Hair frustrations.

I don't know what has happened to my hair this summer, but it's not doing so hot! I used to have great hair, but this summer it has been limp, stringy, and flat. I'm very frustrated by this, so everday I put it up. I am also very frustrated by this because I feel like I am just being lazy. However, I am not the type of girl who can just let her hair hang. If it is not styled, then I have to put it in a ponytail or a clip or something. I didn't even fix my hair for church today! Anyways, this is not very exciting reading for both of my loyal readers, but I am just frustrated and felt like complaining for a little bit! On the bright side, I did get a new little cute green top about a month ago that I am absolutely in love with!

Style and class for the new line.

So, Valentino did his new line of fabulous dresses somewhat reminant of the days of Chanel couture suits and slinky long flapper dresses. The collection is fabulous and held together by the use of very basic colors with a touch of metalic sizzle to keep things fresh. Here's a few of my favorite peices:




These are what we would call the modern day Jackie with sizzle look. They are work ready and Sunday brunch appropriate, but will still look better than the tired pantsuits of last year.



These are the fabulous black tie event gowns. The first is a very eclectic mix that will be seen, with some slight modifications, trickling down into the department stores. One of the last 3 dresses will be seen on a red carpet event some time in the near future. Mark my word! If they are not, then somebody is not doing their job correctly, because these gowns are stunning!

New Hair

So, I got my hair cut today and it's this cute little bob with bangs and it's stacked a little bit in the back. I think it's very cute, but the kicker is that I am supposed to go to weddings the next two weekends in a row! I don't know what to do with it now that it is so short! It's going to be really hard to find an up-do for my new hair. Oh well, that's what I get. I'm so excited about my hair though, because it's been awhile since I had it short. I love to get my hair cut because it adds so much life and bounce to my hair. It even makes me look and feel better! What do you do to kick your look up a notch?

Flat Hair

So, I have flat hair, and I believe I have tried nearly every Volumizing hair product under the sun. Every time I find something I like, they discontinue it or something. I know all the tricks about, flipping your hair over while blow drying, using a round brush while blow drying, and not putting conditioner on the upper portion of your hair. I also know that giving your hair a blast of cool water at the end of the shower will help and that having a shorter cut will keep your hair from being weighted down and that having highlights will give the illusion of have many dimensions and being fuller. What else can I do? What else will work? I want to have fuller hair permanently and I cannot afford extensions! (Clearly, working in social services is not a job that allows for such extravagant things!) I once tried a product that was supposed to give like 30% more volume. Whatever! What is thirty percent more than nothing? Ha! I want a permanent fix that will increase the volume on my hair by 300%. OK, that's a little extreme, but really, is that such a terrible thing to wish for? I want to have long hair that doesn't look like a pancake. I'm asking for help, because I have a hundred and one tricks, but really, I just want to wake up and have long, flowing, shiny, bouncy tresses! Yes, that's what I want for Christmas this year. And world peace. But then I will be that unemployed girl with the gorgeous hair. I can live with that!

Spring Fever and Shoes!

It's almost spring time!!!! And you know what that means....the return of the cute shoe. Whatever your favorite style may be, the season to show them off is just around the corner. I personally am loving my heals! I got a new pair of close-toed bronze colored sling backs that I adore! If you are one of my two loyal readers, then you probably already know about these shoes from a previous posting. Anyway, they are wonderful. Other wonderful trends for spring include peep-toe heals, very circuit 1955. Add to those shoes a full dress with a wide belt (think "I Love Lucy") for a very fun and flirty outfit. What else is there to look forward to this season...well, the return of the flip-flop for one thing! Everybody loves flip flops, just be sure to keep them clean and make sure your tootsies are in tip top shape. No calluses and chipped nail polish, if you know what I'm sayin! You can pick up a pumice stone or a foot version of the emery board at any local store for just a couple of bucks. Rub it on wet feet a couple times a week and slather them with a moisturizing creme and ta da! Be sure to treat yourself to a nice professional pedicure at least once or twice a season, just to keep your feet looking great. Tell me what favorite spring time fashions you are most desperately awaiting for the return of?

Fashion at it's finest.

