BEAUTY A-Z: 'Z' IS FOR 'ZENO'!
May 6, 2009

To put it bluntly, and we may as well with this subject since there are no words to pretty it up, Zeno, is a zit zapper.  There, I said it. Now I will let the folks at MyZeno.com explain their product more in-depth:

"Zeno is a hand-held battery-operated device designed with a tip that heats to a pre-set temperature.  The biocompatible tip is designed for direct contact with a blemish on the skin.  Once in contact with a blemish, the tip will transfer heat into the follicle.  An internal PID controller chip continually modulates the temperature to a fixed range even under different skin and circulation conditions by adjusting the flow of energy to match precisely the heat absorption of the individual user.  Zeno’s microprocessor adapts not only to your individual skin type but also to the heat absorption characteristics of the location of the pimple. Your Zeno adapts to you!  An integral digital timer controls the treatment time.  The level of heat does not cause skin damage."

After researching reader reviews for this product, I'm finding that most are quite satisfied with it.  Some mention that not only does it work for them, but they're relieved at no longer having to apply topical medication, like benzoyl peroxide, to their skin.  Zeno was made for those with mild to moderate inflammatory (not cystic) acne.  Typically, the user applies it to the newish pimple (Zeno doesn't work on full-blown eruptions, or blackheads or whiteheads, so get 'em early and they may never reach these stages!), for 2.5 minutes of heat-activated treatment.  Zits usually disappear in hours after 2 or 3 treatments, rather than days necessary with topical treatments, and Zeno shares none of their side effects.  It's FDA approved and the only side effect it may have (but usually doesn't) is slight, and temporary, redness, right after usage.  Dermatologists recommend Zeno, and on www.myzeno.com, cost ranges from $129 to $200, with a 30-day money back guarantee and free shipping.  I'm having more acne problems as an adult than I ever did as a teen; Zeno sounds worth looking into!

Ask 10 women who is their beauty ideal.  Go on-I dare ya!  Ask 20!  Or 30.  Or 40.  Not only will all of their choices likely be different, but I bet they can find 'flaws' in their choices they deem physically perfect.  For instance, everyone knows how gorgeous I think Angelina Jolie is!  You'd be surprised how many disagree with me, and insist 'her teeth kinda stick out', or 'she really doesn't have much of a waistline' or 'her feet are too big'!  What about Catherine Zeta-Jones?  'Well she WAS gorgeous when she was younger and thinner, before she had her kids, now she's kinda pudgy still'...  Etc...  I knew beauty was getting out of hand when I was watching something on tv the other day and suddenly the star's forehead scrunched up and it shocked me, I literally thought something was wrong with her!  It had been soooo long since I'd seen actual forehead wrinkles on any popular actress, I just assumed they either were botox'ed out and/or just quit frowning so as not to make forehead wrinkles.  Our beauty idea is pretty bad when seeing a forehead wrinkle on an actress at an appropriate time for one, stuns us into wondering what it wrong with her.  I can't count how many times, in the last few weeks alone, I've mistaken a photo of one actress, for another, because they all seem to be having the same beauty procedures, maybe even the same doctors performing them? 

I have no issues with anyone feeling better with whatever beauty tweaks float their boat.  I have crowns on my teeth and use retin-a 3 times a week.  But it makes me kinda sad seeing everyone beginning to look alike.  And we're so zealous about being skinny now; it's getting way past going too far when models are literally dying to be famous in the fashion field.  We're just all kinds of messed up in our thought process when gorgeous women are being overlooked because their lips don't resemble flotation devices, their faces never s how emotions, and they don't fit into a 00 (and i fit into a size 00 for almost 10 years, until 5 years ago, honestly not trying to be so.  To me, ribcages are NOT sexy on anyone; I wanted BOOBAGE!)  Skeleton-skinny is not hawt, girls!  When you can see your ribs sticking out from behind you, it's time to EAT!  C'mon, be honest, do you sincerely believe that Cindy Crawford was not, and is not, one of the sexiest women to grace the page of any magazine?  Yet she was a top model rocking major curves!  How did we morph into our current sitch? Some argue it was the Calvin Klein ads with Kate Moss' first appearance and the storm of the 'heroin chic' look.  I dunno.  All I know is you can still be slender if you choose, without needing to look like a 12 year old boy from the neck down.  It's too bad Ana Carolina Reston, a 21 year old Brazilian model, did not understand this sooner.  She died last November of an infection caused by complications from anorexia.  A BMI (Body Mass Index) of 15.0 is considered going into starvation.  Carolina's BMI was 13.5.  Rest in peace, Ana Carolina.  There is no beauty in death. 

