Fall '06 Coat Trends

The runways are dictating that outerwear will be the most coveted item for the fall, and from the looks of it pretty much anything goes!


Designer Jenni Kayne brings us the casual side of fall coats. The drapey top accents the loose flow of the coat. I love the addition of the soft yellow scarf.




Giambattista Valli overwhelms with this gorgeous structured coat. Structured coats are huge this fall, nearly every runway show had them and I combed through nearly 100. I particularly like the shape of this one. It's extremely ladylike and yet still very glamorous.




Proenza Schouler presents a utilitarian twist on the everyday fall coat. It's sharp without looking too severe, and dominating without looking too militaristic.




Marc Jacobs designed this interesting coat. I don't care for the pattern, but I do really love the structure of it. It looks like it would be quite complicated to get into. Save this for a night out.




The green plaid lends a decidedly Scottish air to this coat by Moschino. There is something so charming about the pattern, but it still retains trademark Anglo sophistication. Worn with knee-socks and oxfords put a nice little schoolgirl twist on the overall look.




A vibrant red color and oversized buttons make this coat by Lanvin look like it walked off the pages of Vogue circa 1963. Very playful, without the appearance of trying too hard.




The crazy pattern on this Tuleh coat could be overwhelming on someone with small stature. At least, if you wore it you'd never get lost in a crowd.





The simple aesthetic of Stella McCartney can be seen in this coat. It's a straightforward trench with an elegant fit and well-placed rows of buttons. It's uncomplicated, but still so gorgeous.





This structured coat by Tuleh is not your everyday boring trench coat. It's got wide sleeves, taut structure and over-sized buttons. I really like the way this coat is put together, but I don't think I could ever pull it off.




Etro brings us this pretty floral fall coat. This pattern doesn't overwhelm, yet is still very glamorous.

So what can you expect for fall? In summary: structured coats, vintage-inspired coats, over-sized buttons, crazy patterns, floral patterns, and utilitarian trenches all with a subtle "anglo-mania" undertone.

Personal shopper

Here are some fun summer items that I've been eyeing lately (you'll notice that the things I'm listing are predominately yellow, and that's because yellow and white are the "it" colors this summer):



^Palmer Cash has an amazing range of unique vintage and vintage-inspired t-shirts available for both men and women. This one is my favorite because it has anchors, mermaids and skulls. What more could you want in a t-shirt?






^Miss Trish of Capri has an awe-inspiring line of summer sandals. Rumor has it that this particular line is a favorite of celebs. I'm really digging the yellow starfish sandals, myself.







^I can't say I've ever seen a necklace quite like this before. Fragments offers a really unique line of jewelry. This one in particular is made from a vintage scarf. I kid you not! This could easily make the translation from daytime (Johnson shorts, flirty tops and sandals) to a black-tie affair (black dress with a plunging neckline and sky-high Jimmy Choos).







^I can't get enough of La Redoute. Not only is this a fantastic French line with great prices, customer service and quick shipping, but they also have exclusive online treasures from high-end designers (like Karl Lagerfeld doing a line for H&M). This blouse is by reknowned designer Tsumori Chisato. Snatch up these special buys before they're out of stock!






^High heels have never really been my thing, but I can't take my mind off of these gorgeous yellow heels by Steve Madden. I could think of a thousand different ways to wear them. Maybe you can too.






^I really love the cut of this trench, but prefer the off white color to the navy. This structured jacket would be perfect at the office, and would transition into fall very easily.






^Wicker totes are all the rage, Dolce & Gabbana have a gorgeous one and so does Gucci. But this cheaper Gap version retains all of the sophistication of its more high-end sisters. I don't think the yellow version is available online anymore, but it might still be in stores.






^I never wear watches, but I'd make an exception for this one. I adore the flirty yellow color, but it's also very practical looking. I could wear this to go on a camping trip or "dial" it up with my new Miss Trish sandals. ;-)





This tulip covered bag is perfect for the summer. It's big enough to be a beach tote, or to wear casually.

I'd be remiss...

if I didn't mention the code going on at Revolve Clothing right now. Get an extra 30% off all the sale items by entering the code "summerloving" at check-out. That means that something that's already marked down because it's on sale is going to have even more taken off of the price! You can't beat a deal like that.

