Black + Blonde One

Stay with me.

2012-01-23T13:25:00.000-08:00

It seems that this move is taking a little bit longer than expected. The new site should be up within the next few days. Hopefully it will make your wildest dreams come true! Ten points for anyone that got that reference!

I'm moving!

2012-01-22T07:17:00.000-08:00

Hold tight! I'm packing up and moving to.....

Please excuse any bugs while I clean up and get straightened out. I can't wait to share the new look with you! I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Perfect Morning

2012-01-21T06:42:00.000-08:00

As usual, Coco woke us up this morning by crying promptly at 7 AM, which is when we wake up during the week. We've got to teach her weekdays vs. weekends. Anyways, instead of dreading the early hours, I looked out the window to see snow! I got so excited and saw it as an instant opportunity to ~~go have some fun~~ wear out Coco. I was a little nervous because dogs usually emphatically love or hate the snow. Luckily Coco responded with favor and didn't want to come inside.

After dragging her inside, what do I find? My fiance. Awake at 8 AM. Making pancakes. Honestly, I'm more surprised that he was awake, but apparently he had this scheme all planned out. And best yet? He bought non-high fructose corn syrup syrup. He knows me well!

I couldn't have asked for a better start to the weekend!

HELP!

2012-01-20T06:16:00.000-08:00

I will apologize in advance for the influx of wedding talk this week, but after you see why I am talking about wedding stuff, you might forgive me. As you know, I'm a planner extraordinaire, except when it comes to important things like weather. Our wedding will be in Sydney, Australia in June. For all of you privy to the weather down under, that means it will be winter. Doh! My dress? It's backless. I foresee a problem.

Basically, I need a shawl/wrap. I thought I found the one I wanted, but then I stumbled upon another one. I won't let you know which one is which, as to not skew your opinion. So I need your help. (And apparently you love voting!) Which shawl should I choose?

Maribou Fur Shawl

Feather Shrug

Which shawl should I choose?

Poll Widget.org

View Results

Micro Trends

2012-01-19T07:22:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've been doing a lot of thinking about trends. Not so much about specific trends, but more about where they come from. It got me thinking about our zeitgeist (you know it's my favorite word) and how it's affected our current fashion environment.

What has really struck a cord for me is the relationship between fashion and youth. Not only do we strive for youthful appearances, but as of late, our fashion choices seem to reek of a childhood nostaligia. Let me elaborate.

Miu Miu Pink Glitter Pumps

Let's talk about glitter. It's everywhere. It's on shoes, bags, hats, and sweaters. What can be more childlike than glitter? Add some custom jewelry via Pretty Pretty Princess and we've reverted back to being 5 years old.

Furla Candy Bag

Who doesn't remember jelly sandals? I think I lived in these from age 3 to 8. Uncomfortable, squeaky, and blister-inducing, jellies were all the rage back in the day and it seems they're back. From jelly bags to heels via Melissa.

Venessa Arizaga Friendship Bracelet

This is the most obvious. Friendship bracelets. Seriously. The Man Repeller "arm party" is made of as many as you can fit on your wrist. Net-a-porter even has a category for them. Back in the day, the bracelet kits were sold in abundance and kept BFFs united. Now add some rhinestones and you've got yourself a fashion statement.

So I must ask. Is this movement merely a trend or is it a larger statement? Are we simply nostalgic for our childhoods? Is it our way of repressing the current politcal, economic, and environmental state of the world? Maybe I'm digging too deep and girls simply want to be cute. What do you think?

Source: Fashion Mag

With This Ring

2012-01-18T07:32:00.000-08:00

Unlike most girls, I never dreamed about my wedding day. I didn't have an ideal dress, the perfect colors, or even the type of flowers picked out. I've always seen weddings for more of what they're really about: the love and the marriage. To me, nothing else really matters except being with the man I never thought actually existed.

