beauty in the nude

I am obsessed with my big lips. When I was 7, a boy who lived down the street from me told me that my lips were so big, they looked like 2 polar bears on top of each other. I ran home and cried to my mom, who told me that one day I would be thankful for my ample kissers. Well she was right! Today, amidst a collagen-happy world, I am proud to say that I will never need any lip injections on these bee-stung smackers.

I am all about nude lips this spring. I like to keep it minimal like almost everything else in life. Sometimes a bright lipstick can really clutter up a face (read Cristina A.) unless you wear little to no makeup. I choose to wear makeup, have my eyes and brows accentuated and keep the lips a perfect shade of neutral nude. Here are two of my favorites and standards for the perfect nude lip. And terrific for all seasons!


Honolulu Honey lipstick by Nars. The perfect nude shade for me. Worn best with a suntan!



Turkish Delight gloss by Nars. One of my favorite lipglosses ever made! Seriously, this gloss makes me look like I just made out with liquid pink caramel for an hour. Looks like candy on your lips! Also, I would now like to add that I was way totally into Turkish Delight waaaaay before Kim Kar-what's-her-face made the shade famous. That is all!

PINK

My favorite color. Steven Tyler. Always. Forever.

coat of arms

I'm not one who loves cold weather. In fact, sometimes I wonder why I live in the midwest where the four seasons are so obviously apparent. That said, one of the few things that gives me the ability to tolerate the cold winters are STYLISH COATS! Mackage of Canada makes some of the best coats I see every year! Well priced too- most are under $1000.00. Remember, coats are an investment- something that should last you year after year. And because of this, quality and modern classic style is a must! Now that it's going to be getting chilly soon, I am reminded of how awesome the Mackage team are as designers. They keep it real and readily available to all of us. Oh, and they have branched out and starting making RTW tops and bottoms, not just outerwear. Here are a few of my favorite coats from throughout the seasons!

Eye Scream!

I've tried just about every eye cream on the market since I was about 24 years old. This one's the best, I swear. A little rough on the wallet but worth every penny. And the little metal pendulum thingie helps massage the undereye area so it gets your blood flowing there. My eyes have not one wrinkle! I use it RELIGIOUSLY morning and night. Borderline obsessed. Use it! Your eyes will look youthful and fresh. Eye am serious!!! :)

ASOS. Shop 'Til You Drop!

Obsessed with this website. Clothes, jewelry, shoes, beauty products, EVERYTHING and all price points. So easy to navigate and FREE SHIPPING! Recent purchase: a cut-out white tank top, cold shoulder sweat shirt (too cute to work out in but just fabulous enough to lounge around in), and a flowy kimono top. One word,- AMAZE-BALLS. Well, kind of one word...

My Guardian (Velvet) Angels...

I love shoes. I believe that I should have as many shoes as I do dresses. And halter tops. And necklaces. Okay, maybe not necklaces.

I especially love wedges and have accumulated quite the collection of them in the past several years. From sandals to winter boots, wedges are ideal if you love having the height but don't want to sacrifice the comfort of flats (YUCK- one trend that I have never accepted or bought into). However, I have grown a bit bored with the design of the typical wedge- which is why I adore these SICK cut-out wedges from my favorite shoe designer of-the-moment, Velvet Angels. They are modern, unique, yet simplified in design without having any complicated features. The slingback wedge is 5 inches in height with both smooth and snake-embossed leather. Just under $300, these are stylish without being overly trendy and to be honest, I think the price is quite fair.

Check them out at www.velvetangels.com. I swear, I'm in love with every shoe on their website! Props to the lovely Julia of Song of the Exile (read her blog NOW) for turning me on to this lovely luxury shoe brand.

Let There Be JEWELS!!!

It just occured to me that as someone who makes jewelry and accessories for a living- I have not yet once posted about them! Well I dedicate this post to my love of jewels and all that sparkles!

I have always been inspired by people who wear big chunky jewelry. I am not for the meek on this one. People who have the style and even more importantly ATTITUDE to pull off huge necklaces and earrings have always had a place in my heart. My love for jewelry began as a little girl when I'd go through my mom's jewelry box. My parents have always been well-travelled and my mom has collected some of the greatest pieces from all over the world. My particular favorites are her vintage cameo brooch and ring. So classic and timeless! Her love of jewelry took her one step closer to designing it herself. And today she is my favorite jewelry designer of-all-time, not to mention my mentor.

