Hair Info: Vintage Waves

Thanks to my new addiction Pinterest I've been finding an endless amount of hair tutorials and have been having a blast trying them all out the last few weeks.

Not claiming to be the expert on anything just wanted to share fun hair tips!

I've always wanted to know how to do 40s waves but really had no idea where to start. Thanks to thebeautydepartment.com I'm all set!

With the layers in my hair they're not full finger waves but give that retro effect without being too costumey.

Click here to see the step by step tutorial

Have any good hair tips you want to share?

Fashion. Freakout.

When I saw this status flash across my Facebook newsfeed at lunch, I had to do a double take. It took a few seconds to sink in, like a kid on Christmas who gets that unexpected, amazing, didn't even think was possible gift. For Ralphie it was a Red Rider BB Gun.

For me it was Missoni at Target.

That's right people. The amazing Italian knit wear design house is collaborating with our favorite bullseye neighbor come fall. As if my favorite fashion season couldn't get any better.

Said to be Target's largest designer line yet, complete with clothing, housewares and bedding!!

I'll be counting down the days until the release, and buttering up all my friends at Target Corporate all summer.

Can. Not. Wait!

Oscars: Best & Worst Dressed

Well my Superbowl, the Oscars was on Sunday. The red carpet was full of let's be real, BORING dresses. Everyone was so predictable and safe. The red carpet was as much of a snooze fest as the telecast was.

Here's my few standouts and my worst dressed of the night.

Mila once again killed it. Loved her in Ellie Saab. The color and texture of the dress are phenomenal!

Grade: A-

Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein. Effortlessly stunning. I wasn't that impressed by her style choices at the Globes or SAGs, but on this red carpet she brought it.

Grade: A

Natalie Portman in Rodarte. No surprise she wore Rodarte (they made all the costumes for Black Swan) and after John Galiano took a cue from the book of crazy by Mel Gibson there was no way she was wearing Dior. She looked gorgeous. The color, the cute of the dress everything worked for not only her and the bump but the Oscars. Its a look that will be timeless for years to come. Bravo Natalie!

Grade: A+

Now onto my worst dressed of the night...

Marisa, Marisa what were you thinking! The second I saw this dress on the red carpet I gasped in horror. The cut is absolutely heinous and does nothing for her amazing figure. Who cuts a bust like that? A freshman design student?! The skirt looks like you took a roll of tool dyed it in some kid's water paint and swashed it around the bottom hem.

Grade: F

Well Awards season is officially over, but you never know when fashion commentary will pop up on this blog again!

Photo Credit: Us Magazine

Grammys: Fashion Police

We're in the final stretch of awards season, the Grammys, the one red carpet during awards season that seems to have no rules didn't disappoint in crazy fashion.

Everyone seemed to be on the French couture train, which I was loving. Givenchy, Jean Paul Gautier, please bring more!

Here's my favorites and worst dressed of the night:

 Credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine in Givenchy Couture. Amazing French couture at its best. Looked stunning on her and wouldn't have worked on anyone else, absolutely sets off her hair color! Loved one of my favs of the night and she killed it on stage.

Grade: B+

Credit: John Shearer/WireImage.com

Julianne Hough in Malandrino. She looks youthful, polished, sweet and sexy all at the same time. Loved the easiness of the hair and the fact that she stayed away from a ton of jewels. She looked great!

Grade: A-

Credit: John Shearer/WireImage.com

Lea Michelle in Emilio Pucci. This is how Grammy red carpet is done. She looks so diva, rock star fierce! Absolutely loved it and was a great departure from the demure gowns we've seen her in at the Globes and SAGs.

Grade: A+

Credit: John Shearer/WireImage.com

Rihanna in Jean Paul Gaultier. If there is ever a red carpet to pull this dress off on, its the Grammys. She always looks stunning in Gaultier and only she could pull this off. Loved her hair with it!

Grade: B

Credit: Arnold Turner/WireImage.com

Gwyneth Paltrow in black jumpsuit. I'm not normally a Gwyneth fan but she killed it in this sleek black jumpsuit and loved her earrings (they were the perfect accessory to the Cee-Lo performance). She looks the definition of a hot rock star's wife! Keep the fierceness coming Gwyn!

Grade: A-

And now my worst dressed of the night...

Credit: Kevin Mazur/Wire Image

You knew where I was going with this, how could Gaga not be my worst dressed of the night. 

A freakin' placenta egg that she was "incubating" in. WTF?!! I've reached my Gaga saturation after last night. 

You're not original Gaga you're just copying everything from the 80's (which doesn't need to be replicated, trust me).

Stop copying Madonna, Grace Jones and David Bowie.

