Pictorial - Jan 2-9 - Getting Into the Groove of 2011

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

It was a slow start to the New Year - a nagging sinus infection kept me close to the CT Home Office but it wasn't a total wash.

The highlight - we're fostering a baby - a 6 month old Cairn Terrier, named Jacqueline ["Jackie-O" in our house, in honor of said fashion icon]. It's COOOLD out here in the Country so a shopping trip was required to beef up her collection of winter sweaters. Saturday, after much discussion about whether pink or green would be best, we compromised - on a pink and green sweater with a large embroidered strawberry on the back.

It was also a week to see what new fashion books there are out there. After a trip to Borders' Book Store in Stamford, it seems the pickings as far as fashion books go is slim. The notable exception was the self-titled coffee table beauty, Tom Munro, with the introduction by Madonna and a gorgeous black and white image of Madge on the cover warrants further investigation. Another book to look at is Locals Only, with a great cover of two quintessential Cali Girls - all real, no lipo. Must have been what the Beach Boys were crooning about in all those early songs of theirs.

We made the obligatory trip to the mall, stopping-into Forever21 and Charlotte Russe, just to see how desperate retailers are in January. I bought a joke-riff pair of purple knit Ugg-style slipper boots at Charlotte Russe for $5. NO, it's NOT a typo - Five Dollars.

Last but not least, I continued my on-going investigation into how to get the most durable AND hassle-free nails currently available. This HUnt started in Orlando, when bored, I hopped into my rented Sebring convertible and went to the nearest nail salon. Once there, I quizzed the nail tech on the various options - gel or acrylic. We decided on a full set of acrylics for $30 and I was one happy camper for 4 days.

After the initial honeymoon period, the ugly regrowth bump emerged and I got a poor set of fills at the local CT mall which set me back $30.

Disillusioned, I paid $15 to have them take off after an unsuccessful 3 day attempt to soak them off at home. The removal process was the nail tech drilling-through the acrylic and then removing the left-overs with a Metro Card. No kidding, really! He managed not to hurt me. Once I arrived home, I applied a coat of Sally Hansen's Gel. The alternative is to pay $42 at the Adam Broderick Salon for professionals to apply the CND [Creative Nail Design] gel - mixed with a nail color] on me for $42. For now, the cheapie at-home experiment continues. Results in - sometime next week.

Backstage Beauty: butter London and Manicurist/Nail Trend Spotter Nonie Crème at Yigal Azrouel s/s2010

One of my favorite beauty finds this fall was butter LONDON. My friend, Mark Behnke of Fashion Tribes, has been a long-time fan of Brit’s nail queen, Nonie Crème, who’s butter London’s Creative Director and was slated to do a bunch of shows, including Betsey Johnson and Yigal Azrouel. Mark’s one of a handful of American straight guys who’s secure enough to wear color, whether it’s a purple shirt or
OPI’S ‘Linkin Park After Dark’ or more recently, ‘British Racing Green’.

That makes for a refreshing change from yuppie guys who think it’s a radical step to wear a pink shirt [gasp] in lieu of a starched white navy one to work. Mark turned onto butter London nearly two years ago, when he met her at the Vena Cava when she debuted British Racing Green. Over dinner a few nights earlier, Mark told us that he’d permanently quit his OPI habit for his newer one – butter London. He explained, “Butter doesn’t chip, Nonie’s got cool colors unlike any I’ve seen elsewhere [true, why do we need OPI’s seemingly endless riffs on red that are practically indistinguishable from one another?] He knew she’d be backstage at Yigal; so we made a point of seeking her out there, pre-show.

A few days later, after speaking with YIGAL backstage about FASHION v. CLOTHES, we spotted the diminutive NONIE CRÈME, off to the right, custom pouring and blending nail color for the upcoming show.
Nonie is London’s leading manicurist and nail trend spotter. She joined butter LONDON as its Founding Creative Director to help founder Sasha Muir develop a new brand of hand and nail care products that combined high fashion and health and set about building what is today, a premier British fashion brand of hand and nail care products without chemical nasties. Their motto, “3 Free is what we do and it means No Formaldehyde, No toluene, and No DBP (Phthales). Ever.”
At Yigal, Nonie took the time to chat for a few minutes, and sent me off with two bottles to try – “Minger” –
which is THE perfect color to wear to Halloween parties, after I oohed and ahed over it. "Minger" by the way, according to the UK Dictionary of slang means, "a physically undesirable, smelly, or ugly person." So perverse, so tongue in cheek - I was in love with this woman I'd just met and her cooler than cool polishes.