Anyway, here's a little eye-candy for all you jewelry lovers! If you don't love it, then you are NO friend of mine!!!

a classic is a classic...

After spending the past weekend watching fashion-y flicks like Coco Before Chanel and September Issue, I became inspired again by all things classic. Simplicity is a beautiful thing if you avoid being boring. There is a very fine line between the two but the Chanel movie really re-taught me the whole theory that less is more. And simplicity will always remain modern and clean. The classic Chanel suit is really so elegant and timeless. Pair the original jacket with a pair of faded denim trousers and you have a younger, modern version of the classic.

However, the modern version of the classic is more my speed. The detail of the cut-sleeve and the front open pleat in the skirt reminds me that appropriate black suiting doesn't have to be boring. Alas, I wish I had the $$$ to buy me one of these. Perhaps I should set up a Chanel suit fund, no? Every woman should have a Chanel suit in my opinion.

Make-Up 4Eva!

I'm pretty extreme when it comes to make-up. I either don't wear any (my mom tells me I like look a teenage rocker guy when I don't wear a lick of it- HA!) and when I do, I wear so much of it- it would make a drag queen jealous. HELLO!

But I've become obsessed with Make Up Forever's HD foundation. My fashion stylist girlfriend introduced it to me last year when she raved that this stuff was even better than the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (in which I was a slave to but I hated paying 60 clams a pop for it). It turns out our other girlfriend who is a make-up artist from NYC is also a huge fan of the HD line. Anytime any of these two give me any new product info, I am all over it. They really know their stuff and both are gorgeous and have amazing skin.

A bottle of the HD costs $20 less than the Armani (in this economy, every bit helps) and I've noticed that a bottle goes a long way. I only need a pea-sized pump full of it to blend into my skin. The high definition formula is smooth and will make your skin look flawless and not overly made up. They have several shades of colors to choose from so anyone can get pretty much exactly the same shade of their skin tone. The HD Microfinish Powder is also a blessing. Don't let the snow white powder scare you- it blends in perfectly over the makeup and really sets it all in for the whole day. You'll never need to re-apply makeup, even if you're going from work day to dinner date.

So ladies, and some of you gents, give this stuff a try. It's the best in the market- trust me, I've tried just about everything out there!

elementary, my dear...

The great thing about the fashion world today is that you don't need a lot of money to live in it. You just need a little creativity and a lot of resources. One of my resources is Modcloth, a website I have mentioned before. It's cute and affordable, just like this Sherlock Holmes-inspired jacket. It was featured for Fall/Winter 2009 but I can't stop obsessing over it even as we head on into Spring. Subtle yet sophisticated with just enough hipster in it to carry on well in the city streets. You can thank me later, Watson...

RIP Mr. McQueen

Today is a horribly sad day in the fashion world. We have a lost a legend in the making. Rest in Peace, Lee Alexander...

Disco Fever!!!

I am obsessed with the new Disco Pants from American Apparel. As of now, we have seen the 70's come back (remember the re-birth of the bellbottoms in the 90s?) then go back out (as if we were embarrassed that we ever let that decade make a comeback in the first place) and now we are desparately trying to make the 70's cool again. Well I got news for you- the 70's were always freakin' cool! I should know- I was born in that decade, which in itself makes that decade the greatest EVER!

Just under 80 bucks, these pants are like the cooler big sister of the skinny jeans and of course to that ugly-stepsister, the leggings. They also come in Black, Red, Navy, and Charcoal. That said, these pants are the rockinest. I know I KNOW, only like 5% of the general population would look hot in these shiny threads but if you can rock 'em, more power to ya'! Excuse me now, I have a date with my treadmill for the next week or so...

Reverse Black French Manicure

If your nails look like this, you are not only freakishly stylish and too cool for this school, but you are AWESOME. And bonus if you rock the HEAVY METALS.

Happy New Beer!

I'm not much of a drinker. Really, I'm not. In fact, when it comes to drinking, I'm like a European. A European ALCOHOLIC! I kid, I KID. I like a nice glass of wine with dinner. If I'm celebrating, a flute of champagne or an exotic cocktail when I'm out with the girls does me good. I have never been one of those party girls who gets all liquored up and then becomes the entertainment for the rest of the night. Okay, maybe just once or twice in my life. Or last week. :D

Beer, in reasonable amounts, is good for your soul, not to mention your hair. Remember that beauty secret? Put a little in your shampoo and it makes your locks super shiny. Every time I tried bringing a beer into the shower, I'd end up chuggin' it- not mixing it with my products.

