Daily Candy Beauty Bus: Covergirl Makeup Booth

I never go out for things like this but how could I resist a bus parked on Broadway that I could pass by on my way home? I hate to say it but the beauty bus was a bit of a bust. The line for makeup was much shorter than the line for hair. There were maybe 4-5 people in front of me when I arrived (compared to 10-15 in the hair line) and my total wait was only maybe 10-15 minutes. I wasn't really impressed by the makeup. The woman was very sweet but she had to do my makeup with disposable wands and such and the applicators that come with drugstore eyeshadow palettes are kind of terrible. She did a light sheer color as a base all over the eye, smudged a thin line of brown at the lash line, went over it with eyeliner, and added a few coats of mascara. If you just want to primp, or get your makeup done in a bus (which is a novel experience on Broadway with all the wind and cars and noises) then I think this is a nice, free service to try but nothing about it made me want to buy Covergirl makeup or to hire one of these women to do my makeup for a special event.

Update on Fall Boot Hunting

Went to DSW again today. Went home with my Kelly & Katie's size 8 1/2 sacrificing style for comfort by 1/2 inch (I'd saved a size 8 and a size 8 1/2 the day before). Lots of fashionably dressed people at DSW. Also, lots of people in general. I'm glad I had my shoes saved. I tried on both pairs, obsessed for a while and then checked out my over-the-knee Franco Sarto's, getting a papercut from the packaging in the process before rejecting them and getting into a ridiculously long line that went past all the ropes into the last aisle of the store. The wait actually wasn't bad at all but I starting getting a headache from the high school kids behind me who would not shut up. I will leave disciplining them to life. Felt bad for the girl at the counter. She wearily asked if I was a member and then dropped it. I think she had enough for the day. Swiped the credit card and was out of there. Kind of proud of myself for choosing the cheapest pair ($60).

Adventures in Fall Boot Hunting

...Far kinder to woodland animals than actual hunting.

Yes, it's that time of year again. Fall weather is starting to creep up (with a decent dose of rain to announce its arrival) and that means I'm trekking out to department stores and browsing boutiques for my perfect pair of fall boots. I really need to just get 2 pairs of whatever I like so I can save myself the trouble next year (my boots only last a year because I wear them daily and the soles and the heels get worn out beyond repair). Anyway, I'm super picky when it comes to boots but I usually go home questioning my final buy and falling in love with it as it carries me through fall, winter, and the beginning of spring.

This year I decided to do something new. I finished my classes and was in the vicinity so I popped into DSW to take some photos of things I liked. Not to waste time while I was there, I also tried on a handful of my favorite pairs. Pictures and tips on shopping for shoes to follow!

OPTION 1:
Anne Klein $89.95
I fell in love with this pair at first sight. It's exactly what I'm looking for every season (sometimes I go home with something a little more glam and less practical but this is Platonic ideal concept of a fall boot. It's a nice long boot ending just below the knee made of good leather. The shape is classic. The toe is tapered but wearable and not too pointy, square, or round. The heel is nice and sturdy and the buckle just adds something special.

Tall heel but manageable. Look for a height you're comfortable with but regardless pay attention to the structure of the heel. Is it a block or a stiletto? Does it taper at the top or bottom and how does it balance when it's just resting on a flat surface. To check how stable your walk will be, don't just practice strutting around the store but bring something you always carry around with you (especially if it's heavy), backpack, hangbag, or anything you need to maneuver with (e.g. a stroller) and see if you can easily walk around. If you can't, it's only get worse when you have to run around when life gets hectic.

Problem 1: A lot of empty space in the calf area. I'm not sure if this is the style or I just have large feet proportional to my calves or small calves proportional to my feet.

Problem 2: There's not a lot of give in this shoe. It's possible the leather will soften a bit over time but right now it's tough to bend the shoe (which you need to do while you're walking unless you're doing a specific kind of army march). Also, the buckle is interfering with movement.

While these boots look very cute, you want something that works for you 100% and if you can't get that, settle for just short of 100% instead of a mediocre 60%. If it's meant to be, it will happen and I've never gone a fall/winter since I started wearing boots (maybe middle school) without a good pair of high-heeled leather boots.