I actually found the Fabuluster wedding bands when I was working in buying. I knew if the day ever came to get married, I wanted these rings to be on my finger. Engraving is nice, but your love's fingerprint on your ring? It makes my inner romantic's heart go pitter patter.

We ordered them on our 22 month anniversary (yes, we celebrate the 11th of each month)! We received our packet within two days and started the process. Basically, you receive a kit, confirm all of the ring details, and take your fingerprint. I wouldn't divulge any specifics, because I understand and appreciate the hard work they put into this. It's completely organized and easy enough to understand. We should have our custom rings back within a few months, when of course I will share the results with you!

Only 155 more days to go until the big day!

Inspiration Station

2012-01-17T06:49:00.000-08:00

Since before 2012, I have barely been motivated to get anything done. I just haven't been in my mode, my typical go-getter self. This weekend I was cleaning and found some old magazines. It made me nostalgic and want to make some inspiration pages like I used when I was young. Here are some shots of what I found for good direction on my own wardrobe. And just fyi, there is no way I could actually wear the first top. "The girls" would simply not allow it, but maybe I could wear it backwards.

What inspires you?

Who's who in fashion: Eleonora Carisi

2012-01-16T07:51:00.000-08:00

Meet Eleonora Carisi:

You may remember Eleonora from the stunt she pulled with the Upper East Side ladies who lunch. Yes, she was the girl that wore a sheer blouse with no bra during the middle of the day in New York. I suppose stranger things have happened. On a normal day, you can find her blogging or running her store in Italy called You by 5 Years. Personally, I love her style because she takes risks and and it seems that she doesn't care much what people have to say.

Sources:
Wikifashion
Elle
Ed Kavishe
The London Look
Citizen Couture

Can You Ear Me Now?

2012-01-15T06:10:00.000-08:00

It seems that once I have my mind set on something, consider it done. It's like when you get those cravings for Taco Bell and nothing else will satiate that craving until you get yourself some crunch wrap supreme action. Don't tell me I'm the only one.

Back in July, I wrote this post about my love for some ear bling. Apparently a year can pass and absolutely nothing can change. I still want to cover my ears in outrageous jewels. Until I find a lovely affordable pair, let's just drool over these earrings for the 1%.

Irene Neuwirth

Phillips Frankel

Which are your favorite? Can you guess which are my favorite? Hint: They look like the ocean.

Genius Skincare Tips

2012-01-14T10:09:00.000-08:00

You know how much I love the Liz Earle skincare line right? Well, now I really love Liz Earle! She was gracious enough to thoughtfully answer some skincare questions I've always had. It's a lengthy post, but full of extremely helpful, honest, and somewhat secret tips. I've underlined some tips I am particularly fond of! Thank you again, Liz, for helping me share the knowledge!

What are the best tips for keeping skin moisturized during the winter?

In winter your skin requires twice as much moisture than it would in the summer months. You can do this two ways: the first is internally via diet and nutrition, the second is externally via skincare.

Diet & Nutrition: If you drink caffeine or alcohol, have two glasses of water for every cup or glass consumed. This will replenish the body with vital water. If your body is lacking in water, cells and enzyme actions in the skin will be impaired – this can cause skin conditions. Try to avoid diuretic medications as this will have the same effect.

A daily internal oil supplement also works well to help strengthen and re-moisturize the skin from within. Good choices are borage seed oil (also known as starflower) as it is high in the essential fatty acid GLA and natural-source Vitamin-E, which is close to three times more potent than the synthetic kind.

Borage Flower

Skincare: During winter, plummeting temperatures outside combined with the drying effect of central heating can lead to dull, dry, tight-feeling skin. To prevent this, we need to ensure that skin is well hydrated, nourished and protected from the elements. The best ingredients for helping the skin to retain its own moisture reserves are plant oils which mimic the skin’s own naturally effective moisture barrier, sebum. Plant oils are easily absorbed into the upper layers of the skin, where they work hard to nourish and protect the skin, and include rosehip, avocado and borage.

