Hair Products--switch it up!

This one's for the girls:
Usually I talk about fashion or makeup, but in this post I wanna talk about hair, specifically hair products.  Hair products are extremely important for keeping your hair healthy, moisturized, volumized, and shiny.  One thing a lot of people don't know is that it's important to MIX UP YOUR HAIR PRODUCTS, i.e., don't use the same product all the time.  This is because your hair gets used to certain products, making the products you currently are using less effective.  As a result, I would recommend occasionally switching the products you use, or alternating between products.  I myself have tried out a LOT of different ones, and here are some of my favorites:

Shampoo/Conditioner:

Phytocitrus Restructuring Shampoo--works great for color-treated hair, and leaves your hair smelling citrus-y and looking radiant and shiny!

Redken Extreme Shampoo paired with Redken All-Soft Conditioner--these two paired together are absolutely phenomenal.  The shampoo lathers well into your hair for a deep cleansing, and the conditioner is probably the best I have ever used and leaves your hair very soft and moisturized.

Leave-In Products:

Kerasate Oleo Relax Leave-In Conditioner--reduces frizz, conditions your hair, and smells like roses.  Apply 2-4 pumps to damp hair and then another pump to dry hair to finish it off.

Phyto 7 Hydrating Botanical Cream paired with Phytolisse Finishing Serum--work a pea-sized glob of the cream into damp hair, then rub finishing serum over dry hair to add brilliance.

ENJOY Intensive Hair and Skin Treatment Oil--work a little glob (don't overdo) into wet hair.  This oil will lock in the moisture into your hair but best of all, REDUCES DRYING TIME.  I use it, and it really does make your hair dry much quicker.

Redken Outshine 01 Anti-Frizz Polishing Milk--apply to damp hair to reduce frizziness and add incredible shine.  Leaves your hair feeling light and smooth.

QUICK TIP: When using any leave-in conditioner, be sure to work the product more heavily/thoroughly to the tips of your hair.  The end of your hair tends to get dryer (and get split ends) because the natural oils that your head produces can't work their way down to the ends as much.

So there are my recommendations!  I have used and still do use all of the products above.  I'm a huge fan of hair, so trust me, I have tried out tons of different products and these are what I've found to be the best.  I have pretty dry hair (partially a result of color-treatment), so I look for products that do a really good job of moisturizing/conditioning and getting rid of frizz.

So try out these products--you won't be disappointed!

xoxo

Audrey

Fall 2011--FASHION TRENDS!!!!!

Hello hello fashionistas,

In my last post, we covered the beauty trends for the Fall 2011 season.  Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for—this season’s fashion trends!  Let’s take a look:

-BORDEAUX—As with lipstick, Bordeaux is the big color for this season.  We’re seeing this on dresses, shoes, bags, blouses, accessories, everything.  Such a haute, hot color.

-COLORBLOCKING—Colorblocking is a fun way to bring a variety of colors into your outfits this fall.  You don’t need all sorts of complex patterns to create an interesting outfit.  Try combining big sections of solid colors for a fun way to put solids together and bring lots of color into your outfits.

 -POLKA DOTS—No explanation necessary.

-BOLD GOLD JEWELRY—This season, you can have fun with metallics.  As opposed to simple, modest jewelry, think big, bold, and gold.  Don’t be afraid to use large pieces of jewelry and make a statement.

-HANDHELD BAGS—This is a big trend for this season.  Forget about long shoulder straps and try bags with short handles for a very sophisticated look.

Combination of handheld bag, fur, colorblocking,
bordeaux lips, and tuxedo-style jackets in Gucci's
Fall 2011 collection.

-FUR—Yes, fur is a big trend for many of the premier designers this fall.  You can include fur both in subtle ways, such as fur trimming on shoes, as well as bold ways, such as a fur vest or a colorful fur coat!

-TUXEDOS—…on women!  Designers are loving the look of a tuxedo-style, fitted jacket.  Very sophisticated and very sexy.  Try a black and white tux for a classic look, or spice up your look with a colorful or sparkly tuxedo jacket.

Beyonce in a D&G purple tuxedo jacket.