With that being said, once in awhile, I like to have myself a brewski. And when I do drink one, my first choice is usually Fat Tire, a beer from New Belgium Brewing Company based out of Fort Collins, Colorado. The story behind Fat Tire is that one of the founders went on a bicycle trip through Belgium and went from brewery to brewery to concoct his perfect beer recipe. LOVE. His result? A rich ale that's neither too dark or too bitter. For lighter weights, there's the low-cal Skinny Dip version, although my dad always says that light beer is for WIMPS! Cheers, beers, and Happy 2010!

GUCCI GUCCI GUUUU...

It is no secret that I love wedges. Wedge sandals, wedge Mary Janes, and ESPECIALLY wedge boots. Wedge shoes are great if you love comfort but do not want to sacrifice the height of skyscraper heels. These Gucci boots are my ultimate wedge boots of the season. When they first came out, I tried them on at Nordstrom. They fit like a GLOVE and the knit body gives it a bit more comfort & stretch and added slouch if you dare. If you don't dare, you tighten up the side buckle and they stay up nice and tight for you Sleek Sallys. Seriously, I love everything about this boot. Originally $895.00, they just marked them down at Saks for $625.99, in case you were stumped on what to get me for Christmas (note size 7.5 or 37.5 in Euro-speak). I'm just sayin'. :D

wreath of envy.

Martha Stewart and holidays go hand in hand. The other day, I blogged about her INSANE cookie recipe that made me feel like a culinary P-R-O-fessional. She's pretty insane when it comes to crafts too. I believe in minimalism when it comes to lifestyle (unless you look in my closet- 'cuz that theory will go out the window NO JOKE). At home, we're pretty minimal. I'm practically allergic to "chotchkies" as they make me feel uncomfortable- like there's too much going on for my eyes. I don't believe in having a lot of furniture. You could say that a cluttered home is my worst nightmare. That's why I believe in white walls, open space, and hardwood floors. It keeps everything fresh, non-busy, and visually un-offensive.

That is also why I'm not a big fan of holiday decorations. Every now and then, we like to drive through the suburbs to see homes lined with different colored lights and large plastic Santa figurines planted on their roofs. It's cute, it's kitschy, it's fun to look at, but it is soooooo not me. I prefer our medium-sized vintage silver bugle-aluminum Christmas tree with only 1 style of ornament (in shades of green, red, and silver) to large real pine trees decorated with every ornament collected throughout the years (ahem, a nod to my Mom and Dad). I also prefer the style of a modern wreath hanging on the front door as opposed to shaggy green ones with an assortment of ribbons going through it at every angle. This Poinsettia Wreath from Martha Stewart Crafts is an amazing example of simplicity yet still maintains Holiday Chic. The different colors of the Pointsettias make a great contrast to jazz up the already overdone holiday flower. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Scarfin' It Down...

When I woke up this morning, the temperature outside was 8 degrees. This scarf from Anthropologie saved me. Kept my neck warm all day, as I never took it off during work. But it's so pretty, it looks like it should be worn inside throughout the day- not just outside for utility. So instead of throwing on a necklace, I just kept this on as part of my outfit. It's made of a wool blend in a beautiful Buttercup color and the little knitted rosettes make it so feminine and frilly, it's the perfect accessory for all winter-long.

Scalloping Away...

Do you ever feel regretful of not buying something that you totally should have when you first saw it? Well this skirt is my regretted item of the season. I discovered this adorable scalloped skirt on a really cute website called Modcloth late last summer. As I got carried away with surfing the web that day, the skirt was never purchased. When I recalled how perfect it would be as part of my new Fall wardrobe with a pair of stiletto boots, I rolled back onto that website the following week only to find out that it was, to my horror, already SOLD OUT! After a frantic phone call to the website, I was very politely told that not only was it sold out but it would not be re-stocked again. Now as we begin the holiday season, that regret is still apparent, as it would have been the perfect little skirt to wear to all the festive holiday parties going on around me in the upcoming weeks. Not to mention, it would have been such a STEAL as it was just under $65.00. Oh well, such is life. The memory of this gorgeous skirt will live on inside me. The cute and magnified scallops layered all around and the perfect black and cream color combination keeping it totally cool & modern and able to wear day or night. Last year, I was all about the ruffles. Now that ruffles are the rage, I am more partial to the scallops, which in my opinion are the new ruffles. It's always important to be 1 step ahead of the trend game, NO?