My Favorite Oscar Dresses:

Reese Witherspoon in Olivier Theyskens for Nina Ricci. (Left)

Cameron Diaz in Valentino. (Right)

Portia de Rossi in a Zac Posen gown. (Left)

NICOLE KIDMAN on the red carpet in Balenciaga. (Right)

These are my favorite Oscar dresses and I wouldn't be surprised if the next season of prom, bridal, and cocktail dresses show alot of the flair found on these dresses! Yes, they are in a specific order because the Reese Witherspoon's dress was definitely the most eye catching look of the evening. Gorgeous!

Check out this website for more great Oscar fashion! It will also tell who the winners were, just in case you were interested. :-D

http://www.oscar.com/oscarnight/redcarpet/

Changes for the spring...

So, I'm predicting that there will be 3 major trends this season.
1. The greek goddess look, with long flowy gowns and braided necklines will influence alot of shirts this season. Perhaps we will see alot of braided straps on tank tops this summer or shirts cut with the princess seam line, just under the chest. I'm thinking there will be a return of the rounded-square neck and less of the v-neck. I've also seen and heard about the return of the baby-doll. If you don't remember this, think mid-90's, flirty, dress-like tops with boots, seen on stars like Amy Grant and that girl from "Saved by the Bell."
2. Greys and tweeds will be out in pencil skirts and shoes. I'm personnally looking forward to the cute heals, which I think will take on much more of the rounded toe or peep toe look. I know that I was very excited to wear my cute new closed toe, bronze colored sling-backs to work today! The weather finally warmed up enough to melt the ice and all was safe in the world of heals again!
3. Colors will focus on shades of pearl, white, and beige. Also, as mentioned in #2 there will be alot of grey. Gold and bronze will play a bigger part this year than it has in the past and black will become, ahem, "So last season!" I'm still gonna wear it, because black is one of my signature colors that I love, but it will take a backseat this season. Also, remember it's spring and the focus will be on all things fresh and new!
This is just my opinion, based on what I see and what I feel like wearing each day. So really it is just whatever inspires me. I guess you can take my opinion for what it's worth (which I think about 20 cents is the going rate!) Just kidding!

Been gone so long...

So, I feel as though I need to appologize and explain myself to both of my loyal readers. Something went wrong with our computer, so I was unable to post for a short time. I am very sorry about this and have not abandoned the cause! I will return with plenty of tips for the new spring fashion...and, yes, I know, the spring lines have been out so long they are practically last season already. I watched the runway shows, and I'll keep you all up to speed! I'll also do the Kansas twist to specify how people are wearing things in the Midwest, since we know that it takes a season or three before styles make it here.

Also, an important note is that we want to say goodbye to a style icon, Anna Nicole Smith. Sympathies go out to her loved ones for this tragic loss.
(Yes, I know she was a bit of a flake, but she was an original jeans girl and revolutionized the Marilyn Monroe look!)

Question...

So, I love so many styles of clothing, makeup, hair, accessories, etc. I really just want to know, what is your favorite article of clothing?

Mag Madness: Are you wearing the right sweats....

Mag Madness: Are you wearing the right sweats....

Are you wearing the right sweats....

So....as many of you know, today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day (thank you) so I am sitting at home, working on a couple of projects, like consolidating my student loans, and I was thinking....."What am I going to write about today?" The answer, by golly, just came to me! Tacky sweats v. Trendy sweats. Is there a difference, you may ask. Yes there is! There is the traditional sweat pant and then there are cute sweats. Cute sweats are something like yoga pants. They have the little boot leg cut at the bottom rather than the scrunchie-look. Here are some examples:

On the left is the traditional gathered at the ankle look. Typically, this is not a cute look, right now anyways. However, it can be pulled off, only if the sweats are really baggy to give some width to the bottom of the leg. Never ever wear skin tight sweats! One word...Gross. The pair on the right are the newer, more modern version of sweats, the yoga or fashion sweat pant. Same function, different effect. These are flattering on every figure and come a wide array of cute colors and styles, with or without stripes. These are made to skim the upper leg, so just be sure that you don't have panty lines!

One may wonder though: Really, if you are going to be sitting at home, doing laundry and such, does it really matter? Remember two things:

1. Women are multitaskers! We will inevitably decide to run to the grocery store between loads to pick up a few items. There we will inevitably run into our boss, frienemy, or a cutie that we really would not prefer to see us looking like tacky, stuck-in-the-80's homebodies!