A-Z BEAUTY: 'W' IS FOR WATER
March 9, 2009

We all know hydration is important for our bodies to function properly... 'Drink 8, 8-ounce glasses, of water daily!'  While we know our internal organs need water for proper function, many may not realize that skin is the body's largest organ, and it needs water for hydration as well.  By the time you feel thirsty, you're experiencing some dehydration, so it def doesn't hurt a thing to sip water off and all all day, or chug it when you're thirsty.  Even coffee and alcohol help your daily liquid quota, though they dehydrate as well, so you can't count on many healthful hydration benefits from them.  Hydrating isn't the end of the sitch where your dermis is concerned either.  Once you're hydrated, you need to maintain hydration, which is where lotions and creams applied to the surface of your skin, can come in handy.  Those with hyaluronic acid are thought to especially help keep water from evaporating from your skin's surface.  Dehydration also contributes to fatigue, and feeling tired does not for glowing beauty make.  Water should rank right up there with sleep and sunscreen (containing SPF for UVA AND UVB rays) at the top of your beauty routine!



A-Z BEAUTY: 'V' IS FOR PUMPING UP THE 'VOLUME'
March 3, 2009

IS there a more gorgeous celeb in the world than Angelina Jolie???  I think not!  She's my celeb crush!  But I digress... the point of this blog is not that Angie is the epitome of the walking fabulous but that BIG IS BACK!  Just look at Angie, and every other hot female celeb (even Rob Pattinson, of 'Twilight', had the look for awhile, and he rocked it!).  Even though I've learned to love the sleek sexy shine of flat-ironed hair, Big Hair has always been my fave look for hair.  Having read page after page of glowing reader reviews, I see I'm not alone in my perpetual desire for a lusciously robust bedhead!  Volumizing variety abounds (from a minimal 'just keep from plastering your scalp', to sky high styles), with more products promising to lift your lank locks than you can blast with your blowdryer.  From Suave Professionals Volumizing Root Lifter Spray Gel, Maximum Hold  ($2.99 at www.drugstore.com, or wherever Suave haircare is sold), to Kiehl's Super Thick Volumizer ($18.50 on the Kiehl's website and/or fine department stores and Kiehl's free-standing stores), to what seems to be the reigning fave, oldie but goody Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray ($27 at salons, online and at stores where Bumble and Bumble products are sold), you'll have many options.  Volumizers have been updated from products that you rub into your hair's roots with your hands (sometimes gloopily weighing down hair, especially fine hair) to products that have the application process finessed for near-perfect application.  Reader reviews hail the holding power of Suave's contribution to this spring's new hair trend, but I didn't find any known brand that didn't have a following.  Big hair is sassy.  Big hair is feisty.  Big hair is noticeable.  Big hair puts you front and center, and every Go-To Girl has the confidence to toss those come-hither locks and get on with her bad self!

 

1.	betty products are specially formulated to prevent any irritations and have natural ingredients like Elder Flower, Cherry Bark, Chamomile, Comfrey, Rosemary and Aloe.
2.	betty products are not tested on animals.
3.	betty products do not contain Ammonia or Parabens. (BLACK/BROWN/AUBURN colors contain the lowest % of PPD than other dyes currently on the market).
4.	betty products have 1-2+ applications in each kit. (depending on how much betty you have)
5.	betty products can lighten even the darkest hair with our special no-drip formula.
6.	betty customers love to use our products to touch-up roots, color eyebrows and men use it for facial and chest hair.

