For me, the Met Gala is about the ULTIMATE dress. The one gorgeous, extravagant, daring, and innovative frock that you couldn’t wear anywhere else. Oddly enough it seems there are fewer dresses that meet these criteria each year, but there are still plenty that I would enjoy seeing at other red carpet events.
Regardless, I thought I’d collect some of the elements that could possibly end up working their way into now or seasons to come. Here are just a few examples that stood out.
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Gilded
Lots of gold and glitz, but the only one I truly enjoyed was Carey Mulligan. It’s so interesting and still so lovely. She looks great, and I adore the heavy eyeliner with the nude lips. Outside of Carey, and going against everything I just listed as Met-worthy, I’d have to go with Michelle Dockery’s gold and black number; however, I would have styled it with a bold necklace (turquoise perhaps?), a clutch and maybe more of a lively hair-do. I love the gloves though.
Everything else here is gaudy and dated.
Carey Mulligan in Prada / Scarlett Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana / Michelle Dockery in Ralph Lauren / Karolina Kurkova in Rachel Zoe / Jessica Paré in L’Wren Scott / Bianca Brandolini D’Adda in Dolce & Gabbana / Leighton Meester in Marchesa and Harry Winston
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Citrus
I love the range of orange to yellow. Nothing incredible but still a couple of lovely dresses. Solange in yellow might be my favorite, and while Kristen Bell looks great the dress is almost prom-like. And now to Kirsten. Am I supposed to appreciate its intent and styling? I would love it in a movie (kind of Joan Crawford-esque, isn’t it?), but I’m so confused to see it on the red carpet.
Kristen Wiig in Stella McCartney and Fred Leighton Jewels / Kirsten Dunst in Rodarte and Van Cleef & Arpels / Katherine McPhee in Elie Saab / Kristen Bell in Tommy Hilfiger and Van Cleef & Arpels / Emma Roberts in Escada / January Jones in Versace / Solange Knowles in Rachel Roy
Currant lips
I’m most excited about this category and it might just be because I have a super dark lipstick that I’ve had forever and have been waiting to wear again. I’m sure this look won’t be a sweeping favorite but I like the darker take and think I’ll be able to try this out in the fall. As for the dresses, Camilla looks lovely, and ranks right up there with Carey. (Jessica and Lana both look lovely and also fit in the Gilded category.)
Camilla Belle in Ralph Lauren / Jessica Alba in Michael Kors / Amber Valetta in Prada /Kate Bosworth in Prada / Lana Del Rey in Altuzarra/ Jessica Chastain in Louis Vuitton and Harry Winston
There are a million more dresses and trend possibilities so check them out. Outside of these you should check out Gwyneth and Beyonce.
Like this:
Josie Maran’s Cream Blush
I was so over pressed powder blushes. Even with the lightest of dustings I just felt like the powder looked cakey and dry, so the natural blushy glow I wanted was just not going to happen. I swear every morning I had flashbacks to the severe blushlines of the 80′s.
I knew I needed a cream blush, but also knew that it couldn’t be shimmery…another decade-specific cosmetic downfall, but this time from the 90′s (glitter anyone?). So really with very little effort I came across my new-absolute-favorite blush from Josie Maran Cosmetics.
It’s so lovely and effortless looking it’s precisely what blush is intended to look like: creamy with a light, natural glow (NOT shimmery). For me it’s really long-lasting but I feel like this is one of those features that differs from skin type to skin type. I only ever wear tinted moisturizer on my face so the Argan oil in the blush pairs perfectly with my oil-free Tarte tinted moisturizer. I’m wearing all of these in the picture I shared before. It really is just a nice spring/summer look.
In addition to the perfect blush, Josie’s line has some other really great and important features:
- Organic oils
- No Parabens
- No Sulfates
- No Synthetic Fragrance
- No Petrochemicals
- No Phthalates
- Biodegradable compact
Give it a go and let me know what you think!
Josie Maran Cream Blush in Sun Kissed $22.
(Check back tomorrow for food porn pics from my getaway last weekend!)
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Filed under: Beauty
I totally stole this idea from the Coveteur feature of the WhoWhatWear ladies, but there’s no shame here — it’s a killer idea and I only wish I’d thought of it sooner. Forever my nail polishes had been stashed away in a cabinet, so easily forgotten.
I still get in trouble for perhaps stretching each wear of polish longer (ok, much longer) than I should, but now I at least have a daily reminder that my nails need some love.
Like this:
Ok, so…to be honest…I was feeling kinda pretty yesterday….
