"Live from New York" and beauty freebies!

I love free things. Everything is better when you don't have to pay for it (and no, I'm not encouraging shoplifting, but you know what I mean). Allure's Daily Reporter tipped me off to the fact that eos is giving away 50,000 free Smooth Speres. Free shipping and everything, just go to theeosphere.com, and put in your info for a free Sweet Mint sphere.
I'm all jazzed about this because the lip balm is certified organic, and knowing how much lippie a girl eats in a lifetime, that's a serious plus. Also, the twist off cap and circular shape means you don't need to use your fingers to apply it, so the balm stays clean. Plus, from what I've heard, the balm is actually really good. It retails for $3-$4 in store.


V Magazine is awesome enough to email us a lot of their spreads before they hit newsstands. Our inbox has been hit with a bunch in the last few days, but this spread, "Live from New York" (love the SNL reference), shot by Mario Sorrenti, is by far my favorite. All the looks are contorted, dramatic, and architectural, and I love the juxtaposition of the skyline and Freida and Sasha's animalistic poses. Very urban jungle.




I'm seeing a lot of high-heeled, aggressive boots, strong, exaggerated shoulders, dramatic pleating, and lots and lots of leather. It's a bit '80s, a bit '40s, and very modern. To make this look work for real life, I'd stick with a strong shoe, maybe an edgy platform heel or a tough boot, something with architectural pleating or strong shoulders, and then basic pieces for the rest of the outfit. Personally, I'd love to do a patent platform with a pleated leather tulip skirt and a drapey white tee, or maybe a Balmain-esque exaggerated shoulder jacket with a tee, jeans, and some eye-catching boots.

Image Sources:
Eos Lip Balm: allure.com, V Magazine images: vmagazine.com.