OPTION 2:

Kelly & Katie $59.95

This is definitely the most budget friendly boot I saw. Again, I love the overall shape and the buckle. It's very simple and classic and so it'll go with a lot of different outfits. Or at least I say it will.

Problem 1: A little extra space in the calf region. This is only a problem because I think with socks I might want to go half a size up and then the space in the calf will get larger.

Problem 2: I'm not loving the way the fabric wrinkles. There's a good amount of give but even in a relaxed position, having too much space in the leg and too many folds creates odd illusions when it comes to the shape of your legs.

OPTION 3:                                                                                                                                                

Franco Sarto $79.95                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

I am completely enchanted by the idea of an over-the-knee boot. I've done snakeskin, zippers, no zippers, pointed toe, rounded toe, square toe, high high-heels, moderate heels, kitten heels, basic leather, patent leather, etc. etc. Let's just say, I've had my fair share of experiences with leather high heel boots. But never over-the-knee. This version is the first to really speak to me. I think I like the fact that the style is so simple that the special detail is that it's a longer boot.

It seems like there's a lot of space in here but I'm fine with that because it's actually fitted through the calf and just loose towards the knee which is good because that way I can bend my legs and function as a person and not a mannequin. My worry is going up half a size and getting more space at the knee.

Aside from a bit of wrinkles they look gorgeous, right? Well...

Not so much. This pair was wrinkly in a very odd way. Here, it almost looks like the cells in my leg have atrophied and I have a chunk missing from my ankle. I don't know what to make of this. Also, I feel a little unsturdy as I think the boot moves around too much as I'm walking, bunching up and thus sort of interrupting my balance.

I will keep you posted on how the search goes. Will I choose one of these three? Will I continue the hunt? You'll just have to keep reading to find out. I know, the suspense is dreadful.

Essie's Power Clutch Swatches and REVIEW

I'll keep this one short.

Application was great. 2 coats for opacity, 3 coats to fix little imperfections (my fault). It applied very smoothly and almost self-corrected in a way.

Color. I would say it dried a touch darker than the color in the bottle but it's still very pretty. It's a dark slate gray and a mature way to wear a dark color without looking gothic or vampy. Also, the creamyness of the finish is just gorgeous. It picks up smudges easily so try and keep your hands clean and oil-free. The color is complex. Although it's a basic gray (no shimmer or chrome) it manages to somehow look like a dark khaki or brown in dim lighting. So it's definitely a cooler gray, something to keep in mind when trying to match to your skin tone. My outdoor lighting shots are pretty accurate for the darker side of the color but there's also a lighter gray you can get in bright light that my camera just wasn't picking up on.

NY Fashion Week Spring 2012: Subtly Masculine Feminine, Wearable Looks...Obsessing over Lyn Devon

Image Source: nymag.com

 

Cynthia Rowley

I don't like the pants in this outfit. I'm not sure if it's how she's about to take a step but they seem to shorten her legs regardless and I'm not sold on the fact that the pants and jacket go together. But I LOVE the jacket. It's a great subtle blend of masculine and feminine with the cut and the piping and the silky fabric and print.

Cynthia Rowley

I think I like this look because it's so doable. Take a simple lightweight dress in a feminine, nonoverwhelming, but still interesting print, and pair with hard looking gold shoes and a bag for a bit of glam and edge. Also, I just like the way the print looks. In the picture, it reminds me of a sun print/cyanotype with some stamping work.

Cynthia Rowley

Again, I think I like this look because it's doable. But in a different sense. Here, I envision a DIY project with a basic black dress and some gold lace or appliques (possibly painted gold first). As to the dress itself, it is nice and I admire the restraint but I don't think it had a sufficient amount of movement coming down the runway.

Cynthia Rowley

A cute dress I would never wear (It needs to be longer and the silhouette is very simple.) but I LOVE the print. It feels oceanic...straight out of a coral reef or, if you think like me, the opening credits of The Little Mermaid (Disney). It also reminds me of the effect you get when you have been using one of those sheets of wax paper as a paint palette and then you press it together at different angles to blend the colors and see if you get an interesting pattern. So if you know how to die fabric, it's a slightly trickier DIY look. :)

Jason Wu

Quiet. In a good way. A pop of orange lipstick. A sheer feminine fabric on top with the polka dots almost blending together to create a flowy print. The color, the accented stripe down the middle, the muted print. The only thing I don't like are the earrings, hair, and shoes.