Also, as you know Le Train Bleu is my favorite online clothing store. Rumor has it that they're 25% off discount is STILL GOING ON! Use the code "luckymag" at check-out.

They've done it again:

Pucci has captured my heart with these beautiful, beautiful tights hot off their latest runway extravaganza:



[/drooling]

What it's all about

This isn't just a fashion blog. This blog is about giving back, about being conscious of what society dictates to us and responding to it, it's about being socially and environmentally conscious with our lives (check the right-hand side bar for a list of such clothing lines), and it's about HAVING FUN. Maybe those things sound mutually exclusive to you, but they sure as heck aren't for me.

I want my readers to have great self-esteem, to make wise choices in their lives, and to appreciate and love fashion and beauty and the world they live. I am always wary of those that focus only on the suffering in the world and ignore all of the good stuff. I am aware of the suffering and my life's work is dedicated to easing it for some, but I also want to appreciate the things that I enjoy and that give me pleasure.

It's not about staying up with the latest trends or buying the most expensive clothes. It's not about the "scene" or who you know or who is in your top 8 on Myspace. This is a community with like-minded interests. This community is just about materialism or greed, it's about communication, excitement, fun, and sharing ideas. So feel free to leave me comments to that end! I love to hear back from you guys. You guys are my muse.

Bienvenue!

I'd like to welcome to four lovely bloggers that I recently added to my blogroll:

Punky Style could be the fraternal twin sister to High Fashion Girl. We were simply separated at birth. This is a fun blog with an eye for exactly what I love.

Fashion with a European twist? Yes, please! La Femme brings you exactly that. Check out the great posts on street fashion.

I've blogged about Elaine Perlov's clothing before, but unbeknownst to me she also had a blog. I soon discovered it and now it's one of my favorites. Her motto is "maximize your minimalism" which truly is reflected in her East-meets-West line of clothing. She's even had stuff featured as Lucky magazine's Catch-of-the-Day. Her blog is located here.

Diane Pernet, a fashion journalist and critic who resides in Paris, blogs about the "underground" aspect to fashion. It's a fascinating read. Check out A Shaded View of Fashion.

Summer = Swimwear!

The agony of finding the perfect bathing suit surely drives some women to become agoraphobics. I know I'm always tempted to stay indoors all summer when it comes to facing the harsh mirrors of department stores in search of something flattering. Well, I think I might have found the cure! One creative woman, Lisa Curran, felt our collective pain, as she too struggled to find the perfect swimsuit. This led her to launch her own line of swimwear which has become so coveted that stars like Evangeline Lilly, Teri Hatcher and Debra Messing have been sporting it this summer. It's also been featured in magazines like Marie Claire and InStyle. Now if gorgeous swimwear, a great fit, and word-of-mouth fame aren't your thing then I don't know what to tell you. I, on the other hand, am crazy about Lisa Curran's line of swimwear.

These are some that caught my eye:



Who knew that a one-piece could still be so sexy?






I adore this tankini. I love the bold stripes, I love the colors, I love the keyhole detailing! This might just be my new summer suit!





Or maybe this will be my new summer suit. I'm crazy about Pucci and that is a distinctly Pucci-esque print.


Here's one thing I want you to look at: the model's thighs. Remarkably, they're not sticks! Isn't it refreshing that Lisa Curran uses healthy and athletic looking models for her swimwear instead of anorexic praying-mantis's? That fact alone has caused me to fall in love with Lisa Curran. I hope you do too.

BONUS: Buy from Lisa and you can get 10% of orders of $200 and free shipping as well!

Inspiration Comes Easy

(Preface: This isn't meant to be just a "pep talk". It's more like an observation on my life and experiences and how what inspires me might inspire others.)

Not very many people seem truly happy. Indeed, we are caught in a never-ending cycle to make ourselves happy, but if we achieve that euphoric state then what? If the Buddha becomes enlightened he must "Kill the Buddha." So are we doomed to this cycle? Are we chasing after something that's more elusive than we've previously thought?

