In The Red

The Miu Miu Suede Bow Peep-Toe Booties, $790 from Bergdorf Goodman, are like lingerie for your feet. These sexy statement shoes are surprisingly versatile—they’ll walk me through summer and into winter again—with a pretty sheath dress now, and a snug leather miniskirt worn with fishnets and legwarmers in the fall. Perfect for Valentine’s Day with a giant pearl necklace and my fuzzy pink vintage coat…

The bandage dress is back. This red-hot Herve Leger Square Neck Dress, $1,590 at Saks Fifth Avenue, is versatile enough for any occasion. Dressed up or down, I can’t wait to wiggle into it with a pair of sexy sandals, like the sparkling Miu Miu Cherry Flats above, $595 at Neiman Marcus. They remind me of a very special friend. How cute is that for a day of shopping? MUST and MUST.

Celebrate your birthday early in the striking crimson 1/4 cup Birthday Suit Bra, $170 at Agent Provocateur. Too hot for words.

The matching Birthday Suit Babydoll, $290, in luxurious silk satin chiffon, is sure to leave a lasting impression while it’s on, which assuredly won’t be long. MUST.

Beyond precious. The Valentino Bow-Sleeve Sheath Dress, $2,290 at Bergdorf Goodman, is perfection in its simplicity. Love the super shrunken mini length and the feminine shoulder bow detailing. Adorable with Valentino lace espadrilles below, $475.

Innocent, Until Proven Otherwise

A Lacey Babydoll like this one, $350 at Agent Provocateur, proves that white need not be reserved for brides only. But too much excitement isn’t good for the heart so this one can wait…for a little while, anyway.

Nights in white satin? You are sure to have all eyes upon you in this stately Fitted Cap-Sleeve Gown, $3,545 by Alexander McQueen from Neiman Marcus. Elegance, epitomized.

Manolo Blahnik is spot on trend with his Koyina Buckled Patent Sandal, $945 at Neiman Marcus. A 4 1/4″ covered heel ensures you will stand tall above the competition. Equipped with striking gold hardware and a high-gloss finish, this sandal works with the most casual attire or fits the fanciest affair. Sexy, sexy, sexy. MUST.

This Stella McCartney silk shantung wrap dress, $1,845 from Bergdorf Goodman, is a stunner for day or evening. Special heat-processed embroidered trim looks super luxe. Wear it with a strappy black sandal or the Koyina heel above. This one is a nod to mod. A gold hoop earring and an Ariella Collection mod statement ring, $48-$78 from Nordstrom, is all you need.

I’m a pretty low-maintenance kinda girl. It sometimes surprises people to find that I really don’t enjoy endless primping sessions with tons of products.

As a beauty editor, and more importantly as a consumer, I aim to ferret out products that give me the most mileage for my money and also streamline my life, making things easier instead of more complicated.

With summer upon us and flesh on the radar, clear, beautiful, blemish-free skin is even more a priority, but achieving perfect skin can seem hopeless, unless you know my secret…

I am deeply infatuated with the Rodan + Fields Proactiv Deep Cleansing Wash, and I keep it in the shower for one-stop skin care after a long day or a sweaty workout.

Honestly, it’s really a bargain beauty product if ever there was one. It keeps body breakouts at bay with a powerful 2% salicylic acid that’s buffered with botanicals and jojoba. The gentle exfoliating beads polish your skin, leaving it squeaky clean yet baby soft.

Say hello to clear skin on the horizon.

Marilyn Monroe may have been plagued with problems; going unnoticed, however, was not among them.

When this icon wanted all eyes upon her, she turned to one color: White. Not winter white, not ivory, or something between creams, but pure unadulterated white, like the snowflake she was. It never failed to garner her rightful attention.

Stars shone bright in white at the 84th annual Academy Awards, though none can compete with the magic of Marilyn.

Gwyneth Paltrow wore Tom Ford, above left, while Rooney Mara, right, donned Givenchy…

…Jennifer Lopez in a Marilyn-inspired Zuhair Murad gown…

…Milla Jovovich, above, looked coy in a beaded Elie Saab, and the list went on…

Fashion designers are bringing white to the majority because it looks great against all skin tones and carries a crisp freshness in a sea of basic black and commonplace colors, but be prepared to eat with caution and launder often.