She also suggested I try her newest, “ALL HAIL MCQUEEN”
which falls neatly into the gray nail polish trend, which I didn’t think I’d be trying anytime soon, because it seemed every fashion editor in Lincoln Center was wearing some variation of gray, and I was already tired of gray. In rebellion, I opted to wear nothing at all until if and when something irresistible came down the pike. Luckily for me, along came butter London, to shake me out of my beauty slump.
I went from indifference to longing for “ British Racing Green” Mark and Nonie spoke excitedly of – just to do something different and to match my new "classic green" SWANKINI swimsuit
I’m planning to inaugurate later this week at a friend’s pool. I say “in a few days”, because I just hit the “send” button and have to give the UPS guys a few days to drop it at my gate. That got me thinking of my dream car, a vintage MG in British Racing Green

with a camel leather interior - yum.
As I waited for my order to arrive, after rereading the February 11, 2010 article in www.vogue.com, on the late great Alexander [McQueen], I decided to try “All Hail McQueen”. It took three coats and I eat my words about “boring gray”. I love my sparkly gray-beige nails that are on trend but do NOT look like everyone else’s nails. Nonie and butter London – you have a new fan.

Backstage Beauty at Marchesa s/s2011

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

Yesterday, I got lucky. A few days ago, I met the Red Door’s Publicist, Michelle Sabari-Wrubel, at Robert Verdi's LUXE LOUNGE. As they say, “one thing led to another”. The “other” I this instance was that she arranged for a phone interview with ALISHA BOTERO, the Red Door Spas National Training Director, Nail Services. Talking with Alicia yesterday, pre-show was like having my very own woman on the inside. Alicia was doing nails, but she makes an excellent reporter too. She of course, told me about the nails, but in addition, provided descriptions about the hair Fredric Fekkai stylist, Renato Campora did that was so accurate, that when the images hit my computer hours later, I already had a very good idea of what I’d see.

“Nails, Alisha explained, should NOT compete with the clothing, Marchesa clothes are the stars. These are soft and glamorous Oscar looks that need nails that should compliment the gowns, not compete with them.”

Alisha used a sheer creamy baby pink polish that at this point is unnamed by Le Metier de Beaute. After looking over the pictures, I remembered reading that the late Gloria Guinness –one of the most elegant of all fashion icons – did not polish her nails, preferring this same clean and soft glamour. In today’s HD world, unpolished nails are just not an option for the Red Carpet, so Alisha’s take is the closest thing, and unlike an unpolished nail, looks finished.
She continued with a description of the hair, which was “braided and twisted on top of the head”, followed by the makeup –“which had a highlight around the face that gave it a glowing look, and a heavy white liner on the lid”. The white liner’s a great trick Bobbi Brown shared with me years ago, that saves you on days you’re super-tired. The white pops open the eye, giving an instant lift.

If you want to attempt the hair at home, you’ll need to work Fekkai Essential Shea Tame & Style Pot de Crème through your hair. Next, as Renato did, flip your head over and braid the hair out so that it will fall perfectly on top of the head, and secure it into a bun at the crown.
Finish-up by smoothing your hair with Fekkai Essential Shea Ultra-Rich Mask and Fekkai Silky Straight Smooth Finish. THAT, you can accomplish at home.

If it’s a special event, and you’re having a stylist do your hair, do as Renato did and place a gorgeous embellished accessory to the finished look.
Bellisima!

A Moment With Essie Weingarten, founder and president of Essie Cosmetics, Ltd

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY
I've known Essie since I met her backstage years ago, six years ago, at a Ralph Rucci show. She'd just gotten a gorgeous canary diamond ring, and I'd approached her to admire it [and her perfect manicure]. We got to talking about jewelry, and some of our favorite Essie colors, "Ballet Slippers" and "Pouf Daddy".

ESSIE'S story is one of that shows you that dreams CAN come true.
She began her career by developing 12 innovative chip-resistant nail polish shades in 1981, and went to Las Vegas to sell them. She peddled them to every hotel salon she could. Essie targeted Las Vegas, because she thought that women on vacation were likely to want to try something new than they were when back at home.
She was right; women went home and started talking to their local nail salons and the business grew and grew, by word of mouth.
Post the Michael Angel Show this week, we chatted on the empty runway, and Essie brought me up to speed on her company, She joked, "The baby's 71/2 months pregnant" and patted her flat Ralph Rucci couture clad midriff for emphasis. She may have been referring to the big deal she signed with L'Oreal back in June which has helped catapult her into major league status. Today, the Essie brand extends to 250,000 salons and spas in 95 counties.
Happily Essie is just as marvelously down to earth as she was when we met 6 years ago. We've got a full-on Essie interview in the works late this fall. I can't wait for our sit-down after the shows, to find-out more about what this remarkable woman is up to.