I always opt for skincare formulated with naturally active ingredients rich in GLA, omega-3, antioxidants and plant oils - which are closest in structure to the skin’s own natural oils and give far better results than synthetic copies. A facial oil can be used as part of your daily essentials regime after cleansing and toning. I suggest using lightweight plant oils, such as apricot or peach kernel, or passionflower seed oil. Massage a few drops on your face at night to soften sebum so it can get out of the follicles and help balance your skin. Facial oils are also great for adding an extra bit of nourishment to dry skin. Try our Superskin Concentrate as it is an intense, aromatic blend of 100% pure plant oils. This rich, restoring night-time treat contains softening argan and organic rosehip oils, soothing neroli, lavender and chamomile essential oils plus protective natural source vitamin E to nourish and protect winter skin.

Our hands and face are the parts of our bodies that get most exposure to the harsh elements of winter. Our hands, nails and cuticles can become dry and chapped over the winter months. In addition to the other drying factors such as central heating, our hands are washed more often than any other part of the body. This constant exposure to warm water and detergents can remove the natural oils from the skin leaving the skin dry. Choosing a liquid handwash free from synthetic detergents, like Orange Flower Hand Wash, can really help.

Passionflower

Use a richer moisturiser (ideally packed with essential fatty acids like cranberry seed, or rosehip) when in air conditioning or central heating. Our Superskin Moisturiser is a rich, luxurious, fragrance-free moisturiser which contains a powerful blend of high quality naturally active ingredients, potent plant oils, omega 3, GLA and antioxidants to intensively moisturize, plump and replenish.

Cold weather can cause lips to become chapped, so it’s important to keep the thin skin here moisturised. Bear in mind that lip balms made with mineral oil or petroleum jelly don’t re-moisturise, they simply sit on the surface. So to keep lips soft and comfortable choose a lip balm made with plant oils or purified lanolin. My favourite multi-purpose ‘emergency’ skin salve is our Superbalm. It’s packed full of pure plant oils and natural waxes plus shea butter to soften and echinacea to strengthen which all work to protect my lips from the cold winter air.

Applying a face mask to skin is a great pampering experience, but did you know that exfoliating your skin beforehand can literally double the effects of the mask? Try using Gentle Face Exfoliator then follow with Intensive Nourishing Treatment mask to replenish and deeply hydrate winter worn skin. Use any excess on the backs of your hands to give hard-working hands a treat too.

To maintain healthy, glowing skin during the winter month’s exfoliation is vital. Use an exfoliator as often as needed to buff away dead skin cells and revitalise. Try massaging in a generous amount of our Energising Body Scrub in the shower. This uplifting, invigorating and refreshingly scented body scrub exfoliates and cleanses, leaving your skin renewed, revitalised and super-smooth. I also use a body scrub on my hands to soften dryness and follow with lavish amounts of Liz Earle Hand Repair.

Although it can be hard to motivate yourself during the long winter months, exercise is every bit as important for your skin as good food and skincare. It increases blood flow which delivers nutrients and oxygen supplies to the skin. The benefits – pink cheeks, sparkling eyes and a radiant glow – are instantly visible and the good news is you don’t need to spend hours in the gym. A brisk walk in the fresh air will help to clear your mind and leave you with healthy, glowing skin.

What are your personal skin care rules?

These are my top tips:

1. Keep it simple

That simple skincare mantra ‘cleanse, tone and moisturise’ remains the most effective foundation for healthy, beautiful skin. Cleansing is the cornerstone and the best cleansers clean, exfoliate and balance the skin, leaving it instantly brighter looking. Choose a cleanser that also gently exfoliates, as buffing the skin to remove dead skin cells not only instantly brightens the face but also gently speeds skin cell renewal, leading to younger looking skin. Cotton muslin cloths are ideal facial exfoliators as they gently buff without scratching or irritation. They are also easy and economical to use. Our Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser comes with two pure muslin cloths to remove the cleansing cream, boost the circulation and lymphatic system. Follow with an alcohol-free skin tonic and moisturiser rich in skin nourishers, such as essential fatty acids and antioxidants.

