Avon Pro-To-Go Listick: Review

One of the gifts I received on my birthday was Avon's Pro-To-Go lipstick:

Above: Avon Pro-To-Go Lipstick

The perks of having an Avon Lady of a mother, lots of cool Avon make-up is given to me to try.

The colour I own is Natural Beauty which is a nice nude shade:

I love how the shade looks on me an if I add a touch of lip gloss over it is even better. I like my lips to have a bit of shine. It is also a very "in" shade since beige/nude neutrals are everywhere this spring.

The lipstick itself is long lasting, the packaging very easy to work with, the lipstick moisturizes the lips, and it comes in many great shades. I am very happy with this lipstick and if you would like to try it, it is currently on sale for $4.99. Snap it up while you can for an affordable price.

Bright Star: See It!

This is a movie recommendation post on my fashion blog because I just am in love with the movie Bright Star at the moment. I want to wrap myself in the film and live in a world that has this film replaying over and over until I tire of it.

The Bright Star is the love story between John Keats (the poet) and Fanny Brawne. It is beautiful, tragic, and well-acted. Ben Whishaw was very excellent as Keats in this film...he can act with his eyes which I always enjoy with actors. It gives their acting more depth. It was beautiful in cinematography and soundtrack. It just thrilled my soul so much.

I am a sucker for a historical, tragic, love story. This film fits the bill so well.



The movie also made me want to understand poetry better. I have always written poetry and had people like what I wrote. I have just had a hard time making a personal connection to poetry that others write. I so want to swim in the beauty of poetry, but just haven't been able to do that. I have taken English classes with poetry sections and still never understood it. But, then having a teacher telling you what you are suppose to see in poetry isn't very helpful at all because they are merely telling you what they see. I see poetry as like perfume...everyone has different tastes and gets different feelings from it.  I think because of this, what may be seen as beautiful to one person in words, is just rubbish to another. It makes it extra hard to connect with poetry. 

Writing poetry is easier for me. It has a connection to me then because it is coming from my mind and my feelings. I suppose it is like that for many people. I envy the people that can see the beauty in poetry...can speak the poetic language, so see the meanings in almost any poetry they pick up. I would love to be like that.

I have decided to try and understand poetry a little. I have ordered John Keats' complete poems and letters so that I can explore his poetry a little since I have the movie to connect it to. Most his great poems were written about Fanny Brawne so, having their letters to one another (which is in one of the two books I ordered) will be interesting to read. A bit voyeuristic, but interesting. I cannot wait to receive them.

And going back to the movie Bright Star...I highly recommend it because it is beautiful, tragic, and well done. It seems a tiny bit abrupt at the beginning but, as it unfolds it makes sense. Definitely watch it if you can.

And one of my favorite sections from the film:

Tomorrow is my birthday...

...so I am taking today and tomorrow off from blogging.

I hope to get some fashion items for my birthday so I can get writing about them. I always love to write about what I buy, receive as a gift, and use when it comes to fashion/beauty. It makes me happy to share what I like with others.

So, tonight I will be watching Bright Star on DVD, which I received in the mail today and tomorrow I will try to start out the day with my favorite birthday song.



And once more in Icelandic for fun:



Not really in a birthday mood so maybe hearing this song right after waking up will get me in the mood.

But, But, But, It's For OLD People!: Unusual clothing catalogs.

I am sure that many people have opened their mailboxes to those clothing catalogs that seem skewed toward old people. Maybe you have reached 30 or have an older parent living with you. The clothes in the catalogs can be, well, old looking...like the clothing on old people on cruise ships. Still you can find interesting fashion within the pages of the catalog.

Don't believe me? Well, let's look and see what I have found in Travelsmith catalog today.

Above: Classic Belted Trench in Limeade at Travelsmith.com

This trench is very similar to the one found at Boden.com that I wrote about here. The belt on this trench by Travelsmith I like a lot more though the colour is not as bold. It also seems to be more form fitting which I really love. The really cool thing? The Travelsmith version is on sale for $99.00 as compared to $138.00 at Boden.com.

