Palm Springs

Dare I say the most beautiful nail polish I've ever seen? It was recently released as a collab between Uslu Airlines and Colette to celebrate spring and Colette's 15th anniversary. It's basically a party in a bottle, and even smells like fig...YUM. Get it here.

**Update: Essie makes a similar shade!

Eye-deas

I always get the urge to get all experimental with my eye makeup when the weather starts to get warmer. MAC and Make Up For Ever provide most of my color box, and the rest is up to whatever inspiration I hunt down in mags and on the internets.


I love the neon colors and the thin black strokes that remind me of a Kandinsky painting. (source)


The Luella Spring '10 graphic eye could be achieved with a bright cream shadow and a brush. One thing I need is a good primer to reduce the annoyance that is creasing.


I learned about Japanese magazine So-En from a fave blog of mine, Through a Glass Darkly, and so glad I did- the pictures are beautiful and inspiring. Having recently discovered how amazingly comprehensive Sephora's makeup line is, I know they even make glitter eyeliners if you want to copy this look which I think is subtle yet really cool.


Also spotted in So-En, I present you POLKA DOT eyes. Crazy I know, but eager to try since I'm a polka dot fanatic.


It's safe to say I'm in love with the black & white eyes at Junya Watanabe this season. They were a stunning compliment to the two-tone collection and a look I would not hesitate to copy myself.

Fire and blood

Color theory has always been a topic of interest to me, and there's a reason why it's taught in art school. People often have colors they like to wear predominantly, usually because they evoke a certain mood or compliment their specific features. Red was never a color I was drawn to though. I felt it washed out my already fair skin, pale eyes and hair and the color just plain makes me nervous. Lately though, I've started to find myself drawn to it in small doses, be it a pair of shoes, a swipe of fire engine red eyeliner, or an accessory. Red gives off a vibe of power and strength- it's highly visible and takes a bit of confidence to wear. After a long search, I found the perfect shade of red lipstick....for me at least. It's made by Sephora and it's got just a hint of orangey undertone (the shade is called "It Girl"...go figure).



I'm building up quite a rad collection of graphic sweaters, mostly thanks to Mishka who this gun pop art sweater is by. This is the reddest thing in my closet now.



A few more pretty red people and things that have been on my mind lately...


top row: Yohji Fall 2009; bottom row: Comme des Garcons Spring 2010


Zero + Maria Cornejo horse hair necklace; S***r shoes via Far Fetch

This girl really pulls off the bright red sweater. Having equal parts black Prada boots works wonders in balancing out the outfit.

I came across these nails via uuiuu and am so into it. I just want to sit down at the manicure table and order up a "red polka dot french manicure please." I'd love to replicate them myself if I ever find the patience and steady hand.


Some red socks peaking out of the tops of some boots is a good way to wear just a little of the color. These are by Henrik Vibskov from Far Fetch. And lastly, the blood drip Ann-Sofie Back sunglasses by Sheefun. I started getting excited before I even knew they were attainable. They're getting restocked soon at Stand Up Comedy in Portland!

Seeing double

Junya Watanabe's Spring 2004 collection is a polka dot-filled visual on repeat when I think about his work. I revisited it again after coming across a dress from that season on ebay (which I recently won and will share once it's in my hands), realizing I never really looked at the detail shots on style.com. I'm so into the eyes! I ran out of my black liquid liner this week and decided to try a new kind this time- so I went with a Maybelline liner that allows you to get more precise when you're tracing your eye. I plan on attempting this boomerang effect- watch out weekend here I come!



Having just moved into a new apartment, I've been thinking a lot about furniture, space, and new art for our walls. As much as I'd love to own a piece by Tauba Auerbach, particularly one of her large static prints, I do not have 8 grand to put towards art anytime soon. While searching around for everything Tauba, I hit myself on the head and instantly clicked over to Amazon when I discovered that this Comme des Garcons SHIRT ad I've oggled over before (and posted on my tumblr a while back) was designed by her AND printed in the Oct 2008 issue of Vanity Fair. I'm waiting for the magazine to arrive, and already have a fantastic Muji frame waiting to be christened with the ad art. Once our place is set up, maybe I'll pull a Selby on myself.



With moving often comes a desire to organize better, or at least more creatively in my case. I have acquired a lot of necklaces in the past few years, so while looking for an alternative to just putting a nail in the wall, I found this ear hook from UO that I had to have. They are on sale for 5 bones now so I just might get another. Maybe one day I'll amputate a mannequin hand as another alternative (kidding!...no i'm not!)



This is a glove-shaped bag from Margiela that I saw on ebay a few months ago. I watch a lot of things for kicks that I know I won't buy or don't need. Would you believe this ended around $1400?? I was in shock. Anyway, glad I saved a pic because I want to find some good men's leather gloves and the other materials to craft my own eventually. If you think this is strange, have you seen D&G's glove headpieces from Fall 09?