2. Switch to plant power

Pure plant oils are naturally rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs), antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients and do more good for your skin than bland mineral oil or paraffin waxes. Choose a cleanser, moisturiser and body cream based on plant oils as these help skin retain its own moisture reserves by mimicking the skin’s own naturally effective moisture barrier, sebum. Plant oils also sink further into the uppermost epidermal skin cells and are better for keeping the skin soft, smooth and line-free than their petro-chemical counterparts.

3. Natural Vitamin E

I swear by natural source vitamin E food supplement capsules, a powerful source of the skin saving antioxidant and very effective at supporting your skin from within. They really do make a difference to the smoothness of my skin. Look for the words ‘natural source’ on the pack, as these are almost three times as potent as the synthetic type. Vitamin E is also useful when applied externally to the skin as it acts as a topical antioxidant and can help reduce the free-radical skin cell damage that leads to premature skin ageing. At Liz Earle, we only ever use natural source vitamin E in our skincare formulations because it is so much more effective on the skin.

4. Early to bed

I have always tried to follow my mother’s best piece of beauty advice, that every hour of sleep before midnight is worth two hours after. Maybe she was just trying to get me to bed earlier, but I still find it to be true and it does give better quality 'beauty sleep'. My skin always looks radiant after a good nights rest and we should all aim for 7 – 8 hours a night.

6. Body Brushing

For brighter, smoother skin on your body, I highly recommend body brushing. It’s an easy and inexpensive way of keeping the skin smooth, especially on lumpy, bumpy areas sich as upper arms, hips and thighs. Use a long-handled, natural bristle brush to literally brush she skin from top to toe (working upwards from the soles of the feet), concentrating on hips and thighs to help shift cellulite. Given a daily boost of body brushing, our skin sheds waste and toxins more easily while our body benefits from a boost to the circulation and lymphatic system, improving skin tone, smoothness and even helping our immune system.

What would you suggest for women, age 20-30, for their skin?

Most hormonal changes should have taken place by now, so this is the perfect era to establish good skin habits. The core products I suggest for your face are a cleanser, which you remove with a muslin cloth to exfoliate gently, an alcohol-free skin tonic, light daily moisturiser, slightly richer night cream, facial oil and mask.

A good vitamin and mineral supplement is a daily skincare insurance policy and tops you up with skin-saving nutrients. I started taking Advanced Antioxidant Formula or VM75 by Solgar Vitamins in my twenties and have never stopped. If you’re not already taking a product with GLA and Omega-3 essential fatty acids, add one now to encourage skin smoothness.

Keep skin clear and smooth by sipping 6-8 big glasses of still water every day (between meals). Sipping little and often rehydrates better than knocking back a couple of large glasses at once. Anyone still suffering with acne on their face and/or body should see their doctor and request referral to a dermatologist. If you have breakouts around the time of your period, consider herbs such as chasteberry (Angus castus).

And finally – please don’t forget to use suncare on your face and body – and hands! Imagine your face as a shrivelled-up old prune in a few decades and take proactive action now.

Do you have any secret tips for healthy and beautiful skin?

To me, beauty is much more than skin deep, but radiant skin is the icing on the cake. I truly believe that healthy beautiful skin should be within everyone’s grasp – and skincare shouldn’t be a chore or cost the earth (in any sense). My skincare philosophy is to keep it simple; a high-performance, fuss-free and dependable botanically-based skincare routine teamed with a healthy ‘clean food’ diet, regular exercise and plenty of sleep will help ensure you remain happy and healthy - and your skin glowing with vitality.

4 Eyes, 5 Ways

2012-01-13T06:33:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you've all heard about Warby Parker by now right? If you haven't, be happy that you're learning about them now! They offer eyeglass and sunglass frames for a mere $95. Hallelujah! You know what's also cool? For every pair that's purchased, a pair is donated to someone is need. Isn't that charming?! Lastly, they have an at-home try-on program. You can select 5 glasses to try on at home for free. Yes, entirely free. You're not even charged for shipping, to or from. Are they your new favorite company? They are mine!