Some of my "deeper" thinking comes while I'm taking a shower. The cathartic work of physical cleansing lends itself to a lot of mental cleansing as well. I've come up with some brilliant philosophy paper topics in the shower, sorted out complicated relationship problems, and also thought up some of my more inspired EAHRWL projects (Environmental, Animal and Human Rights Welfare League). Today, in the shower I came to the conclusion that self-esteem has a lot to do with our happiness and inner peace. I'm one of those pesky people who has really high self-esteem. Sure I have my "fat days", but overall I'm satisfied with who I am and who I am becoming. It has not always been this way, but I've worked hard to cultivate my passions, to explore life and to be genuinely enthralled with "the moment". I also tend to be a very sensitive person and the suffering and unhappiness of others affects me greatly. This inspired me to share some thoughts on how to boost your self-esteem, and maybe feel happier. Of course, there is little empirical data to verify my "hypotheses" on happiness, but hey, if they don't work for you there's always shopping sprees!

Self-esteem/Happiness/Peace tips from Grace

The biggies:
1) Take care of yourself physically - This one has always been hard for me. Due to intense (I'm talking INTENSE) amounts of stress as an adolescent, my stomach developed some major problems. For a long time I didn't know what to do about it, and just kind of lived with it. Now I know I have an ulcer, but before I was diagnosed I just suffered with it without knowing that I shouldn't eat certain foods, etc. Now I know I am lactose intolerant. Now I know that I have digestion problems. So taking care of myself physically was hard since I was ignorant as to what was causing so many problems with my stomach. Taking care of yourself physically is an individualistic process. I can't tell you how to do it. You have to be in touch with your body and its needs. In order to do so, I recommend getting a complete physical and also a gynecological check-up. I recommend an overall healthy lifestyle (eating well, moderate exercise at least three times a week, moderate physical activity every day, multivitamin supplements, lots of water, etc). I recommend taking care of your teeth: flossing, regular dental visits, brush your teeth twice a day, avoid smoking and too much soda, etc. Also, take care of your skin: stay out of the sun, wear an SPF everyday, get a body scan to screen for skin cancer before you're 30, moisturize, don't pick at your blemishes, find a good dermatologist, etc. I know that sounds like a lot of work but this is your body. This is your vehicle for living out each and every day to its fullest. If you are suffering and in pain then your chance at happiness is lessened. If you are setting yourself up for cancer and aging poorly then you might be enjoying life in the short-run but in the long run you could be lessening your lifespan and the chance to really enjoy your old age.


Take care of yourself mentally and spiritually - If you have a lot of mental anguish and stress then it might be good to see a qualified mental health expert. I don't recommend a course of medication for everyone. I think that most people have the power to heal, but that they must really desire to do so. Having someone to talk is a powerfully helpful process towards learning more about yourself and towards becoming happier. Spiritual fulfillment is also important to a lot of people. Picking what's right for you can be difficult. I focus more on being a good person and making sure that my belief system isn't self-defeating than I do on rules and statutes and organized religion. Yoga has really helped me with mental and spiritual peace. Giving to charities, donating my time and effort to non-profit organizations and attending intellectual and ecumenical lectures on subjects that interest me always make me feel more at peace with the world.

Take care of your relationships - To me, happiness isn't solely found in that life-long quest for a mate. I think that the artificial standards we've placed on everyone to get married and have babies at a certain age should be eradicated. Each person should work at their own pace to find love. First, you must know yourself and your boundaries. Letting just anyone into your life without any sort of "quality control" can lead to unhealthy and codependent relationships. Having good relationships has a lot of causal connection to mental health. If you have difficulty in relationships then there might be underlying psychological causes. I know this used to be the case for me, but with much work and understanding of my self I now have healthy and happy relationships with the people in my life.

The little things:

Keeping your living space clean - I know this sounds silly, but when my house is messy I feel bad. The cleaner it is, the better I feel. There is a positive correlation between the two. Becoming organized isn't easy for everyone. But paring down what you have, setting up your own office, and keeping everything in its "place" does a lot for reducing stress and making things in your life run more smoothly.