Jason Wu

It's like he took the last look and revamped it. Love. I love the cut. I love the placement of the dots. I love the balance of the accessories this time. I don't love the shoes on their own but this time they work with the outfit. The only thing I don't love is the hair.

Jason Wu

LOVE. I don't wear yellow so I hope this is not a dress because I love that skirt. Beautiful movement, fun, and freshness. Perfect for spring. If I find that print at a fabric store, I'm snatching it up immediately.

Nicole Miller

Sometimes you have to be brave enough to take a few risks. I think most of the collection was crazypants and 80s ridiculous but I actually really like this look. It is colorful, fun, and definitely makes a statement but there's also something classic and refined about the cut and the fabrics that anchors it.

Costello Tagliapietro

The dress seems like a somewhat sleepy update of a 40s silhouette. It gives the effect of a dancer's effortless elegance, though a lot of that might be due to the model. I think with different makeup, a different background, and maybe a different skintone, this dress could really draw the eye in an understated glamour kind of way. This is a dress that doesn't wear you and sometimes that's necessary.

Costello Tagliapietro

A very simple dress. Very beige-y and camel and with the background, skintone, and makeup, kind of drab but those shoes. I want those gold shoes. For some reason the combination of colors just makes them pop in a great way. I think you might be able to try this look for fall. Grab your camel/beige wool coat, trench coat, or flowy skirt and pair with metallic gold pumps or flats.

Lyn Devon

There is just something so charming about this look. It doesn't wow me and I'm not sure I want to wear it but I love this picture. I think I'm going to hang it on my wall like a poster. I love the hair and makeup and the winding laces on the shoes. This is a doable look that's just out there enough to still feel fashionable and get noticed.

Lyn Devon

Again, loving the look but not the outfit. It's not bad, just very simple. Art director? Model? Kudos to you. I am loving the photographs for this collection.

Lyn Devon

Again, I want to put this on my wall. I'm not loving the exposed midriff. It might work if she threw on a sari. I do like the print for this look and I think it would work as a one piece dress or with a strip of fabric covering the exposed area.

Lyn Devon

Wall.

 

Lyn Devon

Wall. But I actually like this look. It's one of the things I think of when I picture a dancer silhouette and yet I think it works for most body types.

Lyn Devon

Lyn Devon

I actually love this. It's very clean and minimal and wearable. This is the unapproachable woman in early 20s-40s fiction that ineffective male protagonists dream about and young girls long to emulate.

Lyn Devon

Pretty and very chic but the fabric makes it acceptable for day-to-day wear.

Lyn Devon

How adorable is this picture?

Lyn Devon

Wall.

Lyn Devon

Fashion Week Spring 2012: Garden Colors

I decided to browse around for some Fashion Week coverage and pick out some of my favorite looks to share with you. Of course, the credit for the pictures goes to NY Magazine.

Source for all pictures: nymag.com


Cushnie et Ochs
I avoid yellow like the plague but I love the boldness of the all yellow ensemble mixed with just impecable tailoring. The rest of the collectioni s a bit iffy but this look is gorgeous. Note to self: I need a tuxedo jacket.

Tadashi Shoji
Clean, simple, fresh. It reminds me a little of a commercial for stain-fighting clothing detergent since they always do a smear of grass stains or a red wine spill. I almost wish it was more like my version in the corner so it would be more balanced and wouldn't draw so much attention to an area that isn't usually a woman's best asset.

Tadashi Shoji
I really dislike the color pink. But this is so endearingly girly and sweet and unassuming I can't help but be drawn in. Also, the makeup really complements this look. If you have fair skin like this, play up your coloring with light pink blush this fall.

Tadashi Shoji
I have a weakness for black, white, and yellow floral prints with a feminine cut. I don't know why. I just do. Simple makeup, neutral, gray, or blue eyes...perfection.

I got some sunshine from Cushnie et Ochs and with these 3 looks I feel like the collection took me on a trip through the garden from grass to flowers to bumblebees. I guess that's appropriate for a spring collection which doesn't feel too outlandish with the warm weather we had today.