Trend alert! If you cut your hair and you become a new “it” girl re: Michelle Williams, Vanessa Hudgens and Emma Watson. This holds true for Evan Rachel Wood as well.
I am loving her style and Evan’s hair so much, I’m thinking of doing the chop myself! To top of her new do, her fashion has seemed to evolved into something worth checking out! Take a look:
What is your favorite of Evan Rachel Wood’s looks? I’m especially loving this last look with the star D & G skinnies!
Dolce & Gabbana win my vote for his season! LOVE everything about their Fall 2011 line. Usually I’m not their biggest fan but this season I am loving the mix of menswear inspired suiting with feminine animal and star prints. Their is so many pieces that I’d die to have in my wardrobe…if only…
Take a look at the full fashion show here:
Here is a quick look at some of my style inspirations behind the Dolce & Gabbana line:
Always classic, elegant and ageless, we take a look back at Demi Moore’s best looks throughout the past few years:
I’ve seen a few pictures online of people revealing what is inside their purse or pockets, so I thought I would be vulnerable and show the deep dark corners of my purse!
Most of my purse contents are self-explanatory but there are a few things I’d like to mention:
Band-Aid’s are a must have in my purse. I like to wear cute shoes, which doesn’t always equal comfort, so Band-Aid’s are a life saver!
Sephora Blotting Papers are amazing. Shiny nose no more!
Two of my favorite drug store brand lip glosses, Rimmel and L’Oréal Paris are staples in my purse. I feel naked without lip gloss on! And my secret tip: L’Oréal’s Color Juice is just like Lancômbe Jucy Tubes, but only $9!
A comb is critical for any lady with bangs, it helps them from looking greasy and separating. Plus, you never know when you’re gonna need a last-minute touch up!
So what is hiding in the deep dark corners of your purse? Would you be brave enough to show us?
Whenever the topic of fashion comes up with friends I always get asked what make up I am using or how did you do your eyeliner, or what concealer do you recommend? Maybe my friends know that I am addicted to Sephora? Or maybe they know I enjoy being make-up guinea pig ? Life gets boring if you never try anything new!
This post is for those who feel overwhelmed when heading into the cosmetics section. I will break down the basic Make Up Bag Essentials. These are your must haves!
Step 1- Moisturizer:
The most important step- you need a get good moisturizer, even if you have oily skin. It’s the base for your make up, and helps it glide on that much easier. I would highly recommend taking a browse through Sephora, because they nicely categorize all their skin care according to skin type. If you are unsure what would suit you best, then ask one of the sales associates. Sephora has very knowledgeable staff and if you’re not sure where to start they will offer you FREE SAMPLES!! Who doesn’t love a free sample?
Rachele’s Favorites:
Korres 24 Hour Mosture Brighening Cream, $35 at Sephora
Clinique Dramatically Different Lotion $24.50 at Sephora or The Bay
Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer, $9 at most drugstores.
Step 2- Concealer:
Concealer can save your from revealing to the world that you were up all night watching re-runs of Sex In The City while eating a tub of ice cream! Puffy eyes much? You’re not alone, no one has perfect skin, everyone has dark circles, black heads, pimples and uneven skin tone- yes everyone! When purchasing a concealer you want to look for something oil-free that wont clog your pores. Also, if you are feeling daring you can get 3 different colours; a shade darker than your skin tone to detract light, a shade lighter to attract light, and one that perfectly matches your skin for those “zit days.” I like putting a shade darker under my eyes, and use a lighter shade as a highlighter on my brow bone. They key is not to put it on to heavy. No layering of the concealer. If you have a good foundation, you do not need to cake this stuff on!