Express Yourself is a way better song, Grace Jones was way more outrageous with her style and Bowie is way better of an entertainer than you'll ever be. 

Forget Best Actor going to Colin Firth this year, it needs to go to Ryan Seacrest for being able to keep a straight face and not rolling around on the ground in a fit of laughter during that interview...

SAG Awards: Fashion Police

Awards season, aka my NFL season with the Oscars being the Superbowl, is in full gear meaning oogles and oogles of runway/couture fashion. Yes it is bananas!

Tonight the SAGs (Screen Actors Guild) where actors honor actors, yes it gets a little pretentious. Where is Ricky Gervais to humble the audience when you need him?

The overall fashion was pretty safe and boring but there were a few standouts.

Here are a few of my favorites and worst dressed of the night.

Claire Danes in Louis Vuitton. Fabulous print, great texture and movement all the key elements to an amazing dress! Love the easiness of her hair, works perfectly with the dress.

Grade: B+

Diana Aragon in Chanel. Classic Chanel and I actually love the hemline it adds to the Frenchness and chicness of the dress. Love the shoes, now that is how a platform pump is done right!

Grade: B

Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta. Sexy and sultry she pulls it off splendidly (hope there is Scotch double sided tape!) with the hair, makeup and confidence. Love the touch of the belt to give a little structure to the bodice. Not a design I would expect from Oscar but still an A.

Grade: A-

Mila Kunis in Alexander McQueen. My favorite of the night. So youthful and effortless and the hair and makeup are perfect! So bummed she's not nominated for an Oscar, bc I'm sure she'd kill on the red carpet.

Grade: A+

Sofia Vergara in Roberto Cavalli. Perfection as usual. She knows exactly how to dress her shape and the color is stunning. Classic bombshell, always a red carpet favorite!

Grade: A

Jane Lynch in Ali Rahimi. My worst dressed of the night. Look I love Jane Lynch, one of the funniest women out there and usually she does the red carpet fairly well, but not tonight. This dress is all wrong from the color (too light) to the structure (it adds 15 lbs). Jane I know you and your stylist can do better, here's waiting for the Emmys.

Grade: F

What are your thoughts on the SAGs red carpet?

My take on the first decade of Millenium fashion.

As the first decade on the millennium begins to come to a close I reflected on the first full decade of fashion I came into as a girl and left as a woman. Here's my take on what us women have been through the last ten years.

2000-2004: Four years where it was indecipherable to tell who was really a stripper by night and was a nanny after school. The g-string hanging out, low rise pants, muffin top, mid-drift tops on 15 year olds, and cleavage took on a whole new level.

2005-2006: My first two years of college where every girl thought rolling out of bed putting on those hideous jersey gaucho pants and platform flip flops was good enough to qualify as a day and night outfit. It's a small part of why I left for the European streets of skinny jeans and boots, ok well not really but good enough in retrospect.

2007-2008: Where designers decided to make every not pregnant woman look pregnant. Coincidence that there was a small baby boom during this period? Not sure, but let's all make a pact not to buy any more maternity clothes until we're actually in our second trimester. Ok thnks.

2008-2009: The years where everything 80's and early 90's came back with a vengeance, and designers decided to play with new shapes. Ugh. Not impressed. Weren't these decades cruel enough on women's shapes the first time? Yes. Let's pass on the majority of these trends, aka liquid leather leggings, and stick to what works for our actual shapes and timeless pieces made with great fabrics, aka cashmere, silk and cotton.

So here's hoping the next ten years of millennium fashion leave the 80's in the 80's, Doc Martins combat boots don't make the comeback I fear they will, and low rise jeans stay very far in the back of women's closets or out of their closets for that matter.

I refuse to accept that Doc Martens could make a comeback!

In the last month or so I've seen a few kooky celebs wearing Doc Martens around LA.  No! No! No! Growing up in the Midwest during the 3rd resurrection of Doc Martens was painful enough on my developing arches and calves. The things weigh 5 lbs and as a lanky awkward 13 year old you might as well just have attached dumbbells to my feet.

Today Drew Barrymore was off to a business meeting doing her kookiest menswear inspired outfit complete with black doc boots. I was accepting of flannel coming back, but not this. The 90's fashions were cruel enough on women's shapes we don't need a round two in less than a decade.

If we're going to bring back flannel, doc martens, and boyfriend jeans we might as well resurrect Kurt Cobain, wipe out the Internet, and go back to Zac Morris size cell phones.  See my point! Let's move forward fashion world and stick with 5 inch Loubotins instead of 5 lb Docs.

With the spring thaw comes fashion disaster

On Friday it was a gorgeous sunny day across the entire country including here in the frozen tundra.  With the spring thaw comes some classic fashion disasters, which were on full display as I walked through Uptown and Downtown.  I'm going to take you through the problem, aka the disaster, and tell you how to fix it.  Read on!  

