style and hair muse

I've always loved Nicole Scherzinger for her exceptional sass and talent on the dance floor, as well as on the mike. Since I dyed my hair (DIY Clairol "dark brown") and it's a lot darker than I anticipated, I needed to lean on the shoulder of my good friend, Nicole, for some moral support hehe. Here are some shots of her that I'd like to emulate and maybe duplicate... hey, as Lats would say, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." (I had to give him a shout-out because he'd call me on it and then I'd go off on my usual tirades hehe.)

There were other fabulous pictures of Ms. Scherzinger, but I simply do not have the time to entertain these pics on my blog right now. I should be doing homework, actually...


Cot dang, look at her exotic tan, buff legs, and usual healthy, vibrant signature-black locks!

I have the same hue of this leather jacket and scarf she's sporting. I love black aviator sunglasses and a nude wardrobe palette. It's chic but low-maintenance, and of course, it's not trying too hard.

I want to rock this pompadour sometime later this week when I go out!

Diggin' this ensemble- gold & off-silver/palladium are some of my favorite couplings.



Kishes,
P

J Brand Houlihan's - got 'emmmm!

I hunkered down and got myself the Vintage Westpoint pair of these. I hope it doesn't disappoint!

**EDIT 10/16/10: I went back to Nordstrom's and returned the Vintage Westpoints for the Vintage Olive, and I'm one HAPPY CAMPER!!! I love the Vintage Olive cargoes so much better than what I had- I think it's because I saw J. Alba with the same ones of this color and there was a reason why she wore the crap outta' her pair! I can't wait to save up some more money for another pair. :)

May 12, 2010
Houlihan, Reporting for Duty
By CATHY HORYN
IT’S probably not surprising that Frank Doroff knows what is selling at any second at Bloomingdale’s since he is the store’s vice chairman for ready-to-wear and bloomingdales.com. Still, on a recent evening with friends he was impressively prepared when someone mentioned that she had just bought a pair of cargo pants.

“Was it the Houlihan?” Mr. Doroff said, lighting up. “That’s our best-selling pant.”

From his tone, it seemed that even he was surprised and tickled to be saying Houlihan. But out of the hundreds of contemporary and designer pants, of the cargoes and leggings and boyfriend khakis stretching across the country in a blur, the Houlihan is certainly worth noting.

Since the end of January, its manufacturer, J Brand, has sold more than 75,000 pairs of the style and has 40,000 pairs on back order. “In 33 years I’ve never shipped anything like this,” Jeff Rudes, the founder and chief executive of J Brand, said this week, noting that some customers have offered to prepay for the $230 style. Bloomingdale’s has sold thousands, according to Mr. Doroff, who wants more. Barneys New York has 1,000 pairs of Houlihans on reorder, with waiting lists at its stores. The Intermix chain said it has sold 2,000 pairs.

J Brand, a 5-year-old company based in California, is widely distributed, and this particular cargo style has apparently done well everywhere, though the hard-to-get factor may be exaggerated. On Monday, I counted five pairs at Bergdorf Goodman, and a number of Web sites indicated that they had them.

Still, there is no denying their hot-item status. Although Mr. Rudes might sell more jeans and leggings, the demand for the pricey Houlihan, which J Brand considers a novelty style, has been exceptionally intense. Fashion blogs have been discussing the style since February — the fit seems to be the main draw — and you can find scads of pictures of Houlihan-supportive celebrities, including Rihanna and Jessica Alba.

The military-style pants were aptly named, too — after Hot Lips Houlihan of the movie and television series “M*A*S*H.”

Mr. Doroff said that the response to the pants was immediate and persuasive. In early February, a Bloomingdale’s manager on the West Coast alerted him that an order had sold out in a matter of days. Then Mr. Doroff’s 12-year-old daughter told him she wanted a pair of Houlihans. By that time, however, they were sold out at Bloomingdale’s in New York.

In Mr. Doroff’s view, the Houlihan has been successful because of the lightweight yet rugged fabric, the faded olive color and the popularity this spring of cargo pants and other military looks. “The jeans business has been a little tough,” he said. “We needed some newness in the market.” He added, referring to Mr. Rudes, “He was the newness.”