 

BEAUTY A TO Z: 'N' IS FOR 'NAIL IT'!
August 25, 2008

Mani/pedi's are two of life's little, yet powerful, luxuries.  Yet there are times when we need the look of the manicure but don't have the time, and/or cash, necessary to achieve it.  That's where the long-time nail geniuses at Sally Hansen, come in!  Sally Hansen Natural Shine Instant Nail Finish costs $5.99 at stores like Walgreen's, and comes in clear and pink'ish.  I remove old polish, push my softened cuticles back at the end of my shower (you can even skip this step if you are really short on time!), then brush on this amazing potion.  In seconds, your natural nails have dried with the soft shine normally associated with a spa buffing!  I add a clear top coat (OPI is my go-to nail product of choice, and their OPI Nicole Top Coat Plus is $7.99 at Walgreen's, although most drugstores and stores such as Target, Kmart, Walmart, and salons, carry OPI products, as do their online counterparts).  In less than a minute, I have a beautifully 'buffed' healthy nail glow that lasts until it slowly wears away, over a week later.  Chips aren't noticeable and you can remove the polish with nail polish remover.  Easy, time-saving, wallet-stretching, AND it fits in your purse for faux glows on the fly! 



BEAUTY A TO Z: 'M' IS FOR MINERAL MAKEUP!
August 4, 2008

Once things become really trendy, I don't want much to do with them.  Hence, I'll wait years to purchase items I like, because they're gushed over, only to wish I'd bought them years before when they didn't look so 5 years ago.  This applies to all areas of my life, including tv and movies.  I didn't climb aboard the 'Sex and the City' train til its 4th season.  Which then meant numerous trips to Blockbuster to catch up on a tv show I became addicted to after the very first episode, once I finally decided to tune in!  I just don't follow the herd very well; am not a sheep team player lol.  Just let this tv show, that It Bag, this hemline start to become all the rage and I disdain and ignore it.  Many times to my regret.  But live and learn, right?!

BEAUTY A-Z: H IS FOR HEAD
April 2, 2008

A-Z BEAUTY: G IS FOR GREEN!
March 19, 2008

And an A+ in the green beauty category goes to Aveda and its organic products, which are manufactured using certified wind power (totally offsetting their manufacturing energy usage). Aveda's mission statement: "Empowered by its unique Mission, Aveda believes that authentic beauty is one that works in harmony with the greater web of life. It does not qualify as beauty if it hurts any of the diverse life forms that the best beauty artist of all, Nature, created.... (hence) Beauty is as Beauty Does.". They more than live up to their reputation for amazing organic products that also meet green requirements. Their makeup, haircare, and skin care products all deliver, and their packaging is almost 100% recyclable. Oftentimes, 'natural beauty' means the product is not very effective and/or perhaps even a bit 'whew' on the odor factor. Aveda is a leader in feeling good about making yourself the best you can be, without damaging the earth in the process. Aveda products are available on their website and in their free-standing stores (usually in malls), and in some beauty salons and spas. Burt's Bees has me buzzing! Ok, lame, I know, but the product is sooo not! Made from totally recycled and recyclable packaging, Burt's Bees products not only smell good, they feel good on, they work, and they're affordable! They have total head-to-toe products available for not only women, but men and children as well, and are available in many drugstores (and their online counterparts), as well as stores such as Target, KMart, etc. L'Occitane! One subtle sniff of their product's gentle fragrance and you're transported to the South of France... Provence, with all of its unique plants native to that lush fertile soil providing the origins for a company that is now available in nearly 70 countries. Merely entering their store is a sensory experience I repeat even when I don't need any new product, just to close my eyes and take an olfactory journey to the warm purple fields of lavender as they waft in the sunlight... vive L'Occitane! There are many companies using organic ingredients, and many who claim to do so (be careful to see the 100% natural and/or 100% organic labeling to be certain, because there isn't much of an enforceable regulatory system for product claims as yet), but these are my 3 favorites. They walk the talk, there is no animal testing, they provide results as well as any other non-green product available, they feel good and smell divine.



BEAUTY A-Z: F IS FOR FACIALS!
February 25, 2008

 
Weight Tips to be Thankful For
November 17, 2008

Ah, the holiday season is upon us.  The shopping windows are filling up with holiday lights, imitation snowflakes, and gifts galore.  Along with the gifts, comes the food, which means bigger waistlines and new resolutions before the year ends. 

November brings Thanksgiving, a holiday that is based off the feast of the Pilgrims and Indians.  In one sitting a person can easily consume up to 3,500 calories when the average person should consume only 2,000-2,200 a day to maintain weight.   Here are some tips to help maintain the weight and still be able to celebrate the holiday.
 