Classic fashion disaster number 1: The Mom jean jacket!  Its a Midwestern tragedy that all women over 35 seem to be holding onto a jean jacket from 1995.  You know the look: light blue, boxy, and usually has some pin (son's wrestling photo, American flag, cat) pinned on the chest. Why?!  There are so many cuter spring jacket options going on for women of all ages nowadays. 

Answer: A cute structured military jacket in a variety of colors, sleek leather biker inspired jackets (I have one which I live in and love), fitted blazers in a nice wool to keep you warm (this look is so classic and chic, any age group can wear it and look fabulous), or a cute plaid jacket that hits at the hip.  All varieties that have 20th century inspirations but that have been updated for the 21st century!

Fashion disaster number 2: This one is for the younger ladies.  I see this on campus all the time and it just kills me. Don't let your jeans sag three feet behind you!!  Especially in this melt season, because you're jeans will fade, rip, tear and literally fall apart on you because they can't handle the salt, dirt, and snow melt.  

Answer: Either cuff them, I do this sometimes when I'm in a pinch and my shorter jeans are dirty.  You should also have one pair of heel jeans and one pair of flat jeans.  Meaning buy a pair that you're going to wear with ballet flats and sneakers, and buy one pair that you'll wear when you're rockin' you're 4 inch heels.  Get your jeans tailored if you're of shorter stature and have trouble finding jeans that fit in the leg.  A tailor can do wonders on your jeans and make them fit like a glove.

Fashion disaster number 3: Spring shoes can be a troublesome lot.  With all the slush and dirt, yet warm temperatures you just don't know what to do!  Well here's a few no no's.  Stop wearing the Uggs!  Stop wearing the cheap $2 plastic flip flops!  Uggs are not waterproof, and they're too hot once temps are above freezing. I learned this personally in my younger years, aka at 19, when I thought these boots were cool. The flip flops will get you're feet dirty, clap around on the wet street, and drudge up mud behind you as if you were Pig Pen.  Its a cheap, white trash look that no fashionista should be caught dead in.  Havannas are the only acceptable ones and that is for 90 degree days or the beach.  

Answer: Street sneakers, wellies, and fashionable boots on chillier days.  Pumas can go a long way and add a cute casual touch to your look.  Wellies are practical and so many great stores make them in the cutest styles now! I love my J.Crew ones, and I got them at student discount price!  From classic Burberry to Target there are wellies in every style and price range.  Tuck you're skinny jeans into them, wear them with a cute skirt and tights, or just roll up you're jeans until you get inside.  I live in boots! When its chillier out I run for my boots.  Wear them with sweater dresses or tuck them into you're skinny jeans and you'll be set to deal with the sloppy weather outside.

Those are my tips for dealing with this awkward transition month into spring! Good luck! 

Oscars 2009

Keep scrolling for my red carpet synopsis.

Oscars 2009

Well as expected it was insanely predictable. Everyone of my picks won, and they're weren't too many great moments. Penelope gave a bilingual speech, Heath's family accepted on his behalf, Sean Penn spoke out for equal rights, and Kate and Slumdog won of course.

Let's talk fashion though. Isn't that what really matters? I loved Freida Pinto, Taraji P. Henson, and Angelina Jolie. I know some people are going to say she looked boring in just a black dress, my take effortless. She looks like a knockout without really trying. Simple dress, beautiful earrings and ring, gorgeous hair and she had Brad Pitt on her arm. Team Jolie totally won last night. Aniston looked pretty, but as always as if she was trying too hard with a thick air of desperation.

Here's a quick synopsis of the red carpet

• Freida looked stunning in John Galiano. Very Bollywood inspired, fabulous color, great one shoulder trend.
  
• Jessica Biel not a fan of.  I don't care if it was architectural it was unflattering. Blah.
• Taraji P. Henson my favorite.  From the dress to the jewelry to the clutch to the hair.  Glamourous. Fabulous!
• Kate Winslet uggh.  Not a fan of that dress or hair.  Not a good look.
• Meryl Streep stunning.  Age appropriate gown.  Sexy hair and makeup.  
• Penelope Cruz.  The jury is still out.  Not sure how I feel about a white princess gown.  We all know I hate them as a wedding dress.  
• SJP.  "Barely mint" It was true Haute Couture and fantasy.  How annoyed did Matthew Broderick look with the whole thing?
• Amy Adams. She always delivers.  Keeps it classy while adding quirky touches that work great together.
• Anne Hathaway.  Marion Cotillard did it last year, and the bust line didn't fit at all on the dress.  
• Natalie Portman. Stunning. Enough said.
• Miley. Fugly, and like usual she's just being Miley.
• Vanessa Hudgens. What is with that Hobby Lobby arts and crafts project going on on your bustline. Marchesa rarely messes up, this was one of those cases.
• Tina Fey. Knock-out!! Zac Posen always does it fabulous, and this dress was right on point.
• Reese Witherspoon.  Scarlet O'Hara could get away with using the drapes, you honey can not. 

