Clueless, Chloe, and Clueless.

Today is a big day, girls.  Not only did I get to sleep in til 9:30 (yep, that's sleeping in for me now.  Sad. Sad face), but I'm going to see Eclipse tonight, and you can be sure I will have tons of hilarious (read: snarky) things to say about that tomorrow.  In the mean time, here are some of the fab things I've found today.


Calvin Klein Limited Edition Clueless Dress, $916 at shopconfederacy.com, Clueless (1995): Francisco Costa is remaking the famous Calvin Klein dress from Clueless!!!  It's only available at Confederacy, an LA boutique, and it's about 20x more expensive than it should be, but if you really love Clueless and have money to burn...I just need to watch this movie all over again now.  To me, it's the quintessential LA movie, the quintessential '90s movie, the quintessential teenage movie, and the clothes...drool.  Especially her revolving closet.  I die.

Sheri Bodell Ramble On Slip Dress, $326 at shopbop.com, Oliver Peoples Eyewear Daddy B Sunglasses, $325 at shopbop.com: My biggest challenge with summer is finding pieces that pack in as much style as possible with as little fabric as is publicly acceptable.  Slip dresses like this fit that mantra perfectly.  They skim the body in a very flattering way, but are light enough to keep you cool, and this one has an extra summery vibe with the strips, and a bit of edge when you realize that those strips are made of studs.  I'm still seriously considering splurging on a pair of Rayban aviators, but I'm exploring the other options.  I really like these Oliver People's sunnies.  They look like an updated, slightly oversized pair of Wayfarers with thinner frames, and I am a sucker for oversized sunnies.  Just not for that price tag.  Oof.

Anthropologie Cinderella's Hour Chemise, $68 at anthropologie.com, Simply Inviting Chemise, $68 at anthropologie.com: Oh, Anthropologie.  You taunt me.  They have the cutest selection of slips and nightgowns pretty much ever, and they're all somewhat decently priced.  This chemise comes in two prints, one that's pink with little bows, and one that's off-white with little keys (y'all know how much I love antique keys).  What I love about these is that they definitely have a boudoir vibe, but you could transition them to daytime pretty easily, especially during the summer with a little leather belt and a cardigan.

Chloe Resort 2011: I have a love-hate relationship with Chloe.  Mainly I loved it under Phoebe Philo, and have hated it ever since Hannah McGibbon got her hands on it.  What I loved about Chloe before was that it always managed to be feminine and young and bohemian, but never frothy or twee.  Sort of a Celine for young girly girls.   Hannah has brought some of that back with this resort collection.  It's fun and youthful and summery, but drop dead chic in a lovely, minimalist way.  That oxblood leather a-line skirt is a fab transitional piece.  Wear it during the day with a simple white tank, and transition it to night by layering a ton of jewelry on top and adding some heels.  These two little white dresses kill me.  The first one is the perfect incarnation of simplicity, and it's not stark or boring at all.  The second would be perfect for a more fashion forward office, and the grommet/lacing details on the side give it a subtly subversive edge that completely fits with Chloe's teenage vibe.

Wildfox Couture Vampire Love Tank Dress, $83 at boutiquetoyou.com: In honor of Eclipse's release today, this is what I would wear (if it magically appeared in my closet today) to go see it tonight.  It's not nearly as cheesy as a Team Whoever t-shirt, it's a little ironic and slightly more chic, and generally hilarious enough to wear in public without feeling like a total idiot.  Plus, you could add some teensy denim cutoffs and way too much jewelry and be Miley Cyrus for Halloween!  Double win.

Image Sources:
Calvin Klein dress: shopconfederacy.com, Clueless: glamour.com, Sheri B dress: shopbop.com, Oliver Peopels glasses: shopbop.com, Anthropologie chemises: anthropologie.com, anthropologie.com, Chloe Resort 2011: style.com, Wildfox Couture tank: boutiquetoyou.com.

Redheads and Taylor Momsen. Again.

Sorry for the late post guys, but I literally worked 10 AM to 9 PM today.  I wish that was an exaggeration.  But I have the day off tomorrow to go see Eclipse (I appreciate high quality cinema, of course) and be a vegetable, so I'm def looking forward to that.  Anyways, on to today's post.


