Best Dressed: Cate Blanchett in Givenchy Couture

There was a chill in the air in Los Angeles this afternoon but it didn’t stop Hollywood’s leading ladies from glamming it up in beautiful dresses, jewels and shoes. They hit the red carpet in style and there were several best dressed nominees. Gold was definitely the color of the evening with dresses embellished with tulle, feathers and jewels.

Mila Kunis looked lovely in lavender and Gwyneth Paltrow was stunning in a liquid gold Calvin Klein sheath. Halle Berry was gorgeous in Marchesa and I’m sure she will grace the pages of every best dressed layout, but I really loved Cate Blanchett’s Givenchy Couture gown. It was beautiful and intricate in the front but the back was a complete surprise and extremely unique. Reese Witherspoon had the best updo (I’m thinking it might be a possible bridal portrait style.) of the evening and she looked great in Armani Prive. I also loved the simplicity of Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein and Michelle Williams in Chanel.

It was an evening of style and grace and I think my vote for best dressed at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards is Cate Blanchett. But enough about fashion, now it’s time to pop some popcorn, cuddle up with Madeline and find out who will take home the award for best picture!

Who do you think was best dressed?

Gwyneth Paltrow in Calvin Klein

Halle Berry in Marchesa

Mila Kunis in Elie Saab

Michelle Williams in Chanel

Reese Witherspoon in Armani Prive

Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein

Soma Intimates is my go-to store for bras, panties and pj’s and I am completely obsessed with the Cool Nights Collection. From the vanishing back fat bra to the loungewear, you can always find something comfortable yet practical. It’s easy to get lost in the soft fabrics and colorful prints, but for some women, they would be happy to just receive a bra. Any bra.

Did you know that a bra is one of the least donated but most needed items for women who are homeless or victims of domestic violence? I did not know this, but after thinking about it, it makes sense. When donating clothes, you often times don’t think to donate your lingerie because you think – why would somebody want my bra? Well, Soma has taken it upon themselves to help these women in need but they need our help! They are asking women to donate new or gently used bras and they will be then sent to Dress for Success and Bra Recyclers.

You better act fast! This initiative is over on Monday, February 14, 2011. Clean out your closet this weekend and head to your neighborhood Soma boutique with those bras you find in the bottom of your drawer. Don’t forget, what’s in the bottom of one woman’s dresser might just be another woman’s treasure!

For more details click here.

How many bras do you have in your closet? Now, how many of them do you actually wear?

Modern day style icon, Blake Lively, is the new ambassador of Chanel and kudos to Mr. Lagerfeld for partnering with the young beauty. She has been one of my favorite actresses since Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and she is always a fashion DO. Last year, Vogue named her one of the most stylish people of the year and placed Lively on the cover of the special style issue. She appeals to young women with her down-to-earth personality and effortless style and I believe she will bring many young followers to the brand.

A longtime lover of fashion (she  has been known to take home 40 pairs of Christian Louboutins in a single trip), Lively sees this new opportunity as a dream come true. When asked if she was ready to be the new ambassador of such an iconic brand, Lively answered modestly by saying, “Though I am the face of it, I will carry it like every girl,” Lively said of the bag. “I will always feel it’s more than just a purse. It’s a quilted case full of lipstick, love letters and the dreams and possibilities that I have always felt every time I see that beautiful ‘CC.’”

Her answer made me love her even more because it seemed so real and to the heart (and not to mention those are my thoughts exactly). It is every fashionistas dream come true to receive the quilted bag to carry for a lifetime. I received one myself recently upon earning my Masters degree and it is the best (material) gift I have ever received. I will happily carry it for years and eventually pass it down to my children one day. Like Lively said, it’s more than just a purse.

Versace

Tonight was the night of the 68th Annual Golden Globes and the dresses could not have been more beautiful. To mimic Giuliana Rancic, the Fashion Police has their work cut out for them tomorrow!

The sun was out, the moods were bright and color was everywhere on the red carpet. There were shades ranging from hot pinks to deep emerald greens, but nude and black were also prevalent. There were column sheaths, glittery ball gowns, structured mermaid gowns and light chiffon dresses. As for the designers, my favorites were Oscar de la Renta (as always) Marchesa (so feminine), Versace (always a showstopper) and Zac Posen.

Now let’s get down to the best dressed of the evening. Since I am somewhat indecisive and there were so many stunning gowns, I’ve narrowed my favorites down to the following three categories:

Bronze Beauties: Olivia Wilde, Anne Hathaway and Julie Bowen

Green Goddesses: Angelina Jolie, Catherine Zeta Jones and Mila Kunis

Pink Ladies: Lea Michelle, Dianna Agron and Claire Danes

Armani

Oscar de la Renta

J Mendel

Marchesa

Tadashi Shoji

Versace

Calvin Klein

Who was your best dressed?