Last night wrapped up awards season :(  Stay tuned because soon enough it'll be May and it'll be Cannes!

It's all about fit

Tim Gunn has always proclaimed how important fit is whether its to a project runway contestant or a New Jersey housewife. I couldn't agree more. My mother always proclaimed this important rule to me, and today I pass it along to you, young jedi.

With many of my friends in their last semester and preparing to enter the real world for the first time they're embarking on networking at industry events and interviews trying to make a great first impression. In the advertising industry how you present yourself and look is everything. That's not to say you have to have the latest and trendiest outfit although touches here and there help keep you look modern. Plus head to toe trends just makes you look like you're trying too hard. Number one rule in fashion: fit. If your clothes don't fit right you're going to look like a sloppy hot mess.

Here's a couple of key rules to ensure proper fit:
1. Remember you can always take things to the tailor, and probably should. This rule does not just apply to men and suits. Women take your jeans to the tailor. There is nothing worse than jeans dragging on the ground collecting street slush and looking filthy.

2. A dark wash pair of jeans goes a long way. Make sure they're properly fitted in the hem, and ladies make sure they sit high enough on your wait and tush to ensure there's no muffin top or plumber's crack.

3. This one is for the women. When buying a button down blouse make sure the button between your breasts doesn't pop. Its tacky, it instantly brings up references of a slutty secretary, and brings everyone's eye level down there instead of your mouth listening to what you have to say. I've seen many women break this rule, and its not pretty. Express sells a good women's fitted blouse. Look for one with darting under the chest and the gaps in between the buttons aren't too big. Wear a tank top underneath to ensure no bra or skin exposure.

Good luck out there kids...its brutal.

Yes she's our new First Lady, but she's also a Fashionista.

Today was her red carpet. Many have anticipated and analyzed, myself included, what Michelle Obama would wear on such a historic day. Above is the Isabel Toledo dress and jacket she wore to the Inauguration along with Jimmy Choo heels and J.Crew gloves. I'm still mixed on this outfit. Its not what I expected, which can be good and bad. It's definitely a risk and a different color palette than what I would have liked to seen her in. The outfit has grown on me slightly in the last several hours, but my initial reaction was NO. I think their could have been better choices. In fact I've seen better sketches by top designers in US Weekly. She's worn such beautiful pieces during such big moments in the past: the beautiful purple v-neck dress as Barack sealed the nomination here in St. Paul, the entire Democratic convention, to the beautiful Narciso Rodriguez red and black dress on election night. Today on the biggest moment so far I must admit in my eyes she dissapointed. Malia and Sasha both looked so adorable that's all I need to say.

The Inaugural gown I'm not going to hate on. Choosing young designer Jason Wu, 26, who is Taiwanese and works out of New York is a perfect fit for the moment. His Spring 2009 collection can be found here: http://www.jasonwustudio.com/ The gown is etheral, dreamy, shows off her fabulous upper body, and cream/white always looks beautiful on African American women's skin. The gown is youthful and represents a new vision sweeping into Washington. Like it or not fashion is that powerful. First impressions are everything and today our First Lady made a unique and lasting fashion impression.

The outfit on the top is my favorite outfit from the last weekend of festivities. A beautiful black and camel Narciso Rodriguez ensemble that she wore for the Lincoln Memorial concert on Sunday. It's classic, regal, and beautiful. It's what I've come to expect of Michelle as the style icon she has grown into. Ladies here's some advice: Stick with Narciso! You can't go wrong, the man knows how to dress a woman and be stylish.

Entertained by this year's Golden Globes

As I watched E!'s red carpet I became enthralled like a young boy watching the first playoff game of the NFL. Awards season has always been one of my favorite things since I was a young child. Watching all of Hollywood return to its glamorous roots, and celebrate its best performances and films of the year always makes me smile. So far this year's Golden Globes has not disappointed. Always having been my favorite awards show for its huge star power, plethora of awards and champagne which always fuels entertaining moments, and often the only awards show that rewards both drama and comedy this year its back with a bang. Having been a scaled down, pitiful version last year due to the writer's strike the first hour of this year has given us some great moments. Ricky Gervais' hilarious presentation that quickly turned into a five minute stand up bit with a pint in hand on stage, to Kate Winslet fabulous and well deserved win and acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress for The Reader. Stay tuned...I know I will.