Above: Voyager Belted Print Shirtdress at Travelsmith

I love the print on this shirtdress and the length. The fabric is lightweight and sheds wrinkles quickly once you unpack it from a suitcase. It would be great for a fashionista who travels a lot and likes to dress casual, but not too casual, when out and about. It's only $79.99 as well which is a great price!

Above: Houndstooth Wrinkle-Free Scarf at Travelsmith

Great colours and design to this scarf! It is also wrinkle-free, like most of the clothing from this site since it is geared for travelers. Definitely would add a bit of colour to a winter wardrobe and it is only $34.00.

Above: Rockport Leather Boots at Travelsmith

These leather boots are slightly funky in style while being very comfortable since they are made for walking around while traveling. This means they have insoles and cushioned foot-bed to keep your feet form getting tired while walking around in them. I love the side-zipper and always seem to gravitate to side-zip boots because it makes them so easy to put on, and take off. They are a little pricer at $179.00 but if they are comfortable they are worth it.

Above: Revel Peep-Toe Pumps by Clark's Artisan at Travelsmith

There are many shoes in this catalog but, the above are my favorites! They have that funky, indie, sort of feel to the style and come in three colours: Red, Black, and Beige. They also have foam insoles to be comfortable for the walking around while traveling or during your everyday. They would look great with a wrap dress or skirt. I would definitely wear them because they would look so good on the foot. They are $89.00 and I am sure, worth every penny.

These are just some of the hidden gems in the Travelsmith catalog that came in the mail. I am glad I too a peek in between the covers and didn't just toss it out. Next time you receive a catalog that seems to have mainly "Old people's clothing" take a look and see if you can find any hidden fashion finds within before tossing it into the recycle bin..

Out To Dinner with Friends or a Casual Shopping Trip?

I haven't done a post putting together and outfit I would wear in ages. It's about time for me to change this.

I came across this dress:

Above: Chain-mail jersey dress by Balmain


I really love it and think it would be great with these boots:

Above: Leather wedge ankle boots by Rick Owens


And then add some nude colour tights or thicker pantyhose (Yes, I said pantyhose. With this outfit they would work.) with a nice sheen to them. 


Then carry this purse to add a splash of colour to the outfit:

Above: Bow-detail leather tote by Valentino


I think that the outfit calls for not over-doing it with jewelry so would keep it simple and maybe just wear a bold, silver, ring like this one:

Above: Asteria Warrior Ring at Lulus.com


Complete outfit, minus jacket of course. I would definitely wear that all together because I like bold, but sleek, outfits. It would be great to wear out to an casual dinner with friends or out to a martini bar meet-up.


Of course, it is fun when a website puts an outfit together to show off clothing and I agree with their choice like this one at Net-A-Porter:

Above: Net-A-Porter's way of showing off a crew-neck cashmere sweater by Rick Owens


I could definitely see myself wear that whole outfit to run around town on a casual day of shopping. It has that laid-back, California, vibe to it that my casual clothing has. 


I like both outfits and would definitely wear both of them.

Product Review- Opi Nailpolish

I have become a avid fan of OPI Nail Polish. Why you may ask?

Above: Matte Domestic Goddess by OPI for Sephora

The number one reason I love OPI nail polish is that as it dries it doesn't bubble up like a lot of brands do. Many brands claim that they dry fast but drying fast means you get those trapped air bubbles in the polish that leave the polish looking all lumpy. I HATE that. I want my manicure to look smooth and as minus bubbles as possible.

I decided to give OPI a try when they partnered with Sephora. They had so many great colours to choose from that I had to buy a bottle or two and see how the polish performed.

Above: Leaf Him At The Altar by OPI for Sephora

I was so impressed at how fast it dried and how bubble free the polish was! The colours also dry pretty true to bottle colour (maybe just a shade darker) and the colours do not fade with wear. I quickly went out and bought many more colours form the brand and have yet to be disappointed.

Above: Dark Room by OPI for Sephora

I have my favorite colours of course. The main one being Metro Chic which is a really pretty grey with a slight purple tinge to it:

Above: Metro Chic by OPI for Sephora

Metro Chic has become my "got to" polish colour because it is a shade of grey that is on pair with reds in intensity. I know that sounds weird but if you hold the grey of Metro Chic up with a red polish next to it...they have the same intensity of shade. This makes it so Metro Chic isn't as eye catching as black but, still catches the eye. For this reason, I love it.

