Prada's New Scent Pretty Enough To Eat

I decided to take a look at Nordstorm's website tonight since I'm heading up to Easton Town Center this weekend.  I'm thinking I may have made a mistake, since it's the last weekend before Christmas, but oh well, I'll still have fun.  While looking at some clothes for my mom, I ran across this:



I had to show it as large as I could.  I've never seen a perfume bottle this pretty, and it's in my signature shades of pink and orange?  Yes, please.  I don't even care how good it smells, I just have to have this bottle.  Actually, though, it sounds like something I'd like.  According to the Nordstrom website:
            Top: regressive notes of joyful carefreeness, explosion of caramel.
            Mid: powdery notes of sophistication, cocktail of musks.
            Base: vanilla notes of sensuality, benzoin overdose.

I have no idea what regressive notes of carefreeness smells like, and I'm somewhat wary of smelling like any sort of overdose.  But the bottle....so...pretty....must....have....pretty.....

I'll smell it this weekend, and maybe might snag a sample if I'm lucky.  I'll bring you a full report probably Sunday.

How To Schlump Correctly

I always consider the Thanksgiving-Christmas season the busiest of the year.  There's just so much going go, what with the shopping for food and presents, millions parties to attend, church events, and dragging your sick rear to the doctor.  During the holiday season--and any season, really--there are going to be times when you're going to schlump.  I'm not sure of the origin of the word "schlump" but my mom has always used it to describe being in public and not having taken the time to properly dress yourself.  To me, schlumping is when I have to run out to the grocery store for a few quick things or am visiting the doctor and don't feel like putting on my face at the time. 

I now present to proper way to schlump:



This outfit probably looks very familiar to you, as it's the basic weekend uniform for many women.  I know I'm in a very small minority of fashion blog who says this is acceptable but I like to be realistic about what you actually wear in real life.  I know very few if any people in West Virginia who spend their weekends gallivanting around in couture Dior.  The key to  looking good while schlumping is making sure that the clothes are clean and in good condition. I started with a base of basic black yoga pants and a simple t-shirt.  I added a fitted sweatshirt to keep bulk down and tossed in a Vera Bradley wristlet so you don't have to tote your handbag around.  This wristlet has room for cash, cards, a pen, gloss, and a cell phone.  The only thing that doesn't fit is my checkbook, but I don't carry mine too much. 

The most awesome gold shoes are the Nike Air Rifts.  I own these shoes, and they're showstoppers.  They're a hybrid of running shoes and barefoot running shoes (the funky shoes that show off all your toes).  There's a space for your big toe, and all the others go in a separate compartment.  Nike does sell special socks to wear with the Rifts, but I just use my regular socks, it's similar to wearing flip-flops in a shoe form.  To tie the outfit together I chose a simple gold pendant and some ponytail holders with little gold charms. 

The black bottle is one of the most important items in this set: Tresseme's dry shampoo.  Dry shampoo is great for those days when you wake up late or you just don't like the way your hair looks.  Dry shampoo is pretty simple to use, just spray a little bit on your roots and brush it through your hair.  If you want to look a little bit better, spray your roots and the sides of your hair and blow it out with a round brush for about 30 seconds and toss up in a ponytail.  A lot of people will try to get by with a baseball cap, but that just screams "I'm too lazy to do my hair." 

Some more pointers:
-Absolutely NO printed PJ pants.  One of the biggest fashion travesties I see on a daily basis are women who will do their hair and spackle an inch of makeup on their face but are wearing ridiculous PJ pants.  I mean, really?  This problem can be corrected 100% of time by just putting on a pair of jeans.  If you're able to take the time to make sure you're using five shades of eyeshadow, why can't you take 15 seconds to put on a pair of pants?
-You don't have to match.  You don't have to run out and buy a matching Adidas sweatsuit, again it's just a simple matter of the clothes being clean and in good shape.
-Pay attention to fit and avoid anything too baggy. 
-Go easy on the Vicky Secret's PINK sweats.  If you're over 30 it's time to limit yourself to one Pink piece at a time.  You look like you're trying too hard if you're wearing head-to-toe Pink.
-You don't have to wear makeup while schlumping.  Actually, I think it takes away from the look if you have a full face of makeup on.  My next thought is if you have enough time to do foundation and eyeshadow blending, just go ahead and put some jeans on.