• Make sure you eat breakfast packed with high fiber.  Never start starving.
• Wear tight fitting clothing.  That way there is less room for your belly to expand. 
• Even though it is a holiday, do let that be a reason not to do your daily exercise.  Take a brisk jog, bike ride, or walk when you wake up. 
• Eat slowly.  It takes twenty minutes for your brain to recognize your belly is full. 
• Watch your portions.  Eat larger portions of white turkey, sweet potatoes, and steamed vegetables and eat the fatty foods in smaller sizes.
• Try to limit to one plate of food and skip the second helpings.
• If you decided to drink alcohol with the meal, opt for red wine.  It is less in calories and in moderation can actually benefit you. 
• Take a small serving of dessert.  If you have options in pie, choose pumpkin over pecan as it is has a lot less calories. 
• At the end of the meal, have a full glass of water to help you realize your full and step away from the table. 
• Try to be a bit active after dinner, even if it is washing the dishes or cleaning up the kitchen.  
   

Not matter what, just remember that it is okay to eat whatever you want just as long as you watch your portions.  Try not to overeat and you will wake up the next day feeling thankful you still have your same figure. 


Defining the Diet
May 22, 2007

There are many definitions of the word: diet.  A person’s “diet” is the usual food and drink consumed.  However, most would relate the definition of “diet” to: the act of restricting your food intake.  There are healthy diets, prescribed diets, fad diets, and crash diets.  When researching for the best “diet” out there, I went to Amazon.com and typed in “weight loss.” It came back with 40,947 results in books alone.  Well, I decided to narrow my search to “diet books.”  It came back with 6001 results.  If there are so many choices out there, how do we know which one is best for us? Okay, so I am not a nutritionist, dietician, or a doctor.  My information is solely based off my experience and own personal research.

YOGA POSE: Tree (for balance)

• To keep helping you create a full yoga work-out it's time to add a simple balancing pose.
• Balancing should come at the end of your work-out when your heart rate is up and it is time to come back down to the mat.
• It might be a good idea to do Pigeon before Tree to help stretch out the hips.
• To do the balance all you have to do is shift your weight to one foot and walk the other up your leg as far as you are comfortable.
• Make sure you don't use your knee cap as a spot to press the balancing foot into.
• Find a focal point.
• Keep your hips straight.
• And focus on your breathing while maintaining the pose.
• Your hands can be anywhere.
• Above you in prayer, or in at your chest.
• Play around with what feels best.

YOGA POSE: Warrior Two

• Start in Down Dog for a warm-up.
• Take in four to five full breaths before beginning or until your body feels ready to go.
• Next move onto Warrior One.
• From Warrior One you will take a deep breath and on the exhale shift your hips so that they are now facing to the side as opposed to in front of you.
• Your footing should stay the same, though if you want to cheat the back toe out a little that is perfectly acceptable.
• Your arms will simultaneously extend down parallel to the floor.
• Your gaze is over the the front fingertips. Feel free to flow through Warrior One and Warrior Two to be aware of the positioning in your hips.

After return to Down Dog before continuing to the other side.

YOGA POSE: Gorilla

This pose is an extreme hamstring stretch. It should be done preferably after the ligaments are already warmed-up. It's alot like a normal forward fold.

• Stand with feet two fists width distance apart.
• Then bend forward at the hips letting your back melt down towards the ground.
• From there take a deep breath and bend at the knees.
• Flip the palms to face the sky and place them under your feet to where-ever you feel best.
• Breathing with deep and fluid breath you'll want to try to straighten your knees as much as it's comfortable.
• If full Gorilla is too intense you can always use the modification.
  Instead of walking the hands under the feet.
• Wrap peace fingers around the big toes and pop elbows out to the side pulling your body downwards.
• Hold pose for ten to fifteen full and fluid breaths. Repeat if necessary.
  

YOGA POSE: Down Dog 

Your goal is to make a V with your body.

• A great way to come into this position is starting from Up Dog.
• Then just curl the toes under and push yourself into the V.
• Palms should be flat on the floor and thumbs about two to four inches apart.
• Feet are hips width distance apart and the heels are slightly off the floor.
• Once to this point in the pose you want to work to relax your neck by dropping the head and releasing your ears past your forearms.
• You can also walk your heels out pressing them into the floor one at a time to help stretch out the calves and help your body adjust to the over-all pose.
• Breath deep focusing on expanding the ribcage.
• Push the hips up and let the back come as flat as possible.