The Houlihan is made of a Japanese cotton twill that contains two percent Lycra. In addition to a vintage wash, it has smooth cargo pockets and a tapering fit that ends with zippers on the outside of the legs. Mr. Rudes said, “It’s all about the fit.”

Anyone who has tried on the Houlihans would likely agree. Although their skinny line appears unforgiving, they are very flattering. They work as well with sandals and sneakers as stilettos.

The similarity to Balmain’s cargo pants doesn’t go unnoticed, either, though the Balmains are about $2,000 and have, as if it could make that big a difference, top-stitching on the thighs to enhance the worn look. Mr. Rudes said his pants were in the pipeline before Balmain showed the style in Paris last October. “Let’s face it,” he added. “We’re not Balmain.”

4 Tips to Make Hill Work Fun

The trick to mastering hill training is taking the process slowly, allowing your body the necessary time to adapt to and recover from your workouts.

Once you get to be more proficient on hills, you'll become aware of something revolutionary: hill training is fun. While hard work, hill training makes you realize that your body is powerful and resilient, capable of literally overcoming an obstacle set before it.

Hillwork also injects some excitement into your run, since flat surfaces can grow monotonous.

The following tips will help ensure that hill training stays both fun and focused.

Vary the distances. Run short hills (~30 seconds to run, with an incline of 5-15% gradient), medium hills (~30-90 seconds to run), and long hills (more than 90 seconds). On a short hill, your energy source will be anaerobic (without oxygen); as such, always allow your body proper recovery (a walk down the hill, for example). Running a medium hill is both aerobic and anaerobic, and allows you the chance to develop your lactic acid tolerance. (Critical in improving endurance). Running a long hill is mainly aerobic. Here, the idea is to exert moderate to hard effort - don't be too concerned about your speed.

Be bouncy. Good form makes hillwork safer and more satisfying. When running up a hill, the goal is to be as "bouncy" as possible. You want to use a slightly higher knee-lift than you would when running a flat surface. You should push upwards with your toes and flex your ankles, then land on the front part of your foot. Focus on your legs - your arms, neck, and shoulders should be free of tension. Arms should be held at a 90 degree angle.

Eyes ahead. The impulse to look at your feet when scaling a hill (especially a long one) can be overpowering - why do you want to know how much more hill lies ahead of you? Keeping your eyes straight ahead, however, helps you maintain proper form and avoid straining your neck.

Inspire yourself. As most runners know, getting your brain in the game is often half the battle. If you tell yourself "I can't do this" or "this run will be awful," chances are you're going to have a bad run. When it comes to hill running, positive self-talk can be a big motivator. Instead of dwelling on what could possibly go "wrong" when you climb the hill, remind yourself that you have the strength and determination to dominate your run. Hill, schmill.

Jersey City Running Examiner Lauren Leatherman is a writer and runner living in Jersey City, New Jersey. Lauren holds an MFA in Creative Writing from NYU and has published articles and essays about fitness, nutrition, and motivation for runners. You can reach her at leathermanlauren@gmail.com.

swaggerific.

I love Geri Hirsch's blog that you can find here!!! She has some amazing posts and I especially love the one about my fashion idol, Christine Centenera, that you can find here and here.

Chanel foundation

Runway Makeup Made Easy
Get glamorous with makeup tips from Chanel makeup maestro Peter Philips
By April Long

As the global creative director of Chanel Makeup since January 2008, Peter Philips has been the mastermind behind some of the brand’s latest and greatest hits: for instance, the jade green nail polish that debuted on the runway earlier this year and spawned a gazillion gushing blog entries. Philips is known for his artistry (Great Gatsby–esque glossy black eyes at the 2009 cruise show in Venice; ornately embroidered false lashes at fall/winter 2009 RTW), but the puckish Belgian balances his avant-garde flourishes with timeless beauty basics such as flawless skin or perfectly arched brows. “Whether you like dramatic makeup or prefer to keep it simple,” he says, “it’s good to take a step back, look at yourself, and ask, Do I really need all of this? or Do I need a bit more? It’s like when you buy a pair of shoes—you try them on and walk around the store. You should do the same with makeup. Take time to make sure it’s working, and then you can play. It should be a treat you give yourself every day.”