Save your money - I'm bad about this, but I do recognize the reward of saving your money for something you really want or need. Taking a hard look at your finances can be very unsettling. Realizing and implementing change in the area of finances is equally so. But the ultimate reward is so satisfying. Try it out on something small-scale first if you're not sure you can do it. Forego major purchases for a few months until you can buy something you really want, like an Ipod or classic piece of jewelry that you can pass along as an heirloom to your children. Knowing that you didn't waste money on things you didn't need in order to have things that are long-lasting, pleasurable, and valuable is very exciting.

Buy clothing that really flatters you - knowing what looks good on your body can go a long way towards increasing self-esteem. If you wear flattering clothes for your figure, then you will look better! It's just that easy. There are wonderful clothing guides that you can buy on Amazon that can help you figure out how to wear clothes well. I recommend: In Style: Secrets of Style : The Complete Guide to Dressing Your Best Every Day, The Lucky Shopping Manual : Building and Improving Your Wardrobe Piece by Piece, The Pocket Stylist : Behind-the-Scenes Expertise from a Fashion Pro on Creating Your Own Look, and Three Black Skirts : All You Need To Survive. [My personal secret shopping tip - If you like an item of clothing but don't know whether or not to buy it do this: close your eyes and imagine this item of clothing paired with three other outfits in your closet. If it works well with at least three other outfits then it will most likely be a good purchase. For instance, I bought this crazy pair of blue shoes the other day, but I bought it because it would complete SIX outfits that desperately cried out for crazy blue shoes in this certain shade. And for $13, I have to say it was an excellent purchase.]


Indulge yourself - Once a month, do a day of pampering. Get your brows waxed, get a manicure or pedicure (or a mani/pedi!), get a facial, eat some chocolate, drink some champagne, watch your favorite movie, call your girlfriends, take a drive in the country, splurge on a pair of shoes, just do something completely for yourself. If you can't afford the self-pampering stuff then do it at home. I actually do all of my nail stuff at home and it always looks 10x's better than if I went to a professional salon to get it done.

Educate yourself - I read The Economist religiously. I am also an avid reader of religion, science, philosophy, politics, theology, literature, suspense, sci-fi and fantasy books. I am usually reading about 15-20 books at one time. My library card is my best friend. Keep up to date with politics and current events. Read interesting blogs. Watch independent movies. Keep a diary (self-reflection is a way of educating yourself about, well, yourself). Join a book club. Attend lectures at your local college campus. Take a college course. Talk to strangers (safely!). Go to parties. All of this socialization and education is good for the mind and the spirit.

Look at yourself in the mirror everyday - Hating your body is so damaging. I don't have the best body in the world (I'm no Heidi Klum) but I have learned to really love what I have. I try to look at my body every day and tell myself what I like about it. If you are 200 pounds overweight, you can still find something you like about yourself. (If you're a little bit "thick" just remember, Botticelli would be crazy about you!) Try it. It's refreshing and in a way, very healing. Stop comparing yourself to what society tells you is the norm and enjoy how goddamn beautiful you are.

That's all of the advice I have for now. I hope it helped in some small way. Remember, *I* think you're amazing. Does that count for anything? ;-)

Fashion Crisis: quick answer

Here are a few fashion questions I've gotten:

Q: Grace. I want you to help me find a pair of jeans that flatter me. I have a bubble butt and big ol' thighs and I can never find jeans that I'm comfortable in, fit me right, and make me look thin. ideas?

A: Your dilemma is shared by so very many women. My immediate reaction would be "stretch jeans!" however, if you buy your typical size they tend to stretch out and be a bit larger than you bargained for - meaning they gap in the back. I've compiled a list of jeans that are reputed to be the very best for self-ascribed "big butt, big thigh" girls:

Seven Dojo jeans, non-stretch I'm not crazy about the lighter denim fading into the darker denim, but there are many shades of the Seven Dojo you can buy. The nice thing about these is that they're low rise (tends to minimalize gapping in the back), and they're more wide-legged.

Joes's Jeans Provocateur in Harvey are thrown in for some variety. These are excellent for petite and curvy girls.

Gap Curvy jeans - for affordable denim that's going to fit almost any body type, I reccomend the Gap. They've become more and more body conscious over the years and this shows in their launch of jeans like the Long and Leans and the Curvys.

