Green Thumb Ring?

Does anyone else find this Growing Jewelry idea by Icelandic designer Hafsteinn Júlíusson to be a slightly overzealous attempt at breaking into the go green fashion craze? I mean, I am all for the recent trends toward eco-friendly fashion and really dig* the Growing Jewelry Store he installed at the Reykjavik Art Museum but I find the idea of actually selling this jewelry (that requires a spray bottle for watering) to the masses almost comical. Not to mention, if the Icelandic moss that is used in these rings is anything like the Irish moss I’ve been attempting to grow at home, it’s wicked fussy. At the very least, anyone thinking about purchasing one of these little darlings better not plan on washing their hands or going out on a sunny day whilst donning their finger foliage because based on my experiences in overwatering and over-lighting my sad excuse of a moss patch, such tendencies are death to the stuff.

In Júlíusson’s defense, site does warn against overwatering and suggests only spraying the moss with water once every five weeks. It also claims that the moss-in-a-ring is able to live up to 12 months (if not in my care). The good news is, even if the designer doesn’t care that these rings are going to result in mass moss death, he at least realizes that there are people like me in the world and has replacement moss available to Growing Jewelry enthusiasts via his web site.

*pun originally not intended but upon second reading by the author it was discovered and found wildly hilarious. (It’s okay if you think the pun isn’t funny, the author usually finds her jokes totally gut-wrenching while others find them to be only slightly entertaining at best, just ask her friends).

(Not so) high heels

It’s time for resolutions, champagne and for many women, a night of pinched toes and blisters. As an avid lover and wearer of high heels I tend to forget that there’s a large portion of ladies (like our favorite Emily G) who do not share in my enjoyment of tip toeing around in four and five-inch stilts.

So to avoid a barefoot walk through the city, here’s a last minute list of “not so high” high heels for those of you who may need to bring it down a notch in order to walk without rolling an ankle or to comfortably hit up 12 different parties while still rocking something other than a ballet flat.

Check it at the jump….

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Wacky Wednesday

Courtesy of the New York Times

PW Style Blog hearts Glamour magazine.  They’ve always got great links to beauty tips, nail polish giveaways, and information on how to design your own Chanel bag. However, we’re not so sure how we feel about how Glamour feels about it’s readers. Apparently Glamour readers are supposed to be cheerful and bright – like cupcakes?

Marie Claire, which we suppose is Glamour’s direct competitor doesn’t just discuss cupcakes. They explain party myths and how common misconceptions might get you in trouble. Read up before you drink up.

Fashion week in NYC means random events throughout the city as usual with a fashionista twist.  Check out this list — the Olsen twins are working as DJ’s?

Philly.com features Fall Trends and women in Philadelphia workin’ Market Street like it’s a runway.  Philly.com also pointed the way to this inspiring article from Elle magazine. A homeless girl still found a way to blog and keep herself relevant, as well as catch the eye of an editor at the fashion bible. The story is better in the words of the one that lived it. Luckily, you can read the writings of this young woman who has already overcome so much. She’s currently being featured as a blogger on Elle’s website.

Fall Means Fashion and Tubeflops?

It’s probably a safe bet to say that the red meat that Dominic Episcopo, an artist out of Philadelphia cuts up is nothing like what you had at your Labor Day Cookout. Dominic also has some other great photos on his personal website.

Sanuk flip flops are SUPER comfortable. Especially the ones that look like yoga mats that we’ve been wearing around. However, the fall version of these shoes have tube socks. They just seem a little silly.

Bold lip color isn’t something easy to pull off.  It looks like Rachel McAdams has gotten it down to a science. Glamour has a post showing McAdams wearing a few bold choices.

This week is Fashion Week in NYC, and an editor from Elle magazine gives a behind the scenes look at preparing for the hectic week. She’s slightly annoying – only really because she’s thin, tall, blonde, pretty, wears gorgeous shoes, and has a pretty powerful position in fashion, but it’s an interesting peek at what goes into getting ready for the week that makes the fashion world hold it’s breath.

Lastly, in honor of it being the first day of the week, here are some tips from Teen Vogue on how to get rid of under eye circles. Esquire has a list of reasons why you should be excited for fall.

Piggie Toes

Courtesy of the New York Times

Sunday’s New York Times had an article about running shoes called FiveFingers from a company called Vibram. These shoes are part of somewhat of a movement in the running shoe world. These shoes more closely resemble socks than thick soled running shoes. Quite the departure from New Balances. The thought is that it’s better to run as close to barefoot as possible. I’m not so sure I agree.  I’ve tried to run on the treadmill barefoot and it hasn’t ever felt right.  These socky looking shoes are pretty cool looking though.

The New York Times also has a video up from Bill Cunningham, who has a voice that I love.  In this video, Cunningham talks about the women he’s observed walking around NYC in what seem to be evening dresses. I think they’re just longer sundresses, but I love Bill’s take on things.

At the Daytime Emmys there was an Oscar on the carpet. There was also an Elmo and a Big Bird! Sure, there were some talkshow hosts and actresses as well, but the fact that Sesame Street was there and on the red carpet is something that I find highly entertaining.

Somehow I wasn’t aware of Lilliana Vazquez and the fact that she’s everywhere and doesn’t sleep until now. Not only does she run a blog called CheapChicas.com – which helps you wear cute clothes and accessories without breaking the bank,  but she also wrote every single style article on NBC10.com that perked my interest. Her write ups include pieces on Ankle boots, and gorgeous jewelery including great baubles and even necklaces that will help you remember important dates.