Rachele’s Favorites:
Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing $19 at Sephora or Shoppers Drug Mart
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat $40 at Sephora And Holt Renfrew
Make Up Forever Camouflage Cream Palette, $36 at Sephora
Step 3- Foundation
Personally I enjoy a mixed power/foundation formula. It looks like a powder but covers like foundation. This stuff will save you time, goes on light and still gives great coverage. If you use this formula you DO NOT need liquid foundation. However, if you want to cover wrinkles or if you have some skin discoloration, I’d recommend using a liquid foundation. My tip to you, make sure you purchase your foundation from a store that will allow refunds. It’s great to take your new product home, try it in your lighting at home and the lighting outside. Your face HAS TO MATCH your neck. Foundation is not meant to be used as self tanner! If you get darker in summer, and lighter in winter PLEASE switch your foundation!
Rachele’s Favorites:
Make Up Forever Duo Mat Powder Foundation, $32 at Sephora
Cover FX Mineral Powder Foundation, $35 at Sephora or Shoppers Drug Mart
MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, $26 at MAC locations or The Bay.
Make Up Forever HD Invisible Cover Foundation, $40 at Sephora
Sephora Collection Perfecting Cover Foundation, $22 at Sephora
Step 4- Blush:
Even if you naturally have a flushed skin tone, its good to have something to use as a contour and if you are using a good foundation, it will take away redness. You know the trick of smiling to emphasize your cheekbones then dotting blush on the apples of your cheeks? It really works! Make sure again you are working with your skin tone. If you look best in browns, or fall colours you will most likely have a warm skin tone and will look best in peachy blushes. If you look great in blues, and purples you probably have a cool skin tone; you will look best in a pink based blush. It is possible that you look great in both, and if so you have a neutral tone, and you can rock whichever colour blush looks best with your hair colour.
Liquid or cream blushes work best with powder foundation, and should be applied BEFORE powder. I have a fair skin tone so I personally like this method because my blush lasts throughout the day.
If you prefer a powder blush, apply AFTER foundation either power or liquid foundation.
Rachele’s Favorites:
Make Up Forever HD Blush, $25 at Sephora
NARS blush, $27 at Sephora or Holt Renfew
Benefit Cosmetics Feeling Cheeky! $15 at Sephora or Shoppers Drug Mart
Step 5- Mascara:
Mascara is the best way to highlight your eyes. Eyes are the one feature on your face that others look at most, so we should always make time for a little mascara. I’ve tried quite a few brands in my time, and found that I like a voluminous look, with no clumping and that wont irritate my eyes. If you have light hair you should be using a light black or black/brown shade, if you have dark hair use the darkest shade of black. When applying, make sure your eyes are open and apply to all the lashes working from the outside in. I recommend using the tip of the brush for the inner lashes and the bottom lashes. Avoid putting mascara on the side of the lashes closest to the eyelid, this can often lead to smudging or mascara that looks too heavy.
Rachele’s Favorites:
Make Up Forever Smoky Lash, $22 at Sephora
Cover Girl Last Blast Fusion, $8 at most drugstores.
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! $19 at Sephora
Step 6- Lip Gloss:
Some might argue that this step is unnecessary but I beg to differ. Just like you moisturize your skin, you should moisturize your lips. Lips can get wrinkly and dry too! I recommend a clear gloss for everyday use and a colour gloss that works with the shade of your blush. Again, I have tried A LOT of brands of lip gloss and prefer something that smells good and has a slight plumper.
Rachele’s Favorites:
Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish, $18 at Sephora
Mentha 2X Supreme Lip Shine, $8 at Bath and Body Works
MAC Lipgelée, $14.50 at MAC locations or at The Bay
Bonus Steps:
If you wanting to do something a little extra feel free to add some eye liner, eye shadow and bronzer. If you are going to add anything other than mascara to your eyes I’d highly recommend using a primer as a base to the eyelid. It helps everything stay in place and not rub off throughout the day.
Bronzer is great to contour the cheeks and give some colour for those who don’t live in warm climates year round! It’s the safe way to tan! Just apply a small amount on the places on your face that would get the most sun: the apples of your cheeks, on the nose, a bit on the chin and a bit on the brow line. DO NOT go overboard with the bronzer- start off light and then check how it looks in natural lighting. If you think you can use more than go for it, but usually one swipe is enough!