Or you can Custom make your jeans at Target! For less than $40 you can design exactly what you want in a pair of jeans. Forgive my terrible pun, but it's jean-ious!

Adriano Goldschmied Legend jeans have a bit of stretch but won't become shapeless after wear. Curvy girls around the world say yes to AG Legends!

Blue Cult Kate jeans are also popular with curvy ladies. This particular pair also has a skinny leg, which is very trendy right now. I like this pair a lot because it combines two great looks at once!


Q: Headbands...fashion yes or no? If yes, are there certain rules to follow and things you should NOT do and things that would make them a fashion no?

A: Definitely a fashion YES right now. The look is everywhere, and for a good reason: headbands are adorable. But we're not talking headbands like I used to wear headbands back in the 80's (Yes, that is actually me. I've come a long way, baby):

we're talking headbands worn fashionably.

This is how you DO NOT wear headbands, okay? Promise me you will never wear your headband like this:


This is a good way to wear a headband or scarf-as-headband:


Basically, don't push all of your hair back from your face with them and be sure to pick trendy headband shapes and colors (folded scarves are a great substitute). I recommend Forever 21 for inexpensive, trendy headbands.

Come on California!

Well, my pretties, I'm back from the Golden State with two extra bags of luggage filled with goodies. There was quite a lot of stress on the return trip because the airline specifies that all luggage must weigh under 50 pounds I had purchased too much to fit into the two bags I brought me. Luckily, I managed to scrounge around and find two extra pieces of luggage to fit it all in. One of my bags was 49.5 pounds, I kid you not! But it all worked out and now I am home and revelling in our purchases.

I must say, I'm disappointed in the Bay area's sense of fashion, or should I say lack-thereof. Now we were crawling all over Berkeley and San Francisco and Oakland looking for shops, and of course I was keeping a keen eye out the whole time for fashion inspiration from the locals but there was little to be found. The Midwest, where I live, is not noted for its great fashion sense, but I do have to comment on the fact that many of the younger people here dress a lot better than the younger people there. Of course, my sampling was not infinite nor was it precise, but I think you Californians could have done a better job. The predominant trend I noticed was what I dub the "anti-fashion." It was all yoga pants and frizzy long hair and slouchy bags and flip-flops. I guess that's just the relaxed Californian's way of dressing, but people I used to live there. I don't remember it being that bad.

I did hit up a show for a great band that I love called Communique (that's Commune-i-kay to you newbies). They played at the Bottom of the Hill on Thursday night and I thought to myself on the way over, "I'll finally get to see how the young California hipsters dress." Imagine me with a pouty face during the show as I looked around at the sad outfits.

However, I saw two outfits during the show that did stand out and I made sure to memorize them carefully so I could relate them to you:

Girl #1: I'm not a huge fan of outfits that consist of different shades of the same color (though Lucky magazine touts this as a fashion DO), but this girl had the look down. She was at the show, and she was a very small adorable asian girl. She had a knee-length fitted forest green skirt on and a lighter color sleeveless green top. She was wearing adorable heels and a white cloth headband. She also had on a multi-strand beaded necklace but I couldn't tell the shade of the beads because it was pretty dark in the venue. She also had on gold dangly earrings that were oh-so-divine. She gets a definite thumbs up from me.

Girl #2: She had great hair. It was shorter and had crazy razored ends, but there were panels of hair near her jawline that were a lot longer than the rest of her hair. Very "London punk" if you ask me. She had a fitted, cropped black jacket on with white piping, a fitted horizontal striped top on underneath (wide stripes), and black skinny jeans on. She also had cute thick framed glasses and her shoes were black flats. Her look was effortless and messy and yet very trendy.

One trend I noticed, and that I'm going to start copying, was that a lot of the more fashion-forward girls in the Bay Area were wearing regular outfits but had large brightly colored scarves wrapped around their necks. These were the chunkier scarves, not the skinny silk ones, but they looked really good. They wore them with fitted t-shirts, skirts and flip-flops. It was a way to dress up an outfit in a unique way. I don't reccomend this look for anyone who lives in a hot climate, though.

More California-trip blogging to come! Stay tuned!

