few to consider:

1. When pondering your next purchase, be sure you can think of three things already in your closet that you can wear with that item.

2. How many pairs of [fill in the blank] does a girl really need? Sell your stuff on Ebay or at a consignment shop to make room in your closet--and your budget--for new items.

3. Shop resale! I've already bragged about my consignment conquests. Check out the consignment shops in your area to score designer duds at a fraction of the cost.

4. Don't charge it! Enough said. In fact, sometimes I have to leave my credit card at home to force good behavior. I wouldn't go so far as to freeze it in a block of ice, but do you what you have to do.

5. Mommy, can I have my allowance now? Put yourself on an allowance, allotting a certain amount each week/month/whatever for "extras," like clothes and beauty products. When the pot is empty, you just have to wait for the next installment. I know, I know; life can be so unfair.

All is never lost; let the financial plight of one Miss Leibovitz be a lesson for women everywhere. Did you just google "What is finance?" Cheers to fiscal fashion.




To read the full article, For Annie Liebovitz, A Fuzzy Financial Picture, click here.


Images, in order of appearance: (1) Isla Fisher, as Rebecca Bloomwood in Confessions of a Shopaholic; (2) Annie Liebovitz, photographed by Tony Cenicola for The New York Times, online at www.nytimes.com; (3) also from Confessions of a Shopaholic.

My Sister's Closet: Selvedge Chambray

In these lazy days of summer, I always admire my sister's casual elegance. Her style is one that vacillates between prep and boho without fully subscribing to either camp (after all, Warner girls refuse to be put in a box). Think: seersucker shorts with flowing tops and flat sandals. It is this very inclination towards beach chic made her latest fashion "must," the Selvedge Chambray Shirt from J. Crew, a rather natural selection.

Growing up, our mother always told us (as most do) to never to judge a book by its cover, and this shirt is no exception. What may look like rough denim is actually Japanese selvedge cotton(the crème de la crème), and J. Crew stonewashes theirs to add that coveted broken-in look and feel. If you've been into J. Crew lately, then you may be surprised that you somehow missed this gem. Don't be; it's a catalog/internet exclusive--and utterly irresistible. As Annie pointed out, this shirt definitely falls into the "boyfriend" category, plus classic J. Crew tailoring and fit.

For ideal impact, the J. Crew stylists were right on, pairing the soft coastal blue shirt with a bright pop! of color on the bottom. While they picked yellow, I think that nothing would be better than a bold, lobster orange. However, if subtlety is the name of your game, you could do white on the bottom and then add a skinny neon belt in orange or pink for the right amount of zing.

At the end of the day, however you match your colors, don't miss out to make your closet look like my sister's. Annie redefines classic in a way that could make any girl jealous. So don't hate her 'cause she's beautiful; steal her style instead!





Images, in order of appearance: (1) Selvedge Chambray Shirt $98, from J. Crew (www.jcrew.com); (2) Classic Belt in neon orange $29.50, also from J. Crew.

Better Than a Venti? This I Have To See

For once in my life, I actually arrived early to an appointment. It's true! This past weekend, I simply had to escape the post-moving chaos of my new house and sought refuge in a spa appointment at Bella Sante. With extra time on my hands and feeling very zen in the spa's serene waiting area, I cozied up with the latest issue of Glamour and prepared for enlightenment.

Skimming the pages, "10 Model Beauty Tricks That Work in Real Life" caught my eye. After all, my life is nothing if not real. Hello, I just spent the weekend packing and moving all my worldly possessions! Tip numero uno: how to look less tired. Were the experts at Glamour spying on me? I considered the dark circles that were undoubtedly lurking beneath my eyes and read on: At the 10 A.M. Tommy Hilfiger show (that’s the crack of dawn, fashion-people time), makeup artist Lisa Butler gave me a look-awake trick that’s better than a Venti. Better than a venti? This I had to see.

According to one Lisa Butler, a dusting of gold eye shadow (applied from lash lines to creases) opens up your eyes, making them at least look like you get a solid night's sleep on the regular. Popping into MAC later in the day, I decided to take this strategy for a test run and purchased Nylon, a pale gold shadow from MAC's frost collection.

The Nylon maiden voyage set sail at 7:30 the next morning, when an unfriendly alarm clock reminded me that my morning commute had just grown a little bit longer. It all paid off, though, when a friendly coworker told me that I looked "radiant" and was "truly blessed." I may not be rocking 8 hours of sleep, but I'll fake it until I make it any day. Better than a venti? That's my secret, and I'll never tell.

Credits: (1) Blake Lively, photo courtest of Beauty Mesh (www.beautymesh.com); (2) excerpts from Glamour's article "10 Model Beauty Tricks That Work in Real Life" by Suze Yalof Schwartz, online at http://www.glamour.com/; (3) Nylon Shadow by MAC $14.50, available online at http://www.maccosmetics.com/.