Right to Bare Arms

I saw Inglourious Basterds this past weekend, and Quentin Tarantino did not disapoint. Harpers Bazaar has pictures up of the premier.

Harpers also says that toned arms are the new face. It just might be true. Many women are currently seeking Michelle Obama arms, and many celebs show off their guns.

Another slideshow that Harpers has up is supermodels without makeup. I love slideshows like this. I guess I think it’s nice to know that even though they are supermodels, they’re real people. When I met Iman and I realized that she had fine lines around her eyes and not a limp botox face, I found it so refreshing.

I know Newscasters wear some corny outfits sometimes, but if you ever wanted to dress like one, you can!  CNN has a video describing it, but the website is called TV News Closet.

Marie Claire has slideshows of the best premium outlet malls in America, as well as trends in Italy. I have a soft spot for designs from the boot. It looks like these pictures were taken in Italy, so it’s worth browsing for the backdrops alone.

Lastly, if you want to dress like Kelly Ripa, she clues you in on what she wears on the show.

The Orgasm Whisperer

Hee hee, couldn’t resist using that headline, it kept making me giggle when I was fusing these pictures together… the Orgasm Whisperer of which they speak, incidentally, is nothing more than lube. How boring! I guess what they used sounds better than “Astroglide: Every Woman Needs Some!” But this post is in fact about the dress behind the Orgasm Whisperer.

Hugh at Philly Chit Chat points out, regarding the August 2009 Katy Perry Cosmopolitan cover in which she’s wearing a purple dress by Philly designer Mary Dougherty’s brand Nicole Miller:

Interesting note a source told me that Nicole Miller does not make this dress in that shade of purple, the folks at Cosmo digitally changed the colored of the dress for the cover. Don’t fret though, Nicole Miller is highly suggestible and agrees that this is a great color for the dress and is working on releasing a violet silk Dupioni version with the exposed front zipper in early October to meet the demands of girls that want the “Katy Perry” dress and just in time for the holiday parties.

I love Photoshop (it’s magical!) and find the issues with using it in magazine spreads and covers really interesting, especially when its use affects real life. I used to do retouched headshots for musicians back in my college days, and as part of my advertisement I took a picture of myself, then showed the same picture with my eyes bright blue, the same picture with my hair a different color, the same picture with me with unaturally perfect skin, etc. It always reminded me of that one scene from The Craft, which I think every woman ages 25-30 who was a little weird in high school has seen:

Anyway, here’s Cosmo’s video of the photoshoot, in which the dress is indeed blue, not purple. Warning: this involves Katy Perry talking, which did not make me find Katy Perry any less annoying. Nor do I recommend reading Cosmo’s interview with her, which includes such gems as:

“I gave myself until 25 to make it. And if it didn’t happen, I thought I’d just try to find a husband.”

Mellow Yellow

There are some wacky runway styles out there, and NBC10 wants to know if you’d wear these recent runway looks.

Good Housekeeping wants to help you dress for less. NBC10 is also looking out for the professional side of things, and making sure that you can afford a professional look. Looking professional doesn’t mean that you need to buy out Ann Taylor, you can still throw in a couple Forever 21 pieces and look professional. This article has some great tips, including purchasing pumps that stand out.

I’ve noticed yellow as the color of choice for standing out. I want a pair myself. Here are a few of my faves off of zappos.com

Romping Around

Call me old fashioned, but I think rompers are for babies.  Even Kim Kardashian can’t seem to pull one off and that girl could rock a burlap sack.  So, what’s the deal with the big push behind them?

Speaking of Kim, she also blogged about how to get a recent look that she wore to an event for less.

While these bracelets are a little on the pricey side of things, they are so cute. Also, I’ve seen bright watches on women for the past few days, and I think they are adorable. I’m not even a watch fan and I might go get one.

Also, good jewelery is not so easy to come by. There’s Charlie, who my grandmother has gone to for years, but she loves costume jewelery and I only really go to him for repairs. There’s the obvious big names, but what about something different and relatively affordable? A friend of mine has launched her own website including her designs. They are definitely worth checking out. And, according to her website, she’ll be in AC in October if you want to check out the designs in person.

Sunshine Day

Courtesy of Glamour.com

One of my obsessions in the summer months is definitely strawberries. It looks like the writers at Glamour share my appreciation for the summertime fruit.

Keeping your hair healthy is hard work, especially during the summer months. Being somewhat of a bottle blonde myself…I don’t go Heidi Pratt light, but I do have highlights…I know first hand how dry hair can get and that it needs extra attention. Here are some tips from Marie Claire to keep your tresses in tip top shape.

Maybe this is a little bit too much information, but website TresSugar has compiled a list of Maxi Pad Ads from different decades. I found it facinating. You can pass on it if you’d like, but’s just interesting to see adds from different decades. TresSugar also put together a list of what they call ‘Must Reads’ for July. Worth looking at for trips to the beach.

The page of TresSugar however, that I’m so excited about is the slideshow featuring girls that wear glasses! A flamboyant boy last weekend told me that glasses are having ‘a moment’ which made me really happy since I’ve been wearing spectacles since I had an eye injury last October. After wearing contacts for 10 years, it’s an interesting shift to say the least. TresSugar is helping make that shift just a little bit easier.

Also, Coach has a new collection called ‘Poppy.’ The website is fun to click through as well as utilize to drool over overpriced handbags.

Lastly, Perez put up a video of Kendra of Girls Next Door fame’s wedding. It’s cute. And, if you’re not a fan of Kendra’s laugh, not to worry. She doesn’t giggle too much.