Kristen Stewart, Clairol Perfect 10 Haircolor in Medium Golden Brown, $13.99 at drugstore.com: Kristen Stewart has red hair!  In theory I dislike this idea, but in reality, it looks fab on her.  Of course, for the last two years, every time I've looked at her I've had serious hair envy about her auburn-tinged locks, so this isn't a huge jump.  I've even considered dying my hair red, but I went with the Medium Golden Brown for summer.  Lightening it up one shade from normal.  I dream big, I know.  But the real reason I brought this up is that I've noticed that for every person who says I have brown hair, there's another who'll say I have red hair.  I was even called a redhead and told my hair looked like henna.  WTF, mate?  The first time I heard this I was so, so confused.  The box says golden brown.  Not red.  These people must be colorblind.  My natural hair color has warm undertones, and so does this dye, but red?  No way Jose.  But then I realized...under fluorescent lighting, like in my bathroom, my hair flashes red.  Very, very red.  I've never seen this in pictures, so I'm thinking it's strictly an indoor lighting thing.  I'm just trying to figure out where this came from.  Does red pigment stay around and build up in hair while the brown fades out?  Where is all the red coming from?!  Ack.  It actually doesn't bother me because I considered dying it red, so I kind of like it.  But have y'all had this problem before?  Hair being different colors under different lighting/changing over time?  What's the deal?

Taylor Momsen: I realize that it probably seems like I spend of a lot time on this blog giving Taylor Momsen, um, 'constructive criticism.'  But damn, she just keeps getting worse and worse.  I have nothing against artists dressing up and showing skin to make a creative statement.  Lady Gaga eschewing pants?  Bring it on.  Rihanna and Beyonce opting for high concept bikinis in all their music videos?  Why not.  But the difference here is that Taylor is one, not a legal adult (AND SMOKING FOR CRYING OUT LOUD WHERE ARE HER PARENTS???), and two, making no statement other than she's a washed-up stripper from a Moulin Rouge cabaret with My Little Pony Extensions.  Girl does not look 16 (more like 32), she resembles the offspring of a panda and a Barbie with a bad haircut than an actual person, and she is not wearing real person clothing.  That corset dress leaves nothing to the imagination, and to top that off she's add thigh highs, garters, black underwear, and Lucite stripper heels with tip jar platforms.  There's a point where being ironic just becomes sad.  She doesn't look sexy or chic or pulled together in any way.  She looks like a hot mess that desperately needs to have a heart to heart with her mother and her hairdresser. 

Lanvin Fall/Winter 2010: Bottega Veneta, Chanel, and Lanvin always get my highest marks for best executed, most creative campaigns, especially Lanvin.  I haven't disliked a Lanvin ad since this one, which is still on my wall and still gets me.  I'm really liking the newest Lanvin ads.  They aren't as high concept, but they are impeccably styled, and it looks like the panda liner is here to stay.  I really like how he's put these ornate, very glam clothes in such a stark environment.  It sounds jarring, but really puts the focus on the clothes instead of whatever else is going on.

Laura Baillie Designs: Key Pendant Charm Necklace, $18 at etsy.com, Double Guns and Heart Necklace, $18 at etsy.com, Hamsa Charm Necklace, $18 at etsy.com: Y'all know that I love discovering new Etsy stores.  For those of you that are confused as to why I seem to prefer Etsy for certain types of items instead of eBay, I'd explain the difference between the two as such: eBay is great for reselling vintage, selling off stuff you have in your closet, consignment, etc.  Etsy is better for more custom stuff, or for smaller artisans selling their wares in a cohesive way.  If you wanted to find a homegrown jewelry designer, I'd recommend Etsy.  Here's my newest fave jewelry designer, who has a TON of adorable pendant necklaces for $18.  You can get a whole lot of chic for less than $20, and international shipping is just $4 (since she lives in Scotland...).  This little key necklace is a fab alternative to the Tiffany keys, the gun necklace reminds me of a Western take on Romeo & Juliet, and I have a serious soft spot for a hamsa necklace, which is a protective symbol from Middle Eastern religions.

Tuleste Market Flower Bracelet, $95 at shopbop.com: I wanted to end this post on a cute note, and how cute is this tuleste market bracelet?  I mean, really now.  The band looks like it belongs to a plain Jane retro watch, but then you have that giant, exuberant flower on top, and the lovely pop of contrast from the glass pearl.  It's at once retro, boho, organic, and crazy chic.  How could you wear that around all day without smiling?  It's like an instant mood brightener.

Image Sources:
Kristen Stewart: glamour.com, Clairol Perfect 10: drugstore.com, Taylor Momsen: gofugyourself.com, Lanvin: designscene.net, Laura Baillie necklaces: etsy.com, etsy.com, etsy.com, Tuleste Market bracelet: shopbop.com.

Makeup I've Tried: The Good and the Bad

I feel like being reflective today.  About makeup, of course.  In the last 18 months or so, I've tried a LOT of makeup, and reviewed most of it.  But sometimes I'll love something when I get it, give it a great review, and then realize later that it doesn't wear well, is over-priced, or just isn't as good as another product.  That's why I'm put together this list of stuff that I've had for a while and either love or hate.