YOGA POSE: Straddle Spilt



• One way to get into a straddle split is to come from Warrior One.
• Directions for Warrior One are in the last edition.
• From Warrior One, take a deep breath and as you exhale sweep the hands down to the ground, placing them on either side of the front foot.
• Then inhale and lift the back leg into the air. You can also do this in One fluid motion. By sweeping the hands down and just kicking up the back foot.
• Once the back foot is in the air work to lift the foot as high as you can.
• Drop the nose towards the toes lengthening your back. Make sure to breath fluidly, the pose requires balance and flexibility.
• You should feel the stretch in the hamstring of the supporting leg. Also make sure the supporting leg is straight and solid.
• If you need to bend the knee or your hands don't come to the floor you might not be ready for this pose.

YOGA POSE: Shoulder Stand

• You want to start on your back with your feet flat on the floor and elbows on the ground.
• Your hands are facing the sky and ready to catch your hips.
• Take a deep breath and as you exhale roll your hips up into your hands.
• Walk your hands as far down your back as you can.
• Keep your hands supporting your back. Your weight should be evenly distrubted between your shoulder blades.
• Do not look from side to side, keep your neck in line with your spine. You want to feel as if you are standing on the ceiling.

YOGA POSE: Plow

• Plow is a great back stretch. All the guidelines that apply for Shoulder Stand are the same for Plow.
• Once in Shoulder Stand let one leg fall over your head at a time.
• If your feet don't touch the ground or you want to bend your knees you need to keep your hands supporting your back.
• If you want to intensify the stretch bring your hands behind your back and clasp them.
• Make sure the weight stays evenly distributed between your shoulder blades. Keep your neck in line with your spine don't look from side to side.



Pilates: Mermaids and Hips Dips

Let's work those obliques! This is just a little super set you can get creative with. I will explain each exercise first and then how you can implement them.

• Mermaids: Are done with the legs jack-knifed out. That means you extend the feet slightly in front of you.
• As you do the exercise you do not want to lean back into your hip, some people tend to do this in order to get their feet higher in the air. That is not the goal!
• You want to isolate the obliques with tight controlled movements by lifting both feet into the air simultaneously. The upper body should not be moving. If it is, you are trying to lift your feet to high.
• Hip Dips: You have to make a straight line with your body otherwise known as a side plank. There are two ways of doing this exercise, one is just a little bit harder.
• First, stack the shoulder over the wrist (so important) then lift your body into a straight side plank.
• Keep the elbow locked, do not bend, and dip the hip as you exhale, inhale on the way up.
• Pilate breathing is inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth to work the diaphragm. If you find these to be to strenuous, then you might want to take the modification. Always do what feels best to your body!
• All you have to do is drop down onto your elbow, shoulder is still stacked over the elbow and all the same rules apply. Make a straight line with your body and the breathing is also the same.

The fun part is you can do these as creatively as you want. You can do 3 sets of mermaids with 10-15 reps straight and then do the same with your hip dips or you can switch back and forth. The only real requirement is that you challenge yourself. Also feel free to add any crunches or ab work-outs you already know. The great thing about this little workout is you can do it at home or on the go.



PILATES EXERCISE: Heel drops

• Lay flat on your back with an imprinted spine.
• This means you push your navel towards the ground so there is no room to move your hand under your back.
• Raise your legs to a 90` angle from your spine.
• Make sure not to let the hips move or come up off the ground.
• As you exhale begin to drop the heels and only drop them down so far that the spine will stay flat on the ground.
• If your back begins to invert your core is not strong enough to support you and you should decrease your drop.
• As you lift your legs inhale until you are back at 90`.
• All movement should be done slowly and with control in flow with the breath.
• Starting with 3 sets and repetitions of 10 will be challenging at first.
• Feel free to up the reps as your abdominal becomes stronger

PILATES EXERCISE: Hip Tilts

• There are two ways you can place your hands for this exercise.
• The basic and easier way is just to leave the hands face down on the floor by your hips. This is the best choise especially if you are feeling any strain in the low back.
• The other is to clasp the hands behind your back and then pull the shoulder blades together to get a higher rise in the hips.
• After you have figured out what feels best for your body you just lift the hips into the air exhaling as you push up.
• As you drop the hips back down to the ground inhale but don't release the pose.
• Your hips should still be a couple of inches off of the floor.
• You should do these at a repetition of fifteen
• For more of a challenge on the last one you can hold the pose with your hips pushed up in the air for ten to fifteen seconds.
  You should feel a good burn in your glutes and maybe even quadricep region.
• Doing these three to five sets should do the job.

