A style rule to make you go hmmmm...

I was reading the latest issue of Marie Claire while in a very long line at Starbucks this morning when the following statement caused me to make the WTH face (ya'll know what I'm talking about, lol).

"Grunge up a polished look with a kid's sweatshirt." Lisa Mayock (One half of Vena Cava) page 38, Marie Claire/July 2008

Okay I'm all for making your own style rules and creating a look but Lisa Mayock's style rule was a little out there.

How many adult women can fit into a kid's sweatshirt? Why would anyone want to grunge up a polished look? When does such an occasion even call for one to have to grunge up a polished look? This style rule leaves too many unanswered questions and it sounds difficult to pull it off.

The image that popped in my mind after reading her tip was pure comedy. Go ahead. Take a few moments and visualize a polished look, now add a kid's sweatshirt to the mix. Yeah. Exactly. Don't try this at home folks.

I Finally Saw It!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday afternoon I went to the movies and finally saw Sex and the City. The movie was sooooooo good. I laughed, I cried, and I drooled over the fashion.

Fellow Chicagoan Jennifer Hudson dazzled as Louise. She was just what Carrie needed at the most critical time in her life. Go J-Hud!!!!

After the movie, I went to Borders to buy the book, Sex and the City: The Movie. I have gone completely SATC crazy. I have the soundtrack, the book, and two T-shirts from Steve and Barry's. I'm also looking for a couple of items that were featured in the movie as well as waiting on part two of the soundtrack. There were two songs featured in the movie that are not on the current soundtrack; Ciara's Click Fash which was playing as Carrie modeled designer wedding gowns and 2nite by Janet Jackson which was playing when Carrie and Big made the grand entrance to their engagement party.

Of course, I plan to see the movie again and I will own the DVD when it comes out.

Before I forget, if anyone is looking for Louise's "Love" keychain, I found it! Click here

Avon Revisited: The Good & Not So Good

It has been about eight years since I ordered anything from Avon. I became interested in other brands and some of Avon's products were kind of blah to me when compared to MAC, Clinique, and Nars. Out of the blue last month I ordered a few products along with my coworker.

I ordered Glazewear Liquid Lip Color in Brown Sugar, Chic Mauve, and Darling Pink, Nail Experts Nail Brightener, and the new fragrance Flower by Cynthia Rowley.

The Good:

Flower by Cynthia Rowley is a pretty fragrance in a cute bottle. I took a big risk ordering a fragrance I had never smelled. The bottle reminded me of an Easter basket purse I had when I was about six years old. Maybe I was trying to recapture my youth because I was crazy about that purse, lol. Surprisingly, the scent isn't overly floral at all. The notes are citrus, violet leaves, freesia, Casablanca lily, vanilla, velvet woods, and sandalwood.

Nail Experts Nail Brightner does exactly what it is supposed to do...brighten your nails. After ruining my most recent manicure opening mail and rearranging the books on my bookshelf, I used the nail brightener and was pleased with the results. My nails had a pretty glow and looked very fresh. This is a great product to use in between manicures.

The Not So Good:

The Glazewear Liquid Lip Color did nothing for me. They are drying and have no shine. This is more of a liquid lipstick with an almost cakey feel. I didn't like the way it felt on my lips at all. Darling Pink was the best of the three I bought and that isn't saying much. Chic Mauve is a soft lilac shade that was beyond blah. Brown Sugar was not cute at all and someone needs to go back to the drawing board because brown sugar doesn't have an orange tint. This shade had a burnt orange tone to it. I'm so mad that these didn't work.

My recent Avon experience was okay so I'm open to trying some other products but they really should consider revamping that Glazewear formula.

My Life of Style

It's time for another My Life of Style:

Books: I just finished reading Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin. Next on my summer reading list is Chasing Harry Winston, Such a Pretty Fat, and Girls in Trucks.

Fashion: It's all about the dress this summer. I just want to keep it light and simple. Throw on a dress add some accessories and dash out the door!

Film/TV: I'm FINALLY seeing Sex and The City this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Music: E=MC2, I must admit that Mariah's latest had to grow on me but it's now in heavy rotation, Sex and The City soundtrack, and Estelle.

Products: Essie Secret Affair, Garnier Anti-wrinkle Firming Eye Cream, and Nair Shower Power.

Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss

Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss is the perfect blend of lip balm and lip gloss. This has been a staple in my makeup bag since early April. I picked it up from Macy's after work one day and I instantlly fell in love. I chose Rootbeer, a pretty pinkish neutral.

The consistency is very smooth and not at all sticky. It's ultra moisturizing and has a high gloss factor. And the greatest feature is how long it lasts! I got over two and a half hours of wear out of it.

In my opinion, this product offers it all except for SPF, hopefully Clinique will consider adding SPF 15. There are some new shades in the 2008 Air-Kissed Colours Summer Collection; Cocoa and Passionfruit are calling my name ;)

Political Fab

I'm so thrilled that Senator Barack Obama has secured the Democratic nomination for the upcoming presidential election.

He's a fine man and the fact that he's a fellow Chicagoan is just icing on the cake. He secured the nomination, he's made history, and he's managed to maintain poise and dignity in a very grueling primary race. Go Obama!!!!!!