How do you keep eye gloss from looking messy?
You don’t. It’s meant to crease and move around. It’s like wearing a designer jacket with exposed seams—some people are comfortable with that, some aren’t. Dark eye gloss is a statement: It’s a little trashy, a little rock ’n’ roll. If you want to go for a sort of Kurt Cobain look, lay it on thick, and don’t use a base with it or you’ll dilute the strength of the color. That way it looks decadent, like you’ve been to a party or you’ve been onstage. If you want it more subtle, you can apply it sheer with your finger and then blend it out with a brush.

What eye shadow and lipstick hues are most universally flattering?
Natural shades like brown and beige work on most complexions, and I like gold tones because they make the skin look warmer. If you have blue eyes, try a bit of red somewhere—a lipstick, or a reddish-brown eye shadow; the contrast will bring out the color of your eyes. Intense purples look great on brown-skinned girls—they blend into the skin tone but still stand out.

What’s the best way to prep skin for makeup?
I clean the face, spray it with Evian,and then apply Crème de la Mer. It’s a very neutral moisturizer that works on everyone: If you have dry skin, use a bit more; if you tend to be oily, just use a small amount. It works better than a primer.
Perfect skin is the starting point for all of your runway looks. What’s your secret?
I like to blend different shades of foundation to subtly sculpt the face. I use lighter shades on the places that catch the light—the bridge of the nose, the chin, the top of the cheeks—and then a shade or two darker on the sides of the face and the forehead. Then I finish with Chanel Poudre Libre, which isn’t too matte. And depending on the effect I’m after, I’ll use either a cotton or a silk puff.

What’s the difference?
A silk puff gives a glowy finish, and a cotton puff gives a matte finish. If I haven’t already sculpted the face with foundation, I like to set the makeup with a silk puff, except under the eyes, where I use cotton. If you keep the undereye area a bit matte, the rest of the face will appear more luminous—and you can create even more contrast by tapping a pearly highlighter onto the tops of your cheeks with your fingers. That really brings out the cheekbones. It’s not only a game of different shades, it’s a game of different textures.

witticisms

I'm always on the hunt for something smart-alecky to say- this is what I scoured:

How To Pack Like a Pro

In light of mine & Lats' long weekend trip to Philly for Kristine & Jason's wedding, I wanted to share this because Lord knows I DO NOT PACK LIGHT!


Insiders' Guide
How to Pack Like a Pro
An Interview With Juliet Kinsman
Kinsman is the editor in chief of the luxury travel site mrandmrssmith.com. Her favorite places are Ibiza, Marrakech, and Berlin.

BY KAYLEIGH DONAHUE

When you travel light, how you pack is just as important as what you pack. I have a system that helps me stick to one bag and keeps everything in its place.

· Choose the right equipment. I love my rolling suitcase from Mandarina Duck—it has separate compartments for jewelry, underwear, and other little items. I also like the zippered pouches from Travel Wardrobe Care; they make packing and unpacking simple. Find a toiletry bag with clear pockets that you can hang on the door, so you don't need to rummage through your bag to find your products.

· Start early. A few days before you pack, iron everything you plan to bring, then hang it up. If you put something into a suitcase freshly pressed, it'll crease badly. I pack the night before I leave: Any earlier and I forget what I decided to bring; any later and I'm frantic.

· Fill it up. I'm not a fan of rolling clothes—it doesn't save much space, and it makes unpacking a pain. Instead, I place items in by weight. Shoes go in the bottom of the suitcase in felt bags so they don't get my clothes dirty. Then I layer in dresses and skirts. I put in folded items, like sweaters and gym clothes, next; the lightest pieces, like delicate blouses, go at the top of the bag, where they won't be crushed. I finish by slipping in a few sheets of white tissue paper doused with my favorite fragrance, Jo Malone Pomegranate.