-BRIGHT PANTS—Solid-colored pants in any and every color are in.  So stop hiding in your plain blue jeans and black pants and instead wear the boldest, brightest colors you can find.

-Shoe trends—REPTILE skin shoes, SUEDE, WEDGES, and of course BOOTS, both ankle-high booties and thigh-high boots.  Perhaps try over-the knee black suede stiletto boots?

Alright, now we've covered some of the brightest, boldest, most fun fashion trends for this season.  Have fun and rock these trends!

xoxo

Audrey

Fall 2011: BEAUTY TRENDS!!!

Well hello there, beauties,
Sadly, summer is coming to an end :(.  However, the good news is that beauty trends for this fall are chic, playful, and fun.  Let's take a look:


-WINE-COLORED LIPS: bordeaux if probably the biggest trend in beauty we'll see this season, so grab all your burgundies, scarlets, and reds to create a dramatic pop of deep color on your lips.

-DEFINED BROWS: another big trend is the bold, defined, natural-looking eyebrows

-METALLIC EYESHADOW: the smokey eye is very in this season, but with a more metallic and colorful twist.  This fall will see darker, more dramatic, but more shimmery shadows.  Be bold with your colors.  Seafoam green shadows are also very in.

-BLACK EYELINER: add some black liner not only above but also BELOW the eyes for a dramatic look.  Pair this with some gold shimmer and then add a thick coat of MASCARA TO EMPHASIZE LONG LASHES on both the upper and lower lashes

-PINK CHEEKS: be sure to add some blush to create bold cheeks

-NAIL TRENDS: metallics, nude colors, GLITTER, bold colors, maroons/wine-colored

Well, there you have it, a guide to the biggest beauty trends for the Fall 2011 season!  Next time, we'll look at this season's fashion trends.  Until then,

xoxo

Audrey 

CONTEST WINNER ANNOUNCED!!!

Hey beauty lovers,

Sorry I have been MIA the last few months, busy times...but I am back and ready to start beauty blogging again!  Remember our Spring outfit contest?  Well, the winner is......

guacamole1's "Spring Outfit"!!!

Thanks to all who participated in the contest; there were a lot of FABULOUS entries!  Let's talk about why this outfit won though, shall we? Well, I chose this outfit as the winner because it incorporated many elements that were very in for the Spring season, as well as some of my personal favorite fashion trends.  This was such an Audrey outfit.  Orange was a very in color that season, and a fun orange dress is a really great piece to have for a sunny day!  I'm also a huge fan of belting a dress, because it adds extra interest to a plain-colored dress as well as emphasizing a narrow, well-defined waist.  The cardigan went great with the feel of the dress, the gold jewelry and strappy sandals (very Stuart Weitzman-esque...my fave shoe designer) and purse and all the accessories were very tasteful.  My favorite touch of all, and a big reason of why I chose this outfit, was the addition of the large hat because big hats were a MUST-HAVE accessory for this season!!!!  The hat really was the final piece that tied the whole outfit together and made it an A+!  Coming soon, we'll shift our focus to hair/beauty tips, as well as taking a look at some new trends (makeup trends perhaps?) for the end of summer/upcoming fall season!

xoxo

Audrey

Polyvore -- CONTEST!!!

This just in: CONTEST!!!!  (more details below)

I discovered the absolute COOLEST site ever: polyvore.com
You can basically create any outfit you want out of any clothing item, accessory, jewerly, makeup, shoes, anything that exists!  It's free to sign up (you don't even need to provide a real email address, takes like 5 seconds), and you can even "clip" items that polyvore doesnt have from other websites onto polyvore.  And then you can publish your items and even post them to a blog, like I did below:


Chic party outfit by avptv25 featuring couture jewelry

So I basically think this is the coolest website of all time!  And I have decided to have a little CONTEST!  For the next few weeks, I want YOU all to create the coolest outfit you can on polyvore (it's not very hard to use, I promise).  Include anything you want: dresses, skirts, tops, jackets, shoes, purses, nailpolish, jewelry, scarves, hats, makeup, backgrounds, anything you want in your outfits.  Then publish (you just click publish--and yes you will have to sign up but as I said above you don't need to even provide a real email address) your outfit, and email or facebook message me the link to your outfit.  Or, if you wish to remain anonymous, comment the link on this post.
At the end of the few weeks, I will select a WINNER!!!  Yay!  I really encourage everyone to participate!  It is so much fun, and you can see if you really have good fashion knowledge.  And I'm happy to critique your outfits as well if you'd like advice.  I promise, it doesn't take that long to use polyvore and it's super fun.  Now go ahead and create!

