New Feature staring July 1st, Are you in?

Tomorrow is the beginning of July, and also the beginning of a new feature. Yay!

During June, I was fortunate enough to be able to go to Chicago for two days. And found the wonderful stores of Forever 21 (Two HUGE ones might I add), H & M (Which is NOT around here and I had to check out all they hype-TOTALLY true), and Nordstrom's Rack. (Designer things, drastically reduced! eek!) Anyway, I had saved but still spent too much. (Who wouldn’t?!?) My closet is full, my wallet is empty, and frankly... *don't faint at what I'm about to tell you*...I'm kind of tired of shopping.

So, I've decided to "shop my closet and beauty supplies" in July. All month long I'll be blogging about my journey of spending NO money on clothes, shoes, accessories, makeup, or any other beauty products. (The only exceptions are essentials i.e. toothpaste etc. But no ultra expensive stuff) I'll be sharing tips about how to revamp an outfit with what you already have, using non-traditional products in your beauty routine, finishing up some old makeup (which we talked about last week), and my struggle with a slight addiction to all things fashion and beauty. I hope you'll read along as I start on my journey and maybe even learn a few things. Maybe you have a few tips? Sharing is always warmly welcomed!

Tune in tomorrow for the 1st day of

No Buy July!

P.S. Oh, why did I have to pick a month with 31 days?

Shopping Photo, Rack Photo

Random Wonderings About Eye Makeup

Ok so I've been gone a little while, SO SORRY! Everyone needs a vacay now and then. But now back to seriously importmant topics: eye makeup! haha! SO here are some random wonderings:

1) My summer saving grace at the pool, beach, and lake has been waterproof eyeliner!
Unlike any gorgeous celebrity or REALLY lucky normal person, I am one of those people that look like a drowned rat after being submerged in water. So most of the time, I don't wear makeup to whatever water function I am attending. But I hate not too! Memorial Day was a good test run for minimal makeup during a water encounter. I just put on my waterproof eyeliner, a little regular eyeliner on the bottom rim, and a little light powder. Voila! It withstood a good amount of time in the water. The regular eyeliner was just enough smudged to look like i'd lined the undereye! Anyway, it saved me from looking like a drowned rat!! Waterproof eyeliner is a great way to go for when you absolutely have to wear makeup! Its my makeup must have! What's your makeup must have this summer? Do you wear any makeup to swim? Are you one of the "lucky" people after swimming?

2) Do you use all the eyeshadow colors in the palette?
You know when you buy eyeliner, it usually has 2 or 3 colors in the palette, usually you buy it for just one color. Well today, I looked at my makeup drawer and realized that at least 3 of my eyeshadow sets ( I'm addicted to lots of things eyeshadow included) have 2 full colors and then 1 color completely gone. I have buyers guilt that I don't use the other shadows so I keep it with good intentions! So I made a pact to myself that I'm not gonna buy any more eye makeup until I use up the "leftover" colors. We''ll see if it works. What about you? Do you have this problem too? Do usually use up all the eyeshadow and THEN buy more or just use one color so much till its gone, winding up with a bunch of eyeshadow sets?

Enough wonderings, what do you think?

Products Availale @ Sephora.com

Dior Eyeliner and Sephora Shadow Palette shown.

Tyler Today Summer 2009

LOOK!

Our lovely friend Kristen graced the cover, editors page, and article page of the Summer 2009 issue of Tyler Today!

Editors Page, Article Page

I'm loving her retro bathing suit! And her ability to pose gracefully underwater!!

Congrats Kristen!!

These images were scanned from the Summer 2009 Issue of Tyler Today Magazine. For more information visit: http://www.tylertoday.com/

"The Must-Have Summer Wardrobe: 14 Fashion Heavyweights Name The Absolute Essentials"

Tracey Lomrantz from Glamour Magazine add this to the "Slaves of Fashion" blog:

"Want to know exactly how to get the most bang for your buck on your summer wardrobe? I asked 14 designers, models, and major tastemakers to name their must-have item for the coming months. The result is a short and sweet list of what you need in your closet right now--nothing more, nothing less.

The officials start of summer is just days away, and with it comes sandals and sun dresses and the lighter side of getting dressed. Here are your absolute essentials for the steamy weeks ahead. Shop your closet or click to buy exactly what these experts are prescribing:

Tory Burch: "A straw hat, like a fedora. We have a one that we can barely keep in stock!"

Phillip Lim: "A nice pair of tailored shorts that you can dress up or down."

Doutzen Kroes, supermodel: "You will always, always need the perfect Little Black Dress."

Whitney Port: "A great bikini! I'm definitely a two-piece girl. I have tons."

Yigal Azrouel: "A very light leather jacket, like a nice washed leather. You can throw it over a dress, shorts, whatever."

Tamara Mellon, founder & president of Jimmy Choo: "I'd say a flat gladiator sandal is still the must-have for summer."

Alexander Wang: "A really loose-fitting, worn-in T-shirt."

John Whitledge, designer of Trovata: "I always love a tunic for the beach. You can put a belt on it, add some jewelry, and go straight to dinner."