I am also loving that OPI for Sephora offers a few shades in Matte. The lack of shine on my nails is nice from time to time. I, of course, bought Metro Chic in Matte as well as regular formula.

Sephora also has a gift set at the moment on its website that includes Metro Chic (grey with a purple tinge), Domestic Goddess (a bright lavender purple), and A True Romantic (a pale pink):

Above: Nail Colour Gift Set by OPI for Sephora

It's a great way to try out the brand with some of the pastel colours. Single bottles of the nail polish will run you about $10. You can also find OPI polishes at beauty supply stores though the colour offerings are very different because the colours you get at Sephora are made just for that store. At the beauty supply stores, the polishes will run you about $9.

OPI nail polish is a bit more expensive than drug store polishes but I have started to only buy it because it is so bubble free and has so many different colours. I figure a little more money is worth it for such great performing nail polish.

So, if you are tired of bubbly, slow drying, polish, give OPI nail polish a try. I highly recommend the brand!

Mark's Cold Shoulder Top Review.

I received Mark's Cold Shoulder Top about a week ago.

Above: Cold Shoulder Top by mark

I was surprised by the quality since mark can be hit or miss when it comes to the quality of their clothing. It was well made and the material was soft, yet sturdy. It is tampered just right at the waist to hug you where you want it to hug, was long enough to make the top look slouchy or wear a belt with it, and the neck cut just right to wear it off-shoulders or only off one shoulder.

I also bought this mark necklace to wear with the top:

Above: Chain Gang Necklace by mark

I wore the top (paired with the necklace) out to meet a friend for lunch downtown and got many nice compliments on it.

I would definitely recommend both the top and the necklace because they were comfortable, fashion forward, and rather well made while being affordable with the top being $28.00 and the necklace $16.00.

Mark has many interesting fashion items and great make-up so check out the lines offered at the website, or through an Avon representative.

The Three Colours of Spring.

I guess that, truthfully, it is one colour and two neutral shades but, neutral shades are colours in my mind so I will refer to them as that. Fuchsia, taupe, and nude. These seem to be the colours that I am seeing everywhere this spring.

Fuchsia:

Above: Cashmere-blend plunge-back dress by Azzaro

With fuchsia, designers are using many different colour names to describe it. I wrote more about this colour at stylefeeder's The Tastemaker Diaries so check that out.

I am liking the fuchsia trend after the coral trend of last spring. Coral does not look good on everyone and it made me look jaundiced so I avoided that colour like the plague last year. Fuchsia is much prettier to my eye as well.

Nude:

Above: Tulle and georgette drape dress by Donna Karan

Nude items seems to be as plentiful in the stores as fuchsia. If anyone was watching the Golden Globes, a huge number of the celebrity women were wearing nude coloured gowns at that event. Yes, nude seems to be a neutral that is all over this spring.

Nude is not a favorite of mine because it tends to wash out many people when they wear it. I choose to wear it in small amounts and not as a head to toe look. If you are blonde of a certain hair shade, it will wash you out completely so be aware it is not a colour trend that suits everyone.

Taupe:

 Above: Leather gladiator sandals by Miu Miu

Taupe is showing up in clothing, shoes, handbags, and even nail polish. It is a lot more widely wearable than nude since it closely resembles grey. Definitely a great neutral shade and I would snap it up in accessories, especially shoes, handbags, and nail polish!

Whatever spring colour you choose, have fun with it and enjoy the fashion offerings coming to you this spring!

Fleece Lining Again!

I came across fleece lined socks this time:

Above: Fleece Lined Thigh High Socks by Plush

This time they are $26 and they tempt me to buy them and try them out. I am very curious about if they are warm, comfortable, and if they keep their shape.

Maybe this is an item I should write down because I am trying to plan to get over to Seattle around my birthday at the end of the month. It would be something to keep my eye out for as I wandered the stores in Seattle.