So help a sister out and tell me which ones I should choose!

Langston - Black Crystal

Wiloughby - Tennessee Whiskey

Japhy - Crystal Matte

Miles - Sandalwood Matte

Finn - Revolver Black

Who's who in fashion: Miroslava Duma

2012-01-12T07:24:00.000-08:00

Meet Miroslava Duma:

We've all seen her around, but who is she? Previously an editor at Harper's Bazaar Russia, Miroslava now freelances at publications like Tatler and Glamour. As the daughter of a Russian senator, she is used to lots of spotlight. She has been shot by The Sartorialist, Garance Dore, and other famous street photographers. Last year, she also became a mother to a little boy!

Sources:
Wikifashion
Need Supply
Citizen Couture
Not Quite Snow White
Spicy Candy

A Letter of Inconvenient Truth

2012-01-11T11:02:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to post about this for a while. I've had a lifetime dilemma that I've alluded to quite frequently. Fashion vs. Function. It is my utter demise.

I am a daydreamer, an idealist, if you will. I love fashion because it's an escape. It's a fairy-tale world where six-inch heels are the norm and where wearing a lobster on your head is totally acceptable. I like the glitz, the glam, and even the wacky. Why can't I wear a beaded evening gown to the grocery?

Elie Saab FW 2011

And then comes in the dreadful function. It gets cold sometimes. Other times it's windy or rainy. Forbid that it snows! The weather is only one occassion when you are ordered to wear functional items. I absolutely abhor these times. I won't even discuss dressing appropriately for certain occassions. I simply cannot be bothered with it.

I've been a pawn in the lifetime battle with fashion vs. function. While I would love to wear my furry heels on the daily, I also realize that I have a professional job that would most likely frown upon my wardrobe choices. So what does this mean? It means I embrace fashion whenever I can. I hope to own and wear statement piece upon statement piece. I try to limit my intake of these functional pieces that I unfortunately have to oblige at times. If I can, I try to mix the two, but most of the times it's like oil and water. Until then, I will hope that the two can make peace and make my life much more pleasant.

Where do you stand on fashion vs. function?

Arty Party

2012-01-10T07:35:00.000-08:00

On Friday, boyfriend and I attended Target Free Fridays at MOMA. We both love art and good deals, so it went hand in hand. Boyfriend was resident photographer of the night, so he gets all the credit for these bad boys.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to find my favorite pieces by Georgia O'Keeffe due to the time crunch, but hopefully we'll go back soon. Do you have a favorite artist?

A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes

2012-01-09T07:44:00.000-08:00

For the longest while, I have been a huge fan of Simon Doonan. He was actually my inspiration when I was doing visual merchandising at Saks Fifth Avenue. It all started with Confessions of a Window Dresser. Then, Nasty, Beautiful People, Eccentric Glamour, and Wacky Chicks happened. If he weren't involved with Mr. Jonathan Adler, I think boyfriend might be worried. And then I found out about Gay Men Don't Get Fat. Better yet, there would be a book signing, with Mr. Doonan himself. Yes, please. My heart jumped and I knew I had to RSVP as soon as my little fingers could make the telephone call. A week later, I met him. And he signed his book, with a giant heart. I think he knew.

PS-The book is amazing. You have to buy it. Or else.

Giveaway Winner!

2012-01-09T06:28:00.000-08:00

Congratulations, Breetini Boutique! You are the lucky winner of the Julep giveaway!

Thanks to everyone that entered!

Let Me Upgrade You

2012-01-08T06:20:00.000-08:00

Last week, I was thinking about how much I enjoy the extravagant things in life, things that often come with a hefty price tag. However, since student loans will haunt me for the rest of my life, I am reserved to lead more of an affordable lifestyle. And then, I saw a lightbulb, or in actuality, a pair of brooches.

