Bat your eyelashes...

...especially if they're falsies! I have been to 2 weddings in 2 weeks, complete with the necessary grooming and preparation that we ladies require to feel and look our best (hairstyling, makeup, cocktail dress) along with the less obvious (waxing, strapless bras, etc.). However, I propose that the next best thing to having toned arms and the perfectly coordinated clutch are definitely, without a doubt, false eyelashes.

I tell you lovelies, as soon as those babies are put on by a professional, only a tiny bit of additional makeup is necessary. Not to mention how fabulous one feels once they've been applied! There's a certain je ne sais quois about long, feathery eyelashes...who am I kidding? I know what! Inherent femininity, sexiness and allure - all from a few fake pieces of hair glued onto your eyelids. Nice!

I personally prefer the look of 4-6 individual clusters per eye (vs. the full strips) and while your local salon/spa is the quickest way to do it (about $15-20 per 10-15 minute session), you can try your hand at doing it yourself for your next night out.

FYI - most salons use the same kind you can find at your local drugstore or beauty supply store:

* Ardell
* M.A.C.
* Sephora

Here's a great video tutorial on individual lashes by makeup artist Kandee Johnson:



Here's a nice video tutorial on applying strip lashes by M.A.C. Makeup Artist Chantell Miller:



Either way, curling your lashes and applying eyeliner and mascara beforehand is the best prep for the best results. Now go get sexy eyes!

Don't you wish you were mod?

Well, stop wishing girlies! One of my bestest friends, T, offered up this amazing online store that carries excellent trendy clothes and cheeky accessories at really affordable prices - perfect for all of us frugal fashionistas.

ModCloth.com carries one-of-a-kind vintage and vintage-inspired finds, and everything from indie & retro to cute & emo...tops, dresses, purses, jewelry, la la la galore. A few pieces that really caught my eye were the Cornerstone Purse (a lovely, putty-colored clutch/tote/slouchy thing that would go so well with jeans), the Getting To Know You Dress (a happy, very vintage-y summer dress perfect for work and cocktails), the High Seas Skirt (a perfect paper-bag waist pencil skirt in an awesome, versatile deep blue), and the Age of Industry Ring (a stacked, industrial-looking piece that's looks part 90's minimalist, part 80's rapper).

The shop only carries a limited run of each of its pieces (many are sold out by the time I've decided to buy!) which is good if you don't want someone else wearing the same thing you are tonight but is bad if you're indecisive. Great for all you impulse buyers on a budget out there!

Now you CAN be mod (or retro, or indie, or emo...) for very few George Washingtons. We like that!

How do you do updo?

Yes, girls, it's wedding season again. In full force. I get so tired of wearing the same hairstyle and always want a way to look a little more dressed up than the usual weekend look.

So, after surfing around a bit, I found the amazing Johnny Lavoy, a hairstylist and makeup artist with Ford Models, who has a bunch of great video tutorials for modern, sexy hair online.

I love this one in particular - How to Create an Evening Look in Minutes:



So easy, right!? Some others that I will definitely try soon are How To Create Sexy Supermodel Curls and How To Make an Eva Longoria Bob.

For updos, I really like Bumble & Bumble Classic Hairspray (super-brushable and smells lovely) and Redken Hotsets 22 Thermal Setting Mist (if you're heat-styling).

Also, a rat-tail comb is your friend, lovelies. If you don't have one, go pick one up for a few cents. Like right now.

2 Legit...

...yes, 2 Legit 2 Quit. I KNOW I consistently date myself with posts on this blog, but I just can't help what I find funny, can I? In the spirit of the '90's, check this totally radical video out.

First, a definition for those who are unfamiliar:

Definition: A flash mob is a group of strangers who organize themselves, using electronic media such as cell phones or the Internet, to gather together in a public place, behave in a predetermined manner for a predetermined amount of time, and then quickly disperse.