Salon Rebel

This is a shout-out to my new stylist Lauren over at Salon Rebel. She did an amazing job on my hair. It's the best hair I've ever had. Usually I get decent cuts but mediocre color, this time I got a fabulous cut and even more fabulous color. Pictures to come soon (my camera is packed up for the old trip to California). I highly reccomend checking them out if you're in the area. The salon hosts various fashion shows, they have great taste in art, and they have great stylists. You won't be sorry!

Speaking of California, I won't be doing much blogging while I'm there. Regular blogging to resume in 9 days. Wish me luck on all of my purchases. Or at least wish me the strength to not go over my budget. Haha!

<3

Fashion Psychic

If you pay attention to trends religiously and keep a year ahead of current fashion the way you're supposed to then you inevitably find yourself in an exhausting attempt to "keep up." Like right now kitsch, floral prints, bermuda shorts, polka dots, flirty dresses, the color white, straw bags, and wedges are all big for the summer. It's wonderful if you're able to incorporate some of the things into your wardrobe, especially if they're pieces you love and can wear for a long time. However, I'm into inventing my own trends. The best part is watching them become "in" a few months or years later. (But, I'm not saying it's because of me that it catches on!) For instance, before Sienna was boho-ing around in long necklaces with hearts on them, I had started quite a collection of them from local antique stores.

Here are some things that may or may not become big anytime soon, but would be fun to bring into your wardrobe (if not for the sheer novelty). And if they do catch on then you can brag to your friends that you were way ahead of your time. ;-)

- Victorian Heels (check vintage shops!)

- Bakelite bangles

- Plaid gloves

- Chunky turquoise rings

- Vintage aprons as accessory

- Silk sashes around the waist (instead of belt)

- Drop waist beaded flapper dresses (check vintage shops! or search for items with influence by Paul Poiret)

- Surrealist inspired clothing (search for items with strings like "Dali" and "Elsa Schiaparelli". Example.

- Clothes with oversized buttons (sew them on yourself or buy vintage items with large buttons)

- Paisley print scarves (wear on head, tie around a bag for a splash of color, tie around waist)

- Tops and accessories with unique designs on them: trains, coins, antique keys, hula girls, palm trees, books, fish, etc.

- Geometric patterns

- Vintage "square dance" dresses, also called "circle" skirts

- Cat eye glasses

- Bring back tall black Doc Marten boots with miniskirts. Rock that Enid look!

- Tooled leather bags

- Vintage fur hand muffs!!!!!!!!!!!!! I rocked a vintage muff all winter and got stopped in the streets dozens of times to ask where I got it!

- Oversized rhinestone costume earrings

- Rosebud prints

- Vintage scooter dresses

- Egyptian inspired necklaces

- Vintage box purses

- 80's style sweater dresses (take out the shoulderpads and cinch the waist in with a belt or sash and you're good to go!)


Hint: Fashion Dig is a fantastic place to start, just search keywords or decades. Don't forget about ebay, either!

Fashion for the birds

Kitsch is so popular right now, and I'm loving it. In fact, kitsch defined my wardrobe and my house decor before it was trendy. I have decorated my home with vintage owl statues, owl umbrella stands, colorful paintings and bright throws. So, it thrills me that this looks is in and it's everywhere. What I've really noticed are birds. Lucky magazine claims butterflies are also making a big comeback, but they don't really appeal to me so much as birds do. Here are some adorable "birdie" items that I'm dying to get my hands on.












































































And personally, two of my favorite necklaces just happen to be owl necklaces! I got them at a thrift store for $1.49 each. What a steal. They're really amazing IRL, too.

Cheap Outfits:

Here are some inexpensive outfits that I've been meaning to post that I've worn recently:



Wore this last night to hang out with friends and watch Lewis Black on HBO.
Top: Hoodie from Old Navy
Tank: Hanes men's ribbed tank in black
Jeans: Levi's
Bag: Christian Joy
Shoes: Vintage, Ebay
Necklace: Parrot necklace from Forever 21
Necklace: Horn necklace from Lucca
Headband: Forever 21



Dress: This is my favorite dress of all time. The photo doesn't even do justice to how gorgeous it is. I got it recently at an antique mall. It's a vintage sleeveless tent dress from the 60's. It cost me $15 and it's one of the coolest dresses ever.
Belt: patent leather belt from thrift store
Bag: thrift store
Shoes: Unlisted brand from Dillards
Necklace: faux jade and gold beaded necklace from antique store


