Root Touch Up Spray

This post goes out to all of the natural dirty blondes. You know who you are. You were born with blonde hair that started out close to white, transformed to golden, and as you got a little older gradually darkened to a dull shade of meh. You’re adult life has been comprised of dropping a couple hundred a few times a year to restore its former luminance with highlights weaving glorious light streaks into the boring dark blonde. Yet, as someone who is already blonde, you tend to stretch out the time in between salon visits because, well, roots just take a while to be noticeable. No? Is that just me?

I happen to also have been gifted with naturally extremely fine (read: extremely prone to snarling) hair that seems to get a little more susceptible to rat’s nests each time I color it. In the interest of cutting down my combing time, and giving my strands a chance to revive in between dye treatments, I tend to stretch the time between root touch ups as much as possible. In this particular month, I’m holding out to get the cut closer to one of my best friend’s weddings. I’m a bridesmaid, and I want my hair to look fab in the pictures.

I know. 2-toned hair is in style right now, giving you more freedom to leave ends not matching the crown. And yet, despite my stellar motivations, I look in the mirror and my roots are crying out to be colored.

Enter the miracle of John Frieda. For $10 a bottle you can blend your color for a couple weeks until you can get an appointment with your favorite stylist. It’s called Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Controlled Lightening Spray. You apply to damp hair only on the sections needing a little touch up, blow dry as normal, and your roots disappear. Genius.

About Getting What You Want

Autumn Fashion Gets Patriotic

This fall’s fashions are all about prints. They’ve been popping up everywhere, from polka dots to the Navajo blanket revival that goes along with all things fringed and leather. The most surprising pattern I noticed was the very patriotic star motif seen all over Dolce and Gabbana’s ready to wear collection, and the latest Sonia by Sonia Rykiel line.

 D&G

  D&G

  D&G

Typically I reserve my stars and stripes for the fourth of July with a healthy dose of red white and blue. But these patterns are whimsical, yet grown up see in feminine colors, upscale fabrics and structured shapes. I think I will be adding some stars to my fall wardrobe.

 Sonia Rykiel

Would you wear this trend?

GenArt Fresh Faces in Fashion

Like Fashion, but suck at slipping past security at the shows? You’re not a magazine editor either? Don’t be resigned to oogling fashion shows on your teensy TV screen. You could try to win tickets (like I did last year). OR just bit the bullet and purchase them to see Gen Art’s Fresh Faces in Fashion New York show. 

The event goes down on September 9^th from 7pm-midnight at the Grand Ballroom of Manhattan Center. The show is designed to showcase up-and-comers in the ready to wear and accessories realms. It’s kicking off fashion week on its first night, and has been the launch pad for designers including Zac Posen, Phillip Lim, Rebecca Taylor, Eugenia Kim, Twinkle, and Lulu Frost.

It’s the real way to be on the cutting edge of what’s hot before its in every store window. The event will show collections from  

Womenswear designers:

• Ann Yee
• William Okpo
• Sunghee Bang
• ace & jig
• Eighteenth
• Jennifer Chun

Menswear designer:

• Baron Wells

Accessory Designers:

• Osborn
• Falconiere
• Wool and the gang
• Collina Strada

You can stand and watch the show for a reasonable $50. With your ticket you get access to a pre-reception at 7pm, the runway show at 8pm, and the After-party at 404 starting at 10pm. The After-After-Party is up to you. Get the details here.

Summer, Don't Go!

Yesterday I wore boots to work, actual shoes, with socks and closed toes and a long sleeved dress. It filled me with a sense of sadness and dread very fitting for the cloudy, rainy day. Lately there has been a nip of cool air at night, and the distinct feeling that summer’s heat is over. My friends are excited. They hated the heat wave, and welcome long pants and fall’s crisp air.

But to me? Summer is a time to be carefree, the months of vacation and swimming that we itch for all year long, the season we look forward to like giddy little kids getting out of school. I’m just not ready for it to end quite yet. I don’t even have a tan! I want endless sunshine filled days stretching before me to yawn away on park blankets in sundresses. It is my favorite season to dress for, where a fluttery top, or flowing skirt will do for any occasion. I want to be in the ocean more. I want to wear shorts and eat ice cream cones. I am not ready for falling leaves, and getting out of work in the dark.

So here’s a little ode to summer and its relaxation for you. Don’t go quite yet!