Who can forget these? They're striking, memorable, and are associated with a giant personalized closet. Miss Carrie wore them well. As I was cleaning my closet, I remembered I had these.

They are fabulous statement making shoes, but they felt a little too trendy after the neon burst of this past year. I wanted to spice them up a bit and turn fabulous into FAAAHBULOUS, Darling.

And here they are! Clip some brooches on and voila! What do you think? I'm thinking I want to add sparkly brooches to all of my shoes!

One of Each Please!

2012-01-07T07:27:00.000-08:00

Last night, I had the pleasure of getting a special tour of Rafaello & Co. This is no ordinary jewelry store. Their headline is "Dare to be Different," and for a reason. Each piece was more intricate and luxurious than the next. With clients such as Amare Stoudemire, the royal family of Dubai, and Cee Lo Green, I think you get a grasp on how special each piece is made to be.

I was never a fan of canary diamonds until I met these babies.

These were over 4" in diameter. Vintage, giant, and incredible!

My favorite of the entire store. If anyone would like to spare me $250,000, that would be great!

The construction on this alone was unbelievable. I would totally wear a jaguar on my wrist daily.

A personal favorite.

The newest watch in the collection.

Sean Paul's Watch

Cee Lo Green's Watch

These cufflinks are holding 10 carats of canary diamonds.

I would like to give a big thank you to Rafaello & Co again for inviting me to live out a lifelong dream of playing with as many diamonds as I wanted. If anyone is in the New York area, you should definitely take a visit. You can find them at 47th Street between 5th and 6th. While they have a grasp on the luxury, custom, and high-end market, they have very reasonable prices on engagement rings and bands, especially for the quality of the pieces. If you cannot visit, you can window shop on their site here!

Making Moves

2012-01-06T06:25:00.000-08:00

This past week on the #blogtrends weekly chat, we discussed setting and reaching goals for 2012. You can find the transcript here if you missed the chat! I have been contemplating over my own personal goals for this year, so you can imagine my confusion about my blog's goals. After much introspection, it wasn't that I lacking drive, but it was that I was afraid to admit that I needed to make changes. Right now, everything is nice and comfy. It's like getting up when it's still dark and cold outside to go to the gym. Can't I just sleep a little longer (metaphorically of course)?

While I love things as they are, I know that they can get better. I think I also need a little push and motivation to get myself going for the year. Let's take a look at the future of Black + Blonde One! I'm excited already!

1. Hop on over to Wordpress. While Blogger is just grand, I would like my blog to have a more uniform look and to be more technologically driven. I also think having Wordpress knowledge can be a marketed skill set for job opportunities in the future.

2.Get dirty! You've all seen me with all sorts of concoctions on my face, so I don't think I could get any dirtier that way. By this, I mean to learn html and css. Again, this is sort of a personal goal for career growth, but I would also like to be able to make blog tweaks at my convenience without a complete breakdown.

3. Give you what you want! While this blog is an outlet for me, I would also like it to be an outlet for you! What did you like this year? I covered controversial issues like bloggers and body issues. I taught you new fashion terms with Fashion 101. I did a few outfit posts. And lately, I've been exploring more beauty DIY regimes. And with that, I'll leave you with a little song for the day. Tell me what you want, what you really, really want!

PS-Ginger was always my favorite!

Who's who in fashion: Capucine Safyurtlu

2012-01-05T10:16:00.000-08:00

Meet Capucine Safyurtlu:

Capucine is the Fashion & Market Editor at Vogue Paris. She also occassionally styles. You can often see her all of the big events looking quite similar to Emmanuelle Alt.

Sources:
Wikifashion
Street Peeper

I heart fashion

Detox: Life

2012-01-04T06:29:00.000-08:00

Hello! Today I'm over on Saturdays with Maggy! Come on over to read about how I de-stress by de-cluttering and keeping things minimalist. If you're interested in the topic, be sure to check out her entire series on mind, body, and spirit restoration!