Top: Oversized silk polka dot blouse from Goodwill
T-shirt: Skulls and Flowers top from Forever 21
Skirt: Polyester vintage skirt from thrift store
Bag: from thrift store
Shoes: bought them a long time ago at Zappos, don't know the maker
Necklace: antique store

Dress: thrift store
Necklace: thrift store
Shoes: Target
Bag: Yves St Laurent Muse Bag (just kidding! it's the Melie Bianco knock-off)

Perfect Skin

Perfect skin is a good place to start when you want to look your best and improve your overrall appearance. Considering the genetics that I have, it is a miracle that I have nearly perfect skin. I'm not even kidding. Growing up, I heard (and saw) the horror stories of teenage and adult acne on my parent's skin. It worried me, but I never actually took any precautions towards preventing the same experience because I figured it was doomed to happen anyway. I washed my face in the morning when I took a shower, but that was about it. Miraculously, all through my teen years and even now it's a freak occurence to get a blemish or discoloration.

Some friends asked me to post my secrets. There really aren't any. I'm just going to list the products I use that work best for me.

I have very oily skin with dryness on the forehead and sides of my nose. So everything I use needs to be oil free for that reason. In the morning I take a shower and wash my face with Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser ($7). Afterwards, if there any problem spots I put on Clearasil Maximum Strength Acne Treatment Vanishing Cream ($6) which I follow up with the best moisturizer I've ever found, Clearasil Oil-Free Dual Action Moisturizer ($6, which coincidentally, recently had a glowing right up by Jean Godfrey-June in Lucky magazine). I don't use foundation because I don't need it, but when I do use it (for a special occasion usually, so like once a year) I use Chanel Professional Finish foundation ($50). This bottle has lasted me so long because I never use it. Amazingly it has yet to separate and become gunky and unuseable!

Instead of foundation I use concealer under my eyes. I use Sally Hansen's Clear It concealer in "No color" ($4) followed by the Holy Grail of concealers/highlighters: Yves St Laurent Touche Eclat Radiant Touch Highlighter in No 1 ($35). Since I am so oily, I apply Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Shine Mattifying Gel ($35) to my t-zone (If I didn't you'd be able to see your reflection in my chin by midday). This stuff is really miraculous. It mattifies the skin without clogging the pores or becoming gunky. I swear by it. I follow that up with a light dusting of Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil powder ($19). On my eyelids, I put a thin coat of New York Anti-Shine Stick ($2) to keep my eyelids from getting oily and to set my eyeshadow. Don't put too much of this though, as it can get pretty sticky. From there I put on the rest of my makeup.

At night, my ritual is simple. I scrub my makeup off with Clearasil Acne Fighting Cleansing Wipes ($5) and then wipe my face down with Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner ($8) (that's right, I don't even wash my face!) I have a sneaking suspicion that I could do away with my entire skin regimen and just use the BB Garden Tomato Toner and my skin would still be perfect. This stuff is one of the most amazing products ever and one I absolutely can't live without. If I'm in the mood, or if my skin has broken out a little I apply a thin layer of DDF Benzoyl Peroxide Gel ($24) before bedtime. This is a very very potent product with 2.5% benzoyl peroxide. It clears the skin up quickly. Use sparingly as a little goes a long way.

In the horrible case that I have a really bad breakout I spot-treat with Queen Helene's Mint Julep mask ($2.50) before bedtime and rinse it off in the morning. I follow that up with Origins Out of Trouble 10 Minute Mask ($18.50) or an Aspirin mask (crush plain aspirin in a cup, mix with warm water until it's a pastey consistency then spread on face for 10 minutes for absolutely glowing and refreshed skin.)

Keep in mind that I built this regime up over years of trial and error product testing. So I accumulated these items slowly, I didn't just plop down a couple of hundred dollars to buy it all at once. Depending on your skin type, you may not need the Peter Thomas Roth Mattifying Gel and New York Anti Shine Stick, etc. Good luck with your beautiful skin!