Even when done correctly, schlumping should be kept to a minimum.  By my standards, if you have enough time to put on the above outfit, you also have enough time to put on jeans and a sweater.  However, there are times when comfort is key, and an outfit similar to this will help you look and feel good.

L'Oreal's Color of Hope Polish Review and Swatches

I know it seems like one of the last places to buy cosmetics, but don't knock Kroger's, especially the one up on Route 60  by Barboursville.  They have a makeup selection that rivals Walmart's, and the prices are pretty good as well.  This particular Kroger's is my-go to place to find some of the limited edition collections that CVS or Walgreen's may not carry (and again, they're usually cheaper).  The other day, while picking up some groceries, I ran across L'Oreal's Color of Hope collection and got suckered in by the polishes:

Every purchase gives $1 to Ovarian Cancer research. 

This light pink foil is originally what caught my eye.  Called Whimsicle, I couldn't take my eyes off the bottle.  While it looks great in the bottle, I'm not entirely excited about how it looks on my nails.  It's just okay, but I do see myself wearing it.  One of my biggest peeves about this polish is that it's a mess to work with with.  I tried to clean up my manicure before I took photos but all I managed to do was spread sparkles around my cuticles.  When I went to take it off, I had sparkles up and down my fingers. 



The next polish that caught my eye was the smoky black Mystery:


It's hard to tell from this picture, but this isn't the regular inky black that you usually find on the store shelf.  This has a more sophisticated, sexy, tone to it.  I'd call it a soot or a smokey black.  If you like black polish and want something more grown up than the usual, buy this.  You won't regret it.





This silver foil is Valiant.  I still needed a silver polish, so I ended up taking this one home as well.  I really like this polish.  It's the perfect silver.  It's a foil like the pink polish above, but it has a muted, matte finish to it. It gives a bit a distressed finish which I love. 



Since I had already decided to take three of four polishes home, I thought it would be fair to take the last one, a beige creme called Devotion, home as well:



I almost didn't pick this one up because I felt I had many similar colors to it, thanks to the big greige trend last year.  However, I really don't have anything quite this dark without straying into the all-out brown category.  This is a great shade for fall.



Overall, this collection is pretty solid.  I'm still not 100% crazy about the pink, but I'll probably forget how messy it is until I go to wear it next Spring.  This is a limited edition collection, so if you like one of the polishes here, go out and try to find them now as they won't be replenished after the month is over.  Like I mentioned earlier, I found mine at Kroger's, but I also found them at Rite Aid.

Update on Forever 21 Possibly Coming to Charleston...

One of my most popular posts is on the possibility of Forever 21 coming to the Charleston Town Center.  I haven't been able to get there recently until the past weekend.  Some time ago, I had sent an email to someone in the PR office for the Town Center asking for a confirmation of the rumor but no one ever got back to me. 

I managed to get to the Town Center Sunday with a friend of mine.  I asked a few salespeople in different stores if they knew for sure if Forever 21 was really coming and while they had heard the rumor, nobody know for sure.

Of course, as soon as I hear something I'll let you all know.  In the meantime, you can get your Forever 21 fix at the Morgantown Mall or Easton Town Center in Columbus.

BGP: Make Up For Ever's HD Invisible Cover Foundation

Not only have I been on the search for a shampoo, I've been on the hunt for a foundation.  A longtime MAC user, I started to hate the gray-ish tinge it gave my skin.  I've been through Cover Girl's NatureLuxe and Tarte's Amazonian Clay foundations but still wasn't fully satisfied. 

But just like I fell in love with Sally Hershberger's shampoo for thick hair, I have finally a foundation I adore.  Enter Make Up For Ever's HD Invisible Cover Foundation.

On a trip to Sephora about two months ago, I ended up shelling out $40 on a whim on this HD foundation.  If you've read any sort of women's magazine for the past six months, then you've noticed ads claiming that the model's makeup wasn't retouched or Photoshopped.  This is that foundation.  I'll admit the ads are a bit gimmicky, but they worked as I made the purchase.  Make Up For Ever (also known as MUFE in cosmetic circles) is known as a pretty solid brand, so I wasn't too concerned about the quality of the makeup. 

