#MBFW

March 9, 2015

Transitioning to Spring

[Images by Christina Emilie Photography]

Did we just get an inkling of an indication that spring may actually be dead set on arriving soon? As the slushy streets give way to a more watered down iteration, Puffy coats can be stashed, at least for the moment, and give way to more shapely outwear and adventurous footwear. For me, it’s all about my fitted, shrunken moto jacket, coupled with these awesome fur peep-toe booties, which are certainly a bit of an oxymoron (fur, sandals, wintertime…) but so utterly fantastic and fabulous, nonetheless. From the ankles up, I certainly look like I’m on my way to a day at the office, but one glance at these shoes prove that I’m actually enroute to a more extraordinary destination…

I’m Bahamas-bound at the end of the week, and can’t wait to feel the sun glaring down on me while my freshly pedicured toes wiggle freely with excitement! Don’t worry: plenty of SPF 50 and “pale girl essentials” like a wide brimmed hat and SPF clothing will be in tow too! In the meanwhile, I hope you enjoy my urban take on enjoying the 40 degree weather in New York City.

March 2, 2015

What I Wore NYFW Fall 2015: Day 7

by Julia DiNardo

[Images by Giafrese]

Wearing all black can make you blend in, especially amongst a see of fashionable show-goers during New York Fashion Week unless…you mind the small details! Texture, a pop of color, interesting details, complimentary silhouettes, and generally looking put-together with careful consideration and thought give all black that extra oomph that you may be looking for. Also, I’m comfortable. No really, I’m not wearing a single item that doesn’t feel great. Plus, you’ve got to love that awesome movement of the fringe skirt, peeking out from under my long jacket as I walk or the wind blows. Click through below for all of the looks as well as links to what I’m wearing.

February 27, 2015

The Most Amazing Braid You’ll See at Fashion Week, Fall 2015 Collections

by Julia DiNardo

[Images Courtesy of Catwalk by TIGI]

Mara Hoffman always has AMAZING beauty looks to accompany her beautiful clothing on the runway, clearly compelling her nail, makeup, and hair team to push their artistic boundaries to the max. Taking various sources of inspiration from Star Wars, this season, Catwalk by TIGI US Creative Director Thomas Osborn created a “lady Luke Skywalker,” and with the help of some product and practice, you can get the look too!

Using CATWALK® by TIGI Session Series™ Salt Spray and the Session Series Work It Hairspray (plus some pre-braided extensions), you’ll be channeling otherworldly, powerfully boho braided hair in no time! See below for the how-to steps:

Begin by spritzing CATWALK by TIGI Session Series™ Salt Spray all over and make a center part from the hairline to the nape, sectioning the hair into two low ponytails.
Using a flat brush and a bit of CATWALK by TIGI Session Series Work It Hairspray, smooth hair down and lock in the center part.
With hair pins, secure the pre-made extension braid just behind the ear and cross over the crown. Repeat with a second pre-made braid in the opposite direction, crossing over the other braid to create an “X” formation on the head.
Next, take out the ponytail elastics and start braiding the ends of the braids into each ponytail, using the traditional three-strand technique and adding in additional pieces of hair into the braid as you move down the hair length.
Finish each side with an elastic, leaving a significant amount of un-braided hair below the elastic.
Bring the two braids together, taking care to hide the pins and create the intertwined braids.
Use fingers to gently tug out pieces of the braid to create an undone slightly lived-in look and finalize it with CATWALK by TIGI Session Series Work It Hairspray.

February 26, 2015

The Best of Hair, Nails, & Makeup for Fall 2015

by Julia DiNardo

The good news about what you can expect for fall 2015 when it comes to hair, nails, and makeup is that most looks revolve around things you’ve already seen before, just a bit tweaked, enhanced, and updated, that’s all! Follow along as I walk you through the trends, with some standout looks that epitomize them, which also happen to be my favorites, created by the artists behind renowned brands such as essie, Zoya, NARS, Maybelline, Davines, TRESemmé, and more. There are a total of 12 trends across the beauty categories that I just had to include in this feature; which is your favorite?

Hair:

Various takes on the French Twist

[Orlando Pita’s mastery of the tuck and fold for TRESemmé at Hervé Leger]

[Joseph DiMaggio for Davines wanted to create a cool coif, done, but not too done, so this style didn’t have a distinct part, with everything swept over to one side, rolled it up on top, and bringing it down into an effortless French twist. To get that much-needed volume, he used Davines More Inside This is a Volume Boosting Mousse to the hairline and root only while sectioning the hair.]