Ugh! That’s really hard to say out loud! But do you ever have those days where you just feel content? God knows it doesn’t happen often enough for most women; in fact, every other day I feel quite the opposite. When it does happen though, doesn’t it feel great? So I’m not looking forward to the flip side of this with the inevitable event that knocks me on my ass, BUT STILL…how often I wish there was a way to bottle that voodoo and create more of these days. The funny thing is that while my jeans are the tightest they’ve been in a while (love pounds, hee hee), it meant a lot that I was able to let all of that go and appreciate what I am just right now.
I don’t know what the trick is to bottling this feeling, but I figured a start might be to give ourselves a break. I don’t want to measure up to the images I see in the glossies or on TV, and I hope you don’t either.
Kiss!
[My new favorite orange lipstick & nail polish. Vegas Volt - MAC lipstick, Lasting Sensation - MAC lip liner, Tart Deco - Essie nail polish]
Like this:
I get a lot of questions about natural alternatives for skincare, and while I’m not a product junkie I have spent a lot of time researching natural remedies (with a lot of help from mom, too).
It doesn’t come in fancy packaging (although I do wish it was glass), and it doesn’t have a pretty French-sounding name, but Witch Hazel is one of my favorite products! It’s a cheap and easy way to add a natural alternative in place of conventional astringents and toners.
After cleansing, the purpose of a toner is to remove excess oil and dirt, but also to close the pores and restore pH balance. Witch Hazel is a natural antiseptic, so if you make sure the product you’re getting is alcohol free, it can perform all the functions of a conventional toner, but without the added preservatives and chemicals. To apply it I don’t even use a cotton ball (it’s just one other organic item to add to the list, and really it’s just not worth it), so I just pour a tiny bit into my cupped palm and splash it on my face. After that you’re free and clear to lotion it up.
Bottom line: it’s natural, it works, it’s cheap, and it will last you quite a long time.
Many different varieties here for about $6.
While these little guys have already made the blog rounds I couldn’t resist sharing as an accessory to yesterday’s first aid kit. Hooray for Cynthia Rowley! Limited edition, and a portion of the proceeds go to a good cause. Assortment of 20 for $10 here.
Dr. Bronner’s family of soaps
I adore my Dr. Bronner’s soaps, they make me happy. Yes, washing my hands with his soaps actually makes me happy. And reading the label is always interesting. All of the soaps are vegetable-based, completely biodegradable, made from organic and fair trade oils, and have no synthetics or preservatives. You can actually recognize all nine of the ingredients on the label, and checking in at the Cosmetics Database shows it’s ranking as a wonderful 1-2 (which is not always easy to find). The scents come only from the essential oils, so no fragrance has been added. I’ve admitted it before: I am a perfume/fragrance brat. I’ll have none of it, thankyouverymuch. I use almond in both the liquid and bar soaps and it smells heavenly; nothing artificial or overpowering, just a soft natural almond scent that reminds me of cookies for some strange reason.
Aside from the lovely smell and all the benefits of organic and natural ingredients, converting to a natural soap is an easy way to make the transition toward a cleaner house, and here’s why: last April the FDA announced that there may suddenly be a concern with the commonly used antibacterial chemical triclosan. Found in everything from toothpaste to deodorant and liquid soaps and hand sanitizers, the chemical is so prevalent that it is found in 75% of the population’s urine. Recent studies have found that triclosan disrupts normal endocrine functions (by mimicking hormones produced by the thyroid), while other studies have shown it to affect sea life, even preventing photosynthesis in diatom algae. In short: a chemical employed since the early seventies, presumed to be completely safe (by the FDA in spite of mounting evidence) until last spring, is currently being investigated, but still exists in nearly every health and cleaning product available.
Triclosan
Switching soaps is an easy and fairly inexpensive way to remove a few more chemicals from your home. Compared to many conventional soaps it may be more expensive, but seeing as how some countries and politicians domestically are asking that triclosan be banned from children’s products, it is definitely worth making the switch.
Very easy to find, and liquid soaps are often available in bulk-size. Check your local natural food store or buy online here.
From YSL’s fall beauty line Rock and Baroque. Now if only I could get my nails to look that good with just one color.
[via 80s Purple]
Here’s the first-ever Holiday Gift Guide - ooh, my favorite style! I’ve collected some of my favorite things from around the Web to share with you as inspirations and thought-starters to help you get ready for the holidays. Have fun, and get to shopping!