A successful flash mob event depends on the element of surprise. Participants, called mobsters, share news about the time and place for an upcoming event through postings on blogs, chain e-mail messages, SMS text messages and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

The first flash mob is attributed to Bill Wasik of Harper's Magazine in 2003. This idea has morphed into similar "group events" like those of Improv Everywhere (see my January 19, 2009 post "No Pants!").

I have always thought about participating in or organizing a flash mob event, but never wanted to do so as much as I have after seeing this video. It helps if you have mad dancing skills. MC Hammer lives on!

I love makeup...

...and I especially love makeup/beauty blogs! Thanks to the wonders of the internet, there are countless blogs online that give great makeup reviews and, my favorite, beauty how-to's and tutorials. These are especially helpful whether you're wondering about a new beauty product or considering (finally) learning how to do that smokey eye thing.

One of my go-to beauty blogs is by the fabulous Karen, a self-described "friendly neighborhood beauty addict." Her long-running blog, Makeup and Beauty Blog is one of the most popular ones around, and for good reason!

She's casual, funny (her cat, Tabs, makes frequent appearances) and extremely helpful, with step-by-step tutorials (her eye makeup tips are particularly good), beauty news and professional makeup artist advice. She also takes care to provide tips for both our fair-skinned friends and us deeper-skinned ladies - bonus!

Check out her latest post, "You Must Choose: The Tough Choices Edition." Hilarious.

I'm dreaming of vintage...

...in the form of a leather mini or pencil skirt, high-waisted or not, black, brown or bright, 70's or 80's, depending on the look you're going for. Picture it in all its tight, sexy gloriousness with a blousy, ruffly top or a tissue-thin, voluminous, v-neck t-shirt topped off with, of course, some bad-ass heels. The key here is to counteract its original era with a modern top and shoes as well balance its form-fitting nature with some volume.

Naturally, I have not yet tried on this outfit as it is still living in my imagination, but this may be my next fashion prey as I move through the web, second-hand stores and rummage/thrift sales this summer.

I think for the current season, it would look amazing with bare legs, strappy yet substantial sandals and a thin top with some volume. For fall/winter, I would rock it with solid tights, boots/booties - no brainer, really...

Some ideas are Urban Outfitters' Urban Renewal Vintage Leather Mini Skirt (pictured above) and the Silence & Noise Moto Skirt, which is neither leather nor vintage, but who's checking?

For a great, great variety of choices, check out Etsy's selection of vintage leather. Tons of choices, colors, decades and price points - highly recommended!

The nice thing about leather is that it's a material that is inherently classy, sexy, cool and, let's face it, can be tight on the body without showing lumps. Not that you have any. But if you did, we'd really love that feature, wouldn't we?

What happened to Blossom?

If you are around my age, you watched the plethora of 1990's sitcoms that overtook the only networks that were on television at the time. Undoubtedly, you watched Mayim Bialik as Blossom, the quirky, independent, funny girl that dealt with the pre-teen angst we all felt growing up, complete with all the worst parts of '90's accessories. And remember her friend Six? Ridiculous...

So, to my surprise, my favorite friggin' show in the whole world, TLC'S What Not To Wear, tackled poor Ms. Bialik on the streets of NYC to make her extreme shapelessness over into stylish Mom-ishness.

Even bigger shocker? She's got 2 kids and a Ph.D. in NEUROSCIENCE. Child star turned Mom turned Ph.D. turned fashion victim. Reality TV just doesn't get better than this, does it?

Speaking of "The Fashion Show..."

...alas, 'tis a poor substitute for "Project Runway." Although I respect Isaac Mizrahi as a designer, he is no match for the hilarious and constructive Tim Gunn and, let's face it - Kelly Rowland vs. Heidi Klum? Not happening, lovelies. Heidi definitely wins in that smackdown, don't you think?

That does NOT, however, keep me from watching a reality/competition show about fashion my dearies! While suffering through most of the first episodes of Bravo's newest fashion reality show, I was sucked into the T.V. shameless marketing and money-making machine for just a moment when designer Daniella won Week 2 and after I heard you can buy the winning looks from each week (see what I mean about the machine?).