Pulling off white doesn’t have to be tricky. Here are some of my favorite whites, with ideas on how to wear them.

Off The Chain

The Kay Unger Chain Belt Dress above, $330, looks elegantly appropriate for any occasion when paired with metallic Jimmy Choo sandals, $695, both available at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Calvin Klein’s Chain Strap Ruffle Dress, $138 at Nordstrom, is fresh and innocent with Giusseppe Zanotti flats, $595, below, from Neiman Marcus. What a welcome departure from shorts!

Texture Tactics

Lace and crochet dressing is white hot, as seen in this little silk Sangallo lace number by Giambattista Valli, $3,285, above and below, from Bergdorf Goodman.

The Crochet Shift Dress by Stella McCartney, below, $1,325 at Neiman Marcus, can travel from day when worn solo, to night when worn as a tunic over leather leggings.

The Naked Shoe

Valentino’s Cotton Bow Dress, $1,980 at Saks Fifth Avenue, above, needs no further introduction, or embellishment for that matter.

That’s where the Naked Shoe comes in. It’s an important player in fashion now because it looks super modern with any color–from black to white–while elongating the leg at the same time.

Every girl needs a flesh-toned Naked Shoe, like the Christian Louboutin Marpletown Platform in patent, above, $865, at Saks Fifth Avenue. So sexy with a fresh pedicure and a day dress! Ooh la la.

Sometimes the best things in life don’t last long. Marilyn Monroe—a confection of a human being, a bubbly bombshell, a cinematic icon—died at age 36 of a barbiturate overdose, leaving behind a troubled history of glory and controversy, grandeur and scandal.

Further immortalized in song by Sir Elton John, Marilyn’s candle burned out long before her legend ever did.

MAC cosmetics strikes a match to relight the flame that was snuffed out 50 years ago: Norma Jean Baker, a.k.a. Marilyn Monroe.

Goodbye, Norma Jean.

The MAC Marilyn Collection drops in October.

It may resemble Beluga caviar, but the tiny natural enamel beads you see above are actually the stunning textured skin of dyed stingray, also known as shagreen (pronounced sha-GREEN) which will be assuming an appetizing position as a fashion and decor delicacy.

Often mistakenly referred to as shark skin, stingray leather comes from a family of rays related to sharks. The rays are found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide and are neither endangered nor threatened. The shagreen used now is coming primarily from Thailand, where the fish are farmed and the meat of the animal is eaten.

Once used in Asia for grips on daggers to provide a non-slip surface, stingray is surfacing on purses, like the Alexander McQueen Shark Teeth Skull Minaudiere, $2,295, from Neiman Marcus, below.

Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Fendi, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Gucci…they’re all in a race to configure stingray leather into something new and now. Left raw and pebbly or polished into a smooth glassy reflective shine, shagreen is where it’s at. Keep your eyes open for this exotic skin in fashion and decor for months, and years, to come.

1. Speaking of Presence of Greatness…

I had the good fortune to meet Mr. Jay Strongwater, above, at Neiman Marcus last week. What a genius. Spoil Mom with an elaborate Strongwater l’objet d’art, like this hydrangea flower-encrusted bowl, $3,000, pictured left, or vase, $4,800…or opt for a decadently-gilded frame instead, around $325-$2,000+, with a picture of her babies showcased within. What could be sweeter?

2. Hair Guru Philip B. To The Rescue

Creativity is a gift in itself. The resourceful Philip B. redefines hair brush cleaning for the neat nicks out there. Mom will love you for it, and it’s only 15 bucks. Seriously? Buy two. You’ll want one for yourself.