Michelle Obama has been added to my list of style icons. Everyone is raving about her amazing sense of style. Here's a great article from the New York Times. I can't wait until she sits down with the ladies from The View on June 18th. Be sure to tune in!

Keep Your Makeup Brushes Clean!

Dirt, dust and bacteria should be the last thing that comes to mind when thinking about your make up brushes. If they are not cared for properly they can become magnet for the bacteria that will lead to poor make-up application and irritated skin. Caring for your brushes will save you time, money and your face.

Shana King, a Professional Makeup Artist and Founder of adesign brushes, a brand of high quality tools created to improve the function and skill of makeup application for all beauty lovers, (www.adesignbrushes.com) knows how to work a brush. Below she recommends a few easy tips to clean, maintain and store your favorite beauty tools. Follow the simple steps below to keep your brushes clean and fresh!

HOW TO GIVE YOUR BRUSHES A CLEAN SWEEP:

1. Storage: Store brushes in their custom pouches to assure they stay safe, so that the bristles will not be crushed.

2. Cleaning: Once a month use mild soap or shampoo and water. Gently work soap or shampoo through the bristles. Swirl the brush in circles in the palm of your hand and rinse under water, until water is clear.

3. Drying: If possible, brushes love to be hung up, bristles facing to the floor to
assure all moisture egresses.

4. Quick Cleanings: As needed, use an alcohol-free swab to remove access makeup in between big washes.

A Sad Day in Fashion: Yves Saint Laurent

French fashion king Yves Saint Laurent dies
By Crispian Balmer

PARIS (Reuters) - French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent has died at the age of 71, hailed as a 20th century cultural innovator who revolutionized the way women dressed.

The couture creations of the reclusive Saint Laurent won global fine art status and he was widely considered to be one of an elite club of designers including Christian Dior and Coco Chanel who made Paris the fashion capital of the world.

His long-time companion, Pierre Berge, told RTL radio the designer had been diagnosed with a brain tumor last year and had died on Sunday in Paris.

From Princess Grace of Monaco to the actress Catherine Deneuve, Saint Laurent's creations adorned many famous women but he was also the first designer to make luxury labels accessible to a wide audience through innovative ready-to-wear collections.

He made his appearance on the world stage at just 21 and built up a clothes, perfumes and accessories empire that resulted in a 1989 stock market flotation -- the first by a fashion house.
But Saint Laurent also suffered from severe depression and underwent treatment for alcohol abuse and became increasingly withdrawn later in life.

The daily Le Figaro gave over its whole front page to the man it called "the world's greatest couturier" and President Nicolas Sarkozy praised Saint Laurent as a creative genius. "He was convinced that beauty was a luxury that every man and woman needed," Sarkozy said.
Berge told France Info radio: "Chanel gave women freedom. Yves Saint Laurent gave them power."

"(But) he was someone who was very shy and introverted, who had only very few friends and hid himself from the world."

A memorial mass will be held on Friday in the church Saint Roch in Paris, the traditional church of artists and musicians.

Saint Laurent, who retired in 2002, was credited with changing forever what women wore, making the trouser suit a daytime staple and the tuxedo an elegant option.
He also popularized safari jackets and thigh-high boots, and his transparent blouses made near-nudity acceptable in high society.

"He completely revamped a woman's wardrobe," luxury underwear designer Chantal Thomass told French radio. "His fashion was full of color and inspired by art."
The eldest child of a wealthy French industrialist, Saint Laurent was born and grew up in the then French colony of Algeria and showed a talent for design, making clothes for his younger sisters' dolls.

At 17 he entered a Paris fashion school, and his sketch for a cocktail dress won first prize in an annual contest. Introduced to Christian Dior, the gangly Saint Laurent was hired on the spot by the creator of the "New Look" and became his chief assistant. On Dior's death in 1957, Saint Laurent became chief designer and swiftly outshone his mentor. After his first collection introduced the widely copied "trapeze" silhouette with narrow shoulders and flared skirt, the shy 21-year-old was pushed out on to the Dior building balcony and crowds in the avenue below hailed him like royalty.

Saint Laurent directed Dior for three years, until drafted for military service during the Algerian war. For a sensitive person whose homosexuality had made his school years a torture, army life was an ordeal. He had a nervous breakdown and spent nearly three months in hospital.
Berge arranged financial backing, and Saint Laurent presented his first collection under his own name in 1962.

The "YSL" empire grew steadily and Saint Laurent showed an instinctive ability to sense what the mood on the streets was and turn it into high fashion. But by the late 1980s his health problems were an issue. Insiders said Saint Laurent, who never read newspapers or listened to the radio, became increasingly cut off from reality and lost touch with all but a tiny group of friends. "Fame has destroyed him," Berge once said. Despite the personal demons, his business empire thrived. The 1989 flotation was a runaway success. But when the Gulf War erupted and the world economy slumped in the early 1990s, Berge and Saint Laurent sank into debt.

In 1992, YSL was absorbed by cosmetics and drugs company Sanofi, with Saint Laurent retaining creative control. Then in 1999 it was bought by the Gucci group, itself controlled by French luxury giant PPR.

(Additional reporting by Astrid Wendlandt, Gwenaelle Barzic and James Mackenzie; Editing by Giles Elgood)

Source: Reuters.com