Rachel Zoe: "Oooh, I can only pick one thing!? Okay, a pair of platform wedges with like, a great Woodstock vibe."

Erin Fetherston: "Everyone needs a nice, tailored jacket--a fitted little blazer that goes over anything."

Zac Posen: "Enamel bangle bracelets. And anything with fringe! It just creates movement and movement is sexy."

Agyness Deyn: "A little printed floral dress."

Richard Chai: "Confidence!"

Lisa Mayock & Sophie Buhai, designers of Vena Cava: (Lisa): "Deodorant! But like, really nice deodorant. From Hermes." (Sophie): "Anything hemp. Haha are we opposites or what? This is why we make such a good design team."

Article by Tracey Lomrantz
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images"

I agree with almost everything on the list and have quite a few of these already; however I won't be buying a fedora, hemp, fringe, or a light leather jacket (not needed in Texas heat). Do you own alot of these pieces already? Are you going to buy them? Do you agree with the list?

See Original Article Here: http://www.glamour.com/fashion/blogs/slaves-to-fashion/2009/06/the-musthave-summer-wardrobe-1.html

Fashion Secrets of Supermodels

Models are the original Style Mavens, Lois Joy Johnson
from Bettyconfidential.com: gives you "5 tips to help you create your personal style"

Here is her article:

Don't shoot the messenger, but I have something to tell you. We're so sucked into celebrity wannabe culture that we've forgotten what personal style really is.

Way before actresses dressed by stylists began bumping models off fashion magazine covers, models were the big influencers in fashion. And I think we're finally on the way back if Agyness Deyn and Kate Moss are any indication.

I reminded myself of that last week at the NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art's exhibition: The Model as Muse. Go see this if you can- it's on till August 9 and will jump-start your creative style juices better than watching Project Runway, Running In Heels or Gossip Girl.

A recession is actually the perfect time to show a little independence, to break out of the movie star rut. Did you know model Lauren Hutton was the first person on earth to combine Converse sneakers, a jeans mini or khakis, and a man's white shirt as her uniform? Later on, it got picked up by J.Crew and Gap who turned Hutton-style into what we now call "basics." Ha!

Supermodel Marisa Berenson was first to inspire generations of bohemian trends with her long curly hair, piles of ethnic jewelry and jet-set hippie look. Before the era of power-stylists, models dressed themselves and often did their own hair and makeup for shoots. They wore what they liked and brought their own street-style straight into the photo studio, where they mixed it up with the newest designer samples.

I was lucky to work with legends like Lauren Hutton, Cindy Crawford, Brooke Shields, Cheryl Tiegs, Twiggy, Christie Brinkley, Paulina Porizkova, Marisa Berenson, and Claudia Schiffer, and I learned something from all of them - as did every top fashion editor. You can too!
Here, the supermodel style guide:

• Thin out your closet. Don't hoard tons of clothes - even expensive ones. To be well dressed, you need less, so you need to be ruthless. Models pick up a few accessories and one or two fresh pieces max -never a head-to-toe designer theme - every season. Lauren Hutton once told me, "No one has endless closet space or time to think about clothes. If they do, I wonder why!" Ten wardrobe pieces that work are better than 200 that don't.

• Dress for life, not for a photo shoot. The confident, irreverent way models throw things together disguises an important fact. They don't want to look like anyone else, but they do want to be comfortable. They add a little of this, a little of that and end up with a mix of individual pieces they feel good in, not what they wore on the runway or in their last photo shoot. They're not afraid to reject trends, either. Models keep a sense of humor and practicality about clothes: Being able to run for a cab, dance for hours, or just walk a good twenty blocks without grimacing is reason enough for them to always wear flats or at least carry them in their bag.

• Mix it up all the time. Models were the original style-makers on fashion shoots. When getting dressed, they'd add their own clothes to samples during fittings, and fashion editors would say"Hey, that looks cool - leave it on!" They were the first to blend menswear, tailored, and sporty pieces with feminine, vintage or trendy items. They were first to go bare-legged in winter, wear boots in summer, and perfect the art of dressing down dressy clothes, and dressing up casual ones. It was the models not the photographers calling the shots for most of fashion history. They always have a great leather jacket, a trench, boots, a long scarf and a big bag ready to go - and are not afraid to wear them with delicate chiffon dresses.

• Know which designers and labels make you look great. On advertising shoots, models have to make whatever they're wearing look good - it's their job to present the "product" in its best light. But - surprise! - those clothes are also often cut up the back, pinned to fit, and posed in a way to look better than they ever do in real life. On magazine editorial shoots, there is a little more flexibility, and so models often spot the looks that will work best for them even before editors do. They know clothes are just an extension of body language and that the right sleeve or armhole will make your gestures more elegant, that the angle of a pocket can shave pounds off your hips.

• Never buy IT items. A bag or dress so identifiable will meet its twin everywhere you go. Models prefer distinctive, one-of-a-kind items, no-label things or special pieces picked up in their travels to make their usual jeans, cargos, tees uniform look special. Haunt flea markets and consignment shops and you just might bump into a supermodel!

Photo Source 1, 2

Article Source [http://www.bettyconfidential.com/ar/ld/a/Fashion-secrets-of-supermodels.html]