...and that's the way the cookie crumbles.

I love the holiday season. It's festive, colorful, and all about being around our loved ones. It's also all about baking COOKIES. This can be a dangerous thing but fun, nonetheless. Every year I promise myself to experiment with different cookie recipes. Last year I introduced myself to the art of checkerboard cookies. This year, I told myself I was going to perfect the jam-filled thumbprint cookie, something I didn't have a lot of luck with in the past. Mine always turned out MEH and were not the prettiest to adorn the holiday dessert table with. This year, I have found the answer to both taste AND visual beauty: the Martha Stewart thumbprint cookie recipe! Buttery, light, and sweet but not tooth-achingly sweet. The key is grinding the hazelnuts or almonds to a fine powder in a food processor. So amazing... they won't last long...

more dior. please...

I am way more into a SICK sense of style than I am to fashion-y fashion. THERE! I said it. Truthfully, a lot of the so-called 'couture' stuff annoys me. Much of it is not realistically wearable and certainly not affordable even to the higher-than-average income bracket. The bottom line is, come on, let's get real about what to wear. But for some reason. Dior just nails FASHION every time. John Galliano is a BLESSING to the industry. His fresh and innovative ideas should be worshipped by every fashionista or aspiring designer. His 2010 Resort Collection is a perfect combination of classic style plus a rush of soft femininity with a little animal print to keep it dramatically modern. Plus, he's incorporating a lot of chunky accessories to accent his collection, which of course, I love love LOVE...

say good-bye to daul...

Daul Kim 1989-2009

Daul Kim could quite have possibly been the coolest girl on the planet. A South Korean supermodel living in Paris by day, a painter & filmmaker with solo artwork exhibits in Seoul by night, she was also the blogger extraordinaire. I was truly obsessed with reading her blog 'I LIKE TO FORK MYSELF' almost daily for the past year, which I can only describe as being undeniably brilliant. It was by far my favorite blog I have ever come across. She was humorous, probably more so than she knew, starting each of her blog entries with the title 'Say Hi To...'. Her writing was heartbreaking and her thoughts so charming and pure you would think that she was something other than 'just a pretty face'. But she was also witty, charismatic, and incredibly funny, like almost genius-funny. Much of her thoughts were those typical of your regular 20-year-old young woman in today's world (confused, angry, insecure, uncertain, but somehow always hopeful, or so I thought). The girl could made me laugh and cry at the same time. 

Her fight for hope ended this week as she ended her life in Paris on Thursday with nothing but a letter left behind. Rumor is that she felt depressed and empty living with her career as a fashion model, something quite occasionally clear in her blog entries. Understandable but what I wished she would have known is that everything in this life is so temporary- sometimes even those feelings of unworthiness and hopelessness- this lesson that she wouldn't have learned in her brief twenty years. 

Discovered at the age of 13, Daul recently became the new face of Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld declared her as his latest muse, not surprising as she was breathtakingly beautiful and held a magnificent presence in front of the camera. But what she will really be remembered for is her character, her quirks, and her beautiful ability to communicate with people across the globe like me. Say hi to forever, Beautiful Daul...

femme fatale

Artist Lori Earley is, for lack of a better word, AMAZING. She combines realistic images with a bit of distortion. The outcome is intense & ethereal images of long-limbed elegant women with large doe-like eyes in dark settings. Her work is also the inspiration for many tattoo enthusiasts. Her oil paintings were recently featured in the 'Laments & Lullabies" exhibit in London's Opera Gallery. You can also catch a great article on Ms. Earley (who, by the way, is as beautiful as the subjects of her paintings) in the latest issue of Hi Fructose magazine. Her work entitled, Ms. V, is featured on the cover. Viva La Femme Fatale!!!

Happy Birthday, Hello Kitty!!!