3. It’s Mere Cash, Get Cashmere

If money is of no object, spoil your grand matriarch with a pair of slippers made for her highness. I adore Loro Piana’s Odette cashmere slippers with suede sole and mink pom pons, $625, in rich burgundy. What could be more elegant for lounging? They’re almost pretty enough for a ball…

4. Moms Deserve To Smell Awesome

When was the last time she bought perfume for herself? Buy her a Jo Malone classic, like my favorites–Orange Blossom, or Red Roses, or both–and watch her bloom when she fragrance combines. It’s an art form.

5. Anything By Diptyque

Let’s face it, the Diptyque body line is lush, but you can’t go wrong with a mini candle, $28, or a full-size candle, $60. With 50 fragrances to choose from and an impressive burn time, Mom will think of you every time she lights up.

6. For the Glossy Housewife

A silk pillowcase offers real, documented beauty advantages. Softer, more manageable hair, smoother skin, less wrinkles…Can you believe it? Agent Provocateur sells the Glossy Housewife for $180. A bargain for so many beauty benefits, plus a seductive-looking bedroom to boot. Everyone must have a Glossy Housewife. You’ll feel the difference.

7. Don’t Let Her Get Caught Red-Handed

Mom deserves to have hands that won’t betray her real age. Rodan + Fields know where it’s at. This pair o’ docs will turn back the clock of time on a most-ignored area. If she’s grown accustomed to hard work, the least you can give her is soft hands.

8. The Color Purple

Anyone who’s been in my house knows I have a deep affection for deep purple…it’s the color of my velvet drapes, and my matching makeup brushes by genius makeup artist Roque Cozzette. With smartly-cut shapes all from durable Japanese Taklon, Mom will love powdering her nose with these reasonably-priced, cruelty-free makeup brushes. Animal lovers, rejoice.

9. I Love Fabulous Stationery

Penning an old-fashioned letter may seem like a dying art form, but what better way to keep in touch with Mom than a heartfelt memo? She’ll love writing to you on Fabulous Stationery. With a clear cellophane window and the return address printed on the back of the card itself…when you throw out the envelope and keep the card, the address is printed on the back so you’ll always have it handy. How genius is that? Plus there’s a gazillion options of creative designs for every possible occasion. She’ll love these notes. More on this hidden online gem, Fabulous Stationery, later. Stay tuned. It truly is fab.

10. Roses are Red, Violets are Blue…

Surprise her with a single long-stem giant rose. Have you ever seen anything so stunning? She’ll never forget it.

11. Tiffany Marks the Spot

A Tiffany bookmark designed by Elsa Peretti is the elegant way for a lady to keep her place. Mom will love starting over right where she left off with these stunning, giant sterling paperclips. Wouldn’t she just love one?

12. Sea Sponge + Shower Gel = Sublime

Sea sponges are so insanely inexpensive and such a luxury to use in the shower or bath. Sustainably-harvested conservatively from the ocean floor, natural sea sponges lack a nervous system with which to feel pain. Bundling them with a shower gel elevates an ordinary bath into a sublime experience. She’ll love you for it.

13. A Day at the Spa

It may seem cliché, but don’t underestimate the healing power of touch–a massage or facial from a local spa can help her unwind after a ragged week. Gift certificates always fit.

Elegant cinema legend Audrey Hepburn, when asked for her beauty secrets, quoted Sam Levenson who said,

“For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people…”

For inner beauty, Levenson was right on the money. For outer beauty, makeup artist Eugenia Weston is.

Eugenia, founder of Senna Cosmetics, continues to revolutionize cosmetics with her new Velvet Lipstick as part of her Mod Muse face for 2012.

I am enamored of this lipstick. It really lives up to its name in the department of unparalleled smoothness and velvety texture.

The colors are offered in delectable shades for every skin tone–shades that are so subtly nuanced it makes them difficult to describe.

“My color collage tunes into the 1960s and twists it with fresh chic,” Eugenia said. Baby rosebud lips in kitten colors of pearly pastels or feline pinks merge naiveté with worldliness for playful, experimental mod style.

“This mod style of beauty energizes and brings back the fine art of female expressionism,” Eugenia said. “It’s liberating and gorgeous.”

The irresistible Dusk is a dusty rose; First Love, a mauvey-beige nude; Naturelle, a luscious caramel, and Lolita, a ripe vivid coral that’s pretty yet plausible.