- Cool Jewels ice tray So fun, right? ($9)
- Chobs Grips for your cutting board & icons to help you keep track of which side is for veggies and which side is for meat. ($12.95)
- Baggu Bags x 5- You guys know how much I adore my Baggu’s. ($35 per set)
- OPI nail lacquer The best polish out there, and also conscious about chemicals too. I love their SoftShades of pink. ($8.50 each)
- Tarte Cosmetics eye shadow palette Chemical-free, GMO-free, green packaging, and a killer set of colors at a great price too. ($44)
- Picture keyboard stickers This is just too cool. ‘B is for Bowie, G is for Geisha!’ ($12)
- Alexander McQueen Britannia patent clutch Really no need to dive into details here. Would be an amazing gift for so many reasons! ($1,067.50, was $1,525)
- Tom Binns Swarovski crystal bracelet The colors. The style. Swoon. I would rock the hell out of this; would be a great investment. ($440)
- Helmut Lang twisted draped jersey dress Because I love the amazingly soft Helmut Lang jersey and because this is the perfect LBD for work and play. ($360)
- Toms Glitters My lovely teammate Miss Ngo rocks her gold ones and just got these lovely pinks sent to the office. I lusted big time and had to add them here. A perfect gift for your giftee and for a child in need. ($54)
- Swarovski Maggy fuschia ring Have you seen how sparkly Swarovski crystals are? ($115)
- Marc by Marc Jacobs diamond Lurex gloves Functional, a touch of sparkle, and really cute! ($70, was $88)
- Alaia lace-up calf hair pumps Literally just went on sale and just almost sold out. I was drooling over an all-black leather version I saw at Barney’s last weekend though, so my dreams are not completely shattered. These really are gorgeous on, not as intense as they look. ($1,098, was $1,830)
- Chanel trompe-l’oeil temporary tattoos Did you see these on the runway last year? So fun! ($75)
- Litter SF thumb holster I love my Litter shoulder chain so I must figure out when I can start adding to my collection. Love this look. ($225)
- USB Battleship Come on, how fun would this be to give? ($23)
- Dotz cord wrap My Lova is the best at keeping cords organized, but I can’t say the same for me. Look at those before and afters. I need these at work. ($9.99)
- Samsung Galaxy Tab Worth considering if you’re in the market for a tab/pad/whatever. I’ve heard good things. Just saying it wouldn’t hurt to shop around; I know I will. ($599)
- Temple leather iPad case Now if you’re going to go through all the trouble of getting a new toy you should probably invest in a nice form of transportation for it, no? This is for an iPad, but perhaps a Galaxy would fit? ($189)
- Dotz identifiers Another great way to organize your cords. Anyone else have that scene in A Christmas Story floating through their mind?
- Cogo floral rug, Anthropologie Loved the pattern and the thickness. Available in other colors too ($78 – $1,098)
- OXO Good Grips 10-piece pop container set BPA free, air-tight, and just all around fucntional and pretty. I can’t find the perfect glass ones so I think these may be the ones. ($99.99)
- Organic cotton frayed-edge sheets, West Elm Because crisp sheets are always a good thing. ($29 – $119)
- Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented I’ll be making a few of these recipes this holiday season. Peanut butter + chocolate. Buy the book to see the rest ($29.95)
- glassybaby The rainbow of colors is just so pretty. Handmade in Seattle, but you’ve probably seen them in restaurants and lovely spaces throughout the country. ($40 each)
My quest for living a clean life goes far beyond organic produce and filtered (plastic-free) water, and dives deep into the products I use in my daily skin and hair care routine. Think about it…how many health and beauty products do you use in a single day? Shampoo, cream rinse, soap, astringent, lotion, and that’s all before the make-up goes on.
Well, the fact of the matter is that make-up ingredients are not regulated, and the most accessible products for skin and hair contain an endless list of toxins:
“The average woman exposes herself to 167 different chemicals on her face and body during her daily beauty regime.”
“300 contaminants have been detected in the umbilical cord blood of newborns.”
These are just two of the facts that are featured in this quick and infinitely important message about health and beauty products and their effects on women, men, and babies. Please, if you do one thing today, watch this quick video to get an idea of what we’re all up against. Like the latest movement for food industry reform, this is another industry that is putting their product and dollar before the health of consumers.
Yes, it’s overwhemling, but for everyone and especially for us women of child-bearing age, it is essential for us to take charge of what we put in our bodies and on our skin and hair. We can change how these companies formulate their products.
Organic products DO help, you just have to make sure that the product you’re buying is actually what is says it is. It takes more work to figure it out, but that’s where the EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database is an essential tool for the arsenal. All of my make-up, shampoos, toothpastes, and lotions have a rating of 4 or below. If you do two things today, please poke around the database and learn a bit more about what you’re using at home.
My skin has never looked or felt better than the last few years that I’ve switched to organic and chemical-free products, while also taking my vitamins (all 9 of them!). I can’t believe the first picture I post of myself will be first thing in the morning without make-up, but my point is that you cannot buy healthy skin in a jar that promises fewer wrinkles or blemishes. It comes from so much more work and research, but ultimately from a clean lifestyle that anyone can have with some practice. Please, please know what your feeding your body!