I've been using the big, fluffy brush I got with the Tarte 8th Wonder of the World set earlier this year to apply the foundation.  I'm incredibly impressed with this foundation.  It's not quite full coverage, but more so than the Tarte.  It also doesn't give my face that gray-ish tint that MAC was bad about.  It covers my acne scars beautifully, as well as evening out my skintone.  It also lasts all day.  When I test "does it last all day?" this means the product is still on my face after I've worked outside for eight hours.  This MUFE foundation didn't budge a bit. 

As I mentioned earlier, I'm using a big, fluffy foundation brush to get great results.  I've also used my Beauty Blender sponge, and a regular wedge sponge, and got similar results.  I know a lot of people are moving to flat foundation brushes, but I've tried to use those with a variety of foundations and was never impressed with the coverage.  My skin felt gross and the makeup felt caked on.  I don't even think I own a regular foundation brush anymore so I can't tell you how well it might apply. 

If you're like me and have a box full of foundations that didn't live up to your expectations, splurge and get this foundation.  If you're worried about money, Sephora will be more than happy to supply you with samples to help you make your mind up.

Could Fashion's Night Out Work in WV?

Last night in New York City and many other cities in the world, people celebrated Fashion's Night Out, which is described as a celebration of fashion, but is more of an attempt to "make shopping fun again" and encourage consumer spending.  Designers make exclusive merchandise just for this one night, and the items are usually well-sought after.  Stores will have DJs or live bands, all sorts of free food--no pop and chips here, these things are catered by some of the best local resturants--some will even sponsored free manicures or hair styling. 

What you might notice is the lack of sales during FNO.  The organizers of the event (Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company, and the City of New York) encourage retailers to sell all items for tonight at full price, again with the "encouraging of consumer confidence." 

I love the idea of doing a Fashion's Night Out in West Virginia...however it'd have to be a West Virginia version.  First and foremost, the name "Fashion's Night Out" is trademarked, so we'd either have to pony up up $250 per store/brand, or come up with a new name.  I'll call it West Virginia Fashion Friday. 



Why, yes, I did study graphic design in college.  A few measly years ago I could have done something much more...stylish, but at the moment I lack access to Adobe products.  Anyways...

We can do the same things that FNO wants to accomplish, but on our terms.  We can enjoy a fashionable night of fun, learn what wares our local stores carry, and help our local economy.  But would it mirror a similar event as FNO?  I'm going to say no.  Here's why:

1. There would need to be some sales.  I think there might be some trouble trying to attract people to such an event to pay full price.  If there's other stuff going on, such as live music, free facials or something, I don't think the sales will need to be very steep. 
2. Location, location, location.  I have Charleston in mind for pulling off something like this (I have ArtWalk on the brain).  Do we hold this up on Bridge Street, or downtown?  There's more space for displays and parking downtown, but most of the boutiques are up on Bridge St., and would have to labor to bring stuff downtown.  Driving between the two locations would be annoying. 
3. This needs to be an all-inclusive event.  That means all price points, letting the men show off their fashion as well, plus sizes, etc.  Fashion and style are not limited to certain members of society.
4. Manpower is a major concern.  This isn't your sister's Mary Kay house party; if you're going to offer quickie makeovers, you need to have some professionals.  This could include salon professionals, cosmetic counter workers, beauty school students, etc. If you're going to have 10 people doing manicures at your location, at least 6 of them need to have working experience.  Friends can fill in voids, but they need to be trained at least a month before the event starts. 
5. How to pay for all of this.  Would the professionals doing makeup be paid, or would they get free advertising in exchange?  If they're going to do fashion shows somewhere, how would the venue get paid?  I'm wary of having the shops/brands participating to have to pay to be involved, except maybe for a small nominal fee.  Sponsors would be needed and since this isn't exactly a charity event, I don't know how excited they might be to get behind this.
6. I think independent vendors should be allowed.  Rent out a store front, call it the Quarrier Baazar (or some other fancy name), and charge people for a booth.  You can have Thirty One consultants or folks who moonlight making jewelry.  This would allow us to bring in many of the wonderful artisans in our state and help make the event truely ours.  My fears, though: 15 Avon consultants, people who peddle cheap goods from China they order out of a wholesale catalog, fake purses (include a clause in the contract that they can't sell anything bearing the name of a company or designer that isn't authentic or could be confused as such), and people trying to sell stuff that isn't fashion-related.  Services could be allowed, such as people doing massages or pedicures.
7. It's be great if cities and towns all over the state could get involved on the same day. 