Photo Credit: JustJared

The following is a guest post written by Dr. Jim English

I was intrigued by an article in the latest edition of Self magazine touting the benefits of the Awake procedure(s). The surgeons who were interviewed for this piece felt it was a novel approach for the type of anesthesia required for liposuction and breast augmentations.  However, this is not a new technique.  I was trained in this type of sedation back in the early eighties and utilized it for most of my cases over the next fifteen years.

I have to admit that sometimes this type of approach works well if you have the right patient and the right procedure(s), but fifteen to twenty percent of the time, the patient may become uncomfortable during the operative procedure and/or develop apprehension about the entire process.  I thought I was reasonably good about guessing who would tolerate this type of anesthetic and who wouldn’t.  However, that did not prove to be the case after 25 years of practice and thousands of procedures.

Today in my nationally accredited surgical suite, I perform the majority of cases under general anesthesia where there is no discomfort and/or apprehension during the patient’s outpatient, elective procedure(s).  They proceed without the added discomfort and do not need consoling.  This makes the entire operation for them and the staff much more enjoyable.  Since price for this type of anesthesia is considered an obstacle for some, performing the procedures in the surgeon’s own facilities can keep the costs down.

Even though I have adopted this type of anesthesia as my primary course of therapy, it doesn’t mean that I don’t occasionally utilize the local procedures under I.V. sedation.  When I do, it is a mutual understanding between myself and the patient with all of their questions answered so there is no surprise as to what is taking place and why.  In our industry today, the patients are much more informed about what they want and how they want to go about getting that with the least amount of difficulty.  Choosing the right surgeon and agreeing to the right type of sedation is only two of the many decisions that must be made to assure the best outcomes.  Choose wisely.

Would you have cosmetic surgery while awake?

I have extremely dry and itchy eyes, and I’m constantly trying to find eye drops that create comfort for longer than a couple of minutes. I have been using Refresh Tears for the past year or so but I recently read about Rohto eye drops while logging in some miles at the gym. The magazine said that celebrity makeup artists use the brand to diffuse redness before events so I made a mental note to pick it up the next time I ventured out to Walgreens. (I didn’t need a redness reducer but I did want to test out the hydrating drops.)

I bought them this past weekend and wish I’d known what I was in for. When I got in the car, of course I couldn’t wait to use them so I squeezed a few drops in my eyes at the next stoplight. At first, I thought the intense burning was blinding me (Not to mention I was momentarily freaking out because I couldn’t see to drive) but after about 5-10 seconds my eyes experienced pure bliss. They felt so cool and hydrated, and they stayed like that for a few hours. Come to find out later, Rohto is known for its signature “kick” with a cooling sensation. Go figure!

Down to my point, I highly recommend Rohto Hydra eye drops for these chilly and windy winter months. I am trying to get John to try them out for a male’s opinion but I have yet to accomplish this task. (I think I could have persuaded him more easily if I had not mentioned the immense burning sensation right off the bat…) You can read more about the different product lines at www.myrohto.com and you can follow the brand on Facebook by clicking here!

What are your favorite eye drops? Have you tried Rohto? If so, what did you think of the signature kick?

After a long day at work, I must admit I wasn’t thrilled about making a last minute trip to Jos A Bank with John (my soon-to-be-husband). I was tired, I had a bad hair day, and a trip to the gym was still not checked off on my to-do list. However, I knew it was important to him so I ran home to let Madeline (our new puppy) out and headed back into the cold, dark and rainy weather. Much to my delight, this unexpected trip ended up being the highlight of my day when we were walking through the outdoor shops and I spotted a sign that said, drum roll please… Dry Bar Coming Soon!

I first heard about this brilliant salon concept when reading one of my favorite blogs – Cupcakes and Cashmere. I exclaimed what a great idea it was and sulked about the fact it was miles away in Sunny California.

If you are unfamiliar then let me explain. Dry Bar is a hair salon that specializes solely in washing a blowing out hair. They offer a variety of blowouts such as the Mai Tai, which is messy and beachy if you want that Blake Lively look; the Manhattan which is sleek and straight think Blair Waldorf; and the Southern Comfort which provides lots of volume and soft curls.

You can buy these blowouts in a package or purchase just one for $35. They also offer add-ons like floaters (scalp massages) and hair shots (moisturizing hair treatments).

To learn more about Dry Bar click here.