November 1st marked the 35th birthday of Hello Kitty (from kitty to COUGAR, no?) and in honor of my favorite childhood memory (not to mention my guiltiest adulthood pleasure), I dedicate this post to her! To celebrate all things Hello Kitty, the Three Apples Exhibit is taking place at artspace Royal T in Culver City, CA. The verbage "Three Apples" refers to the fact that Kitty weighs as much as 3 apples. And a Sanrio aficionado recently told me that Hello Kitty is 5 apples tall! The metric system should take notes! We should just start weighing and measuring everything in apples! Anyway, at the exhibit, you can pretty much browse the genius works of Ikuko Shimuzu and Yuko Yamaguchi, the creators of Hello Kitty (AND MY GODS) as well as the works of others, such as Tokidoki's Simone Legno and Tarina Tarantino who have been inspired by the famous white feline. I heard that on opening day of the exhibit, they had a fun-filled day long schedule of Hello Kitty events- including a Hello Kitty pancake and waffle brunch, a meet-n-greet with Yamaguchi herself, a Hello Kitty jewelry workshop (SIGH), a HK sushi/bento box workshop (OHHHH), a HK Happy Hour for the +21's, a HK Karaoke dance party (HEAVEN), as well as a photo op with Hello Kitty herself (BEYOND). I would have pretty much given part of my left lung to go to this, but being that I live in Chicago, it was a NO-GO. BALLS! Regardless, if you happen to be on the west coast, the exhibit goes until November 15th. Holla! Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY GIRL!

Small Spaces BIG Ideas

Back when I lived in NYC, home was a tiny one bedroom apartment in a charming 6 story walk-up on the Upper West Side. It was huge in comparison to most of my friends' apartments- the fact that I had no flatmates and a bedroom at all was stellar to NYC standards. I loved every inch of that 650 square foot apartment no matter how challenging the decorating was. I was living on my own for the first time after college, so I did everything in my power to make it my own, combining modern design with my love for quirky vintage pieces that I had collected throughout the years. This dining table set from IKEA would have been PERFECT back then. Cute, compact, modern yet retro at the same time and cleverly named FUSION. I love the dark color and the grain of the table and if your living quarters is space-challenged, this is the perfect solution for dining in style. The chairs are perfectly shaped to fit each corner of the table when pushed in which is incredibly space-saving. Add some fun colorful seat cushions to add your own personal flair and VOILA! You've got the perfect little dining table for intimate dinner soirees! And best of all, the entire ensemble is less than 300 bucks!

a message to glove...

The best part of Autumn for me is bringing out all the fabulous coats, boots, scarves, hats and gloves once again. Gloves are unfairly overlooked as a major accessory since they are considered very seasonal, whereas many hats and scarves these days are worn year-round. I have been in LOVE with the fingerless glove statement for years (highly influenced from the Rock N Roll uniform, of course). Lauren Urstadt from NYC cleverly combines edgy designs with quality and function to create the perfect fall/winter accessories. I love this particular pair because they are not your standard fingerless glove (note the full ring finger and pinky exposure!), not to mention the great punchy color and racing stripe, another nod to my favorite Grand Prix (it's like she's reading my mind!) This year I bought her timeless long, cashmere and leather fingerless gloves (to add to my growing collection) and I plan on living in them until next summer!

Perkele!!! Why Finland Is Better Than You.

I am straight-up CRAZY OBSESSED with this band. I literally have to have someone translate everything Stam1na is singing (or screaming) about, but I don't care, they rock my world. And they'll rock yours too. Seriously. their music will melt your face off. You can Kiitos me later, Y'all...

Super Kawaii !!!

What do you get when you cross the cutest 2 year old on the PLANET with the hippest mommy EVER known to earth on October 31st? You get THIS, of course! This is Max Brando, the son of my dear friend Jill, a NYC fashion stylist who has worked with some of the top celebrities in the world such as Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, and my personal favorite, LEMMY from Motörhead! For Halloween this year, Jill used her magical skills to create Paul Stanley in toddler form. I have known her for well over a decade and her creativity never ceases to amaze me. Genius, inspiring, and so talented it's SICK. KISS forever, baby!!!

Beyond Obsessed

I love fashion. But even more than fashion, I love style. And what exudes style more than Tokyo Street Fashion? Which is why I am dedicating my first blog to the pretties of Tokyo streets. This one's for all of you boys and girls in Harajuku, Shibuya, Ometesando, Daikanyama, & Ginza! LOVE LOVE LOVE...