Nature vs. Nurture: Facial Mask

2012-01-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

I'm continuing my series of Nature vs. Nurture with a facial mask experiment. I'm a huge believer in taking care of your skin, but often lack the funds to treat myself to fancy spa days. I've always tried at home masks to revive my skin without spending the big bucks for the results. Today I'm going to compare an at-home kit with a homemade face mask recipe.

Nature: Half an avocado, 1 Tbsn warm water, 2 Tbsn honey. Prep skin with normal cleanser. Mix and massage on face. Leave set for 10 minutes and finish with normal toner and moisturizer.

Results: My skin felt immediately tighter, refreshed, and clean. I was definitely not expecting this. It was very messy, as I've found homemade recipes to be, but it offered a nice, refreshing scent. If you have any pets, they may want to lick your face!

Nurture: Nu-pore Aloe & Cucumber Facial Mask. Remove from package and place on face for 15 minutes. Remove mask and massage collagen into skin.

Results: Afterwards, my face felt very moisturized. However, the mask itself was awkward and ill-fitting, especially for 15 minutes. (And steer clear of anyone seeing you. It's particularly embarrassing looking.) Prepare to cease talking or moving during this time. The next day, I had a few blemishes on my forehead. I did not like that at all.

Verdict: I'm going to go with Nature on this one! Although it was messy, my skin felt amazing and I didn't experience any negative side effects. My skin is extremely sensitive, so I loved that fact that it wasn't irritating at all. It's also easy to create in the kitchen and is extremely low-budget.

Giveaway!

2012-01-02T08:18:00.000-08:00

I haven't done a giveaway in quite some time, so I figured why not start out the year new right, right? I received these polishes as part of the Julep Maven program, but knew I was never going to use them. So now you get a chance to enjoy them!

You will receive a pot of silver glitter, Julep Jennifer, and Julep Demi. All you need to do is follow on Bloglovin' or Google Connect and leave me a comment with your email address. I'll end the contest the following Monday, January 9th. Good luck to you all!*

*My apologies, but this giveaway will be limited to US residents due to high international shipping charges.

Last Night

2012-01-01T10:11:00.000-08:00

Hello all! We had planned on getting dressed up and going to jazz bar to ring in the new year. That didn't happen. Due to our impulsive nature, we decided last minute to head to Times Square. While my spontaneous nature thought this would be a great idea, our planning method was a little lacking. As you could expect showing up at 5 PM means lots of crowds, police blockades, and general chaos and irritation. After having the world's worst pizza at $7 per slice, we decided to leave.

We then headed to Union Square and watched Mission Impossible 4. I had never seen any of this series before but I was pleasantly surprised. All of the action sequences fed my inner desire to be a spy, detective, or private eye. We finally decided on a solid plan: walk the Brooklyn Bridge at midnight. We walked downtown, stopped to get some snacks in Chinatown, and ventured through the financial district. Now, not to sound trite, but some of these buildings made me stop in my tracks. Although I've been here for nearly 4 years, I never really take the time to stop and look around. It was beautiful, literally and in concept. We finally go the bridge, joined by other festive walkers with sequin hats and noise makers. The clock struck midnight and the sky was filled with fireworks, my heart quickly beating with excitement, and all while looking into the eyes of the man I love.

While it was rather unconventional, I couldn't have asked for a better New Year's Eve. How was yours?

All On The Line

2011-12-31T07:46:00.000-08:00

Some of you may know this already (and thank you for alerting me), but last night I was on Sundance's All on the Line with Joe Zee! The finale episode featured Nicole Miller during fashion week. All of this happened back in August and I kept my lips sealed until now, which was no easy task. I'm so happy to finally share my experience with you!

Other than meeting the other girls, my favorite part was meeting Joe Zee as well as Nicole Miller and her team. The part you didn't see is when Joe asked us if we liked the silver pants. I emphatically said yes and he proceeded to call me a "naughty bride." I really wish they kept that part! It's now available on iTunes, if you don't have cable!