*Photos from thedrybar.com

The holidays are upon us and there are just three more days for last minute shopping. I don’t know how it happens but every year even when I think I’ve got everything covered there is always something I forgot that pops up during the last week of Christmas chaos! If you made your list, checked it twice but still don’t have a gift for your dear Aunt Sally then it’s not too late to get her the perfect facial refresher packed full of antioxidants. Rejuvenate and celebrate with a holiday kit from REVALÉSKIN.

REVALÉSKIN incorporates the powerful CoffeeBerry extract in their skin care line to revitalize aging skin, defend against everyday environmental stressors (e.g. sun, wind, pollution) and even out skin tone. It is one of my favorite skin care lines and is the most popular product sold at my dad’s office. The line has also been featured in several magazines this past year including Glamour and InStyle.

For a limited time only you can purchase this Holiday Kit which features Revaleskin Facial Cleanser, Intense Recovery Treatment, Replenishing Eye Therapy, coffee mug, and chocolate covered espresso beans. All of this is valued at $260 but you can purchase it now until Christmas for $185. Don’t miss out on this popular skin care line and get your kit today! Order by calling 501-227-9556 and ask for Stefany.

I am a shoe lover through and through. I have loved shoes since I was a little girl wearing my mom’s heels in her closet and I will never forget my first pair of high heel pumps. I was in fifth grade and just starting cotillion. We went shopping and I found these black patent mary jane pumps with 3 little bows across the front. I was beyond excited about my new high heels and I wore them every chance I got. In 7^th grade I had grown out of the shoes and my mom gave them to one of my friends without me knowing. When I found out I was devastated and said, “Mom, I was going to keep those and give them to my little girl one day.” A little intense for a 7th grader I know but I truly loved those pumps!

Since then I have moved on to collect some beautiful shoes but I am currently loving a new brand called Naya Shoes. Naya is a new line of fashionable, comfortable and eco-friendly shoes for women and the fall line is drop dead gorgeous! The Narubi over the knee boot is my favorite boot-of-the-moment and Naya is giving 4 lucky ladies a chance to win a pair of their shoes.

Five bloggers created an outfit with Naya shoes and all of their looks are featured on the Win Shoes! Tab within the Naya Shoes Facebook page. Four lucky winners will win a pair of Naya shoes by simply voting for their favorite look! In order to vote on an outfit and be entered to win follow these 3 simple steps.

1. Visit www.facebook.com/nayashoes and click on the Win Shoes! tab

2. Click Vote Now and you will be directed to a form where you will choose your favorite look

3.  “Like” the Naya Shoes Facebook page and you are entered to win!

Naya is on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. They also have a fabulous blog called The Green Room. You can read more about the brand here.

Summer is coming to an end but I still plan to keep devouring my favorite frozen treats. I am a sucker for snow cones, ice cream, popsicles and all things icy and sweet but they aren’t always great for your figure. The options below are good for you options that hit the spot after coming in from the sweltering heat. Not only do they taste great but you won’t have to worry about letting out your pants this fall!

First up are Dreyer’s Sugar Free Fruit Bars that are full of icy fruit goodness. I have always liked the original fruit bars but I recently purchased the sugar free popsicles and I am addicted. They come in a variety of flavors but I prefer the box with Strawberry Kiwi, Mixed Berry and Dark Cherry. All of the flavors are great but I have been known to eat the Dark Cherry as quick as possible so my boyfriend doesn’t get to them first!

Second are The Skinny Cow’s Ice Cream Sandwiches in ALL flavors. My favorite is Cookies and Cream but No Sugar Added Original and Strawberry Shortcake come in relatively close behind. They are only 140-160 calories for the entire sandwich but you are more than satisfied after eating just half.

Lastly is a yogurt and vanilla wafer concoction that I got off the side of a Nilla Wafer box. You put a vanilla wafer in the bottom of a cupcake sleeve (I use silicon cupcake sleeves) and then put 2 tablespoon of yogurt and 2 tablespoons of cool whip topping on top of the vanilla wafer. You top it off with another wafer and pop it in the freezer. About an hour later you have a healthy frozen treat!

Nutrition Facts

• Dreyer’s Sugar-Free Fruit Bars: Calories 30; Fat o; Carbohydrates 8; Sugars 2
• The Skinny Cow’s Ice Cream Sandwich (No sugar added vanilla): Calories 140; Fat 2; Carbohydrates 30; Sugars 5
• Homemade Vanilla Wafer Sandwich: Calories 80; Fat 2; Carbohydrates 14; Sugars 9

What are your favorite frozen treats?