Remember when...

you were a little girl, and your mom finally let you paint your nails yourself? If you were like me, this was one of the best privileges ever and you wanted to demonstrate how sophisticated you were. Which of course meant painting each of your nails a different color.

My new fave way to paint my nails is an adaptation of these multi-hued days. Instead of using ten different colors, I’m using two; I’m selecting one finger* and painting it a color that coordinates with the one on the rest of my fingers.  For example, currently the index finger on both hands is painted orange, while the rest of my nails are a bright raspberry.

Adorbs, right? 

If you want to try this style, make sure to use two colors form (roughly) the same color family. The thing that makes this look so great is that it is almost un-noticeable. It looks best when it doesn’t scream at you. Along the same lines, pick a contrast-finger that is not obvious. My suggestion: don’t do your middle finger or thumb. Choose your ring, pinky, or index fingers.

If you are feeling a little timid about this style, try a slightly more subtle take by picking shades of the same color that are just different enough to be surely discernable. Another option is to paint your nails all the same color, and then using a glittery topcoat on just your contrast finger. This is one case when sparkle will be the more subtle choice.

*Paint the contrast color on the same finger on each hand (i.e. both pinky fingers). 

Sparkle Week, Day 4…

It’s the day when the lingering effects of the previous weekend turn into longing for the next. Thursday is the day I’m most likely to sport a ponytail and the day I inevitably wake up late with little time to throw together an outfit.

So, how do you dress up a ponytail, so it appears intentional and not as if you hit snooze three times? There is always the (semi-obvious) option of the headband, but we tried that yesterday. Another option is using a special hair-band. Whether embellished with jewels, feathers, or beads, that extra little something turns the ponytail into an actual hairstyle and a statement.

Don’t have an embellished hair-band? Try wrapping a long necklace around the base of the ponytail, covering the hair-band (those clear rubber/plastic ones will stay hidden best). You might need to use bobby pins to secure the necklace, or to pin in excess length. 

Continuing our Sparkle Week coverage…

Today, the weather is gloriously and unseasonably warm, and I am embracing it with open arms. However, with “unseasonably” comes “unexpected”, and also “unprepared”, as in, I am. With only one pair of sandals with me in Corvallis, I must embrace the pair I have (silver flip-flops).  I also am sadly devoid of most spring/summer dresses and skirts, so I’ll be cuffing my jeans into capris. On top I’ll be wearing a statement-top (mine is bright pink eyelet, but the following tips applies to any statement top).

But how, when wearing a statement top, do you also add some sparkle? It can be somewhat difficult to incorporate another high-impact piece into your look. A simple silver cuff or wide bangle would be good here. However, I think the best solution here is to take a cue from everyone’s favorite Upper-East Sider, Blair Waldorf. Add a headband!  It should be embellished (this is Sparkle Week after all) but skinny headbands work best here. Nestled in your hair (rather than actually holding it back) it shines just enough to complement, not compete with, your top. The headband I selected is silver glitter, and just ½ centimeter thick. Finish off the look with small drop earrings; your hair will hide them most of the time, catching the light every-so –often for just the right amount of spark.  And shoes? Metallic is best, but they should be minimal. Simple ballet flats or sandals will not compete with the rest, but will fit in nicely. 

Just another reason NYC is fabulous…

This week it is “Sparkle Week” in NYC.  Last month, the mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, declared April 20^th through 26^th “Sparkle Week”, to celebrate (and boost the sales of) all things sparkly, namely jewelry and diamonds. Just to be clear: this week is a governmentally-sanctioned celebration of diamonds. Fantastic. 

Because I am a lover of all things sparkly, I will certainly be celebrating Sparkle Week here in Corvallis, and encourage you to do the same. Every day this week I’ll be offering a different proposal for how to rock some sparkle of your own.

We’ll start off (semi) subtle. Today, I’m thinking a top of some kind with some built in sparkle, paired with some shimmery extras. For example, I’m wearing a t-shirt with silver leaves printed on it, with silver flip-flops and some silver bangles, along with my signature diamond studs.  You can cut-out pieces to suit your own taste/comfort level, but I would advise against going whole-hog today. After all, there are six more days to shine.

It may be...

winter in Oregon and fall in New York (at least according to the runways), but my heart is resting squarely in spring. Stores are beginning to stock the spring merch., and magazines are showing the Spring looks, and those lucky bastards in  California are already breaking out their sundresses. Looking at the images from last September’s RTW shows, there’re a couple of trends I am loving, and a few I am loathing.

Love: Maxi dresses are still going strong. There seem to be quite a lot of bandeau-halter (the halter comes from the center of the chest, rather then near the under-arms). Colors are bright yet not quite “true”; there is coral instead of orange or pink, and turquoise instead of blue or green. There was also tons of white and black—often together in graphic prints. Dresses and skirts were very full and lady-like, but still wearable for day. DVF showed big floral headbands; I like the idea of it, but I would tone it down for the real world. I saw tons of lace used in a pretty casual way, and it was fantastic. I also loved all the caftan-like dresses.

Loathe: Inexplicably, the jumpsuit trend is still ubiquitous, and has brought in its equally evil little sister: the romper. Just…no. If it doesn’t flatter a model, whose job it is to make clothes look good, then it will not look good on an average or normal person. Please, step away from any sort of one-piece top-bottoms combo. Another bad look? “Harem” pants. I’m sorry, are you a genie? Is your name Aladdin? If not, then put the pants back on the rack and step away.

{PS. Sorry it's been so long since my last post.}

My current obsession...

is the day-clutch. That is, an oversized clutch that you use during the day, as opposed to at night. This is not your old stand-by going-out spangly clutch. It should be some sort of skin: leather, snake –skin or alligator. The day-clutches I like best have a special detail in the form of hardware; a buckle or horse-bit is especially charming. The clothes you pair with your clutch need not be anything special; they should, however, be put together. No sweats or zip-ups here. You can wear pretty much anything you want, as long as it is A) polished and B) not something that you could wear going-out at night. 

Sequins are quite...

...possibly the love of my life. When I see them in a store, its like a tractor-beam—it pulls me right in. I love sparkle of any kind, but sequins hold a special place in my heart. A common misconception about sequins is that they can only be worn at night. The truth is, there are only two situations where sequins would be considered inappropriate: a funeral and anytime you are appearing in court. All you have to do to wear your sequins during the day is to pair it with some decidedly “day” pieces. Wearing a sequined skirt? Team it with opaque tights, flats and a simple t-shirt-cardigan combo. A sequined top should be worn with jeans, and a cardigan or blazer. Heels can be worn as long as they are not shiny. And in all situations, keep jewelry minimal.