The Good:


MAC Face & Body Foundation, $32 at maccosmetics.com, MAC 188 Brush, $34 at maccosmetics.com: This is officially the first foundation I've bought.  I've had it for about 3 months and am about 1/3 of the way through, so I'm thinking it'll last me six more months, which is a good value for $32.  The main thing that I love about it is that it's water-based, so it doesn't break me out.  It's easy to layer, and it dries to a nice dewy finish.  It's definitely not a heavy concealer--in fact, I'd say it's a light to medium coverage foundation, so if you have a lot of scarring/blemishes, a lot of redness, etc, it's probably not the best for you.  I apply my foundation with this 188 brush.  I'll be honest, it's not cheap at ALL.  But it is a definite investment.  I've had it since November, and it's still in perfects shape.  I use it every day for my foundation, blush, contour, and highlight, and it does all of those things perfectly.  It's more hygienic than using my fingers all over my face, and it lets me use much less product than I would with my fingers (which soak up everything).  If you're like me and want one nice brush to multi-task with, this is it.

MAC Painterly Paint Pot, $16.50 at maccosmetics.com, MAC Shadows in, $14.50 at maccosmetics.com: I thought UDPP was my HG eye shadow primer.  Oh, no.  No, no, no.  Painterly kicks UDPP's butt.  The first time I wore it, I put on my makeup at 8AM, wore it all day, fell asleep in my makeup (bad Megan), and woke up the next morning to perfect eyeshadow.  That's impressive.  With UDPP I had to touch-up before dinner, and with Painterly I'm set for 24 hours.  Plus, Painterly is cheaper, has more efficient packaging, and actually evens out the color of my lids.  I'm totally hooked on paint pots.  I'm thinking Bare Study's gonna be my next shimmer base.  Out of all the shadows I've ever tried, MAC wins.  Hands down. I'm not saying all MAC shadows are perfect, but they are pretty darn fantastic.  My personal favorites are Wedge, a matte medium brown that's a great crease color, Satin Taupe, Femme Fi, my sadly limited edition HG highlight color, Mythology, this fab sparkling copper, Romp, a shimmer bronze, and Shale, a sparkly lavender.  I've hit pan on four of those shadows, and that's something I've never, ever done before. 

MAC Fun & Games Blush, MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer, $16.50 at maccosmetics.com: I am definitely not a blush person.  My skin has a lot of pink undertones, and adding blush on top of that often makes me look sunburned or feverish.  Not cute.  But Fun & Games blush (limited edition from the Hello Kitty collection, yes, I am that mean), is perfection.  It's a pale pinky-peach with gold shimmer that gives me a little pop of color but doesn't make me look ill.  Plus, the packaging is SO CUTE.  I've gone through 3 of these MAC concealers.  I don't think I've ever gone through 3 of any makeup products before, ever.  I've had tons and tons of conealers, even the famed MUFE one, but this is by far the best.  It sticks around all day, matches my skin perfectly, and covers up everything without looking cakey.  I've even caught my little brother stealing it, and if that doesn't convince of its awesomeness, well...I can't help you.

 


Stila Smudge Pot in Black, $20 at sephora.com, Max Factor Volume Couture Waterproof Mascara: I've sure some of you remember that about 6 months ago I loved, loved, loved Bobbi Brown's gel liner.  And then I got this Smudge Pot, and it all changed.  The Bobbi Brown liner would get me through about 4 PM, and then I'd have to reapply because it would fade/flake/smudge off.  The Stila stays pristine ALL DAY.  Even the little cat-eye flick on my outer corner, which I rub at all the time, is perfect.  It's easy to apply, and the mini version that I have has lasted me 7 months.  And I'm only halfway done with it.  Imagine how long the real version will last!  I've noticed that in the 85+ degree LA weather, a bit of the liner will get into my crease by the end of the day, but it's barely noticeable.  This last one makes me sad.  It's my beloved Max Factor mascara, and it's been discontinued.  I've tried Great Lash, Covergirl, Lancome, Dior, Chanel, Benefit, almost every mascara at Sephora, and they all pale in comparison to this drugstore find.  I can layer it on for more or less drama, it never EVER clumps or flakes, and it's totally waterproof, but comes off easily.  I'm totally going to resort to buying this from Europe on eBay.  Darn you, Max Factor, and how you taunt me with HG mascara!!!