Plus, in typical Senna style, Eugenia’s new Velvet Lipstick is also reasonably priced and treatment based, so unlike certain lipsticks, which can actually be toxic believe it or not, due to known cancer-causing ingredients, something good is bound to come from it.

Spiked with vitamin E, castor oil, squalane and the powerful skin protectant dimethicone, the formula is creamy and lasting, the colors rich and believable, so even if you are copping a counterfeit smile, none will be the wiser.

No matter how tiresome or boring your social encounter, you can always veil any baggage under your eyes during a hostage moment with a finely-crafted pair of OG shades; as for attractive lips however, feel free to fake it while wearing Senna’s new Velvet Lipstick, $22.

Peace. Love. Beauty.

Move over mundane, make way for brilliance.

The majestic opal ring pictured above was designed and created by Ron Wooley of Australia’s Dreaming Down Under. I saw it at the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show and fell in love, immediately. Mere pictures cannot capture the beauty of this ring because opals are the most difficult stone to photograph.

I don’t think I have ever felt this way about a piece of jewelry before, and I named it the Ring of Fire since it reminds me of the song, written in 1963 by June Carter Cash for her husband, Johnny Cash.

There is only one Ring of Fire in the world and, like Cinderella’s shoe, it will either fit, or not. It’s so stunningly imagined and executed that I had to try it on. It fits me perfectly, and leaves me with longing.

At a cool $34,500, this Ring of Fire features the best diamond pavé work I have ever seen–so utterly breathtaking and seamless as to give the appearance of having been rolled in diamond dust–and includes a fiery pale convertible opal stone that pops off like the faceplate of a stereo on an automobile, making the ideal engagement ring sans the opal, and the ideal wedding ring with it snapped on. Worn either way it is mesmerizing, a ring for royalty. I wish the photographs would represent how hypnotic the opal stone really is. I could not stop staring at it, it is so brilliant and unpredictable.

A ring like this makes me want to renew my vows all over again, just so I can buy it. It would look so, so perfect with the new pure white fall 2012 designs of Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen. Completely unique and awe-inspiring, it fills you with wonder and amazement at every angle.

My eyes remained tethered to this temperamental, spontaneous, moody stone. Neither transparent nor cloudy, it is really quite fascinating. I wish you could see it in person, the way I did. I think I will remember this ring forever.

Check out the charismatic Johnny Cash, below, performing Ring of Fire.

See you around.

A recurring theme ruled the runway at Elie Saab’s fall 2012 fashion show, pictured above and below, and it wasn’t just gown after glistening gorgeous gown…can you guess? Hint: it has something to do with living on the edge.

Yes, bangs are where it’s at.

There’s something simultaneously schoolgirl and siren about the look that is sure to attract attention. Cleopatra was clearly onto something and would no doubt be an admirer of such close cropping, as bangs continue to crop up everywhere.

Keeping up with the fringe? Kim Kardashian certainly is, as seen below with her brand-new batch of bangs.

Straight bangs like this are incredibly high-maintenance, so if you are hoping to make the cut be prepared to see your stylist, or measure and cut them yourself, often.

There are several critical factors to consider before you bang. Your hair’s natural texture and wave pattern really matter. If you’re a curly girl, you might want to forget this look altogether because high-maintenance will take on new meaning as you find yourself a servant to the flatiron and smoothing products, at the very least.

Your environment is also important. If you live in a humid climate, or a windy area, it almost doesn’t matter how much work you put into your ’do because once the heavy moist air hits your hair, it will ’do its own thing. Working with and accepting nature is, unfortunately, a reality.

Not every woman can pull off bangs; it can sometimes end up looking abrupt and quite severe. You must consider your bone structure, face shape and coloring.

Last, and most critical, if you opt for bangs remember that you are making a long-term commitment. Don’t forget that hair grows at an abysmal rate of only half an inch per month. That’s six inches a year. So be prepared to work with a professional for a transitional haircut and implement plenty of creative tactics such as headbands and braiding, while your hair grows out, when you say adios to bangs.