Mucho Love To The Poncho.

I have long loved ponchos. I even bought one while in San Diego in 2007. They are just an easy way to add a layer of warmth to your outfit while not wearing a jacket and look great with jeans and wedge sandals.

Above: Asymmetric cashmere poncho by Crumpet

Ponchos look good on the "long and lean" body type as well as other body types. The trick is getting one that fits in all the right places and does not look like you just threw a blanket over your shoulders.

You want it to look flow-y and not blanket-like. Asymmetric styles, I find, are the most flattering to a figure. Like the one above which I wish I had the money to buy!

There are cheaper versions but, sometimes, cheaper can be more "blanket" in appearance.

Above: Soft Side Poncho by Jules Allen

I love the colour-blocked pattern to the above poncho but it tends to lean toward the "blanket" in appearance.  You walk a very thin line when looking at ponchos since many fall into that "blanket looking" area.

This is why it is important to try the poncho on before you purchase it and see how it fits you.

Does it allow for your figure to show through? Hug the right places? Give you a hint of breasts? Not appear as if you are wearing a very short Snuggie?  Is it made out of comfortable material?

Above: Leila Poncho in Black by Bennet Malibu

All this is important and trying the poncho on will help you decide if it suits you.

You may also want to see if the pattern on the poncho (if there is any) suits you or overwhelms you. It should be eye-catching but not distract from you.

Above: Holly Poncho by Bennet Malibu

After all, you are wearing the poncho, the poncho is not wearing you. See if it flatters your skin tone and hair colour. This also requires a try on and glance in a mirror.

So embrace the poncho, find the one that best suits you figure, skin tone, and hair colour. Avoid the blanket look by trying the poncho on for size. A poncho can be fun to wear, so wear one.

Fleece Lined Tights?

I was looking at the new offerings online and saw these tights at ShopRoberston.com:

Above: Full Footed Fleece Lined Tights in Black by Plush

Yes, fleece lined, you read that right. I am intrigued. I am tempted to give this a try since I like tights that are thicker, yet not bulky, so I can wear dresses on cold days. I hate wool tights because they are itchy and a lot of the thicker tights don't hold shape of the leg very well.  These tights are 7% spandex so, may not be baggy at the knees and ankles.

They are $35 though and I am not sure I want to spend the money on them.

Has anyone had any experience with these tights, or ones like them?

Do share if you have!

I Was Ahead In The Game Again!

I was wandering the Internet and came across so many versions of this sandal style:

Above: Opal Wedge Sandal in Black by Diane Von Furstenberg

I smiled because I  had bought a pair very similar (minus the back zip) in style in January 2009 at H&M while in NYC!

The pair I own:

Above: My H&M sandals bought in Jan. 2009

I was ahead of the fashion game when I purchased these sandals and didn't even know it!

Mine have a buckle instead of a zip closure but, they are essentially the same style. When I bought them I thought them a bit unique because they are platform and I wasn't seeing this style everywhere. Plus they were only $19.99 on sale so I snapped them up. Now, almost every designer (including Diane Von Furstenberg) has a pair that are similar in their collection for Spring 2010.

It always amuses me when I am ahead of the fashion herd in purchases I make and it seems to have happened again.

Finishing up the clean up

Finished the big room clean of 2010. I am slightly light-headed due to furniture polish fumes but, the furniture needed the polishing. It (the furniture) drank the polish like it had been crossing a desert without water. I have a closet to clean out but, I am waiting on that. I know it will take longer because it will involve throwing things out and deciding what to get rid of.

The polish  fumes are making me not want to look at fashion or write about it today but I will leave you with this:



Cannot wait for this show to come back!

Be back tomorrow with a fashion blog.

Fashion Find: Boden USA

I am literally covered in dust tonight since I started my new years clean up of the room I am in! I received new DVD storage shelving for Christmas so put that together and then moved things around the room to make room for the shelving. I barely had room for it and I need more DVD storage! I am just a DVD collecting fiend. So, I am now leaving the rest of the cleaning for tomorrow. It's late and I need a break. I am coughing from the dust and drinking tons of water as I write this entry. Dust is the devil!