The Bad:

 Urban Decay Primer Potion, $18 at sephora.com, Urban Decay 24/7 Liners, $17 at sephora.com: I'm sure most of y'all are shocked to see these two in the bad section.  So am I.  It's not that they're really terrible products, it's just that I've found significantly better versions of them.  UDPP has been shamed by MAC's Painterly.  UDPP doesn't last as long, the container is ridiculously wasteful, and UDPP doesn't conceal any lid perfections.  It's just a crappier version of Painterly.  The UD liners are well beloved, I know, and don't get me wrong, I love how they apply.  They go on so creamy, and have a nice range of colors.  However, the lasting power, especially on the waterline, is so subpar.  I put Zero on my waterline at 8AM and it's gone by 11AM.  Not cool.  Not cool at all.  I'm thinking of trying the MUFE liners instead.  If you really love the shade of one of these liners and you don't mind reapplying 4x a day, then these are for you.  If you're like me and like to apply your makeup in the morning and be done with it, don't bother with these.

MAC Nocturnelle Shadow, $14.50 at maccosmetics.com, Seche Vite Top Coat, $6.85 at amazon.com: It hurts me to hate on a MAC shadow, but Nocturnelle (which I incidentally bought during, and across the street from the LA IMATS last year), is not great.  It's not even good.  I really like the color, a warm medium purple, but the pigmentation sucks.  I have to put in on wet to get it to show up.  And it's not just me, I know other people have this problem.  All of my other MAC shadows are like satin, and this one applies like chalk.  Ugh.  I know, I know, Seche Vite is "the best top coat ever."  For about a month.  And then it dries up, get's stringy, and completely stops working, and you can only thin it out again with special Seche Vite thinner.  I just can't afford to buy a new top coat every month, even though it's fab for those first few weeks.  I'd rather have a more consistent, longer lasting top coat that's not as shiny (it's so darn shiny), but actually functions for more than 30 days.

 Anastasia Perfect Brow Pencil, $22 at sephora.com, Givenchy Mr. Light Corrective Pen, $32 at sephora.com: I've repurchased this Anastasia pencil twice, but I'm starting to think that it's not all that great.  Why?  The color range is quite limited, the pencil isn't that big, and $22 is a LOT for a brow pencil.  I like this pencil in the morning, but it fades a lot throughout the day, and it's basically gone by nightfall.  I've heard the MAC, Maybelline, and Rimmel make better, cheaper options that I'm gonna check out.  Oh, Mister Light.  How wonder you sounded on sephora.com.  It's touted as a cheaper Touche Eclat.  It's not.  It's just a thin, milky concealer in a click-up pen.  It's not terrible, but it's not illuminating and it's not very concealing.  It's just kind of...blah.  I'm using up my tube, but I would never spend $30 on this product knowing how it applied.  I have a $2 pencil that does a better job at concealing under eye circles.

Image Sources:
MAC Face & Body: lovelipstickandlime.blogspot.com, MAC 188: maccosmetics.com, MAC paint pot: onsugar.com, MAC Mythology: computergirl2007.blogspot.com, MAC concealer: maccosmetics.com, Stila smudge pot: maquillagelover.blogspot.com, Max Factor mascara: amazon.com, UDPP: sephora.com, UD liners: sephora.com, MAC nocturnelle shadow: perfumezilla.com, Seche Vite: amazon.com, Anastasia pencil: sephora.com, Givenchy concealer: sephora.com.

Eclipse, Burberry, and Emma Watson

Nikki Reed in Marchesa, Bryce Dallas Howard in vintage Dior: So here are the red carpet pics from the recent premiere of Eclipse (comes out next week, wootwoot).  Twilight premieres always bring out interesting red carpet choices.  Nikki Reed may look a little like an Ice Capades dancer, but she also looks kind of fab, no?  She's pulling it off nicely, and I think it could be really easy to let that many sequins and feathers become cheesy.  Bryce Dallas Howard has my absolute favorite look of the evening (love how they're putting her in the movie and pretending that no one will notice that she's not the OTHER red headed evil vampire).  Vintage Dior?  Come on.  Yellow can be tricky with red hair, but she is absolutely glowing!  That dress fits her, it looks unique and vintage, but not dated, and she's accessorized it perfectly.

Kristen Stewart in Elie Saab, Ashley Green in Alexis Mabille: I don't like to use the word hate.  But I hate this dress on Kristen Stewart.  It looks like a hairy, oversized sweater that the cat tore a sleeve off of.  It doesn't flatter her, it doesn't seem modern or young, and it definitely doesn't seem appropriate for a premiere.  As for Ashley Green, oy ve.  We all know she has a great body.  I'm sure she knows she has a great body.  So I'm confused as to why she's wearing a towel.  Or a big grey bed sheet.  Either way, it's not a dress.

