Nail Art
NO, those are not my nails! First, it takes patience to sit there while the woman at the salon applies all the stones, etc. and I start fidgeting after 10 minutes. Second, I'd probably poke someone accidentally and cause bodily harm. And third, it would appear extreme on me showing off some beauty products or gifts on TV with those nails. BUT, the gal (Mie) who has these nails at CHI Nails in Beverly Hills is delightful and sassy and she can pull off the look effortlessly.
These looks are more my speed.
And here's my first ever gel application. So far it's lasted five days and no chips. This is exciting! Next time, I'll experiment with a little design.
Friday Favorites - May 17
Wedding Wear
'Tis the season when most people will be attending weddings. Myself included. First up, for my husband and I, is a wedding in Paris followed by a vacation in Italy where I'm looking forward to plenty of wine and pasta.
For this week's Friday Favorites we picked our top looks of what to wear to a wedding. Plus, two to-the-point wedding attending tips:
-Don't wear white unless the brides asks you. Don't wear anything too short, too low cut or just too revealing-leave your club-going dresses for just that, when you're looking for attention at a club. There's nothing worse than being the talk of the wedding for your breasts being on display. It won't snag a date from the inebriated groomsmen and you'll be disrespecting the occasion.
-If your invite doesn't say plus one, don't write one in or show up with a date. Weddings are costly and unless you've been dating someone for at least six months you shouldn't expect to be able to bring a date. Most brides and grooms are thinking ahead and a year from now they really don't want to look at photos of you and wonder who's that guy standing next to you in all the photos. Just go and have fun, dance with your friends and make new ones.
Alison's Pick
Raoul Bita Bow Maxi Dress, $590 Saks Fifth Avenue Crystal Crush Bobbi Pin, $25 Ban.do
I purposely skip black dresses at weddings and opt for color instead. Nothing that steals the thunder from the bride, but nothing that disappears among a sea of other dresses either. This blue dress is elegant for an evening or black tie affair. Then I'd add a crystal covered bobbi pin to pull hair away from my face and add a little more color to my outfit.
Christina Wright's Pick
Stapless Green Dress, $128 LuLu Ivory Crescent Necklace, $28 Francesca's
One of my favorite things about working weddings is seeing all the amazing style from the guests. My team style is always hip & onbrand when working, but we still have to have comfort and ease in our outfits when working 12+ hour days. So I LOVE when I actually get to attend a wedding and wear something absolutely fabulous! This dress from LuLu's is exactly that...the green is bright and fun for the season, and the silhouette is fun & flirty....perfect dress to dance the night away! Love the simplicity of neutral accessories with my bold dress. The styling makes everything feel much more luxe, and I love that I can get so much use out of them after the event.
Lauren's Pick
Bead Embroidered Dress, $85 Feel Luxury Thyme Wedge, $95 Seychelle's Footwear
Two of my favorite things about weddings are a 1. open bar and 2. a rocking wedding band! If I'm gonna shake my stuff on the dance floor, I want to wear a dress that twirls along with me. This apricot, beaded & embroidered dress has a soft, romantic look to it to suit the ceremony, but give it a twist or two and that lace and those beads will be catching the eyes of all the eligible bachelors in the room. To top it off, I wear a comfortable matching wedge to give me some height without killing my feet from all the sweet moves I'll be doing.
Christina Moffitino's Pick
Bustier Georgette Maxi Dress, $148 BCBG Havanna Clutch, $88 J.Crew
With a friend's beach style wedding coming up, I'm planning gifts and, of course, an outfit for the occasion. I love this bright coral dress because the color reminds me of a beautiful summer sunset. It has a sexy silhouette with still enough room to get down for a night of dancing with the bride. I'd slap some bangles on with the woven clutch to create a perfect pairing for seaside style.
Gold Shoes
Gold metallic galore. This was a stylish shoe haul at Nordstrom Rack. I'm stepping out in some serious shine this Spring with sandals and flats from Stuart Weitzman and Franco Sarto.
Pop of Pink in Spring Accessories
A mix of High/Low accessories for Spring. An Hermes scarf to pair with a trench when traveling and jewels from Kohl's and Kenneth Jay Lane.