Now onward to the fashion!

I received the Boden USA catalog in the mail today and took the time to look through it while eating dinner. So many wonderful, staple, clothes in there in so many different colours and prints. Makes me wish I had the extra money to place an order or two at this very moment.

Loving the colours and Union Jack design on this cardigan:

Above: Fun Cardigan in Green Union Jack by Boden

Or this fun, bright, trench coat:

Above: Short Trench Coat in Fennel by Boden.

Or tis colour printed shirt with contrasting cuffs:

Above: Essential Shirt in Pink Multi Geo Leaf by Boden.

Or this floral print wrap dress:

Above: Wrap Jersey Dress in Blue Marine Starflower by Boden.

And they even have nice accessories:

Above: Over-sized Sunglasses in Tortoise Shell by Boden.

Above: Carnaby Wallet in Dark Navy by Boden.

And they even have very cool shoes in wild colour combinations.

Above: Colourblock Wedges in Blush by Boden.

Boden USA is definitely a fashion source I will keep in mind as my business picks up because they have such great wardrobe staples in such interesting prints and colour combos. I can have fun with the colours while dressing casual, comfortable, and stylish. They have their clothing offered in classic colours as well as the bright combinations as well. Loving what I am seeing offered from Boden USA.

Check out their site and get on their catalog list, you won't regret it!

The Last Unicorn.

I am usually not a girlie girl in liking the colour pink, Hello Kitty, or cutesy cartoon character fashion items. Heck, even just a month ago if you would have told me I would like a necklace with a unicorn on it, I would have scoffed at the notion.

That was then, this is now. I found this necklace at Modcloth:

Above: Charlene The Unicorn Necklace at Modcloth

Yes, you are seeing a unicorn necklace and, yes, I am admitting to loving it.

It has a certain ancient look to the style of the unicorn and reminds me of my Viking necklace that I wear quite often. It has that old world feel to it that I love when it comes to such imagery in accessories, especially jewelry.

And the unicorn is raised in relief:

Which really makes me like it all the more. So much so, that I ordered it since it is only $12.99, so won't put a huge dent in my bank account. I will just count it as an early birthday present to myself since my birthday is later this month.

I suppose I should never say never when it comes to usually cutesy imagery. I just may find piece of jewelry (or clothing) I like with imagery that I usually spurn.

Island Scented In Winter: Philosophy Coconut Frosting.

I discovered Sephora in 2001 when I was living in San Diego. It quickly became my favorite cosmetics/skin-card store and I shopped there often while living n that city. Then I moved to Spokane which doesn't have a Sephora store unless you count the dinky corner area in the JcPenney store that opened this past year. I don't because they don't carry half the stuff I love in the Sephora stores.

I now either have to wait for trips to Seattle where there are quite a few Sephora stores or shop the store online. The later is very easy because Sephora has one of the best websites to shop from. Easy to navigate, wide selection of product, email notification if product is out of stock for when it will be in stock, samples included in orders, and quick shipping. I am shopping the site quite often to buy products that just are not available locally. This includes Philosophy products because I fell in love with their ultra rich, 3-in-one, shower gel/bubble bath/shampoo products when I was living in San Diego.

I usually buy the product in Senorita Margarita scent (and have tried the Strawberry Milkshake scent as well) but, this Christmas I asked for the product in Coconut Frosting scent due to my love of tropical fruits. It showed up under the tree as a gift from my mum.

Above: Ultra Rich 3-In-one Shampoo,Shower Gel, Bubble Bath by Philosophy

I love the richness of the product and how it doesn't dry out the skin. That is very important when you live in a dry climate like I do where you walk around all winter shocking yourself on metal objects, with skin screaming for moisture constantly. I love how it is great for traveling because you can cut out the bringing of shampoo in your luggage. That is always a good thing: to have one less product to pack.

I admit to being on the fence on the Coconut Frosting scent. It seems a bit weak to me, more sugary than coconut. I would have preferred the coconut scent be more pronounced in the product since I love tropical scents and sort of expect the scent to be stronger because of this. I think that I will go back to buying the margarita scented version because I am preferring that...or I may try a whole new scent for fun. I will save the coconut for their wonderful lip glosses.