PILATES EXERCISE: GLUTE ROLLS

Lets add on a Pilates exercise to our recently learned Down Dog pose.

• While in Down Dog you can add glute rolls.
• All you need to do is bring the Down Dog into a Split Dog by raising one foot into the air.
• Work to keep your hips, especially the hip of the foot that is raised, squared off to the ground.
• Then engaging your core make small circles with the foot that's in the air.
• Exhaling on the way down and inhaling as you rotate up.
• Use your diaphragm to work your breath.
• Then you do the same amount of circles rotating in the opposite direction.
  You might want to rest in between the right and left leg.
• Or if you are up for the challenge you can do both sets consecutively.
• Also feel free to play with the number of reps.
• My suggestion for starting is a total of ten. Making five to the inside and five to the outside.

PILATES EXERCISE: Prayer Plank 

A new way to do prayer plank so I am going to give you that option and a modification.

• The modification for both is to come to the knees if you don't have the core stability.
• Prayer Plank is when you stack the shoulders over the elbows and make a straight line with your body.
• Come up on the toes and press away with the heels.
• Make sure you are looking straight ahead and not down.
• This causes rounding in the back, so lift thru your chest.
• Your hands can either be clasped or just pressed together, hence the name Prayer Plank.
• The other choice is to lay your palms flat on the floor and come into a plank.
• This option puts more of a challenge on your core because of the positioning of your hands.

PILATES EXERCISE: Oblique C-Curve

• Come into a C-Curve.
• All you have to do is put your feet flat on the floor and imprint your spine into the floor.
• To imprint your spine you push your navel into the ground.
• Then lift your head curling into a C-Curve.
• Maintain your C-Curve and tap each ankle individually.
• Use your index finger and just move back and forth.
• You should do the exercise until you feel a go od burn and then repeat two more times. 

It's a Wonderful Life
December 7, 2009

Alas, it's coming to that time of year again and holiday parties are upon us!  Of course you could wait til the last minute, when selections will be picked over to the n-th degree... they likely will no longer have your size even if you do find the style... and here in Sin City, swimsuits will be filling the sales floors, rather than festive holiday wear. 

OR.  You could feel highly organized and productive and curl up with your laptop in your jammies while sipping rum-spiked egg nog to buy this fantastically versatile sequined blazer, on bebe.com!  You'll save hours of wear and tear on your psyche and time, not to mention gas, parking, and road rage. Top your basic LBD with it to stay warm while updating your look. Toss it on over a dressy or casual top, with your fave go-to jeans, for easy cocktail attire or fancy clubbing. Wear it over a simple tee and jeans for a smashing day-to-night to-do!  'Tis the season for fun, so get a jump on style and ease your 'I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR' anxiety.  Stress relief alone is worth its $159 price tag, at bebe.com.  For a limited time, bebe.com is offering free shipping for purchases over $150, and no dry cleaning necessary: This blazer is hand-washable.  The transformative powers of this one sassy item will remove your inner Grinch through every holiday gathering! 

SCARF IT UP!!
November 13, 2009

 

I have a new fave trend, which is not only quite feisty, but highly practical as well.  Scarves have been around for awhile now, LUV'em, they freshen up any style anytime.  Not long ago I spied an infinity scarf in a fashion mag; talk about getting my attention!!

A warm cocoon of love encircling one of our most-neglected areas, our necks!  I'm soooo not a turtleneckperson, they feel as if they're choking me, but an infinity scarf is such a cool way to get the heat without the rash!  (Turtlenecks make my neck itch!) You can buy a single circle, a looping circle, a thin circle, a chunky circle, a fringed circle, a pom pom'd circle, a knit circle, a silk circle, a solid circle, a printed circle, a plaid circle, or even a cashmere circle.  Dress in jeans, tee and a hoodie, and wrap your neck in a fuzzy bright infinity scarf.  Kick it up a notch with a blazer, even add dress pants instead of jeans, and an infinity scarf will keep you warm AND hip through the winter and spring!  Pair your mini dress with your nee-high boots over tights or leggings, and pop that love ring over your head for a polished finish.  Pictured here is one of my faves, the Everyday Infinity Scarf, priced at $29.50 and available (along with other styles) in 4 colors at: thelimited.com.  Scarves are one-stop shopping for dressing up, or dressing down, every outfit, day or night! 