Friday Favorites-May 10
Work It In Style
I haven't owned a suit in, well, I can't remember how many years. I've learned you don't have to wear a suit to make a powerful impression. Stand tall, speak well, have a firm handshake and you could nab an interview, land that deal, or score that job. We prefer to make that impression in a splash of color.
Alison's Pick
Diane Von Furstenberg 'Jeannie' Dress (Blue), $375 Nordstrom
Ted Baker London 'Wallpaper' Dress, $295 Nordstrom
Lauren Scharf's Pick
Jack by BB Dakota William Pencil Skirt (Blue) - $58 Zappos
Pencil skirts and a nice blazer feel like a standard for me in the work place, but especially around this time of year, I like to leave the boring old Black & White for the suits. This vibrant blue, lacy skirt is all the color I need to break through the mundane look of the strictly-business-as-usual office attire. Plus, I like the way it fits tight but doesn't snag or bunch like longer skirts.
Christina Moffitino's Pick
iPad Mini Case, $32 Etsy
My iPad is my handy dandy study tool when I'm at school all day. I wanted a case that kept it safe but had still had some style to it. I love this studded leather case I found on Etsy because it looks like a clutch! It gives me all the more reason to bust it out and take on those finals I have this week!
The Best New Mother's Day Gifts for 2013
In a city like LA everyone loves a chance to stand out in a crowd. With Shoes of Prey, you get to custom design your dream pair of shoes via their innovative 3D technology. It’s super simple, with infinite choices of color and materials, heel height and silhouette. (We calculated over 192 trillion combinations). Prices range from about $150-350. And if you don't like them or they don't fit, they’re fully refundable or they'll change the design to what you desire.
Special for KTLA viewers: http://www.tastingroom.com/KTLA
You get a selection of six small wines (4 red, 2 white) for $9.95 to taste and create a tasting profile. Then based on what you like, they curate your first case of wine! The first case is $85, which means about $7 per bottle (awesome price!!) and then you can have them send you a case every few months after that with new choices. My husband and I tried it and love it!
Indie Film in a Box, $20
You choose a genre from love to comedy to chillers and more. The box comes with four films and an interactive game as well where you choose best picture, best performance, etc. Great way to choose a genre mom will love and watch with her.
Then add some organic popcorn into the mix with special flavors like rosemary, kettle corn or white truffle from Pipsnacks, 6 pack for $36
Picnic Basket for 4, Red Envelope.com $199
Not your ordinary basket.... more like a cool tote. Perfect for the Hollywood Bowl this summer or movies outdoors. Comes with all the necessary accessories, but much cooler - like Mason jar drinking glasses!
Pastoral Artisan Cheese, bread and wine, PastoralArtisan.com
Create the picnic with these cheeses, like the Around The World collection ($59)
Bonsai Garden Growing Kit, RedEnvelope.com $33
Grow your own garden with a choice of Gardenia or Redwood Forest bonsai. The gardens come in beautiful metal boxes with their own gardening shears. Add some pretty gardening gloves, and perhaps some gardening tools and you're set!
Friday Favorites-May 3
Top It Off - Our Hat Picks
With the Kentucky Derby just a day away, we, of course, think of all the big, bold and over-the-top hats that attendees wear. It's a see and be seen event just for the hats and, yes, watch the horses race as well. Derby hats are for one day, but our Friday Favorites can be worn all spring and summer. So top off your look with one of our fedoras, bowlers or wide brim floppy versions.
Alison's Pick
Tarnish Vintage Fedora, $46 Nordstrom
I can find many reasons to wear a hat, whether it's an early morning at the Rosebowl Flea Market or a vacation in Europe and it works wonders when you don't want to fuss with your hair. A stylish fedora like this one can top off a maxi dress or a t-shirt and shorts.
Christina Moffitino's Pick
Floppy Hat, $40 American Apparel
Summer is just around the corner and as I'm packing for a beach weekend one of my first must-haves is my floppy hat. I love that I can wear it to top off my cute day outfit or keep the sun out of my face at the beach. It's the perfect accessory for a festival outfit or a weekend getaway.