If you haven't tried Philosophy products, I do highly recommend them. They have wonderful scents and add moisture, instead of dry out, the skin. Check out the Philosophy site online or head to your nearest Sephora store (or shop it online) to find the brand. Their products come in many wonderful scents and worth the price.

PUMA Website Failure!

I received the PUMA shoes I was drooling over for months and ordered with my Christmas money today.

They were 4 sizes too small! I had distinctly ordered size 8.5 and they came to my house in size 5.5! Huge difference in size and they look like kids shoes next to my feet! How does one misread an order as 5.5 from a 8.5? I am baffled!

I am going to send them back and I called customer service on it after seeing the shoes are not even on the site anymore. Yeah, I really want these shoes! The customer service representative said that they are "out of stock", but not "out of production" so I should check back because they should be back in stock in 30 days. Likely story...I have heard that song and dance  before and it usually means that I am out of luck. *sigh*

I checked Zappos.com as my brother suggested and they have the style, but not the colour combo I want! They were even cheaper on the site because they were on sale which leads me to believe they are discontinuing the colour. Drat!!!

There is a very slim hope I will still get them because the style is "classic" but the colours may be different as they switch to new spring styles.

A friend said the same thing happened with the same exact site and shoe to her brother's wife-to-be so, I am not the only one who has had the issue with the Puma site getting sizes wrong. Doesn't change my annoyance with the situation however.

I am VERY pissed off at Puma.com because I did enter 8.5 in the website shopping cart and they are the ones that f-ed up! If it does come back in (and I decide to order from the same site) it will definitely be by phone!

Blogging and Fashion

I have found it hard to write blog posts for this blog sometimes. I don't have lots of money in my bank account so cannot afford designer clothing. I would love to be able to because I love clothing by designers like Alexander McQueen:

Above: Alexander McQueen Bird Funnel Print Dress and Black Rouched Pumps

And clothing by Vivienne Westwood:

Above: Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Collection Fall/Winter 2009

I just haven't gotten to the point in my life where I can afford high fashion clothing items because I am struggling to get my photography business off the ground, pay the bills, and my family is not rich. I have always loved fashion and try to dress reasonably fashionable, but you will be seeing me wearing the newer styles as the trickle down to the mass market form that you find in stores like H&M, Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, and other stores of the same price range.

I love fashion but, I feel a bit weird going on and on about clothing I could never buy with my paycheck. I may post a high fashion item and drool over it in this blog, but I cannot rush out and buy it to add it in my wardrobe at this point in my life. Believe me, I really wish I could!

This does not mean I don't know anything about fashion if I write about something I wish I could own, but cannot afford. This means if you choose to leave hateful, snobby, mocking, mean-spirited, comments on my blog because I obviously am "poor", "don't know what I am talking about", or am "old and ugly", that comment will never see the light of day.

 Just because a person does not have the money to buy Prada shoes or a Gucci handbag does not make them unfashionable and not knowing what they are talking about when it comes to fashion. They make do with what they can afford and try super hard to look stylish while doing so while dreaming of what they would buy if they had the money. Smacking comments on blogs from this brand of fashionista always make me wonder about the sanity of the person and why they are so angry at people who write about fashion just because the person cannot afford $1,000 shoes. Believe me, I have seen this happen often and it has even happened to me.

I tend to try and write more in detail about things I do buy, be it Avon products, Sephora bought make-up/perfume, clothing/jewelry from LuLus.com, and other stores/sites that are not as rough on the bank account. I write detail about things I have bought and had experience with. That way, other women who like products that work or clothing that is lower price (but decent quality) can buy the item if it interests them after my talking about them. I enjoy referring other women to things I have found that are well made/work well and low price. In this economy, we can all be happy to save a little money.

This does not mean I won't make posts about my love of Guiseppe Zanotti sandals and desire to own them:

Above: Mirror-embellished suede sandals by Guiseppe Zanotti

It just means that there will be no reviews of my experience with wearing them. Just me wishing I could afford them and thinking of the outfits I would wear them with, or what events I would wear them to.