Emma Watson: It's hard not to hate Emma Watson for being so darn gorgeous all the time, but girl can't help it.  I simply love the idea of pairing that Louis Vuitton corset top with a pair of jean cutoffs.  It makes it very daytime appropriate, but still sexy and edgy, a little baroque meets Daisy Duke.  The model boyfriend also doesn't hurt.

Burberry Fall 2010 Campaign: Speaking of Emma Watson, it seems like she's taking a little break from Burberry.  But that ad is still GORGEOUS.  I love the casting, and what I really, really love are those shearling jackets.  Omnomnom.  I want, especially that middle one.  It has all the edge of a motorcycle jacket, with all the practicality of a shearling jacket.  And that dramatic collar...le sigh.

Tilo Ombre Scarf, $85 at shopbop.com, Jill Stuart Mona Dress, $348 at shopbop.com, Rebecca Taylor Strapless Dress, $326 at shopbop.com: I know what you're thinking.  $85 for a pink scarf?  Heck no.  But there is a method to the madness, I promise.  That scarf is a thin wool, AKA the best scarf material ever.  It looks light and summery, but it will keep you as warm as the temperature demands, and it'll do that without heaviness or extra volume.  This Jill Stuart is all sweet and girly from the front (aside from the deep, DEEP cleavage), but in the back it's very much va-va-voom sexy.  It's a very flattering hue and shape, it balances feminine and sexy, and you could really wear it all year round.  I know this Rebecca Taylor dress is a crazy, crazy print...but I kind of love it.  It's a little hippie on acid trip, but with a thick, brown leather belt and a cute cardigan, you could tone it down just enough to make it wearable.

Image Sources:
Eclipse Premier: glamour.com,  Emma Watson: fabsugar.com, Burberry campaign: fabsugar.com, Tilo scarf: shopbop.com, Jill Stuart dress: shopbop.com, Rebecca Taylor dress: shopbop.com.

Resort 2011, Loveliness, and Sparkles

OPI Swiss Collection, Holiday 2010: Not entirely sure what this OPI collection has to do with the Swiss, but metallic silver AND gold polishes?  Sign me up!  And that duochrome purple on the bottom row?  OMG.  I hate how OPI puts these teaser pics out so early and then makes me wait FOREVER for the prettiness.

Louis Vuitton Fall 2010 Campaign: I am so, so thrilled that Louis Vuitton went for the same, curvy aesthetic in its campaign as it did in the Fall runway show.  Love the consistency and love embracing of women's curves instead of pretending we all have the bodies of prepubescent 16  year olds.  On top of that, I really love how natural and easy these ads look.  Sometimes I feel like designers get so carried away with their artistic visions that they completely lose touch with reality.  These look like they could (almost, in a very chic alternate universe) actually happen.  The vanity lighting, the fit and flare cuts...these are definitely going on my walls.

Collette Dinnigan's new diffusion line: Collette Dinnigan is one of those designers whose stuff I've always liked but definitely never been able to afford.  But, thankfully, she's starting a diffusion line at a lower price that's chock-full of clothes that I basically want to live in.  I'm especially eyeing the black and white dresses.  You throw on a brown, men's belt with either of those and you have a complete outfit that's polished, but with a bit of a vintage, Yucatan peninsula feel.

Lanvin Resort 2011: Alber Envaz is basically one of my favorite people ever.  He is 100% adorable and omigosh his clothes.  I feel like he really does understand women and what we want to wear, and not in a sexualized way (sorry, Tom Ford).  A top with that much draped volume and a skirt that ruffly shouldn't work together at all, but somehow it manages to come across as flattering and glamorous instead of bulky.  I want that swimsuit.  WANT.  I love how he really does style everything like his models are these eccentric, almost Grey Gardens-esque women on vacation in Mexico.  A belt and necklaces over a one-piece?  Why not?!  Also loving the models that are as pale as I am.

Feel like getting married on that beach vacation?  Lanvin's got you covered.  That gown manages to strike the perfect balance between flowing and voluminous, but still flattering.  JUST LOOK AT ALBER PEEKING OUT FROM BEHIND THE RUNWAY.  While his models have a very chic dance party.  It's like an avalanche of ADORABLE.  I realize that's a lot of capital letters but it's just SO CUTE.  And I love how much color he uses in a season that's often full of neutrals.  Oh, and I love those shoes.  There's a lot of love today.

Image Sources:
OPI collection: alllacqueredup.com, Louis Vuitton campaign: nymag.com, Lanvin resort: style.com, Collette Dinnigan line: luckymag.com.