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Sweet Summer

by Wayne Jarus

The boats adrift in the harbour
As thoughts in a calm mind
A liquid sun beaming today and forever
We hoard happiness a smile at a time

As thoughts in a calm mind
Finding respite in cool shade
A liquid sun beaming today and forever
Butterflies flutter in a golden haze

Finding respite in cool shade
In this pastel world of light and shadows
Butterflies flutter in a golden haze
And crickets sing in motionless meadows

Oh sweet summer stay and sleep
A liquid sun beaming today and forever
Lingering dreams and afternoons of heat
The boats adrift in the harbour.

Disco Nap

I have a new favorite term: disco nap. I came across it for the first time when reading an article in W magazine about the idyllic island retreat of the wealthy upper crust that still values privacy and class over reality tv and flash. After days of sunning and swimming off the backs of yachts, the elite would take "disco naps" before nights of dancing until dawn. I did a little googling to find the definition of this foreign expression. Turns out it was an art I had mastered long ago, but just didn't know the name.

The BFFL and I have been disco napping since freshman year of college. Every evening around 6pm, exhausted from the day of laying around and sitting in class, we would close (but not lock) our always open door, turn off the lights, and task a friend with waking us up when they started to get ready to go out. We needed a solid two hours of sleep before the night's events, and would always greet the unlucky soul by yelling at them to get out of our room when it was time to awake. We were napping pros.

When you're rich and glamourous, and the days of leisure wear upon your stamina, you need to sleep to prepare for your fabulous plans later on, you squeeze in a disco nap too.

The rich and famous. They're just like us!

Words of Wisdom

Bug Repelling Clothing

With the perfectly warm summer nights we’ve been having lately, I’ve been finding myself spending a lot of time outdoors after dark: watching movies, drinking on verandas, and eating food on lawns. The single downside of enjoying glorious evenings al fresco? Those pesky insects that insist on biting me anywhere my skin is exposed. Legs covered in red bumps just don’t look cute in warm weather mini’s.

I hate the smell of bug spray. It has gotten better over the years, and is usually worth it when camping or hiking in the woods. But in Manhattan? Not going to fly. When I was in Hawaii earlier this year, a friend revealed a handy trick. Rub drier sheets on your skin, and the bugs will leave you alone. And who doesn’t enjoy smelling downy fresh?

Or you can try out these hoodies that are laced with the natural bug-fighting powers of the chrysanthemum. They repel bugs without the stink or sticky spray of the aerosol stuff. They’re made by white sierra, and called Swamp Hoodies. Available in pants too!

Fashion Luxuries

Sometimes a designer creates something so exquisite, that it inspires utter longing in the people who see it. They yearn for it. They must make it their own, and wear it every day. Once and a while a few pieces come around like this that make me ponder my need to consume fashion magazine after magazine.

Do I enjoy knowing of the trends? Seeing a glimpse of the luxuries in life I likely will never be able to afford? Or for the sheer pleasure of understanding and taking in the fine craftsmanship of fashion?

Luxury house after luxury house, their goal is the same, make a product that a woman can wear for ages. Timeless. Heirloom. The intent is to beautify, and to last for ages. In the era of microwaves that last a month or two, and disposable electronics, what other industry can name pure longevity as its goal? And then I remember. Even if I cannot always have it for my own, I can certainly enjoy the view.

Hermes Cape Cod watch, even a little time piece exudes simple quality. At Hermes, leather craftsmen study for three and a half years before working. They take 6 to 10 years to become experts. Each finely made leather bag takes approximately 20 hours of work.

Dior Fine Jewelry by Victoire de Castellane. The entire collection takes.my.breath.away. It is quite possible these lush bejeweled flowers may even be more beautiful than a growing bloom freshly kissed by morning dew.

Dior wool tweed coat with fox fur collar. Sigh. What could be more romantic that a fur collar, red lipstick, and big hair on the streets of Paris?

What motivates you to keep up on the fashion trends?

Louis Vuitton Wellies

In the past two days, I've been caught in two serious rain storms. I'm talking about BUCKETS of water pouring from the sky. How do I stay dry? A white vinyl rain coat, and knee high rubber boots of course. It's the New York uniform in the rain, and every rainy season, there's a pair of wellies that make the "must have list." One minute you see them on a fashion blog, and the next every other person has a pair. Last year it was Hunter. This year? A spread of Karen Elson in W magazine predicts that Louis Vuitton's heeled  galoshes will be the trend of the street.

 They're a must have for the Upper East Side set, and are best worn with Chanel, pearls, a small dog, and over the knee socks to counteract the blatant stripper platform heel.

Would you wear this trend?