I have lots more ideas for such an event, but I've lost my train of thought and it's dangerously close to bedtime.  Do you think West Virginia can pull of such an event?  Feel free to add your ideas as well!

Hello, Fall!

It's Labor Day, and for the fashion world, the official beginning to fall styles and colors.  Despite what the weather may say, most see this as the time to start putting away the flip flops and bringing out the boots.  Yes, it may seem strange to tuck away one's sandals when it's still 80+ degrees outside, but from all the forecasts I've seen, it's going to be in the 70s for the remainder of the week.  Maybe that's whay I've been itching to go get my sweaters out of storage all day.

Before you rush our to your nearest mall--or the "mall" on your laptop--shop your closet first.  Don't forget to clean it out while you're in there.  Most of the fashion rules that were poular in our youth, such as not wearing white after Labor Day, are no longer in place.  Here's some tips to keep in mind as your start to stare your wardrobe down:

Keep: Your whites.  White jeans, white dresses, and white shirts can all still be worn.  Just be careful to make sure the outfit isn't totally white or too summery.  For example, mix a gauzy white dress with a pair of boots or colored flats, and add a cardigan.  Don't wear that same dress with a pair of rubber flip flops.  Keep anything white to one item in your outfit is a good general rule to go by.
Store: White shoes.  You can get away with just about anything else white but white shoes don't mix well with fall leaves, or snow.

Keep: Nice flip flops.  And by nice, I mean Eliza J. flip flops, Rainbows, critter sandals from J. Crew, etc.  Basically any sandal that isn't rubber or feature a summer motif on them. 
Store: Nicer sandals, or those with seasonal motifs. 
Trash: Any rubber flip flops (such as those from Old Navy) that are dirty or show imprints from where your feet were in them. 

Keep: Tropical, jeweltone, and pastel tanks, tees, and camis.  The colors for fall are brighter than usual, but still subdued.  If you have to ask if a shirt is too bright, then it is. 
Store: Neon colors.  If you were told you'd be directing traffic and needed to wear a bright shirt, the one you'd decide upon needs to be packed up.

Keep: Flare and bootcut jeans. Flares are all over the runways for fall, and are a welcome relief from skinny jeans. 
Store (trash, actually): Anything distressed.  Jeans with major rips, holes, or overly distressed have gone the way of Ed Hardy. 

Keep: Seasonless motifs or critter items.  This would include your favorite skirt with the pink elephants embroidered on it, or the Bermuda Bag purse cover with turtles. 
Store: Anything seasonal.  Seahorses, starfish, sunglasses, etc., should all be packed up.  If you don't boat, anything nautical should go as well. Note: a small logo, such as Vineyard Vine's whale or Lilly Pulitzer's palm tree, don't count as a motif.

Use with care: Straw purses.  A nice straw purse can work well with a fall outfit, but it must be an actual fall outfit.  Don't use a straw purse if you're wearing that gauzy white dress I mentioned above.  If you're wearing brown cords, a forest green sweater and some suede boots and are heading to the pumpkin patch, a straw purse can make a great addition.  Be sure to pack it away once it starts to freeze, though. 

Use with care: Maxi dresses.  Add a cardigan and a belt to bring it into fall.  If your dress is a tropical floral print, it needs to hibernate until next year. 

Trash on sight: Anything that came from Deb's, Forever 21, Wet Seal, Charlotte Russe, etc., that was purchased more than a month ago.  The quality on these items is already poor, and will be out of style by next season. 

Give Away: Anything that you can't fit into right now.  Anything that you haven't worn this year.  Anything that you can't remember last wearing. 

Once you've gotten through this list, you should be all set to hit the shopping destination of your choice and start stocking up on sweaters because it slightly looks like we might get a fall!