Not one to ever say no to a beautiful bouquet of flowers, I recently tried the new service from UrbanStems, an on-demand flower delivery service offering affordable arrangements starting from $35. By on-demand, the orders are delivered within an hour or can be scheduled for when you need them (in the Washington DC and NYC metro areas only), and come with a handwritten note and a bouquet artfully wrapped with a touch of burlap and tied in a bow. Order online or via its app to truly experience the most convenient of services, with the flowers themselves coming from Rainforest Alliance Certified™and Veriflora Certified farms. I was quite impressed with the look (and smell) of my bouquet, which was simple, elegant, and modern, and lasted practically two weeks. If you are in either city and need to give (or would like to receive) a gorgeous bouquet, give UrbanStems a go!
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February 5, 2016
Fashion Pulse Flash
February 4, 2016
Sneak Peek: Athleta for Summer 2016
Feeling confident, supported, comfortable, and stylish is essential to a solid work out free of distractions, no matter if you’re into CrossFit or restorative yoga. I really have Athleta to thank for keeping me motivated while looking and feeling great in my work outs, which have taken quite an upswing in frequency in the past few months. Although yoga is my exercise of choice, I do like switching it up, which means versatility in dressing the part for the occasional swim, cycle, dance, or short burst running or circuit work out is of the essence.
For summer 2016, the brand once again delivers a perfect lineup of pieces designated for each activity, with style at the forefront, yet by no means trumping comfort and functionality. Expect a solid array of gorgeous yoga-oriented tops, ultra hip cropped swim tanks, perforated work out pants found in the brand’s signature breathable, “unstinkable” fabrics, and ever-fashionable, capsule collection of Derek Lam 10C Athleta. Pieces considered to represent athleisure are ever-present, meaning you will have less outfit changes in your day, making getting a quick sweat session in way more feasible, plus opening up the opportunity for more “out and about” occasions to wear your favorite Athleta garments!
February 2, 2016
New from Jane Iredale: Three BeautyPrep Skincare Products
Jane Iredale has long placed an emphasis on multi-tasking products, providing skin care benefits for the past 20+ years in its makeup. The brand now takes its first steps into the field of truly dedicated skin care with a lineup of three products that prepare and protect the face for the application of makeup, as well as for an overall healthier, brighter complexion
. Currently all available at JaneIredale.com, the first of the trio, the BeaytyPrep Face Cleanser ($28), acts as a no-rinse cleansing water, including micellar water with cucumber extract to hydrate and oat amino acids to nourish and soothe.
The BeautyPrep Face Toner ($33), is the next layer of prep for makeup, creating a clean slate to intake a moisturizer, all the while providing hydration thanks to a fruit extract infused water called herbasome, including lemon grass, apple, pear, carrot, and coconut water. The tonre, and the moisturizer are scented with lemon grass extract, which adds a clean, effervescent pop to the products.
The last of the three is the BeautyPrep Face Moisturizer ($45), possessing a blockbuster combination of rose stem cell extracts, which include white rose, damask rose, rosa canina, and pale rose, each known for benefits ranging from cell regeneration to tightening pores, smoothing and brightening skin, and replenishing the moisture barrier for more supple skin.
In other new and notable Jane Iredale news, eight darker shades have been added to its popular PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation, along with a deeper shade of PurePressed Blush (mystique).
February 1, 2016
The Chronicles of New York Fashion Week: February Edition
With the start of the new month today, there’s one thing that is weighing heavily on my mind: New York Fashion Week. Running from February 11-18th this year and showcasing the fall/winter fashions for 2016, this one is certainly a doozy, bulldozing right through Valentine’s Day and the President Day holiday.
I candidly admit that this particular February showing is not my favorite to dress for and navigate; it’s bitterly cold, New York always gets hit with snowfall for a portion of it, and any attempt to look glamorous quickly becomes eclipsed by the desire to stay warm — and safe. By safe, I mean shoes that can function in inclement weather, that won’t leave one atop thin stilettos, navigating piles of snow, ice, and slush.
Even though I’ve been attending New York Fashion Week since 2003, I could only find pictures dating back to February of 2007, and in those nine years my style has certainly evolved, however one thing has stayed the same: I am a huge fan of layering. Wearing a sequined top? Throw a layer underneath. How about a sleeveless dress? It’s time for a non-intrusive turtleneck underneath. What about a skin tight merino wool sweater? There’s definitely room for another layer under it, don’t even think of not trying it!
The picture at top is pretty much all you need to know about how I feel about dressing for New York Fashion Week in February, but let’s take a quick look back at some of the items I’ve worn, listed in chronological order, to the shows:
[Photo by Giafrese]
[Photo by Giafrese]
[Photo by Giafrese]