Sans the scary sheer bomber jacket thing, Daniella's Short Bustier Jumpsuit is sexy, stylish and has an interesting shape all at one time. I really like the exaggerated neckline and the not-too-short shorts. Love love love it with dark tights but could see it working just as well with a pair of bare legs and wedges. And at just $119 through BravoShop, it's at a pretty decent price for designer clothing, no?

Do I click "Buy Now" or not? Still deciding on whether it's a worthy addition to the already overpacked and underused wardrobe...

Do you Lulu?

Oh, lovelies, I have been away so long and for that, I deeply apologize. I went on a week-long vacation where there was no cell phone reception or internet connection so that I could take a much-needed rest. But no worries, I am back!

I would love to tell you about the latest O.M.G. website I have found, just in time for all those summer nights out. Those of you who are particularly low on cash (comme moi) will seriously love this.

Lulus.com, one of the most adorable, most affordable shopping sites I've seen offers dresses, denim, shoes, accessories, tops, bottoms, everything at super, super-affordable prices without sacrificing style the least bit!

The dress above is Lulu's Lucky Dice Tank Dress, a darling color-block, flirty, fun thing that I can see throwing on with a pair of killer sandals and running out the door to make happy hour with the girls. And it's only $34! For real!

Surf around and find a statement (or 2 or 3) for yourself. Bonus: Free shipping for orders $75 and up. You can find a whole dang outfit on this website for that!

On friends, chickens and otherwise (Entry #2)...

Every girl has a girlfriend. Or in my case, 4 or 5.

I'm not talking about co-workers, associates, surface friends, "going-out" friends, "be-seen-with" friends, your significant other's friends, Facebook friends...I mean those girlfriends with whom you have a true bond, with whom you have signed a golden, silent pact, with whom your spirit and secrets are safe. They come along only a few times in a lifetime and are a cherished piece of who we are, how we grow, how we see ourselves and how we see the world.

One of these very girls of mine is about to be married to the love of her life and cannot wait to share this monumental beginning of her future with her friends. However, in the past week, a certain childhood "friend" of hers felt miffed over a trivial thing and, in classic cowardly fashion, sent a long e-mail to her, detailing her true feelings and, unfortunately, her true colors, irreversibly hurting my girl with the kind of blows that only females can deal through words. Needless to say, that friendship has ended.

This reminded me that no matter what women say about not needing other women (I myself have been guilty of this in the past), the good ones make our lives fuller, more meaningful and more complete. So, just in case you haven't yet realized or perhaps have forgotten, here is how you recognize the great ones:

They can make you laugh as easily about someone's horrible outfit as they can about your crappy day. They can whip out an inside joke at the most opportune times to embarrass you. Their nicknames for you are incredibly vulgar, which signifies how much they love you.

They defend your honor, your reputation, your reasoning and your style fiercely to anyone who dares question them. They have a dirty look ready for an ex-boyfriend, an ex-boyfriend's girlfriend, or an ex-boyfriend's girlfriend's friend. They will Facebook-stalk for you. They will lend you money, clothes, lipgloss, sale coupons, pirated music, time, space, the universe if they had it and most likely never ask for it back. They will physically fight someone for you (or at least threaten it very convincingly).

They refuse to let you take yourself too seriously. They refuse to let you put yourself down. They care as much about your family members as they do about you, even if they've never met them. They will always be there no matter how little or how much you call. They share your highs and your lows, cheering you on and wiping your tears.

They don't envy you. They tell you the truth, whether you ask for it or not (including being honest about looking fat in those jeans). They think about you when you're not around. They want you to succeed. They want you to be happy. They want you to be loved. They don't believe anyone's really good enough for you, even though they don't say it. They think you're the best, most beautiful, talented, brilliant woman ever on the planet, damn it!

See? You do have them! And if you haven't found her (or them) yet, don't worry - they'll find you. Mine did.