2. It doesn't matter what you are doing, if a woman thinks she looks good, she will feel good. So feel free to dance around and know that you look darn cute in your yoga pants while scrubbing soap scum. Its a little self-esteem booster and it can't hurt!

Any other thoughts on sweat etiquette? Please, leave a comment to share about your own sweat horrors or great finds!

13 Goals for 2007

Thirteen Things about Lanie1…Start saving to buy a house! 2...Spend more time with my nephews! 3...Exercise consistently! 4...Continue improving my diet! 5...Take a major vacation! 6...Keep my room cleaner! 7...(I would like to) Fall in love...again... 8...Spend more time outside this summer! 9...Keep in touch with family and friends better! 10...Get organized! Ha ha! 11...Enjoy life more! 12...Volunteer! 13...Start a family (ok, maybe not this year, but eventually!) Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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Jeans

As many of you know the revolution in denim is just around the corner. It's not anything new really, the return of the 80's look: ie the skinny pants. This change will do as much for big bellied women as the "boot-cut" did for big butts. What do I mean by this you ask? (Yes, I know there isn't anybody asking and very few comments yet, but I think people are just really being shy. Noone wants to go first! Ha ha!) Anyhoo, with the return of the skinny pants or leggings, or whatever style you choose there also comes the return of the oversized shirt, which will inevitably help to conceal the couple extra slices of pumpkin pie that are stuck to your belly from Thanksgiving. This however does not help me!!! I'm curvy. I have wide hips and a round butt! I miss the days of boot cut jeans and baby t's. These were styles that were meant for me and every other pear shaped, J-Lo loving female. Please do what you can for the miss new booty's and hold on to your boot cuts as long as possible. This way I won't be completely out of style when I continue to wear mine. It's only a matter of time, though, before I give in to this fashion disaster and wear straight legs, so I'll keep you informed. Let's just hope it doesn't go all the way to tapered leg or the ankle roll again! Band together bootilicious girls and stop the twigs!

Instant glam!

In the post holiday catch-up everybody could use some pick me up! So, a great way to do that is to expose your peepers! Get your minds out of the gutter now, peepers are eyes. (perv's)

The trick is to get some powder about 1-2 shades lighter that your skin tone or foundation and a small rounded brush. Dip the brush in the shadow and tap off the excess. Sweep it into the arch below your eyebrow all the way down to your lashes. Remember, if it looks like your eyes are glowing, then it is too light, so bring it up a couple shades. The effect is supposed to open up your eyes. It should make them pop out! Also, apply this same shadow on the dark spot in between your eyes and the side of your nose. Instantly you look younger and more alive! However this effect will only work if your brows are neatly shaped, so remember the golden rule ladies: A shapely brow makes a shapely face! (In all truth, the brows can make or break your face.) This trick should be applied after foundation but before mascara to acheive the right effect. Some of the powder will float off of the brush onto your lashes. This is OK! It will only make your lashes appear thicker, but you must apply mascara or people will see the dust.

Double duty! This same trick can also be used just below the outer corners of your lips. Just swipe and blend the powder approximately 1/3 of the way in on each side of your lower lips and it will instantly lift your lips and make you appear as though you can't stop smiling!

Another one bites the dust...

So here is the next installment of what Jessie appropriately named "Fashion Friday!" Except, since I'm kind of in charge here, I will post whenever, I guess!

Topic today: purses again! You know, I love a Coach purse just as much as any small town, trying-to-look-accomplished girl, but seriously, there is more than one design! Oh yeah, I hear they come in other colors, such as black (ha ha! Way to be dangerous!), and other patterns, and everything! Test 'em out, be daring. Go ahead. It's important to remember in our idealistic society that half the fun of having a purse is that it is unique. It is yours! It reflects you. Not because you can buy the same purse that every soccer mom, spoiled 13 year old, and college wannabe have. Coach/life has more to offer. I really prefer the patchwork design in the blue or maroon colors. Gorgeous!

I'm telling you, I see more brown leather, big C purses each day than I see Fords. It's the same concept as the LV bags. Enough alreay, you're killing me! Fashion is supposed to be fun, and this is just monotonous.