In living color

Guess who just launched a nailpolish line? None other than American Apparel folks! I wasn't at all surprised when I heard the news being as their business model basically rests on turning the world into a box of crayons. The new collection includes 18 shades with interesting LA, AA, & office-inspired names like Dynasty, Hassid (a nod to Dov's Jewish roots), and Manila. Aside from the fantastic colors, you'll be happy to hear their polish is free of nasty chemicals like formaldehyde, DBP and touluene. A bottle sells for $6 a pop or $15 for a 3 pack. I'll definitely be trying these out soon.

Mane ideas

On a recent trip to probably the best magazine shop in Manhattan, Around the World, I must have spent an hour deciding what to take home. That time around, I went with the Spring 09 bible, In Beauty, that has pics of hair and makeup from nearly every show in NY, London, Milan, Paris, and Tokyo. It's really been a great resource thus far for makeup inspiration, but I think I've just been too lazy to try any crazy hairstyles yet. Maybe I can attempt a few of these- anyone know where to get giant hair pins!?

Grape dip

I've long outgrown wanting to have blue hair (plus it just wouldn't fly with the workplace) but every once in awhile I come across chicks like this that do really interesting things with hair dye. Oh the envy!


via DROP

Fishtank

When it warms up outside, I feel like I get a little more brave with makeup. Today I rocked some bright orange MAC eyeliner in "O-J". I thought it looked pretty cool under my alien blue eyes.



I've been pulling out old issues of Nylon from 2001-2003 when they were doing something fresh and different and I was a bit obsessed with the mag. I actually think a lot of what they were doing back then was so ahead of the game that it's more relevant to today than what they are actually doing today in some of their editorials. This is a topic I am going to further explore when I get around to scanning some more from their golden era. For now, here's a beauty story from the August 2001 issue with Natalie Portman on the cover. It inspired the orange 'liner today and will probably have me coloring in my eyebrows and stenciling shapes on my face at some point this summer.

Vanity Never Stops

I stumbled across this ad campaign on my friend's tumblr today for Intrecci Hairdressing, a salon based out of Milan. The styling, art direction and photography came together so well....the beauty industry can be so cookie cutter so it's refreshing to see a more conceptual approach for once.









Advertising Agency: 1861 United, Milan, Italy
Executive Creative Directors: Pino Rozzi, Roberto Battaglia
Art Director: Federico Pepe
Copywriter: Stefania Siani
Photographer: Pierpaolo Ferrari

Hot flash

I'm totally rocking neon pink eyeliner this summer and noone can stop me. G.V.G.V. worked it out for their Spring 09 show and I've had it on my mind ever since.




photo cred

You found me

I came across this pic of Camilla Staerk on Streetpeeper looking so epic in her own designs. She has a timeless beauty about her that is only enhanced by her style and grace. Camilla's line Staerk has only been around for a few years but it's always one of the ones I look forward to the most at NYFW.



And how awesome is her huge black bag? I clicked on a tag and found this girl rocking some awesome Staerk booties in Copenhagen. I really dig her whole look too.

After hours

I'm really feeling this new line of shades from Uslu Airlines called DJS NAILS. Uslu paired up with international djs to design four shades that, as always, are named after airports. My fave is PSG (named after Petersburg James A. Johnson airport in Alaska), designed by BusyP. The shade is like a muted highlighter neon, and it glows in the dark! Ah-mazing.




available at Colette

I can give you what you want

Each of the 60 girls at the Marc Jacobs show this season had their own unique look...for hair and makeup. I wonder how many cans of hairspray they went through.

image from Go Backstage

red rum

The makeup and hair at Yohji's fall show was all about red accents and pale skin...loved the weird, slightly evil vibe about it.


image via WWD

Reshaped

It's hair time! I'm way overdue for a haircut and while I am trying to grow it out, I don't just want a trim. These are the pics I'll be bringing to my stylist on Saturday.


images via twothousand and opening ceremony

Priti Blue

This past weekend I finally got around to using my gift certificate to Priti Spa in the east village. Unlike the other 5 billion nail salons in NYC, apart from not looking at ALL like them, Priti also does not smell like chemicals either. This is because the spa is 100% organic and Priti polishes are free of Toluene, Formaldehyde, and all that other nasty junk. After staring at their endless wall of colors, I chose this royal blue named after a flower called Bachelors Button. You can buy the polishes at other retailers as well and online, but if you are going to be in NY anytime soon, I recommend treating yourself to a Priti mani/pedi!

Art of the face

I've always been a fan of experimental eye makeup. I think with everyone clenching their wallets so tight these days, it's not a bad idea to see eye makeup as an instant accessory. Try experimenting in front of the mirror and before you know it, you'll (hopefully) look right out of an editorial for only a few bucks.




images via Fashion 156

Backstage at Vivienne Westwood

photos by Sonny Vandevelde