Elegant chic for guys

Outfit 2: elegant chic for guys (I split this blog post into 2 separate ones for the 2 outfits)
Jack put together one of the most stylish outfits I have seen a guy wear in a long time.  Important lesson: you can't go wrong with a cashmere sweater!

Jack started off with a basic white button down shirt and nice pants, and added a textured gray cashmere sweater:

Putting a v-neck sweater over a shirt with a collar is a very classy choice.  To spice up the outfit and take it to the next level of sophistication, Jack added a classic black fitted jacket:

A black fitted jacket is an absolute MUST-HAVE for any guy!  It's a neutral, it goes with anything, and is something every guy needs to have.  Furthermore, it is a fashion item that can singlehandedly take an outfit from casual daytime to sophisticated evening wear.  Yes, a simple jacket alone can do that!  Finally, the shoes.  Many guys think the only way you can be stylish with shoes is by wearing super fancy dress shoes, and if you're not wearing those you basically are wearing athletic shoes.  Not the case!    Comfortable but stylish walking shoes make an outfit classy and stylish but not too fancy so as to be inappropriate outside of a fancy dinner party:

Jack chose some really great shoes to complete his outfit and make his outfit appropriate for both a day on campus and an evening at an event.  Gotta love this outfit!

More posts to come in the next few days!

xoxo

Audrey

P.S. Check out the Elie Tahari Spring 2011 collection---it is to-die-for!!!

Themed party outfit

Hey fashionistas!
It has been forever since I have blogged, and for that I am very sorry.  Don't worry, though, for I have some phenomenal outfits for you all.  Since it has been so long, I'm going to update you all with a bunch of stylish outfits for different occasions.

Outfit 1: themed party outfit

Sheta began with an absolutely stunning purple and gold skirt for a bollywood themed party.  Clearly, if you have read any of my previous posts, you immediately can tell that this skirt if the "pop" (don't you just love that word?!) of the outfit.  Being the knowledgable fashionista that she is, Sheta therefore decided to tone down the top of her outfit with a black tank top, a neutral color and pattern that goes with anything.  She also toned down her shoes with a nice pair of black flats.
Now, one of my favorite pieces of fashion advice: ACCESSORIZING is what takes an outfit from good to great!  (Remember that!) Sheta does just that.  Let's take a look at her accessories:

Purple bangles are an absolute must for this outfit.  They accent the color of the skirt while adding a little extra flair, and of course go perfectly with the party theme.  Next, she added a pair of elaborate gold and crystal chandellier earrings

and a gold and crystal (going well with the earring style) teardrop pendant necklace.

As you can see, Sheta brings out the purple in her skirt in the bangles, and keeps a theme of gold and crystal going in her earrings and necklace, while reflecting a hint of gold in her skirt as well.  Overall, a very classy, chic outfit!

Outfit of the day: Preppy Casual for Men!

Hey guys,
Let's look at how guys can look stylish in the nice sunny weather.  Today, do decided to go with one of my favorite trends for this season, a polo shirt:

A red short sleeve jersey striped polo from Lacoste is one of the most stylish looks for a guy.  Polo shirts add a nice preppy kind of look and take your look a level up.  Still casual enough to be appropriate for school, but a very nice and polished casual look.  Do then paired this shirt with some fitted dark wash designer jeans:

To complete the basic look, he added some stylish red converses:

How can guys accessorize?  Well, Do decided to pair this look with some aviators:

Sunglasses are a fabulous way to accessorize, especially when it's sunny out.  There are so many different sunglass styles that no matter the circumstances, they are ALWAYS in style.  And you can wear them many ways: over your eyes, hanging on your shirt collar, pulled above your head, anything.  Finally, adding a stylish navy blue backpack Do reveals his final outfit:

Outfit of the Day: Preppy Casual

Hey readers,
It's been such wonderful weather, so I thought I'd go with a happy, preppy, nice casual outfit.  I started off with a trend I have only recently uncovered, which is the fitted "boy shirt" style shirt:

I love the color coral, as it adds a fun, spring-time pop to the outfit.  The rolled up and cuffed sleeves are also a trendy way to wear long sleeved shirts.  To make the look a little "sexier," unbotton the first few buttons.  A great thing to pair with this kind of shirt is a flirty miniskirt:

A denim miniskirt is always a great neutral to go with anything.  Just these two items alone are not enough.  N.B. The key to taking an outfit from good to great is to ACCESORIZE!  Since there isn't a bold pattern on top, let's add a fun necklace.  This kind of shirt looks great with a long necklace, and matching earrings are always great.  Another thing to note: gold and silver do go together!  So to add some sparkle, I'll add a gold and silver long necklace, with crystals to add a little extra interest.  Since we've rolled the sleeves up, a bold and fun bracelet is a definite yes.  Since we have some blue in the skirt, a blue chunky bracelet is a nice piece to add:

Finally, let's play off of the silver in the necklace and earrings and add some silver Stuart Weitzman strappy sandals:

Silver flats work for casual, and silver heels spice up the outfit a little to make it a bit more formal.  With this outfit, either works great!  Finally, adding a red, white and blue striped hobo bag and a little bit of lip gloss to match the pinkish tones in the shirt, the final outfit is this:

Outfit of the day: What NOT To Wear

It's really helpful to look at examples of good outfits to help your own style.  However, sometimes it's also a good idea to see an example of a really egregious outfit, just to make sure you aren't making the same mistakes. I caught someone committing a cardinal fashion sin the other day...yes, this is a real outfit I saw.
So let's look at a combination of clothing that really just does NOT work at all.  Let's start with this:

Ok, a plain blue sweatshirt.  Fine.  Nice color, for a pop, but just don't wear it every day.  That's not to say if you have a clothing item you can only wear it once, because that is absolutely not the case! However, do beware of being an outfit repeater!

So we've got the plain sweatshirt, now what happens if it's paired with this:

Wow.  If you're going to bed, then ok.  Otherwise: No.  Pajama bottoms are not stylish.  Even worse, if you pair old red pajama bottoms with a blue sweatshirt, you have just broken fashion rule #1: don't have too many pops in one outfit!  We have a pop of color on top and a pop of a different color AND pattern on bottom.  Just doesn't work.  Now for the shoes,

oh wait, how about a pair of slippers instead.  Walking around your room, ok.  Going to school?  Unless your classroom has a bed in it, you can do better.  To finish off, the worst accessory of all:

Ouch.  Need I say more?  Let's look at it all together:

So people, here's a tip: take a glance in the mirror before you go out in public.

Featured Outfit of the Day!

Hey fashionistas!
Sorry I haven't blogged in a while.  First, I want to remind you all to vote in the newest poll.  Second, the weather has been much nicer lately, so let's take a look at the featured outfit for today that combines warm clothing with a bit of summery flair to celebrate the warmer weather.
Elizabeth's outfit for today started with a very chic orange knitted sweater:

Solids are always great, especially if you add great detailing, and a vibrant orange is a nice color that, when pulled off well, adds a standout piece to any outfit.  Knitted wool sweaters are wonderful when it's a little chilly out.  By including a v-neck, this sweater elongates the neck and hugs the body nicely to show off an hourglass shape.

Elizabeth paired this sweater with a classic black miniskirt:

A black skirt is an absolute MUST HAVE in any girl's wardrobe because it is a neutral that goes with literally ANYTHING.  Pairing  a short skirt with a sweater gives us a reminder of the chills of wintertime but an exciting taste of the warmer spring ahead of us.

Finally, to complete this whole outfit, Elizabeth included one of everyone's favorite trends for the Winter 2011 season--knee-high boots:

Knee-high boots are very very in this season, and the nice bronzish brown color goes well with the orange sweater.  Putting this all together, along with a ponytail to add a sophisticated edge, we get the fabulous outfit:

Hopefully you've gained some more insight into how to dress for this season from this great look!