Lauren's Pick
Straw Bowler, $20 Juicy Couture
I'm not always one for hats but it's nice to have one for those hot summer days to keep the sun off your head. This beachy bowler shouts "Day at the Pier" with its navy bow and white stripes, and makes a perfect addition to my swimsuit at the beach. Then by night, I can use it to class up my sundress on a date, because nothing's classier than sending off your date with a tip of the bowler!
Christina Wright's Pick
Sequin Straw Fedora, $30 Gap
This sequin fedora from Gap is the perfect way to top off any outfit this summer! The straw keeps it fun and casual...perfect for beach, while the sequin dresses it up with a little bit of glam. I usually have one go-to hat for the summer season, and this is definitely on my list!
DIY - Glass and Wood Tray
Far better to serve you with this transformed tray that includes stripping and staining the wood, cutting a piece of metallic and cork wallpaper from a leftover project and having glass cut for the interior of the tray.
Before the transformation this tray was in a local thrift store for $7. It's design said "country kitchen."
First, we stripped the paint and then stained it with Cabot Custom Tint in Moonshadow. After it was stained, I cut a piece of metallic cork wallpaper left over from our guest room and had a piece of glass cut to fit inside the tray. Now, it not only holds art books and vintage art pieces, but can serve drinks and snacks in a pinch.
DIY - Star Candy Dish
Our resident sticker and paint chip DIY gal, Lauren Scharf couldn't let a star candy dish go untreated. She decided it needed a bit of color.
It's so simple and so inexpensive to take bland items around your home and add your own personal touch. Here, I took a clear glass candy dish and spiced it up with some colors. Using some felt, rubber cement, a round punch out tool, and - our favorite - paint chips, I created a little bubble design on the bottom of the glass. The felt helps keep the design intact, and keeps the bottom of the glass from scratching any surfaces. I opted for a bigger circle and a range of cool colors, but this would also look great with confetti sized shapes and a palette with all the colors of the rainbow! The main look I had in mind was to make it look like the dish was always filled with candy, even when empty!
SoapBox Soaps
Their plan is simple - use soap to improve the world. They say that more than 3,000 children's lives can be saved everyday with something as simple as a bar of soap and clean water. For many of us, taking a shower and lathering up each morning is routine. So why not get a little energized with the AWESOME scent plus clean, of course, with one of these soaps.
“What if a company could change the world through empowering customers to change it through simple, everyday purchases?” That's what one of the co-founders of SoapBox Soaps asked his fellow co-cofounder when coming up with the idea. Okay, he admits it wasn't that articulate, but it was a start.
In just two short years, they have donated their soap internationally to a number of countries including Ecuador, Haiti, Kenya, Thailand and Uganda. 4 Continents in total. 7 Countries. They also provide soap locally to struggling families at homeless shelters, women shelters and nursing homes here in America. Good, right!? So are you clicking on SoapBox Soaps right now to to buy? One soap, $4.99 or two for $9.99.
I say:
I admit it, I'm a body wash fan, but the scent of these soaps is so refreshing I had to give them a try. And yes, I do like the compliments when someone standing close says, "You smell good." Usually it's my husband doling out those compliments (yes, he's amazing). These will be packed on my trip to Europe, (lemongrass & lavendar are my picks) so I'll have more room for other liquids in my carry on. And you have time to order a few to give mom for Mother's Day. I know it's not a chic and sophisticated gift, but a kid could use a little allowance to buy his mom a soap with a such a do-good message, surely mom will be touched.
Christina says:
When it comes to cleansers, my usual go to is body wash because it leaves my skin feeling soft and supple. Unlike most bar soaps, this one doesn't leave my skin dry. The scent is light and refreshing and I love that I still feel moisturized after my shower. The company also donates one bar of soap for every bar of soap you buy, so someone else will feel so fresh and clean because of you.
Lauren says:
I love the natural feel and smell of this soap. My favorites are the cinnamon and the orange blossom scents which fill my shower with a refreshing fragrance after I use them.
Soaps are: Made in America. Gluten-free. Vegan. Packaged with 100% recycled fibers.
What's NOT in them: Parabens, Phthalates, petrochemicals, Palm Oil
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