Last but not least, have fun with your make up! Experiment with colours! Once you get used to these 6 basic steps it should take you only about 10 minutes to apply!
If you have any further questions feel free to ask.
I quick overview of my favorites from the 2011 Emmy Awards. Did I miss anyone?
Sophia Vergara
Kaley Cuoko
Julia Stiles
Kristen Wiig
Nina Dobrev
The Oscar red carpet was a little bit of a let down this year. Nothing really WOWED me. Everyone looks pretty and nice, but overall it seemed like simple won over on the red carpet. Here are 10 of my favorite looks of the night.
Trend 1: RED. Everyone who chose that color could do no wrong in my eyes.
Anne Hathaway won my vote for the best red dress. She looked stunning in this Valentino number. Fit her like a glove…I think her best dress of the entire night was this one on the red carpet.
Sandra Bullock looked sleek, simple and stunning!
Jennifer Hudson looked absolutely amazing! What a way to show off that new figure she has. Georgous!
Jennifer Lawrence from Winter’s Bone looks super classic and chic in this Calvin Klein dress. A little like a Baywatch babe- but stunning none-the-less.
Trend 2 – NEUTRALS. This personally was my favorite trend on the red carpet. It is a great timeless look.
Halle Berry was my favorite by a long shot. She looked angelic in this Marchesa gown.
This long sleek sheath looked great on Celine Dion’s statuesque figure. Didn’t she just have twins a few months ago? Wow.
Hailee Steinfeld from True Grit looked too adorable in her gown! This 14 year old did it right! She dressed her age yet managed to look elegant for the red carpet.
Mandy Moore looked great in this Monique Lhuillier dress. I love how you dont konw where the sequins begin and end.
Trend 3- PURPLE. Both dresses were flowy and both were worn by the lovely ladies of Black Swan.
Pregnant Natalie Portman was absolutly glowing in this Rodarte gown. The color was amazing on her and the neckline beautifully framed her face.
Mila Kunis just bareley made my list. I love the way this Elie Saab dress fits and I love the style but I’m not a super big fan of the color on her. Overall its still a win for Mila.
Who were some of your favorites of the night?
Unfortunately this was a much easier list to compile. Some interesting choices by some Best Dressed List regulars which came as quite a surprise. Here is who made the worst dressed list:
Yes, I am surprised as you that Nicole Kidman made this list, she usually looks stunning, but this Dior Couture number looked awkward and ill fitting. On a brighter note- her make up looked great and her hubby,Keith Urban looked handsome!
Another big shocker- Reese Witherspoon! She is normally adorable but this just looks like a dated 90′s look that her character in Legally Blond would wear. What is with that hairpiece?!
Best Supporting Actress winner, Melissa Leo decided to show up in a shiny doily. Not the most flattering fabric or shape. Absolutely LOVED her acceptance speech though!
It pains me to put Cate Blanchett on this list because normally she can do no wrong in my eyes. She always takes a bolder choice, but this one just didn’t work for me. I just don’t get it at all.
And the worst of the worst goes to:
Oh boy, Marisa Tomei in this dress just was a big NO. She is normally such a babe! Did you see her last year? What happened?! This dress just looks like a cheap home-made prom dress. Not a fan of the greasy parted hair either. Wonder what her stylist was thinking?
Our favorite Canadian actress, Rachel McAdams hasn’t been seen around much lately, but on Sunday, January 9 she showed up on the red carpet. She apparently is still promoting her not-so-popular movie “Morning Glory” in Berlin. Despite the fact that the movie didn’t do well in North America, she certainly brought her A-game to Germany looking stunning in this Michael Kors dress. How do you feel about Rachel’s red carpet look?
The ladies in this post can’t just sing…lots of singers can sing…these chicks can S-A-N-G. Take a listen to the most beautiful powerful vocal cords of our time.
Adele- Rolling in the Deep. I first fell in love with Adele’s song “Chasing Pavements” and this is her newest single; which in my opinion is even BETTER then Chasing Pavements! Who knew that could be possible?