Lulu's Lace

Have you checked out Lulu's? Every time I see something adorable and lace in a magazine that doesn't cost 1 million dollars it's from the site. I've got my eye on these pretty girl rock taupe shorts.

 And this Van Lear Rose Dress. Nothing like lace for warm, romantic summer nights.

A note from my favorite author

Blissful Buzz

 In the constant heat wave that’s swept NYC lately, everyone has been seeking relief from the oppressive temperatures. Every weekend half the population flees to Long Island or New Jersey, and lines at Pinkberry have been out of control. Every. Single. Time. I try to get an Icee, the machine at 7-11 is empty. You’d think I was trying to get a taquito at 4am. Whether it’s swimming, or a frosty treat you crave you just want to stay cool.

Reunion Surf bar on 44th Street between 8th and 9th has the answer in the form of happy hour. Stay cool and get drunk? They have Sno-Cone Cocktails on the menu. One cone for $4, or 3 for $10 in flavors that scream summer (or Italian ice) like cherry with Tahitian Vanilla bean, Lime with lime vodka, and Raspberry. And get this: each cone has the same amount of alcohol as a regular mixed drink.

Beat the heat, and get buzzed all in one.

Sales on a Schedule

I love a bargain shopping more than the average girl. When I walk out of a store with an item I want, bought for a discounted price, it is such a sense of euphoria. That feeling? It’s what most refer to as a shopper’s high. Stores capitalize on the positive vibes you get when purchasing sale items, and slash price tags to encourage people to buy on impulse-read: buying things just because they’re a good deal, rather than because it’s something you want. Don’t fall prey to this little trick. That’s how you fill your closet with things you’ll never wear.

I’m a seasoned sales shopper. But did you know that sales depend on the day of the week?

Retailers are known to cut prices on bags on Monday, swimsuits on Tuesday, shoes on Wednesday, and dresses on Sunday. At the end of a month, or a financial quarter, deals get even better.

This day of the week sale schedule extends past the department stores to travel and electronics. Score cheap flights on Tuesdays at 3pm 2-14 weeks before you want to fly. Laptops tend to cut their price tags on Sundays.

Happy Shopping!

In my Headphones

I've been on a country kick lately. Thank Pandora. I've been listening to a LOT of Chris Young (love) and his sexy deep voice.

Aaand quite a bit of Sugarland. Enjoy!

Veggie Surprise! Veggies Disguised

So I’ve heard quite a bit about pureeing veggies and mixing them into regular food as a way to “sneak” them into children’s diets without them knowing. The technique first came to my knowledge when I heard about Jessica Seinfeld’s (Yes, Jerry’s wife) cookbook Deceptively Delicious (remember that whole lawsuit scandal?). The July/August issue of Women’s Health magazine was the first time I’ve heard it applied to real adult eating. They report that a study at Penn State University uncovered a hidden benefit to hidden veggies. When study subjects unknowingly ate pureed vegetables in three meals a day, they ate almost 360 less calories a day. They came up with some sneaky substitutions to cut back on the calories of some of your favorite summer dishes.

• Swap ½ cup pureed roasted red peppers for ½ cup mayo in your pasta salad
• Save 435 calories

• Swap ½ cup cooked, pureed spinach for ¼ cup sour cream in veggie dip
• Save 79 calories

• Swap ½ cup pureed beets and 1 can pureed black beans for oil in brownie mix
• Save 469 calories

• Swap 2 cups pureed sweet corn for 1 cup cream in chowder
• Save 556 calories

A way to chow down on summer treats and still cut calories? Sold.

What I Wore Book Party

Last Wednesday I attended the What I Wore Book Party. I have to say, it was a lovely affair. It took place at the DKNY Soho store. I shopped. I drank free champagne handed to me in fancy glasses from handsome men.

And most importantly, I had the opportunity to meet the lovely Jessica Quirk. That's me on the left! Jessica's husband took the photo, and she posted it on her blog today.

I purchased her book, and had a chat about blogging with her.

She wrote me a darling message, and even complimented me on my outfit. What a delight.

Naturally I have already finished the book. It's chock full of handy tips for picking outfits for each season, and the drawings are gorgeous. Things I've learned:

• A pattern is woven into fabric
• A print is a design printed on top of the fabric
• Accessory organization is an art
• Those velvet covered hangers I have to keep clothes from slipping? They're called flocked
• There's another person in the world who uses wine bottles to keep their boots upright

My recommendation, if you're looking to reinvent your wardrobe, pick up the book! And check out her review of the book party here.