Sidenote: Occasionally the skin under my eyes, the skin around my eyebrow piercing, and the skin by nose can get really dry. This is cured overnight with a dab of Weleda Skin Food ($15). It smells amazing and is very rich and creamy without being *too much.* This can also be used on dry heels, cracked cuticles and on split ends (apply on your hair at night and wrap head in kerchief. The heat from your head will help the Skin Food to seep into the ends of your hair and strengthen them). It's one of the best multi-tasking products that I own.

*Available at:
Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser - drugstore, wal-mart, target, etc
Clearasil Maximum Strength Acne Vanishing Cream - drugstore, wal-mart, target, etc
Clearasil Oil-Free Dual Action Moisturizer - drugstore, wal-mart, target, etc
Chanel Professional Finish foundation - Chanel m/u counters, Nordstrom
Sally Hansen's Clear It concealer - drugstore, wal-mart, target, etc
Yves St Laurent Touche Eclat Radiant Touch Highlighter - Nordstrom, Amazon
Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Shine Mattifying Gel - Sephora, Ulta
Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil powder - Sephora, Ulta
New York Anti-Shine Stick - rugstore, wal-mart, target, etc
Clearasil Acne Fighting Cleansing Wipes - drugstore, wal-mart, target, etc
Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner - drugstore.com, burtsbees.com, health food stores
DDF Benzoyl Peroxide Gel - Sephora, Ulta
Queen Helene's Mint Julep mask - Ulta, drugstore, wal-mart, target, etc
Origins Out of Trouble 10 Minute Mask - Origins counter, origins.com
Weleda Skin Food - health food stores, amazon.com, www.bigelowchemists.com

I'm just crazy 'bout glam rock

There are a lot of things that influence my style, and glam rock is one of them. There's something about guys in makeup that's really subversive and thrilling. I grew up on Bowie, T-rex, and the New York Dolls. I love Labryinth, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Velvet Goldmine. It's the music, the glitter, the glamour the style...I love it all. I know Eddie Izzard isn't a glam rock king, but he's effin' hilarious and he wears makeup, therefore, he makes the cut.



My style isn't as crazy as all of that, but I have been known to rock some hardcore MAC glitter pigments before.

Looking good for California

Grace has been a very naughty girl. Very naughty indeed.

I have broken my code not to buy anything with the rationalization that if I go to California then I need to look fabulous. So, I've made some purchases. Okay, quite a few purchases. Here they are:


^Hudson Stella Stretch Skinny Jeans


^By the Beard of Zeus "Undersea" Necklace


^Erica Weiner "Winged Migration" Necklace


Vintage Rainbow Peep-toe Wedges from Ebay


Vintage polka dot scarf from Ninja Vintage


Old Navy Hooded Pullover in kelly green, not brown


Old Navy polo in navy blue


American Apparel Dress in red


Morrissey Dracula t-shirt


Christian Joy Beethoven Tote

And from Forever21, I got these items:
Birds of Paradise Tunic
Starry Tunic
Striped Jersey Tunic in green
Skulls and Flowers top
Morning Dew V-neck top
Black suspenders
Oval shaped hair clips
2 polka dot hair bands in black and red

Also, purchased but not pictured:
-2 Kenneth Jay Lane Horn necklaces, one in white and one in black
-Red and white striped short-sleeve hoodie from Lucca
-Grey tank with zebra heads and foliage on it from Lucca
-2 pairs of regular flip-flops from Old Navy (Green and White)

NEEEET!

I subscribe to a range of fashion magazines, much to my DH's chagrin, as our bedroom is always overflowing with them. I get Lucky, Vogue, Elle, Ellegirl (for the bargains!), Flaunt, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, and a few more that I can't remember right now. As much as I love these magazines, none of them even come close to how amazing N.E.E.T. Magazines is. N.E.E.T. has more aesthetic appeal, better fashion spreads, and more fascinating takes on DIY and self-style than any other magazine out there (IMHO).

This being said, their new summer issue just launched. Do yourself a favor and check it out. You won't be sorry. Yes, this is an online magazine only. No, you do not have to pay for a subscription. Yes, you need to go check out because it would make me happy, and you want to make me happy, don't you? [/puppydogeyes]