The Return of…. Teal! Jewel tones and Classics Rule Fall Dressing

Back in February, American fashion designers brought out some unexpected colors at the fall 2010 shows, namely jewel tones There was EMERALD GREEN aka ‘Cuckoo for this Color’ SAPPHIRE aka ‘Yodel Me on my Cell’, and my absolute favoriteTEAL aka ‘ SKI TEAL WE DROP’.
THIS IS NOT A MISPRINT, TEAL IS A KEY COLOR FOR FALL DRESSING. Until last February, it’s a color I'd formerly associated with beyond-ugly bridesmaid dresses in the late eighties.
This time though, TEAL is looking infinitely better second time around.
THE SECRET TO WORKING TEAL INTO YOUR WARDROBE IS TO TAKE IT IN SMALL DOSES. PAINT YOUR NAILS AND OR TOES, OR TIE ON A SCARF OR A PAIR OF LEATHER GLOVES IF YOU WANT TO INVEST MORE INTO THIS TREND.

WHY IT MATTERS: My current fixation on teal is that it may be the bridge that takes us from the tail end of the eighties trend into the new, ladylike classic dressing we’re longing for.

THE GLOSSY MAGAZINE ADS HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO SHOW US THE DIRECTION WE’RE GOING-IN. JUST FLIP THROUGH A FEW HIGH END MAGS SUCH AS VOGUE, HARPER’S BAZAAR AND MONOCLE, AND YOU’LL NOTICE THAT MANY ADS FEATURE THE “CLASSICS”. Incorporating a little bit of one of the jewel tones completes the picture of easy, lady-like style, which is how we'll be dressing for fall.

It’s no secret that we’re going to be in a recession for a long long time.
WHAT’S RESONATING NOW IS THE CLASSICS BECAUSE THEY MAKE US FEEL SAFER AND MORE SETTLED. It’s hard to stress when you’re in your closet, looking at your FOREVER PIECES.
I will NEVER get rid of my YSL Trench Coat, Helmut Lang pinstripe pantsuit, Vuitton ‘Jeune Fille” LV monogram bag, or my small, ‘classic’ square cut solitaire diamond ring.

Here’s a shopping list of the top classics that accommodate a wide spectrum of price points. While intended for women, quite a few of these are unisex.
1. Stubbs & Wooton slippers
2. Sperry Top Siders
3. J.P. Tods Driving Shoes
4. A Vuitton ‘Speedy’
5. Hermes’ ‘Birkin’ bag and H-belt
6. A perfect trench coat from: Burberry or Michael Kors – take your pick
7. A black mink jacket – mine’s from Revillon
8. A tube of red Lipstick by CHANEL’s ‘Shanghai Red’, or REVLON ‘007’.
9. Carrera's Classic racing sunglasses, now available at www.solsticestores.com
10. If you’re a man, a navy double-breasted blazer.
*David – it’s time to start wearing that Burberry one you have in your closet!


Back to the original inspiration - I’m now a fan of Suzi Weisse-Fischmann, OPI’s Executive VP & Artistic Director, and have started to follow her blog, www.suzisbeautyblog.com, because she give out insightful style tips on how to participate in the latest fashion trends. Best of all, it will only cost you $7 and change to pick up a bottle of the latest color.

For easy shopping, visit www.opi.com. You can even “try-on” the color without ever having to leave your house – can’t beat that!

Lazy Girl Hair – We Love You, Nexxus, Menscience, Hermes & Jones NY!

TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY

I won’t make any bones about it – when it comes to hair, I am the ultimate lazy girl. A year ago, I went over to visit Oribe and Zaki at the Oribe Salon in SOBE. When Oribe asked me what we were doing, I replied, “whatever you think will look good and require the very least amount of work.” He laughed and directed a member of the team to cut it really close and really cropped [think Jean Seaberg].
I loved the cut, and it's smashing on Madonna's ex-girlfriend? Ingrid Casares. Ingrid can pull it off in her androgynous pant suits, but I'm not longing for this mannish look - a little too Helmut Newton for my sensibilities.

A few months ago, after watching yet another installment of ‘MADMEN’, I decided to embrace retro – when it came to my hair. My goal would be to grow my no-particular style hair into the shape that looks great with a basic set, some teasing and serious hairspray.