I hope this clears up any wondering about why my fashion blog is full of "wishful wanting" posts while having all the practical, hands on, "I have used this product/worn this and..." posts are of less expensive items.  Someday, I will be able to afford these shoes:

Above: Very Privé 120 peep-toe pumps by Christian Louboutin


Which I really, really, really, want. It's just that time to own them is not now.

Incoming Christmas Gifts!

My mail held a package from Dana in Germany today. A Christmas package that included chocolate candies, cookies, and these gorgeous wooden bangles:

I was so excited to see them and try the on. Why? I find it so hard to find bangles that fit my arm in the US while not being overly large. I have thin wrists so usually bangles are just way too large and slid right off at bad moments...like when I am taking off a coat or fling my arm out to point at something.

They fit the arm well...even if the angle for the photo wasn't the best you can get the idea on this photos.

I am loving the warm colour of the wood that was used in the bangles. It goes well with my most used handbag which is a plus. I can see myself wearing these bangles with my coconut wood ring and a really nice turquoise stone necklace I own.

Now, if I could just have somewhere to go wearing these, I would be so happy.

Thanks Dana! xxx

My Favorite Perfume?

Finding just the right scent can be a hard task. Perfume smells different on each person and what may smell good on one person, can smell awful on the next. That is why it is always fun to "play around" with the perfume scent strips inserted in fashion magazines and at the fragrance counters in department stores or Sephora stores.

I have found many scents I like, and that smell good on me, and like to shuffle them around according to my mood. It keeps life interesting smelling for me. My "go to" fragrance that I wear most often?

Above: Ma Dame by Jean Paul Gaultier

I discovered this fragrance last year (2008) and have grown to love it because it smells great on me. It sinks into my skin and is just very subtle on me. I love the mixture of Orange Zest, Sparkling Rose, Musk, and Cedar Wood that is blended to make this fragrance. It smells heavenly on me and isn't over-powering.

Ma Dame is a tricky scent, however, as you can see by the many negative reviews peppered amongst the positive at Sephora.com. It either smells good on you or you think it smells like household cleaner on you. There is no middle ground for this perfume when it comes to how it smells on people. Which is why when you find a perfume on a scent strip from magazine that you like, you should then try it out at the store on your wrist. It saves you from buying a fragrance that may smell great on someone else, but awful on you.

So, find a perfume you like the scent of in a magazine or smell on someone else...and head to the store to try it out on you. Scent is extremely personal and you have to actually try the perfume on to see if it smells as good on you as in that magazine or on that fashionable lady who was wearing it. It will save you disappointment in spending a lot of money on a perfume and not liking how it smells on you.

I Am Not A Mad Man Clothing Lover.

I was thinking yesterday about a time period that would be ill-suited to me when it comes to style and body shape. I settled on one that seems to be the rage amongst some of the fashion subculture at the moment.

Early 60's, "Mad Men", chic:

I am 5'9", 124 pounds (soaking wet), small busted, not huge in the butt department, and have hips but not the size required to carry off the skirts. If I were to dress like the above, I would look awkward and fussy. Like I was dressed up in a costume and the costume was wearing me, instead of the other way around.

I admire the style and the women who can carry it off but, it just isn't me or right for my frame. So, I pass on the fad and the clothing that goes with it. Which is too bad because Modcloth.com has a HUGE amount of clothing that could have stepped form the time period at it's site right now.

I am more a 1970s inspired of fashion wearer if I must choose an era. The bell bottoms, the halter tops, the huge glasses, the tight fitting v-neck/scoop neck t-shirts, the wedge sandals, the halter dresses, the trench coats, the tall boots, the suede, the hobo bags, the turquoise jewelry,  ect.  Plus you had punk rock creeping into the subculture then with all it's wild styles which I sampled in my teens/early 20s. With my height and slimness the 70s suit me as a clothing era and I look like I am wearing the clothing instead of the clothing wearing me. I suppose it makes sense since it was the era I was born in.

That explains my constantly posting about clothing that could easily have been in the 1970s. I just post what appeals to me and 70s inspired style/fashion does.

What fashion era do you know would not suit your body-type?