LEGGINGS LOCK IT UP!
October 20, 2009

Ahhhhh, soooo.... winter is fast approaching... Autumn?  What's that?? Weather seems to know 2 temps now (thanx, Global Warming?!), hot and cold.  No more refreshing mojitos post-poolside dip... No running around half-naked instead of tied and tethered to layers of clothing... When the leaves fall from the trees, I feel like hibernating til Spring, and not very much motivates me from my barometric funk.  And then... The magic ad in one of my monthly fashion mags!!  LEGGINGS FOR FALL/WINTER!!  The Fashionistas said 'no no no' way leggings would last through spring!  Yet leggings have a lock on style with not just your basic capri length to wear with your basic gladiator sandals and/or flats (a look I rocked all summer!).  Not as the camel-toe inducing outfits (short tops and leggings as pants) of seasons past... wayyyy past.  NO!  This Fall/Winter season, our brazilliant full-length leggings are topped with all manner of options:  longer tees, shirts, blazers, mini-dresses, just mix and match.  And for the indie-style adventuress, layered under shorts!  Seriously.  IS there any 'pant' more comfy and versatile than leggings?

NOT.  You'll find them at every price range, in every store that carries pants of any kind.  Designers have gotten in on the trend as well.  Vanessa Bruno sells a suede pair of leggings for $1295. RM by Roland Mouret knitted leggings goes for $830. Juicy Couture's options include a $120 pair with button ankles in stretch jersey.  I love my pair of basic black cotton Splendid $60 leggings; they're stretchy but not 'stretched', comfy, almost feels as if your legs are bare, but warm! (All available at net-a-porter.com)  Peruse the stores and the 'net and you'll find leggings in every print and design you can fathom.  But my abso-FAVE leggings, the swoon-worthy pair I saw in the fashion ad, are pictured here!  $20, at H&M, sequined, that 's unreal.  Can you think of a better way to kick it up a notch??

FRINGE BENEFITS!!

September 8, 2009
 

I fell in love this spring...

 

Not THAT kinda love!  I'm extolling the fringe benefits of boho bliss!!  Balenciaga first hooked me years ago with the purse every celeb seemed to buy in multiples, their motorcycle bag.  After a couple years of 'should i-should i', the devil upon my shoulder screeched 'WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR' and I revved myself straight to Neiman's for my fix.  I consider that bag, which I carried nonstop for 2 years, a work of art.  I will never part with it.  I still just touch it for the buttery-soft response it gives me.  My binge for fringe has been ignited here everafter. 

Imagine my ecstacy to discover that not only were fringed bags THE go-to look of the season (check out Vanessa Hudgens and her JJ Winters Fringe Bag in brown, available at pinkmascara.com, for $409), but they're hanging (ohhhh how I crack myself up at times) around for fall!  Thomas Wylde's fringed beauty, the Ibiza, took me to my knees, and where IS that pesky lil devil when I need his push to part with the $2200 to make Ibiza mine??  Ibiza is now difficult to find, but Thomas Wylde fortunately has now come out with the Nomad; I die for it in black!  (My apologies to Rachel Zoe for appropriating her phrase but it will soon be part of our natural lexicon!) At $2800, I fear I must draw the line, and focus on other offerings (Net-A-Porter carries Thomas Wylde bags!), but have no fear, for many designers (Linea Pelle and Genevieve Jones-Kate Moss seldom puts down her GJ bag-are two more I lust after!). And most stores have stepped up to accomodate us boho fanatics!  From Forever21 to Urban Outfitters to Nordstrom's and most every store in between, you can carry the serene chic, not to mention the roomy goes-with-most-everything aesthetic, with you throughout the fall and winter!!