To get there, I had ERIN SIMMONS, the owner of the AVEDA SHINE Salon, and an Aveda “Master Stylist” start shaping it in that direction. Amazingly, though there wasn’t very much of my hair on the floor, when she was done, my hair had the right shape. One more inch and a half, and I will have arrived.
In the meantime, it’s all about “pushing the hair into place” and since I refuse to handle a blow dryer, I’ve had to investigate some new products.
Just in time, Kaplow PR contacted me about some new NEXXUS products that would do just this.
Erin and I tried 4 squirts of the clear, slightly sticky VERSASTYLER ARTISTIC DESIGNING LOTION. Like a miracle, it shaped my newly trimmed hair into the shape I wanted.
The key is to let it dry for 15 minutes or so and then brush it with a rubber styling brush. Once done, spray it down with NEXXUS COMB THRU NATURAL HOLD DESIGN AND FINISHING MIST.
Nothing is forever, so yes; it will fall apart in a Bikram yoga class or when you go running. The process is so easy thought, that it’s not a big deal.
Now, if you don’t want to redo the process after a workout, there’s what I’m tagging as “the Hermes/guy option”. The model in the Hermes ad shown merely tied a scarf around her slicked-back hair and she’s ready to go out to dinner. The only styling product you need for this is your man’s MENSCIENCE Androceuticals ‘Styling Pomade’, which you can work though your hair, wet or dry. While Hermes is any fashion –loving girl’s first choice, I’m happy with my Jones of NY scarves. Should they get stained or wet from an unexpected rainstorm, my heart wouldn’t be broken as it would be if my Hermes got wet and the dye ran. Don't forget the finishing touch, two coats of NAILTINI Nail Lacquer in 'Bordeaux' with a coat of SALLY HANSEN Insta Dry, and you'll look as if you're off to Capri, ready to jump on a Vespa with a handsome Italian playboy.

RESOURCE LIST
For Hermes scarves, visit, www.hermes.com

For Jones of New York scarves, visit www.JNY.com

For Nexxus Salon Hair Care, go to www.nexxus.com

For Menscience products, that are created for men, but borrowed by all the girls, explore www.menscience.com

Nailtini and Sally Hansen are available at Beauty 360 and CVS, respectively. Nailtini polishes are also available on www.QVC.com

To make an appointment with Erin Simmons, go to www.shine-salon.com

SUMMER GIFT-GIVING GUIDE -GIFT IDEAS – FOUND ON THE FLY

Text, Vivian G. Kelly
These entries were NOT at JONO’s Product-n-Press Event, the mecca for new gift ideas. But, as Dwayne/Mike Meyers famously said in “Wayne’s World [1992], these ARE “worthy”!
Here are a few companies that created gifts that will go easy on your wallet but bring a smile to the recipient’s face.

Kiss/Broadway Nails
Under the Canopy organic kimono bathrobe $48
Ed Hardy

THE PRODUCTS & WHY THEY’RE A BUY
NATURAL NUDE FRENCH Deceptions – from Broadway Nails in “short” length
The promise: 7-day wear.
WHY TRY: These are $5.99 as opposed to $50+ for nail salon gels and look just as good. True, glue-ons have a shady rep – something you’d imagine a pole stripper might use. After a fashionable high-schooler and a forty-something interior designer showed us theirs, we were motivated to go track down a set at Walgreens and try for ourselves.
We’ve never had the patience to grow our nails long and wearing these for a week actually did the trick for us. Amazed friends declared them “perfect looking” and demanded to know where we’d gotten these.
Getting them off requires a 10-minute soak in Kiss All Or One Artificial Nail Remover.
* To maintain our newly long nails, we started using Sally Hansen’s “Hard As Nails” base coat in “natural.
Total cost: under $30
To view products/selections: www.broadwaynails.com
www.sallyhansen.com

ED HARDY By Christian Audigier’s Neoprene Can Cooler. We picked this one up at WALGREEN’s for $3.99.
WHO IT'S FOR: High School grads and the College Crowd.
We’re in agreement with our blogging associate, Richard Spiegel of The Fashion Tribune that Ed Hardy is over with fashion insiders. [An exception being ANTHONY of the ANTHONY LEONARD SALON in Midtown Manhattan, who regularly wears Ed Hardy Tee ].
The Hardy brand though, keeps rocking on with the mainstream shopper, most notably the high school and college crowd, who have disposable income at their fingertips, and deemed our can holder, “cool”.
To read Richard’s evaluation of the Hardy Brand, visit www.thefashiontribune.com, and read, “The Coach Line – A Real Dead One”.

UNDER THE CANOPY’S organic Kimono Robe –
This 100% certified organic cotton robe uses low-impact dies, AND is machine washable. It’s become the “it” bathrobe in our house with everyone trying to steal it when they think we’re not looking.
The verdict: It’s eco, but there’s no trace of “crunchy granola” here. We’d love to see this robe in salons and spas around the country.
www.underthecanopy.com