Coming up next on my beauty blog, keep your eyes peeled for a special WHAT NOT TO WEAR segment....

Love,

Audrey

RE: Matching shoes to an outfit

I received the following cry for help:
"Can you teach me how to match shoes to an outfit? I have no trouble "ankle-up" so to speak, but my shoes always clash horribly. My girlfriends have even commented "What are those atrocious things on your feet?" Very hurtful. Audrey, I need your help!"


Ok, so the first thing that is really important to grasp is things don't have to MATCH, they have to GO.  What that means is, just because you're wearing a blue shirt or have a blue purse doesn't mean you need to wear blue shoes.  Picking shoes to wear with an outfit requires the same thought process as picking out jewelry or scarves or other accessories.  The biggest thing I've stressed in previous posts is the importance of pairing "loud" items with "quiet" items.  So if you're wearing a pair of black pants for example, this is a really quiet item, and it's a neutral (neutrals are blacks, grays, whites, navy blues, beiges).  Therefore, you can add a pop of color or pattern in your shoes.  


But still be warned, if you have a lot going on in the rest of the outfit, such as a bold patterned shirt, you may want to stay away from really bold shoes.  Let me take you through an example:


The following Trina Turk dress and Marie Claire shoes DO NOT GO TOGETHER:

This probably seems really obvious, but it's important to take note of the thought process.  Why don't they go together?  Well clearly, both are very bold both in pattern and in color, so there's just way too much going on here.  Instead, try wearing this dress with other kinds of shoes, such as:

 A pair of simple black shoes will go with anything, so when in doubt, especially when wearing something bold, you can never go wrong with them.  That's not to say you can ONLY wear black or neutrals when the rest of the outfit is bold.  Here's another shoe possibility:

This is a great pair of indigo Stuart Weitzmans.  Note that it does not exactly MATCH the dress's color, yet it brings out the blue in the dress, so it goes quite well with the outfit. Plus, it's got nice detailing but is not a super crazy looking shoe that distracts from the dress.  Tip: when looking for a color to go with a bold pattern, look for subtle colors contained in the pattern that you can pull out and use elsewhere in the outfit.  However, a pop of color is always a great thing, so you don't even have to take a color from the dress above to have a great shoe:

These pink flats don't match a color in the dress, but are subtle enough and not too bright of a color such that they would still go well with the bright blue and turquoise in the dress.

As for the red shoes, they are very very loud shoes.  If you have a pair of shoes that bold, a simple black dress always goes:

The biggest tip I can give you beyond understanding these basic rules is to take a look at examples.  Look at magazines, or just go on Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom or any site that shows examples of outfits, even google images.  Try different things, ask people's opinions and you will learn.  Don't be afraid to put on an outfit and shoes and ask your friends what their opinions are.  Feel free to message me with a specific outfit/shoe combination or an outfit that you'd like help picking out shoes for.  I'm happy to help!  Good luck!

Winner of poll: SCARVES!

Thanks to all those who voted in the poll that asked, "What's your favorite accessory for the winter season?"
The overwhelming winner was scarves, with 62% of the votes.

I, in fact, voted for scarves.  as they add so much to an outfit.  They add a spice of color and pattern and can transform an outfit from boring to fabulous.  They can also be worn in many different ways, from different ways to tie them around your neck, to using them as a shawl, and even tying them around your purse.  Plus, they really do keep you warm in the winter.  (Don't be fooled, though: scarves are NOT only for the winter time!  A nice silk scarf can give a pop to your outfit in the spring.)

Following scarves with 16% of the votes was UGG boots.

Nick voted for UGG boots, given that they add a nice neutral shoe to the outfit.  Boots are always in style in the winter, and UGGs are both warm, comfortable, durable, and come in many colors.

Following UGGs were hats and long coats, and finally gloves.  These accessories are also great for warmth and style in the winter.  Although I personally hate cold weather and look forward to summer, the one good thing about winter is the chance to wear accessories that you can't always wear in other seasons!

Be sure to vote in the next poll: what's your favorite "in" style for winter 2011?