Florence & The Machine- The Drumming Song. I had the pleasure of seeing Florence before she became a MASSIVE hit and I have to be honest- her opening band sucked- so me and my friend kept thinking, “I sure hope she is awesome live cause this is lame.” Well let me just say she is one of the best concerts I have EVER SEEN. Killer killer vocals!
Lissie- Little Lovin’.She’s new on the scene but her catchy melodies and that little bit of rasp in her voice will get you hooked! Everyone is already in love with her in the UK and at any moment and she is gonna break out in North America. I love the control she has with her vocals.
Gossip- Standing in the Way of Control. Now I don’t think anyone can argue with the fact that Beth Ditto has crazy crazy vocals. I’ve heard her live stuff and it’s just as powerful. I wish I wish I could sing like her!
Ellie Goulding- The Writer. Ok I HAD to show a live performance because her voice is so amazing, so raw, and just pain adorable! Love the vibrato; its pretty crazy and pretty awesome. If you haven’t heard of her yet- she’s got some pretty awesome style; they call it “Folk-Electronic”
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals-Medicine. I just recently started listening to her and now I am hooked! She’s been in the biz for a while, singing with her band since high school. She makes me wish I could sing the blues! But lucky me I get to see them in January when they come to Vancouver. (An early birthday present!)
Kimbra-Settle Down. Well since she is known for creating full songs with her voice, it would only be fair to have her on this list. Kimbra is quite popular in Australia but we’re still eagerly waiting for her debut album here in North America.
We’re lucky to have so many talents and such great music to listen to these days. Power to these powerful ladies! Did I miss anyone??
I have to give honorable mention to a few more “popular” artists such as; Pink, Duffy, Christina Aquilera, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Beyonce. Yep they’re super popular and all over the radio- BUT they can perform live and sound good doing it! (Notice I did NOT mention Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Mily Cyrus or Ke$ha)
How are you feeling Emma Stone’s new blond locks? She’s still the funny awkward chick from Easy A- but now she has got from girl next door to hottest on the block! I’m loving the new look- and I especially love her make-up here. What do you think?
What a beautiful short that was filled for Dior. Starring the gorgeous Marion Cotillard and the super talented Ian McKellen.
As I was captivity watching it I couldn’t help but hear a familiar voice in the soundtrack. Our favorite quirky Canadian singer/songwriter/producer Hawksley Workman! This is quite a step for him!
Enjoy
(Maybe John Galliano will pull a Tom Ford and sit in the directors chair for full length film?)
Summer is here and I know everyone is wondering what the best lotions and potions are to keep your legs looking and feeling sexy, soft and smooth right? I have the secret! BABY OIL! The trick, right before you’re about to shave your legs, slather on some oil. It helps lock in the moisture, and gives you a smooth shave. You can find baby oil at any drug store for around $3. Try it! It works!
Have any other great beauty tips you want to share? Feel free to leave a comment- Black is the New Black would love to hear them!
Well this is a change from the regular sexy-scantily clad ads that D&G usually has! I must say its a welcomed change on my part. I love the ad. Super cute. The only thing I’m on the fence about is the boots…but I can live with them because it makes sense for the ad. What do you think?
Ok how cute are Diane Kruger (Inglorious Basterd’s) and Joshua Jackson (Dawson’s Creek, Fringe) these days? Have you seen them around lately? I must mention that Diane is her own stylist, make-up artist and hairstylist as well as Josh’s, which gives gives her even more bonus points in my eyes!
They first got on my radar at the MET Ball:
Look at how dapper Josh is! And Diane is elegant in white Calvin Klein.
Then the appeared at Karl Lagerfeld’s film presentation party doing some lawn bowling and looking classy, fresh and like they were having fun!
Loving Josh’s rolled up pants and Diane’s high-waisted skirt with the fedora and side braid.
More recently they were seen at the Chanel Cruise line presentation:
Here they are heading on to a flight. seriously, could they get any cuter?
There is such an ease to their style- which is what makes it work. MEN take note- Josh is someone to get fashion inispiration from- he is ON POINT with men’s fashion right now.