MIDNITE AT THE OASIS?!
August 14, 2009

HEADBANDS HAPPENINGS WITH TARINA TARANTINO
July 13, 2009

Once reserved for little girls and Hilary Clinton, headbands are now the happiest accessory your hair can have, especially on a bad-hair day!  Sooo versatile and functional, they can be worn hippie-bandeau style, to push the front of your hair back, or simply as a fab accoutrement to your outfit for the day, or night!  From plastic Goody hair brands to designers like Marc Jacobs, every store that sells hair accessories sells headbands.  Easy to find, easy to use, delightful to wear!  Some of my very very fave styles come from the unique online store of Tarina Tarantino.  In 1995, former model Tarina collabed with Alfonso Campo to create hair jewelry that adhered to their personal aesthetic: "There should not be any rules when it comes to creating your personal style."  Their unusual, often-whimsical, designs were soon featured in all the major fashion mags, along with appearing on Oprah, CNN and Access Hollywood.  Celebs (Pink, Taylor Momsen, Juliette Lewis, Paris Hilton and on and on!), and us mortals alike flock to their stand-alone stores, and Kelly Osbourne rocks their new ad campaign.  (She looks AMAAAAAZING!)  Check out Katy Perry flaunting the Feather and Flower Dollskin Headband ($163 at tarinatarantino.com.  'Electric Koolade Collection' flower headband $100.  Leather and Swarovski Crystals Butterfly Headband, $145)!  Headbands aren't Tarina's only forte; I can't stop drooling over her variety of handbags and jewelry either!  A Tarantino creation will def bring you the best kind of attention, bad hair day or not!

Sarah Jessica Parker has felt the Love.  So have many other celebs you've no doubt seen in fashion mags and the tabloids.  Like Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Alba, Naomi Watts, Miley Cyrus, Leighton Meester, Ashley Tisdale, Courtney Cox, Molly Sims, Cindy Crawford.  Etc. And the Queen of Matt Bernson, and the first person I noticed rocking Matt Bernson sandals, Nicki Hilton.  A pair she had on a few seasons ago was what stoked my attention in the first place.  Do I wish to be a celeb??  NEVER!!  Am I glad their photos turned me on to this awesome find!  Abso-freakn-lutely! 

SHHHHHH!

Vicky has a secret!  LOTS of them!  All the better to flaunt your assets, My Go-To Dears!  Yesterday, as I perused the latest issue of nubile eye candy known as the Victoria's Secret Catalogue, THE PERFECT SUMMER DRESS, popped off the page!!!  It is quite likely the most-versatile, most figure-flattering, yummiest dress I've ever seen.  The empire waist showcases our lovely lady lumps up north, whilst a twisted crossed-halter tie neckline makes sure nothing plays peekaboo with that spring in our step!  Soft ruching in front camouflauges any tummy issues we might have as the cotton/modal/spandex fabric, gently caresses our curves as it falls into summer's go-to length, the maxi.  If you want in on Vicky's secret, visit www.victoriassecret.com and good luck trying to choose from the 9 assorted colors available!  You can't beat $108 for easy-going and comfy perfection that will see you through any summer day, or night! 

LET'S JUMP RIGHT IN!
May 19, 2009

Last year, when I began to notice jumpsuits-gawwwwd-hitting the runways and fashion scene with more frequency, my initial and long-running thought was 'NOT AGAIN!!!!'.  Love the look, HATE the hassle when it's time for the bathroom break!  I still have to get over THAT annoyance, but I'm liking the look again, which may come in handy, since it seems jumpsuits are everywhere and in soooo many shapes, sizes, and styles!  Check out Audrina Patridge (from 'The Hills') rocking this black silk twill Helmut Lang version!  (Photo 1: $460 at www.net-a-porter.com.  Photo from People Magazine.)  Audrina has one bangin' bod; everything looks amazing on her!  But those of us with figure flaws can hide a multitude of sins in a trendy jumpsuit.  A cinched waist takes attention from fuller thighs and legs.  This plunging neckline highlights a girl's best assets!  (V-necks and push-up bras enhance the less-blessed of us!)  This design is classic; bling it up and add heels, or hit the casual scene in cool flats and wrist cuffs.  Jumpsuits are the less-dangerous, yet still-hot, version of a dress.  All the ease and includes freedom of movement, without fear of 'exposure'!  In this economy, you can still rock the look for less with ella moss's wrinkled cotton voile piece.  (Photo 2: $139 at www.shopbop.com)  Wear it as is, or add a funky hip-slung belt to take you from an easy day to a dressier night.  Newport News has such a versatile addition (Photo 3: $39 at www.newport-news.com), and it looks tres chic as is, whatever your go-to shape!  The empire waist highlights what our momma gave us, and hides any tummy trepidation!  Flip flops for day, or wear it as a beach coverup, add earrings and espadrilles and  it will take you to dinner.  Easy living!  For those who feel you must be stick thin to carry off this latest retro-trend, look again, then JUMP right in!